Mender's afternoon lunch with the Princesses went over well. They tried to have a normal conversation that stayed away from the assassin, instead talking about his army service, how Celestia's been ruling the country ever since Luna's return, little things like that. Celestia decided to avoid talking about his time in Fillydelphia as he seemed adamant on not talking about the town beyond what he had told them already.
Crunch, meanwhile, was happily resting under the table in the kitchen. Celestia and Luna had finally warmed up to the creature sitting at their hooves, though Celestia kept her reservations firm about her. Luna was more relaxed, even reaching down to pet the resting changeling.
The conversation then turned into one of merriment and laughter as Celestia decided to talk about Twilight and her friends. It was an interesting concept, those letters of friendship she had her student write to her. It seemed to strengthen her bonds with her friends, in addition to contributing to her magical abilities that eventually turned her into an alicorn as she was tasked with solving a magic spell that Starswirl the Bearded couldn't solve himself.
"Hah, that old coot couldn't figure out something in magic, the field he was pioneering? Hah, I guess even the great ones can hit a brick wall."
Mender ignored Young's comment, and tried to focus on the conversation instead. He was met with limited success as talking about Starswirl had led to them talking about magic theory for an hour. His head swirled with concepts he had trouble understanding, but Young was keeping pace with the Princesses.
It was around that time that they had asked about Mender's horn.
"My horn? Oh, you mean these two cracks?"
Celestia nodded. "Indeed, Mender. Luna and I have noticed it since we brought you into the Library, but we haven't had an appropriate time to ask about it until now."
"Understandable, Princesses. Well, as you no doubt remember, I served in your army for thirty years, if I recall. It was during that service that I got these cracks working as a medic."
Celestia narrowed her eyes, but still had a soft smile on her face. She knew what he had tried, and she decided to confront him head on. "You tried performing a resurrection spell, didn't you?"
Mender's eyes opened slightly, but his face didn't change. He wasn't that surprised that Celestia knew of the spell.
"Correct, Princess. I had used it to...try and save one of the ponies in my unit. A Stormbringer pony who...was a bit of a show-boater," Mender weakly chuckled.
Celestia paused for a moment before responding. "Do you remember his name?"
Mender groaned. "Humerus. He was always a joker and a prankster...but he was dependable. You needed something out of the way, he could do it while laughing merrily. Creeped out the other ponies in my unit sometimes, including myself, but he was a proud soldier."
Mender took a small breath before continuing, Luna and Celestia silent and listening. "He would always talk about his family back home, about how he was going to see his wife and their daughter when his service was over. He had learned their daughter had taken up stage magic lessons, wanting to be some fancy Magician. He...he was so proud of her. I could hear it from his heart how much he loved his family."
Celestia and Luna opened their eyes wide, knowing what Mender was going to say before the words left his mouth.
"It was one of the last battles of the Bleeding Hooves war. Our unit was tasked with taking out some heavily fortified bunker positions behind enemy lines. Artillery unicorns were hammering at the main force and tearing into the ranks below...the damn foal had one job. Just blow up the positions as the rest of the unit cleared them out."
"The plan was going smoothly until the fourth bunker position. Humerus decided to be bold and try to blow up that bunker before we had a chance to clear it out. Another Artillery pony saw him and unleashed their blast at the same time he did his, and they collided in the bunker."
Celestia shivered slightly. She knew what would happen when offensive magic of that caliber connected with another. Luna looked at her sister and saw her slightly shaking, and knew what Mender was about to say would cause her to shake as well.
"Princess Celestia, I don't think even you could replicate the explosion that happened afterwards. A third of our unit was outright reduced to ash by the blast. Everypony in that bunker was...decimated, a large hole now existing where the bunker would have been. The rest of us sustained heavy injuries, but nothing I couldn't fix at the time...except for one pony. One stupid, stupid pony."
Mender was caught in a flashback of his own as his mind took him to a time where bloodshed was common and the smell of decay never left his nostrils.
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The smoke that rose from the explosion was ominous in shape. Mender swore he saw a skull in the cloud of magic residue hanging in the air.
Why did that idiot Humerus charge forward?! We had a plan, dammit, and it was working great so far! Why'd he have to play the hero?
Mender tried to stand, but his left front leg was broken. His horn glowed crimson as he snapped the bone loudly back into place, wincing as he healed the pain away for a moment. The rest of the wounds on him were superficial, and wouldn't hurt him, but he needed to get moving.
He started to survey the aftermath. By his count, not including the ponies cleared from the other bunkers, at least twenty ponies were dead. Six of them were from his unit. That foalish fool.
Mender kept cursing Humerus until a Shroud revealed herself in front of him. They removed their hood to reveal themself to be a peach-colored mare with a dark forest-green mane. Her eyes shone a deep emerald color.
"Mender, what happened?" she asked.
"Carol, it was Humerus. That idiot charged the fourth bunker before we had a chance to clear it out."
She paused. "Have you found him yet?"
"No, I haven't. He probably sent himself off to Tartarus for his foalishness."
Carol slapped him. Hard. "Mender! Find him! You know this idiot has saved our flanks for years now!"
"I know! I know...but he's still an idiot." Mender smirked weakly.
They both searched for Humerus again among the many bodies they found. A few more new ones came up. Some recognizable...some not. Mender's count of the lost ponies in his unit rose to ten after the search...and then he found him.
Humerus was more of a wreck than usual...but this time, things looked grim, even for him. The explosion sent him into some iron rebars that once held the exploded bunker firmly in place. A few bars pierced his legs, and two went through his chest. He coughed as Mender approached him.
"H-hey...Mender. Guess...guess I got carried away, huh?"
Mender fought an urge to punch him in the gut. All that would do was kill him. "You're an idiot, you know that?"
Mender's horn glowed as the lengths of rebar sticking out of him snapped, Humerus wincing in pain slightly every time one of the bars broke. Mender slowly tugged his body off the bars and tried to seal up the wounds, but something stopped him. Humerus.
"What are you doing, Humerus?! I'm trying to save you!"
Humerus tossed him aside. Some enemy ponies rose from the ashes, somehow having survived the explosion. Blood continued to leak from the holes the rebar left in his body as he charged his horn up with lightning, and struck the rising ponies, killing them. One shot missed against an enemy unicorn, who had charged their horn and released a cold blast towards Humerus that hit him square in the chest, just as Carol uncloaked and slit the unicorn's throat, felling them instantly.
The ice spear sticking out of Humerus shocked Mender. It was rare magic that he had only read about, as not many ponies could master it. This was the first time he had dealt with ice magic...and for the first time, he didn't know what to do.
Humerus's body was getting colder every second. Mender tried pulling the spear out, but to no avail as it had attached itself to him by freezing the blood around the entrance wound like a hard glue. He didn't know any fire magic, so melting it wasn't an option, and Carol didn't know it either.
Humerus was going to die, Mender thought. All Humerus could manage was coughing up blood now. Any words he spoke were barely whispers at this point as he lay on his side, the cold slowing his heart down at a frightening pace.
"Celestia dammit, Humerus! You could have let me heal you before shoving me out of the way! I could have-"
"No...you could...not..."
Mender couldn't say anything. What could he say? Somepony, one of the strongest and most faithful Stormbringers he knew was dying right there. He could do nothing. He...he...
He failed.
Mender crumpled into a heap, tears flowing from his eyes as Carol approached. She knew the moment that spear hit Humerus he was doomed, but seeing Mender like this...seeing so much of his unit die, the same unit he had kept running for years and years, despite all the crap he took...it hurt her.
"M-Mender? So...so cold..."
Mender looked up. Humerus's eyes were beginning to glass over now.
"Yeah...you idiot?"
"Find...my...daughter...my........family. Tell them-"
"I will, Humerus. I'll tell them you loved them with all your heart...that they were the last thing you thought of."
Humerus nodded, then became still.
Mender cried out in rage. His horn glowed furiously in a bright red light as a glow began to take over Humerus's recently deceased body.
"Mender?! What are you doing?!" Carol cried out.
"This Celestia forsaken idiot promised to see his family again! I won't let him die that easily!"
He focused more healing magic into his horn. Carol realized what Mender was trying to do, and tried to grab him.
"NO, Mender! You can't! It defies the life cycle! You KNOW that!"
Mender shoved her off. "I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!"
Mender's horn began to crack on both sides as the pressure built up in it. Mender was two seconds from finishing the spell...
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"...and I fainted. Everything went black before I could bring him back. I was out for a solid month in the field hospital, and when I woke up...these cracks were there. Humerus has long since been buried by the rest of our unit. I wasn't there for the little funeral service they set up two weeks in. I was infuriated...but Carol came to calm me down. I took three weeks in the field hospital before I could return to duty, though my magical abilities had...severely diminished. Had to start using my hooves to do some of the work like I did when I first started, and I was back on duty ever since..." Mender finished.
Luna and Celestia both had a tear in their eye. Celestia had received the report of that battle, and knew of the explosion Mender spoke of. Luna didn't but she could feel the pain in his words as he recalled that memory. That couldn't have been easy for him to recall.
Celestia recovered first, and spoke. "So...did you keep your promise to Humerus?"
Mender nodded. "I did, told his family about his passing...and I haven't heard from either of them until I left the service. When I did and found his wife back where he said she lived, she had told me their daughter had left to go and pursue her magician dreams on the road. I don't know where she is...but I want to find her. That's...that's not selfish, is it?"
"No Mender, it isn't." Luna spoke, finally recovering. "You want to find her and make things right. That's a noble thing, one that...we both respect."
Celestia simply nodded. Mender smiled and looked outside, noting that nightfall was coming.
"Well, that's enough storytelling for me. Also...erm...Princesses, I do hope you have a place to stay here in Ponyville, if your business here isn't concluded. Only have one bed in here, and it's a single."
"Wow, hopping off a sad story like that and already trying to bed royalty on a guilt trip? You cad."
"Crack one more joke like that, and I'll crack your door into firewood."
Young was silent. Good.
The Princesses, meanwhile, sensed an internal conflict going on in Mender's head for a moment. Their eyes narrowed on the black band around Mender's horn for a moment before shaking it off. For some reason, they both giggled afterwards.
"Alright, Mender. We'll let you enjoy your evening. As it turns out, we do have some business left to do here, right Lu?"
"Lu?" Mender asked. Celestia froze, and Mender grinned. "A little nickname for your sister, is it?"
Celestia blushed slightly, an emotion Mender thought he'd never see in his lifetime. He pumped his hoof under the table, and mentally checked off "Make Princess Celestia Blush" on his bucket list.
Luna was also flustered. "Uh...Tia, we should get going now."
"TIA? Did I get a twofer?" Mender smirked widely now. Luna froze, and she looked to her sister, then they both looked back at Mender.
Both Princesses sheepishly grinned, and fled out his door, not wanting to say another word to him.
"You're going to start calling them that for fun, aren't you?"
"Hah, you bet your ass I am. Sure beats using the Princess formality all the time."
"Aren't you the least bit worried that may get you killed by them?"
"Nope, I'm only that worried for my life the second your door is discovered."
"Eh, makes sense to me. Enjoy your name badgering."
Mender's grin couldn't be wider if he tried. "Make Princess Luna Blush" and "Make Both Princesses Blush" were checked off on his bucket list, and Mender laughed heartily.
Meanwhile, Knife Point was camping out in an apple tree, and saw two very flustered Princesses fleeing his home.
"What in Tartarus did that stallion do to spook them?"
Point suddenly felt fearful. If he could get the co-rulers of Equestria to flee his home like their tails were on fire...would he even live?
NO, Point thought. He couldn't be negative. He had a duel to win, and he was going to win it, no matter what.
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Two streaks of white and blue light flew through the sky towards the local Ponyville Inn.
"Tia, do you get the feeling he's going to start calling us by our short names now?"
"If he does, we need to call him a short name back, Lu."
"Why not Mendy?" Pinkie interrupted, riding on some odd helicopter contraption made out of candy.
The Princesses didn't have to time to question it, as they both liked the name. They smirked at each other, and landed at the inn, leaving Pinkie behind.
"Aw, wish I got to go with," Pinkie whined as she lowered herself back to the ground.
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Back at the old gray house, Mender felt a small chill go down his spine, as if his short name idea would backfire in a way he wouldn't expect. He shrugged it off, nothing was going to stop him from using those short names now, despite any humiliation that may come.
He yawned. He heard a small yawn underneath him. Crunch was ready to sleep as well.
Mender cleaned up the dishes from the lunch they had. They had so much interesting conversation he didn't feel like eating dinner, so he climbed up and entered his bed. Crunch followed him up and curled up at the foot of the bed. Dear Tia...nah, not quite the same ring. Dear Celestia, this changeling was cute.
He felt his eyelids close as sleep came to whisk him away to a land of dreams...or so he thought.
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Mender had woken up in his home. He yawned, and got out of bed. Crunch wasn't at the foot of the bed...but no matter. He was going to have a great day, and a quiet afternoon.
He didn't even feel like eating breakfast, so he decided to take a seat in the old rocking chair outside.
Just as he sat down, he began to fall. The world he saw vanished in an instant, and nothing but black darkness spread out before him.
Then visions came. Visions came of...him, doing things he would never foresee himself doing.
Applejack was hung on one of her own trees with a lasso around her neck. He was pulling the rope tight.
Twilight would be found bloody and beaten to death under a pile of books, him holding a bloody one that looked like a diary.
Fluttershy would be eating rabbit stew he cooked for her, and force-fed her it against her will.
Pinkie Pie would be cut up like a skinned pony, used for the latest batch of cupcakes he would serve the town.
Rainbow Dash would struggle against a net that Mender was magically binding her in, her bones crunching as it constricted her further.
Rarity would have a dress sewn INTO her, an outfit she could never remove without tearing off her skin.
All of these visions haunted him, while a laugh cackled in the background. It was a laugh Mender recognized.
"DISCORD!"
The visions shattered in an instant, and reformed into the draconnequs.
"Able Mender. So good to see you again." His voice was sinister.
"What do you want? Haven't you tortured me enough?" Mender asked.
"Torture? No, that little stunt was just something to get your attention. You DID become friends with them after all, right?"
"So what if I have?"
"Well, they all came up to me yesterday. Showed some concern for you, you know. Can't imagine why, since after I told them about your sad, sad little life story, they shed tears for you, even though they barely know you. Sometimes I don't get how emotional you ponies can be," Discord huffed.
Mender blinked. Discord told them about his life.
"...how much did you tell them?"
"Enough so that they'd stop asking me about you. They seem to think I hurt you." Discord grinned.
"You DID hurt me, Discord!" Mender snarled.
Discord chuckled. "Did I? Think carefully, Mender, for I did nothing of the sort."
Mender tried to think...but he couldn't. He couldn't even remember if Discord HAD hurt him...but it felt like a gut instinct.
He had to push that instinct away. "...so if you didn't hurt me, what made them think they did?"
"Luna seems to think she heard me laugh after she left your dream, Mender. I have no idea what she's talking about."
Mender thought back to that night. He didn't remember hearing any laughter. Was Luna hearing things?
"I think she was." Discord said, seemingly hearing Mender's thoughts.
"Don't do that. That's creepy."
"Fine...spoilsport." He crossed his arms and looked disappointed.
"So...why did you pull me in here?"
"Well...I came to make a deal with you."
"A deal?" Mender didn't like this one bit.
"I know you don't trust me, but hear me out, hm?"
Mender remained silent. Discord grinned and spoke.
"You're having trouble with that little dream again, aren't you? The one where your family burns, and you fail to rescue them?" He sneered.
"...it has been coming back, but get to the point."
"I can make it go away, Mender. Make it so that it stops haunting you." Discord had appeared close, holding him with his lion's paw.
Mender backed off. "No way. I know there's a catch, Discord. There's always a catch with you."
Discord laughed. his talon hand flashed with a catcher's mitt now covering it. "Oh Mender, you know me too well. Fine, there is a little catch...and because I'm a good little sport, I'll tell you what the catch is."
Discord threw a baseball at Mender, which stopped just in front of his face and turned into Discord's head, his body still in the background with the catcher's mitt.
"The catch is this: Sometime in the future, you will visit Canterlot to look for an item."
Mender froze. He had an idea of what Discord was referring to.
"You simply bring that item to me, and your nightmare about you failing to save your burning family will disappear forever."
"No." Mender's response was immediate. Discord didn't even look the slightest bit annoyed.
"Very well, Mender. My offer still stands all the way up until you get that item. I can remove the nightmare earlier, though, but you must promise me to give me that item first."
"I said no, dammit!"
Discord snorted. "Very well Mender, in that case..."
Discord snapped his fingers, and Mender found himself on the cobblestone road in a wilting forest. Ash filled the air as heat came down from one end of the road. Mender found himself running down the road, leaving Discord behind. Discord grinned, and said just two more words.
"Pleasant dreams."