Clyde felt a presence hover over him. “Clyde, darling, get up.” He felt a pair of hooves touch his chest and began to shake him. He opened his eyes to see Rarity looking at him. She smiled as he gave a yawn. He sat up and looked at her which he noticed still had the dark lines on her face. He tried wiping them away with his hoof, which Rarity didn’t resist.
“Are you feeling better?” asked Clyde. He looked out the window and saw that it was night time now.
Rarity nodded. “I always feel better when you’re here with me.” She quickly frowned as she realized on how cheesy she made that sound. She shook her head and looked at Clyde again. “Did you stop that stallion from coming up here?”
Clyde shrugged. “I think Wahlburn tied him up and took him somewhere.” He looked at the ground with a sad expression. “I’m sorry I made that happen.”
“Now do you understand why I don’t like you leaving me alone?” asked Rarity. “Things like that could happen at any time!” Clyde felt bad and continued his depressed stare at the ground. Rarity saw this and placed her hooves on his shoulder. She turned him towards her and looked right into his eyes. “Don’t worry about it darling. None of us got hurt. That’s all that matters, right?”
“I guess,” said Clyde. “The thing that bothers me is that Arlin sent clones at you because of me. I didn’t want you getting hurt or involved with my friends’ problems.”
Rarity drew him closer and gave him a kiss. The kiss quickly turned into a passionate kiss, but only lasted a minute or two. After they were done, Rarity pulled back away from him and smiled. Clyde returned the smile.
“How did you do that flashback thing?” asked Clyde in a happier mood.
Rarity glanced at her horn and frowned. “I had Twilight teach me a memory spell so I could surprise you one day and show you my point of view about one of my favorite memories with you.” Clyde’s stomach growled and Rarity giggled. “How about we go get something to eat?” she asked.
Embarrassed he looked away. “What time is it? I got here at four and it’s already night time.” He looked at the small clock on the wall near her designing station. The clock read eight-thirty. After deciding where to go, Rarity left for the bathroom to redo her makeup as Clyde put on a jacket and went downstairs to wait on her. As he passed the door to the kitchen, he heard a quiet knock on the front door. He stealthily walked up to the window and saw Wahlburn standing outside.
Clyde opened the door and Wahlburn grinned. “Clyde, my brother! When I said take your time, you definitely did!”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you’ve been in there for like four hours. I couldn’t last that long.”
Clyde’s face felt warm as he understood Wahlburn’s message. “That’s not what happened at all!”
Wahlburn grinned. “I’m kidding brother.” Rarity soon came down the stairs and walked up to them.
“Hello Wahlburn,” she said. “It’s been awhile.”
“It has. I hope Clyde isn’t treating you like dirt.” Clyde looked at Wahlburn with an angry glare, but Wahlburn waved him off.
“He treats me like every lady should be treated: like a queen.” She snuggled into Clyde’s side as Clyde smiled at Wahlburn. Wahlburn waved him off again.
“Anyways, Wahlburn,” said Clyde. “Why are you here?”
“I was going to tell you both that the stallion we took down is being held captive at Twilight’s treehouse home thing.”
“You took him there!” exclaimed Clyde.
“I didn’t know where anybody else lived in this town! This is my first time here!” Wahlburn turned around. “I did get to meet Spike again, but he’s changed man.”
“How?”
Wahlburn turned around to face the two. “Twilight made him go through this rehab thing. He won’t even look at weed anymore.”
“Good,” said Rarity. “I don’t understand why you corrupted a child with such nonsense.”
“He’s the one who wanted to try it!” yelled Wahlburn. He looked at Rarity, who flinched back in startlement. Wahlburn looked at her. “Sorry. I’m loud.”
“I noticed...”
The three of the them walked through the town towards Twilight’s treehouse. Clyde complained about food on the way there, but Wahlburn told him to stop bitching as Spike was making some nachos. Once they reached the treehouse, Wahlburn knocked on the door and waited.
Within three seconds, the door opened and Spike greeted them. “Hello, the nachos just got done!” Clyde gave Spike a high-five and ran inside towards the kitchen as Rarity pranced after him. Wahlburn shook his head at Spike.
“Come on man, cut the bullshit. You used to be badass!”
“I’m still ‘BA’ man,” said Spike. “I just had a revelation that’s all.”
“Brother,” said Wahlburn. “Weed is the best revelation there is! I know you still love it!”
Spike shook his head in disagreement. “I’m sorry friend, that’s just not me anymore.” Wahlburn sadly walked into the treehouse as Spike closed the door. When Wahlburn walked into the kitchen he saw Clyde and Rarity sitting at a table. Clyde was devouring a whole plate of nachos as Rarity was taking small bites out of a single chip from his plate.
“What’s wrong with you?” asked Clyde with a mouthful of nachos in his mouth. Rarity gently hit him to remind him of his bad manners and Clyde quickly swallowed the food and coughed. “Sorry. What’s wrong Wahlburn?”
“It’s nothing, brother.” Wahlburn sat down and began to pick apart the stack of nachos.
“Spike, where is Twilight?” asked Rarity.
“She’s downstairs watching over the victim.” Spike climbed up onto a chair and dug into his nacho mountain. “I don’t know why that’s even necessary as she has him binded by a magical rope.”
After they all had enough nachos to suffice, Spike led them downstairs. They saw Twilight sitting on a chair looking at the stallion who threatened Rarity some hours ago. He was awake now and looked at group walking down the stairs.
“There she is!” yelled the Arlin clone as he saw Rarity. “Maybe I came off a little too hard, but I’m glad you came back for me!” Rarity shuddered at his voice and clung onto Clyde’s front leg. Clyde stared at the clone until they all walked down the steps and sat down in chairs beside Twilight.
“So, is this the big torture scene where I tell you where Arlin is and how to stop him?” asked the clone. He tried moving, but the rope began to sink into him more.
“No,” said Twilight. “All we want to know is why did this Arlin send a group of you to attack Clyde and his friends.”
“Oh, that’s an easy one.”
“Yeah,” said Wahlburn. “What is it then?”
“Hmm?”
“Why did he come after us!” yelled Wahlburn.
The clone looked blankly at the ceiling. “Oh, it’s because you destroyed his machine.”
“Machine?” asked Twilight, “what is this machine? You never said anything about a machine.” She looked over Wahlburn.
“It’s his stupid cloning machine,” replied Wahlburn. “Clyde and I actually didn’t destroy the machine. It was Morgan Freepony.”
Twilight looked at him with a blank expression and lowered her eyes. “Really? Morgan Freepony? Do you actually think I’m going to believe that?”
Wahlburn dropped his jaw and threw his hooves in the air. “What? I’m totally being serious!”
“Yeah, okay. Also, next thing you know you’ll stop doing weed.”
Wahlburn’s jaw dropped again. “Ask Clyde, he was there! I’m being serious. For real.”
“Clyde?” asked Twilight.
Clyde laughed. “It may sound weird, but it was actually Morgan Freepony who destroyed the machine.”
“Is this some inside joke thing?” Twilight looked at Rarity. “Do you believe them?”
Rarity looked at the ground and looked at Clyde. She stuck her nose in the air and closed her eyes. “I believe everything my Clyde says.”
Twilight smacked her face with her hoof. “So what you’re all saying is that the famous Morgan Freepony just so happened to be in the area, let alone this secret military base that you guys found too, and stopped some crazy machine in a portal that can also transport you to another world that Wahlburn told me about a few hours ago?”
Wahlburn and Clyde looked at each other. Wahlburn rubbed his head. “Well, when you say it, it sounds like some fake story, but it did happen.”
Twilight sighed. “Alright then. I mean, I’ve seen crazier things with you guys, so I’ll believe this.”
The clone began humming and the others looked at him. “Oh sweet, you guys remembered I’m here. Arlin didn’t send us just for that reason. There were more reasons.”
“What are they?” asked Wahlburn.
The clone looked up to the ceiling again. “Well, one of you helped kill Jarlin. He was his favorite clone and his successor.”
“That’s not my fault that dude was going through my head,” said Clyde. “Other than Rarity, I don’t want anyone to know my personal thoughts.” Clyde saw Rarity look at him with concern but he ignored it.
“You have personal thoughts?” asked Wahlburn.
“Everybody does,” said Twilight. “You would probably have some if you didn’t smoke them away all day.” Twilight and Rarity giggled and Clyde began laughing. Wahlburn looked at the ground disheartenedly. Even Spike and the clone laughed. Before anymore laughing directed at Wahlburn could take place, a faint knock on the main doors of the treehouse was heard.
“A visitor? At this time?” asked Twilight. “Spike, go and see who it is.”
“Yes ma’am!” Spike gave a salute and ran up the stairs as fast as his stubby legs could take him. Once he got to the door, he paused for a deep breath, and opened it. “Welcome to-!” He looked around and saw nobody was there. Confused, he stepped outside and looked down the streets of Ponyville. Spike shrugged, thinking it was a prank and turned around to enter the treehouse again but heard a loud crackling noise behind him. As he turned around, a small sphere grew and erupt into mist. Once the mist cleared, Apollo was standing tall over Spike.
Spike’s eyes widened as he looked at Apollo. “Holy sweet fire mane bro! Can that thing actually burn down trees and stuff! We better not get too close or Twilight is going to get real mad.”
Apollo looked down at him “No, it’s merely cosmetic. Where is Clyde at? I teleported to him, but I was sent here instead.”
“Clyde? He’s downstairs with Rarity, Twilight, and Wahlburn. Some clone dude is down there too.”
Apollo began walking into the house, but stopped. “Am I allowed to enter?”
Spike waved him off. “I don’t care. Go ahead.” Apollo walked into the treehouse and stared at all of the books Twilight had in her library. He soon saw the small staircase that led to the basement and walked down them. As he reached the halfway point down the staircase, he heard the familiar voices of Clyde and Wahlburn. “Hello all of you, Prince Apollo is here,” he said as he stepped onto the basement floor. He saw the awe in the eyes of Wahlburn, Clyde, Rarity, Twilight, and even the Arlin clone.
“Who the fuck is this!” yelled Wahlburn. “Twilight, is this your special lover or something?”
“W-What? I never seen him before in my life!” said a surprised and slightly nervous Twilight.
“Oh my, just look at that mane,” said Rarity in awe of Apollo’s fire mane.
Clyde looked up and smiled. “Oh hey Jeb.”
“Jeb!?” said Wahlburn, Rarity, and Twilight in shock.
“Why are you confused Wahlburn?” said Clyde in confusion. “You were there when Cannon told us Jeb and Apollo were the same dude.”
Wahlburn rubbed his head. “I must have forgotten due to the weed I smoked that night.” Twilight rolled her eyes as Wahlburn yelled at her.
Apollo turned his head towards Clyde. “It’s been awhile.”
Clyde nodded. “It has. We haven’t talked since that day I went to go buy Rarity’s three gifts.”
“Three?” asked Rarity. “You never told me you bought me three. You only gave me two.” She looked at Clyde with a sultry look to try and persuade him on telling her what the last gift was.
“Uh, I counted the bag of gems as two since there were so many of them.” Clyde awkwardly smiled as Rarity frowned.
“Oh...”
Clyde quickly looked back towards Apollo to change the subject. “So, uh, why brings you here?”
Apollo looked away from him at looked at the Arlin clone who was bopping his head to a song or something. “I came here to tell you guys Patel and Cannon are now the rulers of Germaney.”
“Weren’t you the ruler of Germaney?” asked Wahlburn.
“Weren’t you also an Earth pony like your friends?” asked Twilight. Instead of Wahlburn’s tone, she had more venomous tone.
Apollo laughed. “I could say the same for you. Last time you didn’t have wings.”
Twilight flushed red in embarrassment from being called out. “I-I earned my wings and my title! How are you a unicorn now?”
Apollo sighed. “I’ve always been an unicorn since I was born. I was the heir of Germaney, who ruled for thousands of years.”
Twilight looked at him strangely again. “So, you’re saying you were an unicorn when I first met you?”
“Yes. ‘Jeb’ was just a ruse I used to hide from my royal responsibilities. Using the power of illusion, it’s very easy to conceal a horn and a flaming mane.”
“If you were an unicorn the whole time, why didn’t you prevent the whole cult disaster! We could have prevented that whole two weeks of nothing but worry!” The others in the room were confused on why she was so mad. Rarity sighed.
“Twilight, why are you so mad at this? The cult thing happened almost two years ago, so why are you still upset about it?”
“The whole time, Clyde and his friends were being killed off for no reason! If we could have prevented going into that town in the first place, we may have been out of their territory so none of that happened!”
Rarity looked at Clyde and Wahlburn. “That may be true, but it wasn’t a total disaster.”
“Why?” asked Twilight. “Is it because we were lucky enough to bring them back?”
“That, and because I was able to get to know Clyde as more than an associate. It was because of this cult thing Clyde became a friend, and later, the most important stallion in my life.” Rarity quickly reached over and hugged Clyde. Clyde was surprised at the sudden hug, but he didn’t resist it, like all the other affectionate things Rarity surprised him with in the past two years.
Twilight stopped for a moment and looked at one of her best friends. She could tell she was serious and made Twilight realize her rant was pointless. “You’re right. I was clouded by my own experience. It wasn’t a total disaster as their was still some light during it for at least some of my friends.” She smiled as Rarity smiled.
The clone, who was still tied with the rope laughed. “Isn’t that cute! Can I leave now?” The others looked at him.
“No,” said Wahlburn. “We want to know things.”
“Things about what!”
“Like where is Arlin at so I can kick his ass.” Wahlburn smacked his hooves together with a grin.
“Like I would tell you!” replied the clone, “there is no way on this planet I would ever tell you!”
Twilight walked up to the clone and began charging her horn. The horn’s light grew bigger and brighter as she pointed it towards the clone. He began shaking and nervously tried to break free. “No! Don’t do it! I’ll tell you!” Twilight looked at him but continued to point her horn. “He’s at Yacoltsk!”
“What?” asked Wahlburn. “Why is he over there?”
“It’s where our main base is! He wanted to be isolated from others due to the coldness! We have teleportation so location doesn’t mean a thing to Arlin!” The clone sighed in relief as Twilight stepped away from him.
“You better show us where this hideout is then,” said Wahlburn.
“I will!” Twilight walked over to a table and picked up a map of the eastern hemisphere. She floated it over to the clone and placed a pencil in his mouth. The clone lowered his head and marked a crooked ‘X’ on the map. “That’s where our hideout is, but Arlin might not be there this week.”
“Why not?” asked Wahlburn.
“Well, he’s attacking Germaney in two weeks, but this week and next, him and his other leaders are out doing some random events and whatnot. Like, I think one event is some opera concert and another one is a masquerade ball.”
“Masquerade ball!” said Rarity in excitement. “I’ve always wanted to take part in one of those.” She looked at Clyde who was staring at the clone in distaste.
“Can I leave now?” asked the clone. “I told you the basics.”
Twilight nodded. “Yes, you may leave now.” The others looked shocked, even the clone.
“You really mean it?” asked the clone in wonder.
“Of course.” Twilight walked up to him and her aura around her horn glowed again. After a few seconds, the rope fell down as the clone sat there. “You can go now.”
The clone looked around. “What? Where am I? Who am I?” He began to freak out in a nervous breakdown. As he kept nervously looking every which way, Twilight enshrouded him with her aura and he disappeared.
“What did you do to him?” asked Wahlburn, slightly scared.
“I wiped his memory as I undid the rope. I’m not a fan of it, but we can’t let him go back to this Arlin. I teleported him to Canterlot, where hopefully, he finds a new way of life to live.”
“I’m glad I’m not an enemy to you then.” Wahlburn looked away but quickly looked back at her. “I’m not an enemy, am I?”
Twilight smiled. “No, I don’t see why you would be.”
Wahlburn wiped some beads of sweat from his forehead. “Oh thank Celestia.” He turned around and looked at Clyde and Rarity who were sitting beside each other. He then looked pasted them to see Apollo still standing there silently. “I forgot you were here Jeb.”
Apollo sighed. “I’m not Jeb anymore. I never was.”
“That’s cool. Anyways, why did you come all this way then?”
“Well since Patel and Cannon have Germaney, and since this Arlin is about to wage war on it, I figured you guys and maybe Equestria could help.”
Twilight shook her head. “I’m afraid Equestria wouldn’t help because we don’t normally bother with foreign wars. We go against war actually.”
“Can’t you use your Elements or something?” asked Apollo.
Twilight shook her head again in refusal. “No, we don’t have them anymore. They were taken back to the Tree not too long ago. I don’t see how they would help though anyway”
Apollo frowned. “Wahlburn, Clyde, will you help?”
“I’m not joining any sides about Patel and your problem,” said Clyde. “however, I will join a group that goes against Arlin as he did attempt an unforgivable thing.”
“Same,” said Wahlburn. “I’m good for making a small mercenary group to attack while he’s busy with Patel and them.” Clyde nodded as Rarity’s jaw dropped.
“Clyde! I thought you were going to stop with these foolish shenanigans that involve your friends!”
Clyde looked at her with anger, which Rarity was stunned by. “Foolish? You know what almost happened. I’m not letting that go by without me doing something about it.”
“B-But-”
“No. This is my last mission. After that no one should ever attack you again.” Clyde continued his angry gaze at her which made her look at the ground. It was the first time she ever saw anger in his eyes when he was talking to her.
There was a silence in the air until Wahlburn broke it. “So Jeb, are you going to help us or not?”
Apollo sighed again. “I guess I’ll help you plan stuff. When are we starting?”
Wahlburn looked around. “I guess in like tomorrow or something. We need more ponies to help us though. I’ll go ask Tyrone about it tomorrow.” Wahlburn yawned and looked at the others. “Anyways, I’m going to bounce. See you all later.” He waved goodbye and walked up the stairs. As he was about to leave the house, he saw Spike sleeping in the kitchen. He shook his head and departed back to Verona.