We woke up the next morning to light flooding the room through the window. I slowly got out of the bed and began following the process of equipping my armor. The chestplate, shoulder pads, neck guard, midsection guard. I applied my bracers and grieves. My base layer was still on from the previous day. I had my necklace on under the base layer. I didn't know why I kept it on all the time. It was something sentimental, maybe I thought it granted me internal strength.
I put my saddlebags on and walked out of the room and down the hall. I put one hoof in front of the other as I descended the steps. I approached the front desk, giving the clerk several bits and the key. In a few minutes, Metalwing was fully armored and coming down the steps, saddlebags fully packed. We quietly walked out the front of the inn. As we stepped out, there was a slight chill in the air. Few ponies had come outside. Most everypony was still waking up for the day.
We silently started walking in the direction of the mountain range. Each of us advancing, step by step. Each time we put a hoof forward, we were that much closer to restoring balance. I didn't look back at the quaint little town, I only looked forward at the path to a manifestation of my chosen destiny. I thought I would be walking my path alone at first, but was surprised to have another help me bear the immense burden of recreating harmony in this universe. Feeling the cold wind peirce me like needles, I didn't back down. I stood my ground, and I stood with one I loved.
Metalwing wrapped one of his wings around me, keeping me close to him and enveloping me in a warmth I had only ever felt from his touch. He held me next to him, safely and securely. I wouldn't leave him, I would sooner die. I continued being strong, for him. I would do anything to not give him up. We both advanced toward the mountain range, through sandy plains full of cold, dry wind that showed no sign of letting up.
At some point, we found a rock formation that was easy to walk into and blocked the wind in nearly every direction. We sat down inside, and began to prepare our lunch. I pulled out two sandwiches as he started a small bonfire in the middle of the area. The wood and coal burned, illuminating the inside of the structure and providing warmth that relieved us of the numb feeling the frigid force had inflicted on us.
I gave him one of the sandwiches and ate the other. We sat there quietly, huddled together, and thought about the upcoming task we were faced with. I watched the flames dancing over the blazing surface until it was reduced to a warming smolder. That night, we slept there together, ready for the final stretch of the journey. The desert went dark, and the wind blew over. The majority of the heat stayed in the formation for the night.
The next morning, I woke up, trying not to disturb my significant other. I walked out of the formation and looked around. The Apploosa pegasi had been kind on this day, as the sun was shining and the plains seemed still as compared to the freezing wind from the previous day. I waited for Metalwing to awaken so we could continue the long voyage, leaning my back against a large rock on the side that the sun hit it. I heard hoofsteps from the cave before the kindhearted changeling stepped around the rocks and looked at me. I slid down and landed on my hooves, picking up my saddlebags and putting them on.
We approached the mountain range, closer than we had ever been before. In a matter of hours, we were climbing the first mountain. It was a long climb with our cumbersome gear, but we reached the peak of the enormous formation and scanned the range. We saw a mountain far taller than the others. Its height towered over the others. It was twice the size of the taller mountains here. I dubbed it Everest, as that was only one that came to mind. I spotted a cave leading into the heart of the mountain about halfway up. It looked to have columns carved into the opening, but it looked otherwise natural.
I fetched the climbing gear out of our saddlebags and we slid down the stone behemoth we were currently on in the direction of Everest. Our trek to the enormous mountain seemed like days. The sun hung over us, pounding us with heat as we struggled to climb around formations of rock, only becoming more exhausted as we got higher up the mountain. We eventually got to the cave. I collapsed in the entrance as Metalwing dragged me further in, leaning me up against the smooth wall and taking my helmet off. He retrieved a water bottle from my saddlebag and proceeded to help me drink from it. When my thirst was satisfied, he took a turn to quench his own.
We stayed in the opening of the cave overnight, holding each other closely and dreading venturing further into the expertly crafted stronghold. I slept on his shoulder with a dreamless sleep. I was unprepared to leave this world, so I would fight until I no longer could. For Metalwing, and all my friends I had made. I would not give up until death claimed its prey, taking me to my demise.
The next morning, we both set our saddlebags down in the entrance to be fortress, proceeding further into the cave. Oddly enough, torches were still burning all around, controlling the temperature and creating light. I knew they were magical flames, as they didn't look natural. They weren't consuming the torches, only dancing on them. We began walking down an enormous spiral staircase. At the bottom was an immense room full of columns made lf stone and accents of solid gold. At the end of the room was a large pedestal with a glowing Phoenix sleeping. This wasn't just any Phoenix, however. This one was enormous. It took up the whole pedestal.
I approached the sleeping creature with my chakram out. I quietly used magic to spin the circular weapon at a high velocity, like a saw blade, only faster. I moved it quickly to the creature's talon and sliced off one of the large claws, snatching it. The bird's eyes opened as it stood up and looked down at me. It examined its talon, missing a black claw that I was holding. Metalwing took the claw and chakram from me and stuffed them in his armor. He grabbed my hoof and ran as I looked back to see the flames on the creature grow more and more intense. It started blasting flames that the structure propelled toward us as we ascended the spiral staircase.
Metalwing barely made it out in time as I felt flames start to consume me. They wrapped around me as everything started to slow down to a snail's pace. I saw Metalwing looking back at me, desperately trying to pull me out of the flames before I burnt to a crisp. My vision gradually lightened until all I saw was white. Everything fell silent. I started to hear the sound of an air conditioner as what I saw faded from white to black. I opened my eyes and saw the ceiling of my room, from before I went to Equestria.
Had it all been a dream? Was all I did there simply my own imagination at work? I walked out of my room into the kitchen, seeing notes attached to the refrigerator.
"Hey, it's your mom... you haven't been home with us for the past few days... is everything okay? Love you, sweetie, hope we see you soon!"
I flipped to the next note.
"Hey, it's dad. Your mother worried sick about you. I know you're a grown man now and you're essentially taking care of us, but at least give us a call or something if you ever read this."
I started to tear up as I flipped to the third and final note.
"It's your mom. Dad was just taken to the hospital. His condition overall is getting worse... please, as soon as you read this, call or something. We're so, so worried about you. Your stuff it still in your room, so I assume you haven't moved out."
I rushed to my room to grab my cell phone and dialed my mother's number. I heard ringing for a good solid two minutes before my grandmother picked up.
"Where have you been?" She asked with a sniffle.
I responded, "That's a really long story... what happened to mom and dad? Are they okay?"
"A few minutes ago, they passed away... they contracted an unknown disease and they... they..." she was clearly crying.
I froze, my eyes widening. I hadn't been there for them. I didn't get to be with them in their last moments. I dropped the phone and scrambled down the hall into the utility room, grabbing the jug of ammonia. I took it to the kitchen and poured it into a glass, returning the jug to its place. I stood at the kitchen counter, starring at the glass full of ammonia. If I drank it, I would die. That would be a fitting end to someone who couldn't be there for his parents, wouldn't it?
I didn't have anything left. My friends in Equestria were now gone. I would never be able to talk with them again. I would never again be able to share my love with Metalwing. My internet friends probably thought I was dead already, if they remembered me, and I had no friends in real life. It was a perfect way to go out. Despite my own reasoning on making this choice, I still didn't bring myself to do it. I trembled as I put my hand around the glass and slowly picked it up. I opened my mouth and slowly began to move it up to my mouth when I looked down and noticed something. I was wearing a necklace on a chain. I slowly set down the glass as I examined it, I didn't remember having this necklace in this universe. The pendant was a silver double helix, tapered at either end suspending a round green crystal inside. It was identical to the necklace I wore in Equestria.
A light formed the other side of the small galley kitchen. The Equestrian guardian of balance appeared, only humanized. I looked at it, dumbfounded as I wiped my tears away. My necklace began to glow softly and levitated slightly.
"Self sacrifice is a noble thing, but not if done in vain." The ethereal being spoke in its normal soft voice.
I looked at him, "But what is there to live for?"
"You have many adventures in your chosen destiny. I can lead you to them. You restored balance by cutting the claw from the legendary deity's talon. I threw it off again by transporting you back to this universe before you died." It answered.
I dumped out the glass of ammonia into the sink, "So you mean you can bring me back?"
"I mean I will bring you back, if you are willing." It replied.
I nodded my head as the being faded away. My necklace levitated higher and grew more intense in glow. It emitted an aura that almost looked like bright green flames dancing around the sphere inside the delicate metal supports. I watched as streams of green magic flowed from the object and enveloped me completely. I felt completely relaxed as my vision faded back to white.
I woke up just like in the first day, in the field, facing the sky with Fluttershy over my head, pleading me on whether or not I was alright. This time I wasn't wearing my armor or my scarf... Or my boots. The only thing I had on me was my amulet which had transported me back.
I stood up, "We have got to stop meeting like this."
"Your necklace was glowing... Why is that?" She asked.
I looked out over the cliff, "It's a long story. Can you use your wings to carry me to Ponyville? Sugarcube Corner to be exact?"
"Oh, I-I don't know... I can try... Rainbow Dash would be better." She answered.
I looked back at her, "Rainbow Dash isn't here. Look, I'm pretty light without my armor. I'm confident that you can do this."
Fluttershy looked down, nervously.
"I know you can do this." I reassured her.
She looked at me and nodded, picking me up gently as she glided toward the corner of the market district of Ponyville. By the time we were close enough, I felt her grip slipping. But we were alsi fairly close to the ground. I saw Metalwing slowly walking while looking down at the ground in sadness. I looked at the dirt street in front of the building.
"Let go now." I told her.
She looked down at me, "Are you sure?"
I nodded and she let go of me, sending me huddling toward an open area in the street. I landed on my hooves, sending a cloud of dirt up from the road and causing a commotion among the citizens of the town. Through the dust, I saw Metalwing looking up with wide surprised eyes. I walked out of the dust, confirming it was him. My walk sped to a run as I sprinted to embrace him. His face light up as he wrapped his hooves around me and took off into the air, gently turning until we settled out into a stall in the air. He kissed me on the lips before hugging me closely.
"I thought I lost you..." Said the stallion.
I responded, "I thought I lost you too..."
The two landed gently as ponies all around started to clap. Apparently Metalwing had spread the news of my demise in his moping because there was a whole impromptu celebration with cake and everything. Although, leave it to Pinkie Pie to somehow know exactly what was going on. The party lasted late into the night before everypony went home and we had some privacy.
"I love you, Sprocket." Said Metalwing.
I returned the sentiment, "I love you too, Metalwing."