After the little meeting with Twilight, I returned to my office to see Starlight trying to yank the locked drawer from my desk. She only had three seconds to giggle in shame before I tazed her and threw her out the room. She should have known that Twilight would have gotten me a sturdy desk considering my violent tendencies, but I guess everyone is affected by the nativity of this world in some way. Though after a few minutes I opened the door and dragged her across the floor before dumped her on her seat so she could go back to her original task. This resulted in her calling me a slave driver, which I retorted by asking if she was volunteering to be my slave. It only took two eye twitches before she screamed in agony.
A week had passed without incident, though I was bugged by Rainbow since she kept questioning on my plans. It only lasted three hours, cause I decided to sic my recruits on her, with the one that captures her getting a day off. I guess they really hate my training methods, and yet I haven't come up with the obstacle course that suit my needs. I was tempted to go to Discord for help, but I didn't want to risk traumatizing my troops, or having some of them being turned into a slime creature or something like that. I had to be very specific with my ball of pain's properties, I would need Twilight to help me get the right obstacle course from Discord. That however would entail dealing with Twilight's excessive planning as well as giving her a chance to question my plans before I can implement them. It's not worth it.
At the end of the week, Twilight's plans come to fruition as we all were waiting in the castle dining room, while Twilight went out to retrieve the guest of honor. Though that also meant that I have to deal with anyone that didn't have any patience, namely Rainbow. Why did she had to have such a short attention span?
"So, you actually came up with something?"
"Yes Rainbow."
"And you think she will like it?"
"Of course, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten it."
"I don't think a gun would be a good present," Rainbow suddenly said, causing me to cock an eyebrow at her.
"Why in the world would you think I would think a gun would be a good present?" I asked, as I observe Fluttershy and Rarity doing some last minute checks to some decorations.
"Because when you got your hooves on one, you hugged it and treated it like it was your baby," Rainbow answered nonchalantly, which caused me to give her an incredulous look.
"What are you talking about?" I replied, my voice a bit strained. "Why would I do a thing like that?"
"Beats me, but it doesn't surprise me since you're such a weird pony. Besides, one of your recruits told me you did that when you went to Canterlot, when you bashed Blueblood's head with a chair," Rainbow said as she idly waved a hoof around.
"You did what‽"Rarity shrieked before she just gaped at me in shock.
"Now wait a minute, I have a perfectly go—" I started to say before she interrupted me as she rushed to my side.
"Why didn't you tell me about it‽" Rarity exclaimed. "Please, don't leave any details out!"
Instead of giving her the story, I just gawked at her for a moment before my voice found its way back home. "...What?"
Applejack, who was watching the whole scene, rolled her eyes, before she decided to pitch into the conversation. "Rarity here is still a wee bit upset at Prince Blueblood for how he treated her and how he used her as a shield to protect himself from a cake that was sent flyin' to him."
Upon hearing that, I gave Applejack a double take before showing her my understanding of the situation. "What?"
"It's a long story sugarcube, I'll tell you about it later," Applejack replied, leaving me in utter confusion, disrupted when I heard the telltale sound of a teleport. Turning my head towards the source of the noise, I saw Twilight and Pinkie had finally arrived. This forced me to drop whatever questions I had as I joined the others for our greeting for the guest of honor.
"Happy birthday Pinkie!" we all announced. Everyone was baring a wide grin as Pinkie gasped at what she saw, though I only had a mild smile. Though that wasn't a problem since everyone knew that I'm not one for those giant smiles unless I was acting like a maniac.
"Ah, you shouldn't have!" Pinkie exclaimed, and I was about to let out a chuckle when I suddenly find myself and everyone else being hugged by her. This caused my brain to halt for a moment, which normally happens whenever Pinkie does something new that defies logic. I think that mental tic developed in the effort to keep my mind from experiencing a meltdown. By the time my brain returned to working order, the party has started and everyone was starting to give Pinkie her gifts. Shaking my head, I let out a grunt as I watched Pinkie open her gifts, until she finally came across the one from me.
"You got me a gift, Aether?" Pinkie asked, joy in her face as she held up a rather thin box.
"That's your gift? Why is it so flat? Did you sat on it or so—" Rainbow said before I clamped her mouth shut with my magic.
"Size doesn't always matter Rainbow," I grumbled as Pinkie ripped apart the wrapping and open the small box to reveal its contents to everyone else.
"Is that an envelope?" Rarity asked, before giving me a look of confusion. "I don't think you need to put it in a box if it’s just a letter or a birthday card dear."
"Just wait for it," I simply replied, though Pinkie remain excited regardless of Rainbow's and Rarity's comments. Pulling out the envelope's contents, which were just a few papers to the casual viewer, but after her eyes ran over it once her face quickly took on an expression of a level of joy I never seen on her face before.
Before anyone could ask what she was reading, Pinkie simply asked, "Do you really... really want this?" as tears start to appear in her eyes. Everyone else was now utterly confused, as they look upon me for an explanation. This caused me to cock an eyebrow at them for a second, for I didn't really think that they wouldn't be able to figure out what the gift was. Or they thought that I was too mean and cruel of a pony to actually do such a thing.
"Yes, I want this. Even though I was an adult before, I was alone. I didn't have a family, not until I came to this world and you treated me as a member of your own. No matter what I did, you cared for me so much that only two other people could match it. As much as I missed them, I know that one of them wouldn't mind you taking over. You did help me get a more brighter outlook at life after I came to this world, so I believe they will naturally approve of this if they could. So... happy birthday, mom. That is if you want to be that."
"Mom‽" Everyone else shrieked in surprise, as Pinkie simply dropped the paperwork that was adoption forms to pull me into a hug. A hug that, as predicted, was far stronger than any other she ever gave me.
"Of course I'll be your mom, you silly filly!" Pinkie declared, shaking me around as I felt my ribs trying to resist being shattered in her vice-like grip.
"Too hard, too hard! I need air!" I yelled in a strained voice, which caused everyone to finally come to my aid.
After everyone manage to pry Pinkie off me, she instantly signed the forms, before it was sent to the town hall to be processed. Oddly enough, the adoption process was rather quite simple, but that was due to the very small occurrence of a foal becoming an orphan. Even if something happened to a foal's parents, they normally have plenty of relatives to turn to. A pony who didn't had a family was apparently a rare thing to find these days.
Everyone was still rather surprised that I would actually have Pinke adopt me. I responded with a shrug and told them that Pinkie grew on me so much that I didn't want to do anything to hurt her feelings or disappoint her. That eventually grew into a feeling of love that I only felt for my parents, which told me that Pinkie becoming my mother was meant to be. This land did ran on destiny quite a bit after all.
Moving on, the party went well, though Pinkie mentioned that she can't wait to bring me to her family's rock farm to introduce me to the rest of the family. Twilight asked how I was able to get the adoption forms, to which I replied that I asked Luna for some help. She then asked why I didn't went to her for help, and I answered that she might go for normal procedures while no one would defy Luna if she wanted the paperwork now.
Time passed on normally after the party, or as normal as it can get for Ponyville. Discord threw some kind of tantrum on the day of the gala, where I took Starlight with me so I could keep an eye on her. Which instead of actually being a negative, turned out quite well for me in the end. She was terrified when she saw Celestia, mostly in fear due to her past, which I simply chosen to laugh at her torment. Starlight later served as a makeshift raft when Discord's guest, which was a slime creature, flooded the ballroom. Overall the gala went fine for me, and I even met Maud again who was fine with Pinkie adopting me, I think. She didn't smile or anything, but she did give me a hug. I think that has to have some kind of important meaning or something.
After that, Pinkie and Rainbow went on another friendship problem for the map, which I was adamantly against considering the last time. They still went regardless of my protests, and Twilight even stopped me from sneaking aboard the train. Thankfully in the end no one got harmed, so I guess the map wasn't going to send them to deathtraps. At least not all the time.
A couple weeks after that, Ponyville was attacked by some bugbear that came from Tartarus. Sadly the Elements forbid me from sending my recruits after it, citing that they should handle it along with the fact that my recruits weren't battle tested. I was about to protest, but after noticing some of them going pale at the idea of facing a monster from Tartarus, I had no choice but to agree with them. I didn't want to have them fainting or soiling themselves on their first mission, it would leave this new military force with a terrible image that might take years to get rid of. Though it did gave me a few ideas that I sent over to the researchers to see if they can do something about it.
After the wedding though, I learned from Twilight that there was going to be a diplomatic party coming to Ponyville from a nation that was out of contact with Equestria for 'hundreds of moons'. This forced me to make some adjustments to my recruits' training, since this party would most likely want to see my troops in action. Having another nation on board would help in protecting Equus, so putting put a show for a day wouldn't hurt. Hopefully they would be a species that are like the changelings or griffons, for the more natural fighters, the better. I just hope that no monster decided to visit the town on the same day and scare my troops witless. I really need to start tossing them into the Everfree soon, that should help toughen them up.
Good chapter
Yayy, Pinkie is a mother now :D
Pinkamena Diane Pie
The most random pony of all. She takes out random stuff out of random places, does a lot of things against the laws of physics and she is a mom of an alien from another dimension.
Yup, totally normal.
6674162 Oh god, Pinkie's a mother now...
This, i.ytimg.com/vi/KQeemc8VoC4/maxresdefault.jpg , Has reproduced! Run! Run for your lives!
NUKE THE YAKS! NUKE THEM I SAY!
6674214 hide the chairs! Grab your flour buddies and hope- no, pray- that it doesn't find you.
6674214
No, she did not reproduce, she adopted a foal from another dimension.
said dimension is very violent and so is the foal.
6674200 Pinkamena 'Pinkie' Diane 'Apple' Pie.
Oh, yeah the fun is coming next. Yaks have anger problem.
I like it. Aether Aura was so heart warming when she said that she wanted Pinkie as her mom.
And who got the day off from Aether's training?
but I guess everyone is affected by the nativity of this world in some way -- naïveté
envelop -- envelope
6674364 Aegis should get along just fine with them then.
sat should be sit
chosen should have been chose
went should be go. go could be changed to have gone, to make a bit better grammar.
Yes! Aether now calls Pinke Mom! :)
Oh be ready for Yaks Smash! It would be great when they said Declared War, Aether throws the first punch.
Awesome chapter well done! Very nice, very nice
Heeheehee!
I think this scene would be more powerful without stating outright that they are adoption papers. It's implied heavily enough, and stating it kind of takes away from it. Of course, that's just my opinion, though.
6674444 I think you mean 'Aether smash yaks'
6674396
Who's Aegis?
6674680 Aether... My mind wasn't getting the name early on so just pulled from the title.
6674680 the mare in the picture aka an oc
That was fun, may I have another? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
Yaay, Aether gets Pinkie unique gift.
Its Super Effective.
Yaks see alien fighters.
Alien fighters not perfect.
Yaks Smash.
Can't wait to see Aether Pie. The physic breaking badass survivor alien daughter.
Also, the Yak is screwed...
6674708
I'm pretty sure that's Aether Aura, the protagonist of this story.
6674200
Eeyup. Hence why she adopted chibi female Discord in one story.
6675203 it may or may not (have not read the blog) be said on the blog why the story is named that go look but as i am understanding the story it is refering her as the shield "Aegis" from the other dimensional societies that live in space "Astral" so the name of the story astral aegis is referring to her trying to defend the planet from the other space fairing species.
get it?
6675467 To clarify things, the pony on the cover pic is Aether Aura. The story title is not a title nor a name for her.
They need a artillery cannon rifle thing, for Aether to launch chairs at her foes with.
But no seriously, scientists make a real artillery rifle. That fires explosives
This chapter really was very adorable and heartwarming, which I have to admit is something I've not come to expect from this story.
Ah, there we go. All feels normal again.
6675666 It should fire explosive chairs. It is Equestria we're talking about here, might as well make it a little crazy
I, I so wanna see Aether go with the Apples and meet Pinkie's family for Hearthswarming! I wanna see her go straight up to Holder's bolder and poke it just to get on Aunt Limestone nerves.
Also, I have the distinct feeling a certain yak prince is going to get tased next chapter, and considering he hurt Pinkie's feeling in the actual episode, Aether would have to be in a VERY good mood for that to bee where she stops.
6675801 The only problem with that is that then Discord is gonna want one that fires explosive chocolate milk.
I knew it! Btw I found a mistake
so putting put a show for a day wouldn't hurt.
hmm, I love me some putting put
Are you sure you're really Aether? Really truly sure?
6675467
Well, yeah. That's fine and makes sense. I was just trying to point out that's not a name using a bit of dry sarcasm. Forgive me for implying I thought Aegis referenced the proper name of a character.
heh throw them in the forest sounds fun but better idea would be to have twilight teleport the barracks into the forest with them in it and a note from aether saying your in the everfree get to the training feilds and dont die
6675993 you do not forge with the heat of the sun, instead within a furnace. To much heat and the metal becomes useless. There is a difference between toughing them up and breaking them, a thin line that she must trot.
Ok so the Final happen! All I got to say...
You are doing better job than them!
Do your own Starlight ok?
Yaks will get smashed...
MOOOOOOM!?
6675801
That wouldn't be to far from a real possibility...
6683323 Exactly. Plus, it wouldn't hurt against invading alien forces either. Nothing like an exploding chair to both confuse and harm an enemy
6684238
Or just confuse them until they decide, "screw it this is a world of talking colored ponies with wings and magic" then explode via chair
Wait a minute...
Pinkie's birthday...
...but we didn't see her throw a birthday party for Gummy the day before?!
This is an awesome chapter, I love the fact that you keep referencing the original timeline.
Pinkie is a mum now and things are building up for a new challenge to the story.
Although, while I would be surprised if the majority of your readers are unaware of episode 100. The way the wedding is mentioned is with Zero context, leaving anyone who hasn't seen the episode completely confused. Not that you need to edit it, I'm just pointing not requesting.
6677937
6674444
Ah the Yaks. Wondered what creature Twilight could be on about. Thumbs up.
6674200
I completely agree.
Aether vs the Yaks.
I hope Mayor Mare remembered to get that supplementary disaster reconstruction relief funding filed for...this is gonna get messy!
OMG!! Maud gave someone a hug!!! That obviously means she’s really happy!!
That was the best present Pinkie Pie could have gotten.
This is one of my favorite chapters of any story of all time. Always brings a tear to my eye.
If this wasn't written before season 8, I would think that Aether's military branch was going to replace Twilight's Friendship School.