A Little Help From My Friends

On My Honor
A Little Help from My Friends
By Honored Service
Preread by Tbone5363

The chariot jerked and dipped with the wind as it sailed through the sky towards Ponyville. I sat with my arms crossed under my chin, resting on the railing that went around the flying platform. The lush green landscape rolled by underneath the golden chariot as the two pegasi pulling the chariot began their decent towards the sleeping town. The sun was just beginning its lazy arch over the land when we had left Canterlot. I had loaded my belongings onto the chariot and set off to start my new life.

Again.

And maybe this time, it wouldn't be non-stop gore fest of slaying bad guys and killing wicked demons. I closed my eyes as we drifted lower towards the ground. I was hoping the nightmares would stop once I left Canterlot. The nightmares. They were mainly just flashes and quick screams that raced into my mind whenever I would try and sleep. Sometime it would be day’s in-between attacks. Other times it would happen multiple times throughout the night. I hadn't told anypony about them yet.

Why would I?

I was the invincible human that had survived everything that could be thrown at me. I wasn't going to let myself be beaten by my own damn mind. The chariot buckled underneath me. I shot up and hit the deck in a fetal position as I waited for the crash. But it never came.

“Um Honored Service sir?” One of the pegasi in the front of the chariot called out to me. “We have landed outside of Ponyville at the spot you told us to let you off at.” Her golden armor glinted in the morning sun. Summer Breeze was her name. She was trying to join the Equestrian Honor Guard, that’s why she was assigned to pull the chariot for me. So was the other pegasus. A young stallion named Cloudy. He was kind of a sulky type. With the war over, the Princesses had decided that having an extreme elite team of Royal Guards, a.k.a the Equestrian Honor Guard, was a good idea in case anything should arise again.

The Elements of Sanctuary would be the heart of the training program, each Element bearer teaching one of the main courses of the unit. Control was taught by Sergeant Stand Bold and he focused on how to stay focused in a fight; keeping cool. Stealth was by far the hardest to teach, and Covert, the only good shadow to ever live, was in charge of making loud soldiers masters of sneaking. Wit was instructed by Battle Plan who taught up in coming guards to analyze a battle in many different ways and to rethink strategies hundreds of times. Steadfast was taught by Quick Flurry and he was responsible for making guards masters at close range lightning attacks with daggers and swords, he was always there for a pony. And the massive pony Hammer Strike was there to teach the recruits heavy weapons and to put some muscle on their bodies.

The up incoming guards were in very capable hooves. And shadowy hands.

“Ah very well then.” I sat up and coughed. I saw that we had stopped on the outskirts of Ponyville near the very same pond I had killed the Timberwolves at over a year and half ago at. This was the land that I had been given by a pony I had saved in the middle of the griffon empire a year ago. “I’ll just grab my things.” I reached behind the chariot and untied the large metal green case. It fell to the ground with a loud thud. Inside the container was my life’s joys. My weapons.

Rifles, shotguns, pistols, knives, and swords were piled into the crate along with extra sets of armor and clothes. I also had MREs and other small odds and end stuffed into the crate. I wiped my hands along my jeans and dragged the crate over to a tree near the road in front of my property. I watched as the chariot slowly lumbered back off into the sky towards the distant city of Canterlot. I was left alone with myself and my thoughts.

“So now what?” I looked around at the land. My property was mainly flat with a few trees scattered around the area. Nothing out of the ordinary. I got up and flipped the lid of the crate and rummaged inside of it looking for my shoulder holster. I pulled out the holster that had been sewn together by Rarity so long ago and strapped it on. I slipped my Berretta 92F into the holster and walked off, not even worrying about clips for it. Thanks to the magic that now flowed through my body from my Element of Sanctuary, I could concentrate my magic into the weapon and fire it through the pistol. It made the magic more accurate and powerful in a small burst.

I walked around the property looking for anything that was out of the ordinary. Any signs of trespassers. Trails or paths that had been worn into the ground from repeated use. After completing one round, I began looking for fresh trails. Broken limbs attached to the bushes, or patches of grass that were knocked over in a different direction. I swept the area in a large zig-zag pattern making sure that my property was undisturbed. I was pleased by the end of my search that it was safe.

Although my eyes kept getting pulled towards one corner of the property. It was a shady patch of land underneath a small oak tree. A gray stone protruded out of the earth, and I did everything within my might to not look at it. If I didn't acknowledge it, then it never happened. But I couldn't keep away.

I slowly walked towards the stone. Each step I took towards the rough gray stone zapped me of more and more energy, till I collapsed to my knees in front of the tombstone. I just stared at the engraving. I coughed and then let the tears flow from my eyes and roll down my cheeks. I reached out and placed a hand against the stone.

“Sky.”

I dropped my pistol and sobbed uncontrollably. I wasn't strong enough. Or fast enough. Or good enough.

I was powerless when she was ripped from my life. And all I could do was hold her in my arms and lie to her. Lie to her and say everything would be okay. That everything would turn out for the better. That we would make it through that first day when Nightmare betrayed us all.

I failed her.

And she paid the price.

“I thought I was over this. I thought I had no more tears to shed for you Sky. I… I got him back Sky. For you and everypony else that died at Nightmare’s hands.” I looked at the tombstone, expecting some kind of ‘good job, or ‘way to go’ from the cocky mare, but none came. I was only met by the soft sound of wind blowing through the leaves over my head. I reached down to my color of my shirt, where I still carried the lone red feather that crazy mare had given to me. Its shiny red color still sparkled in the late morning sun. I gave a sad smile and placed the feather onto of the tombstone.

“I wish I could go back and save you Sky.”

I wiped away another tear.

“I made him die painfully. I still see that look on Nightmare’s face. I wish you could have seen it. But it still comes nowhere near the amount of pain I wish I could still put him through. I…I’m broken Sky. And I don’t know if I’ll ever get fixed.”

I stared for a while longer at the tombstone. I just sat there and watched the clouds drift lazily by in the breeze. I slowly stood up and reached down, picking the pistol up in my shaky hand. I turned and walked away from the grave, turning back and letting one more tear leave my eye. I’ll always be missing something from my life.

The sun was reaching its apex in the sky as I sat down next to my crate filled with my belongings in Equestria. Most of them being weapons. “Now what do I do?” I asked no one in particular. I was unsure of my next course of action. Usually it was something along the lines of go to point A and kill/destroy the things there. Now that I had been told to go and just live a normal life, I had no idea what to do.

“So is this what all humans do when moving to a new town?” The voice came from nowhere. I dove to the side behind my green crate while drawing my pistol and searching for its owner.

“Who said that!?” I called out, aiming the pistol around. I saw a rainbow mane poking out from behind a cloud drifting above my property.

“Chill out Honored!” Rainbow Dash yelled down at me. “Put that weapon away! I was just coming to check up on you.” I quickly holstered the pistol and stood up.

“I’m terribly sorry Dash!” I looked down at the ground, “you just startled me and I got scared.”

“Me? I scared you?” Dash’s face lit up like a light bulb and she rubbed a hoof across her chest. “Yeah I guess I am awesome enough to scare a human.” Rainbow seemed to have already forgotten I had just aimed a deadly weapon at her.

‘Come on Johnson, get a grip. Everything is fine, no need for violence or anything anymore. Everything is okay.’

“Sorry Dash again. What’s up?” I tried calming down after the sudden scare.

“I was just coming to see how you were doing. But I guess wandering around your new land randomly and talking to a tree is just a human thing.”

“Well what did you do when you first got to Ponyville?” I asked trying to get an idea on what I should do and to change the topic before Dash could ask about the tree and what was underneath it.

“Let’s see…” Rainbow flopped down onto the grass and laid on her back. “Oh yeah, I got my house built. Didn't take too long, just a few hours, and then I moved my stuff into it.”

“Only a few hours to build an entire house?” I asked with surprise.

“Well yeah, it’s a cloud house.” She jumped up and took to the sky, grabbed a cloud and zoomed back down to me. She punched the cloud a few times and pulled the sides of it like taffy before stepping back. I was staring at a doghouse made of cloud. She smiled and tapped a hoof against it and it then ‘poofed’ into thin air. “Doesn't take long to mold a cloud house and then have it enchanted to keep its shape.”

“Okay well see,” I got up and strode in front of Dash, “I’m a human…”

Rainbow Dash just looked at me with her head cocked to the side.

I slapped a hand against my face. “I can’t walk on or touch clouds.”

“Ohhhhhh.” Rainbow Dash said while pacing in front of me. “Then I guess you’ll have to build a home from scratch. Tuff luck.”

“That’s it?” I looked at her. “Tuff luck? I don’t know the first thing about building a home.” I flopped down onto the ground and kicked my legs into the dirt.

“Honored where does somepony go to learn how to build something they know nothing about?” Rainbow Dash said, looking down at me. She had an amused face as I thought about that.

“Home Depot.”

“What’s that?” She shook her head. “No they go to the library to, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, to do research on what they need to build. Is this what Twilight feels like all the time?”

“I guess they might have a book or two on home building. And I’m sure I can get some help building the home.” I rubbed a hand across my face as I thought about how hard it was going to be to build my own house.

It can’t be that hard. I mean I’ve taken on armies of Changelings. Hordes of griffons. Waves of nightmare shadows. Hellish demons from the Everfree. How hard could building a house be?

“Um Twilight?”

“Yes Honored?” Twilight looked over from the scroll she was reading to see me holding a mountain of books in my arms.

“Um I’d like to check these out.” I shifted my arms and felt the stack of books begin to topple in my arms. “Oh no!” I stood there helplessly as the books came crashing down around me, scattering all over the floor of the library.

“Honored!” Twilight dashed forward, trying to catch some of the books but it was too late. The books were everywhere. I was rooted in place as Twilight looked at me, her right eye and wing began twitching. I smiled sheepishly and coughed.

“So um…when are they due?” I gave a nervous laugh and began restacking the books. Home building 101. A colt’s guide to home constructing. Laying foundation. 1000 ways to not build a house. All the books were laid out on the center desk as Twilight wrote down their titles and marked them out to me. I wandered around the library foyer waiting for her to finish the painstaking long process of checking out the books. Damn I miss technology. I spotted one of the other books I had grabbed halfway under a bookshelf.

I bent down and pulled it out from the dark crevice when something silver and gold caught my eye. The shine came from farther back under the shelf. I stuffed my hand under the shelf trying to reach it, but my arm was too big to reach all the way to the back. I quickly turned my head saw that Twilight was still engrossed with checking out books to notice me. I pulled my arm back and aimed my gauntlet under the shelf and preformed a basic pull spell.

I wrapped my fingers around the parchment in my hand. I pulled the scroll out and smiled. It was a small scroll, the outside covered in hundreds of gold and silver swirls wrapping around the entire thing. I turned the parchment around in my hand and looked it over. I looked behind me to make sure Twilight was still busy and popped the wax seal off the scroll and slowly unrolled it. The inside of the scroll showed an amazing spell rune and a brief description of the spell.

“Well look at this.” I whispered to myself as I studied the spell.

“Honored, your books are all set!” Twilight called out happily. I quickly shoved the scroll into my pocket and turned around smiling.

“Thanks Twilight, I really appreciate your help getting these.” I balanced the massive stack of books in my arms and walked towards the door.

A polite cough came from behind me.

I turned around to Twilight levitating a backpack towards me. I nodded and very carefully began to put the books up into the backpack as Twilight watched. I slung the pack and then moved towards the door.

“Thanks again Twilight.” I said turning to face the alicorn. God that was going to take some time getting use to.

“Of course Honored!” Twilight smiled and flapped her wings behind her. “Your friends are always going to be willing to lend a helping hoof. Feel free to ask me for anything.” Twilight nodded and walked back to her desk where she began to write something down on a piece of parchment.

I opened the door to sunny Ponyville and strolled out into the fresh air. I smiled and patted my pocket, at least now I had something that was bound to make the afternoon interesting.

Once I was on the long winding path leading towards my property, I looked around. No one to my left. No one to my right. No Rainbow Dash flying overhead. I tugged the scroll out of my pocket and flipped it over in my hand. “So what are you?”

The scroll glinted in the daylight, and i noticed that the wax seal had reattached itself to the parchment. I shrugged my shoulders and unrolled the scratchy parchment. My eyes widened at the spell inside. I was a novice at magic. If it didn't involve turning anything, and I mean anything, into a weapon, or short range teleportation, or basic telekinesis, then I couldn't do it. And this spell was a doozy! It was so powerful that it required a spell rune and several magical objects to power the spell. As my eyes scanned the list of magical objects, I though how would one even go about getting a dragon eye and a vial of unicorn tears. Well the tears would be easy. Just go drop a library book.

“Hmmmm” I tapped my gauntlet against my temple. “Now I’m sure that some small explosives and gunpowder could work as the magical objects.”

I entered my property and opened my green crate, pulling out a few bullets and some sticks of dynamite that I had ‘relieved’ from the engineering squad. I also took out the sparkling diamond sword given to me by the Red Paw Pack of Diamond Dogs. Using the sword’s razor sharp tip, I began to roughly scrape the rune into the dirt. A six pointed star with a circle on each point with lots of complicated gibberish inside of every circle. I couldn't do half those shapes easily, so I just kind of did them. It would work regardless…right?

Canterlot Castle Basement

Discord sat up from his lounge chair in front of his pool that was filled with jell-o. He slowly eased the sunglasses of his face and looked around, a smile creeping on to his lips.

“Oh Tiaaaa.” He called out, placing his magazine of Playcolt down on the table beside his chair. “I’ve got a feeling you should be preparing for some chaos.”

Celestia looked over at the Draconequus from her spot next to a tanning lamp. “And why do you say that?”

“Oh I’ve just got a hunch.” He smiled again and went back to reading. “And I know just the human to ask about it.”

Celestia let out a loud groan and slammed a hoof against her head. “What the Tartarus, Honored?”

Back at Honored’s Property

I looked at the finished rune. It kind of looked like the picture in the scroll. And sure I didn’t have a dragon eye, unicorn tears, magic ruby hearts, or a golden apple from the Eden family farm. But im sure some Dynamite, gun powder, and AAA batteries would work just fine. Those were human magic objects anyway.

I looked down at the scroll and read over the chant again. I took a deep breath and prepared myself to cast the overly complicated spell. The spell seemed to be able to transport the caster anywhere they wanted to go for three days, before being pulled back to the original spot of the spell rune.

I held up my gauntleted arm and summoned a ball of pure magic into my palm. I aimed it at the center of the star and released it while beginning the spell.

“To travel back to any plane,
One must be utterly insane.
Casting the spell to rip and tear,
Sending to another sphere.
Just focus on the spot,
And ready the thought.
Long for day thrice,
And pay the price.
Speak the place now,
And space will allow.”

The center of the spell rune was containing a ball of magic the size of baseball that was glowing blood red. It was shaking and bouncing around in the air, moving erratically as I finished casting the spell. I looked at the ball of magic and prepared to utter the word that would seal the spell and then cast it, the one word that would complete the spell. The one place I wanted to go.

I whispered the word.

“Home.”

Everything vanished in a flash of intense white light.

Twilight was just finishing the final touches on her newest chapter of the book she was working on with Lyra. Lyra was receiving insane amount of request from universities across Equestria wanting more books about the new human culture that had been revived in the land. Along with culture books they wanted books on the latest war with the Changelings and the Nightmare Shadow Humans that Honored had helped defeat. Twilight Sparkle was all too happy to help create books full of knowledge.

Suddenly, Twilight’s horn exploded into a numbing feeling and she felt time around her slow down. The lines separating everything began to wobble back and forth. She raised her hoof to her face, and saw she was slowly changing into different colors and that her fur was changing lengths along with texture.

“What’s happening?” Twilight’s voice came out deep and extremely slow. Everthing began to change colors again and then stopped.

Everything flashed back to normal. Twilight stared at her hoof. It was purple. The fur was soft. The length of her hair was the same as always.

“And my voice?” Her voice was normal too. Her horn wasn’t numb anymore.

“Twilight?” Spike entered the room looking rather shaken up. He was shaking slightly. “Twilight, please tell me that happened to you too.”

“Yes Spike.” Twilight was already busy grabbing any book she could that had anything to do with magical abnormalities. “And prepare to write a letter.”

“HOLY SHT!” I screamed and sat up. I was thrown backwards over a hundred feet and had smashed through one of the pine trees that doted my property. I picked bits of wood and sap out of my hair and sat up. The spell rune was now nothing more than a giant crater in the ground over fifty feet wide and ten feet deep.

I pulled out a small notepad and crossed ‘start house foundation’ from the list. “Well let’s not try that again…right away.” I smiled and began dragging the large pine tree away from the spot it had fallen at. Now I had some lumber to use, but I was going to need more. A lot more.

Celestia stared at Discord.

“What did he do?” She wasn’t angry, but that…that magical flux was bad. Very bad.

“Wait for it.” Discord said calmly, sipping on a glass of coffee liqueur and vodka.

A scroll appeared before Princess Celestia, and she ripped it open, reading aloud. “Dear Pri-yadyada, We seem to have experienced a magical tremor. As to what caused it, I am currently unsure, but the magical reference book states that tremors are caused by creatures of at least master skill in magic. Whatever caused that tremor in the space and time of Equestria is extremely powerful and well trained in the ways of all magical spells. I will do my best to find the culprit, and put a stop to it. Your faith ful- okay you get the rest.” Celestia dropped the scroll and laid down.

Discord on the other hand was literally rolling in the air, laughing out loud at the whole situation. “Oh how amusing. A master in magic? Haha more like a powerful novice who has no clue as to what he’s doing!”

“Discord, I swear if you’re –“

“No Tia, I’m not in any way, shape, or form apart of these magic tremors.” Discord smiled and gave one final chuckle, “but I think Twilight just got her next friendship problem to solve.”

Twilight had spent the last few days combing through every magical book in the library, and even had several rare books brought in from the Canterlot archives to look them over. Everything she read told her the same thing over and over again.

Magic tremors were caused by a spell that involved the travelling of extreme distances and even pulling objects from different realms or planes of existence. Twilight had thought that maybe the very same spell that Princess Luna and herself had used to bring Honored his newest batch of weapons was being used improperly, but she remembered that the only copy of that spell book was destroyed in the process. These tremors were being caused by another type of magical spell.

Twilight continued to pour over her books, but she had a good idea on where to start looking for the culprit behind the last tremor.

“Okay so what have I learned?” I looked at the rough foundation of my new home. I had managed to turn the large crater from the first failed attempt at the spell, into a basement for my house. The sides were lined with pine timber and I even had enough lumber left over from the fallen pine tree to add some support columns for the house that would eventually be built over the basement.

“Well I learned to make sure that when building a basement, that you make sure to shovel the dirt away from the edge of the pit…that was a mistake.” I looked around and smiled.

“And I think I earned a reward for finishing this part of the future home.” With a sly smile I pulled the gold and silver scroll from my pocket and began to once more draw the rune along the ground. This time I’ll use some fish scales and some human tears. That should be closer to what the spell calls for.

Applejack was bucking through the never ending rows of apple trees when she felt that feeling again.

“Oh no.” She looked around and watched as time began to slow to a crawl. Space around the farm pony began to ripple around her and the apple trees close to her proximity began to shiver in the still crawling time.

“What the –“ Applejack’s voice came out rough and deep and slower than she imagined it would. The apples began to fall to the ground, and in slow motion, Applejack was forced to watch as the apples smashed onto the ground, each and everyone one of them around her exploding as she tried to catch them. When she kicked them to the ground, they didn't exploded into mush, but now this weird magic was causing them to hit the ground harder in slow motion than regular motion.

“NO!” Applejack screamed as time returned to normal and the last apple hit the ground. She looked at the rows of apple trees, where all the fruits laid splattered against the earth.

“TWILIGHT!” The farmpony screamed out.

“Oh you’ve got to be kidding me.” Twilight stretched her wing as the last bit of the magic tremor died off. This was the second one that had now hit the town. Twilight was now growing desperate to solve this mystery. Twilight got up and ran out the door, not bothering to tell Spike where she was headed.

She knew where to start this search. And she knew just what human to talk to about new and untamed magic. Twilight literally flew above the dirt path, as she let her fairly new wings carry her across the town. She was heading straight for the patch of property next to the Everfree forest where a certain human was building a home.

“HONORED!” I quickly sat up from my resting place on the ground and looked to where the yelling had come from. I could see a blur of purple heading directly towards me.

“Time to dip.” I said aloud and started running off towards the woods of the Everfree. Shit shit shit shit. Twilight knew I took the scroll without her permission. I was dead. Dead!

I kept running with all my might, taking great leaps and bounds across the grass. I was moving so fast, that I couldn’t even feel my legs hitting the ground. Wait. My legs weren’t hitting the ground. I was caught, floating in midair by a glow of purple magic. I struggled harder to run in place out of the magical grasp of the pissed of Twilight, but she was having none of that.

She walked towards me as I hovered in the air, lazily bobbing up and down. “So um hi Twilight. What can I help you with?” I smiled the biggest innocent smile I could muster.

“Oh I’m sure you can help me with some magical tremors Honored.” Twilight wasn’t smiling and she sounded pissed. Like even madder than when I tried to turn her bookshelf into a launger that could fling books at high velocity.

“Oh…well you see…. SMOKE BOMB!” I clapped my hands together, sending out a burst of magic from my gauntlet that would disrupt her magical flow of energy keeping me suspended in the air. A burst of my red magic exploded out along with black smoke and I hit the ground. I took off running towards the Everfree once more. Once again I was flying along towards the woods. I was moving fast, so fast that my legs didn’t even feel like they were hitting the ground… aw fuck.

I looked down to see I was caught in Twilight’s magic again. “What the hell?” I spun around to see Twilight giving me a shit eating grin.

“Alicorn powers… duh.” She said smugly as she levitated me towards her. “I’m a lot stronger now Honored. Maybe more than you.”

I laughed in the air before pointing at the green crate across the yard. “Nah I still got you beat Twi.”

“Sure in combat. But what about in a duel against magic? Hmmm?” I stopped laughing and thought hard.

“Touché.”

Twilight slowly placed on the ground and sat in front of me. “Honored we need to talk. I know you’ve been causing these magical tremors around all of Equestria, and they need to stop. Like now.”

“I... I was just… okay.” I hung my head. “I’m sorry Twilight.” Great, here comes her guilt trip. Ugh I hate these things. As Twilight began to explain more about the magical tremors I was causing, I used my magic to pull a few sticks and string over to me and began turning the sticks and bits of string into a tiny trebuchet.

“Honored… Honored!” I looked up from the toy sized weapon. I motioned for her to continue as I loaded a pebble into the basket on the arm. I pulled it back and slung the pebble at the tree across from us. “Honored these magical tremors are some of the most powerful that have happened in over a century. The specific ones come from somepony botching a trans-dimensional spell. You wouldn’t have been trying to preform one of those?”

I quickly averted my eyes from the purple alicorn and focused my attention on my tiny toy. “Nope nothing. Nope. Nothing. Not me. I can’t even understand a basic mid-range teleport spell. Come one Twilight. Me? How would I know how to do cross dimension thing spell? Doubt it. Where would I even get a scroll on that?”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed at me. “I never said anything about scroll Johnson.”

“Oh… so I’m fucked right?”

Twilight simply nodded at me. I sighed and began thinking of an apology as I reached into my pocket and pulled out the gold and silver scroll. I handed it to Twilight. She took it in her magic and began to read over it, her eyes growing wider and wider as she read.

“Honored, where did you find this?”

I decided to just come clean. I had obviously messed up. “I found it under one of your bookshelves a few days ago when I was checking out all those home building books. I kept it, figuring I could try my hand at some more powerful magic.”

“By attempting Star Swirl the Bearded’s cross dimensional transportation spell?!” Twilight screamed at me, her voice literally knocking me back onto my ass.

“Yes.” I croaked out.

“Honored do you know how hard that spell is? I mean you have to find magical objects…and this rune… and the amount of magic to conduct the rune and portal…my goddesses. And you attempted it? I can’t believe you didn’t die or rip a hole through the universe as we know it.”

Suddenly there was a loud grinding noise as a small blue box faded into existence next to us. Twilight stopped mid rant and watched as a brown stallion and a grey pegasus emerged from the box and stared at us.

“Hey Doc.” I said with a sad smile.

“Ah. Well hello there Honored Johnson.” He received a quick jab to the side and a whisper from the grey mare. “Oh. Excuse me, Johnson. I see you’ve got this under control.” He nodded to Twilight who was just still staring at the Doctor.

“Well, I’ll be off, seeing as this little problem is being solved. Come along Derpy.” And with that, the two ponies jumped back into the box and it faded away with the same grinding noise.

“What was that?” Twilight asked pointing at where the box had been.

“Don’t worry about it.” I poked Twilight’s side, “you were mid-lecture.”

“Oh right,” she said turning back to me and putting on her ‘I’m not mad, just disappointed face, “Why would you even take something like that. It didn’t belong to you.”

There it was. I was waiting for that piece of the guilt trip. “I… Look Twilight, I just wanted to do something great with my magic. I wanted to show you that those magical lessons of yours had paid off. That I could do so much more than make things designed to hurt things or pick things up.” I sighed and looked down at the tiny trebuchet, “but I guess I just ended up nearly tearing the world apart.”

Twilight reached over and bonked me lightly on the nose with her hoof. “Honored you don’t have to prove yourself to me. You’re a good human, granted you’re the only human I’ve meet, but still you’re a good human. And I’m sure your magic will get better.”

I looked up at the alicorn with big eyes, “Really?”

“Well I mean you have enough magic in your body to even attempt that spell, so that’s good. And the fact that you could even attempt the rune, find the magical objects, and then complete the spell shows that in time maybe, just maybe, we can perform the spell.”

I raised my hand for a vigorous fist pumping, but Twilight cut me off.

“With some guidance from myself and at least one of the Princesses. This is a very powerful spell.”

I guess this was as good as it was going to get. I nodded and looked at Twilight. “Twilight, again I’m very sorry for taking the scroll. I was just so determined to impress you and my friends that I didn’t think about how I could hurt you by stealing.”

“And.” Twilight gestured with her hoof at me.

“And not to attempt dangerous and extremely ancient powerful arcane magic.” I hung my head with the last part before looking up at Twilight who smiled smugly at me.

“Good. And now you can write a friendship report to Princess Celestia about what you’ve learned today.”

I groaned and flopped back onto the ground before groaning again and rolling onto my stomach, face planted in the dirt. “Ah mont wanta.”

“Please don’t act like a foal.”

I sat up and stuck my tongue at her. “Fine then.” I grabbed the parchment and quill hovering in midair that Twilight was holding out to me. I stared at the parchment, quill hovering inches above its surface. “What I learned about friendship is…?” I chuckled to myself and then began to write.

Dear Princess Celestia,

This is your faithful and totally not violent, boring loving human, Johnson. I am writing to let you know about my first experience with friendship as a normal citizen. For the past week, I may or may not have been attempting a master level trans-dimensional portal spell created by Star Swirl the Bearded. I may or may not have caused the said magical tremors that could have (but not likely) destroyed the world and or universe. I was trying such a dangerous spell in order to impress Twilight and show her that I could be gifted in magic that didn’t involve killing things, but that failed. Twilight has taught me too never take things from your friends without permission, even if you think that it will make them happy in the future. If they are your frineds, then you should ask for permission first before you take anything belonging to them.

Wow, I just realized how childish this whole thing seems. I mean really. Come on. I’m Honored Service. The savoir of Equestria on at least three separate occasions. I’ve slaughtered thousands of bad guys and I’m a damn good looking. What am I doing…

Princess, this is Twilight Sparkle now, Johnson is monetarily paralyzed as I see that he was getting distracted. Rest assured that I’m sure he has learned another valuable lesson on top of this one. He has learned to not mess with magic that is over his power level. But that brings us to another topic Princess. He was able to cast enough magic to power the spell, but I can imagine it failed because he lacked the necessary magical objects and doesn’t have a bucking clue on how to drawn spell runes. What a n00b, right? I think it may be a good idea to have myself and maybe Princess Luna assist Honored in attempting the spell. He obviously wants to try and go home, and this spell lasts for only three days. It may do him some good. I await your reply.

Ah good, he’s waking up, at least I know what to do now if he gets rowdy.

Your faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle

And the semi-conscious human, Johnson.

P.S. Twilight made me do this. I still think its lame. Have a great day :)

Celestia read over the letter once again before finally falling to the ground in a fit of laughter. Somehow she flt that this human warrior was going to learn a lot about friendship, and learn it the hard way.

Spa-tastic

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On My Honor

Spa-tastic

By Honored Service

Preread by Tbone5363 (he is the sexiest thing you will ever meet)
Edited by TheDarkAngel

A well done drawing of Honored Service by marking

This is what a not as old and combat tested version of Honored's M16 would look like. Thanks VeeEight

"Fuck!" I yelled out, grabbing my right thumb and gripping it tightly in my gauntleted hand. The pain was dying down to a dull throbbing. I stuck the wounded appendage in my mouth and like a toddler, began to suck on my thumb that I had hit with the hammer. Being as strong as an earth pony definitely had its perks, like hitting a three inch nail into wood in one easy swing, but then again, if I missed...

Which is why I was sucking my thumb. I glared at the hammer that was responsible for my pain. "That is just great. This would be so much easier if I could have a nail gun. Then maybe setting up the framework wouldn't be such a pain!" I looked at all the old fashion tools I had bought to aid me in building my house. The basement was mainly completed, minus a floor.

The packed dirt would have to go eventually. Right now I was just trying to build a rough frame. The lumber I had bought was strong oak I had cut down from the edge of the Everfree forest. Having a home built from Everfree wood was sure to be bad ass.

I picked up the offending hammer and walked back to the frame of the right corner of the first floor. I stopped and noticed that the current corner beam was a few inches taller than it needed to be. My tape measure confirmed this. I let out a long sigh and searched for my saw. "Where is it? I just used it an hour ago." I was about to release a long string of cures when the sound of hooves silenced me.

"Howdy Johnson. Looks like you sure are making some progress. “Applejack called out to me as she and the rest of the girls approach me. I give them a polite nod and a wave before turning back to the search of my missing saw.

"What you doing?" Pinkie Pie asked standing right behind me as I searched for the handsaw.

I continued to dig around the large toolbox and the surrounding area, trying to not get frustrated with the pink pony. "I’m looking for my saw." I was beginning to get irked that I couldn't find the damn thing.

"You can’t see your saw?" Pinkie giggled at me. I turned around and clenched my fists.

"Seesaw ha-ha clever." I said flatly. Pinkie gave me a frown and reached under a piece of lumber next to her hoof and pulled out the hand saw, passing it up to me.

Great. Now she’s sad. I hung my head and took the saw. "Sorry Pinkie, I’m just a little frustrated right now."

“Well how about we lend ya a hoof?" Applejack asked, approaching me. “I've built my fair share of barns.”

Having Applejack and the others help would get this done a lot faster… and I was never one to say no to free help. “Sure. The designs for my home are over there.” I jerked my still hurting thumb over to a table with the designs and floor plans on it. The ponies wandered over and began looking over them. I took the hand saw and began to try and cut sideways across the lumber. The damn thing kept sliding down. “Grrr.” I tried again and the damn saw kept moving as I tried to get it to bite into the tuff wood.

I finally got a bite when an explosion of laughter made me rip the saw backwards, slicing a diagonal chunk out of the top of the wood. I gritted my teeth and slammed a foot against the post, snapping it in half, and rocketing the broken half across the property. I turned around to find the girls are laughing at the design table. “What’s so funny?” I asked through clenched teeth.

Twilight turned around, trying to hide her laughter behind her wing, “Johnson, did you do these in crayons?”

“Yea.” I said crossly. I put my hands on my hips and stared at them, “sorry I didn't have and blueprint paper and charcoal pencils.” I walked over to my rough drawings. Now I was a soldier, not a fancy artist.

The fat lines of a crayon showed the basic shape of the house and then a broken down shell of the wooden frame. Granted I didn’t find a brown crayon so I used green instead.

“Oh my. Please allow me to help.” Rarity said while whipping out a pencil and a new sheet of paper. She began drawing out my picture, except good. Actually it was better than good. Her lines came out perfectly straight and then she even began to design the outside of the house.

“Now designing a house is just like designing a dress or a suit,” Rarity explained as she drew the lines expertly as we all watched, “everything must flow together to make it aesthetically pleasing to any passing eye. Your originally design…well it was very brutish.”

“Hey!” I said, picking up my design. Okay looking at it now it did look like a trailer with another trailer placed off center on top of that one. “Well maybe a little brutish.”

Rarity gave a triumphant smile and continued drawing, “this one uses less big rooms on the corners of the house, and instead puts the main rooms, the big ones, in the center of the home so you can have these smaller rooms along the corners. More appealing, wouldn't you say?” She held the new design up to everyone to see in her magic.

“Okay. That’s a lot better.” I said taking in the new design. It was a two story house, with a brick bottom floor and a wooden top floor. The main rooms, kitchen, living room, dining room, and den were all focused on the center of the bottom floor with a bathroom and two bedrooms on the edges of the house. The top floor consisted of two more bedrooms and a room I simply labeled, Johnson’s dangerous stuff. They were big rooms.

“Now one question,” Rarity pointed to something on my old design, “what darling is that?” Her hoof was tapping on an extended overhanging that poked out from the side of the house.

“Oh that. That’s a sunshade awning for a car.”

Twilight perked up and looked at me, “is that the thing you told me about. The one with horse power and oil.” Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight.

“Horsepower?”

“No not horse horse, but machine horse… Johnson…?” Twilight gestured to me.

“Oh right. Dash, horsepower is just a measurement humans used to describe how powerful these machines were. I talked to Twilight about it. And I just want an awning because it would make me feel more at home.”

“Understood darling.” Rarity finished the sketch. “We all like being reminded of home.”

“Yea. Yea we all do.” I sighed and looked at my crude drawing, which to me, was a perfect recreation of the home from my childhood on Earth.

I left my slowly coming together home early the next morning. With the help of my friends, we had managed to get the frame completely assembled. Having magical unicorns, pegasus, and an earth pony who had built barns before was a huge help. And then throw Pinkie Pie into the mix who at time would be able to seemingly spawn one side of the frame by herself out of nothingness was just crazy.

I wandered down the worn path towards the Everfree forest. This path wasn't here when I moved in, but was worn out by myself over the last week. I traveled into the forest with only the Element of Protection sword slung across my back. Most of the creatures hadn't bothered to attack me. Which was fine with me. I wasn't supposed to be violent anymore.

Pushing a limb out of my path, I walked into the large clearing that was hidden from anypony flying above by a thick canopy. I carefully stepped around a large carving in the forest floor. I smiled as I reached under a big rock and removed the silver and gold scroll. I opened it up and began checking the work from yesterday. I was taking my time. A lot of time on recreating the rune from the spell scroll and putting it down on the ground. I was getting it right this time.

Twilight had been talking to Spike about the tremors when she mentioned that the rune was one of the most important things about master level spells like this one. “I know I told them I would get help for this. But something’s just need to be done alone.” I talked to myself more often than before now. “Very carefully now.” I used the stick to add another circle around one of the points of the six pointed star. A perfect circle. I laid the scroll down and then began the slow tedious task of carving the individual shapes and designs into the edge of the circle. Stars, lines, triangles crossed with three lines. Loops, figure eights, and a paw print. All of the designs seemed random and strange, but I followed the design on the scroll to the even the smallest... pentagram?

I looked at the last symbol to be added to this circle. I shrugged my shoulders and added it. Whatever, it was on the scroll so on the rune it went.

I looked around and nodded. This was coming along well. I prepared myself for the next step, sealing the newly finished part of the rune. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small scrap of paper. Written on it was a spell that made things permanent. The book had described it as being used on paintings to make it so that they wouldn't fade in the sun or get smudged by anything. I added a little bit of a change to it that made it seal the rune into the ground so it couldn't be scraped away by a branch or wind blowing through the forest.

After all this time, I’ll be damned if some rogue wind ruins my rune. Twilight had taught me enough about magic, and the books I was learning from was helping me more than just my Equestrian reading skills. I aimed my gauntlet at the most recent finished part of the rune I hadn't sealed yet and summoned my red magic. The familiar chiming filled the air as a ball of red energy formed in my palm.

I released the magic into the rune and held it there, letting the magic do, well, its magic. I could feel the magic leaving my body and slowly draining my supply of magic. I do miss that about Nightmare. When he was joined with me, I had much more magic. The Element of Protection gave an extremely large amount, but I didn't know how to spend it efficiently. My magic learning books hadn't covered that yet. I finished the spell, and watched as the rune glowed a brilliant red before dimming back to nothing but a design carved into the dirt.

“Well that’s enough for today.” I nodded and hid the scroll beneath the rock and folded the paper up and stuck it back into my pocket.

I pounded another nail into the board on the front of the frame. I was adding the wood to the bottom floor before I added the bricks to the outside of it. The wood layer would add some insulation before adding the bricks. I wiped a hand across my brow and reached into my tool belt to grab another nail. But I found none. “Shoot.”

I looked at the box of nails resting on a table across the yard from my spot on the house. I was still holding the board up so I couldn't just let it drop. “Oh yeah, magic. Duh.” I aimed my gauntlet at the box of nails and levitated them to me. “Shit.”
Mid-way across the yard, the box holding the nails fell to the ground and the nails held in my red aurora began to combine together. “Not now. I don’t need any weapons! Stupid damn Element.” I grumbled as my special talent went to work on a simple pile of nails. The chiming stopped and I hovered a newly crafted weapon over to my spot alongside the house.

“Thanks Element, I’ll put this one with the others.” I was holding, carefully, in my hand a ball of nails, all the points facing out. It was roughly the size of a baseball and resembled the head of a morning star. I tossed the nail ball into a pile with the other ones.

“Sometimes I think my special talent is to just piss myself off.” I grunted and looked at the pile of stupid nail balls. All that wasted material. Damn it. I let the board I was holding fall to the ground and I picked one of the balls up. I leaned back and hurled the stupid thing across my yard.

It stuck into a tree a good fifty meters away. I grunted again and turned around.

BOOM

The explosion shook the ground and I spun around in shock. “WHAT THE HELL!?” I stared at where the tree used to be. Now the top half of the tree was collapsed on the ground and on fire. I slapped a hand to my face and groaned.

“Damn. I liked that tree too. Fuck you magic.”

A few hours had passed since the apparently explosive nail ball incident and I had finished nailing the wood up on one side of the bottom floor. I was sweaty and tired. And the constant hammering was putting some deep calluses on my hand. God I needed a nail gun and jigsaw cutter. I would kill for my tool shed from earth…

I looked over towards the Everfree forest. Soon enough.

“Oh Honored, your house looks like it’s coming together marvelously!” I turned and waved to Rarity who was traveling up the small path to my house. Fluttershy was following right behind the white mare.

“Afternoon ladies.” I smiled and put down my hammer. “Yea, it sure is. The new design is much better.”

“Oh please, you flatter me.” Rarity giggled and looked me up and now. “Now about you.”

“What about me?” I wiped a hand across my face, leaving a trail of dirt, grime and sweat.

“Well let’s be honest here,” Rarity looked to Fluttershy and then back to me, “you look absolutely horrid. Now I know you’ve been working all day, but you simply must clean up!” Rarity said while, lightly, stamping a hoof to the ground. “I must insist that you come to the spa with Fluttershy and myself to get cleaned up right away!”

I tapped a finger to my chin, “well when you put it that way…no.” I crossed my arms.

“What?” Rarity looked shocked at me.

“I don’t ‘do’ spas.” I said smiling. “To girly and frou-frouy.”

“But…but you’re dirty!” Rarity stammered at me. Fluttershy began stepping back from the fussy unicorn.

I fell to the ground and began to roll around in the dirt. “HAHA dirt! Dirt!” I stood up, a new fine layer of dust and dirt sticking to my sweaty clothes. “Dirty now?” I gave Rarity a huge grin.

“You are…URGH!” Rarity turned around and stormed off down the road, leaving me standing there looking at Fluttershy.

“She’s not really mad, is she?” I asked Fluttershy.

“No.” Fluttershy turned and began heading off towards Rarity, “but now you’ve given her a challenge.”

“A what?” I asked, trying to hold a laugh back.

“When something’s dirty, what does Rarity do?”

My pupils dilated to pin pricks, “she cleans it.” I swallowed and looked at Fluttershy who gave me a kind smile and hovered away after the unicorn.

“Awwww fuckkkkk.” I whined before going back to working on the next side of the house.

I bent over to pick up another piece of lumber when I heard something whistle over my head.

SPLAT

I jerked upright and looked to see a sponge slowly sliding down the newly finished wall of my house. I steadily turned around to see Rarity smirking at me from across my yard. She was wearing an apron and had two buckets hanging on either side of her and strapped across her back was a saddle bag filled with sponges. She was levitating two more sponges, and rapidly dunking them into the buckets, getting them wet and sudsy.

“Shit.” I dropped the board and sprinted around the side of the house as she let the two sponged fly.

SPLAT SPLAT

The sponges exploded into sudsy wet marks on the wall I was just standing in front of.

“Stand still Johnson. I want to clean you!” Rarity yelled out to me, before sprinting after me, launching sponges at me as I ran around my property.

“You’ll never clean me lady!” I screamed back at the insane unicorn. Thank god she didn’t have help or this would be hard.

I heard the clap of a loud explosion and turned around and saw Twilight standing beside Rarity holding a fire hose.

“Oh give me a break.” I cursed and ran faster as a stream of water ripped through the ground next to me.

I ducked around a tree and ran towards the edge of Ponyville. I could lose these two crazy ponies in the market. I needed to find a good hiding spot. Another stream of water splashed behind me, showing that Twilight and her magic fire hose of spotlessness was getting close. “No no no no!” I yelled as I skidded around a corner and ran head first into the side of an apple cart.

“Hi ya Honored!” Applebloom leapt onto my chest. “Whatcha’ running from?” I gently lifted the adorable filly from my chest and pointed down the street to the charging unicorn holding soapy sponges and the alicorn wielding a never ending fire hose.

I sprinted off towards the other side of Ponyville.

Big Macintosh watched as Rarity and Twilight Sparkle chased the human off and around a corner screaming about cleaning him. “What I wouldn’t give to be him right now.”

“You say something Big Mac?” Applebloom looked up to her older brother.

Big Macintosh shifted the wheat around in his mouth, “Nope.”

I quickly looked left and right. A dead end. I was cornered. Left to the fates to decide my outcome.

“Oh Honored.” The sing song voice of Rarity cut through the air. My eyes grew wider as I continued to search for a way out of this dead end alley. “I just want to clean you.” I looked up. The wall blocking me in was at least twenty feet tall. I desperately began jumping up, trying to reach the ledge, but some unknown force was holding me down. My legs were encased in a purple glow.

“No.” I croaked out. Twilight gave a sad smile and aimed the hose at me. “Please.” I dropped to my knees and slammed my fists into the ground and red magic wall exploded in front of me, creating a solid barrier as the water from Twilight’s hose impacted the magical creation. I looked up to the alicorn and unicorn, sticking my tongue out at them as my barrier shielded me from their cleaning.

Suddenly icy cold water splashed down on to my head, shocking me and causing me to drop my barrier. I looked up to see Fluttershy holding an empty bucket upside down and mouthing, ‘I’m sorry’, but then Twilight’s magic grabbed me and pressed me up against the wall as I was assaulted with water and sponges.

“And now that you are somewhat clean,” Rarity said as we walked through the town, “we can take you to the spa.”

“No.” I said, leaving another wet boot print on the ground. My clothes were soaked and so were my boots. I was slightly grumpy, but only because my clothes were momentarily ruined. “Spas are for girls.”

“So are ponies…” Twilight pointed out, giving me another shit eating grin.

“Yeah, but… look that’s… UGH!” I threw my hands into the air in frustration. “Okay fine whatever! Maybe I just don’t want to go because I don’t want some strangers putting their hooves all over me!”

“But the massage is simply divine.” Rarity chimed in. “Besides, who’s your favorite pony?” She looked up from and batted her eyelashes.

I looked away from her and kept walking. “That’s not fair. That was before I got here. That whole thing was based on the show I told ya’ll about.”

“And who was your favorite?” She asked again.

“You. And AJ” I sighed and slapped my gauntlet against my face.

“I thought so.” She smiled and thought quietly to herself for a moment. “And what would the old you say to this request?” Rarity thought she had me.

“NO!” I yelled and bounced up and down happily. “Spas are for girls!” I jumped up and froze in midair as I came face to face with the sad face of Fluttershy.

“So you won’t join us?” She asked in her small timid voice. Her eyes began to grow larger. I tried to look away, but it was too late. The stare was on.

“I…” My thought process stopped as I felt my soul being peeled away as Fluttershy stared into my very being. “Must…Say…No…Yes…No…Fine I’ll go.” I buckled to the ground panting heavily. I rose to my knees slowly and walked towards my partially built house. “I’ll change and met you there.” My voice came out defeated and crushed as I walked away.

“Wow Fluttershy,” Rarity looked up to her friend, “that was very impressive.”

“Thanks.” Fluttershy smiled and blushed a little. “He really needs a spa day.”

“So true.” Rarity smiled seeing as she now had two friends to enjoy the spa with.

I trudged along towards the spa with new dry clothes on and a towel tucked under one arm. I wasn’t sure what I had to bring with me. This whole ‘spa’ thing was new to me. I looked at the exterior of the building and shuddered. The sign showed a pony getting cleaned and the disgusting pink of the roof just screamed torture.

“Ughhhhhhhh.” I groaned as I leaned against the door and pushed it open, granting me entrance to the inside of the spa. My nose was immediately assaulted with the smell of hundreds of shampoos, soaps, and other fruity fragrances. I stepped into the waiting room and looked around. There were a few chairs lining the walls and a table in the middle with a few magazines on it. I walked up to the appointment window where a light blue earth pony with a pink mane was staring at me. “Hi. I’m here with Rarity and Fluttershy.”

“Zey will be here momentarily. Pleaze take a zeat. My zizter Aloe will be with you zhortly.”

I gave her a polite nod and sat down. At least with the time to kill, I could touch up on my equestrian reading skills. I picked up a beauty magazine and thumbed through the pages, taking my time and reading through the articles. It’s good to see that short manes are in style. And Fleur Dis Lee is in a mane dying scandal. I lounged back in my chair wishing that some rampaging monster would storm through the town, saving me from this spa hell.

The door suddenly burst open and I stood up thinking my wish was coming true.

“We have arrived darling!” Rarity said with a flourish of her hoof. Fluttershy followed close behind her as they walked up to the desk where Lotus quickly ran around the counter and gave each of them a fluffy yellow bathrobe. I walked up behind them and waited patiently, but Lotus stared at the bathrobe in her hoof before opening it and holding it up against my body. It was made for a pony and only covered my chest and stopped right below my waist line. It was like a mini skirt dress thing.

“Oh you’ve got to be kidding me.” I rolled my eyes and gestured to the towel tucked under my arm. “I can just use this. Is there somewhere I can change?” I asked Lotus. She smiled and pointed a hoof to a changing room next to the bathroom. I undressed and wrapped my towel around my waist and tucking the corner in. I walked out of the changing room and deposited my clothes at the counter. “Okay Rarity, let’s get this over with.

Fluttershy and Rarity, along with both spa twins just stared at me. “What?” I asked putting my hands on my hips. I looked down to where they were staring and noticed they were staring at the scars covering my body. Jagged lines ran across my arms and shoulders and crisscrossed in horrible and ugly patterns all over my chest and sides. Each one representing a time in which I was harmed saving ponies. Well save for the one on the third rib on my right side. That one was from stupidity on Earth involving tequila, a road flare, and one roller skate.

“I get it. I have scars, shall we continue. I’m uncomfortable being eye banged.” Each pony blushed furiously and we walked down the corridor towards our first stop, the mud bath.

“So really?”

“What’s ever the matter darling?” Rarity asked as she placed a cucumber slice over her eye. “Just slide in and relax.” She placed the second cucumber on her face.

“You went through all the trouble of cleaning me, getting me here, and all that nonsense, just to get me to lay in mud?” I stared at bubbling bath of mud. Fluttershy walked next to me and climbed up into her own mud bath.

“Well I wanted you to start of clean here Honored. No sense in getting the imported mud dirty.”

I slammed my head into the side of the tub. Once, twice, and three times for good measure. I then decided to ignore Rarity’s last statement and removed my towel as I lowered myself into the mud. It was hot, but not so hot that it was uncomfortable. I sat down and stared at the wall in front of me. “So what? I just sit here?”

“Yez. Juzt let the mud work.” Aloe said as she held a plat of cucumbers out to me. I let out a long sigh and grabbed to cucumbers and placed them over my eyes.

“I hate this for the record.”

“And I hate that tacky armor you always ran around in. Not the duster, but that awful, what did you call it, digital camouflage, and I never said anything.” I turned my head towards Rarity and scoffed.

I slowly sank deeper into the mud and really felt it began to absorb all my problems. Everything seemed to melt away as I laid in that mud. The heat combined with the texture really felt…good. I let out a long sigh and just let everything wash away.

“Next is the mineral bath.” I was awoken by a prodding hoof that eased me out of the mud bath. I grabbed my towel from next to the bath and wrapped it around my midsection. I placed the cucumbers on a plate as we left the mud bath room and walked into the next room. There was one large pool with faint wisps of steam rising from it. I looked around. There was no other pool. I stopped as Fluttershy and Rarity removed their towels and lowered themselves down into the hot water. They each let out a sigh as they sank lower below the surface.

“Well aren’t you coming in darling?” Rarity said while dropping lower into the water. She leaned against the side of the pool and watched me.

“Yeah. I would, but I forgot my bathing suit.”

“Honored really, you don’t need a bathing suit.” Rarity said, gesturing for me to climb down into the pool.

“Yes I do.” I waved a hand at myself. “Remember… I’m a human. Clothes all the time.”

Fluttershy squeaked and blushed while Rarity gave me a slightly annoyed look. “Oh come now Honored. We are unclothed nearly all the time. Just take the towel off and get in. it’s so relaxing in here.”

“That’s nice.” I said, not moving an inch.

Rarity slapped a hoof to her face, splashing water all around her. “Lotus,” she called out, “can you please bring something for the stubborn human.”

The spa pony disappeared down a hallway and then returned just as quickly holding a pair of shorts out to me. They were rather big, and had a hole cut in them for a tail, but I slipped into them and just had to hole them up with one hand. I eased my way into the mineral bath and washed the bits of mud from the mud bath off me and began to relax into the hot water.

“There isn’t that nice?” I opened my eyes to see Rarity and Fluttershy sitting across from me in the pool.

“Yeah. I guess.” I had to admit, the water was really relaxing. Aw hell, it was amazing. It felt like all my problems were melting away. “It is pretty nice. For something so girly.” Both ponies laughed as we continued to enjoy the wonderful spa treatment.

“So how’d you get that one?” Twenty minutes or so had passed and Fluttershy was pointing with her hoof at a long jagged scar running across my stomach.

“Queen Chrysalis at the end of the second Changeling attack.”

“And that one?”

“That was from the Timber Wolf incident my first week here.” I rubbed a hand over the rough teeth marks on my arm. That felt like forever ago, but it was only a year and six or seven months ago.

“Do they hurt?” Fluttershy asked quietly.

“Nah.” I waved her off, “I mean they did when I got them, but now they just serve as little memories.”

“Mizz Rarity, your hooficures are next.” Aloe and Lotus appeared by the edge of the pool and were holding out three towels.

We climbed out of the pool and dried off, while wrapping the towels around ourselves. I followed behind the girls and spa ponies as we went along the pale blue hallway towards the next room.

“No.”

“Please?”

“Not no way. Not know how.” I crossed my arms.

“Pretty please?”

“The physical appearance of the ‘please’ won’t help you.”

“But you’ve tried everything else.” Rarity was almost on her knees begging me to get into the lounge chair and get a hooficure.

“Okay one, I don’t have hooves. Two I hate having my feet touched. And three, this the girliest thing ever!” I turned my head to the side, “I will sit and enjoy being with you girls, but I will not, cannot, allow myself to get a,” I shuddered at the very thought, “A manicure.”

Rarity sighed and tears began welling up in her eyes, “very well then Honored. If you have decided then I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“This.” Rarity quickly turned around, her horn glowing blue. I tried to jump back, but she tapped her horn against my chest and I heard a faint ‘pop’. I collapsed backwards frozen in the awkward stance of trying to jump with my arms stretched out and face distorted into shock and surprise.

“I’m going to kill you.” I grunted out through my frozen mouth at Rarity.

“Sorry darling, but I had a feeling I would need to do something like that. So I had dear Twilight show me a brief paralyze spell. It will wear off in about thirty minutes or so. Now please try to enjoy this.”

Lotus came closer to my feet with a nail file clasped in her mouth.

“Nooooooooooo!” I grunted and tried to move, but the paralyze spell held fast.

“Thank you Aloe, thank you Lotus. We’ll be back again same time next week.” Rarity said waving good bye to the spa ponies as we left the spa. Well Fluttershy and Rarity walked out, I was being pushed along in a wheelbarrow.

“Again I’m ever so sorry darling. I guess Twilight had shown me a more powerful paralyze spell. I’ll have stern talking to her latter.” Rarity giggled as she pushed the wheelbarrow past the town square and the market, where ponies stopped and gawked at the human being pushed along like a foal in a stroller.

“I’m going to get you back.” I groaned out, words coming out easier as the spell was slowly beginning to wear off. Thirty minutes was going on to over two hours. Twilight and Rarity were going to get it.

“Now Johnson, was it really that bad?” Rarity asked.

“No. But this was unnecessary.” I tried to gesture to my frozen body. But seeing as it was frozen still, I merely rolled my eyes.

“So Honored,” Fluttershy asked, walking beside me in the wheelbarrow, “did you learn anything today?”

“I’m going to do something to get Rarity back?”

Fluttershy gave an innocent smile and giggled, “No besides that silly.”

“That just because it sounds like something I don’t want to do. I shouldn't be so closed minded to it and trust my friends and give it a chance.” I could feel the spell completely wearing off, but I kept my arms locked in place, an evil plan hatching in my mind.

“That’s right.” Rarity said nodding. “The spa sounded bad, but you liked it, yes?”

“Oh yeah, I really liked it.” I grinned as we passed close to Sugarcube Corner, where a huge cherry pie was sitting on a windowsill, cooling off. I slowly aimed my gauntlet at the window and charged up a spell. The pie wobbled into the air and then flew across the street right at the white unicorn pushing the wheelbarrow.

“Then maybe you can come –“

SPLAT

Rarity stood there in frozen shock as the red pastry slowly dripped from her face and mane. I removed myself from the wheelbarrow with agonizing slowness till I stood, towering above Rarity. I reached down and picked up a bucket full of suds and a sponge.

“Oh no Rarity, you’re dirty. I guess I’ll have to clean you up.” I dunked the sponge into the sudsy water and lumbered towards her.

“I’ll give you a head start.”

Rarity turned around and bolted down the street with my chasing after her, slinging water and soap everywhere.

“You’re right Rarity! We should do this again next week!”

Honored Meats His Foe

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On My Honor

Honored Meats His Foe

By Honored Service

Edited/Preread by: Duncan Zundel
Edited By: Tbone5363 and TheDarkAngel

“I’ll take twenty sheets of soft plywood, and can I start off with fifty 2x4s?” I gestured to the kind of wood I wanted. It was a normal morning in the Ponyville town market full of busy ponies shopping for all sorts of goods. Over the last week, I had used up my supply of Everfree Forest timber on the frame of my house and still needed more wood for the second story frame and then I had to actually build the walls. Everything was moving along well, other than for the fact that the girls couldn't help every step of the way. Applejack and Twilight would help whenever they could, but they still had their own jobs to attend to at the farm and library.

“We can have that delivered to you this afternoon, Honored" the light red earth pony told me while looking over a clipboard on the counter. “Is there anything else you’ll need?”

“Actually yes, let’s make that forty sheets of the plywood, and sixty 2x4s. Aw hell, throw in ten 4x4s too.” I smiled as Lumber Yard made the final markings to my order.

“Okay, we’ll have that brought over. Do you want to pay now or start a tab?”

“I can do that?” I was surprised. I thoughts bars were the only place to do that.

“Well, I assume you’re going to need more supplies with the building you’re doing,” Lumber Yard said, not even looking up from his clipboard, “and the mighty human warrior is going to need to get the supplies from some reliable source.” Lumber Yard looked up and flashed me a smile.

“Oh I see what you’re trying to do.” I gave him a smile back. “You think you can flatter me into buying from you only. Well let me tell you what, it's sure as hell working!” I stuck out my hand and shook his hoof vigorously. “Consider yourself my supplier for this build! I like your style Yard.”

“I’ll start that tab for ya’.”

“If you’d be so kind.” I finished my business and went to continue my shopping around the market. “Today is going to be a wonderful day.”

"This day is just fucking horrible." I let out an exasperated sigh and slumped against a tree in the clearing where my rune was being carved into the ground. I slid down until I was resting with my back against the rough bark of the tree. I looked at the still glowing section of the rune I had just finished sealing to the earth. It had taken me three tries to get the spell right; it never gave me problems before today. The glowing stopped, and the third ring on one of the six points of the star was permanently sealed to the ground of the Everfree. I let out a long yawn. Man I was tired, and I hadn't been two hours ago. I sluggishly got to my feet and checked my work again on the rune. Another few trips and the rune would be finished and then I could start the real task, finding all of the magical objects required to fuel the spell, along with immense magical ability. Might have to ask Twilight for help on that one.

"Well, Lumber Yard should be here by now. Better not keep him waiting." I walked from the clearing and down the trail out of the Everfree Forest back to the edge of my property. Sure enough, upon exiting the dense woods, Lumber Yard and a few other stallions were standing around with wagons full of lumber for my house.

"Good afternoon." I said letting out another yawn. "Well let’s just unload everything here."

I pointed to a spot near the front of the construction. The ponies unhitched themselves from the wagons and began to move the wood onto their backs and carry the lumber to the house. I walked over to lend a hand in the process.

"Howdy Honored." A deep voice called out behind me.

"Well hello to ya too Big Macintosh. How are you?" I said, giving the large pony a friendly wave and brushing off my hands before extending my arm for a shake. He gave me a solid shake and then turned to look at all the lumber.

"I’m doing fine. Y’all need any help?"

"I don’t think so." I aimed my gauntlet at a stack of wood and began charging up my magic. I released it and hovered the 2x4s into the air. As soon as they were air born, I began to feel a deep migraine setting in. My magic faltered and the glow around my hand flickered and went out. The lumber toppled to the ground in a heap.

Macintosh looked at me, "Honored, are you okay?"

I swayed right and then shook my head back and forth. "Um yeah, never better." I tried to lift the boards again, but my magic barely even formed in my hand. The faint chiming was heard, but it quickly died out and I was left feeling empty. "I guess my magic just isn't at a hundred percent today." I gave an awkward cough and walked over to the lumber and began to carry a few boards. These simple 2x4s felt like they weighed a ton.

"Hey Lumber, what are these made out of, lead?" I struggled as I dropped the two boards to the ground.

"Um, wood. Oak specifically.” Lumber Yard said, easily dropping ten of the boards of his back next to my two.

"Yeah, I knew that." I wiped sweat from my brow and sat down against one of the framed sides of my house.

"Honored, are ya sure you’re okay?" Big Macintosh walked in front of me and sat down.

"I’m just a little tired that’s all." I sighed and yawned again, proving my point. "Some sleep and dinner and I’ll be right as rain."

"Sis, we need to talk." Big Macintosh walked behind his sister Applejack as she dragged a basket of apples towards the barn.

"You? Talk?" Applejack chuckled and picked the basket up and placed it on her brother's back, "Sure thing, big brother."

"I stopped by to visit Honored -"

"That was mighty kind of ya. How goes his house?" Applejack cut in, interrupting her brother.

"And he isn't doing well." Applejack stopped walking and looked to the red earth pony. She looked concerned and thought for a moment.

"What’s wrong with him?" She asked. She was already planning on getting the girls ready to go knock some sense into that stubborn human, if he was over working himself again.

"His magic kept kept failing, then it stopped working altogether, and then he was having trouble preforming the simplest physical task like moving a few boards. Something is seriously wrong with him." Big Macintosh went silent as Applejack took in this information.

"Thank ya, Mac. I think I’ll go tell Twilight and we can all go talk to him together. Sounds like he might be working too hard on that house of his." Applejack finished putting away the baskets of apples she had harvested so far in the day. She still had a few rows of trees to go, but looking out for friend was more important at the moment.

"I doubt it’s the house," Big Macintosh said while shifting the wheat around in his mouth, "he still only has one side of the bottom floor done."

"I'll figure it out, don’t you worry none. Let Granny know I’ll be home at supper." Applejack trotted down the dirt road out of Sweet Apple Acres towards Ponyville. She would stop and ask Twilight if she had felt any more of those magical tremors. Honored might be at it again. Silly human.

"Nope, I’m afraid not AJ." Twilight said over a cup of tea Spike had prepared for herself and the farm pony. "The magical tremors haven’t happened since we talked to Honored about them. And I haven’t detected any other powerful spells being cast recently either."

"Well, Big Macintosh seemed pretty sure that something was wrong with him. His magic not working, and him not being strong or as full of himself."

"That is strange," Twilight tapped a hoof to her chin, and stirred her tea with a spoon held in her magical aurora, “We should go check up on him. It’s not too late yet. Let’s just go see what’s wrong with that crazy human." Twilight spun her eyes around and gestured to the side of her head with her hooves, while 'poofing' her wings out, making herself look crazy.
The two ponies set out at a brisk pace towards the Everfree Forest where the resident human was setting up his home.

I grunted as the last board was unloaded and stacked with the rest. I was drenched in sweat and every muscle in my body was aching from the simple task of moving boards. I grunted and flopped down on the ground.

"Well, come by the stall if you need anything else Honored." Lumber Yard said as he hitched himself back up to the wagon.

"Uhhhh." I moaned out and lifted a hand into the air and gave a weak wave. I didn’t bother lifting my head. I watched the clouds drift lazily by high in the sky as I felt my eyelids get heavier and heavier.

"Just a - ahhhhhh- short nap." I stretched out yawned again, slipping into sleep instantly.

"Well he definitely isn't working too hard on the house." Twilight said. Only one side of the bottom floor was done, and the frame of the second floor was barely even started. "Where is he anyway?”
Applejack pointed a hoof to her left where a deep rumbling noise was coming from. There, passed out on the ground, was the human in question.

"Oh my." Twilight said and covered her mouth with a wing.

"Mac never said he looked so...bad. Good gravy." Applejack stared in shock at the human.
His eyes were closed, and large dark bags were under each eye, making it seem like he hadn't slept in days. His normally shiny brown hair with red and orange streaks in it was dulled in color and the extra colors seemed to be turning gray. His cheeks looked sunken and his muscular arms and body seemed smaller.

"Twilight," Applejack couldn't believe she was looking at the very same human that two weeks ago had almost ripped a hole in the universe, "What’s wrong with him?"

"I don’t know Applejack, but I bet I can think of somepony that might be able to help." Twilight charged up her horn, and with a bright flash and a crack, she vanished, leaving Applejack staring at the crippled human warrior sleeping on the ground.

Shh-Crack

Twilight reappeared with a slightly startled Fluttershy behind her. Fluttershy looked dazed but snapped out of her trance when she saw Honored laying on the ground. She quickly trotted to his side and kneeled down, placing a small brown bag down beside her. She pulled out a thermometer and placed in the human's mouth before then feeling his forehead. She gently placed a hoof on his eyelid and pulled it up slowly and examined his pupil, and then removed the thermometer. She looked at it and then placed it back into the bag. Fluttershy took one last look and walked back to Twilight and Applejack.

"I’m glad you got me. He's sick, that’s for sure. It’s kind of hard to tell, since he’s the only human and I don’t know much about his species, but I’d say he’s showing signs of malnutrition."

"You mean he ain’t eating enough?" Applejack said dumbfounded.

"I doubt that," Fluttershy said looking back at the human, "I mean that he might not be eating what he needs."

"He’s been fine for the last year and a half. How is it effecting him now?" Twilight said, her voice beginning to sound stressed. "This makes no sense."

"Well all I can think of," Fluttershy said while bringing the girls closer to the human, "is asking him what he’s been doing." She reached out and gently began to poke the human. "Honored, Honored, please get up sleepy head."

I was staring at her; Queen Chrysalis right as her horn released that bolt of magic that tore her from my life. Except it was different this time, this time I was standing in front of the red mare. And grasped tightly in my grip was the Element of Protection. The sword was held ready to absorb the bolt of magic that would take her life. This time, this time I would protect her.

"Honored."

I heard the voice and turned around, the dream slowly crumbling around me. "No!" I screamed, "Not this time! I'm so close!"

"Honored please get up sleepy head."

My eyes shot open to see Twilight, Fluttershy, and Applejack staring at me. I brought a hand to my face and felt wetness around my eyes. I wiped the tears away and tried to smile. But I failed at the weak attempt. "Hi girls, what can I do for you?"
Fluttershy smiled sweetly at me and spoke softly to me. It was the same voice I've heard her use when comforting a wounded animal, a voice to try and calm it.

"Honored, we know something is wrong with you. You’re weak and we want to help you. You haven’t been trying that spell again?"

"No. I haven’t tried that spell in two weeks."

"Have you been doing a lot of physical activities?" Twilight asked, writing down my answers of course.

"Not more than usual. I mean it’s actually hard to do most stuff now." I thought to simply moving the lumber.

"Okay, last question," Fluttershy said, "Has your diet changed at all in the last week?"

I thought about that one. Mainly it had been vegetables and fruits for the last week. Actually that’s all it had been. "Just fruits and vegetables."

"What about two weeks ago?" Fluttershy asked, her brow wrinkling in concentration.

"Well I had mostly MREs that Twilight and Princess Luna teleported from Earth for me."

"Could you show me them please?" Fluttershy asked, "I want to see something."

I scratched my head in confusion, “Sure, it’s all trash now, but hey knock yourself out." I lifted my hand pointed towards the silver metal can that acted as my trash can. Fluttershy nodded to Twilight who levitated it over to us. Twilight's magic lifted the lid, and a mound of brown plastic bags with the markings of MREs and the meal inside spilled out onto the ground.

"Honored, please read these, if you don’t mind." Fluttershy gestured to the mound of trash.

"Okay, but for the record, you’ve lost me here." I began sifting through the trash and reading the menu on each MRE.

"Chicken, tuna, pork, beef, another pork, beef, chicken." I stopped as Fluttershy held up her hoof.

She turned around to the girls and gave a sigh. "Well, I figured out what’s wrong with him."

"Um, could include me in the diagnosis, Doctor Flutters?"

Fluttershy turned around, blushing slightly, “Oh, um, yes, of course. Okay, so here’s what I think. Now it’s just what I think, so it might be wrong."

"Fluttershy you’re great with animals, no offense Honored," Applejack said nodding to me.

"None taken."

"Okay then, Honored is an omnivore, and he has been eating food from his planet that-" Fluttershy let a shudder course through her body, "-contains lots of meat, something that his body obviously is used to and needs. And for the last week, you have eaten nothing but fruits and vegetables. So before, when he tried to perform that spell, his body was functioning at its strongest,"

Twilight jumped in, cutting Fluttershy off, "Which is how he was even able to attempt that powerful of a spell."

"Um right," Fluttershy nodded, "And now with his diet completely vegetarian, his body is draining his magic as a source of energy,"

Twilight cut in again, "Explaining why his magic is failing him. And he looks like he’s starving because he is. Starving on both normal nutrition and magic!" Twilight clopped her hooves together and began to write furiously on a piece of parchment. "This is amazing. His diet effects his magic supply. Incredible!"

"Wait," I said, my apparently starving brain having trouble processing this, "Why is this effecting me now and not for the last year and a half?"

"Easy," Applejack said and then pointed to Twilight, "Lay it on him, Twi."

"Did you have magic right away when you came to Equestria?"

"No."

"You began developing your own magic after your fight with Day Terror and we had to use the Elements of Harmony to save you. That sparked your own Element to appear. And at that time in Equestria-" I cut it and stopped Twilight,

“I hadn't eaten meat in almost a year anyway, so body wasn't used to its proteins."

"Right." Twilight said, writing everything down. "Meat now just acts as a magic enhancer, makes your magic and body work to its full potential."

I looked at my hands. Meat. If I ate meat I could be powerful. Even more powerful than I was. The more meat I consumed, hypothetically the stronger I could get. Meat was power.

"So does this mean I get to go hunting?" I flashed the girls a toothy grin, feeling better knowing I could get better quickly.
Fluttershy squeaked and backed away from me and Applejack narrowed her eyes at me.

"Honored, you know the rules. We only let you eat that food because, well, it was already dead, and it didn't come from this planet." Twilight said. "You can’t just start killing innocent animals now."

"Then what am I going to do about the whole 'magic eating my body away' thing?" I asked. The solution was right in front of me. No, not the ponies, the Everfree Forest. It was chalk-full of tasty treats. Deer, manticores, cockatrices, and other succulent creatures. My mouth was beginning to water at the thought of venison and other, more exotic meats.

"Honored, please be patient, I’m going to write to the Princesses' and see what advice they have."
Twilight and the girls began to walk away from me, Fluttershy looking more scared of me than ever before, but that quickly changed and she zipped over to me.

"Honored, you are a dear friend to me and the girls, and you've done so much for us. But-" she poked me in the chest with her hoof, " If you harm a single innocent creature... I’ll...I’ll do something you won’t like."

Even though she was trying to be intimidating, she still looked adorable, but I got the message. "I Pinkie Promise no innocent creature well enter my stomach."

Pinkie popped out of a hole in my construction, giving me a deathly stare before sinking back into the shadows.

Fluttershy nodded and hovered away after the girls who stared in shock at what Fluttershy had just done, not even noticing the pink party pony.

'Damn she loves animals,' I thought to myself. 'Now where to find a non-innocent animal?'

"Sister, have you read Twilight’s most recent letter?" Celestia asked Luna over their morning coffee and mixed oats. Suddenly Celestia wasn't feeling too hungry.

"No. May I read it? Today's comics are rather dull," Luna said while placing the paper's newest Valin and Clobbes down. The Princess of the Night ran her eyes over the letter, her expression growing more and more worried as she scanned the parchment. "This is most troubling. I can think of only a few solutions."

"I know. Twilight says he already suggested hunting, but that’s been illegal for centuries. And even considering everything he’s done for Equestria, I still believe that a lot of ponies will not let that go over well."

"And who knows how long it will take his body to even out with this foreign diet. By that time, it could well be too late. The magic will continue to consume his body."

"We must figure something out soon, Luna. Honored needs our help now."

"Sister what can we do? This seems like something that may be out of our hooves." Luna said while frowning. She hated the idea of not being able to help the human that had done so much for the both of them, and that wasn't even considering her personal feelings towards the wild warrior.

"Luna we must learn from my student. We need to do some research." Celestia reared up on her hind legs and jumped into the air, "Come Lulu, to the library!”

The two alicorn princesses rushed to the library to begin the research on how to help the unhealthy human.

I exhaled deeply and breathed in slowly while scanning the woods through the scope attached to the top rail on the XM2010 ESR bolt action rifle. I had a five round box of the .300 Winchester magnum ammunition loaded into the weapon, ready to take down the next non innocent target to enter my scope.

But of course, fate was having none of that.

Five deer

Three wild chickens

A fucking turkey

And a god forsaken large wild boar

All of these animals had entered my field of vision, passed right through my scope, and continued on their merry way. It was almost as if Fluttershy had told them nothing would happen to them. My mouth was dripping with drool as another fat pig waddled right into my cross hairs. It then stopped right dead center of the aim point and looked right in my direction. I licked my lips. This mother fucka was begging to be put on a split and slow roasted for eight to sixteen hours, while being, marinated every thirty minutes in a sweet barbecue mustard-base sauce. The pig then turned around and squatted down. It then proceed to shit in my direction.

"Fuck it!" I stood up, knocking the leaves, limbs, and moss I had used to cover myself with while I was in my hide. The pig bolted off back into the depths of the Everfree. I could feel myself getting weaker and weaker. The rifle cradled in my hands felt if it weighed a ton. It was a pain to move through the underbrush of the forest. I felt defeated and shitty considering that my magic was eating my body and my body was trying to eat my magic; talk about burning the candle at both ends.

"Oh what I wouldn't give to have some monster try and eat me now." I sighed and dropped down onto a log that was next to the small path I was on. I took in a deep breath. The normal smell of the forest was now mixed with the pungent smell of a swamp.

"Aw fuck. I walked the wrong way." I put my head in my hands and sighed. I was close to Froggy Bottom Bog rather than the edge of the Everfree near my house, a solid hour walk back to my side of the woods. I picked myself up and hefted the rifle into my arms. I took a step back the way I came when I heard a roar that ripped through the calm natural silence of the forest. A grim smile slowly began to spread across my lips as I turned towards the sound.

"Sounds like my meal will have some fight in it." I felt a small surge of energy course through my veins as I began a light jog towards the murky depths of the bog.

"Honored, Fluttershy here says y’all can have some of the fish she gives to the otters. It will have to do til...Honored?" Applejack had returned to the partly built house with Fluttershy who was carrying a picnic basket in her mouth. She had of course asked the Otter family if it was alright if she could share their fish supply with an animal in need before filling the basket with some fresh fish. She hoped that the fish would help Honored long enough until a more permanent solution could be found.

"Honored?" Applejack called out again. "Where in tarnation could that human have gone?"
Fluttershy trotted over to the design table to put the basket of food down. She placed the basket off to the side, and picked up a scrap of paper with badly written Equestrian on it. Her eyes darted over the note before her stare became intense and she stalked over to Applejack and dropped the letter at her
hooves.

"Friends, I have gone into the Everfree,” Applejack read aloud, trying to make out the sloppy words, "I promised no innocent animals, so I hope there are some bad ones out today." Applejack looked up to Fluttershy who looked almost as upset when she had faced down that dragon.

"Now Fluttershy, “Applejack began, "He might not find anything."

A roar split the world as both ponies turned their ears towards the forest.

"Alright, let’s go save him."

"Oh you’re a big one." I said looking at the three headed dark tan and brown hydra that was currently watching me from across the bog. Granted, I didn’t need something this big to eat, but hey, I wasn’t going to complain. I lifted the rifle to my shoulder and aimed down the scope. The cross hairs lined up on the middle head, I prepared myself and took a breath before slowly exhaling it; letting the cross hair settle on the beast's head.

I eased my finger onto the trigger and began to squeeze the trigger, preparing myself for a meal of hydra steaks with hydra bacon and hydra-kabobs. I depressed the trigger, but just as the firing pin struck the round, I was tackled to the side by a yellow and pink blur, the powerful round speeding from the barrel at a moderate 2850 feet per second with over 3908 pounds of force behind it. It then grazed the side of the beast's middle head, royally pissing it the fuck off.

"Honored, what the flying feather do you think you’re doing!?!" Fluttershy stood over me, scolding me like a toddler. "You are in no condition to be wandering the Everfree Forest looking for trouble." As she spoke, the hydra slowly lumbered up behind the pony, three pair of eyes staring directly at its next meal. A human and a pony for dessert.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Applejack walk towards us out of the forest. I quickly waved her back with my hand. She took a few steps back, her eyes growing wide at the sight of the hydra approaching us. I calmly reached down to my side and placed my hand on the handle of my large Bowie knife, Bad Bertha. Her magically enchanted fourteen inch blade could cut through anything.

The middle head dove down to grab Fluttershy in its jaws, I quickly shot one arm up, knocking Fluttershy to the side of me while my other arm jerked the knife from its sheath and planted it upwards into the lower jaw of the center head. I yanked it to the side, slicing easily through its flesh and bone, blood spilling all over myself and the ground.

"Fluttershy," I turned to the pony as the center head retreated back to join the other two, "Get to Applejack. NOW!" I yelled at her as the two outside heads dove at me at the same time. I rolled backwards, the two hydra heads slamming into each other. I laughed as I rolled to my feet. I coughed as my laughter died in my throat, my lungs burning from the sudden movements. That’s right, I’m starving.

I dodged to the side as the center head decided to try its luck again. I sliced out with the knife again and clipped some flesh off the side of his head onto the spongy soft floor of the bog.

"Haha!" I chortled before being jerked into the air. The left head picked me up in its jaw, the teeth ripping into my leg before tossing me into the air where I began dropping down towards three open and ready mouths.

I held out my gauntlet and prayed for magic. A was rewarded with a quick burst of magic that propelled me off to the side and down into the dark murky water of the bog. My head was aching as I sat up, blood trickling from my nose.

I saw my rifle lying next to the spot where Fluttershy had tackled me. I needed that weapon if I was going to stand a chance. I would have to move fast. I got up and pushed myself. I could feel my legs and all my muscles screaming in protest as I reached the rifle. I panted, my breath coming out ragged as I racked the bolt back, the spent round flying from the chamber and fell to the ground, glistening in the afternoon sun. I slid the bolt forward, the next round riding into the chamber with a satisfying 'click'.

I aimed the long range weapon at the hydra as it turned towards me. All three of its heads were on the same height, all along the same point of path the round would travel if it were fired at the precise moment. As the beast turned to face me, its heads lined up for a fraction of a second...

I saw my opening. I took it.

I squeezed the trigger.

Time seemed to slow for me as the rifle kicked into my shoulder, the powerful bullet leaving the barrel and traveling across the bog towards the closest head of the hydra. The bullet entered the jaw line of the head before blowing out of its cheek, the round tumbling into the side of the middle head and passing out its temple before exploding into the last hydra head right at the center of its cranium. The .300 then blew out the back of the skull in a beautiful pink
mist of blood and brain.

The hydra staggered on its two chubby legs, staring at me before collapsing into the murky water, a large splash of water rising in all directions. I stood their painting and fell to the ground, my body spent from the brief fight.

I looked to see six ponies standing at the edge of the bog, directly behind the fallen hydra. I lifted a hand in a weak wave before letting my head fall back to the ground.

"Honored!" Six voices called out simultaneously. The sound of hooves splashing through the water reached my ears and soon the sun was blocked by the outlines of my friends standing over me.

"Hi girls," I said, my voice sounding increasingly strained the more I spoke, "I think I bagged me some food."

They all stood there with mouths agape, just looking at me. Twilight broke the silence, "Honored, you’re a moron."

All I could do was laugh and I close my eyes.

I rested my eyes for a few minutes before having Applejack help me to my feet. "Twilight, I need some help. AJ and Rainbow, y’all too."

"What do you need?" Applejack asked.

"Can you two," I pointed to the pegasus and earth pony, "gather me some wood. It doesn't need to be a lot, just enough for a quick fire."

They both nodded and took off together towards the forest. Twilight stood at my side. "Twilight, I don’t have enough magic to start a fire. When they get back, I need a small fire going on the wood they gather."

"I can do that."

"Fluttershy, Rarity, you two may want to leave." I said politely.

"And why would we ever do that darling?" Rarity asked looking hurt.

"Because I am literally starving and I’m about to cook me some dinner." I stated bluntly. Rarity turned a wonderful shade of green and Fluttershy paled a bit. Rarity began trotting off, but before she left, Fluttershy looked at me.

"We are going to talk about this later Honored." She followed after Rarity, out of the bog.

Pinkie Pie looked at the carcass of the hydra. "So what you think? Side haunch steak? Or maybe a nice Coltson butt roast. I personally would start with some of that rib meat, get a good easy sample." I stared down at the party pony, my mouth hanging slightly open, drooling.

"What?" She asked, smiling innocently. "It’s your choice." Twilight shuddered and we began walking towards the hydra's lifeless body. Rainbow Dash and Applejack arrived a few minutes later, each carrying a bundle of sticks and small branches. I piled them up and then had Twilight start a spark in the center of the wood. Soon a small inferno was crackling in wood pile.
I unsheathed my knife and walked over to the hydra. I held the knife above its side before plunging the knife into the flesh of its ribs and slicing away some of the muscular tissue below the surface. I finished the cut and brought the bloody raw meat over the fire and held it slightly over the flames using two green moist sticks.

"Excellent choice." Pinkie Pie whispered to me. The other three ponies all turned their heads from the cooking meat. Twilight made a gagging noise and her horn glowed. Four light pink bubbles appeared over the ponies heads, and slowly lowed over their heads until from their necks up, they were encased in the glowing bubble.

"Anti-smell spell." Twilight said proudly as Rainbow Dash and Applejack let out a deep breath and breathed in, a sense of relief spreading over their faces. Pinkie Pie sniffed the air and 'hmpfhed', crossing her hooves in front of her.

"Y’all don’t have to stay," I said, turning the still dripping slab of meat over, the smell was torturing me as it cooked, "I won’t be offended. That’s why I asked for the others to leave."

"Honored," Twilight began, placing a hoof on my leg and smiling at me through her pink bubble, "You’re our friend and we love you as you are. Even if that is a meat eating alien soldier. Some of us just can handle the sight of roasting flesh more than others." She smiled again and I looked to my friends.

They all nodded, save for Pinkie, who poked the meat still cooking with a hoof, and then popped the bubble around her head so she could smells the hydra juice on her hoof tip. She shrugged and wiped it on the ground. "Too tangy. Not sweet enough." I laughed again, feeling so happy for the friends around me.

"But the way you took out that monster!" Rainbow Dash was hovering in the air, her bubble bouncing around her head, "that’s was something else! I mean did you see the way it went pew-pew-pew through all those heads at once! It was like some crazy human magic."

"That’s called the magic of bullets." I lifted the meat to my nose and sniffed it. Smelled like pork. I sunk my teeth into the still hot flesh and ripped a bite off. Twilight and Rainbow Dash seemed interested in my eating habit while Applejack was a little taken back. Pinkie was still just smiling and had picked up the sticks and began cooking the meat herself while I chewed.

I swallowed, and my eyes grew wide. In that one bite, I could feel energy reenter my body. I took the meat from Pinkie and began to gnaw on the hydra steak like a wild animal.

"Thanks girls," I said in between bites of food, "But do you think Fluttershy will be mad?"

"Well, considering that the hydra was going to eat you two, no," Twilight said, "But for you running out here recklessly looking for something dangerous, yes."

"Damn." I said, pulling out my knife and walking back to the hydra. Oh I was feeling better already. And I was going to have meat to last me a month.

Hydra and eggs

Hydra and rice

Fried hydra

Hydra and grits

Hydra sauté

Hydra gumbo

Hydra for days!

"Sister!" Luna called out flipping through another page of the nutrition book landing on a detailed spell that focused on the diet of ponies. With some modification it might be able to change the human's metabolism to better fit his vegetarian diet. "I have found a spell that we may be able to rework as to better fit our little human." Celestia walked over to Luna, a large dark blue and purple book carried in her golden aurora of magic.

"I also found a spell that may work. Let me look at the one you found, and you look at this one, it’s more in your expertise anyway." The two sisters swapped books and sat across from each other, their brows wrinkled in concentration as they looked the complicated spells over. Each spell was designed to directly affect the target's body makeup and change them permanently. It would take a lot of power to make sure that nothing went wrong.

Both alicorns looked up to each other at the same time, "Sister do you know what this spell does?!?" They said to each other in unison.

"You first." Luna said to Celestia.

"Okay. Luna this spell is a part transformation spell. It would change his teeth, stomach, and digestive track to live on pony food. And even if it worked, who knows what else it would change. He could grow hooves, or a tail! Maybe one pony ear and one hoof with the rest remaining the same!" Celestia said while continuing to look over the incredibly risky spell. It worried her that there was so much that could potentially go wrong with the spell.

"And you think that the spell you found is any better?" Luna said, looking up from the spell Celestia found. "This spell is intended for ponies specifically and even then it’s beyond risky!" Luna was looking at a spell that she used on her most loyal of night guards. It was a full bat pony spell. Sure bat-ponies were strong, but when combined with this spell she had created before the Nightmare Moon incident, they became extraordinarily powerful. It increased their strength and endurance, but also altered their diets. The fangs weren't there for just show. The limited magic of pony vampirism was given to the recipient of the spell. The blood of any creature could sustain the pony for days. And it didn't even have to be much. The newly created powerful bat-pony also could survive on moonlight, simply basking in the moonlight would give the user some energy, enough to survive on, but not up to their full powers.

"Luna both of these spells are insane! If they failed..." Celestia's voice died in her throat as she thought about the ramification of their actions of these spells.

"Sister, we should let Honored decide."

"Very well." Luna nodded in agreement. The two sister's charged their horns and vanished from the royal library.

"Finally." The old unicorn librarian said from behind a shelf. She brushed her gray mane behind her ear and began to put away the books the Princesses had scattered around the library.

"And so then, Ryans runs into the door thinking it's only plywood, but it’s really metal painted like wood!" I laughed as I flipped another hydra steak over the small fire. One more and I would be finished. I was cooking more than necessary so I could have a surplus for a day or two. I needed to get the meat cut and stored somewhere. Twilight had offered me some space in her freezer, but I don’t think she understands how much hydra meat I was going to take home with me. A lot.

Rainbow Dash sat up from her laughter fit and wiped a tear from her eye, "He sounds like a cool guy."

"He is. He's just a little hot-headed sometimes." I sighed and looked into the flames of the fire. The flames danced around the sticks, faint crackling filling the air as the fire consumed its fuel. "I miss them. My friends from Earth. Sometimes I wonder what’s happened to my home. Like what’s changed. Does anyone still wonder what happened to me? Did anyone else end up here? Like those flash bang grenades aren't made one at a time. There had to be more made that fucked up." I continued to watch the fire. I felt a hoof against my back. I turned my head to see Pinkie Pie resting her hoof on me.

"Don’t worry Honored," Pinkie said, a small smile on her face, "I’m sure there are lots of other humans missing you. But we are glad you came to Equestria."

I felt so many emotions swelling up in my chest. My new friends and my old ones. My old home and this, my new one. I was so happy and yet so sad.

"Thanks girls. I really owe you all so much. Thank you." I smiled and pulled the ponies close to me in a huge hug. Applejack, Twilight, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash all returned the hug. "Now who's going to help me carry the flesh of the dead hydra to Twilight's?" I asked with a gruesome grin.

I was pushed back by the girls with a series of 'ewwws'.

A brilliant flash of light interrupted our little play fighting as the two regal alicorns appeared before us. Both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna looked simultaneously relieved and angry at me. I slowly sat up and approached the two alicorns. Twilight bounded ahead of me and hugged her teacher. "It’s so good to see you Princess Celestia!"

"Yes, my dear student. But we must discuss matters with Honored, and your input is needed as well."

All three alicorns faced me, the two tall ones still looked seemingly upset with me. "Something the matter y’all?" I rubbed my neck and couched awkwardly. I was standing in front of a dead monster which was half butchered, and I’m sure I had bloodstains on my chin and clothes.

"Well, upon arriving at your home, we ran into Fluttershy and Rarity, both of whom said you were about to eat a hydra." Celestia narrowed her eyes at me. Luna copying the gesture. Twilight seemed to shrink back and look at me. She mouthed something to me that looked like, 'you're boned'.

"Um...well you see," I quickly wiped my mouth and stepped in front of the Princesses and spread my arms out, trying to block the sight of the body, "I don’t know what they are talking about." I felt my magic steadily returning to my body, and it was returning quickly. I held my gauntlet behind my back and charged up a levitation spell. I released the spell and felt it lock onto the body of the hydra. I hovered it into the air, and quickly heaved it behind some trees where it landed with a loud crash.

"Um, no hydra here!"

The three alicorns stared at me, mouths agape. Their anger, wiped from their faces.

"Honored," Twilight Sparkle looked at me, "H-how did you just do that?"

"What? I didn't do anything," I smiled innocently at her.

"Honored, almost two hours ago, you were on the verge of having your magic consume your body. And now you just lifted a hydra body into the air and tossed it like a rag doll." She levitated the very hydra I just moved back into the open and shook it in the air, bits of flesh and organs raining out and splashing down into the bog. Applejack began gagging and turned around.

"So?" I shrugged, “If I did, am I in trouble?" I asked Celestia.

"No."

"Then yes, yes I did."

Luna stepped forward and lowered her head to my level. "Honored, I know that you needed meat, but listen to me well. You cannot just run around killing innocent creatures." I raised my hand to speak, but she gave me a hard stare that silenced me. "That was an innocent monster. If you had not shot at it, would it have attacked you and Fluttershy?" I was silent as I realized I had killed a monster, but it wasn't doing anything wrong. The meat in my stomach felt very heavy.

"I...I was scared. I was starving."

"Did you not trust us to find a solution for you?" Celestia asked. She didn't sound upset or angry at me. Just disappointed at my lack of trust. I hung my head, but pressure on my shoulder caused me to look up. Luna had a hoof on me and gave me a smile. Her horn glowed and two rolled up pieces of parchment floated up to me. I took both of them and looked to the Princesses.

"What are these?" I asked, holding the two scrolls in my hands.

"Each one of these is a solution to the problem you are encountering. The hydra meat will run out, and I cannot allow you to kill again like this Honored." Celestia said to me. From behind the Princesses, Fluttershy and Rarity rejoined the group of ponies around me. I tucked one scroll under my arm and read through the other. I placed it on the ground once I was finished and then read the second one. I laid that one down next to the first. I looked at them and then back up to the Princesses.

"So that’s my choices? Risk becoming a fucked up human pony hybrid or a pony vampire hybrid. Not really what I wanted."
I looked over the lose-lose situation before me. I might as well take out my pistol and shoot myself in the foot repeatedly.

"Wait." We all turned and looked to the normally quiet pegasus. Fluttershy stepped forward, her normally nervous behavior lost.

"I have an idea, um if that’s okay with you to share." Annnnd it’s gone. She was back to her timid self, but the floor was all hers.

"Please tell us Fluttershy.” Twilight said, encouraging her kind friend.

"Well, I am able to get fish from the stream near my cottage," Fluttershy's voice was barely above a whisper, so we all had to lean in to hear her. "I get fish from it to feed to the Otters and some of the other creatures that eat meat. And I was too quick to judge Honored. He's just like the Otters. He needs meat in his diet and I shouldn't deny him what he needs. I would rather provide him with the food he needs than have him risk one of these spells or kill an innocent
creature roaming the forest." Fluttershy finished speaking and backed up to her spot in the circle of ponies that where around me.

I walked over to her and kneeled before the shy yellow pegasus. I reached out and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you Flutters." I pulled back and smiled. "I know how much animals mean to you and the fact you're willing to help me is beyond anything I could have asked for." I stood up and turned to the Princesses.

"Thanks for the spells Celestia and Luna, but I’m going to have to decline. They sound risky and to be honest, I was never a fan of anthro stuff."

"What does that mean?" Luna whispered to Celestia.

"No idea." Celestia whispered back.

Now with my starvation problem solved, I could get back to building my house. And working on my rune and spell in privacy. But first, "So I think it’s about time I introduced you ponies to the human culture of barbecues!" I declared happily.
"And don’t worry, there won’t be any meat present. I’ll eat ahead of time." The ponies gathered closer as I explained what a barbecue was and what I would need.

Celestia and Luna flashed back into existence in their royal private study in between their rooms. Both Princesses' bellies were bulging slightly from the copious amount of grilled food they had eaten. The human barbecue was great. The ponies and their friends from Ponyville had gathered on Honored Service's property where a large grill had been set up. Using his now functioning magic, Honored grilled loads of vegetables and fruits, seared with spices and dressing that made the food explode with flavors. Celestia was quite found of his grilled pineapple with zesty marinade.

Celestia thought it was amazing to see so many ponies gathered around having a great time while the human was learning to live a normal life. So he hadn't been able to avoid violence completely, but it was less than he was used to.

"I can't believe it." Luna said in a huff, as she sat down next to her sister by the fireplace in the private study. "Not only is he a brave warrior and funny," she stopped to toss another piece of grilled squash into her mouth, "He's a great cook!" She said through her mouthful of food.

"Gee, Lulu, I wonder if you have feelings for him," Celestia said with a roll of her eyes. Her sister's actions were screaming her 2,000 years all over again.

"Maybe! So what?" Luna blushed and looked away from her teasing big sister.

Celestia opened her mouth to continue her assault on her sister, but suddenly a scroll *poofed* into existence next to the Princess of the Sun. She snagged the scroll out of the air and unrolled it.

She began to read the letter. It was hard to do, as if it was written by a drunk toddler. She slapped a hoof to her face.

Dear Sun Butt and Moony,

What I learned today is, pony cider is nothing, but Holy You, don’t fucking touch that Apple family appleshine. I’m so smashed right now. Okay so back to me and my huge lesson. I wasn't good today. I killed a monster because I was hungry. But worse than that, I didn't trust my friends, and I was willing to try and go behind their backs when they told me not to do something. And I learned my lesson. Which is why, for the next two weeks, I must be Fluttershy's personal chicken coop cleaner.

Fuck me,

Honored Johnson

Honored Service

P.S. I need an alicorn feather for an experiment.

"Wow. So we have to get some of that appleshine." Luna said tapping a hoof to her chin. If it could knock Honored down.

"Sister, I’m more worried about that." Celestia's hoof traced over the P.S. Written at the bottom of the page. Honored was up to something, and she wanted to know what.

These Idle Hands

View Online

On My Honor

These Idle Hands

By Honored Service

Preread by Tbone5363

Edited by TheDarkAngel and Duncan Zundel

I levitated the boards into place as Rainbow Dash flew overhead, whacking the nails that Twilight was holding over my 2x4s. In one quick and seamless motion, the floor to the second story was completed. In over two weeks, my house had come together incredible fast. I had asked my friends for help whenever I was unable to do things myself and I wasn't busy working on my spell rune hidden in the Everfree Forest. The entire first floor and basement were completed, as the walls, windows, and doors had been built. But the interior was still empty. I figured Rarity would help me design the interior of the house. I’m guessing she’ll love that.

“Okay, thanks for the help, girls!” I smiled as Twilight and Rainbow came over to me. Dash hovered above the ground in front of me and looked over the newly finished section of the house.

“Well, what do you know!” She said while looking smugly at me, “Pegasi are just as quick at building normal homes as they are with cloud homes.”

“You do know it’s been almost a month since we started, right?” Twilight said, lifting her wing and preening the primary feathers along it.

“So, maybe just a little slower,” Rainbow Dash blushed a bit while I laughed.

“So, Rainbow,” I looked up to the pegasus and cracked my knuckles before grabbing a board in my magic and floating it over to the side of the house, “You still talking to Sergeant Stand Bold?” I tapped the thick board into the ground to act as a support beam for the sunshade overhanging for the car port. Which was kinda pointless, seeing as I didn't have a car.

“Maybe! So what, if I have?!" Rainbow shot back, a slight blush spreading across her face.

“Sheesh, I was just asking, that’s all. Didn't mean to pry,” I smiled at Rainbow Dash.

"And Twilight, how are you and Battle Plan?”

“Oh, that…" Now it was Twilight’s turn to do a tomato impression, “Um, we haven't done much, really. We just talked about magic and the latest in advanced thaumic field theory and…oh shut up!" She turned and stuffed a hoof into Dash’s mouth as she began to laugh at the nerdy alicorn’s embarrassment.

“Oh, lighten up, Twilight! It’s all in good fun,” I joked while tapping in the second thick board across from the first. I levitated multiple sheets of plywood into the air and waited for Twilight to hammer them in place. The steady ‘thump’ of the hammer told me she was almost finished.

“What am I going to do with all this free time?” I asked aloud to the ponies as the awning was nailed into place and the hammer was laid on the ground, “Once this house is finished, I’ll have nothing to do...” I looked at the half way finished house. It still needed paint and other aesthetically pleasing decorations, but I could move into the bottom floor. Nothing was stopping me.

Twilight helped me levitate my green weapons case and other belongings into the house and set them down in the main room. I nodded my thanks and pulled out the sniper rifle.

“I’m thinking this goes here,” I held the rifle up above the fireplace, "It ties the room together, don’t you think?”

Twilight jerked the weapon out of my grasp and shoved it back into the container. “No, Honored. A nice painting would do that.”

“Ugh, fine, Mom,” I sat down on the top of the crate and looked around.

“So, any ideas as to what I should do now?”

“Well, what did you first do when you got to Equestria and had nothing but free time?” Twilight asked me as she sat down in front of the green crate. She reached out and picked up one of the Glocks. I watched her try and open the slide, laughing at her inability to do so. I quickly removed the weapon from her hoof and placed it back in the box.

“I stalked the town of Ponyville and lived in the woods, creeping around.”

“What?”

“Oh, nothing, just gathered supplies to stay alive in the forest,” I said, brushing off my previous statement.

“Didn't you get a job?” Twilight nudged my leg with her elbow, “You helped around AJ’s farm. Why don’t you look around the town and see if you can’t find a job working for somepony. You take orders really well.”

I tapped a finger to my chin, “You’re right, I do take orders well. And I know just the place where people place orders.

“You want to do what now?” Pinkie Pie asked looking completely confused by my request.

“I said I’d like to start a job working for you!” I smiled and looked at the pony behind the display shelf at Sugar Cube Corner. Ponies place orders here and then the sugary sweets get cooked. I was good at taking orders and how hard could cooking sweets be? I was great at other forms of cooking, so in theory this should go great.

“Well, I guess it could be super-duper fun working with you!” Pinkie Pie smiled at me and gestured for me to follow her behind the counter towards the kitchen, “Let’s get you started on some chocolate chip double-fudge brownies with caramel coating.”

“Sounds simple enough.”

Man this was going to be great! Not only would I get to cook super delicious food, but I’m sure I could sample it before selling it. And I did love chocolate.

“The recipe book is here,” Pinkie Pie placed the old book in front of me, “And you must follow the directions to the 'T', and all the other letters if you want this to turn out simply perfect.” For once, I saw Pinkie being serious. I guess cooking sugar-loaded diabetes squares was a passion of hers. Better not let her down!

“I won’t fail you ma'am,” I gave her a salute and popped to attention, grabbing an egg beater and holding it to my shoulder.

“You better not,” Pinkie Pie said with a serious face, “Or it will be that last thing you do.”

She grabbed a cookie off a cooling rack and violently bit it in half before smiling and humming in delight at the cookie.

“Have fun!” With that, she turned around and bounced out of the kitchen, leaving me staring at the old recipe book and a lot of cooking ingredients.

“Better get started. Okay, Step One: preheat oven to 350 degrees,” Man this was too easy.

Specialist Higgins was starting his average day at Fort Laxson. Pretty simple. Sit in front of the com center and listen to the normal chatter of Sergeants communicating to their First Sergeants. An average day for an average radio operator.
He flicked on the power switch to his head set and sat down, opening up his newspaper to the sports section.
A few minutes passed and a few messages came through. Just regular stuff, nothing interesting.

“TANGO WHISKY ALPHA Niner-fife-tree-one-zero, radio frequency QUEBEC ROMEO four-three-six-eight OVER![/b”
Higgins bolted upright in his chair and grabbed the code manual sitting beside him on the cluttered desk.

“This is Tango Whisky. Send over.” This was different. This code…this code didn’t make any sense to the Specialist. That code was listed as a hostile attack.

“TANGO WHISKY–"

An odd chiming filled the radio’s speakers as the Specialist listened to the frantic screaming and shouting on the other end of the radio.

“GET THAT FUCKING DOOR SHUT! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT ANYWAY?!?”

More chiming filled the radio followed by a rapid banging that sounded like... Like an assault rifle being fired.

“Quebec Romeo repeat last, over," Specialist Higgins said while flagging down a passing officer and switched the radio from headset to speakers.

“We’re being hit! One hostile. He's got some kind of heavy firepower. We need help ASAP! Armory location: Echo Hotel fife-eight-one-niner-two-four-fife-seven. Over.”

“Sir, what is this? Some kind of new testing procedure?” The confused Specialist looked up to the officer who was also mimicking the confused look.

“No idea Higgins. But let’s send QRF Yankee down to check it out.”

The oven bell rang and I jumped up from my seat against the appliance and opened the door. I aimed my gauntlet at the trays of brownies and levitated them out of the heated interior over to the cooling racks I had set up. The deep, rich smell of chocolate fudge covered the room and I felt a deep hunger boil up from my stomach. I picked up the bottle of caramel and began applying a thick, even layer of the sweet gooey sauce over the chocolate delights.

As the brownies began to cool, the caramel on top began to harden, creating a perfect tan coating over the tops of the brownies.

“I’m sure Pinkie won’t mind if I have just one...” I picked up the tray of extra brownies and sat down, pulling out a spatula and digging into the large tray of sugary treats.

"Honored, these smell…great? Oh no,” Pinkie Pie walked into a scene that could only be described as confectionary massacre from Tartarus. Bits of fudge and chunks of brownies covered the floor, walls, ceiling, and counters.

“Ohhhhhh my stomach.”

Pinkie Pie poked her head around the middle island counter and saw the human laying on his back on the floor of the kitchen. His red shirt was stained with chocolate and what she could only hope was milk. His eyes were rolled into the back of his head and his tongue was hanging out of the side of his mouth as he gasped for air. Honored’s stomach was bulging, showing what the obvious problem was.

“Yeah, I remember my first chocolate chip double-fudge brownie with caramel coating,” Pinkie Pie reminisced and walked over to the hurting human.

“Please,” He gasped out, clutching his stomach, before looking up at the pink pony, “Kill me.” He lifted his trembling hand to his shoulder holster and pulled out his pistol and held it out the pony.

“Shhhhh,” Pinkie Pie pushed a hoof against his mouth, “It’s going to be okay soon.”

She reached down and picked up a wooden spoon, flipping it into the air and catching it with the long handle pointing down at the human’s mouth.

“Too much of a good thing is bad for you, Honored,” Pinkie Pie said while slowly lowering the wooden handle towards the human, who was feeling too sick to even attempt to move out the way.

“And so, you gotta get that good out.”

"Ohh dear Celestia..."

“Hello, Rarity, I’m looking for a part-time job,” I told the white unicorn.

I had gone home to my partially-built house, changed clothes and washed the vomit out of my hair and off my face. And clothes. And, well, everything.

“Well, I guess I could use some help during the day. Sure, why not! Darling, come in, I’ll get you set up with some simple tasks,” Rarity turned around and I followed her into her home/workplace. I eyed the impressive collections of dresses and clothes. Some were flashy and brightly decorated in gems and jewels, while others were more modest and subtle.

"Say, I though you were working for Pinkie Pie?"

“Um...yeah…I was, but me being around so much sugar just didn’t work out. Turns out, I have a bit of a sweet tooth,” I coughed and rubbed the back of my neck, my mind still plagued by the sweet goodness that was those mouthwatering, spine-tingling, heart-stopping brownies.

“Very well then, darling. Let’s see...”

Rarity hummed to herself as she looked at me. She narrowed her eyes at me while she thought. Her brow began to wrinkle in concentration as she pondered on what to do with me.

“Can you sew?”

“Yeah! I mean...not well, but I've fixed buttons on a bunch of uniforms for myself and others.”

“No dear, like really sew. Button stitch?”

“Nope.”

“Lock stitch?”

“Nah.”

“Backhand stitch?”

“Nadda.”

“Any type of stitch besides just poking thread through a hole and pulling it through another in a brutish manner?”

“Not really.”

Rarity sighed and rubbed a hoof to her temple. “Okay, well I can’t use you as an assistant dress maker, then. Maybe I can use you for something else.”

“This isn’t what I had in mind,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

I stood on top of a circular pedestal, while Rarity hummed lightly and trotted around me on the white pristine floor.
I currently was grumpy. Well, more of a displeased annoyance. Rarity had decided that, since I couldn’t actually help make the dresses, I could [shudder] model them. I was standing in a frilly pink and baby blue ball gown that was going to be the base model for Rarity’s new Minotaur line of clothing. And she decided that I wasn't physically built for the male body shape of their species, but I could easily model their women structure.

Yup. I was in a dress.

“Come now, darling,” Rarity cooed at me while I tried to cross my arms and glare even harder at the mare, “You came to offer help at a boutique. What did you expect?”

I lifted a hand, but was caught off guard. Touché, Rarity.

“Well...can we just hurry up then? I would hate if someone saw me like this. Imagine what Applejack would say. Or Rainbow Dash. Or...” I gulped and suddenly looked around, making sure the blinds around the windows were closed,

“Luna.”

Rarity gave a light laugh at me as she stuck another pin into another damned pink bow that was adorning the middle section of the dress at my waist.

*FSSSHH*

A bright flash of light obscured my vision momentarily.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!?” I screamed as I rubbed my eyes. I cracked them open to see a colt holding a camera around his neck, looking through an opening in the curtains directly across from me.

“Featherweight,” I growled at the window. The colt’s eyes grew huge as he bolted form the window. “Oh hell no.”

I reached down and grabbed the bottom of the gown and hiked it up and jumped down from the platform. I ran towards the door still holding the dress up until I reached the door to the boutique. I looked down and shook my head before sliding out of the dress and opening the door, calling over my shoulder, “Rarity, I’ll be back once I murder my first camera!”

“Play nice dear!” Rarity called out after me as I sprinted towards the library in the center of town, a small off-white speck in the distance trying to flee from my inevitable onslaught.

“SLOW DOWN FEATHERWEIGHT! I JUST WANT TO PLAY A GAME!”

I gave chase after Featherweight, his wings buzzing as he zoomed in front of me. But I was powered by something faster than mere wings: I was powered by the thought of the humiliation, the complete and utter shame that would come to be associated with my name should anyone see that picture, let alone it be posted in the paper Feathers worked for. I could almost see the headlines: 'Warrior or Wuss? International Hero Caught Demonstrating His Feminine Side', or something equally horrible.

Featherweight dove around the market stalls and vanished into the safety of the library’s interior. I ducked and dodged my way around the vendors and slightly upset ponies in the market, but by now they were used to my random sprints through town. I reached the wooden door of the library and opened it with enough force to slam it against the wall on the other side.

“HEEERE'S JOHNSON!” I bellowed into the quiet library, smiling like a madman.

I found the little bugger hiding behind certain purple librarian. Needless to say, Twilight looked less than happy at me. She was holding a camera in her magical aurora. And also floating in front of her was a Ponyroid picture. A picture of a human wearing an extremely frilly, pink, lacy dress. I stood across from her, the tension filling the air as I stared her down while Featherweight jumped out an open window.

“Twilight, may I please have that picture?” I took a step forward, my arm outstretched.

“I don’t know Honored...” Twilight looked back to me, a wicked grin plastered across her face, “This is the kind of leverage that some ponies would kill for. Think about it.”

The smile on her face seemed to grow even bigger as she stared at the humiliating photo, “Somepony could bend you to their will in order to keep this hidden. They could make you do anything they wanted." She waved the photo at me, taunting me as I continued to reach out for it.

“What do you want?” I whispered out at her. I knew when I was defeated.

“The better question, my dear Honored,” Twilight made the photo disappear in a flash of bright light, “Is: what are you willing to do to get that photo back?”

“I’ll be your assistant,” I said. I looked at the evil alicorn. Damn, she was being a grade-A bitch. Can't say I didn't deserve it, just a little.

“But Honored, I already have an assistant,” Twilight continued to smile at me.

“Oh, come on!” I groaned.

“I don't like you attitude, Mister.”

“Fine. Sorry, Miss Sparkle,” I felt utterly humiliated, “I can be your Number Two assistant.”

“That’s more like it,” She smiled and nodded her head innocently, “And I heard you were looking for a job, anyway.”

“It gets easier after you do this about five or six times,” Spike informed me.
I was shelving the entire fucking library after Twilight had decoded it would be a good idea to make sure that there weren't anymore scrolls or books hiding in hard to reach places that someone could find.

“Gee, thanks!” I said while using my magic to place another row of books back onto a shelf, “That makes this seem so much better.” I hauled the books from the next shelf down and inspected the shelf behind them. All clear. With that I levitated them back. This was bullshit. I was a mighty soldier. A feared warrior. A–

“HONORED!”

“Yes, Miss Sparkle?” I said, running up the stairs that Spike was sitting on and towards the alicorn’s bedroom.

“Ah, speedy and respectful, I like it.”

Twilight was stretched out on her bed, reading a book with a class of wine hovering in her magic. “Now, I know that these last few hours have been a bit hard for you.”

“Understatement of the century,” I mumbled from where I stood at the foot of her bed.

“What was that, Number 2?” She narrowed her eyes at me, reminding me of why I was doing this.

“I said, it hasn't been that bad, Miss Sparkle,” I gave her the most fake smile I could muster. Considering that I had just spent nearly five hours of my life moving goddamn books around, she was lucky that I didn’t have my sword on me, or there would be a lot of shredded books lying around. It was bad enough, having to reign in my impulsive magic and not destroy every single book in the library.

“That’s what I thought you said. Now, I think that you have done enough for me. I understand that you may feel that this was unfair, but you must look at it from my perspective. Given the chance to use someone as a forced servant-”

“Slave,” I coughed into my hand.

Twilight looked at me and cleared her throat, continuing, “Wouldn't you have taken it? And besides, consider this payback for taking the dark magic book and the scroll.”

“You remember that?”

I was shocked that she hadn't forgotten I had taken that book. I did learn some cool tricks involving turning my enemies into suicidal murderers, then turning them against each other. I remembered the griffons trying to stop me and the Elements of Sanctuary from finding our elementary weapons. The spell had rendered them all useless. Then they hacked and slashed each other until only one remained, who killed himself. I think it was a neat trick. A little dark, but neat.

“Yes, I do. So consider us even," Twilight hovered the simple Ponyroid picture towards me. I snatched it out of the air. I stuffed into my pocket and looked at Twilight.

“Um, thanks for not sending that to anyone. Or showing it to anyone.”

“Yeah. See, I’m not an evil alicorn,” She winked at me and smiled before returning back to her book.

“So...you don’t need another assistant around the library permanently?” What? Don't look at me like that, I was still looking for a job.

“No, sorry Honored,” She lazily flipped a page in her book, “It was just a one day thing, as payment for the book and scroll.”

“Oh. Well, thanks again for keeping this on the down-low.”

“Don’t mention it,” Twilight waved a hoof at me.

I nodded and walked out of her room, closing the door behind me. I pulled the photo out and looked at it. Stupid picture. And damn Featherweight didn’t even get my good side. That dress made my ass look huge. As I stared at the photo I failed to notice the dragon that had decided to sleep on the stairs.

I felt something beneath my lightly-soled Nike SFB combat boot and then there was a yelp from Spike. A quick gout of green fire exploded from his mouth as he jerked his tail from underneath my boot, but the damage was done. The flame shot out perfectly between my hands where I was holding the photo. Spike stared at me, still clutching his throbbing tail, and then at the green wisp of smoke that was traveling out of the open window in the library.

“no.”

“No.”

“NOOOOOOOO!” I dropped to my knees and screamed to the heavens. I pulled my legs into my chest and began to slowly rock myself back and forth.

“Um, Twilight?” Spike called out towards the bedroom, “I think I broke him.”

Celestia sat on her throne and sighed quietly to herself. She was listening to the pony before her explain why he should be given his own section of the market for his business. She had already decided that he would not get his request since giving a cabbage grower such a huge space was a waste, but she felt it was her duty to at least let the pony speak his mind.

*POOSH*

A small piece of paper appeared next to the princess and she levitated it in front of her. Her eyes slowly grew bigger as she studied the picture. It took every iota of self-control she had to not just explode into laughter on the spot in front of the entire day court.

‘Thank you to all above,’ Celestia thought to herself, praising whatever good fortune had brought this picture to her. She couldn't wait to show this to Luna. Oh, that human was about to have his life ruined! If there was one thing that Celestia loved more than her little ponies…it was being a pain in the ass to those she cared about.

“Okay, I’m just going to have to stop you right there, Mahi Cabbages,” Celestia interrupted the brown coated pony with a crazy gray mane, "I have just been informed of a very serious and extremely delicate matter that I must attend to. I’ll have Princess Twilight review your statement and get back to you as soon as she can.”

“But..but...my cabbages?”

“Yes, she knows your name.”

And with that, Celestia turned from the court session and dashed out of the chamber, galloping towards her sister’s room. The smile that covered Celestia’s face was enough to send her guards scattering. Some of the seasoned veterans had seen that face before, and they knew that it meant only one thing.

“Goddesses help whoever it is this time...” Hammer Strike said as he instructed a batch of new recruits to the finer points of hoof to hoof combat.

I pulled out a note book and crossed off 'Library' from the list.

“Well, where should I try next? Lets see, I've tried baking, tailoring, and being a librarian, or assistant. Let’s see, I could try weather pony…hmm, no wings, better not. Maybe…" Wow, who knew finding a job in this town would be so hard. It wasn't like the economy was bad.

I stopped in front of Ponyville City Hall and looked at a bulletin board that was displaying various papers and posters.

'Lost dog.'

'Found dog.'

'Roommate wanted.'

One poster caught my eye. It was printed on very old looking parchment and screamed my level of epic.

‘Want to go on adventures?’

“Yes, please!”

‘Need assistance on a journey for lost riches.’

“I do like riches. And Journey.”

‘Come to the Town Hall meeting room on the 23rd to begin the interview process.’

“Well I guess I could give that a shot,” I shrugged and wrote down the information from the poster. Maybe, instead of looking for a permanent job, I should focus on just quick jobs that pay on the spot. Like a contractor. Hell yeah! PMC!
I walked back through the town of Ponville towards my house. I had a few hours till dinner, so why not get a little more work down on the home before settling down for the night.

Luna was crying.

"Sister, this cannot be real."

Her face was covered in tears as she looked at the photo again. The human. That human, that had stared death in the eye and spat in its face numerous times. The human that had saved Canterlot and Equestria not once, not twice, but three times...

Was posed on a podium in a dress.

Luna had died laughing so hard. Celestia had joined in, too, and both of them were hugging each other to try and stop from rolling of the younger sister’s bed.

“It is. I think Twilight sent it, because I got it from Spike’s letter system.”

“This-" Another wave of laughter cut the Princess of the Night off, “This is the single greatest thing I have ever seen. We shall have this commissioned by an artist to be painted on a massive canvas and it shall decorate my private study.”

“Only if I can have one for my room!” Celestia added before the two exploded into laughter again and a new wave of tears began.

I finished hanging up the last board to complete the first room of the second story of my house. Only two rooms left and then the roof and I would be all set. Then I could have Rarity help me with decorating the interior. I was thinking something cozy for most of the house, but I wanted to specifically design one room, the basement. That would be my workshop.

“Speaking of finishing touches,” I walked down to the first floor and over to a loose panel in the wall. From inside the wall, I removed the scroll that had the spell I was working on and read through it. The rune was nearly completed and now I had to begin collecting the magical ingredients to power the it.
It was a short list, six items on it:

'Magic reflector pool water'
'Water Dragon Tears'
'Blood from Ancients lost...'
'Celestial Stone of Life'
'Scale of a Guardian'
'Alicorn Feather'

That all seemed simple enough.

Yeah, right!

The thing was, I was at an impasse: I couldn't go to the library and do research on any of these things, or Twilight would get suspicious. Then she would start doing all that stuff she did…snooping around my house and stuff, and then she might be able to trace my magic to the rune in the Everfree Forest. And I didn't’t need her knowing about my ‘special project’. That was for me and me alone.

Now how to find these magical items without alerting anypony? That was the real question.

“A little to the left. Now up. Perfect. Thank you for your help, Flash,” Celestia held back another wave of giggles that had risen in her throat. The new pegasus lieutenant was holding the large painting that the princess had commissioned of the feared human warrior wearing a frilly pink and blue dress. And it was worth every bit she had paid for it.

“Of course, Your Highness. Will, um...will that be all?” Flash Sentry was still relatively new to his job, but this, this seemed kind of odd. He hadn't met the human yet, but he didn't think he ran around in dresses like this. He had been told by more seasoned guards that he usually wore golden armor or a duster with armor crafted into the design.

“Yes, Lieutenant that will…” Another fit of giggles escaped from the Princess’, “All. Please, carry on with your duties.”
Flash Sentry bowed and walked away, confusion written all over his face. Maybe he should write to his new friend Twilight Sparkle about this.

I stood outside of Town Hall waiting for the next pony to come out. There had only been one in front of me, so I was trying to wait patiently.

I was failing.

I tapped my boot against the ground and stared at the apple cart across the street. Applejack and Applebloom were managing the sales today. And I may or may not have been levitating apples when Applejack had her back turned, spinning them around and making shapes while Applebloom watched in awe. She would then grab Applejack and force her to turn around and look, but suddenly the animated apples would stop and Applejack would be staring at a pile of apples.

I was having a great time. I laughed as Applejack turned around for the sixth time to only stare blankly at a pile of red delicious. I let out a chuckle from across the street as she glared at Applebloom.

“That’s pretty funny. I like it.” A rough female voice said from behind me.

I turned around.

“Yeah, I thought so, too. I got bored waiting on whoever was doing these interviews…” My voice slowly tapered down to a whisper as I was staring at a tan pony with a multicolored gray scale mane and tail. She wore a dark green shirt and a tan pith helmet.

“Daring Do?”

“Yup. That’s me,” She said, smiling and rubbing a hoof on her chest.

“But…but… your books seemed so...unreal,” I stuttered out.

“Yeah, I could say the same about an alien from another universe coming to the rescue of our world, using ungodly amounts of magic and enchanted weapons that seem to break everything around them,” Daring Doo smiled at me and started to walk back into the town hall. “I believe that’s one zip, point Miss Do.”

“Well, yeah… but I don’t have a book.”

“Yes you do!” Lyra said, popping up next to me, “Twilight and I finished the first book a while ago.”

“Thanks, Lyra,” I said through gritted teeth as Daring Do snickered into her hoof.

“Oh, shut it,” I snapped.

“Okay, follow me in here and we can begin the interview.”

I followed the pegasus into the town hall, entering a small office to the left. Daring Do took a seat behind a small desk and motioned for me to take the one opposite her. I suddenly wished I had worn some of my old armor rather than simple jeans, a tan long-sleeved shirt, my belt with knife and Beretta pistol, and my boots.

“So, where to start with you...” Daring Do placed her hooves on the table and looked me over. She was silent as she just stared at me. I tugged at my collar and looked around, suddenly finding it very hot in the office. It wasn't even close to fall yet. There should be air conditioning or something in here.

Daring Do suddenly leapt back from the desk, a whip clasped in her mouth. She swung lashed out with it, attempting to strike me with its frayed tip. I rolled to the side, knocking my chair out of the way. I pulled my legs back and kicked, connecting with the front of the desk, sending it flying backwards right at the attacking pegasus. Daring leapt over the incoming furniture and stood in front of me, a smile spread across her face. She dropped the whip and stuck out her hoof.

“Well, human, you certainly know how to fight, so I think we can move onto the real interview.”

I stood up, confused, but perfectly fine.

“Um, what was that about?”

“If I’m going to have an assistant, then I want she/he/it to be a good assistant,” She smiled, pushing the desk back into place.

“So, tell me human,” She picked up a piece of paper that had read 'Honored Service Mental Evaluation' across the top,

“Do you like exploring dungeons?”

My smile would have broken off my face if it could have gotten any bigger.

“You could say I’m a master of dungeon diving.”

Yes, Skyrim counted.

I was seated in a sky chariot that belonged to Daring Do, currently about a thousand feet off the ground. The chariot was actually quite impressive. It had a roof and sides, sealing it off from the wind and other elements outside. It had plenty of space for any loot we would come across and space for the two hired ponies pulling the carriage to stay in while we searched the deep dungeon.

Daring was sitting across from me, her eyes glued to a map depicting different ancient dungeons and crypts.

“So, what danger are we going to be facing?” I asked, running my knife against the whetstone in my hand. The knife, Bad Bertha, actually cut away the top layer of the stone. Oops, magical blade. Derp.

“Danger?” Daring looked up at me, “What makes you think this will be dangerous?”

I gave her a deadpan stare, “You hire me, killer of a Queen, the destroyer of the Nightmare, one of two people in history to have taken on a full-grown Ursa Major and not be torn to pieces, best of the Equestrian Honor Guard, arguably the most skilled fighter in Equestria, to accompany you on a mysterious adventure to some dungeon. But, not before testing both my reaction time and fighting abilities in the interview. Plus, said interview was solely focused on how good I was at fighting and what weapons I could easily carry on my person. All the signs point to 'Dangerous Mission Ahead.”

Daring Do gave me a nervous smile and forced a laugh, “Danger? There isn't any danger. It should be perfectly safe.”

"Bull." I added, “Besides, even if it was dangerous,” I leaned into the pegasus so I was almost whispering in her ear, “I'd still go.”

“Really?”, Daring perked up, surprised.

“Yeah,” I said, kicking my feet up and sheathing my knife on my belt, “More fun when it’s dangerous.”

“Well, in that case,” Daring Do opened an old notebook and flipped through the pages, “My research says that this dungeon is an ancient burial place for an evil enchantress who horded tons of riches in it and lured unsuspecting ponies to their doom in its depths. They were forced to become her slaves for life by long-forbidden magic.”

I smiled and leaned back against the seat in the chariot. I pulled my M1014A shotgun and began slowly loading the weapon with plastic red shells.

“Sounds like we’re going to have,” I pulled the charging handle back, locking the first shell into the chamber, “A real blast.”

****Many more bad puns later****

After I had finished loading my guns (both Glocks w/silencers attached, shotgun, and M16), I laid back to catch some sleep before we landed at the dungeon at the farthest corner of Equestria. We were traveling to the faraway land known as Zabranjen (Or, as some dude said it's commonly called, Ponyrim). It was the rim of the ponies' known land, thus the name. It's basically as far north as anyone's ever gone, even past the Crystal Empire. I was jolted awake as the carriage touched down on the rocky frozen earth. I got up and stretched. I put both Glocks into the double back holster on my belt, then slipped my Berretta into my thigh holster. My M16 was slung across my back besides the Element of Protection. And lastly, I gripped the shotgun in my hands and jumped down from the sky carriage.

“Wow. I should have brought something warmer to wear.”

I had broken out the old duster for this dungeon dive. It swirled around me as the wind tugged at the cloth, the chilly breeze cutting through the armored fabric like a knife. The golden helmet perched on top of my noggin' did nothing to protect me from the cold, either. My checks stung as the icy wind hit me.

“Yeah. I guess I forgot to mention that the weather is pretty cold up here,” Daring Do said with a smile as icicles began forming on my nose.

We left the warmth of the sky chariot and headed towards the massive stone arches. They reached up into the sky from the snow-covered ground, as if to touch the clouds. Intricate designs covered the stones that made up the arches. Beyond the arches rested the entrance to the dungeon-turned crypt. An iron bar door was the first sign that something sinister laid behind it. The iron bar door was put in front of a heavy looking wooden door.

“Well, someone wants us to stay out,” I stated the obvious, running my hand over the frozen iron.

“Alright, let the master do her work,” Daring Doo said, giving me a cocky smile and pulling out a small pouch containing several tension wrenches and a few picks, both of varying thicknesses. I rolled my eyes and pushed Daring aside with my hip. I shifted my shotgun in my right hand and aimed my gauntlet at the lock mechanism. I charged up a spell as the magical sound of chiming filled the air and a blood red aurora surrounded my hand. A small beam of light entered the lock as I focused the magic. I could hear it pinging around inside, bouncing off the lock's mechanisms.
I was shortly rewarded by a faint ‘pop’.

*Boom*

The lock exploded outwards, tearing itself inside out, raining bits of metal all around us.

“Ladies first.”

Now I was the one smirking and cleaning the dirt from under my fingernails on my chest.

“Show-off,” Daring Do muttered while trotting up to the wooden door. It was old. Incredibly old. Cast iron hinges held the rotting, iron-bound wood in place. I reached over Daring’s head and plucked the top pin from the hinge while Daring did the same to the bottom one. With both of them removed, I stepped up and placed my gauntlet against the wood. I blasted the door into the dark depths of the dungeon bellow.

The door flew off its hinges into the dark, musty confines of the dungeon entrance. After the loud crash of the door striking the stone floor died down, Daring Do looked up at me and rolled her eyes, berating me, "Really? We could have just picked it up and put it aside, or just pushed it over!"

"Oh, come on, where's the fun in that?" I shrugged and peered into the dungeon. The sudden silence that settled over us was deafening. I tightened my grip on the shotgun in my hands.

"So, who wants to be the first to go down the scary tunnel of doom first?"
Daring just looked at me and pointed at the stone steps leading from the entrance, down into the infinite blackness of the cave-like graveyard.

"Okay, okay. I’m going, sheesh," I brought the shotgun up to my shoulder and took my first step into the dungeon.
The darkness was insane. The torches covering the moss incrusted walls weren't lit like they always were in Skyrim, so there was the problem of sight. I charged up magic into my gauntlet and raised my hand up, and releasing the magic directly into the air above my head. I was rewarded with a floating red magelight that lit up the area around me, illuminating ahead of me for at least sixty feet. I waved Daring inside and we moved into the crypt, the hovering light of my magic illuminating our progress into the labyrinth of stone tunnels and crumbling walls.

Clink

“Okay. Listen. You’ve been going through every clay pot, bowel, urn, and wooden chest in here. And what have you found?” Daring Do said from behind me. I currently had my hand shoved into another one of the many clay urns that covered in the insides of the dungeon.

“Well, other than about 300 bits and some diamonds...”

“Which you could find in the dirt in the gem fields outside of Ponyville.” Daring Do mumbled.

“Just believe me when I say it’s a force of habit,” I grunted and pulled my hand out, finding a fist full of the small gold coins. I deposited them into the pouch on my waist and continued down the corridor.

“You know what’s funny, Do,” I said while stepping around a corner and looking down the hallway, “Is that this is supposed to be a burial place, but I have yet to see a body, dead or alive. No skeletons. No zombies. Not even bits of armor or bones anywhere.”

Daring Do suddenly stopped and stared at me. “What did you just say?”

“That we haven’t seen anything?”

“No.”

“This is a tomb without any bones or bodies?”

“Look around you,” Daring’s eyes traveled the walls all around us in the corridor. The walls were covered in long hollow slits.

I looked closer. Dust and scraps of cloth covered the inside of the hollowed out nooks in the walls. They looked like…

“These are all for bodies to rest on.” I gulped and looked all around, my eyes quickly passing over the hundreds of empty death beds lining the walls. And each and every one of them was empty.

“Dude, I think we better get to the center chamber quickly, and then get the buck out,” Daring Do moved past me and further down the corridor.

“You’ll get no complaints out of me,” I jogged after her, my eyes still scanning the area, shotgun at the ready. The corridors twisted and dropped lower and lower into the earth as we followed Daring’s ‘explorer’s gut’.

“Daring Do, what’s at the end of this dungeon?” I asked as we passed another section of empty death beds.

“Well, the research said that the Stone of Life was at the center. It’s what would give the evil enchantress the power to keep ponies trapped here forever,” Daring said while peering around another turn in the stone corridor.

My boots crunched on something fragile below them. I bent down and looked at the offending piece. It was a small gold necklace. It had a tiny blue stone in the center. I shrugged and pocketed it. Gotta be worth something. A wave of realization hit me as I went over something Do had said.

“Hey, has that stone ever been called...oh, I dunno, something like Celestial Stone of Life?”

“Actually, yeah, it has,” Do turned around and her eyes narrowed at me. “How did you know that?" She leaned forward menacingly, "Are you a spy?!?"

I gave her my trademark deadpan stare.

"Just kidding, jeez. Anyways, how'd you know that the stone was called that?"

I shifted where I was standing. My thoughts were racing a mile a minute. If I lied, she might catch me and that was never a good idea considering I had no idea on how to get out of here. And she may be the only link I have to finding the other magical artifacts. I couldn't use a library without Twilight growing suspicious…

“Listen, Daring, I’m trying to work on a magic spell. An extremely powerful, complicated spell that requires a rune and six magical artifacts to power the rune itself. And one of them is the Celestial Stone of Life,” I pulled out my small notebook and showed it to her, the list with the six items on it.

Her eyes glanced over the list before looking back at me, “What does the spell do?” She eased up her stare, but kept looking at me, brow raised.

“It was designed to transport the caster over and back extreme distances, vast oceans or massive mountains. But I’m going to try and use it so I can visit my home. My home, in another universe, for one last time.”

“And you would stay there?” the pegasus turned around and began walking towards a huge rock wall that surprisingly wasn’t covered in death beds.

“No. It’s only good for three days, at which point the caster is returned to the rune location. I guess it was designed for diplomats for visiting other nations or something,” I shrugged and followed her towards the wall.

“I know about some of those things,” She walked up to the wall and began it examine it carefully, “And some of these things on the list are priceless. And the only ones in existence.”

She lifted a hoof and began to tap lightly on the wall. Every so often moving her hoof up and down, left to right, making quick light taps against the stone.

“I know, but I just want to see my family. My old friends. Let them know the kid that disappeared is still alive and doing well.” I watched with curiosity as Daring Do made a small X on the center of the wall with her hoof tip.

“Okay, I’ll help you locate these things,” She said matter-of-factly before pulling a small red crystal out of her saddle bag and placing it against the wall on the center of the X. “But I want you to bring me something back from your home. Something that nopony would ever be able to create or duplicate. Something that really screams ‘I’m from a different universe’, as payment for my help,” She smiled and stepped back towards me.

“Deal,” I smiled and stuck out my hand.

“Deal,” She said before shaking my hand with her hoof. She smiled too and then pointed a hoof at the gem, “Now, hit that with a small burst of magic.”

I followed her order and aimed my pointer finger at the gem. I raised my thumb like a hammer on a revolver and dropped it forward.

“Bang,” I said as a small burst of magic leapt from my pointer finger and hit the gem. A brilliant flash of light filled my eyes, but no sound was heard. The light died down and a huge gaping hole was left in the stone. Where a wall had once stood, now only a gaping entrance welcomed us.

My jaw dropped, for the first time in a while.

“See ,you can blow stuff up,” Daring said, not looking at the newly crafted entrance, “And do it quietly.”

I raised my shotgun past her and aimed it at the entrance she had made, “Yeah, and how about that?”

Nearly twenty pair of pale yellow eyes stared at us through the dark hole in the wall.

"Oh."

I squeezed the trigger on the shotgun and jumped forward, a grin plastered on my face as the 00 steel buckshot combat load struck down the first horribly disfigured zombie pony. The zombie ponies were just that, zombies. The flesh that once clung to their bones was turned to a leather substance that just sat on top of the bones and rotted organs beneath them. The pale yellow eyes rested in sunken eye sockets on their long decomposed faces. I could make out bones beneath the skin and random holes throughout their bodies.

I jerked the shotgun around and slammed its butt into one body that was shuffling to close to me. I felt the bones in its head give away, not crunching as one would expect, merely falling away with a wet squish from the swift attack.
The barrel of my shotgun lodged itself into the chest of another zombie and the trigger was pulled. The body rocketed backwards into the wall as the red plastic shell hit the stone floor with a wisp of smoke.

“Daring, keep leading the way! I’ve got this covered!” I yelled above the noise of ancient hooves scrapping along the stone floor and the mumbles and grunts of the zombie ponies as they continued to swarm forward from the hole in the wall.

I blasted a wrapped zombie back with my magic, clearing a path through the small horde. Daring Do leapt over my head and ran through the opening. I fired one more shot into what I think was a head, sending dust and bone fragments in every direction before taking off after the pegasus.

As I cleared the gap in the horde of zombified ponies, something tugged onto my duster. I turned my head while still moving and saw the head of a pony latched onto the tail of my duster. I smiled, muttering, "Not today!" and jerked my Berretta out of its thigh holster firing into the pony’s head, turning it into a pile of dust and dry goop.

“How much further? That was only twenty zombies and we passed hundreds of death beds!” I shouted ahead of me as Daring skidded around a corner and down another never ending hallway.

“It should just be up here! And then we’ll be at the main ceremonial chamber,” Daring Do said as I turned around and shot three times with my Berretta into the slowly growing horde. From every shadow and corner in the dungeon, more and more zombies were forming into the initial horde. What was first only a twenty member horde was now a swarm of over fifty. And they were steadily moving towards us down the long hallway.

“Do, is that the entrance?” I pointed at the other end of the hallway, where a giant black door as wide as the hallway was. It was covered in designs and looked shiny, meaning it was built out of something other than simple stone.
Daring Do jumped into the air and flew ahead of me towards the door. She was fast! She literally left a trail of dust and a faint gray-spectrum blur. She was already examining the door while I was still a hundred yards away.

“YEAH!” She screamed at me from down the hall, adding a disappointing, “BUT I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING STRONG ENOUGH TO GET THROUGH IT!”

“I do, as always,” I smiled and reached into my top-left breast pocket of my armored chest piece, beneath my duster. I drew one slightly glowing purple 5.56 mm round. I slung the shotgun into its place, and taking the M16A2 in my hands and dropped the current mag, putting it away in a pouch with several others. I pulled the charging handle back and slid the round right into the chamber. I pushed the bolt catch, letting islam forward, locking the magic round Twilight made, into the chamber.

I spun around and aimed the weapon down the stone hallway at the oncoming horde of zombies.

“HONORED, THAT’S THE WRONG WAY!” Daring Do yelled at me from beside the door.

“NOPE! YOU MIGHT WANNA MOVE!!!”

I lined up the shot and jumped, turning my entire body down except for my right arm, keeping my gun arm stable and raising my left elbow above my head before squeezing the trigger at the leader of the undead horde.

"WHEEEEEEE!!"

I felt myself fly backwards at an insane speed as the recoil of the magic round sent me hurtling towards the door. I closed my eyes and braced.

*SMASH-THUD*

I felt the pain of impacting the solid door, and then feeling of busting through it and landing flat on my ass on the other side.

I sat up and shook my head. I could see faint stars and tan pegasi flying around my head as I recovered from the hit.

“And that’s how it’s done!” I flopped backwards and Daring Do leapt through the human sized hole in the door. Turns out it was stone, just really shiny stone. Ouch. I was going to feel this one in the morning. Or now...
Daring let out a low whistle, staring at what was beyond the entrance I'd made.

I looked at the carnage I had caused. The bullet had traveled through the zombies in a straight line, with such momentum that it ripped through the ones lined up in front of it without changing direction, killing twenty-three of them easily. The following miniature purple sonic rainboom had utterly obliterated the rest. A long trench could be seen in the wall where the bullet had ricocheted and continued forward. The tri-shaded purple trail was fading, but still visible and stunning.

"Wow..."

“Honored,” Daring Do said, extending a hoof out to me, “I’m glad I picked you to come on this adventure.”

I grasped the presented hoof and let her help me up.

She smiled and trotted away towards a large podium that was standing in the center of the massive room we were now in.

I shook my head once again and then brushed the bits of stone off my shoulders.

“Yeah, this is pretty fun. I forgot how much enjoyed I doing this stuff,” I pulled out a magazine for my rifle and loaded it into the magazine well, then locked a round into the chamber, “Kinda miss doing this.”

“Ta-da!” Daring Do was standing in front of the podium, gesturing to it.

It was made out of some type of shiny, pitch-black stone. It glistened in the red light from my magelight hanging above our heads. And resting on the podium was a stone. It was a near-perfect spherical stone, a little bigger in size than a tennis ball. It was black on the outside, but transparent so that the bright yellow light inside could be seen. It shone like a trapped miniature sun.

“It’s amazing...” I tapered off, reaching my hand out towards the stone. A tan hoof stopped me halfway.

“Honored, if I let you take this...you'd better bring me something good,” She gave me a stern look and removed her hoof.

“I promise you, it will be amazing. You’ll be the only pony with anything like it in Equestria. Something that would be worth a fortune of fortunes.”

She nodded and lowered her hand, stepping back from the podium.

I reached my hand out and closed my gauntlet around the stone. It felt warm to the touch, even through the metal fingers of my gauntlet. I picked the stone up and tucked it into my pocket before a loud crack sounded through the entire room.
I jerked my rifle up to my shoulder and spun around as the lid from a large black coffin blew apart. I hadn’t noticed the black rectangle resting against the wall when we entered, but the blue light coming form it was now making it stand out pretty easily.

“I think we should get ready.”

“For what?”

“The evil enchantress,” I said as a pony stepped out form the coffin. Except something was wrong. She was perfect. No hanging skin. No flesh melting off of her. Her perfectly combed silver mane was draped around her face beautifully. And her dark purple coat was shiny and clean in the dark light of the dungeon. Her horn was emitting a light blue that matched the color of her eyes, her perfect blue eyes that seemed to capture all of my attention. I couldn’t look away.

Wait. Fuck! I couldn’t move!

I tried to squeeze the trigger, but I just couldn’t will myself to move. The pony moved closer and closer towards me, while I remained trapped in her petrifying stare. She got closer and closer.

That's how she trapped them. Those eyes. She lured ponies to their death with the promise of riches, and then her beauty ensnared them. I couldn’t break away from them. I felt the magic crackling off her horn as she got closer and closer.

Suddenly, in my peripheral vision I saw a flash of tan and the enchantment was broken. I let out a deep sigh and shook my head as I ran forward towards Daring Do.

“Thanks Daring!”

Before I knew it, a whip lashed out and caught me across the face. I pulled my hand up and felt the warm sticky feeling of blood across my cheek. Daring Do was standing in front of the dark purple mare, her eyes glazed over in a pale yellow light.

“No,” I whispered.

She'd been too slow, just like I had. Now, she was a slave to the enchantress' will.

She raised the whip again, aiming for my legs.

I jumped, early.

The tip of the whip screamed through the air, thankfully hitting my armored boot.

I could see the tip of the enchantress's glowing horn behind Daring Do’s head.

I pulled my rifle up and licked my lips.

“This will be one for the records. Too bad nobody left living will see it,” I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath as Daring
Do raised her head and pulled her whip back for another swing.

*BANG*

The bullet traveled through the top of Daring Do's hat and punched out the back into the evil enchantress’ horn. It shattered into hundreds of pieces of shiny purple shards, landing all over the ground around her. For a brief moment I saw a flash of pain and what almost looked like relief run across the mare’s face before her light blue eyes locked onto mine.

“Thank you,” Came a whisper from her lips.

I stared at her as she collapsed forward, her body turning gray and then turning slowly into a pile of dust. I ran forward and caught Daring Doo as she swayed and toppled to the side.

“Wha…What happened?” She asked, looking around and then up to me.

“You stopped that evil enchantress from getting a stupid human,” I chuckled and helped Daring Doo to her hooves. “Come on, let’s get the hell out of here.”

“And so then she just kind of crumbled to the ground and turned to dust. It was strange, like all the years just caught up to her once her magic was broken,” I said, explaining to Daring Do what had happened when she went through the 'mindless slave' status.

“Well, I guess that makes us even.”

“For what?" I asked.

“For ruining my hat!” She exclaimed while taking off the pith and examining the clean hole in it.

I broke down laughing at her. Slowly Daring joined in and we laughed together while walking out of the dungeon.
The magical round that had punched through the stone walls, creating a small tunnel in its wake, and basically made a path through the dungeon making a nice, quick exit towards the entrance of the hole in the wall Daring had made. It saved us a good bit of time as we walked out into the old stone dungeon and we passed the wooden door that used to hold the darkness into the dungeon. Sunlight was pouring in from the exit.

I smiled and felt my pocket. One piece down.
Five to go.

“Okay Honored, I’ll help you find these other items,” Daring Do said while looking over the list again, “I mean, I may not personally be able to help you, but I certainly can get you going in the right direction.” She removed a quill and began scratching out information in my notebook on the remaining pieces of magical artifacts.

“I can’t believe I’m helping you get these. These things are amazing. Whatever you bring me back had better something so amazing, so fantastical, that I can't even imagine anyone capable of thinking of something so awesome,” She sighed as she finished writing in my notebook and pushing it back towards me across the table in the sky chariot. We were on our way back to civilization. Daring was a little upset about leaving the dungeon without anything of value.

I looked at her and suddenly I remembered something.

“Daring, for all your help on finding this artifacts, sharing your knowledge and what not, I want you to have these,” I pulled out the small pouch that held all the gems and bits I found scattered in all the urns, "Consider it a down payment for your services."

About three hundred bits and over twenty gems, diamonds, rubies, and other precious stones spilled out and landed across the table. As the chariot banked into the sun, the small pile of riches sparkled in the light, but Daring picked up only one thing, paying no attention to the other pieces of stones and gold.

“Honored...do you know what this is?” She was holding up the small gold necklace with the tiny blue stone in it.

“A necklace?” I said, shrugging while holding the Celestial Stone of Life in my hand and watching the sun in the center glow.

“This is the necklace that belonged to the evil enchantress. It’s the same color as her eyes!” Daring Doo ‘squeed’ in as she stared at the necklace, “This thing is going to be worth some serious bits! I mean, it belonged to the legend of the evil enchantress!”

She smiled and looked up to me, “Good find, my learning apprentice. Maybe there's an explorer in there somewhere.”

“Aww, thanks Do.”

Glad to know I had been helpful anyway. I tucked the stone away and watched as the small town in the distance began to grow larger. That was a good break from the normal days in Ponyville. And I was one step closer to completing my spell.
Aw shit, I forgot about a letter or something… um… AHA!

Dear Princess Celestia and Luna,

I went on an adventure to the Ponyrim with a new friend. I learned that it’s a good idea to sometimes branch out of your normal group of friends and try and make some new ones. I also learned that even if you don’t first succeed in a task, like finding a job, you should never give up. Something is bound to work. Even if it hasn’t worked for me yet, and I still believe that my real job is fighting (hint, hint), I'll keep trying to find a new job in Ponyville that doesn’t involve killing mummy ponies.

Your awesome human,

Honored Service

Finding the Damn Pieces

View Online

On My Honor

Finding the Damn Pieces

By: Honored Service

Edited by: CommanderWolffe and Duncan Zundel

I collapsed next to the green military container in my partially built house. I laid my head back with a muffled 'thump' and let out a long sigh. "I gotta start working out more. I forgot how much energy one burns while fighting monsters."

"And what do you know about fighting monsters? You shouldn't be fighting anything now."

I opened my eyes to see a disgruntled Twilight Sparkle standing over me. She looked rather pissed and had her wings splayed out in anger. "Where were you exactly? One minute you're running around having your normal shenanigans, and then the next you're gone." Twilight leans her head in closer to me, "So what was happening?”

"Shouldn't you have knocked before coming in?" I was kind of tired and I didn’t really feel up to a battle of words with Twilight.

"Shouldn't you have a door?" Twilight smiled and narrowed her eyes at me.

"Shouldn't you have...?” My mind seemed to be drawing a blank. "Oh whatever, it seems we are evenly matched mentally."

Twilight scoffed at me. "Please. Now Honored, what were you doing?"

"I was adventuring with Daring Do." I gave a defeated sigh, "We went to Ponyrim to explore some ancient crypt that was full of zombie ponies and an evil enchantress that had said zombie ponies under her curse." Twilight took a seat in front of me, her anger gone, now replaced with a look of curiosity and wonder.

"What happened?" She asked, her eyes glued on me.

"We defeated the enchantress and escaped with the Celest- with diamonds and rubies and a huge sum of bits. But the biggest find was the evil enchantress' necklace of gold and sapphire. Daring kept it and is going to make a tone of bits from it." I waited to see if Twilight would look over my momentary slip of the tongue. She didn’t seem to notice.

‘That was a close one,’ I thought to myself, ‘I’ve got to be more careful.’

"That sounds like a great story, and I bet it will make a great book."

"Wait what?" I coughed out, my eyes going wide as I looked at the alicorn. My eyes were drawn to her wings, where another one of the six magical artifacts rested. An alicorn feather,(straight from the source). So close. Just grab one and say ‘Oops.’

"Daring Do always writes a book about her adventures, so why wouldn’t this one be any different?”

"No reason I guess." Oh she better not write about the spell. "So I’m sure you must have come here to my humble abode for something other than to yell at me. What can I do for you?"

Twilight stared at me for a moment before shaking her head, "I need to ask you to do a small favor for me."

"Alright, what is it?"

"I was hoping that you could go the Canterlot royal archives and pick up some books for the library."

"That's it? Sure I can do that...wait how many books? Because if it’s like half a ton you can forget it."

Twilight giggled and stood up. I followed her towards the doorway leading out of my house, so maybe I did need an actual door. "It’s only three books.I Know You're Up To Something; Stop Trying To Hide It; and Tell Me Now."

"I’m not doing anything wrong!" How could she have known? I've been so good at keeping the rune a secret. Has she been using some magic detection spell?

"What are you talking about Honored? I just need you to pick up the three books called, I Know You're Up To Something; Stop Trying To Hide It; and Tell Me Now."

"Oh of course, hehe…. Yeah I can do that." I coughed and wiped a hand across my brow as Twilight turned around and began her short walk back to the library. Why she didn’t fly is beyond me.

I sighed again and walked back into my house to read over my list. What did Daring Do happen to know about alicorn feathers.

"So you are hiding something human." Covert was watching the human warrior from a cluster of trees only ten yards away from his house. Covert had slipped into the alicorn's home in the middle of the night and replaced the list of book she originally wanted with the list he created.

She was none the wiser.

And that series of words and accusations had triggered Honored perfectly. Nervous ticks, the quick denial, the sweating, and the hand wipe across the forehead. The human was hiding something alright. Celestia was right. And now to find out what.

Covert vanished into the shadows to continue his close watching on the human.

I quickly pulled the hidden scroll spell and notebook containing all my work on the spell out of their hiding spot in the wall. I began reading over what Daring Do had written on alicorn feathers. I opened to the page on feathers and began reading. Stopping to look around every so often to make sure that nopony would sneak up on me.

Alicorn feathers

Pretty simple Honored. You have four choices. Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and the newest Twilight Sparkle. I would recommend trying to get one from Twilight. But as you told me, she might be very suspicious as to why you want one. I don’t know a whole lot on their feathers, but alicorns don’t molt. So you have to remove on by force. Good luck with that.

"Well shit." I closed the notebook and laid my head back against the wall and let out a sigh. "Great. Well how should I approach this?" I began to think on who to pluck the feather from.

Twilight would be the easiest, with being the closest and all, but Do was right. She would be very nosy if she found out I was the one taking it.

Celestia, well that wouldn't work out to well. She might get violent if I tried sneaking around her and taking a feather.

There was Cadence. But she was all the way in the Crystal Empire and I didn’t even know what that placed really looked like. Let alone how to sneak around that castle. That left me with one option.

"Luna."

""Shit."."

‘So you have something hidden. And it involves Princesses Luna. Well it isn’t the whole answer, but it’s a start.’ Covert thought to himself from the shadowy part of the room opposite Honored who was scratching away in his notebook.

The shadow vanished deeper into the dark side of the room before beginning his short journey back to Canterlot to inform the two princesses on his recent discovery.

I stepped off the train from Ponyville to Canterlot. It may have been a better idea to take a more subtle approach to this little errand for Twilight. No sooner had a laid a foot down on the platform, I had ponies swarming me.

"Honored Service you’re back!"

"Where have you been?"

"Is it true you declared a one man war against the dragon race?"

"Will you take my daughter to her prom?"

"What are you going to do when the newest villain from season four shows up?"

I slowly tried to wade my way through the never ending swarm of ponies. I kept forgetting that save for the ponies in Ponyville, nopony else had seen me out in public for almost three months, or since the last battle of Canterlot against Day Terror.
I felt like I was trapped. There was nothing to save me from the swarm of ponies pouring around me. I was stuck like a doomed animal in quicksand. No power could save...

Oh wait, I had magic.

I quickly summoned magic into my gauntlet and fired a short range teleportation spell. I jumped through space in the train station and found myself in the front of the platform. I shook my head and sprinted off towards the castle in the distance where the Royal archives were kept. Hopefully I was still allowed in. I was still an Equestrian Honor Guard for crying out loud! Just on vacation.

"And he said 'Luna' after going over the list." Covert finished his report to the Princesses. They were pleased with the stealthy shadow's report, but didn’t like the fact that Honored was hiding something. Or Celestia was displeased with his secrets, while Luna was more...flustered over it.

"Did he not let on a hint as to why he said my name?" Luna leaned in closer to the shadow from her perch on the throne. "Anything? Like a present or a date or a wedding or a -"

Celestia reached over and shoved a hoof into her sister's mouth. "Thank you Covert for your work. You have once again proven your amazing ability at stealth. I'll send for you should I feel the need arises."

The shadow bowed to the two deities before turning around walking towards the exit of the throne room, but disappeared in a wisp of black shadow before he even reached the door, vanishing into the shadows around the room. His mind was set on solving the mystery for himself. Honored had some explaining to do.

"Now Luna..." Celestia began, removing her hoof from the younger alicorn's mouth, "Don’t go jumping to conclusions about this. It could be bad."

‘What could that Human want with Luna?’ Celestia thought. ‘Honored couldn’t possibly be thinking about her like that.’

'You forget sister that we can read each other's thoughts.' Luna's voice cut through Celestia's mind like a cold wind.

Celestia yelped and jumped off her throne before looking to her sister next to her. Luna had a sly smile on her face before she got up and walked towards the exit of the throne room, her hips swaying with her as she walked.

'You forget sister, who is the younger and more attractive one.' Luna thought to her sister.

"Yeah well you forget who is more mature and not socially awkward!" Celestia yelled at the Princess of the Night. "FLASH!" Celestia called out.

The young guard ran to the Princess' side and bowed.

"What do you re-"

"Yeah yeah skip the formalities. Flash I command you to follow Luna and make sure that nothing she does in the next day goes as planned!"

"Celestia she is also a princess." Flash Sentry looked around, suddenly wishing he had become a blacksmith instead.

"If you refuse, I’ll let Twilight know about your most recent love letter you thought you destroyed.”

"So stop anything Luna does. Okay got it." The guard ran out of the room after Luna to make sure she didn’t do anything.

"You want a war sister, then a war you shall have."

'I heard that.'

"Oh for Faust's sake!"

I jumped up and grabbed a hold of the windowsill above the cobblestone street running through the middle of Canterlot. I hauled myself up, hand over hand, until I was standing on the edge of the building. The steady sound of hooves striking stone reached my ears as the stampede of ponies got closer to me. I sprinted forward along the rooftops trying to get to the castle. I leapt over a gap in between two buildings and landed on my shoulder, rolling with the land and came up running. I saw a large gap approaching me as I headed towards the castle wall. A clothes line ran across the large opening and I angled my run towards it. I hit the rope and sprinted along it, reaching the other side safely. The castle wall stood before me. With enough speed and a perfectly timed jump, I could easily clear the top. I gave an extra burst of speed and jumped from the edge of the building, hurtling myself at the wall's top.

SPLAT

"Did you hear something Quick Flurry?" A recruit asked the one winged pegasus guard next to him.

"No." The pegasus said, turning to the recruit and delivering a swift back hoof to his head. "Lesson two, never get distracted."

"BWHAHAH!" Celestia fell of her throne, knocking the huge telescope next to her over as well. She rolled around, her guards giving sideways glances to each other as the Princess slowly calmed herself. A simple illusion spell had obscured the actual height of the wall and the human and smashed right into it.

"And now for phase two. I sweep in and confront Honored on what he needs Luna for." Celestia got up from her throne and walked to the window before jumping into the air and gliding towards where the human should be laying unconscious from his fall.

But as Celestia got closer towards the wall, she watched as a dark shape darted into the sky, a lump resting on its back.

"Luna!" She screamed before turning around back towards the castle. Flash Sentry was going to get a very stern lecture about failing her orders. And now she had to come up with a new plan.

“COVERT!”

A shadowy figure appeared within the room of Honored’s house and worked his way up to the wall. With a quick flick of his wrist Covert’s Element of Sanctuary, the blade of Stealth stabbed into the base board where the book and scroll was hidden.
Covert withdrew his blade and pulled out the scroll first. He unrolled it before letting his piercing red eyes scan over the entire page. As he read, his mouth slowly opening into a gasp as he understood what that tricky human was doing.

Covert slipped the scroll back and closed the hidden spot quietly and vanished back into the shadows. He needed to do something. Something drastic.

Luna was on her way back from the market, specifically the dress shop, were she bought herself some new, and hopefully, alluring dresses with Celestia's savings from her piggy bank she thought she had hidden. Luna was in good spirits, and those spirits rose even more when she watched the human she was after smash into a wall with a foal’s level illusion spell on it.

"Oh thank you." She said looking to the heavens above. She dove down and quickly grabbed the unconscious human in her magic, and levitated him onto her back. She giggled in delight as she carried her new dresses and the human off towards her room at the top of her spire.

Once the Princess reached her room, she laid the human out on the bed and began to hang her new dresses up. "Which one would he like the most?" Luna ran her eyes over each one before remembering a book she had in her study that might help her decide.

"Oh owww my head." I sat up, feeling a huge knot that had formed on my head. That wall had seemed so short and then it shimmered right before I smashed right into it. Ouch. I had really felt that one.

"Wait. I didn’t fall on a black velvet bed with big plushy pillows." I looked around. I was laying on a huge four poster bed that was covered in beautiful black velvet covers that sparkled like the night sky. Black curtains hung all around the bed, sparkling just like the bed sheets. Large pillows covered the head of the bed. I swung my legs to the side of the bed and pushed the curtains aside. I peered around the room.

The walls were painted amazing and breathe taking purples and blacks, like looking into the night sky. Thousands of twinkling stars covered the walls, shining everywhere my eyes traveled. Pictures of the moon in its different phases hung around the walls and a large picture of the moon cresting over a mountain hung over a large desk next to a fireplace. This was the first time I had seen Princess Luna's room. It was just like her. Well, her colors at least.

I think I was safe in assuming it was her room. It was dark enough.

I walked over to a door and pushed it open. There was Luna resting on a rug reading a book in front of a fireplace. And above her was a portrait of me in a dress...

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!?!" I screamed pointing at the portrait over Luna.

I may have startled her, because I soon found myself tossed against a book case across the study.

"Oh my goodness." Luna quickly got up and dashed towards me, using magic to pull books off of me and pull me up. "I’m so sorry human." She smiled and walked me back over to the center of the room where she was originally sitting. "And also sorry about that," she pointed a hoof towards the picture of me wearing the baby blue and pink dress with lots of bows and lace, "I just couldn't resist having that commissioned."

I stared at the utterly humiliating portrait of myself before shrugging and sitting down. "You know, it is pretty funny."

We both shared a laugh before I looked back to Luna and her wings of sleek dark feathers. Luna had stopped reading to take a sip of her wine resting near her. She watched me watch her… oh shit awkward.

"Luna I need an alicorn feather."

"BWTHTHTH!" Luna spit out a mouthful of wine all over the book she was reading. I gave her a smile while she turned to stare at me. "Why do you need one? Or better yet, why me?"

"Okay I’m going to be completely honest here. I’ve found that being honest when it counts is always the best thing to do." I got up from the chair and walked to the fireplace before reaching into my pocket and a copy of the scroll I had. "Luna I know you remember the magic tremors from a month ago." The alicorn nodded her head as I walked back to her. “I attempted to perform a spell that would send me home for three days. Or at least I hope it will.”

Luna looked at me with her mouth agape. "I’m going to go home for the three days it allows the caster to be gone. I want to see what has happened to my home since I left it in 2012. What’s changed? What my family is doing? Do you understand Princess? "

"Of course Honored, but some of these artifacts. Some of them haven't been seen in over a thousand years." She went back to the list and placed a hoof on the Celestial stone of life, "My sister doesn’t even know where this is. And she created it over two thousand years ago."

I smiled and reached into my pocket and removed the stone and held it in my palm up to Luna. Her eyes grew wide ad she let out a muffled gasp. She reached out and slowly touched the stone with her hoof tip. "It’s beautiful, just like I remember it being. My sister made it for me to celebrate the overthrowing of Discord."

"Oh." I said, suddenly wishing I hadn’t pulled the stone out.

"Of course you may keep it. You found it." I let out a sigh of relief, "But of course since you are taking that and you want one of these," she fanned her wing out and slowly dragged it across my back, "you have to do something for me."

I needed that feather. How bad could her request be compared to Daring Do's? "Okay your highness, what do you want?"

"I’m going with you."

"Damn it." Celestia trotted around the large table in the middle of her War Room. She had a map of Canterlot displayed and a long list of possibilities she could act on to keep her sister from winning the human. As the Princess of the Sun she was responsible for keeping the human under her hoof; well kind of.

"Your highness, second squad has returned with no sighting of the human." The royal guard said while bowing to the Princess.

"Tell them to look again!" Celestia yelled, lightly tossing the pegasus guard out of the room.

"No fighting in the War Room Princess." Flash Sentry said timidly, while slowly backing up to the exit.

Celestia turned, eyes ablaze as she searched for the smart ass guard, but the young lieutenant had vanished.

"I will find you Luna! And your human too!" in reality Celestia was having a great time playing with her sister and the human Honored Service. She rarely got to use her power for her own fun.

"No."

"Then no feather for you." Luna 'humpfhed' and turned away from me, crossing her forelegs in front of her. "Good luck asking Celestia for one."

God damn it. Stuck at another freaking bridge that I could pass. I owed Daring Do something and now I would have to take Luna with me. Just great. Freaking perfect. I guess there was only one thing to do now.

"Fine," I mumbled staring at her, "you can come."

I was knocked down onto the floor by a wave of dark purple and blue as Luna pinned me to the floor in a death grip bear hug.
"Oh many thanks Honored!" She slowly relinquished her grip on me, a fine blush spreading across her cheeks. "We...I shall begin packing at once."

"Hold your horses there Luna." I smiled, haha horses, "I still, have four other artifacts to find before the rune will be completed."

"Very well then. I shall wait with baited breath." Luna said before flaring her wing out to me. She held the outstretched appendage in front of me before looking at me and giving it a slight shake.

"Well go on," she waved it again, "pick one and be done with it."

"What I just reach out and pluck one?" I asked. Now that she was just willing to let me take a feather, it felt weird.

"Yes." Luna said looking away from me. "But consider yourself the luckiest being alive. Nopony has ever simply taken a feather from a princess." Was she blushing? I couldn’t tell from the way she had her head turned, but it would go away soon. I reached my hand out and gently brushed it along her wing, letting my fingers dance around the long smooth feathers beneath them. I let my thumb and index finger softly grip around one of her long primaries before giving it a quick tug. It came lose easily, while Luna winced for a second before looking at me.

"I have kept my part of the promise Honored, and expect you to do the same." Her eyes bore into mine, they demanded that I bring her with me.

"Yes Luna, I will. I promise."

"Now can you help me find these books for Twilight?"

Well that was a total bust. Luna had just laughed at me when I showed her the list for the books I had come all the way here to pick up. I guess it wasn’t a complete loss, I did have an alicorn feather tucked into my pocket next to the Celestial Stone of Life. At the rate I was going though, I was going to have to owe a favor to every stinking pony that helped me get these stupid artifacts.

I pulled out my copy of the spell scroll and read over it again. I had one last point of the rune to finish back in the Everfree, leaving the finding of the rest of these artifacts, then I could be on my merry way back to Earth.
With the alicorn feather and the Stone of Life found I could focus on the other pieces. What next? Maybe the Guardian scale. Wait what’s blood of the ancient? Water dragon tears? Jesus I had no fucking clue what any of these were. Well the reflector pool I did.

Pinkie Pie found that shit. That would be easy to get. It was just down into the Everfree forest and under a big freaking rock in the middle of a clearing.

Well that’s the next thing I think I’ll go for. Some magic water. Hmmm I wonder what it would be like with two of me…

I walked into my home, after first ripping a huge rock from the ground and rolling it behind me with my magic. There how’s that for a door Twilight. I nodded to my improvised door and went into my soon to be bedroom and pulled my notebook and scroll from the hidden cut away in the floor. I wanted to see what Do thought about the pool. I needed to find out where it exactly was and I’m not sure if asking Pinkie Pie directly about it would be a good idea. No knowing if Twilight might find out and begin to get nosey.

The Magic Reflector Pool is found deep in the Everfree. It is dangerous as it creates a copy of the user that stares into it. But the copy isn’t exactly ‘whole’ in the mind. Knowing you Honored, I wouldn’t stare at it too long. Equestria couldn’t handle that many humans Tartarus bent on causing destruction.

Sheesh. Why does everypony think all I do is destroy stuff?

Well not that much stuff.

But that didn’t help me at all. I guess it’s time to pay Pinkie a visit.

“Knee pinch. Ear flop. Tail wiggle to the left. And upset stomach.” Pinkie Pie turned around and stared at the door leading into Sugar Cube Corner. “And there he is…and there he is…and there he is…come on Honored. You’re ruining it!”

“There he is!” The door opened and in walked the human in question.

“How’d you do that?” Honored asked as he walked up to the counter and leaned against it. He glanced over the glass display case of confectionary treats.

“Oh I have my ways.” I rubbed a hoof across my chest, “I have my ways. So what can Auntie Pinkie do for the human today?” I jumped up and grabbed a crystal ball from the shelf and slammed it down in front of him, he backed up a bit as I waved my hooves over the clean shiny surface. “I see you came for a palm reading? Granted I don’t get to do those on accounting of nopony having palms… so this would be great practice.”

“Um no.” Honored said, before he moved closer, slowly pushing my crystal ball aside. “I came to ask you about something.”

“No we don’t have any more triple chocolate fudge brownies with caramel glaze coating, and no we won’t be making triple chocolate fudge brownies with caramel glaze coating for a long time.”

“No. it’s not about that either.” Honored sighed and rubbed a hand across his face, letting out a long sigh. Ha only two minutes and I had him sighing, that’s a new personal record.

“So then if it isn’t about triple chocolate fudge brownies with caramel glaze coating then what can I do for you?” I ask him while stacking some freshly baked cookies into the display.

“Listen Pinkie. I need your help with something.”

“OH BOY!” I yell before leaping over the counter and grabbing Honored and slinging him onto a fold out couch that I willed to be there. I sat in front of him with my new glasses resting on my nose and stared at him before grabbing a notebook and a quill. “So what can I do? Where do you want to start?”

“No. Oh my god why did I think this was going to be easy.” Honored said while leaning back against the arm of the couch. “Pinkie this isn’t some mental mind game. Please just listen.”

“I’m all ears. Well actually I’m like 8% ears and the rest Pinkie.” I gave him a smile as he rolled his eyes and began to bang the back of his head into the couch arm.

“Alright. I need your help finding the Magic Reflection Pool.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I need just a small vial of the water to use for an extremely secret project I’m working on.”

“I don’t know Honored.” OH MY GOSH I couldn’t believe my luck! If I helped him I could make him owe me a favor. And I’ve never had a human owe me a favor. And it could be anything. Like… Oh, I’ve got it. And I can make him do it today. “Honored I’ll take you to the pool, but you have to do me a favor.”

“How did I know?” Honored sat up from the couch and rubbed his hands over his face before putting on a fake smile and looking at me. “What would I have to do?”

“Nopey dopey. It’s a surprise. You have to do it though if you want me to take you.” I smiled as he slammed his face down into his hands.

“How do I know you’ll keep your promise?” He asked through his hands. I just gave him a deadpan stare. The same stare I use on Gummy when he asks if he can play in the oven.

“Alright fine I’ll trust you.” He says while standing up and looking at me. “I’ll do whatever you have in mind.”

“Excellent. Follow me and we’ll get started. And by the way,” I turn around to him and give him a huge smile, “Can you juggle?”

“This. Is. The. Most. Humiliating. Thing. Ever.” I say through gritted teeth as Pinkie Pie finishes the last of the make up on my face.

Lots of white powder. Huge black outlines for my eyes. Big red lips. And a gigantic fucking red nose that squeaks. Of course it fucking squeaks. I was wearing some ridiculous yellow jumpsuit that was covered in multicolored strips and large red shoes. “Why do you even have an outfit like this?” I asked as she slammed a big poofy rainbow wig on my head.

“Well I just willed it to be in the closet and there it was. You act like a clown so tada!” She smiled at me and reached up and poked my nose.

SQUEAK

“Will you cut that out?” I shouted, swatting her hoof away before she could do it again. “Okay now what. I’m wearing this costume, is that all? Can I see the Reflection Pool now?”

“Nope first you have to follow me.” Pinkie Pie said before walking down the stairs from her room and out the front door. I rolled my eyes and followed behind the bouncing mare. She hummed a tune as we walked through Ponyville. Ponies stopped what they were doing and stared at me. It’s hard to ignore the six foot tall clown walking through the center of town.

This fucking sucks. Now the only thing that could make this worse, is if…

“Oh my goodness.” That voice.

“Um I can explain.” I said while turning to face the regal voice of Princess Celestia. She was stepping off of her personal chariot in front of the library. At least only Celestia would humiliate me.

“This may just be beating the photo with the dress.” I hung my head as Luna’s chariot touched down next to me. The dark blue chariot slowed to a stop with her two Night Guards beside me.

“Nice.” The closet guard whispered to me before snickering behind his hoof.

“Oh bite me.” I shot back before looking up to the two royal sisters. “Hi Princesses.”

“I must ask Honored,” Luna said while walking up to me and reaching her hoof out, “Why are you wearing this ridiculous jester outfit?” She poked the nose on my face and was rewarded with a SQUEAK.

“Yeah I’m being forced-“ I began before Pinkie Pie bounced in front of me and smiled to the Princesses.

“He volunteered to help me with a party at the school house for the foals. He’s such a sweet human thing.” She turned around and smiled at me before winking at me.

“Um that’s right. I do love helping the kids and stuff.” I said while adjusting the nose on my face. I gave a smile and made a pose with my arms outstretched. Three red balls slipped out of my sleeves and hit the ground. “Wait how long have those been in there?”

“Well that’s very kind of you.” Celestia said before turning around and heading into the library.

“Honored I had no idea you were such a sweetheart.” Luna said before looking away from me and quickly following after he sister.

“Thanks for the save there Pinkie.” I said as we continued to walk down the path towards the Ponyville school house.

“I figured it couldn’t hurt to have Princess Luna think even better of you.” She said with a wink. I shrugged and continued behind her.

“So what, just act like a clown for the afternoon and you’ll tell me where the pool is?”

“Yup!” She said while bouncing up to the door and opening it.

“No other side quests?”

“Nope!”

“I don’t have to give you anything?”

“Sure don’t!” She opened the door leading to a classroom. I could see a few desks before she made a ‘shhhh’ noise to me and shut the door before I could walk in. I pressed my ear against the door, but this damn wig was making it hard to get my ear against the door.

“And without further waiting, here he is, Service the Clown!” Wait what?

The door flew open and I tumbled forward into the classroom. I continued to tumble into the classroom and tripped on the ridiculous shoes I was wearing. I fell forward, and shouldered rolled before jumping up onto the Cheerlie’s desk before stopping and looking at the group of foals before me. It was the group I easily recognized. Primarily Applebloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo all staring at me with huge grins on their faces. I smiled at them and waved to the rest of the class.

I decided to give ‘em a show. I was here and in this stupid outfit, I might as well have fun with it. I put on my best clown voice, making it as silly as possible and smiled wide to the group. “GOOOOOD MORNING PONYVILLE!” I jumped down and flared the magic on my gauntlet and made all the desks the foals were sitting in scoot to the left and right of the classroom, creating a walkway down the middle of the room. “I’m new in town and thought I’d put on a show for y’all. But I was told that it’s somepony’s birthday. Now who would that be?” I held my hand up to brow and scanned the room for who everypony pointed a hoof to.

“And so who just might you be?” I walked up to the pony everypony was pointing towards. “My sources of magical clown powers are telling me you must be…Silver Spoon.”

“Whaaaa- How did you know that?” The gray coated filly asked staring at me in disbelief.

“Silver Spoon he’s that lame human obviously.” Diamond Tiara said to Silver Spoon. I looked at here, giving her a deadpan stare.

“Well that’s not very nice.” I turned to her and got down on here level, “you must be wet since you’re raining on this parade.”

“I’m not-BWLLARGHHHH” She started to say, but suddenly the large red flower on my chest squirted water right into Diamond Tiara’s mouth silencing her.

“Now where were we?” I asked tapping a gloved hand to my chin. “How about some magic for the filly!” I asked while whipping out a deck of cards. I tossed them up into the air before accordion-ing them back into my hand and tossing them under my legs and back into my hand. Having my magic discreetly doing all the work underneath the white glove did help.

“Now please draw a single card miss.” I said while fanning the cards out to Silver Spoon. She held a hoof out and hovered over the cards before settling on one and drawing it. I quickly snapped the cards in my hand together and shuffled them up. “Now show the card to your classmates, but not to me.”

I closed my eyes as she flipped the card around to her classmates. ‘Too easy.’ I thought. “All done? Then please put it back anywhere you want in the deck.” I held the cards back out to her and quickly shuffled them again.

“Is this your card?” I held up a five of diamonds.

“Um no.” She laughed as everpony else did.

“How about this one?” I held up a seven of hearts.

“NO!” More laughter exploded from the foals.

“This clown is lame. He can’t even get a card trick right.” Diamond Tiara said. I narrowed my eyes at her. Okay that’s enough.

“Well shoot. I guess just open your desks, all of you, and see if her card is in there.” I said sticking my hands into my pockets with a huge frown on my face.

A loud bang filled the class as thousands of cards exploded from each desk and covered the room. The kids exploded into applause as Silver Spoon held up one of the thousands of king of spades.

“You did great Honored!” Pinkie Pie said while we walked back to Sugar Cube corner from the school house. “I especially liked the part with the balloon animals that moved around and chased each other.”

“Thanks Pinkie. I’m just glad that my magic has gotten better to where everything I touch doesn’t become some type of weapon.”

“Yeah, me too. That would have made for one heck of strange party!” Pinkie said while turning around and handing me a birthday card.

“What’s this?” I stared at the pink card.

“Open it duhhhh!” She said with a large grin.
Inside of the card was a small map. “It’s the directions to the pool. If I remember it correctly. And I’m not usually a forgetful pants.”

“But you don’t wear pants.” I pointed out before pocketing the map.

“Oh well… I guess I don’t forget to not wear them.”

“Well thanks Pinkie. I’m going to go get this off.” I tugged at the collar of the multicolored outfit.

“Okay Johnson, thanks for your help. You made the foals really happy.”

I got back to my house and began stripping of the clown jumpsuit before washing all the makeup of my face. “Well Johnson, if the whole monster slaying job dies down, you’d make for one hell of a clown.”

“I’d say.”

I quickly spun around to find Luna and Celestia staring at me through my open door into my sparsely decorated room. “What are you two doing here!” I pointed at them with the large red nose still in my hand. I looked at it and quickly tossed it to the side where it hit the wall with a ‘squeak.’

“Just thought we’d stop by and see how the party went. And judging from what Pinkie said it went well. And no weapons from the magic huh?” Celestia said while walking into my room and staring at my military container holding all my weapons.

“We had no idea you were so gifted with foals.” Luna said while following her sister into the room.

“Yea, apparently being a crazy soldier and a foal sitter must go hand in hand.” I wiped the rest of the makeup off with a rag before looking to the two alicorns. “So what can I do for you two? Not that having you two show up is displeasing, but usually royalty doesn’t just drop in.”

“Oh but it was just that.” Celestia said before turning around and heading towards the door, “Luna I need to just ask Honored something.”

“Of course sister, I shall see you at the chariots.” Luna smiled at me and exited the room. NO come back don’t leave me with…

“So what can I do for you Celestia?”

Celestia quickly looked around before slamming the door shut and drawing the blinds on my windows in my room. “Listen here Johnson. I know something is going on. First the magic tremors, then the drunken letter, and now random acts going on between you and my sister. I know something is up, and you’re going to spill it!”

“Whoa. Damn. Um listen I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just trying to practice magic and had one to many drinks.” I stuttered out. Shit shit shit shit shit shit.

Celestia stared at me for another moment before nodding her head at me and heading towards the door. She opened it and then turned her head back towards me, “And I’ll be watching my sister closely so don’t get any funny ideas.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t. Besides I have to give Pinkie the clown costume back anyways.” I said while turning to my weapon crate and opening it. I listened as Celestia’s hoof steps slowly faded into the distance. I let out a long sigh and collapsed to the ground. “That was way to fucking close.” I wiped my hand across my brow and looked to my weapons.

I picked up my Element of Protection and slid the blade out of its chrome sheath. The deep red blade reflected in the light of the room. I ran my hand over the markings that covered the blade, letting my fingers stop on the jeweled yellow star on the hilt. I smiled and sheathed the weapon before slinging it across my back. I reached into the box and grabbed both of my Glock 21s and plenty of magazines for them.

I brought out Pinkie’s map and scanned it. It was a trek through the Everfree that ended somewhere deep into its depths. I wasn’t expecting too much of fight from anything within the forest so the pistols, my sword, and my magic should be enough to deal with anything that lies within it. “Well then. Let’s move out.” I grabbed the newly installed door handle and closed the door to my house and set off to the main entrance that the ponies, those brave enough to use anyway, used to enter the forbidding forest.

“So let’s see here, the map says to travel down this path, past Zecora’s hut, and then take a turn at the scary looking rock. How can a rock be scary?” I talked aloud to myself as the forest continued to get darker and the sunlight was blocked out by the canopy of the forest.

I sowed my pace as I looked around. The trees began getting thicker in width and the light was nearly all but gone from the area. Soon it would be too dark to even see two feet in front of me. “What the hell?”

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

I spun around and jerked both of my Glocks from the double back holster on my belt and aimed them to my sides. I began to pant as the light quickly vanished. I was left blind in the forest, the darkness having consumed all the light.

“Um. Hello?” I called out. I couldn’t fight what I couldn’t see. And I kind of needed to see if I wanted to put up a fight. I quickly turned around and screamed.

A horribly disfigured face was staring back at me. I quickly aimed my pistol and fired the .45 ACP rounds into the face before turning around and finding another terrifying face inches away from me. I unloaded round after round into the faces the kept appearing near me. Around and around I spun, firing the pistols, the muffled coughs of the silenced weapons dying out in the forest.

I stood panting in the middle of the path, both Glocks empty and smoking. A very dim red light glowed around me as I looked around. I was petrified. The faces all kept looking at me, the bullets having done nothing.

“Wait a minute.” I quickly fumbled for new magazines and put them into the pistols before holstering them. “These aren’t monsters.”

I stepped closer to the face and saw that it was actually the bark on one of the trees along the edge of the path. A smile slowly crept onto my face as I drew my sword from its sheath on my back. The metal slid out with an intimidating noise.

From deep within I felt something begin to stir as I squared off with the first ‘scary face’ that was on the tree. I opened my mouth to holler a war cry at the victim, but instead, I let my voice take a turn in a different direction.

“Slaughter all the freak-ies
Stab all the spooky
Cut through the nasty!”

I spun into a low fighting stance and whipped the sword around, the red blade slicing through the trees with ease, causing the faces of disfigured monsters to simply vanish into thin air. As more and more faces disappeared, the dim light of the forest slowly began to return. I pulled out one of my Glocks and smiled as I twirled the handgun around on a finger before stopping it mid spin and firing into a crowd of trees.

“Trigger all ghosties
Murder all the yuckies
Decimate the ghastly.”

When I was a new grunt, and enemy was gatherin’ around-d-d-d,
The evil and wicked would make me back down.
I’d hide in my trench,
From their awful stench-h-h-h,

But Sergeant said that wasn’t right,
And to get up and fight.
Learn to crush the pus----“

I stopped shooting and slashing when I realized that I was standing in the middle of a clearing and that nothing was around me, save for a shitload of slashed trees and bushes.

“Um I may have gotten a little carried away there.” I holstered the pistol and stared at the blade. I hadn’t even noticed that I had traveled that far done that path. I had lost myself in a fit of rage and violence.

“Oh man I’m slipping. Again.” I sighed and sheathed the sword on my back. My hand was slightly shaking from my brief imaginary fight. I was fighting trees. Was that how badly I needed to fight was? To have my imagination come up with fake enemies to fight? Pinkie’s map was in my hands as I wandered around the clearing. This should be the area that the pool should be at. Nothing was here save for solid ground and a large stone… oh duh. I slapped a hand to myself and walked over to the stone that was resting in the middle of the clearing. I stood on top of it and began to jump up and down, trying to get the stone to move.

“Damn. Thing. Why. Wont. You. Move?” I grunted out as I landed on the rock with all of my body weight, but the stubborn rock refused to give. I looked around, to just make sure I was still alone, before I summoned my magic into my gauntlet and aimed it at one of the large trees next to the clearing.

Sweat began to break out on my brow as I concentrated all my magic on the solitary tree. A sickening crunch filled the air as the tree broke off from the forest floor and began to levitate through the air towards me. I was feeling the strain of the magic coursing within me as I tree hovered over me. I slowly lifted it high into the air and then let my magic do its work. I watched as the tree was suspended in a blood red aurora before the branches and leaves fell from it, leaving just a huge log floating in midair. With a grunt I pushed it into the next step, as the wood slowly began to condense into a super-pressed and compacted rectangle. Said rectangle was five feet thick and well over twenty feet long. I could feel the sweat pouring off me as the flat front of the wood began to reshape itself into a long wicked point.

Once I was satisfied with the point, I levitated the wooden super spear higher into the air, until it was above the canopy of the forest. I clenched my fist and brought it down quickly to the ground as the log mimicked my movement.

The giant battering ram, sharpen to a point, slammed into the center of the rock, causing it to explode downward into the earth where a massive crash filled the air. As the dust settled I stepped up and wiped my arm across my brow, brushing the sweat from my face. “And that’s how to rock.” I gave a weak laugh before heading over to the hole and peering down into the cavern
A slide carved into the rock spiraled down into the depths of the cavern.

I shrugged my shoulders and leapt in, sliding on the souls of my boots as I twisted and turned down the smooth tube slide made of rock. At the bottom of the brief slide I walked into a cavern that was lit with a bright light coming from under the surface of a crystal clear pool of water.

As I walked closer to the edge of the pool, the water began to spin around and around, slowly turning to a deep blue before settling down and becoming almost glass like. I looked down to my reflection. I stared at myself.

My short cropped brown hair with the streaks of red and yellow scattered through it. I ran a hand through it and sighed. I rubbed my gauntlet over my chin, touching the rough stubble that never seemed to grow longer, forever stuck at a five o’clock shadow. The few scars that dotted my face were smooth as my hand moved over them. My eyes looked back to my own. I was trapped in my own reflection. And this time it wasn’t because I was in love with my own reflection, but it was from the pain I saw.

I sighed again and wondered where all this pain was coming from. I was alone. I had friends that cared for me. My friends that loved me, and I loved them. I was willing to do anything for them, but why was I so sad. I may have been surrounded by friends, but I was always going to be alone, alone in the sense that I was the only human alive on the planet. Once I was dead, it would be over. No more humans in Equestria. Well unless another flash bang had gone off and transported more humans here. And what were the odds of that?

I shook my head and bent down to the water. I reached my hands out and slowly began to press my fingers into the cool water.

Next to me I watched as an identical pair of finger tips slowly rose out of the water. I could have a human friend, someone else to explore with me. No it wouldn’t be the same. I quickly pulled my hand back and the other hand disappeared back into the perfectly flat water. I pulled out a small glass vile and reached down, scooping up the flask with water.

The water swirled in the flask before settling down and becoming blue again. I pocketed the glass flask and walked back towards the rock slide that had led me down into the cavern. I gave one last look at the pool before glancing up to the slide. I stepped onto it and then aimed my gauntlet behind me and fired a long burst of raw magic that launched me forward, sending me sliding along the slide back up to the surface.

Three artifacts left.

Dear Princess Celestia and Princess Luna,

Well today wasn’t too eventful. After helping Pinkie Pie with the party I realized that helping others is a great thing to do. Seeing the foals smile was something special to see. I also found myself in a bit of a funk. I’m alone. I know I have friends. I have a group of amazing friends. The Elements of Harmony and the Elements of Sanctuary, but I realized that once I’m gone, the humans of Equestria will once again slip into the archives of legend. I don’t mean to be depressing, but it does tie into my lesson. So while I’m here on this Earth, I should do whatever I can to help others so that once I’m gone, I will leave with nothing but good behind me.

Your humble warrior,

(Well most of the time)

Honored Service

“Sister, are you alright?” Celestia looked at Luna who was reading Honored’s most recent letter over again.

“Oh, I’m fine Celly. I’m just a little sad at his letter.” Luna looked up to the portrait of Honored in the blue dress and couldn’t help but smile. He was one of a kind. And she couldn’t imagine that Equestria will ever be the same once he was gone.

“Celestia?” Luna asked, turning to her bigger sister.

“Yes Lulu?”

“How did you make that old Celestial stone?”

I'm Doing Stuff Luna; Things

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On My Honor

I'm Doing Stuff Luna; Things

By: Honored Service

Edited by: CommanderWolffe

“And just one more shape.” I planted the tip of my knife into the dirt and swirled the blade to the side creating a long spiral in the last rune on the six pointed star. The sun leaked through the canopy of the Everfree forest as I stood up and sheathed my knife, taking a step back and looking at the completed rune. It had only taken five weeks, three days, six hours, and forty-two minutes to complete, but it was picture perfect. It was a flawless copy of the rune in the scroll. I aimed my gauntlet at the completed rune and charged up the sealing spell so that nothing would disturb my baby’s rest while I gathered the final three artifacts needed for the spell to be completed. I launched the spell, blood red energy surrounding the rune and outlining all the shapes and symbols carved painstakingly into the dirt, before the air above the rune began to shimmer.

“Well that’s new.” I observed the air as it continued to shine as the spell finished its work. “Very strange.” I walked closer to the spell and noticed that not only was the air continuing to shimmer, but faint pops and bursts of energy continued to come from the shimmering air. “I don’t know if this is a good thing or not.” I wondered aloud as I picked up the satchel I had with me that contained the three artifacts that I had gathered already.

I reached into the canvas bag and slowly pulled out a long dark blue feather, recognizably one of Luna’s feathers. Or, also known as the alicorn feather that the spell required. I looked at in the dim light of the forest before a crack of energy sprang from the shimmering air above the rune and hit the feather. I jumped back in surprise, the feather staying suspended in midair as I walked around it. On its own, the feather slowly traveled across the rune towards the designated spot the scroll said it would needed to be placed. It floated above one of the points and then rested right above the rune on that point. I walked over to it and plucked it out of the air before putting it back into my bag.

“Okay… thanks rune, but I got to get the others first.” I shook my head and began the short trek out of the forest and towards my house, which thanks to some help from my friends, was nearing the final stages of its completion. The second level of the house was almost done, the only thing needed to be done was complete the ceiling then furnish the house. I shrugged my bag off my shoulder and tucked the magical artifacts and the spell scroll away into the hidden compartment on the wall in my future bedroom. I looked around at the empty space and realized that I would need to get some furnishing because I don’t think that having just my weapons decorating the house would be very welcoming.

I did though take the time to buy a sleeping bag to sleep in till I was able to get some adequate sleeping arrangements made. I sighed as leaned my sword, the Element of Protection, against the wall next to me as I crawled into my sleeping bag. It was only six or so in the evening, but I had some very early morning plans. I was going to hunt down a water dragon.

“Good morning Honored.” The calm voice said from directly above me.

“JESUS!” I stumbled backwards and collapsed across an old log. The XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle fell my grasp and landed in the grass and ferns near me. I looked up to see Princess Luna smiling innocently at me from atop a dark cloud. “Come on man. I nearly had a heart attack.” I sat up and reached over, untangling my weapon from the ferns it had fallen into. I stood back up and shouldered the rifle.

“Are you not happy to see me?” Luna asked as she hovered her cloud directly in front of me, blocking my view.

“No Luna. I’m just kind of preoccupied; that and the fact that you scared me to death.” I grunted out while trying to peer around her cloud.

“I have just been observing you for some time and seen you just sitting and standing in the one spot for almost two hours. What are you preoccupied with?” Luna asked, stepping lightly off the cloud and standing next to me staring at what I was looking at.

“Wait you’ve been watching me?” I looked away from the sniper scope and shrugged, “well I’ve been watching this cave hoping that it would be the home of the water dragon, but so far there has been no movement.” I sighed and adjusted the sights on the scope for the hundredth time in the last two hours. I was bored senseless.

“A water dragon?”

“Yup.” I said, training the crosshairs back onto the center of the cave. “And I’ll stay here as long as I have to.” I kicked a leg out and knocked my backpack over dumping the contents of it onto the ground. A few days’ worth of hydra steaks, precooked, tumbled out and covered the area around me. Luna sniffed one of them before making a gagging sound, sticking her tongue out to emphasize her dislike.

“I can see and smell that.” She said while looking back to the cave. “You do know that the only thing in that cave is a large, scary dragon and his massive horde.”

“Wait. What?” I said turning from the scope. “You mean that isn’t a water dragon?” I quickly reached under my chest armor and took out my notebook with Daring’s notes in it.

The water dragon should be the first dragon you see when following the river into the Everfree forest. He is said to not be violent unless provoked, but I’d keep my distance. Maybe try getting him hurt from a distance, or sad for a nonviolent approach, to get the tears.

“This is the first dragon I saw.” I said pointing to the cave and then handing the notebook to Luna. After following the river and saying a quick hello to Reginald, the first nonviolent creature I had meet in Equestria, I found this cave where the dragon was resting. The dragon was large, smaller than Galdishmessh… Galdismessshes… he was smaller than Gal, but still was pretty damn big compared too little ol’ awesome me. He had green scales covering the majority of his body, with a yellow green stomach and matching spines along his back and head.

“Honored. Water dragons live in water.” Luna said matter of factly, before tucking the notebook into the waistband of my pants. Danger close! I quickly jumped back, removing the notebook and grumbling to myself, before tucking it back into the inside pocket of the chest armor.

“So you’re telling me that a mean, scary and bad dragon lives in that cave.”

“Yes.”

“And he has a giant horde of gold and riches.”

“And I’m sure magical artifacts and weapons collected from over the ages.” Luna said while looking at me.

“And has he done anything to cause him to have ill feelings with the Equestrian government?” I was trying to hold back a sequel of excitement.

“Well one hundred years ago I believe he tried to attack a newly forming town. If what those old history tomes said are correct.” Luna stopped talking and then looked down at me, seeing the smile plastered to my face. “Honored. No.”

“Oh but yes.” I said, the smile not moving as I shouldered the sniper rifle and slowly began walking towards the cave.

“Honored. A dragon hasn’t been killed in over a century! And he isn’t provoking you anything!”

“But he’s got stuff I want and he may or may not have tried to destroy a town, making him bad. That’s enough for me!” I shouted back, the thought of having fun fighting an actual dragon and getting riches driving me on.

“Honored!” Luna screamed after me, then a bright flash appeared in front of me. I ran head first into the soft feathers of Luna’s side before falling back, suspened in Luna’s dark blue magical aurora. “This isn’t you!”

Luna held me above her as she gave me an angry glare. “Really? What’s happened to you?” She lowered me closer to her, so I was on her eye level. “Over the past few weeks you’ve become obsessed with this spell. And all the fighting? We, my sister, Twilight, and myself put you Ponyville so you could learn to solve problems without resorting to violence, and yet it seems every time we turn our back on you, you’ve run off on some dangerous journey risking your life for no reason other to just visit your home.”

I sighed and went limp in Luna’s magic. I gave a loud huff before hiding my face behind my hands. “I’m sorry.” I looked up, I could feel the tears I’ve been hiding for so long begin to break free. “I’ve been trying so hard to complete this spell, it’s going to allow me to see my family. See the world I left behind. My friends, my real non-pony family.” I cried out as I thought about the long near two years I’ve been gone. By now they all must think I’m dead and long gone.

“And I have nothing to lose here. What’s keeping me tied to this place? My only calling in this world was throwing myself into insane situations of danger to protect the innocent of this world. And I was removed from my job, sent to live in Ponyville because you three Princesses saw the monster I was. I am violent, it’s what I am; a human. Just wait until you see my world. My one calling in life, using that violence to protect you ponies is what kept me sane I guess. That and her, but she’s dead and I have no purpose. I guess the spell gave my life new meaning again.”

I finished my rant as tears fell from my cheeks and landed on the ground beneath me. I looked up to Luna and saw her looking back at me with tears beginning to brim on her eyes. “Honored…”

“No please it’s alright Luna,” I looked back to the cave, “I understand why you guys sent me away. I was a potential threat sitting in the castle. I was a ball of destructive energy just waiting to blow. And I know what you did with the last ball of energy that was just waiting to erupt. You sent it to Ponyville and it was tamed by a pegasus. Y’all thought the same thing could be done with me. But honestly, I don’t think I’ll be okay until I get closure on Earth. My Earth.”

“Johnson,” Luna placed a hoof under my chin and raised my head up so I was staring at her large blue eyes, “I don’t think you’re a monster. Maybe just a tad bit mentally unstable. But that makes you, you.”

I sniffed and wiped my gauntlet across my nose, “You mean it?”

“Yes. The sanest unstable human I know.”

“Thanks Luna. I don’t know if I could have taken on a huge dragon anyway.” I said waving off the cave.

“SHUT UP! THAT’S IT! WAKE ME UP FROM MY NAP. I’LL RIP YOU FROM LIMB TO LIMB!”

I spun around and watched as a massive green claw smashed through the mouth of the cave, crushing a cluster of trees instantly turning them into tooth picks that shot out in every direction.

I quickly tugged my sniper up to my shoulder from its sling and racked the bolt back and pushed it forward, the .300 Winchester magnum round fitting into the chamber. “Luna can I fight now?” I asked turning around and feeling my heart skip a beat.

The sound of a heavy metal bolt locking a 7.62 into a chamber filled my ears as I saw Luna standing in a battle stance, her legs spread apart, her head pointed down and a 240B heavy machine gun floating beside her in a dark blue magical aurora. “Only if I am allowed to help.” She said as her wings fanned out behind her and she gave me a wicked smile.

“I think I can allow it.” I nodded dashing forward towards the incoming enormous green dragon.

“Luna?” Princess Celestia walked into her sister’s room trying to find the younger sibling. “Luna dear, I was wondering if you would care to join me for dinner? But you’re not here and I’m still talking to myself.” Celestia said while poking around her room. Her sister always looked around her room, even if she had told her numerous times to not do it. Why can’t she do the same?

“Oh well since you’re not in here I guess I can look at your diary you think is well hidden.” Celestia said over her shoulder, just in case the alicorn was still around. But after a moment of nothing, Celestia smiled and walked over to the large bookcase next to the desk. She yawned and flicked a hoof out, knocking a book back and causing the shelf to flip around, leaving a small cut out behind the row of fake books. Celestia picked up the blue book with a crescent moon on it.

“Well since you’re not here I guess I’ll read it.” Celestia said before flopping out her sister’s bed and opening the diary towards the last page that was written on.

“Dear diary, I don’t know what to think about him anymore. It seems like he has changed as he works more and more on his project. I know I’m being very vague diary, but I once again suspect that sun butt is reading you when I’m not looking. So I’ll just say that I’ve seen him go into the Everfree and I shall follow after him to make sure he stays out of trouble.” Celestia put the diary down and slowly turned to look out the window. She walked over to it and drew the curtains back, revealing the late afternoon skyline.

Across the plains and rolling hills, was the small town of Ponyville and beyond it, the dark outline of the Everfree Forest. As Celestia stared at the ancient forest a giant gout of green flames exploded from the forest and then vanished.

“Oh sweet me.” She grumbled before sliding the diary back into the spot it was originally resting in. “I really hope that wasn’t who I think it was.”

The heavy spray of machine gun fire lanced across the dragon’s side scales, punching into and cracking the green armor, but ultimately failing to go deep enough to do any real damage. I tucked and rolled to the left again as more green flames ripped forth from the dragon’s mouth and destroyed more trees behind me. I got up and ran forward, the sniper rifle resting in my hands waiting to be used for a kill shot. I was within a hundred yards of the dragon before I stopped running and aimed at a spot directly beneath one if its wings were Luna’s bullets had cracked the scales. I quickly placed the cross hairs on the spot and squeezed the trigger.

BANG

The round traveled straight and true, impacting the cracked scale and causing a spurt of dark red blood to exploded from the dragon. It reared up and unleashed a gout of green flame into the air. I could feel the heat from that blast all the way from here. Damn that shit must be hot. The dragon dropped back to the ground where it stared at me and narrowed its eyes at me.

“Wrong move lizard.” I aimed again and fired the rifle, sending round right at one of his eyes. The dragon didn’t move in time as the round punched into his eye and sent the beast reeling backwards where he hit the side entrance to the cave. Blood and gore dripped from in between his claw as he clutched the side of his face. I quickly pressed on in my assault and ran towards the wounded dragon. I was within twenty yards of him when he opened his one good eye and saw me. He spun around and lashed out with his tail at me. I tried to dodge to the left, but it was too late. I brought the rifle up to my chest as the spikey tail caught me square in my chest. I flew through the air and smashed into a tree a good thirty yards away from the cave.

“Ouch.” I coughed out as I sat up from the cracked in half tree. I shook my head and looked down at my feet. “Aw man come on!” I bent down and picked up the sniper rifle. It had taken the worst of the dragon’s tail, but it was bent at a forty-five degree angle right at the center of it frame, rendering it useless. “Now its personal asshole.”

I tossed the rifle to the side and charged at the dragon that was preoccupied with firing flames at the alicorn that was swooping over it, shooting it with long bursts of machine gun fire. I yanked one of Glocks out of its holster on my back and reached over my head and grabbed my sword made of diamond. I quickly thought about dragons eating gems and sheathed it, instead opting for my lightning enchanted gold sword. I tucked and rolled to the side as the dragon’s green tail smashed into the ground next to me. I quickly reached over and grabbed onto one of the spikes as the dragon lifted his tail back into the air, me along with it. I let go and fell down onto the dragon’s back, lifting my sword up and planting it through his scales and holding on for dear life as he jumped up and tried to shake me lose. He turned and opened his mouth to blast me with fire but I lifted my Glock up and unloaded the entire magazine of .45acp rounds into his open maw.

The dragon jerked to the side as the bullets shredded his tongue and gums to bits. I holstered the empty pistol and then charged my magic up and launched the spell into the sword. I gripped onto the sword with my gauntlet even tighter as the dragon began to spasm and jerk as my magic amplified the enchantment of the sword and sent wave after wave of magic lightning through the dragon’s body. With one last jolt, the dragon toppled over, still jerking slightly as the last of my energy left his body. I pulled the sword out of his back and slid down the side of his belly before stopping next to him. Slow shallow breaths were coming from him. I sheathed the sword and pulled out the five foot long Element of Protection before walking up the dragon’s neck. I pulled my arm back, preparing to drive the sword through his neck, killing the dragon once and for all. But I stopped.

I’m not a monster. I turned and saw Luna behind me. She was smiling at me. I sighed and lowered the sword. I stuck my leg out and kicked the dragon in the side of the head. “Oi. Susie, get the fuck up.”

The dragon opened his one good eye and stared at me. I could see him visably shaking. “I wasn’t going to kill you.” I spat out at him. I kept the sword at my side, making sure he got a good look at the length of it. “But then you went and started attacking us, so I was forced to fight back. Now I’m not going to kill you. But you need to leave. Now. Get the fuck away from here, and don’t ever come back. Because I’m sure in the dragon world, if another dragon beats another, it gets its stuff. So get away from my cave!”
The green dragon got up faster than I could blink and quickly took to the sky, flying off faster than Rainbow Dash. I waited until he disappeared from my sight and then collapsed to my side, the pain form the three broken ribs I had finally coming through.

“Honored!” Luna yelled, quickly flying to my side. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?” She asked as she kneeled to my side.

“When I got hit by his tail.” I grunted. “He did some damage but I couldn’t appear weak to him, or else that little speech would have failed.” I grunted again as I felt something cold wrap around my chest, and remove my old camouflaged chest piece. Luna had my chest wrapped in her magic and was slowly pushing magic into my chest, the cool sensation of healing magic doing its work over me.

“Stupid human.” She mumbled before smiling at me. “And all this for whatever is in that cave.”

“Well actually this was for a water dragon tear, and you mentioned giant horde. And well that kind of set everything off.” I said with a big shit eating grin. Suddenly pressure was applied to my chest and recoiled in pain.

“Oops, my bad.” Luna said with a small smile before turning around walking off towards the cave, a little bounce in her step.
I slowly sat up and followed after her, laying my broken sniper rifle on the ground next to my chest armor.

“Wow.”

“You can say that again.”

A hoof was quickly shoved in my mouth. “Figure of speech.”

We both stood in front of the opening of the cave where mounds upon mounds of glinting gold bits and shimmering gems stretched out before us. I slowly walked forward until I was standing in front of the first mound. It towered over me, easily a thirty foot tall slope.

I fell forward, planting my face into the gold and gems. Rolling over, a spread my arms and legs out before closing them and opening them again. “Hey look Luna, money angels!”

Luna simply laughed at me as I rolled around in the treasure. I stood up and looked around. “I’m going to need some help getting this back to my house.”

“I think there is more treasure in here than you have room in your house.” Luna pointed out before trotting up a gold hill and then tossing a cloth bundle at me. “Besides, I thought you were just after weapons that might be in here.”

I unrolled the cloth to find myself staring at a painting of Princess Celestia and Luna that resembled the painting American Gothic, so I guess this was Equestrian Gothic. I shrugged before tossing it over my shoulder and sliding down the treasure hill I was resting on. I jumped onto another one before finding a weapons rack filled with gem covered spears that sparkled in the light. “Okay so these weapons are to fru-fruy to be used in combat, although I think I know how to use them.” I cracked a smile and began levitating some of the weapons I found along with me as Luna joined me as we walked back towards my home on the edge of the forest.

“Okay so can you just follow me? Please?” I was literally on my knees in front of Rarity, begging for her to leave her shop for just a few minutes. Well more like the rest of the day, but she didn’t like my offer of watching over the store for her while she was gone.

“I don’t know Honored. You won’t tell me why or what you will have me doing, and I can’t just close the shop down for a day. I could miss a lot of customers. With the Grand Galloping Gala only three months away, I have orders that –“

I quickly reached down into my pocket and took out a pouch filled to the brim with golden bits, fresh from my recently acquired cave. “So about your help?”

“Okay. But only for today.” Rarity said before taking the bits and tucking them under the counter. “I’m only doing this since you’re paying for me.”

“Of course Rarity. You can’t just give away your time for free all the time, a pony’s got to eat.” I smiled and waved her to follow me back towards my home on the other side of Ponyville. She remained silent as we walked, I gave warm nods to anypony we passed, but besides that, I made no acknowledgement of the pony following behind me.

“Honored are you going to tell me anything?” Rarity asked after we passed the market, a solid thirty minutes of silence.

“No.” I turned my head and smiled before stuffing my hands into my pockets and continuing to plod along towards my house. My house was finished. Well besides it being completely empty, it was just as I had imagined it. Perfect for a house nearly all built by hand… and hoof. And some magic. And pegasus wing power. Okay so I had a lot of help to get it done as quickly as it could have been.

We stopped in front of my house and I let out a long sigh and lifted my hand out of pocket, a single key dangling on a small chain. I held the key in front of me watching it swing before extending my arm and holding the key before Rarity’s face.

“Okay, you have a near unlimited budget, the first room on the bottom floor has a box of bits, it should be plenty, and also next to the box is a bunch of ornamental… things that I would like you to incorporate into the house. Also leave the basement alone.Those are my only rules. Go nuts.” I tossed the key to Rarity and began walking towards the Everfree Forest. I stopped at the tree line as I heard Rarity trotting up behind me.

“You mean, you’re turning over your house to me? To decorate?” Rarity said with wide eyes that were brimming with tears of joy.

I took a deep breath and swallowed, “Yes Rarity. I trust you completely.” I reached down and picked up my two swords, the Red Paw Pack Diamond Dog sword and my electric shock sword, Zappy, before slinging them both and stepping into the forest. I quickly stopped and stuck my head back out of the tree line, “And one last thing.”

Rarity cocked her head to the side at me.

“I swear to all that you hold dear, that if I find one lacy, pink, sparkly anything, I will utterly destroy everything you love.” I smiled before vanishing back into the forest.

“Have fun!” I called out towards the dumbstruck pony. “Now were to find that flamboyant water dragon.”

“I get to design the entire inside of the house?” Rarity turned from the dark forest to stare at the two story home behind her. Oh the possibilities! Rarity squealed in excitement as she ran into the house. She ran from room to room, planning out the possibilities that each room could hold. A rustic kitchen with a down to home feeling. Actually that rustic basic design might do wonders to the whole home. Honored was…

Well… there was no easy way to say it.

Honored was basic. Rarity thought as she looked into the first room. Sure enough a large box was filled to the brim with golden bits. Granted they were very old bits, but a bit is a bit. And sitting next to the bits was a weapons rack filled with spears, swords, shield, war hammers, and other gruesome weapons, but these ones were covered in gems and some of them seemed to be made of gold.

“I might be able to make this work.” Rarity cracked her neck and levitated her red work glasses to her face. “Let’s do this.”

“Reginald?” I called out as I walked along the edge of the river cutting through the Everfree Forest. “I just want to talk. Water dragon. You knew didn’t you?” I yelled. That bastard, I would bet all of my new fortune that he was just giggling to himself that I went all the way through this forest only to come right back to where I started.

“You slick suave fruit.” I mumbled as I kicked a rock into the river. I stopped and looked down. The rock that I kicked was originally resting a ring of other rocks. A camp fire circle. “Oh my god.” My words died in my throat as I stopped and dropped to my knees. I was staring at my camp site from when I first came to Equestria. The simple camp site next to the river. I looked over to the side and saw a dulled purple scale with two different indents carved into it. The mold I used to cast the original bullets I had used.

“How the fuck did that work anyway?” I asked picking up the improvised bullet mold.

“Yes how did it work out?” I turned to see Reginald resting against the riverbank with his chin in his hands. “Well judging that changelings failed, the shadows failed, and whatever else failed, ill assume that you came out victorious.” Reginald smiled at me before winking.

“You!” I shouted before running up to him, “You knew that you were the water dragon, didn’t you?”

“What?” Reginald leaned back, holding his hands over his chest, “What moi? A water dragon?” He laid a hand over his head and looked down to me in a dramatic fashion. “Oh if only I had the grace, the poise that those majestic creatures had.”

I gave him a deadpan stare.

“Oh wait, I am.” He laughed as he fell back into the water, sending water over the edge of the river and crashing down all over me, soaking my jeans and shirt causing them to stick to my body.

“Thanks. Reggie.” I grumbled out through clenched teeth. I quickly summoned magical fire into my left palm and threw the ball of flames at my feet, creating a quick vortex of pure magical fire energy that dried my clothes in a few seconds. “Listen Reginald you know why I’m here, so please just cry into the cup.” I lifted a cup up and wiggled it back and forth.

“And whats in it for me?” He asked, eyeing me up and down.

“Oh come on, you too?” I sighed and stomped my boots into the damp ground. “Come one, why can’t anyone just be like ‘oh what Honored? You need something? Sure since you know saved the day like eighty bajillion times, I guess I can do this one little thing for you. And you got sucked away from your own planet for two years and you just want to visit for three days so everyone there will stop thinking you’re dead. Sure I’ll give you this minuscule little thing.’ Why can’t it ever be like that?” I flopped backwards and panted up at the sky as a shadow slowly covered me up.

I lifted my head to see Reginald slowly clapping his hands at me. “I’ll say Honored, if you weren't a soldier or whatever you are now, that would have won you a Neigscar award. You would have beaten Ponard DiTrotio.”

I sniffed, “You mean it?”

“Sure, it’s not that hard to do.” He smiled and then looked down to me. “I hate to be a bit of a jerk, but I was going to give you some tears anyway, even without the whole… tantrum.” He gestured to me, and the filled cup resting by the edge of the river.

I coughed and tugged at my shirt. “Um yeah… please don’t tell anyone about that.” I quickly added, “Or anypony.”

“Sure, no problem. My gorgeous lips are sealed.” He motioned throwing away a key and smiled. “Although if only the cameras had been running.”

I walked over to the bank of the river and picked up the tears. One step closer to seeing my old home. I looked up to the sea serpent and smiled. “Reggie?”

“Yes Honored?”

“Thanks for being my first friend in this world. You showed me kindness when you could have just ignored me and left me to fend for myself out here.” I gestured behind myself towards the dark opposing forest where I had emerged. “If it hadn’t been for you I wouldn’t have been able to save this world from the evils that revealed itself. So in a way, your kindness is what really saved Equestria.” I reached out a hand placed it on the smooth scales of Reginald’s stomach. “Thanks Reginald.”

Reginald smiled and wiped away a single tear from his eye. He placed one large hand behind me and patted my back, “You’re welcome Johnson. I… I always try to be friendly and I’m glad to see that it paid off. This forest, my world can be dark and sometimes you have to be light to guide others through it.” I pulled back from the giant serpent. I smiled up at him before walking back towards the edge of the forest.

“Thanks again Reginald.” I waved good bye to the water dragon and began walking back to my house, but first I think I had something else to do.

“Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!” I squealed as I slid down another mountain of gold. I stopped at the bottom of the pile and began shoveling golden bits and gems into a large bag. Once it was filled, I hefted the massive sack of gold onto my shoulder and left the cave, headed straight for a bend in the river. It took a little longer than I would have liked, but then again I was carrying at least forty pounds of gold and other precious gems. I reached the river and looked around, no sign of Reggie anywhere. I grinned and then dumped the bag into the river.

Thousands of bits and gem splashed down into the river, sparkling the whole way down. I poured the entire bag out, making sure that every bit fell into the water. Hopefully Reginald liked sparkly money and gems.

“Aw Hell, who wouldn’t?” I laughed and began humming to myself as I walked out of the forest. I poured the cup of tears into a small glass vial and tucked it into my pocket. Pocket full of tears and a heart lifted thanks to Reginald. And having a huge cave filled with gold wasn’t a bad feeling either. Feeling like Smaug in this bitch.

I pulled out my notebook as I walked and crossed off my list I had made.

~~Magic reflector pool water~~
~~Water Dragon Tears~~
Blood from Ancients lost
~~Celestial Stone of Life~~
Scale of a Guardian
~~Alicorn Feather~~

“Okay so just two things left. The fuck is blood from ancients lost? And scale of a guardian?” I scratched my head and flipped the pages to find Daring Do’s notes.

Honored, I’m kind of confuse on this blood artifact. They are many things that are considered lost and ancient. Alicorns are ancient as are dragons. Humans like yourself are also lost and ancient but the possibilities for this are long. Many of the creatures around the world are ancient. I’m sorry but I can’t be much help here. But for the Scale of a Guardian, I think I can help you.

The legend of the Guardians. You’re a Guardian now you know that right? Well judging by that look on your face you have after reading that will assume you didn’t know that. The ancient guardians were the creatures that used the Elements of Sanctuary or protected them. Now you get it. So you must find the Guardian that has scales. Good luck with that.

“So a guardian of the Elements of Sanctuary that has scales?” I thought aloud while tucking the notebook away. “None of the current holders have scales. So it has to be a previous one, but who is still alive or where can I find…” I stopped talking and looked to the west, through the thick forest.

“Gal.”

“You want to what?” Twilight placed her book down and looked to me.

“I want to try using your hot air balloon thing please. I want to go for a nice flight to try and calm my nerves.” I lied through my teeth at my friend. Oh man this was going against everything I believed in, but I’ll be damned if I get stopped from completing this spell just because Twilight is scarred I might rip apart the fabric of the universe.

“And why would you be feeling so stressed?” Twilight narrowed her eyes at me. “You shouldn’t be doing anything that strenuous.”

I gave her a deadpan stare, “I just gave Rarity free reign to design and decorate the interior of my house.”

“I want it back by night fall.” Twilight said, tossing me a set of keys before turning back to her book.

“Awesome.” I grinned mischievously and sprinted form the library to her backyard where the balloon should be.

Well that’s a hot air balloon, I think. I was staring at a pink basket attached to a shit load of rope and a huge bundle of cloth that was squashed on the ground next to it. “So how does this work?”

I stepped into the basket and looked around. “Um balloon activate. Start? Begin tutorial?”

“Perhaps one should put the keys into the burner and start that first.”

I jumped and smacked my head against the metal bars holding up a large lamp looking thing. The burner I guess. “Ouch…Luna?” I rubbed my head saw the Princess of the Night approaching me. She gave a warm smile before stopping next to the basket.

“The one and only.” She nodded to me, “So what are you doing in Princess Sparkle’s hot air balloon?”

“I’m going…” I quickly scanned the area to make sure that studious princess was nowhere to be seen, “I’m going to visit the Ancient Guardian Gal.”

“Oh you mean Galdishmessh?” She said, saying his name perfectly.

“How’d you say his name like that? I thought only forked tongues could pronounce that.” I said staring in awe at the Princess.

“Well normally you’d be right, but I happen to be very good with mine.” She smiled innocently before poking the basket with her hoof, “So can I come with you?”

“No.”

“But I gave you a feather.”

"Yes, but the exchange for that was you get to come to earth with me, not ride in the hot air balloon.” I stated before sticking the key into the burner and turning it. A flame leapt up and began inflating the pile of cloth on the ground with hot air. Slowly the shape of the balloon began to form.

“But…but…” Luna was staring at me with large eyes as she stuck out her bottom lip in an attempt at a pout.

“Nope. Sorry your highness, that won’t work.” I crossed my arms and she ‘hmmfphed’.

“Fine I didn’t want to ride on your balloon anyway.” She pouted even harder and sat back on her haunches as the balloon lifted off the ground as it continued to fill with hot air. I waited in the awkward silence as the balloon continued to lift off the ground and soon the basket was rising off the ground as well, trying to float up into the afternoon sky. It began its ascent but suddenly it jerked to a stop.

“What the?” I looked down to see that the balloon was tethered down by a thick rope. Luna was sitting right next to it and looked at it and then up to me. A smile slowly began to creep onto her face. “Luna could you please untie that for me?” I asked but I had a feeling I knew what the answer-

“No.”

I sighed and slumped down into the basket. “Fine.” I grumbled to myself from the bottom of the basket. “If I let you come will you untie it?”

“Yes.”

“Oh my God.” I slapped a hand to my face and sighed before bouncing up and down rapidly, causing the basket to rock back in forth. “Fine you can come.”

The balloon began to rise into the air as Luna then glided into the basket. She sat next to me and folded her wings up. We sat there as the balloon began its journey over the Everfree forest.

“Soooo…” Luna said rubbing a hoof across her chest. “Why are we going to see Galdishmessh?”

“Okay stop pronouncing his name right. Its… weird.” I said while adjusting the flame in the burner. “And I have to get one of his scales to complete the spell rune. Well that and some blood from an ancient lost.”

“An ancient lost?” Luna asked looking at me from across the basket, “Well do you know what that is?”

“No,” I said taking out my notebook and reading over Daring Do’s notes again, “And Daring Do didn’t seem to be able to help me anyway.” I lightly tossed to notebook to Luna before taking my backpack off and sticking my hand into it and digging around for something. I pulled out a bundle of cloth. I unwrapped the cloth and took a bite out of the hydra stake I brought with me. I watched as Luna’s nose scrunched up and she looked up from the notebook. She sniffed the air and then looked over to me.

“Really?” She asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

“Want some?” I asked holding the meat out to her. I smiled and waved the cooked meat in front of her.

“No.” She turned away and made a gagging noise.

“If you don’t like the smell you could always leave and not have to come with me.” I pointed out before biting off some more meat. Damn this stuff is good. I’ll have to pull some more out of my freezer and try making some jerky covered in spices. Oh I’ll try that when I get back. And maybe frying some up with eggs that would be good.

“Oh you’re not getting rid of me that easily Honored. If think that some meat will scare me off, then you’ve got another thing coming. I’ve seen lots of meat and I shan’t be intimidated by it.” Luna stated as I tried to hold back a wave of laughter.

“So meat doesn’t scary you? You like meat?” I snickered as she just stared at me.

“No meat doesn’t scare me I just don’t like meat being waved in my… oh you are the most immature soldier we have.” She blushed red before looking away from me. Silently fuming at my clever wittiness that has once again beaten her.

I stood up and looked over the side of the basket to see the Everfree forest passing along underneath us. I smiled and realized I was so close to completing the spell. Then it would just be a quick casting of the spell and then, wham bam, I’d be visiting Earth. My Earth.

Oh man what if things have changed? What if two years here is like sixty there? What if everyone was dead from some nuclear war and zombies covered the Earth? What if I got captured by the CIA and was experimented on because of the magic I could do? OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD I couldn’t go back. Too much has changed I’ll be a freak, I’ll be hunted or shot or stabbed or –

SMACK

I reached up and felt the side of my face. Luna was smiling at me. “Sorry but you had this look on your face that said ‘slap the ever living magic’ out of me.”

I rubbed my cheek before nodding and taking a deep breath. “Thanks Luna I guess I needed that.” I took the notebook from Luna and read over the notes on blood of Ancient lost. Well to be an ancient lost, the blood would have to come from a species that was ancient and lost.

“Okay Luna you're old right?”

“Wow you really know how to flatter a lady.”

“Shut up not like that.” I pinched the bridge of the nose. Is this how I always acted? “But in your knowledge, what species are extinct and ancient?”

“Well I mean till you came along, Humans and the… well now that I think about it that was the only species that has ever been extinct on this planet. There are a few that are near extinct, or it seemed like they were.” Luna placed a hoof to her chin and leaned against the railing of the basket before peering out over the vast forest beneath us.

“What was that?”

“Well alicorns, but with Twilight that makes four of us, so that’s more than there was. But you’re still the only human. Bat ponies were thought to be extinct, but upon my return they reemerged.” She gave a long pause before turning towards me, “So unless more humans have appeared in Equestria, then you are the only ancient lost species that I know of.”

“Then that’s another artifact found,” I said while taking out my notebook and crossing off another item. Last but not least was the scale from Gal. I wonder what I would have to trade for that.

“Wait. You can’t be serious.” I stood in front of the massive orange and gold dragon outside of his mountain on the ledge overlooking the vast expense of forest and rolling hills.

“Oh but I am human.” Gal’s voice was deep and calm as he spoke. He had his head resting on the floor of the cave so that he was on eye level with me. “I am serious.”

“But you just want to give me one. No bargaining? No trade? You don’t want a favor?” I was dumbstruck. This dragon had simply reached behind his wing and plucked am orange scale off his back with his teeth and then held it out to me.

“What do you have that I could want?” Gal said, giving me a toothy grin. “You brought a balance back to this world, something that goes beyond any type of worldly value.” He then looked over to Luna and nodded, “You even brought an old friend to visit a lonely dragon. And friendship is a gift all its own.”

“Again it is wonderful to see you Galdishmessh.” I shuddered at her perfect pronunciation of his name and sat back against the wall behind the ledge to look at the landscape. I’d give the two older beings a time to catch up.

“It is indeed a most pleasant meeting. I was surprised to see you with the human. A dragon had stopped by not but a few days ago and told of being removed from his cave and horde by a human and a dark colored alicorn. I should have known you to would have been together.” Gal said while turning to look at me. I nodded and continued to doodle in my notebook.

“Oh yes we worked together on that one. I more of stopped him from killing the dragon.” Luna said smiling at me.

“Good. Just like any rouge animal, it can be tamed.”

“Hey!” I looked up from my doodle of a city getting hit by a massive bomb. “I’m right here you know.”

“I am aware.” Gal said while chuckling deeply and breathing out a puff of smoke. “I’m glad you have found a ‘friend’ Luna.” He said with a wink.

“Yes me too Galdishmessh,” Luna sighed and looked to the dimming sky line, “Me too.”

“So human,” Gal turned to me and lightly tapped my chest with one of his huge talons, “What do you plan on doing in your short journey home?”

“Well I want to see my family. You know show them that I didn’t die in some freak accident. And to see how the world has changed, and if time allows, show off my powers to the world. Shake things up a bit.” I smiled and thought briefly about performing a one night magic show; with real fucking magic.

“Well just be careful. You know this to be your last time visiting, don’t leave on a bad note.” Gal said while picking me up in between his two talons, so that I was facing him suspended in midair. “You can be a bit reckless.”

“A bit?” Luna asked.

“Okay so a lot.” Gal said laughing before lightly putting me down next to Luna, “But I have a feeling that you are going to have a good guardian while you are there.

“Oh yeah. That.” I sighed and looked to Luna. “Yeah so I have to bring her since she gave me one of her feathers.”

“Is that so Princess?” Gal raised a large scaly eyebrow at her. “A Princess so willing to give away a feather?”

“Yea she really wants to go.” I said looking towards the setting sun. “I’m sorry to have to leave so soon Gal, but I told Twilight I would bring the balloon back by nightfall, and I kind of don’t want to piss off another alicorn.”

“Another?” Luna asked turning towards me, “Who else is mad?”

“You.” I smiled and looked at Gal. “Fus?”

“Fus.” He laughed again, causing smoke to curl around his fangs and out of his mouth. He turned to Luna, “I’m sorry your highness.”

“What?”

“Fus Ro Dah.” He spoke calmly as Luna was propelled by his voice down the slide that was the tunnel we walked up to get to Gal. Gal and myself exploded into laughter as Luna’s screams vanished down the tunnel after her. I walked over to the edge of the tunnel and looked back to Gal.

“One for old time’s sake?” I asked.

“Sure, why not human.”

I gave a thumbs up to Gal as he whispered the three magic words that sent my shooting down the tunnel.

“Im not talking to you.”

“That’s fine.” I shrugged my shoulders and laid my head back against the basket as the hot air balloon began its journey back to Pomyville. How it got there without following any type of air current was beyond me. Like magic I guess. Twilight probably enchanted it to go wherever the rider wanted.

“So now what?” Luna asked me from across the basket.

“Oh I’m sorry, I thought you weren’t talking to me.” I smirked as Luna simply huffed at me. “Fine, stop your pouting. I guess tomorrow I’ll plant the magical artifacts, add some of my blood and then, well hope for the best.”

“You know once you return to Earth, your Earth, everything will be different. You were right to some degree. Two years here could be ten there.” Luna said softly, obviously trying to not scare me.

“I know.” I covered my face with my hands and then just stared at my metal gauntlet covering my left forearm and hand. The blood red diamond in the center of my palm glowed with the magical light of my eternal source of magic. “I’ve always had this feeling. I didn’t want it to change. But… But no matter how badly you want something. Even if you try with your whole being, things will change and there is nothing that one can do about it. Time will move on and the people, the ponies, will move on with or without you. The best thing to do is live with the circumstances around you and try to improve with them, not curse them and wallow in the fact that change is happening.” I looked up to Luna who was staring at me with her mouth slightly agape.

“Honored that was… wow. I sometimes forget how wise you can be should you want to be.”

“Thanks. I think I heard that one from a movie.” I gave a small smile.
Luna said nothing, but she shuffled around so she was sitting next to me in the hot air balloon. She gently laid a wing across my back, “Don’t worry Johnson, after tomorrow everything will be better. You’ll get the closure you’ve been needing.”

“I hope so Luna.” I closed my eyes and balled my fists together. “Because if I don’t get it, then I’ll get something out of it.”

The morning sun rose into the sky. But I was already awake as it climbed over the Everfree forest. I quickly made the final arrangements to my home. Rarity would have flipped if she saw what I did. Now I didn’t change much, but just a little. I added a few more decorative weapons here and there, but honestly Rarity got it spot on.

Mainly all the furniture and cabinets, was done with wood, dark woods, keeping with the simplistic style I had in the entire house. She added greens, browns, and dark colors to the walls and curtains, and she had even added rugs to most of the rooms. Most of the rugs were covered in different dark shaded patterns that drew each room together. She made each bedroom different, mine being the biggest and having a beautiful bed with a canopy over it. Something I thought I wasn’t going to like, but when the curtains closed around it, it somehow projected the night’s sky onto the inside of it. I’d have to give Rarity props for that one, it was breath taking.

I was happy with her work. I looked across my bedroom at a mannequin set up that was wearing my armor. My old ACUs from Earth were the base to the outfit while my very worn chest armor was on top of that. Next was the arm and leg golden armor pieces crafted by the Equestiran Guard. I had most of the pieces fixed and hammered out to get rid of the dents and scratches that had accumulated over their surfaces from the fights they had been in. The cutie mark crusader patch on the left shoulder was re-painted so it shined with a dull sparkle. My chest rig was filled with magazines for my M16A2 and the shoulder holster that held my Beretta-turned-magic-pistol was under the dummy’s arm. On the back of the belt was the double holster that held both Glocks, with their silencers attached. On the same belt was Bad Bertha, the large Bowie knife and next to that were a few simple throwing knives I had collected from my new horde.

I had the Element of Protection strapped to the mannequin’s back as that would be my magical amplifier for the spell casting in a few short hours. And the final thing on the mannequin was the iconic symbol I wore. The golden helmet with the green feather plume. I had no repairs made to it. Some of the feathers were burnt off or sliced away, and the golden helmet was covered in numerous dents and scratches, but it was my helmet and it had been through the shit with me.

I rechecked the satchel I had looped over my neck, insuring that the magical artifacts were still in it. All accounted for. The only thing that wasn’t in the canvas sack, was the blood from a human, but I knew where to find that. I sighed and sat down on the large brown sofa Rarity had purchased. I kicked my feet up onto the coffee table, something Rarity would be very pissed about, and laid my head back. I’ll try and get at least a few hours of sleep before the afternoon. Then Luna would get here, and then… well then I’d go home.

The dark shadow creature slowly emerged from the cluster of trees near the newly finished house. He watched with piercing red eyes as the human within the home nodded off to sleep for a quick nap.

“What are you doing Honored?” Covert wondered aloud as he watched his friend. He had spent nearly two weeks gathering the artifacts and yet now he was just waiting to use them. Strange. He usually isn’t so reserved about things. And the feather from Luna?

How stupid was this guy.

Covert rolled his eyes and just continued to watch the human. If he thought he could slip away from his shadow, then he was wrong.

Its Just a, Hop, Skip, and a Portal Jump

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On My Honor

Its Just a, Hop, Skip, and a Portal Jump

By: Honored Service

Edited by: CommanderWolffe

“Okay so let’s go over this one more time.” I said pacing around my living room. Luna was laying on my couch, rolling her eyes at me.

“Sure thing Twilight.” She snickered into her hoof before coughing to clear her throat, “I’m taking you to the Griffon kingdom to try and smooth things over. You are going to be staying, with me, for a few days while we work our political magic on the new King and his court there.”

“Good. And why are you taking the most politically challenged member of the Guard with you?” I asked, trying to prepare Luna for whatever questions her sister might ask you. She only had to tell Celestia, while I had to tell nearly the entire town of Ponyville. I didn’t realize how many ponies I actually interacted with on the daily basis.

“Because you won’t be doing the talking and I need someone capable of protecting my back in case things go wrong. And because your apology will be good.”

“ERRRRR.” I made a buzzing noise before sticking my index finger at Luna, “And just like that your sister has us busted. Why in the world would Johnson be apologizing? He believes that he did nothing wrong in trying to escape the kingdom and kill not one but two kings and one of their brothers. Not to mention unleashing chaos on the kingdom capital by freeing a prison. But he isn’t sorry.”

“Alright.” Luna was silent for a moment as she thought to herself. “Then I’m bringing the Human Equestrian Honor Guard to act as my guard and in case things get hostile he wanted to be there to release some stress.” Luna said looking at me.

“Bingo.” I smiled and gave her a thumbs up. “That’s much more believable. Now you go get things settled with Celestia while I get my equipment ready. And please try to hurry Princess.” Luna nodded before vanishing into a flash of light. Once the light from her magic died down I was left staring at my slightly burnt couch.

“Oh that’s just great. Not even a week old and you go getting magic all over it. That was a nice cushion too.” I began to fume silently while grabbing a sheet of parchment and a quill. I sat down and began writing the sign for my door as to not cause anypony alarm as to why I was gone.

Dear Friends,

I, Johnson or Honored Service, am gone for a few days to do stuff. And things. Please do not come looking for me as I don’t want to get in trouble by a certain sun picker-upper.

Thank you,

Johnson

P.S. Because I know that you, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy will still come looking for me even though I have asked you not to I will just tell you on the grounds of fuck it. I have recreated the magical portal that I attempted nearly seven weeks ago, except it works. I have had expert help and will return in three days, so please, please, please, pretty please don’t let anything happen to my house, and by that I mean don’t let Pinkie Pie in there by herself.

P.S.S. If I don’t return in three days, then I royally screwed up and now am possibly lost in an alternate universe/world. In that case, tell Celestia and send help.

Thanks, Johnson

P.S.S.S. Luna is coming too.

Satisfied with that I rolled the scroll up and popped it into a golden scroll holder. “Now how to make sure they get this after I leave…” I gave a sly smile and walked into my den and opened a box filled with shiny gems. “Perfect.”

“Sister I am leaving on the goodwill mission to the Griffon kingdom.” Luna said as she walked into her sister’s study where Celestia was reading over a new bill.

“Really?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes.” Luna smiled and quickly looked around the room, avoiding eye contact with her sister.

“The Griffon Kingdom,” she then pointed at Luna, “dressed like that?”

Luna looked down to her explorer’s outfit. Jungle explorer shirt covering her forelegs and chest with a large dark green belt loaded down with canteens and a machete. Resting on her head was dark tan pith helmet with a compass tucked into its band. And floating next to Luna was the terrifying weapon the human had given her. Celestia though it was called a M240 Bravado, but she really hadn’t been listening to Luna when she rattled off all the information to the weapon.

“Well I mean it is a long ways away.” Luna said as sweat began to break out under the pitch helmet.

“You usually fly airship.” Celestia narrowed her eyes at her sister and stood up from her desk. “You better not be doing what I think you are.”

“Well…ummm…I” Luna sputtered out as Celestia walked closer.

“You had better not be traveling on hoof with that crazy human, I know it sounds fun, but a long stretch of that journey is through the Badlands and that’s not even including the pirates that roam the ocean.”

Luna let out a deep breath before smiling. “Well we had been planning on it, but I guess that is a bit much for a roaming diplomatic party. I’ll let Honored know we are taking the royal airship then. Oh dear is he going to be grumpy that entire trip.” Luna said while slowly backing out of the room.

“I’d imagine so. You know how he hates boredom. I can’t even believe everything he’s done while in Ponyville. I mean first off that ludicrous spell. That was insane, maybe if Twilight, you, and I had been there he could have opened it to the other side of the planet, but another universe and planet? Insane I tell you. And then the hydra incident.”

Luna had backed out of the room and slowly shut the door, silencing her sister’s rant. Luna wiped a hoof across her forehead and smiled. She had bought it. She was in the clear, now all she had to do was head to Honored’s home and then cast the spell. Then she would see another planet! She would have to take intensive notes for Twilight. It would make Equestrian history.

“Oh Spikeeeee.” I called out softly into the library from the second story window. I could see the dragon standing on a step ladder across the room from me, but he couldn’t seem to hear me. And having Twilight one room over was making it hard to yell louder.

“Spikeeeee.” I hissed again, trying to make a little louder of a whisper. “Oh for the love of…” I quickly aimed my gauntlet at the step stool he was standing on and jerked it backwards, sending Spike crashing to the ground from his short fall.

“Spike be careful in there.” Twilight called out from the other room. I snickered and then watched as Spike got up and looked at me with an angry expression. I quickly held up the small box overflowing with gems. He quickly smiled and looked over his shoulder before running over to the window where I was watching.

“What’s u-mhmmhmh.” I quickly shoved my hand over his mouth before he could give away my position to the studious and fun killing alicorn in the next room.

“Just listen to me, and these will all be yours.” I shook the box a little so he could see all the gems sparkling inside of it. He nodded his head rapidly and I released his mouth. “Good. Now I’m going to give you a scroll, but no matter what you can’t give it to Twilight until after lunch. And by that I mean at least after one. No sooner. Do you understand?”

Spike nodded and then gave me a salute. “Okay then here’s the scroll Spike. Keep it hidden. And remember, not till after one.”
He nodded again and took the scroll, sticking it into… his side scale pockets? Damn that’s cool. I reached down and handed him the box. His eyes went wide as he stared at the mouth watering gems held between his hands. “Remember, top fucking secret Spike.” I nodded and then back flipped off the second story ledge and landed on my feet. I gave Spike a two fingered salute and then took off running along the street until I found a suitable spot where I could leap up onto the thatched roofs and running across Ponyville along the rooftops, avoiding the congestion of mid-morning rush.

I reached my house and found the door slightly ajar. I pushed it open and found Luna with her head stuck into my fridge. “Um can I help you?”

Luna’s head shot up, banging into one of the shelves in the fridge. “Shoot.” She said while pulling her head back, a carrot still in her mouth.

I keeled over laughing at the blushing alicorn. “Oh shut up,” She said while walking over to me and prodding me in my side, “come on, don’t you have to get your armor on.”

I sat up wiping a tear from my eye and nodding. “Yeah, I’ll head upstairs and get it on. I’ll be done in a minute, so please keep yourself out of my fridge.” Her new blush got me laughing again as I walked up the stairs. In my room I stripped down to my undershirt and a pair of briefs before pulling on my old military uniform. Then went on the chest armor and chest rig containing all the ammo for my rifle I would bring. Next I loaded up my shoulder holster with the Berretta. My belt with .45acp magazines for my silenced Glocks and the sheath holding Bad Bertha clipped on under the rig and chest armor. I clipped on my golden armor pieces on my biceps and legs before giving myself a once over in the mirror. I shook my head before slinging the five foot long Element of Protection sword across my back. “Almost there.” I said before grabbing my helmet and sticking it over my red and yellow streaked brown hair. I put on a small backpack with a few items in it as well. Finally I shouldered my rifle and smiled at the mirror. “Show time!”

“About time.” Luna said from her place on the couch. I took time to notice she was sitting on the opposite end from the burnt mark where she teleported from this morning.

“And you got to fix that.” I pointed at the black spot.

“Meh.” Luna shrugged her wings. “So we leaveing?”

“Yes, we’re going to head over the clearing and place the items and then cast the spell. I’ll start my watch just before we enter it, to keep us timed on how long we have till we get sent back here.”

“Okay then. I’ll meet you at the clearing.” Luna said giving me a wicked smile.

“No wait don’t do-“

FLASH

“-that.” I was left staring at another burnt magical spot on the other end of the couch. “Son of a bitch.” I groaned and grabbed my satchel carrying the magical artifacts. I closed the door to my house and locked the door before jogging off towards the edge of the Everfree.

“Sergeant Stand Bold,” Celestia was walking through the Royal Guard section of the castle when she spotted the pegasus, “may I interrupt your lesson for a moment?”

“Of course your highness.” He turned to the group of recruits he was teaching and began barking orders. “While I discuss matters with the royal princess, look over the manuals provided on the engine and drivers for the propulsion of the airships. Get to it lads!” Stand Bold trotted over to the princess before bowing, “what can I do for ya’ Princess Celestia?”

“Well it would seem that my sister is taking one of the airships to the Griffon kingdom for a few days and was wondering if it would be possible for you to be the captain of the airship they take. I would rather them take the Fast Skies as she is equipped for a fight should things go wrong.” Celestia said turning to look at the mentioned airship. It had a large red balloon providing it lift and under it was the actual gondola. It used to be attached by ropes to the balloon, but had long since been improved by having the gondola built into the balloon, giving it a sleeker and more deadly look. Well that and the twenty cannons on port and starboard sides and ten bow chase cannons and ten stern cannons.

“I would be happy to your majesty, but,” Stand Bold looked around at all the docked airships in the large stone bunker under the castle, “the flight roaster dosent show any of these ships leaving for almost a week.”

Celestia stood there staring at the guard before having her left eye twitch. “Thank you Sergeant. If you’ll excuse me, I have to send an alicorn and a human to the moon.”

“A honeymoon what?” Stand Bold said before shrugging his shoulders and watch the princess walk away. “And why the bucking Tartarus are you not reading that manual Dark Cloud?” Sergeant Stand Bold turned and started yelling at the recruits.

“Okay now if you’ll please put this vial of tears on that point there.” I gestured to the farthest point of the six pointed star. Luna picked up the vial and gently set it down on the tip of the point carved into the ground. “Great.”

I placed the last item of the satchel, Luna’s feather into its spot on the rune before stepping over onto the tip of the star that was to have the blood of an ancient lost in it. I could gut myself with my super sharp knife…or

“Jeeze Luna, is it going to be a full moon tonight or are just getting rounder?” I asked giving Luna huge grin.

“WHAT!?” She quickly turned to me and I could literally see steam coming from her ears.

“Oh I guess not, the moon is probably smaller.”

“YOURE GOING TO DIE!” Luna leapt at me from across the rune with one hoof outstretched.

“Why did I think this was a good idea?” I asked myself as her hoof made contact with my face.

CRACK

I saw stars, and a moon, as I swayed back and forth. Luna brought her hoof up for another hit, but I quickly held a hand up and caught her incoming hoof and pointed down with my free hand. A steady trickle of red blood was flowing form my completely broken nose and landing onto the rune it was supposed to go on.

“Thanks Luna.” I smiled and placed my hand on my nose before snapping it back into place. “I didn’t really want to cut myself.” I smiled, “And I kind of wanted to see how quickly I could make you mad.” I chuckled as the blood stopped flowing from my nose.

“Wait, speaking of the moon, how is Celestia going to know she has to raise and lower it while you’re gone?”
Luna began to shuffle her hooves against the ground before looking up to me with a wavering smile, “Honored, do you really think that Celestia, my sister, is going to be fooled that easily?”

“Shit.” My eyes grew big as I quickly ripped open the scroll and began to read the spell while charging my magic into my gauntlet. Luna ran beside me and also began to channel her magic into her horn. My blood red magic began to glow brightly as Luna’s dark blue magic shimmered equally as bright beside me.

“To travel back to any plane,
One must be utterly insane.
Casting the spell to rip and tear,
Sending to another sphere.
Just focus on the spot,
And ready the thought.
Long for day thrice,
And pay the price.
Speak the place now,
And space will allow.”

At the center of the rune, a white line appeared stretching from six feet in the air to the ground. Random bolts of raw magical energy began lashing out across the clearing from the line as it slowly began to open into a portal. It began to hold a circular shape with a white outline and the inside was filled with black swirling energy. More and more of the bolts lashed out from the portal striking everywhere until one of them hit the alicorn feather. Upon impacting the feather the magical bolt stayed locked to the feather creating a line of energy connecting the portal to the rune. Soon all the magical artifacts had single bolt of pure white energy going from the portal to the point on the rune.

“Wow.” Luna said as her magic slowly died down and the portal became self-sustaining, feeding form the magical artifacts. “It worked.”

“Not yet.” I said, reaching out and holding Luna back. “One more thing.”

“STOP!”

We both turned as Princess Celestia came hurtling towards us from the sky. And she looked pissed. I gulped and looked to the portal. The swirling darkness was waiting for the destination.

“Home.” I whispered. Red bolts of energy leapt from my gauntlet and hit the portal, turning the black center into a deep red pool of churning energy.

“Luna this is it. I’m going in. You can either stay here and explain where I’ve gone, or you can come with me like you wanted.” I reached out my hand to Luna. She looked at me and then towards her sister who was fast approaching the clearing. She looked down at herself and then nodded. She placed her hoof into my hand and then turned to face Celestia who was just above the clearing.

“Sister I’ll be back in three days! Take care of the moon!”

“I’ll keep her safe!” I yelled up to Celestia before giving her a salute and turning back to the portal. I pulled Luna forward and then I jumped into the magic, tugging Luna along with me. We passed through the turning red magic, it washing over us like a warm rain before tumbling through a tunnel of swirling colors and shapes of different sizes.

Luna pulled me towards her until she had both her forehooves locked around my chest in a death grip bear hug. We continued to tumble through the portal towards and immensely bright light that was fast approaching us from somewhere below us. Or above us.

We were simply just going towards the light.

We passed through the light and landed hard onto the ground. Everything was still blinded from the light we had passed through. I ran my hands around the spot I had landed and felt grass. Soft grass and then something hot and hard. My vision was slowly coming back, but my hearing came back first.

HONK

I quickly scooted backwards across the grass and bumped into something. That something quickly grunted and pushed me off of it.

“Watch it Honored!” Luna’s voice called out. “Can you see?”

“It’s starting to come back.” I reassured her, rubbing my eyes again. Even though my eyesight was blurred, I could begin to see.

Cars.

“CARS!” I shouted in delight. “Cars Luna! I see cars!” I watched as cars zipped past me on a large highway, or more likely an interstate. Big trucks roared by as my eyesight began to get better and better, more details coming into focus. I looked up to see a large green sign near me showing the exit ramp. “Luna my home. We… it worked… we’re here.”

“That’s great but-“

Luna suddenly went silent and then I heard a scream that blocked out the sound of the cars rushing by on the interstate. I spun around and stood up and stopped.

Where Luna should have been was a woman. A dark haired woman who was just barely covered up by the large dark tan explorer’s shirt that was covering her pale body. A large pitch helmet was obscuring most of her face as she looked down at her long slender fingers. “Luna?” I asked to the woman, taking a tentative step towards her.

“Honored what happened?” She spoke looking up at me. The pitch helmet fell backwards reveling her bright teal eyes, which at the moment, were showing a lot of fear.

“Luna it’s alright. You’re fine, just human at the moment.”

“WHAT!?” Luna yelled at me, causing me to cover my ears. It would seem that crossing universe didn’t stop her from having the Royal Canterlot Voice.

“Okay ouch, don’t yell like that, you might draw attention to ourselves-“

WOO WOO

I felt all my muscles clench as the high pitched signal of a patrol car sounded out behind me. I turned to see a local police car had stopped along the side of the road near the spot we had appeared in. Well the spot we were still at. Shit.

“Sir please turn around and HOLY SHIT!” The officer had been calmly approaching us, well as calmly as one would approach a man wearing gold armor and a half naked woman, when I turned around, reviling the rifle in my hands, pistol under my shoulder and the knives across my belts. “Dispatch this is car sixty-one. The flash on exit eleven bravo was two suspects, one heavily armed.” The officer spoke into the radio on his shoulder while backing up to his police cruiser.

“Wait!” I called out and took a step towards the man. No sooner had I moved, he drew his pistol and aimed square at my chest.

“Sir stay where you are and drop your weapon.” He said to me, keeping the gun trained at me. Shit I had forgotten what is was like to have a real weapon pointed at me. “Dispatch, send backup to last position. Out.”

“Please officer, this is a misunderstanding.” I raised my metal gauntleted hand up, keeping the rifle in my right hand pointed at the ground.

“SIR DROP THE RIFLE AND REMOVE THE METAL FIST THING FROM YOUR HAND!” The cop was now behind the side of his car and was ducking down, still keeping the pitol on me, but this time the hammer was locked back and the safety was off. I could see sweat beginning to break out on his forehead.

Behind the police cruiser, a few other cars had stopped as another police car pulled along horizontally on the interstate, blocking off two lanes of traffic. Shit I was making a scene. This was bad. Real bad. I suddenly felt something tug on the back of my leg. I looked down and back and saw Luna looking up at me with a terrified look on her face.

“Honored what’s happening?” Her voice was shaky as her eyes darted from me to the growing number of officers across from me behind the cop car. Now there were two pistols trained on me and one shotgun.

“Okay Luna,” I quickly scanned the area behind me before looking back to the cops. It would take at least twenty seconds for them to get back in their cars, turn them on, and the pursue me, and by that time we would be long gone, “Luna you need to hang on and then get ready to run.” I gritted my teeth and slowly began to try and channel magic into my gauntlet. If her Royal Canterlot Voice still worked, then my magic might too.

A chiming filled the air as a blood red aurora began to glow around my left palm. I smiled and looked to Luna, “Hang on, we are getting out of here, then we can talk.”

“PUT YOUR WEAPONS DOWN AN STEP AWAY-“

FLASH

I launched the short range teleportation spell and we vanished in loud bang and a flash of light. Now it was a short range spell so we only ended up on the other side of the interstate, in a small patch of trees. Beyond that was the exit ramp which lead down to the roads that crisscrossed my home city. We could short range jump in between buildings and homes until we could reach my house. Hopefully we could lose the police before getting there.

“Okay run with me Luna!” I shouted before sprinting towards the first building, a huge shopping center.

“Honored!” Luna screamed as I turned and watched her stumble on her new legs. I slapped a hand across my face and quickly teleported beside her. I realized she was taller than me. Damn it. She was about six and half feet tall while I was just hardly six feet tall. I scooped Luna up into my arms and began jogging as fast as I could towards the shopping center. As soon as I felt I could reach it, I would teleported us there. I sprinted around the side of the building, my rifle banging awkwardly against my side, hung in place by its sling. “Luna thing you can try to walk now?”

“I can try.” She said as I placed her down. She wobbled briefly before putting her hand out along the wall to steady herself. “This is ridiculous. How you manage to move at all. What creature doesn’t use its four legs for walking is insane.” She said while slowly placing one leg in front of the other.

“Okay that’s nice Luna, but,” the steadily approaching sound of sirens was making me anxious, “Now let’s go!” I scoped Luna back help, ignoring her startled ‘yelp’ and teleporting across the street to the roof of another local business building. I scanned the area in front of me before teleporting to a street corner seven blocks away.

I was painting by the time we reached the neighborhood I used to live in. I placed Luna down and began to walk forward, stopping at the welcome sign into the neighborhood.

Welcome to Ever Forest Terrace!
Neighborhood meeting April 20th, 2018
All encouraged to attend

I stared at the date.

It had been six years. Two Equestrian years was six Earth years. I hope my family still lives at our old home, or else this would be an awkward meeting. “Come on Luna, we’re almost there. Then I can explain.”

“Explain what?” She asked, stumbling towards me. Granted this time she did walk more than two feet. “Like why you are running from local guards?”

“Okay listen here Luna, how do you think sounds?” I coughed and then continued, “Oh hello there officer, just stopping by to visit my old home. Oh I was away in a magical land full of talking sentient ponies that use magic. Oh and these weapons? I had my friends’ steal some of them via magic from the army and this sword is actually a super magic weapon. And this rifle fires magic rounds that exploded. And that I am a hero of the world on more than one occasion.” I cocked my head in fake surprise, “What? Why would you need to take me Downtown? Experimentation? Mental evaluation? What me, no I’m perfectly sane. I only had a super evil entity ripped from my skull, leaving me missing a better half of my mind considering he had implanted himself there a while back. Nah I’m good. Oh and I can do this!” I quickly summoned magic into my metal gauntlet and caused a black and green ball of fire to begin dancing around my palm.

I shook my hand to get rid of the fire and looked to Luna. Thankfully the shirt was way too big for her and covered her up all the way to her mid thighs, or this would be super awkward. “Luna, these people, I mean, us humans, are natural curious and terrified of anything different or unexplainable. Trust me when I say that anything we do to avoid capture by them is better than the alternative.”

“I… but… let’s just get to your home.” She said as she slowly walked towards me, only stumbling once or twice.

“I hope it still is my home.” I said before taking her hand in my own and leaping forward into a flash of red.

“Hey Twilight,” Spike said walking up behind the alicorn as she finished her daisy sandwich, “I’ve got something for you from Honored.”

“Oh thank you Spike.”

Twilight took the scroll and pulled it out of its gold case. She unrolled it and lazily began to read over the parchment, her eyes growing larger and larger as she continued to read. She dropped the scroll and grabbed Spike in her front hooves, “Spike when did he give this to you!?” She yelled at the baby dragon.

“This morning!” Spike broke down into tears and began to wail, “He gave a lot of gems to give it to you after one!” He sobbed more falling onto the ground and reaching into his pockets pulling out a handful of gems and then stuffing them into his mouth. He continued to sob while munching on the gems.

Twilight sighed and then ran towards the library door to go get help. That human knew almost as much about advance magic as Spike did. Nothing! Twilight began to open the door when it exploded inward, slamming the alicorn into the wall as a white blur flew into the library.

“Twilight! I need your help!” Celestia’s voice was panicked as she looked everywhere in the room for Twilight. The door slowly shut and Twilight fell to the ground dazed. “There you are, Twilight! Luna has gone with Honored into some portal he made!”

“I know. Her Princess, read this.” Twilight quickly levitated the scroll to Celestia. Celestia paced back and forth as she read over the note. “It seems that he was able then to get the spell working. He must have had Luna help him.”

“Oh Luna.” Celestia mumbled to herself as she lowered the scroll. “Twilight we have to go get them back. What if something had gone wrong? My sister trapped in another world.”

“Let’s go your highness,” Twilight said galloping towards the door, “maybe we can reverse the pull of the portal before it closes for the three days.”

“Let us go Twilight.” Celestia nodded and they both ran form the library, heading towards a clearing in the Everfree Forest.

“That’s it Luna.” I pointed at a tan two story house across the cul-de-sac. My old home looked just like it did six years ago. Well granted that my car wasn’t there and neither were my parents’.

“It actually looks like the one you just built in Equestria.” Luna said walking forward towards the house. I quickly caught up to her.

“Well not the same color, but shape at least.”

“Yeah. I was feeling homesick so I tried to rebuild my old home.” I said walking beside Luna. Judging by the fact that sun was still low in the sky and that both car were gone, I was going to say it was early morning. I stood on the front yard and looked up at the porch where the old rockers chairs used to be. Not a good sign.

“There is one way to know if my family still lives here.” I said walking up the steps to the front door. “We had a lock box here,” I spun and pointed to one of the columns holding up the roof of the porch, “and I put the code on it. In it is the key. If I can open it then they must still live here. A new family would have changed it.”

“Unless they are lazy.” Luna added staring down her shirt.

“Will you stop that!” I said, face blushing.

“Why? I mean it is my body after all, but why are they so high up? And why is their hair only down-” Luna started to ask but I couldn’t hear her as I smashed my head into the column.

I groaned and slammed my head against the column again for good measure and readjusted my helmet. I turned and looked at the dark steel lock box attached behind the white column. I grinned and walked up to it, spinning the number combo into the lock wheel.

1-3-3-7

The lock box popped open and inside rested a single silver key. I pulled it out with a shaky hand and turned to the door. Luna had stopped examining herself and was watching me as I walked up and slowly stuck the key into the key hole above the handle. I gave it a turn and the lock clicked inside the door. I pulled the key out and pushed the door open, allowing us entrance into my home.

“I’m home.” I smiled and walked into the home, tripping on the step and slaming head first onto the foyer. “Fuck.”

Luna laughed behind me as I sat up and shook my head. “Oh shut it.”

We walked into the house and looked around. Honestly, it was almost the same as it had been six years ago. A few new pictures here and there and the kitchen had been changed, a new refrigerator, but other than that it was the same old house.

“Come on Luna, I’ll show you my room. If it is still my room.” I motioned for her to follow me downstairs. We walked down a short hallway and stopped outside of a white door. An exit sign was still tacked to the door from when I stayed there. I felt a tear form in my eye and I pushed the door open, reviling my room.

Granted it was dusty as shit, but it was just like before, like I had never left. I was interrupted from my emotional journey by Luna’s laughter. She was pointing at a few posters I had pinned to the walls. Most of them were Army related or had video games characters on them, but she was pointing at three that showed Princess Celestia.

“Jeeze what a good little boy!” She laughed harder and looked around. “Where am I?” She asked, her teal eyes locking with mine.

“I didn’t have any Princess Luna posters.” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. I pulled off my helmet and sat it down on the edge of my bed.

“But you have this?” She picked up a model Rarity dressed as Princess Platinum I had a friend get for me from Bronycon.

“She’s my favorite!” She tossed it into the air with a grunt. “Hey be careful with that! That’s the only one!” I gently placed it back on the shelf it had come from.

Luna walked over to the closet and opened it, “What’s in here- ahhh!”

The clatter of metal startled me from making sure that the clay on the model hadn’t been broken by Luna’s roughness when I heard her yell. I turned to watch as my collection tumbled out form the closet.

“Are these more weapons?” Luna said looking at the pile of firearms on the floor then up to me.

“I had an expensive hobby.” I said shrugging my shoulders and walking to the fallen weapons. “I liked to buy these from gun shows and fix them up. Some were broken or missing parts so I would fix them and make them work again. I had always planned on reselling them, but then ya’ know Equestria happened.”

I smiled as I began to reorganize the long guns and put them back into the closet. “So what questions can I answer for you Luna?” I turned from the weapons and back to Luna who was now sitting on my bed with her legs spread- oh my God!

I quickly looked back at my innocent weapons and coughed awkwardly. “First though, let’s get you some clothes.” I shuddered and got up without looking at Luna and walked to my dresser. “Well I really don’t think I’ll have anything you’ll like. So I guess we can just kind of throw something together.” I looked back to Luna to see her looking through the clothes I had hanging up in the closet.

“What’s this?” She pulled back and was holding a long black overcoat with dark red accents on the shoulders.

“That was a part of a costume I made a long time ago.” I said dismissively and went back to digging though my dresser trying to find some jeans that would be long enough to cover Luna’s new long, slender, smooth… “Fuck.” I pulled out one pair and went back to digging for more.

I heard the chiming of magic behind me and turned to find Luna working magic on the black overcoat. The red accents on the shoulders and along the trimming had now turned dark blue and the black fabric of the coat now had faint silver in it. Not overly bright, but it looked like twinkling stars in the night’s sky. “That looks nice Luna.” I said while throwing her a pair of jeans. They should fit her, and I’m sure she could do some magic to make them tighter around the waist. “I’ll just let you get dressed, then head back upstairs. I’ll be in the kitchen getting us something to eat.”

“Okay, thank you Honored.” Luna smiled and began to unbutton the large shirt she was wearing. I quickly shut the door and shook my head. I walked towards the stairs, but stopped at the door to the garage. I walked into the dark cool room and flipped the lights on. Inside was assorted piles of junk and lots of boxes. A small group of boxes had writing on the side.

T’s Tech

I cocked my head to the side and walked over to the box with my name on it. “Well hello there, what’s this?” Inside the cardboard box was all my tech I brought to college with me before, well traveling to Equestria. My old computer, printer, speakers, and a whole other ball of cables for the three main things. In the bottom was a small silver device. My iPod. “Yes!” I grabbed the little guy and hit the home button, but the screen remained black. “Well duh, it’s been dead for six years.” I rolled my eyes and charged up my magic. I placed the iPod into my open palm of my gauntlet and began to channel some raw magic into the iPod. Within a few seconds the silver Apple logo flashed onto the screen and the charging battery symbol lit up. “Neat.” I whispered, getting up and heading back down the hallway to the stairs. I kept the iPod in my hand, feeding a small amount of magic into it as I went.
I entered the kitchen and looked around. “Well what to eat? No Hydra…Wait a second!” I quickly ran to the front door and picked my small backpack off the floor. Opening it I found a few hydra steaks wrapped up tightly. “Bingo!” I smiled and ran back to the kitchen to prepare a nice meal for me, and something disgustingly healthy for Luna. I placed the charged iPod into my pocket and continued to cook.

“Honored?” Luna called from down the stairs.

“Yeah?” I called back while throwing some lettuce and other mixed greens into the air using my magic, “I’m up here.”
I turned to the stairs as Luna walked up and into the kitchen. She had ditched the explorer’s shirt and the pitch helmet for the long black and dark blue overcoat. She left it open and found a dark purple shirt to wear under it. She was wearing the jeans I had pulled out for her and was holding them up with a silver sash woven through the belt loops on it. She didn’t have anything on her feet, but then again I only had old combat boots in that closet anyway. She smiled as she spun around showing me her new outfit. Her dark hair seemed to shine in the mid-day sunlight coming from the kitchen skylight. That’s when I noticed it wasn’t black hair, but just a very deep purple. “So I’ll take it from your open mouth that it looks good?” Luna said while winking at me.

“Yes it does. I like what you did with the coat.” I quickly pulled my attention back to the salad I was making for Luna. “So questions?”

“Those were cars? Those things on that big road.”

“Yes. Those are what humans use to travel in mainly, or at least on the ground. I know I explained planes before.”

“Yes you did, that’s those flying machines right?” She asked while leaning over my shoulder and watching me make lunch. She easily could look over me, with her being taller and such.

“Yeah,” I chuckled, “flying machines.”

“What’s so bad about this place, I mean besides the overly cautious guard force, it seems nice. Better technology and advancements.” Luna asked while carrying her bowl of salad over to the table. I sat down across from her with my plate of hydra steak and green beans from the pantry.

“Well I mean I could flip on the news and let you see. But I’ve been gone for six years so who knows what war is going on now. It could be the same damn one as when I left or a new one, but humans are always fighting. You know the best thing to do is give you one of the old history books I have.” That was actually for best. No TV and certainly no fucking internet. I’m not having that, I’ve read enough fanfics revolving around ponies and computers.

“That sounds amazing!” Luna clapped her hands together before staring at them. She clapped them together again and listened to the sound of them. She blushed when she saw my staring at her. “Oh whatever. You probably did this when you were a pony for a day.” She shot back before sticking her head into the bowl of salad.

I broke out laughing as she pulled her head back, a few leafy greens sticking out from her mouth as she chewed. I held out a fork and laughed more as she took it in her hand and glared daggers at me.

“Okay sorry, I don’t get to see someone try and use a new body every day.” I cut a piece of steak and stuck it in my mouth before looking up at Luna.

“Why do you get all red when I do this?” Luna pulled her shirt out and looked down it. Again.

“Oh jeeze Luna.” I looked away and then sighed, “Because you’re an attractive woman. Happy?”

“Very.” Luna gave me a smug smile, “How attractive?”

“Luna.” I groaned and slammed my head down on the table.

“I’m only curious. I get to study an entirely different planet with its own customs and beliefs. And I need all the details I can get.” Luna said while beaming at me.

“Listen Luna, I’ve been stuck with ponies for the last two Equestrian years,” I waved my hands around my head, “and you’re the first human female I’ve seen in that time. So I’m not really the right person to ask.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Luna wouldn’t let this subject die. Can’t she take a fucking hint? I don’t want to discuss human anatomy with her when she keeps-

“And keep your damn shirt on!” I shouted at her as Luna once again started to pull her shirt up.

“Then answer my questions or I’ll show you my teats.” She stated. Mood killed. I exploded into laughter and fell off my chair and onto the wood floor. “What?”

“Okay fine you know what you win.” I sat up and took a deep breath. “Humans don’t have- snicker- teats. Those are breasts.” I pointed at her, “And humans don’t go showing them off to random strangers so keep your damn clothes on. Please.”

“Fine.” She crossed her arms and stayed silent until she went back to eating her salad. I went back to my food and just ate, enjoying the brief silence. “So why won’t you tell me if I’m pretty?”

“That’s it!” I yelled and stood up. “Okay fine you want to know what I think then fine I’ll tell you!” I stalked away from the table and began to pace across from Luna. “I have been stuck with ponies for two years. Yes I found them attractive after a while, you guys are so fucking cute and damn near human like minus the whole pony thing, but I looked past that for a soul connection kind of thing. I saw that in Sky. But I haven’t had sex in over two years!” I stomped a foot down and took a long breath before continuing. “So just now, coming back to Earth to find that you have been transformed from an alicron to a drop dead, stunning, jaw dropping, heart stopping, and smoking eleven out of ten goddess of a woman who keeps throwing herself at me, but I ignore them because I can’t stand the idea of being with another being because I’m afraid of what would happen to them should another evil rise!” I fall into the chair where I had been sitting and take a deep breath. I look up to Luna to see her sitting there with a hand covering her mouth.

“I’m… I’m sorry Honored. I thought…” She trailed off and went silent while I just stared at her. After a minute I decided that was enough of the depressing moment and smiled.

“It’s okay Luna. I didn’t mean to just vent on you like that, but now you know. Advice from me, a pent up human with a slightly crazy mind isn’t something you should do.”

“But at the palace, before Nightmare and his shadows, you and Sky…” Again she trailed off and started to blush red.

“What y’all thought we did it?” I waved a hand at her, “Nah we just fooled around. Applejack just heard us rough housing for a bit. We had only been dating for like three months anyway, and I’m not that easy.” I laughed as Luna began to forget about my slight rant and smiled at me.

“Oh, well okay. Sorry about prying Honored.” Luna picked up her salad bowl and carried it over to the sink. I extended my hand and using my magic, put it into the dishwasher under the counter across from the sink.

“Well we have a couple of hours until my folks get home, and I think they might be surprised to see me. Since I probably have been presumed dead by most.” I said to Luna as she wandered around the living room, looking at the photos around the shelves.

Luna was eyeing everything in the room so I decided to give her the history book. I looked through the books until I found a very old text book from a history course I took in my first year of college. I nodded and blew the dust off of it before bringing it back to Luna. She immediately grabbed it from me and ran to the couch, flopping onto it and opening the book to the introduction. “Slow down there Twilight.” I said jokingly as she stuck her tongue out at me and began to read.

“Oh just go play with your weapons.” Luna derided at me, flipping a page in her new favorite book.

I walked back to my room, first stopping in the garage and opening a box labeled Mil Stuff. Opening revealed almost all of my old army gear. Considering that Equestria happened, a lot of it was in pretty good shape. I grabbed the one thing I was looking for. A large drab green overseas bag. I tucked it under my arm and walked back into my room. I laid the bag out on the bed and then opened the door to the closet and stepped back.

“Who wants to come with me?”

“I’m sorry Celestia. I’ve tried reverse pulling the magical polarity but it just… it just can’t be done. These magical artifacts that he used with the spell are anchoring it perfectly so that I couldn’t undo the spell.” Twilight said while trying to comfort her mentor.

“Thank you for trying Twilight. I’m just worried. What if something happens?”

Twilight was silent as she tried to think of a way to help Celestia.

“Yer highness, you need to think of it like this,” Applejack came forward and sat in front of the Princess, “Luna went with him on her own free will, and she’s a Princess! Not to mention she’s traveling with Honored Service. Ah mean he has practically taken on two different armies by himself and won.” Applejack had a valid point. Luna was traveling with an Equestrian Honor Guard and she herself had always been a very skilled fighter.

“Thank you Applejack.” Celestia said, a small smile forming.

“And when he gets back we can throw him a thanks-for-not-letting-Luna-get-hurt-and-a-welcome-back-to-Equestria-party!” Pinkie Pie yelled, bouncing into the air happily.

“Or have a fun-on-the-moon-party.” Celestia added causing everypony around to gasp at her. “Oh it’s a joke my little ponies!” The gathered Elements of Harmony laughed as Celestia turned back to the closed portal. “Mostly.”

“Now that you are all packed, nice and snuggly with all your ammo, I should check on Luna.” I turned to leave my room when I heard a car door slam shut. “Shit.” I whispered. I ran towards the hallway trying to beat whoever was home to the kitchen. If they saw Luna first it would be a shit show.

I reached the stairs just as the front door opened. I was too late. The person opening the door had a clear sight of the living room, and the woman lying on the couch staring up from a history book.

“Who are you!?” Came a nervous shout from the foyer into the house.

“That would be my friend Luna.” I stepped around the door so I was staring the new party in the face. “Hi mom.”

Making Enemies, One Nation At a Time

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On My Honor

Chapter 8

By Honored Service

Pre read/edited & Technical Names by: CommanderWolffe

She stared at me with her mouth agape, her eyes locked onto mine as we stood there in the foyer of my house. The silence hung in the air suffocating the atmosphere with it. My mother looked the same as she did when the last time I had seen here, nearly six Earth years ago. Be it she now had a few more strands of gray hair on her head, but she was still my mother.

“Hi mom.”

“WHAT THE FUCK TANNER!!??” My mother screamed at me, her voicing seeming to go above and beyond the Royal Canterlot Voice. “SIX YEARS! SIX FUCKING YEARS AND NOW YOU’RE ALIVE?” My mother was positively fuming at me.

“Well actually I was never dead. I was just sent to alternate universe that happened to be filled with magical little ponies and I helped save them from multiple big bad guys. Well I guess technically I did die a few times there, but then they brought be back to life so…” My mother was just looking at me. Her eye was twitching like Luna’s does when I say something stupid. I looked up to Luna who was now standing in front of the couch. She had her head in her hands and was shaking it back and forth.

“WHAT? YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THIS SHIT?” My mother then dropped her purse and stomped up the stairs and into the living room. She gave Luna a wide berth and sat down in the cushioned chair across the room from the couch. “I… Tanner how could you just run away from everything you had.” She looked up to me, tears in her eyes. “Everyone thought you were dead in the woods somewhere or had run away. I mean six years.” She closed her eyes and then just let out a heavy sigh.

“And what the hell are you wearing.” She gestured to my golden armor and sword strapped to back. And probably the pistols and knives.

“Okay you may want a drink for this.” I sat down on the couch and waited as my mother poured herself a large drink. Luna sat down next to me and gave me a reassuring smile.

“It started with a normal training op in the makeshift fort out in the woods with Ryans, Patterson, and Jacobs.”

Celestia trotted around the throne room, trying to not think about what her sister could be doing. Three days. Sure she had been without her sister for a thousand years, but at least she knew then that her sister was safe. But now. Now Celestia had no idea if Luna was safe or being tortured by that planet full of other humans. If Honored was reckless and violent, then what about the entire species?

“Princess I’m sure that in three days, they are going to come tearing through that portal, and be just fine.” Rainbow Dash hovered next to the Princess and gave her a smile. All the Elements of Harmony were gathered around the Princess offering their reassuring opinions.

“What we should do is a have a welcoming committee set up so once they get back,” Pinkie Pie was now grinning from ear to ear as she explained to Celestia, “they can see their friends and know they aren’t in trouble!”

“Not in trouble?” Celestia was dumbstruck. “They are most certainly in trouble! Luna ran away with that… that… human to a dangerous world! And he took her! They are most certainly in trouble.”

“Um Princess Celestia,” Fluttershy squeaked out, coming closer to the Princess, “Luna went with him willingly. Are you um so sure that this is totally about them leaving, and not about them leaving together?”

“I…” Celestia was silent as she thought. Was this just some form of over protectiveness of her younger sister from that human she was infatuated with?

“They are still getting a motherly lecture.”

“And we wouldn’t have it any other way.” Twilight smiled and draped a wing over Celestia as she sat back down into her throne.

“And then we jumped through the portal and landed here.” Let’s just skip over the hunted by the law part. That probably wouldn’t sit too well with mother.

“Do you expect me to believe that?” My mom was just looking at me in utter disbelief. “Ponies from that show you watched. Bug villains. Your own magic. A pony girlfriend which is disgusting. And shadow humans that you basically helped create. I’m spry son, but you have done some serious drugs while you ran away.” My mother now looked utterly pissed at me.

“But I’m covered in armor and weapons. Fuck, mom I have their freaking Princess of the moon right here next to me!”

“Hello.” Luna smiled and waved her hand at my mother.

“She is just some gypsy woman you found in your drugged out wanderings. And you stole all that.” She said bluntly trying to ignore my obvious true story.

“But I did magic for you!” I snapped my fingers and aimed my gauntlet at her drink she was holding and caused the alcohol in it to rise up and out of the glass and spin in midair before splashing back into the glass.

“Clearly that is some fancy illusion you picked up with that damn gypsy.” She pointed at Luna who looked to be on the verge of tears.

“What about me?”

My mother spun around as a pitch black face with glowing red eyes faded into the room from the shadow next to the chair. She then toppled forward from her chair and passed out from shock.

“Wow. Way to go Covert.” I sighed and slapped my hand to my face before moving over to collect my mother from the floor and rest her on the couch. “And what the fuck are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t let you leave without your shadow.” He said smiling at me. “And it would seem that I was straw that broke the camel’s back.” He pointed a shadowy finger at my passed out mother.

“Yeah. Maybe she will believe that.” I laughed and walked over to the kitchen, Luna and Cover following me. “Now that my mom knows, I have to tell my sister and father. Well my sister is in college so maybe not her since she won’t be coming home.”

“Will your dad be easier to explain to?” Covert said while looking around the kitchen, “because I don’t know if I can scare another person without just exploding into laughter.”

“Why does she think I’m a gypsy?” Luna mumbled to herself.

“Okay listen, both of you. We have to be careful. Do not get seen by anypony - fuck. Anyone. Don’t get seen by anyone. If you think my mother over reacted, then just wait till more people see us.”

“So then… now what?” Covert said leaning against the wall next to the refrigerator.

“We tell my father. Then we go shopping for some hardware.” I smiled and pulled out a map of the greater area. I dropped my finger on the map to a small cluster of building roughly thirty miles away.

“Wouldn’t that be stealing?” Covert said as he looked up from the map and saw my grin.

“Think of it as borrowing for the greater good of Equestria.”

“Honey I’m home.” The rough voice called out into the house, but there was no answer. A large man in his mid-fifties walked up the stairs of his home. Still no response. As he stepped up the stairs he noticed his wife lying on the couch, a spilled drink splattered across the carpet. Something screamed wrong here.

The man reached to his side and unclipped the handgun from the hidden holster in his waistband and withdrew his son’s favorite handgun. He held it out in front of him while slowly putting down his work uniform and creeping into the kitchen. Dishes were laid in the sink, but when he had left in the morning, nothing had been in there. Just like a crime scene he had been at today, the man added up the pieces and new only one answer.

Someone else had been in the house, or was still here.

CLICK

“Drop the gun.”

The man felt the cold barrel of a pistol pressing into the back of his neck. He slowly loosened the grip on the old Colt single action custom revolver his son had worked on for over four months. It dropped to the carpeted floor with a dull thud. The barrel slowly pulled back from his neck and the man suddenly found himself wrapped in a tight bear hug, pinning his arms to his side.

“What man walks into his house with a gun drawn?”

That voice.

“Son?” The old man slowly turned around in the grip to come face to face with a man a few inches shorter than he was. He was wearing army digital camouflage and had golden armor strapped all over his body save for the chest where an old Army chest rig was set up. A small Velcro patch was sticking onto the rig. In faded black lettering it read one word.

Johnson

I felt bad aiming a pistol at my dad, but fuck, he pulled one out first. My revolver! I wanted it back, but more importantly I had to make sure my dad didn’t put a .357 round into me.

“Drop the gun.” I said hoping that he would and not try some stupid heroic shit. Come on dad, how did he know someone was in the house. We were all so well hidden. But somehow he knew. I guess that’s what I get for trying and hiding from a detective.

“What man walks into his house with a gun drawn?” I said while wrapping my arms around my dad, to insure that he couldn’t start swinging when he saw me.

“Son?”

He had turned around and I dropped my grip from him as looked me up and down. I was just standing there, letting him take everything in. He was just looking at me, like he was trying to get what happened to me in the last six years by just looking at me.

Suddenly I was jerked into the air by my father. He picked me up and hugged me, holding me off the ground.

“My Son! I thought you were dead! Once they stopped looking, I had lost hope. I knew you wouldn’t run away. You love that damn college too much to run away.” The mammoth of a man, standing six feet and five inches, slowly lowered me to the ground.

“Nope. I was just transported to another…” I stopped and looked at my passed out mother, “you know what, maybe you should come sit down for this.” I gestured to the chair my mother had been sitting in.

“And then mom passed out.”

“So that shadow thing is going to scare me?” My dad said, quickly looking around the room.

“Do you believe me?” I asked sitting on the edge of the couch that wasn’t taken up by my passed out mother.

“Well I mean you obviously have magic. The levitating and turning the fifty inch plasma screen TV into… what is that?” He pointed at the strange contraption on the ground at his feet.

“You know, I’m not sure. My special talent is turning things into weapons to protect, so it’s a weapon, but sometime the magic does its own thing.” I picked up the weapon. It was obviously a gun, based on its shape and trigger, but it was stocky and looked like it was built out of Legos. It was kind of heavy. It was solid black and had a square barrel sticking out of one end. I placed the stock of it into my shoulder and aimed down the top of the weapon, where a circular rear sight lined up with a simple ‘stick’ front sight. I reached out and racked the small bolt on the left side of the weapon before squeezing the trigger at the wall where the TV had been.

BZEW

A quick flash of purple left the barrel and smashed into the wall, where a black scorch mark was slowly burning. A wisp of black smoke curled off of the center of the mark where a few embers burned.

“Uh. That’s pretty damn cool.” I said turning the Lego rifle over in my hands. There wasn’t any magazine or anything where ammo would fit in. it came from a plasma TV… no way. “Dad how many pixels was that TV?”

“I don’t know. It was a 1080 one so a lot.” My dad said staring in awe at the weapon in my hand.

“I’m going to go with it runs on the gas from the TV.” I smiled and put the, squeeeee, plasma rifle down before smiling at my father.

“So then you do believe everything I said?”

“I mean do I have choice? The proof is pretty good.” He motioned at the rifle and all of me.

“Okay good.” I turned over my shoulder to the hallway where the second story bedrooms where, “Okay y’all can come out. He believes!”

Luna and Covert stepped out from the hallway and into the living room where my dad stared at them. He then looked at me and smiled.

“Dang, she’s a looker.”

I slammed my head down into my hands right as my mom sat up and looked around. The first thing she saw; Covert with his mouth open in a smile, showing his four large fangs. She promptly fainted again.

“And that shadow is kind of spooky.”

“God damn it dad.”

“Okay so you’re not going to faint again?” I was holding my mom in my arms as she just stared at the shadow across from her. Covert was sitting in a chair just watching us.

“No. I think I can manage.” It had taken about an hour to get my mom back to consciousness and then to accept that everything that had happened was real. She was now merely trying to cope with me being a magical warrior, Luna being a pony princess, and that a being made of shadows was sitting in her living room. She then took a deep breath and stood up from the couch to approach Covert. “Mr. Covert I’m sorry for being so shocked at you.”

“It is no problem.” Covert replied smiling at my mom, trying not show so much of his fangs, “and please just Covert.”

“Alright Covert. Princess Luna, Covert, can I get you anything to drink.” My mom was sure giving it the ol’ college try at being accepting of the new guests in the house. And for that I was grateful. I was sitting to the side of the couch, fumbling around with my old pistol after putting the plasma rifle down.

“Yes I’ll have some water please.” Luna said. She was still a tad bit upset at my mom for the whole ‘gypsy’ thing, but was slowly warming up to my family.

“And I’ll have so coffee. Black please.” Covert said.

“Really?” I stared at him. “You can drink normal stuff?”

“Well yes.” He said, acting as if it was common knowledge that shadow beings can eat and drink normal things. “I am a living breathing creature. Now granted I breathe in shadows, but that’s another thing all together.”

I ran my hand over my face before turning my revolver over in my hand. It was still in good shape, as I had left it in. the black oxidized metal was nearly scratch free and the ivory handle was in perfect shape. I had asked my dad for it back, which he gladly gave me since it was mine.

“So when will you be leaving?” My mother asked me as she walked by, handing a class of water to Luna and a steaming cup of coffee to Covert who smiled and thanked her.

“Well,” I looked down and checked my watch, “two days and thirteen hours.” I looked up and saw sadness wash over her face. She looked utterly heartbroken. “I’m sorry mom. But it is impossible for me to stay longer. The portal will pull us back through at the end of the three days.”

“I know. But you just can’t leave us. Not again.”

My dad was remaining silent in the corner of the room. He looked sad too, but I think he was more of just happy to know that his son wasn’t dead and was a hero. But then again I was leaving them. I was getting my closure, but what about my family. Now they knew I was alive, but no one would believe them if they tried to explain what had actually happened to me. Forever stuck having to live the rest of their lives saying their son was dead.

That’s why they were so upset. Having to keep their son dead.

“Mom. Dad. I’m sorry. I… I didn’t mean to upset y’all by coming back. This was meant as a way to show you what happened.” I hung my head when I felt a pressure on my shoulder armor. I looked up to see my father beaming at me.

“Son. You may live in some girly world now.”

“Hey!”

“But damn it, you’re a hero. I can live my life knowing that my son saved a world. Twice over at that.” He continued to beam at me before walking over to the close in the hallway and getting something. I heard a jingle and he stood in front of me. “Tanner listen, you’ve got two more days with us, so let’s have some fun.” He held out a key ring to me. It had one silver key on it and a Rarity key chain.

“You still have it?” I stared at the key.

“Yeah. After you well were declared lost by the search and rescue teams, I just couldn’t bring myself to get rid of the old girl.”

“Carly still works?” I took the keys from him and got up from the couch and followed my dad to the door leading onto the upper deck patio. Outside below us was a long shape underneath a plastic blue tarp.

“Only one way to find out.” He smiled. I jumped over the balcony and dropped fifteen feet to the pavement of the patio below.

“TANNER!” my mother screamed at me and then looked over the railing to see me just smiling up at her.

“What?” I said looking at her from my crouched position where I had landed. I rose to my full height and gave her a wave, “come on mom, I’m a super magical warrior now; that was nothing.”

Luna walked down the stairs to stand beside me as Covert simply appeared out of the shadows below the upper deck. I reached out a hand to pull the plastic back.

“What is it?” Luna asked as I gripped the plastic.

“This here is my car.” I began to reminisce about the old girl. “What I’m about to say means nothing to you, but I’ll say it anyway. Carly is a 1994 Pontiac Firebird with a 5.7 liter General Motors LT1 V8 engine. I spent a shit load of money that was supposed to be used for college (sorry grandparents, though it was totally worth it!) to max this baby out. Double air intake system, 5.7 Venom-1000 series nitrous kit, five speed short shifter transmission, ProCharger supercharged engine kit, dual exhaust system with two Magnaflow Catalytic converters, and finally a Cyro 2 cooling fuel system.” I jerked the plastic off the car as the sun hit the roof of my baby. The light reflected off of its deep blue color and sparkled in the light.

“I missed you.” I gently hugged the car as I stroked a hand across the roof of the muscle car. I quickly opened the door as Luna and Covert stepped back. I put the keys in the ignition and looked at the review mirror. I adjusted it and smiled at the Princess Celestia sun pendent hanging from it. I turned the ignition as the engine roared to life.

“Oh my god, SHE LIVES!” I choked out as the engine revved under me. I rolled the window down and looked at my two traveling companions, “Well are you to coming or what?”

“Already here.” Covert said from behind me in the backseat bucket seats.

“Is it safe?” Luna said as she walked around the car and stared at the passenger seat.

“We have fought armies together, and you ask if my car is safe?” I reached over and pushed the door open and Luna ducked low to get into the seat. I aimed my gauntlet over and shut the door before using my magic to strap the seatbelt across Luna’s chest. “And it’s not safe with the way I drive!”

I shifted the gears and punched the gas down, the wheels spinning against the pavement, sending smoke into the air as we hurtled from my backyard and onto the neighborhood street. I rocketed the car towards the highway where I could really open up and let this baby purr.

It was getting hard to hear the song that was playing on my radio because of Luna’s screaming and Covert’s laughing. I shrugged and reached over, turning the volume up.

Let's have some fun!

I sped out of the neighborhood, drifting through a turn and onto the road leading to the main highway cutting through the town. Luna was grasping the door panel and holding onto dear life as I raced through the green light. With only two days to live here again on Earth, it was time to have some real fun.

I watched as I entered the highway, making sure that I didn’t hit any of the other motorist on the highway. I weaved around sedan, the man giving me the finger, before zipping in between two rental trucks hogging up the road. I turned and smiled at Luna, “Try to have fun with this!” I screamed over the heavy bass of the music pumping through the car. “Besides, we haven’t even hit the interstate yet!”

Luna seemed to turn visibly green as we raced towards the on ramp. The speedometer was racing up to the eighty miles per hour mark as I hit the on ramp. I hugged the guard rail as I skidded along the shoulder kicking up rocks and small pebbles behind me.

“WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” I screamed as I fishtailed onto the interstate, multiple cars behind me laying on their horns. I straightened out before rocketing down the interstate, having some open space between me and the cars a head. I swerved around a slow moving Charger when suddenly blue and red lights flashed on behind its tinted windows.

“Honored what’s that?” Luna yelled over the music.

“We just got tagged by police. They want us to pull over.”

“Honored this is insane!” Luna yelled at me, she looked back at the police car that was trying to keep up with me.

“But this is going to be fun. Come on Luna. I have two days to live on this planet, and I’m going to do what I’ve always wanted!”

Luna looked nervously at me. “And I promise no one will get hurt.” That seemed to ease her mind as I gave my car more gas and zipped away from the patrol car.

As we continued to race along I noticed in my side mirror that a few more cop cars were joining the chase. I smiled devilishly before looking at the clear path ahead. “Luna, hit the red button!”

She looked down at the red button beneath the short stick shift. She then smiled and slammed her fist down on it. The nitrous flooded forward as the car rocketed ahead of the police, the speed gauge maxing out at over one hundred seventy miles an hour.

“YYYYYYEEEEEAAAAHHHH!” We all screamed as the cops were left in the dust as we raced down the interstate.

“Local authorities are in a high speed pursuit of a blue Firebird that is exceeding speeds of over a hundred seventy miles an hour.” The Johnson parents were sitting in the living room watching the evening news on a new smaller TV as a police helicopter was trying to follow a speeding blue car along the interstate. “The culprits are unknown at this time, but authorities are preparing to catch the speedsters.” The camera turned towards a police roadblock a mile ahead of the racing car.

“Oh my god,” Jackie turned to her husband, “what the fuck is he doing?!”

“I don’t know dear, but over a hundred and seventy? I didn’t think he would be able to get it to hundred and fifty.” Ryan Johnson said with a smile. He loved his son, and something about seeing him racing down the highway, avoiding cars left and right, was making him proud… for some strange reason.

“Ryan!” Jackie leaned over and smacked her husband on the arm.

“Sorry, and besides, that could be a different person, we don’t know if that is our son.”

The helicopter tracked the car as it continued to hurtle towards the police cars that were blocking the interstate ahead. The barricade of readied weapons ranging from pistols to assault rifles.

“Ryan, he’s not slowing down!”

“Still might not be Tanner.”

As the car was within two hundred yards of the police barricade, it disappeared in a flash of white only to reaper hundred yards from the police cars. The reporter in the helicopter voiced over the action. “It would seem that something happened to the vehicle, it is equipped with a series of lights that are capable of blinding. But it would appear the criminal was able to dodge the spike strips laid out.”

The blue muscle car was nearing fifty yards from the police line when once again the car flashed into a bright light right as the police barricade exploded into weapons’ fire. The camera searched for the car, but it had vanished from the area in front of the police. Another flash lit up the TV screen as the blue car reappeared far behind the police barricade an instant after it vanished. The police scattered like ants as they tried to climb into their cars and continue chasing the disappearing car, but as soon as the police at the barricade took off down the road, the cars all spun out at once.

“It would seem that the car… I can’t believe I’m saying this, teleported around the barricade? I… I am at a loss of words here. And the spike strips placed ahead of the vehicle have somehow needed up here behind the police lines, where the cops, only moments ago, seemed to have destroyed their tires. I’m speechless at these events.”

“Okay so can I be impressed now at our son?” Ryan smiled and looked to his wife who continued to stare at the TV.

“Sir did you see that?”

“Yeah. I sure did, but I’m not believing it.”

“Sir if I may, maybe we should look into this.” The man standing behind the desk slowly turned around, silver from the rows of awards on his chest glinting in the dying light inside his office. “Sir, we both know what that was. That was no lights on the car. That was just what the reporter said, teleportation. Or something just as insane.”

“What do you think I should do Lieutenant?”

“Sir, honestly, we need to get in there and secure the person and the car once the police have caught them. If the military tries to interfere now, it could raise alarm. Let them get him, and then we can reap the rewards.” The man adjusted the glasses on his face as the man behind the desk sat down and began writing order.

“Good work Lieutenant Patterson.”

“HOLY SHIT!” I screamed as the hit another turn, the car zooming down the off ramp, the very same one we had entered the world near fourteen hours ago. My gas gauge was showing its need for fuel so it was time head back home. The only problem being the four police cars that were still on my ass. The nitrous was out and I was only holding a steady hundred and forty. But having magic was certainly giving me the upper hand. Covert had spotted the spike strip before me, and with Luna calculating the amount of magic needed, we teleported over them, while she then grabbed them in her magic.

Once we reached the barricade, I preformed the necessary magic to teleport around the police and then Luna dropped the spikes out across the road once the jump was completed. After that it was easy speeding until these four goons showed up.

“Covert?”

“Yes?” The shadow replied from the backseat.

“Have you been paying attention to how to drive?”

“Well I may have missed the teleporting part, but yes I understand the clutch and the operating system of the hydraulics required to turn the-“

“Okay good. We can’t get back home until I lose these four cops, so I’m going to immobilize their vehicles, as to not hurt them, and you drive while I do that. Can you do it?”

“Yes.” Cover was shaking the back of my chair with anticipation.

“Okay, now once in control, follow this stretch of interstate until you see the sign that says exit 11B. Take that one off and I should be back by then.”

“Can do.”

“Honored what are you going to do?” Luna asked as she looked back at the approaching cop cars.

“I’m going to stop their engines.” I reached behind me as Covert passed me my Element of Protection. “Ready Covert.” I held onto the wheel with my right hand and aimed my gauntlet ahead of me on the side of the road. “On my mark.”

The chiming of magic filled the car as I charged my gauntlet with my blood red aurora. “3.”

“2.”

“1.”

“MARK!”

I released the magic and flashed onto the shoulder of the interstate ahead of my car. It zoomed by me, Covert giving me a wave from the driver’s seat as he raced down the road. The news helicopter was still following behind us. “Shit.” I groaned and realized I would have to get him to bug off too.

I tracked the approaching cop car and pulled the sword out of its sheath before slinging the sheath. I readied my gauntlet again and flashed forward where I slammed down onto the hood of the racing patrol car. I smiled at the officer gripping the wheel behind the windshield. I raised my hand and slammed the red magical blade of Protection into the hood of the car, easily slicing through the engine, shredding the parts in it. The car suddenly lost its forward momentum. I stood up and gave the police officer a two fingered salute and then aimed my gauntlet at the next car behind the slowing one I was atop.

FLASH

I landed on the roof of the second car where I jumped to the back of the car, dropping the sword through the trunk and effectively slicing the rear axle in half, both rear wheels sticking up at weird angles as the halves of the axle sent sparks flying up from the road. I stared at the third police vehicle as the two officers in it stared right back at me. I smiled and then charged my magic up.

FLASH

I appeared on their hood as the officer riding shotgun pulled out his pistol, “OH DAMN!” I quickly slammed my fist down, a blood red shield erupting around me, stopping the nine millimeter rounds before they could inflict any harm on me. As I pulled my shield back, I noticed that the bubble that had formed around me, had sliced through the car cutting the engine block and its surrounding parts that had been beneath me from the rest of the car.

“Hahaha!” I laughed as the two officers sitting inside of the rest of the car stopped off to the side of the road. I summoned up the last bit of magic and aimed my gauntlet at the last car that was still in pursuit of my car.

FLASH

I landed in front of the car and quickly planted the sword in front of me. The front of the patrol car hit the sword dead center and was sliced cleanly in half by its magical blade. The left side skidded to the side of the interstate while the right side slowed till it lightly bumped into the 11B exit sign.

The dazed police man stepped out of the left side of the car and looked at me. He was trembling as he raised his 92F Berretta at me. I smiled and charged my spell into the black metal gauntlet.

FLASH

“Hello.” I said right into the officer’s ear. He tried to snap to the side, but I threw my hand up and knocked the pistol from his hand. I grabbed the pistol out of midair in my right hand and then looked up to the helicopter still following… me?

“Oh fuck.” It had stopped chasing the car and was now following me. With its camera. “Sorry about this.” I said to the officer as he just stared at me. I aimed my gauntlet at the officer and blasted him back with a harmless burst of magic. He landed safely in the median. I turned my attention to the helicopter and began focusing my magic. I felt the presence of the helicopter in my magic as I charged more magic into my gauntlet. I slowly closed my fist in midair and was rewarded by a sharp crack that snapped the tail of the helicopter from the main body.

I then caught the falling body of the helicopter in my magic. I struggled to keep such a heavy object up, especially since the rotor was still going, trying to lift the object back into the air. I grunted as I added another level of magic into my gauntlet and forced the helicopter to the ground. I panted as the stunned crew looked at me, the camera man in the back pointing his camera directly at me.

I quickly pointed my gauntlet towards the rapidly disappearing blue car and charged up the final burst of magic for the night.

FLASH

“Sir?”

“Don’t bother Lieutenant. I saw everything. I’ve got it looped and am having it analyzed by the crew downstairs already.”

“Excellent sir.”

The man with the glasses turned to exit the office, but the commander behind the desk stood up. “Patterson.”

“Yes sir?” The young Lieutenant quickly turned around and stood at attention before the older man.

“What do you see in this… man?” The commander held up a still frame shot of the man that had been driving the speeding car that was lost to the police after all the vehicles in pursuit had been destroyed, but with no casualties. The picture was taken from the dash cam of the first car the man had just appeared on. He was crouched over, with old faded Army ACUs and had gold armor on his body. But the name tape JOHNSON could easily be seen. His face was marked with different scares that spoke of many fights and his hair was dyed with streaks of red and yellow and maybe orange in it. But the eyes. The eyes of a determined and reckless person.

And Patterson had seen those eyes once before. In a long lost friend.

“Tell me Lieutenant,” the commander spoke again, “what do you make of this man?”

“Sir, I see a man with some valuable tech we should apprehend.”

“Oh my lord!” My mother was currently smacking me over and over again. “What the hell! What were you thinking?!”

“That I only have two days left here, so why not have some fun?” I said nervously before getting another whack from my pissed of mother. My dad was still gawking at the speed of the car and the fact I could teleport it, and that I brought down a chopper and at least ten police cars without hurting anyone. Some quote, “fucking Die Hard shit”, but he was pretty happy regardless.

“Sorry mom but what happened, happened and nothing can change that." I smiled and patted her on the head before heading into my room and adding the police officer’s Beretta to my bag o’ guns. I still felt like I was missing something. Some more weapons, some more stuff. I turned back to the hallway and walked up the stairs to the kitchen where Covert and Luna had both sat down at the kitchen table. I pushed the map over to them and sat down.

“Okay let’s make the plan for this.” I smiled and looked at the map, plotting the best route to take to the small cluster of buildings.

The phone rang behind me and my mother walked over and answered it. I paid her no attention as Luna poked the building, “Honored this seems worse than a chase along the streets.”

“I know, but think of what I could do to protect Equestria should I get that stuff.”

“I know.” Luna said looking away, “but that is stealing and if that place is guarded-“

“Tanner.” My mom turned and looked at me, her face was very pale. “There’s someone on the phone. And they are asking for you.”

“What?” I stood up and took the phone from her. I slowly brought it to my ear and waited.

“Johnson.”

“This is him.”

“What was the nickname of the junior that was in charge of us on the last training op you were on at the college?”

“What? Who is this?” I spoke angrily into the phone, my fist balling up at my side.

“Answer the damn question now!” The voice shouted back at me. “This is fucking important, now answer the fucking question!”

“Boomer! His name was boomer.” I said. The voice went dead on the other end before the sound of a door locking was heard.

“Johnson. This is Patterson. I know it’s been a long time, but I stay loyal to my friends. I’m a first Lieutenant with a military developing station located around thirty miles from your home town. They are about to start a mass search for you. So far they don’t know where you live, but it could only be a matter of time before they track you down.”

“What… how… why are you helping me?” I stammered out into the phone. My friends… they still cared, they still knew me.

“I stay loyal to my buddies. But listen, they have video from the police chase. I don’t know how you did it, and I don’t want to know, but the military is about to be on your ass. So you need to move.”

“Don’t worry buddy, I’m leaving in two days, and then I’ll never be back. It’s a long story and I wish you could hear it.”

“I’m sure it would be great, but I’m busy on my end making sure the Commander doesn't pick up your scent and find your family. Just get out of here as soon as possible.” Patterson’s voice was shaking as he finished.

“Thank you Patterson. Thanks Bobby.”

“Don’t worry about it Tanner. I’m just glad to know you’re alive ponyfag.”

I busted out laughing as the line went dead. Damn it Patterson. That son of a bitch had just saved my skin. I walked over to the map and slammed a fist onto the map. “We now have to go. Not to get supplies for Equestira, that becomes secondary objectives. The first thing we have to do is wipe my name from the records here.”

I pointed to the name above the small cluster of building. US ARMY RESEARCH FACILITY.

“Why?” Luna said looking up to me and back to the map.

“Because my old friend just gave me a head’s up. The Army knows about me, from the stunt with the police chase. And if they find out who I actually am, then they can go after my family to find me. And I’ll be damned if I get them hurt for my carelessness.”

“So here’s the plan.” I bent over the map and began mapping out the strategy we would use to get into the compound. From there I explained the way we would get my name erased and then vanish into thin air.

Covert nodded and then smiled, “good thing I came along. I knew you would need your shadow.”

“And I’m glad that I get to save your friends and family for a change.” Luna said while planting her hands on her hips.

“Dad!” I yelled out.

“What?” came a voice from downstairs.

“Come up here, I’m planning.”

“Hi planning, I’m dad.” Came the reply.”

“Fuck meeeee.” I groaned out. “just get up this is beyond fucking serious.”

My dad walked up the stars and stopped at the edge of the table. “What is it son?”

“Dad I’ll skip pretty much everything. Just know that by tomorrow afternoon the garage has to be cleared out. Like there can’t be anything in the front three fourths of it. I need a lot of free space. So all that old stuff of mine, throw it in the backyard or in my room. Just clear the garage.”

“Okay I will.”

“I mean it dad.” I gave him a stern stare. “Don’t say that and then thing you’ll save it to the last minute, I need that done.”

“Okay. Okay. Jeeze Mr. Bossy pants.” My dad shrugged and walked off.

“Alright, we can start this early in the morning. The earlier the better. So let’s rest up tonight and move out at 0430 tomorrow morning.”

“Sounds good.” Covert nodded and then disappeared into the shadows that now occupied most of the house. Darkness had crept up on me while I had made my plans.

“Very well Honored. I feel a bit better now that stealing is only a secondary objective.” Luna said before looking around the room and then looking down at me.

“Thank you Luna, I’m going to need your help.”

“And you shall have it.” She smiled and placed a hand on my back. “Everything will go fine. It always does for you.” She leaned forward so that her face was only a few inches from mine. “I noticed you have a large bed-“

“Nope.” I quickly ducked under Luna’s head and skidded around her body. “Guest bedroom. I’ve got cleaning to do tonight.”

Luna gave me a scowl and marched into the neutral painted guest room and then smiled. “Good night Honored.”

“Night Luna.”

I sat on my bed, weapon parts scattered around me. I was cleaning the different weapons I would use for tomorrow’s assault on the military compound. The revolver was cleaned to perfection, the cylinder spinning perfectly smooth. The new plasma rifle didn’t need cleaning, but I was still amazed by the complexity of my magic to form something so advanced. Granted the ponies had no technology for my magic to play with, so this was amazing.

I hadn’t brought all my weapons with me to Earth so I cleaned my M16A2 and both Glocks before moving on to both Berettas. I could only fire magic through one, but I only had one magazine anyways. The magazine that had been in the police officer’s pistol at the time of me relieving it from him. Now I could dual wield those, one magic and the other regular.

I reached into my gun bag and drew out another weapon from the seven I was brining with me back to Equestria. I racked the pump back and inspected the chamber to insure it was clear. I then began to clean the Mossberg 88 combat system shotgun. It had a fold up stock and a shell holding clip put onto the folding stock as well. A short grip was molded onto the pump allowing it to be gripped easier. And it had a shorter barrel, only fourteen inches long. This caused it to have a greater spread in close quarters, making it more effective.

“Wait what am I doing?” I shook my head and looked at the guns spread out before me. “I’m not fighting bad guys. I’m just fighting people that want my stuff. Well that being magic. They don’t know any better.”

“Fuck.”

I realized I was going to have Batman my way through the compound, not Punisher it.

I would take my Element of Protection and the Berretta for my magic to be channeled through, but other than that, anything else would kill people. And I promised Luna that no one would be harmed.

“This may be difficult.”

I slowly got up and walked towards the guest room. Time to swallow my pride. I lightly knocked against the door.

“One moment please.” Luna’s voice called out as I stood outside of the door with my Berretta ‘Spike’ in my hand. Luna opened the door and smiled, I was staring in shock. Luna was fully naked with her hair spilling down around her shoulders, the moonlight coming through the windows reflecting off her-

I slammed my head into the door frame and feel backwards into the hallway.

“Alright fine, I’ll put on clothes. Gosh you humans are picky.”

“So go over it one more time. Please?” I said trying to focus the freeze spell through the pistol. I could blast raw magic and fire through the pistol without fail, but trying to get a freezing paralyze spell was causing me trouble.

“You can channel the magic right, but something is stopping you here.” Luna pointed a finger at the pistol in my hand. “It’s just not channeling right in that weapon.”

“Damn it. I can’t hurt anyone, and now I can’t use this pistol.”

“Do you have to use that one?” Luna said taking the pistol from me and setting it on the bed beside her. “You channeled magic through the rifle, right?”

“Yeah once, and that was a ballistic shit show of magic over powered bullets.”

“Have you tried channeling your magic through different weapons to see the results?” Luna said before picking up the Colt Army revolver and handing it to me. “What about this? Try the paralyze spell in it. It is simpler as not so many moving part inside it to disrupt the spell.”

I examined the pistol and then transferred it over to my left hand where it fit snuggly into my gauntlet’s grip. I relaxed and began funneling the magic required for the paralyze spell into the pistol. I felt the magic began to grow in the pistol, the level growing enough to fire. I aimed the pistol at the pillow beside Luna and pulled the hammer back on the revolver and then squeezed the trigger.

CRACK

What sounded like glass breaking sounded out through the room as the pillow turned stiff as a board. I poked it with the barrel of the pistol and it felt hard as a rock. “Well I’ll be damned. That worked.”

“And just like that you can perform a paralyze spell.” Luna smiled at her achievement in teaching me.

“Thanks Luna. You just totally saved me some trouble for tomorrow.”

“So do I get a reward?” Luna said, growing bold and scooting closer to me.

“Yeah.” I gave her a dead pan stare. “You get a kiss.”

Luna closed her eyes and leaned forward. I reached into my pocket and placed a piece of chocolate in front of her and then snapped my fingers of my gauntlet, teleporting into the safety of my man cave.

I could hear Luna fuming from down the hall.

“Alright. Everyone ready to go?” I asked my two passengers from the driver’s seat of my car. I got to short nods from Luna and Covert as we backed out of the drive way. “Then let’s go over it one more time.”

“At point Alpha, I will disembark from the car, handing controls over to you Luna.” I turned to her. She understood now how to drive the car, just not as recklessly as me or as well as Covert, but he had his own mission. “You will then move the car to Bravo, and wait for the signal.”

“Okay.”

“Covert, your part it crucial in beginning.” He nodded as we merged onto the road. The darkness from the early morning start was preventing the dark blue of my car from being seen. Hopefully luck would hold out and the car wouldn’t be recognized later in the day when the sun was up. Luna had suggested taking my parent’s car, but they had to work. Fucking bullshit. “I’ll cause a distraction that should positively get you into the compound unseen. From there, complete your part of the mission.”

“It will be done.” He smiled at me from the back seat.

“And then we can just kind of improvise from there.”

“But Honored,” Luna chimed in from her seat, “that only covers like the first fourth of the plan.”

“Yeah?” I said turning the wheel and putting the car on the interstate heading out to the deserted outskirts of the town. “Most of plans are built like that.”

“My sister help me.” Luna said shaking her head.

“Hey, how many of my plans have failed?” Silence filled the car. “Exactly, so let’s have some faith. Please.”

“Honored you’re using an entire day to do this mission you know that right?” Luna looked at me through the dark car.

“I know. So what?” I smiled and began weave around some of the slower traffic on the road. Not too many cars out this early, but still the slow ones are always in front of me. “We are doing good things. Protecting my family from anything and getting stuff to help Equestria. Well help me help Equestria.”

We spent the reminder of the car ride silent. I was trying to work the plan out more in my head, just too mentally prepare myself to move along and get the mission wrapped up. We reached point Alpha, which was spot on the interstate a mile away from the compound. I hoped out of the car and ran to the trunk, throwing it open and removing my satchel full of distractions. Luna climbed into the driver’s seat and looked out the window at me. I gave her a thumbs up and then dashed into the wood line beyond the guardrail.

I watched from the darkness of the trees as the car sped off to point Bravo where Covert would move out and Luna would try and hide the car. I quickly ran along through the woods, dodging around trees and scooting past bushes. I forgot how pathetic these Earth woods were compared to places like the Everfree. I was making incredible time through the woods. Nothing was trying to kill me or stop me. And I wasn’t tripping over roots are falling into mud. Fuck yeah Earth woods!

I checked my watch, one day and twelve hours left till the portal would rip be back into Equestria. I wanted to be in my house when that happened so that my family could see me off.

But then again, being in the middle of a mall or park would definitely shake things up for the world. I could see the headlines. ‘Two people and a shadow vanish into flash of light.’ Ha that would send everyone for a loop.

Shit!

I was so lost in thought I almost ran right out of the woods. I quickly ducked down into a bus and began picking off small branches and leaves and weaving them into the burlap cloth I had with me. It was just a simple square sheet roughly four feet long and three feet wide, but it would make great camouflage blanket to hide beneath.

I would wait till exactly six o’clock before launching my distraction, until then, I needed to watch and observe the compound. And the best part of the observation, I could see how my new weapon worked.

I owned a few good rifles, all very well equipped for long range engagements, but only one of them seemed to channel the paralyze spell properly. And that one was currently slung around my shoulder as I finished making my hideaway blanket. Once I was satisfied with my camouflage, crawled my way over to a position underneath a large tree that had multiple fallen limbs around it. I carefully wedged myself under the branches, drawing the blanket over me before sliding my rifle over my shoulder and then propped it against a large branch in front of me. I had a few bits of twine wrapped around the old barrel and wooden guard so that I could tuck leaves and branches into it to camouflage the weapon as well. I had a honeycomb cover of the Cvlife hunting scope mounted to the rifle as to stop and glare that could strike the front of the rifle scope. I let out a deep breath and aimed down the scope of the 1942 Mosin Nagant that I have dumped a shit load of time and money into perfecting. The wooden stock is original, as well is the barrel, but the bolt, scope and scope mount are all newly built. With the way the scope sits on the rifle, a new wrap around bolt had to be fitted to this baby so I didn’t smash my thumb against the back of the scope every time I worked the bolt. The scope mount from the original rifle wouldn’t allow me to attach this powerful illuminated 2-24x65 hunting scope so a new one had to be drilled onto the wood on the left side of the stock.

I lined the crosshairs up on the gate to the compound where a lone guard sat inside of a booth next to the gate. “Like any videogame.” I whispered to myself while checking the range. I had no idea the range of my spell, but I figured with more power put into the spell, the farther it could go. The long barrel of the rifle should concentrate the spell to travel straight and true out to far distances.

Or at least I hoped, since I have never tried shooting a spell from this far away. The small range finder tactically duct taped to the side of the rifle half way down showed the guard to be roughly one hundred yards away.

I’m sure I could hit that if this spell worked right and didn’t just stop halfway there.

“I really should have tested this out before now.”

“Oh well too late.”

My watch gave a faint ‘beep’. I looked down and could just make out 0600 on the screen through the dim light beginning to break over the horizon.

“Showtime.”

I charged magic into my gauntlet and felt it travel through the rifle from the front grip carved into the wood, all the way down to the chamber where the magic began to pool. Since it didn’t need ammo, I would only just have to flip the bolt up to prime the hammer, meaning I could fire this baby with magic rapidly. Or again, I at least hoped.

I squeezed the trigger as the red illuminated chevron lined up with the guard’s chest.

A muffled crack sounded from the woods as a light blue streak of light smashed through the guard shack and into the private’s chest as he looked up from his cell phone resting in his lap. The man went rigid and then toppled over from his seat disappearing from my scope.

“Sweet.” I mumbled, flipping the bolt up and then back down, the rifle ready for a cleanup shot immediately after the first spell had left the tip of the barrel.

I waited with baited breath for anyone else to come to the scene but no one showed up.

“Time for phase two.” I sat up from my hide and slung the Mosin, pulling the satchel out from behind me and running over to the road leading up to the gate. Time to set up some distractions.

I pulled out two firework cakes, big circular cardboard packages that contained mortars, sparkler fountains, and a few bottle rockets. I placed one in the dead center of the road and then propped it up with a rock so it was aiming directly over the gate. I lit it and ran to the other side of the road where I placed the other one and then waited.

Within a few seconds the screaming of mortars filled the air and a beautiful fountain of red, white, and blue sparks exploded from the cake on the ground. The mortars traveled right into the gate, exploding, sending colorful balls of embers along the gate and over the top where the popped and snapped. The bottle rockets let of a powerful whistle and then detonated inside the compound. Within seconds I could hear alarms sounding out and the gate began to slowly slide open as a squad, nine men, came rushing out.

From my spot in the woods, I lit the second cake of fireworks before running deeper in the woods to loop around and enter the compound. The Mosin and M16A2 bouncing on my back as I ran. The third phase was about to begin. I could hear the men yelling about the fireworks as I slipped along the wall and then through the unguarded gate.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

BOOM

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

BANG

“That must be the signal.” Covert rolled his eyes and then vanished into the shadows.

Same old human. Even here he has no idea what stealth is. Amazing that he even managed to complete the first three phases. ‘Honored should really be in my stealth class for the guards.’ Covert thought as he melted from shadow to shadow as he worked his way into the compound.

Covert was seeking out the main building of the compound and from there he needed to find something call the mainframe. Whatever that was.

Covert quickly wrapped himself into the darkness of a room as three men ran by, all wearing that same pattern clothing that his human wore.

“Some lunatic is setting of fireworks or something.”

“Shut up Private, let’s just get out there and shut these alarms off.”

The men disappeared around a corner leaving Covert to himself once more. The shadow looked around the room and then began walking along the wall towards a hallway to the side.

“Mainframe?” He looked at a door and then willed himself into the shadows beyond the door, reappearing within the secured room.

Luna sat on the hood of the car waiting for Honored. Once he had completed the mission, Luna would start the car and race to the main gate to help Honored with what he hoped would be the final stage in this makeshift plan he had.

He said he would just need a lot of magic to boost the teleportation spell. To Luna that meant either they were jumping a long distance, or they were teleporting a lot of stuff a short distance. One or the other.

A series of explosions caused Luna to look up from her hands and towards the location in the woods.

“Can he not do anything stealthy?”

I slipped into the base and checked behind me to make sure the squad that had just left was still busy securing the cheap fireworks. I could see them walking around the still going distraction and smiled.

Everything was going perfectly.

“HALT MOTHER FUCKER!”

“Damn.”

“FUCKING ASS!” Sergeant Hallard ducked behind a drab green shipping container as another one of those unknown rounds impacted in front of him. It exploded, causing a hole to appear where it hit. Those would kill a man even if hit in the leg, good thing the lone insurgent attacking had such bad aim. ““TANGO WHISKY ALPHA Niner-five-three-one-zero, radio frequency QUEBEC ROMEO four-three-six-eight OVER!” The Sergeant screamed into his headset linked to the compound’s main transmitter.

“This is Tango Whisky. Send over.” The radio crackled into his ear as another wave strange chiming filled the air. One of the Sergeant’s newest members was thrown into the air and landed next to the Sergeant behind his cover. The Private sat up and looked dazed, but other than that he was fine.

“TANGO WHISKY –“ more chiming blasted into the air. Another container stacked next to the Sergeant dropped on top of a grenade a Specialist threw at the insurgent. “GET THAT FUCKING DOOR SHUT! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT ANYWAY?” the Sergeant yelled at a Private that was coming out of the secured entrance to the compound’s main building.

“Quebec Romeo repeat last over.” The voice squawked into the Sergeant’s ear as he leaned around the top of the container to try and get a bead on the enemy. The man was wearing ACUs but had golden armor strapped all over him. He had an old outdated M16 in his hands and an even older rifle strapped to his back which was covered with a burlap camo blanket. The container the Sergeant was taking cover behind suddenly began taking fire from that enemy’s weapon and was actually being pushed back along the ground by the impact of his rounds.

“We’re being hit! One hostile. He’s got some kind of heavy firepower. We need help ASAP! Armory location Echo Hotel five-eight-one-niner-two-four-fife-seven. Over.” Sergeant Hallard dropped a magazine from his rifle and loaded another one into his M4A4. He then fumbled with his chest rig before drawing a 40mm high explosive grenade and feeding it into his under barrel M203 grenade launcher. And took aim at the enemy as he began to load his own weapon.

The enemy looked up and saw the Sergeant lining up the sights to aim the grenade launcher. The enemy smiled and then raised his left hand which had some kind of armored glove on it.

“EAT THIS FUCKER!” Sergeant Hallard screamed while depressing the trigger of the M203

BLOOP

The enemy disappeared in a flash of intense white as the grenade struck him. “HOOHA SERGEANT!” The Private next to the Sergeant yelled as the light died down.

FLASH

Suddenly the enemy appeared standing on top of the military container the Sergeant and Private were taking cover behind. The enemy was just a kid. A kid with lots of scars across his face. He smiled at the two hunkered down soldiers while aiming an old black revolver at them; except the barrel was glowing light blue. In his right hand was the M16 pointed down at the ground.

Both soldiers were frozen in terror as the man reached down and simply took the M4A4 from the Sergeant’s grasp. “Thanks y’all.” He sounded completely American and then slung the weapon around his shoulder.

CRACK

Five Finger Discount

View Online

On My Honor

Wrapping It Up

By: Honored Service

Pre-read/Edited by: CommanderWolffe, Duncan Zundel and Spirit of Harmony

The two soldiers fell backwards, frozen solid by the paralyzing spell that lashed out from the pistol in my hand. I tried to strap my M16 to my back, but with two weapons already there, I was going to have to dual wield it with the pistol. Or I could ditch the M4…

Nah. I wanted that shit.

I ran towards the door that the Private had left open and poked my head inside. So far I had frozen about fifteen soldiers, and I had no idea when the spell would finally wear off. And I’d rather not be here when the compound full of pissed-off soldiers woke up. Although I had gone this far without too much trouble.

“Johnson?”

I quickly turned to the right and snapped both weapons from my side up and leveled them at the person aiming an M4 at me from behind a desk.

“Patterson?” I quickly lowered the weapons and ran towards him. He stood up from behind his cover and met me half way, his arm outstretched. I swatted it away with my forearm holding the rifle and wrapped him in a hug. “No hands! Only hugs!” I whispered into his ear.

“Eww!” He shoved me back laughing. “What the fuck are you doing?” His laughing stopped and he looked at me. “I told you to move away, not find out where the people after you were at!” Placed the M4 down on the table and gestured at me. “You come in armed to kill and have slaughtered everyone to get here! Seriously, what the fuck.” The realization of what Patterson said caught up to him and he quickly scooped his rifle back up and aimed it at me.

“Whoa!” I said dropping my two weapons, “none of them are dead! I swear it. They are just paralyzed.”

“And how did you do that with a gun I watched you fire into their chests?” Patterson was slowly lowering the weapon, but still seemed upset. Granted I may be straining his whole ‘trusting your friend thing.’

“Um would you kill me if I said magic?” I held my hand behind my back and quickly began funneling my magic into my gauntlet and focusing it on his rifle.

“Yes.”

“Well then I am using magic.”

CLICK

The rifle in his hands fell apart into every single piece save for the foregrip and the pistol grip in his hands. Everything else clattered to the floor. “What the fuck?” he said looking at the broken down rifle. “How’d that happen?” He looked up to me as I then brought out my still red glowing gauntlet and aimed it at the rifle on the ground.

I picked up the pieces of the rifle and pulled the two out of his hands using my magic and then reassembled the rifle in midair, before floating it back to him. I then levitated the magazine into the magazine well till it fitted in with a faint click before then locking the charging rod back and then pushing the release switch, locking the first round from the magazine into the chamber.

“Magic.” I said and closed my eyes. I knew he wouldn’t do it, now he had proof.

“You… you…. You just did magic?” He stammered out before dropping the rifle on the ground. “That’s… that’s… impossible. You can’t do magic.”

“I can and just did.” I said smugly walking up to him and kicking the rifle away. “Listen Bobby, I am leaving in one day, but I have to make sure that whatever the military knew about the thing with the police is gone. They can’t know who that was or else my family will be targeted for research, and if they tell them how I did that, they will be locked up in the loony bin or something.”

“How did you do that?” He said looking at me and then at all the armor and weapons across my body.

“Really? You want to do this now?” I said with a deadpan stare as the alarms continued to sound off throughout the compound, I bent down and scooped up my pistol before firing it at the doorway right as a soldier ran by, freezing him instantly and knocking him to the ground.

“Well how about the spark notes edition?”

“Okay, but first we have to go to the main frame.” I looked down at my watch. It had been ten minutes since I had shot the first soldier at the gate, I needed to get this over with fast incase the spell didn’t last long. “Now.”

“Alright I’ll lead the way, but keep me at gunpoint so it looks like you’re forcing me to go. That will keep me from getting found out for helping you after this mess.” He sighed, “And commander is going to have one hell of a mess for me to clean up.”

“Yeah sorry about that.” I said before jabbing him in the back with my M16.

“Ow. Not so hard. Dick.”

“And skipping the yearlong cluster fuck of traveling montages, I fought another army, after dying, then getting my own magic and saving the day.” I quickly finished as my story as we turned down another corridor. I was at twenty minutes so I was betting I had five more minutes until the spell wore off with my luck.

“Well… sure I guess I have to believe you. You do like ponies. And you do now have magic.”

“Boo.” A pitch black head with blood red eyes and mouth appeared out of the wall next to the door we stopped at.

“AHHHHHH!” Patterson screamed before turning around and planting his face into the opposite wall.

“Shit. I knew I forgot to cover something. Damn spark notes edition.” I cursed aloud while dragging my friend Patterson into the mainframe room while Covert held the door open.

“Well once he wakes up we can delete everything about me from the police chase and any data they have collected on me.” I told Covert while Patterson slowly sat up, staring in shock at the Shadow Human standing next to me.

“Oh sorry about that Patterson. This is Covert, my shadow.” Covert gave short bow and then walked over to my friend who now resting against the side of a large black server tower.

“Hello Mr. Patterson.” Covert took his hand and gave it a shake. “I usually don’t get to scare humans, so I just couldn’t say no.”

“Um yeah sure.” Patterson gave the shadow an uncomfortable handshake before looking up to me, “Am I still dreaming?”

“I’m afraid not my friend.” I smiled and then picked Patterson up using some of that new strength I got from my Equestrian adventures.

“So can you log onto the main frame and delete everything there is about me and the last few days?”

“Yeah I can, but again you gotta put me at gunpoint. The camera over there,” he gestured to the camera mounted on the ceiling pointing right at the computer screen, “But this time, no barrel thumping please.”

“No promises.” I laughed as I held my rifle at him and he went to work typing away on the computer keyboard.

“And that should be… it. Okay as far as the data system shows, everything involving you and the last two days has been permanently erased. They only thing they can find is the password and login ID I used while being held at gunpoint.” Patterson said. As soon as we finished I turned and fired a round from my rifle into the camera.

“Well then, I say it’s time to move on to my secondary objective.” I said while firing a couple of rounds from the rifle into the computer equipment around the room. “Covert move on to your next position.”

“Moving.” Covert said before mantling into the wall and vanishing from the room.

“Where is he going?” Patterson said, watching the shadow leave the room.

“Oh nowhere. He’s just getting ready for the secondary part of the mission.” I said before turning to Patterson. “And now you have a choice to make friend.”

“And what would that be?” Patterson backed away from me as I stepped in front of the door leading out of the room.

“I’m going to give you a choice,” I said grinning from ear to ear, “I either have to rough you up a bit, or paralyze you.”

“Why?” Patterson said, looking a little relieved.

“Because, for the story to match the camera footage, I took you prisoner and forced you to delete me from the system, and in what story/movie/game does the hostage get away without being roughed up a bit?” Patterson remained silent as he thought about what I said. I looked at my watch. Twenty-four minutes, Shit, gotta speed this up.

“Paralysis it is!” I fired the pistol from the waist into Patterson who yelped in shock before hitting the ground frozen in his last position. “Sorry Bobby.” I said crouching down to him and gripping his locked outstretched hand. “I love you like a brother man. I couldn’t have done this without your help. And I know that you wouldn’t ever accept a gift from me, but I want you to have something as a big thanks friend. I reached into my pocket on my thigh and pulled out a small brown leather bag. I bounced it a few times as his eyes followed it. “Inside this bag is about thirty diamonds, two hundred solid gold coins, and a few other worthless gems. I have a cave full of this stuff back at my home.” I smiled and stood up.

“I’m hiding this stuff inside the back compartment of the mainframe, get it once the spell wears off. Thanks again Bobby.” I tucked the bag of riches into the back of the computer I shot full of magical lead from the rifle.

I walked out of the room after putting some rounds through the door, looking as if a fight had broken out. I made sure to use Patterson’s rifle so his half empty magazine would match the bullets scattered around the room, so hopefully it would look like he had fought back before I paralyzed him.

I went down the hall and turned to head out only to have Covert appear in front of me and begin running with me. “Did you find them?” I asked as we exited the main building.

“Yes.” Covert said, leading me to the left of the main building. “The armory is to the right and the small motor pool with the vehicles you described is this way.” We sped up our pace past the main entrance where I could see the bodies of the frozen guards beginning to crawl along the ground. The spell released the arms first, after twenty-five minutes then it spread to the rest of the body one limb at a time. I would have about ten more minutes before they first group of soldiers would be unfrozen.

“Well then,” I smiled and began to jog ahead of the shadow, “let’s go get suited up!”

Luna looked down at the watch the human had synced for her. Well the other human since she was human now too. It was strange being a different creature. The body makeup was strange and confusing, but the fingers.

Oh wow.

Luna wiggled them in front of her and smiled. They did make things a lot easier.

Luna quickly shook her head looked back at the watch. It was pushing close to 6:30. Honored had wanted to be gone by now. What was keeping him?

“I don’t care that you want the fucking green one!” I screamed out the window at Covert who standing next to a military drab green HMMWV or High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle. Better known as the Humvee. He like the green saying it matched Equestria better.

“Fuck the color! This is fine! Tan is the new green!” I screamed at him while using my magically sharpened bowie knife to slice the lock bar off from the steering wheel. I then punched the ignition on and the engine roared into life in the M1043 heavy variant Humvee. The fuel gauge was at the halfway mark and everything else was showing green. I jumped out and ran over to the passenger side and using my knife, hacked the computer system and military radio out. I tossed the tech on the ground, but left the am/fm radio in. Covert was curious as to why I was trashing the truck so he wandered over and watched as I removed the last bit of non-essential tech from inside the vehicle.

“Why are you destroying this stuff?” He asked, poking the computer screen with his foot.

“Because that stuff has the tracker equipment in it. And with it, the military can see where the vehicle is. And I don’t want to be found, not until I’m in another universe.” I said, checking to make sure everything had been stripped from the Humvee. I hopped back into the driver’s seat and then looked at Covert. “Now get in? Please?”

“Fine. Just so that we can get out of here.” Chimed the shadow-based creature, giving off an air of exasperation at the situation.

With the picky shadow now riding beside me, we tore out of the motor pool following the road down to the other side of the main compound. To the armory. I leaned down and removed a small ruby from my pocket and tossed it out the window where it smashed onto the road, a wisp of dark blue magic escaping the gem and flying off towards the woods.

Luna was about to give up waiting and just go check on Honored when she felt a small amount of her raw magic return to her body. Honored broke the gem signaling the final phase of his ridiculous plan.

But is it really ridiculous if it works? She thought while snapping her fingers together and a large machine gun appeared next to her floating in a blue aurora. “Why he never tried snapping his fingers to get the magic flowing is beyond me.” Luna stopped and thought for a second. “Well I never did tell him to try it.”

“Oh well. No matter now anyway.”

Luna jumped into the blue car and put the machine gun down on the hood of the car, holding it in place with a small amount of magic as the car tore from the hiding spot in the woods and raced onto the interstate towards the compound tucked into the wilderness.

“Okay grab those ones and toss them into the crate!” I yelled happily as I ran around the armory, scooping up any and every weapon that peaked my interest. I knew most of the weapons in the room. Pistols to shotguns. Carbines to assault rifles. Light machine guns to grenade launchers. Submachine guns to sniper rifles. This place was packed with goodies. And all the ammo to boot too. Covert was in charge of snagging the weapon while I grabbed ammo can after ammo can and threw them into the back of the Humvee which I may have backed up into a window, causing a few scratches on its bumper, but I was now filling that bad boy up with weapons ammo and gadgets for the weapons.

“Honored?” Covert asked from across the room while I loaded a few cases of 7.62 into the Humvee.

“What?” I said while turning around, my mouth dropping open.

“Should we take this one?”

“Yes.” I walked over and wrapped my arms around the weapon, letting the tears roll off my cheeks onto the smooth barrel. “Yes dear God yes.” I quickly looked around and my smile got even bigger, “Start loading those cans, all of them, and look for others that say the same thing.”

Covert nodded and began carrying the huge boxes to the Humvee and began stacking the large dark green cases into the back, one on top of the other. He stopped and opened one before looking at me and pulling out some of the contents. “Honored these are huge.”

“I know.” I said, heaving the weapon up to waist and then walking slowly to the door, the massive weapon system swaying with me as I walked. I left the tripod behind on the floor of the armory. I walked to the front of the Humvee and using my magic, levitated the weapon above the hood and towards the roof where I dropped the gun into the weapon harness and mount for it atop the Humvee. I wiped a tear from my eye as I stood looking up at the completed Humvee.

“Honored what is that?”

“That,” I gave another sob before sucking in a deep lungful of air to try and calm myself, “is a Browning M2A2 .50 caliber heavy barrel machine gun.”

“Where are you Honored?” Luna said as the car idled outside of the main gate of the compound. There was no one seen at the moment, but Luna had seen a few men running around inside the compound through the cracked open gate. Suddenly Luna heard a rumbling and she looked over her shoulder at the end of the road leading from the side road adjacent to the interstate to the compound main gate she was on. A massive truck with a huge weapon turned onto the road and then another. And another. Three trucks were heading right towards the gate.

“Oh no!” Luna gasped before slamming the car into drive and taking off through the woods, the side mirrors snapping off as she drove in between two trees. She heard honking of horns and the yelling of men but she stayed in the woods, within sight of the wall around the compound. She needed to find Honored. And fast.

“There, that was all of the ammo I could find for the roof gun.” Covert said as I loaded another box of M67 grenades onto the Humvee.

“Yeah I think we’re good. Let’s get out of here, Luna should be ready to go.” I smiled and stopped when I heard a familiar engine sound outside of the wall growing closer. “The fuck?” I climbed up on the hood of the Humvee and then onto the roof beside the M2. Sure enough I could make out a blue Firebird racing through the woods along the wall of the compound. “Luna?”

I quickly charged up my magic and teleported outside of the wall near some trees I could see from the top of the Humvee. Luna saw me as the Firebird came racing directly at me. “Please use the brakes.” I prayed as the car got closer and closer. I closed my eyes as dirt shot up and hit me in the face.

The car was parkerd sideways from me, Luna quickly climbing out of the driver’s seat and approaching me.

“Luna what are-“

“No time Honored,” She sounded panicked and upset, “three really big car looking things with more soldiers wearing the stuff you wear just got here. We need to leave!”

Oh shit. The Cavalry had arrived. So this is what it is like knowing that the American armed forces are about plow down on you. “Okay get in the car and head to the meet-up location Delta.”

“What about position Charlie?”

“Shit just got compromised.” I said before flashing back to the top of the Humvee.

Covert leapt into the passenger seat and I sat behind the wheel. The engne was still humming with energy as I shifted the beast of a truck into gear. The Humvee lurched forward, speeding towards the main gate.

“Covert,” I said turning and smiling widely at the shadow, “Hang on. It’s about to get bumpy.” I jerked the wheel so we were heading right at the steel gate in front of us. “Covert, keep us steady!” I yelled over the roar of the engine. I jumped out of the seat and reached around to the opening in the roof. I hauled myself up so I was standing on the gunners platform with the .50 in front of me. I reached out and grabbed the charging handle and racked it back once, the ghost round fed into the chamber. Racking it a second time dropped out a lone link and loading a round into the chamber.

I felt the magic growing in my gauntlet and I immediately poured the magic into the mammoth machine gun. “Here goes nothing.”

I depressed the butterfly trigger releasing the magic covered rounds at the gate.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

The machine gun rattled the entire truck as the burning red hot casings and links covered the roof of the Humvee. The bullets glowed a neon red as the impacted the steel gate, molten metal falling from the steel looking like lava from a volcano.

“OH FUCK YES!” I screamed over the roar of the machine gun as a massive hole was melted into the gate from the molten hot rounds being spat from the weapon in my hands. I eased off the trigger as the barrel on the weapon poured smoke out into the air. I jumped back down into the driver’s seat as Covert scooted back over to the passenger’s seat. I aimed the front of the Humvee directly at the large weakened spot in the gate.

We smashed into the steel gate at the melted point, the Humvee roaring through the metal with a long metallic screech. We landed with a dull ‘thump’ on the other side, three other Humvees parked to the right side, every single one of the soldiers in and around them staring at me as we tore past them towards the interstate.

Suddenly the sound of other weapons began ripping through the air around me as the other soldiers mounted up and gave chase after us. I could see the bullets ripping into the trees around us as more rounds tore apart the road next to us and behind us. “Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.” I mumbled as I swerved a pothole and hit a rough turn before skidding onto the interstate. I ran the Humvee full speed into the flimsy guardrail, sending us into the opposite lanes towards my home town. I poured on the gas and sped off, the other Humvees following.

I thanked the lord for early morning traffic because the machine guns of my pursuers’ died off as the civilians entered their lines of fire. I weaved around a smaller truck and then entered the shoulder of the road speeding towards Delta point.

“Aw yeah, this is my jam!” I yelled and looked at Cover you turned the simple am/fm radio up.

We dodged around a minivan that had three kids in it with their faces pressed against the glass. I smiled and waved before hitting the gas and speeding off, the three Humvees staying close to my ass. “We got to ditch these chasers.” I said through gritted teeth as we rode a turn around the interstate. Ahead of us was an eighteen wheeler. I smiled. Solution found.

"Covert grab the wheel, keep us heading to Delta!” I yelled at him as the music pumped in the background. I climbed up into the gunner’s hatch and grabbed the fifty, turning it to the left side. A few cars began honking their horns, yeah if that would stop a .50. Stupid people. I waited as we got closer to the truck. I smiled as we began to pass the truck. I quickly took aim and unleashed normal .50cal rounds into the truck’s rear tires, shredding the metal and rubber instantly. The large truck wobbled to the right before turning sharply and creating a roadblock across the two lanes of interstate.

“WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!” I pumped a fist in the air as two of the chasing Humvees smashed into the truck and other cars stopped behind it. The third one skidded to the right, onto the shoulder and continued it pursuit after us. The grass and asphalt to our right began to kick up as the following Humvee’s own .50cal opened up on us. I slammed my fist down on the roof of the Humvee, a brilliant umbrella dome of shimmering blood red magic enveloped the truck as the .50 caliber rounds bounced harmlessly off into the ground and sky. I quickly reached down into the Humvee while keeping the magic flowing and grabbed my Mosin propped up behind the driver’s seat. I turned around facing the closing Humvee and laid the rifle down on the roof and crouched down.

I pulled the bolt up and back, making sure it was empty. I then charged magic into the chamber, causing the shield spell to falter around us. The bullets continued to kick up around us, the heavy plating armor stopping most of the massive rounds. I aimed down the scope as the paralyze spell was readied in the chamber.

I lined up and took two quick breaths before exhaling a long one.

CRACK

The light blue ball of energy traveled into the window of the Humvee and nailed the driver dead center of his chest. The Humvee veered to the right and ended up stopping in a ditch along the interstate. I swung the turret back around to the front of the Humvee and then slid back into the driver’s seat, the Mosin resting back behind me.

“And that’s how it’s done.” I smiled as I saw the blue Firebird stopped near the 11B exit sign near the off ramp to my town. I pulled up behind it and killed the engine.

“Hey Luna.” I said as I walked up to her. She smiled and looked at the Humvee.

“So that’s what we went to steal. A carriage?”

“And some weapons!” I smiled and looked at the blue car just sitting out in the open. “Why is the car that was just involved in a huge high speed pursuit just sitting there?”

“Oh that?” Luna scoffed at me and turned around looking at the car, her deep purple hair shining in the early morning sun. “I have it enchanted to look red to anypony… anybody else that isn’t you, Covert, or me.”

“Nice.” I said walking back to the Humvee. “I hoped you saved the magic, because now we teleport to the house. I’m sure there are some more military personnel inbound, and I doubt I can take down more helicopters.”

Luna smiled and nodded as we focused our magic together on the two vehicles. The magic pooled together and soon as we had enough to get us back to the cul-de-sac, I launched the spell.

FLASH

“And that’s why I had you clean out the garage.” I said matter-of-factly to my dad, who was gawking at the Humvee wedged into the tiny space. The garage door just barely closed down behind the huge truck, preventing it from being seen. And with the tech removed, it would be impossible to track via any computer satellite imaging.

“And the Army is going to kick you out?” My dad said, still staring at the Humvee.

“Dad,” I looked at him and gave a cocky smile, “I think that ship has sailed.”

Home is Where...

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On My Honor
By Honored Service
Edited/preread by Spirit of Harmony

“Well now what?” Luna asked me as I walked up the stairs and flopped down onto the couch. My mother was fuming at me. Of course, jump a universe or two and she is still berating me for stealing a few things from the government. It’s not like they didn’t have any extra to spare. And my dad? Well dad was still busy just staring at the Humvee wedged into the garage, as well as the fact that a single person was able to steal something like that. I had explained him the superior magical warrior part, but he still just couldn’t seem to understand how that made me better than an entire compound of trained military personnel.

“Honestly I don’t know.” I said looking at Luna as she sat herself down across from me in the living room. “I really hadn’t expected it to work out like that. I had planned on that little mission taking all day because I would get captured and then break free. But not that I’m complaining.” I looked at the new, smaller TV in the living room. I walked over to the shelf and picked up a controller and lightly tossed it at Luna. “I know what can kill some time.”

“What is this?” Luna said holding the black shape in her hands. She stared at the plastic colored buttons and lightly tapped one. She tried moving the toggle stick around and saw it move easily in the slot.

“That’s an Xbox controller.” I reached down and picked up my own black controller. “I figure I could introduce you to a form of entertainment here in my world. This one shouldn't be too violent.”

“HAHA!” Luna squealed in excitement as her character jumped over a barrier, planted a kick to my chest and then drove a rifle with a chainsaw through my chest, slicing my character Dizzy in half, bloody chunks of flesh flying of in every direction.

I stared, slack-jawed, at the screen where Luna was spinning around in circles. “Whatever, lets try this game next.”

“Attack Dogs inbound.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I said watching the screen where I was being mauled by a vicious dog. Luna looked at me with the biggest shit eating grin on her face. “Okay fuck this, we’re going old school.”

A deep voice rumbled out, “Killing Spree,” as a blue metal clad warrior crouched up and down rapidly on my body in the middle of a giant grassy box canyon.

“Okay fuck it. That’s it. I give up. I can’t beat you at any games.” I laid my controller down and stared at Luna as she proudly looked over to me. She had the biggest grin on her face as she nodded her head at me.

“You are a worthy opponent, but alas I am stronger.” She smiled even wider as I crossed my arms and grumbled at her.

I looked at the clock on the wall and noticed that a few hours had gone by. It was past midday and I was craving some lunch. Damn Luna and her ability to just pick up any game and do well at it. I bet if I gave her Skyrim and turned it on hard she wouldn’t be feeling so cocky right now.

“I hope you can have salad again Luna,” I said opening the fridge and peering inside, “because that’s the only thing we have that you can eat.”

“Yes that will be fine.” Luna said walking behind me. “Thank you for allowing me to play that box of X with you.”

I laughed at her as I began filling a bowl with lettuce and other none delicious meat products. After Luna’s lunch was made I poked around the fridge. But I couldn’t seem to find my hydra steaks.

“Mom? Where are my hydra steaks?”

“Hydra steaks?” She said looking around the corner of the doorway into the kitchen.

“Yes. Those steaks I had sitting on the second shelf of the fridge.” I think I knew where this was going.

“OH that meat?” she said waving a hand at me, “They were obviously bad because they were green, so I threw them out.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose and let out a deep breath. “They were green, because the hydra is a greenish color.” Great no food for me besides… salad. “Is there anything else to eat that’s not salad?”

“You can have some soup or a sandwich.” My mother said while walking back out of the kitchen.

I just stood there staring at the empty fridge. I shut it and then reopened it, half expecting it to be filled now, but unfortunately it wasn’t.

“You could just eat some greens.” Luna said through a mouthful of lettuce and carrots. “You do make a good salad.”

“That’s it!” I yelled, storming out of the kitchen and towards the stairs, “We are discussing salads. I’m going to go do something before I die from boredom.”

“Is that such a good id-“ I slammed the door shut and marched off down the street from my house. My boots thumped along the sidewalk while I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my jeans I was wearing. I had opted to remove the armor since my mission was a success and I was just waiting for the three days to end. I sure hope that it was three Equestrian days and not nine earth days. I don’t know if I could continue stealing stuff and causing general chaos for another seven days.

“Well what to do?” I looked around at the neighborhood and smiled. Everything was nice and calm. “Looks like we’re due for a big ol’ storm of chaos.”

“Muhahaha!”

After taking a nap and reading through the last three chapters in Johnson’s old history book, Luna sat down in the living room.

“Ah, hello Princess Luna.” Honored’s father said while walking into the room. “How are you?”

“I’m quite alright, and please, I am no Princess here on this planet.” Luna said with a smile while picking up the remote for the TV. “But if you could please turn this thing on for me and put it on the news, I would be most grateful.”

“Certainly.”

The TV popped to life as the screen flickered briefly as it skipped to the news network. Luna watched with great interest as the woman inside the screen began to talk about the economy of the nation. Luna quickly pulled out a scroll and began to furiously write down everything she could about the economy of this nation that Honored lived in. It was interesting that in this economy, very little of the money was actually tangible, most of it being somewhere outside of the spenders hands.

“We are going to interrupt this portion of the evening news to go to a story we are getting from a news station located in the southern part of United States.” The woman had appeared on the screen again and she was looking very distraught, Luna thought while inching closer to the TV. She scrunched up her face feeling something tight beginning to form in her chest.

The screen flashed to a reporter standing in front of huge crowd that was circled around something.

“I’m coming from Downtown where some kind of… magical performance is happening and it is truly out of this world.” Luna felt her eye twitch and a sinking feeling form in her gut.

“Johnson?” She called out, waiting for a response.

“JOHNSON?” She yelled out louder, turning from the TV and looking around the room. She waited for an answer, but it never came.

“Oh dear.” She turned to the screen as the camera panned around and the shot came into focus.

A man wearing jeans and a red t-shirt was standing in the center of a ring of people. His left forearm and hand was covered in a blood red fire that was slowly growing all the way up to his shoulder as he smiled and walked around the cleared area around him.

“So again I’ll ask,” he turned to a young woman standing at the front of the crowd, “would you care to volunteer?” The man held out his flaming hand to the attractive blonde haired girl. She gave a bashful smile and then reached out solely, her fingers touching the fire, but she left them in the flames. She slowly took hold of his hand before beginning to lift off the ground. Luna felt a small amount of jealousy as he lifted the woman up.

The crowd exploded into applause as the woman was suspended upside down in mid-air, merely being held up by the man’s flaming fingers. He gently set her down and then smiled to the crowd. “Give Ashley a big round of applause. That was very brave! Now who else wants to go?”

The crowd erupted into an even larger roar as everyone wanted to be lifted into the air. The man quickly gestured to the crowd to settle down as the flames on his hand receded into his palm, leaving a shiny black metal gauntlet visible. “Well then, I think that should be enough volunteers.” He then reached up, his palm glowing with an intense red light, and in swinging motion, brought his fist into the ground as flash of red wrapped around the entire ring of bystanders, and lifted every single one of them into the air. They then began floating around the lone man in the center, every person flipping and gliding through the air, all of them yelling in excitement.

“I literally cannot believe that this is happening.” The reporter said as he flipped backwards away from the camera, “But I must believe that this is truly magic.”

“And hang on folks!” The man in the center of the floating vortex called out, “there’s more where that came from!”

Luna felt her eye twitch again as she watched the magic being performed in front of her on the TV screen. She slowly got up and flicked the TV off before sitting down in the chair and crossing her legs. Luna sat patiently before clearing her throat.

“COVERT!”

The shadow appeared before Luna, melting out of the darkened kitchen in the late afternoon. He looked at Luna who sitting perfectly still. And rolled his red eyes.

“Honored?”

“Honored.” Luna said while nodding. “He is using magic and stirring up attention for himself in the middle of the downtown area of the city.”

“We should probably stop him.” Covert added, reaching up and grabbing a pair of keys off the counter in the kitchen. “Before he angers more people.”

Luna began walking towards the door, “Or gets himself caught.”

“Sir I have to ask,” the reporter walked up to me and shoved a microphone into my face, “how are you doing this?”

I rolled my eyes and pushed the microphone away. “I believe in magic and so then I do it.” Ha have fun with that logic. Now everyone will be just thinking about it trying to get it. Earth 0, me 1. With a flick of my gauntlet I made a trashcan hover into the air and perform a series of flips before turning into a cyclone of trash that hovered over the park. I was using the park in the center of downtown to have my performance and so far I was getting a standing ovation.

I checked my watch and saw that it was nearing six, and the lowering sun was telling me it was time to vanish. But I couldn’t just leave without giving the people one last show. A grand finale.

I prepared myself to cast a huge spell that should uproot a tree and then animate it to carry me, but suddenly the squealing of wheels on pavement caught my attention.

I blue Firebird came ripping around the corner of the park and jumped the curb, heading straight for me. I could make out two dark red eyes behind the wheel and a very angry princess in the passenger’s seat.

“Shit.” I grumbled out as the car spend across the grass, ripping the park to shreds as it went. The car drifted into a turn, kicking grass and dirt up as it went, stopping inches from me. The crowd that was behind me was staring slack jawed at the racing shadow.

“Hey Luna.”

“Don’t you ‘hey Luna’ me!” Luna yelled at me as she disembarked from the vehicle. “You use magic in front of all these humans! You are jeopardizing everything you said would happen by pulling off this stunt! To think that maybe you could be responsible for one damn afternoon! Just enjoy yourself on Earth, but no, you have to go and make sure all eyes are on you, doing whatever you can do to make sure that you are the center of the universe!” Luna was positively fuming at me.

“So did you enchant the car that was involved in an extremely dangerous high-speed chase a day ago before driving through the center of the downtown area?” I asked jerking my thumb at the car.

Luna suddenly stopped glaring at me, and spun around to look at the car. Covert was sitting the in the driver’s seat, returning a shrug to our stares. “I may have forgotten to do that.” Luna mumbled as I slapped a hand to my face.

WOO WOO

A fleet of police cars rounded the corner of park and headed straight for us. I sighed again and began to charge up my magic into my gauntlet. “God damn it Luna.”

“And for my next act, watch as I, the Great and Powerful Honored, disappears!” I turned and bowed to the still gathered crowd and camera before snapping my fingers and teleporting into the driver’s seat of the car.

“Hey watch it!” Covert shouted as he quickly melted through the seat and into the back seat while Luna hopped into the passenger’s seat.

“Good going Luna.” I said while slamming the car into gear and tearing out of the park, kicking up green grass behind me as I ripped through the park, the police cars continuing their pursuit along the road and through the park.

“Listen I’m not the one who just spent an entire morning removing themselves from military records, to then just go and make a public display of themselves.” Luna shouted back at me as I swerved the car onto the road, barely missing an oncoming truck as I did so.

“Look I removed all trace of myself from the computer system there, meaning that any info they had on me: my name, face, everything, is gone now. And during the performance my name was Honored. Good luck finding me!” I looked at Luna and smiled, “See I can cover my tracks pretty well.”

I quickly charged up my gauntlet and raised the entire car into the air as a police cruiser attempted to side-swipe us off the road. “Unlike some certain princess that loves to make everything harder for me.”

The smell of burning rubber filled my nose as I drifted through a turn and raced down the main street of downtown. I flicked the car into car and sped off towards the highway heading towards my house. I would have to ditch the cops (again) before I could return home. And I really didn’t want to stop the cars (again) and risk getting squashed in an insane high-speed chase (again).

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my iPod. I quickly turned it on and watched as the normally silver icon on the screen was blood red for some reason. “That’s new.” I commented before sticking the iPod into the adapter cable.

“What are you doing?” Luna said next to me as she gripped onto the door handle for dear life as we flew over a bump and crashed down, skidding to the side and nearly hitting a car in the opposite lane.

“Listen, if you want me to outrun these police, then I’m going to need some motivation.”

“And getting caught by the guard you warned me about isn’t enough?” Luna shrieked as we made a sharp turn, one of the following cop cars skidding and slamming into a fire hydrant, putting it out of the chase.

“If my opinion matters,” Covert spoke up over the roaring of the engine as I hit a straight away, “I like your music.”

“Thank you Covert.” I smiled and reached up towards the iPod, but my hand stopped as I looked at the screen. “Okay that is really new.”

On the screen where the home screen should be was now a glowing image of my cutie mark that was on my biceps. The yellow five pointed star with a black outline and a blue ribbon streaming off from the top point surrounded by five smaller orange stars. “Okay this is freaky now.”

I stopped looking at the screen and turned my attention to the road as a police car had somehow managed to get in front of me and was preparing to box me in. “Oh hell naw.” I said while charging my magic into my gauntlet and then focusing the blood red aurora around the black and white vehicle. i scooped it up and into the air before depositing it lightly on its side next to the road as i sped by.

“Two down.”

I looked over my shoulder at the flashing lights.

“A shitload to go.”

“Princess Celestia, i wish you would calm down. Please?” Twilight said while walking up to her mentor’s side. “Its only been a day. They still have another two left before the portal will bring them back.” Twilight had stayed up all night pouring through every portal spell book she could find, trying to see about a reverse spell, but to no avail. And having the chief ruler constantly watching over your shoulder didn't help the process either.

“How can I be calm? They could be-” Celestia was met with the deadpan stares of six ponies beneath her.

“Princess,” Applejack said calmly, “We have been over this. Y’all need to stop this fretting and just be patient. I’m positive that even as we speak, Honored is showing you sister the finer points of his home world.”

“Shit. Shitshitshitshitshit.” I repeated over and over again as another cop car drew alongside my car. I looked left and right both cars inching closer to pin me in. i quickly levitated the car into the air before dropping the car down onto the roofs of both cars and then peeling off the tops, onto the hoods and then onto the asphalt of the road and tearing off down the highway, leaving two wrecked patrol cars behind.

“I must insist that our dear Applejack is right darling.” Rarity smiled to the princess before levitating her a cup of tea. “Think about it like this, Honored is seeing his family and trying to spend his few days home to catch up on all he missed.”

“Honored!” Luna shouted into my ear as a loud ‘pop’ filled the air. I quickly jerked my head around and watched as the passenger of the closest police car leaned back out the window gripping a pistol in his hand.

“I know. I know.” I quickly veered right down another street, the police staying close on my tail. Covert leaned forward so he was talking into my ear.

“Honored he’s preparing to fire.”

“Thanks for the update!” I half shouted, half grumbled at the shadow as a round bounced right next to car, then another shattered the driver’s side view mirror. “Oh now it’s personal.” I jerked the car into a hard left turn and cut down a side road along the main highway.

The screen on the iPod gave a quick flash of light and then it began to blast heavy rock into the air. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DelhLppPSxY)

The bullets continued to eat the asphalt around the car as i sped forward, Luna continuing to curse at me and Covert trying to keep his head down as a round smashed through the rear window and into my rearview mirror, shards of glass raining everywhere.

“That’s it. Covert take the wheel and get back to the house and hide the car in the backyard under the tarp. I’m going to buy us an exit.” I grunted as i cut the wheel and rounded the car back onto the main highway. Suddenly i heard the steady thumping of a helicopter filling the air. My pulse quickened as i aimed my gauntlet out the window and at the approaching chopper. “Not this time.”

i fired a blast of blood red magic at the helicopter and gave a wicked grin as the rotors stopped spinning and the helicopter slowly fell towards the ground as the rotors began to lose their power. it landed far behind us with small cloud of dust rising from the still spinning blades. i reached down and grabbed the iPod off the connector cable and stuffed the still blaring device into my jean’s pocket.

I turned the wheel a final time making the car spin around in a complete circle. As the car turned, i reached over and opened the door, stepping out just as it turned so i was now walking towards the oncoming police cars, my car finishing the spin behind me and continuing off towards home. I began to jog and then broke into a full dead on sprint at the closing cars. Their bright red and blue lights flashing before me as i leapt into the air and came down, slamming my metal fist into the ground.

A massive wave of blood red magic exploded out from my fist and raced along the ground towards the police cars. The red magic shredded the black asphalt as it traveled along, causing the street to look as if an earthquake had struck the town. Two of the tailing police cars ended up nose down into the cracks running along the streets while another flipped backwards as a pipe shot upwards and smashed into the bottom of the car.

“Hail to the king, baby.” I grinned as my magic surrounded my fist and I pointed at a telephone pole next to me and ripped it out of the ground. I took a running step forward before hurling it over my head like a javelin, and guided it to its target. The wooden pole pinned a cop car to the street, lurching forward and sending both of the officers out of the front window. I reached out and caught them in my magic before they could receive more harm other than cuts from the shattered windshield.

After dropping the two officers alongside the road i turned my attention to the rest of the police cars. Except the cars weren't chasing after me. They had stopped in front of me and every officer was out of the car with their weapons drawn.

“Well fuck.”

“I know I'm overreacting girls. Again.” Princess Celestia said while sipping on more of Rarity’s tea. She was feeling much better now after the comforting words. She was only worried because she herself knew nothing about the portal spell and the functions of it in another universe. Who knew if it could even have worked. She could truly begin to worry in two more days.

“It’s alright Princess Celestia.” Fluttershy said quietly. “Sometimes we all worry about the littlest things. I mean i know losing a sister isn't little, but shes going to be okay.” Fluttershy slowly got softer and softer as she tried to reason with the princess, but Celestia only smiled in return.

“Thank you Fluttershy. I understand what you mean.” Celestia began to think before placing the teacup down and addressing the Elements gathered before her. “We should probably prepare a welcome back for them.”

“FINALLY!” Pinkie Pie shouted before rolling a large blue cannon out of the door of Rairty’s shop and towards the Everfree forest.

I squared off against the gathered police as nearly fifteen pistols were trained on me. I took a deep breath and lowered my arms, my gauntlet still having a faint red glow on around it. I quickly threw my arm up, a shimmering red shield forming in front of me. At the same time, every pistol opened up on me, pouring hot lead directly at my body.

But every round was caught mid air by my shimmering blood red shield. One that seemed very similar to a plasma shield held by a Jackal from Halo. I thrusted the shield forward, sending the lead back to its sender. The chunks of metal bounced all around the cars, causing the police to duck behind their cars. I shook my gauntlet, the red magic dying off from its surface. I then looked up at the recovering police and gave them a quick cocky two fingered salute before snapping my fingers on my gauntlet.

FLASH

“Oh- cough- my- pant- god.” I fell to the ground panting like a dog after a five mile run. I was laying on my front yard, my right hand resting on the cool grass, while i stared up at the darkening sky.

“Honored?” The soft calm voice called out to me before I heard someone running up to me.

I slowly turned my head to see Luna resting on her knees next to me. She had a very concerned look on her face.

“ ‘sup.” I said before the world seemed to grow darker around me.

I slowly cracked my eyes open and found myself lying on my bed staring up at my ‘Celestia Is Watching’ poster. I groaned and sat up. I smacked my mouth open and closed, trying to get the cotton on my tongue to go away. I stretched and swung my feet over the side of the mattress before realizing I was completely naked.

“LUNA!”

After dressing and grumbling to myself so more, i trudged up the stairs to find Luna sitting with Covert at the kitchen table enjoying a cup of coffee.

“What happened? And why the fuck was I naked?” I said taking a seat at the head of the table. Both Covert and Luna giving a sideways glance to each other. Covert simply slide out from the chair and melted into the shadows along the wall, leaving just Luna and myself.

“Okay well I can explain.” Luna began, setting her coffee down. “I’m guessing you attempted your first ever long-range teleportation spell, and it worked. But since you don't have an alicorn amount of magic in you, and your talent isn't magic, jumping such a great distance caused your body to shut down while your magic returned.”

“Okay that makes sense.” I said, while bringing out my Ipod from my pocket. I had grabbed the little device from the dresser on the way out of my room. Right now the screen was black and holding the power on button had no effect. I very slowly began to dump some magic into the tech just like before.

“So why was I naked?”

Luna coughed and sputtered on her sip of coffee. I gave her a smile, “Think I would just forget?”

“Well you see… I didn’t know how long you would be out. So i just stripped you down and put you to bed.” Luna said with a blush, her eyes darting back and forth.

“So you wouldn't happen to know where my old polaroid camera is then?”

Very slowly Luna’s horn began to glow and a handful of polaroid pictures floated out from under the table and landed in front of me. I looked down and then back at Luna.

“Ahem.” I coughed.

One more floated out and joined the others. “Thank you.” I said before quickly causing the photos of a naked sleeping human to burst into flames and vanish.

“Wait what did you mean that you didn't know how long I would be out. How long has it been?” I said looking around the kitchen trying to find the time. The oven clock showed that it was only nine at night so i had been out for a few hours at the most.

“Its been over five days.” Luna said while looking at me. “Honored. The spell said three days and it had been eight days!” Luna’s eyes slowly began to get bigger as she spoke. She looked down and then brought her smooth pale hands as they began to shake violently.

“Five days.” She then looked up to me with tears in her eyes. “Honored it was only supposed to last three days.” Luna stood up and began pacing back and forth across the kitchen while I stayed seated and watched her. “Five days. Oh my sister is going to kill me! But she never will because we are never going back and i’ll be stuck as this… this… thing forever!”

“Hey!” I said, looking up at Luna with a hurt look. “I happen to be one of those things!” I then walked over to Luna and guided her back to her seat. “Now Luna listen, two years in Equestria is six here. So three Equestrian days…” I waited as the gears slowly began to work inside of her mind.

“So then we have one day left?” Luna said realizing that she was worrying about nothing. She visibly began to smile before grabbing me in a huge hug and spinning me around in a circle.

“Yes.” I choked out from Luna’s death grip. “Now put me down!”

“Opps, sorry.” Luna blushed as i patted my clothes.

“Its alright.” So tomorrow we would head back to Equestria, meaning i had one night left with the family.

“MOM! DAD!” I yelled out.

“What?” Came the doubled echo.

“Get ready, we're going out to eat!” I smiled as I took Luna’s hand and pulled her out towards my parent’s cars.

My mom and dad sat opposite Luna and myself at one of the fancier restaurants in the town. We were seated comfortably in a corner table with a large potted plant tucked into the corner behind myself. Luna was still quizzing the waiter about nearly everything on the menu, still trying to decide what she wanted to get at her first and last visit to an alternate universe’s restaurant.

“What's fillet mignon?” Luna said looking over the menu placed in front of her.

“Um yeah, nope.” I looked up to the waiter and smiled, “We’ll have two sweet teas and she’ll have the salad special.” The waiter nodded to me and then walked over to my parents to get their order. Oh shoot i almost forgot. i leaned over to my left side near the wall of the restaurant and looked around.

“Pssst.” No response. “PSSST!”

“What?” Came a muffled voice.

“What do you want Covert?”

The shadows i was talking into remained silent for a moment until a menu being held by a pitch black had crawled out of the shadows. Another long pointed finger jabbed at something on the menu. I nodded and smiled, “Good choice.” I reached over and snagged the menu from the shadow’s grasp and turned. A family across the restaurant was staring right at me as i took a menu from the sinister hands that were coming straight off the wall.

I just smiled and waved at the family before turning back to the table i was sitting at. i quickly flagged down the waiter before he could leave. “I’m sorry i forgot something. With the steak meal could i also get the double lobster tail and shrimp.” The waiter looked at me and then raised an eyebrow.

“You want both things?” He asked while still giving me a strange look.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a sparkling diamond the size of quarter and placed it in his hand. “And when you bring it, if you could just put it behind me next to the wall, that would be great.” I smiled as he closed his fist around the diamond and looked back at me.

“Of course sir. I’ll make sure everything is prepared perfectly.”

“Thank you.”

“So son,” my father said from the other side of the table once the waiter had left with the orders, “When did you first meet Princess Luna?”

“Hmm... well I guess it was when I was first getting started in the new world… Wait, this isn't like that!” I quickly held my hands up and cut that conversation off. “We are just friends!”

I heard some deep muffled laughter coming from the shadows behind me against the wall. “And you better shut it or no chocolate lava cake for you.” The laughter quickly stopped.

“Oh sorry dear.” My mother smiled at me innocently. “We just thought since she was by your side every second while you were unconscious and the fact you two do nearly everything together and the fact that you argue like an old married couple that you two were together.”

I was quickly turning redder and redder as my mother kept talking. I began to slam my head against the table causing a few surrounding tables to turn and look at ours. I guess my table manners were a bit shaky.

“So wait,” my dad turned to look at my mother, “you mean our son isn't dating the pretty pony princess?”

SLAM

Luna just watched in amusement, a huge shit-eating grin plastered to her face as she just watched the torture unfold. And of course i had to listen Covert’s constant two cents on what he thought. Which was a lot. I was only saved once the food arrived. And it looked amazing. An actual prepared steak. MADE OF BEEF!

“Face it Honored,” Covert said in between bitefuls of his lobster, “You two are being forced together like some badly written romance novel that Twilight keeps under her bed.”

“No.” I said simply as I cut into my very rare steak. I loved it like this. Juicy and fresh. I think I can hear it mooing.

For the most part I think Luna is still just trying to bother me. No one could take this much denial and rejection without quitting. Then again she did kind of whisper into my ear. ‘I always get what I want.’

I shivered as I thought about that and continued to eat. The rest of the meal went without any incident, and Luna finally seemed to stop creeping on me once I ordered her some of the restaurant's famous moon pie cake. She even had laughed at the name and smiled at me. She seemed so happy in the dimmed lighting of the restaurant.

I paid the tab for the meal handing the waiter a bag full of golden bits. He started to question me, but then i handed him another two diamonds. “Thanks for putting up with us.” I said while walking away. “And I promise you, those are real.”

As I walked outside I noticed that Luna was standing under the street light alone. “Hey Luna, where did my parents go?”

“They went to bring the car around. So i just decided to wait here with you.” She said with a smile as she took a step closer towards me. Out here in the natural light beneath the full moon one could really appreciate how she looked. She had turned that same old overcoat into a tight fitting black dress that came all the way down to her feet and left a small trail that dragged behind her. The dress hugged her human body perfectly, showing off the curves that she got when she changed over universes.

I quickly shook my head to try and stop thinking about her, but when I looked up, she was still standing there, just as pretty as before. The dress stopped at her shoulders, showing off her flawless pale skin that seemed to glow under the moonlight. Her eyes sparkled under the street light as she brushed a rouge strand of her deep purple hair back behind her ear.

I coughed and turned away blushing heavily before looking across the street. Two blood red eyes were watching me with great intensity.

“Fuck off Covert!” I yelled out as a gray sedan pulled up alongside the curb. I opened the door for Luna and then ran around the side before climbing into the car. I sat in the back of the car thinking about my time on Earth. I had been in two high speed pursuits with the local police, assaulted a military development compound, stole who knows how much high grade weapons and tech, knocked unconscious for five days because I performed my first official long range teleportation spell, and then had one hell of an awkward dinner with my family.

I then exploded into laughter from the back of the car, causing all eyes to focus on me.

“Son are you okay?” My gruff father’s voice spoke out over the hum of the engine.

“Yeah.” I said through another wave of tears, “It’s just here I am, a magical super warrior that had been fighting for another nation for two years, and and HAHA!” More laughter erupted out of me while Luna just gave me a weirded out stare.

“No. No. No. hold on.” I snickered again before taking a deep breath. “Okay so I’m all of that, plus riding with one of the rulers of the nation and I'm in the back of my parent's care being shuttled around like an awkward teen coming back from his first date!” More laughter exploded from me as Luna slowly began to laugh too, before joining me in huge amounts of laughter.

My parents just looked at the two of us, one ruler of a nation, and an elite warrior with magical powers, and just rolled their eyes as they continued to head home.

“This is it!” Celestia said while climbing down from her bed. She walked over to her balcony and raised herself into the sky with a powerful thrust from her giant wings. She gently lowered the moon, tucking back into the deep void of space before reaching out and gripping the sun and moving the fiery ball low in the sky to begin the day.

“I swear if those two aren't back today, i’m going to do something terrible to him.” Celestia said while gliding herself of her balcony and down to her open study window. She settled in behind the desk and began to go over the paperwork before her. It was obvious that the Honored couldn't be left alone. He was just too… well he was just to himself to live peacefully and be content with a normal life. He just always had to stir up trouble. So Celestia needed a way to keep a closer eye on him.

Covert had done his job, but she knew that the shadow was faithful to the human as well. He was a loyal friend and was apart of the Elements of Sanctuary with Honored. He might have even helped him in the whole portal thing. Celestia sighed, Covert was so good at stealth he would have been the perfect candidate for her newest plan of action.

Honored needed a handler.

He need somepony to constantly be there and watch out for him. Somepony that would act like a babysitter for the rambunctious human.

He was like a wild little foal. And with any wild kid, sometimes they needed harsher punishment. And Celestia could think of nothing harsher than having him kept under control by a personal handler to release him when the situation called for it.

Before Celestia were a stack of folders. Each one contained the record of guards around the castle that not only outranked the disorderly soldier, but were loyal to the guard; both Day and Night guards.

Celestia began sorting through the papers trying to decide who to send. They had to be tough, resourceful, clever, brave, and above all else, able to put up with his nonsense.

Celestia flipped open a page and her eyes stopped. She scanned the page and a smile slowly began to form on her lips. “To calm a bad dog,” She began to say before writing a name down, “sometimes he has to be… fixed.”

I stayed awake mostly all night packing the Humvee with everything i was going to bring back to Equestria. All of my personal guns in the overseas bag was added on top of the massive pile of weapons and other gear taken from the military compound. I also tucked my TV and my Xbox into the truck as well. I’m sure I could come up with some way to get those things working.

“Honored?” Luna said behind me as I loaded the last of my clothes back into the trunk of my Firebird. I figured Rarity would get a kick out of having clothes from another universe.

“Sup Luna?” I said wiping my hands on my faded blue jeans and turning around. Luna was wearing a tight fitting white dress blouse and a rather short black skirt. For only being a human for a little over a week she sure knew how to dress. I quickly shook my head and smiled, “What do you need princess?”

“I came to see how you were doing.” She said looking around at the military vehicle crammed into the garage.

“I’m good.” I put my hands on my hip and looked at her, one eyebrow raising. “What did you do?”

“Oh nothing. But i was wondering can i bring some things back with me?” She asked sheepishly while twiddling her thumbs.

“Sure i guess… wait when did you have time to get things?” I said suddenly very concerned with what she wanted to bring.

“Well you were out for five days. i wasn't by your side for literally every second. And your mother is so nice, she took me shopping.”

“Wait. What?” I felt completely left out of this conversation. Since when did my mother hang out with Luna?

“Well first we went to the bank to exchange currencies. How your society can place so much value in a few pounds of gold is beyond me,” Luna explained with a wave of her hand. Suddenly a glowing pile of stuff floated in front of the Humvee. Books of all sizes, chemistry sets, radios, TVs, and other electronics all floated into the pile that was almost as large as the pile of military things I was bringing back.

“I am still so blown away by the technology of this world. I just had to bring some of it back to Equestria for research.” Luna said, bouncing up and down slightly. I should have probably told her about bras.

Once I tore my eyes off her chest, I looked at Luna’s pile of souvenirs. “Okay, if you can get it to fit, then sure why not. Just maybe you should be careful about introducing tech like this to Equestria.”

“Says the being that is bringing a military carriage loaded with military weapons and whatever that is.” She pointed her thumb over a large drab green crate that had ‘TOP SECRET ADW SYSTEM’.

“Hey some of that stuff is important!” I said defensively, standing in front of the overloaded Humvee, “And besides, I'm using all this stuff to protect your kingdom or whatever Equestria is.” I nodded as i crossed my arms over my chest. I’ll be damned if I leave any of these precious armaments behind.

“Then can I take this stuff?” Luna said, her eyes growing larger as she leaned in closer to me, her shirt’s top button coming undone-

“OKAY!” I quickly looked away with a blush. I’ll be happy once we get back to Equestria. Stupid sexy human Luna.

“If it fits, it ships.” I said as Luna began to wedge everything she wanted to bring back in the Firebird. I was certainly going to try and bring both vehicles back with me. When the portal opened in a few hours it would pull the three of us back through it, so in theory, if we magical connected ourselves with the vehicles, then they would get pulled through too.

Right?

God I hope so. I could only think about tearing through a battle in my Humvee armed to the teeth with weapons and the .50cal blaring as went along tearing enemies to bloody ribbons.

“Okay is everypony ready?” Celestia said while standing in front of the spell rune in the clearing located a short distance inside of the Everfree forest. Pinkie Pie had decorated the clearing with confetti and balloons. She even had a table laid out with punch and party snacks. She wasn't kidding when she had said she was going to throw them a welcome home party.

Standing behind Celestia was the Elements of Harmony and beyond them, concealed in the brush of the Everfree where the three guards Celestia had selected as possibile handlers for the human. This was the first test. How would they react to their first encounter with the human. Her small group consisted of two Day Guards and one Night Guard. All them had outstanding service records and had the on paper experience, but how they would handle the human in a real situation would be the ultimate test.

Suddenly one spark erupted from the spell rune. The magic leapt from each magical artifact, a small speck of light growing in the center of the clearing.

“Finally.” Celestia let out a massive sigh of relief. These had been the longest three days of her life, always waiting with baited breath if the spell would work or not.

But she was glad to see the human’s novice magic skill was enough to cast such a difficult spell. If anything, Twilight was more upset that Honored had done a spell she had not.

As I loaded the last bit of my belongings into the truck, a white spark jumped off my arm and onto the side of the Humvee.

“OH SHIT!” I quickly ran towards the living room. I meet Luna halfway there with Covert right behind her. “You felt it too?”

“Yes.” Luna said quickly. “It would appear the spell is beginning to reform and the portal will open.” Luna watched as another spark jumped between all three of us.

“Well let me say my goodbyes and then we will be off.” I smiled. I loved my family. and I loved my home, but i had found a place that needed me more, and I was heading back. Equestria was my home.

As I climbed the stairs I found both my parents looking at me from the couch.

“Please don't go.” My mother choked out as tears slowly began to form in her eyes. I saw my dad’s lip quiver, but nothing else showed his emotions. “You just got back.”

“I know mom.” I pulled her in for a hug. “I’m sorry but I have to. This other world, they need me. I’m one of their main forces of defense against anything evil. We all have a place in the life we are given, and I found mine.” I pulled back from her tear soaked face and smiled.

“I love you mom.” I reached down into the small knapsack slung over my shoulder and took out a fist sized round crystal. I placed it in her palm and raised it up to her face. Watching the crystal, she saw a picture of our family locked inside the precious stone with magic. The picture was old, taken before I left for college, but with a simple illusion spell, myself in the picture had been altered to look like i did now. Red, yellow and orange streaked brown hair covering my head and my shiny golden armor covering my army uniform.

My mother let out another sob as she sank to the couch and held the crystal close to her chest like it was the only thing keeping her alive now. I turned to my father, only to be scooped up in a huge hug and lifted off the ground by the mammoth of a man.

“Son you may live in a different world now, filled with ponies and monsters, but you’ll always be my son.” He put me down and wiped a single tear from his face before smiling, “And I couldn't be prouder of you.”

I looked at him and smiled at him. I reached back into the knapsack and removed a bag filled with nothing but diamonds. “I wanted to leave you with something, and i think this should cover anything in the future.” I handed him the bag as he stared in awe at the glistening diamonds inside.

“Oh yeah, and Luna helped me make this.” I pulled out a golden ring that had two gemstones embedded on the top of it: a ruby and an emerald.

“A ring.” He said looking at it questionly.

“It’s a truth ring. If you wear it and the person you're talking to lies, the red stone lights up. The truth, the green one lights.”

My father slipped on the ring and looked at me with a smile. “This will come in handy when asking suspects questions. But I don't think I can use it in a case. Magical rings probably won't stand up to a jury.”

“Most likely.”

‘DING’

“Hahaha” We both exploded into laughter as the ring glowed green.

“So do you like Luna?” He asked with a serious face as the laughter died down.

“What?” I quickly recoiled from him. “NO!”

‘BZZT’

The ring glowed red.

“Well i mean i like her as a friend.”

‘DING’

I let out a sigh of relief. I stepped back from my parents. “I’m sorry to have to leave mom and dad. But it’s getting close.” Another spark jumped off my arm, this one larger than the last.

I gave them each another large hug and then smiled. “And don’t worry. Maybe I can visit again another time.” I gave them a wink before walking back to the garage. Luna and Covert climbed into the Firebird and soon the engine roared to life. The car was in great shape, save for the missing side view mirror, rearview mirror, and the shattered rear window, but I'm sure Twilight could have a fix-it spell or something.

A dark blue aura surrounded the car as it slowly pulled out of the backyard and into the cul-de-sac. I jumped into the Humvee and pushed the ignition. The massive engine roared to life as I backed the monster out of the garage. Another spark jumped off my arm and onto the Humvee, this time the spark stayed jumping around the truck. I quickly charged my magic and released a spell around the military transport truck locking it to my magic. More sparks began to jump frequently from my arms onto the Humvee.

I turned the wheel, the Humvee rolling into the cul-de-sac right next to the still glowing Firebird. I looked back to my house and at my parents standing on the front porch watching me. I gave them a final wave and then pushed the accelerator forward, lurching the truck into gear as the sparks began to hold steady around me and a white glow began to fill my vision.

I smiled as I felt magic beginning to tug on my body. I couldn't miss an opportunity like this. “WE GOT TO REACH EIGHTY-EIGHT LUNA!” I screamed out the open window at Luna who was cruising along side me, the whole Firebird glowing white.

“WHAT?” Luna roared at me over the humm of magic filling the air.

“NEVERMIND ITS A JO-”

SSSSHHHH- FLASH-

The portal stretched wider as the onlooking group of ponies stared at the intense white light gathering at the center of the rune. A loud chiming of magic filled the air as well as some kind of strange unknown growling?

Celestia cocked her head to the side and looked at the ponies around her. Sure enough they also looked confused. If she didn't know any better, it sounded like the engine of an airship before it took off.

“Oh no.” Celestia mouthed before being slammed to the side by a dark gray and purple blur of color. Celestia was laid out on the ground with the Elements of Harmony, save for Pinkie Pie who was laying on top of her side, as the portal ripped open and two large carriages exploded outward, and screamed through the clearing. They crashed into the refreshment table and continued out of the clearing and through the forest, the blue blur dodging a tree by mere inches. The other massive tan carriage smashed over the small tree and continued on out of the clearing.

Celestia saw a very startled looking human riding inside the larger of the two ponyless carriages. She slowly stood up and looked at the tracks gouged into the earth. “Come on girls, lets make sure that Honored and Luna are okay.” She looked over to the darkness of the underbrush where a pair of dark pink and purple slitted eyes watched. Celestia nodded at the eyes before seeing them vanished.

As the girls filed out of the clearing following the twin tracks, Celestia dismissed the two Day Guards standing beside her. “You may go my guards. I believe the situation has been taken care of.”

They both nodded before taking off into the sky. A shadow quickly emerged from the underbrush and stood in front of the princess.

“That was one amazing performance Night Rose.” Celestia said to the dark blue-gray bat pony. She bowed to the ground and rose looking up to the princess with a smile.

“Of course your highness.” Her voice was a bit rough, almost seductive as she folded her bat-like wings against her sides.

“I’m sure you can guess what your new job will be if Luna is okay with it.” Celestia said. She knew that the Night Guard could obey her, but they took their orders directly from Luna. And knowing Luna’s feelings for the human, she might not be okay with him having a handler to watch over him.

“I’ll await my orders then.” Night Rose bowed before falling in behind the ruler of the day, her dark blue mane and tail with dark pink streaks in it bobbing behind her as she walked.

“WHOOOAAAAAA!” I screamed as the Humvee was suddenly jerked forward into a blinding light. Colors flashed by me as everything seemed to be pulled in every direction. I saw the dark blue Firebird stretch beside me, Luna slowly morphing back into an alicorn in the driver’s seat. Damn that looks uncomfortable.

A black spec appeared in front of me and just as quickly as we had been pulled into the white light, we shot out of the portal and through the opening and into the clearing of the Everfree. Except we were hauling some serious ass. I skidded forward and through a table covered in sweets as Luna swerved the car off towards the side past a tree. I continued forward out of the clearing, passing by a group of ponies laying on the ground directly to the side of my Humvee. I made eye contact with Celestia for the briefest of moments before rocketing into the underbrush of the forest.

“SHIT!” I yelled slamming on the brakes in the field outside of the forest. I saw a dark blue wing protruding from the driver side window on the Firebird along with a hoof. Luna must be crammed in there. The sports car finally rolled to a stop and then turned around, slowly making its way towards me. It stopped on the right side of my truck.

Luna was awkwardly crammed in the driver’s seat, as being a large alicron made it hard to drive a small sports car. I laughed while tumbling out of the Humvee because of having to watch Luna try and her get out of the car.

Luna finally was able to stand up, Covert standing beside her as I looked at them both. I gave them each a large smile and then wrapped them both in a huge hug. “Welcome home.” Luna whispered into my ear.

I felt a tear form before quickly shaking my head. “Thanks Luna. Its good to be back.”

“HONORED!”

The voice of Celestia cut through the air and broke up our little moment. Covert looked at me and smiled. “Good luck human.” He then slowly faded into a fine black mist and vanished into thin air.

“TRAITOR!” I yelled shaking a fist at the dispersing cloud. “At least you’ll stick with me Luna.” I said turning to Luna to see her tip-hoofing away. “LUNA!”

“Oh hey.” She smiled and then went to standing behind me, “Sorry, i was just going to make sure the car made it alright.”

“It’s fine.” I deadpanned as Princess Celestia, the Mane Six, and some Night Guard i hadn't seen before came towards us from out of the Everfree forest. “And why do I feel like I'm in trouble?”

“Because we left without giving them any type of warning and went to a different world in a spell cast by a novice magic user.” Luna said as she gave an awkward wave towards the approaching ponies.

“Honored Service.” Princess Celestia stated my name out. I swallowed a lump in my throat and walked forward, stopping before the ruler in a bow.

“Yes your highness?”

“You have one chance to explain to me why you attempted that spell even after you were told not to. And why you had my sister lie to me.” Her normally calm demeanor was gone, replaced with slight anger.

Okay so a lot of anger.

I rose to my feet and quickly pulled the collar of my black t-shirt as I rose. I quickly adjusted my belt holding up my faded jeans before coughing into my hand. “Okay I knew I wasn't supposed to do the spell, but I wanted to see my home. I wanted to give my parents, my family some closure on my leaving. Also if I had encountered some old friends, which I did, I wanted to make sure they will okay. I… I did lie, but I knew that if I didn't you wouldn't let me go. You wouldn't have let me try that spell.” Celestia just looked at me, a painful look spread across her face.

“Honored, you didn't think that we wouldn't have helped you?”

“I… I don't know. I was scared of having the only chance of seeing my family, my world again for maybe the last time.” I looked up at Celestia and then looked to my other friends, my pony friends. “I know I messed up, but I had to do it. I had to see my family.”

I hung my head and sighed. “Listen I’m sorry everypony.” I looked up, “I didnt mean to scare y’all, but I had to do it.”

I waited for the retribution from them in agony. The seconds felt like they were dragging into hours as I stood there shuffling my feet around.

“Honored I can understand why you went. But to not tell us until you were gone,” Twilight stepped forward and looked directly at me, “That was low. But if you can give me a full detailed account of the spell and how you did it, then maybe i can begin to forgive you.” A smile slowly began to creep onto her face as she realized that once again, she had me under her hoof.

All of the ponies gathered did. And they slowly realized it.

“If it helps at all, I brought you all something.” I smiled, “Well except for you.” I looked at the Night Guard wearing the silver armorer. For some reason her armor wasn't enchanted because i could easily see her light gray coat and dark blue mane and tail with dark pink streaks in it. “Um I’m sorry who are you?”

“Oh don't worry.” Princess Celestia said with a smirk, “You'll get to know her very well.”

“What?”

“Oh nothing.” Celestia said with a grin.

After a few more apologies, I began to give out the few trinkets that I had brought back with me from earth.

For the every merciful ruler, Princess Celestia, I gave her small tablet computer with an external battery. It would last a week or two with it on nonstop, but I guessed with her turning it off and on when needed, it would last much longer. And seeing that magic could recharge batteries when focused right, she could keep it going forever so long as she didn't break it. There where a few basic programs that im sure could help any ruler of a nation. Note taking, voice recorder, things any normal college student would have, so lots of games. Celestia could manipulate the stylus with her magic to control the tablet. She immediately stopped giving me that ‘I’m watching you’ look, plopped down on her flanks and was immediately lost to the wonderful world of Angry Birds.

Twilight nearly broke every eardrum in the vicinity when I presented her with a cornucopia of text books from my planet. She grabbed every book that I had brought: history to accounting, government to health, military planning to cooking, she had every book swept up in her magical aurora and was on a full speed gallop back to the library.

I turned to Rarity and handed her all of my sister’s old fashion magazines. Rarity immediately opened them and began pouring over the fashions of a different world, lost in the possibilities. I also gave her a bag of clothes ranging from tops to socks. She was lost for words and suddenly I was wrapped in a hug. Who said you can't bribe forgiveness.

Rainbow Dash had been a hard choice. What would a speed demon like her, want what i had? That one took a while, so I brought her the one thing that might just make her happy. A GoPro helmet mounted camera. After showing her how to work it, I handed her the camera promising her that once it was full, and this one had over thirty gigs on it, to bring it to me and we would watch it and put it on a tape for her to keep. At least I hoped i could transfer the digital copy onto something that the ponies could watch regularly without my TV.

Pinkie Pie… Well that was hard too. What do you give a party pony that could simply get whatever she wanted seemingly. I was lost at that too, until I thought about something that had happened long ago. The apple cider drinking game that showed me most pony alcohol was nearly soda compared to human stuff.

Yup I brought her human alcoholic beverages.

Pinkie Pie gasped as she stared at the box packed with beer, whisky, vodka, rum, bourbon, scotch, and plenty of glasses and mixers for the said drinks. Pinkie Pie only murmured at the liquid party before picking up a bottle of vodka and unscrewing the cap and giving it a deep sniff.

She immediately went cross eyed and began to stumble around for a moment before smiling like a fool at me. “Ohhh, this is goingggg to be sooooooo great.” Another friend happy.

Applejack stood in front of me with a cocky smile on her face. By now she saw my game. Bribing with gifts for the mending of friendships. “It’s going to take more than a gift to fix this one partner.” Applejack smiled, thinking she had won this round.

“Then I guess you won't be needing this than.” I smiled as I pulled out a medium sized cardboard box. One eyebrow raised as she stared at the box. I could see curiosity starting to win over her logical sense. “Oh well, I guess Carrot Top might like it more.”

“Now hang on just a minute.” Gotcha.

“Yes Applejack?” I said with an innocent bat of my eyes.

“What is it?”

I opened the box and pulled out two small gadgets. Each one looked like a small handheld mirror with out the reflective surface. I flicked a small switch and a series of numbers popped onto the screen and a read out of the soil beneath us lit up the screen. “These little devices were developed to read the soil under it. It shows the soil’s make up, like what minerals are in it, and how much natural found water is held in it.”

Applejack took the device from my outstretched hand and waved it over the soil, “What’s that?” She asked, pointing at a measurement line that had an arrow labeling a certain depth.

“That shows you the ideal depth at which to plant the seed for maximum growth at the quickest rate.” I tapped a button on the touch screen, a list of plants popping up. “And you can even pick which plant you’re scanning for.” I picked ‘apples’ and the meter changed.

“This thing is…” Applejack began to squeal in excitement, but quickly stopped when she saw me smiling at her. “It’s alright, but ah don’t think it even begins to fix what y’all went and done.” She looked at the device again, “But is sure a start.”

Fluttershy was still standing there shuffling her hooves around in the grass. “Honored you didn't need to bring me anything. I understand why you left.” She looked up at me from behind her mane before quickly looking away again. “But I wish you had told us. We were worried sick!”

“But I wanted to bring something back for each of you. I know what I did was sneaky and wrong, but… I’m sorry Fluttershy.” I reached into the back of the Humvee and came back with another box, which I placed in front of Fluttershy. I waited as she slowly walked up to it and opened the top. A smile spread across her face and a blush as she pulled out a fairly large stuffed plushie of herself.

“It’s… it’s…”

“Now you have somepony that can keep you safe in the dark.” I smiled at her.

“Where did you get this?” FLuttershy asked while petting the plushie’s mane.

“One of my friend’s gave it to me a while ago. I figured he might be happy knowing that it found a really good home.” I couldn't tell her that my friend had gotten for me because he knew that Fluttershy was my least favorite and it was done to secretly piss me off. In all fairness though, that wasn’t some bought at a toy store plushie. That was custom made one, with details and everything. I mean cutie marks on both sides of it! When that guy wanted to piss me off, he sure did it with gusto.

With all the ponies gathered either busy with their new belongings or having left to try them out, i was left with just Luna and Celestia staring at me.

“Luna I did get something for you.” I sighed and pulled out a small black velvet box from inside my pants pocket. “I wouldn't have been able to go without your help. So in a way, I owe everything to you.” I said looking away from the princess. I could feel my face heating up as I held the box out to her, wishing she would just hurry up and take the stupid thing.

“Honored, I…”

“Can you just open it already!” I blurted out, quickly trying to hide my blushing face.

I felt Luna’s magic tug the box out of my hand and i looked over at the alicorn. She slowly opened the hinged top and gasped. Suddenly i was jerked into the air and pulled into Luna’s outstretched forehooves. If i wasn't red enough before, I sure was now. Suddenly i found something warm pressed against the side of my face.

Luna was planting a huge kiss on my cheek. I looked straight ahead in shock as I watched Celestia smile and hold the tablet up in front of her.

CLICK

“Oh that’s going to be my wallpaper.” She said while giggling at the photo. The strange human held in the magical grasp of her sister who was planting a kiss on his cheek while he was turning bright red. Held also in Luna’s magical grasp was silver chain pendant. At the bottom of it was small black rock held to the chain by a silver mount. But the most amazing thing was inside of the black stone. There was a glowing aura of blood red magic.

Two Weeks Later

“So that’s why you brought that thing back?” Twilight said brushing a wing against the side of the Humvee. “And you want me to do what with it?”

“It runs off of an oil type substance okay, and that’s going to run out soon, so I need help converting it to run of magic or something like that. Anything really.” I said while pouring the last reserve tank of diesel into the fuel tank.

“Well maybe if somepony had not just drove it around in circles in the field…” Twilight began, but a snap from my fingers and a blood red bubble formed around me, shielding me from her lecture.

Twilight leaned back and stabbed the bubble with her horn before glaring at me. She must be getting tired of me learning magic so fast.

“I wish you would apply yourself in staying out of trouble like you do learning new magic.” She said while looking over the engine of the truck again. “And I could figure something out for it, but it seems you already owe me for disappearing without telling us anything.”

“Oh come on.” I whined falling to my knees in front of the younger princess. “Please your highness, I’ll do anything for you.”

“Anything?”

“Nearly anything!” I said falling to my chest and trying to plant kisses on her hooves. Twilight danced in place making it hard to grab her hoof and plant it with slobbery kisses.

“Good. Then come with me, you have a meeting to attend to.” Twilight said, turning around sharply and then walking out of the owning beside my house where I kept both cars. Well, soon only one would be there. The Firebird wasn’t for me to keep. I still had one more gift to give.

“Okay now go in, and please try to act nice.” Twilight said while gesturing to the library front door. “Oh and I'm going to need this too.” She quickly took my double shoulder holster rig off, relieving me of my Berretta and my single action Colt revolver and its ammo.

“Hey! Why are you taking my stuff!?” I shouted out, grabbing for my weapons hovering above my head.

“I’m sorry, you owe me what?” She said, the weapons disappearing in a flash and ‘pop’. “The princesses are waiting for you.” She opened the door and shoved me in with a quick burst of magic. I stumbled into the dark library and heard the door slam shut behind me and then the door lock.

The lights came on and I found myself standing in front of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, who was wearing the pendant I had given her as a thanks. I had infused the simple obsidian stone with a flare of my magic to let it constantly glow deep red.

“So what did I do this time?” I asked with a sigh. “I haven’t done anything in the last two weeks. I’ve been good and stayed literally in my house the whole time organizing my defenses and playing with my gear like a good little soldier on vacation.”

“Yes and we are very proud of you for that.” Celestia said with her motherly voice, but her eyes seemed to say something incredibly different. “And that’s what you were supposed to do while you built a portal to another world without us knowing. So what could you have done in two weeks of no reports or actions that deemed us getting reports of.”

“Nothing! I’m serious.” I said looking to Luna for any type of support. But she seemed to just smile at me. Gee, thanks for the help pony who was supposed to be infatuated with me.

“Honored I believe you.” Celestia said, “But only because we have had somepony watching you everyday.”

“Wait what?” I stammered out. “You mean like all the time?”

“All. The. Time.” Celestia said, her smile growing dangerously large. “Honored as punishment for your recent… actions… we have chosen a handler for you.”

“A what?” I said suddenly realizing that nothing i did now would be without the princesses direct knowledge of it.

“A handler.” Luna said with a smile, “Their job is to make sure that you don't do anything that we would seem… wrong.” That last word had a hint of… something that made me shudder. “And the best part is their special armor is enchanted so they can become anypony they want.”

“Changeling armor?” I said suddenly wanting some Changeling enchanted tech.

“Exactly.” Celestia said, “We have had their armor enchanted with Changeling magic so they can watch you anywhere you go and you’ll never be none the wiser.”

“Then why tell me?” I said with my trademarked deadpan stare.

“So maybe you’ll think twice before doing something like this again.” Celestia quickly hovered the tablet in front of my face with a photo of me laying on my bed naked, with half of the new weapons i brought back with me covering the bed and my crotch. I quickly grabbed at the tablet, but Celestia had it next to her before i could do anything.

“Fine.” I grumbled.

“Good. Now get out there and try to solve friendship problems without violence.” Celestia chuckled looking at the tablet again.

“When do I get to go back on the Guard?” I said while slowly being pushed out of the library by a golden aurora.

“Oh, that,” Celestia said without much thought, “You were reenlisted into the roaster over a month ago, but you never bothered to come check missions available for you to accept.”

“WHAT!?!?” I screamed as I reached out and grabbed ahold of the door frame leading out of the library, Celestia’s magic still trying to force me out.

“Yeah, I guess we should send them here to you, since you don't live at the barracks anymore.” Celestia said with a yawn.

“YA’ THINK?” I yelled as I was flung out of the library and landed on the ground outside of the giant tree. I looked at the ponies staring at me and realized one of them was my handler. I quickly shot my hand up and gave them all the finger for good measure.

Hard to Handle

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On My Honor
Chapter 11: Hard To Handle
By: Honored Service
Edited by: Spirit of Harmony

I sat on the bench beside the fountain in the middle of the Ponyville marketplace, listening to the soothing sounds of gently splashing water as ponies went about their daily business.

I was waiting for Twilight to come back out of the town hall. I had to repay one last pony for helping me get back to Earth and that last pony was very hard to track down. Well, I knew where she lived, but that wasn’t the problem; I had no clue if she was there or not. Odds were, she wasn’t.

“Damnnit, Daring,” I grumbled as a breeze blew over the fountain, flicking a few droplets of water onto my arm. I brushed off the water with my gauntlet absentmindedly.
I had actually arrived at Daring’s house the day before, but had found over a week’s worth of mail piled up as tall as me on the doorstep.

I stood up as Twilight came walking towards me with a smile on her face.

“Any luck?” I asked as she walked beside me back towards the library.

“Actually, yes!” Twilight said with a grin. “She recently had a payment from her recent job for the Canterlot Museum mailed to a location outside of the Crystal Empire. It was sent to a motel located in a small town called Coltstown,” Twilight informed me as we entered the Library.

“Can you show me?” I asked, pulling out a folded map of the greater Equestrian landscape from my back pocket. Twilight nodded and drew a red circle around a town far into the mountains below the Crystal Empire. Maybe I could make a stop there after dropping of Daring’s gift. I wonder if I would get to be a shiny human like the ponies.
I had a flashback of the incident with the Poison Joke, when I had first arrived here. I had ended up being turning pale, and I sparkled in the light, like...That Which Shall Not Be Named...

Then again, maybe being shiny wasn’t quite my thing.

“What are you doing this time, Honored?” Twilight asked. I could see some form of doubt in her face as she studied me.

“Bringing Daring her reward for helping me get back to Earth,” I said, raising my hands up, trying to look as innocent as possible. “Honest!” Well, that and I figured that if I saw a pony trailing behind me as I traveled through the barren waste lands of the grassy plains between Ponyville and the next town, Qytet, then I would be able to guess who was stalking me.

“Hmm...if you say so” Twilight said, still giving me a distrustful look. “But I want you to report to the princesses what you are doing. I know you know about the handler, but they still want to hear from you.”

“Ugh, fine, Mom,” I said with a roll of my eyes and shrugged my shoulder before snapping my fingers and sighing, “Oh darn, it seems like I don’t have anything to write with. Oh well, guess I’ll just have to do it later,” I said with a smile.

A cough caught my attention as Twilight lowered a scroll and quill in front of me. I frowned, snatching the materials out of the air and taking a seat on the ground, grumbling. I began to scratch out my letter to the Princesses.

Dear Royal Human Keepers, Fun-Destroyers, and whomever else it may concern,

Yo, I’m traveling to Qytet to bring one Miss Daring Do her reward for helping the incredibly sexy and uber-talented human, myself, get back to Earth. I will be traveling via my awesome and just-as-sexy magical carriage of self-propulsion. Please, don’t worry. I’ll only be bringing the minimal supplies as to make sure I do nothing dangerous, reckless, stupid, senseless, or regretful.

Thanks for providing a babysitter handler as to watch my awesomeness should I come under stress from a possible threat, at which point I will use the awesome power of Friendship to solve my problems, as usual.

Your soon-to-be-returning badass,

Honored Service

I nodded and handed the scroll to Spike, who was giggling at the letter. With a quick burst of green flame, the scroll was on its way to Canterlot to be frowned at by the two royal sisters that saw fit to assign me, a grown-ass man, a babysitter.
After the letter was sent and I had bid Twilight and Spike farewell, I walked back to my house to get my travelling gear ready for my journey.

I almost forgot I had told the Princesses I was bringing only minimum supplies. I would have to pick carefully.

A devilish smile played across my lips.

Maybe only three weapons.

Okay, four.

“Oh, not again.” Celestia closed her eyes and rubbed a hoof against her temple. She was getting gray hairs from this kind of stuff.

“Honored?” Luna said while laying a wing across her sister’s back. “What has he done now?”

“Nothing... yet,” Celestia said while floating the scroll over to Luna who grabbed it and began reading over it. “It’s what he will do.”

“It appears that he is just traveling to bring this gift to the adventurous pegasus.”

“But since when does he ever just do what he says?” Celestia said while taking the letter back and reading it over again. Something about it seemed...off.

“Perhaps we need to have faith in him. There is a handler now, watching over him,” Luna said with a confident smile. “I’m sure he is changing for the better.”

“Here. Here is what’s odd,” Celestia placed a hoof tip on the word ‘Friendship’ in the letter. “Why is it capitalized, even though it’s in the middle of the sentence?”

“Probably because it is important to him,” Luna said without the same amount of confidence she had just had.

“No,” Celestia said with a heavy frown and another sigh, “Because it’s a name.”

I reached down and turned the small gas lamp on before stepping down into my basement, the dim, wavering light leading me down the stairs into the main room. I stopped, then snapped my fingers with a pop and a few red and purple sparks, causing several torches around the room to burst into flames. “Hello, my dearies.”

My new toys were all around the room: in boxes, crates, on tables, hanging on the wall, from the ceiling, or just out in the open. Weapons of every shape, purpose, caliber, and era covered nearly every surface of the room. And the space not covered in a shiny weapon, were crates and boxes of ammunition for all the weapons.

I instantly picked up an extra box of .357 ammunition and began to slip the rounds into the slots for them on the belt around my waist. Weapon Number 1, my pistol, was in its holster on the right side of my waist. Weapon Number 2, the Beretta pistol, was still in its shoulder holster, below my left armpit.

I walked over to a large weapons rack that was covered in a variety of rifles. I reached out and swept my hand left and right before settling on the one I wanted to bring with me. I picked up and began to inspect Weapon Number 3, my Beretta M69 civilian-variant semiautomatic rifle. Chambered in .308 Winchester, this baby had the power I needed. It was relatively short for a rifle, and with the bayonet attached to its front it could easily act as both a close quarters and mid-range weapon.

That still left an opening in my small arsenal for a long range weapon. I smiled and reached into one of the large containers under the table, heaving out Weapon Numero 4 and placing it on the table, resting the mammoth rifle on its bipod. I smiled at the giant black rifle with the word ‘Friendship’ carved onto its side, below the large ejection port.
Below ‘Friendship’ was the rifle information.

Barrett
XM109
25x59mm
00017

I grabbed four box magazines for the colossal sniper weapon, placing them into a satchel along with magazines for the M69. I figured, for what I normally carried, these were pretty minimal supplies.

“Okay, food packed in the trunk, along with Friendship. I think we should be good,” I said while walking around the Firebird. Few ponies had seen this beast in action, so it was bound to cause some heads to turn.

I pulled my iPod out of my pocket and looked at it. The stupid thing was acting up lately. It just started to play songs randomly now.
For instance: once, I scared Rainbow Dash so bad, her wings locked up. As she angrily got up and flew away, “My Hero” by Foo Fighters began to play.

And then, I had stopped at Rarity’s house to get some more jeans and shirts made. While I was expecting to just walk in, make the request, and get out, she had insisted I stay and try on loads of outfits. After the fifth or sixth one, “Die, Die, My Darling” by Metallica blasted from my pocket.

Twilight had just summoned me to discuss my plans to manage my horde from the dragon cave. Granted, I was becoming rather bored and the song, “Ain’t No Fun (Waiting Round to be a Millionaire)” by AC/DC sang out from the little device.

I wondered, maybe the thing was beginning to develop a mind of its own.

Nah.

I laughed at the preposterous thought and shook my head before climbing into the low riding muscle car. I reached up and adjusted the new rearview mirror, giving myself a smile and a wink. “Well then, let’s hit the road.”

From the speakers of my car, music rolled out and filled the air. I stared in shock at my iPod that wasn’t even hooked up to the connector cable.

“What the flippity flying feathered fuck?” I said to myself over the loud music coming from the speakers around the car. I wasn’t complaining too much. I did enjoy FFDP.
I twisted the key in the ignition and the car roared to life. I cut the wheel hard to left as I backed out of my carport on the side of my house, then shifted into gear. The engine roared as I plowed down the dirt path heading towards the outskirts of Ponyville.

The bass in the car thumped along to the heavy metal as I hit the cobblestone street of Ponyville. Surprisingly, the uneven stone didn’t really seem to affect the car as I raced down the street. Ponies stared in awe at the car as I zoomed around a turn, wheels screeching along the stone as I came around the street. Rainbow Dash drew up alongside of the car, staring at me with wide eyes. I smiled and rolled the window down.

“Sup, Dash?” I called out as the car shifted gears again, pushing the car at fifty miles per hour.

“Honored, that thing can go that fast?” Rainbow asked in disbelief.

“No,” I said sarcastically. I smirked, feeling pride well up inside my chest. I floored the gas pedal and tore through the straightaway through Ponyville, leaving Rainbow Dash coughing on dust.

“WHHEEEEEEEE!” I squealed out in excitement as I skidded around the final turn and drove the car out onto the wide dirt road leading from Ponyville, heading north towards the nearest town. At Qytet, I would stock up on supplies, then see about fuel for my car. Apparently, larger towns and cities had airship ports in them, and some airships ran on a gasoline-like fuel. It was a stab in the dark if it would work in my car, but hey, it couldn’t hurt to try, right?

As I drove along the road at a calm and steady eighty miles per hour, the thick trees of the Everfree forest slowly vanished from my sight in the rear view mirror and grassy plains began to fill my vision.

After another twenty minutes of driving, I pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned the car off. The music died down and I stepped out of the car before walking around to the trunk, popping the hatch open and pulling out Friendship. I took the magazine out of the weapon and sat on the trunk of the car, propping the large weapon up on my knee. I looked through the scope and slowly began to pan across the horizon.

“Give me something here.” I mumbled out as I scanned for any sign of a follower tailing me out this far. So they were a guard for the Princesses, had magical enchanted armor to change into anypony they wanted. So that was a challenge.

And I needed a challenge.

“What are you doing?” Night Rose said to herself from her hidden position in the tall grassy fields around two hundred meters from the human and his fast carriage machine. He had pulled out one of those ‘weapons’ of his and was sweeping the area back and forth. Night Rose just sat in the grass, her armor having changed into the pegasus Fluttershy, her coat blending better into the tall dry yellow grass. Her mane was covered in long strands of the same grass to hide the bright pink, and Rose had also filled her wings with grass to cover the spot she was laying in from looking barren.

The human continued to watch for any sign of her. He was proving to be quite the challenge to follow and watch over.

Night Rose loved challenges.

“Hmm.” Maybe the handler never even started following me, I thought while standing up and dropping the massive rifle back into the trunk. I clambered back into the car and started up the engine, continuing on my route and quickly accelerating up to 80 mph again.

“So, what music will you play this time?” I asked the iPod sitting in the passenger seat.

“Want some?”

“WHAT THE FUCK?!?!” I screamed and jumped in my seat, my head smashing into the roof of the car. I stared at the iPod, where the voice had come from. A blood red line ran across its screen almost like a heart rate monitor. It spiked and moved up and down like a sound board as the voice spoke again.

“Indeed. I am iPod Touch. Fourth Generation. Serial number eight-nine-seven-six-six-five-one-one-“ That voice. No. God damn it. I could never, ever forget a voice like that. Even though it was an iPod, it had the voice of Microsoft Motherfucking Sam.

“Okay, stop. Hold the phone.” I said.

“I am not an iPhone. I am iPod Touch. Fourth Generation. Serial-“ The voice began to say again.

“Shut it!,” I yelled out slamming on the brakes of the car. “I know who- I mean, what, you are. My question is: Why?”

“Well, after running through the possibilities, I have concluded that, by using your magically-created electricity rather than conventional electricity, my system created an artificial int-“

“In something I can understand,” I said with a frown. Fuck. The last thing I needed right now was my tech to become self-aware to annoy me.

“Magic,” The tiny device stated like it was simple knowledge.

I stared at the iPod, speechless for a moment. “So what are you like?”

“Well, since your magic forced me into existence, I am a part of you. Well, the part of you that thinks rationally, calmly, and without immediate action.”

“So, boring?”

“If that is what it will take you to accept this, yes. I am boring,” The robotic voice said while the line spiked up and down. “Now, I believe that you are supposed to continuing on a tight schedule.”

I rolled my eyes, “Great, just fucking great. Not only do I have hidden babysitter, but now my music is going to try and rationalize things with me.”

“Pardon me for trying to at least give you some idea about myself,” The iPod interjected as I restarted the car and it began to roll down the road once more.

“Okay. Okay. Look, I’m sorry, iPod. Do you have a name?” I asked while making a turn and smiling as I passed by a traveling light blue pony with a silver mane pulling a cart behind her.

“Well my serial number is what I identify with...but you can rename if you wish.”

“No. You’re your own...thing, now, so you can pick your own name.” I looked down at my new-found three-and-a-half ounce passenger.

“Tune. Call me Tune,” The stale robotic voice said while smooth classical music began to pour forth from the speakers of the car.

“Wrong music style, bud.”

It was replaced by music better suited for my taste as my car flew down the road.

“Sister,” Luna said calmly while walking into her sister’s bed chambers, “Do you think that knowing what Honored is doing every minute of every hour of every day could get a little...old?”

“However do you mean Luna?” Celestia asked as she tapped away on the magical tablet the human had given her. It was such an amazing piece of technology for her to have. The possibilities were near endless as she beat her highest level of the game Flappy Bird, forty-seven.

“It seems the reports that we have been getting are..Well, normal. And they have been for the past two weeks. Look, he’s smart, and he knows that somepony is watching him, so now he just isn’t being himself.”

Luna was regretting the decision to have a handler watch over the (normally) reckless human. He just wasn’t being himself anymore. He was being...well, boring.
Celestia let out a sigh and laid the tablet down on her nightstand beside the large bed. “Luna, listen. I know, giving the human a handler makes things really boring for you. I just don’t know what I’d do if something like...that...happened again. And suppose you didn’t come back this time? What would I do then? I don’t want to lose you, not again.”

“But I’m not lost,” Luna said, smiling and walking closer to her sister. “I’m right here, and maybe we should think about the handler situation. I mean, he’s saved our world half a dozen times, and he didn’t need someone to watch his every move then. Why should now be any different?”

“Hmm...you may have a poi–“

*FLASH*

The light that heralded the arrival of a letter interrupted the two alicorns, as a scroll wrapped in a black ribbon appeared beside Celestia.
Celestia snagged the falling letter out of midair, noticing the black rose-shaped seal that it was stamped with and opened it, her eyes scanning over the contents of the letter before groaning and passing the letter off to Luna.

“Or maybe he needs more than just a damned handler,” Celestia breathed out, almost angrily. “I swear to the Creator, if more humans show up, I’m just sending them all as far away as possible! Maybe the moon, if not farther!”

Luna frowned as she read the letter over again.

Princesses,
I am giving my report as I see fit to inform you that the human is being tracked by a group of griffons, minotaurs, and one small all- black airship painted.

“It’s the Black Claw Mercenary Company,” Luna grumbled before continuing with the letter.

I have continued to observe from the distance, and so far no violence had broken up, but a group of griffons have left the airship and are heading to intercept the human’s carriage.

Nothing else to report as of yet,

Major Night Rose
101st Human Handling Brigade

Luna placed the scroll down and stamped. “Great. Now he’s pissed off the largest mercenary company, not just in Equestria, but in the Griffon Kingdom, too!” Luna took a deep breath and gave Celestia a fake smile, “May the Creator have mercy on their souls.”

“I’ll get ready to send the apology letters to their families,” Celestia said with a sigh, pulling down a large box from the top of her shelf next to the next.
Human Related Problems was written in bold letters on its side.

“Oh, cooome ooonn,” I groaned and looked back in the rearview mirror as a slim airship appeared from behind a hill. “What did I do this time?” I stepped on the gas, pushing the needle past the 100 mark.

“Perhaps the approaching airship merely wishes to speak with you?” Tune said in a doubtful voice beside me, cutting off the music.

“Yeah… right,” I said while grinning from ear to ear. Oh man it was time to finally have some…fun? Wait. I bet this was just some elaborate trick by the princesses to see if I could behave. As soon as I pulled out a weapon or made an aggressive move, they would swoop down and I’d be done for. Hmmm...maybe they were the handler? Seems like overkill, but I wouldn't put it past ol’ Celly.

Well, I’ll show them. I can be a good little soldier.

I continued to drive down the road, ignoring the airship.

“So, who put a hit out on this guy?” The minotaur controlling the airship asked. He was a large, dark-blue warrior with numerous scars all over his body. On his back, he had a heavy war hammer held in place by a thick sling. He was the commanding officer of the airship sent from the Black Claw. Spark Feather would have the details on the mission.

“There isn’t one,” said Spark Feather, a silver-haired griffon said while entering the small cabin of the ship. “This mission was put into order by the chief himself.”

The griffon tossed a folder onto the control panel beside the minotaur before flipping through the pages. “Strange that he would send a full attack squad after one...what even is that? Oh, is that the hooman people have been talking about? What do you think, Steel?”

“A human?” The minotaur looked at the file with a picture showing a what looked like a small minotaur wearing armor. “He looks like a calf to me.”

“I don’t know, Steel, but the chief wanted him attacked and then for a report to be delivered after the attack,” The griffon quickly pushed a few buttons on the control panel of the ship and it rocketed forward, trying to gain speed on the dark blue carriage racing along the dirt road.

“Did he happen to say the requested results of the attack?” Steel said with a smile as he adjusted the wheel before him as the distance between the airship and the carriage grew closer.

“Negative.”

“Then kill it is.” Steel slammed a button down and red lights flashed inside the airship. Two lower bay doors opened and a six griffon attack squad dropped out of the airship and hurtled towards the carriage.

“Okay this is getting to be an elaborate test.” I said as I watched the airship get closer and six shapes fall from its belly and then take off towards me, growing closer every second.

“I may retract my previous thought and say that maybe swift course of action is due.”

I snickered as I rounded a turn in the road and checked the map I had spread out across the dashboard, “What was all the stuff earlier about talking?”

A crossbow bolt suddenly impacted the hood of my car with a solid ‘thunk’. I slammed on the brakes and turned the car into a large open field on the left side of the road before shutting the engine off.

“Acta non verba.” Tune said while I scrambled out of the car and ran to the front of the car throwing the hood open and inspecting the engine. The bolt hadn’t gone in far enough to damage the engine itself, just pierce the top of the hood.

I stuck my head into the engine to make sure that my precious gift wasn’t more permanently damaged other than for a new hole in the hood. Satisfied that my car was okay, save for the new hole, I slammed the hood and turned around. I came face to face with six griffons standing around me in a loose semicircle. All of them held a crossbow in one claw, pointing the weapons at my chest.

“You just shot a bolt into my car. So how can I help you?” I asked, my hands slowly making their way to the handles of the pistols in my holsters.

“You are wanted dead or alive by the chief executive of the Black Claw Mercenary Company.” The griffon standing in the middle of the formation said. He had a tuft of blue feathers on his chest and seemed to be looking down at me as he talked.

“Could I please inquire as to what Honored has done to warrant such hostile actions?” Tune’s robotic voice asked from inside of the car.

Blue feathered griffon quickly turned his head and began talking to the griffon standing to his left. They whispered back and forth to each other as I just stood there in front of my car. I looked over to the nearest griffon who was still holding his crossbow leveled at my chest.

“’Sup?” I asked. He merely shrugged his shoulders and continued to give me a deadpanned glare.

“Listen human,” Blue feathers spoke up, seeing his discussion was over, “We were just briefed to come and get you, one way or another.”

I closed my eyes and let a deep chuckle sound out from my throat. It slowly grew in volume until I was outright laughing at the squad of armed mercenaries.

“What’s so funny?!” Blue feathered griffon asked as he gripped his crossbow a little bit tighter in his claw.

“You really have no idea who I am, do you?” The griffons shook their heads all at once. “Perfect.”

Night Rose watched from her hide across the road as the human was confronted by the squad of griffons. They seemed hostile, since they did shot a bolt into his carriage, but the human hadn’t fought back. The princesses had made it seem like that when faced with any situation, he would immediately jump into combat, fighting his way to the solution. But her he was talking to the griffons without any bloodshed.

The disguised Night Guard picked up her quill and began to write down her report on the current situation when a flash of red across the road brought her attention back to the being she was supposed to be watching.

As I stood there, squared off with the griffons, I could feel my old familiar friend adrenaline beginning to pour into my body. I could already feel my senses heightening and the world around me slow as I perceived everything just a little bit faster. I could see the blue feathered griffon’s talon slowly pulling the trigger on the crossbow and I heard the faint ‘twang’ of the tension cord ripping forward, launching the bolt directly at my neck. Before it could, I snapped the metal fingers on my gauntlet.

A thin blood red tendril of magic lashed out from fingertip and caught the wooden bolt midair and snapped the projectile in half. The two pieces landed on either side of me in the dirt. I continued to look at the griffons, but my stance had widened and my right hand clutched the .357 revolver while the left hand was glowing in an aurora of my magic. The magic slowly shifted shapes until it settled into the form of a long strand of magic shaped like a whip, coiling down to the ground beneath me.

“Wrong move.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twG46K1wbLQ

I quickly dodged left, rolling across the ground as a volley of bolts from the crossbows impacted the ground around me as I moved. I had to get away from my car as to stop further harm from coming to it. Once it was in Daring Do’s hooves, she could do whatever she wanted to it. But until then, it was my responsibility.

I came out of my roll and faced the griffons as they loaded fresh bolts into their weapons. I leveled the revolver and pulled the hammer back with my thumb, the metal moving smoothly in my hand as the hammer was cocked back and ready to fire. The blue feathered griffon paused his reloading to watch me. I gave him a crooked grin before lashing my left arm out and whipping my magical whip around his body. I jerked my arm back and the griffon was yanked off his paws before flying towards me. I wrapped my left arm around his neck and pulled him against my body as the next volley of bolts lashed out towards me. All five of them impacted the griffon’s chest, spurts of blood flowed from the griffon as his warm body twitched in my grasp. I dropped the still bleeding body and aimed the pistol once again, the notched sight lining up with the closest griffon’s head.

The hammer fell and struck the primer, sending the .357 slug from the barrel straight into the mercenary’s lower jaw. The bottom part of his beak exploded off his head, the blood flowing from the hole left in his head. He quickly slumped to the ground, dead instantly. The hammer was pulled back and the cylinder rotated a loaded chamber into place.

The four remaining griffon mercenaries watched in horror as their buddy’s body crumbled to the ground. I turned the pistol to the nearest griffon who was still trying to recover from the shock of death and fired another round into his chest. He dropped his crossbow and clutched his chest as his blood began to bubble forth from between his claws. He dropped to the ground to join his fellow companions as his blood leaked forth from his open chest wound.

The three other griffons had recovered and had their crossbows loaded once more with deadly bolts. I quickly threw my gauntlet up and the magical whip grew in thickness till it covered my entire body behind a wall of magic. The bolts crashed against the magical wall and fell to the ground around me. I quickly jumped forward and slammed my gauntlet into the griffon’s face. He staggered backwards as I leveled my revolver at the griffon standing next to me.

I fired the pistol into the griffon, the bullet passing easily through his head. Kicking out my leg, I caught another griffon who was attempting to stab his talons into my neck and sent him spinning backwards. The revolver then found its barrel pushed into the recovering griffon’s neck before a muffled blast blew his neck open and left a sizable exit wound with blood and muscles pouring out the back. The last griffon immediately dropped his crossbow and took to the sky, heading towards the black airship that was still hovering off in the distance.

“Oh I don’t think so.” I quickly holstered my pistol and jumped over the dead bodies leading towards my car. I popped the trunk open and pulled out Friendship. The massive rifle was loaded and ready to go. I walked to the side of the car and placed my arm across the roof before setting the giant rifle on top of my arm. I aimed down the scope of the XM109 and began to steady my breath. The crosshair soon found themselves resting on the back of the retreating griffon.

Steele looked out of the wide window of the cockpit of the airship as the last member of the assault group came hurtling back towards the ship. Spark and Steele had watched the massacre of the mercenaries from the safety of the airship. The last griffon was nearly back to the ship.

“Spark, get the bay doors open now!” Steele yelled. Almost an entire assault squad was destroyed by that… that… human. What was the chief thinking when he sent them after this monster? If he had known that he was this powerful, he would have sent more mercenaries.

Steele could see the horror stuck on the griffon’s face as he neared the ship. It looked like the griffon was about to scream, but suddenly he just vanished. Steele watched as the returning griffon just exploded into a mist of pink with brown feathers and fur.

“What!?!?” Spark yelled and threw himself against the glass of the window. “What happened to him?” He turned to face the dark blue minotaur with a horrid look on his face.

Steele jerked his telescope up and peered through it at the blue carriage on the ground below the airship. He was staring at the human who was sitting behind his carriage with some kind of rectangle looking object pointed directly back at the minotaur. Steele blinked rapidly before watching the human extend one of his arms and wave back at him.

“We need to get out of here now!” Steele yelled back at Spark who quickly ran over to a control panel and began pressing buttons. The airship’s engine began to rumble back to life and the black armored airship began to float away from the deadly creature on the ground.

“Spark, once we get back, I’ll explain to the chief what happened.” Steele said with a sigh. Six of his close friends and fellow mercenaries were dead. And their mission with them.

“So that would be what they meant by violent.” Night Rose said while packing away her simple telescope. She had watched the entire display of violence that the human had performed and was blown away by his efficiency when it came to killing. Anything she had known about him had been blown out of the water by this. She would have to rethink some of her plans if she ever had to stop him. How could she stop something like that?

With a final signature, Night Rose pressed the freshly written scroll against a red ruby and within moments the scroll vanished into thin air, travelling with magical gem dragon fire. Night Rose stopped moving when she noticed that the human she was supposed to be was looking in her direction… with that big weapon of his he used to make that griffon disappear into a pink mist.

Night Rose slowly looked up at the slowly vanishing red trail of dragon fire that had sent the message to the princesses.

“Okay not my best move.” She said as the human continued to watch the fading dragon fire.

After I watched the remains of the griffon topple down to the earth, I turned around to the trunk of my car to put up the huge rifle when a quick flash of red from across the road caught my attention. I aimed the rifle at the road and watched as some red mist floated away from the large field of grass.

I stood there, frozen in my spot, watching for any sign of movement from the grass. But none came.

“Hmm.” Well I've seen stranger.” I shrugged and closed the trunk and then walking around to the front of the car. I climbed into the driver’s seat and looked over at Tune. “Thanks for the music by the way. How do you do that?”

“Well since I was given intelligence by you, I am capable of feeling the nerve impulses and chemical release that your brain goes through. To a degree mind you, so I can run several scenarios in which I play certain music to better improve your mood or help ease the tension. Take your pick.” The red line moved up and down as the robotic voice spoke out to me.

“Well I guess that makes sense.” I sat quietly as I started the car up and drove back out onto the road. “Thanks Tune.”

“Of course sir.”

Hmph. Sounded like a robot butler… but without being to do anything other than play music and run scenarios. So I guess like a robotic DJ/tactician. I could work with that.

We continued to make progress down the road towards Qytet, with our slight diversion out of the way. Damn griffons. And what the fuck did I do to get on the Black Claw’s bad side?

Probably something to do with all the bad guys I’ve stopped.

Or the wild buffoonery.

Yeah. Probably that.

FLASH

“And this would be her report.” Celestia said with a sigh. “Let’s see what the damage is this time.” She pulled the black ribbon wrapped scroll and tugged the seal off. Celestia closed her eyes and prepared herself for the contents. She slowly read over the report before sighing and looking up to Luna who was busy sorting through the ‘Honored did something bad’ funds.

“Well there is good news and bad news.” Celestia said before standing up and stretching out her back legs.

“Lets have the bad news first.” Luna said with a shiver. Damn that human. Damn his spunky attitude and everything he does that seems to piss them off to no end.

“He killed six members of the mercenary company.” Luna quickly looked back to her paperwork and read over the numbers.

“Okay we have enough to cover the grieving costs.”

“No. No. We don’t have too. The good news is that they fought first, and that Honored, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but he actually tried to talk to the group of griffons before they attacked him.”

Luna put the quill and Royal Treasury Checks down. “Wait he did what?” She sounded completely surprised.

“Exactly what I said. He talked to them first before one of them fired a crossbow at him.”

“Well then I say his action were justified.” Luna nodded and ripped the paperwork she was working on to shreds. “Now can we get some lunch. I’m famished.”

“Sure. But I think we should ask the CEO of Black Claw why he wanted to try and get Honored… and why he only sent one attack gang after that dangerous human he keeps asking about.”

So that was the report… it was everything that he had expected it to be. Chief Will stood in his office watching out of his massive floor to ceiling at the bustling city of Griflin. His office was located at the top of his company’s building, the Black Claws Mercenary Company, which he helped establish many years ago. Chief Will had sent one of his top mercenary attack gangs after the human.

That human.

All the stories he had heard about the warrior, all the rumors that milled around the mercenary’s down time, pointed to the fact that this soldier of the Equestrian forces would be an invaluable addition to the company.

But just like any new blade, it had to be tested by fire.

And what a test it had been. The report from the two surviving members of attack gang spoke of his impressive power in any combat situation. Faced off with six griffons and slaughtering them all. It was amazing. And Chief Will couldn’t even begin to imagine that all the stories, the legends were true.

Chief Will smiled and turned his massive, muscular body to his desk and picked up a quill.

“Dear Honored Service, -“

I neared the city of Qytet. I could see the rising tops of buildings coming over the road as the city grew in size. “There it is Tune. Qytet.” I smiled and stepped on the gas pedal. The fuel gauge was beginning to dip down to below the quarter mark. Hopefully this long shot on airship gas working in this car would magically work. Then again this is a magical world so I hope so.

But the one thing that was upsetting me the most was that I hadn’t seen my handler yet. That was pissing me off. I thought that I would be able to spot a pony in the middle of nowhere, but yet… they had remained hidden.

OR I wasn’t being followed at all. And I was being cautious for no reason. I shrugged as the Firebird rounded the final bend in the road. Qytet and all of its glory loomed ahead of me. I slowed the car down till it slowed to a stop alongside the road. I feared that maybe the ponies would be slightly freaked out if my car came flying down the road. I stepped out of the car and smiled, today was already starting out as a good day.

I walked towards the outskirts of the large city. I left my larger weapons in the car, which was locked of course, and kept only my pistols strapped to my body. No need to try and scare the entire populace of the city.

I passed into the city, ponies stopping their normal everyday tasks to gawk at me as I strolled through the city streets. I walked right up to a pony who was standing outside of a store displaying dresses and coats in the window.

“Excuse me?”

“Um yes?” The pony said, visibly shaking in fear as I stood over him.

I rolled my eyes at the dark yellow earth pony. You would think that after everything I had done for Equestria, more ponies would be less afraid of me. “Would you happen to know where the airship station is at?” The pony began to shake even more, but slowly raised his hoof, pointing the shaking appendage down the street to the right.

“Thanks.” I said while beginning to walk away. Jeez, it's like they have never seen a six foot tall human before. I stopped and chuckled. That’s right, they haven’t. Ha.

“And do you really think that this fuel will work?” Tune said from my pocket. I reached down and pulled out the small device, rolling my head around.

“I hope so, because if not, then Daring is going to be kind of pissed when I give her a package of gum or something.” I laughed as I continued heading down the street, Tune deciding to play some light travel music. Soothing classical. Even though it wasn’t my favorite, it did make plodding down the sidewalk of the large city easier. “Now where would the station be?”

As if on cue, a large shadow passed over me and I watched as a large airship, easily doubled the size of Fast Skies, slowly lifted into the sky from somewhere off to my right side behind some taller buildings. “Bingo.”

I turned the corner and find a large series of hangers and a building with the name High Heights plastered on the front of it. “That would be the airship station. Now let’s get some fuel. I hope.”

“You won’t get away with this Major Ponrich.” Daring Do spat out at the gray coated pony before her. She was tied down to a chair in her motel room at the edge of Coltstown. She had been sleeping peacefully after tracking down the Crystal Brain that had belonged to an ancient sorcerer for the Crystal Empire. The Princess and Prince had made the request to have another one of the ancient crystal artifacts. Everything had gone smoothly until this night.

She had been jumped in her motel room by the Major and his gang of cronies while she had been sleeping. It’s hard to fight back when you find yourself suddenly wrapped up in a bed sheet, unable to move. Daring cursed herself for being so complacent. She was better than this, and yet her she was, listening to another rant from another one of her numerous cliché enemies. Except this time… nopony knew where she was.

Suddenly Daring Do heard the roar of… well it sounded like a mix between a small train and an airship engine. Every head in the room turned towards the window, where the curtain was drawn and everypony stopped and listened.

“I told you it would work.” A male voice spoke out.

‘No way.’ Daring Do thought to herself. That voice. It could only belong to one being and he was here to save her. She didn’t care how he knew that she needed saving, but here he was. Thank to everything above, Honored was here. Except she didn’t recognize the strange voice he was talking to.

“I told you that the chemical makeup of the fuel was 96.365 percent exact match to the original fuel in the vehicle. If I hadn’t told you that, you wouldn’t have begun the refueling process. You would still be sitting there, too scared to try and break the car.”

“Oh shut it Tune.” Honored spoke again as he walked past the window on the first floor of the motel. “The attendant had said she was in room 109.” There was a pause and Daring Do felt every muscle in her body tense up. “Ah, here it is.”

Daring Do stopped breathing as the human knocked on the door. “Hello Daring Do? Are you in there? I have my gift for you. I know I’m a little late but it took me awhile to get it here. Daring?” She heard the door handle jiggle few times before it went silent again. Daring Do quickly looked around the room and then back at the door.

‘Oh goddesses I hope this works.’

“HONORED! TWELVE, TEN, NINE, EIGHT, FOUR, ONE!” Daring Do shouted as loudly as she could.

The door to the hotel room exploded open and the human rushed into the room, his hands both cradling his strange weapons. One Daring had seen, and a new one that she had never seen before. The first one clutched in his metal hand exploded in a flash of red, sending a bolt of red through the neck of one of the cronies directly in front of the door across the room. The next standing to the right of the bed slumped to the ground, blood leaping out from a wound in his chest. The pony standing at the foot of her bed flipped backwards as two red bolts of Honored’s magic caught him squarely in his barrel. As Honored moved deeper into the room, he swept his arms to the side, both weapons discharging at the same time, hitting the sinister ponies to the left of her bed and the one to Honored’s right in the kitchenette area. The last goon belonging to the Major made a mad dash towards Honored with a sharp knife waving around, but a sharp retort from the black weapon in his right hand blew him backwards onto the floor.

“Not another step creature.” Daring Do gulped as she felt something sharp press against her throat, pricking her skin as she tried to squirm away from the blade that the Major was pressing into her.

“Another one of your friends Daring?” Honored asked as he holstered the weapon that ran of his magic. He kept the new weapon aimed straight at the head of the Major. Daring could only give a faint nod back to the human, accounting on the blade still pressed firmly into her neck.

“Ah. Okay. Close your eyes.” Honored said while quickly jerking his thumb back over the hammer of the revolver and firing a round directly into the Major’s head, right below his slicked back black mane. He crumpled back onto the bed and Daring Do opened her eyes to feel something sticky dripping off her mane. She shuddered at the warm feeling but was grateful as Honored walked over and began to unwrap her from the bed sheet holding her in place.

“Well I think I got here just in time.” Honored said as she loosened herself from the bed sheets now stained red with pony blood. Honored gave her a smile and held her close in a hug. Daring Do was at first confused, but then returned the hug.

“Thanks Honored.”

“No problem Daring. I’m just glad that I got here when I did.” He stood up and looked around the bloody room. “Are you okay? They didn’t hurt you did they?”

“No. you got here just in time.” Daring Do looked at the dead Major, a confident smirk plastered on his face. “Looks like that’s another bad guy dead. Maybe I should hire you to hunt the rest down.”

They both fell into a fit of laughter before Honored looked at her with a frown, “No.”

“So Daring, I knew I had to bring you something back for all your help.” Honored said with a sly smile as he stood up and began walking towards the exit. Daring Do jumped off the bed and carefully maneuvered around the dead bodies. She sighed, no doubt she would have to explain this mess to room service.

“And I brought the only thing that I think would do you justice.” Honored stopped outside of the hotel room and held out his hand. Dangling from it was a set of keys. She looked at them and then back to Honored.

“Keys?” Honored slapped a hand to his face and groaned.

“No, it’s what they go to.” He pointed towards a sleek dark blue carriage that was ponyless.

“What is it?”

“Just trust me.” Honored said and walked over to the carriage before opening the door and getting in. He gestured Daring to follow suit and soon she was sitting inside of the strange carriage beside the human. He placed the keys into a slot for them beside some sort of wheel before turning them. The carriage began to shake and then a mighty roar filled Daring’s ears as Honored turned to her and gave her a wicked grin.

“Is this worth it?” He asked before the car flew down the road and past the exit of the motel, Daring Do screaming in delight the entire time.

Pumpkin Smashing and Moon Crushing

View Online

On My Honor

Pumpkin Smashing and Moon Crushing

By Honored Service
Edited/Pre-read by Spirit of Harmony

My foot connected hard with my target as the tree shook with my kick. Eight apples tumbled out of the tree and landed around the ground next to me. I narrowed my eyes at the tree, damn things were so stubborn.

“That’s a whole lot better Honored!” Applejack said as she walked up beside me. “I remember when you could only get five apples down.”

“Thanks.” I grumbled out before turning and watching the orange mare kick one leg out behind her and seemingly tap a tree with her hoof, and was rewarded when over fifty apples came pouring down from its branches. “Show off.” I huffed before getting back to work on my tree.

“What was that?” AJ said, a smug smile stretched across her face as she looked up at me. “It sounded like you said something about showing off.”

I only rolled my eyes at her and wiped the sweat off my brow using my arm. “Yeah, you. You’re showing off. You got those hooves that give you an unfair advantage at something I can’t even attempt to do.”

“Oh you mean like those magical human alien weapons you have that you use in battle that your enemies can’t even attempt to fight against?” Applejack’s smile grew even larger as I began to fume under her logic. Bucking apples and fighting a battle are two monumental different things. That’s like comparing apples to oranges. Haha apples.

“Listen I use my technology to keep ponies alive.”

“Listen ah use my technique to keep ponies alive.” She shot back. Damn it. I was off my mental game today. I shook my head back and forth before narrowing my eyes at Applejack.

“Better watch yourself AJ.” I quickly began to sniff the air. “I think you may have stepped in a challenge.”

“Oh really?” Applejack leaned in closer to me. I bent down so that I was on her puny short pony level.

“Really.” I said, our foreheads touching as we leaned in close to one another, trying to intimidate each other.

“Well then ah challenge you to the Annual Apple Family Pumpkin Smashing contest.” Applejack said while pulling her head back and rearing up on her hind legs. “This here contest is at the beginning of every autumn, right before the running of the leaves.” Applejack explained while we each began collecting the apples from the trees. I had tried to buck the apples rather than swig from the limbs like I normally did, and needless to say, the old way was better than lashing out at a tree with my combat boots.

“What do you have to do?” I asked. Smashing pumpkins? Too fucking easy.

“Well the objective is to crush, smash, destroy, or obliterate a pumpkin in the craziest, coolest, or awesome way possible.” Applejack said while opening the barn door. We walked inside before beginning to sort the apples into their storage bins and tossing the bruised or bad apples aside. “We Apples haven’t lost in over ten years.” She said proudly before pointing to a row of blue ribbons spanning the entire length of the barn wall. Each row of ribbons was their own category. And near the bottom were ten ribbons with a pumpkin smashed in half on them.

Suddenly the hay pile across from me exploded out and a yellow filly with a pink bow in her red mane landed in front of us. “Every autumn we Apples walk away with the championship!” Applebloom shouted, a huge smile on her face, “And this year the Cutie Mark Crusaders are entering the competition. We are gonna blast away the competition! Literally!”

“Applebloom, ah said no explosives.” Applejack said sternly as she looked at the adorable little filly.

“But… but…” Applebloom’s bottom lip began to quiver and her bright wide eyes began to fill with tears as she stared her sister down.

“No.” Applejack stated firmly before getting up and picking up the empty apple basket in her mouth. She turned around and walked over to the shelf to put it away. I quickly waved Applebloom closer. She trotted up to me and leaned in.

“Don’t listen to her, I’ll give you something that should blow away the competition.” I patted her on the head as she leapt up and gave me a big hug before scampering away to cause untold mischief to others. Maybe one box of gunpowder would help.

Aw hell, four would do it.

“Sir if I might interject to the idea of-“

“No Tune.” I grumbled out and reached into the pocket on my jeans. “She will be fine. It’s not like I’m giving the Crusaders a land mine or a grenade…” I suddenly stopped and thought how quickly the three little fillies would win if they set a pumpkin atop a pile of fifteen M18A1 Claymore mines.

“Sir.”

“Alright. Alright. No actual explosives. I’ll at least give them some firecrackers or something.”

“Very well sir.” The robotic voice said as I tucked him back into my pocket. Tune was… well he was almost like a butler, only that he couldn’t do anything helpful. Well in the physical sense. He couldn’t wash clothes or make food, but he could think.

He had proven able to use cold hard rationalizing to solve problems. He saw the world as a problem looking to be solved, and he would help anyway he could, or at least offer his opinion on how to solve a problem. And he could try. His helpful input is what brought me back to Sweet Apple Acres to work part time. Even if I had more gold and jewels then I needed, I still needed something to do to take up time. And crazy adventures were out of the question with that handler around.

That fucking Handler.

Fuck them.

They were fucking with me now.

I would wave hello to Rarity, only to have another Rarity pop up right next to me and ask who I was waving at. This little act would go on throughout the day. And no matter what I couldn’t do anything because I couldn’t tell who was the real pony and which was an asshole handler sent to spy on my every movement.

And currently I had Tune working on a solution to this problem.

“So Honored,” Applejack said as she walked back into the barn, “You up for the challenge?” She raised an eyebrow at me.

“I’ve never lost one yet.” I said smugly, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

“Then it’s on.” She said a competitive look spreading over her face.

“Not quite.” I said before tapping my fingers against each other. A dull thud echoing around the barn from my metal gauntlet as I tapped my fingers. “If I win, you have to make me as many famous Apple Family Crumble Pies as I want for a month.”

“Fine.” Applejack said, she quickly tapped a hoof to her chin before smiling at me with an evil grin, “And if I win you have to…”

“Have to what?” I asked. How bad could something she think of be?

“You have to Take Princess Luna out on a date. No other ponies, no crazy shenanigans. Just you, her, and a romantic time together at the fanciest restaurant you can find.”

I quickly swallowed the lump in my throat and looked down at Applejack. She still wore that shit eating grin as I felt a single sweat bead roll down the side of my head.

I quickly nodded and brought my hand up to face and spit into my open palm, “Deal.”

Applejack repeated the gesture into her hoof and slammed it into my outstretched metal gauntlet. The thud sounded across the room. “Better pucker up lover boy,” she said while withdrawing her hoof, “Ah never lose.”

“Neither do I.”

“Competition is in two days Honored. Get read to get smashed.” Applejack said with a smile. She spun around and with a flick of her tail walked out of the barn humming a tune and singing something that sounded like, “Honored and Luna sitting in a tree.”

I sat at the wooden desk in the study of my home staring at the design plans for many different pumpkin launching or smashing machines. One of them would have to be the perfect one to destroy Applejack’s. But which one. A trebuchet was too simple. And a guillotine might be to… violent for the pony judges. I could always just do some crazy tricks with my sword and slash a pumpkin into tiny bits before it hits the ground. Or… oh ideaaaaa!

I quickly jumped up from my chair and ran down the stairs from the study to the first floor of my house. I raced around the kitchen and then threw open the door leading down to my basement of weapons. I looked around the room before walking over and removing my Element of Sanctuary from its mount on the wall. I slung its sheath around my body and then walked over to my pistol table and began looking over the assorted handguns. I would need one that was deadly accurate and had a larger round. My eyes were instantly drawn to the .357 revolver and the .44 magnum. Each one had a large round, one being larger than the other, but the .44 had a large kick. But I only needed one shot for this trick. I smiled and picked up the revolver, feeling it my hand. It had a wooden decorated grip and a shiny silver coating on the frame. It was a simple Rugger .44 magnum.

I strolled up the stairs and outside to my backdoor. I had already gathered a small pile pumpkins to use for practice and they sat across from me as I walked outside. I walked over and picked up two pumpkins before placing them next to each other twenty yards away. I walked away from them, standing with my back to them. I took a deep breath and then exhaled, calming myself down.

I spun around quickly while reaching down and drawing the Element of Protection from its sheath and hurling up into the air with my left hand. At the same time I reached to my hip and pulled the .44 magnum from its leather holster and began to spin and twirl it on my right index finger. As I spun the pistol around, I watched the sword fall until it planted itself into the dirt in front of me. I quickly caught the pistol and aimed down the sight, lining up the shot to strike directly on the magically forged blade. I squeezed the trigger and felt the mammoth handgun kick into my palm.

The bullet traveled towards the sword’s edge before the round was sliced perfectly in half on the blade. The two halves of the copped coated lead round continued to tumble through the air towards the two pumpkins resting next to each other fifteen yards away.

SPLAT

Both pumpkins toppled backwards, massive holes in their backsides and pumpkin seeds spilling out onto the grass.

I smiled and twirled the pistol on my finger before blowing on the barrel and sliding the weapon into its holster.

“Oh yeah. I think that’s a winner.”

“Nah.” A voice said above me. I turned around and looked up to see Rainbow Dash resting on a small could looking down at me with a smile on her face. She quickly flapped her wings and did a flip off the cloud before landing in front of me.

“Excuse me?” I looked at her and then back to the two smashed pumpkins. “Did you just watch the same thing I did?”

“Yeah. It was awesome alright. But it was also awesome when Applejack did it with a bow and arrow three competitions ago.”

“WHAT?!” I yelled turning around and grabbing Rainbow Dash by the shoulders and picking her up. “How did she do that!? I mean how does and Earth pony use a two handed weapon without magic!?”

“Whoa, calm down there Honored.” Rainbow said as she brushed herself off like I had dirtied her or something, “It seems like you’re getting a little nervous about this whole thing.”

“Yeah I am!” I walked over to my sword and slid it back into its sheath. “You don’t have to take royalty out on a date if you lose. And Luna will take it all wrong and then… ugh…” I collapsed backwards onto the ground and stared up at the sky until a shadow covered my vision.

“Um Honored your little glass thing keeps beeping at you.” Rainbow said while pointing her hoof at the window beside the backdoor. Tune’s screen was flashing red. I groaned and rolled over on my stomach before pushing myself up and walking over to the window.

“Yes Tune?”

“Sir I believe I may have a solution on how to use direct force of kinetic energy on the large squash.” Tune’s robotic voice said while the red line moved up and down with his words. “The solution might be down in the arms room sir.”

“Alright Tune. Let’s go see what ya’ got.” I turned around and waved to Rainbow Dash, “Thanks for telling me Dash. I’ll be sure to do something awesome.”

“You better!” She yelled after me as she took to the sky and raced off.

Princess Celestia sat up straighter in her throne as the throne room doors opened and a pony slipped inside. The pony was a Night Guard, obviously because of her bat like wings, slitted eyes, and dark coat, but this one was special. For she wore armor that had never been seen by any of the Day or Night Guards standing post in and around the Canterlot Castle. Her armor was black as night, crafted and molded to almost hug her body. It was trimmed with silver that seemed to constantly change color depending on where the mare stood or moved by, the colors flowing like a river of paint.

The mare walked calmly up to the Princess, her armor shimmering slightly to become tinted with red as she stepped onto the carpet leading to the throne. She wore no helmet, revealing her dark purple mane with dark pink streaks running through it.

“Ah hello Night Rose.” Princess Celestia called out to the approaching pony. The mare bowed before the Princess before rising and stepping up to princess of the sun.

“Princess, I have news regarding the human. News that I think your sister should be a part of.” Night Rose said with confidence as she fluttered her wings against her side.

Princess Celestia stared at the gray colored mare before nodding. “If you think that is best my little pony, then I shall send for her to be awoken at once.” Princess Celestia sent a Day Guard to collect the sleeping princess of the moon and bring her to the throne room so that the latest update on Honored Service could be delivered.

Honestly Princess Celestia wasn’t worried in the slightest. Honored had actually been behaving since coming back from Coltstown. No erratic behavior. Just living day to day life in Ponyville. Although he did make regular trips into the Everfree Forest, Night Rose said that he went in with only the small hand cannon and returned with nothing but a full coin purse.

At first she had been skeptical of his disturbing peacefulness, but now she was used to it. Somehow Honored had changed finally. They finally had the human under some sort of control.

“What dear sister could possibly need my assistance regarding the peaceful and docile human?” Princess Luna said while walking slowly into the throne room. Her mane was limply waving against her side rather than billowing out like it normally did. Her eyes were bloodshot and she was having trouble keeping them open.

“Night Rose has specific information on Honored that she felt you should be present for.” Celestia said with a smile before levitating Luna cup of steaming coffee. Luna took the mug in her magical aurora and gently blew on the liquid before sipping on it. Her eyes opened a little more as she sipped away on the beverage.

“Your highnesses, while watching over the human, he encountered the mare Applejack and the two began discussing a competition the family holds every year involving the smashing of pumpkins.”

“Forgive me Night Rose, but I don’t see why this needed my attention.” Luna said. Obviously she was still a little upset about being woken up so early in the day.

“If he loses the competition he has to take you out on a super romantic date, straight out of a cheesy romance novel.” Night Rose said with a straight face.

Luna was silent as she sat there sipping on her coffee. She calmly set the mug down on the table beside the throne before looking up to Celestia.

“A DATE!” Luna squealed in joy before leaping around the two ponies. “AN ACTUAL DATE! I HAVE TO BEGIN GETTING MY ATTIRE PREPARED. AND SWEET, HONEST APPLEJACK SHALL RECEIVE COMPENSATION FOR ARRANGING THIS SPLENDID COMPETITION!”

Luna couldn’t seem to sit still as she continued to squeal and ramble on about her perfect date with her would-be suitor.

“Um excuse me your highness.” Night Rose outreached a hoof to try and control the excited princess. “It is a competition that he must lose though. If not, then no date.”

Luna halted her excitement and sat down, a smile creeping across her face like that of an evil mastermind devising a plan. “Well then better help in all the wrong ways.”

“Okay Tune. What’s your master plan to blow Applejack’s pumpkin out of the water?” I stood in the center of the basement turned armory looking at all the weapons here. Sure some of them could obliterate a pumpkin easily, but certainly not in the spectacular way that could beat Applejack.

“Sir I may be mistaken since I wasn’t programed with immense knowledge on the military equipment that was being developed. But I did a scan on that shipping container against the wall and a few curious results have popped up in my memory unit from previous searches you did on the internet before coming here.”

“Wait. Tune you can see the stuff I looked at?”

“Yes sir.”

“Delete anything related to boobs, tits, fun bags,-“

“Sir you mean anything related to porn.” The robotic voice almost sounded gaudy.

“Yes. Tune.” I grumbled out.

“Done sir.” I nodded before picking Tune up off the center table and walking towards the large green shipping container tucked into the corner of the room. TOP SECRET was stamped on top of the container and below it was ADW SYSTEM. Why did that seem so familiar…

“Sir the limited research relating to undergoing military development systems using the name ADW means, Area Denial Weapon System. I have a few pictures of them, if you would like to see them.” Tune spoke out as I walked closer to the container. I reached out and saw that the container was locked up with three separate locks all requiring a different key to open. Whatever was in here was sure meant to be kept locked up.

I sent a trio burst of my magic into the locks, ripping the internals to shreds, the top of the container popping open with a loud pop. I turned back to Tune whose screen now glowed with three separate pictures.

“What are these?” I asked picking up the small device and staring at the screen. The weapon systems were all dark tan and browns. One of them sat on treads and looked like a miniature tank. A turret on top of a small body.

The next one looked like a miniature hovercraft. Four blades inside housing kept it above the ground while a camera system and a gun mount sat in the middle of the four blades. “These look absolutely horrifyingly disgustingly awesome.” I whispered as I scrolled to the last picture. This one looked… amazing. It had three wheels on each side of its rectangular body adding up to six. The wheels each had a series of rollers on them to allow them to function better on any terrain presented to them. The body contained an engine system running off both battery and fuel and capable of reaching almost fifty-five kilometers an hour. “Damn.” I whispered as I looked at the weapon systems included on the automated area denial weapon system. A 7.62 M240 machine gun and a .50cal M2 right along beside it on the same mount rig. And behind those two was a M19 automatic grenade launcher. Two larger boxes hung off the back of the mobile area denial system, but I didn’t know what those things were. Probably fuel storage or something.

“Tune you know what that thing is?” I asked, the picture disappearing and Tune’s normal voice line appeared.

“Unfortunately the webpage that displayed that image was only giving a conceptual design on a new Area Denial Weapon System designed by a new designer. Very little info was given on the system save for armament, engine, and computer drive systems for the ADW Mark 02.”

“Mark 02… huh.” I lifted the lid on the large container and pulled the front wall off of the other three. I stepped back and dropped to my knees. My hand was trembling as I reached out and tried to touch the thing inside of the crate. “Sweet merciful Celestia.” My words quivered in my throat as I was left breathless at the machine inside.

“I believe sir,” Tune’s voice was dull to me as I lost all feeling stating at the ADW inside the container, “that this is a new modified prototype of the Mark 02 that you looked up. Maybe if you are able to get it functioning you can use it as a way to crush the pumpkins and win the competition.”

“Tune you’re a genius!” I exclaimed before reaching in and trying to pull the machine from out of the crate. But it turns out the thing is pretty freaking heavy.

Oh and the fact that this ADW System is about the size of small sedan. It was as tall as my chest and at least five meters long. This little thing was big. Okay so maybe trying to physically move it was impossible. I squeezed my way into the shipping container that I had brought back from earth looked at the beast. “On.”

“Start?”

“Power?”

“Well fuck.” I sighed and pressed a hand against the metal body of the Mark 02.

“Sir if I may make another suggestion…” Tune said from my pocket.

“Go for it. You haven’t been wrong yet.” I reached down and pulled the iPod from my jeans. “What’s up buddy?”

“Sit it seems that this unit was never given its computer hardware program system. Perhaps that is why it was at the development center to begin with.” I shrugged my shoulder looking at my nice new paperweight. “Since it is lacking an AI and a system to run it, you might be able to install me into it.”

I looked down at the iPod and then back to military weapon system. “Yeah see you’re an Apple system… this seems like something more down Microsoft’s alley.”

“That is an astute observation sir.” I could hear the sarcasm dripping from Tune’s speakers. “But I think you should at least give it a try.”

“Okay okay fine. Where do I plug you in at?”

“Oh you don’t have to. I can use my wireless link to the system’s radio component to install myself into the machine’s onboard computer. I just wanted to have your permission before transferring myself.” Tune said before his screen went dead and the iPod stopped speaking.

“Tune.”

“Tune?”

“Tune!” I yelled at the automatic weapon system. There was a panel located on the back with a small emblem of a computer screen and the words Caution Sensitive Area. I reached over and twisted a small handle and the panel opened revealing a black computer screen. “Tune?”

The screen quickly flashed to life in a white light before my cutie mark faded onto the screen in blood red lighting. The five pointed star suspended from a blue ribbon and the surrounding five stars all slowly rotated in a cheesy 3D model.

“Area Denial Weapon System Mark 02 booting.” The familiar robotic voice of Tune spoke out clearly through speakers mounted somewhere on the machine. Of course. Why wouldn’t it have those? It had everything else. “Running Apple Operating System 10.5. Warning. Restarting to finalize hardware emplacement.”

I quickly scooted out of the container as the lights on the front of the ADW flickered to life. There were two mounted on the lower front of the body and a light rack with four more mounted on top of the body. Two thin red laser beams came alive, each one mounted to the side of the 240 and .50cal. They slowly moved around and scanned the room before settling on me.

“Whoa, easy there Tune.” I held up my hands, trying to show that I was unarmed.

The lasers flicked off and the front lights did as well. “I believe that it worked Honored. I now have complete control over the Area Denial Weapon System Mark 02.” Tune’s robotic voice sounded louder and not so… annoying as his normal Microsoft Sam one. “This system is running on the factory battery charge and has an estimated twelve minutes and forty-three seconds remaining before I must enter a shutdown state to save the critical functions.”

“Okay, here hold on.” Just as I had done for Tune when he was an iPod, I reached out my gauntlet and began feeding a weak charge of raw magic into his new body of the ADW. “Is that working?”

“Affirmative. At the current rate of energy flow, the battery compartment will reach full charge in five minutes and twenty-two seconds.”

“Okay I can manage that buddy.” I sat down next to the massive robotic death machine as I continued to feed magic into him. “So what can you do now inside of that thing?”

“Well I am now able to move thanks to these Mecanum wheels. I have five weapon systems available for my use along with an extra robotic arm appendage.”

“Five weapon systems?”

“Yes.” Tune said while the 240 and the .50cal rotated around on their platform on the front of the ADW. “The M240 Bravo and the M2 .50 caliber machine guns are fed from an internal supply of ammunition that holds five thousands round each on one long belt feeding system with minimal parts to reduce jam.” Tune spun the two weapons around once more before stopping them. “These two act as antipersonnel and anti-light armor weapons.”

“Cool. But there aren’t any lightly armored vehicles here.” I said with a frown. Damn, that would have made for some entertainment.

“I also have the Mark 19 automatic grenade launcher with an eternal supply of one thousand forty millimeter grenades. All high explosive.”

“The best kind.” I smiled at the thought of this robotic butler laying down immense fire to enemies around me as I sprinted around the battlefield. Damn I really want another villain to fight.

“This weapon also serves as an antipersonnel and armored destroyer. Tune’s voice stopped as the mark 19’s turret spun around on its mount before settling back down to the top of the ADW body. “The storage compartment on the rear of the system are firing pods for sixteen Hydra 70 A2 surface to air rockets.”

“Wait. What?” I cut the flow of magic to the robot and stared in shock at the two rectangles sticking off the weapon system.

“Eight of the sixteen are M151A1 high explosive target tracking smart warheads, while the remaining eight are M259 white phosphorus rockets that can be detonated above or on target.”

“Did you say white phosphorus?”

“Yes sir.”

Suddenly I was very glad I had stolen this piece of tech. A robot in charge of not only heavy machine guns and a grenade launcher system, but also a chemical so evil that once it touched oxygen it didn’t stop burning. A robot… what had the army been thinking?

“Tune what is the final weapon system you were given?” I was almost too afraid to ask.

Almost.

“This system seems to be equipped with a failsafe critical element in case of being swarmed with enemy or to be used as an explosive counter measurement. This system is made up of 360 degree protection by firing a series of packed explosive plates with thousands of steel pellets around one inch in diameter. They are found hidden under the exterior armor panels and can be deployed upon threat of missiles or other incoming explosive objects.”

“Well I doubt we have to worry about those either.” I said while lifting one of the armored plates along the side of the system. Well I guess now it would be Tune. No longer a ADW, but Tune, the ass kicking fighting robot thing…

Under the armor was a layer of thousands of black steel balls. From where I was standing I could guess that this cluster of projectiles could cover a seventy degree angle, and these clusters were all over Tune. I tried to imagine what damage this system would have done during one of the battles with the Changelings or Shadow Humans.

“Well Tune, let’s get you out into the yard and practice.” I looked at the stairs, which even if Tune was brought out of the container and shed his armor, he would never make it through the door. “How the hell did I even get this thing down here anyways?”

“Sir if I might ask, what are we practicing for?”

I turned around and smiled into the camera that was mounted just a little too close to the barrel of a .50cal, “blowing away the competition!”

“Dear sweet Celestia.” Night Rose mumbled to herself as she watched the human walk out into the front yard of his home and stop. His left hand was glowing with intense dark red light. It was so bright that it was rivaling the lowering sun in the distant skyline.

Suddenly there was a loud ‘crack’ and a flash of light. Night Rose slammed her eyes shut, the extreme light burning her eyes as she looked away. Once the light faded from her blinded vision, she turned around and felt her jaw drop. The human was crouched on the ground on his knees and seemed to be panting heavily. Beside the human was a… a thing. Night Rose could only watch as this miniature carriage with a similar color to his large carriage he had drove around the hard and seemed to skid to halt and then slide to the right. Then to left like it was moving on water, it just glided along the ground on large wheels that seemed to be made of smaller wheels.

There were six bright lights on the front of the small carriage that were glowing brightly as the human jumped into the air and landed on the thing. He then pointed in a direction and the tan carriage began moving to where he pointed. The two did quick rushes forward and then would slide, almost drift around a tree and then rush back to the front of the house where the carriage would spin around and around in a circle with the human laughing and doing flips on top of it.

But what startled the mare of Night Guard the most, were the weapons mounted along the roof of the carriage. She had been briefed, as well observed his weapons being used, and the ones mounted on top of the carriage were all massive.

‘This can’t end well.’ Night Rose thought to herself as she began to franticly write down her report to the Princesses. And she still had to come up with a way to make sure Applejack won the competition in two days so Honored would have to take Luna out on a date.

Seriously, what did she see in the violent, egotistical, and stubborn creature.

“OH HELL TO THE FUCK YEAH!” I screamed as Tune hit another perfect horizontal drift around the front of my house. I flipped off of his roof and landed on the ground running towards the pile of pumpkins. “Ready Tune?” I yelled at him as he continued to spin in place.

“Yes sir!” The robotic voice shouted back.

I reached out with my gauntlet and summoned my magic around the entire pile of fifteen pumpkins. I reared back, and hurled them all into the air at one.

The area went quiet as the mechanical whirring of gears and cogs was heard as Tune’s machine gun mount aimed up and tracked the falling pumpkins.

Then the world exploded into a perfect rhythm of sharp M240 retorts and extremely loud .50cal blasts. Each round perfectly smashed into its designated pumpkin and rained down orange chunks of flesh.

I ran forward and slid across the ground, arm outstretched and used my magic to catch all the falling pumpkin pieces. As I continued moving forward, I squashed all the pumpkin parts together to form a perfectly shaped orange apple in front of Tune. I then leapt into the air and landed on his roof, gripping the still smoking .50cal, as he dashed forward through the apple, smashing it to pumpkin chunks everywhere.

“And that Tune,” I said, while sliding down Tune’s side and wiping a chunk of pumpkin off his headlight, “is how we are going to win that competition.”

“Well if ah say so myself,” Applejack smiled and looked around her contraption, “Ah think we can secure our eleventh win in the contest.”

“Eeyup.” Big Macintosh said while walking away from Applejack. He just couldn’t understand why she went all out this year. She had been working on this… ridiculously complex contraption for two days straight. Whatever Honored must be doing to smash a pumpkin must be impressive.

“So did you do what I asked?” Princess Luna was nearly bouncing up and down with excitement as Night Rose stood before the alicorn.

“Yes your highness. I delivered the anonymous letter to the Apple family farm where it was found by the mare Applejack. She then spent two days building something to beat Honored.” Night Rose had been extra busy for the past two days. She had to watch Honored like normal and also had to fly to the Sweet Apple Acres to make sure that Applejack was building something that could surpass Honored’s insane tricks with his automated carriage.

“Excellent.” Luna tapped her fore hooves together, grinning like a fool. “He’s going to lose and then he’ll have to take me out. Then I can truly impress him with myself.” She quickly looked back down at the pony sitting before her, “Oh that is all Night Rose. Please enjoy the rest of the night off.”

“As you command your highness.” Night Rose dipped down and gave a low bow before heading out of the throne room. She walked through the Canterlot castle and out of the massive golden doors. Night Rose gave waves, polite head nods, and salutes as she walked from the castle to the Night Guard officer homes across the training yard.

Night Rose walked up to a two story small cottage. For a Night Guard, it was simple home. Two bedrooms and two baths. It was small, but cozy. It was Night Rose’s home and she was thankful for it. She walked up to the door and slipped a key into the keyhole and opened the door. The scent of roses wafted out of the home as Night breathed in the heavenly scent. She missed her home.

Ever since she had been selected for this new assignment, she had been spending less time here in her home. She now had most of her time spent watching over the human man child. And honestly, since the whole teleported to his world incident, Night Rose didn’t see what was so bad about him. Sure he got violent. Sure he got crazy. Sure he could even be rude. But he was a soldier trained to fight on a hostile alien planet that was several more violent than theirs is.

He just needs to get back to work in Canterlot. Get back to serving the Equestrian Honor Guard like he was meant to do.

“Maybe I can speak to Princess Celestia or Capitan Shining Armor about any new missions for him.” Night Rose said aloud while kicking off her armor. The human was simple to figure out. At first it had been confusing, but it was simple now.

He was bored. Giving him mindless tasks and adventures would easily solve any problems of his. Idle hands make for Discord’s playthings.

Night Rose trotted to her bed and jumped into its comfy sheets, pulling the covers up around herself. She let out a contempt sigh and closed her eyes. At least for the next eight hours she could rest peacefully and be awake before the sun went down to begin her next shift.

FLASH

A scroll dropped onto Night Rose’s belly. She lazily opened one eye and peered down at the scroll resting on her bed.

“Celestia help that human.” She mumbled reaching down and unrolling the scroll. “My diligent Night Rose, I’m sorry to have to interrupt your time off, but the competition is about to start and I feel that we should have eyes on Honored’s newest contraption. And I would like to know the outcome as soon as possible.” Rose rolled her eyes. Why Luna couldn’t just order him to take her on a date was beyond her. It would save so much time, energy, and resources.

Night Rose rolled out of bed and began getting her armor back on. Who should she go disguised as today?

“Welcome everypony!” Applejack called out to all the gathered ponies. “We all know why we are here! So let’s get ready to smash some pumpkins! First up we have Berry Punch Sea Swirls!”

The gathered ponies around me began stomping their hooves and yelling in excitement. I stood in the center of the sea of colorful ponies looking around and smiling, but there was still a wide circle of emptiness around me. The ponies were keeping their distance from because of what I was wearing. I had decided to wipe out the old armor for this stunt. Not only did it look cool and badass, but the ponies had come to see the armored brown duster as a symbol of scary safety.

I wore the old duster with my body armor underneath and a pair of faded blue jeans with dark brown armored pieces on my shins and thighs. My standard steel toed combat boots covered my feet and around my waist was my belt and holster for my .357 revolver, with shiny bullets all around the belt. I of course had my berretta for channeling magic in its shoulder holster under the duster.

But I had something entirely new on with all that old gear. A new hat. A had Rarity fashion me a Stetson similar to Applejack’s, but a darker color. And on the front of it, in a dark matte color, was the Equestrian Honor Guard symbol. The shield with four quadrants, two red and two black with a four pointed star and a lightning bolt in the red squares. The sun and crescent moon of the royal sisters on the bottom left and right beneath the shield. Very few ponies saw that symbol outside of Canterlot, and even fewer ponies new what the symbol meant, well until you mentioned anything about humans, and then they would know. It was symbol to mean the best of the best. And I was about to prove that humans were the best at smashing pumpkins too.

I looked up as Berry Punch began pouring a bottle of clear liquid into the hole on top of a pumpkin. Sea Swirl was simply standing there, bouncing her blue mane around as Berry emptied the whole bottle into the pumpkin. “And now the smashing!” She called out. All the ponies cheered loudly as Berry climbed up on a three foot tall block and then jumped into the air and came down hard on the pumpkin.

Pumpkin flavored alcohol sprayed out over the crowd, ponies going wild as the caught the raining drink. I rubbed a hand across my stubble covered chin. Using alcohol to tip the judges in her favor… well played Berry. Well played.

“Nice one Berry!” Applejack announced to the calming ponies, “Next we have the… uh… Cutie Mark Crusaders.” She took a deep breath and swallowed, “Oh boy.”

I looked to the three adorable fillies who were standing at the edge of the platform acting as the stage. I gave them a smile and a thumb’s up.

Now I knew that Applejack and Big Macintosh were about to come rain hell down on me, but I had told the fillies everything I knew about safety…. So next to nothing, but I still explained to them what a hand grenade does… and I was technically here so I was supervising. ‘Fuck it.’ Was my only thought as Apple Bloom calmly walked up to the stage with the other two fillies following behind her. Scootaloo reached under her small wing and drew the dark green circular object. She bounced it off her flank and to Sweetie Bell who bounced it up into the air on her flank before then off her horn. Apple Bloom jumped into the air and caught the grenade by the safety pin and jerked her head to the side, pulling the pin out.

Scootaloo jumped forward and pulled the top off of the pumpkin as Applebloom dropped the grenade into the large berry. While it fell, Sweetie Bell’s horn shimmered in a green light and a metallic ‘ping’ filled the air as the spoon came flying off the grenade. Scootaloo slammed the top of the pumpkin down and the three dove backwards.

I quickly snapped my fingers of my metallic gauntlet and a light red aurora formed around the pumpkin just as an explosion filled the air.

The pumpkin and shrapnel exploded outward, flying in every direction. My magic caught every single piece of pumpkin and metal, effectively shielding everpony around, but not only that, it froze the chunks midair in the shape of a beautiful and deadly flower, with a center of fire and smoke from the blast of the grenade. I dropped the chunks and metal on and around the platform with the thunderous stomping form the audience.

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo and took a bow and ran off stage smiling the whole way. “Well let’s give it up to those three. And I think they may have had some help.” She added with a glare towards me. I simply smiled and waved.

“Well I think it’s time for our resident hero and human, Honored Service to give it a try.” Applejack said while giving me a wink.

“She would make me go before her.” I sighed and walked forward before climbing up onto the platform. I stood there at center stage staring at the crowd before me. I placed my hands on my hips and waited. It got dead quiet save for a cough from somepony way in the back. Twilight and the rest of the main six had taken spots in the front of the audience and the stood staring at me as I just looked at them. Twilight looked down at a watch and then back up to me before ruffling her wings. I smiled and then looked off at the distance.

Ponies towards the back of the crowd began looking around as a strange noise filled the air. The strange noise grew louder until it was able to be recognized as music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufb6T-av-rU

Then it got louder.

I smiled down to Applejack and gave her a two fingered salute as Tune came roaring around the edge of the crowd. Ponies jumped to the side as the robot came skidding across the ground vertically thanks to its special wheels. The guns on the top of the ADW system were spinning around and the red lasers were flashing randomly as Tune drove around to the front of the platform I was standing on. I jumped into the air, and with a burst of magic, jumped higher than I could have alone. I performed two flips before landing on the room of Tune and grabbing ahold of the .50cal barrel. “Let’s hit it!”

As the music thumped out of Tune’s speakers, we turned around and drove around the ponies towards a huge pile of pumpkins. I grinned as we gained speed, hurtling towards the pumpkins. I leapt forward and rolled on the ground, lying flat as Tune drove over me. I stood up and using my gauntlet, picked the pumpkins up and began flying them above the ground in intricate patterns. Tune spun around and came flying back, his two mounted machine guns already tracking the flying objects.

“And knock ‘em down!” I yelled.

The crowd of ponies exploded into yells and hoof stomping as the thunderous machine gun retorts ripped through the air. The pumpkins each began erupting into chunks of raining goo. I stopped the pumpkins from falling by magic and then levitated all the pieces and chunks in front of the crowd in the shape of a huge orange apple. Tune sped forward past me and as he drove by I reached out and grabbed ahold of a grip rail mounted on the side of his body. I flipped onto the roof as we crashed through the apple, pumpkin flying everywhere. The crowd was going insane as I stood there on top of the ADW system. I bowed gracefully before directing Tune to drive to the side of the crowd so we could watch Applejack lose to us.

“Hey good work out there Tune. That was freaking awesome.” I said patting the roof of the mobile weapon system.

“Thank you sir!” the robotic voice almost sounded happy. His 7.62 and .50 gun mount bobbed up and down as he talked, it was silly watching that, a voice talking and a gun moving to it. Fucking Tune. “I knew it would go perfectly. My calculations only gave us a .05% failure rate.”

I laughed till I fell back on the roof of Tune and wiped a tear from my eye. “Glad you did the math, I suck at it.”

“Well I must say that was an impressive show Honored.” I sat up and looked at the platform. Applejack was smiling at me, but it was a confident smile. “So without further ado, the reigning champion will go,” she looked straight at me and gave me a wicked smile that I imagine was her trying to mimic my smile where I show my pointed canine teeth, “Me.”

She kicked her rear hoof out and hit a small pebble that was resting in a pipe. “No fucking way.” I said looking suddenly around the platform. I had noticed it early, but around the platform were a series of pipes, ramps, tunnels, string, and wire contraptions. Applejack was going to out complicate me. I watched in shocked awe as her contraption went to work.

The pebble rolled through the pipe until it hit a lit candle. The candle fell over in splash of wax before the flame rose up an oil soaked string catching a thicker rope on fire. The rope burned till it snapped and released a heavier rock. The rock rolled down the top of the pillar stretching over the top of the platform. It hit a series of iron pans stacked like a tree, bouncing down every one of them filling the air with a series of loud clangs. At the bottom the rock landed in a bucket of water. The sudden drop of the rock cause the water to overflow and the water fell out and landed on a bed of hot coals. Steam rose before getting trapped in a balloon above the coals. As the balloon began to lift up, it pulled on a string attached to lever. The lever tripped and an apple rolled around the platform on a small funnel before hitting another apple.

That apple rolled down a pipe heading towards the apple family barn. As it rolled along the track it began knocking over other candles that all fell perfectly onto fuses. The grass behind the platform suddenly was filled with the quit ‘ssshhhhh’ of fuses burning before the ‘whooshing’ of rockets filled the air. Fireworks erupted into the air, exploding in majestic colors all around the farm.

I continued to watch with my mouth hanging open as the apple still rolled and bumped into a fence post. A vase resting on it teetered on the edge before falling down and breaking on an anvil. A chicken sitting near the anvil gave a loud squawk and laid an egg that rolled down a ramp below it hitting a domino that in turn fell over a long line of dominos that led all the way around the farm house. The final domino fell onto a snare wrapped around an apple tree. I watched as a rope whipped around the tree until it hit a stick and fell onto…

A catapult? A solid ‘thunk’ filled the air as a pumpkin flew through the air directly at the platform where Applejack was still standing, watching the contraption work. She quickly turned around and kicked her rear legs out, smashing the pumpkin in bits that rained down all over the crowd. The crowd and myself sat there stunned. I stood up and began clapping my hands together slowly before the entire crowd filled the air with hysterical yelling and cheering. The ground was literally shaking with the amount of hoof stomps.

Mayor Mare stepped forward to the platform and waited for the cheering to die down. “Well I think it’s safe to say who the winner is.” She smiled politely and lifted Applejack’s hoof into the air. “Let’s hear it for the eleventh year champion in a row, APPLEJACK!”

The crowd erupted into a thunderous cheer for the winner. I simply tipped my hat at the farm pony who gave me a smile in return.

Then it dawned on me what my loss meant.

I had a date.

Fuck.

Pet Peeves

View Online

On My Honor

Pet Peeves

By Honored Service

Edited/preread by Spirit of Harmony

“Yes yes yes yes!” Luna squealed in excitement as she bounced around her tower room. Night Rose stood beside the door as the Princess of the night continued to release noises of excitement. The Night Guard had only said ‘Honored had lost the competition’ before the Princess had exploded into this hyper active ball of energy. “I thank you for this wondrous news Night Rose!”

“Of course your highness.” Night Rose said as she kept her stoic position. “Will that be all Princess?”

“Yes. Yes of course Night Rose, please head back to your home or watching Honored.” Luna waved a hoof as she dove head first into her large closet. Random articles of clothing began flying out and landing all over the bed and room. Night Rose rolled her eyes and then stepped out of the room.

“No no no no.” I was pacing around my backyard as the large robot sitting on his six wheels tracked me with his gun turrets.

“Sir, if I may recommend a suggestion.” Tune said as he continued to watch me pace.

“Sure, go for it buddy. I have no idea what I’m going to do.” I stopped and looked at the ADW system. “I’m shit out of ideas on how to get out of this. Unless I can think of a new bad guy to go and attack.”

“Sir perhaps instead of trying to get out of it, you should just go on the courting event.” Tune stated before rolling closer to me and then extending his robotic claw out and resting it on my shoulder. “You are running from the Princess of the night, but did you ever stop to think that maybe she enjoys the hunt of catching you?”

I tapped a finger to my chin and thought about that. In a female dominant culture the chicks had to go after the males… it did make sense. She was having fun giving the prey a good chase. “Good thinking Tune!” I exclaimed, bounding away from the robot, “Time for the hunted to become the hunter.”

I began a run towards the Everfree Forest. I had only my two pistols and bowie knife, Bad Bertha, with me but I was just going in to get some flowers from the depths of the forest. Start off the date right. I’d get her flowers, dress up nice, take her to a nice restaurant, and then drop her back off at the castle. I stood in front of the path that I had created into the forest from my constant running into it with the portal… and the Humvee crashing out of the tree line.

I started my search for some flowers within the forest, of course staying away from anything remotely blue. Damn poison joke. I shuddered at the thought of sparkling again because of the stupid rogue weed.

“Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr”

I froze and looked around the path I was on. “Shit.” I suddenly felt the lack of my heavier weapons as I pulled my .357 and Berretta from their holsters. The forest was dark, even if it was the middle of the morning. I swung around, both weapons kept at the ready in case of whatever made that noise tried something.

“GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR”

The noise was even louder as I walked forward, carefully avoiding stepping on the branches and creating unnecessary noise. Suddenly the low growling was replaced with lots of short barks and growling. I stepped into a bush and pushed the branches apart with the barrels of my pistols. My jaw dropped. It was a manticore, cornered against a rock wall by six full-grown timber wolves.

The timberwolves all lunged at the cornered beast at once. One paw lashed out and smashed two of the attacking wolves to pieces, but the damage was already being inflicted. The remaining four wolves latched onto the manticore’s neck, side, and hind legs. The beast roared into the air as it thrashed around, trying to shake the smaller monsters off of its body. Deep red blood began to flow freely from the manticore as its stinger swung around its head and sunk deeply into the neck of the wolf that was latched onto its neck, before flinging it into a tall birch tree, the body shattering into twigs.

The last three wolves jumped off the manticore and stepped back, still circling the wounded beast. I noticed that it was moving with a limp; its back leg bleeding heavily. I’d had enough. Even if the manticore remained violent after I saved its life, I should be able to take it with all the harm it had sustained.

BANG BANG BANG SHZAP SHZAP

The .357 and Berretta blasted away two of the wolves in front of me. The metal rounds caught one through the neck, splattering the ground and trees with brown sap, the magical beams from the Beretta slamming into the other wolf, burning holes right through its body. I spun around, searching for the final attacker.
GRAWWWW!

I spun around and caught the wolf square across the chest, its jagged wooden teeth sinking easily through the shirt I was wearing. I arched my back, planted my legs under the beast’s belly and kicked up, sending the timber wolf flying through the air where it was impaled on the manticore’s stinger. The manticore itself was laying on the ground on its side, holding the wolf above its head.

“Oh dear.” I quickly holstered the pistols, ignoring the stinging pain shooting across my chest. I could feel blood soaking down my abdomen as I approached the wounded mythological beast. “Hey there big… manticore… thing.” I said kneeling down to the beast’s head.

The wounds on the manticore’s side and rear leg were bad, but not anywhere as bad as the devastating wound on its neck. The great creature gave a low groan before dropping its tail, the body of the timber wolf collapsing next to its limp tail.

“Hang on manticore.” I said quickly, trying to think of a solution. I used my knife on my hip to slice one of my sleeves off from my long sleeve gray shirt. I slowly reached down and ignoring the growling from the manticore, pressed the cloth to the wound and held it there. The flow of blood was still pretty strong, soaking through the hastily constructed bandage.

I looked up from the mortal wound and found the manticore staring right at me. “I’m sorry.” I choked out. It was my fault that this beast was dying. Sure I had killed one before, but this one, this one had simply been trying to defend itself from the timber wolves and I had waited too long to help it. It was all my-

“Rawr!”

I looked down beside me and saw a baby manticore. It was a pale tan with a light red set of wings and a scorpion tail. It crawled past me till it was resting against the side of the larger manticore. It silently let of a series of quiet ‘mews’ as it nuzzled into its mother’s mane.

I stood up from the manticore and stepped back from the scene. I felt tears welling up within me, my emotions swirling around this tragic sight. A kitten manticore losing its mother. All because I hadn’t acted quickly enough to save the older creature. The mother manticore looked at her kitten and then looked up to me before closing her eyes and taking a final breath.

“Mew.”

No. Please no.

I cracked open my eyes and watched as the tiny kitten clambered up onto the larger manticore’s neck. It began to pud her mane while ‘mewing’ and licking her ears, trying to wake its mother up. I was struggling to hold back tears from the scene unfolding in front of me. I quickly turned around and wiped my sleeve across my face, drying the tears up.

I felt something tug on my pant leg above the boot. “Mew.”

I looked down to see the baby manticore sitting on its haunches with its front paws outstretched, clinging to my pant leg.

“Mew.”

I felt like I should say something to the baby creature that was clinging to my leg. “Um hello.”

“Mew?”

“Can I help you?”

“Mew!”

“Yeah Im sure Fluttershy will know what to do with you, come on.” I waved a hand forward and began walking forward out of the forest, my plan to find flowers forgotten to my new quest. The little pale yellow manticore kitten began following me before stopping and looking back at the body of its mother. I stopped and watched as the baby ran to the body and gave it a nuzzle with its head before running back to me and stopping at my legs.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered as the mythical kitten kept in pace with me as we walked out of the forest and past my house. I turned at the intersection and headed straight for the little cottage tucked away behind the little stream. “So you got a name?”

“Mew?”

“Guess not.” I shrugged my shoulders as I crossed the wooden bridge leading over the stream. The manticore kitten stopped and then flapped its wings, raising of the ground a few feet and sailing over to me. It circled around my body twice before landing on the back of my shoulder and draping itself across my shoulder blades like a warm manticore scarf.

“God that’s cute.” I said crossing the remainder distance to the cottage. I raised my armored fist to the door and gave it a series of quick raps. “Fluttershy it’s Honored. I need some help.”

“Well slap my knee and call me Grandma!” That voice. That sing-songy voice.

Oh fuck to the hell yes!

I stepped back as the door was thrown open, the hinges swinging the door open from the top of the frame, and out came the greatest villain turned chaotically neutral in the show. Well world since I was living the show. Mother Bucking Discord.

“I’m a huge fan!”

We both screamed out simultaneously before I reached out and grabbed his lion’s paw and he took a hold of my gauntlet. We both shook viciously smiling like fools at each other.

“The way you can turn a normal day insane is amazing!” I gushed, still shaking his paw. “And it doesn’t even have to be that bad to turn everything upside down. It’s honestly down right hilarious!”

“I could say the same about you!” The draconequus said, letting go of my hand and slithering around me smoothly. “I simply love the way you turn into a deadly rage monster when the ponies are threatened.” He stopped and looked at me before summoning up two glasses of chocolate milk and handing one to me. “I never wanted to hurt ponies, but I was never one to step in and save them you see. Kind of why I brought you… hey lets go see Fluttershy, she should be out back.”

I followed behind the mismatched creature through Fluttershy’s cottage. No sign of the satanic evil fluffy bunny, but I still kept guard up. I took a sip of the chocolate milk and stopped short. Discord turned and flashed me a smile.

“Is this,” I smacked my lips after taking another sip, “is this a chocolate black Russian?” I loved these drinks.

Discord simply smiled and gave me a knowing wink, before stepping out of the backdoor and taking to the sky with a quick flap of his mismatched wings. Fluttershy was standing beside a multilayered bird house and was spreading seeds around the bottom of it. She turned and gave a slight gasp as I approached but quickly calmed down when she saw Discord lower himself beside me.

“Oh Fluttershy, it would seem that we have a visitor on this truly glorious day!” He spread his arms and spun around in midair before finally noticing the kitten manticore spread across my shoulders. The baby had been watching everything quietly with wide eyes. They were mainly black pupils, but a very faint outline of sea green, complementing its wings and tail color, surrounded the pupil. I couldn’t have seen that in the dark shade of the Everfree.

“Well who’s your little friend Honored?” Discord asked, hovering closer and outstretching his claw. He gently scratched the kitten’s chin, the manticore baby releasing a ‘purrrrrr’ as he did so.

“Well I guess I better tell you what happened.” Fluttershy immediately stopped feeding the birds and had dropped down next to me. The manticore had jumped from my shoulders and was letting Fluttershy pet the ever loving shit out of its head and back.

“I went into the Everfree forest to get some flowers for Lu… to spruce up my house when I heard a growl.” I began, both listeners leaning in with rapt attention.

“Um sister?” Luna said poking her head into Celestia’s private office behind the throne room. “We may have a tiny, almost miniscule problem.”

“And what would that be?” Celestia said without looking up from the newest tax proposal from the Canterlot Elite Yard Owners Committee. It was a silly proposal, but as a good and fair ruler, Celestia read everything brought to her, before using it as a fire starter.

“You might just want to look for yourself.” Luna walked fully into the room before levitating a scroll over to the desk, a black ribbon hanging off the opened scroll.

Celestia sighed and laid her current work down on the desk. She picked up the new scroll and lazily read over it. “Human went into the forest.” She smirked and rolled her eyes, “tell me what else is new.” She continued to scan the page, “emerged with a manticore, and went to visit Fluttershy- yada yada.” She let off a yawn and then gasped, choking on air, “MET DISCORD!?!?!”

“Yeah I thought you might be a little displeased with that.” Luna had shrunk back a few feet from hearing her sister speak in the Royal Canterlot Voice. Something that was very rare.

“Did you hear that?” I asked after being interrupted from my story by a distant shout.

“No.” Fluttershy said on the verge of tears.

“No, please continue, I’m sure it was nothing.” Discord waved me on. He was holding onto his legs in a fetal position, tears flowing freely from his eyes at my description of the poor manticore.

“No. No. No. No.” Celestia was running around in circles shaking her head back in forth. “How. How could this have happened? We only allow Discord to visit Fluttershy while Honored is away so that the two are never near each other.” Celestia teleported beside her sister and grabbed Luna in her forelegs. “Can you even begin to imagine what will happen while they are together?!”

“I would rather not.” Luna said thinking about the chaos prone human and the chaotic god incarnate. “Oh sweet Creator.”

“Quick we got to tell Night Rose to get them separated before anything can happen!”

“And this little guy came with me.” I gave the manticore baby a little rub behind the ears as it purred beneath my hand.

“Girl.” Fluttershy said softly.

“What?”

“It’s a girl.” Fluttershy pointed out looking to the creature, “And judging by her size i'd say she is just about a year old little kitten. Manticores don’t hit their growth spurt until they are almost three.” Fluttershy turned around and began digging in a wicker basket beside her. She removed a small fish, similar to the ones she provided to me since my hydra steaks had been depleted. The manticore gobbled the fish up, scales and all.

“Hungry much?” I said to the cute and yet slightly terrifying animal.

“What are you going to name her Honored?” Discord asked floating around the fuzz ball giving it a delicate pat, “If I can make a suggestion, I think that Eris is nice.”

“Sure you do.” I said with a roll of my eyes, “Why would I name it?” I asked, looking to Fluttershy.

“Well um… I thought that since you… kinda… sort of saved her, that you would want to see if she wanted to be your pet?” Fluttershy told me and the manticore quietly. I looked down to the baby manticore and shrugged my shoulders, she repeated the gesture to me.

“Um. So manticore kitten…” I awkwardly looked at the kitten, “do you want to be my pet?”

“MEW!” The baby gave a loud squeal of approval and began kneading into my leg as I reached down and picked her up.

“Well then you’re going to need a name. I can’t just keep calling you manticore kitten.”

“Mew?”

“Well what do you want to be called?”

“Mew.”

“No, you’re not nearly pink enough.” I looked into the creatures eyes and smiled. For such a notorious frightening creature, she was so cute. Better than a cat because of the whole badass wings and scorpion tail. And I loved badass things.

I looked at her eyes. Those beady animal like eyes with the small faint sliver of sea green running around their edges. They were so unique, they made this little manticore stand out from all the others; well that and the fact that she was willing to be my pet!

“How would you like Selene?”

“Mew!” The manticore leapt out of my arms and soared around me before landing on my shoulder and licking the side of my face with her rough cat like tongue.

“Awwwwww.” Fluttershy and Discord said leaning against each other. Discord pulled a flip phone from a pocket in his scaly tall and snapped a picture. “That’s definitely going to be contact photo.”

“Well Fluttershy, I guess you better inform me on everything I should know about raising a manticore.”

“I’d be happy to!” Fluttershy leapt into the air and pulled me towards the cottage’s back door. “I have a book that we can read and toys Selene can play with and then we can go shopping for food, more toys, -mhhmh.” I placed a finger against Fluttershy’s lips to silence her Pinkie Pie like rant.

“One thing at a time Shy.” I closed the cottage door behind us as Fluttershy flew to a bookshelf and pulled down a book for us to go over.

“Well that was surprisingly heartwarming. Discord you’re going soft on me.” Discord smiled into a mirror that his magic had manifested for himself. “But still just as gorgeous.”

“Excuse me, Discord?” A calm and deep sultry voice said from behind the occupied draconequus.

“Yes?” Discord said turning around to face a hovering Night Guard wearing sleek black armor that fitted to the curves of her body. Discord almost thought it was cute except for the fact that the hovering pegasus was holding a syringe filled with a clear liquid inches from his neck. “Oh buck me.”

Discord felt the prick of the needle and then a calming cool feeling pass over his whole body. His elongated serpent like body coiled inward on itself until he was laying like a limp strand of rope on the ground. “Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.” He said, his eyes slowly beginning to close as the mare stood in front of his face. She smiled as her armor began to shimmer and soon he found himself looking up into the slowly transforming face of Fluttershy, although this one was giving him a deviously wicked smile.

“Target dealt with. Beginning transport back to Canterlot Castle.” She said speaking in Fluttershy’s soft sweet voice into a glowing green gem.

“Copy that Shadowmere. Send package over.”

“Good on last. Out.” Night Rose said, crushing the communication gem on the ground beneath her hoof. She reached down and threw Discord’s limp body over her back and with a few powerful pumps of her wings, sent herself hurtling towards the city in the distance.

I was walking through the somewhat crowded streets of the Ponyville on my way to the pet store with Fluttershy in tow. “Why can’t Selene just sleep wherever she wants in my house? There is plenty of space.”

“Because she needs to have her own space Honored. We also need to get some food for her, I know of a certain cat food will be perfect for her.” Fluttershy was positively glowing with joy as she talked about how to care for the little manticore bouncing and weaving around between my legs.

“Alright fine.” I smiled, reaching down and scooping up the little fuzz ball. “I’m happy that you decided to stay with me Selene. I promise I’ll be the best pet owner around!” I squealed in excitement giving Fluttershy a wink.

“Hello Honored!” I turned and gave the approaching purple alicorn a friendly wave.

“Hey Twilight.” I immediately picked Selene up under her forelegs and held her out to Twilight. “Meet my new pet Selene!” I smiled pushing her forward to Twilight’s face.

“Mew!”

“Okay two things Honored.” Twilight said entering rant teacher mode. I prepared myself for the incoming boringness to follow. “One that is a manticore kitten. The mother is going to hunt you down till she gets her baby back.”

My smile died down and I pulled Selene to my chest, stroking the fur on top of her head, “Twilight, Selene’s mother was killed this morning by Timber wolves and I rescued her.”

“Oh.” Twilight looked down, feeling rather ashamed.

“It’s okay Twilight.” I smiled, trying to lighten the mood. “What was the second thing?”

Twilight seemed to forget all about her previous statement and went straight back to teacher mode. “Her name. In ancient Equestrian, Selene translates into a perfect definition of moon.”

I just stared at her.

“Moon.”

I continued to look at her with an eyebrow raised. “So?”

Twilight slapped a hoof to her face and pulled it down letting out a sigh. “Moon. Selene means moon. What’s another name for moon?”

“Um I don’t know.” I tapped a finger to my chin while using my thumb to stroke the side of Selene’s face. She purred and then began to lightly nibble on the finger. “Luna I guess.”

Twilight raised her eyebrow at me and gave me a knowing smile.

“What’s wrong with Luna?” Then it hit me like a train. “Aw shit.”

“Did you really name your pet after the Princess that is infatuated with you?” She cocked her head to the side, that smile still plastered on her face.

“NO!” I shouted at the librarian Princess. “I totally just thought her eyes looked like the moon’s color!”

“I think that your subconscious made you notice the very similar color to that of Princess Luna’s eyes!” Twilight walked closer to me, poking me in the stomach with a hoof to drive the point home. “I think we need to sit down with psychologist Twilight and go over some hidden feeling!” Twilight was smiling widely, “and maybe Rarity would like to sit in as well.”

“NEVER!” I screamed turning tail and sprinting away from silent Fluttershy and the accusing Twilight. Selene jumped from my arms and began flying with me, flapping her leathery wings as she glided around me, happily mewing as I ran.

“You can’t run from the truth Honored!” Twilight yelled after me.

“He is um… trying.” Fluttershy said so quietly, I almost didn’t hear her as I disappeared down the street.

I stood painting on the sidewalk with my hands on my knees. Selene was prancing around me flapping her wings against her side in pride. I smiled at the manticore and then looked up. I had ran myself around Ponyville and was standing outside of Savior Fare’s newest eating establishment. It was supposedly a five star eatery and it was nearly impossible to get reservation without getting one months in advance.

“Well I did lose to Applejack. And a bet is a bet.” I sighed and hung my head in defeat. “And a Johnson always makes good on his bets. Win or lose.” I sighed again and walked towards the entrance. Selene jumped up onto my shoulders and I pushed the door open.

“Ah welcome Sir to ze Five Star. I am ze owner of zeis esztablisment, Savior Fare. How can I help you?” The stallion had a thick Prance accent but seemed polite enough.

“I’m trying to get a table reservation for two please.” I said smiling at the pony.

“Oh I must sorry sir. It would zeem that we are full till ze next month.” The owner said flipping through the ledger on the podium. “Zehere is nozehing I can do.”

“Oh are you sure you can’t make an exception for Lieutenant Honored Service of the Equestrian Honor Guard, savior of Equestria only, I don’t know, like five or six times. Oh and the other pony would be one Princess Luna?” I said nonchalantly examining my finger nails. I looked up and gave the pony my one of a kind smile, flashing my pointy canine teeth.

“On second thought, maybe zehere is somezehing I can do.” He quickly flipped through the ledger and pulled out a quill and slashed it through a name on the page. “It would appear zhat a Mrs. Trudy Buckmen will have to move to anozher month.”

I smiled and placed a bag of bits on the podium and smiled again. “Thank you very much. I’ll be here tomorrow at seven.” I winked at him and then stepped back out the door, Selene giving him a playful look the entire way out.

“Okay so Selene we need to send Luna a message letting her know we have a date tomorrow at seven.”

“I have a date tomorrow at seven.” FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-

“So I’m thinking this dark dress with the silver highlights.” Luna said floating out another dress from her never ending closet. “Or what do you think Celestia?”

“OH MYSELF. LUNA!” Celestia screamed throwing herself from her sister’s bed. “We have been going through that bottomless pit of a closet and you still can’t think of something to wear. Maybe you should just not wear anything. Go as yourself.”

“Celestia, his letter,” Luna hovered the letter from the desk and waved it around in her blue aurora before her sister, “said we are going to Five Stars. That’s at least a five star eating establishment. I promise you that he will be wearing something.”

“He’s always wearing something.” Princess Celestia grumbled as she collapsed back onto the bed. Somehow she almost felt like sitting in the day court and listening to nobles complain about the too high minimum wage would be better than this.

“Yeah… No. I’m not wearing that.” I said with a frown. I pointed with one hand at the suit Rarity had designed for me to wear to my date in less than twenty-four hours.

“But darling I assure that all the mares would be swooning at the sight of this suit.” Rarity said while draping a hoof over her eyes, “at least I would be.” She added quietly.

“That thing is covered in thousands of gemstones and is shining like a cheap bedazzled belt.” I felt myself gag at all the pink and blue sparkling all over it. “Listen Rarity, I love the design of the suit itself.” I smiled and walked over to it. Underneath all the stupid gemstones and frills was a really nice black silk suit. I pulled off one of the gemstones and tossed it into a basket across the shop.

“If you would get rid of the shiny and add a black undershirt with a red tie and some matching black pants, I think that would be great.”

Rarity was silent as she looked at the suit, imagining what I had said. She slowly began to nod before lightly pushing me out of the way and began reshaping the suit. “Yes. Yes. I see it. I can feel it now. Honored please be a dear and go fetch some better shoes. The ones you own are most certainly not going to work with this.” I looked down at my amazing and totally fashion perfect combat boots.

“Yeah yeah, I have a bad taste in fashion I know.” I smiled and walked out the front door, leaving Rarity to her work. Selene came bouncing out after me, a red gem clasped in her mouth. “Selene we don’t take things that aren’t ours.”

“MEW!” She squeaked loudly around the gemstone clasped between her fangs.

“Well I took all that stuff to help Equestria.”

“Mew.”

“But that’s totally different.”

“Mew. Mew. Mewww.”

“Okay. But just this once.” I smiled as the manticore leapt into the air and began to fly in circle around me, dropping the gemstone and then catching it. “I buy you all those stupid toys and you like this rock.”

Cats. They act the same here as they do on Earth. Well I mean Selene was a manticore, but that was half cat… or would it be half lion, half scorpion, half bat? So that would be like 33.3333333% cat.

“Alright Selene, You can help pick out the shoes, but they have to be-“

“-nice.” Ugh I slammed my head down on the counter of ‘Soul Mate’. The stallion behind the counter was giving me the widest smile possible. “Please. Selene please stop getting shoes.” So apparently Selene was half lion, half scorpion, half bat, AND half dog. As soon as Perfect Fit welcomed me into the store, Selene took off in a light tan yellow and pink blur to the shoes. She then proceeded to bring me any pair she wanted to, and on the way to me, her fangs would punch right through the material, making me the owner of a lot of fucking shoes.

“No. No I insist that you keep finding your owner more shoes, he simply must have some for every occasion.” I looked up and gave a death glare to the off colored purple stallion with the huge smile and overdone mane-do.

“Shut it Perfect before I have her shred your hair.” He promptly closed his mouth, but continued to smile as he began to ring up the sales on his old timey register. I slammed my head again I felt Selene drop something into my lap. I slowly pulled myself off the waiting bench and looked at the newest shoes in my lap. Selene ‘mewed’ and sat down looking proud at the newest pair she brought over.

I was holding a pair of shiny black dress shoes. Maybe a size too large, but none the less they were actually very nice. “Okay thank you Selene.” I said while scratching the manticore behind the ear. Ignoring the holes in the dress shoes I placed them on the counter besides the ten other boxes of shoes I had to buy. “What’s. The. Total.” I said through my clenched jaw.

“Oh with this week’s special and then including the hoofmade Trottingham dress shoes fit for a prince… your total is-“

“Perfect Fit?”

“Yes Honored?”

“You do know that little while ago I destroyed mhhhmm say two armies and a shit load of bad guys along with them right?”

“Yeah.”

“Give me a hero discount then? And because when am I ever going to wear these?” I said holding up a pair of bright pink fluffy winter boots.

“I would say when it’s snowing and you have a matching scarf.”

“Honored?”

“Twilight.” I said with a neutral nod from behind the Ponyville police station holding cell.

The purple alicorn slowly placed a hoof across her face and dragged it down, pulling her face down before having it snap back up. “Honored what did you do?”

“Would you believe me if I said it wasn’t my fault?”

“No.”

“Well then, I punched Perfect Fit in the face, resisted arrest, and then… what did I say Hoof Cuff?” I yelled towards the open door of the police station office.

“You won’t catch me you doughnut packing, fake mustache wearing, dildo headed, ass brick douche cannon.” A gruff voice responded from the open door.

“Thanks.” I called back.

“Shut up.”

“Why did you punch a pony?” Twilight said with a hurt look on her face. “You have never intentionally hurt a pony before. Why?”

“I…” I stopped and looked down at the ground in front of Twilight. Why had I done that? All he did was give a couple of snide comments and I punched him. I just reached out and punched him. And even then I knew it had been wrong, but I still did it. And I don’t know why.

“I… don’t know Twilight.” I said quietly refusing to look up at my friend. “I think I’m losing it. Slowly but surely I’m going loco in the coco.”

“I don’t think that.” Twilight said reaching out and lifting my head up with a hoof. “I think you may just be under some stress lately. Usually when you have lots of stress you have a huge army to take it out on or some stupid quest. And right now you don’t.” She smiled and reached out unlocking the jail cell. “You just saved a sweet little death machine, have a date with a princess, and only have the largest private mercenary company in the world after you for some unknown reason. I think you may be a little stressed.”

I raised a hand to object as I stepped out of the tiny prison. “No, listen to who you’re talking to. I think I know a little about getting stressed out.” I lowered my arm and smiled.

“Thanks Twilight. You’re a good friend.” I looked at Hoof Cuff and gave the gray stallion a wave, “sorry about the whole dildo head thing.”

“Shut up.” The unicorn police officer said without looking up from his paperwork as I walked out of the police station with Twilight beside me.

“So you’re getting a little carried away. Aren’t you human?” Night Rose placed the telescope down and scribbled a few notes into her ‘official human journal’. “I think it’s time I stepped in and actually did something about my charge.” Night Rose smiled and stood up from the rooftop she was perched on as her armor began to shimmer around her like a mirage on a hot summer’s day.

Within seconds, were the Night Guard in sleek black armor had been, a cyan blue mare with a rainbow colored mane and tail stood. Night Rose smiled and zipped off the roof towards the human and the younger alicorn.

“Twilight!” She called out, speeding to a stop before the two, “Spike’s having a sneezing fit again in the library!” Her voice was perfectly disguised thanks to the enchanted armor. Night Rose congratulated herself as the alicorn’s eyes quickly shrank and she leapt into the sky and flew as fast as her wings could carry her.

“Hey Rainbow Dash.” Honored said with a nice smile and a friendly wave.

Night Rose stared at the human, this was actually the closest she had ever been to the creature. He was tall and had a well-defined muscle system. He would be deadly in a hoof-to-hoof combat sparring. Night Rose quickly shook her head.

“What’s your deal bub!?” She shouted at the human as he took a step back, “Why did you attack Perfect Fit? He was just selling you some shoes.”

“Well I…” Honored was sweating and began to look around nervously before suddenly standing up straight and smiling. This smile wasn’t friendly, it was a cocky smile. The smile that showed off his sharp teeth. “Because I think it’s time that theses ponies know their place. Beneath my boots!” He threw his head back and laughed madly while sending fire from his magical gauntlet and up his arm.

“What’s gotten into you Honored?!” Night Rose asked in alarm. She shook her head in disbelief as Rainbow Dash’s rainbow colored hair appeared in her peripheral vision. He had snapped, this was it, she had to take him down before he got to his alien weapons at his house.

“I should ask you the same thing, my mysterious handler.” Honored grinned and then swept Night Rose off her hooves.

“Hey let me go!” Night squealed in Rainbow Dash’s voice. “I’m Rainbow Dash.”

“No you’re not.” Honored said flatly. “One, Rainbow Dash never stayed standing still that long without flapping her wings at least once. Two, Rainbow Dash would have tackled me right off the bat. And three - which is also the most important one - is that she’s over there.” Honored pointed a finger at the other side of the street where Rainbow Dash was hovering above a hayshake stand.

“Whoa, what’s that Honored?” The real Rainbow Dash called out, pointing at the pony tucked under Honored’s arm.

“Oh this is that handler I was telling you about. I told you they would mess up eventually.” Honored said smugly before looking down at the other Rainbow. “You can drop the act there handler. I caught you.”

“You still don’t know what I look like, I can just turn into somepony else as soon as I escape your clutches human. And you’ll never know if I’m watching you.” Night Rose struggled again but the human’s arm held tight around her.

“Huh. That is an interesting theory. Or –“ Honored reached over with his free hand and grabbed the clasp holding the armored back piece of Night’s armor to her chest section. With a quick flick of his hand, the armor snapped and the two pieces fell away, the illusion sliding off of Night Rose like water. “Or I can say hello to the mysterious handler. Hmm a Night Guard? I guess that makes sense.”

Night Rose went limp, accepting her defeat. “Damn you human. I have failed my job as well as my Princesses. I have shamed my family and my clan.”

“Jeez, calm down there Debbie Downer.” Honored placed the Night Guard on the ground, her body still limp as she formed a heap of wilted pony. “Look, I was going to figure it out anyway, Luna totally would have snapped and told me.”

“How do you know?” Night Rose gave a little sniff and wiped a hood across her nose.

“Because I’m treating her to the most amazing date a mare could want. And at the end I’ve even got a surprise for her. She would have answered any question I asked.”

“What kind of surprise?” Night Rose kept her face down, but the smile across her muzzle remained hidden. Was he really this easy?

“Oh an amazing one. I thought about it and she did help me a lot while I’ve been in Equestria. The battles, the portal, my world, without her, I might not even be here, she truly has saved my ass a lot. So I’ve got to do something special for her. Something that will stop her heart!”

“So something romantic?” Rose brought her head up a little bit, she flexed her wings slightly, slowly beginning to crouch up.

“Something beyond romantic.” The human said with a far off look in his eye.

“Thanks Honored. That’s all I needed to know.” Night Rose exploded off the ground in a burst of speed, her armor tumbling off of her as she tore through the sky towards the city of Canterlot in the distance.

“Wait. What? Uhhhh?” Honored stood still, stammering in disbelief as the gray and purple trail sped away from me.

“Looks like you just got played to find out about tomorrow’s date.” Rainbow Dash said as she hovered next to the human sucking on her hayshake.

“Dash?”

“Yeah Honored?”

“Was that shake expensive?” Honored asked.

“Nah it was like two bits.”

SMACK

“Honored what the hay?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as her hayshake went flying from her hooves.

“Sir it is time to wake up.” The robotic voice called out from the backyard.

“Meh.” I rolled over in my bed and jerked the covers over my head and grumbled to myself. Damn early wake ups. “Piss off Tune.”

“Sir may I remind you that you gave me specific instructions to do anything necessary to get you up early today.”

“Did I give you specific instructions to be so gay?” I mumbled as I felt the sweet tendrils of sleep creep back into my vision. Another ten minutes.

“Sir I am a robot and have concept of the mindset involving the psychology behind choosing one’s mate, thus I am incapable of being gay or understanding any form of relationship.”

“Tune.” I mumbled as sleep began to overtake me.

“Sir.”

“Shut up.”

“As you wish sir.” Then I heard the faint mechanical grinding of Tune’s robotic arm. I slipped back into sleep as the warmth of the covers snuggled around me pulled me under.

“MEW!” The window to my bedroom burst opened and a flash of tan and pink flew through the air and smashed right into my bed.

“SELENE!” I screamed as her sharp claws began kneeding a very sensitive spot.

“MEW!” She screeched again, her high pitched shrieking shaking any hope of further sleep from my mind as she leapt up and hugged my face, licking away with her coarse tongue.

“OUCH!” I screamed and jumped out of bed as I felt something incredibly sharp punched into my shoulder. I sat up from under the covers to see Selene giving me the ‘I fucked up’ look pets have as she slowly drew her scorpion tail back. Suddenly I felt very sleepy again.

“Good morning floor.” I mumbled through the side of my mouth as I pitched over the side of my bed and smashed into the wooden floor.

“Mew?”

“Yeah. Good morning to you too Selene.”

I tried to move my body but everything felt numb and distant. Like my body was on the other end of a really long tunnel and I couldn’t reach it. “Mmmmmmmhhhhhmhmh.” I groaned as I sat there, ass sticking in the air and face planted on the ground. “At least it can get any worse.”

“Oh I wouldn’t say that.” A rough sultry voice said beside me.

“Fuck meeeeee.” I groaned even louder and looked to the right. From my perspective on the floor I could only see gray leg covered in dark black armored boots. “Good morning to you as well, handler.”

“Good work Selene.” The Night Guard said stroking my pet’s head. Selene gave a happy squeal and leapt into the air and onto the Night Guard’s back purring.

“No! Bad Selene! We do not act nice to the douche handler!” I tried again to get up, but found Selene’s sedative to be pretty damn effective at knocking me on my ass.

“Well I mean I was going to knock you out anyway.” The gray mare said as she dropped a syringe with a long thick needle onto the ground. “So who’s a good girl?” She patted Selene again and crouched down, folding her legs beneath her as she sat across from me. She smiled the entire time, showing off her fangs as she did so.

“What do you want handler?” I grimaced as I realized I was going to be stuck like this for who knows how long.

“I come bearing a message from the royal highness.” Suddenly there was a shimmering and the common noise of magic as her armor began to shift and bend around her. With a smile, I found myself looking at a perfect copy of Luna, wavy mane and all.

“TUNE!”

“Yes sir?” The robotic voice called out from the backyard.

“How could you have let her get by you?”

“Sir I am but a simple advanced robotic weapons system with only six high pixilated advanced recon bino cameras, three infrared and thermal advance detections systems, and one thermal pulse detector. What makes you think I let her sneak in?”

“You know, I question where your loyalty lies.” I said as I tried to move my hand, but only got a twitch.

“Sir I am a robot with artificial intelligence giving me the ability to process the information around me. I have no idea of loyalty beside the definition from the dictionary app from the iPod.”

“Not inspiring a lot of confidence right now.” I groaned as I slowly felt my ass coming back to me. It felt like I had been sitting at a desk for seven hours straight.

“Have no fear sir. You provide me with the magical energy to charge my battery system, I am unique to your magical impulse signature.”

“Close enough.” I turned my eyes from the window back to the gray Night Guard turned Princess Luna. Suddenly all at once I flipped forward, my body recovering from Selene’s poison in her tail. I shook myself and looked at her. “You break into my home, destroy my wonderful sleep, and now turn my pet against me,” I sucked in air through my teeth and smiled, “so how can I help you today?”

“We need to talk.” The not Luna said. “I know you know who I am now, but this isn’t about any bitterness towards me. This is about Princess Luna.”

“Okay shoot.” I leaned back against my bed and patted my lap. Selene jumped from the handler’s back and pounced into my lamp, snuggling into me as I petted and scratched her head.

“Princess Luna is my leader. As a Night Guard it is my duty to uphold anything, any order she give to me. My order from her and Princess Celestia was to watch you, report anything you did, and then stop you if it endangered ponies or the safety of Equestria.”

“Okay I knew all of this.” I yawned and stretched my back, smiling at the popping that ripped through my spine.

“But I also have a personal interest in making sure Princess Luna is happy. She is expecting a lot from you and your date tonight.” The fake Luna shuddered before looking back up to me. “She has been talking about it a lot. And in,” another shudder, “graphic detail.”

“I get it. She loves me.” I smiled and crossed my arms behind my head, “I'm gorgeous.”

“I just wanted to warn you that if you do anything to hurt her, you in a sense hurt me. And if you hurt me. I’ll destroy you.” The faux Luna gave me a wicked grin. I was unamused at these idle threats.

“You don’t scare me handler.” I smiled.

With a flash or purple and gray I found myself slammed into the wall behind me, Selene yowling as she flew from my lap and was easily tossed out the window. The window slammed shut and the door to the bedroom was slammed closed and then locked. This all occurred in the span of half a second. I began to reach over to my bedside table to grab my Berretta but my arm was pinned to the wall with slam from an armored hoof. My other arm was slammed like the first into the wall and both my legs were pinned by her rear hooves to the ground. I was pinned against the wall in a seated position as the grinning face of the Night Guard loomed inches from my face.

She slowly pulled her lips apart, her sharp fangs jutting out from her rows of normal teeth. She brought her leathery wings up and then draped them around my head, shielding me from the light. It was black and the sunlight streaming through the windows was blotted out to where I couldn’t see anything. “Right now I can see your eyes perfectly darting around looking to see what I’m doing.” Her voice was a whisper as she spoke into my ear. “I could simply reach out and rip into your neck and bleed you dry before you even had a chance to fight back.”

I stayed silent and listened to my own breathing within the dark confines of my insane handler’s wings. “Nightmare Moon gave us bat ponies our powers. Powers of the night, the true night, something you haven’t fought yet. Princess Luna now lets us serve her and I’ll do anything to make sure she doesn’t get hurt.”

“I understand.” I said, but slowly began to smile.

“What are you smiling about?” The Night Guard asked sounding extremely pissed off that I was breaking her badass speech… wait is this how I sounded before killing a bad guy? Man I would have to stop.

“Yada yada, I’m the night.” I jerked my head, gesturing to look behind her. She slowly pulled her wings back and looked behind herself.

Floating behind the handler, suspended in a cloud of blood red magic were weapons. Semi-automatic handguns, revolvers, shotguns, submachine guns, rifles, one sniper rifle, swords and knives of varying lengths and one hand grenade. “Yea bat ponies are scary. Roger. I’m tracking that. And I’m a super-powered, mentally-unstable human with magic on that the level equivalent to an Element of Harmony.”

Every weapon suspended in midair cocked back. Slides pulled back, charging handles slammed back and then forward, and bolts were racked. One pin removed itself from the spoon of the grenade. “I’m something that you have never fought before.” I gave her a grin lifting my upper lip into a snarl so my canine teeth were shown.

The Night Guard looked at all the weapons floating behind her and then back to me. “How… how did you get these through the door without opening it?”

“Open it?” I said cocking my head to the side. “These were all in here.” I laughed deeply as all the weapons spun in midair, safeties clicking through the cloud of weapons as they vanished into drawers, behind paintings, under the throw rug, and under the bed’s mattress. “Now handler, if you could please leave, I have a date in ten hours to get ready for. You can tell Luna I will be picking her up at six thirty on the dot.”

The Night Guard in the sleek black armor walked to the window and opened it. She turned back to me and looked at me with a confused look. “Night Rose.”

“Huh?”

“My name is Night Rose. Night Rose of the Night Flowers clan from the Foal Mountains.” She leapt out of the window and vanished from sight. I looked down into the backyard and saw Tune rolling around slowly with his guns pointed down.

“Some area denial weapons system you are.”

“Honored if you keep this up, I’m going to tie you down and leave you here till it’s time to go.” Twilight said while looking over the opened book she was reading. “You still have two hours till the date. Rarity will be here with the suit with plenty of time to spare.” She narrowed her eyes and placed her book down while still glaring at me as I made another lap around her library.

“I warned you.”

I was quickly jerked off the ground and slammed against the wall where I was suspended above the floor of the library. “NO! Put me down! I need to pace!” I screeched, struggling against the magical bonds that were holding me in place. “Please Twilight! I need to do something. Let me go fight something. Anything. Please I need to burn energy or get rid of this stress. Please. Please. Please. Please” I begged from the wall above Twilight.

“No.” Twilight turned a page in her book and continued to read, ignoring my grunts and groans as I twisted and turned against the wall.

“Oh Twilight dear,” Rarity’s voice called out as she opened the door to the library, “sorry I’m late darling, but the hem in the pants were just awful to get to stay… why is Honored pinned against the wall?”

“He is having one of his nervous ‘need to fight’ episodes.” Twilight said without looking up from her damned book. I grunted again and looked at Rarity trying to convey my hate for the studying alicorn with my eyes.

“Oh he’s got the first date jitters. How sweet.” Rarity cooed at me, a dreamy look spreading across her face. “Why I’m sure Princess Luna must be experiencing the same thing as we speak.”

“CELESTIA! THIS ISN'T BUCKING FUNNY!” Luna screamed across her room as she emerged from her shower covered in splotches of white mane dye. Her normally sleek dark blue coat now was transformed into a strange mix of dark blue and white layers making her appear to be a spotted alicorn.

“OH IT’S PRETTY FUNNY!” Celestia called back from her spot on the tower balcony opposite of Luna’s tower bedroom.

“Now Twilight, can you please let him down so I may begin transforming this… uh roguish beast… into a picture perfect gentleman.”

“Gentleman?” Twilight scoffed.

“Beast?” I questioned as Twilight’s magic cut off and dropped me face first onto the library floor. I sat up and shook my head before being picked up in Rarity’s light blue magic and hovered towards the bathroom.

“Yes beast. Now be quiet and sit still, there is much work to be done.” Rarity smiled as the bathroom door was flung open and I saw the countless beauty products and tools floating ahead of me.

“NO!” I scrambled inside of the magical field trying to grab onto something. Anything to save me from the unicorn. “Twilight please help! I promise I won’t pace anymore. PLEASE HELP MEEEEEE!” I screamed, latching onto the door frame. With a final tug, Rarity dropped me into the bathtub, clothes and all, before turning on the freezing cold shower and slamming the door shut.

“Ugh finally. Peace and quiet.” Twilight said smiling and flipping another page in her book.

“I… I can do no more.” Rarity said emerging from the bathroom of the library. She laid a hoof over her eyes and passed out backwards onto a fainting couch that had perfectly been placed next to the bathroom door. Twilight looked on in disbelief at her friend’s dramatics. Twilight was not alone in her annoyance.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash both rolled their eyes at the unicorn’s dramatics. Pinkie Pie simply smiled and bounced up and down while Fluttershy looked startled that Rarity had fainted.

The steam poured out of the bathroom door like a portal to another world as a tall dark figure stood at the frame. The light poured out around the bipedal creature as it strode forward with long graceful strides.

Five jaws dropped open as the ponies stared at the transformed human before them.

Honored who was only seen running around in armor, usually gore spattered, or simple jeans and a shirt, was standing before the girls wearing an incredibly well-designed black suit perfectly tailored to his body. The fine black silk making up the suit sparkled in the light of the library as he moved forward to the girls, still in disbelief at the fact that this was the normally violent and goofy human they all knew and loved.

His sleek outfit covered all of his body, but hugged it so that the muscles beneath it could be seen as he walked. Around his neck he wore a loose dark red tie that matched the color of his magic whenever it was used. His gauntlet clasped around his left hand was shined and polished, the metal and the blood red diamond in the palm both sparkling in the dim light of the late afternoon.

He stopped a few feet from the girls and smiled, his white teeth shining almost as brightly as his perfect dress shoes that caught the reflection of the dying sun spilling in through the windows. His hair, which had been shaggy and unkempt before entering the bathroom, was cut and styled into a perfect part that was swept to the right side of his head. The light stubble he normally had over his face was cut and trimmed into a perfect light beard over his chin and stretching up the side of jawline.

“I… ah… Tank needs to be fed.” Rainbow Dash stuttered out before taking off out of the library. She tried to cover up another glance back, but ended up smashing into the wall right next to the open window. She shook her head and blushed before zooming out of the window and into the sky.

“WOW!” Pinkie Pie squealed and ran up to the human placing a hoof on his leg. “I mean come on. How much better could he get?! This suit is perfect, the tailoring just insane! The coloring, just like Princess Luna’s mane. And the face! Something picture perfect like a rugged Royal Guard action movie!” Pinkie Pie was practically drooling over Honored’s shoes. He simply smiled and aimed his forefinger and thumb at Pinkie and clicked the thumb forward.

“Pow.”

Pinkie Pie swept her hoof over her face in a very Rarity like display and fell backwards into Twilight’s outstretched hooves.

“Ah’ll say Honored. You certainly clean up real nice.” Applejack said, giving the human the toe to head look.

“Thank you Applejack.” Honored said with a slight bow that got the farm pony to turn as red as the apples on her flank.

“Um Honored,” Twilight said laying Pinkie down, “you look real nice and all, but,” she looked up at a clock on the wall, “you have to pick Luna up in ten minutes.”

Suddenly the calm and perfect outer appearance snapped like an eggshell. Honored looked at the clock as sweat broke out on his brow and he began to frantically look around.

His eyes became pinpricks as he stared at Twilight and held his hands out in a quick grabbing manner. Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes before walking over to her desk and removing a set of keys.

“I want it back by twelve tonight.”

The human looked at her with begging eyes.

“UGH! Fine one o’clock. But that is the absolute latest. Do you understand?”

“Yes Twilight!” The human reached down and scooped the alicorn up in his arms. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” He danced around in a circle as the alicorn gave a small smile at the affectionate display.

“Now go Honored, you’ve got a date to pick up.” Twilight smiled as the human tossed her up into the air and sprinted for the door.

Honored raced to the backyard where he slammed the keys into Twilight’s Royal hot air balloon and began to blow up the balloon. He had a date to blow away.

“Please. Stop. Bouncing.” Celestia grumbled out from the side of her clenched jaw. She was standing next to Luna who was acting like a complete and utter foal. She could hardly believe that this was the same sister that tried to take over the world a thousand years ago.

“But it’s almost time before I’ll be swept off my hooves by that stunning gentle warrior.” Luna swooned as she bounced again, landing on Celestia’s tail. Again.

“Gentle warrior?” Celestia let out a sigh. “Are we talking about the same ill-tempered, brutish, slightly insane human?” Celestia pulled her sister’s head down in between her hooves and gave her the best motherly look she could. “Luna I know that you have wanted this for a long time but… but think about what happens when you place so much anticipation in a dream?”

“Is this related to your dream of selling your own romance novel under the penname Sextia?” Luna gave her sister a deadpan look as Celestia blushed and looked away. She quickly shook her head and went back to staring at her younger sister.

“No sister that is a different lesson. This one is about a perfect dream.” Celestia released her sister and walked to her side. “One can build a dream up, put it on the highest pedestal, but the truth of the matter my dear sister, is that it can come crashing down in an instant.” Celestia said looking up into the darkening night sky.

“Sister I-“ Luna began but Celestia put a hoof on her sister’s shoulder.

“Lulu, I just don’t want you to dream so big about this date and then get hurt. Honored is… unpredictable. You expect him to just change into a handsome knight and sweep you off your hooves, but the chances of him changing are-“

“Luna?” The voice called out from above the two sister who both looked up into the sky to watch a dark shape descend from the sky.

Honored was riding on a hot air balloon. He was gripping onto the railing and hanging off the side with his feet planted on the lip running around the edge of the bottom of the basket. He smiled and waved a hand at the two alicorns.

Both sisters felt their jaws drop as the human touched down lightly with the balloon and stepped forward bowing at the waist before the two. He came up from the bow with a dashing smile that sent shivers down the two princesses’ spines. Luna was positively quaking in her silver slippers as she stared at the positively stunning human.

He was dressed perfectly for a stunning gentleman. His hair was perfect. His suit and tie was perfect. And his smile. Others thought that his smile that displayed his sharp teeth was creepy or scary, but to Luna, she had always thought it was perfect.

“Sorry if I’m just tad late Princess.” Honored said while holding out a hand to the dark alicorn. She extended her hoof and Honored took it in his hand and bent down, lightly placing a kiss upon her slipper covered hoof. Luna’s face went scarlet as Honored stood back up and looked at Princess Celestia. “Hello Princess Celestia. I hope your evening is well. I promise to have young Luna back before twelve.”

Princess Celestia was still staring at Honored with wide eyes and an opened mouth. She quickly shook her head and narrowed her eyes, “Who are you and what have you done with the real Honored Service?”

Honored leaned his head back and gave a deep laugh, “Ha, that’s a good one Princess Celestia, but I’m afraid I am one and the same. I know that this suit is a little ragged, but it was the best my friends and I could do.” Honored smiled and then pulled out a small blue device that quickly illuminated his palm and then disappeared back into his pocket. “I’m afraid that we must be leaving now Luna or we will miss our reservations.”

“Lead the way Honored.” Luna said breathlessly as she followed behind the human in a daze. Honored opened a side panel on the basket and stepped aside, letting Luna embark the balloon first before following in after her and shutting the door.

“See you later in the evening Princess Celestia.” Honored waved and then with a twist of a knob, the hot air balloon lifted into the sky and began drifting away from the castle.

Princess Celestia waved as the two vanished from sight. As soon as she was sure the two couldn’t see her, she gave a sharp whistle.

“Yes your highness?” Night Rose asked form the shadows next to the alicorn.

“Night Rose, you know what to do.” Princess Celestia said before looking down to the Night Guard, “something is different about him. Something very different, and I want to make sure nothing happens to my sister.”

“Understood Princess.” Night Rose began to fly away from the front of the castle but Celestia quickly pulled her back down with a tug of her golden magic.

“And make sure that they don’t ‘do’ anything.” Celestia added with a slight blush.

I stood across from Luna in the hot air balloon as she leaned over the edge and looked down at the land rolling along beneath us in the light of the growing moon. The light reflected wonderfully against her dress. She was wearing a flowing silver dress that spilled out behind her like a waterfall of silver light. The dress fit snugly against her back and chest, her normally flowing mane was tied down into a long braid that wrapped around her head with strings of silver ribbon woven into it. Everything about her sparkled like a beautiful night’s sky.

“So it took you losing a competition to ask me out?” Luna asked, turning from the side of the basket and smiling at me, a playful twinkle sparkling in her eyes as she moved closer to me.

“Well that prompted it somewhat.” I stood up taller and smiled. Come on Honored, keep it together. Play the perfect gentleman and maybe she won’t be interested because you changed so much, I thought to myself as I moved closer to her and placed a hand lightly on her back above her wings.

“And I guess that you just got tired of being stalked by a crazed alicorn?” Luna quipped nuzzling my arm with a smile.

“Crazy alicorn? Your sister has been watching me?” We both laughed as the balloon continued to drift towards the small town of Ponyville.

“Oh you play too much Honored.” Luna said while batting her eyes at me. OH SHIT! This isn’t going as planned at all. Tune you are fucking dead. This is doing the exact opposite of what I wanted it to do. And it’s not even dinner yet!

“Ah well, there’s the restaurant. I hope it’s to your liking Princess.” I pointed out the growing building as the balloon began to lower towards the ground as I shut off the flame. A thousand scenarios were running through my head where I could end this date before it could get worse. I mean it seemed like Luna was liking me more and more. She wasn’t after the hunt of catching me.

She actually liked me.

“I’ve read some reviews about this place,” Luna said while walking towards the door, “nothing but good things. But I’ve heard that this place was booked for months in advance.”

“Yeah it was. But you know, saving Equestria a few times does help with one’s persuasive arguments.” I added while opening the door to the restaurant and letting Luna trot in before following behind her.

“So you gave them a huge donation from your horde?”

“Yeah.” I said with a slight blush. Damn smart Luna.

“Ah Monsieur Honored, if you will follow me to your table.” Savior Fare said with a slight bow before leading us back to one of the corner booths of the restaurant. That mother fucker. The table was secluded behind a wall of rose bushes with candles lit all over the enclosed romantic space. I shuddered as Luna turned to face me with what I was sure were bedroom eyes. I groaned internally and moved forward, allowing Luna to take her seat first.

Damn it. It was like everything was going perfectly.

Son of a bitch.

Chief Will was a towering bulwark of pure muscle. He took over the Black claw mercenary company when he was only a youngling, having to earn the respect of the employees and anyone else that doubted his right to own the business. And his business was booming. With the recent Changeling attacks, Shadow humanoids, and the more active monsters from the darkest depths of the Equestrian underworld customers were hiring mercenaries for protection like crazy.

Black Claw was a good business. Chief Will had made sure that the Black Claw’s weren’t just mindless goons sent to kill or destroy like previous owners had done. They had a code. No innocents killed. That was the golden rule. Other rules followed, like once accepting a contract it couldn’t be broken under any circumstance unless it broke the first rule. With rules such as this in place, Chief had turned the mercenary company into a huge respectable business. Black Claw hired ponies, griffons, minotaurs, diamond dogs, and other creature that looked for employment at the business. And Chief Will was coming to hire.

Chief Will stepped out of the carriage and tipped the pony pulling it. It had taken nearly two days to make the trip from the Griffon kingdom Capital of Beaklin to the small town of Ponyville where the legendary human was living. Chief Will had decided that it would be best to deliver his letter in the flesh, rather than count on the mail delivery service to reach the warrior.

“Excuse me.” Chief Will’s deep voice called out, stopping a passing yellow pegasus mare. She attempted to hide behind her mane as she trembled at the mammoth minotaur. “I’m looking for Honored Service, would you happen to know where I can find him?”

“Um you might um be able to… find him at the Five Star restaurant.” The pegasus’ voice came out as a near whisper but Chief Will nodded.

“Thank you.” He said before walking off down the street to find the restaurant. It had been hard to hear that pony let alone try and figure out directions to the restaurant between her whispering and squeaks.

The large dark purple minotaur plodded down the street towards the restaurant where the human should be. He need to get the human’s attention at once.

“That’s actually pretty impressive Luna.” I said while wiping my mouth with my napkin. I had just finished my spaghetti with steamed vegetables while Luna had literally devoured enough food for over three ponies. I was slightly impressed.

Okay a lot impressed.

And not only did she eat a lot, but Luna had told stories about herself before her banishment to the moon. She had been a mysterious ruler which probably contributed to her venture to the mysterious ancient city of Humgia.

Honestly, I felt like the night was going better than expected. And it wasn’t all that bad. I mean sure Luna kept flashing me sultry smiles and bedroom eyes, but she was nice and I was having a good time talking to another creature that had experienced battles and the amount of death that I had. It felt good talking to her. I was able to tell her my worries, my fears about myself.

“Thank you Honored. Alicorns must eat a lot to maintain our high metabolism.” Luna said with a smile as she floated a glass of wine from the table up to her lips and took a long sip. “I will help pay for this since I’m sure I ate more than you were expecting.”

“Luna you know that I have cave full of money that I literally don’t have anything to spend on.” I gave her a deadpan stare as she just smiled.

“Oh trust me Honored I know.” She gave me a sweet smile before batting her eyes at me, “and I expect you to spoil me with gifts fitting of a marefriend.”

I momentarily choked on my drink and held a hand to my mouth as I recovered. I looked at Luna who watched on with a look of mild amusement. “Marefriend?”

“Honored, you think you have a say in the matter.” Luna added as her eyes seemed to root me in place. She rose from her seat and gracefully sauntered towards me, her eyes staying locked onto mine as she swayed her hips more than normal. I’m sure that if we hadn’t been in a private booth a lot of heads would be turning.

“Honored, my sweet stubborn human, you can play hard to get all you want,” Luna was now practically whispering in my ear, her voice tickling lightly against the skin, “but in the end, I always get what I want.” She leaned in, closing the distance and planted a light kiss against the side of my face. She pulled back and trotted happily to her side of the table where she sat down and then sipped nonchalantly on her wine.

I just stared at her with my jaw hanging open.

Luna had declared herself my marefriend.

She then kissed me.

And… and it felt good.

Could this night get any weirder?

“HONORED SERVICE!” The deep voice boomed throughout the entire restaurant, silencing all the idle chatter and banter from the other tables.

“Thank God.” I said a silent prayer to whatever was interrupting the night. I looked at Luna and then reached under the table and pulled my snub nosed .38 S&W service revolver from its hidden ankle holster.

“You brought a weapon on our date?” Luna asked with a questioning glare.

“Well I’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.” I said with a smile.

“Same here.” Luna said with a flip of her head and from behind the rose bush wall she levitated out her 240 Bravo heavy machine gun.

GODDAMNIT! Nothing I did was wrong to her. It was as if we were perfect for each other.

No.

You can’t have her get hurt. You can’t have her.

I soon found myself facing a mountain of a minotaur. This guy was fucking huge, like beyond anything I’d seen before. He towered above me by at least two heads and was covered in enough muscles to easily rip me in half. Suddenly the little revolver clutched in my hand was looking pretty silly.

“Are you Honored Service?” The great dark purple beast asked me, bending over so we were face to muscular face.

“Depends,” I began asking him, “What do you need him for?” My knuckles were white as I clutched the revolver to my side.

“I need to discuss a business proposition with him.” The minotaur stuck out his massive hand to me, “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Chief Will and I am the owner and chief executive of the Black Claw mercenary company.”

The tension building on the patio of the restaurant fell apart instantly. I quickly tucked the pistol away into my waistband and grabbed Will’s hand and gave it a quick shake, feeling my bones pop and crack in his grasp. “I’m Honored Service and it is nice to meet you.”

“And a pleasant evening to you as well Princess Luna.” Chief Will said before bowing slightly to her and picking up one of her forehooves and giving it a light kiss. She blushed and muttered a thanks to him before noticing my glare.

Wait. I was glaring? I was jealous? Yeah I think so. Wait why was I jealous? Shit. Fuck. Shit. Shit. Shit. I… That confirmed it. I liked Luna. GODDMANIT.

“Honored Service I am terribly sorry to interrupt your date here but I simply had to bring you this in person.” He reached behind his back and pulled out a small scroll rather than the war hammer that was longer than I was. “I would be honored to offer you a position at my company as an elite private contractor working with the Vultures.”

“The Vultures?” I asked looking over the scroll which was a simply list of perks for joining the Black Claw company. Great pay (didn’t matter), holidays (like I need one), Custom weapons (already had those), promise of adventures (hmmm I like adventurous times).

“Honored the Vultures are the solitary mercenaries that are hired out for solo contracts that don’t require a team to complete. They are the best of the best and even work together sometimes to complete harder jobs that are given to us.” Chief Will said while holding out a dark gray beret with a gold vulture claw pin on the front of it.

“Chief Will, I would love to join, but I’m afraid I can’t.” I tucked the scroll into my pants pocket, “I have a current contract with the Equestrian government and I’m sure you know, I can’t pick up another contract while currently owning one.” Chief Will nodded, but then smiled at me.

“So after that contract?”

“Once I complete my time with the Equestrian Guard, I will be at your office for that job.”

“Then we have deal!” Chief Will reached down and scooped me up in one arm before giving me a backbone shattering hug. “I look forward to that day.”

He placed me back on the ground and then quickly walked out of the restaurant leaving every table staring at him as he walked out. I let out a long breath I didn’t know I had been holding and looked back to Luna who was smiling at me.

“What?” I asked. She just continued to stare.

“What?”

“Luna what?”

“WHAT!?”

“Oh nothing Honored. Just the way you got all red in the face when he kissed my hoof that’s all.” She said while turning and walking back to the table, her hips swinging the whole way there.

“That meant nothing!” I retorted while walking back to the table as well. I still had dessert to order.

“Okay here they come, Tune are you ready?” Rainbow Dash was hiding behind a large bush that concealed not only her but also the large metal robot that Honored assured her was intelligent.

The robot’s mechanical claw gave her a thumb’s up. Rainbow Dash just looked at it.

“Yes Rainbow. I am the one that devised this plan after all.” His arm rotated and patted the pony on the head lightly. “Now all you have to do is make sure that no pegasi get hurt during the show.”

“Yeah yeah yeah, easily peasey.” Rainbow leapt into the air and took off into the night sky. Tune extended his gun mount and scanned the area with his thermal and infrared optical eye before confirming the distance and speed at which the human and his pony companion were approaching. He began to play the music at the perfect volume to insure that as they got closer it would be quiet and peaceful and increase until it was just below normal once they reached the picnic area.

“My calculations this will be a 99.999% chance of complete success.” Tune spoke to himself before starting the music.

“Honored could you really do that?” Luna asked as we continued our stroll through the moonlit park.

“I sure can but not very long. And I’ve only done it like once or twice but I can’t really control where I go.”

Luna continued to think, “Maybe if we place another gauntlet on your other hand you can control your flight better.”

“No.” I said with a shake of my head. “I wouldn’t be able to feel anything. This gauntlet is cool and all, but I can’t feel with my left hand and it hurt way too much to do another.” I said tapping the metal gauntlet against her nose. Boop.

“Honored is that music?” Luna asked as we got closer to a small hill overlooking the park and the surrounding Ponyville.

“Hmmmmm you know? I think it might be.” I said with a smile before getting a slight bump from Luna’s hips. I lead her to a blanket that had a small bottle of wine on it and two glasses. “Come on Luna, I thought we could just sit back and enjoy the night sky. I guess it is pretty cool. Kinda.”

I received another hip bump which sent me landing on the blanket. Luna flew over and settled down next to me. I poured her a glass of wine before leaning back and just looking up. “So how do you do it?”

“Do what?” She asked looking up at the stars too.

“Move them.” I pointed up to the stars and the moon.

“My sister and I are connected to them. She the sun and me the stars and moon.” She stopped and looked over at me, “Like by our souls if that makes sense. As long as they live, we live.”

“So you aren’t immortal.” I said looking back to the moon.

“In a sense no we aren’t, considering that eventually the sun will burn out, but that’s not for another billion or so years. Give or take a few million years. The stars and moon are mine and I am connected to them. All the stars are for me to play with, to love and bind to. And the moon is my true soul. Reflecting off my sister and providing solace in the night. And eventually it too will be gone, but that is in a long long time.”

Something about that just made me burst out laughing. I smiled and turned to Luna, “So I’m just a blink in your life?”

“Yeah, but you are one good blink.” She said while scooting closer to me. I awkwardly reached over to the wine to escape her close proximity. “Honored why do you still not accept my advances. I know you like me, and you sure as Tartarus know I like you, so why fight it.”

I let out a sigh, “Would you believe me if I said men are weird?”

“Well I know that’s true but I don’t think that it will cut it.” She gave me a raised eyebrow, “if not as a lover than as a friend please tell me what’s wrong.”

The music Tune was playing switched over to something slower and softer.

“Luna I’m scared. I loved someone, somepony before and because of me they died. Fast Skies. You remember her don’t you?” I looked over to Luna and saw her face twisted into sadness. “I can’t ever forget her. She was my first love her in this weird pony land.” She smiled at that description of Equestria.

“She meant a lot to you.” Luna said looking at me with tears in her eyes. This was me coming clean to everything.

“Yeah and she still does. There was so much we talked about and what we wanted to do. And then she died and it was because of me. And the worst part of everything, the part that keeps me up at night is that I’m glad she died.”

Luna went rigid with shock as I looked at her. “If she hadn’t have jumped in the way and saved me, then I wouldn’t have been able to stop Nightmare once and for all. I would have let all of Equestria down and Nightmare would have won. How can I be happy about somepony I loved dying? I’m torn apart inside. I can’t know what I’m feeling at all.”

I hung my head and let out a long sigh, “I… I’m a broken monster Luna. My talent is taking life and destroying everything around me. Everything I’ve done in this world has been founded on the bodies beneath my boots.”

The atmosphere around us was silent as I thought about what I had said. Everything was true. I tried to do so much good and yet all of it was based on violence and destruction.

“Honored.” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. I looked up to Luna to see her crying, but she wore a smile on her muzzle and she leaned in close to me. She nuzzled against my chin before her horn lit up and the sleeve on my arm was rolled up so that my cutie mark was seen. The yellow star tied to a blue ribbon surrounded by five smaller orange stars.

“What is that?” She said tapping her long horn against the largest star.

“My manly mark?” I looked at her with a questioning glance. She rolled her eyes at the name.

“Yes and it shows a pony’s special talent, the thing that makes them great.” She nodded to her own flank, “And I don’t see an image of a tombstone or a monster or a murderer on your arm.” She leaned in close to me to where I could feel her cool breath on my face. “I see a star, and I bind to them all.” I felt a hoof lift my chin up, “And I love all the stars in my life.”

I felt her lips on mine and I close my eyes and stopped fighting the feelings that I had been for the past year. Luna was a princess and I was a stubborn crazy warrior. I was her star and she cared for them all. And I guess it was time to accept it.

“And just like that I am once again right.” Tune said smugly before opening the rear missile pods and launching the new rockets inside the firing tubes. The white phosphorus missiles had been removed and replaced with simple fireworks.

The colorful display lit up the night and casted a shadow onto the two beings kissing below. To beings that were both alone in the world. Both experiencing something again for the first time.

“There. Maybe now he will stop being all down and emo.” Tune nodded with his .50cal and closed the missile pods as the last rocket launched into the air. He spun around on his wheels and headed off back to his home.

“Hey Rock Source look at this thing.” A pony called out to his friend as they sat near the bank of a small river in the northern lands of Equestria.

“What is it Sea Gull?” Rock Source asked while walking up to the pale crème colored unicorn who was holding a strange red curved bone looking object.

“I don’t know Rock.” Sea Gull said turning the object over in his magic. It was a dark red curved bone of some sorts. Or maybe it was-

-Power-

-Strength-

-Crush-

“Sea Gull are you okay?” the tan earth pony walked up to unicorn who had fallen down staring at the red object. “Sea Gull?”

-Destroy-

-Dark-

-Magic-

-Negative-

Sea Gull slowly rose on shaking hooves, a dark purple wisp of energy slowly slipping out of the corner of his red eyes.

“Sea Gull?” Rock Source backed up away from his friend who was still holding the red bone in his magic. “Sea Gull what’s wrong?” His friend’s eyes began to turn neon green and the purple glow running from his eyes became stronger.

“I feel it.”

“Sea you feel what? Gull you’re not- AGHCK!” A black spear of crystal blossomed forth from the pale unicorn’s horn and impaled itself through the neck of the other pony, his body slumping forward on the spike.

“I feel power!” The dark deep voice cackled madly as the dark magical spear shrank back into the unicorn’s horn. Slowly the unicorn’s horn began to curve upwards as he walked away from the body of his slain friend. “Power. I can rule. I can take them all. Easily.”

-Rule-

-Slaughter-

-Maim-

-Kill-

-Revenge-

Winter Is Coming

View Online

On My Honor

Chapter 14: Winter Is Coming (Brace Yourselves)

By Honored Service

Preread/edited by The Technical Trio and Spirit of Harmony

I awoke to a peaceful morning: the sun was shining, birds were chirping, typical Equestrian utopia. All was well, and the previous day had gone smoothly: Luna was delivered into the waiting clutches of Celestia at 12:30 A.M sharp, and I had the hot-air balloon back to Twilight by 1:00.

I may have made a quick stop before bringing it back, though...

WHAM

“Sir, I’m afraid that you have a visitor,” Tune called out from the front yard as my bedroom door was thrown off its hinges by an abnormally angry Twilight Sparkle (Note to self: Reinforce the front door, and probably the back door as well, that’s much easier than replacing the whole damn thing every time she does that). Said alicorn gave me her trademark death stare as I rolled out of bed and stretched.

“Again, Tune,” I yelled out the window, “You suck as a security system!” I turned back to Twilight and gave her a grin while stretching and popping my back. “Morning, Miss Sunshine!”

“Don’t act all innocent, Honored,” Twilight growled at me, stepping menacingly over to me until I was pressed up against the bed. I continued smiling before reaching down and patting her head and side-stepping around her.

“Why shouldn’t I? I’ve done nothing wrong, that I can recall.”

“Recall THIS!” Twilight hurled a newspaper at my head.

Although I was awake, my incredibly awesome warrior skills were not. The result was me getting a faceful of newspaper. I groaned, bending over and picking up the offending packet of papers. As I scanned the front page, I noticed it was warm to the touch, meaning it had just come off the assembly line in Ponyville. Twilight must’ve rushed over here awfully quickly...

STRANGE MESSAGE SHOCKS LOCAL STARGAZERS

Stargazers, insomniacs, and early morning ponies alike rose this morning to witness a mysterious message scrawled across the sky this morning. In bright red letters, ‘Humans touch the moon, again’, covered a large portion of the skyline above the city of Canterlot. Scientists and astronomers are focusing on decrypting the message but all-

The paper was ripped from my grasp, rolled up and smacked repeatedly against my head by a light purple aurora. I raised my hands in mock defense as Twilight railed against my head. “What (whack) did (whack) you (whack) do (whack) Honored?!” Twilight barked at me, throwing in one more whack, for good measure, I presume..

“I think someone is playing a prank.” I said looking up and watched as the paper descended again, “Okay okay okay. I did it.”

“Why?” Twilight said glaring, but still holding the rolled up weapon.

“Well I could tell you, but I think you might get mad.”

“Tell me.”

“It might be better for my well being if I don’t tell the questionably mentally unstable powerful alicorn with connections to Luna’s sister what happened.” I said while looking at the nearest window and guessing how long it would take for me to jump through it and then run towards the Everfree. It was, what, a hundred yards to the forest? Although I’m sure that if I really booked it out of here…

“Well...you see-SMOKE BOMB!” I screamed and threw my hand down, a ball of red magic exploding into thick, heavy mist at my feet as I leapt out the window.

"Freedom!!"

I ran as fast as I could, helped by a new spell I had learned that allowed me to lessen the amount of force it took to move my body. How it worked, I have absolutely no clue. I knew it wasn’t a gravity spell, and it didn’t make me stronger. Beyond that, I didn’t bother thinking about it, I just ran.

I was almost to the forest when I looked back. What I saw would’ve been terrifying if I didn’t know what it was.

A winged figure rose out of the red mist, on fire. Man, Twilight must’ve been super pissed. I hoped I could loose her in the dark of the forest.

THUNK
SMACK
THUMP-THUMP

I tripped over a root, face planting into hard-packed dirt, then was picked up in a purple fist and dragged back over the root.

“Nope.” Twilight stated.

“I did nothing wrong!” I screeched as Twilight floated me away.

“You can’t do this to mh!” I was muffled as she quickly summoned a gag across my mouth.

“Sorry (not really), Honored, but we have ways of making you talk.”

“Would it be weird if I said that this was slightly arousing?” I asked calmly from where I was hanging by my wrists from the wall by a pair of handcuffs in Twilight’s basement. She huffed and then walked over to a cabinet and began pulling random things out. Rubber hose, tweezers, oh god, a hack saw.

“I mean, just pull out a battery and the jumper cables and I’ll have a full on bo-“

“HONORED!” Twilight spun around with a fire in her eyes I’d seen only once before. “I swear if you don’t quit screwing around and tell me what you did last night, I’m going to have to do something we both are going to regret.”

“Pfffft.” I blew a raspberry at her. “Please. What could you possibly do that could make me, a hardened warrior and PhD of kick-assery, talk?”

“Oh no, not me, personally,” Twilight said with an all too familiar creepy smile.

“Her.” She slowly raised a forehoof to the top of the stairs where a familiar pink mane began to slowly descend the steps.

“Whoa. Okay Twilight, good joke,” I struggled against my restraints holding me down, “But I think it’s gone on long enough.”

Twilight just smiled as Pinkie Pie came to rest beside her.

“Pinkie, make him sing,” Twilight patted her friend on the head and then began to walk up the stairs. “Like a bird.”

I watched as my friend, walked out of the basement and slammed the door shut.

I hung there in complete silence as Pinkie Pie just stared at me. The seconds turned to minutes and the minutes felt like they were stretching into hours as Pinkie just…watched. “Uhh-“

“Shhhhh,” Pinkie hushed me while stepping forward. “You know, Honored, every mind is like a nut.”

She held up a walnut and placed it next to my head.

“Each one is different. But with each one, if you apply pressure to the right spots-“

CRACK

She showed me a cracked open walnut resting in the center of her hoof, “They always crack. The question here it, how to crack yours?.” She said flipping the meat of the nut into the air and catching it in her mouth. She chewed slowly while rubbing her chin.

“Hmm...”

I swallowed and felt a trickle of sweat fall from my forehead and to the ground. “Akatosh help me.”

“The only person who can help you now, is you. So, how’s about it?”

No response from me.

“No? Okie-dokie-lokie, you asked for it.”

She pulled something out of her seemingly endless mane. It looked like...a feather?

“So, I hear you’re...ticklish.”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

“He’s all yours, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie said while stepping out from the basement and smiling sweetly to her friend. “He’ll tell you anything you want him to.” Pinkie Pie reached into her mane and pulled out a double-chocolate fudge cupcake before gulping it down in one quick bite.

“Thanks Pinkie!” Twilight happily clopped her hooves together, “You know how stubborn he can be sometimes. I just need to find out what caused him to rearrange the sky like that this morning.”

“I wonder what she did to make him shriek like that? I’m glad I’ve never been on the end of her wrath!’ Twilight thought to herself as she fluffed her wings up and began walking down the steps into the dark basement.

The lights were all shut off, save for one light that was shining on the floor beneath where Honored had been pinned to the wall. Twilight saw a puddle of sweat and possibly tears in front of the light. She tilted the light up and gasped in shock as she looked at the human. He was shaking terribly. His face kept convulsing every other second as if some unseen foe was causing him great anguish, yet a smile was plastered to his face....

“H-Honored?” Twilight asked timidly, “Are you okay?”

“I… I thought I was the monster,” He said with a shaky voice, slowly looking up to meet Twilight’s eyes. “I had no idea that… I was so vulnerable to… the tickles.” He dropped his head and began to tremble again.

“Well, it makes sense, in a way. You see, tickles are your body’s natural defenses. That’s why most people are ticklish in places that are vulnerable, like their neck, under their You’re basically made to defend, so it makes sense that your natural defensive reactions would be much higher when compared to...” Twilight remembered what she was here for. “Okay, now Honored do you feel like talking about last night?”

“Or should I call Pinkie back down again?”

“NO!” The human’s head quickly shot up and his eyes flitted around the dark basement, “No, please no. I think I remember some of last night.”

Twilight leaned in close to the human as he licked his lips, “Oh? Do tell.” She levitating a piece of parchment and a quill.

“Well, last night, after the fireworks,” Honored began before motioning Twilight closer, “I pulled her close and,” he paused before leaning in to whisper in Twilight’s ear.

Twilight’s face went blank, then turned pale, flicking through various emotions, before finally settling on blushing bright red. She pulled her head back and stared at Honored in shock. “No. No way..”

Honored formed a smile across his face and then nodded proudly. “And I’ll tell you this. There is liquid on the moon.”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

“Your Highness.” Night Rose stood rigid in front of the throne that Princess Celestia was sitting on.

“I have my- um.. report from last night’s date between your sister and the human,” She shifted her hooves before reaching down and removing the scroll from her side pouch on her armor.

“Ah, very good, Night Rose!” Princess Celestia said while levitating the scroll over to herself, “I knew that I would be able to count on you to perform...your...task...”

Celestia’s voice died in her throat as she continued to read over the report. “You… you can’t be serious. Is this all true?”

Princess Celestia looked up for a sign on the Night Guard’s face. She found none.

“They… they didn’t. No. No way.”

“Ma’am I can assure that they did. For two hours.” Night Rose began to feel a blush slowly beginning to creep up her face.

Celestia just stared off into the distance muttering to herself. Her baby sister and the human. Celestia felt a bit of bile rise up in her throat as she looked back to the Night Guard. “Please leave me Night Rose. I must… attend to some things.”

Night Rose nodded, then bowed before retreating into the morning sky and flying towards her home to cleanse herself with a long shower, alcohol, and sleep.

“And that’s how my night went,” I said while taking a bite of the toast on my plate. I sat at my kitchen table while Tune had stuck his robotic claw through the window and was watching me on the camera attached to it.

“You had sexual relations with one of the rulers of the single most powerful nation on this planet.”

“Yup.”

“Who controls a massive, unimaginable amount of power.”

“Well, yeah.”

“And her sister has the same amount, if not more.”

“Well, when you say it like that, you make me seem like a complete and utter fool,” I said while taking a sip of my orange juice.

Tune’s claw hung limp and a robotic like sigh escaped his speakers.

“What?”

“Honored, I regret to inform you that you have one fast approaching object descending upon the perimeter.”

I spit out my toast and reached under the kitchen table pulling one of the extra Berretta 92f pistols I had taped beneath the table. “How long?”

“Now. I’m 95% certain you know who it is.” Tune’s voice was very soft. I looked and saw that the robot was already across the yard and noping his way to the edge of the Everfree Forest.

“What.” I said aloud as a huge crash ripped forward from the front yard.

“HONORED SERVICE!”

“Fuckfuckfuckfuck,” I screamed as I ran towards the basement and jumped down the stairs, rolling to my feet at the bottom before staring around the dimly lit armory. “Need a weapon to fight an alicorn. Shit shit shit shit!”

I rummaged through ammo cans and weapon racks while trying to find a suitable weapon. My eyes locked onto it from across the room and I rolled my eyes. “Duhh.” I slapped a palm to face before running over and pulling the five foot long Sword of Protection from its mantle on the wall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nKbLt8DTKY

I charged back up the stairs with my Element of Sanctuary clutched in my right hand and the pistol resting within my closed gauntlet on my left. Wearing only jeans and a faded gray shirt, I ran through the front door to find myself face to face with a raging Princess.

“I wish I had put on my armor.” I mumbled as a huge chunk of earth was simply pulled from the ground and hurled at me.

“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU HONORED!” Celestia roared as she flung the two ton mound of earth at the human that had just run from his home. The mass of dirt and rock exploded on the ground in front of him as a flash of red magic teleported him around the debris.

‘Oh right. He has magic’, Celestia remembered as she prepared her next spell.

“IT WAS MUTUAL!” Honored screamed back as he aimed his weapon at the princess and released a trio of 9mm slugs in her direction. Celestia’s horn flared to life as a shield made of solar energy vaporized the bullets in midair. She spun around, summoned a hundred energy javelins beside her and launching them all forward towards the human who dodged and weaved his way around the incoming projectiles. He dove forward and performed a flip while lashing out with his sword that deflected the last of the magical spears.
“WE LIKE EACH OTHER!” He yelled, again vaulting over a beam of sunlight that sliced through several trees across his property.

Celestia let out a primal scream as she launched herself at the human, horn lowered to impale. He also sprinted forward, the large glowing red sword dragging in the dirt alongside him, kicking dirt and grass into the air as he ran. They both leapt into the air and sword met horn.

BOOM

A huge blast of magic sent the two fighting creatures flying back from each other.

Honored skidded across the ground on his knees before coming up in a spin, moving with the momentum of his body and drawing his blade across his chest, leveling the pistol across the front yard-turned-battlefield.

Princess Celestia flew backwards, her wings spreading out and catching herself, hovering above the ground. She kicked her hooves and sent her golden slippers into the ground while shaking her head, relieving her of her crown and regal chest piece. With a flash of her horn, she was adorned in golden armor covering her neck, barrel, and sides stopping just below her cutie mark. A helmet resembling an ancient pegasi design with a plume of pastel colors covered her head. Her mane was tucked into the helmet and her tail was suddenly wrapped up and tied into a short bun as she hovered facing down the human.

“ARE WE FUCKING DOING THIS?!” Honored yelled at Celestia, dropping his pistol and sword to his side.

POW

A blast of yellow magic detonated against the ground next to him, answering his question.

Honored quickly dived to the left as another blast hit home, sending him flying through the air and over the awning built onto the side of his house.

“Yes, Honored. Yes, we are.” Celestia said with a snort of hot air that literally was fire as she turned from where the human had been thrown and readied herself to depart.

It had been a long time since she had used her battle skills, but she was pleased to see that she was still able to best even the most violent creature that the world had to offer.

Celestia had walked to the large field outside of Ponyville to launch herself back to Canterlot. She wanted to calm herself and collect her thoughts before letting Luna know that Honored wouldn’t be allowed to see her anymore. Hopefully he had gotten the hint.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mjlM_RnsVE

“WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” The sound of music exploded around Celestia AND the roar of Honored’s mechanical carriage ripped through the air. Celestia spun around to find herself watching as the tan thing flew over a hill with the human grinning madly behind the wheel. He stuck his middle finger towards her as he climbed up and stuck the top half of his body through the roof of the carriage, using his magic to control the its direction. It continued to hurtle towards her. Honored then reached around himself and swung a large rectangle around so that it was facing Celestia.

Celestia’s eyes grew wide as she threw up a shield as her world exploded into loud music and even louder explosions as her shield took impact after impact of metal. She shot herself into the air, keeping her magical shield up as the human tore past her, his heavy weapon blaring away as he tracked her through the sky.

Honored depressed the butterfly trigger on the .50cal again, sending a stream of hot slugs towards the flying alicorn. The hot casing fell from the machine gun and pattered down the side of the Humvee as he sent the vehicle into a wide turn. Honored leapt from the military vehicle as it turned and skidded to halt.

He was now dressed in his armored brown duster and military body armor mixed with golden Equestrian armor on his arms and legs. On top his head rested his new brown Stetson. He landed with a bounce and then began sprinting towards the princess, sword ready in his grasp and plenty of pistol resting in holster all over his body.

Celestia growled midair and dove down towards the human. How dare he take her sister’s innocence! He was going to pay. All he would end up doing was breaking her heart and leaving her to pick up the pieces. She channeled her anger into a magical charge and blasted it forward while jerking her head, coning the magic into a spiral drill and sending the spinning cone of magic right into the human.

The armor-covered human sprinted to the right as the magic drill rammed into the ground and sent the warrior rolling. He came up unscathed and reached down, ripping a pistol from its holster. He aimed and fired an entire clip from the Colt 1911 while running towards the Princess. Once that handgun was empty, he holstered and drew another pistol from his other hip.

He dove around another volley of magical spears and unleashed a torrent of 9mm rounds from his Glock 17 while side stepping around a jab from Celestia’s horn. Celestia’s magical shield caught all of his lethal rounds and then released them back at the human. But he threw his own shield up and blocked all the metal slugs in a red field of magic. He holstered the Glock while slashing up with his massive magical sword, sending Celestia whirling back to avoid getting slashed across her lightly armored neck.

He reached under and behind his duster to his back and drew one of the Glocks with the long cylinder on the barrel before aiming it and sending the .45 slugs towards Celestia. The muffled coughs of the pistol went nearly unheard as Celestial roared, catching all of the bullets in the physical form of the Royal Canterlot Voice. The bullets tumbled to the earth as she widened her stance and glared the human down.

Honored tucked the pistol back into the double holster on his back and pulled the other Glock 21 held in the holster and fired more rounds at Celestia. She began to ready a shield but wasn’t expecting the human to dash forward and slam into her side while she was preparing to catch the rest of the lethal rounds. She staggered to the side while flapping her wings to get some distance from the human. Honored was putting away the other pistol when Celestia lashed out with a roundhouse kick that sent him reeling backwards. He rubbed his jaw while standing back up and adjusting his grip on his sword.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAw-EFuwC3A

“What the hell Celestia?” He asked in a normal voice as he squared off towards the angered princess. “Why did you attack me?”

“WHY DID YOU SLEEP WITH LUNA?!?” Celestia roared back and lunged forward, her horn bouncing harmlessly off Honored’s sword.

“Um, maybe because we are a couple or...something. Or maybe because she is a big pony,” Honored grinned while reaching to his thigh and pulling a large silver weapon out of another holster and aiming it at Celestia. She threw a mound of earth up that exploded when the large slug from the .44 magnum revolver struck it. Celestia then reverted to flying in loops and dives, waiting until the human’s weapon went empty and he holstered it.

She saw her opportunity, diving towards him as he reached for his sword.

Honored brought his sword up a second too late as Celestia tackled into him and knocked him to the ground. She landed on top of him and then began to thrust her horn down, trying to gore him with it.

“Oh look, now I’ve had two rulers of Equestria on top of me.” He smirked as Celestia roared at him and then picked Honored up like a rag doll and sent him flying across the field. He smashed into the ground and sat up coughing up grass, dirt, stone, and trace amounts of blood.

“Yeah, totally worth it.” He reached across his body to his other thigh and drew another revolver. Celestia was still breathing fire as the hollow point .357 rounds left small dents across her armor while she flew towards the human like a streamlined golden arrow. Honored dove to the side as Celestia blew through a tree like it was made of wet paper. She turned and pawed the ground, readying for another attack.

Honored holstered the revolver and took a two handed grip on his sword staring Celestia down. “What is this really about Celestia!?” Honored asked before slowly lowering his weapon. “I thought we were friends?”

“OH, WE ARE HONORED!” Celestia shouted from across the burnt and cracked earth, “IT’S JUST SOME FRIENDS NEED TO BE TAUGHT A LESSON!” She then spread her wings and soared into the sky, her silhouette joining the sun in the sky.

“Oh dear.” Honored whispered while he watched as Celestia hovered above the sun like during the Summer Sun Celebration. “That doesn’t good.”

Honored watched as the sun literally went dark for just the briefest moment and Celestia lit up with the fires of a thousand suns. Then came the most blinding light that Honored had ever seen in his life. Even brighter than that accursed flash bang grenade that had lead him here. Everything around Honored felt hot, boiling hot as he kept his eyes slammed shut, the blinding light still seeping through his eyelids.

When the light finally died down, Honored opened them to see nothing but dark blue and purple. He stuck his hand out and felt that the darkness was soft. Soft as feathers. The darkness pulled back and he realized that he was wrapped in Princess Luna’s beautiful wings. She looked down at the dirt covered human and smiled before leaning her head down and planting a quick kiss on his lips before looking up to her sister who was slowly descending from the sky.

Nearly a hundred yards in every direction of Honored was scorched black. Nothing had survived the magical attack that was called ‘the Hammer of Dawn’. Honored let out a whistle before looking down to his gauntlet, the source of his magic. “Why can’t you do that?”

“Sister, I simply cannot believe that you would attack my consort.” Luna said while stepping towards Celestia, who had landed before the two. Her golden armor was dripping off of her as molten gold from the sheer amount of heat that had poured forth from her during her last attack towards the human.

Honored quickly nudged Luna’s flank and whispered in her ear. “I mean my boyfriend.”

She gave her sister a disapproving glance before smiling, “But I’m so happy to see that you would go to such lengths to make sure that I would not be hurt. Let me assure you though, that if Honored ever breaks my heart, it will be I who will do the smiting.”

Honored gave a nervous gulp before smiling, “Good thing I would never do that.”

“Indeed. Now Celestia, I think you have something to say, oh, maybe an apology?”

Celestia walked forward, the rest of her impressive golden armor trickling off of her as she cooled down, both figuratively and literally.

“Ugh. Honored I’m sorry for trying to kill you with the righteous and full fiery fury of my wrath.” Celestia said while giving the human her best puppy dog expression.

“Aw shucks Celly, it was fun, kind of,” Honored said while looking at his slightly burnt duster and hat. “Mostly.” He then stuck out his hand, “Besides, it was good seeing how I would fare against an alicorn. Next time I’ll be sure not to hold back, though.” He jerked his hand as Celestia shook it. With a quick burst of energy, the human sent an electric shock through Celestia, causing the rest of the golden band that was holding her tail to disintegrate.

Amends were made and the three extremely magical creatures began heading across the hellish landscape back towards Honored’s house for some after battle snacks.

“Hey, Lu, why are you walking all funny?” The human asked as the trio crossed next to a large depression in the ground, “I mean it was only two hours.”

Honored was shoved into the crater by a burst of dark blue magic, laughing all the way down. “Worth it!” He called out as the two sister’s blushed at each other.

“I still don’t see why this is an Equestrian Honor Guard Mission,” I said while clinging to the side of the chariot as it passed over the vast plains of Equestria. I was being transported to the Crystal Empire to work alongside the Crystal Guard to solve a series of strange occurrences happening along their border. Small villages have been going quiet and traders from the icy tundra have been reported missing. The princesses decided that I be put back on active duty (finally), and were sending me to help.

“Lieutenant, they said that when it came to figuring things out, you were the fastest, and with the empire only just now being re-recognized into the world, they feel that this problem needs to a solution immediately.” The sparkling gray guard said. I just stared at him as the sun of the afternoon glinted off of him.

“I’m sorry, I can hardly look at you, let alone take you seriously with you being so...sparkly.” I said while going back to looking down at the ground. “We get in, stop the bad guy and get out.”

“Bad guy?” The guard said questioningly.

“Yes, bad guy,” I rolled my eyes and smirked. “That’s what is happening. Some bad dude (or dudette) is moving through the land gaining support and taking out the empire’s supply line, i.e. the traders and outer villages. Then they surround the main city of the Crystal Empire and ask for surrender in a long, drawn-out monologue,” I said while keeping watch over the sky.

“How can you be so sure, sir?” The guard asked, sounding a bit shaken at the news.

“Because that’s what I would do. Duh.” I shrugged my shoulders and went back to watching the frozen ground pass beneath us. For some odd reason my request for the rest of the Elements of Sanctuary to join me had been denied and I was being sent alone.

Or so they thought.

I reached into my pocket and drew my small cell phone from my pocket.

“Tune, ya’ there?” I spoke softly into the receiver making sure to keep my voice down from the guard standing on the other side of the chariot.

“Yes, sir.” The robotic voice said. “I am tracking your progress and using the 65.8% battery I have to follow your path for an estimated 6 hours and 42 minutes of continuous travel before being sent into standby mode.” The voice stopped for a moment before coming back to life. “If the coordinates I received from you are correct, then if we keep the current pace, I shall make it to this Crystal Empire castle with 20.3% battery life remaining.”

“Yes, I’ll recharge you once we get there.” I groaned before hanging the small device up. Thankfully the cell phone had a radio option in it. Seeing as I had no service, I had to use the radio ability to keep in contact with Tune for at least three miles before he wasn’t in range..

“Um, excuse me, Lieutenant Service, sir,” the charcoal gray unicorn guard asked nervously, “Uh, are the stories about you true?” I turned to him and looked at him and noticed that the two pegasi pulling the chariot also had their eyes turned towards me as well.

“You’re new to the guard aren’t you?” I asked, crossing my arms across my chest rig beneath the duster and smiling. All three guards nodded. “Well, it depends on the stories.”

“Well, uh, a few of the Elite are saying that you fought Princess Celestia a few days ago. Like, an all-out battle.”

The unicorn’s eyes were wide as I smiled and laughed.

“Yeah, we did. But we made up, so it’s all good.” They all seemed to stop breathing for a moment. “If y’all stick around the Crystal Empire while I do some investigating, you might get to see some action.”

“How can you be so sure?” One of the pegasi spoke up, her voice was somewhat deep and scratchy… almost like Night Roses’ voice… fucking handler was sent with me on this mission to. Fucking Celestia.

“Because,” I gave her a knowing stare and wide toothy grin, “trouble always finds me.”

“Honored!” Shining Armor called out to me as I disembarked from the golden chariot on the balcony of the massive crystal castle. I dropped my gear and stood at attention giving him a rigid salute.

“Sir,” I responded gruffly. I then cracked a smile and bent down towards the white unicorn, “How’s it hanging, buddy?”

“Aw, knock it off, Honored,” He playfully punched my arm, “We both know that the serious stuff is long gone between our ranks.”

“Yeah, ain’t that the truth,” I responded while picking up my long dark green overseas bag containing my equipment for the mission of scouting out the frozen tundra and towns. “How’s the wife?” I asked while we began walking down one of the shining hallways. I was not disappointed in the least to say that I did not in fact get all shiny. I think that the crystal heart thing must have to be activated for it to make things all… shiny and sparkly.

“Ah, she’s doing great! A little upset by the recent actions to the north and west, but I’m sure you can solve the mystery and put her troubled mind to ease.” He gave me a confident smile while two shimmering gray guards opened the throne room doors and ushered us inside. I gave a low whistle as I stepped into the massive room and looked around. My eyes stopped on Princess Cadence resting on top of my Area Denial Weapons System.

“TUNE!” I screamed out, “What the hell?! How did you beat me here?” I dropped my gear to the ground and then marched up to the loyal yet at the same time disloyal and annoying robot.

“I may have used my advance system to track and follow a better route than the one you had mapped out.” Tune’s voice seemed smug as he rolled over to me sideways on his weird wheels. Princess Cadence just giggled as he stopped. She hopped off his chassis and glided over to me.

“Honored, I’m so grateful that you could make it here in such short notice. We are so worried about our little ponies.” Cadence turned towards me as Shining Armor walked beside his wife and led me down a side room from the throne room. “With everything that has happened, we would love to have this mystery solved.”

“Well it shouldn’t be a problem.” I turned and smiled at Tune who had picked my bags up and placed them on his equipment rack. “I think we can solve this little problem of yours in a jiffy.”

“You can count on it.” A husky voice said from directly above me. I looked up to see Night Rose hovering over Tune wearing her sleek black armor.

I groaned and rolled my eyes before waving my hand at the handler. “Cadence, Shining, meet my handler, Night Rose. She was assigned to me to make sure I didn’t do anything to upset the Princesses.”

Night Rose gave a little bow midair, then flew down and walked over to me.

“Well, more like reporting to the princesses what he does and having them deal with it accordingly.” She said with a shrug.

“Yeah. Sure. She doesn’t do anything.” I grumbled and coughed as she glared at me. “Well, I’m ready to begin today if possible. Tune and I can head over to the first site and begin looking for any sign of what happened.” I looked out of the window and then looked to Tune who was scanning the room with his camera mounted to the weapon turret. “Sound good Tune?”

“Yes sir. If you are capable of recharging me while we move we can reach the first settlement in less than two hours. One point three hours to be exact.” Tune spun his turret around and locked it onto me.

“Can you please stop aiming at me all the time? Please?” I asked looking nervously at the .50cal and M240B that were aiming at me.

“Of course sir.” I don’t think that with all the magic flowing through me that I could shrug off a fifty to the face.

“I’ll get you some more equipment and supplies Honored.” Shining Armor nodded and led our little party to a store room to give us food and other supplies we would need for some time out in the frozen empire.

“So wait, did you really stop the invasion by yourself?” Night Rose was lazily spread out on top of Tune as I walked and he rolled along the thin dirt road leading away from the Crystal Capital.

“No, ‘course not.” I shrugged and looked over my shoulder at the following robot. “I had help from the other Elements of Sanctuary and even more ponies.” I turned back to the front and continued walking along. Why did I never get to ride on my robot?

“And that’s another thing. These...Elements of Sanctuary. Like, where did they come from?” Night Rose crawled over to the edge of Tune on her belly and draped herself over the equipment stored on the racks along his side. “If there had been super magical weapons hidden here all along, why did Celestia just now send someone to get them?”

I rolled my eyes and tried to ignore that question. “Probably because she needed someone who was responsible enough to wield them.” I stopped and thought about who were wielding the Elements, “Okay, maybe it wasn’t who was wielding them. Considering two out of the six are incredibly immature. And another is a creature made of pure shadow.”

“You rang?” The cool smooth voice of Covert slipped out from beneath Tune.

“AHHHHH!” Night Rose screamed as the shadowy figure pulled himself out from beneath Tune and smiled at me showing his red mouth and black fangs.

“Hey bud.” I waved at him and he returned the gesture before walking up to me and patting me on the back.

“You never can escape your shadow Honored. And why you stopped talking to me is silly.” He faked a frown before smiling again.

“Oh, you know, I got busy trying to deal with a new shadow.” I jerked a thumb at Night Rose who was still looking absolutely horrified at Covert.

“Hm. Yeah, no, the armor is all wrong for the dark, it shines too much.” Covert said giving Night Rose a once over. “Easily spotted and easy to penetrate. The joints are far open and the neck is largely under-armored.”

“HEY!” Night Rose got over her cowardice and stood up, “I’ll have you know that this armor is made to be used for stealth and offers the most protection that –“ I held a finger up and silenced her rant.

“Please, Rose. This is the Covert the Element of Stealth. And also the master of close quarters action, besides myself. I’m pretty sure that if he says you aren’t stealthy, you aren’t.”

“So just like old times, eh Honored?” Covert said while plodding along beside me. “You and a ragtag group of warriors out to stop a rising bad guy.”

I gave him a deadpan look.

“Okay, so your ragtag group is a master shadow, a night guard, a strange robotic weapon, and one mentally unstable warrior, but you know, similar, right?”

“Whatever you say, Covert.” I laughed as we wound down the side of a small hill. The land was becoming more and more tundra-like. Cold wind blew against us even though the grass was green and the sun shining. I stopped and reached into my bag slung against the side of Tune’s chassis. I removed my M39 enhanced marksman rifle that had been… donated, shall we say… to my cause by the US Army. I aimed down the telescopic sight and looked ahead of us.

I was slightly put off by the clouds looming ahead. The sky in the distance was dark. Thick black clouds clung in the air and flashes of lightning lit up the skyline. “Well, if that isn’t ominous then I don’t know what is.” I groaned and lowered the weapon, sitting across Tune’s storage bars.

“It looks like we’re reaching the edge of the area in question. So stay sharp and stay smart. Call out anything worth investigating. If not, then lets push forward to the first village. It should be along this road in about three miles.”

The air around us not only got colder, but the tension was physically felt around everyone. It was as if something terrible had happened. I swallowed nervously as we slowed to a stop and Covert pointed his Blade of Stealth across the road at a flipped over wooden cart. I reached down and brought my new weapon to my shoulder. I was using my newly created plasma rifle that had once been a TV, but thanks to my magic, was now a lethal weapon. I slowly approached the cart while I heard Tune’s weapon system spooling up. God I hope he doesn’t use the Mark 19 with me this close.

As I reached the cart, I noticed something that raised goose bumps all over my body. Four massive jagged claw marks covered the side of the cart. I stepped up the cart and placed my hand on the side of it. I nodded to Tune and then flipped the cart over, leaping back in case of something under it.

“Oh my.” I heard Night Rose say with a gasp. I looked over and saw that the inside of the cart was splattered with blood and scorch marks.

“What the hell?” I lowered the weapon and walked closer. This was bad. It could be just a wild creature that had done this. But then again...

“Honored we got secondary trails.” Covert called out to me. I walked around the cart and found a blood trail leading away from the cart by the edge of the road and leading farther away into the tundra landscape.

“Okay, Tune and Night Rose stay here and provide security for this location. Covert, you’re with me. We follow this for five minutes. If we find nothing then we come back.” I turned to Night Rose, “If we are not back in ten minutes, both of you follow and come get us.” I needed before grabbing my small assault back from Tune’s rack and slinging it. “Tune start time, ten mikes.”

Covert walked behind me as we followed the ruts dug into the ground and blood splatters. We stayed silent as we walked, I was focusing on the surrounding area. Nothing other than grass and dirt. And the blood splatters. Something had done this and then dragged the body away, but still nothing. “Three minutes Covert.” I said aloud before stopping. I looked down at a something shiny. Scales?

“What is it Honored?” Covert asked coming beside me.

“Scales.” I reached down and picked up the shiny objects. “But what the hell are these doing here?”

“Honored. There.” I followed Covert’s pointing finger and found it aiming directly at an Ophiotaurus, a half-bull half-snake creature. It looked just like the one that had attacked me in the woods around Canterlot before the changeling attack. It locked eyes on us and released a long hiss before charging at us.

Covert vanished into thin air, the Ophiotaurus passing right through him. “Oh fuck.” I groaned as it then charged at me. I brought the plasma rifle up and squeezed the trigger, hissing gas meeting hissing foe. Small purple explosions danced across the beast’s body as it continued to charge me. It gave an ear shattering wail as the creature pitched forward and slammed into the dirt, skidding to a stop inches from my boots. A small trail of purple smoke exited the barrel of my rifle as I slung it and turned around.

“A lot of fucking good you are!” I yelled at Covert only to find that he was busy trapped between three Timberwolves who were taking turns lunging at the shadow and falling back as his blade moved silently through the air. “Covert!” I screamed, sprinting towards the Shadow. I jumped into the air and delivered a kick to the side of a wolf’s head before spinning around and punching it across the ribs. I ran up to it as it staggered backwards while drawing my .357 revolver and shoving the barrel into the wolf’s chest in between pieces of wood and branches. I squeezed the trigger, blowing out the Timberwolf’s chest cavity. Sticky sap covered my pistol as I removed it from the carcass and opened the chamber and emptied the spent shells from the cylinder.

Covert sliced up and a wolf’s head fell silently to the ground as the remaining wolf squared off against us as Covert joined my side and I flipped the cylinder closed with a clicking spin.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

The wolf jerked sporadically as .50 cal rounds tore through it and punched holes the size of plates into it. I looked to see Tune rolling to us with Night Rose following close behind him.

“Ten mikes sir.” Tune said while wheeling over to the bodies of the killed wolves and Ophiotaurus. “At least now we know what happened to the cart.”

“Yeah,” I said turning to the bodies and kicking one to make sure of its death, “But why the fuck where they so close to each other. Most creatures from the Everfree are violent towards each other. And that brings up another point.”

“What’s that?” Night Rose asked hovering over towards me.

I spun around gesturing to the wide open frozen tundra, “Why the hell are Everfree creatures out here?”

Pain

Anger

Hatred

The unicorn stood atop the boulder overlooking another section of the northernmost part of the Everfree forest that stretched into the Crystal Empire. His curved horn began to glow and dark purple wisps of smoke trailed from the corner of his eyes as his dark magic wafted and covered the forest.

Within seconds ferocious roars filled the air as creatures of all shapes and sizes funneled out of the forest. They massed around the boulder where the crème colored unicorn was standing, basking in his magic. His normal colored coat was slowly beginning to turn black, fading to a sinister color from the bottom of his legs. The whites of his eyes had turned green and his irises red while he eyed the army massing around him.

“My army of nightmares.” His voice was rough and deep. Every creature was silent as he spoke. “We have been shut out. What belonged to us, taken from us.” He walked over the animals, black crystal forming beneath him as he walked steadily overhead. “You are forced to live in the confines of that dark, terrible forest, fighting each other for food to just stay alive while these… ponies wallow in luxury. Wallow in the space that once belonged to you. To your families.” The unicorn stopped at the edge of the group of creatures and turned, his eyes glowing with power as a sinister smile played on his lips.

“You deserve to have your land, your food, your lives back. Enough of this hiding in fear of the ponies retribution. Let us take what is ours!” The unicorn previously known as Sea Gull shouted, a ground shattering spell sent the unicorn into the air on a spire of black crystal that seemed to suck in sunlight. “We start with the new and pitiful North.”

He pointed his slowly changing color hoof towards the far off distance, “Then, we attack the rest of Equestria! Rise my brothers, my fellow mistreated beings. Let us remind the ponies why they shut us away!”

A symphony of roars that shook the ground was heard for miles around as an army of manticores, Ophiotauri , timberwolves, cockatrices, crocodiles, feral Diamond Dogs, chimeras, adolescent dragons, and rouge griffons. The massive army of evil creatures charged forward, following a manically laughing unicorn, gliding along a black crystal boulder.

“Okay, so what do we know?” I asked the group of ponies… well, pony, shadow, and robot tank thing.

“That creatures from the Everfree are working together.” Night Rose said from on top of Tune.

“And creatures of the Everfree are pushing north.” Covert said while swinging his legs off of Tune’s top.

“And they are attacking small towns and traveling ponies.” Tune’s voice finished. I nodded and crossed my arms as I trudged along next to the robot.

“That’s right. So now we got to find out why.”

“Honored?” I quickly reached into my pocket and pulled out a glowing green gem.

“I’m sorry who?” I asked.

“Are you serious… This is … you’ve got to be kidding… this is Prince Charming calling Ramrod.”

I smiled at Shining Armor’s awkwardness, “This is Ramrod, over.”

“Ramrod, have you found anything?” I tossed the gem up into the air and spun it around on my finger.

“Roger that Charming. Groups of creatures normally found in the Everfree have moved north and are attacking ponies. Me and the team are heading to the nearest town to rest for the night and see what we can do.”

“Roger that Honored.”

“Mhmh.” I couched into the magical gem.

“Roger that Ramrod.” Shining responded with a grunt and what I’m sure was clenched teeth.

“Okay team, let’s move out.” I said while pocketing the long-range communications gem. “We get to Icyberg and see if everything is okay there. The town went silent two days ago, so hopefully whatever happened is still fresh.” I trudged forward as a particularly cold gust of air cut across my face.

“Honored what if something did happen?” Night Rose piped up with concern in her voice.

“Then we fix it.” I said with a grimace.

“Honored?”

“I know.” I turned to Covert and gave him a silencing glance. I pulled out the communicator gem and sent a trickle of magic into it. “Shining? Come in Shining.”

“I thought it was-“

“Not now.” I grunted, “Listen this is bad, and that’s coming from me.” I looked around the town, or had once been a town.

“Honored, what is it?” Princess Cadence’s voice replaced Shining’s over the communicator gem.

“Its bad princess. The town is… the town has been-“ I began before Tune jumped in.

“Princess, the town and its residents have been eradicated.” The robotic voice was softer than usual.

“What?” Princess Cadence’s voice was barely a whisper.

I looked at the burning houses and shops. The fires had died down, but smoke still lingered from the smoldering wooden beams and melted crystals scattered around. But the worse, the worst thing that I couldn’t stand to tell her were the bodies. They weren’t just dead.

The remains of the ponies were eaten.

The residents of Icyberg had been devoured. Guards, stallions, mares and foals alike, they had all been eaten or partially eaten. Piles of bones and remains were scattered everywhere. Night Rose had stayed at the edge of the town because of the stink and the rest of us had just pushed on. Tune didn’t have problem but Covert and myself were growing sick.

“They’re dead.” I choked out before gagging. “They are dead Your Highness, that’s all you need to know. That’s… that’s all you should know.”

“Damnit Honored,” The princess’ normally sweet voice was like venom, “Tell me what happened to my crystal ponies!”

“They were eaten!” I screamed into the gem, “They have been devoured by creatures, turned into some kind of buffet! Are you happy?!?” I screamed back at her.

“And there’s nothing left here to save! I failed. We failed!”

I dropped to my knees as Covert and Tune approached me.

“Honored.” The voice emitting from the gem was soft. “Please don’t blame yourself.”

There was a long moment of silence. “Just stop whoever did this.”

“Oh you can fucking count on it.” I said, feeling something burning in my belly.
Something that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Something I hadn't felt since I had had my mind ripped in two and my friend leave me to only turn and fight me.

I had a purpose again.

I had an enemy to fight.

I had war.

War.

Attack.

Defeat.

AVENGE.

Author's Notes:

Hey y'all.

I know that it has been a long time since i posted, and this is because of several reasons. One i didnt have internet for month, that was pretty ruff.

But then i had my roommate kill himself. i was home when it happened so i had to deal with alot of stuff and alot of different people. i just wanted to let you, my readers, know what had happened to me. I still am writing, but during the remainder of the summer the chapters will be a little slower in being published. I promise to have more, just be patient.

I leave in a few days for two weeks of army training, and then ill be heading to Bronycon. Maybe i'll meet some of y'all there. Ill be wearing a name tag that says, Johnson, on it. Ha, that and i might be cosplaying as a Royal Guard if i can make some armor in 4 days.

Thanks for sticking with me my faithful readers,

Johnson

Gods Don't Bleed

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On My Honor
Chapter 15: Into the Storm
Written By: Honored Service
Edited By: Duncan Zundel and The Spirit of Harmony

“That’s the third one,” I said with a sigh, sitting down on the crumbled remains of a store front. Tune, Covert, and Night Rose slowly regrouped around me after we finished searching the third village we had found.

Each of the towns were exactly the same: completely and utterly destroyed, with no survivors. The remains of the ponies that had lived there...they were just that, remains. Partially eaten and shredded.

“Sir, I think that we should head back. We are ill-prepared to deal with this many Timber Wolves. We should regroup and come up with a better plan. Perhaps an Alpha Plan?”

“Absolutely not.” I stood up and marched over to Tune. I pointed a finger at his face, which was a camera mounted on the side of his .50cal and M240b weapon mount. I quickly lowered my finger, but continued to glare at him.

“Don’t bring that up again. Especially in front of her.” I jabbed a finger back at Night Rose who was listening in with rapt attention.

“What’s an Alpha Plan?” Night Rose said flapping her leathery wings. "Is that a weapon?”

I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose. “No. But I’ll explain once we get back to the castle. We need to deliver our report to the Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. And then we need to talk to all the princesses at once. We are going to need everyone in on this before I even mention any plans.”

“Then we better get moving.” Covert tapped me on the shoulder and motioned towards the lowering sun, “It will be dark within two hours. We need to find a suitable place to camp or we will be left out in the dark tundra.” He smiled at the last part. “The shadows would be nice, though”

“Too bad some of us aren’t shadow monster that can literally vanish into the dark. Some of us have to worry about the army of Timber Wolves and the Ophiotaurus running around.” I rolled my eyes and set off down the dirt path connecting the villages to one another. “Come on y’all. We've got to at least make it back to Icyberg for the night.”

We set out, trudging through the dying light. I kept watch over the shadows, fearing what hellish beings resided there, waiting for darkness to settle over the tundra.

“Sister, did you get the message from Honored?” Princess Luna stared at the scroll as she entered her sister’s private study.

“Yes, Luna. And I must say that, for Honored, it is very… mature.”

“Celestia, I don’t think this is a time for joking. Did you really read it? I mean, a sizable group of Timber Wolves is a problem in itself, but then these Ophiotaurus are working along side them? This is something that is terrible to even think about.” Luna placed the scroll down and looked at Celestia. “We need to go to the Crystal Castle. Honored called for a meeting of the leaders and it must be serious. His letter contained no jokes.”

“No jokes?” Celestia picked up the letter that had been sent to Luna and to her surprise it was empty of his normal humor. Nothing of the sort. “This… I hate to say it… but this is actually serious.”

“Shall we go?” Luna looked to the window and the dimming sky beyond it.

“We have no choice. Honored told me once about his Alpha plans, plans that he had put into place if anything extremely dangerous like the changelings or Nightmare's Shadows attacked again.”

“You mean...Honored made plans for more wars?” Luna asked with shocked curiosity.

“No, these would not be wars. They wouldn't have the chance of becoming wars.” Celestia said as she readied her teleportation spell, “These would be slaughters.”

“And that’s all we found. No survivors, other than the small pack of Timber Wolves and one Ophiotaurus.” I hung my head as I finished recalling the events of the last two days of patrolling the frozen tundra of the Crystal Empire.

The four alicorns standing in front of me stood in silence, save for the muffled sobs of Princess Cadence, who was understandably outraged at the atrocities committed to her subjects. The alicorns looked at one another before turning back to me. Princess Celestia moved forward and placed a wing behind my back before gently prodding me towards an adjacent room from the throne room. I followed the group into the room that looked similar to the war room in Canterlot. A large table with a map of the Crystal Empire and the surrounding areas stood in the middle of the room.

“Honored, tell us about the Alpha Plans in more detail.” Celestia said while the other alicorns gathered around the table.

I sighed and looked to the faces around me. Celestia's face showed a strong leader that had weathered this sort of news before. Luna’s was etched in anger and pain, one longing for revenge. Cadence’s face was covered in tears and sorrow, a leader experiencing this pain for the first time. And Twilight’s face was plastered with confusion and curiosity behind the actions.

“After the Shadows and Nightmare had been defeated, during the time I spent in my room dealing with my existential crisis, I developed hundreds of plans that revolved around the defending of Equestria from unseen forces that could slaughter and kill the innocent.” I looked up and pulled a black notebook from the inside of my coat and laid it on the table.

“This notebook has every way that I would destroy Equestria. Everyway that I know would work and every way to stop it.” I frowned and then laid a hand on the notebook. “I thought like the enemy, I thought like an enemy of your nation.”

I looked at the faces of the princesses. Each one looked at horror at me as I talked.

“I know this seems terrible of me, and it is, but I had to think of ways to stop anything after I was… gone.” Pausing, I looked back up, “When I'm dead and gone, I want to make sure that you, as the leaders, have an idea on how to think and act like a warrior. A true human warrior that has trained for these things.”

Every pony recoiled at that and stared at shock at me. I gave them a grim smile. “I’m not going to be around forever, the last human will die princesses, and this notebook insured that even after I was gone, I would be able to help y’all defend your land from evil. Because even when I’m gone, I’m still going to be looking after you ponies.” I saw a brief smile creep onto Luna’s face, but swiftly disappear as she saw me looking at her.

"Now, don't worry, I spent days coming up with badass names for these plans so that y'all don't have to," I said with a cocky smirk, trying to bring a little humor to the dark situation.

Nobody started rolling on the floor, but at least they didn't seem as bleak.

“Now, this incident, creatures that are attacking ponies falls under the Winter Strike plans. But, these attacks have been directed, so it moves into the category of Alpha plans.” I flipped the notebook open to a page with Alpha scrawled across the top. “Alpha meaning there is a leader behind the attacks, and Winter Strike referring to the main forces, wild Timber Wolves.”

“How can you tell they are directed?” Twilight looked at me and then at the three red X’s on the map showing the location of the attacked villages. “They could just be random attacks done by the wolves against the expanding ponies.”

“True.” I said while then drawing a line along the path of the attacks. “But this attack pattern perfectly severs the supply chain from the Crystal Empire to the surrounding tundra.” I pointed at the line, “The villages were all the base of a cavern supply line that ran deeper into the tundra and plains beyond. Think about it like this,” I pointed at the castle on the map, the largest point on the map, “This is the head. And this line here,” I pointed at the section of attacks at the beginning of the tundra, “Is a swift cut to the neck of a living creature crippling it instantaneously.”

Princess Cadence sobbed at me and then laid her head on the table. Shining Armor entered the room in a panic and ran to his wife before holding her in his forehooves. “I’m sorry, Honey, I had to attend to a matter with the guard. An infiltrator, a changeling, was captured.”

I immediately made note of that before continuing. “Princess Cadence, Prince Shining Armor, your kingdom has been decimated. This calls for Alpha Plan Winter Strike.”

“And what,” Princess Cadence pushed herself up from Armor’s grasp and looked at me with a fire in her eyes, “Does that mean?”

“It means you do the only thing the enemy expects you not to do.” I said with a smile.

“And what’s that?” Shining Armor said looking angry, “Attack?”

“Nope.” I said leaning forward and opening my notebook, “Nothing but sit back and watch the show.”

“This is… this is…” Luna mumbled as she stared at me slack jawed.

“It’s brilliant.” Twilight said, looking up at her incredulous brother. “Think about it, in any situation like this, you would beef up defenses and then send out troops to respond to the attacks, thus acknowledging the threat.” She tapped a hoof at the notebook, “But it's also utterly insane. The last thing that any attacker would expect.”

I smiled and crossed my arms across my chest. “I’m just gifted with war.”

I then snapped my notebook shut and tucked it away, “Now, before I go into the finer details of the plan, Shining, can you please bring in the captured changeling?”

“What?” He looked at me like a horn had just sprouted from my forehead.

“Please?” I asked, smiling, “It’s important to this operation.”

“O-okay...” Shining Armor walked to the door and spoke to the guard outside of it in a hushed whisper.

“Now, while that happens,” I turned back to the Princesses, “Winter Strike will work in crippling the enemy force, finding out their plans, and bringing light to this dark matter. But for it to work I need complete cooperation from you four.” I received four nods in return.

“First, we need to know the general location where these Timber Wolves are coming from. I don’t know where or how we can find this out, but we need to know. Without it, the strike team, AKA me, will be stabbing in the dark, wasting time.” I gestured to the map, waving my hand around at the unmarked northern tundra and Everfree forest.

“I suppose we could try a scrying spell, focusing on large concentration of moving taiga fauna...” Twilight thought aloud until she noticed us all looking at her. “What? It might work.”

“Perfect.” I smiled and gave her a thumbs up. “Twilight is on Enemy Headquarters Location Duty. Luna and Celestia, you are to assist Princess Cadence in controlling the spread of this news. It needs to appear that the attacks are just terrible outbreaks of Timber Wolves that are trying to expand from the Everfree. If the populace finds out that the attacks are coordinated and planned, then panic could set in, and us doing nothing will backfire in our face if that happens.”

Cadence looked at me in horror. “You want me to lie? You dare tell the families and friends of the slaughtered ponies that this was all just… an accident?”

I turned to Cadence and gave her an empathetic look. She had never seen true evil or death. She had never witnessed the truly terrifying hellstrom of death and destruction as it plagued a nation, not even the one currently attempting to work on her own.

“Every war has victims. These were the first. If you tell them that they are facing a direct threat capable of controlling feral Timber Wolves, Ophiotaurus, and who knows what else, the general public is going to be terrified to the point of mass panic. You will have more victims than you can count. You won’t be able to control ponies fleeing the area. You'll just get them killed.”

“Prince Shining Armor,” A nervous looking crystal guard said, poking his head into the room, “We have the captured spy.”

“Good. Bring him in, and then secure the room.” Shining Armor said stepping up to the guard and opening the door.

I watched as the changeling was lead into the room and placed facing away from the war table. The guard left and I heard the door lock ominously after being shut.

“Well, that was spooky.” I said, walking around the table so that I was now standing behind the shackled and chained changeling. “I have a few questions I would like to ask you, ‘spy’” I said with a smile.

“I’ll tell you nothing, pony.” The changeling had a deep voice that almost sounded like it had a slight European, almost Russian, accent to it. “You can ask all you want but… I… will… aeyt!”

The changeling’s voice tapered down to a whisper as he turned to face me. It looked at me, trembling in its shackles clinging together sounded out through the whole room.

“Its… you. The… the Breytchar.” The changeling closed its eyes and began speaking to itself in a strange language that consisted of chirps and squeaks. I turned from the mumbling Changeling and shrugged my shoulders at the ponies staring at me.

“Um...pardon?” I reached out and tapped the bug pony on its shoulder. It shrieked and cringed under my touch but looked up to me.

“What is this...Breytchar?” I asked kneeling down to the changeling’s height.

“It means… well...it is hard to translate, Breytchar.” The changeling was quaking as it spoke. I rolled my eyes and then laid a hand on its back.

“Listen, if I was going to kill you, I would have done it long ago. So, calm down, taken a deep breath, and talk.” I gave him a small smile and stood up.

The changeling took a deep breath and closed its eyes before looking back to me and swallowing.

“It means 'King of Demons'.”

“Huh. I like it.” I grinned at Celestia and the other princesses, but only was met with annoyed looks.

"Right.” I looked back down to the shapeshifting bug-thingy trembling before me, “Why is that?”

“You killed us. All of us. You nearly destroyed our entire race. We… when we attacked the ponies for the second time, we did so under a new Queen, who promised us change. And you… the Breytchar brought us into a slaughter.” The changeling sniffed and turned away from me as much as his chains would allow. “The few of us that survived the war retreated to the deserts and tundra of the west and north. We tried to survive but others are making it hard. That’s why I came here. I tried to survive in the city under a disguise, because it would be easier than dealing with the others.”

"So the Timber Wolves are also forcing the changelings out and into pony lands?" I asked the chained insect-like pony. He gave me a single nod in return, still showing some hesitation towards me. Well, I didn't exactly expect him to warm up to me immediately.

"Not only are ponies targets, but probably any creature before whomever is controlling the wolves." I turned away from the princesses and looked out the one-way window. "Alpha Plan Winter Strike may need a few tweaks, but I believe we can find out vital information quickly." I opened my notebook and glanced over a page mumbling to myself. I slammed the cover shut and slipped it back into my pocket as Luna tried to peek over my shoulder.

"Twilight, two things: One, how long will it take for you to pinpoint the largest concentration of wolves in the northern-most section of the Everfree? And two, leave my Codex of Plans alone." I turned my attention to the bookish alicorn who was busy trying to levitate my notebook out of my duster.

"Oh!" She squeaked and blushed, but then straightened up. "Well, if I start now, it shouldn’t take more than thirty minutes," She said confidently.

"Then, let's get that shit rolling, shall we?" I gave her a smile as she gave a determined nod and trotted towards the door. But when she tried to open it, the door remained locked.

"Oh, come on Shining, unlock the door. One changeling is in a room with four alicorns, the captain of the guard, and, let’s not forget the one person who almost single-handedly destroyed their army and queen. I think we'll be okay." Shining Armor snorted and rolled his eyes before his horn glowed and the door swung open, allowing Twilight to continue on her mission.

"Please," the changeling’s voice was quiet as the door was closed behind Twilight, "Just finish me quickly, Breytchar so that I may stop worrying about my end and let it happen."

"Oh, shut up about that, will you?!" I spun around at the bug, “I won’t kill you and my war with the changelings is long over. I have no quarrel with them or you. So I won’t be killing anymore, unless I'm given a legitimate reason."

“But Honored!” Celestia objected.

“No. They attacked, I defended. I will not go and pursue a crippled race because of something Nightmare made them do.” I gave her a knowing look of understanding where she was coming from. “I will not trust them, at least not yet, but I will not kill them.”

Celestia stood staring at me in disbelief.

"You...aren't going to end me?" The chained changeling asked.

I slapped a hand to my face. “I hadn’t planned on it, no. In fact, I want you to help me,” I said, walking to the changeling and aiming my gauntlet at the chains around his legs. With a quick blast, the locks ruptured, the chains tumbling to the ground as the changeling continued to stare at me with an open mouth.

“You just said you didn’t trust them!” Shining Armor yelled, jumping forward and pulling a spear from the wall, aiming it at the now-free bug pony.

“There’s an old saying where I come from,” I said while turning from the war table and walking to the changeling.

“Keep your friends close,” I squatted down to the pony and held my hand out to him, “And your enemies closer.”

“Honored, I cannot allow you to do this!” Celestia said, slamming a hoof down for emphasis.

“There is another saying, that I think fits much better here.” I looked down at the changeling who was busy studying my hand.

"'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.'" I crossed my arms and looked to the bug. “Do you want your land back? Your homes?”

“More than anything in the world, Breytchar!” The Changeling gave a nod and a determined glare at me.

“Then I’m going to need your help, and the help of the changelings,” I told him.

I stood up and walked to the table, changeling in tow. “You are now my liaison to the changelings. You are my voice to them.”

“I… I can’t believe that I’m working with the Breytchar.”

“Speaking of that,” I turned and extended my right hand again, “My name is Honored Service.”

The Changeling looked at my hand like it was a snake and then looked up to me. He slowly placed his holey chitin hoof in my hand and gave it a strong shake, “Brex Grath.”

*
"He's finally done it."

"Done...what, exactly?"

“I think that he has finally gone truly insane,” Celestia said as she paced in front of her sister.

Luna couldn’t believe her sister. Admittedly, his book on ways to overthrow the empire and kill all four alicorns in different ways had been...extreme, put simply. But honestly, it was done with the best of intentions and in the few pages she had seen, she now knew how to change a few guard patterns to make everything safer. Just from three pages! Mad or not, he truly had a tactical mind when it came to these sorts of things.

“Well, he has done crazier things before,” Luna pointed out and then made a sweeping gesture with her hoof. “I’m sure that shadow you didn’t trust is here too.”

“Nope. Totally not here. Nuup. Not me. Nopenopenope,” A mischievous (and slightly startled) voice said before a window opened and a flash of blackness shaped as a bird (an owl, from the looks of it) flew off into the night.

“Case in point. He has made a friend, albeit an odd one, and a bearer of an Element of Sanctuary out of a previous enemy. Give this one a chance.” Luna smiled and gave her sister a reassuring pat on the back.

“You’re probably right, Lulu. I just keep forgetting that he’s so...different.”

“Oh, oh, do me!” I clapped and laughed as Brex stood onto his hind legs and morphed into a perfect copy of me. Long tailed duster and everything else I was currently wearing. It was weird, seeing myself from the front, rather than reversed, like in a mirror

“I’m the hero this nation needs.” My voice was perfect as he then gave me a thumbs up and a smile.

“Okay, now Luna.” I watched as a perfect Luna copy stared at me.

“Hey, lover boy,” She batted her eyes at me and swung her hips around.

“That’s actually creepy, Brex. You’re a dude,” I shuddered as he morphed back into his normal state.

He gave me a questioning glance before walking over to the window overlooking the crystal city below.

“Actually, we are neither male nor female. We can chose to be either. I simply chose this form as a male because the job I was assigned was better suited for a male.”

“And what job was that?” I asked while feeding another round into a magazine for my newly acquired M4 rifle.

“Breeder.” He turned and walked back to me. “With such a small population, we had to assign portions of the remaining changelings to work solely on breeding and caring for young since such a small population was left.”

I rolled my eyes and loaded another round with a click, “Say it again, see if that stops me from destroying your species. I already said I’m sorry.” I shrugged and put the full magazine into an extra mag pouch on my armored chest rig. “There's not much more I can do.”

“How can you be so...apathetic about killing?” Brex asked as he looked over the weapons on the table before me.

“It's...hmm...well, think of it like your breeding job,” I said while picking up my M4 rifle with the underslung out of date M203 launcher beneath it.

“Put simply, you fuck all day long, right? After a while, doesn’t it lose its fun? That's because it’s your job. Anyone you tell that that’s your job would either think you have the best job in the world or the worst, but to you, it’s nothing but normal.” I quickly slipped a long black cylinder onto the end of the barrel and gave a few quick twists. “Me? I’m just doing my job. And I have to live with the choices. Worrying doesn't make the death go away.”

Brex stared at me until he began to slowly nod. “It is disturbing that you can compare sex and killing as the same.”

“Well, where I come from, we say that love and war go hand in hand,” I grumbled at him as I checked the holo sight mounted atop the rifle. Everything was set up well on the rifle, so I moved to the side arms and the other rifle I would bring with me on the mission.

“Now, are you going to be able to do what I need you to?”

“Yes,” Brex turned and sat in front of the table. “I will go back to the city and find my fellow changelings. We will register with the princess and she will be made aware of all of our aliases within the pony society.” He sighed and then swallowed nervously. “Will she keep her promise? Or we all just going to be rounded up and shipped away?”

I stood up and walked around the weapon covered table, “You have my word that it wont happen. I just need them, the princesses, to trust you and this is the only way. Once you are finished here, meet me at the point I showed you.”

I brought out the small map again and pointed to the spot near the northernmost point of the Everfree forest. “I’ll need you and whomever you can get to meet me there to help in case things get bad.”

“You think it will?” Brex asked looking up from the map and at me.

I picked up my old combat shotgun and racked the pump back, all badass-like.

“Oh, you can count on it, Brexter.”

“So that’s it?” Celestia said as I sat back in my chair and kicked my boots up on the war table. “That’s the whole friggin' Winter Strike plan?”

“Yup.” I kicked my legs up and onto the war table.

“One more time. Please.” Luna had her head faced down on the table groaning in exhaustion at me.

“Okay, while everyone is busy here stopping the news from spreading and keeping everyone from panicking, I will head into the forest where the highest concentration of Timber Wolves are, and fuck them up. This way it seems that the Crystal Empire isn’t reacting the threat, but rather just me, acting on behalf of the Equestrian Empire to the South. The Crystal Empire doesn’t know what to think of these attacks, so supposedly, they're just getting some help.”

“That’s the genius plan, Honored?” Luna sat up and gave me a look with a her bloodshot eyes. “To just do this by yourself?”

“No no no no...yes.” I sat up and stood to my feet and walked around the table till I was beside Luna. I draped an arm around her and pulled her to my side, waving my hand in a large gesture.

“Luna, one day you’ll see that wars can be easily won by destroying the enemy from the shadows in violent and terrifying hit and run tactics. I call them, 'Honored and Run' tactics.”

“You are so full of yourself," Tune said while gliding into the room on his wheels. Princess Cadence followed behind the robot with a sigh.

“That I am, Tune.” I turned to him and gave the robot-warrior-iPod-thingy a nod. His gun track gave nod back before rolling beside the Princess. “Cadence, I’m leaving you Tune to act as a bodyguard. Tune, is Stand Bold here?”

“Yes, sir. He is waiting with Shining Armor down by the lower ports.” Tune rolled forward to his position with Princess Cadence. Shining was a good bodyguard, but something about a .50cal, a M240B, a Mark 19, and heavy anti-air missiles brings a little more protection to the table.

“Great. I’ll see ya when I get back, Tune.” I nodded as he turned away and began rolling down the sparkling hallway. “Oh, and Tune?”

“Yes, sir?”

“No rap music. Remember what happened to Rarity?”

“Of course, sir.”

I'm almost entirely sure he couldn't, but for a moment, I could've sworn I saw a shudder run through him.

I walked by myself the rest of the way towards the outer airship docks. I checked my kit over again as I walked. My M4 equipped with suppressor, M203, and holo sight was hanging by a tactical sling at my side. My long range weapon, the ol’ M40A3 sniper rifle was slung to my back. It was a newer variant with black tactical fiberglass stock that was stronger than the older wood one. I added burlap wrapping to the barrel and stock for camouflage in the forest. Around my thighs and waist were an extensive collection of side arms. Four different handguns rested in their holsters. Two revolvers and two semiautomatics. The final piece of my weapon kit was the combat shotgun with shortened barrel and a folding stock with a saddle for five extra shells. This was attached with a special strap horizontally along the back of my waist. My two Glock’s were resting under each arm rather than in their normal double holster.

I was ready for romp in the woods.

But not for what happened next.

“There ya are, ya great big stupid human!”

ZEEEW

THWACK

I was tackled by a tan-and-red flash as soon as I opened the door to the outer docking area.

“Sweet Mother Mercenary, calm down, Stand Bold!” I shouted before pushing the over-excited pegasus off of my chest. “Thanks for coming.”

“Are we not doing phrasing anymore?” he joked before hovering up to my height and slugging me in the shoulder. “That’s for all the stupid recruits you’ve been sending me at the guard training camp!” He flapped away from me towards one of the covered docking areas. “You know, you'd think that with all the recruits wanting to be on the class three airships, I'd get the pick of the pack, but I get this lot.”

I was a creature that wasn’t very easily shocked at this point. I had fought two armies and won. Killed nearly every mythological beast I could think of. Slept with a nation’s ruler...that was a very big thing for the ponies. And on top of that I had recently stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of military equipment before leaping into a portal that brought me back to Equestria.

But I was surprised now.

Celestia had been busy with the new airships.

Fast Skies had been the first ever armored and armed airship in the entire nation of Equestria. A class three airship. Speed, armor, and firepower, all three levels of airships. I was speechless as I stared at what had happened to her.

In front of me were two lines of guards wearing blue jumpsuits that looked perfect to that of what men and women aboard an aircraft carrier would wear. They stood at attention as their captain, Sergeant Stand Bold, an Element of Sanctuary, marched between them towards the nastiest, most badass, unbelievable weapon platform I had ever seen. Sorry Tune, you just got one-upped.

Fast Skies had been re-equipped and it was abso-freaking-lutely stunning. There didn't seem to be a balloon anymore, just armor all the way up.

I raised a hand, but Stand Bold cut me off, “There is still a balloon, but we use enchantments and talismans to provide the draft with a lighter-than-air ability.” I dropped my hand and continued to worship the massive warship.

Cannon barrels pointed out of every side of the ship, giving it a 360 degree area of fire. “Wait,” I said pointing at a strange contraption sticking out of the front of the ship, “What is that?”

“Oh that beauty?” Stand Bold smiled and flapped his wings, sending himself up and towards the three long stacked barrels in a triangle. “This is actually something you helped create. We used the idea of your weapons and adapted them to a larger platform.” He rubbed a hoof along the barrel. “This is the Longbow. It’s a magical gem firing cannon. You load magically powered gems the size of hoofballs into the barrels, one for each barrel, and then aim and fire. The barrels rotate around so we can get off three rounds before it needs to be reloaded” He smiled and then flew back down to my level. “It was Storm Drive’s idea. It was pretty good.”

“Thank you, sir!” The nearest uniformed pegasus said while still staring straight ahead.

“Shut up!” Stand Bold barked at him with a smile. “And yet you can’t get it down to the size of a hoofheld weapon.”

“Sir, how would we even pull the trigger mechanism for it? Our hooves can’t fit in the grip.” The gunner turned and gestured to my hands, “He can use the Claw but-“

“Drive, that’s enough. That is a prototype.” Stand Bold said while turning towards the open ramp leading into the belly of the airship.

“I like prototypes. Storm Drive, walk and talk,” I said as the pegasus in a blue jumpsuit snapped forward and moved to my side. He had a buzzed brown and tan mane with a dark blue coat underneath the jumpsuit. Because of his clothing I couldn’t see his cutie mark but I was sure it had something to do with storms.

“So what’s the Claw?”

“Well after I developed the longbow cannon system, I tried making a smaller portable version that could fire magically enchanted rounds, but the problem is how to use it. Griffins would have no problem with their talons and you would be able to, but we ponies can’t handle it, seeing as we don't have individual digits.” Storm Drive spoke with the enthusiasm that only an inventor could.

“What about unicorns? They could hold it in their magic.” I pointed out as we entered the ship. It was still the same ship on the inside, wires and cables hanging from the walls and ceilings, but it had more armor plating on the sides. The organized chaos that every military vessel has onboard.

“We tried that. The only problem is that for some reason, whenever it is fired, it creates an NMP, a Negative Magical Pulse, that causes any magic near it to stop functioning. Thus the weapon is fired and then the recoil pushes it out of the user’s aurora field,” Storm Drive said with a frown as he led us down another dimly lit corridor towards a sealed door with a sign that said ‘Weapon Testing’ on it. He approached the door and opened it with a hiss. “In here.”

“That’s the Claw.” He raised a hoof and pointed at the strangest thing I had ever seen. It was mix of an old fashion flintlock musket and a futuristic looking ray gun. The stock and butt on the weapon were made of wood, but the barrel was jet black metal and had a split muzzle. The trigger was open, with no trigger guard, and the firing mechanism was that of an old musket, but rather than flint held inside, it had a glowing red gem locked in its place. Along the barrel were small vents that had glowing blue light emerging from it, bathing the barrel in light blue arcane light.

“So, what does it do?” I asked while walking up to the weapon and placing my gauntlet against its wooden stock.

“Well, a spark gem,” Storm Drive held up a small blue gem the size of a pea, “Is placed within the charging chamber.” He reached up and flicked a small lever in front of the trigger and the barrel swung down. So not only was it an old musket, it was a combination of a rifle, musket, and shotgun. “The spark is placed here.” He put the glowing blue gem into the slot and snapped the barrel closed. “Then the arming spell is pulled back.” He pulled the hammer with the glowing red gem back till it clicked. “And it’s ready to go. Just pull the firing mechanism and the two spells connecting starts off a reaction, and the energy exits the only way it has to go.” He gestured with his hoof to the end of the barrel, “out.”

“May I?” I looked at Storm and then to Stand Bold, who had stayed oddly quiet the entire time, not concerning himself with the deadly prototype that Storm and I were messing with.

“I’d be insulted if you didn’t, Lieutenant.” Storm Drive picked the weapon up and handed it to me. I gripped it heavily, expecting it to weigh a ton, but it was surprisingly light.

“Yeah it’s also got a lot of other enchantments on it. One for weight, one for recoil compensation, and there is even one for a short sword.”

“Wait, what?” I quickly held the magical rifle shotgun thing away from my body.

“Give a good thrust forward.”

“Boom phrasing.” Stand Bold said from across the room as he looked at a scroll.

I shrugged my shoulders and stepped forward, thrusting the rifle forwards as if it had a bayonet on it. A soft whish-ing sound filled the air as a glowing blue blade appeared on the front of the rifle beneath the barrel. As I pulled the rifle back from the imaginary foe, the blue glowing blade vanished. “This is amazing.” I then turned to Storm Drive, “But does it work?”

“Well, we always found that it worked better when it didn’t go flying through the air after being fired.” He looked over his shoulder where there was a huge dent imprinted into the metal bulkhead. I gave whistle and then looked towards the pegasus. I had a thought.

"Have you thought of using it as a propulsion system yet? I mean, if it can leave a dent that big, it's gotta have some power behind it, no?"

"No, I-I hadn't. That's brilliant, I'll definitely look into it!" Storm pulled out a journal and pencil and jotted down a few notes.

“Now, where can I shoot it?” I smiled as he pointed towards a training dummy in the shape of a square with red circles on it. I lifted the weapon up to my shoulder and took aim down the barrel. There were no sights on the weapon. I rolled my eyes and tried to keep the barrel as straight as possible as I depressed the simple trigger.

The hammer swung down and red sparks leapt from the striking spell gem.

SHHCRAK

A bolt of blue lighting flew out of the barrel and into the straw square target. The target exploded into burning hay and cloth. As the smell of ozone filled the air. I felt small sparks leaping off the weapon and onto my hands and arms as I stared at the destroyed target.

I slowly placed the weapon down and then turned to face Storm Drive with a blank stare on my face. I reached down into one of my pockets on my pants and removed a sack filled with two hundred bits. I shoved the bag of money at the pegasus.

"Take it. Just shut up and take my money."

“Alright, alright, you can keep the lightning cannon.” Storm Drive stared at me with disbelief in his eyes. I opened my arms to give him a hug. “No, really it’s okay,” He said, stepping back from me.

“It's amazing.” I said while picking up the weapon and snagging a bag full of gem sparks. “But, change the name from Claw and lightning cannon to spell rifle.” I gave him a nod. “And also, try to make a smaller one that is only a foot long.”

“Come on, Honored, we got to get this pile of rubbish moving if we want to keep up with the mission time.” I nodded to Stand Bold who walked out of the testing room. I gave another thanks to Storm Drive before leaving him working on another weapon. I slung the weapon around my other shoulder so that it was resting on my back beside the other two rifles. Having this many weapons on my back did make it fairly difficult to move. I might have to leave one behind.

Yeah, like that was going to happen. Ha!

“Okay, Honored, we are preparing for our flight over the forest.” Stand Bold said to me as we walked down the corridor towards the bridge of the airship. “Princess Twilight sent us the coordinates to the highest concentration of Timber Wolves in the Everfree Forest.” We entered the bridge that was abuzz with activity.

Ponies shuffled everywhere, checking measurements on multiple old-fashioned consoles using different gauges and level meters.

“So, what, are you just going to let me fly out on a chariot or something?” I asked looking at a map spread out on a small table to the rear of the bridge.

“Not exactly.” Stand Bold said with a frown. “Honored, these attacks… I’ve been told about them. I want you to go in there and destroy those wolves. I want you to make sure that these attacks stop. Kill them. All of them. Please.” I gave my friend a crisp salute and a wicked grin.

“Oh, you can fucking count on that. There won’t be one left alive when I’m done in there.”

“I look forward to hearing about it. And here, take this,” he tossed me a small tube, “It's a flare tube. Pretty simple, just pull the top up and pump some magic in. That's to signal to us if anything goes wrong.”

“I won't need it, but thanks.” I said, placing the magical flare into another one of chest rig pockets.

Stand Bold then smiled at me. “Remember HADS?”

“The death trap drop pods I designed?” I smirked and thought back to entering the battlefield in the ODST knock off pods. “Yeah what about them.” The smile stretching across the pegasus’ face. “You didn’t.”

“I had some of the stallions take a look at them. They were truly a jump ahead in technology, but with a little tweaking we adapted one of them to better suit your needs for this drop.” Stand Bold smiled and then turned towards a jumpsuit wearing guard. “Oi, Rains! Take the LT here to the drop bay.”

“Roger that Sergeant!” The guard turned to me and snapped to attention. “Lieutenant, if you could please follow me.”

“You can relax soldier.” I smiled at the earth pony guard. 'Uh, that's strange', I thought to myself, what was an earth pony doing on an airship? She seemed...familiar...

I followed the pony out of the bridge and down a corridor lit with the dim red lights. We stepped into the dark room that was filled with drop tubes. Except there were changes to my system. These HADS were stacked five-high over eight different tubes. Four on each side, allowing the ship to drop forty soldiers in one run. That was impressive. The ponies sure now how to adapt to my methods, I’ll give them that.

“So, Rains, is it?” I asked turning to the pony beside me, “Or should I say...Night Rose!?” I put my hands on my hips and pulled an accusative face as I watched the earth pony Rains shimmer and was replaced by a Night Guard mare in slim shiny black armor.

“Nice to see you too, Melodramatic Service,” Night Rose said with a droll look as she stepped around me and stood beside the tube closes to me. “And here I was, thinking that you would be happy to have a friendly face with you.”

“Friendly?” I guffawed. “And I thought this was my mission. Winter Strike. My plan, my operation, see where I'm going with this?.”

“Yes, but I’m still your handler,” she said while stepping into the current pod that was readied in the drop tube, “And I am always watching your every movement.” The door on the drop pod slammed shut and a hiss of pressure filled the air. A gem on the side blinked red, then green.

I rolled my eyes and sighed before lazily shlumping into the pod next to Night Rose's. I punched the lock switch and watched as the door slammed closed and sealed me within the drop pod’s interior.

"And she calls me melodramatic! Pshaw."

I took a look around at the pod.

“Looks the same.” I mumbled.

A red gem lit up over my head. “Huh. That’s new.”

The gem flicked green and the pod gave a shudder. Then the sensation of weightlessness filled my gut as the pod was sent hurtling from the belly of the airship and towards the ground at a dizzying speed. I smiled as the rush of adrenaline flooded my body while the pod continued towards the earth.

CLUNK

SSHHWOOF

The triple overlapped parachute opened, the fabric billowing out and catching in the wind, jerking the pod in the air, slowing its descent to a slightly slower drop speed.

FWWWOOOOOSH

The pod jerked quickly up as the bottom reverse-thruster gems exploded, slowing the drop pod even more. Next would be the impact into the-

CRASH

SNAPSNAP

CRRRRRUNK

-ground. I waited patiently for the door to fly open, but it never came.

“What the hell?” I wondered, I was prepping my gauntlet to blast the door with open when the pod gave another jerk. Slowly, the pod began to spin counterclockwise.

“What the- oh god I’m gonna be sick.” I held my hand to my mouth, trying to remember the spell I made to stop my diaphragm from heaving as the pod continued to spin. The pod started humming.

Then just as suddenly as the spinning began, it stopped and the door to the pod blew off and sunlight poured into the pod. I stumbled out of the pod and collapsed onto the ground. “Ohgod why did it spin?” I asked the still spinning open sky above me.

Wait. Waitwaitwait.

Open sky? I thought I landed in a freaking forest?!?

As everything slowly returned to normal, I slowly realized what had happened. The gem mounted on the side of the pod was imbued with an anti-gravity spell (or something like that. I don't know, I'm not a wizard) that activated after the pod stopped falling. It then fired a simple light spell concentrated into a powerful beam, like a laser, and literally sliced a massive clearing through the Everfree. Now I had the perfect extraction zone when it came time to be evacuated from the forest.

“Glad to see that you can hold your food down, human.” Night Rose's voice sounded out near me as she emerged from her own pod. “Ready to find the wolves?”

“I’m ready to kill ‘em all.” I said while picking myself from the forest floor. “Let’s go, Rose.” I brushed my pants off. I grabbed my hat off the floor of the pod, plopped it on top of my head and began setting off into the dark forest.

“Yeah yeah yeah, you’re super scary and all that. This'll be easy. It’s just a bunch of sticks and sap,” She mumbled under her breath, cursing us to bad luck.

I grunted and narrowed my eyes at the back of her head. Why couldn't Luna have come with me? Or Brex? Okay, maybe not Brex. Instead, I get stuck with Miss Bitchy Babysitter. I unslung my M4 and slowly followed behind the bat pony through the malicious forest.

“What if it doesn’t work? What if he gets captured or hurt or killed?” Twilight was staring at the map before her going over all the scenarios. All the outcomes. Every possibility that could arise while Honored was away in the forest. She had developed a spell that would track the Timber Wolves and pinpoint their highest concentration.

“My dearest Twilight, you must have faith.” Princess Celestia smiled and gave her former student a reassuring hug. “Your spell will find all the wolves that have been causing problems. I know you will.” Twilight looked up and gave a determined nod to the princess.

“You are casting spells to look for the others, though,right?” The deep accented voice from across the room asked. Brex looked around the scroll he was writing on. “You ponies keep speaking of the Timber Wolves, yes, but what about the others?”

Celestia felt her blood run cold as she stared at her former enemy. Timed slowed to a crawl as her brain processed the information she just heard.

“Others?” Twilight spoke up first, not understanding what was just said.

“Yes, the others.” Brex slowly lowered the scroll to the table and looked at the princesses with an astonished face. “Do you think that only the Timberwolves have been attacking? We could have handled the attacks if it was just the Timberwolves, but we were overrun by all manner of creatures.” The changeling rose to his hooves and stepped around the table. “My dear new pony friends, all the creatures of the Everfree attacked our homes. My hive was attacked by manticores, ophiotaurus, timberwolves, cockatrices, crocodiles, feral Diamond Dogs, chimeras, adolescent dragons, rouge griffons, and even a hydra.”

Celestia mind had ceased to function. Every dangerous, evil, terrible creature of the Everfree was attacking and being led by some unknown enemy. Nearly the entire populace of the forest was made up of those creatures, and they were being consciously directed.

And even worse, she had just allowed her best defense to go into the forest alone, believing he was only facing Timber Wolves, when he could likely be facing down an army of nightmarish creatures.

Celestia quickly grabbed a blood-red gem off the table. It was enchanted with the unique signature of Honored’s magic, giving her a direct line to communicate with the human across vast distances. She charged the spell and opened the channel between herself and the human.

The room was silent as everyone gathered in the room listened as the spell connected. “Honored? Honored, are you there?” Celestia spoke as clearly as she could trying to not alert the human to his dangerous situation.

“How is the progress, everyone?” Luna asked as she walked into the room, shattering the silence just as the gem came to life with a roar of noise.

“CELESTIA! I’M SUR-"

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG

SHHHCRAKCRAK

POW

SPSH SPSH SPSH SPSH

BANG BANG

“CELESTIA IT’S NOT JUST WOLVES!” A loud roar cut Honored off as a scream was heard through the noise. “HANG IN THERE ROSE!” Honored screamed as loud explosions and growls filled the air.

The sound of snapping twigs and heavy breathing filled the room as everyone leaned in. Luna’s eyes were filled with tears as she pressed herself up against the table.

Honored’s normally playful and lively voice came out in ragged short breaths as he barked into the gem. “Everyone listening to this, the entire Everfree is attacking. All the creatures you can think of. All of them.” The sound of pained sobbing was heard over the breaking of branches and breathing. “Don't stop pushing, Rose. Be thankful it was just a minor gash.”

“Celestia, we are headed back to the original drop point. This mission was a success, we know what we are up against now. Everything.”

Luna tears were soaking the map by now. She was listening to her friend and special somepony being chased by an entire forest of nightmares and she could do nothing to help him. She longed to be able to glide to the forest and provide aid to the brave human, but she was stuck in the castle, unable to do anything but listen. By the time she would've reached the forest, it would be too late.

“Honored, we are sending all that we can to your position.” Celestia took a deep breath knowing, that even sending everything she had would be futile. By the time they got there, the Everfree would have overwhelmed the two. She was merely providing comforting words to a dying friend.

“Thanks, I appreciate the su-“ The spell channel suddenly went dead and Luna collapsed in shock against the ground.

No.

The human had endured much worse and came out on top. She had to help. He had to survive.

“Luna, go now and get this message to the Righteous Dawn, Swift Night, and Harmony. Get all those airships to LZ Lima for support. Tell them to push the engines past failure if they need to. Get there.” Celestia commanded her sister with the authority she always found in time of crisis. Luna quickly nodded and sprinted from the room towards the message center.

“Princesses.” Celestia and Twilight turned to face the changeling as he approached the war table cautiously. “You may not trust me, and you have every right not to, but please, allow me to help, yes?” Brex looked at the map and at the dark red gem that was placed where LZ Lima would be. “I may be able to get there faster than the airships.”

“How?” Celestia asked angrily. “The airships are clearly designed to-“

“Princess,” Twilight cut in, giving her mentor an unsure glance, “The changeling species can use their unique magic to propel themselves at an intense velocity to shatter rock and shield spells, much like they did during the first Canterlot invasion.”

Celestia looked to the changeling who nodded and gave her a smile with his toothy mouth. “Please. I can gather a few hive guards that are hidden within the city and we can rush to the Breytchar’s aid. The Breytchar is in desperate need of help. We changelings can get revenge on the Breytchar by aiding him.” He nodded and looked up, “This is what the Brey- I mean, Honored meant by needing our help. He thought something would go wrong.”

Brex stared at Celestia till she gave a quick nod and turned around to face the open window looking out onto the tundra beyond the city. “Hurry Brex. Save Honored and Night Rose, and you will have earned my full trust.”

“It will be done then.” Brex turned and with a buzz of his insect wings vanished from the room.

“Twilight… I hope he is okay.” Celestia hung her head. She felt so many emotions rushing through her. Luna had found a special somepony, but now, because of a hasty decision, she had sent him into certain death.

“Princess, he will be okay.” Twilight laid a wing on her mentor’s back. It was like the portal to Earth all over again.

“This is Honored Service we are talking about here.”

“Holy shit.” I slowly lowered my rifle as I stood atop of the rock in a small clearing near where the pods had landed. In front of me, I faced down row after row of Timber Wolves, manticores, and a few rogue griffins that were giving me a terrible stink eye. But none of them had moved in over a minute.

One of the griffins slowly lifted into the air in a blinding light. I turned my head as light got even brighter. As the light faded I turned back and aimed the rifle at the griffin that was slowly walking towards me. Its eyes were bright green and had wisps of purple flowing from the corners.

“What are you that dares stand against the purest army this world has seen?” The griffin’s voice sounded like thousands of voices all screaming together at one. Night Rose who was curled up behind me on the boulder clamped her forelegs over her eyes as the griffin spoke.

“The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee!” I yelled back, still panting from my run through the forest, being chased by everything it could possibly come up with. I kept the M4 pointed straight ahead at the griffin’s head. “I am that righteous man! Who the fuck are you?”

“I am the cleansing flood that will wipe the wrongness from this world and restore the order it was meant to be.”

“That’s nice. So listen up, chucklefuck. No, you aren’t. I’m here to stop your ass and liquefy you.” I flicked the safety off the rifle and began to line up the shot.

“You dare speak against-“

SPSH

The muffled cough of the M4 sent one round through the griffin’s beak and out the back of its skull, the body crumbling to the ground in a pool of blood.

“Fuck this.” I swiveled around and dropped to my knee as I sighted in on the next target.

The M4 spat out hot lead into the heads and bodies of the rushing Timber Wolves. I kept the fire on them until the magazine went dry. I quickly swapped out the magazines and switched to the Claw. I pulled the hammer back and took aim at the nearing wolf.

SHHHCRACK

A blaze of lightning leapt forward and connected with the wolf. The magical electricity then moved on to the next wolf and then to the one behind that one, and so on. Soon I had a chain of nearly ten wolves all set ablaze by blue magical fire and lightning. Slowly, the creatures that had surrounded the boulder began to retreat, none of them daring to move any closer. I smirked and slowly reached over my head and pulled the M40A3 off my back before bringing it into my shoulder.

“Not far enough.” I racked the bolt and then sighted in on another rogue griffin with a battle axe towards the rear of the clearing.

BANG

Night Rose slowly cracked an eye open. The voice that had boomed in her head had made her feel like it was going to explode from the inside. She was confused as to where she was until she saw the human crouched in front of her with his weapon clasped within his hands. He pulled a part of the rifle back, then her eardrums exploded into a long drawn out ringing from the sheer volume of the noise it produced. The human pulled the weapon back again and a small shiny object fell to the rock and bounced off the surface. A second shot exploded again. Night Rose just watched the falling casing scatter around the rock where the two were holding position.

Night Rose turned her head to watch as a wave of creatures rushed forward towards the boulder they were atop. Timber Wolves, manticores and rogue griffins mixed in. She thought she even saw a chimera, too. The human, Honored, stood up and jumped down off the boulder onto the head of Timber Wolf with a crunch before turning and slamming the stock of his weapon into another’s neck, sending it flying backwards. He fired the rifle from the hip and blasted a clean hole through the chest of a leaping manticore.

“WHOOO!” He pumped a fist into the air before loading another round, “Hey Rose did ya’ see that no scope?” Night Rose just continued to stare at the human who shrugged, rolling his eyes and turning back to his task at hand.

Night Rose stared in awe as the human delivered death to the creatures of the Everfree with almost effortless efficiency. Even though he was surrounded from every direction by wild animals, he fought on with some kind of magical rage that swept through the enemies. She watched in terrified awe as Honored jammed the barrel of the rifle through an open wound in the chest of a griffin and used the griffin’s body as shield against a manticore’s stinger before blasting through the body and into the manticore’s head.

“Honored, we’re surrounded!” Night Rose finally spoke as she felt her senses coming back to her. She rose on shaking legs before glimpsing at the human who had strapped the rifle and pulled out two smaller weapons, clasping one in each hand.

“Then they have nowhere to go.” He gave a wicked smile before dashing forward and slamming his shoulder into a Timber Wolf and bashing it across its head with the end of the pistol. The sharp, quick retorts of the pistol went off and each bang signaled another fallen enemy.

“Honored, duck!” Night Rose joined into the fray as she dove forward from the boulder and slammed her hind legs into the skull of a griffon that was approaching behind the human. She spun into the air and then rocketed herself forward and slammed her fore hooves into the same griffon. She landed behind the human and reached under her wings and drew forth two long blades that clamped down onto her hooves. She took off into the sky and then began diving and dodging her way between any enemies that came near Honored’s undefended backside.

“Thanks,” Honored said before pointing a weapon down and blowing a hole into a griffon.

Both warriors turned and stared as the remaining Timber Wolves and manticores fled off into the forest, tails and stingers alike held between their legs. “Come on Night, let’s get to drop pods before more things show up. You're still in no condition to fight.”

“Honored?” Night Rose looked up at the human as he opened a side on his weapon and six shiny metal cylinders fell from the weapon and landed amongst the blood and bodies in the small clearing. “What…what makes you do this? You have a special somepony and plenty of bits. You could settle down in the castle and be set for the rest of your life. Why? Why do...this?”

“You know, Rose,” Honored began pulling out .44 rounds and feeding them into the open cylinders in the magnum, “I ask that myself every time I pull the trigger or swing a blade. Because if I don’t, then someone else might not.” The pistol’s camber swung closed with a metallic ‘click’ before being holstered on the human’s thigh.

"It helps that I was literally made to do this."

The two walked in silence as the dark forest around them seemed like it was trying to swallow them both up in its unforgiving depths.

“Listen, Night Rose,” Honored pulled the Night Guard to a stop, “Take this flare and fly overhead to the drop pod landing area. Fire it into the sky, so that Sergeant Bold can go ahead and prepare his troops.”

“For what?” Night Rose asked as she carefully tucked the flare behind her wing. We continued walking, her blades making soft scratching sounds against sticks and vines on the forest floor.

A massive roar ripped through the forest, shaking the very forest floor itself. The enormous roar was followed by the sounds of hundreds of other similar terrifying roars and screams.

“For that. GO, NOW!” Honored screamed while spinning around, jumping sideways as a tree landed right where the two had been walking seconds before. Night Rose took to the sky and looked back to see the human landing into a roll and coming up squaring off against a fully grown hydra at least four stories tall.

Night Rose began flying back towards the human who was now standing against a hydra and other creatures that slowly filed out behind the hydra. “NO ROSE, GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!” She stopped, and with pain etched on her face took off from the human and towards the clearing in the distance.

“Looks like it’s just me and you, scaly.” Honored glared at the hydra, “And all your friends.” The Timber Wolves growled while pawing at the ground while a few griffons pointed swords and crossbows at his chest. “Aww, man, no fair!"

The hydra roared and lumbered towards me. I backed up as the rest of the frightening creatures surged forward and everything came at me all at once. I looked at them, the hundreds of creatures charging at me. I looked down at my hands. Both of them were empty.

The rifles on my back felt like they weighed a ton, the pistols on my waist and thighs seemed to be made of lead, and Bad Bertha refused to be drawn from her sheath.

Fuck.

I felt a massive presence encompassing my mind, literally invading my mind.

"Why do you stand against this? Can you not see the unimaginable raw power that bears down upon you now? I will have my war and I will have my victory over this land. Then the next. And the next. And the one after that. You are just one, puny creature to stand against such a means."

My head was splitting at the seams as the voice echoed into my mind, all the while the enemy animals seemed to move at a crawl towards me. Time slowing down as I still struggled to draw a weapon. Any weapon.

"Just let me take you. Stop fighting it. Join this cause and maybe you’ll live to stand amongst the true victors."

I struggled to regain control of my body. It felt like… No…No, it couldn’t be.

It felt like whenever Nightmare had control of my body. I could only watch as my limbs moved of their own accord, completely ignoring any and all of my commands.

"Nightmare…you want a real nightmare? Very well, I'll give you one!"

I leapt forward and began fighting like a demon out of hell. My weapons burned hot as I poured hot death from their barrels and into the creatures of the Everfree. My bowie knife was slick with blood from every animal as I ripped through the ranks of helpless animals.

I spun around and stopped as another griffon with glowing green eyes and black fog melting form it’s eyes plunged a talon into my chest. I felt something begin crawling its way through my body and into my head.

My vision swam as everything turned black and I found myself holstering my pistol and knife. I reached up and grabbed ahold of the hydra’s lowered and head and was pulled up to rest on top of its tallest head. I overlooked the forest and the creatures gathered beneath me.

“Attack.” I commanded, in a voice not quite my own, and watched as the forest released every animal from its depths towards the Crystal Kingdom.

A large red airship covered in cannons and armor approached me and my army. I raised my hand and felt dark magic beginning to form within it. I aimed my gauntlet at the airship and released a massive spell and watched in joy as a black shiny crystal the size of a chariot sliced through the air and smashed through the front of the ship and punched its way out the back. Fast Skies seemed to hang in the air for a moment before it hurtled to the ground and impacted with a massive explosion.

I smiled at the flaming wreckage. The hydra I was riding atop of turned and began marching towards the far off sparkling city. I reached behind me and drew my new spell rifle and let my newfound dark magic flow through it, turning the light blue glow coming from the barrel, into a black smoke that constantly poured forth. My duster and gold armor molded into a black and red cape hanging off of my new armor that was solid black and had curved metal spikes protruding off of it at random angles.

“Time to take my rightful place of power.”

"Ha."

I slammed my gauntlet into my face, stars shooting into my vision. I looked up as the hydra and other creatures got closer to me. “I don’t fucking think so.” I ran forward, my magic pooling into the open palm of my gauntlet and my knife being drawn in the other. I leapt into the air and came down with a burst of magic in front of the army, magic blasting forth from my drop and sending the first few ranks rearing backwards.

I came up in a sprint and lunged forward, diving my blade in and out of the recovering wolves and griffons. The hydra still lumbered towards me, its four heads watching my every movement. I jumped back as a bolt from a crossbow whistled by my head and plunged into a Timberwolf's side.

I yelled out as another bolt found its way into my thigh. I gripped the end of the wooden bolt and snapped it off. I screamed like a banshee, jumping forward and driving my knife into the offending griffon’s skull. I reached behind me and pulled my combat shotgun from its horizontal holster along my waist and leveled it at a Chimera that pounced at me.

BOOM

The goat head vanished into a mist of red, pink, and black while I reached up and gripped the pump and racked it back, still gripping the knife. I swung the weapon around and fired it again into an oncoming wave of Timberwolves.

My knife slashed and the weapon spewed balls of lead into the waves of enemies coming from every direction.

Nothing fights harder than a caged animal with nowhere left to go.

Night Rose watched as the bright red ball of fire soared above the trees and floated over the clearing. She took off after it and hovered in the air as she watched the airship that was standing far off into the distance begin its slow approach. It would be over the pickup zone in only fifteen minutes, but to her, that might as well have been a lifetime.

Night Rose looked up to the red flare and then back towards where she had come from. Her place was beside the human. Sure, he was immature, brutish, rude, and all-around ridiculous, but it was her job to be there and watch him.

And to get his ass out of trouble, if need be.

She bolted towards the sound of gun fire. The airship was inbound, she need to get Honored back to the drop pods anyway.

Honored coughed, painting the ground with a mist of his saliva and blood as he reached out a shaking hand towards his pistol that had fallen. He gripped the slightly smoking revolver and aimed it at the leaping wolf. With a blast, the wolf tumbled backwards, but the chamber cycled onto an empty chamber and a griffon delivered a kick that sent the warrior sprawling onto the ground.

Honored rolled to the side just as a sword was planted into the ground right where he had previously been. He holstered the revolver and drew his knife, deflecting a stab to the side and rearing his legs up, kicking the griffon in the stomach. The griffon fell to the front of the human. The rouge griffon had time to look up and into the barrel of the human’s weapon before everything went dark with a BANG.

The Equestrian Honor Guard slowly stood to his feet. His hair covered in blood, his Stetson lost somewhere on the body-littered forest. At least a hundred Timber Wolf, griffon, and chimera bodies covered the surrounding arena.

Honored was slowly getting beaten farther and farther from the drop pods.

A steady stream of blood leaked out of the human’s right thigh and left arm, while a dried patch of blood covered one side of his head from being hilt-slammed. His chest was covered in blood, a mix of his many enemies and his own, leaking from the wound in his chest.

Honored stood facing down another hundred enemies and the hydra, who had just been ever getting closer but still refusing to attack the human.

“What are you waiting for?!” Honored screamed at the enclosing enemies. “Just finish it then!”

A wolf leapt at him, but was knocked to the side afist made of pure blood red magic. “I'm right here! Come get me!” he ended with cough, as blood erupted from his mouth as a griffon slammed into him from behind. Honored tumbled to the ground, his knife and pistol flying from his grasp.

He scrambled forward on his belly and grabbed the pistol, flipping around and firing three consecutive shots into the griffon’s chest. He rolled to the left to avoid the still-flying body and scooped up the knife.

Honored turned, weapons at the ready, to find himself staring at the stubby leg of the hydra.

The human flew through the air and smashed into a tree, sliding to the ground with a sickening crunch.

Night Rose stared in disbelief as the battle-scarred human flew over a hundred feet and slammed into a tree, a loud snap filling her ears as his body sunk to the ground. The remaining creatures surged forward to claim their kill.

“NOW YA’ CUNTS! FIRE EVERYTHING!”

Every weapon on the starboard side of the Fast Skies opened fire on the mass of creatures moving in the middle of the forest.

“STORM DRIVE, READY THE LONGBOW!” Stand Bold screamed into the intercom.

The pegasus slammed a hoof down onto a lever and the massive three-barreled cannon dropped its angle to almost ninety degrees. “READY SERGEANT!” He shouted back.

“FIRE THAT BEAST YA’ DUMB ASS!” Stand Bold ordered as he watched the barrel spin into the first load.

BOOOOOOM

The barrels spun once.

BOOOOOOM

And again.

BOOOOOOM

Everyone wonders what the fist of an angry god or goddess would look like.

The crew of Fast Skies knew.

I cracked open my eyes to see a barrage of explosive cannonballs rip into the approaching creatures. Chunks of flesh and trees rained all over me as I covered my head with a shaking arm.

The hydra quickened its pace towards me, waddling on stubby legs and roaring as it prepared to finish me off.

I watched at the long tri-barreled cannon suddenly dropped its angle and aimed directly at the hydra.

“Hit ‘em.” I whispered.

BOOOOOOM

I watched one glowing blue round slam through the hydra’s leftmost head and into the ground.

BOOOOOM

Another glowing round slammed through the hydra’s back and out its front, spilling guts and gore all over the ground before me.

BOOOOOM

The final round punched through the hydra dead center between the middle heads and into its middle.

The beast's remaining heads simply stared, fixated at something off to the distance that only it could see. It leaned to the side and slumped down, before another wave of gore flowed through its massive wound. It collapsed into the pool of its own filth, stuck in its thousand-yard stare.

I sighed as more glowing green rounds impacted all over the battlefield. I wondered how many more creatures were still alive that they would continue to fire.

“HERE!” I heard a strange accent-filled scream. “BREX IS HERE!”

“My… by the Everling.” My eyes landed on Brex as he approached me. “Honored… can you hear me?”

“Yeah-“ I coughed up and red filled my vision as pain flooded my body.

“No moving, human.” Brex spun around and began chirping and squeaking in his native language. I watched as a chariot landed near me and white unicorn wearing a blue jumpsuit ran towards me.

I felt something begin to sooth me and something being jabbed into my arm. Then, nothing as blackness filled my eyes and the sound of Brex chirping was the last thing I heard.

The smell of blood and pine was the last thing I remembered.

Luna watched as the airship hovered over the air docks to the side of the Crystal Castle. A chariot being pulled by two changelings flew towards the ground. She caught a glimpse of a brown duster flapping inside of the chariot where a unicorn medic stood pumping magic into a body beneath a sheet that may have once been white, but now was covered in blood and grass stains.

Luna sobbed heavily and leapt after the chariot as it headed for the hospital.

“Celestia,” Cadence walked into the war room with Shining Armor and Tune close behind her, “What’s the news from Honored?” She asked, “Good things, I hope.”

Celestia just hung her head and stared at the map in the same state of shock she had been in for the last two hours. She picked her head up to speak, but Luna burst into the room.

“Everyone needs to hurry quickly. They’re losing him.”

“What's happening?” Celestia stood in the operating room where unicorn doctors struggled to keep Honored clinging to life.

“It… we… it’s just that, with his body’s natural resistance to magic, we are having trouble keeping him alive.” The doctor looked down. “We just can’t keep him going for much longer. This could be it. He sustained such blood loss, and with him being a human… we have no blood to give him. We don’t know what will happen to him.” The doctor looked around, “if we put pony blood into him, his body might fight it and just reject it.”

Celestia stared at the strong and cocky human. Here on the operating table, inches away from death he looked so frail, so weak.

Brex spoke up, "I could take his shape and replicate his blood. Would that work?"

The doctor shook his head, "No, that won't do. His body resists foreign magic, and your transformation is a form of magic."

“I’m afraid that there is nothing we can do.” The doctor dropped his head and turned to the table.

“Use mine.”

Everypony present turned to Luna as she stepped forward. “Alicron blood is different. It isn’t like any blood on the planet. Set up a transfusion. I will give him my blood. It’s the only hope we have.”

“Luna,” Celestia looked at her younger sister, “this may not work.”

"Alicorn blood has been shown to take the form of the host's blood, naturally, without magic. Remember the time Philomena was dying, all those years ago, and you gave her your blood? Now it's my turn. It’s at least worth trying.” Luna said firmly before pushing past her and into the operating room where she sat beside the dying human.

The doctor placed a large needle into Luna’s foreleg and connected it to Honored’s arm before sending magic into the middle pump. Dark blood from Luna slowly began to flow forward through the tube and into the human’s still form.

“Now we wait.” Celestia whispered to herself as Luna gently laid her head across the chest of the human warrior.

New Found Strength

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On My Honor
Chapter 16
By Honored Service
Edited by: Duncan Zundel and Spirit of Harmony

Beep

The soft hums and intermittent clicks of hospital equipment kept Princess Luna company as she watched the sleeping human. It had been nearly four hours since the blood transfusion and Honored was still out cold, but he hadn’t died. He had come back from the brink of death and simply remained unconscious.

As Luna waited patiently for her beloved human to awake, she eyed his blood stained duster lying in the corner of the hospital room once again. She knew without the shadow of a doubt that the Codex was in it. Curiosity had been picking at the edge of her mind for hours now, but she thought it would be rude to look through the human's private thoughts and the ruminations of the addled mind that he had been when he made it. Finally, she gave in and pulled the tattered article of clothing closer to her couchbeside the bed.

Luna quickly looked back to the sleeping human and slowly pulled the black notebook out from the inside of the duster while watching him for any sign of movement. Once the book was held in her magic, she folded the duster away and opened the book to the first page. She took a deep breath, glanced at Honored once more, and dived into the mind of her warrior.

Remember what you are fighting for.

Luna stared at the notebook as the first sentence she saw on the first page as it hit home. He had written this book as a way to protect the ponies after he was gone. And even then he was talking to whomever was reading it, not to lose sight of the goal.

The question is not who will let me, but who will stop me.
Lolol get some, Celestia!

Luna rolled her eyes as she flipped the page, remembering that, even though he was reliable, heroic (depending on who you talked to) and (sometimes) wise, he was still a dramatic weirdo.

Alpha - Charlie Contingency Plans- Dealing with Open Field Encounters- No Strategy

In detailed diagrams and pictures, Luna read over the tactics that the human had written down. These Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie plans dealt with how to kill an enemy force that used no tactics other than charging ahead and using sheer numbers to win a fight. Luna memorized the patterns and the way a leader was to place one’s troops.

The human culture had been in constant war for thousands of years. Luna remembered back to when Honor had shared a brief glimpse into his past on his life. The books she had looked at while on his planet had described countless wars and battles. And Honored’s notebook placed all of this information right at her hooftips.

Delta Plans- Assassination and Sabotage within the Equestrian Government
When looking at the palace security, one lone assailant would be able to easily get within arrow or bolt distance from the princesses easily. I could kill both princesses in Canterlot and be gone within half an hour. Easy. The guard’s security perimeter is relaxed and predictable to the exact minute and the roaming ‘teams’ are only one guard. Teams should be at least two guards strong to insure neither guard is distracted.

It is in my best interest to demonstrate this, and play assassin one day.

By beefing up the teams, and actually controlling the amount of civilians that are let in each day to see the princesses in their open courts, the security around the princesses would be harder to penetrate. Giggity.

Luna looked up from the book and at the human who was still resting with his eyes closed. So he thought that he could kill them? That he, acting as a lone assassin, could breach the Royal Guard and eliminate both of the princesses. She would have to see about this was possible.

Echo - Hotel Contingency Plans- Large Enemy forces moving with a distinct leader, and using tactics.

Activate Sunset.

Luna flipped the page to find it blank. More plans followed after the blank page, but nowhere else in the notebook did Sunset come up. No further information in the entire thing. And this is what she needed information on. Clearly they were dealing with a true villain of evil intentions and using tactics against them, but what was Sunset?

“What is this Honored?” Luna looked down at the notebook and began flipping through the pages again, “What is Sunset?”

“It’s guerrilla warfare.”

Luna screamed and leapt from her seat beside the human and landed on her back. She looked up to see Honored’s eyes half open and a small smile on his face.

“Got ya’.” The human gave a light chuckle before coughing and closing his eyes. “Using a small force of warriors to hit the enemy to decrease their moral. Like hitting supply lines, central targets, and civilian areas.” Honored spoke softly, his voice strained. “It is an evil way of fighting that breaks down a massive force. Basically what is happening to the Crystal Empire now, we turn around and do to the enemy.”

“This sounds like what you just tried to do.” Luna said angrily at the wounded human. “You went in there by yourself!”

“Yea I know, but imagine if I had had some other warriors with me.”

“There was a hydra!” Luna yelled at the human and then stormed up to his bedside. “You were reckless! You should have tried to run rather than fight!” Luna grabbed Honored by his shoulder and raised him slightly, “You could have been killed… and… and I would have been alone again.” She began to weep as she pulled Honored into a hug.

“I was so scared Honored.” Luna sobbed into the human’s back, “They nearly lost you. You had lost so much blood, even with the Element of Protection you couldn’t replace the blood being lost. I had to give you my blood as a last ditch attempt to keep you alive.”

Honored pulled back and looked Luna in the eyes. He ran a hand along her face and gave another weak smile, “It seems that it worked.” He fell backwards as Luna continued to sniffle, but had a smile on her face.

“Yes. I supposed it did, you goofy human.” Luna looked down on the human. The last time she had given blood, it had given Philomena a boost in her intelligence. Who knew what it could do to him. Super strength. Invincibility, creator above he needed that. Or maybe it would just change the color of his hair. The possibilities were nearly endless. Magic is a strange thing.

“So am I going to grow wings or a horn?” Honored asked with his eyes closed from where he was laying on the bed. “Or freaky hooves. Because on my planet I would already be dead by now ya’ know.”

Luna tapped her front hooves together while giving a nervous smile, “Well we actually don’t know what will happen. But probably nothing.” She nodded, the nervous smile not leaving her face.

Honored locked up, his body went rigid and he began to shake violently. Luna’s looked at him startled before watching foam form at his mouth. “NURSE!” Luna boomed in the Royal Canterlot Voice as Honored continued to spasm and jerk around sporadically.

Just as suddenly as it began, he stopped. Luna stared at him as two nurses rushed into the room and stood beside the bed. “What’s the problem your highness?” They looked at the sleeping human and then back to the wide eyed princess.

“He… he was just… I…” Luna stammered as Honored cracked one eye open and gave a small smile and then closed his eye as the pony turned back around to him.

“His heart rate is elevated, but that could be just from dreaming. He is fine your highness, just sleeping.” And with that, the nurse walked off, the second one following after the first after shutting the door.

Luna waited for the two medical ponies to leave before glaring at the human and leaping into the air and onto the bed. “You big jerk!” She lightly punched the human as he struggled beneath Luna lightning fast jabs into his ticklish ribs. “You scared me senseless.” She was still mad at him, but she was happy to see him acting like himself.

Wait.

“Honored,” Luna began, slowly stepping off the human’s bed, “less than two minutes ago you were unconscious. Now you’re making jokes and acting like your old self.” Luna narrowed her eyes and pulled the bandage form the side of his head. The spot that had been beaten open by the hilt of a sword was healed perfectly.

“Hey!” Honored squeaked as all the bandages where pulled off of him without mercy. “This could just be my Element at work! Stop pulling my bandages off!” He slapped Luna’s horn and stopped her flow of magic, “I could do this before I had your blood in me.” Luna’s horn started to glow again. “Knock it off!” He tapped her horn again, before she could start.

Luna blushed as Honored pulled his bed sheets up around his chest and snuggled deeper into the bed. “Now I’m sure that whatever the effect will be will be nothing super huge, I mean come on, my body is naturally resistant to magic that isn’t my own, so most likely nothing will happen.”

Luna looked at me before giving a nod, “You’re probably right Honored. Now I must go and help my sister and Cadence with the news of the attacks. The Elements of Harmony are here, and they said they came to see you, but you were still asleep, so don’t be surprised if I send them back.” Luna opened the door and turned back towards me, “Please get better Honored.”

“Of course your highness.” He gave her a mischievous smile as she blew a raspberry at the tired human and left, closing the door as she walked away. Honored let out a sigh of relief and checked his watch. “Thank God.” he said aloud as not a minute later Spike came walking through the door caring a stack of books.

“Hey Honored, I just saw Princess Luna and she said that she was going to send the others later to see you.” He placed the books on the table beside Honored. “So why did you pretend to stay asleep while everypony was here?” He asked looking at the human as he jumped out of bed and stretched.

“Because Spike, I have things to do.” Honored grabbed the top most book and quickly scanned the first pages before tossing it aside. He continued this process before stopping on a large tome near the bottom of the pile. “Perfect.” He opened the book and then sat it down on the bed. “Spike you can’t tell any of the girls that I’m better already, okay?”

“Sure?” Spike said watching Honored as he walked around and began stacking the books he didn’t need back up. “Why?”

Honored turned with a mad glint in his eye. “Because I have to study!” He pointed at the book Spike had brought, “That book has all the secrets I need to beat the bad guy.” Honored spun around and lifted the book with a burst of his blood red magic. “I have to concentrate and focus on this if I want to beat him.”

Spike just cocked his head to the side and gave Honored a perplexed look. “You feeling alright?”

“I know this sounds strange, me wanting to study and all, but I need you to do this. If the girls, and from them Luna, find out that I’ve been awake and feeling fine for nearly half the day, they are going to start running tests or something on me to find out what Luna’s blood did to me. And I don’t have time for that. There is an evil guy out there destroying the Crystal Empire. I have to stop him.”

“Didn’t you just try to stop him and got your flank kicked?” Spike asked while pointing a claw at the bloody bandages that were piled near the edge of the bed. Honored narrowed his eyes at the dragon.

“I know I did.” He said through gritted teeth, “But I’m going to try something different next time.”

“Oh boy.” Spike said while rolling his eyes, “Okay so you’re still asleep, but I brought you some books for whenever you wake up.”

“Exactly. Thanks Spike.” Honored nodded and then sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the massive tome titled Dark Crystal Magic: The Research of Dr. Rock Sombra.

‘If they knew what I was doing.’ Honored thought as he dove into the book. This tome was written by the pony that had turned into Sombra. He knew. Honored knew who he was fighting. He was fighting Sombra, the master and evil unicorn of dark crystal magic. But hadn’t he been stopped already?

Why was he coming back?

Why now?

Shining Health had been a nurse in the Crystal Trauma Center for… well she forgot… but then remembered once Sombra’s curse had been lifted. Twenty-three years. She had been taking care of ponies for twenty-three years, and taking care of one ‘hoomon’ for two days. She was actually on her way to the new patient’s room to change his bandages.

“Oh Honored I hope you’re feeling better today.” She said with a smile as she opened the door and froze.

Black crystals, darker than night, covered the normally shiny blue room. The bed and medical equipment were now made of the terrifying black crystal too. In the center of the room, standing in an elongated hospital gown, was Honored. He was smiling, his teeth barred in a hideous smile, while his eyes were bright neon green with blood red iris. Dark purple smoke poured from the outside of his eyes as the black gauntlet on his left hand had been turned into shining black crystal. He turned and saw the petrified pony and their eyes met.

Shining Health saw nothing but the terror and pain that Sombra had caused to her and all the ponies of the Crystal Empire, every emotion flooding back to her in an instant. She blinked and locked eyes with the human, who had just been summoning evil dark crystal magic, was now resting in his bed with a small smile.

“Hi Shining Health. I guess I’m feeling a little better. Is it close to lunch yet?” He coughed once, but kept his small smile.

The nurse shook her head rapidly to get the visions from her head. She guessed that Sombra’s evil magic was still having some side effects to her memory. Her patient wasn’t evil and creating evil magic. She was seeing things, silly things.

“It’s actually only 11:30 Honored.” She said with a smile and walked over to the weakened soldier. “But if you would like to eat, I can get you some lunch early.”

“Oh that would be great Shining Health.” He meet her eyes again, and Shining Health saw the tyranny and hatred of Sombra again for a brief flash in her mind. She shook her head again and smiled.

“Now you keep getting your rest.” With that the crystal pony left the room, closing the door and trotting down the hallway.

“Whoa. That was close.” I let out a deep breath and looked at the room. Point thirty-two seconds. That’s how long it took me to undo the dark magic that I had summoned. It had taken an hour to get the magic to start flowing, but then it was easy. The dark crystal magic feeds off of hate. And oh man I had a lot of that towards Sombra. So it just came naturally.

In fact, it came easier than any of the magic I had done in the past using my Element of Sanctuary. I smiled. It was powerful. I knew that much. One section of Dr. Rock Sombra’s book described that after uncovering the crystals, he began to feel strange.

I feel nothing, like an emptiness inside of me now. I know that the crystals have done something, but it is too late to tell anypony. I must fix it myself, the crystals will show me.

They always show me the way.

I know.

The crystals.

Crystals.

Power.

That had been the last entry in the book. I closed the cover and looked out the window across from the bed. I smiled and looked down to my gauntlet while the dull black surface turned into shiny crystal.

“Let’s give this stuff a try.” I cracked my neck and stood up from the bed and walked over to my slightly dirty clothes on the floor. I slipped into my pants and duster, the undershirt I normally wore laying in the shredded rags that it had been reduced to. I stepped towards the window and stared at the ground almost two hundred feet. “Well nothing better than stress testing.”

I leapt forward and out the window and began hurtling towards the ground. The wind wiped at my face and my duster was pulled behind me as I dropped towards the fast approaching ground.

“COME ON!” I screamed while thrusting my gauntlet forward, trying to get the black crystals to form like they had just been doing. I was trying to summon a platform beneath me to land on and fly on, using the magical crystals which provided almost the same amount of power that my Element did.

“PLEASE!” I hollered as I concentrated on fighting Sombra. Beating him. Watching him lose.

Planting my boot on his throat.

Holding him down as I blocked off his air flow and watched the life bleed out from his eyes.

Seeing death take him.

The power leave him, and me take over.

Power.

My body rippled through the air as I felt magic exploded out.

CRCK-BANG

I moved forward through the air on top of a sheet of shiny black crystal. It sliced through the air, a small trail of black fog following behind me. I looked back and smiled, watching the ground disappear as I took off into the sky on the magical crystal. “OH YEAH!” I yelled and pumped a fist into the air. I shifted my weight and the black magic crystal dove towards the glistening city beneath me.

“This is amazing.” I said aloud as I hurtled towards the ground on the board. “I’m flying. And it’s thanks to a magic that is just misunderstood.” I pulled my weight back and the board pulled up sending me flying over the rooftops of the city. I shifted right and made a beeline straight towards the castle in the center of the city. Time to break down my new and improved plan.

It would need power though.

Power.

“No.”

Celestia turned back from the window.

“Nope.”

She had insured that the dark crystal magic had been erased from the library. She was one of the last remaining ponies alive that knew how to control, or at least, handle dark crystal magic. There was only one book left, and that was kept locked away in the Crystal Empire Royal Archives. Only a princess would have access to that section.

Or an assistant to a princess.

“Oh buck me.”

Celestia watched as the small dot of black crystal grew in size and she watched as Honored flew through the air on a sheet of the evil material. He rode it with a smile that had a glint of malice to it. And his eyes. They were the same color as anypony who activated the magic. Bright green and red.

He had it figured out. He could use dark crystal magic.

A creature filled with violence and hate was in control of a magic that positively thrived off those two emotions. Celestia could only begin to imagine what Tartarus he would do with these powers he had gotten ahold of.

Celestia could only hope that he knew what he was doing.

But it was Honored… so probably not.

“So how do I land this?” I asked aloud as the crystal skyboard closed the distance towards the throne room window. “Shit.” I slammed my eyes shut and braced for the hit.

I snapped my eyes open and concentrated on the inside of the room. I flashed forward in a dark mist and watched as everything moved around me and I found myself spinning to a stop in the center of the throne room, a black mist slowly swirling around me. I looked up from the mist and meet the eyes of all the main six, Princess Cadence, Celestia, Luna, and Shining Armor.

All of whom looked surprised, scared, and rather upset with me.

“Sup?” I asked, my voice sounding deep and raspy. “Whoa that’s weird.” I said looking down at my hands and then shaking my gauntlet till its normal dull black color had returned. “Okay that’s better.” Celestia had her eyes narrowed at me, well everypony in the room was looking at me with some kind of anger or fear.

“Honored.” Celestia gave me a look surprise mixed with fear. “Are you in control?”

“Of course.” I stated obviously. “Why would I not be in control?” I walked over to the large table that still had a large map of the Crystal Empire spread out on it. I began tracing the edge of the Everfree. There was only a fraction of the forest here in the north if Equestria. Most of it was found… lower, the center of Equestria. Oh fuck.

As I stared at the map as the horrible truth set in, Celestia was still speaking behind me, “Honored it took me months to regain control over myself once I started to use dark crystal magic. It is an unbalanced force that is extremely powerful, but hard to reel in once it is let lose.”

“Princess Cadence,” I turned to face the Princess of Love, “are there any dominate features in the Everfree here leading down to the south?”

“No.” She said, confusion etched across her face. “Honored what’s wrong?”

“Celestia, we can talk about dark crystals or whatever later, we have been tricked.” I turned back to the map and pointed at the forest that stretched from the north all the way down to the center of Equestria. A covered and concealed pathway leading directly into the heartland of Equestria.

“Push forward!” The rumbling demonic voice rang out through ever creature’s head as they marched into the forest. Deeper and deeper the massive army under the control and command of Sombra through the Everfree Forest. The creatures marched for so long that they could feel the climate change as they left the cold north and entered the fall of the south.

“Oh you predictable and pitiful ponies.” Sombra allowed himself a deep chuckle. It had almost been too easy. The weak north had been the perfect distraction. All the leaders and that human would run to the aid of the Crystal Empire, leaving Equestria without its primary defenders. Only the garrisons of weak Royal Guard would stand between his army and his rule of Equestria.

And once Equestria was taken over, he could then retake his north. Although Equestria had always been his main goal. He would first have his main course. Then the Crystal Empire would be his succulent dessert.

A griffon with dark blood red markings drawn around his face landed beside the unicorn. He bowed deeply to the half changed unicorn who was still changing from his old color and size to the new Sombra. “My Lord, we have the first town in sight. Upon your command we can take the pitiful ponies my storm.”

“Then we stand unopposed.” Sombra turned to the small town tucked away in between two large hills. “This town of Laudermare will fall easily.”

“Alright recruits!” Master Sergeant Stand Bold stood on a small wooden platform in front of a group of over one hundred ponies with freshly shaved manes and cut tales. Behind Stand Bold stood four other leaders of the Equestrian Honor Guard training facility at Fort Mareadale. A large black shadow stood to the far left, his bright red eyes watching the crowd with intensity that made every recruit that dared to look back shiver. A one winged pegasus stood still next to the shadow, a dagger that seemed to hum and vibrate rested against his hip as he gave the crowd a cocky smile. A tall and well-built unicorn with a thick pair of glasses stood to the right, a glowing bow of gold slung across his neck. He watched the ponies with interest as he examined the newest crop. On the far right stood a mammoth of an earth stallion. He was stoic and moved not once during the speech, save to shift the massive hammer on his back around so that its humongous head could be seen by the recruits.

“Ya’ little excuses of wasted space have decided to try and join the most elite defense force in the Royal Guard. There are under sixty current members. Six of which are the current holders of the Elements of Sanctuary.” Stand Bold gestured to the five of them before the recruits.

“And the sixth is a bloody insane and downright suicidal near extinct creature known as the devil-god himself.” Several recruits whispered to each other about the sixth being that would be an instructor.

“Oh I’m sorry recruit!” Stand Bold pounced down from the stand and marched up to the pony that whispered to his fellow recruit. “Didn’t know I was interrupting your story time. For that, everypony get running. Two laps around the base.”

Not a single pony dared to move.

“NOW!” Hammer Strike roared as he dove up into the air with a powerful burst from his legs and slammed the head of his hammer against the ground, a rippling blue wave of energy knocking several ponies backwards and sending the recruits running away in a mass pack running around the road around the training center.

“I think that was the best intro yet.” Stand Bold said as he looked up to Hammer Strike. “Damn good yelling.”

“Thanks.” Hammer said without any emotion, watching the recruits run off into the distant.

“Anypony heard anything from Honored?” Battle Plan stepped down from the platform and joined the two on the ground. “We sent him a letter weeks ago and no response.”

“I saw him board a carriage to the Crystal Empire about a week ago.” Covert said still watching the recruits. “You think he would want to be here for this.”

“Nah, I barly made it in time to save him. And that was with Fast Skies reaching red on the engines. He should still be recovering.” Stand Bold said with a sigh. Hearing about a friend getting hurt was always terrible, but having to watch it from the safety of the airship that had been truly awful.

“What is that?” Quick Flurry asked, pointing his only wing at a speck in the distance hurtling towards the camp.

“I looks like a chariot.” Battle Plan noted as he cocked his head to the side.

The speck grew in size until it could be clearly seen as a Royal Guard chariot. It was speeding towards the camp at an incredible velocity. The sun glinted off the golden sides of the chariot as it skidded to a halt across the large parade field in the center of the camp. Camp Sunfall was located at the edge of Fort Laudermare. It had been the ideal place to act as the home of the Equestrian Honor Guard branch of the guard.

A unicorn guard leapt from the carriage and sprinted to the group of Elements. He was out of breath and his armor was covered in scratches and dents. All in all, he looked like he had just completed a marathon in the gear.

“Elements of Sanctuary?” he asked the group.

“Kid, what other group has a freaking Shadow Human and a one winged pegasus in it?” Stand Bold asked with a cocky smile. “Yeah that’s us.”

“I have an urgent message from Princess Celestia under the code sunset.” The guard said with a frown. “I must play the message for you now in a secure location.”

Every Element stiffened at the mention of sunset. Hammer narrowed his eyes and then moved off towards the nearest building. He was followed by the reaming guards and the messenger.

The group entered the empty classroom and pushed a few desks out of the way so a semi-circle was formed around the messenger. “Okay guard, what’s happening?” Battle Plan asked as he locked the door behind the assembly of Elements, no need for anypony to walk in on a top secret meeting of the minds.

The gray unicorn guard took a deep breath and then aimed his horn at the center of the semi-circle. A pop and a fizz of magic later, the room was filled with the voice of Princess Celestia as her form slowly took shape.

“To the Elements of Sanctuary, this is a level one secure message sent under the orders of Sunset.”

“HI GUYS!” A white hand waved across Celesita’s face. “Super-secret and scary, we know Celestia.” The focus shifted from Princess Celestia to Honored who stood up. He was wearing a blood stained brown duster that was missing a lot of its original armor. A few new scares doted the human’s face and he didn’t seem to stand up as straight as he had use too.

“Listen, I’m activating Sunset because I just had my ass handed to me. I nearly died. On a side note, I have Luna’s blood in me, but that’s whatever.” Honored stopped and then turned to the side glancing at something outside of the spell’s range. His focus remained away for a few seconds before he turned back to the unicorn recording the spell. “Alright, alright, serious from here on out.”

“This is bad. I have reason to believe that we have been tricked. A villain that was thought defeated, a King Sombra, has lead the Princesses to the north to remove the main defense away from Equestria. He is then using the Everfree Forest as a covered route to enter Equestria, avoiding detection. I am asking that you send out a scouting party that consists of at least two of you into the forest to see if any sign of a large force has moved past your position.”

As the Elements of Sanctuary leaned into the recording to hear what Honored would say next, a boulder the size of a small chariot slammed through the roof of the building and landed in the center of the semi-circle, cutting off the unicorn’s spell. With a yelp, the guard toppled backwards and landed on his back, staring at the hole in the ceiling.

“What the bloody nightmare?” Stand Bold shot into the air and looked carefully out of the gapping ceiling.

He slowly lowered himself back to the ground and looked at the four other Elements of Sanctuary.

“The army he was talking about is here. Isn’t it?” Battle Plan asked. Stand Bold gave a single nod before removing his magically enchanted crossbow from his back and locking a glowing pink bolt into it. “Very well.” Battle Plan sighed and unslung his bow in his magical aurora.

“It HAS to be Tuesday.” Quick Flurry rolled his eyes as his wicked dagger slipped free from its sheath.

“Yea.” Hammer Strike shrugged while gripping his hammer in his mouth and lifting it up into the air.

Stand Bold turned to the messenger. “Is Honored on the way?” The messenger nodded rapidly.

“He sent the message a day ago, Lieutenant Service and Princess Luna left shortly after I did with a guard force of fifty royal battle mages and fifty royal sun archers.”

“Then they should arrive before too long.” Covert said while an alien looking weapon formed in his shadowy hands. With a solid ‘clunk’, a piece of the weapon locked back and slammed forward chambering a weapon.

“Let’s hope so.” Quick Flurry opened the door before turning back to the group, “Because if he got his ass kicked, how are we going to stop that?” His wing pointed to an army lumbering out of the dark depths of the Everfree Forest. Three hydra filed out from the forest behind wave after wave of never ending enemies. Timber wolves, griffins, chimeras, and other nightmarish creatures poured forth towards the camp. A camp filled with recruits aspiring to be the best of the best, and to even get to this stage of the Equestrian Honor Guard, one had to already be one of the best.

The new King Sombra couldn’t have chosen a better place to test his magnificently evil army.

“ADVANCE!” Sombra roared out across his ranks of evil minions as the air around his body shimmered and armor made of dark void crystals formed around him. Black fog formed at his hooves as Sombra strode forward as the ranks of creatures spilled from the forest like a creat tidal wave bent on destruction and mayhem.

He smirked as his army rushed towards the first target on its way through Equestria. A simple looking camp for Royal Guards. It would be easy. A giant crushing a bug.

A wolf made of wood jumped over the gate and landed on the inside of the camp. It looked left and then turned its head in search of its next victim.

CLUNK

A massive hammer slammed down onto the beast’s head and crushed it into the earth. A huge blue earth pony ripped the Warhammer from the ground and stood atop the crumpled body. More wolves turned to the sound and began charging the gate and fence, determined to avenge their fallen brother. Griffin rouges and chimeras joined in the assault on the main entrance.

Twang

SHINK SHINK SHINK SHINK SHINK

Golden arrows that shone as bright as the sun began sprouting through the bodies of the attacking enemies. Some stopped and looked down to the wounds, staring in disbelief before collapsing to the ground, struggling to draw their last pained breath. A sage colored unicorn with a short silver mane and glasses stood atop a hastily constructed barricade, a glowing silver bow gripped in his magical aurora.

As more and more Everfree creatures poured from the far reaches of the forest, the gate began to break, allowing the enemy entrance into the camp. As the evil army slunk into the camp, creeping around the wooden barracks and buildings, shadows danced in between the buildings. Griffins stopped and leveled their crossbows, aiming at nothing. Chimeras stopped and sniffed the air. An unfamiliar smell filled the air.

CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK

A long rip that sounded like a long zipper being pulled filled the air as enemy after enemy dropped to the dirt chocking on blood that filled their lungs. As the final enemy fell to the ground, seven holes placed perfectly in the griffin’s chest, a shadowy figure stepped forward from the side of a building. The two legged friendly nightmare aimed his weapon down at the wounded creature before letting off a short burst of the M249 machine gun into its head. A small slowly split across his face, showing off his blood red mouth filled with pointed fangs. The shadow simply vanished into the shadows as more enemies rushed into the camp.

A flash of yellow zipped across the ground. A scream of pain echoed across the battlefield. Another flash of yellow. Another scream.

At the east side of the camp, a group of rouge griffins began making their way towards the center of the camp, but was meeting resistance.

“Watch the left!” The leader called out in a shaky voice. He was terrified. He had just witnessed two separate attacks on his fellow rouges. One second they had been standing there, crossbows at the ready, then a flash of yellow, and now they both were lying in a pool of blood, necks spilt open, rivers of crimson blood flowing onto the dirt.

“Nothing!” A griffin yelled back, loading another bolt into his crossbow before firing randomly off into the distance. “I got noth-“

SLING

The griffon clawed at his throat as blood began to run through his claws while he collapsed to the ground, struggling to stop the wound. The flash of yellow zipped between two griffins who both fired their crossbows at the shape, but only succeeded in hitting each other in the chest. They both dropped, leaving the griffin team leader alone, surrounded by bodies of his fallen rouge comrades.

The griffin watched as a yellow one winged pegasus stopped in front of him and smiled. The griffon slashed his sword forward with all of his strength, but watched in almost what felt like slow motion as the pegasus easily side stepped propelled himself to the side using his one wing. The griffin’s sword stuck into the dirt as a burning sensation ripped into his side.

The griffin watched as the dagger was jerked forward, effectively slicing half his side open, darkness creeping into his vison as he hit the ground and watched the pegasus trot away with a bounce in his step.

“Messenger, what’s the status on the east front?” Sombra asked the chimera to his right side as he stepped over the crumbled remains of the camp’s gate.

“Nothing has been sent back my lord.” The chimera said with a frown, “The rouge griffins tend to be rather slow.”

“No matter,” Sombra said with a shrug of his shoulder, the crystal reflecting the sun as he did so, “anyway send a hydra to the east just as a precaution.”

“Excellent decision my lord.” The chimera bowed as he ran away to get the hydra ready.

“This is so sim –“ Sombra stopped as a glowing pink gem attached to a stick of wood landed right in front of his hoof. “What is-“

BOOM

Sombra vanished in an explosion as a tan pegasus with a red mane flew over the battlefield. Another pink tipped bolt magically flew out of his quiver and placed itself in the grove of the metal crossbow. Stand Bold sighted in another group of enemies and loosed the bolt into the center of the mixed creatures.

Another pink explosion of death swallowed the creatures before a jagged shard of black crystal whistled by the pegasus, just barely missing his wing.

“Ah bloody Tartarus.” Sergeant Stand Bold grumbled as a sheet of black magic headed directly at him from an extremely pissed off villain. “Where the flying feather is Honored?!” Stand Bold yelled out as he dodged, dipped, dived, ducked, and dodged his way around dark magic crystal spears that were thrown into the air after him.

‘I’m going to be too late.’ I thought to myself quietly as I looked over the side of the chariot that was hurtling through the air. Four changelings were pulling the chariot at an insane speed thanks to their unique magic. That’s twice now their use has helped me in some way. I’m glad that they decided to stay and help me after i had my ass handed to me. They had power. I liked that.

“One minute!” The lead challenging yelled back to me. I gave him a sharp nod before looking down to the rifle in my hands. I checked the bolt on the weird bizarre plasma-TV-rifle thing. I had my trusty M16A2 strapped to my back, stupid blue cat paw and all on it and beside it in its brown sheath was my Element of Sanctuary, the large sword of Protection.

I saw the far off smoke looming on the horizon. “No.” I whispered. I was too late. The battle would be over. Fort Laudermare would be the same thing that I had witnessed at all the other towns.

Except this one would have my friends at the center of it. Dead. More friends that I had let down, and it would cost them their lives. Covert. Stand Bold. Hammer Strike. Quick Flurry. Battle Plan. That messenger I sent. Countless other guards that wanted to be Equestrian Honor Guards. All of them I failed. I couldn’t stop Sombra. I didn’t have the strength.

The power.

I didn’t have the power then.
Now I did.

“Ten seconds!”

I stood up and looked down at the ground from the back of the chariot. Tune and Princess Luna were arriving via train in a few hours along with a force of guards. Both Equestrian, Crystal, and guards from other nations that heard our call for help and answered it. For once, I wasn’t going to do this alone. I had friends. And power. Power.

“GO!”

I gave one last nod and then jumped off the chariot and hurtled towards the ground. Through my watering eyes I passed through smoke arising from fires that were raging through the training camp. I gritted my teeth as I thrusted my gauntlet forwards and a dark cone of dark magic began to form around me, the point originating from my hand and going all the way around my body.

I watched the battle grow closer through the dark magic cone around me. I could see recruits battling alongside glowing weapons of varying colors. I picked out the Elements of Sanctuary by the unique glow the weapons had. Pink bolts from Stand Bold’s crossbow flew through the air. Quick Flurry’s yellow dagger slashed through the air. Hammer Strike’s blue hammer smashed into the ground, knocking enemies aside like nothing. Golden arrows from Battle Plan’s bow dropped enemies left and right. Red slashes from a katana marked where Covert silently brought evil minions to their deaths.

My friends were still alive! I wasn’t too late! I could still fight with them. I could show them my power.

I could show Sombra my power.

I could kill Sombra with my power.

My power.

I smiled as I neared the ground. It was time to release my new found power.

Stand Bold looked away from the battle long enough to watch the dark magic cone form midair and hurtle towards the gate where the enemy was still steadily marching into the camp. “What in the world?” He asked aloud as a flash of green formed in the center of the dark cone. It looked like two neon green eyes.

The cone slammed into the ground and black crystals fired up from the ground in every direction from the impact zone. Ring after ring of dark crystal shot out of the ground and traveled along the ground in a wave. Recruits scampered around the crystals as they impaled any creature from the Everfree. Griffins and winged chimeras took to the sky, leaving all the earth bound nightmares to the mercy of the crystals.

A sickening ‘boom’ finally reached Stand Bold’s ears from the impact. As the crystals stopped shooting up from the ground. In less than five seconds, the entirety of the attacking army’s ground forces, were suspended above the ground, speared and gored through with black crystals.

From the center of the crater in the center of the dead enemy army, a lone figure slowly arose. Standing on two legs, and cradling a rectangular weapon in his arms, Honored Service moved forward through the carnage. His eyes glowed bright green, as purple fog seeped out from the side of his eyes. His lips were curled back in a vicious smile as he raised his rifle and began to fire single shots into the sky, dropping any flying creature that he was able to get a bead on.

His normal armored duster was gone, a new black cape flowed behind him as his shiny black armor, trimmed in blood red paint reflected off the sun in the sky. As he walked along the ground, dark crystals formed beneath his boots, paving his way through the ravaged training camp.

Stand Bold couldn't believe his eyes. Was that his friend? Was that Honored?

Absolute Power Is Magic

View Online

On My Honor
Chapter 17
By Honored Service
Edited By: Spirit of Harmony and Duncan Zundel

I walked forward slowly as I aimed my plasma rifle into the air and gently squeezed the trigger.

FZZSH

I smiled at the familiar smell of ozone the gun emitted. The vibrant flash of purple as the superheated gas splashed into the flying targets, dropping them instantly. Maybe it was the sounds of battle, the smell of victory as I passed by another speared Timber Wolf. Something about it all was incredibly serene, beautiful.

I grinned wickedly as I looked to a group of recruits who watched me move through the battlefield from behind a rampart made of desks and storage crates.

“Where are the Elements of Sanctuary?” I asked, my deep voice rumbling out as a hundred hooves and one paw pointed towards the center of camp to my right. “Thanks.” I gave them a nod and raised my gauntlet in a fisted gesture.

“FOR THE EVERFREE!” A loud piercing screech sounded out from above me and I looked up to see a griffon diving at me with two short swords clasped in her claws. I smirked.

Opening my hand, I aimed my gauntlet at her and released my magic. The griffon froze in directly overhead. I slowly levitated her in front of me and smiled at her.

“Oh my, what spirit you have.” I said sarcastically, my voice like a clap of thunder.

As I slowly began to close my fist, the griffon dropped her swords and began clawing at her throat, trying feebly to stop the force that was slowly squeezing around her neck.

I continued to watch as her breathing became slower, more laborious, until it stopped entirely.

POP

Her body dropped to the ground, but her head remained floating in the air, blood leaking from the wrinkled neck, her face frozen with a look of pure terror and pain etched into it.

“Weak,” I sneered before tossing the head beside the body. I moved away and continued on my way to my friends.

“Faster, please!” Luna stood behind the conductor of the train as he adjusted a few levers and knobs on the train. “We mustn't be late. Honored can only do so much alone!”

“Let the bodies hit the floooooooorrrrrrrrr!” I sang aloud giddily while spinning in a circle, firing my plasma rifle and M16 at the same time. I clutched both weapons tight in my hands and wielded them with lethal precision as the circle of enemies around me began to jerk erratically, rounds and plasma ripping into their flesh and armor. A bolt from a crossbow whizzed through the air, but a tendril of black magic shot out of my back and intercepted it, throwing it back to the griffin that had shot it.

It hit its target with a resounding SHLUNK.

I looked to the tendril of magic sprouting from my spine and smiled. The tendril bobbed up and down before slithering over my shoulder and taking the plasma rifle from my hand, coiling around the grip and trigger. It aimed the weapon behind me and began to rattle off shots while I faced the front.

“Nice.” I smiled as I blasted a chimera through the head with well-placed burst from the rifle. I dropped the empty magazine on the ground and then pulled it up with my gauntlet and shot it forward, smacking a griffon right in between his eyes.. He staggered backwards, swinging his sword wildly, trying to score a hit, but was failing.

I smirked, “Pathetic.”

I slammed a fist made of solid crystal into his head, the bones collapsing in as my fist went through the skull with ease. “Damn, what can’t you do?” I asked as I made a fist in front of me, readying another spell with my new magic. Around me, the chimeras and griffins stopped fighting and stopped to stare at me.

“Let’s have a little flashback, shall we?” I laughed as I released the spell and watched the creatures begin to attack each other as I watched. I took this time to load my rifle and clean some of the blood and flesh off of the gun while I watched the massacre in front of me.

At the end of the fighting, one chimera with one remaining head stood dazed as it looked around. I snapped my fingers and the creature jumped forward onto a sword.

I looked around. "What, nobody else? Darn, just when things were get-

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR"

I felt the earth shake as a massive red dragon with a yellow underbelly and spiked back flew out of the forest and landed at the front of the training camp. I stared it down as it lowered its head, revealing a some shiny motherfucker with red and green eyes.

Sombra.

Sombra was riding a fucking dragon. That lucky son of a bitch.

I felt the new magic within me surge towards him, almost as if trying to pull itself closer.

“Ah, the human. You should have died, yet here you still stand before me. How is that?” He asked with a neutral voice, a slight frown on his face. I noticed that his transformation was complete and he looked now just like the original.

“Eh, I got better.” I rumbled at him. I turned my head and saw the familiar glow of the Elements coming towards me. Good. With my friends here, we could end this much faster.

'Friends.'

'Why do you need friends? Look at what you did by yourself.'

I turned and survived my area of the battlefield. Hundreds of bodies covered the area, large skewers of dark crystals jutted out of the ground, bodies piled on them like kebabs. I looked to the rifle that was still wrapped in the tendril of manifested dark magic. The bolt racked back again on the plasma weapon and the gun began to emit a humming noise.

I had done this. All of this was done with just my weapons and magic. My power.

I smiled. My friends could get hurt.

'Or get in your way as you deliver your glorious power unto your enemies.'

Ookaay. That was weird.

I reached up and placed a hand on my top most pocket on my chest rig. I felt three little bumps in the pocket. My smile grew wider as I reached into the pocket and slowly pulled out a single purple glowing 5.56 round. I looked at Twilight’s enchantment and then closed my eyes as I let my newfound magic begin to weave itself into the round as well.

I opened my eyes to see the tip of the bullet glowing purple, and at the middle of it, a black ball of energy lazily spun around. I grinned wildly and dropped the magazine from the weapon and pulled the charging handle back, sending the normal round out. I dropped the magic round into the chamber and closed the bolt. I lifted the rifle and aimed at the dragon and Sombra about two hundred meters away.

“When you have power, use it.” I felt my magic reach what would be a unicorn's second corona, and a wall of crystal formed along my back, digging into the ground and branching out four or five feet. Hopefully that would keep me from suffering the mammoth recoil this round would create.

I squeezed the trigger at Sombra’s head. Through the minimal zoom in the scope, I think I saw him gasp. The world around me seemed to suddenly lose all its light, all the sunshine vanished as it was sucked into the rifle’s barrel. Around me it became night time, as the end of the barrel exploded in light and vanished as a solid line of black shot forward, almost too fast to see. A thin black line nailed the dragon in the center of its head, and then exited out the back and continued into the Everfree forest for five hundred meters.

Then the thin beam of black magic expanded a hundred fold, exploding outwards to the left and right, making everything it touched simply vanish. It just ceased to be. Buildings, trees, grass, rocks, creatures, and the dragon just vanished in a quick flash of dark magic.

For over five hundred meters the world ceased to exist. Just a trench of dirt carved like an ugly scar onto the Equestrian landscape.

Like an angry God took a knife to the world.

The trench tapered to a point that ended right below my rifle barrel. I looked at the M16 and noticed that the barrel now emitted a black fog along its length.

It has absorbed the power of those whose lives it took.

"Duuude."

Crkkkk

I looked down at my feet, noticing that there were cracks spiderwebbing their way across the crystal wall.

“HONORED!”

I spun around, shattering the remnants of the wall as I moved, bringing the weapon to my shoulder and aiming...

...into the face of Stand Bold.

He and the rest of the Elements of Sanctuary skidded to a halt before me. Stand Bold stared at the weapon in my hand and then back to me. “Honored?” He asked.

“Heheh, whoops!" I said, dropping the weapon.

I was about to pull the trigger.

Why?

'The power from these creatures would make that weapon unstoppable.

Make you unstoppable.'

I shook my head and quickly looked away from my friends. “Guess I got a little carried away.” I looked back to the destruction that I had caused. “We'll, that's that."

WHAM

Blinding pain erupted from my side as I flew through the air and crashed into the side of a wooden building. The wall gave way and I soared into the building, landing in a heap in the center of the room. Everything spun around me as I tried to move, but everything hurt.

“You know not what power you wield, you sniffling whelp.” I groaned and rolled over, trying to feel for my rifle. My hand found the end of the sling, the clip on it broken, my rifle somewhere between here and the spot from where I had been hit at. “You think you can kill me? I have had over a thousand years to master the dark void and its crystal magic. You think that after a few days you have even the faintest hope of defeating me?” Sombra stood over me, his eyes ablaze with anger. I could see that some of his smoky tail was gone, no doubt because of my rifle.

“You DARE think that you have what it takes to defeat me? That you have that kind of power?”

“No.” I coughed and looked at him, a small, defiant smile slowly forming on my face as my hand found the grip to my pistol. “But I think I can make do.”

I pushed myself across the ground with a burst of magic while a faint Tune began to fill the air.

I spun around and came up, aiming my pistol down at Sombra and squeezing the trigger on the Berretta. The nine millimeter rounds dented into Sombra’s black armor but failed to break him.

He was right, alone I couldn’t beat him, but I wasn’t alone.

'They will get in the way.'

I dropped the empty magazine for the pistol and slipped a full one into the mag well.

"Nah-ah-ah!” I leapt backwards a spear made of crystal slammed into the ground, shards of the powerful black magic scattered through the air. "Gotta be faster than that!"

Sombra stood opposite me, several spears floating in his magical grasp. I holstered the pistol and reached over my shoulder. I gripped the handle of the Element of Sanctuary and drew it to my side.

I felt Tune roll up behind me, his lights illuminating the building and his weapons all aiming across the room and tracking the lone target.

“You’re about to find yourself in a world o’ hurt, buddy," Stand Bold said as he aimed his crossbow at the pony.

I looked over my shoulder to see all of my friends standing behind me. Stand Bold had his weapon aimed at Sombra, bolt ready to fly. Hammer Strike and Quick Flurry both stood side by side, Hammer’s hammer (heh) and Quick’s dagger were both pulled back, ready to strike. Battle Plan stood farthest to the left, his bow drawn taught, three glowing arrows resting on string. Covert reached forward and swiped his katana around in the air before drawing it across his body and pointing it down.

All of Tune’s weapon systems were trained on the lone assailant as he watched us all with hate filled eyes. He widened his stance and cracked a smile, “Six against one? Grab a few more guards and it might be a fair fight.”

“Then I think I should suffice.” I turned and looked up and saw Princess Luna perched on a windowsill overlooking the battle torn room. Floating beside her was the machine gun I had given her, loaded and ready to kill. Behind Luna I could see Night Guards and Crystal Guard pegasus floating in the air, spears and swords clutched in their hooves. A loud bang filled the air as the doors to the building exploded in and unicorns form both the Day and Night guards filled in the room. Crystal guards, griffins, a few diamond dogs, and even a small dragon followed in behind the unicorn battle mages.

My mind went blank as I realized the sheer amount of help that we were receiving. For once it wasn’t a handful of warriors against a monstrous enemy. We had the support of nations all across Equestria. The Equestrian Honor Guard had multiplied rapidly, accepting all warriors loyal to Equestria, and here they were. Ready to fight.

'We had it under control.'

“Whoa, wait, who's we?” I asked aloud.

Everybody looked at me, even Sombra gave me a look.

“Uh...I mean, you’re going down Sombra.”

Every weapon was pointed at the lone unicorn and every horn was charged with a spell. Sombra simply looked around and smiled.

“Very well, I can tell when I have been bested, I surrender.” He closed his eyes, jammed his spears in the ground, and waited. No one dared to move.

“Is this some sort of jest?” Luna asked from her spot above the large room. “Surely you can’t be serious.”

“Oh, but I am.” Sombra looked up to Luna, “I can tell that even if I was able to finish casting my spell, I would only kill half of you here, leaving the other half alive. And that just won't do. I know you Luna, Honored, Elements of Sanctuary. You have integrity, honor. You wouldn't kill an enemy that is giving up.”

“Guess again.” I glared at him and walked forward. “I have no sympathy for you. You think that by surrendering you'll get to live and kill us later?"

Sombra didn't respond, didn't move a muscle.

"THINK AGAIN, FUCKBOY! I will gladly kill you now and save us the trouble of dealing with you later!"

I leveled the pistol in my hand at Sombra’s head and squeezed the trigger.

CLACK

“Eh?” I looked down to see the hammer caught in a orange aurora. I turned to stare as Battle Plan took my pistol from my grasp and Stand Bold moved forward.

“Honored, what the fuck, man?” He asked as some of the guards began to relax. I turned my attention back to Sombra, but kept my sword ready to strike. He knowingly smiled at me and seemed to wink at me. “There was a time when you didn’t welcome battle. But today, Honored I don’t know what I saw today. I watched you take enjoyment of killing all those creatures. You looked like a demon. I know that’s your nickname, Demon King, but today you truly lived up to it. You relished in killing those creatures."

I kept my sword pointed at Sombra’s neck as he smirked at me. “You know why, don’t you, 'Honored Service'?” He gave a deep chuckle that sounded out through the entire building, “It's flowing through you. I feel it. I know you feel it, too. It’s what gave you the unimaginable strength to fight so many in such little time..” He jerked his head to the side motioning towards my friends behind me, “Go on. Tell them. Tell them what it really is.”

“I…” I began but felt something pulling at me. My newfound power, this dark magic was truly the root of it, but it also gave me this unbelievable control that let me strike down an entire army in a single swoop. It was too great, but it was too important to not have. It gave me the strength to defeat all that stood before me.

But at what cost?

'Friendship? Is that really worth giving up this power?'

Well, duh.

I lowered my sword and took a deep breath.

“I-I learned dark magic. The same that Sombra uses. It gave me the strength to fight him. When I lost that battle in the Everfree, I failed all of you. I’ve come close to death, but look at what my failure has brought. We just had an all-out battle in the middle of Equestria. I failed to stop him,” I jerked the sword back at Sombra and noticed how much it was shaking, “And he brought war back to Equestria.”

“Honored.” Luna said from above.

“And on that note.” Sombra slammed his hooves into the ground and a bubble of black magic shot forward, shoving everyone back. Sombra leapt backwards as I reared up and tossed a throwing knife at him. He dodged the blade as the back wall exploded, scattering guards in every direction.

Everyone took cover as a two hydras broke into the room and began shredding anything and anyone they got ahold of.

“GET DOWN!” I yelled from behind a desk. I reached down to my sling but groaned as I felt the broken clip. Something knocked me in the head, jarring me to focus as a floating M16 bobbed next to my head. I snatched the weapon out of Luna’s field and popped up from behind the desk and began to fire concentrated shots into the hydra’s many heads.

“Where the fuck did he go?” I asked out as I rolled to the side, a hydra head snatching the desk in its jagged teeth.

Tune joined in the battle as he skidded to a halt in front of me, his .50cal barking shots onto the enemy hydras, blasting them back out of the building.

On the way out, a hydra hit one of the support beams, and the ceiling shuddered.

“Sir, we must take this fight out into the open, before the building collapses.” Tune’s robotic voice spoke over his music.

I nodded and reached out, grabbing onto his equipment rack and getting to ride what was once my iPod onto the battlefield.

Three hydras in total were smashing apart the training camp eating everything they crossed. Unicorns launched spells at them while pegasi dove around their heads, slashing with their short swords. The Diamond Dogs used strange gem-powered crossbows. The one young dragon I saw stood held two cutlasses and used his scales to his advantage, fighting his way through the oncoming waves of minions that Sombra still had control of.

“Sombra.” I muttered under my breath as I saw him across the training camp retreating towards the Everfree that he had emerged from. “I don’t think so. Tune, step on it.”

“With pleasure, sir.” We began heading through the war torn camp. Tune’s weapons fired periodically as we drove, expertly placed shots knocking enemies over left and right while I fired my M16 from on top of Tune. As we neared closer to the retreating villain, one hydra broke from the rest and began lumbering its way towards Tune and myself.

“Tune, 180 and heavy bravo.” I called out as I prepared myself.

“MARK!” I leapt into the air and summoned a sheet of black crystal beneath me as Tune’s gun mount swiveled around and unleashed a withering barrage of fire at the hydra. The hydra stumbled at the sudden impacts along its body, failing to notice me flying towards it on my crystal platform.

“Hit him.” I jumped forward and the crystal board morphed, becoming long and thin like a spear and lodging itself into the hydra’s chest. I slammed into the crystal with my boots, pushing it all the way into the hydra. I dropped down, sending a tendril of magic out and stabbing it into the hydra and then swinging myself around the creature’s three necks, keeping the magic flowing so that soon the three heads had been tied together by the black rope.

I landed in front of the creature and squeezed my fist tight, jerking down. The rope went impossibly tight and sliced through all three necks at once, bringing the whole beast down to the ground in a splatter of pooling blood.

I turned and smiled wickedly at Sombra who stood watching from the wood line. ‘I’ve got you beat and you know it.’

‘You think these simple parlor tricks can even hope to stop me?’ Sombra's voice echoed in my mind.

‘I don’t think –‘ I thought before reaching out and releasing my teleportation spell, “I know!” I yelled at Sombra as I appeared alongside him and drove a crystal-encased fist into the side of his head, causing his silver and black helmet to fall off and his body to go sprawling across the ground. He looked up to me and vanished in flash of black mist before reappearing in front of me. A long, curved sword made of crystal hovering beside him, 'Void's Blight' engraved in the side. I smirked at him before taking my own sword out from its sheath and holding it at my side.

"Fuckboy wants to play games, eh? I’ll play, I'll play."

I looked around, taking note that everyone else was far behind us in the camp. I smiled before laughing deeply.

“What is it? Laughing at your own demise?” Sombra asked, raising a eyebrow AND smiling.

“Nope.” I grinned before reaching down and slowly drawing the .44 magnum form its thigh holster and holding it in my right hand. “The fact that it’s just you and me out here, so I can do anything to you and the ponies will never know.”

“What's that- Sombra began but suddenly the air was filled with a series of ear-shattering blasts.

Sombra stared at me as the smoking handgun slowly was lowered back into its holster. Sombra’s eyes cut to the side and he saw that his sword, Void’s Blight, forged from hundreds of void crystals, holding energy lost to millennium of time, forges from hundreds of years of effort, was gone. Only the hilt and a small section of the blade remained.

Sombra stared at the pieces scattered on the he ground.

“Yeah, playing fair is lame, especially when I can just end it like this.” I smirked as Sombra realized his mistake. “The ponies see me as the great honorable warrior. Which I am, mind you, but what they don’t know, won’t hurt them.”

'Crush him and absorb his power. Make his magic yours. Give in to the power and let it truly flow through you.'

I shook my head but found that the fog that was in my mind was still lingering.

“I know you feel it.” Sombra said, his voice not as loud and confident as it had been before. “That was my mistake. I listened to that voice that you are hearing now. I have no choice but to obey it now.” Sombra jumped forward and slammed a hoof into my side, momentarily freeing me from the fog. “It consumes you!”

POW

“Takes away everything that made you who you are."

POW

“Makes you believe that without it you are nothing.”

More pain.

“It makes you know only power!”

I lost my breath as another hit struck my back.

“You are falling just as I did.”

Sombra was on top of me, slamming his hooves into my armored chest, trying to beat me to death. Or was he trying to kill the thing that was inside of me.

“It is too late. He is in you,and soon he will take over your mind! When he is finished, everything will be over. He wants power, and will do anything to get it!” Sombra was screaming, almost begging, at this point. I was so confused. I knew what he was talking about, but the power wasn’t an actual being. It was just that, power.

“No, Sombra,” I said from my position beneath him, “I won't let him.”

SHUNK

Sombra staggered back, gasping as he stared down to his chest. Planted up to the hilt was Bad Bertha.

The dying king stared at me with paling red and green eyes as I stood up and walked over to him. He only looked at me as I reached down and slowly twisted the hidden spike out from the handle.

“It is finally over. Thank you.” He mumbled.

“Yes. Yes it is.” I slammed the small handle spike into the side of Sombra’s head and watched his eyes roll back into his head and his body slumped forward into my arms.

'Perfect. Only two more to control.'

“What?” I asked aloud again. “What the fuck are you?”

'I am you, the true magic flowing through you. I am the void.'

I picked up Sombra and tossed him over my shoulder. I began walking back towards the camp, hoping Tune would be along shortly so I could drop this heavy bastard on his back.

'Don’t you want more power? Only two others know our magic. With them gone you would be the only one left.'

“Nah.” I shifted the body. “That was Sombra’s problem. He only wanted more power, he gave into the greed that you fed him. No, I'm good. I only needed to beat Sombra. Thanks for getting me there.”

'Y-you played me! You used me!'

“Sure did. I recognize that tone of voice anywhere.”

“Welcome back, Nightmare, ya traitorous son of a bitch"

'Fuck you, too, Honored, fuck you, too.'

Carry On My Wayward Son

View Online

On My Honor
Chapter 18
By Honored Service
Edited/Preread by Spirit of Harmony and Duncan Zundel

“And so that’s what I think.” I told Tune as I sat on his back, next to the dead King Sombra.

“Okay, so Nightmare left your mind and now that you 'welcomed the void in', this void also took on properties of the original Nightmare that had been sharing your mind previously?” The robotic voice seemed to be quite understanding of this whole magic voice demon brain...thing.

“Kinda. But see, the void was actually Nightmare all along. Only powerful magic users can use the void, and since Twilight stopped using the stuff after her thing with Sombra, that really only leaves two other users, Celestia and Luna, and maybe Starswirl the Bearded, back when he was alive. So since Luna can use the void crystal stuff, that would mean that she gave into the void, becoming Nightmare Moon. Nightmare, or the void, then left her once he was forced out of her, convinced Chrysalis to take him on, and then transferred to me when she died. So really it’s been this void stuff all along. Nightmare, shadow humans, balefire, everything that he was and created, was really this void magic in a different form.” I took a deep breath, “Wow, is this what Pinkie feels like all the time?”

You just have it all figured out, don't you? You were able to get all that out of what, a few sentences?

“Shutup, dipshit. It wasn't that hard to figure out. I'm taking your ass to the princesses, so we can figure all this shit out.” I glared at the carnage passing by as I reentered the devastation that used to be the camp. Bodies from both sides were strewn about everywhere. Members of the guard were gathering friendly forces bodies and lining them up for identifying while the enemy they was being placed in mass graves on the outskirts of the camp.

You’re not going to kill me. You feel whole again, like a void has been filled. You like having me back. I have taken from your memories and become the friend that you so dearly missed.

“I don't need to 'feel whole again', you melodramatic cloud. I have plenty of friends to help me with that, and you were never one of them.” I spat back as Tune slowed to a halt before a group of easily recognizable ponies. And one shadow. And… well actually there were a lot of creatures and members of the guard around me. Most of them were the few members of the Equestrian Honor Guard that had passed the rigorous training… and all their weapons were now aimed at me.

Ummm...shit.

Seems you’re not the only one with trust issues.

“Hey guys, what's going on?” I asked nervously, stepping forward towards Stand Bold who had his crossbow leveled at me, pink bolt glowing faintly.

“Take not another step Honored.” The voice came from behind me and her voice was trembling with sadness.

“Luna?” I turned to look behind me but stopped when I heard the heavy bolt of a weapon locking back.

SH-CLUNK

“Um...Luna?” I asked again, turning to face the barrel of her 240 machine gun. “What…? What's going on? The fuck is this?"

“I still think we need more guards!” I glanced over my shoulder to see the young dragon holding both of his swords at the ready.

His name was Benton, and he was the first non-pony to make it through the EHG training. He was a blademaster, and with his scales, wings, and flamebreath, he accomplished more than any of his fellow trainees at the time. His dark blue scales glistened in the late afternoon sun as he turned to face me with his deep purple eyes. “I saw what he did on the battlefield today, and if what you say is true Princess, than we have only seen a fraction of these new powers.”

“Hey, guys, what the fuck? Is this really necessary?” I coughed and looked around, “I mean I know I went a little bit overboard, but I didn’t harm anyone friendly.” I felt like I was pleading with my friends to believe me. They were supposed to trust me, I just saved them and helped kill the asshole king. The king!

“Everyone look, see I killed the king!” I charged my magic and lifted the lifeless body of King Sombra off the back of Tune. “See? I did the mission! I stopped this guy from killing everyone and taking over Equestria!” I shook the body around for everyone to see before dropping it on the ground. Every weapon was still trained on me and the faces seemed just as tense as before.

“Honored you need to put your weapons on the ground and allow me to place a magic nullification spell on you.” Luna said from behind me.

“Luna you can’t be serious.” I turned to face her and found the machine gun still aimed at me. “I have done nothing to deserve this treatment!”

They don’t deserve to even be in your presence.

I pushed the voice from my mind and noticed that the guards had moved closer and that my gauntlet was aglow with a mix of blood red and pitch black magic.

“Honored I will ask you one more time before we use force.” Luna had tears in her eyes as she meet my gaze and stared me down. “I have witnessed and experienced void magic first hand. It will take you. And I will not lose you. I won’t let you go down this road as I once did.”

“Y’all truly believe that I’m not myself?” I asked the group around me. No one dared move or speak. “After everything I have done for this world, everything I’ve done for this place and this is how I am treated?!” my voice was steadily growing as I felt anger setting in.

Unleash yourself. Give in. Show them why you deserve respect.

Luna launched her spell at me.

I ducked and rolled to the side, her spell connecting with Stand Bold, freezing him in place and sending him toppling over on his side, frozen in a look of surprise and anger.

I jumped to the left and side dashed using a quick burst of magic and rammed into the Princess of the Night with my armored shoulder, knocking her to the ground. I quickly ripped my pistol from its holster on my thigh and aimed the .44 magnum right into Luna’s face as I panted above her. I stopped and looked down into her eyes and saw something that shattered every fiber of my being.

Fear.

I looked around at all the faces around me. Every one of them had the same thing etched onto them.

Fear.

I dropped the revolver to the ground and stumbled back falling to the ground and pulled my legs to my chest, I began to shiver as I was slammed backwards by at least five guards at once.

You are pathetic. What happened to the King of Demons?

I received hooves to my face as I was stripped of my weapons. Everything was taken from me save for my pants and the belt holding them up. I continued to be beaten by every guard save for five of them. The Elements of Sanctuary. They stood by and watched with pity on their faces as I was held down. Luna stood to the side as well, crying openly, but with a look of sadness and anger as I was brought to my knees before her.

“For the crimes of void magic practice, and attacking of a royal princess, I, Princess Luna co-ruler of Equestria, sentence you Honored Service to death.”

I snapped my eyes open and stared at Luna.

“Honored I will ask you one more time before we use force.” Luna had tears in her eyes as she meet my gaze and stared me down. “I have witnessed and experienced this void's magic first hand. It will take you. And I will not lose you. I won’t let you go down the same path that I have.”

I shook my head before looking up to Luna and smiled. “I am myself, I am in control. I will go peacefully.” I knelt down and began stripping myself of all my weapons as every eye was glued to me, watching every move I made. I stopped for a second, realizing

I am in control.

I have the power and I am in control.

I still have my power.

“Honored.” Luna stated my name. She added no emotion, no love, and no kindness to it. “There is one thing that we must still do.” She continued to stare at me as I gave her a questioning glance.

“I’ve given you everything, even my belt buckle knife Luna, I have no weapons left on me.” I held my arms out and showed them emptied handed.

Luna looked away and nodded. Benton and Hammer Strike both came forward and stood on either side of me. “Honored, your gauntlet. I need to remove it in order to insure that the magic nullification spell to work properly.” Luna couldn’t meet my eyes.

“But it’s fused to my… oh.” I turned and watched as Benton and Hammer each grabbed ahold of my arms and held me in place as Luna’s magic reached out and latched onto my gauntlet.

“I’m going to enjoy this.” Luna said with a sneer. “Let’s see how badly you cry.”

“LUNA!” I screamed as the guards surrounding me all jumped at my outburst. “Nightmare or the void or whatever is in my mind is fucking with everything I see. I don’t know what’s real or what’s not!” I jumped off of Tune and sprinted to the guards as they all scrambled to get their weapons up at me. I began to dump weapons on the ground and scrabble to try and pry the gauntlet off my own arm but to no prevail. “Please just make him stop, I can’t tell what’s actually happening!”

“LUNA?” I screamed, but suddenly I was alone.

I am in control Honored. I have your mind. I am everything you are and have ever been. When we're done here, you'll be nothing but a shell, a puppet bent to my every whim. You are never in control in here.

“Honored.”

The voice was faint, a whisper almost in the distance.

“Honored.”

“Help.” I choked out, lost in a swirling sea of darkness that tried to swallow me up and take my very mind from me.

“Honored you must fight it.” The soft voice called out, “This is your mind, your realm. All Void is doing is hiding you in the depths. It is trying to control you through fears, your nightmares. Fight him! Be strong.”

“I will Luna. I will fight him.” Luna hadn’t given up on me. None of this was real. I was lost in my own mind, but at what point had that occurred?

‘Let’s find out.’ I summoned a jet ski and suddenly I found myself on it, revving the engine. I reached up and pulled the goggles down over my eyes and adjusted the brown Stetson perched on my head. I tugged at the collar of my duster before shooting forward on the Jet Ski over the black abyss that was trying to keep me lost.

“This is my mind Nightmare, and I won’t lose it!”

I do love a good fight.

“Then brace yourself Nightmare,” I smiled as I imagined myself in a new contraption, “because we are going to have a blast.”

“How long?” Celestia asked Luna as she approached the charred remains of the training camp. Princess Celestia came as quickly as she could after receiving word that the battle was over and the newly formed King Sombra was defeated.

She was elated to hear of the crushing defeat to Sombra, but the news that Honored Service had been lost to the void magic crippled Celestia. She knew that this was going to happen, but she thought the risk was worth it, and to a degree she had been right.

“It has been hours.” Luna said guiding her sister to one of the only remaining building still standing. “He rode back into camp with the dead king on Tune, but then promptly fell off and entered the Void Mind. Killing Sombra gave Void the needed power to overcome Honored’s will and fight his mind.”

“We must hope that Honored can mentally beat him. Or I’m afraid we might have to do something drastic. The only thing we can do if we lose him.”

“Honored win in a mental battle against an evil magic energy that has been doing this since the beginning of time?”

“Oh buck me.” Luna grumbled as she looked to the human laying on the cot.

“I think that he may need some help in there.” Celestia said.

“And who,” Luna asked, looking to her sister, “will be bold enough to enter the mind in that state of turmoil?”

“You rang?” Spoke the oddly charismatic and slightly insane voice of Chaos.

A loud rumbling blasted through the never ending black plane of nothingness that was currently Honored’s mind. A flash of blue zipped through the air as a sleek blue aircraft zoomed through the space, chasing after a wisp of void magic.

Honored jerked back on the throttle and put his F35 Lightning II fighter jet into a wide arching loop. “I love being able to do anything!” Honored screamed while sending the plane into a screeching dive before opening armament doors beneath the aircraft. “Welcome to my world Nightmare!” Honored screamed as an ungodly and incorrect amount of missiles fell from the plane and sped towards the dark mist.

Stop this fighting! I am to be in control!

The voice echoed over the entire blank universe that surrounded the two. Time had ceased to mean anything as Honored kicked Nightmare’s nonexistent ass from every possible memory and scenario that Honored could fathom. Nightmare experienced everything the human had, all in a matter of seconds, the pain and anguish the human had, both on his home world prior to Equestria and then everything that had happened in Equestria.

Nightmare could only sit back and try to deal with everything thrown at him. And then he had to experience more after that. Everything Nightmare feared, the human winning and turning him into a slave. The human killing him, but reviving him and then killing him again in a more painful way till Nightmare begged for death.

Nightmare had used all of Honored’s old memories of the previous Nightmare to build himself into the Nightmare he was now. And nothing he had learned had prepared him for the raw savagery that Honored was putting him through. Nightmare vanished around another missile as it exploded below him, propelling him upwards through the Void Mindscape.

You insolent fool! I will be in control!

“Well things change asshole!” Honored screamed as suddenly the screaming of the strange machine stopped and Nightmare dared a glimpse behind him. Rather than that gravity defying death machine, Nightmare now found himself looking at the human standing within another strange contraption.

It seemed to be made of metal and stood just over fifteen feet tall. The machine had two legs and arms with the center of it being covered in thick metal armor. Honored’s face could be seen sticking up where the machine’s head should have been. Honored simply smiled before a glass panel with metal housing slammed forward covering his face and blue lights filled the heads up display in front of Honored’s face.

A robotic voice filled the air as the machine took a step towards the floating wisp of Nightmare. “Twenty Millimeter Vulcan Cannons Online. HellHive auto rockets engaged.” Nightmare watched as Honored swung the machine’s arms forward and three barrels extended out from the robot’s appendages. Two rectangular pods flipped up from over the machine’s shoulders and opened revealing forty small missiles.

“Game on.” Honored said before launching his version of the Goliath Armored Support Transportation thanks to the minds of the Atlas Corporation. The chain guns attached to both arms began to spin and suddenly Nightmare wished to be back being chased by the flying machine as this one impacted him with over 800 rounds a minute of lethal firepower.

Then the missiles impacted Nightmare.

He wished for death again. But this was Honored’s mind.

And death wouldn’t come.

“Well this certainly is… rather boring.” Discord said as he appeared along a pitch black plane of existence. “I mean you would think something call the Void Mindscape would be more… chaotic? Oh well no matter, time to find Honored and … save… him?” Discord watched as a limp flying cloud of mist impacted the ground in front of him. Discords words tapered off into a question as he stared at the creature of terror.

The demon of sin.

The beginning of every end this world had known.

Void magic.

The Nightmare looked up at the lord of Chaos and Discord felt nothing but pain and fear reeking from the Nightmare.

“Wow. You really thought you had him beat.” Discord pointed out as a shrill sound filled the air.

I beg you end it, make him stop, make this plane cease to exist.

“I’m afraid that this isn’t my call.” Discord spoke while looking up and slowly stepping back from the crippled creature, “it’s his.” He raised a talon and pointed it behind the Nightmare as the screaming increased.

Walking with a miserably slow pace towards the Nightmare was Honored.

He was wearing all his normal armor except instead of gold, it was entirely black. Pitch black with gold trim along all the armor’s edge. A long black cape followed behind him as black and blood red magical flames licked at every inch of Honored. His mouth was split into a gut wrenching smile as his elongated canine teeth dripped with blood and a sword dragged next to him in his grasp.

But that wasn’t what terrified Nightmare. It was the screaming.

Around Honored, thousands upon thousands of yellow tendrils flew through the air around him, shimmering like the sun on the water. The screaming came from these wisps that continuously flew around the creature as he walked menacingly forward till he stopped before the Nightmare, the screaming at deafening volume that made the Nightmare once again wish for anything to make the sound stop. It grated and cracked the Nightmare’s mind as the thousands of screaming voices continued to echo around the Nightmare’s conscious.

“Death will take you soon Nightmare. Void. Whoever you are.” Honored’s voice was laced with venom and spite as he looked directly at the creature before him.

Discord watched from afar and merely was thankful that he hadn’t done anything to gain the humans destructive attention. It was true what the other sentient species in Equestria thought about him. Demon King. Every nation around the planet had thoughts on this creature. The minotaurs loved his war bent path of destruction. Ponies loved and feared him for his protection. Changelings hated and feared him for their near extinction at his hands. Griffons wanted to declare war against a single creature for the chaos and turmoil he had single-handedly put their nation into. The Mareabian nations wanted to do nothing but keep this demon mortal away from their land, terrified of what he might bring and whatever an American Human was.

And the last remaining Draconequus, well he wanted nothing more to make a friend out of the world’s greatest chaos maker besides himself.

“Nightmare, I think you deserve to know one last thing before I banish you from the Void Mindscape within my consciousness and kill you. Again.” Honored was stone faced, no emotion. No anything. Just a stoic machine.

“These tendrils, as you thought of them. These yellow wisps,” Honored gestured to the ever screaming and mind numbing flashes and shimmering yellow wisps, “each one is a different life I have taken from this world. I remember every single one of them. Maybe not the name or the face, but I know every single last one of them.”

“Manticore.”

“Timber Wolves.”

“Ophiotaurus”

“Hundreds of Changelings by my hand.”

“Thousands at the landslide I caused.”

“Hundreds more I hunted down after that.”

“Queen Chrysalis whom you remember well I’m sure.”

“Tunnel Rats.”

“Griffons.”

“Griffon King.”

“Ursa Major.”

The Nightmare shrunk back as each new name was said, he was bombarded by an even louder scream as the yellow wisps flew off the human and smashed into the Nightmare and launched him farther back as the human continued his assault. His assault with the souls he had taken.

“Jungle Cats.”

“Ahuizotl”

“Desert Scorpions.”

“Every Shadow Human that used to be an ancient Human.”

STOP!

I cant- I cant take anymore!

Honored was silent as still thousands of yellow wisps circled him, ever shimmering in the air, representing the lives he had taken.

“You may be free.” Honored whispered before throwing his arm forward, aiming the sword at Nightmare. The remaining souls all rushed forward along the blade and slammed into the fragment of Void. Nightmare released one last echoing scream as he dropped to the ground which began to materialize along the plane. Slowly the remains of the Equestrian Honor Guard training camp surrounded the Discord and Honored. The Nightmare was gone, he had simply vanished.

“Are we back?” Discord asked looking around and snapping his lion’s paw, but nothing happened.

“Not yet.” Discord turned to face Honored who was back to wearing a simple outfit of blue jeans and a collared shirt and brown combat boots. “We need to talk.”

“Well I’m all ears!” Discord said before having hundreds of ears slowly appear over his body.

“What happened in there, everything I said and did to Nightmare, that shit has to be kept a secret Discord.” Honored said while giving the chaotic creature a genuine look. “If my friends or the Princesses find out what I really am, what the Void did to me, I feel that they might overreact.”

“Ah, say no more my destructive and brash human,” Discord wrapped an arm around the human, “I know all too well what you mean. My lips are sealed!” A zipper appeared and then a lock snapped around the zipper on Discord’s mouth before he tossed away the key. “Mhhmh mhmhm mmmhhmh!”

Honored smiled for the first time all day. Well for the first time that didn’t involve killing. “Thank you Discord. I mean it.” Honored then looked at Discord, “I think I’m ready to go now.”

“Then we shall away.” Discord grabbed the human by the back of his shirt and vanished from his mind in a flash of bright light.

"And that's your field report?" Celestia asked from across the large oak desk in her personal office. "You destroyed the Void?"

"Yup."

"With only your, and I quote, good looks and breath-taking mental wit."

“Mhmm.”

“And you’re sure he’s dead.”

“Ugh YES! It’s like I didn’t just get done explaining this to you.”

“Honored you’ll excuse me if I find it hard to believe that you did that.” Celestia rubbed a hoof around her temple as she stared back at the human. “And I still want to look into your mind to ensure that the void is completely free from your mind.”

“Of course Celestia.” Honored bowed and flipped his worn and ripped up hat from his head, “search away.”

Celestia cleared her mind and reached out, searching for Honored’s mind. Upon detecting the human’s mind she peered forth into his mind, searching its depths for any sign of the void that could be still residing in it.

“Find anything yet?” Honored’s voice echoed through his mind as Celestia searched through memories and details floating aimlessly through his mindscape.

“No. Please let me concentrate.” Celestia grumbled as her conscious flowed through Honored’s mind, sifting through the memories that swirled around her. Memories of his Earth were of great interest to the Princess, but she was here for something else. “Wait.” Celestia felt an icy tingle as she entered another memory.

“I found something.” She said with a shudder as she chased after the fleeting chill that racked her conscious mind.

“Fuck. Are you kidding me? This guy just won’t quit.” Honored echoed through the mindscape.

“This one feels different, like it’s just a memory of the void, but active.” Celestia said as she entered the memory.

Celestia or Luna, you have found my memory. It is either one of you because this dolt of a being is too stupid to bother searching for any remains of me.

“Hey that’s offensive!” Honored boomed, “I was going to look… eventually.”

“Honored shush.” Celestia commanded as she watched the memory. “This is just a memory left behind, not the living void.”

If you've found this memory it means that Honored beat me. The void me. He did what so many others failed to do, including yourselves princesses. This memory is left behind to tell you but one thing.

As long as the information of the void is present in the world, I will always be. Luna, Celestia, Honored, you all and will forever contain a dormant part of the void because you know how to wield it. The power corrupts just as so many before were corrupted.

“For starters,” Honored said in a bored voice, “I destroyed the book written by Sombra that I learned from. It’s a start but he’s right, as long as we know how to control the void, it still exists.”

“Then we just won’t use it.” Celestia stated with a frown. “There is no other solution.”

“Not use it?” Honored sounded shocked as Celestia closed the void memory and stepped back into the mindscape of the human soldier. “But I had control over it the entire time. I mean sure it got a little messy here and there. But I was never lost to the void!”

“Except for the part where you couldn't tell what was real and what was the void making you think was happening.” Celestia said with a smirk. “Honored, we can’t use this. You join us, Luna and myself, in the burden of knowledge. You must never use void magic again, and you can’t ever teach it to anypony. Or anyone. I know you would teach something non-pony if I didn’t say that.”

Honored was silent as Celestia looked around the memories swirling in Honored’s mind. She stopped and opened one, watching as the human warrior broke down alone in a room and cried. She immediately recognized it as the time when he locked himself away in the castle after defeating Nightmare and saving Canterlot. “He really was your friend, wasn’t he?”

“You know Celestia, for the briefest of moments, I wanted to believe that he was back. We worked together.” Honored said sadly while closing the memory and opening up a series of memories that showed the adventure the two had while romping through the wild, causing all kind of cheeky shenanigans.

“I thought that we could go back to that. Just like the old times.” Honored soon stood before Princess Celestia in a manifested form of himself. He was different. This self of Honored had no scars on his face and arms and he was clean shaven, no stubble. His hair was lacking any of the splotches of fiery colors as it did normally. Rather than armor, he wore a simple set of blue athletic shorts and white t-shirt that had a strange symbol on it.

“Honored?” Celestia asked poking a hoof through the person before her.

“This is me before the teleportation thingy that brought me here.” He smiled. “I wasn’t always all battle scarred and scary.” He laughed, then flashed a few memories showing the college and everyday life for him before Celestia. Honored brought up more memories showing military training, and then more training that seemed different. Honored noticed her look of confusion and stopped the memory of him sliding down a rope covered in military hardware and a rifle slung at his side. “This was during the time I was in the military while back on Earth. This was when I began to see my ability to be a soldier.”

Celestia simply nodded and watched as everything passed before here up until the strange device exploded and Honored was hurled into her universe. Even through the memory she could feel the chaos magic at the point of the explosion.

“You can stop Honored.” Celestia said as she tried to drape a wing over the thought up Honored next to her. Her wing simply went through the mind-person. “I know you’re okay and free of the void.”

I looked up to only be tackled to the ground by a white alicorn. Celestia wrapped me in a hug and pulled me close. “I’m glad that you are back Honored.” She said while nuzzling into my shoulder. “Luna would never stop blaming herself if you gave in.”

“I… I never thought about that.” I said looking to the ground. “I hope she can forgive me.”

“She already has.”

I spun around and shoved Princess Celestia aside before leaping forward and wrapping my arms around Luna’s neck. “Luna!” I cried out and pulled her closer.

“Ack! Honored... can’t... breathe!” Luna choked out. I let her free from my grasp and coughed awkwardly as she sucked in air. “It’s okay Honored, I missed you too.”

“Well now that everything is back to normal,” I said turning to face Celestia, “now what?”

“First you need to say thank you to somepony.” Luna said nudging me towards the door.

“Okay I’ll go, but first I need to get a thank you present for him.”

“And this is…?” Discord asked picking up my ‘thank you for making sure I didn’t get trapped with the void’ present.

“It’s a M32 MGL.” I said picking the weapon from his talon and aiming it down into the Everfree Forest behind Fluttershy’s cottage. “It’s a multiple shot 40 millimeter grenade launcher. It’s too big for me to carry with my normal kit, and ponies can’t handle that much kickassery in an easy to use platform, so I thought what the hell, you can have it Discord.”

“I… I don’t know what to say.” He said choking out a few tears before bending over and picking me up. “So teach me how to use this contraption!”

“Well for starters like everything, it’s a weapon, yadda yadda, yadda, dangerous, not a play thing so use it carefully.” I took the weapon and flipped the cylinder open revealing the six open slots for the grenades. “Drop six rounds into these, rounded end down, and then close it.” I demonstrated before bringing the weapon up and aiming into the trees.

BLOP

One grenade arched through the air and smashed into a tree, creating an explosion of splinters and chunks of wood. “Now you try.” I handed the weapon over and watched as Discord raised it slowly giving it a curious glance. He looked back to me and I waved him forward.

SQUEAK

The weapon squeaked like a rubber duck, and the grenade arched over the ground where it exploded into confetti. The tree still fell over, but confetti littered the blast zone.

“Again!” I shouted laughing.

SQUEAK

Marshmallows

SQUEAK

Balloon Animals

SQUEAK

French fries

SQUEAK

Shit load of bubbles.

The surrounding area of the explosions were littered in random objects, but the damage was still done as if the regular high explosive HOUND round had gone off.

“Well I guess that’s one way to do it.” I said staring in disbelief at the chaotic carnage that had covered the blast zone. “So I’ll take it you like it?”

“I love it!” Discord leapt into the air and flew in a circle before landing beside me. “Such a random weapon. So strange and bizarre. It’s perfect. Thanks Honored!”

“Well thanks for making sure that I didn’t get trapped in my own mind.” I gave him a pat on the back before looking at the box at my feet. “Well I still got another hundred rounds in this box, want to do some more?”

SQUEAK

I looked out my window of my bedroom as the sun was beginning to set over Ponyville. It felt so good to be back in my home. A nice short happy war. Save for the almost getting my mind turned to jelly by void magic. That could have been bad.

“Mew!”

“Yes Selene,” I asked reaching down and taking the manticore kitten into my arms, “what do you want little, fur ball?”

“Mew.” She meowed and began to purr as I cuddled the mythical creature into my chest.

“Yeah I think it’s going to be okay for now. In fact I think there’s one thing I should take care of very soon.” I walked over to my desk in the study beside my bedroom and opened on of its many drawers. I rummaged around inside as Selene began to chase scraps of paper around the top of the desk.

“Ahh here it is!” I pulled out the document that was given to me by Chief Will. “Selene I think I need to go and find out some more info about becoming a Vulture with the Black Claw mercenary group.”

“Mew?”

“Yeah, I mean after I’m done serving the Princesses of course. I gotta have another job lined up. And besides that not for… well actually I didn’t read that part of the contract, I guess a few years… yeah let’s go with a few years.” I shrugged and walked back into my room, reaching under the bed and pulling out a large green overseas bag.

“Come on Selene, we’re going to Griflin!”

“Okay you’re taking a vacation… after just getting back from destroying another army and recovering from having your mind taken over by an ancient dark magic entity?” Luna asked me as I sat across from her at the palace dining hall.

“One, it’s not a vacation but a business trip. Two, that was a smallish army. Three, I got the magic out didn’t I. So I don’t see the problem.” I retorted before slicing into my dinner. Which was a salad. With no meat.

I hate this place.

“It’s in the middle of Griffin territory… You know the species that blames you for all of its problems.” Luna said sipping on a glass of wine while enjoying her salad. How is that? It’s just a shit load of leafs and grass. I mean all the ranch in the world can't fix a salad.

“Oh what’s a few angry griffons here and there? It’ll be okay I swear. I’m taking Selene with me and she’s like half griffon.”

“They are literally nothing alike.” Luna rubbed a temple with a hoof.

“Both are easily angered and fight like beasts.” I smiled and raised my glass up for a victory sip.

Luna just sighed and stared at her bowl of tainted leaves and grass. “Okay, but please, no fighting.”

I simply stared at her with a deadpan look.

“Okay that was silly of me to ask.” She said before standing up from her place across from me and walking around the table till she rested beside me. She draped a wing across my back and sighed. “Honored I have nearly lost you so many times that I don’t think I could stand it again. Please just be careful. And I know you’re about to say that you will be, but you never are. You always end up doing something ridiculous.”

I looked up to the concerned princess and smiled. I leaned up and gave her a kiss on her neck before smiling and standing up, “Yeah, and that’s why ya’ love me!” I wrapped Luna in a hug and walked away from the table with her in tow.

“You know one of you could at least have said good afternoon!” Celestia called out from the head of the table as we both laughed down the hall.

So here I am… just sitting on this airship… all alone.

“Mew?”

“Yeah Selene I know. I really should have brought something to read or play with. I mean I had my laptop but that shit needs electricity.”

“Sir if I might interject for a second.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out my Ipod. Tune had wanted to come too, but something about a rolling war machine entering a highly populated area with me seemed like a bad idea.

“What’s up buddy?” I asked the red line on the screen that I had come to know as Tune.

“Sir I run on electricity.”

“Oh.” I stopped walking along the deck of the airship Luxury Liner II and slapped a hand to my face.

“Mew!”

“So as I might add, you could essentially charge a laptop the same way as I am, but there is a slight chance that as well will develop a semi-sentient mind as I have.” Tune spoke as I continued to just breathe in my shame.

“Yes I realize that now Tune. And no I don’t need that sass from you Selene.” I grunted as a pony walked up from behind me.

“Excuse me, um sir?”

“Sup?” I turned and smiled at the small foal. He looked to only be about ten but he had a cutie mark on his pale yellow flank. He had a long brown mane that seemed like it was due for a cut soon. The pony stared up at me with large green eyes that beheld excitement and fear at the same time.

“Are… are you really Mr. Honored Service of the Equestrian Honor Guard?” He asked with a trembling voice. I looked up from the colt and noticed a few other small heads poking around the side of doorway leading down into the airship.

“Did your friend’s put you up to talking to the ol’ scary human?” I asked crouching down so was I closer to the foal’s eye level. He nodded rapidly before looking up to me. I cracked a smile and then stood up and waved the others towards me. “Y’all can come out. I’m not going to eat you.”

Slowly the groups of school foals gathered around me and I sat down against the side of the airship as the wonder feeling of air rushing past me put a smile on my face. “So what can I do for y’all?”

“Mr.? Can you tell us a story?” One of the younger of the foals asked. She had a light blue coat with a purple mane and no cutie mark.

“Hmmmm. I suppose I could, but do you mind if I have some help from my friends?” I received nods all around. On cue Selene jumped into my lap and got a few aww’s from the foals as I pulled the small black rectangle from my pocket and held the Ipod up to the foals, “This is my smart friend Tune, and he loves to tell stories.”

“That I do young ones.” They all gasped at the voice that was emitted from the Ipod. Tune began delving into a wonderful story of our adventures together and the fun times we’ve had. Of course everything was censored for the foals’ age group.

"Well that went better than expected!" I said while turning from the group of kids and their beaming parents. The first adult showed up about half way through the story with me battling an ancient sun God, they didn’t need to know that the sun God was Celestia. They ate the stories up and loved every moment of it. Not to mention that I joined in helping Tune and had fun too. It was a good time killer as well.

"So how much time did that waste?" I asked the pocket robot butler thing.

"Sir it was only forty-five minutes."

"And how long is this flight?" A sinking feeling sitting into my stomach as he said that.

"Over a day. This isn’t an airplane sir, but think of it as a blimp, a rigid airship built for comfort and luxury." Tune spoke as I walked back towards my cabin.

"It just better not be filled with hydrogen." I shook my head, "freaking floating death trap." Once in my cabin I began shedding my armor from my body. I was opting for the duster and golden Equestrian leg and arm armor. I hung the duster up on bed frame and dumped the leg and arm armor in a shiny pile on the floor beside it. I unclipped the chest armor that had long gone from a digital green pattern to a nice faded green brown color. I had removed the pouches from the chest rig that normally held my M16/M4 magazines and replaced them with something smaller.

More pistol magazines and pouches for my primary weapon magazines. I had decided that since I was heading to Griflin as a peaceful traveler that I should go with a minimal amount of weapons. Well at least one they couldn’t see. Under the duster I had two pistols under each arm, two on each side of my hip, the Glocks with their silencers in the double holster on the small of my back, and the .357 and .44 revolvers on either thigh. Then I had my primary weapon attached to a single point sling hanging by my side under the duster. One KRISS Vector submachine gun.

"I still think even this amount of weapons is a tad bit unnecessary."

"Hey Tune?" I asked while kicking my boots off and laying back onto the bed.

"Yes sir?"

"Shut up."

"Very good rebuttal sir."

I awoke to being slammed to the floor of my cabin and shouting ringing out through the entire cabin area in the ship.

"Honored Service!" I got up off the floor and ripped my door open to see a pony wearing a white hat and black neck tie running towards me. He was out of breath and stopped, panting at the door. "We... We are being followed." He stopped and breathed deeply. "Pirates over the ocean. We sent a crew member toward the nearest port, but it could be hours till help gets here."

I sighed and walked back into my room, sliding my boots back onto my feet and throwing the chest rig on before clipping it up. The armor soon covered my legs and arms before the brown duster was added over everything. I reached down and picked up my brown Stetson and placed it on my head before turning to the crew member pony. I pulled my .44 revolver from its holster and held it at my side while I flicked my left hand down summoning a ball of red magic into the center of my palm.

"And that is why I bring lots of guns Tune."

"Duly noted sir." Tune said before releasing a robotic sigh. "What shall I play for this occasion sir?"

"Hmmm something... Monumental." I said with a smirk, stepping onto the deck of the airship and looking around at the empty deck, save for a few crew members of the large luxury airship. I turned to face the stern of the ship and watched as an airship painted black was certainly gaining on us.

"Well this will be all sorts of fun." I said flicking the revolver's cylinder open and inspecting the rounds before closing it. "So Tune do you think they are peg leg and eye patch pirates, or Somalia 'look at me, I’m the captain now' pirates?"

"I'm not entirely sure sir. Allow me to extensively research pirates found along the coast of Equestria and Griflin for you." I rolled my eyes as the ship continued to approach.

"I can do without the sass Tune."

The pirate airship was much smaller that the Luxury Lines; there was no way that it could have more than fifty crew members for its size. I could easily handle that many... In fact, I’m sure that if I could bored it I could have my own airship.

"Sir I’m detecting a spike in your heart rate, why would you need and airship? You pretty much have direct control over Fast Skies whenever you want." Tune added as I watched the ship pull right behind us. I slowly walked to the stern of the ship and stared down the pirates that all were standing on the bow of the ship. The pirates were a ragtag mix of diamond dogs, griffins, changelings, and a small number of ponies. They all stared back at me with shocked expressions except for the few changelings who dropped coils of rope and swords to the deck of their ship and leapt over the side into the air while muttering "Nope".

“Welp, at least some of them have heard of me.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASj81daun5Q

I launched myself across the gap between the two airships and landed on the pirate ship's deck. I spun around, drawing my two Berettas and leveling them at the pirates that were still standing on the bow of the ship. They stopped what they had been doing, staring at me and the two weapons that were aimed at them. They all looked back and forth at each other before looking back to me.

I smiled and then fired.

“Think he’s going to be okay?” Ship Worthy asked his friend and crewmate High Sails. Both had been members of the Luxury Lines II for almost a year. They had heard plenty of stories in both of their travels, and the human of the Equestrian Honor Guard were some of their favorites.

“I’m sure of it.” High Sails said while creeping towards a cabin window.

“What are you doing?!” Ship called out as his friend peered out the window.

“The human is fighting and you’re not going to watch?” High Sails said looking back to his friend, “This is literally a once in a life time opportunity and I’m not going to waste it!”

The human walked forward as the pistols clasped in his hands each spit out their lethal payload. One firing nine millimeter rounds, and the other firing gouts of raw magic into the pirates. The would be pirates dove to the deck, but it was too late. The first four of the crew caught the deadly shots through their heads. They all snapped back and hit the deck, blood already forming around the bodies as the human continued his vicious assault. The two griffins sprung into the air and twisted, trying to dodge the rounds as they left the weapons.

Honored lifted the magic-firing weapon and began firing at the two flyers, while his normal pistol was kept trained on the diamond dogs and ponies. The sound of swords scraping against scabbards filled the air as more of the crew rushed from the belly of the pirate ship and joined the crew on the deck.

“Get ‘em lads!” Called out a rough and scratchy voice, “See that he is killed and then we are goin’ to string him up!”

The lone human stood on the deck of the pirate ship, completely surrounded by the gang of merciless bandits. Griffins and pegasi circled the air above him and sat along the rigging, swords drawn and ready to strike from above. Diamond dogs and a couple of unicorns and earth ponies covered the deck in a large circle around the human, a variety of swords and weapons all pointed at him.

“And just who are ye to come aboard mah ship, killin’ mah crew?” The same scratchy voice hollered out from atop the deck towards the rear at the helm where a unicorn pony stood. He was tall and wore a red overcoat covered in shiny gold buttons. His light blue coat had cuts and scars across it, and he had lit candles tied thought out his black mane and tail. Atop his head rested a large black tricorn hat with gold trim and a large red feather plume. The human narrowed his eyes and smiled before licking his lips at the captain, or better yet, at the hat.

“I like your hat.” Honored said while staring. Everyone aboard the ship looked at one another before shrugging, “I hope you aren’t very important.”

“Kill him lads.” The captain spat on the deck before easing back to watch the slaughter.

For a moment, not one soul dared to move aboard the pirate the ship. Only the occasional moaning and creaking of the riggings and masts filled the air. Then Honored Service moved.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2hRTLdvdnk

In a flash, the human leapt to the side and rammed his pistol into the face of a startled diamond dog wielding a scimitar. Three quick retorts of the pistols ended his life as Honored wrapped an arm around the body and kicked off, sending the body launching it into one of the unicorns who was holding two daggers in his magical green aurora. The unicorn stumbled backwards as the bleeding body collided with him. Honored jumped to the side and fired a solitary pistol shot into the unicorns horn, causing the unicorn to scream in agony before being kicked into the railing of the ship. Honored spun and drop-kicked the dazed pony before planting another kick and sending the pony tumbling over the edge and down to the water far below.

CLANK

Honored lifted the pistol and caught the blade of a diamond dog midair along the barrel of the Berretta. With the sword still held midair, Honored leveled the other handgun and fired the entire remaining rounds into the diamond dog before letting the dog drop to the deck. He shot his foot forward, and kicked a dropped cutlass into the air, spinning and lashing out with a kick that sent the curved blade through the air and impaling another dog as he came running towards the human fighter.

As Honored fought, the captain watched from the helm. The captain, Blackmane, was very displeased. His strong and veteran crew was being cut down by one hairless landlubber ape. “Mr. Switch.”

“Aye Cp’n?” The voice came from beside the captain.

“Go and earn that first mate spot.”

“Aye aye.” A loud thud filled the deck as a large hulking shadow loomed over the deck. At the shaking of the deck, the pirates entangled with Honored stopped fighting and backed away, leaving the human panting and staring at the back of the deck where one hell of a minotaur stood up to his full height. At almost eight feet and weighing nearly five hundred pounds, this moving mountain stood above Honored.

Mr. Switch reached over his shoulder and removed the largest sword Honored had ever seen. It was easily as long as he was and as wide as his thigh. Honored took a tentative step back as the minotaur began to spin the blade and whip it around his body in an impressive and unbelievable display of swordsmanship.

Honored slowly dropped both Berettas to the deck and placed both his hands at his side.

“Oh no little lass. No surrendering now.” Mr. Switch said as he took a step forward. He raised the weapon up to strike, “You should have thought ‘bout that before ya’ decided to board the great pirate ship Black-“

BANG

The whole crew was silent as Mr. Switch, the first mate of the ship, stood very still, mouth hung open in a strange manner. The back of his neck and base of his skull currently located on the mass five feet behind him.

Mr. Switch tumbled forward, impacting the deck with a thud that caused a few planks of wood to bend up from the deck. Standing before the dead minotaur was Honored with his silver .44 magnum shining in the sunlight. Honored raised the weapon to his lips and blew against the end of the barrel.

“I really want that hat.”

The crew all took a step back from Honored, and few even dropped their swords.

“Oh no little lasses. No surrendering now. “Y’all should have thought about that before y’all attacked the badass Honored Service.”

The remaining pirates, realizing their fate to fight the strange creature, roared into the air and rushed forward all at once, hoping to overwhelm the single assailant with sheer numbers. Swords and daggers glinted in the sunlight as Honored stood facing against the crew of the pirate ship. He slowly lowered the revolver to his side and eyed the targets that were rushing forward towards himself.

He grinned.

Honored dashed forward in an incredible burst of speed thanks to a bit of magic and put himself in the center of the rouge sailors. He wiped around and slammed a boot into the head of sword wielding diamond dog while spinning the pistol around and leveling the revolver into the face of a very shocked sandy colored pony wearing a red bandana.

BANG

The pony tumbled backwards as Honored spun around and punched another dog backwards that was driving a dagger down towards Honored’s lightly armored back. He threw his gauntlet up and deflected a slash from a unicorn that narrowed his eyes at the human. Honored dropped backwards to the deck of the ship as the sword passed right over him. From his position on the ground, Honored fired his gauntlet and propelled himself along the ground while firing the remaining four rounds from the revolver into the unicorn and the three closest pirates. All four targets collapsed to the deck, chunks of their heads missing.

“Tune, another if you will?” Honored asked as he flipped into the air and landed behind the group of pirates, all of them spun around and stared the human down, noticing their thinning ranks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plR9Q4LWos4

Honored flipped the cylinder closed on the revolver and all the pirates took a step back, the swords in their grasps seeming powerless against the single soldier and his arsenal of hand cannons.

Smiling like a recently escaped asylum patient, Honored reached down and picked a scimitar up in his gauntlet and gave it a twirl before shaking it and watching as red fire traveled along the curve of the blade.

Honored sprinted forward and leapt of a stack of crates and landed on top of the last diamond dog and drove the blade through the chest of the dog while it screamed and howled in agony, the smell of burning flesh and fur filled the air

Ripping the blade from the body, Honored aimed the pistol at the nearest pirate who staggered forward, tripping on the tangled mass of bodies, waving his sword madly, trying to score a hit on the human. Honored knocked a slash form the sword to the side using the barrel of the .44 magnum before pressing the end of the weapon against the earth pony’s forehead.

BANG

Honored leapt backwards, somersaulting over the pegasus that swooped down low, intent on impaling the human. Honored landed and tracked the pony for a few seconds before squeezing the trigger and watching the pony spiral out of the sky and tumble towards the water below.

Honored slashed the sword to the left and then swung up, blocking two ponies at once as they tried to work together assaulting the human with lightning fast hits, trying to break his defense in anyway possible. Honored felt the pressure being pitted against him as the two ponies drove hit and slash against him, trying to find an opening.

Honored flipped into the air sideways, dodging both blades by inches to his front and back. He landed atop the one pirate and fired the revolver directly into the top of his skull, the body crumpling to the deck under Honored’s weight. The final remaining pirate roared in anger and hurled his sword at the panting human. Honored casually sidestepped around the blade as it whistled through the air and approached the lone pony as he looked around trying to find a weapon or something to use against the slowly approaching human.

“Please… I did –“ The pony didn’t get to finish his pleas for mercy as he was lifted into the air and tossed like a rag doll over the side of the ship.

Honored stood, shining silver revolver in one hand and shimmering red scimitar in the other on the body strewn deck of the Black Gem. The only other being alive and moving on the ship was the captain, who moved slowly from the helm, down to the deck.

“Ya really think ye’ can best me do ye?” The captain spoke while slowly circling the human who stared the ships commander down.

“Well I did just fuck up your entire crew… Even if I left now, you’d be stranded here. So the only reasonable thing to do would be to kill you.” Honored pointed out, lifting his sword and dipping towards the pirate.

“Then have at ye’!” The captain roared and jumped forward, his light red magic pulling to long sabers from across his back and slashing them at the human.

Honored dove backwards as the blades sparked together. He aimed the pistol at the unicorn pirate but felt magic jerk the gun to the side, sending the round impacting harmlessly against the mass of the ship. Honored narrowed his eyes, but smiled before pulling the trigger over and over again, sending the round completely to the side of the pirate, missing him every time.

“Ye be the worst shot I’ve ever laid me eyes on!” The captain laughed as Honored stood straight up and then grinned.

“Really? Well that’s too bad. Because I hit exactly what I aimed for.” Honored raised his hand and dropped the sword before making a simple two fingered gesture to the side of the captain.

CRRRRRRR-SNAP SNAP SNAP

The captain had just enough time to turn and watch the mast of his ship, sawn clean in half by bullets, collapse towards him, ropes and cloth snapping and tearing on the way down. Honored quickly grasped the hat of the captain’s head in his magic before the mast smashed to the deck with a sickening thud.

“And that’s how you make a cruise more exciting!” Honored exclaimed while admiring his newly won prize. He reached up and removed his Stetson before settling the tricorn hat upon his head.

To the Isles of Trials

View Online

On My Honor
Chapter 19
By Honored Service
Preread/edited by Spirit of Harmony

“Full steam ahead.” I stood atop the helm, gripping the rigging, cutlass in one hand, pointed towards the island far off in the distance. “We shall plunder all sorts of loot on this glorious day.”

“Umm, excuse me Honored Service?” I looked down to the gray pony wearing a white sailor’s hat and black tie. “You’ve been pretending to be a pirate captain ever since you got that hat.”

I narrowed my eyes and jumped down from the side of the Luxury Lines II helm and stood next to the crewpony. “Fine. If y’all want to be boring then so be it. I’ll take my ship-saving self elsewhere.” I turned my nose up and walked off from the helm and towards the cabin entrance. I guess I could use some more sleep, anything to make this trip go quicker. I swear, where’s a teleporting alicorn when you needed one.

Twilight Sparkle stood before the other three alicorns in the Crystal Empire after watching the Duke and Duchess of Maretonia exit the castle. Cadence was trying to raise the youngest alicorn’s spirits, but her condolences were falling on deaf ears.

“But I... well, it's just that Princess Luna raises the moon, Princess Celestia raises the sun, you protect the Crystal Empire, and all I seem to do is... smile and wave.” Twilight dropped her head and sighed.

Honored entered his cozy cabin and flopped down onto his bed. He reached up and removed the tricorn from his head and hung it from the bed post beside him. “You know Tune, if this whole become a kickass mercenercy falls through, becoming a kickass pirate could work.”

“Sir, are you suggesting becoming a bad guy?” The voice sounded shocked as Honored reached into his pocket and removed the small iPod and stared at the screen with a slight grin.

“What? Me? A bad guy?” Honored laughed before wiping a tear from his eye. “Of course not, that would be completely unfair. I mean, shit, imagine how hard I would be to kill. That would be insanely impossible.” The human rolled over and kicked his boots off before slipping off his shoulder holster, laying it beside him on the bed. He was dressed only in jeans and a long sleeve shirt, considering that the only enemy the cruise airship had encountered had been wiped out.

“Honored. Sir. You would make a terrible bad guy.”

“Oh yea. I bet I could be such a good bad guy…. Wait. No I mean a bad bad guy.” Honored stammered as the little device laughed at the human. “Aw whatever Tune. Suck a fat one. The griffons already consider me a bad guy, so if I want to, I’ll just be a pirate along their coast.”

“No you won’t.” The iPod stated.

Honored was silent before closing his eyes, “yeah you’re right.” A loud yawn escaped Honored as he slowly began to drift off to sleep.

“I can assure you... I am no friend,” the six-limbed creature, clad in a ragged black robe, inhaled a deep breath, a deep blue nimbus swirling into his gaping maw from the horn of the brown unicorn who stood before him. “I am Lord Tirek, and I will take what should have been mine long ago. HAHAHAHA!”

“There it is Tune, Griflin.” I pointed out at the large griffon city. Tall buildings jutted out into the skyline as the cruise airship got closer and closer to the port along the outskirts of the city. I watched as other large airships docked and departed. It was so fascinating to see such a large city. Compared to pony lands, this griffon city was massive, but it still wasn’t even close to a human city. If only I could get more humans here, I could start a new United States. Except I'd call it ‘United States II’, with more ‘murica. And I guess a few different policies. Tune had a helpful input on what he would do if we started a new nation. But I thought most of his ideas were lame, even if they did make sense. Stupid sentient iPod thing.

“It truly is a wondrous sight sir.” Tune said as I held him in my breast pocket. I had seated perfectly to where his camera could look out without me having to hold him all the time. “Do you even know where to begin looking for this ‘Black Claw’ group?”

I rolled my eyes, pointing at a tall building towards the center of the city that had a large black claw sign covering the top of the building. “Something is just telling me we should go there first.”

“I guess you can be right sometimes sir.” Tune said with what I thought was hint of anger. Suck it magical technology.

“Well Tune, we got some work to get done.”

“And what sir would that be?” Tune asked as I reached over and began to strap on my holsters and load up pistols and magazines for my weapons. Once I was loaded up with all my gear, I draped my worn and ragged duster over myself, concealing all my weapons.

“We gotta walk there, through nothing but what I assume is griffon populace.”

“Sir, you’re absolutely irresponsible sometimes.”

I double-checked everything on my body once more before exiting the cabin and stepping onto the deck of the ship where I watched as we began descending into the port. The airship hovered above a dock, before it slowly lowered itself down as the crew rushed forward and began attaching lines to hold the ship in place.

As the crew performed their tasks, I strode forwards and hopped off the side of the ship and landed with a solid thud, walking along the dock towards the city. Already a few griffons stopped what they were doing and stared at me as I walked along.

“Getting lots of stares.” Tune said quietly from my pocket on my chest.

“Yeah. I noticed,” I grunted back as one griffon dropped a crate he was moving. “Let’s just get to the building.”

As I left the dock I immediately wished I was back on the ship. Griffons were everywhere. Well that was granted, this being a griffon city and all, but I wasn’t expecting this many civies walking around.

And every single set of eyes were glued to me.

Every corner I turned.

Every move I made

Every step I took.

They were watching me.

“Oh boy, this is really starting to feel like a bad idea.” I grumbled as another griffon ‘bumped’ into me. It was more like a shoulder blow than a bump.

“And it is taking you this long to realize that?” Tune sounded very agitated.

“Well look at the bright side,” I said while eyeing a slightly large crowd that was coming towards me from down the street, “at least I have lots of guns and bullets.”

“That is an appalling bright side.”

“I wonder what my friends are doing. Probably something a lot better than staring down an angry mob of griffons.”

“But there is one solution,” Celestia intoned, fear struggling with determination in her eyes. “It is only by making this sacrifice that Equestria and the lands beyond might be saved. We must rid ourselves of our magic before Tirek has the chance to steal it from us.”

I stood in the center of the street, surrounded from every direction by griffons of all shapes and ages. They covered every alleyway, street, building entrance, window, and some even covered me from small clouds looming over the street.

“Lovely day for a stroll huh?” I coughed awkwardly as all the griffons seemed to grow visibly tense.

“You’re terrible.” Tune groaned at me.

“Tune, will killing civies that attack me make me bad?” I asked, my hand slowly drifting inside my duster and resting on the grip of one of my many handguns.

“Maybe sir should consider holding back from lethal actions at first.”

“Fuck. I’m terrible at restraints. You know that.” I groaned and let the Glock grip slip from my grasp.

Suddenly I felt something wrap around my waist and I was ripped from the ground and was flying through the air.

“WHAHAHAHAHA!” I screamed as I grabbed at the metal claw device that was wrapped around my midsection. “WHATTHEFUCKINGCATSCREAMINGHELLISGOINGON!?”

Just as suddenly as the flying sensation began it stopped and I felt myself come to a standstill. I reached underneath and behind my duster and drew both silenced Glocks from their holsters and leveled them to my sides. I was panting heavily as two griffons and a diamond dog slowly backed up with their talons and paws raised.

“What the absolute fuck was that?” I asked, both weapons still raised. I slowly looked around and realized that I was standing on the deck of an airship flying above the city and heading towards the Black Claw building.

“That was our hot extracting assault tech. HEAT claw by the mercs.” I turned to face the voice and found myself staring at the waist of a minotaur. I looked up and smiled. I quickly holstered the pistols and extended a hand.

“Sorry about that Chief Will.” I soon found my hand crushed in the grip of the massive creature as he shook it vigorously.

“Not a problem. That was actually one of the calmer reactions to it. And you recovered a lot faster than most too.” Chief Will released my hand, and as I winced in pain and shook my hand in the air, he looked over at the diamond dog and brought a hand to his chin, “I remember your first time Dodge, and yours was certainly wetter.”

The dog looked down and blushed while the two griffons began laughing. “That system is used to pull the earth bound mercenaries from any hostile environment in a rapid and safe-ish manner.” There was a gentle jolt as the ship was docked to a platform extending from the side of the Black Claw building. “I was elated to receive your letter Honored. And I hope that I am able to enlist your service into my company by day’s end.”

“Well I’m pretty set on hearing all about your company Chief.” I said as we exited the ship and walked down the platform towards the door into the building. Two ponies stood outside, both gripping onto spears. They nodded and pulled the door open to allow us entrance.

My jaw dropped as I entered the building. Everything was clean and pristine as we walked into the foyer. Ponies, griffons, minotaurs, diamond dogs, zebras, deer, donkeys, dragon younglings, and even a changeling walked by and filled the space. Escalators and offices filled the multilevel interior. There was just a massive opening in the center of the building that allowed one to look and down and see every floor. As I stared at the sheer size of the company headquarters, the changeling walked up to Chief Will.

“Ah welcome back sir, the dogs and Eggy are ready in sub level 1 for you and the human.” The changeling then looked at me and did a double take. “The Breytchar… I mean Honored Service. Excuse me.” And with that the changeling jumped into the air and buzzed away down the open center of the building.

“An excellent assistant that one, a bit jumpy, but still an extremely hard worker.” Chief Will said while stepping beside me and smiled. “Yeah I remember my first time looking in on this place. So massive, and yet it functions like clockwork. Come human, there is much to see and discus.”

“If only my friends could see this place.” I stared in awe as Chief Will lead me towards one of the many elevators around the edge of the building.

“Tirek may still be a threat. I need you all to stay here and encourage everypony to remain inside.”

“And this is the sub levels. These are where weapons practice, combat classes, and all of our equipment experiments are tested.” Chief Will said as the elevator stopped with a ding on level B1. “Sub level 1 is where we develop weapons. Now I know you use your alien weapons, and as much as we would love to get our techs to analyze them, I just don’t think that we can produce them just yet, but let’s save that for another day. I know that you would love to see what we are currently developing to help our mercenaries stay ahead of their protecting and seizure jobs.”

The large door before me slid open with a hiss of steam. My jaw dropped again for the second time today. I could only describe this place as a steampunk laboratory and factory. Half the massive room was filled with lab equipment and creatures wearing lab coats and safety equipment and the other half was old fashion factory machines punching metal and creating weapons, armor, and other miscellaneous parts.

“Ah there you are Eggy.” Chief Will smiled and gestured to a blue pony with a dark red mane with a cog and gear cutie mark wearing safety goggles. “This is our lead engineer and developer here on B1.”

“Pleased to meet you. The name’s Egg Head, but everyone here calls me Eggy.” He smiled and I bumped his hoof with my knuckle.

“Pleasures all mine. I’m Honored Service of the Equestrian Honor Guard.”

“Oh we all know about you. You’ve got quite the record book here.” Eggy said with a smile as he began leading us deeper into the mad scientist’s wet dream come to life.

“Record book?” I asked looking up to Chief Will.

“Ah yes, you see the selection process to become a Vulture is voted on by a committee.” He paused and counted off on his hands, “The chief executive, operations director, intelligence manager, merc administrator, science leader, and the vulture boss. Each one is the head of their field and so has a say in making someone a member of that group. And each candidate has a record that is used to be judged on.”

“And yours is a book!” Eggy said as we stopped before a large table that was surrounded by diamond dogs and a few ponies. Each one of the scientist and engineers was working on some type of weapon or piece of equipment. “This is the development area. We take the prototypes and fine tune them before taking them to the testing range. Weapons have to perform correctly and equipment has to do what it was made to do without failing.”

“Makes sense.” I said while picking up a small crossbow that was about the size of a small pistol. It could easily fit into a pocket when folded.

“That there is the peashooter. It has passed all its test and is about to go into production. It can be folded down for easy storage and hiding. It also has a storage compartment in the bottom of it that allows the user to simple rack the mechanism on the side back to load another bolt and ready the string.”

“How many bolts can be stored in the magazine?” I asked holding the weapon out in one hand and looking down the simple sights.

“Magazine?” Eggy whispered before smiling and writing something down on a clipboard beside another crossbow. “It holds seven other bolts before loading them here.” He gestured to a shotgun like chamber where the bolts were pushed up into the magazine much like one would with shotgun shells.

“Hmm pretty cool, but ya’ know I think I’ll stick with mine.” I said while flipping one of the silenced Glocks from its holster around my waist, twirling it around my finger before placing it back into its holster. “Okay, so let’s get straight to business. Chief Will, you want me to become a member of the Vultures. What do I need to do? What fetch quest is it?”

“Fetch quest?” Chief Will mumbled to himself before shaking his head and stepping around me, heading towards a door on the far side of the lab. “Come with me and we shall discuss your trial.”

I shrugged and followed after the behemoth of a minotaur.

“Excuse me, Honored Service?” I skidded to a halt and turned around to see Eggy looking at me and tapping a hoof against the ground.

“Oh.” I reached under my coat, pulling out a potion bottle labeled Critical Damage +50 and gently placing it on a table. “How did that end up in my pocket?” I asked no one in particular, slowly backing away from the annoyed-looking unicorn. Ha, that was the same look Twilight used on me a lot.

“If Twilight has magic to give, it will be yours.” Discord cackled. “Soon there won't be a Pegasus, Earth pony or unicorn who will be able to stand up against us.”

“Please, have a seat.” Chief Will gestured to one of the many seat around a massive conference table in the room. I took a seat and looked around the sparkly decorated room. A few pictures of generic company pride adorned the walls, and a lonely potted plant sat in one corner. Chief Will sat in an extra-large chair at the head of the table before reaching down and dropping a book as thick as a dictionary on the table.

“Honored, this is your record. It is… well it’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen.”

“That’s what she said.” I chuckled. Chief Will gave me a deadpan stare. “Please continue sir.”

“The Committee decided that your trial would need to be, how should I put this, ‘extra special.’” Chief Will said, absent-mindedly flipping through the book before him. From where I was sitting, I could just barely make out diagrams, sketches and short paragraphs taking up each page. Chief Will tugged the book back when he noticed me staring.

“So let me take a guess here Chief. I need to cross an inhospitable, hostile, unforgiving wasteland fighting off thousands of insanely scary creatures to get you some artifact that is worth a hell of a lot of bits.” I said. Will stared at me before flipping my book open to the last page, using a black marker to scribble something onto the crisp white paper.

“The Committee has found it useful for you to embark upon the Islands of Covenant. It is an archipelago filled with challenges that will test your very being. You will be pushed to your mental and physical breaking points. You will be brought to the brink of death where you will then be built back up into a mighty unstoppable operator!" Chief Will stood up behind the table and struck a heroic pose as he finished in a booming voice.

I stared at Chief Will before smiling and beginning the slow clap. "Alright, I'm in. Send me to these islands and I’ll get it done."

“Very well, we shall arrange for your transportation at once. Consider this the first step towards a promising career here at Black Claw.” Chief Will turned from me, moved to the wall behind him and pulled on the picture frame to the side, the wall sliding open with a ‘SSSSSssssss’ of pressure. He stepped behind it and looked at me once more as the hidden door began to close, “Your trial begins now, you have only what is on your person to conquer the Isles.”

“What?” I asked as the door closed and locked with a loud ‘clang’. “Well Tune, that is some cryptic shit right there.”

“Sir, according to my readings, which are 99.99 percent right all the time, the air is now filling with a nerve-immobilizing gas that will cause temporary paralysis.” The voice from my pocket spoke out loudly as a different kind of hissing filled the room.

“Mother fucker.” I grumbled before sucking in one more lungful of air and looked around. I ran to the door I had come from only to, big surprise, find it locked. I rolled my eyes and groaned before reaching into my duster, drawing the Vector to my side and aiming at the oak door.

I squeezed the trigger and walked the .45 caliber rounds up the door before sprinting full force into the weakened center of the door and exploding through it, chips and splinters flying everywhere. I crouched and breathed in great mouthfuls of air as I panted outside of the room. “Well fuck… *cough* this... *cough* God damn it.” I groaned and raised myself up as I stood facing ten mercenaries who all had automatic crossbows aimed at my chest. The group a mixture of ponies, dogs, and griffons who stared me down.

I continued to stare at the group as my mind tried to figure out a solution. Chief Will said a ride was going to be provided to me to get to the islands, but obviously I was going to have to find my own way to that ride. Oh, I get it, I had to get to my extraction point through a hostile area, just like a real mission.

“SMOKE BOMB!” I screamed with a laugh before shooting myself to the side in a burst of red magic and a puff of red smoke. I closed my eyes and covered my head as my shoulder connected with the window to my left, the glass shattering under the sudden force. I opened my eyes and watched as I dropped down towards the ground from at least thirty stories above the pavement. The landing pad was on the other side of the building and at least fifteen stories down.

After a while, I figured I had fallen far enough, so I reached out and snagged onto the ledge jutting out from under a window. I reached up with my gauntlet and slowly peeked up to see that the window looked into an empty hallway. I grinned, hauled myself up onto the ledge and aimed my gauntlet at the window, summoning up a spell and concentrating on the hallway. With a quick flash and a feeling of vertigo I found myself wobbling slightly inside the hallway. I shook my head and then sprinted towards the other end of the hallway, hopefully towards the landing pad where a chariot should, hypothetically, be waiting on me.

“Tune, want to tell me if I’m going the right way?” I asked while rounding another corner only to duck back behind it as a group of three mercs strolled by.

“Yes. Twenty meters front. Next right. Ten meters.”

“That was oddly direct and to the point for you Tune. Where’s the witty banter I’ve come to expect from you?” I asked while following his directions and heading down the hallway.

“Would you like for me to make this harder for you as you try to navigate through a maze-like fortress of an office building?” Tune asked as I rounded the right turn and headed straight down the same hallway I had come through hours before.

“Um, no thank you.” I said quietly.

“Then turn here and take the glass doors dead ahead.” I did as he instructed and found myself looking at Chief Will himself, and three other minotaurs. Each of them had swords and hammers in their hand and gave me cocky grins as I grew closer. I felt a smile creep onto my own face as I reached down and drew one of my Berrettas. I aimed it forward and squeezed the trigger.

The fire extinguisher mounted on the wall beside the four mercenaries exploded in a shower of foam covering them head to hoof in the substance. I slid across the foamy floor in between their legs and pushed the doors open as they spun around, trying to shake the foam from their faces to stop me.

Sure enough a chariot hooked up to two ponies stood waiting at the landing pad. I pushed myself a little faster as I heard a roar from behind me and leapt over the black painted side of the chariot. “Well what are you, hourly?” I screamed and the two ponies lurched forward as Chief Will came flying out of the building wielding a massive crossbow that was easily the size of the .50cal mounted on my Humvee.

TUMP

The massive bolt flew through the air towards the chariot. I quickly aimed my gauntlet over the edge and fired a bolt of magic at it, causing it to explode in a shower of splinters that rained upon the ground far below. I waved at Chief Will as he stood, staring slack-jawed at me as my chariot rocketed off towards the far-distant islands.

“Well that wasn’t too bad.” I said while sliding down against the side of the chariot.

As my eyelids plummeted, the last thing I heard was Tune simply starting to laugh in his awkward robotic voice.

“Surely you saw this comin'.” Applejack quipped disbelievingly.

“I didn't.” Discord looked up sorrowfully. “I truly didn't.”

“Hey. Hey Honored?” I groggily cracked my eyes open to see the sun setting far off in the distance over the ocean. Hey, the ocean, we must be pretty close. Time sure flies when you’re unconscious.

“Yeah? ‘Sup?” I yawned and stretched out as I sat up and spotted a cluster of islands out in front of us. The chariot slowly began to descend towards the islands.

“This is nearly your stop, and we have explicit instructions to not land.” The gray pegasus to the left said while tossing me a forced smile.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah of course not.” I slapped a hand to my face and looked over the edge of the chariot. “Well then, thanks for the lift gents, see ‘ya in a bit.” I gave them a two finger salute and then ran to leap off the back of the chariot.

I plummeted down, down, down towards the sparkling ocean below me. I charged magic into my gauntlet and began to feel the spell ready in my palm. With a quick burst of magic I sent myself flying forward in controlled bursts. The islands grew larger and larger as I continued to fall using small bursts of magic to direct myself towards the smallest of the islands.

As the beach raced up to meet me, I fired my short range teleportation spell and skidded to a halt along the sand. I stood and looked around while listening for anything. I stood motionless for nearly five minutes, just waiting to see if anything would happen.

“Well Tune, let’s settle in for the night and get ready to face this island’s challenge in the morning. I ain’t doing shit tonight.”

“Of course sir. Why would you try to utilize the shield of darkness to conduct any type of operation?” Tune groaned from within his pocket.

“Well excuse me for not wanting to stumble around the dark jungle of an unknown island that I have no map or prior knowledge of.” I stated matter of factly while kicking a few well-smoothed rocks into a pile and arranging them into a circle. I carefully scanned the edge of the jungle before grabbing a few sticks and twigs. After dropping of the kindling, I made my way back to the jungle and secured a few larger logs.

I made a base of kindling before stacking the larger logs on top of it and continued to make a large organized pile.

“Sir that seems to be a rather large for a fire while you try to remain undetected.”

“I know.” I said with a grin before firing a spark of magic into the logs, watching as the flames sprung to life and began to dance among the wood. After ensuring the fire would stay lit for a few hours, I bolted to the edge of the jungle and laid down in the center of a thorny bush, being careful not to prick myself with an unknown plant. Anything would hopefully stay clear of the painful bush and give me a superb hiding spot that still had a clear line of sight to the fire I had just built.

“And now we wait.” I whispered to Tune before sliding one of the Glocks from its holster and resting it beside my head.

“There. I told you I smelt a fire.” Remmy said. The tall gray diamond dog with darker gray spots exited the jungle and moved towards the fire with his fellow Black Claw mercenaries following close behind. Two unicorns both of whom were covered in tactical pouches and armor edged out of the jungle and looked around quickly, trying to find the creator of the fire.

“Now we wait for the human to come back.” Remmy sighed and sat beside the fire, grateful for its warmth as it washed over his fur. He shifted his shoulders and the large sword resting on his back slid to the side. “Will you two calm down, you're making me nervous.”

“But… but… it’s the human!” The first pony stammered out. “Our first assignment is stopping the human!”

“Well you relax,” Remmy said rolling his eyes, “I've been a Vulture for five years and have yet to have one failed contract. And this is just like all the others. Do you know how many unstoppable creatures I've stopped? A lot, and I can-”

CRACK

A branch snapped somewhere out in the jungle and caused the two new mercs to spin around and scan the jungle rapidly as their breathing increased.

SNAP

Another loud noise broke the silence in the jungle, this time from a different spot.

“Remmy?” The second pony turned to the veteran Vulture and found the dog smiling while drawing his large sword from his back.

“He’s simply trying to scare us with noises. Clever, but a failed attempt.” The diamond dog said while walking calmly towards the jungle. “We just gotta stay calm and wait-”

PSSH

Remmy’s sword flew from his grasp and stuck into the sand ten feet away from the stunned diamond dog as he stared at his empty paws. The dog looked up and stared out at the dark jungle, struggling to see what had disarmed him. “Stay alert you two.” Remmy barked at the two fresh mercs, who both gulped nervously.

“I got a bad feeling about this Remmy.”

Remmy spun around, shooting a death glare at the merc that spoke. “YOU NEVER SAY THAT!”

“And that's my cue.”

The voice came from above Remmy as a shadow dropped from a tree and extended its leg, catching the startled diamond dog in the head and knocking him to the ground, stunned and out cold. The two unicorns looked at each other, and then at the figure that raised itself from its position behind their unconscious leader. Loud upbeat music surrounded them and caused even more confusion as the human leapt into action and sprinted forward, weaving side to side as the two unicorns struggled to track their target.

“Hit him!” Snap Pea yelled at his friend and fired a shot of magical energy at the moving assailant. The shot missed wide and suddenly the pony merc found himself lifted into the air over the human and smashed to the ground, pain exploding from the back of his. Snap Pea struggled to right himself as he watched Sea Foam get knocked to the side by a well placed shoulder thrust from the human. The Vulture prospect jumped to the side and rolled across the sand as Snap Pea aimed and fired a trio burst of magical energy bolts across the fire towards the nimble target. The human stopped and stared at the pony from across the fire as the two ponies panted.

He hardly looks out of breath. Sea Foam thought to himself as he tried to push the throbbing pain from his ribs to the back of his mind. How are we supposed to beat him?

What is he doing? Snap Pea tried to think of a way to beat the human. There was no way that the two entry level mercs could hope to beat this monster, so why was he toying with them?

Just as suddenly as the human stopped, he jumped forward through the fire, the flames licking at his duster as a predatory smile adorned his face. Sea Foam tried to fire a spell at the leaping human, but unconsciousness swallowed him up before the spell even formed in his horn.

Snap Pea watched in terror as his navy-blue and teal colored friend collapsed from a massive punch that the human delivered to the base of the unicorn's horn. Pea dodged a kick by inches and felt the air part his dark green mane as he stumbled backwards from his attacker.

Snap Pea moved left and right trying to get out of the human’s range of lightning-fast punches and kicks. He had heard the stories, the legends, of this warrior that fought for all of Equestria, but not once in his life did he expect to be on the receiving end of the monstrosity.

“GET BACK!” Snap Pea hollered, hoping that by some miracle, his voice would stop the beating he was about to endure. As soon as the words left his mouth, Snap Pea felt all four of his legs swept out from underneath him and he landed on his back, the human dropping onto his stomach and landing a forearm across his neck, putting pressure against his windpipe. Before the unicorn could fire another spell he felt his horn take a massive hit from the human and a numbing sensation entered his forehead and he knew that his magic had just been cancelled.

“And now that I have your full attention, I’d like some questions answered.” The human grinned down at the trapped pony who still tried to struggle against the creature applying force.

*Cough* “What do you want?” Snap Pea choked out between strangled breaths.

“What is on these islands? What challenges do I have to do to get accepted into the Vultures?” Honored grunted out as he slowly released the pony, who gasped for breath.

Snap Pea sucked in great lungfuls of air before staring the human down. He was angry at himself for being beaten, for failing his mission and now having to stare at the creature that brought him this shame.

If I hit him now, I could catch him by surprise. Snap Pea thought while judging the time it would take to drop a right hook into the human’s face.

SHINK

Snap Pea swallowed deeply as he felt a blade pressed lightly against his throat. “Ah ah ah. No I dont think so.” Honored cooed as he held the blade of Bad Bertha against the pony’s neck. “Now answer and I don't knock you out after we’re done.”

How could he have known I was thinking of hitting him? Did he guess? Can he read minds? Is there any way to stop a human? “Fine I’ll answer what I can.” Snap Pea hung his head as best he could with a massive knife pressed against his neck.

With a flourish and flip of the wrist, the human spun the blade through the air and sheathed the weapon inside of his duster. “Excellent, I love doing things civilized! So what’s the first thing I need to do?”

“Well you need to venture to the centermost island and complete the task there. From there you'll receive a new order after each task is completed.” Snap Pea said, repeating the same thing that Remmy had told them a day ago when they got to the islands. Wait. They had all known what the human was supposed to do. They were meant to get captured in some way or another so that the human could learn what he had to do. Goddess damn the Chief Will.

“Thank you kindly.” Honored Service stood up, walking towards the fire and pulling a large, burning branch from the depths of the dancing flames. He held it in front of him as a makeshift torch and wandered back to the pony. “Now I’m heading off to do this questline, so just look after your pals and I’ll see y’all back at the headquarters when this is all over.” Honored nodded and then turned and walked off into the thick jungle, determined to get to the center island.

Snap Pea just stared, mouth agape, at the vanishing torch light as it weaved its way through the jungle away from him.

“Ughhhhh.” Snap Pea turned to see Remmy slowly sitting up, rubbing a paw tenderly to the top of his skull.

“And that is why we never say that in an active zone.” The dog said through gritted teeth as he felt the lump forming in between his ears.

“I must say sir, that was one of the best fights yet.” Tune said happily from inside my pocket.

“Really? You’re not just saying that.” I asked, pushing a large vine out of my face.

“Well at least it was the best line you've said while entering a fight.”

“Okay yeah, that’s true.” I shrugged my shoulders. “It just came to me.”

We continued marching along through the jungle in silence. It was funny to think that these islands out in the middle of the ocean had hardly any creatures in it. I heard the occasional nocturnal bird or other night loving creature, but other than that not a thing. No wild animals trying to kill me. No maiming creature ready to swallow me whole.

In all honesty it was a nice change of pace.

A very, very, very, very boring change of pace.

“Okay so what do you think the task will be? Like a riddle or something?” I asked aloud trying to ease my sense of boredom.

“Sir, it’s safe to say that it will have something to do with being a mercenary. The first task was getting to an extraction point under heavy enemy guard.” Tune said while I lifted my torch up as I waded through a shallow swampy area connecting two of the islands. “The second task, that somehow worked out in our favor, was the acquiring of mission altering information and intelligence in the middle of said mission.”

“Hmmmm.” I rubbed my gauntleted hand across my face. Tune was right. So far every task was geared towards my becoming a Vulture, focusing on possible tasks I would have to do as a mercenary. That left a very broad array of possibilities that I would have to do in the coming hours.

I continued to trudge my way through the jungle, becoming more and more aware of the fact that all ambient noise was dying out.

Something’s out there Tune.” I spoke softly, reaching down and drawing my .44 revolver from my thigh and holding it tightly in my gauntlet. I took a risk and swapped the revolver over to my right hand, dropping the torch into the murky water of the swamp. I summoned a small mage light into my gauntlet and released it, letting the brilliant white orb float into the air and trail behind me several feet away.

“Sir if you could create light, why the torch?”

“For dramatic effect as I walked away. Duh.”

I stopped moving and strained my hearing for anything. I heard a faint flapping in the distance. The soft sound of wings beating through the air.

Then a loud pitched faint echo resounded through the air, growing louder and louder.

Soon I heard more wings joining the first and more squeaking.

“I dont like the sound of this.” I said as the noise grew louder.

Before I could react, I was swarmed with hundreds of bats. Hundreds of the little fuckers flew around me, swatting and slapping me with their leathery wings. I grunted as I felt a sharp prick in my neck and pulled my gauntlet away, a small trickle of blood sliding down the metal fingers. “Oh hell the fuck no.” I grunted and narrowed my eyes. Vampire bats. Actual fucking vampire bats. “Sorry Fluttershy.” I sighed and then aimed my shiny revolver into the air.

“Heres to easy mob kills.”

BANG

“Wow it sure looks like he gave you quite a beating.” Chief Will said while admiring the human’s work on the three mercs he put on the first three islands. They did their job perfectly and Honored pasted the second test with flying colors.

“Yes boss, he kicks mighty damn hard.” Remmy groaned as he held an ice pack against his head.

“Well hopefully he pays attention to detail and reads all the signs for the next test.” Chief Will smiled as he handed another ice pack to the recovering unicorn Sea Foam. Yes he felt bad for dooming two brand new mercenaries to a sure defeat, but it never hurt to have a cocky new merc beaten to show them that they have room for improvement. It laid the foundation to create an even stronger employe.

“So boss what’d you use this time?” Remmy asked while giving Snap Pea a pat on the back who was taking the loss pretty hard.

Chief Will grew an extra large smile as he turned to face the gray diamond dog, “well with some help from one certain Alicorn princess, I was able to secure a cloud of genuine Night Dark Vampire Bats.”

Both unicorn mercs and the two thestral ponies attached to Chief Will’s chariot all gasped.

“What? Is that bad?” Remmy asked in confusion.

“Night Dark Vampire Bats are the original creators of thestral ponies.” One of the charioteers said. “After centuries of coexisting together within Shady Hollows together, ponies began to take on traits similar to the native bats living there, the Night Dark Vampire Bats.”

“Their poison can possibly cause hallucinations, fever, mild paralysis, increased blood pressure, exterior mutations, upset stomach, or sterility.” The other driver said naming off each side effect quickly.

“Most ponies are immune to the poison after Princess Luna took control of them before her banishment but after a thousands years…” The first driver trailed off as Chief Will slapped a hand to his face.

“Please tell me you placed the warnings signs around the edge of the islands.”

“I knew there was something we forgot to do.” Sea Foam said as he reached into one of the pouches on his jungle vest kit and pulled out a small stack of bright yellow laminated signs.

Chief Will groaned aloud and sighed. “Well, task number three just became surviving an unknown poison. Great.”

I watched as the twelve lords a’ leaping jumped over the swamp before I crossed the gumdrop forest and entered candy mountain. My .50 caliber minigun swung rapidly back and forth searching for the damned sugar free Hairbro™ gummy bears.

“I don’t feel so good Cortana.” I grunted as another COG soldier drove his energy sword into a Death Eater.

“Ferrel you need to sit down!” The voice coming from my chest cavity screamed.

Suddenly the spongy and muddy ground seemed really welcoming.

“It appears we are at an impasse. How about a trade, Princess Twilight? Their release for all the Alicorn magic in Equestria.”

“Oh my God.” I sat up to a spinning sky and branches over my head. “Fuck me with a nine pound hammer, what happened Tune?”

Tune was silent as I tried to get the world to stop spinning. All of my weapons were still attached to my body and after flicking the revolver’s cylinder open, I took out the one fired .44 round and put a fresh one in.

“Sir you were bitten by a bat and then suffered extreme hallucinations.” Damn. I couldn't remember a thing at all. I wonder what happened, probably just incoherent babbling.

“Well enough laying around, let’s get moving.” I said, standing up and bracing myself against the nearest tree as another wave of vertigo hit me. I stood still before finally shaking my head and setting off towards the center island.

After two more hours of plodding through swamps and small creeks in between the islands and then jungles on said islands, I reached a giant perfectly cleared field on one of the islands. “Well if this doesn't just scream ‘center island’ to me then I don't know what does.” Within the center of clearing rested a small wooden box.

I stopped at the edge of the clearing and looked around. I peered around the clearing looking carefully for anything that might send me into another dream world that I wouldn't remember.

“This screams ambush, but you know what, fuck it.” I sighed and strode out of the woodline and reached the box. I stopped and looked around one last time before opening the box and peering inside. Inside the box was a simple scroll. I picked up the parchment and unwrapped it and held it out.

Congratulations Honored Service for making to the halfway mark of your trail. You have conquered three tasks, but you have three tasks remaining before you are worthy of becoming a Vulture. You now need to move this box to the extraction spot marked on the map below. Good luck, watch the six.

7
“Okay so move box from A to B. Sounds super easy.” I reached down and gripped one handle of the box and gave it a tug. I flipped forward from the weight that pulled me back. “Da fuck?” I tried pulling it again, but found that it wouldn't budge. “Are you kidding me?!” I half screamed half groaned at the wooden box.

“You know what, fuck this.” I aimed my gauntlet at the box and tried to levitate it into the air, but somehow the box failed to lift more that a few centimeters off the ground. “What is this toddler town bullshit.” I grumbled staring at the box that refused to move. It was only about two feet by two feet and yet it acted like it was over a ton of weight.

I opened the box again and peered inside of it. The scroll had been resting on the cloth interior. I leaned in and ripped the tan linen out, throwing it over my shoulder. I smiled as I discovered a few gems, papers, and one glowing silver orb. I pocketed all the contents and then looked at the map at the bottom of the instructions. Fuck the box, I’ll just take what is needed. Its contents.

“There, see Tune, easy as baking a pie.”

“Sir Ive seen your attempts at a pie.” Tune quipped back at me.

I rolled my eyes at noone in particular and then moved off towards where the extraction should be. I kept looking over my shoulder waiting for some attack to hit me from behind.

“Sir in all honestly do you really believe that the task will be so simple as to avoid an ambush from behind?”

“Shit I don't know Tune. It could be. I have not the slightest clue. What else could the six be?” I looked behind me again and tripped slightly over a root. Damn things always got me.

“Honored!”

I picked myself off the ground and squinted. Standing across a small swamp and a creek was Twilight and the other Elements of Harmony. They all waved at me and gave me huge grins as I trudged through the murky water, pushing a few long strands of swamp grass out of my way.

“Boy Honored,” Applejack said as I got closer, “you sure look kinda’ rough.”

I didn't respond, only gave them all a glare.

“Honored?” Fluttershy asked with a soft whimper as she looked at me with large sad eyes.

I quickly ripped the .357 revolver from my thigh and blasted a round from the hip right into Fluttershy.

The Elements of Harmony vanished into thin air in colorful puffs of smoke. I smirked to myself and flipped the revolver around my finger and slid it back into its holster on my thigh like an old time cowboy.

“Wow that was dark!” I watched a unicorn wearing a similar outfit as the first mecs I met step out from behind a bush. “What if they hadn't been an illusion?”

“Well they weren’t, so that question is irrelevant.” I said while stepping up to the pony. I stared at him, pulled my arm back and rammed my fist forward, catching the pony right in the jaw with a nasty punch.

“OW!” The pony hollered and stumbled backwards while holding his hooves up to his chin. “What the buck was that for?!” He demanded as I held a hand out to him to help him off his flank.

“To make sure that you weren't an illusion too.” I said nonchalantly while folding my arms across my chest. “So why are you here?”

“To test you! Watch the six? Thats the Six Elements!” The pony said with a smile. I just gave him a blank stare back at him while he continued to grin. Slowly his grin began to fade. “What? I thought it was clever.”

I shrugged the pony off and looked around. “So what? Now I just keep going?”

“Yeah, you completed my assigned task.” The pony said with a frown. “I thought it was going to get you.”

I eyed the pale yellow pony with a dark blue mane. He wore a jungle tactical vest and a olive drab panama hat. “Well better luck with the next guy.” I said while walking away.

I spun around and slammed my fist right into his face a second time, this time much harder, and also catching him in the act of raising a blow gun to his lips. He staggered backwards for a second before falling onto his back and his weapon rolling into the water.

“Ha. Watch the six always Tune.” I laughed while continuing towards the extraction point.

“And that’s how I lost my CWP.” I smiled as I exited the dense jungle and stepped out onto a beach that was befitting a microsoft default wallpaper.

“That… isn't surprising in the least bit.” Tune said with a sigh as I looked around for any type extraction vehicle. Big surprise, there wasn't one. Or at least not one that I could see.

“Ideas?” I asked Tune.

“Happy thoughts.”

“Haha good one.” I rolled my eyes and walked to the water’s edge. I followed the map correctly and it put me on the beach. Well if I followed the directions right, and I know I did because I had Tune check them.

I flopped backwards onto the soft sand and slowly removed my duster and tricorn hat from my head. I laid them down next to me, and began unclipping and pulling off my vest and assorted belts and holsters holding all my weapons on my person. I put them in a neat pile and stripped off my sweaty and stained undershirt and the very ragged and torn jeans I had on. I picked up one belt with one holster on and clipped it around my waist above my briefs’ waistband. I slid one Berretta into it, waded out into the crystal clear water and dove in.

I let the cool water wash over me and rid me of the gunk and sweat that had accumulated over my body as I had romped through the islands over the last two days. I swam to the bottom of the area I was at and looked around at the small clusters of reefs that stretched out before me on the floor of the ocean. As my lungs began to burn for oxygen I swam to the surface and smiled at the feeling that swiming gave me as I continued to splash around in the water.

After swimming for a while I swam to shore, flopped down onto the sand next to my gear and pulled my duster over my body to shield some of it from the warm, yet harsh, sun to avoid some sunburn.

I awoke from the nap I had apparently drifted off into to the sound of deep laughter. I looked up to see Chief Will standing above me holding the giant crossbow in his arms and aiming it at me.

“Darn it Honored. You made it so close to passing.” He said shaking his massive head. “Being patient and waiting for the extraction team and always being prepared, no matter what.” He sighed and lowered the crossbow. “You passed the first part by waiting at the extraction point even though nothing was here, but look at you, asleep and unable to stop someone from wandering right up to you and-”

BANG

The crossbow shattered to pieces as a hollow point 9mm round slammed into the it, causing the tension on the cord to release and sending wood and metal bits everywhere. From my position on the ground, Chief Will stared open mouthed at the small smoking hole through my duster right at my crotch level. With a smile a swept the duster aside revealing the Beretta tucked between my legs and still aimed at the minotaur.

“Chief, I’m always packing heat.” I said while adding a ‘knock em dead’ smile.

The giant minotaur threw his head back and exploded into laughter as a large airship slowly descended from the sky to hover over the beach we were waiting on.

I had done it. I had passed the Trials of the Isles.

I was a Vulture.

I was a full fledged mercenary.

“You are now Twilight Sparkle, the princess of friendship. But what is the princess of friendship without her friends?”

“HELLLLLLLO PONYVILLLLLE!” I screamed out as I departed from the train station within the town.

I stopped and lifted the sunglasses from my eyes, blinking in surprise. Many of the buildings were smashed and caved in, along with a new trench and impact crater in the field outside of Ponyville that was my romping ground for destruction.

“The fuck?” I asked no one.

Where the Ponyville Public Library had been now stood a massive tree made of shining crystals and gems. It was honestly kind of an eyesore to stare at. I shuddered and turned around as I heard a cough.

I found myself looking at a group of slightly annoyed Elements of Harmony, Twilight standing in the front of the group, flanked on either side by her friends.

“What’s up guys? Did I miss something?”

Wild Wild West

View Online

On My Honor
Chapter 20
Pre read/ edited by: Spirit of Harmony, Neon Scar, Gear Hawk, BinaryTroll

“Well, I certainly saw this going a hell of a lot differently.” I said, staring at the room full of slightly angry diamond dogs.

“You came here to die creature?” The leader of the diamond dogs said with a snarl. He clasped two flintlock looking pistols in his paws and had several more strapped along a bandolier crisscrossing his large furry chest.

“Nah, I’m not in the dying business.”

The dogs all cocked their heads to the side in confusion.

“I’m in the killing business.” I reached under the brown duster I was wearing and drew both revolvers from their holsters on my hip. The black .357 and the .44 both glinted in the dying light that spilled in from the windows in the old saloon. “And pardner, business is a-booming.”

BANG BANG BANG

CRACK CRACK CRACK

SHNAP SHNAP SHNAP

BANG BANG BANG

-Two Days Earlier-

"Well congratulations Honored!" Applejack said while pulling a destroyed cart to the side of the road, allowing ponies passage through the cluttered street. "But if you haven't noticed, we sure could have used some help here."

Honored sighed and dropped his head, pulling a large chunk of rock that a large horse-monkey-demon-centaur-thing had apparently caused to fly into Ponyville when he was slammed into the earth by an overcharged Twilight Sparkle.

"I know, and again I'm beyond sorry that I was gone. How was I supposed to know that was going to happen?"

Applejack gave a chuckle and lightly pushed Honored with a hoof. "I'm just messing with you. Everything turned out fine in the end. " Applejack tried to lighten the mood, but seemed to fail as the human just continued to clean up the town.

"Once again it seems that I failed to protec-"

SMACK

Honored looked at the farmer pony as a red hoofmark slowly appeared on his cheek.

"Now don't you start that load of garbage Honored! We are big mares and we did well on our own and we did before yall showed up. Youre a great protector but you're also only one pony, human, and even you can't stop everything that crawls out from Tartarus."

Honored stopped and looked at Applejack with a blank stare. Slowly a fire came to his eyes, and he scooped the mare up in a huge hug and squeezed her till the tough and rugged farmer gave a 'squee'. Honored dropped her and sprinted towards the new castle of Princess Twilight Sparkle.

"What'd I say?" AJ wondered to herself as she continued to move the rubble.

"Twilight I'm going to Canterlot to do some studying!" I yelled out through the crystal halls. The eco carried into every room in the tree castle.

"What?!" Was the reply. "You just got back a week ago and we need your help." Twilight said, slowly descending the stairs from her quarters. "The ponies need to see you around. You're the one they look to for protection."

"Princess Sparkle," I said watching her frown at the name, "you just kicked Tirek's ass without me. You'll be okay for another few days."

Honored saw the alicorn preparing another line of argument to keep him in Ponyville. "I’m going to study?" He said, batting his eyes at the alicorn.

"Okay, fine. You know what Honored? You can go. I can't stop you. But under one condition..." Honored stopped mid fist pump and looked the princess in the eyes with a questioning glance.

"What's the condition?" He asked, narrowing his eyes and pursing his lips.

"You have to leave all your weapons here." Honored began to raise his hand, "No knives, swords, clubs or any other thing that you can use to harm anything." Twilight tapped a hoof to her chin, "All you have is your magic. That’s it."

"Fine, deal." Honored said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'm really going to check the archives and see Luna."

"Please come back soon Honored. We all missed you and I’d hate to have to fight the next bad guy without you." She added the last part with a smirk that caused the human to grind his teeth.

"Oh don't you worry about the next bad guy. He’s all mine."

"HONORED!" Luna jumped up from the table she was sitting at and pounced on the human who strolled into the dining hall. Honored smiled as he welcomed the princess with open arms.

“Hey Luna, I’m glad to see that you're okay after… you know, everything.” Honored said, rubbing the back of his neck. Luna stood in front of him and gave him a sad look.

“Honored, none of us blame you for what happened. You couldn't have known what was going to happen when you left.” Luna drapped a wing around the glum warrior and pulled him into a light feathery hug. “Besides, the girls need to do something sometimes.”

Honored cracked a smile and then pushed himself playfully away from the princess of the night. “Thank you Luna.”

“Anything to help my little human.” Luna pressed a quick kiss against Honored’s cheek before walking out of the dining hall. “Come along Honored, let’s go see if we can't find what you're looking for. Your letter was a little vague.”

Honored bit his lip as he thought about what he was trying to do. It had to be done. But would Luna or any of his friends let him?

I glanced over all the scroll and books laid out across the table. Each one was pulled from the Starswirl the Bearded section, courtesy of Luna, and I also had a few books from her personal library. All of them had one thing in common. Each book mentioned one thing.

Tartarus.

The twenty-fifth book slammed closed with a loud ‘crack’ that caused the librarian across the library to look at me and narrow her eyes. I rolled mine and reached for the next book, when a bright flash appeared beside me. I watched as a scroll dropped down onto the table.

I shrugged and picked up the scroll, examining the talon claw mark on the seal. The mark of Black Claw Mercenary Company. I smiled. It was time! Oh boy!

Honored Service,
Enclosed is your first contract with the Vultures. Read it carefully and learn all that you can from it. Once you are ready to accept the contract, follow the instructions on using the resending spell.
Best of luck,
Emerald Flame
Vulture Boss

I flipped over the scroll, and found the other side to be a list of detailed instructions on the contract. Interesting. It was like an easy-to-follow mission overview, similar to anything found in a videogame. Idiot proof! Love it!

The mayor and sheriff of Appleloosa are requesting the immediate help of the Black Claw Mercenary Company in the dealing and removal of one Diamond Dog pack, the Ground Tribe, from the surrounding area.

The dogs have taken shelter in the apple fields and are harassing the locals, both pony and buffalo. They have not yet resorted to violence but they are aggressively deterring any kind of contact with them to resolve a peaceful solution by the residents of the town.

This job is perfect for one Vulture. Honored Service, the newest member, will go to the town and find out what caused the intrusion of the Ground Tribe and remove them. The sum of 300 bits will be made out to the Vulture upon completion of the contract. As with all ongoing contracts, once accepted, the offer may not be cancelled for another job or broken in any way.

I read the rest of the technical mumble jumble that was written on the rest of the scroll. I looked from the contract to the pile of books that held my research. I shrugged and pushed them aside. I took the scroll and laid it out in front of me. I pulled out a small knife and pricked my thumb, smearing the red blood on the bottom of the contract scroll. With a burst of red magic, it exploded into dust, vanishing out the nearest window.

“I’ll finish my research later. Time to go help some ponies in need.”

“So now you want your weapons back to what?” Twilight wasn't too pleased with me.

“Because I have to go to work.” I said with another sigh. “I have a job now mom.” I added with a roll of my eyes.

“Honored, you literally just got back a week ago. And now you want to go running off into some fight.” Twilight paced around the large throne room with some large crystal chairs and a map with the greater Equestrian area on it.

“What if I only take three weapons with me?” I added with a smile.

Twilight stopped to think for a moment. “Hmmm well I can't really keep you from your job. Why you have one with that cave full of money anyway is beyond me. But alright Honored. Three weapons. And please take Tune with you. And Selene, they are both getting restless.” There was suddenly a large crash and a robot zoomed past the front door of the library with a knee-high manticore giving chase.

“I can't help their energy levels.” I said before a scream rang out. I gave a sheepish smile and then ran out the door towards the upset resident of Ponyville. What had those two done now?

“You great big beastly metal… thing!” Rarity yelled at the large machine gun toting, grenade launching, missile packing robot. “You just ruined a perfectly good spool of rare one-of-a-kind Saddle Arabian golden sand spider silk!” Rarity was positively fuming as the thousand pound robot slowly backed up on his wheels.

“Again, I am more than sorry Miss Rarity, but as I have previously stated I was being chased by-”

“Oh no you don't!” Rarity stomped forward while jabbing a hoof at Tune. “Don't you dare try to blame this on poor Selene. You are a… well you are bigger than her and more mature. You shouldn't try to pawn this off on her!” Selene stood off to the side while licking a paw. Her pink mane was coming in longer now and shined brightly in the sunlight. She looked up and gave a soft ‘mem’ before pulling her scorpion's tail around her shoulder and began to lick the barbed end.

“But Miss Rarity-” Tune began.

“Tut.” Rarity clicked her tongue at the robot. “Not another word.”

I figured enough was enough. “Rarity, I’m terribly sorry for Tune’s actions. I promise you he will be punished justly for this atrocious action against your fashion business. And for compensation, please go to my cave and get what the spool was worth.” She opened her mouth to speak, “plus four times extra what it’s worth.”

Rarity promptly shut her mouth and toppled over backwards onto a red fainting couch.

“Of course she would.” I rolled my eyes at her antics and turned to Tune. “Come on you big RC car, we got a job.”

“You too Selene!” I called out and was rewarded with the growing manticore kitten bounding over and walking beside me. I rested my hand on her head and began to scratch her behind her ear. She purred loudly as we walked back towards my home. Time to get ready for a sweet job out in the ole’ west. I'm going to need a new outfit.

I sat in the train car speeding through the dry tan landscape watching the hills of sand and clusters of cacti fly by. Tune was safely secured in the cargo box car monitoring anything that could interrupt the train's journey. I was riding in the passenger car with Selene and three other earth ponies, all who gave my traveling companion and myself wide bereth.

"Mew."

"Yup, not too much longer girl." I gave Selene a quick scratch before going back to watching the scenery fly by the train. I tugged at hat resting on my head. I was wearing my old brown stetson that was well worn and my old equally worn brown duster with armored inserts on the back and arms. I had a light armor plate carrier on my chest that could stop up to a 5.56 round. I decided to not wear my full body armor a it was going to be hot out here. On my waist I wore a belt with two holsters, one for my .357 and one for my .44. I was going out west, so why not fit the part. I had two bandoliers of pistol ammo strung across the plate carrier and leaning against the seat was my Marlin 444 rifle. It was all black and on the top rail was a small six zoom scope for mid range. Resting behind my .357 revolver was my diamond sword given to me by the last group of diamond dogs I interacted with. I had my knife as well, that was a given.

All in all I wasn't really armed to the teeth like I normally was.

"Mew?" Selene looked up at me with her big pink eyes and cocked her head to the side.

"It shouldn't take long girl. Just go in and talk to the dogs. The last time it went well." I thought back to the Red Paw Pack that lived peacefully with their pony and zebra neighbors. “Its going to be easy girl, I promise! You can even ask Tune, it won't be hard!”

“Sir, are you serious?” I turn my head and look out the window to see Tune’s robotic arm looking into the passenger car. “Johnson, when have we ever done something simple?”

“Listen Tune, this is Selene’s first mission with us and I’d like for the really poisonous and dangerous manticore kitten to not be scared-”

“MEW!”

SHINK

I grunted and looked down at my chest to see Selene wrapped around my chest, and her stinger implanted right into my shoulder.

“God damn it Selene.” I said before the passenger car became very blurry and I felt my face impact the wooden bench across from my seat. ‘Guess I’ll just sleep for the rest of the ride’. I thought to myself as blackness entered my vision.

“Ah, welcome back sir!” I blinked my eyes and yawned, stretching my arms above my head as I sat up from the floor of the train. I looked back to see Selene curled up and sleeping in my duster on my seat. Tune’s robotic claw was still poking through the window holding onto my hat. I reached up and removed my Stetson from between his metal claws and dropped it onto my head.

“Thank you Tune.” I reached over and scooped my duster out from under Selene and sent her moving to the other seat with a long stretch and a grumpy look. “Oh you don't get to be grumpy you walking sleep machine.” I said, brushing an insane amount of manticore hair from my duster. “Progress Tune?”

“Well sir, we should be arriving….. now.” With a jolt I slammed forward, banging my knee into the other wooden bench.

“DAMN IT!” I screamed out and began hopping around the car, the few other ponies in the passenger car with me snickering behind their hooves as I rubbed my throbbing knee. “Tune, I'm going to so turn you into a paper weight.”

“But sir,” He said as the claw bobbed up and down, “who will make witty banter with you to entertain the masses?”

“I’ll do that with Selene.” I said angrily towards the claw that slowly pulled back from the window.

“Mew?”

Robotic laughter sounded out from the car behind us and I rolled my eyes. Damn that oversized and gunned out minivan.

“Come on Selene, its time to go earn the money and save some ponies’ apple trees.” I patted my leg and the manticore kitten leapt down from the bench and ran to my side as we exited the Friendship Express. I shielded my eyes against the sun and looked around the Appleloosa train station. “There he is.”

“Welcome pardner!” The light gold earth pony with a light brown mane wearing a brown vest and large brown Stetson said, “I was told we’d get some help, but I’ll be darned! Never thought we’d get the ol’ Human savior himself.” The pony walked up to me and stuck out his hoof to me. I took it and gave him a strong shake, getting and equally strong one in response. “The name’s Braeburn Apple.”

“Johnson or Honored Service. Black Claw Vulture agent. Pleasure to meet you Braeburn.” I said with a friendly smile. Tune followed up behind me with Selene standing between the two of us. “And these two are Selene, my pet manticore, and Tune, my robotic support butler thing.” I pointed to the two of them as they were mentioned. Selene gave a slight dip of her head and fanned her wings, showing of their pink membrane in the bright sun. Tune spun his weapon turrets around and brought his claw forward and extended it to Braeburn.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance Mr. Braeburn.” Tune added, shaking Braeburn’s hoof.

“Well I’ll be, y’all sure are a strange bunch. But I appreciate you coming out here!” Braeburn reared up on his hind legs and pawed the air. “Well come along friends, I’ll show y’all around and lead you to where you're going to be staying while solving this dog-gone problem we got here in Appleloosa!”

After a nice tour of the town, Braeburn lead our entourage to the local Saloon that also doubled as a tavern to outside travelers. I sat down as Selene pounced onto the bed and curled up on the pillows and Tune’s robotic claw reached up through the window.

“Well sir, any ideas yet?”

“Yeah I got a few.” When we had been shown the apple trees and their surrounding farm area, I could easily see the problem that the residents of Appleloosa were facing. There were thousands upon thousands of holes dug everywhere. Some trees were toppled over from the large holes dug right beside them. The diamond dogs certainly had done a number to the farm.

“We head out early tomorrow morning at first light and set up shop overlooking the farm using the hill to the south-east as a vantage point. From there we’ll wait and watch. We need to see why they are doing this to the farm.”

“Ah, you mean we shall not be charging into their den and butchering them all at once?” Tune said. I turned to the robotic claw and glared at the camera while jerking my head towards the sleeping form of Selene.

“We can't Tune. Selene is still just a kitten. Maybe when she’s bigger and able to help. But she’s still just a young thing.” I got up and walked over to the window. “Now power down to minimal power usage and set alarm for oh-five-forty-three.”

“Yes sir, and a good night.”

“Good night Tune.” I said as the robot slowly powered down, closed all of its open ports and stowed the weapons down into its main body housing.

I lay down onto the bed, being careful to not disturb the sleeping manticore beside me.

Human not think helpful?

Human think but youngling?

Human will see.

I awoke to the gentle prodding from a metallic robot claw. “I'm up Tune. Alright, let’s do this.” I strapped myself down with my bandoliers and holsters and once my duster was secured around my body I slung my holster across my back and stuck the lever action Marlin 444 into the sleeve holster. I adjusted the Stetson on my head and gently poked Selene so that she cracked her pink eyes at me and got up, arching her back. She jumped down to the floor and walked to my side.

“Lets go get some dogs. Ready girl?”

“Mew!”

We moved out of the saloon and down the dusty road heading towards the apple farm as the sun slowly began to rise to our front.

As we reached the hill, I crawled forward on my stomach as Tune stayed back towards the rear of the hill. Something about a big shiny robot just didn't scream stealth. Selene moved with me until I was just at the crest of the hill. I began quietly assembling a hide sheet, pulling long desert grass and twigs from a nearby shrub and began weaving them into a burlap sheet that was three feet long and wide. I laid the sheet across my back and shoulder before removing my hat and laying it beside me. I felt some movement and looked to see Selene slowly crawling under the hide to my left and popping her head up beside mine and giving me a quiet ‘mew’.

“Good girl.” I whispered while sliding the Marlin off my back and peering down the scope into the farm. And now we wait and watch.

“Okay, that’s it.” I said, standing up and shaking the hide sheet off of my back. I stretched and popped my aching joints from lying against the hill for the last ten hours. It was nearing dusk as the sun had begun its descent over the hills surrounding the farm.

“Mew?”

“Yeah, come on Selene, this was a bust. I’m thinking that either the dogs just didn't show, or they got tipped off to us somehow.” I rolled my eyes at the lost possibility. Doubt that any of the ponies would want them to stay since these apple trees were the towns only viable resource.

“Did you have a good time sir?” Tune asked as we reached the bottom of the hill and began the trek back to the town.

“Oh fuck off Tune.” I grumbled at him as Selene jumped up and landed on the robot in between his two gun turrets.

We marched along in silence, well I marched along the ground, while Selene rode on Tune who easily maneuvered along the dusty road. Seriously, how do I never get to ride on my own robot?

“Hold on, stop here Tune.” I held up a fist and dropped to my knee and pulled my rifle up to my eye and looked at the town in the distance through the scope. “Something isn't right here.”

The town was empty. Not a single pony moved through the town. A tumbleweed rolled across the street. I pulled my eye away from the scope and shook my head before smiling and looking back through the sight. No one, not a soul at all. Something was definitely wrong here. “Tune, go down there and head to Sheriff Silver Star’s office and get him, offer help once you got him, neutralize all hostile threats. Order of priority is Alphas then Charlies.” That code was to take out all hostiles attacking ponies first, then anything that tried to attack him.

“Sir, help him?”

“Yes. I think that we missed something while we were waiting for the dogs.” I grimaced and stood up, holstering the rifle across my back. “Get the Sheriff while Selene and I head down through the town and find out what happened.”

“Roger sir.” Tune took off along the outskirts of the town heading for the Sheriff's office.

“Let’s go Selene. We got work still to do.” I walked straight for the first building I could see, the saloon.

As we reached the door, I slid against the wall and peaked through the dust caked window. Sure enough, there had to be at least ten diamond dogs standing around the room drinking from mugs and throwing darts at an old raggedy dart board. I could see a group of ponies tied up and sitting against the bar in the far corner of the large open room.

“Shit.” I cursed and looked down at Selene. “Okay girl, you stay here, I’ve got some business to take care of. I looked through the window again and saw all the dogs looking at another dog as he began rummaging through the cabinets behind the bar. Now was my chance to sneak in and find a good firing spot inside the saloon.

I crept forward and edged my way to the door and pulled it open silently before I slipped in.

DING

I stopped moving and looked up at the small silver bell resting above the door. I then looked at all the diamond dogs eyeballing me.

“Well, I certainly saw this going a hell of alot differently.” I said at the room full of slightly angry diamond dogs.

“You come here to die, creature?” The leader of the diamond dogs said with a snarl. He clasped two flintlock looking pistols in his paws and had several more strapped along a bandolier crisscrossing his large furry chest.

“Nah, I’m not in the dying business.”

The dogs all cocked their heads to the side in confusion.

“I’m in the killing business.” I reached under the brown duster I was wearing and drew both revolvers from their holsters on my hip and held them leveled at my waist. The black .357 and the silver .44 both glinted in the dying light that spilled in from the windows in the old saloon. “And pardner, business is a booming.”

BANG BANG BANG

CRACK CRACK CRACK

SHNAP SHNAP SHNAP

BANG BANG BANG

I dropped to the ground after unloading both pistols into the diamond dogs scattered around the saloon. Dogs toppled backwards over tables and chairs while one unlucky mutt flipped into the bar and landed on the other side as the powerful .44 round slammed into him. I crawled over to a flipped over table and flipped both cylinders open and dropped the spent shells from the revolvers in a rain of shiny brass that clinked together as they landed on the floor. Using my magic, I floated twelve rounds off of the bandoliers on my chest into the air and into the correct cylinders of the pistols before flipping them closed and twirling them around my fingers and reading the hammers on them.

I took a deep breath and stood up from my cover, both arms outstretched and the revolvers aimed into the saloon, I found three dogs still alive and aiming primitive flintlock pistols at me. This was a new thing. Pistols. Though they might be old and outdated, they had pistols, black powder bullet firing pistols. Not good at all.

“Drop your weapon creature.” The closest dog said, both of his pistols aimed at me. He was wearing a red poncho over his chest that was deeply stained with dirt and grime. I stared back at him and then my eyes darted to a shadow that was creeping along the rafters above our heads.

“Selene?”

“RAWR!” With a roar that startled even me, the kitten manticore leapt from the wooden beams and landed on the diamond dog farthest from and rammed her stinger into the back of his neck. Blood erupted in a fountain as she pulled it loose and flew through the air, attaching herself the next diamond dog’s chest with her razor sharp claws.

“RAWR!” Selene roared again in the cute demonic creature way and leaned back before swiping sideways with her front claws across the dog’s throat and was rewarded with a spray of blood that would impress even Sweeney Todd. Selene flipped backwards off the dying dog and landed between me and the final dog who started trembling at the tan and pink manticore that was soaked in blood of the other two diamond dogs.

“So you’re going to answer some questions for me or else you answer to her.” I dipped my head towards Selene who had her claws extended, wings flared, mane poofing out, hair bristled, and tail wagging back and forth slowly.

“Dog answer! Dog answer! So scary, much violence!” The diamond dog dropped both flintlocks to the ground and fell to his knees.

“Where did you and your pals get those?” I kicked the pistol lightly as I kept my revolvers trained on him.

“Griffon came to pack. Offered them and gems to take over pony town!” The dog was on the verge of tears as he spilled his guts about everything. Three griffons had came to them a week ago and gave them new ‘thunder clubs’ to help defeat the ponies and with the gems they were paid to take over the town.

“Why?” I asked him, slowly holstering both my revolvers. Upon seeing me holster my weapons, Selene retracted her claws, tucked her wings back, pulled her mane in, smoothed her fur, and her tail went to being normal. She sat on her haunches and began to lick her blood covered paw.

“They no tell pack. Just to take ponies hostage and wait.”

“Thank you.” I said and then turned around to face the door. “You have ten seconds to run.”

I heard scampering behind me and heard a window break and a thud. I sighed and slowly walked out the door and then launched myself onto the roof of the saloon. Taking a deep breath I reached over my shoulder and gripped the stock of the Marlin. I pulled the rifle from its sheath and aimed down the scope at the fleeing diamond dog.

CRACKKK

The round landed dead center and sent the dog tumbling down onto the ground where it failed to move more than a few feet. I racked the lever and watched the shell fall through the air and glisten in the dying light of the day. I tucked the rifle back into its holster and jumped off the roof to find Tune and Selene waiting on me along with most of the populace of Appleloosa. Tune had a few new dents peppering his chassis and Selene was still 90% covered in blood.

“Everypony okay?” I asked, looking at the group of ponies that stared at me with open jaws.

Suddenly I was lifted into the air with Selene as we were tossed around with joyous shouts of praise and excitement.

“Y’all saved us!”

“Thank you!”

“You’re the greatest!”

Selene flew into the air and flew above the crowd while the ponies that she rescued from the saloon brought out milk and food for her. They also brought out a steel tub filled with water, which to my surprise, Selene bounced into happily and had the blood washed from her while she purred loudly much to the pony’s pleasure.

“Well Honored, I guess we owe y’all a huge helpin’ of thanks!” Braeburn said, walking up to me and taking his hat off. “Ifn’ you hadn't came along when y’all did, we’d be a whole heap o’ trouble.”

I waved the country pony off with a smile, “Think nothing of it Braeburn. That’s what y’all had hired me to do. Stop these diamond dogs. And in fact, I got some important information from one of them, something that is going to startle the princesses.”

After staying for a few more hours eating and celebrating with the ponies and helping them clean the saloon and Sheriff's office (way to go Tune, clearing the dogs out by spraying his machine gun through the walls) we boarded the train back to Ponyville, or first a quick stop to Canterlot and divulge the recent information to the princesses that diamond dogs were armed by the griffons to attack a pony town.

“Want to run that by me one more time?” Johnson stood staring at the two princesses sitting on their thrones. Luna had even joined them during the day for the news. Celestia was not taking the news well.

“I told you that the dog said griffons hired them basically to attack and take over Appleloosa.” Honored stated again silently wishing that he had had Tune at the saloon to have recorded what the dog had said.

Celestia and Luna were both going over the information with anger plastered on their normally peaceful faces. “Sister, we can't let this act of aggression go without retribution!” Luna said, slamming a hoof down.

“And what do you propose, sister? We attack them in all-out war? Equestria hasn't been involved in an offensive war in thousands of years. We may have acted in defense, but attack another nation? We have had peace, what could cause this?” Both sisters stared at one another and then slowly turned to look at the human who coughed and tucked at the collar of his armor.

“Honored sweetie,” Luna said in a peaceful voice, “you haven't done anything recently that might spur the griffons into anger have you?”

“No!” He yelled defensively. “Well, I went there Capital to inquire about my contracting with the Black Claw Mercenary group but that’s it. I swear.” He held up and hand and ran through a series of motions, ending with pantomiming something flying into his eye.

Celestia raised a hoof and was about to speak when a guard entered the room and approached the princesses. He gave the human a wide berth and bowed. “Your majesties, I have a scroll delivered by the griffon king, King Stormrobe the Wicked.”

“Oh that doesn't sound bad at all.” The human rolled his eyes and walked towards the door giving a farewell wave to the two princesses. “I’m going to grab more guns and my sword.”

“Stop right there mister!” Princess Luna called causing Honored to slowly turn around. “This concerns you as well.”

“To the Royal Sisters,

It has come to my attention that this demon, this monster, this no good creature that refers to itself as a human resides within your borders, living freely in your territory.” Celestia looked up to look at Honored and looked back down to the letter. “The fact that you allow this creature life is a disgusting atrocity not only to myself but to my griffons as well. As of now, until you hand over the human to the griffon empire, consider the nation of Equestria an active enemy of the righteous griffon empire.

King Stormrobe the Wicked”

Celestia looked up from the letter and to Honored.

“Can they declare war on one person like that?” Honored asked, scratching his head. “GET DOWN!” Honored roared, leaping forward and throwing a red shield around the two princesses as a barrage of arrows shattered through the windows and impacted against the shield, cracking against the magic barrier. Following the arrows, a squad of griffons leapt into the throne room surrounding the human and the two princesses and lone guard.

“This is your one chance to allow us to take the human now, to pay for his crimes against the griffon king and the griffon Empire.” A griffon wearing a silver helmet with a metal spike on the top said, aiming a gold flintlock pistol at the human.

Honored looked to the griffons and back to the two princesses he still under his shield. He sighed and slowly dropped his arms, letting the shield fall and holstering his revolver clutched in his other hand.

“Very well. I submit.”

“WHAT?!” Both alicorns and the griffons yelled at once.

The griffons all looked at one another and shook their heads. The leader waved two forward, who each kept flintlocks aimed on the surrendering human.

“Disarm and come peacefully and you will be allowed to remain conscious.”

The proud human slowly began unbuckling his bandoliers and holsters, dropping the ammo and weapons to the ground. He placed the rifle across the pile of gear and then lastly laid the large bowie knife on top of everything. “Y’all got lucky it wasn't a normal mission or we’d still be here.” He said with a faint smile. “I’m sorry Luna. Celestia. I’m not dragging Equestria into a war that you had no part in starting. This is between me and them. Please take care of Selene and Tune. And when you see Tune, tell him ‘broken arrow’.”

Honored was quickly grabbed and pushed forward, moving with the group of griffons past a group of guards who all kept their spears leveled at the trespassing griffons. He was lead out of the castle and onto a platform overlooking the valley stretching out beneath Canterlot.

Within minutes an airship appeared, bristling with cannons, over the city and held position as the griffons began taking off into the sky. “No funny business human.” The leader said, as he holstered his pistol and grabbed the human in his front talons before leaping into the air and carrying Honored away towards the belly of the griffon warship.

“Honored.” Luna choked out as she watched the human carried away by the griffons. He was gone. Just like that. Ripped from her life without a moment to say good bye.

Celestia just stood rooted to the balcony, watching the airship turn and retreat into the sky. Her face was blank, but inside of her mind, the ruler of Equestria was thinking. Planning. Plotting.

“Luna, Honored has been there to help us more times than I can count.” Celestia looked down to her younger sister with a look of determination and a fire in her eye that slowly spread to Luna as well, “and I think its about time we return the favor.”

Luna nodded and walked from the balcony and towards the war room. She picked up a scroll and a quill and began scratching a message into it while Celestia leapt from the balcony and rocketed herself towards Ponyville.

It was up to them to save Honored this time.

“Tune?” Celestia called out as she touched down in front of Honored’s home. She remembered when she had landed her in anger months before to fight Honored to the death for his relationship with Luna. She smiled at the memory and at how the two had actually bonded over the fight.

“Ah, Princess Celestia, what an unexpected pleasure.” Tune’s robotic voice called out as he slid out from behind the house and stopped before the princess. There was a row of potted flowers neatly arranged on Tune’s back and a sun hat was perched on his robotic arm as it swiveled forward so that it was on eye level with the princess. “How can I assist you princess? Miss Pie and myself were just planting a flower bed in the back.”

“Honored was taken by the griffons and we have to get him back. He also said broken arrow-” Celestia stopped as Tune began to shake. The flowers dropped from his back and the silly hat fell to the ground as the wheels extended from Tune’s chassis and the main body dropped low to the ground before the wheels pulled in and slammed into the body. The wheels which themselves were made up of thousands of ball bearings covering the outside part for traction linked together stretching across the wheels to create treads that wrapped around the wheels.

The two machine guns mounted on the front right turret suddenly locked back and the turret spun forward till the turret was mounted towards the center of the robot. The 40mm grenade launcher turret moved forward as well locking in place in the center of the robot’s chassis and the two missile pods containing the deadly payloads moved up onto the center of the weapon now aiming over the two other turrets. Tune had now dropped nearly two feet from it original height and now all the weapons could aim at the same spot while fixed and still remaining the ability to spin in a free fire mode if needed. Tune now looked more intimidating as ever, creating a rapid assault tank.

“Broken arrow directive accepted, direct command now placed to the activator. Princess Celestia, this unit is now under your command until contact with Johnson.” Tune’s voice was very even, further adding to the scary exterior he had adopted.

“Come along Tune, we have to gather up some more help before we go for Honor.” Celestia said, smiling darkly at the killing machine overflowing with firepower.

Hours after Luna sent the letter off, she was rewarded with a roar of magical gem engines overhead. She exited the throne room and stood on the balcony as a fleet of black airships filled the sky. A small sky carriage dropped down towards the castle courtyard and landed with a slight thud. Exiting the carriage was an extremely large, angry looking minotaur. He glanced up and spotted Luna and made a beeline straight for her.

“Where have they taken him?” Chief Will demanded as he stood before the princess. “I have ten ships at my command and three mercenary companies along with the Vulture company standing by to do whatever is necessary to take these griffons down. It has been too long that they have gone about doing as they please with no regards to others.”

Luna was taken back by the ferocity that Chief Will showed towards these griffons for someone that placed their headquarters. “Soon Chief Will. My sister is gathering her troops and I still have preparations to make. This is the first time in over a thousand years that Equestria is going on an offensive operation. We usually have Honored-” Luna went silent and hung her head. “I will treat him differently once this is over.” She said to herself quietly, as Chief Will shouted an order to a group of mercs that landed beside him.

“We are ready your highness. And I would also like to speak to you both about moving the location of Black Claw headquarters to the southern part of Equestria. I believe that I have grown tired of these griffons, they now steal one of my operatives.” Will closed his eyes and rubbed a hand across his face.

There was a flash of light and Celestia appeared in the throne room with Tune and walked forward as Chief Will stared at the changed robot that belonged to Honored Service. “I see you've recruited a fierce force as well Luna.” Celestia said looking out at the airships holding position over the city.

“I have indeed sister. The great Chief Will here is ready to assist in the saving Johnson. And he also wants to move the Black Claw group here into Equestria with our permission.” Luna answered,looking to her sister as she positioned herself in the front of her throne. Within minutes there was a loud commotion outside of the throne room doors and they burst open, revealing a long parade of Royal Guards, except these guards had armor of carrying colors and equipment not fit for the Royal Guard.

“Sergeant Stand Bold reporting with the Equestrian Honor Guard.” He popped to a salute as the hundred odd ponies, griffons, diamond dogs, and one dragon followed his actions. All the creatures before them were from the EHG and were known as the best of the best. They had passed the training required to become a member and now stood ready to save their commander.

“Sergeant, have your troops occupy the western training field. We will arrange transportation for them as we finalize the plans to save Honored.” Celestia looked on as the Honor Guard filed out of the room, but five members stayed rooted in the throne room. Each one of them had a glowing weapon with them.

“The Elements of Sanctuary. It is good to see you again.” Luna said with a slight smile as she approached them. They all gave her a respectful bow and looked her in the eyes, a fire of anger burning in their own.

“I would like to save my friend.” Covert stated, the shadow seemingly wavering in the sunlight as he stood standing with a katana on his back and a SAW machine gun in his hands.

“He helped us all at one point.” Battle Plan said adjusting the glowing golden bow resting across his back, “and I would love to return the favor.”

“No griffon takes my friends.” Quick Flurry said, dipping to the left and right, brimming with energy. A large dagger resting on his hip glistened with an aura of magic.

Hammer Strike simply stared ahead with a deep frown plastered on his face. The mammoth warhammer resting beside the equally large earth pony glowed a deep blue as it shifted against its owner.

“We want to be the tip of the spear that punches into the griffon lands.” Stand Bold said stepping forward with his crossbow bolts glowing a light pink as he moved.

“Please. The Vultures will lead.” Chief Will scoffed at the pony.

“Oh really?” Sergeant Stand Bold turned to face the minotaur. “I say that-”

“PLEASE!” Luna shouted at the two arguing commanders. “It matters not who leads. We just need to work together to rescue the one who brought us all as one. Besides, it will be me that leads.” Luna said while racking the charging handle on the heavy machine gun beside her.

As the day moved forward and the sun reached its peak, the Equestrian forces and their allies all prepared themselves for the upcoming battle. Most hoped for a swift entry, limiting the number of casualties that would occur. Ponies moved rapidly through the city of Canterlot, acquiring supplies that had not already been supplied by the royal sisters as they were funding the entire operation from their bank accounts.

"Sister, why do we wait?" Luna asked as the two sisters looked at a map of the griffon kingdom. "The longer we wait, the more time the griffons have to ready up a defense."

"Luna, its the griffon capital." Celestia sighed and closed her eyes, "its already defended." She dropped a hoof onto the center of the griffon capital and pointed out a large structure covering at least three square miles. “So we skip the defenses and go right for the prize. The griffon king castle.”

“This is a bold strategy.” Chief Will said eyeing the castle. “We will have to be fast and punch hard. Get in before they can shore up their defense more than it already is. I personally have seen the inside of that fortress.” He said while grabbing a blank piece of parchment and beginning a rough sketch of the castle interior. “The reserve forces are kept here in the lower parts of the castle, at least a hundred armed griffons. But the biggest trouble will be the High Guards that fill the castle. They are the best in the entire griffon kingdom.”

“Well, they are messing with the best.” Stand Bold said with a smirk. “And I don't know what they have trained in, but we have the Elements of Sanctuary on our side.”

“But you're missing one.” Luna said with a frown and a deep sigh. “How could we hope to avoid a full on war if we invade this castle, sister?” Luna turned to Celestia in deep thought.

“Thats it.”

“What's it?” Luna stared at her sister as a sinister smile began to creep onto the princess of the sun’s face.

“Because we aren't going to attack. Honored is filthy rich right? That cave full of gold and gems, he paid to have the Vultures come to his rescue.”

Chief Will smiled and grabbed another sheet of parchment. He began to write quickly and making the words sloppy. It looked as if a foal was writing, or a human who was slowly learning to write Equestrian. “Oh well look what I have here.” Chief Will said holding up the paper. “It seems that Honored paid one point three million bits for the rescue of himself from the griffons by the Black Claw Mercenary company!” He rolled the scroll up and tucked it into his belt, “and acting as a free nation, non-alliances company, Equestria cannot be held at fault for one pon-person’s request of saving.”

“But what about us?” Stand Bold said, looking to the rest of the Elements of Sanctuary, “and for that matter, what about the rest of the Honor Guard?”

“Hmmm” Luna rubbed her chin deep in thought. She jumped into the the air and launched a spell at the five members and was rewarded as the group slowly began to fade into nothingness. “It is very strange that the griffons can claim that an Equestrian special forces unit helped in the attack if they never saw them.”

“That is just evil.” Celestia said with a smile. “And I absolutely love it!”

“Go Stand Bold and bring the rest of the Equestrian Honor Guard here so they may receive their enchantment.”

The hoofsteps of Stand Bold echoed out through the room as the doors opened and closed. “And for the rest of you, the enchantment works so that you can see everypony affected by the spell. But to others you are invisible, so while here in friendly areas, please attach these to something.” Luna conjured up red and black strips of cloth that resembled the EHG colors. Within seconds four red strips of cloth floated in the air marking the position of an Element bearer. Except for one that was about foot lower than all the others.

“Quick Flurry, why is your cloth not on your equipment?” Celestia asked, pointing at the floating cloth.

“You don't want to know where it is.” Battle Plan’s voice said, sending a shiver down everyone's spines.

“What? Its not like it matter, they can't see it.”

“Yes but we can.” Covert said with disgust.

“Oh. Whoops.” The cloth then untied itself and ended up higher.

“Thank you!” Everyone shouted at once.

The sound of thumping steady engines filled the air of Canterlot as the citizens below watched the massive fleet take off and head towards the ocean to embark on the journey across it towards the griffon kingdom. Many ponies were confused by the sudden action of the fleet, but with the news reports letting everypony know about the waterborne training exercises going on for the next few days, everypony rested easy knowing that their guard forces were hard at work training.

“Don't you feel bad lying to the citizens?” Luna asked Celestia as they mapped out and plotted the fastest course to hit the griffon capital while avoiding large cities and any possible lookouts that could tip off the griffons.

“Oh them?” Celestia smiled as she used a ruler to sketch out a line across the map. “No. I've had to do this before back during the diamond dog revolt. Oh and during the great dragon riot.” To be honest with herself, Celestia was having the time of her life dealing with these griffons. Luna had been good with the whole taxes and public codes and laws, but her genius had always been in the inner workings of politics. The true dirty side that the world never saw if she performed them correctly. A few greased hooves here and there and the world would only know of a large Royal Guard water exercise going on.

“As long as you're sure, sister.” Luna still felt uneasy about this attack and what the repercussions for Equestria could be, but Honored was in danger. He was probably being tortured. Or in prison. Or being tortured while in prison.

“Luna?” The dark colored alicorn looked up see her sister moving around the map and resting a wing across the younger’s back. “Please go get some rest. Everything will be alright. He’s a tough one. He’ll be okay. We have the best troops going to save him.”

Luna simply nodded and slowly exited the bridge of the airship for her quarters. Celestia was right. 300 Black Claw Mercenaries and 100 vultures. 95 Equestrian Honor Guards. 1 futuristic rapid assault tank robot butler. And an angry manticore kitten. Of course, the two alicorn princesses that controlled two celestial bodies.

Luna smiled as she entered her cabin and lay down on the bed. The griffons were totaly bucked.

“Good morning Speckle Beak. News?” Sergeant Straight Feather asked the sleepy troop as he disembarked the ballista mounted atop one of the many turrets around the griffon king’s castle.

“None Sergeant, it was-” The griffon raised his head and brushed the brown feathers along his head back as he listened into the early morning air. “Do you hear that Sarge?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqtoz4Sw_40&index=5&list=PLcz7jZCcQAiVccRzKSxoI6aHcgAV5_HyX

“What in the clucking?” Sergeant Feather asked aloud as through the clouds high above the castle twenty pitch black ships appeared. A large red talon covered the sides of each ship and grew bigger as the ships dropped from the sky directly towards the castle.

“Did the mercs go somewhere?” The private asked looking up at the impressive fleet.

“I don't think so.” Straight Feather swallowed deeply before looking back towards the castle.

BOOM

A massive explosion ripped through the ground in the center of the courtyard, sending chunks of dirt and stone in every direction. Griffons ran and flew from the explosion as it shook the entire area.

“By the Gods.” Sergeant Feather whispered as all twenty mercenary ships opened fired at once at the unprepared defenses around the castle.

“What in the bearded Celestia was that!?” Stand Bold hollered out as the crews aboard the mercenary ships watched the explosion rip through part of the castle. “Who fired already?”

“No shots fired from any ship.” A crewpony stated, looking up from his console.

“Well something happened! Element of surprise is over, open fire!” Chief Will yelled getting a flurry of salutes and agreements as Black Claw crew members began shouting orders and sending messages rapidly.

The steady rocking of the ship confirmed the firing of the many cannons at the open and unconcealed defenses of the griffon castle. Ramparts, turrets, catapults, ballistas and defender quarters were targeted and blasted away as the twenty mercenary ships open fired with their own cannons and massive airborne ballistas.

“Remember Guards,” Sergeant Stand Bold stood up and spoke into the intercom, the only thing showing that somepony was standing before the console was the bobbing red and black cloth, “you must not be seen at any circumstance. If the griffons discover that the Equestrian government had any involvement in this operation it would mean war!” Stand Bold took a deep breath and then turned back to the microphone, “all members of the EHG get to the designated drop bays. Prepare to drop in one mike.”

“The buck is a mike?” One invisible pony whispered to a floating cloth. This cloth though was at least a foot higher than any other, marking Benton the dragon.

“Don’t know.” The dragon grumbled before the sound of two long swords leaving their scabbards filled the drop bay. “Listen up Honor Guards!”

Silence filled the floating cloth filled bay as the invisible Honor Guards paid rapt attention to the Honor Guard in charge of their group.

“Gold team’s mission is to hit the castle at the front gates and move through securing the entrance. Upon completing the objective, we will secure the main foyer as a headquarters for the princesses to then enter. After that we will receive new orders. Questions, concerns, gripes, bitches, complaints?”

Not a soul spoke as the room remained in an eerie silence, save for the sound of rushing wind blowing up through the cracks in the bay doors.

“Remember Honor Guards,” Benton said while turning from his soldiers and looking at the bay doors, “you must not be seen. At any cost.”

A green gem lit up on the wall and the bay doors dropped open allowing light to fill the drop room. “GO!” Screamed Benton as he leapt forward and into the sky, followed shortly after by the Honor Guard griffons and pegasi. Soon the unicorns followed, utilizing jumping teleports to control their descent to the castle. Lastly the earth bound Honor Guards jumped forward, the wood and cloth gliders mounted to their back ensured their flight to the ground would be longer than the others, but they also carried two gem bombs on each wing that could cause a significant explosions when dropped from over thirty meters.

The invisible guards dropped towards the castle unseen as Black Claw Mercenaries and Vultures also rained down onto the castle causing mass chaos as they landed. Griffons ran in every direction, trying to coordinate a defense, but the sudden attack from above and whatever had caused the mammoth explosion had completely thrown the defenders in disarray.

Stand Bold landed before the gate silently and watched as four other floating striped cloths touched down around him. Silently the group moved forward and held positions as more and more cloth markers formed up around the group of Elements. Stand Bold looked around at the Honor Guards formed around them and prayed silently to the princesses that the invisibility enchantments would hold up. With a nod the pegasus stepped back and fired one pink bolt into the gate causing a beautiful pink explosion to ripple forth across the wood and metal gate.

The doors flew inwards, allowing the invisible guards entrance into the castle grounds. Ten griffons stood poised and ready to strike at whoever dared enter the castle grounds but they all stopped mid swing when they saw that nothing entered.

“Blood and Rags, go check it out.” The griffon wearing a metal helmet with gold edging on it spoke in a rapid manner while shaking around the thunder club he gripped in his claw. The two griffons rushed forward eagerly for a taste of combat but stopped at the gate. Both of them slowly were lifted into the air and then tossed to the side by some unseen force.

“By the creators.” Commander of Defense Golden Wing said as the griffons around him all dropped at once, blood gushing from deep cuts across their throats and stabs in their chest at the heart area. All perfectly coronated at the same time, leaving the Commander standing shaking as he whipped his pistol around and around trying to see what had killed his defenders.

“AHH!” The griffon screeched as the talon holding the pistol was sliced off easily, before it dropped to the ground. Golden Wing stumbled backwards, falling to the dirt clutching at his bleeding appendage. “What are you!?” He screamed out as he felt something sharp rip into his chest. He looked down slowly as darkness began creeping into his vision to see a golden arrow protruding right below his heart. He died hearing the sound of hoofsteps marching around him and into the front door of the castle, his defense broken and shattered in a matter of minutes.

“My King. We must get you to safety before it’s too late!” Head of the High Guards, Master Blade Rain said while trying to get the griffon king to leave his throne. The king was staring in disbelief at the reports before him. Mass attack from the Black Claw group under the payment of one Honored Service for his rescue. How could that lone freak afford something so effective? How had he even arranged it? The monster human had been in the torture room for the past two days nonstop.

“And the explosion?” The king finally spoke as he crawled from his throne. “What was it?”

Master Rain looked at the king with a sorrow filled look, “Sir, what do you think it was?”

“He’s escaped?!”

“Squad Apple move now.” Stand Bold pointed as the next group rushed forward and secured the west hallway leading into the grand foyer of the castle. “Baker and Charlie Horse, grab residence and cover along North and East hallway. Move!” The invisible Honor Guards moved quickly and silently into their positions.

Griffons wearing long flowing red robes and carrying multiple thunder club pistols moved along the always, unknowingly towards the invisible death creeping along the columns and walls right beside them.

TWHACK

One High Guard looked down in surprise at the pink light glowing from his chest and the sharp burning pain it brought.

“What the-”

BOOM

The griffon vanished into a pink mist with scattered chunks of flesh, feathers, and fur. Seconds later the hallways of the castle where filled with the sounds of combat as unsuspecting griffon guards were dispatched by the hidden Equestrian Honor Guards. One hit lethal kills were almost always common. Slashed throats. Decapitated heads. Sliced out hearts. Arrows through eyes. All of these quick deaths covered the majestic halls of the griffon king’s castle.

A few High Guards retreated to the throne room to find fifteen other High Guards, the Master High Guard and the King all still alive.

“You five with me, we have to get the King out of here and to safety!” Master Blade Rain said, tossing the silver helmet from his purple feathered head. “The rest of you stay put and try to buy us-”

THUD

The group all looked to the wooden doors on the other side of the throne room to see them cracking and splintering at the edges.

“My creator.” Master Rain said while drawing the enchanted long sword from his back.

THUD

“Protect the king.”

THUD - Crack-

“I’ll try to hold it back.”

THUD - CRACK- Crack

“Get moving!”

THUD - CRACK - CRACK

“WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!”

SHHHH-SMASH- BOOM

Stand Bold and Benton both lifted their weapons, signaling a stop. The Equestrian Honor Guard members that made it to the throne room doors halted and held position.

“We go in and secure the King. He must be alive. He knows where Honored is.” Stand Bold said quietly to the guards around him. “Remember he needs to be alive. No kill wounds.”

“On my mark,” Benton said, raising his sword up, “now.” He kicked the door open and ran into the room, followed by fifty members of the EHG and the Elements of Sanctuary.

The guards moved in and secured the room, only to stop and stare at the back of the throne room, past the massive craters and bodies of griffons lying everywhere.

Resting on the throne, laid out across the armrests, was Honored.

He was covered in blood either from the massive cuts and exposed muscles on his body or the dead griffons surrounding the throne. Around his waist was a simple loincloth that was as soaked in blood as he was. Around his back he had draped the brilliant red and gold cape that had once belonged to the griffon king. And on his head where his iconic helmet or brown Stetson usually rested, was now a slightly bent and charred gold crown studded in green jewels.

“Hail to the King baby.” Honored growled out, as he rose from the throne. He stood up on the throne and massive black smoky wings extended from his back, spreading out behind him sending wisps of black fog into the air. His eyes were the same gold green they always had been, but now the pupils were slit like. His mouth was twisted in an evil smile revealing two long fangs that extended out from where his normal canine teeth should have been.

“Honored!” Luna yelled as she rushed into the throne room and stopped before the altered human. Tune, Princess Celestia, and Selene all came to stop behind Luna as they all looked to the human glaring at them from across the blood soaked room.

“I’m glad you all came.” Honored’s voice was deep and smooth, sending chills through every body in the room. “I would like to leave this place. I have grown bored of these griffons.”

“Honored?” Luna whispered looking to the altered human. What had happened to him in two days?

The Split

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On My Honor
Chapter 21 The Split
Pre read/ edited by: Spirit of Harmony, BinaryTroll, Neon Scar

I dropped my head in shame and defeat as I walked away from Luna and Celestia. How could the griffons still blame me for everything that happened to their country? They attacked the Equestrians. I stopped them. And the fighting at the castle? They had captured me and imprisoned many others without just cause. They freaking hunted me like an animal to bring me back to their king, of course I was going to fight back.

“Keep moving.” I felt a pistol jab into my back that sent me stumbling forward.

“Poke me again and watch what happens.” I spun around and bared my teeth at the griffon and planted my feet into the ground.

“And you'll do what human? Launch Equestria into a war against the griffons? Do you really think that they will be able to handle another one so soon? And against an enemy who wields vastly more technologically advanced weapons than them?” The griffon with the metal helmet said, stepping forward past the griffon that kept jabbing me in the back. “Be a good little monster and get moving or we won't hesitate to start this war. We know we can win it.”

I kept my ground before a blinding pain erupted from the back of my skull and I felt my face impact the ground.

“Now get up monster. We have to see the king. I’m sure he would be upset if you were late.” The leader said with a dark smile as he looked at the blood coating the handle of his thunder club pistol.

I slowly got to my feet, the hallway spinning around me as I did so. I grunted and moved forward as the griffon gave a chuckle behind me and rammed the pistol into my back with more force than before, sending me reeling to the ground again.

“This is your judgment, human. And we will have our retribution.”

I watched as Canterlot castle faded into the distance as the griffon warship moved through the air. It seems that Equestria wasn't the only country to begin leaping into the future of technology. What had I done? I’m sure that my weapons had played a part in the development of these flintlock shit weapons.

My weapons.

This was bad. I had my magic, but most of the magic I used was still so foreign to me. My weapons were what made me great. Those were my tools of the trade. Right now I was just a diamond dog that could do magic tricks.

“How am I going to get out of this one?” I sighed and watched the countryside roll by underneath the airship. My friends. Tune. Selene. Luna. My Luna, how could I have been so careless? How could I have just given up?

I had to save them from war. I've done enough to harm them already.

“Why drag them into another pointless war? At least this will be the end then.”

No.

This isn't the end. I stood up from the bunk in the cell and strode to the door. I'll be damned if I just roll over and take this.

I looked at the steel door and lifted the food tray flap and peered around. Two griffons stood across from the cell and I knew another two stood on either side of the door; I had heard them as I was led through the interior of the ship. They had been smart enough to blindfold me, but I had other ways of learning my way through the ship.

I walked back to the center of the cell and sat down with my legs crossed and closed my eyes. I took a deep breath. I calmed myself and began to summon my magic. It’s all I had with me so I needed it to function at its best.

I began going over all the books and lessons Twilight had shown and taught me. She had trained me in defense spells and defending magic, but had purposely left out fighting magic.

Good thing I did take the dark magic spell book. And I know I was told not to ever use it, but I could always resort to that dark void magic crystal stuff. I’ve seen Celestia use it before without going to the void, so why can't I?

I cleared my mind and focused harder, feeling the magic grow in my gauntlet and slowly expand outward, filling the cell with the gentle hum of my magic and a dull pulsating red glow.

They can take me, but not without a fight.

“We are on course sir,” the griffon said, looking over the map spread out across the table. “We will reach the capital within the day as long as the breeze continues with us.”

“Ah, excellent. Thank you Gralt, you may return back to your station.” Ruperts said, lifting the metal helmet from his head and placing it on the map table. He strode around the table and ran a claw through the light red feathers on his head. The Equestrian climate always seemed to ruin his feathers somehow. He clucked before turning to a communications center and flicked the switch on a broadcasting tube. “Breich, how is our captured creature?”

“He’s just sitting on the floor of his cell.” There was a pause before the tube came back to life. “He hasn't moved in over three hours sir.”

Ruperts tapped a claw on the table, slowly digging a hole into the wood as he lost himself deep in thought. That creature is strange. The scientist and the king know almost nothing about him, but not moving for three hours screams wrong.

“Breich, slide food into the cell, if he doesn't move still then use the neutralize system.”

“Right away sir.” The intercom went dead as Ruperts paced around the table. One creature capable of so much death, and he had came quietly. No a single drop of blood shed, well save for the human’s. He had this coming though. Thinking he could run from the retribution of the mighty griffon Empire. Everything must come to an end, and this would be the human’s.

Ruperts laughed at the idea and smiled as the ship continued on its way over the ocean, Grifflin bound.

“So really? For three hours?” Dread Rags said, looking through the food tray slot on the cell door. “He hasn't moved?”

“Not an inch.” Breich replied, shrugging his wings. “Little freak has to be ready to die. He knows he can't fight or we’ll crush the ponies. Its all over.” The griffons tossed their heads back and chuckled while walking away from the cell.

While inside the closed area the human was laughing madly inside his own mind.

Those idiots. They are so blind. I thought to myself as my magic finally expanded out and reached the far corners of the ship. It had taken just a bit to get the red glow to go down, but I had effectively been able to send my detect spell out and cover the whole ship. It was draining my power level, but I could keep it up for a couple hours at least. I could see and hear everything going on within the confines of the ship, all from my little cell. The griffons outside of my door. The captain at the helm plotting how I would die at the king’s talons. The poor engineer beating it behind the gem engine system. But that is what I needed.

If I can sneak a gem with me, I should be able to overload it and cause a magical build up flux failure. Oh my god. So this is what Twilight feels like all the time. Damn if only I had paid attention more to her lessons. Fuck. I thought while examining the security patrols marching around the ship. For a vessel carrying the sole enemy of the griffon Empire, they really don't have all that much security. I could easily use the dark magic killing spell and send every griffon on board into a killing frenzy butchering each other up until none are left.

But then again when the ship fails to return to Grifflin, they might realize I fought back and then attack the ponies.

‘FUCK!’ I screamed in my mind as I tried to reach out with my magic and give one of the spare gems in the engine storage room a tug. The power coursing through my body was straining to hold the level of magic. I could feel the gem begin to wiggle as I clenched my teeth. Come on. Almost there. Just a little more.

Just a little more.

More power.

Power.

POP

I felt the gem pop loose from its container and jerk into the air. I grinned madly as I navigated the gem through the winding corridors of the ship towards my cell. The scanning spell that covered the ship also began to close in behind the gem as I released it slowly. Finally after what felt like hours I dragged the tiny gem through the food tray slot on the door right underneath the guard’s beaks. Idiots. They all will feel the wrath I will bring them with my power.

I shook my head and rubbed my eyes. That spell really put a drain on me. I really need to make sure Twilight knows how much I appreciate her teaching. And I need to really, really pay more attention next time so I can learn a little more.

I sat in the cell staring at the small gem clasped in my gauntlet. I smiled grimly at the door as I began to feed magic into the gem. I would have to push the limits of the gem as it took more and more magic into it. I was terrible at enchanting and this was somewhat an enchantment. Good thing I needed it to be unstable.

Patiently I kept waiting to land. I knew this was going to be a long trip. And I’m sure that whatever awaited me on the other side would be far worse than this trip.

Almost over now.

And then you shall know me.

Oh Honored. It’ll be nice to talk. So close.

Oh so very close.

“And make sure that he is kept at thunder point the whole way through the castle.” Ruperts spat out to the High Guards that would escort the human to its cell deep within the prison. The commander of the airship watched as the guards began filling the corridor leading to the cell of the human. As they neared the door, Ruperts immediately felt goosebumps cover his body and the temperature dropped rapidly to the point that he could see his breath in front of his face.

“Tell the engineers to fix the blasted heater here. This is ridiculous.” One of the younger guards joked beside the door. “It's been like this for hours.”

Ruperts looked at the solid steel door that contained the human. Shivers ripped down the elder griffon’s spine as he neared closer to the door. He stopped and shook his head before reaching out and sliding in a key. Everything seemed to slow to a crawl and every griffon in the area tensed up as weapons were pointed towards the door as the metal screeched open.

“Sweet Creator.” Ruperts mumbled as he looked into the cell.

Along every surface scrawled in dripping red lettering was one phrase. It was repeated thousands upon thousands of times all angling towards the center of the room where the human was sitting cross legged and staring right at the commander. Ruperts shuddered again under the human’s gaze as he slowly entered the room.

“Stand up creature.” Ruperts demanded, but it seemed to come out more as a question as the monster within the cell stood up perfectly straight, not once removing his gaze from the commander of the ship. The human looked unharmed, no cuts visible anywhere on his body.

‘Where had the blood come from?’ Ruperts wondered as he lead the human forward out into the corridor and away from the disturbing cell.

GOD HAVE MERCY, FOR I WON’T. Covered the walls. The floor. The ceiling. Everything. Ruperts looked back to the human who then gave a massive smile, blood dripping from his teeth as he bared them in a smile that would haunt the commander of the airship for years to come.

By the Creator. He used his tongue. What is this creature? What have we done?

‘Oh man it looks like he is about to shit his bricks!’ I mentally gave myself a high five for my insanely good mentally insane prisoner act. Psychological warfare 101. Fuck them up! Mind fuck them like they have never been mind fucked before! My plan was for the crew to tell all the other griffons when we docked about what they saw. It would sure be bound for some good old fashion chaos.

“Keep moving and obey everything said to you.” A griffon commanded as we entered what looked like the main hangar of the airship. This griffon was new looking. He wore armor on the main part of his body save for the wings and the joint connecting the wing to the back. Hmmm a very sensitive and painful weakness. All in good time my friend. The armor was dark green and had a trim of gold on it and a symbol on each shoulder showing a gold crown. A dark green cape flowed down half the griffon’s back and he had the same kind of metal helmet with a point that really screamed World War One Germany, freaking Pickelhaube helmet.

“You are to be brought before the king to receive his judgment.” The griffon held his beak up as if he thought he was better than me. “But first you will be stripped of all armor and clothing and be given an outfit fit for any monster.”

‘Oh hell no.’ I thought. My armor and magic were the only two things I had. I didn't pay attention to the conjure armor lesson Twilight taught. Damn it. Why did I waste my Twilight Time? Fuck me.

I soon found myself flanked by at least ten of these green armor wearing asshats. They certainly looked a little tougher than the other griffons aboard the airship. I wouldn't be making an escape with them around.

Or at least not an easy one.

No, not now.

I kept steady and focused forward, keeping the silent strong act that seemed to be working so far. I was marched straight from the airship towards a massive castle that rested in the center of the griffon city. I was surrounded non stop by at least twenty guards. These griffons were learning.

The castle loomed ahead of the group and I saw that even more griffons stood waiting by the entrance to the giant building. Damn. Without weapons this would be hard. Although if I could get ahold of some those old pistols and swords my odds might change a bit.

You will have no need.

“You will strip down once inside. Nothing. Even the gauntlet will go.” The griffon from before spoke.

“Sorry.” I said looking him dead in the eye, “but unless you want me to randomly teleport or explode you’ll have to keep it on. It’s the only thing keeping the magic inside of me from exploding out at random.”

Maybe I should have said that earlier because suddenly each griffon seemed to take a few steps away from me. Magic was feared I guess. Fucking stupid feathered assholes.

“Very well human. The gauntlet will stay. But everything else will be removed.”

“Sure.” I said with a roll of my eyes. What they expect to happen who knows.

As we entered the castle I barely had time to look around and admire the lovely stone cold walls with no decorations and the sinister looking claw torch holders before I felt two claws on each shoulder.

RIIIIIIIPPPPPP

I felt a small part of me die as the worn and ragged duster that had been with me since Rarity had crafted it, ripped from my body. The times I had worn that and felt the wind catch at its tails filled my mind as I remembered romping adventures in it. I watched the two halves fall to the grown completely shredded and ruined. The armor plate carrier was taken and slung across the hall where it smashed into the wall and hit the ground. If only they knew how many times that thing saved my life. My pants and shirt were ripped in the same manner as the duster and tossed aside. I was left standing there in only my boxers as those too were ripped from my body and I was left naked standing before the griffons.

“Put this on.” I was tossed a filthy loin cloth that was made of scratchy burlap and was held in place by a thick cut of rope. I tied it off and felt more vulnerable than I had in long time.

“Now this monster.”

I stared at the piece held before me.

An iron collar. It was made to easily fit around my neck with the locking mechanism in the back. I slowly reached up and clasped the iron collar around my neck and felt the griffon snap a lock onto the back.

Death to all.

I internally sighed and then felt something else snap around my legs and arms. I looked down to see chains locked onto my feet and arms keeping them from moving more than a few feet at a time. I was a prisoner. I was captured.

The collar was tight around my neck. Not to the point of choking me, but it was always there. Tugging. Closing around my neck. I could feel it every step we made down that long hallway towards what I would assume to be some over the top throne room.

It will come off soon.

I moved forward, surrounded by griffons on all sides of me. I marched ahead, trying to keep confidence in my stride as the griffons seemed to take turns ramming into me and bumping me aside as we walked towards the throne room. How could I have let this happen. I could fight back.

Think of the ponies.

‘Right. I can’t hurt… the… ponies. What the hell. What just thought that.’

You did.

‘There again. I didn't think that. NIGHTMARE!’ I screamed internally and almost lit my gauntlet up in anger as I wanted to lash out against the voice in my head. How was he back? I killed him. I hadn't used any dark magic. What the flipping fuck was happening to me?!

No. I am not Nightmare. Nightmare was his own intetiny. I am your void magic consciousness.

‘What? What the hell does that mean?’

I knew this would be a bad time to tell you. Listen as you use void magic. Master it. Your own void being develops within your mind. You magic will create a separate magic mana being to control the different varying magics in your body.

‘Oh okay that makes perfect sense… English please!’

You are just the UGH. Okay. I am your void magic. I can help you tap into your void magic and control it. I am your mental ability to rein in the void magic that you have lost yourself to before. I am your mind now split into two parts, one in complete control of the void magic, and the other... Well that's you.

‘So where were you before when I could have used you?’ Shit the throne room loomed ahead and I could feel the excitement radiating off the griffons as the massive wooden doors swung open admitting us entrance into the mammoth room.

You were not ready before for me. Now you are going to embark on a journey that I wish you didn’t. I can not help you until you trust me. I am your consciousness of the void. Believe me, I am your own mind.

‘Ha, fat fucking chance man. I’m never trusting the void after Nightmare. I can handle whatever these turkeys have to offer.’ The doors slammed shut behind me and I jumped into the air at the sudden noise. I looked around and found the room to be surrounded with hundreds of griffons all wearing varying degrees of fancy clothing. There were everywhere. Benches, chairs, and some even dotted the rafters.

“So this is the human.”

I looked up to the throne at the center of the back wall where a large griffon wearing a large red cape and an elaborately decorated crown rested on a massive throne. He stared at me much as one would stare at a rat they found trapped and dying in a kitchen. He had a cocky smile plastered to his beak and his brown eyes screamed hatred at me. I stared back at him until I felt something sharp jam into the back of my knee. I fell forward, cursing as a spear was pulled back by one of my guards. Blood slowly dripped from the wound and onto the white marble floor, staining it bright red.

The surrounding griffon spectators cheered as I stood up and slumped to the right, now having to take pressure off the left leg.

“You don't seem like a great demon. The monster that plunged this mighty empire into chaos.” The king sneered at me before he leapt down from his throne and began to make his way towards me and the guards.

“Wasn't that hard to do with it being shit already.” I smiled back before red hot pain flashed across my face. More blood dripped to the floor and the crowd screamed louder as the king pulled his talons back and looked at the blood covering them. I could feel the three long jagged cuts that now covered my face and the blood that fell down from my cheek and towards my mouth and chin. I stuck out my tongue and licked my lips, tasting my own blood before spitting it out and onto the king. He recoiled backwards and glared even harder at me.

“I have seen all I needed. I condemn this… creature to death after extensive torture till all that he knows spills forth like tears from a youngling!” The king bellowed out to the griffons. The resounding cheer was deafening as the griffons yelled in excitement for my torture and death.

The griffons immediately threw me to the ground. I grunted out as my face planted against the cold marble. I coughed and stared at the red stained stone before something slammed into the back of my head.

And so the journey begins.

“Ah there you are. I thought you might not wake up from that hit.” I cracked my eyes open to find myself in a dark room lit only by a few candles covering a table before me. I reached out to rub my head but my arms wouldn't move. I struggled to move but found that I could not move at all. I looked up and felt the my eyes grow wide and tears begin to form. There was a mirror before me that was angled to show the mirror that was behind me.

“And that is so that you can see what will be happening to you.” The voice spoke again. It sounded happy. Like nothing was happening. This was just a normal day to him. But I was staring, through the mirrors, at my back that was sliced open. The skin was peeled back and the muscles were moved aside, cut apart so that I could see my lungs rapidly expanding and deflating behind my ribs. I could spot several slivers of metal placed between my spine and the thick coils of nerves within it.

“What… What did you do to me?” I gasped out, my eyes not leaving the sight of my back.

“Well after slicing you open bit by bit, so exciting by the way, I’ve never been able to look at the inside of a human. It seems I am digressing.” A griffon of average build strode forward, blocking my view of my back and gave me a smile. He wore a white lab coat that was covered in blood and other stains that I prayed were candle wax.

“After taking apart the muscles on your back, I then prodded and poked till I could find the nevers you used to control movement. Then with a simple snip here and a snip there, you were rendered paralyzed. No way you can break out from any chains or cells when you have no need for them.”

A monster.

I was the monster.

“And then using some magic we were able to reattach the pain receptors so that you can feel the glorious pain that will make you spill the secrets of your technological wonders. And with those we will take the griffon empire to new levels power.” The crazed griffon rambled on as he reached forward and picked up something from the table. He held out a white feather to me and then stuck it forward and moved it under my armpit.

Nothing.

I could feel nothing as he moved feather around my most sensitive places.

“And that completes the receptor check for pleasure or otherwise normal feelings. Now pain.”

The griffon moved to the side, grabbing a scalpel and holding it like an artist holds a paintbrush and moved to my side.

“Wait.” I choked out, but it was made in vain.

I clenched my teeth as the white hot pain exploded from my side as the little knife plunged into my side and was drawn upwards along my ribs. The pain pulled blackness to edges of my vision as I held in the scream that threatened to explode forth.

“You are a most resilient specimen. I truly am honored to be able to play with you.” The mad griffon doctor smiled proudly at me, like he was achieving his greatest work. “But I must get you to talk my sweet pet. It is time.”

The doctor moved to the side and displayed the table before me. Hundreds of shiny metal instruments glistened in the dim light of the room. I felt my soul slip as his taloon hovered over the table before selecting one of the tools that was shaped much like a simple spoon, but with razor sharp edges on it.

I clenched my teeth again and gave a loud groan as tears began to mix with the red blood on the floor.

Let me help! I’m not Nightmare! I am apart of you!

“NO!” I screamed out, causing the Doctor to jump back from me. “I won't give into the power again! Not now, not ever! I almost lost myself once. Not ever again!”

“My, my. Someone is feeling talkative now. But that’s not what I want to hear.”

A small scream escaped my lips as more pain erupted from my back as if there was molten metal trickling through my spine. I jerked my neck trying to stop the pain but I couldn't move and only watch in silent horror as the Doctor continued to pull and carve along my side before making his way down towards my thighs.

“A most interesting muscle system. The legs built for endurance running over long periods. How fascinating.”

I watched through the mirror as he selected a type of scissors from the table and then moved to my legs once more. He placed the blades against the bottom of my left calf and looked up at me through the mirror.

“Please.” I mumbled, desperately begging for some kind of mercy from this insane doctor. The ponies. They can't handle the war the griffons would bring them if they knew anything about my weapons. They had already developed flintlock shit pistols. They havoc that modern day weapons would cause. I had to stay strong for them. No snapping. No breaking.

“Still no talking of your weapons?” The griffon doctor ‘tsked’ once before snapping the scissors shut on my achilles tendon.

I screamed as loud as I could as the muscle rolled up into my calf and then into the rest of my leg. I yelled till I felt light headed and then closed my eyes, welcoming the darkness to take my vision.

‘Thats it. I give up. Nightmare take me. I submit to you. Help me. Please. End this.’

I told you.

I’m not Nightmare.

I’m your void mind.

I am Mars.

Finally to be able to help my carrier. He was a novice at best with Void magic, but he had a great abundance of the magic coursing through him. That Nightmare he speaks of did open his magic pool to the void. Well lets get this started. So much to do and so little time to do it in.

Oh it will feel nice to get out there and show them what a void mind can do!

My eyes slammed open and I took in a deep breathe as air rushed into my lungs. I quickly looked around to see the doctor backing up from me as the mirror before me reflected what had him terrified. My back was still split open but slowly, unfurling from the open wound, two large black wings that seemed to be made of black smoke with wisps of fog rolling off of them extended outwards. The spread out and flapped once, lifting me from the vertical table that I had been held to by a series of poles under my arms and legs.

I floated above the blood soaked floor as I felt magic exploded outwards and take ahold of my extremities. A burning itching sensation covered my back and legs as the void magic covered my wounds and began to mend the torn and destroyed muscles and skin back together. I kept my gaze locked onto the griffon doctor as the burning sensation continued.

There is nothing I can do about the feeling. It must repair such damaged tissues.

I reached out with my magic and quickly, faster than ever, pushed the magic through my body and out into the castle and began scanning just as I had done on the airship on my trip over here days ago. I was able to push my magic faster than I normally could.

I am able to grant you a better grasp on this void magic. I am your magic after all.

I found the gem. It was resting somewhere below the castle grounds in a storage room.

“It’s go time Mars.” I cracked a toothy smile and looked over at the mirror as I felt the magic slowly begin to pull back from my body and the burning sensation subsided, leaving my skin feeling cool. I floated off the floor on my black smoke wings that lazily flapped every few seconds. My skin was repaired and all the new scars were gone, leaving only the old ones. My eyes caught me off guard as they had turned into slit like irises in the center of my green gold eyes. The final change was the two fangs now poking out from my mouth that extended below my lower lip.

Well there are other changes from the void magic. Sorry.

‘It matters not.’ I grunted and then released the magic trapped within the gem.

CRACK-BOOOOOOMMMMMMM

The room shook and dust rained down from the ceiling as the explosion from the gem rocked the entire area. Good. I hope there were griffons trapped within that blast. They will all feel my might. Not for the pain and torture they had put me through, but for daring to harm the peace loving ponies that have done nothing to them.

They will all suffer.

STOP!

‘Who dares to stand against me?’ I looked around the room as I made my way towards the door leading into the rest of the dungeon.

This is where you went wrong every time! You must not let the hate blind you! That’s how the void will overcome you. Listen to me! I want this just as much as you, but you can't go about this out of anger and revenge or you will be lost once more to the void, but this time you would stay gone as I have unlocked the full potential of the void magic resting inside of you.

I stopped and took a deep breathe. Anger. Revenge. Yes that was what I needed to do. I needed to- No! Mars was right. Every time I used void, I wanted revenge. I was fueled by anger and hatred. Peace, calm, tranquility. I need to protect the ponies. I need to Protect.

Yes! Protect them!

“Protect them.” I stated out loud and opened my eyes. Everything was focused. I knew how to control this void. Mars was my sense of protection. He was my magic. He was guiding me.

I reached out with my magic and ripped the door from its hinges before tossing it aside like a wad of crumpled paper. I glided out of the room and then dropped to the ground, folding my wings behind me. No sooner had I folded them, a quick burst of pain flashed across my arm.

An arrow stuck out from the wall behind me and I narrowed my eyes down the hallway at the group of griffons that stood blocking the way out of the dark dungeons. I raised my gauntlet and aimed it down the hall, an orb of pure black shadows formed, small sparks of red magic jumping off of it as I reared back and threw the sphere of magic like a baseball down the hall. It impacted the center-most griffon as he pulled another arrow back in his bow. The griffon opened his beak in a silent scream as a hole opened up through his chest and showed a perfect circle through him. He dropped to the ground and the other griffons looked back to me.

I jumped into the air, spread my demon like wings and flew straight at them like the arrows that had moments ago been speeding for my heart. I held my gauntlet out before me and smashed into one of the startled griffons, knocking him backwards where his back slammed into a wall. I dropped to the ground and spun around, firing a bolt of raw void through another griffon, leaving him missing a head. His body slumped to the ground, blood squirting out from his open neck.

I focused the void magic and dropped to the ground while spinning in a circle, the void magic still firing like a beam from my hand, creating a circle of death around me in the close quarters of the hallway. All the griffons stopped moving and looked blankly ahead at me. One by one they each fell to the ground, sliced in half easily form the pure raw energy of the void.

I continued on my way out of the dungeons, stopping all those that wanted to harm the ponies. At the end of the long stone hallway I found the result of my magical gem. There was a one hundred foot wide and fifty foot deep gaping hole dug out into the ground of the griffon castle. I could see the remains of many griffons in the depths of the pit. I sneered at them and jumped forward, my wings carrying me over the hole and into the air. From above I watched as twenty griffons moved to the opposite side of the crater and looked around for me. They held the new flintlock pistols in their claws as they scanned the area for me.

‘Are you ready Mars?’

I was always ready.

“Thats what I like to hear!” I shouted while aiming down and diving straight towards the griffons. I funneled the void magic into a powerful ball before me and readied for the impact as I rushed towards the unexpecting soldiers below.

SMASH

I impacted the ground right behind my ball of void magic that caused a large explosion of dirt and dust to fly into the air. I rose to my full height to see fifteen of the griffons staring at me with wide eyes. I flashed them a smile and spread my new wings out behind me before jumping forward and slamming a fist into the nearest griffon, adding a bit of magic behind the punch that sent him launching across the castle grounds. I reached out and snagged his falling flintlock pistol as it dropped and spun around, leveling the antique weapon at the second griffon. I pulled the trigger and was rewarded by a large flash of smoke and gunpowder that sent the large circular bullet through the griffons throat, dropping him to the ground.

I flipped the pistol into the air and grabbed the barrel before swinging the sturdy pistol as a club into the chest of the griffon trying to flank me. He stumbled backwards before taking a hit from my void magic that sent him tumbling backwards once more, a smoking hole in his chest causing him to slowly drop to the ground.

I slid to the side as another pistol shot rang out and I could watch through my heightened reflexes, the bullet pass by me. It was like I was dancing through the battlefield, unable to be harmed by anything these griffons could throw at me.

You can still be harmed so don't get cocky Johnson!

“Right. Focus.” I leapt onto a griffon and began to slam punches into his head until he stopped moving. I reached to the side and scooped up his flintlock pistol and aimed it at the griffon charging at me from behind. I pulled the trigger and was angered as the hammer swung down but failed to ignite the powder.

“Fucking shit!” I yelled while hurling the dead weapon at the griffon that was surprisingly close to me. The pistol struck his front paw and sent him sprawling to the ground but not before he lashed out with his other talon and raked my bare and exposed chest. I cursed as I felt the pain rip through my chest and the blood began to pour. I shrugged off the pain and stood up, aiming the gauntlet at the offending griffon. I levitated him into the air and focused the magic into his center.

The griffon began to jerk around sporadically in the air before he erupted into a black explosion of blood, guts, feathers, and fur raining all over the remaining griffons. I stood under the fleshy rain and spread my arms, flaring my wings back as the blood covered my body. I levitated up a short sword from the ground and held it at the ready before diving once more into the fray surrounding me as more and more griffons began pouring from the castle in an attempt to stop me.

My mind ran on autopilot, thanks to help from Mars, as I moved from griffon to griffon, slicing and dicing my way towards the side of the castle. My void magic conjured a sword made of pure void matter as I wielded it from my gauntlet and sliced through any armor and any blade that dared be raised against me. I was fighting to protect the ponies form a threat that would not hesitate to bring war to them, but that didn't mean I didn't have to enjoy it. It did feel good to watch the vain attempt of the griffons to try and stop me. The looks on their faces as the blades whisked away their lives. It was… nice.

No! This is not what you are fighting for! You are doing this to protect. No joy. It is a necessary evil that you must do. Nothing more.

“Right.” I shook my head and again retrained my mind on the task at hand. Mars was really helping keep me from slipping back into the void mind that had consumed me before. I would have been lost way before now if it were not for him.

I reached the edge of the castle and looked up. The large dome of the throne room loomed before me. “There. Thats where we end this at the source. The king. Then we deploy the three step solution to these griffons.”

And you think that will work?

“Do we have any other option?” I quipped back. It was easy. One, kill the current king. Two put the Black Claw mercenary group in charge. Three, allow them to decide when the griffons would be allowed to rule themselves again. I’m sure as hell not helping to stay and establish a government.

I stepped back and propelled myself upwards with a quick flap from my wings before turning and dropping down onto the roof of the castle. I walked over to the side of the dome and peered in. I could see the king being guarded by a group of those High Guards. “Hmmmm.” I tapped a finger to my chin before turning around and smiling widely.

The throne room is that way! Johnson, What are you doing?!

“Chill my man. Its all about the entrance.”

I walked calmly up to the large double doors that only two days ago I had been lead through in chains. I looked at the door before rearing back and slamming a bare foot against the solid wood.

THUD

I pulled back again.

THUD

Oh I’m sure they must be shitting their pants. If they were wearing any.

THUD -crack-

I smiled as the wood began to crack down the center of the door.

THUD - CRACK- crack

Splinters began to rain around me as the door shook in its hinges.

THUD - CRACK- CRACK

More wood rained down around me as I pulled my fist back for the final blow and charged it full of magic.

SHHHHHH - SMASH - BOOM

The chunks of door rained forwards, showering the throne room with bits of wood and metal framing. Smoke filled the entrance as I walked forward, wings spread out behind me in a threatening fashion. A large griffon charged towards me, a huge two handed claymore grasped in his talons. I sidestepped easily around his first swing and slammed my foot backwards into his rear leg, savoring the resounding ‘crunch’ that echoed through the throne room. He tumbled forward, carried by his own momentum as he tried to spin around and deliver a rear slash as he fell. I raised my gauntlet and stopped the blade mid swing. I gripped the metal in my hand and felt him trying to pull the blade back. I smirked at him before quickly jerking my hand to the side and watching the metal shatter in my grasp and shards of sword fly everywhere.

The griffon looked at me in pure terror as he dropped the remains of the sword and backed up away from me. In the blink of an eye he then ran forward, well hobbling forward on his broken leg, and attempted to scratch my eyes out with his raised talons. I side stepped and slammed my fist upwards, catching the brave griffon High Guard in the stomach. I added magic into the punch and launched the griffon into the air towards the ceiling where the elaborate chandeliers dangled above the throne room. The griffon flew right into one of the hanging light fixtures and became tangled within its jeweled covered strands.

I sent my magic forward and ensnared his neck in the strands and pulled them taut as he continued to struggle against me. His eyes began to bulge from his head as the strands of jewels went tight and he dropped from the chandelier hanging at the neck. With one final jerk and spasm, he went still. I turned from the hanging corpse and stared down the remaining high guards and the lone king, all waiting for me at the opposite end of the throne room. They all stood tall and proud, unmoving, unbreakable; but their eyes showed nothing but fear and hopelessness. I squared off against these High Guards. The best of the best of the griffon army. Time to show them what one motivated human can do with the right amount of magic.

I ran forward, sprinting dead ahead at the group of enemies whose goal was to obviously protect the king. Two griffons ran forward to meet me in the middle of the room while the rest began to spread out to try and flank me and strike me whenever and opening presented itself. I leapt to the side as one of the first two slammed his sword down to chop me in half. A powerful strike, but uncoordinated and sloppy. It was met with a blast of void magic that cleaved his head in two and sent the body flying against the wall, blood and gore splattering against it.

The dead griffon’s partner swung a more planned attack but misjudged my ability to leap into the air thanks to the wings that popped out of my back. I somersaulted high over his head before landing behind him and coating my gauntlet in void magic, shooting my hand forward through his exposed and unguarded back. I reached down and latched onto the long spine and pulled my hand back with a sickening crunch, as his section of bone was forcibly removed from his back.

I now stood up, spine in hand, and looked to see myself once again surrounded on all sides by griffons. Swords were aimed directly at me and I was at their center.

Well it was a good show, but this is insane. You have found yourself in quite the pickle. Oh dear how are we ever going to escape this. Mars added sarcastically as I dropped the severed spine to the ground with a clatter. I slammed my gauntlet to the ground, void magic leaping across the ground and slamming into every griffon like a tidal wave, sending each one flying through the air and into the wall, marbled floor, and ceiling like rag dolls. The bodies impacted with such force that they all seemed to burst open and cover the area with blood and chunks of flesh.

Maybe a little less force next time.

“Yeah. Maybe.” I grunted out as I walked forward through the core encrusted room. The king stood rooted before his throne trembling at the sight before him. “Whoa. Deja Vu.” I chuckled as I raised my gauntlet and raised the king into the air with my magic where he began to flail around. He reached into his decorative robe and removed a pistol. Before I could knock it out of his hand he fired of a quick shot that grazed my arm, sending pain through my body and causing my magic to falter. He dropped to the ground and began to scramble away from me towards his throne. I recovered from the shot and growled at the king as he reached his throne and began to grab something from the side of it. He flipped around on his back and leveled a rifle at me.

My heart stopped in my chest. That rifle resembled a very crude and longer 1903 Springfield rifle. I quickly reached out and snatched the rifle from the king’s grip and tossed it aside. I ripped the king from the ground and hovered him over to me. “Where did you get that?” I asked him, my eyes narrowed in anger at him. That weapon was at least one hundred years ahead of those flintlocks they were using. How is this possible? How are the griffons developing these kinds of tools already.

“I… I wont tell you anything human. Youre a monster and now I have leverage -” I tightened my grip on his leg and focused the magic solely on the joint connecting his lion’s paw to the ankle.

“I think you'll find me very persuasive.” I grinned at him and increased the pressure. His face distorted in pain as he clamped his beak shut. “Still no? Then I’ll just take this.”

I maxed the pressure, causing the paw to pop of the leg in a splurt of blood that squirted across the ground. The king screamed in agony as the paw floated before his face. “Now you have three more and then the wings. So I’ll ask again, where did you guess that rifle?”

The griffon began to whimper before looking me in the eyes. “Beakerton. The weapons are being produced there.”

“Who designed this?” I asked raising the griffon to my eye level. His eyes screamed at me in fear.

“You did.” He muttered. “It is a copy of your weapons.”

“ARRRRGGGGGGG!” I screamed as the griffon king exploded into flames. He screamed out as the flames consumed his body, burning him alive as I tossed his burning body to the ground. I floated the semi melted crown from his body and draped the torn robe across my back and sat down on the throne and gazed at the mess I had caused to the throne room.

Fuck me. I had been the reason for them to make these weapons. The damned griffons. Son of a bitch! I was the reason that they were gaining the ability to craft such weapons. The rifle the king had would really be a problem to any nation on this planet if more of them were produced. Shit, no nation should have those weapons. I had to find this factory and destroy it. And I would have to hunt down every beginning that knew the designs of these weapons.

Fuck! That also meant that the Equestrians that were designing magic gem rifles had to be stopped. Oh God, why me.

To protect.

Yes. To protect, not just the ponies anymore.

I had to protect this world from what I had caused them to create.

Suddenly I found myself torn from my thoughts as the other doors to the throne room to my left flew open and the sound of hooves filled the room. With a quick burst of void magic, the cloaking spells vanished and I found myself staring at the Elements of Sanctuary and other members of the Equestrian Honor Guard. They all spread out and filled the room, carefully avoiding the gore covered areas from the dead griffons.

“Hail to the king baby.” I said while grinning and standing up from the throne. My wings extended out from behind me as I walked down towards the creatures that had come to save me. I stood before them and watched as they all stared at me in varying looks of fear and anger.

“Honored!” I smiled as Luna rushed into the room followed by Princess Celestia and Tune, but they all stopped short of me.

Oh fuck, thats right, I looked horrifying now.

They must understand that you haven't turned. That you have mastered the void, that is all.

“I’m glad you all came. I would like to leave this place. I have grown bored of these griffons.” I said walking towards my friends. They all seemed to tense up as I walked closer to them. “Now I know I may look different, but I have merely mastered the void magic.”

“IMPOSSIBILE!” Luna yelled at me, her loud voice forcing me back a few inches. “The void has never been mastered, and how could a novice like you master it!” Luna then lowered her voice and gave a bashful smile, “I mean, you're not very good with any magic besides combat magic.”

I frowned but then smiled. “Yes, you are right. But it seems that my magic, or rather my void magic, has manifested its own consciousness as to better control it.”

“Honored.” Celestia began as her horn charged up, “Is Nightmare back? Is he in there?”

I let out a laugh and smiled at her, momentarily forgetting about the wicked looking fangs in my mouth. I quickly shut my mouth and smiled with closed lips, “No he isn't in here, my mind or my magic created Mars to control the rampaging void magic within me.”

They all looked at me skeptically. “Anyway, did Twilight came with y’all? I’m sure she has read something about this. We should go see her.” No one moved in the room and I felt the tension build. “Okay, lets go see Twilight then.”

Celestia kept her horn glowing, Tune’s weapons were trained on me, Luna was following behind the two, the Elements of Sanctuary kept their distance, and the rest of the Equestrian Honor Guard kept their weapons unsheathed and ready. Why did I have to go through these physical changes?

This was going to be a long ride back home. Fuck. Where's a travel montage when you need one.

We all prepared for the long trek back to the airship knowing that the Equestrian forces would still have to go unnoticed as to avoid a conflict with the Griffons. Man this black op shit was dope. We moved through the destroyed hallways of the castle, myself being the only one visible as we moved around bodies and gore covered areas.

"So he says that he is simply my mind split in two. One being me and the other controlling the void and keeping the other me in check and not slipping to the void." I was trying my best to sum up what Mars was saying, but for being me he sure used a lot of big confusing words.

"That makes no sense at all." Luna said from across the bridge of Fast Skies. She was keeping her distance from me, well now that I was thinking about it, everyone aboard the ship was giving me a wide berth since leaving the throne room. Except for Tune, he was keeping the weapons along his body locked on to me.

"You can stop that now. If I was going to go all void it would have happened." I said staring at the barrel of a .50cal.

"Negative."

"Fuck you too Tune."

"Don't take your anger out on him." Quick Flurry snarled at me while twirling his Element of Sanctuary dagger around his hoof. "Not his fault you used the dark magic again and lost yourself."

"I didn't lose myself!" I screamed at them.

No. Stop that. No anger or hatred. Would you not be a little afraid or skeptical too?

I gave a deep sigh and collected my thoughts from myself. "I am still me, I simply have split my consciousness into two parts." I spoke calmly, trying to reach my old friends and dearest ponies in the world. And one robot.

"That is impossible." Celestia said with a frown. "Not even the most powerful unicorns in the world have been able to achieve that."

I was about to deliver my rebudle when Twilight, who had been sitting quietly off to the side leapt into the air and began to prance around proudly. "Starswirl the Bearded is the answer to this!"

We all gave her blank stares.

Except for Tune.

He kept pointing weapons at me.

"We just need to go to my library and I can explain there!" Twilight was absolutely beaming with the thought of teaching so many ponies, a human, and a robot something they didn't know. And for once, I was too.

“And that's why it is possible!” Twilight said with a smile as she bounded up the steps to the second floor of books within the shiny annoying castle. “Here in Starswirl the Bearded’s journal of the deep void magic, he speaks about a voice that came to him and offered him guidance in the ways of the void.” Twilight dropped the book to the desk surrounded by the two alicron rulers, a robotic war butler, and a demonic looking human. They all looked up from the book to the purple alicorn.

“Um, yes, well Starswirl added more about how he spoke to the voice to find it was really a part of him. He was essentially talking to himself. Thats all. His magic tried to help him understand it better, but he refused, saying he wasnt ready for such power. That no being should be able to grasp that power and use it with such precision.” Suddenly everyone around the table looked up at the human who held his hands up and flared his wings.

“What?” He said defensively. “I was being tortured for Christ’s sake. Cut me some slack.”

“He gets all the cool magic.” Twilight grumpled before sitting down. “I say, and as the princess of magic-”

“of friendship.” The human coughed with a smile.

“As an expert of magic,” she added, “I say that we watch Honored’s behavior before we dive into his mind and find out what is really going on.”

There were several agreements and the human breathed easier as the scrutinising eyes were lifted from him.

He had bigger things to worry about. Like new weapons entering the world and continuing his personal research on Tartarus. With a quick burst of void magic, Honored scanned the ancient tome of Starswirl the Bearded and made a direct copy of all the studies of Tartarus within his home. He had a lot of research to go over now, but a protector’s work was never done.

Beginning of the End

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Chapter 22 Beginning of the End
By Honored Service

On a hill within Sweet Apple Acres, a tall lone figure stood gazing out across the rolling hills and fruit filled trees, taking in every detail as he watched vigilantly for any slight disturbance. Years of experience showed on his scared and rugged face as his reptilian eyes stared out, the wisdom and lessons learned flashing by in a moment in their deep green gold pools. His shirt was old and well-worn with the dark red material quite faded. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, displaying muscles and scars alike as his fingers twitched as if remembering some old memory long forgotten. A quick flash of shadow covered the area in front of the lone figure as two large black wings spread out from his back and extended to their full span. The black smoke like texture of the wings dripped dark fog from them as the man gave them a few test flaps. He licked his lips and sent his tongue over the two large sharp white fangs poking out over his bottom lip. He continued to look out over the orchard as a light breeze blew over his shaggy brown hair, tossing the red, yellow, and orange streaks in it around. The solitary creature coughed and cracked his neck.

"Jesus I look like a fucking gay Gary Stu." Honored laughed loudly before throwing himself into the air and flying up into the sky and over the vast fields of ripe apple trees. He waved a friendly greeting to the large red stallion working beneath him and continued to sail through the sky at a lazy pace, still showing signs of his inexperience in the ways of flight on his new wings.

"Ah there you are Honored." A cheery voice called out to him from his left. Honored looked and gave a smile to the purple alicorn princess as she flew up and joined him at his height above the ground. "Right on time. Ready to start practicing?" Twilight asked giving him a smile.

"Yeah I guess." Honored said still looking at the ground below. The thought of flying unassisted by machines or chariots pulled by pegasi still brought an amount of fear to the ground loving warrior, but he now had the ability to take charge of the sky and advance his skills to aerial combat. What more of a reason did he need to overcome that fear? He was the fabled legend. The insane human. The unbeatable human. The master of-

SLAM

Not paying attention to trees.

Honored slowly slid down the side of a large shiny crystal castle-tree-library-home thing before laying on the ground.

"Ouch." He groaned, sitting up and rubbing his head. He poked a finger against the new teeth he had grown thanks to his mastery of the Void magic... And the splitting of his consciousness into two. As he tried explaining to the studious alicorn, it was like being able to now think of two thoughts at the same time easily. Solving two problems at once, or in his case, keeping the sinister Void magic in check and allowing it to be used with precision and accuracy. He had to keep himself in check or he would succumb to the temptation of unstoppable power that was the Void.

"Honored are you okay?" Twilight asked floating down to him on slow flapping wings. "That looked like a pretty hard hit."

Honored looked and nodded at Twilight but only heard a series of mumbled words rather than coherent sentences. Honored rapidly shook his head, trying to clear the minor ringing from his ears.

"Come on, let's get back up there and keep practicing." Twilight took a few tentative steps forward and leapt back into the air. The dazed human shook his head again and stood up before flapping the wings on his back and slowly rose into the air.

"These stupid things should come with a manual or something." He grumbled while following after Twilight as she practiced a few lazy loops and turns. "Damn evil demon wings."

Perched upon a cloud high over the practicing rookies, Rainbow Dash watched the pitiful display with bored eyes. She could easily teach those two about flying with one wing behind her back. Heck she could do it with both wings tied behind her back. She probably had forgotten more about flying than those two knew together about it.

She smirked and rose to her hooves before leaping from the cloud and diving down towards the beginner fliers. She banked hard and flew past the black smoke wings and chuckled as she sent them flying to the left.

"Watch it!" Honored screamed after her as she pulled up and around the human as he struggled to regain his balance.

"Oh what's wrong?" Dash taunted at him as he leveled off, "can't the big bad human do something as simple as flying?" She smiled in delight as the human's face turned a lovely shade of red and his silted eyes narrowed.

"Wanna run that by me one more time?" Honored snarled at the cocky pegasus. He hated being made fun of for any weakness. He licked his fangs and instinctively reached towards his waist where a trusty knife or side arm would have been.

Now now she is just being Rainbow and you know it. No need to be butthurt. Just let her make her jests, it's only her nature.

"I said that-" Rainbow quickly found her mouth shut by an aurora of purple magic originating from Twilight's horn.

"She said that we are doing good and she has to talk to me privately." Twilight gave Honored a large smile and quickly dropped to the ground, yanking Rainbow Dash down with her.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Twilight demanded once they reached the ground.

"Jeeze lighten up Twi." Rainbow Dash said gloomily. "I was just joking around."

Twilight sighed and locked eyes with Rainbow. "I know you are Rainbow, but Honored, the new Honored, he might not know that. And until we know that he is in fact in control of this void, we need to keep an eye on him. And we need to make sure that he keeps his emotions in control or he might go..."

"Crazy?" Both ponies jerked around, hearts beating like drums in their chests as Honored hovered just behind them, his wings flapping silently. Honored looked at them sadly before turning around and began to fly away towards his house off in the distance near the Everfree forest.

"Honored wait!" Twilight yelled out, but he was already too far away to hear or care. "Great." She sighed again and then began walking off in the direction the human had left in. "Now I have to fix the insanely powerful warrior. Why can't any day just be normal."

I slammed the door shut and stalked into the gun room in my lovely abode. "Stupid freaking void. Not only do I have to look evil now, even my friends think that I am."

That isn't what she said and you know it. They are afraid of you. And they have every right to be. Remember what you did in Grifflin?

I did single handedly take out the griffon government and put a mercenary company in charge of the country. And to be honest, Chief Will was doing an insanely good job at it. The clean up of the griffons in power was in effect and slowly they would be given back the right to govern their own empire again, but so long as the idea of attacking Equestria loomed in their minds, the would stay under Black Claw control.

As I dropped another weapon onto the cleaning table, a loud series of knocks rang out from upstairs. I sighed and wondered which of the mane six would be here to try and cheer me up. I groaned and made my way out of the basement and grimaced as my wings brushed against the wall on the way up.

"I'm not coming out!" I stated loudly as I opened the door. I was actually surprised to find the kind wall eyed mailmare Derpy Hooves standing on my doorstep.

"Umm that's alright." She said staring at me with a smile. "I don't need you to, just delivering your mail."

"You mean you're not scared of how I look now?" I asked, reaching out and taking my mail from her outstretched hoof.

Derpy just gave a smile and turned around and spread her wings, readying to take off, "Why would I? You've always been there for us. And besides," she added turning her head around and smiling, her eyes going wall eyed, "it's okay to look different." With that she took off into the sky, her mail bag loaded with letters and was also unclasped spilling the first.

I thought about what the pegasus had said while closing the door and turning to my mail. A few junk letters selling and promoting magazines and saddle bits. I simply ignited them and watched them burst into purple and black Void flame. The last letter was from the Black Claw merc group. I gave a grim smile and took the letter down to the gun filled basement. I walked to the back of the room and reached up, gripping a thin string and pulled down. A long map came down from a hidden compartment in the ceiling. The map was covered in blue dots located around different cities in the Griffon Kingdom and Equestria. I opened the letter and began to glance over the parchment picking out the important details.

Another name and a another city marked. Some griffon named Ritz in Primary City was a known engineer at the small weapons workshop that was developing the primitive firearms for the griffons. My map of potential threats was growing, and it showed that I had at least twenty creatures as of now that new the secrets of creating the flintlock pistols the griffons used. But one question was still bothering me.

Who had developed the World War One era bolt action rifle? They were the biggest threat to the security not only if Equestria, but the entire stability of the planet, and I had to find them. And insure that information on crafting weapons of war stayed in my hands only. I knew from the dead king that the first place I needed to look was Beakerton. Stop this at its source.

"Well we got our work cut out for us." I said looking down as the soft clicking of claws on stone approached me. "Any luck on getting your lunch Selene?" I reached down and began to scratch behind the young manticore's ear. After the saloon fight I looked at that cute little ball of death a lot differently. And after my... split with the void magic, Selene seemed a whole lot more understanding when I spoke to her. Sometime it was like she could read my thoughts.

I looked down and was meet by Selene's light pink eyes boring into mine. "Whoa. Thats creepy girl." I laughed as she cocked her head for of my scratching.

“Any ideas on how to go about this Selene?” I asked the manticore kitten. “How am I going to stop the knowledge of these weapons? Especially if the some of the knowledge is held by non violent, friendly ponies…” I said aloud laying my head down on the workbench before me.

I was going to need some advice. From the wisest being I knew. Okay, maybe three of the wisest creatures.

And I needed to get them all together. Time for what was basically going to be a ‘bash on Honored fest’.

I grabbed three sheets of paper from a nearby desk.

“Dear Princess Celestia.”

“Sister did you-“ Luna asked as while floating the sheet of paper in front of her and walked into her sister’s room. She stopped mid-sentence as she caught Celestial perched on a stool and a large telescope aimed directly at the Royal Guard hoof-to-hoof training ground. Celestia quickly spun around off the stool and caused the sweaty stallion viewing apparatus to vanish in a flash of magic.

“Why yes Lulu I did just get the letter from Honored.” Celestia grabbed the letter from her desk and pulled it up to her face before quickly flipping it around so that the writing was actually facing her. “Oh darn that Honored.” Celestia said shaking her head. “Always doing that stuff we say not to.” She gave a huge fake smile as Luna still stared at her in utter shock.

“Putting your… um hobbies aside,” Luna strode to her sister and pushed the letter back into her sister’s face, forcing her to read it, “He is asking for help. Don’t you get it? This is Honored, who has recently gone under extreme magical change and now says that he has his mind split in two so that he can control the void magic, something that has never been done in the history of the world successfully.” Luna stomped a hoof against the ground drawing Celestia’s attention from the letter and towards her sister. “We must listen to his pleas and help him.”

With the declaration made, Luna turned from the still red faced solar princess and darted from the room.

“Good talk.” Celestia said while turning and giving her window a longing look. “Next week my guards. Next week.” Celestia laid the letter aside and followed after her sister.

The human stood looking at the cave deep within the Everfree Forest. A loud growl sounded out from behind him and the man whipped around arms at his waist. No belt covered in bullets adorned his waist. No shoulder holster carrying a pistol as he normally had. No rifle or shotgun was slung across his back or rested in his arms. For once Honored stood unarmed against the dangerous and wild Everfree Forest. The roar sounded out again as a lumbering shape entered the human’s field of vision.

A large cragadile stood before the human snapping its jaws made of bone crushing rock in hunger at the lone man. Honored stood his ground and stared the creature down before standing straight up and spreading the wings from his back.

The wings made of black smoke and void magic simply folded out from their position against his back. The wings themselves were not actually attached to Honored’s back. One could look and see them floating off the human’s back by an inch of space, and yet to Honored he felt every gust of wind and every twitch of feather as if they truly were attached to his body and apart of him.

The cragadile stopped its advance for just a moment as the human’s wings sprang forth and spread to their fullest, casting their menacing shadows along the forest floor in the clearing before the cave.

“You will leave.” The human stated. He did not yell. He did not shout. He simply spoke it to the cragadile and possibly any other creature watching from the depths of the forest. “Now!” He added with more force, sending himself into the air a few feet off the ground with one powerfully flap of his mysterious wings.

Surely you see what you are doing. You are attempting place control over a creature of the Everfree with the void, a power that is just as wild as the Everfree. Very clever. I see the ability to do so, the void does poses the ability to reach the magic, the wild and untamed magic, which the Everfree controls.

The void mind in Honored’s mind was racing as it weaved and formed the spell needed to show the cragadile its power. It pushed the power forward to the gauntlet that acted as the magic’s focus point and added the right amount of will and knowledge to demonstrate the undeniable power that the human commanded.

The other part of Honored’s mind though, ‘fuck shit up’. The floating warrior pushed his hand forward, the shiny black metal of the gauntlet seemed to absorb the light around it as a baseball sized amount of void magic launched in a deep arc from his palm. The ball crashed in the center of clearing and became a swirling vortex of deep purples and black sparks that leapt out at random angles. Light itself seemed to be sucked into the void magic residing in the center of the ball of magic. The cragadile took one look at the void to see nothing but pain. The simplest and easiest thing the creature could understand. It fled in fear of pain.

Honored descended back to the floor of the forest and watched as the void quickly tapered out and stopped. He smiled. It was good to have a control of the void. He could care less that he was the first being to ever control the void, he simply was happy to know that he couldn’t be lost to the power it contained again.

The great sound of wind being pushed by wings sounded out from above Honored and he looked up to see a mass of golds, yellows, and oranges descending directly towards him. He leapt quickly to the side and rolled as a massive gold dragon slammed into the earth where he had just been standing.

“Hey watch out Gal!” Honored yelled as he stood up and ran a hand along his jeans to try and get some of the grass and twigs off of it.

The great head of ancient dragon turned and narrowed its reptilian eyes at Honored. “I see that you failed to head my warning Honored and you have lost yourself to the void fully.” The dragon sucked in a deep breath, “I am sorry for this.” Honored’s eyes grew wide as a deep glowing began to form in Gal’s open mouth.

The dragon can create heat in its flames that are comparable to that of the lava found deep within the core of Equis ranging to nearly 6,500 degrees Celsius. Taking the heat and splashing it within the void, it will absorb that heat and the direct heat from it, converting it into empty space and gaining an excess of the energy to keep the shield up so long as Gal keeps the flame going, effectively turning his own energy against himself in the form of negative heat shield.

‘That is going to be fucking hot’. Honored’s non void mind thought as he aimed his gauntlet forward and fired a stream of void magic forward and creating a dome around himself.

The fire roared out of Gal’s throat and impacted the void bubble surrounding Honored. The fire washed over the shield with a mammoth ‘hiss’ as if water were splashing against a hot pan.

Gal’s eyes widened as he watched his flames stop and actually pull themselves into the bubble of void magic. And to make it worse, the bubble began to expand out. The stream of magical dragonfire slowly trickled to a stop as Gal realized that his own magic was fueling the very shield that was being used against himself. Within the bubble of void, Honored stared out at Gal with a surprised look plastered on his face.

“Gal please stop! It’s me Honored. I have mastered the void and I have come to you to seek advice!” Honored pleaded at the ancient dragon as he slowly brought the bubble in till it vanished into the gauntlet on his arm.

Gal glared at me across the small clearing outside of his cave, the smoke drifting out through his nostrils filled the air with a sulfur stench. I could barely wrap my mind around the idea that not only was I fighting a dragon the size of building, I had just blocked his savage attack as easily one would swat a fly away.

"Gall please I came here to seek your help!" I called out desperately trying to end the fight with my old, powerful, super huge dragon friend.

"I will help you and this world by cleansing the void from it." His voice was like ice as his words hit home. "I'm sorry that you had not come sooner Honored, if you're in there, I would have taken the void and released it before it claimed you. But you are lost to the void, you are the strongest presence I have ever felt and it pains my heart to see that you were claimed Honored."

I looked at Gal, slacked jaw, and slapped a hand to my face. "Oh come on you great dumb lizard. It's me, Honored! Fush Ro Dah Honored. Its me!"

Gal opened his mouth and raised himself to his hind legs before slamming forward onto his chest. The resulting body slam sent massive chunks of rock and dirt into the air in front of his open maw where he then shouted, "FUSH RO DAH!" The giant chunks of earth ripped through the air directly at me.

Five large fragments of earth weighing at roughly 4,000 pounds, speeding at a velocity of 1200 feet per seconds with an impact equivalent of 121.4 megajoules. Casting a mass dispersion spell with a backlash counter spell to redirect the projectiles.

'Fuck me.' I grimaced and thought while raising my arm, void magic already pooled into my palm and the gauntlet releasing it towards the incoming earth.

A dark purple glow surrounded the incoming chunks of earth and each one vanished or rather they shrank down to size of pebbles and whipped around my head before rocketing back towards Gal and expanding back to the correct size mid flight. Gal's eyes grew wide as he raised his claw and the rocks stopped inches from his face.

I looked at the floating rocks and back at the dragon that kept them suspended in mid air. "How are you doing that? You're using magic!?" I shouted and questioned him at the same time.

"And here I thought you, a void creature, would be intelligent." Gal scoffed at me while simply flicking the mammoth chunks of ground behind him. When they impacted the side of the mountain, the rocks fused into the side of the mountain and simply added onto the rock face.

"Hey!" I put my hands on my hips, "I am too intelligent! I just didn't know dragons could use magic."

"Only the ancient and ones filled with wisdom can." The calm voice said from above. I looked up and sighed in relief as Luna and Celestia floated down into the debris covered clearing. My heart leapt at seeing Luna and I sprinted towards her.

SMACK

I tumbled backward, my head ringing in pain. I rubbed a hand across the growing welt and gawked at the massive redwood tree that had suddenly erupted from the earth between Luna and myself. I looked at the equally startled Luna and then at the smug looking dragon.

"I'll be with you in a moment my old friends, I first must cleanse some void from my humble clearing." Gal reared back and slammed his front claws down, his long sharp claws sinking down into the earth.

I jumped backwards, or I tried to jump backwards, but I found myself rooted in place. Literally. Huge thick roots had appeared and wrapped around my legs and were continuing to wind themselves around my thighs and waist.

"Anytime y'all want to cut in and help, that would be great!" I shouted at the princesses while the roots began to tighten and Gal removed his claws from the ground and lumbered towards me. He out reached a lone talon and placed the tip against my forehead before I felt the feeling of warm water rush over my body.

I am sorry Honored for this. Gal's low rumbling voice filled my head.

'Then please don't!" I thought as hard as I could.

Honored? The dragon's voice came out surprised. How can this be? You should be lost to the void.

Honored is far from lost to the void. On the contrary, he was able to gain absolute control on the void by splitting his mind in two and placing one part of the consciousness, myself Mars, in charge of the void, keeping it in check and stopping any attempts of the void consuming the mind.

You are this Mars? Gal questioned the other voice of my mind.

Yes I am Mars. The part of Honored's mind split in a trying time to gain control of the void in a time of extreme need.

So I just tried to exterminate the real Honored who mastered the void just as I have mastered Creation? Gal sounded almost embarrassed.

Indeed.

Then I believe that apologies are in order. Gal thought as the feeling of warmth left my body.

I shook my head as the wave of roots vanished into the earth and Gal stood up taller from his position before me. "Okay what the hell just happened?" I asked looking from one apologetic dragon and the two amused princesses. "And thanks for the help." I glared at them before looking at Luna, "and no kisses for you."

"Meh I went a thousand years on the moon without them." She smiled sweetly at me and the burst out laughing with Celestial as the laughed at me.

Gal gently picked me up in his mammoth claw and held me at his eye level. "Honored I am sorry. From the depths of my heart, I ask that you accept my apology." He sighed, "I had no idea one could control the force the brings destruction and endings."

I gave him a blank stare.

"So you really know nothing of the void. Only the ability to control it." Gal slowly placed me down besides the two alicorns.

"Your void is the opposite ultimate force of this world. You have the alicorn's peace and calmness to Discord's chaos and wildness. The great balance I have taught you of." I nodded and watched as Gal closed his eyes and took a deep breath before exhaling and a small rose bush began to grow before him, crawling out of the earth and growing leaves and buds in seconds opposed to months.

"I mastered the great light side of the magic here in this world, Creation, hundreds of years ago. It only came to me in a time of extreme suffering both mentally and physically. The forest around you was a raging inferno, a fire gone rampant that even the pegasi couldn't hope to extinguish. I tried with all my might to save what I could, or it would all be gone. At the moment I was engulfed by the flames. I was not yet worried." Gal said tapping a long claw against his chest.

"I was a dragon, flames could not hurt me. But I soon realized as the flames surrounded me, that this was not a natural fire. I was in pain. These flames were magical, cooking me from the inside out.”

“The pain was insurmountable. I wished for death, but only could imagine the rest of the forest dying with me, it could not happen. And it was at that moment my mind split, it split so that a half could deal with the pain, and the other to fix the problem around me." Gal stopped and stared out at the forest around him, a look of peace overcame him and he gave a faint smile. "At that moment my mind split, I felt no pain, no sadness, no destruction in my mind or in the area around me. I formed a spell meant to extinguish the fire but with my mind split, not only could I focus on the extinguishing of the fire, but now I saw how to turn the furry and energy of the fire into a force of creation." The large gold and orange dragon looked down to me and closed his eyes, deep in thought. "I knew how to bring life to the world, to turn destruction into life. To bring balance Honored. Nothing more, nothing less."

Gal stood up taller and then peered around the semi destroyed clearing around the base of his mountain. He inhaled a deep breath and placed his claws into the earth and exhaled, releasing air into the clearing. All around us, grass sprung up from the blackened ground. Trees fried to a crisp during the gout of magical fire Gal produced began to regrow bark and the trees themselves shot back towards the sky reaching for the light above the canopy.

"Creation." Gal simply stated, gazing out at the re-growing foliage.

"And I'm destruction?" I asked looking at Gal and then to the two princesses who also stared at me.

A deep sigh escaped the dragon and he looked at me with eyes that spoke more than words could ever. "Even destruction has its place in the world. New life can't begin until old life ends."

"Honored you have just become one of the most powerful beings on this planet. We have all the great balances of power now gathered here. We are here at your request," Luna smiled and walked towards me, "what would you have us do?"

"Wait." Gal said with a frown. "All the balance powers are here?"

"That we are!" Discord's voice came from below us. We all looked down to see the Draconequus' face plastered on the flower Gal had just grown.

"Chaos." Gal grumbled.

"Creation." Discord responded with the exact same grumble. They locked eyes and continued to glare at each other.

"Oh just kiss already." I yelled out sarcastically before walking in between them. "I didn't ask y'all to come here to fight. Right now the five most powerful beings on this planet are gathered because I need your help." I turned my back to the group and summoned from my home the crude griffon produced 1903 Springfield rifle. "This weapon is about a hundred years behind my current tech. The griffons are copying my weapons and trying to mass produce them to fund their armies, but that's where I run into a problem. The griffons have lost their own government and in that they have no more armies. So why produce them?"

The four other beings in the clearing all found themselves lost in thought. I knew one of them would have the answer for me, just what kind of solution would I get? I looked at the rifle suspended in my magic. It was a piece of shit if compared to my weapons, but next to the swords, spears, and crossbows that armed most of the Equestrian Guard, it was a holy relic. These had to go, and their makers too.

"Extremists." Luna whispered. We all stopped and looked to Luna as her eyes widened. "These griffons that are still working at these factories and workshops only know that their government and empire is gone. They are still working and arming themselves for whatever happened."

Gal nodded slowly before speaking, "Yes this seems to be the most likely. They are simply scared."

"Or they know or who is coming for them." Discord added flipping backwards before spinning in a circle and appeared wearing a long hooded black cloak and a sickle clasped in his eagle claw. "Here he comes, the harbinger of death. The master of destruction, the god of..."

Discord's rant slowly tapered out when he saw me slowly sink to the ground. "Or maybe not." He walked over to me and placed a lion's paw on my shoulder. "Honored you need to accept this responsibility you've been given. Don't look at this as being the grim reaper of the pony world, but as the protector of peace and life by stopping those that would cause harm."

I looked up to the chaos master and gave a weak smile. "Ya mean it?"

I felt a great slap to my back that sent me sprawling into the ground, "Of course I mean it! Don't you see, here we all are, all the great balances found in the world! Delicious chaos, boring peace and calmness, beautiful creation, and you, powerful destruction. All together we make up the perfect circle of balance." Discord reached out and wrapped his arms around my neck and pulled the princesses close while giving a goofy grin to Gal.

"Alright." I said with a smile and pushing myself from the group but still going to Luna and placing an arm around her neck. "I get it, I know what I have to do. And I do need your help."

Celestia stared at me. Luna was agreeing with me. Discord was surprisingly staying calm. Gal hung his head, but knew what must be done. I needed the help of the princesses and Discord for one horrible thing, mind wipes.

"It is a very tedious spell," Luna said glancing to her sister, "and to only wipe information relating to weapons of your advancement or others developing them is crazy."

"Good thing I love crazy!" Discord said while winking, "I may know a thing or two about getting into minds."

Celestia gave a sad smile, "We can create a spell to do what you want, you just get them to us and we will clear their mind of anything related to new weapons."

I nodded. "I will seek those out and give them the option of parting with their weapon knowledge or death." I added quietly. I hated that idea.

"Honored you must not fret over the death. They want to create weapons that this world simply isn't ready, and should they refuse to forget that information, then they welcome death to themselves and others." Gal spoke softly and calmly, his wisdom seeming to radiate from him, "If they fail to see your reasoning then it is too late for them anyway."

It was decided on how I would cleanse the world of the development of these new weapons. It would take a lot of time, but it was the only way I could be sure this growing problem would be solved. All those names and locations on my map in the basement marked where I had to go and talk. Talk. That's the key part to this plan.

I would confront the pony or griffon or whoever held the knowledge for making the weapons and then give them the ultimatum, either submit to a modified memory spell to cleanse their mind of weapon production or death. That easy. Right? I thought it was a fair trade. It was the only solution all of us 'balance force' beings could agree on. And of course I was the only one that had to get his hands dirty.

"I know this will be hard Honored." Luna said, draping a dark wing across my shoulders, "but if they see reason and are of sound mind, they will allow for the spell."

I sighed and looked up to my special somepony. She had a smile on her face and her eyes were filled with compassion and caring towards me. I smiled back and leaned into her and wrapped my arms around her neck and gave her a tight hug. "Thank you Luna." I said but with my head shoved into her fur, it came out as, "mwmph thuu woona."

"Of course little warrior." She said with a smile before returning the hug with her wings.

"So you want to do what to my mind?" The tall beige unicorn asked with a surprisingly accurate Scottish accent. He was one of the weapon and engine engineers that worked on Fast Skies under Stand Bold. He had agreed to meet with me under the circumstances of, please come here I need to talk to you. Stand Bold had informed me that this Gear Hawk was a master of designing and starting to make new and better spell rifles. I stared at the oil stained unicorn again. He had oil and grease all over his dirty messy blonde mane and along his beige coat. He had welding goggles resting above his horn as he looked at me with a look of disbelief.

"I have to purge your mind of anything relating to those spell rifles you've designed and built." I said with a frown."I know it sounds bad, but this world is not ready for weapons of this caliber. I've been tasked to clear the knowledge of them from the world. Pony, Griffon, or any being must render to the spell or else."

"Or what lad?" The unicorn said with his deep Scottish accent.

I hated this part.

I reached down to my thigh and pulled the massive bowie knife Bad Bertha, and slammed the blade into the table top with a loud thud.

"Ah... well you make an interesting argument." Gear Hawk said swallowing deeply as he eyed the blade. He looked around and sighed. I looked at him as he thought and eyed his bronze gear cutie mark with wings sprouting from it making it seem to be flying. "Well you make this a real hard argument . I'll do the bloody spell."

"Excellent choice." I grabbed a red gem and slammed it against the table, causing it to explode into a mist and hit the unicorn with a blast of red, yellow, gold, pink, and dark blue magic. Every one of the beings of balance helped create the spell, explaining the different colors of the spell. Gear Hawk blinked his grey blue eyes rapidly and then looked at me.

"Did you do it?"

"Do what?" I asked back at him.

"The spell to remove..." He trailed off as he scrunched his muzzle. "Huh...it's like I know I forgot something but it's on the tip of my tongue." After a moment he shrugged his shoulders and smiled at me. "Are we done sir? Not to be rude, but I got two engines to look at and three gem generators as well."

"No no, we're done here, sorry to take up your time." I said my farewell to the unicorn and walked away from the empty room on board Fast Skies. That had been pretty easy. Well that had been the first mind I had to wipe. On my list I had nineteen to go.

"I'm going to have to do so much goddamn traveling."

I opened the door to my humble little home and fell forward onto the hardwood floor. I grunted as I felt a weight land on my back, right in between my wings. "Hello Selene." I said turning my head and looking up at the adolescent manticore. She purred and curled up between the smokey fog wings and pulled one over her with her mouth.

"Can I at least get to my bed first?" I grumbled out before picking Selene up in my magic and gently placing her on the ground beside me. I sat up and rose to my feet and moved deeper into my home and towards the stairs leading down to my basement. I flicked on the light and walked over to the workbench and pulled down the map and list of weapon knowledge holders.

Using my void magic, I crossed six names and locations from the map and list. Four ponies and two griffons. All of whom agreed to the spell easily. The two griffons and one pony were members of Black Claw that were present in Canterlot. I still had to talk to Chief Will about Eggy, his lead weapon engineer. He was potentially the most problematic name on my list only because Chief Will didn't like to give things up.

I pulled my weapons of their belts and from holsters and laid them on the table. I was going to the griffon kingdom in two days. The Black Claw temporary government had established a somewhat peaceful state, but I had already sent word and was requesting permission from the lead griffon to come to their city, and speak for peace.

My request had been surprisingly approved, but under the condition that I come alone and unarmed. I responded that I would be alone, but I would have one weapon and only one. And my magic, that had only a week ago decimated their capital, didn't count.

They had agreed to my terms again surprisingly.

I walked up the stairs, stopping to look back at the map before flipping the light off. I took my time entering my study down the hallway from my room and gently closed the door. Three massive tomes that would make Twilight jealous loomed on my desk. I opened the thickest one, quickly glancing at the title, The Tartarus Guide, and opened it to its only marked page. I looked at the arcane void magic summoning rune and sighed.

"Let's get cooking." I reached to the side of the desk and pulled a stick of charcoal made from wood found deep in the Everfree Forest.

I began to sketch a large six pointed star.

I rolled out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom groggily turning the sink water on and cupping my hand beneath the faucet before splashing cool water across my face. I groaned and looked at the mirror over the sink and smirked. I still had some coal rubbed on one cheek from my rune . It had taken a lot longer than I had thought it would to sketch the star and some of the crazy glyphs along the edges of the star.

"So what were you doing last night?"

"Ahhhhhh!" I yelped and tumbled backwards into the bathtub and hit the shower as I fell, effectively releasing a torrent of cold water on my flailing body. I glared up at the laughing Lord of Chaos. "What do you want?" I said through clenched teeth as I shut off the water and climbed out of the tub.

"Oh I just got the shaky hibbie jibbies last night. The same kind that occur when someone is tampering with something they shouldn't." Discord sounded serious at that last part. Whoa. Discord being serious.

"Maybe." I said while drying off. I chewed on my cheek. In my mind Mars was flipping my shit for not casting more protective spells and I was trying to figure out how to get out of this situation.

"Well no worries Honored, your secret is safe with me." Discord lazily floated before me as I clipped a holster around my waist. I whipped around and dropped my jaw. "Oh don't look so surprised Honored, I can be a good creature. And I want to help you. I can guess what you're trying to do and it's crazy, but brave. Do you think Luna will be okay with it?" He asked and dropped down to my eye level as we walked down stairs to the living room.

"I haven't told anyone yet." I added quietly.

"Well maybe you should tell them. They will try to stop you, you know." Discord said while dropping down into one of the plush chairs in the corner of the room.

I let out a deep sigh and rubbed the bridge of my nose. "This could solve a lot if not all of Equestria's problems. I have to try."

Discord tapped a talon to his chin and the snapped his fingers and vanished in a cloud of magic, leaving a large burn mark across my plush, expensive lazy boy chair.

"Oh come on!"

"I have said what I came here to say, High Governor Iron Beak. I wish nothing but to put everything that has happened between myself and the noble Griffon Empire behind us and bring about a time of peace and prosperity, but to this I need your cooperation in cleansing the knowledge of these weapons from this world." I looked up to where the High Griffon Governor was seated. Strangely he was seated in the same throne where I had butcher and slaughtered the previous two griffon kings. This governor answered to Chief Will and acted as the face of the rebuilding Griffon Empire. He was also the next in line for the throne.

Needless to say he was not too pleased to have the human and harbinger of death standing before him asking to commit mind rape on some of his citizens.

"I see where these weapons would become a hindrance upon this world." Iron Beak clicked his beak in though. His beak was deep gray with lighter gray feathers covering his head and his brown body was streaked with iron colored fur through it. His golden eyes looked at me before sighing, "but this method it takes away principal rights and not to mention that you, a know supporter and member of the Equestrian military, get to remained armed."

Time to break out the ace in the hole. "About that your grace, I actually have something for you to read that will clear that up." I said while slowly reaching into a small pouch on my side and removing a scroll. I motioned with the scroll and Iron Beak waved me forward. I presented the scroll and backed down off the raised platform the throne rested on.

An awkward silence filled the air as he read over the information I presented him. I looked around the throne room and noticed the damage I had caused was still somewhat present. Large blast holes, scorch marks, and void burn marks covered the room. I looked at one of the guards standing beside me. "So I guess you weren't on duty that night."

"No, but my two brothers were." He said coldly back at me.

"Oh." I quickly shut my mouth and looked ahead opting to wait in silence.

After a few minutes of the most agonizing waiting of my life, the High Governor lowered the scroll and rolled it up before touching it to the small candle that rested beside his throne. Iron Beak leaned forward and placed his talons on his chin. "Do you understand what you're doing? You would do that to yourself for this world that is not your home?"

"So do we have an agreement?" I asked, ignoring his question.

"Yes human. Do what you must, cleanse the knowledge of these 'guns' from the factories and cities. Just please try to keep the casualties down. The gods know we have had too much bloodshed." He added sadly.

I dipped at the waist and offered a deep bow to the Governor before rising and walking towards the open archway that used to house two massive wood doors that I kicked down.

"And human," I turned and looked back at Iron Beak, "if you should succeed in your plan, you'll never be able to undo it."

I slowly turned back around and gave a sad knowing smile, "good thing I'm not from here then."

"First you come and kill hundred of thousands-"

"More like hundreds." I mumbled out loud.

"Then you obliterate the capital-"

I rolled my eyes, "only the gardens of the castle."

"And now you want to wipe my mind!?" The griffon engineer at the Beakerton weapon plant screamed and raved at me. This facility had five of the of the thirteen creatures that needed to have their mind wiped of weapons. And this was the first one, and he was certainly making it difficult.

I was seated across from the five griffons, each one showing a lot, and I mean a lot, of anger and hatred towards me. The empty room I had acquired for this debate was bare save for a table and six chairs. I looked at each griffon and saw nothing but hate. I turned back to the first griffon, "I need an answer, the spell or death." I kept my gaze on him as he just glared back at me.

"You can kiss my feathered-"

BANG

The four other griffons jumped at the sound and stared in shock at their unofficial leader as he sat in his chair, talon raised mid insult, and a large hole in the center of his chest leaking a large amount of blood onto the floor. I still remained sitting in my chair, but the smoking .44 magnum was resting in my hand on the table.

"So I will ask again." I said slowly while turning the revolver to the next shaking griffon, "spell or death."

The days all blended together for the traveling human. He moved from griffon workshop to factory to workshop delivering the mind wipe spell to nearly all griffons on his list. So far only two griffons had to be removed with death. Some of these 'factories' were as large as an office building or could be as small as a basement. In each weapons plant Honored stopped at, the mind of the lead engineer was wiped and then the machines in the factory destroyed.

At every spot the warrior stopped, he encountered much hate and anger geared towards him for what he had caused. But this failed to hinder him. He moved swiftly and efficiently, trying to complete his grave task as quickly as possible but without leaving any loose ends.

Soon Honored found himself looking at one final name on his list. Storm Drive.

Honored thought back to when he had meet that pony on board Fast Skies. He had been away on a weapon demonstration when Honored had first stopped by that ship so he couldn't have done anything till now. And this was going to be the hardest one of them all.

Honored had been dreading this name the most because of the relation he had built. One of the coolest, and certainly most useful weapons in his armory had been designed and built by the smart pegasus. And even now, as Honored walked into the weapons lab, the blue overall wearing pony smiled and offered him a wave.

"Hey Honored! Heard you were looking for me. Did you hear about my new spell caster I designed? I actually was gone to get a few parts for it." Storm Drive turned around and held out a blocky short weapon towards Honored. He reached out and snagged the spell caster from his hoof and examined it. It looked close to an old Mauser pistol. Long skinny barrel leading into a blocky midsection of the weapon and a primitive pistol grip with a bare trigger. It did look a lot like the Mauser, but the human warrior was sure it did something way different.

"You drop in a clip of these spell gems into the chamber here," Storm Drive opened the slide revealing and entrance into the blocky magazine area and dropped a strand of ten glowing red gems before the slide slid forward and the barrel began to glow red. "Now you're ready for business! " Storm Drive declared loudly with a big grin on his face. Honored gave a deep sigh before putting the spell pistol into a small bag beside him.

"Something wrong Honored?" The pegasus dropped his head, “you didn't even try it out."

"We need to talk Storm." Honored said with a deep frown while pulling out a deep red gem.

Honored walked slowly down the boarding ramp leading down from the belly of Fast Skies and into the darkening sky docks around the Canterlot castle. After having wiped all but one of the weapon engineer's' mind, Honored was ready to be finished with his grim work.

A pony named Metal Works was nowhere to be found. He worked under Eggy with the Black Claw group, but he wasn't anywhere in the headquarters or his home. Had he somehow gotten tipped off about the human's grim mission and jumped ship? Honored thought long and hard on how to catch one fleeing pony when he had so much ground to cover.

One could ask friends and family if he mentioned anything. Find the bread crumbs leading to him. Every being would leave some kind of trail, just have to find the thread and pull. Mars quipped in my mind. It was a strong plan, just time was growing short and he had much bigger things to deal with.

"You can stop following me." Honored said, stopping suddenly along the side of one of the empty docks hanging over the empty space on Canterlot Mountain. Honored turned around to face a cloaked figure with a horn protruding from their head. With a faint green glow, the unicorn's horn ignited and revealed a light caramel colored stallion with a deep gunmetal gray mane. "Metal Works I presume." Honored said while lowering his hand with agonizing slowness towards his holster on his waist.

"Ah not one more inch." The pony said with a rough voice. Held within his magical aurora he waved a weapon that had a short pistol grip and two barrels attached to a simple trigger mechanism. A magical shotgun. Sensing at least seven different spells located in each barrel's chamber. Fire, ice, water, chaos, pure magic, light, and magma are all crammed into each casting gem. It'll have a nasty amount of power, but no focus range. The void reached out, and examined in fractions of a second, the contents of his spell caster shotgun.

"I know what you've been doing. How are you okay with what you're doing? The great protector. The savior warrior. The Human. Wiping minds and killing in the name of what? Peace? Stability? You are doing something far worse than killing." Metal Works took a step forward and waved the shotgun at the human, forcing him towards the edge of the dock. "You are taking away somepony's mind. What makes them them. And you are doing it why?"

Honored cleared his throat and spoke calmly and slowly, "to rid weapons that could upset the peace-"

"The peace?!" Metal Works gave a deep laugh before narrowing his eyes, "we have been at a constant state of terror since you showed up. Changelings, shadows, griffons, and now Tirek. Yes how dare we try to develop weapons to protect ourselves from evil."

"You know that isn't the only way they will be used." Honored shot back. "The griffons were stocking up for a full scale invasion. I stopped that before it could even began."

"You seek to rid of these guns, and yet here you are, strolling around with the very same thing."

"Take it then, I will still offer you the same choice." Honored cocked his hip to the side and felt the weight of the .44 revolver pulled from its holster.

"Such simplicity. But you know that spell casters are so much more efficient." The unicorn said while looking at the revolver and still keeping the shotgun leveled at Honored’s unarmored chest. Metal Works looked up from the pistol and gave it a flick, sending the nickel plated handgun spiraling out into the air and down towards the valley below thousands of feet.

"I still offer you a choice Metal Works," Honored said, reaching into the pouch on his side and removed a red gem and holding it out in his gauntlet. “Please make the smart move, I don't want to do this, but for stability of the world I have to.”

“You really think I will let you and those would be Gods play with my mind?” Metal Works sneered and scoffed at the human whose jaw was hanging open. ‘What in the flying fuck? What the hell was this pony going on about? This was some serious shit for a cute lil’ ol pony to spewing.’ Honored’s two minds were racing to try and figure out what was happening. This was the first pony he had ever meet that held such strong opinions and Honored was truly perplexed.

So Mars stepped back and let Honored do what Honored did best. Tricky and wild shots.

SHHCRACK

As Honored had placed the memory wipe spell back into the pouch, having been rejected by Metal Works, Honored gripped the spell caster pistol he had just relieved from Storm Drive and aimed it through the pouch with the assist of the Void.

Angled directly front to the left at a slight tilt, firing one magical gem encased with a velocity rune and a shatter spell with a paralyze curse and a blood flow hex. Storm Drive certainly knew how to make a killing round. The gem will impact and cause a five meter shrapnel area, with each piece carrying the ability to paralyze spell and an instantaneous blood flow effect that causes the wound to leak more blood than normal.

And to think the Griffons were just designing normal projectile weapons.

The high velocity gem impacted against Metal Work’s chest and punched him backwards across the center dock and over the edge, no scream escaped the unicorn’s lips as he was paralyzed and could only watch as the dock and the watching human crew to a dot above him as he fell.

Honored watched with great sadness as the shape of the falling unicorn faded from his vision. He walked over the blood stain on the ground and the spell caster shotgun and picked the weapon up and tucked it under his arm.

Truly a wicked weapon, and beyond dangerous. All those spells impact one being at once, I imagine there wouldn’t be an open casket funeral.

“Let’s go Mars. I think… I think I’m ready to get some rest. I’m very tired.”

“To tell… or not to tell that is truly the question.” Discord paced within his room in the Canterlot Castle. The sheer chaos that Luna would put him through, oh it was just so good that Discord shuddered in anticipation. But on the other claw, if Honored went through with the insane plan then, well it would solve so many problems that he would live forever. Both in the annals of history and physically.

But if he failed? Oh that is where Discord lost focus and couldn’t decide what to do. Honored would be lost forever. There is no returning from a spectacular failure like that. Discord couldn’t imagine the effect Honored being lost forever to- Discord quickly looked at the mirror in his room and gave a quick glance at it, almost peering beyond it to a pair of eyes, “Ah ah ah, no spoilers yet. You’ll have to wait like everyone else.”

With a flick of his wrist a thin line sliced across the mirror.

I rolled out of bed and walked over to the dresser resting against the wall. I sighed and placed my hands against the top of the wooden furniture piece and gazed into the small mirror I had placed atop of it. I looked at the green eyes with golden flakes staring back at me. I looked deep at the reptilian like slits gazing back at me and blinked. I still had trouble believing that those were my eyes now.

Next I was reminded about my new found powers with the two fangs that poked just barely out of my mouth. I liked those least of my new transformations. As if egged on by my thoughts the black wings made of void magic sprouted out from my back and proceeded to knock a few weapon parts from the dresser and onto the floor. I groaned and levitated the parts back to their respected places.

“Fucking wings.” I walked down the stairs to the first floor of my house and into the kitchen, my wings tucking themselves against my back. I grabbed a glass of water and downed it before taking an apple in my gauntlet and walking from the house and into the early morning.

Ponyville still remained mostly asleep for a few ponies lazily beginning their early day. I made way to the park while munching on my light breakfast to meet with my trainer. The only being in the world that could even have a hope of helping with the void. And it wasn’t like I needed that much help, Mars did one hell of a job.

“Ah Honored welcome! Today’s test is simple,” Discord said floating upside down beside me as soon as I entered the park, “Just get to the other side of the park and I’m going to do everything in my power to stop you. I’ll be creating an arena just like the place you wish to go.”

I gave the lord of chaos a nod and squared off against the empty field of the park. I cracked my knuckles and then lowered my body and flared my wings back and crouched low to the ground.

“GO!” Discord shouted and suddenly the park was gone and I found myself staring at a world of brimstone and fire.

“What is it today?” Rainbow Dash asked Applejack as they walked towards the center of town. Dash was up early to get the weather set up for the day and Applejack pulled a heavy apple laden cart behind her for the stand.

“It looked like an obstacle course straight from a foal’s nightmare. Fire and lava everywhere. If’n ya hurry you should still catch him doing it. He sure is getting a might better with the wings. Might even be getting close to your level.” Applejack said with a bit of nudge to the pegasus's side.

“Oh please, this I have to see.” Rainbow jumped into the air and raced off towards the park where a sizable amount of smoke was filling the air.

“Again!” Discord shouted. “That was sloppy at best. How do expect to show him that you are worthy of commanding? You got singed three times, lost footing twice, and that flip? Oh as if. I’ve seen better from a shitfaced Celestia.” Discord didn’t yell, but he sure didn’t hold back. And I didn’t need him to. I needed to be prepared as much as possible.

“GO!”

I shot forward like a bullet from a gun using my wings to fly over the ground by only a few inches. I slammed into the standing obsidian rock that stood in front of a lava pit that fired up molten slag and toxic gases. I landed on the falling rock face and using the void propelled it forward like a surfboard along the boiling metals.

Using void force to redirect the heat into a pocket dimension and taking the misplaced energy to create negative effect that removes the heat and creates a positive lift.

‘Fly like a surfboard’ was all I thought. Mars did the rest.

I ducked and weaved my way along the lava lake and skidded along another exploding geyser and used it to fly into the air. I reached down and grabbed the side of the obsidian board and flipped backwards over another exploding lava geyser and aimed my gauntlet at the top portion of the molten material and pulled an orb of lava towards me.

Keep the heat contained within the negative energy field. Remain the lave consistency and temperature before outputting it into a positive field, have it keep itself heated.

‘Ball of lava’.

The lava contained within the void sphere soon was clasped between my hands and I launched it forward, where it slamming into a wall of red stone that imploded in on itself and revealed another lake of lava. I jumped from the board and let it crash into the boiling lake.

“Good! Show him your power now! Hit it!” Discord coached above me.

I soared as fast as my new wings could take me till my eyes were stinging and watery from the fumes and air rushing past me. I dove down till I was racing along the surface of the lake, the void keeping me from bursting into ash at the insane heat. Another powerful lap sent me spiraling up into the air as I faced off against a waterfall of cascading lava and rock. Brimstone boiled and lava hissed. I fired a burst of pure void at the center of the lavafall and gave chase immediately after it left my gauntlet.

The void slammed into the lava and created an opening in the wall of liquefied slag and I dove through into a cave filled with eerie green light and thousands of prison cells lining the walls.

“You have to want this!” Discord commanded. “He can tell if you simply are there, and he will take you. You must know what you want and you must want it with everything you have!”

I looked up and found myself glaring daggers at a being that dwarfed everything I had ever fought before. This demon, this god, was over five stories tall and was wrapped in deep purple robes. A helmet that resembled a bull’s head rested on his shoulder and the two long horns curved upwards where a small black flame danced suspended between the two. Mammoth muscles covered nearly every inch of exposed flesh and deep red eyes stared at me from behind the mask of the helmet. In one hand rested a staff that reached taller than the giant of a man and in the other rested a chain that lead into a dark opening in the side of the room.

“SON OF CRONUS I CHALLENGE YOU TO THE RIGHT OF THIS DOMAIN!”

And suddenly everything vanished and I found myself staring at Discord who gave a single nod. “That was the best yet. I believed that you truly wanted to fight him, and that’s what you have to be like.”

“Then why did you stop it? Let me practice fighting him.” I took a deep breathe, the adrenaline still pumping through my system. I was itching to fight, I was ready to end all the suffering.

“Because even I know nothing more than only how he looks and what he commands.” Discord hung his head. “The only other being that might know anything about him is Celestia and that’s because she was actually alive as well in the time of the creation of his world.”

“Wouldn’t you be that old too?” I demanded.

“Yes, but if you could recall from Twilight’s not-so-brief-brief-Equestrian-history I was in a different state of mind and it all seems to be a blur of chaos.” Discord said defensively before striding over to me and resting a claw on my shoulder. “You don’t have to do this Honored. You are essential changeling death itself.”

I gave the draconequus a smirk, “but you forget I’ve died like twice. I figure I owe him a visit in person for once.”

“What the buck Honored?” Rainbow Dash only stared in disbelief from her hiding spot in the bushes on a hill overlooking the park. The lava, the smoke, that crazy explosions. Discord as a coach. And his moves? They were insane and absolutely beyond anything he should be capable of for only getting wings like two weeks ago. And what the hay was that big robed human thing? It had been positively scary and that was coming from ‘the Dash’. “I gotta tell Twilight.”

Rainbow took off towards the library just as the sun rose above the horizon. Twilight would probably still be up from a night of studying or something.

“And you’re sure you saw that?” Twilight almost couldn’t believe what she was hearing. A giant human monster and a park of lava and fire? Impossible. But this was Honored, so it didn’t seem all too far from the truth.

“Yes!” Rainbow leapt into the air and almost slammed her face against the alicorn’s. “It was like he was getting ready for a fight because Discord had told him to run it again or something.”

“Well I’ll do some research, but I don’t know anything about a big human with a bull helmet.” Twilight said trying to think to any myths and legend book she may have skimmed for a light reading session.

“And muscles, don’t forget the muscle part because he had a lot of them.” Rainbow added to Twilight who rolled her eyes. The purple alicorn ruffled her wings and then wandered over a stack of books and began to go through them in search of the mysterious figure Honored seemed to be preparing to fight.

Rainbow took this as her cue to rest her eyes and take a nap while the princess began her search into the books.

“THAT’S IT!” Rainbow shot into the air and nailed her head against the ceiling of the massive library room in surprise from the sudden outburst from Twilight. She looked at the clock and saw she had a solid two hour nap. That was like the record for sleeping in the library section of the castle without being woken up by somepony barging in.

“Here in the Ancient Beings of Power I found a section that gives a brief description matching the thing you described.” Twilight dropped the book onto the table and flipped it open. “As the days grew and the nights took form so did the evil. For as much goodness that occupied the land, evil took its place beside it. The balance of forces began for none could coexist without the other. A new realm was created to detain the evil that should threaten the overworld.” Twilight looked up from the book with a curious look on her face. This book was written with so little detail but still contained the information she needed.

“Over world…. Ah that would be the current world that we live on.” Twilight nodded and smiled and gave herself a mental pat on the back, “then this other realm created would be Tartarus?” Twilight looked at the sentence and shrugged, “Tartarus would hold the balance as the world for the evil that sought to seek refuge in the good above. The underworld would be safeguarded by the son of Cronus, who shall stand tall as the warden of the realm.” Twilight quickly grabbed another large tome from a shelf and held it up to Rainbow, “Did it look like that?” She asked flipping to a rough sketch that appeared to be centuries old.

The sketch showed a massive thing that looked to have a similar body structure to Honored but that is where the similarities ended. Two legs and two arms rippling with muscles stick out form a robed midsection and its head was hidden beneath a helmet that resembled that of an angry bull with wicked long horns that reached over the creature's head and held a black flame in between them, much like Tierk had.

“Yup.” Rainbow said japing a hoof at the picture. “Just like that.”

“What in all of Equestria is Honored doing fighting that?” Twilight said using one of her wings to scratch her head, a perk of having the new appendages.

“Soooooooo Celestia what’s up?” I asked while leaning against the side of the diarchy’s throne.

“What’s up?” Celestia turned and narrowed her eyes at me. “You never stop by to ask me simple questions. In fact you only stop by to see Luna and pull pranks on me.” Celestia turned her attention back to the empty throne room praying to all above that a pony would come and stop the damn human from whatever he was planning. But none came. “So I don’t know Honored, what’s up?”

I sucked a deep breath through my teeth, knowing that dear ol’ Celestia hated that noise. “Well I was just in the neighborhood and figured that I would stop by and whatdoyouknowaboutHades?”

Celestia felt the blood drain from her face. “Care to repeat that? It sounded like you said ‘do I know Hades?’”

I wanted to smile that she obviously knew something, but the look on her face didn’t look like she was happy that I knew that name. “Yes Hades. Lord of the underworld. One of the sons of Cronus. Big and scary. Mean ol’ sumbitch.”

“GUARDS!” Celestia yelled and the two bored looking unicorns quickly snapped to attention. “Close the court for the day. I have business on the most important kind.” She then turned to me with a fire in her eye that had only seen when she was trying to kill be for doing things with Luna. “You come with me.” She jerked me into the air and teleported away in a flash of blinding light and the worst tugging sensation on every atom in my body.

“AWWW SHIT FUCK HELL!” I screamed as I landed on the cold hard floor… of the dungeon. “What gives C?”

“Honored!” Celestia stated sternly. No joking, no anger, just like an extremely agitated pissed off mom. “What have you done?”

“Nothing yet I swear!” I held my hands up in defense. “Just ask Discord I have done nothing!”

“What do you mean yet?” Celestia glared at me and I felt my soul take a hit from that gaze. “You have three seconds to start making sense before I send you to Tartarus.”

“Actually about that –“ I started but suddenly I was slammed into the wall of the dungeon with enough force to crack the solid stone wall. I coughed as dust fell from the ceiling and landed on me. Celestia was literally on fire as she kept me pinned with both magic and her hooves. I tried to teleport and was rewarded with nothing.

‘Mars help here buddy.’

I… I… she is cancelling the void… I… She is using the void!

I looked again and sure enough the normal pink aurora coming from her horn was sickly black and purple. Her eyes were slit like and reptilian just like mine and two fangs had appeared from her mouth while her wings had become black and smoky just like mine. My jaw dropped as I stared at another being that was just like me. A void master.

She is a master of the void and then some. It would explain why the balance of the world wasn’t thrown off without a destruction master. She was both representing calm and peace of the Alicorns and destruction itself. The amount of void looked away inside of her is beyond measure. She is simply absorbing our void as I cast it.

“Celestia what the hell is this?” I gasped at her as the sheer daunting amount of power this pony held. All the jokes, all the time I laughed with her, even when she came to my house on the intent of killing me, she was simply holding back. Every time she has lifted a hoof to fight it was always with holding back this void.

“Consider yourself the luckiest being in the universe Honored. You are now the only being that has seen this side of me. I didn’t want you to ever master the void because I knew where it would lead you. You’re a protector and I knew you would try to go down this road.” Celestia still held me in place while she spoke. The anger in her eyes slowly started to fade, but the power, I could still feel it in my mind. My void was almost bowing to a greater power.

“How long?” I choked out.

“More time than I can remember.” She stated. “But rest assured that it will be longer still for you if you do this.” Celestia let me down and sighed. “You want to fight him, don’t you?”

“Yes.” I looked up and stared at a true master of the void. “So many creatures have escaped under his watch and I want to stop that. Wouldn’t you? Why haven’t you?”

“Honored,” Celestia turned to face me her eyes filled with tears, “you don’t think I’ve thought about it? Honored I’m a mess inside. I am supposed to be the representation of peace and tranquility yet I am filled with the mastery of destruction and death. I am surprised I haven’t truly gone insane. Honored I need you to succeed in this endeavor.” She quickly wiped away the tears. “I hate myself.” She crumbled to the ground as she gasped out a breath, “I want to fight him regardless of how much danger it puts you in so I can finally rid myself of this internal damnation.” She took a deep lungful of air in and steadied herself.

“It happened when I found an ancient tome. It wasn’t a book Honored. The knowledge of the void was carved into a wall of a cave long forgotten and destroyed by myself thousands of years ago. That’s when I learned it. And I have been battling with it since then. Everyday. And I use it against itself to keep it from showing.” She gestured with her wings at her changed state. “An elaborate illusion spell that even my own sister, a being of the same flesh and blood can’t see through.”

“Tartarus was supposed to be reserved for the worst of the worst that the evil could give this world. And its guard was Hades. Hades was one of the ancients. Before Discord. Before even myself he served as a warden. Today he would be like a bounty hunter. He was supposed to catch the bad and guard them. That was it and with every being that he captured he sought more. But he grew bored of his routine. He would let one evil monstrosity out to wreak havoc and then capture him. A sport Honored. He turned his duty into a common sport. To see if he could catch the evil before it killed too many or destroyed too much.”

I simply sat down against the way and stared at Celestia as she sat across from me. “What happened?”

“Luna and I did the only thing that we could think of. We banished him to the very place he swore to guard. Tartarus. We locked him within his own home. It then became up to ourselves and the Elements of Harmony to send beings to Tartarus. The fact that there isn’t evil creatures running around nonstop means that he has continue to guard Tartarus, but still lets some go, for what reason I do not know.” Celestia hung her head and let out a breath of defeat. Slowly all the changes, the wings, teeth, and eyes returned to normal. She pulled out a red gem that looked like the very same one I had been using to wipe the memories from anyone that new about weapons.

What was she doing with that? She knew nothing about the inner workings of the weapons I wielded. “What’s that for Celestia? I’m not going to tell anyone about your secret.”

“It’s not for you Honored.” I gave her a raised eyebrow. “I want to give to you all the knowledge that I hold on the Void. Then I want to forget. You will be the only being left in the world that understands the Void and can wield it as a master.” I stared at her. She was giving me the tools needed to fight the monster Hades, but she was giving up a part of herself.

“Celestia… I don’t know if I can mind wipe the leader of a country. What about you, what will happen to you?”

“Oh I’ll be alright Honored.” She said with the faint ghost of a smile. “Please thing of this as the final piece of the puzzle. And we both know what the final picture will look like. In the end it would have to be this way.” She stood on her long legs and walked over to me. “Thank you Honored, just remember who you are and what you are fighting him for. It is the key to everything.”

“I won’t, now do it before I stop doing stupid things.” I smirked as her horn began to glow.

“We both know that will never happen challenger of death.”

FLASH ZAPPP

“Honored?”

“Sweet Celestia, he drools like a dog.” A sultrily voice groaned out.

“Whhhaaaa?” I cracked open my eyes to see my friends from Ponyville and one stupid night guard turned handler staring down at me. I shook my head and gave a smile. “So how’d I end up unconscious this time?” I saw that I was resting in one of the many guest rooms around the castle and was very crowded. Wait. Why was everyone here Canterlot?

“Well the princess said that you were doing some training with Discord and then you went a little too far and hit your head on a rock.” Twilight said with a frown. “What are you training for?”

I looked down at the doorway and saw Celestia nod and then walk away. I guess it was time to spill the beans about this insane plan of mine. I just needed to get a few more ponies gathered around. Then I could do. I could tell them that I was going to solve the problems of monsters from the underworld once and for all.

“Well let me gather some more ponies up and then I’ll explain all about everything y’all need to know.” As they filed out of the room I let out a deep sigh I hadn’t realized I was holding in. They were going to fight this like crazy.

I found myself seated at one of the tea rooms beside the throne room. Both princesses, the main six, Tune, and Night Rose were all seated around the room in nice cushioned overstuffed chairs. “Okay now if you will now all open your booklets to page three we can begin.” I said while to confused ponies and one robot found booklets placed in front of them.

“The diagram shows the structure of this world, or the plane of existence. The top is us, Equestria or Equis if you will. This contains all the land ponies, happy creatures, and what not live on.” I received a few nods around the room as everyone looked at the little booklets. “And below that, is the underworld home to the dead and the nasty. Monsters, demons, lost souls and all that other pretty stuff.” Tune looked at the booklet with the camera mounted to his little claw. He rose it into the air.

“Yes Tune?” I said pointing to him with a ruler I had acquired for Honored’s teaching class 101.

“You have another layer below that with a symbol above it?”

“That is Tartarus. The sub level of the underworld reserved for only the worst of the worst. The jail of the underworld if you will. This is where all the baddies and monsters that invade Equestria are coming from. That symbol is the simplified version of the teleportation spell needed to reach that area.”

“And why do you need to know that?” Applejack asked while scratching a hoof along her mane under her hat.

“Excellent question!” I smacked the ruler on the table and then smiled, “go to page five please.” There was the sound of pages turning and paper crinkling as the booklets were flipped to the correct page.

“The overseer or ruler of Tartarus is a being of immense power named Hades. He is the being that Rainbow Dash saw me fighting. He is the reason why the monster are escaping. He is supposed to be acting as the guard along with Cerberus, but he is failing and I aim to find out why.”

It was dead quiet as the information sunk in to the ponies and robot around the room.

“Wait a minute darling.” Rarity said raising a hoof, “Out dear Twilight went to Tartarus that one time when Cerberus escaped.”

“Ah that. Page nine please.” More page flipping.

“Cerberus resides in the plane directly before the gates of Tartarus acting as a guard dog, he actually doesn’t live in Tartarus.” I said with a smile.

Every eye and one camera looked to Twilight. “Oh he’s right, I just thought the two were the same.” Twilight groaned and glared at me. I simply shrugged my shoulders and continued.

“I am going to challenge Hades to the right to rule Tartarus and the responsibilities that come with ruling it. This will stop all monsters from coming to Equestria and prevent a repeat of the Tirek incident.”

The silence in the room was deafening. “Excuse me?!” Pinkie Pie yelled leaping into the air. “Are you loco-in-the-cocco? You want to fight a scary ol’ GOD of the freaking underworld? You are going to fight death itself incarnate and then be the one on top! Do you understand how evil mean and nasty he will fight to stop the little human warrior of protection and friendship?!” Pinkie Pie bounced closer and closer with each accusation before she pressed firmly against me and panting heavily.

“Honored?” I dread this argument the most.

“Luna listen, I have a good reason for th-“ My words were cut off as Luna placed the tip of her wing against my lips.

“Please listen to me Honored.” She took a deep breath before moving away. “You want to fight to protect us, but did you stop to think that maybe we need to fight against the evil so that we have a purpose besides just living day to day only to die withering away living in the constant doldrums of life?”

“Whoa.” I said but silenced myself as she spun around.

“And what of me when you leave? You are the being I chose to love with all my heart and now I hear about you going to fight Death? How am I supposed to let you do this? Do you know what happens when you die in Tartarus?” She looked at me, her deep pools of teal lakes looking onto my green and gold eyes. “You die and that’s it. There is no open fields of the ever after. The plains of forever full of family and friends and loved ones. You are gone. Nothing.”

“Even in my own death, whenever that may be, I will be without you. Alone forever.” Luna was now on the verge of tears as she stared at me. I swallowed and stood up tall.

“And if I win do you know what I get?” She was silent. “Page ten.”

Flipping pages filled the room.

“The flame of immortality?” Fluttershy whispered.

“That’s right, the flame resting between his horns on his helmet is his right to the rule of Tartarus. With it, he can live forever without fearing disease or famine or old age.” I walked to Luna and wrapped my arms around her neck before looking into her eyes. “Even with the Element of Protection I will die. And how do you think I feel knowing every day I live, I grow one day closer to having to leave you behind. If there is a chance, no matter how small, that I could gain the immortality that you, Celestia, Discord, or Gal have then I would be insane to not try and get it.”

“You’re doing this for me?” She whispered out as I still looked at her.

“Well the whole protection thing too, but you know, two birds one stone.” I gave her a grin as she let out a sad laugh.

“Oh Honored.” She laid her head against my chest.

“So that’s the plan. I go and assume control of Tartarus and save Equestria from ever having to fight a villain from there ever again. And I will walk Equis delivering justice to those that need to bring down to the depths below.”

“Just one question.” Tune asked his robotic voice sounding grim. I looked at his camera as every gun on his body locked back and slammed forwarding, loading a round into each chamber and the missile pods opened and lifted up, posing ready to deliver death from above. “How am I going to get to Tartarus?”

That evening Pinkie told me she was going to throw the biggest best party she had ever thrown in her whole life. A ‘good luck on your hero-ing mission’ party. All of Equestria was invited and it was being held at the Canterlot Castle.

“You’re making it sound like that it’s going to be as big as the Grand Galloping Gala.” I said with a smirk and stared as Celestia’s face split into a wicked grin.

“Oh you could say it’s going to be something like that. Just with more fun and normal party stuff.” She added with a smile.

“You know what it really is?” I asked with a slight frown. “A farewell party, in case I don’t come back.”

SMACK

“OW MOTHER FUCKER!” I spun around to see Tune’s arm looking the other direction.

“The robot is right Honored. You are going to come back, you must. For more than just Luna.” Celestia said with a sigh. “I know I don’t possess the powers of Void anymore, but I know I had them, I know what I could do, but I can’t actually picture it. It’s somewhat frustrating to not remember, but it is nice to not feel what I did before. You must come back so that the balance can remain. You know that right?” Celestia said with a grimace. “I kept the mind wipe gem, it still holds the Void information I wiped.”

I raised a hand to speak.

“It is hidden to the degree not even you can find it Honored. It’s on the moon and only I can recall it.”

I lowered my hand. “I will come back Celestia. For Luna. For Equestria. For the sake of your work load.

I was smacked again.

I found myself standing next to an empty table in the castle ballroom sipping on a slightly salty punch drink that was really messing the ponies up. Hundreds of ponies were in attendance at the party that was being held in my honor before I left to begin my passage to Tartarus and fight Hades. A million thoughts raced through my brain every second as Mars went to work trying to settle my mind while I then thought of new problems. How was I going to kill death?

“You need to stop this thinking.” Luna said as she appeared beside me. I smiled at her and then wrapped an arm around her neck.

“Oh you know me dear, always thinking and stuff.” I tried to give her another smile and found her still giving me a dead pan glare. “Okay I know, but you see I’m going to this place, I’ve heard it’s not a very nice place, to fight death himself. I got to think about what I’m going to do.”

Luna rolled her eyes and then grabbed me in her magic and tossed me through the air and I flopped onto a stage that Pinkie Pie had somehow constructed in only a day.

“Alright everypony!” Pinkie Pie, the wonderful party pony screamed as I stood up and looked around at the hundreds of eyes watching me, “It’s time for music! Hit it Honored!”

“Uhh?” I gasped as I felt all... tingly all over. Like a type of magic was running along my entire body. Out of nowhere music slowly began to fade into the room and I looked around for its source, but I could find none. The beat became infectious as the ponies gathered around the stage and began swaying to the music as I continued to stand there frozen as the music picked up.

“Take me down to the river-bend.
Take me down to the fighting end.
Wash the poison from off my skin.
Show me how to be whole again.

I let my body go and began to swing while moving around the stage as the drums kicked in and the ponies all stared at me as the beat got faster and the music got louder. This was it, this was the music that the ponies could do, where they were able to just sing at random with instruments accompanying them.

Cause I’m only a crack in this castle of glass
Hardly anything left for you to see.
For you to see.

I sang with sadness and tried to put all the weight of what I’ve done into my words so that the ponies watching could get a taste of what I’ve done in this world of theirs. How much I’ve changed in the time since arriving in Equestria. What I still had to do. This was my burden to bear and I would fight to give the creatures of this world peace from the evil that sought to retake the land.

Before I had a chance to step down from the stage I felt that tingly thing all over again.

“Whoa! Two of ‘em! That’s really special Honored!” Pinkie Pie yelled as the electric guitar shrieked into the air from nowhere. The drums kicked in and I smiled, this would be a lot more livelily than that sad stuff from before. Time to get them all hyped for my leaving and fighting. Time to save Equestria for good. Well at least from monsters from Tartarus. Time to give these ponies some good old fashioned human rock.

Back in black
I hit the sack
I’ve been too long I’m glad to be back

The ponies jumped and cheered and began dancing along to my singing and the magical music that was pouring from my body.

“I think I finally figured out what my blood did to him.” Luna shouted over the music to Twilight who nodded frantically while throwing her limbs about. “It would seem that our hero is no longer immune to the music magic that resides inside each one of us.” Luna stared happily at me as I launched into another verse of the rock song, the energy coming from me driving the crowd absolutely wild.

I was having fun.

They were having fun. I had to win this fight. I had to return. Not for myself. Not for the Equestrian world.

But for her, for Luna.

I had a lot of time to make up for running off and doing my missions and quests. I needed to beat Hades and gain his immortality and from there, well id do what i did best.

Improvise.

You Need Training To Use That

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On My Honor
You Need Training To Use That
By Honored Service

“There comes a time in every person’s life when the choice they make outweighs the sum of all the others made.” The older man said looking down to the young boy. The man pulled a small leather bifold and opened it, the weathered black leather flipping open easily revealing the dull shine of a badge glinting into the boy’s eyes. His green eyes with specks of gold in them gazed at the badge with admiration and respect.

“Have you done that dad?” The boy asked, reaching out and running a small thumb over the worn badge. ‘Detective’ caught the boy's eyes as his thumb traced the raised lettering.

The man took a long pause and stared off into the distance, the weight of the world seemed to crush down onto his shoulders as he looked out. “I have son, and I like to think that I did the right thing.”

“I'm sure you did dad! You're detective Johnson! The best in the whole wide world!”

The memory vanished from my mind as the mammoth staff crashed into the ground and ripped the hardened fire scorched earth of Tartarus into the air. I panted heavily as blood dripped down the side of my face and my arm gave another sharp jab of white hot pain. I glared up at the tower of demigod that stared down at me as one would a cockroach.

“Look at yourself! You're not a God! You’re a weak mortal that thinks it has the ability to decide the fate of a world! I have lived for eons and you are not but a speck of dirt floating through this world. And your decision to come here will be in vain!” Hades, lord and ruler of the Underworld, roared at me as his own sinister void magic sparked to life along his muscle bound arms.

“You're right Hades,” I yelled back while reaching into my pocket and pulled a small glowing purple bullet out before dropping it into the open chamber of my M16A2 rifle, “But damn am I going to go down fighting!”

The purple explosion from the end of the rifle met the black stream of void magic in between the two beings as the battle for control of Tartarus

* Earlier that day *

“You would. Only you. We told you not to ever make another portal.” Princess Celestia said spreading her wings and walking out of the study. “We say no, so he does it anyway. Whatever. Luna. Twilight. Double check his placement of the magical anchors and spell laying glyphs. I'm going to get a drink.” I was left standing in my study with Luna, Twilight, Discord, and poking through the window was a single camera attached above a metal claw, Tune. They all followed me to my humble abode ready to help me in the portal that I was creating to allow me entrance into the Underworld so that I could gain control.

“This isn't the time for that sister.” Luna shouted after her sister before looking down to the spell rune drawn onto the wood floor. The design itself was even more complicated than my rune that brought me back to Earth for a few days. This portal had even given Discord trouble while we had worked on it. Which is why I felt that maybe having some more magical professionals help me with it. Also because Discord had said, “sure this will work.... I think,” on more than one occasion.

“Twilight and Luna, can you too please give this bad boy a look over and correct it in anyway you see fit.” I said giving a sweeping motion to the carved archaic rune. “And all the notes are over there on the desk. I’m going to talk to Celestia about this and try to calm her down.”

They both gave me smiles in return and Twilight eagerly pounced on the notes of dark magic, ready to dive into a literal whole new world of magic.

“Celestia?” I called out walking down onto the first floor. “Please come and talk. I kinda need your help too and drunk-lestia isn't all that fun in dire situations of peril and possible death.”

“Oh that's the Honored I know.” I sighed and followed the voice towards the living room that I scarcely visited. Man I only use the bedroom and the basement in my house. I really need to get out more. Or at least explore my house more. “Always laughing in the face of the unimaginable pain and suffering you will surely find. You know nothing which you are about to face. A God. Honored you are about to fight a being that is on the level of a God.” Celestia was flopped out across my couch with a few bottles of wine and other assorted bottles of clear liquids.

“Well I never did know my limit.” I said with a sad smile knowing that the princess was right. This was insanity at the mear thought. Hades was a God, or at least a being on the power level of one. Shit has to be close to nine thousand.

“Well stop hogging all the drink. Give me one.” I said while reaching towards her. A bottle of Everfree Vodka glided into my outstretched hand. I eyed the bottle and watched its clear contents slosh around before grabbing it and raising it to my lips. I savored in the sting as the alcohol washed down my throat and warmed my stomach.

“Honored you know after this is all finished things will truly change for the world. Either we lose you and Luna falls into despair, along with the entire nation or you beat a God, become immortal, and are now forced to become a bogeyman in the shadows claiming those that are evil and escorting them to Tartarus which still means that we lose you, but you are just not dead.”

“Ah but that is the key Celestia. I am now an immortal being. I have the chance to be one of the great powers of the world. Destruction will finally be set in a true position.” I looked over and saw that Celestia was giving me a blank stare. “Oh right mind wipe spell… just nevermind. I’ll be immortal, Luna will be happy. And I’ll get to protect the world forever until the end of time.” I smiled and gulped down more of the burning liquid.

Celestia stared at me like I had just started growing flowers from my head. “Honored you are so stupid.” She laughed and tossed and another empty bottle over her head and onto the floor onto the growing pile that was sure to continue to grow even higher.

“Okay that is the third spell anchor that is properly aligned.” Twilight was positively giddy with excitement in doing her first portal to the underworld. The new level of magic was amazing and to think that Honored had even managed it the first time was insane. The level of detail was beyond comprehension for this portal. “Luna, this glyph here means underworld, but I have yet to find one that means Tartarus.”

“I know young Sparkle. I also have yet to find one.” Luna said in frustration while tossing another stack of notes aside from the desk. “There doesn't seem to be one. We can't just make up one. So far this portal will only grant him entrance to the gates of the Underworld before the River Stiyx.” Luna was distraught. Honored already had to fight a God for his immortality, but to see that it looked as if he would have to fight his way through the entirety of the Underworld to simply reach the entrance of Tartarus, well that was just ridiculous. No being could do that.

“I can do that!” Honored yelled before swaying slightly and leaning against the side of Celestia who tilted another bottle up and began to chug its contents.

“Are you both drunk?!” Luna exclaimed, looking at the state of the two before her.

“What? No no no no.” Honored said before Celestia suddenly toppled over to her side. “Okay yes.”

“Honored I can not believe you.” Luna stared angrily at the human who slowly walked over to her and began to flick the end of her flowing mane.

“Oh hush now starry eyes. I was just helping her relax. She is wayyyyy to stressed out about this whole thing. It’s not like she’s the one fighting a God.” Honored hiccuped before wrapping his arms around Luna’s neck and smiled, “Speaking of that nasty baddy place, how is my gate to Hell coming along?”

“Well there is a slight problem. Honored maybe we should wait till you’re in a better state of mind.”

“”What me?” Honored giggled before waltzing over towards the door. “Hey Tune, track 12, Luna needs a pick me up!”

“Of course sir.” Tune responded and slowly the music began to build up around the house. The music started before Tune adjusted the volume to reach the house.

“Everybody in the world are you with me?
It's too late to try and run, we run the city
It's my time, It's your time
Held me down, Now its don't give a fuck time”

Honored spun Luna around as she gasped in surprise. The human took advantage of his smaller, nimble shape as he ducked and dived around the princess while simultaneously dancing around Luna. She smiled as the intoxicated human tried to dance around her as the rock music blared out from the robot outside the house. The fast beat and lyrics gave Luna hope. He was Honored. He had done so much in such short time. He could do it. He could pass through the Underworld to Tartarus, if anything he would have fun.

“Honored the portal can only bring you to the entrance of the Underworld. There is no direct portal spell to Tartarus.”

Honored lagged behind and tripped on the unconscious body of Celestia. “Oh.” He sat up and shook his head rapidly and stood up straight. “Well this changes things. Looks like i'm going to have to do some more preparations.” Honored walked over to the stairs and ran up towards the study. Luna quickly dashed after him.

“Honored what are you planning?” Luna called out in concern as she followed him into the study. Honore leapt over the startled Twilight and landed on his desk and snatched up several large scrolls and a few bottles of ink and some shortened feather pens.

“I have to get to Stand Bold and Storm Drive. And some guys from Black Claw. We got work to do.” Honored yelled as he ran out of the house and into the bright sun of the morning. “Tune! Post!”

Seconds later, the robotic automated fighting system slid to a halt before the human, who launched himself into the air with a burst of void magic where he landed on Tune’s body. “Let's go buddy, we got to get to the Fast Skies and stat!”

As Tune took of towards the road to Canterlot, Honored looked back, “Well are you coming Luna? Twilight has this under control!”

Luna looked startled as she quickly jumped into the air and soared after the speeding warrior. “Are you going to tell me what youre planning?”

“I’m going to get some help making something that will make this stroll through Hell like a nice walk in the park.” Honored said with a smile while patting one of the scrolls. “This is something that is going to put this world to shame. Something, that if I can get it built, is going to set the new standard for protection. Every being on the world will know what this means.

Luna reached out with her magic and unrolled the scroll, her eyes widening as she looked at the design sketched onto the paper. “Honored what is this?”

“That Luna will be the Pinnacle.”

“You have any idea what you're asking us to try and make?” Stand Bold Stood next to Storm Drive as they eyed the sketch.

“The question I asked, was can you build it?” I stared at the two clever ponies as they looked over the two scrolls of sketches.

“I mean… we can. It will need some sort of power supply to run.” Storm Drive said looking up to me.

I grinned and slammed my hand into my other open palm and an explosion of void magic, a hundred fold stronger than what I was able to wield before caused every loose paper and design in the room to swirl around in a vortex of intense magical energy.
“I’ve got the power supply alright.”

“Then we can build it. The augmentations for these pieces, well we can do them, but again the power needed to do this will be insane, it would need at least ten power gems charged at max capacity to even get this armor moving.” Storm Drive said turning the scroll with the design around to its side. “But it is possible. We can combine the metal with magic from out arcane forges to be as strong as this titanium polymer combination, but the VATs matrix system, what is that?”

“Oh just forget about that.” I said with a sight, “I’ll just have to aim good. Now about the tesla coil?”

“That’s easy!” Stand Bold said, “we can just attach a lightning rune along the back that has a ten foot radius to drain power automatically from hostile forms of energy.”

“Great.” I smiled. “And the leg vents?”

“Another easy to attach rune along the bottoms and sides of the boots and legs.” Storm Drive said. “This will be easy after we figure out the power conduit system. Each appendage will have to be powered separately as the power needed to move that much metal will need a lot of energy.”

“You two get started on the power armor itself, I’ll take care of the power system.” I said while taking the other scroll with the details of the power system and turned towards the captain of the airship, “Stand Bold. Get this ship on course to the Black Claw tower. We got another stop to make.”

“Okay. Listen. Honored I know you may not be a engineer of arcane magic and its rune systems, but do even have any idea of what you are asking us to try and do?” Egg “Eggy” Head the Lead engineer and scientist of the Black Claw Mercenary development division said while tossing the scroll back at me.

“I am asking you to help me create a self stabilizing self sufficient magical reproducing chamber utilizing a void magic tricasting spell to power itself for nearly infinite amount of time.” I said as the pony stopped and turned to look at me. He used his magic to adjust the classes on his face and gave me another ‘you've got to be the dumbest creature alive’ look.

“And how, pray tell, do you plan on casting such a spell that is in itself is a repeating magical paradox.” He scoffed at me. “Just saying that aloud basically describes the problem with what you want to create. The amount of startup power needed to even cast that spell goes above beyond even what Princess Celestia controls.”

“A sun?”

“Exactly.” Eggy said while turning away from me and towards his development lab station.

“Just give me a chance!” I exclaimed, slamming a boot down on the lab floor, shaking the entire room. “Just let me in the testing chamber with one of those archaic pandora crystals.”

“How do you know about-” Eggy began.

“Don't worry about it, but I just need one chance. Please Eggy. I can pay you and the company personally for the crystal, but this is literally a matter of the world’s safety.”

For a couple of seconds the tension in the room was stifling. The other scientist in the room all looked to their boss as the wheels in his head spun. This idea was ridiculous, it was impossible to cast such a spell. A spell that casted itself on the energy it was used originally to be cased while also using a replication spell that replicated the energy from the very energy used in the original casting. That broke every scientific magical law in the world. But… as a scientist Eggy knew some experiments were just too good to not watch fail.

“Alright Honored. But each crystal is 1.3 million-”

“I don't care, give me the chamber and the crystal, time is a factor. As in I have a God to kill.” Eggy recoiled at the statement, but lead me towards the magically sealed room to keep magic cast held inside the room. The pandora crystal was an ancient piece of crystal that had to be old as Hades himself. I found out about it in a tome that was in Celestia’s personal library. It utilized a small blast of magic that in a sense created a temporary rip in a dimension on a cosmic level that allowed energy to be pushed out, but what if that was combined with a spell that nonstop created energy from energy that was constantly being pushed through that same rip in a dimension. It, and as Discord said, might just be that unstable that the confines of the crystal, one so ancient and strong itself would supply the magical energy to keep the spell flowing forever, so long as the crystal was intact. But the very scratch along its surface, would give the energy an escape point.

I stepped into the chamber and saw a silver case resting on a white pedestal. Besides that it was an empty pale white room. A voice crackled in through a speaker system, “Okay Honored, you have the room and the pandora crystal is in the case. Do what you need to do. Simply tap the wall three times to tell us to drop the spell and bring you out. Good luck. And in advance, I told you it couldn't be done.” Eggy’s voice died out and I stared at the case.

“Okay D. Let’s get to it.”

POOF

“What?! What are you doing here Discord?” Eggy exclaimed.

ZAP

“Princess Luna?!” Eggy shouted before dropping to the ground. “What are you two doing here?”

“Well my dear little Egg Head, if we are not here, then how do you expect to contain the power of the void cosmos?” Discord said while flapping over towards the magical chamber.

“How'd you know my name? And what do you mean ‘void cosmos’?" Eggy asked the Lord of Chaos as other unicorn scientist lined up around the sealed chamber and began to prepare to cast their magica cancelling spells.

“Oh I didn't.” He said with a shrug before snapping his talon and creating a massive can of bug spray, but rather than bug-be-gone read magic-be-gone. He angled it at the room and gave it a quick test spray before smiling.

“Little pony, within that room is the only void master this world has. And his power is that of the equivalent to my sister and I.” Luna said very seriously as Eggy tried to grasp the concept of what was about to happen. A sun was literally about to get cast in that room they stood nearly 10 feet from.

“Ah it's starting!” Discord said while jamming ear plugs into his ears and slapping a gas mask on before leaping up and landing on the top of the oversized aerosol can and spraying towards the room with magical canceling spray. All the unicorns began casting their spells around the room that Honored was now in, to block all magic from getting out.

Luna took a stance with her legs spread and head down, horn pointed directly at the chamber. ‘Get it right Honored. We only have one shot at this.’ Luna thought as her spell joined the collection as the power grew within.

“Well this is anticlimactic.” I said staring down at the crystal. It was clear on the outside with a small chunk of pink rock within the clear rock. It was only about as big as a fist. I simply shrugged and placed the crystal on top of the pedestal after removing the box it came in. I took a step back and began to calm my breathing. Just like classes with Twilight. Calm myself. Body and mind.

I focused my magic, the very basic magic I had after getting jump started by the Elements of Harmony. The first spell was the simplest, the spell that would feed of the the second. The continuous casting spell. I fired the spell into the crystal and it stuck perfectly. The spell latched onto the rock and thanks to its property of a dimensional tear, the spell began to loop within both dimensions looking for a spell to cast over and over again. I stood back from the crystal and held my hand out firing the second spell, a energy spell that would pull energy from its surroundings. Within a whole torn dimension, held in the crystal, it would have plenty of energy to supply that spell on while the continuous cast spell forced it to keep casting and pulling energy.

I took a deep breath and slammed my hand against the crystal, firing my void magic deep into the rock, the power leaving my soul was pure void, sucking in the energy from the dimension within the crystal while at the same time feeding both other spells creating a vortex of magical energies within the crystal’s small form. The light from the crystal was intense as I continued to feed power into the spells. The final spell.

The final spell would seal the spell to release the energy sucked from the other dimension back into it, creating a never ending loop of power that was used and reused by the same source and created by the same source. On earth, my earth, such a thing was impossible but with magic… well magic is magic. Fuck logic. I was basically plugging the extension cord into itself.

That's when the first magical whiplash fought back. “No.” I groaned and slammed back into the crystal with more magic. The spell was collapsing. It needed an insane amount of power to give the spells enough energy to latch onto and keep going. Like a fire needed enough air and fuel to ignite. I was giving it all the air it needed, but why wasn't it igniting?!

“Come on!” I yelled as the magical aura around my hand reached out and grew to a second aurora, this color a deeper purple from the other purple form the void. I felt my eyes sting as another longer wisp of purple fog exploded out.

“CATCH DAMN IT!” I screamed as something inside of me snapped and a third aura of purple magic appeared from my gauntlet. My vision turned green as the fog wisps of purple turned to full on flames pouring from the corners of my eyes. The crystal was glowing as bright as the sun as the energy was consumed by the spells failed to catch onto each other. What was stopping it?

I looked and saw the smallest trail of magic being sucked towards me. Shit! How could I have forgotten that detail. I myself was a walking paradox. A magically resistant creature casting and possessing magic. I was simply holding the spell back by a small part of it was always being lost to my natural resistance.

“FUCK ME!” I hollered in pain as it felt like a sharp knife was plunged and twisted into my spine. A fourth purple aura wrapped around the other three on my gauntlet and the crystal began to shake violently like nest of angry hornets. I had to remove myself from the equation or the spell would never catch.

“AHHHHHHHHH!” I gurnted and dropped to my knees as the fifth surge of magic erupted from my hand and I watched the world consumed in a purple haze. I only could guess what my eyes looked like. I quickly slammed my hand back into the crystal dumping the most magic I could possibly grasp form my soul without taking it all. I looked and saw the crystal vibrating and shaking so hard that it seemed to be standing still.

I punched my gauntlet with the crystal into the ground and teleported at the same time of realising the immense amount of void magic that pushed the void magic to the sixth layer of magic around my gauntlet. The magic that strong would have to be strong of enough the spell to catch it, and with me teleporting out of the room at the same time would mean that it was either make it or break it.

SHHHHHHHHHCRACKKKKKKKKK

A purple and green flash brighter than the very sun setting outside of the science lab exploded into the center of the lab on top of a table full of one of a kind experiments and irreplaceable prototypes. The magical concussion sent scientist and equipment in every direction and against every wall. Purple smoke and green fog filled the room as the engineers and scientist groaned and coughed as they began to stand back up.

“And that's why I got this.” Discord said while tapping a claw against the gas mask hugging his face.

Egg Head slowly looked around the mess and destruction that was his prized laboratory. All the priceless artifacts and experiments gone in a flash. The scientist’s world was gone. Everything broken and shattered. He made his way towards the crater in the floor, stepping around the shattered equipment and broken devices scattered around the ground. His fellow scientists all had gathered around the still smoking hole in the ground.

“Honored?” Luna asked quietly, staring into the dark pit.

The smoke began to vanish as Discord held up a vacuum and began to suck all the smoke up. As the smoke dispersed a faint glowing blue light began to shine out of the ground.

“What?” Eggy gasped.

“It… It can't be.”

“That is impossible!” Egg Head stared slack jawed at the sight before him. There laying in the center of the crater was Honored, clothes burned off of him and wearing a shit eating grin on his face. And held between his hands was a glowing pandora crystal. It was glowing blue with a swirl of deep purple void magic spinning within the crystal in a infinite loop. It swirled around in a ∞ shape.

“How could you do that?” Eggy finally asked staring at the human.

From within the crater, still clutching the gem, Honored looked up and took a deep breath, “I have waited a long time to say this, IT'S MAGIC! I don't have to explain shit!”

Discord fell over in a fit of laughter while ever logical thinking being in the room felt intense migraines and headaches begin to form. Honored laughed too befor letting his head fall backwards.

“Okay that’s it.” Twilight stood back and wiped her brow with a small towel. She looked at the massive and overly complicated spell rune that was carved into Honored’s floor. The intertwining symbols and glyphs were everywhere, running together in a massive seven pointed star that would launch the human to the underworld. “Princess Celestia can you come give this a look over?”

Twilight waited patiently for her mentor, but there came no response.

“Princess?”

Twilight slowly trotted out of the study and looked around the second floor. She peeked into the bathroom, bedroom, second study, and another bedroom. The large alicorn was not here. She made her way to the first floor and peered around. The kitchen, den, living room, and other bathroom were all empty as well. “Where did she go?” Twilight asked still puzzled as to where the princess would have run off to. She knew this was a rune that would have to be perfect for it to work.

“Oh yeah, that looks good.”

Twilight perked up and turned towards the door that was covered in signs.

Keep Out!

No ponies

No robots

No nothing

Only Honored

The Human

Really. I mean it. Stay out.

No girls too.

Men stuff.

Twilight stopped and looked at the signs and rolled her eyes. A freaking God. This was the creature that was going to fight the God of death and damnation.

She opened the door and plunged down into the dark basement. It took a moment for Twilight’s eyes to adjust to the dim lighting emitting from a single light dangling from the ceiling. She stopped and gasped at what she saw.

Celestia was standing in the center of the basement wearing armor. But not royal golden armor of the enchanted ages that she had been seen wearing in battles from millennia ago, but human armor.

On her head rested a human army helmet with woodland camouflage pattern and a queen of hearts tucked into the elastic strap going around it. Her horn poked out through a hole in the front of it, along with her ears which had their own holes on the sides of the helmet. On Celestia’s back and chest was a flack jacket with holes cut into the back to allow for Celestia’s large wings to fit through. This armor was also woodland colored, the black, browns, and greens all mixed together and clashed oddly well with the princess's white coat. Around her waist was a drab green belt that had over six different pouches on them each loaded down with magazines that the human usually used for his weapons. A brown holster also hung off the belt. Across the flack jacket, hanging by a special sling designed for a large princess, was a human weapon. Twilight recalled from a human book that it was called an M16A1, but this one had intricate gold leafs all along the edge of the plastic stock on it along with a golden sun on the butt stock resembling Celestia’s cutie mark.

Celestia turned to look at Twilight and grinned. She lifted a pair of dark lensed MareitorTM sunglasses to her eyes and put a smoking cigar to her lips. She stuck it in the corner of her mouth and grinned. “Oh yea.”

“Princess? What? What are you doing?” Twilight quickly looked around for an angry human to come storming down the stairs. “Honored will get super pissed if he catches us down here. And you ruined his gear!” Twilight was beginning to panic at the thought of him getting upset before his big battle with a God.

“I didn't ruin anything.” Celestia said lowering her glasses. “I found this in that box with my name on it.” She gestured with a hoof towards a metal locker with SUNBUTT on it. There were three more lockers beside that one. DADDY D. MOON PIE. SNEAKY BEAKY BAT PONY.

“Oh. How come I don't get one.” Twilight kicked a hoof against the floor. “Why is he giving everypony weapons and armor?”

“Well it worked Eggy, and ye’ of little faith didn't believe in your savior, so BLAHHHHH.” Honored stuck his tongue out at the lab coat wearing pony. Egg Head was still baffled. That crystal in the human’s hands was a working paradox that shouldn't exist. Even now after an hour of its creation Eggy still had a throbbing headache even trying to think about the damned spell. The dang human and his dang overpowered magic.

“Honored leave him alone.” Luna scolded the human like a mother before lowering her head to the crystal and giving it another curious look. “But it is a bit curious, how something that makes no sense, something chaotic, worked.” Luna looked up to the floating mismatched creature who turned his head and started to whistle to himself.

“Who? Moi?” Discord fained innocence and a golden halo appeared over his head. “I had nothing to do with the creation of this magical and scientific destroying artifact.”

Luna rolled her eyes and shrugged her wings before turning away and walking back with the group towards the exit of the Black Claw headquarters building. “I just think it would be so strange for you to do something nice to someone. Does Discord have another friend?”

“What me?! I am Lord of Chaos, I have no need to be nice!” Discord shouted while crossing his arms. But the damage was done. “Oh whatever.” He grumbled and continued after the gang towards the Fast Skies.

Honored was already heading up the ramp towards the entrance when he was nearly knocked off the side by a blur of colors.

“Honored I was on my way to get you. It’s.... it’s…. it's done. We had help from a lot of the Black Claw development ponies and they helped craft it. Its… I… We can't even describe it. But it needs so much power. Did you get it?” Stand Bold was zipping around like a pegasus version of Pinkie Pie. Honored shuddered at the thought.

“Sure did. Say hello to pandora. Infinite energy the defies all logic and known laws of magic. Because fuck the rules.” Honored showed him the crystal and its forever glowing ∞ symbol of swirling void magic.

“Perfect!” Stand Bold reached a hoof out towards it, but Honored jerked the crystal back. “No touching! Basicly the end of the world in a jar. We need to get this into the armor.”

“IT'S A WHAT?!” Luna shouted, causing the human to fumble with the crystal before catching it and hugging it to his chest.

“What part of another dimension and now infinite energy do you not get. Little rip in space and or time, now is a big rip contained in this crystal.” Honored said while getting up and following the pegasus inventor and soldier towards the main deck within the interior of the Fast Skies. “Okay buddy, let's see this monster.

“Well we had some trouble figuring out the power relay systems, but we ended up crushing up hundreds of gems and filled flexible tubing with them to act as the magical conduits through the entire suit.” Stand Bold looked beyond proud of his ingenuity.

“You're getting the hype train ready.” Honored said with a smile that seemed like it would split his face in half.

“We were able to create the magical infused titanium armor that has so far tested against three mega spells at once and a fall from over four hundred feet without a scratch.”

“ALL ABOARD!” Honored screamed. “Dude this better not be a sick prank.”

“It's not.” The group entered the large hangar within the airship’s belly and noticed a few ponies wearing dirty uniforms and Storm Drive standing beside a tarp covered object. The tarp covered armor was nearly seven and half feet tall and almost five feet wide. Honored was positively drooling all over the metal deck as he began to bounce around. Stand Bold nodded to Storm Drive who yanked the tarp off revealing the suit of armor fit to traverse the depths of Hell.

The armor glistened off the dim lighting of the hangar with a shine of gunmetal gray. The helmet had a deep blue visor that showed no interior but reflected the amazed looks of the on looking creatures. The monster suit of armor was taller than Luna and would put Honored on the same eye level of Celestia. The massive boots and leg armor looked as though Honored could simply crash his way through the earth and towards the underworld. Vents on the side of the leg armor were open, their purpose a mystery.

“What’s that?” Luna asked pointing a hoof to a weird cylindrical shaped backpack on the armor’s back.

“That is a magical thruster to amplify magic into a downward force to send the armor flying.” Stand said while polishing a hoof on his chest. “Now are we going to stand her and gawk at this beauty, or are you gonna fire it up?”

Honored stepped towards the armor and placed a hand on the cold metal surrounding the chest. He looked down and noticed that the left arm was bigger than the right. He flexed the gauntleted arm and held it up towards the armor. It was bigger to allow the gauntlet to fit into it. ‘The damn pony thought of everything.’ Honored thought while walking around the back of the armor and examined it thoroughly. An open slot in the back below the magical jetpack was open and waiting for a power supply to be added. Honored gently placed the pandora crystal into the power slot and stepped back.

GGGGGRRRRRRRRR

CLANK

SHINK

HMMMMMMMMMMMM

A powerful humming filled the hangar as the suit powered itself on. Purple and green accents along the armor glowed to life before they moved onto the arms, legs, and chest piece where they stayed and glowed as if it was on fire. The vents on the leg armor began to grow a deep red and small wisps of steam slowly wafted out from the ports as two spell glyphs ignited in the same red magic above the vents. On the large left arm a massive spell rune began to glow and become as bright as the flames that continued to shift and burn along the armor.

Honored stepped up to the back of the armor and the back swung up while the legs and arms opened up to allow the human to step inside before sealing shut around him. Within seconds Honored felt his vision focus as the visor began to flicker with long scrolls of written data. Then everything became clear. The human slowly moved his arms and legs, attempting to get a feel for the newly acquired armor. The suit itself weighed nearly seven hundred pounds.

“Give the left arm a flick.” Stand Bold said taking a step back.

Honored did as instructed and was rewarded with a ‘hiss’ of magic and a dark purple blade made of pure void magic appeared floating along side his left arm extending out past his clenched fist. It sliced through the air, leaving a dim light trail behind it as it moved. With a quick jerk back and a thought of cancelling the spell, the blade vanished back into the rune along the inside of the arm.

“Oh fuck.” Honored groaned in delight. His voice sounded robotic, as if coming from a microphone as he spoke. The external speaker and filtration unit mounted on the helmet insured that he could be heard and breath in clean air so long as there was air to filter.

“Pretty much just think it, and the armor will do the rest. The spell matrix is just like the one you wanted, so you should know all the abilities of the armor. Minus the magic blade, that was one of my own doing. Thought you would like it.” Stand Bold looked as if he was about to start crying at any moment.

Discord and Luna both just stared in shock, their jaws still hanging loose. With his gauntlet mounted into the armor Honored could still perform magic as necessary. “Open the hangar door, let's go for a spin.”

I embraced the feeling of being surrounded by armor. It hugged my body perfectly. I felt beyond invincible. I could take on Hell and then some. And I was going too. I ran forward towards the opening doors on the deck of the hangar. The sound of the armored boots slamming into the deck rang out and it was music to my ears. The armor was sturdy and nearly indestructible. Three mega spells at once?! That is an insane amount of power for it to stop. The opening loomed closer.

Time to test it out.

I threw myself from the airship and began to plummet towards the city far below. Mars, let's hit those thrusters. Let's see if this rock can fly.

I let the void master of my mind, Mars, take over the magical flow of energy in the suit and suddenly I was hurtling towards the ground even faster than before. Numbers began flashing in the bottom of my visor with ALT appearing next to it. This suit had everything. This went far above and beyond what I wanted it to do. The suit rocketed closer and closer to the street below me. I could see griffons and ponies alike around the Black Claw Headquarters building pointing up in the sky towards me as I soared down towards them.

ALT 300

ALT 250

ALT 200

ALT 150

I quickly angled the suit up and shot into the air, fuelling even more magic into the thruster.

“WOOOWHOOOOO!” I shouted as the suit took the change easily and smoothly and sent me soaring back into the sky. I turned my head and saw I was leaving a faint trail of purple smoke behind me as I flew through the air. Purple and green void flames were exiting the two thrust ports on the left and right side of my back.

As I corkscrewed through the air a small circle appeared in the bottom left side of my visor and a red ring expanded out from the center till it reached the edge of the circle. Then it ‘pinged’ out again. “No way. Radar?” I asked aloud as I did a loop de loop and spun around again before dropping down. Two bright green dots lit up on the radar and I looked around and spotted Luna and Discord both flying towards, both still looking somewhat shocked at me. I grinned inside of the helmet and rocketed towards them.

As I got closer, I shut off the magic and began to drop towards the ground.

ALT 200

ALT 100

ALT DANGER DANGER 50

I somersaulted in mid air before slamming into the street feet first. A massive boom erupted from my landing and a wave of purple and green fire rippled out along the ground coming from the vents along the armor on the legs. I was crouched against the cobblestone street, my larger left arm in a fist against the ground.

“What is that thing?”

“Is it a demon?”

“That thing looks dangerous stay back son.”

“Is that alive?”

I heard the murmuring of the crowd of civilians that had stopped along the sidewalk beside the road. My radar was still ‘pinging’ but all the dots were green. I looked up and slowly stood up, the griffons and other creatures along the sidewalk scooted back as I rose to my full height. I grinned, but knowing they couldn't see it, I gave a small wave before crouching back and then jumping into the air with the assist of the magically enhanced power armor. I activated the thrusters and took off into the sky again with Luna and Discord close behind me. I barrel rolled to the left and dropped down and shot backwards so that I was directly behind the two.

“Pow.” I said raising both my hands and aiming my fingers at them as if they were pistols. “Got ya.” I slowed my speed so I was flying between the two. “What do y’all think?”

“Honored the suit… it is something that is beyond my understanding. How could you have just now decided to build it? Why not earlier?” Luna looked beyond confused. “You needed this much protection long before this new mission.”

“Well I mean… I kinda never thought about it. My old armor was good enough.” I thought back to how easy every battle would have been if I had this suit of armor back then. Or if I had been able to fight Tierk in it. Oh man I need some time travel so I can fuck him up.

“I must say that we have outdone ourselves this time!” Discord squealed as he coiled himself around the armor. “This bad boy is going to make it through Tartarus and back!” Discord teleported back beside me. Damn. I wonder if I could teleport this hunk of metal. A teleporting, flying, shooting, exploding, indestructible suit of armor. Beyond OP.

“I still want you to be safe Honored.” Luna said flying closer towards me. “You still can get hurt. Even if that armor is… so strong… and shiny.” Luna was staring hard at the suit of armor around me.

“Luna dear, my eyes are up here.” I laughed as she blushed deeply.

“Sorry. It's just that armor was always a reflection on the one wearing it.” Luna said letting off a dreamy sigh.

“Then I must be the God of Badass.” I laughed as we flew back towards Fast Skies. Flying with wings felt good, but somehow flying in this armor felt… felt more natural than using my void master wings. We angled down and flew under the airship and then up into the same hangar we left from. I flew forward and landed in a run, skidding to a halt with a spray of sparks.

All the ponies that worked on the Fast Skies had gathered in the hangar by the looks of stares I was getting. I leaned back, taking a fighting stance and slung my arm out to my side, the void blade appearing off my arm. The ponies cheered as I thought of strolling through the underworld.

“Why would he have weapons and armor for you. Why would he have armor for anypony?” Twilight was still perplexed at Honored’s actions. Did he think they needed more help? More bad guys were coming? Did he not think that Elements of Harmony could handle it?

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

BOOM

“What in all of Equestria?!” Twilight shouted as the entire house rocked from a mammoth explosion. Twilight raced from the living room and towards the front door as Celestia ran out of the basement with her human crafted armor, weapon, cigar, and glasses on. They both leapt from the house, horns charged and M16 ready to fire. They stopped when a massive creature, standing as tall as the princess rose form a small crater in the ground. It was dull gray metal with blue eyes on its helmet. The two alicorns both stared in shock at this giant metal man.

“Honored?” Celestia was the first to speak as the thing moved from the crater and stood beside them.

“Yup. And way to ruin the surprise C. I was going to give y'all that stuff when I got back, but I guess you don't know how to read.” Honored Service’s voice was different as he spoke, but he was there. Suddenly there was a hiss of pressure and the armor swung open from the back, the back plates rising up and the arms and legs splitting open and the human stepped down and out of the armor. His smile was infectious as the suit closed itself up, waiting for its user to come back.

Luna and Discord landed beside him and Luna looked from Honored to the empty suit. “What?” He asked, “did you think I was going to go stomping all around my house with that on? Hell no, those scratches would never come out of the floor.”

“Okay Luna, Discord, and Night Rose, yes Rose I know you've been tailing us since we left Fast Skies at Canterlot. Now come along, I have things to give out.”

“Damn. I must be getting rusty.” Night Rose mumbled to herself as she slunk out of a bush she had vanished into.

The group entered Honored’s basement of weapons and ammo. They waited patiently off to the side as Honored scrabbled around moving things so they would have enough room to sit down. “Okay there we go. You three sit there. Celestia and Twilight you stand over there. As you can see,” Honored said while tugging Celestia to the center of the room, “Celestia has her new armor and weapon already. New magic resistant armor, magically powered rifle and pistol. Fun stuff.”

He then pushed the alicorn to the side. “Luna you're next! Come on up!”

Luna stood before the human as he opened her locker and began pulling out gear and putting it on Luna. Everyone gathered waited quietly as Honored moved around placing gear and armor on Luna’s form. Finally he stepped back and clapped, “All done. Say hello to Luna combat variant 2.0.”

Luna looked around at herself and in the provided mirror. She gasped at what she saw.

On her head was pitch black boonie cap with holes cut in for her ears and horn to stick through. It had an ace of spades tucked into the slots around the brim of the hat. “For good luck!” Honored quipped as Luna continued to look at herself. A long black scarf was wrapped around her neck, but this scarf was rather stiff compared to normal cloth. “Ballistic fiber woven scarf, able deflect massive amounts of energy as it absorbs magic to reflect it back at the caster.” Honored said with a smile. Luna’s body was mostly covered by a pitch black combat vest that had deep blue strips like that of a tiger on it. The vest had a few pouches along it, along with a holster mounted on the side beneath her right wing. Holes were included so that her wings could fold comfortably at her side, hiding the holster. On her back was a large rectangular pack. But it seemed to made out of a hardened plastic rather than cloth or kevlar.

“The top portion of the pack holds almost two thousand rounds of 7.62 ammo for your 240. No reloading for my princess of machine gun!” Honored squealed with excitement as he walked over and grabbed a tab on the side of the pack where a metal tube the width of a bullet extended out and he continued to pull it out to nearly five feet. “The rounds are linked in the pack and they travel through this anti-jamming feed system into the weapon. It has five feet of tubing so you can carry it in your magic with no problem.”

He then went to the back portion of the pack and pushed a small button. The back split open and two rectangular pods popped out and aimed over the princess’s side. “Two countermeasure pods, each filled with different loads of chaff, smoke, and flares. All to distract, blind, and render following enemies useless. Just activate it with your magic."

Luna was speechless along with everyone else in the room. Honored lightly pushed her over to Celestia while he opened the locker with SNEAKY BEAKY on it. “Night Rose, you're up.”

Honored repeated the same process he had with Luna while equipping Rose with the new gear he had made or gotten for each friend. As Honored worked, Rose kept quiet and Discord was bouncing as he stared at the locker with DADDY D on it. His surprise was still to come.

“Oaky Rose, what do you think?” Honored asked stepping back from the bat pony.

Perched on Rose’s head was a deep purple military beret with an Equestrian Honor Guard symbol on the front raised area on it. Resting across her muzzle was a bandana with a white outline of a skeleton jaw with large fangs on it. “Both of your headgear pieces are made of the same ballistic weave Luna has.” Honored said while holding up a pair of pitch black wraparound sunglasses. “These glasses have a large spell matrix on them to give you all sorts of data on the battlefield. Health, armor, magical ability, and also it can detect Changeling magic anything like shapeshifting magic.” Rose put the glasses on and immediately her eyes were assaulted with numbers, shapes, and strange magical glyphs. After a few seconds the scrolling patterns slowed and she looked at Honored.

Health <est 12000>

Damage Res. <No Armor Found. Minimum Protection>

Magic <Highly Advance Magic User>

No Active Change Spell Detected

Rose was stunned at the amazing magic she now had in her possession. She looked down to her forelegs and saw slim black leg braces that were lighter than her old pair which had been tossed aside. “A combination of magical woven polymer and metal. They are able to withstand a direct hit from a great sword without leaving a scratch.” Rose was impressed, these things were better than the old by far. “And they are enchanted with charged gems for some extra… fun.” Honored motioned for her to jab her hooves out. She hovered into the air and jabbed. Two blades, one on each hoof, appeared. They were magical blades nearly three feet long. With a flick, they vanished back into the braces.

On her body was a slim suit of armor made of heavy cloth. The same ballistic weave that made up a lot of her gear. It contained multiple pouches and pockets for storage along with a strange black cube on her back between her leathery wings. “That is a gem cube. Inside are a few gems charged and ready to cast some special spells. They recharge on ambient magic so you don't have to find a unicorn. Now press the small button on the side of your glasses.”

Rose did as she was instructed and waited, but nothing happened. Honored quickly pulled out a pistol and aimed it at a small bullet catch in the wall. Rose quickly covered her sensitive ears as everpony else did.

But the gunshot never came.

She looked to Honored and saw him firing the weapon. Flashes were appearing at the end of the barrel and the slide kicked back sending a small brass casing to the floor but there was no sound as it hit the stone floor and rolled away. “What?” Rose asked, but nothing came from her mouth. She was deaf!

Honored lowered the weapon and smiled. He then reached over to the bat pony and pressed the button. “See that? Well more like hear that? The spells are charged to cancel out all sounds in a small area. About twenty feet or so. Makes disarming, killing, and removing an enemy in a stealth operation very easy.” Rose was now in awestruck at the human. Such ingenuity and sadistic applications of magic. He was like a mad scientist.

“Its simply amazing. It will adapt very well to my gear.” Night Rose tried stay professional, but she was having a hard time hiding her smile from the corners of her mouth.

“Last. but certainly not least, Discord it's your turn.” Honored said while the draconequus slithered his way to the center of the room. He stood as still as he could as the human went to work around him, giving him equipment and pieces to hold as straps were emplaced around his body. Discord summoned a three pane mirror and looked himself up and down.

“Oh yeah.” He said while giving himself a 360 look around.

Discord had a black bowler hat on his head. Two holes were added for his horns to fit around. “And this little number here must be a fancy helmet.” Discord said patting the ‘helmet’.

“Actually take it off and press it down.” The human smiled as Discord lifted the hat off and the squashed it down. As the hat flattened, a saw blade slid out along the brim of the hat making it a saw blade Frisbee.

“Very strange.” Discord said, “I love it!” He said shaking the hat out and plopping it back onto his head. Honored smile as he pointed to the armor that was wrapped around the Draconequus’ body. The suit Discord was wearing was blood red with a black belt around his waist that had two holster and pouches for their ammo. On his back were two large swords crossed in an X shape.

“The suit is highly compressed ballistic weave that not only reflects damage, but that belt buckle absorbs magic for you to use.” Honored said happily while walking over to a large box by the work bench. He pulled out a green ammunition can filled with 40mm grenades, “these are for you launcher. You know how to use it. And these,” Honored grabbed two strange streamline pepperbox looking pistols off the shelf and held them out to Discord. “Now I don’t have loads of ammo for these two so please use them sparingly. These are called Gyrojet pistols. They fire a 13mm rocket, and explode on impact. So hopefully they will have the same effect that the 40mm do in your control.” Honored thought back to the grenades that when detonated caused whatever they hit to turn into random things.

“These are great! I can't wait to play with them!” Disord pulled the human into a hug, momentarily forgetting about the two handguns in his claws. Honored squirmed in Discord's grasp as both pistol barrels pressed into his cheeks.

“Not that we arnt grateful for these gifts sweetie,” Luna said stepping forward and nuzling the human’s neck, “but why the sudden generosity?”

Honored, now from Discord’s potential dangerous hug, looked at her and tiltied his head. “Well isnt it obvious, I want y’all to come with me.”

Four sets of jaws droped for the hundreth time that day.

Honored Service asked for help.

Honored Service asked for the prinesses to travel to the place they had banished hundreds of evil creatures in their life.

But more importantly Honored. Asked. For. Help.

As the alicorns and bat pony did their best gold fish impressions, Discord jumped into the air and pumped his fist. “Oh yeah! Time to go kick ass and chew bubble gum.” He tossed an enire gumball machine into his mouth and crunchd down, metal and all. “And I’m all out of bubble gum.”

Night Rose, the silent ever stealthy handler finally said what the stunned princesses were thinking.

“Fuck.”

Nine Layer Devil's Food Cake

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Chapter 24

On My Honor

Nine Layer Devil’s Food Cake

By Honored Service

“What?” I stared at the gathered creatures. All it took to get a pony to curse was to give them state of the art magical gear and ask them to travel the depths of Hell. It's not that bad.

“You are serious?” Luna asked quietly.

“Of course!” I smiled, “I need help, and who knows what is down there, I could use some backup.” I walked over to my many weapon racks and began pulling a few weapons down and adding them into a large military duffle bag.

“Honored.” I felt a hoof gently touch my back. I looked back as Luna stared at me with tear filled eyes. “You can't expect my sister and I to come adventuring with you through the Underworld. We have a nation to run.”

“Speak for yourself.”

My jaw dropped as Celestia sauntered towards us. She levitated the lit cigar from her mouth and smirked. “For too long I have had to sit by and watch disaster after disaster plague my little ponies. And now I have a chance to kick some evil right in the flank. Luna, dear sister of mine, I’m going to secure the future for our ponies so they no longer have to fear the word Tartarus. They now will know a real protector guards it.” From the weapon rack Celestia took my sawed off combat shotgun and racked the pump. “And I'll see Honored out till the end.”

“Are you insane? To miss this much chaos and anarchy? The good guys on march through hell to punch a God in the face! I just hope I have enough popcorn!” Discord giggled madly while spinning in the air.

“Meh. I've followed him through worse.” Night Rose said with little emotion. “I'll see him to his rise to immortality and such, but I'm still on the clock, right?” She asked looking towards the two princesses.

“Yes of course.” Celestia said with a smile.

I looked back to Luna, “All we're missing is our support class.” I added with a extra big smile. “We got the tank, moi. The battle medic mage thing,” I pointed to Celestia who nodded, “the scout stealth thing,” I jerked my thumb towards Night Rose, “and the bard.” Discord strummed on a lute made out of his grenade launcher.

Luna looked to her sister, then Discord, and Night Rose. She turned back to me and placed her hoof in my hand. “Alright Honored. I shall escort you through the Underworld.”

“Okay it's all settled.” I said as the ponies and Discord moved up the stairs out of my weapon basement. “Let's go outside and start doing some practice. Celestia, a word please.”

“Yes Honored?” Celestia asked as everyone else left the basement.

I reached down into my pocket and pulled out a small blue crystal, charged with a massive teleporting spell. “This is a gateway teleporting spell gem. A one way ticket for all in its range to Ponyville town square. If something happens down there, I die, or someone else gets hurt, you use this. No matter what I say, you get Luna and Rose out of there. I know Luna won't leave if I don't, but that might not be possible. You have to promise me that if something happens, you get everyone you can out of there, regardless of what is happening to me.”

“Honored that's completely-” Celestia began to say but I quickly grabbed her shoulders to silence her.

“No I mean it. You have too. Luna is partially right, you two have a nation to run. They come first.” I stared intently at her before she gave a weak nod and took the gem, stuffing it into one of the pouches on her belt.

“Okay Honored, I will do it if it needs to be done.” Celestia quickly smiled, putting on her ‘nothing can go wrong’ face, and headed up the stairs to join the others.

The day slowly came to an end as the human looked at his gathered friends who had agreed to follow him into the depths of the Underworld. Most books he had read described few details of what awaited them after the portal. Honored sat on the steps leading into his house. He was lost deep in thought, watching Discord and Celestia sparring with their different weapons. Three members of his team were what he assumed to be immortal beings. Another was a robotic tank with loyalty, when it counted, that was on par with Rainbow Dash. And Night Rose could simply vanish into thin air it seemed. His team was impressive, or at least here on Equestria it seemed so.

But what laid in store for them?

“A bit for your thought?” Luna asked sitting down beside the human and gently leaned into his side.

“You wouldn't happen to have a map of the Underworld or a stat list of what we will face down there?” Honored asked sarcastically. “What is down there, waiting to get us?”

“I don't know Honored, I know that we more than capable of dealing with anything down there.”

Honored gave Luna a small smile before sighing. “You're right Lu. I'm just working myself up. Now let's do some practice.” Before Honored had started his next train of thought, he was ripped into the air and flung across the yard. The human bounced and skipped across the grass and dirt, stopping nearly fifty feet from where he had been sitting.

Shaking his ringing head, Honored looked to see Luna crouched in a defensive stance, her machine gun floating beside her. Honored groaned as the metal bullet feed system snapped and locked into place into the gun, now giving her two thousand rounds of pain before she would have to dump the pack and reload the ammo box.

“Shit.” Honored said while staring at the power armor across the yard. Channeling magic into his gauntlet, Honored created a smoke bomb and planted it at his feet. Thick black smoke covered the area, giving Honor some momentary concealment from Luna’s withering fire. Honored summoned more and more black smoke, trying to cover the entire yard.

“That won't work dear.” Luna called out in a sing song voice while whipping her wings back and fanning them rapidly, quickly dispersing the smoke from the area. Luna grinned as she aimed the weapon at the spot he was at. But as the last bit of smoke cleared, Luna found that the human was nowhere to be found. She looked everywhere, scanning for the human, but he was gone.

And so was his new armor.

Luna would never show it, but on the inside she was terrified. That armor was a force to be reckoned with. And if he had it… well she would lose the element of surprise she had.

As Luna continued to sweep the area, looking for the Human, Celestia, Discord, and Night Rose watched from the roof of Honored’s home. “Can you see him?” Celestia whispered to Rose.

“Yea.” She whispered back. Luna jerked her head to Night Rose pleading for a hint. Her growing wide eyes gave Luna the answer.

WHOSH

With a sudden jolt, Luna was ripped through from the air by Honored who dropped down from the sky like a comet descending from space. Luna struggled to get free as Honored hugged her to the suit’s chest. She beat her hooves madly against the metal, but she failed to even scratch the material. As the two neared the ground, Honored lifted Luna into the air with one arm and then slammed her down as they made impact with the ground.

As Luna smashed into the earth, the vents on the suit’s legs opened and purple green flames washed out, causing Luna to then go shooting across the ground, propelled by the magical detonation.

“Ohhhhhhhhh.” The three spectators on the house leaned back as Luna bounced to a stop. Tune raised his claw and flipped over a 1 on a scoreboard.

Honored Luna
1 0

Luna rose from the ground, and snorted, steam escaping her nostrils. Honored stood from his landing and raised one hand towards Luna and motioned, ‘come and get some.’ Luna roared and dashed forward towards the human who slung out his oversized left arm, the magical void blade appearing alongside it.

Honored swung towards the charging princess, only to slice deeply into the ground. Luna teleported around the powerful strike and struck out with her hind legs, delivering a mammoth buck the the armor clad human.

Thunk

Luna’s form was shaken to the core as she recoiled from her own kick. Honored’s armor failed to even be dented from the blow that normally would have blasted anything across the yard.

“I'm afraid that won't work.” Honored chuckled while leaning back and swinging his void blade at the lunar princess. She scooted back and dodged around the blade before rearing up and slamming her head towards the armor’s helmet. Honored quickly moved back, but failed to see the incoming machine gun.

WHAM

Honored recoiled from the hit from the entire side of the machine gun. The human shook his head, but the momentary pause in his assault gave Luna all the time she needed for her attack. She put her horn under the edge of the helmet and fired a direct force spell.

SHHHH-BAM

There was a concussion wave that traveled along the ground as the human tumbled backwards, failing to gain his balance. With a deep ‘thud’, the armor’s helmet crashed to the ground beside the kneeling human. Honored looked up from his crouched position on the ground, a fire burning in his eyes that Luna knew all too well. She gulped as he extended an arm out and gripped the edge of the helmet. He flipped it around and placed it back on his head.

HISSSSSSS

The helmet sealed into place and Honored rolled his head around, several loud ‘cracks’ filled the air of his neck popping. Tune adjusted the scoreboard and began to fill the air with music. Honored smiled at the beat.

Honored Luna
1 1

Honored launched into the air with help from the suit’s magical thrusters and slammed down before Luna, sending the magical void flames out in all directions, scorching the earth. Luna dove and leaped into the sky to avoid the flames, but failed to see Honored do the same. He jumped at the same time, meeting Luna’s surprised face with a deadly double handed fist smash. Luna spiraled back towards the ground and landed in a heap.

Honored Luna
2 1

Luna slowly struggled back to her hooves and stared down the suit of armor that slowly began to circle around her. Her loved one was putting a hurting on her. If she didn't win then she was never going to hear the end of it. If she could just stall him till the moon came out.

Luna looked up into the sky and the receding sun, if she could buy herself a few more minutes, she could win this. She knew how to beat him.

Celestia stared at the two circling each other, like two wolves preparing to strike, and chuckled.

“What is is C? Care to share?” Discord quipped around a mouthful of popcorn that he munching on. He reached down into a brown bag and pulled out the popcorn kernels and tossed them into the air, where they popped and fell down into his awaiting maw.

“Oh nothing. Just remember how way back when Luna used to be called the Siren of the Moon?”

Discord choked on his mouthful of popcorn and began to pound on his chest. “She wouldn't.”

“She is. She is waiting till the moon is out to get the full effect. Honored doesn't stand a chance.” Celestia turned to stare at Night Rose, “you may want to cover your ears when it begins.”

“When what begins?” Night Rose asked, looking as emotionally dead as always.

“You’ll know.” Was all Celestia gave the thestral pony.

Honored swung forward suddenly, his void blade sizzling through the air at Luna. She side stepped around the blade and jumped over Honored’s incoming fist from a right handed punch. Luna landed on his still extended right arm and back flipped off the arm while kicking him across the front of his helmet. She landed on her rear legs, wings splayed out behind her before shooting forward, several spell runes appearing in the air before her.

Each rune acted a speed boosting anchor and as Luna passed through each one, her speed doubled. As she struck Honored, she travelling six times faster than normal.

CRACK

Luna’s extended hooves slammed into Honored’s chest and sent him skidding across the ground. He stayed standing but shook of the hit like nothing. Luna still had a minute or two before she could raise the moon, and make Honored submit.

A blue rune suddenly sparked to life on the suits front metal plate. Luna’s eyes grew wide as she read the arcane symbols around the magical rune.

As Honored got close, bolts of lightning began to shoot off his armor and strike towards Luna. She moved back, dodging each bolt. A Lightning rune!

‘That crafty human.’ Luna thought. With his now nearly unlimited power supply it meant that was the greatest defense he had in his arsenal. If anything hostile got close enough, they would meet his rune of lightning and would constantly be shocked to death by the elemental magic.

Honored charged forward, lighting sparking off of his armor and striking all over the place at random. Luna kept falling back, dodging around the flashes of electricity. One more minute.

Luna rocketed into the sky and heard the roar of magical thrusters beneath her. Honored was giving chase. She dared a look and felt utterly terrified. As he hurtled towards her through the sky, the lightning was shooting off still making him light up like some kind of demon. She quickly felt her sister’s magic surround her as the sun vanished from the sky.

Luna quickly reached out into the magical essence of her being and the world and found her moon. She eased it into orbit and let it go. She felt the magic of the moon fill her body and give her a new sense of will to fight her love. As the massive moon moved into position, Honored slowed as he spotted Luna’s silhouette against the backdrop of the moon.

“Uh oh.” Honored said. He had fallen right into her trap.

WHOOSH

Honored now dove through the sky, back towards the ground where he had more mobility compared to the sky. Shooting stars rained down towards Honored as he moved back to the ground. He swung the void blade through the air and sliced the smoldering rock in two before it could impact him. Honored hit the ground and rolled from his less than graceful landing. More small meteors hit around him, but Honored now had the advantage of being on the ground and was able to dodge them with ease.

Honored readied a void bolt of magic when he stopped.

Luna stood before him, her mouth open and a gentle melody coming forth. The song of a thousand mournful song birds filled the air as the world around Honored screeched to a stop.

“Goodnight. Goodnight my sweet little angel.
Rest at ease with peace.
For you dread no danger.”

Honored tried to release the bolt of magic, but his will, it was no longer his own. He was trapped. He had played with his quarry for too long and now she had him trapped in this… this magic was unknow to him. Mars was even struggling with it. The void master, the balancing force of destruction was halted at this song.

“Come my darling, do not fight
Look to the sky above.
See the angel to delight.”

Honored’s arms slowly reached up and shook while removing the helmet that protected his head. The magic was forcing him to do it. Flashbacks to Nightmare controlling his appendages filled his mind, but unlike with the backstabbing Nightmare, Honored felt no ability to resist the magic. He was lost completely to Luna’s will. He could fight no longer.

You have no worries, have no fear,
For your guardian angel is here.”

Luna sang softly while having Honored activate his own void blade and slowly, with agonizing slowness, bring the blade to his own neck. Honored slowly drew the blade against his own neck. He felt the blade brush so close against his own skin that he was sure Luna was actually killing him.

“Game set. Match to Luna.” Tune called out as suddenly Honored dropped to the ground gasping for breath.

“That was fun dear, you had me worried for a minute there.” Luna said happily as she skipped around the human who was crouched against the ground. “Honored?”

How could you think that you could come to this place and descend its depths? You are but a mortal with an ego problem. We eat those like you here for a living. You really want to challenge the ruler himself? Hey, thats on you, but no one here on this plane has been any further. You are going to realize that you are going to lose more of yourself to this journey than that which you will gain.

Look at yourself. Surrounding yourself with friends and allies. Armor and weapons because you can't protect yourself from the one thing that matters.

Yourself.

“AHHHH!” Honored screamed and fell backwards. The bright morning sun streamed through the bedroom window in Honored’s room. He quickly rolled out of the bed, silent as a cat, reaching under his nightstand and drawing a .45 pistol. The vision. It had been so vivid, so real. A human. He had talked to a human that was standing in a never ending green field that stretched for as far as the eye could see. Thousands upon thousands of creatures off all type strolled around the plains, humans, ponies, and so many more things that payed him no mind as Honored gawked at his surroundings.

This plane. What had that human meant? What was that vision? What was going on? He had been ‘play’ fighting with Luna. He had been destroying her when… that's right, she started singing and then. Well it was a blurred tumble of colors. And a human! He had talked to a human, but it wasn't a normal human, he spoke with a strange tone. What had happened to him?

“Honored are you up?” Luna, letting out a sigh of relief, stepped into the room and gave Honored a hug while nuzzling his neck. “You're okay. You've been sleeping for two days. What happened?” Luna asked, stepping back from the human.

Honored let out a short laugh, “I was hoping you would tell me.”

“My siren magic did something to you after I stopped the spell.” Luna still seemed concerned as the human placed the handgun back under the nightstand.

“Well it's a mystery my dear.” Honored said smiling at her. “Now we must begin final preparations for our little journey through the Underworld.”

Luna gave the human a heart felt smile. That was her human. Always recovering and ready to keep going. This was the being that she loved. She was about to march through the depths of the Underworld for him. And he was willing to fight a demon God to help her nation and gain immortality from his endeavours. He certainly was a special human.

“Now that you all have your gear and I think that you have the skills to make it through this mission, I will give you the go ahead on traveling with me through the portal and into the Underworld.” Honored marched in front of his gathered friends. Celestia looked to Discord who returned her deadpan expression.

“Oh Honored, you think you get to order us around? We got this.” Celestia scoffed and smiled sweetly at the human. “But thank you for wanting to be the leader.”

“But I…” Honored began before slumping his shoulder is defeat. “Okay whatever, just make sure we stick together once we are through.” He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, “please, no matter what you see, hear, think, or anything else, we need to stick close regardless.”

A round of agreements rang out from the group of assembled would be warriors.

“One question though Honored.” Night Rose piped up from her side of the living room, “how is Tune going to fit into the study?”

Honored simply flashed a smile.

WHAM

The large section of pine floor flew through the air and landed in the front yard of Honored’s house. The human looked out of the giant hole in the side of his second story wall grinning like an idiot as Celestia, Luna, Discord, and Night Roses’ heads poked out around the jagged hole staring at the dropped portal rune.

“You could have just teleported it down there and only had the hole in the floor rather than floor and wall.” Luna pointed out as the human continued to stare at the dropped portal.

“Well fuck.”

Honored looked at himself in the mirror in his bedroom. He was wearing a combination of everything he had ever worn into battle while in Equestria. Well nothing was the original except for the armor. Everything else had been burned, shredded, ripped, eaten, or lost in the years he had been rampaging around the world. His blood stained and tattered digital Army uniform was far beyond saving so Honored had to figure out something new to wear under his armor. After an intense design session with Rarity, he had finally gotten what he wanted. And it only took three weeks.

A deep red longsleeve shirt covered his chest and arms where the deep black pants covered his legs ended at the utterly stained combat boots. Each of these new pieces of clothing had been woven by Rarity with ballistic kevlar fiber and then enchanted to resist stains. Honored then decided that was not enough and then enchanted it to resist spells and placed warding spells to resist physical damage. The under armor was light and provided greater mobility to the human. On top of that layer was his standard Equestrian Honor Guard armor that had served the warrior well. The scraped and dinged golden armor was placed and strapped around his legs and arms, leaving the joints open for mobility. Honored picked up the horribly stained and dirty armored chest rig and threw it over his head and secured it across his broad chest. While picking up magazines and adding them into pouches along the rig, Honored smiled as he watched his friends begin to get their gear ready for this, their final journey. The final quest.

And it was bound to be one hell of a wild ride.

“You going to be all set?” Luna asked as Honored checked himself over again for any missing magazines, ammo, weapons, and other military necessities.

“Yea, just promise me you'll be safe Luna.” Honored said with a serious face.

“Of course, if you do the same.” She added back to the human who only let out a deep sigh.

“You know that won't be possible for me.” He said sadly while stepping towards the dormant power armor just outside of the house. It was ready, still hardly scratched or damaged from its already heavy use.

“Just do everything to stay safe.”

Johnson turned and cupped her face in his hands. He looked at her with such devotion that Luna knew he had to return home safe. “You know I will love.” He gave her a light kiss and slowly stepped up to the armor.

With a ‘hiss’ the armor opened, lights along its edges coming to life while the leg vents opened and closed and the many magical runes ignited, flaring to life. Honored gave Luna another smile before stepping forward into armor and slipping his body into the suit. His hands found the slots for them and the armor began to close around him, swallowing him up like a large metal beast. The visor began to glow a light blue and the helmet mounted spotlight flickered to life and the went out, its test complete. Honored rolled all the joints in the armor and turned to face his armed and dangerous traveling companions.

“There's no shame in wanting to turn around. I won't hold it against any of y'all.” Honored spoke to them while pulling the weapon duffle bag he had loaded towards him and began to rummage through it, drawing out weapons and attaching them with clips and hooks onto spots along the armor. “It will be dangerous and I just don't want anything to happen to anyone.”

“Honored we know the risks and we are still going. I need to do something.” Celestia said while slinging her rifle and shotgun across her back. “Time to get back in the battle saddle.”

“Cause chaos for the Underworld? I’m not missing out.” Discord said, sliding a grenade into his launcher and spinning the cylinder for fun. “Might be able to save your human ass.”

“I also must accompany you to insure that you do not hurt yourself.” Tune’s robotic voice got louder as the robotic tank butler rolled around from the side of the house. “I have gone on nearly every adventure with you, why would I miss this one?”

“Alright I get it, You are all coming.” Honored said with a smile. “This is the most OP team the world has ever seen. Four insane magic users, a literal tank, and a stealth pat pony! This is going to be so awesome!”

“Now once we get down there, everything will be an unknown. Don't lose sight of this group, in fact no wandering off, we all go together. Trust nothing, only this group.” Honored said while walking around the group in his armor. He stopped and looked at his assembled friends. “Okay we can keep talking about this for days and run through all the ‘what ifs’ but I think it is time. We can do this.” He stuck his arm out and held it. “Let’s go kick some Underworld ass!”

“I’ll follow you.” Tune’s claw landed on Honored’s waiting fist.

“For Equestria.” Celestia added her hoof to the circle.

“For some much needed chaos.” Discord smiled laying in his claw.

“I kinda have to.” Night Rose sighed and added her hoof.

“For you, my love.” Luna gave Honored a quick peck on the cheek and added her hoof on top of the pile.

“WHOOHOO!” The group shouted as they threw their arms, hooves, and claws into the air.

The group walked calmly over to the portal rune and stood around the edges. Honored placed his left arm on a point of the rune and began feeding void magic into the tune. Celestia and Luna lowered their horns to the ground and poured magic into the rune causing it to glow brightly as sparks of ambient magic began to shoot off in random directions. Discord placed both his claw and paw on the rune and strange black and white static magic flowed into the rune. The light was blinding now as the four magical creatures dumped massive amounts of magic into the portal rune. The light began to waver and falter as the beings poured even more raw magical power into the rune.

“Almost there.” Grunted Honored as the sheer volume of magic continued to grow.

“That’s what-” Discord started to say before he was hit by a stray bolt of raw magic “-she said.” He coughed around a mouth full of smoke from the arc of magic.

“Just a little more!” Honored yelled out to the group. Rose and Tune continued to think happy thoughts as the light growing in the center of the rune exploded outwards, consuming the six beings gathered around the rune.

“IT WORKED!” Honored screamed as they all were pulled through the portal. The sensation of being stretched in every direction filled Honored, same as when he had traveled to Earth on his first portal trip.

The party of warriors yelled in pain, excitement, and fear as the traveled through the portal and towards the Underworld.

“Twilight did you read the letter from the Princess last night?” Spike asked aloud as he walked up the winding stairs towards the main room of the crystal castle library. He opened the door to find the alicorn asleep in a stack of books and ancient scrolls all with different aspects and ideas of the Underworld and Tartarus. He knew this because he had spent hours trying to track all of them down.

“I guess not.” He grumbled and slammed the door shut.

“Uhhh.” Twilight shot up looking around her. “I guess I stayed up a little too late.” She pondered to herself while moving her book turned pillow aside. “Oh!” Twilight gasped as she noticed that in her desperate attempt to learn more about the Underworld, she had forgotten to look at the letter from the Princess.

Princess Twilight,

As you know of Honored’s plans, he has seen fit to leave you in charge of his estate and belongings until our return from the Underworld. Since he sees you are fit to take care off all his weapons and personal belongings, Luna and myself are placing the running of Equestria and the solar and moon cycle in your care until we return. Please have Cadance assist you as I’m sure you have already stopped functioning and… You know what dear, I’ll write to her myself and have her come to you.

I know you’re going to do fine.

Much love from the Underworld,
Princess Celestia

P.S. We are launching the portal in the morning.

Twilight slowly turned her head to the side to see the sun was already in the middle of the sky. She looked back to the scroll and re-re-re-read it to confirm the order. She was now in control. A temporary ruler of. An. Entire. Naation.

She gulped and ran towards the door after realizing the constant banging she was hearing was not in her head. She opened the door to sigh in relief as her old foal sitter had already arrived.

“Now before you start worrying and panicking,” Princess Cadance said while leaning forward and giving Twilight a hug, “at least not until you give me a hug.”

Twilight returned the hug and sighed. “Thank you Cadance, you have no idea how badly i'm about to freak out.” Cadance laughed and closed the door behind her as she lead Twilight back into the castle.

“Not to worry Twilight! I’ll be right here to help you while Aunt Celestia and Luna are away.” Cadance had always known that Twilight could get… panic-y around unknown situations. But she was a master of calming her down. “Why are there all these books on the Underworld out?” Cadance knew Twilight loved books, but this was new.

“Oh these? I got a lot to catch you up on.”

“This is the Underworld?” Luna said looking around.

“It does seem a little to green. I imagined more fire, lava, and brimstone kind of deal.” I said looking around at the never ending fields of green grass. Small rolling hills dotted the land all around us as we looked around. Tune was cautiously rolling around us in a patrol pattern insuring we could be alerted. His cameras and scanning sensors provided the perfect look out for us. “Stay alert, I’ll look ahead a bit.”

I moved forward, leaving large imprints in the ground as my armored boots landed on each step with a solid ‘thud’. The ambient heat from my active magic runes on the legs singed and burned the grass on each step, giving me an easy way to follow back to the others. I raised my rifle up and held it at my shoulder and continued moving forward, scanning the area around us.

‘Maybe we got the portal wrong. This is nothing like the Hell.’

Look at yourself. Surrounding yourself with friends and allies. Armor and weapons because you can't protect yourself from the one thing that matters.

I quickly ran forwards towards a small hill in front of me. I could get a better vantage point from there and maybe spot who or what was talking to me. My armored legs worked perfectly, seemingly carrying me across the grassy plains with lightning speed. The slamming of boots rang out each step as I neared my destination.

Yourself.

I reached the hill painting, aiming my rifle at a transparent form of a human. He was smiling at me with a cocky grin while clasping his hands behind his back.

“Hello Johnson. Or Honored. Whatever you prefer.” The man said calmly while walking forward towards me and the loaded rifle in his face. “You have been expected, just not with the numbers you brought. That is going to cost you dearly in the future.” The man was now nearly touching the rifle, but still failed to seem even fazed by its presence.

“Who are you?” I asked, keeping the rifle leveled at the man.

“Oh excuse me!” He walked backwards quickly, if I had blinked I would have missed it, “Where are my manners. My name is…” He stopped moving and looked at me. “Well actually the name I had was lost to the sands of time as it were. Just call me Guide.”

“Okay Guide.” I said glaring at him through the helmet visor, “Where am I, and what are you?”

Guide moved back towards me and suddenly began to rise of the ground so he was now on level with me. “You are in Limbo and I’m a wayward lost spirit. Or demon depending on who you ask.”

Then I noticed that we were not alone. Just like the vision I had earlier, thousands upon thousands of creatures wandered the plane around us. Ponies, Humans, Griffons, Diamond Dogs, a few Dragons, nearly anything that had sentience on Equestria was here.

“Are they dead?” I asked, finally lowering the rifle from Guide’s direction.

“No they are just out for a leisurely stroll.” He groaned and leapt forward grabbing my helmet in his transparent hands and shook it. “Of course they’re dead! You’re in Limbo. When ‘ave you heard of wanting to take a vacay to this place!?”

“Okay let's get some ground rules and stuff established. Ye are now in Limbo. No, not permanently. Just until you use a spell or get him to send you back. You can only reach him by travelling to him, which will take quite a bit. But I reckon you got it in ya’.” Guide’s voice was constantly changing. British, southern, old english, and other faint traits could be heard as he constantly spoke. “Yea, my voice, just ignore it. It comes with the job.”

I raised my hand towards him, “And I’m getting to that part, not shut ya’ trap and listen to me. You got me here to help you navigate this place. In here there is no time. well a very small amount in here is a lot out there.. Now outside, back in the ‘real’ world a single moon is the equivalence of a fortnight.” He looked at me and lowered his head so that he was right beside me, “just between you an’ me, what’s a fortnight?” He whispered.

“It’s two weeks.” I said looking at my visor and willing a clock to appear with the magical spell matrix. It worked and still was keeping track of the time in the ‘real’ world. One day in this place, the day being recorded back outside, was in reality two weeks. Two weeks for everyday spent here. We would have to make some rapid movements. Good thing we had Tune for Night Rose to rest on.

“Great! Glad you knew that. It's been driving me bloody insane!” Guide shouted while floating in mid-air. “So my job as your escort through this world is to make sure you don't stray far. Normally I'm on demon duty, mainly causing beings frustration.”

“What?” I Asked staring at him in confusion.

“Okay how to make this understandable… You know when something’ happens and you mumble curses under your breath. You drop something and it rolls just perfectly under the couch. Or never being able to get the USB cable to go in on the first try. What's another good one… Losing your keys even though you just sat them down. Missing socks is a right ol’ classic. No parking spaces near the front. You get it? I’m the demon of that kinda stuff. Nothing too evil, just enough to make you angry and frustrated. The little things that may make someone just… snap.” He snapped his fingers and vanished only to reappear before me again but this time his generic human male look was gone.

Guide was now a deep crimson satyr, half man half goat. He had feathery white wings and two spiral mountain goat horns on his head and standard devil tail swinging beneath him. He smiled again and did a spin mid-air, “Yeah I know, gorgeous mate. But we gotta get movin here boy. Places to be, Gods to see am I right.” Guide flew down and grabbed my arm and started to move me along back the way I came.

“So all these creatures…?” I began, gesturing towards the wandering beings.

“All dead. Limbo, no heaven or hell for these sorry gits. And there are billions around you, even as we speak, but you can only see the ones that you have seen in your life. Humans only see humans, except for you, Equestria ruined that. But yes, there are what would be considered aliens here.”

“Are they covered in-” I started to ask, but was again cut off by Guide.

“Yup, lots of tentacles.” I shuddered as the demon laughed.

“Wait, if this is the middle ground between heaven and hell, then why are demons here.” I gestured to Guide and all his demon-ness.

“Oh there are angels too.” He smiled down at me while flapping his angelic like wings. “You just got assigned a demon to be your right hand man. And you won't be seeing anyone of them around. Besides, I won these wings from one of them in a bet. Very nice guy, just rotten luck.” Guide continued to float along beside me while we walked back to the group, following the boot prints left in the ground by my armored suit.

I looked up to the demon and cocked my head to the side. “So are you good or evil? A little of both?”

“Oh no, I’m evil, just not the slaughter and rape your dead body evil. Ah gone and told ya love that I’m that frustration inducing evil. Now as far as you should be concerned, I’m neutral to you. I’m not going to go out of my way to harm you or your group, but I’m also not going to do anything to help you. I simply am here to insure that you don't get lost and to get you to your goal. The Underworld is what you would know as an infinite plane. You would never explore it all before you lost sanity.”

Guide flipped onto his back and back stroked around me, “Now enough of this dark talk, introduce me to your friends!” He said as we dropped down from the hill we had meet on. I looked around in disbelief as the ground we had covered for the last ten minutes just vanished as if we had been talking beside the group to begin with.

CLICK

CHCRACK

SHING

CLICK CLICK

CLACKCLACK

Five different types of weapons were suddenly leveled at Guide. He slowly raised his hands over his horns and looked at me sideways, “Ahh I may ‘ave forgotten that you armed them. A lil’ help?” He asked.

“Guys, this is our demon acquaintance. Luna, Tune, Discord, Celestia, and Night Rose this is Guide. Guide meet the gang. He was assigned to assist us as. He’s a map essentially. That's all. He won't hurt us or help us other than to make sure that we reach where we are going without getting lost in the infinite never-ending plane that is the Underworld.” I said gesturing at Guide who sheepishly waved at the many different gun barrels aimed in his direction.

“Mornin’.” He smiled. The guns still remained focused on him.

“Honored dear,” Luna said quietly to the side, “a word please.”

I shrugged and walked over beside Luna who kept her machine gun leveled ahead. “Yes Luna?”

“He is a demon regardless of what he says, he is a demon for a reason, not a friend. Not an acquaintance. Not anything. We should not trust him at all. His directions could be laden with traps and lies.” Luna growled out while glaring at the red demon.

“He’s the only thing that has given me info about this place, and I agree, we don't trust him, just listen to what he says.”

“Ah can still hear you. I'm a demon, not deaf.” Guide said while crossing his arms across his bare chest. “Listen I get it, the whole demon thing. But I’m here as your guide, think of it like a tour through the Underworld. And I, I will be your Guide!”

“Come with me, follow me through the depths of Hell
Ill lead you there to your goal, sightseeing as well.
To the river Styx or the lake of lava
Boy y’all sure are gotta’
Listen to your Guide!"

A band of other demons, all in similar shape and make up of Guide appeared and began to play a varying assortment of instruments made of bones, flesh, and bloody organs. Guide suddenly was in front of the band wearing a sports coat and holding a microphone. He winked at me and leapt onto my shoulder, and began to dance around the armor.

"Want a nice stroll along the brimstone?
Stop for rest at the Garden of Bone,
I’ll be there to take you all the way!
Be warned don't go astray,
Listen to your Guide!"

Guide lept down and to the front of the band and began. He stopped and then began walking towards the group snapping his hand to the beat of the song while we all backed up from the singing demon. He pointed at Luna who was suddenly had all her military hardware replaced with a feathery showgirl outfit. I willed the armor’s spell matrix to begin recording.

"Listen to our Guide?
How certain you have lied,
You are a demon, a beast of sin
Rotten, dirty, sour as a drink of gin.
We would rather travel blind,
Then listen to our Guide!"

Luna looked around wildly as the ambient magic of song gripped her and she began to sing in the beautiful voice of hers. Her machine gun floated beside her, bobbing to the beat of the demon band while she spun around Guide. She looked at me in panic as suddenly I felt the similar tingling feeling of song magic. FUUUUUUCKKKKKKKK

"Sure he's a demon, but what am I
I’m the Breytchar- King of Demons guy"

I jabbed a finger against Guide’s chest. He backed up and did a little bow before flying up and dropping a golden crown on my head.

"I’ve got the guts and the skills
To make good on this demon’s bills.
So let’s take a chance on this Jackle and Hyde,
And listennnnn to ourrrrr Guideeeeeeeee!"

I stopped singing and looked up to see that I was holding Guide outstretched in a raised hand over my head and he was posed with arms outstretched. He smiled and jumped into the air and flew around the group laughing before flying towards the demon band and quickly shooed them away. “Hey I gotta’ say it's been ages since I ‘ad to get the ol band back together. Thanks for that human.” Guide was still smiling like a madman as he came to a stop and dropped down beside me on his goat legs. “You know what, I like y’all. Y’all had some fun and even sang along, I reckon y’all can get a little help from your guide.”

“But doesn't that break some kind of demon code?” Discord asked swinging his grenade launcher across his shoulder.

“Well I mean it kinda does… But I’m a demon, stuff happens.” Guide shrugged his shoulders and began walking off in a random direction.

I looked to the group and nodded. They all nodded back except for Tune, he just spun his robotic claw. We slowly began to follow the demon. I followed close beside him while the others spanned out in a ‘V’ formation behind me with Tune going into the center of the group as his heavy weapons could cover every direction.

“So what do you mean a ‘little help’ Guide?” I asked, my rifle still at the low ready while we walked behind him.

“Maybe so more information. Maybe some helpful hints on the bosses. You never know!” He said with glee while sweeping his arms in a wide arch. “It has been at least a century since the last time I got to tour someone, they didn't make it to far.”

“What do you mean?” I asked him curious as to his references on tours.

“You think your group is the first to come here? Errrr wrong answer pony boy. Others have some before you, maybe not with your intention, but they came here. Some didn’t make it past Lust. Others made it to Greed but that's it.” Guide said counting off his fingers. “You got nine floors of the Underworld to go through to get to the big daddy. You are all currently on level one, Limbo. Nothing happens here, well except for the portals that drop of the unlucky few that come in search of something.”

“So each level is a different challenge?” I asked, looking at Guide and then back to my friends that accompanied me to the Underworld.

“Yup. Thing of them like a guard team of a prison. Each level is a different cell block.” He turned his head around with a sharp crack, “and you’re going all the way to maximum security.”

So that was the plan. We had to travel down eight more layers of the Underworld to reach Tartarus. Guide revealed our first challenge, but we had already completed it. Layer one, Limbo, was to convince your guide to take you to the second layer. The little song and dance number with Guide had swayed him more than enough to gain us entrance. Cell block two, according to Guide, was Lust.

And he promised to get us right to the entrance.

“Are you sure this is it?” I asked looking suspiciously at Guide. I was seriously starting to doubt the accuracy of the portal we took. So far we had dancing demons, a demon tourist guide, and now I was staring at the entrance to the second layer of the Underworld. Which was a deep rich purple building with an awning over the entrance and burly looking demon guard wearing a skin tight black shirt standing beside the door. Across the top of the building was THE BUSTY LUSTY LOUNGE in bright pink neon tube lighting.

“Of course I’m sure. Ya daft wanker.” Guide said, stopping and flying up closer to my visor. “Oh you mean how it looks like a strip club? The Underworld changes to fit the being traversing it.”

Luna gave a cough and glared at me and then to the strip club entrance. “Really Honored?”

“What? That was along time ago and stuff.” I mumbled as Celestia and Discord snickered at each other.

“Hey, don't take it out on him, Lust took this idea and ran with it. Suits her well.” Guide said flying up to my bulky shoulder armor and sitting on it. “Now just walk on up and listen to the bouncer.”

I did as I was told and walked towards the purple running rug that lead towards the entrance of the club. We all walked single file up to the bouncer.

“How’s it going Rex?” Guide said to the bouncer who grunted and puffed up his chest even more so.

“Not much, got a large group this time.” He said in a deep voice that made Luna, Celestia, and Night Rose shiver. It was one of those deep rich sexy voices. Oh God, this entire layer was going to be nothing but a sex feast. I looked back to Luna. Maybe that wouldn't be too bad.

“Welp, let him get started. He thinks he can make it to H.” Guide jerked his thumb towards me.

“Ha. Good Luck.” Rex grunted towards me. Then he leaned aside and looked at the mares that were in our group, “You ladies enjoy your time.” He added smoothly which caused another round of shivers and some tails to clamp down.

I rolled my eyes inside of my helmet and moved forward as the bouncer removed the velvet rope from in front of the door. I reached out and pushed against the swinging door and started down a long staircase down towards the second level.

“That was one hell of a show folks. Give it up for lovely Lashana.” The DJ said over the deep throbbing bass that slowly rocked the the club. Johnson stepped down off the flight of stairs and into the massive open room that was the second layer of the Underworld. Purple and pink lights covered the walls and ceilings as far as the eye could see. Different stages, loveseats, tables, and bars could be seen dotted along everywhere in the strip club.

Discord slid beside the armor clad human and elbowed him in the side, “I’m starting to like the Underworld.” He grinned as Celestia and Luna both joined the two and somehow Tune, being ridden by Night Rose, fit down the stairs and entered behind them.

“Well Guide, how do I meet this Lust?” Honored asked. “Guide?” He looked around to find that the red goat demon was already seated at the nearest stage with a drink in one hand, a smoking cigar in his mouth, and a wad of cash clenched in the other fist. Honored slapped a hand to his helmet and when he looked up he saw that Celestia had joined him, golden bits hovering beside her in her magical aurora.

“Sister!” Luna called out, getting Celestia to look back and blush.

“What? I can enjoy all forms of beauty.” She said while walking back to us adjusting her flack jacket and helmet. She stood by her sister who was still shaking her head.

“Okay so how do we find Lust?” Honored asked aloud. No one answered him. “Well let's start at the bar.” A round of agreements followed as the group, minus the demon guide, walked up to a bar. A woman with long straight black hair and black bat wings stood behind the counter. She had two pointy black horns sticking out from the sides of her head and a black snakes tail that would grab the glass she was cleaning and place it onto the shelf behind her.

“Hey. Welcome to the Busty Lusty. Names Kay. I like your wings.” She added gesturing towards Night Rose who blushed heavily. She quickly yanked her ballistic neck weav up to cover her reddening face. “What can I get you? What can help you indulge in?” She asked slyly while batting her eyes at the human and then giving Celestia a pair of bedroom eyes that had the princess panting like a dog.

“You.” Celestia mumbled while laying her head against the bar top and smiling. Kay gave a cute giggle before snaking out a long forked tongue and flicking the tip of Celestia’s horn.

“We lost her.” Discord said while looking around. Suddenly his eyes popped out of his head and his tongue dropped out of his mouth in an explosion of steam and a train whistle. Across from the bar, a pony that shared a scary similarity with a buttercream colored pegasus with a pink mane slowly walked onto the stage. She looked at Discord and gave a shy smile while ducking behind her own mane.

“And let’s give it up for the adorable Sexy Shy.” The DJ called out as a slow, easy going beat filled the strip club and the mare on the stage began to very timidly dip and weave to the beat before throwing her wings out and straddling a silver pole behind her.

Discord promptly toppled over and died on the spot while scooting closer towards the stage on his belly, his tail dragging his grenade launcher along with him.

“Well It looks like it is up to us.” Honored turned to find that Tune was gone. “Tune?” Honored looked back towards the entrance where he noticed the death tank butler was parked beside a jukebox that was in the shape of a slim lady figurer. Honored slapped both hands to his face. “God damn it Tune.”

“Okay Night Rose, just watch out back.” Honored said turning back to the bat pony but found that she was gone as well. “Rose?” Honored asked out and groaned. She was across the bar having three bat ponies, glistening with sweat, doing shots off her belly. “What the hell is going on?! Where is my elite force of fighters!” Honored yelled out, slamming his fist against the bar top, leaving splintered imprints. “Luna we have to find Lust before this lot is lost… Luna?” Honored’s voice caught as he found Luna staring across the room towards one of the many stages. “Luna?” He choked out, but she was already lost.

She was moving straight towards a unicorn stallion that was the size of Shining Armor. He was decked out in all black armor that sparkled like the very stars in Luna’s mane. His smile was one that Honored knew all too well, because it was the same smile he wore whenever he saw his princess of the night. That stallion loved Luna.

And Luna wore the smile as well.

“No.” Honored gasped out as he started walking towards Luna, but something caught his armor. He turned down and saw Guide staring at him with serious eyes. He pulled the fully armored human down to his level and whispered to him. The whisper was so soft he almost didn't hear it over the loud music and the hollering of the many patriots of the club that suddenly appeared.

“Nothing is as it seems.”

Honored stood back up to his full height and looked around. The many types of creatures he had seen in Limbo where gathered here as well. Seconds ago they were cheering and moaning at the sex and indulgences that were being presented before them, now they all were dying. Being thrashed wildly back and forth by burly demons like the bouncer outside. A howling wind blew through the crowd and knocked them all to the ground, Honored being the only thing to not fall and topple over.

“So he is able to resist my charms and decadence.” A voice that was a smooth as honey and as rich as chocolate called out. Honored found himself face to face with a woman that was cute. There was something about her. She was cute, not stunning, not drop dead gorgeous, but she was cute. It was like the girl next door. The one that was always there but always dating the guy named Chad. She was everything you wanted, but never could get. She was the very essence of something anyone would Lust over, but never get, having just slip out of reach.

To Honored, she was six out of ten.

“Yes, now I’m here looking for Lust, I need to get to the next level.” Honored said with an even tone. He looked at Luna who was still being toppled around by the breeze, but smiling like she was looking at the stallion form before.

“Oh I see, nothing Lust did would work because you already had her.” The girl laughed and tossed her head back letting out a laugh that would have driven even the most faithful lover to adultery.

“It’s so strange,” the stranger said giving the armor covered human a head to toe look over, “that here you are, immune to Lust’s charms and yet the very one you want is pining over some mysterious stallion.” The girl slowly traced a finger along the edge of Honored’s metal arm. “Don't you want to know who that is?”

“No.” Honored said, but even his robotic sounding voice couldn't convince himself.

“Well his name is Rising Moon and he was the captain of Luna’s Night Guard before her turning into Nightmare Moon. He then died at the hands of Solar Guards in the fight between Luna and Celestia. A nobel, but pointless death. And it would seem that our dear Luna here is still in love with him.”

“Wrong.” Honored said coldly while tightening the grip on his trusty rifle. “She is in lusting over him.” He then cocked his head, “And why wouldn't she, look at him, he’s hot.” Honored laughed and then took a step back from the strange woman. “She is over a thousand years old, I expected her to have past flings and lovers. It matters not to me so long as I have her love, and I do know that. So now the real issue at hand, is how do I get you to let me down to the next level Lust?” Honored asked staring at the woman before toggling on the helmet mounted light and shining it her face.

“Well it was fun while it lasted.” She laughed again, this time a dark evil laugh before launching herself into the air and floating before the human. Red flames danced along her pale skin as she spun in a circle, the clothes and skin melting off of her like wax. A perfect hourglass figured demon with deep red skin and long flowing red hair faced down towards the warrior. She was glad in a deep shiny red dress that sparkled like a thousand blood diamonds trapped in a sunset’s light. Her golden eyes stared at him lustfully, “You’re the first one to actually resist me directly. You will be fun to break. Maybe I’ll allow you to keep your free will while I use you as my little toy.”

Honored took a wide defensive stance and aimed his rifle, “Well I should warn you, I'm not meant for playing with.” He grinned through his helmet at the flying succubus as she roared and dove down towards him. He swiveled to the side and lashed out with his rifle butt intending to catch the high powered demon with it. She spun to the side and kicked both feet out, contacting Johnson’s chest piece.

BAM

The kick did what so many others had failed to do; it sent the human flying across the infinite strip club and into one of the many bars. Honored struggled to his feet and cracked his neck. He banged on the side of the helmet with his fist before shaking off. He reached down and snagged a random bottle from the impact crater and hurled it straight into the oncoming demon’s face.

SMASH

Burning liquor and shards of glass covered Lust’s face. She spiraled down and slammed into the ground, coming to a halt beside Honored. He moved fast, enhanced by the suit’s magic, and landed on top of the still recovering demon seducer. He slammed the butt of his rifle into her face before grabbing her head in his left hand and holding it steady. He then reared back with his right arm, still clutching the rifle, and drove the barrel straight into her screaming mouth. Lust’s eyes bulged out of her head as she gagged around the weapon’s barrel.

“Now before I give you the mother of all money shots, tell me how to get to the next level!” Honored roared down at the struggling demon. She quickly stopped moving and gave the slightest nods which was faint, considering the rifle jammed in her mouth.

Honored retracted the weapon and placed it against her forehead. “Speak demon.” He commanded.

“I have to allow you exit.” She said with disgust as she worked her jaw. “And I think I may just not take you to it out of spite.” She spat at Honored which caused him to press the barrel down harder against her forehead.

“Yo Lust, he got you pinned already?” Guide said hovering over to where the human still had the demon crushed beneath his armor, “What are you going to do when he kills you and gains access to the exit?” Lust’s eyes got wide as she quickly looked up to Honored who was smirking within his helmet.

“Oh really?” Honored said with a chuckle, “So killing the one in charge of a level allows me exit if they refuse to take me to it.” Honored said aloud.

“Oh no, that’s the only way to get to the next level. I told ya’ Johnson. That's a Guard.” He pointed to the glaring Lust. “Cell block.” He swept his arms around him at the strip club. “Another guard will come eventually, but you’ll be in the next level by then.”

“What are you doing Guide!?” Lust hissed at the floating demon. “You’re helping a mortal. Don’t let me apart of your-”

“Demon… duh…” He said cutting Lust off. “And honestly, after millenias of the same old same old, a lil’ change won't hurt a right bit.” He laughed as Honored tightened the grip on the rifle and looked back down to Lust.

“I did warn you. I don't play well.”

BANG

Deep in the bowels of the Underworld, an ancient being felt a sensation he hadn't felt in over thousands of years. It was the feeling of a gnat biting one’s skin. A minor hindrance to one’s comfort. A small annoyance that causes one to grimace at the feeling.

Hades grunted and looked at the cage beside him. The mammoth three headed dog growled up at its master.

“Go. Patrol.” He commanded with a calm, even voice that commanded the trapped souls around the room to shiver.

Even the smallest of gnats could pass deadly diseases.

“Holy… good God above almighty that was dark.” Guide said staring at the blown apart head of Lust. “And I’m a damn demon.” I stood up from the quivering body and looked around. My friends that had been controlled by undesirable urges of lust slowly came back to reality and wandered towards me.

“So you're really going to help me?” I looked to Guide who gave one nod. “Thank you. Sorry for doubting you.”

“Ahhh forget about it.” He waved me off, “I’m a red, horn growing, heart breaking, frustration inducing, demon.”

“Honored what has happened?” Luna asked in slightly confused voice as she approached me. The others all looked at me as the still wet demon blood dripped off the front of my armor.

“Y’all all got brainwashed by Lust,” I gestured at the dead body, “and I stopped her. Bullets work here. And demons aren't bulletproof.” I smirked and wiped a large chunk of red skull from the end of my M16. A bright light suddenly caught my eye and the others shielded their eyes from it. A door behind the bar opened, flooding the room with bright light.

“That's the way out friends, lets get a move on. Level three here we come!” I pumped my fist into the air and began walking towards the exit. I stopped at the door and waved the others through. Luna was the last through the door. As she passed me she stopped. She looked into my visor and sighed.

“I’m sorry Honored. I don't know what happened here after Celestia went down, but I know that you did this one by yourself. I am sorry for that.” She hung her head. I reached out and lifted her head up with my hand.

“You only missed some sweet one liners.”

She gave a light giggle, and headed out the door. I looked back at the body of Lust and walked over to it. Reaching down, I ripped off a part of the shiny red dress she had on. I looked at it and tucked it away into a small storage section on the armor’s leg. “This will make a fine addition to my collection.” I looked towards the door and walked into the bright light that consumed my vision.

“Oh by the Gods above.” Celestia said, sweeping her rifle and shotgun in front of her. “What is this place?”

“What y’all got here is the third layer of the Underworld.” Guide said, flying in front of the party. “This realm is guarded by Glutton. He’s a right mean ol’ son of a bitch and is pretty hungry. So my helpful advice, stay out of his mouth. He can’t resist a taste of the unknown.”

Honored looked around and noticed that groups of creatures, just like the other two realms covered the area. Except rather than moving around, these beings were chained to the ground around tables. They couldn’t move at all and sat staring at tables laden with mountains of steaming food. Towers of pizza, hamburgers, ice cream, turkeys, roasted hams, spiced chicken, boiled fish, vegetable plates covered in fine glaze, anything you could think of covered the tables all around the entire area.

Honored watched as a man in his thirties looked away from the food at nothing, the look of a man who had given up. As he did, a demon dressed as a waiter from a five star restaurant walked over and grabbed his head. The demon forced his mouth open and ran a small sliver of meat across his tongue. The man jerked wildly trying to bite the food, but was unable to catch the morsel of meat. He went back to staring at the pile of food, longing for another taste of the food.

“Okay, I take back what I said.” Discord said looking in disgust at the actions going around them. “I am not liking the Underworld.”

“I miss the stallions doing shots of my belly.” Night Rose said while watching a griffon chained to the ground go through the same ritual as all the others to keep them focused on the food just out of reach.

“Who dares enter my banquet hall?!” A loud booming voice filled the massive room. The group turned to see a mountain of fat rolling towards them. What was a mountain of fat, was really a giant cyclopes that was layered in rolls upon rolls of fat. This big fat demon wore only a strip of cloth to cover what was really just another roll of fat on his waist. Beside him on either side of his head was a demon holding a tray of food. Every other second, the demon would drop a type of food into the open mouth of the cyclopes.

“Ewww.” Luna whispered to Tune who bobbed his robotic claw up and down.

“You have entered my domain, and as ruler and host here, it is my decision to condemn you to forever attendance of my feast!” Glutton shouted, chunks of chewed food and droplets of spittle rained down around the determined warriors.

“Oh Gods, I'm going to be sick.’” Celestia said groaning as she pulled a wishbone from her mane.

Three waiter demons jumped forward from behind a mountain of french fries, intending to snatch Night Rose up. They each held massive butcher knives in their red hands and swung them around them wildly as she blocked and dodged their attacks with her own blades.

“What are y’all doing?!” Honored shouted, shouldering his rifle, “Open up, shoot them!”

And the barrage of bullets following his order pushed the new wave of knife wielding demon waiters back. They took cover behind barricades of food as the bullets sunk into the platters.

“Bullets like Olive Garden breadsticks- never ending!” Honored giggled madly as he dove forward, driving his armored fist into a demon’s face, caving it in with a sickening squelch. He aimed the rifle from his hip and began to fire of single shots with perfect precision into the oncoming demons’ skulls. They bodies began to pile up as Glutton looked on in anger, food still being dropped into his awaiting mouth.

Luna swooped low, her machine gun rattling off a deadly barrage bullets that ripped into several demons that had gotten dangerously close to Night Rose’s back side. She jumped backwards and into the air with her six clear and landed onto a demon’s shoulders and drove her hoof blades into its neck, sending its head flying. She began repeating the process as demons tried to avoid her lethal jumps.

BLOOP
BLOOP
BLOOP

BANG
BANG
BANG

Discord was laughing wildly while lazily flying over the chaos strewn banquet hall, firing a grenade once too many demons gathered in a group. The group of would be attackers would then be turned into a collection of household items. A giant pile of lightbulbs showed were the most recent group had been destroyed.

Celestia stood against my back, her sawed off shotgun and old Vietnam era M16 barked in time with each other as she dropped demon after demon. “Oh this is so relaxing.” She added to the human in a momentary lull in the battle. She was sick of never helping when evil invaded her nation, but now she was bringing the hurt to evil’s doorstep. She magically pulled several shotgun shells out of one of her pouches and fed them into the shotgun’s tube. She enjoyed using her solar spear and sword, but something about these human weapons just brought out a more primal, a more intense desire to fight. The M16 let fly another round the impacted a demon right in between his horns. He loudly squealed while keeling over into another dead demon missing half his chest from one devastating slug. She felt safe in the middle of the battlefield because everytime she moved, she felt the mass of metal behind her move with her. Honored was the greatest fighter she had ever seen, he even rivaled Luna and herself; and now with that suit, he was unstoppable. She knew she needed not worry about her rear with Honored watching her six and Luna flying above them, they had created a three hundred sixty area of pure devastation.

Tune had yet to move from the entrance of the banquet hall. He simply utilized his auto tracking onboard computer and pinpointed single .50cal rounds from across the room at demons that even began to take a micrometer move towards him. The 240 machine gun mounted beneath the 50 had yet to fire as he had decided to conserve ammo for the mass rush of demons that was sure to come as the group to his direct left had begun to grow. He had yet to fire there, to allow them to think he was unable to swivel his main weapon system that way. The lead demon, holding two knives moved his foot forward.

ERRRR

Tune’s main turret spun rapidly to the left.

BBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTT

The long burst from the 240 decimated the group. Just for safe measure, and to show off, Tune launched a 40mm grenade from his secondary turret over the tables and into the pile of dead bodies.

“Show off!” Honored yelled as a thick paste of sticky red demon blood coated his front.

Honored wiped a hand across his visor and cleared the red from his vision. Suddenly the room shook as Glutton took a step towards the group of fighters.

“Shit.” Honored said, reaching behind him hooking an arm around Celestia’s neck. He activated his thrusters and rocketed to the side yanking Celestia with him as a table, thrown by the fat God, slammed into the spot they had just been.

“Okay so he has muscles under all that fat.” Honored groaned. He aimed his rifle as he flew and unleashed a quick burst of rounds at Glutton’s neck. Honored watched in silent horror as the bullets struck true to their mark, but the sheer volume of fat stopped the bullets from going in deep enough to do any damage.

“Well that certainly makes things harder.” Honored groaned and landed, placing Celestia down beside Tune and Luna joined them while Discord and Night Rose hovered overhead looking for any demons brave enough to try and attack the group. Most of them had fallen back as their master joined the fight.

“My weapon is unable to do anything to him as well.” Luna said looking down at the floating machine gun.

“If your’s can't, then I'm sure I can't either.” Celestia said with a sigh. She dropped the empty magazine and loaded a fresh one into her rifle. “But I have an idea.” She said with a grin. “Honored, I need you to distract him for a few minutes.”

“On it.” Honored said while running towards the slow moving giant. He leapt into the air and began to fly around the moving mountain of flesh.

“Tune, what missiles do you have equipped?” She asked looking to the robotic defense weapon system.

“High explosive and white phosphorus.” The robotic voice said, opening up the two missile pods on the back of his chassis.

“Perfect.” Celestia said while slowly sliding one out of the launch tube and began to get to work.

“RRRRAAAHHHH!” Glutton roared and swatted a fat arm at me. I zoomed up while increasing the thruster’s flame and scorched his raised arm. This caused him to yell even more and spray the area with spittle. He then glared at me and opened his mouth. A strange gurgling noise began to come from him.

“Oh you better not.” I said while aiming the rifle into his open gullet.

BARFFFFFF

“OH FUCK!” I yelled trying to zip around the incoming stream of bile and throw up. The green slime arched through the air and landed all over the ground and tables, covering food and chained creatures in all. Slowly the things hit by the smelly toxic vile vomit started to melt and turn into puddles along the ground.

“What the absolute fuck.” I now began to fly straight at Glutton who seemed to need a moment to rest after that attack. I spun around midair and slammed my feet into his head while rocketing my thrusters out and burning him at the same time I hit him. The giant demon of fat and flesh stumbled briefly before toppling backwards, crushing everything beneath him.

“Honored!” I turned to see Celestia flying towards me with… a four foot long banana held underneath her in her hooves. “Get clear!” She yelled. I moved back past her and killed my magical thruster and dropped to the ground. She flew towards the demon and stopped over his head.

“Glutton? Do you like bananas?” She dropped the oddly shaped banana into his awaiting mouth. He swallowed and then rolled over and began to get up, which was proving to be a struggle for the obese demon god.

“Now Tune!” She turned and sped away from the demon while Tune activated the white phosphorus missile.

BOOM

Glutton stumbled forward as his inside bulged out to ungodly proportions. He opened his mouth to scream, but only smoke poured out of mouth. He fell forward, his body beginning to steam and smoke as the missile's payload did its job.

Burn.

I waved the group on towards a door that opened behind the burning body of fat. Even the filters on my suit were having a hard time getting the stench out of my air. I could only imagine what they were dealing with. All the waiter demons moved away from us in pure fear as we moved towards the door and rushed through it, eager to escape that layer of the Underworld. I looked at the burning corpse and shuddered, I reached out and snagged a piece of the disgusting loincloth that had yet to be burned off of Glutton’s corpse. I pulled out the sparkling cloth from Lust’s dress and using a quick burst of void magic, I fused the two pieces together. Using a small bit of red rope I fashioned the single piece of fabric onto the right shoulder piece of armor. A small cape was beginning to form. “Hmmph.” I said looking at the small part of a shoulder cape. It’ll have to do for now.

I stepped through the open door way and into the next layer, starting to question the sanity of the mission, and what other horrors we would face.

Hades stood up from his throne in the center of his domain. All around him the cages of thousands of beasts, creatures, and demons rattled with anger as he raised to his maximum height. That feeling of a gnat once again pestered the Lord demon king as he looked around himself to insure nothing was out of place in his realm. He was the master of this realm, and the only demon God allowed to release and capture those deemed unworthy by the powers on high.

But this feeling was something that he was not used to.

Hades did not like it.

“That was… well it was something else.” Guide said trailing behind our group a little ways. Ever since the group had left the banquet hall of Hell, Guide had been a little reserved from them. He stayed back a ways, giving Honored and Celesti a wide berth. Guide felt that two beings that killed two low level demon Gods and many of their minions were bad news. But even more of a reason to stay on their good side. At least until it was his time. “You all lovely gits sure mean business. I guess you really want to reach the boss behind it all.”

“You know it.” Honored said turning around to look at the demon who was floating behind Tune. “What can you tell us about this realm?” Honored asked looking around the group. They were walking around a desert landscape. Only sad and rocks as far as the eye could see. Except that there were holes everywhere dug into the earth.

“This is Greed’s realm. He doesn't really like to share as you can imagine.” Guide said slowly flying closer to the human. “He rules this place along with his demons. They hoard and save everything they can.”

“Well where is he?” Celestia asked peering around the desolate landscape.

“There.” Tune said aiming his robotic claw.

A massive wall, crafted of giant slabs of stone towered a hundred feet into the sky. All along the top of the wall the group could see demons moving along, looking down at the small group.

“Where are all the damned creatures?” Luna asked, “There has been many in the last realms.”

“Behind his wall.” Guide said pointing at the wall.

“Let's get through then.” Honored said slinging his rifle across his back and letting it rest on his side. No doors or windows of any type along the wall. That meant only three options. Over the wall. Under the wall. Or through it.

“What are waiting for?” Discord said, flexing his wings, “Let's get up there and rain down firepower!” He spun his grenade launcher and jumped into the sky.

“Hold on.” Honored said, pointing up at the guards patrolling across the top of the tower, “They are going to spot us easily if we just fly directly at them.” Honored rubbed his armored hand against the chin of his helmet, “I’ve got a better idea.”

“Is this going to hold?” I asked Luna who grunted in a quick response.

“It will if you stop squirming!” Celestia groaned as I rode on her back. Celestia was carrying me on her back next to Luna who had Discord draped across hers. Night Rose was on his back and Tune was waiting down below at the base of the wall. Using Luna’s amazing ability at alteration magic, she casted an invisible blanket around us that allowed us to sneak up to the wall without being noticed. Now we were flying up along the side of the wall under the same veil of invisibility. The closer we were together, the longer Luna would be able to cast the spell. Tune would have to wait out the first part of the plan at the base of the wall. Then I could teleport him up onto the other side of the wall.

“Once at the top, drop it, and we can fight our way down. OR maybe the guards won't be violent.” I said with a chuckle.

“Why did you make this armor so darn heavy?” Celestia asked struggling up the last few feet towards the top of the wall.

“Because I am going to fight a God.” I said as we crested the wall and landed with a series of heavy thuds that caused the closest guards to stop and turn. These demons wore white shirts with blue pants, both of which looked rather nice, made out of fine materials. The wielded an assortment of swords, spears, and crossbows.

The invisibility spell died down and the guards all stopped and stared at us.

“Take me to Greed.” I commanded to the group of wall guards that began to raise their weapons. “NOW.” I stated louder, turning so that my right side, the one with the small shoulder cape made of cloth from Lust and Glutton showed. The wall guards took a small step back and lowered their weapons. One guard turned and headed towards steps along the wall that lead down along the inside of the wall. I nodded and motioned for the group to follow me with Discord bringing up the rear as we followed the demon down the stairs.

That is when we got to see what Greed was hiding behind his wall.

The creatures of Greed’s realm toiled nonstop under the never setting sun. The moved giant mounds of gold, silver, bronze, platinum, and other precious metals around the entire plot of land that was never ending inside of the wall. Others pulled carts filled with piles and piles of gems and precious stones. Creatures as far as the eye could see were toiling away nonstop just moving these massive amounts of things around. Once they reached a demon guard, the guard would then whip them, sending them back they way they came, repeating the process all over again.

“They are slaves!” Luna exclaimed as she watched a new batch of creatures begin moving a cart landed with a towering amount of lumber.

“They are workers that toil over what the hold precious; material wealth.” A new voice that carried an air of royalty with it said. We turned to see another demon God of the Underworld. Guide flew up towards the demon and gave him a bow.

“‘Ello Greed! Long time no see. How goes the collection?” Guide asked turning and smiling to us. He winked and faced back to Greed. Greed stood over me, at least eight feet tall and like all the other demons, had a light red skin tone. He stood on two legs but unlike the previous demons, he had four arms, all of which were covered in dark black metal going all the way up to the joints connecting to his torso. He wore black pants and his chest was bare, showing off a very defined set of muscles covering his body. Along his back, draped across his shoulders and trailing down the back of his knees was a deep, rich, royal purple robe with a fringe of mixed animal skins.

I stared at the robe and licked my lips, “Oh boy, I want a piece of that.” I mumbled to myself. That would look good on my growing shoulder cape.

“Why have you come to this, my realm?” Greed asked, spanning his arms and gesturing to the massive area around him. “My charges toil away after what the sought after most. Worthless materials that now shackle them to this realm. So close to getting what they want, that wealth which they seek, and yet denied it and the holy land above.” Greed smiled and looked away from us towards a giant stack of lumber in a corner.

I realized that all the holes that covered the landscape outside of Greed’s walls had been where trees had been. His want for things, to hold and covet, had stripped this realm of everything. I stepped forward and squared off against my third demon God being. “We are seeking passage through your realm, to the next realm beyond.” I stood tall and strong, trying to make Greed understand the seriousness of my request.

Greed threw his head back and laughed deeply. “You have spirit, I like that.” He then looked down at me and grinned evilly, “I’ll allow you passage, in exchange for something.”

“A trade?” Celestia asked still holding her shotgun tightly to her side, ready to fight. She must have the same leader sense I had. Something felt off here, something very wrong. I lowered my hand slowly so that it rested on one of my pistols strapped to a section of leg armor.

“I want her.” He said pointing a lower hand at Luna who looked shocked.

“No deal.” I said defensively and stepped in front of her, hand still resting against on the pistol, “We pass through without giving you trouble, and move into the next realm. I know that you have the ability to do so,” I looked over his shoulder to Guide who nodded in confirmation, “Or we can kill you and move on through your dying existence.” I faced him down, my face grime inside of my helmet. I knew nothing about his fighting skills, other than Guide told me he was one of the few demon rulers of the realms that could allow beings through without death.

“You are challenging me mortal?” Greed scowled at me and crouched down to my level so that his face was nearly pressed against my visor. “You challenge a demon God to a fight?”

“I did with two already.” I spat back and turned just enough so that the shoulder cape could be seen hanging from my shoulder armor. “I’ll kill you too if I have too.”

I suddenly became very aware of the amount of guards that had slowly surrounded around our group. Greed had distracted us and allowed his forces to get the jump on us. He had no plans on letting us through or trading with us, he wanted everything we had. He was Greed after all. I quickly slammed my palm to the ground, the teleporting spell yanking Tune to our posistion.

“Everyone under Tune! Tune activate FSU!” I screamed and dove towards the robot who lifted himself on his wheels and raised his body up three feet from the ground. Luna, Celestia, Discord, and Night Rose all followed me and jumped under the robot, making the space under him extremely tight.

“What’s FSU?” Luna yelled as the army of demons around us closed in lead by Greed.

“Fuck shit up!” I grinned as Tune activated his 360 degree anti-missile/anti-personnel defense system. The twenty-four separate ceramic tile plates, filled with thousands upon thousands of steel ball bearings angled to fire in every direction to defeat incoming airborne missiles or in extreme massive attacks from ground troops. All the plates exploded at once, propelling the ball bearing out covering every direction like a 360 degree shotgun.

BBBBBBOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM

The air was filled with the screaming of ball bearings flying through the air and the sound of thousands of impacts as they smashed into the wall of demon flesh. Soon the sound of bodies hitting the ground echoed through the realm as the demon guards dropped from instant killing blows delivered by the ball bearings or wounding shots that forced them to the ground.

Tune lifted back up, and I crawled out, IMI Desert Eagle .50AE clutched in my armored hand. A demon in front of me struggled to the side, his short sword still held in his bloody hand. I leveled the deagle and pulled the trigger, sending the massive slug into the demon’s chest, knocking it back to the ground. As I pulled myself up, Luna and Celestia also crawled out from under Tune’s body. They stared in amazement at the absolute carnage that Tune had wrought to the enemy.

Over a hundred dead or wounded guards covered the ground all around Tune. I walked through the mass of bodies, firing a round every now and again into a still living demon. Total war. No mercy for the ones that had just wanted to kill us. And besides, they were demons. Did they really die?

“Guide, why has the door not appeared?” I asked turning to find Greed standing atop of Tune with Luna, Discord, Celestia and Night Rose held at their necks in each different hand. He was caked in a layer of bloody mud and wore a grim expression that radiated hatred. “Drop them. Now.” I commanded, aiming the heavy pistol at the demon’s chest.

“You hurt me, and I will-”

BANG

The hand cannon fired the final round in its magazine before locking the slide to the rear. I spun the handgun around my trigger finger while tossing another magazine of the powerful .50AE rounds into the air and catching it in the still spinning handgun. I held it up and flipped the slide catch loading the round into the chamber. With the weapon rearmed, I dropped it back into its holster on my leg and walked over to my friends and the dead demon god of the realm.

“Are y’all okay?” I asked, stepping around the fallen demon’s legs and extending a hand to Luna who was still gasping for air from the crushing grip that had been around her neck.

“Yes. Thank you dear.” She said with a sad smile while she found her machine gun and reattach the metal feeding mechanism into its side.

Celestia stood up, eyes blazing in anger, “You idiot! What if he had a dead man’s switch that when he died killed us as well? Do you even think when you just twirl your guns and shoot bad guys?!” Celestia was positively fuming.

“But he didn't. I know he didn’t because of him.” I pointed in the air where Guide was still floating behind the dead demon god. He held two signs, one in each hand, one reading SHOOT! And DON’T SHOOT! Celestia did a double take and then from the demon, to my gun, then up to me.

“You knew.” She asked looking up to the helpful demon, “How?”

“Well easily, he uses his hands for matter manipulation, and since all his hands were full,” He held up the SHOOT! sign and ginned, “And you are all a great bit of fun. Best fun I’ve hand in a thousand years. I’ll make y’all last as long as I can to keep this going.”

Celestia gave me a bashful smile and walked besides Luna. Discord grumbled under his breath as he walked by me. I guess he was waiting for his turn to save the day.

Night Rose on the other hand was looking very upset. He neck armor had held, but I can tell she was visibly shaken from the death grasp Greed had put on her. “It’ll be okay Rose, were are almost done, just hang in there a bit longer. Stay with Tune and watch his back. I don't like how Greed got ontop of him.” I said patting her back.

A bright light filled my visor and I saw the door to the next realm opened. I watched the two alicorns pass through and then turned down to the dead demon. I swung out my void blade and sliced off a section of Greed’s purple robe. I magically attached it to the two other gathered trophies. Three down, a few more to go. I retracted the void blade and walked towards the door, Tune rolling behind me with Night Rose watching our six.

“How does she put up with this?!” Twilight groaned and slammed her head against the side of the throne. It was nearing the middle of the night and she still was having trouble getting the moon just right. The darn space rock was just sitting on the horizon and refused to move to the center of the sky. No matter how hard she tried to will it, it just sat there, taunting her. Mocking her.

“Errrrrrr!” Twilight ground her teeth together as her magic reached out into the great celestial void and found the moon magic link. She began to tug it back into the sky, watching with delighted glee as the moon rose to its apex, wiggling the entire way. Finally it sat in the sky, dimly illuminating the landscape below the castle balcony.

“Whew.” Twilight blew out the breath she had been holding in as she eyed her work. She had just moved the moon! She had moved the moon!

The young alicorn began jumping around in a circle squealing happily. She was so caught up in her celebration, she didn't notice the other alicorn slowly sneaking out of the balcony door with a camera.

“Oh this is too cute.” Cadance said snapping a few shots of the excited alicorn. “Celestia is going to eat these up.” She snickered while exiting the balcony and heading back towards her room. She would raise the sun in the morning, Twilight was going to have to get some rest before she took her turn at the afternoon session of the day court.

That was when the tax committees would show up.

“Oh the places you’ll go!” The human said happily as the group moved along the edge of a marshy river. The river was as black as night and a foul smell wafted from the marsh along its edge. “Come to Equestria, fight baddies, save the indigenous population, travel the world, and go to Hell literally.”

“Okay this realm is guarded by Anger. Nice guy, once you get past the whole demon of anger and destruction.’ Guide said from atop the human’s right shoulder. He was staring at the shoulder cape that now was made of three pieces of demon God’s clothes and running his hands along it. He kept looking at it, and wiping away a bead of sweat every so often. “Just remain calm, and you’ll be out of here in no time!” He smiled, but his smile was off, it wasn't like the other ones he had wore before.

“What’s the gameplan for this God?” Discord said flying over the the human, and resting his head on the human’s left shoulder, “Go in wild style?” He flipped around, aiming his grenade launcher towards the river.

“I don’t know, each one of these Gods is something different. So far nothing has been straightforward. I’m kind missing that.” Honored said with a grunt. The wet and spongy land was making it harder for the armored covered human to walk along the ground. Even when he tried riding on Tune, the armor’s weight caused Tune to sink deeper into the ground to where his wheels failed to gain traction.

“Stop.” Guide said while pointing to a large barge that was tied up at a dock on the black river. “This is the boat to cross, we gotta go over the river and then to the other side.” The party looked around. A boat in the middle of nothing… No cover. No concealment. This whole thing screamed shitty.

“Okay here's the plan, we all get on, Tune in the center to cover air and anywhere as needed. I’ll get the front. Celestia and Luna get left and right side. Dizzy and Rose get the rear.” Honored issued out his commands and sent his friends to their spots on the barge. They would have eyes on every side at least now, so if anything decided to show its face, they would be ready for it.

“Anger really doesn't take kindly to mortals… and actually you all ‘ave got to be the first to make it this far.” Guide said while reaching out and flicking the rope off the barge. “Good luck.” He called out from the end of the dock.

“Wait you're not coming?” Discord shouted back at the demon that was growing smaller and smaller as the barge drifted towards the middle of the river.

“Oh no, I don't plan on getting on his bad side.”

“Oh fuck me.” Honored groaned while looking forward towards the opposite bank of the river. A massive arena loomed on the horizon. A sign mounted atop of the ancient Roman style arena flashed in bright colors.

MORTAL JOHNSON TAKES ON ANGER
FIGHT OF THE MILLENIA
WELCOME TO THE USDA
UNDERWORLD SMACKDOWN ARENA

Honored swallowed his nervousness and looked at the arena. Looks like the ‘see how it goes’ option just went bottom’s up. Plan B.

Time to get WWE in this bitch.

To the Ends of Hell and Back

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Chapter 25

On My Honor

By Honored Service

“To the Ends of Hell and Back”

The arena loomed ahead of the barge as its passengers all looked to the flashing sign and back to the human it mentioned. He rolled his shoulders and the armor reflected the deep reds of the firy landscape surrounding the river. In the water, the souls of the damned washed by, trapped forever swirling in their anger and despair. This was Anger’s domain after all.

“Are you going to be okay?” Luna asked, walking up behind the conflicted armor covered human.

“Yes. Of course. Why wouldn't I be okay?!” Honored chuckled nervously. “I can do anything.”

“It's going to be alright dear,” Luna draped a wing across his back, “We will be behind you all the way!” Honored let out a deep sigh, what did he have to worry about? He had a group of amazing friends behind him that would back him up no matter what Anger could throw at them.

The dock on the opposite side of the river grew larger and the crew aboard the barge readied themselves for anything. Weapons loaded and at the ready, the group charged over the dock with a mighty roar.

“AHHHHHHhhhh?” They all stopped and looked around. There was nothing awaiting them, except for a long line of demons waiting at a ticket window at the end of the dock.

“Not what I expected.” Honored said slowly slinging his weapon and coming out of his combat stance.

“What are you doing here?!” A demon wearing a fire red sports coat and matching pants stormed up to the group, Honored in particular. “You were supposed to be here nearly an hour ago, we got hundreds waiting. Now get a move on!” He looked down at a watch and then reached up and pressed a finger to a bluetooth headset in his ear. “Yeah, I got him right here. Yes armor and all. The others?” He looked to the other creatures behind the human. “Yes they are here too. VIP? Sure I’ll get them set up. Guide!” The ‘manger’ looking demon shouted.

“Yes?” Guide said floating out of nowhere beside the group. “‘sup Steve.”

“Don't ‘sup Steve’ me. You owe me fifty Angel tears for the last fight. And get your fighter to the ring, we got a show to put on.”

Guide nodded and grabbed Honored by the hand and started to pull him along the dock towards the arena. Celestia and Luna both started to step after him, but Steve held up a hand. “Oh hold on there mortals. Fighters only that way. You have to get seated in the VIP booth to watch the fight.”

“They can’t come with me?” Honored sounded slightly panicked as he left the group.

“Sorry kid, it's the rules of the fight. No tag-ins or double teams. That's only on Fridays.” Guide said as we made our way past the ticket line and towards the arena, demons of all types looking at the Human and giving him ‘boos’ and shouts of encouragement. “They are going to be fine. Anger likes to put on fights like this for money. New souls that are sent here usually end up in the arena fighting before they get damned to their punishment for all eternity.”

Guide sensed the human’s confusion. “It’s like an UFC fight. Do whatever you want to win. Winner moves on to the next level. So on and so forth until they win. Once they win, if they win, they get to skip their damnation and become the new Anger, ruler of the realm.”

“That can't be that hard, I’m a great fighter.” Honored said smiling inside of his helmet. Fighting? This was going to be a snap.

“There hasn’t been a new Anger in over three thousand mortal years.” Guide said seriously.

“Oh.” ‘Shit.’ Honored thought, he was going to have his work cut out for him on this one.

“Here you go, just make yourselves comfortable, and you can utilize the betting system if so desired.” Steve said while showing the group into the VIP booth. There were several couches and large sitting chairs facing a massive oval shaped arena in the center of the coliseum. Luna looked around, before turning back to the manager.

“What is happening here exactly?”

The demon pulled out a cell phone and quickly began tapping away on the screen for a brief moment before spinning it in his hand and sending it away with a burst of red flames, “Okay listen good, this is Anger’s challenge. That human wants to challenge Anger to the rights to travel to the next level. Anger has never had some mortal reach him before, so this is all new. He has decided that Honored must battle some recent damned souls and then his champions before he is found worthy of taking on Anger himself.”

“And if he loses?” Celestia asked quietly, stepping up beside her sister.

“Baby, damned here for eternity. But if he does well enough, he could make it to being a champion of Anger.” Steve grinned and flipped a pair of dark tinted sunglasses onto his face while bringing up another cell phone. “Oh yeah baby, drop another five duces on champ one. And another three on first round.” Steve walked out of the VIP booth, the door slamming on the way out.

“So we have to watch Honored fight? He has to be entertainment to the demons?” Luna was on the verge of tears as she looked at the arena before her, realizing that she was about to watch her beloved human fight for his life, and there was nothing she could do to help.

“I got some more bad news.” Discord said from his couch where he was holding a betting sheet. “It has all of the champions he has to get through to fight Anger.” Discord said while flipping over a page of names.

And another page.

And another one.

Another one.

And again.

Luna began to weep to herself. Her tears began to stain the couch she was looking over at the pages on pages of champions, each one more powerful than the last. Anger was the final name on page eight. There had to be over two hundred names on the list. Honored was going to fight himself to death.

“So just fight.” I said looking at Guide as I sat inside of a small room that was attached to the arena floor.

“Yes, but here’s the thing that you need to remember. “ Guide said flying closer to my helmet, “You need to remain focused; this is Anger’s world. He wants you to get angry and lose yourself in the fighting, wear you out. Just stay calm, level headed, and you’ll be out of here in no time. Get him out sooner, don't waste your energy on the pawns, look for the king.” Guide said, slipping in and out of his may accents and speaking tones.

“Thanks Guide. Cool, calm, and steady. Too easy, I can do this.” I grinned and stood up and marched my way towards the door leading out into the arena. A demon would escort me out when my time had arrived to enter.

A demon stuck his head into the room and looked at me. “You’re up human. Get ready.”

“Show time.” I said giving Guide a thumbs up and strolling towards the double doors. I placed my hands against them and pushed them open, stepping out into the light and the roaring applause and stomping of demons’ feet that began to make my heart race. They paid for a show, they would get a show.

“Demons and poltergeists. The moment that you have only dreamed of is here! A human mortal has made it alllllllll they wayyyyyyy to the fifth layer of the Underworld.” The crowd went crazy as the announcer's voice boomed over the speaker system through the massive coliseum. “He has already shot, stabbed, and punched his way through three other layers of the Underworld to reach this spot, but does he have what it takes to make it through Anger?” The thunderous applause grew even louder as the crowd exploded into more applause. “Then let's give it up for the one, the unstoppable, the mortal, Johnson The Pony Boy!” The crowd roared as the doors at one end of the arena exploded out in a mammoth explosion of purple and green magic, black fog spilling out into the arena as the massive armored human strode forth into the arena, arms raised and waving slowly at the demons.

“And his first round, facing against the recently damned, the intense injector, the battered and butchered, give it up for Sam the Slayer!” The announcer boomed to the crowd.

To Honored and the rest of the group, the name Sam the Slayer meant nothing. But to a few of the demons who had recently been to Earth to carry out their biddings, they knew what that name really meant. Sam was a serial killer that had just been put to death by lethal injection. Over thirty counts of first degree murder he had pled guilty for, and he made sure the court knew exactly how he killed his victims and then prepared their bodies for eating.

He was a happily evil man that welcomed death with open arms knowing that he had place saved for him in hell. And the fact that he was being used for entertainment for the place he thought he would be a God had made him beyond angry. And the man in front of him, covered in armor, was going to pay for wanting to take his spotlight.

Honored walked to the center of the ring and looked at the man across from him. He was of average build, just under six feet and had a normal build. Not muscular, not fat, but not skinny or in shape looking either. He had flat brown hair and glasses, but the look in his eyes, was all Honored needed to see. They burned with hate and loathing of a man, no rather a monster. Those eyes had seen people die, and they laughed with sick glee and pleasure at those deaths, relishing in the agony of others. Pure evil.

Honored grinned, he would have no regrets, no worries about fighting a pure evil monster, regardless if it was human or not. It was evil, and he hated evil.

“FIGHT!”

The humans launched themselves forward at each other, one armored head to toe, weapons strapped all over the armor, and the other; wearing only a thin layer of clothes, but with a mad look in his eyes. Honored slammed a fist forward intending to crush the other’s chest in. Sam the Slayer jumped to the left and grabbed onto Honored’s outstretched arm and aimed to yank it to the side and back, breaking the armor and the arm cased inside of it. But Sam may have overestimated his opponent's strength, or this murderer was so use to stalking and harming the weak, he simply just struggled to move the armored arm. He slowly turned and looked up at the suit of armor, whose head turned to look down at the human that was latched onto his arm.

“Nope.” Honored said, rearing back with his other arm and throwing a devastating left hook with his other fist. Sam went sailing through the air, blood arching out of his mouth as he traveled through the air, experiencing pain that he had never felt before. In all of his murders, all of his crimes, no one had been able to fight back considering the drugs he gave them before hand. This was something he didn’t know how to cope with. So Sam the Slayer, the man feared by millions, began to cry on the blood red clay of the arena floor as blood dribbled from his mouth. Each breath he took was labored, a sharp searing pain gripping his chest. He was sure the armored creature had broken multiple ribs and punctured his lungs.

Honored walked over the crippled human slowly, each step leaving large boot prints in the earth as he walked over. The man lying before him began to whimper and cry as he looked up at him. Honored towered over the broken man, a man responsible for so much evil in the world above, but this all unknown to Honored Service. He reached up and pulled the helmet off of his head, revealing his face to the man beneath him.

“You’re human?” Sam gasped out, coughing blood up as he struggled to breath.

“Yea, and I think you should see the face of your executioner.” Honored said, voice full of malice and anger. “You are nothing but dust.” Honored stood up and lifted his leg, and held it over the murderer. He dropped it with a quick jolt that forced the leg heat vents to open and cook the body in black and green flames.

SPLAT

The arena full of demons and creatures of the underworld went silent as they stared at the burning corpse of the human. Honored placed the helmet back on his head and twisted it till it clicked in place tightly secured. Then the stands went wild with the cheers and screaming of thousands of demons.

Honored grinned and waved his hands to the crowd as he reached to his thigh and pulled his Desert Eagle out of its holster. He cocked the slide and faced the door at the other end of the arena. Round two was about start.

“Oh damn.” Guide said from the ready room Honored had exited from. He quickly willed himself away and reappeared in the VIP booth at the top of the arena. The other mortals, well one mortal and three demi-Gods and whatever that metal thing was, were all pressed against the railing. All of their attention was focused on the fight going on below them. Honored was facing down a trio of griffins known simply as the Triplets. They were the newest additions to Anger’s champions.

“One of you has to get down there and stop him!” Guide yelled, getting them all to snap away from the railing and look back at him.

“Why?” Luna asked turning back to the action as Honored stood his ground and fired a round from his pistol at the griffon closest to him. The griffon stumbled backwards, rope and spear tumbling from its grasp, and collapsing to the ground. “He seems to be doing just fine on his own.”

Guide slapped a hand to his face. Freaking surface dwellers. “Clearly, but that is what Anger wants ‘ya bloody gits!” Guide shouted gesturing to the fight going on below.

Honored dodged to the left as the the griffons both charged at once. The lightning defense rune on his chest arched to life, a bolt striking out and catching one of the remaining Triplets in the back. That one flopped to the ground, spasming form the electricity, before going still as Honored fired two bullets into its back, blowing meaty chunks of griffon across the floor. The final griffon raised his claws into the air, trying to ask for a mercy surrender.

Honored slowly holstered the still smoking pistol and walked towards the griffon, before pulling his arm back and sending his summoned void blade through the griffon’s chest and out its back. The griffon slumped forward, landing on Honored’s chest plate. He dispersed the blade and pushed the body onto the ground. Demons from the sides of the arena ran forward and began dragging the bodies off to the side.

“That is Anger’s Honored. Full of rage that fights to fight for a goal that is so far away, so far out of reach, that the odds of him defeating all the champions is next to nothing.” Guide said pointing as Honored bowed for the applause that shook the arena. “Someone needs to stop him. Or he is going to just keep fighting till he dies at the hands of a bigger, badder champ.”

The group thought of Guide’s words as the door opened again and another creature walked out. A blood red demon, draped in a black robe, hiding everything but its head. Two twisted and gnarled horns poked through its nasty tangled black hair. Honored walked towards the demon. Celestia sighed, Guide was right. Here was Honored charging towards an enemy, or just a being standing there. He never attacked first, only in defense.

The demon threw the cloak open and seven black claws exploded out from the depths of the robe and raced through the air towards Honored. Honored, caught off guard, was lifted into the air by the claws as the demon where they had spawned from grinned evilly.

Discord looked intently at the fight and then snapped his claw. He smiled at Luna and Celestia before teleporting away in a quick flash of light.

Honored struggled in the claws as the other claws not holding him up reached out and pulled the helmet from his head. Honored made the void blade appear once more, and spun the arm as hard as he could, catching the claw off guard. The blade sliced the claw off and Honored continued the arch of the blade and sliced all three other claws holding him in the air. He slashed forward, cutting a claw in two while stepping around another strike from the remaining two. He rammed the void blade into the demon’s shocked face, the blade easily passing through the demon’s skull and out the back in a fountain of blood and grey matter. The demon sunk to the ground and Honored realished again in the cheering of the crowd. He spun around with his arms raised, void blade still hissing through the air, as he basked in the glory of pure adrenaline induced fighting.

The gate opened again releasing the next champion from Anger’s ranks. Except nothing came out.

The crowd was screaming even louder, as Honored stared at the empty arena. He was confused and every scanner within his suit’s spell matrix failed to pick up on anything. Suddenly Honored was smashed to the side by an unseen force.

The armored covered human smashed into the ground and sat up. Standing where he had been was a pony. This was a pony in only the most basic of terms. The creature stood the height of a normal pony, about waist height on Honored, but that was where the similarities stopped. Its mane and tail were made of orange tendrils of mist that whipped around the pony in random directions. The demon pony had sleek red coat that looked like it was constantly moving in light breeze. Two red feathery wings twitched on the pony’s back as Honored stared the pony down. But one thing that forced Honor to stay down was not the glistening gold armor of an Equestrian Guard that covers some of the pony’s body. It was not the razor sharp hoof claws on all four of the pony’s hooves. But it was the pony’s eyes that had cut Honored to his very soul.

“Sky?”

Luna knew Honored was in trouble. She could read everything that was happening down on the arena floor from in the VIP booth. And the magical signature coming from the pony was one she had felt before. It was Fast Skies’ unique pegasus magic. Except now it had been tripled in strength which had made her able to fly beyond beyond that of even Rainbow Dash’s speed. Faster and then even more than the speed of sound.

And she was a demon. Or at least a prisoner under Anger’s domain. Honored had to fight her. No. This is what Anger wanted, to force Honored into deep emotions to cause him to lose control. The primal fighting animal that Honored could be had yet to emerge. But this would surely do it.

Luna watched, gripped in fear, as Honored stood and slowly walked towards his first love in Equestria that had died saving his life. Deep down inside, Luna felt jealousy, anger, and sadness all at once. She might lose him.

“Sky?” I said in disbelief, standing and walking towards the mare standing across from me. She was alive! After this whole time she was alive! I could save her, I could save her just as she had done for me so long ago. “Sky it's me, Honored.” I said holding out my hand towards her.

BAM

I stared up at the blood red sky full of black clouds that loomed over the stadium. Critical warning signals and signs popped up on my visor alerting me to the damage done to the suit. What had just happened? I sat up and looked around, still only seeing Sky standing across from me in the same spot.

“Sky, you need to get behind me, something is attacking and I have to kill it.” I grunted while standing up. Suddenly, Sky was right in front of my visor with a hoof pulled back, claws aimed at my throat. I ducked just as the claws lashed forward scraping off the top layer of paint of my helmet. I rolled to the side and stared in horror as Sky zipped away so fast it seemed like she was teleporting. She then rushed back towards me.

“No.” I whispered as I stood up and activated the void blade. “No please.” Honored sobbed as he swung the blade and clashed against Fast Sky’s hoof claws.

“Ohhhh Yeahhhhhh.” Anger said to himself, looking down at the arena. This was the perfect set up. Forcing Honored to fight his past love, beyond better than he could have hoped for. The raw emotions pouring from him filled Anger with so much energy, he was tempted to jump down there and lay the hurt on the foolish human that dared challenge his reign of this domain. He was the man. The macho man. The king of the ring. The -

“Excuse me? Are you Anger?” A loud laugh suddenly exploded from behind Anger. He whipped around to find one of the creatures that was a tearren bound demi-Gods from above. This one was draconequus. Discord. “Oh of course you are. Look at your get up, and the way you command this realm.”

Anger snorted and nodded his head once. “You speak true. What do you need from me?” Anger spoke loudly at the creature pointing at him with his muscular, vein covered, glistening with sweat, arm.

“I just wanted to meet the real ‘champion’ of this level of the Underworld.” Discord said sliding closer to massive demon. “And I must say that I’m slightly disappointed.” Discord quickly moved away as Anger slammed an elbow through the air where the Lord of Chaos had just been.

“WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY PUNK?” Anger whipped around, the muscles covering his body tightening. One could even see the muscles under his tassel covered jacket rippling. He reached up and snatched the gold covered wraparound sunglasses off of his face and stared Discord down while breathing heavily. “I’m too hot to handle and too cold to hold! I’m the champ! OHHHHH YEAHHHH!” Anger roared slamming his feet down, causing the area around the two to shake violently.

“Well you say that,” Discord said floating into the air and pointing down to the ring, “but you have girl doing the fighting for you. In fact you name doesn't appear on the fighting list at all. Not even on the final page after all the other ‘champions’ have been beaten.” Discord said, waving the fighting line up at Anger. “You’re no champion, just a fight manger.”

“OH YEAH?” Anger shouted at the draconequus before ripping the buttons from the front of his orange and yellow tassel covered jacket revealing a mass of chest and ab muscles. “You’re going to eat my rear rockets and like it!” Anger vanished in a flash of red light and black smoke.

“Oh dear.” Discord said looking down to the arena.

Honored braced himself for another hit from the pony that was kicking his ass around the arena, but it never came. Fast Skies stood still just as she had been at the beginning of the fight, not a drop of sweat or dirt on her. Honored was covered in dirt from the arena floor and new scratches and dents now adorned the armor. He looked towards the door opposite as music began to play and a shadow loomed in the dark doorway. The stadium quaked at the rising music.

A black hole formed in Honored’s stomach as the music continued to fill the arena. The stands around the stadium went wild as the demons and creatures of the Underworld went ballistic over the approaching figure. A fresh new band of sweat broke out on Honored’s brow as he stared at the growing dark figure that began to fill the entire doorway.

Anger, in all of his glory, slowly entered the arena to thunderous applause and cheering. He lifted his arms waving to the crowd as the tassels attached to the sleeves of his bright orange jacket flapped in majestic way. The large sunglasses hid his eyes from Honored, but he knew they were probably filled with confidence. Anger towered over the mortal human by at least two feet, and the demon God’s muscles were nearly as thick as Honored’s unarmored body. Anger grinned madly at his challenger before rushing forward to meet the human in a few quick strides. Honored dived to the side as the train of pure anger and muscles crashed through the area.

“Where you running? It's pain time!” Anger roared while side stepping back and tossing an elbow backwards and into the recovering human. Honored flew backwards, nearly across the entire arena, and smashed into the ground, skidding to a stop against the wall opposite Anger. “Hmph. Here I am, gracing your presence human. The least you do could do is make it worth my time.” Anger laughed deeply at the human that was currently trying to stand back up and recover from the massive elbow hit. Honored ignored the flashing icons on his spell matrix and quickly jumped into the air using his magic boosters and soared over another running attack from Anger. Anger failed to stop in time and collided with the stone wall. Dust and debris filled the air from the hit as Honored killed the jets and landed on the ground in front of Fast Sky.

“Sky, please talk to me. Look at me. Do something to let me know that you’re in there.” Honored begged the pony who just stood there, staring straight ahead of her. The human held back another wave of emotions as he looked at Sky. “I’m sorry this happened Sky. I don’t know why you ended up in this awful place.”

“Because she made a deal with the boss.” Anger said directly behind Honored. He was unprepared for the choke hold that Anger placed around his armored neck that began to slowly crush inward from the shear strength Anger was applying. He then slammed backwards, driving Honored to the ground. Anger stood up from the slam, arms raised relishing in the cheers of the crowd.

You have to snap out of this! Mars screamed in Honored’s mind. Anger is using your primal emotions against you. Sky is here for a reason you numbskull. He is forcing you to not think, but to only act on your emotions. Get with the damn program, forget about her, forget about why she is here, and just kill Anger.

Honored’s eyes snapped open and he quickly pumped more magic into the armored suit, summoning multiple repair talismans inside of the suit to activate. Flashing warnings slowly vanished form Honored’s visor. With new found strength and willpower, thanks to Mars, he swung his legs around, spinning on the ground, and caught Anger off guard and sent the demon God to the ground. Anger let out a grunt of anger as he hit the ground with an enormous earth shaking ‘thud’. The crowd went silent, except for a small booth on the top of the stadium were Honored’s friends were going wild as Honored rose to his feet and squared off against Anger who also rose to his feet.

“You’re about to find out why I’m the king of the ring.” Anger growled as he circled with Honored who swung out his void blade and held between the two.

“And you’re about to get the real king of demons.” Honored spat back at Anger who yelled while charging forward to tackle Honored to the ground. Jumping into the air, the human stuck his legs out and kicked Anger square in the chest, stopping him dead in his tracks and dropping the demon God to the ground. Honored stood up and circled the collapsed demon while bringing his rifle up to bear. Anger looked up to find the end of the human’s weapon stuck in his face.

Anger rolled to the side as the rifle barked once, the round smashing into the arena floor harmlessly. Honored tried to bring the rifle up to fire another shot but Anger drove a leg up and down, kicking the rifle from Honored’s hand while also stepping forward and punching the armored human in the head. Stumbling backwards from the punch, Honored recovered and ran forward as Anger also ran towards him. Honored stuck out his arm and stepped to the side just as he passed Anger’s chest.

WHAM

Anger flopped backwards after striking the outstruck arm. “Get some mother fucker.” Honored shouted while reactivating his magical void blade. He jumped forward and slammed the blade into Anger’s chest but found the space empty. Honored looked up to find himself staring at Anger who was now standing atop a sixteen foot utility ladder grinning down at the human before leaping of and flipping mid air. Honored was unable to get out of the way as Anger body slammed him into the ground. Anger stood up and readjusted the rhinestone cowboy hat on his head and brushed dust from his shoulders as he walked around the impact crater he had left Honored in.

Two metal hands gripped the edges of the hole in the ground and slowly Honored pulled himself from the crater. Standing just as tall as before, Honored charged towards Anger, but at the last second blasted himself forward with added speed from his magical boosters. Anger squared up and prepared to brace for Honored’s impact but the demon God forget about one thing.

His void blade.

SHING

Honored lifted the massive muscular form of Anger over his head while the void blade sliced clean through his gut and out his back. Honored jerked the blade to the side, slicing the demon God open from the center of his abdomen to the right side, covering the arena floor in a pool of blood and lose entrails. Anger shouted in agony as he fell to the ground writhing in pain and anger at the human that stood over him. Honored reached down and ripped a part of the yellow and orange jacket Anger had on and placed it against the empty side of the shoulder cape before magically attaching it to the growing article of clothing.

“What did he mean by making a deal?” Honored asked guide who appeared beside the human holding a huge burlap sack with a blood red dollar sign on it.

“Deal?” He asked confused. Guide followed Honored’s hand towards the still unmoving Fast Sky. “Oh that. Well she made a deal with the boss when she died. Servitude for an undisclosed amount of time, in exchange for one wish. One thing, no matter what, to happen.”

Honored Service looked to the frozen mare. She was forever lost to some being’s will because she made a deal with the boss, who he assumed had to be the devil. “Anyway to talk to to her?” Honored said while the rest of his following friends arrived on the arena as Anger still groaned in pain beside them.

“‘Fraid not mate. She’s in his control now. And I ain’t got the foggiest clue when her contract will be up. Then she can go back to the great beyond.” Guide said before pointing towards the crippled demon God Anger. “Now kill this gadfly so we can a move on, ya?”

“Just one second.” Honored said while reaching up and removing his helmet, now covered in scratches and dents from Fast Sky’s blows. He bent down towards the little pony and gave her a light kiss on the forehead while she continued to stare straight ahead. “I’m sorry this has happened to you, but whatever you wished for, no matter what it was, it was not worth this.” He stared at the mare and ran an armored hand through her flowing orange mist mane. Upon contact Honored’s eyes went pure white and he felt something wrap around him.

Human, how nice to talk to you. Do not fret, for you are apart of something much greater than you could even fathom. Know two things human. I am what you know as the Devil. And two, know that I am in need of a new guardian of Tartarus. The time has come, change is good even for evil.

‘Wait!’ Honored screamed through the voidscape that he found his mind in as he spoke with the apparent Devil. ‘Oh fuck. I’m talking with the freaking devil.’ Honored thought as a deep evil, blood freezing laugh filled his mind.

You best speak fast before I grow bored human.

‘If you would tell me,’ Honored spoke through his mind to the presence in his head that was communicating with him, ‘what did she wish for? What did she make the deal for?’

My this is better than watching your world slowly kill itself with war. She exchanged her soul for a thousand years for one simple thing.

Honored waited as the true God of the Underworld took a perfectly placed dramatic pause.

She asked that you always are able to win.

Honored came out of the mind grip to find everyone looking at him and Anger still glaring daggers at the group while he held his bloody guts into his body. “I… I spoke to the devil.” He said while looking to the group. They all gasped, including Guide who looked beyond shocked.

“The boss. You mean the big D. He really talked to you? What did he say?” Guide was gushing over the human as he floated around on his stolen Angel wings. “Well?”

“He had plans for me. That all of this apart of some master plan because change is good even for evil.” Honored recited the phrase perfectly. “I don't know what he meant by that. But that was it.” Honored stayed silent as his friends though over his words with the devil. He left out Sky’s deal. Everything that had happened since her death. The defeating of Nightmare, Sombra, all the bad guys after her death had been because of her. The lucky shots, the impossibile skills, hell his development of Void magic and Mars could have been her wish at work. Honored looked at the frozen mare but found that she had vanished. Even in death she had saved his life over and over again.

“Are you alright my love?” Luna asked kneeling down to the crouched human. She gave him a light nuzzle as he stroked her neck.

“As good as I can be right now. Something I’ll tell you once this all over and I can mull it over a bit.” Honored said while flipping his helmet around and placing it back on his head were it clamped down and sealed tight. Honored rose to his feet and walked over to Anger.

“How did you get her to fight me?” Honored barked at the dying demon.

“She appeared from the Boss, it was supposed to really test your mind.” He grimaced as he spoke, blood appearing on his curled back lips. “And I’d say that she really messed with yo-”

SLAM

Blood, bone, brain, and bits of sunglasses rained everywhere as Honored stomped his foot down on Anger’s head. The magical explosive fire vents on the leg armor burned off the gore that had landed on Honored’s armor. The others around him were not so lucky as they stared at the blood splattered all over them in disgust.

“Are you serious Honored?” Celestia groaned, staring at her gore covered mane. “It will take hours to get this out.”

“I’m getting too old for this shit.” Night Rose said looking at the blood coated armor she wore.

“Let's go.” Honored said looking at the bright doorway that appeared before the group and walked towards it, scooping up his rifle as he walked towards it. “We are almost done with this.”

“Now y’all don't go and get cocky because you hav’ gotten this far.” Guide cautioned the group as the walked along a dark and gloomy cobblestone path through a forest that would make the Everfree look like a damn nature walk for children. Skeletons and bodies made of bloody flesh covered the trees and the smell of burning hair and skin filled the air constantly. “This is the level of Heresy. There isn't one big bad boss here.”

“Thank the gods.” Luna said happily.

“There are three.” Guide added quickly.

“Damn the gods.” Luna said. Suddenly there was a massive explosion that rocked the entire area and Luna was yanked into the air over the trees. Honored activated his thrusters and rocketed after the princess as Discord and Celestia followed after him. Tune and Night Rose being led by Guide raced through the forest after them on the ground.

“Luna!” Honored yelled while dumping more magic into the thrusters catching up to her. Honored noticed something shimmer in front of Luna. He reached down to his lower back and drew a weapon. He leveled the shortened Winchester 1892 lever action rifle towards Luna. Her eyes grew wide, but then she remembered who was holding the weapon and gave him a quick nod. Within his mind, Mars was going to work in lining up the shot of the .44-40 caliber round. The shimmer was still in front of Luna and what was obviously carrying her through the air. Honored squeezed the trigger while hurling towards her.

BANG

The round traveled straight and true, slamming into the shimmering apparition ahead of Luna. She let out a startled cry as she was suddenly plummeting towards the ground far below the two. Honore scooped her up and then lightly tossed her back into the air where Luna extended her wings and began to glide down towards the ground. As Luna landed on the field of brown dried grass, the shimmering thing that had grabbed onto her slammed and skidded to a stop some distance away. Luna cautiously approached the smoke filled area, her machine gun slowly coming up beside her. “Hello?” She called out towards the settling dust.

“RAHHHH!” A creature with a human like body but slimmer than Honored’s jumped towards her, clawed hands reaching out towards Luna neck. The creature had long hair that was made of thick black coils that resembled the tentacles of a squid almost and its mouth was split horrifically wide from nearly ear to ear with razor sharp teeth gnashing at Luna as she tried to leap backwards from the attacking monster.

WHAM- WHOOSH- SSSSSSS

Honored landed with deadly accuracy onto the back of the creature, the explosive vents on his armor roasting and ripping the creature apart into chunks of demon scattered around the field. “That’s two you owe me.” He said with a chuckle while stepping away from the great meaty chunks of demon. He holstered his Mare’s Leg rifle on his armor’s lower back and extended an arm to Luna who graciously accepted it and stood up. The rest of their companions appeared behind them.

“What the Tartarus is that?” Celestia asked, pointing at what remained of the creature that had attempted to steal Luna away.

“That is what is left of one of the three Furies.” Guide said from where he was standing on Tune’s robotic claw. “They rule this land and they work for the boss and the big guy above. Anyone that deems the afterlife false and blasphemy of the Gods is sentenced to this realm. And I guess your little squeeze’s ‘damn the Gods’ remark got her an instant ban to the tombs.” Guide flew to Luna and ‘bopped’ her on the nose. “Don't do that.”

“So we just kill the other two and we get on with the show.” Honored said while smacking a fist into his other hand. “Easy enough.”

“Well for my helpful little hint, they learn from each other and they also have the ability to see into the future.” Guide added quietly.

“What was the last part?” Celestia said while looking dumbly at the demon guide.

“Future. They see it.”

“Well did she see my size elevens going up her ass?” Honored laughed while jerking a thumb towards the crushed demon God. “Because I flattened her like a pancake.”

“We saw her death. And we see yours.” The cold spine chilling voice said from behind Honored. He spun around to face to similar creatures that he had just defeated. Each one just as horrific as the last one. One had large black feathered wings and the other had eight long spider legs extending out from its back. They looked maliciously at the group while slowly winding their stances, ready for a fight. Honored reached down and ripped a tattered piece of brown cloth from the first dead Fury’s dress toga wrap before adding it slowly and calmly to the growing shoulder cape.

“I'm going to need more boot.” Honored said taking a defensive position as his friends all assumed similar poses behind him. “Let ‘em eat lead!” Honored yelled while drawing his M16 form his side and opening fire on the creatures. The two Furies dropped low to the ground and dived and dodged to either side as the withering wall of bullets ripped through the air. The spider legged Fury quickly appeared before Honored and drove several of her legs forward, attempting to pierce the joints and weak spots in the armor. Honored grabbed two of the incoming legs, dropping his rifle to his side as the spider Fury stabbed at his chest with four other legs while her final two legs held her from being pushed back by Honored’s strength.

“AHH!” Celestia jumped from the side and body slammed into the Fury, knocking her off of Honored. She leveled the shotgun at the retreating demon and blasted away, the slug rounds impacting the demon and the area around it. One lucky slug ripped into the demon’s back and blew one of its strange spider legs clean off in a spray of sickly green blood. Luna flew over Celestia’s head, standing in front of her as Celestia began reloading her shotgun. The spider Fury moved to strike back, but fell back under Luna’s fire from her machine gun.

Honored quickly ran from the side, slamming full head on into the spider demon, the power armor plowing through the unprepared demon. Luna quickly took to the sky as the Fury with the large feathery black wings dove at her. Luna corkscrewed through the air as the winged demon raced after her. If Honored wasn't busy in a deadly hand to multi leg fight, he would have thought the above aerial show was insanely amazing. Luna pulled up and spun around, releasing a burst of her machine gun towards the pursuing demon ruler of the realm. It faltered back as the bullets lashed through the air, but they were all near misses. With a swipe of its claws, the demon ripped a white silver line in the air before it, and dove through the light.

“What the fuck was that?” Honored yelled out as he slammed a fist forward into the spider Fury’s stomach, sending the creature backwards. “Discord info!”

“Well I’m not an expert on demon magic,” he said while lining up a shot and firing a grenade over Honored’s head and exploding in front of the spider Fury. It released a blood curling scream while diving into the ground, and burrowing out of sight. “That one has transdimensional transportation magic. Jump to and from this plane of the Underworld and the adjacent one.”

“Not good.” Honored groaned while suddenly a white light exploded from behind him. The feathered demon dove through the rip in the dimensional plane and grabbed the back of the armored human. Continuing forward, it flipped Honored forward and slammed him into the ground just as the demon spider’s claws shot out of the ground and held him to the ground from below. The winged demon Fury stood atop Honored and held her claws above his neck ready to deliver the final blow to the armored human.

BLOP

The 40mm high chaos round rammed into the winged demon’s side, blasting a hole clear through her ribcage. Rather than blood leaking out, piles of gummy worries and gummy bears trickled out thanks to the chaos magic that Discord pumped into the grenade launcher. The Fury stared in disbelief at its bleeding sugary side. “I... Ah... “ It stammered looking the sugary treats running through its claws as it desperately tried to hold the leaking food in.

“Chaos magic. Even you can't see what it might do.” Discord said happily as Night Rose dove off his back and slashed quickly with her hoof claws across the Fury’s neck. The demon staggered and toppled backwards off of Honored’s chest, its head rolling to the side, an expression of startled shock still plastered on its face.

Honored’s void blade came to life and quickly sliced to the side and whisked off three of the Fury’s spider legs. A loud screech could be heard under the soil and a rumble of the moving earth. Honored rose to his feet and stood over the decapitated body of the deom and ripped a piece of its dirty white toga dress clothing and attached it besides the other Fury cloth on his shoulder cape. Reaching down, Honored gripped one of the still intact legs of the Fury below the ground and yanked up with all his might. With a comical ‘pop’ the final Fury of the realm exploded from the ground and arched over the group’s heads before slamming into the earth with a mighty ‘thud’.

Luna walked over to the shaking demon and quickly finished the beast off with a burst of her machine gun. She let off a deep sigh as most of the group did. Honored walked over to the dead beast and grimaced as he ripped off another section of its ugly black dress. He attached it to his shoulder cape that now hung freely off his armor’s right shoulder. It flapped in some unfelt breeze, lazily flapping against his armor. “Guide. What’s next?” Honored said while standing up to his full height. The two princesses flanked Honored as Tune and Discord came to a stop behind him. Night Rose gave the demon guide a nervous eye as he coughed and moved in front of the human.

“Well that went alot faster than I thought it would. Hahaha. Good team work I guess. There’s the doorway, we should go.” He said nervously while glancing at the open door. “We got Violence to play with now!”

Honored took a deep breath. “Violence?”

“Violence.” Was the only response the human got. In his mind he thought about every violent thing that he had done, and they were innumerable. But none of them had been done in murder… he thought. Surely he would excel at this layer of the Underworld. He was a warrior the likes Equestria had never seen, He could handle anything this twisted world threw at him.

Scorching rain fell upon the group, flakes of smoldering, burning ashes danced through the air as the group exited the doorway. Celestia, Discord, Luna, and Night Rose quickly discovered the never ending pain that this layer of the Underworld brought to them. Celestia and Luna created a dome shld that sheltered them from the harsh burning atmosphere. The other two creatures dipped under the dome and took up residence under the magical safety dome. Honored held out his hand and caught a burning scrap of ash, closing his fist around it and scattering the ashes to the ground.

All around the group fiery rain fell to the ground from the black clouds filling the sky. In front of them loomed a giant river that was blood red, and the smell coming from it confirmed that it was what it looked like. It was a boiling river of blood that was filled with dying, struggling creatures of all races that Honored and the group had ever witnessed. Every so often, one creature would get dangerously close to escaping the boiling river and onto the bank made of smoldering ash. These unlucky individuals soon sprouted arrows all over their body from some unseen foe that dropped them back into the boiling blood filled river.

Screams and gurgling of the damned filled the area with a never ending chorus that racked against one’s brain and soul. The group stared in horror at the sight before them while Guide floated before them. “Yeah, Violence is pretty messed up, maybe even for you human.” He said with a slightly confident smirk. “The big bad demon here is one mean mother. He has been around the block a few times you could say.”

Honored stared ahead silently, his mine a whirlwind of thoughts as he tries to process what the possibilities. One large demon God or multiple? Guide had failed to alert them to the fact that there were three demon rulers of the last realm. What else was he hiding, he was after all a demon.

The group continued on along the river until off in the distance, over the boiling river, a large bridge was seen expanding over horizon. “There.” Honored commanded, pointing towards the bridge, “we can cross there and find Violence. And then be done with this.” Honored added the last part quietly to himself. The trials of this Underworld still weighed heavily on his mind. Fast Sky was by far crushing his soul. He had made that lucky shot, the one that had saved Luna from the first Fury, thanks to Fast Sky’s wish, to always win. He had to do this, he had to make it to then end, so he could assume his new role, free Sky, and save Equestria from the evil that slowly trickled out from the Underworld.

“Guide who is Violence?” Honored asked looking towards the demon, “What are we going to face?”

“He’s violence human, nothing more simpler than that. You have to beat a guy that has ruled this domain, unchallenged since the dawn of time. He is violence.” Guide said while looking around, he looked sadly to the group and then snapped his fingers and vanished in a cloud of red demon smoke.

“Lot of help that was.” Celestia said grumbling to the group.

“He has seemed to be acting a bit strange lately.” Luna commented as we approached the bridge. “Maybe he is just getting anxious, we are nearly there.”

Honored held up a fist signaling for the group to stop. “Look.” He pointed forward at the end of the bridge closest to them. Guide was floating beside a massive minotaur. The minotaur looked like what Honored imagined the devil really looked like. Goat bottom and red skin with black fur on his waist and below. Two large horns atop his head and a powerful muscular chest covered in scars and satanic symbols. He smirked at the group while reaching up and pushing Guide aside with a massive hand. “These mortals dare challenge me to enter Violence’s realm? They look not worthy of even basking in my presence.” The minotaur chuckled deeply at the group.

“Guide do we have to kill him to get across the bridge and to find Violence?” Honored asked calmly, the helmet dipping as he spoke towards the demon.

“Yes. Well I mean he can just let you pass. But-” Guide started to say but was cut off as Honored spoke again.

“Tune run niner whisky two sierra.” Honored grinned madly in his helmet as he locked his armor back and prepared for the barrage. He charged magic into his gauntlet, from both his mastery of the Void and the raw unlimited pure magic from the near infinite archaic stone charging the suit.

The three weapon systems mounted on top of Tune’s chassis spun to face the minotaur and opened fire. The .50 cal and 240 machine gun released a torrent of fire at the minotaur who was completely unprepared for the insane amount firepower that began to bite into the demon guard’s thick hide. Suddenly the distinct ‘blops’ of the 40mm grenade launcher rang out across the landscape. The shells rained all around the demon and Honored released a shield spell similar to the same one the ponies and Discord were hiding under from the fiery rain. The demon minotaur was trapped in a swirling vortex of fire and shrapnel within the dome of agony as he was whipped to and fro by Honored’s magic. Honored stood up straight and dispelled the magic flowing from his outstretched arm. The minotaur that had intended to stop the party of warriors was lift in a groaning heap before them. It twitched every few seconds as the group moved past it, paying the crippled demon no mind as they crossed the bridge over the boiling river of the damned.

Guide waited till the group was over most of the bridge before swooping down and hovered before the minotaur. “I told you. I said do not underestimate them. They have massacred their way this far. You were supposed to work on one at a time. If one of them dies then they will fall apart. Thanks to your monumental failure, I now have to bank on violence beating them. More than likely it's going to come down to me.” Guide said with a flash of an evil smile before standing up and running a small hand through his wings as the minotaur slowly sat up, blood oozing from his wounds.

“Whatever you say Treachery.” The minotaur coughed as Treachery grinned and took of after the disappearing group. The smile adorned on his face was that of the ultimate evil, the one of gaining trust and then ripping it away when it was least expected. Treachery had done this song and dance before. And it never got boring. Only better and better.

“Well if that isn't violence, then I don't know what is.” Honored said shifting his weight as the group looked at the field of blood before them. Sitting before them was a creature that could rival even the ugliest of any creature in any universe or world. Violence sat on a throne made of bones from what looked like thousands upon thousands of bodies. The massive creature looked like he was one muscle from head to toe. Along one of his arms he was layered in armor that looked like that of a samurai. The other arm was covered in dented and dulled armor that looked like a knight’s shoulder and arm bracer. On his body was a fashioned set of mismatched plate armor that looked like a collection of antique store goods. And each of his legs was covered in scratched and dented armor. The one thing that stopped Honored in his tracks was the roman centurion helmet resting on Violence’s head that was topped with a strip of green feathers. It was his helmet that had been with him for so long. His Equestrian Honor Guard helmet. Violence was about eight feet tall, a head taller than Honored in his power armor. He rolled his shoulder in his throne before standing.

“I see that you have reached me. My turn I suppose.” Violence smiled at them through his crooked and lopsided smile from the sheer amount of scars and cuts along his face. “Let us do battle then. It is my speciality after all.”

Honored grunted, “Funny. I thought that was my job.”

Violence glared at the human as he reached to his side and drew a weapon that gave Honored pause. “I’ll make sure to save your skull for a cup human.” Violence chuckled while aiming the DShK heavy machine gun towards the human. Honored gasped within his helmet and quickly slammed his hand against the ground, raising a solid sheet of the earth up and in front of the group as the massive 12.7mm rounds struck the chunk of earth, biting of large bits of rock and dirt.

“Honored what do we do?!” Celestia shouted over the roar of the machine gun. She and Luna both looked equally startled and scared.

“I’m thinking!” Honored hollered aloud while trying to think of how to overcome a weapon of that magnitude. Violence was the first gun user Honored had fought that actually had a weapon that was on par with Honored’s trademark weapons. “Wait. I have magic. Fucking duh.” Honored said while reaching out with his magic and finding Violence with his pulsing void magic search spell. He snapped the linked belt of ammo, still allowing Violence to have fifty rounds feeding into the weapon. The bullets continued to chew away at their cover, it was just a matter of time until-

CLACK

“What?” Violence said looking down to the empty weapon. “Oh you’re good-” Was all the demon God was able to get out before a void blade slashed down his middle, slicing his machine gun in half. Honored countered with a savage backslash that Violence side stepped while drawing a handgun from his back. Honored immediately recognized it as a 10mm Smith and Wesson semi auto pistol. He labeled the 10mm rounds as not sufficient enough to punch through his armor. Violence fired one round and watched as it struck Honored’s chest and fell to the ground between them. He smirked and tossed the pistol aside instead opting for a long wicked looking katana. Honored rushed forward, driving his void blade horizontally across his chest towards Violence. Violence brought his sword up to block the slash but gasped in startled shock when his blade was easily cut away by the magical blade that Honored wielded. Honored was grinning like mad under the helmet, the demon of violence was proving to be no trouble at all.

The sudden appearance of a flaming sword in Violence’s hands caused his smile to falter. Their blades clashed in a whirlwind of sparks and void smoke. Honored grimaced as the two blades locked together in a battle of pure might. Celestia and Luna quickly swooped down from the hill and joined in the fray. A long rip from Luna’s machine gun aimed directly at Violence was stopped by him raising his hand and absorbing the rounds directly to his palm. He kept his blade locked with Honored as Celestia dove around the demon with a mighty flap of her wings. He reared back and swiped a fist at her, missing her and offsetting his balance allowing Honored to perform a swipe with his leg, knocking Violence onto his back. Honored jumped forward, attempting to drive his blade through his chest, but Violence rolled to the side avoiding the blade.

“Good try.” The God said with gusto while Discord and Tune appeared behind the demon. He leapt into the air and somersaulted over the robot and attempted to slam his blade into Tune’s body. But Tune countered easily but slamming his robotic claw up and driving Violence into the air while launching one of his limited number missiles into the air. The missile impacted Violence’s chest and sent him flying even higher into the air until it detonated, sending the demon hurtling towards the ground.

WHAM

Violence slammed into the earth with enough force to shake the area. Discord and Night Rose teleported together, gaining momentum as the blinked in and out of the space, closing in on the demon as he started to rise. Discord appeared a final time, his claws clasped onto Night Rose’s front hooves, spinning her like a father does with his child. He released her from his grip and Rose hurtled through the air faster than the blink of an eye. She slammed into the mismatched armored chest with such velocity that her hoof claws punctured the metal, and sent a spray of blood out onto the ground. She flipped backwards and punched upwards, drawing fresh blood from Violence’s face and knocking the helmet from his head.

Luna and Celestia flew together side by side as they grew closer to the demon. At once they halted their assault and charged their horns together, releasing a massive dual colored wave of magical energy towards the demon. THe swirling dark blue and gold magic twisted together into a long spiral of magic hurtling towards the demon’s chest. Honored leaped into the air and caught the magic perfectly on the center of his back. He angled his body so he was flying directly at the ruler of this realm of the Underworld. The barrier that showed all he was reaching the speed of sound formed around his front and with an extra burst of magic from his thrusters a massive explosion rocked the entire realm of violence. Demons and the damned alike looked up from their labors and toilings to see a streak of gold, blue, and purple fly through the air and drive something towards the ground.

“To infiity and beyond mother fucker.” Honored yelled as he rammed his arm forward, void blade sizzling to life, as he impacted against Violence’s chest at the speed of sound.

SHHH-WHAM-SPLAT-SHHHH

Honored killed his thrusters and dropped to the earth like a rock, crashing into the ground. The repair talisman in the suit immediately went to work on repairing the damage as he stood up and cracked a few of his joints. Honored looked back to the demon God and smiled. There was clean hole blown directly through Violence’s chest. Blood and gore dripped out of his chest wound, the look of shocked surprise still plastered on his face, his arms raised above his head, flaming sword still burning slightly in his grasp. Violence dropped to his knees as a doorway formed behind his dying form. Honored walked around behind the demon and laughed once, while reaching up and grabbing the flaming sword and spinning it in his hand before driving it though the base of Violence’s skull, slicing easily through the demon flesh.

“Don't mess with my friends.” He said while ripping off a section of thin chainmail form under the back armor Violence wore. Honored added the metal section to his shoulder cape, giving one section of it a dull shine.

Honored stepped to the portal with his friends, the end of the Underworld was nearly in sight. Only two more layers to go and then they would be done with this place. For good. And not a second too soon for Honored.

“Fraud is.. well how do I describe him. He’s a flying dragon, human, lion, thing. Um… how was that?” Guide said looking to the group as we traveled along the edge of step mountain. “He is a lot of different things smushed together that function correctly, but not the way they should.”

“What do we need to do?” Discord asked, hovering slightly over the edge of the cliff the land bound party members had to wander on. Honored and Tune were not too happy s another rock dropped down far below out of sight.

“Not much you can do. Just kill him, the quicker the better. He’s pretty straight forward, just really big. Kill him and be done with this whole thing.” Guide said while looking around searching for the flying demon of the realm.

“Guide what happens once we make it to Tartarus?” Honored asked stepping around a rock outcropping blocking the path.

“So sure you’ll make it?” Guide grumbled.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure we’re doing fine.” Honored said while adjusting the rifle on his side as Tune climbed over the rocky patch using his wheels.

“Ah the weary travelers enter my realm. I knew I felt something just stirring deep down inside.” The deep voice said from behind the group. The flying members of the group flew further away from the mountain while Honored and Tune looked up. A massive warven with rainbow scales and three human heads looked down at the group. He was wrapped around the top of the mountain showing his mammoth size. All three heads glared down at the group while a lion paw rear leg scratched at his belly.

“Fraud.” Honored said with slight nod of his head. “We wish to enter the realm beyond yours. We know we have to kill you to do so. Let us fight, and no tricks.” Honored said trying to sound as honest as possible. Take the bait. Take the bait.

“Oh of course. A fair fight.” Fraud let of a deep chuckle that shook the whole mountain. “I am Fraud! What kind of fight did you think you would get!” The massive dragon creature shouted while diving down towards the human. Honored only smiled as the dragon clamped on of his mouths around him.

“NOW!” The scream came from above Fraud. He looked down to the see that the human he had just bitten clean through was still there. A simple illusion magic trick. That he had fallen for. Above him he felt the impact of several creatures land along his back. Fraud screamed out in agony as a burning sensation trailed along his spine.

Fraud took to the air and quickly began to roll and corkscrew while flapping his wings madly, trying to dislodge the creatures stuck on his back. “NOOOO!” He yelled out while flapping his large wings, trying to cause a draft of air to shake the human lose. The demon was angry that he had been tricked in his own realm. Beaten at his own game. No he could easily dislodge these pesky ticks. Fraud realigned himself with the approaching mountain and dove towards it. He would flatten the human and his friends on the rocks.

“Beat me? I think not human!” Fraud roared as he flipped his mammoth body mid air and slammed into the rocks as hard as he could muster. Sharp pain ripped into the demon’s body and he coughed, blood flowing from all of his mouths, pain reflected on each face. Distorted in pain, Fraud looked down to see three large jagged spears of rock sticking through his body coated in his own blood. He grasped the closes spear and attempted to raise his body from it, but the strength left his body as soon as he made any movement.

“Yeah though this might work.” Fraud looked to the left and stared at the human sitting beside him on a rock sticking off the side of the mountain. “We tricked you three time. It's okay to feel bad. I would too.” Fraud extended his neck out and clamped his mouth around the human, relishing in the fact that he would kill the human at least. Fraud roared in anger that caused his insides to sink further down on the spears when he realized the human he had just bitten had been another illusion.

“Nevermind. That's four. Man today is just not your day.” The voice said from his right. Fraud began to look up but suddenly his rightmost head went black. Pain then ripped through Fraud’s body as the human, the one that had tricked him four time, stood on his chest. A fiery blade was plunged in his stomach and Fraud felt the blackness of the Neverending creeping into his vision. It was over. He had been beaten at his own game by illusion magic used by mere mortals.

“May the Devil take you human.” Fraud gasped out as tears streamed down his other checks.

“Oh I’m sure he will, but not today.” Honored said grimly while strolling around the dying demon’s chest. “Now we are on to the final layer. Thank you Fraud, you will not be forgotten.” Honored reached down and ripped a small patch of rainbow scales from Fraud’s body and in a grim display of void magic attached his flesh onto a strip of cloth that was hanging off his armor’s right shoulder. Darkness crept over more of Fraud’s vision as the Human aimed his hand at the impaled demon and released a string of void magic that sliced around Fraud’s necks. Fraud gasped out, trying to breathe, but to no avail. Slowly he laid his heads back and failed to struggle anymore.

“Good work Luna and Celestia. That magic was beyond amazing” Honored said as the group emerged from a small cave beside him. Luna and Celestia both looked ragged, but held smiles on their faces.

“It was a challenge making the illusions form so far away, but I am glad to see that we still have it!” Celestia said happily, but her eyes told another story.

“Okay well you too need to rest up for the final layer. Let’s get through the portal and just hold position for a bit. Gain your strength back.” Honored said calmly as the group stepped through the growing doorway and into the final layer of the Underworld.

Inside the doorway the group found themselves on a massive vast field of nothingness. There was nothing as far as the eye could see. Honored’s spell matrix built into to suit scanned the area rapidly looking for any threats, but none appeared on his scanners.

“Guide what’s the info here?” Honored asked looking around still scanning the area. Guide didn't respond. “Guide?”

SPLT

Honored spun around to see Night Rose on the back of Tune look straight ahead, a look of terror and pain covering her face. Guide slowly faded into view from behind her, a dagger clutched in his hand and a small smile of pure pleasure adorning his face. He ripped the dagger down and out of Night Rose, sending the bat pony toppling off of Tune’s body.

“ROSE!” Everyone shouted at once, rifles and weapons leveling at the red demon who was still smiling madly at them.

“Treachery.” Guide flipped off of Tune as the robot’s turrets quickly snapped on him. “Welcome to the ninth layer human, it’ll be your end.”

Honored looked from the lying, back stabbing demon to the collapsed form of Night Rose. He could see her chest rising and falling slightly but with a lot of shaking. She didn't have much time. Honored looked to the side and made eye contact with Celestia. She slowly levitated a small red gem out of one of her dirty side pouches. Honored Service stared at her and gave one quick short nod.

Celestia jumped forward towards Tune and the collapsed Night Rose. Honored quickly shoved Luna and Discord towards Celestia using his magic. Luna let out a scream of surprise as Celestia slammed the one way emergency teleportation crystal against the ground and the group vanished in a flash of blood red magic and a swirl of deep purple void magic.

Honored stared at the small scored spot on the ground where his friends had just been. They were safe and that was all that mattered. He then glared at the still floating demon who wore a surprised expression on his face.

To always win. No matter what.

Immortality Please, Hold the Rebirth

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Chapter 26

On My Honor

By Honored Service

Immortality Please, Hold the Rebirth

I stared at the demon still clutching the bloody dagger in his hand as he gave it a fancy swirling motion around his fingers. Guide or rather Treachery, was still staring at me with a surprised look on his face.

“Well I’ll be honest with you human, I did not see you doing that.” Treachery quipped floating around the area in front of me. He grinned madly again before flipping upside down and vanishing from sight. I scanned the area using the suit’s spell matrix and waited for him to show his hand.

“Yeah, I’m just chalk full of surprises. Just like you.” I said, venom dripping from my words as I spoke to thin air, knowing that Treachery had to be listening.

“Now don’t get upset human. I’m a demon, and I’m afraid that you lost. But I’ll give you credit, you made it so far! So very close, but close only counts in horseshoes and handgrenades.” Treachery’s slick, evil voice rolled out from nearly every way around me. I grinned and reached down towards my waist line.

“That’s not a bad idea.” I dropped the silver cylinder to the ground with a small ‘tink’ that echoed through the whole plane around me.

CRACKKKKKK FIZZZZZZ

The suit around me locked up, shutting down form the magic cancellation grenade that I had Twilight cook up. It overloaded any and all magical sources within a small radius and would need at least a few minutes to get them back up and functioning. In magic wielding creatures, like unicorns, the magic grenade acted like a flash-bang grenade. It disoriented and caused the magic caster to lose their ability to cast spells for a few short minutes. But that was all I needed.

Treachery dropped to the ground with a ‘thud’ across from me, a crossbow with a wicked tipped arrow skitted away from him as he hit the rocky earth. “Nice trick.” He grumbled, standing up and clapping his hands, waiting for something to happen. Thanks to the grenade magic, nothing did. “But I can still move and your magic powered suit is now going to be your tomb.” Treachery laughed while stepping towards me while unclasping the dagger still coated in Night Rose’s blood.

My smile was as large as it could possibly be. Too bad the darn helmet hid it from the cocky demon.

CLICK- HISSSSSS

I activated the manual suit override and swung the back open along with the legs and arms. The appendages opened allowing me to move back out of the suit. Stepping around the cold, powered down armor, I meet Treachery’s startled eyes. To top off my dramatic exit, I activated my void magic, showing Treachery that while the suit would be useless for another few minutes, it had shielded my body from the grenade's effects. Treachery looked beyond dumbfounded as I reached up over my head and drew the sword of Protection from my back.

“You just got pranked.” I said stepping towards the short little demon who dropped the dagger and began to backpedal while extending his wings and flapped them madly, trying to take off. His magic gone, if only for a couple minutes, meant that he could do nothing but try and fight me one on one.

Except I had magic.

And guns.

And explosives.

And super strength.

And an Element of Sanctuary.

Who said I would play fair? I was the king of demons after all.

Treachery stopped trying to run and looked at me with anger burning in his eyes. “I will not be beaten by some worthless mortal!” He charged towards me, scooping up his dagger as he ran towards me, his goat hooves clicking loudly against the stones making up our battle ground. “You will taste the bite of my blade and feel the pain of my tricks!” He shouted as loudy as he could closing the distance between us.

SHINK

I swung the sword forward, igniting Void magic along the deep red blade. The intricate designs carved into the blade began to glow a bright green matching the void magic that now coursed through the blade. The five pointed star resting in the middle of the hilt and crossguard began to ignite with a mix of swirling green and purple void magic, powering the powerful enchantments held within the blade. I took my stance as Treachery’s assault slowed. He began to rethink his strategy while staring at the magical blade. He still stood against me though, I tossed my smoky black wings open, the large wings that extended off my back dwarfed the demon as he took another step backwards. I held them open angrily and flared them, giving them a good flap to insure he would get the point. Treachery still glared at me.

I rolled my eyes and reached down to my thigh and unclasped the military issued Beretta with ‘Spike’ etched along the barrel. I aimed it at the demon who now looked like he was shitting his fur.

“I don’t fight fair.” I said while lining up the shot and firing.

Treachery jumped back, the round grazing against his leg, and sent him stumbling backwards. Blood began to leak from his wounded leg, staining the rocks he moved across. He stood back up and leaned away from his now injured leg. “You can’t kill me!” He shouted violently at me, leaning back and hurling the dagger at me. The blade flew directly at my neck, but the sword, fully covered in void magic, sliced the punny blade in two. “I am the God of this layer! You are in my world!” Treachery screamed at me desperately.

“Silly demon,” I said chuckling lightly to myself while approaching him, “Gods don’t bleed.” I drove the blade forward, stabbing Treachery through the gut, right above his fur covered bottom, and drove up to the hilt. Treachery stared at me the entire time, a look of pure disgust and pain forever etched onto his face. “That was for Night Rose.” I said angrily. I aimed the pistol directly between his eyes, “and this is for my pleasure.” I squeezed the trigger and relished in the quick snapping of his head backwards as the round quickly ended his life. I jerked the blade back, sliding the dead demon onto the ground. I looked down and noticed that he had no clothing on that I could take as the final piece to my shoulder cape.

I quickly looked around, insuring that I was alone and sliced off a thin layer of Treachery’s fur. Using the heat of the void magic on the edge of the sword I sealed the bottom of the fur and walked over to the dormant suit of power armor. I reached up and magically attached the hide from the final demon onto the mismatched patterned shoulder cape. I nodded in approval at it and sheathed the Sword of Protection. I tapped the cold armor and waited for it to reactivate. Maybe Twilight added a little too much juice in that grenade.

Luna stared in shock straight ahead of her. She simply watched as Celestia and Discord worked together to try and patch up Night Rose. Tune had been sent to the Ponyville hospital for assistance. Honored. That. That. That no good, heartbreaking, bastard! Luna was so furious. So angry that she wanted to get back on the rune beside her and run her horn through his throat. He had sent them back, all of them back to the surface and left himself in the Underworld alone.

She looked at the dormant rune beside her knowing that it would be impossible to go back without all the original casters there to power it up again. And Honored was still down there. Luna thought back to the very instant she knew it was over for her human. Night Rose had been stabbed. She was brutally rendered helpless by that demon guide. She knew they were not supposed to trust him but they did. And he had been the final demon ruler all along. He knew their plans, the way they fought, the way they thought. And Honored was with him all by himself. He was going to di-

“Luna please! We need your help!” Celestia shouted from across the yard. She had her two forehooves pressed against Night Rose, while Discord held a blood soaked bandage against her back, trying to slow the bleeding. Celestia pleaded with her eyes at Luna who finally shook her head and stood up on shaky legs. Luna walked over and began to cast her healing spell on the injured mare.

The demon’s blade had struck deep and true, just barely nicking Rose’s spine. She was most likely in shock still, and if the blade had touched a nerve, she would be experiencing agonizing pain. Luna reached out with her magic and placed Night Rose in a deep, painless sleep. At once the bat pony stopped struggling and went limp. Luna finished her healing spell that closed the wound and mended the damaged flesh below the surface. She would still need medical care and observation for a few days, but they had acted quickly so the chances of her surviving were looking pretty good.

“Did he tell you not to tell me?” Luna asked softly, looking up to her sister who stood closer to her. Celestia gave a sad smile, trying to brush the blood off her front. The stark red blood against the near snow white coat was so contrasting that Luna felt so strange looking at it.

“Yes. He… Luna he knew you would never leave otherwise.” Celestia paused and gave up trying to wipe away the blood. She sat beside Luna and looked at the rune before them. “He told me that if anyone of us was to get hurt, to activate the spell and get out of there.” Celestia sighed and removed the old modified human helmet from her head and sat it beside her while also removing the flak jacket and web waist belt that held her pistols and storage pouches. “He wasn’t willing to complete this mission if one of us got hurt. He knew that.”

“I hate him.” Luna said, tears streaming down her cheeks as she hurled the machine gun across the yard. She ripped the battle pack from her back and threw it too. Shredding the armored neck pieces and body armor she tossed everything into a pile before yelling into the air and falling down to the ground. Luna began to sob heavily while slamming a forehoof to the ground. “Damn him. I loved him and now? Now he is gone.”

“Shhh. Shhh.” Celestia cooed, stroking Luna’s slightly dirty mane. “He is still alive. He is still fighting. He will make it back, imortal as you and me.” Celestia didn’t believe the words coming from her mouth even as she spoke them. Even with all them against Hades himself, Celestia believed that the emergency teleportation crystal would have been used anyway. She had money on it being Honored that had gotten hurt first, then Luna, and then herself. Night Rose was pretty far down the list because of how sneaky she could be.

“He had better be freaking immortal.” Luna said bitterly. “Because I’m going to kill him if he makes it”

“Hush now Lulu. Just hang in there. Have faith.” Celestia looked down the road form Honored’s house as Tune appeared over the horizon with a few medical ponies from the hospital riding atop him. The ponies arrived and immediately got to work on Night Rose and preparing her for transfer back to the hospital.

“Well C. It was a fun run wasn’t it?” Discord said slowly sliding up beside the Princesses. “He sure was a champion, I’ll give him that.”

“NO!” Luna shouted back at the Lord of chaos. “He has been brought back from the dead. He as vanished for a year, and then just walked back into the castle. He will come back! I know he will!” Luna said strongly, tears flowing down her matted cheeks. “He has too.” She added softly to herself.

“Finally! Christ almighty if I had known it would take this long for the magic to restart I would have fucked with that little bastard longer.” I said climbing into the armor. I placed my legs into the armored legs and wiggled them into place. My chest fitted perfectly, even with the gear on my chest rig, into the armor’s main section. My arms reached into the armor and gripped the manual controls and released the armor. The magic flickered to life as the pandora crystal bursted into light, the magic pouring forth like a rushing river. The suit closed around me, enclosing my body into the hardened magic infused metal armor. The heads up display flickered to life and displayed a few warnings and ammunition count. The leg talisman was damaged, so I would have to repair those manually if they got any more damaged. I looked passed the dead demon's body and towards the bright lighted doorway that had appeared not long after Treachery had been killed, but for the last fifteen minutes I had simply stared at it.

What was I going to do?

I was going to fight a God on my own now. I had rehearsed it with Discord, but actually fighting him? What was I thinking sending all my friends back. I swallowed my fears and stood up straighter, the armor moving with me. I shouldered my rifle and walked towards the doorway. This was it. There was no going back. Only to keep going.

Knock Knock Tartarus, Honored’s here.

I gave a final nod and charged towards the doorway, rfile brought to bear and ready to fire. I passed through the doorway and was blinded by the sudden light as I entered Tartarus.

“Ggggrrrrrrrrr.” I looked around as my vision slowly returned to normal. I found myself staring up at a massive three headed dog. It had its teeth bared and long trails of saliva dripped from its lips as it continued to to give off a deep growl.

“Of course. How could I have forgotten about Cerberus.” I groaned loud as the beast dove towards me. I jumped to the side and activated the magical thrusters launching myself into the air. From above I was able to get a much better look at the new challenge before me. Cerberus stood before a massive gate the opened into another plane beyond it. Cerberus was nearly as long as an eighteen wheeler and was almost twenty feet tall. “Thats a big dog.” I said looking at the beast. I had no clue on how to beat this thing. It was far too big for my firearms to actually hurt it. My void blade would be able to do something to it, but I really didn't want to get that close to the dog. Those three jaws were looking mighty sharp and full of teeth.

‘Who’s a good boy?” I shouted down at the dog. “You want a treat?” Cerberus cocked his head and looked at me. He did stop growling though. That was a good thing. Maybe there was a dog beneath those massive jaws and gnashing teeth. I slowly began to descend down towards the dog. If he wasn’t destructive, like when Twilight sent him back, then maybe I could too. It would be easy.

“GROWL!” Cerberus jumped into the air at me, his jaws opening wide intending to snatch me out of the air. I quickly dumped magic into the thrusters and launched myself back into the air, making sure to shoot extra flames down. The magical flames scorched against the dog’s mouths causing him to recoil. I smiled as the dog whimpered at the burned skin around his face. Then he looked up and growled again, this time even deeper and louder than before.

“Oh crap.” I groaned as the dog leapt into the air, trying to rip me from the air. I was still a good ways up from him, but he was trying his hardest to get enough air to reach me, but to no avail. “I’m just going to have to fight this damn thing.” I groaned to myself and quickly dropped towards the ground, aiming directly at the demon three headed dog. At the last second I flew to the side as the dog clamped his mouths at me. Cerberus was pissed as he growled and began chasing after me while the suit tore through the air.

WHAM

I dropped to the ground, the suit’s display letting me know one of the thrusters was down. I spiraled down to the ground and skidded along the ground. The flashing lights and warning alarms were screaming at me as I sat up in the suit and pulled my rifle up to me. I stood up and faced down the charging devil dog. I aimed the weapon, ready to fire, when the dog suddenly stopped.

“What are you waiting for?!” I screamed at the dog. Anger flooded my body as I glared at the dog, flicking the safety off on the rifle and began to squeeze the trigger.

“He waits on commands from his master.” A calm voice said to my side. I slowly turned my head and gazed towards the voice. A towering mass of pure muscle and demon stood across the plane from me. Draped in a toga of sorts, with random bits of gold armor on his legs and arms, the towering demon stood with a wicked long black bow in his hand before turning it up and it morphed from a bow to a massive solid black staff.

“Hades.” I said quietly as the demon of the Underworld took a ground shaking step towards me.

“You come here to what? I ask mortal to know of what you want to achieve. Why would you try something you are so destined to fail?” Hades asked while stopping beside his guard dog. Cerberus arched his back as Hades reached down and scratched the dog behind his ears. “You have amused me, but I am afraid that you have overstayed your welcome here. But for your daringness against a God, you will have to be reaped and added to the prisoners of Tartarus. In fact, you may know a few of your would be cellmates.” Hades added with a smile that was made of pure sinful evil.

“I…” I started to say but Hades held his hand up, silencing me.

“I care not. Cerberus, attack.”

The dog moved faster than anything I had ever seen. One second he was beside his evil master, the next he was in front of me, jaws snapping at my armor. I slammed a fist forward, nailing one jaw shut around its own tongue, a spray of blood raining around and splashing across the armor. The other two jaws latched around each of my arms and pulled. I was lifted from the ground and the armor once again began to flash warnings at me as the armor was put to the test of yet another demon.

I flared the void magic in my gauntlet and fired a massive blast of magic out into the dog’s left mouth that forced it to let me go. As the dog whimpered, I continued the stream of magic and swung around the dog’s right head before slamming my boots on the top of its head that still gripped my arm in its mouth. The vents activated as soon as they made contact and the blast of magical flames washed over the dog’s ears and eyes, scorching them raw. The jaws released my arm and I toppled to the ground, spinning until I hit the ground. I stood up and crouched down as Cerberus recovered, even with his bloodied mouth and burned face, he still looked menacing. I ran to the side, the armor providing me a good bit of extra speed as Cerberus lunged at me and missed.

I swung around the dog, the air around me rippling as I began channeling raw void magic into my armor. The suit suddenly burst into flames as the void magic caught and i stopped, spinning around and releasing the built up flames. Cerberus's side was open and exposed as I kept the fire pounding into his side. The dog howled loudly as he was cooked from the outside, the fire scorching his flesh and burning the hair, filling the air with a pungent smell.

“ENOUGH!” Hades yelled, slamming his staff to the ground which sent a shock wave rippling through the ground towards me. I toppled backwards as the ground shaking waves bounced me along the ground. “Cerberus, stop playing with your food.” Hades commanded and before I could recover, Cerberus was on me.

I was picked up and flung into the air by one of the snapping jaws of Cerberus. The suit’s systems began to fail one by one as the jaws ripped and chewed their way through the magical crafted armor. “NO!” I shouted as the demon dog crushed through my right arm. White hot pain flashed across my arm as blood began to flow freely down my arm. “God. Damn. Dog!” I shouted while keying up a series of commands to the armor. “Sorry armor. It’s been fun.” I said while activating the command.

KRACK-PSHHHH

The armor split open, and sent me flying from it. As I flew out, I grabbed the sling of the rifle and aimed my gauntlet at the armor. I used my magic to hit the activation button built into the interior of the helmet, under a small plastic cover. As Cerberus separated the legs form the rest of the suit and swallowed them whole, the back power cell cover opened, allowing the Pandora crystal to shine brightly before vanishing down the dog’s gullet with the rest of the suit. I grinned as I wiped a hand across my brow, feeling a slight flow of blood trickle over my eye. “Snack on that.” I whispered while leaning back and hurling the grenade towards the dog.

The blood soaked hand grenade sore straight and true towards the middle head of Cerberus, that because of its wounded tongue, was open to allow the blood to drip out. The grenade landed perfectly down the dog’s throat.

“CERBERUS!” Hades screamed as I dropped to the ground an summoned a void shield around me as I hugged the ground.

‘Nice throw Mars.’ I thought to the other mind within my head, the one that controlled the vast amount of Void magic that I wielded. The dog stopped its lumbering run towards me and slowly till it came to a halt. Suddenly a bright light began to cover up its entire abdomen and the dog growled once more while lunging towards me.

KABOOM

Cerberus, the massive demon dog of Tartarus, vanished in a flash of pure white light and a fine spray of red mist. The plane was silent except for the humming of my magic as I looked up from the safety of my protected spot beneath my shield. The ground was smoking where the dog had just been standing, but now only black smoke and a fine layer of the red splatter of blood covered the area. Hades was staring at me with anger and rage that made me feel my soul being crushed and snapped in every direction. The God of the Underworld took a menacing step towards me as I picked myself up and shouldered my rifle.

Going up against a God. Fucking stupid.

Going up against a God without friends. Beyond fucking stupid.

Going up against a God without friends and destroying my armor in the process. Absolutely fucking beyond stupid to the point of suicide.

I took a deep breath as the angry God raised his staff and transformed it into his solid black bow. He drew his muscle bound arm across it and three arrows appeared along the notch. I took another breath and began to run forward as the arrows were released.

It ends here.

Honored jumped into the air, his wings on his back opening and launching him into the air where he landed on the first arrow and jumped from the first to the second arrow. He ran along the massive projectile before jumping again and landing on the third arrow and somersaulting into the air and flying forwards towards Hades as he reared back and slammed a fist forward, intending to catch the human midair with a powerful punch. Honored ran down along the arm and jumped into the air at the shoulder and swung his foot around, kicking the large demon across his face.

The human dropped to the ground and rolled away as a fist slammed into the ground, blasting Honored back from the sheer force of the punch. The human looked up at the colossus demon sizing up the challenge that was in store for him. He would have to use void magic to enhance any attack he made to insure that it would have some effect on the demon God. The burning black flame the flickered back and forth between the demon’s long bull horns on his head was Honored’s true prize. The flame of immortality.

Hades leaned up from his punch and smirked at the human who recovered from the blast of the punch. “I will allow you one compliment human,” Honored cocked an eyebrow up at the demon, “you are providing me with valuable entertainment that I normally reserve for the surface world.” Hades laughed as he spun his staff along his palm and then tucked it into the crock of his arm. He flipped it around and around before lashing out and bringing the pitch black staff to the ground just as Honored threw a void shield up.

BAM

Honored felt as if his arm was breaking under the sheer force of the hit. He looked up, tears forming in the corners of his eyes as the staff was caught on the other side of his void magic. Using the magic, Honored willed the shield to wrap up and around the staff, Honored gritted his teeth as he forced the staff up and quickly wiped it around, slamming the black staff back into Hades’ startled face. The God staggered backwards as Honored twirled the staff midair and then lashed out again with the staff clasped in his void magic. Honored smiled, he had the advantage now! Surly he could lay waste to the demon with his own weapon.

SNATCH

Honored felt the magical whiplash as Hades grabbed the staff midair and ripped it up over his head, swinging the magical connection like a wip right back into Honored’s outstretched hand. Honored flew backwards from his own magic cancellation blood flowing freely from around his gauntlet on his left hand.

“You have much to learn mortal.” Hades scoffed at the wounded human. But something about the demon gave Honored hope. Hope that was like a small burning candle against the infinite black plane of space that was Hades in this version of never ending Hell.

A near pinprick amount of blood could be seen on Hades’ bottom lip from the staff hit.

Honored gave a small pencil thin smile while sitting up and cracking his neck. Just as he had told Treachery, Gods don't bleed.

Hades was beyond angry. How was the human, the mortal, still alive. His attacks were perfect, the God of Tartarus had practiced for eons and yet this… this disgusting ill trained and sloppy mortal being was dodging them to some degree. Not only that but he was able to land a few hits, as minor as they were, on the God’s body. Hades was having fun at first being entertained by the human’s desperate battle for survival, but now minutes into this fight he was growing increasingly tired of the ‘spunk’ the mortal carried.

Honored once again dove to the ground as Hades pitched a chunk of rock from the dried earth of Tartarus and swung his staff as if it were a baseball bat, knocking the car sized piece of ground towards the human. Honored scrambled farther away as the rock shredded into the ground and blew more chunks of shrapnel everywhere. Honored hissed in pain as another pain raced up his right arm. More blood dripped to the ground as Honored ignored the pain and stood up leveling the rifle at the God. The bullets from the rifle didn’t seem to harm him, but when striking his eyes, it did blind him to a sense. And this gave Honored precious seconds of peace from the relentless attacks from the God.

Honored rolled to the ground as Hades clasped a massive hand to his eyes, shielding them from the barrage of rounds. He slowly lowered his hand and looked down at the human, his mammoth staff crashed into the ground and ripped the hardened fire scorched earth of Tartarus into the air. Honored panted heavily as blood dripped down the side of his face and his arm gave another sharp jab of white hot pain. The mortal human glared up at the tower of a God that glared right back at him, giving him the look one would give a cockroach that was caught when the lights came on.

“Look at yourself! You're not a God! You’re a weak mortal that thinks it has the ability to decide the fate of a world! I have lived for eons and you are not but a speck of dirt floating through this world. And your decision to come here will be in vain!” Hades, lord and ruler of the Underworld, roared at the human as his own sinister demon magic flared to life, coursing through the veins that covered his muscle bound arms.

“You're right Hades,” Honored yelled back while reaching into his pocket and pulled a small glowing purple bullet out before dropping it into the open chamber of the readied M16A2 rifle, “But damn am I going to go down fighting!”

The purple explosion that flew from the barrel of the rifle crashed into a stream of pure black magic that was streaming from Hades’ extended arm that didn’t hold his staff. Both creatures clenched their jaws as the raw magic continuously slammed together, random bolts of magic flying in either direction. Honored knew the bullet had already left the barrel, but he still continued to pour his void magic into the weapon, drawing magic from everywhere around him. The void reaching out to him, and he staring back into it, asking, pleading for more strength.

For Mars, within the human’s mind, was one with the void allowing him look deep into the void, to understand it, to know it, to be it and not become lost. Honored was in control of the void and it answered his call. The deep purple magic continuously poured forth from the rifle's barrel, meeting Hades’ magic with an equal amount of force that slowly, inch by inch, forced the demon’s black stream back towards his outstretched hand.

“WHAT? NO!” Hades hollered as the purple magic made contact with his open palm. The Underworld went white.

Celestia and Luna looked out at the horizon from atop Honored’s house, both lost in thought of the outcome of the human. Hours had passed since they had returned from the hospital, insuring Night Roses’ safety. She was still fast asleep, but the doctors thought that she would pull through the near fatal wound. One or two centimeters to the left and she could have been paralyzed and dead within minutes. Discord had volunteered to stay at her bedside while the two sisters left, each lost in their own minds.

Celestia was preparing how she would tell the Elements of Harmony and Sanctuary about the loss of their friend and comrade. He had bravely fought a God… He had stupidly fought alone against a God that was the ruler of the Underworld because he couldn’t be happy just living a normal life with friends and family. He only had to stop chasing the end of all violence and just settled fighting whenever evil dared show its twisted face. Nope. The human had to go directly to the source of evil because of his unquenchable desire for fighting and adventure. Celestia sighed she would have to give the Tartarus damned human a second eulogy. ‘He probably planned this so he could try and get a second holiday’. Celestia thought giving a small sad smile.

Luna was silently staring at the setting sun. She wanted to take back everything she had said when Honored sent them back to the surface. She didn’t hate him, she loved him and somewhere deep down inside she knew that this was going to happen. The fact that they had made it as far as they did with nopony getting hurt still surprised her. She knew that he would have a backup plan, but she just didn’t want to believe it. And yet here she was, wondering about her lost love. Was he even alive? Had he died right away or lasted a few rounds with a God? That was the worse part. Luna choked back another wave of tears, she wouldn't even have a body to bury. She would only have that damn statue to look to and remember her beloved human. She was once again alone in this world save for her sister.

Both sister looked up as the world around them began to quake as if the ground below them would open up at any second. On the horizon, both alicorns stared in disbelief as purple and black flames licked up at the skyline far in the distance. The rumbling stopped and the world around them went silent. Every creature, every motion, everything was stopped as if waiting for the next beat of the world to restart.

Luna’s heart was beating faster than it ever had. Those purple flames. Those blessed dark purple flames that had kissed the sky line. They were Honored’s signature void magic flames. He was still alive!

‘Or,’ Luna thought as her stomach was replaced with a bottomless pit of despair, ‘that was his death totem at the hands of a God.’

She looked to her older sister to find Celestia staring intently off at the distance, holding her breath in fear and hope.

Honored charged forward as the God of the Underworld sailed backwards through the air, his arm smoking from the magic battle that the mortal human had won. Honored jumped into the air and reaching out with his void magic, rolled around and slammed down into the demon, the void magic colliding with the his face. Hades released a fine spray of blood the flew into the air and covered the ground and the human that was now standing atop the demon’s blooded and burnt chest. Honored was panting madly as he raised his gauntlet, summoning the void again, and slammed the void enhanced fist into the demon’s chin repeatedly.

WHAM

SMACK

Hades reared his hand back and backhanded Honored off his chest, and sent the human flying across the ground. Honored bounced across the brimstone ground and came to a stop coughing up blood while desperately trying to force air back into his lungs. Hades rose back to his full height and outstretched his undamaged hand where his staff flew into the awaiting palm. He glared pure evil and hatred at the stumbling human who was slowly standing back up, hunched over from so obvious wound in his abdomen.

Hades gave a grin around his swollen lips. He then frowned and reach up with his good arm and traced one finger along the swollen flesh. He pulled the hand up and looked at the blood covering his finger. He looked up to glare at the human before ending his life when he noticed the far way human was now directly in his face, flying through the air propelled by a blast of purple void flames. Hades tried to dodge the flying mortal, but it was too late. He was to close. The last thing Hades’ right eye saw was the purple void flame covered Sword of Protection.

The demon slammed into the ground screaming in agony as Honored stood over his eye socket, jerking his Sword of Protection around the eye, gore and blood flying out as he fired more and more void magic into the soft flesh of the collapsed God. Hades quickly swung his left arm towards his face, dropping the staff as he went, attempting to swat the human off his face before he moved onto the next eye. Honored smoothly leapt over the incoming hand and while flying into the air with a powerful thrust from his wings, reached out with his magic and yanked the black staff into the air.

Using the void, he had Mars change the staff into its sinister bow form and drawing void across it, created a large void arrow along its notch. Honored smiled while releasing the magic and sending the purple flaming arrow down at his next target, the demon’s unprotected left eye.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Hades threw himself into the air and began to swing wildly around him, his massive arms swinging great gusts of air in every direction as he launched wave after wave of black magic randomly trying to hit the flying human. Honored dodged left and right, tucking his wings against his back and dropping like an arrow flew low to the ground, the demon’s stomping feet failing to land a hit on the tiny flying human. Honored drew his sword once more and spun to the side, sliding between Hades’ feet and wicked the sword across his Achilles tendon on his massive foot. The demon roared into the air, shattering the plane around them with a scream that echoed all the way to Honored’s soul.

Hades swung one last time, falling towards the ground, firing blasts of magic out in every direction desperately trying to hit the human. In his desperate panic to kill Honored he failed to feel the human latch onto the front of his toga and ride the demon to the ground. Hades hit the ground with a massive thud that caused even the caged demons on the other side of the plane to jerk and go silent in their internal prisons. The demon God slowly began to stop struggling and went still. He was blind and was immobile on one leg. Hades had not felt this feeling in hundreds of eons. The feeling of helplessness. The feeling of defeat.

“You damn human!” He roared out ripping and tearing at his own empty eye sockets. Despair and grief causing him to lash out at himself and anything around him. “You think you will be any different?! I never wanted to be this creature! After eons you will grow weary of this! You will slip just as I did and those that came before me!” Hades shouted out at nothing. He listened for anything that would tell him where the human was. His magic could eventually repair his wounded appendages and eyesight, but first he had to kill that human. He would make sure that his soul would not escape the Underworld. He would keep it and torture the human beyond anything he had ever done before.

“I was good just like you! I wanted to help stop the evil! Don't you get it mortal, you will eventually grow bored, you will want acknowledgement for your heroic duties as you work in the shadows. You will release one or two evil spirits and then capture them, the creatures above thanking you, but soon you’ll want more!” Hades screamed out, for once Honored smirked from where he was standing on Hades’ chest unknown to the God of the Underworld. “You. Will. Become. Me.”

“Not likely.” Honored said while Hades swung his arm at the sound of the human’s voice. Honored extended his wings and quickly rose above the strike and hovered above the God before diving down, arm extended, and slammed a void punch into the God’s neck. Hades gasped and sputtered while leaning forward, but in his blinded state he failed to see the his own staff trailing behind the human in a magically propelled vortex of pure void magic. Hades didn't register the staff impaling his destroyed right eye socket and blowing through this skull and out the back of his head. The world stood still all around Honored as he stood behind the dying demon. Hades was frozen in time, his head still leaning forward, propped up by the black staff lodged through his skull, thick red blood oozing from the open wound in the back of his head.

Honored turned back and walked towards Hades. He stood at the base of the staff and kicked it, sending Hades’ head sliding backwards along the staff towards the ground, a disgusting ‘squelching’ sound filling the air as it did so. As Hades stopped moving Honored focused on the one thing before him that was seeming to call to the human in whispers piercing his very soul. Honored walked towards the small black flame suspended between the ded God’s bull like horns. The flame had shrunk to nothing but a small flame barely staying lit, as if any tiny amount of wind would cause it to go out. Honored slowly extended his hand towards the flickering black flame. He stopped and hesitated on the God’s words. Would he really become that which he destroyed? No Honored knew better than that demon. He lived his whole life for good and protection. He would insure the protection of Equestria and he could do so where Hades had failed. He would not let his power consume him.

How could he?

He had Luna to control him.

Honored smiled at the thought and reached a hand out towards the flame and wrapped the metal covered fingers of his gauntlet around the black flames of immortality.

Everything went blind for Honored as he threw his smokey wings open and white light poured forth from his open eyes and mouth in a silent scream.

Author's Notes:

Well... wow... how was that? Fight-y enough for 'ya? I know you liked that! I mean come on, that final killing move? That was awesome! Come on. More? Really? You are so hard to please! Fine. Fine you win, no need for the puppy dog eyes. Really okay knock it off. Yes, yes dear reader there is more to come. How could I end it like that. I couldn't. More to follow.

"What...What was that?" Johnson said looking around him in his dazed and hazy state. Johnson slammed his hand down on the buzzing alarm clock next to his bed and rubbed his eyes.

"Oh man that was a crazy dream." He said swinging his legs around the bed and standing up. He walked over to his mirror and grinned. "Whelp dreams are dreams I suppose." He said looking into the mirror and at you, the dear reader and winked.

No I'm kidding, that was a prank! Relax, that is not how this will end. More chapters to follow my friends! Now I'm sure there are a lot of errors and junk in there, but I wanted to put this out to 'ya nice and quick like. I'll go back, but I feel that it is readable.

Stay strong brothers and sisters,
Johnson

I Live. I Die. I Live Again.

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Honor Above All Else

Chapter 27

By Honored Service

I Live. I Die. I Live Again.

Princess Luna stood on her balcony looking out at the deep valley of Equestria below her. In the distance, if she looked and focused, she could make out the quaint little town of Ponyville. Luna sighed and hung her head as the moon crested over the horizon and made its way to its normal spot in the sky. Oh Honored. Luna thought sadly, thinking to his empty home on the outskirts of the town. In the week Luna had been back, she was wrought with depression and despair at any thought or mention of the missing human. Luna thankfully had Celestia and Discord to help her through the rough times ahead. Her new found love, only just beginning and full of sweet innocence, had been stripped away from her before she had even gotten a chance to thoroughly enjoy it. Discord had been surprisingly helpful in taking care of her, his normal pranking and shenanigans abandoned while she mourned, but in a way, he to was missing the rambunctious human that had trusted him even after all the things he had done.

Celestia seemed to be less full of energy through the day as she walked along the maze like halls of the Canterlot Castle. She turned her head to the thing rolling beside her, “Tune what do you think about the new taxation proposal by the Crystal Empire?” Celestia asked the large robotic weapon system. With Honored gone, presumably dead, Tune transferred his service to the royal princess who Honored deemed responsible enough to command him.

“I’m sorry princess,” Tune’s voice came out slowly, almost as if he was saddened by the recent turn of events, “I am just busy processing other things at the moment.”

“I know Tune.” Celestia said looking out the nearest window and seeing her sister staring out across the valley beneath them, “we all are.”

“Okay okay okay. I get it. I get the rules. I get the requirements. I get it, really I do.” Honored said pacing back and forth in front of the large red desk resting in the center of the large circular room covered in demonic symbols, ancient tomes, and scrolls scattered everywhere. Honored Service, the mortal human, now was the lone guardian of the damned. It was his job to oversee the keeping of Tartarus. The most wicked and evil creatures the Underworld had to offer were under his ever watchful eyes.

“Sorry sir, it's just that we need to go over the summoning rituals before the end of today to insure that you are aware of the full extent of your duties.” A small demon said in a hurried, quiet voice. Unlike most demons found throughout the Underworld this one was… special. She had always been special. For she was the demon of organization. A new demon in this time of the Underworld and the advancing society above. She forced those around the world to stay on task and organized, never late to meetings and appointments, forever ensuring that nothing fun ever happened so long as the day planners had free space in them. The demon of structured office hours and meetings. Maybe the worst of them the evil creatures in Hell.

“Listen Dona,” Honored said pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing, stopping his pacing in front of his large desk, “I know very well that it can wait until I go to the surface and see my friends. I am almost one hundred percent sure that they are freaking out about me being dead. They have had a few days to wait on me to come back from the battle with Hades and I’m sure they are missing me to some extent.” The new ruler of Tartarus said looking up to the floating demon secretary. Said demon was busy flipping through pages in her black day planner before looking up and adjusting her thick rimmed glasses before straightening her white blouse.

“Actually sir,” Dona the demon said while opening the planner to a week ahead and showing it for the frustrated human, “It has been a week for them, only two days for you down here in Tartarus.”

Honored stopped pacing and slowly stretched his black wings, now after his interaction with the flame of immortality, had became a physical appendage. Both of the normally smokey black fog like wings had now manifested themselves into two black glossy feathered wings that stretched out past the human’s back. Honored gently stoked one of the wings, trying to calm himself at the recent news. “Dona?”

“Yes sir?” The secretary demon said quietly as Honored looked at the demon with a thousand yard stare.

“CANCEL MY DAMN APPOINTMENTS!” Honored yelled at her, sending the demon flying out of his office. He aimed his gauntlet at the door to his circular chamber and slammed it shut. Honored spun towards one of the few prison cells along the walls of his office where the extremely dangerous, but still relatively sane, members of Tartarus were kept.

“Alright. Knowing that useful bit of information, what would you do in my position. Besides your normal suggestions.” Honored asked the prison cell that was glowing in a deep purple ambient magic spell that had different ancient and powerful ruins glistening across its surface, keeping the prisoner detained within for the rest of known eternity.

“Well taking over Equestria would solve the whole travel to and from aspect.” The deep, cool, and calm voice said with a hint of cockness. “But I guess just head up and explain to them everything. Your job. Your new title. Your new powers and perks. Just let them know what's up.”

Honored paused and rubbed a hand over his stubble covered chin. “Hmmmm. Good idea. Thanks for the help. Okay you read over the newest batch of proposals for release and I’ll look at the ones you approve when I get back.”

“Of course ‘Warden’.”

“Good Nightmare.” Honored smirked at the cloud of floating black magic that had two teal colored reptilian slit eyes. The cloud bobbed in acknowledgment while a pile of papers appeared inside the cell and the cloud descended on the stack to begin reading over tem. Honored checked over the holding spells and rune magic one last time around the cells in the room before stepping out of his office and into the large waiting area. Dona the demon secretary cringed back at her desk as the human turned Demon God exited his office and closed the door.

Honored looked at the full length mirror he kept beside his door giving himself a once over. His same brown hair with red, yellow, and orange streaks in it was still relatively unchanged. Upon closer inspection, one would notice two small bumps forming on the top of the human’s head. Dona had filled Honored in on his soon to be permanent changes to his physical appearance. One would be the two horns forming on his head. She couldn't say what kind as each demon was randomly given them. Moving down Honored smiled at his face. Except for the new scars, his face had remained unchanged. Same green eyes with gold flecks of color in them, and his smile still could bring happiness and the feeling of safety to others. His new feathered wings were a change in the fact that now they were physical and not just void magic wings. The black glossy feathers gave off a light shine in the dim torch light of the outer office. He folded them closed along his back and adjusted the white button down shirt he was wearing. Simple, yet it spoke much. Or so the human thought. His wings vanished under the deep , blood red cape he wore over them, to hide them and protect them until they were needed. The cape had a few rips and tears in it, while the bottom edge was already fringed and roughly sliced up towards the right side giving it a triangular shape along his lower back.

Honored wore simple light black pants that reached down towards his shiny black shoes that hugged his feet perfectly. Honored grinned at the reflection in the mirror and gave it a wink. “Hey good looking.” He reached up to a hook beside the mirror and picked up a large black leather belt and fixed it along his waist. On the belt was only one weapon, the Element of Protection in all of its deadly sword form. Honored gripped the hilt and started to pull it out. He stopped halfway out of the sheath when he felt it begin to vibrate with ambient magic from his void. He dropped it back into its brown sheath and turned to face Dona.

“Dona I’m stepping out for a bit. Take any messages. I’ll leave you to it.” Honored grunted to the secretary who nodded rapidly as Honored summoned void magic into his gauntlet and slammed it to the ground.

Around the crouched human, a massive rune formed on the ground, a large nine pointed star with extremely detailed glyphs and smaller runes all along its lines began to glow a bright purple with the void magic as it pulsed almost like a heartbeat was coursing it full of blood. Honored looked up to the secretary and gave a smile as the rune flashed brightly and plucked the human from the plane of Tartarus and willed him away towards his destination.

“Thank the Devil.” Dona said shivering as she thought of the human. He was nicer than Hades, but he kind of scared her more than the old ruler. For one he was a human that had bested the nine layers of the Underworld and their nine demon rulers. Then he conquered Hades and his guard manifestation Cerberus. He was in a sense beyond what Hades had been in raw power. And is many lessons going over his new duties and responsibilities on being the new God of Tartarus, Dona had witnessed his power.

It was frightening.

Dona shivered again and went back to typing on her Hell© computer, lining up the next week’s scheduled meetings and required visits.

SHHHH-WHAP

“Oh fuck… that’s a new feeling.” Honored said while shaking his head. His vision was slowly returning to him as he stopped moving and just continued to shake his head. “Okay no more opening eyes in the teleportation plane tunnel thing.” Honored remembered the bright, very bright, white tunnel that sucked him through the rune and deposited him back in Equestria. With a final shake Honored smiled at his old home and noticed the large hole in the wall currently covered by a blue tarp. The rune the group had originally took to the Underworld was still somewhat placed on the ground, but parts of it had been removed to insure no one else would try and recreate their dangerous journey.

“Honored?” A startled voice sounded out behind the human. Honored jumped into the air, his wings shooting out behind him in shock. He spun around to find the rainbow maned speedster, Rainbow Dash, staring at him from a cloud over him. Honored calmed down and slowly managed to get his wings to fold away while the pegasus flew down towards the human. “Is that you?”

“Yeah its me!” Honored exclaimed with a flourish of his hands, “who else would it be?”

“Well I mean… It's just that you look kinda different.” Rainbow said somewhat quietly while looking the human up and down. “And you were like gone for a week of something. So a lot of ponies were saying you were dead.” She added the last part with a gulp of fear. “Are you dead? Like a ghost or something?”

Honored stared at the pegasus for a few seconds before reaching out and giving her a light ‘boop’ on the nose. Rainbow recoiled from the hit and held her hooves up to her nose. “Hey! Mwhat was dat for?” She asked around her hooves.

“If I was a ghost how could I have touched you? Duh.” He said with a laugh while walking towards the house. “I was gone, yes, but I’m back now. Well for a little bit at least.” He walked up towards the house and opened the door looking around at the slightly dusty, but otherwise unchanged home.

“Why only for a little bit?” Rainbow asked stepping into the home after the human.

“Because,” Honored turned around, smiling wide at the pegasus, “Tartarus has a new ruler!”

“OhnoOhnoOhnoOhnoOhnoOhnoOhno.” Rainbow Dash said streaking through the air as fast as she safely could towards the large crystal castle library along the edge of Ponyville. “TWILIGHT!” She yelled out as she closed in on her destination. Rainbow burst through the door and shot around the foyer and into the large meeting room like a wild pinball. She looked around desperately for the purple alicorn, sweat beading on her forehead as she scrambled around in panic.

“Rainbow?” Twilight asked stepping out from the library section of the castle and eyed the freaking out pegasus. “What’s wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost.”

“A demon!” Rainbow yelled, grabbing Twilight and pulling her face against her own.

“What?” Twilight began looking around wildly as well, more to see if she was getting set up for a prank.

“Not a ghost but a demon. Honored… he’s back and is a demon. He has black wings and lots of magic and a scary look to his eyes now.”

Twilight cocked her head and sighed, “Dash, he has always had those things.”

“He said he was the ruler of Tartarus, its king or something.” The rainbow maned pegasus said looking towards the door.

“Oh.” Twilight said sadly. “Well looks like we need to investigate this.” Twilight spun around and headed towards the door, “Rainbow you get AJ and Fluttershy and I’ll get the others. Lets meet in the center of town in five minutes.”

“On it!” Rainbow Dash said while giving a salute and raced out of the shiny castle and towards the distant farm on the other side of Ponyville.

“Oh please don’t be an evil demon.” Twilight said to herself as she galloped through the town towards Rarity’s boutique. She thought long and hard about that while she galloped, “demons are evil. Ah crap.” She said quoting the human. She looked around to make sure that nopony had heard her say that. Rarity certainly wouldn't approve.

“Well at least they left most of my stuff alone.” Honored said looking around the slightly bare basement. “But I wish they hadn’t cleaned out my basement.” He grumbled while walking up from the old armory. From the largest, high caliber rifle to the smallest itty-bitty bullet, everything had been taken from the impressive armory. Honored noticed that all the armor and weapon lockers were still empty. At least Luna, Celestia, Discord and Rose kept everything.

Rose.

Honored stopped at the top of the stairs and leaned against the wall. “Oh man, how could I have forgotten about that.” The evil trick of Treachery that had ended Night Rose’s life played back constantly in Honored’s mind. He had sent them away as soon as she had been harmed. Maybe they had gotten her back in time to be healed. Luna was gifted in healing magic. Honored needed to check up on her, and if the worst had happened he needed to make sure that he compensated her family. Although he didn't know if she had any family because she was so closed off and secretive.

“Honored if you are in there you need to come out with your demon arms up!” A loud voice yelled out from the front yard.

“Da faqu?” Honored said walking towards the window. Twilight was standing on his front yard with the rest of the mane six all standing behind her with serious looks plastered on their faces. Well except for Fluttershy who was even paler than normal and hiding behind Applejack who was holding a… oh shit where hell did she get the shotgun magic caster from! Honored thought staring at the cowpony wielding the appropriate weapon. Suddenly the empty armory made a lot of sense. She had an entire crossed bandoleer around her chest of glowing green shells that were obviously crafted with magical use for the weapon in mind.

Honored slowly opened the door and stepped out. “Okay let's all take a deep breath and just relax.” He said calmly while stepping fully into the open.

“Take out your sword and drop it on the ground.” Twilight command to the human who cocked his head to the side and gave her the ‘you fucking kidding me’ look. “NOW!” She yelled back at his expression. A gently breeze blew over the yard and Honored’s cape flapped slightly in the wind as the standoff continued.

“I don't think that will be a good idea.” He said slowly placing his hands on the hilt of the sword, the blade instantly beginning to shake violently in his closed palm.

“Do it Honored or we will make you.” She said while gulping as the others tensed up. Twilight and Rarity’s horns began to glow with magic.

“Fine. I did warn you.” Honored said drawing the sword of Protection. The blade came out with a metallic ‘shink’ that caused all the ponies to back up slightly. Honored held it before the blade exploded in his hand. The hilt dropped out and expanded to nearly three feet long while the blade increased to nearly six feet long. One side of the shiny blade blade began to glow with a purple and black combination of void and demon magic as the blade became serrated and started to move around rapidly producing the sound of dull screeching metal. Honored spun the chainsaw sword of Protection around holding it to his side as a burning black flame came alive in the center of the crossguard above the hilt. Twilight and Rarity scrunched their faces in agony at the brightly glowing flame of immortality, Honored’s new source of his demon power.

Applejack noticed the pain her friends were in and sat back on her haunches and flipped the magical caster shotgun around her hooves before leveling it at the demonized human before her. She squinted her eyes and using a little bit of ambient magic around her hooves, squeezed the trigger, imagining the way the Honored’s fingers worked it.

BAM

Two glowing green trails of magic launched themselves from the two sawed off barrels of the weapon and twisted through the air, flying straight towards the group’s old friend. Honored looked in shock at the incoming projectiles and immediately flipped to the side while using his transformed blade as a pole vault and shot himself into the air. He opened his wings as he flipped through the air, the magical slugs tearing into the front door of his home.

BOOM

Honored visibly cringed as the front door and most of the area around it vanished in a large green explosion that rocked the surrounding area. The explosion snapped the rest of the ponies snapped out of their trance and sprung into action.

“Please! Wait!” Honored yelled as Rainbow Dash dropped towards the human and slammed her back hooves into Honored’s gut, sending the human towards the ground. Pinkie Pie slammed a blue cannon forward in front of her right as Honored neared the ground before her. She grinned and pulled the firing cord that fired the impromptu cannon as Honored landed right in front of it.

BLAST-pfft

Honored was then launched sideways across the yard with a trail of confetti trailing behind him. He tumbled through the air before being caught in a blue aura of magic. “Thank you Rarity I-” He started to say before he was flung up into the air where he was blinded by a flash of three diamonds and was spun rapidly around and around, getting tied up in a magic weave of fabric conjured by the seamstress. “GUYS PLEASE!” Honored shouted as he hit the ground and rolled. He slowly rose back to his feet to see Applejack flick the shotgun open, sending the two empty shells out and tossed two shells into the air, catching them in the open shotgun. Honored sighed as the process was about to repeat itself again.

“Again!” Twilight yelled, summoning magic into her horn and blasted a wave magic energy at the demonic human. The blast struck the human dead center, blasting the warrior away. Well it should have, but Twilight was beyond shocked that when the magically created smoke blew away, the human was standing just as he had been, the sword in front of himself, the moving blade still sawing away. Honored looked angrily at the group while slowly bringing the weapon to his side.

“What do we do now Twi?” Applejack asked the relatively new princess as the human just stared at them, waiting for them to make a move.

“We need to activate the Elements of Harmony… but I don't understand why they haven't began to at least start to power us.” Twilight said in a confused manner.

“Maybe because I’m not trying to fight back or that I’m not an evil bad guy!” Honored said through gritted teeth.

“Ohhhhhh.” All the ponies gathered said at the same time. They all quickly looked to the battle torn front yard and the destroyed entrance to Honored’s home. As they all looked, a large section of wall fell down in a puff of dust and dirt.

“Ah hehe. Whoops.” Applejack said while slowly placing the sawed off shotgun on the ground and and stepping back from the weapon. “Twi and Rarity just looked like they were in pain. I thought you were doing it to them.” Applejack admitted while hanging her head.

“We were.” Twilight said stepping forward. “We were experiencing a magical source overload, otherwise known as a MSO. An MSO is when something that has a strong magical signature overloads or distorts a unicorn’s own magical signature.” Rarity nodded in agreement while lifting a hoof towards Honored’s still moving chainsaw sword weapon.

“It was when you pulled out the wicked thing.” The alabaster unicorn said while eyeing the weapon carefully.

“Oh. Well that's from the magic in the blade.” Honored said while sending a quick burst of magic into the blade and the sawlike edge stopped spinning and went still. He turned the blade to the side and the ponies noticed that the burning black flame in the crossguard also dimmed as the weapon transformed. “That is the flame of immortality, the source of my new demon powers.”

“Demon powers?” Twilight asked looking to the human who smiled while flipping the sword around in his hand as it shrank back to its normal size. He sheathed the blade at his waist and smiled.

“Yup. I’m a demon now. Well technically the new demon God of Tartarus since I killed Hades, the old ruler of Tartarus.” He said while adjusting his cape and reaching behind his back and pulling out a small silver flask. He popped the top and took a quick pull from the flask and stuck it back into his back pocket. The ponies just stared at him. “What? The job is stressful.”

“Job?” They all asked simultaneously.

“Oh yeah. So I guess I got a lot to catch y’all up on.” Honored stepped to the side and gestured for the group to enter the house. They all walked past the human and towards his living room through the destroyed hole in the wall. “So I guess I’ll start at the beginning.”

“And then I had to sit through the Underworld sexual harassment policy meeting, and let me tell you that was the biggest waste of time I’ve ever experienced.” Honored said while leaning back and kicking his legs out on the coffee table in his living room. “But besides the new wings and power, nothing much has changed. Well time moves slower down there so only two or three days has passed and I have to basically hold every demon’s hand when it comes to looking out for the bad guys.”

“So what are you going to do?” Twilight said, holding out parchment and a quill. Since the beginning of Honored’s story she had been taking painstakingly accurate notes on everything claiming this was, “Good enough for the history books.”

“What? Oh I’m changing the way the evil bad guys are processed and released.”

“RELEASED?!?!” The group shouted at the human who cringed under the intense volume.

“What do you mean releasing those evil guys.” Applejack said glaring at Honored. “They are down there for a reason.”

“Okay that came out wrong, I get it. What I mean is that after I deem them worthy of not being totally evil, I’ll assign them a job in Tartarus, or lend them out to the other layers of the Underworld. They won't get to leave the Underworld, they lost that chance, but now they can at least work, better themselves, and then obtain some kind of freedom for themselves.” Honored explained while reaching into his pocket and drawing out a list of red names. “See here are a few that have been in their holding cells for the last three millennium and have not tried to escape, revolt, murder, or other evil things. Once I get back, I will look at them, talk to them, and decide on what level they would be allowed out too.”

Honored gave a sad smile at the list before tucking it away, “everyone deserves a second chance to some degree.”

The ponies thought on his words and Fluttershy spoke up. “I think that is a wonderful idea Honored. You might actually change that bad place for the better.”

“That's the plan!” He said happily while standing up. “Now my friends I believe that I have a princess to prank.” With a flourish and a bow, Honored bid farewell to the girls and exited the house.

“Oh and Applejack,” He said from the front opening where the door had been, “I expect this wall to be fixed by the time I get back or I’ll take you and all your loves one down to the deepest pits of Tartarus to spend an entire day in the agony pit while the fire and brimstone rain pounds away on your flesh nonstop cooking you into a delicious pony steak.”

The ponies all gasped and stared at him in shock. Honored doubled over laughing and wiped a tear from his eye. “Jeez lighten up y’all. I’m a demon but christ. Fix the wall and you can keep the magical shotgun you borrowed.”

Honored left the still recovering ponies as he chuckled to himself. He launched himself into the air with a mighty flap of his wings and flew towards the far of city of Canterlot. He had a grand entry to make.

“Next the court will hear the land dispute between Frosted Tips and Humble Pie.” The court manager spoke aloud as Celestia sat on her throne with a bored expression on her face. She didn't try to hide her rolling eyes as the tan unicorn with a brown mane that had frosted tips along its edges stepped forward.

“Your royal highness, I stand before you on bended knees,” the pony coughed loudly and a servant obviously belonging to the pompous douche, ran forward and brushed the ground off before him and laid a small towel down that Frosted Tips slowly kneeled down on, “because that monster had the absolute audacity to stand about and loiter in front of my fine establishment.” Frosted Tips pointed a hoof accusingly towards a small white mare with a light gray mane. She lowered her head in shame and let out a sob.

“I was just trying to sell my flower wreaths.” Humble Pie said quietly, “I meant no harm or disruption of his business.”

Celestia was screaming within her head to have this buffoon Tips brought out and executed for wasting of the court’s time for this petty nonsense. If only Honored ran the court. Celestia thought before forcing the thought from her mind. If that was the case there would be heads on pikes and - Celestia shook her head as something sounded off in the distance. “What?” She asked aloud as the guards and spectators of the court all began to look around for the source of the growing noise. It began to get louder and louder, as confusion took over the throne room.

“No.” Celestia whispered to herself as the noise got progressively louder and louder. “That is impossible.”

“Your highness?” The guard nearest to the throne broke his stoic position and turned towards her, “what is that?”

Before Celestia could say another word to the startled guards and ponies in the room, the sunlight pouring through the decorative stained glass windows vanished and the room became dark and eerie. The torches covering the wall, which were only lit for Night Court, sprang to life, but with a blood red fire that casted dark menacing shadows along the walls and ground, sending ponies scattering towards the exits. Celestia stared in shock as the room began to shake and her throne began to tremble with the rest of the room. In the center of the court’s floor, long jagged cracks began to appear shattering the air with loud sound of splitting stone. Blood red light fired up form the cracks as they began to crumble and fall inward, sending a torrent of ash and flames into the room.

Celestia’s eyes grew as wide as dinner plates and her jaw dropped as a creature slowly lifted itself from the fissure in the ground. With slow, steady, powerful flaps of its black feathered wings, the creature flew into the air as ash, flames, and smoke poured forth from the crevice in the ground it had emerged from. The creature spun in the air till it was facing Celestia and she still stared in shock as the creature gave her a toothy grin before snapping its fingers. The crack in the ground that was still pouring smoke and fire suddenly vanished and sealed, taking the smoke with it. The demon dropped to the ground and reached up and adjusted the small crown that rested just behind two small red bumps beginning to form on either side of it head. A few ever glistening fire rubies rested around the crown along with a small black burning flame that flickered menacingly atop the crown. A red cape fluttered behind the creature as the light slowly returned to the room, and the ponies all began to slowly settle down as Celestia stared at the creature before her.

The room was dead silent as Celestia just stared in awe at the human turned demon before her. Honored Service was dead. For at least the third time he had died and now here he was, standing before her with what she assumed to be Hades’ flame of immortality resting upon his head.

“Honored?” She asked quietly once she was sure that she wasn't living inside some kind of dream world.

“The one and only! Really it's Sir Lord Demon King of Tartarus Honored Service, but do you know how hard it is to get business cards made in Hell?” The human said and suddenly there was a ‘poof’ and a flying small demon that wore a white blouse and black skirt appeared beside the human.

“Honored, your three o’clock is here to discuss the replacement of layers three, five, and seven.” The demon said while flicking through a surprisingly thick day planner notebook. Honored held a finger up to Celestia and turned to face the demon hovering beside him.

“Dona. I am in a meeting right now.” He said through gritted teeth.

“Um yes…” She said while opening the planner again and flipping through it. “Yes, but I’m sorry to say that I don't have any mention of a meeting with Princess Celestia within the next week in here.” The demon said, not looking up to see the Demon King smoldering with anger.

“CANCEL THE DAMN APPOINTMENT AND MEETINGS DONA! I’LL BE BACK IN A FEW HOURS!” The demon Honored Service screamed, launching the demon across the court and and into a small black portal that opened up and swallowed her up, casting her back to her Hell, the office. “Terribly sorry about that Princess C. Tight schedule and all that.” Honored said while readjusting the crown on his head. “You weren't kidding, this thing sure does weigh a lot.”

For the first time in a week, Celestia threw her head back and released a loud laugh as the Demon King Honored Service smiled and began to laugh as well.

“Honored?!” A questioning yell sounded out. Honored’s laughter died out and he slowly turned to see the throne room doors were opened and a lone figure standing in between them.

“Luna!” Honored yelled and opened his arms, “I’m not dead!” A look of pure anger flashed across Luna’s face and she spread her legs every so slightly, lowering her head just a bit, hardly noticeable to the human across the room. The ponies acting as the court spectators noticed, as did Princess Celestia.

“Ummmm that concludes today’s day court, everypony out!” Princess Celestia yelled quickly as literally everypony in the throne room vanished out of every exit and opening in the room.

“Hehe, ah didn't you hear me Luna, I’m not dead.” Honored said, spreading his arms again. He took a nervous gulp and tried to give the dark alicorn a smile. She did not return it.

“You will be.” Luna growled and launched herself across the room at such speeds that even Rainbow Dash would have dropped her jaw at.

“Not again.” Honored groaned as he closed his eyes and braced for impact.

The resounding scream could be heard for miles around Canterlot. The Royal Guards still tell the tale of the ear shattering, soul draining, heart stopping buck that was delivered to the Demon King by the Princess of the Night. Some of the oldest guards even say that one could see the Demon King flying through the air from the throne room before a dark alicorn raced after it and kicked it again back towards the castle.

Honored slammed through the roof of the throne room and impacted the ground in a cloud of dust and shattered cobblestone. He groaned and stood up, cracking his neck as he did so. “Okay. Good lovetap dear.” He said turning to face the alicorn that was screaming through the air back towards him. “I believe that it is my turn now.” He said while leaning back and holding his gauntlet out. As Luna pulled her front hoof back for a devastating flying cold knockout punch, Honored side stepped, snagged a hold of her ethereal mane, and spun her around, releasing the enraged alicorn sideways towards the far wall of the throne room.

Luna realized too late what had happened and smashed into the stone wall with an earth shaking hit. She slid towards the floor in a rain of broken stone and smashed carvings. Luna turned to see the human standing before her, feathered black wings extended and a smile on his face but fire in his eyes. The flame above the crown was burning larger and brighter and a black and purple void magic was surrounding his gauntlet.

“Now I’ll give you at least four percent power.” He said with that cocky smile that Luna loved to see when used on anypony else, but the fact it was directed at her, caused her to see red and she summoned her battle sword and M240B machine gun.

“RAHHHHH!” She screamed while diving towards the human. The machine gun let out a long burst of bullets that ripped the ground and surrounding area around Honored to pieces as he dipped around them. Luna noticed that he was much faster. More agile than before. And even then that had been fast, but this level of speed and reflexes… it was beyond any mortal’s doing. Honored continued to simply weave around the bullets, the alicorn growling in anger as the Demon King wove his way in closer to her, while knocking bullets to the side with his void magic held in front of his gauntlet. He smirked as he finally danced his way within range of Luna’s battle sword that was made of pure onyx and was as sharp as obsidian. It was as black as a pure night’s sky and seemed to glint with Luna’s anger and frustration at the human.

The blade sliced through the air and passed harmlessly beside the human who was using nothing but defensive tactics as he battled his loved one. The black blade swished back and forth rapidly, in speeds that Celestia had never seen before as Honored leaned left and right, the blade whistling through the air. Luna yelled in frustration, and slammed the machine gun forward, like a battering ram, and the butstock of the weapon caught the human in the gut as he dodged a sword attack and sent him flying backwards. He stabilized himself mid air with a flap of his wings and tried to dodge the next attack, but failed to see the belt of 7.62 bullets shot out of Luna’s magical hold and wrapped themselves around his neck. Honored struggled to get himself free of the noose made of shiny rounds, but Luna whipped him up into the air and slammed the human down to the solid stone ground, using the bullets as a whip while then picking him up and releasing him at the wall across the throne room.

WHAM- CRASH

Honored slammed through a stained glass window and out into the garden behind the throne room of the palace. The human bounced and skidded across the dirt and grass before slamming into a large fountain with a splash and crack as the marble shattered and water poured all over the now soggy and muddy demon. Honored coughed and sputtered as he slowly rose to his feet and flapped his wings, shaking of the mud and chunks of dirt that had gotten stuck between the feathers. Honored reached down as Luna stood in the shattered window to observe the harmed human.

Honored drew his sword and let the magic run through the blade and shift it. Rather than turning into its sword-saw form, the blade flipped around and slammed backwards into his shoulder, his arms gripping the weapon in a long musket form. The golden blade was a five foot long musket with a foot long triangular bayonet on its end. Honored summoned his void magic and took aim down the barrel of the weapon before pulling the trigger at the alicorn standing just behind the remains of the stained glass window.

Luna gasped and dove down as the purple blast of magic coming from the weapon smashed through the remains of the window and forced her to take cover as the rain of stone crashed around her. He has learned some new tricks. Luna thought to herself as she shot out of the throne room through the hole in the roof and dove down towards the gardens form above, the machine gun beside her locking into place another belt of ammunition and her magic summoning dozens of shadow arrows and spears along her other side.

Honored looked up and smirked as Luna let loose with everything in her power. The bullets ripped through the ground, dirt and grass flying into the air as the rain of spears and arrows impacted the area around the human before detonating with explosions of Luna’s magic. Luna landed swiftly in the center of the impact zone, scanning the area as the dirt and dust settled around her. Honored was nowhere to be seen.

“Hmpfh.” Luna said while scanning her surroundings, looking for anything that would give away where her pesky love had fled to.

GRRRRRRRRRR

Luna spun around and tossed her sword up just in time as the sword-saw descended towards her back. The two blades clashed in a rain of sparks and grinding metal. Luna’s blade slowly began to chip away and flakes of the material fell from the blade as Honored’s magical shape shifting weapon, ate away at her blade with its serrated spinning saw side.

Luna reared back and delivered a swift kick to the human that sent him stumbling backwards. He flipped the blade around in his hands, the long blade skidding across the ground, sending chunks of dirt into the air that the human then fired forward with a burst of his magic. Luna dodged the incoming clumps of dirt while diving forward, spinning midair, and giving herself a burst of speed thanks to a glyph that she summoned before her. Honored quickly dove to the side, and landed on his ribs, as his weapon shifted in his hands to the musket style. The purple void shots chased after Luna as she tried to dodge the incoming projectiles of pure void magic.

She made a loop and stopped dead in her evasive maneuvers as she was frozen to the ground as massive black tendrils of magic sprang forth from the ground. The base of each tendril ended in a spinning glyph that even puzzled Celestia as she watched from a safe distance away. The glyph was a summoning rune that was covered in many unknown symbols to the princesses and Luna was trapped in the unknown magic.

“Devil’s trap.” Honored said with a smile while walking in front of Luna who desperately struggled against the unknown magic. She stopped as suddenly she felt two lips pressed against her own. Her eyes grew wide in surprise as Honored kissed her deeply, and she slowly closed her eyes and leaned more into the kiss.

Honored pulled back a few more seconds of the kiss. He gave Luna a smile that melted her straight to her core. “I’m sorry that it was a week. Remember? Time moves slower down there. I came here as soon as I could.” He said while placing a hand under Luna’s chin and massaging it with his thumb. “Got all that anger out? Feeling better now?” He asked with a gentle voice.

“Much.” Luna said with a smile. She closed her eyes and leaned back into Honored’s hand, enjoying the touch she thought she would never feel again.

“Let me get you out of these snares and we can pick up where we left off and I can tell you all about my new title!” Honored said happily as the tendrils of black demon magic slowly vanished into the ground.

“NO!” Luna shouted suddenly, causing Honored to jump and the tendrils to go taught again against Luna.

“What?” Honored asked looking at the tangle princess.

“Leave them.” Luna said through lustful eyes and she licked her lips. “They will add to the fun.”

Honored gave her an evil smile back and moved in for another deep, less appropriate kiss for the public gardens.

“No! Oh come on, not in the gardens!” Celestia groaned to herself as she turned away from the disgusting and unholy act about to take place in her gardens of peace and tranquility. “Stupid sexy Demon King and his demon tentacle magic.”

“And so then I had to arrange a meeting with the finance department to discuss the lava pool party later in the month.” Honored said while leaning back in his chair that he had summoned from the ground. It was jagged and crafted from red stone that had a faint sulfur smell around it. Just enough to cause the gathered guests minor discomfort. He reached out and took a glass of water off of the long dining table and took a sip. “And then I came here. So what’s up?” He said replacing the glass and looking around at the ponies around him. The whole gang from Ponyville, along with what appeared to be an entire library’s worth of parchment that Twilight was covering in notes and drawings. Princess Celestia and Luna sat at the head of the table while Discord sat across from the human. Tune simply sat in the corner of the room, his scanners trying to register Honored, but his newfound ‘demon voodoo’ was giving him trouble.

“So let me get this straight,” Rainbow Dash said while rubbing a hoof to her head, “you are trying to tell me that Tartarus, the ancient evil prison, is like a business?”

“I’d say more like an evil corporation that deals in evil.” Honored said with a smile. He then got a surprised look on his face and reached into his breast pocket on his white shirt. “That reminds me, y’all take one.” He pulled out a small stack of white cards and handed them out to all the ponies around the table.

“Business cards?” Rarity said in disbelief as she turned the card around in her magic before her eyes.

Honored Service

Head Demon of Tartarus

“You Damn ‘em. We Slam ‘em”

“Um shouldn't they have contact information on them?” Fluttershy asked quietly while placing hers back onto the table. The very idea of holding something from Tartarus sent shivers through the poor pegasus’ body.

Honored sighed and motioned for the group to flip the cards over.

“Ohhhh. What?” They all said at the same time upon reading it.

“All you have to do is draw that symbol on anything and then tap it three times. That is my summoning sign. Can't ignore it no matter what I’m doing.” Honored said with a smile before he suddenly looked like he was in brief amount of pain and vanished in a puff of black smoke and a flash of white light.

“AH!” All the ponies in the room jumped as he reappeared in front of Pinkie Pie, exploding out from the golden plate in front of her. She giggled and laughed, while falling backwards from her chair, a piece of chalk falling from her grasp as the human struggled to stay standing. He shook his head while climbing down off of the table. “Okay good to know that it works. Great. Thanks Pinkie.” He sat back down in his homespawned chair and rubbed his temple. “So that is how any of you can reach me if you need me for anything. Don't think of me as an evil Demon King that was your friend. Think of me as your friend that happens to be a Demon King that rules over an evil place.”

The gathered ponies all gave sideways glances at each other except for Celestia who grew an evil smile herself. “So Honored… say I want to put one of these symbols in the throne room-”

“No. You are not using me to scare ponies into dropping ridiculous charges against one another.” The demonic human said with a smile. “Now if you make one and happen to use it, I won't be able to say no to a summoning. Will I?” Celestia gave a single nod to the human before having a Royal Guard come forward. She leaned over and whispered into the Guard’s ear while placing the business card in his hoof. The guard nodded rapidly before leaving the dining room.

“Oh this is going to be some delicious chaos.” Discord said while flipping the card around in his claws. “Anything? You can do anything?”

“Whoa, slow down there chief. In fact all of you need to pay attention to this very, and I mean very carefully. I can grant you deals… almost anything you can think of, but every deal has a price, so just be careful.” Honored said with a frown, he knew that this topic was bound to come up, but he had bet money to Nightmare that it would have Pinkie Pie to ask about a deal with the proverbial devil.

“So say I want the biggest, tastiest apples in Equestria for the next ten seasons.” Applejack said with a certain twinkle in her eye. Honored’s face went blank for just a second, lost in deep thought, before snapping back to the gathered friends.

“Ten years off your life is the price.”

“What about making a discovery that would revolutionize the entire world.” Twilight said while writing her offer to the deal. She looked up and saw Honored’s face go blank again before coming back to their conversation.

“A gallon of innocent blood paid on the next full moon.” Twilight’s face went into a shocked expression as she stared at the human who simply shrugged.

“A week of paid, uninterrupted vacation.” Celestia said with a grin that said she would do nearly anything for that deal. The same blank expression fell on Honored’s face, but this time he spoke through the frozen facial features.

“Are you sure? That seems like a bunch for a week. Well she isn't the only ruler. Yes I know. Hey, I’m just saying that may be much. Oh really? There? Oh that's totally worth it. Wait a second, isn't that the other guy’s territory? Yea that makes sense. Okay I’ll let her know.” Honored’s face returned to its normal cheery one and he smiled. “Good news, that was the boss and said yours would require only one sacrifice.”

“An innocent one?” Celestia said. Everypony in the room, including Luna, turned to the alicorn with shocked looks on their faces.

“SISTER!?” Luna yelled out in pure disbelief at her sister’s choice of words.

“What?” Celestia said while holding her hooves up in a defensive manner, “fighting through the Underworld was the closest thing to a vacation I’ve had in over a thousand years.”

“Wait a second,” Rarity said looking across the table towards the human who was currently feeling the two small lumps forming on the side of head, “what do you mean ‘boss’?”

“Oh that. Well you see, I’m not the one in charge of the Underworld, just Tartarus. So I still have someone I got to bring the deals to them, who then gives me the okay to do them.”

“Ohhhh.” All the ponies said except for Luna who narrowed her teal pools of lethal firepower at the human who tugged at the collar of his shirt.

“Who is your boss Johnson.” Luna said through gritted teeth.

“Ah… The Devil.”

Many more jaws were dropped that day.

Luna closed her eyes and braced herself for the incoming overload of Honored she was about to receive. She took a deep breath, slapped a smile on her face and opened the door to her bedchambers and found the human standing on the balcony outside of her room, wings expanded and talking to himself.

“I’m king of the world Jack.”

Luna gave a polite cough and the human tumbled forward in surprise. Luna waited patiently before the human in question slowly rose back up to the balcony with slow, embarrassed flaps of his wings before landing in front of her.

“Ummmm I can explain.” He said while folding his wings up and stepping forward towards the alicorn.

“Honored. The only thing I want to discuss now is us. Where does this whole Demon King thing leave us.” She turned away from the human whose wings drooped down in sadness.

“Luna, my love for you, this kingdom, my friends, hasn't changed at all. I simply have more on my plate that's all.” Honored said with a smile, but somehow he knew he wasn't able to convince Luna because he couldn't even convince himself about the change. “Okay so maybe it isn't that simple, but Luna you have to believe me that I want this to work. Hell the whole reason behind this,” he gestured at himself and then picked the golden crown off his head and jammed a finger into the black flickering flame of immortality, “this was done for us. Luna don't you get it? I'm a freaking immortal being now!”

“But also a demon!” Luna countered while stalking over to the human. “How do I know if you really are even Honored after all the changes?”

Honored stared at Luna before leaning forward, grabbing the alicorn in a tight hug and swinging her to the side while planting a deep kiss on her lips. Luna struggled against the kiss, but soon felt herself melting away into the raw emotions. She came out of the kiss staring up into the eyes of the strange human that had captured her heart so long ago.

“See.” He said while smiling and letting her go, “it is me. I promise Luna. For once, everything is going to be alright. We just have to work around my work and yours.” Luna just looked at the human and after a few tense moments, she laughed.

Luna laughed for the first time in over a week and her soul felt lighter as the human laughed along with her. The princess of the Night and the Demon King of Tartarus fell asleep together laughing with each other in a loving embrace.

“Gooooood Morningggggggg Equestria!”

Luna rolled over in her bed away from the screaming coming from her balcony. She groaned at the simple clock on the nightstand table.

“Honored. Sweetie. It is six in the morning. Please shut the hell up.” The lunar deity crumpled into her pillow while the human jumped over to the bed and pounced on the lumps beneath the covers.

“But there is much to be done dear! We need to get started before I have to head to work today.” Honored said while grabbing the covers off the bed and slowly tugging them off of the sleeping princess. “Up. Up. Up. Up. Up. Up.” He said over and over again, while the dark alicorn continued to grumble and writhe in the sun’s early morning rays.

“Go to Hell.” Luna moaned while slowly rising from her bed.

“In few hours.” Honored said while checking his cartoony watch that had a devil as its face with its hands acting as the watch hands. “Come on Lulu, you can go back to sleep once I leave. We have so much to do!”

“Like what?” The lump of covers shifted on the bed as Luna poked her head out from under them.

“Ummm.” Honored was silent as he pondered what the couple could do before he had to head into work. “Well for starters we could see about some breakfast. Come on Luna, it’ll be-”

SHWAMP

“Honored?” Luna looked to see where the human had just been standing was vacant, and a smoking symbol resting on the ground was slowly starting to evaporate. Luna sighed in relief and rolled back over in her bed while snuggling back under the covers. “Thank Faust.”

“-fun.” I stopped and looked around at the nearly empty court room. Celestia was standing beside her throne with an evil smirk on her face. She held a small vial of red liquid over the glowing red symbol on the ground.

“Ahh so it does work.” She said while walking over to me and placed a wing on my cape covered back. “Come Honored, let us walk and talk.” She had a mischievous glint to her eyes. I groaned inward, that was never a good sign.

“Please tell me Celestia, that you did not drip blood onto the symbol.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

“I told you you only had to tap it three times for the same effect… wait where did you get blood from?!” I asked in shock, taking a step back from the princess.

“It was from the kitchens, don't worry about it. And I feel like the blood will be a better… intimidation effect than just clicking my hoof on it three times.” Celestia looked at me with a smile while I just hung my head. Suddenly I had a feeling that I shouldn’t have given everyone my personal summoning sigil. Fuck.

“You really are serious about me helping in the courtroom aren't you?” I asked seriously. Come on, I had other things to do beside play ‘summon the demon’ with everyone.

“Honored, I do promise it will be only for ‘extreme’ cases.” Celestia said with a smile.

“Are you sure?” I said with my own glint of mischievousness in my eye. I stuck out my hand, “then care to shake on that?”

Celestia stared at the outstretched appendage, and quickly thought better of it. “Okay, really only when I need you.” I nodded and lowered my hand.

“Celestia, I do need to talk to you about something very serious, and no matter what it has to be a secret.”

Celestia gave me a nod and smiled. “Of course Honored, anything.”

I reached down into one of pants pocket and pulled out a small black box. I opened it and angled it to face the alicorn. “Well what do you think? Do you think she will like it? And on that note, would you be okay with it?”

Celestia stared in awe at the box and then quickly snapped the lid shut and placed the box back into my pocket with a quick burst of magic. “Honored are you asking me for permission?”

“Yes.” I said while staring her dead in the eyes. “I feel that after everything that has happened, this is the next thing we need to do. I’ll be jumping back and forth from Hell and Equestria, but at least this will be permanent and show her what I really think about us.”

“Do you think she will say yes?” Celestia said while stepping back from me. I gave her a deadpan look and then spread my wings wide and struck a heroic pose.

“Really? Look at me.” I said while smirking. I quickly dropped the act and got serious again, “I hope so. After everything I put her thru, I think that this, this would be good for us and it would show her that my new job and title are not more important than her.” Celestia gave me a single nod and a gentle motherly smile that always could warm a cold heart.

“Then go with my blessings Honored.” I crouched down about to fly off to make the final preparations, but a white hoof on my shoulder stopped me.

“Now if you want this to be stay a secret so you can surprise her, I want you to owe me one.” Celestia said with an evil smile.

WHAT THE FUCK! I quickly stopped and glared at her. She had just tricked me. Well she had just played me like a fucking fiddle. God damn it. It was Celestia, she would totally tell Luna what I was up to if I didn't agree to one favor. But a demon’s favor could accomplish nearly anything. Fuck me. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. She had my balls in a vice grip.

“Fine.” I grumbled out, as she removed her hoof.

“Excellent. Thank you Honored, and your secret is safe with me.” Celestia said with a cocky smile as I slumped my shoulders. The boss was going to be pissed that I was already in a ‘one favor debt’ with the most powerful ruler on the planet.

Fuck me. I’m a terrible bad guy demon.

The Demon King Honored Service, waltzed through the door into his circular office slash maximum security prison block and kicked his shiny black shoes off at the door. He walked around the room checking the spells and wards on the cages before stopping in front of the cage containing one of the most evil and powerful creatures in Tartarus.

“Morning Nightmare.” Honored smiled at the floating mass of purple smoke with glowing teal reptilian eyes. “Did you happen to look at the stack of release forms from Section 1A?”

“Ah yes morning to you as well. I did, but unfortunately only three of the fifty-two han matching perimeters to what you requested.” Nightmare said while the human sat back in his chair behind the large red desk carved out of rock. Honored picked up the tree files and began rereading over the profiles of the creatures that had been damned to their prison long ago. There was still four layers of the Underworld that needed leaders to control the sub-demons that worked those layers.

“Excuse me,” a quiet voice said from the phone resting on Honored’s desk. “Honored, your nine o’clock is here to see you.” Dona’s perfect assistant voice called out. Honored reached a hand over the phone and stayed there. Hoored took a deep breathe and then slowly released it. He put on a big smile and pressed the return button.

“Thank you Dona, Send them in.” Honored stood up and straightened his shirt and resummoned his shoes back onto is feet with a sigh. The door to the office was opened by a lone figure standing just over Honored’s height. Honored’s eyes narrowed only slightly as the creature entered his office and stood just shy of the front of the desk.

“Boss.” Honored said with a polite nod of his head and then gestured to one of the two black chairs resetting before the desk, “Please take a seat, can I get you anything to drink?”

“My only two weeks into the new job and already outperforming Hades. I should have sent for you earlier.” The husky voice rolled off of her tongue like honey and caused Honored to shiver every so slightly. “I’ll take some of that MaCallan you have please.” Honored walked over to a small cabinet on the opposite side of the desk and pulled out two drinking glasses, pouring the expensive scotch into them before making his way over to the desk. He placed one of the glasses closes to his guest while holding onto his own as he sat down behind the desk.

“You’ll have to excuse me here,” Honored started and sipped his drink, enjoying the burning smoky flavor of the liquor, “I’m not sure how I should address you here.”

The drop dead, smoking hot, breath taking, blonde woman sitting across from Honored, tossed her head back and laughed deeply. On the sides of her head, two perfectly curved red horns extended up just to reach over head. A long spade tipped red tail sanked its way in front of the woman who then used her free hand to twirl the tail around her finger. The white blouse she wore showed off her curvy figure, a very well endowed curvy figure, and the dark blue mid thigh skirt showed off two long slender legs. Too top it off, the woman wore blood red high heels that made her even taller.

“Boss. Satan. Miss Devil. They all work fine dear. Now about that proposal you sent up, or should I say sent down.” She flashed a smile that revealed a mouth full of needle sharp white fanged teeth behind her ruby red lipstick. “Now this is a new thing I’ve heard of. You want to put the baddies that we have in your neck of the woods to work for the Underworld?” The attractive devil eased back into her chair and sipped her drink while smiling lustfully at the human behind the desk.

“That’s right Boss. We take the ones that have been here the longest, the one who have obeyed all the rules you emplaced, no actions taken against their restraints, wards, spells, or bindings, and we give them jobs or freedom in one of the layers. You know, a reason to serve their sentence without issue for the both of us.” Honored pitched the idea while slowly sliding the three files containing information on damned creatures that had fit the criteria.

“I’ll give you this human,” the Devil looked up and stared at the human, “you sure do know how to make one Hell of a first impression.” She stood up from her chair and placed her drink on the desk before walking towards the door, her hips swaying with every step she took. “You come down here, guns ablazing, kill your way into the second most powerful position in Hell, and then tell me how to make it better! Honored Service, you keep this up, and I may get that vacation I wanted. I approve of this proposal, but first start with only one of the creatures, your pick. Send that down, and I’ll see to it.”

Sexy Satan stopped at the door and tossed her hair to the side while looking back at the human standing up from his chair behind the desk, “keep up this work Service, and we will see about setting up arrangements for you to fit your… unique situation.” With that, the woman that Honored knew as the Devil opened the door and closed it shut, but not before giving the man turned demon a quick wink.

Honored waited a few seconds before letting out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and collapsed backwards in his chair behind the desk. He pushed the intercom button on his phone, signaling for Dona.

“Dona?”

“Yes?” The phone responded quickly.

“Please cancel the rest of my day, move them to tomorrow. And bring me a metric shit ton of aspirin.” Honored said while tugging on his shirt and picking up a small picture frame on his desk. Inside of the golden frame, a picture of Honored and Luna side by side with Celestia, Discord, Tune, Night Rose, and the ponyville gang in the background stared back at him. Honored smiled and then put the photo down while opening the center desk drawer and pulling out the small black box.

“Okay that’s it. That was a sign. Today is the day.” Honored said while flipping the box open and staring at the white gold band with a large black diamond placed in the center of the ring. Within the shine of the diamond, swirls of void magic spun around and around, forever lighting the diamond with a faint deep purple glow. “A smile and good job from the Devi. That has got to be a sign.” Honored said to himself as he stood up and strode over to the door to his spacious office. He attached his sword to his waist and gave himself a once over in the full length mirror before opening the door into the reception area.

“Wish me luck Dona. I’m going to go face something almost scarier than the Devil.” Honored said while beginning to form his teleportation sigil on the ground to send himself to Canterlot Castle. Just as Honored was about to cast the spell, a bright white light blinded him and the pulling sensation of his summoning rune gripped the human turned demon and he was yanked from the office and towards wherever his rune was placed.

“Fuck.” I said rubbing my hands to my eyes as the blinding sensation covering my eyes slowly began to fade. “Great timing as always gang.” I said while looking up at the creatures that summoned me. Except rather than seeing the faces of the normal would be culprits, I found myself staring at the incoming open jaws of what had to be the world’s largest Hydra.

“Fuck me.”

SNAP

GULP

“I… I saw that going a lot differently in my head.” Rainbow Dash said as she flew backwards from the enraged monster. The rest of her friends were also running away from the stampeding monster that had wandered too close to the outskirts of Ponyville. When the gang of ponies got closer and realized the massive size of the Hydra, they were already in its sights. Twilight quickly burned that weird symbol thing that Honored had given them onto the ground and stomped on it three times before they all turned tail and ran away from the incoming Demon King and Hydra. They all watched as Honored appeared, true to his word, and then was promptly swallowed whole by the middle head of the puke green colored Hydra that was still charging towards the retreating ponies.

“Well any more bright ideas Twi?” Applejack yelled out as the shaking of the earth got closer and closer. The cowpony could swear she was beginning to feel the hot breath of the beast on her neck as the continued to lead the Hydra away from Ponyville.

“Yes!” Twilight yelled as she flapped her wings while running to try and gain more speed. “Let's lead it towards Ghastly Gorge, and then we can try to trap inside.”

“What a wonderful idea!” Rarity shouted, “but how in the world to you purpose we trap that?!” The fashionista yelled while looking back at the hundred foot tall creature that could essential look over the top of the gorge.

“Still working on that part.” Twilight said while scrunching her face up in concentration. If only she didn't have to put so much energy in this running thing. She really needed to run more. Or at least slow down on Spike’s cupcakes he baked. “We can cause a rockslide!”

“Okay lets party!” Pinkie Pie jumped into the air and shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow towards the gorge. She reached the entrance far ahead of the group and pulled a blue cannon from her mane and slammed it down, taking careful aim across the gorge at a massive pile of rocks and boulders. She reached back into her mane and removed a drab green military ammo container. DO NOT TOUCH- luv HONORED was stenciled into the top of it. Pinkie looked at the writing and shrugged, flipping the latch and opening the container. She pulled out a one long, shiny dart looking contraption and inspected the military hardware she was ‘borrowing’ from the human. He had so many of these things, he wouldn't miss one.

84mm HEAT

Pinkie shrugged and dropped the flat circular part of the weapon into the cannon first and then crouched behind the party cannon, “I don’t know why Carl Gustav gave Honored all these dart things, but I sure hope they fly good!” Pinkie Pie said with a smile as her group of friends entered the gorge and the large Hydra followed right behind them.

Show time! Pinkie thought to herself as she slammed a hoof down on the cannon’s firing mechanism. The world went pure white as the forces of military science and magical party cannon fused together in one split second, launching the 84mm high explosive antitank missile straight and true, far exceeding the physical possible speed it was meant to go.

The rock slide occurred, just as planned, but the resulting shock wave from the shell striking the side of the mountain within the Everfree Forest was not.

BBBBBOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM

“Well that worked!” Twilight said happily as the rocks came tumbling down the side of the gorge and piled up, sealing the exit tight. The Hydra was now trapped in the gorge with them.

Twilight’s face went blank as she processed what they had just done.

Oh dear. Twilight quickly jumped into the air, latched her legs around Applejack’s body, and flew into the air as Rainbow Dash did the same for Rarity. The group raced for the edge of the gorge as the Hydra realized it’s second course of the day was getting away. One of the heads opened its maw wide and stretched out, about to snatch the flying princess and apple farmer out of the air.

BBBBBOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM

The head exploded into a mess of gore and raining chunks of blood that scattered all over the gorge. Applejack and Twilight both dropped to the ground on the edge of the gorge, covered head to hoof in red Hydra blood. They both looked up to see Pinkie Pie standing behind her party cannon with one of Honored’s old solid green helmets on her head.

“Meh, he wouldnt miss two of those darts. Oh horse apples are they loud!” Pinkie Pie said with a giggle as her friends looked from the smoking cannon to the now two headed, extremely pissed off, Hydra.

The trapped creature began to roar into the air, but suddenly the beast went silent. Its two remaining heads looked around and then dropped low to stare at its belly, where a red light was beginning to glow through its skin.

“What's that?” Rarity said while leaning forward towards the edge of the gorge.

“You might want to look away for this part.” Twilight said to the alabaster unicorn who nodded, but yet, stayed watching.

With a screech of agony, the side of Hydra burst open in a shower of blood and chunks of flesh, as a spinning ball of void magic wiped out and onto the ground. The spinning ball of magic came to a stop right before the Hydra that hollered into the air a final time and then slammed one of its stubby legs forward, trying to stomp the creature before it. Honored dove to the side, faster than a bullet, the sword at his side glowing red with the magic coursing through it, as it shifted its form from the normal sword to its extended sword-saw form. Honored leapt over the beast easily, landing on its back before he plunged the blade down, and began running along the Hydra’s back, carving massive chunks out of the roaring creature. The Hydra slammed backwards into the wall of the gorge, intending to crush the Demon King against it, but it found the human now standing, with a cocky smirk, on its open and defenseless belly.

Honored plunged the blade down again, ripping the belly of the beast open, blood and steam pouring into the air as the creature dove down with its remaining heads, trying to bite the human off of its wounded front. Honored leaned back as one head snapped dangerously close to his side and jumped into the air. He spun midair, the moving blade clipping into the side of the Hydra’s neck as he flipped. The sword-saw ripped through the neck of the Hydra as Honored completed his flip through the air.

Honored landed on the ground beside the Hydra as it's removed head slammed down next to him, blood pooling around it. The human reached down and dragged a finger along the blood covered edge of his sword before sticking the bloodied finger in his mouth. “Hmmm tangy.” He jumped forward as the Hydra’s last remaining head shot forward and closed its jaws around Honored for the second time that day.

The creature stood up and swallowed, a lump moving down its throat as it swallowed, but the lump stopped mid way down. The Hydra began to hack and cough, blood spluttering out of its mouth as it tried to remove the lodged human. Another spinning red line appeared in the middle of the Hydra’s neck as Honored spun out of the creature’s throat and landed on the ground with a heroic pose, sword-saw propped over one shoulder, wings opened wide, and that confident smirk plastered on his face as the Hydra slumped to the side, blood flowing from the many wounds all over its body.

“Y’all have the worst timing ever.” Honored said while closing his wings and reaching into his back pocket and feeling for his little black box. “Come on. Where. Are. You.” He grunted as the ponies slowly gathered around him. “Son of a bitch.” Honored groaned and started walking towards the corpse while rolling the sleeves up on his white shirt.

“Better say yes for this.”

The Final Honors

View Online

Honor Above All Else

Chapter 28

The Final Honors

By Honored Service

“Tell another one Twilight!” Pip shouted over the murmuring of the crowd. Many of Ponyville’s foals and even some adults had come to attend Twilight’s weekly storytelling club. A round of agreement ran through the gathered ponies as Twilight smiled. She was positively elated that the new club was doing so well, even if ever week’s stories revolved around the same subject matter.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather hear about Starswirl the Bearded’s theory of trans-dimensional magical transverse?” Twilight asked the library filled with listeners, but even the crickets remained silent for this awkward pause. “Fine. Another Honored story it is then.” Twilight turned around and looked towards the wall behind her which contained hundreds of rolled scrolls and freshly printed books and worn journals. Above the shelved wall was a gold plaque that was etched with the title of the section. The Honored Collection. It was the newest section of the library and Twilight did notice that it drew in the most patrons much to her slight disappointment.

“Well have you heard the one about his proposal?” Twilight asked while bringing down a large dark red tome and flipped it open to the halfway point of the book. She looked over the edge of the book at Pip who quickly shook his head.

“No Princess Twilight. Is it a good one?” Pip asked in his slightly less squeaky voice.

“I’d say it's one of his best stories.” Twilight said with a smile and gave a quick throat clearing cough and began to read the story aloud to the mass of eager visitors.

Honored strode through the glistening halls of Canterlot Castle with one purpose in mind, to ask Princess Luna if she would do the him the honor of being his bride. He chuckled to himself as he ran the pun through his head again. “Oh man that is going to kill her!” He smiled again at his impossibly sharp wit as he neared the dark purple door leading into her chambers. He stopped before the door and raised his hand in a fist about to knock when the faraway sound of galloping stopped him.

The human looked over his shoulder to see the rushing from Princess Celestia closing in fast towards his position. “What?”He asked before she vanished in a white flash of teleportation. “Hmmm. Oh well.” Honored went back to knock on the door when a bright light erupted at his side and tackled him over. Pain exploded from the Demon King’s side as he was bowled over by a solar princess. Celestia reared her head back and launched the human onto her back and continuing with her gallop, racing back down the hallway, the human turned demon flopping around on her back like a sack of potatoes. She threw doors open with her magic as she passed through the halls of the Canterlot Castle, carrying her cargo with her. She moved with impossible speed and skidded around corners weaving through the maze like castle hallways and corridors.

Two Royal Guards on their daily patrol of the East Wing stared lazily as the Princess of the Sun raced by them as if all Tartarus had broken loose. They stopped and stared before turning to look at one another.

“Princess just ran by.”

“Yea.”

“With the human on her back.”

“Appeared so.”

“Should we do anything?”

“Nah.”

The two guards nodded in agreement and went back to roaming the neverending halls of the castle.

“CELESTIA!” Honored screamed as Celestia rounded another sharp curve, nearly sending the human flying into a bust of said princess. “What in the world are you doing?!” Honored yelled out as she spun around and hugged onto Princess Celestia’s neck. Suddenly in that brief moment of riding a large pony princess bareback, the invention of saddles hit him square in the… head. Honored gripped tighter in pain as each step of Celestia’s hooves caused tears to form.

Celestia hit another sharp near ninety degree turn and entered the empty throne room and came to a complete stop right before her throne and kicked her hind legs up and bucked the human from her back like a screaming missile as he soared through the air and smashed, upside down, into her throne. Honored slumped down before sliding to the ground and curled up into the feetle position, slowly rocking back and forth while sobbing to himself.

“I can not believe you!” Celestia said while pacing around in front of the still recovering human.”After everything she has done for you and all that you have been through together, you were just going to do that right there in her bedroom?!” She turned to face the human and walked over to him. “If you're going to propose to my baby sister, you are damn sure going to propose to my baby sister. And I’m going to help you plan the best damn proposal the world has ever seen or so help me I will travel all the way to Tartarus myself and donkey kick you so hard, you'll travel all nine layers of Hell and right into my dungeon.”

“Got it.” Honored said groaning while finally sitting up.

“And Honored,” Celestia said while leaning forward so her muzzle was nearly touching Honored’s face, “If you tell anyone or anything that you just rode me, I will use your freshly peeled skin and plucked feathers to make a body pillow. You hear me?”

“Loud and clear.” Honored said while quickly scooting back from Celestia. His back hit the throne and he yelped, jumping into the air and hiding behind the the throne. He stayed like that while Celestia breathed heavily, he noticed a slight pink shading to her cheeks and gave sly smile. “You liked that didn’t you?” He asked with a mischievous grin.

WHAM

“Worth it!” Honored yelled while flying across the large throne room and into the opposite stone wall.

Celestia snorted once and quickly cantered out of the room to cool herself off. She would leave Honored for the time being and send a servant to help him prepare for the rest of the day.

“Are you sure Celestia?” Honored asked as he straightened his tie as he looked in the mirror. He was wearing a black suit that was made of pure silk and shined nicely in the evening light. The all black suit was complimented by the deep blue tie he wore, that would match Luna’s mane perfectly. His shiny black dress shoes reflected the fireplace that warmed Celestia’s study. His hair was parted perfectly after being fussed and messed with by three royal stylist. Not a single black feather in his wings was out of place as he extended them to check them over one more time. Finally, Honored reached up and placed the gold, fire ruby studded crown on top his head. The black flickering flame of immortality danced above the crown symbolizing Honored’s title and power of the underworld.

“Yes Honored, my dear friend, there is nothing more to do. You look great and everything is in place. The rest is up to you.” Celestia said with a smile. She looked at Honored with a pure happy smile and engulfed the human in hug. She wrapped her wings around him and pulled him tightly against her barrel while drapping her head and neck against his back. “You’ve done so much for us, but this, this will be the greatest thing you've ever done.”

“Even greater than when I punched Blueblood?” Honored asked pulling away with a smile.

“Okay, a close second.” Celestia said, smiling even more. “Go get her Honored.”

"Thanks C.” The Demon King tuned and walked confidently out of the office and towards the castle gardens just as the sun began to lower itself from the sky and the great beautiful moon began to begin its rise into the sky. As the moon rose, so did Honored’s heart. And the tiny black box in his pocket felt as if it weighed a thousand tons.

“Hello there moon sugar.” Honored said as Luna slowly descended from the sky where she had risen above the ground.

“Honored!” Luna exclaimed and wrapped the human in a hug. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and smiled deeply towards the human as he did the same. “I'm so glad to see you. I hope work was well today for you.” She said as the two began to stroll around the moonlit gardens. The gentle breeze blew through the rose bushes and moon lilies that covered the surrounding area.

“Work was hell.” Honored said with a slight grin that caused Luna to give a light laugh and a playful shove with her wing. “But yes it was a good day, nothing to exciting, just incarcerating the damned and what not. Everything seems to be going well with the newly released so far, so the boss is happy at least.”

“Any deals made lately?” Luna asked with a questioning look.

“No your sister has not sacrificed anyone.” Honored said with a deadpan look.

“Okay just making sure love.” Luna stopped and then looked the human companion up and down. “You win, I’ll bite, what is with the fancy frufru get up?”

“Oh these old’ things?” Honored gave a shrug and spun around, “just thought they were good change of pace from the combat armor or the Demon King attire and cape.” He said looking around. Luna looked around as well and gasped. She found that she had been lead in front of a small table surrounded by floating enchanted candles and a full meal laid out across the table. “After you my love.” Honored gestured for Luna to take a seat at the dinner table. She stared at the delicious meal and then up at the human who took a seat across from her. “And yes before you ask, all prepared and cooked my moi, no magic or demon help. I know I'm great and all that. Please enjoy!”

“So humble.” Laun said with a laugh and the two immediately began to eat happily of the delicious meal. Fruit medleys and salads with a unique and different eggplant pasta dish for Luna, and a large rare porterhouse steak for Honored, the two ate happily together recalling the last few days events to each other. Honored would visit every other day from Tartarus, meaning that three days had gone by for Luna when he visited. She would catch him up on all that he missed, and he would describe, in graphic detail, the types of debauchery and craziness that his demons would get into.

“And yes they are evil, but still, I’m telling you that they do it half the time purely for show!” Honored said while pouring Luna a second glass of wine into the levitating wine glass she was holding.

“Well I’ll admit that when I heard of the whole ‘become a Demon King plan’ I was a little skeptical.”

“A little?” Honored said with a smirk.

“Okay a lot of skeptical, now hush. I am glad to know that this is turning out for the best. The immortality. We can be together forever!” Luna said with a smile and looked over to the human. He looked back at her with an uneasy smile. “Honored, what is that look for?” Luna said quietly as he stood up and walked in front of her.

“Well here’s the thing Luna-”

“Oh don’t sugar coat it my lovely little human.” Celestia said while dropping in from above the gardens rapidly. “My sweet Luna, can’t you see? Honored has fallen madly in love with me. He got the flame of immortality for me!” Celestia threw her head back and laughed maniacally at the moon as Luna stood there staring at her sister.

“Good try you two.” Luna said with a cocky sneer at the two before her.

“What?” Celestia stopped laughing and looked at Luna in surprise, “I mean, whatever do you mean?”

“Yes Luna, what are you going on about? Can't you see that I’m now head over heels for your older and much more experienced sister?” Honored said while a few droplets of nervous sweat began to form on his forehead.

“I really doubt it, but let’s say this isn't a pitiful attempt at revenge for when I summoned you to my night court by accident when you were in shower, and that you really do love my sister, then I’m sure you won’t mind giving her a big old sloppy kiss?” Luna stared at the two fidgeting before her. “Hmmmmm well? We’re waiting.”

“Ugh fine whatever. Thanks for trying Celestia.” Honored said in defeat before he sat back down in his chair and crossed his arms and began to sulk.

“We’ll get her some other time.” Celestia said with a hidden wink towards Honored who winked back.

“Really Honored, that was it? I expected so much more… from… you…?” Luna’s words died in her throat as she looked over towards the human to see him kneeling before her, his arms extended and a small black box held out to her. He slowly lifted the lid and Luna’s heart melted in her chest as she looked at the ring resting inside of the velvet lined box.

A ring on a rose gold band glowed back at her. The diamond resting in the center of the ring, surrounded by dozens of smaller precious red and blue diamonds, was glowing with a swirling vortex of magic. Within the ring, void magic kept a tiny amount of glowing lava hot and forever swirling around a mix of pure black void magic. The two contrasting colors flowed perfectly together, forever swirling around and around each other.

“Honored?” Luna asked, tears brimming in her eyes.

“Luna, we have fought through thick and thin together, from the beginning when I stepped foot onto this world, to fighting though the very gates of hell. Our love will forever burn with the intensity of lava and we can conquer all of it together. So long as I know that I have you at my back, I know I’ll never ever be beaten, because I have something to always fight for. So Princess Luna, the mistress of the Night, the ruler of the moon, the deity of the darkness, will you marry me?”

“Say yes.” Celestia whispered from behind a tree near the couple’s dinner table.

“Get out of here Celestia! Scat Alicorn! Scat!” Honored hissed at Celestia who let out and ‘eep’ and darted into the castle.

“Yes!” Luna exclaimed and threw herself forward and latched onto the human. She wrapped him in a hug and began to openly cry against him. “Oh Honored, how could I not? Yes I’ll marry you!”

“Thank goodness.” Honored chuckled and slipped the ring on her horn and slid it down towards the base. “Is that right? I don't know it looks weird, like are rings supposed to go there or should I have put it on a chain or something?” Honored stepped back and looked at his future wife. “I guess, I mean I guess that’s right.” Luna snorted and tackled the human to the ground and showered him with kisses as she continued to laugh at him.

“Awwwww.” All the gathered fillies and adults in the crowd cooed at the story as Twilight closed the book. A few couples looked to each other remembering their own engagement and how they went through something similar as the princess and the invincible human did.

“Did you enjoy that one Pip?” Twilight asked while placing the tome back onto its designated spot on the shelf.

“No wonder why ah’ve never heard of that one.” Pip said with a snort. “It’s a boring ol’ love story. Where’s the action? The bravery, the witty one liners and what not?” Pip added, standing up and raising his front hooves as if to begin engaging in hoof to hoof fighting. Twilight rolled her eyes at the young colt’s actions. Regardless of how the child was acting, she brought forward another large book before her and held it out with her magic. The book flipped open as the princess began skimming through the rough pages in search of a story to satisfy the demanding colt.

“Okay here we go,” Twilight said stopping her browsing of the book at a the selected story, “how about the one where Honored helped save the Saddle Arabians from the Fire Ant kingdom?” Pip quickly sat down and stared at the princess intensely waiting for the story to begin.

“It was a cold and dark night…”

The lone figure cast a small, almost indistinguishable silhouette against the full moon as it snaked its way over the crest of another rolling sand dune. The creature stood up on its two legs as a chilling desert breeze whipped around, sending swirls of sand all over the creature. The lone being took to a kneeling position and reached into a small pouch attached to one of his legs and removed a small cylindrical device and pointed it towards the horizon.

“Stupid full moon. Fucking with my damn night vision scope.” Honored grumbled as he looked in disgust at the advanced scope in his hand. It worked well of ambient night light, similar to that of a cat’s eye, but the stupid giant stupid Equestrian moon was so large and bright that it caused a massive light wash on his delicate figgle scope. “No Honored sweetie, I just can't make it a half moon or a quarter moon. That would ruin the cycle.” Honored groaned aloud and dropped the scope back into its pouch. “Bahhhh.” He rubbed his hands across his face and had to stop himself from jumping out when they brushed against the hard horns protruding from his head. His demon horns had finally grew in. They were… slightly aggravating for the human who now couldn't wear his hats or helmets without cutting holes in them to stick his new curved horns through. The two brown horns stuck off the sides of his head and then curved inward over his head.

Honored stood up and slid down the dune on the heels of his boots, travelling down the sand in a rapid manner. At the base of the hill he pulled his black and red cape tightly around his closed wings and trudged on through the sand. For the simple mission he was wearing his old Equestrian Honor Guard golden armor along his arms and legs with his old standard body armor plate carrier with an assortment of pouches for ammo and weapons. At his side, the Demon King had a long rifle slung and a sword strapped to his hip. That would all he would need for the recon and eliminate mission.

The Equestrian friendly nation of Saddle Arabia, had called out for help in a territorial dispute with some internal hostile force that had simply referred to themselves as the, ‘fire nation’. Honored had received many curious looks as to why he had burst out laughing in the briefing room. “Nothing, just an Earth thing.” He said, dismissing the stares.

The Demon King human soldier was tasked to find out what the 'fire nation' was and what it wanted by stirring up trouble in the peaceful nation, and then stop it to the best of his abilities. To Honored Service, that meant one simple thing.

Find the rank structure of this 'fire nation’ and eliminate all the ranking members, effectively stopping any orders and ending the movement easily. Sure the Saddle Arabians hadn't said use deadly force, eliminate, stalk and kill, hunt, or destroy, butttttt in Honored’s defense, they had asked for help from a Demon King. Honored smirked his ever present cocky smile and climbed another never ending dune in the sea of sand. As he reached the apex, he stopped and slammed a hand to his face and groaned.

“Well this will be just fantastic.”

Honored stared at hundreds of ant hills surrounding an oasis in the middle of the desert. Thousands, if not tens of thousands, of large car sized ants crawled all over the skyscraper sized ant mounds. The massive ants moved around in a organized chaos, rushing everywhere around the colony.

“This may be a little harder than I thought.” Honored said looking down at the two weapons at his side. “Should have brought more gun.”

Honored continued to move towards the large colony of giant ants. He was positively sure this was going to backfire in the most spectacular way, but it was worth a shot. Even if it was slim. Honored crested the final dune surrounding the oasis colony and cracked his neck. He took a deep breath and with a confident stride, began marching his way directly towards the swarming mass of giant ants. As he got closer, Honored noticed some ant's antenna swivel in his direction. “That's right, look here.”

The ground shook and erupted as two ants exploded out in a rain of sand. Honored stood calm as the ants charged towards him, mandibles snapping open and close with a horrific cracking noise that filled the air. The human stood calmly still and then raised a hand. The ants stopped dead in their charge and looked at the raised appendage, long shiny antenna swiveling constantly.

“I seek council with your leadership in regards to the territory dispute with the Saddle Arabians.” Honored Service said loudly before lowering his hand. “I am Honored Service, Demon King of Tartarus and emissary of the Equestrian Government.”

Tense seconds grew into what felt like minutes as the human stayed squared off against the two ants that towered over him. Suddenly the ants spun around and began moving quickly towards the colony. Honored shrugged and plodded through the sand after the ants.

The trio marched along as row after row of other towering ants that parted before them like a giant sea of black shiny chitin. And the clicking. Dear God the clicking. Honored was grinding his teeth and clenching his fists as the sound of clacking pincers intensified the further into the colony he walked. Honored dared a quick peak behind him and saw the ants closed the gap and he was surrounded by thousands of these creatures. In their lifeless looking eyes he saw the Changeling invasion of Canterlot from so long ago. He'd love to have Saddle Company with him for this mission. Far too many years had passed since he had spoken to his friends. They needed to hear from the Demon King. Maybe a random interrupting encounter was due soon.

“Clack clack chip chip clack.” The two ants stopped in front of Honored and he looked around. He was standing before the large body of water in the center of the colony. And there, residing on a mammoth golden throne was the largest ant Honored had ever seen. The ant had to be at least fifty yards long and taller than three story building.

“What foolishness to wander into the Oasis Colony, Demon King.” The voice of the large ant was like a million rusty nails dragging along a chalkboard. It took all of Honored's willpower to not visibly cringe at the racket coming from ant's mouth. “You are now addressing Queen Ra’shey. Speak creature.”

Oh you're going to sooooo die. Honored thought while taking a step forward. “Your Majesty, I come to you seeking answers and hopefully a peaceful solution. The Saddle Arabians have reached out and wish to know why you have attacked their trading caravans through the desert without cause. They wish to resolve whatever issues you may have as to have a time of peace and prosperity in this land.” Honored said sweeping his arms around the area. The sudden silence was beyond deafening. Honored was now regretting his choice for this mission. This was an unknown enemy with unknown abilities.

“We can.” The large Queen scoffed.

“Excuse me?” Honored said looking up to the Queen. The large ant cocked her head and looked down. She shifted in her throne of gold and leaned forward so her massive body lowered and her head, with its large mandibles were scant inches from Honored's face.

“We can. We have the numbers. The strength. The desire to push out and expand. So we will. It is our destiny to conquer this land for Oasis Colony.” Thousands of ear shattering snapping of mandibles sounded through the air as the Queen leaned back into her seat.

“So,” Honored said smiling and slowly lowering his right hand to the hilt of the sword on his hip, “there is no hope of peace between nations?”

The sound of laughing came from the Queen as she slammed a leg against her throne. “Of course not!”

“Perfect.” Honored said and crouched down, the cape around his shoulders vanished and the two glossy black wings exploded outwards, causing the surrounding ants to flinch away. “Maximum effort.” Honored spun around in a circle while drawing the Element of Protection from its sheath and the flame of immortality ignited on the hilt as it shifted into its longsword form. As he spun, the human ignited his gauntlet and blasted a column of fire around him, the sound of snapping mandibles was quickly replaced with the sound of crackling and popping exoskeletons. Honored pumped his wings and jumped into the air as an ant leapt over its burning comrades and was met with a devastating downward slash that sent the headless body crashing back to the ground.

Honored flapped his wings as he began just to fire the high powered rifle downward into the mass of ants. Aiming not needed as he was almost certainly guaranteed a hit. The shell casings rained down as he fired as fast as he could reload the M21 enhanced battle rifle. He knew he had nowhere close to enough ammo to shoot every ant. Honored would have to get creative. Honored spiraled down towards the Queen's throne where she was still watching the fighting.

“Might as well start on that chain of command list.” Honored grinned as he landed on top of ant, slamming his sword down through its head and riding the skidding body forward before leaping off and slashing through another ant's legs, while blasting a fireball into a leaping ant's open mouth. The smoking carcase hit the ground as more ants poured towards the intruder that was moving towards the Queen.

Honored spun the sword in his hand and triggered the shape shifting as it formed in his hands into the sinister swordsaw form. The spinning blade began to easily work its way through ant after ant as black shell and chunks of gore rained around the spinning ball of rage and violence that was the Demon King. Honored flipped into the air, the swordsaw hanging underneath him, dragging along the backs of ants as he landed on the ground, ripping the blade upwards into another ant that clacked loudly at Honored before being sent flying backwards by a blast of void magic. The human jumped into the air and slammed his gauntlet against the ground, a fire storm raced out in every direction scorching the hard packed sand black, as ants all around him toppled down, cooked from the inside out. Honored spun on his heel and pulled his arm back and took aim. In that moment the word went still as Honored's heightened demon senses and strength went to work. The charging ants all around him went still and the smell of charred shell and burning insides became non existent. The sound of rushing limbs and clacking jaws of death faded to nothing. The only thing aware to Honored was the rapidly spinning blade of the swordsaw in his hand and the taught muscles in his arm pulled back and ready to throw. He took careful aim, the only shot he would need to make a stand against the colony of ants.

Honored hurled the rapidly spinning swordsaw through the air, over the ants and the body covered ground. As he watched the blade sail, he was knocked to the ground by all the surrounding ants as they tried to slice him to pieces with their razor sharp mandibles or gore him on their long legs. The Demon King of Tartarus flared his demon power enhanced void magic and held his arms up, blocking the raining blows being driven towards him as the void shield covered his body. Honored smiled as he turned his head and watched the thrown weapon nail its target perfectly.

The Queen had been watching the fight in disgust from atop her throne as the strange creature that had so foolishly entered her nation, tore through her ranks of soldier ants. He was a fierce fighter, but she was counting on her numbers as she always had done. What they lacked in skill, her soldiers made up for in savagery and numbers. The Queen gave a happy cheer as she watched her soldiers surround and cover the ignorant savage. Her reign would continue, and now that those Equestrians had sent a troop into her land, they had given her the freedom to march on-

GWARRRRR

The Queen ant toppled backwards in her golden throne as the swordsaw chewed away at her skull, punching clear all the way to the hilt as black ichor and brain matter spilled out of the massive open hole in the front of her head. The royal soldiers turned just in time to see the Queen slmae forward from her throne onto the blood soaked ground, sending the still spinning swordsaw shooting out of the back of her skull and into the air. The ants around the body watched the bloody sword arch into the air and landed right into the raised hand of the creature that had been swinging it seconds earlier. He was covered head to toe in black ant blood and chunks of squishy flesh and shiny bits of exoskeleton.

The royal soldiers had never prepared for any type of situation where the queen had been killed. The human stared at the ants as they looked on in shock and fear as the creature before them silenced the wicked weapon that had downed their Queen and placed it back into the scabbard at his side. He adjusted the other loud weapon at his side and walked towards the large oasis for which the colony was named.

Honored ignored the remaining thousands of ants at his backside and walked to the water's edge. He stretched his arms in front of him and interlocked his blood soaked fingers before giving them a sharp crack. Shaking out his arms, he aimed both arms in front of him and closed his eyes as the spell began to form in mind and then reached out to his gauntlet and other hand. The purple void magic now laced with sinister demon magic raced into the sky over the oasis. Honored scrunched his eyes and his brow furrowed as he concentrated on the massive amount of magic he was controlling. The ants stared on in fascinated horror as a swirling vortex of purple, red, black, and neon green magic formed over large body of crystal clear water. Sweat began to break out across Honored’s forehead as from within the vortex, several massive black tentacles snaked out and shot towards the ground, anchoring themselves around the oasis as the vortex began to spin faster and faster. The sound of thousands of souls screaming began to echo from the whirlpool over the life giving body of water in the large desert. Honored slammed down to one knee and dropped his arms to the ground, palms down, as the spell fired and the portal over the oasis ripped open, dumping a waterfall of lava out into the water. The explosion of steam whipped across the entire ant colony as Honored stood up and flapped his wings, shooting into the air.

From above the new hell he created, he watched the ants running around madly as the steam and boiling water rose as the hardening lava forced the super heated water up faster and faster, drowning the colony out. Ants raced up the side of their mammoth mounds of packed sand, but the water ate away at the very foundation and caused the skyscraper sized ant mounds to crumble and collapse into the sea of boiling water and hissing lava. Honored stared down with unforgiving eyes as he flapped his wings and watched the doomed colony fall. They would all be wiped out or at least be left in the middle of the desert with no source of water and nowhere to flee too. It would be a horrible death if the racing lava still emptying form the portal in the sky didn't kill them first.

Honored sighed and slowly flew back towards the Saddle Arabian capital. He would give his report. They Oasis Colony had decided they would no longer bother the Saddle Arabian nation anymore.

“See now that’s more like it!” Pip shouted out as Twilight finished reading. She had read all of Honored’s stories enough times to know which parts to leave out. Mainly the insane amounts of gore and mass levels of death and destruction that he brought along with him whenever he went to solve problems.

Twilight and the rest of her friends had taken to heart many lessons from the egocentric and slightly annoying human warrior. How to live life to the fullest. How love conquered all boundaries. How said love could beat his ass if he didn’t do what she said. How to maintain, fire, and use almost all of his deadly arsenal of alien weapons.

But there was one lesson that Twilight and the rest of the Elements of Harmony remembered. It was the one lesson that seemed to haunt Honored all the time. Twilight’s thoughts drifted away as she was lost in the memory.

“Okay girls, you go set up the picnic, and I’ll go get Honored and Princess Luna.” Twilight said while trotting away from the edge of the park. She waved goodbye to her friends while Applejack and Rainbow set up a large blanket and Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie set the food up around the spread. Rarity sat nearby on her fainting couch and poured drinks of honeyed tea around for everyone.

Twilight headed around the long worn path that lead to the human’s Equestrian home tucked away at the edge of the Everfree Forest. Honored and Princess Luna took turns staying at the humble house and the Canterlot Castle since their wedding. “To escape the douchebaggery,” Honored said while receiving a sharp slap across the back of his head from Luna, who only gave a slight nod in agreement. Twilight rounded a bend in the path and smiled at the patched together home and old crater covered yard. That place had been blown up, attacked, and damaged more times than she could count, and yes she may have helped in the accidental destruction on more than one occasion, but even Princess Celestia had blown a few holes in the house and yard, so it was sort of a right of passage as a Princess to damage Honored’s property.

BAM

CRASH

BOOM

“I can’t take much more of this Luna!” Twilight ducked down behind a short bush in Honored’s front yard as the human came rushing around the corner, magic flared in his hands and his wicked shape shifting sword clenched tightly in his right hand. He stopped and spun, lashing out with the golden sword and sliced into a tree multiple times with speed that was hard to keep track of. The tree toppled over in several different sections as Honored stood there panting. He dropped to his knees and the sword fell beside him. He placed his face in his hands and Twilight had to stop herself from gasping as the demon king began to openly weep into his hands. His shiny black wings layed sprayed out on the ground behind him and the black flame of immortality that normally flickered with life and light was just a small spark in between his two horns on his head.

“My love please talk to me.” Luna came around the house with a sympathetic look to her face. “Please Honored listen to me. You know that out of everyone you know, your wife and sister in law are the two beings that you now share this burden with, who can understand your pain.” Luna sat down beside the teary eyed human. He sniffed once and looked up at her.

“You don't think we haven't felt this? To live forever doing what? Raising the sun and the moon? We each have reached this climax before. Celestia vanished for weeks and when I found her, she had created her own islands, The non-Virgin Islands now known as the Horseshoe Isles. She created a paradise full of stallions to just leave everything behind.” Honored snorted and gave a low chuckle.

“And you know of what happened when I had my little break down. I was consumed by anger. If all I would do for the rest of my life was raise the moon and not even receive gratitude for it, then why have it go down at all. And Nightmare helped to push me over the edge.” Luna placed a hoof under Honored’s chin and raised his head. “You’re not the first and you won't be the last.”

Honored sniffed again and looked up. “But Luna, I'm freaking demon. And on top of that I’m nothing more than a weapon that happens to breath!” Honored stood up and turned to face his wife. “I will have to spend forever killing, being a mass killer and problem solver.” Honored jumped into the air and spread his black wings and flapped them lazily as he hovered over Luna.

“I’m the freaking Angel of Death and you know what the worst part of it is Luna my love,” Honored grinned wickedly before crashing down to the ground in a splash of void magic and dark flames, “I love it!” Honored summoned his sword into his hand and spun around, laughing madly. “All I do is kill and destroy! I'm a demon now and I love it!” Luna looked at her husband and rolled her eyes. He could be such a drama queen when he wanted to be. Luna calmly walked over the cackling human and tapped him on the chest. He looked at her and then recoiled sharply as Princess Luna smacked him across the face.

“No sir.” She said while patting him lightly on the head. “No sir you may not break down like this. Come along dear and tighten up.” Honored just stared at her and shook his head. He gave a goofy smile back at Luna and hugged her.

“What would I do without you my love.” He kissed her lightly before both heads turned towards the bush that Twilight was hiding behind. Twilight quickly clamped a hoof over her face when she realized that she had made an ‘awwwww’ sound at the private affectionate display.

“Whoops.” She said with a nervous giggle as Honored walked over towards the smaller alicorn.

“Saw all of that?”

“Yes.”

“Even the crying?”

“Yes?”

“Thought so.” Honored sighed and sat next to the younger immortal creature. “So how about instead of you writing this down as it actually happened, I give you the most important lesson I've ever learned and you leave out the mental instability.” Honored held out his hand in front of Twilight, who looked at it before smiling and accepting his hand and giving it hard shake.

“Sure thing Honored!” A scroll and quill ‘poofed’ into existence in a cloud of purple smoke and Twilight took her normal pose to copy.

“In all my years Twilight, every adventure, every problem, every possible outcome that has ever happened to me I can tell you one very important thing that you can never forget. I learned this along time ago and it goes hand in hand… er… hoof in hoof with other lessons, but this one is the base of a lot of them.” Honored stopped and looked off into the distance, lost in a memory long gone.

“Sometimes you have to fight.”

“Uhhh?” Twilight looked up from her scroll and stared at the human who stared over the sleepy little town of Ponyville in the distance.

“You can think happy thoughts and be filled with nothing but positive energy. You can write the most famous and heartfelt speech in the history of war. You can have nothing but good intentions in you heart, but no matter what, sometimes you just have to fight. Someone or something somewhere will say no to your kindness and goodness. You will then have to defend your actions.You. Will. Fight.”

Honored stopped talking and looked down to Twilight as a tear fell down his cheek. “We all must decide when we have to fight. You yourself have figured it long ago when you stood up for your friends and Equestria. Not all problems can be solved peacefully. And when they can’t,” Honored clenched his fist and took a deep breathe. He exhaled and released his balled fisits, “you come out fighting like never before.”

Honored stood up and began to walk away. As he did so, Twilight caught a saying that must have been a human thing, because it made little to no sense to her, but regardless she wrote it down.

If you’re going to fight, fight like you’re the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s Arc. And it’s starting to rain.

Twilight shook her head to snap herself out of the memory and smiled at Pip, “Well you got to pick the last story, how about somepony else pick now.”

A chorus of shouting and suggestions rang out and Twilight waited for one that sounded good enough to counter the violence of the Oasis Colony one.

“Princess Luna’s wedding!”

“Ah!” Twilight exclaimed and pulled the large tome form the collection. “That’s a perfect one, the wedding of Princess Luna and Honored Service.”

“Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.” Honored mumbled faster and faster as he paced around the closed doors of the Canterlot castle throne room. On the other side of the massive closed doors, half of Equestria had gathered to see the wedding of Princess Luna and Equestrian Honor Guard Demon King Honored Service. Honored was an absolute mess as he continued to pace back and forth. With him stood his groomsmen. Discord, Spike, Hammer Strike, Battle Plan, Quick Flurry, Stand Bold, and Covert were all watching the human suffer another slight panic attack.

“Anypony going to fix him?” Stand Bold asked as he ruffled his feathers and stared at the human. “No? Okay I will.” The pegasus stepped forward and slapped the human across the face. Honored gave a loud ‘yelp’ and went quiet.

“Thank you.” He said while bringing both hands up to his forehead and then began to stroke the developing demon horns on his head. “Okay. I got this. Just the biggest single event of my life. No worries.”

“Oh you positively silly human. I swear you are the most delightfully chaotic creature that I have had the pleasure of meeting.” Discord smiled and adjusted his mismatched checkered suit. “But you can do this. You are a good creature, and Luna made the right choice. Now buck up and smile, you’ve got vows to make.” Honored looked up to the Lord of Chaos and smiled. Discord was right, he could do this. He was Honored Fuckin’ Service. He was marrying the woman of his dreams.

“Let's do this.” Honored strode through the doors and towards the altar set up at the front of the throne room to take his place. He stood under an archway of bright red fire lilies and moon bloom flowers that seemed to glow in the early afternoon light that poured in from the stained glass windows that covered the room. The gathered crowd of ponies watched in awe as the bridlemaids and groomsmen walked down the aisle in pairs. Discord and Twilight. Quick Flurry and Rainbow Dash. Battle Plan and Applejack. Fluttershy and Covert. Rarity and Spike. Pinkie Pie and Stand Bold. Hammer Strike and Night Rose brought up the last of the group and they all took their spots along the wedding alter. Princess Celestia gracefully sailed in from behind the altar and took her place as the head of ceremony for the wedding.

Honored gave a look of confirmation to Celestia who gave her gentle smile to the human who let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. She could calm any savage beast with that smile, Honored thought now that his nerves were a little calmer. He tugged on his jacket one more time to insure that the solid black tux was aligned straight. The two lumps tucked away at his side were hardly noticeable, and if Luna saw them, he would be a dead man, but it never hurt to have protection close at hand. Especially given the history of Equestrian weddings.

The organ began to play the bridal march and Honored’s heart leapt into his throat as the large doors slowly swung open and the crowd all took in a deep breath with with the dumbstruck groom.

Luna seemed to glide into the throne room as the crowd followed her every movement. Every single being in the room suddenly found themselves hypnotized and madly in love with the Princess of the Night. Wives forgot about husbands and husbands forgot about wives as they were all lost in the infinite beauty that was Princess Luna. The wedding dress she wore was that of which had never been seen before. It was white as freshly fallen snow and yet whenever Luna moved or swayed, the fabric shimmered and became dark as the night sky she represented. The mesmerizing clothing wasn't the only thing that captured the attention of every pair of eyes. Moving up from the perfectly fitting dress that showed off just the right amount of curves, Luna’s mane was done into a long braid that cascaded down her neck. But throughout the braid, small bright gleaming balls of light twinkled brighter than her normal mane. It was almost as if Luna had sliced a portion of the night’s sky from the heavens and wove it into her mane. Honored’s mouth open and closed as the princess stood beside him at the alter.

“Close your mouth dear, or a griffon will fly into it.” Luna whispered with a giggle as Honored blushed brighter than the lava of Tartarus. “You look nice too dear.”

“Humana humana.” Was all Honored was able to say. He was still dumbfounded at the epic beauty that was before him.

“We are gathered here today to join Princess Luna and Honored Service in holy matrimony,” Celestia began the ceremony as the two lovers stared at each other, lost forever in each other’s eyes. Time seemed to fly by as Celestia said her part of the wedding ceremony. Soon came her favorite part. “The two have wrote each their own vows, they will present them now.” She smiled and nodded to Honored who coughed and turned to face Luna.

“My Luna. My moon sugar. I know of so many couples that have said they would walk through hell and back for each other. I am proud to say that we have actually done that.” A small laughter ran through the crowd. “We did this for us.” Honored said brushing a hand through the flickering black flame of immortality resting in between the two nubs of horns growing on his head.

“But I will say to you Luna, that I would easily go through hell again and again, for you. No matter what. You have given me something to fight for no matter the cost, no matter the enemy, no matter what. I would do it all for you. You are my best friend and the best companion I could have ever asked for. There is no better fighter I would want to have my back in battle. Sorry Tune.” The robot butler in question lowered his bomb defusing claw and sighed from his spot in the front row of the crowd. “Luna, we could make it through anything.”

“THEN LET'S SEE YOU TRY!”

The ceremony screeched to a halt as the throne room doors exploded open in a shower of splinters that hurtled towards those in the back of the gathered crowd. Honored, Luna, Celestia, and Twilight quickly threw a shield up that covered the back guests as the shrapnel rained around them.

“Quickly everypony out!” Celestia roared as the doors along the throne room were tossed open and the crowd of panicking ponies rushed out. Into the throne room two massive dragons entered. The group at the altar didn’t so much as flinch as the dragons rose to their true height, all the way to the ceiling of the massive room. They did react when the stain glass windows exploded inwards, showering the room in a rain of colors as the room was filled with griffons, harpies, a couple basilisks, and even a few manticores. Through the massed group of hostiles, a lone figure strutted forward.

“I’m so terribly sorry, did I happen to have come at a bad time?” The lone figure asked as it stepped to the front of the army of vicious creatures. The creature stopped and stared at the group. “I guess introductions are in order. My name is Masha.” The lone figure stepped into the light streaming in through the shattered window. The Elements of Harmony gasped as they looked at the disfigured griffon before them. He was missing a wing and a rear leg. The leg was replaced with a wickedly sharp looking prosthetic that resembled a sword on hydraulics. He was draped in chain mail that glistened in the light and ontop of it was dark black plate armor and boiled leather. A large sword was resting where the missing wing would have been. What caught Honored’s attention was the mini ballista mounted to his back. It looked like it could pack a massive punch. Honored was very aware now at the lack of weapons on his side of the throne room.

“Sorry to be rude,” Honored said, taking a step forward towards the grotesque griffon, “but who the fuck are you?”

The griffon in armor grimaced as anger washed across his face. “Of course you wouldn’t know.” He spun around and walked towards the large group of gathered creatures that were all breathing heavily and gnashing their teeth. “I was there when you rushed our forces at Canterlot with Day Terror. I was there when you destroyed the King’s castle and killed thousands while releasing murderers and criminals back into the city. I was there when you and your airship destroyed a town and killed an entire garrison of loyal troops. I heard you entered our own city and joined a mercenary group as if you didn't know what destruction you had wrought on our race. Honored Service, I am here to kill you and all you love for you did the same to me!”

Masha drew the sword from his side and leveled it at the human wearing his wedding tux. “You killed thousands in the name of justice and peace. You are a demon and an evil on this world sent by the gods to bring about our world’s death. I was shown the truth through your actions and now I will put you down like the demon you are.” Honored tensed up and slowly began to bring his hands to his waist. “You and your friends are dead. Except for your wife to be. You will watch her die last as i strip everything form you, just as you did to me.”

“But I didn’t take everything from you.” Honored said while taking a tentative step forward towards the ranting griffon.

Masha cocked his head to the side as the sword dipped a little.

“You still have four more limbs I can tear from your body.” Honored grinned wickedly and was suddenly engulfed in swirling vortex of demon and void magic. The wedding tux was engulfed in the swirling flames and quickly replaced with the dented and battle hardened golden Equestrian Honor Guard armor on top of the normal white shirt and black slacks Honored now normally wore. The black cape with the red inside swirled around Honored as he squared off against the wedding crasher and his gang of ferocious creatures. “Sorry Luna, looks like I did bring a weapon-” A poliet cough caught Honored’s attention. He looked back and saw Luna’s beautiful mesmerizing wedding dress was replaced with her dark royal blue combat armor and her mane was done up into a tight bun beneath her helmet that had a large sharpened crescent moon blade attached on it above her horn. Beside her floated a loaded machine gun with a glistening belt of 7.62mm rounds snaked around the air.

“Oh my God I love you so much.” Honored said while reaching behind his back and pulling out the two concealed pistols he brought to the wedding. The two Glock 21s were gripped in his hands as he turned back to Masha. “Oh and you’ll have to fight them too.” Honored gestured to the members of Saddle company, whom all had equipped themselves with various weapons and armor. Covert slipped from the shadows, wielding his light machine gun and grinning his sinister blood red smile. Discord laughed deeply while adjusting the woodland camouflage boonie hat on his head and spinning the rotating drum on his grenade launcher. Celestia was wearing the flack jacket from the trip to Hell many months ago with her rifle and pistol both ready for action beside her. Tune shifted next to the group, every gun system along his chassis readied and took aim at the enemies.

“You made a grave mistake Masha. You interrupted the most important day of our lives. And then you threaten not only myself, but the love of my life and my friends?” Honored chuckled deeply that sent shivers down every being’s spine in the throne room. Suddenly the sky outside of the castle turned blood red as the clouds became black and the sun faded into the blood ocean sky. Honored’s black wings extended out from under his cape and the crown he wore on his head exploded as the flame of immortality came to life. “You woke the Demon King Masha.”

Every since entering the throne room, Masha felt fear. He did not know the amount of power his enemy wielded until now, but for Masha he realized that it was too late to back out now. He was here and he had spent months collecting his army and gaining his allies. It was now or never. Masha quickly took advantage of the lull in the room by jumping forward and slamming his broad sword down at the human while he was still distracted by making his speech.

CLASH

The sword was halted mid strike by a revolving purple, green, black, and red swirling pool of demon void magic. Honored grinned at the griffon while wisps of green smoke trickled out from the corners of his eyes. “Tune if you will please.”

“Of course sir.”

Tune slipped the music on and the battle began full fledged.

The music cut into the air as Honored sidestepped around another swift strike from the sword and leveled one of his deadly handguns at Masha’s side. The pistol fired a quick succession of shots that slammed into the armored side of the griffon’s body. Masha quickly backpedaled away while angling down and pressing a lever on the side of his armor. The ballista on his back released a steel bolt at Honored who grinned at the incoming projectile.

BOOM

A 40mm grenade from a draconequus’ grenade launcher caught the deadly bolt mid flight and turned it into a long balloon animal. Honored smiled and nodded to Discord who turned his attention back to one of the incoming manticores. Discord flipped into the air and let fly two more random explosions that slammed into the beast's chest. Clouds of soapy bubbles and confetti exploded out from the manticore’s chest causing it to fall to the side as confetti and bubbles leaked out onto the ground as it gave a final shudder.

Honored dodged around another ballista shot and a sword swing while dropping down to a knee and firing his pistols at Masha who was simply relying on his armor to stop the rounds rather than try and avoid them. Both slides locked back on the pistols as they ran empty. Honored swung them forward while hitting the magazine release buttons and sent the two empty magazines flying straight into a low flying griffon’s face. The griffon slammed into the ground next to Masha and knocked the leader to the ground. Honored tossed two fresh magazines into the ai with his magic and spun the pistols around, catching the falling magazines in the weapons before leveling them across the room at the two recovering griffons. Honored walked forward while firing the weapons simultaneously as Masha quickly dove behind the other griffon who quickly found himself being used as a human shield. The lower griffon jerked side to side as the .45 calibre slugs shredded his body to bloody ribbons. The weapons went dry and Honored dropped the pistols to the floor of the throne room as a large golden weapon slowly began to materialize in his out stretched gauntleted hand. The Element of Protection twirled around his body as he walked towards Masha who dumped his dead meat shield to the ground.

“Enemies at three, five, seven, and eleven sectors. Firing on mark. Mark.” Tune’s robotic polite voice said around to anyone in his proximity as the .50 caliber Ma Deuce heavy machine gun took aim at its first target. Faster than any eye could keep track of, the robot controlled weapon swiveled left, right, right, left in rapid succession, letting a perfect five round burst onto each enemy. Two griffons wielding crossbows, and two ragged looking harpies fell to the ground missing massive amounts of their bodies form where the large rounds had torn through them.

“TUNE HELP!” A loud shout called out across the throne room. Tune’s perfect sense sighted in on the plea and saw the mane six of Ponyville trapped behind a large magical barrier Twilight was holding up. Applejack had Honored’s magical shotgun caster in her hooves and was firing the seeking green shells at any enemy that came around behind the group, while Rainbow Dash, wielding a submachine gun in her hooves, covered the area above the group. One of the large dragons, or more accurately to the robotic death dealing butler, a wervyn, was assaulting the group with gouts of fire and raking the shield with its claws.

“Oh this will not due.” Tune said while the rear anti air missile pods on his pack popped open. “One enemy, three hundred twenty-two kilos. Two HE.” Tune said to himself as two explosions rocked the robotic weapon system. The missiles streaked through the air, catching all attention in the raging battle of the throne room. The wervyn looked up from its attack just in time to see the two high explosive rockets slam into its side.

BOOM BOOM

The area around the lesser dragon vanished into the fiery explosion. The mane six coughed and spluttered around Twilight’s now gore soaked sheild as the smoke around them cleared. The wervyn absolutely gone. Tune bobbed his mechanical claw up and down before rolling away on his wheels.

“Enemies two, six, eight, and nine sectors. Free firing.”

Honored weaved around and deflected a strike from Masha. The griffon spun and lashed out with his prosthetic leg, which did indeed have razor sharp sword in it that sprung out when thrusted. Honored’s own sword struck against the broadsword and the two locked themselves in a close grunting match of pure strength as they tried to out muscle on another. “Devil’s trap.” Honored grinned as a pair of black tentacles shot out of the floor from two summoned runes and wrapped themselves around the griffon’s back legs. Honored sliced down, Masha blocking the strike while kicking out his leg and slicing one of the tentacles with his hidden sword. Honored frowned and dipped around a reverse strike from the enraged griffon. The two continued to lash out with swords, dancing around the throne room.

“I’ll say sister, this is the most interesting wedding I’ve ever done.” Celestia said while grinning. She leveled the rifle and fired a trio of rounds into a griffon while simultaneously aiming the pistol she carried at one of the basilisks that snaked its way through the air on its reptilian wings.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying this Celestia.” Luna said with anger. “This was supposed to be my day, my perfect day, and yet here I am,” Luna stopped as her machine gun burst to life and a long stream of hot lead poured forth and ripped and entire line of griffons to shreds. Luna spuna around and tossed her back legs forward and caught another manticore in the face and then slammed the machine gun forward and struck the beast across its muzzle. She then stepped back and fired the weapon again, sweeping its side with bullets that dropped the manticore to the ground where it laid still.

“Admit it. You're having a bit of fun.” Celestia added while slamming the pistol across a griffon’s face rapidly before hurling it like a bowling ball into a group and then tossing a fragmentation grenade after it.

BOOM

A rain of feathers and blood covered the area.

“Oh shut it sister.” Luna groaned and searched the battlefield for her soon to be husband. She spotted the human locked in combat with the leader of this stupid fight. Some griffon that was angry for the horrible things that Honored had done to the race of easily angered birds. Sure some of it was rather brutal, but they seemed to cause it always. Capturing him, fighting against the Equestrians, and so on. They brought it on themselves. They would learn one day she thought. “Honored get your ass over here!” Luna yelled out to her husband to be. He looked up and over at her before getting punched in the face by said griffon. “Well finish that up first!” She added.

“Aww did you hear that Mashed Potatoes. Playtime is over.” Honored said with a chuckle as the swords slammed together again.

“Its Masha, and yes it is time I killed you.” The griffon grunted while pushing forward, creating room between the two.

“Oh no, that means I have to kick it up to thirty percent.” Honored said with a sinister grin. Masha’s eyes grew wide as Honored’s sword slowly came to life and one side of the blade became serrated and grew in length as it began to spin rapidly. The swordsaw form of Honored’s blade quickly descended again, Masha brought his own sword up and tied to block it, but as soon as the blades touched, Honored’s immediately began to rip through the griffon’s sword. It may have been made of wet paper as the Element of Protection ripped it to pieces. Masha was left with nothing but the hilt of his sword left. He tossed the piece to the side and fired his ballista again at Honored. The human lazily swung his sword and knocked the bolt out of the air.

“Come on Masha. You came in swinging that big ol’ ego around. Where’s that god shit now?” Honored said closing the distance between the two. “You wanted to fight me, here I am! You are here to kill me, then do it. Kill the Demon King of Tartarus. The leader of the Equestrian Honor Guard. The destroyer of nearly an entire race of Changelings. Last human ever on Equestria.” Masha stumbled over the headless corpse of a girffon. “Come on demon killer, end me!” Honored roared while diving forward, slipping through Masha’s pitiful strike with his claws.

Masha looked up to see the smiling face of Honored as a pain erupted in his side. The swordsaw was plunged into his ribcage, the blade slowly slicing its way along his slide. With deliberate slowness, Honored dragged the weapon along the dying griffon’s side. “Don’t worry Masha. I’ll see you again real soon. I have work tomorrow. And I promise you, I’ll have a cell for you in my office.” Honored jerked the swordsaw up and sliced Masha’s head in half.

Luna sighed in relief when Honored appeared beside her, one side soaked in what she hoped was not his blood. “Quickly sister, before something else happens, start that damn thing!” Luna yelled while then aiming at a manticore that jumped at the three. Honored dove down as the body hit the ground. He propped himself up against the freshly slain body as his sword morphed into its long rifle form and he fired a quick shot of void magic at the other remaining dragon to get its attention away from the mane six and Discord.

“Luna will now recite her vows.” Celestia said while turning around and firing a burst of pure sunlight from her horn into a diving basilisk, vaporizing the top half of the flying snake creature.

“Honored for the past few years,” Luna ducked under a flying arrow loosed from a griffon across the throne room who received a burst from the bride’s machine gun, “I have watched you grow and change and do so much for those around you. From the ponies of Ponyville, to the invasion of Canterlot. I have noticed so much about your character that made me fall in love with you.” Luna locked eyes with the love of her life and the two shared a heartfelt moment as the battle around them raged on. Honored lifted his arm and fired a bolt of void magic into a harpie as it raced towards the couple. “But what drove me to love you so much is the way you push yourself to the brink of death for anyone else, no matter what race or anything. You give and give and give with so little in return. My vow is to give you the same dedication that you give in your selfless service.” Luna wiped a tear from the human’s eye as he cupped her face. They both ducked under and incoming battle axe that was tossed at them by a large griffon.

The two stood up at the same time and fired their magic at the same time, the griffon catching the dark purple, green void magic and the dark blue alicorn magic at the same time. “Do you Honored Service, take Princess Luna to be your lawfully wedded wife for now and forever, until death do you part?” Celestia asked as she grabbed a sword of the ground and skillfully parried a frantic slash from a armored covered harpie.

“I do.” Honored said gripping Luna’s hoof in his hand.

“And do you Princess Luna take Honored Service to be your lawfully wedded husband, now and forever, till death do you part?” Celestia repeated the question to Luna who nodded furiously while flicking the deadly looking helmet she wore into the air and launching it with her magic at the large remaining red dragon that was turning its attention to the group of ponies that were still fighting strong against the few stragglers.

“I do.” Luna said looking at Honored.

“Then by the power of the sun and Harmony, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.” Celestia said with a large smile and tears freely running down her cheeks. The two quickly leaned in and planted a perfect kiss that slowed all the fighting around them. Time seemed to lose its meaning as the two were lost in each other’s bliss. They pulled out of the kiss and looked once more at each other.

“Want to kill the dragon together my wife dearest?” Honored asked, holding up the hilt of an old golden sword that sparked with ancient magic. Ol’ Zappy the sword found itself once more levitated in Luna’s magic as she levitated her machine gun to Honored.

“We shall make the greatest warrior couple in history!” Luna declared. Honored gave a hearty chuckle as he gripped the 240 in his hands and racked the charging handle back. He flipped the remaining linked rounds over his shoulder and faced the dragon. The couple rushed forward, smiles locked on their faces as they leapt off a flipped over bench right into the dragon’s face.

“YAY!” Screamed the collected crowd as Twilight slowly shut the cover of the large tome. She used her magic to slide the book back onto its appropriate spot on the shelf behind her.

“And they lived happily ever after.” Twilight added to the much delight of everypony gathered. She remembered like it was yesterday when the second Canterlot wedding had been crashed. Granted this time it had been much more damaging to the castle. The clean up had taken months for everything to be put back into order. Twilight smiled as she looked up to the clock over the door to the story club section of the library. “Well it seems we ran a little late today. Storytime is over everypony, same time next week!”

The crowd slowly began to exit the room while everypony talked to one another about their favorite part of the stories they had heard. Twilight watched everypony leave before sighing to herself and began to rearrange the room and put away all the seat cushions and chairs that had been brought into the room for the stories. As she worked she noticed a lone shadow waiting in the back by a few old large shelves of books.

“Excuse me? Do you need help?” She asked the lone figure. The figure turned to face her and stepped forward.

“That was quite the story. Seemed a bit far fetched don't you think?” Honored asked as he stepped from the shadows. His demon horns had reached their full maturity and curved up and over his head while the flame of immortality flickered lively in between the two. He wore a white shirt and black pants and the old tattered demon cape rested on his right shoulder. The left shoulder had a simple piece of golden armor on it with a faded painted on symbol of a rearing filly in a cape. Around his waist was a black belt that held a few pouches and a large golden sheath with a wicked looking sword stowed in it. Black shiny feathered wings twitched on his back as he opened his arms and engulfed Twilight in a friendly hug. “Hows my favorite author doing?”

“It’s so good to see you Honored.” Twilight pulled back from the hug and looked at her old friend. “I’m doing quite well. The storytime idea was a huge hit. And my lessons to the new batch of unicorns is going extremely well.”

“I can see they love yours truly.” Honored said while wiggling his eyebrows. “You did an amazing job Sparkle at capturing everything. I know why you took notes about everything now.” Honored waltzed over to the shelves dedicated to his story and a gauntleted covered hand over the tomes. “Good to know others can hopefully learn from my ways.”

“I certainly hope they don't!” Twilight groaned. “Equestria could barely handle one human!” They both broke out into laughter. “I don’t mean to sound rude, but what are you doing here Honored? Isn’t Tartarus busy containing the new influx?”

“Oh my dear Twilight I could tell you some heartwarming or dangerous story as to why I’m skulking aound your library, but I’ll tell it to you straight.” Honored leaned down and gestured for Twilight to come closer. She slowly slid next to him as he leaned over and whispered into her ear.

“I’m on a world wide hide and go seek championship with Luna, Celestia, and Discord.” He stood up and smiled.

“Honored is that why nopony has seen you for the last four months.” Twilight said with her head cocked in utter confusion.

“You got it. We’re playing for all the marbles. Whoever wins, gets five days off from their job. All of us God tier power wielders can do each other’s job for a short time and I’ll be damned if I have to move around a fucking sun or a big ass rock.”

“Wait. Why wasn’t I invited to join?” Twilight asked with a hurt look.

“Oh Twilight.” Honored said while ruffling the purple alicorn’s mane. “One day you can, butttt today is not that day.” He gave her a sincere smile and then suddenly looked panicked. “Oh shit, my ‘the sisters just joined forces’ powers are tingling. Bye Twilight! And remember, if you don't want to spend an eternity in the pain pit, I was never here.” Honored yelled while dropping to knee and vanishing form sight as a pentagram appeared in fire on the library floor.

“Honored!” Twilight yelled at the ceiling. “That is actually burned into the floor!” The door to the storytime room burst opened and Celestia and Luna stood there panting while looking around. Celestia grabbed Twilight in her magical golden aurora and lifted her to her face.

“Twilight my faithful friend,” Her eyes darted around quickly and the veins around her face were popping out, “have you seen that damned slippery human demon Honored?”

“Please Twilight.” Luna asked much calmer. “I haven't seen my husband, save for cheeky little notes and pictures he has left, in four months.” She then narrowed her eyes in a threatening manner, “And I will not lose to that beast.”

Twilight quickly looked around. Confirming that the human wasn't around, she nodded rapidly. “He was just here.” She pointed a hoof at the still smoldering pentagram on the ground, “he teleported out using that.”

“Damn it all.” Celestia said. “He went back to hell. I hate it there. IT gets my mane all frizzy.” Celestia stopped a hoof to the ground and flashed away.

“Thank you Twilight. Your help was much appreciated.” Luna followed after her sister and vanished a burst of light.

Twilight looked around and sighed. “They have the powers of Gods. They are playing hide and go seek.” The bookish alicorn hung her head. “And I get to be God of Friendship.”

It took all over Honored’s willpower and resolve to not burst out laughing from his hiding place in the rafters over the sulking alicorn. He was sure Luna would have smelt him or even felt his presence only feet above her. He smiled and opened his wings and silently flipped down form the support beams and landed on his feet while moving undetected out of the castle and towards the small cottage tucked away at the edge of the Everfree forest.

Smiling up at the setting sun and rising moon, Honored gently touched the band of gold welded onto the ring finger of his gauntlet. Tomorrow he would have to touch up on the maximum security cells in his office and then bring more release paperwork up to the big boss. Honored reached down into his pocket and felt the small metal ring and pulled it out. He examined the small olive drab green circular ring in his hand and smiled. He had spent the better part of two days deep in the Everfree forest searching. The small safety pin ring twirled around his finger.

A pin that would have perfectly fit into a flashbang grenade.

Honored pocketed the simple memento and opened the door to his home and gently closed the door. It was good to be home.

Author's Notes:

To the greatest fans in the world, you the reader,

To every single one of you that have read this story, you each have made an impact on my life.
Every single view that I see on my story. Every single positive (and negative) rating. Every single comment. Each one of you have touched me and encouraged me to write. This has been one of the best uses of my time I'll ever have. The life of a military brony is a strange and exotic one stretched far and few, but thank you all for your support. You each are whom I'm out here for. So read on. You do you. You are all motivation someone, somewhere on the fringes of the world. I hope the long awaited chapter finds each of you in good spirits.

Thanks for the best audience anyone could have.

This is Johnson signing out. It has been a real... honor.