> Monk of Aura
>  by Alter Sol
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> A Monk's Tools and Skills
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you ever get the feeling life has plans beyond your death. I never knew. Ever since meeting something I held more dear than anything else that occupied my mind, I prepared for my death. Not in the way of suicide. I prepared for a natural death. Heaven or Hell, limbo or purgatory, I was determined to be ready for the afterlife for some peace. So I train like usual, train the spirit and the body regardless if people believe I was serious or not. I had teachers, but no students. But then, light.


===


I look out after the blinding light had faded and there was a sudden ringing in my ears. A bomb? No. Flashbang. Good thing my eye sight was affected little. I then see these... creatures before me. Scared. Crying. And above all, desperate. "Creature," one called up, "whatever you are, whoever you are, please help us." This being, a female of red cream fur held my hands, not caring about my minimal dress code. "Our home, our families... we beg you."

I look up, and see all manner of creatures attacking the town. The air around them was... wrong. They felt twisted, contorted even deranged. And those that bit or spilled on the unaffected, turned them into something... drained. One of the ponies, of their resident, charged at me before I raised my hand, my instinct blinding my sight, but not my hearing. I look to see crystals of cyan, glowing with dust had punctured the bodies as they were burned and a light ascended into the sky. One of the more twisted creatures took notice and I struck again, this time with a lance of crystal forming over my arm as the body was burned to nothing.

Whatever I was doing, I was almost certain of how I was doing it. Looking over, I see the other creatures were looking at me. I managed to agro their attention but there was a problem. 'So they're after me now. ....fuck.' The crafty and scrawny ones ran for me, hoping to get a slice in before I had surrounded myself in a vortex of shards as they were sliced to ribbon. Some larger beasts then charged me, hoping to score a hit with their deformed arms turned weapons.

Aiming my thoughts, the shards became spears of what could only be described as adement before they were launched forward and skewered the beasts. 'Okay, so I managed to understand my situation some. Still does not help my questions.' Before I could ponder those questions, a biped came down on me with a clever with a larger handle than acceptable. My mind was focused so much on a shield that it hit something before getting bounced back. 'What was...' Without thinking, and without knowing it, I swiped my hand thinking I had claws and large, gaping slashes appeared on the beast before it dropped dead.

Picking up the weapon without a second though, I had made the right call as a twisted form of a lion was atop me and my arm brought the clever around as it appeared to glow. The beast was slash in one motion and its body lay lifeless. Another beast, more twisted than the lion, an amalgamation of creatures worse than a chimera, loomed over me. My adrenaline still high, I lashed out with the weapon as it was covered in searing flames, like it was smoldering in dragon breath. The slash cut most of the way though before the weapon detonated inside the beast. The weapon destroyed, along with most of the chimera, I was starting to grasp the situation as my adrenaline started calming.

My rational mind, once clouded by uncertain fear, was now cleared and open as I started calling upon my self constructed training regimen. 'I need to drive them out.' I closed my eyes, letting my mind construct the kanji needed to target these twisted creatures and channeled shadow and fire into an unholy element. "Burn with the darkness that you march on these lands." All of them, even the ones ready to bite, looked at me. "Char and smolder in the shadows you hail from as I cast your flesh back to the unholy night of the damned." I opened my eyes and many of them, feral or not, stepped back as fires of my own shadow were born. "Now burn." Those same fires whirled around me and spread to everything, clinging to the twisted ones while everything else was just passed over.

The twisted beings screamed and writhed as they were burned to nothing. Some released a soul, others were empty of one. After the flames faded to nothing, the air was sanitized thanks to the flames and the absence of what they burned. "Rest in ash for the destruction you have caused and may your lives after be quiet."

The ponies were stunned before the tension died down and cheered for their safety and victory with those that summoned me seemingly relaxing. But my mind went back to my room. Where was I? What was this about? Why did those twisted creatures look familiar? And what about.... 'Alexie...' My wife. I had apparently lost my cool and did something as there were collective gasps from around me. "What?" One of them approached and this bravery must've calmed me down because they were breathing a sigh of relief. "Where am I?"

"Captain!" A winged being came up, dressed in armor, approaching another in purple plates. "We have more of them in the dragon lands! It's turning the tides!"

I look to my summoners. "Forget where I am and my questions. Where's these 'dragon lands'?" They pointed in a general direction and I started walking, figuring I would be days away, though I wanted to hurry before I was stopped by the guards, assuming from their plates, holding their weapons to me.

Many of them were female but they were each young rookies or aged veterans with adequate physiques. "Where are you going? Are you controlling these things?"

"Ma'am I don't have time for your questions." I tried to move but was stopped by spear head. "Think, if I made these things, why would I go through the trouble of making then killing these creatures?" They seemed to ponder it but were taking too long. 'I need to get there, now.' As my thoughts were cycling, something heavy landed behind me, stabbing the ground. I look back and see a large weapon, one I recognize, stabbed in the ground.

The women were put off. "What is that?" I touch the metal and they looked startled. "Do you own this weapon?"

I look back, almost insulted before dropping the feeling. "Own it? I made it." They looked appaled before streams of light emit from me and my sword. "Rise, Clevetius." The sword emerged and it was a beauty. It's design was based around broad head swords that had blunt heads in place of fine tapers and inspired by the near-half-ton raw iron sword, Dragon Slayer.


Before the guards could stop me, I stepped on the face of the blade as it glided like a hover board off to the direction I was heading, cutting my time considerably and allowing me to cover distance with relatively little physical expense. It was like an extension of me, my will, my thoughts... my spirit. Clevetius was my weapon, one I had meticulously forged to change shape with each situation in mind. But even with versatility, it fell short in strength or speed in certain forms. So one form made up for it. Sadly, without its gear, it would have to remain a sword for a time.

The path to the dragon lands was an easy one to follow. Follow the fell corpse road. The dragons, all with different shapes, sizes and postures, were fighting with everything they had. Jumping off, I was floating in the air like a fairy without wings. I spin Clevetius at high speed, creating a disk of light and heat from the rpm and threw it into the crowd of the twisted that were making their way to a massive dragon before I landed on the sword as it stopped suddenly, the metal warm to my feet, but glowing. "Young one, what are you doing?" His voice was hoarse. His breath must've caused some damage after over use. "Leave. The weak must leave this place."

I look back while Clevetius tore through the twisted in spear mode. "The weak can only do so much, much like the strong can only fight for so long. There is no shame in asking for any help." I look back, my aura intense as Clevetius turned back into its sword mode and turned into a more ornate sword, more closely resembling Excalibur. "And no one should die a needless death." I raise my hand, opened as the hilt was in my grasp. "Be gone from my sight, twisted creatures." With a slash, my aura cleaved the creatures and the land if not cracking it down to the magma.

The sword returned to normal as my body was now a bit heavier. "Young one." I look back, and the dragon seemingly shrank down to meet my size. "You... risked yourself... for us. But what are you?" He seemed to have notice my unsteady footing and supported my stance. "Do you need rest?"

I simply nodded. "I guess I used more power than I thought. That slash was meant to sheer the twisted, not the ground along with it." He just laughed heartily, and led me into the lower cave, with Clevetius seemingly standing guard in a form inspired by human frames.

He let me have some cooked meat and drink, which lessened my spirit and body, as I rested. "If you don't mind my asking, what was that weapon?"

I look at him, eyes locked with a stern expression. "Clevetius."

A younger, arrogant drake spoke up. "Is that a pony name for something nice and fluffy."

He laughed before feeling my rage at the insult, one not about the trivial opinion, but the familiar value it holds to me. "The name is a pseudonym for a latin phrase, translated from 'Cleave the wicked' and it holds value to me. So hold your tongue newt, unless you want to be grounded." He looked smug before I continued. "For life." I pointed at his wings and he drew them in, defensively. I then look back at the leader, or king, who looked stunned. "Where are the twisted ones likely to head to next?"

He pondered before looking at a crude map. "They are likely at the Cragged Stones, land of Minotaur, and over at Eagle's Pass, part of the Griffon Republic." I stood up and started heading out. "Young one, shouldn't you rest?"

I look back with certainty. "The two races and countries will have sufficient military to keep the twisted ones at bay, at least long enough for me to devise a plan." I look at the map and stand tall. "You lot head to the Minotaur and give them some support. If you finish there, transport a few to Eagle pass and we'll go over next steps after." They nodded and I stepped out of the caves and onto Clevetius. "Where to Eagle's Pass." They pointed the way and the sword took off, taking me with it as the blade sliced the air and all resistance of it, leaving me to travel quickly as larger twisted could be seen. "Griffons must know how to fight."

I came down and started using my training with Clevetius to carve my way into the city through the twisted, giving the griffon's some breathing room before one held a weapon to me. "Where were you when we asked for help?! You damn po-!" I turn and the griffon's words die in her mouth. "You're... not a pony?"

I look deadpanned. "My, how astute." My blade kills a twisted that was attempted a 'sneak attack'. "Do they break away at all?"

She killed another and stepped back. "They wane after a while for a time but that's about it."  I grab one of their weapons and it charges with my aura, glowing like a holy blade. She looked almost awe struck as I walked out there, blades at the ready as Clevetius swung and carved behind me while I cleaved and slashed in front of me, switching places with Clevetius for an actual stance.

As described, the fight was waning and griffons were switching places with ones that had yet to fight. But going in, I see more injured than I would like. "How long has this kingdom fought?" She looked down, ashamed of her answer. "A week, huh?" Apparently I was close, because she looked more shocked than appalled.

"A week at most." I look to see a griffon with all the stereotypical scars and accessories of an anime general. "And as you may have guessed, if that first one was any indication of accuracy, they came from nowhere, suddenly and without warning." He led me through the grounds where griffons were being treated for their wounds. "A few have died already, and that book showed us what looked like flying armor, but we have no way to make or summon this gear."

'Book?!" I try to keep myself calm at this information. "What book?" They led me to a building resembling church and showed me the book. It was a deer leather book with a bronze latch lock, the spine was trimmed with gold and the cover resembled a Gundam's face.

The king took the grimoire and held it to me. "After failing to use it successfully though, it closed and locked itself. The lock wouldn't budge after. We kept it though, in case it's maker, or owner, were to want it back." As I took the leather bound tome, the lock undid itself and the book opened up. The king looked in shock, as if the answer was already before him. "It can't be."

I look to Clevetius and it flew out, taking the form of a Gundam without limbs and my will flipped the pages to limbs that were a bit short. They emerged and bound themselves to him before the pages flipped again and a drone of blue plates emerged, dismantling itself and attaching to Clevetius. "Earth Diver, ready." That was one of the few times he speaks, is when he's in that mecha form.

A bell rang and by syncing with Clevetius' eyes, I could see why. "Too many." The griffon looked at me confused. "A massive force of those twisted are coming. You need to evacuate."

He stood proud as if to make a point. "I will not leave my home to these wretched things."

I grab his shoulder and turn him to me. "A king needs land to rule and land needs him and his subject to keep it fair. Without one the other suffers. Unless you feel like doing all the grunt work alone, you will tend to your people first." He looked conflicted with my words as he thought. "We can come back and reclaim the land later, but your subjects need to be evacuated." He looked saddened before nodded and the soldiers started help defend the town or evacuate the injured. "Clevetius, thin their numbers in the back!" The mecha looked at me with a nod before flying to the back and began to open fire. "Let's give him a hand."

Closing the grimoire and putting it in a pouch, my arms light ablaze with lightning as I get an idea. Willing my thoughts into the pages, a suit of armor is made and bolted on my body as a sword, traditionally made and technologically augmented comes from the book, the pages acting as a form of sheath as I draw the weapon. Once the armor was on, I was akin to a shogun. Sword raised, I charge in with the few Griffons that left formation and slashed any twisted that tried to bite them, keeping the enemy in front of them. Soon enough, I drew a dagger to stab the rear enemy.

Clevetius was nearing a point to over rev his power supply, which would boost its output before reverting it to its sword form. 'Clevetius, use Transcend to regroup in front of the door." It did as asked before opening the pages. "Armor change. Earth to Saturn." The armors switch out from a well rounded machine to different types of laser artillery. Once complete, several magic circles form in front of Clevetius. "Burning Nova." The battery assault fired into the rings before said rings took the many shots and fired off one massive stream of light or various energies. After the beam died down, the armor and limbs returned to the pages before the body turned back into a sword and fell to the ground. I wasn't far behind as I passed out.


===


I wake up in a soft bed, the setting of the room was different than my own, but comforting. I lean up, almost concerned before a zebra entered. "I know you're checking on me, but how long have I been out." She held up two fingers and I guessed. "Days?" She nodded. "What of my weapon." She looked confused. 'Figures. A weapon that heavy would be hard to carry for the griffons.' Sensing its link, the blade soon started flying to return to my side. "That you." She nodded and returned outside before I gathered myself and walked behind her.

I saw dragons, griffons, minotaur and now zebra. I eavesdropped on a conversation and heard some important info. Apparently, a sword had crash landed in their territory for all of a few minutes before it flew off. The griffons got a book and, like the others, the zebra came across large beads whose purpose was otherwise unknown. "I'll tell you what they are for." They look at me as the same beads, black in color with a polished finish like glass, wrapped around my body. "They are, like my book, a conduit for me and Clevetius." Said weapon fly to me from the horizon and propped itself against my back.

"Armed to the teeth, we can see, but why fight when we gave no plee." I look at the zebra in thought before looking up then to them.

"For me to have my peace, the violence must be settled. I will help to that end. And since these things may not end until we find the source, or the leader, we'll be fighting for a while." They look inspired before I looked out. "My summoners were from equestria. Any help to them?"

The griffon was the first to speak for them. "We each gave some of our soldiers to their ranks and they are holding the line, but there is one race that needs more help than they." I look a bit interested and the griffon continued. "They're called changelings. Other than the shapeshifting and insect look, no one knows what they can do."

The name of their race almost... drives me as I look to the horizon to a sensation, yet to take place. "You lot and your people focus on helping the ponies, the changelings may not get any help and I could be they only help they get."

The dragon leader came up looking worried. "What should we do if the source of this madness presents itself?" I then formed a wing, taking the largest primary as it was marked with bright dialect of gold. "What is that?"

I hand it to him with confidence. "A means to call me. You'll know the source, not when you see it, but when you feel it." He nods as I step upon Clevetius and fly to the changelings. The land was vibrant before I could see a desert, like the life was suddenly cut at a certain point. I flew in and the air felt sterile, but that's it. I look down and see the twisted ones really charging a structure in the center of this wasteland as a lime green soul enters it. My aggression flares as I center above the monument and look at the twisted ones with unfounded rage. "Whatever that soul was, I feel it's fear, and I feel... defensive." My hand lights up with energy akin to the sun as the sky around the area goes dark. "To anyone on the field who does not wish to die, retreat into your castle!" I feel the souls retreat before launching a massive wave of solar heat, burning the sand into glass and the twisted into nothing but what few souls were still sane. Clevetius was thrown and the stragglers were sliced into pieces, littering the ground in writhing agony before dying.

The newest creatures to enter my sight, the changelings, left their castle after feeling everything was dead and looked in shock that the sand was turned to glass before looking to me as I descend. "What did-?! How did you-?! WHAT ARE YOU?!?!"

I look to them and they seem to have noticed something my eyes could not. Not wanting to question it, I walk up to them, my sword remaining firmly to my back as I look them in the eye. "What I am is of little importance. Who I am is of greater concern, for introductions."

"Indeed." A voice, almost seductive, walked out from the structure with a body most women kill themselves trying to get. The woman was tall too, around 179cm from the looks of it, and garbed in a dress that was showing a good bit of leg. My vision started to change a bit as I saw her soul and the soul that had just passed me, the latter resting in her uterus. "And for something that looks like us, you are certainly much stronger." She circled me, imitating the action of other predators sizing their prey. "How does one come to obtain such power?"

She wrapped her arms around me, thinking I was born with this power. "Training." And I was right as she was rubbing my cheek thinking I was being coy. "I'm not joking ma'am. I did so much training I needed an anchor to keep me from losing my soul. That anchor, subsequently, was my wife." The woman looked almost... pondering. "If I was born with these powers I would be insulted, but I trained to get where I am."

She crossed her arms under her bust, pushing them up. "So then, would you care to help my hive?" She was still being seductive. "After all, with your teachings, they will be the strongest force in the world."

"Or dead." He almost lustful look turned to defensive. "How much power do you thing I used against those things?" She shrugged her shoulders. "More than I should have. It was overkill." She look baffled for a moment before I started actively letting my aura go. "My aura is the result of come to understand my own abilities. I didn't conquer my power to dominate or destroy." I then started restraining my aura again. "But given your situation, maybe you need the help on a different matter at a different time."

She look a bit skeptical as she pondered a thought. "You... know?" I simply nodded and headed inside, waiting for the call, even telling the woman, Chrysalis, about what was happening and what will happen soon, about my eventual departure to kill the source and sealing myself for something personal. When she asked about what I held firm. She was more respectful than I gave her credit for and simply nodded as I soon lifted myself off the ground, my beads and sword floating behind me with the grimoire before me. My own form of meditation stance. Keeping this up was demanding, but not exhausting as it refined the mind and spirit, as long as I forget all physical distraction and let my mind guide me, not wander off.


===


I had been out for an hour at best and still no call. Whatever is happening, the transportation must need some work. Then again, the larger dragons could carry the others or haul large cars carrying the army in question. Not sure how they'll do it, if they aren't already, but I know planting seeds too soon or late makes a bad crop and withered harvest. I may teach someone my ways, but after the basics, they were on their own.

Leaving my position, I start to navigate the massive hive and see the many rooms it had. A few had citizen residents and barracks while fewer had food and water in what little they could get. Whatever they ate was certainly not enough though. I soon found myself in a lavish room with a giant rock that resembled a seat for a throne. On it was Chrysalis, her legs swinging absently. I left the room as she had not noticed me just yet.

Looking more I come into a room that was well decorated and with a large bed. My body still not fully rested, two days being short sleep from one heavy aura use after another, I pass out on the bed.


==Chrysalis POV==


I headed to my room after a long day, bored out of my mind and ready to sleep until I see that creature in my bed. I was ready to fry him when I felt something that rare do I feel from any creature. Many ponies, after a breakup, feel a vain sense of abandonment and spite. Many of them cling to their last love like a cockroach, hoping they could get back with them or back at them. This creature has a genuine feeling, not out of spite or hate, but isolation. I look to his face and while he may look peaceful, his tears told a different story. Concern. Grief. Despair. Worry. He wasn't hateful. He was afraid. I look into his tears and see a woman. A woman as outlandish to him as he to me, was before him. And he held her as a beautiful maiden without equal.

She, from what I could see, held him as a gentle man with a firm heart. And what the tears show me was their separation. I could then hear, and feel, this creature's grief, his torment and his isolation. Before my cries could wake him, I exited my room to cry in solace. I had not known until now, the reason he was so... aggressive. He was... truly alone. I knew once he left that my chances for power would slip. But I was seducing him for his power after the loss he'd been through. 'I'm disgusting.'


==My POV==


I woke from my sleep, feeling rested after seeing my lady again. I felt rested and even... warm again. I get off the bed, my items coming to me and taking their respective place on my person before I leave the room to see Chrysalis with a helmet in her hands. "What is-" She just hands it to me with a warm feeling.

"A symbol of our acquaintanceship." I nod and put it on, proud to wear it. "I'm sorry for my attempts, so while it may not be enough, I want to show my apologize." I just nod with a smile before I feel my feather. "You were out for a day. We won't join the fight, we can't." She looks to her hive then back to me. "But you will be rewarded and compensated for you help and my impudence." She bowed and her subject object but I did so louder with a stomp making her stand, startled.

My gaze was enough to catch her. "Don't ever bow to me again. If we are friends, say so." She simply nodded as I stepped upon Clevetius and flew off.


===


I was above a city that looked to be built on a mountain side. Dragon, Minotaur, Zebra, Griffon, Pony and the newly recruited Caribou, from the looks of it, were fighting the twisted ones along side a pony that held wings and a horn with a blazing red mane. The pony was a tall one, about 182cm and well blessed. Her magic was hurting these things but something was off. I look to see the others fighting a large collection of corpses making a body. The fight was intense, but neither was the source. Closing my eyes, my senses become a sonar of spiritual presence, perceiving what my eyes would be unable to find.

Clevetius whirls and strikes the source of the chaos, buried inside the shambling body of corpses. My attention locked, I draw and open my book to a a few pages. First was three of the four core limbs with the Jupiter Dive, a Spirit Furnace inspired by the GN drive and the open arm slot was loaded with an arm from the 'Horseman' outfit, 'War'. The setup complete, my beads circle my waist as lightning leaps from my body to Clevetius, the Guardian's body emitting energy that solidifies into a massive sword. I join it on the battle field as my own energy forms a sword out of flesh.

With our weapons selected, Clevetius and I rush the corpse collection and start slashing away at it. Due to the monumental amount of bodies making this thing, and the fact the source was trying it's best to stay alive and redraw the dead bodies to the thing it created around it, it took strong and wide sweeping slashes with sawtooth amounts of ripping to damage the bodies more than with just slashing them to bits. After which the source of the twisted was revealed, a pony who looked truly twisted in the face. I would spare this pony if he just got physical with someone or hid behind a mask, but this was too far for redemption. Defiling the dead, threatening the world's balance, murder, genocide - this was too far. Clevetius' armaments detached and the closed pages of my book glowed as they were sealed back inside and it turned back into a sword. Charging all of my spirit power into the weapon, a single slash was sent through the who body after finding the source, cleaving it and the monster in two before the spirit power burned away at the entities.

I had definitely used too much, but with this, the entity would be dead, if not for a while. My senses picked up one more disturbance but my will was too weak to carry my weapon. So it stabbed the ground, my mind figuring it would be used later. Keeping my book on me, the beads circle Clevetius as I fly off to the remaining disturbance.

The journey, thanks to some practice from my sword, was short and sweet. As I flew down, images of my wife, Alexie, flashed before me. I felt my tears stream my face to my hair as I charged on final aura ability. I slammed the ground and closed my eyes as this ability would drain everything I had. 'See you soon, my angel.'
> Things Change Differently
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today was the day. The day the princess of love marries the captain of the royal guard. Every time I think or see those two ponies together, even after Chrysalis replaced Cadence, I feel the urge to cry. We changelings feed on love, yet I felt... disgusted when I fed. I instead opted to try and feed off other emotions. From the well known and easily felt happiness and rage, to the more obscure and harder to recognize such as guilt, conviction and even piety. Those emotions help satiate my hunger as best as I could manage and kept me full. Chrysalis saw this and felt pity, even sadness for me. It was strange. She didn't know how I turned out more like her yet at the same time, less. I was a Changeling that could one day be queen and my methods, while beneficial to me, could not be taught. I felt... hateful to myself and Chrysalis was there to comfort me. That was another thing that confused us. She laid the larva I was part of, even nursed me, but I never referred to her as 'mother'. I cried one day after trying, so desperately to call her mom, because she deserved it. Earned it. Yet I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Speaking of desperate, my hive family was above the city, waiting to start forcing our way in. We tried so hard to get the love we need to survive, but more of us died every day. I witness siblings die and had some lose their life in my arms. The first time it happened... I locked myself in my room. I cried so much the pillow was ruined. After that, I hugged every sibling that was part of my litter before they too were gone. They say 'death gets easier with each time it happens', but that doesn't make it hurt any less, damn it. I've been to so many burials because of our food shortage that I started having nightmares.

After some time, I felt a tapping on my shoulder. "I was lost again?" He just nodded, I even noticed my tears. "Sorry." He gave me a hug, and resumed his lookout from above. Chrysalis wasn't evil, but with each attempt to meet with the princesses getting worse, it eventually resorted to this. My thoughts were even invaded by a name. 'Allen.' I shoke my head trying to forget that name at the moment. It rang in my head occasionally and it felt.... warm. When I called out the name I felt warm, like something, or someone, was embracing me, covering me with wings so soft the pegasi wings were like urchin quills by comparison. The warmth I felt was so tender the sun truly felt distant and cold and my isolation melted away as I just sat and let my body be embraced by whatever was holding me.

I wanted to do that... but the mission came first. After the ponies were in the castle we started punching, ramming and blasting the shield to get in. I didn't want this. Chrysalis didn't want this. My hive didn't want this. What could we do? I started to choke on my cries trying to force myself to carry on the mission. My siblings were hungry, tired and overworking themselves to stay awake. If we didn't get any food... that would...

"Princess?" One of them came up to me.

"I'm fine. I just..." I just started to cry. "What's the use? You all need love to live. I don't." A few more looked at me, concerned. "Why can't I teach you? Why am I the only one?!" I then started wailing the barrier, breaking a few knuckles as I did. "This isn't fair! None of this is fair!"


==Chrysalis POV==


I had forgotten the reason I was in this wedding plan in the first place. My hunger... my exhaustion had gotten to me and I started talking like a villain. 'Devour'?! Really Chrissy? Well... too late to lament the past. My subjects need food. "Ever since taking your place, I've been feeding of the love your fiance feels for you. Their is so much it could feed at least half of my hive." Cadence looked concerned for her fiance. "But power without love only lasts for so long. His magic and his barrier, as a result of me feeding on both his magic and his love, have weakened it."

Cadence and Twilight both looked perplexed. I didn't want to do this. 'If anyone can hear me... if anything can hear me... help us. Help my hive. Help Alexie.' That was one thing that confused me. When changelings of potential royalty are born, they are given a name, yet I name that one Alexie, instead of something related to bug parts. Either way, when I look up it was clear she was upset. "Once my hive breaks through, we'll be able to feed off all the love hear to regain our strength and keep our power, forever."

"No." I look back to see an angered Celestia. I hope something heard my plea, otherwise I'll be one of Equestria's enemies.


==Alexie POV==


We were finally able to break through the barrier but only after six ponies left for who knows where. Whatever they were doing, we couldn't afford to let them go. Choking back my tears, I landed before them. "Please... don't fight us."

A rainbow-maned pegasus threw a punch to me and I was able to dodge. "Why not?! Because of some bargain that you'll say is good for us?!"

I kept my hands from balling up as I continued to plead. "Please listen, we didn't want this. Chrysalis-"

"Wanted to rule Equestria. What doesn't she want?" A purple unicorn fired a magic bolt that was a bit harder to dodge.

"I'm begging you we-"


==General POV==


Applejack had knocked the changeling out before fighting broke loose. Their goal was more to get the elements of harmony to repel the changelings. So they fought to repel them along their way to the elements. They had managed to make it inside the chambers, avoiding magic bolts along the way before being captured in the main hall.

They were brought back just after Celestia had awoke and Chrysalis, now feeling better but still tired, addressed the six. "It's almost pathetic really. Twilight hear was suspicious of me the whole time, yet none of you even bothered to confirm if her claims were correct or not." Alexie walked in, nursing her bruised cheek before feeling something in her that she couldn't describe. Rage and wrath were easy but none of those were even remotely accurate. Shaking the feeling, she looked back to her drones. "Go, and feed."

The changeling princess walked to Chrysalis. "... no choice?" Chrysalis knew what she meant and turned away, melancholy in her as as she sung to herself. Twilight took this chance to free Cadence as she was able to reach for her fiance's mind and strip away the mind control.

Shining, having just returned as if asleep, nursed his aching head. "Is... is the wedding over?"


==Alexie POV==


Chrysalis looked back and did nothing to intervene. "Your spell." Twilight called to her BBBFF. "Perform your spell." I shook my head. The changelings are already in the city, so what good would it do? He tried to use his spell, but all he could manage was a glow.

He was exhausted and Chrysalis had already given her closest drones everything. She had offered my some but I just couldn't. She was still nice enough to ask. "I don't have the strength to cast anything."

Cadence had come up, lifting his chin as I felt another pang of upsetting melancholy. "My love will give you the strength." Yeah Cadence. Tell that to me while I'm not puking at how corny that sentiment is. Chrysalis made a similar remark out loud before the two magic users touched their horns together.

My eyes went wide as I felt something I hadn't in a while. Fear. 'No.' I look outside and to my siblings. 'No.' We tried so hard to get here... to survive. Now I have to watch more die. I just collapsed to my knees as the others likely saw me thinking I was trying to disarm them. 'Please no.' This... is a nightmare. Isn't it? 'Help us. Help me. Please.' I held myself, ready for my fate. "Allen..." The energized barrier came roaring at us and I shielded myself with my arms in futility as the light got closer before it hit something. Or... something hit it. I open my eyes, looking before me and see... what I can only describe as armor, holding back the energized barrier. It had massive beads floating just off its back and the air around it was... familiar to me. Before I could ask any questions, it slowly walked to the couple as the barrier grew smaller, though not weaker. The couple and the six ponies tried to push it or knock it off balance but nothing made it give as it was a mere few meters before them.

It squeezed its hand as the barrier seemed to be shattered and it spoke. "Enough." The voice was... absent. As if a voice was resonant but not really present. I got up, walking to the standing armor before it slowly turned to me. The massive beads floated my way and circled around me before they came together in a loop, hanging on one of my shoulders. I look to the armor and before I could even speak it held a finger to where it's mouth would be. "All will be clear, in due time." It then did the strangest thing. The suit turned into a broad head sword and sliced the cocoon Celestia was held in before turning back and catching her, setting her down before she backed away, afriad.

She charged her magic and held her arms in front of the other six. "What... what are you."

It turned to her, holding itself with dignity as it answered plainly before turning back into the sword. "Cevetius." The sword then hovered over to me and held itself just off to the side of me. The strange thing is, it moved as if it were being carried, or wielded.

"Cle...vetiu-" I was then hit with a migraine that brought me to my knees as my screams turned to cries after minutes of it starting. It hurt. It hurt so much.


==General POV==


As Alexie cried in pain, the ponies were ready to move against the changelings before the doors burst open to five more, armored equines. Two of them were Thestrals with massive figures and leather wings that complimented their size. A third, equally massive pegasus, had wings that, if one were to focus, had wings that appeared to reflect and glow with light. The smaller of the two pegasi had a physique and wings that appeared well rounded, but his body was deceptive, holding more strength than it looked to possess. The fifth and final notable member looked to be a normal thestral, but years of magic practice, channeling magic through his wings and body, made his feathers emit grains of matter that glowed a vibrant purple.

The five looked to the changeling and the smaller thestral took her in his arms as a warm light came from him, as the grains of light appeared to penetrate her skin. "It's okay Alexie, you're fine." She look up and seemed to recognize the equines, despite having not met them before.

"Zara...fell." She look to the others, and called names that they answered to, no matter what. "Ralph." The larger pegasus nodded. "Johnathan." The smaller pegasus nodded. "V." The larger thestral, hailing with green irises nodded. "Urizen." The other thestal hailing lavender eyes nodded. As she was healing, she passed out, the sword remaining by her side as Zarafell picked her up, carrying her to the medical wing.

Celestia and the others were ready to give chase until V and Urizen blocked their path. "What is the meaning of this?" Celestia demanded, almost ready to attack.

"The meaning," Ralph spoke up, taking a tone that seemed to silence anger from the other equines, even the princess, "is that you and your subjects need a lesson in situational context." He turned to Chrysalis. "While I understand your desperation, I do not approve of you kidnapping someone and taking their place. Your lapse in judgement is forgive from your hunger, but not your methods young lady." Chrysalis almost shrank under his chaste. "You six," He pointed a finger, making the element bearers shrink, "I am more miffed with for trying to hurt and then knocking out someone who was begging you to listen."

"Yeah well we-"

"SILENCE!" Everyone felt small the second he used his own version of the royal canterlot voice as it rang and reverberated throughout the city. "You will neither disrespect not interrupt me when I am trying to tell you where you were wrong and how to do better." Rainbow Dash felt very small under Ralph's tone. "You think you know everything, then tell me why they were here. Why were the changelings attacking?"

Rainbow answer with a confident smirk. "To take over Equestria."

He started clapping and Rainbow puffed up. "Give the cocky lady some Victoria Secret panties for her smug attitude because that was brazenly wrong." The girls felt their cheeks heat up as Ralph continued. "The only people who attack for no reason or because they're bored are legitimate sociopaths."

"But then how do-"

"I SAID SILENCE!" Celestia felt smaller than before as the command felt even louder. "You may be a princess young lady but that doesn't mean I won't slap you upside the head! Now sit and be quiet!" Celestia felt uncharacteristically scared at a young looking pegasus as she just obeyed and sat like she was being chastised by her mother. "These changelings were attacking because they needed food. Not food like what you eat but emotion, specifically, love." Chrysalis felt... happy. Someone... knew. "Love is the best source, the only known food source they have right now and they stormed in because they were starving."

Chrysalis raised her hand and Ralph nodded after taking notice. "So... you knew?"

He folded his arms and she twiddled her thumbs bashfully before Ralph resumed. "Which bring me to you three." The princesses went and Shining went stiff. "You three are able to use magic. Twilight's lack of true experience withstanding, you three should have been able to sense and deduce that these creatures were nearly dry on magic, firing only a few bolt before getting a feeding before the bolt count went up." The three felt like they were children again. "So tell me how, without stopping long enough to calm down and assess the situation, did you not put those two facts together?" "He waited a few seconds before resuming. "You didn't. You heard a woman talk about power, labeled her a threat and rolled with it. You're own family could be a threat. Ever think of that?"

Ralph's chastising left the room, and the changelings who gathered outside the window after the first roaring command, speechless as he wasn't criticizing anyone's stance but their judgement of the situation or methods of action. Chrysalis was the first to speak up. "Will... my subjects be punished."

Before the elements answered, Ralph spoke up. "You might be, they won't be." He then looked to the six sternly. "And that's final." He then walked off, followed by the other three of his party as they joined Zarafell in the medical wing. "Any reports on the situation Victor?"

The emerald eye thestral spoke up. "We had the sword double checked as well as the case that held it."

"Massive aura resonance. He's still alive." Urizen added, confident in his and his brother's information. "The only question is-"

"Where?" Johnathan asked. "We met by chance and later found it was coincidence. Then we start having dreams of a human training in his own privacy and later, we find we were called here, as was he." The group was soon in medical, looking for Alexie's room. "So that beg's the question, how are we still with him?" Ralph smiled, the answer obvious as John just hid his face. "Right."

The four softly walked into the room Alexie was resting in, Clevetius hovering off to the side. Zarafell looked up and nodded before heading off. The black-winged pegasus was making sure the queen and both princesses would be negotiating peace and trade commissions instead of demands from one another. He entered the room that held the wedding to find Shining Armor being just barely held at bay by Twilight while Cadence was keeping an eye on Celestia while the other five elements were glaring at Chrysalis. 'This is going to be a long day.

Zarafell flared his wings as the feathered pop caught everyone's attention and he pulled two chairs and a small table before seating Celestia and Chrysalis, the former being more reluctant to do so. After they were dealt with, the other eight ponies were forced out. "Corporeal, you better have a good excuse for stallion-handling-"

Zarafell was quick to lock his stern gaze with Armor's eyes, making the captain zip his mouth. "First off, it's manhandling and two, shut up."

Shining looked about as offended as his sister did as she got in his face. "Shut up? Shut up?! My brother is captain of the royal guard and you tell him to-"

"Missy, I serve the Night guard and once served a great Magister so would you kindly stay out of this before I give you the run down on military rank?" Twilight was as lost for words as Shining with the sass this thestral. "And thirdly, I don't take orders from anyone who acts like a daft cunt. And before you even think about correcting my grammar it is anyone." Zarafell turned back to the door, closing the conversation to his opinion.

Rainbow Dash looked steamed as she got between the door and his face and tried getting his attention. "Who up and made you leader, mister cool beans?" He didn't answer, almost looking past her. "Hey I'm talking to - Hey!" She tried getting his attention with weird gestured before throwing the best punch she had. "ouch..." She squeaked as her fist gave far more than his face. Rainbow left his space as Fluttershy and Rainbow nursed the cyan mare's now tender fist.

Twilight was uncertain on how to handle the situation before walking off. Her friends noticed and walked in tow. The six friends walked to the medical wing and saw the two thestrals outside the door to Alexie. Twilight walked up, polite as could be with a gentle voice. "Excuse me sirs, could we go inside to see.... uhhh...." She couldn't remember or think of the name so the two just ignored her.

Fluttershy walked up and they gave her a passing glance. "Excuse me, what was the changeling's name?"

The two looked at her before they both answered. "Alexie."

Fluttershy, again the friendly pegasus, if she came out of her shell, spoke up. "May we see her?" They pointed at Fluttershy and the timid mare squeaked before speaking. "Just me?" They nodded and pulled their wings in enough to let one individual in. The others try to be cheeky but were stopped by a barrier. Fluttershy turned back to calm their fears. "I'll be fine girls."

After she entered the room the others got in their faces before an aura sat them down. They each pointed at the five present and said a few words, starting with Rainbow. "Easy to anger." Applejack. "Difficult to reason." Twilight. "Narrow-minded." Rarity. "Drama queen." Pinkie. ".....Unknown." The pink pony just giggled while the other's looked offended. "Each of you has a negative quality that balances your passive traits. Generosity is countered by greed. Loyalty by betrayal. Honesty by lies, Friendship by neglect and Laughter by sadness. But your more subtle personality traits make you less 'important' and more 'realistic." The girls looked almost studious and they went in the same order as before. "You, Rainbow Chroma Dashington, are quick to anger, difficult to calm andwish not to be tamed in any manner." The chromatic pegasus looked a might bashful.

"You, Apple Gala Jackson, are stubborn to what your believe to be the truth. The truth is something you discover everyday, not something that you know and think will remain the same." The farmpony pulled her hat in front of her face in embarrassment.

"You, Rarity Dame Belle, let your passion for tasteful artistry over look an over ride the seriousness of a situation. A trained eye must be temper by an open outlook." The fashionista, while red, was smiling since someone called out the flaw in her cut, as it were.

"You, Twilight Stardust Sparkle, are to rigid in your books. Many things in this world are more flexible and less clad than one may think. As the saying goes, "Nature has many rules that keep it in balance". One of those rules could be a flexible law or a strict code." Twilight started thinking of counters to their argument.

"As for you Pinkie... We suppose being your self is the best thing you can do." The party pony smiled brightly as the twins just smiled.

Twilight then started up with a counter argument. "Timberwolves don't answer to anything-"

"Except the trees that give birth to them. Manticore, regardless of their chimeric bodies, still have a primary base that feeds on said base's prey. Common animals will not eat their prey if the prey have no food unless they are starving and magic, for all it's 'infinite' flexibility has short comings of its own, such as refinement, practice, strength of the caster and so on. We know this stuff little lady, so don't try to play devil's advocate with the devil, okay?" They pat her cheek as she was left on a one-sided defeat and started fuming before sitting in a corner to cool off.

The girls present found it comical that Twilight was literally outsmarted by men who looked less educated than they actually were. After they had calmed down, Fluttershy and the other pegasi came out, leaving Alexie and the sword in the same room. They peaked in and the sword had turned into a scarf. As confusing as it was, Alexie was holding it close to her, like a lover. "Allen." Tears streamed from her eyes as she repeated the name ever so quietly. Who was 'Allen' and why where that name and that sword so familiar?
> Iron Resolve
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


==Alexie POV==

Clevetius remained wrapped around me as I slept in my bed in the medical wing. Some changelings were appointed doctors for me as they game me a small physical after the hit from the farm mare. The legs on that girl. I was responding fine, so they gave me the go ahead to leave the medical wing as I flew outside, into the garden. My face was buried in the scarf but soon I was crying again. 'Why?' I saw a creature, looking nothing like what I saw, but his face was so gentle, his smile is so pure, his laughs are infectious but his love... I could almost feel his love but... 'It hurts.'


==General POV==


As Alexie was crying into the scarf, the Mane Six had located her, with Rainbow ready to throttle her. "Why must these visions torment me? Where are you?" She stopped on rev as the six just heard her talking to herself, thinking she was still alone. "Why do I yearn for you?" She suddenly stood up, screaming as if hoping her voice would reach this male in her thoughts. "Where are you?! Tell me! Show me where you are!" The six were startled by her sudden volume. "Your smile wraps me in warmth, you laugh makes my solitude melt! Your gentle eyes so soft my heart is fluttering and aching!" The girls almost thought she knew they were there but this last one was too real for Applejack. "My heart is breaking because of you!" She collapsed to her knees, tears in her eyes as she cried in the scarf again. "Please... reveal yourself..."

Rainbow thinking this was an act raced forward but was stopped by a tug on her leg. She looked back to see Applejack, hiding her face behind her hat, but she could practically feel the emotions off the changeling princess, a pain that was a true as her grief and torment. The girls each have their crushes and moving on from a crush is easy, but this girl, this changeling mare was genuinely tormented by her own thoughts and images of someone she does know. Someone she has never met. She set the chromatic pegasus down and walked up behind her, letting her hoofsteps be heard as the others hid. The princess turned back and turned away, wiping her tears to make herself look presentable as AJ took a seat. "I... kinda overheard your ranting."

Alexie just looked embarrassed as she looked down and away. "I'm sorry. I just... can't keep my thoughts to myself at all times. Nor can I hold my emotions for that long." She tried to keep the tears at bay and tried to keep the image of the young male close but not in view of her thoughts.

Applejack just placed a hand on the princess' back. "Breakup?" She shook her head. "Then what is it?"

The princess look up, a bit unsure. "Promise not to laugh?" AJ crossed her heart and made a motion of something landing in her eye. "When I was a young one, Chrysalis gave me a name that, to this day, we both find odd. My name isn't related to any part of an insect." She paused, letting the information set as such would likely be out of place for anyone. "My name is Alexie, and as you know I'm a changeling princess, not a queen." Applejack nodded as Twilight tried to quietly write notes on this. "So I grew up, learned magic, ate but never once did I ever call Chrysalis anything close to 'mother'. I tried and tried even nearly hurting myself just to force it out, but my efforts were met with tears as some part of me just refused to call her mother directly. I can refer to her as one from third person context, but directly... some part of me just refuses to do so."

Applejack just rested a hand on her. "If I may stop you for a sec." Alexie looked up."There are ponies, griffons and other beings that we don't refer to in a certain way. But yours is just... unknown huh?"

Alexie nodded as the farm mare settled back. "That's not even the worst of it. I have... thoughts... visions... sometimes dreams of a creature that's... unknown to me. A stature like ours, hair on its head and some of it's whole body, flatter face, ears on the side of his head and that's just for general description." Twilight and the other girls were shaking while AJ was trying to remain still. "To me though, his eyes are gentle like a soft blanket, a warm smile that wraps me in a gentle lull and an infectious laugh the makes me chuckle." She chuckled as she recalled one of the goofier laughs she heard in her vision. "And his heart, his will, his drive... every time he looked at me... I felt safe. I could even feel his arms around me, as if he were protecting me."

She started to cry into the scarf a little and AJ was certain this creature, a human, meant everything to the princess as she tried to sooth the crying royal. "Hey, easy now, maybe you'll meet him."

"How?!" Alexie looked back, upset. "I see his smile, I hear his laugh, I feel his arms but he's not actually there, yet his presence is so close I can practically reach out and touch it!" She was upset, but the tears had passed as she felt her happiness return. "This artifact is the only thing that seems to connect me to him."

"If that's the case, then keep it." AJ smiled as her soothing cheered Alexie before Twilight interrupted.

"Like Tartarus she can!" She grabbed at the scarf as Alexie held it close. "This treasure belongs in the Canterlot museum." The two tugged as the fabric held strong, like a sheet of metal instead of fabric. "It is not some toy or fashion accessory for some - why do I feel a hand?" She looked back and saw the scarf had turned into Guardian, resembling a vicious suit of armor. "Uh..." The large armor pried Twilight from itself and returned to Alexie's person, its warmth noted by the changeling princess. "What the heck?!"

Alexie backed away. "I didn't do anything. Please don't yell." The princess covered herself as Rarity came to her defense.

The fashion mare rested a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "You have nothing to fear darling. We'll help you, okay?" Alexie nodded as some warriors came down, bowing as soon as their hooves met the dirt. "And who might you be?"

The one with a rhino themed carapace stepped forth. "We were appointed by our queen and your most elite of the guard to protect the princess. Please do not mind our attire." He bowed as a mantis themed mare stepped forth.

Her stance was elegant but her air was formidable. "And forgive our rudeness. I am Tarse." The mantis introduced herself. "The gentle giant is Mandible." She then bowed. "It's a pleasure." The girls were confused but Twilight looked back and almost sneaked up to Alexie before she saw a cybernetic eye staring back at her.

"User not registered. Next attempt of theft will result in defensive measures." The armor reverted to a smaller form, turning first into a gauntlet then a thin bracelet snug up to the skin. "Appropriate form selected?"

Alexie looked around and back before saying, "Yes...?"

"Acknowledged. Standby mode selected until central user is located." The jewel in the housing case flashed as it spoke and Alexie felt warm as it did.

"Central user... wha? What is your name?" Alexie asked in curious thought.

"My name is Clevetius. A pseudonym for a Latin phrase. It's English translation is 'Cleave the wicked'." It's answer was as if it were a teacher.

"May the other girls ask questions?" She asked, thoughtful to the others.

"Please stat your names one at a time." Each of the girls sound off their name as if properly introducing themselves. "Applejack." "Rainbow Dash." "Rarity." "Pinkie Pie." "Fluttershy." "Twilight Sparkle." The gem flashed with each name, assigning a color to each. "Ask any question regarding this unit."

Twilight started off with one that was personal. "How and why were you created?"

"Classified." Before Twilight could protest, Alexie spoke up. "Override... my Knight." "Override password accepted." The girls took a seat, figuring they'd be there awhile, even Rainbow did so, more out of boredom.

"I was created as a means of protection. To have many forms and many abilities. With one ability per form, my creator was hard pressed to find suitable shapes to fit my future abilities. Materials, even spiritually, were scarce to come by. His wife, Alexie Augus at the time, proposed using one material from each of his residence, consisting of one Fallen Angel, Two angels of different rank and two demon twins. The materials were feathers from the angel types, horn clippings from the demons, a scale from the Succubus wife and finally, from my maker, what would be considered Spirit Iron." Alexie was blushing from the 'wife' information and Rainbow was interested in the weapon. "As for the why, I was created to be the ultimate sword and shield, a living being that would fight by my creator and help defend his goal of a peaceful afterlife. I wasn't made for war. That was a side benefit but not my true purpose."

Before the girls could ask, the changeling asked an important question. "Who was your maker? I want to know... everything."

Clevetius hesitated and seemed to scan the changeling, finding she was genuinely interested and found a shine in her eyes. "Allen Yasha Augus." The girls took a collective gasp. The oldest history books written by Celestia say he was a tyrant, but Twilight found everything related to that name and found many odd things of it. "He was a man with one goal, find peace in the afterlife with his love, Alexie Augus. Official records back home would call her a Fuccubus, an artificial succubus made mostly for pleasure of lesser beings. Mrs. Augus was made by her mother for companionship of my master after an emotionally jarring experience. After said experience, he met with a being that hosted many demons in her mind." The girls gasped again and looked to Alexie as she looked scared, trembling even. "One such demon was Alexie's creator and mother, a caring succubus with a motherly disposition for all with a tender heart and a seething hatred for those who manipulate said heart for ulterior motives. True to form and one of the many entities Allen vowed to pay back for all they gave him. Knowledge of the arts, an interest that helped him find himself and a woman who was as beautiful and seductive as she was saintly and tender. She mended my maker's heart and reinforcing his love for himself and others."

Alex swallowed her fear for another question. "Where... is he?"

"....Unknown. Apologies." She held herself again as it left the bracelet form for it's guardian mode on her command.

"I may be grasping straws here, but to make you, he'd have to be a fierce warrior right?" Applejack was as curious as Rainbow about his time on Terra.

"My maker was many things, a warrior wasn't one he planned on being." He looked back to the castle. "It was a different time those many centuries ago. And those creatures meant something to my maker, enough to call upon mine and his own strength to end the terror of 'The Twisted'." The girls looked almost disturbed as few pictures of The Twisted were drawn, for good reason. "They reminded him of what would be considered a fictional entity, until meeting them, and the corrupted."

Rainbow, uncharacteristically, raised her hand for a question and Clevetius pointed to her. "How strong was he then? Or fast? You know what, best feats please."

The armor curled a finger around its chin. "Best feat of speed... he cleared a distance from here to the north in a window of time... I'm unable to determine. Best feat of strength was in the Dragon Lands when a mighty stroke cleaved the ground asunder. Best feat of magic was replacing my armor sets in rapid succession, which also shows intellect as each has its own benefit and contradiction. And his strongest feat of magic... unknown. Even with what I felt... unknown." Twilight felt her next questions were shot down before Fluttershy came in.

"Did he own any furry companions?"

"If his memory transfer serves accurately he had cats, dogs, a hamster or two, fish, his family also had sugar gliders, ferrets and one had a snake at one time." Twilight locked up for a moment at snake. "No recent companions if that's what you are asking, but he is more favorable and partial to weasels." The soft spoken mare smiled with a clap.

"What was his daily wardrobe? What clothes did he make?" The girls all saw the armor steam as it looked away.

"Don't ask and don't prod." Rarity asked again and it was met with silence. She was just so curious but the armors stiffness said it was something truly embarrassing, even to talk about so she dropped it.

Pinkie was next, bouncing in place as Clevetius pointed to her. "Do any of you like parties?"

The sword was caught surprised by the question, as was Alexie as they could feel laughter from her skin. "My maker used to go to and enjoy parties. After some time, he fell out of it. Nothing worthwhile for him to celebrate, for a while. After Alexie, he treated many days as celebration, even without the cake, and cream."

"What was his favorite flavor of cake and ice cream?!" Pinkie's enthusiasm pushed a question the neither was ready for.

The sword and princess looked to each other but Alexie spoke. "Yes." Pinkie looked confused. "He likes many if not all. Asking for his favorite is like telling him to pick his child." She looked up at the shocked faces. "Did I say something bad?" She recoiled, trying to make herself small before the sword rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Those are the exact words Allen would use. Asking him to pick his favorite is like telling him to pick one thing in life he liked. He has least preferred foods, but that's about it." Pinkie beamed and was bouncing so rapidly she looked like a blur. "If there are no other questions-"

"What about his magic?" Clevetius looked to Twilight, a bit confused. "It's said that this 'Allen' used all manner of magic in his time. Crystal, fire, ice, basic-"

"He doesn't possess magic." Twilight looked at the sword, almost insulted. "I speak the truth. Allen knew no magic to begin with. His powers and abilities are derived from Aura, a force of energy the surrounds, penetrates and binds all life."

"Like magic?" Twilight was ready to chew into the Knight for describing magic to a 't'.

"Aura has many forms and many appearances. Some use conduits for theirs aura in a manner akin to magic. Others use it as a form of Qi, which all living things possess. All things, however, organic and not, mechanical and biological have an aura. Even the dead, despite what some may say, have an aura all their own." Twilight was surprised at how Clevetius answered her, saying that aura comes in many forms. "Your magic gives off an aura unique to you and you harness it in the form of magic, if that clears the waters." She simply nodded and he turned back into a bracelet, latching onto Alexie as she felt the groves of the band.

She then looked to the others with a smile. "Is... um, is every happy with their answers?" They all nodded as she looked back and closed her eyes. 'Please... let me hold you.' As she called, her personal guard addressed her.

"Princess, if I may be so bold, where will you live, if not back at the hive?" Tarse had a valid point and the princess curled a finger under her chin before looking down the mountain and back to her guard. "Princess... I'm not sure that's-"

"I don't care Tarse." The girls had a bad feeling about her selection. "Our relationship with the ponies will not get better if we live outside of their towns. Same goes for the griffons and the dragons - any creature in the world. I we wish to be someone's aid then we need to be willing to be their neighbor through thick and thin." The girls were shocked to hear the princess assert herself like that. Inside the gem, Clevetius smiled as he could see Alexie's past life starting to show through.

The two bowed in respect as she took to the skies, flying off to the town below. She planned on walking to the town after landing outside of view in hopes of looking as non-threatening as possible. She even dressed in formal garb that a drone passed to her, courtesy of her mother. She didn't bother to disguise herself or her guards as doing so would be dishonest. They get into town and, sure enough, the ponies start to freak out. Alexie was stung by the action but she pressed on, wanting to meet with the town mayor.

The square was lit with panic and then it was barren of sound after a few minutes. She came up to the town hall and entered the building before waiting in one of the chairs, her seating as graceful as could be without pain before the Mayor came out and addressed her. Alexie knew what to do and what to say in the manner needed. This will be the first step for changelings.

Elsewhere, to the north, something was sleeping, resting in the cold confines that became it's prison. Something called out to him. Someone called out to him. A voice that he couldn't forget. One he thought lost. The kingdom the crystal rests in shakes. The past returns with more than one bounty.
> The Monk has Moved
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


==General POV==

Alexie was tending to her matters after being granted permission to build a structure for herself, liaisons, ambassadors and Chrysalis so she could work from home. The kitchen, dining room, living room, foyer, lounge and her study were all on the first floor while bedrooms for herself, visiting royals and her guards were on the second floor. Either way, she had a window to throw herself out of in case of a fire or assassination with her two rooms being separated by floor and joined by ladder. At this moment, she was in her study writing letters to the griffon republic in thanks for information regarding and a book having belonged to Allen Augus.

Much of what Clevetius said checks out as the beads were external conduits to elemental abilities and the blade was a tool to handle any situation. With the materials it was made from it possessed some manner of sentience. It wasn't lifeless by any means, thankfully. She spoke more with Clevetius, learning about Allen and his wife above all else. If anything... she was certain this man was from a past life of hers. His smile, his laughter and his tears made her feel compassionately for him as she could almost see him clearly.

"Central user has been located." Clevetius' abrupt announcement startled the princess as she looked his way. "Location, Crystal Empire." Alexie looked almost confused, but she grabbed the book and beads before Clevetius anchored to her back as she made her way to the station.

The girls were at the station, boarding the train. Twilight saw her and was the first to speak up. "Alexie? Why are you here?"

Alexie stood firm as she answered. "I'm here to take the train north." The girls figured she knew, thinking someone leaked the information. Rainbow got close but the princess stopped her with a finger. "Clevetius said, 'central user located'. If you're going north, we're going with you." Rainbow couldn't help but smile. This mare certainly had some guts. Hell, potential insult and all profanity aside, Rainbow thought this changeling had bigger lady balls than Luna. The two shock hands after Rainbow extended hers and found the princess a seat.

Clevetius turned into its bracelet form to appear non-threatening, while Alexie did something slightly unusual. She changed into something the girls recognized from stories, but her complexion was a paler mocha, her eyes were a soft lavender and jewel blue and she had natural marking on her body and face. Her attire, while mildly provocative, was also passive. The girls would have run if it were any other, but this form, this form of a human was more alluring than threatening. The train began to move and she looked outside, recalling a dream from last night.

It was dark and their was a taste in the air. Rain was approaching and she was holding Allen. He'd been crying for a bit and her warm touch calmed him. 'What's wrong?' She'd asked him out of motherly concern as he looked to her, his eyes were that of a defeated child as his words choked up in his neck.

'Am I... bad?' His question was simple but it's weight was immense. Questions like this can't always be answered as simply as they are asked.

Alexie knew this well enough to counter it. 'Well why don't I start with that comment you made about me the day we met.' She was teasing and his face lit pink with a small blush.

He looked bashful and chuckled. 'I was very ignorant back then.' Alexie smiled proudly and her dream played out in her head as they went north. Allen was a person that tried to gain power by flexing his spirit. He didn't kill, back stab or summon a tower of hell to get more power. He did it himself. However, when you call his time with others into question he gets antsy and tries to spend time with them. It's funny in its own way as he wants to train, relax and hang out all at once, though she smiled when he got engrossed into something he thoroughly enjoys.

Alexie had dosed off and recalled a placed unfamiliar to her. A town that was light with building and street lights at night, a beef burger in her hand and a tray of potatoes between them. It was simple and a noble would call it 'carnival'. She enjoyed it thought. The wind from high up, the cool breeze on a late autumn night, a hot meal that steamed with flavor and a warm drink after shared by the two lovers.

As she slept in peaceful bliss, the girls noticed her wings coming out of the guise and how her wings repaired and grew, resembling something closer to butterfly wings as they shimmered in the train. Other ponies that were initially afraid got close and looked at her until she, the six and spike were the only other ones on the train north bound. The train came to a stop and as Twilight nudged her awake, Alexie's wings returned to their tattered appearance and blended back in the guise. "Huh? Where...?" She yawned as she wiped the sleep from her eyes.

"We're here, northern Equestria. End of the line." Twilight got her heavy coat and the others followed suit, save for Rainbow who brought insulation tights. They left the train and look to see a lone unicorn trudging the snow. They removed the visor to reveal a certain husband to a certain princess. "Shining Armor." Twilight was relieved as she hugged her BBBFF.

He broke the hug and saw Alexie, adopting a more urgent tone. "Is that.." They nodded and he sighed a breath of relief. "I'm sorry for the lack of prep or transport, but we must get moving." He looked out and his eyes paled. "There are things we do not want to face after dark."

Everyone looked freaked out as Fluttershy spoke up. "What kind of things?"

"To put simply, the empire isn't the only thing that returned." Everyone was one edge after the meeting as they navigated the otherwise endless snow storm. And while Shining was explaining the situation, Alexie could feel a familiar, but unwanted presence.

"I don't mean to sound suspicious but is something out here?" The changeling princess asked, her tone still indicating a fear of the unknown.

Shining turn her head to speak up as well above the wind. "Yes, the unicorn king who originally cursed the place, and has been trying to get in, but something is helping keep him out at the moment." Shining's answer made Alexie hopeful. Is this where Allen is being held? Before she could muse the question any longer, a faint noise was heard as the presence, a collection of darkness and smoke, emerged and Shining gave them the order to run.

The group made it in a barrier, followed soon by Armor, who's horn was covered in black crystal shards, cutting off his magic. They walked to the castle which, like the town surrounding it, was made entirely of crystals. Rarity was sputtering trying to find words while Alexie was caught in the air that surrounded it. Protective, powerful but longing. She felt her heart warm as her wings changed to their repaired form. Inside was Cadence who looked exhausted enough to look like she worked the nine to five with no breaks for herself. It showed more after a brief reunion dance with Twilight. "I swear, I will schedule a normal day for us even if I have to play hooky." Her teasing smile was apparent as was her fatigue as her mana and the barrier both faltered for a moment.

Shining explained the situation, how Cadence's magic is keeping Sombra at bay, but her lack of sleep and minimal nutrition was taking its toll on her and with Shining out of commission for any kind of barrier Sombra was going to make in in unless something was done, and fast. Clevetius assumed its Guardian form and looked around. "What's up with him?" Shining's question went unanswered as the living iron walked around.

"The central host nearby. Too much interference so I'm unable to locate him. High mana density is acting like static at the moment." Twilight's interest was piqued.

"High mana density?" She looked around and found no such indication until Clevetius stepped hard, causing a visible rippled of mana. "What the heck?!" She saw the ripples settle without a fight back. "How can this much mana be in one place? This should be virtually impossible by all accounts!"

"High mana density is capable of many things, from alteration of it's own nature and properties to great passive barriers. My creator was a magically capable person after some practice in many arts and forms." Clevetius looked around, his eyes perceiving the particles of mana in a high ppm, or parts per million. "A likely theory, he used mana enhancer techniques to bolster his output for brief period of time. Deactivation would send my creator into state of hibernation for an unknown amount of time afterward."

Cadence looked shocked as she looked around the kingdom. "All of this... from one being?"

"This kingdom was a likely byproduct from the over excursion of mana. Unknown variables as to how ponies are made of crystal. A likely theory is that they harness and resonate with the warmth of the crystals in this kingdom. Another is that they were souls that fused with the crystal, giving birth to them." He soon returned to he sword form after giving up on answering which answer was more likely and stayed close to Alexie's back.

"Regardless of how the kingdom came to be, with Cadence keeping her spell up and me running patrols, we haven't gathered much information from the crystal ponies." Alexie had left the room as Shining explained the situation and before Rarity lost her composure a second time. She felt the very air of the kingdom and it brought back those same sensations as before but much stronger and much closer, like he was really right there.


==Alexie POV==

The element bearers soon headed out, asking around about the kingdom and many of them looked like they had a collectively forced memory block. No doubt Sombra making sure that the kingdom couldn't recall anything that could destroy him. I wanted to help this kingdom. But asking around would do nothing. But life has ways of making unexpected things a good occurrence. The crystal ponies saw Celevetius and came up to me. "Are you a fighter?" I shook my head. Fighting was not my strong suit. I was more a healer, only dabbling in sparring and rarely in swordplay.

"Could you show us your customs?" I look confused before looking to Clevetius and taking his handle into my grip. With but a thought, it turned into CQC sparring gear. "Sparring?" I nodded and the ponies looked around, grabbing anything they could cover their forelimbs with and I smiled before letting Clevetius guide me and my partner through the motion. We weren't fighting, obviously, and the sparring, even if they lost, seemed to invigorate a sense of life in these ponies. Before long, the elements started putting things together for something I had no idea I had started.

To put simply, these ponies had a festival once a year to reinvigorate the spirit to power something called the crystal heart. It's said to be an ancient artifact as old as the empire itself. So I kept with the motion and even let the ponies have at it, my own spirit being warmed as the embrace grew more vivid and real. My wings had soon healed entirely and the holes in my limbs closed up. I felt so loved but I could also feel myself loving another, so strongly.

I was so washed in my head that when I had eyes on my I felt embarrassed. "Um..." I excused myself and flew as I saw some of them looking smug at my flustered look. That was when the barrier fell. It was only for a moment but I saw Sombra just outside and a piece of his horn chipped off and sank into the ground. Afterward I go back into the castle, just behind Twilight as she descended some stairs and the blackened crystal that she turned allowed me to see a little ways into the throne. Something was in there. Someone was in the crystals that made the throne. Spike went down and I saw the crystals at the 'gate' being turned black.

Landing outside the castle, I saw something alarming. Blackened crystals were making their way to the castle at an alarming rate and Sombra was almost perfectly in view. My fear had almost made me miss it, but the feeling was stronger after approaching the castle, the throne, so closely. 'He must be inside.' Before I could move, the barrier fell and I drew Clevetius in sword mode, frightened. It turned into Guardian on my behalf to protect me as the former king spoke.

"My crystal slaves." The voice was so ghastly and echoed that he came off as an entity. Clevetius started firing off basic magic bolts that seemed to annoy the shadow pony before being knocked away and without an experienced master or access to his gear he couldn't fight back. Hell I doubted I could cast magic strong enough to summon his fabled gear, nevermind the simpler weapons that could stall the king. But I decided to gamble and opened the page to a weapon that looked small enough to hold with one hand. I called out the weapon in my head as a pair of pearl white weapons with blue and green accent whirled out and to Clevetius.

He took the weapons in hand and pulled the trigger as a loud and sudden cast of thunder was heard throughout the kingdom. More followed suite as I looked through the pages and found a Guardian form that looked different from Clevetius now. It's body was more akin to ponies in knight plating with the same flat face, a horn decorating the top of the helm and protrusions on both shoulders, likely to protect the neck from heavy swings."Evangelion." My call of the armor was met with Clevetius turning into the figure shown and his fighting stance grew stronger and more fierce as he started wielding the weapons more naturally. My calls cost me, however, as the weapons an form change drained me some. With Sombra busy, I could at least search for the other, so I head into the castle.

Spike came down with the crystal heart that the kingdom needed to rid themselves of him, but before it could be placed, he ripped it from Cadence's weakened magic. I flew as fast as I could, making it to the throne room and ripping the seat off before getting as close as possible. 'I don't know if you can hear me, but I don't have the magic or knowledge to fight by your weapon's side. He's doing what he can but he needs you more than me.' I rub the crystal, a light showing from the center. 'He needs you.' I feel myself crying as the warmth starts leaving. 'I need you.' Ponies outside cried in fear as I felt my hand grow warm. 'Please, save this kingdom. Save these ponies. Please, my devil.' I screamed the same name I felt in my thoughts, the one that called to me time and time again. It gave me strength, but I need him to wake up. "ALLEN! Wake up!"

Ba-dump A heart beat? Who all heard it? Ba-dump It's so... heavy. Ba-dump And this warmth. Ba-dump "Allen?"


Outside

Clevetius was fighting bravely, but with his master sleeping, his power was effectively cut. He was soon batted away and into some dark crystals as Sombra grinned. 'Maker... where are you?' "ALLEN! Wake up!" 'Mistress Alex-?!' He felt a jump in power as he could hear heart beats from within the castle as his own body relaxed. Ponies wondered why he looked like he was shocked before his head hung loosely. The air around him seemed to change as his armor started looking more polished. The air around him was thick with power and when he raised his head, ponies only saw a flash of red from his eye before, in what seemed like a blink, he was gone and above where Sombra had just crashed, breaking the crystal he landed on. They looked above the crater and saw Clevetius, arm curled and fist clenched as the red glow of an ethereal eye remained present. Seemingly pushing off air, he twirled and landed with his feet planted in the ground in front of the crowd.

Rainbow's brief stun was left as she squealed. "That was awesome!" Sombra picked himself with a scowled and fired a beam that created a growth of crystal, which quickly spread. The armor stood there, confusing Sombra as no screams were heard. "Less awesome." Rainbow's comment drew the unicorn's attention before the crystals started moving. They cracked, bent and formed a sword and the armor's grasp, before the black crystals turned so dark, it started making the air around it bright with the absence of negative air.

"The darkness that guards innocence, Obsidian Black." The crystals were then charged as it hummed with light and power that came from the sword. Sombra armed himself with a red crystal sword that physically bled with hatred and a thirst for destruction. The air from the bleeding was putrid and corrosive as the surrounding crystals were melting before a quick swipe of Clevetius arm razed the weapon so hard, the air pressure was mixed with his sword's power and purified the air, but not the weapon.

Sombra grinned as his weapon remained unaffected. "A futile effort~" His deep, raspy voice echoed before he charged Clevetius, bringing the sword around before it was effortlessly blocked by the armor. Sombra tried for a stab to the neck only to have his sword deflected and locked against Clevetius' armor plates. A forceful pull made the metal screech as the red sword chipped and cracked before a hard swing from the knight broke the weapon in two. Sombra looked at his sword with disbelief before looking to his opponent in anger.

'With the maker still encased in crystal and with Alexie's magic having been dropped to roughly half capacity, I'll have to realistically stall for time.' Clevetius broke his weapon in two as the halves reforged into shorter handles, creating shorter blades of a higher output as ponies could feel the spirit energy of them. 'Good thing I inherited the maker's creative mind. I'll have plenty of my own reserves to spare when he gets out.' Sombra fired off magic bolts that had the same bleed as his weapon in rapid succession. Clevetius was faster before his armored form wore off to his my stream-lined frame. 'My mana high is up. But not my speed. Just a bit longer.' Clevetius blocked the bolts as Sombra got a twisted grin. His emotions raised, the unicorn fired more bolts in faster cycles as Clevetius was trying to defend himself and the ponies. Without access to his gear or magic of his own, he was starting to feel a strain from depleting reserves.

Sombra gathered a few crystals as they formed a fixed cannon battery and charged it to full. With no way to block it with the beams, the only hope was the tower shield, but he can't just float and block it. He needed someone who could dig their feet in and brace against the blast for the shield to be worth something. Sombra let the energy go and before it could hit anyone, the ponies closed their eyes before hearing the beam crash against something. The sound died down and ponies opened their eyes to see a human before them, with Alexie following just behind. "So then, what happened during my nap?"
> Aura is his Power
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


==Allen POV==

The Twisted have died. After around... I don't know how many years, they died, yet I still live. Time for me is frozen in these crystals and time still moves outside of them. It's ironic how the ability I started messing with, may be the one that keeps me safe, for however long time may pass. There's nothing left to do but meditate and have patience. So I start to meditate to reach into my mind and spirit to find my territory. Everyone's territory is different in action, reaction and inaction as each has a pro and con. I land and find myself on Earth, though in a city that is ruined beyond belief and has gone from metropolitan to a desert city of quiet unrest. The soil felt strange, the air, strong, but the tension... relaxed.

I walk to what appeared to be a church of unknown spiritual affiliation and practice and open the doors. Inside the church I see Clevetius, but he's rusted and his blade is crooked in many spots and the wrapping on the handle look worn. I walk closer, not noticing the creatures above before hearing a roar. The doors lock open and a figure lands in front of the doors, looming over them before it appeared to shrink, ducking and crawling in.

This creature had a thin body to say the least. What muscle it had looked like taught rubber, its legs had some armor and a helm adored its head with horns that resemble branches off of a tree and a full face plate with only a slit revealing the glow of the eyes. It's right arm was plum scales covering gold flesh like a sleeve. It's left arm and torso had black armor on the shoulder and forearm that shown a red shine, with dark skin shown as a result, and the armor on the legs shown a vibrant platinum like the helm while the horns were chrome silver. Each armor plate was decoratively stubbed and trimmed with gold, having a spiritual significance. The scales of the right arm not withstanding, only the flesh of its right pectoral was visible and bare, the shoulder blade as well, most likely. "What... are you?" It just sits there before pointing a finger up. I cautiously look up not understanding what it was saying. I was in my head. "I need... words or... clues." It curled a finger under it's chin and look at its hand.

It pointed to the right arm and pointed up. It pointed to its left arm, then down. It pointed to it's helm and legs and fanned its arms outward. I look in though before taking guesses. "Heaven... Underworld........ Earth?" It nodded twice before shaking it's head. "Spirit." It nodded it's head and I remembered my training efforts. "You are the result of my training and my own course of enlightenment!" It nodded and I could see the similarities. It's body structure was closely resembling the Eva Units, the Evangelion. The right arm was a likely depiction of gods. The left arm was likely demons, I knew that much. But the armor and helm.... was it made from spirits? For spirits. "Where did your armor come from?" It wave a hand over as it lumbered out, standing fully upright and growing back to its full size. It must've been forty or so meters tall and there was no telling how strong its muscles were.

It then placed it's right hand on the ground and a chunk of refined ore emerged from the ground in jutting spikes. "What the hell?" I took a closer look and it hummed softly. "Spirit iron?" I look back to see it nod and look to the ore in awe. I had made Clevetius from Spirit Iron but this was so pure. Could Spirit Steel be made with the right mixture. I could give Clevetius an upgrade. Even if the soul is taken from the body, it never loses itself. Then something occurred to me and I beckon the creature down. I place my hands on it's neck and a fine mesh emerged from its neck before being surrounded by a barred cage for structure and protection. "Can you speak?"

A few noises came and it seemed to try, very determined to speak before, "Yes." I smiled as it continued, a bit choppy but trying. "Th-ank.... e-you."

I smiled brighter and bowed, happy to help. "So you know me but... I don't know you. Who are you?"

It knelt down and bowed slightly. "I... am Cain, the scorn.... of Heaven." After the brother of Abel from the very first pages. But... did this Cain have a brother, or did he pick the name because of Cain's status after killing his brother. "You... are Allen Augus. The Student... of Aura."

I chuckle a bit, thinking the name was a little silly. "Student of Aura? Accurate but... a little silly don't you think?" Cain laughed in his own way as he sat down. "So... what do I learn?"

It held a finger. "First, try to use some aura, unaltered and unfiltered." I look around and then close my eyes to ponder my options. Unfiltered, aura is like air. So I cup my hands and start to focus. Before long, a grey sphere gathers in my palms and it fells strong. That's it. "A good first step in your course of training."

That prompted me to look around. "So then why a city like this. Does it... represent my desire to destroy?" I must've looked scared but and shook it's head.

It raised a hand and pointed out, directing to the live that grew, the beasts that shouldn't make sense, but they do. "It embodies no desire or fear. But rather... a place you find most beneficial... tranquil." It started to walk and I follow before stopping and looking back at the church. "He will be at all of them." I look back, bewildered that it knew my thoughts. This will take some adjustment. It starts walking again and I follow. "To put it simply, this isn't just your haven, it's the very culmination of what you desire to be in your world. From fantasy and fiction to science and myth. Everything is here." We came to a cliff side and I saw the world of ruin give way to a vast world of life, ranging from massive herds of what appeared to be rhinos, to trees that spiraled in natural and visceral ways. At the center was a truly massive structure. A tree, spiraling with opposing colors, reached beyond the clouds and with branches that reached out at least a mile. Overhead, I saw birds and reptiles flying with grace with a select few mammals in the sky with them. "Allen." I look to see Cain several of his steps ahead of me as I look down and start looking for vines.

With nothing there, I star descending the cliff face, which is much harder than it looks. 'Damn, Diesel makes this shit look easy with those years of fitness and Cain must've scaled this like climbing a small tree.' Trying my best to not focus on my task, I instead start thinking of random things, specifically what I would be doing here. 'This actually reminds my of Season two of Nanatsu no Taizai. Careful. Where Meliodas goes to the land of the druids to regain his power and one of them puts him through hell before he learns to redirect his wrath.' I look where I'm going before moving again, not paying attention to ground level. 'After he overcomes near certain spiritual death, he goes to train only for King - when did I touch ground?' I look and see I'm on the ground. "Oh." Dismounting the rocks, I start walking the expansion of forest to the tree before I get a dark feeling in my skin. 'And say hello to Genkai's dark forest in my heAD!' I jump out of the way of a charging animal to see it's covered in armor, about three times my size in weight and pissed. 'Great, I'm navigating the equivalent of Yu Yu Hakusho's dark forest. I better not stay here too long or I won't be waking up to greet Alexie any time soon.'

The beast rams the tree and I'm shaken off it and onto it's back before regaining my balance and jumping off. 'No weapon, no gear and no direction. I'll definitely need my aura to escape this.' It charges and I thrust my hand forward... only for nothing to happen. 'What?!' Before I'm skewered, I jump out of the way. 'What the hell?! Normally I'd start off with a distraction attack to throw off my opponent but-! Those sphere's.' I look again and jump to the side, getting my footing. I look up and notice a lose branch before jumping, getting some height to pull the branch off. 'Okay, still got my strength.' I see it tearing the ground, ready to charge. 'Damn it, I did not start meditating to pass the time just to die.' It starts charging, it's forward horns glowing. 'I can't die here, not if I want to see her again!' The branch glows and it catches my attention briefly before I swing the thing hard enough to stop the charging beast and knock it back. "Sorry for the rough treatment buddy but I don't plan on dying." I drop the drift wood and start running through the forest.

As I do, I recall more of the show. 'The dark forest had points where it acted like a death maze. Kuwabara went through it no problem. Yusuke fought a man-bat and everyone else faced trash mobs. Speaking of,' I jump to the branches and use the height to evade some floating fish-like creatures. 'They look like piranhas. Glad I'm not in there.' Jumping clear of them, the central tree did not look much closer. 'Fucking christ, is this forest huge or distorted?' My question was interrupted by a charging insect as it tried to bare down actual scythes on my neck. Kicking it away and rolling to my feet, I got a better look at it. It's arms were like a mantis but the body was more like an ant with the numbe of limbs a spider would have. 'Fast strikes, strong limbs, powerful mandible no doubt and the risk of venom or toxins. Fun.' I waited for the thing to make a move as my fists clenched and my eyes narrowed in vision, focused on even the smallest twitch of this bug. It waited for me, but it will get impatient. It wants to eat. My patience pays off as it strikes fist. Closing my arms together blocked the blades and a violent rip at the arms tore them off before using them to slash its own neck on a back step. The cuts hurt, but it's better than being poisoned.

After some walking and close calls, I finally making it to the tree. 'So I can't use my aura normally here. It has to be in an unfiltered form?' My thoughts go back to the forest, to which after a man-bat thing, an urchin that uses ice for quills, a thunder lion and a shadow horror, I collapsed and look up at Cain. "There better not have been a time limit." I could feel it smirk and stifling a laugh as it froze. "I. Fucking. Hate you for that." Getting up, I look back out into the forest. "So I can't use my aura here."

It nodded and sat down again. "In their world, your aura is nigh unmatched. Here it cannot take a different form."

I sigh, exasperated. "Great, so no weapon, no mana, no means of self-defense."

It looked to me, wisely. "When I say form, I refer to crystal, fire, lightning and darkness. Aura can take any shape to influence its function." It raised it's hand, looking out as if he were holding something and lifted the water in the forest. "Aura can be a hand, to grab, lift, push, pull, etc. and that's just the start. As a blade it can slash. As a blunt, it can crush. Like a bat for instance." Like how I fended off that rhino creature earlier. "Aura can take almost any conceivable shape, and function as nearly any tool, so long as you will it to be so." It stands up and starts climbing the tree. "You will find more trials within. Your lesson will help you in this." A few roots open and I walk inside.

Within the tree was a strange layout. It was a town. "Uh.... what?" My mind may be a charming  thing but this is a bit much. So, deciding to leave turn around in time to see the vines blending with the area. 'And their goes my exit. Guess I'm walking.' In the town, their were the same creatures and a few humans but these humans looked... off. Not off as in I sense the darkness in their souls but more like I can tell they're not fully human. Some had snow white pale skin, some had dresses made from their flesh, it was a strange but welcome sight for me.

The welcome sight changed when a few of them just bailed to a tower and rung a bell. Okay? Why a - "Ash Wave!" and there's my answer. I look out to see a black blanket suddenly engulf the sky as whirls of gold could be seen inside. That's when the ground shook and I jump away just before a horned bug thing impales me.

I have another look and see the clouds thickly over head. 'My trial... is this?' I look around and see scared villagers. I can't lead these people. But I can get them out. "Everyone!" They were moving but looking at me. "If you can move get out. If you are unable, then I want the able bodied to assist you." As I was talking, I ran interference for these people as they looked startled.

"But what about you?!"

"I AM GIVING YOU AN OUT! TAKE IT OR DON'T!" They flinched and nodded before quickly getting a move on. I'd make a terrible leader, but their safety came first. Next, find the one producing the wave. After grabbing a bell and beating on it with a seven inch wood rod, the monsters started coming for me. The rod was glowing, charged with my aura and the bell was glowing too. So the shape changes the property more than the form. Good to know, because they are following closely. They are fast, comes with their bodies, but so am I after some practice. They were following me but I just barely dodge a claw from something big. It looked like an ursa, with claws made of sinister aura that seemed to grind into themselves. "Well, guess the Care Bears wanted a raise." Jokes aside I start to focus on the claws before trying the same trick. I first needed to build the claws in my head before drawing them and they needed to counter this thing and the other beasts. What now?

It swipes again and again, trying to overpower and kill me. My first instinct was to survive since the villagers were safe but it won't let me rest. I struck my hand out and the image of a spear came to mind. After that, there was a huge hole down the length of the bear. 'What just...?' Before I could finish my thought, the dark clouds subsided and cleared up. I check back with the village and they smile with a nod before everything fades, revealing the tree's interior. 'That was... an illusion...?' I frowned, feeling used and tested. But when I thought about what these tests were doing, I smiled. There was still more tree to climb, so I climbed up.

As I climbed the tree, the trials were different. Was I being tested to inherit a power? Judge my soul for my actions? What would Cain do if I failed? Is there a fail condition? AND HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN IN THIS TREE!? I have climbed possibly fifty stories already and done six trials? WHY AM I HERE?! I stop and rest at the base of a set of stairs as I thought, looking outward to the world from so far up. It was... lonely up here. I didn't even spare any power to see if I could go home. But the more I think on it the more depressed I get. "Allen..."

'What the fuck? Did I hear that right?' I look again and see a young creature that I remember from when I was fighting the twisted. A changeling. She looked different from her siblings, sporting a mane that looked like - 'Alexie.' My mind showed me images of the woman I loved above all else and I felt my chest clench, or expand as I regain a determined look and resume climbing the tree. The next few floors I climbed was more like fighting in Devil May Cry's Bloody Palace as they were pure combat, testing my aura after that point.

Reaching the top, I see Cain in lotus, looking up to a starry night sky. "It's always beautiful here. Your mind creates the most vibrant and shining stars I personally have ever seen." The gold skin in his right arm glowed. "But when she's on your mind, she is what drives you. She is what you think about." I sit down next to him, a smile on my face as the stars move in a way that show Alexie's face in figure. As I watched her interact with a spectral version o f me, the sky became more normal and the vines formed a frame that played out our time together like a home video. "She was your anchor for your humanity and the secret to your smile. She teased you, played with you, loved you. And you loved her so much that people could only hate your love out of jealousy." I smiled and Cain sat on the edge of the tree. "Meet me back in the city."

He dropped from the tree and ran back to the city in a few moments, 'Cheeky, fucking!' I take a deep breath before focusing. My aura was as strong as it was going to be, but wasting too much energy would not do me any favors. So, I calmed my breathing, found my aura, surrounded my body with it, built the strength in my legs and jumped. The power was more than I had bargained for but I made it to the city with one leap. Before long he was in view with some creatures next to him. The aura around them felt draining, dark.

When they charged, I was on the defensive and grabbing for anything that could be a weapon. Thankfully I got my hands on a pipe and charged it like a club to beat the beasts away. Unfortunate I forgot a crucial rule, do not drop your guard until your are certain the battle is over. I regret my ill thought decision when one of then got its claws around me and hung its maw over my head. At that, I started felling... negative and when I tried thinking why, pleasant memories from my past were going missing before I forced the beast off of me, though at the expense of some damage. I look up, scared for the first time in a while, scared of what my past meant to me. One threat and my thoughts are provoked. 'Nothing like a death match, huh? Great.' Before I could be too distracted, the blunt aura turned to a blade and the pipe went through the creature like nothing, but that did not help my fear any. 'I get Cain is preparing me for when I wake up but why?' My thoughts recall my crystal imprisonment and I get a brief outside look. 'So I'm coming back TFS style huh? Nah, I'll down play it a bit. Don't want to freak anyone out.'

My thoughts continue even with the training as I got a grasp of the training. My aura is my ultimate sword and shield, even in it's most basic form. The better the refinement in base form, the better the results when changed. I won't see the results until I'm out but I can try them here. Time to be dramatic. If what Cain said was true, that by changing my aura's shape, its properties are changed. This means it's shape, even as it is, can take on the properties of an element, right? If it takes the shape of fire, does it burn? What about lightning? Air? Wait... the only reason it pushed like it did is because air can push, and like a sword, it could cut. With that in mind I form an aura around my free arm and block the creature's claws before another tried for a swipe. Changing the shape around the pipe like a club, it blocked another claw, even making it bounce off. A third went for a stab but my hands were full. 'Time to be stupid.' Focusing on my air and these beasts, a solid shield was formed in front of me, stopping the other beast dead before imagining clawed hands to grab them and force them off. Switching the pipe's shape back to sword and armor to claws, I went to the offensive. Swinging the pipe and my claws at one tore into and killed the Mind Feaster closer to me as the three claws grabbed and ripped the second without remorse. I look around and see no sign of the third before changing aura shape on my arm and punching the ground. The third popped up before I shaped my hands for sword aura and sliced the final Mind Feaster into four pieces before sitting down. "Got any (sigh) more pets?"

Cain just chuckled to himself and I frowned. "I have no pets. This whole world knows where and how to train you."

"First order of business mister 'Obi-wan', I need some rest, so if you'll excuse me." I lay down and close my eyes.

When they open again I feel rested and see Cain in the same place he was in and feel him becoming more active. "Ready to continue?" I just nod and continue the training. This was going to feel awkward once I'm out.
> The Monk has Thawed
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


==Allen POV==

It was a long training session after another. While Cain was teaching me everything there was to know about aura and it's many applications across the board, he said that learning every aspect right down to the letter would be difficult at best and nigh impossible at worst. Aura can change shape to change it's function. This can lead into it doing many things but to a lesser degree. Flame shapes can burn but refinement dictates its intensity. Thunder can shock but the arcs dictate that actual volts and amps. Ice can freeze but can also be mistaken for crystal without a sub-aura to emulate cool air. It was exhausting. The more simple shaping forms like slash, blunt, spike and even spiral are easier to manage as these shapes help to achieve a specific damage type.

After that I had to color the aura and that's where things started getting bonkers. For one, coloring aura means the color has a property of its own and this property can be applied to the shapes. A drill that sucks in light, a blade that freezes foes, a sickle that rots bodies, and potentially souls, a spike that erupts the ground with nature and vines and more. With so many colors, the properties were nigh endless on their own. Once we got to combinations.... I did not bother taking notes. Even Cain said that most combinations, if the colors work with each other, can be very powerful. So experimentation wasn't on the table.

One thing I did catch was my body. "Cain." The massive Eva tribute looked my way. "Why is my body reducing to a skeleton?" He felt hesitant. I knew I was in the crystals a long time but I didn't know how long.

"Your aura is trapped in the crystals, as is your soul. But without nourishment, you started to slowly die." My eyes widened. Best case I was pale as a ghost and a little thin. Worst case, I was a skeleton. "Your body and soul are still where you cast the crystal imprisonment. But over these long years, you started withering."

I look out, enjoying the taste of my drink. "Is there a way to constitute a new body?"

"You've been learning that for a while." I look at him, confused and intrigued. "These sessions of training your mind and body are methods of helping your body gain the skills to change and adapt." He stood up, his shrunken size still towering over me. "You've learned how to use Aura in its many form. Now it's time for your ultimate test." My body and clothes suddenly fell and I looked to see just my spine and ribs. I scream clearly but this wasn't a joke. Cain tried to reassure me and was getting pissed before we both felt a warm presence. My eyes, or lack there of, focused my vision outward. I could see Alexie in a town, asleep and dreaming. Her dream was pleasant as he smile was affectionate, reassuring me and calming me down. Taking a deep breath, I concentrate and by Cain's account, black markings, that light couldn't illuminate, covered my existing skeleton before appearing to seer together and cover my bones before the black turned to a light brown as bone structures grew from my body, forming a full skeleton. Black tissue emerged from the bones and took the shape and structure of my muscles and turned the same pale brown before more black tissue emerged, forming my skin before the black withdrew to my head, making my hair and revealing my skin. Aside from the lack of a penis, which can be made later, my body looked better. And whatever I did during training felt natural, like breathing. "You are ready. When you break out, your body will still be a skeleton, but your soul, spirit and mind will aid in your reconstruction. And this training will make your mastery of aura as natural as breathing. But be wary of inactive use for long periods." I nod and we spend when remaining time we have left flying or walking around the constructed world.

Deciding not to waste away my training, I use the same method as I did to grow my body to make an exoskeleton that resembled a mix of Armored Cores and the M.A.S.S. from the indie game. Shame I won't get to play it, but I can live it... sort of. To put simply, I wasn't going to let myself get rusty so I drew upon my repressed negativity to create the same enemies as the game, creatures from a seeming void that possess an eldritch power. This allowed me to attempt creating rifles, handguns, swords and the like from myself as I was the sheath and armory. 'Clevetius is so getting an upgrade.' So for the next.... I don't know how long I've been in here but it helps, since I can aid Alexie in times of distress during her sleep and with Clevetius I'd be able to calm her with my own presence.

During the invasion which happened in an unknown amount of time after my sealing, Clevetius was in hibernation and when I saw the barrier about to expel the changelings, I woke the sword and it acted, treating Alexie as the secondary user. He stopped the barrier and pushed it back to the source thanks in part to my knowledge of aura. After that, she went to the nearest town and made a home for herself their to live among the equines. I didn't know when the next chance would come, so I had to wake up.

This caused several things to happen. While I was asleep, the equines that moved here or were born here were affected by the aura residing in the crystals. They turned a giant jagged collection into a kingdom and the ponies eventually became anatomically capable of turning into living crystal. But they had a unicorn that became something akin to a lord of shadow as his body went from a unicorn to a natural force of shadows. In waking up myself and the kingdom I brought back a great horror. Thankfully, my body was untouched and resided in the throne itself but was also hidden deep within the throne as if it were a coffin.

I tried many times to break out. My aura was depleted and I needed to get out. "WAKE UP! ALLEN!" My wife's desire and my drive spurred me as I started gathering natural aura from around the kingdom and beyond. My body rushed with power as I attempted to break out, with success.


==General POV==

Alexie stared at the throne before a sharp crack rang from the throne as it shook. More cracks followed in random places before it split open, revealing the skull, spine and ribs of the former savior from millennia passes. Alexie was struck with dread before black markings emerged from the sockets, covering every bone in a flame mark pattern before searing together and turning a light brown. More bones were than being constructed with creaking and cracking sounds as they were shaped and refined. Each bone carefully made with ligaments until the skeleton was complete, covered in black tissue that looked like muscle then covered again before the black pulled away, revealing a pale skin complexion as the black drew up, making hair in dreadlocks that hung to Allen's shoulders. He opened his eyes to reveal an alluring and dangerous hazel. This was him, reborn but not replaced.

Alexie stared in awe and suspense. She walked closer to the man whom she felt connected to. Touching his skin made her shiver as his air was inviting and calm. He lifted his head and their eyes met. Alexie almost cried before smiling. "You're... here." She was relieved before the outside reminded them shit was going down. Allen saw the cannon fixture and was ready to head out. "Wait." He turned back and saw her holding a pair of bottoms for men. He slid them on and kissed her. Her wings fluttered and she savored the moment.

He broke the kiss and smiled lovingly. "I'll be back. Just need to break in the new body." His expression shifted to lust. "Then we can break you in." She flushed before the two shared laugh and a wholesome smile. "I'm off."

She let go and he headed out, the sound of static present for but a moment before appearing in front of the blast, blocking it. "So then, what's happened during my nap?" Everyone was stunned silent. This was a human in their kingdom and he stopped a laser blast from Sombra.

"A human....?" The smoke made unicorn smiled gleefully. "How interesting." The king fired a bolt that nailed Allen on the skull. He appeared to bow backward and Cadence was already afraid that the human would be under Sombra's control. The human slowly corrected his posture and opened his unchanged eyes with a smirk, chuckling at the unicorn's futility. "WHAT?!"

"That trick would work if it weren't for one thing. I spent god-knows-how-long in my head refining my abilities and craft. I know loneliness and anger." The air around Allen became dangerous and hot, like a smoldering inferno was about to rage into a roaring fire. "Would you like to see it?" He raised his hand as it lit ablaze with a crimson flame, the heat of which burned against the endless winter and caused many ponies to back away or sweat. Sombra smiled again and spread his arms, challenging the human's power. "Then burn." His short statement was cold and almost sinister. Allen had wanted to test his power and now he has a chance to against something cruel. Giving no restraints or chill he released his flame and Sombra immediately regret his decision as the flames washed over him and burned. The dark unicorn's hollowed voiced echoed a painful scream before the flames die down. When the ponies could see again, he was still standing and conscious. "I'm actually glad you're still up. The pain to your skin is possibly as bad as it feels, but you managed to stay on your feet."

Sombra looked so mad a blood vessel appeared on his head. "I will rot your soul and make you my unquestioning slave you insolent underling!" Sombra started firing off bolts so rapidly that some of them were missing, though with Allen's training, the bolts were dispersed and absorbed as raw essence into his body. Allen sat there taking spell after spell into him as Sombra started getting tired. "You will... serve me... insolent..." Sombra was short of breath but when he saw Allen, the unicorn withdrew a breath in fear before the human spoke.

His head held high, his voice boomed with power and confidence. "Subject of the Crystal Kingdom, lend me your ears." Crystal ponies lifted their heads as this human spoke like a warrior king. "You are neither a proud nor stalwart kind, but a peaceful and loving race. War is not what you seek and when backed into a corner you come together to shun the dark. Lend me you hearts, your kindness, your strength. Empower your kingdom and yourselves." The ponies, feeling lifted, turned into their truest nature as the kingdom lit with happiness and Sombra's rage fueled before retreating into his clouds and growing in size. The crystal heart was put in place during Allen's speech but it only purified the crystals as Sombra fired off another ray of darkness, met with a light coming from the human as he looked up, his eyes changing to bright cyan over black sclara. "The chromatic aura triad has been decided for your demise!" The air around Allen became visible as one streaked a color after another. "The darkness that guards innocence, Obsidian Black." A dark tint streak circled above the human but it seemed to produce light instead of absorb it.

Sombra felt the danger and tried to stop whatever was happening, only for his darkness to be absorbed before pulling back. "Burning rage of the sun, Solar Gold." A gold and scarlet wisp gathered, resembling the sun up close. Sombra again tried to strop the process and fired some crystal spells before the spells turned to crystal and were shattered by the close range heat or absorbed by the light producing shadow.

"And final, the confidence to take pity on evil, Proud Blue." A vibrant blue collected and the three seemed to spark together. Allen raised his right hand as it form a beast's maw, which devoured the colors before a cannon was produced from its mouth. "Burn with the sun as your darkness sears to nothing." He took aim and Sombra turned away to run. "Proud Lion Flare!" The beast maw formed into a lion's head as what appeared to be a piece of the sun was fired and chased down Sombra. When the stream hit Sombra, it screamed in pain as it and the dark clouds were burned, like gas fumes lit aflame. The weapon deformed and withdrew into the human's arm and he was seemingly stoic before chuckling childishly. "I bet everyone has tried to be Kaze once after seeing Final Fantasy, though I can't blame them." He turned back and saw the ponies looked more like refined crystal than uncut gems. "Again, what did I miss."
> Reunion and Joy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


==General POV==

As he looked over the ponies, the changeling princess caught his eye again, and he had no idea how long he'd been asleep. His body felt strange though not too alien. Lighter was a word to describe how good he felt, but that was it. He scooped up the princess and twirled her around him as she giggled and smiled that her husband was back. She was set down after a few spins and embraced her husband closely. He felt so fresh to her touch, warm even. It was as if he was never dead or a small remainder of bones. He felt like... him to say the least. "How have- you look-?"

He pressed a finger to her lips and touched their foreheads. "One thing at a time poppet.~" She blushed with a giggle and she composed herself quickly. "So then, from the start." She pointed to the dragon and Alicorn princess as the other ponies were coming down, Captain Armor in the forefront before throwing himself in front Cadence defensively. Allen looked a bit confused before shrugging it off and Cadence started up.

"Well, introductions are in order." He held up a finger and pointed a thumb to Clevetius. "Is he your companion?"

He nodded with a gesture of acceptance. "That's about the long and short of it. And since he was made from my spirit power and six different materials, he has a mental link with everyone that helped make him." Twilight and the girls gasped at the power it held and figured Allen must've killed gods for his power. "Though I should point out that I'm the main user unless I say otherwise so as far as introductions, you can skip them and current events."

Cadence smiled and wave her hand as if clearing the tension in her mind. "Then allow me to start with Twilight and her friends since any earlier would be a bit much." To her credit and rational thinking, it was a fair exchange. Allen was caught up with important events such as the return of Nightmare Moon, who was Celestia's younger sister who grew bitter over time. Second was the return of a chaotic being by the name of Discord, who broke free of the first seal by the princesses Celestia and Luna and resealed by Twilight and her friends. After which was the wedding in Canterlot, though more for finer details such as Cadence being kidnapped by the Queen and Canterlot almost falling until Clevetius got involved. And Alexie's establishment in Ponyville with a building marked and built for negotiations and political meetings. "We can answer questions about the finer details later."

Allen took a breath and Alexie could already tell it was not a happy or calm breathing. He was livid about something. "There is one finer detail I can save for the party of interest. For right now, I would like a room with Alexie if one can be provided and I would like it to be sound dampened for more than a few reasons." The changeling princess blushed as her wings started to sparkle and flutter from her emotions and rapid heart jumping. "Chief among them is the time spent away from her and I'd like to make up for my absence. Missed anniversaries, birth days, even mother's day if her parent wishes" The princess' face was a brilliant teal as he spoke. "That," he cupped her cheek and her emotions shifted from embarrassed to passionate, "and I've missed her over these long years." Cadence saw the chemistry between them and clapped her hands as the couple was led away while the pink alicorn had a cute smile.

Shining looked shocked and almost appalled. "Cadence? Why did you let them in?" She said nothing as she skipped inside, humming a cheery tune while her husband sat there with her sister, both siblings looking bewildered. "What... happened?" He shook back to reality and ran up into the castle, quickly finding the room containing the human and attempted to enter. The handle give him a shock when he grabbed for it and attempting a teleport blocked him entirely, as in hitting a wall or being redirected, never reaching inside the room. Even the windows were protected. The only detail left untouched was the keyhole. But Rarity and Pinkie stopped that quickly and stood guard, well more kept watch, outside the room as they quietly conversed about the human.

Defeated, Shining went back to the throne room to find it being repaired. "What happened to-?!"

Cadence looked back as the ponies could handle repairs and remodeling. "As it turns out, our human was encased in crystal. We don't know for how long though. Dating the stones that came from this castle is a bit difficult, if not tricky." Cadence was show Twilight levels of curiosity and wonder. "To think that a human was under our nose the whole time." She chuckled at the sweet irony that she was sitting on pony kind's worst enemy and found it humorous until the mental statement set in and she blushed. 'Well that certainly made me self-conscious quick. Though I do wonder- no! No Cadence. Mend love but no peaking. Bad manners."

"Cadence?" She turned to her husband and nuzzled him. "There are several magic defenses around the room. Only way to look in-"

"Is the key hole." She smirked. He wasn't the only one who looked through and they shared a blush recalling their younger days when they teased and flirt. "Besides, the chemistry, the love between them? My stars they are just brim-"

"AAAAUUUUUHHHHHHH!" The sexual moan was barely heard but still audible from within the castle. Cadence and Shining drew up with a blush and promised each other to never speak about this.


==In the bedroom==

While Shining was trying to get in, the human and changeling were sharing an embrace. "Allen. You have no idea how long my emotions have haunted me. Tormented me. The dreams. The-"

"Shhh." A finger rested against her lips and he quiet her fears. "If you need to let out your emotions, do so. I'm here and I'm not willing to go anywhere right now."

Alexie smiled as her husband calmed her. All the years she could see him, without provocation. Without a clue as to who he was, she would see them holding each other, laying in the same bed and just teasing each other if they weren't speaking normally. Other times she would see the two of them invested in a work. Fewer times saw him tormented by events around him or his own thoughts and consciousness resorting to her calming him herself or helping him select music to listen to. She didn't know where the music came from, but she had several clues to go on, which can wait for later. "Allen?" He looked at her, in longing to her. "Can... we..." She blushed as her mind plagued her with thoughts of carnal action intimacy.


This may be considered clop so this is your only warning. Don't want to read? An end marker will be in bold.

He smiled lovingly, easing her down a he kissed her, moving his kiss down her body to her neck as his teeth dragged against her soft nape, a teasing suckle drawn to arouse her more primal urges as his were brimming. He was longing for her and now they shall indulge. His teeth teased at her nape, gently and tenderly gnawing her skin as she yipped softly from the feel of his canines. Her hands caressed his, intertwining their fingers as she held onto him and a blush creep to her face. His legs drew up to her sex, a soft grinding applied as her breath was drawn hot. He freed a hand from her grasp and caressed her curves, teasing her with his touch as he rediscovered the contours of her body, which until now he had felt in mind and spirit. Her carapace was smooth as if weaved from silt and his hands desired something full. His feathered exploring was met with her round breasts and her breath drew up in excitement.

Moving his affectionate kissing, he kissed between her mounds as his hand grabbed hold of one, softly and earnestly feeling and massaging around it. His own heat swelled within him as he desired for her body, yet he continued to satisfy her company in appreciation. His thumb moved over as he caressed her breast, teasing the nipple with a flick and her hand draws to her mouth, in an effort to contain her moans to a whimper. The sound dampening works well for these noises. His kisses travel up again, to her lips as the other hand came free, embracing her as hers returned the favor. His found its way to her tail and teased the base of the appendage with gentle touch and earnest vigor. She drew further as her breathing grew hotter. Her body, unknowingly, repairing itself as before as her skin grew from its silent black to a heavenly white. Her glittering wings mending and growing with her tail. The kiss was disconnected and their breath cast heat as steam rolled from their lips.

The two caressed each others lips and he lay her down again, kissing her collar as his hands teased at her legs. Her core shook and her body shivered from pleasure. Heat rose in her nethers and she was all but silent as his love making drew forth the sensation a changeling wouldn't recall but one something else would. His lips traveled downward, leaving warm kisses down her body as he was soon upon her warm, steaming sex as moisture from the fore-play and passion shown evidence of her desire. The two exchange a glance and she nodded, covering her blush with a smile. He returned the expression and placed his mouth upon her folds.

The moment his lips kissed her slit, she yipped in excitement before tasting her and her whimpers could not be held as it soon increased into moans. He lapped her walls, licking up juice from her dripping moisture as his hands kept busy on her legs, caressing the tender flesh that he was tasting from her most tender and succulent meat. She felt his tongue and his hands work over her pure body as she was losing a virginity she was saving for centuries, her actual love. She could give her body to a common drone if she wished. Lose her mind to the sex as she took pleasure in the event, but her love was for him, and she would let everyone, even he know who earned her love.

As she moaned a very familiar and pleasant sensation from the past returns as she feels his tongue deep within her, writhing and licking everything as she shuts her hands on her maw. Her past life told of this as well, wet dreams where her husband, her 'man' found new and interesting ways to please her so deeply, though at the cost of peaceful silence for others. His tongue was like a snake as it licked up all of her moist walls. Her cries and climax became harder to contain. Leaning her up ever so slightly, a finger lapped some of her sweet fluid and found its way to her blackberry and the other to her clit and with a swift motion from both, an insertion and a tug her hands grabbed the sheets as she braced herself and came.

"AAAAUUUUUHHHHHHH!" She cried out, releasing a flood of her sweet nectar as his tongue withdrew from her folds. Setting her down, she panted blissfully and satisfied as she rested. He lay next to her and cover them both loosely with the sheets as they enjoyed the afterglow of their reunion's affair.

End of the clop is here.


He held her close with an embrace, unaware of the blushes throughout the castle from their adventurous activity. None of it mattered now as he was close to his wife again after years of being absent. He didn't know when she was born or how long she had to wait for him, but she's here with him and he couldn't be happier.

She looked up, her after glow still present but she was calm now, after getting those years of solitude and unsatisfied pleasure out of her system. "So what have you been up to while in your castle, bone head?~" She made the pun about earlier and he laughed. He wanted to say it was bad since puns are just that, though there is humor in them so he didn't mind.

After calming down he looked at her. "Meditating." She gave him an amused look, thinking he was joking. "I'm serious. I didn't have enough aura to break back out and before anyone says the power of love freed me, I put my training to the test. Still have some training though more for a... let's call it a surprise for now."

She feigned a pouting expression. "Am I not important enough to share with?" He flashed a knowing grin and she couldn't hold her look, bursting out laughing. "I'm sorry."

He nuzzle her neck, feeling her warmth as she blushed. "I'm sorry as well. Since I want to keep this a surprise and do more than what I can now. I feel human again but I want to do more. For myself, for you and our lives, I want to do more." Alexie smiled gently, holding her husband close to her as they took in each other's aroma and presence. "I missed you."

She closed her eyes and could feel thoughts and memories return to her, filling in gaps long passed. "I thought my mind was tormenting me, but now I know what I was. Who I am." She parted from him and kissed his forehead, booping his nose which elected a giggle from him. "I just wish mom were here."

He pecked her lips, earning a tender smile. "I know. I'm sure my residents are here if you are. So maybe she'll be hear too." Caressing her hair, he didn't care if she changed during their fun, but that didn't mean it wasn't appealing. "And I'm sorry if that got your hopes up a little."

She giggled, cutely licking his nose like a pup. "You're just an optimistic goof." She teased as the two settled in for some rest. "And we need some optimism. Not blind joy or empty promises. Just a positive outlook on what we can do." The sheets over them, they felt their warmth. "Good night Allen."

"Good night, Alexie Augus." She smiled with a blush and the two settled into their dreams.
> Visit, Laughter and Scream
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The couple had settled in for the night after an adventurous and overdue anniversary. Alexie was sleeping soundly, snoring lightly, as if she were a young child. She dreamed in her sleep, going on a date with Allen as they cooked up some ground meat and enjoyed the cool night during summer. The wind passing through her hair as they dined and savored the juicy burgers with a side of seasoned fries. Simple moments that make her life happy as her husband cooked for her and borderline pampered her. He was many things to her, a husband, a fiance, a friend and at times, a father.

She enjoyed her dream but Allen wasn't dreaming. Thousands of years of meditation and he recognized the sensation. He looked around and Cain waved at him from the tree. He smiled, knowing he could manipulate his dreams, or his space rather, to train or fight. He wanted to fight though. His little spat with Sombra left him a bit cold and he wanted to stretch his power, but given that Cain won't fight to the death, that left one option. Lovecraft. So he focused his thoughts on creating a creature that would embody the dark nature of humanity, an Oni that H.P. Lovecraft himself would dare not attempt to understand or explain, for what is darker than human nature itself when twisted by desire, greed, supremacy.

From the ground sprang something that Allen understood, something he hated and yet something he accepted, himself. This image of Allen, stood with a striking resemblance to what people think Oni are in the modern day. This creature was Allen's height and that was it. It's nails on its hands and feet were sharp, more like claws. The skin was course and crimson with outside sections a jet black, like armor. Fire emerged from the star split flesh on its chest and tears along its body. Its teeth had four prominent fangs, each with a slight curve. The eyes burned a sun gold to match its asymmetrically grown horn. The left horn was larger, riddled with divots and tamper at the tip and close to the base, resembling a curved club or blade. The shorter her grew straight out at half the length and leaked smoke like a dying flame. The hair was the only other thing standing out as it looked like clouds at sunset.

Allen stared it down and it smirked. It represented his own dark nature, something he wished he could bury so he didn't break Alexie's heart. He would try, but to refuse accepting it was accepting only half of himself. It was why he cried in her arms or worried for her heart. He didn't want to hurt her. Now it was hear for a different reason and the two shared a desiring look as the slightest movements loosened and popped their bones. Thousands of years trapped in crystal and the first thing they fought was a let down. Now they get to savor the fight, the thrill, the rush.

The first move from them both triggered a launch as the Oni was the first to claw at at it's maker and host. Allen raised an arm, taking the slash before bringing his arm around in a cross jab. The fist connected and sent a jarring ring in the Oni's skull before it retaliated with a kick to Allen's ribs. The force made his body shake and sting before he slammed his palm up its chin and another to its stomach, making both the skull and the vitals ring as its ether bled from its mouth. It smirked went for a gut punch which Allen blocked but the divided attention left his face open as another fist connected, blurring his vision briefly as his nostrils bled.

Allen then tripped up the Oni and grabbed its wrist, cupping the crotch for a throw into a building. Giving him some time, the human started breathing, gathering ether and slowing his blood flow before the cuts clot and he speed up his blood again, getting a proper heat in his muscles. The Oni emerged again and landed some meters from Allen. It smiled but it wanted a true death match. The monk obliged and channeled his intent into his limbs and head, the image of an ogre seeming to form from him. The Oni smiled sadistically and channeled its own intent, the image of a human coming from him. Both had one intention in their hands and it would be fulfilled, the intention of murder.

Oni made the first strike closing the distance as the air seemed to bend from the force of its palm. Allen ducked under and slapped the hand to the side and used the new momentum and punched the Oni against the rotation, grinding his knuckles into its ribs and vitals and the insides hurt worse than the actual skin. The course texture ground Allen's knuckles but the pain was already numbing. The pleasure was starting to take root. It got back up with a fist coming up, the middle knuckle protruding a bit. It was stopped but a passing hand ripped some skin and muscle from Allen's neck. 'About six minutes before I get ether poison. Any more hits like that will cut my time, similar to oxygen poisoning.' Allen started to change his breathing and the blood was slowing to a clot. The Oni grinned, licking its fang as Allen smiled, his glare relaxing into a menacing smile.

The two slowly shuffled to each other and Allen had gotten a feel for that attacks style. Within seconds, several things happened. Allen came in with a palm strike, and rolled his fingers into a loose fist as the Oni blocked. When contact was made, he rolled his fingers into a full fist. This unorthodox style used the initial resistance for that brief second to allow a harder build in striking power. If that failed, rolling the knuckled into a full punch would succeed as all of the recoil from a normal punch is rolled back in, eliminating the recoil and driving all of the punches power into a target. Not as strong or fast as sound breaking punches, but just as lethal. The Oni's arm jarred as it was knocked away and the two were properly in a killing mood, tasting their own blood and ether in their mouths as they stared the other down with a grin.

The two adopted their stance and inched ever closer, shifting the dirt very little before a dark object hit the ground, kicking up dust and rubble. Before it settled, dark blue wings expanded out, clearing the dust to reveal a dark blue alicorn, with an ethereal mane and tail representing the night sky. She looked at the Oni and scowled. "Fowl creature, you shall torment this dreamer no further!" Her horn lit up and a bright light enveloped them and when it had faded, nothing changed. The alicorn looked shocked before firing a direct spell and it did nothing. "What are you? You do not fade."

That is when Cain walked over, the massive footsteps resounding throughout the dream land as Luna looked startled before seeing the actual dreamer. "They do not fade because, in one or another way, they are part of me." He gestured to the Oni and it stood at his side. "This is an Oni, known most commonly by humans as those who gave into their darker desires. You can not banish it, for it is a part of me." He gestured up to Cain and the giant shrank some while waving. "And that is Cain, a loose personification of those within my residence, something I call my spirits in collection as calling them a Legion would mean they are one of the same yet many of one."

The alicorn blushed under her coat as she felt embarrassed. "My apologies." She straightened her dress and stood proud. "I am Luna Midnight Faust, vanguard and defender of dreams and princess of the night." She curtsied gently with a refined smile and stood straight again to see the trio paying a mild yet professional interest to her. "So then who and what are you?"

The two non-humans look to Allen and he shrugged with a sigh. "Kinda wish you two would be gentleman but... whatever." He then points his thumb up at Cain. "The giant here is Cain, the embodiment of my residence collective emotions to act as a teacher to myself."

The larger creature attempts a hunched bow and the Oni spoke up, as ask. "I'm Yurie." Luna looked perplexed that a fierce creature would have a foreign yet tender name. "It's a way of saying Ghost, but it can't be used as a name unless translated to something else." Luna was intrigued by the names and their convention of use. With a thought, the human and Oni sprouted wings from their backs before ascending to the air and Luna followed close as the four made for the tree. She witnessed the devastated land and buildings and was curious about what it was like before coming here. When she noticed Cain drop a bit she looked up and saw the massive tree in the center of forested lands. "Fells like a completely different world than what you're used to, eh princess?"

Luna simply nodded as they landed on the top of the tree while Cain was climbing up. "So... is this a dream then?" They shook their heads and looked out to the night sky. Each distant star was bright and visible and a large cluster of them made a band of light as if it were the trail of an angel seeking new things in life. She was dazzled by the spectacle and they had time in the world, thanks to his endless training. But that would have to wait as he heard a scream in the distance. Luna perked up and noticed the same scream. "Your wife is in distress!" Allen paid closer attention and the scream for of fear, followed by crying.

Before she could set out, Allen grabbed Luna's shoulder. "Take me to her." Luna looked shocked that he would rush head first into this. "I don't care how I have to do it. Just show my how to go to her dreams!" Luna settled her breathing and turned to him.

"In order to find another's dream, you must find them and connect to their dream, but be prepared for what you may see in their mind." Luna was stern about this as one move could save the person or make it worse. He focused on their souls, as they had split their souls in half and melded each half together, forming a deep, spiritual bond. If he was right, then her dream would be- "There." As if a gate had surrounded him, Allen was transported through a stream and into a location that looked like a netherworld, where the dead crave to live and the living die of fear. Finding the scream, Allen channeled his own aura, as if her were there, and sprouted wings, flying up and between his wife and the beast. It screamed at him in anger and spoke in a malformed dialect.

Alexie looked up and hugged her husband. "Please... end this nightmare. I'm scared." The beast spoke again and she withdrew. Allen had no access to Yurie or Cain. He had to call them when he remembered that his residents weren't just spirits from the heavens or underworld. They were apart of him, a piece of him that called to them. He didn't call for their presence. He called on the power that drew them. His own power. The larger beast charged in and it was knocked away before a small gremlin creature came up and tried scratching at him before knocking it away. Another behemoth grabbed at Alexie and Allen slashed it's hand as it screeched in pain before growing the hand back. Luna was trying to erase the nightmare but there was so much of it and so much fear that it would only be weakened.

He looked to Alexie and she was holding one of the jewels he gave her as it glowed. The other behemoth grew enraged and tried grabbing her before a manifestation of Allen backhanded the offending appendage. Something was starting to click with him but them she muttered something that made him flinch.


==Allen POV==

"Please don't take him from me. You have taken enough from him. Don't take me too. I love him. He loves me." I was scared for Alexie before the other beast started fighting again and I kicked the hand away and it recoiled more than it should have. I then looked around and noticed something about the area. More of the same gremlin came up, these two were bigger but I smacked them away as more of the black creatures emerged angry like the others. I was getting angry as no matter how hard I hit them they kept coming from nearly all angles of this damn room.

'Room?' My thought was cut as the same beast that started the trend yelled at him and he lost it. "Oh shut your howling screamer you belly aching cry baby!" I popped it so hard a familiar face was seen. It turned back before I started placing faces. Soon enough, while it would appear the beasts were shrinking, Alexie and I were the one's growing, and the darkness and anguish that made up these nightmares faded as I saw faces I did not want to see. Faces from my own family that put me through hell. A hell personal to me in my life and one I had to endure for those long years to get where I was now.

The woman that was the source of the problem spoke up and my god was she as pretentious as I remember. "You know that she eats souls right. Why are you doing this to yourself if god can-" I slapped the piss out of her and even knocked some teeth loose. I have put up with her enough. If I were still home and heard this, I would happily go to jail for assault just to get away from this woman and the one who abandoned everything for his greed, Leonard. He charge me and I gave no fucks when I wound up and punched him so hard some teeth flew with some blood. I don't even give him the satisfaction of being called father anymore. All he deserved and got from me anymore, was pain and abandonment because I don't want his lifestyle. He wasn't what I wanted in my life and I rejected him all the way. Guess I still held onto some fear.

I looked all of them in the eye and glared. "You all made my life hell, and I held onto it for too long. My fears were removed by a succubus. My guilt washed by a demon who wished for me to live my life without this crippling guilt and anger. I'm finished thinking about what you will do or would. Before me, before the law, you were powerless. Now I am as far from you as I can be and here, I will say my piece. Regardless of what you think, I reject your lives and your pleas." The nightmare was fading and the house I was in was crumbling to nothing, falling to oblivion before hitting us. "So take your false cries of loneliness and piss off peasants! I am the king here!" The figures screamed as they were sent to nothing and the house faded away along with the surrounding field into a room adorned in blacks and pinks, some in a tiger stripe pattern. The room was large enough for a queen-size bed to look twin sized and it had a TV, electronics of all kinds, a corner desk and two small fridges.

I looked around the room before coming to Alexie's side. "Alexie." Her whimpers were audible as I held her in my arms. "It's okay. They can't take use apart. They're gone now." I picked her up and sat on the bed with her in my lap. She held onto me and wrapped her arms around me as Luna had grown to her otherwise normal size. I look over and put a finger to my lips and she nods, waiting as Alexie was calming down. She looked up and kissed me gently on he lips and I returned it, letting her vent her emotions as she pulled away.

She looked over to Luna and blushed. "Um... hello there."

"Alexie, this is Luna, Princess of the night and dreams. Luna, this is Alexie, succubus, good cook, dancer and singer and my wife." Luna was thrown for a big loop. A demon... and a human... in love?! I could see it in her face but there was no telling what she was thinking beyond that.


==General POV==

'This demon is this in love with a human?!' Luna's disbelief was obvious as she stared at these two in shock as a human was holding a demon with such tender affection. 'But humans were said to be worse than demons, yet the way he holds and addresses her. The look in their eyes. The way... they... they love each other.' She then felt herself questioning what she knew for the books. She knew humans weren't bad, but for humans and demons to love each other was unheard of from the pages. 'Perhaps... this one is more open than most.' She cleared her throat and they looked her way. "I shall take my leave then and return to my duties. Good nights to you both." She bowed and left through a doorway that appeared then closed.

The two were left in their dream for the remainder of the night, catching up and going on a date in the expansive and fantastical dream land, looking at strange and wonderful sights as they enjoyed cuisine they would not find anywhere else, except maybe the world of Toriko with its literal otherworldly food that had so many properties, tastes and flavors if prepped right. It was the first date in centuries and they were like high school sweethearts.
> The Sun Descends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


==General POV==

The couple woke up with a pleasant blanket of sun casting over them. The warmth and light illuminating the room as Alexie is disturbed from her slumber as she is the first to wake up. She looks to see her husband has a peaceful expression, as if he had reached spiritual enlightenment. Leaning down to her husband, she gently blew wind in his face as her breath filled his nostrils. Of course everyone who wakes up has a degree of morning breath so it didn't take long before Allen was awake as he looked to his wife with a smile. "Morning breath."

She just smile as they pecked lips. "We better find the bathroom then." She was up and stretching her carapace and wings while Allen was doing something different behind her back. She turned around to see him fresh as a daisy and lively as the sun. "Though I see you found ways to wake up quick." She smirked teasingly and he booped her nose, eliciting a giggle. "Right, right. Save it for night and home." They got up and cracked the door to see stationed guard in armor. "Excuse me." They look her way and wait. "Do you know where the toiletries are?" They nod and one heads down the hall while the couple follow behind.

One turn and two doors later, they come up to a large set of double doors with a bubble pattern grained in. Nodding to the guard, they step in to see a lavish interior to the bathroom and two bathing areas, one a full bath and the other a stocked shower. They start with a cold shower and make it warmer as they wash off the skin and initial grime before dipping into the hot water in the large tub and soaking for a while. "Now this is nice." Allen practically relaxed in the water and Alexie soaked her wings in the warm tub, letting it clean out her membrane of oils that made it smelly and greasy.

"Well, at least we won't be staying in the castle for too long." Alexie's comment was true for Allen and herself. It was lavish and too much.

"True that. I like the crystal appeal and the royal aesthetic but it's just not my style." Allen was already thinking of a Japanese constructed home, consisting of a single, large room acting as the main part of the houses needs and a kitchen and bedroom apart from each other. It would still be on the big side but it would feel more comfortably open and rustic as opposed to having many massive rooms with too much space to know what to do with.

Alexie nodded and thought up a similar design. A room with sliding doors as walls where they can open them for air, comfortable flooring that could be slept on, a nice big kitchen for eccentric cooking, a large bedroom for privacy and fun and an optional basement. "Having a home isn't even a problem. But with the way things are, I have to stay at the embassy building provided by the princesses."

"Speaking of, I met Luna last night and she thought I was having a nightmare." Alexie looked up, instantly concerned. "With the untold years of meditation I did, I don't sleep in the conventional sense anymore." She got up, her bare form almost completely exposed before she turned into her more human appearance and walked over to his side to act as his shoulder to cry on. "I've come to accept myself in the fact that... I'm human. I'm going to do bad things, possess bad habits... and commit horrible acts. When, how and where these acts appear will be told in time. So I accept it." He then looked a bit thoughtful, almost sagely. "But then... there was Cain. It's a physical manifestation of what my incarnations are as a conjoined body. I couldn't say why it hadn't faded but... maybe it's because I liked my residence enough to make something in their honor before they... fade, I guess."

Alexie smiled and hugged her husband close as he looked to see his skin had wrinkled some. Alexie looked and smirked. "Okay, that's long enough." They both got out and dried off with the provided towel and Allen made and wore a pair of white MC Hammer pants with a bronze buckle etched with the Greek Alpha. "Nice, and I get to see your smooth body." Her flirt was met with a pull on her waist and a kiss that was deeper than this morning after brushing their mouths. "Cheeky demon."

"Sexy bug." She pat her rear firmly and she smirked playfully before they left the bathroom. The guard was against the opposing wall this time as they left.

Opening his eyes, he saluted the pair. "Princess Cadence has requested your attendance in the throne room." The two gestured to the side and the guard led the way through the massive structure. Some halls and doors later, they arrive in the throne room, with the throne having been repaired.

Atop the throne sat two ponies, one mostly pink with little yellow and the other a white with blue mane and tail. The pink one bowed and spoke. "I am princess Cadence and I wish to thank you for saving this kingdom from the potential and cruel tyranny of King Sombra. This kingdom is forever in your debt."

"Pass." Allen's interruption was met with gasps. "I just took that edge lord off his over sized pedestal and reacquainted him with life's penalties for being an indecent dick, so no one owes me."

The guards all raised their weapons, taking offense before the white unicorn stayed their aggression. "Why are you refusing this generosity when you are owed for your good deed."

Allen looked a bit irritated that they wanted to pay him back. "Let me put it simply, I was awoken because someone sought my company, but in my returning, I brought back a dark evil." The guards aimed again. "And given that I was sealed in the crystal and meditating all that time since I had nothing to do but wait until I could break out, I did not keep record of what transpired outside the prison I had subsequently made around myself." Everyone looked a bit confused or even curious to his words. "This kingdom was carved from a prison, one made for The Twisted some unknown years back." Every pony in the room caught a breath in their neck with a few stallions fainting. 'Really?'

Cadence recovered but retained her shocked look. "If that is indeed true, that would make you over ten or even twenty thousand years old." Twilight looked like she was about to have a panic attack as she took several deep breaths to calm down while Alexie was shocked and relieved she wasn't born sooner. Allen looked unfazed which was a bit strange. "Are you not shocked."

He shrugged with an indifferent look. "It doesn't really matter to me. The only reason I woke up was because of Alexie, which I'm glad for." The ponies look at the human guise changeling who blushed from embarrassment of all attention being on her. "So now if you'll excuse us, I'd like to head to her home and by some land for a house of our own to be made asap so that no one-"

"No pony." He looked over to Twilight, who interrupted him over grammar that he didn't know of or cared for.

"Anyway, so that no one has to listen to us fuck like hares all hours of the night." Alexie had a smile that he didn't lose his indifferent crass attitude to things he had little time for. He turned to leave and the door was sealed with a pink aura. He looked back to see the white unicorn's horn glowing before shaking his head and placing a hand on the barrier. With a flex of his aura, the barrier gave and he opened the door, turned, bowed and walked out. Looking to Alexie he asked an important question for their trek home. "Air or ground?"

She smiled and held his hand. "Air. I'd like to catch up with you and hang out some. It's been too long already."


==In the throne room==

Shining was still recovering from witnessing someone break his shield spell, which was supposed to be nigh impossible unless you're an Alicorn. Cadence, in the meant time, was patting his back and hugging him closely as she looked at the girls. "I will write and send a letter to Celestia about what has transpired. You six just head home and rest on what has happened." Most of them nodded with Rainbow being the only one who wanted to tail them and reluctantly nodded at Applejack's request.

They left soon after and when they got outside, they spotted two streaks of flight, a dark sea foam green and a burning red that filled them with vigor. Knowing who it was, the girls left it since he said they were heading to Alexie's home. As much as they wanted to stop him, he was already miles out and getting more distance than Rainbow could cover without her speed for sonic flight.

So they board the train, which has two main engines to pull the cars back and forth, to and from dead ends on the lines. On the train, Twilight could not stop pondering what Allen was. She was coming up with many theories and thoughts. Was he an ancient being of evil? An old changeling controlling minds without love? An alicorn in disguise? There is no way a human could live for thousands of years. There was no way. What few books Twilight got detailed that they lived for a century at max, if they even get to be that old. And that's not even mentioning his indifference to- "Twilight?" Rarity's sudden interruption of her friend's train of thought made her yip in startled shock. "Dreadfully sorry, but you look like you're trying to burn a hole through the train, and that scowl is not healthy for your skin."

"Sorry Rarity. I'm just pondering what this 'Allen' is other than human." The unicorn admitted with a sigh. She sat back in her seat and relaxed to unload her mental baggage. "There is just no way for a human to be alive after so much time passed, much less this one that claims to be human."

Applejack rest a hand on the bookworm's shoulder with a comforting voice. "Unless he proves otherwise, his and Cadence's stories aren't experimented manure since he didn't flinch and he claimed to know shudder 'The Twisted'." The other girls shook with dread, recalling stories and pictures they say of creatures and ponies contorted and morphed into genuine monsters and heartless shells that seek to infect everything. "We can ask him questions later if Princess Celestia isn't already on her way to do so." Twilight calmed down and smiled to her cowpony friend.

The train ride back was as pleasant as could be expected after the girls managed to calm down. It was uneventful, though Twilight was thinking about how the meeting between the human and Princess Celestia was going to go.


==In the mean time in Ponyville==

Allen and Alexie landed outside the embassy and he was a fan of the design; rustic yet spacious, inviting but not intimidating. "You supervised the construction?" She nodded as she led him in to see the house, including her office and study, all of which was connected to the master bedroom. "So the office is connected by ladder and the study is next door. Nice choice." Allen was genuinely surprised at the layout.

Alexie blushed gently with a pure smile. She hadn't dropped the human guise since it felt more natural, but she is still a changeling. "Allen?" He looked to her before checking the rooms further. "Do you... prefer my human appearance?" He looked bewildered before bringing her into a hug.

"I prefer you. No matter what. Male, female, human, changeling, demon - it doesn't matter. I prefer you." She looked ready to cry but smiled joyously as she cried into her husband's shoulder, thanking him profusely as she felt more than comfortable with herself. "Now, I'm heading to town hall to get some land." He gathered himself but she looked confused.

Quickly turning to him she spoke up. "Wait, you need something to pay for the plot." He looked back cocky before looking mildly sick. He hunched over a bit and seemed nauseous before holding a hand to his mouth and regurgitating. What he reveal in his hand was a jewel that looked uncut, but not jagged. He rinsed the smell off before walking out, with Alexie smiling with a giggle. 'He never lost his touch. Speaking of~.' She recalled his relaxing massages and arousing trailing from his firm hands as she took some time to relax herself.

As Allen walked to the town hall, ponies were looking on at him with curious interest as mares sized him up and stallions assessed his strength with a few gays doing the opposite, such as looking at him like candy. He walked in the hall and up to the receptionist. "Reason for visit?"

"I would like to by some land." He answered calmly and to the point.

"How much?" She asked, retaining her professional tone and air.

"How much land is available near the Changeling Embassy?" She rang up the records and an up to date map of the land still up for purchase. The embassy owned roughly five acres and housed a main building and off-building with a shed and perimeter fencing. "Okay I'll buy whatever this pays for. If it buys more than I need, I'll bargain it's value for different purchases." He presented the stone and the receptionist almost bugged her eyes out of her sockets and started going through other records to determine the jewel's price and totaled it to acres. With the jewel, Allen could buy a hundred acres of land. "I'm only planning on using two acres, so put the price to materials to negotiate on a later date and I'll fill out a form for the construction." She rang up the new price and put his remaining amount on a tab for him to use before handing him the forms for construction. He thanked her for her time and head back to the embassy.

As he was writing the details out, he walked in to see Alexie serving a white alicorn some tea while munching on some biscuits. She turned to Allen entering the front door and the human could already tell he was not going to like this first impression with the look she had. Or maybe he would if she's putting on a tough face for a joke later. She finished her biscuit while Allen was still tending to the form and spoke. "Now then, would you care to tell me what you're doing here?"

"In the world, in the town or in your domain?" Allen was not having any nonsense from anyone as he was wrapped in his thoughts for construction.

"If you could explain each, that would help just as well." Celestia requested firmly, bordering on a demand.

"I was summoned to your world, I was in your domain by chance then and to explain the crystal empire, its rough formation was my doing. My reason for being here now is currently attending to your tea and biscuits." Allen's answers were all to the point and even short but informative, but one of them struck a nerve in Celestia.

She scoffed and returned to her treats. "You expect me to buy that my little ponies would summon a human?" Alexie almost lost her own temper but kept calm, knowing that Allen was too far in his zone to be intimidated or surprised.

"It's been millennia since I was awake last. I was summoned during the time of the Twisted by a small group of ponies who were desperate for any kind of help they could get." He finished the home owner's document and the insurance document for his home when he looked up, seeing a condescending Celestia stare him down. "I would tell you to ask the red head alicorn-" He was slammed against the wall with a very angered Celestia who's main started to resemble the properties of fire, "but that reaction tells me there is something more to it than that."

Celestia primed a spell and Alexie acted quickly and cast a restraining collar around Celestia's neck just as Allen pulled the alicorn's hands off him, suspending himself in the air through will alone. "If you hurt my mother while you were here-"

"WILL YOU GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE LADY?!" Alexie screamed, thoroughly having enough of Celestia's big macho cheese act. They looked at her and Allen was smiling as his wife was feisty as ever. "My husband only met with your mother for a few moments and you think he did something? Can anyone say racist?!" Celestia looked appalled while Allen was snickering, trying to hold his laugh. When she calmed down, Alexie breathed a sigh of relief. "Damn I needed that." She then looked to Allen a bit concerned. "Speaking of the past, where's Clevetius?"

"He's in my mental space with Cain, an amalgam resident of the others. If I can find Markus, I'll donate Clevetius' material form to her and use Clevetius himself in something different, if he and Cain haven't done anything yet." Allen set himself down and was calm again after taking his mind off the anger. "Now, if that is all you came for, shaking me down, I suggest you take your leave." Celestia looked back and looked miffed. "Otherwise you are causing a public disturbance." Celestia huffed and lit her horn before teleporting.

Alexie sighed again as the worst was over. "That was intense." The two came together for a hug and Allen set the paperwork in her study before they called it a night. After dealing with royalty twice, playing catch up and getting everything update, they were exhausted.
> Meat and Greet Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun was just peaking up the horizon when Allen got up. Easing himself out of his lover's arms, he was on his feet but still tired. After tucking Alexie back in and kissing her on the cheek, he left the bedroom heading to the kitchen to cook breakfast. Once inside, he flexed his aura as he mentally formed a soft vortex to stretch his chakra and his body. Once he was awake, he started making the meal starting with vegetables that go well with eggs. Softening them and whipping the eggs as they cooked and even preparing other foods for taste, nutrition and a form of desert.

As he cooked, the smell of breakfast and the warm light of the sun woke Alexie with such temptation, her wings floated her down to the dinning room with a ruffled bed head and loosely stretched sleeping shirt before remembering she didn't have a chief. Before she could get up, Allen walked out with a tray of food, two bare plates and empty glasses and a jug of juice. "Wow. Allen, what is all this?" Alexie looked a bit scared, thinking it was all for her.

"Breakfast. Starting off is a scrambled omelette with bell pepper, onion, mushroom, tomato, cilantro mixed with aged red cheddar and young Pepper Jack." Alexie could feel herself drool and growl from what she gather was the main coarse. "Next up for bread is some Black Bean bread and buttermilk honey biscuits." Her stomach was both adoring and despising it's owner's lover with the tempting food before it. "And condiments include apricot jam, caramel butter, simple chocolate gravy and salt and pepper gravy." He spread his arms and Alexie got the spoons and a plate before pilling her food on a plate and digging in.

Allen had a careful attention to detail and made sure that each morsel was cooked to a perfection. And just to make sure she didn't wake up too early, he'd opened the windows to the kitchen before closing them by the time the biscuits and bread were about done and ready to be served. She savored the food between chews and some of it she just scarfed down from hunger before taking two biscuits and mixing them with the chocolate gravy. The biscuits were fluffy and sweet on their own but the rich and salty chocolate mixed with the sweet honey, giving it an earthy undertone when they came together and took the apricot jam and spread it on the black bean bread. The beans were sweetened a little and the bread was a little tough, but the sweet of the jam and the crunch of the bread made it fun to chew.

The couple enjoy as much as they could but there was left overs after they quit so as to not over eat. So he put the eggs in a disposable container, wrapped the uneaten bread and did the same for the biscuits to keep them from going stale. the gravy was a complicated matter as the same bread wrap was pressed to the gravy surfaces to save them. The jams were unfortunately lost but there was a pony Alexie knew that could benefit from the treats. "Honey, how about we hang out today and donate the food along the way." He smile at her idea, thinking it would be better than being cooped up for the day. The two head to her room and Allen got dressed in some fresh pants while Alexie dressed up in cyan tiger print leggings, form fit navy knee-high boots and shirt and a cropped black jacket with sky blue trim. He never could get tired of seeing her dress so fashionably.

They leave the house and she leads the way to what could only be described as a gingerbread house topped with sugar. "I assure you, it's not food." Alexie playfully teased her husband while Allen failed to push back a blush of embarrassment. "Come on." She walked in with him and the first pony in his face was pink.

"Hello goofy couple." The pink pony, Pinkie Pie, greeted them with a smile while Alexie greeted her with food. "Oh, what is this. Biscuits and chocolate?"

"Ever had buttermilk honey biscuits and chocolate together?" The pink party pony looked like she was about to readily commit a sugary sin as Alexie removed a few biscuits from their wrapping and crumbled them with what was left of the chocolate gravy before giving them a soft mix. Pinkie took a bite and her hair bounced like a sugar happy mouse before settling down and she looked so pleased before taking herself to a separate room and came back seemingly refreshed.

Pinkie had composed herself to her usual mood which left the human and changeling playfully wondering if she sneaked away to get out the moan she suppressed. "That was so good. How did you make it?" She looked at Alexie and the changeling smirked before pointing to Allen and Pinkie gasped. "You made this?!" Everyone shushed her and she blushed at her outburst. "Sorry." She looked back at the couple and seated them before slowly enjoying the dessert for breakfast.

"To put simply, I used milk and unsalted butter to melt the kernels with their own core ingredients. Melted them to a smooth syrup and added salt, cinnamon, cloves and coffee to make the syrup as rich as I could manage without over powering the honey." Pinkie was savoring the bowl of fluffy goodness as his described creation was a powerful combo or rich chocolate, sweet honey and the earthiness of the two made a pleasant tone of hidden delight that made Pinkie drool for more. The party mare presented her bowl and Allen answered two things. "You cleaned your bowl." He smiled that someone else liked his food. "If you're asking for more, that was the last of the syrup that could be used." The mare was sad as she looked ready to cry. "I'll show you the process one day but you have to promise not to pig out on this stuff." She smiled brightly and nodded quickly.

"Hate to drop and run Pinkie, but I'm showing Allen around and we have some other leftovers we'd like to drop off." Before the pink pony could take the other food, two aura's from the couple were holding her back. "Pinkie, no." Alexie was firm and scared as she held the food away and calmed down once Pinkie calmed down. "And I know you still want to throw the party." She nodded vigorously with his childish grin. "Okay. Tonight." With an 'Okie Dokie' of her approval, she went back to the kitchen.

The two left the shop and Alexie thought of one family who might like the eggs. "Let's go see Applejack. She's hard working on her farm and she might like the breakfast you made." He gestured out, requesting her to lead the way. So she walk a little ways forth and Allen was behind her as he just admired the town. Ponies were still eyeing him in a way the couple didn't like but he knows how to keep them at bay.

They made it to the apple farm in town and he could not believe the size of the ranch. By his best guess, there was 120 acres at most. The princess tapped her husbands nose and he snapped out of it before following again. "You like this world so far?"

He nodded with a smile, channeling a soft green as the wind blew their hair gently. "My training means something here, and we can be together without having to wait for the afterlife. And once my end hits, we're still together." He then looked crest fallen and Alexie looked concerned. "But... for all the good I have I... I also had my home. It wasn't much, but it meant something. It was a place I could call mine." He cast his gaze back over the town. "But what here can a call mine when it's not my world?"

Alexie set the food down and hugged her husband closely. "Things happen in a way that is vaguely understood. You'll find your own honest answer for this situation. It's how you cope, how you live." Allen smiled as he turned in his wife's arms and returned the hug, the smell of apples mixing with the jasmine shampoo in her hair as it calmed him. That's when he noticed someone watching and Alexie called it first. "Applebloom?" She caught the filly like a mom who knows everything.

The yellow farm filly jumped a little before raising her head. She was dress in her red shirt and blue jean shorts from the mild heat. "I saw you and this... um..."

"Monk." Allen didn't want to explain species so he chose his pass time.

"Thank you. I saw you and the monk from the farm and wanted to know what was up." She blushed a little from how close they were hugging each other, reminding her of some books she read in her pass time as her young mind trailed the gutter on occasion. Alexie giggled and pat the filly on the head, which calmed her some as the princess picked up the left over breakfast in the tin. "What's that?"

Allen pipped up casually. "Leftovers from breakfast." Alexie took the lead again and up to the house before knocking on the door. She was greeted by and older mare with pale green skin.

The mare got a good look and figured it was someone her granddaughter, Applejack mentioned. "Are you someone I know?"

Alexie shook her head. "Not likely, but I am here to offer some leftovers from this morning. My husband made a bit much." The old mare smiled at her open generosity and allowed her in and Allen walked up, still talking with Applebloom, who had asked a question concerning how he used magic without a horn.

"Now don't go pestering our guests Applebloom." The old mare half-barked, remembering this was a child, but she was the closest thing to a mom.

"It's fine ma'am. Children are curious and my talents would raise a few eyebrows anyway." Allen said being polite and informative. Once the tin was on the table Alexie nodded and Allen raised his hand while aiming his thoughts. His fingers were glowing a soft red and the tin was surrounded with a wave of heat. Alexie had poured a little water in the pan to hydrate the eggs and Allen applied a heat wave instead of direct fire. Applebloom could feel the contained climate and Alexie opened some windows to circulate air and prevent heat stroke.

Applejack and Big Mac came back from the fields and Allen lowered his hand, the heat fading after a few minutes of cooking. Applejack spoke up first about the guests. "Could someone explain why you two are here?"

Alexie removed the wrap covering the tin and the smell of fresh breakfast rushed out. "Allen made a bit too much so we're giving out the leftovers where we can." Applejack got a fork and tasted the meal and it was good. The eggs were tender, the veggies were sweet and she could taste the salt and pepper in the eggs. "Is it good?"

Applejack set the fork down, grabbed some plates, extra forks and a spoon for the dish. "Dig in everypony." The whole family got what they could eat and cleaned out the tin entirely. Alexie collected it and tossed it in the trash after cleaning it out and crunching it up as much as she could. The Apples were enjoying the meal like a family of kids and savored every bite. "Thank you kindly for the grub." The couple nodded and Allen piped in.

"I wanted to do something nice for everyone, and the kindest goes to my wife." They smiled and parted their goodbyes to the Apple family. They left the farm and were greated by Rainbow halfway off the orchard. She was brazen as before though Allen did what he could to contain his anger. Alex was able to hash things over though Rainbow gave the watchman gesture and flew off. 

The two made it home and Allen spent his time trying to project video memory, to his embarrassment and Alexie's amusement. After a few minutes it worked, to well and Alexie laughed again. At the end of the day, Allen got the approval to make his home on the purchased land and the couple turned in.
> The Old Residence, An Ember Returns
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two weeks have passed since Allen arrived in Ponyville, and the time was spent carefully and effectively throughout. The first week was spent getting the house started and the construction team started with the bedroom to help the human get into his home as soon as possible and get him his own room. As they put it together, he stayed in Alexie's room at the Embassy helping her with any papers she needed done to her instruction and helped her with meals for any late nights or night to hang out.

Once he got word the bedroom was finished, he got the furnishings for it, such as a standing closet/wardrobe, night stand, standing dresser, desk and of course, a king-size bed thanks to the abandonment space. They next focused on the bathroom and kitchen and decided to be cheeky for him by making the bathroom lavish but it was separated from the bedroom by a sheet of steam treated, tempered glass. It was constructed with hot bathing in mind, so multiple fine mesh vents were installed for heat to escape while keeping the bugs out. It was stocked for Allen by the crew so no skin of his nose. After that was a large kitchen to house plenty of shelving, several counter tops and an island with a stove and dish washers separated by a space for dish supplies. Allen saw this and was thankful and happy for the induction cookers being made for portable cooking.

The final spot by his plans was the living room, which the crew had the easiest time putting together as it was a simple open space. They figured that the flooring was meant for lighter furniture so they went above and beyond by double stacking the treated flooring on a water-tight sealed space to prevent bacteria and bugs. After that, they went with the design of Edo Neighpon as requested and were so calm and refreshed, they joked about moving in. After paying for materials, furnishings and paying the workers for their jobs, Allen still had money left over for roughly sixty-five acres with the conservative but necessary purchases.

After it was finished, Alexie was invited to his finished home and she loved the main living room. It was easily half of the house's total size with the open space and the sliding doors were made from dark wood with the white parchment cover being replaced with faded ground wood paper. The bedroom was lavish and large but not overly spacious as it felt filled with the furnishings. When they both noticed the bathroom window wall, Allen blushed embarrassed while Alexie got a kinky idea. Saving the bathroom tour since they saw it, Alexie saw the kitchen and felt like a home-chef ready to cook a feast. The house was perfect and the property was well kept and clean.

Spending the night there, Alexie now had a place to sleep where it didn't feel like a work zone all the time and she was next to her husband in a fresh home. She was happy and it would get better with time. The next day, the five ponies that stood up for Alexie in Canterlot visit the embassy and Allen's home. "Vince? Urizen? Zarafell? Ralph? Johnathan?" The residence of his thoughts were happy he recognized them. "I would have prepared lunch if you dropped a line." He smiled and got the living room accommodated for his family. It had some space saving furnishing leaving the bedroom close to barren, had the desk not taken up some of the space. Alexie offered to cook and the doors throughout the house were opened.

Zarafell chimed up first, restless as he was. "Well that's just it. We're family but you're not obligated to accommodate us."

Vince nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we have our own space back in Canterlot so it's nothing to worry about." Urizen nodded as well and while the family was catching up, Alexie served coffee the way Allen made it, much to Zarafell's delight.

John took a swig of his and smiled before setting it down. "Though, we are likely going to relocate. Don't ask where and don't worry. We're in good hands, where we're going."

Allen set his down after downing half the cup after missing the taste. "Well can you at least tell me if anyone else came through?" No one answered, opting instead to smile in a teasing manner. "What?"

Zarafell chuckled and spoke up. "I was on assignment in the underworld when Cerberus left. A familiar face is down there." Allen looked puzzled for all of two seconds before looking shocked. "He was more than happy to see me. Speaking of, I'm stepping out for a bit." Zarafell stepped out of the house and saw his wings fading after a bit. His maker had come to accept a part of himself, and by extension, Zarafell. 'Not long before they meet. He may want to see the others too.'

Back inside, Alexie was looking to her husband, who was happy that he may get to see the others who helped him on this path of self-improvement. It was up lifting and worrying as he'd undoubtedly face a crisis in himself that may rip him back apart in a way she feared would break him evermore. All she could do was hope things went as she hopes they will and her husband will gain more in this life than he could ever dream of.

Urizen had downed his brew and wore a huge smile on his face. "Now spill. We felt something change in you, and it is ripe with power." Allen had explained his long years of meditation and what was made in his mind, from the vast landscape, to Cain himself and what he represents. "Sweet, merciful Buddha. If Mikael were to see you now, he'd never keep his hands off."

Allen blushed hard and Ralph laughed with a full heart bellow. "Come now Uri, must you mention the boy whom Allen caught the interest of?" The human hid as far as he could in his clothing as his residence laugh.

"Please just shut up." Begged Allen as he recalled his first night with the demon with wholesome memory. "He probably doesn't remember me." Everyone just shared a knowing grin for a moment before Vince checked his pocket watch.

The large thestral stood and stretched his wings with resonant pops echoing slightly in the walls. "Well, we don't mean to just leave, but we do have some wind to catch if we plan on getting ready for the trip." They all paid their goodbyes and left shortly after.

Allen got back to his organization when Mikael popped in his head. The demon was an incubus that Allen enjoyed the company of. A wholesome and close knit family that the human knew well, Allen was a person that prided himself on pleasing or satisfying others if he could and Mikael was no acceptation. But with the millennium that had passed, there was no telling if the incubus was even into him anymore and he worried if Mikael didn't get over they night they had, the moment they shared.

Then old memories came to mind and Allen made sure the bathroom was obscured of sight as he entered to relieve and old temptation. The bathtub was filled with warm water with a small running tap to mask his sounds of pleasure. To his mind, and it was likely true, Mikael was a cute and curvy twink, maroon hair, sea foam green wings and tail, shaded teal eyes and tarnished sand skin as smooth as silk. Allen had the incubus firmly in his mind before grasping his rising erection. His thoughts playing out how the two would get 'reacquainted' should they ever met up. Allen firmly grabbing the demons cheeks, Mikael feeling the human's back as their bodies shared their heat and lust and further finding themselves in his bed as the human heard-

"Allen?" Turning stiff as he was submersed in the moment, he choked back his yelp as he heard a knock and his name. "You in there?"

Quickly finding his voice and center, he answered to not upset Alexie. "Yeah, just getting a bath."

"Okay. I'm heading back to the embassy to file some requests for materials. If you need me, you know where I'll be." Her voice was pleasant and she got a tease while she was leaving. "And save some cream for me, okay?~" Allen blushed and he heard the door close.

After she left, he sat there. He looked at the ceiling as his mind wandered to Alexie and Mikael. He thoughts went between his dates with Alexie, the times in bed and the few times he contacted Mikael for a lustful romping in his room. The water was warm from his conflict but his body was cold from dread as his mind centered on the ring. Before long, he was in his own head. Before he could think about why he was here, he was flung against the wall and held up by a forearm. Getting a look, it was Yurie, the Oni he made to train, but it was more... sentient than mentally constructed. "You thinking of leaving her for some random piece of ass?"

Allen grabbed its arm and pushed it back some before shoving it away with a foot. "I am not leaving her. Regardless of my thoughts I love Alexie." Yurie came with a hook and Allen counter with a block and back roundhouse. "I didn't ask for her for some booty call."

"Oh yes your broken heart from-" It was interrupted with a hard knock to the face.

"Don't you ever bring that up! I accepted my fate after almost four months of letting myself go bad." Yurie got in a punch to Allen's jaw, to roundhouses to the ribs and a standing side kick to the gut, making him dry wretch.

"And now you're thinking of another ass. Do you really love her?" Allen raised his head as he grabbed the oni and charged straight, running it through multiple building walls before the oni slammed his elbow on Allen's back before it made contact with another wall without breaking. Another elbow drop and Allen let go before getting thrown into the same wall. Yurie picked up some debris and brought it down to smash Allen's face. The human rolled and it meat ground before Allen lunged to Yurie with a punch that scrapped across its face. It grabbed his head and belt him in the mouth and nose, breaking the softer tissue as blood dripped from the human's nostrils. Allen used a knife hand kata and ran it into Yurie and dragged it along, damaging vitals as he coughed up blood before grabbing Allen's wrist and turning him around with it, lifting him up and dropping him on his back.

Allen swept his leg around and tripping the oni before climbing on him before the human started punching at the oni trying for a head shot. Yurie grabbed each hand before Allen's skull collided with Yurie, the oni's horns making some contact before Yurie flipped the human of it and went for an elbow drop. His wasted stamina let the elbow hit Allen in the gut and he held Yurie their getting a few good head shots with one arm before it was caught again. The two rose to their feet and pushed against each other hard enough the ground beneath them was being ripped apart. Allen jumped, tripping up Yurie as he lurched forward and Allen landed before using the momentum to lift Yurie up, flip him over and drop the oni hard on the pavement. Allen was on him again with attempts at relentless head shots before they started slowing.

Taking this chance, Yurie caught Allen and flipped him on his back, ready to do the same, but the lacking of attempted defense and tears caught Yurie by surprise. Allen... was crying. He was sobbing. Yurie kept his guard up but he saw that Allen was too unfocused and to limp to reasonable fight back. "What is wrong with me?" Yurie looked carefully at Allen and he covered his face, rather pathetically. "I love Alexie! I really do. So why do I think of Mikael now of all times?" Yurie relaxed and got off Allen as the human rolled on his side and curled in on himself. "Six months. Six or more months with Alexie and I start thinking of him now? After thousands of years apart and one night of passion I think of a fling that isn't even here!" The ground shook from an earthquake inside of Allen's head before it settled. He heard wings and looked outside to see something he wasn't expecting.

Ouside were the five spirits born of Allen, each with their original appearance once their general air was vanished. Urizen was an Ashura. Vince was more Fae. Ralph was closer to a Valkyrie. John was more Egyptian. Zarafell was a true to form Fallen Angel. "Wait. What is..."

Zarafell was the first to step up. He was crying, and his wings were black again. "Mikael really did strike a cord with you. And with you coming to accept yourself, and by extension, us, we need to explain what birthed us." The residence lead Allen to the church holding Clevetius' spirit and they each took a seat in a circle.

Urizen started up, blushing faintly. "Remember fifth grade?"

"How could I not. Others judging every detail about you, picked on for stupid reason so they could look more desirable or because they were legitimate dicks." Allen had a spike in his own anger, while Urizen remained calmed, something most Ashura do not do. "I hated school after that. And before that I did nothing."

"Because someone forced their insecurity on you, ashamed that you'd embarrass them." Allen already knew it was Leonard. That man never liked being embarrassed. "He told you to hold your emotions so no one could say anything that would make him seem stupid. What little good that did him when you exploded. It made him mad that your mom rescued you. But had you been given five more seconds..." Allen knew and looked up.

"I don't care anymore. If I get angry now, so what?" The Ashura smiled wholly. "I will not hold my anger because no one wants to deal with it. Anger is something we have and draws up when the situation becomes too stressful to handle. I can handle my stress better, but I still need my anger so it can vent." Urizen smiled as his body started becoming more human. "I just wish I knew this lesson sooner because anger can hurt more people than it helps. Can doesn't mean will and I will get angry because it means I'm passionate about something or need to express my thoughts on the matter and if I need some alone time to vent it, I'll take that too." He looked and saw Urizen looked like him with different eye color. "Because my anger... is part of me." The Ashura turned into red wisps that flowed around then in Allen.

Vince spoke up next. "I know Nicole is a sore subject."

"Yeah. I was obsessed with her. She knew a lot of the things I was into. Tried it before I suggested it." Allen's expression turned downward.

"And she was everything to you. Just Like Alexie is now." Vince held the same look of melancholy as Allen started crying again.

"I take one look at them and it's not just them I was obsessed with. It was the idea and action of love that I was obsessed with. I wanted love, to the point I was clinging to it like a pest. I wanted nothing more than to be in Nicole's arms and practically have my happily ever after. Then... she had to cut it off... for us both. I sulked in my own emotions for months before meeting the woman that made Alexie for me. I am selfish, obsessed and sinful." Like with his brother, Vince was looking more like Allen as the human came to accept his emotions. "And... it's normal. We are always wanting something for various reasons. I wanted something meaningful, to make and give something meaningful for the woman I loved and the woman I'm now married to. So I'll do what I want as long as it's for her and as long as I don't leave her. But... I need to settle my new obsession and settle the affair." Vince was smiling when Allen looked up and the Fae smiled to his maker. "Because now... I know why I'm obsessed. It's because I'm selfish. And if people want me to be selfless... then I decide that." The Fae turned into green wisps and became one with him.

He looked at the Valkyrie and Avian and just smiled. "I know what you two represent. John is my desire to teach others how to accept themselves and other people as best they can. Not everyone is going to like each other and no one should be forced to like everyone. It's not right to make everyone like everyone else against their wishes. We help where we can and do what doesn't make us or others uncomfortable. We do what makes us happy and help others find happiness. We don't decide if and when they are happy." John was the second quickest to become human as the only inhuman trait was his avian head as he turned into blonde wisps and became one with Allen.

He looked at Ralph and smiled brightly. "You were never my spirit as a warrior. You were my spirit as someone who was honest, but I was scared of being too honest. I thought if I was too harsh then I loose friends. Though I see now that by not telling them what they needed to hear, I was being dishonest to them and myself. The truth is never always pretty or gentle but it's what we need. Secrets, lies and such should only be to protect others, but you must tell the truth someday, no matter what." Ralph smiled as his armor, minor scars and older appearance faded and he turned into pure white wisps.

He next looked to Zarafell and this was the hardest. "I know what you are. You were me when I was younger. We were both confused, but you protected me in some way. You were my thoughts about my sexuality. Romance is easy. Sexuality... no body is sure unless they try. And when we know, we can never be sure if we'll like it. We're scared to tell our family and hide it. We can hide it from them, but not from ourselves. So, regardless of what happens, no matter what happens now, I accept what I like, because Sexuality, Romance and our standards for both have positions and roles that someone will like. And right now, I know two people who need to hear this." Zarafell looked the most like Allen as he turned into purple wisps with no transitions and became one with his creator.

Yurie looked very confused and spoke up, frustrated. "So then what am I?!"

Allen turned to him and smiled. "You are my darker intentions, emotions, desires and thoughts, but no matter what, getting rid of you is wrong. You are part of me, and I'm not the only one that has to accept that. They can reject you, but they can't remove you." Yurie chuckled darkly, but the dark giggling soon shifted into a hearty, wholesome laugh as Yurie felt lighter.

"Oh man, if this is how you feel accepting them, yourself and me... I love it. I feel," Yurie took a breath and his dark red skin and black markings had brighter contrast as the crimson became a bright fire red and the flames became more visible with less smoke, "good.~"

Clevetius remained quiet so as to not ruin the moment and Allen looked briefly shocked before running outside to see Cain had shed his armor and the scales and metal had shed, revealing skin. His usual covered face lost the helm, revealing a vaguely feminine structure and black hair that framed the face and head with his body being more developed with muscle. His arms had skin forms around his humerus resembling sleeves and his legs were just slightly darker in tone. His eyes, the most stunning feature, were gunmetal grey and sharp, almost piercing by default. "Cain?" The creature smiled but that was all he could do, having lost his apparatus. "Well... shit. One thing at a time." Having let him go, Allen's senses returned and he saw the outside. He saw the clock to see that three hours had passed and the tub's water was currently lukewarm.

After getting out of the tub and draining it, Allen put on some baggy pants and looked outside the living room. He figured that the residence physical existence had vanished, so Celestia would be back with questions. But he had more pressing matters to sort out right not, starting with a vision that he saw while getting ready, one he hated right now and would bring up with Alexie. "What to do next?"
> Meat and Greet Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Allen was outside his house in the backyard, his eyes closed and mind focused on his surroundings. His aura leaked off of him like vapor in a loose rainbow of color. Crystals grew beneath his feet, fire circled his hands, frost collected on his scalp and formed ice, earth levitated around him like floating islands, vines of wood slithered under the soil and the surrounding light fluctuated in luminosity. This was his usual training routine, he would select elements and even weapons at random and keep track of them with his mind. This current work was the simple version, manifesting and maintaining as many aura born elements for as long as possible. After this, he'd have to construct as many weapons as possible from metal aura and imbue them with another element, but the weapon stage is simple to keep track of as he uses a third person view with a first person feel. Anything after that is combat training.

His thoughts caught something in the distance and he opened his eyes to see Celestia in the sky. She did not look happy to say the bare least. She landed in front of him and held a glare that told him she found out. "Where are they?" The demand from Celestia was clear while passing ponies thought he kidnapped someone among them.

"They are here, yet not." Before she could haul him up, the auras faded and a deathly cold air spilled from him, coating the grass, ground and nearby buildings in frost while ponies shivered seeing their breath and moved away. "A mind clouded by anger has no right to question my words. Calm you breath, steady your mind and I will explain." Celestia's nostrils were still flared and her hot breath and steaming air clashed with the cold, the conflict creating wind which circled the two.

"Okay you two break it up!" Allen flinched as he was drawn from his cold intent and the heat overtook the cold for a moment. He looked to see Alexie and he smiled the same, whole smile that she brought to his face. Celestia took this as an opening and attempted to strike before getting hit with snow. Her anger went up in steam as she looked to her offender from a snowball. "You cooled of yet or do we need something colder to help you chill." Allen snickered to himself at Alexie's unintended puns and she thought about her words before laughing. "Oh my god Allen." She smiled and laughed as the two chuckled like children. Celestia was ready to lose her temper again when she heard the doors slide.

She looked to see the human in his kitchen. "I'll put on some tea." The solar princess went from angry to bewildered as he was showing a calmer air than before. "This will give us ample time for me and Alexie both to explain several things." Celestia didn't want to sit in Allen's home, but Alexie, even with her human guise had such a gentle and inviting insistence that Celestia couldn't reasonably turn her down, so ponies got close enough to hear the conversation, including the mane six, with some reluctance from Fluttershy about eavesdropping. Celestia got back to the point about her and Luna's most elite royal guards. Allen explained that her five guards were extensions of himself, broken off and given form by his fear of his true emotions and later an understanding of spirits which helped give them form. He spent over a year with them, accepting their presence and company but when he was summoned he thought they were missing.

Celestia called him out, saying he was making the whole thing up and Alexie confirmed it, saying that she was a spirit herself, created for his companionship by her creator and mother Sarah. Despite Chrysalis being her current biological parent, Alexie reiterated that never had she been able to call her mother, almost forced by some outside presence to not do as such and further backed up Allen's story by saying that his residence inhabited physical bodies that transferred their souls and consciousness over and over for untold years, living out their lives as children to adults in a spiritual loop before their subsequent creator emerged from the crystals that he trapped the twisted in. Once free, he had more than begun accepting what he was which is why her guards are now gone, because, by technicality, they never existed on their own.

Celestia was in shock, her top guard were the result of a human fearing his own emotions and now that he accepted himself, they returned from whence they came. Their names, forever immortalized in time, could never be tarnished for their service and sacrifice. Indeed, if they were made from this human, they reflected his other qualities; honesty, kindness, justice, integrity, loyalty, charity and devotion above all else. When they felt conflicted, they punished or helped themselves because they were a family, born of the same person. Begrudgingly, the princess had one of two options, clear his name or tarnish her guards. With their names immortalized by time and themselves to extent, tarnishing their names would slate her. The third option was to do nothing, something she was not a fan of, but she had little choice.

If anything else, this visit told her one thing, he was a good host and decent cook. The tea was a little weak but she liked the flavor she could make out. "It seems... that you are indeed telling the truth, but as for accepting it, I still find your story hard to believe. If you can find anyone to validate your story, someone who's known you longer than we do besides your wife, a friend from your past, find them and tell the to confirm it." Celestia had Allen in a corner, thinking that she'd found a way to win. Alexie was ready to chew her out before she saw Allen's thoughts through his soul. The only other people that could validate their story were in the underworld.

He gently set his cup down with a face that was hard to read but the understanding was easy and frightening. "Then I'm going to the underworld."

Everypony, the mane six, the town and Celestia gasped in shock at his sudden intention. "Are you mad?!" Celestia said as she thought of ways to scare him from going. "Tartarus is over run with all manner of demons that will tear you to bits." The human simply shrugged. "They will corrupt and defile your soul after slowly tear your chest open." Allen was not hindered and Celestia had immediately run out of things to say.

Allen stood and kept his calm look, even his muscles were relaxed. "Who do you think taught me about aura? Where and who did Alexie come from? Where did I get my lessons from?" Celestia looked terrified as she backed away. "I'm going to the underworld to find the ones to validate my story. Besides, I have business with the ones whom I owe for everything they did for me."

Alexie stood up and dropped her guise. "I'm going too Allen." He looked back with a smile. "You were going to let me come anyway?" He nodded and Celestia interjected.

"What if-"

"Don't fucking start." Everyone gasped at Alexie's language towards Celestia. "I'm from the underworld since my maker and mother is from the underworld. So I'm going and neither you nor Chrysalis will stop me." The mane six, now determined to either talk her out of this step in.

"Darling, forgive my interjection to your decision but please reconsider your actions." Begged Rarity as the fashion pony, out of habit, checked out Allen's fashion.

"Celestia has made several points about tartarus. The demons there are not forgiving of any of their actions."

Alexie just gave them a raised brow and looked to Allen. He nodded and she turned back. "You say that the demons will kill us?" The six nodded. "Allen may be human, and you may call him savage, but if there is anything else that he is, brutal is his biggest trait." The girls looked confused and Fluttershy shook. "Guy's into cute things, art, architecture, music, movies - theater to you - pass time singing - he's easily bored so his interests and hobbies switch from one thing to the next. When he's conflicted, he'll either sleep it off or ask for counseling." The girls, while happy, were still worried about the trip they would take. "Once in the underworld, that will change from open friendships to cautious movements so as to not mock a demon's code, whatever it may be. If they do decided to pick a fight, Allen will become a brutal fighter going for the kill." The girls looked pale and Alexie continued quickly. "And before you ask if we can just talk to them or make friends or whatever, we are going to a place where, if they have one, a demon's code is everything to them and the ones that kill because they want to is they don't want friends, but screams."

"All the more reason you should stay." Applejack spoke up, know what she feels is the truth. "If he's taking you there, what's to say your torture isn't his business."

Alexie put her hands on AJ's shoulders firmly. "Applejack, I known you are worried, but if Allen is to validate his story, this is his only other option. Doing nothing will solve nothing." She looked to her husband, who was mentally stretching his aura and smiled. "Ready to go hun?" He opened his eyes and got to his feet as Alexie looked to Celestia. "So, you going to lead the way, give us a direction or are we on our own?"

Celestia look away with a huff and Allen shrugged. With a wave of his hand, all the doors were slid closed as he and Alexie left town. Celestia look to them then sighed, facing her student. "Ensure that she returns safely, how ever you can." Twilight nodded and went to catch up with her friends close behind. Celestia just thought about how this entire situation was foreboding, an air of dread seemed to hang overhead.


==In the everfree forest==

The girls were all a bit on edge as they walked through one of the more dangerous places in Equestria. Alex was on guard though calm while Allen was merely aware. He'd faced creatures much more lethal than himself and the animals hear could be driven off by a specific aura of intention as long as it was aimed properly. The girls continued shaking while Allen was getting a tad annoyed by their fear. "If you-" they jumped and he was blank faced "are going to be afraid of this, then Tartarus isn't for your business."

Twilight reaffirmed her resolve and stood proud, Rainbow doing more of the same as she wanted to prove she wasn't afraid. A horrid smell filled the air and they were on edge again. Allen and Alexie couldn't blame them, since this smell was from one of the worse creatures of the Everfree. He adjusted his aura to match the nature around him and increased its intensity, appearing as a king of the surrounding woodland to the creatures emanating the smell, the timberwolves. He stopped and it let them know that he knew they were present and when he turned to face glowing yellow eyes, his green eyes shined with intention as the smell of rotting wood and decayed berries filled the air, nearly costing the ponies their last meal. It didn't take long for them to leave.

Lulling his aura, Allen's body relaxed to a calmer state as the smell cleared and the girls felt the oppression of the forest lift. Fluttershy noticed and was the first to speak up. "Wait. The forest feels... nicer somehow." She noticed the human was calm, breathing smoother again and saw a gentle light coming from him. "Did you do this?" He looked back with a smile before he looked like his heart was struck. Alexie saw his face and rushed to him.

He looked forward and his sight reached a large iron gate, ajar and with familiar figures before it. "You girls wanted to tag along, so you better consider dropping out now or your in it for the long haul."

Rainbow felt offended by his words and got in his face. "That a threat if we decide to turn back now?! Were you planning something?"

He didn't falter and walked passed her. "Tartarus has a visitor I thought I killed. Apparently they're back."

Alexie thought about why he was summon and why he was sealed and almost denied it. "You don't mean...?"

"Their force here is smaller, less organised, but they're breaking in." He ran forward, faster than Rainbow could fly to stop him, thinking he was bailing while Alexie tried keeping pace. They all reached the gate with help and noticed the twisted were in front of and passed the open gate. A sword emerging from a beast's skull formed next to Allen before he took it's grip and can down with the blade as ice and leaves came off the blade as bodies were cut clean and frozen solid. The ones inside turned to him and he charged, the blade now coated in blue flames and purple water. They burned and boiled to nothing after being cut and the girls made it in to see the mess only for the mane six to lose their last meal.

Swinging his swing inward, a small barrier of rock was erected. "Alexie, you know this place better than anyone and you know who we need to find, so this mission is yours." Alexie, feeling the sudden change in her responsibilities started to panic a little before he kissed her cheek. "I know you can find them. We'll fight them as we go and find the source later, but we need to find your family." She took a slow breath as she nodded and her resolved was affirmed.

She stepped up on the barrier and looked around for a road or route further down the underworld. "Why aren't you looking don't your friends live here?" Twilight's question to Allen was met with a firm response.

"It's called underworld for a reason honey." Alexie's sass was welcome for Allen, not so much for the girls. She turned to see their faces and explained. "We are in the underworld's upper echelon, the entry. The negativity and air become denser the lower we descend, with the official first floor below this one. This floor is for trash mobs and fresh dead, but any gate down hear opens into a literal new world. My family is further down, and we need a fast route that misses these twisted completely."

"Why should we run? We can fight-"

"An army that will taint your existence if you let them and your death is your only salvation." The succubus changeling interrupted the currently brazen and stupid pegasus. "Your elements may save your body but not your soul if left for too long and we don't have time to pick them up with my family at risk, now shut up and follow my lead or bail now. Last offer. If there are no takers, then follow me."
> Confession, Conflict, Compromise
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Having to navigate the underworld was complicated and fantastical all at once. Each floor and pantheon of the underworld is its own space, all sharing the exact same sky no matter what. Twilight noticed this after the third decent. "Alexie, you said the air would get denser and more evil but nothing has changed."

Alexie looked back and looked around. "That is primarily because the pantheons inhabit a different instance of space-time. This gives it more actual space overall than most mortals think but the air is denser. Allen, who's been able to do so for some time, has provided a mana barrier to keep the air from collapsing your lungs but he's at his limit. Next floor, Allen and I will both have to supply a barrier to three of you each. Further down, another will have to help out, and it will push the-" She heard a crash and looked up, noticing something wrong. "Honey, have they always been able to do that?"

Confused by her question, he looked up with her and saw the vehicle melded seamlessly with flesh. Looking over some more, a large shoot out was taking place. Many of the pantheons' warriors having been merged with their weapons by flesh. "This is very wrong and new. They never had this ability." He looked back to the six. "Last time I fought the twisted, a pony was the source. The source has changed, and it's made the twisted stronger in a different way." He looked back out from the hiding spot. "What now?"

She looked down the pathways and shook her head. "We'll have to take a crested gate pad." They ducked back as a small group ran by. "You have the permissions just like me. It'll take us to my family as long as the pad of the owner is affiliated with my maker." Allen nodded and looked back, dread in his eyes.

"You two," he pointed to Rarity and Twilight, "will need to arm a barrier spell right now. We'll be taking an express drop down, so the air is going to get thicker, much faster. So the rest of you, partner with someone." Rainbow partnered with Twilight, Fluttershy with Rarity, Pinkie with Alexie and Applejack with Allen. "Stick with your partner and don't stay separated. Once in the lower levels they may provide talismans for each of you but that's it." He turn to Alexie with his affirmation. "Lead the way hun." She nodded and took the lead again, heading out in the pathway as several twisted saw them. Turning his left arm into a blade, he funneled his aura to the edge and released a wave of Draconic Thunder and Demonic Fire as it burned and shocked the weaker creatures.

Alexie was armed with a few ranged attacks centered around light, which should be ironic but with the lack of actual holy essence, she could fire and wield beams of light that penetrate and burn flesh. Such was the case when a twisted jumped down and she released a flood of light that burned and pushed the creature away. "Do not let them touch you. Their infection rate is faster and more potent." She had a good grasp of the current situation and feared they would be swarmed. 'Come on, where is it.' She turned a corner and released a flood from each hand, creating a shock wave as to not take a chance with and ambush. A few came from the nearby buildings and they were struck with throwing stars that were infected before detonating. 'Even metals made by Clevetius?' Alexie was growing worried as she witnessed that virtually anything can be infected and bound to whatever these things touch in a mutilated manner. 'We need to find- there!' She saw the marked building with her families mark. "Get on the pad, quick." Allen formed another blade and cleared all sides with a torrent of aura before the pad activated.


==Seventh Floor of the Underworld==

The guards stationed around the pad see the stone glow before raising what weapons they had as eight figures formed within the light. They see Alexie and Allen and one gives a command. "Stand down, stand down, that's Markus' student!" The guards double took the guests and withdrew their weapons. "Someone get the Duchess and inform her of her student." Two demons left for the larger building as the dressed officer approached. "Allen Augus, in the flesh." Allen looked a bit confused while Alexie blushed, feeling the need to giggle. "We heard what was happening further up. Is it true?"

"Whatever this thing is, its flesh can mix with inorganic material, mutilating the weapon and the host, with no signs of ill effect." Allen's report disturbed the demon as they all looked like they were going to scream. "Now's not the time. Right now we need to get to Markus and her family at Alexie's request." The demon nodded, beckoning them to follow before Rainbow spoke up.

"Whoa whoa whoa does no one find this a little suspicious?" She was thinking about how the only weapon against the twisted was in the underworld and they were going to see a duchess of demons, who may use them against their own kind. "We find an army outside of the gates of Tartarus are taken to the lower floor, I think, and are meeting a head demon. Does no one find this-"

"You! Wanted to tag along! You followed us on suspicion so save it!" Allen had lost his temper with the possible events to come going through his head. "I have a teacher her, a friend, a confidant whatever you want to call all of them. To put simply, I owe them for everything they've taught and given me. I owe them that. You could have left at any time too so don't pin this on me when you had an out." The commanding demon rubbed Allen's shoulder, gaining their attention as six demons walked toward them. Allen recognized four of them. "Markus." The demon in regal fabric nodded. "Dante." The demon in armor looked away, flipping him the bird as his way of saying 'where were you' and 'nice to see you'. "Sarah." The fashionably sexy succubus with black and blue smiled happily with a glint of flirt. He laid eyes on the incubus wearing emerald and forest green and his heart clenched for a moment. "Mikael." The incubus smiled but he was also sad.

Before the mood could settle, an upper floor boomed with a presence. "Listen we don't have a lot of time and we need a way out, an escape route for everyone until we can reclaim the underworld." Alexie's order we met with a nod from Markus as the generals left while Mikael stayed behind on Sarah's request.

A more classy dressed demon came up and bowed. "Sirs and madams if you'll follow me, we have some temporary lodging until evacuation can begin." The group nodded and the six mares were given one room while Allen, Alexie and Mikael were given another, the air tense with mixed feelings of confusion and doubt.

Allen was nervous but was first to break the silence because of his anxiety. "So... how's everyone?"

Mikael was silent at first before answering. "Fine." Alexie was more afraid than nervous, sweat beading on her brow.

After a second, "Oh fuck this. Mikael, he and I have come to a strange and destructive crossroads. I can feel his emotions but I can read his deeper thoughts he's... forcing himself to discard his guilt."

"Alexie!"

"You an I both have the same common denominator. It's Mikael. I'm scared of him for... some reason, you are forcing yourself away from him, likely for my sake and you Mikael, I know, still have feelings for him, right?" The incubus nodded, almost shameful. "And you haven't been doing your role and, hell, I can feel your build up."

Mikael looked at Allen, afraid. "You are... forcing yourself to be faithful?"

Allen collapsed into his hands. "I don't know why I'm being drawn to you. I'm married to Alexie and still my thoughts go to you. Some lewd and some... scary, for a different reason than you think."

Alexie and Mikael grew curious. "Such as?"

Allen gather all the courage he could for the fallout that he was afraid of going through. "I've been... having visions of Alexie... breaking into light and... becoming one with Mikael. I don't know why it surfaced." He was holding tears and forcing sob in his lung. "Maybe it's my lust overriding my faith, maybe I want something different every now and again but I know I'm married so-" They both placed a hand on his shoulders and he paused for a moment. "It's happen..." His eyes began to water and his sobs started forcing up. "...again." He pulled away, covering his face as he started crying to himself, containing his more intense sobs with his mouth. "It's h-h-happhennning agai-ha-ha-han." The demon pair looked at Allen and each other, concerned. "I... and..." He forced back his cries and looked at them. "Get Markus and Sarah."

"Why?" Mikael asked but Alexie could see and feel his words.

"I have a debt to keep... for breaking your hearts." Before they could leave, another wave of filth rushes over the air. "Better yet... I'll die fighting." The pair looked bewildered and upset. "I broke your hearts with my emotional conflict and those two said they'd kill me for it. So... I'll die fighting for breaking my vows to my wife and my friend's heart." He looked up, tears staining his face with streaks of drying salt. "For what it may be worth... I'm glad to have been with and known both of you. So please go, and tell them the truth." They looked at each other and flew, using their magic to get to Makus and Sarah while they still had time.

At the main planning building, Markus was devising an escape route with Sarah when her doors were flung open. Mikael flew in all speed while Alexie flew in with a calmed demeanor, her tears still staining her eyes as Mikael spoke. "Sis, you need to get Allen and talk him down!"

The sister succubus looked to her brother with a raised brow. "Why?"

Mikael seemed offended by her choice of words. "He's going to kill himself over his emotional turmoil!"

Sarah smiled peacefully. "Then it's time."

"Time for what?!" Demanded Mikael as his weakened magic flared angrily. Sarah pointed to Alexie and she looked ashamed. "Alexie?"

She was hesitant, but recalled how her husband, scared of a slap, a punch or a bolt of lightning, gathered the courage to admit the truth of his conflict and did the same. "I haven't been... entirely honest with him."

"Are you cheating on him?!" Mikael stepped threateningly and Alexie put up her hands and he stopped, curious.

"I wasn't seeing anyone else. I was... dishonest about who and what I was." She mourned her lie and gathered herself again. "There was no human named Alexie. Never was." Mikael looked to his family. "Sarah made me, from fragments of herself so minor that I was a vessel for a soul bond." Mikael looked to her, confused, bewildered and upset. "Allen gave half his soul to an empty vessel, gave it love, experience of love, joy, food, gifts... I loved that man after a while, almost forgetting the reason I was made."

The underworld was hit with another wave of filth and the guards screamed. "ONE MORE FLOOR!"

"But every time you heard his voice from your room, flickers of your passion still rose, just like they did earlier. You wanted to fall into his arms and drink his scent, even if was only for a moment. But now... with his devotion laid bare, his emotions relayed true to you and yours to him... I ask you... would you accept his soul."

Mikael looked at Alexie, upset and confused. "I... can't." Alexie looked to him, afraid. "I can't. Yes I want to be bonded to him, hold him, feel him, kiss him but... this isn't right. He has a right to know."

Alexie got in his face, scared now. "Sarah had already agreed to take responsibility for this, certain this emotional conflict would destroy him. So I am asking you now... will you accept his half, in exchange for half yours for him." Mikael thought about the long years he spent, locked in his room with his own thoughts to pleasure him, ease his pain and sooth his loneliness. He was soon crying himself as he nodded, ready for backlash from Allen for what he was about to receive. Alexie placed both hands on his shoulders as they looked at each other, Alexie with a smile. "Love him as much as he loved me. You deserved that since day one." Her body glowed gently as it turned into glimmering light and bathed over Mikael.

As each particle settled, Mikael blushed hard. "This is new. I feel new. What is this? I like this but I don't, this is weird." Another wave of filth washed but it hit them directly. Mikael then remembered in seconds while Allen was. "ALLEN!"


==Allen POV after Mikael and Alexie left in a panic==

That was it. I had told the truth of what I was thinking. Was I a coward for waiting until now? Would things have been better if we didn't have this situation? No Allen, face it. You told them because you know you would die soon, so you picked dying in battle, like a coward. I get up and carry myself to the main entry pad for the seventh floor, not a weapon of my own creation in hand as I conversed with my residence, Kane, Yurie and Clevetius. 'I have no excuse for breaking their hearts. What do you say to someone you hurt? I'm sorry?' 'If it were that easy, I would have made you done it.' But nothing is that easy and we feel your resolve to spare them further pain, or how you think it would spare them.' 'But we are fighting something that can't be killed fast enough with a blade.' 'If this is how we die, we die together.' 'For we are many minds.' 'Yet we are one body.' 'A union that has come to accept itself.' 'In mind, body and spirit.' 'We are one'

As I was talking to them, the Mutilated had made it to the seventh floor and the first to attack was a beast with two left arms, a larger right arm, three legs and a face on its chest. It screamed as it blazed a trail into the seventh floor. It took a swing at me and I/we dodged it out of a reflex. That is when Alexie came to mind and the words I/we said stung as I/we felt those words expose our soul. I was cowardly and wanted to pay my debt, but we had to pay it to Alexie first before I paid the rest. So I brought the sword down on its head before the blade was caught. I step back and fire crystals that it caught before shooting them back. I dodged the line of fire but landed in the fire of some slime as it hit my arm as I tried to dodge under. I quickly severed my arm with a scream and ran but an ambush attacker caught my leg and latched on.

My femur would be too strong to cut and it was already passed my knee with hum much was there, so I lie there, entering my head as Kane, Yurie and Clevetius joined me in the church. I could become a demon. Ascend as a god. Weaponize my body, but my world was shaking and there was little to do. I wanted to save my friends, pay my debts and live my life. I had to fight. For their sake... I must fight. "...will fight..." All of us said on instinct, thinking of what would happen if we gave up now. "I will fight." Our world was crumbling, and the image of Mikael was now in mind as our eyes were sharing my sea green. "I will fight." The land was crumbling into a black void as Yurie and Kane gained a dark skin complexion. "I will fight." We were surrounded by darkness as our eyes flashed a flaming red before the two became one with me and my hair waxed from jet black to burning gold. "I will fight!" Clevetius returned to me as he was an extension of my residence and myself, from horns of Vince and Urizen to the feathers of Zarafell, Johnathan and Ralph. "Fight me!" We were now one. I was one.
> The Victor Emerges
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


==Mikael's POV==

The waves of filth that had started permeating our air one floor after another had hit us directly on our floor. The Seventh Floor was above the remaining bulk of the underworld and we got word that the Kings and Queens evacuated their people to other Pantheons and sealed them, isolating the threat but I was flying to the battle field as fast as my wings could carry me. I wanted to - right before I left - slap my sister across the face for playing Allen and me. Alexie never fully existed and... she was right. Her experience made it feel like I was with Allen the whole time; his games, his works, his thoughts, his grief - I cried for him as I tried to rush to his side, to hold him in my arms but when I saw him on the battlefield... his body was mutilated, twisted around and broken into something that was wheezing and hungry.

I started sobbing, upset that after I was bond to the man I loved... he was going to kill me or we'd have to kill him. I sobbed uncontrollably as tears and snot dripped from and stained my face and outfit as my fettle posture made me collapse to the ground. The Mutilated were on top of me, ready to violate my body and soul. I closed my eyes, ready to accept my fate. dub-bub What? ...a heart beat. dub-bub It's... strong. Defiant. "I will fight." dub-bub Allen? I open my eyes and the mutilated weren't facing me. They were looking at Allen's pulsing body. "I will fight." dub-bub He sounded... strange. Was he... coming together?! "I will fight." dub-bub The pigment in his skin expanded, turning to an olive complexion as heat radiating from his body. "I will fight." dub-bub The keratin in his hair increased, making it shine so profoundly it resembled pure gold as it's darker pigment tensed, making it look lighter. "I will fight." dub-bub A thin mist of royal purple rose from his skin as his mutilated body healed completely even gaining greater muscle tone. "I will fight." dub-bub His voice was so natural yet so distorted I could hear his other residence come through. "Fight me!" A ray of light consisting of violent gold, devil black and orchid purple light shot up as the mutilated bodies around him were turned into mist and merged with the beam of light.

Within seconds a slash of the same energy struck the bodies surrounding me, slicing clean through them and turned to dust as their essence was drain from them. Every mutilated turned to him and charged. One struck me without knowing and that flesh started to spread before it died and crumbled, revealing my smooth skin. In the middle of the mass of flesh and weapons, Allen's body was making contact with multiple targets. His hand ripped through one, tearing a deformed heart out the back before yanking his arm to the side, ripping it out the rib cage like a broad sword and his right leg swung behind him, catching another in an ax kick that knocked its head off and used the momentum to twirl in the air and slash another down the middle and landed on his feet, spinning around and spearing his left hand through the skull of another and kept going as the mutalist turned to dust, unable to cease Allen's momentum as he twirled back and chopped through the skull of another mutalist before his arms were grabbed by a larger, multi-limbed creature. Just as I thought he would die, the purple mist gathered and a wing of many identified forms of energy erupt from his back and act as a blade, chopping the larger arm before Allen swung it around and knocked it on the head stunning it as it let go and he ripped his hands into the beast and split it apart, absorbing the energy from it and started sprinting to the warp pad. "ALLEN WAIT!" He had already gone through the pad and to an upper level as I gave chase, before being stopped by Dante. "Out of my way edgelord!"

Dante did not move, his light plating and torn leather waving in the wind that was coming from the still open gate. "You can feel that right?" I step back, feeling a wave, a strong feeling of ferocity, burn away the filthy air and sterilize it. "If you go through that gate, you will put yourself in danger. Do you really want that for Allen right now. And what of his mental state?"

"That's why I have to go." I tried to fly over him and Sarah caught me. "Someone needs to be there to calm him down when the fighting is over." I placed a hand above my chest, my soul, feeling his burning will to live. "If he doesn't... he may fight forever, without rest or end." My sister kept a firm hold on me as I tried going after him. "I have to be there for him, so he doesn't go killing himself."

My cousin and sister probably exchanged a look as Sarah let me go and I flew through the gate into the sixth floor. In was sterile, quiet. I fly further up and out to see what has happened. Dust from the bodies filled the air of the sixth floor and some of the footprints were larger. I reach another warp pad and head up to the fifth floor and I get in just in time to hear the warp pad to level four close, so I examine the prints and drained husks, noticing that both were getting bigger. How were they getting bigger? Were they growing to get stronger?

I go through the gate to the fourth level and see a creature that looked so repugnant and disgusting I almost puked. It had a large exposed skeleton for its right arm and some tissue just barely holding onto the bones with serpent bodies making up its left leg, rotting flesh on its right leg and pelvis, two right arms, a back full of tentacles that dripped with chunky bile, six tormented and twisted faces for a head, two of three wings on its waist had their skeleton ripped out with the fourth burned to its skeleton and a mouth of jagged, jutting teeth and eyes for a chest. Allen charged it and stabbed his fist into the creature's chest mouth and the teeth closed around him and I screamed for him. Bad move. Thinking he was dead, they turned to me and slowly advanced and then... the most wondrous thing happened.

One of the amalgam creatures, the same one that Allen fought, started to look like its chest mouth was glowing before the rest of it paled, died and fell to dust outward. Dust fell from an object in its chest. That object was Allen and his body had changed. A wing of purple flames burned from a formation of crystals on his right waist and his right arm was covered with the same crystals to his fist. He looked so... dazzling. I didn't see his face and I wanted to, to know what he was thinking, if he was still there. With a load roar from him, the mutalists tried to run but streams of purple flew from their bodies and to Allen's body as the flames grew intensely with his left leg now growing the same crystals with a sharp cracking similar to glass when struck or gently cracked. 'Is his body trying to compensate for consumption?' After they left for the third floor, he gave chase. "Allen wait!" He didn't acknowledge me and just flew through the gate.

I followed him and my family and the six ponies that followed him with Alexie came through and we all saw the next fight. Mutalists were cannibalizing each other and growing in size, armaments and power. Allen flew to one that had all weapons on its right side and made those weapons aim at its head before forcing down the trigger, shooting it. He bound to the other with energy pods as missiles and a barrage was launched his way. With a gesture, the energy was turned to his current color and sent back as the mutalist was then bombarded with its own missiles. All gruesomeness aside, that was amusing to watch. The girls were getting nauseous looking at these things and I don't blame them. Not only that but they were getting bigger. In a last ditch effort, the two beasts started to consume each other. The result was a bit smaller but the life force coming off it was all kinds of wrong. Weaker demons felt nauseous, dizzy, weak, had headaches and some were vomiting.

I know he heard the screams because Allen flew straight for the monstrosity, dodging missile and gun fire while lassoing and throwing the missiles back. The beast covered it's vulnerable parts as best it could only to leave itself open as Allen flew into it and the monster screamed as its vitality glowed before it shrank and the shrinking field was met with fossilization before the creature fell to dust like then rest. When I saw Allen, it was from the side and now he had two full wings, his arms and legs sporting bright crystals in one seam each and I could see a glow coming from his chest. 'Well... he's eating healthy.' Yep I'm making bad jokes. I'm scared. What'll happen if he absorbs too much? I really don't want to find out.

Before I could get a word out to calm him down, the first floor emanates a wave of filth so visceral and foul to my mind, I actually puked up whatever I had in my stomach as Allen flew off. "Mikael." Before I could fly the long way, Markus had called up and pointed to one of her pads. We use it to head straight for the first floor and saw a mutilated body the size of a three story building. It spotted us and a foul aura collects in front of its mouth in a high density ball. Thanks to Alexie hanging out with Allen for so long, I know that this is going to be some manner of beam, regardless of the matter that makes it up. Just as it fired, something flew in front of the beam and toward the beast.

As the light dimmed, we saw it was Allen again and his multi-energy flames were now closer to plasma emissions after that beam and he flew into it, spearing his way in as his aura covered his hand. The massive creature writhed and screamed as it clawed at its body, trying to remove the invasive creature that forced its way in so effortlessly. It screamed, drooled rabidly, flailed like a schizophrenic prisoner and finally roared before its skin cracked, but instead of turning to dust, all of it turned to purple mist and compacted into a high density ball of aura before the aura collected onto Allen's body. This had to stop. "ALLEN!"

His gaze flinched to me and he moved so fast he may as well have teleported. He got so close to me I moved back and fell on my ass. He was on top of my, supporting himself with his arms as he sniffed me. If this were any other time or situation this would be so fucking hot, but right now I'm scared and confused. "Allen...?" I reach up slowly, about to caress his face when another wave hits. Before he could move, as he was turning his head, I wrapped my arms around him. It hurt. His body was burning from all the aura he absorbed and he leaned down so I let go. He looked at my burns and, ever so gently, parted some of his aura to me as the intense charring was slowly, gradually peeling, mending and generally healing.

He went to touch me and I understandably flinched before the heat wave withdrew and his soft hand caressed my face. I held his palm to me, holding him as best as I could. He caressed my cheek tenderly and used his aura to safely lift me to my feet. He then goes to the gate leading to the entry and we followed closely behind with better ease. We make it to the entry where a few lesser mutalists were just shambling around. With a wave of his hand, a blast of his aura reduced their bodies to dust and we headed for the gate only to be greeted by a sight straight out of The Shining.

Another, and likely the final mutalist, consisting of the force from outside, peers in with a sharp, toothy grin as it looks at all of us in perverse hunger as it drools, licking its teeth. I actually cover myself, feeling violated. Allen didn't seem to take that too kindly and started to rise from the ground, the heat wave covering all of him again as every aura emission cycles to his wings as they encase him. With a scream, the unnamed attack launched all of the built up aura to the beast in a column of flame as the gate to the underworld leading to Equestria was burned further open and the doors destroyed.


==Celestia POV==

I was going over my reports of the cities tax percentages, which is fiercely boring without a slice of cake and some tea to wash it down, and I had felt these sudden waves of disgust that made me put my slice of sugary heaven down multiple times. I was about to lose my temper if this kept up. Reeeee-doooooooooome "What in the buck?!" I look out and see bright purple flames erupting from the location of Tartarus gate. "Oh no. Oh buck. Oh no! Oh buck!" I fly out, leaving my cake in my study. A decision I would come to regret.


==Mikael POV==

After the kicked up dust and glaring light settle, Allen's body had return to a relaxed state and started to fall. I quickly flew up, catching him in my arms as his weight makes me drop some. I look at his face and he was passed out. He looked so peaceful as he gently snoozed in my arms. I start bringing my lips to his, desiring a kiss from his resting lips. "Oh my." Until that damn fashion horse had to take interest in my business. Though it was probably a good thing for the moment. He still deserves an explanation and while I have my chance to be with him... I still feel like I took his wife away from him.

"Mikael." I look to Sarah and she smiled. "You may want to use the changeling's shapeshifting." I look at her with an accusing expression since I don't have such ability, at least to an extreme. "Changelings can, for the lack of a better word, shapeshift into any creature they encounter. Think Ben's Omnitrix as their naturally occurring trait." I was shocked by that and thought it would be a good idea. I set Allen in her arms and look at the ponies as my teal eyes flashed and I was enveloped in emerald green flames. Before I could ask, Sarah had produced a mirror and I looked... nice. I was an emerald green pony with furry tuff on and in my ears with forest green for my belly and strips along my arms, legs, back and streaks across my cheeks while my tail had become more equine and tied at the end with some magic. My dark horns and tribal marked feather wings had not changed but that's fine, I'm a demon for hell's sake.

Though that may bite me in the ass since a certain white, self-proclaimed goddess, alicorn lands in front of her world's gate to the underworld looking triggered about the comments of her weight. She saw Allen, still unconscious, and fired a beam at him. I got in front of the beam without thinking and threw my arms up as a barrier manifested before me, blocking the attack. "What the fuck you crazy bitch?!" The mares gasps with the white unicorn fainting over-dramatically.

"DO NOT SPEAK TO ME WITH SUCH A TONE HELL SPAWN!" Celestia commanded as she brazenly used her royal voice, which made Allen stir in my sister's arms. I turn to see he was still sound asleep and he mutter the cutest thing.

"Mikael could you keep it down, you'll wake up the house." I blushed hot and even covered my cheeks with a smile. "I know you like my methods but I like our bed too." I started swaying trying to control myself as I could see his thoughts so clearly. So lewd. So spicy. So hot~.

It took the bookworm tapping my should for me to see the bulge in my pants. "Long story, talk later."

Celestia cast several barrier spells as she helped her ponies out of the entry. "You are no leaving here, and neither is he."

Thanks to Alexie's memories I gathered my emotions and looked her square in the eyes with my family joining suit. "To confirm that Allen was telling the truth, I was seeing his Fallen, Zarafell. But my feelings for Allen were still strong."

Markus chimed in, firm like any teacher. "He named his demons V and Urizen, after two characters from Devil May Cry. They were his anger and obsession which all three by what I'm hearing were consolidated then accepted."

Sarah set Allen in my arms and my body warmed up as I knelt and Sarah spoke. "His angels were reflections of his honesty and teaching. He named one Ralph after his Grandfather. The other was a bit difficult though I assume he chose Johnathan as the name." Celestia was in shock, as where the six. We had just confirmed everything he and Alexie had already stated in the past.

Before anyone could say a thing, Markus stepped in. "I am that human's teacher and the reason he knows about us, so if you call us a liar there will be no taking it back." Caught and defeated, Celestia took the barrier down and looked at the gaping entrance. "Worry not dear princess, we intend to rebuild the gate to keep the undesired in, though I do request that Mikael and his family be allowed to leave at their leisure, and no, only his direct family, such as his sisters, brother and parents will be allowed. Cousins will be negotiated." Celestia looked backed into a corner and Markus pressed it. "Unless you're saying you'd rather banish someone, who has actively helped your subjects, than risk his supposed wrath like he's an Ashura from his India?"

Celestia had lost her fight, agreeing to let us four out to help Equestria with the fighting. When we got to town, many ponies screamed and ran before I, thanks to Alexie's memories, directed them to the Embassy while I went to Allen's house and sat in the living room with his head on my lap. I honestly didn't know what to call him. Half of our souls were with each other but I still felt... disgusting. I took his wife from him and we still have to explain what happened with that. 'Allen, for whatever my words are worth to you... I'm sorry.' Tears fell from my eyes, hitting his cheeks as they shined like rainbows. 'Please forgive me, my angel.'
> Regrets and Redemption
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


==General POV==

Three days had passed since Allen went to the underworld to stop the mutilated from twisting hell and its residents. The human's body was asleep in Mikael's lap as the incubus pony just stroked at the human's hair softly, wrapped in a melancholy as the demon looked to his love interest with grief and sorrow, silently begging that his interested would forgive him for taking Alexie away. Mikael was stung by Allen, but not hurt as the human made it a point to check on and talk to Mikael, his friends and his family, doing what he could to make time for everyone. Alexie being made as a martyr for Mikael to have his crush upset him and Sarah had come over to explain.

"Mikael?" She landed in the yard and ponies hid to eavesdrop. The incubus said nothing and Sarah spoke. "Mikael, do you know how pathetic and embarrassing it is... was to do your job so absently." He said nothing and rested his hands on Allen's cheeks. "You didn't do you job for weeks before doing it begrudgingly. After he vanished for who-knows-how-long and here of all places, you felt nothing. The humans you bed for their seed, used you. You didn't care though. You felt nothing, you did nothing to stop it- it was more than concerning. It was scary. I had intended for this to have been done in a year at most."

Mikael looked up, upset and crying. "And what about Alexie?" Asked the incubus struck with anger. "She was his wife. She was basically your daughter!"

Sarah took the sting and knelt down. "I did it for you." Mikael's tears streamed down his face, hitting Allen's cheek. "You are my brother, and as big a goof or slut as you are, I do look out for you and your health." She placed a hand on his shoulder, as the siblings locked eyes. "You didn't let go of him even after all that time had passed." They looked to the resting human. "When you got news he was here, then coming to the underworld, you nearly knocked yourself out trying to look presentable."

"And when I saw him... I choked." He was on the verge of crying again when he felt a warm hand caress his cheek and he felt... eased. "I just hope he can forgive me for taking her."

"I'm expecting him to despise me for lying to him like that." He looked at the resting human with a mother's gaze. "I'd be more than surprised if he forgave me, if only for your sake." Mikael looked at his sister, who adopted a pony look of her own thanks to her glamour, and shared a hug.

As this was taking place, Allen was in a void, weak, tired and drifting. Down, downward, ever downward. He could see with closed eyes, hear with deaf ears, but he could not reach out with his hands or call out with his voice. He desired something to see and hear outside this black emptiness, something belonging more to gods than mortals, when a teal jewel opened like an eye, resembling a cat's eye. It saw beyond the void, a window to the outside, where he could see and hear Mikael, crying and petting him. As Sarah arrived and talked, a piece of ground manifested and Allen landed on it as he fell no further. He witnessed Mikael's turmoil and reached up, caressing his cheek. "No... crying." His peaceful words attempting to and successfully calming the incubus as more ground was made.

His spirit and mind got to work on recreating his landscape as his physical body rested. The landscape was growing like a rising island, being remade from a visible dark mist and shining particles that were swarming with color. The barren land that once made up the majority of his space was filled anew with fresh air, healthy greenery and the same massive tree that once held his tests. The church looked newly constructed and well maintained as opposed to the run down building it once was, with Allen now levitating again, above the alter akin to a sleeping angel.

As he continued to sleep, his repaired mind could see out to the world, to Ponyville, to Mikael. Mikael was currently in trouble. The ponies had been convinced through some means that he was a demon, summoned by the human or lured to the human's smell. Allen had no time to accuse anyone, he had to get out but he was trapped. Only one person could help, one who answers cries from their dreams.

Meanwhile, Mikael was trying to quell the ponies fears, attempting to look as non-threatening as possible. "Please, be at peace this isn't a war zon- ah!" He dodged a rotten tomato and flung it to the yard, keeping it off and out of the house, away from Allen.

The ponies were rioting with unusual bravery, openly swearing and jabbing insults at a demon, thinking that no demon had morals or decency. It was enough to make Mikael loose some of his reasoning as he was ready to yell and cry. "WHO IS THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR DISTURBING THE PEACE!" Saved by the bell was the only good thought that came to the Incubus mind as Princess Luna and Queen Chrysalis descended on the town.

"The princess is here, we are saved." A mare cried in victory before the lunar princess stomped a hoof, creating an airborne shock wave, silencing the crowd.

Chrysalis turned back to Mikael and their eyes locked in an awkward reunion. "Um... hello, Chrysalis."

The queen got another look and held an expression of bewilderment. "Alexie?"

"Not... exactly." The incubus looked so nervous and innocent that Chrysalis wrapped him in a hug. "Ah! What the hell?!"

"Oh my god you are so precious." The queen stated bubbly like Pinkie Pie. "Look at your cute, glowing cheeks. AH! This is too much! You're as innocent as a foal!" The town could not believe the attitude Chrysalis was displaying and Luna just smirked, trying to refrain from the activity, admitting the incubus was indeed precious.

"Alright!" The demon in question soon lost his temper from the doting queen. "I get it, I'm cute but now is not the time." Chrysalis excused herself and apologized. "Thank you. I just want to know why nothing happens for three days and all of a sudden a mob comes banging on the doors of one of their fellow citizens."

"He isn't a-"

"SILENCE!" Luna's command hushed the offending stallion. "Citizenship is currently irrelevant while everyone here has a torch, a pitchfork, a butterknife of all things and one of you is holding a rose like a weapon- I see that." Everyone just lowered their tools without dropping them. "Now I have no clue as to what was said by who, when or where and that does not matter. The point is you gathered here to drive someone out of town for no reason and no crimes against them, so disperse and return to your business." The ponies begrudgingly did what they were told and left the property.

Mikael was cleaning Allen's face and body of any rotten food and knelt next to him when the two royal figures sat next to him. "I don't know what to tell him." They looked to him, confused by his statement. "Allen will wake up, expecting me to have an answer to everything that has happened. I want to explain myself and kiss him but... it feels wrong."

Chrysalis spoke up first. "If life was filled only with good things then we wouldn't grow. We face evil to better understand it. We embrace good to find our place in the world. Nothing is cut and dry simple. Life is complex." Mikael looked to the queen, confused and scared. "Nothing is purely good or purely evil. Context and action both matter because what you do will be remembered, not what you meant to do."

"And what I did was horrible!" Mikael yelled as the ponies listened in. "Alexie was your daughter and Allen's wife. I've been into Allen since the night we..." He blushed, hushing himself to save himself embarrassment, but Chrysalis knew from her feelers and she blushed from the reaction his body was trying to hide. "I stole Alexie from this world. Never mind the fact she was made to be a martyr from the start, she was important to you and Allen." Mikael continued and immediately added, "And I don't want that 'everything has a purpose' bullshit, that alone has some dark implications when taken at face value."

Luna was next to calm the demon. "Alexie was indeed a dear friend for what little time we knew her and the changelings knew her for much longer. While her time here was not very long, she got to see, hold and love Allen after being tormented by her identity crisis." She then placed a hand on his shoulder. "Now Allen is healing up after his battle and he will need someone there once he wakes."

Mikael looked to Allen sadly and found the resolve to smile, his warmth radiant to Allen's spirit plain that he awoke within, feeling the tender kiss of an innocent and loving soul. His eyes opened and Allen saw the smiling face of the tender incubus. He looked outside the church he was in and the new life within stared back. Standing up right, the turned human closed his eyes to leave his world and wake up.

Mikael had closed his eyes, ready to cry again. Before either royal mare could tell him different, the human's hand rose and tenderly caressed his cheek, giving the incubus a start as he looked back at the now opened and lonely eyes of his love interest. "Allen....? This isn't a dream, right?"

He shook his head and leaned up, looking back at him. "I caused you suffering because I was unsure of myself, and Zarafell gave you love that I could not. Now, after realizing, concluding and hearing everything, I come to find that I caused you more grief, to the point that you were..." He shook his head, getting back on track to the problem he felt he caused. "You have taken Alexie, but I took your heart. I took your affections and never repaid them after our night of love." Ponies held a gasp while Chrysalis was trying to keep her mind from going to the gutter while Luna had juicy details to share with her niece. "So I am asking you here, if you forgive me for what I did." The demon then did something without feeling it, something most demons never do. Mikael cried for Allen in front of the town.

"You aren't...?" Allen shook his head. He wasn't angry with Mikael. He was more fired at himself and Sarah for what the Incubus had been through for the past millennium. Unable to hold his emotions for Allen any longer, Mikael wrap his arms around his human lover, tackling him to the floor and kissing him as Allen returned the love with equal fervent. The wrapped their arms around each other and Mikael's wings grew erect as the blush under his fur could be more presently seen. While ponies were shocked a mortal creature would kiss a demon, nevermind of the same sex, the royal mares had juicy details to keep or share.

"So," started Chrysalis, "I'll just be on my way then so you two can get reacquainted." Luna silently agreed and the two left after closing the couples living room doors after the couple flipped a middle finger to them.

Outside the house, the mane six just stared in confused arousal and intrigued wonder at the now obscured sight of a human openly and affectionately kissing a demon, an incubus no less which is said to impregnate females with their own sperm or from sperm their female/original counterparts collected. Such information was rare to come across and very obscure but a good read for setting up defenses. Twilight just stared at the same spot for minutes in confusion while Pinkie, Rarity and Rainbow all smirked with a nasty thought about themselves and Applejack smirked at the joke of her brother liking how the human might feel before shooting that down while she and Fluttershy both get their friends away from the house, knowing full well what was likely to happen next but were avoiding assumptions for very obvious reasons.

They all met up at the library where Twilight then proceeded to have a melt down. "What the bucking tartarus was that sassafras!? A human kissing a demon? What the buck?!" She started to hyperventilate as Spike and AJ attempted calming their friend by patting her back. "It just does make sense. Some stories claim that an Incubus and a Succubus can sap life force from a victim with a kiss and that human is plain making out with a demon that can do such! Does he have a death wish?!"

"Twilight, darling, you need to calm down, this energy will ruin your complexion and your good mood." Rarity chimed expertly like a therapist.

"Not like we could stop him anyway, if what happened in tartarus was any idea." The girls shook at the images they saw, the sights of the mutilalted that were now burned into their brains.

"Speaking of, I better write a letter to Celestia about that. No telling what they've become after the source of it has either returned or changed." Spike got some parchment and a quill before Twilight took both in her magic.




Dear Princess Celestia,

As you are aware, my friends and I traveled to tartarus to accompany and escort the human and Alexie in case of any actions taken against Equestria. This letter is more to fill in the blanks for what you did not see. We arrived at the gates of Tartarus and were told that what we see is the entry to the underworld and the Twisted were witnessed on the floor mentioned and before the gates. However, further in, we saw these new twisted powering through the foul and dense air with a smell of filth that made us revolt and nauseous. I am unsure as to what these new creatures are or how they came to be, but they are able to twist and merge with all materials now, as if it were part of them.

To make matters worse, they are able to infect unaffected bodies with a single touch, as if their very skin were as infectious as the main body. Allen was affected and he'd managed to not only removed the affliction, but touch the creatures after a time seemed to harm them, to the point of turning them to dust. It is likely that the affected are converted into the same type of matter throughout their bodies and thus having their... aura if I had to guess, drained from them completely. This seemed to boost the human's powers, though I doubt he's entirely human anymore.

When my friends saw him for the - if I'm remembering right as it was all a blur with how intense it all was - second time, his body had accumulated so much aura that he had formed wings of pure, unfiltered mana. This seemed to continue throughout the ascent out of the underworld until he possessed a barrier of mana, along with wings, a horn, a halo and crystals of mana on and across his body. This also seemed to make him more instinctual than territorial. To put it simply, he sniffed at the demon, trying to determine something though I doubt he could say now.

Please take this information into account as we still know so little about these new twisted or the human.

Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle.

P.S. Alexie is no longer with us but we will have information about that to tell you in person.

P.P.S. The human and incubus are now... well acquainted at this point. Ask your sister for details.




Fluttershy approached her friend after Spike stamped and sealed the letter before sending it off. "I don't think anyone was prepared for what happened down there. I read stories about creatures like them but these were... different."

"Fluttershy's right." The apple farmer chimed in. "We may not have any lick of sense to what's happened to those things, but one thing we can agree on, they're dangerous." The girls nodded and AJ remembered Johnathan's core values. "And, I trust that it'd be better if we helped them fight these creatures." The girls looked at the farm mare like she just grew new heads and limbs. "If we focus on driving out the demons we might win that fight, but remember, the old stories about Allen say he summoned the twisted while our family has passed the tale from parent to child."

"What was the tale?" Rainbow asked, curious and nosy.

"I'll keep it short." The cowgirl explained. "Upon steel as strong as his soul, he flew across the land, with a body strong as heaven and a fury as hot as rage, he tore open and through those that were tainted, freeing them of pain while damning those that had no spirit. Upon our gold mountain rang a desperate cry from our own, a final call to be spared, only to be chastised and slain for the despair wrought by our own."

"You're saying a pony brought it to us first!" Twilight screamed in disbelief.

"The details are a bit sketchy, guess we didn't want to sully the dead any further than they'd been, which explains the beads, the book and the sword, all three of which are now useless or missing." Applejack stood by the example of Johnathan the Just, a stallion who stood be telling the truth for his and others' own good. She smiled as she looked to the clouds and sighed happily. "I feel much better getting that out there."

"Does that mean I have five thousand birthday parties to plan for one person!" Pinkie freaked before her friends chimed up.

"No!" The mares smiled as they felt so much better after finally having a chance to talk out their grief and views, though Twilight was still wary of Allen, wary of the form he took. Was it a savior of Equestria, or its destroyer.
> Late and Loving Valentine [Explicit]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the door had closed, Allen and Mikael sealed them with magic, though failed to sound proof, as the two held each other close and aggressively made out before Allen pick himself and Mikael up, holding the Incubus by his plush ass while pinning him to the wall. "So aggressive!" The demon cooed lustfully. The monk brought his teeth down on the effeminate demon, drawing blood and a moan. "You didn't forget what I like, that makes me happy." Mikael smiled with a blush as he started to absorb the lustful desire from Allen and it wasn't just more than before, it was much stronger than he remembered.

Allen came up for air and smiled with some of Mikael's blood lining his lips. "I hope I'm strong enough to take you in every way." Mikael was surprised at Allen's doubt and kissed him, licking the blood off.

"Take me? Honey," Allen made and spiraled his tail with Mikael, causing the incubus to moan again. "I'm yours." Cooed the pony disguised red head. He then kissed Allen, tasting his lust to get a measure of his reserves. Allen, in the mean time, teased at his boyfriend's ass, rubbing up on the soft anus. "No need to be reserved, sugar."

"Reserved?" Smiled Allen as Mikael felt a very familiar appendage whip his ass. "I'm just sweetening the deal before I enjoy its fruit." Mikael smiled lustfully with a flushed expression as he kicked off the wall and landed on his boyfriend. With no regard for decency, he ripped his own bottoms off and dropped the guise as his more human appearance was exposed, just like he was at the moment.

"I've waited millennium for this moment. I wanted it to be different but-" Allen shushes the incubus with a finger and tenderly kisses him, sparking a new sensation in Mikael as his tail slides and strokes against Allen's trying to wag with joy. The incubus closes his eyes and much of his lust evaporates as they kiss. The human's hands trail up and down Mikael's back, massaging the muscles along it and along the wings, erecting a muffled moan of relaxation and pleasure from the incubus. Without warning, Allen's fingers penetrate Mikael and he draws up, breaking the kiss with a surprised gasp. He looks down, lust and love mixed in a glassy look in his eyes. "Naughty." Allen then used his new and still surprising strength to thrown Mikael to the bed, which elected a giggle from the incubus before Allen was in front of his exposed member. "Uh... Allen?"

Mikael's startled reaction was soon replaced with embarrassed blushing as his boyfriend sniffed his member and balls as he covered himself, conscious of his body from Allen's closeness and interest but invested in the human's next move. The monk then raised Mikael's shaft, dragging a wet tongue and drooling saliva over it making the demon moan to himself. "This... is new. Is this excitement? I like it but... oh gods..." Allen gently licked over his boyfriend as Mikael grew harder, enough to support itself before his cock was taken into Allen's mouth, making the demon moan in surprise. "Allen, why are... you... ahhh, yes." Mikael felt his boyfriend's lust before fondling his own chest, massaging the nipples and what little chest he had to pleasure himself.

As Allen's mouth pleased Mikael's hot dog, he felt something slick enter his ass and slither deep into his bowels. He looked down to see a tentacle coming from Allen's back. "Old arts... never...... ffuuuuccckk." Said tentacle was now as deep as Allen wanted it and it began to piston inside of Mikael, gently rubbing into everything inside of the incubus' body. "Oh... daddy." Mikael blushed and smiled before suggestively meeting their eyes. "You made me call you daddy again. I hope you'll take responsibility." Allen took his mouth off Mikael's member and brought their lips together in another passionate make-out.

Allen broke the kiss while fondling Mikael's nipples. "I will take responsibility for everything I did to you." The monk licked his neck and ear making the demon shiver with excitement. "So no leaving you for someone else, for the promise of riches or glory. You deserved love since I took your heart the day we met."

Mikael giggled at this with a smile that seemed childish. "I'll hold you to that." Mikael nibbled on Allen's neck and the two felt Allen's lust enter Mikael as Allen's body continued to please the demon before the tentacle pulled out and was replaced with Allen's member. "OH FUCK!" Called Mikael as he inhaled sharply from the sudden and larger reentry. "How... long have... oh gods, fuck me." Mikael rested against Allen and felt his loving invaded shrink and retract. "You... could've kept it that big."

"I could've but do you want me to fuck you silly," he kissed Mikael as a pause, "or make sweet, sweaty love to you." He cooed to the incubus.

"I'd like both but, for the sake of you wanting to make up for what I did to myself..." he blushed as he looked to Allen, "make love to me." Allen's member found its place back in Mikael, the slower and smaller intrusion causing the incubus to moan lowly for the whole insertion. Once he's sheathed inside, tentacles emerged from Allen's back, each with a different texture. A fur back tentacle rubs up to his cheek while he takes a smooth scaled one in both hands. All but the two mentioned appendages retract while a third just changes texture and Mikael takes it in his hand as it caresses his hands and he returns the favor.

Allen then begins to pump Mikael's ass with a cock over half the size of what the incubus was forced to take as it warmly slides within his large, firm rear. The incubus' heart was warm as the two felt each other's pleasure and their bodies started to radiate a soft glow. Mikeal was soon just rubbing his hands affectionately against the tentacles while Allen caressed Mikael's tail with his hand, gently stroking it as the incubus moaned more boldly. "I know I'm late... saying this." Started Allen as Mikael looked at him. "Happy Valentines, Mikael Alexie Augus." The incubus eyes shined clearly as he brought Allen into a kiss, the affection causing their shared souls to rub against each other as they climaxed, moaning into each other's mouth.

Mikael broke the kiss and smiled, his eyes filled with satisfaction and affection. "Happy Valentines." He panted from the release. "Allen Augus." Mikael then looked in thought about the crystal growths. "You need a name. How about Victor?"

"Why?" He asked with a smile.

"It sounds right." Mikael answered simply as he kissed his boyfriend. "Right now... sleep. Full." Mikael passed out with a smile as Allen took them both in. "Night honey."

"Night babe." With a magic wave, the lights were put out and the two drifted off into a dream, inside their soul.
> Hidden Kingdom
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mikael and Allen had gotten to sleep after getting reacquainted after thousands of years. The time spend apart did not rust Allen's methods but it certainly lit a fire back in Mikael's soul, among other things. The incubus was expecting a dream about himself being with Allen if not just waking up in his arms, but he felt warmth on his skin and wind licking his body. He opened his eyes to the same room but the walls were moving with shadows of circuit lines and fangs. He wrapped himself in the sheets and went outside to see an expensive world. It was a breathtaking sight of creatures Mikael vaguely knew of from his boyfriend's memory. That is when he heard the sound of rushing wind and look over to see black tendrils with faces emerging from a mass of aura beneath Allen's feet. The faces had empty, yellow eyes and varied in shape and size, possessing different head structures before they withdrew into the ground. He then reach into his aura and pulled out a mass that had a handle and guard that wrapped from pommel to shoulder but that appeared to be it for the moment.

"Allen?" The weapon vanished after Allen flinched. "Sorry, I'll just-"

"Well you're here anyway." Mikael turned and saw Allen had a smile. "Never doing the crystal thing again if I can help it." He pulled a loose image from his memory.

"Yeah. You looked like it was hurting you." Mikael saw that Allen was indeed fine but felt Allen was hiding it.

"Honestly... I think it was. And I had a way to minimize its effect, but you know the expression with blind rage." He caressed Mikael's cheek before kissing the incubus. The demon then felt a strong flow of love from the human as the two savored the moment and the taste. Allen pulled away and Mikael had a blush and a smile.

"I do have to wonder how in the world you are not less and more than human by now." The incubus teased, looking over Allen with a studious glance.

"Part of the reason is that Aura is the conduit of all of my abilities and can be the source of many changes. So any changes made are undone when I pass out." Mikael smirked with a naughty yet funny idea. "Yes just like Sam from Trueblood. So don't get your hopes up."

"My hopes aren't up, but~" Mikael made the hint that the sheets were his only cover and Allen just smirked before he seemed to brace himself. He brushed Mikael's chest and the incubus moaned aloud while Allen grunted, holding his. "What... the fuck?!"

"We are in our shared soul space." Mikael blanched and looked around at the literal world they were in. It was expansive and even shifting from one thing to the next. "It's just... massive. The mind changes it either actively or passively depending on the needs. And sometimes it's filled with life, sometimes empty."

Mikael looked on in disbelief. "How is any of this even possible? Is this magic?"

"Well... yes and no. It's many things actually." Allen summoned up a blue creature that had limbs ending with a point, a feline shaped body and a narrow head with bat-like wings for ears. Its eyes were simple slits colored a pale cobalt blue. "I've had time to refine my craft but part of being a monk is to accept that you remember and learn many things." He looked next to him and Mikael was nowhere until he heard a gentle cooing and saw Mikael snuggling the form. "You like it?" Mikael nodded and set him down.

"So does this make you the owner or the pet?" Mikael's curiously dirty question was answered with the both of them laughing as they came in for a hug and the incubus smirked at a firm grip on his rear. "Guess I'm the pet?" Cooed the demon.

"You are Mikael. What you want is your preference, okay?" Allen smiled and his boyfriend giggled.

Mikael pulled away and made cat paw kata. "Then I want a leash. Meow." They giggled again and went back for the hug. "I'm glad you're back."

"I'm still pissed at your sister." Stated Allen as he looked miffed though Mikael poked his cheeks, earning a chuckle.

"I know, but you also forgive her if only for my sake. Right?" Allen nodded and the incubus chuckled. "She predicted that. So what can you do here."

"Anything to be honest. I can use weapons, summon hordes of creatures, make race tracks, summon a harem - wait what?" Mikael saw Allen try to hold a laugh after his intentional slip up and the incubus just struck a goofy pose and moaned, making the monk keel over and laugh.

"Well." Allen confused before a pair of hands hug him and he saw Mikael. "You could have a harem." Another one appeared stroking his thigh. "Of me." More appeared as all of them caressed the now blushing monk as he had a nose bleed and they laughed, calming him down. "You okay."

Allen just stared up, blushing with a grumpy face. "Slutty cheater." Mikael chuckled and kissed his forehead.

"I love you too baby." The incubus cooed as Allen brought their lips in a kiss and Mikael felt Allen's tongue and tasted his lust before they broke the kiss. "Hmhm, you are a romantic, even when you're grouchy."

"I... don't hate the idea of a harem of you." Mikael blushed at the prospect. "But you are enough, babe and I love you." Allen looked to his boyfriend and the two smiled, not noticing a certain blue alicorn just gushing over these two.

"So what aura and magic have you learned?" Mikael looked around the environment and it had one of something which likely meant one of everything. "Because it looks like there is no limit."

"There isn't one. And I've been trying to figure a suitable weapon to use for any potential situation." He slumped. "Having mana is good and all, but without any semblance of gear, I'll be burning right through my stores making weapons and armor and throwing them away like candy once they're done, never mind the mana required to make them in the-." Mikael hushed him with a smile and a finger and Allen blushed at his habit. "Sorry."

Mikael looked out in thought and had an idea. "Do these plains connect to your memories?"

He looked up with interest. "To some degree, but my actual memories will be somewhere different but they'll be irrelevant and all over the place, like-"

"A web of intrigue." Allen blushed as Mikael already had that idea thanks to some recent surface thoughts. "Will I lose myself in there?"

"Not really. Memories are different from basic thoughts. Memories can fade over time while thoughts pass by and some thoughts have memories - and there I go again." Mikael chuckled as his boyfriend blush with a smile. "What are you hoping to look for?"

Mikael smiled and thought of a good and cryptic hint. "Your heart." Before Allen could ask, Mikael was already off searching for the 'heart' he mentioned while Allen just pondered what the incubus meant.

"Still, I need a full range of gear to save having to use mana to make it over and over. If Mikael can find the solution then it'll be worth it." Allen blushed as he thought of something cute yet still inappropriate. "Maybe I will reward him with clothes." He pondered on designs ranging from Victorian to modern punk. "But what will fit his taste the best?"

Mikael was going through his memories in the mean time, looking at each and getting distracted by younger memories. 'Oh my devil those cheeks are so pudgy I want to pinch them.' Getting his gushing out, he soon came across the games he played, some he cherished enough their names along contain memories. He already knew of one he needed and saw it had some minor locks. 'How do I get passed this?' After a quick thought, he figure the answer was the series staple or its core threat. "Xehanort." The lock clicked and tumbled before the lock and chains fell off and Mikael entered the memory of Kingdom Hearts. 'Allen did have a few sound theories about the series, especially the central weapon.' He went deeper in and saw the two Kingdom Keys of light and dark. 'If everyone has one, then all they need do is draw it forth.' Mikael went to touch it but was stopped by a series of chains and locks. 'And much like the real thing, a strong heart will keep it well guarded.'

Mikael was soon looking through the memories of Kingdom Hearts finding whatever helps to fight the mutilated. He looked at the weapons, the armor and the skills that Allen could recall and stamp onto the memory of the name. 'He wouldn't look too bad in these outfits, though,' he recalled the form Allen initially took, 'that might have been just a taste of darkness born from him, an extension of his fighting spirit gone berserk.' He looked at No Heart and Ansem's Heartless. 'The dark skin was the most obvious feature though the hair and eyes were likely something else. If he looses himself- no.' Mikael shook the thought away. 'He is many thinks but heartless isn't one. ....bad pun Mikael. Very bad pun. Bad boy.' The incubus chuckle to himself with a blush. 'That man has spoiled me rotten.' He cooed happily. Feeling he looked far enough, he headed back to give Allen the good news.

With Allen, he was practicing dark aura abilities to get a feel for their presence and what affects may accompany it. He noted it drew from his experience in combat from his roaring anger to melancholic grief and that such powers belonged to and slew many deities. He had used a lesser version of this in the form of shadows, using and amplifying shadows to make strong weapons of make a field of influence. Dark aura uses emotions more than physical shade or present darkness and uses darker emotions from wrath to lust to fuel their power. There is a risk to it and he hoped it wouldn't come to that.  'I have much to learn about my darkness first, what it is and if I already accepted it.' He looked to the horizon and saw Mikael as the two waved to each other. 'Zarafell was a Fallen but he wasn't evil. He was my lust and libido but that was it.'

Mikael landed and hugged his arms around Allen's neck. "So I found your ideal weapon but you might not like it." He looked curious and I was a little nervous. "Remember Kingdom Hearts?" He seemed a bit shocked and even smiled, seeming to recall his childhood as he nodded. "So you have a weapon but it's under its own lock and key. No pun intended." Mikael blushed a little while Allen tried to hold a laugh as he snickered to himself. "Any idea on how to draw it forth."

Allen thought for a bit and recalled something as he looked to Mikael. "You know the expressions referring to the heart?" Mikael nodded, knowing 'Heart on one's sleeve' and 'A strong heart for battle in hand' if that was a saying. Allen looked to the horizon Mikael came from and held out his hand, trying to undo the locks that would exist and summon the keyblade.

"Is this going to draw heartless?" Mikael joked as the two shared a laugh even laughing at the idea of it since the mutilated came first on their priorities. "Yeah if they do, you'll be here to defend them."

Allen smile, hugging his incubus close to him. "Well you certainly unlocked my heart." Allen's cheesy joke earned him a playful punch and a kiss on the cheek as he resumed trying to contact his heart, more accurately his spirit. A person's existence is divided into four parts; body, mind, spirit and soul. The first two are the physical form of a person, one accounting for actual form and the other accounting for memory or presence. The latter is the life of the vessel, granting it the will to move and live but not much else. The middle latter is a bit tricky as it is the meta of a person, not memories and will but experience and interaction. Each binds the other and is connected to them. The mind connects body and spirit but the spirit connects mind and soul so missing one creates an incomplete existence, just like the heartless and nobodies, beings detached from life.

After trying for a few minutes he soon just went inside to join Mikael back in bed so they could physically wake up. The two snuggled up and Allen put his nose to Mikael's neck. "If nothing else, my paradise - my kingdom is right here." Mikael smiled and kissed Allen's forehead.
> unStable Changes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Allen woke up feeling refreshed as he looked to the sleeping form of Mikael, who just woke up with him and looked to his boyfriend. "Morning babe." The incubus' pleasant greeting was met with a tender kiss. "You are such a thief." He teased as Allen poked his nose, electing a giggle from the demon. "Hehe, cheater." The monk left his bed and head to the kitchen to prepare breakfast as Mikael stretched on the bed still in the nude.

Allen opened the doors to let the air circulate and Mikael put on some plain panties while Allen was in loose boxers and a white apron since he was working the stove. The saucy demon saunters up to the human from behind and kisses his neck. "So...?"

The human looked back to his incubus. 'My incubus. That feels... right.' He took the demons hand and kissed it. "We're a thing. You have over six months of time with me thanks to your sister and you know my good days and my bad days. So before you ask," he set down the skillet and turned around, sweeping the sweet incubus off his feet, "yes, you are mine."

"And you are mine." He caressed his human's face. "Also, don't let the food overcook." Allen straighten them both up much to Mikael's joy as he giggled before remembering the underworld incident. "So... how are you going to handle them?"

He looked back, now determined to end this threat more than before. "Their bodies can be hurt, by anything that has no definite material form, like a magic construct or barrier." Mikael had a thought regarding the keyblades he saw in Allen's memories. "Those are magical but that might also be too risky. My thoughts are just all over the place. Creatures that could hurt them, methods to protect ourselves and I don't know which will suit me better."

Mikael looked outside in melancholy and feared the worst before a though came to mind. "Why not arm the ponies with your ways?" Allen looked to Mikael, unsure but curious. "The unicorns are magic casting powerhouses with the right training, and by asking for blessings, Earth Ponies and Pegasai can receive otherworldly protection from the mutilated."

Allen looked down, afraid of one thing. "And Celestia?" He could trust Luna and Chrysalis as they stood up for him if only for Mikael's sake by a part of Alexie. "She hates me. I don't know why and I don't care why. Her subjects-no. All of Equus, Gaia-whatever they called it, this world's inhabitants need training in some art. The ponies will be too scared of me, and while I do have ways to get to each of the lands I would have to prove myself again. Maybe even use the same methods I'll need to-" Mikael smiled before grabbing Allen's face and kissing him, shutting his rant down before the kiss broke.

"You worry too much. How about you focus on how and what you are going to teach them and then worry about teaching them?" Allen just smiled with his cheeks dusted with pink as he nodded and focused on cooking. Mikael, in the meantime, went over what Allen had trained by memory and started thinking to himself.

'He was into the works of Lovecraft at one point, but all the training in the world couldn't make him a god. He'll gain some of the powers but not the volume of magic they can handle, not without using certain tricks, and it has a limit. Those keyblades can act as perfect conduits for greater reserves, but they are a material weapon and may become infected. If he does use them they will have to be a staff at all times.' Mikael sifted through memories looking for examples of controlled attacks. 'Naraku kept his yoki personal to his tentacles. Even if the volume of energy was immense, Inuyasha could not use the backlash wave since it wasn't a projectile. So let's go over our limitation. Allen is human and can absorb mana and has a good reserve but only if he has help. He can manipulate mana mid-flight and launch it back and enchant his weapons to hold more. The mutilated can twist any and all material forms and potentially the spirit. They can also incorporate weapons into their biology seamlessly.' Mikael looked through his notes and sighed. 'Unless I can turn Allen into a god or a Cyberdemon, fighting these things is going to be challenging for him by himself. Even he knows that there is no guarantee of victory once these things touch you.'

"Breakfast." Allen's cheery call got the incubus in a good mood as he sat down in the open living room and had breakfast on a biscuit with fluffy pancakes with syrup folded in. "Good?"

Mikael got his bites in a tried not to moan as he so wanted to lift his and his monk's spirits and mess with him a little. 'Maybe... if he took up the practice of a druid or warlock, I could give him my protection with the other demons or gods. And, nature permitting, I can teach him arts that could help boost his powers, if only for a bit.' With his thoughts settling on a more engaging and committed approach, Mikael seemed to radiate warmly as some light came from him. Allen just chuckled and feigned a moan as Mikael blushed and gave him a gentle push with his tail. "Nasty boy."

"Saucy demon."

"Tasty man."

"Sexy goat."

"I'm not Toriel."

"But you can be a mommy." The back and forth banter between them had eavesdroppers blushing at less than pure thoughts as they chose not to look in before a very familiar duchess stood behind them with a menacing air and they scurried off. Allen noticed the air and sat up. "Oh... hello teach. How long have you...?"

Markus just smirked and waved it off. "It's nothing I haven't seen before, but at least Mikael's eyes have their light back." The two smiled as Mikael and Allen nuzzled each other and wrapped each other in their wings. "That is wholesome, but Allen, I'm hear to tell you something you need to hear." The two nodded and sat next to each other as Markus sat across from them. "We were able to identify the race of the new source and where they are." Allen already knew there was more, since his teacher was one to start with obvious detail and work to finer details. "The issue is mainly what this source hopes to accomplish, not knowing what he's become or not caring."

"So any method of attack aside from magic?" Allen's answer was met with a sullen expression.

"I actually tried attacking with magic. Normal magic has little effect, but divine or otherworldly magic affects them like poison." She look serious and the couple felt a pang in their souls as a dark thought crept into Allen's mind. "But the source and by extension the mutilated become unstable, so massive chunks of this creature are to be killed and cauterized." She then looked at Allen. "And that's not the only unstable thing." The monk hung his head. "Your mind is going all over itself trying to settle on what practice you wish to keep. Make up your mind or stop training." Those words hit him as he enjoyed learning and theorizing about the spiritual world, but he couldn't deny she was right.

"What is he supposed to do then?" Markus shot a glare at Mikael as the demon silenced himself, knowing her answer and her statement would not change. She then bowed to him and left and Allen sat there in thought, unable to relax as all he could do now was wait. It was ironic as he was never trying to be the hero for anyone, it just happened. He looked back at his memories, back at his lessons then back at himself. "Do you need a moment honey?" Allen just nodded sadly and Mikael put on a long shirt like a sun dress. "I'll be in town okay?" Allen smiled with a nod and the two shared a kiss before Mikael left the house. Allen flopped back and start to theorize the best tools for a practice he can stay to.

Mikael soon just made his way to Sugar Cube Corner where Luna was outside enjoying a pastry before she say the incubus. "Good afternoon fair Mikael." She gestured to her plate of sweets which were mostly cupcakes. "Pastry?" He nodded and sat down, grabbing a strawberry cake when Luna say his melancholy. "What ales you Mikael. Has Allen commited something terrible?"

He shook his head. "No. His mind is a mess." He held his hand to his heart. "And his heart is overcome with grief. He wants to be a strong person that can conquer any hardship, but he found out that such power may not be within his reach." He took a bite and looked up. "What are we to do? I can rally the changelings should you need allies and the Griffons may come to our aid, but without Allen..." He hung his head, the melancholy now getting to him.

Luna tapped her chin as she thought of something. "Has he taken his final steps as a monk?" Mikael looked up, confused at her words. "Mikael, all monks wish to seek enlightenment. If he has yet to reach it, that may be the cause of his dismay. He may still be unsure of his path."

He chuckled to himself and spoke up again. "He always thought that a monk always learns from life, that by living life to their fullest they will find enlightenment." Tears suddenly dropped from his eyes onto the sugary treat, giving Luna pause. "He's afraid of losing everything again. I'm afraid of losing him. Again. I want to help him but I'm an entertainer. Not a fighter."

"And he is a monk." She spoke out immediately, taking his hand. "But that doesn't mean he's a pacifist. He's a protector. Right?" He nodded, drying his tears. "Now, enjoy your cupcake, okay?" He nodded and was able to smile and enjoy his sweets. Other ponies heard Mikael and they were hearing that the human was scared. A few saw this as their chance to get rid of the human and approached the house. When they entered the grounds they started seeing the human as ghosts around the house, practicing all manner of magic from the well known and accepted to the dark and dangerous.

They open the door and he was sleeping as a strange aura of his mana enveloped him and the unicorns that felt it also felt ill and overwhelmed as they ran off the grounds, gasping for untainted air. The pegasi felt weak in their wings and even felt heavy before they left the house then the grounds. Only a couple of Earth Ponies stayed and saw the human looked a bit pained. "We'll have our peace back once we remove this human. And Princess Celestia may reward us for our bravery."

"Or your stupidity." The earth ponies are knocked out and carried off to the front of the house as the ponies see a sight they hoped not to. Griffons armed with strange staves. They had on treated leather for their tops to their midriff where chain mail could be seen above a taught fabric. At their waist was a plating skirt above tassels and a pair of loose leather bottoms. Their shoulders, calves and forearms were plated simply and their helmets hid most of their face. On their waists was a buckler shield and short sword as they stood ready, their weapons in a relaxed grip.

The ponies turned back as Mikael ran down the street, followed by another griffon clad in similar attire. He cam in and saw Allen was in a state with an old griffon off to the side of the living room. He was dressed in a black duster coat trimmed with yellow at the cuffs and several medals on the left side of his coat. He had an eye patch over his left eye with a scar poking out, vaguely resembling a y or x. His feathers were a gun metal grey with off white fur of a lion type body. His bottoms were simple trousers that gave ample room for movement. He looked to Mikael and stood. "Are you Alexie, or associated?"

"My name is Mikael and I am Alexie. It's..."

"Confusing." The griffon finished. "Allow me, my name is Raymond Godfreed. I am general to the forces outside and have been told the situation by Chrysalis regarding the twisted." He bowed to Mikael and the incubus paid the gesture back. "Chrysalis and the demon Markus are going about to gather the other races that can participate in the upcoming battle. We have our forces battling any twisted with special bullets, recommended by Markus, though I know not how long we can last."

"How long do we have. How long does Allen have?" Mikael asked, worried their time is short.

"My forces can hold the lines for roughly two days. Any reinforcements we get adds time, depending on the help." He breathed in relief as he was confident they would have the time. "The best help would come from the Zebra shamans and the dragons, since these creatures can still be effected by magic and natural elements."

"It makes sense. They can imbue your bullets and weapons with magic and the results would be equal to a unicorns magic bolt if done correctly." The unicorns that heard this felt threatened and one went to Twilight to have a letter sent to Celestia. "But what about ammo? Once it's used at could be worthless."

"We have the craftsmanship to make ammo from virtually anything. All we need is time to make the ammo." Said Raymond with confidence which helped relax the anxious Mikael. "By the way, is he good with a rifle?" He gestured to Allen.

"I couldn't say. He likely prefers close range anyway." Raymond nodded with a smile, liking his honest answer before noticing the aura around Allen was settling down. "Seems he's finally relaxing." Mikael settled and Raymond knelt close. "Tell me, why was he so anxious."

Mikael sulked a little and answered. "His mind is a cluttered mess. He wants power to stop any conflict on his own and I understand why he wants to do that. Not everyone can be expected to pick up a sword and fight like their life is on the line. Such feelings have to be instilled by training or early conflict." Raymond nodded, knowing that such a desire can be taxing on ones mind without aid. "But he's been through so many methods of magic and training that with this actual threat on his mind, his thoughts are warring with each other. Thoughts, emotions and ideals are clashing, putting his mind under stress. Maybe this sleep was so he could better handle it for a bit."

Raymond looked in thought about something but chalked it up to a coincidence since the two were unrelated. 'To think such a thing. This child's thoughts are asunder from fear and grief with weight now hanging on his decisions while the vile mutilated act for a different reason. Those that are touched become twisted in every sense of the word by some vile thoughts as those that speak say disturbing things, if they can speak at all.' He saw Mikael set Allen's head on his lap as the two made eye contact and the human caressed his boyfriend's cheek. 'Besides, seeing this rests my fear. His touch is caring and with concern for his significant's safety. Those beasts on the other hand have a desire fueled by carnal want. The report was weird, but if left unexplored in one's imagination then Gaia could fall to ruin.'

"Did you sleep well?" Mikael asked in concern and Allen looked afriad. "Honey?"

Allen sat up and next to his boyfriend, resting his head on Mikael's shoulder. "I did sleep well... after a bit. I was being chased in the start of my dream, like a nightmare. It was unseen and kept out of sight. I heard voices from it, things that it wanted and ever on, knowing it was a dream, used that to try and escape, but it was fast. So I tried being more agile. Then it tried binding me, so I tried being more durable. In the end it caught and I saw.... me." Mikael was enraptured by Allen's story and shocked to hear that he was chasing and being chased. "It look like a version of me really. One wrapped with anger, grief, fear, loss and solitude. Regret. It lashed out at me, saying 'you let them die' and for a while... I didn't know what he meant. The scenery was my home so I had no idea what he meant. After some time I saw him cry. It was... cathartic? He was a ruthless hunter who then broke down and became the prey. But I couldn't strike him. He was me, so if I struck myself out of anger what do I achieve."

Mikael rubbed his back, draping the monk with a wing. "So you didn't strike yourself?" Allen shook his head, feeling it would have been wrong. "That's good. Hurting yourself does not bring a solution or solve you problems. It makes problems and causes more pain, to yourself and others."

"Instead of striking him," resumed Allen, "I embraced him. I feel overwhelmed by everything. What's happening now, what could happen, my fears and grief, knowing one wrong move could be mine or someone else's last. And he... he shook for a bit but he hugged back, as I had come to accept him, knowing he was me. After some time he appeared to shrink down and I hear a child call out. I turn around and it was my younger days, timidly coming from the hallway of a now familiar house. The two approached and embraced each other,crying in their arms. So, acting akin to a parent, I pick them up and they rest in my arms as I sit to the couch."

"That is when you started to relax." Mikael stated as dreams had varied time points with each cycle but the reaction matches up.

Allen nodded, resuming his story. "So we sat there, on a couch that changed with the houses we remember, recounting our good days and our bad days. Our best and worst. Our enjoyed highs and hated lows. There was a constant that we noticed. We attached ourselves to something as we grew up, for one reason or another and some were positive and stayed with us. Others were negative and discarded once we were over it. And that was it." The final statement sounded like a realization that drew their attention.

"What was it?" Asked Raymond as he was curious of the human's outcome of the dream.

"I got over it. Or over myself, rather." He then looked to Mikael. "I had been trying to attain a god's power, thinking if I became a god, then I could protect everyone that needed it. But no one can be come a god. That's why we still have our animal's urges. Humans are creatures of a living world, lesser beings who can never become god even if they say that god is in them. The universe is for all life but the center is reserved for those born as gods for they are gods and all other beings are bared from this realm. No matter the power we gain, the knowledge we learn or the faith we hold, we of the living even if we become demon or angel will never be a god. To be a god you must be born one."

Mikael and Raymond were stunned and it held for a few seconds before slow clapping startled them. At the door was Markus with Clevetius and something her height covered in thick rags and she looked very proud. "My student has reached enlightenment." She took the sword Clevetius and set it at the door of his room before joining them in the middle of the living room. "Do you know how many people in religion seek to be enlightened?" He simply nodded, knowing that every single person who seeks enlightenment does so to be blessed by or closer to god. "And what is the simpler version of your revelation?"

"There are many gods and the only reason they give us power is because they are curious about how we will use it. Spiritually, they are the center of the universe and we are barred from it." He then looked to Mikael and offered his hand with a smile. "But we can walk the universe with someone else, be they a friend, an ally or one's love." Mikael blushed with tear drops in his eyes as he took Allen's hand. "So let the gods keep their powers. I'll find something to end this threat without risking my soul."

"Admirable. Can you do it without risking my subjects?" They hear a voice and wings before looking outside to see Celestia make a landing and strutting to them to intimidate the monk. "Why must you be a problem." Markus glared at the alicorn but made no move toward her weapon. "My student sent me a letter explaining that you were aligning yourself with the griffons and helping them make weapons for them."

Raymond clicked his tongue, visibly offended. "Then you be a bit short on your glasses because the facts are the other way around Celestia." The princess looked appalled toward his attitude. "We aligned with Allen for a dept that he is owed for helping us in the past."

"A likely story." Celestia's opinion was cut short with Luna and Chrysalis making a land, the latter going to Raymond with Luna staying close to Celestia. "Sister? What is this about?"

"Just a progress report to Raymond. We were able to enlist the aid of the Zebras, but the dragons are being a bit difficult." Luna waved off her sister with a truthful response, not having any time for an argument. She spotted the covered item and called to Markus. "Fair duchess?" The demon looked to the night princess and bowed, Luna exchanging the greetings with her own. "Pray tell, what is in the wrappings?"

Markus smiled before she presented it to Allen. The human took it in his hands and unwrapped it before his eyes widened in joyful shock. In his hands was a staff modeled after the exorcism staves used in Hinduism, the basis for Druidism as both are centered around nature and spiritualism. It consisted of a dark wood staff that held a stubbed pommel that ended in a spike. Going up the staff, the wood appeared to spiral with thickening vines leading the popular and recognized chakram ring as the head. It had five rings on either side of a vajra that clung to the wood and speared past the ring, hold both firmly to each other and in place. The center of the vajra held a blue jewel the was translucent and foggy. Metal wire was wrapped around the base of the vajra and joined to the wood as it held small steel rings to the staff. "This is... I-I love it."

Markus smiled, expecting this reaction. "The pommel, vajra and rings were all made from a titanium and gold blend, so it's suitable for combat on top of exorcism."

Celestia started to tap her hoof and Markus brought Allen's attention to it. Figuring she wanted to be kept in the loop, he stood with his staff at his side. "Hinduism, and by extension Druidism, focus on the belief of the practitioner calling upon the collective powers of Heaven and Earth for their spells and ceremonies. The chakram at the top gathers the power of heaven while the pommel in the ground collects the energy of the earth and the staff joins the two in the middle to the user to imbue the user with magic power for their spells. And to pull an Axel since you seem to still hold a grudge, got it memorized?" He stated his practice factually before asking the princess annoyed if his answer satisfied her. The ponies looked shocked while Celestia started to flare up. Mikael sat up before Allen held his staff up, holding him back.

Celestia then started to charge her magic. "You need to remember you are a citizen of Equestria and therefor a subject of the crown."

Several things then happened at once. As Celestia reared back a bit to gather magic around her, Allen was already doing the same from three sources, the magic in Gaia, the magic from heaven and the ambient magic in the air as he brought it to his hand hold the staff as the three met for a simple but powerful force spell. Celestia brought horn horn down, aiming and firing her magic before Allen yelled a powerful command. "Be gone!" The collected magic gathered in front of the hand holding the staff and fired outward in a straight line, overpowering and dispersing the magic bold and knocking Celestia off his grounds before he followed her out to the street. Every pony though he was going to hurt of kill her but he just stood there, judgmental. "You don't like me because of the stories you made, heard or misunderstood. I'm a threat and you're the savior. Fine. You can banish me now if you wish, kill me where I stand or imprison me. It won't stop the mutilated or help your problems with them." He spoke like a teacher, berating a legitimately misconducting student. "So put me through me hell, ruin my name among your ponies, but don't you even attempt to tell others who they can and can't help. Friend help each other when they feel threatened over overwhelmed and you certainly are no friend of mine. So you can sit out participating in my campaign if you want, but don't tell others they can't just because your scared." The other ponies gasped audibly as Luna just smirked at his bravery.

"Don't you care at all what I could do to you?" Asked she as Celestia was at her wits end standing up.

"No. Because I have friends who are willing to help me, you, your subject and this world. All you're concerned about is keeping a peace that doesn't exist anymore. So I'll put this bluntly. Get on board or stay out of our way." Celestia was just stunned by his brazen attitude, not caring what would happen and when he looked to the individuals in his house, even her own sister took sides with the human, stepping in front of his house protectively. "So take your longevity flank and fly it back to your cushy castle. I have preperations to make." Her nostrils flared as she tried to keep a cool face and teleported instead to avoid making a fool of herself before proceeding to down a cake.

He walked back in and Raymond clapped before speaking up. "So what's the first order of business?"

He then looked to Luna, Chrysalis and Markus. "Are the Zebra on board?" They nodded simply and he thought carefully before looking to Mikael, who looked startled. "I have to be one the front lines with them. You let me be your knight and I'll guard you with my soul." His aura flashed and Mikael felt relaxed before thinking.

"Have two-thirds of the Zebra meet with the griffons on field to enchant their weapons. They'll need those new rounds asap." He directed to Luna, who nodded and flew out. "The dragons will be top priority since Allen has already dealt with them. Gaining their help is a must. After that we'll head to the minotaur for heavy weapons to push the mutilated back." Raymond smiled and nudged Allen, who smiled proudly with a blush. "Once the dragons are dealt with, whether they join or not, we'll head for the secluded village of the Kirin."

Allen's attention was piqued at the word. "Deities?"

Mikael chuckled, knowing his boyfriend's interest. "Not really. Half pony, half dragon. All fluff and fire." He then had to think a bit before he blushed. "I need a map." Raymond and Chrysalis both provided one and the two nearly started fighting before he took them both. "One will be used to track the spread of the mutilated. The other will be used to mark the other races where ever they are. We need the help. So are we clear?" The others nodded and Mikael after. "Then it's settled, we head for the dragons." Everyone save for Mikael and Allen left the house and the incubus rubbed the monk's cheek. "Are you sure your okay?"

He shook his head. "I'm okay but I am afraid. These changes that I've been going through, the mentality shifts? I'm afraid that it's not my body becoming unstable, but my mind." He cupped his left temple as Mikael gently took it. "We don't have to leave for the dragons right this minute, do we?" Mikael shook his head, pecking Allen's lips as he brought the monk into a hug. "Because right now I need my snuggle goat." Mikael just chuckled as they lay on the firm flooring and Allen set the staff to the side before cuddling up to his soft boy and passed out.

Mikael gently pet Allen's hair, letting him relax so he can calm himself with some better sleep.
> The Path to Inferno
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After some well deserved rest and a cup of tea to soothe his mind, Allen was making his way to the dragon lands on foot with Markus and Dante bringing up the rear with Chrysalis next to him. "Are you sure you're rested?" Markus questioned her student in concern, thinking he was under powered as opposed to last time, but the blade responded differently, answering her question as Allen's mind was wandering. "Lost?"

"Maybe." He look to Chrysalis and she nodded, buzzing her wings and gaining some height before stopping and coming back down. "Are we on track?"

She nodded, feeling proud of Mikael for land such a capable mate. "Seems your memory was not as worn as you first thought." He continued on his way and the three exchanged a look before chuckling as he saw the dragon lands. Hot, sweltering rock baked in the sun as the heat was unbearable. "Hope you don't mind being in your skivvies?" Teased the queen as Allen left his clothes on to protect himself from the sun as best he can, leaving his footwear behind so the soles didn't melt. His feet felt hot for the first time in a while before his mind and aura adjusted for the heat. The pain to his skin wasn't nearly as bad as it felt compared to cool flooring back home.

They walked into the dragon's domain and several smaller drakes landed in front of them. One a red dragon with a large snout that strut up to them and got in Allen's face. "Aren't you a long way from home little pony?"

Allen looked this drake in the eyes and they felt something strange from him. "I don't know. Do I look like I belong anywhere?" His tone and question unnerved the others while the red one got more brazen and started to inhale before Allen breathed fire that was full strength and done properly. "Breath of the dragon, form one, Roar." The red drake coughed as he seemed to have lost his breath for a second. "Now if you're quite done trying to impress the females of your kind, I need to speak with your reigning king." The other dragons looked a bit shocked. "You got a problem with that?" His demanding tone had struck with the others but the red drake became infuriated.

Smoke rolled from his nostrils as they flared with anger. "Nobody makes a fool of Garble." He swiped a claw and Allen moved his staff to meet the claw with his blade as it was covered in a fire aura. The drake tried a tail whip but it was met with the monks own tail as his aura took shape. "What?!" Garbles surprise was met with a claw lit aflame to his face as he screamed in pain. "You pathetic..."

Allen's aura settled and he returned his staff to his side. "Now if you're manly image has been preserved or destroyed, I have no more time with you. Now where is your king." As if fate had agreed with the monk's resolve, a large dragon landed next to the whole group and stood proud with a scepter in its hands. "I take it you're the king." He stated more than asked as it was an obvious tell.

"I am Torch, current Dragon Lord and ruler of the Dragon Lands." He then leaned down intensely. "And you are trespassing." His lowered voice gave his words extra boom and base up close but Allen did not flinch as he simply stood there, unfazed.

"Trespassing won't mean a thing to the threat knocking on everyone's borders." The drakes start laughing as the lord chuckles, before the human stomps the pommel into the ground, rocking the earth and forcing out air. "If you think this is funny then welcome to Comedy Central. Otherwise, shut the fuck up." The young drakes took offense to Allen's words while Torch took interest in his bravery. "Now that I have your attention, if I have to prove myself to receive your help then tell me how so I can get this over with."

Torch grinned and stood proud. "There are a few tests to prove yourself to me, but if your pressed for time, you have three options that I can think off the top of my horn." Allen's expression did not change as he was preparing a method to match to Dragon lord of the region. "The first is a bit ridiculous, but fun. You have a pick of three games played by younger dragons: Belching Fire, King of the Hoard and Lava Dive since you don't have a tail to wrestle with." The Changeling queen looked a bit terrified at the first option and felt it was the most tame which irked her a bit as the other two were likely worse. "Single combat with me until one of is down for a few counts or knocked out." The drakes cheered as the opposing part was unnerved at that option seeing as Torch is massive. "And finally a test designed to test other drakes, made by me."

Allen tapped the pommel to the ground as his aura coated over the staff and himself. "I don't have time for your tests, and we're running short on time available, so forgive me Lord Torch if I offend you after taking your second option." Torch smiled and his smile turned into a grin as he saw something new. His pommel seemed to burn with a dark red fire as he chanted and the other dragons would interrupt him if Torch didn't stop them himself. The ring at the top gathered fire from the sky and gained wings of flame. Allen then held out his hand, gathering ambient flame from the area as it traveled to the center of his body with the other two flames. "Because I do not have the time or the patience for your horde, your strength or your pride." The flames met in the center and a brilliant radiance of heat was witness as he was covered in a flaming veil the resembled a dragon. He took the aura from the staff and left it planted in the ground before the veil grew in size to match the dragon lord as they fought.

Garble then went to the other three before Dante met with the drake, a roaring fire barely contained by a cooled exterior. "You got something to say lizard boy or are you just but hurt that you got owned by what you think is a pony." Garble tried another flame breath before his maw was clamped shut and it spewed out his nose. "Cool, but gross." He let go and Garble started to complain about his nostrils before the rage demon turned back to see Allen's fight and win as the monk had Torch pinned with both he and his veil looking quite angered.

"Submit!" Commanded the monk and Torch refused before feeling his wings get pulled. "I will rip your wings and ground you for the rest of your life, now submit!" He roared wrathfully and Torch voiced his concede before Allen let him go and the fiery veil shrank before vanishing and Allen walked back, collecting his staff and turning to Torch. "Assemble the other Dragon Lords and matured dragons for an assembly. Garble was furious before Allen turned and roar. "I do not have time for your dick measuring contest you Salamander Spirit wanna-be Fire Gauntlet drop out, so sit there and stew in your toxic masculinity or fuck right the hell off!" Markus was proud of Allen for asserting himself when needed and Dante was proud of and for him for raising his voice when it was needed and laying on and appropriate yet still savage burn which made Garble think on the monks words.

Further impressed by his resolved the larger dragon stood. "You impress me yet again young creature." He congratulated the monk. "Very well, I shall summon and ask the other lords to summon the mature dragons of their areas for a council regarding your request."

"Where will it take place?" Queen Chrysalis chimed wanting to accompany him just in case things got nasty quick.

"It shall take place at Molten Peak, the largest volcano in the realm." Allen the bow humbly and walked further into the lands.

Turning to Chrysalis, she already knew to lead the way and wait for a teleport if it would help cover the distance without tiring her out. Within an hour, they made it to a volcano that was putting off enough heat to see the wave of intense heat. "Are you sure about this?" She asked with obvious concern.

He looked to her and could the dragons out the corner of his eye. "Do you think I have a choice? I have to meet them somewhere they can all agree to congregate so my options are limited." The dragons started to make way to the mountain of molten rock and he covered himself in the dragon veil to fly over, not sure if he could endure the heat. As he got closer, he used he magic to cycle the heat over his body, preventing any burning but if the conference took to long he could die from the heat. Once inside, the dragon lords started to take a perch while the other dragons waited outside, likely for any acoustics that will help transfer their voice to the outside. Soon they looked his way and Allen stepped forth. He took a breath to speak loud with pride. "Dragon lords of Gaia, you were summoned because of a threat that has emerged from times of old. That threat has been morphed into a presence that endangers your lives and lively hood. That threat is know as The Twisted." Two dragon lords out of the others looked shocked while the others looked confused but the elders spoke.

"The Twisted? Surely you are being a jester. They have not been seen for thousands of years." The older of the elder dragons spoke. He seemed familiar to the monk as the scales seemed closer to a tan from the light of the fire but Allen could almost swear they've met. "Who are you to say they have returned?" The elder asked sternly, smoke beginning to roll from his nostrils.

Allen looked up to the elder lord and the dragon could almost remember those eyes. "I am Allen Augus." The other dragons were in an up roar, calling alias' like 'Flame Splitter', 'Iron Monger', 'Scale Master' but Allen had his limit. "Silence!" His voice made the cave echo and rumble from the force of his command. "We do not have time for this! The Mutilated are worse than the twisted because they have a more violent and destructive source." The dragons were quiet now as they listened to him, knowing he had something else to say. "So I will simplify my request so there is no false dilemma. If you are not ready to be at any point during the war then stay out. Otherwise, I need aid in this fight, however you can provide it. Magic and elemental attacks are the only things we know of that have a hope of harming the mutilated and any new methods would be greatly accepted. Physical weapons can be corrupted and if they touch you, you will become part of them." The dragons heard him, not pausing him for a question. "To any dragons that wish to help, follow the demons Makus and Dante outside if you wish to join the forefront of battle. Those who wish to play support, follow the Changeling Queen to the supply and medical tents set up. That is all I wish to say and ask."

He left the central chamber and made it outside, feeling a cold snap from the temperature change as he met back up with the others. "You give a good speech." He smiled at his teacher's compliment as the dragons started hovering above the volcano. "We'll fulfill our end of the task and help bring more to the fight. You just focus on getting ready." Allen nodded and the dragons followed the trio in battle as he wished good fortune upon them.

He collected his foot wear on the way back into the forest and was met by a dragon that had matured their wings, blue scales and amber eyes. "You really let them know they could die yet you're asking the young ones to stay out of this." She seemed offensive about the situation she was likely put in. "There had better be a good reason."

Allen then got in her face and their eyes were close to see each other. "Because you should know as well as I do that unless they know what's in store, the younger drakes would be assimilated from their ego of being the strongest race." He then backed away, his stern words proving a point to the wisdom and fear he held. "And the road to inferno is often paved with good intentions." The dragon looked struck but confused. "I'm not expecting everyone to survive, I'm expecting us to win, by any means available to us." She smiled and nodded, thinking he had placed fair pride in bringing others together. "And if your lord doesn't make it back, you take his place." He pointed the staff to her as he said that.

"Why me?!" Asked she in shock.

"Because the dragons need someone assertive and thoughtful to rule them, not a raging vengeance driven moron like red rash back there." The dragoness laughed, silently agreeing with him as he walked off to return home and plan his next move. He thought about his new life the whole while, thinking that after this there would be little left to do. He has the energy and the means to advance but what will be left to advance to after the mutilated have been silence. 'How would I even silence them in the first place?' He thought about how the twisted had been silent for a few thousand years and then they return with strange and horrifying abilities. And the new source was worse than the last one because the pony only wanted to destroy so the twisted were resilient. These ones were defiling and mutilating everything they touched, making them dangerous and hard to kill at the moment.

He soon returned to his home and went inside, ignoring the ponies in the street as he set his staff in the living room as Mikael hugged him. "Where to next and when?" The red head asked as he gently kissed his monk.

"Well it's either the minotaur or the kirin next. One can use magic, the other can handle heavy artillery." Answered Allen as he thought. "Taking the role of leader for a second, you can handle the Kirin since the minotaur can be a bit toxic with their image of strength if the stereotypes are to be believed."

"Do you believe them?" Mikael teased as the two hugged and sat down. "I love you, hunky monkey."

"I love you too, sexy Lexy." Mikael just chuckled trying to hold a laugh at the compliment. "What? That was the best I had."

"I know. I know." Mikael said, patting Allen's chest. "Oh god, I'm sorry dear but that was just funny." Allen then played a tsundere for a second. "Ah, honey don't pout." Allen humphed and Mikael started to wiggle his fingers on Allen's belly and the monk fell to pieces laughing as he tried to stop Mikael but demon used his tail too, lick it to Allen's neck as he begged Mikael to stop. He did and Allen went right for Mikael's neck before immediately stopping as he had his fill of fun and rubbed Mikael's wings. "Giving a massage?" Allen simply nodded and the demon lay on his belly as Allen firmly rubbed Mikael's wings and back, treating them gently to ease the muscles.

Before long, the incubus had passed out and Allen joined him by slipping under his wing. 'I know they don't see you as a good person, but I know better after the time we've spent together.' He kissed Mikael's cheek and got comfortable. "Sweet dreams, my Incubae."
> Making Preparations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two days had passed for Allen to make preparations for the final battle and he was meditating on the battle at hand. Given the nature of his actual opponent, the mutalist mass, he would need an absorption ability that exceeded the twisting flesh. He can absorb the energy, but that comes with the risk of an excessive volume and trying to absorb the flesh itself was bad. He had Markus take him to the closest spot where the flesh was now finally being pushed back, thanks to the other races providing help. He taught the others how to use aura similar to a unicorn and successful bolstered their fighting strength as a result. Thanks to this, he got a sample of the flesh and was now staring at it intently. His mind was thinking about how to best use this mass against itself and by extension the source. He heard a soft knock and turned to Mikael. "Still finding a solution?" He simply nodded, leaving the mass suspended above his staff, which kept it dormant and sealed. "What solutions do you have now?"

"More theories. If I can turn the flesh against itself and the source be extension, then the threat should be permanently neutralized. The problem is the methods." Mikael looked at his boyfriend, curious about these methods. "The first of course is genetic alteration, but after a closer look, this thing is unstable as can be so it was off the table. Magic alteration lasts for a few seconds and after a test with larger mass, that was off the table as well. Next was a counter measure using it as the base but Markus gave that a flat no." With each situation explained, Mikael's outlook on the future seemed to grow bleaker as he and Allen were running short on ideas. "There's only one more method, though none of me may survive."

Mikael looked at him terrified and appalled at those words, knowing what he meant. "No! I won't allow that and you know it." Mikael stated flatly as his magic and wings flared.

"What other choice do I have? If it would kill me and that be it I'd be okay with it. Then I could be with you after the war." He tried to reason.

"Or I would have to kill you!" Mikael countered as he smacked a magic spell out the air. "And you stay out of this. We are having this debate!" He pointed to Cadence, who came in hearing them argue and wanted to quell the tension as he looked back to Allen. "Please. If absolutely no other option exists then... I'll concede but please don't do this to me. Not like this." Tears welled up in his eyes as he buried his face in Allen's chest to hide them as he hugged his monk. "I don't want to lose you. Not again. Please not again."

Allen felt his heart ache as he hugged Mikael, thinking he might have overlooked something. "I'll... I'll look for more options." He hugged him closer, the two feeling their souls resonate with each other like a heart beat. "I'll see if there are other things I can use. I won't promise anything. But I won't leave you in tears."

Mikael looked up, his tears staining his face as the monk wiped the tears away, kissing the incubus' cheek and planting another on his lips as the two lost themselves. Cadence in the mean time felt outdone as the love coming from them felt cleaner than before. Mikael noticed her staring and broke the kiss to address her. "See what happens when you leave things to iron themselves out miss 'Love everyone equally'? This is love. And if you ever try to touch my boyfriend like that ever again, I'll tie you to the bed." Cadence had thankfully landed as her wings stood on end and pulsed like an erection.

Allen feeling a bit immature and wanting to break the tension laughed at the stupidity of his laugh. "Wing boner." Cadence blushed brightly as she tried to sooth her wings while Mikael rubbed a finger and Allen's spine, making the human shiver with his own boner. "Now who's the cheater?" He teased sensually as they shared another kiss with passion. Taking a seat and offering one to Cadence, Mikael sat in Allen's lap as the human was in thought about how to best deal with the mutilated. Given their physiological instability, it's a baffling brain teaser as he was thinking about the best ways to counter mass that can warp your body and absorb anything with seemingly no end. "Maybe the answer is to counter it with a similar mass...?"

Mikael and Cadence looked at Allen confused and curious. "What do you mean?"

"Well the last source I faced made zombies more than anything, so the infection was spread by some form of contact." The two understood his reason for recalling the past but Mikael had an idea where this was going. "And under all of that, the source was mostly unchanged." He continued as he put his theory together. "Perhaps if we could recreate the physical aspect of this mass, we can expose and kill the new source, effectively ending the threat. Maybe. The theory is still work in progress."

Cadence flinched at the idea of killing. "Why do we have to kill them? Isn't there another way?"

Allen looked at the pink alicorn, annoyed more than angered. "No one seeks power like this for no reason. They want power for a reason. Mine was to protect my interests once upon a time. Before that it was to look and be cool. Now, I don't want it." Cadence raised an eyebrow at his reason, confused. "Whoever turned themselves into the source of this thing, did so willingly. Sparing someone like that is inviting trouble, especially if they put on a mask to hide their motives."

"But we should be kind to everyone." Cadence reasoned as best she could.

"Random acts of kindness are what it says on the tin but you should not be kind to everyone." He began his counter. "Everyone is different, therefor treating them the exact same is wrong. Some people can socialize just fine but want to do their own thing. Others speak out because they wish to speak for themselves." He continued, building his point further. "If someone gives me a reason to be kind to them then I will pay up. But something like this is not paid with second chances, but death."

"Why must you be this violent?" The love princess pressed, trying to debunk his reasoning and feeling a bit offended.

"Because from the look and feel of the mutilated, this was willful. So the new source put their land, their country, their neighbors, their fellow citizens and the entire planet at risk. Why should I show mercy to something that shows none to the point of apathy?" His strong reason, ended with a question, to which the princess answer.

"Because it's the right thing to do." Mikael felt a little bad for Cadence but this level of kindness came more from ignorance he figured.

"The right thing for the wrong reason." Mikael paid attention to that that statement. "Forgiving someone is the right this to do because it sounds right. It is not the right reason however, since I'm forgiving the death and horror brought by this person and it is too extreme to forgive in the first place, is it not?" Cadence started to stammer, tripping over her words as she tried to guard her belief before hanging her head, soundly defeated. "If they and another nation got in a squabble over land, my reason to intervene would be to negotiate a compromise. There is, unfortunately, no compromise here. We strike or we die. That is our only real, simple options. Understand?" Cadence nodded before walking out and flying away.

As they saw her fly, a familiar blue alicorn entered. "I do wish you could soften the blow but that is part of wishful thinking." Luna said gently.

"I don't blame her for her ignorance. When you're taught good intention and nothing more, then that's all you have." Luna nodded, knowing he was preparing himself for the worst to come beyond the peace of his home.

"Do you have any plans to fight the mutalist?" She asked, hoping for a solid answer.

"Nothing right now. My only option is to learn how to tap into and use whatever aura this thing puts off at the moment, though I want something safer, if only for Mikael's sake." The two snuggled up as Luna could sense the calm between them as they enjoyed their moments together.

"How about I make an arrangement with you both." The two turn her attention to her. "If you both are still alive and well in any form, I will work with Markus to have a celebration for you, perhaps a wedding if you wish." The two blushed before trying to bashfully hide each others' face. "But to do that we need to see the end of this threat." She then turned to the door and walked to the entrance. "I'll commune with the other leaders to help you find a solution. You just focus on getting ready for the final confrontation to this war." Allen nodded and Luna left with more pump in her wings.

The two rested in the chair, cuddling up and holding each others' hands, hopeful for the future again. "Honey?" Mikael got Allen's attention as they shared a kiss. "Do you think you can return to your roots and beat this creature?" Allen looked in thought, confused with his words. "Recalling Alexie's memory, you grew a body from what remained of your skeleton. Can you grow more on top of that, like armor?" Allen didn't even consider that. He likely could use the same method to adjust his frame continuously. "Give it a try later. For right now, I just want this." He nuzzled his monk and Allen nuzzled back as they heard a squee and looked to see Chrysalis. "Hello. 'Mom'." The incubus teased with a chuckle as the queen felt her heart flutter. "So what brings you here? Visiting?"

She nodded and remembered something before presenting a bag from her back and taking out a maroon dress. It was a simple a plain sundress with a flower pattern and frills close to the bottom, dyed a forest green. "I wanted to make something for you and after hearing about a wedding dress, I might make one for your special day." The couple just smiled and Mikael excused himself to the bedroom as Chrysalis addressed Allen. "We found out who the source is. We had leads on which race it could've been but after seeing this latest, we're now sure." She get a scroll from her bag and Allen undoes the seal, reading it as she explains. "The Caribou are a snow and tundra people, living in homes and regions made of ice. It was risky, but a few griffons went in to confirm the area and saw the village was afflicted in a...horrible manner."

"Spare those details then. Who's the source." Allen asked, reading ahead for important details.

"He's the king of the region, Teros. From what we learned, he sought out the twisted mass willingly. The team of griffons reported him looking mostly unchanged and smiling." Allen was right to chew out the philosophy going around Equestria. This is someone looking for power because of something trivial and from the report it had something to due with him being ill equipped genetically. And being next in line to rule, he felt he needed to succeed every male in the country.

Allen rolled up the scrolled and passed it to Chrysalis. "I have the info I need on this trash head. All that's left is a plan to take him out." Chrysalis lit the scroll aflame above a trash can and the ashes fell into the bin as it burned. "I first need a method to eradicate the twisted flesh, then we can devise a strategy to handle it and eliminate Teros."

"How are you going to find a method to deal with the flesh without a lab or school?" Asked a concerned Chrysalis as her wings buzzed.

"By meditating on the issue." He brought the mass from the staff, still in containment. "Chuck this as hard as you can." She grabbed it in her magic and threw it as far as she could, thankfully reaching the mass up north with a delayed teleportation. She then turned to the bedroom door as it was opening and Allen looked with her to see Mikael in his new dress. He twirled in the dress to show it and his panties off. Allen smiled and got up to hug the incubus. "It looks cute on you. Then again, everything looks cute on you."

Mikael chuckled and booped the monk. "Flatterer." The two giggled and shared a kiss as Chrysalis left them to be in private. "Do you want to take this to the bedroom?" Mikael was answered with a tender kiss, which startled him some as he felt so much love and aura flood into him before Allen pulled away. "A-Allen?" The monk's hands roam the incubus' body, eliciting a moan from him as Allen's hands lifted the skirt, rubbing his firm, supple bottom. "Allen." Mikael moaned before he was picked up and taken to the bedroom.


===Adult Content Warning===


Allen set Mikael on the bed and stripped him out of the new dress slowly, exposing his smooth body to the room. "Allen... love me." Mikael's request was met as his monk set a kiss on one nipple and teased the other with a finger, rubbing his knee inside the demon's thigh. "Ah. Yes. Please..." Allen began to gently suckle on his boyfriend's breast. "Ah. No. Don't suck on them, please." His plee was ignored as Allen suckled more and swapped nipples, making Mikael moan more soundly. "Oh fuck. Oh gods." Allen stopped and slipped out of his clothes as he licked Mikael's now hard member. "Ah. Daddy, please. Stop teasing me. Fuck me." After getting his bottoms off at least, Allen lined his erection up to Mikael's waiting and winking anus. "Please, don't keep me waiting any longer." Allen kissed him tenderly and pushed into Mikael and the incubus moaned into Allen's mouth as his erection tensed and his ass twitched and vibrated from the pleasant entry. "Daddy, make love to me. Please."

Allen caressed his boyfriend's face. "I'll make love to you, and give you everything I am right now before I leave." The incubus smiled with a glimmer in his eyes and Allen grabbed one side of Mikael's hips and started to thrust into him, using the hips as leverage. "I'll make you happy tonight."

Mikael just smiled and kissed Allen's neck. "I'm always happy. When I see you in the morning, coming home or relaxing. I know you'll fight to come home. To come back to me." Allen kissed him again and softly stroked his member. "Ah, yes. Allen." He looked to the monk lovingly. "I love you, so much."

Allen returned his affection with a kiss on the lips. "I love you too, Mikael." He then started grinding his cock inside Mikael's ass, the two having fun and making love in a calm and steady time of day. Mikael ground his hips against Allen as the two felt themselves connecting and their souls rubbed, making them both moan. "Baby?"

"I'm close. I'm close. Don't stop." Mikael moaned, trying to hold a scream as Allen started to piston in him firmly, their hips clapping together as they began to smell from the effort. "So spicy. And sweet. Fuck. Yes!" Allen move Mikael's legs to get closer as the two approached climax and kissed him, the two moaning into each other's mouths as they both cam from the pleasure points that were being stimulated and broke the kiss as they calmed down a bit. "Round... two?" Mikael panted as Allen answered by just pumping his still erect meat, getting a sharp moan from his boyfriend.


===Adult Content Ends Here===


After roughly five rounds of romping and more than seven climaxes from Mikael, the incubus slept with his head rested comfortably in Allen's lap before the monk got comfortable and started to meditate. As he landed on the familiar ground in front of the same church, he entered and found a totem of his past, the helm of the spiritual fusion of his past, Cain. 'I was a misguided fool back then, thinking I could walk the realm of god. Now I've learned.' He put on the helmet and commanded his body to undergo the same training as before, how it all began. 'I can never be a god. I can only grow to help protect those who stand beside me.' His skin was covered with forming tattoos in a flame pattern. They seared together and turned his entire skin to a silent black as the helm seem to glow before loosing it's shine and resembling stone as runes appeared on it, as if they were being written. 'If I can't be a god, I'll be a Titan.' His skin soon turned from total black to a sand blonde as his body was covered in armor that grew directly from him.

His chest, shoulders and back were covered in armor and his waist formed smaller plates and a webbed membrane for a skirt, closely resembling a coat. His arms were braced with minimal plating and his legs were covered to the thighs. The helm in the back opened up as his ebony hair spilled out before the tips turned red in a gradient halfway up, as if soaked in blood. 'This is not the culmination of what I am. I sought answers for the future, by looking to the past. How ironic and simple. This form, while inhuman, can handle the overflow of aura better than my unchanged form. I have my answer to the problem.' His entire body, now including the helm, shrank down and collapsed on itself as it withdrew into his body. 'And now I only need to teach it to the other mages of our group. Even if they can't use the same power as me, the method can be applied to the weapons.'

His body changed back to normal in his mind, Allen began to meditate even further, and channel his aura. Being perfectly still as the shadows in the church made more of him and they joined the meditation. Their aura turned to a chaotic swirl of color before, in a flash of light, he opened his eyes, just in time to see Mikael open his. "Hey sweetie." The demon cooed as he caressed the monk's cheek. Allen placed his hand over Mikael's and nuzzled into it.

"Good afternoon sugar." Mikeal leaned up and Allen met him halfway, their lips meeting for a peck. "Where should we go before I have to head out?"

"If I'm being honest, anywhere we can have fun in any way we can." Answer Mikael as Allen stripped his top and picked him up before hollow stalks emerge from his back and he flies off with his incubus in his arms.
> A Night on Mane
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the sun set over the horizon and the lights came on in town, Manehattan went from gorgeous concrete city to beautiful light show central. Landing just on the outer moast road, Allen's shirtless body was immediately attracting attention and he used his physical abilities in a controlled state to cover it but the damage was done. "We better get you some manner of top." Mikael suggested as he held his nose to not let it bleed. Allen just smirked at him and the incubus took his hand and led him from the crowd. "So what top do you want?"

"For my abilities, best to get a cloak for range of motion and room for my alterations. Not sense ripping up a dozen shirts." He joked at the end which got Mikael a hot fantasy before the pony disguised incubus felt a firm hand on his flank. "Later, sexy Lexi." Mikael held a laugh but he still had a blush as they entered a small, well planned shop. The two looked around for long pre-made cloaks with a nice fabric pattern. They found cloaks that were one piece or clipped to the side but none of the patterns fit and the black fabric spoke to him more but the size was an issue.

Feel frustrated with Allen, and hiding it well, Mikael looked around but both were started by "Hello." a cream white mare sneaking up on them. "Can I help you two?"

Mikael caught his breath and spoke. "We're looking for a cloak for my boyfriend here since his body can... expand is the best word I can think of to not freak you out." The pony looked to Allen and saw exactly what he meant and nooded.

"The only measurements I'll need is his neck and shoulder. The cloak length can be negotiated." The two nodded and when the covering withdrew, the mare looked a bit entranced. She quickly took and noted the measurements and the margin of error allowed. "How soon do you need one?"

"I'll pay for a plain white cloak to have myself covered now and pay in advance for one with a black flame pattern over a tiger orange base." The mare smirked at Mikael and gave him a thumbs up, confusing them both as she went into the back and came back with a simple white cloak and hood that clipped over the right collar with silver buttons. Once the price was negotiated and cloaks paid for, the couple walked up and Allen drew up his hood which covered his head to the face and came to a tapper point in front. "Much better."

"Does this mean you're only getting long cloaks from now on?" Mikael pouted as he looked a bit offended before Allen took hold of Mikael by the waist and pulled him close.

"I'll get full, heavy cloaks for winter, hip long cloaks for spring and fall and short, light cloaks for summer," He leaned into Mikael's ear and whispered, "and home." Mikael's wings stood on end with his tail swishing excitedly as he looked excited. "For now, lets enjoy the city. And let's try finding a griffon owned food stall or building." Mikael could already guess that Allen wanted a burger and he was hungry for one too after days of a vegetarian diet. So they walked the streets closely and took in the sights, making comments and compliments about the buildings as they went until coming up to a vendor run by a griffon. "You see beef patties?"

The griffon looked stunned then ready to cry. "Oh thank the spirits!" The two smiled for him as he looked so depressed. "What would you like?"

Mikael held up his hand with a smile and began. "Triple smash patty on thick toast, thin tomatoes, lettuce, caramelized onions if you have 'em, pepper jack and whatever your secret sauce is today." The griffon had a huge and glowing smile as he began to put the burgers in shape. "Oh, and salt and paprika on the patties." He nodded and applied the salt on one side and paprika on the other, topping two with cheese before putting a bit of water on the grill and covering, melting the cheese and cooking the burgers in the steam before piling on thick cut toast to order. "Mmmm, thank you."

"No, thank you. I've had almost nothing but hay burgers served today. I was actually about to pack up tomorrow from lacking sales." The griffon explain.

"Trust us, you're better off serving meat substitutes or vegetarian foods." Allen suggested with Mikael nodding. "Before I place my order, you do fries?" The griffon nodded before looking struck. "You can do potato wedges while doing my order. Triple smash on thick toast, salt and paprika spicing, sharp cheddar, lettuce and sauce." The griffon nodded and got some potato wedges going as the three talked about simple things from differing dress code to different tastes in food as the meat was cooking. The few ponies that were on the street saw another pony eating meat and repulsed before seeing a hooded Allen eat meat and felt disgusted. Allen used a tail to balance the potato wedges and the two sat on a nearby bench as ponies approached them. "Can we help you?" Asked Allen after swallowing his food.

They said nothing and Mikael finished his meal just in time to sucker punch a stallion in the gut as a knife dropped from his hands. The force from the punch reverberated in the pony's body, forcing him to pass out as the other stallion backed away before being slapped up the head by a stone tail. "Before you ask, I'm not joining the war. Primarily because my abilities would be worthless." Mikael started as Allen chuckled.

"I already knew that sugar. I'm not forcing you to make a decision for my betterment." Mikael smiled wholesomely and sat back next to Allen as the monk finished his meal and the two start feeding each other the potato wedges. The griffon near by just hauled up the ponies and set them on a different bench before reaching back to his stall and the couple paid for their meal as the two flew up to the sky line and sat on the tallest building in town to feel the breeze and admire the lights.

"I can recall through Alexie a night like this." Mikael said in adiration.

"Yeah. A thick burger in hand as we watch the city below, watching the night night sky and ending the date with a kiss and snuggle." Allen and Mikael lean into each other and wrap an arm around the other's waist as the breeze makes their hair dance, black and red overlapping one another as they lost themselves to the peace of the night.

"Allen, if you do make it back, I'll have cloaks made for you by Rarity, so we can break them in and get you set." Allen just kissed his incubus' forehead and Mikael blushed, having slowly gotten used to the romance that came with the sex. "And thank you, for everything you've given me."

"I will give you everything I can without hurting us. So don't worry, I'm here to stay." The two enjoyed the night for a few minutes before Mikael sneezed and Allen draped his cloak over him. "No sense catching cold." Mikael snuggled into it. It was light, but enough to fight the breeze as Allen picked them up. "Ready to head home?" Mikael nodded and exhaust ports emerged from Allen's back as they flew home, small fins forming on his body to keep them straightened up.

Within minutes, they landed in Ponyville in their yard and Allen walked them in, like a newly wed couple and set Mikael in bed before the ports withdrew and he joined him, cuddling up to his boyfriend. "You head out there tomorrow and kick some ass alright."

"I will. I love you." Allen answered sweetly, kissing Mikael on the cheek.

"I love you too." Mikael snuggled into Allen and before long, the two fell asleep.
> Human, Monk and Home [Edit]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The fated day arrived. Allen got out of bed and tucked Mikael in, kissing his incubus before grabbing his staff along with a cloak and flying off to the north, leaving a trail of aura. The sun teased the horizon as he mad it to the north, where the battle has turned into a stalemate and landed next to Markus. "It's nice to see you. No regrets?" She asked, concerned about his conviction.

"I have none. This ends here and I go home to him." Markus smiled and Allen looked to the battle. "Have you been able to make any ground?"

"It's putting up a desperate struggle and keeping us out." Chrysalis explained as she shots a mutalist in the face, ruining it's life.

"Not for long." Allen stepped forth and gather aura before firing off flame laced with lightning as the flesh pulled back. "Guess I need more." He then lets his aura loose and compresses it into spheres before making a staff nearly identical to his current one and swings it hard. The shockwave of aura hit the overgrowth and destroyed the cells into inert dust. "We now have a way." He hands his staff to Chrysalis who takes it confused. "You and other magic users can use that to attack with magic." A mutilated tried jumping him and a hard swing reduced it to nothing. "I'll use my methods." She nodded and Markus pointed at the map, pointing out where Teros is and the boarder of his castle. "I'll get us inside the city. After that, focus on rescuing survivors."

"What about the king?" A kirin, roughly Celestia's size, asked in concern before Allen swung the staff, creating an opening into the city.

"Leave him to me." The others nodded and Allen jumped down from the dune over looking the fight as more black orbs appear. With one hand, he loosely directs their path as the mass is broken away into crumbling bits. Instead of stopping, he walked right up to the mass and everyone saw him remove his cloak to reveal a great change. His skin had changed color to a sand blonde as stone gray protrusions grew on his body, like armor, covering his face, ear, chest, shoulder blades and legs. He tied off his cloak above his hips and continued to walk as the mass, now draw to him, was being drained of aura to the point of crumbling.

The army saw this and started to advance with Allen into the city, armed with weapons that were made of simple materials and blessed for divine protection to the weapon itself. The griffons used swords to chop away at masses forming or surrounding houses while the Minotaur wore armor that guarded them from the mass. Inside were females that are held in compromising positions before the army cut them out and away from the mass. Knowing retaliation would be met, each house was enlisted several casters to nullify the flesh and render it dormant or dead.

Allen had locked into the central aura within the chaotic mess, thanks to being so close to the source, and began absorbing the chaotic chi as the large masses started to wither into nothing. The overflow of aura was compensated as vents grew on Allen's back and the excess flowed out like compressed steam to adjust for the volume as his aura draped over and cleansed the land, rendering the flesh harmless for a distance. As he went in, he contested with more of the twisted flesh, batting some away and absorbing any that touched him directly. Soon enough, flesh from the outside came toward the castle and closed it off, seemingly trapping the monk inside itself.

"So you're the one disrupting my plans aren't you?" Allen kept walking the moving castle walls. "Did one of the princesses ask you to fight me? Did they promise your any riches or rewards?" Allen did not answer, knowing this creature would try to play mind games. "Did they promise their bodies?" Refusing to answer seemed to get the king riled as the walls started to attack Allen, only to wither into nothing or break into dust. "An interesting power. Perhaps you could be of-" A step sent out a pulse of aura from Allen, his warning to the king to be silent. "You dare to challenge me? A king? You fellow male. Fine then, join the others by force." The flesh stretched from the walls to wrap around him only for his aura to drain the tendrils until they turn to dust or simply wither. More came his way and his body changed to accommodate the volume of aura and potential mass. "Ah, so you can assimilate matter like I can. Then I shall wait for you instead."

Finally getting a breathing from the monologuing windbag, Allen could focus on the up coming fight, having a mental conversation with Cain as he walk. 'So what abilities do we possess at the moment with your aid, so I'm not going in blind.' Allen asked forwardly.

"You have your own aura, which can use nature transformations as you've been doing. Then you have my aura, which may appear as a different color, acting as supplementary until you can recharge your own reserves, which are massive."

'And then there is the Sage Arts thanks to my completed and refined style of practice, which will help offensively and defensively.' Allen added, taking not of his form thanks to Cain's aid. 'How many Nature Transformations are there?' He asked not wanting to be caught flat foot.'

"There are many nature transformations. Concrete, even if it's artificial, is a stone. So don't worry, you're well equipped."

'Just one thing before we get there.' Allen felt Cain's attention. 'If things start getting really dicey, I'll need some extra help. But how?' Cain didn't answer immediately, and Allen walked into a twisted up throne room with the floor, walls a ceiling made with ice that has been dyed red. "I see you like to have a lot of red. Is it a power and decor thing or were you just bored?" Commented the monk with a smirk as the throne turned around, revealing a king that looked almost as twisted as his ideals, the only unchanged section being the head.

The king just chuckled as he brought his fingers together, one being clawed and lithe with the other on a more bulky arm. "I see that you like to make humor out of a dire situation. Any reason to that?"

Allen smirked, thinking this guy was being an edgelord. "Because I can?" His answer made the king frown before a crystal spear stabbed the flesh next to Teros' head. "Listen buddy, I'm not here to join the movement of your dick OR be anything you would deem as 'noble' or whatever. I'm hear to end this threat and, by extension, you." Allen then flicked his hand up as a sword made from stone penetrated into the Sanctum Heart thanks to the aura covering it. Teros grew displeased and took hold of his trident, holding it effortlessly in his clawed hand.

"If I must prove my superiority to all, then I will." Teros swung his trident and ripples of filthy aura made the flesh under Allen tremble before a step from the monk countered the wave, sending a stronger one through the room as the flesh spiked around him. "A strong effort." Allen timed a jump with a waving motion to dodge an upward explosion of jutting flesh. The monk was certain to have his work cut out for him if he didn't play this carefully.

Outside the nesting throne, the Gaia army was finishing up the cleanup operation with what few bullets and guarded weapons they had. Markus was slashing through the mutilated horde thanks in part to Clevetius own aura being strong enough to withstand and block the flesh. She changed the weapons form into a scythe to chop a sneaking mutilated stalker in half as the flesh and body burned from the weapon's pass. The army had freed and liberated everyone they could as the females were now recovering on all levels while the males that were freed thanks to Allen's methods could not bare to look at them. The ones that did had a proud smile on their face, the ones that willingly gave into their more taboo thoughts.

"It really is a dreary sight." The Kirin ruler said as the others looked to the dome she was watching. "All of this from someone who wanted nothing more than to subjugate his own kind."

"Teros did not subjugate us. He showed us the path to-" The caribou that spoke had no time to finish his statement as Dante kicked the sex crazed male in the jaw, rocking his brain enough to knock him out.

"Men like this should not exist, and yet they do." Dante commented as the two genders that felt ashamed.

"Yes. Though Allen has shown that any male can have those darker thoughts, thoughts of harems and the like, but it's acting on them or abandoning love for them that can and will make a monster." Commented Sarah as she helped another doe with her trauma. "That young man has thoughts of a harem of all kinds of creatures that fit his standards, but no matter how many may enter his thoughts for a fleeting moment, Mikael is always at the center." She looked to the grinning males to see which one would make a comment.

"I can sense it too. Regardless of his lust, that human has shown faith in Mikael. I can't imagine a better pair." Chrysalis added, her smile sweet with joy and tangy with jealousy. "Wonder if Mikael will let me have a go at his mate?"

"Chrysalis, what is thou thinking?" Luna's outburst made Sarah laugh as Chrysalis was more messing with them, though she is genuinely curious about the option. "Anyway, it seems the mass of flesh has contained itself to hold our friend." She used her mana sense to see the fight and it had become intense. Allen was wielding a sword made of the black aura spheres and Treos was fighting with a spear made from sinew and bone. "And Allen has the upper hand at the moment."

"Then you are being played." One of the males said, smirking. "King Teros is simply wearing the creature out if not feeding you a fight scene on loop." Luna looked offended but checked anyway to see if that was true and she seemed to be a bit startled before it flickered. "Finally realizing your 'savior' has failed you?"

Indeed, the fight inside was far more intense than what Luna was being permitted to see. Sparks were flying when the sword and spear clashed the first time and the two did not stop. Allen's Aura even overwhelmed Teros as the sword had yet to break, being made of his aura at this point. Teros spun the staff around, gathering the chi from the air around them and condensed it into a ball and launched it. 'He's to comfortable in here. We either drain everything and risk death or take him outside for a shot. Cain, ideas?' "All I can suggest is to give your aura form and absorb the chi as you do so." Allen jumped out of the way and blocked blood spear shards. 'Don't tell me, the stress will likely paralyze my body if I put too much to the avatar.' "Yep." 'Power output that risks back lash?' "Most likely." Allen stopped and started to release as much aura in his base form as possible as his eyes change. "Bring it on." His aura flowed around him, turning from blue to a silver-grey as a skeleton formed from it. It was was only the ribcage and arm but blue flares for eyes flashes as the flesh around Allen started to wither.

"What?!" Teros charged and Allen waved his hand around, making the skeleton smack Teros into the wall.

'Okay, I feel I know what you want me to do, but how far can I take it?' Allen saw Teros shakily rise to his feet. "Don't ask question, just do it!" Feeling he didn't have the strength to go full Indra, Allen used his transformed body and absorbed as much chi as he could before it started to leak back out. 'Okay, now to channel the excess.' The mass was now starting to wither from the inside and Teros was looking so made his blood vessels bulged.

Back outside, Luna was seeing more frizzing until the image came through and everyone saw Allen, excess aura spilling from him like a coat as Markus smiled. "He's learned."

Chrysalis and Rain Shine looked bewildered by her words while the Griffons and Minotaur looked confused. "Learned what?" They asked.

"The spirit extends beyond the body. A body can be strong like mountains and loud as thunder, but with no understanding of the spirit, your true strength is only in your body and be extension, none existent to a spirit user." The other races looked startled at Markus' explanation while the Caribou that looked crushed had hope again.

"You lie!" Yelled a dark furred Caribou. "Teros will not be defeated by some ape."

Markus and Dante shared a glare with the caribou that made the guard dogs of hell seem nice. "I would kill you myself, but I think I'll let my student crush your dreams instead." Markus pointed to the mass and it looked beyond rotted before one side suddenly burst open from Teros being forced out and it fell to nothing. As it crumbled, Allen was shown again with Cain's helm formed and opened slightly at the eyes as silver aura draped Allen's body as it seemed to glow like steel. "Because we've reached the showdown."

Teros looked incredibly pissed and mumbled to himself. "If I can't have what I want, then I'll let this power take everything from you."

"Then go ahead. Let you power kill you, saves me from doing it myself, and I get to have fun with the thing that's been sitting into the back seat." The king looked offended and just screamed in rage as half his face was twisted up and and defomed and his horn looked more like stone and the former king grinned. Without a word, know any is pointless, the two meet in the middle, sending a strong ripple of aura and power throughout the area and beyond.

Off in the distance, a familiar white Alicorn came to the camp sight and saw the gruesome form before everyone. The other races looked shocked while Dante looked unimpressed. "Still think Teros can be redeemed cake butt." The others had to hold their faces from the shot taken to Celestia. "Teros just suicide and let that mass of flesh control him. We've reached the showdown, Allen and that thing are ready to clash and at this point, the Elements will not work. What say you now?"

"What about the other Caribou?" She tried to reason under a false pretense, which Sarah corrected.

"They were most likely the least affected for several reasons. The one's still clinging to their taboo beliefs were already twisted, thus the removal process would have achieved nothing." Celestia shook her head and opened her mouth before Sarah shushed her and continued. "The males that didn't fight back let their bodies do as the mass wanted from hopelessness, so the removal would have worked, but the ones that did fight back... they are far gone and long gone." As if the suspense sensed her words, the two godlike beings launched spheres of energy that met in the middle and detonated.

"In short," began Markus in a stern tone, "you need to quit being a stubborn pacifist." She demanded. "Fights break out and lay bare the reason. If a resolution can be met, let your subjects do it unabated. If the fighting started cause of bullying, then the bully will leave them alone more times than not." She then turned around and crossed her arms. Because above all else, bullies look for easy targets." Celestia saw a stray blast head their way and she simply back hand it to a different area entirely. "So while you sit there and preach about everyone being friends to each other, Allen is already setting a better example, that any action to protect yourself is more useful that reciting empty platitudes."

In the fight, Allen could sense that this being was messing with him. Teros' body was now simply a vessel for the being controlling it. 'Is there a limit to what the vessel can handle?' "Not if he uses your tricks. Time to take a page for the Uzimaki clan." The monk smiled under the face guard as the excess aura started to form on it's own, changing color again to a more copper tone. What was formed took almost everyone by surprise. What formed was similar to Allen in anatomy but the arms looked taught and the muscle tone looked strong as there appeared to be heavy aura layers to mimic armor on the hands, arms, shoulders and legs with a helm that looked like the one on Allen's head, which withdrew the horns before those same horns formed on the avatar.

Teros, or whatever it was, answered with a grin as red tendrils sprout from the body and covered it, forming a manner of heart as more flesh was built around it. "This Caribou served his purpose until the end and gave me what I wanted, a body. But after seeing your power from Tartarus, I wanted it to be mine. So I just stayed, and waited for you. Your army set me back, and that fool was no better. Now you are here, so my anger is quelled."

As the entity talked, it was slowly forming the body and Markus knew what Allen was doing, finding the weakness before they smiled. "Well you made a vital mistake, if you assume I've merely gotten stronger." The avatar of Cain moved as Allen did as the monk thrust forward and impaled his hand into the construction and pulled it out, absorbing the aura before reaching back in and draining more from the body to find the epicenter.

"And you made the vital mistake of assuming I was something parasitic." Allen looked to the thing questioningly before the mass encased the avatar completely. Within, Allen withdrew the aura and surrounded himself with it but the others looked on in shock. With a burst of his own aura, he escaped the living mass and looked to Cain as the two had something glorious in mind. The aura mode that Allen took on changed and consolidated as his actual body underwent a transformation as the aura from blades and spikes on his body.

The two entities went at each other at their best, Allen swinging and destroying the Mutalist's body and the Mutalist trying to possess or infect Allen as the fight was a stalemate for some time. The world rulers witnessed this fight and the Caribou females looked on in awe while the decent males looked on, inspired by this brave soul before them. The entity was happy that Allen was so strong, but frustrated that it wasn't gaining any ground and excess aura was spilling from Allen as he was absorbing the being's strength. "Time for the finish." He landed on the ground as his aura flared greatly. "Aura, is my power!" The staff he gave to the Gaia army resonated and flew into his hand as his body changed to a more human appearance, keeping his durable body as aura vents open across his figure with exhaust stalks on his back. "The monk... has thawed." Everyone watch with batted breath as Allen's body glowed. "The aura nature triad to determine your fate has been decided." The entity felt the rise in power and tried to interfere. "The passion of a demon's kiss, Regal Black." The sudden upward rush of dark color repelled and locked the creature's body in place. "The warm embrace of angelic wings, Valkyrie White." Light fell from the sky and filled the ring with a welcoming glow which held the entity in place and exposed it completely.

"No, you can't be doing this!" It argued, trying to escape.

"You're right, I alone am not doing this. All of nature had deemed your presence unwanted at this time and that sentence shall not be denied." The two aura meet in the middle as he extends his free hand outward. "Finally, the adaptable and resilient spirit, Shined Copper." An amber color collects and gathers with the other two in front of his grasping hand. "Emerge! I summon thee! CAIN!" The three lights converge as Allen mixes his own aura as Cain is given a body with the help of nature as Allen's aura coats over them both. The corrupting entity looked truly scared as the image of Cain's unyielding expression sent chills to whatever this thing calls a soul. The intense magic and aura gather in Cain's fist as it's hand is enveloped in a refined yet chaotic maelstrom of mana. The corruption visibly struggles before Cain's fist reels back and strikes the body so hard, cracks are briefly seen in the air as the unseen damage takes place. The maelstrom acts as a vortex, sucking in Teros' body as the entity screams in pain before the vortex sucks it and the screams inside, silencing the threat.

The entire world looks on as Cain's body vanishes into Allen and his aura settles down, and the battle and corruption settles. The leaders and warriors look on in awe before a flake of snow drops on Luna's nose and she looks up to see the snow fall. Everyone sees the same before looking back and Allen looking at them before holding his staff above his head. "Gaia claims this victory, for her children!" The spectating citizens and army cheered as relief washed over the land. The foul air that hung somewhat vaguely over the world had finally lifted as the living breathed is first true breath of clean air.

A few days had passed since the final battle, Allen and his party were enjoying a celebration thrown by Pinkie Pie and Luna collaborating the festivities with the other races attending at Luna's request as small compensation for the trouble. Markus was discussing what actions Celestia needed to start taking to ensure the same threat would not happen twice while Dante was savoring some coffee candy Bon Bon had devised, seeing how it calmed him last night. Lyra was still chatting up with Sarah and Chrysalis was having a warm conversation with Mikhail. Soon, though, Luna called Allen to a stage. He needed to make an important announcement.

Once on stage, he cleared his throat, grabbing their attention. "So... I need to make something clear for all of you. I will be heading to the underworld with Mikhail." The ponies gasp and he holds a hand up, stopping them. "Before anyone tells me, I already have an idea of what that entails. Make no mistake, I know where I'm going, but I'm going for better reason than you think." He looks to Markus as he continues. "They need workers and leaders to rebuild and regain all they have lost. Souls were lost from this torment and are unable to return the same, so it will be ruined, empty and vulnerable to anyone who would exploit or eliminate it." Luna mentally nodded, know that his reason was sound. "And the truth of the matter is that none of us belong here." He spoke again as many warriors knew this was goodbye. "And beyond that, their world has a different grasp of time, so make no mistake, you may not see me again."

He nodded to Markus and she spoke up. "Your leaders will be in touch with one another, so as to better coordinate with each other to help you. We can't promise a perfect system, so all I can hope is that no lives are sacrificed or ruined because of ignorance or profit." She nodded back to Allen and he smiled.

"So tonight, let's party, get wasted and let the night last until dawn as my best gift to this world." He got a glass and raised it, as did the others before swinging it back and starting the real party, granted after the kids went to sleep.

Morning arrived and Allen found himself in his room with Mikhail atop him, Chrysalis to his side, which he wasn't shocked about since they talked about this before he got too hammered. His head throbbed with pain from a hang over, which was to be expected. A quick glow from Chrysalis' horn settled that issue and he was back on his feet, mentally anyway. "Sleep well, my king?"

"King?"

"You are rather dom when you get in the mood~" Mikhail teased, thinking it was appropriate to speak up. "Her voice was so beautiful when she moaned~"

"Mikhail, please...!~" Chrysalis blushed, holding her face and shaking like a shy school girl.

Allen just smiled and looked to his husband. "So are the others already home?"

"Yep. Markus went on ahead to get her place cleaned up, Dante is setting up military, sis is already at work to provide 'stress relief' for the long process and so on." He answered. It was around ten in the morning, so ponies were already out and rebuilding where needed. "So all we have to do is head home."

"Home?" Chrysalis was confused before realizing what he meant and fell in a stint as she hoped she could go with.

"Hun, you're part of our house too. Bring some of your subjects with you if you're worried." Mikhail suggested, trying to help the queen keep her sanity.

"I just... don't know." Chrysalis was reluctant and the husbands look to each other before Mikhail hands her a small plate of metal. "What's this?"

"A pass to the underworld. Just present it to Cerberus and he'll let you on through." Mikhail explained as he got dressed. "It'll give you time to get your affairs in order and then you can join us once you're settled."

As Mikhail explained the seal, Allen was also getting ready in his own attire. "Just make sure to introduce me to the child when they get here." The queen blushed hard and the husbands chuckled before kissing her cheeks. "So cute. Ready hun?" Mikhail nodded and, with a pulse, flew with his man to the gates and beyond as they closed, sealing them as new protections were put in place. Chrysalis joined them a few years later and eve introduced her successor, a young prince by the name of Haliniel, both as a tease to Allen and a beacon of hope for her hive.
> Rewrite Coming Soon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

So after reading through the story, I saw how I could improve it and, hopefully, make a character or set of characters to make a story that has fun chapters that don't tell how the entire story will be effected. While the first chapter's premise will remain about the same, it's setting and the supporting OCs will change. Granted, this will not happen one these pages as it will cause conflict but will be on a new story.

As for the story name it will either remain the same or be changed as well. The changed name will either be Other Aura or Student of Outer. So to anyone still following me and hoping for another read from me, look forward to that.