Bros in Equestria: Download Copy, Chapters 63-88.

Because BiE has a ridiculous number of chapters, this compilation is for anyone who intends to download them to any mobile device.

 

=BiE 63=

 

>Holy hell, was it cold outside.

>"Does it always get this cold this early?"

>Lotus looks up at you. "Usually. Why?"

>"Because I wasn't freezing my ass off when I showed up in Equestria around this time of year."

>Lotus bumps your leg as the two of you walk."Sweetheart when you showed up, we had just fought off a spirit of chaos. A buffalo summer is getting off easy..."

>You let "buffalo summer" slide.

>"'We'? Did a lot of fighting on the front, did you? Servicemare Lotus?"

>Lotus rolls her eyes and bumps you again. "Besides, isn't it a bit later now then it was when your first arrived?"

>"Oh, like I keep track of when I get sent across dimensions. Who cares about that stuff?"

>"Pinkie Pie, for one."

>Damnable party mare...

>"So my big "Two years in Ponyville" party is a month late, what does it matter?"

>"It's Pinkie Pie." Lotus says.

>That mare's name alone should not be her excuse...

 

>The two of you walk up to the lot the spa occupied.

>Well...used to occupy. "The builders seem to be moving along at an excellent pace." Lotus chirps.

>"Yeah. Only took 'em four damn months."

>Lotus bumps you with her flank again. It's getting annoying... "Be nice to them! They're building the entire spa underground this time, it takes a while."

>"Anything to make it Cerberus proof, eh?"

>"It's an investment." she says as she trots down the road.

>You pull your jacket up a little higher at the wind and follow.

>"You know, it's not really an investment if you didn't actually pay for it..."

>Lotus stops in the street and turns to you. "How DID you manage to get Celestia to foot the bill? She didn't -borrow- you for a day when I wasn't looking, did she?"

>Celestia and you fucking. There's a laugh.

>"Babe, I'm a hero of the city. I can get them to foot the bill on damages from the invasion if I need to."

>Lotus adopts a wry look. "I don't know...how do I know you're not stepping out on me? Everyp0ny knows Celestia is free at night..."

>You can see where this is going.

>"Fine..."

>You take a knee and present your back to Lotus.

>"Hope on."

>You hear Lotus gallop up to you and jump onto your back.

>You grimace a bit as she lands on you. "Is it your wound scar again?" she asks with concern.

>"It's nothing. No little impalement scar is going to stop "Mous the Human Mule"."

>Enchanted bandages were good healers, but time was better.

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICIFp5foCqw-

>You carry Lotus through the center of town on the way to Sugar Cube Corner.

>You hated coming through here...

>In the middle of town square there now stood a monument to those who fell during the Diamond Dog attack.

>You stopped in front of it and glanced over the names carved into it.

>You remembered when Berry Punch got wasted and collapsed at Anon's birthday party last year...

>Snowflake's enthusiasm back when you had to help the pegusi train for the tornado was something you wouldn't be forgetting.

>The dogs had even gotten poor Mr. Waddle when they invaded...

>Lotus nuzzles your cheek. "Mous...you couldn't save everyp0ny. You were wounded and barely able to get away yourself, in no shape to run around saving lives."

>You sigh, the cold air stinging your lungs.

>"Maybe not then. But If I stayed here I might have been able to le-"

>"Mous. No. Thinking like that will drive you mad."

>Lotus tightens her hooves around your neck. "Besides, you wouldn't have stayed in the end."

>"Oh wouldn't I?"

>Lotus puts her head on your shoulder. "No. Because if you had stayed, I would have stayed. And you wouldn't let me do that."

>You chuckle as you think that through.

>"No fair using my own logic against me."

>Lotus kisses you on your neck. "Special Somep0ny privilege, dear."

>Your spirits raised, you look back at the simple stone monument.

>"Doesn't mean I don't feel bad..."

>You stand there in silence for a moment before moving on.

 

>You set Lotus down as the two of you walk into Sugarcube Corner. "Mousyoumadeit!" Pinkie shouted as she zipped down the stairs.

>"Hey Pinkie."

>"Hello Pinkie."

>"Look at this asshole!" comes a voice from the read.

>Anon came down the stairs holding a pair of drinks. "Doesn't even have a place to work and still gets here after me!"

>"Yeah yeah, not all of us have your amazing powers Punctuality Man."

>You grab one of the drinks from him as you walk inside.

>The lot of you make your way to the stairs and evade the dancing ponies. "Care for a little dance, Mous?" Lotus grins out.

>"Hell no. You can get me to be nice to the contractors, you can get me to stop feeling sorry for myself, but even you can't get me to dance in public."

>"Sorry for yourself?" Anon asks.

>"He went to the memorial in town square." Lotus replied.

>You sit near the back of the room close to the rest of the girls. "Now why did you do that? Today is supposed to be a day for fun." Anon says.

>You throw on your grumpy voice.

>"I had fun once. It was awful."

>You glance at the girls, Fluttershy in particular.

>She and Thunderlane were seated at the far end of the room, Fluttershy's stomach was noticeably bigger than the last time you saw it.

>"That foal is either very large or there is more than one in there...

>"An expert in pregnancy now, are we?" Anon teased.

>"I know stomachs do not bulge that way when you're just fat."

 

>You stare at the young foal in front of you.

>"Come on, Pound. "J". That's the hard one. Say it with my Jjjj-"

>Pound Cake contorts his face at you. "G-. J-. J-!"

>"Good! Now...repeat after me. "Jedi."

>Pound Cake looses interest at the new sound he can make and falls back giggling.

>Anon pipes up behind you. "Looks like someone owes me ten bits..."

>Pound Cake isn't getting a Hearths Warming Eve gift this year.

>The night lingered on.

>A good night with food and friends.

>The Heartstrings were doing well, Lyra was getting new gigs.

>You all helped the girls jeer Rarity a bit. Apparently she was making regular trips to Canterlot to see some prince she met during the invasion.

>Guess everyp0ny deserves a second chance. Even after a cake facial.

>Derpy and Mr. Whooves stopped by to greet you. Apparently he's moved in.

>Good for him. You were still going to watch him like a hawk.

>Pinkie wheeled in a cake and breaks into a song she called. "Happy Two Years on Our Planet."

>Pinkie started passing out cake. Rainbow was flying around Anon messing with him.

>That wedding was coming up fast...

>You're literally pulled away from that train of thought when Lotus twists your face to see her. "Two whole years since you plopped down in our backyard, hm?"

>You chuckle.

>"And look at how badly I've corrupted you. Forsaking proper Stalliongrad manners by pushing around my head like that.

>Lotus brings a pair of soft lips to yours. "Happy Two Years on Our Planet, Mous."

>"Thanks pretty pony."

>Lotus settles on your lap as you turn to see Anon sporting a drink. "To two more years?"

>You glance around the room at all your friends and to the mare in your arms before you grab your drink.

>"And more after that."

 

=BiE 64=

 

>You stepped out into the chill of late fall with Rainbow trotting out behind you.

>The leaves had changed and been removed and winter was fast approaching.

>The two of you leave home and make your way to town. "So, how many p0nies have RSVP'ed?"

>Rainbow's face falls. "Besides the girls, only a few old friends from flight camp."

>You can't stand to see her like this. Rainbow had told you that her parents were both gone, leaving her alone in the world.

>You scooped her up and carried her a bit. "Hey. No pouting, you. This wedding would be a success whether no one came or the entire kingdom came."

>Rainbow nuzzles your neck as you walk. "Thanks Anon...So, who do you have coming?"

>You think for a minute. "Well, Mous and Lotus are coming. Probably Twilight. Derpy and her family. Uhm...that's about it."

>Rainbow giggles. "Looking forward to a small wedding after the last one we went to?"

>"I'd be happy with one that doesn't cause an international incident, yes." you say. "Have you thought about who's going to be your bridlemates?"

>Rainbow sighs. "I was gonna ask the girls, but I don't know. Five bridlemates?"

>"What about it?"

>She looks up at you. "Isn't it a bit weird?"

>You flash a smile down at her. "Aren't we?"

>Rainbow smiles back at you, her previous bad mood gone. "Yeah, I guess. So, who's your best colt?"

>You just raise an eyebrow.

>Rainbow's face contorts as she holds back a giggle. "He'd probably just do it anyway."

>"Or throw the other colt out."

 

>You stop in front of the door to Twilight's library and give Rainbow a kiss. "Love you. And remember, be at Sugar Cube Corner at three so we can go over cake designs."

>"Love you too. And three o' clock, got it." Rainbow says.

>The two of you stand there in silence for a bit. "I'm going to have to come get you, aren't I?"

>"Can't hurt!" she says as she shoots off into the sky.

>That mare. You loved her to death, but sometimes she acted like a child.

>Stepping into the library, you call out. "Twi! I'm here!"

>"Down here Anon!" came a voice from the basement."I'm just setting up!"

>You descend the stairs to Twilight's basement and stop a familiar looking chair.

>Mana batteries surrounded the wooden chair, with scorch marks radiating out from it.

>You pause as you reach the bottom of the stairs and Twilight looks at you. "Something wrong?"

>You shake your head a bit. "I just noticed how weird this would look to an outsider."

>Twilight giggles. "Well, hop on in. Today is the final round of testing."

>After you had beaten The Dogfather, the Canterlot Royal Magi Society had taken great interest in your magical immunity.

>Over the past few months, you and Twilight had been assaulting you with every form of magic on Equestria, you even got Mous to do a few rounds.

>You were glad you were past Chrono magic, you didn't want your clothes aged to dust again.

>At least not in winter...

 

>After a few hours, you and Twilight are sitting in her study going over results.

>"Well, Anon, it looks like our initial hypothesis was correct. Both you and Mous are completely immune to all forms of Equestrian magic." Twilight says.

>"Twilight, Celestia shot both of us with magic the day we got here and it just slid off. Was that not enough proof for you?"

>Twilight flips through some of her notes. "That was only the initial test. After looking at these results, I can tell you it's far more in-depth then that."

>You lean forward. "Well? Don't leave me hanging."

>Twilight looks you in the eye."You and Mous, the both of you. Are immune to magic, like we learned when you came here, but you are also immune to the -effects- of it as well."

>That...wasn't news. "Yeah Twi, we know, that's why Mous had to heal the long way after what happened in the mine."

>Twilight shakes her head. "That would have been a direct effect of magic, I'm not talking about that."

>"Anon, do you remember how you told me you beat The Dogfather? With the ice on your arm?"

>You silently nod. "Simply put, you shouldn't have been able to do that. The ice may have been made by magic, but it was still incredibly cold ice. You should have had nerve damage."

>The ice didn't -feel- that cold. "I just thought the coldness of the ice was just magical and that's why it didn't work..."

>Twilight shakes her head again. "That ice should have frozen you, but instead it did nothing. These tests today prove it, you and Mous cannot be effect by any magic, direct or indirect, whatsoever."

 

>Wow that's...exactly the same as it was before.

>At least you knew why now.

>"Oh well, "for science" and all that." you say as you throw your arms behind your head.

>You look up at the clock. 2:55.

>"Shit! Twilight I gotta go!" you shout as you grab your bag.

>Twilight chuckles. "Good luck Anon!" she calls out as you leave the library.

>You burst out of the library and down as fast as you can.

>Dammit, you can't be late. Not after what you told her this morning...

>You slide around to Sugarcube Corner and...

>...see Rainbow Dash sitting on the steps with a smug grin.

>The two of you stand in silence for a moment, Rainbow's smug grin growing ever wider. "Yeah yeah, you made it here before me. Let's just go inside."

>"Heh. Right behind you, Anon." Dash says as you walk up the steps.

 

>"How bout this one?" you ask as you point to a cake design in the booklet.

>Rainbow makes several faces as she looks it over. "Nah. I'm just not feeling it."

>You sigh and rub your head. Picking a wedding cake design was not a fun experience, it seemed.

>"Okay, well, how about this one?" you ask as you pointed to another design, this one featuring various pegusi in its design.

>Dash looks it over as well."I don't know, Anon. I'm not feeling this one too much either.

>You'll feel it when I throw the bastard at you...

>Easy tiger, easy...

>You had been at Sugarcube Corner for the past hour or so, looking through a book of pastries the Cake's had given you.

>Rainbow had been shooting down every choice thus far. Apparently not "feeling it".

>"Dash, at this rate we're not even going to -have- a cake, we'll just spend all our time before it waiting for you to pick a design." you lament.

>Rainbow sighs and rests her head on her hooves. "I just want something that really gets us, ya know? Something that really says something about us."

>You throw your arm over her. "Dash, most of this cake is going to end up inside of us. I think we can let the fact that we're getting married speak for itself."

 

>Rainbow sighs and goes back to the book as Pinkie hops in through the door. "What's wrong, Dashie?" she asks once she reaches the table you're sitting at.

>"Hey Pinkie. I was just looking at these wedding cakes, but I'm not feeling any of em." she says.

>Pinkie's face falls for a moment before it shoots back up and explodes into joy. "Well, why don't I make it?" she beams.

>Both you and Rainbow turn to look at her. "You'd do that Pinkie?"

>"Of course I would, silly filly! Nop0ny should be without a cake on their special day! I'll be sure to make you a super spectacular best cake ever cake!" she shouts.

>Both you and Dash exchange looks at each other. She looked gleeful, you imagine you looked relieved.

>"Thanks Pinkie, that means a lot." you say.

>Rainbow looks to her friend. "More than a lot..." Rainbow says. She turns to you before turning back to Pinkie. "Hey, Pinkie, did you...want to be one of my bridlemates?"

>Pinkie's eyes practically bugged out of her head as she shot into the air. "Ohthankyouthankyouthankyou!"

>Pinkie is still talking as the two of you raise to your feet. "OhI'llneedtogetadressandI'llneedtofindoutwhatabridlemateevendoes!"

>You both step out of Sugarcube Corner with Pinkie still talking.

>"Think she'll make a good bridlemate?" Rainbow asks.

>You chuckle. "I think she'll act as a good counter to the best man."

 

=BiE 65=

 

>You stood looking at yourself in the trio of mirrors.

Is our ass that big?

>Rarity orbited around you. "How do you like it darling?"

>You bended your body in different shapes as you examined the tuxedo.

>"I'm impressed, Rarity. Not many ponies could produce a fitting suit for an alien."

>Rarity playfully laughs. "Then it is a good thing I am not many ponies."

>Got that right.

>Rarity goes off to her drawing table as you continue to examine yourself.

>"So, you and the girls wearing those dresses I saw at the last wedding to this one?"

>You can hear Rarity drawing away. "Oh, those dresses won't do at all! I'll just whip up a new set. Modeled after Rainbow's of course."

>You turn to look at her.

>"You're gonna make six new dresses in addition to the tuxedos you've already made?"

>"Of course darling! We all must look our best for this wedding!" she says as she continues to draw.

Good luck with that, lady.

>"Rainbow ask you to be her brides mate yet?"

>"Bridle mate, dear." Rarity corrected. "And no, not yet. Although I hear that Pinkie is the first official one."

>A wedding featuring you and Pinkie Pie.

>Should be a blast. Literally.

 

>"And what about you, Mous?" Rarity asks.

>"Hmm?"

>Rarity continues to talk with her back turned. "You and Lotus have been rather serious for a while now, should I be designing a dress for her as well?"

>Oh...this.

>"If you design all theses dresses and end up not eating, Rainbow and the girls would kill me."

>Not to mention what Spike would do.

>Rarity steps away from her drawing board. "Regardless darling, you and Lotus have known each other almost as long as Anon and Rainbow have. We've seen where they're headed, so why not you?"

>It seemed Lotus had been chatting with Rarity during her spa dates...

>"You've known Blueblood longer then that even, why not make one for yourself?"

>Rarity was not amused. "You know why. A few months together is not the proper time for marriage."

>"But two years is?"

>"Yes! When you love somep0ny, you're supposed to get married! I can't see why you wouldn't want to." Rarity shouts.

>"Because planning a wedding is a pain in the ass?"

In some cases a royal one.

>That was terrible. Now we have to put money in the Pun Jar.

 

>You left Rarity's in your new tux.

>It was expensive, as are most custom orders, but it's not every day your bro has a wedding.

>You cut through town on your way to the spa.

>Construction finished today, it was time to check out what Celestia's money paid for.

It's a bit odd that she footed the bill...

>We're heroes of the city, brain.

But what if she's going to have us pay her in backrubs?

>We'd have to fake our own death.

>You shudder those thoughts away as you step into the new lobby.

>Neither Aloe nor Lotus were behind the counter.

>"Girls?" you call out.

>"Down here, Mous!" comes a voice from the new stairs.

>You descend down the stairs into the new underground portion of the spa.

>In the center of the room was the new hot tub, with the steam room underneath the stairs.

>Massage beds, to mud and ice baths surrounded the tub, with private rooms branching off from the main room.

>Aloe whistled as you reached the bottom of the stairs. "Nice suit Mous!"

>You spun on your feet and did a small flourish.

>"New spa, new uniform. What do you think?"

>Lotus trots up to you. "I think you knew we weren't going to open until tomorrow and you came to show off."

>"Is it working?" you ask as you strike a pose.

>Lotus rolls her eyes and walks back to the center of the room with her sister. "How strange is it that you just so happen to turn up here right after we finish setting everything up?"

>"Yeah, you missed out on moving everything!" Aloe said.

>"It's aliens mucking with my mind, I tells ya."

 

>Aloe glances up at the clock. "Well, time to go! Caramel is taking me out tonight."

>"Go on, I can lock up." Lotus says.

>"Have fun, don't die!" you shout up as Aloe trots up the stairs.

>You turn back to see Lotus giving you a face.

>"What? That's what my dad used to tell me."

>Lotus rolls her eyes and trots back to lock up the private rooms. "So, how many months pay did you blow on that suit?" she asks.

>"Enough that I'd be worried if I had to pay a mortgage."

>Dropping out of the sky outside town had its benefits, Nop0ny owned that land.

>Lotus locks up the last room as you sit on one of the massage beds. "So, this is what you would wear to weddings where you're from?"

>You nod.

>Lotus slowly shakes her head. "Ridiculous..."

>"No more so than a blue pony with an accent running a spa."

>Lotus smirks as she walks around to the front of you. "Still...it's not all bad..."

>"I'm glad you approve."

>Lotus walks a bit closer and takes off her headband and collar. "Remember when you asked if it was working?"

>This mare...

>"Maybe."

>Lotus rises to her hind legs and wraps her hooves around your neck. "Well, here's your answer." she says as she brings her lips to yours.

 

>You wrap your arms around Lotus just in time for her to push you back onto the bed.

>Lotus hops on you of you and makes a dive for your neck. You reach out and stop her just in time.

>Lotus looks at you with her best puppy dog eyes.

>"I'm not having sex with you at work and I'm not doing it with this suit on."

>"But sweetheeaaarrt..." she whines.

>"The suit must stay on and stay safe, those are my only requirements."

>Lotus sighs as she leans down again. "If I must..."

>Lotus lies back on your chest and kisses you again.

>You stay like that for a while, filling the room with gasps and giggles.

>After some time, Lotus resigns in her bid to get your clothes off and simply lies on the bed with you as you stroke her hair.

>"So, Rarity asked me why I haven't proposed to you yet while she was giving me this."

>"And what did you tell her?" Lotus asked.

>"That planning a wedding is a pain in the ass."

>"Tch. You have that right. I am not envious of Rainbow and Anon having to around so much."

>"Still..."

>You let your arm drift up under hers and pull her to your chest.

>"What would you say? If I asked, that is."

>Lotus stretched out on the bed. "If you asked right now?" Lotus shimmies up and plants a kiss on your neck. "What do you think?"

>You scratch Lotus behind the ears and kiss the top of her head.

>"I think I'd make some stallions angry by getting the best wife."

>Lotus chuckles and cuddles into your chest. "Charmer."

>You rustle her mane.

>"Charmer enabler."

 

=BiE 66=

 

>Year 2 in Equestria.

>Your wedding was in a little over a week. You really couldn't be happier.

>You emerge yawning from your room on a Saturday off and head for the kitchen to find Mous and Lotus curled up on the couch, the menu for From Russia with Love looping on the TV.

>You creep up next to them. "Looks like you two should have kept your eyes open."

>Mous waves an arm at you and moans under the pillow. "Fuck off James, no one likes you."

>Lotus stretches on his chest. "I found him rather charming."

>"Traitor." Mous grunts out.

>The two of them roll off the couch as you head into the kitchen, Rainbow trotting out of your room as you did.

>"Good morning." You sing out as you bend down and give her a peck on the nose.

>Rainbow yawns. "Hey Anon..." she mumbles out and heads to the table. Even after all this time, Rainbow hated mornings.

>You went scrounging through the cupboards as the girls sat down and Mous came into the kitchen.

>You pulled out the singular can at the back of the cupboard. "Don't tell me..." Mous said as you did.

>And the prize today was! "Beans."

>Mous buries his face in his hand. "Brilliant..."

>"Guess we haven't had much time to go shopping with all the wedding planning, huh?" You chuckle out.

>Everyone pouts at the realization that there is no food.

>"...Cafe?" Rainbow asked.

>Lotus and Mous exchange looks, then the two of you. "Cafe?" he says.

>You look at the desolation on your kitchen. "Cafe."

 

>The four of you head to town and make a beeline for the cafe.

>Never get in the way of food on a Saturday morning, mom used to say.

>Mous decides to be boring and orders bread and water, Lotus getting some tea.

>You and Rainbow both share a salad.

>"You're gonna be hungry as hell if that's all you're eating for breakfast." Mous says through his full mouth.

>"And you're gonna choke if you keep talking with your mouth full." You say.

>Mous shrugs. "I've had worse."

>"Dear, please, don't make my drag your corpse to the hospital in public." Lotus chimes in as drinks her tea.

>Mous grumbles and goes back to eating.

>You take a deep breath and lean back.

>This was nice...just relaxing with friends a week before you got married.

>Times like this make you glad that you were sent here.

>Your eyes drift over the town of ponies you had come to call your neighbors.

>They stop right in front of Twilight's tree house. Or rather, the object in front of it. "Is that the royal carriage?"

>The others all turn and look over. "What's that doing here?" Rainbow asked.

>"Maybe Twilight is giving her report in person this time?" Mous asks.

>He turns to look at you. "Should we check it out?" He asks.

>"Is it any of our business?" You didn't want to stick your nose into Twilight's life.

>Mous leans back in his chair. "I'd just prefer to find out if we should be expecting another Diamond Dog invasion. Except they're goats now, or something."

>You turn to Rainbow. "What do you think?"

>Rainbow glances at the carriage. "This isn't normal...If Twilight wasn't running around town trying to prepare everything, then she might not have known about it."

>You exchange a glance with Mous.

>"Okay...but just a quick check-in."

 

>The four of you walk are almost to Twilight's when the door opens and spike runs out.

>Spike's head swivels around nervously before he spots you and runs up. "Anon! Mous! You gotta come with me!" he shouts.

>Your worst fears seemingly confirmed, Mous shouts out. "Lead the way!"

>You break off into a run as Spike leads you...ten feet down the road and right back into Twilight's house.

>"What's happening? What's going on!?" you shout as you burst in through the door.

>Inside the Library stood both Celestia and Luna as well as Twilight and the Grand Magister.

>Twilight turns to you."Oh! Boys! I just sent Spike out to find you."

>"Yeah, we know that, what's wrong?" Mous asks.

>Twilight and her teacher exchange glances. "Uh...nothing? We just needed to talk."

>You turn to Spike. "Why did you make it sound so urgent?"

>Spike looks at you like you had just grown another head. "Uh...both of the Princesses are here? Did you want to keep them waiting?"

>What.

>You sigh in relief, Mous just growls "You cheeky little..."

 

>Spike dashes up the stairs before Mous can turn him into boots.

>Celestia clears her throat. "Yes, well, it is a good thing that you have gotten here so fast. We have an important matter to discuss with you."

>You put your hand on Mous's shoulder and hold him back."What is it, Princess?"

>Twilight and her teacher exchange a nervous glance, The Grand Magister has to speak up. "We have completed out research onto your magical immunity, gentlemen."

>Well, that was fast. "So, is it replicable?"

>Luna steps forward. "The immunity to magic thou share is a result of the Waygate that brought thee here. We cannot reproduce those magics."

>Well damn, that was a shame. "So, what did you guys need us here for?"

>A bit of magical study didn't seem to warrant sending Spike out looking for you.

>Celestia closes her eyes for a moment. "When you arrive here, you told me that your kind live to about eighty years of age...was that...an average?"

>Mous and you exchange a glance. What was this?

>"Yes, humans had a general lifespan of around seventy or eighty when we were last on Earth." Mous says.

>Celestia closes her eyes again and sighs."What's going on Princess?"

>You were getting slightly nervous.

>Twilight looks up at the two of you, her eyes large and worried. "We studied your magical immunity and we found...a... side effect."

>Okay, now you're worried. "Well, tell us!" you shout a bit louder then you mean to.

>"W-well..." Twilight says before the words die in her throat.

>Celestia steps up and takes Twilight under her wing.

>"Even I find myself at a loss for words as to how to say this, so I'll just say it." She says.

>"Anon, Mous, so long as you remain in Equestria, neither of you will age."

 

>The room is silent for an eternity.

>Not...age?

>Did that mean you were immortal?

>You could still be hurt, Mous had the scars.

>Judas H. Priest, you weren't going to age.

>"WHAT." Mous shouts.

>"I said that neither of you will ag-"

>"I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME!"

>You can hear Mous's breathing increase. "Sweetheart..." Lotus says.

>"NO! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? WHAT IS THIS!?" Mous shouts.

>"Calm. Down." Celestia booms.

>She succeeds in quieting Mous, if temporarily. "We do not know what the cause of this is, Waygate magic has always eluded us. We aren't sure if time simply runs differently here or if some form of magic from the Waygate affected you. All we know is that there isn't a cell in your bodies that has aged in the two years you have been here."

>Rainbow flutters up and grabs your shoulder. "You okay Anon?"

>You finally speak up. "How? How can you know that?"

>"There is an antiquated system in Canterlot used for magical defense." Celestia says. "Whenever something enters Canterlot, it records everything about them. This system recorded the both of you when you entered Canterlot for the first time, and again during the Diamond Dog invasion. There was zero change in the results."

>Your head falls. "That should not be." Celestia said.

>You stare at your own hands. Had you missed something that could have given you a clue? Your hair grew while you were here and any cuts you had healed fairly normally.

>Mous is glaring daggers at Celestia and Luna. "Fuck this." he says.

>Mous turns and walks out of the Library."Mous!" Lotus calls out.

>"I need to think, Lotus!" he calls back.

>You needed to think too.

>You silently turn and follow Mous as everyp0ny behind you cries out.

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyUwUW-lRjY&feature=related-

>The two of you silently trudge through the winter air.

>There is no speaking as you walk, simply silent contemplation.

>You aren't going to age...

>The two of you walk for hours.

>You walked into the Everfree Forest, attracting the attention of a pack of Timber Wolves.

>They were scared away by a "FUCK OFF!" that could have been heard back on Earth.

>You walked up a mountain, each of you silently helping the other.

>You remember Rainbow telling you about this mountain...she had had one of her adventures here.

>Rainbow...she was still going to age.

>It was sunset by the time the two of your stopped. You simply sat at the edge of a cliff and thought to yourselves.

>The silence was eventually shattered. "AAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" Mous yelled, his roar echoing through the valley below.

>"Feel better?" You ask as you turn to him.

>Mous curls his knees up and rests his arms on them. "No."

>"Well, can you not do that? Non-aging aside, I don't want an avalanche. Or to go deaf."

>"Pfft...Why not? We have all the time in the universe to dig our way out, now." Mous says.

>The two of you sit for a while.

>You sigh and lean back on your hands as you watch the sun set over the mountains. "Gotta say...I didn't anticipate this when we first got here."

>"Yeah..."

>"Not the best train of thought to go into a wedding to."

>"..."

>You rest your chin on your hand as you think of your future now. Your unendingly long future.

>"It'd be so easy..." Mous said.

>"Hm?"

>He shifts his eyes to you. "Leaving."

 

>...Leaving? "What, man?"

>"You heard me." he says as he rises to his feet. "Leaving. Going away. Just walking down this mountain and following that sunset until we can't anymore."

>You rise to your feet as well. "And why would we do that?"

>Mous still looks irritated. "Isn't that what immortals do? Wander around and do nothing as they forget what year it is?"

>"That still isn't a reason why we should do it."

>"Why not? We both know how this wedding story of yours is going to end now. Why keep going if the reason you have is gonna be gone long before you get to the end?"

>"Just because I know how a story ends doesn't mean I don't want to enjoy the ride there." You say.

>Mous walks over to the edge of the cliff and kicks a rock off in silence. "You're scared..."

>Mous shoots a glare at you. "You're scared...Scared that you've finally found a place with people you like and you don't want to be here when they're gone..."

>Mous quickly turns back and glowers over the cliff edge.

 

>You sigh and walk up next to your bro. "You know." You start. "I remember something someone once told me when I got scared once. It was a dumb line that he got from some lame cartoon, but it worked." You turn your bro and look him in the eyes. "Ya gotta keep moving forward, even when you're scared."

>The anger in Mous's eyes fades, replaced by melancholy stare. "How do we know that the way forward isn't away from here?"

>"Hey!" Mous turns back to you. You aren't used to playing this role, so you kinda just wing it.

>"Force your way down a path you choose to take, but don't do it by yourself." Sound familiar?" You say as you jam a finger in his face.

>Mous smiles for the first time in a while. "Yeah...a bit."

>You spread your arms and the two of you embrace in the most deserved bro-hug you've had.

>As you separate, Mous jams his hands in his pockets, but keeps a smile on his face. "So that's it, huh? You and me from here to eternity, just enjoying the ride?"

>"I can think of worse fates." you say with a laugh.

>"Not to mention worse people do spend it with..." Mous says with a laugh of his own.

>You turn and start down the path, the rising moon lighting it for you."Come on, man. I think we may have scared the best parts of this story when we left."

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3LEZGJTdEQ-

>The two of you make decent time back to town. It helps that you scared away half the Everfree Forest the last time you came through.

>You can see the house in the distance. "They are going to be so pissed..." Mous says.

>"Lotus might. All I have to do is remind Rainbow that we have a wedding and I'm home free."

>Mous makes a face as you open the door. "We're home!" you call out.

>"Anon!?" Comes a voice from your room.

>You open your arms for a hug as the rainbow streak flies out of your room. You are rewarded with a hoof to the face instead. "You bucking jerk! Don't ever scare me like that again!" Rainbow shouts.

>You hold your face. "Dash, come one, I don't want a broken nose when I get married."

>"You're lucky I'm still letting you marry me after the crap you pulled!" Rainbow shouts.

>Your plan has failed. You are up shit creek. "Nice save." Mous says as he scoots behind you.

>You spot Lotus walking out of Mous's room. The two of them simply look at each other once they meet.

>"Hey." Mous says.

>Lotus silently trots up to Mous as he kneels down to her eye level. "Never do that again." She says as she nuzzles his face.

>Wait. What just happened?

 

>Dash wraps her hooves around you suddenly. "What she said goes double for you mister."

>You remain silent as you let your hand swim through her mane.

>"Where did you both go?" Lotus asked.

>"Well.. we went to a big ass mountain to think for a while on today's...news." Mous said.

>"Did you think of anything big?" She asked.

>You hug Rainbow close to you as you sit against the wall. "We decided that an eternity in our twenties would be shit without you two here."

>Lotus looks up at Mous. "What he said. Just, you know, with more swearing."

>You nuzzle Dash's head with your own. "Hey you..."

>Rainbow finally rises from your chest and plants her forehead against yours. "Hey..."

>"You ready to get married?" You ask.

>Rainbow plants a kiss on your lips and pulls back with a big smile. "Yeah."

>That alone made today worthwhile.

 

=BiE 67=

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIOOwhmkoLo-

>Las Pegasus.

>The night before the wedding.

>That left the second most important thing besides getting married left to do.

>It was your job to give Anon one last big hurrah.

>You turn to the rest of the collected stallions.

>Big Mac had accepted your invitation with the same simplicity he was famous for, while Thunderlane had been a bit hesitant to leave his pregnant mare.

>You other two companions are a different matter...

>Broblood had insisted on coming along, if not for his intimate knowledge of the city itself then for his status, a status that he assured you would get you into anywhere you needed.

>You have absolutely no idea why Mr. Whooves accepted your invitation.

We're totally gonna get eaten...

>Shut up. Time to work.

>"Okay, boys. We are here on a mission. A mission to give Anon here the time of his life before we all have to go to a wedding with a hangover, are you with me?"

>"Eeyup."

>You got it!"

>"Of course."

>"Here here!"

>"I don't think I like this..."

>You turn to the dissenter.

>"Come on, Anon. It's your last day as a free man. What could go wrong?"

>"Well..." Mr. Whooves starts.

>You absentmindedly jam a finger at him.

>"You are not allowed to weigh in on the matter, you walking broken mirror."

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU5g5jhJQs8-

>Broblood was able to charm the lot of you into the biggest casino resort in the city.

>"My friends and I are trying to enjoy one last night before one of us gets married, can you accommodate us? I assure you, I can make it worth your while." He had said.

>The manager backpedaling once he saw that you were indeed with royalty was brilliant.

>The Whinny's gambling floor seemed to stretch on for miles.

>Rows upon rows of slot machines and roulette wheels were set up, with hundreds of ponies milling about between them.

>None of those were for you, however, not when you were with royalty.

>A casino employee ushered you up a flight of stairs behind a velvet rope.

>What you assume was the VIP lounge was a swanky place.

>Private slots and card tables were sequestered in the back of the room, a stage with a mare dancing on it was in the corner, waitresses trotted around with trays of drinks. "Welcome to our VIP room, sirs." Your guide said.

>"I'm starting to feel uncomfortable." Anon said.

>"Oh, stop being a so negative."

>You turn to your little group.

>"Alright. Blueblood, is there anything in particular we need to know before we begin?"

>"Never accept any free drinks and touching costs extra." he says with a deadpan face.

>"Alright then, gents..."

>You reach out and grab a pair of drinks from a waitress.

>"Enjoy."

>You throw your head back and dribble the drinks into your mouth to the shock of everyp0ny else.

 

>A few hours had passed and most of your were pleasantly drunk.

>And you did mean "Most of you.". Rarity must have rubbed off on Blueblood, because he bought drinks for practically everyp0ny at in the VIP lounge.

>You had several different kinds of drinks in you. A pair of Red Stars from Stalliongrad, a Canterlot Twister, and some shots of a drink that Mr. Whooves had ignited with some pen of his.

>As it stood, you were lounging with Thunderlane and conversing with a nice mare on stage.

>"And so that's when Thunder here got together with Flutters, all because of a little Feather Flu."

>The dancer writhes and twists around on the floor as she goes about her routine. "Aww...that's cute. It's almost like you two were meant to be together."

>You took a swig of your drink as Thunderlane stammered out a response. "Yeah...Fluttershy is a great mare." He leans his head back. "I still can't believe I'm gonna be a dad soon...time was I'd probably have come to this place myself."

>The dancer performs a particular feat of spinal trickery and bends over backwards, her eyes meeting the two of you. "Well, I think a good parent is one who can admit when they were wrong. At least you know you shouldn't come here after he or she is born."

 

>You elbow Thunderlane in the rib.

>"Yeah man, you're gonna make a great dad to little Thundershy of Flutterlane or whatever other combination you can come up with."

>Thunderlane blushes a bit. "You think so?"

>"Better than some of the dads I used to know. Go off to war and come back to live out of a bottle, or let their kids run around and screw like bunnies. Be better than that, and you'll be golden."

>You dig a bit out of your pocket and flash it to the dancer. With a flick of your thumb, it flips through the air.

>The dancer catches it in her mouth and loops her tongue around it, producing it for you both.

>Damn, she was good at that.

>Thunderlane chuckles beside you. "Thanks, dude. I'll think about your...advice."

 

-Anon PoV-

>You sat silently at the slot machines, watching the little symbols spin round and around until you stopped them.

>Three hay bales again? Fuck your luck.

>You looked around that room to see where your friends were.

>Mous and Thunderlane were off laughing with the stripper. Big Mac was getting a show of his own with a pair of the dancers from earlier in the night. Blueblood, to his credit, was keeping his distance from the dancers, eventually winding up at the poker table. He seemed to care about Rarity quite a bit if he was turning down vices that had claimed one so clean cut as Big Macintosh.

>Either that, or Big Mac was less simple as he put on.

>Your last companion sat as quietly as you next to you, simply staring ahead and playing the slots. "Oh, bollocks." he said as he lost again.

>Mous always seemed suspicious of this guy, you had your own suspicions yourself.

>"So...Mister Whooves." You say.

>He turns his head to you. "Hmm?"

>You tilt your head towards Mous. "My counterpart has some rather..."far out" ideas about you."

>He chuckles. "I've heard some of those ideas myself."

>"But those ideas aren't true, are they?"

>He shakes his head. "Completely unfounded."

>The two of you sit in silence for a moment. "But...if they were true..."

>"Do you think I could bug the space alien for advice?"

>He freezes with his hand on the level and turns to you. "What's on your mind?"

 

>You spin in your stool a bit. "I've had...an interesting week. I found out that I won't age so long as I'm here, made peace with that, and then went about planning a wedding. But now..."

>"Now the weight of tomorrow is coming down on you."

>You stops spinning, your eyes glued to the floor. "It's just...I'm supposed to promise to love her forever. That's really easy when the odds say you'll live your lives together, but once that's gone..."

>"Then you can imagine all that time without her."

>You stay silent and simply nod.

>Whooves pulls the lever. "Well, if I -were- some sort of incredibly old alien, this would be the time where I tell you to not think like that."

>You elevate your gaze to him as he presses a button to stop one of the slots. "When you have that much time, people you care about are going to leave you, it's a fact of life."

>He presses another button. "What's important is to enjoy the time you have with them and to try to make it last as long as you can."

>He presses the final button and turns to you, his eyes look calm and welcoming. "When those people do eventually leave you, it's your choice at the time whether to find another companion. The life of an immortal would be terribly lonely otherwise..."

 

>The slots stop moving to reveal...

>"Nothing! Again!? It's mathmatically impossible to lose this much!" He shouts.

>"I think these machines might be rigged, man." You laugh out.

>"Is that so?" Whooves looks from left to right before he pulls a small silver cylinder out of a pocket that doesn't exist.

>He points the cylinder at the slot machine and causes a light buzzing.

>Suddenly, a flood of coins pours out of the machine and into the tray.

>You give Whooves a look. "What? They're cheating too."

>You throw up your hands and walk away. "I'm not gonna be here when you get caught."

>You walk to the main room to see quite a sight.

>Mous was on the floor clutching onto some stallions leg and shouting. "WHY WON'T YOU LET ME BE YOU!?"

>You walk up to a slightly tipsy Thunderlane. "What happened?"

>"Dude had a few and then went nuts when he heard this other dudes name..." he said.

>"Well, what's his name?" You ask.

>"Some big city sounding name, I heard him check in as 'Bruce Mane' or somethin'."

>You look at the stallion. Tall, black mane, blue eyes, sky blue coat.

>Okay...this was starting to make sense now.

 

>You kneel down and pry your bro's fingers off his hoof. "Sorry about this, Mister Mane."

>Mane seems bemused. "No problem at all, son." He says with a grin.

>"Hey. Hey, Mous."

>"*hic!* Why won't e' let me be 'im, Anon?" Mous mumbles out.

>Shit. Someone went hard.

>The night is almost complete, just gotta get him off this guy.

>You start to peel his fingers off. "Come on, I think I heard Clark Canter when we came in."

>Mous's head snaps up and he heads to the door, Thunderlane and Blueblood following, Blueblood apologizing as he followed.

>You call back to your last two friends. "Mac! Whooves! Come on! We're going!"

>Mac says goodbye to his new friends, but not before they slip him some small pieces of paper.

>Mac, you dog...

>Whooves trots down the stairs, his "winnings" in his mouth.

>You turn to the doorman. "Thank you for a wonderful time."

>"I'M OPEN TO WEARING THE SCALEPRINT UNDERPANTS!" Mous shouts up the stairs.

>Okay, now the night is complete.

 

=BiE 68=

 

>You adjusted your tie for the sixteenth time this hour.

>Your nerves were playing at you again.

>"If you keep this up, you're nerves alone are going to scare her off." Came a voice from over your shoulder.

>Mous sat in a chair behind you, arms crossed and foot tapping. ""You'll excuse me if I don't take the advice of the guy who got me as drunk as he got me the night before my wedding."

>Mous shrugs. "It's tradition."

>"Tradition blows."

>Mous gets up and orbits around you. "Come on, lemme get a good look at you."

>Mous's hands glide from your tie, to your suit, to your shoulders. "You..." He starts as he gives you a final once over. "Look like a polished turd."

>Your laughter calms your nerves a billionth of what they normally were. "Look who's talking. I can't believe you wore your work boots to my wedding."

>"Hey, the last wedding we went to ended in an invasion. I'd rather be prepared."

>You sigh and look yourself over in the mirror. "Of all the things that could happen on top of everything else."

>You feel your jimmies begin to spontaneously rustle.

>"Hey." Mous says. "Don't be like that. You two are great together."

>You sigh and run your hand through your hair. "I just can't stop thinking of all the ways this could go wrong. Immortality not-withstanding."

>Mous sighs. "Anon, do you love Rainbow?"

>You shoot an incredulous glance at him. "Of course I do, man. What the hell kind of-"

>"Then shut up, go out there, and get married to the mare you love before I shackle the two of you together at the neck." Mous says, silencing you.

>Always a great motivator; this guy...

 

>The two of you stood at the altar, half of Ponyville sitting silently in the seat behind you and Celestia silently standing in front of you.

>You had planned on a smaller wedding, Pinkie Pie had different ideas.

>"Did you take care of it?" You ask.

>"I did the best I could, don't really know it off the top of my head." Mous said.

>It would have to do.

>It turned out, Equestria's wedding march was different from Earths. It wasn't that big a deal, but Mous said he'd try and handle it.

>You rocked back and forth as you counted down the seconds.

>You weren't thinking of running, there was no place in Equestria you'd rather be.

>But still, you were anxious.

>"I'm proud of ya."

>You turn around and meet Mous's grin. "What?"

>"I said I'm proud of you, my little bro finally finding someone he cares about and settling down. Makes me happy."

>You wag a finger in his face. "Somep0ny, not someone. Get with the vernacular."

>Mous chuckles. "It would be impolite of me to flip you off at a wedding."

>The two of you share a laugh. "Hey. Thanks man" You say as you clasp him on the shoulder.

>"Nowhere I'd rather be." He says.

>Suddenly, the music starts and your sphincter tightens.

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjDaPOWdx6s-

>Oh god...

>He didn't.

>Ignore it. Ignore the guffaw forming in the pit of your stomach, ignore that damn serene face he has on his face. Just focus on her coming up the aisle.

>Rainbow's dress was incredible, Rarity had done an amazing job.

>She wore golden sandals around her hooves, her dress was stark white and served to better bring out the rainbow mane flowing behind it. You could catch hints of a smile on her face from behind the veil supported by a golden crown thing on her head.

>Spike was giving her away for you in place of her parents, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle followed them up the aisle tossing flower petals.

>Rainbow trots up to the altar next to you. "Hey." she whispered, the excitement seeping through.

>"Hey." You whisper back.

>Celestia smile down at the two of you. "Gathered friends." She begins. "We are here to celebrate a wonderful occasion. Not only of two souls coming together in matrimony, but in coming together across entire worlds."

>That was...incredibly grandiose. Did Mous right this speech or something?

 

>"The couple will now say their vows." Celestia said.

>You bend down to Rainbow's height and throw back her veil. "Rainbow Dash..." You want to continue, but she's looking at you with those big magenta eyes of hers and throwing you off. "You were one of the first p0nies I met when I came here, the first one to be my friend..." You brush a stand of hair out of her face. "But the only one I fell in love with. I vow to help you, hold you, and love you every bit as much as I do right now."

>You could hear sniffling from the crowd behind you.

>"Anon..." Rainbow starts. "When you came here, I didn't even know what you were, I didn't know you were going to be my best friend, and I really didn't know you were going to be my husband one day." Rainbow presses her forehead against yours. "But I wouldn't change a second of it. I love you Anon, and I vow to keep loving you, support you, and kick your flank when you mess up and forget to eat again."

>You hear chuckling from the crowd behind you now. You had only forgotten once...

>Scootaloo trots up behind you, a pillow in her mouth with a pair of matching necklaces on it.

>Celestia levitates the necklaces into the air and casts a spell, causing the jewels in the center of each necklace to turn a matching shade of blue.

>The necklaces lower in your hands. "Anon, do you take Rainbow Dash to be your wife?" Celestia asks.

>"I do." You say as you fasten the necklace.

>You did. You absolutely did.

>"Rainbow Dash, do you take Anon to be your husband?"

>Rainbow reaches around and snaps the necklace together around your neck.

>"I do." She said. You feel your heart rate pick up at those words.

 

>"Is there anyp0ny here today who has a reason that these two should not be wed?" Celestia asked.

>This was always the part in the movies where some ex flame burst through the door shouting an objection and you admit you held your breath.

>The room was silent however, but you were sure you could hear Mous's neck muscles strain as he glared out over the crowed and dared anyone to object.

>Celestia smiled. "Then by the power vested in me as ruler of Equestria, I now pronounce you Man and Mare. You may kiss the bride."

>Didn't have to tell you twice. You almost fall over as you pull Dash close to you and lock your lips.

>That moment seems to stretch on for years as you savor everything about it. The taste of Rainbow's lips, the smell of her hair, Mous screaming "Louder!" to the cheering crowd.

>The two of you finally separate and simply sit there for a moment. "So, I just noticed that I don't have a last name. Am I "Mr. Dash" now?" You say with a chuckle.

>Rainbow laughs an wraps her hooves around you. "We'll figure something out."

 

>The reception was held at the same chapel as the Royal Wedding, they finally replaced all those windows that had shattered.

>It went just as a reception put together by Mous and Pinkie Pie was expected to.

>The girls had offered their congratulations, Rarity had almost wounded a group of mares going for the bouquet, and you got to show off on the dance floor.

>The two of you were just stepping off and heading back to the rest of the party. "Anon?" Rainbow asked.

>"Hmm?"

>"Who's "Jagger" and how exactly does he move?" She asked.

>You laugh as you walk. "It's this whole thing, I can tell you later."

>You walked hand and hoof through the party before a voice caught your attention. "Hey Dash."

>Rainbow turned around and went wide eyed. "Gilda!?"

>At the table in front of you holding a drink sat a single Griffin. "Hey, nice dress." She said.

>Rainbow shook her head. "How the heck did you get here?"

>Gilda jerked a talon towards the rest of the party. "That other guy came to find me at my place and didn't leave until I said I'd think about it, he probably would have come back if I didn't show."

>That sounded suspiciously like someone who you just saw sticking his face into the chocolate fountain...

>"But, why? I thought I was too lame now?" Rainbow asked, her pride seeping into her voice.

>Gilda sighs. "It's cause I missed my friend, Dash. I missed my friend because I acted like a bitch to her the last time I saw her."

>Rainbow was taken aback. "So here I am, at her wedding, trying to apologies." Gilda said.

>Rainbow was silent for a while before sighing and walking up to her friend.

>"Well..." She said before she wrapped her hooves around her. "It -is- a wedding."

 

>You continue walking around with Rainbow. "That was rather nice of you." You said.

>"What?"

>You turn to her. "Forgiving your friend like that. Time was I could imagine you holding a grudge."

>Rainbow playfully punches your shoulder. "I'm a married mare now, Anon. Maybe it's time to turn over a few new leaves."

>You rub your arm. "Starting with spousal abuse, are we?"

>Rainbow nuzzles your cheek. "You know you like it."

>"Only from you." You say as you peck her on the lips.

>"How cute." Came a voice from the corner of the room.

>You turn around to see Mous toweling the chocolate off his face, Lotus sitting on the seat next to him. "You two and the chocolate are libelto give me diabetes." He said.

>"Maybe you ought to ease up on the chocolate fountain then?"

>Mous rolls his eyes. "What's the point of a fountain made of chocolate if I can't stick my face in it?"

>You continue to eye him as he towels off. "...What?" He asks.

>"I know you have something planned." You say.

>Mous feigns offense. "Me? Mess with your special day? Perish the thought."

>"A huh..."

 

>Mous gets a glimmer in his eye. "But...I did give the DJ a bit of new music..."

>"Remember the song you proposed to?" He asked.

>You nod.

>Mous whistles to the DJ.

Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heYORPZazxg

>You hear the first chords.

>You can't hold back the laughter now. "You didn't..."

>Mous extends a hand into a claw.  "IT CANNOT BE SEEN, BUT THERE'S BLOOD ON THE GREEN!" He shouts.

>"Only God knows I'm innocent!" You join.

>"TAKE ME, TAKE ME HOME!"

>Mous steps up onto the table as Lotus simply shakes her head. "A DARK SEED REIGNS IN ME, LIKE A STORM RULES OVER THE SEA!"

>You break down into laughter as everyp0ny present turns to your table. "I CHALLENGE THEE, DO NOT CROSS THIS BRIDGE ALONE!"

 

>Mous shouts his way through the entirety of his secret song singing into a wine glass before he calms down.

>The party rolls on into the night, with congratulations coming from everyp0ny.

>The gifts were just as nice. Twilight got you a book in interspecies relationships, Rarity offered to make you some clothes, Applejack gave a box full of Zap Apple Jam, Pinkie sang a song for the two of you with Fluttershy's bird choir.

>Celestia and Luna presented you with tickets straight to New Saddle for your honeymoon. "Only the best for a hero of the city." Celestia said.

>Mous got you a toaster. That bastard never forgot anything.

>He eventually found the two of you at the table. "What are you two doing here?"

>"Uhh...eating a salad?" You said with the fork almost to your mouth.

>Mous gestured out to rest of the party. "You two have been married for hours now and everyp0ny is off on their own, get outta here and go enjoy your wedding nights."

>"Are you drunk?" You ask.

>"More buzzed then drunk, stop evading."

>You turn to Rainbow and catch her blush a bit, it seemed the both of you were looking forward to consummating this.

>You both rise from your seats. "You're sure this is okay?"

>Mous is leaning back in his chair. "Anon, shut the fuck up and go turn me into an uncle, would you?"

>"You're insane!" You shout back to him.

>"I'm not the one who just got married!" He hollers back.

>That was certainly true, you did just get married.

>And you couldn't be happier. "Love you." You say as you kiss Rainbow on the head.

>"Love you too, Anon" She says as pulls your lips together.

 

=BiE 69=

 

>Year 2 in Equestria.

>Your fingers glide up her spine.

>"Derpy, there really shouldn't be this much tension here. They have you working double shifts, or something?"

>Derpy moans a bit under your touch. "It's Hearths Warming season, Mous. Everyp0ny is sending cards to their families."

>Yeah, you knew. You had convinced Lotus to just send a card to her family, fuck going to Stalliongrad in the winter.

>You move down to her shoulders.

>"So, how're things Derpy? Any plans for Hearths Warming?"

>Derpy releases a sigh as you work the kinks out of her shoulders. "No, just a quiet evening at home with everyone. Time Turner says he's due for a quiet winter holiday."

>Right...he changed his name.

>"What's Dinky asking for?"

>Derpy looks up at you. "Paint, thanks to you. Ever since you gave her those little plastic things, she's been painting them more often. She even learned a duplication spell so she could make more."

>Heh. Atta girl Poozer.

>"Congratulations Derpy, your daughter is an artist."

>You give Derpy's back one more once over before you stop.

>"I've done all I can do. If the pain persists, I'd head to a doctor."

>Derpy hops off the bed and trots upstairs."Thanks Mous, happy Hearths Warming!" She calls down.

>You wave her off as Lotus trots down the other set of stairs. "Was that your last for today?"

>"Unless you have some surprise customer ready for me, I think so."

>"Help me lock up." Lotus says as she trots to the backrooms.

>You go around to each of the private rooms and make sure nop0ny left anything inside them. "I'm thinking a lazy night on the couch?" Lotus shouts from the other room.

>"Now I know why we're together, we have the same idea of winter fun."

 

>You throw open the door to the apartment with Lotus on your back.

>"How come I always end up carrying you these days?"

>Lotus kisses your neck. "Because it's cold outside and you love me."

>Lotus hops off your back and trots into the bathroom.

>You throw your bags on the couch and make for your room.

>You dig through your dresser to find what you were looking for.

>It was cold outside and you were off work, it was time for the pajama pants to go on.

>You throw your new pants on and wriggle your toes into the carpet.

>Feels good man.

>Your mood already lightened, you step out into the hallway to a most peculiar sight.

>"Why are you wearing my pajamas?"

>Lotus had some of your favorites, the plaid ones, shimmied up around her waist, the legs bunched up around her legs as she walked out of the bathroom.

>Lotus turned to you with a grin. "I like the feeling of the fabric on me when we lay together."

>You have to admit, it did look cute.

>Still, you raise an eyebrow.

>"And that's a reason to raid my dresser because?"

>You follow Lotus out to the living room as she talks. "I figure if one pair feels great, two will feel wonderful." She beamed.

>You glance over her.

>"You know you have them on backwards, right?"

>"Huh?"

>You point to Lotus's rear.

>"The pants. They're on backwards."

>Lotus twists her head around to see. "But, what is this little hole for if not a tail?"

>Oh here we go...

 

>One almost explanation later, the two of you are laying on the couch.

>Well, you're laying on the couch. Lotus is laying on you.

>You were both staring at the TV, Grylly the Bear was about to drink his own piss, again.

>"This show blows, let me change it."

>Lotus scoops up the remote. "No way, I haven't seen this one."

>You wrestle with her for a moment.

>"Come on..."

>Lotus simply throws the remote to the other side of the room.

>"...You bitch."

>Lotus giggles. "You could always go get it."

>You glance at the remote by the table, then you glance at the TV.

>"No...no, I've come too far."

>Your hand falls in resignation as Lotus goes back to her show.

>A few minutes pass before you get bored.

>"So, how are the pajamas working out?"

>Lotus smiles at you. "You tell me."

>Lotus's hips suddenly start to grind on your lap.

>"Hey hey, not on the couch. Too much of a pain to clean."

>Lotus pouts. "Anon would have sex with Rainbow on -their- couch."

>"That's because they're on their honeymoon, babe. I promise that we can screw like rabbits on our couch if I ever take you on a honeymoon."

>Lotus smiles. "Promise?"

>You sigh in exasperation.

>"Yes."

>Lotus gives you a peck on the cheek. "Thank you sweetheart."

>Your hand reaches up and rubs her neck.

>"Yeah yeah, just no beaches. Beaches suck."

 

>After two episodes of Grylly the bear and half of some cooking show, you managed to make a shitty lasso with a blanket and drag the remote to you.

>"Sleep on the couch tonight?"

>Lotus shifts on your chest. "No. You roll around too much in your sleep, and on this small couch you'll end up rolling off and crushing me."

>"Are you calling me fat?"

>Lotus chuckles. "I'm calling you clumsy."

>"I feel so loved."

>Lotus kisses the bottom of your chin. "Good, that's what I was going for."

>The two of you lie on the couch for a bit, both too lazy to move to the bedroom to go to sleep.

>"...Mous?" Lotus says.

>"Hmm?"

>"I...need to ask you something."

>Well shit, this sounds serious.

>"What's up?"

>Lotus flips the pillow you had over your head off and looks you in the eyes. "Well...the spa has been doing quite well for itself since lately, and Aloe and I were talking..."

>Well, at least it didn't sound like bad news.

>"We were thinking about expanding...to Canterlot."

>"And you want me to come with you."

>Lotus gets a nervous look. "It wouldn't be for a long while, you'd still be close to Anon and it would mean so mu-"

>You silence her with a finger on her lips.

>"It's still a long ways away?"

>Lotus silently nods.

>"Then let's worry about it then, huh? It's too late for that kind of talk."

>Lotus lets out a single laugh. "Just put it off until we have to worry about it?

>You nod.

>Lotus is quiet for a moment before she falls next to you on the couch. "Okay!" She squeaks.

 

>You turn to Lotus.

>"And just like that, you're not worried anymore?"

>Lotus curls up on your shoulder. "Just like that."

>You chuckle.

>"See, that's what I like about you. You're willingness to go along with my stupid crap."

>Lotus looks at you out of the corner of her eye. "Oh? And what else do you like about me?"

>You could see how this was going.

>"Your twin sister."

>Lotus beats a hoof on your chest.

>"It's true." You laugh out. "I'm aiming for the pair of you."

>"Is that so? Well then it's a good thing I'm only using you to get to Anon." Lotus says.

>She traces a hoof over your shoulder. "Until then, I have to make do with you."

>You roll off the couch and scoop Lotus into your arms.

>"I also hate how you gave the nice alien who walked into your spa a chance to work there, I can't stand how you were worried about me when I got hurt by that manticore, and the fact that you can keep pace with my quips drives me up the wall."

>Lotus talks as you carry her into your room. "Your rampant altruism pisses me off, your almost psychotic need to have make p0nies laugh either with you or at you is irritating to no end, and the fact that I know you don't even consider looking at other mares drives me mad."

>You plot Lotus down on the bed.

>"Looks like we're totally stuck with each other."

>"It looks like it, I can't see a way out." Lotus says.

>"Still..."

>You sit on the floor face to face with Lotus.

>"I like that part."

>Lotus scoots towards you and rubs your noses together. "I like that part too."

>Yeah.

>That part was the best.

 

=BiE 70=

 

>Year 2 in Equestria.

>You and Mous were sitting on the couch.

>It was a particularly boring Saturday. You had off.

>"Don't you have a wife or something to hang out with?" Mous said from his side of the couch.

>"She's off coordinating with the weather patrol." You turned to him. "Don't you have a marefriend to hang out with?"

>He shrugs. "She's going over earnings with Aloe today."

>The two of you sit in silence.

>"Holy shit." You say, causing Mous to turn to you. "When did we become boring?"

>Mous sighs and sinks into his seat. "I'd like to point out the individual in the room who recently got married."

>"Oh shut up." You say.

>You're both silent.

>"...I bet I could hit the power button on the TV with the remote." Mous says.

>You didn't need to be a super genius to know that was a bad idea. That TV was large and the button was small.

>But still...

>"I bet you can't."

>Mous is digging through the cracks in the couch when Rainbow bursts through door. "Guys! You gotta come qui-!"

>Rainbow sees the two of you there; you sitting in your seat while Mous has his ass up in the air and his arm elbow deep into the couch. "Uhh...did I miss something?"

>You turn to look at Mous. "Not really... What's up Rainbow?"

>Rainbow shakes her head to re-collect her thoughts. "We have to go! It's happening right now!"

>Mous jumps off the couch and runs to the door. "Goddamnit! Is the entire town here to try and fuck us again?"

>"No no! It's not that!" Rainbow shouts.

>You rise from the couch, this could be important. "Rainbow, calm down. What is it?"

>Rainbow takes a deep breath and looks you in your eyes. "It's Fluttershy! She's having her foal!"

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTIPCc1nKYQ-

>The three of your burst out of the house at top speed and make for the hospital.

>No easy task when it's on the other side of town.

>"When did it start!?" You shout to Rainbow as you run.

>"She was having lunch with Twilight when it started! They told me to fly around and get everyp0ny to the hospital quick!"

>"Do we have to get anyp0ny else?" Mous shouted.

>"No! You two are the last ones I got to!"

>A thought hits you. "Wait, isn't this early? Fluttershy has only been pregnant a few months!"

>"Yeah! The baby is coming early! That's why Twilight is so worried!" Rainbow shouted. "Now come on you two, double time!"

>You watch as Rainbow shoots off down the street and Mous begins to overtake you.

>Damn this running, you were not built for this.

>Still, your mind was racing at the situation.

>Horse pregnancies back on Earth had lasted about eleven months, you remember. P0ny pregnancies were no doubt different, but she could only have been pregnant for six or seven months, that was early even by human standards.

>The three of you run into the lobby of P0nyville General. "We're here for a pregnant mare, Fluttershy." Rainbow says to the receptionist.

>"Room 206." The receptionist says without looking away from her clipboard.

>You run to the elevator only to have Rainbow zip past you. "Too slow! We'll take the stairs!"

 

>You make it to the second floor and run down the hall.

>You open the door to room 206 and- "Hello face full of Fluttershy vagina..." Mous mumbles.

>Ignoring Mous, you join Twilight and the rest of the girls.

>Fluttershy was laying in the bed flanked on either side by nurses, Thunderlane was sitting in a chair next to her holding her hoof.

>"How're ya doing, Flutters?" You ask.

>"O-oh. Hello Anon. I-I'm doing fiiiiine..." She says through her labor pains.

>"Easy Flutters, don't overdo it." Thunderlane said.

>You turn to Twilight. "How're we doing?

>Twilight sighs. "The labor just started and she's already in this much pain, I can't imagine what it will be like later on..."

>You look around the room. Two nurses are helping Fluttershy, but that's it. "Where's the doctor?" You ask.

>As if on cue, the door opens. "Hello, I'm...doctor..." The doctor pauses as he stares at Mous.

>"Speedy!?"

>"Mous!?"

>Mous stomps up to the doctor. "Speedy, what in the Sam hell are you doing here? I swear, if you came all this way just to get at me..."

>"Mous! I'm a doctor here!"

>"You weren't a doctor when I knew you!" Mous says.

>"Speedy" rolls his eyes. "I had a life before I met you..."

>You look at the two of them. "How the hell do you two know each other?"

>Mous and Speedy exchange a glance. "Old friends." They say in unison.

>Of course...

>Speedy trots up to Fluttershy. "Hello, as you probably heard, I'm Doctor Speedy. I'll be helping you here today, Fluttershy."

>Fluttershy grunts. "O-oh...thank you Doctor..."

>Speedy smiles. "It's my pleasure. Now, let's see how far along you are..."

 

>"AAAAHHHH! I THINK IT'S COMING!" Fluttershy shouted.

>Mous leans his head back against the wall. "She has been saying that for twelve hours now..."

>Everyp0ny in the room is tired. The rest of the girls look haggard, Thunderlane looks like he's about to crack, even Speedy looks like he could use a break.

>Speedy checks under Fluttershy's blanket. "No...not yet. You're still not fully dilated." He says.

>Mous releases a groan. "I'm gonna step out." He says as he pushes through the door.

>Twilight trots up to you. "Is Mous always this squeamish?" She teases.

>You chuckle. "More like antsy, getting him to sit still has always been hard."

>The two of you glance over Fluttershy. She was panting and sweating and screaming up a storm.

>"So how bout it Twilight, you ever want kids some day?" You ask.

>Twilight lets out a drained laugh. "I've got my hands full with my research..." She says as she sits down. "Besides, Spike might get jealous."

>You share a chuckle.

>"How about you, Anon? Are you looking to become a dad anytime soon?" Twilight asks.

>Fluttershy starts her shouts again, ending your conversation.

>You hadn't really thought about it that much...

>You thoughts are interrupted as the door flings open.

>Mous lowers his foot and steps into the room brandishing a WAS THAT AN EGGBEATER!?

>"WE'RE GONNA GET THAT BABY OUT!" Mous yells as he spins the eggbeater above his head.

>Fluttershy starts screaming.

>Thunderlane starts screaming.

>Mous is screaming, but he looks excited.

>The screaming is so loud that you can barely hear Speedy.

>"I can see the head!" He yells over everyone.

>Mous throws the eggbeater away and joins you at the side of the bed, a shit eating grin on his face.

 

>Speedy moves to his clipboard. "Healthy colt, born at 1:42 am, nine pounds."

>He turns to the new family. "Not bad for a premature birth, Congratulations."

>Speedy trots out of the room as everyone gathers around the baby.

>"He's precious." Rarity cooed.

>"He's cute!" Shouts Pinkie.

>"He looks like he's about to cr-"

>A wail fills the room as you turn to Mous. "See what you do?"

>Mous waves a hand at you. "Give me a break, I just invented fear induced labor."

>The colt quiets down as his mother nuzzles his face. "Have you two thought up any names?" You asked.

>Fluttershy and Thunderlane smile at each other. "We both like Sunshine."

>You watch as Thunderlane nuzzles his son. "Little Sunshine..." You say.

>Nurses come to take Sunshine off to the nursery. "Fluttershy needs to rest now." They tell you.

>Twilight and the girls head out as soon as they leave, leaving you, Mous, Rainbow and Thunderlane standing outside the door.

>Thunderlane turns to you. "Guys...I can't say thanks enough. It meant so much to Flutters that you all were here."

>He trots up to you and Mous. "I don't know where you got that thing, and I should probably be mad, but it's late and it got Sunshine out...so, thanks brah."

>Mous and you exchange glances. "Brah?" Mous asks him.

>Thunderlane chuckles. "That bad, huh?"

>Mous pats him on his shoulder. "Never say it again and you'll still be allowed to speak."

 

>You all head back to the house.

>Mous had to apologize to Lotus, citing an emergency birth as the reason she was alone all night.

>Lotus drags him off to their room to help her work out the kinks in her neck.

>"Yeah, 'neck'." Mous says.

>You laugh as you step into your room and collapse on the bed. "Heh. Rough day, wasn't it?" Rainbow asks.

>"If I never hear another mare in labor again, it will be too soon." You groan out.

>Rainbow chuckles as she jumps into bed next to you. "Still...the baby was cute."

>"The baby -was- cute." You say.

>You reach out and stroke Rainbows mane. "You'd make a cool mom."

>Rainbow smirks. "You'd make an okay dad, yourself."

>No greater time then the present...

>"Think we should...?"

>Rainbow's eyes grow serious. "Think we're ready?"

>You chuckle. "I don't see how that's ever stopped us before."

>Rainbow wraps herself in your arm and gives you a kiss. "This is a pretty big decision."

>"So was proposing, and look how well that turned out."

>Rainbow laughs. "...Mous is going to be a weird uncle."

>You look down at her. "Really?"

>Rainbow smiles. "Well, I've been looking for somep0ny to teach my moves to anyway."

>You scoop her up onto your chest and kiss her. "I can already tell our kid is going to be spoiled with you for a mom."

 

=BiE 71=

 

>Year 2 in Equestria.

>Hour 3 in Canterlot.

>"How about this one?" Lotus asks.

>You look the building over.

>"It's kind of big for a spa, don't you think?"

>Lotus trots up to you. "Dear, half of our current spa is underground."

>"And most of this towers above the street. The old spa worked fine with one story, why does this one need two?"

>Lotus huffs and walks down the street. "You just don't want to have to walk up stairs."

>You follow Lotus.

>"My sloth aside, isn't a two story spa a bit extravagant for our second location?"

>Lotus stops in the street and turns to you. "We have to make our mark here. We need something that these big Canterlot spas can't compete with."

>You raise your arms and silently flex your fingers. "Something else dear."

>"Oh, I see how it is. You've had your fill of my awesome fingers, so now we have to buy a building."

>"We need something, some sort of hook, to get p0nies to come to our spa. You're good, but you're not -that- good." Lotus says.

>You throw your hands behind your head.

>"I blame my teacher."

>"Yes, this is clearly her fault."

>"If she had spent less time with her tongue down my throat, I could compete with these heavy hitters."

>Lotus stops in her tracks and glares at you.

Might have taken this a bit too far...

>You roll your eyes.

>"Sorry."

>Lotus silently turns back and continues down the street.

Great...

>Silent treatment...

 

>You followed Lotus a few feet back as she continued not talking to you.

>"I thought this move was a long while away, why are we here now?"

>Nothing.

>"You're acting like a filly."

>Lotus continued to stare straight ahead.

>"I find your mother attractive."

>Lotus stops in the street and stares at you.

That got her.

>"Can we talk now?"

>Lotus's eyes narrow. "No."

>She then continues trotting down the road.

>Goddamnit.

>"Babe. This is ridiculous."

>Lotus mumbles something as she puts distance between the two of you.

>"What?"

>"I said I don't care and to stop following me!" Lotus shouts from down the road.

>What!?

What is this?

>Is she-?

She's ditching us here!

>You were more than a bit annoyed, this was stupid.

>You cup your hands around your mouth.

>"Those fritters you ate on the train are going to your ass!"

>Lotus flicks her tail at you as she turns onto another street.

>You stand there for a moment before you notice that you are surrounded by p0nies staring at you.

>"What!?"

>The p0nies snap back to their own business and continue walking.

>That's what you thought...

 

>You stomped through Canterlot, ignoring the looks you were getting.

>Eventually, you decided the take a seat on a park bench.

Why's she leave like that?

>She's probably PMS'ing, p0nies do that, right?

Makes the most sense.

>It's not like we lied or anything.

We didn't! If we had spent less time making out, we'd be better at massages!

>You sit and stew for a little while.

>You're still trying to wrap your head around what you did.

>You were always a bit rude, but that had never bothered Lotus before.

>You weren't acting any differe-"Alone in the park?" A voice asked.

>"GAH WHAT THE FUCK."

>A shrill laugh resonates from behind a nearby tree as an enormous stark white p0ny steps out from behind it.

>"Cunting hell, Celestia. Do you just stalk Canterlot in the off chance that I show up? The citizens are going to talk."

>The monarch recomposes herself and speaks. "I happened to be taking a stroll through the city when what did I hear but my favorite human shouting about fritters and rear ends."

>Fuck your life, she heard that.

>You turn your head away as she continues. "I decided to follow you to see if I could gather any clues, but I'm afraid I came up emptyhoofed."

>You dismissively wave a hand and walk down the path out of the park.

>"Good. Stay out of my damn business."

>The clinking of golden horseshoes tells you that isn't going to happen. "Oh come now, Mous. I have been alive for over a thousand years, you couldn't ask for better advice."

>"I could ask somep0ny who isn't trying to stick her nose in my damn business.

>Celestia trots up next to you. "That doesn't sound like you telling me what happened." She sings out.

>You sigh. Can't hurt...

>"Okay, what happened was..."

 

>You walked with Celestia for a while as you both recanted what had happened and answered any of her inane questions.

>"Was she annoyed when you came here?"

>"Did you actually call her fat?"

>"Did she catch you looking at other mares?"

>Eventually you reach your admittedly short limit.

>"No. I did not piss her off and home, or call her fat, and stop projecting your problems on me."

>Celestia chuckles. "Then it sounds like she simply got tired of you being an ass."

>"What? I wasn't being an ass!"

>"Mous, you always act like an ass."

>"Fuck you. I am not."

>Celestia cocks an eyebrow. "Yes. Clearly."

>"That's because I'm annoyed right now!"

>You turn away and lean on a nearby wall.

>Celestia walks up to you. "It's true Mous."

>"Then why has nop0ny said anything?"

>"Perhaps they have. Mous, think to yourself, how many friends do you have?"

 

>You turn to face the monarch. "What is this?"

>"Answer the question." She says.

This is stupid.

>"Anon, Lotus, You, Rainbow...Derpy, Aloe?, Uhh...Applejack...Twilight...Blueblood..."

>"You don't sound too sure about some of those." She says.

>"Piss off, I'm sure about the first four."

>"So, your best friend, his wife, your special somep0ny, and me. We are all the friends you have?"

>"Have you never wondered why?" Celestia asks as she orbits around you.

>"I'm not a p0ny person."

>"That aside, it's because you're an ass. You have four friends because you're a horrible jackass."'

>"Then why they hell has nobody ever said anything?"

>Celestia sighs in exasperation. "I told you. because they're either your best friend, his wife, or your special somep0ny."

>You glance at her. "And you?"

>Celestia chuckles. "I am incredibly old and incredibly patient, I can tolerate some rudeness."

>Tch.

>"You forgot to mention humble."

>"Celestia releases a laugh. "Especially when that rudeness is entertaining."

 

>You stood outside the hotel room you were staying at.

>"This is a bad idea."

>Celestia nudges you forward. "That's never stopped you."

>"She's probably not even here."

>"You won't know until you check."

>You have your hand on the door knob.

>"You should talk to-

>A flash of light and a popping sound interrupts you.

>You look back to see Celestia has made herself scarce.

>"...You bitch."

>You take a deep breath the open the door.

>Lotus turns to look at you as you silently stomp into the room, drop yourself onto the couch, and cross your arms.

>Lotus glares at you for a moment before returning to what appears to be her choice of spa locations.

>"So..."

>Lotus remains facing forward. "So...

>That's good. At least she's talking to you.

>"So, I talked to a friend."

>"Anyp0ny I know?"

>"Uh...an older one."

>Lotus silently nods. "And?"

>You throw our arms into the air and lean back on the couch.

>"And I found out that I'm apparently a gigantic asshole all the time and that you should probably break up with me."

 

>Lotus turns to you. "You found out exactly that?"

>You look at her out of the corner of your eye.

>"I may be paraphrasing."

>She goes back to her list. "It's true, you are an asshole."

>You snap your fingers.

>"See? I knew it."

>"Almost all the time."

>"Preach."

>"Your constant complaining is one of the most grating things I've ever experienced." She says.

>"It makes sense."

>"And any mare with more than half a brain would leave you in the dust."

>"I always knew you were smarter tha-oof!"

>You lean forward to see Lotus's head in your lap.

Uhh...

>"Am I missing something?"

>Lotus turns her head to you. "I'm a twin, sweetheart. I had to split a brain."

>"So...you're not mad at me?"

>Lotus stretches in your lap. "Oh, I'm still mad. But you'd be amazed at how much having to walk around an unfamiliar city all day looking a buildings makes you long for some company."

>Your hand falls from the couch and runs through Lotus's mane.

>"Sorry...That I was an asshole."

>"Anything less wouldn't be you." She says.

>"Wouldn't that be better?"

>Lotus giggles. "Dear, you're an incredible amount of fun to be around. It just has to be in doses sometimes."

>Doses?

>"Uhh...I can work on that, if you want."

>Lotus looks up at you. "All for me?"

>Your eyes dart around the room.

>"Yes?"

>Lotus pulls herself up and rests her head on your shoulder. "I'd like that..."

>Your arms loop themselves around her.

>"How much of a reduction were you looking for?

>"A you who is half as much an asshole would be spectacular."

Hmm...

>"I can give you 75%"

>Baby steps.

 

=BiE 72=

 

>Year 2 in Equestria.

>You were with Rainbow in Canterlot.

>You were both headed for the Kind Leaf Orphanage.

>"Think we'll get a cute one?" You ask.

>Rainbow turns her head as she flutters down the road. "Don't you think most kids are cute?"

>You shrug as you keep walking, what are you gonna do? She had you there.

>A creeping doubt sinks into your mind. "I'll admit I'm a bit worried...Mous was always a bit better with kids then me. What if I scare 'em off?"

>Rainbow flies to your shoulder. "A bit late to be thinking like that, Anon."

>She was right, but you were kinda nervous.

>"I guess the weight of this decision is just finally hitting me."

>This was quite possibly the first time you would meet your son or daughter, and the first time they would meet the parents that gave them a home.

>You shrug your shoulders.

>If you were going to channel Mous with the kids, you might as well channel his overconfidence.

 

>You and Rainbow push through the door into the orphanage.

>A single mare sits behind a desk in the front.

>"Hi, we're here to maybe see about adopting?" You say as you approach her.

>The receptionist just looks at you. "You two?"

>You and Rainbow exchange glances. "Uh...yes?"

>"We don't give our foals to just anyp0ny who walks in off the street." She says.

>You reach into your shirt and show off the necklace you have matching Rainbows. "We're actually married."

>That catches her attention and causes her to stare at the necklaces in examination. "Hmph. Guess they'll just let anyp0ny get married these days."

>Bitch.

>She hops off her chair. "Follow me." She says as she leads you deeper into the orphanage.

>You place a hand on Rainbows shoulder as she trots after the receptionist, glaring. "Take it easy." You whisper.

>"You gonna let her insult is like this?" She whispers back.

>"Screw her. Let's just get to the kids, eh?"

>Rainbow keeps quiet, but continues to glare at the receptionist.

 

>The receptionist knocks on a door at the end of the hall. "Got some for ya."

>She trots away as the door opens and reveals a stark white earth mare. "Why hello there!" She says.

>Excitable one, it seems. "Hi, I'm Anon and this is Rainbow. We're here to see about adoption?"

>The mare's smile consumes her entire face. "How wonderful! I'm Nightingale, you've met my sister Crow."

>Oh well that made sense.

>She ushers you into her small office. "Come in, come in! Take a seat!"

>As you and Rainbow sit down, Nightingale trots behind her desk. "So, how long have you two been together?"

>Shit, this question. "Well...we've only been married a month or so, but we've been together for about two years now."

>Nightingale keeps her warm smile. "Worried that that would be a deal breaker, huh? Well, don't the adoption process takes a while, I'm sure you two will be ready if and when you take your foal home."

>She glances at a small picture on her desk. "And we don't want to keep these kids waiting any longer then we have to..." She says softly.

 

>Nightingale recomposes herself quickly. "But enough talk, why don't I take you out to meet the kids?"

>You're lead into a sizeable communal room.

>Fillies and colts run around doing all sorts of activities. Some play together, others alone. Some sit and talk and some simply watch the television in the back of the room.

>One particular colt, a small gold colored pegasus was staring slack jawed at you as you walked in.

>"Hello Thunderstrike, would you like to say hello to our guests?

>Thunderstrike snaps back to reality. "Oh uhm, that's okay Ms. Nightingale. I'll just go play with the others." He says as he zips away.

>"Cute kid."

>"But a bit shy." Nightingale says.

>You know the feeling.

 

>You spent a bit of time amongst the kids.

>Most of them were great kids, you wished you could help them all.

>Except for that little Flash Whatever kid, he was a little asshole.

>You met back up with Rainbow at the front of the room. "Meet any you like?"

>"Tons." She said with a smile. "All the little fliers kept asking about my tricks."

>You look back over the kids.

>That colt from before, Thunderstrike, was sitting along on a couch. The rest of the kids seemed to be avoiding him.

>"Nightingale, what's his story?" You ask pointing.

>Nightingale follows your finger and frowns. "Ah, Thunder. He used to live here in Canterlot with his parents, but...they didn't survive the Diamond Dog invasion last summer..."

>...Ouch.

>You look over at the kid. "Why is everyp0ny avoiding him?"

>Nightingale sighs. "Kids are superstitious at this age. The others seem to think that Thunder might somehow bring back the Diamond Dogs."

>That made absolutely no sense.

>Perfect for kids.

 

>A group of foals inch their way up to the two of you. "Uhm...A-Are you Rainbow Dash?" They ask, eyes wide and tales swaying.

>Dash grows a confident smirk. "The one and only!" She shouts. "I guess my reputation gets ahead of me."

>Dash's little show gathers the attention of the more of the foals in the room. They crowded around her asking her to show off this stunt or that trick.

>Rainbow smiled and looked over at you. "Go have fun, just don't show off too much." You say.

>Rainbow flies up to you and plants a kiss on your lips, eliciting an "eeeeewww" from some of the foals. "Thanks babe."

 

>Rainbow flies out into a small playground outside as Nightingale watches the foals from the doorway.

>As you expected, Thunderstrike jumped up on a chair and looked out the window to watched Dash perform her stunts.

>His face was a mix of awe and excitement as he watched her dive and loop through the air.

>"You know, you'd probably get a better view if you went outside." You said.

>Thunderstrike jumped at your words and almost fell off the chair before he righted himself. "Oh, uh...No. I don't think that's such a good idea."

>Well, might as well start from the beginning.

>You extend a hand. "I'm Anon."

>The boy reaches out a hoof and shakes. "My name's Thunderstrike."

>"Hey Thunderstrike." You say as you take a seat on the floor next to the chair.

>"So...Ms. Nightingale told me about how you got here..." You say.

>Thunderstrike visibly shrinks a bit. He steps down from the window and simply lays in the chair.

>Shit...

>"My Mom and Dad and Me lived near the castle courtyard..." He said. "We were hiding in our house, like the guards said."

>"At first, we thought it was over when we heard somep0ny shouting really loud."

>You and me both, kid.

>"But then there was a loud bang and we heard Dogs in the street..." His lip was starting to quiver a bit. "M-My Mom and Dad hid me under the bed, they said they were gonna fly off and distract the Dogs before they came back for me but...But they never did..."

 

>You sit next to Thunderstrike as he hitches and sniffs for a bit. "Yeah...that was a bad day..."

>Thunder picks his head up. "W-what?"

>You turn to look him in his watery eyes. "Yeah, I was there when it happened. That voice you heard, the one yelling? That was my best friend trying to scare off the Diamond Dogs."

>Thunder's head drops again. "Well, it didn't work..."

>You felt for him, you really did. "It sort of did...Most of the Dogs got scared and ran, but some were able to knock down the gate and get into the city. We stopped them...but not fast enough, it seemed."

>Thunder looks back up at you. "I thought the gates here were too strong for ANYP0NY to get through..."

>You chuckle. "Usually, they are. But the Dogs had help from someone called The Dogfather. He was the one who broke down the gates and brought all the dogs in the first place."

>Thunder shudders a bit. "But... you stopped him, right?"

>"Oh yeah..." You say as you raise your fist. "Got him right in his snout."

 

>You and Thunder share a laugh. "Sorry I didn't get rid of the Dogs fast enough..."

>Thunderstrike still looks melancholy, but at least he isn't crying.

>"It's okay...It's not your fault." He said. "And at least you got rid of them."

>The two of you are almost knocked backward as a powerful boom echoes through the city and shakes the building.

>You look into the sky and see a rainbow cascading over it.

>"Oh wow! A real Sonic Rainboom!" Thunderstrike cries.

>You lean against the wall. "Yeah, that sounds like Rainbow. Giving her best to a bunch of kids..."

>You cast your gaze over Tundetstrike as he stares out the window with ears up and mouth agape.

>"Hey...Maybe we could see each other again soon? Would that be cool?"

>Christ, you sound like you're asking this kid out...

>What would mother say?

>Thunderstrike turns to you with a big smile. "I'd like that! You're pretty neat!"

>Now you really fell weird, getting compliments from a kid like that.

 

=BiE 73=

 

>Year 2 in Equestria.

>The house was silent.

>The door locked.

>The windows sealed.

>The two of you step out into the hallway to see each other for the last time for a while.

>The two of you are fed, hydrated, and ready.

>You approach one another and shake hands.

>Your bro snaps off a salute. "For those about to die..."

>"We salute you." You say, returning the gesture.

>You hear a "good luck" over your shoulder as you both step into your rooms.

>Inside you each find a mare waiting on your bed.

>Winter is wrapped up.

>Hearts and Hooves day has passed.

>Neither of you has work.

>In fact, the entire town is more or less shut down.

>Silently, the two of you close your doors.

>Let estrus begin.

 

-Anon PoV-

>Rainbow flutters up to you as soon as you shut the door.

>"Hey you..." She says as she rubs your noses together.

>"Someone is antsy..." You say as you wrap your arms around her and lead her to the bed.

>Rainbow spins you around with a quick flap of her wings and pushes you onto the bed.

>"Hehe...You could say that..." She says as she lands on top of you and starts nibbling at your neck.

>You let your arms drift down her back, arcing past her shoulders and up her wings.

>Dash buries her head in your neck as she lets out a gasp.

>You manage to get the tip of her ear in between your teeth as you rub her wings. "Well...what kind of husband would I be if I didn't try to help you out here?"

>Rainbow doesn't say a word as she huffs and puffs and jumps into your mouth.

>You fight Rainbow's tongue for dominance as you rub the joints of her rock hard wings.

>It's a fairly easy task, Rainbow is already a bit out of it from estrus and it seems that she has to stop every so often to release some moan of gasp as you rub her wings.

>"Th-that should be cheating..." Rainbow gasps out as her wings continue to throb.

>"Yeah? What are you gonna do about it?"

 

>Rainbow slides her hooves under your shirt and hoists it off over your head. "Fight back." She says with a grin.

>Rainbow dives back down to you, this time aiming for your neck.

>Rainbow nibbles and kisses a line down your collar bone and onto your chest, sending surges of pleasure  throughout your body.

>Rainbow stops at your belly button as she fumbles with your pants. "You sure you want to go here?" You ask.

>Rainbow looks up at you, that competitive spark lighting up her eyes. "If you're gonna go after my wings, I gotta level the playing field..." She says with a grin.

>You throw your hands up in surrender before you give Rainbow a hand sliding off your pants.

>She's able to work your boxers herself as she frees your member. "Hehe...Got you excited, Anon?"

>"I have a sensitive neck." You say.

>Rainbow eyes your head. "Heh. Don't I know it." As she says as she begins planting light kisses on you.

 

>You arch your spine as Rainbow begins to take you into her mouth. "R-Ra-" You try to talk, only to find your words dying on the tip of your tongue.

>Speaking of tongue, Rainbow is beginning to bring hers into play, lightly dancing around your shaft as she bobs her head up and down.

>The most you can do is try and hold on to the bed as the Rainbow alternates between tightening her muscles and playing with her lips.

>Soon, a sound other then gasps or moans fills the room. "Hmmmmmm."

>You're almost sent over the edge at that alone before you reel yourself back in.

>Dammit, hummers were unfair.

>Rainbow pops you out of her mouth. "Damn, Anon. I didn't think that little trick you work then well on you." She laughs

>Rainbow begins the work one side of your shaft as you collect your thoughts. "Oh no...I'm not that easy." You say.

>"I promised my wife a decent estrus, and I intend to deliver." You say with a grin.

>You really can't say you're entirely confident in your words, but a brave face can't hurt.

 

>Rainbow giggles and moves up to your face. "Well...I don't see any more reason to hold off then." she says.

>Rainbow brushes her lips against yours a few times before bringing them together.

>You wrap Rainbow in your arms again, this time paying equal attention to her wings and flank.

>Like clockwork, the moans and gasps start up.

>You pull Rainbow closer and let your hand glide down her toned cheek and onto her leg.

>Rainbow cups your head between her hooves as her tongue darts around the inside of your mouth.

>You break the kiss and trial down Rainbow's neck, planting kisses as you go.

>You didn't let up on her wings or flank either, earning you a faint "A-Anon..." For your troubles.

>You scoot yourself into a sitting position on the backboard of the bed as you nibble on Rainbow shoulder. "Want me to stop?"

>Rainbow loops her hooves around you under your arms. "Not on your life..." She moans.

>You continue to trace a path up the side of Rainbow's neck. "...Want to keep going?" You ask.

>Rainbow remains silent, but lowers herself enough so that the tip of your member pokes her marehood.

>You believe you have your answer.

 

>You place a hand around your member as you guide it into Rainbow. "Easy does it now..."

>Rainbow has her head on your shoulder and groans. "Anon, I'm tired of easy."

>With that she slams herself down on your member until your hips are meeting.

>You let out a loud moan and lean back against the headboard. "You may...but I can't say I'm not open to more easy..."

>Rainbow begins to kiss your face as you work over her shoulder again.

>She also starts grinding on your member, sending new waves of pleasure through your body at predictable intervals.

>Dash squeaks and clamps herself down tight as your hands find her wings again.

>You laugh as you journey up Rainbow's neck with your tongue.

>The two of you find each other's lips and Rainbow increases her pace.

>You let one of your hands fall and grip her flank, the other sending Dash into fits as it twisted the sensitive joint at the base of her wing.

>Dash still hadn't relaxed from before, she was gripping your cock pretty tight.

>That coupled with the head you got earlier was pushing you to your limit.

>Dash had placed her hooves on the headboard as she bounced and grinded in your lap. "Anon...I-I'm..."

>"Yeah...Me too." You grunt out.

 

>You remove your hand from her wing and move it to the back of her head to bring her in for another kiss.

>At the same time you take a deep breath and begin thrusting with all your might into her.

>Dash moans inside your mouth as your tongues dance around each other.

>Dash eventually wraps her hooves around your head and grunts. Her insides clamp down on you and her wings start errantly flapping.

>Dash's juices wash over your member and send you over the edge.

>You break the kiss and pull Rainbow close to you as you drain yourself into her.

>The two of you sit there gasping for air as you stop convulsing.

>Rainbow picks herself up and begins kissing your neck softly.

>"Heh...One down..." You say.

>Rainbow works her way up to your lips and begins to give you quick pecks. "And a pretty good one too..."

>You chuckle. "G-glad you enjoyed it."

>Rainbow hooks her hooves around your neck. "A step above our first estrus together, huh?"

>"Well...the bed is better than the rocks..." You give her a tender kiss. "But the company is just as good."

>Rainbow just laughs and pulls you down onto the bed again.

 

-Mous PoV-

>You heard Rainbow and Anon go at it almost the instant you shut the door.

>Crazy kids...no appreciation for proper pacing.

>It was mostly quiet in there now as you let your hands glide up the mare laying on your bed.

>"How's that?"

>Lotus contentedly sighs under you. "Have I ever mentioned how glad I am that we taught you the proper way to perform a massage?"

>"You may have mentioned it once or twice..."

>This was not the first time Lotus asked you to rub her back before you slept together.

>You move your hands back down her body, close to her cutie mark.

>Lotus shivers as you rub her flank.

>"Have I found a tender area?" You whisper into her ear.

>Lotus chuckles. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

>Oh so that's how it is.

>You straddle the small of Lotus's back and let your fingers dance over her ribs.

>You lean in close and whisper into her ear.

>"Perhaps I should try something else then...?"

>You let your fingers drift up her body as you switch ears.

>"Perhaps you'd like to conduct things for a while...?"

>Lotus lets out a low moan as you rub the nape of her neck and press yourself up against her.

"Or...perhaps I should just keep whispering into your ear..." You kiss her neck. "...Everything I plan to do to you over this estrus..."

>Lotus lazily turns her head to you.

>She looks at you with half lidded lust filled eyes before she brings her lips to yours.

>Lotus breaks the kiss after a while and leans up to your ear. "I think you should get back to work..." She whispers.

>Hehe. Yes boss.

 

>You swing your leg off Lotus and get off the bed to prepare to continue the massage.

>Imagine your surprise when you look back to see Lotus turning over.

>"What's all this, then?"

>Lotus looks at you with those half lidded eyes that make your heart skip a beat. "You've paid more than enough attention to my back...I think it's time we try something facing each other..."

>You drop to your knees.

>"What did you have in mind?

>Lotus rubs a hoof over your bear chest. "Oh...I'm sure you'll think of something..."

>You reach up and run a hand through her mane as you bring your faces closer.

>"Well...how about we... start up here?"

>You tenderly kiss Lotus as you run your hand through her mane.

>You trace your other hand up along her stomach and cup her face in your palm.

>You break the kiss and begin to slowly work your way down the path you traced, planting nibbling and kissing as you went.

>Lotus sighs as you go. "Such a drama queen..."

>You stop as you reach her stomach.

>"I simply want to ensure you have a good time." You quip.

>You continue down her stomach and onto her leg, gently massaging the tender area of her flank as you went.

>As you spread Lotus legs you get a good look at how worked up she is.

>"You are ruining out bed sheets."

>Lotus tosses and turns at your touch. "Mmnnn...And who's fault do you think that is?"

>You look down at her marehood.

>"I wonder what I should do..."

>Lotus silently writhes as you spell your name on her cutie mark.

>You purse your lips and blow a stream of air over Lotus's marehood.

>"AAAAAAHHHHHH...YOU'RE TERRIBLE." She shouts.

>Heh.

 

>You crawl back up to her.

>"Would you have it any other way?

>Lotus slides a hand up your chest and around your head. "Perhaps a bit more...expedient in some matters..."

>You throw on your offended voice.

>"Why Miss Blossom, whatever do you mean?"

>She traces her hoof down your chest again. "I'm just saying...two years ago, you were hiding in a doomsday cult on a hunch...and the year after that, you ran into a cave to save a group of foals based just on a letter..." She says the last part as she moves over your long healed stab scar.

>"I spent all that time alone...wondering "Just what trouble is he getting himself into?". And then you come back with a half dozen scars and a smile..."

>You reach out and start rubbing her ear.

>"Are you complaining?"

>Lotus laughs. "On the contrary...Stories of your suicidal overconfidence have spread all of Equestria, if my mother is to be believed. Why, if we weren't together, you would have admirers from here to Canterlot."

>Lotus wraps her hooves around your neck and pulls herself up. "But I have you all to myself..." She rubs her hooves on your back. "The big dangerous alien and I, all alone in his den...One can only imagine what those other mares think we do together..."

>You were wise to this.

>Normally, you and Lotus were rather straightforward in bed.

>But every so often, the planets would align and let out a side of Lotus that was rarely seen.

>Tonight it seemed, Lotus wanted to be taken.

>You wrap your arms around Lotus and lay her down on the bed.

>"Well...let's make some stories to tell them."

>With that you bring your lips together.

 

>You made a point of remembering the difference between taking someone and being rough with them, a rather fine line.

>You toy with Lotus's tongue as the two of you kiss.

>You reach out and hold her hooves against the bed, not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough the elicit a few moans.

>What you cannot bind however, are her legs.

>Legs which are now batting at your pants, in an effort to get them off.

>You break the kiss.

>"Need a hand?"

>Lotus smiles and kisses you on the cheek. "So chivalrous." She chirps.

>You lean back and get your belt off.

>You're very careful pulling your pants down with the two of you in the bed.

>You don't want to fall off.

>Again.

>Down to your boxers, you pick up where you left off.

>Lotus giggles as you nip at her neck and continues to try and kick off your boxers, this time succeeding.

>As your tip strikes you, you break the kiss with Lotus.

>"I take it you'd like to continue?"

>"Chivalrous AND attentive, I certainly lucked out, didn't I?" She says.

>"Let's call it your reward for putting up with a bit of psychosis from me." You say as you position yourself.

>You gently press your head against Lotus's lips.

>"You ready?" You ask looking up to her.

>A passionate kiss is your answer.

>And with that, you slowly push yourself in.

 

>Lotus moans in pleasure as you enter her.

>You however, have something else on mind.

Godammit, this is supposed to be special for her, we are not going to giggle.

>It didn't matter how ticklish you were.

>You slowly start moving as Lotus brings her lips back to yours.

>You release her hooves and let your hands wander over her.

>The benefit of seeing only one mare for the past two years was that you had taken intricate mental notes on what she liked.

>However, you found your attempts countered at every turn.

>When you kissed her shoulder, she was able to nibble your ear.

>She wrapped her legs around your waist when you tried to grab them for better leverage.

>You even released a giggle when you slipped your arms under her hooves and increased your speed. Luckily, it was drowned out by her moaning.

>Shit, she was on today. It was getting harder to focus.

>You made a mistake in nipping at her chest, it caused her to clamp down on your member. Hard.

>You didn't give up the pace, but you were getting close.

 

>"B-babe..."

>Lotus kissed you for a moment before she broke away and continued panting in rhythm with your thrusts.

>Lotus's tightness as well as her enthusiastic moaning shattered your concentration and sent you over the edge.

>Your heart skipped a beat as you thrust into her one final time and spilled your seed.

>To your relief, you felt Lotus's juices seep down your leg a moment after.

Better than last time, at least...

>You gently pull out of Lotus and collapse on the bed next to her.

>The two of you catch your breath together before Lotus pulls herself close to you.

>She hoists herself up to your face and looks at you with those big blue eyes of her.

>Your lips are pulled into a tender kiss before Lotus snuggles into your chest. "I love you, Mous..." She said.

>You wrap your arms around her and pull her closer.

>"I love you too."

>Always would.

 

=BiE 74=

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0D7T348GYo-

>Year 42 in Equestria.

>You sat in your chair.

>You were numb.

>It had all happened so fast...

>You watched as the casket was partway lowered into the ground to reveal the headstone.

>"Rainbow Dash: Element of Loyalty, Wonderbolt, Mother, Wife, Friend." It read.

>Everything had happened so fast...

>Dash had been practicing, dammit she had always been practicing...

>She had been pushing herself hard for months and it had finally caught up to her.

>You watched as she had flown high into the air and simply fallen out of the sky.

>She hadn't been breathing.

>You did the best CPR you could until an ambulance came.

>They had taken one look at her and shaken their heads...Dead On Arrival.

>That's when it had started, the numbness.

>The doctors had performed an autopsy to determine the cause.

>Sudden heart failure brought on by over-extending herself.

>The same thing that had made her the captain of the Wonderbolts, the thing she based her entire life on, had taken her away from you.

>Everyp0ny had shown up to the funeral, everyp0ny who's life Dash had touched in hers.

>The rest of the girls were wrecks, save Twilight who was putting on a brave face for everyp0ny.

>The Princesses had presided over the funeral, saying it was the least they could do for their Element of Loyalty.

>Thunderstrike, yours and Rainbows little boy, had flown in all the way from Cloudsdale with his family.

>With a sigh, you watched as Thunder rose from his seat and walked to the podium.

 

>Thunder looked over the gather p0nies with a low face. "My mother..." He began. "My mother came into my life one day when I was barely four years old. She had come to try and find a foal to call her own...and probably to show off a little bit." Everyone in the crown chuckled.

>"When I saw my fist Sonic Rainboom, I was...amazed that any pegasus could have flown that fast. I thought that was going to be the last I saw of her, but her and Dad kept coming back just to see me."

>Mous nudged you from the seat next to you.

>"For my fifth birthday, I got a father to teach me all about the world, and a mother who never gave up on me no matter what I said or did."

>Thunder stepped down from the podium and ran his hoof along the casket. "I love you, mom. And I'm sure gonna miss you." He said as he returned to his seat.

 

>The next to take the podium wasn't even a pony.

>You had only met Gilda for the first time at your wedding, but her and Rainbow had remained close friends afterwards.

>Gilda would fly down every so often to see her little "Thundersquirt" as she called him, even helped teach him how to fly.

>"Dash and me...we were best friends in flight camp."

>Gilda cast a sorrowful glance at the casket below her before she regained her composure.

>"W-we worked together, goofed off together, and did nothing together until she moved to P0nyville."

>"I came to P0nyville once, thought maybe I could hang out with Dash again like the old days, but..."

>You can hear Fluttershy and Pinkie shift in their seats as they remember what Gilda did when she came to town back then.

>"I got into a bad way when Dash broke it off with me...did a lot of stupid things and made a lot of mistakes."

>Gilda glanced and Mous. "But then some dumb ape came and told me to go to Dash's wedding."

>Mous extended a single finger as Gilda kept talking. "Dash...said she forgave me for everything I had done, she said that she wanted things to go back to the way they were."

>"Ever since then I got my best friend back, and I guess I got a couple other ones too..." She said as she glanced over the crowd.

>Gilda stepped down and ran a talon over the casket. "See ya Dash..." She choked out.

 

>As Gilda sat, Mous nudged you in the ribs.

>You silently shook your head. You were in no mood to give a eulogy for your wife who was alive just a few days ago.

>Mous sighed and rose from his seat, walking to the podium himself.

>"In this...emotional time, I'll be giving my own eulogy." He said. "I'm just gonna be riffing here, so give me a minute..."

>"What can really be said about Rainbow Dash that hasn't already been said?"

>Mous leaned on the podium. "Rainbow Dash was arrogant, brash, vain, single-minded, and narcissistic..."

>Everyone was staring as Mous paused. "...And she was one of the best friends any of us had ever had."

>"She welcomed two aliens with open arms, helped us fix our house, defended and protected us when she could, and was one hell of a wife and mom..."

>"The true embodiment of loyalty..." Mous looks up at the clear sky. "Look, she even made it a nice day for us."

>Several chuckles echoed through the crowed as Mous stepped down. "Later, buddy." He said as he ran his hand over the casket.

 

>The service concluded after a speech from Twilight and another from Princess Celestia.

>Everyp0ny rose from their chairs as Rainbow was lowered into the ground.

>You didn't blink as you watched the groundskeepers shovel dirt into the grave.

>"Goodbye Dashie...I love you..." You whisper as you lose sight of the coffin to the falling earth.

>You feel somep0ny walk up next to you. "Hello, Anon." They say.

>"Hey, Luna." You respond, still staring at the ground.

>Luna had been re-acclimating herself to Equestrian society over the past couple decades, she still had her antiquated way of speaking, but you two had struck up a friendship as you both worked with Twilight on various magical experiments.

>Luna sighed next to you. "This really...accentuates it, doesn't it? The curse of a long life...?" You can see Luna look to the colt behind her from the corner of your eye.

>"Yeah..." You say.

>You look down at your hands. Not aging was easy to get used to at first, you were rather used to your own face.

>As the years went on however, and Dashie and Thunder had grown older, you couldn't help but feel a growing knot in your stomach.

>You knew that one day, you'd be without them both.

>You just didn't anticipate that it would be this soon...

>Luna turned to you. "Anon..."

>You glance her way.

>"Should you ever need someone to talk to, know that I am here." She says with a concerned face.

>You force a small smile. "Yeah...thanks Luna."

>Luna returns with a smile of her own and turns to leave. "Come Pippen, let us leave Anon to himself for now..."

 

>You hear Luna trot off.

>You silently turn and begin walking in a direction, you don't know where you're going or why, but you just keep walking.

>At least until a pair of hands grip your shoulders and say. "Easy Seabuscuit."

>You almost trip over your feat as you turn to Mous. "Hey man..."

>"Where are you going?" He asks.

>You sigh and look down the hill in front of you. "I dunno man...I'm just gonna walk for a while."

>Mous's eyes drift over you. "Not alone, you're not."

>You turn to try and stop him. "Dude, wait, you don't have to-"

>That's as far as you get before Mous shushes you and kneels down to Lotus. "I'm gonna go take care of him for a bit, okay? Don't wait up."

>Your eyes drift over Lotus...while she normal kept herself in good health, her normally pink mane has been turning ever greyer, and more wrinkles were forming on her face every day.

>Lotus kisses Mous on the cheek. "Be safe." She says.

>"I'm always safe." Mous says as he rises and walks towards you.

>"Alright man, lead the way." He says.

 

>You and Mous skulk through the woods for a while, eventually ending up on the shores of a small lake.

>The two of you hoist yourselves onto some nearby rocks and sit, the only sound coming from the rocks Mous was skipping across the water's surface.

>"We gonna talk?" He asks as he tosses another rock.

>"What is there to talk about?" You sigh.

>"You. Your state of mind."

>"My state of mind? My state of mind is that my wife just died."

>Mous is silent for a bit. "...We both knew this was going to happen."

>You grumble. "Yeah, but not this soon..."

>The two of you sit silently for a while.

>"It's just..." Mous turns to you. "I never got the chance to say goodbye..."

>Mous's head drops. "I know, man..."

>You push yourself off the rock and stand. "You know, I think I can get what you were saying all that time ago...about just leaving."

>Mous jumps up onto his feet. "Whoa...you're not?..."

 

>You shake your head. "No no...I still want to stay. It's just..."

>Mous puts his hands in his pockets. "This is our life now..."

>The two of you look over the lake. "What are you gonna do now?"

>You shrug. "I don't really know. Maybe I'll travel, or bury myself in research or something."

>"But you're gonna be alright?" He asks.

>You look up into the sky. The same sky that had reminded you of Rainbow whenever you looked at it.

>You let out a deep sigh. "Yeah...It'll take a while, but I'll be good.

>You look up at Mous. "Thanks man."

>"It's what I do." He says.

>You extend your arms. "Come on."

>Mous rolls his eyes. "People already think we're gay without us hugging in the middle of the woods.

>"Mous, I'm not leaving until we hug this out."

>You feel Mous cringe as he weakly hugs you. "You hug like a girl."

>He grunts.

>"And your shampoo smells like crap."

>You can't help but laugh as Mous shoots himself off of you. "Okay! We're done here!"

 

=BiE 75=

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqCzqmtvYJM-

>Year 82 in Equestria.

>You sat in a chair in the hospital.

>You had been here for...A while.

>A week maybe?

>You...didn't expect to be here that much longer...

>You reached a hand out and grabbed Lotus's hoof, rubbing it with your thumb.

>You massage her hoof for a few minutes before you hear her shifting in her bed.

>Lotus's eyes crack open and turn to look at you.

>"Hey pretty pony..."

>The years had been kind to Lotus.

>Her hair was a muted grey but still retained the slightest hint of her natural pink.

>The wrinkles around her eyes had taken root and spread throughout the rest of her face, leaving parts of her skin hanging in bags.

>But still...time takes its toll on us all.

>Except for you it seemed...

>Lotus reaches up and rubs her face. "Hello dear..." She says.

>Hearing her voice again makes you smile.

>"Did you sleep well?"

>Lotus adopts a small smirk as she settles back into her bed. "Yes, these beds are quite nice."

>"I'm glad you're enjoying your time here." You chuckle.

>You scoot your chair closer as you continue to rub her hoof.

>"H-how are you feeling?"

>Lotus stares off into space for a bit. "...Tired."

>...

>Shit...

>You absentmindedly kick at the bag below you.

>"It's...almost time."

>Lotus closes her eyes for a moment. "Yes, I think so..."

>Okay then.

>"Just...stay a bit longer, alright? There's something I have to do."

>You put your hand into your mouth and whistle.

 

>The door to Lotus's room opens and a small earth stallion trots in.

>He is wearing a black robe and a white collar.

>"Dear? What is..." You hear Lotus ask.

>You can't answer her, you're bent over digging through your bag.

>Once you grab the required items, you lean over the bed and look Lotus in the eyes.

>"Lotus, uhm..."

>This is...hard.

>It's harder because your eyes feel weird.

>"Lotus, I don't think we have too much time left together, and I know you and I probably won't be able to do that honeymoon I promised you but..."

>"Yes."

>You look up to see a tearful smiling Lotus. "Of course."

>You feel generally happy for the first time in this week's assault of depression.

>You lunge out and wrap your arms around Lotus in the bed.

>"Love you..." You whisper.

>The two of you separate and you wave the stallion on.

>He clears his throat. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..."

 

>The cleric had left.

>The two of you had shifted around the chair and the mattress a bit.

>You were now leaning silently against your wife.

>You looked down at the necklace set you had gotten.

>Well, one necklace and a bracelet.

>Turns out that the one you bought didn't fit you, probably what you get when you just rush in and buy whatever you can find.

>You run a hand through Lotus's mane. "I don't know what I'm going to do..."

>"Hm?"

>"When you're...not around. I don't know what I'm going to do."

>Lotus smiles and places a hoof on your arm. "You'll grieve for a bit, longer then you probably should if I know you. Eventually things will fall back into a routine..."

>"And then you'll meet a mare who can drag you out of your doldrums, and she'll fall in love with the same man that I did so long ago." She says as she nuzzles into your shoulder.

>You stare out into space as you take in her words and what they would mean.

>"I don't...think that's going to happen..."

>Lotus looks up at you. "What do you mean, sweetheart?"

>You sigh and lean back in your chair.

>"I mean...you were it Lotus, you were the first one to actually get through. For so long I had shut out everyone and everything that tried to get in, because it was just me and Anon."

>You placed your forehead against hers. "But despite all that, you somehow found a way in...and I can't thank you enough for doing it." You say as you rub your noses together.

>Your face falls as you look back into Lotus's eyes. "But...once you're gone, I think that way you got in is gonna get blocked off too."

 

>Lotus's eyes well up a bit. "Mous..."

>You reach out and grab her hooves in your hands.

>"I don't want to find another mare Lotus, I don't need to."

>Your eyes were feeling weird again.

>You reach out and pull Lotus as close as you can.

>Your voice barely registers above a whisper.

>"I can't replace you...I won't. You mean the world to me..."

>You feel Lotus wrap her hooves around you. "You'd be by yourself? For however long you'll still be alive?"

>You'd be by yourself for twice that to avoid replacing her.

>And besides, you still had Anon.

>You look down at your bracelet.

>"I didn't buy this thing for its fashion sense."

>Lotus chuckles. "No...I suppose not."

>Your eyes hurt.

>"Can we...stay like this for a while?"

>"If we do that, you'll ruin this lovely smock they gave me."

>You laugh.

>"Shut up..."

 

>The two of you eventually separate, you returning to your seat and just staying with Lotus as she rested in her bed.

>You'd stay here all night if you had to...

>Lotus hadn't left you hanging either, she had stayed awake so that the two of you could reminisce.

>"Do you know what I liked the most?" She asked.

>"Hehe...What?"

>Against all logic, you were smiling.

>Lotus turned to you, her eyes half lidded and tired. "How I'd wake up every morning to you grinning at me. You'd smile and kiss me and say "Hey pretty pony." and start my day off just right."

>You chuckle.

>"Are you sure it wasn't because I'd usually start rubbing your flank afterwards?"

>Lotus lets out a contented sigh. "I suppose that belongs on the list as well..."

>You rub your hand through Lotus's mane, like you would every morning when you woke her.

>"Sorry I took so long to propose..."

>Lotus lets out a weak laugh. "Sweetheart, do you remember the week before Anon and Rainbow's wedding? When you asked me what I would have said if you proposed then and there?"

>You thought back, way back.

>"Uh...yeah, why?"

>"Do you remember what I said?"

>It was getting a little clearer now.

>"I think you were acting like a smart ass and told me to guess."

>Lotus lets out another laugh, a bit stronger this time.

>"But...I'm pretty sure it was a 'yes'."

>Lotus nods. "Indeed it was. And from that point on, we have lived together, slept together, and spent most of our lives together."

>"So?"

>Lotus shakes her head. "So, you proposed eighty years ago...and I said yes in a heartbeat, It just took you a while to set the wedding up."

>You chuckle."And look at all I could get."

>"We both knew that wedding planning was out of our league..."

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ve4i4iy-ag-

>Celestia had set the sun.

>Luna's moon had begun it's trek across the sky.

>Lotus lay in her hospital bed, still as a statue with her eyes affixed on the ceiling.

>"I think... it's time to go..." She croaked out.

>Oh god...

>"S-say hi to your dad for me?"

>She had held on long enough...

>"T-tell him that I finally got around to making a...an honest mare out of you..."

>You reached out and grabbed her hoof.

>The tears were running down your face and landing on the bedspread.

>Lotus's eyes slowly turned to look at you. "I...Lo...

>"Yeah..."

>You bend down and plant a tender kiss on her lips.

>"I love you too...

>More then she could ever fathom.

>Lotus closed her eyes...

>You felt her hoof slack in your grip and fall from your hand.

>You're alone in the room.

>You get down on your knees and put your head in her lap.

>The blanket over her is getting wet and sticking to your face.

>Your body hitches and your eyes burn.

>You were so sure that your tear ducts had been paralyzed...

>You could have laid there for hours for all you know.

>Eventually your throat was too sore and you ran out of tears.

>You slowly rose and pulled the blanket over Lotus's face.

>You switched off the EKG meter and walked to the door.

>You paused as you opened the door.

>"Goodbye Lotus..."

 

>You stepped out into the hospital lobby.

>That numbness that Anon told you he felt at Rainbows funeral, it was creeping up on you.

>Speaking of Anon, you caught him sitting in the lobby.

>He took two steps towards you and wrapped his arms around you.

>You didn't fight him off this time.

>"I'm so sorry..." He says.

>The two of you stand there in the lobby for a time, ignoring everyp0ny staring at you.

>"...what do I do now?"

>Anon breaks away from you. "Right now, were gonna go out and drink until we can't walk. And then you're gonna stay with me for the week."

>You give him a doubtful eye.

>"I don't think a sleepover is going to help me here, Anon..."

>Anon slips his hands into his pockets. "No. No it's not. Not by a long shot. But it's the best first step you can make on the road to recovery."

>You sighed.

>"Staying up for three days and watching movies?"

>Anon throws an arm around you. "Not being alone."

 

=BiE 76=

 

>Year 140 in Equestria.

>You angle a fire spell through a lens as you seal the last edge of this box.

>You reach a hand out to the kid next to you. "A spell if you please, acolyte."

>He rummages through the box of crystals you had. "Any preference sir?"

>"Surprise me."

>The colt levitates a crystal out of the box into your hand.

>You open up the top of the clear crystalline case and balance the crystal on the stand on one side of it.

>The case seals shut with a his as you turn the handle on top.

>You extend a thumbs up to your acolyte by the mana batteries. "Alright, give us the juice!"

>The acolyte flipped the switch and sent mana flowing down the wires into the case.

>A brilliant blue light filled the Arcanium as the magical reaction inside took place.

>You turned your head away until the reaction died down.

>The blue light died down enough for you to look back inside the case.

>Where there had once been a single magical crystal, there were now two.

>A chorus of cheers echoed through the Arcanium, cheers you had to suppress. "Now now, everyp0ny, let's not celebrate until we know it works right."

>You crack open the case and let the errant steam from the reaction escape. As it does, you reach in and grab the twin crystals.

>Hmm. Better to do this somewhere safe. "Razzle Dazzle, could you open the window for me?"

>The unicorn complies and lets Celestia's sunlight into the dusty room.

>You toss the pair of crystals into the lake below, the two of them shattering on impact and bursting into rainbow light.

>You turn back to the room full of waiting unicorns. "Okay, now you can celebrate."

 

>You nudge your way through the celebrating magi and up the stairs to the Grand Magister's office.

>You close the door behind you, she liked the quiet.

>"I am happy to report that we were able to apply the duplication spell to the crystalline case."

>"And the spells had the same magnitude?"

>You silently nod.

>"That's amazing, Anon! How did you do it?" She asks as she tries to get down from her chair.

>Twilight had been able to keep herself going for a long while with the help of her magic,  but the years were starting to catch up to her.

>You explain your process as you go to help her down. "We kept the magic contained by vacuum sealing the case and ensuring that there were no cracks or open corners. It kept the spell from getting out and reflected it back all in one."

>Twilight nodded her head. "Ah yes, the Hoodinium Constant. Very good."

>"Was there anything else, or can I tell these kids that they're free to go?"

>"Well, they can leave, but I was hoping to steal you away for a bit." Twilight says as she levitates a saddlebag to her shoulders.

>You grab the bag before she sets it down and throw it over your back. "What's up, boss?"

>Twilight smiles at your old nickname for her. "I was going to check the regulator underneath the city and could use a hoof, are you up to it?"

>You offer a grin. "Spend some time with one of my oldest friends and work on a magical superconductor? I think I may be able to clear my schedule."

>Twilight rolls her eyes and laughs as you open the door for her.

 

>You pried the cover off the regulator and stuck the measuring rod inside.

>Twilight sat a few feet behind you and examined the readings on a machine.

>You looked around the room. "It hasn't changed at all, has it?"

>"Hmm?" Twilight says as she looks up from her machine.

>"This. It's been over a hundred years, but here we are; doing science in the same place we beat The Dogfather in."

>Twilight chuckles. "I suppose it all has a bit of a nostalgic feeling to it..."

>You go back to taking the readings of the magical reaction going on inside the regulator.

>"So, why were you so intent on getting off work today?"

>Fuck. "Oh...no reason."

>"Ahuh. What's her name?"

>You turn around "Hehe, what?"

>"Anon, just because I never had kids doesn't mean I can't spot somep0ny ditching for a date, so what's her name?" She says with a level of good cheer that should be impossible.

>You sigh in submission. "Star Charmer. She works at the Wonderbolts arena."

>Twilight is quiet for a bit. "Good for you."

>Huh?

>You turn to look at Twilight. "Anon, it's been 98 years...I miss Rainbow and all my old friends every single day, but it's wrong to think that you wouldn't begin to see other ponies in your situation."

>Well...Wow. "Thanks Twilight, that means a lot."

>You turn back to the regulator.

>"Anon, when I'm gone, I'm going to name you as my successor."

 

>It takes your brain a moment to process that.

>"WHAT!?" You shout as you spin around to face Twilight.

>Twilight remains seated. "What are you talking about 'your successor'!?"

>"I mean that when I am no longer able to perform my duties as Grand Magister, you will be my first choice for that position."

>You kneel down to her level. "Twi...

>She shakes her head. "Anon, please, don't tell me that you can't because you're not a unicorn. I have seen you make discovery after discovery about magic using nothing more than your unique way of thinking."

>Twilight's warm smile came back. Damn, she must have learned that from Celestia."You've been a part of the Royal Magisters for as long as I have, Anon. I can think of nop0ny better to take the mantle."

>The machine next to the two of you dings. "Ah! Magical energy is Equestria is within .002% of nominal values. Excellent." Twilight says.

>Twilight begins to levitate the machine back into her bag. "I can get this back to the Arcanium, Anon. Go on your date."

>"Are you sure, Twi? I can stick around if you wa-"

>A bright flash of purple light explodes around Twilight and has left you alone with the regulator when it dissipates.

>"...Right. Teleporter."

 

>You decide to think about Twilight's words to you later, right now you were on a date.

>Star Charmer and you were taking a walk through Canterlot on the way to a nice little deli she knew about.

>You looked up at the castle as you passed it. "Something on your mind?" Star asked.

>You flash a smile. "Nah. My friend just works there, I was wondering what he was up to."

>She smirks back. "That guy you always talk about who gets into all the crazy shit?"

>"The very same one."

>Star glances over at the castle herself. "Wanna try and find him?"

>"Now?"

>"Yeah! Come on, live a little!" She cries as she flies over you towards the castle.

>Yeah, this was a good idea...

 

>The two of you find Mous in the castle gardens.

>Oddly, you find him with half the royal choir, a megaphone, and his old stereo. "What in the hell are you doing?" You ask.

>Mous whirls around; he was wearing his psychotic grin.

>You looked up at the side of the castle he was face. You were sure that was Princess Celestia's balcony...

>Oh god...

>"Ah! Anon and lady! Welcome to our little show." He booms as he walks up to the two of you.

>He extends a hand to Star. "Mous: Royal Logician."

>Star meets his hand with a wry smirk. "Star Charmer: Technician at Wonderbolts Stadium."

>Mous throws off a goofy bow. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. You two are just in time for the festivities..."

>You really don't like how he said that. "Mous, what are you planning?"

>A shit eating grin is your response. "Anon, you know that telling would spoil the surprise."

>He practically skips back to the choir. "Places everyp0ny! It's almost time!"

>He had been acting demented ever since Lotus. You really hoped this was the peak of his shenanigans, whatever it was.

>A guard pegasus flew over the area and landed next to Mous.

>"Everything is in place?" He asked.

>The guard silently nodded.

>"Good lad, you'll get your reward later."

>The guard frowned a bit and flew off, obviously wanting his reward now.

>"Bribing the guards? What are you planning?"

>Mous just winks at you and flips on the stereo.

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUwauaE0zEE-

>Oh god...

>The choir sung out the lyrics loud enough for the entire city to hear.

>Star Charmer just looked up at you confused as you brought your palm to your face.

>Mous threw his arms into the air and began some sort of weird combination of dancing and thrusting his crotch into the air in time with the guitar.

>From up on high, Princess Celestia stepped out to see what all the racket was.

>"Hey!" Mous shouted.

>Mous brought the megaphone to his mouth and began stomping around the area as he sang.

>"I was just a skinny lad! Never knew no good from bad! But I knew life before I left my nursery~!"

>Star Charmer looked up at you again. "Is this normal?

>"For him it is..."

>"Left alone with big fat fanny! She was such a naughty nanny! Heap big woman, you made a bad boy outa me~!"

>Princess Celestia took off from her balcony and landed in the garden below as Mous continued to stomp around. "Hey! Hey!"

>Star Charmer joined you in your tactical facepalm. "Whoo!"

>Mous continued to dance around, this time getting close to the two of you.

>He clapped twice in your face along with the song and proceeded to spin away.

>Mous put his arm in between his legs and swayed along to the songs rhythm as he sang.

>"I've been singing with my band! Across the wire, across the land! I've seen every pink eyed floozy on they waaaaay~!

>Celestia trots up to within an inch of Mous, her face one of confusion.

>"But their beauty and their style went kinda smooth after a while! Take me two them dirty ladies every time!"

>The choir finally joined back in and began singing the chorus. But you didn't see.

>You and Star Charmer were already halfway out of the castle.

>"That's the guy you've known all your life?"

>You nod.

>"Has he always been insane?"

>"Pretty much."

 

=BiE 77=

 

>Year 268 in Equestria.

>You stomped your way through the embassy.

>Why did she have you do this?

>There had to be somep0ny better qualified for this.

>Dammit Celestia, I'm a logician, not a diplomat.

Are we really a logician?

>It sounds better then "Royal problem solver".

>"They in?" You asked the receptionist.

>"Third door on the left, sir." She said.

>Brilliant.

>You walked down to the number room you were instructed.

>You opened the door and spotted three Griffins sitting at the table inside.

>"Gentlemen, how do?"

>The lead Griffin grunts. "We have been waiting here for over an hour."

>Idiot meeting planners.

>"Yes, bit of a clerical mix-up. At least you had a good view."

>You motion to the large window overlooking the valley underneath Canterlot.

>If you squinted, you could see P0nyville in the distance, expanding after all these years.

>You throw your file onto the table and flip it open.

>"Now let's see what we're here for, huh?"

>The Griffins glare at you as you peer over the file. The idea that a diplomat wouldn't come to a meeting fully prepared with the information about what he's there for was inconceivable to them.

>Well screw the lot of them, you weren't planning on behind here.

>"Increased troop deployment along the border? That won't do at all."

>The Griffins feathers shift as you pull out a seat.

>"Alright gents, let's chat."

 

>Cut to FOUR DAMN HOURS LATER.

>These Griffins were being right assholes about all this.

>You asked nicely, they shot you down.

>You offered to ease trade tariffs, they refused.

>You told them you killed Discord and they laughed in your face.

>The chair you were leaning in was balancing quite well as you leaned back on it in silent contemplation.

>These Griffins were stone cold serious. Each of them was wearing solid armor across their chest, as well as a plumed helmet and a single gauntlet on their right talon.

>Wait, single gauntlet?

>"What's with the gloves?"

>The Griffins snort. "You're asking about our apparel now?"

>You nod. Not in the mood for questions.

>They all three hold up their talons. "We are each a member of the Wind Raiders. The founder of our organization lost his talon in a raid by an anonymous chariot many years ago, and spoke of a creature he had never seen before doing it. Now, all Wind Raiders wear a gauntlet over their talon as testament to his sacrifice."

>Griffin lost a talon.

>Chariot attack.

>Mystery attacker.

>Well, this isn't weird at all...

>One of the Griffins snorts. "This ape wastes our time. Better to simply leave then to spend the entire day asked about what we wear by Celestia's lapdog."

>'Lapdog'?

>Okay, that was it.

 

>You lean forward and let the chair slam against the floor.

>"Alright birdies, let's talk."

>The lead Griffin speaks up. "I think we're don h-"

>"When I said "let's talk" I meant "I'm talking". Besides, you're gonna want to hear this."

>The Griffins sit back down, placated a bit.

>"You Griffins are the masters of the sky, right? Surely you've had to deal with dragons every now and then."

>The lead Griffin nods. "Of course."

>"And surely you've heard of the oldest and angriest of them all, Grougaloragran, right?"

>The Griffins exchange glances before they nod.

>You reach into your file and pull a map of the Griffin kingdoms out.

>"Well, here's the deal. We stole his egg. And we hid it in one of your cities."

>The Griffins eyes go wide as you point to the map.

>"Now, we have it hidden from his senses by a spell, but that spell can be turned off at pretty much any time."

>You meet the Griffins eyes as you drop your voice down.

>"If you walk out of here without promising to remove your troops from the border, or breathe a word of this to the High Jarl; that spells goes down, Grougaloragran senses his egg, and he burns half your kingdom to the ground to get it back."

>You swear you could see sweat dripping through their feathers. "You have no honor." They said.

>"I also don't have something a big pissed off dragon wants hidden underneath a couple hundred thousand of my citizens lives."

>You rise from your seat and head for the door, leaving the Griffins to contemplate your words.

>"Get your troops away from my border, or I just might lower the spell anyway."

 

>You slammed the door behind you and walked down the corridor.

>Ha. Idiots.

>Griffins were too honorable and Klingon-esque to consider the fact that the diplomat they were speaking to might in fact be lying through his teeth about a threat too big to ignore, even if they had never heard of the dragon before.

>They'd fly home and get the troops away from the border before spending a ridiculous amount of time trying to find an egg that didn't exist.

>You stepped out into the sun and thought about what to do next.

>Might as well give Celestia a report on the meeting and then...you don't know, spit off the wall or something.

>You walked down the street towards the castle.

>The years had been...decent to you.

>You hit a rough patch for a long while after Lotus died, you admit that.

>Anon had eventually helped you drag yourself out of it and do something with your long life.

 

>You walked down the road and saw a light show from the Arcanium that would put Pink Floyd to shame.

Speaking of Anon...

>Anon had taken to the Grand Magisters position like white on rice after Twilight had died.

>Even now the city was running more efficiently as he reworked the leylines.

>Thought's of Twilight brought you down the path to the rest of the old gang...

>Pinkie had been the first to go after Rainbow, all those years of partying finally catching up to her.

>She had made you all promise to wear party hats to her funeral.

>Fluttershy went after her, passing away quietly in her sleep.

>Rarity had lived with Blueblood for a while before she became a household phrase in the world of fashion. You think you were wearing one of her coats...

>Applejack had opened up her own orchard out west. The last time you had seen it, it had gone on past the horizon.

>Twilight had been the last to go; as the Grand Magister of Canterlot, with a special gravesite in the royal gardens.

>You looked down a familiar path in the park.

>Well...maybe not the last one.

 

>You decided to cut through the park on your way to the castle.

>You came here often.

>Sequestered just off the main path was a statue that you had commissioned.

>But it wasn't a statue.

>It was an antenna.

>And it was sending a message.

>Derpy and Dinky hadn't been at Rainbow's funeral.

>They hadn't been around for years.

>A little after Dinky graduated from school, the entire family had just vanished.

>Dinky, Derpy and Mr. Hooves.

>It didn't take an idiot to figure out what had happened, you probably should have just been glad he held off as long as he did.

>You were rather lucid for a few weeks until you came up with the idea for this antenna.

>It was off the main path, sitting in the middle of a small clearing with a straight line of sight into the sky.

>Anon had helped you rig it up to broadcast a message into space every ten minutes.

>Every ten minutes for the last 200 years.

>Anon was the only one who knew why you did it. He had assured you that a couple of mana batteries would keep a short message broadcasting for millennia.

>"Take care of them."

>That was all you had the message say. A simple request of the one who had taken over protecting them now.

>You popped the cover off the antenna base and ensure that everything was in working order.

>Satisfied, you rose to your feet and looked into the sky.

>"They better still be there, Time Lord."

>You turned back and headed for the path.

>You'd come back next week to check on it again.

 

>You walk through the castle to Celestia's room.

>The door opened before you reached it and a mountain of a stallion stepped out.

>He made Big Mac look like a colt.

Fucking hell...

>You recognized him as one of the guards who patrolled the North wall at dusk.

>"Soldier." You said as you passed.

>"Sir."

>You stepped into Celestia's Bastion of Horror's to find her sitting at a beauty desk in the corner.

>You peer back at the stallion as the door closes.

>"So, can you just unhinge your jaw or something? Or is there magic at play here?

>"I'm willing to bet that magic is the reason you aren't gagging on the smell of musk right now, if that's what you're asking."

>Celestia turns her head to you. "How did it go?"

>"Despite being seriously out of my element, I was able to lie to the diplomats. They'll probably be pulling their troops out within a week."

>Celestia eyes you. "You heard them say that, did you?"

>"I inferred from their faces."

>Celestia grunts and turns back to her mirror. "I hope you're prepared to stake Canterlot's security on that Mous."

>"Nothing a little assassination of a High Jarl can't fix. We can use that crossbow I stole once."

>Celestia pulls the comb through her hair. "Let's exhaust diplomacy first."

Yeah right...only a matter of time before the High Jarl is the one you catch walking out of here.

>"Well, I've got a lot of nothing to do. Don't hurt yourself, Sunshine."

>"Send in the next one~!" Celestia calls behind you.

Gross...

>You meet a stallion headed for Celestia's room on your way out.

>"Here to see the princess?"

>He silently nodded.

>"Something came up, she's busy for the rest of the day."

>The stallion looked disappointed and trotted away.

Ha.

>You were such a dick.

 

=BiE 78=

 

>Year 353 in Equestria.

>Be some time past midnight.

>This bed was fantastic, there were advantages to being Grand Magister.

>You were soundly, joyously, asleep when a vibrating on your desk awoke you.

>Stupid baby monitor...

>You promise to take care of your great-granddaughter for a weekend and what does she do? Keep you awake.

>"Coming Winter..." You moan out as you roll off the bed.

>You shuffle yourself into the room you set up for Winter Heart and peer into the crib.

>There she was asleep, with her face planted on the crib and her ass in the air.

>Someone was going to be grumpy in the morning...

>Wait, if she was asleep, then what was?...

>Now a bit more aware, you walk back into your room.

>The vibrating was coming from inside your desk.

>You pull open the draw and dig around for the offending noise.

>Your hand wraps around one of the many spell-stones you kept in the desk as various alarms and communication devices.

>The one you pulled out was your direct communication with Princess Celestia.

>It was glowing an angry red.

>After midnight.

>"Oh hell..."

 

>You got a guard to sit in with Winter as you made your way down to the meeting room.

>Mous was practically hopping up the stairs into the castle.

>"Do you ever sleep?" You asked him once you met up.

>"Sleep means I have to stop doing things." He said.

>You rolled your eyes as the two of you stepped into the meeting room.

>Orbiting around a large map of Equestria was Celestia, Luna, General Silver, and Guard Captain Shimmer.

>"Sorry we're late." You say as you both join the rest of the assembled ponies.

>Grand Magister, the Logician, both Princesses, a General and the City Guard. Whatever this was couldn't be good.

>Celestia nods to the two of you. "Glad you could join us, this is a meeting of dire urgency..."

>Celestia casts a spell and makes a figure of light on the map.

>Mous scoffs. "An Ursa Major?" He looks to Celestia. "Why does an Ursa Major constitute calling us in at this hour?"

>"Were it so simple, Logician." Celestia says. "This is Canterlot as seen to scale against this beast." She says as she casts another spell.

>A small model of Canterlot appeared on the map.

>It only reached up to the bear's stomach.

>"Oh..."

>You look over the Ursa.

>"What is this thing, Princess? And why is it the subject of an emergency meeting?"

>Celestia re-positions the Ursa a bit Northwest of Canterlot. "What you see here is the Ursa Gigantis; an incredibly rare mutation of the Ursa major, thought to have been extinct long ago."

>"Our scouts reported rumors of one's existence inside the Forsaken Forest between the borders of Equestria and the Griffin kingdoms."

>"Tch. Three guesses who pissed it off." Mous says.

 

>The Griffin Kingdoms had been going downhill in recent years.

>It had all started when some old order of theirs had been ousted as paranoid and was shunned form the society.

>After that started the "Degradation of Honor." as they called it. The Griffin Kingdoms turning on each other in mad grasps for power.

>As of today, the kingdoms were barely trading with anyone and had refugees fleeing by the hundreds.

>That still wouldn't explain why they'd send this thing after you...

>"Regardless of the intent, we estimate that it will reach Canterlot over the Northern mountains within twenty days."

>You begin brainstorming ideas.

>Could another 4-D prison work?

>What about banishing it?

>Maybe-

>"Unfortunately, there may be a complication." Celestia says.

>Celestia and Luna turn to everyp0ny assembled. "The Members of the Ursa genus are composed of star magic. Their outer body is made of the night sky, while their hearts are a micro-sun."

>"Meaning?" Mous asked.

>"Meaning that it'd break out of a prison and cancel out any hit by Sun or Moon magic." You said.

>Damn, that made it harder...

>"Then we hit it with both." Mous said.

>Mous and you exchange glances. "Are you thinking...?"

>"A cannon."

>"Double barreled."

>"With both types of magic in it."

>You put a hand to your chin. "That could work."

 

>Mous turns to Celestia. "The new city platform construction is hereby suspended. I'm going to need every scrap of metal and every p0ny there to be able to get this done in time."

>Celestia nods. "Anon can you design this cannon in time?"

>"I have a few ideas now."

>"Good. General, Guard Captain, go with the logician and ensure that he gets all the things he requires."

>Mous leads his new entourage out of the room, barking orders as he goes.

>You turn to Celestia and Luna. "In order for this cannon to work, I'm going to need a proper power source. Do you two have any ideas?"

>They both nod. "We do, but will take time to gather."

>Luna trots up to you. "Can we trust that you will complete the cannon in time, Anon?"

>It still messed with you a bit to hear Luna talk like a normal pony.

>You look at the distance Gigantis would have to cross and compare it to the idea in your head.

>You place a hand on Luna's shoulder. "Don't worry Princess, cannons are easy."

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GXjBJbo5FE-

>Fucking hell, why are cannons such a hard concept?

>It had taken you almost the entire twenty days and you probably slept a forth of that time, but Canterlot now had a cannon the size of Wonderbolts stadium attached to it.

>Mous was looking out the window of the control center over the twin cannon barrels.

>Ursa Gigantis could be seen out in the distance by the mountains.

>Luna and Celestia had come through with the power sources, you were actually running the final tests on them now.

>"Moonstone cylinder is ready..."

>Your readouts beep.

>"Fusion cylinder is set."

>The Princesses stood behind you. "Then we are ready."

>Mous took out a spyglass and stared at Gigantis. "Targeting ready?"

>"We're good."

>Mous grins. "Get me a bead on that things heart."

>You adjusted the cannon's targeting. "We're good! I have an angle!"

>Mous collapses his spyglass and holds a thumb out at Gigantis.

>He was coming down the mountain.

>"Mous, we don't have all day!"

>He gets that psychotic grin of his. "HYBRID CANNON: FIRE!"

 

>You slam your fist on the firing mechanism.

>A low hum rises through the control center as the cannon drew power from Canterlot.

>You looked back and watched as lights across the entire city dimmed.

>The hum stopped for a split second before twin torrents of magic shot out of the cannon.

>They raced over the landscape towards Gigantis, coalescing into a spiral as they drew closer.

>Gigantis seemed intent to let the magic wash over him, sure that his sun heart would revive him.

>You can only imagine his surprise as the twin shots punch him in the chest and throw him back against the mountain behind him.

>A mountain that promptly explodes, sending a rain of dirt and magical residue down over Equestria.

>The control center is silent as the p0nies get their first real glimpse at the power of the cannon.

>Mous forms a gun with his hand and breaks the silence. "Bang, you're dead."

 

>You and Luna had taken a chariot out to inspect the damage.

>Mous remained behind at the cannon, beginning work on disassembling it.

>You don't even want to begin to think of the political situation having that thing would bring on...

>You let out a low whistle as you landed in the crater the cannon caused.

>You had gotten Gigantis alright, you fucking blew him up.

>Pieces of Ursa corpse were strewn around the area, slowly dissipating as the star magic inside of them seeped out.

>"Well, at least now we know those platinum capacitors work..."

>"Not one of my more peaceful theories." Luna said.

>The Hybrid Cannon had almost been grounded before it could start when you learned that the power draw to fire the damn thing would take more magic than Canterlot had. It was Luna's idea to make up some capacitors to siphon of magic over time to give you the boost you needed.

>You got out your instruments and set up for a preliminary reading.

>"...Is this my fault?" Luna asked.

>You turn and look at the moon Princess."Your fault?"

>She nods. "This Gigantis was a creature born of the stars, my stars. That makes him my responsibility, right? Is it my fault that this creature had to die in such a gruesome way?"

>You put a reassuring hand on Luna's shoulder, getting a smile in return. "Hey, this guy made his own choice and decided to march on Canterlot."

>"Back on my world, we had a saying. "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." You can try to save everyone, but there comes a time when you have to just try and save the most people possible."

 

>Luna looks a bit unconvinced. "So that is how you solve these problems? Arithmetic?"

>"No, no. I'm just saying that you shouldn't feel sorry for something that was going to hurt your subjects."

>Luna looks contemplative. "Why are you so regretful over this? Is it just because of the stars he's made of?"

>Luna lets out a deep sigh. "You have to promise never to tell anyp0ny what I'm about to tell you."

>Oh boy...

>You nod.

>Luna shuffles her hooves. "Back when I was Nightmare Moon, and I cast the world into darkness, I released an immense amount of Lunar magic. At the time I thought nothing of it, but when I was restored to my natural form...I noticed something familiar about the "Ursa Major's" that my subjects feared."

>You sit down and listen intently. "I learned that they were mutated into that form by the magic -I- released so long ago! Every Ursa in Equestria is my doing...

 

>Luna stared down at the ground after her admission.

>You had heard this kind of talk before. "Princess, you weren't in your right mind back then, and you didn't know what the Lunar magic could do."

>Luna glances up at you. "Plus, most Ursa's are relatively peaceful, this one was just big and angry."

>There's a smile. "You're no more responsible for this one's death then you are for the noise Timber Wolves make when they howl at the moon."

>Luna trots up to you. "You're experienced in this regard?"

>Oh yeah..."Let's just say Mous got mope-y with a couple friend of ours way back when and needed to be cheered up."

>Luna grins. "Perhaps I should do what he did."

>You laugh. "What he did got me chased out of Canterlot, I don't think you want to go down that road, Princess."

>Luna gives you a wide smile. "Anon, you've known me for centuries..."

>Your eyes snap open as you feel a pair of lips on your cheek. "Call me Luna, huh?" She says as she trots away.

>...What just happened.

 

=BiE 79=

 

>Year 682 in Equestria.

>You know what day it is.

>You sit up in bed and glare out at the sun beating down through your window.

>Fuck you sun, you piece of shit.

>At first you consider just lying back down, you don't have anything to really do today...

>You shake your head to get that fucking stupid thought out, staying in bed all day today would drive you nuts.

>You jump out of bed and head for the kitchen.

>You planned your day over a bowl of cereal.

>What you needed to do was stay active, doing nothing would lead to too much thinking.

>You can't afford to think today.

>You toss your bowl in the sink and head for the shower.

>The water beating down on you didn't distract you enough, you ended up having to recite poetry.

>The shower was probably a terrible fucking idea, too many memories in here.

>You went back into your room and threw on some clothes.

>Most of your original shirts had degraded over the MANY centuries, but you had held on to Rarity's old measurements of you for the royal seamstresses.

>Even then they could never get sleeves perfect, you were forced to wear an almost sleeveless tunic all the time.

>It might have been from the increase in muscle mass you had gotten over the years too, being a logician was surprisingly taxing sometimes.

>You dress yourself and grab ever-sharp David off the nightstand.

>You never left home without him nowadays.

>You kick open the hatch in your floor and descend the ladder down to the street.

>It was a bit of a pain, but it kept you from getting fucking robbed. It was cool as hell too.

>You take a deep breath.

>Let's get this day over with...

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhhZdune_5Q-

>You trudged down the street with your hands in your pockets.

>Every city had it's rough areas and Canterlot was no different.

>You had been walking around the new platforms for a while, trying to find some wrongs to right in the more lawless hangouts.

>Fucking nothing.

>Not one break in, or fight, or fucking purse snatching to be found in the entire fucking city.

>Celestia probably has the entire city in on some stupid scheme to screw with you, the incandescent bitch.

>You had been reduced to counting just to avoid thinking.

>It wasn't all completely awful, you had never counted to ten thousand before.

>This stupid city had been boring you over the last few HUNDRED YEARS.

>Couldn't all be like Anon. Sitting in a stone tower, subverting the universe with magic, finding new loves and having a shit-zillion adopted kids.

>No, someone had to pound the pavement to find where the leaks in the bucket were.

>It was the same thing every damn day.

>Wake up, piss around the city, solve some stupid problem that any idiot with a brain should be able to solve, irritate Celestia, go home and be alone to start it all again.

>It.

>Was getting.

>Old.

>You make your way to the guard barracks to see what they were up to.

>Maybe they'd at least be an interesting distraction.

 

>This stupid kid had no idea what he was doing.

>Neither of them did.

>Dancing around each other with their spears and their shields, too afraid of getting hurt to take a chance.

>One of them, a Corporal, charged the Private he was sparring against in a big showy move.

>The Private should have been able to dodge that easy, but he looked like he was moving in gunk for all his speed.

>The Private missed the tip of the spear by an inch and practically stumbled away.

>Uhg. You can't watch this.

>"Enough! Enough."

>You hop off the box you were seated on and push your way through the ring of stallions watching the brawl.

>"What the shit was that?" You ask as you waltz into the middle of the makeshift ring set up in the barracks courtyard?

 

>You snatch the spear off of the ground.

>"You move that slow in the real world and you're fuckin' dead, kid."

>The two guards glance at each other. "Well, si-"

>"No fuckin' buts. If you don't shape up you're gonna be a fuckin' corpse when someone or something invades the city."

>The rest of the guards look quizzical. "Are you expecting an invasion, sir?"

>"We live in the most powerful city on the planet, you idiot. Our rulers raise and lower the sun and moon. Everyone wants a piece of that."

>The guards just watch you rant.

>"Discord wanted it. The Dogfather wanted it. Whatever High Jarl the Griffins have right now probably wants it. And you colts are the only thing standing in their way."

>You spin the spear around and plant it's tip into the ground.

>"But you're not gonna do fucking shit if you don't learn how to fight against a proper opponent."

>One guard speaks up. "What do you suggest we do, sir?"

>Now there's an idea...

>"You'll fight me."

>They all exchange glances now. "Uh..who, sir?"

>"All of you."

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aeDTAp61J4-

>You flick the spear off the ground and broadside the guard on the ground.

>His friend tries to help him, but he's put down by a punch to the neck.

>The rest of the stallions rush in to help their friends.

>Finally! Something to do!

>You revel in the fight as the first wave crashes into you.

>You bring one down with a blow to the forelegs and another two by throwing them into each other.

>One tries to jump on your back, but he's torn off and stomped into the dirt.

>You duck under a wide swing as the stallions begin to get their bearings.

>You deliver a haymaker on the lead one and use him as a stepping stone to dive back into those behind him.

>Stallions are smashed headfirst into the ground or kicked in the face or have their legs dislocated.

>Eventually, your worst fears are remembered.

>This twats have no idea what they're doing!

>It's all become routine!

>Block a strike, blow to the chest, spin a hundred eighty degrees and do it again on his friend.

>Only every so often do you get somep0y particularly daring, but even they're too stupid to dodge a telegraphed kick to the neck.

>It's not long before the routine nature the fight was taking on angers you even more.

>Dammit!

>"FIGHT ME!"

>They continue to throw themselves at you.

>"ONE OF YOU LIMP DICK FAGGOTS FUCKING FIGHT ME!"

>You feel bones snap and hear grunts and groans but you keep going.

 >"WHY CAN'T ANY OF YOU FIGHT ME!?"

>You're about to dive on this Private who probably pissed himself when a voice breaks through your Black Rage. "ENOUGH!"

 

>You can feel the ground shake as the Guard Captain stomps his hooves up to the ring. "Logician! What is the meaning of you beating my guards senseless?"

>"What's the meaning of your pathetic guards not being able to put up a blasted fight, Kamos!?"

>He snorts and stomps over to you, slamming his ridiculously compensatory mace on the ground.

>Kamos was a Minotaur, brought in to teach the guards how to fight in a different way than they had learned.

>He was failing.

>"You've wounded over half my troops here!" He shouted.

>You look back into the ring.

>There must have been three dozen stallions lying on the ground.

>Most were just cradling their heads, but a few had some bloody wounds or legs pointing off in the wrong directions. One was in the corner with his hooves between his legs biting his lip.

>"Your troops could fight their way out of a wet paper bag!"

>Kamos shoves his horned head in your face. "I will not be lectured on the state of my guards by a city planner!"

>You grab him by the horns.

>"And I will not be lectured on how well these runts can fight by a mercenary calf! I barely broke a sweat here!"

>Kamos twists horns out of your hands and grabs his mace. "Leave this place, Logician. Before I make you."

>Hah. You'd like to see him try.

>Should just grab David and open this steak dinner up...

>You glance around at the ring, these stallions would make it hard to fight. Some might end up getting hurt worse.

>You flare your nostrils and turn to walk out.

>"Fine, lick your wounds, you bumbling bovine."

 

>You went back to your apartment to grab something else to occupy your mind and change your shirt.

>The stallions had managed to tear it up a bit in the fight.

>Maybe there was hope yet, all they needed was six times that number and you might actually be bleeding.

>You head back to the castle just as the sun is being set.

>You had worked this out a while ago, saved it for a rainy day.

>You set up your Big Honkin' Slingshot in the castle gardens and aim it at Celestia's window.

>If you were right, she would be brushing her hair in preparation to go to bed right now.

>Now you just needed your math to be right.

>You loaded the plastic bag into the slingshot.

>A bag full of month old mayonnaise that had been sitting in the sun and a bit of your piss flying through the window. Priceless.

>You pulled back on the basket and tuned your ear.

>If you listened carefully, you could hear Celestia humming to herself in her room.

>Best you were gonna get.

>You release the bag and watch it sail across the courtyard into Celestia's room.

>You hear a gasp of surprise after the wet "SPLAT" of the bag breaking and hope for the best.

>Now for the fun part.

>"Let's see how well the sun can chase someone!"

>You turn and run out of the gardens, the sound of flapping wings following you.

 

>You had of course planned out your route in advance.

>You bobbed and weaved through the city streets, intent on making this chase as hard for Celestia as you could.

>You burst through a bakery and ran out the back to avoid her sight, ignoring the shocked faces of the patrons.

>As you rounded a corner, you heard the shattering sound of a pot breaking.

>"Bill the castle!"

>You glanced up and saw the tip of a white wing over top of a roof.

>Fuck, pick up the pace.

>You ran into a small plaza and dashed down an alley.

>A quick stab of David into the p0nyhole cover at the rear got it open and allowed you to drop in.

>You couldn't hear much over the running water and your own boots echoing in the tunnel, but you kept moving.

>After a few minutes and several turns, you came to the end of the line.

>A hole in the side of the city served as the end of the waterways underneath the streets.

>You stopped and watched as the water dropped out of Canterlot to form an artificial waterfall.

>You looked back down the tunnel and saw only blackness.

>You chuckle to yourself as you sit against the wall.

>"Looks like I win this round, Sunshine."

>"Win what?"

>You almost shat your heart out your asshole as you jumped to your feet.

>Celestia was standing at the edge of the tunnel, a confused look on her face.

>Fuck.

>"Well, you found me." You say as you wave a hand at her.

>"What's my punishment gonna be? Changing your sheets? Finding your new boy-toys? Do I have to be your slave for a week?

>Celestia canted her head. "Mous, what are you talking about? It was just a mirror."

>Wait.

>Mirror?

>Then the bag didn't hit...

>"FUCK!"

 

>You slumped back against the tunnel wall.

>"Mous, are you alright?" Celestia asked.

>"Yep. Fucking great. I'm just fucking grand today, Celestia."

>She took a few steps towards you. "No, you're not."

>You snap your head at her and glare daggers.

>"And how the fuck would you know?"

>Her face hardens. "Well, even if I didn't just follow you on a chase through the city, or know about what you did at the barracks earlier."

>Fuck you life.

>"I can still see that you're angry about something." She said.

>You grunt.

>"No. All fine and dandy here. Just Ol' Mous enjoying his fucking eternal life doing the same goddamn thing day in and day out."

>Celestia lowers her head."Mous, talk to me."

>"Fuck you." You say as you get to your feet.

>You didn't need this.

>You don't need to think about what's wrong.

>You're about to walk down the tunnel and go home when a silver screen of light materializes in front of you. "You're not leaving until you tell me what's wrong, Mous."

>You feel your anger at everything boil over.

>"Fine! You want to know what's wrong?"

>You turn and stomp towards Celestia, jamming a finger into her face.

>"I've been in your city for over SIX. HUNDRED. FUCKING. YEARS! All I do every day is solve stupid problems and go home to wallow!"

>"This has never been a problem for you before." Celestia said.

>"Well it's a problem today!"

>"Why?"

>"Fuck you! That's why!"

>"Mous..."

>You growl as your anger grows to new heights and the thoughts come rushing in.

>"IT'S BECAUSE I'M DOING THIS ALL ALONE!"

>"IT'S BEEN SIX HUNDRED YEARS SINCE MY WIFE DIED AND I CAN'T FUCKING DO IT TODAY! I CAN'T BE LIKE ANON GET A NEW WIFE OR HUSBAND OR WHATEVER HE'S ON NOW EVERY HUNDRED OR SO YEARS!"

 

>"SO THAT'S WHY I'M FUCKING MAD CELESTIA!"

>You turn from her and go to the wall.

>"I'M MAD BECAUSE I MISS MY GODDAMN WIFE!"

>"AND I JUST!"

>Kick.

>"CAN'T!"

>Kick.

>"DEAL WITH THIS IMMORTAL CRAP TODAY!"

>The tunnel is filled with the sound of you kicking the stone wall repeatedly until you feel something on your face.

>Celestia was rubbing her snout against your cheek.

>You shoot away from her and hold up your wedding bracelet-thing.

>"Whoa! Hey! Married man!"

>Celestia chuckles. "Well, I had to do something to get you to stop abusing my masonry."

>She sits with her back to the same wall you were kicking. "You're upset because you're alone in your immortal life? Join the club."

>Tch.

>"Yeah right. The Princess who brings a new stallion into her room every hour is lonesome."

>"It wasn't always like that, Mous."

>"Oh yes, I'm sure you experimented with mare too. Leave me the fuck alone Celest-"

>"I was married once too."

>...

>Okay, this would be good.

 

>"Bull."

>"It's true."

>"When?"

>Celestia stares off into the distance. "Oh...it was...about right after Luna had to be banished."

>You stay quiet as Celestia reminisces. "Luna and I were always close... But when she turned into Nightmare Moon and I had to banish her...I lost my only friend in the world. The only one who knew what it was like to be an immortal..."

>Celestia looks like she may cry for a moment before she recomposes herself. "My husband was Grand Magister at the time. He was the one who was able to bring the Elements of Harmony into a physical form."

>"...And the only one I could turn to when Luna was gone."

>You lean against a nearby wall.

>"So, you two were close."

>Celestia smiles as she remembers. "We were inseparable. What started as two friends grieving over another turned into a feeling I still can't describe."

>You gesture to her.

>"So what made you...like...this?"

>Celestia's face falls again. "The same thing that happened to you, My husband died. At first I was able to rule well enough...but soon I began to ache for his touch, the warmness I felt inside when he was near."

>She turns to you. "I tried finding others, others that I could hope to love as much as I did him. However, I would take far, far too long...Time is different for an immortal. You can feel like only days had past and then find the object of your affections dying in your arms."

>"So..."

>"So I decided to never be hurt by loss again. I fell into a pit of mindless pleasure seeking in an attempt to stop the days from piling up and to keep the feelings out."

 

>You remain silent for a bit.

>"So, did it work?"

>Celestia sighs. "It did. But not for the better."

>"What do you mean?"

>Celestia gets to her feet. "I mean where once I felt my feelings for ponies swell and dive, now they just remain...stagnant."

>"I walk down the hall of the palace and don't see guards with lives and families. Just p0ny shaped hourglasses slowly losing their sand."

>"And the boy-toys?"

>"A momentary distraction to drive out the misery of the eons until I can find the next."

>Well...damn.

>"So, what does this have to do with me?"

>Celestia sighs and casts a spell, causing the screen behind you to fall.

>"What it means, Mous. Is that I consider you one of my only true friends in this city. One who understand the burdens on an immortal life."

>Her voice falls to a whisper. "And I don't want to see you make a mistake like I did..."

>Celestia turns to the ledge and spreads her wings. "Find something to live for Mous. Be it another p0ny, or Anon, or even just to see another sunrise. Just remember that you can't live a life in misery, nor can you do it by only living for yorself."

>With that Celestia jumps off the ledge and takes to the skies.

>Her words remind you of a phrase you were always saying. "Force your way down a path your choose to take."

>You..wanted to be happy again.

>Lotus would have wanted you to be happy again.

>You sigh and begin to walk down the tunnel back home, with plans to find a way to get happy.

>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbqC1IPVoc4

 

=BiE 80=

 

>Year 1086 in Equestria.

>You stood on the bridge as you watched Canterlot approach in the distance, silhouetted against the setting sun.

>It had grown since you had been away.

>You remember when it was just a city sitting on the side of a mountain, now it encircled it entirely.

>Your helmsman grunted as he steered. "Blasted Griffins taking up all the food flight paths..."

>"Simmer down Sky Streak, just take us in." Your first officer says.

>He trots up to you. "How long has it been, sir?"

>You sigh and think back. "About two hundred years? It's been a while, Kunta."

>Kunta looks out the main window with you. "Excited to be back?"

>You chuckle. "I've got a few friends to see, how bout yourself?"

>He sighs. "I have never been to Canterlot before, I can already tell that it is very different from Zevera."

>He had that right. "It's different in more ways they you can imagine, but the core is the same."

>You turn to him. "I think you're going to like it here." You say with a smile.

>Kunta chuckles. "If not, you owe me a ride down south." He says.

>Kunta turns back to the bridge. "Alright, let's not have a repeat of Dromedor! Take us in nice and easy."

>You hear your radio technician begin to speak. "This is airship Delphinus requesting permission to dock in the Southern harbor."

>Home sweet home...

 

>You can see him before you even get off the ship.

>You step down the off ramp and see a familiar shape standing cross armed on one of the mooring hitches.

>"Did you stand there the entire time?" You ask.

>Mous turns and grins at you. "No. Sometimes I sat."

>He jumps off the hitch and spreads his arms.

>You drop your bag and follow suit.

>The two of you embrace on the dock as your crewmembers disembark. "Oooohhh, it's good to have you back, buddy."

>Mous leans back and begins to look you over. "Lemme get a good look at you, make sure you're eating right."

>You strike a pose as Mous orbits you. "What do they serve on that boat? Grass?"

>You cross your arms. "I got some meat along the way."

>Mous laughs. "Guy spends almost two centuries exploring the world and doesn't pack enough food for the trip."

>"Lucky for me there were so many stupid animals on the ground, huh?" You say as you pick your bag up and head down the pier.

>Mous catches up with you. "So, how about we get a decent meal in you and then call it a movie night? Just like old times."

>Fuck.

>"I..uh...got an engagement later tonight, tomorrow?"

>Mous extends his lower lip. "Aw, who could be more important than me?"

>Shit, uh...

>Mous just smiles. "Stupid Casanova..."

>He waves you on. "Come on, we can just grab a meal together."

 

>The two of you are seated in a small cafe in Canterlot.

>You're amazed when they bring a pair of steaks out. "I taught 'em how to do that."

>You're in shock. "But-How di-"

>Mous giggles. "I figure you've seen all the Griffins around?"

>You silently nod. You had seen them walking around the city.

>Mous leans back. "About twenty or so years after you left, the whole Griffin Kingdom government just kinda imploded on itself."

>Whoa..."Damn."

>Mous nods. "Some Jarl died and about a half dozen lesser ones tried to fight for the throne. Turned into this big ass civil war, Gryphus ended up razed."

>Shit. "So, what happened."

>Mous takes a sip of his drink. "We'd been getting refugees from the fighting since it started. After Gryphus, Celestia and Luna stepped in and just annexed the Griffin Kingdoms into Equestria. Couldn't stand by and let the Griffins suffer, ya know?"

>"Was there opposition?"

>"Some, but you can imagine what lack of trade does for one's food supply. Most of the cries for "Griffin Independence." Died out about thirty or forty years ago."

>You take a bite out of your steak. "Were you there?"

>"Hmm?"

>"At Gryphus."

 

>Mous leans back in his chair. "Not for the initial landing, but I was there shortly thereafter."

>He stares off into space for a bit. "It was a bad scene...lotta dead Griffins, lotta burning hatcheries."

>You swallow your food. "They torched their own hatcheries?"

>Mous swirls his drink in its bottle. "We captured a Legionnaire when we got there, he kept spouting on wanting to cleanse the impurities from the griffin gene who dared ask for P0ny help."

>"Damn..."

>"Mhmm...But now, the Griffins are all over Equestria. Living in peace and all that."

>"Is it still called Equestria now?"

>"It's a better name the "Quadropedia"."

>You chuckle at the thought. "So, what else changed while I was away?"

>Mous digs back into his food. "Got a new Grand Magister after Dream Charmer passed."

>You remember Dream...she had a great mane.

>"New guy is pretty good at the job, bit weird though. Keeps talking about the need to chronicle everything."

>You sip your drink. "The job has a way of getting to you."

 

>"So how bout you mister world explorer? Any interesting tales?"

>You sighed. Where to begin. "Well, for one, you were right. Gallopfrey makes for a beautiful corpse."

>"Told ya."

>"What else?" You ask as you stab at the remains of your dinner. "Saw the Kingdom of Haven. Flew over Boardor. Traced the leylines all the way up to and past The Breach."

>"You should be either dead or insane after that."

>"It's not all that bad, just a lot of weird sounds."

>You finish your meal and look at the clock. Should probably be going...

>"I gotta jet, think you can pay for this and I'll get back to you?"

>Mous grins. "It's not like you've had a job for two hundred years."

>"You're a bro." You say as you walk down the street.

>"Don't be commin' round here with no foals!" Mous cries behind you.

 

>It was late now. Well past midnight.

>You sat at the edge of the bed and scanned around on the floor. "Have you seen my shir-"

>You look back to see Luna with your shirt on looking in her mirror.

>"I suppose you have."

>Luna made faces in the mirror. "I...don't think these are for me." She says, her wings trying to rise from underneath the garment.

>You and Luna had always been...close.

>You had worked together with Twilight on a few things and again when you were Grand Magister.

>For a while, the two of you had considered making something of it.

>That...didn't work.

>So you fell into a different routine.

>If the..."opportunity" arose and neither of you were tied down, you'd get together and spend some time with one another.

>It normally didn't end in a bedroom, but two hundred years is a long time to not see someone.

>You helped Luna get the shirt off her and slipped it on.

>She trots up to you and smiles. "Anon, you ruined the view."

>"Oh? Well...perhaps I could be persuaded into another showing."

>Luna begins to rub her nose on your stomach. "I'll bet."

>You get on your knees and wrap Luna in your arms, letting your hands slide down her back.

>A contented sigh escapes Luna's lips as you move down to her wings.

>A sigh that gives way to a sharp intake of air. "A-Anon..."

>Shit!

 

>You throw your hands off her wings and pull back.

>Luna has her head low and shaking, her eyes the size of pinpricks. "Hey, hey it's alright." You say.

>You wrap your arms around Luna and let her hitch into your shoulder. "Sshhh...It's alright. Everything is fine."

>"I-I'm sorry Anon...t-this is stupid."

>"Hey, don't talk like that. It's fine."

>"I-I should be able to move past this. I'm sorry."

>"There's nothing to be sorry for, it doesn't bother me." You whisper into her ear.

>You spend a few minutes helping calm Luna down before you take a seat on the floor with her.

>Luna looks up at a picture she had on her desk. "I miss him so much..."

>"He was a good kid."

>You remembered Pip from when you lived in P0nyville. Him and Thunderstrike had been good friends.

>"H-he was the first one to not be afraid of me on Nightmare Night."

>Pip had LOVED Nightmare Night. "I'd say it paid off for him." You said.

>Luna laughs. "Shut up."'

>"Hey, he got to make friends with a Princess, eventually married her. I'd say he made out pretty well."

 

>Luna turns back and looks at the floor. "Do you ever miss Rainbow?"

>You lean back against the bed. "All the time...and Dream Charmer, And Winter Withers, Lightning, Tip-Top, even Sugar Heart for all the crap she put me through."

>Luna looks up at you. "How do you get past them? All that death..."

>The million bit question...Mous had asked you that after Lotus had passed. "I guess...I'd just been ready for it. I mourned them when they left, but I don't think any of them would want me to let it dominate my life."

>You chuckle. "Hell, Rainbow would probably kick my ass for it."

>Luna giggles.

>"I guess it's just a part of having an eternal life, huh?"

>Luna is silent for a minute. "...Yes it is."

>You turn to her and give your best smile. "Do you need me to stick around? Help you through the night?"

>Luna gives you a peck on the cheek. "Sweet of you. But I think I'm fine."

>You rise to your feet and give a small bow. "Your Highness..."

>Luna stands and walks back to her bed. She flicks out a wing and extends a single feather in the center of it at you.

>"Heh. Looks like we've been spending too much time together..."

 

=BiE 81=

 

>Year 1157 in Equestria.

>The sun was beating down on your face as you slept.

>Or at least, it was trying to.

>Hard to get through the window when there's a corkboard covering it.

>Hah. Screw you Celestia.

>You threw your feet off the edge of the bed and stretched, releasing several pops throughout the room.

>You stood and started your walk to the kitchen.

>The rest of your apartment was dressed in similar lighting to your room, with thick sheets covering the windows and only allowing slits of light in.

>What can you say? You were not a morning person.

>You poured yourself some cereal and threw your coffee into the contraption Anon had rigged up for you on your last birthday.

>Your eyes scanned the living room.

>He should be out by now...

>"BOY! BREAKFAST!"

>You heard a body hit the floor from some height.

>The door adjacent yours opens. "Dad?"

>"Food."

>A small hybrid of bird and lion walked out of the shadows closer to you. "Dad, it's too early."

>"School is in an hour, Eitri."

>Eitri groans. "Dad, it's summer!"

 

>What?

>"Huh?"

>You walk over to the window and throw the sheet back.

>Sure enough. Your neighbors all had their windows open, many had laundry drying outside.

>"How the fuck long has it been summer!?"

>"About a month..." Eitri said.

>Fucking old age.

>You heard a yawn over your shoulder. "I'm going back to bed..."

>Oh hell naw.

>"Hold up there, poozer. When I was a kid we didn't get to sleep till noon until the last week of June."

Liar.

>Shut it.

>You point to his room.

>"Wash up, come out, and eat. We'll figure out something to do."

>Eitri groans again. "Daaaaad..."

>"Now."

>Eitri grunts and heads back into his room.

>You don't know what your mom was so on about, parenting is easy.

 

>You and Eitri sat at the table eating your breakfast.

>He was munching down on some bacon you had grilled up for him.

>It was nice to hear him calling you dad on instinct now.

>It had been...five years since you took him in?

>You still remember when you met him.

>He had stolen some fruit or something and hidden behind you when the guards chased him.

>Shit, but had he looked scared.

>Luckily, you were you. A simple "He's with me." was enough to scare the guards off.

>After taking him away and getting a meal in him, he had relented and stayed with you for the night, saying that he would be gone in the morning.

>A day turned to a week turned to a month turned to you sending him to school.

>Fucked if your Griffin kid was gonna be a moron.

>Eitri sat silently stabbing his bacon with a fork.

>"Eat it. I don't want you passing out when you do stuff today."

>Eitri glanced up at you. "Dad, do I have a mom?"

>Damn.

 

>"Every living thing has a mom, Eitri."

>He puts down his fork and glares at you. "You know what I mean."

>You sigh and lean back.

>"You mean a mare who lives with me."

>Eitri crosses his arms and nods.

>...Fuck.

>"I guess you had one a long time ago...but she died."

>Eitri swallows some bacon. "How long ago?"

>Your eyes meet his. "Very long."

>He seems to understand that he won't be getting an answer and goes back to his meal.

>"What was she like?" He asked.

>Shit, you weren't planning on a trip down memory lane.

>"She was...the best."

>"She was fiery, and smart, and kind...you'd have liked her."

>You look up and see Eitri smiling. "And she'd have liked you too."

>Eitri smiles as he eats his breakfast.

>"You wanna go see her?"

>Eitri's eyes snap up to you. "We can do that?"

>"Yeah, had her buried in the royal gardens. We can see her any time.

>Eitri twiddles his talons a bit. "That could be cool."

>Atta boy.

 

>The two of you headed out after breakfast.

>Eitri complained about your ladder, why you installed it.

>Screw off, kid. We don't get robbed because of that ladder.

>You made your way to the castle and walked in a beeline to the gardens.

>There in the back was a small headstone with the words "Lived: 978-1084" carved on it.

>At the foot of the headstone rested a small pool of water, inside of which was a single lotus flower.

>Eitri walked up to the headstone and looked around it. "There's no name."

>You chuckle as you sit down.

Hey pretty pony...

>"Her name was Lotus."

>He dips his talon in the water. "Has that been here the whole time?"

>"I change it once a week."

>Eitri walked back over to you. "How long did you know her?"

>"Eighty-three years."

>Eitri's eyes widen at the number. "Was she your wife?"

>"For a little while... she died right after we were married."

>You hold up your bracelet arm.

>"I got her a matching one of these for her neck."

>"What happened to it?"

>You point at the grave.

>"She still has it."

>Eitri is quiet for a little while.

>"Dad, how old are you?"

>...FUCK.

>"Old, kid."

>"Eitri walks in front of you. "No Dad. I want to know. How old exactly are you?"

>You can see from the look in his eye that Eitri isn't going to back down from this.

>"Dammit..." You sigh out.

>You lean back a bit and start counting.

>"I am...One thousand one hundred and eighty three years old."

 

>Eitri is left speechless. You had told him that you were one of the oldest things he'd ever see and why, but no specifics.

>Eitri just looks at the grave. "Must be nice..."

>"It has its ups and downs..."

>"And Uncle Anon has been with you the entire time?"

>"That and more, poozer."

>"What's it like, dad?"

>Oh here we go...

>"It's...life."

>"It's rough sometimes. It's great sometimes. I have my good days and my bad."

>You reach out and ruffle the feathers on his head.

>"But I'm dealing."

>"And you don't get sad because mom isn't around?"

>Mom?

>Heh. This kid.

>"Can't be sad. Gotta look out for you, poozer."

>Eitri swings his talons at you as you continue to ruffle his head. "So all you do is look out for p0nies?"

>"Gotta do something to keep from going crazy."

>"Who?"

>"Oh you know. You, Uncle Anon, the entire city if I'm feeling like it.

>"Everyone?" Eitri asks.

>"Every last one."

>Eitri and you sit there for a while.

>"Thanks for bringing me out here, dad." He says.

>"No problem, kid. I always like to come here."

>Eitri has a smile on his beak.

>"Wanna go have some fun?"

>Now that smile is twice its size." "Yeah!"

>"Wanna go mess with Celestia?"

>"YEAH!"

>You ruffle his feathers.

>"Atta boy."

>Eitri shoots off into the sky as you prepare to give chase.

>You pause for a moment and brush your hand along the face of the headstone.

>"See you in a week, babe."

>With that, you run out of the garden.

>She would have loved him...

 

=BiE 82=

 

>Year 1486 in Equestria.

>It was also Mous's birthday.

>You were standing outside on the main deck as the ship slowly sailed through the sky.

>The deckhands around you were more than a bit nervous.

>You couldn't blame them, The Breach was a fairly un-routine place.

>The sound was what did most p0nies in, that faint singing sound echoing in the wind.

>Some thought it was sirens, or some sort of magical resonance from The Breach.

>It sounded like a church choir to you.

>You walked over to the edge of the deck next to a particularly edgy deckhand. "Nervous, son?"

>He snaps to attention as he sees you. "Sir! I...guess you could say that."

>He looked off the edge of the ship. "You hear the stories about this place, p0nies telling you that you're mad for coming this far...seeing it I start to think they're not far off."

>You look over the edge of the ship with him.

>The Breach was the place in Equestria where science went to go fuck itself.

>Your view was dominated by floating landmasses and continents.

>Off in the horizon you could see the pink glow from all of Equestria's leylines coming together a little past your destination.

>The water underneath you rippled away from itself from the tear in the world at the sea floor.

>You turn back to the deckhand. "Don't worry. The Breach puts on a big show, but I came through here years ago without even a scent of trouble."

>He looks a bit more relaxed at your words. "Nothing, huh?"

>You shake your head. "Not a damn thing."

>He grows a small smile. "Schway."

>Your brain cracks a bit at his words. "Schway"?"

>The boy smiles. "Yeah, the Logician has been saying it all voyage. I guess it caught on."

>He didn't...

>"Excuse me, son."

 

>You stomped down the corridor of your ship and threw open the door to Mous's room.

>"Yeah, don't knock or anything. Not like I could be-"

>"SCHWAY?"

>A devilish grin immediately grows on his face. "Which one was it?"

>"ONE OF MY DECKHANDS."

>Mous jumps up from his set. "Oh good! I'll have to give him a bit for using it."

>"What are you doing?" You ask disbelievingly.

>"Making a trend!" He says with a smile. "I figure I can get all of Canterlot saying it within the next five or so years."

>You bury your face in your palm. "Mous, this is..."

>Stupid.

>Inane.

>Fetishistic.

>"Schway?"

>You look up and glare at him. "It's schwarbage."

>"It's been a thousand years! About time we got some new slang terms."

>"Not from a cartoon."

>Mous walks to his chair. "Oh, you're no fun."

>"Besides, I don't know what you expected me to do, you've kept me on this boat for a week. Why do we need to go all the fuck the way out here for a birthday present?" He says.

>He'd change his tune...

>"It only works here." You say.

>Mous brings a hand to his chin. "Is it a spaceship?"

>"No."

>"A robot?"

>"No, dude."

>"A spaceship robot?"

>You give him a deadpan look. "I promise that your gift will be wonderful and excellent and that you won't be able to guess it."

>Mous leans back. "Well that's no fun."

>"Not for you, anyway."

>"How much longer until we get there, anyway?"

>You do some math in your head. "At current speed and where I figure we are, I'd say about a half hour."

>Mous pouts. "Bet you didn't even wrap it."

 

-Mous PoV-

>You and Anon disembarked the ship alone.

>He had said you wouldn't need the deckhands.

>The two of you stood in a rather unassuming field of grass.

>Apart from the fact that this continent was at the literal edge of the world and a stone's throw away from the source of all magic, it looked pretty normal.

>"Where are we?"

>Anon looks around with a smile. "Eden: The Original Landmass. Hidden up at the tip of the world and spawning every other landmass on the planet from its fertile shores."

>You looked around. Pretty normal trees, normal mountains, normal lake way off in the distance.

>"It looks like Montana."

>You turn to Anon.

>"So, why drag me all the way out here for my fifteen hundredth and third?"

>Anon smiled and produced a small pulsating crystal from his pocket. "I've been working on something for a while...talking to some colleagues, working out the details, figuring out just what to do to make this work."

>He smiles at you, that warm smile that was probably responsible for his last four spouses. "Well, I finished it. And I can't think of someone I would rather give it to then you."

>"Anon...what the fuck are you talking about?"

>Anon smirks and tosses the crystal past you.

>An explosion of bring light and a wall of sound rushes past you as the crystal releases it's magics.

>In the direction of the light, you can hear the sound of hooves clopping towards you.

>"...Mous?"

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vCKFeO3nNs-

>No way...

>That voice...

>You look towards the light, more gentle and benevolent now then when it first came into being.

>You dropped to your knees at the sight.

>Same hair...same coat...just as you remembered...

>She trots up to you and nuzzles your face with hers. "Hey, you..."

>You wrap your arms around her.

>"H-hey pretty pony..."

>You can feel tears welling up in your eyes.

>She was back. Lotus was back.

>"Oh my god, oh my god..."

>You kiss her neck as the tears fall down your face.

>"H-how are you here?"

>She rests her head on your shoulder, just like she used to. "I was told someone wanted to see me..."

>She was...how-

>You turn back to Anon.

>"How long?"

>Anon smiles at you. "Few minutes?"

>You turn back and embrace Lotus again. It would do.

>"I missed you."

>"I missed you too."

>This was...

>"What's it like up there?" You ask.

>Lotus rocks in your arms a bit. "Big, happy. You have a lot of old friends up there..."

>You look down at the bracelet you were wearing.

>"Your dad mad at me for taking so long?"

>Lotus pulls away from you and smiles, she was still wearing her necklace.

>"How could he be mad at his favorite son-in-law?" She says before giving you a peck on the lips.

>That wasn't enough. You pulled Lotus back to your lips and let her embrace take away all the heartache you had in you once again.

 

>Lotus pulls away from you and places her forehead against yours. "I think our time together is almost up again..."

>"That's fine..."

>She sniffs. "I wish I could see you again."

>"You will."

>Lotus looks into your eyes in confusion.

>"Take a message to your boss, landlord, whatever. Tell them that when I eventually...go, that I'm gonna want in. No Pearly Gate's gonna stop me."

>Lotus lets loose a small laugh through her own tears. "You'd break into Elysium on your own?"

>You smirk.

>"Of course. Who the hell do you think I am?"

>Lotus laughs harder this time and wraps her hooves around your neck. "You're my completely mad husband...and I love you."

>You bring your lips together one last time.

>"I love you too."

>Lotus turns back the way she came in response to some voice only she can hear.

>She turns back to you with a tearful smile. "See you again?"

>You reluctantly release her from your arms.

>"Count on it, pretty pony."

>Lotus smiles and trots back to the portal.

>She stops at its edge and sends one more wave to the two of you.

>This was...good.

>You knew you would see her again.

>You promised.

>As Lotus finished waving, she stepped through the portal just in time for it to swallow itself.

 

-Anon PoV-

>Mous got off his knees as the portal shut itself.

>He begins to walk over to you with his head down. "So, did you enj-"

>"Shut the fuck up, Anon." He says as he wraps his arms around you.

>This was...new.

>Very new.

>"Thank you...I don't know how you did it and I don't know how I could repay you, but thank you." He says.

>You pat him on the back. "Don't thank me man, it was your birthday. What else was I supposed to do?"

>He pulls away from you, his arms still on your shoulders. "Use it yourself? You have just as much use for it as me..."

>You had considered that for a moment.

>You shake your head. "This trick only works once, dude. I guess I could have seen Rainbow, or Thunder..."

>His head droops a bit. "But I finished this and thought. "Who do I know that could use a visit from an old flame?", I really couldn't see myself using it any other way."

>Mous chuckles. "You're a real bastard, ya know?"

>He looks up at you. "Here I am trying to be the best friend ever and you go on and blow me out of the water like this."

>You grin at him. "You do pretty well, yourself."

>Mous lets go of you with the biggest genuine smile you've seen from him in a while. "Thanks man...for everything."

>You give him a slap on the shoulder. "Any time."

>The Delphinus floats in the air a ways away. "Ready to head back home?"

>Mous wipes his eye and looks out with that smile. "Yeah, let's go."

>"I have to get to work on the statue of you I have to make now, anyway." He says.

 

=BiE 83=

 

>Year 1752 in Equestria

>You walked down the street on your way to work.

>You were not looking forward to today...

>It was going to suck royally.

>Still, it was your job to manage this crap.

>The job can't always be screwing with Celestia and walking around...

>Every so often, a crisis would rear its ugly head.

>This particular one involved unicorns.

>Unicorn birthrates had skyrocketed in the last ten years.

>Unicorn foals now made up almost half of the ones in Canterlot.

>Under normal circumstances, that wouldn't be an issue.

>However, some p0nies thought the Unicorns to be of a higher class then the rest of the non-magical citizens.

>That had lead to some conspiracies, that Celestia and Luna were spiking the water to breed a Unicorn master race.

>Today was the day where the Princesses were going to try meeting with the leader of this moronic "organization" and try to talk him down.

>You retained the same level of confidence in it that you always had for this kind of stuff.

>You figured you would have to fix everything.

>Again.

 

>The tide of problems hits you in the face as soon as you get to the castle.

>"Logician, we examined the map in the event of a riot. Likely hotspots are here, here, and here."

>"Get some guards there, but keep them undercover. I don't need a bunch of stallions in armor stetting a riot off early."

>Another assistant trots up to you. "Sir. In the advent of this seasons weather, I feel the need to warn against the possibilities of street side bonfires."

>"What season is it?"

>"Winter, sir."

>Keeping warm.

>"If a mob meets outside the castle, I want our guards handing out warm clothes. Make sure they see us doing it, too."

>"Yes sir."

>You continue walking through the castle.

>Where the fuck was...

>"Captain Tarkus!"

>The Griffin pauses to turn to you. "What is it, Logician?"

>Christ, you beat up some guards a couple a hundred years ago and suddenly every guard captain hates you...

>"Have you given your guards the instructions I sent out?"

>Tarkus puts his helmet on and makes for the door. "I will not risk my men's lives for your orders, Logician."

>Stupid griffin...

>You step in front of Tarkus' escape.

>"And I won't risk the safety of the citizens of Canterlot to protect soldiers in armor."

>Tarkus and you exchange glares.

>"Nonlethal means of containment only, Tarkus. We can't afford to look like tyrants here."

>Tarkus grunts. "If I didn't think you'd sell me out to the Princesses in a heartbeat, I'd simply ignore you."

>Damn straight you would.

 

>After a day of playing chess ten hours in advance against somep0ny who could flip the table at any time, you were finally sitting down for lunch.

>Anon sat across the table from you drinking a coffee.

>"I am so glad we have trade with Zebica..." He says as he takes another sip.

>"Long nights?"

>"Coming up on three days straight today...stupid protesters have us looking up every angle."

>"Your hubby pissed?"

>"He's too scared of me when I'm cranky to be pissed off."

>"What have you got?" You ask.

>Anon leans back in his chair, making sure to keep his drink with him. "The expected, this just looks like a genetic fluke."

>"Can magic even be used to influence birth?"

>Anon shakes his head. "Hell no. Otherwise, the latent magics of Canterlot would have turned us into an entirely unicorn city by now. And I'd probably have some biological kids, to boot."

>You sigh.

>"But you just know that the protesters aren't going to be listening to any of that..."

>Anon groans. "Almost makes you long for the days of doomsday cults and Dogfathers."

>"Tch. Screw that. I was the one who had to sleep in the woods and get impaled."

>"You did those to yourself, ya nimrod."

>The two of you sit in silence for a moment. "Still...times have changed...

>You slowly nod your head.

>"Not always for the better, eh?"

>Anon pinches the bridge of his nose. "I could stand to see somep0ny else solve some problems every so often."

>"Then what would we do?"

>"Sleep."

 

>Where the ever-loving fuck was Celestia?

>How does one lose a horse the size of a man?

>The meeting was in twenty minutes and the rioters had already taken to the streets.

>You had checked in her room, didn't even find a stain on the sheets you could use for a clue.

>You caught Luna on her way to the meeting, she apparently hadn't seen her sister either.

>Fuck. Your. Life.

>It's on your umpteenth trip over one of the castles catwalks that you notice a flowing pastel shape in a garden below you.

>"Of course you're there..."

>You guess that made sense.

>You head down the stairs and come out near the side of the garden.

>Celestia was sitting in front of a modest gravestone in the center of a ring of flowers.

>Carved into it was: "Twilight Sparkle: Grand Magister and favored student of Princess Celestia."

 

>You approach her from the side.

>"You alright, strobe light?"

>Celestia sighs, her face low. "I just keep thinking...Twilight would have had this wrapped up in the time it would take me to walk to this meeting. She would use some unique combination of brilliance and that gloriously approachable attitude of hers to calm everyp0ny down."

>You look down at the grave.

>"She was a good kid."

>"I've taken on a few students since she left my tutelage, but none of them have come close to the potential she had."

>You slip your hands into your pockets.

>"Such is the way of things in an unending life, huh? There's always going to be that one person who shines above all the rest."

>Celestia closes her eyes for a moment. "...Yes."

>You give her a few moments with her favorite pupil, before you tap her on the shoulder.

>"C'mon, let's go put this problem down before they turn her into a demon with six heads or something."

>Celestia chuckles as she falls in line behind you. "Historians always get those facts wrong. I can assure them that she never had more than five.

>Heh.

>Good one.

 

>The two of you walked into the throne room from the back.

>Anon ran up to you as you came in. "You're very late..."

>You pull him aside as Celestia trots up to the amassed crowed.

>"Couldn't be helped, be glad I got her here."

>"Princess Celestia! So glad you could come..."

>The clink of Celestia's horseshoes echoes through the room. "Royal Lace, I stand here to defend the innocence of the unicorns against your accusations."

>You and Anon walk up and join her. "Standing with me is my sister, Princess Luna, an ex-Grand Magister, and the current Royal Logician."

>How come you didn't get a name...

>Royal Lace puffs himself up. Yes, yes, we know who they are...State what "evidence" you have! Let the people of Canterlot judge you."

>Celestia nods and Anon and Luna step forward. "We have poured over everything from old Canterlot records, to the magical regulator, to the water supply, to the children themselves." Anon said.

>"Luna stepped forward again. "Every shred of evidence points to this being nothing more than a genetic fluke. Nothing that warrants this kind of a reaction."

>Royal Lace simply huffs. "A likely story. A story that is exactly what you want us to here!"

>The crowed cheers him on. "We're fed up with your lies, Princesses! You won't stop until all are like you, magic users!"

>What?

>"We won't allow you to change our children!" He shouts.

>"Would you listen to yourself!?"

 

>Everyp0ny stares at you.

>"The princesses are changing our kids in the womb! It makes perfect sense!" Is what you all hear in your heads?"

>Royal Lace stares at you. "Stay out of this Logician! This is between us an-

>"I'M TALKING." You shout.

>You had been practicing a Canterlot voice with Luna, it's nice to see it worked.

>"As you said, I'm royal logician. So let's use some mother fucking logic."

>You leave your place next to Celestia and begin to stroll around the crowed.

>"Why the hell would the Princesses change everyp0ny to unicorns? If they were that selfish, it'd be more magic to have to share. If anything, but your logic they would want to DECREASE unicorn birthrates."

>You continue to patrol the front of the crowd.

>"Also, if you had actually LET the ex-Grand Magister and Princess explain their findings, they'd show you the proof that this is just a genetic accident."

>Lace regains his composure "That still does no-"

>"And this guy! I've never seen a bigger narcissist in my life!"

>Celestia.

 

>"This twit doesn't want your kids safe! He wants to be famous! He was a fashion worker before all this!"

>You had your boys do some snooping.

>You step in front of Royal Lace and look over the crowed.

>"P0nies, don't let yourselves be paws to this...attention horse."

>Nice.

>"He's using you all to get himself in history books. Don't let him do that, you're better than that."

>The crowd stands in silence as Royal Lace begins to sweat.

>"I'd like to see their proof." A p0ny in the back says.

>Another shouts up. "Me too!"

>The rest of the crowd joins in the chorus of voices and inches closer to Anon.

>He calms  them down and brings out a chart."Okay, okay, settle down everyp0ny...

>As Anon begins to explain the concept behind genes, you spot Royal Lace slip out of the throne room.

>That's what he gets. Punk ass bitch.

>You take a seat on the floor and take in your science lesson for the day.

 

=BiE 84=

 

>Year 2042 in Equestria.

>You sat in at a desk inside the Arcanium.

>Even if you weren't Grand Magister anymore, you were still welcome here.

>Not that there was anyp0ny to kick you out, the place was deserted at the moment.

>But still you sat here, silently pouring over ancient research notes as you drew up your design.

>It had to be perfect...an elegant but simple design.

>Something artificial to allow for naturalism.

>Your magnum opus.

>You pause in your research as a light giggle echoes through the Arcanium.

>"Working hard, Anon?" Said the voice coming from every direction at once.

>You knew what this was, you had heard this voice often. "Oh, just had a sudden bout of inspiration."

>The laughter comes back a bit stronger. "He stepped down as Grand Magister almost a millennia ago, but he still spends all his time here."

>A thousand years...it felt like yesterday when you handed in your resignation to go off and see the world.

>"Oh, I don't spend all my time here." You say to the sort-of empty room.

>The shadows on the walls seem to separate themselves and slide behind you as look over your notes.

>The light clinking sound of horseshoes heralds the midnight blue face rubbing up against yours.

>"So I'm aware." Luna says.

>The two of you had kept your..."arrangement" going for a good long while now. Even by timeless standards, the two of you spent an awful lot of time together.

>Nothing official yet, Luna still had her episodes every so often.

>They were getting few and far between now, though.

>Which was good.

 

>Luna looked down at the paper you were working on. "A new project?"

>"Something like that, my biggest one to date."

>Luna's eyes drift over the paper and widen. "How are you going to power such a monstrosity?"

>You lean back. "I...hadn't gotten that far yet."

>Hmm...Considering what you were aiming for here...

>"I guess a shit ton of mana batteries could work, or maybe I could patch it into a leyline..."

>Although...considering what you were planning...

>"Remember the Hybrid Cannon?"

>Luna arches an eyebrow. "What could you possibly want with that thing again?"

>"Remember how we powered it? The Moonstones and that Fusion thing?"

>Luna silently nods.

>"I'm thinking that could work. Especially with what I'm going for."

>Luna looks back over the blueprint. "An ambitious design, Anon."

>Got that right.

>"But not one for you to tackle tonight, I'm afraid."

>You looked out the window at the lights shooting up from the castle proper.

>"This is going to be my first Grand Galloping Gala in a long while." You say as you stand.

>Luna takes a look at you. "Well the, let's ensure you dress the part."

>A glow springs from Luna's horn and takes hold of your clothes.

>You feel them shifting and changing on your skin to reveal a deep navy tuxedo.

>"I feel snazzy already."

>Looking up you see Luna in a similar glow, revealing an evening dress when it dies down.

>You walk up to Luna and hold out an arm. "Shall we, m'lady?"

>"We shall, good sir." She giggles.

 

>The Grand Galloping Gala hadn't changed much over the years.

>Lot's of high class ponies still just walking around talking to each other for a night, filling up on snack foods and drinking wines.

>As well as Mous sitting alone in the corner asleep on a chair.

>Keep on keeping on, buddy.

>At least you knew you didn't miss much.

>Attending on the arm of a Princess was a new experience, however.

>You certainly met more p0nies this way, you had almost doubled your number since the last time you were here with Dash.

>Wow...that took you back.

>Dash and the girls had been invited to the Gala the year the two of you got married, you were her plus one.

>You could have spent the entire night watching her regale the crowed with tales of her stunts...

>Watching her trot back over to you, give you a peck on the cheek and say "Anon, are you alright?"

 

>You snap back to the present ant turn to see a concerned looking Luna.

>"Yeah, sorry. Million miles away."

>Luna had brought you up to some pegusi stallion in a blue bodysuit.

>The Wonderbolts still hadn't changed their uniforms...

>The Stallion holds out a hoof. "Thunder Dasher, I'm the Wonderbolts captain."

>You grasp his hoof and give him a firm shake. "Captain, eh? Seems I'm a magnet for those here."

>He and the rest of the ponies around him look at you in confusion.

>"Sorry, sorry, my mind gets away from me sometimes. I was married Rainbow Dash way back when."

>That grabs this guys attention. "You and Rainbow Dash?"

>You slowly nod. "Uh...yeah?"

>You hadn't kept up with Thunderbolt issues after Dash passed, this guy's interest was beyond you.

>"Did she ever speak about how she did the Inverse Duckwalk Backflip?"

>Talk about it? You helped her work it out.

>"A bit. You see, the trick is..."

>You began to explain the physics behind the Inverse Duckwalk Backflip to the captain.

>Who knows, maybe it could come back into play?

>You looked around the room as the two of you were talking and had a startling question form in your mind.

>Where the hell did Mous go?

 

-Mous PoV-

>"Are you sure about this?"

>"Coppertone, I've thought of everything. The path, the exit, how to steer, everything. Just get on."

>Celestia hops on top of the food cart behind you and sits down.

>"Alright now, hang on, use your wings to help us steer, and listen to what I say."

>Celestia nods with a look of confidence on her face.

>You looked down the spiraling staircase in front of you.

>Yeah...this was gonna be good.

>You grab the string tied to the break under your wheels as you reach down to the stereo you had hidden on the lower rack of the food cart.

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL2k75igkP4-

>"HI, I'M LOGICIAN MOUS!"

>"And I'm Princess Celestia!"

>"AND WELCOME TO THE GRAND GALLOPING GALA!"

>You pull the break out from under your wheels and start to drift down the stairs.

 

>The two of you rocketed down the stairs and breakneck speed.

>"Use your wings! Keep us towards the center!" You call to your back passenger.

>As Celestia uses her wingspan to steer the food cart, you lean to the side to give it that extra oomph.

>You clear the bottom of the stairs with a smash and continue to rocket through the ballroom on momentum alone.

>Now comes the hard part. Keeping the momentum up.

>Celestia levels out her wings as you pass a very confused Ex-Grand Magister and his Princess of the Night.

>"HEYANONHEYLUNA!"

>You smash through the doors to the dance room and hop up to a low crouch and try to steer yourself to your target.

>You lean hard to the left as you position your cart dead on to smash through the refreshment table.

>Through the table and through the window behind it.

>And straight into the pond below.

 

-Anon PoV-

>Dammit, you were having a very nice conversation about aerial stunts and your dead wife too.

>You and Luna had chased the errant food cart as it barreled through the Gala.

>The sight in dance room was one of utter chaos, smashed tables, a broken window, and a collapsed statue.

>How the hell did the statue collapse?

>You run to the shattered window and spot the carts occupants crawling onto the shore of the pond.

>Of course, they were laughing like madmen.

>"Th-that part when those waiters had to jump out of the way!"

>"Or the part where the band saw us and tried to keep playing!"

>The two of them rolled around on the grass as they reveled in their fun.

>Luna trots up to you and sighs at the sight.

>"This normal Gala behavior?"

>Luna grows a deadpan stare. "Every twenty years, like clockwork."

 

=BiE 85=

 

>Year 2204 in Equestria.

>The Broken Leylands.

>Mother fucking summer.

>You hated summer.

>You especially hated summer in the sea of sand and heat that was past the Appelosian desert.

>You looked down at the valley below.

>According to Anon, leylines are supposed to glow pink at almost all times.

>Not this one, this one just looked like dirt and dust.

>But then again, you were here to fix that.

>The camp around you was a bustle of activity.

>You watched as everything from P0ny to Zebra to Griffin was carrying out their tasks.

>Made sense, everybody wanted this project to succeed.

>Some Zebras were fumbling with one of the battery charges.

>You holler at them in their native tongue as they scurry back to work.

>"Since when did you speak Zebra?" Anon asked from the desk behind you.

>"Since Celestia decided that I was apparently her number one choice for dicey diplomatic sessions."

 

>You turn to look at him.

>"It helps to know when somep0ny is calling you an ass."

>Anon rolls his eyes as he pours over the paper in front of him. "I'm sure you heard it often enough."

>You walk up to the desk and look at the blueprints on it.

>"Less then you think, explain to me again why we're setting mana batteries to explode out here in the middle of nowhere?"

>Anon does some math on the side of his paper. "Because, we're going to re-ignite this ley line for the good of the planet and send more power to Canterlot?"

>"To power your pet project. Do you even have a name for that hunk of junk?"

>"Annoying Brother?"

>You scoff.

>"Two hundred years of working on it and he can't even come up with a proper name."

>"Hey, this is complex magic. I fuck this thing up and I send Equestria into an ice age. Not too much time to brainstorm names."

>You roll your eyes and go back to overlooking the workers.

 

>"Okay, I get the why. But how is a bunch of mana-bombs supposed to help?"

>Anon steps away from the desk and points you over the horizon.

>"It's simple really. This leyline got severed from the leyline about a thousand or so miles to the North thousands and thousands of years ago, probably because the magical flow just changed course."

>Anon points to the charges. "What we're going to do, is set off these charges via radio signal in succession, that'll hopefully simulate a proper mana flow and link this one back up with the main line."

>"And if it fails?"

>Anon sighs. "Then I'll have wasted the last eighty years."

>Not like you didn't have the time.

>"And it'll explode."

>Anon winces and half turns to you. "There...might be a -slight- chance of a backfire, but that's less than a thousandth of a percent."

>"But it could still happen..."

>He gives a nervous chuckle. "What's science without risk?

>The radio back at Anon's desk beeps and calls the two of you back to it.

>Anon picks it up and holds it to his head. "A-huh. Alright. Perfect! Get everyone back to minimum safe distance and we can get this going!"

>Anon looks up at you with the smile of a kid on Christmas.

>"Don't break my continent."

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLOkc9MwFHs-

>You walk back to the main control tent with Anon practically skipping ahead of you.

>He ran into the control tent and began checking readouts and flipping on machines in the back.

>"All stations checking in?" He asked.

>An assistant spoke up. "Yes sir, everyp0ny is online."

>"Capacitors set to handle any feedback?"

>"Check, sir."

>"And how's our bleed?"

>"Within .01%."

>"Good, good..."

>This was all a bit mad science-y...

>"Alright! Green across the board! Mister Steele, give me master control!" Anon said.

>The stallion in question fiddled with his instruments. "Ready, sir."

>Anon moves to a large red lever at the end of the tent. "Alright, everyp0ny! Moment of truth! Be ready to report any back-ups!"

>Anon grips the lever with both hands and yanks it back as hard as he can.

 

>A series of lights and beeps emit from a nearby machine.

>Anon runs over to it. "Alright, we're about halfway across the sea. Stay frosty everyp0ny..."

>You walk up to him. "Is sea bad?"

>"Sea was where we had to fashion mana depth charges. They've been down there a while, and if they have any leaks, it's game over man."

>Brilliant...

>"Sir, we have hit land."

>You watched as the lights on the machine traveled ever further inland.

>After a minute of watching, Anon jumped up. "We should be close enough for a front row view now!"

>With that he ran out of the tent.

>Towards the encroaching explosion.

>"Anon! Dammit, that's what I do!"

>You chased Anon out to where his desk was set up.

>You could see the cloud of dust off in the distance as the batteries detonated.

>"Anon, this isn't safe."

>"It's fine, I accounted for everything..."

>Dammit, he wasn't listen-

>Your thoughts are interrupted as the mana batteries at the start of the Ley Lands began to detonate and sent shockwaves through the ground.

>The rest follow shortly thereafter, sending up clouds of dust that can probably be seen from home.

>You can barely breath in this.

>"Anon! *cough* Anon!" You choke out.

>You wander through the dust until you find him exactly where he had been standing.

>As the dirt clears, you see another sight.

>The ground below you was glowing an ever steadying pink.

>You can see Anon grinning from ear to ear. "Haha! It worked!" He shouted as he jumped in the air.

>He grabbed you by the shoulders. "It worked!"

>With that he was off back to the tent. "How're we looking?"

>"We have steady magic flow in all checkpoints, sir."

>Anon looked back to you beaming.

>You sigh.

>"Yes, yes, you fixed the planet. Can we go home now?"

 

>The two of you sat on the main deck of the Delphinus.

>You were busy pouring sand and dust out of your clothes while Anon sat next to you in silent wonder at the events of the day.

>This silence was irritating.

>"If you ever get this much sand in me again..."

>Anon sighs. "Can't hear ya. Too wrapped up in the moment."

>Heh. It was quite the feat...

>You looked out across the plains and mountains of the Mild West.

>The sun bobbed in the sky for a moment before it went that final distance across the horizon.

>Over all your years, you had begun to notice the tells when Celestia lowered the sun.

>One step closer...

>"Well, now that my day is more or less over. I guess I have to think of something fun to do."

>Anon perks up at that. "Hey I heard something you may like."

>"Oh?" You ask turning to him.

>"Mhmm. There's this new museum in lower city, see?"

>You nod.

>"Well, they opened an exhibit about us." He says as he slides his head.

>You try to wrap your head around that.

>"Just us?"

>"Yep."

>"The two of us?"

>"A-huh."

>What the-

>"Did they just steal stuff from the apartment?" You ask.

>Anon laughs. "I dunno, wanna find out?"

>Shit kid.

>Of course you wanted to find out.

 

>The two of your made your way to the museum as soon as you landed.

>A quick elevator ride down to the part of the city in the valley below put you right in front of the museum.

>Turns out that subjects of museum exhibits get in free.

>Walking into the hall they had you located in was like walking back in time.

>"By the Emperor..."

>They had them all in a case the size of the royal dining table.

>Ever last one of your little models, each expertly posed inside and all trying to kill each other.

>Lotus had said there wouldn't be enough room for them once you had moved to Canterlot.

>So it was with a heavy heart that you locked your little voyeur gallery away in a trunk and kept them at the apartment.

>Seeing them here again was like a dream come true.

>Most of them were you standerd: Yellow and angry. But you could see a few of the alternate schemes you had come up with.

>The royal blues.

>The blood reds.

>You even saw a few with grey and yellow in there.

>"Projected account of ancient Earth warfare." You heard Anon say next to you.

>What?

>"They think this is what they thought war was like on Earth?"

>Anon shakes his head. "Seems that way."

>That...

>That was fucking awesome.

 

>The two of you continued to inspect the gallery.

>They had collected a few of your super old movies and thrown them onto a T.V.

>That still didn't excuse them picking The Room, however.

>Even a two thousand years later, Tommy Wiseau is annoying.

>"Like a fucking time capsule..." Anon said.

>"Got that right..."

>You glanced over at him.

>"Better then a night with the moon Princess?"

>Anon stumbled and blushed. "Uh...you know about her, huh?"

>Oh please.

>He had known you knew that he was seeing someone, apparently he doesn't know how obvious the two could be together.

>"It's been over a thousand years since you two started this little whatever of yours dude."

>Anon rubbed the back of his head.

>"I know you kept it a secret, but come on. I'm me. I knew before you went off to play explorer."

>You walk to the next exhibit to give him a break.

>He had probably been trying real hard to keep that a secret.

>Hell, it's not his fault you knew him fo-

>...

>No.

>No no.

>No no no.

>Not you.

>Not again.

>Not here.

>Not now.

>Anon walked up to your frozen ass in the middle of the floor. "Dude, what is it?"

>What is it?

>Just the return of your most hated foe.

>THAT.

>MOTHERFUCKING.

>DIDGERIDOO.

>IT'S HAUNTED.

IT HAS TO BE HAUNTED.

>ONLY IN DEATH WILL WE KNOW PEACE.

>You grab the nearest museum worker.

>"HOW MUCH FOR THAT."

>"U-uh...well, sir. I uh..." He stammers as he tries to get his bearings.

>"Uh...letmegoaskthecurator!"

>Anon puts a hand on your shoulder. "Dude, what are you doing?"

>SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE LONG AGO.

 

>The two of you stand in the park after midnight.

>Burning wood fills your ears and noses.

>The silence of the park is split by the last pathetic whine of The Accursed One as the flame consumes in.

>You dump a bucket of water from the lake on the blaze, condemning It to ash.

>"It is done."

>Anon just watches you as he had done since you bought the damn thing.

>Most people don't spend a years' salary on something they intend to burn.

>"Well, that was...dramatic. Are you feeling better?"

>You breathe in the air, laced with a trace of the smell of burning wood.

>"Yes..."

>Anon looks down at the pit of ash. "Makes you yearn, ya know?"

>"Hmm?"

>"All of this. The museum, your...little friend here."

Fuck you.

>"Makes you yearn for the old days, you know? Back when it was just you me and Rainbow, trying to do some stupid thing in the middle of P0nyville."

>You looked up at the city you had been protecting for the past two millennia.

>"Things definitely took an unanticipated swerve..."

>Anon nods with you. "Wanna re-live some of it?"

>You look down and meet his eyes.

>"...Movie night?"

>Anon grows a wide smile. "I've got Star Wars."

>"I got beer."

>Anon chuckles and heads for the park entrance. "Come on, we need to hurry if we're getting through all three."

>You laugh as you run to catch up with him.

>Same shit, different night.

 

=BiE 86=

 

>Year 2480 in Equestria.

>You and Mous were down in the Regulator chamber.

>"Make sure that those surge protectors are evenly spaced out."

>Mous grunts and drops the device on the ground. "What does that have to do with anything?"

>"The magical resonance could trip one of the breakers if they're too close, we need that not to happen."

>Mous hooks up the surge protectors like you told him to and retreats back to the main cables with you.

>"Alright...protectors are on and ready, the power is flowing, let's just..."

>You flip the master switch.

>The regulator hiccups and begins to spin even faster and glow even brighter before eventually calming down.

>Mous lowers his arms from in front of his face. "So...we did it?"

>"That we did!"

>"The leylines are hooked up now?"

>You flip a few switches on the cables. "Told you fixing that leyline would pay off."

>The additional power would help immensely.

>"At least we won't black out Equestria now." Mous said.

>Ehh..."Probably not."

>You walk past Mous as his face drops to one of pure misery. "Great. I fucking love "probably's"."

>You roll your eyes as you lead the two of you out into the ever setting sun.

>"Come on, it's almost time and it's a long walk to the Arcanium."

 

>Damn these wires, they cost more than your house.

>The downside of creating a machine that subverted nature, you needed pure platinum wiring.

>"Luna, could you hand me the hydrospanner?"

>You feel the tool placed in your hand as you finish attaching this motor.

>Mous continues to pace through the room and fill it with the echoes of his footfalls. "Could you hurry this up? I'm not comfortable standing next to this thing."

>Nancy...

>"Come on man, it's just a little nuclear fusion from the heart of the sun."

>You poke your head out and look to Celestia. "Thanks for that, by the way."

>The monarch gives a curt nod as you dive back into the bowels of your machine.

>You set the last wire cluster into place.

>Almost..."Done!"

 

>You pull yourself out and close the hatch on the machine.

>"Alright Anon, explain to me how this contraption works." Mous says.

>The machine was about as tall as your waist, with an interior miniature of the planet, sun, and moon. Small numerals representing the months and days of the year were spread around the edge.

>Below that were two rotating rings.

>"It's simple in concept, large in scope. This, is the Orbital Tether, and I made it for one thing."

>You turn to Mous. "To move the sun, moon, and stars."

>Mous lets out a low whistle as you make your way around it.

>"It sends out a magical lasso around both stellar bodies, using the Moonstones and Fusion reaction as a foothold."

>You switch on the preliminary functions. "From there, the machine calculates the proper position for everything using a mechanical computer I made after pouring over astrological notes for the last three thousand years."

>Mous just looks at you cross armed. "So, it makes it like it was on Earth?"

>"Basically."

>"Why didn't you just say that?"

>"Oh, screw you."

>He has no concept of drama sometimes...

 

>You throw the switches on the Tether and start the turbines for the rings below.

>The rings functioned as the focus, each charged with either solar or lunar magic and responsible for actually moving the sun or moon.

>You flip on the calculator and walk to the main power switch.

>"Luna, if you could get the window please?"

>The window of the Arcanium attic is pushed open with a magical aura, letting in the sun as it rests still as stone on the horizon.

>"Alright..."

>And here we...

>Go.

>You flip the main power switch as the Tether hums to life.

>Yet the sun still hangs in the sky.

>"Uh...Anon..."

>"It'll work, dude."

>Come on...

>You HAVE to work...

>Celestia clears her throat. "The sun is not moving, Anon..."

>"It just takes a while for the magic to get to there is all!"

>You jerk your head back to the sun and try staring it down.

>Please work...

 

>Suddenly, the sun shifts ever so slightly.

>"Did you see that?" Mous said.

>Come on, baby...

>The sun began inching its way down, jerking ever closer to the horizon before finally beginning to coast down like it normally did.

>"D-did it work?"

>"See for yourself." Luna says behind you.

>She opens the window behind you, letting you see a silver orb slowly inching its way up past the horizon.

>It...it worked.

>"HAHA! IT WORKED!" You shout as you jump into the air.

>THE TETHER WORKED!

>You feel a hand on your shoulder push you back to the ground gently. "Easy, sport. Don't want to break your new miracle machine." Mous says.

>"Congrats, man." He adds with a slap on the shoulder.

>You were sure you were grinning like a loon.

>But at the same time, why shouldn't you? Your magnum opus and the result of over four hundred years of development had just paid off.

>The sun and the moon would rise automatically now.

 

>Luna and Celestia trot up to you. "Congratulations, Anon. You deserve every bit." Celestia said.

>Luna was smiling just as much as you were. "Yes, this is an incredible feat! Nothing like this has happened since Starswirl the Bearded discovered two hundred spells in his spare time!"

>"Yes...A very *yawn* impressive achievement."Celestia says.

>She peers out the window at the rising moon. "With that, good friends, I shall retire. Luna, the court is yours." She says as she trots down the stairs.

>Mous gazes out the window. "I gotta get gone too, crimes been up in Lower City lately and I have to go stand menacingly on top of roofs."

>Dinner and a movie then, good luck man.

>Mous leaving puts just you and Luna watching the moonrise.

>"Amazing, Anon. Truly amazing." She says.

>"Yeah..." You say. "Wonder what I should do with my time now."

>Luna turns to you. "I feel the same way. With the moon rising on its own, I'm relieved of part of my duties."

>She inches closer to you. "Perhaps we can assist each other in finding something to pass the time?"

>You reach down and stroke her mane. "A celebration -does- seem in order..."

 

>You were curled up in Luna's bed with her in your arms.

>The window was open, letting the soft light of the artificially risen moon into the room.

>Luna shifts in the bed, sending her now flaccid wings draping over you.

>Experience has prepared you, however.

>A trio of pegusi spouses had taught you how to avoid a face full of post-coital wing.

>Luna continued to shift in your arms, grunting as she did.

>"I know you enjoyed yourself, but I didn't hurt anything did I?"

>A wing flies up and bops you in the head.

>"Brute." Luna chuckles out.

>You pull her closer to you. "Hey now, that almost sounded like the old Luna talking. I thought we worked on your vernacular issues millennia ago."

>Luna sighs. "I wouldn't say it was my vernacular that was the issue here."

>Well damn. "What's up?

>Luna snaps her wing back against her body and turns to you, moon reflecting off her teal eyes.

>"Anon, now that the Tether is done, what will you do?"

 

>Well, that was the question of the day, huh?

>You hadn't put much thought into it.

>Your thoughts leading up to today had been dominated by the Tether, and you were a bit distracted afterwards.

>"I...don't really know."

>You slide your hands behind your head as Luna drapes her hooves over your chest.

>"The Tether was the biggest thing I've ever worked on. My Magnum Opus. I...really don't know what I'd do after that."

>"I've seen the world...gotten married...had kids, grandkids and great grandkids. To tell you the truth Luna? It's all gotten...kinda dull."

>"And ohh...it's been...five hundred years? Since I was last married."

>You stare out over the dark room. "I guess it's finally getting to me too...they all end the same way."

>In a hospital room.

>You look down at Luna. "What about you?"

>Luna shifts next to you. "No one...not since Pip...just you."

>That was kind of flattering and sad at the same time.

>"Still having the episodes?"

>Luna nods. "Less often...but I...don't feel comfortable with anything particularly long term yet."

>You reach down and stroke her mane.

>Hmm...

>Something new...

>"Then I'll wait."

>Luna looks up at you. "Wh-what?"

>"I'll wait, I said. For you to try and work this out."

>"Wait?"

>"Yeah! I figure that we both care about each other enough, we both don't age, why not give it a try when we can?"

>Luna's eyes fall. "You...know that could take some time, Anon..."

>You wrap her hooves around your chest and pull her close.

>"We have the time."

>Luna rests her head on your shoulder and sighs. "Yeah..."

 

=BiE 87=

 

>Year 2561 in Equestria.

>You scribble the last of the numbers on the whiteboard. "And so class, we then see that when we combine Power with Wisdom and Courage, we get a-"

>The bell rang. What is it with you teaching kids and bells?

>You packed up your things as your students filed out.

>This university work had been good at giving you something to look forward to, even if it was just part time.

>Still, you noticed that the kids were learning almost faster than you could teach.

>Guess p0nies got smarter in two and a half thousand years.

>You step out into the university square and look out at the city at night.

>Canterlot had certainly changed from the Tolkein-esque city on the side of a mountain it used to be.

>Where once p0nies had once, you had helped them create from nothing.

>Where they had once needed space, Mous had started an expansion project.

>And where they had once had fear, the two of you had stood together to fight off everything the world threw at you.

>Canterlot was truly a city of peace and harmony.

>You headed for the main gates as you planned your evening.

>Hmm...Maybe Luna would want to go out on the town?

>She and you had been seeing each other rather regularly over the past few months.

>To you, it seemed like you practically lived together.

>Just like you did with Rainbow...

>You're so caught up in your thoughts that you don't notice the figure standing at the wall near the gates.

>"Anon..."

>You crane your neck to the side to see Mous leaning up against the wall. "Hey man, what's up?"

>He looked...sad?

>"Anon...I was sent out to find you. It's the Princesses..."

>This sounded bad..."...What is it?"

>Mous looked you wearily in the eye.

>"Anon, they're dying."

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSDTX_LaLvA-

>You and Mous practically ran to the castle.

>Inside you found Celestia and Luna laying in beds a few feet apart.

>Good god...

>Over the past thousand years, neither Celestia or Luna seemed to age a day.

>They were the only other beings alive who had been locked in their age like you had.

>All of that had been undone, however.

>Before you lay two very old mares.

>Their coats had been muted, leaving Celestia a far shot from her normally pure white and Luna a soft navy.

>Celestia's mane was now a collection of low reds as the fire she embodied died out.

>Luna's astral mane was almost entirely black now, only a few of the stars inside it clinging to life.

>Celestia looked up at the two of you and smiled. "Ah...I see you finally found him."

>You just look over the two monarchs. "How did this happen?"

>Mous grunts and walks between the two Princesses. "That's what I want to know..."  he spits.

>Mous looks over at Celestia. "We're both here, so spill. Why are you two dying?"

 

>Celestia and Luna both look over the two of you.

>"Alicorns are a genetic fluke, boys." Celestia says. "The possibility exists in all of My Little P0nies, but the odds are too low to be properly quantified."

>Luna coughs. "A pair of Alicorn foals have recently been born in the town of Dappleshore..."

>"With each Alicorn birth, there exists the chance that Fate will deem them to be the new bearers of the sun and the moon."

>Luna smiled at you. "But you have taken care of that, for them."

>Celestia finished for her sister. "What you see here is just that, Fate has deemed that these two young foals are to inherit our power and responsibility. And with our magics leaving us...our time is running out."

>This was too much to bear...

>"You knew."

 

>You looked to your side, Mous was positively starring daggers at Celestia.

>"You knew. You knew this whole time and didn't tell us."

>Celestia met his piercing gaze. "This secret is one of Alicorn kind's greatest ones. Not spoken aloud since the days of Discord."

>She glanced your way. "We are telling you this now only because we trust the two of you implicitly."

>"We could have done something!" Mous shouted. "We could have spent all this time trying to stop you two from dying instead of building cities and magic sky tethers and cannons!"

>Luna shook her head. "We allowed for many subversions of natural law from you two...But we could not allow that one."

>The room is quite as Mous fumes. "Tell me why I shouldn't leave your lying asses here to piss off for not telling me..."

>You know the answer to that.

>You reach out and place a hand on his shoulder. "Because they're our only friends here, dude..."

>Mous turns his furious gaze to you and meets your eyes.

>You'd never seen him so...Angry? Hurt? You can't tell.

>Eventually, Mous releases a deep sigh. "So that's it...We just stay here and watch as our last two friends die..."

>You glance at the ancient Princesses, now finally worthy of that name.

>"They'd do it for us."

>Mous silently considers your words before he grabs a silently chair and slams it on the ground next to Celestia's bed.

 

>You and Mous had each taken a sister to see off.

>Luna looked even more peaceful here, resting silently in her bed.

>It was just like the others...

>"So, what were your parents like?"

>Why did you ask that?

>Idiot...

>Luna chuckles as she tilts her head to you. "Tia and I...we were born in St. Petershoof long, long ago...Our mother was a Unicorn and our father, a Pegasus."

>Wow..."That's pretty lucky, two Alicorns years apart from each other."

>Luna looks at you with a coy smile. "I have a secret to tell you, Anon."

>"Hehe, oh?"

>She nods. "I may be older then you think I am."

>"Such a breach of trust. I don't know if I can ever trust a mare again, Princess Luna."

>Knowing Mous has given you lots of practice for your sarcastic voice.

>Luna nods. "Yes, roughly four thousand years ago, Tia and I were in the same place as those two foals just being born."

>She gets a far off look in her eye. "Being thrust into a world of power and infinite responsibility before either of us were ready..."

>"You handled it well."

>She sighs. "Save for my..."breakdown"."

>Better change the subject away from such grimness..."So, how come you look so much younger then Celestia?"

>Luna chuckles. "A thousand years in stasis on the moon will do wonders for your complexion, Anon."

>The two of you share a laugh.

 

>"So...all those times you sounded sad when I told you I'd wait for you to get better..."

>Luna lets out a deep sigh and nods. "I...didn't want to break your hope. You seemed to hold onto it so dearly, the idea that we could one day be together."

>She looks down at the edge of her bed. "So much like Pippen...Even to his dying breath, he held onto the hope that a miracle would happen and that he would be with me for longer..."

>You stroke Luna's mane as you let her remember her husband in peace for a bit.

>"If it wasn't for...all this. Where did you see us going?"

>Luna nuzzled into your chest. "I saw you and I, brainstorming magical theory throughout the day, working out the problems over dinner, and discussing applications for it in bed until the sun began to rise. Each of our days an adventure into the magical world with one another as our only guide."

>Your mind races at the possibilities of what your life could have been.

>You kiss the top of her head. "I would have liked that."

>Luna sighs. "Ah, but time makes monkeys out of us all."

>"Even if we were together, this would still have happened. We still would have been torn apart because of a one in a trillion chance."

>That wouldn't do. "Luna, that's no way to spend your last hours."

>You pull her off your chest and look into her faded eyes. "Let's concentrate on the happy thoughts, yeah?"

>Luna chuckles. "Uhg, and now I'm imagining you telling me that every day when I worried about this day." She says as she rests a head on your shoulder.

>You laugh. "Got that right."

 

-Mous PoV-

>You sat silently in the chair next to Celestia.

>She was breathing fairly steady, her eyes closed and her mouth turned up in a grin.

>She probably wasn't even dying, the cunt.

>"You're a bitch, you know that?"

>She chuckles. "And you are an ass. That was probably why we got along so well."

>You scoff.

>"I hated every second of it."

>"Likewise."

>"The only joy I got was when I would scare off your boytoys."

>Celestia shifts on the bed and opens her eyes. "The only fun I ever had was when I would sneak into your house and hover my flank over your face as you slept."

>Hmph.

>"I wondered why my house smelled like fish sometimes."

>The two of you sit in silence for a while. Her grinning at you as you glowered at her.

>"So I guess this means I win the bet on who dies first, right?"

>"I suppose it does." Celestia says.

>"I am gonna piss all over your fuckin' bathroom."

>"Be sure to get the walls evenly." She chuckles.

 

>Celestia stares off into space for a moment. "Mous, I have something to tell you. Come here."

>"Is this the part where you tell me you love me?" You whine.

>"Would you just come here, you jackass?"

>You grumble and rise from your seat.

>"Closer."

>You lean over the bed.

>"Closer."

>You bend a bit more.

>What the hell...

>"Closer..." She whispers.

>You're practically on top of her face now, what could she wan-

>"TOUNGE IN MY EAR!" You shout as you pull away.

>Celestia is laughing up a storm as you stomp around the room and try to get the cock flavored spit out of your ear.

>Stupid bitch...

>That was...

>"That was actually pretty good."

>You sit back down in your chair as Celestia calms herself. "Glad you enjoyed it." She said.

>"I'll let you have that one."

>Celestia's wrinkled face lit up. "Such a sweet parting gift!"

>You throw your hands up. "I know, I'm a giver."

 

-Anon PoV-

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epUOoPuiyZM-

>You and Mous had spent the next several hours in the room with the Princesses.

>There was laughter, there was tears, there was spitting in mouths.

>All that you could have hoped for from the four of you.

>Eventually, Celestia spoke up. "It's time..." She said quietly.

>You and Mous stepped away from the beds near the front of the room.

>Celestia and Luna looked at the both of you from their beds.

>"You two deserve a formal goodbye..." Celestia said with Luna nodding in agreement.

>"We have lived for four thousand years, we have met many beings and made friends with a good portion of them."

>Mous chuckles silently.

>"But none have been truer friends then the two of you." Luna said with a smile.

>"You have helped us defend our city, our planet, and our very way of life." Celestia beamed.

>"And you have both helped to hold it together in the years in between."

>You were starting to blush...

>"The future is yours now, Anon and Mous." Celestia stated.

>Luna looked the two of you over with tired eyes. "And it could not be in better hands."

 

>Celestia and Luna both laid their heads on their pillows and faced each other.

>"Wherever fate takes your soul. Know that I love you with all my heart, Luna." Celestia said.

>Luna nodded. "And I you, Celestia."

>With that, the sisters eyes slowly closed...

>Celestia's mane stopped it's constant blowing motion for the first time since you had come to Equestria. The colors bleeding out into the air and fading.

>The last of Luna's stars faded to the smallest pinpricks of light before they too were gone, the star field that was her mane simply loosing cohesion and dissipating.

>The two of you stood in the room together as some of your oldest friends left you.

>You look down at your watch. "Time of death: 5:16 AM..."

>Mous lowers his head.

>"Join us brothers and sisters."

>"Join us in the echoes of time where we stand vigilant."

>"And as you perish, know that your sacrifices will not be forgotten."

>"And that one day we shall join you."

>You nod as he finishes. "Amen."

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RY5TUySm3c-

>You and Mous now stood on the roof of the castle.

>The both of you were facing to the East, eyes fixed on the horizon.

>You were both worried about the Tether.

>With the Princesses gone, the magic keeping a grip on the sun and moon might have gone with them.

>You needed to be ready to handle the city if that were the case.

>"It's just us now..." You say.

>"Us and the city..."

>A though crosses your mind.

>"We've seen how many sunrises?"

>Mous just shrugs. "Tens of thousands, at least."

>You turn back to the East. "This might be the first time we miss one..."

>"A great morning..."

>The two of you stare at the horizon for what seems like an eternity.

>The sky was lightening as the sun slowly crept up, but that final push was all that needed to miss...

>You hold your breath as the sun looks about ready to burst beyond the edge of the earth.

>As quickly as it had when the Tether had first gone online, Canterlot was bathed in the orange glow of Celestia's gift to the world.

>"And so it begins...A new era for Equestria." Mous said.

>"One without the Princesses..."

>You try to think of something you can do to help but come up...empty....

>"What do we do now?" You ask.

>Mous turns and walks back to the door leading inside the castle. "We hold the kingdom together."

>Yeah...alright...

 

=BiE 88=

 

>Year 2562 in Equestria.

>It has been eight months since the death of the Princesses.

>You sat at your dining room table in silence.

>You had done nothing since they died.

>No projects, no teaching, hardly any leaving the city. Nothing.

>You had seen ponies died before...hundreds of times.

>Spouses, children, grand children, and more. You had been there every time one of them had passed.

>But watching a pair of seemingly all powerful Princesses go...

>It really hammered home the reality of what an unending life would mean for you.

>An eternity of death with fleeting moments in between to punctuate it.

>Your mind had been changed over the last two thousand years.

>To an outsider, your courtship with Luna had lasted lifetimes.

>But you remembered every rendezvous, every lunch in the Arcanium, and every night together goofing off.

>You laughed inwardly.

>Here you were, an eternity later and with a Princess-Goddess going through the same motions you did with Dash when you first came here.

 

>You fiddled with the crystal on the table for the hundredth time today.

>A spell cooked up millennia ago...One you never thought you'd be considering using.

>One that you had thought about using every day for the last six months.

>As with every other time you were here, you attempted to rationalize a reason to get excited for something.

>And with every other time, you came up empty.

>You had traveled the world and seen every city under the sun.

>You had reached into the depths of the planet and pulled the magic trapped inside back together.

>You had subverted science at every turn, making matter out of nothing and creating objects that should not be able to exist.

>You had even taken the heavens themselves and made them run on time.

>You drop your head onto the table, once again frustrated that you could think of nothing to do.

>You once again considered your potential new monarchs.

>The media had gone into a craze after word broke of the Princesses and the apparent new heirs to the Equestrian throne.

>Mous had stepped in after having a word with you about it, declaring that the foals would be off limits to the tampering of anyp0ny, both civilian of royalty, until they were ready to take the throne.

>The two of you had both agreed that the children needed to live their own lives before they had to worry about everyp0ny else's.

>Your mind races as you think try to think of one thing that could excite you out of this rut.

>Well...There was That.

 

>You stepped into the castle proper and made your way to the Vault of Harmony.

>After the girls had gone, each of their Elements was placed in the vault to prepare them to be passed down to the next pony to hold them.

>The Acolytes had told you that the Elements would only choose their next wielders in times of extraordinary crisis.

>With that in mind, you had drummed up a rudimentary scrying tool that could locate the ponies required.

>You're a bit embarrassed at the simplicity of the device when you find it in the vault.

>Oh how moronic you were in your two hundreds.

>You open the chest the Elements were kept in and slot the tiara one into the device, might as well start with the big one.

>...Nothing.

>Damn.

>Okay, how about the next one?

>You swap out the tiara for one of the necklaces.

>...Still nothing.

>You continue to swap out each necklace into the device in the hope that one of them will light up, letting you know that there was something still out there.

>You felt your hopes shatter with each negative result.

>After you checked each Element for the third time, you let out a deep sigh.

>That was it then...

>There was nothing left to do in this world.

>You place the Elements back in their chest and lock up the vault before you head upstairs.

>You needed to talk with someone...

 

>Mous had practically moved in to the office at the top of the castle, he said he liked to be able to look out over the city.

>You found him standing over his desk scribbling his signature on some papers, a forest green cloak wrapped around his shoulders.

>"Nice shower curtain."

>Mous continues to sift through the papers. "I'm Lord of the city now, Lords wear capes."

>"Of course they do..."

>"You wore a robe once, Mister Grand Magister."

>Your memory takes you back to that unbelievably gaudy get up the had you wear.

>Rarity would have passed out.

>"I did, didn't I..."

>"So what can I do you for today, man?"

>"Can I...talk to you about something?" You say as you take a seat in front of his desk. "It's important."

>Mous's eyes drift up to you. "Big bro alert."

>He clears the papers and takes a seat behind his desk. "What's up, man?"

>You wring your hands together as you try to figure out how to play this.

>"I really don't know how to say this, so I guess I'll just do it..."

>You meet his eyes pleadingly.

>"I want to leave."

>Mous arches an eyebrow. "Like, another trip?"

>You shake your head. "No man..."

>"I want to leave Equestria."

 

>Mous stares at you in silence, his face one of confusion. "What? We can't leave..."

>He gets out of his chair and walks to the window.

>"Why would you want to anyway?" He asks.

>You shake your head. "We've been here too long, man. We've seen and done too much."

>Mous waves a dismissive hand at you. "Just go off and see the world again."

>"That won't work."

>He turns back to look at you.

>"I spent two hundred years exploring the world, Mous. I've seen every city, lake, mountain and wonder the world has, hell I probably have a story about something that happened there."

>"There's nothing left to see... Just the same tired old sights."

>Mous paces to the other side of the room. "Then go teach some kids, or something."

>You shake your head. "The kids here are probably smarter than I am, they'll learn nothing from me."

>"We've been here too long. The world is leaving us behind." You say.

>Mous leans against the wall. "Why are we even having this conversation? It's not like we can just up and leave the planet."

>You reach into your pocket. "That's...not true."

>You place the small silver crystal in the palm of your hand and show Mous. "What is that?" He asks.

>You turn the crystal over in your hand. "An old spell..."

>"Did you know that Twilight and I were working on a spell to send us home?"

>Mous looks at you like he'd seen a ghost. "We shelved it after a breakthrough we made right before all that Cult crap..."

>"Ever since then, I've been researching and tweaking the spell in my spare time. Just as a side project to see if I could."

>You hold the crystal up. "Mous, this spell will open a Waygate, one that could take us off Equestria."

 

>Mous is staring daggers at you.

>Daggers that are on fire and made of pure anger.

>"So that's it, huh? You've seen and done everything you can think of, so it's time to go?" He spits.

>"Mous it's not-"

>"We have responsibilities here Anon! We promised to take care of this Kingdom for Celestia and Luna!"

>Ouch...

>"Mous, look outside." You say as you point to the city.

>Canterlot looked like a utopia. Glistening spires, towers of arcane magic, and happy citizens.

>"Crime is next to nothing on both the upper and lower cities, the entire kingdom is enjoying peace and prosperity, and every other kingdom on the planet is enjoying those same rewards."

>You point to the two of you. "We did that. We helped them up and made them something great..."

>Your voice trails off. "And they don't need us anymore."

>Mous sweeps the papers off his desk and slams his hands down on it. "THAT'S NO REASON TO ABANDON THEM AFTER THEIR MONARCHS HAVE DIED!"

>"Have you seen the citizens!?" You shout.

 

>You point out the window again. "When we announced that Celestia and Luna had died, the press went nuts and they still did nothing! They're content to wait for the new foals to take the throne when they're ready!"

>"We did that! We did it by working our asses off for this city for the past two thousand years! It makes perfect sense that they wouldn't need us anymore!"

>"Don't need us!? We have to protect them, Anon!" Mous shouts.

>You're practically pleading with him now. "Mous, this city isn't some kid who you picked up off the playground! It's grown up! They don't need our protection anymore!"

>Mous pushes off the desk and stomps to the window. "We can't abandon the only home we've had for two millennia just because we're bored!"

>"Well we can't stay in a place that we've overstayed out time in and call it a home worth having, either!"

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xRCjjiTR7I-

>The room stayed silent for what seemed like hours.

>You were left standing after your argument while Mous simply stood looking out the window.

>"Leave."

>What?

>"What did you say?" You ask.

>Mous turns to you, his eyes cold and distant. "I said leave. You want to go so bad, you want to grow up and be on your own? Do it."

>You take a step back as his words cut through you.

>This wasn't like with the cult, you could tell...

>This was real.

>"Mous...please..."

>"I have to protect the city, Anon. It's my job..."

>You take a step towards him. "Mous, please. This city doesn't need our help anymore..."

>Mous refuses to meet your eyes. "Get out of my office..."

>Your head falls as you hear those words.

>"Then I guess this is it, then..."

>You pause as you step through the door.

>You have to try, at least this once.

>"I wasn't asking permission to go...I'm gathering my things and taking a train to Ponyville today..."

>Mous is silent.

>"I'll be gone by sundown."

>Mous's eyes shift to you for a second before he turns his back to the door.

>Your eyes fall as you step out, the door clicking shut behind you.

 

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZFcTGAGL3s-

>You walked back to your apartment in a state of shock.

>It was over...

>After a trip to another dimension and over two thousand years, it was over...

>Oh well...

>One more reason you can't stay.

>You grabbed two of your magical pouches.

>One inlaid with the forth dimensional spell you had first made as a prison, you could fit practically your entire house in there.

>You threw some things inside it. Clothes, food, water, your marriage necklaces from every spouse you'd had, as well as a few texts on science and magic.

>The other was the perfected version of your duplication spell, ensuring that you'd never run out of supplies.

>You dumped a couple crystals into that one, you'd probably need them.

>Wherever you were headed...

>You secured those and several other pouches on your belt and left your home unlocked as you left. There wasn't anything particularly valuable in there anyway

>Mous was right about one thing, though. You had a responsibility that needed seeing to.

>You made your way to the Arcanium and jotted down some instructions on the operation of the Orbital Tether.

>The machine had never been too much of a hassle, but it was best to ensure that it would stay that way.

>Your Opus taken care of and your letter of resignation to the University sent, you make your way to the train station.

>It had been here...two and a half thousand years ago that you had first arrived at Canterlot...

>Back with Twilight and Dash...and Mous...

>You looked back at the city, taking it in one last time.

>You sigh and make your way to the ticket stand. "One for Ponyville...

>You pause at the last hurdle, wanting desperately for things to go back to how they were.

>But they can't...not here.

>"One way."

 

-Mous PoV-

>You watched the train pull away.

>The 1:15 to Ponyville, right on the second every day.

>That had been hard...

>You could move the heavens, but getting trains to run on time was a feat.

>You left your office for a walk around the castle, there being too much anger in there.

>You weren't mad.

He wants to go? Fine.

>If he wants to abandon you, that's his fucking choice.

Never mind the fact that we had fought for him in school.

>And taken on that Manticore, Discord, the Diamond Dogs, and a whole shit ton of other stuff.

>But no, this was a great fucking way to repay you.

>Not that you were mad.

>You blew past castle workers and guards alike as you weaved through the castle.

>Anon was banking on you being too scared to let him go.

>But you weren't scared.

>You weren't.

>You felt the grass crush underneath your boots as you kept walking.

>It was fine losing your best friend.

>You could do all this yourself.

You could do even more by yourself!

>Think of all the stuff Anon held us back from doing.

All those scumbags we let off easy.

>We could actually do all those things we wanted to do...

>Screw what other people said.

>You stop on your tirade as you walk through the garden.

>Before you stand two headstones. One with a single lotus petal on it, and the other with a small brown feather.

>Eitri had always wanted to be closer to her...

>Your wife and your son.

>The two people you knew would always be straight with you...

>Apart from Anon...

>You feel your legs give out underneath you as you drop to your knees in front of the graves.

>"Hey Pretty Pony...hey Featherhead..."

>"I need some advice..."

 

>Anyp0ny walking by might think you're nuts, but you could give a damn.

>"I don't know what to do, guys."

>"I have responsibilities to Canterlot, to...all the ponies who live here."

>It was true, you were bored of Equestria.

>You had been bored of Equestria since your last friend died eight months ago.

>But that didn't excuse you from your job.

>"All my life I've been looking out for people. Protecting those who couldn't do it themselves."

>You look up at the towers sprouting over the garden walls.

>"And now I've got an entire city to look out for..."

>You thought back to what Anon had said.

>"I...A-anon was right about a few things. We've made life good for the p0nies who live here..."