>The clock stops ticking
>World stops spinning
>All there is in this moment is that voice
>Seeping through the room
>Sneaking into your old ears
>Inside your head a spark flickers
>Emotions and thoughts long forgotten finally resurface
>In an instant, you see his whole life flash across your vision
>With mouth agape and tears in your eye, you turn
>Praying to whatever gods are out there that this is real
>Bottles and cupboards pass you by
>Trash and dirt fly past your eyes
>When your eyes find the door to his room, you stop
>Where the shut door used to be stands a man
>A satyr of the finest kind
>The only kind
>His hair is wild, and his chin covered in stubble
>Over his left eye sits a pitch black patch
>Strange clothes rests upon his body
>But even these alien features cannot change it
>For his faint smile gives it away
>The one and only smile
>It has been given to you so many times before
>On his first day of school
>When confessing his first love
>After every single fight
>You know this smile so very well
>And it fills your soul with pain and happiness
>As if otherworldly, it strikes your heart
>Grabs and twists it in ways you never knew
>You didn't even notice you were crying
>But the tears have been released
>In orderly fashion they journey down your cheeks
>Each of them jumping off and onto the floor
>Their crashes send ripples of sound through the air
>And as you look upon him, they keep coming
>As you look upon your son
>Caesar
 
>Without a word you run
>The chair tumbles over behind you
>Your vision blurs as you reach him
>And in the moment your arms unfold
>In that very moment you wonder
>Wonder if this is real or not
>In the painfully long moment, you wonder
>But as your arms reach him, they stay
>Fold themselves around his body
>With all the strength you have left, you pull him close
>Bury your face in his hair
"Don't you ever leave me and your mother again."
>His muscular arms reach around your back
>Gently he holds you
>Strokes his hands up and down your back
>Every movement he makes reminds you
>This is not a dream
>You son is here
>Right here in front of you
>"I'm sorry."
>His voice has changed
>It is that of a boy turned man
>You frantically move your hands over his body
>Taking in all of the sensations
>His shirt, his fur
>Everything about him is real
>"I was afraid."
>Caesar whispers into your shoulder
>But he does not cry
>"Afraid what might happen to me. But no more."
>His hands keep running up and down your back
>Gently and slowly filling your body with happiness
>Injecting you with long lost emotions
 
>Everything can be good again
>All will be well
>Just like old times
>The three of you, a whole family
>But you needed one more
"Guard! Get Luna over here! Tell her it's an emergency!"
>You hear a muffled "Yes, sir" through the wall
>It is followed by the quiet sound of hoofsteps
>As you wait for her return, you never let go
>You cling on to Caesar for dear life
>Without him, you could crash and burn
>Your fingers dig into his body
>Holding him so very tight
>There are so many things you want to say
>But in this moment, you cannot speak
>There is only you and him
>Father and son
>The front door opens with a creak
>"Honey, I told you I'm-"
>With a trembling lip and tears in your eye, you look to her
>Look Luna right in the eye as she stands there
>Her mouth hangs agape
>She, too, has eyes so wet
>"C-Caesar..."
>Luna's breathing turns quick and sharp
>"Y-You abandoned us... YOU ABANDONED US!"
>In an instant, Luna's hooves reign down the two of you
>You turn and block the strikes from hitting Caesar
>"Y-YOU LEFT US! T-TWO YEARS! T-THE HOSPITAL!"
>Blow by blow is absorbed by your back
>Her strikes are weak and pitiful
>"A-ALL THIS T-TIME! A-All this ti-time..."
>The strikes fade
>A pair of hooves embrace you
>Both of you
>"C-Caesar... Oh, m-my son..."
>You stay there
>Arms around Caesar
>Embraced by your wife
>"Y-You came, came b-back..."
>A slight croak in Caesar's voice is present as he speaks
>"Sorry, mom."
>Luna chuckles through her tears
>A joyous chuckle
 
"W-Where have you b-been? How? Why?"
>Caesar wiggles himself free of your grasp
>He stretches his neck and back before grabbing a chair
>With a weary smile he sits down
>Exhaustion is visible in his young body
>"After the hospital, I ran away."
>Already you can see his plight
>The melancholy in his heart
>"Far, far away. I was afraid. Scared."
>He smiles as he speaks
>A genuine, tired smile
>"I ran for days. I'm not sure where I ended up. But I was attacked."
>Luna gasps sharply
>You put your hand on her back
>She trembles underneath you
>"Raider or bandits, I don't know. But I defeated them."
>You feel Luna's muscles clench
>"Three zebras. Lying there in the sand, I was approached by a gryphon. She took me in. Cared for me... Recruited me."
>"WHAT?"
>You see the disbelief in your wife's eyes
>Her mouth hangs open
>"I helped them. First as a medic. But the gryphon, the one named Gilda, she wanted me to fight."
>A glimpse of Caesar's experiences flash across his eyes
>The darkness it brings frightens you
>"I was forced. I would have been imprisoned had I not gone. My identity was becoming known. So I fought."
>Caesar sighs heavily
>"Fought until the sands ran red with blood."
>His voice cracks at the end
>Snaps like a wet twig
>"I battled and conquered. Earned a reputation. Became feared. The zebras, they... they looked upon me as a monster."
>His gaze has turned distant
>As if looking into the past
>Looking into himself
 
"I was so worried about you, Caesar. I was so worried that I asked Discord for help."
>"YOU DID WHAT?!"
>Luna's scream fills your ear
>Blasts your mind far away
"I didn't accept his offer."
>"But you asked him!"
>Her condescending tone scares you not
>There are more important matters at hand
>"You really asked Discord?"
>Caesar looks to you in disbelief
>Stares at you with a raised eyebrow
>You chuckle and nod
"I did. I regret it, but I did. As I said, I didn't accept his offer."
>Luna snorts and shakes her head
"But I'm glad you're back, Caesar."
>Now it is his turn to chuckle
>He rubs his hands against his face
>A quiet, muffled groan seeps through his fingers
>"Why didn't you tell me?"
>Luna is giving you a sharp look
>You shrug
"I thought Celestia told you."
>"Relationships are built on trust, Anon, if you can't-"
>"It's my first day home and you're already fighting."
>Despite his words, Caesar sounds happy
>And that happiness turns to laughter
>Pure, innocent laughter
>It is so contagious even Luna has to stifle a chuckle
>"Y-You two haven't ch-changed a bit."
>Caesar pants through his words
>Fumbles and stumbles with the sentence
>And he continues laughing
>Spreading his happiness with both of you
 
"I knew you were going to be a good soldier."
>Despite knowing your son has killed, it makes you proud
>Fills your hide with such fatherly pride
>"How can you say such a thing?"
>Luna has raised her head
>Her look to you is one of utter horror
>Disgust and disbelief
>"Our son has killed. Murdered. And you are going to commend that?"
>She writhes free of Caesar's hug
>Slowly, she walks towards you
"What's wrong with being a good soldier?"
>"He has KILLED!"
>The fury of the goddess explodes upon you
>Rarely is it unleashed, and for good reason
>"OUR SON IS A MURDERER! AND YOU CONGRATULATE HIM!"
>"Mom, I-"
>Luna instantly spins to face him
>"HOW COULD YOU?! IS THIS WHAT I RAISED YOU TO BE?! A KILLER?!"
>Her legs are shaking, and as is her voice
"Honey, if you just-"
>"IF I JUST WHAT?! CALM DOWN?!"
>With a roar, she throws a cascade of bottles to the wall
>Her magic hurls them with impressive speed
>They smash and fall to the floor
>Piece by piece
>"All I wanted was a normal family! To live a good life with you!"
>She looks to Caesar and snorts
>"Not this."
>"Mom, look-"
>She holds up a hoof to silence him
>Her breath is staggered and sharp
>"I can't..."
>Once more she slumps to the ground
>"I can't..."
>The princess sobs once
>Then she cries
>Hulks as she spills her tears
>"I, I j-just w-wanted..."
>Caesar looks to her, guilt in his eye
>But he does not cry
>Doesn't even shake
>Simply stares at his mother
>Stares at the crying mare
 
>If only there was no war
>No conflict
>No need to fight or argue
>If only it was simpler times
>Then you could be happy
>Just the three of you
>If you just could end the war
>Then Luna wouldn't cry
>Caesar wouldn't be hurt
>Everything would be good
"I know how we can end the war."
>Caesar looks to you in confusion
>Luna doesn't even raise her head
"If it worked on Earth, it might work here!"
>Now Luna looks to you
>But it is not with joy in her eyes
>Nor with a smile on her lips
>It is with tears and grief
"We have these things on Earth, huge things. They are thrown from far above, and once they hit the ground, the release incredible amounts of energy."
>"And how would energy help?"
>Caesar sounds slightly worried
"Well, it causes and explosion that could-"
>"EXPLOSION?!?"
>All of Luna's tears are gone
>Replaced by the fury
>"EXPLOSION?!? YOU WANT TO BLOW UP INNOCENTS?!?"
>As she moves forward, you move backwards
>You feel the wall behind you
>There is no escape
>Luna's muzzle is mere inches from yours
>Her eyes pierce your very souls as she stares
>The words she speak come in the form of slithering hiss
>"What happened to the man I used to love?"
>Her jaw is trembling
>Like an earthquake waiting to happen, it trembles
>"Where is he?"
 
>You gulp before speaking
"Forgive me. I've gotten out of hand."
>Luna doesn't even bat an eye
"Please, forget I even mentioned it."
>"Why would you-"
"Look, I don't know. I just... Everything is so confusing."
>You sigh and look to the floor
"I'm sorry. I love you."
>Luna replies with a sigh of her own
>"I love you too."
>The two of you share an intimate hug
>A tired, weary hug
"Caesar's back. Let's focus on him."
>Luna nods into your shoulder
>But she doesn't let you go just yet
>She keeps you tight
>Hugs you deeply
>"All right."
>She whispers into your ear
>With a sniff, she breaks the hug
>She turns to face your son and smiles
>"I'm sorry, Caesar."
>He simply smiles and nods
>"It's okay. I know it's difficult."
>Luna goes to him and ruffles his hair with a hoof
>"I'm glad you're back."
"Me too, son."
>A loud knock on the door snaps you out of it
>"Luna? What's going on? I need you in the throne room, immediately."
>Celestia's voice fills the air in the room
>The royal tone is back
>Just as it has been for a long time now
>In these times of need
 
"Come inside. There is someone you need to see."
>The door opens instantly and quickly
>Celestia enters with furrowed brows
>But as soon as her eyes spot Caesar, they grow soft
>"Caesar? How?"
>She closes the door behind her and walks further in
>Her eyes never leave your son
>Not even when Luna speaks
>"He's back, Tia. He's back."
>"That he is."
>She walks all the way up to him
>Stares him down from above
>"I don't believe it."
>You chuckle and look to your son
"Neither did I at first. But he's back, Celestia."
>Celestia only stares
>Looks over every part of your son
>Makes sure it really is him
>She even walks around him
>Inspecting every part of him
>"Tia, what are you doing?"
>Luna sounds not confused, but worried
>And her worry echoes through your mind
>Until it settles and claims you
>"You can't be back."
>Caesar sends her a look
>A look you can't quite decipher
>"You died at Outpost 73."
>Silence falls across the room
>Every eye falls upon Celestia
>Staring at the ruler as she walks
>Her own eyes never leaving Caesar
>"They told me you died."
>Caesar chuckles quietly
>"Clearly I didn't."
 
"What are you talking about, Celestia?"
>She doesn't even move at your words
>Doesn't even acknowledge you
"Answer me!"
>Finally she speaks
>But she does not take her eyes off of Caesar
>"My advisors told me a satyr was found slain in battle."
>She shakes her head gently
>"That was over six months ago. The massacre at Outpost 73."
>"And you told us nothing?!"
>Luna steps between her son and her sister
>"My son was presumed dead, and you said NOTHING?!"
>Celestia flares her wings
>She doesn't back up in the slightest
>"I thought it better to let you live with hope. And it paid off."
>Luna stomps her hoof into the floor
>"You withheld information about my SON!"
>Caesar opens his mouth to speak but closes it shortly after
"Celestia, you should have told us."
>Her head spins and stops in front of yours
>"I know. But I couldn't. I couldn't bring myself to do it. And I'm sorry."
>"Tia, you cannot expect me to accept this! All this time and you never told-"
>"Everybody shut up!"
>Caesar's voice booms through the room
>The three of you turn to face him
>A look of dismay is painted on his face
>"Look, I'm here now. Isn't that what matters?"
 
"Caesar is right. These trivial discussions can be settled later. For now, let's be happy he's here."
>Luna mumbles something intelligible
>But she soon steps closer and hugs Caesar
>"You're right, he is."
>With a sigh, she mumbles
>"I need a break from all of this."
>Both you and Caesar chuckle
>But Celestia doesn't
>She's looking into nothing
>Staring into her mind as she thinks
>"Tia? Are you all right?"
>Luna looks to her sister with worry
>But no reply ever comes
>Instead, Celestia once more turns her attention to Caesar
>"At Outpost 73, what happened? Did you faint?"
>"Tia-"
>"Luna, I need to know this."
>Caesar sighs and shakes his head
>"No, I didn't. Everything went smoothly, except for this."
>He points to the eye-patch and smiles weakly
>"Are you sure?"
>Celestia walks forward as she presses the question
>"Yeah, I'm sure."
>With those words, she turns to leave
>"Tia, where are you going?"
>"My advisors may not be as loyal as I thought."
 
>You turn to face your family
>Whatever Celestia is going to do, she will accomplish it
>Being the most powerful being in Equestria was its own security net
"So how about some pie?"
>Caesar's stomach replies for him with a loud rumble
>"How can you think about food now?"
>Luna looks to you in confusion
>You simply smile
"Caesar's back. I play no part in these politics anyway. I just want my family back to normal."
>Celestia turns in the doorway at those words
>"I can handle things for now. Luna, stay with your family. You've earned it."
>"But, Tia-"
>"Luna, that's an order."
>Your wife grumbles and groans
>"Fine. But be careful."
>Celestia chuckles as she closes the door
>"I will."
>With the door shut, you finally feel the air returning to normal
>No arguing, no hidden information
>Only happiness and family remains
>The three of you
>Back to how you were
>You go to the kitchen and pull out the pie
>With grace and care you put it on the table
>All three of you sit down and eat
>In comfortable silence
>Except for Caesar's loud munching
>It brings a smile to your face
>Even after his travels, he still eats much the same way as before
>Luna even chuckles, although she normally hated it
>It is good
>Life is perfect
>You've got your son
>And that's all you need
>All you ever needed
 
>But something appears in the back of your mind
>No matter how hard you try, it doesn't go away
>Zooming about like a fly in your skull
>Nagging you like an over-concerned mother
"Caesar?"
>He looks at you, mouth stuffed with pie
>It almost makes you chuckle
>But for now, you simply speak
"What exactly happened at the hospital?"
>He swallows with a loud gulp
>It is followed by a heavy, weary sigh
>"I tried to save Lavender."
>For a minute, that is all he says
>No more words are spoken
>Just as you are about to press the question, he continues
>"She told me she heard you. And she accepted her fate. Accepted death."
>Once again, Caesar's gaze turns inwards
>Looking not at the world, but at his thoughts
>"I focused all of my power into a spell. To save her. I gave it everything I got. I didn't even know if there was such a spell."
>Despite the sorrow in his voice, Caesar does not cry
>His eyes remain dry as the deserts themselves
>"I put everything I had into that one spell. But whatever that spell was, it didn't save her. When I finished it, she was dead."
>He licks his dry lips and swallows
>"I ran. I was scared. Everyone in the hospital were dead. Every single one of them."
>Finally, he turns his gaze to you
>"I don't know what I did. It frightened me. All of them, dad. Even the fillies."
>He sighs and looks to his plate
>"Even the fillies."
 
>You put your hand on his shoulder
>With a look not befitting of one his age, he looks to you
"It is the intent that matters, Caesar. It was a horrible accident, but you can't blame yourself."
>You smile at your son
>Granted, he had made a mistake
>But there was no way for him to know
>All he wanted was to save his love
>He might even have been able to do it
>And he shouldn't be blaming himself
>Even Luna is nodding slowly
>She's even smiling wider than you are
>Silently voicing her approval and support
>But although you accept him
>Even though it's all right
>He brushes off your hand
>Brushes it away and shakes his head
>"It was my fault, dad."
>You try to put your hand back
>This time, you don't even get close
>Caesar pushes it away
>Not with force, but with pain
>"I should have accepted it. I was greedy. And that cost more lives than I dare count."
>He looks from you to Luna
>Back and forth at his accepting parents
>"What I did was horrible. I can't live with that on my conscience."
>"What are you-"
>Caesar holds up a hand to silence Luna
>And silence her he does
>"I'm going to turn myself in for what I did. All I want is the rest of the day with you. With my family."
>He smiles as he finishes his sentence
>There is true happiness in his words and his eyes
>Warmth radiates off his body
>"What I did was wrong. I have to pay the price."
 
>You nod slowly
>Luna opens her mouth to speak, but you interrupt her preemptively
"All right. It is your decision."
>Caesar looks at you with slight confusion in his eyes
>Despite the fact that he will probably be imprisoned, you are happy
>Proud, even
>Your son has learned to face the consequences of his actions
>And that is no small lesson to learn
"I'm proud of you son."
>"Proud?"
>Caesar stares at you in disbelief
>You simply chuckle before continuing
"You're a man now. Facing the consequences with no fear."
>"He's going to get locked up for life!"
>Luna finally speaks
>She's got her hooves on the table
>"Even I can't do anything to change that!"
"I know. But it's not our decision, dear."
>"I! You! UGH!"
>With a loud smack she sits down
>You put a hand on her hoof and stroke it gently
"Maybe they will even let him off easy. He is the prince, after all."
>"Maybe", Luna grumbles
>You feel a hand on your arm
>Turning to face your son, you see a smile
>"Thanks, dad."
>As you fight back the proud tears, you nod
"You did good, son."
 
"Of course you know this won't bring any of them back."
>Caesar gives you a weak smile and nods
>"I know."
>Luna sighs heavily
>"I'm not about to lose my son again."
>Caesar puts his hand on her other hoof
>"I'm still here, mom."
>She lifts her head and smiles at him
>"That you are."
>All three of you return to eating pie
>It doesn't take long for the mood to brighten
>Placing every worry at the back of your mind, you simply speak of life
>Of all the good things to happen
>About the old days
>Caesar even shares stories of his travels
>But he keeps it to the funny kind
>Or the heart-warming ones
>Like when he saved a female gryphon from being raped
>You had never been outside of pony territory before
>But the home of the gryphons sounded extraordinary
>A lot harsher, too, though
>You don't think you have ever heard of any crime amongst ponies
>Especially not anything rivaling rape
>It's strange how cultures can be so different
>Maybe it was simply the proximity of the princesses that helped
>Could be anything, really
>But you don't really care
>All you need is right here in front of you
>A good life with Luna and Caesar
>That's all that matters
 
"Have you eaten meat while with the catbirds, son?"
>"Yeah, it's hard not to."
>Luna shoots him a look
>"It's pretty much all they eat meat. It'd be like trying to avoid salad in Canterlot."
>She simply sighs and shakes her head
>"Also, they're called gryphons, dad."
>You chuckle and ruffle his hair
"I know that. I was just trying to be funny."
>He doesn't smile at your joke, however
>Doesn't even smile
"Geez, sorry."
>Caesar sighs before speaking
>"I spent a lot of time with them. They've been through a lot, as a people. I feel bad for them."
>Luna had told you the story of the gryphons before
>They were savage people
>Ruthless, even
>Where ponies had found peace and friendship, gryphons found conflict and mistrust
>But they could look after themselves
>Despite being aggressive folk, they wanted peace as much as anyone else
>"I do kind of miss the meat, though."
>Caesar chuckles at his own words
>"Well, you will just have to do without."
>Luna's voice isn't condescending
>It is merely playful and light
>She, too, ruffles his hair and chuckles
>"We're with ponies now, so you better behave young man!"
>Caesar rolls his eyes
>"Yes, mooom."
>All three of you burst into laughter for a moment
>It really was like going back in time
>Except for the fact that night is creeping upon the land
>The last rays of the sun fill the sky outside
>Luna's glorious moon is making its appearance
 
"What do you think Celestia is doing?"
>Luna shrugs and sips her drink
>"Dealing with the advisors, no doubt."
>Caesar yawns loudly
>You ruffle his hair yet again
"I'll go check on her. Make sure everything's okay."
>Luna smiles and gives you a quick kiss
>"Hurry back, dear."
"I will."
>You and Caesar fist bump before you leave the room
>The halls are quiet and peaceful
>A few guards are making their rounds for the night
>Their shift is coming up
>You quickly move throughout them
>Almost jogging your way around the castle
>When you reach the door to the throne room, you put your ear against it
>Wouldn't want to interrupt anything important
>No sounds come from inside, so you open the door
>Celestia is sitting on her throne, exhausted
>You've never seen her slumping on the throne
>Without even lifting her head, she speaks
>"Anon. Come in."
>You quickly walk up to her and do an ironic bow
>"Not now, please."
>Her voice finally sounds as old as she is
>Weary and tired
"So, what's going on?"
>She sighs before speaking
>"My advisors are in the dungeons for now. I can't trust them."
>She gets up and walks around the room
>"I'm not sure whether we will be involved in this war or not. We might be a target after all."
>Celestia shakes her head and looks to you
>"But enough of that. How is Caesar and my sister?"
 
>You smile at the ruler
>Her weary eyes don't fit her at all
>She looks much better with all of her grace and energy intact
"You look tired. Mind if I give you a quick massage? Luna loves them."
>Celestia chuckles and shakes her head
>"Thank you, but I'm fine."
>She turns around and walks back towards the throne
>"My body is of no concern to me. It is no more than a vessel for my mind."
>She slumps back onto the throne, looking at you, her subject
>"It is my mind that require rest. But for now, it must serve me."
>Atop her throne she sits
>Majestic and regal as she is
>You have no idea how she manages this
>But it is commendable
>Without her as the ruler, Equestria would be a horrible place
>You're not sure if she's immortal or not
>But you hope she lives for many years to come
>Not only is she a perfect and kind ruler
>She is also a dear friend
"You sure? You look like you could use it?"
>You crack your fingers in anticipation of the possible massage
>Celestia merely chuckles
>"I am quite sure. Oh, and please tell Luna I will take care of the night for her. She needs her rest."
>Celestia smiles and opens the door with her magic
>"I'm just a pony. You have a son to take care of."
 
>You bow before leaving
>Celestia is kind enough to close the door behind you as you leave
>The silence in the halls is nice
>Relieving, even
>As you walk back, tired and exhausted, you think
>This whole situation was a mess
>Everything about it made you feel horrible
>If none of this had happened, life would be better
>If only Caesar hadn't cast the spell
>If only...
>Magic
>Everything that went wrong was due to magic
>No, that was stupid
>Some people just made mistakes
>Just like everybody else
>Then again, without magic, maybe Lavender
>No, it wasn't only magic
>She shouldn't have cheated on Caesar
>It was her own fault
>But if the magic wasn't...
>All the way back it nags you
>Hitting you in the head over and over with its presence
>Once you finally get back, you notice Caesar is missing
>A wave of panic rushes over you
>But Luna's serene voice calms you
>"He's in his room, sleeping."
>You exhale slowly and go to sit next to her
"Celestia said she's take care of the night."
>Luna sighs lightly and thanks you
"Look, I've been wondering."
>"Yeah?"
"If magic didn't exist, none of this would have happened."
>Luna looks to you in confusion
"Caesar wouldn't have cast the spell, he wouldn't have gone away. All of it."
>She puts her hoof on your shoulder
>"If magic didn't exist, I wouldn't have met you, either. And we wouldn't have had all of this."
>With a smile, she continues
>"Would you really give up all of that?"
 
>You shake your head violently
>She was right
>Without magic, none of this would have happened
>You'd probably not even be in Equestria
>And this place was far better than Earth
>Granted, there were no computer or Internet
>But everything here was amazing
>In particular, Luna was here
>No woman was quite like her
"Of course not. Don't know what I was thinking."
>Luna chuckles and gives you a peck on the cheek
>"Let's go to bed. I'm exhausted."
>You nod, but decide to make a detour
>As quietly as you can, you go to Caesar's door and open it
>Luckily he doesn't wake
>There he lays
>In his bed
>Despite his age, he's still got his plushie close
>You watch him for a moment, your son
>He sleeps tightly
>Breathing so very quietly
"Good night, son."
>You gently close the door behind you
>With weary steps, you go to your bedroom
>You don't even care to undress
>You simply lie down next to your wife
>Snuggling close to her
>Finally relaxing
>After two years, you finally relax
>"I love you."
"I love you too, Luna."
 
>You are pulled from sleep at the sound of a sudden noise
>A series of loud 'thumps' and muffled voices are heard from the hall
>The moon is still high in the sky
>Luna is sleeping soundly
>Fading hoofsteps echo through the walls
>Deciding to check out the noise, you get up
>You move slowly and gently as to not wake up Luna
>She merely turns in her sleep and snores quietly
>With care in your step, you move throughout your home
>Reaching the front door, you open it extremely carefully
>Despite your best efforts, it still creaks
>Looking directly down the hall, you see a tail disappear around the corner
>A brown tail
>Long and thin, ending in a little bush
>Your eyes go wide and you look around
>Down the hall to the right, you see two guards
>Lying down
>Their armor is scattered on the floor
>You rush over to them
>They're still alive, but knocked out bad
>Another series of 'thumps' echo through the hall
>It's coming from the direction of the tail
>The hall leading towards the throne room
 
>This is bad
>Extremely bad
>And you're no soldier
>You need help
>Running as fast as your legs will carry you, you run back to Luna
>You grab her by the shoulders and shake her gently
"Luna, wake up. Wake up!"
>"Ugh... Wha? Anon? What-"
"There's two guards in the hall. They've been knocked out. I saw a strange tail disappear around a corner. Luna, this is bad."
>Luna shakes her head and gets up immediately
>Without a word she runs out of the room
>Into the hall she goes, just like you did
>You follow her all the way
>She goes to check the guards
>Not only with her hooves, but with her magic as well
>She levitates them inside your home and onto the couch
>"They're out cold. Heavy hits to the heads."
>Despite the situation, Luna's breathing is calm
>She looks to you with determination
>"Where did you see them go to?"
>You put up your hand and point towards the door
"The hall leading to the throne room."
>"What?!"
>Luna looks to your front door
>Worry is now painted all over her face
>"Tia..."
 
"Go to the throne room. Celestia needs you."
>Luna opens her mouth to speak, but you continue
"I'm going to check on Caesar and round up as many guards as I can find. Just go."
>She bites her lower lip and looks to the door
"Go!"
>Before she leaves, she turns to kiss you
>A short, but passionate kiss
>"Be careful."
>With greater speed than you have ever seen, she rushes away
>As soon as she's out the door, you go to Caesar's room
>Again you open it carefully
>But as your eyes fall upon his bed, you slam it open
>He's gone
>You rush inside and look around
>In the closet, under the bed
>You grab the blanket and throw it away
>Everywhere you look, you find nothing
>Caesar's gone
>Panic strikes you as you look around
>There's no sign of him
>Not the slightest hint
>You're not losing him this time
>Oh no
>You're going to get him back
>Whatever it takes
>You leg it and run into the halls
>Through the castle you run, looking for guards
>All of the ones you find suffered the same fate
>Knocked out cold
>Every single one of them
>Except for one
>One lone guard lies in a corner
>In a pool of his own blood
>A look of horror frozen on his eyes
>A large wound on his neck
>It seems to have been sliced open
>He's been gone for some time
>His body is cold
>Not a shed of life remains
>In the most secure place in Equestria, he met his fate
>And someone would have to pay for that
 
>With a heavy sigh, you close his eyes
>He deserves at least some semblance of peace
>Weighing your options, you realize you have no choice
>It's either run away or go to the throne room
>And you were not about to let your wife down
>You grab the dead guard's spear and run
>The halls are dead quiet
>But you brace yourself for any encounters
>Thoughts whirl around inside your head as you run
>Hopefully this was just a bad dream
>A terrible, lucid dream
>All you see on your way to the throne room are guards
>Luckily none of them are dead
>They're all knocked out, though
>You won't be getting much help from them
>As you reach the throne room, you slow down
>There's voices coming from inside
>But you can't make out to whom they belong
>Even as you lay your ear on the door, they are too muffled
>You take a deep breath and pray to God
>Putting your hand on the door, you slam it open
>"Ah. Hello, father."
>The sight you are greeted with makes your body go numb
>On the throne sits a satyr
>Your son
>Caesar
>On the floor below him are two ponies
>Two princesses, to be exact
>Bound from horn to hoof in thick chains
>Next to them are five gryphons
>One female, four male
>With weak steps you walk inside
>Looking from the ponies to your son
>All of the gryphons, and your son, are armed
>"So glad you could join us."
 
>The longer you look at him, the less he becomes
>So very distant from what you know
>There is no way
"You're not Caesar are you?"
>Closer and closer you walk
>Looking from the ponies to him
>And with each step, he seems less like himself
>"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"
>You shake your head slowly
"Because my son would never do this."
>Caesar chuckles
>It's not the chuckle you know and love
>Not the innocent, sweet chuckle of a good man
>It's devilish and maddening
>"Believe what you will, but I am your son."
>"You never told us your old man was this dense."
>The female gryphon laughs, and is soon joined by the rest
>Caesar merely holds up a hand
>All of them stop immediately
>He looks you right in the eye and continues
>"I am Caesar. You may find that hard to believe, but I am the very same boy who kissed Lavender behind the hedge. The same boy who killed her and all the others in the hospital with no more than magic."
>He stands up and flares his wings
>They've grown large
>So very large
>"I am your son."
 
"Should have used the nuke..."
>Caesar chuckles at your mumbled words
>"If you had one, yes."
>You look down at Luna in front of you
>Her eyes seem so very far away
>Her entire body broken and shattered
>With weary steps you walk towards her
>Each and every step puts a tear in her eye
>As you reach her, they creep out of her eyes
>Falling onto the floor below
>You kneel down next to her
>She can't move a single part of her body
>Even her mouth has been sealed shut with metal
>An enormous ring sits around her muzzle
>You put your hand on her head
>Slowly you run your hand through her mane
>Caress it gently and slowly
>Never taking your eyes off of her
"Luna..."
>Despite your ability to touch her, you feel so far away
>Like you're watching her through a television
>Simply petting the air in front of you
>"She won't be responding any time soon."
>The gryphons snicker at Caesar's words
"Shut up."
>"Now, now. There's no need for harsh language."
>You simply keep running your hand through her mane
>Just like she always loved
>"Besides, I have an offer for you."
 
>You shake your head in utter disgust
"You will sell your mother and aunt for power, you little shit?"
>Caesar's smile widens as you speak
"This is madness. This is HERESY!"
>With speed even you didn't know you had, you grab your spear
>Using all the power you've got, you throw the spear right at him
>Just before it hits his face, it stops
>A dark blue field of energy surrounds the spear
>Caesar merely grabs it in his hand
>He stomps the wooden end into the floor
>"Good throw."
>You slump to the floor next to Luna
>The gryphons are laughing
>Dark, raspy laughs
>You put your hand back on Luna
>She's trembling
>You cannot bear to watch her
>All you can look at is Caesar
>Sitting on the throne
>Your spear in his hand
>A stupid, disgusting grin on his face
>"You're incredibly fast, for an old man."
>All of the gryphons continue their laughter
>"Now, I'll let that one slide. But if you don't accept my offer, I'll be forced to kill you."
>His cheekiness is gone
>His words ring true and honest
>Once more he silences the gryphons with only his hand
>He leans towards you, staring you right in the eye
>"I don't want to do that, dad."
 
"Let them go or I release Discord."
>Caesar looks genuinely surprised at that
>But his smile soon returns
>"You had me for a second there. But you don't have that power. You have no magic at all."
>You get up and take a step closer
>From the corner of your eye, you see the gryphons tighten the grip on their weapons
"I swear, I will release him if you don't stop this."
>Caesar's smile turns into a curious look
>Like he's inspecting your words in the air
>Checking to make sure you didn't develop magical abilities
>"And just how would you do that?"
>There's no need to reply to that
>Caesar doesn't have to know what your hand is
>You simply watch your son as gets up
>"You've always been honest. But this seems like a bit of a stretch, don't you think?"
"Watch me."
>Caesar chuckles again
>With every chuckle, it turns more disgusting
>You feel like vomiting everywhere
>"Look, dad. I don't want to hurt you. All I want is a life with you. We could rule all of this. Just the two of us."
>He spins around with his arms stretched
>"It could be so good. Why can't you just accept that? Don't you love me?"
 
>You do not reply
>He does not deserve your words
>Instead, you walk over to Celestia
>You look down at her
>Despite the circumstances, she doesn't look afraid
>She blinks once
>A slow blink
>You nod at her before looking back to Caesar
>Now it is your turn
>You smile at him
>You even chuckle
>And as you do, you place a foot on Celestia's neck
>Some of the gryphons rush forward
>But Caesar stops them
>You push down with your foot
>Grinding it into her neck
>Chuckling away
"All it takes for me to release him, is to kill her, Caesar."
>Soon, your chuckling turns to laughter
>Full-blown laughter
>And for the first time since entering the room, Caesar looks worried
>But his worry only lasts a second
>It is soon replaced by a frown
>He shakes his head
>"You wouldn't."
>You push your foot down harder
"Oh yeah?"
>The two of you exchange smiles
>Caesar with spear in hand
>You with your foot on Celestia's neck
>"You love her too much. Like the sister you never had."
>Caesar leans forward in his seat
>"You would never harm her."
 
>As you look right in his eye, you press down
>Shut off Celestia's source of oxygen completely
>You never keep your eyes off of Caesar as she suffocates
>His face turns from cocky to worried in no more than seconds
>Like this you stand
>For a full minute
>Two minutes
>You look down to see Celestia's eyes closed
>Her body has gone limp
>And with that, you remove your foot
>Caesar stands up in disbelief
>Stares at the goddess of the sun lying on the floor
>Your smile never leave your lips as he looks to you
>"What have you done?!"
>Caesar turns his head towards the gryphons
>"Restrain him!"
>Before you can react to his words, all five gryphons are immediately in the air
>Flying head first right towards you
>You try to run, but it is no use
>You're tackled onto the floor with brute force
>A clenched talon hits your face
>The world starts spinning as you're dragged onto your knees
>A 'clank' later and your hands are cuffed
>The same treatment is given to your feet
>You have to fight to not lose consciousness
>Through the blur, you see Caesar at Celestia's side
>His hand is on her neck
>And he chuckles
>Chuckles before moving in front of you
>He looks down at you from above
>"I knew you couldn't do it."
>He kneels down and looks you in the eye
>You shy away as his hand reaches your face
>He puts it on your cheek and caresses it
>"I'm not taking any more chances."
>A genuine smiles graces his lips
>"Join me or die."
 
>You take a moment to regain your senses
>Those gryphons can hit harder than you thought
>Once you're at full capacity, you look your son right in the eye
"Eh, kill me. You already killed your ex, and my heart. Shouldn't be too fucking hard."
>Caesar furrows his brows
>He opens his mouth, but you continue
"In fact, I welcome it. It would end the shame I feel for bringing you into the world."
>Your eyes never leave his
>That purple eye
>There's only one left
>But it's no longer the same
>Not what it once was
>An eye of a good and honest man
>A man who could cry for his loved ones
>And as you look into it, you hear a sword leave its sheathe
>Caesar looks to the floor and sighs heavily
>"You know, I love you."
>For the first time since you entered
>Since this madman showed his face
>His words feel pure
>Right and just
>"I love you, dad."
>Caesar weighs the blade in his hands
>With a slight nod and a weak smile, he looks to you
>In one swift motion, he leans forward
>Embraces you with his free arm
>Pulls your head to his shoulder
>As the blade pierces your stomach
>As the blood spills onto the floor
>He hugs you tight
>As your world grows dark
>As the pain overwhelms you
>He speaks
>"I'm sorry."
>Wanting to speak, you do nothing but cough
>Blood lands on his shoulder
>Dripping from your lips
>And as the 25 o' clock hits
>And you become alone in the dark
>You hear his voice for the final time
>"I love you, dad."
 
The end.