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- >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.
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