Been some time now hasn't it.

Chances to do this come and go, but today is the day I take that chance and crack right back on with the story you all seem to love so much.

Begin!

The Conflict Begins

Richard Pov

My eyes opened to a sight I didn't fully understand, not at first. It took me a few moments to comprehend just what it was that I was looking at so wearily.

A tall, bone white tree stood before me. It's long, thin branches were swaying in a breeze I couldn't feel. Upon those branches were thick leaves, all the deep shade of a dark red that clung to each branch.

I looked up at the bright blue sky, cloudless and silent.

"Where am I?" I mused aloud, turning around to look down the hill I was apparently atop of.

There was nothing down the hill but grass. No trees, buildings, animals…anything. All that was there was me and the pure white tree.

"Hello Richard."

A voice behind me bade me to spin around quickly, my eyes swiftly taking in the one it had come from.

A male brown coated Earth Pony stood before me, his green eyes observing me with a strange intensity.

"Uh, hey?" I replied, looking the stranger up and down.

He smiled. "Hello."

'Wait a second…'

"Hang on, I know you from somewhere," I said, looking him up and down as a memory once shown to me came to the forefront of my mind.

"Indeed?" he asked, a small smile upon his face. "Well, allow me to introduce myself regardless. My name is Bulwark, previously King Bulwark of the Changeling race, previously Captain Bulwark of Celestia's once prestigious guard."

'Bulwark? Naerx's mate?'

I gave him another quick look up and down, confused. "But you're dead. You're long dead, how are you here?"

He gave me a small grin and shook his head. "I think the better question here, is how are you here?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled. "Where is here?"

"You don't know?" he asked, though I sensed it was rhetorical. "How peculiar that I meet you now, here of all places."

I was getting steadily more annoyed at his evasiveness and it must have shown on my face as he put his hooves up in a calming gesture.

"Peace Richard," he said softly. "I am merely a touch concerned. You should not be here at all, not yet at least."

"Where is here?" I asked again, annoyance very clear in my tone.

He hesitated, but sighed and answered. "You are in the beyond."

I blinked, confused. "The beyond, what's that?"

Now he looked annoyed as he rolled his eyes, scoffing lightly. "And to think you're the one after me, not the brightest are you."

"Go fuck yousel-"

Before I could retort in my usual manner, he gestured around us and continued. "You are in the beyond, Richard. As in beyond Equestria, beyond the world, beyond life."

He stopped and looked me square in the eyes. "For all intents and purposes, you could consider this place the afterlife for Kings, Changeling Kings."

'The afterlife…'

"I'm dead?" I asked, beyond confused now.

Bulwark scoffed and was now giving me a very condescending glance. "Of course you're not dead, look at you."

I looked at myself but couldn't see what he was trying to point out, something that must have shown as he gradually lost his mocking glare and instead took on something a little kinder.

"You can't see it?" he asked, rubbing his head. "How bizarre."

"See what?" I asked, voice tight with anger as my patience began to reach its limits. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

He frowned at me and tilted his head, before quickly shaking it and walking over. "You're here but not here, fading in and out, stuck in some kind of limbo. How peculiar."

"Look if you're not going to say something useful, then I'd like to wake up now," I snapped, thoroughly fed up. "Something just happened to me and I'd like to figure out what."

"You've split."

I blinked, confused by his words. "Excuse me?"

"You've split," he repeated, glancing at my face for a brief moment. "Your magic and mind have split down the middle, it is no longer just you anymore."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

He sighed audibly, muttering something to himself that I couldn't pick up.

"You were reckless with your hatred," he explained, giving me a fierce glare. "How many times were you warned not to use it as a source of power?"

"It wasn't like I did it on purpose!" I snapped, hands clenching into fists. "I've got an entire fucking country after me and my mate. What, was I supposed to remain perfectly calm the entire time?"

"Yes," Bulwark retorted, giving me a thoroughly unimpressed look. "A King must remain in control of himself and his magic at all times, lest it learn to control him as yours has."

"Well I'm sorry," I snarked, finding it very difficult to hold myself from throttling the arrogant Pony. "We've only been hunted down like animals and forced to come back to a place we despise, but I guess that's no excuse to lose my cool!"

"You are such a child," Bulwark said coldly. "The world is against you, but instead of trying to control what you can, you swing your fist at it every opportunity you get. Why you were chosen to become mated is beyond my understanding."

"Well it's a good thing that I don't need your fucking approval then isn't it," I scoffed, turning away from him. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to try and wake up now. So piss off."

Something hit me in the back very hard, knocking the wind out of me as I was sent tumbling down the hill.

'DID HE JUST ATTACK ME?!'

As I reached the middle of the hill, I caught my balance and swung myself back onto my feet, staring furiously at a smirking Bulwark.

The Pony's normally bare head was sporting a very crooked horn, one that was quite similar to Chrissy's.

A flash of light was all the warning I received as he suddenly changed form, turning from himself into…into her.

"That's better isn't it," Twilight chuckled, giving me a condescending smirk. "You beneath me, down in the dirt where you belong."

I felt my eyes light up for all of a moment before a magical force came shooting out of them towards Twilight. The Pony in question merely cocked an eyebrow and batted the beams away with a wave of her hoof, her smirk widening as she did so.

"Is that all you've got, Human?" she asked, laughing. "Your magic is weak, untamed, uncontrolled. And you think to fight Celestia? You couldn't fight a new born filly."

Snarling, I shot up the hill a bound at a time, reaching her quicker then evidently expected going by her surprised expression. I bent to the right and swung with my hips, catching the Pony unawares with a sharp uppercut to the chin.

The transformation faded as Bulwark flew backwards, and for a moment I believed myself to have knocked him out, but the Pony quickly righted himself with a small backflip, landing on his hooves with nary a shake.

"You've got strength, but strength alone won't be enough to defend yourself, nor your mate," he said, eyes narrowing at me as he wiped the blood from his muzzle. "What use is it to those who won't let you come close?"

His horn flashed and I suddenly found myself being launched into the sky, only to just as quickly come crashing down to the ground. The wind was knocked out of me, but before I could so much as try to stand up, Bulwark repeated his actions, bringing me up only to crash me down with force.

I hissed in pain, hearing a crunch and then a crack as my ribs broke.

"Come, try to hit me now Human!" he shouted, watching me struggle to stand after the beating. After a moment he spat on the ground angrily, his mocking tone aggravating my ears with each syllable. "I've barely even touched you and you cannot stand. Do you think Celestia will only toss you around? She'll electrocute you, immolate you…or perhaps she won't touch you at all."

I blinked and groaned as I finally forced myself onto my knees, eyesight swimming as I tried to look at him.

"She'll not even take you seriously," Bulwark continued, scoffing at my efforts to stand. "No, she'll ignore you and go straight for your mate."

'Chrissy?'

"Oh yes," Bulwark said, evidently noting my reaction. "You're merely a pest for her to swot aside. It'll be your mate that she goes for. She'll slash and swipe, and use all within her power to utterly destroy your precious Chrissy."

He paused for a moment, catching my eyes with his own as he spat his last words. "And once your poor, pregnant mates head is finally under her hoof will Celestia crush it in front of you. You'll be left with nothing but the disappointment in your Chrissy's eyes as she realizes too late that she made a mistake mating with someone as pathetic as you."

That did it.

I felt it, a change, a cold dark deep within bursting to the forefront of my mind. I felt it, I felt myself fall and fall as the darkness swallowed me whole.

And whispered to me. I could hear it, hear what I needed to do, how to do it. I knew what I could do, I knew how to beat him.

I stood up and looked at the smirking Pony, watching as his eyes lost their mocking humour and took on something far more wary.

"You really shouldn't have said those things," I said quietly.

Bulwark looked me up and down, frowning as he did so. "It's not a lack of control is it? It's something else."

I ignored him, darting forwards and dodging with ease as he sent a blast of magic towards me. Before the magic could dissipate, I grabbed the essence within it and used the power it contained to phase behind him.

"What the-"

I slashed down, my grin growing into something else as four gashes appeared down his back, the force of my swipe sending him careening down the hill.

To his credit, he was back on his hooves in quick succession, forcing himself to move out of the way as I dove down after him.

He landed once more on all four hooves and looked at me, concern upon his face. "How much of you is in control Richard? How much of you is still there?"

"Enough words," I hissed, eyes narrowing as I took him in. "You've said enough."

I dashed towards him, ready to maim, to hurt, to kill, to rip his skin from his flesh.

"Perhaps I have," he mused, clapping his hooves together once, twice…

And I was back, the darkness was gone, the cold was gone.

Bulwark stood there before me, his eyes sad as they watched me fall to my knees.

"What did you do to me?" I asked, clutching my head as it pounded angrily.

"I tested you," he replied, sighing. "I had to see your conviction, your strength of character, your will. I had to see if you have what it takes to be a King."

He frowned and shook his head. "But that hatred…it's too strong. Until you learn to control it, you'll never be able to lead anyone."

"I don't know how," I mumbled, rubbing my head. "I've tried to keep my cool, but I just lose it. I've been through too much shit with those disgusting animals. Every time I think I'm about to move past it, they just bring it all back. And now we're trapped in their city, and I don't know what to do."

Bulwark smiled, his first real smile since our meeting. "You trust in your mate. Her love will mend you, you just need to let her."

He stopped talking, gazing at me with a neutral expression on his face.

"You won't remember this, but we'll meet again."

I opened my mouth to speak…but my eyes closed as the darkness swallowed me whole.

…

When I opened them again, it was to the beautiful sight of my beloved mate…drooling onto my forehead.

"Delightful," I murmured, wiping away the drool and smiling up at her. "And here I thought you couldn't get any more gorgeous."

I realized quickly that I was lying on her lap when I turned to the left…and saw a small but certainly noticeable baby bump.

"Oh shit," I muttered, smiling at the lovely scent it gave off. "Chrissy wasn't kidding when she said it was quick." Almost without thought, I leaned close and kissed her stomach tenderly.

A hand stroking my hair was the response I got.

"Good morning love," Chrissy said softly, a tired smile greeting me as I sat up.

"Morning," I replied, grinning slightly at the dried drool by her lip before quickly wiping it away with my thumb. "You're looking beautiful today."

"As opposed to any other day?" she questioned, grinning.

"You always look beautiful," I crooned, reaching out and stroking her cheek gently. "You're just more so today."

Chrissy smiled and looked down at her protruding stomach, a cocked eyebrow being the only response she gave as she stroked it softly.

"Eight days to go," she said, looking up at me with a happy expression upon her face. "I know it's not the most ideal circumstances but…still, we're going to be a true family soon."

"Never thought I'd ever be a dad," I admitted. "Far too selfish to take care of a kid. And I have too many problems, yet here I am."

"You'll be fine love," she said, a small comforting kiss upon my lips. "In fact you'll be more than fine, you'll be amazing. Wait and see."

I pulled her close and sighed happily as she all but melted into my chest. The love between us was strong, immensely so. I could feel it pour from her and into me, and then from me into…into…

"Am I feeding our baby?" I asked, catching her sly smile as she nodded and glanced up at me.

"Remember what I told you before?" she asked. "I won't be as strong as I usually am during the pregnancy. But if you're with me, helping me, feeding me and the baby, then it won't matter."

"As if I'd ever leave you."

She blinked before smiling and snuggling further into my chest, a soft humming making it vibrate ever so slightly.

I smiled and leaned back into the sofa, truly just enjoying the moment we had together.

It was only temporary, I knew that. I knew that eventually someone would come to tear me away from her, to demand that I give my samples. And because of the damn deal I wouldn't have any choice but to comply.

But still, until that moment came…

"I lost control didn't I?" I muttered, a flash of yesterday all but forcing the words out of me.

Chrissy stiffened before relaxing a touch, nodding. "Yes you did. When you lost control it was like you were a different person. You…you tried to hit me."

I looked at her, aghast. "I…I'd never…"

"But you did."

She paused for a moment before continuing.

"Richie, hate is...it's like a drug, you use it and it feels good, it feels really good. For Changelings it's like an easier form of power. After all it's easy to hate, too easy. But after some time you begin to lose yourself to it. I told you before that our magic isn't like a Unicorns, it's alive. It thinks, it feels, it knows you. And if you let it, it'll use that hatred you feel and consume you with it until all that's left of you is a broken, bitter shell of who you used to be."

She looked at me right in the eyes, the fear within them…the fear for me, so very, very real.

"Richard, if you keep using hate as a source of power, you'll fade away," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "You won't be my Richard anymore. You'll be this angry, hateful creature that'll destroy anyone and anything around him...including me."

"I'd never-"

She cut me off, leaning back a touch before shuffling forward onto my lap, both hands gently holding my face.

"I know you wouldn't," she soothed, leaning forward until our foreheads touched. "But it would. It would do so with a smile on its face. So please, please Richard. Try to stay calm. Whenever you think you're about to lose control, whenever you feel that hatred about to take you over, I want you to think of me. Of us, of our baby. I want you to think of the happiest moment of your life. I want you to let it consume your every thought, your every feeling. Until the hate, the anger is snuffed out."

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Please don't lose yourself. You're all I have and I love you so much."

I felt tears of my own sting behind my eyes. But when I watched hers fall down her beautiful face, I couldn't stop them from doing the same.

"I won't lose myself," I croaked, my throat dry as sandpaper as her vulnerable gaze pierced right through me, making me feel the lowest of the low. "I swear I won't."

A trembling smile, eyes ever so slightly red from tears. "I believe you."

I put my arms around her back and pulled her as close as I could, the chitinous plating around her body phasing back into her, until all that was left was warm skin.

Minutes passed us by, unnoticed, unneeded.

"Richie," she murmured, her eyes betraying her desire, her intention, her wants long before her words could do so. "I need you..."

Her hands roamed down my plating, each piece she touched sinking back into me as if by her request, her desire, he command. Until within but a few moments it was all gone, and nought remained between us as skin touched skin.

There was no foreplay, no warning, only a small wiggle on her part and then I was inside her. We were connected in a way neither had felt in what felt like months.

It was different from normal. I'd never had sex with a woman, only her. And yet as she moved, as we moved together in a motion so in sync it felt like a dance…

I realized the difference was minimal, if there at all.

Perhaps because it was her…I didn't really care.

She moved, up and down, and I followed, obeying her silent desire as our eyes met and her flushed cheeks filled my vision.

"I love you," she whispered, trailing down my neck with butterfly kisses. "So much, so, so much."

I gently took her face in my hands and brought her up, our lips meeting in a soft kiss. A softness that quickly became less so as desperation filled our every moment.

"Oh God," I breathed, the sensations, every touch from her like fire upon my skin. "I need you!"

She smiled wantonly, her flushed cheeks, her heaving breasts, all filling my vision, pushing my desires.

"Then take me," she said, a teasing smirk upon her face. "If you can."

'A challenge?'

I put my hands under her bottom and stood up, enjoying her squeal of delight as I flipped our positions and put her beneath me.

"I think I do better than that," I whispered, my mate shivering in delight.

"Richie!" she cried, giggling as I nibbled lightly on her collarbone.

My motions became frantic as I fucked her harder than I'd ever done before. Her moans, her laughter filled the air as her hands clawed at my back.

I felt my end nearing and didn't need vocalization to know that hers wasn't far behind.

Her legs wrapped around my behind, holding me tightly, dragging me closer as her hands grabbed my face and pulled me into an intoxicating kiss.

One final slam was all I had left before I released everything I had inside her, Chrissy's moans and shaking soon following as we gradually began to end our respective climax.

Panting but smiling, I pulled back from our kiss and found myself captivated by her flushed but thoroughly pleased expression.

"Now that," she said, breathing heavily as she grinned up at me. "Was one hell of a fuck."

"I bloody needed that," I said, feeling very proud as I took note of her trembling legs.

"We both did," she agreed. "Get down here, I want a cuddle."

I laughed softly. "Well when you ask so nicely, who would I be to say no."

"A silly man," she giggled, smiling widely as I laid down beside her, my mate all to easily slipping in beside me and laying her head on my chest. "Mhmm, you're warm."

"Your feet are freezing," I teased, enjoying the light glare I got in return. "But I don't mind."

"Damn straight," she murmured, burying her head against me with one of the biggest smiles I'd ever seen on her face. "Now hush and cuddle me."

"Yes ma'am."

This…this right there was perfect. I could happily spend the rest of my life like I was right there, laying beside the one I loved so damn much.

It was perfect, everything was so perfect.

Nothing could ruin this.

…

The living room door opened with a slam, the sheer surprise of it shocking the both of us into a semi decent battle stance in but a second.

…only to relax slightly as Fleetfoot skidded to a stop in front of us, Pearl right behind her.

"My Queen, my King. I bring fantastic news!" she declared, reverting back to her Changeling form in a brief flash. "I know a way to bring more subjects into our hive!"

Before she continued speaking, Pearl cleared his throat loudly and gestured to us when Fleetfoot turned to face him. The mare in question turned back around and looked at us for all of about three seconds before taking a curious sniff.

"Oh I'm sorry," she intoned, a light flush slowly turning into a very red face. "I'll um…I'll come back later, this can wait."

Pearl sighed before grabbing her by the ear and dragging her out of the room, the mare's complaints staying audible for a few more moments until the door closed once more.

Chrissy and I looked at each other and sighed in near perfect sync.

"We'll pick this up later?" I asked.

"Yeah, later," she agreed, sighing again before taking my hand and walking us both to the bathroom. "Might as well use the shower, it's been a while since we've washed in anything but the lake."

"As if I'd say no to washing with you," I teased, enjoying the small grin I got in return.

"Patience," she teased back. "We'll have another round of fun later."

"Only another round?"

She quirked an eyebrow and gave me a coy grin. "Maybe two if you can keep up."

I slapped her butt and ducked as she squealed and swung for my head, dancing around her continued efforts for a few more minutes before I learned close and kissed her deeply. Her hands stopped their assault and wrapped around my head, pulling me closer until we parted, a single string of saliva being all that was left to connect us.

"Okay, one more round in the shower," she said, her innocent smile betraying her less then innocent intention.

'Memories of that very long edging session come to mind.'

"We don't have to," I backtracked, putting my hands up in surrender.

Her eyes flashed with mirth before she pointed towards the bathroom, no doubt realizing what I was remembering as she grinned slyly up at me. "In the shower Mister!"

I mock saluted and darted into the bathroom, enjoying her melodic laughter as she followed me in.

'What a great bloody day this has been so far…'

Unknown Pov

I sat upon my throne, my expression apathetic as the mare on my right cleared her throat.

"Yes Sophia?" I asked calmly.

"You've yet to tell me why I am here, my Queen," she said, her voice almost seductive as she smiled back at me.

"If you'd give me a few moments, you'll find out," I replied, turning and nodding towards the grand doors as they opened and two of my subjects came in.

"Welcome home," I said, smiling down at the both of them. "You may speak."

I watched my subjects bow their heads, the mare on the left resuming her stance first before imparting her news to me.

"They're back in the city my Queen," she said hurriedly. "Both are confirmed to be back in the Human's old house."

I blinked, taking in the words carefully.

"That's not all though, my Queen," the other mare added, her eyes meeting mine for all of a second before looking down in submission. "The Human is…different, we believe from our observation that he has been changed, for some time going by his casual use of…magic."

She stopped talking as I stood up slowly, watching with no reaction as they both winced in fear.

"Are you telling me," I began, each word slow and laced with a subtle threat. "That he has been changed for some time. And that I am only finding this out…today?"

"Please my Queen, we could not find them! They simply vanished and nothing we did was enough to track them down!"

"Enough…" The word was softly spoken, for I did not need to shout to get my tone across.

I looked at the both of them, disappointment filling my every feature as they began to tremble.

"You are among the very best hunters in Zebrica, and yet you both have failed to hunt your quarry before he was changed. I find myself…disappointed."

"My Queen, please-"

I turned to my right and nodded at the otherwise silent mare. She looked back at me, a small smirk on her face as she walked down to the both of them, taking her time as she evidently basked in their shared terror.

"Zoran," she intoned softly, a faint pink glow surrounding her muzzle as she spoke. "Are you in love with me?"

Zoran, the mare on the left stiffened, her fear slowly petering out as a dopey smile filled her face.

"I am in love with you," she said, her tone almost monotonous if not for the undertone of devotion it carried.

"And you Carian, are you in love with me?"

The other mare stiffened as well, her body shaking, her eyes wide, darting two and fro for a few moments…before she to succumbed to the faint pink magic.

"I am in love with you," she said, her tone matching Zoran's exactly.

"Good girls," Sophia crooned, her smile very sweet. "Now I need you both to do something very important for me, can you do it?"

Both nodded frantically, their eyes vacant of all but devotion.

Sophia smiled. "I want you both to take out your daggers…and draw them gently across your throats."

I watched with the same curiosity I always found myself having, wondering if this time was the time that Sophia's strange magic would fail.

And yet the blood spilled over the floor as both mares fell twitching to the ground, their smiles identical as they died for the one they believed they loved.

"Sophia," I intoned, watching as she turned around and quickly hid her malicious grin.

"Yes my Queen?

"You have a new assignment," I continued. "Find Richard Tyler, seduce him and bring him to Zebrica by any means necessary."

"Of course my Queen," she said, bowing low. "And the Changeling?"

"She's of no consequence, kill her."

This time Sophia made no effort to hide her cruel smile as she bowed once more.

She was a monster, but one easily controlled when aimed at something she found amusing. Regardless I knew she'd succeed, she'd simply never failed.

Eventually Richard would be saved from our mortal enemy and brought to his true home.

With his family.

And that's all folks!

Cya, Stay Snuggly! :D