Sin had never felt so inclined to kick the crap out of himself in his life, but now wasn't the time or day to have a fit in his own house. Celestia had just agreed to his conditions and she was eager to show him the castle. When she was this happy, he knew to crush her hopes of this impressive castle and its staff. He would go after the infrastructure of said castle there in her most joyful moment, and if could make see his way he considered some of the best militaristic systems, he would have a much easier time fixing it.

He found himself sitting quietly in the upstairs bedroom with Elizabeth back in bed and firmly strapped down; the idea of restraining her did not sit well in his stomach, but there was little choice. He sent an apologetic smile to his sibling; that she would find it in her heart to forgive him when the time for confrontation was right.

He knew what her first thought would be, and that would test her steel. The idea of a man married to a pony was against their law and certainly not the most enjoyable fact in his situation. Married to the mares that turned his heart inside-out, it gave him a sickening feeling towards how Elizabeth would react. Mind you, he was no longer regretful of marrying Celestia and Luna, but for his family to know in the near future. . .

"I could use a drink right now," he managed to whisper to his sister. "You must think I'm a traitor for restraining you and having Luna put you back to sleep, but you're too unstable for me to fix." Despair was in his voice, anger in his eyes. "I can make typhoons with just my breath, have the ground shatter beneath my feet, but I can't use my magic to fix your mind."

Those words hit him harder than any insult thrown his way, and little did he know in his emotional conflict a certain mare watching through the door. She peeked inside with absolute silence, listening closely to Sin's voice. Her body somehow felt starved of him. She was aware of a pony having needs and wants when they a significant other, but for it to be this soon felt disturbing and unladylike. Perhaps she was starting to understand why Celestia and Luna are so obsessed of him.

Sin's fingernails clicked against the chair with magic pouring into them, extending each cuticle into claws. He was going to find the bastards that did this to Elizabeth and personally create a seal in Setsuna that would be hell. He would make the ultimate torture for the sickos that had the gall to use his sister. He just had to find them first.

His heart pounded and his mouth was dry. He was not ready to fulfill the duties Solaris and Era should have done, but he'd seen enough to understand how low his wives had fallen. Building a utopia that relies on something known as rainbow power, a source of magic that feeds on the elements of harmony, and guards that only patrol the castle. God, he was pissed for Celestia and Luna having such low qualities as princesses; it made him think how Gryphonia was a fortress under his command, a military built to his standards. Guards did not stand idly in the castle, they were deployed across the country and ready to kill anyone or anything that threatens the peace he fought desperately for.

He laughed at himself for that, but peace was something he earned and shared; even if for a week or a month, he shared that peace through his soldiers, making sure everyone was safe. And even when shifts were made, those off duty would take the time to improve their skill by coming to him for training. Sure there was a large number of gryhons that lacked the effort to improve themselves, but at least his men were ready to die to protect anyone that is in danger. Everyone mattered, every noble, every brother in arm. . . every villager.

"I'm going to walking into a fucking nightmare," he said to himself, just before his eavesdropper entered. "I have to fix and improve an entire system that is mediocre and imbalanced. And that's the easy part."

"Why did you even want control?" Cadance asked, making herself present at his side.

Sin didn't bother to sugarcoat the answer, but shed himself a little and trust her a little. He didn't know if she would understand, but Cadance had done much to impress him.

"It's not about being in control, but making things as good as I can make it." He told her in a calm voice, staring passively at the alicorn as leaned on him. "I had spent lifetimes understanding that a country is only as good as its system, and military is my system. I've learned and adapted to built those systems to make countries I've worked for, great."

"So it's about having pride in what you do," she pointed out, but he shook his head and continued.

"Pride isn't involved either, I just have an insatiable desire to make everyone safe. And the only way to ensure safety is to make a kingdom as great as its system. But. . ."

She looked up to him curiously. "But what?"

"But I'm so tired," he managed to exhale. "I'm exhausted and a little burnt out from doing that. A man can only do something so much before he get's sick of it, but this is an occupation that I can't turn from, not when it involves the safety of others."

Cadance could understand his troubles. She nodded her head and sent a small smile Sin's way, but it didn't reach his eyes. She could see the visual interchange, but she hadn't been privy to the discomfort or conflict between responsibility and duty, she only knew it had much to do with him. He did not look especially happy with his decision, and she wasn't either.

"Well at least we have somepony to protect us," Cadance admitted. "We don't have much to keep ourselves safe when we're under attack. Every time something happens, we rely on Twilight and her friends to use their power to make Equestria safe."

"The Elements of Harmony?" Sin questioned, perking up with the thought of children protecting this country. "How many times have they protected this country? And where are Celestia and Luna when trouble happens?"

Cadance shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know how many times, but Celestia and Luna are usually at the castle keeping things in order. Can't say I'm not at fault though. I did the same thing when Tirek attacked and nearly stole all of the magic in Equestria."

Sin stood up. His head snapped around to the mare, a scowl crossing his face. "You better be joking that my wives have been relying on children to save Equestria."

"Does it matter?" She snapped. Her voice was deep and meaningful, not carried on her beliefs, but rather on his troubles. "Equestria is safe thanks to them. Their mercy is what gives everypony reason to believe."

He stayed where he was and simply drank those words in. He wasn't a man clever words easily reached to, so he said nothing to rebuke, nothing at all. Their relationship was much too young for Cadance to approach him so aggressively, not even close the distance between them, but somehow, it mattered. She was right. It was mercy. He found that hard to swallow as the man who never showed his enemies mercy, the terrible feeling clashed his pride.

For the first time though, something disturbed his righteous core. The booming thought found him, so loud inside that the walls of his heart crumbled and fell with an ominous, troubling thud. The emotions rippled again, but this time he knew it wasn't the hatred or the fury causing his heart to tremble of the face stuck in his head. His conscience throbbed through the corners, jarring not only his morals, but everything he believed.

"It matters to me."

He spoke for himself for the first time. He was full of understanding and answers, not built on the past or the pain, but rather on something old and almost lifeless. One moment he was on the other end of that argument, and the next he was proud and standing in the middle of his path to a better person.

He could feel the ember of his passion. All of it in that single word Cadance breathed. There was no mistaking it. His heart was aching for something he'd forgotten.

The booming thought continued, a steady, insistent desire. He reached through his numbness and gave her a sad smile. Through his eyes he seemed to grasp an inner peace that was hollow and refusing to die.

"Saving an entire kingdom is not child's play," he told the mare, softly.

He couldn't tell her why, but her gaze would not hold him captive any longer. He wasn't the kind of man to allow anything or anyone to ensnare him. He forced his magic to work—that first leeching he drew from Holy Nova and Dark Rai. It was dearly, but he was not denied a little help to do what must be done in order to help overcome this thought.

He waited for the magic to reach his fingers before targeting the living room, but before he could snap them he was ripped from his concentration by the one he adored pulling on his arm and telling him not to get involved.

He felt her give a shudder when he responded by pulling away. Her body was tense though, her hooves locked around his forearm, the care of this pony affecting him mentally and physically. He was aggravated and fighting for freedom. Still, he had no control or ability to stop her, not when the magic he leeched from his comrades was already taken back.

"No more!" Cadance snapped. "I've had enough!"

"Why does it matter to you?" Sin asked. He used the calmer path of communication, rather than his belligerent nature with Cadance.

"I'm sick and tired of your bull-headed thinking. You keep sticking your head in everypony's business and I'm tired of it." The tension in her voice indicated she was hurt and angry. "You haven't stopped acting like a mule since you saw Discord, and I've grown tired of it. Can't you just focus on what's important, like your mares?"

"I'm a human, it's what we do." There was frustration in his voice, so much that Cadance feared Sin would go off the deep end and would be able to stop himself from making others despise him.

"It's okay." Cadance said to her human. "You can figure things out later. Right now, I want you to focus on getting your sister the help she needs and start acting like a good coltfriend. . . please."

Sin did not want to admit it, but he detested the fear in Cadance's voice. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her reassuringly, to keep her from having to deal with his problems. She'd seen enough of such things while staying with him, trapped as she was in his life of pain and suffering.

He cursed in every language he learned, still furious that his wives had been lethargic in their duties. He was a man with various names that meant the same thing-Guardian of Life, yet he felt very insulted.

"Sin, you can relax. There is nothing to fear at the moment. Please, relax a little and worry about what is happening right now." She said, if not begging in the midst of his angst, hugging him tightly. "Please, I need you. I want my daughter before Shining Armor does something stupid."

Sin wasn't a man of understanding, but his heart turned over and his emotions rushed for the mare, not just for the heat of desire, but the heat of passion towards children. He had no other way to describe it. As a father, those emotions ran through his veins like blood, a pride and history to the many kids he raised. Like a scorching hot feeling he poured with concern and a stable conscience every moment Cadance nuzzled his side.

He wasn't the best of men. He never would be. He was a fighter, a predator, a warrior and rough as hell with the bloodlust of battle. But he realized that without a doubt he cared for the pink alicorn fiercely, and every piece of his broken body, every beat of his heart, screamed to do what is right. Had he been subtle he would been in her good graces, but something beautiful meant having tender love and care, not a poor impulse and a fury that makes him no different from a monster.

Surprisingly he kneeled to Cadance and hugged her, pouring that fiery, ferocious care he had for her through his arms. He kissed her tenderly, quiet and soft, yet rough and insistent, sweeping her off her hooves, as alpha as it got, requesting her to return the same action, yet knowing she was more than willing to feel his taste.

Cadance clung for a moment when he parted his parted. She kept her hooves tight against his arms, as if he was paradise. She felt that he was the haven meant for her, a paradise she could always count on. She closed the kiss with a lick to his lips and held onto him, counting his heartbeats, listening the how calm it became until he stood up.

"Are you ready to go get your kid?" he asked, brushing a kiss along the side of her side. "You don't have to say anything to your ex-husband. I can handle him without having to-"

"Go crazy?" She teased.

He nodded, a little insulted. "Yeah. . ."

Cadance gave him her radiant smile. "You're not going to have the best time being a prince again." She took a deep breath as she watched him lift Elizabeth and carry her bridal style. "Still, I'm ready to help you figure all this out. I hope you will let us help you instead of trying to make things work by yourself."

"Maybe a few questions every so often, Cadance," he reassured, following the mare out of the room to meet everyone downstairs.

It was an awkward moment seeing the girls at the bottom of the stairs but was he was not going to let it get to him. He moved away from the girls quickly and managed to give them some idea of how serious he was. "If they do so much as suggest running tests to understand what she is, I'll rip tongues out."

Celestia nodded her head. "I will document that she is your sister, thus giving her the political protection as a royal member of your family. But I hope you're aware that this will bring much distrust between the council and I. They will not take your return or that she is your sibling very lightly."

"It was their goal to have you executed," Luna reminded.

Sin just smiled at them. "I don't care what the council says. Besides, when it comes to power and influence, no one can equal me."

This is Equestria though, and you've been away for a very long time," Celestia said.

"Yes, but I'm the biggest cock in the hen house." Sin chuckled. "Now would you be so kind as to take us there? I'm drained from transforming and my occupants seem to have changed their minds about lending me some magic."

Celestia nodded, but she approached and touched him with her horn rather than teleport everyone to Canterlot. This got a series of confused looks from everyone, even her sister.

"What did you do?" He asked, feeling right as rain all of a sudden.

"I've given some of my magic," she replied, still standing close to him. "I feel it would be best if you appeared in that form when we go. It would bring less trouble if the guards see you as a pony carrying your sister;" She looked over her shoulder to Cadance with an erotic grin. "Not to mention hurt Shining Armor to see his ex-wife dating the rarest of ponies."

Cadance caught on with what the princess was suggesting and grinned from ear to ear. Angering the stallion had always been her dream ever since she signed the divorce papers, and there would be no greater satisfaction than to show off her new coltfriend to the jerk.

The idea had risen in Sin's mind as well, but he completely against using that body to make a random stallion jealous and hurting over the fact that he was quite the looker as a pony. It was to be mature or considerate of someone's feelings, he simply hated being anything but himself.

However, it occurred to him in a thought that was evil and well in his favor to raise the ugly heads of this country from their burrows. It made him smile on the outside while the little man in his head cackled evilly.

"You want to see something fun," he levitated Elizabeth to Celestia then whirled right into the clearing of the living room. He pulled tightly on the energy Celestia gave, his smooth approach brightening in the blink of an eye as he took full form with a rippling a sheer power. "I'll give you something fun, but it's going to happen my way."

All four mares gawked at the man for this change, but it wasn't for appearing as an alicorn. Instead, he was clad with an outfit that was the thing his prey saw before taking their life.

"What is that?" Skyla asked.

Sin smiled down at the filly whilst taking Setsuna and tying her to his back.

"A very old outfit I wore during the wars."

This is going to get very interesting.

Sin stared up at the bright gold and white castle shimmering above him. He studied the foundation and defenses very closely as he approached the doors with every known guard that could see him, watching his every movement.

"Solid castle on a mountain, not the best idea." He told Celestia, but his voice indicated he was amused.

Celestia and Luna moved up beside him as the guards patrolling the front approached with spears at the ready and aimed at Sin's neck. Though the threatening welcome should have given some worry, both princesses were unfazed by their staff already on edge. It was well within their right to be cautious of a human standing between the very monarchs of their country. This was the first time they'd seen one in their entire lives.

Sin took a step forward and leaned down to the guards, his neck hovering so close the spear tips as he grinned maliciously. Laughter welled up in his throat while the mares watched.

"If you're going to use them, then do it." He told them, acting so foolish that his mares slapped their heads and sighed. "Otherwise, put it away and go find your testicular fortitude."

"Princesses, what is this creature?" a young guard growled, despising Sin already. "I've never seen it before."

"This is our husband and your prince," Celestia said, keeping as calm as possible whilst lowering the spears with her magic. Now she just had to explain to her shocked guards about having a significant other.

"You never informed us you were married," the guard protested, but again he didn't sound convinced. "With all due respect, when did you have the time to be married, and to this. . . thing?"

"We were married before the rise of Nightmare Moon," Luna answered softly. "He is Prince Sin Firestorm, returning from his exile to resume his duties."

"Why was he in exile?"

"I was busy saving other kingdoms before your mom shot you out." Sin barked, his magic suddenly ripping a spear from one of the guards and disintegrating it. "I'm not in the mood to spank a bunch of children who can't even hold a spear correctly."

His statement teased the princesses but infuriated the guards. "How dare you talk to us like that!? We are elite guards for the princesses!"

"Elite!?" Sin guffawed, wiping a single tear from his eye. "Please, come back in about six hundred years and maybe I'll be surprised."

Now that really got under the stallion's skin and he wanted nothing more than to show this new prince a thing or two, but he was trained to restrain himself. He had no choice but to show respect to the blatantly arrogant Sin Firestorm.

"Anyway," Sin sighed, turning to his alabaster wife. "Where is Luna's bathrooms in this joint?"

Celestia tilted her head at him and asked curiously, "Do you really need to use the bathroom?"

"No," Sin snipped, sounding carefree, a sound which brought some joy to the royal sisters. That is until he added, "But when I do need to use the bathroom, I'm going to take the biggest shit in Luna's toilet."

"Why must it be my bathroom!?" Luna yelled incredulously.

"Because I owe you," Sin said, grabbing his irked mare and hugging her closely. "You did impale me with your horn, so the least you can do is let me get revenge by using your crapper."

All Luna could do was snort at him and shake her head as the guards permitted them to enter. Tears swam for a moment in her deep blue eyes but she blinked them away slowly and managed to remain poise. "If it's anything like you did when we were teenagers, I'm going to perish from the smell."

Sin slipped an arm around her side and once again began walking inside the castle. It was a long ascension to the throne room and just the place he wanted to, as it was his suspicion to the voices echoing from there that he was about to meet the pony that gave Cadance hell. "After this is over, I want a private study room to do my work but no guards of my own. I don't need a bunch of kids with toys watching my every movement."

"It's part of their job," Cadance told him, although it was pointless when he had the stubbornness of a mule.

"Does it look like I need anyone to protect me?" He asked her in a serious tone. "Must I have Luna inform you what I did in my time of being away from here?"

She was about to give him a taste of her own sarcasm when her voice was stolen by the final step into the throne room revealing the only pony she wanted to see at the moment. She clung to Sin for a moment when the first of her loins peered around a white stallion with a blue mane, and smiled at her excitedly.

She laughed softly, fighting the tears. "Flurry Heart."

"Mom!"

Cadance heard that word, and she rushed to her filly, ignoring the stallion spinning rapidly to see her. She stopped inches from her daughter, her hoof circling her baby's neck before yanking her into a strong hug. The breathing of Flurry Heart became the steady atmosphere, providing clarity and reassurance while Sin took the approach to make sure this stallion he assumed to be Shining Armor, did not try anything stupid.

Sin stopped walking, turning to Skyla as she screamed her sister's name and dashed towards her. He teleported to the pony with his head low as Shining Armor approached the princess of love, with no doubt that things were about to get very interesting. He took his time observing the stallion, hunting leisurely in his senses for the smallest hint of aggression. Though amused by the pony's gentle façade for Cadance, he smiled at the antics of this mare hugging her teenager and kissing her repeatedly on the cheeks.

That is until he noticed how the colorful teenager had her mane covering her right eye, and became suspicious if not concerned for the moment.

Shining Armor coughed softly to grab everyone's attention, and what Sin did in front of him made the atmosphere sickening for the stallion. He intentionally scooted next to Cadance and gently grabbed her wing to hold onto after uncovering his face. Sin could only imagine the thoughts that were going through Shining Armor's head as he purposely showed how close he and Cadance were.

"Cadance, who the heck is this?" Shining Armor asked in a bitter tone, eyes of hatred burning on Sin as he kneeled to the nervous Flurry Heart.

Ignoring the banter of his marefriend and her ex-husband, he gave her a warm smile. "Sweetheart, I know this is sudden, but could you move your mane from your hair?" He reached with his other and to see, but she flinched and turned to her mother for help. "Hey, it's alright. I just want to make sure of something."

He stepped close, his hand inches from the teenager while the arguing was filtered from his mind, his mind already picking up from Flurry's reaction that there was something very wrong. He came to a brief moment of reluctance for the scared pony, but the idea in his head pushed him forward and gave confusion. He had to admit to himself that she was quite brave for letting a stranger move her mane.

"What are you doing?" Shining Armor growled, but Sin had beaten him to the moment. Flurry Heart's eye was revealed and Cadance was beyond horrified by the swelling.

"Who did this?" Sin asked, receiving no answer. However, the way her eyes moved to Shining Armor was all he needed.

"Tia, Lulu!"

It did not take long for Celestia and Luna to levitate Cadance and Flurry from Sin. They knew from Sin's history of violence there was not going to be anyone to stop him. But who said they wanted too in the first place? It wasn't like they had some ill will in their hearts that is directed to Shining Armor for his cruelty towards their pink princess.

"Don't kill him," they whispered, and hoped.

The throne room became a large clearing which provided plenty of space for Sin to release some much restrained aggression, an audible crack in both of his hands while the room became dim with his control. The shadows of his dark energy fell across the windows in a wave, blocking most sunlight, the blackness barely showing the mares and fillies his glowing hair and eyes.

"What's going on?" Shining Armor panicked. "Is this your doing?"

"Yup," Sin replied, except in a darker tone of voice, his hand contracted and clenched.

The girls stepped close to one another to hold together, watching the man grit his teeth as the dullest of light crawled through the darkness to show Shining Armor what was happening. His reaction was to gasp and take action to defend himself. His breath, however, did not reach his body, as the moment was stolen and his jaw was cracking under the pressure behind the fist that made contact with lightning speed.

After a few moments of screaming his head off, Sin sank his fist deeper in the stallion's jaw and propelled him into the wall with the force of his minotaur teacher. Magic, strength, and pure momentum danced in this furious punch, playing a rhythm of broken bones and a booming shockwave that shook the entire castle to it's foundation.

Shining Armor crashed expectedly into a wall. Sin still carried the darkness of his fury in magic. Somehow he had managed to force enough restraint to spare Shining Armor of a quick death and leave him with a good idea of what kind of man he was.

Celestia and Luna were the first to drop their jaws. They didn't so much as flinch, but they knew from that punch Sin had been through hell to acquire that level of power.

Before long, the guards came in from all four corners of Canterlot. Cadance strode up to Sin, her definite mate, her daughters beside her. She carried a genuine look of shock that could not be match. She looked to the unconscious Shining Armor being observed by some of the guards and then back to her human brushing some dust that was on his sleeve.

The statement came as a surprise from the princess of love. Sin vaguely tuned her out for the high pitch in her voice while turning to his wives to see if they were going to explain everything. Thank the heavens they were giving details to the commanding officers.

"THAT WAS BUCKING AWESOME!"

Sin said not a single word to her nor to anyone in the room. He chuckled evilly under the pressure of running a weak kingdom and raising its standards to his in a matter of weeks. He could do it, but it wasn't going to be easy on the account of being the only authority in this family that possessed the perspective of what a real kingdom should be.

He said to everyone in the throne room with authority:

"Alright, there's going to be some fucking changes here and they're going to happen today."

Things had gone awkward for the man as he walked up the stairs and took a seat in the throne chair. He bobbed his head repeatedly and hummed a calm tune in his head while having everyone's attention. The guards were especially watching him carefully as the princesses continued to explain that he was their husband and a prince returning from exile.

He cleared his throat before starting:

"So now that I've got your attention, let's get the bullshit out of the way."

He coughed his throat first to make sure he loud and clear:

"As all you guards have learned or are currently learning of my position, I am what they have told you. I am their husband and the prince of this country." He paused for a moment and leaned forward, eyeing the guards with predatory eyes. "But let's be clear about something; there will be no more coddling from my wives."

"What does that mean?" Celestia asked.

"It means that starting from now there will be no more separation of houses. There are no more lunar or solar guards, because that is a load of horse shit." He replied with a firm tone, shocking the entire crowd. "Guards are meant to protect everyone, not just protect who they favor. And to start this change, every single pony that is a guard is hereby stripped of the solar or lunar status."

The guards blinked hard and cast their glances to the princesses, but Sin was having none of it.

"Don't look at them. Look at me." He demanded, and they reluctantly did so as he went on with his statement. "They're not going to save you. I agreed to return on the conditions of having control of the militaristic system, which means I am now your commanding officer," He leaned back, relaxing a little. "But that doesn't mean I'm stripping you of your positions. I'm simply bringing all of you together as a whole."

"But what makes you qualified to do this?" A colonel asked, showing some courage that Sin respected as he stood up in his seat.

"Retired general of the gryphon kingdom," he began, smiling proudly down at his new soldiers. "I've been through four wars, purged countries of tyrants, killed thousands of soldiers in on the battlefield, assassinated genocidal monsters, and have over thirty recommendations from kings and queens. I even have praise and recommendations from the high council of equus!"

Everyone, even the princesses, went silent as Sin sit back down with his arms crossed.

"So yeah, I'm more than qualified to train and command you kids." He added. "Starting from now, you will be trained and taught to my standards. Afterward, you will tested to see if you are worthy of keeping your position.

Now that caused an uproar, but nobody was going to stop the smiling immortal from making these changes.

"Get over it!"

"Oh this is going to be a nightmare," Luna commented.

"WELCOME TO MANHOOD!"