PyraohXBlaze - Well here's the next update ;)

HeadBangingBrony - It's been awhile since I've been able to post, or even write; and I've gotta say, I've missed it. Thanks for that :D

HallowedSpiral (ch32) - Glad to hear you like it! Sorry, don't really have much in the way of plans for OCs that I didn't create...

Kyguy - Language young man! Oh, and you'll just have to wait and see :P

PSYCHOPATH - It might... but then again, it might not...

Ponified Bacon Boss - Well, it's not exactly 'seeing', I just use the term because it's simpler and easier to understand. What's really happening is more akin to radar, and at best he gets about the same 'resolution' as you would expect from an ultrasound... not to mention it only goes out to about thirty feet at most. And you watch your language too mister

DragonLovingBrony - Lol those things would have been boring though

DragonLordRyuKizoku - Oh yes I can! And Pinkie can't attack; she's too busy with all the cupcakes and cookies I baked the other night. So there :P

KillerWoW - You know that won't end well for you...

Bobfromsiam - Eeyup...

darksoul78 - Well wait no more!

HYBRID BATTLESHIP INFINITY210 - Just be wary of the ones who will use others for that selflessness...

xel101 - Well, now you can find out ;)

Mikalzilla - Well, no one's perfect...

A/N - Howdy everypony! I hope all my American readers had a good Memorial Day, and I hope you all actually remembered what the holiday is about and thanked one of our men and women in uniform for their service! Not much to report this week; after taking some time to unwind and get back into the swing of things, it seems to be pretty quiet for the moment. As always, don't forget to follow/favorite, review and most importantly; enjoy!

I stared blindly up at the ceiling, unable to sleep as the implications of the dagger Luna had given me sank in. "Even I do not know why the spell chose this form, or even what will happen when you use this dagger, but you may find that not all is as it seems…"

Those words swirled around in my mind even as the very mare who spoke them curled herself closer to me in her half-dozing state. I felt the sleeping bodies of Applejack and Derpy shift around me as well, both of them seemingly unaware of my troubled mind. I didn't mind that though; it wouldn't do any good to bother them with my troubles, and I knew after how emotional the day had already been that they were both drained, so I simply let them sleep. Even if they didn't know what was happening in my mind, their presence was comforting all the same.

Luna's horn was suddenly coated with a muted cerulean aura, and I realized that she was helping someone with a bad dream. I had no idea who it was or what the dream was about, but I wrapped my arm around her and hugged her just a little closer, though I wasn't sure if she was even aware of my presence at the moment. Something about her magic must have affected me, because I suddenly felt myself drifting to sleep when I had been wide awake moments before.

"Why hello again Blake… or is it Sir Marshall now?"

I turned around in the familiar starry dreamscape to see none other than Starswirl the Bearded standing behind me with a cheeky smile on his face. I groaned at the sight of him. "Ugh… don't tell me I'm in a frigging coma again!"

The elderly stallion chuckled and the bells adorning his hat and cape jingled merrily. "Oh, nothing of the sort, though I did have to resort to a bit of magic to get you to sleep so we could meet." His face turned slightly more serious. "I know that you have lost your sight, and I am here to tell you that this loss is permanent."

I felt a heavy weight in my chest. Though a thought popped into my head even through the disappointment. "I assume you have a way around it then? I mean, I really doubt you'd go through all this trouble just to tell me something that I already knew was probably going to be the case."

The stallion chuckled again and the grin came back to his face. "You're perceptive as always; yes, I do have a solution for you, though it won't be without risk." The wizened stallion turned around and the stars and galaxies now in front of him began to swirl and coalesce, transforming from a seemingly random assortment of celestial bodies into a coherent image.

When the stars were finally finished painting the new picture, I was faced with what looked like a very well preserved Aztec-style temple set within a massive forest. Starswirl turned back to me. "Deep in the heart of the Everfree, far beyond even the village you know as Sunny Town, you will find this temple. Its name and even the very knowledge of its existence have been lost since before Queen Galaxia and King Cosmos came to Equestria. What you seek lies somewhere within the temple structure, though I can't tell you exactly where; you'll have to find it on your own once you get there."

I watched as the image shifted and formed what looked like a vine dotted with small, brightly colored flowers. When I looked closer, I noticed that the strangely blade-like petals of the flowers started off orange at the tips and faded to blood-red at the center. "This plant is known as the Quagon'Leth, or 'Blade of Life and Death'. It's called this because touching any part of the plant other than the petals of the flowers will kill in mere minutes. This plant is what you seek within the temple."

I looked the flower over for a moment. "So what does this have to do with me? I mean, I don't exactly plan on poisoning anyone or anything like that…"

"Ah, that's where the 'any part but the petals' comes in. It's called the 'Blade of Life and Death' because while the rest of the plant will kill you, the flower's petals possess properties that can heal nearly any ailment, even your blindness and anything short of a mortal wound. If you want your sight back, you must journey into the Everfree, find the temple, and take the flower's petals to your friend Zecora; don't worry, she knows how to unlock the flower's healing properties. The temple is nearly one hundred kilometers into the forest as the Pegasus flies, nearly ten times as far as the ancient castle, so you should prepare yourself for an extended stay there."

I let out another groan. "This is one of those 'you must do this alone' things, isn't it?"

Starswirl shook his head. "Are you kidding?! In your condition, you'd be eaten by a manticore in minutes! And that's if you're lucky enough not to fall off a cliff or into a river." I gave him a deadpan stare. "No, I recommend that you take at least one pony that you trust with you, preferably that Twilight Sparkle filly that Celestia thinks so much of. Her knowledge will probably be quite useful once you pass the ancient palace and delve into parts unknown. Once you reach the palace ruins, simply head due west past Sunny Town and you'll get there eventually."

The image faded and the surrounding area shimmered and began to fade as well. The long-dead wizard chuckled yet again. "Heh heh… I just realized; I'm sending you on a 'vision quest'." I groaned at the bad pun as the world around me began fading to black. "Oh! I have two more things to tell you; the first is, don't worry about touching the plant, your immunity to poison will protect you from it, but make sure that nopony else does, I'm sure you understand why. And the second thing is that I want you to consider the proposal Luna's going to make when you wake up."

I felt a spike of pleasure the moment I started coming to my senses, and I realized that there was somepony on top of me. I stifled a pleasured groan as I felt something hot and moist sliding down my shaft. The pony on top of me giggled, and I realized who it was. "Good morning my love." Luna leaned down and nibbled lightly at my ear, and I caught her head as she drew back and pulled her into a quick but passionate kiss. She giggled again as I released her. "I did not think you would mind being awoken in this manner." The tone of her voice betrayed the unseen cheeky smile playing across her lips and the lust in her eyes.

I grabbed her hips and started kneading the sensitive flesh just at the edge of her cutie mark as I pulled up on her flanks, guiding her rhythm as we both started to pant more heavily. "S-so what gives Lulu? Heh heh… not that I'm complaining… I just never pegged you for the type…" The way her slick passage squeezed around me made any coherent thoughts all but impossible.

She leaned down and kissed me again, but this time when she pulled back, she rested her head on my shoulder. "It has been so long since we last made love, and I wished to feel your passions once again." She nibbled my ear again, sending more jolts of pleasure through my entire body. "It does not help that the dreams that both Applejack and Miss Derpy are having about you are… quite passionate…"

I chuckled quietly and started kissing her neck, drawing nearly soundless gasps of pleasure from her. I felt her tighten down on me as her body locked up, and I started thrusting myself slowly into her, drawing out the orgasm even as she bit down on my shoulder to stifle what would have been a loud moan. Just as the second wave of orgasm came crashing down on her, I felt my own body tense up, and my eyes forced themselves shut even as they rolled back in my head as the wave of pleasure cascaded through my own body.

Luna must have felt me nearing my climax, as she sunk herself down on me until our hips met and started grinding against me, still caught in the throes of pleasure. I felt the pressure build, and suddenly white-hot liquid rushed through my aching shaft and spilled out inside my lover. Luna gasped as the heat of my release bloomed inside her, and she clamped our lips together in a fiery kiss, her steaming pussy squeezing around me, trying to wring every last drop of my hot seed from me.

She finally pulled back, resting against me as we both lay there gasping quietly, my softening shaft still resting deep inside her. I could feel her twitch and spasm around me as we lay there, neither wanting to be separated from the other. We froze as Applejack groaned quietly and rolled over, thankfully oblivious to what had just happened right next to her.

"My love…" Luna finally spoke up after some time of lying there, silently recovering. "As much as I do not wish to ruin this moment… there is something I wish to discuss with you."

Well that never leads to good things… this must be that proposal Starswirl was talking about… I took in a big, slow breath and wrapped my arms around her. "Ok Lulu, go ahead, you know you can talk about anything with me."

I felt her shift slightly, like she was looking around. "I do not believe this is the proper setting. May we go someplace more secluded?"

I nodded wordlessly. Without letting her go, I gingerly scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up with her still in my arms. She giggled as I turned on my aurasight and started making my way down to the first level of the large house. Luna looked around. "May I ask where we are going my love?"

I gave her a peck on the cheek. "You'll see soon enough Lulu…"

She giggled again and turned to watch where we were going. A smile spread across her face as she realized I was making a beeline for the stairs to the spa room in the basement. "A morning of passionate love-making followed by a luxurious bath in the hot tub… how romantic…" If there was any sarcasm in her voice, I couldn't hear it.

I chuckled and set her back on her hooves as we reached the bottom of the stairs. "You know me, Mister Romance himself. Now, let's make ourselves comfortable, then you can tell me whatever it is you wanted to tell me."

We did just that, with Luna simply slipping into the steaming waters while I grabbed a spare set of swim trunks from the linen closet and slipped them on in case anyone got curious and came looking for us, especially a certain pair of rambunctious fillies. I turned off my aurasight as I approached the edge of the tub and gently lowered a leg into it.

When I had settled into the perfectly heated waters and Luna and I had cuddled together, she cleared her throat. "I… I do not know of an easy way to say this my love, so I will simply say what is on my mind… I love you with all of my heart, and I cannot stand the thought of losing you…" I squeezed her a little tighter, not sure where she was going with this. "I… I have been researching the many works of Starswirl the Bearded… he theorized that multiple transfusions of Alicorn blood could extend the recipient's lifespan until it became indefinite…"

I felt a jolt of unnamed emotion surge through me as I pieced together what she was trying to say. "So… you want to give me more of your blood so that I'll be immortal too…?"

She nodded her had against my shoulder. "I know that it is far too much to ask of you… especially when you must watch others that you care so deeply for pass on as well…" The sadness in her voice was plain to hear. "What I am asking is far beyond selfish of me, and I do not expect you to answer me right away, but please my love, at least consider it… for me…"

I was quiet for some time after that, just processing Luna's words even as I did my best to enjoy her company and the heat of the water. I was torn between whether or not to accept her offer; part of me wanted to spend eternity with her, as she did me, but another part couldn't ignore the daunting concept of having a truly endless lifespan. I had all but come to terms with the fact that I would live to be three thousand years old or more, but my mind was still having trouble wrapping itself around the concept of true immortality.

"Let me ask you something Lulu…" The princess wrapped snugly in my arms twitched slightly at the sudden break in the silence. "Let's say I do go through with this and I become immortal… what happens if we… I don't know… stop loving each other."

Luna heaved a heavy sigh. "That is a valid concern my love… My sister and I have long since come to accept that those around us will eventually age and die, and thus the bonds we form are generally comparatively superficial; it is something our parents taught us in order to safeguard our hearts and our sanities. So when one of us does form a deep bond with somepony, that bond becomes nigh unbreakable."

I reached up a hand and brushed the long-healed cheek that had felt her anger. "So that's why you were so upset when Celestia kissed me; something that most would consider an accident at best…" She nodded into my shoulder again. "I'm sorry Luna… I knew you were hurt over that, but I never knew your emotions ran so deep… I… I want to spend the rest of eternity with you too Lulu."

I felt her shift and move so that she was sitting in my lap, her front hooves wrapping around me in a tight hug. "Oh Blake! Words cannot describe how much I cherish you…"

I hugged her back, then pressed lightly on her shoulders, moving her back slightly. "I love you too Luna… so much. There's something I want to ask you…" I activated my aurasight and concentrated it so that all I could see was her smiling face. "Princess Luna Solaris… will you marry me?"

Her face contorted and tears almost instantly began pouring down her cheeks. "Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes, my love!" She pulled me back in for an even tighter, borderline bone-crushing hug. "You have made me the happiest mare in all of Equestria! No, on all of Mythis herself!" Our lips met, and I felt her love for me not only pouring fourth from the kiss, but radiating from her entire body.

Tears started forming in the corners of my sightless eyes as we kissed; I was stunned by the fact that I could physically feel her love for me, like it was its own kind of magic, and I wanted nothing more in that moment than for her to be able to feel how much I loved her too.

I had no idea how long we sat in the hot tub and kissed, nor did I care, I had everything I wanted right in front of me and all around me; I had a home, I had two beautiful mares that I loved sleeping peacefully upstairs while the third was wrapped in my arms sharing a bliss I doubted either of us had ever known, and I had two little fillies that I loved as daughters and that loved me as their father.

Luna eventually pulled back, a dreamy smile on her face. "I truly did not believe that this day would ever come… yet here we are, an immortal princess and the human of her dreams…"

I chuckled and brushed a hand across her cheek. "Star-crossed lovers if ever there were any."

She giggled, a sweet, musical sound. "Yes, and as much as she hates to admit it, this lover needs to get out of this wonderfully relaxing water before her hooves get pruny…"

I planted one last kiss on her lips as she started climbing out of the tub. "I see you've been practicing your modern Equestrian."

She looked back at me with a smirk, and I realized that I hadn't stopped using my aurasight since I had proposed. "Of course; you did not expect me to speak in such an archaic manner forever, did you? Though I will admit, it will likely be some time before I feel comfortable using those blasted 'contractions' that everypony seems so fond of…"

"Heh heh… yeah, I bet that's gonna take a lot of getting used to…" I walked back to the linen closet and grabbed each of us an over-sized beach towel to dry ourselves off with. "So Luna… what… what happens once we're married? I mean, will we become King and Queen, or how does this work?"

The Lunar Diarch gave me a small smile. "Do not worry my love, that will be but a simple matter; when we are wed, you shall become a Prince of Equestria, and will share equal authority to rule this land alongside my sister and I."

I chuckled again as I scrubbed my hair dry. I still found it strange that I could see right through certain objects, like the towel I was using. "I bet ol' Shiny's just gonna love that…"

Luna pulled a face, sticking her tongue out in mock disgust. "That ruffian can stay in the Crystal Empire for all I care after what he did to you."

I shrugged. "Can't really blame the guy too much, he was just protecting his family after all."

She gave me a questioning look. "Is that not why you are upset with Twilight? Did she not do the same when she gathered everypony together?"

I dismissed my aurasight as I felt the telltale signs of a headache from overusing it. "It's not really the same thing; Shining and I are basically strangers, so it's reasonable for him to assume that someone he knows next to nothing about would be dangerous after something like that. Twilight, on the other hand, has known me for some time now, and she should have known better than to think I was a danger to her…"

There was a sigh from to my right, the opposite direction from Luna. "Y'all got that right. 'Specially after what ya did fer all o' us up in Canterlot…"

I would have known who owned that southern twang anywhere. "Hey there pretty lady. You're up awful late… for you…"

She let out one of her signature chuckles. "Oh, Ah been up fer awhile there lover-colt." I stiffened as I realized what she meant. "Heh heh… y'all shoulda invited me ta join in tha fun…" Her playful tone made me smirk as ideas began filling my mind.

"Oh fair Applejack… our mutual lover may be spent, but I would not shy away from such an advance…"

I couldn't tell if Luna was serious or not, but the loud gulp Applejack let out told me that she at least thought the sable mare had meant what she said. "N-now Princess… A-ah c'n see why Blake fancies ya… but Ah d-don't think Ah'm ready f-fer something like that just yet…"

The room grew silent, save for AJ's nervous breathing. Luna's musical laughter pealed out a moment later. "Oh dearest Applejack, you are simply too easy to tease!"

AJ let out a nervous chuckle. "Heh heh… yeah… Ah guess Ah sure am…" She cleared her throat. "Anyway, Ah just thought Ah'd mosey on down here and see where tha two of ya were. Ah figured y'all'd want ta 'freshen up' after ya had yer fun…"

"Well, you found us. So, what's up? You hoping to have breakfast with us? Truth be told, I could use something to eat right about now."

There was a faint rumbling sound from the direction of the two mares. "It would seem I could stand to eat as well. Since Blake cannot cook in his current condition, shall we eat at the local café?"

AJ groaned. "Aww c'mon Pr- err, Ah mean Luna, we eat there all tha time; why don't we eat someplace else fer once?"

Luna sighed. "Very well… is there someplace in particular that you had in mind? And do not say Sugarcube Corner; I dread what the pink one will do to my sanity…"

"Heh heh… Don't worry none 'bout that, Ah was thinkin' we could go ta that new place that just opened up across town."

We had just sat down at the homey little restaurant, which felt more like an actual restaurant than the café we usually ate at, after waking Derpy and the others so they could come along too.

"I like this place! It feels more happy than that stuffy old café!" Derpy was looking around excitedly as she spoke.

"Good afternoon, my name is Bright Skies, and I'll be waiting on you today!" We all looked over to see a grinning Pegasus stallion standing next to our table with a stack of menus tucked under his wing.

We gave the cheery stallion our drink orders and he passed out the menus before leaving us to decide on our meal choices. "So, I should probably mention this now; I'll be going into the Everfree for a few days sometime soon."

I was glad I hadn't waited for the waiter to bring us our drinks, since the looks on everyone's faces told me they'd be choking on them right now if I had. "Why on Mythis would you do such a thing?!" Luna hissed in a half-whisper.

"No kiddin' Sugarcube! What tha hay do y'all have ta do in tha Everfree?"

Luna suddenly relaxed slightly. "If this is about that mare in Sunny Town, I understand your desire to help her, but please, at least wait until your sight returns before attempting such a venture."

There was a pause in the conversation as the waiter arrived with our drinks. He left to attend his other customers when we told him we needed more time, and I continued. "It's actually about my sight. I learned last night that this is permanent, unless I can find a particular plant that grows in the Everfree and have it made into a medicine that can restore my sight."

Luna gave me a look that said she was skeptical to say the least. I couldn't see her eyes, other than blank orbs on her face where they should be, but the rest of her facial features were plain enough. "And how exactly did you come across this information? This kind of divination is all but impossible without some… form of… assistance…" She trailed off as her face sank into a look of deep thought. "Blake, my love, who came to you and informed you of this?"

"Well, I'm not supposed to tell you, but let's just say he's probably just as famous for his beard as he is for his advances in magic…" I gave Luna a wink, and her eyes went wide.

"That is impossible! He has been dead since long before my banishment!"

I shrugged. "Well, that's who it was; or rather, that's who he appeared to be."

I dismissed my aurasight again as I felt another headache coming on. "I see. And do you have any reason to suspect this figure to be deceiving you?"

"Well, he's appeared to me once before; when I was in that coma after Nightmare Moon attacked, he came to me to warn me that my magic had been released and that I should be careful not to hurt anypony by putting as much effort into using it as I had before."

There was a small pause. "I see. And what do you know of this plant that he told you to seek?"