MetalBronyATL

Ash withdrew the kiss and smiled. "I'm glad you came into my life, Steel."

Kane stood on the balcony a little ways below the top. He looked in the direction the Horde had retreated, thinking about how the actual confrontation with Silent would go when the war finally ended.

Ash blushed deeply and stood still for a movement. Finally she slowly moved towards him and kissed him. It was a moment she didn't want to end.

"Then....do you feel the same way? Even a little?" Ash asked, holding Steel's hoof.

Ash buried her face in her hooves. "I'm sorry, Steel. I shouldn't have said anything. You must think I'm crazy."

Kane nodded and smirked. "You got that right."

Ash sighed but looked into his eyes. "I know I've been acting kinda strange around you, but there's a reason for it. Steel, something about you made me feel a certain way since the day I first met you. I....I think I have feelings for you."

Soul sighed as his face was driven into the ground as Rose sat on his head. "Is this really necessary? This doesn't make me think it's any bigger."

Kane nodded. "Very well, Oakly. Best of luck to you." He then smirked. "You sure are interested in this mare, I've noticed."

Ash was quiet for a moment before sighing. "Steel, I need to tell you something."

"Yeah, it's probably been a while because nobody likes a mare with a flank so small and unattractive." Soul commented, not even caring that it may not end well.

"Regardless, we need to stop her. I don't know what their relationship is, it could be genuine or Silent could be holding her against her will, but still we must save this mare from the nightmare....and from Silent." Kane added.

"You didn't fail, Steel. I promise. You saved my life." Ash said, involuntarily putting her hoof on his hoof that wasn't injured.

"Sounds more like teenage angst and daddy issues to me." Soul scoffed.

"Very well. Do you know if her Nightmare powers are voluntary? Or is she possessed by them?" Kane asked.

Soul rolled his eyes. "Somebody wasn't loved enough as a foal."

Ash gently sat up. "Better, hopefully the healing magic will let me walk again soon." She felt guilty at Steel's injury. "I'm so sorry about your hoof. I owe you my life, Steel."

Kane nodded at Oakly. "I didn't even know he had a daughter. But this is concerning. The nightmare hasn't had power since it possessed Luna. I can't imagine how much it has grown over the years."

"Then your existence is meaningless." Soul chimed in, his eyes watching Silent on a screen, wishing there was a way to reverse time and save him from the fate Rose created for him, a way to prevent the decades of hatred towards his own son that followed.

A medic came and carefully took Ash to the infirmary where her broken leg was soon treated. She laid in a bed with a splint on her leg, the pain greatly reduced.

"So now you're tormenting innocent young ponies? You must have nothing better to do." Soul commenting rolling his eyes. "Or maybe you're just compensating for something."

Ash grit her teeth again as they teleported back to the Empire. "God damn, that little girl hits hard." She said in pain.

Silent put his hooves around her and held her close. "It's ok, Hazel. They won't hurt you." He said, pretending to sound concerned, but was actually surprised that she had this ability.

Ash grit her teeth in pain at her broken leg, but soon realized that Steel was holding her. She tried to ignore the feeling and focused on not succumbing to the pain she was in.

Silent was surprised at how well Hazel could suddenly fight. He was concerned for what Rose any have done to her, but he was still very impressed. "Yes, my dear. Well done." He said with a smirk, tussling her mane.

Ash tried to stand again, but the impact of Hazel throwing her had caused her back left leg to break. She held back tears of pain as she tried to stand again.

Ash burned the barbarians with her fire magic, opening more firewalls to box in large groups of horde soldiers.

Silent growled and lit his horn. "Because she's my daughter, you swine!" He said angrily as he blasted Oakly away with shadow magic.

Ash nodded and lit her horn, and suddenly a wall of fire tore through the horde and blocked them from retreating further. Silent lit his horn anticipating combat as he stood in front of Hazel. "Stay close, I won't let them hurt you."

The Horde got closer to Equestria's coast as they continued their retreat. Ash peered out of a bush at them as she anticipated ambushing the barbarians.

Silent continued on with the Horde as he kept an eye on Hazel, worried about what else Rose could have done to her.

((Timeskip to the next attack?))

Ash looked at the door Steel walked through when he left. She sighed and got up. "Thank you Ally. It means a lot." She said with a smile.

"What do I do then?" Ash said, pushing her hair out of her face. "What do I say to him that will make him feel as comfortable about his feelings as I am?"

Ash sat down and sighed. "Yes, yes I do. From the moment I saw him I had butterflies. But there's no way he likes me back. I've been so awkward around him that he probably thinks I'm crazy or weird or something." She said in despair.

Ash jumped a little, startled from Ally suddenly showing up. "What makes you think that?" She asked nervously with a blush like nothing was wrong.

Ash signed. "I told you, it's not vengeance, I'm just preparing for..." She began, but trailed off as she realized Steel was in the room with her. She cleared her throat and lit her horn to strike another target. "I assure you, I have the best conscious for the next attack right now."

Ash stood up straight and dusted herself off. "I know about vengeance, and I know that I'm not acting out of anger or vengeance. I'm simply preparing myself, as I know of the power Silent Night possesses." She said as she made short work of another target.

((Are you going to hook up Oakly and Hazel later?))

Ash went down to an underground training facility in the Empire and began to blast targets with her fire spells. "I can't wait to go after them again. Silent will pay for what he did to Snow." She said as she obliterated another target.

Kane and Autumn sat on the balcony together as they watched the crystal ponies rebuild their home. "I don't know what else to do, Kane." Autumn said sorrowfully as she levitated some tea to her mouth and took a sip. "We could always adopt." Kane suggested. "We could...but your bloodline wouldn't continue if it's not our actual child." Kane turned to Autumn and took her hoof. "I don't care about my bloodline, I know how much being a mother means to you." Kane said looking into Autumn's eyes. She teared up at Kane's words and nuzzled his neck. "We'll find a way, I promise." Kane said to her, kissing her forehead.

Blood shrugged and yawned. "Well, guess our shift is over. Now I have business to attend to." He said with a smirk looking over to Maple.

Kane nodded before a guard appeared. "King Kane...she's here." Kane turned to the guard and nodded. "Let her come in." He said. Soon Autumn sprinted into the room past Dawn and Azure and embraced Kane tightly. "I missed you so much, Kane." She said with tears running down her face. Kane kissed her passionately. "I was always with you." He said. Autumn smiled and nuzzled him affectionately. She then stepped back and sighed. "Still no luck?" Kane asked solemnly. Autumn nodded with a sad look on her face. "Kane...I'm done trying. It's just not going to happen." She said sadly feeling her belly.