The laughter of the foals running around in the field could be heard from my cracked window. After sixty years I managed to keep my past from catching up to me. As the years passed my memories started to become fuzzy and slightly altered, but I still remember our deal. Though out of the entire time I've been afflicted with this curse, not once did I think that I had the time to create what I have now.

I've lived over a total of five hundred and a half years. With all the time that had passed I haven't made much progress when it came to memorable times. All that I had done was simply go through the motions and barely made any attempts until now to actually try and be apart of civilization. There were a couple of changes that I had to adjust to but I found that surviving and blending in was almost second nature.

The book in front of me was open to the story I wrote about three hundred years back. The tale of Misery, and how a colt took it upon himself to help keep Equestria safe for as long as it had to take. I told this tale time and time again, even to the foals that were now charged in my care. They would ask what happened to the colt now, wondering if Misery would someday come back and create a new time of darkness. I was afraid to answer that to be honest. All I could ever respond with was that as long as I was there with them they would be safe.

I took a deep breath, as a shiver crawled its way up my spine. I closed my eyes to steady my nerves, as they shut I vividly saw what I agreed to back then.

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"Now think hard on what you want. Your terms mean that I will do everything in my power to achieve. No more, no less..."
The wind started to chill my hooves, as I was not only taken aback by her offer, but I couldn't help but feel that what I was about to do was going to not only hurt me, but possibly break me. I took deep breaths, the white mist that escaped from me only caused me to focus on how cold I was getting. I gradually felt my legs grow numb as I stood there. I felt her move around me in circles, in my mind I could almost see her wearing a sly smile. I shuddered and thought about what I saw and I knew what I wanted then.

"I... I don't want you to hurt my town and my family anymore. I want them to be free of their pain. I want my town back."

I heard a slow sigh echo around me, as if contemplating. "... You are aware that I cannot bring back the dead, and your town will not be fixed from the turmoil it has already suffered. I cannot control time to go back. Not for you, or your mother whom died in the flames..."

The cold was setting in my bones as my shuddering caused me to collapse to my knees. I didn't understand what she meant by my mother dying in flames, I couldn't question it. I couldn't speak anymore, the cold was slowly taking my consciousness. All I could do was just nod, I will never forget how much an effort that small gesture took.
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I haven't had time to settle down and have a home since my deal with Misery, and every now and then she stirs in her sleep to remind me that I'm still bound by our agreement. When my mother departed from her suffering, I was given some of her power, in specific longevity. I would age at a significantly slower pace than other ponies. I don't know for how long, but I've noticed getting slightly larger, I've needed to get my flank pack adjusted. I used that very pack to hide that I didn't have a cutie mark, and even if others find it odd that I wouldn't take it off even when I relax, I've managed to use the excuse of being a story teller to remove any or all judgments. Which in turn brought me to one of my many occupations that I used when I travel.

Thinking about how my thoughts have slowly been escaping me I wasn't aware of the sound of some pony approaching. The sound of the window creaking caused my attention to move towards the sound, one of the foals that was frolicking found himself to my window. From the looks of things it was more out of curiosity than of need. I rose an eyebrow in a questioning manner.

"There something wrong Swift Chord?" The young colt gave an apologetic look then cast his eyes towards the window seal to show he didn't mean to intrude. I found him when he was very little, I don't know the exact details but his parents died from an illness, he was brown, with a grey mane reminding me of my brother.

"Umm... Harvey. We were wondering if you could come out and play with us. They made me come, and ask since I lost that last game..." I could hear his hoof kick gently kicking the wall, a nervous tick of his that I found kind of unique. I took a small moment to contemplate if I should, I had planned on doing some studies as the little ones played. I looked at the clock and gave a small sigh, Swift Chord wore a nervous look. I gave a small smile as I marked the page on the book I had in front of me, a book of folk tales and other stories of the past.

"I don't see the harm in a little fun, I should take a break anyways." I rose my hind legs and took a small stretch, Swift Chord gave an ecstatic grin and did a small jump.

"Really?! I'll go tell the others!" He ran off towards the other foals whom seem just as excited about the news. I gave a small chuckle as I walked out of my office taking my book in my mouth. I run a small orphanage, with the help of three others who work part time and help me with the foals. It took me about ten years of work to get where it's at now, and thankfully I still had about five or so years before I had to leave this place in some other pony's care.

If it wasn't for Swift Chord I wouldn't had even considered opening up such a long term plan. I owe it to him for the others who also take refuge here, and for that I feel thankful he crossed my path in life. I managed after a slight struggle to get the book I was reading in one of the slots in my pack as the door closed behind me, I figured that after a nice game or two I could tell them a story before going back in for supper.

"You know you could use your magic instead of acting like an earth pony. I'm starting to wonder if your even a unicorn." The jest came from one of the workers. A light purple Pegasus with a red main.

"How long are you going to keep holding that over me Iris?" I spoke in a deflated tone but wore a look of sarcasm, she couldn't help but give a laugh before answering. Her name is Glowing Iris, Iris for short.

"When I don't cringe at how flexible you are, or when you finally decide to take your pack off." She was grading some papers on her desk. She teaches the foals and on days I leave for an odd job she watches them in my stead. Calling her a part time worker is more of an understatement but I call her that because I know it gets on her nerves sometimes.

"So never." I let out a long breath as I passed her desk, as I was passing I could see that she wore a smirk on the corner of her mouth from the corner of my eye.

"Harvey..." She spoke in a softer tone which made me stop and turn my head towards her.

"Iris?"

"... it's nothing." She was focused on her work, but her expression was a little softer than what I remembered. Most of the time she wore this coy look like she knew who you were, but sometimes she had those times where you wonder if she was the one who no pony knew. Regardless she had a way of knowing what to say at the right time, something that has helped me with the little ones many of times.
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The night's cold air set in when the sun went down. The foals went to bed, Iris helped me with that. We sat in my office, I made some tea as usual, we normally took a small bit of time to chat, then we would see each other in the morning. Sometimes she would use the room I prepared for her, and other times she would go back into town and sleep at home, tonight I expected her to stay.

"Thank you for helping me with them again tonight." I spoke this as I filled her cup up with some more tea, she waved her hoof to tell me that I've poured enough.

"It was nothing. Besides I wouldn't expect you to take care of the fillies, the colts seem to give you enough trouble." She stretched her wings with a small sigh.

"Oh they're not that bad, there like any other young colt, never wanting to sleep, Chord is the exception."

"Chord will always be the exception. He's practically your son. I don't know why you haven't actually officiated the paperwork." I took a sip of my tea to gather my words to explain why.

"He is my son. I have all the documents filled out. I was going to wait till he was old enough to decide that himself. I knew my parents so I don't understand how he or the other foals feel about adoption..."

"You are doing an amazing job Harvey. Any pony can see that. They adore you. As for Chord, he's not as young as you remember, mind you. He'll be able to get a job this coming spring. I think you should talk to him about this, not just for his sake, but for you also." She held a serious face and I couldn't help but give a small smile.

"Your right as usual Iris. I'm just afraid of what the other foals would feel about it." Iris gave a scoff.

"Please, if anything they would think that after they get old enough you'll adopt them as yours, and they would help you out with this orphanage, or at least know they have a home to come back to. Chord's the only one without his cutie mark, so it's now a matter of time before they find a place they can fit in."

The idea of me actually adopting all of them made me a little happy inside, just imagining having a family made me want to tear up. Then I felt her turn over in her slumber, and I felt the dream falling apart. Misery would ensure I wouldn't be happy, she feeds off my own misery, the one part of the deal she explained to me after it was made. I felt a small chill run up my spine as I recalled my mother in pain. Apparently I couldn't hide the pained expression on my face, Iris came closer to me in worry.

"... Harvey. Whats wrong?" I could hear her wings give a small flutter of worry, it was strangely comforting.

"Iris. I have something to talk to you about as well." I looked into her eyes with a stare that I could imagine was one of urgency because she nodded without asking what it was. "Its about me. I won't be able to stay here very much longer."

"Why? Are you sick?"

"Not exactly. You remember the stories I tell the foals, after supper?" She nodded and sat down next to me and stared at the table.

"You tell a lot of stories Harvey. Most of them were tales that I was told when I was filly, the one I haven't heard was the one about Misery." I gave a heavy sigh.

"I can understand why. It's not a tale you can find in books either. It wasn't a tale until I started to tell it. Of course I had to make an ending. Many ponies don't like stories without endings..." I took a sip of my tea before continuing "Regardless, there isn't an ending yet, that's the truth. I don't even know if I will even be able to tell the story once I've witnessed the end. I would say more but I don't know if you will suffer any repercussions from what I've already disclosed to you..."

"Harvey, you can't be saying you're the stallion from the tale. That's really far-fetched." She placed her hoof on mine I could tell it was shaking slightly. "That would mean you're older than you look, and did what happen in the story..." she trailed off not wanting to ask if I did witness the burning town.

"... It's all true." I gently moved my hoof away and took off my flank pack to reveal that I had no cutie mark, I could hear a quick gasp, the kind where you tried to stop it by covering your mouth. "Its a lot to take in I know."

"Your..." I could see the disbelief and a mix of emotions, that if I had more time to see them slowly I would never be able to truly describe all of them. There was a long silence, I didn't know what to do so I just stood there and stared out the window to give her time to process what just happened. I could feel Misery inside of me feeding off my negative emotions, whenever she did I would feel hollow as if I was never sad before, just living, not something I would ever get used to.

I was too focused on what Misery was doing that I didn't notice Iris had moved until she placed her hoof on my flank where my cutie mark should had been. "... no wonder you can't use magic." I silently nodded as I kept my gaze on the window, Iris' reflection slowly took my focus. "Dose it hurt?" I shook my head unsure if I could even speak. As if she knew how I felt she nuzzled me and I couldn't help but embrace her slowly.

I felt slightly relieved to have someone to talk to about this. I felt a small amount of weight lift from my heart. Then without a word I felt Misery lash out inside of me. It felt like she found a way to constrict my heart. It was her telling me that I was over stepping my boundaries. I had to push her away from me just so the pain could stop. Iris gave a look of betrayal, then concern as my face wore fear.

"Iris. I can't stay here much longer. I can't stay near you, I. I have feeling for you and if I were to ever express them I-"
It was the first time I ever had a kiss stolen from me. It was a bitter sweet kind of feeling, one that I would still feel for as long as I live. She pulled away and hid her face near my neck, I felt her warm tears soak my fur.

"Don't say it. I've always wanted to hear those words. But. Not like this..." She took brief pauses between her words, which in those moments felt like a slow blade moving towards my heart. "... I loved you for a long time now. Now this. It's not fair. To me. The Foals. Chord-" She pulled back and looked at me with wide eyes. "What are you going to tell Chord? are you going to take him with you?" My throat dried up and I had to swallow a couple of times before answering.

"I want him to stay and help you. He's the oldest out of the bunch and he hasn't found his cutie mark yet, and taking him would only cause him to see pain." Her tears started to come back and she leaned against me once more, not sobbing, not trying to ask me to stay, just there. I knew I would had shed some tears that night as well, but at that moment I somehow forgot how.

Author's Note

So I had some time off. I'm probably going to need to find someone to proof read my chapters before I post them. I don't mind doing it myself but I would like some out side input.

I'll prolly find someone through a group or something., I just haven't found time to do so. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll have the main 6 and other tags show up soon.

-Blues.