The first few months were hard. Probably the hardest of my entire life, and I've been around the block a few times. I was not happy with being in Equestria, but I never really came out and said it outright. Sparkly would spring questions on me at unexpected times. Probably trying to catch me off guard and get the true out of me, but I was good. I keep my mouth shut, walked a straight line, acted like I was just waiting for the situation to resolve itself, but it was a lie. I wasn't even able to tell myself the true. I had always enjoyed a cold one now and then back on earth, but when I first got to Equus... it turned into a problem. Rarely a night would go by that I wasn't coming back to the library with some kind of alcohol in me. Sparky tolerated it. Probably because she thought it was normal... at first.

Then the pills. I told her I was having trouble sleeping. Then it was I was having trouble getting up. Taking upers and downers at the same time was bad and I knew it, but I didn't care and Sparky didn't have the resolve to stand up to me until after... it happened. I'm not proud of it. I never will be. I'm lucky that AJ was walking into town when she was and saw me, or I might not be here to wright this today.

She was there for me, but I wasn't there for her... I'll never forgive myself for not being there for her...

-Daus Skarr

*******

Ponyville was an interesting place to live, even by Equesria's standards. Apparently it was one of the only places in Equestria that had a fairly balanced population of unicorn, pegasi, and earth ponies and no outstanding problems between the three. There was, of course, the occasional scuffle between an earth pony and pegasus, but I get the impression that that was more of a rivalry kind of thing, and they always worked it out in the end.

The zebras were scattered around Ponyville and generally got along with their pony neighbors. Although I did notice that they kept to themselves most of the time and only ever got out to get food or other things from the store. The other two species that lived in ponyville were the minotaurs and the griffins. They all lived on the northeast edge of the town in a neighborhood that seemed solely dedicated to them. The minotaurs because they were too big to fit in any of the buildings that were in the main part of town, and the griffins because they didn't really "get along" with their more equine neighbors. When I asked Twilight about it she just said the two had bad history.

Yet, nothing ever came of it. The only thing in ponyville that seemed to stir up trouble on a regular basis was a group of kids that ran around trying to get there "cutie marks", and I was sure to stay clear of them. I'd seen what they could do.

The general atmosphere of the town was a relaxed one. The residents seemed perfectly fine with the status quo. Almost to the point where it was boring. You'd think that a place with magic and several immortal beings would be more... lively... but apparently not.

I really only had one complaint-

*knock knock knock*

Every morning.

"It's time to get up Daaaaaaaaaaaus~"

She did this every morning at the crack of dawn, which was a weird occurrence in and of itself, but still... every morning.

I rolled over and stayed quiet hoping that she would take the hint and go away.

"If you don't get up and answer the door I'm going to come in there and drag you out of bed!"

I moaned in response. I knew she wouldn't. In the couple months that I'd been here she never had followed through. Although, recently she had started to fly outside and open the curtains with her magic.

"You have five seconds!"

I moaned again.

"Four!"

I rolled over so that my back was to the door again.

"Three!"

She wouldn't, I told my self.

"Two!"

Any second she'd going to stamp her hoof and demand for me to open the door-

"One, times up!"

I rolled my eyes and shifted around to get more comfortable. Then I heard the, by now, familiar wine of magic and the lock on my door *click*.

I rolled over to face the door with a surprised look on my face. It slowly swung open to reveal Twilight standing behind it with a slightly abashed but triumphant look.

Twilight stood there staring at me for a few seconds before her look of triumph slowly slipped off her face to be replaced by a frown, " Well?"

I raised an eyebrow, "Well what?"

Twilight crossed her arms, "Get up."

I continued to look at her for a few moments then snorted and rolled over again.

"Daus!" I heard Twilight stamp her hoof then sigh, "Breakfast is ready, and you had better be down to eat it before it gets cold."

I heard Twilight turn and leave, leaving my door open. I sighed and threw my blanket off me. I might as well get up. Twilight hadn't really done much to get me up. I had already been awake.

I stumbled out of bed and grumble about the cold air all the way to the door and then to the guest bathroom. Celestia hadn't been kidding when she said I was ill equip for their winters. I doubt it had gone above freezing in a week. Of course, I could just check the weather schedule, and while I didn't appreciate the cold weather, it was convenient to know what the weather was scheduled to be like ever day.

I took a quick shower and got dressed for the day. Slag pants and shirt, wool socks and a beanie to keep my head warm, some meds for the morning, and finally I pulled on and began to lace up my boots. They had held up surprisingly well. The treated leather was supple and waterproof, and then the soft fabric and rubber soles made sure that my feet remained comfortable throughout the day, even in the heavy snow that seemed to cover everything outside.

I finished with my shoes and stood, grabbing my jacket off my bedpost as I did. The thing was a life saver. I don't know what Celestia had done to it but I never seemed to be cold when I wore it. Twilight had examined it for me and tried to explain the enchantments once, but I was lost within seconds.

I grabbed my gloves off my bed stand and walked over to the door, shoving them in my pocket as I did. When I opened the door I could faintly hear Twilight lecturing Spike about something downstairs. Knowing her, it was probably on how microwaves work or something to that degree. I had learned not to ask many questions around her. The second night I had been here she had gone on about in door plumbing for an hour.

I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen just in time to catch Spike give me a pleading look. I avoided his gaze and sat down in front of the plate of pancakes that had been left for me.

"Good morning Daus. How'd you sleep?"

I grumbled, "Well enough, until someone broke into my room at six in the morning."

Twilight smiled, "Good to see your humor is still intact." She turned to Spike, "Spike, what's on the schedule for today?"

I poured a generous amount of syrup on my pancakes and dug in as spike pulled out a piece of parchment and started to read off the days schedule.

"Well," he paused to read, "Apparently the cultures you've been growing have finished, so you have the morning set aside to study them. Then your having lunch with Rarity and Applejack. After that you have a meeting with the mayor to discuss a revision of the learning..." he paused and squinted at the paper, "cirric... cirric... cirricu-"

"Curriculum," Twilight finished for him.

"Right. That." He focused on the paper again and began to read, " And then you have two hours devoted to studying the new political structure of Equestria and it's effects on the griffin empire. Then for the rest of the day it just says research, " he lowered the paper and gave Twilight a quizzical look, " Research what?"

Twilight took a moment to respond, "I'm researching a possible solution in getting Daus home."

I stop with my fork halfway to my mouth, "You think you've got something?"

Twilight squirmed in her seat and wouldn't look at me. "Well," she went on, "I think that I might have found a possibility, but only a possibility. I'm not sure it'll work or not."

I felt a smile spread across my face and I continued eating, "That's great Twi! Even if it is a possibility. It's progress."

Twilight smiled at me and said, "Yeah, I guess..."

I continued to eat, elated that Twilight might have finally found a way to send me back. I knew that it probably wouldn't pan out, but I could still hope...

I finished eating and took my dishes over to the sink where Spike was washing them. After depositing them there I walked back into the main area of the library. Twilight had finished before me and was already in the main area reading some notes she had made for herself.

She glanced up when she heard me enter and motioned for me to follow before looking back down at her notes, "Come on. I need more blood samples for some studies I'm running." After a moment she frowned and started to walk over to the basement where she kept her lad equipment.

I hesitantly followed. The last time she had needed blood samples she had had to stick me five times to get the needle in right. FIVE! When I had asked if she had done anything like it before she had just mumbled something about a degree from some academy in Canterlot and rush me out of the basement.

Not exactly the kind of treatment I expect from the only one on this planet that knows enough about me to save my life if I get sick.

...then again, I'm not paying for any of it... government healthcare amiright?

"Um, hey Twi?" She stopped and turned to give me a questioning look just before she went into the basement, "Don't you think that we should go to an actual doctor to get that done rather than... well..." I motioned behind her with a vague hand gesture.

Twilight scoffed and turned to go into the basement, "There won't be any need for that. I am just as qualified as any doctor to perform as simple a procedure as drawing blood. Furthermore, I find it extremely discouraging that..."

I shook my head as Twilight disappeared into the darkness of her basement with nothing but her horn to light the way. I glanced behind me at spike, but he was supposedly too busy getting the library read to open to come to my rescue. Although, I thought I caught him glancing over at me a few times. I suppose this is payback for leaving him to Twilight at breakfast.

I sighed and stepped into the basement, shutting the door behind me. Twilight had turned on the lights at the bottom of the stairs and was busy getting her equipment ready. She moved with the practiced grace of one who had spent many a sleepless night in here slaving away at her various research projects. And she had. While Spike seemed to have built up a tolerance for some of the louder noises that come from down here late at night, I had yet to learn his secrets. I had been force to drag Twilight to bed more than a few times under the pretense of "my damn headache".

Twilight looked up when I reached the bottom of the stairs and nodded towards a chair in the center of the room, "Go ahead and sit. I be ready in a second."

I nervously walked over to the chair she had indicated and sat down. Glancing around at the various work stations she had setup around the basement. Every time I came down here I was always impressed by her lab. I had always had a soft spot for sciency stuff like this. Probably why I was almost a scientist myself, before the art bug got me.

My thought were interrupted by Twi rolling a cart over next to me. On it were an assortment of medical tools that you'd see in any doctors office. They seemed to be normal at least, and Twi wasn't acting too suspicious...

I looked at Twilight. She had somehow acquired a doctors gown. The white ones that go to there knees. I can't imagine it had any significance other than to make her feel more professional.

As Twilight started to pull on some latex gloves I spoke up, "You know," I paused, "I thought only doctors could wear those."

Twilight stopped and looked down at herself before huffing, "I told you. I am a doctor. I got my degree for the Lunar Institute of Scientific Knowledge and Learning in Canterlot."

Twilight stuck her chest out in pride, but I just shrugged, "So you say..."

Twi seemed to deflate a little at that and grumbled all through the rest of her preparations. Once she was ready she motioned for me to give her my arm. I sighed and slipped it out of my jacket and rolled my sleeve up before presenting it to her.

Twilight, none to gently, grabbed my arm with her magic and tightly tied off an elastic cord above my elbow to increase the blood pressure in my arm. When she noticed me wincing she snorted and said in a mock tone, "Oh? I'm sorry, but maybe you'd like an actual doctor to make sure in tied the knot correctly?"

Sensing that I'd pushed her a little too much I grimaced against the discomfort in my arm and said, "Relax Twi. Even if you're not a doctor you're the only one I'd let treat me anyway. I haven't forgotten that you're the one who kept me alive when I first got here, and are the only one who has had any chance at studying my anatomy while I've been here. I wouldn't want some doctor to go and cut off my arm because he can't figure out what's wrong with my hand. So just... it was a joke."

Twilight seemed to relax at my words and her expression softened. I glanced up at her and grinned, "But you still look ridiculous in that thing."

Twilight sighed and smiled. Reaching over me she loosened to cord around my arm at the same time saying, "It's just one joke after another with you. Do you take anything seriously?"

I thought for a moment while Twilight got the needle ready, "Food and sleep," Twilight rolled her eyes, "and- ah!"

While I had been thinking Twilight had stuck the needle into my arm, successfully getting the vein in one try. I looked down at the needle in surprise as in started to draw the blood out of me, "And my friends."

Twilight looked down at me with a smug look on her face. I just shrugged and stayed quiet.

After she had gotten all that she could Twi retracted the needle from my arm and walked off to store it in one of her machines. I sat and watched as she worked, thinking.

"Twi?"

"Hmm?"

I shifted in my seat nervously, "At breakfast you mentioned that you might have found a way to send me home?"

Twilight paused for a moment before resuming her work. She was quiet for a minute before answering, "I think I may have found a possibility."

I waited for her to go on, but she remained silent.

"And?"

Twilight sighed before going on, "It's a long shot and far from completion-"

I interrupted her, "But it could work?"

Twilight finished storing my blood and turned around. She had a sad look on her face, and when she spoke...

I slumped back in the chair a little, "You can't do it."

Twilight rushed forward, "No! It isn't that I can't! It's just that..."

She let out a noise of frustration and stamped her hoof, "It's the orb."

I frowned, "The what?"

Twilight moved over to one of her desks and pulled out a drawling eerily similar to the one I had been working on just before waking up here in this world. She placed it on top of the desk and glared at it as I walked up behind her, "The orb is the problem. It was the center piece of the entire process that brought you here. We don't even know what kind of spell it used to get you here! All it did was take the energy we fed it and it made objects appear. Whenever somepony would try to examine it their spell would just slip around it, so almost no information exists on it other than it brought- you here."

I noticed the little stumble at the end of her rant but chose to ignore it. I examined the drawing for a moment before asking, "And the orb's gone now. With no way to find it again."

I turned to Twilight and she gave me an exasperated expression before saying, "Without knowing what it's made of or it giving off some kind of radiation... no"

I sigh and ran a hand through my hair, "And there's no trace of it in the tower?"

Twilight shook her head sadly, "None."

I balled my fist in frustration, but resisted the urge to break something. Twilight noticed my reaction and said, "But I'm still working on it. I'm sure I'll be able to get you home eventually."

I relaxed and started walking back over to the stairs. I didn't want to look at the thing any longer. Stopping just before the stairs I said without turning, "And how long is eventually?"

Twilight didn't respond for a moment. Probably weighing the pros and cons of lying to me. I was about to turn when I heard her respond.

"W-well, " she paused and I turned around to give her a look," I..."

"Twilight, " I said in a calm voice," Don't lie to me. You're not very good at it anyway."

Twilight sighed, " I don't know, but if I don't get a breakthrough soon... You could be here for a while."

My gaze harden, "Stop beating around it and tell me."

Twilight seemed to deflate, "Years... maybe more."

I nodded and started walking up the stairs. Halfway up Twilight yelled after me, "B-but wait!"

I ignored her and kept walking. When I reached the top of the stairs I opened the door and walked out into the main area of the library. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were there talking with Spike about something, but I was too out of it to care.

Rainbow turned when she heard the door open and said, "Hey Twi I got this book- Oh Daus."

I walked past them and out the door. I needed to get away from everyone.

***

Twilight sighed and started to gather up the files that she had shown Daus. His reaction had been better than she had anticipated but still...

"Um... Twilight...?"

Twilight looked up and saw Fluttershy standing at the top of the stairs.

Fluttershy paused a moment before going on, "Um... Is Daus okay?"

Twilight sighed and finished putting away the files, "He's... I just told him that... he could be here a while-"

"Hey Twi?! Could you come up here? You have a... guest."

Twilight sighed at the distinctly tomboyish voice coming from the first floor, but started up the stairs nevertheless. Fluttershy had gone back into the main part of the library and sounded like she was talking to someone. Twilight reached the door to the main lobby and paused, listening to the voices.

"You had better explain yourself mister-"

"I assure you I would if I could. However, I've already told you. It's not for me to tell."

"Hey! Since when do you care about keeping secrets?!"

"My dear Rainbow Dash, if we're going to discuss secrets then perhaps I'll give out a few of your own-"

"H-hey! Don't change the subject!"

"Well then I'm afraid I've run out of viable topics to discuss. Unless you would like to provide one, Twiligh?"

Twilight sigh. Of course he can see through doors. She pushed open the door and walked into the room. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash seemed to be arguing with Discord over something while Spike looked on with curiosity. Twilight wasn't that surprised to see Rainbow with her feathers ruffled, especially around Discord, but Fluttershy seemed to be just as perturbed as Rainbow. The timid pony rarely argued. Ever.

"Well how 'bout it princess?" Discord pulled a scroll and quill out of thin air, "Care to answer a few questions?"

Twilight looked around at the others warily, but they only frowned at Discord.

Twilight crossed her arms and steeled herself, "That depends."

"Excellent! Then let's get right to it." Discord floated above the others and pointed his quill at her, "Where were you the night this 'human' arrived?"

The question caught Twilight off guard, "Why do you want to know that?"

Discord rolled his eyes, "Because I am tired of snooping around behind you back and not getting anything for it. So," Discord went on ignoring the affronted looks being shot his way, "I have decided to be more direct. Where were you the night the human arrived?"

Twilight sputtered a few times then responded, "I was one of the ones who brought him here! I was in the tower with the other princesses! It was in the official report that was published in all the newspapers!"

"And."

Twilight stopped. About to reprimand Discord on his apparent snooping, "And what?"

"And what else?"

Twilight frowned in irritation, "And what else what?"

Discord rolled his eyes again, "And what else was in the tower?"

Twilight felt her irritation drain away to be replaced by suspicion, "Why do you want to know?"

Discord pointed his quill at Twilight again, "AHAH! So there was something else in the tower!"

Twilight shook her head, "Nothing that I can tell you about."

Discord stroked his beard thoughtfully, "Hmm, it would seem I am not the only one keeping secrets."

While Discord was thinking the rest of the room had turned their attention to Twilight. A fact that Twilight had not failed to notice.

Twilight raised her armed to forestall the coming questions, "I'm sorry but I can't."

"Come on!" Rainbow gave Twilight a frustrated look, "You can tell us!"

Twilight looked down and massaged the base of her horn. She could already feel the headache coming, "It's out of my hands. I'll ask but... no promises." Twilight looked up, suddenly suspicious.

Discord was still floating in the middle of the room, thinking. He had dropped his act, which Twilight knew normally meant he was in a good enough mood to take her seriously... most of the time.

Twilight readied herself before taking the plunge, "You never answered my question."

Discord slowly focused on her. Obviously still preoccupied with his thoughts. He didn't answer right away and his voice was disinterested, "Nor you mine."

Twilight huffed, "I said I'll ask!"

Discord suddenly focused on Twilight, a look of surprise on his face, "You were including me in that?"

Twilight sighed, "Now that I know you're looking I might as well be the one to tell you, with permission of course." Twilight cut across quickly when she saw the hopeful look on his face, "So I think you can answer my question at least."

Discord paused and thought for a while. Long enough for Twilight to get annoyed, but just before she could demand an answer he spoke, "Because, while I have spent the majority of my time on Equus as a statue, a rather good one I might add, I have grown rather attached to the place, and would hate to see it go."

Twilight looked around in confusion at her friends before asking, "See... what go?"

Discord gave Twilight the saddest look she had ever seen before he responded, "Why, Equus of course."

Twilight felt the bottom of her stomach fall out. For a few seconds her mind locked up and she could only look at Discord in horror. After a moment she found her voice again long enough to gasp out, "What in Celestia's name are you-"

She was cut off as the front door of the library was thrown open, and a blast of snow and cold air flowed in before the door was closed, revealing a bundled up Applejack. Said pony wasted no time in pulling off her scarf long enough to say in a rush, "You girls better come quick. I think Daus might be needin' some help here pretty soon.

***

As I walked toward the edge of Ponyville ponies stopped and stared as I when by. I scowled at most of them. It wasn't any different than any other time I had left the library. Granted fewer and fewer were interested it me the more I walked around town. The only one who stopped and stared on a regular basis anymore were fillies and visitors to the town anyway.

There was a moderate amount of snow on the ground and the pegasi had clouded the sky again today, so the weather wasn't helping me. As I got closer and closer to the edge of town the snow started to pile up, but I trudged on, oblivious to the wind and the cold.

As I reached the edge of town I thought I heard my name being called behind me, but I continued on toward the forest. I had had enough damn ponies for a while.

I continued trudging through the snow, which came up to my waist, until I reached the edge of the Everfree forest. Once I was past the first few trees the amount of snow on the ground lessened considerable to the point were I could actually walk normally. This only made me walk faster. Unlike the most residents in Ponyville I didn't give much thought to the dangers of the woods. I had been camping before when I was a kid and the description of the so called "monsters" that reside in the Everfree didn't seem all that different from the regular wolves and bears you would find on earth.

Celestia's spells seemed to have reached their limit because I was starting to feel the cold seep into me as I continued to walk, but I didn't really care. I had been cold before.

I started to walk aimlessly. It was a while before I was able to form any thoughts at all, and when I did, I just kept coming back to the same thing.

I could be stuck here... for years! And maybe more!

I snarled refusing to accept it. I would get back. I had to. I would do damn near anything to get back.

My thought were interrupted by the root of a tree as I walked by it. I stumbled but caught myself. After regaining balance I turned to the offending tree and sneered, "Well?! You want to ruin my life too?!"

I could feel my anger rising in me as I kicked the tree, but all I did was hurt my foot. Even angrier now I lashed out at the tree, slamming my fist into the trunk. I must have put more force than I intended behind the blow because I heard a "crack" as my knuckles broke against the tree.

The pain finally got through to my head and I fell to my knees clutching my hand close to my chest. I felt a few tears escape my eyes as my hand continued to throb. I turned and slumped against the tree trunk as the tears continued to flow. I don't even know why I was crying anymore. My hand had started it, but as the broken bones slowly numbed I continued to cry.

I had been here, in Equestria, for roughly five months, and in that time I had thought that I was dealing fairly well. I had learned a little about this world, gotten to know a few people, and generally been pretty good about the whole getting thrown into a new world.

But I had been lying to myself. I was scared. Scared of not knowing what would happen to me. I had the government after me for crimes I had yet to commit, no job future, no money, no family, no home, nothing... I could just die and make everyone's life easier.

I sat there and cried for a while, until the tears stopped coming. The cold was slowly sucking the heat from my body, but I was beyond the point of caring. I knew I was in trouble. Hypothermia was setting in. I had probably been sitting there for a couple hours, and I had long since lost feeling in my extremities. I doubt I could get up and walk if I wanted to.

I could feel my breath getting shallow and my vision was starting to get blurry. It was like death had wrapped me in its cold embrace and was slowly sucking the life out of me. It wasn't painful, hell, it was probably the most comfortable way to go.

I was so tired... tired of fighting...

As I slipped away I thought I heard the snow shifting around behind the tree and then a voice calling, but I didn't care... I was finally leaving this world...

***

...smoke, fire, cries of anguish, the smell of death...

...had to keep going...

...so tired...

...bodies, bodies everywhere. Small ones, tall ones, furry ones, feathery ones. Some five times my size...

...all dead...

...all gone...

...

...

...had to keep going...

...had to reach the center...

...if they get there first all is lost...

...

...Daaaaaaaausssssssssss...

...

...Daaaaaaaaaaaaussssssssss...

...

...my name...

...the walls spoke it. My name. The walls and floor and ceiling, begging me to-

*Beep* *Beep*

...

*Beep* *Beep*

...?

*Beep* *Beep*

...my head...

*Beep* *Beep*

I awoke to a pounding headache, which wasn't uncommon for me. I had taken to visiting a bar at the edge of the shipyard. Twilight had been against it at first, but I won her over eventually.

What wasn't common, however, was all the medical equipment around, and apparently hooked up to, me. As I slowly recovered my senses, I realized that I wasn't the only one in the room. I glanced sideways to my right and saw Princess Luna standing next to my bed reading a clipboard silently to herself. I struggled to lift myself from the bed, but I was still too weak to move. The whole situation seemed a little surreal, and, with a twinge of dull dread, I remember why I was here in the first place.

"Both legs amputated."

My eyes jumped to the figure next to me, but she was still reading. I hesitantly tried to move my legs... and felt them respond. A wave of relief washed over me for a moment. Then I looked back to Luna in confusion.

She gave me a brief blank look before turning and slowly walking up to the foot on my bed and facing me. All the while reading from the clipboard:

"The left arm needed to be amputated as well, along with most of the right. Ninety-five percent of surface tissue was destroyed. Two internal organs had failed upon admission, three more failed during operation."

I had stopped trying to catch her eye. I could tell by the tone that she wasn't telling me all this for my benefit.

"Average body temperature upon admission was well below normal, further adding to the patients deteriorating condition. Also, internal scans showed that roughly forty percent of the brain tissue had been rendered 'inoperable'."

Princess Luna glanced up at me again with a black look before looking back down at the clipboard again.

"The patient was pronounced dead at two forty-three on November the seventh, seventeen fifty-seven."

I looked up at her in surprise, and for the first time, she met my eyes. I tried to say something, but she resumed speaking:

"Then, due to reasons unknown at this time, shortly after being pronounced dead brain activity was detected, and the patient began to respond to treatment. However, his condition didn't stabilize until eighty-four hours had past and he had been pronounced dead three more times. Each time the patient seemed to revive itself through means unknown to operators, and no magic was detected originating from the patient."

Luna threw the clipboard at the foot of my bed. The page was covered in writing, but I couldn't lift my head enough to read it.

The princess grasped the railing at the foot of my bed, and stared at me with an almost predatory look. I couldn't hold her gaze for more than a moment before I looked away to the ceiling.

"You have some explaining to do."

I gathered my resolve and looked back down at Luna, "I don't know-"

"STOP LYING!"

I flinched as she bent the rails of my bed in anger. After a moment she let go of the rail and straightened up, regaining some of her composer.

She pointed an accusatory finger at me, "You have been lying to us all from the moment you set foot on Equus! You claim you don't know how you got here, and yet you know everything about us. Our names, our past, what we do, what we like, how we live, and even," Luna's eyes narrowed, "our future."

I shook my head, "You're being dramatic."

"I'm being dramatic!?" Luna grabbed the clipboard off the bed and brandished it in my face, "YOU DIED!" She threw the clipboard against the wall where it shattered.

She paused for a moment with her snout in my face, breathing hard. Then, as if realizing what she had done, she backed off and calmed down a little. But she was far from done.

"There is only one," Luna went on after a moment, "who has that kind of power, and he does not interfere with the world."

I rolled my eyes," I didn't take you for the religious type."

Luna shook her head," 'Religion' as you know it doesn't exist in this world. The Creator wouldn't want it to."

I had read about the Creator a few times in the books that Twilight gave me, but... he always seemed a little out of place. From what Twilight told me most beings on Equus "acknowledge" his existence, but don't worship him as a god, rather, they simple seem to accept the fact that he created Equus. Hence the name. However, it never says how. The most that I ever found was that he "planted the seed of the world", but then he apparently just up and left.

"You... don't believe he exists."

I looked up at the princess. Her demeanor had completely changed. Her anger was gone, and she was looking at me with a bemused expression. This bipolar chick was running the nation? No wonder they had revised the government.

Luna was still giving me an intrigued look, so I decided to respond.

"What?" I straightened up in bed with a groan, "Is that frowned upon here to? I've had this argument with my family too many times for me to care anymore."

Luna snorted, "It is not frowned upon. It is simple a... different view."

I grimaced, "Which kind of different? I've had to deal with a lot."

The princess frowned, "The creator exists. Just as the sky is blue and the grass is green. It is a simple fact of nature."

I sighed, "I'm not doing this right now. I have bigger problems. Like the fact that I'm still alive."

Luna's eyes took on a hard edge, "Don't speak so flippantly about your life."

I dropped my gaze, "Why not? It's mine isn't it?"

Luna stomped her hoof, "Every life is worth living!"

I raised my eyebrow, "Coming from the one who looked ready to kill me just a minute ago."

Luna shrugged, "I had to make sure that you real were a so called 'human', and I don't think invading your brain right now would be the best thing to do."

I crossed my arms, "Well I haven't been lying. I am 100% human."

Luna gave me a sad look and conjured a scroll from thin air, "You may have been telling the truth about that, but you still have been lying." She brandished the scroll at me, "Twilight Sparkle has been keeping tags on you. Where you go, who you talk to, and your general mental condition. I was fearful that the data was useless. Seeing as we have never had the chance to study a human before. Therefore, we couldn't know if the behavior you exhibited was normal or abnormal for one of your kind."

"However," she went on, "I'm going to go ahead an assume that attempted suicide is not normal."

I looked away from her. If only to hide my shame, but she continued on despite my demeanor.

She tapped the scroll in her hand, "This is the latest report that Twilight has sent me, from about two weeks ago I believe."

I heard her unroll the scroll and start reading:

"The subject Daus Skarr continues to exhibit self destructive tendencies including: heavy drinking bordering on alcoholism, skipping meals, drug abuse... etc. While the subject continually reassures me that he is 'fine' and that his physical health has 'never been better', he has continued to show erratic sleep patterns, depression, and, along with the negative tendencies stated above, an extreme lack of concern for his well being."

Luna rolled up the scroll and moved to the side of the bed into my line of sight.

I turned to look in the other direction.

Luna sighed, "She goes on to request that additional measures be taken to ensure your 'well being'... and I denied them."

I grinned but didn't look at her, "Smart move."

"I'm sorry."

I turned to look at her in surprise. She was giving me a sad look.

After a moment I found my voice, "F-for what?"

Luna grimaced and her gaze wandered to the foot of my bed, where the clipboard had rested, "Almost getting you killed. If I had grained Twilight's request... then maybe this might not have happened."

I glared up at her, "Something tells me I wouldn't have appreciated Twilight's 'additional measures'."

My voice brought her focus back to me, and for the firs time, I thought I saw the fainted of grins on her face, "Oh, you wouldn't have, and you defiantly won't like what she has in store for you when you get out over here." Her grin vanished as her voice dropped to a grim whisper, "She can be rather... interesting when excited."

I shrugged, "She's a pushover. She always threatens me with this or that, but never actually does anything when push comes to shove."

Luna grimaced, "I think you will be surprised at how forceful she can be."

"We'll see."

"Yes we shall, but..." Luna waved her hand and the scroll disappeared to be replaced by the reassembled clipboard, "unfortunately I don't have time to chat. It will be dawn soon." She placed the clipboard back on the bed and paused for a moment to look at the bent railing of the bed. She shrugged and continued on to the door, but just before leaving she turned back to me, "I have placed a guard at the door, so don't try and leave. Also, I believe Twilight will be coming by in the next couple of days to keep you company, so you needn't worry about boredom. And please..." Luna's voice lowered a little, "I know that you are angry, but she is not the one you should be angry with. She nearly died bringing you back from the edge of death four times. Even if it does not show, she cares deeply for your 'well being', and is only trying to help you."

"I get it. She cares. I don't."

Luna grew deadly quiet for a moment. She stared at me intently, as if trying to decide on something. After a short pause she broke the silence, "She has done nothing but help you since you arrived, and her emotional state is very fragile at the moment. She believes that she is part of the reason you decided to try to... kill yourself. Think about how that must feel, and decide if you wish to smash it to pieces."

Luna turned and left, but I was worlds away before the door was even closed.

Author's Note

Not a Christmas special, but I decided to push that back a year. It felt rushed at the current pace that the story is moving. Expect another chapter out in another month or so. There might be a small one after this to clear up stuff between Twilight and the MC but I doubt it'll fell like an actual chapter.

So yeah, moving on.