Author's Note
A/N: It is highly recommended you watch these two videos for context. You have been warned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crhazxOzIro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-EzMU0e1cQ
Neverending Orbit
Apogee
Princess Celestia sat in her chambers, quietly paging through some forms that were required of her attention. The moonlight shone through her windows, and the dull work allowed Celestia’s mind to wander.
Suddenly, she jerked her head up from the latest copy of Tax Form 73.5.5.608 to be assulted by her quill. Her head spun, her eyes locked on her window. Her left ear twitched. Quietly, slowly, she strode out to her balcony and looked up at the stars.
“Apogee?”
Entry 1:
Hi. My name is Apogee.
The statistical likelihood of anyone hearing or reading these words is so laughably infinitesimal that it makes me wish there was oxygen in space. Then I could give a hearty laugh, followed by a heavy sigh.
Unfortunately, there is no oxygen in space. There is a pony in space, however. Me. Gravity doesn’t really affect me quite the same as normal ponies.
This is the first in what will hopefully be a series of entries regarding my internment in space. One of the benefits of having a photographic memory is that I can keep track of journal entries without the need for paper. If my stay in space were to ever end, perhaps I could write down these journals. Maybe publish them. I hear ponies like reading tragedies.
Though this is the first entry in my journal, I have been here in space for a very, very long time. Were I a donkey, I would call it a “long ass time”. Sadly, I am not a donkey.
More unfortunate is the lack of scientific equipment in space. I would love to take exact measurements of my location, ambient temperature, velocity, and the like. I don’t even know how long I’ve been out here. My estimation puts me somewhere north of a five hundred years or so, give or take a decade.
I think that’s enough for now. I will re-report in after some kind of set interval. I’d call it a “day”, but my spaceborn orbit doesn’t follow a sun the same way Equus did. What a shame.
Entry 2:
Nothing of interest to report today. Space is rather dull, especially when one has been in it as long as I have.
Entry 3:
Nothing of interest.
Entry 4:
Nothing of interest.
Entry 7:
Today I passed within what I estimate to be a few thousand kilometers of a planet. It was a gas giant, many times larger than Equus, surrounded by many thin rings of dust. Its gravity pulled me slightly off my normal course.
It shone a deep blue.
It was actually somewhat pretty.
Entry 35:
Stars sure are strange, aren’t they? Balls of burning gas, going about the process of nuclear fusion until they explode or implode or do any number of other things until they no longer exist as stars.
I wonder how Equus’s star is doing. My mistake, with luck, was corrected by the Six. I can only hope.
I suppose that with me gone, they’re the Five now. What a shame, Apex had such a penchant for hexagons.
Entry 276:
I passed a small rocky planet. It looked icy, and was orbited by another planet of similar size.
I have the undeniable urge to say that it is not a planet. Perhaps if we saw it from Equestria, we could debate that with the astronomers.
Entry 365:
Nothing of interest, aside from the fact that I have completed a “year” worth of journal entries. They seem futile, but it is nice to have something to do every “day” cycle.
Entry 777:
Ha, sevens. How funny.
Oh come on, I can laugh at the little things, right? It’s about all I can do. Aside from, you know, the lack of oxygen preventing me from laughing. Gaia always said that seven would be my lucky number.
…
Gaia. Oh how I miss her. All three of them. No, five. Tia and Lulu as well. Perhaps sometime I should “write” down the story of how I left Equestria.
Not today.
Entry 4,678:
Sweet Faust I am bored.
BORED!
So incredibly bored.
There is nothing.
NOTHING TO DO.
At this rate I will go insane. I am warning you now.
Entry 16,745:
Bacon.
I miss bacon. Hay bacon was my favorite food.
I haven’t eaten food in…
How long have I been here?
16,745 divided by 365 means that I have been here for almost 46 years that have been documented. How much did I estimate was before that? Five hundred?
Entry 84,561:
Today was strange.
I think I met another. Like, a life form. It went by so fast, I couldn’t rightly tell. It glinted in the starlight as it flew by.
There is no sound in space. That is what they told us, that is what I found out when I tried to speak. Truly, in space, no one can hear you scream. At least, that’s what I thought.
As the object, or perhaps lifeform flew past, I heard a yell coming from it. All it said was, “SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!”
I have no idea what possible life form could like space so much that it would break the laws of physics simply to display its affection of it.
Perhaps I am going insane. It only took seven-hundred-something years.
Entry 345,612:
I am so lonely.
Not even the stars keep me company.
It’s a good thing I became immortal before I left Equus, because no mortal mind is equipped to handle almost one and a half thousand years of isolation.
Then again, at this point, death would be welcome.
Entry 711,345:
No.
Entry 711,346:
No.
Entry 711,347:
Oh how I wish I could cry in space.
Entry 711,348:
Okay, I suppose I should tell you why my last three entries sounded so melancholy. It’s simple.
I almost had it.
I was
Entry 711,349:
Okay this time I promise I can talk about this without having a panic attack.
SoIwasjustsittingheredrifinginspacelikeIalwaysdoandIwasrememberingmybrotherandsistersandthenanasteroidcamealongandactuallybumpedintomeandIwastouchingitforthebriefstofmementsanditfeltsoincrediblygoodthatIcouldn’tprocessitandthenitstarteddriftingawayfrommeandIwasscramblingtogetitbackbutIcouldn’tandnowI’mgoingtobeoutherealoneforeveruntilIdiebyfallinginablackholeandSWEETFAUSTIHATEMYSELFWHYCANNOTIJUSTSIMPLYDIE
Entry 711,350:
I don’t think anything will ever be of interest again.
Entry 1,000,000:
A million.
I’ve never had a million of anything.
Small consolation, that.
Nothing of interest.
Entry 4,672,234:
Nothing of interest.
…
No wait, what is that? A dust cloud of some kind?
Oh well, I think it is not so important.
Entry 4,672,235:
Huh.
I could have sworn I’ve seen that set of twin ice planets before.
Nothing of interest besides that.
Entry 4,672,237:
That gas giant sure is a lovely blue color. The rings almost make it sparkle.
Nothing else of interest.
Entry 4,672,245:
Sweet mother Faust, I cannot believe it.
That blue-green marble in the sky. Could it be? Is it actually Equus? Thirteen thousand years and I have never seen a planet quite like that. The image of it was burned into my mind when I cast myself from it. There is no way I could ever, ever, ever forget that planet.
I am still too far out today to get a good look at it, but I know it’s Equus. There is no other thing it could be. As I get closer, perhaps I can send out a signal to the Five. Let them know that I’ve come back! Maybe they can get me!
My hope burns brighter than any star! These next few days could very well be my last in space! I’m going home!
Apex! Dante! Gaia! Lulu!
Tia. Sweet Tia.
I’ll be home soon.
Entry 4,672,246:
There is no doubt in my mind that that is Equestria. Nowhere else in the universe has a magic field like that.
I spent all of this day staring at it. It is a dream come true, a dream thousands of years in the making.
I am preparing the spell to send a signal to the Five now. Our immortal link to each other, when amplified by each pony’s innate magic, should be sufficient to at least indicate who I am, and where I am. I will send out the ping tomorrow.
Entry 4,672,247:
There is a problem. I cannot feel all the others. Gaia, Dante, and Apex. Their signatures, I cannot feel them. Tia, however, I can feel. Lulu too, but for some reason she feels… diminished, somehow. Tia burns brighter than I have ever known her. The very star of this system seems to shine with her light.
I can only hope the other three are alright. Perhaps they finally went exploring as they said they would.
I pray they did not follow Mother.
Based on my trajectory, I will pass close by Equus, but I won’t impact it. Good. I was not looking forward to re-entry. Tia, with any hope, can surely teleport me down to Equus. I’m sure of it.
I am continuing to send out pings.
Entry 4,672,248:
I am now abreast of Equus. Oh journal, I cannot contain my excitement! I am coming home today!
Entry 4,672,249:
They…
They didn’t hear me…
Oh Faust, that was Equestria! That was my home! How! HOW! HOW CAN I NOT RETURN! WHY, CRUEL FATE!
Oh sweet Tia. I wish I could see your shining face. Thirteen thousand years, and my return is not going to happen again.
Who knows how much longer until I can return again, for another shot?
Will I ever see home again?
Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight sat in the Friendship Castle, hurriedly rummaging through books. Twilight’s mane was starting to fray in ways that betrayed her stress level. Celestia had said this was important. Perhaps one of the most important Friendship Projects ever.
“Find anything, Twilight?” asked Celestia.
“Aha! This is it! The book! Quantum Entanglement and Hay Bacon for Foals!”
Twilight cracked open the book and began hurriedly reading. Celestia peered over her shoulder.
“Twilight?”
“Just a moment, princess. I think I have the spell, but I need to make sure it’s safe to cast.”
“Time is of the essence, Twilight. We need to hurry.”
“I understand, Princess, but these are massive levels of magic. If we don’t use the proper caution, half of Equestria will be wiped from the map!”
Celestia looked crestfallen. “Of course. I’m sorry, Twilight. Take the time you need.”
“Here, I think I’m ready. We’ll have to cast a scanning spell to triangulate Apogee’s exact position relative to us, to see if we are even in range to attempt a long-range teleport.”
Twilight stood up, standing in the middle of the room. Her horn began to glow lavender, starting at a soft glow before growing to a raging inferno of magic, almost a meter across. The castle library shone, the crystal reflecting the heavenly light.
As quickly as she started, Twilight stopped.
“Well?” asked Celestia.
Twilight looked down. Celestia saw her, and understood immediately. “He’s…”
“It would be impossible to get him, princess. I’m sorry, he’s simply too far.”
A single tear fell from Celestia’s eye.
