He could hear the wind rushing past his ears. Celestia's magic firing off every few seconds like water crashing against a rock, carving into it. He could feel the blood rush to his feet as he reached the bottom of the swing. He could feel his heart beating, thumping in his chest, threatening to pop like a balloon. His lungs burned, the air was like knives, cold and sharp as the blades sank in with every brief breath. Getting as much air as he could before Celestia's magic wrapped itself around his neck once more.

He wanted to close his eyes, to forget, to wake up from the nightmare, to go home, he wanted it all to end. But no matter how hard he squeezed them shut, they just wouldn't let him go. The magic slamming around in his head. He could hear them, their cries of terror, they all screamed as they all saw what he saw, felt what he felt. They wanted out, and so did he.

Her magic would stop and the blood would begin to rush back to his head as he was tossed back into the air, farther up with every swing.

And then everything was still, he'd open his eyes hoping that he'd be back on the ground. But he was met with the world below him, clouds lazily drifting in the wind, mountains off in the distance. It was almost peaceful. Almost.

He'd feel that tug, that pull back to earth. And everything would go blank as his insides squirmed, as the butterflies in his stomach tried to chew their way out. As the magic in his head sloshed around and battered his brain like a sandy shore caught in a hurricane.

There was no end to it all.

Bile rose to the back of his throat, scalding the inside before the magic tightened around his neck, forcing him to swallow it back down.

This isn't real. None of this was. He wasn't afraid of anything. Death didn't scare him, so why did this?

Why?

He could feel himself slipping, the fingers clawing at the back of his eyes. Magic spilling from his head, bursting forward as he lost consciousness.

And for once, there was no magic to catch him as he fell. The howls in his head dying down as the wind caressed him. Lolling him to sleep with gentle arms and a hum. The fear that he held in his heart melted away, letting warmth rush in. It was beautiful. For the first time in years, he felt a rush of unbridled joy that bubbled from within. Not a joy at somebody else's expense, but a joy that came from nothing but him and him alone.

But that feeling was short lived, the roaring flame within him, smothered. Swallowed up by the hunger for anything and everything.

There were no words to describe what Luna was seeing. It was as if she were dreaming, watching her sister toss around the human as if she were a foal trying to destroy a doll. A maddened, childlike smile stretched across her face as she danced through the air. Climbing higher and higher with every flap of her wings, with every toss of the human.

"What are you going to do now?~" She sang. "Afraid of heights? You're all talk."

"Sister!" Luna called, trying to catch up. "Stop this!" The human flailed around, limbs desperately trying to latch onto something as he kicked and swung. Hands clawing at the area around him, sometimes even catching himself as nails dug into flesh. Only to be torn away as his limbs were dragged away by the force of his launch

"Talk! Tell me what you want! No more crazed delusions, I want the truth!"

"'Tia!"

Once more, the human was dropped. Falling through the air, his flailing was less intense now, as if he were calming down. She heard his wheezing as she caught up to Celestia, he wasn't calming down, he was dying. But there was no worry... right? The spirits would bring him back. Luna shook her head, turning her gaze towards her sister. She could watch this anymore, she had to stop her sister. "Celestia!" Luna yelled.

Thump thump thump

Celestia's eyes snapped open, as if she were just torn away from a dream. Her magic dying down as she turned her head towards Luna.

"Luna? Where..." She looked around, met by open sky and the sun.

Thump

Luna closed the gap between Celestia and herself, pulling her older sister into a hug. "Thank the stars, you're back. I was so worried."

A brow on Celestia's face raised. "What happened?

Luna shook her head. "I don't know"

Thump thump thump

"I had just finished trying to remove the link between you and the human. I was going to check in and see if that had done anything once you woke up, but the human woke up before you."

Luna told her sister all of what had happened. The magic the human possessed, and the conversation between the two of them. "You threw open my door– and there you were– furious to no end. I– I had tried to calm you down but you wouldn't listen." Luna was stumbling over her words.

thump

"You... grabbed the human by the throat and..."

Celestia shushed her, pulling Luna in for another hug. "I'm sorry, I had no idea what I was doing. You shouldn't have had to see that."

They parted the hug and smiled at each other. Only for something to rocket between them towards the ground.

"Oh what a touching reunion."

Turning their gazes to the object that flew past them, the both caught a glimpse of the human, smiling back up at them, eyes aglow with pale lights.

Flying down towards him, he called out over the wind. "Hey! How's it going?" Giving a small wave as he fell.

Luna sat just in front of him her while Celestia came to a smooth fall just behind him.

"Aren't you scared!?" Luna called out.

"Oh yeah, terrified! But that just means I'm alive!" He giggled. "And that's the best feeling of all!"

"Do you want us to catch you?" Celestia shouted.

The human rolled over, resting his head in a hand. "Only if you want to, 'Tia!"

Looking down, Luna spotted buildings, they were over Ponyville? She hadn't thought they'd flown out this far.

"Now let me ask you this, do you really want to?" Rolling back over, he brought his hands to the back of his head, letting a knee rest on the other as if he were lazing in a field.

Luna shook her head, she couldn't deal with this one's antics. Using her magic to began to wrap the human in–

"Ah ah ah," the human waggled a finger as he brought the other hand to the base of Luna's horn. Giving it a strong flick before letting his hands rest on the back of his head once more. "I don't want to be saved by you. You see–"

There was no more sky left as the human busted through a cloud.

"Me and Celestia are like two peas in a pod. Two bullets–"

His speech was interrupted by the ground as his body came to an unceremonious halt. Landing in a mass of... pillows? What?

They couldn't quite make out his speech as mountain of pillows muffled him. Why were there so many pillows in the road anyways? Who put them there? Who has this much free time? Just... why? There were too many questions.

Landing next to it, the two sisters tried to peer into the makeshift fort. They could just barely make out the human's muffled talking.

"Aaah! I'm blind!"

Struggled grunting came from within and the pillows began to fall. The mountain crumbling as the beast within tore it's way out by tooth and nail. Pushing away the mass of cushion, only to be smothered by more cushion.

Celestia and Luna looked at each other, their faces contorted in a mixture of worry, confusion, and surprise.

"Why is it so hot in here!? Who turned up the heat? Am I in Hell? Who knew Hell smelled like lilac fabric softener and sweat?" The human giggled before his head burst forth back into the open air. "And just like that; the human male is born. Thrust forth into the world and covered in juices from the dark crevice he came from."

Luna held back her laughter with a hoof. What was this? Who was this?

The human, turned his head back and forth between the two princesses. "Fine morning for a pillow fort eh, ladies?" He snickered. Sighing, he crawled out from his place in the pillow pile. Dusting his knees as he rose before meeting their gazes. His eyes still glowing with that pale magic, and his mouth glowing with a toothy smile. He took in a breath, his nostrils flaring before letting out of his mouth. "It's amazing to be back."

"Hey!" A tiny voice shouted. "Back away from our landing si–"

Turning to the owner of the voice, their gazes fell on an orange pegasus filly. A wild fuchsia mane adorning her small head. With wide purple eyes, she stared back.

"P– Princesses!? H– How's it going?" She smiled nervously.

There was a pregnant pause before another voice called out.

"Scootaloo, what's going on over he–" The voice had a light southern drawl to it and was owned by a small yellow filly with a red mane and tail, a red bow adorning her mane.

Following closely behind the yellow earth filly was a white unicorn filly. Mane and tail made up of a pale pink and purple with curls at the end.

None of them spoke. What could they say? Deciding to speak up, Luna coughed into her hoof, clearing her throat only to be interrupted by a shrill squeaking coming from her right. Turning her head, she caught sight of the human mashing his cheeks with his hands, eyes wide and a smile stretching from ear to ear.

Luna and Celestia watched the human lunge for the fillies, their horns lighting up to protect them but they were too slow.

"You're so cute!" The human giggled as he brought the fillies close to his bare chest in a hug. "So soft! Like tiny stuffed toys!" The human danced in place, his feet pattering on the cobbled road.

"Hey, let us go!" The pegasus filly named Scootaloo cried out, trying to push the human away.

"I love the bow! Where can I get one? Do they have them in blue? Purple? Pink? How about an even darker red? Ah forget it, you all are perfect as it is, I'll keep you forever and ever!" The words came out a mile a minute.

Celestia could only stare on as the human smothered the fillies in love. What was going on with him? Had she broken him? Was this even broken? Did she fix him?

"Alright, that's enough. Leave the poor fillies alone," Luna said as she separated the four with her magic. She shook her head with a chuckle. Looking back at the grinning human, she caught a glimpse of his shining eyes dimming back down to their usual pale glow. She'd have to keep a close watch on that.

The fillies sighed, muttering their thanks as they set their tousled manes back to their former glory.

"So... what are–" Luna began before being interrupted once more, the human's head banging softly back and forth as he spoke.

"So what's going on? This your fort? it's a cool fort, nice fort, the best fort, love the interior and what you've done with the place. A great victorian feel to it, the rug really pulls it all together nicely."

The answer he had gotten were three raised eyebrows and a quick, confused nod form the unicorn filly.

"You wouldn't happen to be... distantly... related to a pony named Pinkie Pie would you?" Scootaloo asked.

Before he could speak, Luna took action and clamped his mouth shut with her magic. "Please. No more talking from you right now. Calm. Down."

The human nodded.

"I want you to close your eyes and breathe in."

He followed her instructions.

"Good. Now, let it all out."

Opening his eyes as he exhaled, Luna watched the two lights dim even further. She could just barely make out the color of his eyes now. It had to be connected to how excited he was, there was no other explanation. For now, she couldn't let him get too excited, fearing what might happen if he were to get too happy.

Turning to the three fillies, she sighed. "Now, to answer your question. No, I don't think he is."

"What is he?" The unicorn asked, her voice like chimes.

"He called himself a human not too long ago."

"What's a human?" The earth filly asked.

Luna was about to answer the question but the breath caught in her throat. Closing her mouth she furrowed her brows. What was a human?

Turning back to the one in question, she let go of his jaw. "Can you answer the question?"

He took a breath and raised a finger to the air, a shimmer in his eyes as they brightened just slightly.

"Calmly?"

That killed it. Moving the finger to his chin, he rubbed it, his eyes squinted and brows furrowed in what looked like a painful thought process. Closing his eyes, he nodded his head, tapping a finger to is chest before giving his answer. "Me. Me is a human."

Silence.

"Okay, well see ya!" The earth filly turn and galloped away, followed by the unicorn.

"Hey!" Scootaloo shouted, "Wait for me!" Following her friends as they turned the corner, towards the town hall.

Turning back to Celestia and Luna, he smiled and asked, "What now?"

Celestia sighed and shook her head. "Now we go back to Canterlot, I'll leave you in the care of Twilight since I'm... I'm just too tired to deal with you, now or when I wake up."

Luna watched a single eye on the human's face widen for a moment as his eyes dimmed just as long.

"Sounds like fun. Sleepover."

He turned his gaze towards Luna and she felt something snap in her chest as their gazes met. His smile felt... off.

"What about you?"

"I will..." Should she stay with him? Just to make sure he didn't cause trouble? She had duties in Canterlot but once Celestia rested she'd be able to take of them. And she wanted answers, to his change in behavior and his magical prowess. "I'll stay with you."

Before she could react, she was embraced, arms wrapping around her before she was lifted off the ground and swung around as the human cheered. "Wooo! Sleepover!"

She pushed him off with her magic and she was met with his tooth filled smile, canines shining in the light.

"Are you sure about this?" Celestia asked.

Turning to her sister, Luna nodded, deciding not to say anything because she didn't want the human to hear.

Celestia's eyes went from head to hoof, and then back up. Humming before offering a smile. "Come back soon then." Pulling her into a hug, she whispered. "Be safe."

"You too," Luna replied.

Backing away, Luna watched her sister disappear in a flash of magic. Probably teleporting straight to her bed. Turning back to the human, she met his gaze with a smile of her own. "Hungry?"

"Starving."

"Do you know any of the eateries around here?"

He nodded. "Yeah, there's this one place I've always wanted to go, but never got the chance."

...

"Well?" Luna asked.

"Well what?" He asked back.

"Lead the way."

"Oh," he chuckled. "Yeah."

Walking past her, he made his way down the road. His feet slapping the cobblestone with every step. Luna followed closely behind, watching him walk with a certain swagger to his step. The giant pillow pile disappearing from the corner of her vision. The fillies would surely come back for it.

"So what do you want to know?" The human asked.

Luna was torn from her thoughts with the question. "What? What do you mean?"

"I felt those thoughts of yours, pressing in on me whenever we looked at each other. So... ask away."

He felt her thoughts? "Okay?" There was only so much time on this earth, and all of the questions couldn't be answered so... "How do you control the spirits?"

"Hm? Spirits?"

Surely he had to know, there was no way he couldn't. "The ones you used to revive yourself, the ones back in Canterlot."

"Spirits... Spirits... Oh I know! Yeah that isn't me."

Only more questions. "What? What do you mean that isn't you?"

"Well, it's me but not me. Ya feel me?"

"No I don't feel you, what do you mean?"

He laughed to himself. "It's like... I don't know, one moment I'm going with the flow and the next, pow, thoughts and feelings I've never had before. I can't always make sense of it so I just let go, just like now I guess." He scratches the back of his head as a nervous laughter escapes him. "Like being a backseat driver to your own emotions. Or something like that."

What? "Or something like that?"

He nodded. "Or something like that."

Well that was that. "If you're a... a backseat driver to your own emotions, what are you feeling now?"

He shrugged. "I don't really know. It's like I want to dance, to sing. It's like my insides are squirming around, having a party of their own."

This was all so strange. "I guess that's not so bad." She could only stare at the strange creature, the mysteries contained within, the secrets he held. "So, you don't seem to have a horn, or wings. Other than enthralling spirits, what else are you able to do?"

Another shrug. "I can do a lot of things, walk, talk, breathe, very rarely can I do all of those at the same time." He guffawed mockingly, Luna couldn't help herself to a small chuckle.

"Where did you come from?"

"Where did I come from? Or where did I come from?"

Luna rolled her eyes. "The first thing."

"Well, first things first, we're here."

Luna's eyes rose to the building before her. It looked like a gingerbread house, only larger. "Ah, Sugarcube Corner." A thought wormed its way to her head. She turned to look up at him. "This is where you came from?"

His smile stretched even further. "Yes, I am a living pastry. Past all the flesh and blood is a gooey caramel filling."

They both shared a chuckle before entering.

Luna sighed happily as a wave of cool air washed over her, the smell of cinnamon and lemons tickling her.

"Welcome!" A voice shouted from behind the counter. The voice belonged to a pudgy baby-blue earth pony mare with a swirly two-toned pink mane. She was looking at the human with a smile before her eyes landed on Luna. "Princess Luna." She rushed from behind the counter and bowed before her.

The rest of the ponies in the shop followed suit.

Why did they always have to do this? "Please, please, rise. I'm just here to relinquish you of a few treats for my acquaintance and I."

They rose at her word. "Please, take anything you want."

Luna rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof her blue cheeks flushed red. She could hear the human's giggling at her side, which only caused her blush to worsen.

"Everybody loves a princess."

Shaking her head, she turned her gaze towards the owner of the shop. "Could we get two vanilla cupcakes?"

"Coming right up, princess."

Walking to a table, Luna sat herself down with her back against the window. Staring at the candy laden shelves that lined the walls of the shop.

"Any other questions?" The human asked as he sat across from her, head in hand, and elbow on the table. "I'm an open book, won't get this chance once I'm gone."

"Once you're gone?"

"I'm not staying forever. Once I've had my fun, I'm gone, hopefully 'Tia helps me. That's what I hope at least."

He wants her sister to help him? Even after... her sister had done less than reputable things. Another question she'd get the answer to another time. There was something more important at hoof. "Back in Canterlot... There was... a moment when you spoke of a grand river. Do you remember anything about that?"

He nodded.

Luna stared at him, waiting for him to elaborate. "Well?"

"Oh you want me to tell you about it." He nods again. "Sure. Okay so imagine–"

Just as Luna was about to get her answer, two cupcakes on a silver tray was pushed in front of them, the humans eyes snapping towards the frosted treat with a gaze like a starving manticore. The baby-blue mare from before smiling at them.

"Will that be all, princess?"

Luna nodded. "Yes, thank you."

"Anything for you." The mare bowed her head and backed away.

Turning back to the cupcake before her, Luna used her magic to pick it up, only to watch the other disappear in the blink of an eye. Turning her gaze back up to the human before her, she was met with his usual smile. Something felt off about him though, it was as if the air around him were excited. His eyes weren't any brighter so it couldn't have been magic, maybe her imagination? Shaking her head, she took a bite from the cupcake in her own magic. It wasn't any different than any other vanilla cupcake, sweet, almost sickeningly so.

"Can I ask a question of my own?" The human asked.

"Mm-" Luna swallowed her bite of the treat. "Go ahead." What kind of questions did he have?

"How do you get your hair like that?"

"My mane?" That wasn't what she was expecting.

He nodded excitedly. "Yeah, how do you get it to go all," he made ghost noises while waving his arms slowly. "And what's up with the stars? Is it because you're a princess of the night?"

Before she could get word in, his questions continued, their pace picking up after every one.

"Why are you the princess of the night and Celestia not the princess of the day? I heard you were banished to the moon, what was that like? If Celestia was banished would you send her to the sun? Could she survive that? I wonder what that would be like. Must be pretty warm. I mean it's the sun and all. Could you even do it? I mean, you need the elements of–"

Luna sighed. Clamping his mouth shut again. It was like she was dealing with an overactive foal. Why did he seem so familiar though?

"My mane is naturally like this thanks to the magic within me. My sister and I have enough magic to the point where it just flows out of us at a constant rate in the forms of our mane and tails."

The human hummed past her magic.

Releasing him from her magic, she sighed. "Can I have my answer now?"

A brow on his face raised.

"About the grand river?"

"Hm. What do you want to know?"

First things first. "What is it?" And why hasn't she heard of it before?

"Well. It's a river, that should be obvious by the name. But it's not just any river, which the title of grand should also make that obvious. To put it simply? It's a river of the dead, where the souls of those who have died go, and those that have yet to be born come from."

"Where is it?" She had to know.

"... You see, I don't know the answer to that."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

Shaking his head, he gave his answer. "I mean, I'd say it's in Tartarus, but where in Tartarus is hard to say. So I don't really know where in Tartarus it is."

Well that narrows it down. "How do you know so much about it?"

"Well–" he laughed to himself "–promise you won't get mad at me?"

"Sure?"

He scooted himself closer to her, his voice lowering into a whisper. "I broke into Golden Oaks before Twilight moved in, wanted to read up and bring myself up to speed. So I taught myself how to read and write, and before I knew it I found a book on lost legends. Of course when Twilight moved in, most of the books were deemed out of date and removed by Celestia's guards."

"Did you take anything?"

He shook his head. "Stealing is wrong, and I already do enough wrong stuff to get my fill."

"What kind of wrong stuff?"

"Well breaking into places, that's one; stalking ponies, I guess that's two; and uh–"

She had to. "Wait, back up. Stalking ponies?"

"Oh yeah, it ties back in with breaking into places. Most of the time I'd watch them do their daily thing, other times I just get the urge to watch you guys sleep. So cute!"

Lightning runs down Luna's spine and she has to suppress a shake. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to bring him to Twilight's. The moment the words had left him, the smile on his face wasn't just an innocent smile anymore. It was a mask. The shine of his teeth, the stretch of his lips, the narrowing of his eyes, all of it was to hide something.

Pushing her chair out, she stood back up on her hooves, "Okay, we're going now." She couldn't let herself relax around him, no matter how much he relaxed around her. Like a viper coiling back, she had to be ready for when it decided to strike. Luna understood her sister's warning now. If this was just another mood swing of his, what were the worse ones like?

She had to keep him happy.

A hand waved in front of her muzzle.

"Hello, anybody in there?"

She shook her head and looked up at the human. "Yes?"

He laughed. "Well you were just standing there, and I can't really leave your side." He motioned to the door with a swing of his arm. "Lead on."

Making her way out of the shop, she trotted out into the afternoon sun. The human following closely behind, the swing in his step now gone.

She had to keep him happy, keep him calm. No surprises. But little did Luna remember, Ponyville was the capitol for surprises. And a certain pink pony lurked in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.

"Equestria is no stranger to evil. There are plenty of those with ill intentions, ideas of grandeur, thinking themselves above the natural order. The human is no different than the rest, a child playing with power, he has no idea of the raw potential he holds within him."

Shifting around, the sound of sloshing echoes through the darkness. A wet slurping follows it into the depths of the hive.

"He dances with ponies, only because the guilt they would hold in their hearts if they granted his wish. Ending his life would be a mercy, but it would also be murder. And Celestia is no murderer."

The chittering of wings responded from within.

"No. She is the judge, the jury, and the executioner. Her word is the gavel, and those closest to her, are the firing line."

There was soft chortle from the shimmering grey mass before it fell into a coughing fit.

"Don't worry... human. I shall bring you what you desire most. What the heart wants, but the mind locks away."

A shower of cheers and hissing erupted around the cavern. Lights flashed and danced in the dark as eyes peered into the abyss at the human walking side by side with the Princess of the Night.

"It's just one thing after another with you, isn't it?"

Author's Note

Combed through it a couple of times, still may have missed some things though.