"Arty, come on, keep up!" Who is that? "You're gonna miss it!" What's going on here?

"Wait up!" I feel my mouth move, but that's not my voice. Way too young and why can't I see anything?

"Arty's a slow poke, Arty's a slow poke!" Another voice, even younger than the first.

"Tia, Lu's making fun of me again!" What the fuck? Is this another of those memory things Luna talked about? Damn it, as if I don't have enough problems!

"Behave you two," "Tia" admonishes us and my vision begins to clear. I'm standing on a hill at night, staring out over a small gathering of what look like a bunch of unicorns in elaborate robes, standing upon some sort of giant mystical array that I can't even begin to work out. "It's starting soon and I don't wanna get caught because you two are acting like brats."

"You're so boring, Tia," I taunt her, turning my head to see a white unicorn filly with a pink mane, taller than me, and I feel myself blowing a raspberry at her.

"I am not!" She protests, looking rather cross at the accusation. "Now hush, it's starting." I look down at the unicorns and watch as, in unison, they light their horns. The array lights up and the moon begins to move, lowering below the horizon. We turn as light shines behind us, the three of us, I caught a glimpse of the filly that looks like Luna, reacting with awe at the sight of the sun as it rises.

"One day, me and Tia are gonna do that," Lu, Luna, whatever, remarks, still in awe. I find myself shifting uncomfortably, my wings shuffling at my sides.

"I wish I could help," I mutter sullenly and I feel my ears folding down against my head. Am I a pegasus in this memory? And, again, why am I seeing it from this perspective if it's Luna's memory? Ugh, more questions and not enough answers. I feel Tia, Celestia, nudge me lightly and I look up at her to see her smiling.

"You help us every day, silly," she says, giving me a little nuzzle and kiss on the top of my head. Who am I to them? "You don't need to be a unicorn to be special, Arty. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"He's been out for awhile." Wait, what? I was...what was I doing? And why do I feel like crap? "Maybe we should, I dunno, get a doctor or something."

"It's only been an hour, Dash." Do I know these voices? Ugh, my head is killing me. "Princess Luna said that he'll be okay, so we shouldn't have anything to be concerned about."

"Well, he was kinda, you know, smacked pretty hard." Was I? Wait, yeah, I remember...I remember being hurt. The dragon! My eyes open and I see Rainbow Dash standing watching over me, with Twilight sitting in a nearby chair, an open book in the grip of her magic. "Oh, hey, he's awake."

"Yes, 'he' is," I grunt, finding myself on someone's bed, my entire body aching as I stir from under the covers. "I take it I wasn't imagining things and that we actually succeeded?"

"Yes, Fluttershy was able to convince the dragon to leave," Twilight replies, shutting her book while Rainbow takes a few steps back in order to give me some space. Fluttershy...yeah, I remember, she basically bitched it out to the point it up and left. I've said it before and I'll say it again: ponies are fucking strange. "How are you feeling?"

"Like hammered shit," I reply, Twilight grimacing at my use of profanity. I'm a cantankerous old man, so sue me, kid. "Where am I?"

"You're in the library," Rainbow informs me. "Twi's room." I look around, noticing the decor for the first time. Yeah, someone definitely likes books. "You sure you should be getting up? I mean, I'm pretty sure anypony else would be in traction after the hit you took."

"Alicorn healing," I explain, stretching as I step off the bed, wincing when my joints pop in the process. "As long as we have enough magic left, we can recover from almost anything. Granted, doesn't make it hurt any less, but it sure comes in handy."

"I'm glad you're okay," Twilight says, placing her book on a nearby shelf and offering me a relieved smile. "You looked...bad when we brought you down from the mountain." She shifts in her seat, eyes dropping to the floor as her ears droop a bit. "Princess Luna assured us you'd recover but, well-"

"Twi was freaking out pretty hard," Rainbow interrupted with a laugh, Twilight glaring at the pegasus with reddened cheeks. "She kept checking your temperature and stuff and-"

"Like you were any better!" Twilight protests. "Who was it that wanted to go grab Nurse Redheart again?"

"H-hey, that was before Luna said he'd be okay," Rainbow responds, acting like a total tsundere in the process. How adorable. "I mean, you practically insisted we bring him here so he could be more 'comfortable'."

"And what's wrong with that?" Twilight asks, her blush darkening somewhat. "Should I have just left him on the couch?"

"You could have given him the guest bed," Rainbow points out, smirking as Twilight's eyes widen. "I think that you just l-"

"Okay, that's enough," I interject before this can get any more weird. Not thinking about what Rainbow Dash was trying to imply. Nope, definitely not. "Thanks for keeping an eye on me and all that, but I should probably get going."

"Pinkie's not gonna be happy," Rainbow points out as I head for the door. "Y'know, if you skip town before she can throw you a party."

"I really don't think I'll be good company at any sort of party," I mutter, opening the door and stepping out into the hall beyond that overlooks the library itself. And straight into something pink with a giant grin on its face. "GAH!" Barely restraining my instinctive reaction to blow the offender to steaming little bits, I clutch at my chest as my heart tries to pound its way out of my rib cage. "Pinkie Pie, God fucking damn it!" She reaches out, lightly touches my nose and makes a "boop" sound. The fuck?

"Firstly; it's Faust and bucking here, silly," she tells me, giggling like a little girl as I stare at her blankly. How does she even know what I mean when I use those words? "And secondly; you weren't planning on leaving yet, were you?" She bounces a bit in place. "I still haven't gotten to throw you your party yet!" Are parties all this mare ever thinks about? And it's only been an hour, for crying out loud! How did she plan a party in that short amount of time?

"Listen, Pinkie, I'm flattered and everything but I can't-" The words catch in my throat as I see the look on her face. Oh, God, she looks like a sad little puppy. That's about to cry. Jesus, why do I even care? She's just another crazy pony...that helped save my worthless ass from spending an eternity with Nightmare Moon. Damn it. "Okay, fine. I'll stay for the party."

"I promise to make it as painless as possible," she assures me, having immediately sprung back to full peppiness once I agreed. "Small guest list, no loud noises and some nice, relaxing music." I blink at her stupidly and she giggles again. "What? You nearly exploded me when I tried to surprise you. Why would I make the same mistake twice?" She boops my nose again. "Duh, I wouldn't, obviously." She turns and starts bouncing on her way. "See you in half an hour~" And I'm left staring at where she used to be, jaw hanging open, and I can hear Rainbow Dash laughing at me in the background.

"The look on his face!" I hear the sporty pegasus guffaw. "You just got Pinkie Pied, Arty!"

"Oh shut up!" I snap, cheeks burning as she laughs at me harder. "All the ponies in this town are crazy!" I exclaim, Twilight staring at me in surprise. "That's it, I'm done here." And Rainbow's laughter chases after me as I stomp my way out of the library, muttering obscenities under my breath the whole way.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Did you have to laugh at him?" Twilight asks as Rainbow gets up off the floor at last. "He clearly didn't appreciate it."

"Oh, come on, Twi, I was just having a little fun with him," Rainbow casually dismisses it. "Guy needs to lighten up."

"Making fun of him isn't going to accomplish that," Twilight points out. "I know you didn't mean it that way but he doesn't." Rainbow frowns thoughtfully, wings and ears drooping as she comes to a realization.

"I need to apologize later, huh?" At Twilight's nod she groans in dismay. "Dang it, I hate apologizing."

"Then maybe next time you ought to think before you open your mouth." Twilight giggles when her friend starts grumbling under her breath. "Okay, I'm sure you have things to do before the party, so go on and get out of my room already."

"I bet you wish Arty had stayed in it~," Rainbow teases her, ducking a flying pillow as she's on her way to the door.

"Oh be quiet and just go, you pervert!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Back in Canterlot, Cadence is making her way to Celestia's private study, having heard something she is finding very difficult to believe. Because, honestly, she likes to think that her adoptive aunt is a much smarter mare than what this latest bit of palace gossip suggests. Alright, calm down, she reminds herself. After all, it could simply be just that; idle gossip. Oh, she really hopes that's all it is. She trots along, giving a distracted nod to one of the palace staff as she passes them, stopping only once she reaches her destination. Breathe, Cadence, this is Celestia, not some idiot noble with an axe to grind. Just go in there, talk to her like a rational pony and surely your faith in her will be rewarded.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"What am I even doing?" I ask myself once I'm outside, cheeks still a little warm from the razzing I'd gotten from Rainbow Dash. I should just leave, head back to Canterlot and...do what, exactly? I feel myself scowling at the thought. What's waiting for me there except a constant reminder of what I've done? Would it be so bad to just forget about it all, even if it's just for a little while? I grit my teeth and admit that, yes, it would. I can never allow myself to forget, even for a moment. No, I deserve to be reminded, to have my crimes put on display for the entire world to see. I'm a murderer. A monster. Even now, looking at the ponies I pass by, part of me can't help seeing them as animals. I'm disgusting!

"Bit for your thoughts?" Oh, great, just who I needed to see. I note that I've somehow made my way halfway across a bridge without realizing it as I turn toward the sound of Luna's voice. Speaking of constant reminders, there's the worst of them all in the flesh. "You appear as though you have something you need to express." I open my mouth, only to close it as I notice that we're drawing a crowd. Right, royalty, though I imagine the ponies are wondering who I am. I don't exactly look like I did when I first appeared before them, after all. Luna hardly seems to register their presence, though I suppose, given how long she served as princess before her exile, she's used to being stared at by the masses.

"Nothing," I lie as I spread my wings, starting to feel crowded. "...mind if we stick around for a bit longer? I kind of got roped into attending a party." I promised, after all, so I might as well see it through. Besides, I have this weird feeling that Pinkie might hunt me down if I do otherwise.

"Ah, I see Miss Pie managed to finally melt your icy exterior." Don't sound so fucking amused, you smug little shit. "I suppose we may stay for a time. We would not wish to disappoint our saviors, now would we?" Thanks for reminding me. Just what I needed at the moment. "Just remember not to stray too far."

"Yes, mom," I mutter, taking to the air before she can respond. If there's anything about being a pony I don't mind so much, it's flying. The wind, the speed, the adrenaline! It's such a liberating feeling, to leave gravity behind and just let yourself feel the wonder of it all. It's almost enough to make me forget my troubles. Almost. Still, I suppose things could be worse. At least this way I can enjoy something about my new life.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cadence closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, counting to ten before she lets it out slowly. She sits across a table from Celestia, the two of them enjoying a spot of tea together when Cadence had decided to broach the subject she had come here to discuss. Celestia's response, however, had stunned her.

"You're telling me," the princess of love begins slowly, tone tight with suppressed emotion, "that you sent Artemis, one of the most mentally damaged ponies in Equestrian history, on a mission to peacefully relocate a fully grown dragon, with the mare who caused said mental damage in the first place?" Celestia doesn't respond at first, sipping her cup of tea, before looking her adopted niece straight in the eye, her expression carefully neutral.

"Yes, I did," she tells the younger alicorn softly, Cadence twitching as she glares at the sun princess from beneath her bangs.

"ARE YOU BUCKING KIDDING ME?!?" The pink princess shouts, one hoof slamming down on the table top for emphasis, causing the whole thing to groan and buckle from the force behind it. "It's only been a month, Celestia! A MONTH! No one recovers from a thousand years of mental and physical abuse that fast, not even some supposed alien from another dimension!" She finds herself trembling as her heated gaze never leaves Celestia's stony visage. "Not once would I have ever expected you to be so reckless with the lives of others! What would have happened if he'd lost control? Twilight and her new friends could have been hurt, maybe even killed!"

"That is why I sent Luna," Celestia informs her calmly, finishing her tea and pouring herself another cup. "If he had succumbed to his impulses and endangered them, she would have been more than capable of protecting the girls from harm."

"And what about Artemis himself?" Cadence demands, irritated by how casual Celestia is being about this. "His mental health is only just barely starting to improve and even saying that he's nowhere near ready to-"

"Cadence." The room suddenly feels smaller and Cadence finds herself shivering, as if cold. Nothing has truly changed, yet with a single utterance of her name, Celestia has reduced her to feeling like she is once again simply a foal sitting at her teacher's hooves. "I understand your feelings regarding this matter. Truly, I do. But you need to understand something, as well." Celestia is looking her right in the eyes now. "He is not a pony, Cadence, no matter what he looks like, and we are just as alien to him as he is to us. I believe that is part of the reason why he was able to so casually inflict harm upon our subjects at first." She takes a moment to sip her fresh cup of tea before continuing. "He doesn't see us as people. Or rather, he didn't." She turns her gaze downwards, staring into her cup. "He must be given focus, purpose, a reason to care about his future and a reason to care about us." She sighs wearily. "I will admit, sending him along on this mission was a risk, but a calculated one. I know you have good reason to doubt me, Cadence, but please, trust me for now. Seeing the struggles of our ponies, helping them in ways more meaningful than simple chores; it is in this way that I hope to guide him to recovery and aid him in settling into his new life here."

"I..." Cadence fails to find the words at first, not sure what to make of what she's been told. "Alright, Celestia. I might not agree with your methods in this case, but I'll trust your judgement." The solar diarch had never steered her wrong before after all. "I still think this was a stupid risk, no matter the reason for it." She stands and heads for the door, pausing with her hoof on the handle. "Just a suggestion, but maybe the next time you want to pull a stunt like this you should warn me first." She then departs, closing the door behind her.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

I look down on Ponyville from my cloud perch, having decided to relax for a bit somewhere out of the way from the prying eyes of others. My flight hadn't been as liberating as I'd hoped, as I'd drawn quite a bit of attention from the local populace, much to my displeasure. So here I am, staring down at the town below me, reminded of the first time I'd done so. I close my eyes as a sudden wave of vertigo hits me, biting back a groan as my stomach turns. I really need to stop having flashbacks.

"You sure you should be up here?" The sudden question nearly causes me to yelp, but a quick bite of the tongue stops that urge right quick. What is with ponies and sneaking up on me while I'm distracted? "I mean, I enjoy relaxing on clouds as much as the next pony, but if you skip out on Pinkie she's gonna be pretty upset."

"I haven't been up here that long, Rainbow Dash," I reply, the voice unmistakably hers. "Is there something you want or what?" She doesn't reply immediately and I turn my head to frown at her, the pegasus hovering there with an uncomfortable expression on her face. "Well?"

"Okay, fine, I'll just come out and say it then!" She exclaims suddenly, cheeks darkening even through her coat. "I'm sorry, alright?" I blink at her dumbly, wondering what brought on thi sudden apology. "Quit staring at me likea doofus and just accept the apology already!"

"I would if I knew what you were apologizing for." Now it's her turn to stare at me. "What?"

"Seriously?" The mare shakes her head at me. "I was totally ribbing you at Twilight's earlier, remember?"

"Oh, right." I shrug carelessly, my gaze returning to the town. "You're forgiven, I guess."

"Dude, are you feeling alright?" She asks me, the surface of the cloud shifting as she lands on it. "I mean, it's none of my business, but you seem kinda...I dunno, off or something." Oh, nothing Dash, just remembering the night I terrorized a town and tried to murder six mares who'd never done a thing to me in their entire lives. No big deal, right? Not gonna tell her that, of course. Last thing I need right now is more pity.

"It's nothing," I lie casually, getting up and spreading my wings. "You can tell Pinkie not to worry. I'll be at the party." I then step off the cloud and start gliding, not really paying much attention to where I'm going. I just know that being around others is the last thing I want right now.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Rainbow Dash finds herself frowning deeply as she watches Artemis drifting away on the air currents, something about how the stallion had been acting really bothering her.

"Hey, you're kinda heading towards the Everfree!" She calls out to him as she notices where his current trajectory will take him. However, the alicorn either doesn't hear her or is actively tuning her out. "Hey, flankhole!" Not even a twitch and he's getting further away by the second. "Oh, forget it." He's a grown stallion with super healing powers, so she's pretty sure he can look after himself. Still, as she watches him, she can't help feeling like she ought to tell somepony, just in case.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Before I know it, I'm slowly floating along over the Everfree Forest, wondering what in the world I think I'm doing right now. Am I just a glutton for punishment or what? But I'm not turning myself around, so maybe I am. It's not like it matters, anyway. Morbid curiosity, coupled with straight up masochism, has me directing my flight toward the Castle of the Two Sisters, the site of my last moments spent tied to Nightmare Moon. The place looks much the same as it did that night from the air, though perhaps less spooky due to it being bathed in sunlight and all. I ask myself a second time: what are you even doing right now, you idiot? Just turn around, do a quick little appearance at the silly party and get back to serving your time already. Why torture yourself with reminders of all the fucking stupid shit you did while high on dark magic? The answer, as it turns out, is a fairly simple one. One I've already mentioned, as a matter of fact.

"Because I can't allow myself to forget," I mutter under my breath as I begin my descent. The hole in the roof serves as the perfect entry point and, with my hooves touching the cold, cracked stone of the floor, I'm immediately assaulted by memories of that night. The sounds, the smells, the feeling of all that hate and pain coursing through me; it causes me to shiver uncontrollably, like all the heat of the world was sucked away from me in less than a second. I walk over to a large, blackened section of the floor, rubbing one hoof over the burnt area, only to pull back as the lingering magic of what transpired sets my mane on end. Jesus, how powerful are those Elements anyway for their magic to still be in this place after over a month has passed? Of course, that's not the only evidence left of that night.

Off near the dais lays the shattered remains of my armor, jagged fragments of metal that reflect the sunlight shining in through the hole in the roof dully. The only piece that remains intact is the helmet and, strangely, I feel myself drawn to it. I'm soon standing over it, staring at it, my teeth grinding as the events of my defeat play out on a loop through my mind. I wish I hadn't survived it. I wish those twisted Elements hadn't decided to give me some so-called second chance! Things would have just been better if hey'd shown some fucking mercy and just let me die!

"Fucking damn it all!" I shout, rearing up and stomping down on the helmet with all my strength, the metal groaning under the force of the impact, warping but not breaking. "Damn it, damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!" I pound on the metal with every curse, until the reminder of my failures nd crimes is a flattened, barely recognizable piece of scrap. But it's not enough. With rage burning inside my chest I channel power through my horn, glaring hatefully at the bits of metal like they're my worst enemy. The beam of pure magical energy strikes the metal and the stone floor beneath, smoke and heat making my eyes water as I pour all that hate into the task of wiping out the remains, as if erasing them from existence will somehow remove the taint that lingers in my heart.

I border on giving into it, letting the anger and self-loathing consume me, but I somehow manage not to fall into old habits, instead focusing on the task at hand until the stone glows white, orange and cherry red and the armor fragments are little more than molten slag. Still, the fire inside me hasn't gone out and I turn my attention to the ruins around me, sending a lance of power at the dais next, smashing it apart and plowing through the far wall beyond. A torn tapestry is my next target and, without realizing it, I scream, a venting of emotion that I hadn't allowed myself for even a moment. The sound of stone being split apart and crumbling barely registers in my emotionally charged state, my head turning and causing the beam to scythe through the ruins like a hot knife through butter, not caring that I am destroying a piece of Equestrian history or that I might be endangering myself by bringing the whole thing down upon my head.

I scream and send beam after beam of magic lancing through the structure, the sounds becoming a symphony of pain and destruction that is like a cleansing fire that consumes my heart and soul. By the end of it all I'm sweating profusely, my breaths coming in harsh pants, my magic having not recovered fully from healing my injuries earlier, and I'm forced to stop despite wanting nothing more than to level the wretched structure in its entirety. My jaw clenches and before I know it I'm crying, silent tears streaming down my cheeks as my head lowers in exhaustion, both mental and physical. I just threw the world's most dangerous temper tantrum. Dear Christ, what if someone had been nearby just now? Stupid idiot, you could have killed someone! I can't even vent without causing problems, God fucking damn it! I suck in several ragged lungfuls of air and let out another harsh scream, hating myself even more for my recklessness.

"Oh, Artemis." No. No fucking way! Does no one in this candy coated, naive little world understand the need for fucking privacy or does Luna in particular just love to bother me at the worst goddamn times?! "Why must you insist on doing this to yourself?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Luna watches as Artemis freezes, trying not to let the pain she's feeling show as he turns to look at her, eyes wide and slightly glassy. Why had he decided to come back here, of all places? Does he enjoy pain so much as to regularly inflict it upon himself? She must be careful here, the distraught alicorn before her looking much like a cornered animal, ready to lash out at any moment.

"What the fuck do you want?" He croaks, his voice hoarse, likely from all the screaming he just finished doing. "Are you here to chastise me for wrecking what's left of your castle?" He chuckles darkly. "If that's the case, I hate to break it to you but it was already well past saving before I decided to remodel the place." He kicks a piece of the rubble her way, as if to emphasize this fact. "So do us both a favor and save your breath."

"Artemis, this simply must stop," Luna tells him, tone calm but firm. "What good does it do to continue to punish yourself this way?"

"Well no one else is doing it!" Artemis snaps, his pupils narrowing down to pinpricks as he glares at her. "And don't give me that slap on the wrist bullshit Celestia handed out! Going around fixing fences and picking up trash, even if I were to do it for the next thousand years, will never be enough to make up for what I did!"

"No crime, no matter what you think, is worth doing this to yourself!" Luna argues, taking a step forward and causing him to retreat the same distance. "You have to let it go!"

"You make it sound so easy," Artemis growls, head lowering slightly, partially hiding his expression behind his mane. What Luna can still see, though, isn't very encouraging. "Am I supposed to sing a little song and just forget it all happened?"

"Of course not," Luna replies, shaking her head slightly. "You should never forget, however tormenting yourself is not the same as remembering." She steps closer again, Artemis backing away, only to bump into a piece of masonry, halting his flight. "So then, it begs the question: why do you insist on torturing yourself?"

"I think a better question is how you can just go about your day like nothing happened," Artemis says, obviously trying to redirect the conversation. "You betrayed your own flesh and blood and turned me into...this!"

"You say that as if I am not aware of my crimes." Luna lets out a sigh. "What I've done is terrible, true enough, and I will forever be grateful that the Bearers were able to free us from the cycle of hatred I inflicted upon us, but more than that I am grateful to have a chance to make up for my mistakes."

"I guess that's where we're different," Artemis mutters darkly. "You have a place here, while I don't."

"Yet you could have a place here, if you wished it," Luna insists, moving closer still. "I know you can likely never forgive me but there are others who you could call friend, perhaps even family. Niece Cadence seems genuine in her concern for your well-being and, while I admit she can be trying at the best of times, Celestia does not wish you ill, despite our attempt on her life." She holds out a hoof to him, smiling kindly. "Let us leave this place...brother. I swore to aid you however I could, so, please, just give me the chance to do so."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

If only things could be so easy. She stands there, smiling at me, patiently waiting for me to take her offer, while here I am, having to resist the urge to slap the outstretched limb away. I keep seeing Luna overlaid by the image of Nightmare Moon. Honestly, what can anyone expect from me? I just tried to demolish a historic ruin in a fit of pique, after all. But...she may have a point. I can't keep going like this. If I do, I may just end up killing someone. Again.

"I'm not sure what you think you can do," I begin quietly, raising a hoof tentatively, "but you're right...I really can't keep doing this." I grimace as I lay my hoof over hers. These ponies...I just don't understand them at all. I feel like I'm taking a huge risk trusting her like this, but, well, what other options are there? Even if I could return home, what would I find there after a thousand years? I need to at least try to make this work. "I'll give you one chance. Just one." I look her right in the eyes. "Don't waste it." And still she smiles.

"I won't."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As one might imagine, the reaction to my little tantrum was...poor. The ponies in town had sort of panicked until Luna had assured them she would deal with whatever was making a mess in the Everfree, namely me, and they were understandably worried while she was gone. I watch from a distance as she eases their fears and I find it hard to look at them. They should be scared. I'm dangerous, a fact that really needs to change. I might be an asshole, but even I realize that much. I see Twilight and her friends among the crowd, along with some small, bipedal lizard with purple scales and green spines on its head and back. Not sure what to make of that, to be honest. The way they're looking at me...yeah, they know. Where's Pinkie Pie, though? Don't tell me she's still getting the party ready after hearing all of that? It doesn't matter. I should just-

"Artemis." I nearly jump out of my skin at the sound of Luna quietly saying my name, finding her standing a little too close for comfort. "Are you alright?" I'm tempted to lie, but, with a sigh, I decide to be honest. For once.

"No," I reply softly, glancing at the slowly dispersing crowd of ponies briefly. "I know I said I'd go to the party but...can we leave? I don't...I don't want to be here right now." Again, she smiles, and again I wonder how she managed to change so much just from being blasted by the closest thing to a maguffin even this crazy place can get.

"I know you are nervous." Understatement of the century, but please, continue. "But you cannot continue to run from your problems." She nudges me gently. "Besides, a relaxing get together may be just what you need." I know Pinkie told me it wouldn't be a loud affair, but she doesn't seem the subtle type. Oh well.

"Okay." I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. "But this is gonna be awkward as hell." My gaze turns to where Twilight was standing just moments earlier, seeing her and that tiny lizard thing walking away together. "So don't blame me if it turns out to be a total bust." I frown as she comes to a stop, glancing back, as if sensing my gaze. She jumps, startled to see me staring and I look away with a grimace. "Yeah, this is a bad idea."

"Stop being so pessimistic," Luna chides me. "You do not give them nearly enough credit."

"Sorry, but it's kinda hard to expect the best from people these days," I mutter darkly, causing the moon princess to frown this time. "Sorry."

"No, it is fine." If you say so. "Come, I was told it will be held at the library." She ushers me along, like a troublesome child that needs to be herded. Fitting, given how childish my little outburst at the old castle had been. "There will be time for you to brood later."

"Oh, ha ha."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"I'm having second thoughts," I say once we're at the door, Luna rolling her eyes at me. "It's not too late to leave, you know. We don't even have to wait for the chariot."

"Please stop being such a foal," she chastises me, reaching up to knock. "We are already here, so we may as well see this through." I resist the urge to whine some more, steeling my nerves as best I can as the door creaks open. Instead of one of the girls its the purple lizard I saw with Twilight, who looks up at us with wide eyes. Yeah, this really is a terrible idea. Luna, cool as a cucumber, smiles at it kindly. "Greetings, Spike the dragon. I believe we are expected?" This is a dragon, too? This chubby cheeked little thing? How adorable.

"R-right," it, he, Spike, replies and steps back, opening the door wider to grant us admittance. "Announcing Princess Luna and, uh...Prince Artemis?" I don't blame ya, kiddo. I'd be nervous in your shoes, too, figuratively speaking of course. I watch him quickly scurry over to Twilight's side and promptly hide behind her, the unicorn and her friends standing around a table at the center of the room. I look around, noting the distinct lack of decorations, save for a banner hanging over the table that has yet to be unfurled. There's punch, a small cake with pink (cherry maybe?) icing, and some other assorted snacks and finger sandwiches. Hoof sandwiches? Fuck it, they're the tiny sandwiches that they serve at parties sometimes. Stupid pun terminology these ponies use.

So, here we are, five ponies trying their level best not to look like that this is very awkward and failing miserably. Not that I can blame them, either. Why did I let Luna talk me into staying? Oh, right, I'm giving her a chance. Sigh. Pinkie Pie is the only one besides Luna that seems happy to be here, the pink mare bouncing sedately on the tips of her hooves as she gives me a big smile. It must be nice to be so full of optimism and cheer. I'll have to ask her her secret sometime.

"I'm so glad you made it," she says, trotting around from behind the table. "It took me quite awhile to decide on what to do for your party. The theme, the decorations, the snacks...then I realized I have no idea what you like!" She giggles. "Then I tried to find you, but you weren't anywhere in Ponyville, so I asked Rainbow Dash, since she was flying by at the time, and she told me that you headed into the Everfree, but when I tried to follow she stopped me because it's too dangerous and stuff." The pink party pony sighs. "I tried telling her that I'd have been fine, but she was so insistent that I decided to humor her anyway." I can't help shaking my head in wonder. This pony...she's definitely something else. "So I asked Princess Luna, but she said she hadn't had time to learn much about what you like, so I decided, for your first party, to keep things simple just this once." A fact I genuinely appreciate. "So I went with a chocolate cake (because who doesn't like chocolate?) with strawberry icing!" Hey, I was close. Sort of. Cherries are fruits, too, after all. "But that's not the best part!"

"Really?" I can't help asking, head tilting curiously. "So what's the best part?" Whoa, hey, how did she get so close so fast?! Before I can say anything more she's hugging me, really tightly, and there's a toot of a kazoo and a burst of confetti as the banner unfurls. I stare in shock, mouth falling open as I gaze at the words emblazoned upon the blue cloth in white paint. Happy Late Birthday. "...what?"

"I told you it took awhile to think of the theme," Pinkie tells me, continuing to hug me all the while. "I then thought: wait, I don't know his birthday! So I went to Twilight, since she's one of the smartest mares I know, and she told me you're over a thousand years old, but there's no way to fit that many candles on such a small cake." I start to tremble slightly. "But then, it just came to me! The new you, the one we made by blasting the old you with the Elements, was only born one month and seventeen days ago!" I clench my jaw, trying to fight it, but it's only getting worse as Pinkie goes on talking. "So I asked Princess Luna what she thought and she told me that it was a great idea, so happy first birthday, Arty!" That's it, I can't hold it back anymore. This pink, happy-go-lucky mare has officially broken me. I start to cry, face scrunching up as the tears roll down my cheeks. "It's okay, Arty. It's okay to cry when you're happy." And, for the first time, I hug her back, burying my face in her poofy, ridiculously fluffy mane, choking down sobs while Pinkie gently pats my back. "There you go. Just let it all out."

Part of me wants to run, to hide, to not let them see me when I'm so vulnerable. Life, even before I was betrayed by a wannabe-megalomaniac, has taught me that people will take every advantage over you they can get. But these ponies, these crazy, stupidly colorful, naive ponies, seem to be different, cynical, ancient demigods aside. So, maybe, just maybe, I might be able to start over here after all. It's not like I have anything to lose by trying, right? I feel a wing come to rest over my withers, Luna's presence somehow allowing me to relax somewhat. I sniffle and pull back from Pinkie's hug, scrubbing my eyes with one fetlock before looking around the room again. While Spike remains half hidden behind Twilight, the rest of the girls seem to have gotten over the initial awkwardness. From Rainbow Dash's grin to Fluttershy's tiny smile, they all seem to be offering me some form of encouragement. What in God's name did I do to deserve such kindness?

"Feeling better?" Luna asks me, and, another first, I find myself giving her a genuine smile.

"Yeah...thank you." I turn my gaze to the rest of them, Pinkie having moved back to give me some space. "All of you. I don't deserve this but, still, this means a lot."

"It's no problem, silly," Pinkie assures me. "Now blow out the candle and make a wish." Huh. When did the candle get there and who lit it? Fuck it, I don't really care and it doesn't matter either. I step up to the table, basking in the now welcoming atmosphere for a moment before focusing my attention on the candle.

"I wish..."

Author's Note

Well, here it is at last. Sorry for taking so long but life and my health got in the way I'm afraid Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and, as usual, let me know what you think in the comments below. I hope you all have a nice day and thanks for being so patient

As always, huge shoutouts to all my Patrons, including Calamababa, Canary In The Coal Mine, Noah Brown and Robert Prime. Shameless self promotion, away~! https://www.patreon.com/Crensler