Two days later I did end up meeting Princess Celestia, Luna’s older sister. It had been a rather brief visit. She had been curious about the strange being that her little sister had brought to this world. Overall it was a pleasant visit. She made mention that Luna had told her about Void. I understood why she would tell her, however it still made me a little upset. The following day I addressed it with her.

“Luna, I really wish you would have left telling Celestia about Void, to me. It was rather awkward when she addressed him, as if he were in the room with her.”

Giving me a rather annoyed look Luna responded “You already know why I told her. I have made it a point to talk to my sister about everything. Neither of us wish a repeat of what happened in the past.” Her eyes fell at the final comment

I gave an exasperated sigh feeling guilty at having snapped at her “I know why you told her, I understand that. I just wish I could have spoken to her about it. But whatever, what on the agenda for the day? More tests?”

She shook her head, banishing the crestfallen look from earlier, replacing it with one of joy. “No. No more tests. You have been laid up for a few days now and I am happy to let you know that you should be able to leave the hospital wing now.”

My happiness was palpable “No joke, I get to get up!”

She smiled “Yes.”

I moved to get up when her magic pushed me back, I gave her an annoyed look.

“Not so fast, I need to unhook you from things first.” She moved to remove the various monitoring systems and needles that covered my body. As she did so her eyes glanced to my right ankle, the one that once held the tracker, I had noticed that she had looked at it whenever she thought I wasn’t looking.

I caught her look and decided now was as good a time as any to broach the subject“So, my guess is that you are curious as to why I had that anklet on right.”

She blushed as if she were a child that got caught stealing a cookie. “Y.yes, I will admit that I have a bit of curiosity about what it was.”

I steeled my resolve as I prepared myself to tell her the dark history of the device. She deserved the truth. “It was a tracker anklet, I was being forced to wear it by the police. To make sure that I didn’t leave my property.”

She gave me a quizzical look “Why would that want to make sure that you didn’t leave your property?”

I grimaced as she pulled the IV from my arm “gahh. That smarts you know. ‘Sigh’ I was made to wear it because I have been under house arrest for the last three years.”

Looking me in the eyes she responded “Why were you under house arrest?” The response was filled with curiosity as well as caution as if she would be able to tell if I lied to her. Not that it mattered. I had no intention of lying about what happened. She was giving me a huge amount of trust just by having me here. I owed it to her to tell her the truth.

I responded with bitterness in my voice.“It was my only option, it was that or prison. There was an incident.”

She stopped pulling things off and looked me in the eyes “What kind of incident? Please, tell me.”

I sighed once again “then you might want to get a seat, this is a long story.”

She nodded and drew a chair to sit on.

I began “As I said, I have been under house arrest for the past three years, I had another twelve years left had I not been brought here, years ago before I worked in my forge. Well, I was a banker. If you can imagine that. No beard, hair short I even wore a suit every day. I had been living in a small apartment near my bank, but I still enjoyed driving to work. We had customers from all walks of life. From the ridiculously wealthy all the way down to people that lived paycheck to paycheck.

I tried my best to help everyone that I could regardless of where they came from. There was this older couple, they had amassed a moderate fortune. The best part is that they earned every penny of it. The Older man, I can’t really even remember his name anymore, he worked every day of his youth to build this wealth. They had only had one child, a son. They gave him everything they could.

But even with everything that his parents gave him, it was never enough in his mind, He felt like the world owed him everything. He had known that he was the heir to everything that they had. His parents were upset that he had never learned the value of a dollar. So unbeknownst to him they started to sell off assets as they began to get into their advanced age. They liquidated everything they could. Then they started to give money to anyone they could. Charities, schools, homeless people on the street. The Older man even told me that he was once mugged, he said that he gave the robber everything he could with a smile on his face.

This went on for a few years. They had drained everything they had, they said giving everything away had been more rewarding than anything they had ever accomplished in their lives. They were in their 70s while their son was in his late 40s. One day on the way to the bank they got into an accident. They were both killed instantly. I actually went to their funeral. They even left their best car to me in the will, needless to say the son was furious. I gave it to him without even thinking about it. I said that I didn’t need it.

Well after everything was said and done, their son found out that almost every penny they had made had been given to various charities anonymously. They did so to make sure that the donations wouldn’t qualify for tax credit. He had apparently quit his job with no notice after finding out about their deaths. He expected to never have to work again. He didn’t have any savings and had been living with them.

A few weeks passed. He had come into the branch a few times shouting his head off about how we had done this to him by letting his crazy parents drain their wealth. I had to have him escorted from the building at least twice. Finally a few weeks later, I had stayed late to get some paperwork done. As I left the branch, he came out from behind my car.

He approached me, looking rather gaunt. He smelled and I could tell he hadn’t eaten in a few days, he had a hollow look in his eyes. He came up to me and shoved a gun in my gut. He pulled my head forward and whispered something to me ‘tell my parents hello for me’.

I don’t remember what happened after that.”

She looked at me with confusion. “I don’t understand, how would that have caused your incarnation?”

Looking away in shame I continued “as I said, I don’t remember what happened. But I have seen it. Through a camera. After he shot me I fell against him. Almost as if I had died right there. But what happened next was horrible. Void got out.”

She looked at me with shock “what do you mean he got out?”

((warning gore, if you want to skip CTRL F Gore over))

I recounted what I had seen.

“Tell my parents hello for me”

I fell forward into him, my mind falling into darkness. “MY TURN!!!!”

Void’s head shot up, the whites of his eyes now a blood red, his pupils dilated so much that no colour was visible anymore. Pulling his head forward Void bit deeply into the other man’s neck, ignoring his screams Void applied more pressure until his teeth held nothing between them. Ripping back, Void pulled a chunk from his neck. Spitting it to the floor “apparently being from rich blood doesn’t mean that you have a rich taste, disgusting!!!”

He spit again clearing his mouth of the blood, as Void did this he didn’t notice the other man aiming the gun at him again “Die you freak!!” he fired, but missed anything important, simply grazing Void’s arm. He looked down and it and noticed the mark.

Looking him in the eyes Void responded with a coldness, almost boredom “YOU DONE GOOFED.”

Shooting forward he grabbed the man’s throat, “NOW HERE IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. YOU ARE GOING TO BE QUITE, AND I AM GOING TO RIP YOUR THROAT OUT. IF YOU MANAGE TO BE GOOD I WILL DO IT QUICKLY, IF YOU FIGHT. WELL THEN I GET TO HAVE A LITTLE FUN. WHAT DO YOU SAY?”

His response was to try to pistol whip Void. “WRONG ANSWER” his fist increased pressure on the man’s throat. But rather than rip back he slammed the man’s head into the pavement, again and again, the man’s response was to plead and cry.

Begging between the impacts “Please don’t, I’m sorry, please don’t do this. There is still time, I can change. P..please don’t…. I don’t want to die”

Void sneered “WE WILL ALL DIE ONE DAY, YOU JUST GET TO DO IT A LITTLE FASTER THAN THE REST OF US. BUT DON’T YOU WORRY” leaning forward he licked his cheek “I’ll see you soon”

Void slammed his head into the pavement again, this time working to finish him, no longer enjoying the feeling of causing pain. His eyes were stuck open and he looked at Void. Each impact sounding a dull thud. Blood spattered Void’s face as his head made each impact. Getting impatient Void stood ignoring the the blood loss as he began to stomp on the other man’s head.

Bloody brain matter and bone covered the side of the car that his parents had once tried to leave to me. Void screamed at him as his foot came down for the final stomp on the head of the corpse. Void screamed at him again. It was at this point that the blood loss grew too much for him and Void fell down on the ground, passed out.

((Gore over))

Luna looked at me with shock and horror in her eyes “you did what?!”

I was still dealing with the shock of telling the story as I responded “I killed him, he tried to kill me, shot me in the stomach and tried to kill me rather than learn the lesson that his parents tried to teach. He was so consumed with greed that he tried to kill me over his perceived slight. He blamed me for being their friend.” a tear fell from my nose and landed on my fists. I had not even noticed that they had clenched. I was terrified that she was going to banish me. I had nowhere left to go. If I went back there was no being safe from this. I had been gone too long, I would go to prison or worse.

Her response was not one that I had expected “you said he shoved a ‘gun?’ Into your stomach, is that something that can hurt you?”

She didn’t even know what a gun was. “Um… yes.” trying to think of something that would equate to a gun that she could understand you continued “do you know what a cannon is?”

Surprisingly she nodded.

“Well a gun is like a small cannon. It fits in your hand. It shoots small metal bullets at a high speed.” I lifted my shirt to show her the scar on my stomach. I gave a morbid chuckle “I’m lucky he shot me at such a close range. He was using standard ammo, rather than hollow points. The bullet went straight through. Although it could have been better too.” I leaned over to show her the exit wound. Just on the other side of my abdomin but slightly larger than the entry wound.

“When I blacked out, Void took over. My mind was too weak to hold him back. They originally thought that I was the one that started it. However when they pulled the security tapes they found out that he had waited for me. He had even had his gun out. Waving it around in his car like an idiot. After they had determined that he had been lying in wait with deadly intent, they ruled it as an overzealous self defence. I still ended up under house arrest. The courts couldn’t really excuse the level of brutality. They had a court assigned therapist meet with me for a year after that.” I gave a bitter laugh “not that it helped much.”

I tried to not look her in the face, however she didn’t allow for that, hearing the same tingle of magic as before, my face was forced to rise to hers. “I believe you, I can feel that you are being truthful with me. I too know what it is to take a life without being able to control yourself. I suppose I have no room to judge. I spent a thousand years on the moon for my transgressions. I can not begrudge you for yours.”

It still threw me for a loop every time that she commented on her own age. To think that she was over five thousand years old. it was amazing. “Thank you Luna, it means a lot that you are willing to forgive me. let’s hope that Celestia is also willing to forgive when you tell her.”

She smiled back at me. “I expect that she will, I will make sure of it. But back to the matter at hoof. You will be able to leave the room now. Although I am afraid that I have a condition for your getting up. We still wish to introduce you slowly to Equestrian society. This is going to take time. So while you will be able to leave the room, I do ask that you keep to the Lunar wings of the palace. They tend to be more, well vacant, then the Solar wings.” She stated with a blush “I will also be assigning you a guard, think of him as a companion and guide to the palace. He will let you know where things are as well as making sure that you remain in the correct areas. You will be allowed in the gardens as well, however you will need to make sure that they are clear first. once again this is another use of the Guard.”

I grimaced at the thought of needing an effective babysitter “Fine, I guess that makes sense. Don’t want to upset the locals too much. When do I get to meet him?”

“You will be meeting him now.” she turned her head to the door “First Lieutenant Silver Lining please enter.”

The stallion that entered was not what I was expecting. As far back as I could remember, every guard that I had seen up to this point was wearing Golden armor and appeared as either a White pegasus or a Grey Unicorn or Earth pony. This pony was a pegasus, however he was a pleasant teal color with a darker teal mane. “Corporal Silver Lining reporting for Duty Mam!”

I held back a Laugh at how formal he was acting. He was also wearing a dark set of armor that looked like it had stylised bat wings on it. Looking to Luna “he isn’t going to act that that all the time is he? How can he be a companion if he acts like some kind of military robot all the time.” I finished with a crooked smirk. His response was to blush at the comment.

Luna smirked as well “I would hope not. Silver Lining here is part of my personal guard. I figured if he was good enough to protect me, he should be good enough for you.”

I balked at this “Luna I don’t want to rob you of one of your guards, and I really don’t want to upset him by dragging him away from his post.”

It was not not Luna that spoke up at this comment, but Silver Lining “It is no bother um.. sir. If princess Luna wishes me to be with you, I will do as she asks.”

Deciding to have a little fun with him I cut back “I don’t know about being with you You might need to take me on a few dates first, you’re cute enough though.”

Silver’s face blew up bright red at my comment, and Luna’s was no better “You mean to tell me Dear Horizon that you are, well to say, attracted to males?” her voice sounded disappointed for some reason.

“I’m just screwing with him for now, but to tell you the truth I’m pan. Never been with a pony of course. seeing as where I am from they are non sentient pack animals, but if this is where I’m going to be from now on I guess I should get used to the idea, if I ever hope to find someone. But really, I’m just messing around with him for now.” I locked my gaze on him and wiggled my eyebrows at the finishing comment.

Silver coughed and tried to regain his composure “Yes well then, I imagine that you are quite ready to leave this room, Shall we?”

I shifted over and pulled myself up out of the bed, now that Luna had removed the monitoring wires and IV drip. As I pulled myself to my feet I realized how weak my legs had become from non use over the last few days. As I started to fall I reached out for something to grab and found Luna. As I held myself up I found myself pressed up against her coat. It was wonderfully soft. “Sorry about that, Guess being knocked off your feet for a weeks and a half leaves your legs kinda tired.”

Her face darkened as she guided me over to a wheelchair, “well um yes. you will be able to start moving about the castle, Silver Lining will be your guide. I will try to spend as much time as I am able to.”

Getting into the chair I looked up to her “Thank you Luna” turning to Silver I continued “So where shall we start stud?”

Silver lit up red again, “Will you please cut that out. I think we should start with a tour of the Castle wing.”

We spent the next two hours going through the building, him telling me about the different locations and describing the various levels of historical importance different rooms had. I drifted in and out focus as the tour continued, right up to the point that we passed Luna’s personal study. I looked in with mild interest as we moved past, however at one point I mind stopped as I saw it.

Author's Note

Hey every body. I want to thank you all for your support. I have been feeling abit out of it for a bit now and just didn't have the will to do any wrighting for a bit. I am working on new chapters now. if you seen any typo's please let me know. remember Tia and Luna are not supposed to use Contractions. let me know if you spot any in their speach. and again thanks for the support.