Well, here we are. Time to explain some things (sort of). James can now tell others of who he is and such within reason. I hope you guys/gals like it.

Enjoy!

"That's a what?" Twilight asked me as I held up my phone and waved it, not a moment before explaining its existence.

"That is my cellular phone. As for how it got here... I don't even know. I guess it may have stuck with me on my journey here but I thought I lost it for good."

Twilight's horn lit a violet hue and what I could guess was an attempt to pick my phone out of my hand failed. She tried again, this time straining harder. The third and most futile attempt made me giggle.

"Does that have some kind of anti-magic property?" She asked, growling a small amount.

"Uhh, no." I smiled to her. My answer was all truth, I just left out the part where I was magic-proof.

"So why can't I pick it up?" She clenched her teeth to attempt again.

"Because I'm magic proof, you silly pony." I gave her a shit eating grin after her fourth, failed attempt. I was quite amusing to stand here and watch her struggle to perform the simplest of magic spells against me.

"Uhh, well, at least I think I am."

"Think you are what?" A familiar English-accented voice addressed me, causing me to look behind me.

Celestia and Luna walked in, both with smiles on their face. Luna's was a bit... well, it gave me a slight cause for concern.

She's crushing hard, isn't she?

Truth be told I had feelings for her but ones that a kid gets to a high school crush: feelings that make you admit "it'll never happen". Yeah, I'm a bit confusing. Here I am with a pretty wo- mare crushing on me and I don't feel like going for it. I guess that could be explained by my habit of not wanting to take advantage of people. It just feels wrong.

"Oh, James was just explaining to me that he's magic proof." Twilight smiled gleefully back to them.

"I think." I finished for the purple mare.

Celestia and Luna stopped before me, motioning me to sit down. Celestia's horn lit up and a tingling was felt in my legs as I instantly stood up with a slight jump in my step. Holy shit that was cool... awww I guess I'm not magic proof... oh well.

"Wait, what? For real?!" I flipped mentally as I looked down at my legs and then to the princesses again. "How did you do that?"

"Most creatures who think they're magic proof aren't actually; merely, they are so deficient in magic it makes most ponies unable to utilize their own against or on them." Celestia explained.

"Yes, and seeing as how my sister was able to stand you up, it proves you are not. This means, obviously, from your world, magic is so devoid, practically nopony possesses any. Am I correct?" Luna spoke, raising an eyebrow to accompany her question.

"Yeah basically. No one on earth has magic... well, wait a second. Maybe a very slight amount actually do." I agreed and admitted. Maybe that's why some cults and occults exist... that would explain ghosts and the likes of such. Perhaps that also explains psychics?

"How... how would one accomplish raising the moon?" Luna's confusion shown through her face brightly.

"Or the sun?" Celestia concurred, bringing me to smile. Ahhh yes... this world doesn't work like that... or does it?

"Well," I began while straightening my posture, "The sun and moon are two different celestial bodies, obviously, but there are two main differences in them: The moon on my world is many times smaller than Earth and it revolves around it via gravity. In the same sense, the Earth revolves around the sun. We have no control over the moon or the sun. Fun fact: it takes 8 minutes for the light from the sun to reach the Earth."

I was met with a diligently busy Twilight who was writing this down as quickly as her magic would allow. Celestia and Luna were both intrigued and horrified at my explanation of the laws in my world.

Mostly horrified; lets be honest here.

"I can answer a lot about these things, if you want me to."

"Yes, by all means, we would love to hear you talk about it." Luna quickly grabbed my arm and wrapped her hoof around it in a dainty, feminine way. This pony...

We then began to walk down the halls of the castle, my mind constantly being dragged away from the conversation to the architecture and style. Stunning, really. I've never cared much for architecture or art but this certainly opened my eyes to a who new world.

But, there was something that was nagging me. Throughout the dialogue, there was this lingering thought in my mind that I had not the strength to address. I was hoping that it wasn't as bad as I thought it was, considering that Cadance was... not feeling herself. There was no way my presence here had changed her that much.

"James? Jaaaames?" I heard a familiar voice address me as I shook my head to the noise and looked at Twilight.

"W-Wha? What's up?"

"You looked really busy in thought there... is there anything bothering you?" Luna asked.

"Anything worth mentioning?" Her sister interjected.

Twilight nodded and finished, "If there is something that is bothering you, you should talk about it.". I had about enough of this. Either they were painfully naive or they were trying to goad some kind of reaction out of me in light of recent events.

"Okay okay, fine! Yeah, there is something bothering me. Its Princess Cadance. She's... I-I don't know how to describe it," I shrugged and looked down at the marble floor, "She's infatuated with me and I don't know why. Shining Armor has so much more to offer. Here in Equestria I'm just a guy who's lost. I don't have a single bit of money, no job, no reputation. Shining has all of that and more. I-I just don't get it." Furrowing my brows, I couldn't understand why.

"I've lived a long time, James, and I can honestly tell you that I couldn't care less about the things that those I've loved did. Their accomplishments were astonishing or may have given them a certain attraction to them, but it was who they were that made me love them; that made me give my love to them." Celestia put her hoof on my shoulder and looked into her eyes. There was a light of truth and something else in those eyes.

"Its been statistically proven that most ponies start a relationship because of the pony, rather than the career choice or fame or fortune." Twilight, the nerdy bookworm that she is, responded in a matter-of-fact tone that made me chuckle lightly at the serious comment. I'd be lying if I said that Earth was like that.

"Yeah, in my world, there are a lot of people who just marry for fame and fortune. Gold diggers, is the proper term for them." I growled.

"Which further reinforces the point that my sister made about why you love who you love." Luna batted her eyes softly at me and smiled. This mare was too much. Rolling my eyes, I chuckled and looked down bashfully.

"Yeah, I guess... nice to know you three are smarter than the average bear on this."

This comment earned me 3 distinctive looks of confusion before snapping onto something behind me. I didn't pay any attention to it until I began to hear the sound of slippers hitting the marble floor. The sound of armor did not accompany this sound and I deduced very quickly exactly who it was. Celestia, Luna, and Twilight merely tried to look happy and smiled to the pony behind me. My stare could've burned a hole through the marble floor as I steeled myself for her.

Why must you always be angry about something?

Because if I'm not angry then I don't know what I'll do.

You do realize that she loves you, right?

YES! Yes I do! Maybe you can fall in love with her but I can't. I don't think you understand the timeline's already been screwed up by my presence here.

Since when has a timeline ever been a good excuse to stop love?

Since when has it EVER been an excuse?

"James?" A familiar voice that seems to melt my anger away. I turned around slowly and looked and Cadance in a friendly way, pretending all is well with me. I found her very close to me.

"Hey, Princess! You feelin' better?" I quipped in a platonic and friendly way as she then smiled, trying to hide her pain with me.

"Y-Yeah. I'm doing well. Thanks for taking care of me, James." She put her hoof on my arm and casually stroked it, finding that same curiosity in my body that she did before.

God damn she was good.

And I thought I was good at this...

Not compared to her, you are. She's got literal god tier skill at this.

We finally agree on something.

"Well, I must be off to tend to my little ponies and their duties. Ta ta!" Celestia made a speedy exit as Luna nodded and silently walked with her.

"And I'm expected to show up for a science convention in - oh hay! I'm already late! Seeya!" Twilight rushed off. She was almost as bad at lying as Applejack. Once again, I was alone. I turned back to look at Cadance, who was smiling warmly now that we were alone. She hugged me softly and nuzzled against my chest under my neck.

"This is nice." She purred as I clenched my teeth and growled softly. She pulled away and looked at me, my teeth barred.

"Cadance. Stop it. I didn't save you just to have you to myself. Why are you doing this?" I glared heavily at her splayed ears and weakening expression.

"Why am I doing what? Isn't this natural?" She argued back weakly.

"Natural? Natural? Are you kidding me? I'm not even supposed to be here, you know that, right? I'm not supposed to exist, at least not in this world." Shrugging, I continued on, "You're not supposed-"

"To what? I'm not supposed to what, James? Are you asking me not to feel? Are you asking me not to accept what I feel in my heart?" Her anger spoke clearly through her harsh tone.

I felt like an asshole.

I tried to explain, "No, what I meant was-"

"That we're not meant to be or some bucking crap like that. Of course, of course. I should've known. You're just like everypony else. Be who you want to be, James. Perhaps you're not capable of loving me." She waved me off and turned around to walk away.

There are two - no, three things you don't do with me: Mess with my food, mess with my sleep, or god forbid, tell me I cannot do something that I know I can do. I was going to show this mare what's what.

This is actually going better than expected. If you can get her to dislike or hate you, she'll marry Shining like it was supposed to be...

Screw that. I'm done with this charade.

I briskly began to walk after her, my gaze locked onto the back of her neck.

Wait. James, what are you doing? James? JAMES?!

"Cadance, hold on a second, let me explain." I held my hand up as she turned around with a sickening look, her eyes showing a look of glass as I saw a tear roll down her cheek, her fur darkening as it made its journey to the floor and into my heart.

"Explain what, James? That you just won't take no for an answer? Do you want me to say I hate you, even after all that you did for me? If that's what you want to hear, you'd sooner find yourself dead than hear me say such a thing. Just leave me alone." She turned around again and resumed her walk.

She turned around, giving me another chance to speak:

"Cadance just let me explain-"

Or so I thought.

"No! Buck you and your stupid "obligations"! I don't care about those stupid, petty reasons of yours, and I refuse to be kicked in the rump for this any longer." She shook her head and more tears rolled down her eyes, her smaller frame shaking, "Just go back where you came from."

I was quivering from fear and nervousness, my anxiety levels were reaching new levels I didn't think possible. I did the only think I could think about at the time. I approached her and pulled her tail sharply, yanking her back and then grabbing her mane to make her face me.

"L-Let me go! Let me go right this instant or I'll-" I stopped her words with a soft but deeply intimate kiss on her lips, earning myself a soft and subtle moan from her throat.

"If you would have let me explain... I would've told you that maybe I was willing to give it a shot. Not because I wasn't sure but at this point I would be passing up an opportunity of a lifetime... do you want the honest truth, Cadance?"

She had no words but simply nodded in reply.

"I was scared... scared that you wouldn't like me. I'm not a very nice guy on the inside most of the time. I have a very evil dark side that only lives off the suffering of others and to this day that is part of the reason I stay distant from people. I was afraid you get to know me and that part of me and realize that you didn't like me as much as you thought you did... I was trying to save you from that." I shrugged, small tears coming to my eyes as I remembered how lonely I was before I came here... how lonely I still am.

"I don't need saving, James... and isn't that my choice to make?" She asked for a response.

"... y-yeah." I choked out, closing my eyes and shaking my head which allowed the tears to fall. Years of pain was showing through me at this point.

"James... since you're being honest... I will be honest with you... the reason why I found myself in love with you is because..." She shuffled a bit and held onto my hands, "... I went into your memories for a moment to get a glimpse of who you were. I-I didn't see it all but-" I tore away from her and turned around and strained not to scream in anger. I figured this would happen. It all makes sense now!

"-but I saw enough. Enough to know that you're not who others think you are... you're not who you think you are." Pleading me to understand, I scoffed at her statement.

"No, no Cadance, I'm exactly who I think I am." I stared back at her clearly upset and painful expression.

Was I surprised she did this? No. Did it bother me? Not nearly as much as I made it seem. I walked to the bench a few feet away and sat down.

After a few moments of thinking, I exhaled softly and breathed easy to look up to her again. Annoyed but sincere, I asked; "Why'd you do it?"

To this, she had no answer at the moment I asked. She thought about it for a time and I patiently awaited my answer. She sat down next to me and looked out, not facing me, "I've seen others like you who suffer by themselves. You're all alike, thinking that your burden is yours to bear alone, that you don't deserve the help."

I looked into her eyes as if looking for an answer.

"I don't think so. I don't think so at all." She gave a small smirk and her gaze was set on the floor in remembrance of something.

"Twilight is a special pony who's potential we, the princesses, have not seen in a very long while. She was chosen by the tree to bear the Element of Magic."

I silently sat, pondering the point of telling me this information. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because just as The Tree chose Twilight's skill and potential, I've chosen your love and your pain. The Tree chose her other five friends to help her on her journey, just as I have chosen to you to help you on yours... do you understand, James?" She looked at me with intent not previously seen. I swear I could've seen her gain a few years in a few seconds. Most of the time she's fun and young and very positive, akin to a young adult who's still optimistic because life hasn't brought them down...

... but now I could barely recognize her. She had matured greatly in a few moments.

"I want to be a part of your journey, James." She murmured softly as I felt her hoof grab my hand. I sat straight and looked ahead, trying to speak but feeling my own voice choke up in my throat. She saw this and her expression melted at my lack of ability to speak. I smiled weakly and nodded quickly before I quickly wrapped my arms around her, embracing her tightly.

"Its okay, James. You don't have to be alone anymore."

All this time.

All this damn time.

"Thank yo-ou Cadance... so much." I wanted to tell her more, but I had not the ability to. We sat for a few minutes, what felt like hours of quiet embrace...

After our long and memorable, as well as fruitful conversation with Cadance, we had to be both on our way to different functions. Hers included a meeting with the Royal Guard about possible re-strengthening of forces on the Empire's border.

Mine included walking up and down the hallways pondering mercilessly on what I've gotten myself into. Don't get me wrong, it sounds great... it sounds wonderful.

But I've always wondered if I was ever one of those people who could love. At certain times I can turn into a logic-driven robot that, for the moment, thinks emotions are stupid and does away with them.

I certainly hope I do not get this way around Cadance.

"James?" I heard a familiar voice address me as I looked towards the sound. It was Princess Celestia.

"James, how are you?" She asked with a certain amount of concern present in her tone. I began to figure out what kind of answer I've give her, whether or not I would tell her everything that just happened.

"I'm doing... well." I stiffened at my one-line comment to her. Its beginning to happen again; I don't like it.

"Good, good..." Her eyes told a different story, "... anything you'd like to talk about?" Smiling, she walked closer.

"No." I responded quickly, my mouth opening to say something else but I failed to force anything out at the moment.

"Oh. I see... well, in any event, if there is anything you want to speak to me about... do not hesitate, hm?" She smiled kindly to me, something I'll probably never get used to from these sweet ponies.

I won't lie, I feel guilty for this. As she was walking away, I called out to her abruptly, "Celestia? Wait!" I reached my hand out to convey my want to speak to her.

"Yes James? What is it?"

"Well... I wanted to tell you how it went." I began to explain, earning a nod.

"We uhhh... we settled- I mean I settled the differences... I told her that... I'd be willing to try. I told her I was sorry for making her feel like she did."

"And?" Her brow perked up.

"... I told her how much she means to me and that I was tired of going alone."

"Good. You've no idea what that poor pony has been through the past few weeks. Her wedding gets crashed, her fiance ends up getting cold feet, she gets rescued by a creature only known to us by myth, and then she finds out how much she is attracted to you, accompanied by your rejection of her. I'm very glad to hear this." She spoke to me in an accepting, motherly tone.

I felt like a kid who was told off by his own mother. Damn she was good at this.

"Yeah I feel... like an asshole. I'm really sorry I did that." I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling the shame creep upon me.

"Don't tell me that, tell Cadance that. She is the one who deserves to hear you say that. You will tell her, yes?" She asked, as if she already knew the answer. I would bet she was right.

"Yes, yes I will. I will as soon as I can see her again. When will she be free?"

"I'm not sure. Her meeting will be a while and when she is done, she'll most likely be very tired... perhaps I could-" Celestia was cut off by her sister opening one of the castle doors and exhaling loudly.

"Finally, sister, we are done with that atrocious meeting. Why on earth do we even have them?" Her expression was both heavy and annoyed.

"Tradition, Luna. And, sometimes it helps to have them." She nodded.

"I'm guessing by your face, Celestia, that's not very often." I smirked as Luna looked at me, her eyes resting on me solely and I could see her stress slowly leaving her.

"Ahh, James... a pleasant sight as always." Two can play at this game.

"As are you, Luna." I smiled cordially, "You were saying something, Celestia?"

"Ahh, I was going to suggest that my sister give you a grand tour of the castle." She smirked subtly as my eyes bounced back and forth.

"Hold on, you-" I tried to speak but was cut off by a regal declaration.

"Huzzah! I shall give you the grandest of tours! Come with us, thine human!"

Oh boy, here we go.

Author's Note

Huzzah! The chapter is done! I was having a massive writer's block and hopefully I'm over it...

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, it was fun to read. I might try and go for 3rd person next chapter, so be sure and read the AU at the beginning of the next one.

Questions or comment? Don't be afraid to post!

Seeya soon! - Joss