The climb down the ravine was smoother than I had thought. That is until the rope decided to snap because of friction against the ravine's edge causing me to fall, right when I was about to reach the ground. The impact wasn't severe, nor was the surface harmful. It was another sore landing for me to deal with, nothing more.

Once I was back on my feet, I looked around for the stone path that led back up the ravine. However, before getting to it, I recalled something about a tree that should be in that ravine. Looking for a cave, I stumbled upon an opening that was filled with black vines covered in green thorns. Climbing on top of a crystal tree, the thorns seemed to be pulsating. However, they were having a hard time progressing to cover the tree.

I think these are supposed to be evil. I could cut them. Correction, I SHOULD cut them. I reasoned while pulling out the dagger. These aren't supposed to be here. It's time to die.

Surprisingly enough, the thorns in contact with the tree seemed to be withering. When the dagger touched them, they almost turned into ash. It was a rather disturbing sight to be perfectly honest. It looked like I had tossed a bucket of Time Fall over each of the vines.

If I look at the sky and see an inverted rainbow, I swear that I am sinking this dagger on my temple. I thought while removing the final vine. Once they were gone, I sheathed the blade and headed out the cave. However, as I approached the entrance, I felt a strange breeze rush past me. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the figure of a white anthropomorphic pony with a dark shade of orange for its mane. The image waved at me with a smile on its face before disappearing into a cloud of sparkles.

That's normal. This is FINE. I'm sure I did not just see a ghost come out of a tree. I'm not going to run like a baby. I am not running for my life. This is a strategic withdraw towards the woods. I AM NOT PANICKING BECAUSE I JUST SAW A GHOST!

"GHOST!" I quietly screamed while stumbling up the ravine's exit.

FUCKING SUE ME, OK?! I can deal with magical unicorns and crazy monsters, THAT ARE ALIVE. However, ghosts? THE UNDEAD?! That is a big no-no. And I repeat, FUCK GHOSTS! If I see a cloudy puff of smoke floating with an umbilical cord attached to the sky I am throwing myself over the ravine and ending my life before causing a void-out. SHIT. That only covers one type of ghost. I could still turn into a revenant. Or even a wraith. FUCK! NO GHOSTS.

This is the NO GHOST ZONE. I repeat! This is-

"Princess, a noble has requested an audience by the flower arch," A guard said while saluting me with a stoic expression. "He requested that you attend at your earliest convenience."

Letting out an exasperated sigh, I got up on her hooves before stretching up my arms and back. Thanks to the current state of affairs; and the fact that my student had been allocated to a new town. The court had been relatively quiet.

Perhaps I should have had Twilight stay a little longer. Her company was more enjoyable than these nuisances. I can already see the scene. Violins playing in the back, a carefully tailored suit, the best flowers in Equestria arranged in a bouquet, a box containing the best gem they could afford, and then we come to the catch-phrases.

"I always loved you."

Or, they could go with: "You are the very definition of beauty."

If they are so bold they might go for: "My love burns for you with the intensity of a thousand suns!"

But in the end, it always comes to: "Will you marry me?"

And then I'll respond with: "No. I'm sorry. But I cannot marry a pony I do not love."

They will turn bitter, they will ask for a chance to prove their love. Then they'll start yelling love oaths as I walk away before they start talking behind my back about how they almost had me. And then out comes the next one. Then the cycle repeats.

Not noticing how long I had been musing about the scene's layout, I found myself at the flower arch with another random noble. I couldn't care less about their name or title, all that mattered was dismissing him and then returning to my work. I didn't have time to mess around with a spoiled rich pony. The same mane, the same mannerisms, how did I attract exact copies in different color pallets? Did Equestria build a factory to mass-produce the same type of stallion?

The answer was no. I had made sure of that. After seeing all those events back then, I had to make sure we had the best possible outcomes for every scenario. So, I might have tipped the scales in the male/female ratio over the years. I might have also caused some changes across the world. But it was all for the best. I think.

"My Princess, you are beauty incarnate," The noble started while I rolled my eyes at the predictable scene. Out came the violins and a cello. The sound coming from the later was particularly familiar. The performer had to be Octavia Melody. "I traveled far and wide to collect these beautiful flowers. And by venturing into the deepest caves, I found this," He continued without realizing I wasn't paying attention. "The grand pink diamond. Unmatched by any other gem in this world. Now, would you be so kind, as to marry this humble stallion?"

Putting on a smile painted in gold, I tried my best to look apologetic. "I'm so sorry, my little pony. But I cannot take you up on your offer. Marriage is a bond formed between two beings that love each other deeply. I cannot taint such a bond with an empty link."

And thus, another scene of stammering began. "B-but my princess! I-I went above and b-beyond to acquire such t-treasures! S-surely y-you can see my dedication?" Waving good-bye with a forced smile on my face, I walked away. "P-please wait! D-do you have another?!"

Freezing up in place, my head went blank for a second. Did he just? Calm down. No one knows about him. You already did your part, he is dead. There is nothing more I can do. I went to see him. He is gone. I can't-. Feeling the tears form in my eyes, I sprung my wings before taking off towards my tower. I needed to seclude myself for a few minutes. The Bringer of Harmony can't be crying without reason. However, within the safety of my tower, the one place where there are no eyes on me, I'm not the goddess they see every day. There, I am a pony. There, I can be myself.

After making a fast jog for about ten minutes, I decided that I could stop. The forest was dense, and ghosts along with other undead tend to be attached to specific areas. Or that's what movies and Monsterpedias tend to tell me. Then again, that was my useless encyclopedia on myths and folklore speaking. Looking at my surroundings, I realized that I forgot to see in what direction I had run towards. In other words, I could very well be lost.

Let's see here. The map shows a river running over here, southwest of the castle. From there it's a straight walk south to reach the town. If this map has any kind of accuracy that is. I can assume I was running straight west when I left the castle, and try to go southwest from here. Or, I can climb on a tree and see if I spot a clearing.

Putting my bag on the ground and the compass in my pocket, I looked around for a tree that seemed climbable for me. There was one that had a rock underneath it. Using it as a stepping stone, I managed to grab a branch before making my way towards the top. Up there on the highest stable branch, I could barely make out what seemed to be a clearing. Checking the compass's needle, I verified the area's direction before climbing down the tree.

After gathering my things, I headed northeast from my current position. It was a walk of about thirty to forty minutes to reach the area. Which turned out to be a swamp. According to the map, that area was to the north of the castle ruins. Meaning that from where I was, I could walk west and find the river. Then it was just a matter of going straight southeast. Picking up the pace, I walked by the swamp's borders to avoid any creatures that could be hiding in the murky waters.

Ok! Now that I found the river, Ponyville here I come!

I had no idea how far away I was from the town. My legs begged me to stop and rest after that insane hike I've been doing since I got out of the ravine. However, if I did that, I would become a target for any creature lurking within the vicinity. And like I said before, I'm a bit attached to my life.

Legs, like, lead. Can't drag, anymore. Gonna, drop here. I whined while dragging my feet through the grass. No way in hell I was stopping until I was by the edge of town. It didn't matter that the sun was down. I was about to take a short rest when the sound of music caught my attention. Feeling a rush of adrenaline, I ran towards the sound.

HOLY CRAP THAT'S A PYRE. I screamed in my mind as a group of anthropomorphic ponies danced around a huge pyre. It was built like the torches from Lord of The Rings, the ones that signaled the call for help from Gondor. But instead of the feeling of dread and urgency, the air around them seemed like a celebration.

"Tonight we celebrate the defeat of Nightmare Moon!" A female-looking pony shouted from a small stage. If memory serves, that was the mayor of the town. "We shall stay awake to witness the sunrise brought to us by PRINCESS CELESTIA! Remember, my dear citizens, in three years, Princess Celestia shall perform this wondrous feat in our little town!"

Watching the crowd roar, I scanned for the train station. From my hiding spot, I couldn't see it.

Ok. Metal Gear time. Sneak around the town. Stay away from the fire and you'll be fine. It's not like things are different. Like, Zecora isn't in the middle of that party dancing with the other ponies. And that isn't the protagonist over there. No, she is in Canterlot. She comes to this town when Nightmare returns. Which is when Celestia is celebrating this thing here.

Trying my best to ignore the obvious differences from what I recalled from the show, I snuck through the back alleys until I reached a fairly empty bridge. I could cross the stream from underneath it without a cinch if need be. Which, much to my luck, wasn't the case. Looking from underneath the bridge, I spotted the tracks and the train about sixty to sixty-five feet from where I was.

Ok, there is no cover from here to there. I wish I had a cardboard box. Or a barrel.

Peeking from under the bridge, I saw that the ponies on top of it had left towards the central square. That had to be my chance. Running as low as I could, I crossed the space and reached the station. Covering my mouth to reduce sound, I waited for my breathing to return to normal.

Almost there. All I need to do is sneak into the cargo and wait for the train to take off. WAIT! I have to see the itinerary. If this train isn't heading to Canterlot I'm screwed.

Quietly climbing over the station's base. I managed to catch a glimpse of the train's itinerary. Once sunrise was done, the NEXT train would leave for Canterlot. Smiling and praising myself for being such a smart lad, I found an open broom closet and waited for the train to leave.

Pushing as hard as I could, I tried to force Celestia out of the couch. Back in Equos, they don't have such comfy beds that can accommodate an alicorn, as well as my couch could. In other words, she was being a bratty child, again.

"Two days! I've been trying to be nice to you for two fucking days! Why are you such a pain in the ass?!" I inquired while putting my back into pushing her off the couch.

"You should be more respectful towards my title!" She whined while tossing all of her weight on me.

"I am trying! But all you do is sit and complain about everything!" I shot back as my arms began to hurt. "It doesn't matter what I do, all you do is complain! I am stuck with a job that was dumped on me. And then I'm trying to be nice to a complete bitch who wants me to respect her when she can't even respect the fact that she is in MY HOUSE!" I screamed as I fell on the ground with her on top of me. That's when I heard a cracking sound.

"What was that?" Celestia inquired while her eyes widened at the sight.

Yep, you guessed it. Lading flawlessly with my arm in a bad position, Celestia's added weight twisted it in a way it shouldn't and now it was broken. Grunting at the sharp pain, I tried to get up, however, Celestia seemed to be in shock thanks to my wriggly arm that was lying limply on the floor.

"This is FUCKING amazing!" I said while gritting my teeth. "I LOVE how my arm can reach spots it couldn't before. Isn't that such a handy UPGRADE?!" The venom in my voice must have woken Celestia up, cause she was terrified.

"I-I, I, I," Celestia stuttered while getting up hastily and backing away from me. "I-I didn't. I didn't mean to. I, I'm. H-how should I? I didn't expect you to. W-what am I?" She kept rambling as her eyes darted around as if she was looking for something. "T-there are no healers. I-I. I'm n-not a. I-I can't. T-there are no m-medics. I-I'm on my own."

GREAT! Now I broke her. Isn't this a wonderful evening?!

Forcing myself to stand up, I grabbed hold of my arm and walked towards the front door. After that, I ended up in the hospital where they put my bones back in place before immobilizing it. It would seem that my right arm would be out of commission for about a month. Fucking A.

When I got back home, I found Celestia curled up in the corner. Sobbing and whimpering, Celestia's eyes kept darting from the couch to my landing spot. She appeared to be in shock still. Thankfully, I was slightly tingly because of the anesthetic they gave me due to the lack of local anesthetic at the time. So, I was more cool-headed than when I left.

"Hey, Sunny butt," I said without much care, I was way over my head. Another fun fact, I act like a drunkard when I'm under the effects of certain anesthetics. "What are you doing?"

"Y-you, I-I. I broke your arm," She whimpered while trying to hide her face underneath her hooves.

"Yep. It's broken alright," I said while looking at the casket. "Unfortunately, I have some bad news," Never underestimate the boundaries I might cross when pseudo-drunk my friends. "I am going to die with this arm!"

Watching carefully for her reaction, I saw Celestia's mane turn white as she removed her hooves from her face. An expression of horror and fear had taken over the usually bratty and bitchy expression. Her eyes were red with how much she had cried. The streams coming down her face turned into waterfalls as her sobbing got out of control and she threw her forelegs around me.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you that bad! And now, you're going to die!" She whimpered while holding me tight. "I'm a horrible pony! I'm not a princess! I am a selfish greedy brat that doesn't respect any of her peers. I cheat on the tests my teacher gives us by looking at Luna's answers! I am the worst pony ever!"

Have you ever heard about the phrase, Karma is a bitch? Well, I can guarantee you that it is a hundred percent accurate. When she was in that state, she began to hug me so tightly that I was having a hard time breathing. Tapping on her shoulder, I kept trying to gesture her to let go of me for me to not die of asphyxiation. She eventually let go as I drew a deep breath and felt my consciousness return.

"When I said that," I said in between gasps. "I meant that I am going to keep living with this arm attached to me until I die," I explained while trying to get my breathing under control. Celestia was not happy about my joke. It was clear as day in her face. Expecting some kind of kick or jab, I closed my eyes and waited for the impact.

"YOU JERK!" She screamed while pulling me into another bear hug. "I WAS WORRIED! I PANICKED! I!"

I passed out.

"ALL ABOARD!"

The sound of screams and an engine starting made me wake up. Peeking through the keyhole, I saw the train leaving the station. That meant that I could jump the next train when it arrived. Except that, I wasn't looking at the previously parked train. No, that was my target. I realized it when I glanced at the station's clock.

FUCK! Cursing my stupidity, I picked a towel that was left in the broom closet and ran towards the train while using it as cover. Thankfully, the rush of ponies coming in and out of the train allowed me to get closer to the cargo car. I tossed the towel on the guy putting the cargo in the train causing him to fall on top of the pieces of baggage and giving me the window to get in without being noticed.

I do not know what kind of lucky star is watching over me. But I am glad to have it.

I'm leaving the friendliest place in Equestria. And heading towards the greatest castle in Equestria. Why am I like this? I am heading towards the capital that had a HUGE FUCKING FORCE FIELD AROUND IT. How in heaven's name am I supposed to get past that?! I might get crushed into the walls of the train before I even have a chance to jump off!

Author's Note

Place your bets! Let's see what happens next!

Thanks for reading, let me know what you thought about it!