"Splendid isolation, I don't need no one
Splendid isolation..."

Song to set the mood: https://youtu.be/FWwOEie7Eh0

"Moondancer, come on, just give it a shot," I heard Minuette pleading from the door. She wanted me to go out and socialize with her friends. What an absolute waste of time. Why do I need anyone? They'll just distract me from my studies!

"Go away," I snarked back. "I'm busy with my studies."

"Come on, just give it a shot!" the blue pony insisted. I hated it when others insisted for me to do something. Insist means that you just had to do it, no matter what. There was no backing out. Your mind was set. Well, news flash, I'm not leaving this house. That's something to insist upon. I turned away from her, grabbing the doorknob in my pink magic aura before turning over my shoulder to emphasize my point.

"Moondancer, wait-"

Slam!

I walked away from the door. I don't need her. I don't need anypony. I just need my books, that's all. With that settled, I sat back down at my small desk in the corner of my home to finish reading The Ultimatum Game, a book on an experimental economics game in which two parties interact anonymously and only once, so that reciprocation is not an issue. The first player, the proposer, is endowed with a sum of bits, and must split it with the second player, who is the responder. Once the proposer communicates their offer, the responder may reject or accept it. Should the deal be accepted, the money is split per the agreed upon proposal; should it be rejected, neither pony receives anything. It's an interesting concept, used for economic theory. I've read this book several times before, and I find it ever so interesting every single time. However, atop my veritable mountain of the written word are two books: Quantum Theory and Advanced Principles of Spacetime and Lords of the Skies: Air Combat and Pegasi.

About an hour after my encounter with Minuette, I finished the book and replaced it on my shelf, which was rather laden with books. I could easily afford a new one; but I just didn't want to leave. Leaving my dark four walls meant facing Equinity. And that is only a last resort.

A few days later, I was reading Lords of the Skies when somepony else knocked on my door. I groaned and adjusted my glasses, trotting over to the wooden door. I grabbed the knob in my aura and yanked it open. "What?!" I demanded. "I'm trying to study."

The white coated pink-maned pony at my door looked rather taken aback at my slightly aggressive response, for she stuttered before speaking. "Uh, hi Moondancer-"

"If you're going to try to convince me to go 'socialize,' you're out of luck. I'm not leaving this place." I snarked back, staring her down.

"Come on, it's worth a shot," she persisted. "Won't you just get out for an hour to join me, Lemon Hearts, and Minuette for coffee? You might really enjoy it."

"So you're not acting alone." I took a glance around to look for anypony else who dared interrupt my studies. It always seemed to be those three, those three annoying mares who dared to call themselves my 'friends.' I don't have friends. I don't need friends. They're a total waste of my time.

I base this conclusion off of a time when a friend of mine shirked my party, which was the only time I ever put myself out there. She was more interested in her books than her friends, and when my friends gave up on me, I gave up on them. Friendship didn't work out for me then, and it won't work out now. So why go with Twinkleshine if I decided to give up on friends? I cannot answer this, for I don't know why I caved, but I decided to go, albeit reluctantly.

That outing proved to be the most boring of my life. I sat in silence, listening to the others chat about the happenings in their lives. I passively noted that their topic of conversation had changed to me, and why I'd been so reclusive over the past few years.

"Well, she's obviously broken up over something," Minuette said in a pitying tone.

"It's probably Twilight," Twinkleshine replied.

Okay, that was the last straw. I stamped a hoof on the table and tore my glance from the window to the three ponies across from me. "How dare you mention that name!"

"What?" they all chorused.

"How dare you mention her! She is nothing but an absolute jerk! She's the reason I'm the way I am! Now, I am going to go back to my studies, and you better not interrupt me again!" I cast a teleportation spell and warped myself to the entrance of the shop, trotting out and back towards my home. I stopped over at the Canterlot Library to pick up a new book to study on my way home, and all the while I never spoke to anypony it wasn't necessary to speak to.

When I got home, I was practically in tears from the emotional taxation my 'friends' had put me through. Mentioning Twilight Sparkle in front of me. How dare they. I decided I wouldn't take any more distractions, and got some tinfoil from the kitchen. I put it up on all my windows, blocking out the sun and the rest of Equinity. I then realized that I had been crying, and quickly cast an emotion neutralization spell to prevent me from feeling. Once that was complete, I sat down once more with my new book, ready to spend the rest of my life in here.

The neutralization spell had a strange effect on a pony. In my case, I was feeling down before casting my complex magical spell, and after it was cast, I suddenly felt nothing. No emotion, just existence. If I could feel, I'm sure I'd be ecstatic. It was nice to just be existent without having to worry about emotional issues. And as a large plus, the spell lasted until I wanted to cast a counter spell, which I wouldn't do for a long time.

A few weeks later, there came a knock on my door, again. Except this time, the knock was followed by a crack, as if somepony's hoof had gone through the old wood. When I reached the door, I yanked it open and barked, "What do you want? I'm trying to study!"

And to my surprise, the purple alicorn at my doorstep replied, "Moondancer?"

Author's Note

And enter Amending Fences. This was a quick idea of Moondancer's thoughts leading up to the events of aforementioned episode.