"So, you look distressed." I started a simple conversation with Moonshine.

"Do I?" She replied sarcastically.

"I guess just, worse than usual." I gave my retort and took another sip of her tea.

It's, actually amazing. Like, years, or maybe even decades of experience went into the brew.

Her frown grew heavier at my reply as she glared at me deeply. Just like that, minutes slowly passed away in silence.

*Sigh*

I curiously glanced at Moonshine, who had slumped down as her glare softened, ever so slightly.

"He's distressed." She spoke with another sigh.

"What?" I asked reflexively.

"Remedy. Says he's from a millennia ago. He's pretty freaked out about it." She spoke with visible worry on her expression.

No, wait. Seriously? Her, of all ponies? Showing actual concern to another?

...

Wait, what did she just say?

"Huh?" I let out a weird sound.

"Are you finally going senile or something? I said he's freaking out about being from a thousand years ago." She spoke with annoyed grimace.

"What, no, shut up. I'm just a bit confused, how did you figure this out?"

"He asked me what the date was, and something about the star system." She answered as she gazed towards the river.

I took a moment as I thought about it. "How freaked out?"

"Like his soul was sucked out." I clenched my jaw at that.

I had hoped to ease this into him, but for him to figure it out on his own.

"What is the date actually?" Moonshine spoke up.

"Thousand AB." I answered on instinct.

"Huh." She quietly made a sound and slumped down.

Taking this as the sign that our talk has ended, I turned towards the river. Maybe I should go after him.

"Don't." I suddenly heard.

"What?" I looked at Moonshine.

"Don't go after him." She stated seriously.

I was a bit confused by her sentence.

"I know the whole 'we're friends, so we should help him' part, but he just needs to think about this for a bit. We'll just stop him from thinking straight if we annoy him with our opinions right now." She said in a slightly defeated tone.

I was fully taken aback by her attitude. One that betrayed every expectation I had for her.

There still may be a chance after all.

"I see." Giving a simple reply, I decided to sit still.

A rather long amount of time passed as we sat in silence. The tea was reheated four times, we shared a simple lunch of baked potatoes as we still waited for Remedy to arrive.

As my worry for him began to grow higher and higher, Moonshine started another conversation.

"Do you know where Canis went?" She suddenly asked.

Canis?

"You mean the dog?" I asked back.

"Yes. Canis Major. I figured Remedy probably didn't know, so I didn't ask." She spoke with a longing in her voice.

I took a moment to think of where she had gone. Canis was loyal to Luna, evidently, more than the other constellations. So much so that her faith wasn't abandoned. Even during, the banishment.

My eyes widen slightly as I remember when it happened. Though missing, she always glowed in the night sky. Yes, that's when she disappeared.

"About, forty years after, you know." I spoke with a small pause.

She suddenly perked up at my answer.

"That shortly?" She spoke with confusion. "Who, or even, what was strong enough to beat Canis of all beings. That just doesn't make sense." Her expression was filled disbelief.

"Yes, I don't remember too clearly, but I do remember sending out dozens of search teams to find her after she disappeared from the skies. Never found her." I explained as I remembered the incredible amount of stress I received from that event. "The nobles were quite, ecstatic about that." I shuddered slightly as I thought of the line that went from the castle doors to the throne room.

Taking a glance at Moonshine, I was shocked once more. She just sat there, barely an emotion on her face as she peered at the ground. Yet her eyes held a hidden grief behind it.

With a sigh, she steeled herself and looked at me with a nonchalant gaze. Acting.

"Anyways, how'd you find out? You didn't seem to mind the actual 'from a millennia ago' part." She asked as her eyes flickered to the river once more before coming back to me.

"An investigation. Searched for his parents and found a file." I spoke casually as I brought out the burnt paper.

Moonshine stared at the paper for a few seconds as her eyes widened in surprise.

"Cremo." She muttered.

I nodded in response.

"Let me see." She raised a hoof.

"No." My response was simple.

"Why not?" She asked with annoyance back in her tone.

"Because it's personal?" I said back.

"So what? You saw it." She replied with a frown.

"As logical as your retort is, I don't think I should let anypony else see it. Except for Remedy obviously." I shook the file in my magic before proceeding to insert it back into my mane.

I closed my eyes after being content in teasing her as a sudden feeling gripped me.

"We'll see about that." I heard her speak.

Reflexively, I looked at her in slight fear. Her figure already in the air as her trajectory swung towards me.

Completely unprepared for this, I yelped in surprise as I felt her colliding with me.

"Gimme that fucking paper!" She yelled as I felt her hoof enter my mane.

What the? I can't get her off.

"We both know it doesn't work like that!" I screamed in retort as I finally took her off me with magic.

Seriously. She was weaker than me just a week ago.

"What's going on here?" I heard another voice as I stood up from the ground.

"This fucker is hiding your file from me!" Moonshine spoke without a single care as she pointed a hoof at me.

With a groan, I straightened myself and came face to face with Remedy. He stared back for a moment before looking at Moonshine.

"Why do you need to look at my file?" He asked her with an inquisitive look.

Moonshine stared at Remedy with a thin glare in silence as a few awkward seconds pass.

"Riiight." Remedy ignored her and turned towards me. "Good to see you again, Celestia." He greeted with a small smile.

"It's good to see you too." I greeted and took out the file for him. "It's your father's, from Cremo's Civilian Registry"

He nodded and took it. "Moon, why don't you peel a few vegetables if you're just gonna be pouting." He spoke casually.

"Fuck off." She said with an eyeroll and walked away.

I stood there surprised as my eyes followed the mare, who took a seat near some bags and started taking out potatoes.

"Hmm." I turned towards Remedy, who was reading the file with intense focus. "Yep, that's correct alright." He spoke and held the file to his forehead. "I need a drink." He muttered to himself.

"If you're saying that it's correct, then, how did-?" My question was interrupted as he suddenly threw the file into the extinguished camp fire.

"Wha? Why?" I quickly asked.

He looked me straight in the eye. I felt my body stiffen as I looked at the dead gaze he gave me.

With a soft laugh, he gave me an empty smile. "Don't worry, it's in the past. It's not something I'd brag about." He said in a hollow tone as he turned to sit at the fire.

As I stared at matches being lit, I couldn't bring myself to stop him. Something about his eyes, that dead, empty gaze brought chills to my bones. The gaze of somepony who has become familiar with death and suffering, both his and others.

"Remedy." I called out to him.

"It's fine. The cause of my problems died long ago." He said in a dark tone as the fire rose higher.

I shut my mouth as I stared at his back. Right at this moment, he seemed so alone. He's been carrying heavy burdens, with both regret and guilt pulling him down.

Deciding for the direct approach, I brought out the barrel and placed it next to him.

"In times like these, a drink is the best, right?" I stated and magicked two cups over.

He stared silently as I opened the top of the barrel with magic and dipped both cups in. A bit much considering the contents, but it should be fine.

"I shouldn't." He refused. "It took me about ten years of forcing alcohol out of my life to stop the withdrawal effects." His eyes held even more regret as my mind froze up.

Now I didn't know what to do. My mind went back to what I did when I was grieving.

Ah, I was drinking. That's why I have an entire basement full of all kinds of alcohol.

With, probably visible panic on my face, my eyes darted around the place, looking for something to give me an idea.

Then a hoof caught my eye.

Moonshine was looking at me with a pissed off expression, making a circle with her hooves?

What?

I mouthed 'what' as I tried making a circle with my hooves. She facehooved and formed the circle again, then pulled them in, making an X.

What? What the fuck does that-Oh! Right. A hug.

Dropping the cups into the barrel, I stood behind Remedy, who was gazing into the fire. Gently wrapping him with my hooves, I pulled him off the ground and into my chest and covered him with my wings. He didn't protest as I stared at Moonshine for confirmation.

She was looking at me with disbelief on her face.

'What the fuck are you doing?' She mouthed to me.

'What do you think?' I mouthed back.

'I told you to hug him, not embrace him.' She mouthed, disbelief growing even bigger on her face.

I am awesome at lip reading.

"I'm fine now." I heard Remedy speak.

"Alright." I let him out as he landed softly on the ground.

He had a small blush on his face as he coughed into his hoof.

"Well, let's have some lunch, yeah?" He spoke quickly and walked towards the bags Moonshine was working on.

Letting out a relieved sigh, I gave a grateful nod to Moonshine.

"Huh. I, actually got help from her." I mumbled to myself as I took a peek at the opened up whiskey.

I gulped as I remembered the amazing taste of whatever that came from Aged Wine's Brewery. Why did I even bring this. I quit like, 700 years ago.

"So, you still drink?" I suddenly heard Moonshine speak.

"No. I quit." I denied it.

"Right." She clearly doubted me as she grabbed one of the cups inside. "The perfect time to have a drink, ain't it?" She said with a nostalgic smile before taking a swig.

I was a bit slack jawed since she just drank about six shots worth.

With a satisfied sigh, she turned to me. "One drink?" She asked with a smirk.

I can't believe I'm being persuaded like a mischievous foal, talking their friend into drinking.

"One drink." I insisted and took the other cup from the barrel.

With a sigh, I took a small gulp.

That was weird. Why did she hug me like that?

I rinsed the last of the peeled vegetables and started dicing them up.

Glancing at the knife I was using, some bad memories rushed in. I'd gotten over it over the years, but the realization of how long I was gone sort of amplified it. Or, something like that.

"The rising oceans, and the falling skies!" Those two were singing some sea shanty.

And they're drunk.

Gleefully smiling with a cup in one hoof as they danced, connected to each other by their hooves. A weird sight, considering their last encounter.

The choice to join in was, tempting. But knowing I would just remember more of my life if I drank stopped me.

With the soup ingredients assembled, I hung the pot over the lit fire. The file, I'd hoped I wouldn't be reminded of that ever again. Well, not like it's worked until now.

Huh, the doctors. Always thought they were idiots back then. Especially High Medical, always looked like he was actually high.

With my task finished, I sat at the fire, listening to the off tone singing.

"And when the skies fallll, WE WILL BE THERE TO WATCH IT BURN"

Right.

Moon asked about Canis. I wonder if that bell is still buried there. Constellations are pretty weak if there's no magic protecting them.

I just hope nopony's too upset about that.

"WE CONTROL OUT DESTINY, IT'S ALL IN OUR HOOVES!"

I chuckled as they kept singing. What song even is that?

"Hey Remdy?" Moon slurred as she addressed me.

"Hmm?" I turned to her.

"Drink with us! Tartarus knows you need it!" She spoke gleefully as she downed some more.

Pretty sure they've drank more than a lethal amount. Then again, there's the deitified sun goddess, and somepony who's been proven to be unkillable in here.

"I'm fine." I replied and stirred the soup a bit.

They're gonna have the worst hangover in their lives after this.

"Come ooon, even I'm drinking." Celestia backed her up as she leaned on Moon for support.

Then they both fell down.

I gave a sigh as I stared at them. They're having fun.

With contradicting thoughts floating in my head, my attention kept going back to the opened barrel.

"Relapse is one hell of a thing." I said out loud before grabbing a cup.

Author's Note

And that's one more down.

I think I've dropped more than enough hints at Remedy's past. So, take a guess at what it is. I'll reward the first person the guesses it with an awesome 'good job'.

That asides, thanks for reading.

And see you next time.