It did not hit me until some time later, but I realized that I did not even know the name of the unicorn that had caused all of this strife, this hurt… this tragedy.

I had always been subject 217 to him, it was all that I had been for years since my name was taken. And he? He had been a monster.

I was sure that Captain Dash, Celestia or maybe even Melandra may have known or heard about his name. But I would not ask about that, no, I refused to. Call it stubbornness, but I would not give that monster the satisfaction of a name in my memory. Not after everything that he had caused.

Speaking of the things that happened in that lair, what I did was wrong, there was no way around that. But if I could do it all over again, I don't know if I would truly do things differently. I want to say that I would take the high road and try to save Granny Smith's sister, but I just don't trust myself enough to know if I would have been able to control myself in his presence.

But that was all in the past, I would like to say I waited for Annie in Ponyville, that I worked myself to the bone for her forgiveness. That I did everything in my power to restore what we once had, perhaps not to exactly what we had, but at least so that we could be friends once again.

But I did not do that. I was not brave enough to stick around to face her, whose family I had killed with my own hands. No, I was not a brave man, never was. In my core, I am and will always be a coward. So I ran. I ran like I had never ran before.

Melandra and Cleo helped me out, and my old dragoness teacher healed me up rather nicely. I never went back to ponyville, not just because of the Apple family, no. But also because I was still labeled as a criminal.

Captain Dash managed to get word out to us, he told us that the Canterlot nobles were making it difficult for Celestia to announce my innocence. And I did not doubt him, those annoying asskissers could slow down even the most simple of things to where a snail would look like a speedster. But he did say that the amount of evidence, including several journals that were recovered at the lair would prove my innocence without a doubt.

But the fact remained, I had nothing waiting for me back at ponyville anymore, so we just left that place, our old home behind and traveled out into the vast world to explore what it had to offer.

The years passed rather quickly after that.

Eventually we found a place where we settled down, it took a few tries and mishaps before we found a suitable place, but it was home. And most importantly, it was far, far away from Equestria.

Cleo stuck with me the entire time, she was my apprentice after all, and I had a lot to teach her. Melandra on the other hand… She stayed with us for a while, even traveled back to our old home to pick up some of the essentials that we would need, and that would be too troublesome to get new ones of. She even stuck around for a few years after we settled down, overlooking me and Cleo, teaching us both and mentoring us. But, eventually she left. Traveling back to Canterlot, back to her home. As she put it, I needed to grow on my own, and she wanted to visit Celestia again, since it had been a while since they had seen each other.

Cleo and I had plenty of adventures of our own though, and became renown smiths outside of Equestria. I always leaned more towards weapon making, though Cleo had a natural talent for armor smithing, so we made the perfect combination. I even got a contract from the Minotaur king himself at one point, but that is a story for another time.

Celestia never really stopped trying to send me letters. I could feel the push inside of my chest every time she tried to send one through me, but Melandra had taught me how to block it, should I want to. And that is what I did. I was never ready to go back, or face what had happened back then. In truth, I guess I never really stopped running in that sense. And I thought that if Celestia got to know where I was, that she might send someone to get me, or just go herself to spite me. I did not want to face her, not any of them. Life with Cleo as my apprentice was good, I did not need anything else.

But, all good things usually come to an end, and this was no exception…

*********************

Back in Canterlot, things appeared to be as fine as they could be. Equestria was prospering and their ponies were growing in numbers and expanding every day. But, if one were to look a little closer, a little deeper, one would see that not everything was as perfect as they appeared to be.

“Princess Celestia, are you okay?” A voice shook the sun princess out of her thoughts and she looked down at the pony in front of her. For a moment she mistook him for somepony else, somepony who had lived and died a long, long time ago. They were just so similar. But as the worry on his face increased, she remembered his question and a long sigh escaped past her lips, it was a question that she had heard a lot over the last few years.

“Yes my little pony, I am very alright.” She gave her loyal guard a warm and comforting smile, like she had done so many other times. “I am just a little tired.” Another excuse that had become old over the years, yet, it continued to work so perfectly well.

“I see.” It was not like she enjoyed lying to her little ponies, but they would just worry too much if she told them exactly what was on her mind. “Will you be closing the court early today too then?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “I think that I will. Please give my apologies to any of the poor souls that are still standing in line.” She should have gone out to greet and apologize to them herself, she knew this all too well. But she simply did not feel like it. She did not want to face anypony else, and more than anything, she did not wish to keep her mask of lies on for a moment longer than what was necessary.

“Of course princess.” The guard did a little salute, he was such a precious little thing. And he took after his uncle, Razor Dash so very much. As soon as that pony entered her thoughts though, Celestia had to hold back a grumble. He was still a Captain of the royal guard, and did an exemplary job too. He was just… a little more “himself” than she could handle. Had been ever since he had been cleared of his supposed betrayal.

“Guards!” Every single guard in the room snapped to attention as Celestia called out to them. They were like coiled springs, ready to snap free and obey her next command to the letter. They were loyal without a doubt, and she loved them for that. They could just be a little… boring at times. “Please leave the room. All of you.” This however, caused a few odd looks between the guard ponies.

“Um.. Princess?” One of them asked her.

“I wish to be alone for a little while.” She said in a gentle voice. “Do not worry my little ponies,” she added as she saw the uncertainty in their faces. “I will be perfectly fine. I just… wish to reflect upon a few things.”

“Yes, your highness.” The guards snapped to attention and bowed before leaving, one after the other, until the throne room was completely empty.

It was a comfortable silence, something that Celestia had learned to appreciate during her years on the throne. When every day was a hectic mess, you learned to enjoy the little quiet moments here and there.

Her horn lit up and a parchment and a quill floated up from behind the throne. She knew that it would only bring disappointment. But it had been years since the last time she had tried… maybe something would have changed by now.

She finished writing up her message and sealed the cross with a wax seal before green fire consumed the scroll and a wisp of green magic flew up and out the window. She closed her eyes and listened to the comforting sound of her own heartbeat as she counted the moments before….

Her eyes snapped back open as a familiar “pop” sound filled the air and the very same scroll that she had sent dropped down on the ground in front of her, its seal, still intact.

It was the same that had happened to every single other letter that she had tried to send to Jake. Melandra was the only one who knew where he was, and she refused to tell a soul. Claiming that he had made her promise to keep it a secret, until he was ready to come back.

Celestia did not speak much of him any longer, but her closest friends and guards knew that she missed the Silver dragon hybrid, though, not all of them knew the true reason as to why.

Sure, they were friends. Quite good friends at that, or at least they had been. She had grown quite close to him during the first few months that he had spent living at the castle. She had other friends, sure, and she treasured them deeply every day. But it had been more than that, it had been what she had seen in Jake.

A friend that would not leave her, that would not succumb to the clutches of time. That would simply not wither away in what felt like the blink of an eye. Just like Melandra, he would live for a long, long time. Sure, he may not be immortal like her, at least not to her knowledge. But a few thousand years at the very least.

She yearned for another such a friend, no, she needed it.

One might call such a thought selfish. But after all that she had done, all that she had braved. Celestia felt that she could deserve to be a little selfish. If only for once.

There had been an emptiness inside her ever since she had been forced to banish her sister to the moon. Melandra had helped a lot, another one that would brave the test of time with her. But when Jake had left, nay, disappeared without a word. It had reminded her of that emptiness. And it hurt.

“Am I a silly mare for clinging to such silly ideas as a lasting friendship?” She voiced her thoughts, though, no one was there to hear them. Her voice simply echoed off the walls of her throne room, until silence reigned supreme once again.

She was unsure how long she had sat there alone before she heard a commotion start to grow outside her palace doors. Now, commotions like the one she was hearing, while not common, were not completely unheard off. While most ponies in her land lived a good life under her rule, there was still exceptions. As much as she wanted, there was simply no way of helping each and every one of those poor souls.

But this was different, somehow it felt… familiar.

That was when the palace doors burst open, and a very familiar creature skidded across her floors before coming to a halt. Her body was that of a lion, and she had a pair of magnificent wings on her sides. Her face on the other hoof, was not comparable to any other. Cleo the Sphinx stood there in full glory and Celestia let out a gasp.

Not because of her, no, but rather, because of what she was carrying.

Over her back, laid the unmoving body of her friend, Jake.

“Princess!” Cleo shouted, her panic as clear as day. “I-I need your help. Its Jake. H-he… something is wrong, and I don't know what to do.”

*********************

Tired.

No, I don't think a single word could ever clearly explain how I felt. But I was still, just so, so tired. It felt like my body, no, my very essence wanted to just lay down and stop moving. And it seemed like such a good idea too.

“-he just started sleeping more and more,” hey, that was Cleo's voice. Heh, she had promised that she would take care of me and figure out what was wrong. I could barely move my body, but with the last of my strength, I forced my eyes open, to reveal the magnificent room around us. A sight that I had not seen in many years. “At first I thought it was nothing, but then he started sleeping for days at a time… then close to weeks. And no matter what I did, during those times, he would not wake up!” I could not turn my head to look at her, but I could hear it in her voice that she was crying.

“This is most serious indeed.” A new voice spoke up. It was someone that I had not seen in what felt like a small forever, though, out of the corner of my eye, I could see the edges of her ethereal flowing mane… Celestia. I tried to open my mouth to call out to her, I had been stubborn, stubborn and stupid to ignore her for all those years. To reject her messaged and efforts to call out to me.

But… as I tried to muster the energy to speak, I could feel the darkness approaching once again. It was overwhelming, suffocating and at the same time, inviting. Warm like a mother's embrace.

“Jake, are you awake!?” It was impossible to resist its call. “No, stay with us Jake, stay with us….”

It felt like only a moment has passed, but when I opened my eyes once again, Cleo was laying on the floor, and I was propped up against her side. Her right wing was wrapped softly around me, and she kept humming a soft tune from a song, a song that still sparked memories in my mind.

“I… I taught you that when we first met.” My voice was broken and hoarse, but I managed to speak this time, it was a small victory.

“I remember.” Cleo answered, though she did not stop humming. It send small vibrations through her body, that carried over to mine. “You said that it was your favorite song.”

“And it… still is.” I managed to smile, and look around. It seemed like we were along. “Where… is…”

“Celestia?” Cleo asked, like she had known what I was going to say. “She ran to get Melandra.” She answered. “She… she thought that it looked like you were going into a dragons slumber… hibernation. Only…” Her voice cracked and she hugged me a little tighter. “Only that's not supposed to happen until a dragon is very, very old.” She quivered. “And you should not be this weak.” I wanted to reach up and embrace her, to tell her that she should not be sad because of me. That she should not worry… but my arms would not move.

“Don't... cry.” Was all that I managed.

“Y-yeah, you are right.” She sniffed and I could feel her wipe her teats. “B-but, she said that Melandra would know what to do.” She moved my head so that I could up at her, into her eyes. They were still red from the earlier crying, but she wore a beautiful smile on her face. “I know that you did not want me to bring you back here… b-but I did not know what else to do!” Her tears fell down and onto me. “I could not take care of you.”

But you did take care of me, you did what was right… I was the one who had been stupid, that was what i wanted to tell her. But my voice had gone away once again, and I could not muster the energy to summon it.

“B-but now that we are here, Melandra will make everything well again.” She smiled brightly, and I could feel it warm my soul. Though I was still so tired, so very, very tired. And my eyelids were beginning to get heavy.

“Jake!” It was fair, but I thought I could hear a familiar voice call my name. Not only that, no, I could hear several voices.

“D-did you hear that.” Clep looked up. “Everyone is coming.” And I could feel a faint smile grow on my own face aswell. “They are getting closer, they will be here any minute now.” And she was right, I could hear the hoofsteps echoing through the halls of the castle.

"Y-you are like a family to me, and I was so afraid that I would lose you…”

In the distance I could hear them, Captain Dash, it had been so long since I had seen him. And Melandra, who had left all those years ago to go back to her home in Canterlot. And lastly, Celestia… whom I had not spoken to in forever. Whom I had ignored for so long. They were all getting closer.

“They will soon be here Jake.” Her voice was so soothing, like fine silk it caressed my soul. The only one who would not be here was Granny Smith… who I had wronged all those years ago, and had never been able to face since.

So tired

But… after Melandra and the others came, I would be able to visit her again. I would finally stand up to my demons and face the truth.

“They are just around the corner now.” Cleo smiled, she looked like an angel with the sun shining down on her, and I could hear their hoofsteps getting closer and closer.

I was just so tired… they were almost here anyway, and my eyes were getting so heavy. And Cleo's fur was so very, very comfortable.

“Everyone will finally be gathered again!”

They were just around the corner anyway… I would just... close my eyes for... one… short… moment…………...

Author's Note

And with that, this story of mine finally comes to an end.
It has been a truly wonderful road to get this far, though we have certainly met more than a few roadblocks along the way.
For the longest time, I did not think that this story would be complete. That I would just let it die, because, honestly, I was not having fun in writing it anymore. But, I felt like I owed it to you guys, the readers I had, to finish it. And while it took way longer than it should have, we made it in the end.

About the ending... I know that it's not the most satisfying one, but it was the one I had in mind before the first chapter was even done. I knew how this story would end before it even started.

With that being said... I thank those of you that have joined me on this journey. This was my first attempt at fanfiction, and it was truly a joy to write, and it taught me a lot and helped me grow.

Will there be a sequel?.... who knows.

Lastly, I just wanted to say that any and all feedback is greatly appreciated. I would love to hear what you guys thought of this story of mine now that is is finally completed^^