Troy felt more and more uneasy as he walked with his coltfriend along the dirt road, knowing very well what happened to Canvas in this area. As the two walked side-by-side along the rows of grey and white houses, there were no other ponies visible from their homes or yards. Still, the Gryphon could feel the piercing stares from their windows as they went past.

Even though he figured this would happen in a place where no Gryphons had ever been present, Troy still felt a little uncomfortable as he followed the stallion, hoping that Canvas was doing the right thing. When a small, brick building came up in the distance, Troy noticed Canvas's trot change slightly. His hooves began to shake a little with each added step.

By the time they reached the drugstore, Canvas's shaking had reached his whole body, the stallion looking incredibly worried as he came up to his old home. Seeing the look of unease in the pony's face, Troy was quick to walk up to him, keeping his body right next to his in an attempt to calm him down. Even with feeling the warmth of his lover by his side, Canvas was still shaking more as they got closer to his home. It wasn't until the house was in clear view that Canvas's eyes widened, making him bite his lip as he looked at his childhood home.

Fortunately, the home was still there, standing tall in the neighborhood like nothing ever happened. The paint over the two-story house was still the same shade of off-white that Canvas remembered, with the dark-green shutters along the windows that gave some semblance of color around the place. The front lawn was shining with a vibrant shade of green grass, which was slightly overgrown due to the lack of attention.

Seeing what else was on the lawn, Canvas wasn't surprised the grass hadn’t been cut in a while: he noticed the “For Sale” sign still up. Canvas clenched his eyes shut as he saw that sign, realizing that his old home really was gone after he’d left.

Troy put a foreleg around the stallion, holding him tight as he saw how upset Canvas was. Keeping his eyes closed, Canvas slowly bent his head in towards Troy, letting the warm feathers brush against his face and help calm him down. Neither of them were sure how long they stood like that in the middle of the street in front of Canvas's old home; however, the sound of something banging from the drugstore behind them caught their attention.

As the two turned their heads back to the old brick building, a light-blue Pegasus shot out of the doors with his eyes wide open, looking absolutely shocked as he looked over at Canvas.

"CANVAS?!” shouted the stallion, his short, orange mane almost starting to shoot out at the sight of the aqua pony. "Holy buck, I can’t believe it!"

The stallion managed to run forward several steps, looking absolutely ecstatic to see the pony before Troy stepped out in front of Canvas. The Gryphon shot open his wings as he stood in a brooding pose to protect his coltfriend, making the Pegasus skid to a screeching halt as he saw Troy's burning glare on him. Thinking this Gryphon was going to rip his limbs apart, the stallion started shaking horribly as his breathing came out rapidly, making him unable to speak as he trembled on his hooves.

Canvas was quick to put his hoof out in front of Troy, keeping the Gryphon from doing anything before he said, "It's alright.” Canvas said in a worried tone to his boyfriend, "It's just Cloud Thresher, don't worry."

Canvas looked back over to Cloud Thresher, seeing how freaked-out the Pegasus looked before turning back to Troy. "He won't do anything. It's alright."

Hearing how insistent Canvas was in his words, Troy slowly nodded before he lowered his wings, keeping his eyes pinned on Cloud Thresher as he stepped back. Seeing that he wasn't going to end up as a fur rug in some Gryphon den, Cloud Thresher began to stop shaking as he looked back at Canvas, breathing in a few times before he spoke in a faint and shaky tone of voice.

"C-Canvas… I… I didn’t expect to see you here…”

Canvas only nodded as he looked at Cloud Thresher, keeping a slightly saddened look on his face before he looked back at the house and spoke.

"Yeah, I… I heard the house was for sale, and--”

"It was,” said Cloud Thresher in a more morose tone, rubbing the back of his own neck as he spoke sheepishly. "He… he really wanted to find you.”

Canvas bit his lip as he looked back at the Pegasus, sighing before he replied, "Yeah. He… he did.”

"I know,” said Cloud Thresher faintly. "He was here about a week ago…."

Canvas breathed in as he heard that, knowing that Copper probably would've done something like that. As the stallion stood silent next to his boyfriend, Cloud Thresher kept speaking in a more optimistic tone of voice.

"I met up with him and he… he told me about what happened, and… he mentioned you were doing really well…”

Cloud Thresher then looked at the Gryphon next to Canvas, a smirk appearing on his light-blue muzzle as he realized who he was. Even though Troy still kept a stern look on his face, Could Thresher couldn’t help but chuckle a little as he spoke some more.

"I… I guess he wasn't messing with me when he told me about the Gryphon."

Even though he chuckled lightly in an attempt to lighten the mood, Canvas and Troy kept silent before Cloud Thresher stopped, going back to his upset state as he spoke to Canvas.

"Canvas, it's… it's really great to see you again. I mean…. I'm really happy to hear you're doing so well."

Hearing the sincerity in the Pegasus's statement, Canvas gave a light smile as he stood beside Troy, nodding before he responded, "Thanks, I… I just wanted to…”

Canvas closed his eyes for a second as he breathed in, looking a little more upset as he continued his statement.

"... I wanted to see my Mom again… you know… before the Gala."

Cloud Thresher nodded in understanding, looking back in the direction of the graveyard for a second before turning back to Canvas.

"I get it,” said the stallion, trying to look happier as he kept talking to Canvas. "You… you actually made the front page of the paper for that Celestia thing…”

The Pegasus kept his smile for a second before his eyes widened a little, as if something went off in his head before he looked back to the drugstore.

"Actually,” said Cloud Thresher in a more excited tone, "wait right here!"

Before Canvas could respond, Cloud Thresher ran back into the drugstore as quickly as he’d exited. As Canvas and Troy stood there, slightly confused, they could hear the Pegasus's voice coming from inside the store, talking with another stallion inside.

After a moment of silence, the head of the grey-coated shopkeeper poked out from the door, noticing Canvas before his eyes widened in shock. As soon as the old stallion's head went back into the drugstore, the sound of things banging could be heard from inside before Cloud Thresher shot back out, holding a large frame in his mouth as he trotted to Canvas and Troy.

As Cloud Thresher propped the frame in front of the two, Canvas's eyes widened when he saw the newspaper headline inside, seeing that it was from the Gallop Creek Gazette a few months ago. Boasting the same picture of Canvas with Celestia that'd been in every other paper in Equestria, the framed newspaper carried a large headline above the photo, printed in a bold font as it displayed the big story.

Seeing how the story took up the entire front page, Canvas didn’t need to read the huge wall of text underneath the photo to know how important this was. Even with all the pain he’d experienced that dreadful night after his graduation, Canvas couldn’t help but smile a little as he saw that framed picture, realizing how Gallop Creek managed to not only see, but appreciate, his largest accomplishment since leaving.

Noticing how grateful the pony looked at seeing this, Cloud Thresher picked the frame back up, propping it against the side of the building before turning back to Canvas. Even though he wanted to stay positive, his growing guilt prevented him from keeping the smile on his face. It slowly went back down to a sullen frown before he spoke honestly.

"Canvas, I… I don't know what I could say right now…”

Cloud Thresher's gaze slowly went down to the ground, making him hang his head in guilt as he continued to speak.

"There are… no words… to describe how horrible I feel right now.”

Looking back to Canvas, Cloud Thresher carried the strongest look of shame as he kept talking, knowing what he had to say to the stallion who was almost killed less than a year ago.

"I should've helped you, Canvas. And…. and I know there's nothing I can say that can make up for not doing so. I saw what he did, but… but I didn’t do anything about it.”

Seeing how Canvas was looking back at him in disappointment--with a particularly strong glare from the Gryphon beside him--Cloud Thresher's voice came out more distressed as he spoke, feeling worse about himself with each passing word.

"I know I'm not the only one, but… I'm so sorry, Canvas… I just want you to know that.”

After a long bout of silence between them, Canvas slowly nodded to Cloud Thresher, breathing out before he spoke faintly.

"Th… thanks, Cloud Thresher. I… I know you helped him out a lot to try finding me, so… it's alright."

While Cloud Thresher was surprised to find out Canvas knew that, the Pegasus still grew a small smile back on his face as he nodded back. Looking back to the house behind the two, Cloud Thresher sighed before turning back to Canvas, keeping a more positive tone of voice as he spoke.

"Just so you know… I still have the spare key… you know, from when I used to foalsit you and stuff…”

Canvas's eyes widened a little as he saw the Pegasus lift his right wing, watching as Cloud Thresher bent his head back and pulled out a ring of keys from underneath his wing. Without saying anything, Cloud Thresher flew over to the house with the keys in his mouth, quickly finding the right one before he opened the front door.

As Canvas and Troy walked over to the front door together, Cloud Thresher stood beside it and looked at them with a guilty look on his face. "I…I know this doesn't make up for anything, but… it's the least I can do,” he said to Canvas.

Seeing the inside of the home, Canvas smiled a little as he looked back at Cloud Thresher, holding out a hoof before he spoke to him.

"Thanks for doing this, Cloud. You… you really were a good friend."

Seeing that Canvas really looked happy about this, Cloud Thresher smiled back as he shook his hoof, grateful that things were fine at the moment.

"Not a problem,” said the Pegasus before looking back to the house. "Just lock up before leaving, okay?"

Canvas only nodded before he stepped inside, trying to appreciate being back in his old home despite the stuffy air. Before Troy followed him inside, he gave one last nod toward Cloud Thresher, waiting until the Pegasus nodded back before he went inside with his coltfriend.

As Troy closed the door behind him, Cloud Thresher sighed before stepping off the front porch, glad that he got to see him one last time like that. While the Pegasus went back to the frame to give back to the shopkeeper, Canvas stood in the middle of the house, looking up at the stairs leading to the second floor as Troy walked up to him.

"You okay, Canvas?” Troy asked as he stood beside him. "I mean, I didn’t think you would be so alright with talking with him after everything."

"I know,” said Canvas as he slowly turned back to the Gryphon, "but… I talked with Twilight a week ago about what happened to me…"

Seeing the curious look on Troy's face, Canvas cleared his throat before he went on. "She told me about this thing called the Bystander Effect…”

Remembering what the Princess said to him, Canvas looked down to the ground as he tried to explain it as best as he could to the Gryphon. "Apparently, during a traumatic event, a large group who is watching something happen might not help out that quickly, or even at all. When a pony knows they're not alone in seeing something bad happen, they might not do anything because they think somepony else will. It… it's actually a big psychological thing that happens a lot in bad situations."

Even though Troy understood enough of Canvas's statement to nod, the Gryphon still felt uneasy as he thought about it. While the idea of Bystander Effect definitely made sense--especially after seeing it happen in Ponyville, when no one stopped the screaming match between Canvas and Copper--Troy hated thinking about it, knowing how easily his lover could've been killed because of the lack of help for him at that time.

"I mean,” continued the stallion, "I know it doesn’t excuse any of them for what happened to me, but… but, I get it."

Canvas looked back up at Troy, keeping a more optimistic tone as he finished his statement. "I don't know if I can ever forgive anypony in this town, but… there is one thing that makes me feel better…”

Canvas then put a hoof around the Gryphon's neck as he bent forward, standing in his old home as he spoke in a more loving tone of voice. "Of all the help I could've gotten that night… you...

“You were the best help I could've ever asked for."

Canvas then put his head on Troy's shoulder, holding him in a deep hug as they stood in the darkened room. As Troy hugged the stallion back, he knew that Canvas was right about that last statement. While he wouldn’t mind knocking out a few of the neighbors around here for not helping Canvas that night (despite that whole Bystander Effect thing), Troy felt better as he thought about all the help he gave him, realizing how differently things would've gone if he hadn’t found the stallion.

After all these months of becoming friends, knowing each other, and becoming happier with each moment they became closer, Troy knew that none of it could've happened if he wasn't the first one to help him. Even though he hated thinking about how much pain the stallion went through before that fateful day outside Ponyville, Troy knew how much love and happiness was able to occur after that day, making him feel better as he clutched Canvas in his claws.

After a moment of serenity between the two, Canvas slowly pulled back and looked around the house. Because of the blinds covering the windows, much of the house was rather darkened for the two, making the stuffiness of the unnoticed home feel even more uncomfortable as the stallion stood in the middle of the house. With the Gryphon close by his side, Canvas breathed in as he began to look around the space, hoping he was doing the right thing by returning to this place after so long.

Although he was glad to be back for this, Canvas still felt extremely uneasy as he looked around, remembering all the things that happened in this very spot the last time he was here. Even with Troy standing close to him, Canvas couldn’t feel any easier as his gaze went around the house, feeling his heart grow heavier as he saw the doorway to his father's study.

Though he felt his heart begin to sink down to his stomach, Canvas slowly walked over to the room, his breathing coming out harder with each passing step. Looking inside, Canvas saw the green room was completely bare. The walls were cleaned like they were brand new. Despite this place being the setting for the worst moment of his life, the study was now just a clean and empty room to Canvas, showing no sign that anything horrible happened in this spot.

After looking around for a moment, Canvas sighed before he slowly walked toward the stairs. With his boyfriend close behind, both of them stayed silent as Canvas walked up the stairs, looking down at each wooden step as he made his way to the second floor. Even though he hated to admit it to himself, Canvas expected to see at least a drop of blood or two, remembering how badly he was bleeding the last time he rushed up these steps. However, the stairs, much like the rest of the house, was immaculately cleaned and wiped down, looking presentable for any potential buyers. With only the sounds of his hooves creaking against the floorboards--and the much louder creaks coming from Troy as his heavier body walked up the old stairs--Canvas didn’t say a word as he walked down the hallway, breathing in before his hoof reached out to the doorknob to his old bedroom.

Closing his eyes, Canvas walked inside the room that used to be his own, not noticing the Gryphon standing at the doorway as he reached the middle of the empty space. Opening his eyes, Canvas's heart sank as he looked around the room, seeing how barren the space was now. Standing on the carpeted, blue floor, Canvas's face scrunched in as he looked around, seeing that there was absolutely nothing between the four blue walls.

Even though he knew exactly where everything had been--from the spot for his modest bed to where his painting easel used to be--Canvas could only look around, distraught as he saw that everything was gone. Hearing the pony's breathing coming out shaky, Troy quickly walked into the bedroom, lifting a foreleg to Canvas in an effort to calm him down.

With Troy by his side, Canvas couldn’t hold back anymore as fresh tears came from his eyes, streaming down his face as he threw himself onto the Gryphon. As Canvas sunk his head into the feathered chest, Troy clutched him tightly as he heard the stallion's muffled sobs, knowing how hard it had to be to see everything gone like this.

Even though he knew coming back was going to be difficult, Canvas didn’t realize how hard the reality would hit him as he stood in his old room, letting the bitter truth sink in that this was no longer a place of his own. After so many years of living in this town, Canvas couldn’t hold his tears back as he realized he really wasn't part of it anymore; despite being glad he finally broke free from this town and the ponies in it, Canvas still felt saddened as he realized how barren everything felt, like nothing really changed since he left.

Before he could speak up to his lover about this, feeling increasingly bad as he let the loss of his old home sink in, Canvas felt Troy's talons gently brush against his mane, calming him down before the Gryphon opened his beak.

As he stood with Canvas in the space, all Troy could think about was how similar this all felt to that one night as he held Canvas in his study after his breakdown. Remembering how much that night inspired him during his first audition, Troy knew exactly what he wanted to do for this moment. Keeping the stallion against his chest, Troy closed his eyes as he savored the warmth he felt within him, hugging Canvas tight as he began to sing softly.

Nothing's gonna harm yooooouuuuuuu…

Not while I'm aroooouuuuuund…

Nothing's gonna harm you, no sir…

Not while I'm aroooouuuuuund…

Hearing the Gryphon's soothing voice over him, Canvas closed his eyes and gripped him tighter, smiling as he savored how beautiful Troy's voice really was.

Demons are prowling everywhere, nowadaaaaayyyysss…

I'll send them howling, I don’t care…

I've got waaaayyyyyssss…

Remembering the audition, Troy knew this was really how he wanted to sing this song. Even before he even realized how much he loved the stallion he was holding right now, Troy knew how right that song felt when he thought about Canvas.

Knowing how perfect the lyrics sounded when he thought about that night, all that Troy wanted to do was hold Canvas like this as he sang, despite how much he tried to avoid that thought at the time. But now, with all of the denial and distractions gone, and all the painful memories brushed away, all that was left was the stallion and the Gryphon, holding each other in a loving embrace as Troy kept singing in a gentle tone.

No one's gonna hurt yoooouuuu…

No one's gonna daaaarrrrrreee…

Others can desert you, not to worry…

Whistle, I'll be theeerrrrreee…

Canvas began to smile as he pulled his head back, looking straight into Troy's vibrant golden eyes as the Gryphon looked back. Lifting a claw, Troy slowly wiped off the tears from Canvas's matted fur, looking into his shimmering blue eyes as he sang with a smile on his beak.

Demons may charm you with a smile, for a while…

But, in tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimmmmmmeeeee…

Keeping his singing voice gentle, Troy slowly pulled his head in, keeping his eyes locked on Canvas's as they bent in closer.

Nothing can harm you…

Not while I’mmmmm…

In that moment, Canvas closed his eyes as he bent in, locking his lips against Troy's beak as they held onto each other. Savoring this moment, Troy closed his eyes and kissed back lovingly, knowing that no other experience could ever come as close to the bliss he felt as he held onto him.

Neither one was sure how long they stood in Canvas's old bedroom, sharing their deep kiss as a faint light came in from the closed blinds. Neither Canvas or Troy cared as they stayed in that space, feeling like time was standing still until the Gryphon pulled back. Looking into the stunning shade of blue that made up Canvas's eyes, Troy kept a smile on his beak, feeling even better about what he was planning in Canterlot as he slowly finished his song to him.

Aaaaaaaaa… rooooooooooooouuuuuuunnnnnnd…

Next Chapter: Chapter Fifty-One: Ave Maria Estimated time remaining: 56 Minutes