The bulky, muscle-y figure was unseen by Epee, hidden in the shadows of shadow cast by the large building. Broad gazed upon him as he walked through the streets of the town, headed for some unknown direction. Broad clenched his fists in barely controlled rage.

Dammit, he thought to himself, you survived. Can't you just die like the worthless piece of shit you are? Broad walked away from the sight, and headed for Everfree Forest, traveling back to Marvalia to keep up appearances. And to keep Quarrel's acts in line with his plans.

***

"You're moves are too predictable. Parry, feint, and strike!" Czar chanted the command as Epee slashed and deflected harder and harder, causing the metal of the two swords to clash and send sparks. He parried Czar's left slash, and began to diagonally slash downward. In response and instinct, Czar raised his sword to block. Instead, Epee changed mid-cut, and slashed the sword from left to right, striking against Czar's armor, leaving a dent as evidence of being struck. Czar, shocked by Epee's sudden increase on skill, backed away to prepare to lunge. Epee was ready, and crouched down low. Car charged, sword held low. Epee back flipped, dodging the king's attack, and, once his feet made contact with the grass of the courtyard, reversed his momentum, and charged forward. Czar wasn't expecting this as Epee knocked the sword out of the king's hands. Epee tripped him up, and held the sword to Czar's throat.

"My...you're quite good at this."

Broad was watching, envious the entire time. Epee got all the special treatment. He was getting taught by King Czar himself how to sword fight, while I have to train by myself. Broad squeezed the armrest of the wooden bench where he sat, veins pulsing in his hands. Terra broke her gaze from the training session to look at Broad. The smile she previously had was wiped away when she saw how enraged her friend looked.

***

You scan the signs on the buildings you passed, looking for a general store. Fluttershy had been running low on some bathroom necessities, so you volunteered to go out and grab some. As she handed you the bits required, you winced in shame. You were still broke, and couldn't pay for anything by yourself. You wondered if you had some bits conveniently placed in your pockets. You press your fingers to your temple, attempting to remember anything at all. Still a blank, save the memories you recalled randomly. You quickly toss the idea of having money with your clothes; odds are, the person who attacked you had mugged you as well.

As you scanned buildings for a indication of a general store, you catch a glimpse of a bulky figure walk behind a building. Had he been watching you? You'd recalled feeling of being watched on your walk with Pinkie. The talk you and Twilight shared had materialized in your head, and you looked back on her events of that day.

***

Pinkie stopped in front of a large treehouse. It was about 10 yards wide, and at least 20 feet tall, with a balcony present where you guessed the second floor would be.

"Is this...Twilight's library?" You ask, gawking at the massive treehouse library.

"Yep!" Pinkie answered, spinning around on her heels to face you. "What didja wanna ask her again?"

"Oh, just some stuff." You respond, walking up to the door. Just as Pinkie goes out of eye shot, you catch a glimpse of her. She looked down at the ground solemnly, and place her hand over her heart, as if feeling for something. You were worried what you should do in response: keep walking and pretend as if you never saw anything, or ask her what was wrong. Out of fear of upsetting her, you continue to approach the door. Behind you, you feel Pinkie approaching. Inhaling, you knock on the door.

A small yelp of suprise elicits from inside, and a small thud sounds, as if someone fell. You wince, fearing you hurt whoever was inside. The yelp sounded somewhat male; you thought maybe Twilight had an assistant. The door swung quickly open, but no one was directly in front of you. Confused, you began to walk forward to peer inside.

"Hey, watch it!" A young, male voice says, agitated. You look down, and the cutest thing next to Fluttershy was present before your very eyes. A small, toddler sized, purple baby dragon was standing at the doorway, elbow rested on the door frame, tapping his foot, annoyed.

"Who're you? You here to check out a book or somethin?" He said.

"Um, I-I'm here to see Twilight..." You say, embarrassed that you nearly tripped over him. Minus his green spikes, he about reached your waist.

His agitated look softened. "Oh, you must be that guy, Epee, that Twilight won't shut up about." He looked out behind him, and shouted to a unseen listener: "Twi', that guy's here to see you!"

A few bumps and thuds sounded from upstairs, and you heard rapid footsteps, as if someone were hauling ass down the stairs.

"Er, what was that shout and crash earlier?" You ask, wondering if everybody was alright.

"Oh, I was putting some books back, and the noise made me fall of the ladder." He said nonchalantly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to scare you," You apologize."

"Eh, s'no big deal. Yeesh, you sound just like Fluttershy, you two'd be perfect for each other," He rolled his eyes. At this, you blushed severely, and looked away.

Jeez, Why'd he have to say something...You thought to yourself. Wait, why am I embarrased? It's not like I like her or anything. Or...

Your thinking session was interrupted by someone appearing behind Spike.

"Oh, hi Epee, hi Pinkie," Twilight said, quickly combing her hair with her fingers in effort to straighten it out. She looked as if she'd been up late that night for something.

"Watcha here for?" She asked.

"Oh, I, er, wanted to ask you a few questions," You respond.

"Oh, well, come on in," she said, gesturing inside. The baby dragon stepped aside to let you inside. As you entered, you asked about the dragon.

"What's your friend's name?"

"Oh, crap, I forgot to introduce you two!" Twilight exclaimed. "Epee, meet Spike, Spike, mee-"

"Oh please, don't even, you talk about him enough," Spike interrupted. "She talks about you all the time. Even more than her reports to the princess..."

"S-Spike!" Twilight said, her cheeks turning a slight pink. Spike chuckled, and took notice to you staring at him.

"What?" He asked.

"C-can I...pet you?" You ask.

"Um, no," he said, a confused look on his face.

"Wow, that was random, Epee!" Pinkie said, materializing next to you.

"Heh, says you, Pinkie Pie" Spike chuckled.

"Anyways, what didja wanna ask?" Twilight says while sitting down on a couch.

You do the same, and ask: "I wanted to ask some things about amnesia."

Before you could elaborate, Twilight stopped you. "I know what you're gonna ask: You want me to use my magic to cure your amnesia."

You looked down and sighed. "I've been told that you're one of the best magicians in Ponyville. Fluttershy told me a lot. About how you and the others brought down Nightmare Moon, whoever that is, and you calming a rampaging Ursa Minor, and all of the other amazing feats you've done. Clearing amnesia seems like nothing at all."

Twilight sighed, and stood up. "Magic can do lots of things." She picked up a pencil, and her horn began to glow. In a split second, Twilight transformed it onto a tulip. She used telekinesis to take the flower from her hand, and laid it on a table in the corner of the room. "It can turn some inanimate into a living thing, such as a pencil into a flower. It can mend wounds, lift objects," Twilight lifeted a chair, "break things." Her horn glowed brighter, and the chair snapped and broke into pieces. "And it can fix them." She focused, and the chair reassembled. "Magic can teleport a target." Her horn shone again, and she disappeared in a flash of light, and reappeared in the newly fixed chair. "But...a persons brain is extremely complex. Emotions, thoughts, personalities, so many variables one would have to take into account. If powerful enough, somepony rewire another's brain." She paused to think for a moment. "Think of dementia. If somepony were to cure somepony else's dementia with magic, he'd have to know every single personality quirk, complex, memory, and emotion that person has ever felt, or else they will majorly screw up, leaving the effects irreversible."

"So...what you're saying is..." You say, any hope slipping away.

"Yes. In order for me to clear your amnesia, I'd have to know everything about your brain. Your memories, your emotions, any quirks or moralities. Everything. I could accidentally create artificial memories in place of your real ones. I'm sorry..."

You felt hopeless. You thought that you could remember everything, and be able to go home. To see any family you might have. Forever, you'd be stuck in a town, knowing little about this place, and yourself. You will never be able to go home.

"Can...I ask just one favor?" You say, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Sure." She says.

"You know Princess Celestia. You're favorite pupil, right?"

"O-oh, I wouldn't go that far..."

"Can you...ask her to research me? If I was ever born in this kingdom, then I should have records of me somewhere, right?"

Twilight mulled it over. "That's a good idea. I'll be sure to send her a letter."

"Then...hopefully, I'll be able to go home...." You say quietly, so the others couldn't hear.

What the hell are you talking about!? You heard your voice scream at you.

Wh-wha...? You respond to your inner voice.

You ARE home! You're such a dipshit! Can't you tell? These people CARE about you! And now, you're whining about not being able to go home. So yer just gonna leave these people here, leave them behind!?"

B-But...If I have family back where I came from, I'll be leaving them behind...What about my friends and family!? What about them!!

Tch...Idiot. You didn't leave them behind. Your not abandoning them. But, you ARE abandoning you're new friends. Can't you see that they all care about you? Especially Fluttershy.

What do you mean?

If I had hands, I would facepalm. She may be a caring individual, but does she let some random guy she found nearly dead on her way home live with her? She never even asked for a rent or anything.

T-that's...

Hah, gotcha now didn't I? Cat got yer tounge, eh? This IS your new home. For the time being, you need to relax here, in your new home, and eventually, whatever fate has in store for you, will come. Ask yourself this: What if it was best that you didn't remember?

"Um...Epee?" Twilight's concerned voice snapped you back into reality.

"Oh, u-uh, what?" You say, rubbing your temples with your fingers.

"You spaced out all of a sudden..." Even Pinkie sounded worried.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just thinking..." Were you arguing with yourself? Maybe you're subconscious inner self was right. Even though you questioned your sanity at that moment, the words rung true. You looked at the two girls' worried faces. They cared about you. These were friends. New friends. Not replacing any old ones, but friends. And as they say, home is where your friends are. You were home in a sense.

With your new found epiphany in hand, you stand.

"Thanks for everything, Twi'. Seeya later," You turn to leave, but not before waving a final goodbye. You felt Twilight's eyes on you and you and Pinkie Pie left the library.

***

"Woah..." You shook your head to bring yourself back to reality. You were standing in the middle of the road in the streets of Ponyville.

"Guess I stopped to remember about yesterday..." You again searched for a general store for Fluttershy's bathroom essentials.

***

You open the front door to Fluttershy's cottage, plastic bag plopping to the floor as you do the same on the couch. It took about an hour to get the damn store, and another to find your way back. You came across Applejack selling apples on your way there, and she pointed you to the store. If it wasn't for her, you might not have gotten back so early.

After a couple minutes of relaxation, you hear more silence. Where was Fluttershy, you asked yourself. You began to walk up the stairs to the bedrooms. You see Fluttershy's door ajar. Suspicious, you proceed to investigate.

And you instantly regret it.

Standing a couple feet in front of you, facing the opposite direction, was a bare-naked Fluttershy.

Time slowed. In a matter of seconds, your mind etched the details and curves of her body. Her wings, the small of her back, everything. Everything. She was very thin and small, but not gaunt. Just, really freakin tiny. On the small of her back, just above her butt, was her cutie mark. Three pink butterflies. Her long bubblegum-colored hair barely reached her cutie mark.

Fluttershy, probably sensing your presence, turned around slightly. Taking notice to you, her face went very red. She didn't even move; the two of you just stared at each other, red in the face.

You were the first to react. You shouted apologies, and ran out of the door, slamming it behind you. You rested your back against it, still apologizing.

"I'm sososososososo sorry, I shouldn't have walked in, I didn't mean to, I mean, I wasn't...aw shiiiit...."

You heard more silence. Oh great, you thought to yourself, she hates me now.

She finally spoke up.

"N-no, I understand, It was an a-accident..."

You inhale deeply, and sigh. You just walked in on an extremely shy, extremely cute, extremely vulnerable female.

You felt like fate never hated you more.