Colin's POV:

I groaned, my head in my hands as I stared down at the black book, reading the last line over and over again in my head.

'From one to another, another to one. A mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled'

I stared at it, shaking my head.

"I don't understand..." I said to myself. I closed the book, staring down at the cover.

"Give it a break." Patric said, standing up and opening the fridge, "And we're out of food..."

"Great..." I said.

"How's about we go out to eat?" He said, heading to the door and grabbing his coat.

"Sure." I said. As I walked to the door I started coughing. Patric ran over and grabbed me, walking me to the bed.

"Maybe I'll just bring something back..." He said as he sat me down.

"I'm fine..." I said as I tried to stand back up, only for him to force me down.

"Do I need to tie you down?" He said, raising an eyebrow.

"You'd love that wouldn't you." I said coyly, kissing him. He smiled, pulling back after a good amount of time.

"Just get some rest, I'll be back with something to eat." Patric said as got up and walked to the door, stopping to look back at me, "You sure you'll be alright alone for awhile?"

"Don't worry about me. I have enough of the stuff if anything happens." I said, pointing to the capped syringes lined up on the table. He laughed, "Alright. See ya in an hour?"

"Take your time." I said, lying back onto the bed.

"Wait!" I said, sitting upright and pointing to Starswirl's book, "The next chance you get, take that to Celestia. Maybe she can figure it out. He nodded, snatching the book and heading out, closing the hotel door behind him. I went back down onto the bed and turned over on my side, facing the wall as I closed my eyes.

Click...

"You forget something Patric?" I asked. There was no response...

"Patric?" I asked, turning over to see a man standing in the doorway, staring at me.

"Who are you?" I asked, sitting upright.

"I'm sorry to barge in like this but... I'm from the hospital. Dr. Cross sent me to check up on you?" He said, looking down at a clipboard.

"Oh... Well alright." I said, "Come in, sit down."

He moved in, glancing at the syringes laid out on the table.

"Is that the medicine we gave you?" He asked.

"Yeah, why?" I questioned.

"Well the tests are back. We need to change you to a new medication." The doctor said.

"Why? The stuff I've been using for the past few years have been working just fine." I said quizzically.

"True, but the new one we are prescribing you lasts longer. You only have to use this weekly instead of daily." He said, pulling out a needle with a greenish liquid.

"Weekly??" I asked in surprise, "That's a... Big leap."

"I'll say." He said with smile as he took a seat next to me, "If you don't want to that's fine. We can keep you on the old stuff."

"No no... It's just... A bit odd is all." I asked, eyeing the syringe.

"Alright, pull up your shirt and lean forward." He said, prepping the needle. I took my shirt off entirely and leaned forward. I felt him touch around my upper back.

"So... If you don't mind me asking, what's your name?" I asked.

"Nicholas." He said. My head jolted back as he stabbed the needle into me, pushing the green liquid into my lungs. Every breath I took filled me with agony as fire flooded through me. I fell to the ground, clenching my chest as tears started to fall from my face.

------------------------------------

"Don't worry." I said as I looked down at Colin, "It'll be over soon..."

I placed the needle back in my bag and got up, walking to the door. I reached for the handle, only to be stopped by a yellow glow surrounding me. I looked down at my hands in confusion, and was thrown back against the wall. I glanced over to Colin, who was standing up. I could see veins bulging from his skin as he walked towards me in pain. I stared at him in horror as I was held there powerlessly, awaiting whatever he was about to do to me.

"I... Have been waiting... 'Five' years... To say this to you." He said as I was pulled forward, just inches away from the wall.

"Please... Wait!" I said quickly as he stopped in front of me.

"You killed... My friend, and my teacher..." He said, beginning to wheeze with each breath. "I have been waiting to say this for five years..."

He raised his arms, his hands moving towards me. He was going to strangle me! I struggled to escape from the magical grip that surrounded me to no use. I closed my eyes, waiting for the inevitable. The magic around me let go and a physical one replaced it. His arms were around me as he... Hugged me...

"What..." I said in absolute confusion.

"I forgive you..." He said, my head resting on his shoulders as my eyes were locked open, blankly staring past him.

"I...What..." I stammered.

"I... Forgive you..." He said again.

"But... Why?" I asked as his grip around me tightened.

"Because I was taught never to kill. It took me awhile to understand my master's dying words." I said.

"What...?" I asked. I was forced to my knees along with him as his grip around me weakened. He leaned against me, his head resting on my shoulder. He ignored my question.

"Heh..." He mumbled, "Such a beautiful end... To a beautiful day."

"What are... You talking about?" I asked. I waited, not getting a response. It took me a moment to realize his arms were no longer around me, and were hanging limply to his side as he leaned against me.

"Colin...?" I said in a meek tone as a tear slid down my face.
-------------------------------------------------------

"Huh?" I said quickly, snapping awake. I looked around to see I was in a field, and was leaning against a tree.

"Hello Colin." A gentle voice said. A voice I haven't heard in a long time... I turned, to see Starswirl sitting next to me.

"S...Star?" I said, tears starting to build up under my eyes. He stared at me, a smile on his face.

"I... I don't understand. You died..." I said, my voice shaking as I held back the oncoming flood of tears.

"Yeah... Yes I did." He said.

"Then... How are you here right now?" I asked weakly. He paused for a short moment before taking a breath in.

"How are 'you' here?" He asked. I sat there thinking, my eyes darting between him and the area I was in. I froze, my glance slowly returning to him as a realization hit me. I looked up... I was sitting under and apple tree. But all the apples were gone.

"I died too..." I said. There was another pause before tears started falling down my face.

"It's okay son... It's okay." Starswirl said, pulling me gently into a hug. I wrapped my arms around him, my tears staining his blue cloak as I bawled... I pulled away, wiping the tears from my face.

"Are... You real?" I asked.

"Well... I sure hope I'm real!" He said sarcastically, forcing a smile across my face as we had a short laugh. I looked up at the tree and stared at it. I leaned back against the tree again. I looked out into the field and noticed that the sun was setting. Starswirl stood up, looking off into the sunset.

"Such a beautiful end, to a beautiful day..." I said, another tear sliding down my face as I closed my eyes. When I opened them, Starswirl was standing in front of me, his hand extended. I took it and he pulled me to my feet. He started walking, then stopped to look back at me.

"You coming?" He said. I walked with him, seeing a black cloaked figure in the distance.

"Where are we going?" I asked. He turned to me, a smile still on his face.

"Let's go find out."