I’m walking towards Luna’s quarters and there’s her usual bat-pony guards. I’m sure there’s a name for them but it’s not that important. When the pair sees me, I get different reactions from both. One just returns his gaze to the air in front of him. The other starts shaking a little and just opens Luna’s door, stepping aside to let me by. This gets an odd look from his companion, who opens his mouth, but the nervous guard, whom I recognize now as the one I threatened a year ago, just shakes his head with a badly hidden attempt to not look nervous at my presence.

Guess he remembers me. Once I’m inside, I close the door behind me and see Luna laying on her bed.

“Heya princess.”

“Anthony, I’d suggest you leave before word gets around that you and I have spent time in my chambers alone. I fear it will only make our reputations in Canterlot worse.”

“I plan on fixing that. I did it for Ponyville, so then I just have to stop it here. A few other places as well, but they’re not that high on my list.”

“If you manage to convince Canterlot that I have absolutely no romantic interest in you, I would be greatly appreciative.”

“Yeah. Just don’t let them know where you got that pendant or they’ll probably take it as an engagement gift.” I sit down on the bed next to her. “Then they’ll wanna know what the kids would look like.”

“As if I would ever participate in anything of that sort with you, much less bear your children.”

“Yeah, you could probably do better.”

Luna looks at me quizzically. “I have never heard you say anything that would imply you believe yourself to be imperfect.”

“I’m not perfect, but I’m pretty darn close.” I say with a small smile. “Don’t get used to it.”

“I don’t plan on it.” The answer was short and quick.

I sigh. “Listen Luna, I know you pretty much hate me but... this really isn’t helping either of us.”

“So you’re here to apologize?”

“Well, uh, kinda. I mean... I didn’t mean to hurt you, I just... you... I don’t want to be caged or held back. I understand I’m dangerous but I see suggestions like that to be an attack on my freedom. I know I went too far, even for self-defense.” I can’t bring myself to look her in the eyes. “You just... pressed a button and... If I’m not given time to cool down or just think, I go to extremes.”

“You really hurt me, you know.”

“I know, and I really am sorry.” I think back to the issue with the changeling/Lightning Bolt.

“If I hadn’t come by while the house was empty... I would have murdered a mare...” I didn’t know she was a changeling, and my anger was pointed at the mare who was being impersonated. “If she hadn’t been a Changeling. If I hadn’t been forced to wait and think... I would have killed her, painted the walls of her house with her blood, and orphaned the young filly I wanted to help.”

Luna just looks at me, but I still can’t meet her gaze.

“I’m not a monster, but I have... triggers. And you pushed one. I know you didn’t mean to, and I know it was just to protect your subjects...” I sigh heavily. “If you still wish me killed or contained because of how dangerous I am, I can’t blame you. I won’t like it and I will fight for myself... but I’m not saying you’d be at fault for trying.”

“Despondency doesn’t suit you, Anthony.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because usually you are happy. Childish, rambunctious, unpredictable, annoying, and strange. But still happy.”

“Yeah yeah, Hero of Equestria, amazing warrior from another land, rumored boyfriend of the Element of Laughter.” I roll my eyes.

“As much as they overdramatize and gossip about you, I’m sure they honestly do like you.”

“I’ll just take your word for it. Anyway, Celestia gave me an idea on how to start apologizing to you.” I look at her and grin.

“Oh? And what might that be?” I respond by giving her a devilish grin and begin doing what I had done with Celestia, recalling that apparently wings are rather sensitive.

She seems a bit frustrated, but after a while I find the right rhythm and spots and work on putting a bit more pressure into her back. She then starts to enjoy it, pushing up against my fingers and relaxing visibly.

Once I’m done, Luna seems much more content than I’d seen her thus far.

“Heh, I take it you enjoyed that?”

“You certainly give new depth to the word ‘dexterity’. I... thank you Anthony, that was very relaxing.” She then gets up off the bed, though she stumbles a bit.

“I do have other matters to attend to.” She heads for the door. “But I really do appreciate it, it was... nice.”

“No problem.” I figure that since there’s nothing left to do, I could just wander around Canterlot until I get bored enough to head back home. As I’m leaving the castle gates, a pony rushes up to me and I’m blinded by a flashbulb. Then a bunch more show up and they all start hammering me with questions.

“All of you shut up!” Once they’ve quieted down, I find a place to sit down and address the mob of press. “Alright, ask your questions one at a time and I’ll answer them. If I want to. I wouldn’t suggest pushing me to answer something I don’t want to.”

Once they all agree to my terms, they begin. “Why were you at the castle?”

“To talk with Celestia.”

“And what did you talk about? Does it have anything to do with your romantic involvement with the princesses?”

“Yes. Specifically the fact that there is none and we plan to stop these stupid rumors.”

“And your relationship with the Elements of Harm-”

“We’re friends. Nothing more. Period.”

“I see, and how do you plan on stopping the rumors?”

“I’ll start by asking nicely. If that doesn’t work, I’ll start punching faces and breaking legs.” A few of the press ponies squirm uncomfortably.

“A- alright then. A few months ago, you were reported to have disappeared. Why?”

“I wanted a vacation. It sucked.”

“Where’d you go?”

I’m getting tired of this. “Not here.”

“Okay, and-”

“Actually, I have a message for all of Canterlot. Can I trust you will write it down and present it exactly as how I dictate it? Tell me the truth, not what I want to hear.”

“Well... we might tweak it a bit in editing...”

“Then I won’t bother. Just have it say that I have a very important message for all of Equestria, and the nature of the statement is unknown. You can pile whatever theoretical crap you want on it, as long as you specifically state that they are just blind guesses.”

“Right...” The pony finishes writing in his notepad. “Anything else?”

“I suppose I could answer a few more questions.”

A stallion speaks up from the small mob. “Is there any connection between you coming here and the demon that attacked Ponyville last year?”

“I have no idea.”

“Do you like living in Equestria?”

“No comment.”

“The Equestria Inquirer asks, ‘will you be attending the Grand Galloping Gala this year?’”

“I don’t know what that is, so I’m going to say no.”

“Are you currently accepting squires?”

“What? You mean like a sidekick? Heck no. Why would I do that?”

“Because then you have someone to boss around? Wait, no, we’re asking you questions! What’s your favorite food, the Equestrian Food Weekly wants to know!”

“Hmmm... depends on my mood I guess, but you can never go wrong with crispy bacon.”

“Do you support the slaughter of innocent pigs?”

“Well, they aren’t exactly sentient where I come from, so that’s never bothered me. They’re just livestock.”

“There’s been reports of multiple other humans arriving. Are there plans from your homeland to invade or colonize?”

“There are only three of us, and we don’t even know how we got here. Coming here wasn’t exactly planned. It just happened.”

“Has your recent knighthood been confirmed, and is the temple to the Endbringers really being erected in your honor?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Seriously. Any of it. No clue”

“Are the rumors of your relationsh-”

“I have no relationships, in the romantic sense, at all.”

“So you don’t have an illegitimate-”

“If you say ‘love child’ I’m going to shove that notepad up your rear end until it comes out your nose. No.”

The reporters’ babble continued to rise in volume, until Luna steps forth and shouts at the crowd hard enough to literally bowl them over.

“SHUT UP!!!!”

It’s not so much an exclamation as a proclamation, and the stunned reporters are not-so-gently scooped up by the bat-based sentinels. they’re eventually cleared out, and I see that Luna looks inordinately pleased with herself.

“Finally!” I say. “Someone aside from me has the nerve to give these ponies a reason to crap themselves.”

“We have- er, I have never understood my dear sister’s need to preserve their petty ‘freedom of the press’.” Luna sniffs imperiously and turns back to her room.

Pleased that the questioning is over, I decide to return to Ponyville. I wonder if Twilight is back. I’d like to ask her a few questions.

Well, when I finally return to the library and find it empty, I decide that they won’t be back until late in the afternoon or something. Whatever they’re doing, they’re probably off enjoying themselves.

Sitting back, I think over the day. Also, I hadn’t seen Cadence while I was in Canterlot; not that I specifically looked for her or anything. Eh, she’s probably just doing... whatever she does during the day. I briefly wonder if her usual activities involve random pairings of ponies and watching them either completely deny it or try to make it work... or she just likes messing with me. Hard to tell with that mare, honestly.

I give the super-specially locked drawer another glance, wondering just what Twilight could have written that’s so important. Deciding that it can’t be helped without the key, I just leave it alone. I then realize that today would have been a great opportunity to tell Luna about the Lyre, had I brought it... Damn.

While laying on my bed, I hear the door downstairs open. Must be Twilight. I figure I should do the friendly thing and greet her, so I walk downstairs. However, when I get to the ground floor, I see that there’s an orange and yellow pony with carrots on her butt, the same one from my first few days here... heh, guess Ponyville is smaller than it looks.

The mare is nosing around some of the books, and I’m about to call her out on it, until I remember that this is a public library, not Twilight’s personal one. But the way she acts with these books, it’s kind of hard to remember that.

Eventually the carrot-pony notices my arrival and turns around. “Oh! Anthony, I didn’t see you there. Uhm, where’s the ‘Guide to Spring’s Harvest’? It was down here last time I came in, but...”

“I don’t know. I’d probably just check all the books by author. I didn’t do any reshelving, and neither Twilight or Spike have been around all day so... it should be here unless Twi took it with her.”

“Oh... uhm, where on the shelves would ‘Gentle Rain’ be, then? That’s the author.”

“Well I don’t know what genre it is so you kinda have to check all of the shelves, but at least you only have to search for the author’s name so it shouldn’t be that hard. Sorry I’m not too helpful.”

“No, no, that’s alright, you’re just- ah, right, you don’t work here. It’s alright.” Carrot-butt steps backwards a little ways before reorienting and looking around the shelves.

“Well, if you find it, I guess you can take it, I’ll just write a note or something. No idea where Twilight keeps her check-out records.”

“Alright. Oh! There it is.” She turns towards me for a moment, holding the book in her mouth. Then, as if trying to figure out what to do, she turns back and forth. Finally, she shrugs and starts trotting off, leaving the library. Weird mare. Oh well, guess it’s back to waiting.

Back in my room I think about the Lyre. I pull it out and try strumming it but, as expected, it’s less than spectacular. Yep. No powers, no lyre, no music. Great.

Idly sitting with the Harp in my lap, I think for several minutes. Not about anything in particular, just letting my mind wander. I feel a strange thrumming sensation in my bones, making me shiver slightly. It’s like a bassline being strummed right into me, and I can feel myself get up and start moving.

Oddly, it’s not like I’m being moved by something else, but more like I’ve fallen into an old pattern, one I’ve never actually used before. And yet...

And yet it feels so natural. I hear some kind of music that I don’t recognize.

From out of nowhere, I hear words spoken into my ear, and feel the urge to open the window -which I do- and sing the words. I can even tell exactly how to sing the words.

I fight back against the alien compulsion, and see that there’s something like a parade marching down the main street of Ponyville, each of the ponies joining into the song. A stronger push to sing the words fills my mind, and I make a titanic effort not to. There’s something like a skipped note in a vinyl record, as the music stops for a moment. Then, the urge fades, and the song continues, the power having frozen for the duration of the note and no longer.

As the song fades, I think just one thing to myself.

What the allegorical fuck just happened? Next Chapter: Chapter 99 Estimated time remaining: 21 Hours, 5 Minutes