Author's Notes:

Enjoy!

Whelp, I just cleared my stomach of any and all food that I’ve eaten. Always a good feeling.

“Bugh, fucking Celestia,” I saw that bitch smirk just before she teleported me. That little-

Ugh, fuck it, can’t do jack about it now.

“Alright, where am I again?” I mutter to myself. “Right my apartment, I wonder how much time passed here?” I assume a lot of time passed since I was last here, I think it’s about year since-

“Honey? Is that you?” Oh shit. *Who’s that? Doesn’t matter, gotta hide.* I was in the living room and I heard the voice from the kitchen, so I leaped towards the opposite end of the room. Right through a small hallway that lead to a door that lead to my room.

What? It’s a big apartment.

“Honey?” Who the fuck is this woman? Why is she living in MY apartment? Well, this could mean that a year has gone by here. There must’ve been a whole search-and-rescue thing once someone found out I was missing. And who might you ask might be that person who might of found out? That’d be none other than my neighbor, Mrs. Glass. Nice old lady. “Honey! Stop messing with me! You know I don’t like it when you do that!” Alright, this bitch is really getting annoying. Maybe if I… Oooooh this is gonna be MEAN! “Corey! Stop it!” Wait, is she..? Ooooh that fucker. Alright, abandoning hijinks now.

“Who the fuck is Corey?” I shout. “And why the hell are you in my apartment?” I step out from my room and step into the living room. Right at the kitchen is a lupine anthro washing dishes. A woman to be specific. She didn’t look at me immediately for some reason, but when she did, holy shit that was most hilarious face of horror I’ve seen. Too bad I had to use magic to keep her from screaming her lungs out. “Don’t worry, I’m a… let’s say friend, of Corey’s. Corey is a Lupine right?” She surprisingly calmed down and nodded, huh, this must be a thing for her. Except for the magic part. “Do you know if this guy knows a guy named Ember?” At that her eyes go wide and she nods. She then tries to talk, I relinquish her from my grip and let her speak.

“You’re Ember!?” I nod. “Holy crap! We all thought you were dead!” What? Oh yeah, I did kinda fall off the face of Earth.

“Who’s ‘we’?”

“Oh, me, -name’s Brittany by the way- my boyfriend Corey and his ‘gang’.” Boyfriend?

“Wait, you’re going out with that fucker?” Of all people, Corey has a girlfriend?

“Hey! He’s a nice guy!” This bitch be crazy.

“Oh surrrrrrrre,” I scoff. “I betcha he hasn’t said much about me huh?” Brittany nodded. “Ok, what has he told you then?”

“Well, he’s told me that you two were really good friends.” At that I nod with a chuckle.

“That’s true. But that’s not the whole story.”

“Really?” I nod again. “Well, I’ve got nothing better to do today, mind telling me the ‘whole story’ then?” She pauses. “And what was that earlier?”

“What?”

“I couldn’t open my mouth or anything. Was that you?”

“Yeah, and before you ask it was magic.” She shoots me a disapproving glare. “Want me to prove it?” She nods. “Alright then.” I hold up a hand, light it up with my magic, and levitate a glass plate sitting in the kitchen towards us. At first she didn’t notice, as she was staring at my glowing hand. “Look behind you.” She slightly flinched when I spoke, as if she was in some sort of trance. She looked at me weirdly for a second before doing what I told. Next thing she sees is a floating plate in the same grey glow as my hand.

“You’re shitting me.” She utters in a complete state of dumbfound.

“Nope,” I set the plate back in its place in the kitchen. “There are a few things I learned and gained from where I’ve been for the past… however long I’ve been gone. You know how I’ve been missing here?” She’s still a little shocked, but she managed to answer.

“I think it’s been about a year since you’ve been gone.” That’s a big coincidence, It’s been less than a year that I’ve made my home in Equestria.

“Huh, Thought it’d be less than a year…” I feign ignorance. “Anyway,back to the task at hand.”

“Oh yeah, please continue.” I smile and begin the tale which involves me and Corey’s history as friends turn enemies.

“What do you guys think Ember had to go do?” Golden asked.

“Not sure, he seemed pretty dead-set on doing whatever it was.” Chrysi answered. Her and Golden Streak look to Spark, expecting an answer. The three friends were sitting in the living room. Golden watching as the fire cackled softly in the fireplace. He nor Spark didn’t feel it, but it was starting to get cold, as it neared fall. It’s already been a few weeks since Ember left. Sometimes Fluttershy or Rainbow would come by and ask about Ember, especially Rainbow. She went to his house and visited almost daily, every time her demeanor as a brash and awesome pegasus falling just a little every time she came by and Ember wasn’t there.

“I don’t know either. I just hope he doesn’t get himself into any trouble.” Golden scoffs.

“If don;t know any better trouble follows him wherever he goes!”

“I guess so.”

“Yeah, but seriously, I hope he’s alright.” To anyone else, him saying that would suggest some very obvious things about his sexually, but in all truth. Golden is just a good friend worrying about Ember.

“Speaking of which, have you seen Rainbow lately, she’s a wreck!” Chrysi changed the subject.

“I know. I think it has to do with what she did, and what she almost did, to Ember a while back.”

“Really? Hmmm, I wouldn’t have guessed.”

“Har har.” Chrysi giggled.

“But seriously though, I’ve heard that Rainbow hardly does anything anymore. I hardly see her fly around Ponyville. I think that ‘incident’ really did a number on her.” Golden let out a hearty laugh.

“Heh, I think she deserved it.”

“What?” Chrysi sounded shocked. Disbelieving of what Golden said. By now Spark was watching the two talk with interest.

“Hear me out, Rainbow and Ember were at each other's necks ever since he got here. Don’t you think something like that would’ve happened at some point? Whether it be Rainbow or Ember getting badly hurt?”

“I… I guess you’re right...”

“And it was also better that Ember got badly hurt, to be honest.”

“What do you mean?”

“Think about it, Rainbow nearly killed Ember, and from what we know she went all out beating him up. Imagine what would’ve happened if Ember went all out.” Chrysi digested this thought before realization dawned on her.

“Oh by the mother you’re right.” She cursed in her tongue. “It really was for the better that Ember be hurt. But… what’s going to happen now? I’m sure that he’s angry at Rainbow, I tasted it before he left.”

“Whatever may happen when that time comes, we’ll be there to stop him.”

“But, how will we stop him? You and I have seen what he can do. Who knows how he’ll carry this out!”

“Don’t worry, we’ll find out before the time comes.”

*I hope it doesn’t.* Chrysanthemum thought. “What do you think Spark?”

“Hmm? Oh. I have to side with Golden, a confrontation is inevitable with Ember. Whether it be with Rainbow, you, or even me. He is known for having a ‘short fuse’. I just hope that, whatever happens, we all will come out of it unscathed.”

“Yeah, I hope so too.” The three sit in silence, having nothing else to say.

“And that’s pretty much it.” Man, it’s been a while since I got to tell a story to an audience. Even though it was to an audience of one.

“Wow, that’s a lot to take in. Corey’s still like that to you, even though he knows what you’ve been through?” I nod. “Huh, makes sense why you shot him then.” I laugh.

“That’s not even the half of it. It either me, or him. And it was basically a shotgun versus a few pistols, who’d you think would win?”

“Yeah… but didn’t you use your… magic? To make a shield or something?”

“Yeah, I did. But that was after he shot me in the shoulder. Even then I still gave him and his buddies to walk away. They didn’t.”

“Heh, I know that part.” I chuckle along with Brittany. “Hey, can I ask you something?” She suddenly asks.

“Shoot.”

“What’s this place like?”

“What? Oh, you mean Equestria.”

“Yeah, that. What’s it like there?”

“Not bad I guess. It’s what you expect from a girl’s imagination for a cartoon show; everything brightly colored with, everything having a cartoony look to it, even down to the ponies-”

“Ponies?” She shoots me a scrutinizing look.

“Yeah, ponies. Didn’t I mention that?” She shakes her head. “Oh, well, yeah. That place is pretty much populated with talking colorful cartoon ponies, along with some other intelligent species like griffins n’ shit. Funny thing is they’re about as tall as my waist.”

“That small?”

“Yep.”

“How do I know you’re not fucking with me?”

“I showed you an hour ago with that magic crap. Some of the ponies can use magic, unicorns I mean. The others are either pegasus or regular ponies.”

“Those things exist there!?” I nod. “Woah! You have to take me there!” She jumps up from the couch and nearly touches her muzzle to my small beak.

“First off, personal space. Second, I don't think Celestia would be happy with me bringing a friend with me back From here.” She backs away and adopts a downcast stance, but it only lasts a second.

“Who’s Celestia?”

“She’s a friend of mine. And she basically rules Equestria along with her sister, Luna.”

“So Equestria is a kingdom?”

“Yup.”

“And you’re friends with the rulers of this place?”

“Yup.”

“How..?”

“Being the only human in existence on an alien planet has its perks.”

“That’s fucking awesome. Expect for, you know the whole, ‘being alone’ thing.” I wave it off.

“Eh, it’s not bad if you don’t mind spending most of your time at home. And going out those few weird times.” I chuckle at her surprised expression. “I’m joking, all you need to is not make any sudden moves when they first see you, act like a lost puppy -should be easy for you-,”

“Hey!”

“don’t be an asshole, and generally just be nice, and they’ll love you. Especially if you tell them you come from a world where our technology is far more advanced than theirs.”

“What?”

“They’re pretty much stuck in a timeline before… somewhere in the eighteen-hundreds. But the weird thing is the inconsistency.”

“What do you mean?”

“They have electric lighting in some places, -their housing involves thatched roofing- and then you can see a pony with fucking headphones jamming out. It looks like they’re on they’re in the middle ages, but the kind of tech they got suggest otherwise in some places.”

“Oh, do these… ponies, have computers then?” I shake my head.

“No, as far as I know, the only thing notable was a dj set with turn tables.”

“Oh, that’s weird.”

“Yeah, it is.”

*knock knock knock*

“Who’s that?”

“That must be Corey. Are you gonna hide or..?” I shake my head.

“Nah, I figured that a reunion of friends is long overdue.” She nods with a bit of a mischievous look on her face. She then goes to the front door.

“Hey honey, had a good day?”

“Yeah, just hung with my gang.” Hah, never changed.

“Oh really? How come I don’t see any bruises then?” I nearly snorted at that joke.

“Ha ha Brittany. Hey, you smell something?” Really? Could it be me? I haven’t showered in a while… Eh, must be me.

“No, what is it?” I hear some footsteps before Corey walks into the room I’m in.

“Hey! Who the hell are you!?” I wasn’t looking in his direction. When I do though, his face was priceless.

“Hey Corey! Long time no see!” I stood up and faced the asshole. And it looked like he’s seen a ghost. I might as well be a fucking ghost to him, I literally fell off the face of this planet for the better part of a year.

“E-ember? Is that really you!?” His face slowly, but surely, contorted with venomous anger. “Where the fuck were you!?”

“Why would you like to know, I’m here, in the flesh. So how about we finish what you started?”

“I didn’t start shit!” He lunges towards me. I flare my wings and catch him in my magic grip. He struggled for a second but froze when he saw my current set of bat-like wings.

“Like my new wings?” I chuckle.

“Wha.. what the fuck happened to you!?” I put on a sinister sneer.

“Magic bitch.” With a simple thought I practically force him through a wall with my magic. I look at Brittany, who has a mortified look on her features, and give her an innocent smile. “I’ll be right back.” I walk through the hole in the wall. Corey is barely getting up before I encase him in magic again. “You know, I never thought I’d become this way towards, we were good friends. And all because I got you in trouble by ratting you out, that was completely your undoing by the way. You made it you goal to end me. You thought I was a snitch.” I slam him into another wall that separated the restroom from my room. I casually walk around and grab him again, this time with my bare hands. He’s five-five, and I’m six-four.

“I always thought you were an idiot. You always hated me for what I’ve done for you-”

“ Done FOR me!?” He shouted. “You got me in the slammer for ten years!”

“You think I don’t know that!?” I brought him closer to me. “If it weren’t for me your stupid fucking ass would be fucking dead in North Korea!” There was a long pause.

“... What?”

“There! I fucking said it! I knew you’d never last in that god-forsaken war! And you had more of a life than me! I looked up to you! I fucking looked up to you!” I scream in his face. And I think tears started to well up in my eyes. “You think I wanted to go to war? To become a soldier to fight in the bloodiest war in human history? And just leave to rot in fucking jail? I never knew you ended up in there for ten years! I thought it was just five.” My grip on him relaxes while I maintain a serious look, though it was probably faltering a lot. “I didn’t want any of what happened that day to ever fucking happen. I just wanted to have fun with my best friend I’ve known since fucking kindergarten.”

“Then why did you-”

“My parents were well-connected, they found out the war was gonna start, and they knew you were getting drafted.” At his confused look I elaborated. “My parents told me this, they wanted to tell me before you actually went off.” I let go of him and he stumbled back before regaining his footing. “They thought It would help me ‘get used to it’ after you left. You were basically my only friend at the time.”

“The day after my parents told me you were getting drafted I spent all my free-time planning how to stop it from happening. And the only way I figured was… you know.”

“You cut that rope on purpose?” He looked slightly irritated, but that look quickly went away, replaced by a blank face.

“Yeah, I figured you’d be better off in jail than in the war. I even went as far as faking to be you went they came to pick you up.”

“But what about your parents?” Brittany came in and asked out of nowhere.

“They knew, they knew there was nothing they could do to stop me. So they just wished me luck and let them take me away.”

“Ok, wait,” Corey says. “Can you guys take me the hospital? I think you broke… everything.”

“Don’t worry about that.” I snap my fingers and Corey’s body is quickly healed up with my magic.

“Woah! Ok… but uh… You did all that, just to keep me here?” I nodded.

“Yeah, I did. But I guess that doesn’t matter anymore.” I grab him by the throat and carry him closer. Kinda like that Darth Vader neck thing. “Even after all this time you still thought I was just fucking you over. You sought to do whatever you could do to my life.” Jesus I hate getting like this. I always start talking like a sophisticated asshole. “You made it you personal life goal to end me, no matter what the cost to you.” The magic grip around his neck tightens. “I guess nothing I did matters in the end.” It tightens even more. “Here we stand, you, spending the last few pitiful seconds of your life hanging by your throat. While I just wait for you to croak. Not how you imagined it would did you?”

“*Errk!* *gasp* *hack!*” He struggled, clawed at his neck, and squirmed. Trying to suck in some air.

“Ember! Stop! He was gonna say something!” Brittany yelled. I very slowly turned my head towards her.

“You think I care anymore? You honestly think I give a flying rat’s ass about this lowlife piece of shit?”

“Yes! Let him go! Please!” Her pleading to let Corey go stunned me. So much so that I lost concentration on my magic and ke fell the ground, barely breathing. Brittany ran over to him and helped him up when his breathing started to stabilize. She cared about him this much? I never thought I’d see the day...

“Corey,” he weakly looks up to me. “what were you going to say?” He stays silent, looks to his girlfriend. And like a loving mother she nods to him. As if she knows what he’s about to say. Time seemed to slow as he turned to me, and utter a phrase I never thought I would hear him say.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you did that for me.” Emotions I haven’t felt for years hit me like a semi-truck. I just stood there with the thousand yard stare as I processed Corey’s apology at a snail’s pace. And finally, after spend a few long seconds of standing in front of them like an idiot. I grabbed Corey and pulled him into a man-hug. As both of us shed a few manly tears. Years of hatred, bitterness, and resentment all melted away. Leaving behind two kids hugging as if they haven’t seen each other in years. After holding that manly hug for who knows how long we finally let go. “Dude, if only I realized… I made your life a living hell. I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok dude. I forgive you.”

“What!?”

“What?”

“Nothing, I just thought that… it would take a lot more time than that.” I chuckle.

“I got to beat the shit out of you a lot. I think I can be a forgiving guy after all that.”

“Awesome.” He then notices the rubble around us. “Uh… You know you’re paying for this, right?” I shoot a smirk at him.

“That won’t be necessary.” I snap my fingers and the destroyed wall begins the repair itself.

“Woah! What the fuck!?”

“Magic, bitch.”