As the CMC decided to retreat home for the evening, I decided I would retreat as well. After all, I had duties to perform.

After promising I would come back and play with them again soon, I flew towards the Everfree. As much of a spirit as I was, I still retained many of my mortal habits and characteristics. So having a home was something I would have, naturally. I had made a home for myself in the ruins of what had once been the castle of the royal sisters.

Celestia and Luna. They were so cute as fillies. The day of their birth was something. All those ponies debating what such a thing could mean. I even had to stop a few assassinations; I mean what is wrong with a pony that's just a bit different?

Always, ponies and their paranoia against anything different. The only reason why that poor faceless pony never shows himself. At least he's able to do his tailoring in the Everfree undisturbed, bless him. I should visit him again someday. He had some interesting suits on display, even if they were made for ponies.

Speaking about Ponies. I had been around them for so long that they had become the usual for me. But recently meeting another human had made me feel even lonelier than I had before. Sure, I had befriended the CMC. But I was still longing for human interaction. Something Anson was lucky enough to still have, by the sound of things. He had his brother with him after all.

But I had been unlucky in the matter. I was the lone spirit of the only human entity in all of Equus. Or at least in this reality. As I ponder on my loneliness I come back to my memories of creating the Frost Ponies. I smiled; my creations. Never had I expected them to become such a great addition to Equestria. I had meant for them to be the ones to bring together the three tribes and help them against the windigoes. Yet, after the windigoes disappearance they stayed with the tribes in the new land of Equestria. They became involved with the regular ponies and influenced both culture and development in society. I still don't know if I'm to blame for some of their inventions, seeing as I did create their minds with mine as a base.

But I stopped worrying about the natural development of the pony's society as I realized that my Frost Ponies were a part of it and therefore were also a part of the natural development of things. Had it not been for the Frost Ponies I doubt there would have anything resembling the current computers. Sure, they weren't anything like the computers back on earth, but at least they didn't take up as much space as an entire room or use vacuum tubes like the earliest versions. I'm sure that given a few years and they would be in the equivalent of the 21st era. I had been really surprised to see arcade games four years back. I also had a lot of fun playing them while no pony was around. Still have the high score on Parasprite Hunt.

Returning to reality I pondered on what to do. There were still a few hours until the sunset. I would have to find something to do until then.

I decide to pay some attention to my warding flakes. They are one of my better inventions, by reflecting and manipulating light with my magic I'm able to create a network of information and communication between my automated snowflakes. They're almost like minions, just not alive. More like smart computer programs, meant to alert me and each other, in case they noticed something that could be seen as troublesome. I wouldn't like to call them spies, but I have to admit that they are. I watch the inhabitants of Equus to make sure that situations take the best course of action; revealing planned crimes to stop them before they even happen, saving ponies from accidents, and seeing to the fact that negotiations between countries play out with the best outcome. I even managed to avoid a few wars that could have played out between the ponies and the griffons back when the three tribes and Frost Ponies first founded Equestria. To think an argument about a feather almost started a war.

Using my flakes I looked over various events. It was almost like watching the news, only that it was always on the channel I wanted it to be and I could always control the 'camera' if I so desired. During my scanning of the network, I only stumbled over a few worrying cases; a few noble ponies in Canterlot badmouthing Princess Luna, a Minotaur clan being attacked by a few hydras. Nothing that required too much of my involvement. Of course, I did help out with the hydra, even if my help wasn't all that much required.

After seeing that the world was relatively calm I looked up to the sky, there was still plenty of time until the moon would rise. Seeing as it was summer. The fact that the ponies used an almost identical calendar to the one used on Earth was no coincidence. I had spent quite some time on Equus and had once decided to mess around and introduce ponies to the idea of long days during summer, while having longer nights during winter. Together with introducing a modified calendar with 12 months and 31 days in each month and 372 days a year. It was an easy system that was put in use sometime after the unification of the three tribes. I was quite proud of accomplishing such a feat. The system had then stuck after the change had shown to be far more effective and advantageous to not only the Ponies but also the lands themselves.

Of course, this also meant my age wasn't as accurate, I did originally come from Earth where a year contained less than 372 days, meaning my fifteen thousand nine hundred ninety-seven years on Equus were quite some time longer. I had most likely been here for more than sixteen thousand and ten years in Earth years. But in the end, both I and the Ponies followed the current system in place, which meant I had only been here for fifteen thousand nine hundred ninety-seven years.

As the moon wouldn't be up for a while, I decided I would go back to my hobby. Now, my hobby was neither the most exciting nor the easiest of occupations. Also, I had never gotten permission from the mare in the moon. I had always been too worried about her forbidding me from continuing my project. And after all this time I was quite close to completing it, so I could not afford to lose this chance.

With the mare in the moon still on her way, I flew towards cold north, the place where the Crystal Empire had once been. An Empire I had failed to save from Sombra's clutches. I could have saved it, but for some reason I had been stopped by the Mare in the moon. She had other plans or had hoped my involvement wasn't necessary. Unfortunately that was not the case and Sombra cursed the whole Empire, it disappeared together with him. Now the north was nothing but a barren wasteland full of only snow and ice... Or at least that's what the ponies thought.

In the cold north lay a tower created out of the purest ice. It was The Pillar, or at least that's what I called it. No pony had found it yet, and as all ponies do when they find something, they name it. Therefore, knowing that once the tower had been found by ponies that they would name it I didn't bother. As much as the Pillar was just that, a simple pillar made of pure ice. It also held two other purposes. The first one was to be the place where the moon crystal was held. An ancient artifact that allowed the mare in the moon to communicate thought pictures once the moonlight hit the crystal. The other was that the ground beneath this very tower contained my hobby.

I reached the tower fairly quickly thanks to the aid of the wind. I didn't possess the ability of flight, only the ability to ride the winds. The winds themselves weren't under my command either, they were just very willing to help me out, so I treated them like a friend. I descended to the bottom of the pillar and let myself sink into the ground until I found myself in an air pocket. It was an empty cave with nothing but a smooth ice floor, a pedestal containing a bipedal creature; frozen and fully encased in ice. It was a human body, my body. Or rather; my Avatar.

I looked at the nearly completed organic form I longed to take for myself. I had carefully cultivated and developed the DNA of my Avatar and made it respond to my magical energy so that I could integrate with it completely once I wanted to. But right now I still had a lot to work on before it would be ready. For starters, I still hadn't completed the circuitry of the nerves in the brain and I wanted to get it just right. Who knows what would happen if I didn't? So, without further ado, I got to continue with wiring the inner workings of the brain and other inner organs.

Later that evening I left my workplace and flew up to the top of the tower. The timing couldn't have been any better; the moon was rising, and together with it the Mare in Moon was rising slowly, but the slow ascension made the sight so much more beautiful. I had looked forward to the end of the day for quite some time now, as only when the moon was up could I speak with the Mare in the Moon.

But as I felt the moonlight upon me I felt something I never would have thought I would have felt coming from the mare in the moon, fright. The mare in the moon was afraid.

"Mare in the Moon, may I ask what frightens you so?" I asked.

"Young Frost, the reason I am afraid of is that I have felt an old enemy of Equestria about to break free from his prison."

I felt my blood get colder. Who could this enemy to Equestria be? I had a few guesses, and neither of them were good news for the ponies of Equestria.

"W-who is this villain?" I found myself asking, even if I dreaded the answer that in this situation seemed most likely.

"Unfortunately it seems that Discord has been binding his time. I only recently felt his power, he almost has enough to escape on his own now. It is only a matter of days until he escapes." The Mare in the Moon answered my question.

"I see, I'll help the ponies fight him, I should be able to-" I managed to say before the mare interrupted me.

"I'm afraid not Guardian. This is a time for you to stand down. I will neither allow you to merely observe. Discord knows about you, and he will not hesitate to include you in his plans. Therefore I want you to hide during his release, until he has been dealt with."

"But,-" I tried to protest, only to once again be cut off.

"No, the ponies are strong. They will be able to handle Discord themselves. Besides, you have a little side project I'm more than sure you'd like to continue as soon as possible, am I wrong?" The mare asked him, a hint of amusement in her 'voice'.

"How did you...?" I asked, quite sure I had been careful enough to conceal my project. But I was just as surprised to hear that the mare didn't disapprove of my actions, as well as trying to conceal it from her.

"Dear Jack, do not forget our powers, we might only be able to see what the moon's light touches, but we can also feel ones intentions. Also, I believe that it would be good for you to feel a bit more... alive. As you'd say."

I was speechless. I had worried over nothing for such a long time, and now I found out it had been for nothing. Had it not been for the grave atmosphere of what was bound to happen within the next few days, I would have celebrated right there and then. But instead, I gathered myself and spoke once again.

"I thank you. I will do as you say mare in the moon, I'll stay hidden after Discord's breakout. But may I at least warn the Princesses of the possibility of his escape?" I asked. Hoping she'd agree.

"That would not be required, dear Guardian, for we believe the Princesses are already aware."

Well, that's good. I thought to myself. Maybe this would blow over rather quickly then? Just blasting him with the elements as soon as he's free? That would most likely work. I wouldn't have to stay hidden for long.

Let's hope this goes as well as mare in the moon says it will. I thought to myself before retreating to my retreat under the pillar. I also withdrew my scouting flakes, to make sure Discord didn't get a hold of them and tracked me down. I also realized that my occasional talks to Discord's statue might have been a bad idea...

I hope things don't take a turn for the worse...

Author's Notes:

Hello, everyone remember my April Fools chapter? Well, I'm here to reveal that in that story there were a whooping two hints! Unfortunately it's now deleted, unless someone decided to copy or download that chapter. Ask around, someone probably did. Ask them for the chapter if you missed it, cause I don't have it anymore.

So people, you're still able to guess who is getting shipped with whom? A little extra of a hint: Someone already got it. (I still replied with the comment that they didn't but sent them a PM with my congratulations. There's still room for a second and third place...

Also, let's hope stuff goes well.

Thanks goes to Greycait who helps me keep some quality in this story.