I sit atop a small hill, overlooking Ponyville. So much has happened and so much time has passed... but it looks the same. Even after both demon attacks it’s rebuilt and just as... normal. It’s so normal. Why is it ‘normal’ to me!? I must have lived here on Terra too long, ponies aren’t supposed to be ‘normal’! And yet... they’ve... I’ve gotten used to them and their world. I’m not happy with it, much less that damned Princess Celestia...

Just thinking her name I feel the urge to spit. What a load of shit she is... But I have friends here, I can’t just up and leave. The Pinkie clones would miss me for sure, and though Discord could follow me anywhere, not everyone could. I mean Clark would be all for a complete change of scenery... though if I had to go somewhere I’d like to bring Myrna and Anne with me.

Then again, I kind of burned any bridges with those two when I literally burned my handprints into their chests... they wouldn’t stop fighting though! But I guess I didn’t have to use my powers. Yeah, this weird Star Core... dunno how I even got it but... this second life has been bittersweet all over, and my powers are nearly the only thing that has been absolutely beneficial.

I’ve made friends... but I’ve also completely ruined some friendships as well, not to mention my love-life has even worse prospects than it had before everyone I knew and cared about was killed. Well, except for Clark.

I mean, I turned Twilight into an unrecoverable sobbing mess! I meant every word I said when I yelled at her and I won’t take it back... but even if I’m not sorry, I’m at least... regretful I suppose. Beyond that, I completely broke Scootaloo’s heart... I mean, she says she’s okay but... she was like what? Twelve or something? I practically walked all over her heart without even realizing it, I might have screwed her up for life like that!

My crimes of the heart didn’t end there as I recall the possible disastrous outcome of trying to force Rarity to tell Spike how she really felt about him...

Beyond all that I’ve gotten AJ arrested... even if it was kind of her fault. I take the Lyre and strum it, but I don’t feel like having music for once so I just replace the Lyre on my belt attached to the Sword. I’ve screwed up big time, and none of them but Clark even knows my goddamn real name! To them it’s just ‘Anthony’ this and ‘Anthony’ that. But I guess I chose a new name to go with my new life, which turned out to be only slightly less craptastic than my previous one.

I know Earth being turned into a dead planet isn’t my fault but it feels like a lot of this day-to-day garbage could just be avoided if I wasn’t involved. I sigh heavily. Wouldn’t be the first time I figured everything would be better if I just never existed, and probably won’t be the last. I mean, I don’t even know who I am anymore. Am I really a hero like everyone claims I am, or am I just a fucked-up man-child with an impressive winning streak?

Well... maybe Anthony’s adventures on Terra don’t have to end per se... A thought runs through my mind. Yeah, but it involves time travel, that could be dangerous... Unless... Hmmm... If I take into account the butterfly effect and memory loss...

I roll the thought around in my head and it slowly forms into a plan. I could go back to the very beginning... no, reset everything, and start everything all over again from the moment I first got here. Laws of probability combined with my uncannily shitty luck would probably end up with different outcomes. That’s what I need to do. I need to... uh... how?

I sit down and continue my pondering, idly pulling up grass by the fistful and dropping the torn grass blades back onto the ground. Maybe I’d even get a new powerset, too. The star core is cool and all but... eh, guess that’s for the cosmic dice to decide. But that still leaves the how. I recall Twilight telling me of her foray into time travel magic and it’s not quite what I want, and I doubt even their princess of sunshine and bullshit could even accomplish what I want. I’d have to get Discord or... the person who gave magic to ponies in the first place...

Yes! I can do this! I just have to cash in a favor. I Spark Up and, running at near lightspeed, I get to the Golden Oaks library in a few moments. Heading inside and up to my little add-on of a room, I check my special hiding place. Yep, it’s still here.

I hold the orb up to the light. A gift from Black Annis, the most powerful hag in the known timeline. More powerful than possibly even Discord. And as I recall, I just make a wish and this trinket grants it, no strings attached, no misinterpretations or restrictions, a one-time straight-up wish.

I have my way out, I can start over completely new without a shred of knowledge of what’s to come, and an opportunity to let just about every die be rerolled, give every coin a second flip. I may not even end up in Ponyville...

The thought of having another chance makes me feel kind of giddy inside. All my mistakes and accomplishments erased along with any problems I may have caused to anyone on the whole planet, and even the constellations wouldn’t know who I am if I’m right. I really would like a redo on my meeting with Lyra. Well, maybe just the second time.

Bah, I finally have a second chance and I’m gonna use it. I grasp the fruit-sized orb in my palm and squeeze with intent to break. And sure enough the little sphere crumbles and I announce my wish, emphasizing my desire by using my Absolute Voice.

<REWIND!>

Silence... no noise or glowing or anything. I know these things work, and they’d only break if I made a wish so it knows I-

Woah, there it is... that weird magical feeling when I feel I’m being affected by some kind of... well, magic. There’s a sensation like I’m falling while standing up, and... I can’t see. I’m falling stationary into a void, not unlike my self-imposed dream I use whenever I can’t sleep...
And I feel something... I can’t quite place it... what is this...?

Like, a drain, but sort of invigorating... my mind... getting fuzzy, like when I’m... I’m... where do I know this from...? Numb... cold... faraway... dark... peaceful

“What is it?”
“I don’t know...”