***

I spend new year's day in a holding facility.

Again I had been deemed as a threat to the public and my previous convictions were coming back to haunt me; the cases had been re-opened as Celestia's personal punishment had now been uncovered as just a way to get me out.

I was sleeping, well, resting on my cold bed, when Celestia came in through the metal door, the only other noteworthy object in the stone room.

"Dan, I personally spoke to the ponies pressing the charges. I did everything I could, short of threatening them... only one of them backed down." She said from the doorway as I sat up from the sheet.

I brushed my now slightly over-grown hair out of my eyes, I had yet to get it cut here, it was getting a little unruly. But that was the least of my problems. "Celestia." I attempted to lock eyes with her, but hers were focused on the floor. "Let's be real here. How long do you recon I'll be gone for?"

She closed her eyes and sighed at the ground. "Dan... with your status, your other-worldly origin and many other factors, I have been able to cut down the potential amount of time you'll have to spend... 'locked up'. But even then, I suspect I'll only be able to cut you down to around a couple months minimum, but you are likely to spend nearer to a year, with how things are going right now. I'm sorry."

I waved a hand, returning my gaze to the ceiling, laying on my rough sheets. "Don't be." There was a pause. "When am I... you know... starting?"

She slowly walked to the door and looked to me. "I'll take care of the court proceedings, don't worry about those. You'll be moved to... wherever I can get you to... within the next 48 hours. Just do what they say and you'll be fine."

I nodded. "Thanks, see you... in a while... I guess."

She smiled sadly. "The others are here to say goodbye, by the way. I'll send them in. And... goodbye."

I sat up slightly and waved as she left the doorway and faded into the darkness of the hallway outside. The door quickly, probably magically, slammed shut after her.

A couple minutes of silent contemplation later, the door opened. I looked over to see Luna and Chrome standing slightly inside the room. The door hung open behind them, taunting me with freedom.

"I just... wanted to say bye." Chrome said, choking slightly.

Luna nodded along with Chrome's words. "Yes, it is a shame this had to happen. We wish you a swift and happy return." She said, smiling.

I returned her smile. "I'll be fine, I'm sure. Don't worry about me. But, er, keep the dreams coming, eh? Luna?" She began walking towards me, leaving Chrome at the doorway. "I had nightmares after-"

She put a hoof on my shoulder, with a little difficulty. "Your dreams will be safe, I assure you." Due to the hoof on my shoulder, she was very close. Chrome gave me an envious look, peeking past Luna to look at me.

"Thanks." I said, taking Luna's hoof off of my shoulder gently. "You too Chrome." He rolled his eyes, but smiled. "Oh, yeah, and..." I wrapped my arms around Luna's neck, pulling her into a hug. She had no real way of returning it, so she simply leaned into it. I pulled away, then shuffled over to Chrome and knelt. He flinched backwards as I put out my arms. He figured out what I was doing and excepted his 'goodbye hug'.

I sent them away, telling them to get the next couple people, whoever was next.

I sat on the bed again, spirits lifted. I waited for the next person to come in. The metal door had sealed after Luna and Chrome left. But soon enough, it opened again. I looked up, preparing to greet whoever it may be. No one was there.

I blinked at the open doorway. I had been in that place for about a week by then, so I was pretty desperate to see anything other than those four walls. I couldn't will myself to run though, I would never make it, I was literally underneath the palace, so all of the guards had easy entry. I just kind of sat there and appreciated the slightly more fresh kind of air that poured in.

It's lucky I hadn't ran, because a couple seconds later, a note pad was thrown right at me. I swiftly moved to block it, failed, and received a blow to the shoulder. Gotta invest in some should-pads, those things keep getting pretty beat-up, I thought to myself as I picked the notepad up off of the ground.

It was Viss's notepad, obviously. It had been taped onto a specific page. "Don't freak out." It read. I then understood why the note had been tossed in from the darkness.

I slid the notepad along the floor towards the door, it glided along the only slightly rough flooring, through the door and into the darkness. "Come on in Viss. Just don't... jump out or anything." I said, peering into the darkness.

Two large, green eyes appeared just inches into the darkness. "Thank you Dan." She said. I recoiled slightly at her voice, it was like it had some kind of filter over it that dulled down some of the mid-tones. It's cool in theory, but it's rather creepy when it's coming from someone's mouth.

A single hoof stepped into the light, revealing row upon row of thick, armored plates that shifted as the joints bent under them. Each plate over-lapped the next one down from it. They were all a dark aged grey and many of the plates held white scars, scratches and scuffs. The hoof was easily 1.5 time the size of Celestia's. It bared no holes, like the regular changelings do.

Then entered her horn, as she ducked under the door frame. It was warped and twisted in ways that confused my eyes for a second upon first seeing it. It was the same dull grey color. Each hoof-step as like a metallic click against the floor.

Then came the front half of her body. Her face was perhaps the only part of her body that didn't seen to be coated in armor. Her eyes both glowed a bright almost neon green, with a pitch black slit of an iris in each. Both were focused on me. Her facial features were stoic in nature, but her mouth held a small unsure smile. Her neck was similar to her legs, in the way it was armored, except there, the plates got bigger towards the base of her neck, resulting in a mass of stone-hard extrusions around her chest and shoulders.

Her torso was similarly armored. Same for her back legs. Her tail was a light grey and hung just short of the floor. Her mane, which I didn't even notice at first, was very short, for a pony her size, it was the same light grey and was completely tucked back and to one side, causing it to flow down the left side of her neck, before stopping half-way to her shoulder.

One of her transparent wings was tucked flush against her side. The other hung limp by her side, torn in two down its length.

She stood in the center of the room for a couple seconds. Once I noticed what I was doing, I quickly shut my mouth and tried to return my eyes to their regular size. She was incredibly tall and very solidly built. She was practically a tank, but moved with practiced grace.

I blinked a couple times, trying to concentrate. "It's... It's nice to finally see you." I was trying my hardest to meet her eyes, but mine kept darting to her body.

She let out a relieved sigh and folded her legs underneath her. If I had been standing, we would have only then been able to meet at eye-level. She nodded as her smile widened. "It is nice to have to finally look at me, instead of past me. I am sorry our first real meeting had to be at such a time."

I waved a dismissive hand. "It's fine. ...Ebony was not joking when he said that you were impressive."

"Impressive hmm?" She said, smirking.

I shrugged. "Well, I think the word he used was 'magnificent'..."

She snorted. "The ponies don't seem to think so. But it is nice to see it being appreciated once in a while; it took me many years to get to this point." She shuffled slightly. "But back to the topic, I wanted to wish you luck and to thank you for defending my scout yet again."

I sighed. "Thanks Viss. When I get let out, I'm going to ask you for the story behind each of those scars." I said, gesturing to her. "I gave you the story behind mine."

"I'd like that." She said, smiling somewhat sadly.

I stood. "Do you mind if I..." I put out my arms. "I'm doing it to everyone who comes in, I'd never forgive myself if I left you out."

She blinked a couple times, before pulling a hoof out from under her and gesturing me towards her. It was a... strange hug. I could only just fit my arms around the base of her neck. She made the effort of returning the hug with one extended hoof. It was like hugging a rock. It only lasted a couple seconds.

"I can see why Ebony keeps you around." She said as she stood. "I guess this is farewell."

"I guess so. Be careful out there Viss." I said as she made her way to the door.

She stopped and turned her head half forwards me. "Same to you, Dan."

"See you when I see you." I said as she walked out into the darkness. I think the door closed before she could respond.

Again, I waited for my next guest.

I'm still not sure Viss likes me or not. She's thankful for what I've done for Ebony, but other than that she hasn't shown much of a likeing to me. Well... She is probably used to having to deceive people, maybe showing real emotions isn't too easy for her just yet... I'll have to ask her some time...

The door opened again, revealing someone I wasn't expecting.

"Feather? I thought you were away with your family in Baltimare!" I said, rather pleasantly surprised.

She didn't look so happy. "Yes, I was. Until someone decided to get themselves arrested... again! Seriously Dan, I swear, you can't decide whether you want to be a saint or a criminal." She seemed more concerned than angry, thankfully. Her years in the military really taught her how to tan someone's hide if she wanted to, so clearly she was going easy on me.

"Hey, I don't tell you how to live your life!" I sad in mock offence.

She rolled her eyes, smiling. "I just came to say goodbye, I'm sure you can handle yourself wherever you get send just... don't do anything stupid, okay?"

I groaned, "Fiiiiine." as I walked closer to her.

I put out my arms, still standing. She reared up and put a hoof over each of my shoulders. After a short time I pulled back and she clopped back down onto all fours. She chuckled, "Chrome said you were giving out 'goodbye hugs'."

I shrugged. "It seems appropriate."

"It certainly is. Say, while you're locked up, search for a guy named 'the peeler' and say you're a friend of Feather." She said, very slowly making her way to the door.

I shook my head. "I doubt I'll need to, but I'll try if I get sent to somewhere with a lot of other people in it. I hope that doesn't happen though."

She chuckled. "Bye Dan."

I waved as the door slammed. From what I could see, it either hit her face, or came very close.

Heh, Feather's always good fun. She ain't afraid to speak her mind, but she's nice to those she knows and trusts. I kinda feel bad for taking her from her family though...

Quickly, the door opened again. In walked Dawn and Steve. Dawn looked a little shifty, more shifty than usual. She was always light on her hooves, so she always looked a bit strange, but right then, she was really looking like a shoplifter with a washing machine shoved down her pants.

Steve walked up to me and patted me on the back. "Be careful in there Dan. I can't say I've done time... Cause I'd lose my job if they found out, but it isn't easy. Keep yourself to yourself and you'll be fine."

I gave him possibly the manliest 'hug' I could muster. We shared back-pats and a fist-bump. "Thanks Steve."

"Be careful bud." He looked over to Dawn, she was nervously glancing at the walls. "Oi Dawn! What're you doin'?"

"Wha- huh?" She flinched at stared at us for a couple seconds. Then ran over to me and hugged me a little too tight. "I'm so sorry Dan!"

I struggled under her vice-like grip. Steve noticed and helped me out by prying the mare off of me. "Thanks Steve." I turned back to Dawn as I regained my breath. "Don't be sorry, you've clearly got your own things to worry about right now."

Steve rolled his eyes. "She's probably just nervous about telling you we delayed our wedding so that you could be there."

I whipped my head around to Steve. "Really? You did that?"

He nodded proudly. "Yep, whenever you get back, we'll have it done within the following week!"

"Heh, let's hope I'm not gone for too long then ey?" I laughed, turning to Dawn.

She just smiled sheepishly. Clearly the wedding wasn't what was bothering her.

Steve seemed to pick up on the awkward silence very quickly. "...we should be going, Ebony's a little eager to see you."

"I can imagine" I said as Steve awkwardly lead Dawn to the door. It shut loudly behind them.

I mentally prepared myself for Ebony's possible reactions. But Dawn's strange behaviour was still plaguing my mind when the door ripped open.

I was tackled, to the floor, by a very emotional changeling. I quickly put my arms under him and sat up. He curled up on my lap like a large dog as I twirled one of his ears in my hand, the other rested on his side.

I assumed he didn't have to say anything because he could just taste my emotion to find out how I was doing. I don't think that helped him recover though. He just laid on me, sobbing, for what must have been 15 minutes or so. I got the feeling I was running out of time.

I put my arms under both of his front legs and lifted him, placing him in front of me, sitting. He looked at me, scared, confused and worried. "Ebony, I need you to do something for me. Before I go."

He nodded. Tears still falling down his face. "Anything Dan."

I pulled out my journal from my back pocket and held it to him. I looked him level in the eyes. "Ebony, there is a chance I might not make it out of here alive. I want you to continue this while I'm gone. And if I don't come back... It'll be something to remember me by. Take good care of it, everything I've ever done in Equestria is documented in there, along with some other things."

He timidly took the book from my hand, balancing it on a hoof. He looked down at the slightly worn book. "Are you sure Dan? What if I lose it? Or break it?"

I put a hand on his shoulder. "I trust you. Ebony, I promise, I'll get back as soon as I can."

He smiled sadly and tucked the book under one of his wings. He leant forward and hugged me, I instantly returned it. "Thanks Dan." He said, digging further into my shoulder. "Get back soon."

"I'll try Ebony, I'll try."

***

They told me I only had 5 more minutes before they would remove Ebony with force, so I quickly updated my journal, then gave it back to Ebony. The guards are waiting impatiently at the door as I write this.

- Thanks for continuing my journal Ebony. See you soon.

Updated: 12/11/15
-not much to fix here
-but I remember having to correct a couple things, so it's different somehow.
-I can finally begin the production of chapter 31!

Okay guys, chapter 30. You know what that means. I'm taking a couple-day long break, to fix all the previous chapters. By 'fix' I mean 'read through and correct any mistakes'. I won't be changing any of the plot, I don't think. Unless I find a massive hole, hopefully I don't find any of those.

I feel so sophisticated, I wrote most of this in the library while at college. I'm sitting in the only empty spot I could find; the 'romance' and 'real life fiction' book section, a little ironic really. I am literally surrounded by 'Cathy Kelly' right now. For some reason, Steve Jobs' biography is in here too. Clearly it's fictional, Steve Jobs never existed according to this library.

Back to the chapter; sorry it's a short one again. I swear I'm trying to make these longer.

I was not sure what to do about writing Dan's Jail-time, since it would be just the same thing over and over if it was from his prospective, so I'm having Ebony take the wheel.

Let's hope Ebony knows how to write. Dan never asked.