I woke to the sight of my bedroom ceiling and sat up while stretching my limbs out. I let out a yawn as I looked around and saw Nightmare was missing so I just gave a shrug. it's been a few days since our trip into the bowls of hell and Rage and I have been working on liberating small towns in Equestria while we wait for Elisa to wake up. So I got up and got changed and walked out of my room and down the hall heading for the training arena because I wasn't really needed at breakfast. So I just decided to go set up the training area while I wait. A few minutes after I arrived and set everything up both Nightmare and Faust arrived.

"Morning you two," I said.

"Oh hello Bones," Nightmare greeted.

"So what brings the both of you here?" I asked.

"We ran into each other in the hallways and I'm truly thrilled to have another daughter," Faust said with a giggle.

"Daughter?" I asked.

"Indeed I was just as shocked too," Nightmare said

"But with how Ash and Rage accepted each other as brothers and Luna doing the same, I suppose it's only logical for me to call her my daughter," Faust said.

"Well congrats, I guess. Oh and by the way Faust I've been meaning to ask out of curiosity how are you coping in being back after a year and in this place no less?" I asked

"It's not my first banishment Bones but I'm absolutely thrilled. It truly warms my heart to see life being breathed back into this place. I'm just shocked Ash and Rage were restoring this place right under my very muzzle all this time without me ever knowing it," Faust said.

"Heh," I chuckled slightly.

"You know Bones my greatest surprise was when I was told you are a wraith and not only that but The Hand of The Reaper himself. Also the fact you possess the Crystal Heart itself in your chest makes me wonder why Celestia hasn't tried to kill you yet," Faust said.

"Oh she has tried...twice now but we have an agreement going. I give up the heart as soon as we take back the Crystal Empire that way I'm out of everyone's mane so to speak," I said before I saw a saddened expression fall on Nightmare's face. "Hey why so glum?"

"Oh it's nothing," Nightmare said while looking away from me causing me to shrug before I went back to what I was doing.

"You know Bones you should try making some friends with some ponies," Faust said.

"Excuse me?" I asked in case she was joking.

"Well why not?" Faust asked.

"Faust, wraith's are not meant to form bonds with the living cause one, we're dead and two, a bond with someone can put said person or pony in danger," I said.

"Perhaps but you strike me as the type who doesn't care for those types of rules. I can see through that exterior that even you don't like being alone," Faust said causing me to stop working.

"Maybe you should stay out of my business," I said before I resumed my work.

"Very well Bones but still I recommend trying it, you may be surprised in what you'll find," Faust said before she and Nightmare left.

I went back to what I was doing and soon I head voices and saw the mane 6 had entered the arena.

"Good to see you all made it," I said.

"Alright back to some training," Rainbow cheered.

"What are we doing this time?" Twilight asked.

"I figured we should try something new, a game," I said.

"A game?" Applejack asked curiously.

"Oh is it a board game, a party game?" Pinkie asked.

"An intellectual game," Twilight asked hopefully.

"This game is called King of the Hill," I said as I gestured to a group of circular platforms that were stacked up to make a hill.

"King of the Hill?" Rarity and Twilight asked.

"Oh I take it you've heard of it," I said.

"Well the name is different but it's a game played in the Dragon Lands called King of the Horde," Rarity said.

"Basically one player stands on top of a stack while other players try to push him off," Twilight said.

"Well seems you two know what you're doing because you're right but. In this game you have to use what you've learned and anything else in order to knock me off the stack and whoever does so gets a reward," I said as I climbed onto the stack.

"A reward like what?" Rainbow asked.

"Oh that can wait till later think of it as motivation," I said.

"Enough talk your're mine!" Rainbow shouted as she charged at me using her wings. I effortlessly moved to the side avoiding her attack before I elbowed her in the back of her head, sending her tumbling to the bottom of the stack.

"Rainbow!" the girls cried out as they ran to check on her.

"What'd you do that for?!Nnot once have ya hit us before!" Applejack said angrily.

"True but before I was so rudely interrupted, I was going to warn you that for this exercise I have permission from the princesses saying that I can fight back and I will not be soft with any of you just because you're mares and because some of you are timid," I said.

"That's it!" Rainbow shouted as she charged at me.

I simply rolled my eyes and waited for Rainbow. When she was close enough I raised my leg and let the soul of my boot connect with her chest, knocking the wind out of her, and sending her falling back down to her friends who caught her.

"Like I said I will not hold back," I said before I gave them a taunting gesture with my fingers.

---

One Hour Later

---

I let out a sigh as I watched the mares groaning at the bottom of the stack.

"I believe that will do for today," I said.

"Hahaha Oh man you lot look terrible."

I looked at the source of the voice and I saw Spike, Soarin, Comet, Big Mac and Thunderlane were here.

"I hope all of you are not here to make fun of us cause I'm really not in the mood," Twilight growled causing Comet and Spike to gulp.

"No, no we actually came here to ask Bones something," Thunderlane said causing me to raise an eyebrow.

"Well we're done with training so he's all yours," Rarity said.

"Y'know, all things considered, you lot have it good cause Ash was nothing like Bones here," Soarin said.

"Oh yeah?" Rainbow asked.

"Yeah," Soarin said.

"Ash was worse," Mac said.

"If you want proof ask Elisa and Evo those two can tell you everything," Spike said.

"Ok you lot let's talk elsewhere," I said as I gestured to the door the stallions and dragon came out of. We walked a fair way down till I came to a stop and looked at the males. "So what do you want from me?"

"We were curious and were hoping you wanted to hang out with us," Spike said causing me to stare at the group.

"Did Faust put you up to this?" I asked.

"Nnope," Mac said which I believed because supposedly the Apple Family never tells lies or so I'm told.

"Why would you ask something like that?" Comet asked.

"Faust told me I should try making friends," I said.

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Spike asked.

"You all want to hang out with a creature that can literally suck a soul from someone?" I asked.

"Why not? After all you said you don't take souls unless it's time, besides I'm feeling confident today," Spike said. causing me to roll my eyes in my mind.

"Alright say I accepted, where would we go and what would we do?" I asked still skeptical about this.

"Skate park. We all saw how you enjoyed it so we thought we'd go there," Thunderlane said.

"Hm...Alright you twisted my arm, I'll go," I said.

"Alright let's go!" Spike said.

We walked down the hallway's and out of the castle and through the city till we arrived at the skate-park which seemed a little quiet except for a few foals skating about. One of them happened to be Scootaloo.

"Hey Bones I was wondering if you were going to show up again," Scootaloo said when she noticed me.

"Hey Scootaloo been awhile," I said.

Gonna do some new tricks?" Scootaloo asked.

"I don't know, memories haven't entirely come back but I think I can show you what I do know," I said as I summoned a plain skateboard.

I was about to show Scootaloo and some of the foals who wanted to watch some tricks when suddenly Celestia appeared from out of nowhere.

"Bones what are you doing?" Celestia asked sternly.

"What does it look like, I'm skateboarding?" I asked.

"Why?" Celestia asked.

"Well for starters it's one of the only things that I can do for fun around here also why not?" I asked.

"Bones I believe you should be something more accustomed to your age," Celestia said causing me to recoil slightly at her words.

"First off what age would that be and secondly who died and made you my mother," I said.

"Bones you know-," Celestia started but I cut her off by selecting a song on the I-Pod and set the volume up to max.

I leapt off a ramp, placed my board under me and started skating around the park much to the foals amazemen. Celestia was screaming to get my attention which I continued to ignore but the stallions seemed concerned. i was enjoing the feeling of the wind in my face and the fun of skating around the park. I decided to go on the giant U ramp so I teleported to the top, went over the edge and fell before I went up again while catching some serious air. The music slowed down as I went up and picked up again as I went down. I was really enjoying myself when suddenly Celestia's horn lit up and before I could do anything my surroundings changed. I hit the ground hard and when I got up I saw I was in the dining room. At the table was Dream Catcher, Chrysalis, Eris and Discord who was playing with Loki. I remember when Discord first met Loki he fainted, even Faust was a little startled. When I looked in front of me I saw Celestia was standing in front of me with her arms crossed under her bust and tapping her fingers on her arm.

"Care to explain what that was about?" I asked while I got up.

"I don't like you treating me with disrespect in front of my subjects and foals in that manner Bones. So until your attitude improves I forbid you from leaving the castle," Celestia said.

"Forbid me...is she serious?" I asked as I looked at the other royals who had an unsure look. "Listen up sweetheart you can't tell me to do jack alright because one I'm not one, of your subject's two, I don't care and three, the one who needs to improve their attitude is you. Now if you don't mind," I said as I pushed my way past Celestia and headed for the door.

"Bones don't-," Celestia started but once again I cut off with music.

I skated down the halls determined to get as far away from Celestia as possible. As I skated down the halls I had to swerve around servants and guards. I then just aimlessly drifted down the hallways. I became so lost in thought I was brought out of my trance when my face hit the ground. Once I got up and looked at my surroundings I saw Luna was on the floor rubbing her head and that's when I realized I must have collided with her.

"Crap my sincerest apologies Luna I wasn't looking where I was going," I said as I stood up and offered my hand to her.

"It's quite alright Bones and to be frank I wasn't paying attention either," Luna said as I helped her up. "Bones are you alright, you seem troubled."

"It's your sister, I doubt she and I are gonna be friends an time soon," I said.

"I see but please be patient with her it took her awhile to warm up to Rage it will take her time to get to know you," Luna said.

"That's what I hear every time Celestia and I get into a scuffle," I said before we entered a long silence. "Luna I've been curious for awhile now but how exactly did you meet the Five Knight's of Equestria."

"Oh I'd be happy to tell you but perhaps we should talk in a more comfortable area instead of a hallway," Luna said.

"I know a place if the mare would be kind enough to follow," I said as I bowed causing Luna to giggle.

I led Luna through the castle and into the gardens till we came to an area filled with full grown cherry blossom trees and at the back, near a small wall that looked out over the horizon, was a stone bench for sitting on.

"Wow," Luna said as she looked around.

"I know, I was just wandering around this labyrinth of a garden and just stumbled across this place. If I had to guess it was put in about three and a half years ago," I said.

"Must be Ash's doing, he always wanted to make a meditation garden somewhere and I guess this is where he wanted it," Luna said as she walked over to the wall and gazed out over the horizon.

As she looked around I saw her brow furrow in confusion when she saw the ship Rage, Elisa, Evo and I arrived on. Which was sitting in the middle of the plains which was kinda ruining the view.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"It's that ship I know I've seen it before but I can't put my finger on it," Luna said.

"I'm sure it'll come to you," I said.

"Perhaps...now I believe I have a story to tell," Luna said as she drew a rune in mid air.

Suddenly there was a blinding light forcing me to cover my eyes. When I opened them I saw I was in some kind of forest and in the middle of a clearing I saw a cottage.

"It's peaceful here is it not?" Luna asked as she walked up beside me.

"Quite but...where are we?" I asked.

"We are in the Everfree forest before the three tribes came together...you are aware of the story of Heart's Warming Eve, are you not?" Luna asked.

"I know the tale," I said.

"Good now as I was saying this is a time before the three tribes came together. Our family was living out here away from the troubles the three were having. We were living a peaceful life never bothering with the outside world, that is until my pride got the better of me," Luna said before she snapped her fingers and we appeared inside the cottage. There were only two rooms but I saw most of the princess and Discord as foals and I also saw this place was a mess.

"What happened in here?" I asked and as if to answer my question tiny Celestia bellowed out one word.

"LUNA!" Celestia yelled.

Seconds later a even shorter Luna walked into the house looking rather pleased with herself.

"Greetings all wert thou all surprised?" Luna asked in a an odd speech.

"Surprised is not the word we would use," little Dream Catcher said.

"Luna how often must we tell thee to not make a mess when we must clean?" little Chrysalis said.

"But we were merely trying to help with your chores," Luna said in a surprised and saddened expression.

"We realize thou intentions mean well Luna but now we must work twice as hard to clean up so I must ask you to stay out of our way from now on," Celestia said as she and the others went to clean up the mess.

I then looked at Luna and saw tears poring from her eyes before she became angry, grabbed a nearby bag and began to fill it with food and a couple of toys. All the while no one was looking before she stomped out of the cottage.

"So you ran away?" I asked.

"Shamefully yes, but I was merely a child," Luna said as she snapped her fingers causing our surroundings to change to a dark part of the forest and I saw little Luna was walking around looking at her surroundings and looking a little intimidated. "It's been hours since I ran from my home and I ended up in this part of the forest."

Suddenly the bushes behind little Luna began to shake causing her to run away screaming her little head off. Both Luna and I followed her and I watched as Luna tripped over a root and fell down a slope into a muddy pond. At first all was calm before Luna burst out of the mud for air then crawled onto shore and rested there before she began to cry. She cried for awhile before she stopped and looked around before she stood up and I saw her horn begin to glow before a light shot up in the air creating a beacon. It didn't last long and then she collapsed in exhaustion. Suddenly I heard movement approaching and saw a creature seen in nightmares step out of the shadow of the trees. It was a giant warped version of a baboon with claws on it's hands and split feet and finally the beast had a head of a spider on it's shoulders. Little Luna also saw the thing and tried to move but was too exhausted to do so. Just as the thing lunged at her something jumped out of the bushes and at the creature, knocking it off it's path but the thing wasn't done with the beast cause it jumped onto the creatures back and started tearing into it's skin before it jumped off the creature. It stood between it and little Luna and that's when I saw the thing was a strange wolf with some kind of shackle on it's left foreleg.

"One chance creature, leave this child or pay the price," the wolf growled.

"Thou speaks!" little Luna screamed.

The wolf ignored little Luna and leapt at the creature and was not letting up on it. The creature then slammed the wolf into a tree before the foul beast went to deliver a blow that would kill the wolf. However three falcons swooped in and attacked the creature by clawing at it's eyes and when I looked at little Luna I saw a rat was tugging at her clothes with it's teeth.

"Follow me," the rat said.

Little Luna stood up and began to follow the rat however the creature was not about to let's prey escape. So in a wave of it's arm, it knocked the birds aside and was about to go for little Luna but it forgot about the wolf who was back on it's feet and tackled the beast. It began to drag the creature back into the trees by it's leg while the falcons came back clawing at the beast's face. The rat led Luna over to a secluded spot in the area before it ran off into the forest after the animals and creature. I then remembered the number of animals and turned to Luna.

"I take it those five were the Five Knight's?" I asked.

"You are correct," Luna said

After a few seconds Faust appeared from teleporting and looked around frantically.

"Luna where art thou!" Faust shouted.

"Mother!" little Luna shouted as she reveled herself from her hiding place.

"Oh my daughter thank the old ones your're safe," Faust said as she crouched low and embraced Luna, not caring for the mud coating Luna. "Luna what art thou doing in this part of the forest when I have said tis much too dangerous for thou?"

little Luna looked up at Faust but her eyes were pouring out tears and when she tried to speak all that came out were sobs. Faust saw something was troubling her so she held little Luna close and teleported away leaving us alone in the clearing.

So what happened after that?" I asked.

"We went home then me and my siblings got scolded by mother and she told me she was relieved I was safe. I was given a bath and told everyone of what happened, which no one believed, before we all went to bed," Luna said.

"I see and the knight's?" I asked.

Luna snapped her fingers and we appeared in the cottage. I saw Faust preparing breakfast for the siblings when suddenly there was a tapping at the door which no one but Discord seemed to notice. So he flew over to the door and opened it revealing the wolf, falcons and rat from before causing him to yelp in shock and duck behind cover causing everyone's attention to shift to the door.

"Salute," one of the falcons said causing most of the foals to shriek and hide behind Faust.

"It's thou," little Luna said as she got off her seat and walked over to the animals at the door, followed closely by Faust. "Why art thou all here?".

"We came to return this," the wolf said as he removed something from his back revealing little Luna's bag.

"Our bag," little Luna cheered as she took her bag and held it close.

"Thou must be the ones who protected our daughter and as a mother I cannot thank thou enough," Faust said as she gave a bow.

"You are most welcome," one of the falcons said.

"Who art thou?" Celestia asked summoning the courage to peek out from behind Faust.

"I'm known as Link," the wolf said.

"Altair Ibn La-Ahad," the middle falcons said.

"Ezio Auditore da Firenze," the first falcon said.

"Arno Victor Dorian," the last falcon said.

"Corvo Attano," the rat said before the memory ended and we appeared back in the real world.

"Over time they were turned back into their true forms and we were discovered by the three tribes and well, the rest is history," Luna said.

"It's quite a story Luna and I thank you for sharing it with me," I said.

"It was nothing," Luna said.

"Ah there you are."

I looked at the source of the voice and saw Nightmare approaching us.

"Oh hello Nightmare," Luna greeted.

"Did any of you here those explosions?" Nightmare asked causing both me and Luna to look at each other in confusion.

"Can't say that we have because Luna and I were memory walking," I said.

"I see," Nightmare said.

"Still the sound of explosions are not to be taken lightly. If you'll excuse me I should inform the rest of my family on this," Luna said before she left.

"Memory walking?" Nightmare Moon asked.

"Luna was showing me of when she first met the Five Knights of Equestria," I said.

"I see," Nightmare said.

"*sigh* I need to get out of this castle before I go batty," I said.

"Didn't Celestia forbid-," Nightmare began.

"To hell with Celestia's orders. I don't deserve to be treated like a prisoner by the ones I'm trying to help just for being what I am and if she has a problem, well tough," I said before I left.

I created a door and walked through it and arrived in front of the forest that separates the kingdom from the rest of Equestria. I took a breath and walked inside the forest and after a few minutes I heard music drift in through the trees.

As the music went on I felt the desire to run and so I did. At first it became a jog then it turned into running and finally sprinting. As I sprinted I felt like another piece of me had been returned. You see when I awoke I felt cold and empty but as the days went on I came to ignore it, that is until I started skateboarding, now it was close to what I'm feeling now but not quite fulfilling unlike this, this was invigorating. I continued to sprint dodging and leaping over root's and objects in my path. As I ran through the trees I saw something appearing and disappearing behind trees. The thing continued to elude me but I continued to run after it and was slowly catching up. I followed with extreme determination till finally I burst into a clearing. Just then the music began to fade as I looked around and as I did I saw a large hill with a ledge perfect for wolves for when one want's to howl at the moon.

Speaking of wolves I saw one sitting atop the hill and looking at the sky. I walked up next to the wolf and when I got close it turned to face me and that's when I took in it's appearance. The wolf looked male and was coated in grey fur and had bone white tribal marks going along it's sides and chest. I also took note that it's eyes were olive green. I did nothing but stare at the wolf and I was completely frozen by those eyes that spoke volumes of greatness and wisdom but also fierceness and had seen more then one should in a few lifetimes. The wolf then looked back at the ledge of the hill and got up before it started softly pawing at the ground as he looked back at me. I then walked forward and examined the ground and saw nothing out of the ordinary so I used my hands and started digging away at the ground till finally my claws scratched at something metallic. I moved the dirt aside and pulled out a metal box. I looked at the wolf who was looking at the box before he looked at me and gave me a head gesture to open it.

"Great, I'm following orders from a wild animal," I thought.

I opened the box and the first thing I saw was a pale soft fabric. I placed a hand on it and felt the softness and something firm beneath it so I moved the fabric and saw an old leather bound book along with a gold bracelet. It was made up of two thin pieces of metal and connecting the two pieces was a pair of wolf heads. Finally, beside the book, was a key and some kind of brass pocket knife. The key was golden with a crescent moon on one end while the other end made up Ash's cutie mark. I then picked up the book and had a flip through it and saw it was a sketch book of some kind. There also appeared to be blueprint's in here as well. I was about to put the book back when I saw stitched onto the soft fabric in blue was the the words Ash Blade.

"What's going on here?" I asked as I went to look at the wolf but once I did he wasn't there and when I tried to find his scent, I smelt nothing, like I was alone here this entire time. "Weird, I'm normally the one who does the haunting, now I have a ghost haunting me."

I then packed up the contents of the box and decided to carry it back. Why not teleport...because I didn't feel like it. Once I was out of the forest I continued to walk towards the kingdom. Soon I walked through the streets and noticed that there were quite a few still awake. Finally I arrived at the castle. I silently walked through the hallways carrying the box I found till I arrived at Luna's room I placed the box on the ground in front of the door before I knocked and began to walk back to my room. I heard the door open behind me but I didn't look back because I wasn't in a talkative mood right now. I then heard the door close but I kept walking to my room and when I arrived I saw Nightmare was asleep. So I quickly cleaned myself up before I got into some PJ's but instead of going to bed I grabbed my flute and sat on the balcony railing and began to play a song.

The song echoed through the night air and as I played the light's in the windows began to disappear meaning the owners were falling to sleep. Once I had finished I put the flute away and crawled into bed and as I began to fall asleep I saw Nightmare had a pleasant smile on her face.

Next Chapter: Chapter 15 The True Monsters Which I Slay Estimated time remaining: 34 Hours, 54 Minutes