I didn't bother keeping track of the days.

It just wasn't worth bothering over.

My day started when I woke up on the couch. I would tend to the fire and use the smoldering embers to get another blaze going. With that done, I'd go down into the cellar, crack whatever can that happened to be nearest, and eat whatever was inside.

Usually I didn't notice what it was, it was all the same bland flavor to me.

I'd take the label off the can, set the paper under a log by the fire. The can itself I crushed and set into a empty cardboard box, which I had emptied by eating whatever cans were inside. Then i'd go up into the attic and pump water into the reservoir tub. The pipes had unfrozen themselves at least a full day after I first arrived. If the firewood in the cellar was half gone, I'd take the felling axe and go cut wood outside. I'd close the cellar door behind me and pile whatever wood I got outside, until I gathered "enough", then I brought it all inside. If I still had at least half the pile, I'd go back up and watch the fireplace.

It wasn't like I had anything worth doing.

Occasionally, when I got too dirty cutting wood or tending to the fireplace's ash, I drew a cold bath and bathed. Or at least washed off whatever I could. If there was a water heater, or something to heat the water, I didn't know where it was. When I was done, I pulled the plug in tub's bottom and let it drain. Where it went, I didn't bother finding out. It could've been dumping into a unique ecosystem in some underground cave for all I knew.

It wasn't worth finding out.

I'd then close out the day but eating another can of something, curling up under the guest bedroom's blanket, and fall asleep watching the fire.

If I dreamt, I wasn't sure. Falling asleep was more of a hazy experience where I wasn't sure if I was awake or asleep, alive or dead. The only thing I was sure of, were that strange bat winged Ponies loomed in the shadows cast by the dying fireplace during these episodes.

They chittered to each other softly, too quiet for me to hear what was being said, but too loudly to ignore. They never came close, and I could never crane my head to get a proper look.

Without fail, they disappeared like phantoms when the sun rose again.

And the cycle repeated itself.

The only thing that broke the monotony, happened one day when I was out cutting wood.

I was about to swing at a fresh tree when a twig nearby snapped.

I froze.

What sparse wildlife there was during the Wintertime avoided this area. If it was the smoke from the shack's chimney, or if the owner shot everything that came nearby in the Summer, I didn't know.

"Lu?" called the one voice I didn't want to hear. The only voice that could be so gentle... So soft...

So full of lies.

I felt my ears pin back as I turned my head.

Princess Regent Celestia, Sol Invicta, the Unbroken Sun of Equestria stood before me.

Only this time, she was unarmed and unarmored.

The only thing she wore was a yellow scarf.

A surge of emotion screamed through my head. All of them demanding my attention. All of them critically urgent.

But one was louder and more rabid then the rest. Louder than even the Other.

I felt my head dip low, as I lowered into an aggressive stance.

Celestia for her part, didn't react. But her eyes glistened with moisture.

"Oh Lu... What have you done to yourself?" she whispered.

"Don't call me that!" I snarled loudly.

If it was because she didn't deserve to have that name in her mouth, or if it was because I wasn't worthy of that name I didn't know.

But she needed to spit it out either way.

Celestia shuddered as her tears began to start flowing.

"Luna... Please come home." was all she said.

"Is that all you have to say?!" I cried, almost laughing, overcome by the toxic cocktail of emotions I had suddenly unleashed. "What home?! What home do I have?!" I screamed, my voice cracking from misuse. "What apology could you possibly say that would ever bridge what YOU did!"

"Lu- Luna. It's not too late. You're not too far gone." she whimpered.

"Too far gone?!" I exclaimed. "Is that what you told them?! That I'm too broken?! That I'm too damaged to be left alone?! Why is that Celestia?! Come on, tell them all why! I know they're here with you!" I started to circle around the larger Alicorn, getting ready for the inevitable attack.

Celestia seemed to deflate slightly.

"I came alone." she whispered, her eyes hardening.

"Why would I believe you?!" I answered harshly. "You were never the Element of Honesty! Being a liar is in your blood! You lied to my face that day! You never cared! You never saw me as anything other than a useful tool! Lie to yourself all you want, lie to to your citizens and to the Human agencies for all I care! But at least give me the dignity of telling me the truth!" I found myself breathing heavily after my rant, feeling like where ever I was looking was under intense radioactive bombardment.

Celestia's ears at pinned themselves backwards, but she never became aggressive.

She was afraid.

"..." she mouthed uselessly as she tried to find her words. "... I thought you were going to betray me." she finally said.

That gave the raging storm inside my head pause.

What? Why?!

She continued.

"You always were three steps ahead of everypony you met. You were never surprised." Celestia's eyes hardened once more as she fully steeled herself. "I was worried that you would outgrow me. Have no more need for me. When the Nobles came to me with their tales of the demon in your head... I was certain you were going to overthrow me." Despite the steel in her eyes, tears began to fall anew.

"I- I regretted my choice the second you were gone." She finally met my glare, with equal emotional intensity. "I have counted the hours since that moment. For one. Thousand. Years. It has been eight million, seven hundred, sixy seven thousand, three hundred twenty eight hours and 38 minutes Lu."

That... Wasn't what I was expecting.

The flame inside still smoldered, but had died down significantly.

"... Why are you here?" I whispered, my voice now hoarse from its sudden abuse after its hiatus.

"... It's Human Hearth's Warming Luna. Most of the Agents have today off, and most of the Ponies I brought are with them." Celestia sniffed, now coming down from her own emotional roller coaster. "We were going to come by next week, but I was so alone that I... I had to try and spend the day with you." her tears intensified. "You're my only family Lu... I love you and I miss you..."

I... I don't know how to respond to this...

I-

"I-" I closed my eyes and shook my head. "I-"

"Lu?" the snow crunched as the massive Pony moved closer.

"I- S-stay away!" I backed up, hitting the tree I was going to cut down with my rump.

"Lu please... Come with me. I promise I will never hurt you ever again."

I- I wanted to reach out and embrace her.

To bury my face in her chest and cry all the tears behind my eyes.

And yet...

How could I?

The thought filled me with disgust.

Like using a mixture of used motor oil and vomit to shower instead of water.

This mare was the engineer of my misery. She was the cause of all this. And yet she dared to simply ask?

I wanted to dry heave.

Both thoughts were equal. Neither could back down. One or the other must be chosen.

"I... I..." I stammered, sliding off the tree trunk and backing up still.

I turned and ran.

If I did my math right...

Merry Christmas all!

Have some estranged and strained family bonding!

And yes, before anyone asks, I have been keeping track of the dates

Luna was banished on the summer solstice (sun moon celebration) at about 2 am in the morning.

Luna, floats through space for almost 976 years exactly before falling to Earth, coincidentally on Halloween.

Yes I'm counting Halloween and Sun/Moon Celebration on the same day because planets and asynchronized day/night/season cycles.

The year Lucas turns 24, which is the 1,000th anniversary of Luna's banishment, Luna's original spells when she landed became undone and revealed her true nature.

And 55 days after Halloween is...

The day a fat man in red commits reverse breaking and entering to leave you stuff under a tree.

About 8 in the morning, plus 38 minutes...

8,767,328 hours and 38 minutes