I was sitting on the throne going through papers while I waited for my faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, and her friends to return and give their reports on what had happened in the garden maze. I’d been quickly notified that they’d found themselves stuck in there by Discord. Even though I knew Discord would be recaptured thanks to Twilight and her friends, something was still off with the flow of the magic in the vicinity of the castle. It hadn't quite returned to normal for some reason or another. As I was thinking this, I asked one of the guards to go fetch my sister from her chambers, so she could be present for the debriefing when Twilight's group arrived.

Luna arrived not to long after I had sent for her, she was clearly still tired and shaken after having been awoken by Discord earlier in the day. As she came and took her place next to me we began to converse about everything that had transpired only a few short hours ago.

“Are you alright sister?” I asked Luna.

“We are just fine just fine dear sister, more or less a bit tired. We are worried that the magic near the castle, as it is still being disturbed in some way or form.” Luna stated proudly.

“So you noticed it as well.” I said.

“Yes, but we believe that it is only because of all the residual chaos magic left behind from Discord rampage.” said Luna.

“I was thinking the same thing. Perhaps it would be in our best interest to keep an eye on it?,” I suggested.

Luna nodded her head in agreement with me, then motioned to the door. In a somber tone she said, “Yes, but for now we shall have to postpone such a notion, dear sister. As we have guests currently arriving with news of what happened in the gardens from the days earlier events.”

As she was saying this, Twilight, who was wearing her usual black skirt, tennis shoes, and lavender button down blouse, with her friends had just been let through the doors into the throne room and were being lead by a pegasus guard. We decided to meet them halfway on their walk up to the throne upon seeing how exhausted they all looked. I could not hold it against any of them if they didn't want be here right now. Especially after their individual encounters with Discord had left them visibly and mentally shaken, possibly even scarred.

“Twilight, it’s good to see you again. I hope you and your friends are well after your encounter with Discord?” I asked as lightly as possible.

“We're all fine Princesses, just a little worn out is all.” She answered warmly.

The next thing I see is a small cyan blur in a white tank top, black jogging pants and rainbow colored mane, I quickly figured it to be Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty.

“I’M SO SORRY PRINCESSES!!”Rainbow Dash repeated over and over again loudly.

“It's quite alright Rainbow Dash,” I told her. All while trying to calm her down.

“Yes, do not forget young Rainbow Dash, we are all too familiar with Discord's manipulations as well.” Luna interjected.

“But I just left everypony behind!” said Rainbow Dash sounding dejectedly as she looking down.

“Yes, but you left to go and help your friends and family back in Cloudsdale! That’s still loyal!” Twilight said.

Placing her hand on her friend's shoulder reassuring her that not one held anything against her.

“Now Twilight, everypony else, and that does include you too Spike,” I said eyeing the small purple and green drake, who was wearing his usual puffy dark green vest and khaki cargo shorts.

“If you would please tell the both of us the details of what happened during your individual encounters with Discord.”

“Ah guessin ah should probably go first then,” said an orange mare in a red plaid shirt, blue jeans, boots, and her trademark stetson.

This is Applejack another of Twilight's friends and the Element of Honesty.

One after another each pony told Luna and I of the personal encounters with the Lord of Chaos when the door to the throne room were thrown open with enough force to cause a slight drift to ruffle everyponies' manes. Coming up to us were four guards with their spears trained on a short pony in a red hooded coat with its hands in shackles. As they approached I couldn't distinguish the pony in red for the hood was obstructing its eyes and mane but I got the feeling I had met this pony somewhere before if not a long time ago.

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS INTERRUPTION!” Luna boomed in the Royal Canterlot voice clearly annoyed by the door being being harshly forced open.

The guards merely stared at us with their blank expressions on their faces. Until, another guard marched up to the front of the contingent and began to speak.

He said, “Princesses Celestia and Princesses Luna you have my deepest apologies for interrupting your meeting with the Elements of Harmony, but we have captured this pony wondering around the castle grounds not long after Discord's escape. We have been holding him in the barracks for the last few hours. At least until we could find out who he was. But, he has constantly told us the same line.”

“And may we ask thee is this line that ye speak of?” Luna asked in a slightly annoyed tone.

“It is,” the guard started as this started to twitch a little, “ Take me to your leaders.”

“And what exactly does this statement mean?” Luna asked what we were all thinking.

“We believe it means that he would like to see you, Princesses.”

Well, as you can tell, not long after I had asked for directions, I was promptly arrested for suspicious activities on castle grounds. Just my luck, really. I've always been one to walk into just the right type of situation, good or bad, at just the right moment. I just chalked this to one of those times. I mean don't get me wrong I love it when everything goes really good for me just like the next guy, but it can get to a point to where everything really pisses me off when everything goes wrong. That being said, I'm actually a pretty calm and collected person. I know we all have days like that, but being an alchemist that believes in the laws of equivalent exchange for the last few thousand years, helps me rationalize the world. I really can't explain much about how I learned this stuff, but let's just say when I got over that migraine I had when I got to this world, I’ve somehow obtained every single memory of my character.

Well, that's enough backstory for now, had to do a little bit of an internal monologue to pass the time, while Luna was being pissed at the guards for finally dragging my ass in here. Gotta say, I've always thought both of the Princesses were absolutely beautiful, but even before I was an official brony back in my home world I always had a thing for Luna. I have to say I really did miss her the most, and it was taking everything I had not to disintegrate my shackles and run over and hug her like no tomorrow. Oh, looks like I finally caught their attention so let see what kind of response I can give. while I try to hold back my emotions as best I can.

“Do you feel better now that you've at a chance to ask your questions sister?” Celestia said with a slight snicker in her voice.

“Quite sister, we are sorry for wasting thou's time,” Luna sighed .

“Now lets us attend to the pony in red. We believe that we have kept him waiting long enough. Especially since the guards were kind enough to show him special accommodations.”

As the royal sisters walked up to me the guards withdrew but stayed vigilant with their hands on their spears ready to strike as soon as I gave them a reason.

“We are sorry we kept you waiting, and for the conditions in which you were brought here.” Celestia said apologetically to me.

“We are afraid we must ask thee to remove thine hood, so we may look upon thine face strange pony.” Luna stated with curiosity.

“You know it's been such a long time since any pony has spoken to me in old equestrian. It really is a lost art in its own right,” I said to my old friends.

Both sisters were at as loss for words from the shock when they heard my voice. As I lifted up my hood it fill to my back. I gave them the biggest smile I could muster while trying to see them with tears overflowing from my eyes.

“It's been far too long, but I'm finally back,” I said with a great waver in my voice

Next Chapter: A Truth Revealed and Introductions Estimated time remaining: 57 Hours, 16 Minutes