It had been about a day since Sarah's breakdown, and she was still up in her room, laying in bed in her replacement vessel that Death had given her. She had calmed down, thankfully, but she was still only talking with Ardiente and I, which I'm grateful for. Those fears of her hating me for that personality were still around I suppose.

Halfway through the day, after a rather nice conversation with Sarah and Ardiente about the three of us "going out and having fun" after the whole mess cleared up, Death had visited. He informed the three of us that Michael was returning to Ponyville after receiving the letter, which caused a rather odd reaction from Sarah.

She just sort of... stopped talking, and she just sat there with a frown on her face, muttering to herself and not responding to neither Ardiente or I. It was a bit strange, honestly. She had been having random mood swings every few minutes, thankfully none being anger when talking to Ardiente and I, but the change when Michael was brought up seemed... deliberate.

I didn't get any time to figure out why she suddenly started acting that way, as Death asked that I meet Michael at the train station and bring him to the house.

I stood on the platform at the train station, tapping my foot impatiently as I waited, while a few ponies exited the train, some giving me odd looks as they walked away.

Death had said Michael would be arriving by train, but I don’t see him getting off. Where is he? I thought to myself.

“Mary?” He walked over from the train car near the end of the station. “Hi.”

I sighed, “Good, you’re here. Follow me, quickly please,” I started walking away from the station, but stopped to add, “and hello to you, as well.” I then started walking again, picking up a fast pace.

He followed behind me, speaking up after a minute. “How’s Sarah right now?”

“Not happy, I can tell you that much. She was pretty frantic the other day, and most of today as well, but when Death dropped by and mentioned you were on the way here...” I shrugged, “she just sort of stopped talking, and seemed really irritated by something.”

“Oh... T-that doesn’t bode too well then...” He sighed deeply. “Hopefully I don’t make it worse...”

“I don’t know either,” I said as we turned a corner, setting us down the path to the house, “just try to avoid saying anything... harsh, I guess.”

“Yeah I’m gonna keep from saying anything harsh. She’s not really in a stable mindframe right now, so the less anger the better.....”

I said nothing as we approached the door, which I opened and the two of us stepped inside. When we got in, the first thing I noticed was Jav, lying in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.

“Uh... Jav? I asked, “What happened?”

“I saw you two coming from the window,” he said in a muffled, strained voice, “and I told Sarah. As soon as I mentioned Michael, she somehow managed to throw me from her bed, out the door, down the hall, and down two flights of stairs, with a single punch. I’m guessing shadows were involved.”

“Ah....” Was all I said.

“And Michael?” Jav asked, looking up at Michael.

“Yes..?”

“You’re possibly very fucked.” Jav then slammed his head back to the ground, and didn’t move afterwards.

“Oh dear....” Michael sighed and took a deep breath. “Alright...”

I am not in a state of mind to be doing this, I am so far from being a state of mind to be doing this I might as well be on the fucking sun. God dammit why am I doing this?

“Ardiente, why did you let me do this?” I asked said pony.

“Because you told me- no begged me to.”

I slammed my head back against the headboard of the bed, “Fuck I need to stop asking people to do things when I’m out of my mind.”

“You probably should,” she said, “but I doubt it’d be easy.”

I sighed, “Yeah....”

“Um.... Sarah?”

And I think I just dented the headboard by hitting it too hard. Fuck. Great, now I have to go through with this. Fuck again.

“Come in.” Ardiente said.

GOD FUCKING DAMMIT WOMAN, AT LEAST LET ME PREPARE!

He opened the door and slowly stepped inside. “Hi Ardiente, Sarah.”

“Goodbye Michael, Sarah.” Ardiente said, getting up from her spot on the bed and leaving.

F.U.C.K. FUCK!

I just stared at him silently, occasionally taking out my frustration on the comforter. Fuck that comforter, fuck it to hell. Wait- getting off track.

“Fuck.” Fuck why did I say that?

“Um... Okay?”

“Wait, no, not what I meant to say.” I grabbed my head, clenching my eyes shut as I thought of what the fuck to say. “What I mean to say was... uh.... Oh!” I  suddenly perked up, smiling as I realized what it was I wanted to say, “Yeah that’s it. Michael, I very much fucking dislike you.”

“Uh.... You really don’t fucking like me?” He shifted a little. “Um... That what you meant?”

“Yep!” Why the fuck am I smiling? This isn’t a situation to smile in. Stop being so God damned happy!

“Can I know why? Or if you don’t want to say why the message still conveys.”

“Uh....” Fuck now I have to think agai- wait! No, I remember that at least. “It’s because you’ve pretty much just disregarded any actual mental problems I have, like that time you said I just shout at people for what happened to me. Nice one by the way, it’s not like I had a reason to anyway.”

“I wasn’t disregarding them.... I-I was simply a bit overwhelmed.... You normally don’t hear about the sort of things you went through...”

I stared past him blankly for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, “Want to know my earliest... well one of my only memories?”

“I... Sure. I wouldn’t mind...”

“You will, trust me.” I coughed, “Anyway, my earliest memory actually starts with me just sitting in my nice, clean room back at the facility, with not a single thought of anything bad going on. Next thing I know, Jeriah walks in- do you know Jeriah?” I asked him.

“No... I don’t.”

I shook my head, “Not really important. He was the head of the facility, and the man I grew up with for three years. I saw him as my father pretty much. But then, when he comes in the room, I run up to him expecting a hug that I got every day beforehand. Then he just sticks a needle in my neck, and the next thing I know five years have passed, my right arm is torn off and scarred over, my left shoulder is covered in burn scars, and that same man is raping me on a lab table.”

“I-Oh god.” He looked away. “I- Oh my god....”

“I only have two other memories besides those.” I said lowly, “Aside from the month leading up to me dying, and the four I have from my time in the facility, everything else is just blank. Except for one thing, that is, and it kind of goes into why I dislike you so much right now.” I turned my head to look him in the eye as best as I could, “Want to know what it is?”

“O-okay...” He nodded a little.

“Just two things.” I held up a finger, “One is the definite thought, ‘this is the reason all of this happened to me.’” I held up another finger, “Two... two is just a memory of a nametag I saw only once, on one of the workers there. Want to know what it said?”

He nodded shakily.

“Nathan Fritz.” I spat out the name.

“.... Oh god.”

“Tell me,” I said calmly, “do you know anything about it?”

“I-I... I know that name. Yeah.”

“Really?” Honestly I was a bit surprised. I know there are at least many people with the same last name that aren’t related or don’t know each other, so I wasn’t really expecting him to know. “How do you know it?”

“We’re.... We’re related.”

.... “Did you ever know about what he did to me?”

“No.... He never spoke of anything relating to A.N.G.E.L.”

I sighed heavily, suddenly feeling really worn out. I honestly would go on questioning Michael, but I’m honestly too tired now. I don’t even know why, but I’m just... exhausted.

“Leave.” I said tiredly, “Please.”

“I-” He slumped a little and nodded. “Fine. Goodbye Sarah.” He opened the door and looked back at me. “I’m sorry....” He left and closed the door.

“God dammit....” I sighed and layed back in bed, staring up at the ceiling in thought.

Next Chapter: As the World Turns- Act I, Pt. V: When someone wants to test us, when someone tries our patience Estimated time remaining: 42 Minutes