We sat at the kitchen table. I drank some coffee and after three hours of reading and practicing with Twilight, the time soon turned around noon.

   Twilight's stomach growled and she giggled. "It's lunch time. Let's take a break."

   I stretched my back. "Alright, what's for lunch then?"

   She thought for a moment, then an idea hit. "Why don't we go to Sugarcube Corner and see what the Girls are up to?"

   "What about the other ponies here? We can't just take a stroll down the road without anyone seeing me."

    She smiled proudly.

   "We wont need to walk. While you were reading, I found what I was looking for in that tome on magical travel."

   Twilight walked to the middle of the library. "I have all the information I need to use the advanced flashport to get us into Sugarcube Corner."

   I raised an eye brow as her horn started to glow.

   "I should be back in a few minutes, since I will need to make sure the store is clear of other ponies."

   "Alrighty then, I'll get ready."

   And after a quick flash, she was gone.

   I walked into my room to get my shoes. Sitting on my bed while putting them on, Spike walked in with a very familiar metal object.

   "Hey, Argyle, what's this? I found it under the kitchen table -"

   My eyes shot a horrified look at what Spike was holding. "Spike, stop."

   I held my cool, even though my face betrayed any notion of it.

   "Wha- what's wrong?" Spike looked nervous as I pointed at what he was holding,

   "Don't move and don't freak out, but that's my Tokarev."

    He looked at the pistol in his two hands confused. "Tokarev? What's a Tokarev?"

   I got up with a shoe on one foot and a sock on the other. "It's a very dangerous weapon, so stay very still."

   Spikes eyes went wide as he asked me frantically, "Oh, no! What do I do?!"

   Slowly walking towards him, both my hands were gesturing at the floor.

   "Just slowly put it on the floor and keep your fingers out of the ring part."

   After doing just that, he walked away from it.

   I grabbed it slowly, then checked the safety, and sighed with relief.

   Thank God the safety was on. That would've been one problem I definitely didn't need.

   Spike put his hands behind his back staring at the floor sheepishly. "Sorry Argyle, I had no idea. You're not mad at me are you?"

   I almost laughed at the young dragons preposterous question. No one was to blame, but the pistol was my responsibility.

   "No Spike, in fact I'm very thankful you found it for me. This could been a lot worse."

   Spike huffed.

   "You're telling me. Why do you need such a thing anyway?" He pointed at my pistol.

   "Remember when I said Human's use tools to solve problems?"

   Spike nodded.

   "This is one of them. It's just a tool, but it requires the utmost respect and skill to use correctly."

   "Wow, that heavy thing? Well, I'm glad I took it to you as soon as I saw it."

   "Definitely."

   I wondered how I could have made it up to him for the fright it gave him.

   I smiled after thinking of something. "Tell you what Spike. Why don't you let me clean up the library tonight?"

   Spike gaped in astonishment. "Really?! You would do that, Argyle?!"

   "Books go in alphabetical order, sweep, dust, then organize the quills and scroll papers, right?"

   He nodded his head. "Yes, that's it!"

   I smiled warmly. "You got it!"

   Spike jumped up cheerfully. "Alright! Thanks, Argyle, you're the best! And, Argyle?"

   I looked at him. "Hmmm?"

   "Could I borrow that IBox thing...again?"

   I laughed. "Sure, help yourself! Just be careful with it."

   He ran out of my room. "I will guard it with a Knight's honor!"

   That Dragon just warms the heart.

   "I'm sure you will."

   He was growing more fond of that thing every second. I did worry about the battery life with how much use she was getting. I wondered if magic had a solution. I sat down to finish putting on my shoes.

   My eyes shot open while I inhaled deeply. Looking around the cave I saw no one. I felt the chill and heard the whispers, but without the gust of wind.

   "Time to wake up. Wake up and smell the ashes."

   I checked my arm. It was fully healed. I did not know how long I was out for, but the night time had not waxed to day yet.

   I eyed the cave again for the source of the whispers.

   "Smell the ashes." The whispers were getting fainter.

   Not being able to find the source frustrated me to no end.

   "Who are you!?"

   "Smell the ashes."

   "Why torment me?!"

   "Ashes."

   I heard hooves stepping on rock towards the entrance of the cave. I spun to face its direction, unsure of who my sudden guest was.

   "Uh...Argyle, is that thou we hear?"

   Hey, I know that voice.

   Running towards the entrance, I saw a dark pony figure limping in the moonlit distance.

   It froze staring me eye to eye, then smiled. "Ah, there you are."

   The figure collapsed with a groan unto the damp cave floor.

   I knew that voice anywhere, the shock sent my legs running on their own. "Luna?!"

   Rushing over to her, I knelt down smiling.

   "I said I was right...ugh...behind you." She grimaced back a smile.

   "I thought you got captured, or worse!"

   "No, we...ugh...bearly got away. They were fast, but we art faster thankfully."

   I looked at her coat, blood stained and deep cuts all over her body. Even her horn had a small knife cut on it. My heart was torn over her condition. Most of the wounds were fresh, which meant she had just escaped moments before.

  I hated myself for leaving her when I could have helped.

   "I abandoned you back there. This is all my fault."

   "Nonsense, Argyle. If you had not left, I would have been distracted. Your absence may have saved my life. Besides, your arm prevented you from fighting."

   "I don't remember telling you I was hurt."

   Luna grinned. "I have my ways."

   I used what strength I built up while resting to move her to a shady spot. Setting her down slowly, I cast a healing spell on her with both hands.

   "This is not much, but it'll stabilize the wounds and stop the bleeding."

   "Tis enough."

   Luna eyed around the cave. "Who were thou talking to? I am looking, but unable to see nor sense anypony else present."

   I shrugged. "It's nothing."

   She raised an eye brow at me. "Tell the truth."

   I shook my head. "Really, it's nothing, just some whispers out of nowhere."

   Luna tried to lift her head up, but I gently stopped her.

   "No don't, your wounds have not stopped bleeding."

   She used her left eye to look at me instead. "Thou hearest whispers? For when did it start?"

   I failed to see the importance of what could have been just lucid dreaming, but I did know that sinister cold well.

   "Hour, hour and half ago. Why?"

   Her eye closed. "Listen, Student. I must tell you something."

   I wondered what secrets she had in mind to tell. "I'm listening."

   Luna took a deep breath, then told me her story, how she had fallen into darkness mouths after a fateful night one-thousand years ago.

   I knew that story. I had read about it before, but Luna was telling me her side of it.

   She heard whispers that turned into thoughts. The thoughts turned into actions. The actions soon turned into violence. After the whispers took her over she became Nightmare Moon and formed the Lunar Republic to bring an eternal night. Her Legions raged a bloody civil war for over two years. Worse still, she was imprisoned inside herself, witnessing everything. Nightmare Moon and her forces lost the war at great cost and was imprisoned by her sister on the moon for one-thousand years.

   Luna  was besides herself with grief, sobing slightly as she continued.

   "They say I did it because I was jealous of my sister, that I hated those who favored the Sun like some spoiled brat! Twas a lie! I love her dearly and I love my subjects like they are my own children! But I cannot bear to look upon them now, not without seeing the faces of their ancestors. Perhaps, if I had  jumped off the cloud that night, their suffering could have been spared."

   Her ears twitched like she had heard someone speak. Luna suddenly shouted enraged.

   "No thou cannot, Monster! I watched in agony as you burned my home for two years! Powerless I watched on, as thou slaughtered my subjects, my children! Once they felt safe under my moon, but you ruined that! Even my Tia hates me now because of you! You ruined everything!"

   She inhaled sharply, then yelled at the top of her lungs, "I hate you!"

   I remember this part well, how uncertain the future looked, how painful watching my best friend suffer that way felt and how her usually wavy ethereal mane lied straight and flat over the cave's cold floor. I felt like there was nothing I could do to ease her pain, but listen as she vented her anger for spending a millennium alone in the dark.

   She screamed over and over again those three words of torment. She had watched Nightmare rage war on her people, witnessed her subjects lost to fire and hate, forever.

   I remember thinking how horrible keeping such a thing bottled up for so long must have been. I could not imagine the pain.

   Luna panted like she had run a mile. "I...hate...you."

   Her voice lost its volume as she began to lose her breath. The yelling finally stopped, but her tears remained falling like raindrops on an overcast night.

   I had to do something, anything. Her wounds were stabilized, so I hugged her. One time I was shy to things of that nature, but that time it would not be my undoing. That time I had my new spine and I was there for a friend.

   Luna stopped crying when she felt my embrase, slightly surprised by it.

   I tightened lightly. "Luna, I promise. No matter what, it will be alright."

   Luna caught what I meant by no matter what. "Thank you, Argyle, but enough friends have died already."

   I wearily looked at her. "It's only going to get worse."

   Luna closed her eyes then whispered, "I know."

   We lied there like that for a few minutes. Her indigo coat was dirty and grungy. She was only so warm to the touch. Combat and blood loss had taken its toll. Even Alicorns it seemed had limits.

   "So, do you hear it now?" Turning her head slightly left she looked at me.

   I shook my head. "No, it stopped as soon as you came here."

   I wondered if it was just a coincidence, or something more.

   She let her gaze back to the cave wall. "Nightmare Moon behaved that way as well, whispering when I was alone only to stop when somepony came near. I suppose that is how they figured I grew jealous of my kingdom, as I would be in my worst of moods whilst alone. I never told anypony the real reason behind my mood when I was."

   "I'm glad you told me." I smiled.

   "This one night, Tia visited me in my room. I was so angry, so frustrated with Nightmare's whispering and taunting, that when Tia asked how my night was going, I yelled at her."

   Luna grimaced. "She asked what was wrong, but I just yelled again, telling her to...um...."

   "What?"

   "To buck off."

   "Oh."

   "Tia got upset naturally, but when she yelled back, my magic shoved her out the door. I didn't do it on purpose. That was the last night I saw Tia, before Nightmare took over."

   That small healing spell would not last long, so I let her go, then walked left so I was right in front of her I sat down and leaned on the wall so I could cast a final healing spell.

   Luna looked at me. "Do you know how long it has been, since I was last hugged like that?"

   That took me aback a bit, forcing a silent stare, unknowing of how to safely respond to such a question.

   She closed her eyes forcing a tear to fall down her cheek. "Far too long."

   Grief stricken as tears came again, Luna's will to hold back failed. She sobbed heavily while I held her close again, grimacing. I was not used to that sort of thing. We both were hurting pretty bad.

   "Tis all wrong, Argyle. It is not supposed to be like this. Why, why did Tia do that? What did I do wrong?"

   "You did nothing wrong."

   She sniffled into my shoulder. "Why does she hate me?"

   "Shhhh, I've got you. It's going to be alright." I robbed my hand over her neck to comfort her. I felt like my guts were getting torn out. It took every once of man I had to not break down with her.

   I supposed Luna felt she finally found someone who could understand what she went through. She did tell me once I was her only real friend since certain things happened, things moments before she finally revealed. I wondered if that was why she kept it from everyone. She must have been afraid them seeing her differently otherwise.

   I however only saw Luna, nothing else. "You know I would never think less of you, especially now." I smiled.

   She remained silent. I knew she heard me. Luna did not need to speak.

   After a few minutes, she got ahold of her emotions then let me go.

   "By the moon, I'm sorry about that, Argyle."

   Her ears bent down in embarrassment, as she put her hooves up in panic, afraid what happened would scare or push me away. "It just happened so fast I-"

   I held my hand up. "It's alright, don't apologize. Real friends are there for each other, that is, if they want to live and fight back."

   With that said, I then resumed what I was going to do before.

   I never actually got to use that healing spell mentioned by Luna when I became her Apprentice. I was going to heal her with it regardless. Her head lied down on my shoulder, dark ethereal mane wavy again but resting to one side. I began to cast the spell with both my hands cuping over her heart. Focusing, I barely cast it. I suddenly felt like I had run four miles without breaks.

   Luna's voice was raspy from mental exertion and fatigue.

   "Argyle, did I not once say how long it was last since I had a best friend? Well...thou just fixed that."

   I was going to comment about her transition over archaic getting better, but within seconds she was sound asleep, breathing shallow and deep.

   A warm fuzzy feeling grew in my stomach, feelings I did not quite understand at the time.

   So, this is what watching her people sleep soundly felt like to her.

   I never had anyone trust me that way before. It's something that can't be taught, or explained, only felt. There was no tension in Luna's body, even with the horrors that plagued Equestria just outside that cave, she yet slept like no harm could ever befall her while in my arms.

   I whispered very lightly, "Good night, Luna."

   I laid my head down on hers, then fell asleep.

   Twilight returned soon after the incident with Spike and my pistol.

   "Alright Argyle, ready to go?"

   After I hid my pistol somewhere no one would find it, I went right to get an early start on cleaning. When Twilight returned, I had finished sweeping the floor.

   "Yeah, let's go." I let the broom lay on the wall.

   She shrugged, while gesturing to the broom in my hand.

   "You were cleaning while I was gone?"

   "It's a long story. I'll tell you later."

   I walked to the middle of the main library room, then robbed my hands together.

   "Alright so what do I do?"

   Twilight turned slightly. "Just place your hand on my back and we'll be off!"

   "Wait for me!"

   Spike ran downstairs, then hopped on Twilight's back. "I'm not missing this one."

   I stood close with a hand on her back. Her coat was very soft, nothing like the horses back home.

   Her horn glowed again. "Alright, hang on now you two."

   Something tells me this is a ba-

   The room paused for less then a heart beat as a bright light enveloped me. I felt that same sensation of being viscus liquid forced through a sieve. Two heart beats into it the feeling reversed and a light shot back into my eyes. I emerged very disoriented and dizzy.

   I fell to my knees gasping. While looking around with blurry vision, I heard what sounded like laughter. My vision started to get its focus back while I tried to regain my footing.

   Spike asked, while he jumped down from Twilight's back, "Wow, you okay, Argyle?"

   Twilight gasped, "Oh no, sorry Argyle! I should've told you that it can get rough on your first flashport."

   I was panting a little, "I'm good. My matter just displaced a little. Ugh- Humans can totally shrug that off."

   Yeah right. I'm practically dry heaving.

   I got up to my feet, eyeing my surroundings. Twilight was still at my side, with Spike as well.

   "So, Sugarcube Corner?"

   Twilight nodded. "Yep, sure is."

   Dangling above the register counter was a cloth sign.

                                                 Happy G.Y.N.D.P!

                                     (Means Glad Your Not Dead Party!)

    Around me were tables set up with cakes, pastries, party punch, and other party goodies.

   Then a crowd of ponies burst out of their hiding spots with an explosion of confetti, followed by a loud cheer.

   "Surprise!"

   I nearly jumped out of my skin.

   I'm going to contract a serious case of dead from a heart attack at this rate.

   I was surrounded by strange ponies.

   I shrugged. "I thought letting the other ponies seeing me was a bad thing?"

   A light blue Unicorn with a half moderate blue and very light blue mane approached me. She also had an hour glass on her side.

   I asked Twilight while studying with her, more like she read to me and I followed, about the tattoo on her side. She called it a cutie mark. A mark that shows what their special talent was.

   I scratched my head while she walked up to me.

   So does that mean she's really good at keeping time?

   The blue unicorn gestured to the crowd behind her. "This is Ponyville. We accept all kind creatures here, not just ponies."

   That town never ceased to surprise. "Wow, um, thanks?" It was all happing fast again.

   She smiled and nodded. "No problem."

   All the ponies cheered, "We're glad you're not dead, Sparky!"

   Spike and Twilight giggled at my forced smile.

   Oh, how nice, she told them my name was Sparky.

   I heard what sounded like a carnival organ outside. I went with the others to check it out, then a heavily decorated purple wagon lumbered out of an alleyway, then settled right in front of Sugarcube Corner.

   A wagon? Why?

   I pointed at the colourful wagon and asked, "Um, what's with the wagon?"

   Spike chuckled. "You in for it now, Argyle."

   "What do you-"

   My thoughts froze when Pinkie popped her head out from behind the left of the wagon, she was wearing a party cake for a hat. She hopped over to a large red button on its side, then pressed it.

   The thing opened up like a chest, exposing a very colourful array of flags swinging, horns trumping, candy cane coloured things pointing upwards while it played a song.

   Pinkie then started to dance a number on her two back hooves, then started singing.

   Welcome, welcome, welcome, I'm glad your not dead!

   Welcome, welcome, welcome, you're alive instead!

   Welcome, welcome, welcome, to that I say hooray!

   Welcome, welcome, welcome, to Ponyville this day!

   Pinkie made physics face-palm as she alternated between playing completely random assortments of instruments, while bouncing and still somehow dance on two hooves. Seeing all that was just incredible. I wondered why anything surprised me after the part about magic.

   After the song was over, the wagon started to vibrate like it was about to explode, strange as it seemed. I stared at it, not knowing what was going on. Something started to bubble from the corners of the built in oven. I realized whatever that stuff was I stood in its way.

   I bell like toned from the oven.

   Yelling I nose dived to the ground. "Hit the dirt!"

   An explosion of cake batter projected over where I was just standing, barely missing me. Moments later I looked up and saw Pinkie standing just a few feet away.

   "Whoops! Looks like I forgot the confetti this time...again!"

   She giggled.

   "But wow, you really are like as fast as a spark. The way the cannons went off and you were all like Hit the dirt!"

   She did a pretty good impersonation of me diving for cover. "Then you dived barely avoiding a batter bath!"

   Thinking that was more than a little close, I got up dusting myself off. Pinkie showed me the beautiful white cake she was holding.

   It had the words Welcome to Ponyville, Sparky! P.s Still glad you're not dead! iced onto its top surface in yellow.

   How she managed to write all that so perfectly on that small cake, forever daunted me.

   I was stunned by how awesome the cake was. "Wow that is a beautiful cake, Pinkie."

   "Thanks! Now come on, let's go inside and get this party started!"

   Everyone and myself went back into Sugarcube. While everyone was distracted by Pinkie's antics, eating at all the party goodies and just having a blast altogether, I sat at a table watching the whole thing unfold, eating a slice of my cake.

   I felt a hoof touch my shoulder. I looked over it and saw a pink mane.

   "Oh, hi Fluttershy. What's going on?"

   "Ah...I just came by to see, that's if you don't mind, if you're alright."

   I raised an eye brow at her. "Yeah, I'm alright, why wouldn't I be?"

   "Well...what I meant was, you're just sitting here all by yourself, while everypony else is having fun in your party. I just thought you might be upset over something. Like if you were home sick?"

   "I see, don't worry, I'm not upset. I just like to sit and watch. That's how I enjoy things, that way it's hard to miss a detail. And about home-"

   I paused, that homey feeling still would not gone away, in fact it was getting worse. I was starting to get homesick, yet I hated the thought of leaving. "I don't know, Fluttershy."

   "Ah I see, that's how I like to enjoy most things as well-"

   Fluttershy froze in mid sentence, as what I said finally sunk in. "Oh, my, why don't you? If you don't mind if I ask of course."

   I thought for minute while watching Pinkie do a hat trick with a cupcake, by trying to make it disappear. After the trick was over, however, the fresh smear of icing near the left corner of her mouth betrayed the illusion, but got a good laugh.

   "It's not that I don't want to go home, I really do want to, but I feel like I belong here. I know it sounds utterly ridiculous, trust me on that and for the life of me I cannot figure out why."

   I turned in my seat to face her. As she had her head slightly tilted to the side, her complete concentration was on me.

   I took in a breath and continued. "Even though I've only lived nineteen years, there's one piece of wisdom that I'll always follow, always trust your gut. Besides, I can't just abandon such a wonderful company of individuals."

   Fluttershy eyes widened. "Oh, my, what a beautiful thing to say. I never expected you would warm up to us so fast. I figured we'd seem strange or...weird, compared to what you must be used to."

   I smiled as her eyes started watering slightly. "Well then, it's lucky for you guys that I consider the words strange, or weird, complements."

    She smiled big in response.

    I turned back to the party, staring into space, lost in thought.

   I'm torn between a promise and this feeling that I have to stay. What the hell do I do? I'm the main topping to this big zugzwang salad, but the worst fucking part is, I can't figure out why!

   My stupor broke when Pinkie yelled from across the room while bouncing and waving a hoof in the air. "Come on Argyle! It's time for partying silly, not sitting!"

   After she said that everyone else turned and stared at me in anticipation.

   Fluttershy reached her hoof out to me. "Ready to join us?"

   It could not be helped and I dared not ruin what little I had left.

   "Yeah."

   I smiled back while swallowing my thoughts. "Sure am."

   I walked with her to join the party, my new friends and perhaps a new home.