The guards and myself decided to take the main road back to the Palace. Along the way, the residents cast me a look or two, but none took it any further, which I was thankful.

   Soon we arrived at the main courtyard. Once there, I met the well dressed colt again, the one that greeted my friends and I upon arriving at Canterlot.

   I wondered if he was the Butler that sent Twilight that reply message, telling her Celestia was away for two weeks. If so, it meant he was Celestia's personal Butler.

   The guard with a scar stopped once we reached the Palace doors and faced me. "This is your stop."

   The guard with an accent turned as well, then laughed. "Sure is. It's been fun, Boy'o, but ya don't need us anymore."

   I shrugged. "Alright. You sure you don't want to tag along?"

   "Appreciated, but we have other duties we must attend to."

   The guard with a scar frowned. "So, we must leave you with this fellow."

   "A most benevolent of salutations to you, Sir."

   The Butler bowed.

  "I will be your escort throughout the Palace grounds for tonight."

   He motioned for me to follow him. "Sir's dormitory is just this way."

   "Lead the way."

   I lightly waved back at the two friendly guards. "You two have a good night and thanks for all your help. You really hit it out the ball park today."

   "No worries, Boy'o. It was our pleasure."

   The guard with an accent leaned close to his friend. "What in Saint Gale 's a ball-park?"

   The guard with a scar shrugged. "You have a good one as well and don't worry. We will be there if you ever need an escort again."

   I nodded to them and turned to follow the colt. I froze, then turned back to ask the guards for their names, since they never said who they were exactly. Alas, they both had already went about to their nightly duties and were no longer in sight.

   I pouted and left hoping we would meet again and thinking what very likable fellows they were.

  After we passed through the main doors into the Palace, the Butler smiled at me.

   "I am Fernsworth, personal butler of her majesty Princess Celestia. If Sir is ever in need of any assistance, please do not hesitate to call on me."

   Well, I was right.

   I nodded. "I figured you were. I'm Argyle by the way."

   "Indeed you are, Sir. The Princess heard much about Sir's many accomplishments and she has placed much faith in Sir's abilities, in result."

   I raised my eye brow. "My reputation proceeds me then?"

   "Indeed it does, Sir." Fernsworth smiled happily.

   I laughed.

   We walked on through the Palace's huge white halls. The place was crawling with guards patrolling the hallways. Every now and then one would cast me a glance or two, but kept to themselves for the most part.

   Down one great hall I saw many great stained windows. Each one told a story to their oun. One had two alicorns flying in a circle, like a yin and yang of light and dark. I recognized the two Alicorns, Princess Luna and Celestia. It was astonishing.

   "This is the Hall of Equestrian History."

   Fernsworth gestured to the whole hall. "If Sir would but alternate his sight, Sir would see our full history. From the times of peace, to the times of unrest, to our more modern time, it all can be seen here forever captured in Iron and glass."

   "Incredible, this must've taken centuries to complete."

   Never had I seen such taste in stained glass. I was so used to the plain cliché cathedral stained glass windows of an equally unoriginal inspiration back on Earth. They always told the same story over and over again in different ways. But those windows were each an epic to themselves. Some of them even moved, like the events were happening again right before my eyes.

   "Indubitably, Sir, but the antiquity of this hall extends far before this millennium."

   "How far?"

   "Pre-classical, Sir."

   I had no clue what Pre-classical meant in terms of time, but I assumed it archaic.

   After a few minutes of walking down the Hall of History, we turned into another grand hallway. Across the walls up high hanging, were signs written in Equestrian. I could read most of it. It was not a hard written lingo to understand, once Twilight showed the basics of its structure. She was delighted when I taught her the basics of English and its grammar.

   I read some of the words, and made out the words wing, isle and book in several places.

   A library?

   I put my hand on my chin thoughtfully.

   "The library seems to have caught Sir's attention." Fernsworth observed.

    "Oh, so it is a library?"

   It was huge, the whole hallway had doors and gates. Each one had a sign over it. Unlike the other hallways, only a singe guard was patrolling it. A Unicorn. He paid Fernsworth and me little mind.

   "Indubitably, Sir. This is the hall to the Canterlot Library. It houses one of the largest collections of knowledge in all of Equestria, challenged only by the ancient library vaults of the Crystal Empire, or unambiguously more so, by the hallowed world archives of the Four Kingdoms."

   I saw a large Iron gate without a sign above it. I wondered why. "What about that wing? Is it open too, if I may ask?"

   Fernsworth cleared his throat. "Beg Sir's parden, unequivocally, the library is open to all. However, I am afraid, Sir may have to anticipate to gain access to the Starswirl wing, as only the highest of trusted individuals are ever allowed entry."

   "The Starswirl wing?"

   I looked at the Iron gate, longingly. Inside was a branch of a great library completely dedicated to a Unicorn I had dreams of.

   I wanted in, but I had to wait. "I see, thank you."

   "Absolutely, Sir."

   Fernsworth thought to himself, then gestured to me. "And if I ever so may, Sir's new mentor can always accompany Sir into the wing, should her Highness ever so choose."

   Not a bad Idea.

   I shrugged. "We can only hope, Fernsworth."

   "With baited voraciousness, Sir." He half smiled.

   I laughed at that.

   We reached the end of the library hall.

   Fernsworth pointed his fore hoof to his left. "Sir's residential is just down this hall."

   He turned left and I followed.

   We trekked down to a huge white hallway that crossed with two other hallways, with the hallway we were walking cutting through and ending into a hallway of its own. I saw a single door at its end. No windows could be seen in any of those halls. I assumed that meant I must have been near the Palace's center.

   We reached the door. It was large and rather plain. Unlike the other doors, it was a standard solid wooden door with iron fastenings and a forged lock.

   "Here we are, Sir." Fernsworth opened the door with a key he took from his left front pocket. When we walked into the room, I noticed all of my belongings were already organized inside.

   "I hope the accomodations are to Sir's liking? I personally ensured this room would resemble, as much as possible, to  the lavishly adorned domicile in Sir's previous occupancy with Madam Twilight."

   I walked to the center of my new room, taking the whole thing in. It was very large in comparison to the one I had at Twilight's house. Big book shelves filled with books familiar and strange, lied about the walls on each side of the room. The same writing desk that acted as my nightstand at Twilight's stood near my new bed, fresh ink pots, quills and scrolls neatly adorning it.

   The new bed was just my size. It had obviously been tailored to me somehow, as it was the largest bed I had seen in my short time in Equestria. A beautiful comforter lied folded upon the bed and looked freshly pressed. It was white, embroidered with a wide array of Equestrian flora and fauna. It was just the right thickness for summer or winter.

  "You did all this? It's marvelous." I could not help but smile mesmerized.

   "I mearly adorned this room with Sir's personal belongings. It was my pleasure, Sir." Fernsworth elegantly bowed.

   It was strange that the only new objects in the room were the bed, some books of mine and my writing desk. I saw lines on the wooden floor, as if an older bed had been replaced resently for that newer one.

   Someone was living here before me? Whom, I wonder?

   "Who lived in this room before me?" I turned to face Fernsworth.

   "Astute as aways, Sir. This was Madam Twilight's room, before she departed to her current place of residence. Her Majesty, Celestia, imformed the staff to prepare this room for you."

   Fernsworth walked towards the door. "I am afraid, we must now part ways for the time, Sir, as I have many other duties to attend. I trust Sir is comfortable?"

   "I think so. Thanks for showing me to my room. Have a good night, Fernsworth." I waved to him and smiled.

   "Very good, Sir."

   He bowed.

   "A most pleasent of nights to Sir as well." He closed the door while slowly walking backwards.

   I walked around my room. Out of everything, it was my new dresser that caught my eye. What a real piece of artwork it was. A seamless décor of a whole forest landscape was cut into the hardwood center of the dresser.

   Different pieces of wood were arranged in wide array, melding and colouring each part of it. One type made the trees in the forest on the right door. Another kind made the grass planes on the left door and other types formed the rock and snow capped mountain scape behind both scenes.

   It also had vines cut into the outer edges of the dresser, making it seem like they were growing up from the floor, wraping around and encompassing the whole dresser. The vines also had a wide array of unique wood types pieced together, making each vine its own beauty.

   I walked over and opened it. I smiled when I saw my whole wardrobe from back at Twilight's expertly hug, organized by colour and type.

   Checking each of my pant pockets, I felt something large and heavy in my left one. I dug in, then brought out, astonishingly, my IPod. I had given it to Spike before we left, so naturally it surprised me. I would've been worried I took it by accident, were it not for the letter I also found in that pocket. I opened it and read the following.

Dear Argyle.

   By the time you read this, I'll be back home with Twilight and you'll be living in the Palace. I still can't believe Celestia made you Princess Luna's apprentice! That's so cool! Everyone's still very happy I can say. Even though Celestia acted kind of weird, it was still awesome!

    You're probably wondering how you have your IPod by now. Don't worry, I snuck it into your pocket when we all hugged at the carriage. Before we left, remember?

  I'm still riding in the carriage as I write this, so I'll send this to you when I get the chance.

  Anyway, thank you for giving me your IPod, but I think you're gonna need it more than I will. I don't even know how to recharge it anyway. You were the brains behind that.

   Hey, maybe you could teach me how to some day?

   Thank you again and see you soon!

   Your thoughtful friend, Spike.

   P.s, I can still listen to it when I visit, right?

   Your now concerned and thoughtful friend, Spike.

   P.p.s. Twilight says remember to keep on your best behavior.

   P.p.p.s. Oh, Rarity also says to make sure you send her any clothes that get teared.

   P.p.p.p.s. And Pinkie says

   P.p.s. Everyone says good night.

   "They're already giving him trouble." I laughed.

   I wonder what Pinkie said that spooked him?

   Shrugging, I put my IPod down on my writing desk with the neatly folded letter under it. I went back to my dresser and with a little work, soon took off my nineteenth century attire then retiring to my lounging clothing.

   I walked over to one of the book shelves and eyed at some of the books. I quickly chose one, then I went to lie down on my new bed to read for a time. It was a rather large book, with the title Never Dawn on its black front.

   Opening the book's cover I read the introduction. [size=14"A biography of a pony who lived during the Equestrian civil war. Wait, huh?"[/size]

   I stared into space for a moment.

   Equestria had a civil war?

   While Twilight did mention something about how they had wars before, but she never mentioned a civil war. She also said Equestria had not raged a war in over nine-hundred years. The book gave the staring date of the war, August 2nd, two-thousand-nine-hundred-eighty.

   My interest peaked, I turned to chapter one then started reading.

   That book was chalk-full of huge battles. It also had a personal account of each event that led up to the war and its whole aftermath. Sadly, I never got to read that far in just that night. I did manage to read the story of how Luna had become nightmare Moon before I nodded off. I suppose the events of that day cought up with me right then. That was the last sound nights sleep I had for a long while.

   "Argyle?" Luna whispered, "Art thou- I mean, are you asleep?"

   My eyes shot open. Taking in the cave's moist mossy walls, they gravitated to Luna laying at my left side. "I was just very deep in thought. Why, are you alright?"

   "Yes, I'm fine now."

   "Ah, good.

   I glared at the cave's entrance. It was still dark out. I wanted to know how long we had stayed in that cave. "What time is it?"

   "Three hours passed midnight."

   She paused for a moment. "Something has been pestering me."

   I tilted my head. "What's that?"

   "Not but a minute ago, I noticed the moon's orientation was wrong for the hour. So, I was just about to reorient it when it fixed itself. I am perplexed by it."

   "It fixed itself, how?" I raised an eye brow. I too was perplexed.

   "Two ways I know of, ether Tia did it...or...."

   "Or?" Her pause worried me.

   Luna's eyes widened. "Father fixed it."

   She shook her head. "No, tis a silly thought."

   "Your father? Why is that silly?" I shrugged. "Isn't that good news?"

    She frowned. "Twould be if he were not asleep along with Mother."

   "Oh, yeah. Just what happened to them exactly?"

   "It remains unknown. One day they just...never woke up."

   Luna sighed. "It was a long time ago. Tia and I were teens when it happened."

   I wondered what could do such a thing to an Alicorn. "That's strange. Perhaps they woke up?" I smiled warmly.

   She returned the smile. "One can hope."

   A few minutes of awkward silence passed.

   I cleared my throat. "Well, nearly four hours have passed since I came here, with two and a half hours for you. Time really does fly."

   "Indeed it does."

   Luna thought to herself for a minute. "Um, by the way, I had a dream."

   "Oh, what of?"

   "You had graduated from your training and there was a big celebration held in your honor. My sister was going to give you the title of court mage with a speech and all, but you turned it down. You said that position belonged to Twilight Sparkle and you could never take it knowing that. Tia was a little upset later that night. She told me she spent a week getting that speech right."

   Luna laughed. It was wonderful hearing her laugh again. I was afraid she would have been embittered, but she aways persurvered. Luna was strong like that.

   "But she understood non the less. We soon came to be standing on my room's balcony, over looking the Sunset. There, I asked you what you were going to do since your training was over. You smiled, then pointed out towards the setting Sun. I awoke after that."

   "Man, my dream self sounds like a rude guy."

   I laughed. "He didn't even give you a straight answer."

   "Well, he did drink all of the punch." She smirked and laughed with me.

   I looked down at her figure. She was completely healed. A wave of great joy and relief rushed through me, even though everything else felt like jelly.

   Every second I spent in that cave was in pain. First it was my mutilated arm, then It was the sharp pins and needles feeling all over my body. It was starting to feel like I was suffering from magic overuse.

   Pushing yourself too far is very dangerous when it comes to magic. In doing so you will risk a Burn-out. You do not want that, ever.

   Great, Burn-out sickness, well...at least Luna's alright and that's enough for me.

   I was very close to a painful death and I knew it. Fortunately for me Luna was there.

   Luna's ears perked up and she turned her head and eyed me, catching on that I was in trouble. "You pushed yourself too far by healing me, did you not?" She looked a little worried.

   I answered with a raspy voice, as it was getting harder to breathe, "I think we all were run a little thin today. I'll be fine in a few."  

   The muscles in my chest were tightening like a corset. "Besides, it worked and I'm still here, so it's fine."

   Luna shot up to her hooves and stomped her fore hoof on the floor in defiance. "Nay, tis not fine! Neither will you be fine in a mere few minutes. Twill take days for you to fully recuperate in your current state."

   It would have been all be over if the Empress caught us hiding in that cave.

   That was something I would have happily died trying to prevent. "We can't stay here for that long. This place is a corner just waiting for us to be forced into."

   "Even still, you must rest."

   She walked closer. "We can deal with Tia later."

   I waved her away. "No, we really have been here too long as is...."

   I tried to stand. "I'm fine -ugh- see?"

   A hot knife of pain shot up to my spine from my legs. My leg muscles gave way under my weight.

   Luna caught me as I stumbled. "You may fool yourself, Argyle, but you cannot fool me."

   I lied on her back, utterly helpless. Even the slightest movement made me regret everything magic. The pain was horrific.

   Luna faced me then shook her head. "You really must be more careful."

   She slowly walked to set me down on a better spot near the back end of the cave. "Hast thou forgotten what I told you about pushing yourself?"

   "Infernos, lots of pain, death, et cetera." I rolled my eyes, then gasped as a shock of pain shot through my shull.

   Luna sighed. "A lot of good it's obviously doing you."

   "Really, I'll be alright."

   I smerked through gritting teeth. "It's gonna take more than -ow- a little Burn-out sickness to stop me."

   Luna huffed. "Famous last words. Especially since it is not real Burn-out sickness. Thou wouldst be screaming otherwise."

   "W-what? Then what is?"

   "The first sign of magic overuse. You have but scratched the surface. True Burn-out sickness is far worse."

   I grimaced. "Christ."

   I wondered if that was the first step to Burn-out sickness, then I never wanted to feel what the real thing was like.

   Reaching the end of the cave, she gently let me down. My everything felt like it went through a meat tenderizer. It was very hard to think straight with such pain.

   Luna frowned. Her horn glowed, then a wave of warmth washed over me. The intense pain suddenly melted away.

   With the pain almost gone, I could think a bit clearer. I wished it had not. Pictures of before flashed across my mind. Each and every horror returned again to haunt. That grin, the taste of iron, all of it was an utter horror.

   "It's going to be alright." Although it sounded like I was telling Luna that, it was more directed towards myself.

   "I am the one who should be saying that to you."

   Luna gestured to the floor. "Sleep, I will keep watch." She narrowed her eyes. "And, do not move from there, even if you regain the strength."

   "Move? I can barely move my fingers." I laughed lightly.

   She smiled. "Good. Uh, that you wont move I mean." She turned and walked away.

   My exhausted everything sreamed at me, then failed, as I lied my head down on some soft cave moss.

    Bliss embraced my tired mind and calm eased my stricken and battered figure. All turned to deep gray in moments as I drifted down the rivers of the mind.

                                                            Day one.

   "Hark, Student!" suddenly boomed from the right side of my room.

   "Holy shit!"

   Ah yes, I nearly jumped out of my skin from such a rude awakening. That was my first day as Luna's student.

   "Heareth my royal voice and arise! Thy Mentor commands it!"

   After falling out of bed and onto the cold stone floor, I franticly shot up to my feet and eyed my room in all directions. My half asleep mind tried desperately to find the source of the terrible noise.

   My shock widened eyes settled on that dark Alicorn from before. She stood near the doorway with an unimpressed expression.

   Luna glared at me bleakly. "Pleasant morning."

   "Right, good morning."

   Heart pounding and yet to catch my nerves, I shook my head clear. "Um, Luna right?"

   "Tis Mentor to thou."

   She stiffend her stance and angled her head slightly upwards. "Remember it, for I shant repeat it."

   Why's she so grouchy?

   I could not get anything but heat from her gaze. It was as if she hated me.

   I had no idea why. "Alright then, what now, Mentor?"

   Not even after breakfast and I already did not like how that day was going.

   "Follow." Luna started walking towards the door.

   I looked down at myself. "Um, hey?"

   Luna turned her head and glared at me.

   I gestured at myself with my head tilted to the side. I was still in my lounging clothes.

   She rolled her eyes. "Very well, robe thyself, but make haste."

   She turned her head back, then continued towards the door. "Oh and wareth thy student robe. Look in yonder dresser."

   I raised my eye brow. Pictures of what a mages robe looked like flashed in my mind. Suddenly excited to see the robe I was issued, I walked to my dresser and opened the doors with a smile. My smile melted away faster than butter on a hotplate.

   I grimaced. "You're kidding me, right?"

   "I jest not." Luna kept walking out of my room.

   I frowned. The robe was more like a cloak meant for a potato rather than a wizard.

   Cursing under my breath, hoping no one would call me a spud mage while I wore that robe, I grabbed it and my other clothes.

   "I trust thou canst find the Starswirl wing by thyself?" Luna stood at the doorway.

   "Yes."

   "I shall await there." I heard hooves on stone patter away.

   "Can't wait."

   Well, at least I get to go inside that wing now.

   I only had the robe left. Glaring at it drearily, I slowly and painfully slipped it on. A loose fit, but it could have been worse, even though it was a brown sack cloth cloak with a hood.

   I thought of what Rarity would have said if she saw me with that robe on.

   "Of all of the worst possible things you could wear, that has to be. The. Worst. Possible. Thing!"

   I pictured her pulling out that lounging sofa and fainting into it.

   While laughing, I got my shoes on then I walked out of my room.

   I had to halt and think a few times. The Palace was huge and the way to the Starswirl wing was a winding one. Fernsworth made it look like a breeze. Half of me wanted to take his time getting there, while the other half did not want to test Luna's already thin temperament.

   I wondered who spit in her alfalfa sprouts that day. Laughing at myself, I could have seen Applejack saying that.

   Arriving at the hallway to the wing, I saw that same guard patrolling the hallway.

   He looked at me when I approached him. "Oh, hey there. You must be Luna's student? She told me I would know it when I saw you and boy was she right. You Humans do dress strange."

   That was mean.

   Luna told him that on purpose, knowing very well what kind of robe I would be wearing and how ridiculous I would look. I actually felt rather upset over that. Instead of heat, I felt cold.

   I stood there with a bleak expression and waited for ten seconds, staring at him without blinking.

   "Oh, I guess you want in, huh?" He gestured at the Iron gate behind him.

   I nodded, narrowing my eyes at him. For some reason, I actually felt anger towards him. I was having a crappy day and it was getting worse by the minute. Worse of all, I did not deserve it.

   The guard gave me a weirded out look. "Uh, alright. Just let me get the lock for you." His horn glowed and the gate opened. He motioned for me to go in.

   The cold worsened. I found humor that he felt uncomfortable. Walking forward slowly, I took care to not break eye contact with him. I wanted him feel that way.

   While furrowing his eyes at me with obvious discomfort, the guard's head moved slowly backwards with each step I took. I froze once I was standing near him, staring at him with my eyes to the side. I finally broke eye contact by blinking and looking forward. After walking into the wing he shut the gate quickly with a loud metal clang.

   I felt like punching something, hard. After gritting my teeth and clenching my fists for a second, I shook my head clear. A huge wave of regret nearly pushed me off my feet. I could not believe what I had done. Leaning on a bookshelf, I tried to regain my composure.

   What's happing to me? Wait....

   Cold, when I thought or did nasty things to others, I felt cold. The day before I called Celestia a nasty word in my mind after getting Arco in trouble.

   The room was rather big for a whole wing just dedicated to one mage. A massive hour glass stood in the center. Huge dusty book shelves with scrolls and tomes alike ran throughout the whole wing. It almost looked like a library onto itself.

   I got a closer look at the huge hour glass. It was beautiful. The sand glowed with a light blue hue while it floated up the glass. I found that strange. Looking up I saw the hour glass had the letters PM cut into the metal top, while after looking down the metal bottom had AM instead.

  "When it's day time the sand must flow up, but at night it must flow down. Then that means this can be compared to an analogue clock back home."

   I smiled. "That is definitely twenty present cooler."

   I shook my head at myself, something Rainbow Dash would have said.

   I always found it very strange that Equestria had the same PM and AM time frame system that Humans used on Earth. I began not believing in coincidences, especially when they happened all the time.

   After studying it, I was able to read that the time should have been around two PM.

   I saw a gold metal plaque below the base. Looking closer I took my time and read the Equestrian cut into the metal.

         This archaic hourglass belonged to Starswirl the Bearded and is one of the few tangible relics of his available to Equinity. History tells this was the very first object he enchanted. It was originally an ordinary hourglass residing in the Cornelius University. After it was enchanted, it remained in the University for millenniums, before being shipped to rest here.

          The names Alastar, Clover and Gala can be seen carved on its left side. While Clover was Starswirl's first Student, it is unknown who the other names belong to, nor their relevance to Starswirl's impact on Equestrian History.

   I rubbed my chin. "Huh. That's interesting-"

   "Student!"

   I quickly looked over and saw Luna standing near the elemental isle.

   She shook her head. "Once thou art availed from thy stupor, join me."

   I pouted with an obvious bit of heat in my voice, but I was doing my best to hide it. "Sure, I'm coming."

   Worst. Day. Ever.

   While walking through the isle of book shelves, the isle opened up into a rather big alcove with a sofa and pillows on it caddied cornered to the far upper right. Near to my left was a writing desk. Luna stood near the desk.

   "Wow, this is cool. You come here often?"

   A sensible topic to ease the tension?

   "But of course, tis the silent part of this wing. Nopony else canst hear one who remains in this spot."

   Luna gestured at the stool near the desk. "Sit."

   If only it lasted longer than one breath.

   "You got it." I sat down facing her.

   Luna sat as well, but on the sofa. "Now, I assume thou knowest the basics of magic?"

   "Magical affinity-"

   "Nay, the ones of import." She interrupted me.

   I tilted my head, wondering she meant. "But, are they not all important?"

   Luna looked annoyed. "If thou really think magical affinity a skill, then thou art a waste of my time."

   She sighed. "I shall use smaller words for thou this time. What art the basics of import in magic?"

   I sighed and just nodded my head. I hoped she would back off a bit. My hopes were unfounded however. That was just the beginning.

   She seemed so nice and lovely too. Of all the let downs, it had to be her and it had to involve me.

   I bleakly answered, "Focus, visualization and concentration."

   "Harder then it should have been, but twas correctly answered." She got up and studied a book shelf. Her horn glowed and an old tome hovered from it and landed neatly on the desk.

   The tome was dark blue with golden letters on its front that read The Guide to Advanced Magic.

   "Start on chapter one, then let me know when thou reaches four."

   She pointed at it. "Oh, and tis chapter four by the way. In case thou were about to ask four what?" She waved her fore hoof in the air mockingly, then walked back.

   I frowned then started reading. It described features about magic that I was not familiar with, like spells that would bind something or trap someone in rooms or objects. They would not even be able to flashport out of it. It explained the physics behind it, but I was missing a few laws of magic making it hard to fully understand.

   I read on, hoping something would make sense. I found the page on healing spells, but that was also rather complex.

   "The Vitality spell? I'm not familiar with that."

   Luna straightened. "Tis not chapter four."

   I wondered if I could not understand the first two chapters, what made her think four was different? "You must have some information on it."

   Luna groaned. "Tis not chapter four. Besides, tis too high a level for thee."

   "Chapter four, huh?" I smiled and waved my hand over the tome. It skipped to the fourth chapter.

   If she wanted it, I was going to give it to her. "Alright, I'm at chapter four. Now what?"

   "Oh?"

   Luna shifted on the sofa. "Pray tell, how canst thou go from chapter two to chapter four in but mear seconds?"

   The Princess hopped off the sofa and walked slowly towards me while narrowing her eyes in anger. "Dost thou think me an idiot?"

   I stared at her, realizing I had poured gas on a bonfire.

   Luna snorted at me. "I clearly left thou at chapter two but a minute ago. I sayest again four, not one, not two, nor three, but four. Now, read it all again until thou hast learned how to follow the simplest of commands!"

   Luna went on a tangent over such a silly thing. My Anxiety kicked into high gear and I wanted to curl up into a ball. I was being treated horribly for no reason. The cold came again.

   No, not now!

   My fear melted away to raising anger towards Luna. I did not have long. I prayed she would stop, while my anxiety waxed along with my nerves. I counted down to try and calm myself.

   One.

   "Honestly, Tia, what was thou thinking? Student indeed." Luna walked around the alcove ranting up a storm while shaking her foreleg in the air, like a Human would with a first.

   Two.

   "Thee canst even read a simple tome! Nay, thou art not my student! Thou will never be my Student! Thou art not even worthy of polishing my hooves!"

   Three.

   I slammed the tome closed with a loud thud. "Lies!"

  My shyness and ability to hold back failed under the chill going up my spine. "I don't give a damn who you are!"

   I shot up from my stool and glared at the Alicorn, who looked at me with bewilderment. "I'll not have my life wasted with the questionable validity of such a loathsome creature! I'm going to Celestia right now and tell her very politely that this was a mistake!"

   I turned sharply and walked at a brisk pace towards the exit.

   Luna shook her head. "Celestia?! Nay, halt!"

   She commanded while pointing a hoof at me, "I sayest stop! Thy Mentor commands it!"

   "What?! You have to use small words so I can understand, remember? Or was that also a lie?" I just wanted to leave, so I kept walking.

   "A lie?"

   Luna snorted. "As thy Princess we order thou to be still!"

   I did stop, but to say something I should not have.

   I turned, then raised my voice loud enough for her to hear me clearly. "Man, it's no wonder everybody hated you and loved Celestia instead. The truth is you're horrible."

   I turned, not needing to see her reaction. I very well knew how powerful that would hit home from what I read in the book Never Dawn.

   I walked for about three seconds, until I heard whimpering and light sobbing

   "Please."

   My heart sank. A wreaking ball of guilt that shattered my anger into shards of pain. I did it again and like always the cold warmed only when I went too far, leaving me stranded to the fallout.

   I grimaced, then turned around and saw Luna in a very bad way.

   Thin rivers moistened her facial fur. "I am...sorry."

   Oh, man, what is wrong with me?

   I could not leave her like that. I walked over and bent down beside her, my heart was in my stomach. "Hey, I'm-"

   "Nay, do not apologize."

   Luna shook her head and sniffled. "Thou spoke truly. I am horrible."

   Luna bent her head down as she lied there on the cold stone floor, rivers falling from her eyes, turning the soft indigo fur on her cheeks into a mire.

   That was my doing. I needed to fix it. I had to try.

   I sat near her and put my hand on her back, then looked her dead in the eye. "No, what I said was wrong. I'll not let myself get away with that. I am the one who is sorry."

   Even though it was not my fault, someone had to do the right thing.

   She just looked at me. "Why? I treated thou like refuse and looked down upon thee the same."

   "Because, the decisions you make when you're mad are always the wrong ones."

   She sniffled and agreed weakly. "I can attest."

   Those eyes. I saw in them a deep sadness. Something no unfeeling being could have, she was not mean nor foul hearted. She was sad and bitter. It was something I knew a thing or two about.

   Every Human worth his grain of salt did. "Most of all, I know what you've been through. So, what I said can never be justified."

   Luna huffed, then turned away from me. "What dost thou know of what I went through?"

   No creature like her could be guilty of anything horrid willingly. I saw it in her eyes, just for that second. It pays to be shy at times. You get to see how people look before they say or do something.

   I very gently turned her head back to face me by her chin. "I know it was not your fault." I smiled.

   She teared up again wide eyed at me., searching my eyes for any dishonesty. She would find none. Then a pain sticken expression soured her features as she hugged me. "Thank thee."

   Her sudden action surprised me. My hands were up in the air, completely unsure of what I needed to do next.

   That was the first time I ever helped a girl and was definitely my first time ever being in that kind of a situation with one. I cursed my luck that girl in question was a pony and not a Human, especially a pony Princess.

   Life is so weird.

   "Thou hast no clue how long I awaited to hear that."

   "Come on, your sister must've told you that once or twice?" I desided to hug her back.

   Luna's voice shook. [size=14]"Nay, not even my Tia."

   And I thought she was nice too, I guess not.

   "Well, I can say it again if you want." I grinned.

   Luna let me go and giggled while wiping away her tears with a hoof. "No, twill not be needed, but I thank thou."

   "Are you going to be alright now?"

   She got up then brushed herself off with her wings. "I believeth so."

   I got up, then put my hands in my robe pockets. They were itchy. "Well, my mentor, what now?"

   She laughed. "Argyle, surely thou must knowest my name? Tis not mentor. Call me Luna."

   I nodded, liking how the situation did a full one-eighty. "Alright, Luna, what now?"

   She pointed at the shelves full of tomes and scrolls. "Now, large works remain untouched and their secrets unlearned."

   "Well then, let's get to it."

   "By focusing at the heart with this spell, thou canst heal a whole body at once. However, twill take time and energy."

   We were sitting on the sofa as she read a passege on that spell I asked her about earlier.

    She finished and looked at me. "So, useth this spell only when thou must, but remember, never pushest thyself too far."

   "Why, what happens?"

   "Surely Twilight Sparkle spoke to thou about the dangers of magic?"

   I shook my head no.

   Luna shook hers in disappointment. "Very well, but I do find that most disturbing."

   "Tis known as Burn-out, a horrible fate for any mage."

   Luna cleared her throat. "When a mage would pusheth passed pain, twould leadeth to vital damage. Said damage twill causeth his magic focal points to burst. Thus, he wouldst loseth control over magic and be killed within a volatile explotion of pure energy, even death by inferno given the mage in question."

   I cringed. "Well, I'll certainly be careful."

   "Twould be wise that thou does. For once it starts, there shant be a return."

   Luna got up from the couch then stretched her back. "We hast been here for thy time of today."

   "What, already? How long's that?" I got up as well.

   "Four hours per day."

   "We've been here for four hours already?"

   I looked at her dubiously, not believing that we had spent four hours there. It felt barely like one had passed.

   "Look towards yonder hour glass, if thou dost not trust me."

   We walked to the hour glass and sure enough the sand filled at six PM.

   I whistled. "Man, time just flies."

   "I shall retire for the day, Argyle."

   Luna yawned. "Tis very much passed my bed time."

   "Oh, sure. No problem."

   Luna was the Princess of the Night and stayed up all night naturally. So, obviously she slept in the daytime.

   "Pleasent evening, Argyle." Luna walked out of the wing.

   The guard gave Luna a salute after opening it. He looked back into the wing and saw me, then returned to his post with his back turned, leaving the gate open so I could walk out.

   Oh, no.

   I would have to face him again. I had almost forgotten. Red faced knowing very well the situation I was in, I briskly walked out of the gate, making no attempt at eye contact and continued down the hallway to the left.

   After finally reaching my room, I walked inside then leaned on the wall and breathed deep.

   A realization hit me like a thunder bolt. I slapped my forehead on both my palms, then dragged them over my face downwards stretching it. After stopping halfway, my fingers were over my mouth pulling it into a half frown.

   I had forgotten to apologize in my flustered and highly embarrassed haste. Shyness really sucked sometimes.

   Trying to push it behind me by promising to myself I would go through with it later that day, or the next day, I decided to change my clothing. I was very tired of looking like a potato sack.

   I was opening my dresser when I heard the door open. "Cozy, Sir?"

   Turning to my left I saw Fernsworth at the door. "Hello, Fernsworth. I am so far."

   "Pardon my intrusion, Sir. I was just in to check on you."

   "I'm fine."

   I tilted my head to the side, wondering how a personal Butler of the Princess always had time to waste on me. "Thank you."

   "Very good, Sir. I must away then. Good evening." He bowed while closing the door.

   I laughed, then changed clothes and went about my day.

   It was rather uneventful, so I will skip to when I returned to my room at night fall.

   I was pretty tired, having walked around the Palace and the castle all that day. My friends had yet to visit, but I would not need to wait long.

   Settling down on my bed after I got comfortable, I lied there and read that book on the Equestrian civil war, Never Dawn. I got to around five chapters into it that time. Mostly build up to the war and pre war politics, boring really. I blew out my night candle then tried to sleep.

   As crazy as it sounds, I felt like someone was watching me sleep. That cold shiver you get up your spine shot up mine that night, like the Grim Reaper ran his boney hand up my back.

   I tried my best to shake the feeling and after a few minutes of tossing and turning, I fell into a dream. I had some idea it would be one of those nights. If only I knew what I was in for that cold and creepy night. On a brighter note however, I did not have to go through it alone.