Something woke Drax from his sleep. Not sure what, he groggily blinked, taking in the room around him. Looking down, he saw a mass of cotton candy curls on his chest. Somehow he had reverted to human form, but couldn't remember how or why. Pinkie’s hair had returned to it’s usual curly mess, and she was cuddled up, sleeping on his chest, snoring softly. With a grin, he took a deep breath, taking in her scent of sugar, salt, and faint mare musk.

‘Pinkie may be the Party Pony, but Pinkamina was one hellova freak in the sack.’ He thought to himself, ‘Gotta love when repressed girls cut loose!’

He rubbed his wrists, a bit red where the hoofcuffs had been earlier.

‘Oh yeah! Super-freak, super-freak, she’s super freaky!’

Gingerly he tried to extract himself from the pink mass, only to have her cuddle tighter, muttering half asleep. “Don’t go yet, Draxy-waxy... It’s too early....”

Grinning like an idiot at how cute she was, he considered that there were much worse places to be, none of them were important.

“HUUUUMMAAAAAAAN!!” The sound made him come fully awake, as Pinkie’s head shot up and her blue eyes went wide in surprise. Somebody was outside, and they didn't sound happy.

“Oh shit!” he cried, “I was afraid this was gonna happen.”

“W-what? Who? W-whats going on Draxy?” the startled mare stammered, as they both scrambled out of the bed, and Drax dove for his kilt.

“COME OUT YOU VERMIN! I KNOW YOU ARE HERE SOMEWHERE!” the voice cried out, seemingly magic-enhanced to make the walls shake. The voice, never heard in anger before, was still unmistakable.

“It’s Princess Celestia.” sighing, as he fought with the clasp on his only piece of clothing. “She must of gotten the letter about me, and I am guessing she’s heard of humans before. And not favorably.”

“But you’re a NICE human!” cried Pinkie, “She just has to like you! You aren't like other meany weeny-pants humans.”

“You haven't met any other humans. We don't have a very good reputation in the animal kingdom. Top of the food chain, means we step on everything below us. I may be different, but I’m still human, and that's what people see first.”

As they rushed downstairs to the exit, Drax motioned Pinkie to stay inside the shop. “I don't know what’s gonna happen, but it will be safer if you stay inside. I may have to defend myself.”

“Be careful Draxy!” the frightened pony whimpered, “I really like you, and don't want you hurt.”

With a grin, the human braced himself, took on his cheesiest heroic pose, and strutted out into the dawning sunlight to face the angry sun-goddess. She was not amused.

“Human!” her voice was dripping with scorn, and barely suppressed rage. “You come to defile my lands! Your kind are NOT welcomed here! What do you think you are doing in my realm, bringing your cancerous taint to my innocent subjects?!”

Wincing at the volume of her still magnified voice, the human rolled his eyes, replying “Well, apparently I’m being passed around like a bottle at a party.”

The princess blinked, “What?” as the unexpected response startled her into dropping her amplification spell.

“Sorry, was a really bad joke. I'm just visiting, no harm, just making friends.”

“A joke?” scorn still heavy in her words, “You think to mock me? I am the ruler of all Equestria! The sun raises at my command. I created everything you see, and I will NOT allow scum like you to mock me in my realm!”

Crossing his arms, he gave her another sloppy grin. “Sorry lady, but I mock everybody. I even mock myself. Especially myself. If you can’t laugh at yourself, then you will die alone and miserable.”

“Funny you should say that...” Her anger tipped just a little to far, the white mare prepared a devastating spell. Her wings spread as her horn flashed a blinding white, then cycled through the spectrum of the rainbow. Rearing back, the light throbbed wildly and bolts of power crackled around her alabaster coat. With a lout CRACK! she slammed both hooves down on the cobblestones and pure power lanced out from her horn toward the human. To his benefit, he never even flinched. He didn't even lose his idiot grin as the power slammed into him... and did nothing.

“What?” the mare cried as she saw this. “That’s not possible... Who... WHAT are you?”

With a heavy sigh he lost his joking demeanor, and threw up his arms. “Really? I dunno.”

“What?” she replied, flabbergasted at the turn of events.

“I am being serious. I really don’t know. I know what I currently look like, I know what I can become, I know what I was born as, and have spent this lifetime as. But as for what I really am? I just don't know anymore.”

“What?”

Rolling his eyes, tempted to quote a movie line, he squashed the idea and tried again. “I am currently human. I was born a human 36 years ago. But in that time I have seen and done too many things, many of them not normal for humans. I have memories and feelings that are definitely not human. I believe once, I was something else. So what am I really? I Just. Don't. Know.”

“You are still only a human.” The scorn back in her voice, hatred building again like a smoldering fire sprung back to life. “You humans are all alike! Everything you touch withers. You eat and destroy, you poison the lands you live on. And if destroying the land wasn’t enough, you turn on each other like rabid dogs. There is no virtue in your kind. You are like a plague of vermin, breeding and swarming over the land. And I will NOT Allow your kind to corrupt my realm!”

“Well, I do have to agree with you there.” Drax replied, quietly at first, but growing more stern as his own anger began to mount. He was growing weary of this. “I hate humans as much as you do. In fact, I am sure I hate them more. I have lived this life surrounded by them. You don't know what its like to hate what you are, or live a life persecuted for being different. Tortured, beaten and ridiculed by your own kind because deep down, they knew, you just didn't belong.”

His anger and resentment growing, he began to shout, paying no heed to the ponies around the village that were now creeping out of their hiding places where they had fled when they saw their goddess fly down in a rage. This was something nopony had ever seen, or even heard of in all the history of Equestria. Their gentle and loving ruler had come in blazing like the sun in her rage, but was now being berated by this strange creature that had emerged from the sweet shop. And he wasn't quite done yet, as the princess even took a step back, shocked at the outburst.

“Yes Princess! YOU DON'T KNOW ME! I have watched all my life as my kind raped and destroyed the very world that gave us life. My kind have brought war, famine, and disease to every corner of the globe, in the name of greed and hatred. I have spent that life trying to be something better, only to be dragged down over and over by the society around me. I weep for the animals, I cry for the planet, and I HATE WHAT I AM!” The last part came out as a blast, mimicking the mare’s earlier amplification spell to broadcast across the buildings around him. Flushed with anger and self loathing, Drax panted and glared at the white Alicorn, who had lost all her righteous rage, and was now staring down at her hooves.

“You’re wrong” she whispered, clearly heard in the silence following the outburst.

“What?” It was his turn to look confused.

“You are wrong. I do know. I know better than anyone what it’s like to live that life.” Raising her head to stare him in the eye. “We all have secrets. It’s time I told somepony mine.” Looking around at the gathering villagers, all staring from windows and doorways, “But not here.”

“Hmm... well then where?” Now over his rage, and curious where this was leading. “If you describe it...”

“I know a place, far away, even my sister doesn't know about it, and only one such as myself can get there. It is in a far away mountaintop, an old crater. I built a small house there long ago, and I...”

“Got it!” he spouted with a smile, and snapped his fingers. The world went sideways.

“What the hay?” Blinking from the sudden change of scenery, the mare found herself in front of the house she was about to describe. “That's not possible... How did you?”

“Well, I have been doing the impossible alot since I arrived here. I have some theories as to how. Mebbe we can discuss them?”

Nodding, the princess lead the way inside. Using her magic, she unlocked and opened the door, and then motioned him inside.

“Ladies first!” he replied, beaming his most winning smile.

“Such a charmer, and a gentlecolt to boot.” she chuckled as she walked ahead of him.

“Aww shucks M’am! Twert nuttin...” he drawled in his worst southern accent.

“You're funny. I may not kill you after all.”

“That's mighty kinda ya M’am!”

They both laughed at the interplay as they walked into the small cottage. It was a quaint single-room affair, with a small table and chairs, and what looked like a day-bed in the corner. A fire sprang in the fireplace as they entered, and they made their way over to the table.

“I don't have much here, but would you like a drink?” She motioned to some cabinets, which opened as her horn glowed softly. Glasses floated out to them, and a bottle made it’s way to the table. “Only sarsaparilla, but it’s magically kept cold.”

“Sure, I could use a drink after all that yelling.” He grinned sheepishly, and accepted the glass. Settling back and taking a drink, he sighed. “So Princess, what is your story on why you hate humans so much?”

She didn't speak at first, only looking down at the golden grain of the wooden table in front of her. A tear formed and rolled down her cheek, and several minutes passed before she spoke.

“I must ask you to promise me something.” she spoke slowly and softly, clearly having trouble bringing herself to speak of the matter. “I need you to promise, that no matter what, you will never reveal to another soul what I tell you today. Nopony in Equestria knows, not even my dear sister Luna. It must never be known that I was ever anything other than what I am today.”

“I swear it. I have secrets of my own. Some I keep even from myself. I understand all too well that some things need to be kept.”

“Thank you.” she sighed, and braced herself for the story.

“I was born a human, just like you. Like you, I was not normal either, although my differences were harder to hide. The doctors had some long, fancy name for it, but basically what it meant was, I was trapped in my own body. My mind worked normally. I could think clearly, and I could see the world around me, but my body was not mine to command. Whenever I tried to do something, I just as often would flail wildly, as move my limbs under my command. I was told I was a pretty child, but everypony..err.. ..body thought I was an invalid. They looked at me strangely, some with pity, some with scorn, others with fear. They thought my mind was defective, because I could not express what was going on in my head. I was called a retard, a moon baby, and other horrible names. But my mother loved me, more than anything in the world. My father... he acted ashamed. At first he avoided me, working most of the time, drinking and fighting with my mother the rest. My mother stayed home to care for me, and bought me things to play with. I would spend my days thinking of far off places I saw on the television, and dream of a day I would have a new body, and be able to play like other kids did. They were all cruel. Everyone but my mother. People teased me when she wasn't around. My father ignored me.”

“I watched alot of television, and it made me happy for awhile. I would escape into the worlds beyond the screen, and pretend I was one of the people in the shows. My favorite was My Little Pony, as I am sure you may have guessed. I watched it over and over. My mother brought me the toys, and many times when my body refused to work, I would regain my calm by brushing their manes. I would often have seizures. It was a nightmare, as my body totally refused to obey me and all my limbs would flail. It scared me, it horrified my mother. Often I would black out, and wake up in a hospital. They told my mother that one day I wouldn't wake up from the seizures. They thought I couldn't understand them, but I knew it meant I was dying. Sometimes I wanted to die.”

“Then I got older. My father still drank, and fought with my mother, but he didn't work as much. Something about hours at his job. He started staying around the house more. My mother had to get a job to help pay the bills, and my father was forced to watch me some of the time. That was when he started noticing me for the first time. He had always acted like I wasn't there, now he looked at me, alot. I didn't like the way he looked at me. It felt wrong, like on those Saturday morning cartoons, when they warned you about bad people. He started touching me. Usually he was drunk, and he would hug me. His hands would do.. things. I tried to hide in my mind, thinking of the Ponies. I would brush their hair for hours to try and forget what had happened. My mom didn't know, she only thought I was playing with my favorite toys.”

“Then one day she came home early. My father had been drinking alot. He had undressed me and was taking off his cloths as my mother walked in. She started screaming, I started crying. She called him a freak, a monster. My mother hit him. He hit her back, and he kept on hitting her. Over and over she screamed as he hit her, until she stopped screaming. I was scared and crying, and I couldn't stop. My father yelled at my to stop, but I couldn't. My body was not my own. Then he hit me. I had another seizure. I don’t know what happened next, but I must have blacked out.”

“This time I didn't wake up in a hospital. I woke up here. Right on this spot in fact. It’s why I come here from time to time. As horrible as my other life was, I know I can never forget it. At first I saw the sun, and the flowers, the grass and the clouds. I saw everything but me. I had no body, I was just a glowing ball of light. I could see through myself like a flame. At first, I had thought I died. My family was not very religious, but my mom had tried taking me to church. She thought maybe if the doctors couldn't help me, maybe God could. But the priests only told her to pray, and hope. I knew about heaven and hell from them, and maybe I had reach it. But I was alone. There were animals, birds, and such, but no people. And where was my body? Wasn’t I supposed to be an angel now, with wings?”

“No. I didn't want to be an angel. I remembered the worlds I had seen on TV, and I remembered my favorite one. I wanted to be a Pony. I concentrated hard and found I could make my own body. I worked for weeks, trying to get it right. I didn't always look as perfect as I am now. Eventually I got it right. At the same time, I taught myself magic. I found I could do amazing things. And finally, I had a body that I could control.”

“It was amazing at first. Soaring through the skies, running through the fields. I saw birds, trees, animals of all kinds. Yet, I was still alone. After months of solitude, the thrill of my new body and home grew cold. What good was this world if I had nobody to share it with? So I set in motion a plan. Again I worked for years, practicing first on animals I found. Some I gave intelligence, some I gave new bodies as well as minds. The dragons were one such experiment, but proved to be too aggressive to befriend. Finally I realized that what I needed was another Pony. Someone like myself, a Sister. This was something I never had in my old life. I created Luna, making her a foal at first. She awoke with powers like mine, but no knowledge of a former life to haunt her. She knew only me and our world, and for a very long time we were happy.”

“We made a game of creating magic. We reordered the way the world works, so that the sun and moon were controlled by our wills, and the very earth changed around us. We worked on projects, making other magical creatures. Finally we decided we needed more friends. I knew that to give our full power to too many would cause trouble, so we made the lesser Ponies. First just the regular earth ponies that I remembered from the show, then later we made the Unicorns and the Pegasi. We gave some of them magic, the Unicorns could perform some lesser magics with their horn, the Pegasi could walk on clouds and move as fantastic speeds. The Earth Ponies were given a different magic, being stronger. They could run faster, and lift great weights. Over thousands of years, they spread to every corner of the land, which we named, Equestria. It was a perfect world, built by ponies, for ponies. And never would the evil of my old world contaminate the new.”

The pale mare finished her story, and sighed. She seemed to deflate, as if all the energy flowed out of her with the words as she spoke them. Tears were flowing freely down her dainty muzzle and her drink was long forgotten.

“Wow, that's pretty fucked up.” was all the human could think to say.

Blinking away tears, the alicorn looked up with a wry smile. “Now you understand. I know you better than you think, and I know the horrible side of humans. I have watched them with spells, and seen the horrors they bring on themselves. I could never stand to see that brought here.”

Rolling his eyes he replied, “Yea, well you shoulda told yer lil teacher’s pet that before she summoned me. She was probably trying to use one of the spells you used to see the human world. Except, instead of a window, she got a door, and pulled my ass though it.”

“Yes, my little Twilight has far more power than she could ever imagine. Somehow its attracted to her, much like myself and Luna. She just needs to learn to control it.” Smiling fondly, “I think I will have to keep a closer eye on her from now on.”

The human came around the table, giving the large mare a hug. “We’ve both been through hell, so maybe this is our heaven after all.” He gently wiped away the remaining tears as he hugged her close.

Leaning in close, the princess sighed. It was very seldom that she got to be held like this, especially in her role as Sun-Goddess, and ruler of the land.

*sniff sniff*

“Mmmm.... you smell good...” She murmured in a sultry voice.

Jumping back, Drax let out an exasperated cry. “JESUS MOTHERFUCKIN HELL! Not you too!??”

Princess Celestia let out a laugh, a deep hearty laugh that spoke of life and experience far beyond his own.

Shaking his head, “Yer fuckin with me aren't you?”

“Gotcha!”