>You had often looked at the city of Canterlot from afar.
>It was hard to miss.
>The city itself was built into the tallest mountain for miles around.
>It was much bigger up close.
>You wondered how it didn't just collapse off the side of the mountain.
>"Magic" said Twilight's voice in your mind.
>You sighed.
>That was always too easy of an explanation.
>Really it explained nothing so long as you didn't grasp what exactly it was.
>You looked to your new "friends."
>The airborne chariot was pulled by two of the largest pegasus p0nies you had ever seen, both decked out in Royal gold armor.
>They had refused to say anything to you save that they were taking you directly to the palace.
>You were now above the city's gates heading towards an impressive structure gilded in gleaming gold and white.
>After the chariot touched down and you stepped out, one of you escorts pointed you up a large staircase leading to a great golden door.
>You understood his gesture well enough but he still could've been friendlier.
>You began the ascent of the massive staircase, but before you reached the top, the door opened.
 
>A single pegasus guard met you when you reached the top.
>He wore black armor and spoke in a grave voice.
>"You are to seek audience with Princess Luna first. Come with me."
>Twilight hadn't said much about Celestia's younger sister besides her obvious crimes and punishment.
>It had seemed to you at the time of learning about her that her punishment had been too severe, but you weren't there to judge the doing of omnipotent royalty.
>You followed Luna's guard through the door to another staircase at the top of which stood a giant midnight blue door.
>He motioned you up and held his position at the bottom, guarding you guessed.
>As you reached the top, before you could knock you heard from within:
>"ENTER."
>You had to admit that the voice that addressed you was was quite intimidating if only for its volume.
>You took a deep breath and opened the door.
>As your eyes surveyed the room, the first thing you noticed was a small room directly to your left.
>From where you were standing you could see that it had the same color scheme as the rest of this area of the palace and had in it only one lone bed.
>As you began to walk towards it, the door slammed shut.
>"COME HITHER MONKEY."
"My name is Anonymous."
>"I AM AWARE."
>You turned towards the voice to see a winged unicorn, an alicorn.
>Luna.
>She was almost invisible against the backdrop of her throne room except for her mane.
>You swore you could see stars freely swirling bout in its depths.
"Hello Princess Luna."
 
>"WHY HAVE YOU COME?"
"Uh... I seek help for my missing memories. I can't remember anything before I arrived here."
>"WHY?"
"Because they are part of my identity. My past makes me who I am."
>"AND WHAT IF YOUR PAST WOULD BE BETTER LEFT FORGOTTEN?"
>You had actually wondered that yourself. As empty as you felt without your memories, perhaps coming to this place was the best event of your life.
>But you couldn't allow your self to just give up hope.
>You told her the conclusion you had come to so many times.
"I would rather know a painful truth than believe a pleasant lie. I will not lie to myself and live an illusion."
>She smiled for the first time and walked towards you, looking you over.
>"THAT IS WISDOM THAT I WAS NOT EXPECTING FROM YOU ANONYMOUS. PERHAPS MY JUDGEMENT OF YOU WAS FLAWED. I AM NOT AS POWERFUL AS MY SISTER BUT I HAVE A VAST UNDERSTANDING OF THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE MIND. PERHAPS NOT OF YOUR SPECIES' MIND BUT I BELIEVE I COULD HELP."
>You were a sucker for being called wise and her smile reassured you.
>You were in no position to refuse help. You nodded your consent.
>She closed the last few inches between the two of you and touched the tip of her horn to your forehead.
>Within a second she pulled back and gasped.
>A look of... sympathy? crossed her face.
>"I thought... she didn't... You..."
>She appeared to weigh the situation in her mind for a moment.
>The look of sympathy changed to a look of fierce determination.
 
>You weren't sure what to make of this. The whole situation was very puzzling.
>"I apologize Anon. Let me try again please."
>Her voice, her referral to you as Anon, her whole demeanor had changed.
>You nodded again.
>This time when her horn met your forehead the scene before you melted away to blue.
>You felt... loneliness... isolation... despair... madness.
>These feeling were somehow not unfamiliar to you.
>The blue darkened to pure black.
>Pinpoints of light sprung up from the darkness and for one brief second the image shifted and you saw pure white.
>The sun.
>The image shifted again and you saw a sphere, mottled with blue, green, tan, and white, slowly rotating.
>The image faded back to Luna, who now slowly slumped to the ground.
>You caught her before she landed.
"Are you okay Princess?"
 
>What... what did you see?" She managed to say.
"I think I saw this planet from a distance. And the sun. I saw the sun. Why? What did it mean? Seriously though, are you alright?"
>"Surely Celestia's student told you that powerful magic takes a physical toll on the user. That magic just now was very powerful and very old. Fret not about me or what you saw. I couldn't help you Anon. Not the way you wanted me to anyway. Tell nop0ny of our meeting here. Go to Celestia, for I must rest."  
"Okay, if you say so. I was honored to meet you Princess Luna."
>She managed a scoff.
>"No you weren't. I share your beliefs about truth Anonymous, for they are the only worthwhile way of seeing reality. Never lie to those who hold truth as sacred as we do."
>She didn't seem to be making much sense, but you nodded anyway and began to leave the throne room.
>"Remember this as well Anon." She appeared to choose her words carefully, as if remembering something she hadn't thought of before. "Everything under the sun is in tune, but the sun is eclipsed by the moon."
"Uh okay. I won't forget. Goodbye Princess."
>"Take this as well. I've heard monkeys like bananas." Her tired smile grew wider.
>You grabbed it when it got close enough to you and made your exit quickly.
>That was... odd.
>You looked down at the banana.
 
>Just like the one you had found when you...
>No. Now was the time for answers, not more damned questions.
>By the time you had finished eating the banana, you had reached the bottom of Luna's staircase and had started up the on on the opposite side of the large room.
>Given the large golden door at the top, you had assumed it belonged to Celestia.
>As you neared the top of this staircase, the door at the top opened.
>"This way Anonymous."
>That voice... It sounded beautiful but there was certain coldness to it, almost indistinguishable from its feminine and motherly qualities.
>You walked in and the door swung shut behind you.
>Sitting on a throne of gold was Celestia.
>You had no doubt.
She was a regal sight, somehow surrounded by an aura of just barely contained power.
>You almost felt compelled to bow.
>"Twilight has told me of your unfortunate problem Anonymous. I think I may be able to help you."
>She gave you a warm smile.
>That edge of coldness to her voice extended to her features, almost un-noticeably.
>The smile did not reach her penetrating eyes.
 
>"Have you been enjoying your time in Equestria Anonymous?"
"Well to be honest Princess, not really. It's been... unfulfilling so far. I'm glad to have met Twilight though. She's helped me a great deal to adjust. You should be proud."
>"Yes she is a special p0ny. Let her know if you need anything, and confide in her when you find yourself unsure of anything. I know that she does not like to let anyp0ny down."
"I've enjoyed my time with her and all but I still feel that I'm missing something important. I need my memories to really know who I am. I need my past to know what I should do and how I should act."
>"Are you sure Anonymous?"
"More than anything else."
>For a moment her features conveyed an intense disappointment bordering on annoyance, but it was swiftly replaced by the original caring smile.
>She was making you a little nervous, but Twilight trusted her and you trusted Twilight.
"Please Princess, see what you can do."
>She rose from her throne, showing her true size.
>She walked to you, and placed her horn to your forehead.
>This time though there was pain.
>A lot of it.
 
>You screamed.
>Everything.
>All at once.
>Your life played before your eyes.
>Your mother's death, your father's sacrifices.
>Your innocence, aspirations, and hopes.
>You father's suicide.
>Alone.
>Just you and the world. Bare survival.
>Work. Work. Money.
>Uncaring assholes everywhere.
>Selfishness, greed, barely getting by.
>Misery, hate, disgust.
>Apathy.
>Oh the sweet apathy.
>You didn't fucking care.
>Fucking meaningless all of it.
>Fuck them.
>Fuck the world.
>Fuck you.
>Bitter, empty laughter.
>Pure inertia.
>The bittersweet joke of your life, delightfully useless until the second you arrived here.
>All of it. All at once.
>You fucking screamed.
 
>By the time your voice died out, the images had faded before your eyes.
>"Are you alright Anonymous?"
"Just fucking dandy. Call me Anon by the way. Shorter is better."
>"I tried to bring it all back Anon, but much of your memory was damaged from whatever caused the loss in the first place. I'm very sorry."
"I'd say i got the answers I needed. Thanks. As it turns out, what I was missing was absolute shit. But I suppose it's my shit. It's... good to be back. I'm myself again."
>To whatever extant you were you, and you could act and could most certainly lie.
> Expediency over all else. The easiest path is the quickest and most painless after all.
"I thank you kindly oh great and powerful creature. May I return now to begin my life anew? See if I can't salvage the time I've got left delighting myself in happiness, friendship and harmony?"
>Sarcasm self test complete.
>Oh good, that's back online.
>Celestia seemed conflicted as to whether you were serious or not.
>Seemed that she chose to believe you were serious.
>"Of course Anon. I won't keep you from your life. Just remember, if you past was as bad as you have implied, you should be very grateful that you have a second chance here."
>You threw on your trusty, humble and innocent smile.
"Of course Princess. To start fresh in such a beautiful world, oh I will treat this as a blessing of the highest value. Goodbye and thank you again your highness."
>"Goodbye Anon. Good luck."
>As you walked down the staircase, you wondered to your self, what now?