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// Artemis' Entry:  Almost Time to Say Goodbye (just a diary entry) 
// Story: Diaries of a Canterlot Librarian 
// by Cloud Shaker 
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You know, I almost hate to say goodbye. It's now been 6 days since I've arrived here in Ponyville, with the past 3 enjoying the company of my new friend Twilight. She's just as zealous about learning as I am, and I've come to grow just the tiniest bit affectionate of her. (Don't be jumping to assumptions, it's not as if I love her or anything of the sort.) 

How things have changed in the past couple of days. At the beginning of this week, I would have never imagined myself conversing with a pony, much less becoming friends with them. Regardless of my efforts, however, I have to admit my defeat: Twilight Sparkle is one intelligent mare, probably almost my equal. It's no wonder that she's Celestia's personal student, though maybe I exaggerate. 

She's helped tremendously with the task of experimenting with my new manipulation spell and compiling data for a research report. From curing interdimensional planar anomalies to duplicating more bodies of matter, she has been eager and willing to help me with each one, even supplying some of her own magical power in the mix when mine ran short. After all, I am no unicorn of exceptional talent and having the extra energy did a number for me. 

Yet, despite all of this, I fail to trust her with what she wants to know most: my childhood. I've managed to keep skipping around the issue and deflecting her questions up to this point by giving a vague overview, but with my time in Ponyville nearing  an end her efforts have become increasingly persistent. I fear that I may no longer be able to avoid the truth and should simply tell her straight out in hopes that she will understand. 

But how can she? After all, every other pony in my past couldn't understand. They can't forgive me for the things I've done. The blood on my hooves. I was just a young colt. I didn't mean to do it. I didn't mean to cause such misery. 

But that's no excuse. I realize only know that in every stage of life I will be held accountable for the actions of the former stages. Everything that leads up to this point in life contributes to my identity and will continue influencing me into the future. 

I don't want to lose the only friend I have in this world. But I can't continue hiding the truth much longer. 

She deserves to know, doesn't she? What kind of mad pony I really am? She doesn't deserve to unknowingly be friends with a monster. 

A heretic. A digger of graves and a maniac. 

I used to have friends. 

Now, I am alone. 

Except for her.

Except for Twilight Sparkle. 

Maybe it's time to let my dark secret out into the world.

- Artemis, Chief Scholar of the Canterlot Archives.