A Man in white armor stomped his way to the top of an old cliff, standing proudly above the Castle of the Two Pony Sisters. Celestia and Luna had just taken the throne not even a month prior, becoming the guardians of Night and Day, just as their mother had told them. Told Him.
But he did not walk unburdened up this cliff. A heavy, polished stone was strapped to his back. Black as night, with white writing. He grunted, as the weight of memory, of loneliness, and the stone pressed down upon him.
Making it to top, he dug out a wide hole, and jammed the stone down into it. Packing the dirt back in, He sighed, before casting ice and snow upon this cliff, never to be unfrozen. He nodded at his work, before taking a seat, and pulling off his mask with a quiet hiss amongst the now falling snow.
“Hey, Naru. It’s Jayson.” He spoke, his voice shaky, as he forced a smile. “How are you doing? How’s the future looking?”
The memories of hunting down the son of a bitch merchant who took her away that day, the cruel twist of fate he thrust upon him, sending him further into the past than she was, and expecting to never see her again. The laughter from that interdimensional monster echoed as he shook his head.
“I bet it’s going to be wonderful to see, where these ponies won’t have to suffer like we have. No drunk fathers, no sicknesses, a society that cares for people of all walks of life… Maybe you’re fighting for that just like I am.” Tears began to roll down his cheeks, as his nose clogged suddenly. He swallowed hard.
“I brought something for us to share..” A flick of his finger, and his inventory popped open. Pulling out a pair of cups, he poured a pitcher of apple juice, and set out a small cake with two candles. He had to break a bit of fire stone to light them, but he chuckled quietly to himself as snowflakes would snuff the candles. “I wish I could share properly with you... It’s been so hard not seeing you for so long. I almost hoped you’d have arrived by now.” Taking half the cake onto a plate, he slowly ate his portion, as he told stories to the stone. Stories of how Luna would pull on Celestia’s mane. Of Celestia naming the stars and constellations with Luna. Of the twin pony sisters fighting for his attention to learn of math, of science, and any of the stories he used to read.
He sat with the stone until the sun began to set, and the stars began to twinkle in the sky. “Well, It’s about time I leave, Naru. I have to make sure the sisters aren’t fighting, and they’re eating like they’re supposed to…. I suppose I should tell you though… I won’t be back for a long time. I’ll be going to sleep, but don’t worry. You’ll be there when I wake up, and we can trade stories proper, and eat cake, and explore this grand world, unlike our home.”
The man replaced his mask, hiding his face once more to the world, and got up, leaving the frozen cup of apple juice and half eaten cake at the stone. “Happy Birthday, to the two of us.” With those final words, he turned to climb back down the mountain, to enjoy his final days awake with the two ponies he’d been guiding to their destined places.