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// The Friend I Never Had 
// Story: Knight of the Heart 
// by Neroson40 
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The Friend I Never Had
The summer of that school year came within the week, and Princess Celestia sent me back to Ponyville to spend it with Princess Twilight. I would’ve been fine with that; Princess Twilight was the one pony I felt I could fully trust with anything. But I wasn’t going back alone. Melody was put in my care for the summer, so everywhere I went, she was there with me. The only time I could actually think freely was in writing stories but I didn’t find a lot of help in it. We were in the chariot, Scorch the only company I could tolerate. The Pegasus flying the chariot kept a steady pace as they flew for the Palace of Friendship. I slid each of them fifty bits, thanking them for their service.
“So, here we are,” I said. “The only place still standing I call home.”
“What happened to your real home?” Melody asked telepathically. I showed her the memories of my home being destroyed by the monsters that were alien to Equestria despite the guard’s best efforts to stop them. “I see.”
“So, why did Princess Celestia send you here with me?” I asked. “Don’t you have a family to go back to?” then the door opened and Spike, Princess Twilight’s assistant Dragon ushered us in, both by name. 
“So, Melody,” Spike said. “How was your adventure in Canterlot?” I didn’t hear the response because it wasn’t for me, but I could take a guess at what she did say. “Really? Does it hurt?... I see, let me get your mother.” Mother!? As the thought occurred to me, Princess Twilight came down the stairs that led to her chambers.
“Welcome home, Melody!” Princess Twilight said. “And you too Champ.”
“Melody’s your daughter, Princess Twilight!?” She rolled her eyes when I called her “Princess.” She didn’t like her friends calling her that, and she considered me a friend for some reason.
“Yes, she is my daughter. Why? Did you hear something about her at school?”
“Only that her vocal chords are damaged and that her mother is a friend of Princess Celestia. But if you’re her mother… then where’s her father?” Twilight looked down and I got the picture. Fifteen years ago, he died in the Kaiju War. Just like my mother, father, and sister. “Oh…”
“My father saving Equestria isn’t important,” Melody said. Saving? “What is important is that you’re here in Ponyville for a reason right?”
“Tsk,” I said. “Don’t remind me,” I was told to “make some friends” under orders of Princess Celestia… yeah right, like that would happen.
“Champ I was told about your orders for being here too,” Prin- Twilight said. “You didn’t strike me as the antisocial type I was before I came here.” It’s true. I wasn’t always against the idea of friends and relationships. In fact the only reason I was an antisocial jerk at this point was because of my experience at the school. But sometimes I think that the biggest mistake anypony could make is sending me to Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns to be Princess Celestia’s personal student. I always thought it was an honor I didn’t deserve and everyone agreed though they didn’t understand that I think the same way… okay now I’m just brooding, Moving On!
“Champ, Listen to me,” Melody said. “You won’t get anywhere if you don’t trust anypony. This is the biggest lesson anypony has to learn.” I couldn’t take any more; I got up and left the Castle, going out into the streets of Ponyville to seek out sanctuary. Big mistake. Everywhere I looked there was friendship and unity in some way shape or form. I hated the town even more for showing me the one thing I could never have… then somepony jumped in my face.
“Hi! Are you new here!?” I looked this pony up and down, there was nothing about her besides her eyes and cutiemark that wasn’t pink. Her hair and tail were all over the place, like frosting on a cupcake gone wrong.
“Yeeeaaah,” I said slightly creeped out. “I’m new.”
“I’m Pinkie Pie; call me Pinkie, nicetomeetchawhatsyournamefavoritecolorfavoritefood-”
“Gah!” I said. “Slow down! Geez!” Pinkie giggled.
“I’m sorry, What’s your name?”
“Champion, the few friends I have call me Champ.”
“You seem lonely, why is that, Champ?” I froze when she called me “Champ.”
“When did I say we were friends!?” I exclaimed. “I barely even know you!”
“You don’t like making new friends?” Her hair started to straighten out a bit, and she looked like she was gonna cry. I hit myself in the forehead for being so stupid.
“It’s not that I don’t like making new friends… I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Come on then,” Her hair started to get puffy again. “I’ll help you make friends the only way I know how!” I had no idea where she was going with this, but I followed her. She led me back to Twilight’s castle, making me think that following her was a mistake. Funny thing, I’m grateful now that I did. inside was a party, the banner said “Welcome to Ponyville Champ!” and the whole town, who somehow made it to the Castle by the time Pinkie and I got there jumped up and said what was on the banner.