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// A Promise Made  
// Story: Hello Again 
// by Flaring Dawn 
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		With my thoughts still eating at me I head towards the graveyard. I sigh softly to myself as I enter the gates to the Yard of Heroes. All of the  days events ate at me. Why did that mare have to dig so far into my mind? As I ask myself these questions I make my way to the grave's of my loved ones. I Sat down by the graves and sighed. 
"Fluttershy... Summerset... Nimmy.... Today has been so drastic for me. This mare named Mystic tried to help me but I am left with more questions.  That pony in the black cloak is dead... I killed Nerith... So why do my dreams still haunt me? I wish I knew." I place my head on the grave and tear up. A sudden noise from behind me startles me. I turn to see a grey stallion standing by another grave. Tears were filling his eyes.  I smile weakly as I walk over to him. 
" Sir are you okay?" The stallion turns around and I realize who it was. He glared at me and turned back to the grave.  "What do you care... After all you are the reason they are here..." I flinch and walk closer to him. The stallion just kept looking at the grave. Before I could speak he snapped at me. 
"What in the hell are you even doing here Storm? Why would you ever care about those you killed!!?" I looked down and sighed. I understood why he was like this. My old friend Grey Skies... How he has changed.  After his family was killed in the factory he has blamed me for the whole thing. He was the one who jumped me in Ponyville. I Reluctantly placed a hoof on his shoulder.
"Cause I have also lost those dear to me Grey... I have been through what you have been through..." Grey Skies looked at me and sighed. "I know Storm... I know but still... Why did you kill them? My little girl was only ten... my wife... my beautiful wife is gone... Why?" He looked down and started to cry. I sat by him and began to explain everything. 
"When I was only sixteen A little filly appeared on my doorstep.  Her mom died in my hooves as she asked me to take care of her... About eight years later these ponies stormed my home and took her from me... They forced me to kill to keep her safe. I failed to do so and lost her to that awful place..."  I looked to the ground. Grey Skies turned to me and sighed then stood up. The look in his eyes was sorrowful and full of distain. He turned to me and gave a small smile. 
"Yeah I guess you really have been through a lot huh? Still it is very hard not to blame you All those years I hated you and for what? Something I could of stopped... Am I nothing more then a failure? Oh listen to me I sound like you... Blaming myself for what fate had in mind for me.  I shouldn't have been so blind." He began to tear up and he looked straight at me as he continued to speak. 
"After you killed my wife I couldn't love again... I never could love again Storm... Not like you. I look at your life now and envy you. You have friends that love you, You have three beautiful children, You run an Orphanage and ponies care for you. They look at me like the bad guy..." I frown and begin to tear up.  Grey Skies words cut through me like a knife through my heart. Before I could open my mouth he cut me off and continued to speak. 
"Do you want to know what I see every time I look at your face? I see the faces of my little girl and wife screaming for me to save them... I hate you so much!! I can never forgive what you have done to me!! I-- I just want them back.... That is all I want..." He broke down by the grave of his little girl and he hugged the gravestone. I also began to let the tears escape my eyes. I sat down next to him and placed a rose on the grave. As I did Grey looked at me and shook his head with a smile. I placed a hoof on his shoulder and smiled back. 
"I don't ask your forgiveness... I don't ask for your sympathy... I only ask that you think about the words I am about to speak. True I have done things I am not very proud of. Hell I wish I could turn time and forget all of this hatred and move on.  One thing though that I have learned from all of this is that the ones I have lost are not far away. They will always be with you no matter how far away they seem. Your wife and little girl are safe within your heart. Goodbye is not forever... It is just waiting to say hello again." Grey Skies let the words I said sink in.  He looked down to the ground and frowned. He closed his eyes and began to cry. 
"Then why does it hurt...? Storm why does this hurt so much? How in the hell am I suppose to cope with this?" He hugged me. Something I thought he would never do. I just embraced him and shook my head as he cried. "Because it is never easy to say goodbye Grey Skies. It wasn't for me but I am told time and time again that they are still with me. You know what though Grey? They are and they won't want to see you upset." He simply nodded and then released the hug and smiled through the tears. 
"Promise me something Storm. If I am to die before you please bury me by them so I can be there for them. So I can have closure in my passing." I simply nodded and placed a hoof on his shoulder. He gave me a smile and nodded at me as if he knew it was his time to go and that I would fulfill his wish. He walked out of the cemetery with a small smile on his face. Before he left the cemetery he spoke.  
"All is forgiven. Thank you Storm." A few days later Grey Skies was found dead in his home. As promised I buried him next to his family.  I stood next to his grave after everyone else left.  I set a picture of him and his family down next to his gravestone along with a dozen roses. I gave a smile and sat down. 
"As promised my old friend... I hope you finally got to say hello." I walked out of the cemetery and left the tears behind. As I arrived home I saw Mystic at my door. I groaned and walked to her. "I am not really in the mood for you right now Mystic. I just buried my friend." Mystic gave a small frown and followed me inside. Her words chilled me to the core. 
"Nerith is back Storm. He says he can help you..."