June 30 - July 2, 1916

June 30, 1916 – Where do I begin with this? This day has been so bizarre that I think it's a challenge to put what happened into words. I don't blame you if you don't believe me, it's hard for me to believe it myself!

I'll start with this morning. The very first thing that I noticed when I awoke was the sound. It wasn't the usual sounds like guns going off, or some bloke shouting, or even the planes that would fly overhead. Rather, what woke me was the lack of any of it. It was quiet. Being in the trenches as long as I have, the most terrifying sound isn't what you hear, but when everything goes quiet.

I opened my eyes to find myself not in the muddy trenches, but in the shade of a live tree! And I wasn't sleeping on mud either but on grass! Real, live, green grass! Something that I haven't seen in a very long time since the Western Front is nothing but a stretch of a dead, muddy, and torn earth that goes on for miles on end.

Anyway, I awoke next to a tree, lying on the grass, between a forest and a creek. Up to the sky, the sun showed with a few clouds that lazily drift by. And even now there's a breeze that blows here. And strangely, I'm completely alone it seems.

The very first thing I did was I took advantage of the clear, clean, cool water from the creek. It was when I looked at my reflection was when I got the shock of a lifetime. I didn't see me in the water. What I saw, was a white coat, brown mane, blue eyed pony. Wearing my army helmet, trench coat, and binoculars.

I looked to where I hoped my hands would be, only finding hooves to greet me. With this, my shocked voiced chanted over and over the word “WHAT!?!”

After I had my panic attack for a good solid two hours, I was able to calm myself down and consider the following facts. First, I'm not at the front anymore. Second, I think I'm a pony. Third, I have no weaponry on me what-so-ever. Forth, I think I'm a pony. Fifth, a creek would probably lead me to civilization, for where's there's water, there are people. Sixth, I think I'm a pony. Seventh, I could really be alone, but I have to stick to the woods in case of an enemy plane might spot me. Eight, and most importantly of all, I think I'm a pony.

Now, the reason why I write “I think I'm a pony” is that I may look like a pony, but I highly doubt that I am one. For three reasons: First, I can talk. Second, at the bottom of each hoof, I noticed that there seems to be a tinny series of holes at the bottom. I think they might be tinny suction cups (otherwise, how else am I able to write this?) And third, I also noticed that my rump apparently has pockets. Like pouches on each side. It contained my pocket watch, my journal, a pencil and a picture of Lucy. Just like the things I left in my pants yesterday.

I spend the rest of the day following the creek. Eating on wild berries whenever I could find them.

The only other odd thing today was that just a few hours ago, I hear a “swoosh” sound above me, I looked up to see a fading rainbow. I'm still guessing as to what it was.

July 1, 1916 – No sign of civilization yet.

But for today, I had a lot of time to think things over. Things like Lucy, where I am, and why, in all that is holy, am I a bloody pony?

The entire day has been quiet. The only sound that I hear is nature tending to itself. I wish you were here Lucy, it's peaceful here. The weather seems perfect, the scenery looks something from a forgotten painting. I still don't know if I am in another part of France or somewhere in Germany. But other than the occasional animal that I would see, I never once ran into anyone today.

However, I'm not taking chances, earlier today I broken off a branch to where it has a sharp end that I can use as a primitive spear. At first, it was rather awkward to carry around due to the lack of hands, but I did find a way. I ended up strapping the spear onto my back from one of the straps on my coat. That way, I could just stand up and reached for the spear when trouble shows itself.

I spent most of the day to come up with some explanations as to my circumstances. So I came up with the following possibilities:

1: This is some sort of elaborate practical joke by one or all the Lieutenants. But that doesn't explain why am I an animal.

2: It's all a hallucination. Someone put something in my rationed brandy and now I'm seeing things. But how long do hallucinations last? It's been a few days now.

3: I have finally gone insane. This seems the most likely, but then again, where is everybody?

4: I'm dead. The mustard gas has gotten to me or has been killed in my sleep and this is the afterlife. It might as well be heaven, again, everything seems peaceful. But I highly doubt it. If this is heaven, how come I can still remember about the war and all therein? If this is heaven, I won't be able to remember any of it. There wouldn't be any need to remember in a place like this. Still, why am I a bloody pony? Then again, I think somewhat get it, I did grow up on a pony farm back in England after all.

5: I might not be on Earth at all. This could be a different planet or perhaps a different dimension. Yet I still doubt it. If that be the case, how would I have ended up here? But then again, why a pony of all creatures?

July 2, 1916 – I've found a farm today but I stayed at a distance. For I don't know if what I found is from Germany or something new altogether.

At around four o'clock, I spotted a red barn with a huge orchard of apple trees.

Using the binoculars, I searched for any signs of people that may be working there. But what I found though, only confused further.

Instead of human beings that I hoped for, I found two ponies working to kick the apples from the trees. One seemed to be a stallion, red coat and blond mane wearing a yoke around its neck. The other seems to be a mare with an orange coat and blond mane. This one has one of those hats that I've seen in photos of the American West.

I noticed something very odd about these two, both of them have an image on their rumps. The red one had what looks like a green apple cut in half. The other had three small red apples. I confess that it left me puzzled coming from a bloke who lived on a farm once. These marks can't be something they were born with, that's for sure. Nor do I think any branding was involved. These markings were colorful and clear as if they were painted on, except they look like these markings were apart of their coats somehow.

Suddenly, a small dog appeared next to me in the bush that I was hiding. The dog was barking at me, I tried to shewing it away when the mare called out, “Winona! Y'all come back here!” And she was coming towards me! So I got out of there as quickly as possible. The dog thankfully didn't follow me, but it seems that it has gotten the mare suspicious. For one thing, I dropped my pocket watch.

If there's anything I've learned, it's that I doubt that this is Germany. The mare in the hat has spoken English. (Grant it, not British English, but English nonetheless.) If this is something out of the Jerries lab project, one would think she would have spoken German.

But a question remains if these ponies are intelligent like any other person, can I trust them?

July 5 - 6, 1916

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July 5, 1916 – In the past three days, I scouted (so far) a farm, a town, and a house that looks like it's made out of a tree.

On July 3rd, I noticed that the two ponies from the farm took their crops away to sell where it seems to a town some ways off. On the 4th I followed the creek to the town where I got a good look at its residents. Not only did I found even more ponies, but I found that the town has a shared population of mystical creatures. Most of whom are unicorns and pegasuses (or is it pegasi?) in every color that one can imagine. Not only that but like the two ponies from the farm, many of them had different marks on their rumps. As I noticed, each image they have is at random. I saw one that looked like diamonds, another with a harp, another had bubbles, and I think there was one that had balloons. Hmm... very strange indeed.

Today, I followed the creek a little further to find a home that appears to be carved out of a tree. What is odd about this place is as if all the animals for some reason gathered near this place. The ring leader of it all, I believe, is a yellow pegasus with a pink mane and three butterflies on her rump. I'm not sure if this one could talk, even when I hid in the bush that was closest to her, I couldn't make out if she even says anything.

It should be noted that my cover was nearly blown thanks to a certain white rabbit. Who from time to time tried to get the more attention to look in my direction. Looking back, whatever this place is, I find it rather peculiar that the ponies can talk but the other animals can't.

July 6, 1916 – (Noon) My cover has been blown!

It's just now that I can catch my breath after fleeing from her all morning.

This morning I awoke with a blanket around me and the yellow pegasus staring right at me. When I saw those eyes, knowing that I've been caught, I took off. I ran into the forest, having no idea where I was going. As of now, I think I'm completely lost.

I think I hear some––––––––––

July 6, 1916 – (Evening) Allow me to explain the long line when I was about to write the word “Something.” At that moment when I was writing it, I was suddenly picked right off the ground. I looked up and saw that a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane picked me up by it's fore-legs. Of course, I yelled at it to put me down; it, however, just ignored me. It was when we were in the air and all of my struggling that my spear fell off and into the woods below.

The pegasus took me back to the tree home where the yellow pegasus was now joined with the orange pony from the farm. The blue pegasus dropped me between them and the house.

“Here you go,” the blue pegasus said. “One stalker in a tin caned hat.”

I tried to escape one way when the orange one got in the way. “Hey, hey, hey!” she said, “Where did Y'all think you're goin'?”

I tried running the other way, but the blue pegasus blocked me. “Yeah, and what's with the binoculars buddy? Are you a spy or something?”

Then I tried to run to my last exit but the yellow one greeted me with a look along with what I think was an apology. The look she gave me... I don't know how to accurately describe this look. But when I saw those eyes, I just froze there. For some reason, no matter how hard I tried to look away, I couldn't.

“Who are you?” She asked softly. "That is if you don't mind of me asking." I don't know how, but I started answering her against my own will. I told her the truth to every question she asked.

"Private James Tinwhool of the 24th Royal Infantry.”

“Where are you from?”

“Grey Pine, England.”

“Why do you have binoculars?”

“To see if it's safe for me to approach.”

“Safe to approach, why?”

“We're at war.”

Right then, she looked away and I was able to snap out of whatever she did. The yellow one looked to the other two who they shared a confused look. Then the three said something that left me speechless. “What war?”

How? Just how? It's incredible, unbelievable even! How can anyone not know about the great war that's going on at this very moment?

“Uh, mister? Are ya alright?” the orange mare asked.

I told her that I didn't know.

“Should we get him a doctor or–” The blue pegasus began to say, but I interrupted her.

“No. That won't be necessary. I... I just need to rest to think this out... I-I don't feel well.”

“Yeah, we've noticed.”

“Hmm, this is jus' way too weird. Maybe we need to get Twi ta help.” The orange pony suggested and the other two agreed. The three of them escorted me into the town that I saw a few days ago. Up close, the architecture reminds me of the old country cottages back in Britain. As we passed by the residents, I saw all their eyes were filled with a thousand questions. Perhaps, most likely, it's from my appearance of a muddy, somewhat shrapnel-torn, bullet-holed trench coat.

We then reached a place that is similar to the tree house in the woods, only they said that this place is a library. Once inside, we were greeted with an unusual sight (and that says a lot considering the past few days!) a small, green and purple dragon came up to us and said “hello”.

The blue one said that they needed to see someone named “Twilight.” The dragon left us and came back a few minutes later with a lavender colored unicorn.

“Oh, hey girls.” She said, “Who's this?”

“Well, that's why we're here,” the orange mare said. The three explained to the unicorn named Twilight how they found me. They told her about my name, where I'm from, and me mentioning something about a war. When this was done, the orange one added: “And Twi, Flutter's gave him the stare the whole time, and I can tell ya he wasn't lyin'. But none of us understand what any of this means.”

“Huh...?” was Twilight's reply. Her horn then glowed, and across the library, a few books flew by themselves in the same light as her horn. “So, where did you say you were from?”

“Grey Pine, England Miss.” The books, still in the same light, opened up by themselves and the unicorn took a minute to search for my country.

“Are you sure he's telling the truth?” she questioned after looking through her books.

“He's telling the truth alright, otherwise Ah would've spotted it,” the orange mare said.

“Well, do you have a map or a globe that I could point out?” I asked. Twilight agreed and she levitated a book in front of me. At first, the map was unfamiliar. That was until I noticed something that resembles West Australia. Only that the other half was underwater and it collided with a few islands along the way. Further up, I saw what looked like Japan that had connected with the mainland. I also saw what looked like South America and Africa has become connected as well, with a river that's only dividing the two. A little while later, I identified a range of mountains that looked like Ireland, Scotland, Wells and...

“There it is,” I said pointing towards the spot on the map. “England... Only not quite the way I remembered it.”

The four gathered around the book to look where I pointed at. The orange one asked: “In the mountains, that's right in-between Appaloosa? Sir, Ah've been there a couple of times before, but... those mountains? Ah don't recall anypony living there. Do any of Y'alls?”

“Your right,” the rainbow mane pegasus agreed, “none of this makes any sense. Besides, your accent doesn’t match.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, if you are really from there, you would sound more like Applejack here. You sound like you'd come from Trottingham.”

“Trottingham?” It took me a moment to figure it out. “Oh, you mean Cunningham? No, no, I'm from Grey Pine, it's nowhere near that place. And I'm telling you all that I live right there.” I told them, pointing back to that spot on the map.

The only response I got was that the rainbow mare was unconvinced, so they all looked to the one called Applejack, “He's still tellin' the truth,” she told them.

“What did you say about a war?” Fluttershy quietly asked.

“What war?” Twilight asked as she tilted her head to the side. “Equestria hasn't had a war, well, a real war in nearly 800 years.”

“Well, the war in–” I stopped in mid-thought, “How long!?!”

“Look, buddy,” the rainbow mare spoke up. “I don't know about you, where you come from, why you were in the forest or what the whole 'war' thing is about. Or even why you were spying on Fluttershy here. But I just want to know one thing. What do you want anyway?”

I paused for a second to think. Sitting down, I reached into my pockets when I felt the thin picture of Lucy. That picture has always been a reminder as to what I'm hoping to go back to. Come to think of it, when was the last letter I've gotten from her? Is she still there waiting for me to come back? “Home,” I told them, “all I want is to go home, but I don't know how.”

Fluttershy told me that they will help me get back to England. “Where ever England is,” she added.

After all of that, Applejack offered me a room at her family's farm. I gladly accepted it, meaning that I was finally going to sleep in a real bed for a change.

About sometime later, I was taken to the home of Applejack, a place that she both calls Sweet Apple Acres and home.

The family itself consists of a grandmother named Granny Smith, her larger brother named Big Macintosh, (but up close, I nearly called him Goliath) and her little sister named Applebloom.

After I walked through the front door, the family greeted me and said that they'll have my hat and coat to be taken to my room. Well, after I took my trench coat off, the family in unison gasped. I didn't know why until the youngest one approached me while staring at my posterior. I asked what she was staring at, and she said, “You got no cutie mark!”

“Pardon?”

“Now Applebloom,” Granny Smith scolded. “Don't be rude. If the gentalcolt is embarrassed of–”

I interrupted, “But mum, I don't understand. Embarrassed over what?”

“Ya know what?” Applejack asked, “we'll talk about this over supper.”

What followed for the next hour-and-a-half was a heavenly meal and a long discussion about the cutie mark. As much as I could gather, a cutie mark is usually received around the end of their childhoods when they discover their true “gift” or “talent”. And interestingly, when it is discovered, there is neither branding nor paint that is involved. They said that it's noticeable but painless when they received it by "magic" (or so they say).

Applebloom all the while is very excited to be receiving one. In fact, she told me how she's in a club that's made up of three members (including herself) that they called themselves “The Cutie Mark Crusaders.” She even told me that if I wished, I could join them. I chuckled at the idea but told her that I doubt that I would stay here for very long.

After supper, I was shown to my room, where on the bed, was my helmet, coat and my rundown pocket watch.

July 8 - 9, 1916

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July 8, 1916 – The horror of this day!

Today I had my worst panic attack that I had ever experienced. I am just now calmed enough to have my ~~hand~~hoof to write this down at all! I will take as long could to write the events of today.

During the last few days, I've been exploring the farm as well as the town. This afternoon, I ran into her. That curly pink mare with the balloons as her mark. I have to confess that I had a really hard time trying to understand what she was saying. It's not that she spoke in a different language, but rather she talks so ridiculously fast that I think that tobacco auctioneers would scratch their heads at what she was saying! It's a wonder in its self how she's even breathing.

Suddenly, she gave off a few violent twitches before she stared at me. I asked if something was wrong. She asked, “Your lost and trying to get home right?”

Even now, later in the day, I still haven't figured out how did she know that? I played this memory over and over, but never once had she gave me so much as an opportunity to speak! I didn't even get to say the word “Hello” to her. Anyway, I was about to ask how she knew that, but she spoke first: “Come to Sugar Cube Corner at Seven o'clock, so don't be late!” Then she quickly hopped away. It only left me dumbfounded for a good solid minute.

Hours later, Applejack escorted me towards a shop that looked like the witch's house from Hansel & Gretel. As it turns out, it was a surprise party in which I think at least half the town was involved. Admittedly, the surprise made me jump, but that wasn't why I had my panic attack.

The pink mare, which I learned to be named Pinkie Pie (how fitting), was the very first to greet me. But after a minute of her talking about who-knows-what, she left me alone to wander around.

Among the party, was the four other mares that I've already become acquainted with. However, what interested me among the crowd was a white unicorn named Rarity. What stood among the rest was the way she spoke. The accent was eerily similar to British, which no doubt had fueled my curiosity. Up until then, the accents were anything but English.

I had but a small conversation with Rarity. She seemed to be a bit aristocratic for being in a town such as this. I knew this from her comments on small things such as the quality of the plates to what ingredient might have been used in the drinks. She also seems to be a lady of fashion going by the remarks of my rags of a uniform.

Now, the only reason why I have written “a small conversation” was when Pinkie interrupted, she gave me my most intense panic attack to date. Out of nowhere, she produced something that I've hoped that I would never see again. A canon aimed right at me! When I saw it, Pinkie said five dreadful words: “Is this party the bomb!?” That word! That dreadful, unholy word! Bomb!

She pulled the string, and even though I got hit in the face with confetti and streamers, in less than a second, my mind flashed to those memories. Every single memory from the previous year and a half: every explosion; every cry; every bullet; every drop of blood; every scream; every cave-in; every sickness; every whizzbang; every barbed wired memory came right at once me like the shrapnel shells. Only two words screamed at me: “TAKE COVER!!!” And with that, I dove right under the refreshment table to cover my head.

Now, as I've written before, when I have my panic attacks, the only way I could describe the feeling, is like feeling panic, dread, fear, terror, paranoia, and extreme sadness all at the same time, but it keeps going for hours. With the thought that I can die at any second from one of those bombs. That, and shaking so much that I could barely walk (sometimes, never walk at all) and having my breathing speed up to a broken machine gun's pace.

The six mares looked under the table with confusion and worry on their faces. Fluttershy somehow had calmed me enough to at least stand on my four legs. But even then, I would still be shaking and too terrified to speak. At that moment I just wanted to leave, to go back to the room on the farm to sleep.

The six of them followed me all the way back my new room. Helping me back up to my ~~feet~~hooves at times and they rained upon me comforts and apologies all along the way. I know they are trying to be helpful. However, I can't accept any of them because they don't understand. No one in this strange world has experienced the horrors of war for centuries. Not one of them has even the slightest idea of what I saw, heard and felt. None of them knows what sort of things that make me stay awake at night. What is the worth of their comforts if they don't even know what they are trying to comfort?

But they have left a few hours ago. As of right now, I still don't even know what to say to them. Because I highly doubt that they would even understand.

July 9, 1916 – When I woke up early this morning, I found a huge breakfast waiting for me downstairs that was prepared by Applejack and Granny Smith. During breakfast, Applejack told me that Pinkie Pie was feeling incredibly guilty about last night. “It's not her's or any of your fault, it's me,” I told her.

She asked what happened at the party. I didn't use the words “shell shock” to her because I figured it wouldn't make sense to her. I ended up telling her that I have an extreme form of a panic attack. Of course, she asked if there was something that she could do. I told her that she can't, “Even the field doctors couldn't help me. My mind is wounded you see,” I said, tapping my head to make this point.

Right then, she suggested about turning to Twilight for help. I asked what good that would do. “If it's a mental problem, Ah bet Twi can help.”

Back at the library, Applejack explained what she learned to the unicorn. “Oh! I can help with that!” the unicorn said enthusiastically. “Come right in and let me find that book.” Applejack said goodbye to me and I went inside. I asked Twilight what exactly is she going to do.

“It's a kind of psychological healing spell. Where it needs the assistance of a unicorn like myself to pull it off.”

“But what exactly do you plan to do?”

“Well, it allows me to see, hear and if necessary, feel the memories that have been afflicting you. Don't worry, it won't erase your memories, but it will help you get over them. The only thing you need to do on your part is to simply remember.”

“Um, alright... But what's the catch?”

“Here it is!... Now give me a moment to reread this.” She opened the book to read it contents for a minute or two. She read out loud. “'It is strongly advised to use this spell for under an hour each day. Over an hour will cause mental harm to either or both to the caster and castee.' Well,” her horn glowed, an alarm clock and a couple of pillows came floating down the stairs, “I'll just set the clock under an hour so that I don't over do it.”

After setting the clock, she told me to lay my head down while facing her. I did as she asked, and soon enough, she laid on the pillow in front of me, her horn glowed but I stopped her. “Wait!” I called out, “Um, before you start. In case this does work, I think I should let you know right here and now, that I'm not a pony at all. In fact, you would find that I and the chaps would look completely different and be walking on two legs.”

She gave me a raised eyebrow, saying: “Okay... Now, just hold still, and do exactly as I tell you. Ready?”

“Just one more question, will it hurt?”

“No, at least, not to you. Even if you remember something painful, I for one will be able to feel it, but you on the other hoof won't be able to. The book also says that we'll be able to talk to one another, but you won't be seeing me in your memories. And I promise you that you will never feel a thing.”

“Right then. Now what?”

“Just close your eyes and hold still.”

I did, then I felt her horn touching me right between the eyes. “Now, what happened before all of this started?” she asked.

The very first thing that came to mind was our march towards the front in January of 1915. As soon as I thought of that, I heard the familiar thrump, thrump, thrump, sound. I opened my eyes to find that I'm marching again with my fellow chaps.

“What are those?” I heard Twilight's voice that was coming from my head.

“They're human miss, and so am I,” I thought back.

My memory was when I began to notice that even in the dead of winter, there were craters every few hundred yards or so. Not only that but ahead of us on the horizon, there was the smoke that flashed with light, followed by the noise of the guns.

Then my mind wondered into the trenches themselves; where there was ice cold mud, sandbags, the smell of decay, and the sounds of bombs and bullets going off with the occasional scream.

Oh yes, I remember this day, it was the day that the Jerries gave us a bombardment, and they went over the top. This was quickly followed by my first Hun that I'd killed. I took aim at his head, pulled the trigger, and shot him through the neck. From Twilight I heard a horrified gasp. She did this after the second, third, fifth, seventh, fifteenth and sixteenth kills. My memory than showed the Sargent as he was telling us to get ready to go over the top. Suddenly, I heard something that I didn't remember. A loud ringing.

The trenches faded and gave way to Twilight, quickly stopping the alarm clock. She stood there in silence for a long time, after that, she said one word. “Why?”

'Course, I knew exactly what she was asking. “Before I even saw the front," I explained. "I had only one order about the enemy in which I have sworn to king and country, that I would kill or be killed. The punishment for not doing so is I would be executed for cowardliness.”

“They do that!” She said in shock, “That's awful! Goes beyond awful, I mean, killing your own kind?! How could you even live with something like that?”

“I don't... Even now I don't. Had you ever wondered why I never stop shaking? Because I still tremble at not knowing how many hearts of families I've broken. I know it's a war and it's my duty, but killing someone isn't something that I can just brush it off like dust. If you really think about it, no matter what side of the war you were on, it's not about soldier versus soldier, it's really about coward versus coward. And frailer to fight means a death sentence for yourself.”

Her reaction wasn't saying anything to me, but she gave me a hug. I don't know if it was out of sympathy or something else, I didn't stop her. Perhaps it was needed.

After that, she told me to go see Pinkie Pie because she still wanted to apologize to me for last night.

I left the library and walked down the gingerbread shop in which I found Pinkie. I apologized to her about what happened and she forgave me and apologized for making it happen. She also gave me an upside-down cake that was really upside-down as her apology gift. I told her that I didn't have money on me. “That's okay!” she told me, “I was going to go down to A J's to find you so I can give this to you. But since your here, I don't have to, so here you go!”

“Can I have it in a box at least?”

The rest of the day, I spent a good deal of time wondering through the park, eating the cake now and then. I have been wondering that since I'm in a new place with no money, how can I earn some here? Perhaps I should ask the Apple family to hired me temporary.

Somehow today, I still can't explain how or why, but I feel a little less shaky today.

July 16, 1916

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July 16, 1916 – It has been a week since I wrote my last entry. The Apple family did agree to let me work for them. For I was given some odd jobs like pulling their cart to either from their farm to the orchard and back; or from the farm to the market place and back. My payment is getting 30 gold coins a day that they call bits. Not to say it has got me thinking as to how much these bits would be worth in Pounds. I guess that if I were to return home with these, I might come home as a rich man. As of right now, I have saved about a hundred in the past week.

Food isn't a problem since these mares always offer to feed me. Oh, I neglected to mention the food, have I? There are sandwiches, fried food, pies, and so on here. Only there is no meat whatsoever which is both understandable and disappointing. Perhaps it's because I'm a pony now, but ever since I ran into these mares, I've been eating flowers, hay, and raw oats just to name a few. However, there are some foods that are recognizable, such as apple pies, bread, milk, muffins and nearly every kind of treats and sweets one could imagine. Even chocolates, which I find surprising how cheap they are for being one or two bits apiece. (Although, I think I might want to be careful not to go bankrupt on chocolates.)

There are a few things to do here as well. In the park, there is a unicorn that plays the Lyre, and also the town's "madmare". For what I've been told, she has a certain fascination with humans but is deemed bonkers because to the rest of the town, us humans exist in little-known fairy-tales. I don't think it'll be a good idea to talk to her, if the rumors about her are true, I wouldn't risk saying "hello".

There's also Pinkie, who comes up with songs from the top of her head. ((Not to mention that Pinkie always throws a party nearly every day.) To her credit, the crazy mare does come up with better songs than what we've sung in the trenches.) There is the library of course for reading. And then there's Rainbow Dash, if anyone can get her out of her naps or isn't flying, one can get entertained just by asking her about her past pranks alone. She brags about how her and Pinkie Pie are masters of pulling pranks in this town. She tells stories about who she pranked, how it was done, and the result of it. I even helped her pull a prank on Applejack recently. It was a fake but very real looking apple that was super glued onto a low branch of a tree. As a result, no matter how hard she kicked the tree, no matter how hard she tried to pull the apple off the branch, it wouldn't come off. At least both of us got a good laugh out of it.

As to my treatment from Twilight, so far, this strange therapy is beginning to work! Remember when I said that ever since I started fighting in the war, that I was almost never able to hold still? Well, I'm still twitching but today I was able to hold still longer than ten seconds. As regarding today's treatment, the previous week I remembered from January to August of last year. Some of the memories were about going over the top, of course. But there were other memories, like learning how superstitious those chaps could be. I had already written about them carrying a wide range of good luck charms from Bibles to rabbit's feet, and literally everything in-between; for the hope that they won't get shot.

There were other memories, like the day that a shell had caused a cave in that buried a Lieutenant and a few other chaps alive. Another time when we witnessed a dog fight in the air. Or when I nearly got my gas mask on just in time. And the memory that I learn from a letter that my dear Lucy is working at the arms factory, that she is turning yellow from the ingredients of the shells. She told me that she might be infertile because of it. The poor dear.

Today's memory took place in August. The day that during our going over the top, a piece of shrapnel hit me on the right thigh. The very moment that I remembered the pain, I heard Twilight scream. What I find interesting, is even when Twilight was feeling that same pain from my right thigh, she didn't stop, she still allowed me to continue to remember.

In that memory, after I crawled back to the trench, the stretcher bearers took me to the field hospital. I quietly said a prayer... Come to think of it, it was more begging than a prayer. I prayed that the doctor wouldn't cut my leg off.

On arriving at the field hospital, I saw coming in a man who was being held down. His face showed that he was beyond agony with a rag in his mouth to muffle the screams as they sawed off his foot.

Anyway, a doctor came by, he said that he needs for me to wait for about two minutes and that there is no anesthetic at all. I told him to go do what he has to do. The wait alone was painful to my thigh. When he then came back and told me that there is some risk that if he pulled the shrapnel out, it could lead towards gang-green or something like that. I didn't really listen because of the pain, I just yelled at him to take it out.

Up to this point, Twilight gave off some painful wines here and there, but when I remembered the doctor becoming angry, grabs the piece of shrapnel, and with one go, pulls- no, yanks out the piece of metal, I overheard Twilight screaming over my memory.

At this point, Twilight fully understood me when I thought about killing that doctor on the spot.

The alarm clock rang, and Twilight went over to shut it off. We saw next to us the small dragon with a worried look. “Twilight, are you okay? I heard you screaming,” he said.

“It's alright Spike. Just... give me a minute.” She told him as she rubbed her right thigh. She finally looked at me asking, “Does this explain the scare?”

I raised my trench coat over my right leg. Oh, I also forgot to mention that even as a pony, that same scare is still there. Nearly everyone I met asked about the scare, I told them it was from an accident. Since in a way, I was telling the truth.

“So, what happened after that?” she questioned.

“Well, my leg was bandaged up tightly, I laid there for about a few weeks until I returned to the front.”

“Oh. I'm so sorry about that, I mean, I had no idea–”

“What you were in for?” I interrupted.

She told me yes, but said that she will continue to help me. So I will be seeing her tomorrow.

July 17, 1916

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July 17, 1916 – Today's session with Twilight had gotten her curious, and at the same time concerned about the equines from the war. In one memory, I once saw lines of horse-drawn wagons that pulled the explosives, guns, and our weekly rations. As I recalled it, some of them were pulling quite heavy loads, that I remember this one with a dirty black coat that was repetitively kicked for not keeping up. So of course, with the spell still going, it leads to a... awkward conversation about the treatment of horses and ponies during the war. On the one hand, because she could see the memories as they unfold, the option of lying was impossible. No doubt she saw the poor creatures getting shot at, die from exhaustion, or the treatment for their injuries was antiquated.

Yet, on the other hand, she admitted that she was puzzled. She was confused that while they walked on four legs and have the same basic body structure as them, Twilight noted that some parts of them like their height and facial structure were completely different. She asked questions like, "Why are so tall?" or, "Why are all of them earth ponies?" or, "How come none of them talk?" or even, "If they're fighting in a war too, where are their uniforms?"

About a third of a way through the session of Twilight asking questions that became harder to explain, I asked her if I could focus on something else. Well, anything at all to drive away from her interrogating me of things that I don't have the answers to. Thankfully she allowed me but said that we should talk about this sometime in the future.

With that, I recalled a memory of writing a letter to Lucy a few hours before going over the top. Up to that point, I was responding to a letter to her about her telling me that her worst fear has been confirmed. Our doctor told her that she's considered to be infertile from working in the arms factory. I could tell she was devastated due to her words and her tear-stained letter. The poor dear was planning that we would start a family by the time I get home from the war.

As a response, I wrote back to her to never forget that no matter what happens, I will still love her. I told her that we can always adopt. In fact, I told her that I was looking forward to coming home because every night I still look at her photograph before sleep. That nothing, no bullet, nor bomb, nor shrapnel, nor gas, nor tank, nor aircraft, nor army, nor land, nor sea will ever stop me to get back to her.

After that, Twilight whipped a tear from her eye and told me that it was one of the noblest things she's ever heard for quite some time. I thank her kindly at that. She also points out that my ~~hair~~mane has been growing too long and that my trench coat is in need of repair.

"But remember, you still owe me a few explanations in the near future," she added.

At this, she sent her dragon assistant to show me to Rarity who can help me with both of these. The dragon looked a little too eager to do so. Spike showed me to Carousel Boutique, the place where it has a shop on one floor and the home of Rarity on the other. When we entered, Spike explained to Rarity about my situation and Rarity agreed. “Yes, yes. If you don't mind of me saying so, you sir look absolutely a mess! But no need to worry darling, I know exactly what to do. Come right in.”

She took my coat off of me and had me sat in a chair to have my mane cut. Of course, I have in the past had my hair cut before, however, with this one I found it unnerving especially for the fact that the scissors were floating in mid-air cutting away. “Please relax,” she keeps telling me. “There's nothing to feel nervous about. I know what I'm doing.”

The cut she gave me made me look decent. Even as a pony, at least I look civil. Next, she took my coat and studied it. Taking down notes on the stitches, the pockets, the cracked buttons, the bullet holes, and the tares. She hummed in thought as to what to do with my coat.

The first thing she did was to clean off the mud. Next using the sewing machine, she used with a thread that matches the color of my tan coat to stitch up the holes and tares. But what she did next surprised me. She cut off all the buttons and replaces them with rubies, sapphires, and pearls. Then she used her sewing machine with gold and copper threads to create designs on the front, back and sides of the coat. By the time she put the coat back on to me and stand in front of a few mirrors, I was dumbfounded.

“So, what do you think?” she asked with a confident smile.

“Rarity... I never had a uniform anywhere as nice as this. Not even my own generals have worn something like this. I doubt even if my own king has anything like it! Rarity, I-I-I'm speechless.”

“But do you like it?” she urgently questioned.

“I think we've reached beyond that point.”

“You love it! How wonderful.”

“So how much do I owe you anyway?” I asked getting worried, I mean, she sewed in real jewels into my uniform.

Rarity hummed thoughtfully and said, “The mane-cut is seven bits, but the repair and improvement to your coat is free of charge. As a courtesy of the Carousel Boutique.”

I had nothing to say. Even now I still don't know what to say. Here am I, a Private, not only has my coat been repaired but even improved to where that not even the royal family has anything like this in their wardrobe.

In the end, I gave her my gratitude, and paid her, a lot more then she asked for. Her work deserved it after all.

July 20, ?

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July 20,? – There is a reason why I put a question mark on the year. I'll explain, but to do so, I need to tell you about the last session with Twilight. Today's memory was of Christmas.

All that I can remember from that day was that I was talking to someone who had experienced the last Christmas and how unusual it all was. Even back then, I still found the whole soldier’s truce as obscene, I mean I don't remember reading about this the year before. That, and the night when the bloke got a little too carefree and stood up. At that moment, a lump of shrapnel got him. The poor, poor idiot.

As the others went to get the stretcher bearers, the bloke asked me to stay. I could tell right away that he's not going to live for very long. Then, I don't know why, perhaps it was Christmas or maybe it was the blood that was leaving his head, but he asked me to sing a carol. When I asked which one, he asked if I knew, “O Come Emmanuel”?

So I sang as the battle acted as a disjointed orchestra. I sang three verses of the song. By the time I finished singing, I both saw and heard the chap's very last words. Something that I don't believe I will ever forget. How could I? “I want to go home,” and like that, dead.

I checked his dog tag to at least see what the bloke's name was. “Israel Fredric Baker.” What irony! I was singing his name the whole time without knowing it. "Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel, shall come to thee, O Israel!"

After Twilight ended it, I noticed that I felt different. Even though I still feel shaky, yet there wasn't the usual dread nor guilt. I can safely say that I felt a little happier.

Yet I did say that there's a reason for why I wrote the question mark and yes, it does have something to do about the year. Significantly. You see, before I could leave the library, Applejack and Rarity showed up. They told Twilight that their siblings had found something that she needs to look.

We followed them to a schoolyard where we saw a crowd gathered at one corner of the fencing. As much as I could gather, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were digging very deeply in the sandbox in hopes to earn an archaeologist or treasure hunter cutie marks; I don't know which. They got the shovels from the farm and they had been digging up the sandbox for the past few days. From the looks of it, they dug pretty deep.

Of course, no one thought that they would find anything, but they did find a white stone that was stained by the centuries with a name. When I got to look what it was, my felt my heart stop. It was a tombstone lying on its side. A tombstone that read: “Israel Fredric Baker. May 4, 1897 – Dec 25, 1915.”

This means three things. First, this is indeed Earth. This has to be Earth. Second, the tombstone belongs to that chap I've met that Christmas. And in a hole like this, that means that this grave marker has been buried for centenaries. Which means, this has to be the future. Thirdly, even though I don't know for sure, I think that this school, perhaps this whole town might be built right on top or part of a graveyard and none of them have any idea.

The Crusaders asked Twilight if she knows what it is, but I gave them the answer before she could. I told them it's a tombstone. Right away, those three Crusaders jumped right out of that hole.

One of them (I think it was the pegasus in orange) asked what they should do. I told them not to dig any further and to rebury it. And the three of them did as they were told.

At that point, I just left. I was planning to go back to the farm to work. However, the thought of that this is the future came at me at full force. Somewhere along the way near the forest, I stopped to look at the photo of Lucy, and right then, I cried. I cried because since this is the future, that means that everyone that I ever knew, everyone that I've ever loved is dead. Long gone and buried somewhere. And when I saw Lucy's smiling face, I cried like a child.

I cried, and cried, and cried. Even when I tried to get a hold of myself, the tears came back. I don't know how long I laid there on the side of the road crying with the picture of my wife in full view: at that point, I didn't care because I was so overtaken by grief.

Eventually, one of the ponies found me. It was Fluttershy. I knew it was her because of her voice. She spoke quietly to me, she even used her wings to dry my tears (or at least attempted it). She did this until I could be calm enough to speak. She asked what the matter was. I pointed at the picture and my stumbling speech of only two words before I burst back into tears again. “She's dead.”

She put a wing over me and continued to soothe me with her words. Looking back on it, I think it was rather very difficult to cheer me up to tell me that everything is alright. Yet, somehow, I can't explain how it's almost as if she's done something like this before. But at that moment, I needed this more then ever and at least someone is there to be with me.

A few very heavy cries later, Fluttershy has gotten me onto my feet (or hooves), taking the picture with me, and help me walk back to the farm. Along the way to this room she told me that she will talk to Applejack and tell her that I won't be able to work today.

As of right now, it's already past supper time and the sun is right on the horizon. I didn't know that I was crying for this long. I just hope that tomorrow can lead to some kind of miracle. Something that would let me go back to her. Lucy, I really wish you were here.

July 21, ?

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July 21,? – Since yesterday, my thoughts had been going around in circles. About the tombstone discovery and all the realizations that surround it. Yet there are still two things that haven't been answered: how did I get here, to begin with, and why in all that is holy am I a pony?

That is, until today. After today's session, Twilight told me that the tombstone discovery was incredibly fascinating, especially when the name of the stone is the same name as that bloke who died on Christmas.

What was even more interesting to her, is that until I showed up, in that all she had ever read, the only mentioning of humans was only found in the oldest myths ever written. “Even with most of the myths," she tells me, "they never really gone into detail as to what they are nor what they look like.”

I mentioned to her about my take on the tombstone. I told her that because of the stone and how deep it was in the ground, I wondered if I somehow ended up in the future. Then her eyes widen and she asked when exactly did I arrive in Equestria. A quick look at the pages of this journal later, I told her, “Last day of June, why?”

“Oh stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” She said as she hit her head with her front hooves scolding herself. I asked what the matter was. “The reverse time traveling spell! It's all my fault!”

“What are you talking about?”

“The spell, this explains everything!”

“One at a time please Ms. Sparkle. What are you even saying?”

“Okay. Let me explain. A long time ago, there was a unicorn named Star Swirled the Bearded. Who helped both the princesses come up with spells that are still essential to unicorns to this day. During his lifetime, Star Swirled came up with two different kinds of time travel spells. One was to transport the caster anywhere in time, the other was to transport an object or a pony from the past into the present and vice versa.”

“But I don't understand what any of this has got anything to do with me,” I interrupted.

“Let me get to that. You see, casting the spell for the caster anywhere in time was easy. That, and you would know immediately if it worked or not. But the other spell is much more difficult since it's rarely been done. Also, once the spell was cast, there's no telling if the pony they expected to appear will do so right up front or miles away. Both of these spells require to know exactly how far in time to do it. You see, what happened nearly a month ago was that I got distracted. I think somepony asked me a math question while I was getting ready to cast the spell. All I can remember is that it turned out to be a very big number, then just like that, the spell was finished.”

“Well, I guess that explains how I ended up here. But still, why am I a pony?”

“I don't even know myself. I wanted to meet somepony from the past, but as to why you're a pony, I honestly have no idea. But I think you could turn back into a human once you go back. Perhaps it might be because I tinkered with the spell so it could last longer.”

“Alright then, so after you cure me of my shell shock, you can just send me back right?”

“It's not as simple as that. As I said, the only way for either for those spells to work is to know exactly how far back I needed to send you.”

“But can't you used that memory spell on yourself to find out?”

“That's the same as trying to kiss yourself. You just can't do it by yourself. So you need somepony else to help pull it off.”

“You speak as if your the only one who can do this.”

“That's because that is the case. Most unicorns use their magic that matches their talent. I'm the only one who can do this since my talent is magic.”

“Oh joy, so I'm stuck here?”

“Don't worry, as soon as I can cure you, I promise that I will do everything that I can to send you back home. Oh, I just remembered, Pinkie is throwing a party for you.”

I asked what is she talking about. She told me that she heard from her friends that I was crying my eyes out the other day so her friend is throwing a cheering up party.

The party was at the gingerbread shop again at the same time as before, the difference was, there was no cannon involved. I often times wonder how does Pinkie manages to throw these parties almost daily. I mean with all the time, work, and money that is involved. Then again, everything about this hopping, fast-talking pink mare is much a mystery as this world. Such as where did she get that pet alligator from?

Pinkie sends me some sweets, games, music, pranks and even jokes that came like rain at that party. I must say that there was never a dull moment at that party.

There was one very odd yet very interesting moment when Pinkie was talking to me. Her tail suddenly stood straight up and it began spinning. It spans so fast that she lifted off the ground for a moment, then her tail stopped and she came down. She stared at me for a moment and then out of nowhere, she gave me something that she called a “fortune cookie.”

I cracked it open to find a piece of paper in it. It said: “You will be soon be called by royalty.”

“Ah no fair,” said Pinkie. “I would like to be called by the princesses. Come to think of it, when was the last time that I threw a party for them anyway?” And then she went back babbling on and on and on.

I still don't know what that was about nor even know why she did that. As far as I could gather from her friends, what I witnessed was something called a Pinkie Sense. What that is I'm not so sure. Predicting the future, inner knowledge, or was it something out of the blue?

August 4 & 16, ?

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August 4,? – I must apologize for not writing in this journal for the past week. The reason why I'm writing today is that I have some very good news. For the first time in months, I am able to hold still without shaking what-so-ever. According to Twilight, another week and a half, and I will be cured of my shell shock!

Today I showed Twilight a memory in which I told her that she better hold on for dear life, for she was in for a very bumpy ride.

It was the memory that I have on purpose left out of this journal. Up until now, I couldn't even write sentience without shaking at the thought of it. But now, thanks to Twilight, I can now again recall the day when I stared down the barrel of an enemy cannon.

I can still remember that cloudy day perfectly. After we gave the enemy a very heavy bombardment, we were given the order to go over the top. I still remember jumping over barbed-wire and into bloody mud. Ducking all the while from bullets and shrapnel. The only sounds were the men screaming orders or pain, and explosions left and right.

The thing was, I was looking at the ground the whole time, having no idea where I was going. I only snapped out of it when a bloke nearby shouted “GET OUT OF THE WAY!” was then I looked up and my legs froze at the sight of it. I was staring down a black hole of metal riffling. A second later, I saw from the bottom the igniting of the gun, and the only thought I had was I was going to die!

And then, I have pushed aside, and I saw the bloke getting blown out of existence and hearing the loudest boom of my life. A noise so loud that it sent me into temporary deafness. The next thing I knew, I was covered head to foot in blood, guts and who-knows-what-else along with a long one note ring in my ears.

The whole combination of nearly dying, covered in blood and couldn't hear a thing was far too much for me to handle. Thus began the longest two minutes of my life. You cannot even begin to imagine how terrified I was that I couldn't hear anything in the middle of a battle. One needs to hear the shouts of others to know where one is supposed to go. One needs to hear to know where the guns and explosions are. However, during that moment, to say that I was scared beyond my wits is a gross understatement.

With caution, I crawled my way back to the trench, very slowly, my hearing regained but I couldn't stop myself from shaking.

“This explains everything.” I heard Twilight's voice in that unbearable silence. Then I heard the familiar alarm clock going off.

She broke away, and I was able to see her turning off the clock. “So, was that the reason why you reacted the way you did with Pinkie's party cannon?”

“It brought back so much of that memory.”

“Well, look on the bight side, your not shaking anymore.”

And she was right! For the first time in all of those long months, I wasn't shaking at all.

“But that wasn't the last memory from that war is it?”

I shook my head.

“I would like to continue farther just to make sure we didn't miss anything.” I agreed I am almost cured now. But not quite yet.

August 16,? – At the moment that I'm writing this, I am on the Pony Express with Twilight; going towards Equestria's capital, Canterlot. But before I tell why, I must tell you that I am fully cured of that dreaded shell shock. Just as Twilight promised, I can still remember about the war, but it doesn't bother me now. In fact, the very last session was about Pinkie's party cannon. At least I can now sleep better.

Anyway, after the last session, Twilight along with her friends discussed how to take me home. In order to get me back home, they need to know two things, where to cast the spell, and how far back to send me. The question of where is already established, on the mountains near a place called Appaloosa. The trouble, of course, was how far back.

Twilight thought that maybe her teacher and one of the rulers of the land can help me. Celestia, if I'm not mistaken. The reason behind this is that she has ruled the land for over a thousand years and one of the oldest known living beings on the planet.

What's even more curious about this Celestia, is that no one knows how old she really is nor does anyone know anything about her childhood. As well as her younger sister that I've just been told from Twilight.

Yet, Twilight did find one clue, but it doesn't make sense. It's a surviving passage of a poem that has survived a fire. According to the unicorn, apparently, the poem must have some sort of very important information because both Celestia and Luna (the younger sister) ordered that every copy of that poem to be burned at the beginning of their rule. The surviving poem goes like this:

“For these three slept in a glass den,

asleep for a thousand times ten.

Awaken to a world without a tree,

where nowhere in sight were fish or bee.”

Twilight said that she has spent years to solve the cryptic meaning of the poem with no real success.

That is one reason why I'm going there, the other is because both the princesses (yes princesses, not Queens, every single pony always addresses the two sisters as princesses. I myself find this rather odd, I should ask them about that.) has invited both of us to their castle. Well, come to think of it, it was more like ordered us than anything else. They told us through a letter for us to come immediately, otherwise, why wouldn't we be on this train that's running at full speed in the middle of the night?

August 18 - 24 (Part 1)

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August 18-24, – This entry is going to be a very languidly one. This will take a few days to finish because the conversation we had with the princesses is so important that we need to get every detail in order to get me home. We're using Twilight's memory spell and having her to help me record the conversation in this journal. All the dialog will be coming from her magic, yet the descriptions from me.

Anyway, that night we arrived at the castle very late in the evening, because of this, we were given a room until the morning. We were told that they will talk to us over breakfast.

The next morning, I put on my uniform along with my helmet, and like Twilight, we both walked half asleep with the Roman-like pony guards down many hallways and rooms that lead to the great garden.

In front of us, a table with a white cloth has been set. Four chairs were set up, two of which the two princesses were sitting in. Both of them are nothing like I have ever seen nor heard of in all my knowledge of mythology. They both have the horn of a unicorn and the wings of a pegasus. Right away, I noticed that these two were the size of full grown horses.

Sitting on our left, was a dark blue mare with wise yet piercing eyes that can penetrate steel. She wore a chest-piece that had the crescent moon. And the mane looked like a flowing, living night sky with a dark crown.

On our right was a little taller the other, sat a white mare with merciful yet calculating eyes, wearing a golden chest-piece and crown that showed the sun. And her flowing mane had the colors of aqua, light green, light blue, and pink.

Twilight bowed to the two, then motioned to me to do the same, but due to a force of habit, I stood up to my hind legs and repeated the old solute. Stomp left, right and solute with my right arm. After which I resumed back on all fours.

Apparently, this gave some alarm to both Twilight and the nearby guards. But the white one raised a hoof with a golden boot and said, “No need to be alarmed, I understand the guesser. Come, sit down and eat with us.”

We did just that, we took our seats and the servants came to spread our wide range of food on the table. I tell you, even on Christmas, I've never seen this much food in one place before.

“Leave us,” the dark one said, addressing to the servants and guards. They bowed and left us alone in the garden.

As we put the food on our plates, I couldn't help but notice something odd. Behind the royals, there is a statue that I've never seen before and seemed completely out of place from this garden. A statue where it has the horn of a stag and a dragon; a tooth of a snake; a long thin torso; a wing of a bat and an eagle; the leg of a goat and a crocodile; and the tail of a dragon. What was also strange, was how the creature was positioned. It's had both of its arms stretched out, and it's head turn to the side but still looking forward. As it to try to protect its self from some unknown force.

“Forgive me of my ignorance,” I said, “but what is that?”

“It's Discord,” Twilight said after crewing on an apple. “The very spirit of chaos and disharmony.”

The darker on opened her mouth to say something but the white one interrupted. “We'll get to that Luna. Oh, where are my manners? I've forgotten to introduce ourselves. I am Princess Celestia, and this is my sister, Princess Luna.”

I thanked them both for having us to talk to them face to face before I asked: “Now, please don't see me as rude for asking this but, how old are you two?”

Celestia opened her mouth to say something but this time, her sister interrupted. “We too have many questions to ask. But before we do so, at least answer this one question just to be sure. What does a human look like?”

At first, I was taken back at the question. But then I described to them what a human looks like. From hair to feet, color of eyes and skin, down to describing the differences between men and women. When that was done, the two looked at each other with astonishment. “He's telling the truth!” Luna said softly.

“Pardon me your majesties," I said. "But what does this have got to do anything?”

“Allow me to explain.” Celestia said, “The last letter from my most faithful student had described the events of World War One, or as you called it, 'The Great War.' A war that was fought before we were even born.”

I was left speechless. But she continued, “You asked how old we are. Truth be told, neither of us doesn't even know exactly how old we are because we don't know what year we were born in. So we can only guess our age, which we think we're around the age of 11,000.”

“World War One? You mean to say that there was more than one great war?”

“Three actually,” Luna corrected me.

“I don't understand.”

“You shall after this story.”

“Story?”

“Yes,” Celestia nodded, “What the two of you are about to hear, is Equestria's most well kept, guarded secret. This very story is so important, that it threatens me, and my sister's power if anypony in Equestria knew about it. Only the very most trustworthy can hear it. This is why I'm letting you listen, Twilight Sparkle. As for James, his circumstance is unique for the sake of getting him home. Also, because James was a human, he is someone who would understand this story. But before we tell you, both of you must take a vow of secrecy to us; that neither of you will never say a word to anypony as long as you live.”

We agreed, Celestia continued, “This, Twilight Sparkle and James Tinwhool, is the true story of how Equestria really became to be, and where the three of us came from.”

“Three of us?” both me and Twilight asked.

“Me, Luna,” started Celestia.

“And our younger brother,” Luna finished.

“You have a brother!” said Twilight surprised. “Well, where is he?” The only response from the two was that they turned to the bizarre stature behind them. I saw Twilight's eyes and mouth flew wide open when she made the connection. “Discord is your brother!!!”

August 18 - 24 (Part 2)

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“Please, I know that your shocked Twilight,” said Celestia. “But in order for you to fully understand. I must begin with a very simple, yet very effective, once upon a time.”

Twilight nodded, and so, Celestia began...

“Once upon a time, long before unicorns, pegasi, or earth ponies. Long before there were the kingdoms of dragons, griffins, the Crystal Empire, or even long before Equestria; there was once a species that ruled the world. These creatures did not have much fur that covered their bodies. In fact, they didn't have scales or even feathers. For these creatures have always worn clothing in front of others from the day they were born to the day they were sent to the grave. These creatures didn't use magic to help run their lives. But they rely on their wits, strength and the tools they invented. These creatures also walked on two legs instead of four. These were known as humans.”

Then Luna spoke while Celestia ate, (they took turns doing this throughout this conversation.) “These humans were in a way very similar to ponies, and yet, so different. They talk, think and reason like any other pony. They built shelters to protect themselves from the fury of nature. They used their creativity in which they compete for immortality in memories of others through their art. They had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge about everything in existence. They also went on for an endless struggle for peace in the world around them.”

“And yet,” said Celestia, “they were so very different from the ponies that we know now. They feasted upon a thousand things from plants to the flesh of other animals. They use their knowledge to create tools, gadgets and machines to plow, plant and harvest their fields. They use machines to fly great distances. They've even figured out how to send thoughts and ideas to each other from one side of the world to the other in a blink of an eye.”

“Though out human or mankind's history,” Luna spoke. “They used two things that have shaped their world. Mind and stringent. With these, they've created the greatest, and worst things imaginable. In fact, everything that you see, hear, taste, touched, smell, and everything you used, is indebted to humans. Even the very act of reading and writing is a human invention Twilight Sparkle.”

“At the same time though,” said Celestia, “they created some very destructive things that unfortunately our ponies have inherited. But they are nowhere near the intensity that the humans had. They invented crimes from stealing to murder. Their greed for everything weighed as much as their unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Their levels of cruelty were only limited to their imaginations. Their wars were fueled by blind, stupid, and thoughtless rage, to the point where both sides lose the lives of the soldiers who were ordered to fight to the death. Yet, it was these forces of creativity and destruction is the very reason why everypony, including ourselves, are here, to begin with.”

“And so,” said Luna, “The humans wanted to put their creativity and ingenuity to the ultimate test.”

“And what was that?” asked Twilight, her eyes perked up at this point.

Luna continued: “Is it possible to create brand new spices entirely from scratch? The humans collected together a special group of 'Scientists', as they called themselves, to take up this monumental task. In fact, this very castle is built right on top of the very laboratory in which we were born. Until they either died or replaced, they called their work, the Jehavam Project.”

“The what?” I asked, she repeated the name of the project and then asked if this name has any significance. I told her that the name is Latin, a language I was taught in my youth. “Jehavam in English translates to Jehovah. The name of God who created everything.”

“A creator?” asked Celestia. “That explains a lot about what the scientists did. For you see, their work started out as trial and error, yet they did succeed. That success is me.” She said, giving a gentle smile at this point. “I'm the very first living creature that was bor – n-no, created completely from scratch. The body of a horse, the horn of a narwhal, and the wings of an eagle. My original name I was given was an anagram, I've long forgotten what it stood for, but I still remember what mine was “C.E.L.E.S.T.I.A.L.” Yet as the years went by, the scientists just called me Cel.”

“Two years later,” said Luna, “I was created. The name they gave me was also an anagram “L.U.N.A.R.I.U.M.” But I grew up being called Lun. Three years later that, our brother was created, well, created isn't the correct word. Rather survived because the scientists accidentally mixed too many elements of animals that they thought he wouldn't live. But he did. So like us, they gave him an anagram, but we called him not by a nickname, but his anagram name, “A.M.A.D.E.U.S.” I've always wondered what that meant.”

“Amadeus, loosely translated, means blessed by the divine,” I said.

Celestia took over. “Anyway, the biggest surprise to the scientists is that two years after each of us we were created, we began to talk. They discovered that not only did they created life, but they also created intelligent life. For not only did we learned to speak their language, we understood what they meant. As soon as they realized that, our education began. We learned about how to speak, read and write.” At this point, she raises one of her hooves. “The old fashion way that is.”

“For the very first twenty years of my life,” said Luna, “and I think twenty-two for her, the three of us were raised by these scientists. They didn't take care of us like unto a pet but treated us like their children. Even though they were overprotective of us, they did play with us and taught us many things. Speech, reading, writing, mathematics, literature, mythology, science, history (alright, not all of it), geography, astronomy and the appreciation of music. In fact, we loved music so much, that on our birthdays they gave us records made out of solid gold. And it is thanks to these records along with the help of some ponies over the years, we helped recreated, recorded and replayed music for all ponies to enjoy. From Baroque to jazz, from Chopin to rock, from musical overtures to techno. The list goes on, but we– (pardon me) I believe you get the idea.”

“Princess Celestia,” asked Twilight, “when you talked about how you learn how to write, what did you mean by 'the old fashion way?' Did you mean you wrote by hoof and not by magic?”

“Yes my faithful student.” Said Celestia, “In the early years of our lives, we didn't even know we had magic at all until our brother discovered it when he was... Oh, what was it? Thirteen wasn't it?”

“What happened?” Twilight asked, now having her full attention.

“Well, after our lessons, we would get our daily check-ups, this, of course, is that we were such a new species they went to great lengths to make sure we didn't get sick. One of the newer scientists teased our little brother around, making fun of his appearance. Discord, well, back then he was Amadeus, tried to hide his anger as long as he could, telling him repeatedly to stop. But before that scientist left, he said 'See you tomorrow, Hodgepodge!' I saw his eyes locked on a nearby glass beaker. It levitated and then it was thrown at the scientist's head. When the beaker exploded, Amadeus's expression changed to shock. Even now I can still remember him asking, 'Did...D-Did I just do that?'”

“So levitation was the first magic ever used?” asked Twilight. “It seems to make sense because levitation is the simplest form of magic.”

“But you see, my dear student, what James would call science and what you call magic, to us, however, these powers are one and the same.”

“One and the same? What do you mean?” I asked.

“Do you see our horns?” Luna asked.

“I do. What about them?”

“Allow us to demonstrate,” said Celestia. “Twilight, would you pass me that orange please?”

Twilight nodded, her horn once again glowed and the orange levitated in the air towards Celestia. “Do you see the glow from Twilight's horn and the orange?” Celestia asked.

“I do.”

“If my memory serves me right, the scientists concluded that the aura you see is a kind of plasma, controlled by a signature electrical frequency.”

The purple glow of the orange gave way to a golden one at this point. The orange levitated onto Celestia’s plate.

“But where is all this so-called 'plasma' coming from?” I asked.

“Do you know that the brain has electrical impulses?” asked Luna.

“I think so.”

“Plasma is a kind of electricity. It's the same in all animals that have a brain. However, there is a major difference between us alicorns and unicorns vs the rest of nature.”

“And that is?” both Twilight and I said.

“A conductor,” Celestia said simply. “Like very much how electricity needs metal to fulfill its power, our horns acted as a conductor to our brains.”

“Let's get back to the story, what happened next?” I asked

“Right,” Luna nodded, “the next four years after Amadeus's discovery, we spent all those years trying to see how far our powers can go. Levitation was only the beginning, we figured out how to make water out of thin air, make inanimate objects come to life, and yes, we even figured out how to write without using our hooves. This may sound simple parlor tricks to you Twilight Sparkle, but these were important steps to learn what we can do.”

“Then what happened?” I asked. At this point, both of their expression sadden. Luna spoke up with the words: “The third world war.”

“What happened?” I repeated the question.

“First you must understand,” said Celestia, “that everything we've heard from the outside world came from the scientists. For we were never allowed to be outside for safety reasons. From what we could gather when we were young, that all the nations and islands of the world had signed a treaty in which they all promised that they will never again as so much as raise a hoof about declaring war on one another.”

“But to ensure this,” Luna spoke, “and for whatever insane reason, they created a weapon to end all weapons. No, a series of weapons that would destroy them all. And if I recall correctly, it had a funny name... Oh, what was it?... An Angle? Anglii? No. Angelus Mortis? Ah yes, that's it!”

I shivered at those two words, with the help of my experience of the war, I could only imagine what kind of weapons they were. Twilight notice this and ask what was wrong.

“It's Latin again, this time it means, Angle of Death.”

Celestia nodded, then continued: “For a while, this policy did work. At the time, every nation was far too scared to go to war for the risk of ending the world. But alas, it didn't work. I still can't remember why it was triggered, but once it did, it was impossible to undo it.”

“So, what exactly did these weapons do?” I asked, knowing that I'm getting the answer to how the world ended. Celestia continued: “These death machines were spread and hidden throughout the world, all connected by complex interconnected machines that were to be triggered under the right circumstances. In this case, declaring war and acting upon it. Once that was done, it sets off four deadly plagues.”

“And those were?” both Twilight and I said.

Luna answered this: “The first plague was darkness. In which that all of the electricity throughout the world was to be permanently shut off. This may not sound like much, but at the time, the world ran on electricity. The everyday life of a human was powered by electricity, if it were turned off for a long period of time, it would send their progress back hundreds of years.”

“The second plague was poison.” Said Celestia, “All the water of the earth, salt or fresh was poisoned, it made drinking water rare. The seas were overfilled with dead fish as far as the eye could see. Plants shriveled up, even the trees died.”

“The third was a sickness.” Said Luna, “A disease that was made to wipe out all animals, even humans, off the face of the earth. A disease that changes so quickly that a cure was impossible.”

“But the fourth was the worst of them all.” Said Celestia, “The final plague was, as they put it, 'the bomb to end all bombs.' This was no ordinary exploding bomb. Once set off, it has the power to disintegrate nearly a country whole in less than a minute. An explosion brighter and hotter than the sun itself. Even though the bomb was set off in the middle of the ocean, the explosion isn't the deadliest part. Rather, it was the aftermath that kills. A cloud that caused a 10,000-year winter which the snow can cause sickness if anypony is exposed.”

“That's horrific!” said Twilight. “But Princess, how did any of you survive all that?”

“Well,” said Luna, “as soon as the war was declared, the scientists explained to the three of us what we just told you about what fate the outside world has to face. They also took us to another part of the laboratory where they explained that we were going to be hibernating in a thick glass box. The reason behind this is because the three of us have powers full of penitential, they thought that maybe we could save all life on earth.”

“And so,” said Celestia, “they put us into that box, in which there was a kind of ventilation system attached, we were told that we would be put to sleep by a unique kind of gas. This gas we were told would help us sleep for a very long time. There are some interesting side effects while sleep, such as we would still be as young as the day we were put into it. And the longer we stayed in there, the longer we would live by tenfold.”

“So wait,” said Twilight putting a hoof on her chin. “10,000 years asleep times ten, you mean the three of you have a life expectancy of 100,000 years? But does that even mean that you're still going to-”

“Not exactly immortal as everypony thinks.” Celestia interrupted but in a comforting tone. “But do not worry, my faithful student, we're not going to die anytime soon. But even though with the long lifespan, the mortality clock is still ticking for us. Eventually, one day, we will die. But before that does happen, both I and my sister have decided on a few ponies to succeed us before that will ever happen.”

“Really? Like Cadence?” asked Twilight. "But 'ponies?' You mean you're choosing someone else to be your successors?"

“All in good time, my student. You along with Equestria will know soon, just not right now.”

“So what happened next?” I asked.

August 18 - 24 (Part 3)

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Luna spoke up, “After we were put into that box, the air was replaced by the gas. The only thing that I can remember was feeling really sleepy, laid down, closed my eyes, and everything went black afterward.”

“It seemed to us like we were asleep for a minute.” Celestia said, “We closed our eyes from the scientists who created us to awake in the dark. Literately. When we woke up, there wasn't a single source of light anywhere. We, of course, used our horns for light to find that everything outside of the box had aged significantly. Everywhere there was a thick layer of dust. Some parts of the ceiling had collapsed, and most of the machines and tools laid around as if they left it there yesterday.”

“Was it our brother that let us out of the box?” asked Luna.

After giving a thoughtful hum, Celestia replied: “Yes, I think he did. Used a levitation spell to pull out the nails from its hinges. Anyway, as we wondered the decaying labs, we found in some rooms, the skeletons of what was left of the scientists.” At this point, she gave out a melancholy sigh. “It was a sad sight to see them like that. We found fourteen bodies in all, one of whom was pointing towards a door that we were never allowed though. But after breaking the lock, we wandered through a long hallway that leads to a crystal mine.”

“So that explains why the castle was built on top of a mine!” Twilight exclaimed. Celestia nodded and continued, “Yes. So after who knows how long of wondering, we finally found an opening to which we found the saddest sight that I had ever seen.”

“What did you see?” Twilight asked. Celestia didn't answer at first, she looked at our empty plates and asked if we were finished. Of course, we were, Celestia's horn glowed once more, only to hear a bell off in the distance. Both the sisters got up and asked us to walk with them through the hedge maze. But before we did so, Twilight repeated her question again.

“Look at the landscape.” Said Luna, and we did as we were told. “Try to imagine seeing no grass, nor bushes, nor trees, nor snow on the mountains, no water, and a sickly pale blue sky. There was nothing but earth and stones as far as the eye could see. That is what we saw.” To this, we entered the maze.

“I remembered the silence was the worst part.” Celestia commented, “I think James would understand this precisely, that the most disturbing sound you can hear isn't what you can hear, but what you can't hear. Everything was so quiet, I don't remember hearing wind come to think of it.”

“Then what happened?” I asked.

“Well, after a little wandering around, thinking about what we should do.” Said Luna, “Without warning, we heard our brother screamed in surprise, we looked to find a rolling apple.”

Both of us gave us a confused look at this.

“Allow us to explain.” Luna continued, “It was rather unnerving to see an apple in a dead world, especially when that apple came out of nowhere. We asked our brother what happened. 'I don't know!' he said, 'I'm hungry and I was in the mood for an apple, then... This happened.' We started at it and asked if he could do it again. He did, this time in abundance.”

“As we ate,” Celestia said, “we discussed how all those apples appeared. I think it was Luna who came up with the theory that because nothing can be created nor destroyed, all the atoms, practicals, molecules that once made not just apples but everything is still around. Despite everything had died and decayed thousands of years ago, it's all still around. All we had to do is put them back together again.”

“Imagine it,” said Luna. “ That in that dead world we inherited, we have the power to not only recreate the world but to shape it as we wished.”

I saw Twilight eyes widen. “That's incredible! What did you do first?”

“First we made clouds so that water would return. Considering we had to do it for the whole planet, it took us... Was it 75? Uh, yes! I think it was 75 years it took to bring the water back.”

“Then we attempted to grow back plants.” Said Celestia, “But it was then we discovered something that has to lead us to get our cutie marks.”

“Really?!?” Twilight said, her interest higher than before.

“For you see,” Celestia continued, “we figured that the reason why the plants died was that there was too much sun in the day and too much darkness at night. In other words, the time had gone much longer than 24 hours on earth. We reasoned that the bomb that was set off was so powerful that it affected the rotation of the earth.”

“Of course, we had to do something.” Said Luna, “And for the first 25 years, we used a lot of magic to get the earth to move in the right place.”

“But what does this have to do with getting your cutie marks?” Twilight asked.

“Well after 25 years,” continued Luna, “we got the earth to its right pace... more or less. Even now and then we had to speed up or slow down the earth's rotation.”

“Wait-a-minute!” Interrupted Twilight, “I'm sorry here, but are you two saying that you don't really raise the sun and moon!”

Celestia smiled at Twilight's confusion. “The secret to Equestria's greatest optical illusion and we do it every morning and evening! You see, my faithful student, what really happens is that we speed up or slow down the earth in order to keep up with the natural seasons.”

“Oh,” said Twilight, “I never saw it like that before.”

“As we– I was saying,” continued Luna, “After 25 years of getting the earth to move at the right pace, Celestia and I had decided that we should take turns to keep the earth spinning. Of course, we agreed that I shall move the earth at night and the day. And at that morning of that decision, Celestia received her mark. Of course, none of us had any idea what it was, even when after I got it.”

“After we received our cutie marks,” said Celestia, “and for the next 400 years, we replanted the earth as best as we could. To bring back forests, grassy meadows, marshes, jungles, tall grasslands, oasis, and even brought back the food that we know today. Although, during those years, we did create some new plants like Poison Joke for example.”

I was about to ask what Poison Joke was, but Twilight told me not to ask. Celestia continued...

“The next 200 years was more difficult. Like the scientists before us, we spent years of trial and error to recreate animals from scratch. But the three of us did in fact recreated, well, as best as we could to our knowledge of animals and even to add new ones. Such as dragons and griffins to name a few.”

“Then for the next hundred years," Lula said, "the three of us tried to decide on what species should rule over the planet. Both me and Amadeus agreed that it cannot be humans, for look how they ended up. I suggested that it should be something of an equine that we can relate to. And if it's a species that is going to run the world, it needs to be something humble this time. It is for these reasons why all ponies exist.”

“Of course, the earth ponies came first.” Said Celestia, “Although we made a different kind of ponies, ones who can speak, think and learn. We also gave them better eyesight by enlarging their eyes a little. Their hooves to have the ability to grasp onto objects and gave them pockets for carrying around small things.”

“Well, that explains a lot,” I muttered.

Celestia continued, “Then we created the pegasi. We gave them the same qualities as the earth pony, except that they have wings and, like us, they can walk on clouds. Then, the three of us worked on our final creation. The Unicorns. They were very similar to earth ponies except for the horn that they can use magic. We spent the next hundred years teaching them everything.”

“We had to,” said Luna, “the very early ponies were very... (how do I put this?) simple-minded, as I recall. We had to teach them how to grow and take care of crops, how to read and write, to build a shelter to...” She trailed off, both Twilight and I noticed her cheeks blush and gave a little cough, “privet things.”

“Oh!” Twilight said, having a blush of her own.

“But as I was saying,” Luna continued rather a little too quickly. “I remembered how those early ponies were like, so innocent, simple and naive. We started to teach them to write and speak to them in old English, using words like 'thee', 'thou', 'thy' and 'art.' To this day we– pardon, I confess that I sometimes talk the way we did back then. Old habits I presume.”

“I see, then what happened?” I asked.

August 18 - 24 (Part 4)

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Celestia gave off a sigh of regret and said: “Then the next forty years was the biggest mistake that we have ever made as rulers and as a family. While we were setting up for the rise of Equestria, other nations sprung up too all over the world. So, the three of us decided that we need to establish alliances and peace while it's still early. What we ended up doing was for me and my sister to travel from nation to nation to set up these alliances. While our brother would be a temporary ruler when we're away... But we should never even left.”

“Why?” I asked, “What happened?”

“While we were away,” said Luna, “our brother tried to maintain order among the three tribes for the first few months. But the more he tried to strengthen control, the worse it got. Also, to top it all off, the Everfree forest grew more and more rapidly. It was growing out of control and it threatens to swallow all of Equestria. He tried everything, poison, hungry animals, even fire, but nothing worked. The more he tried to keep the Everfree back, the more out of hoof it became. Until he got a very dangerous idea.”

“Without the consent from us or our ponies, he declared himself (in a state of emergency) king of Equestria.” Celestia told us, “He concluded that in order to stop the Everfree from growing, even more, he took out of himself the things that he thought would bring harmony to the land; by growing a special tree in the middle of the forest. To do so, he took out of him most of his honesty, his kindness, his laughter, his generosity, his loyalty... And even the magic of friendship he took out of himself.”

“Wait!” Twilight interjected, “are you saying that Discord created the elements of harmony!?!”

“Yes.” Celestia nodded, “This was why you and your friends were able to stop him when he broke out. Because the six of you had those elements that he once had. For he used these elements to set up the tree to maintain order. But after he did, he spends those forty years to make those ponies lives as miserable as possible. He created the changelings to cause confusion, the nightmares to haunt their dreams, and the Wendigos to create horrible weather, just so he can watch them suffer and to divide the tribes even further.”

“This of course,” Luna interjected, “during this time period, was where the stories from Star Swirled the Bearded to the origins of Hearts Warming came from.”

“So by the time we finally got back,” Celestia continued, “we found that Equestria was turned upside-down, literally in someplace. For nonsense and anarchy ruled the land, with our brother was at the head of it all.”

“And all those ponies,” Luna said, shaking her head. “Even to this day, I could hardly describe how miserable they all were. It was as if all the color they once had was sucked out and replaced with these miserable, rude, melancholy and hollowed ponies. As a result of our little brother's regime, the Amadeus we once knew was gone, and in his place was Discord. A lying, rude, mean-spirited, greedy, selfish and entirely unfriendly creature.”

“From our citizens,” said Celestia, “we learned how he has gotten that way. So we searched for the elements, battling to find them and to find Discord in hopes that it would bring our brother back. We knew that the magic wouldn't last to keep the Everfree at bay, we risked it to bring him back, but instead, it turned him into stone.”

“Excuse me, Princess,” Twilight said. “How come none of the history books never say anything about Discord like this?”

“Well,” said Celestia, “at the time we were so angry at our brother of what he has done, to us, Equestria and all those innocent ponies, that we ordered anything that reminded of Discord destroyed. Statues, monuments, stain-glass windows, signs, we had them smashed. Books, poems, plays, paintings, drawings, you name it, we had them set to the torch. We destroyed Discord's memory, and yet, no matter how enraged we were, we couldn't destroy our own brother. As much as we wanted to smash him, the fact remains that as much as we hated him for what he's done, he's still family. We kept him here in the garden since then, that was, until recently when he broke out of his stone prison. Twilight and her friends did stop him and turned him back into stone. Also when we become princess, we did everything possible to distance ourselves from him.”

“Well... Alright.” I said, “But before you go any further, I do have one question that has been bothering me. If you are the eldest, why does everyone keep calling you princess when, if I may say it, you seemed to be a queen. Logically it would make more sense.”

“I understand, but there are two important reasons behind this. The first is that because of our brother, he left Equestria in such dire shape that the ponies looked to us to fix everything. It was because of our brother who took the title of king, that to them, anypony who had the title of king or queen was considered to be pure evil. We took the title of princess so that our ponies will be satisfied and Equestria has two leaders to make sure that the other doesn’t become evil herself. The other reason is that when we both have the title of princess, neither I nor Luna has more power or greater responsibility for the other. Does that make sense?”

“I suppose so,” I said.

“The rest, as they say, is history,” said Luna. “All 1,439 years of it.”

When Luna said this, Celestia stopped and looked around. She smiled and said, “Now, before we go any further, I want to show you two something. But before we do, I want to ask you, my faithful student, what are your thoughts from what we told you?”

“Well princess, it's a very fascinating story. It really is, it's just that's all we have to go off of is from your story. Not that I doubt you completely, it's just that there's no hard proof if what you are saying really did happen.”

“I understand,” Celestia nodded, “then allow us to show you proof.” Both of the sister's horns glowed and Celestia told me that I should close my eyes for a moment. Even with my eyes closed, I saw a bright light. But a second later the light was gone, I opened my eyes to find that both the princesses are there as well as Twilight. But there was one major difference though, instead of being in a tall hedge maze, we were underground. At first, I thought it was a cave from all the stalactites hanging from the above. That is until Twilight points out the crystals.

As for me at this point, I was shaken because I never was telephoned from the surface to the underground in the blink of an eye. I asked them where we are and how. Luna told me that we are right under the castle, they used a transportation spell to get the four of us down below.

With the light of the princesses and Twilight's horns, we spotted a door. A metal door embedded into the solid rock, on the door, a rusty sign read: “Top Secret. U.N. Staff ONLY.” I asked what is this place.

“Behind that door and at the end of the hallway,” Celestia said, “is the place where we were born.”

August 18 - 24 (Part 5)

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The doorknob glowed in a blue color as it was opened. As we entered, the smell of dust choked the air. The four of us walked down a long hallway with a few odd metal doors that are marked with “LAB 1”, “LAB 6.” and so on. Along with the cryptic sings of "Class D Clearance," or "Class M Clearance" (whatever any of those meant). At the near end of the hallway, we stopped at Lab 13.

We entered a series of darkened rooms, in each of those rooms had a layer of dust with some evidence that ponies had been here long ago with barely noticeable hoof prints. Twilight commented that it seems that all of these rooms looked like they had, indeed, been left in a hurry.

In a kitchen, for example, there was a table in which there were a few mugs on top of ancient papers, a few pens and some kind of technology that looked like a scroll made out of a thin flexible glass. Almost as if these chaps had to put down their cups of coffee and never came back.

During our tour of the underground laboratories, Luna made the comment that despite being away for centuries, it was strange that this is the only place on Earth where things never change.

Our tour went through rooms of the remains of offices for doctors that include the rotting remains of examination tables. Shattered glass beakers, rotten books, and broken tools laid about in these rooms. In some places, parts of the ceiling had collapsed, revealing the cut stone above.

There was a circular room where there is a column in the middle and a dome above. They explained that when they were young, the scientist would turn on a projector on top of the column to show them the night sky where they were taught about astronomy.

They showed us a room that was the size of a cathedral, where they explained that the three of them used to play. Where in that huge room, the three of them learned how to fly.

They even showed us the place where they were created. In a room that was surrounded by machinery and broken glass, in the center of the room was the remains of a glass tube laying on its side, embedded to the floor. They told me that they were created in this very tube. At this point, Twilight was in every sense of the word humble. Maybe this was because this to her, this was the sacred ground where the teacher she admired so was born.

Then they took us to the very back of the laboratories. Where there was the thick glass box that they talked about with the door long off its hedges. The box itself was connected to pipes above. Both Twilight and I noticed that both the princesses stood in silence as they entered the room. This crushing silence lasted for a minute or two, I thought that maybe I should break the silence to ask them about something.

“Excuse me your highness's, I wish to ask you two something that I just realized.”

“Yes?” Celestia said quietly.

“It's about your story, for living beings that are thousands of years old, how is it that you two can remember your childhoods so well, even to where you can quote what someone has said?”

The two princesses gave each other a quick glance, Luna told us that they were going to show us one last room. In that remains of that room is something they called “the memory machine.” The thing itself it was nothing more than a slab of glass with a mechanical base.

Celestia offered for Twilight to turn on the machine. After giving her some instructions, Twilight's horn glowed and then, the glass slab lit up. At first, we saw a dozen pictures. Now with Celestia horn glowing, she moved the pictures until she found what she was looking for.

The only way I could describe what I saw was like watching a picture show, only it had color and sound. We saw the two sisters and their brother on examination tables that looked like new. They were surrounded by men and women in white lab coats.

“Blood presser is normal. Wing reflex,” said a lady with blond hair. The other scientists tap small hammers in between their wings on their backs, all of their reactions had their wings open half way.

“Mitch mashed seems normal,” joked a scientist near their brother.

“Hey, cut it out,” their brother said with the annoyed tone that teenagers have.

“And finally, the heart rates," the blond lady said, they listen to their heartbeats and wrote down the numbers.

“97 for mixed up.”

“Stop it,” the brother warned, now more annoyed than before.

“Are you kidding jumbled, I can do this all day,” he said chuckling.

The brother's eyes glared razor-sharp daggers at him. Before they all left, the scientist who teased him said: “See you tomorrow, Hodgepodge.”

His eyes expressed rage, he spotted a glass beaker from across the room, it was picked up in the air by some unseen force, and it flew 'til it shattered at that scientist's head. As soon as that happened, the brother's expression immediately changed from rage to shock. “D-Did I just do that?” The sisters in the machine shared their brother's look of shock.

There is something that I failed to mention the machine, while the scene played out, I saw on the bottom of the glass, IV/XX/MMLXIII.

For someone who has studied Latin as a child, I recognized that the I's, V's, X's, M's and L's are Roman numerals. I didn't ask the two if they knew what these letters meant. They didn't seem to notice other than myself.

From here, Celestia told me to close my eyes, and like that we were going back to the surface. This time, we ended up in the royal library. Celestia invited us to come to a concert at two o'clock. We accepted, but I ask if I could talk to Twilight for a while. They nodded, told us they will see us later and left.

I shared to Twilight about what I discovered from the machine. I told her that IV/XX/MMLXIII was a date. April the 20th, 2063. This major clue along with the story will be entirely useful in getting me home. But Twilight pointed out that if I would be going home successfully, we need to review the whole story in order to get the dates just right. This, of course, we need to use the memory spell to record it, but it would take several days.

Later that day at two, we were in a music room filled with an orchestra. The princesses said that they will be playing some new pieces that had been transcribed from the golden records.

I remembered they played a total of five pieces, the first four I didn't recognize, however, the last one that I recognized immediately. They played a march, but the tune, to my surprise, they played "It's a Long Way to Tipperary." Perhaps it was my loyalty, or it was nostalgia that flooded into me at that moment, but I found myself singing that song out loud. Much to the confusion of the musicians who were playing something for the first time in who-knows-how-long.

One more thing before I end this entry, by the time we left the capital that day, Luna took me aside and told me that she remembered a few things she learned as a young filly when it comes to human history. Even though she told me that she wasn't certain, she told me that I should remember the date, November 11th, 1918. The reason was that she told me that that was the date that my war ended.

To be honest, I'm not quite sure how to feel about this. When I left, it was 1916, and now hearing from Luna that the war would have been over in about two years or so... Part of me wants to celebrate, for me, the war has been long over. Yet at the same time, it filled me with fear, she didn't say who won.

September 2 - 5, 13910 and Epilogue

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September 2, 13910 – With tremendous help from Twilight, not only have we found what year it is, but now we know how far in time I should travel. Based on Celestia's age of 11,865 and using the dates of 2063 to 1918 (which equals 145 years), I would need to be sent back 12,010 years. Twilight said that if I'm going to be sent home, it must be done in the right place at the right time. Which means I need to be where England used to be and sent on the right day of November the 11th.

So, I'm still stuck in Equestria for the time being. For now, home will have to wait for about two months. Twilight said that since I've been fully cured of my shell shock, it would be good for me to take some sort of holiday. Fair enough I suppose, it's been way too long anyway. But as of today, I have some thinking to do.

September 5, 13910 – To my dear Lucy,

I do not know if you would get this journal at all. I do not know if this book will lie in the mud for months or if this will be found right away or never to be found at all.

I am writing to you out of hope. I hope that somehow this will be given to you, so it will give you hope knowing that I'm on my way home.

No doubt by now you will know that I haven't been on the front, but you might already have read my journal to find that I've recovered from my shell shock in another world, in another time. If this reaches you, I want you to know that I'm safe. That there's no more need of you to worry if I would come home in one piece. Lucy, you have a reason to dry those tears of yours.

Though strange as this world that I'm in my seem, it is quite peaceful. More peaceful then humanity ever could be. Almost near Utopian. But as much as I'm tempted to stay here, the memories of you always come back to haunt me. Even while I was recovering, in those moments where my mind goes still, there you be. I know that in my past letters I haven't gotten the chance to say this but, thank you.

Thank you for the letters you sent, thank you for all you had to do to secure our happiness, thank you to remind me to smile among the death and gloom of the war. But above all, thank you so much for loving me. You are the reason why I'm still alive. You are the reason for me to keep on fighting despite the shock. For you are the reason for coming home, though time and space.

This world I'm in maybe beautiful, but I'd rather stay in a world of chaos and darkness to be with you than to stay in a happier world without.

Know this, my Lucy, I'm coming home, I'll see you in November.

Until we meet again,

forever yours, your eternal friend, with all my soul in me,

– James Tinwhool.

Somme, France. September 5, 1916.

Up and down the Western Front, there was nothing but chaos. For the British, the usual order to fight the Germans was business as usual.

Lieutenant Michael McAuthor threw his grenade over to the other side. A few seconds later, it went off along with a few screams of the enemy soldiers. He peaked out over the trench to confirm that he had indeed hit his target.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash overhead, McAuthor ducked back down; thinking that the Germans had returned a favor. Instead, he felt something tumble over his back and flopped onto the wooden planks of the trench. Looking down, he saw that the thing that tumbled was a book. It was one of those journals that every soldier was given before they reported in this forsaken country.

McAuthor took a moment to kneel down to pick it up, flipping the book open to see who it belongs to. Private James Tinwhool, 24th Royal Infantry, UK. The Lieutenant pocketed the book and went on fighting for hours.

When things became peaceful enough, McAuthor flopped onto his cot exhausted from the fierce fighting. He lay on his back to gain a moment of peace from the battle that day. He felt the pockets of his trench coat when he felt something that he’d nearly forgotten about.

“Let’s see who the sorry sod is,” he muttered as he took the journal out from the pocket and opened up to the last entry. The Lieutenant paused when he read the date of the last entry, September 5, 13910.

Confused, he flipped the book back and saw a few drawings amongst the writings. “What kind of a journal is this?” McAuthor asked himself. He flipped to the front of the journal, in which it describes last year. Mostly about the war, James's wife, and a few drawings here and there, but all that suddenly changes when it reached late June.

McAuthor skimmed through the book at that point, several pages in, he concluded that whoever this Private was, he was, as the Lieutenant put it: “He’s gone completely around the twist.” He couldn't help but think about what was going on inside this poor man’s head when he wrote this.

Getting up, Michael left his cot to search for the other Lieutenants of the 24th Royal Infantry, asking if any of them knew who James Tinwool was.

“He was in my party,” Lieutenant Justin Canton said when he was asked about the soldier. “Went missing before all of this, why?”

“I found his journal,” McAuthor replied.

“Oh really? Did you find something of his? My chaps couldn't find anything except for his weapons, where did you find it?”

“It fell on me,” Michael gave the journal to his fellow officer. “But I suspect that you never found the man?”

Lieutenant Canton shrugged, “Nothing. It’s like he fell off the face of the earth.”

“And lost his mind along the way,” Justin asked what he meant by that. “I took a look at the bloke’s journal, and I think that the day before the battle, he had completely lost his mind.”

“Really,” Canton asked, opening the book, “How so?”

“He writes about unicorns.”

Justin looked up, “Unicorns?”

“Oh and that’s not all. He wrote about being in a town filled with talking ponies and dragons, and about spewing nonsense about the future.”

“Is that so…?” Canton asked, with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. “Perhaps, since things have been so gloomy lately, maybe I ought to read this to my men. After all, I've heard that a good laugh tends to boost one's morale.”

“It truly is the oddest thing I've ever read. But the last entry was quite touching though.”

“Oh?”

“A love letter to his wife back at home. If I would suggest, perhaps once you’re done with that, then maybe you’d do the honorable thing and make sure that his wife gets it. After all, I think that a wife should know what’s become of her husband in this place.”

“I suppose so… Thanks for the book.”

Once Lieutenant McAuthor has been dismissed, Canton opened up to a random page in the journal. After reading a bit, he couldn't help but laugh in amusement. “The war will be over in a few years,” he smiled, shook his head, and put the journal in his pocket: “If only that were true.”

Requiem for WWI
By CrackedInkWell.
Grant them eternal rest,
General of the sky and
Commanders of the earth.
Have these men who swam
in rivers of mud where
rats and corpses thrive find rest.
Give them peace from the
bushes of barbed-wire,
of the raining bullets and
shrapnel from the clouds of
mustard.
No more shall they worry
about running into legions of
bayoneted riffles while stepping on
a triggered mine.
Never again shall the frost,
the mud,
or the lice make them
sick.
Let them forget the song
of flamethrowers that sang them
the gospel of cindered corpses.
Free them from their shaking
bodies because of their shaken
minds.
Liberate them from a nightmare
without end that your generals
and your country calls glory.
For they have seen gore
and horror than those in
the underworld should see in
eternity.
Grant them eternal rest,
for after all they have done,
they need it.
Amen.

(Audio Chapters)

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Since this guy Hunter Stasiuk has been reading these chapters, I've decided to post his readings here. I will update now and then whenever he uploads a video.