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I still cannot believe that it is finally over... After all that turmoil and nearly three weeks of living day to day with remorse and fear, it is finally over. I still cannot believe Discord himself was behind everything, even in death! But at least now... At least I can safely say he is probably gone for good. And we finally have our friend back.

Still... Why? Why did James awaken without any knowledge of what happened after we set foot inside the labyrinth in Canterlot to search for the Elements of Harmony? I mean I am not entirely upset that he does not remember anything that happened after the search began. I wish I could forget everything that has happened too... But still... What caused him to lose his memory? I could see, hear, and feel everything that went on inside his mind when he dealt with the curse that Discord had placed on him. And at the end, Discord himself reached out to James before the area could completely fade away. The moment he touched James on the face... Did Discord take those memories with him? And why? Why erase such horrid memories from his enemy?

Even so, shortly after he awoke, things slowly began to return to normal. We were still reeling from the immense relief of our dear friend having pulled through in the end, but we were finally starting to smile again. He was sitting up in bed, he was talking, he was smiling and even laughing. It was...just like before... And I could not be happier to have him back.

We were all there. All five of my other closest friends were present with me and the feeling over everything that had happened was mutual. Nightmare Moon was present too. And it was she who found the way for us to finally save James from his predicament. She never left his side.

But what I expected least of all was for Scootaloo to show up. I know she knew James was dying just yesterday and she knew he did not have long to live. It seemed that Cheerilee had allowed her to leave class early so that she may spend his final hours with him. What a delightful surprise it must have been for her to arrive only to find that her big brother was alive and well.

What came next was a shock. She called him 'Dad' at first before correcting herself. Rainbow Dash was quick to let her know that he did not remember a single thing and to not mention anything to James over what had occurred. She listened, but then... She requested that she be allowed to call James her father.

I was just as shocked as everypony else. I had always known that Scootaloo had always looked up to James as a brother figure. So for her to begin to view him as a father... She has always been an orphan, from what I know. So I can understand how badly she has always wanted a family. Thankfully...James held her in his arms and agreed.

I cried... It was just...such a high note after all that pain we had gone through. Even Rainbow Dash ended up bawling her eyes out for a brief moment. To think that now James is a father... Well, he will eventually be a real father, although it seems that Fluttershy wants to hold off on telling him the news until he finally gets home before revealing it to him. Understandable, considering all of the stress we have gone through. We all just want to take it easy for a few days. We need the rest.

Very shortly after we had removed the Elements of Harmony from his body and placed them back in the satchel Nightmare Moon was wearing before we placed James' helmet in the box by his bed, Nightmare Moon plugged his bed back into the mainframe port above him on the wall. With him no longer in danger, there was no reason to break hospital protocol by keeping the staff in the dark about his condition.

The next several minutes were just spent in quiet conversation. It just felt...so calm that I did not even want to speak much. However, there was soon a knock at the door. Before we could even answer it, the door creaked open to reveal the doctor who had been watching over James since he had been admitted to the hospital. "Good afternoon, ladies. And... Oh, hello, James. How are you feeling today?"

"Pretty good, actually. A bit tired and weak, but I'm feeling OK otherwise." James replied while he kept holding Scootaloo in an adorable embrace with his arm under her chin while his hand kept scratching her ears and mane.

"Excellent. Uh..." The doctor then turned his gaze towards us and Nightmare Moon while we all looked at him. "Actually... Could I speak with all of you in private?"

"Of course, doctor. Please come with us, everypony." Nightmare Moon said while she began to follow him out of the room.

Applejack then looked over her shoulder at James and Scootaloo. "We'll just be a minute. Scootaloo, y'all keep an eye on yer pop while we're out."

I swear I saw an embarrassed grin on James' face as a blush filled his cheeks. I could tell he was not used to being referred to as a father at all. Scootaloo seemed pretty thrilled though and nuzzled his cheek. "OK, Applejack. I'll keep an eye on Dad!"

Once the door had closed behind us, the doctor began to speak to us in a bit of a quieter tone than before. "First of all, I really must ask. What in the world did you do? His vital signs are improving at a remarkable rate!"

Pinkie Pie then scratched her head as if she was feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Uh... Heheheh... It's a reeeeeaaaalllly long story. Let's just say it involved a lot of fighting, a lot of crazy sights, a lot of fourth wall breaking, a lot of cameos, a lot of heads exploding, a vengeful spirit, and the magic of friendship coming out on top again!" Interesting use of words, Pinkie.

While the doctor clearly did not follow what our silly friend said, Nightmare Moon then spoke up. "What she is saying is anyone in the field of medicine would likely not be able to comprehend what transpired in our efforts to save him. All that you need to know is that he is alive, he is well, and he will survive this ordeal."

"Hmmm... I see. Well, at the rate of his recovery... I have to say he will probably be discharged in no more than a week. Or maybe even as soon as just a few days. It's looking really promising right now." The doctor then began to approach the door. "I had best give him the news. He's certainly been through a lot, from what I understand."

"Wait!" Nightmare Moon suddenly barked before the doctor could reach for the handle. "Reveal to him his condition and rate of recovery if you must, but do not say a word about all that has happened before the moment you enter this room. He does not recall a thing over the last few weeks. And with all said and done, that is likely for the best."

I could definitely understand her reasons behind that demand. None of my friends seemed to be against it at all. Of course, the doctor seemed to not like this idea since he clearly did not understand it like we did. "Your highness, I cannot condone this! As my patient, he needs to be made aware of exactly what got him admitted into the hospital in the first place!"

Nightmare Moon maintained a constant serious scowl on her face. "Doctor. As your princess, I hereby decree that you and your colleagues are to not reveal to him any details of his condition aside from his rate of recovery and current physical state. Failure to comply with this order will be treated as an act of insubordination."

The air was thick with tension. I was genuinely amazed of how far she was going to protect James. After a moment of silence between the two, the doctor sighed while he bowed his head. "As you wish, your highness... I fail to understand your reasoning, but it is not my place to question it."

"Thank you, doctor... Carry on then." Our Princess of Dreams commanded before the doctor entered James' hospital room and closed the door behind him.

"Nightmare Moon... Do you really think he shouldn't be allowed to remember what happened? I mean... I kind of don't want him to either, but..." Fluttershy began to speak, but soon began to fall silent.

With a sigh, Nightmare Moon frowned solemnly at us. "I do, Fluttershy... After everything that has happened... The fact that he has no recollection of what happened must be some form of a blessing. He has been spared the memories of the horror that has occurred. I do not believe we should rob him of this respite."

"Yeah... I wish I could forget too..." Rainbow Dash muttered while rubbing her face before turning to me. "You saw how he was when he first woke up, Twilight. He really didn't have any faith in us anymore."

She was right... When he first awakened from his coma after ten days, he... He did not want anything to do with me. He was so sure that we had abandoned him. Even after being there for him and helping him take Discord down... The scars just might still be there, only numbed. Even after what we just went through together... If he were to remember... "I know, Rainbow... I don't think we should let him remember either. He'll be happier that way."

"After what we did... I would not fault him for not being able to trust us as stalwartly as before... He would never be able to forget that... And his heart has been scarred before. He would be much more cautious around us... It just wouldn't be the same again..." Rarity said softly while almost looking like she was on the verge of tears. And she is right. James is a cautious sort. He would be wary of letting himself being harmed the same way twice.

"I know... It's probably really selfish of us, but... Would he even believe us if we told him?" Fluttershy then asked while curling a hoof around her leg.

"Probably not... But I don't wanna take that chance anyway." Applejack added while tilting her hat down a bit as if to hide her face.

Nightmare Moon managed to crack a small somber smile. "I greatly appreciate you doing this for him. And I agree. For his sake... Let us never speak of this disaster ever again. But for now, let us return to him."

I watched as she turned around before opening the door to the room again. The doctor seemed to be checking James' blood pressure while Scootaloo was watching the gauge with every pump of the... I was never terribly familiar with medical equipment. What do they call that again? "Hm... Well, it seems your blood pressure is only slightly below normal. That should probably return to normal before long."

"How's everythin', doc?" Applejack asked while the door remained open behind us.

The doctor removed the device from James' arm while Scootaloo went right back to resting her head upon her brother's...I mean father's chest. This is going to take a while to get used to. "Well, he still has a ways to go, but his physical condition seems to be just fine, for the most part. He should be out of here in no time."

"Thank you, doctor. If there is nothing else that needs your attention, I would appreciate it if you would leave us be." Nightmare Moon said with a slight smile.

"Very well, your highness. I'll take my leave now." The doctor then promptly left the room and closed the door behind him. It was then that I noticed the room was looking noticeably brighter than before. It seemed that the gloomy weather had started to clear up.

Nightmare Moon then stepped forward before either of us could. She stood before James while also casting her gaze down at Scootaloo. "Hello, child. Still catching up on lost time with your father?"

James did not say a word, although he rolled his eyes and seemed to blush a bit. Poor guy. He really was not used to being called that. But Scootaloo had no reservations about calling him that since she jumped up immediately. "You bet! Right, Dad?"

Oh, James... He just snickered in flattery while looking noticeably red in the face. "Yeah... I'm still getting used to being called that. Feels really good, actually."

"I'm sure it must." Nightmare Moon replied with a chuckle. However, she then reached down and tenderly nuzzled his face. "However, as much as I would like to stick around, I must return to Canterlot and inform my sisters of your condition. They've been quite worried since the moment you were hospitalized and will be delighted to hear that you are going to pull through."

James nodded in understanding and gently ran his hand over the length of her neck. "All right then. Please give my best to Luna."

"I shall. I will see you again soon, my friend." She said before using her magic to take hold of the helmet in the cardboard box beside the bed and carry it with her while turning to face us. "I shall leave him in your care. Please watch over him."

"You can count on us! That's what friend's are for!" Pinkie Pie replied with a cheerful hop while the rest of us merely nodded and smiled. Nightmare Moon then stepped past us before taking one last look back at us... No, wait. In hindsight... It was not us she was looking at. It was just James. With an almost mournful smile, she closed the door behind her and was gone.

"Sooooo..." Rainbow Dash spoke before she hurried over to James' bedside. "What's up, big guy? Had any fun dreams while you were out?"

James seemed to pause in thought for a moment before he could speak. "Well... Kind of. I mean... I still don't remember anything that happened after I went into the labyrinth behind the palace in Canterlot. But... Well, I guess I do remember a bit of before I woke up. Although it was kind of...surreal and even beautiful in some ways."

Oh no... Did James truly remember something from when we took on the curse? I felt myself quiver in anxiety while doing all I could to not show any sign that something may have been wrong. All five of my closest friends were giving each other the same look. It was a miracle that James never thought anything was amiss for even a second. It was Scootaloo who spoke next. "Sounds cool! Can you tell us?"

"Uh... I... It's kind of hard for me to put into words... Maybe if I wrote it down instead?" He retorted while seemingly having difficult recalling anything. But judging by now he did not seem bothered by anything he was remembering... Maybe he really did not remember anything that happened in his subconscious. What did Discord do to him in those final seconds?

"Oh, you mean in a journal entry? Brilliant idea, darling!" Rarity exclaimed while the fear in her eyes seemed to fade. However, when she went to his bedside to check the cardboard box beside his bed, the box that had been holding the paper he had been using to write journals during his stay in the hospital, she stopped. "Um... Well... It would seem we had best get you some more paper then. It would appear that there's only one sheet left. Hardly enough for a full entry."

Right... James used that last sheet to... I nearly panicked as I realized what was on that that last sheet of paper. Those held James' final thoughts before Nightmare Moon used her magic to send him right into his own subconscious. I could not let him see it!

I rushed to Rarity's side and used my levitation magic to snatch it up before James could develop enough curiosity to examine it himself. "Oh, you can't use this one, James. It's already full of gibberish. I'll run home and bring you some more, OK?"

Rarity seemed a bit puzzled by how hastily I snatched that paper away from them, though James did not seem to think much on it. "Sure thing, Twi. Thanks." I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Rainbow Dash also seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. She was there when he wrote it, so she knew what was on the other side.

"All right then. I'll be right back. Excuse me for a little bit, girls." I then rolled up the paper and kept it close to my side while I left the room and then left the hospital. The weather was starting to look and feel really nice and the air was thick with humidity. Hopefully it would not get too warm.

My return home was fairly uneventful and I was not interrupted once. When I entered the through the door, I found Spike enjoying a sandwich for lunch. "Huh? Oh, hey! Welcome home, Twilight! Is everything OK?"

I breathed deeply before I smiled at him. "Yes, Spike... Everything is finally OK. James is fine and will probably be out of the hospital in less than a week."

"Awesome! Does he need anything? Should I bake him a batch of my triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies?" Spike perked up instantly and almost dropped his sandwich in the process.

I could not help giggling a bit at his enthusiasm. "Well, as sure as I am that he would love to try those, I don't think he would care for the nuts. He says most of them get stuck in his teeth. But what he would like is some paper. Could you please gather up a small stack of them?"

"Sure thing! I'll be just a minute!" Spike said with a smile before hurrying upstairs and out of sight. I then just stood there while browsing the books on the nearest shelf before I soon heard his little footsteps coming my way again. I then turned and saw him come into view while coming down the stairs before rushing over to me with my saddlebags between his hands. "Here you go! Is thirty pages enough?"

"That sounds like plenty, Spike. Thank you." I then used my magic to place my saddlebags on my back with them hanging off my sides. "I think that's all I need. I better hurry back."

"OK. But...uh... What about that one?" Spike asked while pointing to just my left. I had forgotten about the rolled up sheet of paper that held the last journal entry James ever wrote. How did I forget that I was already maintaining the levitation spell?

"Oops... Almost forgot about that one." I said while feeling a bit embarrassed. I then brought the paper to his hands. "Could you place this by my bed for now? I'll take care of it when I get home in a while."

"Sure! Tell James I said hi, all right?" Spike said while waving goodbye to me. Without further delay, I hurried on back over to the hospital.

Once I got back to the room James and my friends were in, I opened the door and found that not only were they still there. They were also all snacking on muffins of some sort. "Uh... Did I miss something?"

Pinkie Pie turned to me and grinned brightly. "Oh, James was hungry, so I went and got some goodies from Sugarcube Corner! We've got blueberry muffins, banana nut muffins, chocolate muffins, and... Oh, here's a new one! Cherry chocolate chip muffins!"

I could already smell the delicious treats in the air and soon found myself snacking on one of those cherry chocolate chip muffins. Delicious! Anyway, I went over to James' bedside and removed the stack of blank papers from my bag. "Sorry if I kept you waiting, James. We've got thirty pages here. Is that enough?"

"More than enough. Thanks, Twi. Um... Scoot, would it be OK if I just wrote something down for a while? You're a pretty big distraction." James said in reply before patting his little girl on the head... I am sorry, but those two are just so cute together. I mean they were cute before as brother and sister, but as father and daughter... Oh, I could not help but grinning.

Scootaloo did not seem to mind, especially since Rainbow Dash was trying to coax her away from him with that board game she brought along. Weather Patrol, if I remember it correctly. "Sure thing, Dad. I'm gonna play with Rainbow Dash."

It must have been difficult for James to focus on writing with all of us around him. He would frequently glance up from the paper he was writing on to look at us. Applejack seemed to be keeping an eye on Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash, although I am sure she was just making sure Rainbow did not cheat. I was merely conversing with the rest of my friends while also taking time to write this down every now and then. But after... Well, I think it took around an hour for James to speak up. "OK, I think that's it."

"You wrote down what happened in your dream?" Fluttershy asked while we all went to his bedside while Scootaloo started helping herself to another muffin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IX5EN77W6k

"I don't know if it was a dream, but it's all I remember happening before I woke up." He said before handing us a portion of the stack of papers.

"All righty then. Let's see here..." Applejack said as we all gathered around it while taking several steps away from his bed. Scootaloo then hopped back up onto it while bringing James another muffin.

The start of the entry was a bit haunting, to be honest... According to what James remembered, his entire memory had been wiped clean. He could not even remember his own name while trapped in an endless black void. It was creepy, not to mention nerve-wracking. I would have likely panicked after a very short amount of time if I was ever in such a situation. Pinkie Pie muttered quietly next to me, "This is so sad..."

"Yeah... No idea who you are or what you've lost... I can't believe this happened to him..." Rainbow Dash added quietly while keeping her voice down to make sure James could not hear her. What did Discord do to him? I was relieved that James could not remember any of the hellish events that happened, but why erase EVERYTHING from his memory? Or was that not the entire trick?

Things got a bit more interesting when we got to the part where James seemed to find an apple on the absent ground. And the voice he claims to have heard when he picked it up.

"Wait a minute... I reckon that was my voice who said that..." Applejack whispered while she rubbed her chin. She then quietly gasped, "I remember now! That... I said that ta him when he was tryin' ta pull that rigged apple outta the tub at his welcomin' party! Golly, it feels like that was forever ago..."

"And that was on his first day... Ooh, a balloon! Did he hear me next?" Pinkie Pie then said quietly while we read on. It seems James found a balloon floating by next. A balloon that matched the ones on her cutie mark.

"James, you silly..." Pinkie Pie quietly whispered before she brought her hooves to her mouth in shock.

She looked genuinely alarmed while I glanced at James. He seemed to be preoccupied with Scootaloo and they even seemed to be playing Weather Patrol to pass the time. I then looked at Pinkie Pie, as did everypony else, and asked, "What's wrong, Pinkie?"

I saw a tear trickle down her cheek while she quietly sniffled. "That... That was the first thing I ever said to him... Remember, girls?"

"Oh my goodness... You're right. Just after we startled him when he came upstairs in Sugarcube Corner..." Rarity said quietly while looking truly uneasy. These voices that James had been hearing... What significance did they have?

When we read on, the journal mentioned that James came across an azure diamond on the ground. Rarity instinctively looked back at her own cutie mark at that moment, although I have to say I am not certain if azure is the correct description for the diamond symbols that make up her cutie mark. And the words that the next voice said... I know I had never heard them from her before.

"Red and green go well together... I guess that's true, but what did that have to do with anything?" Fluttershy asked while everypony looked a bit confused. Although the mention of red and green did sound familiar somehow...

Rarity covered her face in embarrassment. "Oh dear, now I remember... I was commenting on the colors I painted the bandage I wrapped around his head after I accidentally smashed his forehead into my doorway..."

"Now that you mention it... He was wearing a green headband with some sort with a red star on the front next time I saw him that day... I almost forgot that you told me it was a bandage." I cannot believe I almost forgot that. James wore that the next couple of days before he removed it.

"Well, let's see what he found next..." Applejack muttered while we kept following the lines of text. I felt a twinge of excitement fill me when the journal mentioned seeing a star of sorts floating in the darkness. The description matched the star at the center of my cutie mark.

"Ooh, let's see who talked next... Oh, wait. It had to be you, Twilight." Pinkie Pie whispered while she smiled at me as she wiped her tears away.

The words that he heard me say. Asking if he was human. Where had I said that before? And why did it fill him with an exceptionally noteworthy sense of nostalgia? And then I remembered. And I all but burst into tears as I held my face in my hooves.

"Hey... Hey, Twilight? You OK?" Rainbow Dash asked while I felt her drape her wing across my back in support.

"That line..." I muttered while trying to compose myself. "That was the first thing I ever said to him... No, I... I was the first person to ever approach him when he first came to Equestria..."

"Oh my..." I heard Rarity whisper while she seemed to glance over at him while he was still preoccupied. "Then... No wonder that moment was so sacred to him..."

"It's sacred to me too... I'm glad he remembered it..." I whimpered while hurriedly drying my tears. This moment, as quiet as it was, was becoming quite an emotional experience for all of us.

"Rainbow lightning... Yep, that's me!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed quietly when the entry mentioned a bolt of lightning streaking down from the sky and striking James' hand before the electrical energy collected in his palm. And then the voice he heard next. "Yeah.. I said that right after Applejack when he got that weird one in the tub..."

And as expected, it did not take long before we got to a point where James mentioned seeing a butterfly. The colors perfectly matched the little butterfly symbols that make up Fluttershy's cutie mark. I soon noticed tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks while she held her wrist to her lips. She was smiling just slightly. "I remember those words... It was the first thing I ever said to him when I found him inside Sugarcube Corner..."

All of these words that he heard... They were all from the very first day we ever met him. He was remembering glimpses of the day where he came into our lives. And us into his. And then it happened. We got to the part where it seemed two white birds that resembled his own cutie mark flew overhead, but then flew out of sight.

"Aw... I guess the birds were feeling really shy right then." Pinkie Pie said quietly. Were they taunting him? Or were they just leading him along? But it was then that things got a bit weird. The six items James found that served as our cutie marks began to produce glowing forms that seemed to resemble our own bodies. But they never spoke... Even as they walked alongside him. Were these extensions of the Elements of Harmony and our will? Were they merely projecting our presence there? I wish I could have closed my eyes and saw myself there with him instead of being kept in the dark.

None of us said a word. We all read on in silence. Eventually, the writing revealed that James finally saw the symbol of his cutie mark floating in the darkness up ahead. And when that happened, our glowing duplicates began to speed up while he tried to keep up with them. And when they reached the glowing twin avian forms, they turned to face him. They spoke. And James revealed in order which voice came to him.

"Come back to us, James."

"Time ta wake up, pardner."

"Please, leave this nightmare behind you and return to us."

"No more sad times... Let's get back to the happy times."

"Come on, big guy... We're not saying goodbye today."

"Please... Don't go..."

The tears just came as I read those lines. The Elements were speaking to him... No. We were speaking to him, even if only in spirit. The Elements of Harmony were probably projecting our will. And... Why were these words so beautiful to me? I glanced around at my friends. Nopony said a word. But they were all in tears. They were all equally moved.

I had read enough. I stood up and approached James as he held Scootaloo in his arms and gently tussled her mane. "James..."

"Hm...?" He mumbled while turning to face me. His expression became one of concern. All my friends were beside me. And this time, I could not hide the tears. And neither could they. "Girls...? Are you OK?"

Scootaloo seemed just as equally concerned, especially when she looked at Rainbow Dash. "Hey... Why are you crying, Rainbow Dash? You're too tough to cry like that!"

"Squirt..." Rainbow Dash muttered while her voice was beginning to break. "Maybe when you find somepony someday that you just can't imagine living without, you'll understand why..."

With that, Rainbow Dash pulled herself up to the bed and threw her arms around his neck while burying her face into his shoulder. One by one, we all followed. In a moment, we were all holding our dear friend in a group embrace as the tears flowed. Scootaloo remained silent and watched in concern. I know she could never hope to understand what we had been through, but I am certain she knew better than to judge us.

I felt James' hand rest upon my back as he tried to hold us in his arms. "Hey... Is something wrong?"

"No, darling... Nothing is wrong... Nothing is wrong in the slightest..." I heard Rarity whimper quietly from next to me.

I then heard Pinkie Pie speak while her voice sounded more like a squeak. "We're OK... You're OK... Everything's gonna be OK now..."

Hours went by and we stayed by his side as long as we could. Scootaloo departed after a while to go spend time with the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but also to spread the word to them that James was doing just fine. It was a shame they never came back, but I am sure they will all be spending some much needed time with him starting tomorrow.

I was reluctant to leave once 8 PM came, but James did seem rather tired and was eager to turn in early for the night. He may have been healing, but his body was still ravaged from the entropy it had been suffering from. It will likely be several days before he is back to what he used to be. We all departed from the hospital with the sun having just disappeared over the horizon with only its orange glow modestly lighting up Ponyville around us. Even so, we were all in high spirits. And that was a first in what felt like far too long.

Pinkie Pie was hopping alongside us instead of just walking. She must have been in a good mood. "Phew! It feels soooo good to be happy again!"

"Heh, yeah. I was almost forgetting what it was like." Rainbow Dash snidely replied while rolling her eyes. I could already feel the mood returning to normal. All of us together, chatting and joking as friends. Even if one of our closest friends was absent, there was nothing holding us back. No lingering feelings of dread or guilt. Things truly were returning to normal.

Rarity then spoke up while she hurried up beside me. "Actually... I propose we all go out to dinner to celebrate. It's been too long since the last time we all just got together for a little soiree, hasn't it?"

Before I could even give that suggestion much thought, I practically heard my stomach roar in demand. And not just mine. It was almost as if all of our stomachs roared at us. It was then that I realized I had not eaten a thing all day since breakfast! There were those muffins that Pinkie Pie brought over, but those could hardly count as a meal. Gosh, I think the last time that happened was back during my first few weeks in Ponyville when I first got that invitation to the Grand Galloping Gala.

"Whoa... We got so swept up in hangin' out with James that we forgot ta fill our bellies. Who else is up for some grub?" Applejack asked while realizing just how hungry she was.

Fluttershy seemed to blush as her stomach growled especially loudly. "Oh dear... We did lose track of time, didn't we? An outdoor sounds lovely. Should we visit the cafe?"

One by one, my friends and I voiced our agreement to the proposition. Once it was agreed upon, I smiled and started to walk home. "OK then! I'll just head home to grab some bits and I'll meet you all there!"

It was getting pretty dark out, what with the occasional lamppost automatically turning on to cast some light out through the darkness. I could hear the hissing and cries of cicadas in the cool evening air. You do not normally hear those sounds in Canterlot. Even so, I did not let myself get distracted while I headed home. I was famished and looking forward to a hot meal. I could already taste the roasted carrots.

I pushed the door open to the library, finding the place already rather poorly lit. However, I did see a single source of light right next to the stairs that seemed to be coming from a single lit candle. And seated beside it on the steps was Spike. "Oh! Hi, Spike! Isn't it almost your bedtime?"

My longtime friend looked over at me and said, "Huh? Oh... Hi, Twilight. Yeah, I was supposed to be getting ready for bed, but... I couldn't sleep."

"Couldn't sleep? But you're one of the heaviest sleepers I..." I began to speak in reply, but my eyes then noticed something in his grasp. A sheet of familiar white paper tightly rolled up. "Oh no... Spike, did you read that?"

He nodded worriedly. "Sorry... I just got curious and took a look at it. I probably would've read it anyway if you told me not too..." Spike then looked right at me and walked over to me with the paper unfurled. "James wrote this, right? Why'd he do this? It was kinda...scary to read. Is he really OK now?"

The journal entry was very short. Only four brief paragraphs. And they all contained the apathetic words of a broken man who had completely given up. Thank goodness that dark chapter is finally behind us. Even so, I rolled up the paper again and lightly patted Spike on the head. "Yes, Spike... He went through very hard times recently, but he is doing just fine. I saw him today. He was smiling and talking. He's going to be just fine. I promise."

"Oh... That's good, I guess... But...what happened to him? What made him act like this? I would've never guessed he wrote this if I didn't recognize his writing." Spike asked once more while still looking very concerned and puzzled.

I did not want to tell him to just stop worrying about it. He would not just lose interest like that. I had to think of a way to explain it to him without revealing too much. No child should have any idea of what happened that day... "Spike... He... I'll try to explain this the best that I can. To make a long story short... He thought he lost the most important people in his life. People he could not imagine living without."

"I... I don't think I really get that..." Spike quietly said while scratching his head. It truly was a concept he was struggling to comprehend.

With a sigh, I placed my hoof on his shoulder. "Spike... Think for a minute. Is there somepony in your life who is just so important to you that you can't imagine life without them? Someone who is so deeply integrated into your life that losing them just is not something you could ever bear?"

For a good half of a minute, we just stood there in silence. Spike gazed up at me with his young big green eyes while I looked back, waiting for an answer. And soon, the tears that began to slide down his cheeks showed me that he had found the answer. He then rushed forward and held onto me in a surprisingly tight embrace. "Yes... You, Twilight..."

I felt my heart melt at those words. I wrapped my arm around him and held him tightly to my chest. "Thank you, Spike... Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

"I know..." I heard Spike whisper to me. He has been with me since the day he hatched. Almost like the little brother I never had. I cannot imagine losing him. He has been with me for so long and will probably be with me until the day I die. I could never replace him.

Finally, Spike pulled his head away and looked up at me while drying his tears. "So... That's what happened to James? He...lost somepony that important to him? Who was it?"

I did not want to worry him further, so I just lightly rubbed his head with my hoof. "That doesn't matter, Spike. He thought he lost those precious people in his life, but they were with him all along. And he knows it now. So... No more tears, OK? He's going to be fine."

"That's good..." Spike said quietly before he let out a big and long yawn. I suppose his nerves were more relaxed now that he had gotten some closure and a weight off his chest. "Wow... I think I really should get to bed now..."

I could not help giggling a bit. "Oh, trust me. Crying tires you out. I should know. I've done quite a bit of that lately."

The two of us headed back upstairs with a candle lighting the way. Very soon, Spike was fast asleep in bed. I did not even get the chance to say goodnight before I turned around and found him in his little bed while sucking on his tail spade. Such an adorable sight. With my coin purse on hoof, I placed a little kiss on his head before hurrying back downstairs. I found Owlowiscious perched upon his favorite roosting spot just to the left of the door, just as I had hoped he would be. "I'll be back in a while, Owlowiscious. You keep an eye on the place for me, all right?"

Owlowiscious gave me one of his cute little hoots before I headed out the door. The sky had become even darker than before while I was in my house, the stars adorning the night sky while a fantastic full moon hung overhead. Princess Luna was probably rejoicing over her friend's recovery at that very moment. I hope James was seeing it before he finally fell asleep.

I wasted no time in making my way to the cafe. While they do close at 10 PM, I did not want to get there too late. And sure enough, I found all five of my closest friends seated around a table waiting for me while candles lit up the tables from the very middle of each. Well... I guess saying ALL is not quite doing it justice, but they were the friends I had known the longest since first coming to Ponyville.

"Hey, girls! Sorry if I kept you waiting. Got caught up in a chat with Spike before he went to sleep." I said the instant they turned to look at me.

"Aw, was little Spikey Wikey worried about us?" Rarity asked in a bit of a teasing sort of tone. She really does adore Spike.

"Well... Not exactly us." I replied while I took a seat between Fluttershy and Applejack. "Let's just say he heard something I was hoping he would leave alone and...it left him a bit unsettled."

"Read something? Wait... You don't mean that last little bit James wrote before Nightmare Moon put him out, right?" Rainbow Dash asked while looking and sounding more than just a bit worried. She was the only person there other than myself who had read it.

"Yeah... The tone of the writing disturbed him and I explained to him that things are all right with James now. And then I put Spike to bed and hurried on over." I explained while trying to keep a smile on my face. We were finally past all of the gloom and doom from knowing our friend had been dying recently and were trying to have a good night.

Pinkie Pie, being the hopeless optimist she is, merely laughed since she did not know what that final journal contained. "Oh, it couldn't have been that bad! James was probably just feeling really hopeful and excited that the curse was about to be lifted!"

All eyes fell upon her. And nopony was smiling. I then decided to enlighten her to the actual tone of he writing. "Pinkie... James had given up by the time he wrote that. He was expecting, and hoping, to die soon."

"Oh..." Pinkie muttered while she then bowed her head. "At least it's all over now... Even if this was all because we broke a Pinkie Promise..."

Applejack sighed and held her face in her hooves. "I still can't believe we did that... How'd we let the poor guy down this bad? I still can't wrap my head around it..."

"It was Discord, Applejack... I don't think we could've resisted him, even if we tried..." Fluttershy said quietly while trying to hide her face right behind her mane. I could feel myself feeling more and more somber as the mood darkened. As much as I did not want to think about it, it was hard to not think about all we had gone through and what we failed to do in preventing it.

Finally, Pinkie Pie suddenly spoke up with a smile. "Hey! Let's not get all gloomy again now, all right? Everything's OK now! He's gonna be fine! So let's get happy, not sappy!"

It was great to see Pinkie Pie trying to keep the mood up, and I did appreciate her efforts. But I was still being held down by doubt. And my memories of what Discord said... Rarity put it best. "I wish it were that easy, Pinkie... But...Discord was right all along."

"I know... I don't want to admit it, but... We're the ones who are responsible for what happened." I added while feeling a heavy weight settle in my heart. It was all guilt.

Fluttershy seemed as if she was trying to not look at either of us directly. "He didn't need to be there... He only came along because we wanted him to be with us and he wanted to stay with us too... But...only the Elements of Harmony were needed to deal with Discord... He wasn't supposed to even be there...."

She was right... Discord was right... James' presence was unnecessary during that crisis. We had dealt with Discord before and we could probably do it again. There was no need for the bearer of the Element of Humanity to get involved. The princesses did not even request him to come with us. And as a result... We nearly lost him. We nearly got him killed!

"Hey... Girls?" Applejack finally spoke up, drawing our attention to her. "I mean... I ain't no dimwit. I know we dragged James along inta this mess... So... I wanna make a promise with y'all. If somethin' comes up again that needs the Elements of Harmony ta fix it, let's... Let's keep James outta it. I'm scared stiff that this'll all happen again if he comes along next time..."

One by one, we reached across the table and touched our hooves together. Pinkie Pie then nodded her head and spoke quietly, "Let's make it a Pinkie Promise... Never again, right?"

"Yeah... Never again." Rainbow Dash muttered while we all bowed our heads. We nearly lost him once before. We know what that horror feels like now. And we will not repeat that mistake.

After a moment of silence, we properly returned to our seats while Pinkie Pie ten spoke up again as she seemed to be regaining her peppy smile. "OK... Well, we really shouldn't be moping around now that the worst is over. So... What should we get tonight?"

We started looking through the menu. A tasty meal would do us a lot of good in lifting our spirits. While there was a lot on the menu that caught my eye, Rarity then made quite a suggestion. "If I may make a suggestion, perhaps we should order one of these party platters."

"Well, you know what they say. Three is a crowd while anymore than that is a party. And I see six of us." Fluttershy said while starting to smile again. And that platter did look great. Definitely too much for just a couple of ponies to eat. I cannot even recall what was on it.

"Looks pretty good ta me! And I reckon tonight's a good time ta bring out the booze. Whatcha girls in the mood for? Hard cider? A couple of beers? Maybe some wine?" Applejack suggested while also looking through the drink menu that had been provided.

I could certainly see her point. We had just gotten through one of the hardest experiences of our lives, so it was definitely a time of celebration. However, Fluttershy then spoke up while waving her hoof dismissively. "Oh, I'm afraid I can't do that, Applejack. I can't drink right now."

"Can't drink?! But it's a special occasion, dear! Surely some sweet white wine is called for." Rarity then asked while I felt a powerful tension settling in my gut. Rainbow Dash was giving me the exact same look I was giving her too. We were the only ones who knew.

Fluttershy seemed far too timid to come out and explain why she could not let herself drink. Although Pinkie Pie then asked with a giggle, "Oh, I know what you'd like! What's that mixture you like with citrus and ginger again?"

However, it was then that Applejack started to give Fluttershy a funny look. And Fluttershy was blushing so hard while looking right back at her. "Wait a minute... Fluttershy, y'all don't have a couple of pies in the oven, if ya know what I mean? Do ya?"

It was then that Rarity and Pinkie Pie started to give Fluttershy some curious looks too. With a very sheepish grin that I could almost hear, Fluttershy squeaked out a reply. "Um... Just one, actually."

That hit my friends about as hard as I expected. That is to say, it hit them pretty hard! Applejack nearly fell off her stool with her hat falling right off while Pinkie Pie's jaw literally hit the table. Rarity then asked while her eye seemed to be twitching, "Wha... I mean... You just said... Are you serious?! Truly, darling?! You and dearest James are...expecting?!"

Her cheeks had to be hurting by that point. Fluttershy was grinning widely and broadly, although clearly out of nervousness. Pinkie Pie then practically started yelling while having jumped right up onto the table. "Ohmigosh! This is so amazing! Is it gonna be a filly?! Maybe a colt?! Did you mmm mmm hmm?! Mmm grmmm hmmm?!"

I have no idea what she was saying, but I had to use my magic to clamp her jaws shut to stop her from drawing too much attention. But even with her jaws clamped shut, she kept trying to talk through her closed lips. I finally had to speak up while trying to avoid drawing the attention of the other customers, "Pinkie, stop it! It's not like we want the whole town to know about it! And get off the table, you're gonna get us kicked out!"

Pinkie Pie promptly hopped down from the table while looking a bit embarrassed since her eyes were glancing about. It was then that I released my magical grasp on her. "Sorry... It's just... Oop! Not gonna say anything else! Very hush hush right now, right?"

"Uh huh... Thanks, Pinkie. But...yeah. I have a foal on the way..." Fluttershy then spoke quietly while still looking incredibly nervous. She would not stop grinning or blushing.

"Wow... So lil' Fluttershy's about to be Mama Fluttershy, huh? Well, guess that means I'm gonna have ta start swingin' by every now and then with some apple pies and fritters for the youngin's! Them foals sure can eat!" Applejack said with a chuckle while picking up her hat and placing it back on her head.

However, Rarity then seemed to glance at me and Rainbow Dash with a skeptical stare. "Well, you two are taking the news surprisingly well!"

"Uh... Heheh..." Rainbow Dash snickered while she rubbed the back of her own head. "I guess that's because we already knew."

"WHAT?! And you didn't tell us?!" Pinkie Pie practically yelled while looking noticeably annoyed.

I decided to explain things before anypony else could throw around accusations. "She wanted to wait until things had finally calmed down before spreading the news! And considering how emotionally taxing these last couple of weeks have been for all of us, I think it was very wise to hold off on spreading the word to avoid making an already bad situation even more stressful."

"Ah... I see. Well done, Fluttershy." Rarity quickly replied while gently rubbing her friend's shoulder.

"But still...! You're gonna have a foal?! This is just so... Eek, I wanna just explode, but I know I shouldn't! How long has it been?! When is it gonna be due?!" Pinkie Pie asked while trying very hard to not raise her voice.

Fluttershy seemed like she was beginning to relax a bit. "I... Well... I think it's only been a few weeks. I've still got a little over ten months to go."

For whatever reason, Rainbow Dash smirked while nudging Fluttershy's shoulder. "Ten months, huh? Plenty of time to enjoy it. I hope you're ready for when the hormones kick in. You and James are gonna be having lots of fun nights pretty soon!"

Just when it seemed that Fluttershy's blush had all but faded, it suddenly filled her face to the point of looking like a peach. The rest of us could only laugh while she began to fluster and I buried my face in my hoof. "Oh my gosh, Rainbow... Really?!"

"Hey, everypony's got their kinks! And I know one of James' is pregnant girls!" Rainbow Dash replied loudly while we could only laugh. Honestly, where did she even get that information?! Did she actually go out of her way to ask him about that?!

"Well, that's all fine and dandy, but... Well, does the pappy know 'bout this right now?" Applejack then asked while she adjusted her hat. I really hope we were not drawing too much attention to ourselves.

I decided to answer that question. "Well, he did... But seeing as how he doesn't remember a single day from after he first entered the labyrinth with us, I don't think he remembers..."

"Excellent! Then that means you can still tell him yourself, darling! I just know our dear friend will be absolutely thrilled!" Rarity cheered joyfully while giving her best friend a very supporting smile.

"Seeing as how OK with being Scoot's dad he was when she asked him, I'd say he'll be cool with it too. Still... James' is gonna be a dad for real, huh? Man, I just can't wrap my head around this!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed while scratching her head.

For whatever reason, Fluttershy was being surprisingly unexpressive about the subject by that point. She just kept her gaze turned down at the table. "I hope so..."

"Is something wrong?" I asked while looking at her. She seemed...deeply troubled. And I had a hunch that it had nothing to do with telling James that he is going to become a father in some time.

All eyes fell upon her, but she did not reply right away. Although I soon heard her quietly say, "Sorry... It's just... I need to have a long talk with him once he comes home..." She then lowered her gaze further and whispered as I saw tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks, "I just...don't want to hurt him again..."

"Don't want to..." Rarity muttered before a look of shock filled her eyes. "Fluttershy... Surely you're not considering leaving him, are you?"

At those words, Fluttershy buried her face in her arms. Muffled whimpers and sobs could be heard. Before any of us could do much, Rainbow Dash and Rarity were already on both sides of her, holding Fluttershy in their arms. Rainbow Dash spoke first. "Hey... Hey, Fluttershy. Don't go thinking he's gonna leave you now, all right? It's gonna be fine... I know you didn't stick with him through all this just to call the whole thing quits now."

"There there, now... No more tears, dear. You saw how happy he was to see you. Don't think for a minute it's all over." Rarity whispered reassuringly while tightly holding her friend tightly.

Finally, Fluttershy began to lift her face from her arms. She glanced at her two friends before looking at the rest of us. She looked so pained... "I'm sorry... Can we...please not talk about this anymore tonight? I really don't want to discuss it right now..."

I nodded in silence. So did Pinkie Pie and Applejack. Finally, Applejack lifted the drink menu again and tried to casually change the subject. "Well... Seein' as how ya can't stomach the hard stuff right now, how 'bout some sparklin' cider instead?"

Before long, we were all eating and talking and laughing again. I really do not feel that there is anything worth mentioning, although we did honor Fluttershy's request by never bringing up the subject of her pregnancy or anything regarding her current relationship with James. It was just the first time together with all of my friends in what felt like a very long time that we were all just having a good time. Well... Almost all my friends. Spike was fast asleep at home at that moment and it was a shame James could not attend. Still, there will always be next time. When we finally departed for home, we all parted ways with a smile.

I got home feeling much better. It just felt so good being in better spirits after so many consecutive days of angst and dread. My home was dark by the time I arrived. Owlowiscious was still clearly awake and greeted me once I was inside. I had to use my magic to light up my horn to see where I was going. Such a shame that the library and its loft never had electrical lighting installed. But considering that it is carved out of a living tree, it is understandable that they could only do so much without killing the poor thing.

Once I reached my bed, I found Spike still fast asleep across from me. However, when I looked at my bed, I saw it again. The last thing James ever wrote before he was sent into his own subconscious to find and destroy the curse that plagued him.

Once more, I read over its contents. It was so short, being no more than four paragraphs long. And even then, they were very brief. I felt a dull pain in my heart while reading what could have very easily been my friend's final words. The tone and brevity of his writing. The words of a man without hope. A man who had resigned himself to his doom.

Reading over the despair he had felt while being tormented by the curse forcing his most scarring memories into constantly repeating themselves at the front of his mind filled me with such remorse, but also a powerful desire. A desire to protect him. When he awoke, he remembered nothing of the hell that happened a few weeks ago. He remembered nothing of what happened while in the hospital. He was back to normal. Calm and happy and devoid of pain. And I wanted it to stay that way.

My thoughts went to the cluster of journals he wrote during his time in the hospital. And the few journals that me and my friends wrote that I had sent to the princesses to aid in them finding the source of his pain. They were all still with them. And that is where they need to stay.

Filled with resolve, I hurried back down the steps to my writing desk and pulled a scroll over to me while lighting a candle that rested nearby. I needed to speak to Princess Celestia right away.

"Dear Princess Celestia... I am sure that Nightmare Moon has returned to Canterlot with good news. James is a live and well. The curse that was poisoning him has been destroyed. And by some miracle, he remembers absolutely nothing of what happened after he began to explore the labyrinth with us. And... I must make a request. After seeing how the events that transpired affected him, I must say that...it would be for the best that he is not allowed to know what happened. He was a broken man when he awoke and had great difficulty trusting any of us at first. But now he is truly back to normal. He was happy to see us. He trusted us just like before. And I do not want that to change. So...please. Every last journal we wrote that documented what happened these last few weeks... Please keep them hidden from him. After all that happened, he deserves to be happy and I do not want to see that taken away from him. Can I ask this of you? Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

I rolled up the scroll along with that final brief journal entry James wrote and secured them with a ribbon before walking over to the nearest window and opening it. I really did not want to disturb Spike, but this message needed to be sent right away. I gently rubbed his little head and whispered, "Spike... Spike, please wake up. I need you to send this to Princess Celestia right away."

My gentle prodding did nothing to wake him up. Spike was sleeping like a log. With a sigh, I walked back down the nearby steps and placed scroll back on my desk. "I guess it can wait until tomorrow."

However, just when I turned around, I heard a sound behind me. The hoot of an owl. When I turned to look, I found Owlowiscious perched near the scroll. He then stepped over it and seemed to clutch it in his strong talons. I could tell what he was suggesting. "Owlowiscious... Do you think you could deliver that to Princess Celestia in Canterlot tonight?"

My little nocturnal assistant hooted happily and spread his wings before hovering near the window. I smiled and nodded while approaching the window. "Thank you... I'll make sure I stay awake to let you back in." With that, he was off. Owlowiscious flew out the window and was gone. When I peeked out the window that faced north in the loft, I saw him flying under the moonlight and towards Canterlot in the distance.

I closed the window and then tried to go to sleep. But... No matter what I tried, I could not in spite of how exhausted I was and still am. I just had so much on my mind. Just what a day... Especially with everything that happened in James' mind! But as I recalled that, and realized that James did not remember a thing about it, I smiled. I trotted back down to my writing desk. I gathered up a stack of paper and began to write. If James was not going to chronicle what happened during that struggle against Discord's remnants, I would. That was a time that needs to be remembered.

My quill wrote line after line as I vividly remembered everything I saw. Everything I felt. I remembered the sense of overwhelming joy when I found myself with my five closest friends as we descended towards him. When I held him in my arms. I remembered the fierce determination and anger I felt towards the abomination that was wearing our faces and speaking with our voices. The sense of awe watching myself cast spells of such a caliber that I never knew I could achieve before and watching my friends display new abilities they probably do not actually have. And the excitement that came from actually holding our own against it in battle. I was so angry and frustrated at first. But once we really started to gain the upper hoof against it, it even started to be fun! We were all there, together. Fighting together to destroy the source of our troubles. And despite its surreal abilities, we definitely had the advantage in varied abilities and numbers. It felt like we could not lose!

I must have been writing for roughly half an hour before I thought I heard a distant thumping sound. I initially dismissed it, but grew curious when I heard it again. It seemed to be coming from downstairs. Somepony was knocking on the front door.

"Who could possibly be trying to borrow a book at this hour?" I set my quill down before hurrying downstairs and trotted over to the door while whoever was there just kept knocking. "Yes, yes, I hear you..."

However, I was in for quite a surprise when I actually opened it. Standing on the other side was Pinkie Pie. And she was still wearing her nightcap. "Good evening, Twilight. I hope I didn't wake you up."

"Let me guess. Couldn't sleep?" I asked in return, to which Pinkie Pie readily nodded. "Me neither. Come on in."

I let her in without an argument before locking the door behind her. "I just had so much on my mind tonight. I mean how couldn't I after everything that went on inside James' head?! That was crazy!"

"Shhhh. Keep your voice down. You'll wake Spike up." I whispered back to her while leading her upstairs to the loft. "But I know what you mean. I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of our friends are having trouble getting to sleep too right about now."

"Yeah... Thanks for letting me in. You think it'd be OK if I bunk here tonight? Maybe I can get to sleep if I'm around friends." Pinkie Pie asked once we reached the top of the stairs. It was very dark and only the candle I had lit was the only real source of light around us.

"That sounds OK to me, Pinkie. Just don't make too much noise. We're not the only ones here, you know." I said quietly before going back over to the desk to continue writing.

I heard Pinkie Pie let out a long yawn. She must have been tired. "No problem... I'm a bit too worn out to really be my usual peppy self right now anyway..." However, I soon heard her speak from right next to my head. "What you doing?"

That actually startled me a bit, but I managed to not let out a yelp. "Huh? Oh, I'm just writing down everything I remember happening once we were there helping James take down the curse. It...just feels like something that needed to be chronicled. Although I'm sure James would've been the better writer. I can only imagine what he saw before the Elements of Harmony started to work their magic."

She seemed to glance over a few of the lines I had just written. "Mmhm! Yeah, it was awesome when you blasted that thing with a supercharged wave of magic. I didn't know you could do that!"

"You and me both, Pinkie." I said with a chuckle while my quill continued to scribble down what I remembered. However, there was a sudden belch as a green glow was cast around the room for a few seconds. When we turned around and looked up, Spike was sitting up in bed while looking rather groggy as a scroll fell from the air and landed beside his bed along with a stack of generic paper. With barely a yawn and a stretch, he turned over and went back to sleep.

"Wow. Spike's a heavy sleeper." Pinkie whispered with a giggle. However, I went ahead and used my magic to levitate the scroll and the stack of paper over to me since I knew who it had come from.

"I was almost expecting Princess Celestia to send her reply with Owlowiscious when he came home. I'm just glad Spike didn't mind it so much." I said with a relieved sigh. I then tried looking over the stack of paper to try to figure out what it was. After skimming through the pages a bit, I quickly realized what it was. "This is James' writing... And the events it mentions... I think this was the journal he finished writing just before we began searching the labyrinth."

Pinkie Pie glanced over my shoulder to see it too. "Hmmm... Yep! That's James' writing! Always using the default Times New Roman. I always liked using Comic Sans. And you always write in Book Antiqua!"

"Uh huh... Sure. Anyway, let's se what Princess Celestia had to say." I said while trying to not think too much about what Pinkie Pie was talking about.

The scroll read, "Dear Twilight, I want to thank you for bringing your concerns to my attention, although I was surprised to find one of the night watch visiting my private chambers with an owl clutching a scroll for me instead of receiving your message the usual way. Your little friend should be on his way back by the time you read this. Anyway, yes. Nightmare Moon returned to Canterlot this afternoon with the news that James' condition had stabilized and that, like you claimed, he had no recollection of the turmoil that had occurred in recent weeks. Luna and I are ever so grateful that her findings did indeed lead to his salvation. But in regards to your suggestion about all recordings and documents relating to what has happened, I must say that you may be right. For the sake of his happiness, it may be best if he is never allowed to know what occurred. Dark days have past and it is nothing short of a blessing that he does not remember. As you requested, I have secured and locked away every last journal of his and yours that were presented to me over this past week. However, I have sent the last entry he wrote before this disaster began to you as he probably still remembers writing it, which was recovered from the edge of the labyrinth by the royal guard. Please, never speak of this crisis again, especially to him. This truly has been a nightmare that is better off forgotten entirely. Although I should tell you that I have a special surprise in the works for you and your friends this Sunday. If you happen to forget, I will send you a reminder. But for now, rest easy. You have all earned some much needed rest. Sincerest wishes, Princess Celestia."

I felt a sense of relief wash over me. With those journals now locked away somewhere within the royal place itself, there was no way anypony was going to see them without the consent of the princesses. Pinkie Pie too breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew... Now he'll never know... But...it still doesn't really feel right, hiding the truth from him like this..."

"I know, Pinkie..." The guilt was still there. Even if it was for the best, I could not help feeling bad over hiding something so huge from someone I love. "I know it's wrong... He should probably know. But considering what that knowledge may do to him... He'll be happier if he doesn't find out what happened..."

"I know... I wish I could forget too." Pinkie Pie said with a sigh while her mane seemed like it was tempted to just deflate. But then she looked at me and tried to smile. "Still... At least now things can finally start to go back to normal... Right?"

I smiled too. It felt like it had been so long since we finally had peace amongst ourselves. "Yeah... Just like how they used to be..."

Pinkie Pie is just helping herself to some tea while relaxing outside on the library's top balcony while I am finishing this up right now along with my recollection of that fantastic struggle inside the depths of James' mind. I need to remember to return this journal entry of his to Fluttershy's house tomorrow. Still...while I do feel great relief that this dark chapter in our friendship has finally passed, I feel...conflicted over this. James knows nothing of what happened and is a happier person because of it. But even so, everything that he forgot DID happen. Why? What caused him to forget? Was this some sort of final act of mercy from Discord just before the end? To spare him from having to live with the scars of what he did and suffered?

I feel like I should tell him, yet I know I should not. If I tell him, I will hurt him. And even then, he may not believe me. How am I supposed to tell one the dearest friends I have ever known, a man I genuinely love, that we...failed him after vowing to protect him from Discord's wiles? How can I tell him that he...

No... I cannot bear to remember that day. Do not think about it, Twilight. How am I supposed to tell James that he ended someone's life? It was not murder... I do not want to believe it was murder... No, it was not murder. Discord survived. It... Ugh, it is just so complicated and painful to think about. I wish this never happened. But now, we need to carry this secret and keep it buried. Maybe it is the wrong thing to do, but as long as it keeps him safe and keeps our relationship strong, I think it is a worthy sacrifice.

I nearly lost him twice. I cannot bear the thought of losing him for good... We came so close to losing him today... So close...

I think this is all I want to write now. My eyes are getting really tired. I am going to check on Pinkie Pie and see if she is ready for bed too. We have a lot of catching up to do once James comes home. At least now I can finally go to sleep knowing that he will still be with us tomorrow.