Cutie Mark Crusaders, and the search for Anonymous' body CH3

>The night creeps on, the brilliance of the moon marred by the all-encompassing canopy above.

>Your three associates had gone from buoyant enthusiasm to gradual, but definite fear: they flinched at the sounds of rustling in the undergrowth, and few conversations were to be had between the trio of fillies.

>”Y’sure ya know where we’re goin’?” Applebloom asks, eyeing the surrounding darkness uneasily.

“I have a queer idea of where to go… I think we may in fact be nearing it soon…”

>”Good, this place gives me the heebie-jeebies!” Scootaloo squeaks, her wing stroking your skull.

>”What’s wrong Scootaloo? You chicken?” Sweetie Belle taunts.

>”Am not!”

>”Are too!”

>”AM NOT!”

>”ARE TOO!”

“Fillies, please! Keep your ruckus to a minimum.”

>You sigh in exasperation, nerves frayed by the constant darkness.

“Say, you claimed yourselves to be the ‘cutie mark crusaders’. I take it this is not your first gallivant in search of your cutie marks, no?”

>”Nah, we’ve tried our hooves at a whole buncha stuff. Our last try was us tryin’ to be cutie mark crusader astronauts!”

“Oh my! And how did that fare?”

>”We, uh… burnt down th’home of Scootaloo’s idol.”

“Impressive.”

>”Ah still dunno how we set clouds on fire…”

“Well, good to know that I’m not the sole culprit for disregarding the laws of nature. Just remember: when an adult tells you “reach for the stars”, don’t take their word literally.”

>”Hmmph.”

>Your humour is lost on Applebloom, and you silently regard the task ahead of you.

>You weren’t completely lying earlier… you did in fact know where your body was.

>The treasure though? A complete fabrication.

>You felt guilty for duping the trio, especially as they had been kind so far, but you needed a guarantee that they’d help you. What if they had put you back in the box once your uselessness was revealed? No, that wouldn’t do at all.

>A sudden, guttural growling grabs your attention.

“What was that?”

>Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle freeze, their eyes darting around in fear.

>”G-girls? Did any of you hear that?”

>Sweetie Belle gulps. “I heard it, Scootaloo…”

>Twigs snap behind you and you yell in fear, your vision of the mystery stalker obscured by Scootaloo’s wing.

“It’s right behind us! I can’t see-“

>”Timber Wolves!” the crusaders cry, panic overwhelming them immediately.

“Get up a tree!” you yell, Scootaloo bolting at the sound of your voice.

>You are dislodged from your cosy haven, landing up on the ground. You get a good view of the fillies, as they deftly vault up the tree, quickly escaping the dangerous low-ground.

>The green eyes which had lurked in the darkness now emerge, revealing full bodies… made of wood.

>An appropriate name for a hideous creature.

>The wooden wolves surround the base of the tree, yapping and barking at the terrified ponies seeking refuge in its heights.

>You feel a nuzzling at the back of your skull, and you silently groan as a wolf begins to sniff you over.

>”Anonymous!”

>You ignore Scootaloo’s worried cry and instead try and formulate a plan. Wolves were patient: the fillies would have to come down sometime… but they’re also cowards….

>Your world spins and the wolf begins pawing your skull, turning you on in the dirt.

>When your vision rights itself, a huge wolf is standing over you, examining you with primal curiosity.

>Looks like the pack leader, given it’s size and curiosity… if you could somehow get rid of him, you’d clear the entire pack away…

>Suddenly, with grim timing, a tickle nestles in your nose.

>Not now, out of all the time-

“AAAAACHOOOO!” you yell, your jaw flying open with the force of the sneeze.

>The alpha wolf yelps in fear, back-peddling away from you with raised fur.

>Bloody sneeze, it couldn’t have come at a worse time… or could it?

>You did just scare the alpha wolf… his instincts have been kick-started… he won’t be able to think, only react…

“Yeah, you better back away, you filthy mongrel! You can’t handle me!”

>The wolf emits a low growl, taking a step towards you.

“Oh, want to play the tough-guy game, huh? Well, fair warning pal: I’m going to break off your legs and play fetch with them! I’ll turn you into kindling!”

>You can see the caution in his eyes, as you rant at him. Talking skulls tended to have that affects on animals…

“You think I’m bluffing? Well, you better make like the wind and high-tail out of here before we put that bluff to the test! You think I care? I am a talking skull, not even death dares come for me!”

>You’re positive the wolf cannot understand a word of your long-winded tirade, but your presence and tone is enough to break its will.

>With a final growl, it backs off with agonizing slowness, the rest of the timber wolves following suit.

>You hold your non-existent breath for a moment, before exhaling in relief.

“Oh heavens, I didn’t think that would actually work…”

>”Holy haystack Anon, that actually worked! Y’did it!”

“Yes Applebloom, it worked… if they had called my bluff, I would have been dragged off to lord knows where, with the three of you left stranded… I think I’m going to faint myself…”

>”Skeletons can’t faint!”

“Watch me, dear Scootaloo! I am a pioneer in post-mortem dramatics!”

>”Quit moaning, you’re going to be fine.” Sweetie Belle mutters.

“Fine? I just faked resolve in front of a wooden wolf capable of crushing my empty head with one fell swoop! It is a good thing my breeches rotted away long ago: I have no doubt they’d be soiled right now…”

>A coolness suddenly splashes across your brow, as Scootaloo wipes you with a damp leaf.

“Good lord that feels good… yes, I think I am feeling a little better now.”

>The cooling dampness returns clarity to your senses, and you chuckle.

“If I have the guts to stand up to such a beast now, imagine what I’d be capable of if I had a full body!”

>You raise a small chuckle out of the trio, before you are once more propped up against Scootaloo’s wing.

“Onwards, a-ho! Only… let’s try and stay out of the way of beasties, shall we?

>”Yes, that seems like a great idea.” Sweetie Belle says. “How close are we to this cave anyway?”

“Hmm, let me see… this river is awful familiar… aha!”

>You grin in triumph.

“Let us venture off the beaten track for a few minutes, across the stream and through the undergrowth. We’ll come to a clearing with a tree – you’ll know when we reach it, it’s particularly distinct.”

>”Let’s get going then!” Scootaloo exclaims, and you lurch into a sprint once more.

>Across the stream you go: trees flash past you, utterly disorientating.

>Thankfully, your prediction turns out to be correct, and you come to a breathless standstill a few minutes later.

>Before you stands a lopsided tree, its branches reaching down to the ground…

“And there it is…”

>A wide, beckoning hole leads into a pitch-black tunnel, spiralling into darkness.

“I don’t suppose anyone happened to bring a light of some sort, did they? No matter, we shall press on! Light is a luxury, not-“

>”Ah got us covered!” Applebloom exclaims, fiddling in her bag for something.

>She pulls out a brightly glowing glass lamp, filled with…

“Are those glowing insects?”

>”Yup!” Scootaloo says excitedly. “Fireflies!”

“How wonderfully weird…”

>The trio of fillies inch towards the edge of the cave, peeking over into the darkness.

>”It’s awful steep, Anonymous…”

“That it is, Scootaloo. That is it… as long as you descend carefully though, we shouldn’t have any-“

>You begin to slide forward as Scootaloo shuffles down the side of the tunnel.

“Uh, Scootaloo? Could you be a saint and secure me with some rope?”

>”What was that?”

>You roll over enough to peer down the tunnel, the flickering of the firefly lamp revealing its depth.

“Seriously Scootaloo, you’ll need to tie me down.”

>”You’re mumbling Anon, I can’t tell what in the hay you’re saying!”

“Seriously Scootaloo! I’m… slipping!”

>Scootaloo shifts slightly, providing just enough momentum to knock your precarious balance off.

>You slide off the pegasus, colliding with the tunnel floor painfully.

“Ow!”

>A split-second later, you begin to roll, panic now setting in.

“Ahaha! Oh, this is not good! This is not fun!”

>You pick up speed, leaving the surprised fillies behind as you race towards a precarious drop.

“No! I want to get off the ride! I want off!” you cry, tumbling headlong towards the edge.

>At the last second your jaw catches on a rock, bringing you to a halt on the tip of the edge.

>”Anonymous! Y’alright!”

“I th-think so Applebloom… thank goodness I came to a stop before this dangerous pitfall! Who knows what would happen if I fell down!”

>Suddenly, a treacherous tickling creeps down your nose.

“Oh no, OH NO-“

>With an almighty sneeze, you tip yourself over the edge, cascading into the depths below.

>Every second of your fall, you collide with the tunnel walls, pain blinding your vision.

>After an eternity of hurt, you eventually smack off the tunnel floor, bouncing to a rest.

“Ow…”

>”Anonymous!”

>A faint cry from the crusaders reaches you, echoing along the pit you just fell from.

“I’m alright girls! Need a helping hoof though!”

>”C’mon girls, we need t’scale down there an’ help him!”

>”We can’t, Applebloom! We didn’t bring any rope!”

>”What! You knew we were going treasure hunting and neither of you brought rope!”

>”Well excuse me Scootaloo, I don’t see you with a rope either!”

“Girls, please! Bicker later, for now you must reach me! Can you see any other paths?”

>Your echo sends the girls into silence, and a reply takes an agonizingly long time to come back.

>”There’s a tunnel that leads off from here… but we have no idea where it goes!”

“That’s alright Scootaloo, just remember what path you took and how to get back to here! I won’t be going anywhere fast…”

>”Alright, we’ll try and get to you soon!”

>The clip-clop of hooves slowly fades, until you are left alone with the silence, and your thoughts.

>Now what do you do? What if the crusaders fail to find you, or get lost themselves? To fail so close to the prize… a true shame…

>You suddenly feel an itch on your lower spine and you mindlessly scratch it.

“Now, if only I could make my way out of-“

>The realisation of what you just did hits you like a freight train.

“Wait, did I just…”

>You concentrate, and your jaw drops open in surprise as you ‘feel’ your body responding.

“What the…? Could it really be…”

>You pause, before tentatively reaching out with your mind.

>Yes, you could definitely feel the ground beneath your aching bones, like your head was still attached…

>It seems that another gift from lady luck had been bestowed upon you.

“I can remotely control my own body, if I’m within a certain distance? Marvellous!”

>You grin to yourself, before focusing.

>If you can move your body, you must be very close to it…

>You reach out with your mind, and your arms respond, tentatively scraping along the cave wall.

>Slowly and carefully, your skeleton stands upright, guided by your mental link.

“Now then, time for a nice little walk…”

>Using the cave wall as a guide, you blindly direct your body along while keeping a careful ear out for any disturbances.

>You smack into a cave wall, signifying a turn: from the depths of the caves beneath you, a dull echo emanates.

>You grimace: it's progress all right, but it won’t be fast by any means.

>The hours crawl on in an identical manner: your guiding mental bridge directing your body through the winding tunnels: half based on ancient memories, half based on guesswork.

>A coolness surrounding your feet tells you that you’ve waded through a stream, and you chuckle. The gentle pitter-patter of water near you tells you that you’re agonizingly close.

“Heh. Childs play…”

>Suddenly, your movement crawls to a halt, your mental link growing tenuous.

“What now?”

>Concentrating, you feel around for the source of the obstruction, and you recoil in horror.

“Spider webbing? How awful!”

>With a gulp, you begin to clumsily claw away at the opposing webs, your movements growing frantic. You were so close now, just a few more seconds and-

>Your bony fist connects with something solid, and you hear a close-by growl.

>A web big enough to cover a tunnel.. that means you just hit…

>Hairy legs begin to tussle with your body and you scream, wailing on the attacker with whatever strength you could muster.

>All careful planning and thinking are thrown out the imaginary window as you stumble along, desperately trying to reunite your body and head.

>The spider roars in frustration and you hear its faint scuttling along the tunnel draw closer, and closer, and closer…

>From your angled view, you see your body suddenly run past the tunnel you were currently lying in, and you yell with joy.

>Now is not the time to celebrate though: you slide your foot under your head, and with uncanny co-ordination volley it into the air, before grasping it with your arms.

>The relief you derive from being whole once more is cut short, as the spider scurries into view.

>Its form is even more hideous than you imagined: from the almost non-existent glow of the cave wall, you make out a hairy, wall-eyed grimace: two fierce fangs accompany it, with the body of the spider forming a disgusting blockade.

“Now now, I know I may have slapped you, but let us settle this like gentlemen, shall we? Nice and peaceful and civil and-“

>The spider lashes at you with it’s two front legs, sending you reeling back along the cave floor.

“Alright then, if that’s how you want to play this game…” you threaten, scrambling for your head. “I shan’t back down, you hairy cave dweller! My pugilism is far superior!”

>The spider cocks its head, before emitting a guttural growl.

“Did you just… chuckle? Oh, I am completely fucked.”

>The spider lunges unexpectedly, and you drop to the cave floor in reflex.

>You grab onto the underside of the spider, and it launches itself up the tunnel from which you fell, trying in vain to dislodge you.

“Ahaha! I have coaxed you into a clever ruse, my friend!”

>It continues to ascend up the tunnel, scraping you senseless and bashing you against the stony wall of the tunnel.

“Ow! Stop that! Ow-so rude!”

>It crawls over the tip of the edge, finally succeeding in dislodging you, and you wiggle out from underneath it.

>You duck underneath a head-height swipe, before throwing a right hook at it’s exposed face.

“Ahaha! A stunning riposte! Take that you vile, sun fearing forlorn pest!”

>It hesitates with the follow-up attack, perhaps pausing now that you’ve attempted to fight back.

“That’s right, spider! You stay right… there…”

>It backs further off, ears twitching…

>You turn around and scramble for the exit, hauling yourself up. Thankfully, lacking any muscle of flesh, you weigh considerably less than you should.

>You stand in the entrance of the cave and look back down, taunting the spider.

“That’s right, who’s the champion? I am! You mess with a skeleton, and you get bone- come to think of it, that might not be an appropriate term, I must think of something better…”

>Suddenly, a solitary firefly flutters past the spider, escaping out into the night sky.

>Fireflies…

>…

>FIREFLIES…

>THE CRUSADERS!

>You snap back to attention, dread rooting you to the spot, as you hear the spider slowly making it’s way back down the tunnel.

>Oh no… if they’re stuck down there with that monstrosity…

>You take a step forward, preparing to chase after the beast… before hesitating.

>No… you couldn’t do it…

>You may be already dead, but that spider terrified you… and fighting it in the dark, in a claustrophobic tunnel? Not in this life… afterlife… whatever applied to you.

>With a reluctant sigh, your long-gone stomach heavy with guilt, you turn around, making your way from the cave.

>After twenty paces you stop, staring up at the moon above.

>It’s not too late… you came from Ponyville, and if you went back… you might be able to return with help.

>Then again, it might be too late by the time you return… could you live with the guilt, knowing you doomed the ponies who only sought to help you?

>Silence.

>You couldn’t go down there alone again… so you’d just have to return with help…

>You smile weakly, with a grim satisfaction.

>Time to see if these old bones still have it in them…

>You pause, the wind howling through your empty ribcage… before you run, making a beeline for Ponyville.

>You just hoped you wouldn’t be too late.