- >You shudder as the water hits your bare skin, the accumulated grime rolling off as the heated liquid cuts its way across your body.
- >You don’t know what you have until you lose it.
- >That phrase has never been more relevant than right now.
- >Unlike Lance, the rest of us grunts had less than admirable arrangements.
- >The shower in your quarters was always a hell of ice and goose bumps.
- >Its nice to see that the p0nies invested in hot water.
- >You savor the moment, this simple sensation hitting your very core.
- >Next time you see that bastards smug face you can boast how you had a hot shower of your own.
- >Then again, he still has his own bed.
- >You have a floor that isn’t even yours.
- >Always a step ahead of you.
- >You dry yourself off and step out of the shower, stretching your toes on the tender wool rug.
- >Who knew this felt so good? Whoever they are, they’re going to receive an ass whooping for not cluing you in on this.
- >You tiptoe out of the bathroom in all your naked glory, no camo to hide you this time.
- >Luckily Twilight’s busy writing some ‘Friendship Report’ to a princess or something.
- >You try not to delve too much into her fantasies.
- >Being cooked up in this library all the time is bound to bring out some of the crazy you know is lurking around in there.
- >You vault over the railing and land on the first floor without as much as a sound.
- >Damn Anon, you’re just good like that.
- >Hells yeah.
- >You flip open her dryer, its very existence raising a dozen questions you never wanted to get into.
- >She’s not anywhere close to any tech that could be of use to you, like a radio.
- >If you gave her your armor to study… No! That’s out of the question.
- >Even if it worked and you got back to the Infinity, there’s no way Captain Del Faggot would let you get away with it.
- >You’d be hanged and god only knows what he’d do to the p0nies here.
- >Reaching your hand inside the machine you fish out your combat attire.
- >The flexible material is comfortable as fuck and its even machine washable.
- >Good thing too, because there’s no way in hell you’re washing that shit by hand.
- >You’ve got patience, but that takes a steaming dump on the line.
- >You slip into the garment and begin your task of getting back into your armor.
- >Speaking about patience…
- >After about half an hour of fidgeting and rage you manage to lock your chest piece in place.
- >You actually had to lay down on the back piece and use all your strength to get the front piece in place.
- >After that your suit’s augmentations took over and made the rest a breeze.
- >You plop on your helmet and let your suit run its start up.
- “Twilight! When are we heading off?”
- >Your radar pops up, and with it, a red dot running away from you.
- >So she was going to spy on you again, seems legit.
- >You open the door, Twilight pretending to start coming down the stairs.
- >”Whenever you’re ready.”
- “You know Twilight, it isn’t nice to try and spy on people.”
- >”What’re you talking about,” she plays coy though her face turns a deeper shade of purple, “I never-“
- “Twilight…”
- >”Alright maybe just a little bit, but what do you expect? You never tell me anything. I have to pull you by the teeth just for a little bit of information.”
- >She has a point. Yesterday was supposed to be dedicated solely for research.
- >It apparently got in her head that you would spill the beans on everything she asked.
- >No such luck though. If she wants to learn about this stuff, she’ll have to earn it.
- “Fine, I’m going to cut you a break. For every day I’m here, you can ask me one question and I have to answer honestly.”
- >”Dea-“
- “But I retain the ability to decline any question I wish.”
- >”But you could just decline all of them.”
- “I could, but this way you’ll have to find this stuff out by yourself. Deal?”
- >”I don’t have much of a choice now do I?”
- “Nope.”
- >Now who’s the pushover.
- >”I still don’t believe you.”
- “Try me.”
- >”Alright. How long have you been a soldier?”
- “Hmm, that there’s a good question. How long has it been? What is it, 16 years? Nah, it’ll be 18 years in a few months.”
- >”18 years? Exactly how old are you?”
- >You chuckle and lean against the wall.
- “That’s another question now isn’t it?”
- >”You can’t just lead me on like that and not follow through.”
- >You look around a tad confused.
- “Well I just did.”
- >”Pleeeeease?”
- “Do you really think the puppy dog eyes are going to work on me?”
- >”Yes.”
- >You head towards the door.
- “Nah I think I’ll let you fumble around with that in your head a bit, but I’m not cruel. I will say that I joined the military earlier than I should have.”
- >”And why is that?” you cup the side of your helmet.
- “Is that another question I hear?”
- >She gives you an annoyed glance.
- “Let’s just say that records can be lost, and we’ll leave this conversation at that.”
- >She’s not happy with it, but she knows an immovable object when she sees one.
- >”Are you alright going by yourself.”
- “Of course. I remember the way and it’s not like I have to worry about being mauled to death. Except for Pinkie… unless…”
- >”What are you doing?”
- “Just a little precaution in case she decides to hug me again. See you later Twilight.”
- >With that you walk out to Sugarcube Corner.
- >You strut proudly down the street from Twilight’s library to Diabetes Command.
- >Feeling fresh and clean puts a spring in your step and now it’s your time to shine.
- >The p0ny’s expressions ranger from curiosity to appalled, but when you check your fucks given meter it reads an even 0%.
- >Okay, it’s more of a metaphorical meter, but it’s a recession, you have to make do.
- >You let yourself into the shop and give the environment a quick scan, the bell ringing as you enter.
- >”Hello and welcome to- Oh. Anon…”
- >That plump mare from earlier comes in from the kitchen. What was her name?
- >Alright, she’s nice and plump with a round rump. If she’s stuffing her face she must be eating...
- “Good Morning Mrs. Cake.”
- >Works like a charm.
- >”Are you here to see Pinkie again?”
- >You sit down in one of the chairs and nod.
- “I have Twilight to thank for it, but you have to play with the cards you’re dealt.”
- >”I’ll go ahead and check on her.”
- “Thank you kindly ma’am.”
- >You’re not exactly sure how you’re going to get used to this, but you will.
- >If there’s one thing Spartans are good at its adapting.
- >Whether it be in combat or on a p0ny planet.
- >That sounds absurd as all hell now that you think about it.
- >Where in the universe could that shit have sent you to?
- >There’s so much uncharted territory, it’s no wonder this place hasn’t been discovered yet.
- >Still, if the artifact brought you here so there must be some connection-
- >”Anon!”
- >You spot the pink blob bouncing excitedly down the stairs with Mrs. Cake, suspense building up within you.
- >Come on over you fucker, ol’ painless is waiting.
- “Morning Pinkie. How’ve you been?”
- >”Fine and dandy!” she exclaims to your ears dismay.
- >You extend your hand for a shake but by that look she has other plans.
- >And so do you.
- >She leaps into your arms and triggers your trap, your shields releasing a concentrated current straight into her bouncy body.
- >She collapses on her back, her skin covered in a thin layer of ash.
- >Mrs. Cake is horrified, her mouth permanently formed to that of an O.
- >You stifle a laugh and kneel next to her.
- “You alright there bubblegum?”
- >She puffs out a ring of smoke that drifts to the roof before dispersing.
- >You rub your neck. This might’ve been a bit much. Twilight only took about a fourth of the shock before.
- >If she’s really hurt then you’re in deep shit. There’s no way Twilight would-
- >”That was soooo cooool!” Pinkie screams as she bounces back up, the ash still covering her body.
- >Mrs. Cake faints at the sight of Pinkie’s return from the dead.
- >”Whoops, look like someone needed some sleep.”
- >Ignorant lass isn’t she?
- “You’re uh, sure you’re okay?”
- >”Absodutely Wootily.”
- >She steps out of her ash coat, the black mist hanging in a perfect replica of Pinkie’s body down to the hair.
- >Wh-what? Fuck it. Just accept it and move on.
- >She giggles like a school girl when she sees her master piece.
- >”That was a good one Anon. I didn’t even see it coming and I see everything!”
- >You’re not sure how she’s still standing, a blast like that would bring a normal Spartan to their knees.
- >”We’re going to have so much fun! I can’t wait!” she says bouncing off the walls.
- “What are we going to do about Blueberry here?”
- >”Blueberry? Her name’s Mrs. Cake silly, not Blueberry.”
- “Whatever, we can’t just leave her like this.”
- >You think about that for a moment and shrug. Yes you can.
- “Nevermind, let’s go.”
- >You escort the energetic mare out the door and give a glance back to Mrs. Cake who’s still passed out on the floor.
- >She’s going to make her husband very happy, at least until she wakes up.
- “So what’re the plans for today?”
- >”I don’t know what do you want to do?”
- “I asked you first.”
- >”Hmmm… AHA! We can throw a…” she looks left and right before screaming into the air, “A PARTY!”
- “Consider your idea shot down.”
- >”Pleeeease? I promise you’ll love it.”
- “Promise?”
- >”Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” she apparently promises.
- “Still no. I hate parties.”
- >”You’re just a party pooper,” she pouts before hopping back into her happy demeanor.
- >”How about cooking? We can make all sorts of treats together. I make the best cupcakes in Ponyville.”
- “You’re sounding like that Rainbow Dash character, and I’m not into baking.”
- >She plants her hooves on her hips, “Well I’m just out of ideas.”
- “Thank Christ. Actually I know, we can play a game.”
- >She grins from ear to ear and bounces around you happily, “Ooh tell me tell me tell me!”
- “It’s called the quiet game, we sit here and don’t make any noise for as long as possible.”
- >”You mean ‘Shh’? Everyp0ny knows Fluttershy’s the world champ.”
- “Ugh just be quiet.”
- >You cover your ears over your armor and go cloak, the module muffling any noise.
- >Ah, at long last. Peace.
- >Her eyes go wide as you fade into the background, “Where’d you go?”
- >Even with this her voice pierces your ear drums. She reaches out and pokes your helmet.
- >”You’re still here! But you’re not here? Are you here or not? Make up your mind.”
- >Why did you ever agree to this?
- >”Hey Anon. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey…”
- >She keeps going, every word combined with a poke to the visor.
- >Anger… Rising… Can’t… Hold on…
- >”Hey Anon.”
- “WHAT!”
- >You explode out of camo, birds flying off in all directions, your voice carrying through the air around Ponyville.
- >But she just smiles at you unmoved by your anger-fueled feat.
- “What is it, and I swear to god or whoever else is watching, if it’s some stupid ass thing I will rip out your throat and shove it up your cooter. Do you understand?!”
- >Her eyes stay fixed on you, that mocking smile ever-present.
- “Well?”
- >She pokes you once more on the helmet with a bop.
- >“Tag, you’re it,” she hollers sprinting away.
- “Tag…” you mumble under your breath.
- >Your eye twitches as that word bounces around in your brain, her voice ringing in your ears as it spirals down to your core.
- “Pinkie!”
- >She stops moving and looks back to you.
- “I- am going, TO DESTROY YOU!”
- >She giggles in the face of your anger and runs away.
- >A stallion pokes his head out the window, locking eyes with your visor.
- “You’re next boyo.”
- >He eeks and slams his window shut, your attention turning back to the bouncing pink flank fading from sight.
- >You place a waypoint on her and crack your neck.
- >Looks like her fun… has just run out.
- >YEEEAH!
- >You sprint down the road and rapidly close in on the mare.
- >She peeks around and you catch the whites of her eyes.
- >She squeaks, almost joyfully, and picks up the pace.
- >You lunge forwards and grab at her with arms open.
- >”Weee!”
- >You hit the dirt road chin first and grind across for several yards before coming to a halt.
- “I missed…”
- >You are a failure as a man and a failure as a Spartan.
- >But you must not give up.
- >”That looked like it hurt,” the cheery voice from hell mocks you.
- >You swipe at her while you’re down but she glides away with ease.
- >”Get up Anon. We have all day to play.”
- “I’ll play jump rope with your intestines you wretched equine.”
- >You keep up the chase, the elusive minx always managing to escape your grasp just as you get close.
- >She takes a back alley into the shadows and you activate your flashlight mount.
- “Here Pinkie Pinkie Pinkie… Come out and plaaay…”
- >A pair of eyes pop out the side of a trashcan, “You called me Pinkie! Does that mean I’m your friend now?”
- “Like hell!”
- >Your foot tears through the trash bin, but the Houdini mare has already escaped the metallic structure.
- >”You’re my friend now. You’re my friend now,” she beckons bouncing along the walls like a magnetic Easter bunny.
- >You rip the thin mangled sheeting off your leg and toss it to the side and resume your pursuit.
- >She takes a left back into the bright streets of Ponyville.
- >When you escape the alley you find yourself in the bustling area of the P0nyville marketplace.
- >A red screen pops up on your screen, further flaring your frustration.
- >Target lost.
- >So you’re going to have to do this the old fashion way huh? Fine by you.
- >You walk among the shopping p0nies, every one of them scanned quickly before being ignored.
- >She’s hot pink and annoying as all hell so she shouldn’t be that hard to find.
- >The haggling of p0nies surrounds you. It’d be enough to overwhelm you if you’d never been in a firefight before.
- >You check each stall, even checking them twice.
- >You can feel your composure slipping off like an old coat.
- >The sun burns brightly above the clouds as you make your way around.
- >Who knows how long you’ve been at this. It feels like ages, but time’s a bitch so whatever.
- >You stop moving and calm down. You need to be calm if you want to succeed.
- >”Giving up?”
- >Alright, fuck the stream!
- >You fling your arm at Pinkie, but according to the trajectory of the sun and the moon you miss again.
- >The only thing you manage to hit is an unoccupied stand which shreds at your wrath.
- >”Wowie zowie that stand just went powie!”
- >Stop missing dammit!
- >She gallops under another stand, but you know better than to just run after her.
- >Every time you do she always seems to disappear, so why not try something else.
- >When diplomacy fails and subtlety falls through there’s one thing you excel at.
- >You walk up to the stand, the stall’s attendant running away.
- >Bringing both your fists in the air you bring it down upon the inferior timber material.
- >It splits down the middle, a mixture of fruit flying into the air, p0nies screaming bloody murder.
- >How you missed the primitive thrill of destruction.
- >The pink p0ny pops her head up from behind another stall like a game of whack-a-mole.
- >”That’s not very nice.”
- >No shit.
- >You leap to the next stall Pinkie vanishing underneath.
- “You better not run!”
- >You smash another stall into oblivion.
- “You better not hide!”
- >Pinkie’s on the ropes now, unable to avoid both you and the debris.
- “You better watch out I’m telling you why!”
- >The mare finally comes out of hiding, likely because of the havoc you’ve caused.
- >Oh you have waited for this.
- “SpartAnon is coming to town!”
- >The chase is on once more and you leave behind the fruits of your labor, one broken stall and its dozens of disabled brothers.
- “He sees you when you’re sleeping! He knows when you’re awake!”
- >You know just how to slit her throat so sit still for goodness sake!
- >Pinkie makes a bee line straight for Sugarcube Corner, the sun descending by this point.
- >She thinks she’ll be safe back home? Not a chance.
- >You push yourself that much harder towards the shadow filled structure.
- >You’re so close to Pinkie you could taste her. She’d probably taste like cotton candy.
- >Focus Anon. She’s almost at the door.
- “No. You. Don’t!”
- >Throwing all your strength into one last lunge you throw yourself at the mare.
- >She counters with a hug of your own as you crash through the door.
- >The lights shoot on and a multitude of voices begin to shout.
- >”Surprise!”
- >The both of you land in a pile of mush, a substance you’re growing familiar with. Frosting.
- >The crowd oohs as you and Pinkie are both lodged inside what you think is a cake.
- >And deep inside the sweet’s bowels Pinkie lays there smiling at you, “Surprise.”
- “This- this was all just a way of keeping my attention so they could set up a party?”
- >”Yep. I didn’t expect you to go so loco in the coco, but I had to keep you busy.”
- >She made you stand on the edge of sanity… for a party! You’re just- just…
- >Tired. You sigh, your will exhausted. Out of all things you’ve just lost the will to fight.
- >Being angry… It’s just not worth it here. Pinkie will outlast you, no doubt about that.
- “I guess, well, thanks Pinkie.”
- >She wipes some more filling off your visor with her eternal smile.
- >”You’re welcome.”
- “Friends?”
- >”Best of friends.”
- >Ugh, might be going a little far there, but you’re not going to fight this one.
- “As much as I love being wedged inside a dessert, perhaps we should work our way out.”
- >”Okie Dokie Lokie,” she spouts before drilling her way out of the top with her teeth.
- >Through the layers of cake you hear a round of applause as she makes her exit.
- >Hard to follow up with a performance like that…
- >You pop out the cake’s rear like an annoying turd, a familiar unicorn helping you to your feet.
- >”Is taking pastries in the face customary where you’re from?”
- “Another question, another day.”
- >She rolls her eyes and makes sure you’re alright, which you are of course. It’s cake not a brick wall.
- >Even though that still wouldn’t do much.
- >You’re just a straight up badass aren’t you?
- >She does you the courtesy of magicing off the sweet remnants on your armor.
- “So where’s my party hat?”
- >”I- We didn’t get any party hats.”
- >Pinkie glides up behind you and pokes her head over your shoulder, “What do you mean you don’t have party hats? It’s not a party without party hats.”
- >She slams her hoof on a wooden board, the plank flipping over revealing a secret stash of hats.
- >”I have hats hidden all over Equestria,” she whispers to you, “For party emergencies.”
- >She flicks the lamp hanging overhead and catches a rubber ball, “Balls too.”
- >She giggles and hops around handing out party hats and making sure everyone’s having a superino time.
- >You stare at the hat in your hand and prepare to crush it like you’d originally planned.
- >But a thought hits you. Why the fuck not? This is party, might as well try to have fun.
- >You’re a man, not a machine.
- >Content with yourself you slip on the part hat over your horn.
- >Even though this is your party it seems most p0nies are here for the food and company.
- >You actually gave an honest effort to cut down on the dickishness.
- >But they still see you as a freak, which in truth they should.
- >In this fucked up universe you’re the weirdo. Had the roles been reversed would things be any different?
- >You sigh as another group of p0nies excuse themselves upon contact.
- >Seems like you received a better rep for being a dick than you did for being… Normal?
- >Nah that sounds too angsty. Socially grounded! That’s more like it.
- >If you ever said that aloud you’d have to slap yourself, but the term fits.
- >You’ve been less than charitable in regard to how you’ve treated the p0nies here.
- >Hell you weren’t exactly kind back home, but you were never this bad to them.
- >Maybe this is karma’s way of being a bitch.
- >You manage to avoid both Twilight’s and Pinkie’s attention and sneak outside.
- >One last try tonight wouldn’t hurt would it?
- >You peer at the setting sun wrapped behind a thicket of clouds.
- “This is Anon. Spartan 054 of Team Crimson. If anyone’s out there… Please respond.”
- >The cold response of static doesn’t exactly lighten up the mood any.
- >Alone again… In most cases you appreciate silence, ironic how now you’d give anything for a voice.
- >”Mind if I join ya partner?”
- >You smirk. Not exactly what you had in mind, but you’ll make it work.
- “Please do, I’m starved for company.”
- >The cowgirl takes a dash of punch, “Look at that sunset. Can’t see anything like that off in Manehattan let me tell ya.”
- “Never liked the city life all that much personally. Felt too cramped.”
- >”I hear ya.”
- “So, how’s Big Mac?”
- >”That big old lug is doing just fine. He’s probably tiring himself out right now. I offered to help him tonight, but he shooed me off. Seems like hard heads run in the family.”
- “Tell me about it… What’d he shoo you off for? I can’t imagine he wouldn’t want help.”
- >”Between apple bucking and training to teach you who’s the fastest runner in P0nyville,” she jabs, “I haven’t been able to get out much.”
- “So you figured you’d come to my surprise party.”
- >”Might as well right? All my friends’d be there so I decided to come along.”
- “Sounds like that’s the reason so many people showed up.”
- >”What do you- Oh…” she digs her hoof in the dirt in embarrassment, “Ya know I didn’t mean it like that.”
- “Don’t sweat it AJ. I don’t exactly have the best rep after all.”
- >”Yeah Applebloom told me ‘bout your little market adventure. Made a few enemies I hear.”
- “All in the name of the chase,” you joke.
- “Looking back at it I can’t say that it wasn’t a little fun to just let go. I know what you mean when you said how you’re busy.”
- >You lean against a lamp post by Applejack.
- “I’ve always been either fighting the good fight, stuck in a briefing room or off sleeping. I never had time to do anything different. Mainly because I didn’t want to.”
- >”Well that don’t make a lick of sense.”
- “Some people escape from the world through movies, games or parties. Kind of like Pinkie. I on the other hand escape through work, but it looks like I won’t be going back to that for a good while.”
- >”Well. Seems we’re in the same kinda boat there.”
- >The sun falls beneath the rooftops, its rays cast overhead as not to blind you.
- >”Ya know, I don’t mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help hear you talking to yourself before.”
- >Here we go…
- “Not exactly to myself, but I see where you figure that. You’re not going to lock me up are you?”
- >”Naww, nothing like that. It’s just- you sounded a bit sad is all. I figured someone should talk to ya.”
- “Taking pity on the lost solider. I like the sound of that.”
- >”So you ain’t mad.”
- “I appreciate the thought that someone, well, somep0ny, is looking out for me.”
- >”Anything for a friend right?”
- “Yeah,” you look to the ground, “For a friend.”
- >She hits your armor light enough to avoid the shock.
- >”Come on now, you don’t want to miss your party.”
- “You just want me to plump up on cake so you can beat me in that race.”
- >”Two trees with one buck,” she grins and walks back inside with you.
- >Today… was an alright day.

