Ch.11 End of a Long Day

"Sister, while I do agree that Twilight's actions do need a proper reprimanding-- You're suggesting imprisonment?!" Luna stomped her foot down hard against the wooden floor as she glanced back to a Twilight Sparkle who was currently in shock, Fluttershy was crying next to her while the rest were trying to comfort Twilight.

 

"Do not misunderstand me Luna-- or you six." Celestia shifted her tone into one of comfort, "Twilight will be placed under house arrest only as a precaution. There will be no dark dungeon or improper treatment." Behind Celestia, Twilight at her mentors words finally snapped out of her shock while Fluttershy's tears slowed to sniffs."Howev--"

 

"However it is imprisonment all the same," Luna finished. "No matter how you word it. Anon isn't the-- I'm sure Anon while upset about this development will not want to see somepony punished for a mistake made in good conscious!"

 

"I… She's right though, I did something that can't be taken back. At the very least I should be punished. What of Anon? What if he has a family somewhere? People that miss him! And I--"

 

"Yo… What the fuck." a voice interrupted from their left. Luna was the first to look up and relief washed over her face for an instant before she saw his confused gaze at the sight of them. At the sight of her. A few seconds of silence passed before anyone said anything, leading Anon to break the ice, "uh…..Sup?"

 

Had the situation been lighter Dash would have snickered at his expense instead she looked at him with a mix of pity and anger. Pinkie Pie was imitating Fluttershy, her mane straight as she stared at the ground while Twilight briefly met his gaze only to tear up and look away. Applejack cursed under her breath while Rarity shuffled her feet awkwardly. Celestia on the other hand took a few steps toward Anon. "Greetings Anon, I am Princess Celestia and on behalf of all Equestria I would like to give my thanks for your heroism in our darkest hour." Princess Celestia dipped her head down and bowed.

 

"Uh.. no problem?" Anon nervously replied. All right, damage control success! Relaxing a bit Anon brought up his right arm and flexed, "Just doing what anyone would do, besides what kind of man would I be if I let a bunch of girls have all the fun?" Anon instantly cursed his casual personality and way of speaking, while it was easier to let people laugh around him goofing off in front of royalty wasn't exactly the smartest thing. In the background Pinkies hair poofed a little as she hid a giggle, Dash huffed and rolled her eyes.

 

The tension in the room dropped regardless of how Anon felt about his words, visibly blushing Anon continued, "If you don't mind me asking is there a particular reason"  Why you're so tall?  "Why I'm on the floor?"

 

"We will be able to explain it to thou." Celestia furrowed her brows slightly as Luna trotted up beside her stealing Anon's attention. "It seems as though the wound you received from the calamity that struck our world ran deeper than we thought." Luna spoke as she brought up a hoof pointing it toward Anons chest while Anon trailed his eyes down his body. "We Alicorns are beings of great power, so great that we constantly radiate a bit of our power around us. When evil happens to be in the presence as one as strong as my sister, their minds are wracked with a great sense of pain."

 

"Whoah, you saying I'm evil? I mean I know I'm not the best person around-- and there was that one time I beat the snot out of that one kid but he deserved it. That prick hocked a loogie in my hair!" Rarity gasped and cringed in the background.

 

Luna continued, "Seeking refuge from the Elements of Harmony the nightmare must have impregnated you with a piece of itself hoping to slowly recover and make a comeback." Luna paused as she remembered the scene of Anon fighting himself and what she had to do. Crinkling her nose slightly she continued, "However its plan has been thwarted as I dealt with remnant personally."

 

Anon went silent as he grazed his fingertips over his chest, "Gay. I got raped, didn't even get dinner and a movie." Rainbow Dash laughed hard before covering her mouth and tried fixing a stern look at Anon. It didn't work. "So it looks like I've got you to thank for saving my life huh?" Anon placed his hands on his knees as leverage before hoisting himself up, standing a bit taller than Luna but on eye level with Celestia.  "Thanks for saving me." Anon said sincerely as he smiled and held out his hand. Luna felt her hearts' pace quicken as she lost herself within Anon's smile, slowly she reached out to shake his hand only for him to take his hand back. "Oh, well I suppose handshakes are a bit inappropriate for a princess."  Moreover impossible without hands... What would be the proper thing for royal-- Ahah! Always wanted to do this. Anon smiled to Luna's disappointment, however to her surprise he instead knelt down to one knee while bowing his head and dropping his left arm to his side while his right clenched a fist over his chest. "Thank you, Princess---" This is soooo fucking cool, despite her being a pony and all.

 

"Luna…" she replied while blushing then added, "Please rise, if anything it is us that should be bowing." Anon rose his head with a silly grin on his face that made Luna's heart skip a beat.

 

"Indeed she is right; we are the ones that should be bowing… Moreover there is also another subject that we must discuss." Celestia said bringing the tension back to the room. "I wish you to take into account this fact before I continue; know that Twilight Sparkle is my most prized student. With her level headed thinking and superior knowledge of the magical arts she has on numerous occasions saved Equestria from forces that seek to bring about chaos within it. So as her teacher the responsibility for her actions should fall upon me." Twilight looked up and was about to protest before Celestia glanced back at her sternly.

 

Anon's smile slowly faded into a confused frown as he waited for her to continue, "The spell that allowed you to manifest in our world… Is unknown to me-- but know that even now I am searching for alternatives to solve this. But know that while I will dedicate every resource I have to return you to your world I do not want to give you any false hope. You may very well--"

 

"Be stuck here…?" Anon finished as he felt the strength in his legs leave him. Stumbling backwards Anon landed hard on the floor.  Celestia allowed him a few minutes of thought before she continued.

 

"I know this pales in comparison but know that I am prepared to receive any punishment for my students act--"

 

"No Princess-- It should be me who suffers!" Twilight chimed in as she walked up next to Celestia while looking Anon in the eyes." Please,  I'm the one who cast the spell, I'm the one who ripped you from your world.. If anypony should be punished I should bear the responsibility." Twilight lowered her head in shame.

 

"No, as your teacher the blame falls upon me, had I properly trained you more than it would not have come to---"

 

"Quiet!!"

 

Everyone froze as Anon cut off both Celestia and Twilight. Anons hands were shaking as his eyes locked on the wooden floor. Everyone held their breath as they waited for what would next come out of Anons mouth.

 

"You guys are pretty crazy, y'know that? Fighting over who will take the blame and shoulder the burden." Anon's fist clenched as he rose his head to look at both Celestia and Twilight. "With both of you guys that prepared and apologetic, what kind of guy would I be if all I thought about was punishing both of you?" Anon gave the best smile he could muster. "It was an accident right? We'll just have to work together and somehow straighten everything out right?"

 

A few seconds passed before Twilight blurted out, "Wha-- really? I mean-- Just like that? You don't want to banish me, or imprison me or--"

 

"Or at least punish me, whatever you ask could never be enough."

 

"C'mon guys, give it a break. Didn't I just finish telling you? A man doesn’t go back on his words right?" Anon kept smiling best he could.

 

At the end of Anons words Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash rushed over and piled together on top of Twilight in a group hug as Twilight herself broke down and began crying. Across from them nopony noticed Anons smile falter for a brief second as his thoughts went back to Celestia's words.

 

I do not want to give you any false hope.

 

You may very well

 

Never see my family ever again...

 

• • •

 

Later that night Anon laid awake atop a makeshift bed of blankets on Twilight's wooden floor. In the end he had finally convinced Twilight and Celestia to forgive themselves but it had come only after much negotiation. Celestia had at first tried to reward him with a mountain of treasure, complete with his own mansion and estate. "Hah, make me into something like a Baron with riches beyond my wildest dreams eh? And then what? What do I do with it... an alien in an alien world. Go out and spend it on expensive wine and women?" Anon didn't drink and even if he did there wasn't a woman for a few light years around. "Buy video games?" Anon shook his head, there was no way ponies had video games, lacking hands and what not.

 

"Hell, what am I even going to do for the rest of my life? I mean it's not like I had much of a plan back home... Just living day to day. Go to work, go to school... What now?" Thinking about everything all at once wasn't going to work, tomorrow he'd wake up, find a job and begin to pay Twilight rent... If she let him. And someday, maybe not tomorrow or the next, Celestia would find a way to send him home. Anon closed his eyes and tried to let sleep take him.