Hearts and Holdouts Chapter 1

Hearts and Holdouts

Chapter 1: The Horrible Beast in the Canterlot Caverns

 

>You are Anonymous.

>And in a few days you’ll be attending the wedding of two people you’ve never even heard of.

>That’s life in the magical land of Equestria, alright.

>Sure, you’re friends with the groom’s sister, but that doesn’t seem like much of a good reason to invite the quintessential ape.

>The fact you’ve yet to even meet him or his bride just adds to your suspicion.

>Which you have a lot of, it should be said.

>It’s not that you don’t trust the little ponies. They’re alright.

>The problem is letting your guard down has done nothing but cause chaos down in your new home of Ponyville.

>So, better safe than sorry.

>Today you’re sitting in a cafe of sorts. While at first the snobby Canterlot elite were all for staring at the bipedal /thing/ that was sitting in the corner, they got over it soon enough.

>After all, these are very important ponies, with lots of important things to talk about.

>Like, you know, themselves.

>Listening in on their conversations is how you’ve gotten most of your information about the mysterious Shining Armour and Mi Amore Cadenza.

>You couldn’t trust Twilight or her friends to not bias their opinions.

>Though apparently Twilight and Cadance weren’t getting along or something.

>An hour or around that long passes. You had only just then remembered that you ordered a coffee when you came in, taking a sip.

>It was about as cold as your blood when you learned that apparently, underneath the shining, now shielded, capital, there’s a system of caves that go down quite a bit.

>They didn’t specify how deep, but you weren’t going to let that get the better of you.

>You’ve spelunked before. Well, no, you haven’t. Unless two floor basements count as spelunking.

>But that doesn’t matter. You need to know what the hell’s in that cave.

>And there’s one pony you think can give you a proper answer.

>”What about the caves under Canterlot?”

>You cross your arms at miscellaneous guardspony #343.

“What’s in them? Why are they there? Why is this city on top of a cave that isn’t fully explored?”

>The guard just stares at you. “Why does it matter, ‘citizen’? Canterlot is currently protected by the captain’s shield. Even if anything is in there, it couldn’t possibly break through our defences.”

>You turn to miscellaneous guardspony #344, the previous guard’s partner, before looking back at #343.

“But isn’t it your job to know about any and all dangers to Canterlot? You’re not going to have this shield up all the time. What if the monster in there is waiting for you to turn it off and let your guard down?”

>”We can handle it. Now, please, we have places to be.”

“What if it tries to snatch up caravans on their way in or out of town? The entrance isn’t in the shield, so you might not be able to stop it until it’s too late!”

>The guard stares daggers at you. “Sir, step aside.”

>You stare back, before slowly stepping aside, watching the guards walk off.

>Once they’re gone, you look up at the big purple-pink shield that’s enclosed the city of Canterlot.

>Something is in that cave. Something bad. And it’s up to you to find it.

>A short trip closer to the castle brings you to the hotel room you were granted by Twilight and friends.

>Inside the room is a bed that’s too small for you anyway, and your bag, full of everything you actually brought to Canterlot.

>It wasn’t much. Just a flashlight equivalent that Twilight cooked up, some extra clothes, a helmet and some matches. Oh, and your camera.

>You pocket the flashlight, camera and matches, holding the helmet in your hands.

>Time to prove yourself right again.

>Unfortunately on your way out you run into, surprise surprise, Twilight.

>”Um, Anonymous? What are you doing?”

“There’s some sort of evil monster in the caves under Canterlot, so I’m going to take a picture and rub it in the guard’s faces.”

>She just stares at you.

“If I don’t come back, rub it in their faces for me. Since obviously it means I was eaten by said monster.”

>”Anonymous, that doesn’t make any sense. How could an evil monster be in the caves /right beneath/ Canterlot?”

“It would depend on the type of monster. Anyway.”

>You slip past her in the narrow hallway, and she just keeps staring at you. She’s long learned that it’s pointless to argue with the human.

>Besides, you’ve got a helmet. You’re perfectly safe. Maybe.

-

>The caves under Canterlot are indeed vast. There’s lots and lots of nothing, as far as the eyes can see.

>Well, there are also rocks. But, like in minecraft, stone’s not really useful stuff.

>Unless you’re building a giant dick in the sky or a pyramid, which you’re not doing.

>You’re not even that sure how long you’ve been in here. You do know you’ve gone in a few circles, sure, but right now you’re absolutely certain you’re on the right track to the heart of the cave.

>You can tell because of the new terrain feature: minecart rails.

>And the fact everything is getting a bit shinier. Glassy.

>Perhaps there’s a dragon, then? Dragonbreath can surely turn certain stones to glass.

>Though, for all you know it could be a four-hundred armed, plasma spitting Praying Mantis with matching pony wings and horns.

>Considering how much shit you’ve seen here in Equestria already, it wouldn’t really surprise you.

>Well, it would. Just not for as long.

>After another hour of wandering around, taking the odd picture at forks for future reference in case you end up back at them, you hear... something.

>It’s nothing distinct, but it’s definitely not you.

>Approaching another fork in the caves, you listen carefully. Which way is it coming from?

>Maybe the left?

>With a shrug, you slowly creep down the left tunnel, listening intently.

>As you shuffle away, it seems your prediction is correct, as the noise grows louder.

>It sounds like... sobbing. Crying. Whatever this monster is, it’s not exactly happy.

>However, you’re so focused on what’s ahead of you that you almost fall off a rather steep cliff down into pitch blackness.

>You can’t be sure if your helmet would protect you from a kilometre fall. Best not to find out.

>Turning, you see a path carved from the cliff face that leads down further into the cave.

>Double checking your flashlight, you continue into the dark expanse.

>Eventually you arrive at a full wall. Well, that’s disappointing.

>Yet, the crying wails of the eldritch horror are louder here than anywhere else you’ve been. Maybe there’s a trick?

>Scanning about, you don’t actually see anything besides more rocks and the odd gem.

>Sighing, you’re about ready to head back after a good ten minutes of looking for nothing.

>There IS crying down here though, so while you have no pics, you can at least bitch out the guards that you were, as usual, right.

>After all, you had been right about the giant ass hydra in that swamp.

>Sure, every other time you were only... mostly correct, but a broken clock is still right two times a day.

>However, before you leave, you decide you may as well bring one of those green gems back with you.

>Spike loves emeralds, after all. Though you’d probably just cash it in with Rarity or something.

>How that dragon can even eat something this hard, you’ll never know.

>You kneel down before the crystal, grabbing hold with your hands. However, no matter how hard you pull, it holds.

>After a few more attempts, you give up, kicking the dumb rock, if to do nothing more than spite it.

>The rock before pointed in your direction, but your kick knocks it the other way with a click. Eh?

>And with this blessing, the wall you had been trying to bypass raises upward.

>In hindsight, you really should have noticed that. Though, oddly enough, the crying has stopped.

>Shrugging, you continue on your way in, since there’s no reason to head back now.

>You’re getting those pics. It’s going to happen.

>However, to minimize your chances of getting eaten, you pull out the camera in advance.

>Better safe than sorry.

>You don’t need to walk very far to find a mysterious expanse, which, as you quickly realize, is completely isolated beyond that little door you caught a bit before.

>You’re still on higher ground, though, and decide to take a look at what’s probably either your end or your evidence.

>Instead of a dragon there’s a pony. Instead of a having hundreds of limbs, it’s all worn and tired.

>Though you got the matching wings and horns right. Ha!

>”Wh...What... who are you?”

“Oh, just a guy. Say cheese.”

>You snap a photo. She flinches from the bright light, though this room itself is, compared to the rest of the cave, pretty well lit as is.

>”No... really, who are you? And what are you... doing down here?”

“I’m Anonymous, local wiseguy or something. I thought there was an evil monster in the cave, so I came to check.”

>You pocket the photo, then cross your arms. “I suppose you’re not an evil monster?”

>She gives you one of those looks. “No... I’m not. Though I’m here because of one...”

“Oh?”

>”It’s... You know about the wedding, right?”

>You nod, still not certain who this one is, though if you had to guess, probably someone important.

>Not everyone gets blessed with forehead dicks AND pretty wings, after all.

>Though you’d be hard-pressed to call such raggedy wings pretty; this mare’s probably been here awhile.

>”It... It hasn’t happened yet, has it?” You shake your head. “Good! Then we can save him!”

“Save who from what? You said there’s a monster somewhere.”

>She nods. “Yes! In Canterlot. There’s another Cadance! She’s a changeling... They can turn into other ponies.”

“Okay?”

>She continues, pleadingly. “They feed off of love... and Shining Armour must think she’s me. We have to stop her!”

“Yeah, no.”

>She gapes at you. “Wh-What? Why not?”

“Because today I asked a bunch of guards what’s in this cave. They said nothing. When I pressed they got all uppity about it and stormed off.”

>Exaggeration, maybe, but they were pretty defensive.

>She waits for you to continue. [spoiler][/spoiler]”So, if this changeling thing locked you up here, and the guard are hiding your location, /obviously/ they’ve been turned or are also changelings. So obviously if I go back into town with you, we’ll both get locked up.”

>She frowns, sinking into the ground a bit, her hope fading.

“Thus, I’ll need to put you somewhere safe until this blows over. Since Twilight’s apparently onto your fake anyway, we just wait for her to reveal the bad guy and then you can do whatever.”

>Cadance looks up at you. “But... Shining Armour...”

“Meh. He’ll be fine. And you’ll be fine too, as long as this isn’t a trap. Traps aren’t fun.”

>”W-Why would I trick you? You’re the only pony I’ve seen in the last few days...”

“Better safe than sorry. C’mon now.”

>You gesture for her to come forward. Slowly, she rises up, and, while shaking, manages to walk up a small ramp to you.

>Because of your Pokémon level navigational skills and Cadance’s slow as shit walking, it’s maybe another hour or two before you actually get out of the damn cave.

>The sun’s already setting. You turn to the pink mare, who seems mesmerized by the oranges and reds that permeate the sky.

“Wait here. I’m going to check to make sure we’re clear.”

>You step out of the cave, into the light, and look about.

>The cave’s entrance is a good way down the road from Canterlot, but you’d rather not get spotted by some random guards with the Princess of Love.

>Which, fittingly, is all she bothered to talk about while you were together in the cave. At the very least it wasn’t constant, unlike how another pink pony you know likes to talk.

>Confident that the way is clear, you gesture for the alicorn to come out. Her gaze drifts from you to the city, though.

>”Is... Is there no way we could sneak in?”

“With all the guards I saw when I got there? There’s a better chance of snowfall in Egypt.”

>”I don’t know where that is.”

“Sandy. They’ve got big pyramids and love having revolutions. Nice place. Never visit. Come.”

>She stares at you for a moment, before trotting up beside you on the long walk to Ponyville.

>”Don’t... you have things still in Canterlot?”

“Just a bunch of clothes Rarity made for me. Nothing important.”

>You could almost feel her disapproving glare, despite her being nowhere nearby.

>She slowly nods. Since the ponies don’t exactly wear clothes much, she’s not overly surprised by your attitude.

>Even though you’re wearing a full set right now. It’s probably because she’s tired.

>While Ponyville’s only maybe a few hours away from Canterlot on foot, the mare’s slow steps make it take much, much longer.

>Though perhaps if you stuck to the main roads, it’d be easier. But no, you’d be far too easy to spot in plain sight.

>By the time you finally arrive in Ponyville, it’s dark out. If Twilight and friends were ever going to worry about your disappearance, now would be the time.

>Cadance, while slow as molasses, at least is still up and about, which is pretty impressive.

>She doesn’t say anything on the way to your house, through the various back alleys of the sleeping Ponyville, only occasionally glancing over to the pink bubble that remains around the marvellous city of Canterlot.

>Before long you’re just about there, but, as you poke your head out of another alley you spot a pair of ponies chatting.

>In front of your house.

>Why would they choose there, of all places, to have a discussion? Especially at this time of night.

>You raise a hand, and Cadance stops.

>After awhile the ponies finally break off and leave, hopefully toward their homes.

“Coast’s clear.”

>There’s no affirmative from the mare, so you take a second to see what’s wrong.

>The poor thing is completely worn out. It would have been nice you she told you maybe, though it was probably pretty obvious.

>Sighing, you kneel down beside her, wrapping your arms behind her forelegs.

>The princess looks at you worriedly as you struggle to lift her up. She’s not Celestia, but that doesn’t mean she’s a filly.

>A bit wobbly, sure, but secure enough with her head over your shoulder, you hurry on over to your house.

>You won’t be carrying her for long anyway.

>Inside, you’ve got a bit of furniture, but nothing particularly fancy. Everything’s more or less the wrong size, too, but you’ve gotten over it.

>There’s a couch, and you set the pink princess down onto it.

“Well, here we are. Make yourself comfortable.”

>She’s already asleep, though, so you shrug and head to the kitchen.

>You haven’t exactly had dinner, and thanks to today’s marathon of wandering, you’re famished.

>Cadance is probably hungry too, but you can deal with that tomorrow.

>Right now you have some leftover...

>What did you even have for dinner the last time you were here?

>Oh yes! Pizza.

>Vegetarian pizza, but it’s still pizza. And pizza is great.

>Though, you were always sure to inspect your pizza thoroughly for any tampering or poisoning. While the ponies of Equestria were, at worst, indifferent of your existence, it was better to be safe than sorry.

>And with a pony princess living in your crib, safe is key.

>She’s depending on you to not let those ‘changeling’ things get to her, after all.

>You sigh before biting into the delicious food.

>Now if only she didn’t have such a ridiculous mane.

>Then life would be great...