Sherm: My Little Anon: Episode 49

>You wish you had been knocked out

>You wish you didn't have to deal with this burning pain in your skull

>You wish you didn't have to experience this failure

>Your friends were always there for you

>When it came time for you to stand up for them, you fell phenomenally short

>By Celestia, you fought harder a few minutes ago than you ever had in your life

>But that last punch?

>That was good

>That was really good

>You didn't see it coming, and it got you right in the nose

>Your head throbbed, you were afraid something was broken

>Maybe not, but your brain sloshed around in your brain case enough that you occasionally black out

>It feels like controlled bursts of lightning lance through your head

>Because of this, you cannot shake the cringe on your features

>Blood runs down your head

>And into your right eye

>You have to hold your eye shut, turning you into a cyclops

>The occasional moan escapes your lips, too

>You hate sounding so helpless, but it's hard to keep them at bay

>You hiss with every spike of pain

>And your whole body trembles

>So, was this it? Was this the best you could do?

>Being helpless while your friends suffered?

>That, more than anything, killed you

>All this physical pain was nothing

>But you felt woozy, your heart dropped into the acid of your stomach

>But you weren't alone

>You should have been, but you weren't

>Spike stood next to you

>You two were surrounded, sadly

>There was really no hope of escape unless you wanted to get skewered by dozens of those heavy bolts

>So many weapons leveled on you

>They were careful not to get close to you

>You figure they knew better after what happened a short while before

>You were brought to a complex on the ranch, where you stood before a nefarious looking machine

>It was elevated by a single step

>Large consoles strung together in a chaotic mess by huge hoses and cables

>In front of it all was a large circular pad

>And in the center of the consoles was a large circular object draped in cloth

>You would wonder what the nature of that device is

>But at the moment, you are a little more concerned with your immediate situation

 

I'm sorry, Spike.

>Your voice is a low groan

>All you can manage

>“It's okay.”

>He was a brave little drake

>You knew that his heart was pounding, probably worse than yours

I wanted to help you.

>You started

>“It's fine...”

>You wonder what his pain must be like

>You were alone

>So, really, you're not losing a whole lot

>You wish you could have seen your friends again

>But Spike had Rarity

>You saw how they looked at one another

>How they behaved around one another

>It wasn't as far along as Lyra and BonBon, granted. But it was adorable

>They were of different species, but they surmounted that barrier and loved one another

>You wished that you could have saved that

>You and Spike never really talked, you didn't know one another particularly well

>But you felt, you know, that it was worth saving

>All your friends were

>They didn't ask for, nor deserve, any of this

>And the thought that this 'Dog Father' had the nerve to just come and wreck it all

>You would be lying to yourself if you didn't let your blood pressure rise

>Alas, as your blood pressure went up, so did the pain

>You squinted your one good eye

Yeeeeth!

>Your teeth grind

>Spike raised a brow and looked up at you

>He might have asked if you were okay, but he knew better

>“Hey, at least we got word to Celestia.”

>You nodded, silently

>“So whatever these guys are planning, they won't get away with it!”

Yeah...

>But that doesn't help you, or Spike

>Or Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, or Dash

>Spike watches as your sight drifts to the ground, a steep frown evolving across your features

>Despite his momentary facade, he does the same

>You two were connected in more ways than you or he knew

 

>“Hello! Kiddies!”

>A figure emerges before you, standing before the machine

>He was careful to choose his spacing

>Your first instinct was to charge him, to murder him

>But you can't make that run before you take a bolt to the chest

>He was flanked by a large, brutish bulldog, and a psychotic gangly little number

>This was The Boss

>“I must say! You surprise me, Anonymous.”

>“You are quite the... mother fucker, you know?”

>“I mean, coming back from the dead. How do you do that? Must be...”

>He pauses and cracks a smile

>“Really NIFTY”

>You and Spike remain silent, watching and listening

>He wasn't so fun to listen to, any more

>He didn't even care to tie you two up

>He was content that neither of you would try anything with so many of those mechanical bows leveled on you

>He was right

>“So, fellas, how did it work out for ya?”

>He pulled his cigar from his lips and tapped off a mount of ash with his finger

Celestia knows.

>You say

>“Yeah! You're going to be in so much trouble!”

>You had to appreciate Spike's enthusiasm

>Maybe it was bravado, maybe it was youthful arrogance

>But the hope he produced, however microscopic, was infectious

>The Boss' shoulders bounced as he stifled a silent laugh

>“This crap, again? Listen, pally-boy, your little Princess? She can't do shit to stop us, now.”

You will burn.

>You say, catching Spike's contagion

>“Hm! We'll see. But not before I turn dragon-boy here into hamboigah.”

>The Boss lifted a finger and snapped it

>“Sandy?”

>“Yes, Boss.”

>The large one knuckled over, the ground shaking with his approach

>Spike stepped back, sweating

>You shift your footing and place yourself in front of Spike, throwing up your dukes

>A defiant, low-tone growl accompanies your act

>The Boss chortles

>Before you even know it, Sandy lashes out with a single arm and bats you to the side, and you go spiraling to the ground

>“A..Anon?!”

>Sandy makes his way to Spike and, with a single massive hand, grips the small dragon's entire frame and lifts him off the ground

>By the time you struggle back to your feet, he has already moved back to the Boss' side, hoisting your little buddy off the ground

>Body completely encased in a gray fist, only the head pokes out from the top and the tail dangles from the bottom

>“I'm okay, Anon!”

Let him go...

>You stagger in place

>Something's wrong with your head

>You've taken worse than this, and not been this messed up

>“Ah, no.”

>“Don't worry. He ain't gonna die yet. You go first.”

>“See, Anonymous; the Dog Father? He holds all the cards. The Elements of Harmony? Broken, shattered, useless.”

>“Your little fairy princess? Hah! Don't make me laugh.”

>“But the Dog Father... he's a nice guy. A real saint, ya see”

>You squint your one good eye

>“He's giving ya a second chance. Think about it this time, champ. I'd hate to have to...”

>“Ah...”

>“Kill ya again. Capiche?”

>You are silent for a moment

>“Think about it, buddy-ol-pal”

>“That bitch? That Celestia? Every problem you can remember facing? It's because of her.”

>You curl your lip

>“Yer' a smart kid. Little dense, but who knows? Maybe you're actually a GENIOUS!”

>“An all-star athlete?”

>“I'm sure ya got dreams, kid. We all have dreams. Dreams that don't have a chance in hell of bein' realized because Misses Mind Wrecker saw them and decided that ya weren't worthy of em'.”

>“What use are dreams to a good little automoton? That's what you are, right? Without that spark of memory and experience, you're just a freakin' robot.”

>You didn't respond

>His smile faded

>He was losing patience

>“The Dog Father sympathizes. The Dog Father was also a victim of Celestia. The Dog Father will be really good to ya.”

>“Don't be stupid, kid. This is a once in a lifetime offer, and you're getting it twice.”

>After all you've been through

>After everything that you've done here in Equestria

>You only have one dream

I dream of friends and family.

The ones you took from me.

Go to hell.

>The Boss is unfazed

>He chomps back down on his cigar

>“See, I knew you'd say that.”

>“Yer' a real retard.”

>You get that a lot

>He raises his fingers, coiled against one another

>All the mechanical bows around you are shouldered, and cocked

>You're going to be turned into a pin cushion

>“Survive this, ass howl.”

>You close your eyes and await your execution