Title:           Sherm: My Little Anon: Episode 49
Author:          Long_Gone_Writer
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/rzEUyVEC
First Edit:      Wednesday 7th of November 2012 09:49:53 AM CDT
Last Edit:       Wednesday 7th of November 2012 09:49:53 AM CDT

>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