- >>Your eyes pry open
- >>No Lyra. Good.
- >>It's Monday
- >>Was a good weekend, but time for you to get back to it
- >>Go through YOUR morning routine
- >>Eat YOUR breakfast
- >>Shower YOUR body
- >>Brush YOUR teeth
- >>Get dressed
- >>It's all very tedious, but at least you're back to normal
- >>And you couldn't be happier to have normality restored
- >>Hours later, you find yourself at Sugarcube corner
- >>Kneeling over the dish pit again
- >>They're really going into overdrive on the baking this morning
- >>A competing store opened across the street
- >>To say that the Cakes' were paranoid is putting it mildly
- >>But you don't care so much
- >>You just want to get paid
- >>So you wash, rinse, dry
- >>Wash, rinse, dry
- >>You get lost in your own little world as you work
- >>With time on your hands, you venture on your own mental crusade to remember what you can
- >>But Celestia has done a good job turning the realm of your mind into a barren wasteland
- >>Strewn with salt where nothing will grow in the take of her experiment
- >>Your realm of thought is comparable to Verdun, really
- >>So many blast marks from psychic backlash
- >>So many memories lost, never to be recovered again
- >>A massive, windswept void from whence there was no evidence of there ever being life
- >>Through it all, however, you have still forgiven Celestia
- >>You are Anonymous
- >>You are human
- >>You are strong
- >>You survive
- >>“Hi~!â€
- >>Your eyes shoot wide and you jump
- BWAHA!
- >>You clench your chest and heave heavy breaths
- >>Suddenly being torn from deep thought like that could be startling
- >>You look over your shoulder
- >>Not surprisingly, you find Pinkie Pie smiling at you
- >>You manage a half smile in return
- Need something?
- >>“What'cha doing?â€
- Working
- >>“What a coincidence! So am I!â€
- >>Your face goes straight, and you glare at her
- >>You're waiting for the point
- >>Patiently
- Good... for you?
- >>Pinkie Pie cants her head at you
- Pinkie... is there something you need?
- >>Well, DUH! That's what I'm trying to tell you! Mrs. Cake want you up front today!
- >>What a treat
- >>Mr Cake yells back into the kitchen for you
- “Anonymous! What's taking you so long?!â€
- >>You scramble up to your feet, and remove your apron
- Sorry, sir! Coming!
- >>Pinkie giggles
- >>Sweet, merciful Celestia; sometimes she drove you up the fuckin wall
- >>You get out front and kneel down before your boss, to bring you two to eye level
- >>“Alright, Anon. Mrs. Cake needs more hands in the kitchen for baking. We're having a sale this week. Since you can't bake, you're manning the store front.â€
- >>Pinkie Pie must not have told them about how you helped with the baking last week
- >>But that's fine
- Okay, boss.
- >>You confirm the orders, and are given a brief rundown of operations up front
- >>And then he vanishes into the kitchen
- >>Sweet merciful Celestia!
- >>Some of these ponies!
- Look, m'am, that's the price of your order.
- >>You cross your arms, stubbornly
- >>The mare at the other end of the counter flails a hoof in the air, arguing
- >>“Those prices are outragious!â€
- >>Your lids half closed, unimpressed by her argument
- Lady, I can afford to eat here and I'm sure I make far less than you.
- >>You hope Mr. Cake didn't hear that
- >>She gives you a face and ragegroans
- >>“Fine! I can get the same thing for half the price across the street!â€
- >>You normally give a fuck, but in this case you just can't even fake it
- >>And their cupcakes taste way better!
- >>She storms off
- >>Still no fucks to give
- >>You watch as she slams the door behind her
- >>But, hey, you got quite a line developing
- >>And you're slower at this than Mr. Cakes is
- >>You need to get your ass moving
- I can help the next pony
- >>Despite that last customer and the fact that your knees are sore as tartarus, you keep up your spirits
- >>“Hey, Anon!â€
- >>You look forward to see that Dash was the next in line
- Oh. Hey.
- >>She frowns
- >>“What?â€
- What'll it be?
- >>“No, no. I mean...â€
- >>She pushes a paper bag with her pickings over the counter
- >>You go about your work calculating the price
- >>“...you sound, well...â€
- >>You look up for a moment at Dash before you go back to your work
- >>“Are you still upset about that whole body swap thing?â€
- >>You raise your eyebrows into your forehead and tilt your eyes up while still looking down at the charts
- Kind of.
- >>You say this in a flat, matter of fact tone
- >>Her frown grows
- >>“I...â€
- That'll be five bits.
- >>She produces the bits in her teeth and gently puts them on the counter
- >>She noses them to you
- >>“Anon, you...â€
- Need to get back to work. I can help the next pony.
- >>Rainbow takes her bag in her teeth, turns, and heads out
- >>She stops to look back over her shoulder, but you are already counting bits and helping the next customer
- >>Her wings droop to her sides, she hangs her head low, and she makes her way out
- >>Leaving a single tear behind on the pristine floor
- To be continued
- >>Work has been busy
- >>And it's starting to run you a little ragged
- >>The service based industry can be a little harsh
- >>But it isn't the hardest work
- >>You expected it. If there was a sale, it was going to get busy
- >>You just wish you had more training on the front counter
- >>Today you had to listen to some bitching about you going too slow
- >>First from customers
- >>Then from your managers
- >>It raked your nerves
- >>But you're cool
- >>You maintain
- >>You like to earn your money
- >>Besides, not everyone can say they work a job with a character as colorful as pinkie
- >>Well, she's not all THAT colorful, just various tones of the same color
- >>You know what you meant
- >>But the volume of work was just so intense today
- >>Oh well
- >>If you thought every day would be as easy as the first day, you would be stupid
- >>And regardless of what Fluttershy told you in that dream, you're not
- >>...well, not really
- >>You mean, you're smarter than Derpy, at least
- >>And that's enough to satisfy you
- >>You come to your house, and a familiar blue pony is waiting for you
- >>You raise your eyebrow
- >>This is usually Applejack hour
- >>Not that you ever look forward to it
- >>She is lazily sleeping on your roof
- >>You aren't sure what you should do
- >>She IS pretty lazy
- >>You could just let her sleep
- >>But she came to your house for a reason
- Hey.
- >>You call
- >>No response
- My house is not a bed.
- >>She doesn't respond, but a single leg hangs from the edge as she snores away
- This is Cloudsdale Flight Control calling Rainbow Dash.
- Rainbow Dash, come back.
- Over.
- >>You make a radio cut-off sound with your throat
- >>Still no response
- >>You're tired
- >>You're frustrated
- >>You're cranky
- >>It's too early for this shit
- >>It's always too early for this shit
- >>Even at night
- >>You unlock your door
- >>Open it
- >>Pull it closed with a level of force
- >>The vibrations cause Dash to slide off the roof and fall
- >>OH SHIT NOT AS PLANNED
- Jumpin Jehoshaphat!
- >>She wakes up half way
- >>She flails her hooves, flapping her wings like mad
- >>“AAH!!â€
- >>Dropping everything, you move under her and spread your arms
- >>Gravity is a cruel mistress
- >>You break Dash's fall, but are thrown on your back with her straddling your chest
- >>She is shaken
- >>Her wings are stiff
- >>She has a mild blush across her features
- >>You reason that this is because of her potential near-death experience
- >>You take a few moments to fully recover
- >>Your chest heaving under her makes her smile dumbly
- Dash.
- >>No response
- Dash?
- >>“...Oh, huh?â€
- I want to get up.
- >>Her eyes widen and her blush dies out, and she scrambles off of you
- >>“Sorry, Anon! Are you okay? Did you get hurt?â€
- >>You push yourself back up to your feet
- >>Groan while you do so
- >>You never asked for this
- No, I'm okay.
- >>She smiles up at you
- >>“That was an awesome catch!â€
- >>She swings her hoof enthusiastically, creasing her eyes as she smiles up at you
- It was more of a belly-flop.
- What do you want?
- >>You switch the subject inside of a single sentence
- >>She lowers her head like a scolded child
- >>“I was wondering if you wanted to hit the bar...â€
- >>You shake your head
- Sorry, work's been pretty tough.
- >>She frowns
- >>But she has a Plan B
- >>She smiles again
- >>“Want to go relax out in the park?â€
- >>You didn't mind night time walks, so you COULD go for a walk
- >>But no, you just want to be home
- I'll pass.
- >>She starts to get irritated
- >>“Well...!â€
- >>She punches a hoof to the ground
- >>“How hard can baking all day be?â€
- I don't bake. I do dishes.
- Baking is a few tiers higher than dish-duty.
- >>Your disregard for it effectively trolls her
- >>“Oh, yeah? Well I move clouds all day and control the weather over Ponyville! You don't see me getting tired!â€
- >>She puts a hoof to her chest confidently
- I'm not you.
- >>You aren't too sure where she's going with this
- >>But you care about your bro
- >>“...Are you avoiding me?â€
- >>You sigh. Here we go
- I just need some time to myself, Dash. I really do.
- >>“But we do everything together!â€
- >>Your lips curl into a half frown
- Do we sleep together?
- >>Her eyes widen
- >>She blushes
- >>POMF
- >>“I.. nuh... what?â€
- Because that's what I'm intending to do.
- >>“Oh...â€
- Shower, eat, and then bed.
- >>You grasp your door knob and clear the way into your domicile
- Good night, Rainbow Dash.
- >>She looks up at you, defeated
- >>You enter your home and close the door behind yourself
- >>You don't watch as Rainbow takes off and heads home
- >>Coat off, fling it to the couch
- >>Dinner will be glorious whole wheat cereal
- >>God, what you wouldn't do for a hot dog
- >>A hamburger
- >>A steak
- >>Ribs
- >>Something
- >>Fuckin prime rib
- >>God dammit, that sounded good
- >>You look at your cereal box and cringe
- >>You cast a look over your shoulder
- >>While you still don't have a lot of cash on you, you do have plenty for pancakes
- >>Pancakes with some syrup and butter. Dinner of champions
- >>You go about the process of making the batter
- >>You take a cup of flower and add it to the mix
- >>Then you take a little something sweet, not sour, and a bit of salt
- >>Just a pinch
- >>Making pancakes is such a sinch
- >>Add a teaspoon of vanilla
- >>You add a little more,
- >>Then count to four,
- >>And you never get your fill-a
- >>You look up from your bowl for a moment
- ...Ffff...get out of my head, Pinkie
- >>You slap them onto your skillet and leave them be for just a second
- >>Head to the bathroom to wash your hands
- >>Run your hands under salt water
- >>Grab your soap on a rope
- >>Run your wrist through the loop to avoid any droppage
- >>And work your hands clean
- >>Dishes were pretty gross
- >>Suddenly you pause and look at the bar of soap in your hands
- This isn't mine.
- >>The loop suddenly tightens around your wrist and you are yanked off of your feet
- >>Dragged past the stairs
- >>Into your room
- >>“Ah gotcha, sugarcube!â€
- >>You cringe
- >>It's too early for this shit
- Oof!
- >>Applejack leaps from your bed onto you
- >>“Pucker up, darlin'. Tonight's gonna be a long one for ya!â€
- >>She closes her eyes and lowers her lips
- >>You thrust your hands up underneath her forelegs
- >>“Hey, wha... what the hay?!â€
- >>Her legs wiggle helplessly
- >>You get up on your feet and carry her over to your front door
- >>She can't reach you at arm's length
- >>You kick your door open
- I'm not happy with you, either.
- >>“Huh?â€
- >>POW
- >>She arcs through the air right out your door and lands on her rump as your boot collides with her flank
- >>Slam your door
- >>Head into the kitchen
- >>Pancakes are charred black
- FUCKING APPLEJACK, GOD DAMN
- To be continued
- >>Next day
- >>You're at work
- >>You're at the front again
- >>You hate the front
- >>You'd rather be in the back, working the dish pit
- >>Or baking
- >>But whatever, they need you up here
- >>And you need this job
- >>Not your place to question the Cakes'
- >>It's not as bad as the first day, at least
- >>People are coming in at a more manageable rate, now
- >>Or you're getting faster at it
- >>Either way
- >>You're still a little upset about this whole Lyra, thing
- >>Dash and Twilight are the most important people in your new life
- >>One disregards your problem when it's just Lyra stalking you
- >>Then throws you out when you've switched bodies, despite your attempt to explain
- >>Maybe it wasn't the BEST attempt to explain
- >>It was more like 'I'll kick your ass, Lyra!'
- >>But still
- >>And then there's Dash
- >>Your buddy
- >>Your homy
- >>Your comrade
- >>Your bro
- >>She wouldn't listen either
- >>And you had to actually fight her
- >>And she kicked your ass
- >>The more you think about it, the more frustrated you get
- >>You try to keep an open mind
- >>You try to reason that she is just loyal
- >>But it's just one of those things
- >>It's going to take time
- >>“Haha! Really? You're going to charge that much for a few cupcakes?â€
- It's a fair price.
- >>“Oh, reallyâ€
- Yeah.
- Really.
- >>“That's criminal.â€
- That's the way it is.
- >>“Haha! Get a better job, son.â€
- >>Customer storms out
- >>You look back on your past
- >>You recall that one asshole who wanted forty bits or some-such nonsense for the stuff to make pancakes
- >>You told him that was outrageous, too
- >>For an instant, you felt like that guy
- >>Do these people really feel that they are being overcharged?
- >>Well
- >>Anyway
- >>There's no way you're like that guy
- >>You just do as your told and get paid
- I can help the next pony
- >>You don't know how you didn't notice
- >>It was Twilight
- >>She lowers a bag to the counter and noses it to you
- >>She smiles
- >>“Hey, Anon!â€
- >>You look past her and see that there is no one else behind her
- >>You go about your business, but don't mind a short talk
- Hey there, Twilight.
- >>“How's business?â€
- Never would have imagined it would get so hard. You get a different perspective when you're elbow deep in dishes.
- I mean, this place was my favorite. I find it hard to eat here, now.
- >>“That makes senseâ€
- >>“More importantly, how are YOU?â€
- >>You crease your eyes and give her a queer glance
- Eh? Fine. Shouldn't I be?
- >>Twilight cants her head
- >>“I know you've been a little upset about that whole thing in the library.â€
- To say the least, yes.
- >>“I wanted to come by and tell you how sorry I am.â€
- >>You take a moment to answer
- >>Doing math, bitches
- It's alright.
- >>“You sure?â€
- Yeah.
- I mean,
- >>You pause
- Yeah, it's fine. If I was in your shoes I'd have done the same thing
- Just have to go with the flow
- >>“Your flow has been pretty rough, recentlyâ€
- That'll be seven bits.
- >>Twilight mouths them onto the counter and noses them over to you
- >>You take them and immediately wipe off the counter
- I won't lie, Twilight...
- >>She looks to you
- I am a little depressed about it all. But thanks for coming.
- >>You shoot her a sideways glance and a smile as you package up her order and shove it over
- It means a lot.
- >>She smiles in approval
- >>“If you ever need someone to talk to, you know you can come to the library.â€
- It's alright. I just need some time alone. Thank you, though.
- >>Twilight takes her order and trots out
- >>You turn to the bit bin, counting out the coinage
- >>A baby blue head bouncing past the window gets your attention
- >>You love your bro, but you can't help but cringe
- >>But you hear voices past the door
- >>“Hey Rainbow! What are you doing?â€
- >>“I'm gonna ask Anon if he wants to check out some new flying moves I developed!â€
- >>You roll your eyes
- >>Not in the mood for an airshow
- >>You remember, among your few fractured memories, how you used to go to airshows
- >>You think
- >>Seeing all those turbojets slipping beyond the sound barrier
- >>The streamlined framework
- >>The earth-breaking roar of the afterburners
- >>The epitome of human engineering
- >>Your favorite time was when this performance team came over from another country to strut their stuff
- >>Not that you can even remember names of places anymore
- >>Why, of all important things, do you remember THAT?
- >>You will always support Dash, but right now? In your depressed state?
- >>Last thing you need is to be further reminded of what you left behind, and will never fully remember
- >>The frail nature of the human mind
- >>“Oh, no you don't!â€
- >>“Huh?â€
- >>“Rainbow, in the span of two months Anon has been torn from his home world, caught up in illegal fight circuits, been kidnapped, saved a few kids, fell down a hole, had his soul transmuted, and was arrested; and in the process suffered countless concussions, broken bones, and hospital visits. All while trying to hold down a job and avoid being raped.â€
- >>She didn't hit on some of the more important things. But how could she? She doesn't know.
- >>There's silence
- >>“He needs time alone.â€
- >>“I'm gonna go talk to him!â€
- >>“Nope.â€
- >>You hear the characteristic chime of magic
- >>Twilight trots past the window followed by an aurora covered Rainbow Dash being pulled in tow
- >>Thank you, Twilight.
- >>Just then, Mr Cake walks out from the back
- >>“Anon, I need to talk with you.â€
- >>Moments later, you are standing with your arms folded, looking down at your boss
- Yes, sir?
- >>Mr. Cake is more jittery than usual
- >>“Listen, Anon, we haven't been making as much money as we used to. I've seen how you handle some of our clients. You need to learn to haggle.â€
- >>You crease your eyes
- Haggle?
- >>“Yes. We can't afford to have people walk out of the store without buying something.â€
- Oh, well, sir... I don't know if I can do that.
- >>“It's easy!â€
- I don't think I'm assertive enough. People will just argue down prices too far.
- >>He jabs a hoof into your gut
- >>He can't reach your chest
- >>“Look, Anon, if you aren't willing to do this we'll have to cut your hours. I'm sorry but that's just how it is.â€
- >>Your hours are already less than fantastic
- I got it. I'll work on it and start tomorrow.
- >>You know you haven't been there long enough to get away with much
- >>And you aren't the best employee. You're still learning stuff
- >>And it's just how you are
- >>You want to do your best,
- >>Be your best,
- >>And make people proud of you
- To be continued
- >>Shift's over
- >>You are exhausted
- >>So tired of Sugarcube Corner
- >>You used to love this place
- >>Now? Eh, whenever you come it's just to pick up and go
- >>And even then, it's hard to eat the stuff from here
- >>Just brings to mind too many things
- >>You try to kick work as far away as possible after your shift is over
- >>But tonight was different
- >>Tonight, you knew that your bosses were stressed
- >>And you're a nice guy
- >>You stay after hours to catch up on a little work
- >>Don't ask for payment
- >>Not the way you roll
- >>You're loyal to your employers
- >>Maybe a little too much of a nice guy
- >>Hard to believe that you used to be an underground fighter, and were damn good at it
- >>The Cake's have left, and Pinkie tended to matters up front
- >>At least, until she came back and saw you still dealing with a pile of dishes
- >>“What'cha doing?â€
- Work.
- >>“Why? Your shift's over, silly-fillyâ€
- >>You look up from your task and cringe
- >>Shake your head and get back to work
- >>Remember, Anon, this is the girl who saved your life
- >>“Just want to do the Cakes' a favor, is all.â€
- >>Finish drying off a muffin tin, pass it over to dry
- >>Start work on another one
- You know, you people need to at least let these soak when you're done with them.
- This batter is like concrete, I swear to Luna.
- >>No matter how hard you scrub, it's a battle of attrition
- >>“Sorry~! We just have to fill so many orders.â€
- Yeah, I guess.
- Hey, do you know anything about that store that opened across the street? It sure as heck has the Cakes' shaken up.
- >>“Oh, yeah! It's called Confection Perfection.â€
- >>Ever been there?
- >>“Nope~!â€
- Yeah, me neither. Hm.
- >>You fall silent for a moment
- >>God damn, this stuff is like rock
- >>You attack it with a dirty spatula, trying to scrape some of this shit off
- >>“...Are you asking me on a date~?â€
- >>You stop
- >>Look over your shoulder
- >>Find her with her head canted far off center, smiling, batting her eye lashes
- >>You go back to your work
- Sorry, Pinky. You're a nice girl and all...
- >>She bounces up to you
- >>“Oh, so serious! I was just kidding!â€
- >>“You SILLY-FILLYâ€
- I really wish you would stop calling me that.
- >>“It's getting really lateâ€
- I mean, really, what have I done that's so silly?
- >>“It's dark out. Do you want to stay over, just for tonight?â€
- I'm not even a girl
- >>“I mean, I know you tend to have bad things happening to you at nightâ€
- And I'm still older than you
- >>Her eyes pop open and she skips an inch off the ground
- >>She looks upward at you
- >>“Hey~ how old ARE you?â€
- >>You put down your rag for a moment
- I'm...
- >>You think back to how many birthdays you've had
- >>Many of them by yourself
- >>Well, what you could remember
- >>You can only assume with the limited data you have available
- >>You slouch over the dish pit
- >>Come on, Anon. You KNOW how old you are
- >>The last time you ever actually had a 'party' for your birthday was when you were thirteen or fourteen
- >>Or was it even earlier than that?
- >>Something in your early teens
- >>And then you knew you were working an actual job
- >>Celestia allowed you to relive that, back when she was trying to break you
- >>Well, when she did break you
- >>Yours was a life of regimented mediocrity
- >>You must have been an adult
- >>Pinkie cants her head, watching you think
- >>You are still
- >>She frowns
- >>You get back to work
- >>Dammit, Celestia
- >>Just... dammit
- >>The dishes are done
- >>The surfaces are clean
- >>You wiped off all the cake displays
- >>Time to get heading home
- >>You put down another request to just stay over
- >>It's late, way past the curfew for most ponies
- >>But you could take care of yourself
- >>You're the toughest son of a bitch in Ponyville, after all
- >>Yeah, you get your shit ruined a lot
- >>But that's because you're a nice guy
- >>If push comes to shove, you are confident in your fists
- >>And that night when Applejack and Rainbow Dash kicked your ass?
- >>Don't even go there
- >>That shit was two on one
- >>And you were in a crappy body
- >>Yep, still pissed about it
- >>But you'll get over it
- >>Maybe it was time to let Dash know that it's alright
- >>Because, hey, you let Twilight off easily enough
- >>Just Dash's betrayal hit you especially hard
- >>Something happened that night
- >>For the first time in what felt like forever, you were genuinely scared
- >>Not just 'Oh, jeez, stop that, Pinkie!' scared
- >>But it felt like the universe was turning against you
- >>That nothing was in your control, that you were the bad guy
- >>And that terrified you
- >>Perhaps trying to isolate yourself wasn't the correct way to handle it
- >>Maybe you should be thankful for the friends you have
- >>After all, you forgave Celestia
- >>Hm
- >>You head home
- >>The journey is uneventful
- >>Good
- >>No creepy stalkers
- >>No rampaging rapists
- >>No BonBon the Destroyer
- >>You still feel imprints of her hoof on your face
- >>Bitch has a really good one-two
- >>You get to your door and start fiddling with the key
- >>Suddenly, you hear a deep whoosh of air behind you
- >>Followed by an impact
- >>You turn to look over your shoulder
- >>To say you jumped is an understatement
- Hoa!
- >>You whirl around, pressing yourself back against the door
- >>The creature before you is shorter than you
- >>But it's larger than your typical pony
- >>Head of a bald eagle, eying you with those predatory eyes
- >>It bobbed around, turned, canted, twitched like a bird's
- >>But the body was that of a lion
- >>And it possessed a pair of great wings to provide the massive lift needed to get such a beast into the air
- >>“'Sup?â€
- >>It spoke to you
- >>You squinted your eyes and gave it a queer look
- >>“You Anon?â€
- >>You nodded your head
- Y..yeah
- >>You still weren't convinced that this wasn't some sort of predatory animal
- >>And it wasn't something you felt like you really wanted to 'punch'
- >>You just sort of didn't want to touch it at all
- >>“So, you're Dash's main squeeze...â€
- >>“Feh.â€
- Wait, what?
- No
- She's my bro
- Who are you?
- >>She whips her head around, throwing some large feathers out of her way
- >>“Name's Gilda. And if you know what's good for you...â€
- >>She raised a talon to your chest and jabbed
- >>Your eyes shot wide
- >>Did she just break skin?
- >>“...You'll butt out of Dash's life. She needs someone cool to hang with, someone who can come to HER and help her with HER problems.â€
- >>You raised an eyebrow
- >>Did Dash really think you were so greedy? Oh, dear
- >>You have been sort of treating her like crap, lately
- >>Oh no
- >>Bro status threatened
- >>You gulp
- >>Not out of fear for Gilda, but out of fear for losing Dash
- >>“Capice, groundy?â€
- >>You snap back to reality
- I don't care if you hang out with Dashie
- Don't expect me to stop, though.
- >>Gilda rears her head back and smirks at you
- >>“We'll see. This was just a warning, groundyâ€
- >>She leans in uncomfortably close
- >>“Don't cross me...â€
- >>She unfurled her wings and with a single beat, lifted off the ground
- >>And, like that, she was gone
- >>You take a few moments to think
- >>Gilda can go feather fuck herself
- >>But did Dashie really feel that way?
- >>You look down to your chest
- >>There is a pool of blood where her talon touched you
- >>This was going to eat at you all night
- To be continued
- >>Next day
- >>You're at work
- >>They started you at the front today
- >>Shit
- >>You hated it
- >>And you hated actually having to haggle
- >>You could stand your ground on prices just fine
- >>But now you have to actually argue them
- >>What was fair?
- >>What was unfair?
- >>You just tried to be as logical as you could
- >>They would cite a price lower than the listed
- >>You state something higher than what they offered
- >>And had to reach an average from that
- >>So inconvenient
- >>The looks that experienced hagglers gave didn't make it any more fun
- >>You were a tough guy
- >>But this was a little too much for your niceness level
- >>You channeled Fluttershy
- >>“Fifty centsâ€
- It costs one bit. I'm not giving you a fifty per-cent discount on top of the sale.
- >>“Okay. Fifty one.â€
- Are you serious, lady?
- >>“Fine, fine. Sixty and that's my final offer.â€
- >>You roll your eyes up to the ceiling, cross your arms, lean over to where you can see the kitchen
- >>Mr. Cakes is not paying attention
- >>You look back to the customer
- Give me sixty one so that I feel like I won, and we'll call it even.
- >>The customer smiled and gave you the money
- >>You packaged the order and then placed the coinage in the chest, wiping off the counter top
- >>You guys were going to go out of business at this rate
- >>You looked out the window and across the street
- >>Confection Perfection had a line out the door
- >>God damn
- >>They must have had some really good stuff
- >>Oh well
- >>The day was oddly not busy
- >>All the business was heading across the street
- >>The situation was so rapidly deteriorating, you now see why the Cake's were so worried
- >>Huh
- >>Oh well, if this doesn't work out you might be able to snag another job.
- >>Mister cake clops in, and you look over to him
- >>He sighs
- >>He is troubled by the sight that you just witnessed
- >>“Go ahead and clock out.â€
- Yes, sir.
- >>Not your place to question the Cakes
- >>You are too loyal of an employee for that
- >>Few minutes after your shift has ended, you find yourself moving to and fro
- >>You're worried
- >>Worried about Dash
- >>Pinkie Pie trots up behind you as well
- >>“Hiee~!â€
- Hey, there.
- >>“What's wrong? You haven't worn a single smile all day!â€
- ...You serious?
- >>Pinkie Pie trotted in front of you and started moving backwards with you
- >>“Come on! You're a grumpy guss but you usually smile.â€
- >>Your mouth shifted into a half frown
- If you say so.
- >>Pinkie stopped, forcing you to stop
- >>She looked up at you with one squinted eye
- >>“You're not going emo, are you?â€
- Oh! Oh, sweet Celestia, no.
- Am I?
- >>“Yes.â€
- Oh, Jeez, I'm sorry, Pinkie
- >>As if emo was the worst thing you've ever been called
- >>You DID try to maintain a generally positive outlook
- >>You mean, it's how you bounced back from being a potential mass murderer to redeeming yourself
- >>A look is paid to Pinkie
- >>She notices sweat on your forehead when even you didn't
- >>“Anon, what's wrong?â€
- >>You take a moment
- How do you ponies read me so easily?
- >>“You're sweating, silly.â€
- >>You run a hand over your forehead and find a thick layer of salty liquid
- >>You frown
- Well, shoot. You got me.
- >>She smiles
- Good shooting, partner. Alright, I give.
- >>You flip her a finger pistol before you realize that you are near the park
- Come on. I kind of want to find some shade
- >>Moments later, at the park,
- So this thing with the head of an eagle, the body of a lion, and the wings of a... eagle... warns me to stay away from Dash.
- >>Pinkie rubs a hoof under her chin and thinks
- >>“Hmmm...â€
- She told me that I'm no good for her. That Dash thinks I'm self centered. I'm trying to find her.
- >>Pinkie's eyes widen
- >>“...Gilda?â€
- >>You think back to last night and nod
- Yeah, that was her name.
- >>Pinkie gasps
- >>“HYUUH! She's a big meanie! We've had to deal with her before.â€
- I don't know about all that. But I don't intend to let her tell me who I can and can't be friends with.
- >>“...I think that makes her a meanie.â€
- >>Pinkie had a point
- >>You were just the kind of guy to give the benefit of the doubt
- >>You rest your head in your hands
- Kind of hard to find her when she can fly and I cannot. I have no idea where to start.
- I've never actively looked for her... she always came to me.
- >>That's how it always was
- >>She came to you
- >>From day one, when she found you
- >>Saving you from all those rape attempts
- >>Inviting you to activities
- >>Generally being a bro
- >>She always came to you
- >>Oh, God, you WERE unfair and greedy
- >>Your hands clenched the sides of your head
- >>You frowned
- >>Oh, Dash...
- >>“Oh, that's easy, silly Anon.â€
- >>You still kind of wished that she would stop calling you 'silly'
- >>But ever since last night, when you failed to substantiate your age argument, you don't feel that you can
- Is it?
- >>“Yeah. She manages the weather, so just look up in the clouds. You can always find her zipping around!â€
- >>You thought for a second
- >>“She's like WHOO~! WHOOSH~! WHOOOO~â€
- Yuh-huh
- >>You acknowledge passively
- >>Pinkie sometimes had nuggets of wisdom
- >>But it was best to just tune her out sometimes
- >>She makes herself dizzy and falls over
- >>“Hehee~!â€
- Yuh-huh
- >>You look up into the sky
- >>Skies are clear. No clouds
- >>Where else would she be?
- >>Sleeping on someone's roof?
- >>“I also know where her house isâ€
- >>Pinkie says
- >>Your eyes go wide
- >>It's just then that you realized that you don't even know that much
- >>By Celestia... you've been a real jackass
- >>A real shut-in
- >>You realize that it's probably part of the reason that the Lyra nightmare was as bad as it was
- >>Well, other than you just being dumb
- >>How much of you did your friends really see?
- >>Not that much
- >>You just left them to their own devices, presuming they would come to you if they needed anything
- >>You cringe
- >>All this time you thought that these were dumb animals with the general collective intelligence of children
- >>But it seems that they really did have a thing or two to teach you about friendship
- >>And life in general
- >>“So, Anon? Wanna see if she's home?â€
- Absolutely
- >>In about twenty minutes you find yourself standing under a large cloud mansion
- >>Sheesh, she lives well
- >>You wonder just how stable cloud matter is, while you are at it
- >>Pinkie Pie trots past you
- >>“Well, since this is between you and her, I'll take off. I'll be back in a few~!â€
- >>You nod
- Thank you, Pinkie
- >>You wait until she leaves
- >>You wonder how, exactly, to go about this
- >>Well, here goes nothing
- >>You put your hands around your lips to serve as a makeshift megaphone
- Dash?
- >>You call
- >>No answer
- Rainbow?
- >>You call again
- >>Maybe no one's home?
- >>Uh oh
- >>You realize something
- >>Something that makes you want to grind your teeth
- >>You look back into recent history
- >>When you were both in the hospital, “That's Rainbow Dash, to youâ€
- >>Yeah, that killed you
- >>She was mad at that point
- >>Time to test the hypothesis
- Rainbow Dash?
- >>Sure enough, a cyan head peeks over the cloud's edge and looks down at you
- >>Followed, sickeningly, by an eagle head just next to it
- >>“Oh, hello... A-nonâ€
- >>The way she was pronouncing your name made you want to grind your teeth harder
- >>Colgate wouldn't like that, though
- >>“Whose this, Dash?â€
- >>Gilda says
- Oh, you know EXACTLY who this is!
- >>You can see where this is going
- >>You're not the smartest guy around, but fuck this shit
- >>“Oh, it's just some guy I know. I think his name is Anonâ€
- Some guy?! Come on, bro!
- >>Calling her 'bro' just causes her to beam a glare down on you
- >>“Doesn't ring a bellâ€
- >>Gilda smirks
- Hey! You!
- >>Gilda looks down at you
- Yeah, you! You know exactly who I am! You came to my house last night!
- >>Dash looked at Gilda with one eye squinted
- >>You imagine if Gilda could sweat, she was doing so
- I still have that hole in my chest from your whole speech of 'hurp durp, stay away from Dash!'
- >>“Well... maybe you should?â€
- >>Your eyes widen
- >>Your mouth hangs open
- Wh...what?
- >>“Anon, Gilda has been my friend for a long time. And she doesn't abandon meâ€
- I wasn't abandoning you! I was busy at work! Come on, Dash, let's talk about this!
- >>“Oh, NOW you want to talk?â€
- >>You pause
- >>Your eyes shift to the left, then the right, before settling back on Dash
- Uh, yes?
- >>“Well I don't know, Anon! I think I need some time alone!â€
- >>She sticks her tongue out at you and vanishes back into her cloud
- >>Gilda gives you a wicked smile and then does the same
- >>You are left standing there, with your jimmies rustled
- >>Your depleted uranium jimmies, rustled by that fucking bird-cat
- >>Pinkie Pie bounces back up
- >>“So, how did it go~?â€
- >>It's way too early for this shit
- To be continued
- >>This was shaping up to be a really crappy weekend
- >>Story of your life in Equestria
- >>First, your friends hate you for killing someone in an illegal fight circuit
- >>Then you lose your body and they think you're crazy when you try to convince them of what's going on
- >>And now Dash is gone because you wanted some time to cool down
- >>Fffff
- >>Fuck
- >>Man,
- >>You just can't catch a break
- >>You can't blame it on anyone else, this time
- >>Although Gilda isn't helping
- >>You decide that it's time to do some information gathering
- >>You aren't the sharpest knife in the drawer
- >>Not by a long shot
- >>But you had a plan
- >>And you knew full well that knowledge was power
- >>You sat down with Pinkie at the tables outside of Sugarcube corner
- >>Derpy is in the distance delivering her mail
- >>It's afternoon, shortly after your colossal failure in trying to speak with Dash
- >>Man, Confection Perfection was still busy as hell
- >>They must have had their shit together
- >>But that wasn't important right now
- >>Time to get down to business
- Hey, Pinkie
- >>You bring a glass of lemonade to your lips
- >>Oh, you drink. But it's too early for that
- >>Besides, you've resolved yourself to stay sober until you get your drinking buddy back
- >>“Yeah?â€
- >>She was stepping on her own shadow
- >>She was easy to keep entertained, at least
- >>“Hehe~!â€
- What do you know about Gilda?
- >>She stopped playing with the light and stood up straight
- >>You raised an eyebrow
- >>She had a straight face
- >>First time you've ever seen Pinkie Pie remotely serious
- >>This must have been bad
- >>“She's a total meanie!â€
- >>No shit
- >>“She used to be Rainbow Dash's friend in flight school, and she wants to monopolize all of her time!â€
- Go on.
- >>“Oh, yeah! She yelled at Fluttershy, and steals stuff, and kept trying to make me stay away from Rainbow Dash...â€
- >>Pinkie talks at a million miles a second
- >>But you're getting to where you need
- Oh, yeah? And how did you deal with her, then?
- >>“I threw her a party!â€
- >>You squint one eye and lift an eyebrow
- Eh?
- >>“Yeah! I wanted to make her feel welcome in Ponyville, because Twilight said it sounded like I was jealous!â€
- >>Your lips flatten
- Sounds like Twilight
- >>You love the girl, but she did tend to play off problems until they blew up
- Okay. So, what? Is she just repelled by parties or something?
- Is she a magnet?
- >>Pinkie looks at you blankly, not getting the joke
- >>“No...â€
- Okay, so what happened?
- >>“Rainbow Dash played some great pranks on her and she blew up on me! Then Rainbow Dash stepped in and told her to cheese off!â€
- >>You lifted a finger to your chin and contemplated
- >>Well, pranks weren't going to help you out, here
- >>But this Gilda individual seemed to have a short temper
- >>Maybe you could use that?
- >>Perhaps
- >>You are lost in thought
- >>“Anon?â€
- Hm?
- >>“So what happened?â€
- Dash is upset with me because I was upset with her.
- >>“...Huh?â€
- >>Her squeaky voice was adorable
- >>You hated to admit it, but you were liking Pinkie better and better as the days wore on
- >>Through all the shit, she always stuck with you
- When Lyra took my body. You were the only pony who helped me.
- I guess it wasn't Dash's fault. I mean, how could she have known?
- I guess I just held bad feelings over it
- >>Pinkie listened
- And now I'm paying the price
- >>You take another drink from your glass
- >>“So what are you going to do?â€
- Not sure, Pinkie.
- But if being here in Equestria has taught me one thing...
- >>She smiles at you
- I shall fight in Ponyville
- I shall fight in the park and in the town.
- I shall fight with great confidence and great strength for that mare!
- >>You stand up from your seat, a look of determination etching your features
- >>Pinkie is getting really into it, as evident by her ever broadening smile
- I shall defend our friendship, whatever the cost may be.
- I shall fight on the rooftops
- I shall fight on in the market places,
- I shall fight in the fields,
- And in the streets
- I shall fight in the hills
- By Celestia, I will never surrender!
- >>Pinkie Pie's eyes widen and she skips in place
- >>“Yay~!â€
- Comrade Pinkie?
- >>She nods at you
- >>“Yes?â€
- Prepare a party.
- >>“Okay~!â€
- Dedicate it to Rainbow Dash
- >>“Good idea!â€
- And give me an invite for Gilda.
- >>“...You sure?â€
- Absolutely.
- >>That evening, you head back to your house
- >>And, herpity-derpity-doo, Gilda is there waiting there just for you
- >>You had a feeling
- >>She didn't seem like the kind that would fail to deliver on a threat
- >>She saw you coming and stood there, proudly, smirking
- >>She thought she had it all over you
- >>She had no idea who the fuck she was messing with
- >>But you weren't going to fight. Not in the way you usually do
- >>Whenever you fight with your fists, nothing but hardship comes out of it
- >>And then there's that one dream where you were called retarded by Fluttershy
- >>No, you wager,
- >>This time you'll give tact a try
- >>Definately not your comfort zone
- >>But you're a smart anon
- >>You know full well that if Rainbow Dash is invited to a party, and Gilda is not, she will suspect something
- >>Not like you could keep it secret
- >>Pinkie Parties tended to get wild by pony standards
- >>“I told...â€
- Hey hey, there!
- >>You cut her off
- >>She gets startled
- >>“I warned...â€
- Are you frustrated? Here, let me make it up to you
- >>You cut her off again
- >>You drop your guard and hand her a large envelope sealed with a balloon shaped stamp
- >>She takes it, warily
- >>Swipes it open with a single swipe of her talon
- >>She looks the card over and chortles
- >>“This a joke?â€
- >>She tosses the card over her shoulder
- >>“It's not a joke, though. We just thought...â€
- >>She reaches forward and grasps the tuft of your shirt in her talons and pulls you down to her level
- >>“Look, GROUNDY. I ain't falling for this again.â€
- >>“I warned you to keep away from Dash.
- >>“She doesn't like you!â€
- >>“I'm her friend, now. So maybe you'll take this beating as a sign to beat it!â€
- >>Damn, Griffons. Why you so scary?
- >>God damn
- >>You think you pee yourself a little
- >>Ponies are one thing. This is a large avian predator
- >>She rears her fist over her shoulder
- >>This night turns out to be a long one for you
- >>But you're used to it by now
- >>And for Dash? This was nothing
- END
- >>Last day of the weekend
- >>Good day for a party
- >>Clear skies
- >>Clean store
- >>Cooperative Pinkie Pie
- >>And, Celestia willing,
- >>A curious Rainbow Dash
- >>Mr. and Mrs cake expressed their concerns
- >>With the financial situation, they were not sure about hosting parties at Sugarcube Corner
- >>But as you decorated, you rolled your eyes
- >>Their fears were groundless
- >>That's what you honestly believed
- >>Ever since that goddamn Confection Perfection shoppe opened up, they were paranoid as hell
- >>They needed to learn to lay back and go with the flow, like you
- >>After all, that's how you're able to cope with all the depression of being a flesh and bone automaton
- >>That's how you were able to forgive Celestia, even if you still curse her name at times
- >>Seriously, for all your crap about being older than them all by so much...
- >>You weren't able to recall how old you were
- >>You don't know what your talents are or were
- >>You don't know what your name was
- >>You don't know what it is to be human
- >>But you do know one thing
- >>You care about Dash
- >>And come Hell or high water,
- >>You were getting her back
- >>Again
- >>Pinkie Pie was taking care of the balloons
- >>And by 'taking care of,' you meant fucking around with the helium to warp her voice
- >>Dammit
- >>She was cute, she was adorable, she was growing on you
- >>You owed her your life, after all
- >>But if her voice wasn't annoying before, it was now
- >>Sometimes Pinkie Pie just drives you up the fucking wall
- >>You tied a party streamer to one post, twisted it several times, and went about tying it to another post
- >>Since it was Rainbow Dash themed, you were careful with your selection of colors
- >>Red
- >>Vermillion
- >>Green
- >>Blue
- >>Violet
- >>But there was the matter of gold
- >>Something didn't sit right with you, just using yellow streamers
- >>And so, you called in a favor from Rarity
- >>It cost you, of course
- >>Now you owe her
- >>You figured that's fine. She's behaved herself since that little incident on the second day
- >>And now, you have glittering golden weave
- >>Pretty expensive for a party
- >>But it's for Dash, and you are sparing no expense
- >>“Hey, Anonâ€
- >>You look over your shoulder as you decorate
- >>It's Mrs Cake
- Hey there, m'am
- >>You often got complimented on how polite you were
- >>But that just comes with the territory, right? They're your employers
- >>You don't feel right being anything other than excessively polite to them
- >>Did you go above and beyond ponies in that regard?
- >>Hard to fathom. They've taught you a lot
- >>Even if they're animals
- >>She rears back and cringes in horror at you
- >>You have a black eye
- >>“Dear, what happened to you?!â€
- I fell down some steps.
- >>You don't like to go too deep into stuff like that
- >>“I... I see... Well, you aren't going to be working the front counter for a whileâ€
- >>She forces a smile
- >>If Gilda was here, you would thank her
- >>You hate the front counter hard core
- >>You genuinely smile
- So, how can I help ya, m'am?
- >>She chuckles at your mannerisms
- >>“Dear, you're not on the clock!â€
- I... know. I'm not expecting to be paid.
- >>She shakes her head and raises a hoof
- >>“No, no. I mean you can just call me Mrs Cake.â€
- Oh
- Well
- What can I do for ya, Mrs. Cake?
- >>She raised her brows
- >>“Whose paying for all this?â€
- Me.
- >>She recoiled
- >>“Really? I didn't realize you were this, uh, well off...â€
- >>You really weren't, not with how much the Cakes' paid you
- >>You would never complain, though
- >>Well, that's not true. Just not in ear shot of them
- >>You would be going for a few days with a cut diet
- This party is special, because it's for a special person.
- >>“Oh! If only we could all be blessed with a friend as good as you!â€
- >>You look over your shoulder again
- >>There's a pause
- >>Good friend? Yeah, okay.
- >>You didn't even know where Dash lived until Pinkie told you
- >>She always came to you for everything
- >>Even when you were upset, she tried harder than she probably ever has to put out the burning bridge
- >>Well, now it's your turn to slap on the hard hat and get to it
- >>You turn and go back to your work with the streamers
- >>Dash's color scheme made things difficult
- >>But you were determined to make this work
- How's the cake?
- >>You ask
- >>“Oh! It's coming alone nicely. We have the first level all done and are building the second.â€
- >>You genuinely smile
- And her cutiemark?
- >>“All around the outside of the cake, just like you asked.â€
- Color?
- >>“Light blue with red, yellow, and orange icing.â€
- Oh, man...
- >>She looks at you ad you wipe away an imaginary tear
- That's just beautiful!
- >>She smiles at your approval
- >>You turn half way around, flip her a finger pistol
- Stay beautiful, Mrs. Cake. I need to finish up out here.
- >>You're feeling pretty good about this
- >>It's all putting you in a good mood
- >>She chuckles and blushes
- >>Mr. Cake was in the same room, helping to place the balloons
- >>He doesn't seem to mind, realizing that you're just kidding around
- >>Bullet dodged
- >>The day was growing old
- >>It was show time
- >>You do what you can to remain relatively low profile and out of sight
- >>Hard to do
- >>You're a giant, here
- >>These ponies normally only about get up to your waist
- >>So you remain in the back
- >>Cleaning dishes from the earlier baking
- >>You sort of wanted to bake, for your bro
- >>But you saw how Fluttershy reacted to your cooking
- >>She was all “No! It's good!â€
- >>But she dropped that real fast when you reminded her that lying is not your fetish
- >>Fuckin'
- >>Ah well. You cook for yourself, so it makes sense that only you would like your crap
- >>You were worried that there would be a crappy turnout because of the store across the street
- >>But, actually, you look out of the kitchen and in to the party room
- >>You are always impressed at how many ponies can fit in the small shoppe
- >>You scan the crowd
- >>You see Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom trollin and patrollin
- >>This brings a smile to your face-hardened bullet proof exterior
- >>That was a crazy adventure, with you and them
- >>Upon further research, you find Lyra with her mate, BonBon
- >>The two are dancing on their two hind legs
- >>BonBon is doing her best to keep up with Lyra
- >>It was adorable
- >>You wanted to say 'hi' to them, but you were certain that BonBon the Destroyer would wreck you
- >>You disappear into the kitchen again and sit down against the wall
- >>Legs flared out, hands rolled out beside you
- >>You sigh
- >>Pinkie Pie bounces in from the party, dressed in a ridiculous outfit
- >>Complete with one of those party horns jutting from her mouth
- >>She blows it into your face
- >>You reach your fast hand up to it, grip it, and rip it from her lips before throwing it in the garbage
- Don't push it, Pinkie Pie
- >>You're still something of a bad-ass at heart
- >>You have spoken more in the last few days than you ever have to your recollection
- >>You liked being a man of few words better
- >>Probably why you hated working the front counter
- >>Pinkie Pie giggles and derp faces
- >>“Silly Anon! I saw that smile! Where'd it go?â€
- It'll come back when Rainbow Dash shows up.
- This whole thing is for her.
- >>And you, you had to admit
- >>You needed a dash of rainbow in your life
- >>You started to worry
- >>Were you being greedy again?
- >>“Don't worry! I'm sure she'll come. No one can resist a Pinkie Party!â€
- >>She says this with great confidence
- >>You look over to her
- >>She is looking at you
- >>Her head low, canted a huge smile on her face
- >>You know where she is going with this
- Don't get used to it, Pinkie.
- >>You prefer to be at home, with stuff your size that you can interact with
- >>“Oh ho~ you're being a super-duper grumpy pants, again!â€
- >>You frown and raise an eyebrow at her
- >>She nudges you
- >>“But that's okay! I still like you!â€
- >>You can't help but smile, closing your eyes in the cartoon expression of happiness
- I like you, too.
- >>“Hyuh! Does that mean you'll be taking me on a date!?â€
- >>This is the second time she's done that
- >>You glare at her
- >>She hoofs your shoulder
- >>“I'm just KIDDING! You silly-filly~!â€
- >>You can't bring yourself to argue with that nickname anymore
- >>You deflate
- Tell me when Rainbow shows up, will you?
- >>She smiles pleasantly at you
- >>“Okey dokey, lokei!â€
- >>She bounces off, happy as can be
- >>You chose to bide your time
- >>Since Rainbow will likely be put off if you're in her face right off the bat,
- >>You are content to organize and shuffle through what is left of your human mind
- >>It isn't much
- >>A blasted crater of mangled information
- >>Celestia made sure of that
- To be continued
- >>Party was running for a little while
- >>You noticed over time that Twilight has not shown up
- >>...Nor Rarity
- >>...Or Fluttershy
- >>Spike hasn’t either, but he usually just didn't give a damn if Twilight or Rarity weren't involved
- >>So his absence didn't surprise you
- >>Applejack was off to visit family or something, so she wasn't going to show up
- >>But the others were
- >>And you could tell that Pinkie Pie noticed as well
- >>For however easy you were to read, their two dimensional forms tended to rely on facial expressions
- >>She would occasionally look around the crowd and frown before going about her duties as a host once again
- >>That Pinkie Pie had spirit and a sense of responsibility
- >>Frustrating as hell
- >>But you had to give her that
- >>You could respect it
- >>Dare say, admire it
- >>You weren't so outgoing
- >>You preferred to stay in the house
- >>You saw your friends, of course
- >>But not as much as you should have
- >>If you spent more time with them, that whole Lyra issue probably wouldn't have been so catastrophic
- >>Was THAT the lesson Celestia was looking for?
- >>Oh well, too late now. You already made yourself look like a doof in front of Pony God Empress
- >>What was concerning you more, however, was that Rainbow still hasn’t shown up
- >>Maybe Pinkie didn't get all the invites out?
- >>It would explain a few things
- >>Suddenly, the door opens
- >>It's Dash, but you don't quite know that yet
- >>You don't figure it out until confetti explosives go off
- >>“Finally! The party girl is here!â€
- >>Ponies cheer
- >>A banner praising Rainbow dash for what she does, what she gave, and what she continues to bring falls into place
- >>You remain hidden still, however
- >>You can't afford to blow this
- >>Being in Rainbow's face right when she gets in was going to put her off
- >>“Thanks, everyone! Did you all plan this just for me?!â€
- >>God, you loved your Rainbro but her voice cracked all over the place
- >>“Yeah~! We just wanted to show you how thankful we were for all the work you do for us!â€
- >>Good girl, Pinkie Pie
- >>“Hey... Dashâ€
- >>There was a simple, but none the less wicked, Guitar riff
- >>Oh, damn it
- >>It was Gilda
- >>You thought for sure you had your bases covered
- >>You refrained from making any noise
- >>“What do you say we ditch this dump and catch some late night air?â€
- >>“No way! I never miss a Pinkie Party!â€
- >>The guests give their unanimous approval
- >>And the conversation gives you hope
- >>You're just irritated that you got this black eye for no reason
- >>Dammit
- >>You really thought the invitation to the Pinkie Party would take care of Gilda
- >>Oh well
- >>You can work around this
- >>No way a fucking birdcat is going to cheat you out of your best friend
- >>After a few minutes, the party goes back into full swing
- >>Pinkie walks into the kitchen to see you still sitting at the wall
- >>“Well, she's here! But Gilda is too...â€
- Yeah, I heard
- >>“I told you that inviting her was a bad idea!â€
- Yeah, well, you were right. Now it's going to be a little harder.
- >>You take a moment to think, lifting a finger to your chin and concentrating
- Hey, Pinkie Pie
- >>She leans in
- >>“Yes~?â€
- When the time is right, do you think you can try to get Gilda away from Dash long enough for me to talk to her?
- >>Pinkie Pie gets an oddly serious expression and salutes in a military fashion
- >>“You got it, Anon.â€
- >>You find yourself confused by her sudden switch in attitude
- >>That is, until she goes right back to bouncing around on her hooves
- >>Party has been going on for another hour
- >>It's about ready to bring out the cake
- >>It was decided that you were going to do it, for various reasons
- >>Hands
- >>Strength
- >>And, of course, so you could get your shot with Rainbow
- >>Pinkie dashes back into the kitchen and leans in
- >>“Okay, Anon, you ready?â€
- >>You get up on your feet
- >>You just realize that your rear end is sore, and you stretch for a moment
- >>You also slip on an eye patch to hie your black eye
- >>You aren't going to try to pressure Dash into forgiving you
- >>If she forgives you, you want it to be because you deserve it
- >>Not because she pities you
- You bet. What's the Gilda situation like?
- >>“Mrs Cake is going to distract her for as long as possible. Let me make the cake announcement.â€
- >>Pinkie vanishes, and as she does you move to the massive cake
- >>You didn't quite realize how big this beast was
- >>Your hands barely stretch out far enough to grab the handles of the plate upon which it sits
- >>But you manage to hoist it up off of the table
- >>In the effort, you don't really make out the speech
- >>But you do hear your queue
- >>And you hear Mrs. Cake confront Gilda
- >>“Oh, hon, would you mind helping me bring some stuff up from the back? Looks like we're short on party games!â€
- >>Gilda hesitates to answer, but eventually says
- >>She's reluctant
- >>She doesn't want to, but around Dash? She won't betray her true colors so readily again
- >>“...Sureâ€
- >>They take a round-about way that does not lead her through the kitchen
- >>Now is your chance
- >>No one can stop you from getting in contact with your beloved Rainbow, now
- >>Pinkie Pie signals the cake in, and you guide it out
- >>Carefully
- >>Shit, you forgot that you have to actually crouch to get through the door
- >>Pinkie Pie cringes as you have to twist and maneuver yourself creatively to get through
- >>It's almost like limbo
- >>You nearly trip on the threshold
- >>But you manage to salvage it, and get back on your feet
- >>Everyone present cheers
- >>Not at you, but at this beautiful mother of a cake
- >>It is made of three layers
- >>The icing is the same layer as Dash's coat
- >>White icing around the edges, representing Cloudsdale décor, from what you've heard
- >>Designs of her cutie mark were along the outsides of the layers
- >>You get the cake to the table, slide it into place
- >>“Hey, Anon! Since you're the tallest, wanna cut the cake?â€
- >>Pinkie smiles at you
- >>Rainbow, however, is less than impressed to see you
- >>But you don't let it bug you
- >>You just smile at Rainbow and then look to Pinkie
- Hey, no problem
- >>The other ponies all cheer at this
- >>You take up your spatula
- >>Cut the first slice out of the top layer
- >>Plate it
- >>And, with a caring gaze, hand it to Dash
- I hope you're enjoying yourself.
- >>She takes the plate and looks at you with furrowed brows
- I really hope you are.
- >>Moments later you have cut down the upper two layers of cake, and Pinkie Pie has taken over Cake duties
- >>Gilda still hasn’t come back
- >>No time to waste
- >>You take a slice in a plate with a fork stuck in it
- >>You take an instant to admire the perfectly arranged color stripes that make up the vanilla 'meat' of the cake
- >>You are satisfied
- >>Rainbow Dash isn't mingling
- >>She has sat down outside with her cake at one of the several tables for people to eat outside
- >>You find her, and you approach her table
- Hey there, Rainbow Dash
- >>You respect her desire to be called by her full name when she's upset
- >>She looks up from her nearly gone cake, prodding it with her fork
- >>“Hey, Anon.â€
- Mind if I join you?
- >>She remains silent
- >>You sit across from her, putting the slice on the table and sliding it over to her
- >>“...What happened to your eye?â€
- I fell down some steps.
- >>She doesn't believe you
- >>You can tell by the squinted eye and seeing some pony facial expressions in your day
- Are you enjoying yourself?
- >>“Yeah, I guess. Anon, did you plan this?â€
- >>You shrug
- I helped decorate.
- >>And paid for most of it
- >>All of it
- >>And coordinated with Pinkie
- >>But you weren't about to tell Dash all that
- >>She took a bite of her cake and looked down to her plate
- Listen, Rainbow,
- >>She looks up at you
- I've been thinking.
- >>She scoffs
- >>“That's a switch!â€
- >>Your purse your lips
- I know I haven't been the best friend.
- >>She serious's up and listens to you
- You have been nothing but loyal to me, and I can't say I've been the same to you.
- You're always there for me when I needed it.
- You've saved my life a handful of times.
- I can talk to you about things.
- I always hide my feelings from you, you always have to come to me...
- You've just given me things that no one else has ever has.
- And I don't want it all to end just because I was an idiot.
- >>She fiddled with the remains on her plate, resting her head in her other hoof
- >>“I just don't know, anon. You hurt me pretty bad.â€
- I know.
- >>You both fall silent for a few moments
- I just want you to know that I am truly, genuinely, sorry for everything I've done to you.
- >>She looks up to you
- >>She wonders if you really even know all of what you've done
- And whenever you're willing to forgive me, if you ever do, I will be waiting right here for my Dashie.
- And I promise to be a better friend than I was.
- >>You were never good at these sorts of things
- >>You preferred being a man of few words
- >>Words were not your strength
- >>Probably reflects on your wit and intelligence
- >>But, by Celestia, you did not want to lose your Dashie
- >>She shifts her mouth
- >>Thinks for a moment
- >>“We'll see, Anon.â€
- >>You nod and stand up
- Enjoy yourself, tonight. This is all for you.
- >>She half smiles at you and returns to eating
- >>You watch her for a moment before going back inside
- >>Things didn't go as well as you hoped
- >>You're reaping what you sew
- >>You fear that you will have to accept that she has already moved on
- >>And it kills you
- End
- >>Weekend is over
- >>The less than stellar results of the party loom over your head
- >>You don't care about the money
- >>You just wish things had gone differently
- >>...Maybe Gilda IS a better friend for Dash than you could be
- >>Well, at least this didn't end in a hospital appointment for you
- >>It was actually pretty painless
- >>A black eye, but whatever. When you're getting knocked unconscious every other week it stops being a big deal
- >>Not to mention, with Applejack away, you won't be seeing her for a while
- >>Your life isn't that bad, you suppose
- >>You supposed the whole Lyra thing was just a climax
- >>Everything after that would be smooth sailing
- >>Maybe Celestia, in all of her incalculable wisdom and power, has finally smiled upon you
- >>And maybe part of that was that Dash would find a better life with someone different
- >>Less troublesome
- >>And if that was the case, who were you to not be happy for her?
- >>But you weren't happy
- >>She seemed so distant
- >>Like all of a sudden, all of your history didn't matter
- >>It was odd
- >>You took everything for granted when you felt confident and secure
- >>But when whe wheels of change ground against you, as was the case now...
- >>Was this the spirit of man?
- >>Was that what it was to be human?
- >>To be ungrateful until the last moments, when you actually thought about it?
- >>If it was, you didn't want any of it
- >>But there must have been more to it than just that
- >>Perhaps one day you would find yourself
- >>Perhaps one day you would rediscover your humanity
- >>But for now you're back to work
- >>And as soon as you come in, they tell you that you aren't needed that day
- What?
- >>You slouch and cross your arms uncomfortably
- >>“Sorry, Anonymous. We're just not getting the business to give you the hours you want.â€
- >>Mrs. Cake was an angel, but this news still hit you pretty hard
- >>Your hours were already pretty crappy
- >>You couldn't live off of this
- >>And in the wake of that party, especially?
- >>You were remembering when you were wandering Ponyville, starving
- >>You cross your arms and look over to Mr. Cake
- >>“If we don't drum up some business soon, we might have to sell Sugarcube Corner.â€
- >>They were all upset
- >>But Pinkie Pie, especially, was in tears
- >>And by tears, you meant waterfalls
- >>Can't blame her. This was also her house, after all
- >>But shit, you didn't think things had gotten that bad
- >>They had kids, too
- >>Damn shame
- Well... alright, then.
- >>You tip your hat to them and take your leave
- >>Pinkie Pie follows you
- >>Once you leave out the back with your coat, she lifts a hoof to your sleve and tugs to get your attention
- >>“Hey, Anon?â€
- >>You look down to meet her
- Yeah?
- >>She hesitates
- >>You are worried as hell. You have never, EVER seen her like this before
- >>“If... worst comes to worst...â€
- >>You don't allow her to finish
- Of course.
- >>She is startled and looks up at you, her eyes filled with questions
- If they have to sell the corner, of course you can crash with me
- >>You confirm
- >>She smiles, a little relieved
- >>But she clearly does not want it to come to that
- >>She is way too attached to Sugarcube corner
- >>Frankly, you don't want it to come to that either
- >>Pinkie can drive you up the goddamn wall
- >>But you owe her a lot
- >>And you're not about to let a good friend suffer
- >>“Thanks, Anonymousâ€
- Hey, hey now
- >>You kneel down before her
- >>She looks at you inquisitively
- Where'd that smile go? You don't want to be a 'super-duper grumpy pants' like me, do you?
- >>You repeat her words to you last night
- >>She suddenly brightens up and cannot stifle a giggle fit
- >>So hard, in fact, that she contracts hiccups
- >>You lift yourself back on to your feet, content that she feels better
- >>But you're not the type to just leave it at that
- >>It's time to see just what's so great about this 'Confection Perfection'
- >>It couldn't have been that good
- >>Sugarcube was a local staple for an enormous amount of time
- >>Certainly way longer than you've been here
- >>These Confection Perfection guys just moved in, what, a week and a half ago?
- >>You were intending to do this a while ago
- >>You were preoccupied with Dash, though
- >>Dash and that wench, Gilda
- >>God, it still burns your ass
- >>But oh well, it's all out of your hands, now
- >>You were just going to five Dash some space and time
- >>You wait in line at Confection Perfection
- >>As you had been for the past ten minutes
- >>At least the line is moving
- >>The Cake's notice you from a window across the street
- >>You wonder what they're thinking
- >>Probably something along the lines of you betraying them
- >>We'll see
- >>You still had your doubts
- >>But could all these ponies been wrong?
- >>A couple tried to cut in front of you
- >>But you don't tolerate that shit
- >>If people cut in front of you, you kick them out of the line
- >>Unknowingly, you channeled Iron Will in regards to things like this
- >>You probably came off as something of a bully
- >>But you don't have all day
- >>It was way too early for this shit
- >>Always way too early for this shit
- >>The line moves, and you move with it
- >>Celestia; this is taking forever
- >>Half an hour later, you are finally in the building
- >>The inside of the place is pretty plain
- >>It isn't very well decorated, or very well lit
- >>The walls are this horrible shade of yellow
- >>The display cases for the confections are dirty
- >>Yech
- >>They clearly didn't care about their appearance
- >>Well, you're doing it to find out what all the hub-bub is
- >>Recon for the Cakes'
- >>Finally, you get to the front
- >>“What'll it be?â€
- I'll take a half dozen muffins.
- >>“What kind?â€
- Uh... plain breakfast.
- >>You decide to keep it simple
- >>If you're going to taste test, analyze their quality, you better start in such a way that other additives won't block out the taste of the muffin itself
- >>Really quick, they have your order ready
- That was fast.
- >>“We try to be efficient!â€
- >>You can't find fault in that much
- >>“That'll be two bitsâ€
- >>Okay, whoa
- Two bits?
- >>The cashier nods
- I ordered a half dozen. That should be three or four.
- >>“Nope! Just two.â€
- >>They weren't even having a sale
- >>How the hell were they still in business? Might as well be giving them away
- >>You raise an eyebrow and take out your coin purse, produce the coins, and take your order
- >>“Have a good day!â€
- You, too.
- >>You need a place to sit down and eat these
- >>You're not going to do it in front of Pinkie or the Cakes, of course
- >>You head towards Twilight's library
- >>Takes you a few minutes, but you get there and knock on the door
- >>It's a library, you could just walk in
- >>But it is also Twilight's house
- >>You're starting to note a theme with ponies living where they work
- >>Well, either way
- >>You feel more polite knocking
- >>Twilight Sparkle herself opens the door
- >>And...
- Gah!
- Twilight?! What the hell happened?!
- >>She looked drowsy and fatigued
- >>And... skinny
- >>Not just skinny, bony
- >>Like, holy shit
- >>You haven't talked to her in a few days, but God damn
- >>“...Huh?â€
- >>She barely heard you
- >>She was pale
- >>It almost made you sick just looking at her
- Can I come in?
- >>She glared up at you for a moment
- >>“...that you, Anon?â€
- >>What the hell
- >>Spike suddenly sounds off from behind Twilight
- >>“You! Why are you out of bed? Come on...â€
- >>He makes his way over and starts pushing her into the bedroom
- >>You let yourself in given the circumstances
- >>By the time you get yourself situated, the little drake has Twilight back in her bed, with an ice pack over her head and a thermometer popped in her mouth
- >>He comes back down stairs, and you plop down at the table
- What in the name of Celestia is going on?
- >>You still recognize no other deity than Celestia, and maybe Luna
- >>Knowledge of earthly religions, if you even followed one, are gone from your mind
- >>Spike and you usually don't talk that much
- >>He usually just doesn't give much of a shit about much when you're around
- >>But this time, oh man, he is concernicus
- >>And you would be lying if you said you weren't, too
- >>You really cared about Twilight, for obvious reasons
- >>“I know, right? A lot of ponies are coming down with this!â€
- What? What is it?
- >>“We don't know! Twilight was trying to find out, but she got sick with it before she could find anything out.â€
- And you said there's others like this?
- >>“Yeah. Rarity has it, too. I was just about to head over to take care of her.â€
- >>You know that Spike and Rarity were an item
- >>You still haven't told him about the pictures. Not your place
- >>Besides, Rarity was behaving herself.
- Oh. Jeez, man.
- >>“Yeah, I know.â€
- Well, hey, you want something to take with you?
- >>You hold up the bag of muffins you got from Confection Perfection
- >>Spike reels
- >>“Gah! No, thank you. That stuff makes me hurl.â€
- >>You shrug
- Alright, th...
- >>Twilight pops up from her bed
- >>“What's that smell?â€
- >>Spike looks up to the bedroom
- Uh... I just bought some muffins from that new bakery.
- >>Twilight scrambles over to the edge of the elevated bedroom to look down
- >>She sees your bag
- >>With a psychotic smile, she cackles and engages an instantaneous cantrip
- >>In an instant, she bursts out of existence and pops back in right in front of you
- Agh!
- >>You jump
- >>This kind of shit scares you, you have to admit
- >>“MINE!â€
- >>She rips the bag from your hand with her teeth and starts digging in to it like a dog
- >>You snap your hand back, fearful of losing a finger
- >>You at one time saw these ponies as animals, and you still sort of do for various intents and purposes
- >>But Twilight doesn't act like this. None of them did, but especially not Twilight
- >>Muffins, muffins everywhere
- >>“Twilight! You're supposed to be in bed!â€
- >>Spike nobly tries to pull Twilight from the bag
- >>“No! These are MINE!â€
- >>She resists, and they end up tumbling over one another in an epic skirmish
- >>You tune it out for a second and pick up one of the relatively untouched muffins from the ground
- Huh.
- >>You take a bite
- >>The taste is so incredibly horribad, like dehydrated liver sautéed in animal feces
- >>Not that you would know what that tastes like
- >>You throw up a little in your mouth
- >>Manage to dive to a refuse bin to save the floor from any further punishment
- Oh, by all that is holy! That is HORR-I-BAWL
- >>You allow your tongue to roll out of your mouth to scrape the taste off
- >>“You two don't know what you're talking about! They're DIVINE!â€
- >>Twilight frothed at the mouth
- >>Holy hell what's happening
- >>Spike couldn't hold her back
- >>She eventually dove her face into the bag and gnashed her teeth at all the remaining confectioneries
- >>She reduced them to crumby piles held together by puddles of saliva
- >>And then, finally, with a content smile on her face, she passes out
- >>You and Spike work together to get her unconscious body in her bed
- >>When she's not fighting back, you imagine it's easier
- >>You have to respect Spike for putting up with this shit for however many days he has been
- >>All alone
- >>Guy was a little purple trooper, is what he was
- Spike, what the heck was that?
- >>“I know, right? It's the only thing she'll eat now. In fact, a lot of ponies will only eat there, now.â€
- >>You scratch your chin
- You say they taste horrible to you, too?
- >>“Yeah. I can't stand them. Yech.â€
- Why don't you try to get Rarity here so you can manage them both in one place? I'll stick around and help
- >>Spike brightens up, a little bit
- >>“Well, hey, thanks!â€
- >>You fall silent for a few moments
- >>Something is definitely not right
- >>And you're going to find out what.
- End
- >>Things were complicated, but a little teamwork made things much easier for you and Spike
- >>Spike Retrieved Rarity, and she is spending time in the library where he can keep an eye on both
- >>Must have been harsh, bouncing back and forth
- >>You didn't know a whole lot about Spike, truth be told
- >>But it must have been really hard to abandon the love of your life for your caretaker
- >>And then vice versa, rinse and repeat
- >>And he had such short as hell legs
- >>Well, at least the two main ponies in his life were in the same place now
- >>When you were caring for Twilight, you noticed that she was vomiting, frequently
- >>It was an uncomfortable sight
- >>You didn't know ponies COULD vomit. You just never thought about it before
- >>Usually, you're the one who was blowing chunks
- >>That or rivers of blood
- >>Either way, seeing Twilight in such a way deeply upset you
- >>Girl was like a big sister to you, always
- >>And now she was irritable, and pale, and bony
- >>Celestia, the bones
- >>These ponies were never particularly meaty or broad, but this was just disturbing
- >>Rainbow Dash could wait
- >>You wanted to reforge your friendship with her, badly
- >>But right now, the health of your current friends, and maybe the entire town, was at stake
- >>As for you?
- >>You are not one to waste time
- >>Luna's moon rose and she soared through the heavens to punch holes in the veil of night to create a sparkling sea of stars
- >>The darkness was your cover
- >>Big and giant as you were, you could afford to tell no one else of your plans
- >>You didn't know what kind of security you were going up against, if any
- >>And stealth was not your usual 'thing'
- >>You preferred a straight fight to all this sneakin' around
- >>This was going to be tough by itself. If another followed you, you would get found out
- >>You find yourself slinking up against a wooden cart left out in the night time cool
- >>You look to the left, and to the right
- >>No one
- >>You dash over to the next obstacle, which winds up being a tree
- >>You press your back up against it, peering around both sides
- >>Still, no one
- >>Did Ponyville have crime?
- >>Well, yes. It must have. Because you were part of it, once upon a time
- >>You get ready to move out, but a heavy clopping causes you to take back your steps
- >>You freeze in place
- >>Breath is still
- >>The clopping reaches an apex, and then passes along the street
- >>You afford yourself a breath
- >>A look is paid in the direction if the noise
- >>A white stallion, familiar golden armor
- >>That's right
- >>Jack, your old fight manager, told you that Ponyville was no longer acceptable fight grounds because of increased patrols
- >>You really rattled the nest when you killed William
- >>You bide your time for a moment, allowing the patrolman to leave ear shot before you get moving
- >>They probably wouldn't bother you otherwise, but if they saw you trying to break into a building?
- >>You could not afford to be caught
- >>You note that they are Pegasai
- >>Their wings essentially mean you would be unable to outrun them
- >>Celestia chose her guards well
- >>You wonder if other cities had this kind of imperial sentry, or if this was a special case
- >>Seems like the mayor should have taken responsibility to set up a town watch
- >>Oh well
- >>With the coast clear, you shift your feet against the dirt and take off towards the building that you seek
- >>'Confection Perfection'
- >>Chyeah, didn't seem very perfect to you
- >>But for some reason, ponies couldn't get enough of the garbage
- >>You hugged the outside wall of the structure, and your eyes stray across the street
- >>The third floor of Sugarcube Corner was still lit
- >>And you could see the silhouette of Pinkie Pie highlighted against the backlight
- >>You squint your eyes
- >>It's too small to be certain, but it looks almost as if she's... packing?
- >>You find it hard to believe that the Corners' situation has gotten so bad so fast
- >>Mr. and Mrs Cake must just be bad with money
- >>Back to the matter at hand
- >>Your clothes weren't exactly dark, so you had to be careful to hide yourself behind hard concealment whenever possible
- >>Your breathing was regulated
- >>You were already so massive compared to these ponies
- >>Last thing you wanted was to also be loud
- >>You get moving, following the outside wall to the front of the building
- >>You look this way and that for guards
- >>You put your experience in the diamond dog hive to use, here
- >>Be aware of your surroundings
- >>Mind your shadow
- >>Stay low
- >>You arrive at the front door and lower your hand on the knob
- >>You gently work it
- >>Locked
- >>Figures, there's no way you would get that lucky
- >>You cringe and grit your teeth
- >>Maybe you can just... kick the door in?
- >>There's an approaching clopping
- >>You panic, no cover around you save for a bush near the front of the door
- >>You dive into it
- >>The leaves rustle under your weight
- >>A guard passes by and comes to a stop
- >>He looks this way, and then that
- >>“Hm.â€
- >>He continues on his way
- >>You afford yourself a sigh of relief
- >>The clopping stops, and you watch through the leaves as the guard looks back over his shoulder straight at the bush
- >>Shit, shit
- >>You freeze as much as you can
- >>He clops on over
- >>Celestia, damn it
- >>He gets to the bush and stares down at it, squinting his eyes
- >>He looks at it from all angles
- >>“...Hello?â€
- >>Think fast, Anon.
- I'm a bird.
- >>“Huh?!â€
- >>No! God damnit
- >>Your right fist rockets out of the foliage and hooks right up into the guard's chin
- >>There is a wet crack, and he gives the meekest of sounds before he collapses
- >>Great, good job, Anon
- >>You emerge from the bush, covered in loose twigs and leaves, and drag the Guard's unconscious body under a wooden cart in the adjacent market place
- >>You quickly retrace your steps and vanish behind the building
- >>If you couldn't get through the front door, maybe there was a back door you could access
- >>With luck, there IS a back door
- >>And... it's wide open
- >>You look at it through squinted eyes suspiciously before proceeding
- >>Someone must have just been in a hurry to leave
- >>As you negotiate the innards of the bakery, you stick to the walls
- >>You can't avoid the creaking of the old wood heaving beneath your feet
- >>This puts you off
- >>Almost feels like all this stealth business was for not
- >>You enter the kitchen, and everything seems... gross, but legit
- >>You can see little through the darkness, but what you can sets off your gag reflex
- >>This place clearly doesn't care so much about cleanliness
- >>Dishes are piled in mountains
- >>It's like they have no one working the dish pit
- >>The garbage is overflowing
- >>You're pretty sure this is a health hazard
- >>As you move through the kitchen, you find a copy of their recipe manual
- >>This should be good
- >>You pick it up, heft it to a window where you can read by the moonlight, and open the passages
- >>Pages are flipped against your thumb
- >>You come to the muffin section
- >>Two cups flour
- >>One half cup of sugar
- >>One tablespoon of baking powder
- >>One half tablespoon of salt
- >>One tablespoon vanilla extract
- >>One large egg
- >>Four ounces of butter
- >>You raise a brow and frown
- >>Seems legit
- >>You close the tome and look to a batch of muffins which lay above the stove
- >>Curious, you make your way over and grab one out of the tin
- >>Sniff it. Nothing too incriminating
- >>You take a bite out of it
- >>It's stale, mediocre, but edible
- >>Sort of
- >>It has absolutely nothing on Sugarcube Corner
- >>You raise your finger to your chin and wonder what the hell you're missing
- >>Suddenly, there's a glimmer of light
- >>A cupcake with a syringe needle poked into it
- >>Curious, you extract the needle and see that there is still liquid inside
- >>You aren't the smartest knife in the knife block
- >>But you feel the urge to experiment with every angle
- >>Gently, you stick the needle into the muffin you just previously took a bite out of and squeeze some of the liquid into it
- >>It plumps, slightly
- >>You allow it to sit a moment, and then it retracts back to its normal size
- >>You take a bite out of it
- >>And, instantly, you vomit on the floor
- >>Stomach acid spills from your mouth and splashes against the wood finish
- >>You fall to a knee
- >>You breathe heavily
- >>You drop both the syringe and the muffin
- >>A moment is spared to collect yourself
- >>It was like all of your organs were wrenched out of place
- >>Gross doesn't begin to describe it
- >>Alright, first observation: They're injecting their pastries with something that makes them nasty as fuck to you and Spike
- >>But Ponies, for whatever reason, are completely in love with it
- >>You gather yourself and head to a staircase that you just now noticed
- >>It heads down
- >>You're so deep into this, you might as well see it through
- >>The steps creak from your weight
- >>You reach the bottom and step out into the middle of a room illuminated by soft blue candle light
- >>All around you are shelves and workstations covered with clay and glass pots and jugs, with winding straws connecting them at their lips
- >>A Bunsen burner
- >>Lots of salt
- >>Household chemicals, coffee filters
- >>Your limited memories do not serve you well enough to determine the nature of this
- >>You move over to one of the shelves, and there is an open book
- >>You grab one of the candles and carry it over, using its light to help you see
- >>Unfortunately, it is in some form of cryptic writing that you cannot decipher
- >>What the hell?
- >>Did Twilight's comprehension spell just suddenly quit working on you?
- >>You peer at the book, seeing if you can make out anything through the pictures
- >>You can't
- >>There is a creak behind you
- >>Just then you realize your folly
- >>Open door
- >>Lit candles
- >>Open book
- >>Someone was here with you
- >>You prepare to whirl around, but before you can there is a sharp crack in the back of your head
- >>You grasp on reality fades
- >>You crumple to the ground
- >>Dreamless sleep takes you into its arms once again
- >>It's warm
- >>Your eyes start to crease open
- >>You twist and writhe
- >>Light floods into your consciousness
- >>You look up into the sky through lids not even fully open, and you find Celestia's light blasting into your eyes
- >>You turn away
- >>You groan
- >>You attempt to move your arms, but you cannot
- >>You roll over onto your stomach and slink yourself up to your knees
- >>You are sore
- >>Not just your head
- >>You feel like you've been thrown somewhere, carelessly
- >>Your eyes open once more
- >>Your arms are bound to you by a tight wrapping of rope
- >>All around you, for an endless expanse, is sand
- >>The colors of Ponyville are replaced by a brown wasteland
- >>There are crazy rock formations off in the distance
- >>And Cacti jut up from the desert floor in random intervals
- >>You look to your feet, and there is a bleached white skull of an ox
- >>A caw directs your attention upwards
- >>A murder of buzzards circle you from above
- >>How long were you out?
- >>You don't know
- >>You only know that you're very thirsty
- To be continued
- >>It was intimidating
- >>To stay where you were, or to forge a path
- >>To move, or to hope that you would be found
- >>You didn't even know where you were
- >>You didn't know why you were here, either
- >>Only that your mouth was dry as cotton
- >>Your throat was pinched between the unforgiving fingers of hunger and thirst
- >>You were covered in scrapes and bruises
- >>And your head was throbbing
- >>Since luck seems to hate you, staying in one place to await rescue just did not seem like it was a very good idea
- >>So you sally forth
- >>Arms bound to your body
- >>There is an eerie air of confidence about you
- >>You tell yourself that you have been through worse
- >>That you will be alright
- >>There's hope
- >>There is always hope
- >>Whenever you are just about to give up, something always breaks in your favor
- >>The windswept plains of the desert sting your eyes
- >>It was still jarring to you
- >>Last thing you knew, you were sheltered amidst the greens, reds, blues, and all sorts of bright popping colors of Ponyville
- >>Now? It was just brown
- >>And various shades of brown
- >>You spend a moment as you trudge along
- >>Recounting all of the events you can remember leading up to this one
- >>You are brought to Equestria. It doesn't just 'happen,' you are purposely plucked from your world
- >>Rainbow Dash discovers you and introduces you to your new life
- >>It must have been exciting for her, to discover a new life form
- >>Even if she kept getting the name wrong
- >>Took you forever to shake the nickname 'homo'
- >>You all can't communicate, yet, save for through laughter
- >>Dash laughed at the way you acted
- >>You understood this
- >>She understood your gestures
- >>And so came the first of many brohoofs
- >>This single act ushered in a whole chain of events
- >>Twilight Sparkle's comprehension spell
- >>Your gradual falling in line
- >>Your learning why you were brought into this world
- >>Celestia was pretty up-front about it all. She didn't feel the need to hide it
- >>You were an experiment and a prototype
- >>You were supposed to be a source of 'controlled chaos' to balance out the harmony
- >>For supposedly bringing about balance, you sure didn't seem to enjoy much harmony
- >>You lived, as Celestia ordered you to
- >>As her little human
- >>Bound to Ponyville
- >>Doing what you could to survive, which ended up being through illegal means
- >>You bet that she thrived on that
- >>She was probably watching you suffer, but still manage to survive by causing others to suffer
- >>And loved it
- >>You grit your teeth
- >>Then you discovered that she was messing with your head
- >>Doing what she could to keep you in line
- >>If you weren't good, she would give you nightmares
- >>If you were good, she would give you nightmares
- >>And while those were playing like a Matinée against the canvas of your mind, she was cleaning house
- >>It's the reason your memory is so shattered today
- >>Anything that she felt irrelevant to your life here in Equestria she destroyed
- >>Dredged from the abyss of your mind, reviewed, and discarded
- >>Your mother, your one and only childhood friend
- >>You can't even remember what they looked like, now. Or their names
- >>Some friendship lesson
- >>It feels like you've been walking for miles
- >>Your feet drag against the desert floor
- >>It feels like you are bound by a ball and chain
- >>It's just then a shimmer in the distance catches your eye
- >>You give a hopeful smile
- >>Blessed by a renewed vigor, you waddle forward in an awkward run
- >>Water
- >>There was a spring near by
- >>You could smell it
- >>You could taste it
- >>You keep running
- >>The vultures circling above you get excited
- >>Fucking birds
- >>Their caws and whines serve only to keep you awake
- >>You will beat this situation as you've beaten all others before it
- >>The power of friendship will be your light in the darkness
- >>It has carried you through so much adversity
- >>Faith in your friends
- >>Faith in yourself
- >>You slowly come to a stop
- >>...You should have been there by now
- >>It moves away as you draw closer
- >>You crease your eyes
- >>You let yourself get your hopes up
- >>You bite your lower lip
- >>Your hopes were raised and then promptly dashed by natures most simple of optical illusions
- >>You suddenly feel much more tired and frustrated than you did before
- >>You continue on
- >>For how much you resent Celestia, you have to remind yourself
- >>You did actually forgive her
- >>Why?
- >>She has left your mind a tangled train wreck
- >>You can't remember your name, your age
- >>Anything about yourself
- >>Anything about being a human
- >>Save for what she allowed you to remember, which was nothing good
- >>You gasped for air
- >>Each step was like a mile
- >>Dehydration was beginning to set in
- >>But you decide not to think about it
- >>Celestia saw you as an instrument
- >>A tool devoid of heart or feeling
- >>It didn't take much for her to realize her vision of humanity as a collective of soulless automatons through you
- >>All it took was for her to remind you of what you had and what she was giving you
- >>The choice was easy enough to make
- >>Life of regimented mediocrity
- >>Or a life of color and love
- >>You loved her for what she gave you
- >>But you also hated her for what she took from you
- >>Then came the first infamous 'snap'
- >>You were fighting for your season's bits
- >>As per usual
- >>Nothing major, then they decided that you were going to give the crowd a real show
- >>They pit you up against William
- >>William the Conqurer
- >>Champion in three cities, at that time
- >>And he wasn't a pony. He was a diamond dog
- >>No idea what he was doing outside of the hives
- >>You didn't know they even lived in hives at that point
- >>You just wanted to get the fight over with and go home with your bits
- >>But that night, you were thinking about Celestia
- >>When the match started, his muscle mass and range knocked you for a loop
- >>But you got a hold of him and hit him
- >>Again, and again
- >>And you didn't stop
- >>You were thinking about Celestia
- >>And you didn't stop hitting him
- >>Not until you heard the snap of bone
- >>Night befell the desert plains
- >>Luna's light prevailed, and you could watch as she began her nightly task of arranging the constellations
- >>Which one was the north star?
- >>Wishful thinking. It wouldn't help you
- >>Not without a point of reference
- >>You grow tired
- >>Still bound, you find a rocky outcropping
- >>You sit down and lean your back against it
- >>You fight off the hunger, the thirst
- >>Your stomach growls in protest, but you ignore it
- Shut up.
- >>You say to yourself
- >>Always a man of few words
- >>It reminds you of the events following that fateful night
- >>First to find out was Twilight
- >>She cared about you, but perhaps not as much as you cared about her
- >>Not as much as you still care about her
- >>She lectured you, like she was prone to do
- >>You were upset that day
- >>It was when it really sunk in that you killed someone
- >>You always tried to keep it safe
- >>Make your living as honestly as possible
- >>You tried to keep it clean
- >>But that night was different
- >>Twilight turned her back on you
- >>And then, shortly after, Rainbow Dash did as well
- >>Right after she nearly killed herself saving you from your former employers
- >>Right after she told you that she would always be at your side
- >>That you would never get rid of her
- >>Yeah, those words have proved themselves to be tested repeatedly
- >>Then Fluttershy turned away from you when you needed help
- >>She was terrified of you
- >>And Applejack
- >>Applejack pisses you off
- >>It isn't like you dodge a rape attempt from her every now and again
- >>You find yourself not caring anymore that there is a physical reason for it, as explained by Luna
- >>You don't care that it 'isn't her fault.'
- >>You've tried to be understanding
- >>But she tries numerous times to rape you, and then puts you through THAT
- >>She would have been the first to go, you conclude in hindsight, if you weren't a pussy
- >>If you'd have really gone through with the whole mass murder thing
- >>One of Celestia's 'prime directives' for you was to do nothing to fuck with the Elements of Harmony
- >>Yeah, well, at that point the Elements of Harmony did quite a bit of fucking with you
- >>And you were at the end of your rope
- >>But fate had another plan in store for you
- >>You drift to sleep
- >>The next day, you find that your situation has not improved
- >>The buzzards are getting more comfortable around you
- >>They are even landing near you, watching you as you move
- >>Hopping along the ground in your wake
- >>You feel so helpless
- >>Just like you did when the Cutie Mark Crusaders invaded your home
- >>God, that was painful
- >>Those kids had no idea what they were doing
- >>They were playing with a man whose mental faculties were within a degree of hitting the point of no return
- >>Just when you're about to remove them, you open your door to see a giant diamond dog
- >>He claimed to be William's brother, and then knocked you the hell out
- >>You woke up in a daze after that
- >>In the choking, dust-filled environment of a diamond dog mine
- >>Hungry, thirsty, short of breath and wounded
- >>Hey, not too much different from right now
- >>You escaped from your cell and had to spend hours sneaking around
- >>It was hell
- >>The catacombs were winding, confused
- >>Things didn't make sense
- >>The air was thick with loose soil and dust
- >>It was somewhere then that you found out that they didn't just take you
- >>They also took the three little fillies that were being a thorn in your side
- >>You tried to resist
- >>You had no reason to go out of your way to help them
- >>But you reasoned with yourself at that moment
- >>And this was probably when, as Luna said, 'you came back;'
- >>Celestia had taken your memories
- >>Your life
- >>Who you are and who you might have had the potential to be
- >>But these kids still had their lives to live
- >>You vowed that they would once again see Celestia's light
- >>It was not fun
- >>You did not enjoy it
- >>You didn't like hauling them in your armor, trying to pass as a diamond dog guard
- >>You didn't like how they kept fighting
- >>And you didn't like how they blew your cover right in front of the boss dog, or whatever you call it
- >>He said his name was Tecumseh
- >>That you killed his brother
- >>And to prepare to die
- >>You found yourself locked in a gladiatorial arena with him, the whole hive watching as you were to be executed
- >>Executed in the most sporting way possible
- >>It was sick
- >>It was twisted
- >>A fitting death for you, really
- >>And if you weren't trying to save Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom, you might have just let it happen
- >>But you were
- >>And so you fought back, at great pain to yourself
- >>You got your ass kicked
- >>Hard
- >>Guy was phenomenal
- >>And you were in no shape to fight
- >>The match was practically over before it even started
- >>Ended up being the Crusaders who saved YOU
- >>You're not sure how they did it, but they enraged your opponent enough for him to dive his stupid ass into the gate trapping you guys
- >>They used their heads, not their fists
- >>It flung open, and you made your escape
- >>Well, you made their escape
- >>You carried them to an underground chasm from which there was no going back
- >>Count your lucky stars that on the other side, your former friends appeared
- >>They followed a trail of blood from your home and feared the worst for the Cutie Mark Crusaders
- >>You can't blame them
- >>You weren't the nicest guy ever
- >>Rainbow Dash was the one who carried the kids to the other side
- >>They wanted you to join them, but you couldn't make that jump
- >>No way
- >>You were vomiting blood
- >>Your ass got kicked hard
- >>Seconds later, the massive ball of muscle and sinew that was Tecumseh tackled you right into the chasm
- >>You were pretty sure that you were dead at that point
- >>But you were satisfied
- >>You did what you set out to do
- >>You couldn't ask for more
- >>Evening was beginning to set
- >>The buzzards were getting anxious
- >>They actually started biting you
- >>To which they would get promptly kicked away
- >>Rarity's stitching and clothing, as much as you loved it, wasn't designed for this
- >>Your pant legs were covered in holes
- >>Bloody marks where their sharp beaks broke skin
- >>But over time your resistance was becoming more and more futile
- >>And their transgressions were becoming more and more frequent
- >>You struggled to keep your eyes open
- >>Your vision tripled
- >>Not much longer, now
- >>You thought that hole would be the end of you
- >>But it wasn't
- >>Next thing you knew, you were fading in and out of consciousness in a hospital
- >>Every time, Rainbow and Twilight were there
- >>Every time, encouraging you to stay with them
- >>But you never could for longer than a minute before you passed out again
- >>Rainbow Dash, in particular, was crying
- >>Her rose tinted eyes tainted by the presence of welled tears as she ordered you not to leave her
- >>You didn't want to, but you had no choice
- >>That night at the hospital, Celestia and Luna showed up
- >>Celestia explained to you how you had a profound impact on her student
- >>How you had an impact on everyone around you
- >>And how she misunderstood the nature of human beings
- >>She didn't beg. She carries herself far too professionally for that
- >>But she did sincerely hope that you would some day forgive the damage done
- >>And she ended the experiment
- >>She allowed you to live your life in Ponyville without interference
- >>You supposed that was all you wanted
- >>You were almost insulted, really
- >>That they were so surprised
- >>They expected you to snap and break and become an irreparable wreck
- >>You chortle to yourself
- >>They did not understand the strength of man
- >>Suddenly, you fall on your stomach
- >>Everything hurts
- >>Your stomach, your liver, your kidneys
- >>Your legs, your head, your lungs
- >>You're just too tired
- >>Too thirsty
- >>Too hungry
- >>Night has fallen, and the buzzards that were pecking at you have retreated. For now.
- >>But come the morn, they would enjoy a snack
- Dash...
- >>You say
- >>You want her name to be your last word
- Rainbow...
- >>You gasp
- ...Dash
- >>You might be able to die happy if you knew that she forgave you
- >>For everything
- >>In pony culture, it was custom to end a story on a moral for the youth
- >>Well...
- >>The only moral that you glean from this is that life is no tale for children
- >>Friendship didn't help you out of this one.
- To be continued
- >>Once again, life clings to you just a little longer
- >>It is like the universe is taunting you, really
- >>Or maybe it was your will to live
- >>Your eyes remain open
- >>Clouds of dust whisk past you as the wind blasts the desert
- >>A tortoise passes you, slowly, diligently
- >>It carries a flower with it
- >>Fuck you, tortoise
- >>Not dead yet
- >>You remember that as a kid, you always wanted a tortoise as a pet
- >>You might not have had to suffer the pain of losing him
- >>Some tortoises could outlive humans
- >>You crease your eyes
- >>Useless trivia
- >>God dammit, Celestia
- >>Of all things you could have remembered, it's always the most pointless shit
- >>What was a tortoise even doing, moving by night?
- >>Oh well, none of your concern
- >>A tumble weed hops over your spent body
- >>These ropes binding you are uncomfortable
- >>No one ever said death by exhaustion would be perfect, you suppose
- >>Painless way to go?
- >>Your ass
- >>You recall that there was a very short struggle as you thought about Celestia and her apology
- >>She admitted she was wrong. What else could she do?
- >>Did she wrong you? Yes, very much so
- >>But you were always a nice, understanding, caring guy
- >>You didn't hold a grudge
- >>The following day, after your 'miraculous' recovery, you sent Celestia a letter along side Twilight's letter
- >>While Twilight gave a concise report of what she was learning, you made yours a little more personal
- >>Forgiveness is human
- >>Forgiveness is equine as well
- >>You explained your absolve of her mental, physical, and emotional transgressions
- >>You've come a long way at that point
- >>She was a good person behind that sorceress pony exterior
- >>You live, you learn
- >>Both of you did
- >>She walked away with a better understanding of humans
- >>You walked away with a new lease on life
- >>And Dash
- >>They were one in the same
- >>Even if she was a disgusting animal, you loved everything about her
- >>Next day, however,
- >>You found yourself being stalked by Lyra
- >>And that was just a whole new brand of shit
- >>She started off as a creepy stalker
- >>“Who are you?â€
- >>You asked
- >>“I'm your biggest fan!â€
- >>She answered
- >>It sent shivers up your spine
- >>Whenever you bent down to pick something up, you could feel her breath on your hand as she watched
- >>“That's so cool...â€
- >>“Hands are so cool...â€
- >>That was just the start of it
- >>Even with your house locked up, you were not free of her
- >>She teleported through your walls
- >>She watched you sleep at night
- >>You woke up every morning with her standing over you, glaring down into your eyes
- >>It was so horrible
- >>You felt, at that time, like you were being molested
- >>You've thwarted all attempts at actual rape from Applejack and the usual crew
- >>But this? This was something you could not explain
- >>She was getting her way
- >>You didn't like it
- >>You could do nothing to stop it
- >>Not to mention, whenever Lyra got close to you, her lesbian lover made sure to kick your ass
- >>BonBon, the Destroyer
- >>You went to Twilight for help, and she disregarded you as being paranoid
- >>You love Twilight like a sister
- >>But god damn, man
- >>Pinkie Pie was a little more helpful
- >>Annoying, frustrating
- >>But genuinely concerned for you
- >>She tried to talk with you, to be your friend
- >>You largely blew off such attempts
- >>When she learned of your plight, she offered to let you stay in Sugarcube Corner for the night
- >>You blew that off as well
- >>You were confident that you had it under control at that point
- >>Then, that very night, you awake and are promptly knocked out by your stalker
- >>And so began another horrible chain of events
- >>The desert moon was starting to lower
- >>The buzzards would soon be back
- >>And once that happened, you could kiss life goodbye
- >>Well, you would at least finish recounting everything first
- >>Lyra ended up being something of a mastermind
- >>The time Stalking you had been time preparing to fill your role
- >>And she did it well, when she cast her infernal spell that rent your soul from your meaty vessel
- >>It was quite the experience
- >>Very occult, very metal
- >>Ethereal chains pierced your spirit-matter, if it can be called that
- >>Hoisted you by force
- >>And threw you into Lyra's body
- >>It was so alien
- >>You don't know how much time it took you to come to after that
- >>But when you did, you were in the loving embrace of BonBon
- >>Shit was about to get very complicated, very fast
- >>Especially when she decided that she wanted to romp-a-stomp Lyra in a night of heated passion
- >>You were the victim that night
- >>First, and probably last, time your lips came in contact with those of a pony
- >>It was gross
- >>You can just never get away from this shit
- >>First chance you got, you jumped out a window
- >>Glass wounds hurt
- >>But it was worth it
- >>Every time you tried to get your body back, Rainbow Dash was there
- >>Always Dash
- >>She was always your biggest obstacle
- >>You still don't know how you felt about that
- >>Angry, because she didn't know what she was doing and almost caused you to lose everything
- >>But at the same time, you loved it
- >>From the eyes of an aggressor, you got to see for yourself the look in her eyes as she protected you
- >>She was loyalty
- >>The personification of the very concept
- >>And she had a good right hook
- >>That pony, that baby blue little cherub, troubled herself so much for your sake
- >>But you couldn't focus on that
- >>You also learned of a raging romance, even if it was at that time one-sided, between BonBon and Lyra
- >>Once that happened, you understood that this wasn't just about you
- >>It mostly was, you aren't going to kid yourself
- >>You wanted your fucking body back
- >>But in your mind was a special place set aside for Lyra and BonBon
- >>And how, apparently, your arrival fucked things up for them
- >>If it killed you, you were going to make shit right
- >>Living with BonBon you came to realize how beautiful it was
- >>What Lyra and BonBon shared
- >>It wasn't your right to share in it, of course
- >>But you had no choice
- >>Even if they were animals, beasts of burden – one of whom wanted nothing but to destroy you – you came to envy it
- >>Maybe THAT was the lesson that Celestia intended for you to learn?
- >>Yeah, right
- >>Listen to you, still trying to figure it out
- >>As if you were her damn student
- >>You know as well as anyone that you're alone in this world
- >>And you never want another human to have to endure the crap you have
- >>Even if there are stronger, better people more capable of coping with these hardships
- >>You just don't want them to have to be bothered
- >>Well, you eventually DID manage to get your body back
- >>Just moments before Celestia sent her back to the human world at her request
- >>If you had been a second later, life for you and BonBon would have been tragic
- >>But that pink mare saved the day
- >>Thanks in no small part to Pinkie Pie's uncanny skills at deduction
- >>And her masterful aim with her party cannon
- >>She didn't even need a gunnery quadrant
- >>And, hey,
- >>You got to see Celestia get her ass punched out
- >>With your hands, no less
- >>Something you and she joked about later
- >>It was a good end to a bad situation
- >>You didn't care if BonBon saw you off with a few dozen hooves to the eye when she found out that she had been sleeping with you for a few days
- >>Somehow you felt like the poor girl deserved it
- >>After that, everything was all fun and games
- >>Except
- >>You couldn't let go
- >>Dash, in particular
- >>For some reason, you held ill feelings towards her
- >>You guess you just held her to a higher standard than the rest
- >>It broke your heart that you were forced to go against her at every turn
- >>And you allowed it to grip your soul
- >>She was loyal
- >>She tried to make amends to you
- >>You shot her down each time
- >>But loyalty reached its end, you guess
- >>And her return on all that effort was unsatisfactory
- >>So now she has Gilda
- >>And now you have...
- >>Well
- >>There's the first buzzard, circling over head
- >>Or are those Pegasus ponies, coming to your rescue?
- >>You wish
- >>The familiar cacophony of caws and whines confirms it
- >>No harm in wishing
- >>The sun peaked over a distant plateau
- >>If you could just go back and relive those moments of your life, you would do things differently
- >>Oh, Dashie
- >>She couldn't know how much you'd miss her
- >>You go ahead and allow your tired ass to pass out
- >>This time, you dream
- >>You dream of rainbows
- >>You don't have enough rainbows in your life
- End
- >>Your ears must be playing tricks on you
- >>You can hear the repeated clopping of hoof against earth
- >>But it isn't just your ears
- >>Your body rolls with the rhythm of... something
- >>It's as if you're balanced on a pair of shoulders
- >>Your arms are free and hang like noodles from your shoulders
- >>Your eyes open
- >>The ground beneath you moves
- Nngh...
- >>You groan uncontrollably
- >>As you writhe, you come to the realization that you feel sick
- >>You feel like you're going to vomit
- >>But you also notice that you are slung over the back of a pony
- >>“Easy there, Partâ€
- >>A voice calls out to you
- >>In response, you immediately pass out again
- >>Your eyes shoot open and you scream uncontrollably as a wall of cold overtakes you
- >>You are drenched
- AAAGH!
- >>You look to your front, and you see a yellow stallion wearing a ten gallon hat with a bucket hanging from his teeth
- >>You bring up your left arm defensively and slide back away from him, wide eyed
- >>Where were you?
- >>Who was he?
- >>From what you could tell, you were on the floor of a wooden room
- >>Last time you were on the floor in a wooden room, no good came out of it
- >>The mystery pony tossed the bucket aside
- >>“Take it easy there, partner. Ah'm not here to hurt ya.â€
- >>You calm down insofar as you are no longer thrashing
- >>But your breathing is still elevated
- >>You look up at him through bloodshot eyes
- >>Your breaths hiss through the grille of your teeth
- >>“You were passed out near the train tracks. You're safe now.â€
- >>Your chest heaved
- >>You had no reason to trust any of this
- Who are you?
- >>You borderline demand an answer
- >>“The name's Braeburn! Welcome to...â€
- >>He rears up on his hind legs, kicking his forelegs through the air
- >>“APPELOOSA!!â€
- >>It shouldn’t surprise you half as much as it does
- >>But this whole time, your entire world has been Ponyville
- >>Other cities, even Canterlot, were thought of like they were different planets
- >>Your livelihood was in Ponyville
- >>And the furthest you've strayed from that beautiful little township was a brief foray into the everfree
- >>You calm down a little bit as you become collected and take stock of yourself
- >>Your clothes are ruined
- >>But they're still on you and they still mostly cover you up
- >>Your skin is covered in bruises and cuts
- >>They hurt, but nothing you haven't been through before
- >>Your surroundings look a little too official to be a house
- >>The sunlight pours in the windows at full force
- >>You were either out for a whole day or he only found you this morning and brought you to this city
- Where am I right now?
- ...Braeburn?
- >>You ask, trying to lift yourself up onto your feet
- >>He watches you, surprised to see just how tall you get
- >>“I...â€
- >>He gulps
- >>His hat has to be tilted back in order to look all the way up your body
- >>“Golly! Hard to believe that I hauled ya on my back.â€
- >>You bring a hand up to your mouth and stifle a chortle
- >>You half smile, still waiting for an answer
- >>“Oh, uh, you're in the train station right now.â€
- >>He moves across the room, grabs a towel in his teeth, and whips it over to you
- >>You catch it before starting to dry yourself off
- I guess I owe you my life, then. I had already resigned myself to death
- >>Braeburn crossed his forelegs
- >>“Now why would ya do that? You weren't fifty yards from a railroad crossing.â€
- >>You stop drying off for a moment to look up
- Really?
- >>“Yuh-huh! Hard ta miss ya.â€
- Well, hey, my name's Anonymous. Really, thank you.
- >>You speak genuinely, with great thanks and praise in your tone
- >>You step forward and hold out your hand
- >>He extends a hoof
- >>“Aw, shucks, t'aint nothin'.â€
- >>You shake hand to hoof
- >>But afterward, you take a moment to collect your thoughts
- >>And, as a consequence, you serious up for a moment
- Braeburn, have you ever heard of a place called Ponyville?
- >>“Heard of it? Shucks! I have family from there!â€
- >>He swings a hoof enthusiastically
- How far away is it?
- >>“About a days' train ride, s'all.â€
- >>Thank Celestia
- Alright, I need to get back to Ponyville as soon as possible
- >>Braeburn frowns at you
- >>“Don't know why yer' in such a hurry. The train only comes every few days.â€
- >>You deflate upon hearing this
- When did the last one leave?
- >>“That would be right before ya woke up.â€
- >>You slowly fall to your knees, then back on your rump
- Oh, no...
- >>He nods
- >>“But hey, listen, since you ain't planning on stickin' 'round, why don't ya just come stay at my place?â€
- >>You consider his offer carefully
- >>But, really, it doesn't seem like you have much of a choice
- >>Because, either way, you're also going to need to work your way back to Ponyville
- >>You imagined that train tickets weren't free
- You sure you have enough room? What with me being so much bigger...
- >>Braeburn rolled his head and tossed a hoof dismissively
- >>“Shucks. We own the ranch house, we'll find room for ya.â€
- >>It's like when you were new around Ponyville
- >>Well, in Ponyville, your appearance still solicited some looks
- >>But here? Everyone watched you pass
- >>You imagine it filled Braeburn with a sense of pride, really
- >>He's been giving you the grand tour
- >>“Ya know, this town was only started two years ago by us pioneer poniesâ€
- >>You watch everyone that you pass, just as they watch you
- >>Reactions to you are mixed, just as they were in Ponyville
- >>You still weren't sure exactly why you were out here
- >>“Out here on the frontier, we come in contact with a lot o' natives. Our apple orchards almost started a war!â€
- >>He says this like a true tour guide
- >>You take it that he's very proud of his community
- Apple orchard? Out here?
- >>As he marches forward, he laughs
- >>“Haha! I know, right? It took some doin', but we managed to till the land usable and found ourselves an orchard.â€
- >>“Now it sustains the livelihood and very existence of Appleoosa!â€
- >>You come to a ridge and look upon the field of apple trees
- >>Such a trivial thing, really, but you find yourself shocked
- >>This land; there was so little life
- >>Just dust, dirt, and bones
- >>But here, right before you, these settler ponies managed to work the soil into something usable for their needs
- >>Plant the seeds of life
- >>And blossom forth trees of green, each with massive red, juicy fruits dangling from the branches
- >>You are speechless for a moment
- >>The sight just strikes you as something so surreal
- >>Braeburn hits you in the side with an elbow
- >>“'s beautiful, ain't it?â€
- Like an oasis
- >>What wouldn't you have given to stumble upon this a day before?
- >>You are brought back to reality, however, when Braeburn sighs
- Huh?
- >>You ask
- >>“Ah love this here orchard. But it just ain't big enoughâ€
- >>You look at him inquisitively and then look back out upon it
- >>It wasn't as big as Sweet Apple Acres, by a long shot
- What do you mean?
- >>“Every year the town population grows and grows, and it takes a while for these here apple trees to grow with it. They just can't keep up! We also gotta give a portion of our yield to the local buffalo tribes. There ain't gonna be enough soon.â€
- >>You look to the orchard, and then to the town
- >>Indeed, it looks like they can blow through all the apples in a single season if they didn't ration them carefully
- Oh, Braeburn... is there a plan?
- >>He shrugs
- >>“Yeah... we can't grow the apple trees fast enough, so we gotta buy fully grown ones to transplant. But our town is poor, we ain't got the money.â€
- >>You deflate
- >>The place looked like paradise, too
- >>Braeburn notices that you're getting depressed, and bucks up
- >>“Hey hey, now. You got a good night's sleep to look forward to. We'll fix you up one o' the silos and take good care of ya!â€
- >>He trots off towards the ranch
- Braeburn, I don't know how to thank you.
- >>“Think nothin' of it! Now come on, you gotta meet my cousin! She's from ponyville too, and makes the best apple pie you ever done tasted!â€
- >>You stop in your tracks
- >>He stops as well, noticing your sudden break
- Ponyville?
- >>“Eeyep!â€
- >>Oh, Celestia
- >>No way
- >>There was just no way in fucking hell
- >>You recall that a few days before, she left to go visit family
- >>You don't know who or to what city
- >>You give Braeburn this uncomfortable smile
- Hey, Braeburn?
- >>“Yeah, part?â€
- Mind if we just take care of my bed situation and I get an early sleep? I'm still feeling kind of out of it.
- >>“Oh, hey! Not a problem!â€
- >>Hours later, you are curled up in an empty silo
- >>Hay bail for a bed
- >>Burlap sheet for a blanket
- >>Bag of wheat for a pillow
- >>Not the most comfortable that you've ever been, but it works
- >>Better than the desert floor
- >>Movement
- >>There is movement, and it isn't you
- >>The sound of hay rustling in particular sets you off
- >>Eyes pop open
- >>You look over to find a fresh, steaming apple pie sitting in the darkness, accompanied by a frothing flagon of cider
- >>A tongue brushes across your ear lobe
- >>You tense up, bite your lower lip
- >>Slowly you roll over
- >>Gradually
- >>An orange face with green eyes fills your vision
- >>White freckles, and a cowboy hat
- >>Somehow she got under your blanket
- >>You are reliving a nightmare
- >>You move to scream, but she quickly straddles you as if you were a bronco at one of her rodeos
- >>An orange marshmallow hoof fills your lips just in time to stop you from alerting the whole ranch
- >>“Nah ah ah~â€
- >>She scolds you
- >>“Well, well... looks like ah won myself the lottery.â€
- >>“Did ya really think ah wouldn't find out?â€
- >>You look up at her innocently
- >>An 'A' for effort? Maybe?
- >>Maybe she would give you credit and let you go?
- >>No, of course not
- >>You were never that lucky
- >>She looks down at you with sinister intent, lowering her equine body over yours
- >>The heat of her passion left you still cold and shivering
- >>“Now,â€
- >>She says with a lust-filled southern accent
- >>“Pucker upâ€
- >>“Sugarcube.â€
- End
- >>How do you get yourself into these situations?
- >>You writhe under Applejack, but she clearly must be made of dark matter
- >>Despite your best attempts to wiggle out from under her,
- >>To gain leverage,
- >>To get out far enough to get your footing,
- >>She rides you like a snake
- >>The sweet scent of the pie she left for you is all but lost in the desperate struggle
- >>Luckily, she is ad a disadvantage
- >>Hooves are not very good at manipulating zippers
- >>Or buttons, for that matter
- >>And whenever she tries to move to use her teeth, she risks losing her 'catch'
- >>You shoot your right arm yo to slam your palm under her chin and tilt her head back
- >>She resists
- >>But at least it lifts her hoof out of your mouth
- >>“Ah, Anon, ya know ah...â€
- Like it rough. I get it!
- >>You were so tired of hearing it
- >>Your voice was more hostile than usual
- >>And it, just like everything else you did, just turned her on more and more
- >>“Oh, Anon, ah LOVE it when you act like ya don't want it!â€
- >>She struggles against you, easily overpowering you
- >>As long as you keep her lips away from yours
- But I DON'T want it!
- >>“Jus' keep sayin' that, my little hayseed!â€
- Augh!
- >>You summon up all your strength and manage to roll over her, sending her on her back
- >>You brace your right forearm against her chest, pinning her to the ground
- >>Left hand grips her right hoof, vibrating with the struggle to keep it in place
- >>“What the hay?!â€
- >>She looks up at you with extreme shock
- >>You've never been able to overpower her like that before
- >>Or even gain a momentary advantage
- Look, Applejack, I care about you, an...
- >>She cocks her lips into a smirk, eye lids closing half way
- >>“Oh, ah know.â€
- >>You hate being cut off
- That isn't what I...
- >>She suddenly bucks her hind legs against your gut
- >>It's a very surreal feeling when something less than half your size throws you off the ground
- >>Like a rag doll, you twist and spiral in the air
- >>Disorientation besets upon you as you slam with a colossal thud against your back
- >>Before you can recover, she saunters over and plants a hoof on your chest
- >>“Yer' flank'll be mine, but ah won't say ah don't enjoy the chase.â€
- >>“Gotta be honest and allâ€
- >>You throw a hand to your forehead, shutting your eyes
- >>It was way too early for this shit
- >>Suddenly, you feel her weight shift
- >>A pair of equine lips force themselves over yours
- MMFH!
- >>You protest, twisting under her
- >>You beat your left hand against her shoulder repeatedly
- >>But she holds you perfectly in place with her one hoof
- >>Your heart picks up its pace
- >>It must be a thousand beats per minute
- >>You don't know how to feel about this
- >>She is a disgusting animal
- >>A goddamn beast of burden
- >>Equus ferus caballus
- >>She parts the kiss, looking into your eyes with her bedroom eyes
- >>“See, t' ain't so bad, now is it?â€
- >>You can't come up with an answer
- >>She dives in to a second kiss, smothering you under her primal desires
- >>It's so disgusting
- >>You can just feel the incompatibility oozing between you two
- >>Your sex drive is completely non-existent in this world
- >>You're the only human being around
- >>The only one...
- >>Alone...
- >>Your attempts to assail her with your closed fists slow
- >>You were tired of being alone
- >>Even in your previous life, you were alone
- >>Your eyes drift closed
- >>But here, someone wants you
- >>Maybe, just maybe, you can satisfy both of your...
- >>SHE'S A FUCKING HORSE!
- >>You end her perceptions of 'winning' with a hard shove that sends her to the ground
- >>You scramble up to your feet
- >>She's already up just as quick as you are
- >>“Anon!â€
- >>She snorts, jets of steam venting through her nostrils
- >>“This is happenin' whether ya let it or not!â€
- >>She claps a hoof against the ground and charges at you
- >>You advance, bravely, in the opposite direction and employ your superior hands in climbing up a wooden beam
- >>She stops at the base and watches as you momentarily escape
- >>“Not this time, ya slippery varmint!â€
- >>You reach a cross bar and move to slink across it
- >>At least Celestia left you with your awesome subconscious jungle gym skills from your days in grade school
- >>Not that you know that
- >>Applejack rears her rear hooves and bucks the beam
- >>It splinters
- >>The vibration catches you off balance
- >>You just barely manage to catch yourself from falling to your rape doom
- >>“Quit resisting!â€
- >>She bucks once more, and you quake under the stress
- >>As does the beam
- Applejack! You're a pony!
- >>“Yeah, an' so what?â€
- >>She bucks again
- >>You nearly fall off the cross bar, but hug yourself to it tightly
- >>You now know what a cat stuck in a tree feels like
- I'm a h...!
- >>She bucks again, and the beam whines in protest as the whole silo rattles
- >>“Ah know yer' a homo! It don't mean nothin'!â€
- >>You furrow your brows and look down at her
- >>Fucking God damn it
- >>You mever should have tried to explain homo sapiens
- >>Fucking Dash gets it wrong and now everypony's got it wrong
- You know? Seriously! That joke is getting really old!
- >>She ignores you and bucks once more
- >>Hay bails stored up in the rafters come crashing down all around you
- >>You start to pray to Celestia, when you get a sudden idea
- Applejack
- >>She stops and looks up at you
- >>“Huh?â€
- >>You look down at her as straight faced as you can, being as classy as you can
- >>You even hold out a hand with the index finger and thumb touching to punctuate your point
- ...I prefer stallions.
- >>She glares up at you with her jaw hinged open
- >>Disbelief across her features
- >>Her eyes shift to the left, and then to the right, before settling back upon you
- >>Yes, you got her
- >>This nightmare is over
- >>At least, that's what you think until she gives a monstrous roar of disapproval
- >>The beam is bucked once more, and it snaps
- >>The The cross bar you have claimed as a safe haven cants
- >>You struggle to hang on to it
- >>“Ah don't care!â€
- >>“Ah'll buck ya straight!â€
- Why can't you just accept that I was born this way?!
- >>You whine, loudly
- >>Suddenly, the silo door flies open
- >>Both you and Applejack look over to it
- >>“Cousin?! What in tar-nation is goin' on, here?!â€
- >>Oh thank Celestia
- >>It's Braeburn
- >>Your salvation
- >>You remain silent
- >>Applejack turns to face Braeburn
- >>“I...uh...â€
- >>Braeburn looks to her with confusion etched across his features
- >>“It's... I was bringing him a late night snack.â€
- >>It's then that Braeburn looks over and notices the apple pie and the flagon of cider
- >>“Well, uh... okay, I guess. What's with all the, uh...â€
- >>He motions a hoof to all the destruction
- >>“Oh! It's, um... it's a little game we play. From back in Ponyvilleâ€
- >>You beam a glare at Applejack from behind, still hanging on for dear life to the nearly fallen beam
- >>Braeburn analyzes the situation
- >>Looks between you two
- >>Looks at the wreck
- >>“Okay!â€
- >>Your eyes go wide
- >>There's no way that he's this stupid
- >>“Come on, Cousin. We got a big day tomorrah, and we need to let Anon here rest!â€
- >>Applejack sighs and trots toward Braeburn
- >>“I guess yer' rightâ€
- >>Braeburn looks up to you and tips his hat
- >>“G'night, Anon!â€
- >>As the silo door closes, you see Applejack beaming a dread glare at you
- >>The latch closes, and you find yourself silently hanging in the dark silo by yourself
- >>The beam snaps, and you fall to the ground with a thud
- >>You later find yourself eating the pie that was left for you
- >>And drinking the cider
- >>What do you know? Applejack DID bake the best apple pie you ever 'done eaten
- >>By Celestia, you were hungry and thirsty
- >>But Braeburn was correct
- >>You didn't know what all they had planned, but you sure had a full day tomorrow
- >>You had to do whatever you could to get a train ticket back to Ponyville
- >>The sooner you get home, the better
- >>After a stomach full of pie and cider, you settle down for a second attempt at sleep
- >>Still not comfortable
- >>But better than nothing
- End
- >>It's the next day
- >>You, Applejack, and Braeburn sit together at a table in The Salt Lick
- >>Your glare keeps wandering to Applejack
- >>By Celestia, you hated her sometimes
- >>She was so smug, so calm
- >>In fact, she even winked at you a few times over the course of the morning
- >>You keep reminding yourself that it isn't her fault
- >>But it's still frustrating
- >>Does she genuinely think you want it, and are just playing along?
- >>Does she think this is a motherfucking game?
- >>But you are also infuriated at yourself
- >>Because for one moment, one flash of an instant...
- >>You were thinking to yourself that you would go for it
- >>Why not? Just give up
- >>You didn't like being alone
- >>She wanted you
- >>So, why not?
- >>Luckily your mental faculties kicked in
- >>And you realized the mistake before you made it
- >>She's a quadruped
- >>You're a biped
- >>She's a fucking miniature horse
- >>You're a human being
- >>Your expression was flat as you three shared drinks
- >>One hand on your forehead, your mouth in a perpetual cringe
- >>Still, as much as you shouldn't, you care about her
- >>She has been a friend
- >>And between the rape attempts, she has helped get you odd jobs around Ponyville
- >>She has shown genuine care for you before
- >>She's just in the grip of this... condition that puts her in heat when she is exposed to you
- >>It's not her goddamn fault
- >>You are damned with this curse of caring
- >>You need to learn to stop
- >>And focus on your own problems
- >>Like why you're here in the first place
- >>“So, Anon,â€
- >>Braeburn is the one who speaks up
- >>“What the hell happened?â€
- >>You lifted your head from your hand
- >>Eyes go wide
- >>“What do you mean, Braeburn?â€
- >>Applejack asks
- >>You are not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but you're starting to feel a problem coming on
- >>“I found Anonymous, here, near a railroad crossing about ten miles out.â€
- >>Applejack looked at you, one eye squinted
- >>“Yeah, he was unconscious. S'why I brought him to the ranch yesterday.â€
- >>Braeburn laughed
- >>“Boy, howdy! I had no idea he'd have so much energy left after all that!â€
- >>You and Applejack lock gazes
- >>She shows you a concerned look
- >>“...Why were you all the way out here, Anon?â€
- >>Here we go
- >>You saw this coming
- >>If you tell her that there is a big problem in little Ponyville, she'll want to come with you
- >>And the last thing you need is to have someone trying to hump you right now
- >>Besides, with those muffins targeting ponies, who’s to say that Ponyville is even safe for Applejack?
- >>You take a drink from your mug of cider to think for a moment
- >>“Anon...â€
- >>She gets impatient
- I fell off of the train.
- >>It was the best thing you could think of
- >>They looked at you with odd looks
- I tried to follow the tracks to the next town, but... well, it didn't work out.
- >>Applejack shook her head
- >>“Well, wait a minute. Does that mean you were coming here? Why?â€
- >>You rolled your eyes
- ...Because I missed you SO much, Applejack.
- >>“Really...?â€
- >>Oh, shit
- >>Your lips shift around your straw
- >>You peer over to Applejack, who is now leaning in to you with a light blush against her tan coat
- >>Shit, shit
- >>You need to learn to think before you talk
- >>You try to change the subject as fast as you can
- >>You motion to Braeburn with your mug
- So, Braeburn, how's that apple tree situation going?
- >>He deflated
- >>“Gosh, I don't know! Our stores are running so low, and we just don't have enough treesâ€
- >>He sighed
- >>Applejack reached a hoof over to his and gave him a reassuring smile
- >>“Don't worry, cousin. We'll think of something.â€
- >>You look between them and sip your cider
- >>And as you do so, you realize that you are only contributing to their shortage
- >>Jeez, what to do?
- >>It isn't like you can spare any time
- >>“What about you, Anon? How're you gonna get back to Ponyville?â€
- >>You lean your head against your hand, bracing your elbow against the table
- Same way I got by in Ponyville. Just do odd jobs for money.
- >>Applejack knew full well that you were lying
- >>Back then, odd jobs were supplementary income
- >>Your real income came from much more nefarious sources
- >>She knew before any of the rest
- When does the next train leave?
- >>Braeburn looked out the window for a moment before returning his gaze to you
- >>“Tomorrow morningâ€
- >>You cringed
- >>How the hell were you going to get that money tonight?
- >>You threw your head back and then let it fall to the table
- >>You beat it a few times against the surface with a groan
- >>Your mind strained against the problem
- >>You need bits, and you need them tonight
- >>Celestia! Why do you forsake your followers?!
- >>Applejack leaves the table
- >>Braeburn rests a hoof on your shoulder
- >>“Don't worry, part. If you could survive that desert, you can make that money.â€
- >>He pauses
- >>“Heck, let me just give it to you.â€
- >>You look up from your depression, squinting one eye at him
- No way, buddy.
- >>You protest
- >>Must be that conservative vein again
- >>No, it was more than that
- You guys are having enough problems as it is. I can take care of myself.
- >>Braeburn noses a coin purse over to you
- >>“I insist!â€
- >>You push it back over
- I refuse
- >>He sighs
- >>“Look, Anon, whatever this is all about, I can tell it's important. You're a friend of the family. Just let us help you.â€
- >>You narrow your eyes
- I won't take any hand outs, especially from someone having financial problems
- >>Applejack returns and slams a paper down right in front of your face with her hoof over it
- >>“That won't be necessary!â€
- >>She proudly states
- >>She lifts her hoof from the paper and you read it
- >>You mumble
- Something... something... tonight, fighting rin...
- >>You squint your eyes and look to Applejack
- No, no. I'm not going down this road again.
- >>Applejack gives you a confident smirk
- >>“Too late, champ. I already signed ya up, and ah'll be yer manager.â€
- >>Braeburn looks over the paper and his eyes go wide
- >>His nose scrunches up
- >>“Cousin Applejack! Are you trying to KILL Anon?!â€
- >>Applejack takes her seat again and calmly takes up her mug
- >>“Ah know he don't look like much, but this feller, here, was a long time champion in Ponyville.â€
- >>You furrow your brows at Applejack
- And you KNOW why I'm not anymore
- >>Braeburn is out of the loop, looking between you two
- >>“This... this is just crazy.â€
- >>Applejack points a hoof at her relative
- >>“Anon's right. We can't afford ta give him no money. And besides, he likes to earn his own way.â€
- >>She glances at you with a wink
- >>“Ain't that right, Anon?â€
- >>You take a look at the fighter roster
- >>You recognize some of these names
- >>Actually, a lot of these names
- >>Some of these are Jack's boys, your Ex-manager
- >>The same ones who trashed you back in Ponyville
- >>The same ones who trashed Rainbow...
- >>Your beloved Rainbow
- >>Braeburn looks at you
- >>You look around, the rest of The Salt Lick heard your conversation and they are gazing at you as well
- >>It looks like some of them are measuring you up
- >>You're not kidding anyone. You need the fucking money
- >>You crumble the paper in your hands
- I'm going to need a pair of wraps
- End
- >>Poor Braeburn
- >>He was new to this whole scene
- >>He was scared, about what might happen and about you
- >>Crowd was pretty big, considering the size of the town
- >>It makes sense
- >>As far as you've gathered, you're on the very frontier of Pony territory
- >>Law is fluid out here
- >>The underground fight circuit would thrive in areas like this
- >>You look out from your little circle of supporters, easily seeing over everyone
- >>The ring wasn't even hidden
- >>The Sharif was down with it
- >>In fact, you could see him placing his bets with the takers of the night
- >>Animals. All of them.
- >>You twist the wraps around your thumb, over your palm, around the back of your wrist
- >>Again and again, your preferred weave
- >>Simple gauze. Only thing you could get
- >>You preferred heavier stuff
- >>You were nervous about this
- >>How does one just... punch a fuckin horse?
- >>You were drunk the first time
- >>And then it was just a downward spiral
- >>But now? You just weren't sure you could go through with it
- >>You watched as the ring was prepared, a ring of salt being formed
- >>Torch posts were set up around it to give a good view
- >>People were turning out for it like it was something as casual as a rodeo
- >>A lot of these people have never seen a human before. They're probably curious.
- >>You pulled your wrap tight with a zip and a whine of the cloth
- >>You could see him, across the way from you
- >>Jack, that back-stabbing son of a bitch
- >>You were a hard sight to miss, and he stopped what he was doing once he saw you
- >>His jaw dropped open
- >>You glared at him from over the heads of pony spectators, and he glared back at you, until he broke out into a run
- >>He made a bee line to one of the primary fight coordinators, complaining
- >>The coordinator turned to look at you, eyed you, turned back to him and shoved him off
- >>You can only assume that he told your old manager to deal with it
- >>Braeburn paced in front of you
- >>“Are... are you sure about this, Anon?â€
- >>Applejack nudged him in the shoulder
- >>“Ah told ya! Anonymous 'ere has taken his share of licks. E'll be fine.â€
- >>You remained silent, preparing yourself for this
- >>You were in for a night of not-fun
- >>Applejack's smile dropped
- >>“How ya feelin', Anon?â€
- I'm a little tired.
- Probably because somepony kept me up last night.
- >>You beam a glare at Applejack
- >>She takes a step back and hangs her head low, giving a nervous laugh
- >>“Heheh... rightâ€
- >>Braeburn steps up
- >>“You gonna need anythin', part?â€
- >>Your lips shift, spying your potential opponents tonight
- Just pray to Celestia that I don't get hit.
- >>The instant you say this, a full sized draft concludes some last minute training by bucking a cinder block
- >>It explodes in a cloud of coarse dust
- >>Braeburn, upon seeing this, reels
- >>“Anon! You don't gotta do this!â€
- >>You don't answer
- >>Your path is laid before you
- >>If you're going to get back to Ponyville any time soon, this is going to be the only way
- >>“Braeburn,â€
- >>Applejack speaks up
- >>“Just relax. Anon will be fine.â€
- >>Your name is called by the announcer
- Applejack, did you place the bet?
- >>She winked
- >>“You bet, sugarcube!â€
- >>You rolled your eyes
- >>She had no idea how much you didn't want to hear crap like that right now
- >>It was just going to take you about three rounds to get the cash you needed
- >>Your first round was against a medium sized earth pony
- >>It wasn't a draft. You didn't know what breed it was
- >>But you didn't want to take any chances
- >>He was just the right height to be annoying
- >>If you lost track of him, he would nail you in a few seconds flat
- >>These ponies – they didn't fight like people
- >>They tended to try and get on one another's broadside and buck
- >>Greatest damage to the enemy, least risk to the attacker
- >>You've been hit by this a few times before
- >>It wasn't fun
- >>But, at least, ever since the Ponyville incident they added another way to win besides just incapacitating the target
- >>Ring outs were a 'thing,' now
- >>And you fully intended to exploit this
- >>The bell sounded off, and you could hear Applejack cheering for you above all others
- >>And even here, standing in the ring,
- >>Listening to all this cheering,
- >>You thought they were all fucking snakes
- I don't want to hurt you
- >>You warned your opponent, who slapped his hooves down on the ground and braced himself
- >>“Shut up and let's get this over with, whoever – whatever – you are.â€
- >>You couldn't blame him
- >>That was your reaction to William back in Ponyville
- >>Unlike that night, though, no one was going to die
- >>He charged forward
- >>Dukes up, knees bent, footing spread
- >>You weaved into his charge, attempting to maneuver around his left
- >>He turned to track you
- >>He hit you hard with his charge
- >>You clinched him, wrapping your arms around his neck and leaning in to his advance
- >>No good, you can't stop him
- >>As you got closer and closer to the edge, ponies cheered and jeered for a quick end to the match
- >>You lift your right hand off of your opponent, hook it, and throw a punch into his side
- >>“Oof~!â€
- >>You do so again
- >>And again
- >>Each hit caused a massive thud against his dense body
- >>You shifted your footing and attempted to hoist him around yourself, getting his back to the ring's edge
- >>But this earth pony; he was an immovable object
- >>At great risk, you launch your right knee straight up into his chest
- >>The opponent rears back on his hind legs, he neighs in shock
- >>This opens him right up
- >>While his forelegs are raised, you dash in past him to his right, trailing your right hand into his gut to try and shove him off
- >>It knocks him over, but he gets right back on his feet
- >>You brush your thumb across your nose
- >>Shit. You hoped you could get him out of the ring
- >>You throw your dukes back up, and lean in a little bit
- >>If he's going to try to charge again, you'll take it
- >>The horse creeps closer to you
- >>You shuffle a step towards it
- >>He suddenly leaps to your left, and then attempts to draw for a buck
- >>This guy was new
- >>You bob and weave the buck, and his hooves sail right over your head
- >>He recovers and turns to see what happened, and you're right in his face when he does
- >>You hit him with a fast jab from your left
- >>Followed by a cross from your right
- >>He stumbles back
- >>You shuffle forward to crowd him
- >>You close the range, he can't turn around for another buck
- >>You start throwing hooks; too close for straight punches
- >>A left to the head, keeping your right arm to guard
- >>You saved your right. The left was to control, the right was to damage
- >>It's the one you don't see which knocks you out
- >>You can see it in his eyes that he is starting to become dizzy
- >>The newbies can never handle it when you crowd them
- >>He rears up on his hind legs and attempts to come down on you
- >>You resist your urge to clear the impact zone, and instead throw a high uppercut
- >>Your legs and hips drive your knockles into his chin
- >>WHACK
- >>Your hit causes him to rebound back up onto his hind legs
- >>He backs away from you further, struggling to maintain balance
- >>With that, you drop your guard and lightly tap him with your left hand in the chest
- >>His dizzy ass topples over
- >>Outside of the ring
- >>The bell rings
- >>You wait until your victory is confirmed and then leave the arena, returning to your support pit
- >>“Well whoo-ey! Anon made that one look easy!â€
- >>Applejack was excited
- >>Probably because your activity was giving off more of whatever attracts her
- >>Braeburn was shocked at how easily you handled that
- >>You remained in control, you executed your plan
- >>To them, it looked perfect
- >>To you, it felt fucking sloppy as hell
- >>Braeburn smiled and took to your side
- >>“Hey! Good going, Anon!â€
- >>You wring your hands, sitting on a stool to relax yourself in preparation for the next bout
- He was new. They won't all be like that.
- >>Applejack ended her celebration just then
- >>She smiled at you
- >>“Aw, heck, you're going to eat through the rest of em' without a problem, anon!â€
- >>Her encouragement was welcomed, but it was optimistic
- >>You were more worried because it took you so long to beat that one
- >>Back then, you would have floored that guy in a single shot
- >>If Twilight knew what you were up to, she would be flipping her shit
- >>Two more to go until you had the money to get a ticket out of here
- >>You were in for a rough night
- End
- >>You gave Applejack the most deadpan look you can
- You heard me.
- >>Even Applejack was getting worried about your request
- >>Much less Braeburn, who didn't like this whole thing to begin with
- >>“Really, Anon? A two on one?â€
- >>You weren't a big fan of explaining yourself
- >>You preferred being a man of few words
- >>However, you had to communicate with your manager
- At this rate, I will be exhausted by my third match.
- >>There's a pause while the two earth ponies cringe at you
- If I can knock out both fights in one go, it'll be the safest bet
- Otherwise, I'll be tired by the time the third match comes around and I might very well lose it
- >>You were confident in your ability, here. But you were also realistic
- >>You got to thinking
- >>Yeah, you were sloppy against that last one
- >>But he was also a local
- >>And the pioneer ponies seemed to be tougher than the other ponies you've fought
- >>You don't want to risk biting off more than you can chew while fatigued
- >>You were already rubbing your eyes
- >>“You sure, Anon?â€
- >>Applejack asks
- Just go set it up and arrange the bet. I'll be fine.
- >>Applejack hesitates, but the glare you shoot her dislodges her
- >>She gets to it
- >>Braeburn sits in front of you
- >>“Ya know, for the record, you're a lot tougher than I gave ya credit for.â€
- >>You half smile, tightening your hand wraps
- Yeah, I get that a lot
- >>The announcer speaks, and you hear your stage name mentioned already
- >>You lift your head and look to the ring, one eye squinted
- Huh?
- >>Applejack trots back
- >>“Hurry up, Anon. They said they only have one chance for a two-on-one match, and it's coming up next.â€
- >>You stand up
- >>You weren't expecting to head up so soon
- >>When you stand straight up, there are cheers and jeers
- >>Some love you, some dislike you
- Know anything about who I'm going up against?
- >>“Two unicorns. That's all I was able to gather.â€
- >>You knock your knuckles together
- >>You didn't show it, all of a sudden your faith in your own plan was going down the drain
- >>You stood in the ring, on the inside edge closest to your support team
- >>The announcer spoke
- >>Warmed up the crowd
- >>But your eyes were fixated on the two pair that glared back at you
- >>They were twins, it looked like
- >>Both of them wore coats of moderate blue
- >>They were small ponies, and that worked in their favor
- >>They were so short, straight punches were near useless
- >>You could take one unicorn, no problem. You've never had to take on two before
- >>Oh well
- >>It'll be easier than you think it'll be
- >>You'll clear this ring in ten seconds fla...
- >>The bell chimes
- >>Instantly, you are lifted off of your feet by a prismatic aurora
- >>Tossed through the air
- >>And slammed against the ground right down on your back
- >>Your head whips forward, and then back again to slam against the hard ground
- >>To say you didn't scream would be a lie
- >>You threw your hands up over your head in an attempt to control the pain
- >>You felt completely wrenched
- >>The two unicorns smirked and advanced on you, both of their horns glowing
- >>“Hm.â€
- >>One of them snided
- >>It was a feminine voice
- >>“Our manager warned us not to play games with you.â€
- >>“But it doesn't look like you pose much of a threat to us.â€
- >>You are lifted off of the ground again and sent spiraling through the air
- >>You shut your eyes, but it only slows the disorientation that besets upon you
- >>You are jerked to a sudden stop, and are suspended upside down – eye level with one of them
- >>“Hmm... no wings.â€
- >>Helplessly, you are levitated to the second of the apparent sisters
- >>“No magic, either.â€
- >>“He must be a mud pony.â€
- >>They chuckled
- >>You were far too ill feeling to say anything back
- >>One of them puts a hoof gently on your cheek
- >>“Don't worry, mud pony. We'll have plenty of fun with you.â€
- >>The 'gentle' touch turns into a punch, and you feel your jaw sting as the hoof cuts across your chin
- >>Ugh, this is the worst ever
- >>There is a sudden snap, and you feel yourself flipped through the air to land on your face and stomach
- >>Oh, Celestia
- >>Your cheeks swell
- >>You pray to Celestia that you don't accidentally bite your tongue
- >>You rocket up into the air once more, and they seem to just let gravity take over as you tumble down to land on your knees
- >>Bounce off of the ground
- >>And roll onto your back
- >>You start getting back up on your knees
- >>You landed really close to the edge of the ring
- >>Out of nowhere, a hoof hooks in from outside of your periph and clocks you good, tossing you back towards the center of the ring
- >>“Oh, not yet, mud ponyâ€
- >>“Challenging us to a two on one? We're going to make an example of you.â€
- >>It was hard to keep track of which one was talking, they both sounded the same
- >>They each cringed in sinister delight as their horns started to glow once more, and you were lifted off of the ground
- >>Braeburn watched with a gringe on his face
- >>“Cousin, is this part of his plan?â€
- >>Applejack had a worried expression etched across her features
- >>“Ah don't think so. Hold on.â€
- >>Applejack turns and darts off
- >>Braeburn can't avert his eyes, and he watches helplessly as you are gravity slammed once more into the ground
- >>Only to be rocketed up into the air by an arcane force and blasted straight down at the apex of your climb
- >>He watches in horror as you land face first right at the edge of the ring, and one of the unicorns saunters up and places a hoof on your head
- >>“...Would you like to escape, mud pony?â€
- >>She applies pressure and licks your body to send it rolling into the center of the ring
- >>“Be a good little boy and let us show why mud ponies have to mind their place.â€
- >>They can ring you out at any time
- >>And they probably would, eventually
- >>But for now, they either had a point to prove or had some sick and twisted desire for pain to fulfill
- >>Maybe both
- >>Finally, Applejack reached one of the fight coordinators
- >>“Hey! Y'all gotta stop this fight. It ain't fair!â€
- >>The fight coordinator gave her a weird look
- >>“Huh? You're the one who requested this.â€
- >>Applejack was quick to reply
- >>“Ah know, ah know! But...â€
- >>“Unicorn magic is legal. Deal with it.â€
- >>Her face went blood red and she punched a hoof to the ground
- >>You came to remember just how helpless you could be, sometimes
- >>This pain wasn't just from the beating
- >>Their magic was crushing
- >>There was an electric sensation if you tried to resist the mould that they set
- >>Was it some sort of psychic lashing? You didn't know
- >>The intricacies of magic were way over your head
- >>You original thought that you could get this done in ten seconds flat was overdue by about twenty three seconds
- >>They nary even laid a hoof on you
- >>They're just standing back and letting this magic shit do the fighting for them
- >>Whenever they do resort to using their own hooves, it's to add insult to injury
- >>You tried to push yourself up off the ground with a groan
- >>But you found yourself clawing for the ground as you left it, lifted by a cloud of sparkles yet again
- >>Come back, ground
- >>Please?
- >>You were jostled through the air and then cast off in a given direction, where you felt a buck against your back
- >>You flew forward, arced through the air, tumbled, and were bucked again
- >>You popped into the air before you came down and were intercepted by yet another buck
- >>Braeburn had his eyes shut, it was embarrassing to watch
- >>Applejack looked on in disbelief as they started actually playing volleyball with your body
- >>Your body was sore
- >>Lucky that Unicorns don't hit nearly as hard as earth ponies, or your bones would be mash right about now
- >>You sailed through the air back and forth a few times before they let you fell to the ground in a heap
- >>Their horns stopped glowing
- >>One of them confidently sauntered up to you as you scrambled up to your knees
- >>Her hoof came up, propping under your chin and forcing you to look at her
- >>Your cheeks were still puffed
- >>“What's the matter, mud pony?â€
- >>She asked
- >>“Where's all that bravado?â€
- >>Her sister watched you with her forelegs crossed
- >>They were very snide about the whole thing
- >>Now was your chance
- >>Your lips exploded as your cheeks forced out a stream of blood that was welled in your mouth almost since this match began
- >>The stream of crimson splattered all over her face, and got in her eyes
- >>“Ack~!â€
- >>She recoiled and attempted to wipe her face off with her hoof, but you don't give her the chance
- >>You lunge forward and hoist her body up in your arms before chucking her as far as you can
- >>She sails through the air and ends up landing on her stomach outside of the ring
- >>Her sister gasps and immediately poises herself for combat
- >>Her horn starts glowing
- >>But in no time at all, you have darted over to her and reached down with your right hand to grip her horn and yank her head back
- >>“Uck!â€
- >>She helplessly tries to keep her eye on you, but you throw her head all about via your grip on her horn
- >>She becomes dizzy
- >>Her spell fizzles with a crackle of electric magical power
- >>Just like how you handled Twilight when you were Lyra
- >>You stand up straight and hoist the little unicorn up to eye level by her horn, letting her body dangle under it
- >>You put your mouth to her ear
- I'm not a pony.
- Don't you forget that.
- >>With that, you flick your wrist and cast her out of the ring
- >>The bell rings, the crowd goes crazy, your victory is confirmed
- >>You leave for your support pit
- >>The damage you've taken from this one has been somewhat severe
- >>You feel a little woozy
- >>Something inside your mouth is cut
- >>Your tongue keeps lapping against it despite your best efforts
- >>But you have the money for your train ticket out of here, now
- >>You're feeling pretty good
- >>You plop down on your stool and let your elbows lay against your knees, slouching over your lap and heaving hard breaths
- >>“Wahoo~! Anon, ya did it!â€
- >>Applejack bucks the air
- >>“See?! Ah told ya he'd be just fine!â€
- That wasn't even a fight
- >>You protest, keeping your volume down
- >>You admit, you are kind of disappointed
- >>Braeburn trots up to both of you
- >>“Lot of trouble to go through for train tickets...â€
- >>Well, at least you had the money now and your obligation was over
- >>Or so you thought
- >>Applejack's victory dance is cut short when Jack, your old manager, squeezes his way through the collective of pony bodies to visit you
- >>He smirks, confident like a business man
- >>“Glad ta see yer' doin' good for yer'self, Pug†he says
- >>“Pug?â€
- >>Braeburn looks at you
- My old stage name from Ponyville.
- How're you doing, Jack?
- >>Braeburn cocked his head
- >>“Jack?â€
- >>It WAS a strange name for a pony
- His alias. I don't know his actual name.
- >>The only thing that you know is that his cutie mark was a hand of cards behind a pair of rolling dice
- >>“So, I take it you're his new manager?â€
- >>Jack leans over to Braeburn
- >>Applejack turns him around by a hoof
- >>“No, Partner. That'd be me.â€
- >>“You?â€
- >>Jack gets a good look at her
- >>He starts laughing
- >>“Ha! You?! Oh, that's rich!â€
- >>He points a hoof to Applejack, and looks over his shoulder at you
- >>“Hey, Pug! You taken too many shots to the head?â€
- Yes
- >>You go unheard
- >>“Your new 'manager' is that one who kicked your ass back in Ponyville!â€
- >>Applejack frowns
- >>“Yeah, what'dya want?â€
- >>Mister Jack goes into business mode
- >>“You know... seeing Pug fight again has given me a great idea.â€
- >>He leans in to Applejack
- >>You hated this snake
- >>For what he did to you, and further for what he did to Rainbow
- >>You deserved it. Rainbow did not
- >>“Interested in a little wager? I've got five hundred bits that says that my top fighter could beat Pug clean.â€
- >>Applejack looks past him and to you, then back to him
- >>She shakes her head
- >>“Nuh-uh. No deal. We got what we came for.â€
- >>You speak over your manager
- Give me twenty seconds in the ring and make it a thousand.
- >>Jack's eyes rolled back into dollar signs
- >>Applejack immediately protested
- >>“Ah'm yer' manager an' I say yer' in no condition to fight. Ya got what you need, Anon.â€
- Who would it be?
- >>You asked Jack, curiously
- >>Your ex manager lay a confident eye on you
- >>“You remember Brick, don't you?â€
- >>He was one of the ones who wrecked you in Ponyville, and the one who was about to execute you when Rainbow rescued you
- I do.
- >>Applejack puts her hoof down
- >>“Anon, what are you doing? I said no!â€
- >>She pushes past the challenger and leans in to you
- >>There's a glint of care in her eyes
- >>But you beam a glare right back at her
- Applejack
- >>She lifts an eyebrow and cocks her head back, looking at you
- Remember when you had to drag Rainbow Dash and I out of that warehouse?
- >>“Of course! How could I forget?â€
- >>Jack chuckled, proud of what he did and wishing only that you had been finished off that night
- >>Poor Dash, getting caught in the crossfire that night because of your sorted ponyville past
- >>Applejack's eyes widened and she looked over her shoulder to Jack for a moment
- >>She turned to look at you again before jabbing a hoof into your chest with her brows furrowed
- >>“...You better win, Anon.â€
- End
- >>You had a lot riding on this one
- >>It was probably very reckless of you
- >>But you were never one to look before you leap
- >>You were never the smartest, either
- >>A creature of instinct
- >>Maybe something else that Celestia liked when she picked you?
- >>Not that it matters
- >>Thanks to the colossal bit wager and the performance of you both over the course of the night,
- >>The Pug vs. Brick match became the main event
- >>You were quick to analyze your situation
- >>Funny. The only place where you showed any exceptional intellect was in a salted circle
- >>Otherwise, you preferred to let the others think for you
- >>Brick, as he was known, was a large draft horse
- >>You've never fought him before. At least not in the ring
- >>You were glad, too
- >>Because unlike all of the others, he was just about as tall as you
- >>Kind of like Celestia
- >>Only... this guy was much more massive in terms of muscle
- >>No magic, no wings. All muscle.
- >>You?
- >>Well, you were a human, on a vegetarian diet that your body STILL did not fully agree with
- >>It left you sapped for energy
- >>You've fought two matches tonight, one of which left you pretty battered
- >>Brick, here, has fought one which he handled without breaking a sweat
- >>He was fresher than you
- >>You take one buck from him,and you can say goodbye to your ribcage
- >>Or your face
- >>This was going to be one of those situations where blocks were going to be of limited use
- >>But you were well fed, well taken care of by the charitable Braeburn
- >>You would have your revenge
- >>But this was more than just a fight for your pride
- >>This was more than a fight to prove a point
- >>“Heyâ€
- >>“Pugâ€
- >>You raise your eyebrows, resting one hand on your hip while the announcer goes over the facts and figures for the crowd
- >>“Want me to do to you what I did to your little Pegasus friend?â€
- >>You do your best to hold your pokerface
- >>It evidently doesn't work
- >>“Heh heh... 'Anon, hang on!' Remember that?â€
- >>You do
- >>You narrow your eyes
- >>“You ruined a good thing in Ponyville. We had a lot of fun teaching you a lesson.â€
- >>Your lip curled
- >>“But we had even more fun with your friend.â€
- >>Your hand clenched into a fist with a loud pop
- >>The gauze whined in protest
- >>You could see Jack placing his bets with the tellers
- >>Fucking snakes. All of them
- >>You wish the announcer would hurry up
- >>You can't believe that this used to be part of your life
- >>That it still is part of your life
- >>Brick chuckled
- >>“Being a tough guy, huh?â€
- >>You were trying to be, yeah
- >>“You sure weren't when we had you bleeding on the ground. Whining like a baby.â€
- >>Your brows furrowed
- >>“But that wasn't nearly as bad as her.â€
- Shut up.
- >>“Help me! No!â€
- >>He recounted
- >>You were unconscious by then
- Shut up.
- >>“I enjoyed grinding my hoof down on that wing of hers.â€
- >>Your mouth tightened, as did the muscles around your eyes
- >>Watch it, Anon. He's trying to provoke you into being retarded.
- >>You have never fought Brick, but you knew how he rolled
- >>He did this shit before every match
- >>Common tactic
- >>“Sssssnap!â€
- >>“You know, she kept crying your name the whole time.â€
- >>“Anon! Anon!â€
- >>He beat his fore hooves in place, laughing to himself
- >>God, Dash...
- >>You were so sorry for everything you've ever done
- >>The bell rang
- >>Before either of you knew it, you exploded from your 'corner' and your fist had already rammed through his mouth
- >>The next few moments went past in a prismatic blur of colors as you two whirled around one another
- >>Tracked one another
- >>Swung at one another
- >>This one knew you well enough not to try and rely on flank-bucks
- >>He actually reared on his hind legs and threw strikes
- >>He pushed, shoved, using his increased mass
- >>And, when available, he would attempt a kick
- >>These ponies had much higher ranges of motion than the horses of your world
- >>Not that you remember any of that
- >>He reacts to your opening by rearing on his hind legs and attempting to trample you on his way down
- >>You dart out of the way, getting your distance
- >>His mass was not to be underestimated
- >>He extrapolates on this by charging forward at you as soon as you land
- >>You throw your dukes up
- >>He collides into you
- >>You clinch his shoulders
- >>Your shoes grins as you slide back towards the edge
- >>You shift your footing, and manage to anchor him
- >>He snorts and throws his head up against your chest
- >>It breaks the grapple, but you rebound right back to him with a jab from your left
- >>It strikes home, and he neighs
- >>You roll it into another left jab, reserving your right
- >>He sees it coming and slips past it, weaving inside and intending to charge you again
- >>You throw your hips into a hook with your right hand
- >>You simultaneously pivot your body around the hook
- >>He falls for the check-hook, and goes sailing past you after catching your fist to his cheek
- >>He manages to stop himself just before going over the edge
- >>Sadly, you and he both realize that you are behind him
- >>He roils his weight onto his front hooves and draws a buck before his hind legs slam into your guard
- >>Your guard shatters, and you are thrown hard to the ground
- >>Head whiplashes into the ground, and you scream in pain
- >>Shock causes your vision to double
- >>By Celestia; you are such a glass cannon
- >>Brick stands over you, lifting a hoof and thrusting it down towards your head
- >>You manage to avoid it by leaning your head to the right, despite your double vision
- >>He grits his teeth and rears up to a full stand, intending to bring his full force down on you
- >>This would kill you
- >>You roll out of the way just as his thunderous hooves shake the ground
- >>You scramble back onto your feet and knock your forehead before throwing your dukes back up
- >>Vision falls back in line
- >>Brick charges once more
- >>You lean into it and attempt to throw your left elbow into his face
- >>He slips to the inside and brings his teeth to your right shoulder, chomping down
- >>You scream in pain once more, holding your right arm against your waist at the elbow
- >>He keeps gnawing
- >>You slam your left into his side
- >>Again
- >>And again
- >>Your left hits like a wad of paper
- >>He knows this, he has seen you fight before
- >>Your right hand is your money maker
- >>Out of desperation, you reach his mane and grab a tuft of hair in your knuckles
- >>You hank him back as hard as you can
- >>He neighs in protest, eyes going wide
- >>You draw your head back, and then pull him forward just as you throw your head forward
- >>Your heads crack together like a clap of thunder
- >>Applejack and Braeburn watch this, mouths agape
- >>Brick attacks, you counter
- >>You attack, Brick counters
- >>You tear one another apart
- >>But you're the underdog, in their eyes
- >>You're worn down, you're smaller
- >>Even if you used to be something of a bad ass
- >>“I ain't never seen him do that beforeâ€
- >>Applejack observes
- >>There's a bang as Brick falls
- >>“I ain't seen no one do that beforeâ€
- >>Braeburn counters
- >>There's a bang as you get kicked down to the mat
- >>You both go back at it inside of a single second, hoof and fist competing for superiority
- >>By Celestia, if Twilight knew what you were doing right now...
- >>A monstrous hook from your right clips Brick's jaw, and he is thrown off of his hooves and falls to the ground
- >>You heave a heavy breath
- >>But the large, saddle brown draft scrambles right back up
- >>You close your fists, looking down on him as he stumbles
- >>This motherfucker tried to kill you, several times
- >>But what you really couldn't forgive him for was what he did to Dash
- >>Your beloved, best bro Dash
- >>Who is now gone from your life, whisked away by better friends than you could ever be
- >>His words were still burned in your mind
- >>Your eye twitched as you watched him clatter to his hooves
- >>Your left elbow launched out like a torpedo, striking him straight in the nose
- >>A fountain of equine blood erupted
- >>And he sank
- >>But before he fell to the ground, you caught him by the throat and held him up with your left hand
- >>Your right hand reared over your shoulder, and you threw your hips into a right hook at his face
- >>Again
- >>And again
- >>You could not stop
- >>Rainbow Fucking Dash
- >>She was the best thing to happen to your life
- >>Your knuckles drip with blood
- >>And this mother fucker – this mother fucker right here
- >>He tried to snuff her out for daring to stand up for you
- >>You watched as he had less and less of a face left
- >>You weren't even paying attention to your individual strikes any more
- >>You just wanted this guy, this piece of shit...
- >>To die. Just DIE already.
- >>You slow down, and your eyes widen
- >>A crimson streak crosses your features
- >>His breathing is raspy
- >>You gradually release his neck
- >>Rainbow hated you when she found out that you killed someone
- >>And that was a diamond dog
- >>Not a pony
- >>What would she think now?
- >>You rise to your feet
- >>The fight coordinator looks down to Brick
- >>He then looks to his stopwatch
- >>“Hm.â€
- >>You look over to the coordinator
- >>You can't believe that you just ventured to that place again
- >>Oh, Dash...
- >>“Nineteen point two-three seconds.â€
- >>He repeats himself, louder, holding up his watch
- >>The crowd roars, both in approval and disapproval
- >>You were the upset, that is for sure
- >>You look at your bloodied hand, and then over to where Jack was
- >>He was gone
- >>Having abandoned Brick
- >>The fucking snake
- So, when does the next train leave for Ponyville?
- >>You ask, slouching over your table at the Salt Lick
- >>“Tomorrow mornin'! Ten A.M. Sharp!â€
- >>Braeburn is happy to see that you're alright
- >>Applejack acts like she was keeping her cool the whole time
- >>“See? What'd I tell ya?â€
- >>She takes a swig of her cider
- >>“When yer' right, yer' right, cousin! Anonymous, 'ere, can handle himself!â€
- >>Applejack slammed her mug down on the table and let out a satisfied sigh, breathing the cidery fumes of her frothy beverage
- >>You were decidedly less mirthful than they, however
- >>As they espoused their excitement, you remained silent
- >>“So, Anonâ€
- >>It was Applejack
- >>You look straight out from your seat, your gaze empty
- >>She knew you heard her
- >>“What'cha gonna do with all that money?â€
- Nothing.
- >>Braeburn and Applejack looked to one another, and then down to you
- >>“Whatcha mean, part?â€
- I just needed a ticket back to ponyville.
- >>“Well, what about the rest, then?â€
- >>You were so fatigued
- >>So bruised
- >>You can't believe you allowed yourself to go down this road once again
- >>After all that time, you were just the same as when you first came to Equestria
- >>And it sickened you
- >>This time, you want something good to have come out of it
- >>You lazily shove the overflowing sack of golden coins over to Braeburn
- >>He looks down at the money, then up to you with a confused expression
- Make sure you get this town some good apple trees for the orchard.
- >>He smiles
- >>“Sure thing, Partner!â€
- End
- >>One hour to go
- >>You packed your things and left the ranch
- >>Applejack and Braeburn were still asleep
- >>Last night was a late night for them
- >>To be completely honest, without their support, you probably wouldn't have made it
- >>They weren't the best managers ever, no
- >>Jack was... well, Jack had skill sets that made him a good manager
- >>But they were better friends
- >>Even Applejack
- >>Though you still hated her sometimes
- >>You were visiting the Appeloosa Triage Center
- >>At the foot of a hospital bed, sectioned off by curtains, you lifted a wooden tablet with etched parchment clipped to it
- >>The occupant of the bed was a familiar saddle brown draft horse
- >>You still hated him for what he did
- >>You peered down at the clipboard and read
- >>Blunt trauma to the head
- >>Yeah, that makes sense
- >>Missing teeth
- >>He was in a coma
- >>But his condition was listed as stable
- >>You lifted an eyebrow
- >>Name: Trusty Charger
- Huh.
- >>You turn the tablet on its back, but go back to the name
- >>It was strange how your opinion of someone could change once you learned their name
- >>Granted, he was still a colossal fuckwit for what he did to your Dash
- >>Your beautiful rainbow
- >>You still feel empty
- >>Last night in no way made you feel better like you thought it would
- >>Vengeance left you unsatisfied
- >>Dash was gone, and she wasn't coming back
- >>Nothing you could do would change that
- >>But, starting now, you could try and do the right thing
- >>You could try and change yourself
- >>Celestia brought you into this world to be a breaker
- >>But your heart has been broken so many times
- >>And there was no way to fix that
- >>You decided that you would rather be a mender
- >>To make the world around you a better place
- >>You moved to the night stand next to Mister Trusty Charger, and looked down at his sleeping form
- >>You really did a number on him
- >>For what it was worth, you were still sore
- >>Well, better off than him, anyway
- >>Your former manager was now his former manager
- >>Mister Jack abandoned ship as soon as it became evident that he wasn't going to win
- >>He had one thousand bits to make up, and he wanted to get on that as soon as possible
- >>But where did that leave Brick?
- >>Jack didn't care
- >>You reached a hand forward and set a few bits on the table
- >>Just enough to buy a train ticket to wherever he needed to go
- >>Along with a get well card purchased from the corner store
- >>Jack may not have cared, but you did
- >>Caring was all you ever did
- >>Celestia willing, Trusty Charger will turn his life around
- >>People in the fight circuit do it because they have nothing else
- >>They have no one to fall back on
- >>No one to go back to
- >>Trusty Charger was like you
- >>Alone
- >>You were tired of being alone
- >>He probably was, too
- >>You took your leave, then
- >>You had a train to catch
- End
- >>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeuLArBAiFI
- >>So long, Appeloosa
- >>You leave behind the frontier, and head back towards the Equestrian proper
- >>After all you've been through, you just wanted to go home
- >>You wish you were done
- >>That you could just go home, walk in your door, and collapse onto your couch
- >>But no
- >>Fate wasn't that kind
- >>You were going back to Ponyville
- >>And as much as you assured Applejack that everything was fine
- >>It really wasn't
- >>You had no idea what things would be like when you got back
- >>Would the city still be standing?
- >>Would everypony you care for be sick>
- >>Or, worse...
- >>You got to thinking, and it drained the color from your face
- >>Twilight was in pretty bad shape
- >>Oh, Celestia
- >>Please, not Twilight
- >>You couldn't help but frown the entire way home
- >>Nothing you could do but worry
- >>Sit there and worry
- >>The train was bumpy
- >>Every once in a while it tried to toss you out of your seat
- >>You occupied the caboose with a few other travelers
- >>None of you talked to one another
- >>The silence was awkward
- >>You did earn some strange looks, but no one approached you or asked
- >>Just as well
- >>They would never see you again,
- >>You would never see them again
- >>These ponies had some human-like tenancies
- >>You relaxed in your little bunk, just like they did in theirs
- >>You were traveling from one bad situation into another
- >>And you couldn't shake the butterflies in your stomach
- >>Damn it, Fluttershy
- >>Anxiety wasn't your fetish
- >>Your eyes drifted closed
- >>You crossed your legs comfortably
- >>You earned a sleep
- >>As the shadows of telegraph poles whizzing by danced over you, you drifted away from the racket of the steel suspension and track wheels
- >>You dreamed the dreams of victors
- >>Of the family you wish you had
- >>You were always alone. This you knew
- >>Celestia allowed you to see it
- >>And, ultimately, you are happy with being the only human
- >>You wouldn't want any other human being to share in your hardships
- >>Even if others were stronger, tougher, better able to cope
- >>They shouldn't have to
- >>On the other hand, you know you wouldn't trade this for the world
- >>Well, all the bad shit going down was kind of a drag
- >>But you already thought enough about that
- >>You had a way of doing things
- >>You once hated Celestia
- >>And even though you still hate what she's done, you count her as a friend
- >>Well, maybe not a friend
- >>Certainly she is too busy to be your friend
- >>But she's not that bad
- >>You like her, suffice it to say
- >>Lyra and BonBon have been nothing but a thorn in your side
- >>But now? Well, you admire them
- >>From a distance, you envy what they have
- >>You watch their love
- >>And you are happy for it
- >>They deserve one another
- >>You're just happy that you were able to take part in cementing their relationship
- >>Even if it earned you a couple dozen mild concussions over the course of the adventure
- >>But where does this all leave you?
- >>All alone, the only one of your kind
- >>You found yourself reevaluating applejack
- >>Poor girl tries so hard
- >>For you
- >>Just like Rainbow Dash tried so hard
- >>For you
- >>Different contexts, of course
- >>But you repeatedly shot both of them down
- >>Are you damning yourself to being forever alone?
- >>Are your standards outdated, obsolete?
- >>Should you embrace this new world, and forget the old?
- >>Celestia knows that you have forgotten enough of your old world already
- >>She did a damn good job of that
- >>But there was a line
- >>More like a deep trench, filled with men armed with rifles and bayonets
- >>Guarded by rolls of razor wire
- >>A heavy machine-gun every few yards with overlapping fields of fire
- >>On the other side was potential happiness and emotional fulfillment
- >>Your side, as grim as no-mans land was,
- >>was the side of reason, common sense, and whatever remained of your very humanity
- >>You protected it with your life
- >>You wanted so bad to remember
- >>What were humans from your old world like?
- >>Were they different colors?
- >>You look at your hand these days and you can't even name your color
- >>You're just 'human' color
- >>Your race is irrelevant
- >>Just your species
- >>You represented humanity as a whole
- >>Not the current condition of man; you don't have the knowledge to do that
- >>You represent the potential of human kind
- >>Their ability to cope and adapt
- >>To be good or evil
- >>Lawful or chaotic
- >>If such abstract terms really meant anything
- >>You were by no means the best human, you don't wager
- >>You're not the strongest
- >>Nor the fastest
- >>Definitely, definitely not the smartest
- >>Oh, heavens no
- >>You still struggle to figure out that lesson Celestia requested of you
- >>But you had a burden on your shoulders
- >>You were Anonymous
- >>You went with the flow
- >>And played whatever part this cosmic opera would have you play
- >>That must have been your purpose
- >>Love?
- >>As much as it sucked, the universe just didn't have it in the cards for you
- >>But there were always dreams
- >>Celestia, thankfully, allowed you that much
- >>A loving wife,
- >>A little girl who loves her daddy,
- >>and friends
- >>Your mouth subconsciously contorts to a smile in your sleep
- >>You wish you hadn't slept during the afternoon
- >>Lights were out in your car
- >>The other passengers slept
- >>Their turn to dream
- >>Your turn to keep quiet while they did so
- >>You looked out the window
- >>There was nothing but dark blue hues
- >>You turn your eye to the sky
- >>Luna's work for the evening was complete
- >>All the constellations were in place
- >>And the moon slowly dragged across the sky
- >>You wondered if she could see you from where she was
- >>Feh, how pretentious of you
- >>You must be really bored
- >>You fall silent
- >>Click, switch-click
- >>You hear a sound over the rushing tracks that swept under the car
- >>You paid it no mind
- >>That is, until you passed a pole outside
- >>A lantern hanging from it bathed your car in a fraction of a second of soft glow
- >>There was a shimmer in your window
- >>You look up at it
- >>You turn around
- >>Someone lunges at you
- Gagh!
- >>You catch them in your hands
- >>Their gloved hand comes over your mouth
- >>A knife is raised over your head, and it slowly comes down
- >>You right it, pushing the attackers' wrist back
- Mmmf!
- >>You groan as you struggle
- >>The attacker shifts his weight
- >>You do your best to gain some kind of leverage in your seat
- >>Where did this guy come from?!
- >>After a few moments of muffled struggling, you jam your thumb into the pressure point on his inside wrist
- >>You force it in, your arm vibrating from the pressure
- >>“THHH~!â€
- >>He hisses, and drops the knife
- >>You brace your foot against its stomach and kick off, sending him to the other side of the car
- >>The other ponies are alerted by the racket
- >>“I say!â€
- >>“What's going...?â€
- >>“Mommy!â€
- >>“What the hay?!â€
- >>You rock out of your seat and immediately close the gap with your attacker
- >>It was dark, but you could make out a silhouette
- >>You grab it by the tuft of its coat and slam a right cross into its face
- >>“Oof!!â€
- >>It clatters to the floor
- >>“What're you doin' ya crazy git?!â€
- >>One of the ponies protests
- >>“Are you mad?!â€
- >>The shape climbs off the floor and races across the car
- >>“Whose that?! Help!â€
- >>The passengers start to get hysterical
- >>The door at the end of the caboose swings open
- >>You engage the light down the top center of the car
- >>Whoever it was is gone
- >>The pony passengers glare at you silently
- >>You move over to the open door and look out in the train's wake
- >>Two lanterns hung off the back, you should be able to see the culprit
- >>But there is no sign that there was even anyone
- >>You pull the door closed, and the lock engages with a snap
- Sorry.
- >>You say, faintly
- >>“Well, at least that's over with!â€
- >>Everyone else mumbles their agreements and settles down for the rest of their trips
- >>You grip the pull cord to the light, looking to your seat
- >>You can't even find the knife anywhere
- >>You have no idea what just happened
- >>Who tried to kill you
- >>Or why
- >>It left you cold, and unsettled
- >>You weren't sleeping tonight
- >>None of them were, either
- >>“Hey, buddy, put out the light will ya?â€
- Yeah.
- >>“Thanks.â€
- >>Click
- End
- >>You stepped off of the train and into Ponyville
- >>You were home
- >>You were still unsettled by the attempt on your life the night before
- >>What was it, just some train robber?
- >>Did you foil an attempt to clean out the entire car?
- >>Maybe it wasn't any deeper than that
- >>You found yourself hoping that it wasn't any deeper than that
- >>Ponies stepped past you, leaving their respective cars and heading to their respective destinations
- >>You were filled with a momentary comfort, being surrounded by something familiar
- >>But that died out quick
- >>You had a job to do
- >>You felt ill
- >>It's like everywhere you turned, things were out of sorts
- >>You just want to live a normal life in this wonderful world
- >>But you are Anonymous
- >>You know you have a job to do
- >>Your first stop was to Twilight's library
- >>You stood at the door and nudged it with your foot, knocking lazily given your height
- Twilight.
- >>You called
- >>Then you remembered her condition
- >>Rarity should have been there, too
- >>Spike was their caretaker
- >>You knock again
- Spike?
- >>No answer
- Come on, Spike.
- >>But there was nothing
- >>You squint one eye, finding this to be strange
- >>Is it possible that Spike is just not in?
- >>No, that can't be it. He wouldn't leave Rarity alone
- >>Your mind starts wandering
- >>It goes to a horrible place
- >>One that makes you visibly cringe
- >>Maybe... did Twilight...
- >>You mean, you were gone for a few days
- >>No. No, you wouldn't accept that
- >>There is no way that she would have died
- >>She was looking very sickly, but she is a strong pony
- >>You look over to the library's mail box and see that it is stuffed with letters
- >>The box has not been emptied in a few days
- >>Filled with dread, you head to your next destination
- >>Rarity's shoppe was likewise empty. Although you half expected this
- >>Calm down, Anon
- >>Your heart is beating at a thousand beats per second
- >>These were your friends, your family
- >>Without them, you didn't know what to do
- >>A hand came up to grip your forehead
- >>You were sweating. A lot.
- >>Your breathing was heavy and fast
- >>There was an uneasy feeling in your stomach
- >>Unsatisfied, you head over to your next destination
- >>Sugarcube corner was still standing, thank Celestia
- >>You open the door during store hours, move to the front counter, and hastily slap the front bell
- >>Mr Cake emerges from the back and immediately jumps upon seeing you
- >>“Anonymous?â€
- >>He asks
- >>You nod, still heaving
- >>“Good heavens, we have been looking all over the place for you!â€
- >>“...You look like you just saw a ghost, Anon. You alright? Where were you?â€
- Can't explain. Is Pinkie Pie around?
- >>He is taken back a bit
- >>Mrs. Cake emerges from the back as well
- >>“...Anon? What the?â€
- Hi, m'am.
- Where is Pinkie Pie?
- >>“We... don't know. She vanished a day after you did.â€
- >>You took a step back and brought a hand to your lips
- Vanished?! What do you mean, 'vanished?' Ponies don't just vanish! I mean, Unicorns do, but Pinkie Pie isn't a unicorn!
- >>You speak at a hundred words a second, shifting your eyes left and right before letting them fall on your employers
- >>“Calm down, Anon!â€
- Is there a search party at least?!
- >>You borderline scream, your voice cracks
- >>You cover your mouth with both hands
- >>You are so upset
- >>“Ah... noâ€
- >>You furrow your brows
- Well why the hell not?!
- >>“Mayor says there just isn't enough horsepower for it.â€
- >>You cringe and recoil
- That's retarded.
- She's retarded.
- What about the Canterlot guards that were here a few days ago?
- >>“Why, they left just a few days ago. I guess they didn't find whatever it was they were looking for.â€
- >>You put your hand to your head
- Oh, Celestia. Oh, sweet, merciful Celestia!
- >>You felt dizzy, everything happening at once
- >>You could handle the swirling confusion of a fight, but so many of your loved ones dematerializing?
- >>You stumble out of the shop, ignoring Mr. and Mrs Cakes' demands for an explanation as to why you have not been at work for the past few days
- >>You find yourself at Fluttershy's cabin, banging on the door
- Fluttershy?!
- >>There is no answer
- >>Your teeth are clenched
- Fluttershy!
- >>You try again in vain
- I'm ready to tell you my fetish! Fluttershy?!
- >>Nothing
- >>Your closed fist bangs against the door
- >>This shit just never ends
- >>It just doesn't
- >>You need them somewhere in your life, and it's like they are just being plucked away
- >>You fear the worst
- >>You swipe a hand across the door knob and, to your amazement, find that the door is open
- >>The door swings open at your push
- >>The inside of her cottage is thrashed
- >>Bird feathers everywhere
- >>A tipped over cage
- >>Her bed is in a wreck
- >>The rabbit beds are overturned
- >>Furniture is tipped
- >>There is no life in the cabin
- >>Aside from the occasional pitter-patter of mice negotiating the insides of the walls
- >>You go back outside and check the chicken coup
- >>There is nothing
- >>Upon further inspection, the gate for the hen pen is mowed over
- >>Off to your next destination
- >>The sun is waning as evening sets
- >>You stand under Rainbow Dash's cloud house
- >>You hoped to give her some space, but this was an emergency
- >>You cup your hands around your mouth
- Dash?!
- >>You call upwards
- >>No answer
- Dash! This is Anonymous! Please, I'm not kidding around!
- >>When there is still no answer, you feel all of your hopes drain from your body
- Rainbow Dash!
- >>You try, one last time. If she was upset with you, she would respond to nothing less than her full name
- >>You do get a response this time
- >>In the form of an eagle head peering down from the edge of the property at you
- >>You cock your head
- ...Gilda?
- >>You mutter to yourself
- >>You put yous hands around your mouth again
- Gilda! I need to speak to Dash.
- >>“She ain't here.â€
- >>You lower your hands to yous sides and curl them into fists
- Don't get smart with me, Gilda! Get me Dash! This is important!
- >>Your frustration is beyond calculation
- >>And Gilda's bullshit isn't helping
- >>With a smirk, she looks down at you
- >>“I'm telling ya, she's away.â€
- Then what the heck are YOU doing there?
- >>You can see her eye go wide before she looks down at you and growls
- >>With that, she flairs her wings and takes flight, leaving the property
- >>What the hell was all that about?
- >>You shake your head and look down into your hands
- >>Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash
- >>Who the hell did you have left? Applejack was back in Appeloosa, and thank Celestia for that much
- >>Applejack gave you a small sliver of hope
- >>But everyone else; where were they? Were they okay? Were they alive?
- >>You can't recall any point in your life wherein you were so upset
- >>You were back to being alone, but not because of the normal reasons
- >>Someone TOOK them
- >>Not knowing has never hurt you so bad
- >>Being helpless has never been so mind blowingly frustrating
- >>You think where you stand
- >>The mayor. You have to report this to the mayor.
- >>No. That won't do anything. She doesn't care
- >>And she's incompetent in your opinion
- >>Ponyville doesn't even have a police force that you know of
- >>The Princess?
- >>Yes, you will write a letter to Celestia; tell her what's going on
- >>Except for the fact that Spike is displaced as well, and he's the only one who can quickly send those letters
- >>You close your hand around your neck, feeling the noose tighten
- >>What are you going to do?
- >>...What can you do?
- >>Night has fallen
- >>Time has not mended your wounds
- >>With no guards, you are much less careful than you were last time
- >>You bring yourself to Confection Perfection
- >>The back door, just like last time
- >>You know something's up
- >>And you know, you just KNOW this is the epicenter of it
- >>Call it being irrational
- >>It was like your heart was torn out through your throat
- >>You were livid
- >>And this time?
- >>This time, you weren't fucking around
- >>This time, you weren't going to try and sneak in
- >>You brace your left heel against the ground, lift your right foot, and lean in to kick the door
- >>It is blown right off of its hinges
- >>The racket is terrific
- >>You storm in
- Where are they?!
- >>You call out
- >>There is no response, just darkness
- If you won't come to me, I'll come to you!
- >>Your voice was bombastic, piercing the darkness
- >>It is now that you hear frantic rustling below you
- >>Yeah, the cellar. Just like last time
- >>There are voices
- >>You storm over to the stair case and quickly negotiate the stairs
- >>You find yourself in that strange laboratory again, but everything looks moved around
- >>You stomp into the middle of it
- Well?!
- >>You bark at the shadows
- Want to try and come up behind me again?
- >>You look behind yourself
- >>You whirl around
- >>You shift your footing
- >>Nothing but silence
- Yeah? Okay.
- >>You move over to one of the tables, grip the end of it, and flip it
- >>All the chemicals spill over, all the carefully arranged tubing and containers end up on the floor in a chaotic array
- >>“Now ya done it!â€
- >>Finally, a voice
- >>A shadow leaps out at you
- >>Roughly man-sized, just like the assassin on the train
- >>You reach your left hand forward and wrap your fingers around his face
- >>“Ach! Wha..?â€
- >>It doesn't feel like a human face, but that doesn't matter to you
- >>You whirl around and punch the back of his head into the nearby wall
- >>Tools and chemicals clatter off their mounts and spill all over the floor
- >>Just then, a second body leaps up on your back and wraps its arms around your neck
- >>You throw your elbow around and clock him in the side of the head
- >>He stumbles back, wobbling
- >>A third individual appears in front of you and drives an underhand punch into your gut
- Oof~!
- >>He goes for a hook to your face
- >>You throw your dukes up and intercept his arm with one of yours, crossing into the crook of his elbow
- >>You throw a jab into his face
- >>He grabs his face and stumbles back
- >>“Gah!â€
- >>You grab the arm of the second person, pull it over your shoulder, and catapult him into the third attacker
- >>“He's wreckin' the place, ya morons! Git em'!â€
- >>A fist comes in from out of your peripheral vision and clocks you in the nose
- >>You stumble back against the wall, throwing your arms up over your face defensively
- >>The attacker slips in and throws a body shot at your gut
- >>You recover and trap his head between your hands before pulling him into a headbutt
- >>Knee him in the groin
- >>And then throw a right uppercut into his face as he doubles over
- >>Now you can see where they're coming from, upon further inspection
- >>There's another door that you didn't notice before
- >>Three more file into the room
- >>You take the offense and cross your right fist through one's head, bowling him over instantly
- >>You take a bunch to the kidneys from the side, and it causes your balance to falter
- >>But you come back and throw a left hook at the shadow, clocking him right in the ear before you throw a straight kick into his gut
- >>How many have you gone through now?
- >>Suddenly you find yourself thrown off of your feet and pinned to the ground
- >>One of them tackled you full force in the gut
- >>Then another joined in, pinning your arm down
- >>“Get the anesthetic!â€
- >>“Here, you idiot!â€
- >>And then another, getting your other arm
- >>You try to resist, but as more and more dog pile you it becomes futile
- >>But you are Anonymous
- >>You don't give up
- >>Suddenly, a hand slams into your face smothering a rag over and around your nose
- >>You keep struggling
- >>But you weaken
- >>And weaken...
- >>And then, all at once, you stop
- >>A foul smell fills your nostrils
- >>Ammonia?
- >>You cringe and shake your head away from it
- >>The inner lining of your nose burns like it was doused in a mild acid
- >>It was by far not the most pleasant awakening you've ever received
- >>The knock-out wasn't that bad, though
- >>Just like going to sleep
- >>But this? It was an assault
- >>It was one of those things in your life
- >>You've smelled bad smells before
- >>Both on earth, that you can remember, and in Ponyville
- >>But this was worse than just a bad smell
- >>This was physical repulsion
- >>Where were you?
- >>Your eyes were not following your commands yet
- >>You could just remember
- >>Something about drugged confectioneries
- >>And your friends...
- >>Where were they?!
- >>You still haven't found them!
- >>Then these guys attacked you
- >>Well, more like defended themselves
- >>You were pretty much on the offensive
- >>Took them quite a few to finally put you out, you remember that
- >>You're moving
- >>There are the squeaks of poorly oiled wheels on either side of you
- >>A primitive suspension system ensures a bumpy ride
- >>You whip your head to the left
- >>And then to the right
- >>And your eyes shoot open
- >>No good. There is a blind fold before you
- >>“We're almost thereâ€
- >>A voice
- Who are you? Show yourself!
- >>Your buck your body in the wagon
- >>No good, you're bound up right
- >>You flip around like a fish
- >>A foot sweeps in and collides with your side, causing you to double over in pain
- >>“Shut up.â€
- >>Funny
- >>You're used to being the one who says that
- >>A half hour later, you're hoisted out of the cart
- >>You have no idea where you are
- >>The ground is broken, uneven
- >>You writhe against your binds, but you get shoved forward and fall into the ground
- >>Your head knocks against the root of a tree
- Ow!
- >>You scream in pain
- >>“Quit strugglin,' pinhead.â€
- >>You growl
- >>They lift you back onto your feet and shove you again, directing you in what direction to head
- >>“Took ya idiots long enough.â€
- >>“He was a hand full, boss.â€
- >>“Whatever, Get him into position.â€
- >>“Ya got it.â€
- Position for what?!
- >>A closed fist swipes across your cheek and sends you crashing into the earth again
- >>“I said shadyap!â€
- >>You get kicked in the stomach
- >>Again
- >>And again
- >>It's humiliating
- >>You curl into the blows, trying to shield yourself
- >>By the time the beating stops, you are heaving heavy breaths
- >>Your mouth hangs open, a line of spittle dripping from your cheek
- >>“Get up.â€
- >>You struggle to your feet
- >>A hand shoves your shoulder
- >>You almost fall forward again, but catch yourself
- >>“Keep walking.â€
- >>You do as you're told
- >>You don't have a choice right now
- >>Minutes pass
- >>You hear the sounds of a water fall
- >>This can't be good
- >>No, no. You're pretty sure it isn't
- >>A pair of brawny hands comes to your shoulders
- >>“Here.â€
- >>You get lifted off your feet and planted in a specific spot
- >>You are turned around
- >>“If ya value yer' life, ya won't move. Got it?â€
- >>You remain silent
- >>“Alright, the big boss is coming.â€
- >>You still have no idea what's going on
- >>Suddenly, a new voice emerges
- >>Is that...
- >>“Gildaâ€
- >>“Pleaseâ€
- >>“If ya would do... the honors.â€
- >>“Heh, you got it.â€
- >>Is that Christopher Walken?
- >>Not that you remember who that is
- >>A certain someone made sure of that
- >>Your roped are suddenly cut
- >>Your arms and legs burst free
- >>A talon zips up your face
- >>Your blindfold falls off around you
- >>And a cold dot, a cut, lingers right between your eyes
- >>Right in your face is Gilda the Griffon
- >>You look behind yourself, and you are right on the edge of a cliff overlooking a waterfall that spills into a shady mist
- >>This is the Everfree Forest
- >>You look back to Gilda again, minding your balance
- >>You are precariously close to death as it is
- >>“Heh, told ya to butt out, Anonymousâ€
- >>You growl at her like a threatening wolf
- >>Just one good fist in her face, you could turn that beak inside out
- >>Your brows furrow
- >>She sees your frustration
- >>“What'cha gonna do, groundy?â€
- >>The new voice sounds out
- >>“Okayâ€
- >>“Kiddies!â€
- >>“That's enough. We got some... business.â€
- >>Gilda steps back and lifts off the ground with a single beat of her wings
- >>She lands confidently behind her 'boss'
- >>The boss, himself, is rather short
- >>And he isn't a man. He's a canine.
- >>In fact, as you look at all of the people surrounding the wagon train, they're all canines
- >>Canines in snazzy suits
- >>“Hello! Anonymous!â€
- >>“It is so good to finally meet ya!â€
- >>The 'Boss' speaks to you, standing some distance from you, his hands in his pockets
- I'm going to kick your ass if you don't...
- >>You take a step forward
- >>“Ah, no! You see,â€
- >>His left hand rises from his pocket, and a small crossbow with a diamond headed bolt levels at you
- >>“Me and my boys?â€
- >>“We went to a lot of... trouble... to arrange this little meetin'. So I think you'll stayâ€
- >>“RIGHT where ya are. Or else, capice?â€
- >>You put your hands up to shoulder level and retract your step
- >>“Good boy!â€
- >>“Who says... ya can't teach an old dog new tricks?â€
- >>The others around him laugh at the joke
- >>If there was a joke in there, somewhere, you missed it
- >>Maybe you really are that dumb
- >>“So now, Anonymous, we can have our little heart to heart.â€
- >>You shift your lips and squint an eye
- >>He tosses his wrist left to right
- >>“Buddy! Pal! How ya doin'? How was yer' little trip? Enjoy yourself?â€
- Where are my friends?
- >>You borderline demand
- >>“Awwh... ya see? Yer' no fun!â€
- >>“We go to all this trouble, just for you. Ya know? And you just... want to get straight to business.â€
- >>“FINE.â€
- >>He levels the crossbow pistol on you again
- >>“Okay. So, here it isâ€
- >>“I bring tidings from...â€
- >>“The Dog Father.â€
- >>You pause for a moment
- >>Was he serious?
- The... Dog Father?
- >>“Ye-ah! Great, isn't it? The Dog Father, you see... he is a VERY powerful individual.â€
- This seems pretty elaborate for a bunch of diamond dogs.
- >>He looks at you seriously for a moment
- >>The smoke from his cigar wafts through the air
- >>He then bursts into laughter
- >>The others are slow to catch on
- >>“HAHAHAHA~!!â€
- >>You aren't laughing
- >>“No.â€
- >>The laughing unanimously stops
- >>“Don't confuse us with our cousins.â€
- >>“BUDDY.â€
- >>You cock your head
- >>“See, here's the thing,â€
- >>You listen
- >>“Us? We're Crime Dogs.â€
- Crime Dogs.
- >>“Yeahâ€
- Got it.
- >>“Good.â€
- >>You're both on the same page.
- >>“Ya see, we used to run this place. It was a regularâ€
- >>“VERITABLEâ€
- >>“Gangster's Paradiseâ€
- >>You lift an eyebrow
- >>He lifts the crossbow, slowly
- >>“And then that... horseâ€
- >>“That PONYâ€
- >>“That CELESTIAâ€
- >>“She's such a bitch, you know?â€
- >>“Such a... such an ass-howlâ€
- >>“She got the great idea that she was gonna... chase everything she thought was evil over ta Tartarus, next door.â€
- >>God, this guy was fun to listen to
- >>He should be an actor
- >>“She got her dainty little hooves on these artifactsâ€
- >>“The... Elements of Harmony. Ya heard?â€
- Hearsay, yeah.
- >>“Ah, okay. Then you know.â€
- >>You nod
- >>“I like a man who knows his historyâ€
- >>“Makes things easier.â€
- >>You purse your lips
- >>You really don't know much of anything
- So what does this have to do with any of us?
- >>He burst out laughing again
- >>“HAHAHAHA~! Hey, boys! Get a load-a-dis!â€
- >>“He... he wants to know... HAHAHA! What this gotta do with him!â€
- >>The camp explodes into laughter
- >>“Ah'll tell ya! If ya'd shaddap for a minute, okay? I mean, jeez, you're so noisy.â€
- >>“Simmer down.â€
- >>You do as told.
- >>“We're coming ta take what is ours back. Capice?â€
- >>You don't answer
- >>“Ya see, a while ago... that infernal mutt, Cerberus – the one who guards Tartarus – he abandoned his post for a while.â€
- >>“No one knows why. But the Dog Father? He's a clever one. He cast a portion of his mob back into the world from the unguarded gate.â€
- >>You squint an eye
- >>You have a hard time following
- >>Because you're an idiot, you guess. People tell you that a lot.
- >>“We were really surprised to see that Celestia and her bitchofasistah no longer wielded the elements.â€
- >>“Instead, it was a buncha dumbass brats from some backwater hillbilly pony town.â€
- >>You frown and curl your lip at him
- >>He lowers his crossbow on you once more
- >>“Don't get any ideas, smart guy. Okay? Because I, uh, hold the cards.â€
- I bet you do.
- >>“See? Yer' a smart kid. Catch on quick.â€
- >>“Now, see, the thing with the Elements of Harmony? They suck.â€
- >>You raise your eyebrow
- >>“All ya gotta do is separate the magic from them, and they turn to rock.â€
- Yeah? So what?
- >>“So what?â€
- >>He chortles
- >>“Hah. I'll show ya 'so what.'â€
- >>The boss snaps hisfingers with a loud pop
- >>One of the gangsters reaches into one of the wagons, and brings forward a burlap sack
- >>It kicks and writhes
- >>He removes the sack, and shows you a baby blue little cherub, with rose colored eyes
- >>With her wings bound, her hooves restrained, and a gag in her mouth
- >>“Go ahead! Let em' hear her!â€
- >>Your jaw drops as you look to the struggling Pegasus
- >>The mobster yanks the bit from her mouth
- >>“Anon! Anon, I'm so gla--!â€
- >>The bit is snapped back into her mouth
- You let her go!
- >>You grow furious
- >>“Ah, no.â€
- >>The 'Boss' levels his crossbow back onto you
- >>“See, it took us a lot of plannin' ta nail this one. And almost everyone played their parts perfectly.â€
- >>“You were a stupid doucheâ€
- >>“Gilda befriended Dashâ€
- >>“Our brilliant chemist got Twiligt Spah'kle and Rarity addicted to our drugged muffinsâ€
- >>“Fluttershy an' Pinkie Pie? Well, they were easy. Get that pink puff ball depressed, and she's easy to catch. The pegasus was tougher, but we got her anyway.â€
- >>He smiled at you
- >>“Gilda, here; she was valuable. You see, Dash? Dash was a toughy. But when you so expertly crushed her spirits, she swooped in like a hawk and delivered the dumb bitch right into our hands.â€
- >>You clenched your teeth and growled
- Gilda! I swear to Celestia!
- >>Gilda scoffs at you
- >>The Boss cuts you off
- >>“BUT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TA BRING BACK APPLEJACK!â€
- >>“Ya fuckin' idiot!â€
- >>“Ya blew the whole thing!â€
- >>“Are ya stupid? Are ya retarded?!â€
- >>“Why do ya think we dropped ya in that fuckin' desert?!â€
- >>“We knew ya would be guided to Appleossa!â€
- >>His head turned red, and smoke exhumed from his ears
- >>Queue teapot whistle sound effect
- >>But he calmed down soon enough
- >>“No matterâ€
- >>“We'll have her soon enough, and the elements'll be ours.â€
- If you harm a single hair on their heads...
- >>“You'll do what?â€
- >>He's got you, there
- >>“Don't worry, buddy ol' pal. See, it ain't enough ta kill the wielders of the elements. Remember, I said ya gotta take the magic out of em'â€
- >>You narrowed your eyes
- >>“That means we gotta break their spirits. Twilight was easy, she can't live without our muffins. Her spirit was broken from day one.â€
- >>You shook your head
- You...
- >>“Rarity? Well, we needed a way to mask our presence. We kidnapped the dragon. He's the line of communication between Ponyville and Canterlot.â€
- >>“Rarity stood right where you are right now. What was it... two nights ago?â€
- >>“We had the same talkâ€
- >>“I gave Mister Spike a choice. Deliver forged messages for us, or the dame gets blown off the cliff and dies.â€
- >>“His choice was simpleâ€
- >>“After that, we keep em' separated. Her spirit shattered.â€
- You're an animal.
- >>“Thank ya.â€
- >>“I could go on and on, but let's hurry this up, right?â€
- >>You didn't think you were going to like this
- >>“Bring the Rainbow Brat up. Let them get a good look at one another.â€
- >>Dash was brought closer to you
- >>You two locked eyes
- >>The bit was pulled from her mouth
- >>“...Anon...â€
- Dashie...
- >>You both fell silent
- >>Water was in both of your eyes
- >>You both were connected by the same fear that you would never see one another again
- >>“Ova here, A non E-mooseâ€
- >>The Boss snaps his finger
- >>You look over to him
- >>“Now, ya see, the Dog Father? He sees potential in ya! You're something of a bruiser. Retarded muscle. He likes that. You do what you're told, and you hoit people.â€
- Then why did you guys try to kill me on the train?
- >>The boss picked out his cigar and cast it on the ground
- >>“We were originally gonna just off ya an' show yer' head to Rainbow Brat, here. She's been kinda tough to break, see. Real strong will. Powerful stuff. It'd take somethin' major. But plans changed. The Dog Father has taken interest in your talent for survival.â€
- >>“So, how'd ya like to be on the winning team?â€
- >>“He knows of your problems, Anonymous.â€
- >>“Celestia, that trashy slut? She uses ya. She broke ya, pal. She raped yer' mind and now ya have a huge hole where beautiful ideas and memories used ta be. And that's the way she likes it. She likes control over lesser beings.â€
- >>“The Dog Father ain't like that. The Dog Father can fix everything that Celestia broke.â€
- >>You gasped inwardly and looked to the 'Boss'
- >>You were being offered a chance to get your humanity back
- >>Everything
- >>What you are, what you were, what you can potentially be
- >>You were silent for a moment
- >>“What'll it be, hot shot?â€
- >>You look over to Dash
- >>“Anon... whatever you choose, I will always be with youâ€
- >>Your eyes crease
- >>“You'll never get rid of me, Anonymous!â€
- >>“No matter what you do...â€
- >>She says
- >>“I will alwaysâ€
- >>“Alwaysâ€
- >>“Have your back.â€
- >>But you knew that was a lie
- >>If you take this offer, it will break Dashie
- >>Your Dashie
- >>Your special, beloved Dashie
- >>If you do this, you will have your humanity back
- >>And she knows it
- >>But it will be without Rainbow Dash
- >>And over the past few days, you have come to one unassailable conclusion
- >>Probably the single best conclusion that you have ever reached in your life
- >>That life isn't worth living if Dashie isn't a part of it
- >>You look back to the boss after a moment of thought
- No.
- >>He seemed unfazed
- >>Though he took a short pause
- >>“See, the Dog Father had a feeling you might say that.â€
- >>Dash was carried back from you
- >>She kicked and screamed
- No!
- >>You stepped forward
- >>“How many times we gotta do this, ya stupid shit?â€
- >>He raised his pistol to you
- >>You stepped back in place
- Celestia will find out what you're doing
- She will find you, and you will burn!
- >>You spit on the ground
- >>He chuckles
- >>“Celestia isn't as omnipotent as you think she is.â€
- >>“She has exactly one relevant super power to fight us, Anonymous.â€
- >>“And that's the Elements of Harmony. Once we have Applejack, we will have them all.â€
- >>The bow cocks
- >>“Ya could'a gone far, kid. Ya had the stuff champions are made of.â€
- >>“Nowâ€
- >>“Any last woids?â€
- >>You look to Rainbow, frantically
- Rainbow!
- >>The tears in her eyes are thick
- >>Anon!
- I'm sorry for everything
- >>“It's okay, Anon! It was always okay!â€
- Rainbow...
- >>“What?â€
- >>Tears pour down from her beautiful eyes and stain her well shaped cheeks
- I lo--
- >>THWIP
- >>A diamond headed quarrel lances through you
- >>The force is enough to carry you off your feet
- >>You sail over the edge
- >>And vanish in the mists of the Everfree
- >>The Boss looked over the edge of the cliff
- >>He was experienced
- >>Had to make sure Anonymous wasn't clinging on to anything on the way down
- >>All clear up until the layer of mist that was far enough below to safely say Anon was dead
- >>Content in his work, he clicked his lips
- >>“Survive that, asshole.â€
- >>Clank, stretch, click
- >>With a flick of his wrist a mechanism on his forearm redrew the crossbow
- >>He produced a fat cigar from his coat and balanced it in his lips before striking his thumb against his hip
- >>A small flame levitated from his claw, and he used it to ignite his smoke
- >>For Anonymous, this was the most important day of his life
- >>The last day of his life
- >>For the Boss, this was just a Thursday
- >>A nameless mobster came to his side as he puffed away, thinking
- >>“Ey, boss. What're we gonna do, now?â€
- >>Boss waited for a moment before answering
- >>He pulled the cigar from his lips and exhumed a cloud of ash
- >>“Whatdoyamean, what do we do now? We wait for orders from the Dog Father, ya idiot.â€
- >>He narrowed his eyes
- >>“Didn't we need that guy alive?â€
- >>Boss looked up at his subordinate, and then peered over to Dash
- >>She was bawling, screaming. Anonymous could probably hear her whining all the way down the cliff
- >>“Would'a made things easier.â€
- >>“She's the spirit of loyalty. Seeing her main squeeze abandon his loyalties would'a sent her over the edge.â€
- >>He planted the stick back in his lips and thrust his free hand into his coat pocket
- >>“But she's well on her way. This changes nothing.â€
- >>There's a pause
- >>The gears under the Boss' mobster cap turn
- >>“Actually...â€
- >>Gilda moved in front of the bound up Dash, who was held in place by one of the more burly mobsters
- >>“I tried to tell him, Dash, but he just wouldn't listen.â€
- >>She spoke with an arrogant tone
- >>“Gilda, how could you do this?!â€
- >>Dash's voice pierced the silence of the Everfree
- >>Gilda only put a claw in her ear and opened it up before she answered
- >>“You made a fool of me, Dash. You know how big of a mistake that is. We went to flight school together, remember?â€
- >>Dash probably would have argued, but at the moment she was far too lost in the realm of sorrow and depression to do so
- >>She could only scream
- >>Scream, and scream some more
- >>Loud, ear-cracking expressions of her anxiety and lament
- >>These broken sounds were like music to a vengeful Gilda's ears
- >>Her ego was sated
- >>The Boss made his way over
- >>“Gilda, babe. Good work.â€
- >>“The Dog Father; he wishes to express his gratitude towards your assistance.â€
- >>“I LOVED HIM!!â€
- >>Rainbow Dash blurted out, and then retreated back to her sorrows
- >>Boss turned his eyes skyward and shook his head before returning his gaze to Gilda
- >>“No problem, daddio. I enjoyed it.â€
- >>Gilda retracted a claw and scratched it underneath Dash's wrinkled chin, wearing a psychotic smile as she massaged the tender flesh with the lethal appendage
- >>“Think Dash's little boy will survive?â€
- >>Boss pulls his cigar from his lips and taps off a coin of ash from the tip
- >>“Not without Celestia's aid, he won't.â€
- >>This casual conversation as to the fate of Anonymous only served to deepen Dash's decent into hopelessness
- >>“...Muzzle her, alreadyâ€
- >>The mobster snaps the bit back into Dash's lips and carries her off into the wagon train
- >>Dash kicks and writhes, doing her utmost to resist
- >>“No. Keep her here.â€
- >>The mobster stops and turns around once more, holding Dash's eyes open
- >>Dash squeaks
- >>“Gilda, there's the matter of your payment.â€
- >>The griffon smiled broadly, greedily
- >>“You see, the Dog Father?â€
- >>“He don't approve of you rebellious types. Makes business hard.â€
- >>Gilda cocked her head
- >>“What?!â€
- >>Boss snapped his fingers
- >>Several adjacent mobsters produced drawn crossbows and leveled them on Gilda
- >>Immediately, Gilda outstretched her wings and, with a single beat, lifted off the ground and into the air
- >>TWANG
- >>A fat bolt lanced through her right wing
- >>With a cry of pain, she fell to the ground in a heap
- >>The Boss watched, his face cold and expressionless
- >>As Gilda writhed, trying to take to the air on a gimp wing, the Boss made that impossible
- >>He moved forward a step onto Gilda's good wing, which crunched under his weight
- >>She gave an avian roar that, just like Dash's earlier cries, echoed over great distances
- >>Calmly, the Boss took a drag from his cigar before tapping off a smidgeon of ash onto Gilda's body
- >>“You see, Gilda, we don't got wings. So maybe you can tell me.â€
- >>Gilda twisted and bucked in protest
- >>“What's it like to be grounded by groundies?â€
- >>He chortled at his own joke
- >>And, like a wave, the surrounding gangsters joined in
- >>“It's an unfortunate business we're in, lady. You just fell in with a bad crowd.â€
- >>The once mighty griffon looked up in absolute horror
- >>She watched in ultimate humility as the same weapon system used to finish Anonymous was leveled on her skull
- >>“Nothing personal, kid.â€
- >>Gilda gave one last desperate avian shriek, hoping against hope that it would be heard by someone
- >>“It's just business.â€
- >>THWIP
- >>You're pissed
- >>You're cold
- >>You're drenched
- >>You're shivering
- >>And you're double pissed
- >>They think they can do this to you?
- >>Did they think this would STOP you?
- >>You're going to murder someone
- >>Your eyes were blood shot
- >>Your stomach hurt
- >>You felt like you were going to vomit your kidneys
- >>But you persisted
- >>A wide crossbow bolt jutted from your torso, between two ribs
- >>And through the other side of you, just the the side of your spine
- >>You have no idea what all is hit
- >>Maybe your lung
- >>But it didn't matter
- >>The roar of the waterfall blocked out all sound for you
- >>A freezing mist weighed you down
- >>One at a time, you threw a hand up
- >>Grabbed a protruding stone
- >>Hoisted yourself up
- >>Braced yourself
- >>Repeated with the other hand
- >>Your plan was as follows
- >>Get back to the top,
- >>Kick ALL the asses,
- >>And then live the rest of your life with your friends in peace and happiness
- >>Of course, the pain coursing through your body was going to be a little problem
- >>You found yourself frozen in place
- >>Unable to go up any further
- Ghnn...
- >>You groan
- >>If you move the wrong way, the bolt moves and your pain is excruciating
- >>Maybe, maybe if...
- >>You move one hand from the wet stony surface and lower your hand to your torso
- >>You grip the bolt
- >>And, instantly, you convulse and vomit a shower of blood
- >>You hug the outcropping, fearing falling off
- >>A crimson streak stains the side of the chasm
- >>You heave heavy breaths
- >>Condensation drips from your eyebrows as the waterfall rages next to you and over you
- >>But through the sting, and through the pain, and through the nausea
- >>You look straight up
- >>The mists of the Everfree linger over you like a fog of war
- >>You have no idea how far you have to go
- >>But you are human
- >>No, you're more than that
- >>You're Anonymous
- >>So you will persist
- >>It's taking you so much longer to climb back up than it took you to fall down
- >>But that was obvious
- >>You were always the kind of guy to go with the flow
- >>To just let stuff happen
- >>But in this case? You would forge a path across the turbulent wake of fate
- >>You aren't going down like this
- >>Neither is Rainbow Dash, or Twilight Sparkle, or Spike
- >>Or any of your other friends
- >>Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie
- >>Rarity
- >>Applejack
- >>The thoughts of their suffering propel you just one more hand hold
- >>God, this was hard
- >>But it was worth it
- >>What you wouldn't give for one of Braeburn's apples right now
- >>You pause for a moment and look down
- >>You've made some distance
- >>It was a long way down
- >>It was a good thing you were able to get a grip on something before you hit bottom
- >>By Celestia, you hated pitfalls
- >>Your worst experiences were always with pitfalls
- >>Your muscles ached
- >>Your tendons felt like they were going to fly apart at any moment
- >>But you weren't going to give up
- >>Not after seeing those tears in Dash's face
- >>Did you really mean what you said?
- >>You love her?
- >>Was it real, or did you just blurt it out from the drama of the situation?
- >>She was a pony, after all
- >>But you were alone
- >>In the past week, you have done nothing but lament that Dash was no longer a part of your life to the level that she was
- >>You suppose you loved her as a friend
- >>But that's not what you meant, was it?
- >>You gripped another hand hold and hoisted yourself up
- >>Your shoe braced itself under you
- >>You meant that you want to spend your life with her
- >>But you can't shake the truth that she's a horse
- >>A two-dimensional animal with wings
- >>But you were so tired of being alone
- >>She made you smile
- >>She made you cry
- >>She dominated your thoughts when she wasn't around
- >>Her charming ego, her confidence
- >>You loved it
- >>She had faith in you when you didn't have faith in yourself
- >>You hissed, steam jets vented from the grille of your teeth
- >>Another step, just that much closer
- >>Probably wasn't the best time to drop that bomb on either of you
- >>You'd talk about it with her after this was all over
- >>The Everfree doesn't have shit on you
- >>You've survived it before
- >>You remember back then, you were unknowingly hunting down one of Fluttershy's chickens
- >>You pause and look up to the waterfall's crest
- >>It roars a familiar roar
- >>What do you know? This is actually the very fall that you fell from
- >>That means that down there is a mud bog that would break your fall
- >>Perhaps you should just let go?
- >>No
- >>No, fuck that
- >>There's alligators down there, too
- >>And you don't know if the bog will save you twice
- >>You continue your great labor
- >>Without safety lines or cords, you are determined to reach the top
- >>You were being greedy again
- >>Greedy for Dash
- >>And everyone else
- >>You wanted your life back
- >>And you were going to stop at nothing to get it back
- >>Human greed was a powerful force, it seemed
- >>Your body was wrecked
- >>Exposed to extremes
- >>You had a heavy bolt through your torso
- >>It still hurt like hell
- >>You powered through
- >>Because you're Anonymous
- >>Come Hell or high water
- >>No one is going to stop you from achieving exactly what you want
- >>Celestia's rays are coming over the horizon
- >>The sun is rising with you
- >>How long has it been?
- >>You've lost all track of time
- >>At least you're not losing too much blood
- >>When was the last time you were this determined to do something?
- >>Something so hard
- >>Your muscles whine in protest
- >>They sting against your flesh
- >>Lactic acid courses through your vessels
- >>On the inside, you are a furnace
- >>The outside, a refrigerator
- >>And on the border of these two extremes is a surreal sensation of lingering doom
- >>But, perhaps, you've found it
- >>Perhaps you have found the strength of man
- >>The will to survive, to go on
- >>A will that redoubles when given purpose beyond yourself
- >>Who knows? Maybe you're wrong
- >>As you struggle to grip the next stone outcropping, maybe you are a scant seconds from death
- >>These stones are wet
- >>In some places, traction is non-existent
- >>Your hand wraps around a tough looking stone, and it instantly snaps out of place from your weight
- >>You dangle, helplessly, on one arm
- >>But you correct yourself and continue
- >>Too many people are counting on you
- >>Yes, people
- >>You don't care about the physical distinction at the second
- >>Your hand rises over the precipice and grips the edge
- >>Your nails rake through the ground
- >>And you hoist yourself up
- >>It's hard
- >>But you're harder
- >>You've come to expect it by now
- >>Usually, something bad happens just before you win
- >>But this time, you refused to let that happen
- >>You would be a liar if you didn't say that you were proud of yourself
- >>You earned this one
- >>Your knee was thrown over the edge
- >>And you lifted yourself onto the horizontal surface
- >>The bolt drips with your blood
- >>You can't get it out
- >>The pain is just too much
- >>You can go on with it
- >>You slowly get to your feet, and start moving
- >>The caravan is gone
- >>Everything is gone
- >>But they left you a present
- >>You see the body of a familiar griffin, huddled up with its eyes rolled back into its head
- >>And a heavy bolt shunting out of its cranium
- >>You instantly vomit upon comprehension
- >>The foul taste of stomach acid fills your mouth
- >>You curse under your breath
- >>You took too long
- >>Now what were you going to do?
- >>You hobble forward
- >>A hand comes to a tree, and you balance yourself
- >>You slowly collapse into it, shoulder first
- >>Just a little sleep
- >>That's all you need
- >>Just for a few minutes
- >>You'll figure it out then
- >>You writhe
- >>It doesn't feel like you did when you fell asleep
- >>This alarms you
- >>Your head thrashes to the right
- >>You audibly groan
- >>Your head thrashes to the left
- >>Your friends; where were they?
- >>There was something over you
- >>But it was loose, warm
- >>Your pain had not left you
- >>But you had a wider range of motion
- >>Confusion becomes you
- >>The last awake moment you were suffering heavily and knew exactly where you were
- >>Your ignorance to your new locale caused great distress
- >>Your eyes could not open
- >>You clenched your teeth
- >>And audibly protested
- Let me out!
- >>You demand
- I still have things to do!
- I'll kill em'!
- >>A hoof comes down on your shoulder
- >>“Shhh...!â€
- >>But you don't calm down
- >>In fact, it just encourages you to buck harder
- >>You force yourself up into a sitting position
- >>Whatever it is, it leaps up over you and pushes you back down with plenty of force
- >>“Calm yourself, Anonymous!â€
- >>The voice was female, and it must have been a pony
- >>“You must not make such a fuss!â€
- >>“Your wounds are wide, fresh, but dressed.â€
- >>“They can ill afford so much stress!â€
- >>You fall silent, your chest still heaving
- >>You set your head back against what you can only assume must be a pillow
- >>You still can't see anything
- >>But you submit
- >>She seems legit enough
- >>The feeling of rough hooves lifts from your shoulders, and you can feel the body step over you
- Who are you?
- >>She is silent for a moment, working on arcane works which you cannot see
- >>But she eventually responds to you
- >>“Allow me to put your inquisitive mind at easeâ€
- >>“I name is Zecora, if you'd pleaseâ€
- >>You cross an arm over your chest, still uncomfortable about this whole thing
- >>You move your hand over your body
- >>The bolt that was once nestled tightly in your body is gone
- >>It took you until now to realize that
- Where am I?
- >>She is much quicker to sate your thirst for knowledge, this time
- >>“When I found you, passed out and asleepâ€
- >>“I was careful not to make a peepâ€
- >>“You looked so helpless, huddled in the brushâ€
- >>“I knew that you were in quite a rushâ€
- >>“Your blood and toil told a taleâ€
- >>“Of a quest that you must not failâ€
- >>“Higher powers guide your fateâ€
- >>“Their heavenly will aware of your hateâ€
- >>“And so I brought you back to a place of sanctuaryâ€
- >>“So you could recover without fear of an obituaryâ€
- >>“So now, Anonymous, rest your fearsâ€
- >>“My medicine works better once your head clearsâ€
- >>“I know far more than you will ever guessâ€
- >>“For you, the most important thing is rest.â€
- >>You find yourself slipping away from reality as you listen to the soft rhymes of your savior
- >>Your mind addles
- >>You slip into something of a trance
- Uhhh...
- >>You groan
- >>Your muscles relax against your better judgment
- >>A wooden ladle is forced over your lips
- >>A soothing herbal liquid sees you off on a journey into the land of dreams
- >>You stand out in front of the cottage
- >>Your new Zebra friend told you that five hours have passed
- >>Looking up to the waning evening sky, you calculate that it is almost Luna's hour
- >>A tight wrapping of cloth binds your torso
- >>And your pain is all but gone
- >>Apparently, the tribal shaman mixed a brew of an extremely potent pain killer that is making you feel about as indestructible as superman
- >>You would question how in Equestria she was able to perform such an operation on human anatomy, but you decide against it
- >>You breathe the fresh forest air before turning around to face her
- Thank you.
- >>She smiles at you, and kicks over a flint knife
- >>You recognize it
- >>It was yours, at one time
- >>You were so desperate for food that wasn't a salad, you fashioned it and went hunting
- >>You kneel over and pick it up, observing the serrated, jagged blade
- >>“No thanks are necessaryâ€
- >>She responds
- >>A brown hood flies over her head, and her eyes are replaced by glowing slits
- >>Oh, shit! It's the Jawa!
- >>“...Now get off my propertyâ€
- >>She backs into her tree-shack and slams the door before you
- >>You blink
- >>Look down to the knife
- >>Oh, dear.
- >>She has an extremely good memory
- >>You back away from her tree house before turning, and vanishing into the forest
- >>You had a job to do
- >>Why the fuck do you care?
- >>This is a curse that you have yet to shake
- >>You frowned during the whole grim task, but you embraced it all the same
- >>Was this human? You don't know
- >>A clump of dirt fills your hands as you scoop it into a deep trench
- >>Well, it isn't so deep any more
- >>You hardly knew her, but you figured that this was fitting
- >>A grave overlooking an Everfree waterfall
- >>The way that the mists lingered below, it almost looked as if you were above the clouds
- >>Finally, after you pat the layers of dirt tightly into place,
- >>You heft a large rock into place at the 'head' of the mound
- >>Your flint knife was worn down to a blunt nub
- >>And upon this ad-hoc headstone, the word 'Gilda' was scraped in white to contrast the black of the surface
- >>You discard the now-useless knife
- >>Your feelings are mixed
- >>She was a bitch, no doubt about it
- >>But she was also a dear friend to Dash
- >>At least, at one time
- >>She didn't deserve to die
- >>No one deserves to die
- >>You remember, back when you were brand new, you were promised that this was an immortal world
- >>To have such a thing stolen from you?
- >>Horrific
- >>In your old world, people were born
- >>And then they decayed
- >>Here? Those laws didn't have to apply
- >>You sat on your knees and looked down upon the final resting place of the winged creature
- >>You have nothing to say
- >>You don't have the right to say anything
- >>You weren't her family. You knew nothing about her
- >>The roar of the waterfall in the background helps you think
- >>This world was so pure on the surface
- >>But under it all, there was such turmoil
- >>Celestia told you that you were intended to bring a balance to the cosmic cacophony that spawned such monsters that plagued Equestria
- >>She thought that they were introduced to disrupt harmony
- >>But, you're thinking,
- >>This continuum must simply find other ways to maintain the flow of life and death if age isn't a factor
- >>You think for a moment
- >>No, it's not important
- >>Then you get up on your feet
- >>It's time for you to move out
- >>The mayor wasn't going to help
- >>For all you knew, she was probably the first one that they ensured would suffer the clouding addiction
- >>Celestia was ignorant of this whole thing
- >>You were in some serious shit
- >>Your enemy was the vanguard of a great demon plotting his return from Tartarus
- >>You left the Everfree, passing into the fields surrounding Ponyville
- >>You considered your options
- >>Dare you attempt a hike to Canterlot?
- >>No, no. You don't.
- >>You have already wasted far too much time.
- >>All they need is Applejack and their sinister designs will be completed
- >>If you tarry,
- >>If you make one wrong move,
- >>The world stood on the precipice of ruin
- >>Before, on the locomotive leaving Appeloosa, you felt that you had a big responsibility on your shoulders
- >>Being a solitary human in a world not made for you
- >>Finding out who you were
- >>What you were
- >>Forever alone, representing the good and the bad of your species
- >>Without memories or recollections, you were poorly equipped to do so
- >>And, hell, people told you frequently that you were stupid
- >>Too many bucks to the skull
- >>This was a job for someone smart
- >>Someone of incalculable intellect and wit
- >>This was a job for someone like Twilight Sparkle
- >>No, this wasn't a job for any one pony
- >>This was something that the Elements of Harmony combined should be taking care of
- >>Equestria is stuck with you
- >>But it was time to set right what once went wrong
- >>Time to get your life back
- >>You're going to make them pay for shooting you off a fucking cliff
- >>You found yourself back at Confection Perfection, yet again
- >>After hours, yet again
- >>You seem to be going down this road, a lot
- >>The door was repaired, but haphazardly
- >>Not for long
- >>You brace your left foot against the ground and lean into a kick against the knob
- >>The door flies open at high velocities
- >>The crash is horrific
- >>No time to waste
- >>Through the darkness, you move
- >>You are alert, tracking your eyes from left to right
- >>This time, you switch on the lights as you move through the store
- >>You're also surprised that you haven't been jumped yet
- >>After all, they came at you with about a dozen last time
- >>Your eyes scan your surroundings. Everything is neat and tidy
- >>You narrow your eyes, suspiciously, and head down the stairs
- >>Here, you are on full alert mode
- >>If you're going to get jumped, this will be the place
- >>You're surrounded by dark
- >>You reach a hand to the pull cord for the overhead light
- >>Click click
- >>Light floods the room
- >>It's completely empty
- >>You cringe
- Huh?
- >>The tables are gone
- >>The containers of chemicals
- >>The maze-like array of twisty straws connecting them
- >>The rows of tools
- >>Bunsen burners
- >>Torches
- >>Vats of foul smelling brew
- >>It's all gone
- >>All of it
- >>Save for a stain etched into the ground from your previous night's little tussle in this laboratory
- >>You narrow your eyes, confused
- >>You look left, then right, to the roof and to the floor
- >>You see the door you did not notice before, and make your way to it
- >>You try to open it, but it holds tight
- >>Too early for this shit
- >>You brace your foot against the wall and throw your weight into it, tugging as hard as possible
- >>The door whines, but it holds tight
- >>Okay, enough of this
- >>You kick the door, just like the one up stairs
- >>It heaves
- >>You kick again
- >>It gives way
- >>After a third, the tip set of hinges shatter and splinter
- >>You use your hands to rip it out of its frame and cast the whole mess behind you
- >>You're the fucking hulk
- >>Alas, before you, you see a cavern
- >>You have no idea how far deep it goes
- >>Luckily, as far as you know, they do not yet have Applejack
- >>And without Applejack, their plans can't continue
- >>You sally forth, vanishing into the poorly lit abyss of that dusty catacomb
- >>How long has it been?
- >>About forty minutes to an hour?
- >>Just how far into the unknown did this trail lead?
- >>The air becomes choking
- >>Inhospitable to life
- >>But the worst came just before the releif
- >>There was a lite at the end of the tunnel
- >>You approached it slowly,
- >>You got low to the ground as you did so
- >>The white overflow of light gave way to sight
- >>You saw that the tunnel exited into a large circular chamber
- >>Wood in construction
- >>Full of rafters
- >>Well lit, at least
- >>Hay was strewn over the ground
- >>You cocked your head
- >>Was this a barn? A silo?
- >>As you crept closer to the edge of the door, you noticed that there was a suited mobster guarding the entrance
- >>His hands were thrust in his pockets as he watched the goings on, boredly
- >>What you wouldn't give for his view
- >>So, you'll take it
- >>You reached your hand from the shadows and gripped the tuft of his collar
- >>“Wha.. HEY!â€
- >>No one heard him over the work being done inside
- >>He was forcefully drawn into the shadows
- >>And into your waiting elbow
- >>His canine head is thrown to the side and he flumps onto his knees
- >>His tongue hangs out helplessly
- >>Moments later, you slink from the shadows, adjusting your mobster's cap to cast a shadow over your >>upper features
- >>You assume his post after taking care of the body
- >>Oh, you didn't kill him. You're far too much of a softy
- >>But it'll take them a while to find it in that maze of shadows
- >>The overcoat helps greatly in your ruse
- >>Very few, if any, human features show through
- >>You look at the goings on for yourself
- >>All the vats, chemicals, work spaces, and the technical skill needed to make them work has been relocated, alright
- >>You can get a good whiff of the liquid solutions, and it makes you cringe
- >>You wonder how these dogs must cope, since their smell is supposed to be so much better
- >>More useless trivia that Celestia left you with
- >>Without seeing what you came here for, you slink into the shadows of the heavy construction and make your way towards the door
- >>Security was pretty lax, from what it seems like
- >>Upon exiting the structure, you find that you are surrounded by more than you bargained for
- >>There were waist-high fences cross crossing between buildings
- >>A lot of trees surrounded the farm, but the farm was so large
- >>There must be a dozen buildings
- >>How long have they been planning this?
- >>Without a way to narrow it down, you're going to be spending all night searching through buildings
- >>And every second you do remain in this state, you're liable to be found out
- >>Just then, someone shoves you in the shoulder and sends you stumbling forward
- >>Oh, Celestia, this is it!
- >>You whirl around
- >>A mobster dressed in suspenders stands before you
- >>Face of an English bulldog
- >>Gray coat
- >>You prepare yourself to punch his lights out
- >>“Oi, what're'ya doin? The entrance is unguarded!â€
- >>You shook your head and leveled your hand on your hat
- >>You put on your best accent that you can
- Sahrry, boss! Needed some fresh air!
- >>He turns to look over his shoulder and snorts
- >>“...Yeah, that crap gets to all of us.â€
- >>He pauses for a second and looks you over
- >>“Alright, I'se gonna get one o' the other meatheads ta take over. Go check on the baws. Tell him the next shipment is ready.â€
- >>You smile
- Gee, thanks, Mac! Where is he?
- >>The large task master throws a clawed finger over to the farm house
- >>You look over and cringe a smile
- >>Jack
- >>Fucking
- >>Pot
- >The 'Boss' was not just a title, but also a name
- >It was difficult to be the boss, when all of his subordinates were borderline incompetent
- >But there was a reason that the Dog Father, trapped away in the infernal plains of Tartarus, entrusted >him with this important charge
- >Even if his stature was very short, very stubby
- >The other, much larger crime dogs followed his every command without question
- >And it wasn't just because they feared the wrath of the Dog Father
- >Nor was it just because they feared the hulking mass of muscle that was always at his side, Sandy
- >Or the gangly freak show, Nails
- >Nails was critical to this. He's the one who formulated the drug
- >Something of a mad scientist
- >The Boss struck his thumb against the wall and ignited a corona of flame
- >He used it to ignite a fat cigar hanging in his lips before he waved the flame out
- >It wasn't just barking orders
- >It was managing a growing empire
- >It was making sure the world was ready for the return of the Dog Father
- >All while remaining under Celestia's radar
- >Although, at this point, Celestia didn't matter as much as she would have before
- >He was confident
- >He had this whole world under control
- >And nothing
- >Nothing
- >Was going to stay him from his task of bringing forth the Dog Father
- >“So, Fellas,â€
- >He started, looking to a cadre of subordinates arranged in front of him
- >The farm house was a homely little place
- >Reminded him of his old domicile, before Celestia destroyed it
- >The dining room was his favorite place for meetings
- >It made him think of family
- >“What's the Ponyville situation lookin' like?â€
- >One of the agents tips his hat
- >“Completely unable to resist. It'll be quick.â€
- >The Boss didn't smile. He was never truly happy.
- >“And the other store fronts?â€
- >“We got's one in Manehatten and one in Fillydelphia.â€
- >The Boss puffed away at his cigar, prying it from his lips and blowing a ring in the air
- >“Once those shipments are ready, I want em' sent right over.â€
- >Just then, the door creeked open
- >All eyes drifted in that direction as a nameless mobster made his way over
- >He moved cautiously
- >Slowly
- >The Boss stuck his cigar back into his mouth and puffed away, his patience thinning
- >“What is it?â€
- >He barked
- >The gangster held his coat closed with one hand, and held his hat to his head with his other
- >“The... next shipment is done, Boss.â€
- >The Boss rolled his eyes
- >“Finally. Alright ya mooks. Ya know what to do.â€
- >“Ponyville? That's small time. The Dog Father's gonna need more stompin' ground after he returns.â€
- >One of the agents spoke up
- >“When's that gonna be, Boss?â€
- >The Boss cracked a smile
- >“Tonight.â€
- >The others reeled with anticipation
- >Sandy and Nails were a little more reserved
- >Sandy more so. Nails allowed a shrill cackle to escape his throat
- >The others nodded their heads and bowed out of respect
- >The newbie, however – he had the gall to speak up
- >“B-but, Boss?â€
- >The Boss looked over, clenching his teeth around the cigar
- >The others stopped dead in their tracks
- >“What about the Essences of Harmonics?â€
- >The Boss shook his head and carried the cigar from his mouth between two fingers, dashing a pile of ash into a nearby tray
- >“What're ya, retarded? It's the Elements o' Harmony.â€
- >Sandy moved, lifting his hands together to crack his knuckles
- >The Boss lifted a hand
- >“Not at the dinner table.â€
- >Being the Boss was hard. This guy was a prime example of the kind of chores that were involved
- >“The Dog Father wants that we should accelerate our plansâ€
- >The Boss said, leaning back in his seat
- >His view became lost in a photo that was placed on the table
- >Him, back in the golden days
- >He sighed, scanning his eyes over the dame beside him, and the litter of pups at his feet
- >The Boss put the frame down on the table
- >“The Elements still exist, but they're useless. See, we got them fractured enough that there is no way they could be wielded.â€
- >“Applejack ain't gonna change that.â€
- >His eyes widened a degree, and he looked over to Nails
- >“We know where she is, by the way?â€
- >The Boss liked to be in the know, just in case
- >“Hehe~!! She's back in Appeloosa, boss. Helpin' with their little harvest. Won't be back for days!â€
- >Satisfied, the Boss disregarded the orange bitch as a non-factor
- >“After tonight, she ain't gonna have a home to come back to.â€
- >“Just like us, all those years ago. Right, boys?â€
- >He gave an evil chortle, which his subordinates were quick to join in
- >“Get goin' ya meatheads.â€
- >The Boss looked over to the new guy, who wasn't laughing
- >He narrowed his eyes before reaching into his coat and producing a scroll
- >Confidently, he handed it over, extending his arm to the newbie
- >“'Take this to Mister Spike.â€
- >The new guy took the scroll carefully in his hands
- >“Where is he, Boss?â€
- >“What're ya, retarded? Second barn. Oh, an' this'll be the last letter to Old Celestia.â€
- >The new guy cocked his head back questionably
- >“After he delivers it, get Rarity in the room and rub him out.â€
- >The Boss canted his head and smothered out his cigar in the tray
- >“These ponies are proving to have stronger wills than we thought. But this oughta seal the deal.â€
- >The new guy was hesitant at first, standing still and looking down at the parchment
- >Sandy growled
- >The Boss glared
- >“Go on! What're ya waitin' for?â€
- >The timid newbie tipped his hat and bowed out of respect before taking off
- >The Boss returned his attention to the picture frame on the table, producing another cigar
- >“...Fuckin' inbreeds.â€
- >You close the door behind you
- >No time to think
- >You need to get over to Spike, and you need to do it fast
- >But you can't do it with the letter that The Boss gave you
- >Speaking of, you look over both of your shoulders and open the scroll
- >Dear Princess Celestia,
- >You squint one eye as you read
- >Whoever was writing these perfectly forged the writing style of Spike
- >It spoke of normalcy, of lessons learned in friendship
- >There was nothing alarming about it
- >Well, it was time for you to do some editing
- >Moments later, you run to the indicated barn, the one which held spike
- >And with spike, the conclusion to this whole mess
- >Spike was the line of communication between the Ponies and Celestia, after all
- >The Boss' whole plan revolved around Celestia never finding out
- >Well, now he's going to get a little complication
- >You pass through the door way
- >The place doubles as a store house for crates of drugs
- >Drugs which are currently being hefted about by their crews
- >Loaded into nearby wagons
- >You immediately notice a problem with this
- >But you hope that nothing comes of it
- >You'll be fine
- >Armed with your gangster threads, no one is guessing that you're that dead human
- >You plan to keep it that way
- >You take a quick head count
- >The barn doors were wide open, and well lit
- >No hiding if you blow this
- >There must have been thirty guys working to move the heavy crates
- >And then you see Spike
- >The purple pile of defiant depression
- >He is contained in a box cage
- >A thick padlock secures it
- >And, to top it off, there is a mobster guarding it armed with one of those crossbows they love so much
- >You look to the barn doors, seeing that everyone is busy
- >Well, shit. You're going to have to make this quick
- >What are you even worried about?
- >All Spike needs to do is send the letter
- >He doesn't even need to know that he's sending a letter telling Celestia everything
- >You make your way towards Spike's holding
- >You hold your cap down on your head with one hand
- >Hold your coat closed with the other, clutching the scroll
- >As soon as you get there, the guard gets in your way
- >He holds out his hand
- >You hesitate
- >“C'mon. You know the drill.â€
- ...Drill?
- >This one's sharp. He immediately snorts. He knows something is up
- >“The Boss wants us to proof read every letter that goes through this dragon.â€
- >Spike looks up from his cage and peers at you two
- >You can tell they barely keep him fed
- >Just enough to keep him alive
- >And he's miserable
- >The frown on his face is testament to that, and the way he looks upon you with hate-filled eyes
- >“Oh, boy. Another letter for Celestia.â€
- >He speaks heavily sarcastically
- >The guard dog knocks the cage
- >“Quiet, you.â€
- >He turns to you once more
- >“Alright, Pal. Hand it over or I tell the Boss.â€
- >The walls close in on you
- >You do as told, and hand the scroll over
- >He unfolds it and reads
- >“What the h--â€
- >You lean back, throw your right past your shoulder, and come into him with the biggest overhand that you think you've ever committed to
- >You nail him right in the head
- >He yelps and falls back, knocking over Spike's cage
- >“H...hey!â€
- >The guard dog groans
- >“Why, you!â€
- >God damnit, the guy wasn't knocked out in a single shot like you hoped
- >Good going, Anon
- >“Hey, guys!!â€
- >He calls out past you
- >You throw a kick right up his chin
- >His head is thrown back as he hits the dirt
- >There you go, he's done
- >Spike groans from being violently thrown around
- >You quickly kneel down, grab the guard's key ring, and work the lock
- Spike, send the letter.
- >You pull the cage open
- >“...Anon?â€
- >You don't have time
- Send the letter!
- >You stand, and just then you are pulled at the shoulder
- >You turn, and a fist collides into your face
- >You go tumbling into the wall
- >Your attacker lunges in to drive his knuckles into your face again
- >You quickly move, causing his hand to hit the wooden wall
- >He yelps and squeaks, grabbing his throbbing hand
- >You see that the workers have all abandoned what they were doing and are coming at you
- >Oh, God, it's a whole company of em'
- >You throw off your hat and coat
- >It's WAY too early for this shit
- >It's all familiar to you
- >Too familiar
- >The moments pass in a blur of prismatic color
- >No time to think
- >You grab your former attacker by the shoulder and hurl him into the oncoming gang workers
- >Meanwhile, Spike breathes on the scroll and it vanishes in a cloud of green embers
- >“Done!â€
- >He says enthusiastically
- >Immediately, a worker coming in from behind and traps him in a hold
- >You're too busy with your own fight to notice
- >“Anon!â€
- >A fist comes out of nowhere and drives into your gut, causing you to double over
- Oof!
- >One jumps on your back and tries to get a strangle hold, but you grip his arm and drag him over your shoulder
- >He hits the ground like a sack of potatoes
- >You won't give up
- >You know that Dash wouldn't
- >You know that Dash DIDN'T
- >And now she's in trouble, and you have to help her
- >You right yourself just in time to see another one coming at you
- >He is armed with an iron pipe, and takes a swing
- >You throw your dukes up and sway under it, causing him to clock one of his comrades in the cheek with it
- >There is a stream of blood as the victim spirals to the ground
- >You throw an uppercut with your right, clocking the guy in the chin
- >He staggers back
- >You reach your hands forward and grab him by the tuft of his collar with both hands and violently swing him around to your other side
- >It just so happens that three other mobsters were coming at you from exactly that side
- >You plant your left leg, lean in, and deliver a straight kick – turning your captive into a projectile and bowling all of them over
- >They bark at one another, confused
- >You are launched forward and trip over the whole pile uncontrollably, being kicked in the back
- >You fall, but quickly manage to roll up to your feet
- >You are quickly finding yourself surrounded
- >“Com'ere!â€
- >One beckons you and runs in, trying to be really cool by doing some kind of karate kick
- >You've fought actual kickers before. This guy didn't know what the crap he was doing
- >You jive past the kick, twirl around, and throw a reverse elbow into his jaw
- >There's a snap, and he falls
- >One brave bastard lunges in at you and tries for a straight into your gut
- >You take it, feeling the burn, and use the opportunity to grab his arm
- >“What?!â€
- >He yelps
- >You hoist him around and throw yourself forward, launching him over your him and straight into the ground
- >By Celestia, this was starting to hurt
- >But just because it isn't fun doesn't mean you can give up
- >Pinkie Pie sure didn't give up on you when you were in trouble
- >“Git em'!â€
- >You'd like to say that you felt unstoppable
- >But you're getting tired
- >Two more come at you at the same time
- >You take the offensive and throw a jab with your left hand, clocking one in the eye
- >You finish him off by throwing your hips to power a right cross right into his snout, flooring him
- >The second dog goes for a haymaker
- >You throw your right arm into the crook of his elbow, stopping it
- >You follow through by ramming your left elbow into his neck, and then grabbing him by the tuft of his collar
- >You hurl him at his comrades, hoping to break the ring that has formed around you
- >Alas, it doesn't break
- >You are completely, totally surrounded
- >Yet another lunges at you, raising both of his fists and bringing them down to pummel you
- >You throw up your dukes and cross your arms over your head, blocking his attempt
- >You shoulder check him off balance
- >Then you grab him by the shoulder and pull him into a power house right hook, sending him sailing through the air
- >You wonder if this was the kind of frustration Twilight felt when she was trying to help you in this new world
- >Nothing went her way
- >But she kept going, anyway
- >Because she's a fucking trooper
- >Because she's a good friend who deserves better than what she gets
- >A fist comes in from your side and knocks your shoulder, causing you to whirl around and face a large bulldog
- >He throws up his dukes as well
- >Oh, cute
- >He leans to the right and darts in, throwing a jab with his left
- >You swish under it and to the inside, slipping a right cross past his arm and straight into his face
- >He goes out like a light
- >Two jump on you
- >You're getting worried
- >You're sweating
- >You manage to throw one off of you, but the second one is being really clingy
- >He is joined by another one, and another
- >You fall to the floor
- >“We got him!â€
- >“Tell the Boss!â€
- >One of them gets in your face and delivers a sinister canine grin, content that they finally got you
- >You draw your head back and slam your cranium into his face
- >“Ahow!â€
- >He grabs his face and falls back
- >You flex your arms and try to get free
- >But it's no use
- >No matter how much you try
- >No matter how much you fight
- >You feel like the whole world is holding you down
- >Suddenly, you manage to wrest your fight hand free
- >Wrong arm to loose your grip on, fellows
- >You quickly hammer a fist into the face of the one who was controlling your right arm
- >“Who IS this guy?!â€
- >You hurl your body over your left shoulder and snap a right hook against the guy on top of you
- >He staggers off
- >You start climbing back up, but more dogpile onto you
- >Doesn't matter
- >You let loose a scream of blood lusted psychosis that can only be described as a warcry
- >You got too many people counting on you
- >You will not go down, here
- >You cannot go down, here
- >There's a guy in front of you; you throw an overhand and drive him into the floor like a nail
- >You twirl around and grip the guy on your back, throwing him over your head and straight down into the floor before kicking him while he's down
- >Again
- >And again
- >Your eyes go blood shot
- >Your teeth grit
- >You're in that place again
- >That place you hated
- >A hand grabs your face and drives you around before the back of your head slams into a wooden crate
- Nnghn!
- >You groan, loudly
- >You take a punch to the face
- >A cut opens up on your forehead
- >The attacker goes in for another one, but you throw yo your dukes and deflect the shot
- >You then grip his head with both of your hands and drive him down into your rising right knee
- >There's a wet crack, but you do it once more for good measure
- >He pounces back and falls once you release him
- >How many has it been?
- >How many more?
- >Your lungs go into overdrive
- >Suddenly, you hear a new sound
- >The mechanism of bows cocking
- >You look up above you, and atop the stacks of crates a number of mobsters have full sized crossbows leveled on you
- >Their diamond headed bolts glimmer in the light
- >“That's enough, tough guy.â€
- >You stagger
- >“Nice and easy, now.â€
- >You take stock of your surroundings
- >If you aren't walled in by stacked boxes, there's a half dozen or more guys in the way
- >You turn, responding to a hit on your shoulder
- >You're just in time to find a fist flying straight into your face
- >You crash into the ground, your head bouncing off the foundation before it whiplashes back to the hard, cold surface
- >Sorry, guys
- >You wish you could have done more
- >But whatever happens
- >You take heart that you've alerted Celestia
- >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.â€
- >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...â€
- >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.â€
- >You nodded, silently
- >“So whatever these guys are planning, they won't get away with it!â€
- 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!â€
- >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.â€
- >“You are quite the... mother fucker, you know?â€
- >“I mean, coming back from the dead. How do you do that? Must be...â€
- >He pauses and cracks a smile
- >“Really NIFTYâ€
- >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?â€
- >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!â€
- >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.â€
- You will burn.
- >You say, catching Spike's contagion
- >“Hm! We'll see. But not before I turn dragon-boy here into hamboigah.â€
- >The Boss lifted a finger and snapped it
- >“Sandy?â€
- >“Yes, Boss.â€
- >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?!â€
- >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!â€
- 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.â€
- >“Don't worry. He ain't gonna die yet. You go first.â€
- >“See, Anonymous; the Dog Father? He holds all the cards. The Elements of Harmony? Broken, shattered, useless.â€
- >“Your little fairy princess? Hah! Don't make me laugh.â€
- >“But the Dog Father... he's a nice guy. A real saint, ya seeâ€
- >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...â€
- >“Ah...â€
- >“Kill ya again. Capiche?â€
- >You are silent for a moment
- >“Think about it, buddy-ol-palâ€
- >“That bitch? That Celestia? Every problem you can remember facing? It's because of her.â€
- >You curl your lip
- >“Yer' a smart kid. Little dense, but who knows? Maybe you're actually a GENIOUS!â€
- >“An all-star athlete?â€
- >“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'.â€
- >“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.â€
- >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.â€
- >“Don't be stupid, kid. This is a once in a lifetime offer, and you're getting it twice.â€
- >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.â€
- >“Yer' a real retard.â€
- >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.â€
- >You close your eyes and await your execution
- >You might not have been a very good human
- >You don't know if you were or not
- >You worked low end jobs
- >You were alone
- >You were making it in a small one-room studio apartment
- >Living by the beck and call of your seven o' clock alarm
- >Yeah, you still remember it
- >Six, five, nine
- >The most feared numbers in your life
- >At least Celestia stopped using it against you
- >As far as you know, or care, she's stopped the mind games
- >You never did relearn what it is to be human, though
- >Other than a brief remembrance of your former life of regimented mediocrity
- >Face getting doses of radiation every day from a computer screen
- >Coping with angry customers
- >You can't even remember what about
- >Friendships drifted apart sometime in your middle-teens, you think
- >Close family passed away, other family was pretty distant
- >Man, going by that, you were a pretty crappy human being
- >Trying to substitute everything missing in your life with 4chan
- >That you can remember
- >Oh well
- >You didn't do good there
- >And you didn't do good here
- >Where do people go when they die?
- >Your eyes were creased closed, waiting
- >You're Anonymous. You won't back down.
- >Suddenly, there was a loud crash
- >You groan, and there is a sudden panic in the room
- >“What the..?!â€
- >“Look out!â€
- >Beams come crashing down around you
- >You open your eye, and clouds of dust and debris overtake the room
- >A splintered wooden piece of roofing comes crashing down just ahead of you
- >You squint your good eye, and throw up your arms in defense
- >You take a stumbling step back
- >It is then that you notice white stallions around you
- >Clad in gold armor
- >But they weren't alone
- >Dark horses, with bat-like armor black as obsidian were prepared to launch themselves at your captors
- >Snarling, chomping at the bit
- >You clink and then look beside you
- >A large, white mare with a beautiful aurora streaming off of her mane and tail stands with you
- >Wings standing tall and broad
- C..Celestia?!
- >“We got your letter, Anonymous.â€
- >The voice comes from behind you
- >You look over your shoulder and jump
- >Luna moves forward to side with her sister, and you move out of her way
- >You clear them, giving them plenty of space
- >And although the opposing troupes snarl and growl at one another,
- >Celestia and The Boss merely trade hostile glares
- >“Lady Celestia!â€
- >He finally greets, pulling his cigar from his mouth
- >“You're quicker than you were, last time.â€
- >Celestia lowers her head aggressively
- >“I don't abandon my subjects.â€
- >She continues
- >“Where is my student?â€
- >She less 'asks' and more 'demands'
- >But the Boss? The Boss remained cool
- >“Nails.â€
- >He snapped his finger
- >“Oh! Right, boss!â€
- >The gangly freakshow stumbled to the large structure covered in cloth
- >He grabbed hold of the canvas covering, and pulled it down
- >Inside, you were horrified at what you saw
- >A bound, tethered Twilight Sparkle; held up by cables and cords clamped to her skin
- >She was crying, this you could make out even from that distance
- >And there was a jumper cable clamped down on her horn which lead into a pair of diodes
- >She was kept quiet with a muzzle, but her pain was clear
- >She looked between you three, and then to Spike
- >She was still pale, still pony
- >Your God; seeing who you considered a surrogate sister like this?
- >It struck you
- >Your mouth was agape with unbridled sickness and terror
- >But it was nothing compared to the horrible gasp that Celestia emitted as she reeled her head back
- >It was the most horrible sound you think you've ever heard, it spoke of anger and sorrow spun into a fine mix
- >The Boss was less than impressed
- >“What'cha gonna do, Celestia? Make it morning on me?â€
- >Instantly, she threw herself forward and her horn glowed
- >An extremely powerful overpressure washed over you, but otherwise left you uneffected
- >The mobsters, though?
- >They parted like the Red Sea
- >They all slammed into walls, into pillars, with such force that they were all immediately rendered inoperable
- >Killed or merely unconscious, you did not know
- >“I don't know how you escaped Tartarus, cur!â€
- >She shrieked
- >“But I won't spare you a second time!â€
- >Her horn glowed and she reared up on her hind lets
- >THWIP
- >You couldn't track it, your throat was pinched closed in shock
- >“Sister!â€
- >Luna gasped
- >A diamond bolt shattered against Celestia's hown, throwing her for a loop and interrupting her spell
- >She fell back on all fours, shaking her head
- >The Boss held up that damn hand bow of his, and then discarded it before thrusting his hand into his pocket once more
- >His expression stone cold
- >The guard ponies rushed forward, taking to the air and zipping forward at best speed
- >But, with a snap of the Boss' fingers, the exact same fate that befell his own minions threw Celestia and Luna's guards against the same walls
- >“Ladies,â€
- >The Boss spoke
- >“You ain't dealin' with the same mob you did so many years agoâ€
- >He explained
- >“Tartarus is a hellish place. But you wouldn't know that. Do you really think your Celestial fires can match the abysmal inferno that the Dog Father has seen fit to equip me with?â€
- >He casually plucked out his cigar, cast it away, and produced a new one
- >A strike of his thumb against his arm produced a flame that he used to lite it
- >“The Dog Father remembers you two. You tramps ruined a good thing. And Tartarus has had eons to forge his resolve to return and get revenge on the two worthless cunts who did this to him.â€
- >He shook the flame off of his thumb and puffed away on his cigar
- >Celestia growled
- >Luna was shocked
- >You felt powerless
- >“The ebb and flow of his hatred surrounds and courses through me, ladies.â€
- >He hops down from his pedestal and closes the distance, stopping a good ten yards away
- >“You will release Twilight Sparkle...â€
- >Celestia says threateningly
- >“Yeah, right.â€
- >The Boss responds
- >“You see, Celestia, ya really know how to pick em'.â€
- >“Originally, see, we were gonna use you to power this wonderful little device, here.â€
- >“But your student? Well, it turns out that she's quite the atomic firecracker. Her magic will be more than sufficient for our needs.â€
- What does it do?
- >You ask, finally being able to speak
- >The Dog Father flicks his wrist, and you are thrown against the opposite wall with a terrible strength
- >You didn't even know what happened; you just fell on your ass
- >“Quiet, you. I'm sick of lookin' at ya.â€
- >He returns his attention to Celestia
- >“But I guess you're wondering.â€
- >“See, the Dog Father can't get past the gates of Tartarus. Ya did a bang-up job with security.â€
- >“So we'se going to reach through a dimensional pocket and pull him back into this world. Capiche?â€
- >Luna gasps, but Celestia just narrows her eyes
- >Her maternal rage can be felt wafting against the surroundings
- >“The Dog Father is coming back, tonight.â€
- >He took a long drag of his cigar before lowering his hat over his eyes
- >“And there ain't a damn thing you can do about it.â€
- >The Boss snapped his fingers
- >“Start 'er up, Nails.â€
- >The lanky one wrung his hands
- >“Hehe HAHA! You got it, boss! One ritual sacrifice of a child, coming RIGHT up!â€
- >The one known as Nails turned to face Twilight
- >“Give the Boss plenty of juice!! HHAHA~!â€
- >He leaps over to a large, clunky switch and pulls it down with a slam of metal on metal
- >There is an electric humming
- >Immediately the room is filled with light, and Twilight writhes in pain that you can only imagine
- >She was dying
- >And you could do nothing
- >She flops around like a fish out of water, and you can hear her helpless whimpering as she is tortured
- >Lights trace the mechanisms and lead to the elevated pad
- >“NO!!â€
- >Celestia stomps forward and throws a bolt of compressed heat from her horn towards the mechanism
- >The Boss, however;
- >He reaches his hand up over his head and clenches his fist
- >The bolt explodes into a shower of sparkles
- >Celestia reels and gasps, coming to the realization, finally, that she isn't just dealing with a simple gangster
- >The Boss took brief stock of his situation
- >In particular, he eyed you after looking to Luna and Celestia
- >You were a wild card he didn't like
- >“Sandyâ€
- >He called out
- >“Yeah, Bossâ€
- >“Go take care of that dragon, would'ja? And make sure Miss Rarity and the others get a good look.â€
- >“Yeah, boss.â€
- >He knuckles casually out of the room, vanishing into a dark corridor
- >You manage, finally, to get to your feet
- >You are wobbly, woozy
- >You've taken worse beatings, but they really must have just hit you with the best shot of your life
- >Celestia stamped a hoof to the ground
- >“Anonymous, go help the others.â€
- But--
- >You almost protest
- >She looks over her shoulder at you, flaring her wings aggressively
- >Those eyes
- >You've not seen those eyes since the last time you defied her
- >It filled you with a horrific terror that froze you in place, clenching your teeth
- >It was like you were staring into the depths of pandemonium
- >“Please.â€
- >She says
- >The way she says it, despite your knowing that she was so upset
- >It was laced with love and care
- >You were able to make yourself move
- >You shifted past them, giving Celestia and Luna an uneasy look
- >You didn't feel right abandoning them, or Twilight
- >But you had a job to do
- >You took off after Sandy
- >And the Boss made no effort to stop you
- >A moment later, the Boss shifts the cigar in his mouth
- >“Ya know you just killed em', right?â€
- >He asks
- >“We'll see...â€
- >Celestia says
- >Her and Luna spread out, looking down on their opponent, keeping their distance
- >The Boss doesn't even bother to track them
- >“Cruel as always. Your little puppet, there? He ain't got a chance in Tartarus. Did you see him? He could barely stand.â€
- >Celestia's horn began to glow
- >“He's not a puppet.â€
- >“...Not anymore.â€
- >The Boss chortles
- >Luna speaks up
- >“He'll surprise you. He has a knack for survival.â€
- >The Boss's jovial chuckle dies out
- >“You ain't kidding anyone, blueberry. You ain't helping him, this time.â€
- >The two Alicorns snarl
- >“It'll be really fun, watching Twilight's spirit break before she kicks the bucket. I hope you two are ready.â€
- >“This little dance?â€
- >“Thousands of years in the making.â€
- >As you pursue Sandy down the dark halls, the complex rocks on its foundations
- >You are nearly thrown off your feet as loud explosions ripple the atmosphere behind you
- >It feels like a deep beating in your chest
- >But you had your own part to play, and now it was time to get to it
- >You were rocked, toppling into the wall of the hallway
- >A stream of loose dust fell from the ceiling
- >You could feel the pressure waves of the battle waging behind you
- >You had no idea that the 'Boss' was a sorcerer
- >Much less able to actually stand up to someone like Celestia
- >AND Luna
- >You assume it'll be fast
- >Then again, The Boss was pretty confident through this whole thing
- >There's a second burst, and you fall to the floor
- >Celestia isn't doing your head any favors
- >The throbbing, pulsating pain
- >It's almost too much
- >You have no idea what's wrong with you
- >You let forth a scream of pain and grip your head, slamming a fist into the ground in front of you
- >Wait
- >WAIT
- >You've felt this before
- >You KNOW this
- >What a time to be raking your brain
- >What was it?
- >A memory is slowly dredged up from the empty void of your mind
- >A diagnosis, from your past life
- >A voice
- >“...Severe cerebral contusionâ€
- >You have no idea what that means, other than it hurts like hell
- >And it doesn't matter
- >Even with your head in such pain
- >Too many ponies are counting on you
- >Your entire life
- >They were trying to take it away
- >You weren't going to let that happen
- >You will die before it happens
- >You get to your feet
- >Moments later, you find yourself at a door
- >Wooden door, it won't offer resistance
- >You lean into it and kick it near the lock
- >It heaves
- >You kick once more
- >It falls off of its hinges and falls in a shower of splinters
- >You stomp through the portal, shifting your eyes right and then left
- >Cells
- >A number of them
- >And in each of them are your friends
- >You are so close to them, the feeling of emotion swells
- >But you have to keep it down
- >You have a job to do
- >“Anon...?â€
- >Flyttershy is the first to notice you
- >“Anon!â€
- >She repeats, and gets up on her hooves and moves to the iron bars
- >“Oh, my! Anon! We thought you were...â€
- >Rainbow Dash is next
- >She looks, by far, the most depressed
- >But when Fluttershy speaks, she looks up from her well of depression
- >“Anon...â€
- >Her beautiful rose colored eyes brighten the instant that she comprehends your presence
- >And she instantly takes off from the opposite end of the cage, flying in to the bars to try and reach her hooves through
- >“Anon! Anon!!â€
- >She calls, her voice full of desperation, tears soaking her eyes and running down her cheeks
- >There is yet another rocking of the structure on its foundations, and you wobble, helplessly
- Dash...
- >You allow a smile to come to your lips and move forward, slowly
- >You lift your arms
- >“...Anon!â€
- >She calls out
- >You misinterpret it as a cry of joy
- >It was actually a warning
- >Two large, burly arms clasp around you
- >You quickly find yourself lifted off of your feet
- >In the next room over, you hear Pinkie Pie and Rarity causing a racket
- >“Anon?! Did you guys say ANON?!â€
- >You kick your legs helplessly, unable to break this monstrous hold for the life of you
- >“...I had a feeling you would follow meâ€
- >Sandy's voice fills your ears
- Where's Spike?!
- >You roar, filled with an unbridled rage unlike any that you have ever felt before
- >“Spikey Wikey?! Where is he?â€
- >“Right here, Rarity!â€
- >The sound comes from behind you, and there is the sound of a shovel smacking against flesh
- >The grip on you is released
- >Sandy stumbles forward, holding the back of his head
- >Spike must have slipped away at some point during the chase
- >You turn to face Sandy, who was already recovering
- Spike, get them out of here.
- >“You got it!â€
- >He runs into the next room, no doubt to start with Rarity
- >Sandy moves to intercept him, but you grab him by a tuft of his shirt and yank him into a right cross
- >His head snaps around
- >“Anon! Be careful!â€
- >You hear Rainbow's voice
- >Dash has had to protect you so many times
- >But not this time
- >Sandy comes back with a straight shot to your stomach
- >One that bursts the wound that Zecora dressed wide open
- >Your eyes go wide as your blood stains not only his hand, but the walls
- >You make a pitiful sound, and then get punched again in the gut
- >And again
- >You release him
- >“Anon?! Anon! ANON!â€
- >Fluttershy and Rainbow struggle against the bars holding them back
- >You stumble into the wall, feeling like you had just been run over by a train
- >Your eyes were blood shot
- >You vomit
- >It spills all over your hands, and your hands become dressed in a familiar red tint
- >Sandy is not slow, and pins you against the wall with a hand as he lays into you with repeated hooks
- >His fists are like boulders
- >Your face goes numb
- >What do you look like?
- >It can't be good
- >You repeatedly get slammed
- >There goes a tooth
- >You feel the cartilage in your nose crack under the strain
- >Your brain hollers in pain
- >And you holler with it
- >They're all forced to listen to you suffer
- >But you don't beg for mercy
- >Because you are Anonymous
- >You thrust your left hand forward and grab the face of your attacker, driving your fingers into his face
- >You rake your nails across his eyes
- >Sandy screams, and stumbles back
- >You take the offense and kick him while he's down
- >Your head throbs
- >You kick him again
- >And again
- >Right in the ribs
- >You drive a foot into his face
- >There's a wet snap
- >You keep going
- >Just like that night in the bar
- >You kick, and kick
- >You can't stop yourself
- >“Anon?! Anon, are you o...â€
- >Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash gasp when they see you walking past their cells
- >You must look really bad
- >You hiss your breaths through the window in your mouth
- >So much blood
- >Too much blood
- >You keep both eyes open at this point, no use keeping your right eye closed
- >Vision is tinted red
- >The ponies speak, but their words go unheard
- >You move over to the shovel left by Spike
- >You grip it in your hands
- >“Anon... what are you...?â€
- >You hear Fluttershy
- >“No! Anon!â€
- >Dash gasps
- >Fluttershy screams
- >“No!â€
- >They don't want to see it
- >But you do
- >You move over to Sandy's mangled body and lift the spade over your head
- >“No, no! Anonymous! He's done!â€
- >Dash protests
- >“Please! Please, that's enough!â€
- >There is another sharp explosion, and the building shakes like a house of cards
- >You wobble, and lower the blade of the spade
- Okay
- >You drop the shovel
- Okay...
- >You repeat
- >You are fast coming to a realization
- >A horrible, terrible realization
- >It's at that point that Spike, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity cross over into the chamber you occupy
- >They gasp, looking to the fallen Sandy and then to you
- >The bulldog is still alive, he's still moving, still breathing
- >But with broken ribs, and cries of pain, he's no longer a threat
- >If your friends had not stopped you, though...
- >You move over to Dash's cell
- >She looks at you with confused, tear-filled eyes
- >You have fallen so far
- >Bounced back
- >Only to fall again
- Let's get you out of here.
- >They all manage weak smiles of relief
- >You hold your head in one hand as you move
- >You are followed by your friends
- >You move down the same corridor you came
- >Your other hand is armed with the shovel that you were intending to murder Sandy with
- >The other ponies are all slightly uneasy that you have it
- >You can't blame them
- >Dash, in particular, is right at your side
- >Loyal as always, you guess
- >You spill out into the room where the colossal skirmish of magic is taking place
- >Well, was
- >Luna was down and out
- >You looked with horror, as did the others
- >Celestia looked at the end of her rope, her wings still flared straight out
- >But the way she was breathing conveyed her desperation
- >And the Boss? Well
- >“What'sa matter? Several thousand years make ya that weak?â€
- >He snaps his fingers and creates a shower of sparks, illuminating his features tauntingly
- >Dash gasps
- >“P..princess!â€
- >She immediately darts off as fast as she can, intending to hoof the Boss in the back of the head
- >“No!â€
- >Celestia commands
- >But it was too late, the Boss snapped his fingers
- >Without even looking, a flash of light and an exulsion of barometric pressure grounded the blue Pegasus
- Dashie!
- >You call, and the other ponies immediately leap into action
- >But, just as easily, and to Celestia's horror, they are batted away
- >One by futile one
- >Succumbing to magical outbursts and lashings
- >And never once did the Boss take his eyes off of Celestia
- >“Well, your highnessâ€
- >He starts
- >“You've failedâ€
- >“Your sister failedâ€
- >“Your Elements of Harmony have failedâ€
- >He cracked a confident smile
- >“The Dog Father wants that I should keep you lot alive. You know, to welcome him on his return.â€
- >Nails was still operating the machinery, cackling away in his own little world
- >Did they just not notice you there?
- >Well, that was a mistake that they were going to regret
- >You make your way up to the control center
- >Celestia heaves heavy breaths, beating her hoof against the ground
- >“You see, Princess, when it all comes down to it... what power do you really have?â€
- >He taunts
- >During his monologue, you secure your footing and approach behind Nails
- >Hello, Nails. I'm Bayonets.
- >You pull him around at the shoulder and throw a right cross through his face, knocking him over the machinery
- >“Control of raising and lowering the sun? Yeah, a lot of help that did ya.â€
- >Celestia looks over the Boss, watching all of this
- >At first, she is confused
- >“Your only power is the Elements of Harmony, and those are worthless. So what now, Princess Celestia? Where's the mighty goddess from so many eons ago?!â€
- >“HUH?!â€
- >He clenches his teeth and leans in
- >But you approach the thick cables that run across the floor, connecting the diode that Twilight is hoked with to the massive pad awaiting the arrival of the Dog Father
- >Raise your shovel
- >Celestia chuckles
- >“I'm afraid you forgot one power of mine, Mister Boss.â€
- >The mobster puffs at his cigar, raising an eyebrow
- >“Anonymous.â€
- >The blade of your shovel comes down, and there's a shower of sparks that overtakes you
- >Energy runs wild, coursing over your flesh, escaping into the air in a torrential storm of atmospheric pressure
- >The Boss turns around, his mouth agape in horror as he sees this
- >“NO!!â€
- >He abandons his position and rushes over to you, preparing to cast a spell
- >However, Celestia braces herself on her four hooves, lines up a shot, and a horrific blast of light bowls him over into the corner
- >Not satisfied with your work, you raise the spade once more and swing it into the glass bulb containing Twilight Sparkle, your surrogate sister
- >She spills from it, tumbling to the ground
- >You drop your makeshift weapon and kneel, pinching the jumper cables off of her
- >In tears, you scoop her up in your arms and nuzzle her body close to yours
- I'm so sorry, Twilight. I'm so sorry...
- >She is long since passed out from the pain
- >You aren't even sure if she's alive
- >By now, the others have managed to get up
- >You failed to notice the machine going haywire, but they did
- >They did not understand technology to the level that was being employed, here
- >It's a little over your head
- >You stand, and you grab furiously as Twilight is lifted from your arms
- >You look with upset, tear filled eyes to Rarity, who's horn projected a magical aura that carried Twilight from you
- >“Alright, My Little Ponies, we need to leave. Now.â€
- >Celestia put her hoof down
- >“Yes, m'am!â€
- >Rarity was the first to file towards the exit, and then Spike, with a levitating, limp Twilight in tow
- >Fluttershy hesitated, looking to Celestia and then to you
- >“Um...â€
- >You stand your ground, staring at her
- >She was the first one who could understand you
- >You remember that first day, getting your first real interaction with intelligent ponies through her
- >And that night you spent the night at her house, so she would feel more comfortable during the storm
- >She lifts a hoof, uncomfortable with you not rushing out along side them
- >“Get going, little one.â€
- >Celestia commands
- >Fluttershy nods in obedience and takes off after one final glance at you
- >Pinkie Pie takes a hop in your direction
- >“Come on, silly-filly!â€
- I'm not silly.
- >She double took and cocked her head back
- >“Huh?â€
- And I'm still older than you.
- >“...Okay, Anon. I'll be planning a Pinkie Party afterward. You gonna be there?â€
- >You nod at her with a half smile
- >“YAY! See?! I told ya you'd love my parties!â€
- >She zips out with all due pinkie-speed
- >Rainbow swooshes over to you
- >“Come on, Anon!â€
- >Celestia remains silent, looking into your eyes as she has done before
- >There's a burst of energy from the machine, and a stray heavy cable nearly swats Rainbow out of the air
- >Quick maneuvering on her part saved her from it
- >“Anon... what are you waiting for?â€
- Go on, Dash. I'll be right behind you
- >Rainbow narrowed her eyes at you
- >“But...â€
- Dash
- >She pauses
- I... love you.
- >It's the hardest thing you've ever said
- >But it came out so easy
- >She was a horse
- >But if Spike and Rarity could make it work, why not you?
- >You wish you weren't so blind all this time
- >You were tired of being alone
- >She smiled, brightly
- >“Anonymous... I love you too! But we need to get out of here...â€
- I have some unfinished business
- >“But...â€
- I'll be right behind you
- >She is about to protest again, but another burst from the machine interrupts her
- >“Rainbow Dashâ€
- >Celestia finally speaks up
- >Scolded, Dash looks over her shoulder and then back to you
- >“...You'll never get rid of me, Anonâ€
- >“No matter what you doâ€
- >“I will alwaysâ€
- >“Alwaysâ€
- >“Have your back.â€
- >She extends her hoof to you
- >Instinctively, you show her a smile and raise your hand, bumping it
- >With that, she hesitantly zips out
- >Celestia waits for a moment
- >You hop down from the machinery and close the distance with her
- >Standing face to face with the one who brought you here
- >An enemy, at first
- >And then a friend
- >The 'cute' comment still gets to you, some times
- >“You don't need to do thisâ€
- >She advised
- Thank you, Princess Celestia
- >You catch her off guard
- >“Anonymous, what I've done...â€
- I've forgiven you for that.
- You have done more for me than I can possibly repay you for.
- >She remains quiet
- I was your experiment, Celestia.
- And I am proud of it.
- I have learned so much.
- But it's time to face the fact that this world isn't for me.
- Time to fix everything.
- >“Anonymous...â€
- >As if to remind you that time is short, there's yet another explosion in the machine; sending shrapnel all over
- Do me a favor?
- >She canted her head at you
- Tell them... tell them that I'll miss them.
- That they are the BEST thing to have ever happened in my life!
- >You can't hold back a choke
- >“I will.â€
- >You lunge forward and throw your arms around Celestia, something which again catches her by surprise
- >Her mane feels wonderful
- >Cool, relaxing, calm
- >Harmonic
- >Her wings close around you for a moment
- >She remains silent, lamenting her her actions that have lead up to this
- >You break the embrace and step back from her
- >You glare at one another
- >You were a mortal man
- >She was a goddess
- >But in that moment, you were more equal than you ever were before
- >“Fare well, Anonymous.â€
- Take care.
- >In a flash of light, Celestia vanishes, as does her sister
- >You have one thing left to do
- >The Boss groggily sits up, only to have the tuft of his collar gripped by you
- >With one arm, you lift him off of his feet and glare up at him with hate filled eyes
- >He holds on to your forearm and kicks his legs helplessly
- >“What... what are ya doin'? You retarded or somethin'?â€
- >He barks at you
- >He holds out a hand, summoning forth a fiery corona of infernal power which which to strike you down
- >You cut him off, rearing your right fist over your shoulder and driving a cross into his face
- >His spell instantly fizzles into nothing, his concentration shattered
- Shut up
- You tried to take away everything I had
- >You say
- >He cringes in a mixture of hate and pain
- I'm going to make sure that you can't do it to anyone else.
- >You give him another sock in the face
- >He yelps, helplessly
- >For all of his cool, calculating facade, you are finding that he is just a mutt like any other
- >“You... you goddamn idiot...â€
- >He hisses
- >“The machine is still powered. The bitch left a torrential tempest of arcane power.â€
- >“It'sâ€
- >“Stillâ€
- >“Running!!â€
- >He says in horror
- >You lift an eyebrow
- You better get praying, then.
- >“You cut the inbound coupling, ya moron. But not the outbound!â€
- >“What, you think you're going up in a blaze of glory or something?!â€
- >“You fuckin' IDIOT!â€
- >“WE'RE GOING BACK TO TARTARUS!â€
- >You glare at the petrified mobster as he glares right back at you
- >You consider everything that you have lived through up until this point
- >Lyra, BonBon, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle
- >...Rainbow Dash
- >More friends than you have ever had before
- >But you also think of all the fighting
- >All the bloodshed
- >All the violence
- >Maybe Tartarus is just the place for you
- >You smile
- >His eyes go bloodshot
- >“WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SMILING!!?â€
- >There is a sudden beam of light that lances up from under you
- >It expands, and encompasses your whole world
- >Of all the lessons you have learned, one comes to the forefront of your mind
- Because Friendship is magic.
- >And then
- >Everything goes black
- END
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