- > Your thoughts are interrupted as you hear something upstairs
 - > A faint, slow rhythmic thumping
 - > It sounds familiar, but you can’t quite place it…
 - > Music, there was music upstairs
 - > Why were they playing music?
 - > You strain your ears, focusing on the faint noise
 - > Yup, definitely music
 - > The music goes on for a couple hours, changing songs every couple of minutes
 - > Occasionally you make out the sounds of laughter
 - > So there was a party upstairs?
 - > A party for what?
 - > Were they celebrating your imminent demise?
 - > No, that’s not right. You recognize the melody of this next song
 - > It was “Happy Birthday”
 - > So it was a birthday party upstairs
 - > You find it a bit ironic, celebrating birth on the eve of your execution
 - > You lean back against the wall, listening to the faint melodies come and go
 - > You’re interrupted as the lights flash on, stinging your pupils
 - > The music is loud and clear for a moment, before the closing basement door cuts it off again
 - > Great, Twilight’s back. What could she possibly want?
 - > You’re surprised to see it’s not Twilight descending the stairs
 - > It’s that cyan pegasus with the rainbow mane from a few days ago
 - > she keeps glancing behind her as she quietly works her way down, as if worried someone is following her
 - > reaching the bottom, she turns to look at you, her eyes filled with the same grief as before
 - > “Hey.” she says, taking a few tentative steps toward you
 - > “You can understand me, right? You can speak? My name is Rainbow Dash”
 - > Of course, the pink pony is named ‘Pinkie’, and the one with the rainbow mane is named ‘Rainbow’.
 - > The names here are terrible
 - > That white unicorn was probably named ‘Ivory’ or ‘Milk’
 - > “Look,” she continues, “I know you probably don’t trust me, but believe me when I say I want to help you.”
 - > She takes a few steps forward, now within the radius of your chain
 - > “Do you trust me?” she asks, her eyes pleading
 - > You grunt and nod in affirmation
 - > “Okay,” she says, sounding relieved “Can I remove your gag?”
 - > You nod and turn around, allowing her to reach the back of your head
 - > You feel her grab it in her teeth, and shortly after the cloth is pulled away
 - > You turn back to her, only a few feet away
 - > It’s been so long since you spoke, the movements feel strange and foreign in your mouth
 - “Why?”
 - > “Because I don’t just know what you are, I also understand what you are” She explains
 - > “I know the difference between a carnivore and a monster. An… old friend taught me the difference a long time ago.”
 - > She becomes solemn and distant, lost in her own thoughts
 - > Another burst of laughter from upstairs snaps her back to attention
 - > “Listen, I can’t stay here long, I have to get back to the party before I’m missed. But I can get you out of here.”
 - “What? How?”
 - > “I spiked the punch bowl upstairs. Twilight’s a real lightweight, so she’ll be out like a candle all night”
 - > “Also,” she continues, reaching behind her into the fold of her wing, “I was able to swipe this while everyp0ny was distracted”
 - > She produces a small iron key, placing it on the floor between you
 - > Your eyes go wide at the sight of it. That was the key to your freedom!
 - “What are you waiting for then? Get these things of me!”
 - > “Not yet” she says, her expression growing serious, “I need you to do something for me first”
 - > What? What could she want from you while you’re imprisoned like this?
 - > “I need you to promise you won’t come after any of my friends. Twilight included.”
 - > “I let you go and you leave. You don’t seek revenge, you don’t ever come back. You just leave and go live your life”
 - > You can’t help but feel outraged at her demand. Did she have any idea what you’ve been through down here?
 - > You’ve been humiliated, violated, and starved. And now she’s asking you to just move on?
 - > Reluctantly, you realize you have no choice but to agree
 - “Alright, fine. I promise”
 - > She narrows her eyes, searching your expression for any signs of deceit
 - > “Alright then.” she says, apparently satisfied
 - > She grabs the key in her mouth and moves behind you
 - > You sigh in relief as the manacles drop away from your ankles and wrists
 - > You painfully and slowly rise to your feet, working through days of constant cramps and discomfort
 - “Thank you. What do we do now?”
 - >”Now, I have to get back to the party, I’ve been down here far too long already.”
 - > “You stay down here for now, wait for an hour or two after the music stops to make sure no p0ny is still around, then you’re free to go”
 - “Alright, got it” you affirm as Rainbow moves to the stairs
 - > She stops on the first step, looking back at you
 - > “You know, I never did learn your name”
 - “Anon”
 - > “Well then, goodbye Anon, and good luck.”
 - > The party continues upstairs for about another hour
 - > you pass the time stretching, reveling in the ability to move your limbs freely again
 - > Eventually the music upstairs ends.
 - > It won’t be long now, you’ll finally get out of here
 - > The next hour is the longest of your life as you wait until the coast is clear
 - > When you think enough time has passed, you creep your way up the stairs
 - > You wince as a few of the steps creak under your weight, but you seem to be undetected
 - > At the top of the stairs, your press your ear against the door, listening for the slightest noise
 - > Hearing nothing, you push open the door and step outside
 - > You find yourself in a small, deserted library, the walls lined with bookshelves filled to the brim
 - > In the center is a large circular table with a wooden equine statue in the middle
 - > This room was definitely the site of a party, confetti covers the floor and several punch glasses rest on the table
 - > A long banner hangs on the wall, with ‘Happy Birthday Twilight’ written in large bold letters
 - > And on the floor lies the purple unicorn herself
 - > She’s sprawled on her back, mouth hanging open and snoring slightly
 - > First things first though, you want your bow back
 - > Remember the instructions Twilight gave the guard on the day you arrived, you make your way over to the nearby closet
 - > You open the doors and begin rummaging through multiple sets of dresses, saddles, and boots
 - > Finally you find your bow, arrows, and knife tucked in the back
 - > You give your belongings q quick glance over, checking for damage
 - > Satisfied with their condition, you sling your bow and quiver over your shoulder and attach the knife sheath to your belt
 - > With your weapons back in your possession, you turn your attention back to the sleeping Twilight
 - > You hate her
 - > You hate her and Celestia so much
 - > They tried to take your life from you
 - > They tried to take your future from you
 - > And they didn’t even care
 - > Look at her! She partied on the eve of your death!
 - > Your rage builds as you watch her sleep
 - > You meant nothing to her
 - > You were just an ‘It’ to her
 - > She felt no remorse
 - > Why should you?
 - > Your hand falls to your knife, sliding the blade from its sheath
 - > You wanted to hurt them both, you wanted them to SUFFER for what they did to you
 - > For what they were going to do to you
 - > For what they tried to take from you
 - > You remember when Celestia introduced Twilight to you
 - > You saw the way she looked at her, loving, motherly
 - > You knew Celestia loved Twilight dearly
 - > Hurting Twilight would hurt her too
 - > It would be easy
 - > Oh, it would be so easy
 - > You crouch down next to her sleeping form, raising the knife high in your hand
 - >She deserved it
 - >You know she deserved it
 - >You could do it, it would be so easy!
 - > You hold the knife over her chest, hand shaking with anger
 - > come on, come on, DO IT
 - > You try to bring it down, you try with all your might the plunge the blade into her
 - > But you can’t. As much as you want to, as much as she deserved it, you couldn’t bring yourself to do it
 - > You won’t betray Rainbow
 - > You won’t become the monster they think you are
 - > You’re better than this, you’re better than them
 - > With a heavy sigh, you lower the knife, rising to your feet
 - > You walk to the center of the room and stand over the wood table
 - > With the knife, you strike the wooden surface over and over
 - > You want them to know, you want them to know you had the chance and didn’t take it
 - > You want them to know they were wrong
 - > Satisfied with your work, you sheath the blade back to your belt
 - > You open the front door and enter the cool night, leaving a message etched into the table
 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TWILIGHT
 - -ANON
 

