Last Stand Canterlot

> You were working one day in the slaughterhouse, butchering some cows, when a bright and shining light overcame you

> Open your eyes and you're in a library

> Is this...

> ...oh shit, there's Twilight Sparkle, her jaw dropped so far it's almost at the floor

> Spike has screamed and run away

> You can't believe this is real, that your prayers have finally been answered

> Twilight looks terrified

> "Hi!" You put on a brave face, waving with your right hand.

> It's still gripping your cleaver, dripping in fresh blood

> The wave sends blood splashing across the library and Twilight's face

> Slaughterhouse work is hard and messy, and you realise you're standing there covered in blood, guts and smelling of death

> Twilight's horn glows and you find yourself stunned, unable to move but fully conscious

> Celestia and Luna arrive soon, a contingent of Royal Guards in tow

> You're transported to the Royal Dungeons and interrogated

> They find out that their existence is portrayed as a children's show on Earth, which makes them muse about multiversal theory

> but what really disturbs them is when you tell them your profession

> You try explaining that animals aren't sentient on Earth but they don't believe you

> As far as all of Equestria is concerned, you're the most horrific murderer and disgusting creature to ever live

> Your trial and sentencing takes place in secret, but word of your existence gets out

> You once dreamt of escaping your dull, painful existence and coming to Equestria

> but you were locked in a dungeon, deprived of all contact save the guard who would push food through the opening in your cell door

> You never got to meet the Elements of Harmony

> You never got to roam the Everfree forest

> You were never given magical wings and allowed to soar

> You never attended the Grand Galloping Gala

> You were kept in chains and became a terrible legend known only as the Butcher

> Years pass

> The guards come and go

> You lose count of the days

> You once tried to keep track, as you could see the sun rise and fall from your barred window, but you gave up

> You kept up the exercise, as you had nothing else to do, and the prison fare was at least filling

> But sometimes there are whole days when you just break down and cry

> To be so close and so far is torture

> There are other days when you're filled with longing for Earth

> Sure, you were poor and lonely, but at least back there you might have had the chance to change that

> There are also days when you feel nothing but rage

> Pure, uncontainable rage that makes you throw your chains around the cell and curse the heavens

> You feel your sanity slipping, but you think it'll be better once it goes anyway

> Then one day something different happens

> The sky turns red

> That shouldn't happen

> The castle erupts into noise

> You see pegasi flying around, streaming towards the castle

> There's a knock at the door

> "May I come in?"

> The first words anyone has spoken to you in years, and they're a polite request from Luna

> You break down in tears from gratitude and laughter

> She enters and explains the situation

> Something Bad has happened

> The Princesses no longer have their powers

> The Mane 6 are busy looking for the Elements of Harmony

> Refugees are piling into the castle

> And there's a huge army of monsters coming

> Turns out the Royal Guard suck at fighting, and they got quickly overrun

> The Princesses will regain their protection magic in just over an hour, but until then the castle must be protected

> "Why are you telling me this?" You ask.

> "You might be a monster most foul, but you claim to hold love for us in your hearts. If you do not help us then we are destroyed."

> How the hell are you supposed to hold off a horde of monsters? You are about to refuse, but you see a stream of ponies gallop past the doorway that Luna left open.

> One of them is your waifu

> For just a moment, your eyes meet

> Her eyes are full of fear, and feels start coming back.

> When you first saw her in the show

> You liked her design and thought she was cute

> Then you started having idle daydreams about meeting her and spending time with her

> Perhaps even falling in love? No, maybe that was too far...or was it?

> But no longer is she just a well-rendered piece of animation, she's a living being in danger.

> "I'll do it," you decide and Luna clumsily hands you the keys, unused to handling things without magic.

> You unlock yourself and tell Luna you'll need a weapon

> Both of you run through the corridors of the castle, pushing ponies out of the way when they won't move of their own accord.

> You arrive at the armoury and see racks of swords and spears

> But your eye is drawn to something else, something larger

>It's your old cleaver

> With a small nostalgic smile, you pick it up and feel its familiar weight

> It's been kept in good shape and sharpened, apparently someone thought it would come in useful

> Luna has paled slightly at seeing you holding the cleaver, but nods and leads you away

> You would've liked some armour, but everything was too small anyway

> You come out into the courtyard, where at first your appearance goes unnoticed

> But then Luna cries for everypony to make room, and they fall silent and stare

> You look at them and want to say something, but you have no words

> You follow Luna towards the main gate and the bridge, moving through the now-parted crowd

> You try and keep your eyes forward, but a small filly catches your attention

> She darts forward, and her mother gasps and tries to pull her back but to no avail, she's too quick

> "If you're gonna hurt somepony, then please just hurt me and leave everypony alone," the little filly stomps with equal parts defiance and fear as she stands in front of you.

> You stop and crouch down, and there are screams throughout the crowd as you transfer your cleaver to your left hand

> The filly winces, only to open her eyes with your hand cupping her chin

> “I could never hurt you,” you promise, your voice filling with sincerity and grief that the ponies would ever think you would do them harm.

> She nods and you stand back up, putting the cleaver back into your preferred hand.

> Your rags won't give much protection against whatever comes your way

> Not that you're likely to stand much chance against an evil horde for a whole hour by yourself, but oh well.

> As you near the gate, several craftsponies step forward, a door on their backs

> They've ripped the door off a caravan, attached some crude straps to one side, and have made you a Roman-esque shield

> Oh goddamnit

> The tears are getting harder to hold back now, so you just nod your thanks and accept the gift.

> The straps are a little loose, but it's a damn sight better than no shield

> “Fare thee well, Butcher,” Luna says as you step past the gate and onto the bridge

> The portcullis slams behind you and for the first time you take a really good look at the Horde

> How the heck are you supposed to stop that?

> But you take a good look at your surroundings

> You're in the middle of  a relatively narrow bridge, small enough that you can effectively block anyone getting across

> The gate and portcullis look strong enough to hold the enemy for a few minutes

> You swing the cleaver a few times, reacquainting yourself with your old friend. It's a heavy tool, meaning you won't be able to attack with it quickly, but every hit should break bone.

> They're getting closer now, and their roars of fury are enough to start to drown out the cries of terror of the ponies

> How did it come to this?

> All you wanted was to love them

> But they feared you, hated you and imprisoned you

> Was that fair?

> Was it fair that the one time they showed you any affection and kindness was when they needed you!

> No! Damnit, no!

> You contemplate throwing your weapon and shield aside and running, but then you remember

> You remember your waifu, those eyes of terror

> You remember that little filly, defiant in the face of her possible annihilation

> You won't do it for your jailers or the masses who shunned you

> But you'll do it for them

> You let your rage at the injustice of all of this build to a crescendo of fury

> You wait for the first member of the Horde to step onto the bridge

> And you charge

> Wordless screams erupt from your mouth as you bring your cleaver down into a beast's skull, splitting it in two

> You roar with triumph as it falls, and smash the next one with your shield, knocking it off balance and letting you sever its leg as it lies winded on the floor

> Turns out being a butcher has given you a pretty good knowledge of where to do damage on an animal, and you're using that as effectively as you can

> You have one thought through all of this

> It isn't fair

> It isn't fair

> It isn't fair

> This thought carries your sanity far beyond your reach, but it's replaced by a savagery previously unknown to you.

> All of your anger, all of your frustration, all of your hurt is ploughed into your actions.

> You become a whirlwind of chops, bashes and kicks

> “IT ISN'T FAIR!” You scream eventually, decapitating a monster

> But you begin to tire

> Even the fires of rage must die down one day

> Your wooden shield cracks and splinters

> Your blade dulls, and eventually gets stuck in a torso

> They surge forward with their claws, picking and hacking at you

> You feel talons rake your face and dig into your chest, but they push past you and hurry to the gate and begin pounding on it

> It isn't fair, you think, as you are trampled beneath the Horde, to come so far and fail

> You cough blood and crane your neck, and you can see that the gate has shattered and the portcullis is beginning to crack

> You try and push yourself up, but you're buried beneath a pile of bodies and you're pretty sure you're dying

> The portcullis cracks

> The ponies scream

> The Horde surges forward

> And disappears in a sparkle of magic

> You've done it

> You see them celebrating

> But none of them come to help you

> They think you're dead

> It isn't fair

> Years later, the legend of the Butcher will be told.

> He was a foul creature, who delighted in evil and murder, but after spending many years learning from Priness Celestia he became good.

> Then one day, when all of Equestria was in great peril, he stepped forward and laid down his life to save everypony, dying in the process.

> His last words were “IT ISN'T FAIR!” as he raged that he could not do more to protect the ones he loved.

> He loved them with all that he was.