Book 1: Chapter Six - Desperate Times

>About a half an hour passes by of you just sitting there stroking her mane as she sobs.

>You know you don't have much time to work with if you want to get the fuck out of here.

>”Twilight, we need to move now, okay?”

>You try to move, but she's clinging to you very tightly.

>You manage to get up on your knees.

>”Twilight, I know everything is out of sorts right now, but we need to get out of here. We need to move.”

>She just grabs onto your tighter.

><”Maybe you can carry her? Like, on your back?”

>>”For how long? We're not exactly in a good place right now. We need to move.”

>You place your hands on her forelegs, which are still wrapped around your shoulders.

”Twilight, I'm sorry, but I need to move now.”

>Twilight brings her head down from your shoulders and looks up at you.

>”I...I don't think I c-can get out of th-this c-age b-b-by my-s-self.”

>Her eyes are huge and watery.

>She looks like a wounded puppy.

>Quite possibly one of the saddest faces you've ever seen.

>Considering what's been happening, you can understand.

>You sigh as you wrap your left arm around Twilight.

“Alright.  Let's get you out of this cage.”

>Twilight wraps her hind legs around your waist as you stand, hunching over.

>The six smaller ponies only stand at about two thirds your height.

>Looking at them outside of the cages was deceptive about their actual size, however.

>And their actual weight...

>You start slowly shuffling backwards toward the door, Twilight still holding onto you.

>Getting out of the cage with Twilight hanging off your chest is no small feat.

>Eventually, you wriggle out.

>And promptly drop three feet to the floor as you stumble to get your footing.

>You forgot about the hulking body that you left there as well.

>With a horse being grabbing onto you for dear life, you stumble onto and over the body.

>You sort of land on a foot, but end of dropping hard on one knee.

>The extra weight did not make that fall feel good.

“Okay, we're on the ground. Could I please set you down so I can help the others?”

>Slowly, Twilight loosens her grip on you as you let her down as gently as possible.

>Her eyes are fixed on the corpse of her tormenter.

>Hatred and fear and sadness are in those purple eyes.

>You look at the corpse and contemplate moving it.

>No time.

>You need to get the others out.

>When you unbolt “Rainbow's” cage, she immediately scrambles out.

>She stands on her hind legs and stretches.

>”Man it feels good to be out of that box. Hey, can you bust my wings outta these binds?”

>Her voice seems completely different from what it was inside the box.

><”Quick turnaround.”

>>”Yeah.”

“Uh, sure.”

>You pull out another knife from your apron and make quick work of the wraps.

>This apron is kinda handy.

>She breathes a sigh of relief as she spreads her wings to their full length.

>”That feels SO good.”

>She hovers up to eye level with you, then looks you up and down.

>”So, you say you're here to help us, Mr. Fake-Anonymous?”

“I'd like to think of myself as the real Anonymous taking over for the fake, Ms. Rainbow.”

>”And how can we be sure that you aren't him?!”

>She moves an inch away from your face, fore-hooves ready to fight.

“Uh... I let you and your friend out of your cages and killed three guards? I'd like to think that maybe that's a step in the “I'm here to help” department.”

>You move back a step as she lowers herself to the ground.

>”I suppose that's good enough... for now!  I've got my eyes on you!”

>She makes a motion with here hoof and her eyes that would work much better with fingers.

>You slowly nod your head and work on opening the... pink... one's... cage.

>She's gone.

><”Anon?”

>The chains are completely empty, slumped around the cage.  

>The door is slightly ajar as well.

>All of the bolts are unbolted.

>>”How did  she get out?  And why didn't she do this earlier?”

><”Uh, Anon, you might wanna-?

“Did anyone here see what happened to the pink one?”

>You look around at the others, who are staring above you.

>You look up just in time to see a pink thing drop on your face.

><”Tried to warn you, bro.”

>>”Fuck you, construct.”

>The unexpected weight, combined with your recently twisted ankle, cause you to collapse.

>Upon falling, you something dull and painful collides with your cranium.

>The last thing you see before passing out are surprised blue eyes.

 

…

 

>”You're sure we can trust him?”

>Your head feels like a ton of bricks just landed on it.

>Status Check: Initiated.

>”Absolutely! He doesn't have any marks where I branded him last time!”

>That was the pink one's voice.

>It sounds... happy?

>Status: Hanging by your legs, upside-down.

>”Darling, that only tells us that he's a different Anonymous.  What if he is still the same? What if he's >still a monster.”

>Status: Can't get more information until you open your eyes.

>But it hurts...

>”Rarity's right. He might have cut me loose, but it could be a trick to...to...”

>Why would he go to tha trouble of lettin' us out just to lure us outta his work room? That doesn't make sense!”

>Status: Apparently you're being talked about.  

>Thanks, I didn't catch that bit.

>”He saved me from... from... I think we should trust him.

>”I don't know, Twilight, what if he just has something worse in store...”

>”We see a different being before us. He acts different. We... trust this new one.”

>”I won't trust him, Luna, but he's the only chance we've got. I say let him go.”

><”Open your damn eyes, puss ass.”

>>”Fine.”

>You open your eyes to see six of the small horse beings and the two big ones surrounding you.

>The pink one is bouncing, Twilight is defending you, and Rainbow is glaring at you, still eye level.

>The two big ones are still in chains in the center of the room.

>That puts you between the door and them.

>You're hanging upside-down by ropes attached to a hook.

>And it appears that your fate is being discussed.

“Don't I get a say in this discussion?”

>The eight look up at you.

>The big white one speaks up.

>”We've already decided to work with you, Mister Mitchell.”

>Right.

>That name.

“You... believe my story?”

>”For now, we will put faith in your story and you.  For what choice do we really have?”

>Icy dagger pierce your soul as she says that last bit.

“I... I understand that you all have every reason to hate the name and face of Anonymous. And I understand your skepticism. If we had more time, I would try to redeem my namesake, but right now we need to all get out of here.”

>You wriggle a little bit.

“Could I get cut loose, please?”

>Rainbow obliges, cutting the ropes, which cause you to fall flat on your face on the ground.

“Thanks...”

>You stand up and glance at the clock.

>You've got a half an hour before the alarms get reactivated.

>Well, according to Rapey McHorse Rapist, anyway.

“Alright, we don't have much time.  We need to get the big horses out of these chains and-

>The small white pony gasps in horror at the word horse.

“Is there a problem with the word horse here?”

>”It is completely uncouth to address anyone as a horse, let alone the ruler of Equestria. We are Ponies, Mr. Mitchell, not... horses.”

>She shudders at tat last word, as all of the other “ponies” stare at you.

>You can't help but grin at the name “Equestria.”

“...Right.  Ponies.  And this world is called Equestria. That's... that's perfect.  Alright, so we need to get these larger Ponies out-

>”We are not large! We are normal sized for-”

“Alright!  Ponies! Chains! Bad! Free the ponies in chains!”

>We have names, you know!”

>That's when you notice the pink one, bouncing up and down.

><”Another fast recovery.  These ponies are tough or completely mental.”

>”I'm Pinkie Pie! And these ponies are Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy >Princess Celestia and Princess Luna! Pleased to meet you, not-Anonymous Anonymous!”

“Uh... didn't you just knock me out a second ago?”

>”Of course, silly-filly! I had to make sure you weren't the other you!”

>She looks less terrifying and more bubbly.

>If this were any other time, you'd be bouncing around with her.

>Right now, you need to focus.

“Good idea, but I'm... me. Last time I checked, anyway. Very pleased to meet you all – I wish it were in better circumstances – Ponies in chains.”

>You motion to Celestia and Luna, who are still bound.

>Twilight: ”We don't have the keys to unlock them, and the chains are binding their magic. I can't cast anything either.”

“Magic is a thing here.  Right.  I overheard the guards say something about poison Joke being fed to the unicorns. That's apparently stopping your magic as well.

>Twilight: “No magic? How do you do research?

>Rarity: “That would explain your atrocious attire.”

>Applejack: “Some people get bah just fine without it.”

“I would love to expound upon the virtues and possibilities of a non-magical life, but we have a very short time to to a lot of things. I'll bet that the key to these chains in his room, but I have no idea how to get around the castle, and I have no clue where that room I woke up in is.

><”I have a plan.”

>>”I knew you were being unusually quiet.”

><”You want to hear it or not?”

>>”I'm all ears”

“Alright, friends, I have a plan.”