"Abnormal Norman 50: No More"
By lyingcake852 (https://pastebin.com/u/lyingcake852)

URL: https://pastebin.com/XgJLCzQX
Created on: Saturday 19th of April 2014 07:11:32 PM CDT
Retrieved on: Sunday 25 of October 2020 01:14:23 PM UTC


Abnormal Norman 50: No More
_________________

>The sound of a gunshot made you flinch.
>An unknown force pushes you from the back.
>Brad gets the opportunity to suckerpunch you in the face.
>It was painful, but something was wrong.
>A short cry was heard before the sound of a sniper rifle's fire.
>You looked behind and saw a body tripping over the ledge of the building.
>Blood all over her forehead.
>The lifeless eyes that looked at you and Brad before going over the ledge.
>It was Lyra.

"LYRA!?"
>Brad throws in another punch, hitting you in the jaw.
>Despite the broken leg, he continues to fight, albeit crying silently behind his mask.
>As he continues to throw more punches, you see a man with a rifle from the other side of the street.
>You then grabbed Brad's wrist and threw him to a wall.
"AAAAAAAAARGH!"
*BOMF*
>Brad is pinned. His suit's systems are malfunctioning.
>You looked to the ledge to where Lyra fell over.
>Blood smeared across the rooftop floor.
>You went to that very ledge and saw Lyra's body on the streets of the wreckage of the city.
"LYRAAA!"
>You went down by sliding down the wall, careful not to cause a falling shockwave.
"AH!"
>Arriving at the ground level, it took you ten seconds to realize what just happened.
"No....Lyra..."
>Lyra was shot by a sniper.
>She knew. It was the vision she told you about days ago.
>She sacrificed her life to save you.
>You kneeled down in fear and in remorse.
>Cradling her in your arms, her broken body felt like a sack of potatoes.
>Her head has a clean bullet hole on it. Her eyes resembled that of a blind person's.
>Her locket is nowhere to be seen.
>Looking behind, you see Rainbow, Ponka, Derpy and Gilda rushing towards you.
>Derpy's already changed back to her human form. Gilda gave her coat for some decency.
>"OH MY GOD. LYRA!" Rainbow Dash says.
>Pinkie covers her eyes in horror.
>Derpy rushes towards her body and shares a moment.
>>"N-NO. LYRA. Please....No...Not like this..."
>Derpy embraces Lyra. She couldn't believe it.
>>"LYRA...OH GOD...NO... P-PLEASE..."
>Gilda holds her back. She cries in her arms. 
>You clench your fist as you stood up.
>From the rooftop, Brad drops seven levels down.
>His left knee's dangling from his thigh.
>>>"AAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIE!" Pinkie yells, horrified to see so much blood and torn limbs in a day.
>Brad limps closer and closer.
>"Holy crap. Is that Brad!?"
>The reason you still can't defeat him is because you don't know what's going on with him.
>Whether or not pulling the helmet he's wearing would change him back.
>No sign of any Viri Scientia grunts anywhere, so changing him into something else is out of the checklist.
>As he limps towards you, you close your eyes and tried to listen for anything.
>The sniper, voice commands, etc.
>>"N-Norman?"
"..."
>In the distance, a lone sniper is moving out to change positions.
>He reports something to his superior. Something about taking out a civilian.
>It's him.

>You open your eyes and Brad's already close enough to give another punch.
>You then delivered a punch straight to his stomach.
*POW!*
>He stumbles and falls to the ground.
>You can hear him crying in the inside.
>But he can't speak. Not at all.
"You four. Carry her out of here, and make sure you're far away from him."
>"Y-Yeah!"
>>>"W-What's wrong with B-Brad?" Ponka asks, recognizing the face behind the glass helmet.
"He's been brainwashed."
>They carry Lyra's body away from the scene.
>The sniper arrives at a nearby rooftop.
>Reassembling his rifle, he then aims at where you stand.
>Only, you're missing.
>>>"W-What the?"
>In a flash, you jumped up in the air and lunged towards the man who killed your friend.
>>>"OH GOD, AAAAAAAAHHH!"
>You grabbed his arm and crushed it.
>You then delivered a jab at his leg to assert your dominance.
"HAARGH!"
>He tries to fire with his pistol but you crush it with your hand.
>>>"AAHHH! SHIT!"
"YOU."
>You take off your mask and looked him straight in the eye.
"PIECE OF SHIT!"
>You punched him again and again
"YOU. GODDAMN. SUNOVA..."
>You break his nose, his jaw and his spirit.
>Finally, after a minute of beating you hold him up by the wall and held your fist up.
"Who are you?" you say in a menacing tone.
>The man's mouth twitches as he tries to say a word.
>You beat him up too much to the point where he looks mugged by a street gang.
"WHO ARE YOU?"
>Gilda then arrives at the rooftop via elevator inside the apartment.
>"NORMAN! STOP!"
"I ALREADY DID! THIS PIECE OF CRAP KILLED HER."
>The man utters a single word to you.
>>>"R-R-...oOo...ck.."
"WHAT?"
>The man passes out within moments.
>Your rage nearly robbed you of finding out who the sniper was.
>Nearly.
>You check his body for some identification.
"..."
>The man's from the army.
>Reflecting from the ID's plastic you hold in your hand is an airship hidden above the sky.
>It slowly lands at the distance.
>Amaranthine flies to  your location.
>>>"Norman! Where's...Where's Brad? Where's my future husband?"
"He's being brainwashed."
>>>"Oh god. It must be the army!"
>You show her the ID of the man you nearly beat to death.
"Yeah. Them."
>Brad then appears on the ledge of the roof, climbing up in vain.
>His leg's already leaking blood.
>>>"AAAAAAAIIIE! MY BRAD!"
"AMA, DON'T GET CLOSE!"
>>>"But he's..."
"Gilda! Find some chains and chain him up!"
>"R-right!"
"Amaranthine. Fly me towards their airship. It just landed over there."
>"I SWEAR I WILL KILL THEM FOR-"
"AMARANTHINE."
>You yell at her for spouting violent words.
>After all, you have already seen too much for a day.
>You don't think you can take much more.
"Look. Just fly me over there and I'll deal with the rest."
>Amaranthine quietly nods, disappointed.
>You then look at Gilda, who's come back with some tough chains and a padlock.
"Chain his broken leg and body to the wall."
>Gilda trips the already weakened Brad up and locks the chain at a wall.
>Derpy helps with it.
>Brad's clawing at the ground like some zombie.
>You get up on Amaranthine's back and rode to the base.

Be Rainbow Dash
Carrying Lyra's corpse to the hospital

>You arrive at the hospital along with the other survivors of this one-day winter war.
>Pinkie helps with the body. Derpy voted to stay and help Gilda.
>Entering the building, the civilians stop to look at who just died.
>Your classmates are shocked to find Lyra dead. More so when they realize that she was Chronos herself.
>>"Oh my gosh. LYRA!" Octavia said, breaking down into tears.
>She runs to you, pushing everyone in her way.
>The sad look of desperation as she rushes to you as you search for a bed.
>You laid her on the operating table since it was the nearest table in the area.
>The other doctors are busy with the other patients.
>>"NO. NO. NO. OH GOD, LYRA. WHY? WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY..."
>Octavia holds her body as she cries on her chest.
>>"LYRA....NO...OH GOD..."
>Pinkie holds her back from mangling her body.
>>"NO. NO. PLEASE. NO!"
>You took a large blanket and wrapped it on her body.
>Your classmates came and mourned for her.
>Some were surprised by the revelation.
>Your classmates mourned for her. The adults who never knew her mourned for a girl who tried her best to save people.
>Teacher Cherilee couldn't bear to look. Lyra's mother was nowhere to be found.
"Where's her...mother?"
>"She's in an operation. She's in critical condition." Cherilee says.
>Pinkie sits down and frowns, holding her pet alligator.
>You sit with her as your three friends join in.
>>>"Rainbow Dash, what's all the commotion?" Rarity asks.
"Lyra's dead."
>>>"Oh my..."
>Rarity backs away in shock. 
>>>>"Lyra..." Fluttershy says as she wipes a tear.
>Twilight comes in and asks how she died.
>>>>>"Lyra....no....How did she...die?"
"She died...she died saving Norman."
>>>"Norman! Where is he?"
"I don't know. He just told us to bring her here, and to stay away from Brad."
>>>"BRAD?" Rarity asked, remembering that he was 'missing'.
"Guess there's no point in hiding it. Brad's Commander Underwear."
>Your friends gasp, besides Twilight, who already knew.
"He's been...I don't know, mind-controlled. He's been fighting Norman."
>>>"I thought Norman was fighting that dreadful mutant queen?"
"Queen's missing. Brad's...well..."
>You continued to inform your friends about everything.
>As Norman once said, there's no point in hiding it, now that his identity's been made public by Celestia.
>Pinkie looks outside with a frown.
>Outside, so much death and violence.
>There are civilian troops fighting the remaining Viri Scientia hybrids, as well as the violent parts of Saints Bro.
>The other Saints Bro members are busy doing nonviolent deeds of helping out.
>Pinkie then looks outside another window to see that an airship has landed near the bay, not far from the hospital.
>She then remembers that the little girl who has a crush on Brad told you and Pinkie about the army.
>And then she mentioned her dad.

>"RAINBOW."

"Huh?"
>She grabs your hand whispers.
>"Come on. We have one more thing to do."
"What?"
>She pulls you away from the group silently as she walks outside the door.
"Pinkie, what's your problem?"
>"Look, the little girl from before said that the army may or may not have Brad under their control. Literally or not, if Brad really is being brainwashed in his suit, then that means the only way to break him out of control is through the army!"
"And...?"
>"My dad's in the army."
"Oh god, I remember!"
>"That's why I need you to come with me to the base they just set up nearby. It's dangerous to go alone."
"Alright."
>You and Pinkie rush to the base in an attempt to coax her father to release Brad from his apparent brainwashing.

Be Norman
Rooftops, observing the airship

>The airship had just landed and is beginning to prepare a base.
>Hundreds of civilians surround the outside, curious at what they'll do.
>Some shout 'WE'RE NOT INFECTED' due to their belief that all this mutation is caused by a viral outbreak.
>Others find a more safer feeling when among the soldiers.
"By the looks of it, it's a smokescreen as to how they're just going to make it look like they're here for the civilians and not for me."
>"How are you so sure they were after you?" Amaranthine asked.
"Why else would they send a guy I know after me in a metal suit?"
>"What are you going to do now?"
"I'm...going to talk to him."

>You dropped down the building and caused a small shockwave.
>The civilians are shocked at it. 
>They're somewhat quiet as well, afraid of you based on your monstrous actions against Cherryzilla.
>Amaranthine nods and flies back to Gilda to take care of Brad's wound.
>You rise up from the hole on the ground and slowly walked through the people.
>Slowly walking towards the entrance without a mask.
>But even then, the people already knew who you were.
>No one cared who you were until you took off the mask.
>Two soldiers yell freeze at the entrance with their rifles up.
>You take their heads and bumped them together.
>You enter the base unarmed.
>The civilians looked on.

>Finally, you stopped at your tracks and shouted.
"IGNEOUS ROCK."
>The snipers and soldiers held their guns at you.
>A few seconds later, Igneous emerges from the airship.
>He, along with his right hand men and his secretary.
>Walking out of the ship like some sort of imperial senator, he goes to you, face to face.
>He commands his soldiers to make the civilians go away.
>This conversation's about to get personal.
>With the civies out of hearing range, you and the general have a one-to-one talk.
>"Well well well. Have you finally come to surrender personally?"
"You're the army! You're supposed to fix the city, not to help destroy it by focusing on me!"
>"Wrong. I'm here to do both."
"Well I'm not here to surrender. I know you have Brad under some mind control scheme, now RELEASE HIM."
>"No. He's a traitor to the country, and he'd be better off under...our science guys' care."
"On. What. Grounds?"
>"My word."
>The tense moment you have with the general is making most of his soldiers uneasy.
>They don't know if they should keep aiming or whether or not they should expect some sort of magical thing to happen.

>You grab him by the his shirt.
"I'm not asking. I'm ordering you. Release Brad and stay the hell away from this place."
>"Silly boy. You're the most valuable thing this place has. You and your...supernatural friend."
"Your sniper killed her."
>"She was in the way. You were turning into a killing machine, and I told him to fire at you, should you put a dent on the armor we gave him."
"If you wanted me for information, why would you try to kill me?"
>"All we know for sure is that your power is from an outside cause rather than some mutation you had from birth like in those comic books. I don't know what or where, but what I do know is that if you don't get your filthy hands off of me now, your friend won't see the moonlight again."
>You let go of his shirt and slowly backed away.
>He gives out a laugh.
>By then, you realized one thing.
>It's the same situation you had with Nolan and Cherry all over again.
>A higher order trying to utilize your power. Your skills in exchange of letting your friends and family go.
>It's a circle. A loop.
"Bah..."
>You slowly raised your hands to admit your defeat.
>But before that could be completed, a familiar voice runs to you through the soldiers.
>>"DAAAAAAAAAADD!"
"Huh?"
>"What the..."
>>>"KID! YOU CAN'T GO- ACK!"
>Ponka shoves a pie onto the guards and runs with Rainbow Dash to the general.
>"Pinkamena! What in god's name are you doing?" the general asks
>>"Lauren Faust, dad. We're in a battlefield here and you never bothered to call when you got here?"
"..."
>>"I...err...l-listen, can we just save this conversation over dinner?"
>You just remembered that Pinkie's father was confirmed to be the general by Purple. *.
[spoiler] See Issue # 41 [/spoiler]
>>"No, YOU LISTEN! WE have been busting our rumps out here helping him and saving lives! Now I hear stuff that you were delaying the rescue just to have Brad ready to capture him!"
>"Wait, how did you-"
>>"Brad's my friend! If what I hear is true, you have no right to make him into some sort of slave to capture him!"
>It's like watching a deleted scene of 12 Years a Slave.
>"It was his offer, Pinkie. When we captured him, he offered to capture Norman for himself. We didn't trust him, but we put him in the armor just in case. With his promise and the suit's danger to test subjects, he was per-"
>>"Not another word! That doesn't change the fact that you weren't here when these monsters were taking the city by storm!"
"Ponka..."
>>"I have seen stuff. I have felt stuff, and I don't want to go through that again. You just admitted that you could've helped out earlier!"
>"Pinkamena, this is serious business, and you I know I love you and our family, but there are some things you we need to prioritize."
>>"Dad...I know we don't see each other very often, I mean, with you...and the army, barely visiting..."
>"Pinkamena..."
>>"All I ask for you is that you release my friend." she says with tears.
>She's desperately trying to win the argument by using the good old offspring persuasion.
>Rainbow comes to your side and asks how you're doing.
>>>"Hey man."
"This is awkward as hell."
>>>"How awkward can it get?"
"If I were dating his daughter, I'd drown in my own sweat."
>She chuckles.

"General, if I may."
>The general looks at you.
"I'm not here to berate  you anymore for your decisions, or to seek revenge for capturing my friend. This city's had enough of that."
>>"..."
"The city needs you and your army's support. Release my friend from his armor and help the city. Not for me, but for your daughter's sake."
>>"Hmm...."
>"Norman! What are you doing?" Pinkie asks.
"Once you're doing that, I'll go away."
>>"Go away? We-"
"If you looked at the city, I defeated a giant monster, I destroyed two gangs in 23 hours and I gave your sniper a heavy beating. If you think you have the sufficient cage to imprison me, think again."
>The general is set back by your answer.
>He looks back at the airship. He did commission a specialized cage for you.
>But with the results of the city, he now has doubts about it.

"Besides, I have nothing left here. Staying here will cause unforseen consequences, for my friends and my family. Look at this place. Everyone knows who I am. I'm partially responsible for most of this...you think I have a choice to come back here?"
>>"Then how about you surrender to us so we can study you? As a deal."
"I would if I could."
>>"Could?"
"I'll die."
>>"Die?"
"Exactly. My power is my life. Take it away from me, and I die."
>The general walks in his place and then plays a bit with his lucky rock in his pocket.
"But..."
>The general looks at you one more time.
"Your obsession is uncanny. I know that you will stop at nothing to try and capture me."
>The general looks around.
>He knows you know about the hundreds of snipers hidden around the base.
"But you won't right now. Not in front of your daughter, at least."
>He sneers at your comment, using his daughter as leverage.
>A minute passes by, and Ponka's father has made a decision.
>>"Alright." He says.
>He orders his men to set up camp in many areas in the city.
>He then orders his secretary to release Brad from his armor.

_________________________________________________________________

Be Brad

"U-Ugh..."
>You slowly wake up to the pain of your body.
>>"AAAAAHHH! MY FUTURE HUSBAND!" Amaranthine yells as the armor detaches itself from your body.
"Ahhh! OH GOD, MY LEG!"
>Brad is shocked at the status of his leg.
>"Hang on, kid. I gotcha."
>Gilda tears off your sleeve and uses it as a bandage to cover the wounds that was formerly covered by your armor.
"Oh god, it hurts so much!"
>You're in tears at this point.
>"Sorry about this Brad. I'm not a doctor, but even I know that this one's gonna be amputated.
"Oh god...oh god..."
>You cry to yourself as the sun rises up.
>You remember what happened.
>Lyra's dead. You're a cripple and Norman's turned into a monster.
>>"Brad..."
"HRRGGRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" You yell in anger.
>>"At least the war is over." Gilda says.
"But at what cost?"
>>"...A lot of things."
>Too much has happened today. You're going to need a therapist after this is done.

>Gilda, Derpy and Amaranthine carries you to the infirmary .
_________________________________________________________________

>The general walks back to you in annoyance.
>You look at him with seriousness.
>>"You got lucky punk. If it wasn't for my daughter-"
"If it wasn't for your daughter talking sense into you, you would've been discharged for incompetence." You say, pointing to the witnesses/citizens.
>He looks at them with anger.
>>"Get out of this city. Next time, you won't be so lucky."
>A game set by the general. You comply.
"Just focus on them today, and not on me."

>You walked away from the corrupt general. Ponka looks at you with a confused frown on her face.
>Purple runs from the crowd runs straight to you.
>>"Norman!"
"Purple."
>>"I just heard from the radio! You're talking to the army without your mask!"
"It's over, Purple. I'm leaving."
>>"WHAT?!?"
"No. I'm living away from you all to protect everyone."
>>"N-No! There has to be another way! There has to b-"
"Purple. Not everything ends in a happy tone. I'm sorry.
>>"Norman..."
"This is the last you'll see of me."
>>"N-Norman...please..."
"Don't worry. Brad's alright because of that. I don't know where he is right now, but he's in Gilda's care."
>Purple cries, but wipes her tears away.
>>"*sniff...*
>You hug her tight like the little sister you always taught of her since day you first arrived in Canterlot.
"You were weird, but I could've never survived highschool without you."
>"*sniff* oh god, Normaaaan!" Ponka cries out as she hugs you and Purple.
>You let go of them after a few seconds and looked at Rainbow.
>She has been crying at a distance, silently.
>You walk toward her and held her hand.
"I'm sorry." You say to her.
>She wipes away her tears and replies "I know..."
>It wasn't much of a goodbye, but it was enough.
>She hugs you one last time and lets go in an instant.
>You caress her cheek as you remember the times she's helped you out, more than usual*.
[spoiler] History between them was explained in Issue #  22, among other issues [/spoiler]
"I've always liked you more than Aryan." You say, reminding her of the brief romance you and Dash once had.
>>"Are you going to say goodbye to the rest?"
"...No."
>>"W-Why?"
"Because I don't want to change  my mind after this."
>You then saluted the girls and walked away.
>Charging your legs, you jumped out of the base in less than a minute.
>Ponka, Rainbow and Purple looked on.

>At that moment, Aryan, Applehat, Flutters and Spike ran in the scene with Officer Normal, who's still a hybrid mantis.
>They were too late.
>You were gone already.
>>>"W-Wha-?"
>>>>"Where's Norman? Where's my son?" The mantis man asked.
>>"He's...gone..."
>>>>"WHAT?"
>>>>>"MY NORMAN'S GONE?" Aryan says in a surprised tone."
>>>>>>"Why in tarnations would he do that?" Applehat asks.
>>"He's wanted by dangerous people now that his identity's public knowledge."
>"He did it to protect us from his enemies."
>Officer Norman sits on the floor, shocked by everything that is happening.
>>>>"No...This can't be happening...my son..."
>Fluttershy looks at the distance to see Norman jumping from building to building one last time.
>The day was left in ruins.
>People died. Innocent and guilty men fell.
>Cherry disappears from the public eye, and Lyra's artifact has gone missing.
>It was not only a day of war.
>It was the day that the people would never forget. The day that will cause a drift in vigilantes, the authorities and the civilians all around.
>They will remember the day as the 'Winter War'.

FOUR DAYS LATER

Be Brad
Hospital

>You lie in your bed, watching those corny soap operas on tv as you heal from the operation you just had.
>Beside you, flowers and get well cards everywhere. On the floor, on the table, on the window.
>Bursting through the door is Twilight, carrying a small lunchbox.
"Twilight..."
>"Hey. How's the leg?"
"I can't stand it."
>She laughs at the pun.
"Hey, if anyone has the right to make legless jokes in this room, it's me."
>"You still have one leg left."
"Yeah well, I guess it's not all a loss.
>Twilight shows you the lunchbox she brought.
"Oh cool, what is it?"
>"I don't know what you like, actually, so I just bought you some...shawarma..."
"Ahh, still remember the date we had, huh?"
>"...yeah..." She says, remembering that shawarma is made with horse meat.
"Thanks anyway. How are you?"
>"We're fine! The guys back at Canterlot High are helping out with public service, while the others are arranging a hero's welcome for you!"
"Hero's welcome? But I didn't do anything during that time, besides getting my ass kicked."
>"Public believes otherwise. After all, with all the adventures you had with ... him... you have a pretty large fanbase right now. It's amazing how the public can be easily swayed with false news. A-at least it's good publicity on your end."
"...Norman...I can't believe he didn't stop to say goodbye."
>"..."
>You took a bite and reminisced on the war.
"He was a different person that day."
>"I know. Gilda told me. She suspected Norman was...well...going nuts when he was fighting the monster."
"You think he's alright?"
>"I just know he is, so long as he has that ring of his."
"..."
>"He wanted to say goodbye. He just didn't want to risk changing his mind. He's only human after all."
"Sounds like a shitty excuse."
>"It's his excuse."
>You stared back at Twilight, remembering the night you took her out on a date * .
[spoiler] See Issue # 31 [/spoiler]
>You vaguely recall having a crisis on whether or not you're falling in love with her.
>Maybe now's a good time to rekindle that affection.
>"Brad what's wrong? You've been staring at me..." She says, blushing.
"Ah...sorry...Guess I'm only human after all too, to look at a beautiful woman like yourself."
>Her blush intensifies.

>Yeah. I still got it. 
>Bradical.

>Suddenly, Octavia enters the room bringing food and a half smile. *
[spoiler] She's in love with Brad, see issues # 34-35[/spoiler]
>>"Hello Brad. I've brought salad and cake!" She says with a hint of joyful tone. "Am I interrupting something?"
"Ahh, no! I'm just glad to have v-visitors. I mean, my parents haven't even gone home yet after the word got out."
>>"Oh don't worry, Brad. I can take good care of you." she says in a suspiciously obsessive tone.
>Twilight's confused on the matter. Octavia sits beside and grabs your hand as she puts the bowl of salad on your stomach.
"I'm...more worried about you, Octavia."
>>"Hmm?"
"I mean...Lyra..."
>She holds your hand tighter. Her half-smile disappears.
>>"I'm actually here t-too ask if you're okay to attend her burial tomorrow. You and...Norman were one of her closest friends before she died."
"Don't say that. She's still your best friend even before we ..."
>You look at Twilight and chose your words carefully
"Err...before we had that talk at the restaurant under R-Rarity's orders!"
>>"I know...I...*sniff...I just wish we spent more time together before...b-before..."
>"Oh Octavia." Twilight says as she goes to the other side to comfort her.
>>"*sniff* oh god...Lyra..."
"Shh shh shh, hey. It's alright. We're here for you."
>>"She...s-she died so young."
"Alot of men died that night. Lyra died a hero, and that's something you should be happy for...somewhat..."
>She hugs you and cries on your shoulder.
>>"Oh Brad...I miss her so much..."
"We miss her too. She was a jerk initially, but she was a great woman at heart."
>Octavia wipes away the tears and holds your hand once more.
>>"Thanks B-Brad.."
"Hey. What are friends for?"
>>"Is that wh-what we are? F-Friends?"
"Of course! You're here for me, and we're here for you."
>>"F-Friends...."
>She looks into your eyes romantically.
>You look back with an awkward smile.
>Twilight looks in confusion and slight jealousy.
>>"M-Maybe...m-more than f-"
>Suddenly, Amaranthine and Gilda bursts into the hospital, with Amaranthine jumping on to your body.
"AMARA-AACH!"
>>>"FUTURE HUSBAND! I MISSED YOU SO! DID YOU MISS ME?"
>>"FUTURE HUSBAND?" Octavia said in a jealous tone.
>>>>"Hey Sentry." Gilda said casually.
"GAK...G-GILDA! HELP ME WITH THIS! SHE'S CHOKING ME!"
>>>>"She's your responsibility mate. I'm just here to remind you that Lyra's burial is tomorrow."
"I...I KNOW, BUT IF SHE DOESN'T GET OFF OF ME, THERE'LL BE TWO FUNERALS!"
>>"DON'T SAY THAT, BRAD! I DON'T WANT TO LOSE ANOTHER F-FRIEND!" Octavia says as she tries in vain to pull Amaranthine off of Brad.
>>>>"Hah. It's like watching one of those romantic comedies from Japan."
>Twilight stands up and goes to Gilda.
>"Hey...Gilda..."
>>>>"Hey. You're Norman's...scientist friend."
>"How's Derpy?"
>>>>"She was going to visit Brad, but she wouldn't budge from her seat at the funeral. She's comforting Lyra's mother."
>Twilight frowns.
>>>>"As for me...I'm a wanted fugitive, but I've been listed as 'dead' during that winter gang war."
>"Officer Normal...let you go?"
>>>>"As a thank you for saving his life, I suppose. Now I'm just a jobless bum staying in with Derpy."
>"Oh."
>>>>"Better at her place than the slammers.
>"What about N-Nolan and his friends?"
>Gilda looks away from you.
>"Oh...I'm..."
>>>>"The funeral was held in secret, along with Amy's and the rest of the fallen Saints Bro brethren. I'll admit, I cried and mourned for him, but the past is past. The Saints Bro have disbanded. His mother's just the owner of his clothing franchise, nothing more."
>"I'm sorry."
>>>>"Yeah well, life's a bitch, but if there's one thing I learned from all this, is that you either die for a cause, or rot away, forgotten."
>"Things have changed since I got here."
>>>>"So I've noticed, kid. So I've noticed."
>"What do you think about Norman...leaving?"
>>>>"It's not my place to judge his decision, but I'd punch him for leaving without saying goodbye."
>"Y-yeah."
>>>>"He's a good kid. I could see why Rainbow likes him so much."
>"R-Rainbow like-likes him?"
>>>>"I-"
>Finally, the last visitor for the day arrives.
>It's Officer Normal.

"Gyah!" 
>Amaranthine and Octavia stops fighting over Brad due to the police man's appearance.
>Officer Normal maintains the disappointed look on his face. 
>>>>"Hey Normal." Gilda casually says with a slightly angry tone.
>She's trying real hard to suppress the anger she once had for him.
>>>>>"Hm..."
"Mr. Normal! Sir!"
>>>>>"I just...I just went in to visit my son's close friends. I thought maybe...one of you knows where he is right now."
"S-Sorry sir. We're just as clueless."
>Officer Normal sits down on the side.
>>>>>"How are you, boy?"
"Right now? Legless."
>>>>>"You're lucky to be even alive after that fiasco."
"I am."
>"We miss him, sir, but We don't know where he is." Twilight tells him.
>Officer Norman takes a small piece of paper from his pocket.
>It's a letter from Norman.
>A letter he left at his home before he left.
"Is that..."
>>>>>"Yeah. It's from him."
"W-what does it say?"
>>"Does it say where he is?"
>>>>>"No. He...he..."
>Office Norman wipes away a tear.
"If it's making you uncomfortable, you can-"
>>>>>"No. I'll...I think his close friends should know about this."
>Everyone in the room listened, including Octavia.
>>>>>"He said...he's sorry, to me, to his mother and to the friends that he alienated. He couldn't risk having his secret out because it might result in a power struggle. He couldn't explain how the ring works, nor could he understand how to pass on the curse, since no one could use its power but himself, but all he knows is that to keep us safe from the general, he had to...go away."
>Officer Normal closes the paper.
>"He...he told us he didn't want to say goodbye because it was hard enough to leave already."
>>>>>"Yeah...I...I figured as much, but I wish he stayed for me and his mother."
>The silence in the room had gotten to everyone.
"You know, I think we should stop getting sad over him. He wouldn't want that."
>>>>>"Huh?"
"I mean, he sacrificed alot just to keep this city safe, and I think this leave isn't permanent. He's not dead, and I'm sure as hell that he'll be back."
>>>>>"This isn't like your comic books where-"
"Think about it, Mr. Normal. The only reason he left was to keep the corrupt general's eye away from us, and I know that to make sure of that, he'll probably return from time to time, checking up on us like a guardian angel."
>>>>"Blue-hair's right." Gilda says. "We have enough funerals to keep us upset for a week. We shouldn't add him to our list of burdens."
>You smile at Gilda, who's at least trying to keep everyone's spirits up.
>>>>>"Well..."
>Officer Normal wipes his eyes one last time.
>>>>>"I just hope he's alright." He says with a smile.
>Everyone smiles.
>He goes to the window and looks out.
>Looking at the sun, he hopes to see his son soon.
>In fact, everyone is.
>Looking at the ground, everyone is celebrating Norman as a hero, along with you, Lyra and Amaranthine.
>The damage of the city is chaotic, but with the people looking up to heroes like Norman, their human spirit is incalculable.
>He was a super-hero. He never wanted to be one.
>Lyra too.
>But they sacrificed for the city.
>They were the true heroes.

**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--**--

>But even then, Norman knew he wasn't a hero.

>He sat inside the boat carrying illegal immigrants, along with the other foreigners.
>He travelled under the radar to keep the General off his back.
>Packed with all the stuff he managed to grab from his house when he left the note, he cuddled it like a blanket.
>The cold inside is slowly numbing his legs.
>He stands up and walks out.
>There, he stands at the railway besides a beautiful tribal woman.
>"Cold inside? It's something we must abide."
"I know."
>"You do not seem to be a man who's an illegal. In fact, you seem royally regal."
"Heh. No. I'm not here to travel around the world, or meet new and exciting people."
>"Then you escape from something, yes? Is it something you would like to address?"
"..."
>Norman looks at the woman with a smile, and later, shows her a frown.
"Life's cruel. I have to survive."
>"Any particular reason why you're on this boat with us? Are you trying to escape from the fuzz?"
"No. I have a lot of reasons for running away. Perhaps it's because my family is safer when I'm away, or maybe because I've caused too much of a disturbance to come back to my homeland, or maybe it's because the place haunts me for things that I've done."
>The tribal woman looks with curiosity.
"Maybe it's all three."
>He takes out the empty Desert Eagle that Gilda had once given him.
>He looks at his own reflection from it.
>The tribal woman backs away.
"Don't worry. It's not loaded. In fact, it's the only thing that connects me from what I'm running away from. I even left my mask buried."
>"You were a snatcher? A robber? An addict or a murderer?"
"Hm. Am I really going to tell my story to a stranger that I just met?"
>"Maybe you will and maybe you won't. If you're bothered, then don't."
>Norman extends her hand to her.
"My name is Norman."
>"Zecora." She replied.
>Shaking her hand, he look at the stars above, wondering if he should tell his story to a woman he had just met.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I.
>The day went on as Brad slowly got used to walking with a crutch. He was able to attend Lyra's funeral.
>He was the last man to throw a rose in before she was buried.
>He was a celebrity, a symbol of selfless vigilantism alongside Norman and Lyra.
>Only, he was the only one alive.
>The civilians believed he was one of the heroes who helped during the war.
>A guilty pleasure he took part in.
>However, the glory was nothing whenever he's with his friends and family.
>They all miss Norman.
>The public was confused. They don't know where Norman is. Some say he's been captured. Others say he's dead or has gotten amnesia.
II.
>The mane six spent the day at Lyra's house, mourning with the family one last time, before heading home to get on with their lives.
>Twilight dedicates her winter vacation to studying Vinyl's necklace artifact, which is still in her possession.
>Rarity pondered on what she really thought of Norman, before and after finding out about his secret.
>Rainbow looked out her window everynight, hoping that he's alright.
>Pinkie continues to have a strained relationship with her father due to the incident, much to the family's displeasure.
>Fluttershy and Applejack went on back to their lives.
>Cadenza became a widow, giving birth to a daughter. Celestia and Luna helps her with coping with the death of Shining Armor.
>Officer Normal tells his wife the truth about him being a police officer. This causes a strain in their relationship, adding to Norman's disappearance.
III.
>Days after the funeral, something happens.
>The doctors in the hospital rushes to a room. There, a woman is screaming, for she had just woken up from a coma. Her whole body is paralyzed, but she can still move her fingers and a part of her arm, as well as her head.
>The woman asks what's going on. They explain to her that she was in a coma.
>Octavia rushes to the door after seeing the doctors running to her room.
>"VINYL!" She happily yells as she embraces her numb body.
"W-WHAT'S GOING ON!"
>"OH GOD, VINYL! I THOUGHT I LOST YOU!"
"LAUREN, TAVI! WHAT'S GOING ON? JUST TELL ME!"
>She cries as she tells her that alot has happened since she last opened her eyes.
>They spend the whole day catching up, up to the point where she breaks the news to her about Lyra's passing.
>She then spent the rest of the week coping with paralysis, up until Twilight hears the news about it and proceeds to visit her to fill her in on the details of her artifact, believing that giving the artifact back to her will restore her body function.
IV.
>A woman slowly moves a few discarded tables in a small base underground.
>The rats and vermin keep her company as she talks to herself.
>Vengeance and all that.
>She had grabbed the remaining unbroken apparatus from the abandoned factory that she loved so much.
>She lays down a jar on the table.
"Soon, my precious..."
>She plots. She plans with the few things she had salvaged.
>As the lamp lights up, the jar's description is visible to the naked eye.
>So too, is the lady.
>Some of the vermin on the floor run away at the sight of her body.
>Some stayed for their new overlord.
>The woman lifts the jar up, claiming it to be something the future will behold.
>Her mind has been lost since the war, but her intelligence remains.
>The jar's description reads only one word.
>A name.
>Norman.

V.
> A small little girl plays in the playground.
>The bigger kids teases her and pushes her away from the place.
>She wanders along the street, sad but adventurous.
>She sees something sparkle by the open sewage pipes.
>Taking a branch, she carefully takes it away from the flowing water.
>She beholds the sight of such a beautiful masterpiece.
>"Snowdrop! It's time for dinner!" Yelled her mother.
>She nods and hides her little treasure in her pocket as she runs to her mother.
>Little did she know that the item she carries will change her life.
>For the worse.
>Just as what Lyra always feared when she was alive.
[spoiler]>She carries the locket.[/spoiler]
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
>As for Norman, he ponders to the reflection of his face on the water.
>The man who started the war. He blames himself for everything.
>People died in a war he could've prevented if he had turned himself in *.
[spoiler] His perspective on it as seen in Issue # 48 [/spoiler]
>Zecora calls him, saying that it is supper time.
>He nods as he looks at the vast ocean.
>There, he grabs out his Desert Eagle.
>He clicks the trigger with the knowledge that it's out of bullets.
>It's the one thing he's guilty of.
>One of the reasons of this war.
>Funny how things turned out.
>Norman couldn't kill Nolan with his bare hands, yet if he did, the war would've never happened.
>Norman couldn't kill Cherry with his own hands, yet if he did, the war would've never happened.
>Two sides of a rotten coin, used him like a dog.
>In the end, Norman realized his own hypocrisy and his own fault.
>He killed the wrong person out of some misplaced sense of righteousness and cowardice.
>He throws the pistol to the sky.
>The pistol slowly falls to the ocean, and floats for a few seconds before slowly sinking down.
>Norman walks away to join his new friend to eat.
>The pistol sinks to the bottom of the dark ocean.
>Never to be seen again.
>The one pistol that will haunt him for the rest of his days.
[spoiler]
>The pistol that killed Amy.[/spoiler]

Noir-Man No More.
End of Chapter 50

Extended Cut to be posted in the next few hours.