> The walk back to town was a relatively quiet one, aside from helping injured or sick ponies to their feet when they needed it.
> The trip had been completed in the early morning darkness with little to no problem thanks to the suddenly clear skies and favorable weather.
> Not to mention the bright moonlight helped everyone to see so you didn’t have to lead everyone.
> The sun was already bright and in the sky when you reached the town itself, and obviously your group had been spotted long before you reached the town.
> The ponies in town came rushing to welcome back loved ones, friends, and family alike. Doctors aided the ones that needed help, while the militia members regrouped with their comrades.
> With everyone absorbed with reunions, you retreated into a store rather than stick around.
> After all, you were still on the run.
> After buying a few loafs of bread, an assortment of survival tools, and a black cloth rucksack to put it all in you move to leave.
> “So your that creature Celestia and her guards were looking for?”
> You look back to the elderly shop keeper and contemplate what to say.
> “Think before you lie to me boy, I been around a long time… and I ain’t ever seen a creature like you. But at the same time, you act like your some kind of guard. So tell me, what’s your angle?”
“I don’t have one.”
> With that, you exit the store with your backpack.
> The pack weighed about seven pounds, a feather weight compared to a full assault pack you were used to carrying during your time in the Army.
> Once you reach the edge of town, you pull the map and compass out of your boot.
> Opening the map, you notice that the map is now just paper, no features or position marked.
> You let out a sigh. Well, there goes the easy way out.
> Luckily, the ponies were smart enough to know that relying on magic alone was foolish.
> Within a few moments, you have your approximate position and a decent orientation with the help of the compass.
> Then you frown.
> Just where the hell did you think you were going? You were an alien in this place, you were on your own, and you were wanted by the royalty.
> You would chase down X but where the hell would he be?
> The center of the map has a town.
> Ponyville seemed easy enough to get to.
> About a hundred and twenty miles away. You could make it in six days easy, and that was with resting at night and taking the long way off the roads and through rough terrain.
> Anything to stay off the radar, even if it meant six days of marching through rough terrain and surviving off of bread.
> Picking the map and compass up you look towards your direction and set off.
> The sun was at the late morning mark, maybe around ten AM? Eleven at the latest.
> You could easily just sleep now and move at night, which would be a bit harder to track.
> Sleep was something your body had been begging for ever since your first day.
> Something about dimension hopping must have been particularly taxing on the human body.
> “Hey Anon!”
> Your heart skips a beat.
> Fuck.
> You break into a sprint towards the nearest tree line.
> “Hey, wait up!”
> You feel a rush of wind and see a streak of color fly past you.
> Shit, it just had to be the fast one.
> Diving into the dead forests, you land in a snow filled trench.
> Immediately you scramble to get on your feet and immediately find yourself neck deep in snow.
> You attempt to crawl out but you’re stuck.
> Fuck.
> “Uh, you need some help Anon?”
> You look up to see the rainbow one…Rainbow Dash was her name?
> Yes, that was it.
“Uh hey, Rainbow…”
> A sliver tongue was the only way out; your hands couldn’t reach your sidearm or knife.
“Sorry about running away, I didn’t know it was you. Mind giving me some help out of here?”
> You hold your hand up and she gives you a troubled look.
> “Sorry, I…”
> “Rainbow Dash? Oh good, did you find our friend?”
> Now you were fucked.
> “He’s right here…he got stuck in the snow...”
> She gives you a conflicted look, one between sorrow and betrayal.
> Celestia, flanked by guards, walks into view. They waste no time and prepare their weapons.
“So that’s it? Kill me and bury me in the snow? After I did your job for you?”
> She smiles pleasantly, almost arrogantly.
> “Don’t try to play innocent. You are in a lot of trouble Anonymous.”
“On what charges?”
> “Where to start…” She pauses and takes a breath. “Mass murder, destruction of property, terrorizing the locals, acts of war, and fleeing the royal court.”
> You stare at her incredulously.
“You forgot releasing captured ponies from abusive treatment at the hands of Diamond Dogs, aiding an overwhelmed militia, and aiding the injured.”
> She frowns. “I would advise you refrain from making your position worse.”
“I would advise you reconsider your actions.”
> “ENOUGH! You’re under arrest and that is final!”
> Well fuck you too Celestia.
“I demand a trial, a lawyer, and right to counsel.”
> “For a prisoner you sure make a lot of demands. Silence yourself.”
> You knew your rights back home, but you’re in another dimension.
> That seems to be rather easy to forget, but it was after all, an uncommon situation to find yourself in.
> Celestia’s horn glows and you are set back on your feet on solid ground.
> “Drop all your weapons.” One of the guards say.
> Pulling your TAC-Vest off, along with placing your weapons at the ground you step back and glare at Celestia.
> “Turn around and hold your hands behind your back.”
“You don’t need restraints; I’ll keep my dignity thank you.”
> The guard steps back.
> “Bind him! That’s an order!” Celestia shouts.
“What? Are you afraid of me Celestia? What do I have left to fight with?”
> “Shut up before I have you hacked to pieces.”
“You sound like someone from my world, Celestia.”
> You cringe a bit as the rope is tied around your hands.
> You don’t struggle though, maybe you could appeal to her decency?
“Your majesty…”
> Those words left a bitter taste in your mouth but it was either this or survival.
“I wish to implore your good will, I know my actions aren’t kind nor are they peaceful but I only wanted to protect the town from the Diamond Dogs.”
> You leave the part our about Discord and the whole plot to overthrow her.
> After all, you were on her bad side already no need to make her think you’re working against her.
> “Hey Princess, Anon is right kinda. This town is pretty small…”
> She shoots Rainbow Dash an angry look.
> “Would you like to join him?”
> Rainbow looks back at you and then at Celestia.
> “But he did help all those ponies…”
> She now turns towards Celestia, and hovers a few feet above the ground.
> “I think he’s the hero Equestia needs!”
> In a blink she turns, puts her hooves under your shoulders, and tears off into the sky.
“What are you doing you fool!? Now she’s going to put you in jail too!”
> “You could shut up and say thank you, Anonymous!” She shouts over the sound of the wind blowing past you.
> So she’s on your side?
> And she can carry you easily enough; maybe she could start flying you around Equestria? Maybe to where X is later on…
> “Don’t worry, I have a plan Anon!”
“One that doesn’t involve you in jail or worse I hope!”
> “If it goes the way we want it to go then yes!”
> After a good fifteen minutes of flying, you both land in a small clearing on a mountainside.
“Fuck, where are we?”
> She stretches her wings and legs out.
> “Close enough to where we need to be. She should be on her way soon.”
“Who is she? What is the plan here Rainbow Dash? Who are we working with?”
> “I thought you were supposed to be smart. You will find out soon enough.”
“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t just leave.”
> “Well, your hands are tied for one, and you don’t have any of your fancy stuff anymore. I don’t think you would last a night, so you don’t have any choice but to trust me on this.”
“Fine. I guess it’s tradeing one set of problems for another.”
> She walks around you and you feel her bite at the ropes.
> They fall free after a few attempts.
> “Just to show you I’m on your side.”
> You open and close your hands a few times and look at her.
“Why exactly are you helping me?”
> “Because my home is in danger and I think your what we need to defend ourselves from whatever threat there may be.” She pauses a moment.
> “Also, I think you’re good at heart…”
> She says the last words a bit low.
“I thought you were afraid of me. What’s with the change of heart?”
> “When you came to my room and thanked me for helping you, and then apologized for defending yourself, it said a lot of things about you too.”
> You nod.
> “Why did you run away exactly? I just was wondering.”
“One part fear, another part shame and two parts instinct. Shame because everyone was just terrified of me and that kind of hurts, fear because Celestia was planning to get rid of me at some point, and instinct because I don’t trust anyone with the title king, queen, prince, princess, glorious leader, president, congressman, senator, governor, representative, or anyone claiming to be leader of anything.”
> She gives you a curious glance.
> “Are all your people paranoid?”
> You laugh.
“Paranoid is a strong word. It’s a learned response. Besides, Celestia was coming to me when I was alone and blocked the door. I don’t know any other reason why she would do that  other than getting rid of problems.”
> “She was just bringing you some tea…I was with her…”
> Your own look of disbelief was now apparent as her face showed a hint of amusement.
> “I was going to join you and her before Twilight called her away. I felt like I wanted to mend bridges.”
“So I went through all that for nothing?”
> “Yeah, I guess it would have been better for her to show up with the tea and me rather than just alone.”
“Probably not, I haven’t been myself the past few days.”
> “Having a hard time adjusting to this world?”
“You could say that.”
> “Cheer up, Celestia and Luna can send you back home no problem I bet.”
> It was optimistic and something you prayed to be true, but you knew how black holes worked.
> You also remembered X’s words.
> Black holes had no breaks…
> “What’s wrong, don’t you want to go home?”
“I may not have a home to go back to anymore.”
> All because you didn’t pull the trigger on X the instant you saw him.
> Silence settles between you both.
“It’s strange. I always thought myself without a home until now. I always slept where they told me I was safe, I ate what I could find, buy or steal…the idea of never seeing anyone I knew again…”
> You sit down as the gravity of the realization begins to sink in.
> You were trained to be emotionally cold, and tempered with the worst humanity had to offer.
> But how do you cope knowing you’re the reason nearly seven billion men, women, and children were gone?
> How can you train someone to deal with that kind of guilt?
> “Anonymous, are you okay?”
> You look up at her and realize that you had begun to cry.
“I’m fine.”
> “No you’re not. I may not be the element of honesty, but I am the element of loyalty and I can tell when something is wrong with a friend.”
> You wipe your eyes dry and take a deep breath, regaining your composure in an instant.
> You look down at the ground and shake your head.
“Fitting. We are capable of such great feats…and in the end it destroyed us.”
> You are now Anonymous, last of the humans.
> It’s only your fourth day here and reality has come crashing down.
> Your alone, afraid, cut off, and your wanted by the government of this new land.
> You no longer have a home, a country, or an identity.
> Now, it was up to you to make sure this land did not suffer the same fate as your world.
> “Greetings Rainbow Dash, we are very glad you could make it with our new friend!” A voice happily says from behind you.
> “Hey Princess, Anon is kind of down right now…”
> “We can tell. What troubles you Anonymous?”
> You hear some indistinct whispers behind you and a soft gasp.
> Another pony sits on your other side.
> “I did hope we could introduce ourselves on better terms upon our second meeting, but it is understandable that you are feeling conflicted.”
> You look towards the voice and see a vaguely familiar looking Alicorn. You immediately remember Discord’s words.
“You must be Princess Luna that is if the only two Alicorns in this place were in charge.”
> “My, you are quite quick when it comes to making connections. Tell us, how did you learn this?”
“I have a habit of listening, reading, and remembering everything I can.”
> “Well, would you indulge me by properly introducing yourself?”
> You stand, brush yourself free of snow, and come to attention before the Princess.
“Anonymous, at your service.”
> You complete the introduction with a hand salute towards Luna, which may have been excessive but it was after all the same one that helped you.
> She smiles. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Anonymous. You may call me Luna. Now, I have come here for two reasons.”
> Straight to the point, no bullshit. You could get used to this.
> “Firstly, I would like to extend my gratitude for saving the ponies of the town from the Diamond Dogs. Your talents were well needed and from what I have heard from other packs in the area, attacking town is a death wish. What went on inside that mountain is your own business; we won’t question your methods because they produce results and for the right reason ultimately. Unlike my sister, as we have said, we do see a need in unpleasantness when the time comes. With this in mind, and with great personal risk, I would like to offer you a choice.”
> You stand silent a moment.
“Choice for what?”
> “It is well within our power to secure your equipment and have it returned to you should you so wish to leave our lands. However, we would like to ask a favor of you.” She pauses a moment and looks at Rainbow Dash. “Equestria needs your help; we have had great suspicions ever since the second imprisonment of Discord and the attack by the Changelings. I have been using my own guards and spies to uncover this plot against my sister and myself but Celestia constantly works against me to promote the peace of her kingdom. We need someone who can act freely, but above that we need someone trustworthy. I will not lie, this will be extremely dangerous to yourself and you may run a great risk of death. I will not be able to offer you much in the way of support officially, as my hooves are bound. I will not be able to help you should you be caught and imprisoned…or worse…” She trails off. “However, if you do succeed, I make you a promise. I will do all I can to send you home should you choose, I promise you a comfortable living either in the castle or a place of your choosing, and we will see that your name is declared as innocent.”
> You look back at Rainbow Dash a moment.
“One condition, and I forfeit all other promised rewards if need be.”
> “Name it.”
“Doctor X is mine to deal with personally and in any manner I see fit.”
> “Done. Anything more?”
“That’s all I want.”
> “Very well. The one known as Doctor X shall be yours to contend with upon his capture.”
“Thank you. So what do we do now? I’m not bad with my hands but Celestia took all my stuff.”
> She gives you a pained look. “Please tell us you still have our seal.”
“I do. I still have it, I lost that black gem and the orb thing and the money.”
> “Of little importance, it can easily be reasoned that you took them from the diamond dogs as a sort of trophy.”
> Plausible deniability still intact, in friendly hands, and had support options.
> Not a bad situation to be in.
> “Now, you do understand that you need to appear to have been captured by myself and the guard attachment.”
> Two guards appear to either side of you, both wearing a dark set of armor.
> “Please forgive me for what discomfort follows. They have been instructed to be convincing with as little injury to you as possible.”
> You nod. You knew this would be coming.
“Give me what you got, I can take it.”
> The guards circle around you.
> The one in front of you charges his horn.
> “This should knock you out. You will feel a slight pain.”
“Just wake me up when it’s done, and please don’t kill me.”
> He nods, and tilts his horn down to you.
> The tip of the horn touches your chest and you jolt with a sudden charge of electricity.
> All your muscles lock, your mouth is frozen open, and the intensity begins to climb.
> The charge stops and you fall to the ground, your vision blurry and your body unresponsive.
> Your vision fades to black. The last thing you see are the hooves of the guards.