>Day Normal in Equestria >You are Anon >The only human in all of Equestria >You’ve been here for about a year now >And besides Fluttershy’s constant pestering, it’s been pretty good >You grab your bag and a bagel and run out the door, hoping to avoid today’s fetish guess >Nope >You bump into Fluttershy, and she falls backward >She actually pulls it into a roll and bounces back onto her feet >Huh >She beams at you >You resist the urge to D’aww >She may be the bane of your existence and annoying to no end, but you couldn’t deny her gir- adorableness >”S-so Anon, are acrobatics your fetish?” >…Did she actually plan for you to run into her? >She’s getting more scheming with her guesses >She’s like an evil mastermind of fetishes >You look back at Fluttershy as she gets blown over by a gentle breeze >She then squirms on her back like a turtle, before rolling onto to her side >Not seeing much ‘mastermind’ going on here Afraid not, Fluttershy. Now if you don’t mind me Ireallymustgetgoing! >Before she can try anything else, you dash past her >Time for another awesome day   >You reach Twilight’s tree and pull out your key >Twilight had given you a spare >Sometimes she’d pull all-nighters, and you didn’t want to wake her when she slept in afterwards >After working with her every morning for 8 months, she trusted you enough for a key to her books >You unlock the door and walk in >Twilight looks up from her book and smiles as she sees you >”Hey Anon! I know you like using the key, but I could’ve opened the door for you!” >You smile back at her And risk waking you? Never >You walk over to the trap door that leads to the basements and head down the stairs >Twilight was even cool with you working alone now as well >Below is a laboratory >Your pride and joy >You’d been experimenting with chemicals and magic for the past while, as well as their effects on yourself >The world was a wonderful place when you could use your own body as a test subject >Ethics right out the window >You settle in for the morning; you know you’re getting close >If you can just get rid of one or two chemical imbalances, you know it’ll work >Of course, you need to be careful >The last time you tested it, you singed off all your hair >You missed the hair, but for some reason Twilight couldn’t use her magic to bring it back >Rainbow Dash had started calling you Chrome Dome >So creative, that one   >You continue tinkering around with your concoction for a while, until your alarm on the wall goes off >You wave to the security camera as you leave; a weird tradition you’d started ever since you created the beauty >The chemicals inside reacted to magic, essentially doubling the energy put into it >A simple bolt of Twilights magic would run it for weeks >You wave goodbye to Twilight as you leave >Next up is Rainbow Dash >You see her cloud floating lazily about >You walk under it and wait a moment >… >Dammit Rainbow, wake up. We’ve got work to do! >”Mreh, 5 more minutes Dad…” >You sigh >She never makes this easy >You pull out a vial of liquid and shake it >Aiming it at Rainbow Dash, you remove the stopper >The smoke shoots out and wraps around her >You hear her start to sputter >A moment later, she falls off the cloud, landing with a thump at your feet >You pat her on the head Now, shall we get going?   >A half an hour later and you’re standing in one of Apple Jacks emptier fields >This has been Rainbow Dash’s training area ever since you started helping her >”Anon, I hope you know I’m going to get back at you for that stupid stink formula you have. Why do you even carry that stuff around with you?” >You smile at her as she hovers above you Purely to wake you up every morning, Rainbow >”Can’t you think of anything better?” Nothing as funny >Rainbow glares at you >You shake your head Very well, Rainbow. If you can beat my course this time, I’ll wake you up another way >Rainbow’s eyes narrow >”…And we start 5 minutes later” >You smile Very well. I hope you’re up for the challenge >Rainbow’s eyes brighten and she grins >”Today’s the day, Anon! Give me your best!” Don’t regret it later! >With that, you pull out your set of chemicals >More specifically, these are your obstacle course chemicals >Each vial creates a different sized ring >As well, they remain connected to the vial with a strand of magic string that attaches itself to the ring >This allows you to control how they move >If flesh touches any part of the ring, it changes colour >You signal Rainbow to head to the starting line you always use >You tie the strings hanging out of the vials to your fingers >10 fingers, 10 vials, 10 different sized rings >You pull out the stoppers, and begin to position the rings >Rainbow is the best flyer you know; if you put the rings in weird positions, she’d finish it no problem >Which is precisely why you started moving the rings while she flew >The two of you had been attempting to enhance her reflexes beyond what anyone in Equestria could reach >The next Wonderbolts audition, later this month, wouldn’t just get Rainbow on the team >You’d make her Captain >After a moment of some fairly silly looking finger wiggling, you nod at Rainbow Dash >And before you can react, she’s made it through the first ring >Shit >You pull your pinkie in to bring the first ring back, and focus on the rest >You split your mind to focus on each ring individually, and begin shifting them as much as you can >You make sure not to make them move at any consistent speed or in any kind of pattern >Yet still, Rainbow succeeds at passing through the second to fifth ring >Of course, this is when it gets fun >Now it’s only one hand, and your mind is able to focus more >Rainbow twists and turns, following the rings as they move through the air at increasing speeds >After what feels like ages, but what is only about thirty seconds, there are only two rings left >Rainbow begins flying towards the second last one >Just as she reaches it, however, you yank, pulling the two rings in close to each other >Rainbow, with her wings in free fall, would barely fit through the smallest ring >You bring them in close, criss-crossed like a Venn diagram >Rainbow goes through the first ring >You’ve got her now, the gap between is tiny >But then Rainbow twists, making a barely perceptible flap of her wings and shooting above the ring >Before you can react, she dives and loops through the final ring >It doesn’t change colour >Baffled, you pull the last ring towards you >You put the end of the strings into the vials, and they chemical returns >Rainbow Dash lands in front of you a moment later, breathing deeply >”Hah! Did you see that? Am I awesome, or am I awesome? I should’ve asked for 10 minutes!” >You stare at Rainbow, your mouth hanging open >Rainbow cocks her head >”Uh, Anon? You ok?” >You shake your head, refocusing Rainbow… that was astounding. You’re astounding! >Rainbow blushes >”Don’t get too amazed Anon. You’re my Coach, remember?” >You pat her on the back I don’t think I have much more I can help you with after that, Rainbow >Rainbow looks distraught for a second, but quickly recovers >After a moment she grins >”Well then, I guess I’ll have to teach you how to wiggle your fingers better! I’ll see you tomorrow!” >With that, she flies into the air >”Remember, 5 minutes later!”   >You return home after a visit to Apple Acres >You bought a couple of apples, but not before being dragged into an arm wrestling contest between the Apple Family and a few of their visiting cousins >Your arm was still sore; brute strength had never been your strong point >That was a few hours you weren’t getting back, but Big Mac and Apple Jack were always fun to hang out with at least >And over the months, Apple Bloom and her CMC pals had grown to see you as a sort of big brother >They’d said something about kinship between blank flanks and stuck to you since >You didn’t mind >You mow down on the apples for your dinner >Sometimes you missed meat, but the whole vegetarian thing had grown on you >After a bit of relaxation, you figure you may as well go to sleep >You settle in for the night, hoping tomorrow will be as good as today >You fall asleep imagining ways to make your obstacle course harder   >Day Disaster in Equestria >You wake up to a loud knocking on your front door >You look outside to see the sun just beginning to rise >Fluttershy isn’t normally this early >A moment later, the knocking returns, louder and faster >You hop out of bed, quickly getting dressed, and run down stairs >You open the door to see a distressed looking Twilight Twilight, what’s wrong? >”Anon, the library! It’s gone!” What? What do you mean ‘gone’? >”There’s no time to explain right now, just follow me! >Twilight runs off, and you follow suit >You reach Ponyville fast enough, and you soon see what she means >Where the tree once stood is a fiery ruin >Where once books were held, only ash remained >The nearby buildings are being sprayed with water by numerous ponies Twilight, what happened here? >”I don’t know, I woke up to Spike shaking me, and when we got down stairs, the whole place was aflame. I tried to stop it, but the fire was immune to my magic!” >Twilight begins to cry >”I’ve never felt so helpless!” >You pat her on the shoulder >How could this have happened? >No time for that now though Twilight, let’s see if there’s anything left. It’s seemed to have simmered down enough now >She sobs, but nods, following after you as you walk through the ashes >It’s not looking so good >The fire was thorough >After a moment, you notice a gleam >You brush side some of the ash >You lift up your prize >One of your cameras >You’re not sure how it lasted the fire, but you aren’t complaining >Twilight comes up behind you >She gasps as she sees what you’re holding >”Anon! Maybe the camera will show what happened last night!” >You look back at Twilight >Tears are still flowing down her face, but you see a glimmer of hope >It makes your heart ache Let’s find out then   >You can’t believe it >What is this? >You, Twilight and the rest of the town are silent as they watch the camera’s recording unfold >You see a human wearing a sock mask rummage through the library >They walked right through the door >You see a glimmer as they put away your key >How? >They head down the stairs to your laboratory >A few moments later they return with… >No >Your latest concoction >The one that had burnt off your hair >The figure shakes it up and then lets it go, and a flash blinds the camera for a moment >When it fades, the figure is gone, and the library is ablaze >Twilight turns off the recording and looks at you >”…Why?” Twilight, you have to believe me when I say that wasn’t me! >Her eyes glow purple, and you feel yourself unable to move >”Don’t lie to me, Anon! Why did you do this? I thought we were friends?!” You know me, Twilight! You know I wouldn’t do such a thing! >”Were you lashing out? Were you sick of living with ‘little ponies’?” >You try to struggle, but the magic lifts you off the ground >You look towards the crowd, hoping for help >You’re met with angry glares >”Anonymous, you not only destroyed my home and library, but you also endangered the lives of myself and the ponies who live near me” Twilight, no! I didn’t do it, I’ve been framed I swear! >She carries on, ignoring you >”I hereby, with the power invested upon me by Celestia as her student, and as an Element of Harmony, do banish you from Equestria!” >You feel your heart drop >A moment later, the world twists and turns, and you find yourself in a waste land >Only you and the Mane 6 are here >The ponies glare at you >Rainbow looks at you sadly before turning away >The only one that doesn’t look mad is Fluttershy >She’s impassive >Twilight speaks up, her eyes glowing >”Never return to Ponyville, Anonymous, or face far worse!” >She turns away as well >”I never want to see your face again” >And with that, they disappear >You look around you >There’s nothing but rocks and desert >You sit down, unable to stand any longer >…What just happened?   >You are Fluttershy >The look on Anon’s face was almost too much >It killed you to do this to him >But you loved him >And you knew his happiness would only last so long as he refused your love >And his happiness was your greatest concern >You feel yourself grow giddy >Imagine how he’ll react when you save him from his banishment, returning him home >Then he’ll love you >He’ll have no choice >You are Fluttershy >Master Planner