Part 32 The Fallout
 
>http://vimeo.com/27358836
>The shock of waking from that...
>Was it a hallucination? It felt so real
>Your mind is empty, heart hollow
>Staring at the ceiling with unfocused eyes, you barely see anything despite the lighting
>You can feel a sore lump on the back of your head
>Somehow, you're in your tigerstripes instead of your blues, though you have no recollection of changing uniforms from the graduation ceremony
>What all happened today?
>The graduation...the date...no, Twi-
>...
>She...
>...
>The bar...Doctor Hooves...the band playing metal...And then...
>Caroline.
>Breaking from your shock, emotion floods through the course of your being
>You were there for an hour. You were really there.
>You hugged your little sister, and she was alive
>Up until...
>You had fought your hardest, but that wasn't enough. She needed you, but you couldn't...not then, not now
>Crying had never been a habit of yours, but since coming to Equestria, you had shed more tears than in your previous life on Earth. That familiar sting in your eyes...
>Caroline had been so full of life, up until the end. She hadn't really understood what had happened.
>It's your fault.
>If you hadn't taken a wrong turn...
>There's not much holding you back from screaming in pain
>All your fault
>"I said SILENCE!"
>That woke you from your pitiful daze
>There's nothing you can say. Tears continue to flow down your face, and there's no sign of letting up
>A door opens, and the guard stands at attention. "Sir!"
>"Give me ten minutes with him. Alone."
>"Yes sir!"
>That voice...is it?
>"Get up, Anon."
>With great effort, you turn your head, and see Shining Armor
>"I said get up NOW!"
>Taking your time, he loses his patience and nearly throws you onto your feet with his magic
>"Look me in the eyes."
>You comply, with an empty stare
>"What the hell happened last night?"
>You cannot answer
>"WHAT HAPPENED?"
>Softly, you speak
I don't know. Why am I here?
>He magically pulls you close to the bars, inches away from his face
>Staring into your eyes, he has nothing but hatred for you
>"How does a hero go from going on a date to ...at a bar?"
>It seems you missed some of his words, but fuck it. You'll tell him what he wants to know
She never arrived to the rendezvous. I had to look for Twilight Sparkle, and when I found her...
>You look away, trying to be tactful
I found her...being unfaithful to me. So is it wrong that I went to a bar to drown my sorrows?
>A "what the fuck" look appears on his face
>"My sister would never cheat on the one she loves!"
But she did...
>He glares at you
>"No, she didn't. In fact, you stood her up! I thought you were a hero who earned my sister's love. Apparently not, as you leave her waiting all night and speak bold-faced lies to justify killing several ponies in the local bar!"
>...?
>What?
No, what are you talking about?
>He only continues to glare at you
>Sweat runs down your body
Shining Armor, what kind of sick joke is this?
>Magically, he throws you back down on your ass
>" When I heard what happened, I didn't believe it at all! But then I come here and see your guilt. There's nothing I can do for you. Princess Celestia will decide your fate."
>He turns to leave
Hey! Wait! What do you mean I...
>He ignores you and leaves your view
>You didn't kill anyone! Hell, you passed out and...
>...
>...
>Caroline...
>Tears threaten to down
>Quickly, you stifle them. You'll mourn later. First, you have to figure out what Shining Armor was talking about
>...
>...
>Shit
>You can't focus on the task at hand
>Your mind keeps wandering back to...
>All thoughts are interrupted when you hear the door slam open
>"Captain Anonymous!"
>That voice makes you jump up. There's no mistaking the princess' voice
>Snapping to attention, your training kicks in as you render a salute
"Ma'am, Captain-"
>"Enough!"
>Well, ok. You continue to stand, but semi-relaxed
>Hatred is in her eyes..and maybe a little fear?
>It's odd, and you cannot say for sure
>"Do you have ANYthing to say for yourself?"
I...didn't kill anybody. Not at that bar. How did I end up here?
>She sighs
>"I saw you with my own eyes. There was a commotion in the street, and I walked in to see you...brutally murdering no less than ten of my citizens."
>Your heart sinks
But I couldn't have! I don't have any recollection of that! I blacked out, and then...
>You stop
>"What did you do then?"
>Guilt builds up, but you can't bring yourself to admit that you watched your sister's brutal murder
>"I see."
>She turns away
>"I should have known better than to trust you, especially after I saw you with your black magical aura."
>She's paused, waiting for something
>Waiting on you to say something.
>Come on! Say what was really going on
I...I saw...
>"What did you see?"
>A tear runs down your face, and you lose your voice
>She frowns, convinced of your guilt. At the same time, she sheds a few tears
>"In light of your prior service, you will not be executed. You will instead be banished from Equestria. Only I and Shining Armor know of what happened last night, and your absence will be explained as an ongoing mission to ensure the safety of Equestria."
>Come on, say something!
>You're completely frozen.
>"If you do come back, I will know instantly, and my guards will bring you to me. I will then reveal the monster that you are, and you will be executed."
>She's going to punish you for something you didn't consciously do! SNAP OUT OF IT!
>You can't. The shock and pain of Twilight's infidelity, the revelation of Caroline's death, and your apparent killing spree at the bar keep you frozen
>"If you have any decency, you will stay away from my country. I don't want to hurt my most faithful student more than I'm about to."
>She lowers her head, her horn pointing right at you, as you try to snap out it
Please...don't...
>Her horn begins to glow
I'm innocent...I..
>"Goodbye Captain Anonymous."
I saw...
>You choke
>A burst of magic hits you
>Instinctively, you close your eyes as air slaps your face
>It's a weird feeling that lasts only a few seconds, but you feel almost like you're flying at supersonic speeds
>All at once, you stop and feel instantly cold
>Wind still blowing in your face, you force your eyes open, and see a familiar terrain
>Freezing wind blows snow against the white landscape, and you realize you're on a mountain range
>A sense of anger falls over you
>That bitch! She didn't care. She didn't even try to understand you!
>You had just come out of a traumatizing event, and she didn't even attempt to get YOUR side of the story
>After all that you've done for Equestria, not a second chance to explain what happened!
>No inquiry as to what really happened!
>Rage filled your heart.
>If you ran into her again...
>The wind picks up, and snow brushes your face
>Whoa, where'd all that anger come from?
>Even worse, you realize you're on a mountain with only your tigerstripe uniform and no supplies or provisions
>It's so tempting... You could die here quite easily...All you have to do is nothing
>Slowly, you lower yourself onto the snow, feeling colder every second
>Lying on your back, some of the snow melts and your uniform is quickly soaked with freezing water
>Closing your eyes, visions of Twilight fill your sight
>No brain, quit it. She hurt me so bad.
>Caroline floods your mind     
>Please...no...
>Let my final moments be happy...
>You see your friends, even Twilight. You're all having fun, in the early days...before the shit hit the fan.
>The freezing wind slaps you
>Those were the days...And then the diamond dogs fill your mind
>Those fuckers...They were going to wreck Ponyville, but you were there...
>And the griffons... you shudder against the snow
>It had been a while since the torture had crossed your mind...but you had stopped them with your F-22
>Why did they start the war? You never did find out...
>Sometime you were commissioned... when was that? A little while after the griffons were stopped...?
>Things are getting hazy, as snow is starting to cover you. A few minutes left remain in your life
>The swearing in ceremony was right after the funeral service...an event you promised yourself you wouldn't allow to happen again
>So far, it hasn't...but now that you're gone...
>The world is so very cold right now...and you're so very tired...
>Your swearing-in ceremony... You swore allegiance to Equestria...
>The Beast of Sparta...that's what you were... and now you're considered a monster
> You swore...And with Trixie's strange power...it's not your problem
>It is. You still swore... And the trouble can't be over...
>Suddenly, you open your eyes and jump up
>You are not about to let yourself die uselessly
>A hero's death is what you deserve. You deserve death in the passion of battle
>Still freezing, you start walking forward.
>You have no idea where you're going, but you're going to survive this and die defending Equestria, despite your banishment.
>While you're moving, you know you won't freeze, but you need to find some shelter to rest eventually
>You mentally throw almost everything away: Your life on Earth, your relationship with Twilight Sparkle, your friendships with the citizens of Ponyville
>The one thing that you keep is your sense of duty: your oath now drives you
>Walking through the mountain in a snowstorm, a soldier banished by those he protects for something he cannot recall
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMqNFAU0tOw
>The clouds in the sky indicate heavier snow
>Defiantly, you brace yourself for the wind
Bring it on.