>You’re in a good mood today.
>Better than you’ve been all week.
>Tomorrow’s the day you get out of here.
>Been crammed in here too long.
>You’re getting a bit restless.
>As you get dressed, something crosses your mind.
>All week you hadn’t gotten a visit from Luna.
>Did you piss her off so bad she’d decided not to talk to you?
>Well fuck.
>You sit on your bed and reflect.
>This isn’t the first time you’d done something stupid and pissed off a woman.
>Still, home you didn’t mind too much, and your friends would be more than willing to share a laugh at your drunken misadventures.
>Not here though.
>She was your ONLY friend.
>You didn’t really consider your Poker Buddies friends; hell, you didn’t even know their names.
>They were merely here to keep you entertained.
>…
>DAMN that sounded wrong.
>You were using them.
>Come to think of it, you’d done the same back home sometimes.
>In fact, you had a group of people similar back there.
>Wow, you were more of a douche than you thought.
>Don’t know what you got till’ it’s gone you guess.
>Once you got out of here, you knew you’d leave your “Poker Buddies” as well.
>You’d be the center of attention, just like you loved back home.
>Except for different reasons.
>Why had you done this shit back home?
>For the attention of course.
>It’s why you picked up the revolver you carry in the first place.
>Well, originally it was to impress the ladies, but eventually friends of friends and relatives started watching you.
>That was when you got into it even more seriously than before, when you started to crave the attention.
>Eventually you’d hit your best.
>It was time.
>You made the trip to Dallas for the Dallas Pistol Club’s Precision Bull’s-eye challenge.
>Nothing big, but it was competition.
>You were thirsty to win against someone else.
>And you did.
>You won and it felt great.
>The cheers of the crowds, that feeling of satisfaction that you’d been the best, all of it was amazing.
>Overwhelming almost.
>From there it was only upward.
>You joined up with the Cowboy Fast Draw Association.
>You competed in several competitions afterwards across the USA.
>You won most, but you did lose a few.
>Of course, you smiled and shook hands.
>Then you went home, got a drink, and usually broke something.
>Almost wrecked your car once driving drunk.
>You didn’t take losing well.
>Finally the day came.
>After taking several months to hone your skills to their peak, you went up against not just top shooters from the US, but from around the world.
>You were a participant in the World Championship of Cowboy Fast Draw.
>And you were a blur.
>When the finals came around, you almost lost.
>Almost.
>But you weren’t about to blow it now.
>At this point it had been a little over a year since you’d started.
>Some said you were some kind of prodigy.
>Some kind you a mutant.
>Some called bullshit.
>They were quickly silenced by those who were your fans.
>You won, but only by milliseconds.
>…Then you went out and partied, got drunk off your ass, and had to be carried back to the hotel.
>By your best and only true friend.
>You’d known him since you were both kids.
>Funny thing is, you grew up to be a quick drawing farmhand, but he grew up to get a Ph.D.
>He was a brainiac through and through, got straight A’s growing up.
>Of course like any geek or nerd he got bullied.
>That’s where you came in.
>After you gave the ringleader a solid beating, the message was clear:
>Leave him alone or you’ll get your ass handed too you as well.
>Course’ it helped having a brainy friend; sure he could be a bit hard to understand sometimes, but he was the reason you passed Geometry in High School.
>It was all fine.
>Then the two of you had a falling out.
>He didn’t like the way your pride and ego were getting out of control.
>He didn’t like the partying and the drinking, said it was bad for your health.
>Said you were going too far.
>That was the last straw.
>You stopped speaking after that.
>And it was happening all over again.
 
>You begin work early.
>Well, YOUR early.
>It was actually late evening.
>There goes the first gemstone of the night.
>Hold on.
>What if… what if…
>An idea!
>The gems weren’t strong enough to contain such power.
>You needed something stronger.
>Steel.
>You needed Steel.
>But you needed a design.
>Ah yes, a cross.
>A symbol of an old earth p0ny religion.
>Now it’s just worn for show or held by those who would cling to the past.
>Thankfully you had access to one, part of your private collection of p0ny history.
>That is, before you and your sister took charge of Equestria.
>Past that was not history, it was current events.
>You head into the collection room, remove the glass casing, take the cross on a chain and close the casing again.
>Getting back to work, you attempt to fuse the spell to the cross.
>Slowly….slowly…
>It worked.
>The item now shines with a bright white glow.
>Its finish is gleaming.
>You smile, proud of the work.
>You KNEW you could do it!
>Now about giving it to Anonymous.
>You couldn’t very well give it to him at the castle; it is likely your sister would find out.
>Well then, if you couldn’t bring it to him… You’d bring him here.
 
>You exit your room and stretch.
>You’d finally been freed.
>First thing you do is head back to the maze.
>In the light of day, you had a much easier time getting around.
>Your legs fully stretched, you exited the maze.
>All was not well however.
>Tonight you had to make amends with Luna.
>You HAD to.
>You head back to your room, in thought as to how you could.
>What you’d done was sexual harassment, even if you were straight drunk.
>You were LUCKY she’d spared you the chopping block.
>Weren’t too keen on getting yourself killed like that.
>You’d been avoiding Sunshine all day.
>Didn’t want to piss her off without Luna there to save your skin.
>You’d done good so far.
>You just have to hope and pray that you can avoid her until nightfall.
 
>Night is finally here.
>Thank god.
>However to your surprise, Luna returns with a serious expression on her face.
>”Gather thy belongings. Thou art being moved.”
 
“Moved? To where?”
 
>This can’t be good.
>”Tis’ not wise for Us to leave thee here with Our sister. Therefore We have decided to take you elsewhere”
>She’s whispering.
>Not good either.
 
“Where might that be?”
 
>”Thou art to be moved to our private retreat, away from Our sister. A room there has been prepared.”
>You decide not to argue and begin gathering your things.
>You consider grabbing that malformed piece of crap from your drawer so as not to have Sunshine find it, but you couldn’t care less at this point.
>You wouldn’t have to deal with her ever again.
>Good shit.
>You reach for your final possession, a deck of cards, but stop.
>A smirk reaches your lips.
 
“Can ah’ get a quill, ink an’ some parchment?”
 
>Luna is confused but allows you the items.
>They appear from thin air.
>Great, more magic.
>You take the items and write a short note.
 
“Fellas, I ain’t gonna be round’ here no more, but I don’t think that should stop ya’ll from havin’ some fun. Keep em’.”
 
>You finish the note and roll the scroll up, setting it by the deck on the table you’d grown used to.
>You walk over to Luna.
 
“Ahm’ good t’ go.”
 
>The two of you vanish.
 
>You reappear outside a massive stone structure.
>Not as big as the castle, but impressive in its own right.
>You feel the nausea hit your stomach and your head starts to spin.
>Luna catches you in her grip.
>”Apologies; thou art not used to teleportation; We forgot.”
>You manage to right yourself after the effects are gone.
 
“S’alright. Where am I gonna be stayin?”
 
>”Come with Us.”
>You’re led to a room that’s larger and more lavish than the one you previously inhabited.
>Wait, that’s possible?
>Well shit, this is nice.
>You place your clothes on the bed.
>”This line shall summon a maid should thou require anything.”
>She nods to a nearby rope that leads up to the ceiling and hugs the wall, going through a hole near the door.
>”We shall be in Our chambers.”
>She walks off and leaves you alone.
>You get to putting up your clothes in the drawers given.
>You set your hat on top of the ornate dresser.
>You slide your boots off and set them by the bed.
>You get a good look around.
>Hot damn this is fancy!
>A desk, a nightstand, even ACTUAL HARD WOOD paneling under your feet!
>You enter the bathroom next.
>This tub is about the size of a Jacuzzi.
>What the fuck.
>Then again, this IS the private retreat of a princess; guests that stay here would most likely be other royalty.
>You ain’t royalty, but hell if you’re complaining.
>This is IT.
>Only thing to make it better would be a giant TV, some beer and a Lay-Z-Boy.
>Maybe internet.
>Still, it was impressive as it was.
>A bit “ye olde”, but impressive.
 >Time to try out that rope…
 
>You pace back and forth.
>How would you give this to him?
>Well, as a friend!
>Yes, of course!
>That is all you are!
>You feel the blush creep over your face again.
>But… that isn’t what you want it to be.
>You have to accept it; your feelings for him are too strong to deny them any longer.
>Still, he’s an entirely different speicies.
>You doubt that he’d even give you a second glance.
>He even said himself that the species he had similar to yourself were mindless beasts used for transportation.
>He would never see you as attractive, let alone share the feelings you harbored for him.
>Your heart sinks and you felt your ears fall to the sides of your head.
>The same depression you’d felt when you realized your sister was the one that your subjects loved, not you.
>Except this hurt.
>It was a pain unlike any before.
>A single tear falls from your eye and hits the floor.
>Oh no.
>You’re crying.
>You… You mustn’t…
 
>Stupid ass bell.
>One of two things is going on.
>The bell wasn’t working or the workers were slacking off.
>You were guessing it was the latter.
>You were going to give them a piece of your mind.
>Well, that’s what you wanted to do anyway.
>As it stands, you’re lost.
>But when you found your way to where those workers were, oh THEN they’d get it.
>You find the room where they are and the maids were giggling amongst themselves.
>You notice one has wings AND a horn.
>Your intentionally heavy footsteps get their attention.
>However, complaining is the last thing on your mind.
 
“Hang on, I though th’ princess were th’ only ones with wings an’ horns at the same time.”
 
>”O-oh, they are sir.”
 
“Then why in tarnation does a maid have both?”
 
>”W-well sir, Her Highness asked… I mean…”
>She seemed reluctant to tell you.
 
“Fuck it, I’ll go ask her m’self. Ifin’ ya’ll ain’t keen on tellin’ me to my face.”
 
>Anger replaced by confusion, you march off to find her room.
>You pass a staircase and hear light sobbing.
>Curiosity turns to concern.
>You make your way up the steps and open the door, forgetting to knock.
>She’s startled by your appearance.
>”A-Anonymous! W-what dost thou need?”
 
“First’ I was plannin’ on askin’ bout that winged unicorn maid, but now I’m just checkin’ on ya. I heard cryin’.”
 
>”C-crying? For what reason would We be crying?”
>She’s flustered, and the stains from her tears on the rug beneath her are proof of her lies.
>You notice movement out of the corner of your eye.
>She’s trying to hide something under some parchment.
 
“What’s that?”
 
>”What art thou speaking of? Tis’ nothing there!”
>Bullshit.
>You walk over and remove the item, taking it in your hand.
>It’s a simple metal cross on a chain, but it has a bright shine to it.
 
“Mind answerin’ mah question now?”
 
>She bites her lip before turning away.
>”Twas’… Twas’ a gift. For you. We….I…”
>Hold on a second, did she just use the word “I”?
>”Tis’ because I am in love with thee!”