Title:           Anon's Adventures 1: Past Mistakes
Author:          NicoDeimos
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/QLDpcDes
First Edit:      Thursday 21st of April 2016 09:12:12 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Last edit on: Sunday 24th of July 2016 02:06:53 AM CDT

1
 
>Dusk began to settle within the thickly packed woods of the Everfree forest, further darkening the already gloomy interior.
>A sudden explosion rang out from within.
>Inside a small clearing, roiling smoke slowly dissipated revealing three silhouetted figures within.
>Coughing and hacking, one attempted to talk;
"Probably not the best place to run that experiment, Twilight. In the middle of the woods surrounded by flammable... well, wood."
>Twilight cleared her throat of the thick smoke still clinging inside.
>"Ahem, of course Anonymous. Then again I'd be performing this experiment in my lab proper if a certain someone hadn't insisted on coming out here for 'recreational purposes'."
>She shot a begrudged glare.
"Nonsense, Ms. Sparkle, you're the one doing yet more work and going against the spirit of 'recreation'. I explicitly mentioned you needed to get out once in a while and leave work behind. Do something less productive and just have fun."
>"I do have fun! I have fun researching, organizing, and 'working' in general. I also happen to have friends to have fun with if I wanted to, but I've been very busy and you know that."
>Anon nodded succinctly.
"Right. Trying to open the portal. What were you even working on before that explosion anyway?"
>Twilight shook her head.
>"That's just the thing; I was testing inter-dimensional connectivity by using my magic to bind a twig to another world. Nothing that should have caused such an explosion," her brow glowered in confusion, "or it shouldn't have at least. Maybe my calculations were a bit off..."
>Spike the dragon, having had finished clearing his own lungs of smoke, finally weighed in.
>"Why couldn't you just use the mirror again, Twilight?"
>Twilight shrugged a foreleg with a despondent look toward Anon who had wandered away a short distance, before responding in a hushed voice;
>"It's not quite that easy, Spike, but thanks for the consideration. We need to find a connection first before that would work."
 
2
 
>Twilight and Spike approached Anon as he stood rubbing his chin with his head tilted upward.
>He sniffed loudly into the air.
"Can you two smell that? Like something burned?"
>Twilight rolled her eyes, "you mean like the trees nearby that were caught in the explosion?"
"No. It doesn't smell like burning wood, but rather like... a gas?"
>Anon turned to Twilight with a ponderous look.
"Does Equestria use gas combustion at all?"
>"Not exactly. We have steam powered locomotives. Most motorized machines tend to use magic; however, most of that technology is far away from here. Not just the Everfree, but Ponyville in general. That kind of stuff you're more likely to find in the larger cities."
>Anon shook his head.
"Well, I'm not so sure that explosion was an accident."
>Twilight gave an incredulous look, "what could you possibly mean?"
"You said it yourself: that was far from the outcome you anticipated."
>"Yes, but it's not exactly uncommon working with unknown variables in magic that the slightest change could be rather disastrous. Besides we're in the middle of the woods and nopony even knows we're out here."
>Anon was looking around, examining the edges of the clearing at this point.
"Exactly. It's a perfect combination to make it look like an accident; no one around to bear witness, the famous Twilight Sparkle known to experiment with potentially dangerous magi- Aha!"
>His absently spoken dialogue was interrupted as he spotted movement between some trees.
>He chased after it, Twilight and Spike following after in bewilderment.
>"Anon, what are you doing?!" Twilight interjected
"Tsh- sh- shh!"
>Anon waved a finger back toward her as he vaulted between the trees.
>"Ugh, you were just yelling," Twilight sighed in exasperation.
>She and Spike followed between the trees a moment after.
>Standing within a smaller clearing, Anon was frantically scanning for what he spotted.
>"Well? What was it? What did you see?" Twilight asked.
 
3
 
"It was a pony. Or it's outline looked like one, at least."
>Twilight gave him a confused look.
>"Who could have followed us into the woods? I didn't tell anypony we'd be out here, you didn't I should think. Spike?"
>Spike shrugged, "I didn't mention anything."
"Twilight, scan the area for any residual magic. See if you can't find a possible trail."
>Twilight smirked at the request as her horn lit up and the light radiated across the clearing in a sweeping motion.
>"Anon, I'm telling you there can't be any sapient being this deep in the forest. Besides us of course and Zecora, but she lives nearer to the edge by Fluttershy's cottage. You probably just saw some animal roaming abou-"
>Her eyes widened in alarm.
>"Huh? This can't be right."
"What is it? Did you detect something?"
>"It's... there's a trace of magic here."
>She pointed to a spot near the two trees they passed between.
>"A recent imprint, too. Like it was just used-"
"When the explosion happened?"
>Anon knelt down before her with a grin.
"Well, now's probably not the best time to be telling you 'I told you so',"
>His grin faltered into stoic determination.
"Because you're in danger right now, Twilight Sparkle, and I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you safe."
>"B-but, how can-"
>Anon turned to Spike and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"And you too, little buddy. Come on. I'm keeping you close."
>He hoisted Spike up around his back, clasping claws across his chest.
>Twilight stared in amazement and admiration at how quickly Anon was jumping into action to protect them.
"Hold on tight. Twilight!"
>"Uh y-yeah? Huh?"
>Anon placed a gentle, but firm, hand under her muzzle.
"Looks like the trip's been cancelled early. Time to go home."
>He wrapped his arms around her barrel, eliciting an alarmed squeak from her.
"Alright, let's go!"
>He cried out in jubilant victory.
>A moment passed.
"Why aren't we moving?"
>"I. Can't." Twilight spoke tersely between gritted teeth.
 
4
 
>Spike sat on a log watching on with his head rested on his claws.
"What do you mean you can't?"
>Anon's voice was incredulous as he stopped pacing and stared down at her.
>Twilight's brow furrowed above her tightly-closed eyes.
>"I've already explained twice now; something is blocking my concentration to outside of the forest."
"But you were able to use magic already."
>"Yes, here, in the forest. I can use magic just fine right here," she concentrated for a second and her horn glowed casting light, "but something is keeping me from teleporting by interrupting my attempts to focus on a location outside of the forest. It's scrambling my concentration like we're in some kind of counter-telepathic bubble or something. And were you really just going to use me as an escape plan?"
>Anon waved off the question.
"No, don't be ridiculous. Well yes, ok teleporting out was kind of the plan. But not because I didn't want to save you! I mean, you are the only one here who can teleport so..."
>Twilight scowled.
"Not what I meant. As in you'd be able to get us all out and I'm not really helping with this am I?"
>Twilight closed her eyes and sighed, "can we just figure out a way to leave this forest?"
>Anon gestured in a seemingly random direction.
"Looks like we'll be leaving in the same manner we got here: by 'hoofing' it."
>He couldn't help but smirk.
>Twilight gave him a wry smile.
>"Lead the way, then."
 
>They were walking along, Anon up in front waving off errant branches.
>A thought struck his mind.
"Twilight? That magic you detected. Did it seem familiar at all? Could you tell what kind of spell it was?"
>Twilight wondered momentarily.
>"It seemed vaguely familiar, but I can't quite put my hoof on it. The type of spell felt like maybe a basic holding spell? Which is usually used to contain something. Sometimes even living things. But why didn't whoever use it to hold me?"
"Because maybe they were busy holding whatever exploded."
 
5
 
>"That might be a possibility. Besides royal guards using it to detain criminals, it's often used by science ponies to contain and transport material in a local area. But then the question is what were they transporting?"
>Anon looked back.
"That smell, it was like gas fumes were ignited. Maybe it happened to be some type of flammable gas. Maybe they moved it to where you were casting magic to ignite it, but it didn't kill you like they planned. Or maybe that wasn't what they were planning anyway..."
>Twilight cast a quizzical look.
>"Do you think they were just trying to scare me or something?"
>Anon shrugged.
"Could be. They might have been trying to startle you while you were working with potentially dangerous magic, to make you screw up and make your death appear completely to be your own fault."
>"Hey! I'm not so careless that ponies would just assume I blew myself up you know."
"Yeah, yeah, you're very meticulous about details I know."
>Twilight scrunched her muzzle in frustration.
"The thing is you're also out here alone, or well almost alone. They might have been banking on no pony ever finding us."
>"Us?" Spike butted in from atop Twilight.
"Yes, us. As in whoever it is was trying to kill you and me, along with Twilight."
>"Ahem, you mean to say 'you and I, along with Twilight'," interjected Twilight with a smug look.
>Anon stared back at her.
"No, Spike and I weren't the subject of that sentence. 'They' was."
>"They were?"
"Yes, 'they' was."
>"Are you speaking some kind of urban dialect?"
"Can we worry about this some other time? Like, when we're out of this forest and clear of danger?"
>Spike giggled, "sorry, she's not too use to being wrong."
>"Spike! I am so, use to being wrong!"
>He sighed in response.
>"See what I mean?"
>Anon winked at him before returning his attention forward.
"So that magic, it felt familiar to you right?"
>"Yes, like I felt it before. Only very recently."
"Weren't you examining Starlight just before this trip?"
 
6
 
>Twilight gasped.
>"Yes, I was measuring her magic level. F-for science, of course... but you don't think she's responsible, do you? That's absurd!"
>Anon could only shrug in response.
"You're the one with the magic. You claimed the magic back there felt familiar and the only other magic you've been getting particularly, ah 'intimate' with recently has been Starlight's right? Or have you been 'examining' other unicorns?"
>"Yeah... I mean, no! To the last one, I mean. No. Only Starlight. Recently, that is."
>Her cheeks burned red as her eyes darted to and fro.
"Hm. How much further until the edge of the forest, do you think?"
>"Probably another twenty minutes or so. We didn't wander in too deep, if you recall. I didn't want to put Spike in too much danger."
>Spike huffed, "hey! I fought off a timber wolf before."
>"Yes, I know Spike. There's just much more dangers in here besides timber wolves. As made evident by whoever caused that explosion..."
 
>The group had wandered for nearly twenty minutes when Anon finally spotted a break in the seemingly endless woods.
"Alright then! We're almost out of here, but keep your eyes peeled. Even when we leave the woods, we won't be out of danger yet."
>They steadily moved closer and closer toward the shimmering light of the exit, when there came a low rumble from off to their side.
>"W-what was that?" asked Spike with voice aquiver.
"Don't worry, whatever it is it shouldn't follow us out of the woods. It didn't sound like any unicorn..."
>Anon could see structures on the distant horizon.
>They were almost out of the forest.
>The rumble boomed into a distinct roar.
>Movement rustled from within the forest.
>Anon staggered his gaze from side to side while trying to keep an eye on his footing.
>He spotted a lumbering mass lurching toward their group.
>The wooden creature was picking up speed.
"Go, go, go!"
>Anon fell back, urging Twilight and Spike ahead.
 
7
 
"What can we do to stop it, or slow it down at least?!"
>Anon shouted ahead.
>"I don't know!" Twilight shouted back in response, "I don't exactly have a treat on me we could throw to it as a distraction!"
>Thinking quickly, an idea sprung up in Anon's mind.
"Wait, it's made of wood!"
>"So?!"
"What have we learned today about wood?!"
>"It can become sentient and carnivorous?!"
"No, no, like in the clearing! The explosion!"
>"What?!"
"We can set it on fire!"
>Anon beamed as he stared at Spike who was still riding atop Twilight.
>"No, we can't!" Twilight cried out.
"What?! Why not?!"
>"It might burn down the whole Everfree forest! There are other creatures living here, peaceful and harmless creatures! I cannot condone destroying their homes or something worse, even if our lives depend on it!"
>Frustrated, Anon pushed on.
"Well what else can we do?!"
>"Wait until we're out in the open! If it follows us- but then what if it runs back into the forest while it's still on fire?!"
"We'll deal with it if it comes to that! You have a holding spell, don't you?!"
>Twilight's eyes managed to widen even further.
>"Yes!"
>Several strides through, the timber wolf crashed onto the non-existent trail they were using.
>Anon lurched forward, scooping up Twilight and Spike and hurling them all forward in one swift effort.
"Spike! I need you to breath fire at that thing as soon as it leaves the woods, got that?!"
>"Y-yeah..."
"Spike! Our lives depend on it! Twilight's life depends on it!"
>Spike's pupils dilated, he stared directly into Anon's eyes and for a split second Anon saw fire in them.
>"Yes!"
>They crashed through the last branches, Twilight and Spike in Anon's arms.
>Fatigue started to take hold in Anon's legs.
>The weight of his two friends, who were currently in danger, weighed down on his rather humble strength.
"Raaagh!"
>He pushed on as the beast behind them followed them out of the woods.
 
8
 
"Now, Spike, Twilight!"
>Anon called out, as he twisted around just enough to allow Spike's face a clear view of the timber wolf.
>Twilight peered as far as her generous neck could around Anon's opposite shoulder, preparing to cast a holding spell.
>Green flame spewed out from Spike's mouth, enveloping the beast within the searing heat.
>Anon could feel the hot burning on his back.
>Spike was giving it his all.
>Twilight's face grimaced in concentration, her horn aglow attempting to cast the powerful magic that would be required to hold that enormous thing.
>Seconds pass, Anon was still running, Spike was still exhaling fire, and Twilight was still trying to focus her energy.
"Well?! Is it working?! What's happening?!"
>"It- it's not working!" cried out Twilight.
>Spike stopped breathing fire and breathed heavily.
>"I can't- I can't keep- going. It's- not catching- fire." he spoke between breaths.
>Anon turned his head to look and spotted the last gout of green flame flow across the timber wolf's body harmlessly, and sparkles of purple magic glistering off with no effect.
>There was a brief moment where the wolf's body shimmered in a blue light before fading back to the natural dull browns.
>It was being protected.
"Can't you blast it, Twilight?!"
>"I can't... I just..."
"Teleport! Now!"
>Twilight gasped.
>There was a blast of energy and bright purple light.
>Suddenly, Anon was running through the halls of Twilight's castle.
>He screeched to a halt and looked around.
>After getting his bearings, he put Twilight and Spike down and then fell over completely exhausted.
>He gasped for energizing air.
"I think... you're going to... need a chat with... your pupil..."
>Twilight stared at him before looking down the hall with a resolute glare.
>"Spike, stay here."
>"But Twilight, I-"
>"Stay here! I need to deal with this alone."
>Luckily she told Starlight to keep an eye on the place.
>Twilight strode toward the spare quarters with authority in her gait.
 
9
 
>Starlight was in fact in her room at the time when a booming knock sounded at the door.
>She gazed in startled bewilderment at the interruption before trotting forward and opening it.
>Through the portal she bore witness to Princess Twilight Sparkle bearing a burning glare.
>"My dear pupil. I am ever so glad you happened to be in," she spoke as venom seeping from between gritted teeth.
>"T-Twilight? P-Princess? I- this is a surprise. I wasn't expecting you back so soon! Heheh..."
>Starlight's voice faltered in nervous laughter.
>"I am sure," Twilight spake through a forced smile.
>She unceremoniously entered the room, rounding on Starlight.
>"Tell me, my dear, dear pupil; what exactly have you been up to today?"
>Starlight fidgeted.
>"Uhm, well, mostly just practicing those spells you were teaching me-"
>"Oh?! Just practicing spells?!" Twilight barked.
>Starlight flinched, "Y-yes?"
>"Did you happen to be practicing them by the Everfree forest by chance?!"
>"N-no, what? Why would I be anywhere near there? I've been here in the castle pretty much the entire time you were gone!"
>Tears streamed from Starlight's eyes.
>She lifted a foreleg to wipe it away, peering over it in confusion.
>"W-why are you doing this?"
>Twilight's expression wavered, "is this some kind of act you're putting on? You had to have been there, I sensed your magic..."
"She wasn't there."
>Twilight's head snapped toward the door.
>Anon stood in the opening, hand holding a stitch in his side.
"Well, her present self wasn't."
>He stumbled inside before kneeling in front of Starlight.
"Well, she actually was there, but she herself wasn't there."
>"What are you going on about?" Twilight asked, confused.
>Anon gently placed a hand on Starlight's withers, comforting her.
"There, there. Twilight's just had a bit of a rough time today. She didn't mean anything."
>Starlight sniffled, looking up into Anon's eyes with gratitude.
"This Starlight wasn't the one who cast those spells."
 
10
 
>"How... but who else could it be? It was her magic I detected, I knew for sure when I tried holding the timber wolf! How do you know it wasn't her?!"
"Simple: we just ask."
>Twilight huffed.
>"Ok then," she turned back to Starlight, "Starlight Glimmer. Did you make an attempt on my life and the lives of my friends, Anon and Spike, today?"
>Her posture was that of commanding authority.
>"N-no, I could never... I changed! I'm a different pony than I use to be, I swear!"
>Starlight's eyes flowed renewed at the accusation.
>Twilight stared back at Anon.
"You know for someone as smart as you, you're being unusually daft."
>"What?!" Twilight responded incredulously.
"You're asking the wrong question. Starlight"
>Anon softly turned his hand, bringing her attention back to himself.
"Back before Twilight stopped you from using time travel to change the world, did you ever happen to use it for anything else besides interrupting Rainbow Dash's sonic rainboom?"
>"I- uhm, yes I think I might have..."
"You think? Starlight, I don't need you to think I need you to remember. Please."
>Starlight blinked, "yes. I remember now. When I first found the scroll, but before I saw Twilight's lecture and found out about the rainboom, I sneaked into Twilight's castle one night. I wanted to test it to make sure I could actually travel through time. I chose a short time into the future, so if it did work I wouldn't be stuck in the past if things went bad. I remember I came back to during the day, the first time's a doozy. Twilight almost spotted me laying on the floor in the main room-"
>"Almost? I did see you, and I thought you were being silly ducking around!"
>"O-oh. Well, I didn't know at the time! Anyway, yes, I ended up following her and Spike out into the woods. She was with some weird green alien guy and- oh!"
>She stared at Anon.
>"That was you! I tried... I tried to... no! That happened today?!"
>Anon solemnly nodded.
 
11
 
>"I... I'm so sorry, I didn't mean- if I had known that today was going to be that day, I would have stopped myself, I swear!"
>Anon shook his head vigorously.
"No, no, you're not in trouble! In fact if you did stop yourself, you might have altered history and who knows what might have happened then?"
>He patted her withers and turned back to Twilight with a beaming smile.
"See?! Everything is just dandy, no harm done! It wasn't her exactly who did it, and by now I'm sure she's had time to return to her own... well, time."
>Twilight looked in astonishment at Anon.
>"You're right... how could I have been so stupid?!"
>She slapped a hoof over her face.
>"Oh Celestia, why didn't I even remember the whole timeline debacle..."
"Hey now, don't beat yourself up about it. You were under duress, there was a lot of different dangers and stresses for you to deal with today. Mistakes were made, some words were said, and then some more to make sense of it. All water under the bridge now."
>"Yeah, but still how did you know she wasn't the one who did it?"
"Ahh, call it a gut instinct, you know. I may have a bit of a knack for problem solving is all. Speaking of which, I think somepony here is due for an apology."
>Anon gave Twilight a pointed look, glancing between her and Starlight.
>"Oh! Right! Starlight!"
>Starlight's sobbing stopped as her attention was snapped back to her formerly-scathing teacher.
>Twilight reached a hoof out toward her.
>"I am so very sorry for how I acted just a moment ago. I was wrong to jump to conclusions and think for even a second that you would try something like that. Er, well the present you anyway. Could you ever forgive me?"
>Starlight smiled brightly, standing up and moving forward.
>She embraced her teacher warmly.
>"I've done far worse things that have been forgiven much more quickly."
>Twilight returned the hug, and looked at Anon over her student's shoulder.
>Anon grinned, giving her a congratulatory wink.
 
Fin
 
In the next installment:
 
>"I won't always be there with my magic to protect you, or everypony else," Twilight stated resolutely.
>"I think you have proven I can trust you with this."
 
>Pinkie raced past as Anon stood stock still.
>"I've done all I can do! Do you have any ideas?" she asked rather gleefully in regard to the imminent danger she just escaped from.
>Anon turned, readying the device.
"Stand back. I got this."