Title: Bug Butt Filler 17 Author: shrimpasta Pastebin link: http://pastebin.com/X26ek9JZ First Edit: Thursday 24th of July 2014 04:09:52 PM CDT Last Edit: Thursday 24th of July 2014 04:09:52 PM CDT >You seem to be on the ground >Pinned down by Chrysalis, who's horn and eyes are lit in a sickly shade of green >Twilight, Cadence, and Shining Armor are here too >You seem to be outside,in what used to be the middle of a crystal street >No ponies are near likely fled from the carnage >Blast marks are evident everywhere >The other ponies are just starting to stir >As though just regaining consciousness I-is he stopped? >Cadence is the first to speak >Chrysalis's glow dies down, and is looking at you wearily >You want to answer, but you have to know something else first H... How long? >You corak out, feeling weak >A confused look is all you get I.... kicked him out... How long... Has it been? >Speaking is hard for you >Whatever happened when he had your body has you worn down to extreme levels >Finally, she answers you About 13 hours >Fuck >Time had no meaning in that place >It seemed like much more than mere hours >In fact, it felt like solid centuries >And with that, you give up the struggle to even sit straight >At that point, everyone is up Di-Did she win? >Shining asks, looking at you and Chrysalis >You may not be able to move, but you can still speak >You suppress a grin >In the loudest whisper you can manage, you say I know you're happy to see me, but this is embarrassing... >That did the trick >She shoots backwards off of you, looking flustered >Twilight is hiding a giggle, Cadence has that smirk again, and Shining isn't even trying to hide his laughter >Though, with the pressure of hooves off your knees and shoulders, you feel much more relaxed >But even if you tried, you wouldn't be able to doze off >In what felt like an eternity in that cage again, you had more than time to think >Think about a certain someone >Looking at her again, you can now confirm it >You missed her >Terribly >Despite all that time, you still can't sort out your feelings for her >After the laughter falls away, Twilight speaks up Is he gone? Did you defeat him? >You finally sit up and shake your head He left just before I could >Then you remember what else he told you And he gave me a riddle >A glance is shared by the whole group One thousand paces; One thousand faces Ten hundred to defend; Ten hundred ways to meet your end >Everyone looks confused >Everyone except for Twilight That's...the millennium path! It's said to take 1000 paces to reach, and you'll meet a thousand new faces along the way! >A memory starts to emerge >Another fragment, but this one is fuzzy >Slowly gaining focus >Something... Before >That's it >Before being trapped >You had wandered the underworld alone >You sat by the Styx and plucked things out of it >Beloved possessions, dreams, and other such artifacts wind up there after people die and give them up >One time there was a book >It talked about the true spirit's path >One thousand paces to reach, from where you start >And one thousand souls to light the way >That book was one of the things you had put in a little stash somewhere along the Styx >You briefly wonder if it's still there >But you do understand one thing >You can't just start anywhere, like the myths said >You can't remember where you have to start, but you know it's in that book that you stashed >You come out of your nostalgia fog and find 2 ponies in an argument My books tell me you can get there from anywhere! >Twilight declares at Chrysalis Then they lie. The entrance has long been lost to time >Chrysalis retorts >You decide to interrupt Chrysalis is half right >Predictably, they stop bickering and look to you, still lying on the ground You can't just start anywhere. I'll explain what I know later >You pause For now, can we get inside somewhere? Street rubble isn't comfortable >Cadence lets out an audible laugh at this >Everyone agrees, and some time later, you fall asleep on a cushioned couch >.... >.... >You are by the Styx >You know you're dreaming, but you don't mind >You're enjoying the activity of recovering the hopes and dreams of other souls and giving them the honor of being remembered >You find a pocket watch that plays a melody from a music box inside when you open it >You take time to imagine what the person who made it must have been like, wish their soul wellness, and throw it back >After that, you fish out a beat up old captain's hat, that's clearly seen many sights at sea >You put it on and keep looking >This goes on for a while; sometimes keeping things, usually throwing it back in >Just as you put on a necklace with a beautifully detailed silver moon, a voice speaks up from behind you Ah. I remember making that for my sister >You tense up, at first, then relax >Her voice is calm and sincere >You turn a bit to see who it is, and are surprised with who you see Luna >She's surprised at this, but you pay her no mind and continue looking for things in the Styx How do you know who I am? >An elegant cane inscribed with carvings of what seem like events >This man had lived many full years >You set it beside you and keep going Somebody tried to fool me with a disguise. Said he was you >A baseball covered in signatures >You give it one last pitch down the river line Why are you in my dream? >You say as you fish out a long red trench coat with tattered ribbon-like ends from the waist and a slightly torn left sleeve >Standing to put it on, it fit comfortably >Combined with the hat, the high collar hides your face well >You turn to face Luna, half wondering what you look like with just your eyes showing >After a moment, she answers Most dreams I see are not like your's now, where you are re-living your past >Re-living? >Had you collected these things before? I can also tell that you will be coming to this place again >That's true >To find the entrance to the place, you'd have to find your stash for that book Your point? >She seems taken aback by this Are you not afraid? These dreams usually represent fear of what's to come... >Hmm >Makes a little sense, you suppose >You turn back to the river, and resume the fishing If anything, I'm worried about what will happen when I encounter him again... >Sombra had displayed his power, and when you look back on it, you're almost certain that that punch didn't bother him as much as he made it look >He may well have been trying to ploy for time to escape >Which he did >You barely register the fact that the walls and ceiling showed the memories of your encounter with him >How he got away, and the riddle >Luna must have watched it, because she gasps Sombra?! You are going to confront Sombra?! >You understand the concern >From what you do know, he's well reputable as a terrible being, bent on total rule >But she doesn't know who you are >And what you've defeated >Once again, your memories flash on the walls >The escape from that damned cage >But it doesn't stop there >Something that you don't remember is playing on the walls, much to your surprise >It's after you dropped from the cage and into the Lethe >You see yourself swim to the shore, and come out with a blank look on your face >You watch yourself aimlessly wander, eventually finding a door >Every so often, another drop of the river comes off your clothes and touches you, giving you a blank look again >You watch yourself pick something up next to a door >A piece of crystal, barely bigger than a dime >You put it in your pocket, and another drop hits >You walk out and see yourself in a forest >Not only that, but in the middle of an abandoned camp with bodies everywhere >You keep watching as you come across a hydra's nest >You see yourself stop and look at the eggs, and something happens >A red horn comes out of the ground, followed by a black gaseous body >It destroys the eggs coming out of the ground, and turns to you >Another drop takes effect, and then a roar is heard >The mother hydra is angry, and tearing through the camp >The black fog then seeps into the hydra, taking it over >Then it sets after you >You run away, the last of the drops hitting you >You see yourself trip and knock yourself unconscious, just after gaining a head start >Then last drop on you hit you >And that's where the "flashback" ends >Luna is stunned, and so are you >You finally understand how you got here >You managed to walk right out of the underworld, and into the living >You  turn to ask Luna how you can see something you don't remember, but she has left >And another voice is calling at you Anon? Anon wake up. >You stir, and the dream starts fading away, the items you recovered from the Styx vanishing, and sensation from reality returning >You wake up to Shining nudging you Good, you're awake >You sit up on the couch and see that everyone has gathered You went still for a moment >Twilight says >You glance at the faces of each one, and see a slight apprehension in all >Then you start to tell them the current plan...