Title: Captain Anonymous - Chapter 7 - Interrogative Equines Author: somewritefag Pastebin link: http://pastebin.com/9RQnaMTX First Edit: Sunday 9th of August 2015 09:56:19 AM CDT Last Edit: Last edit on: Sunday 9th of August 2015 12:17:53 PM CDT                                         Captain Anonymous - Chapter 7 - Interrogative Equines -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   >Over the next week or so, Twilight becomes less and less shy about getting close to you and being affectionate, but she still hasn't tried to kiss you or go any further than cuddling and spooning in bed. She's also careful to avoid showing her feelings for you in public.   >You know some part of her still feels not quite right about falling in love with a non-pony, but you've decided it's best to let things progress at a pace that she's comfortable with, rather than pushing her any further. She's probably dying to become more intimate with you, but you don't want her to have any regrets about going any further than she’s ready to.   >One day you're alone in the castle, which is a rare occurrence. You continue working on your repairs, swearing at times you can hear a voice through the empty static. You're completely oblivious to your surroundings and unaware of the passing of time, and suddenly, before you can say or do anything, you're caught in a lasso that firmly binds your arms to your sides and your torso to the chair you're sitting in. A familiar orange earth pony and light blue pegasus appear in front of you, and they don’t look very happy.   "Applejack? Rainbow Dash? What the hell is going on here?" you ask in complete confusion as you strain against the rope, prompting Applejack to pull it even tighter before using the other end to tie your legs to the chair, making sure you know that you're not going anywhere. She’s also the first to speak up   >"Now you listen here, Ah don't know what kind of spell y'all done cast on Twilight, but Ah swear to Celestia if ya do anything to hurt her, yer gonna regret it."   "Spell? What are you talking abo-"   >You're interrupted by Rainbow Dash shoving a hoof in your mouth.   >"She's changed, we all see it, don't try to play stupid. We know you did something to her," she growls.   >You don't know how to respond, you have no idea if they know about Twilight's feelings for you or not. When Dash finally removes her hoof from your mouth you quickly respond.   "I don't know what you two are talking about, Twilight and I are very close friends. Are you sure you're not just jealous that she's spending more time with me than with you now?"   >Applejack tightens the rope some more, making it difficult to breathe.   >"Ain't nothin’ more important to Twilight than her friends," Applejack replies.   >You cough, trying to inhale against the pressure on your chest from the rope.   "I AM Twilight’s friend…” you manage to squeeze out.   >Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes as she responds. "We already know she's your friend, but you're pulling her away from us, she won't say why, and we want an explanation. We know you're up to something, so you might as well spill it, whatever it is, because we won't just stand by and watch you take her away from us for whatever nefarious purpose you have in mind."   "AJ, Dash, please," you beg, your face beginning to turn red as your breaths become shallow and insufficient for your body's need for oxygen.   >Dash's tail slaps against your face, "Oh please, don't even try to play the victim here," she says.   >You feel yourself on the verge of blacking out before Applejack finally loosens the rope enough to allow normal breathing. Rainbow Dash looks over your body, finally rubbing a hoof over each of your restrained knees.   >"Hey AJ, you're the one with all the bucking experience, I think if you hit him riiiiight here maybe he'll talk."   >"Ah dunno about that, Rainbow Dash, ah didn't come here to really hurt him..."   >Dash places a hoof in front of her muzzle and whispers to Applejack, "I know that, I don't want you to hurt him either, I'm just trying to scare him, I thought you'd understand and play along," she grumbles.   >"Oh... oh I get it," Applejack whispers in response. She then speaks up in a tone that's not very convincing. "Yeah, Ah didn't really come here ta hurt him, but if he leaves us no choice, maybe not bein' able to walk for a month will change his mind..." she stands in front of you, priming her hind legs for a hard kick to your knees. You squint your eyes at her and furrow your brow.   "You wouldn't dare..."   >Applejack attempts to continue her already-shattered façade.   >"Y'all sure ya wanna take that chance? These puppies have broken saplings almost a foot thick clean in half," she says, raising one hind leg, then the other as she speaks.   "Go ahead then," you say, leaning back and rolling your eyes in disinterest, making it clear that you're not afraid of her at all.   >Applejack closes her eyes, lifting her hind legs off the ground   >"Ah warned ya..."   >Applejack kicks with all her might, her hooves flying over both of your knees, missing by millimeters.   >"Dangit, Ah missed," she says, as if it weren't intentional.   "You know, if you two are trying to pull the whole good-cop, bad-cop thing, you're screwing it up pretty badly."   >Rainbow Dash raises an eyebrow, "What the hay are you talking about?"   >You give a frustrated sigh.   "Nothing, never mind, I don't feel like explaining."   >Dash slaps you around a little bit more with her tail, just barely enough to sting a little bit.   "Is this some kind of pegasus mating ritual?" you ask with an amused smirk on your face, eliciting a disgusted growl through clenched teeth from her.   >Applejack sighs. "Ah think it's time ta give it a rest, Rainbow. It ain't workin. He ain't gonna tell us squat, and if we really hurt him it'll stir up a hornet's nest with Twi. 'sides, I don't think either one of us really has it in us ta hurt him anyway."   >Applejack unties the rope, and you rub your arms and chest where it had left an indentation and some slightly irritated skin   "Thank you, Applejack. Now, if you fillies are done trying to 'torture' me, I'd be happy to explain what's going on, but I can't do that without Twilight's permission. It doesn't sound like you have all the information to me. You're welcome to wait here until she gets home," you say, returning to your work, "or you can leave and come back later. Doesn’t matter to me either way."   >You look back up for a moment.   "By the way, trying to extract information like that hardly ever works. It's also pretty rude that you haven't confronted Twilight about this more directly if you're really that concerned about her. Besides, take a good look around you and think about how long I've been here. Do you really believe after all this time that I'm still a threat?"   >After pondering your words for a few minutes, Applejack sits on her haunches, taking off her hat and holding it against her chest, flattening her ears against her head and looking away from you in shame   >"Ah... Ah'm sorry Anon... What we done was downright foolish..."   "You're already forgiven, Applejack," you say, not bothering to look at her. "You, too, Dash."   >Dash is also sitting on her haunches with a somewhat pouty but angry expression on her face   "Believe it or not I like both of you. I like all of Twi's friends," you pause for a moment, forcing a fake saddened, guilt-tripping tone of voice, "Even the ones that hate me for no reason."   >Applejack wipes away an ashamed tear before putting her hat back on. Dash just lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.   >"Come on, Applejack, this whole idea of yours was stupid from the beginning," Dash says as she stands up.   >"*MAH* idea!? Yer the one that dragged ME into this! Ah didn't wanna do it from the get go," she replies, incensed.   >"Well YOU'RE the one that roped and tied him like you were at some kind of rodeo!"   >The two continue arguing as they walk through the door to your chambers, their voices fading until disappearing altogether as they leave the castle. You're alone for several more hours before you hear more hoofsteps approaching your doorway.   "It's about time you got home Tw-" you start, turning around to look, expecting to see her friendly face. Instead you see a white unicorn with a concerned expression, who surprisingly seems to have no qualms about making eye contact with you. You give a frustrated grunt, turning around and returning to your work.   >Rarity looks up at you and clears her throat, approaching you and nudging you with a hoof to get your attention, still completely unafraid of making eye contact with you. You finally turn back again to look at her before she begins to speak.   >"Mister Anonymous," she starts hesitantly, "I heard what Applejack and Rainbow Dash did, I just wanted to apologize for their conduct. They're not always the most level-headed of ponies. They can both be quite stubborn and rash."   "I already told them both they were forgiven, it wasn't really a big deal. Heck, under different circumstances I might even have enjoyed what they did to me," you joke with a wink and a hearty laugh.   >Rarity blushes, averting her gaze momentarily before looking at you again   >"Yes... well... be that as it may... I know they're just worried about Twilight. I'm pretty sure I know what's going on though. I tried to tell them there was nothing to worry about."   >You raise an eyebrow in curiosity.   "Is that so? Well then, Ms. Rarity, if you think you know what’s going on here, please, do tell," you say with a grin, putting her on the spot.   >Rarity sits on her haunches, shaking her mane away from her face, her blush deepening   >"Darling, it's hardly a mystery to a slightly more mature mare such as myself as to why Twilight is spending more and more of her time with you," she says, hesitant to continue.   "Well, go on," you urge.   >"Oh, I do so hope I'm not wrong or offending you by this, however it's quite apparent to me that Twilight has developed romantic feelings for you."   "What makes you say that?" you ask, turning your chair slightly more toward her and tipping back in it a bit, placing your hands behind your head and your feet on your desk as you recline.   >"I've seen the way she acts around you, darling. The concept of 'personal space' between the two of you no longer exists. I've seen her nuzzle you when she thought nopony was looking, and the look in her eyes whenever she's around you. I know love when I see it, Anonymous."   >You tilt your head slightly and place a finger and thumb on your chin, stroking your non-existent beard as though deep in thought.   "And tell me, Rarity, what if you're right? What if Twilight is, indeed, in love with me? What are your feelings about that?   >Rarity places a hoof on the back of her neck, but still doesn't break eye contact   >"It’s really not my place to judge. So long as you treat her right and she's happy, I guess that's all that counts."   "Be honest with me, Rarity, do you personally approve of interspecies relationships?"   >"Well, to be perfectly honest I can’t say I’m exactly thrilled by this, but if it makes Twilight happy who am I to take that away from her?"   "That's incredibly polite and mature of you," you say. "Does Twilight know that you know?"   >"Honestly no, I don't believe she does. She's been so distracted by you that, dare I say it, she's become a bit less perceptive than she used to be, to put it nicely."   "I'm sure you’re well aware why she's so hesitant to make it public, even to her closest friends."   >"Yes, I'm well aware of the stigma most ponies still have attached to you. It would be, well, scandalous if it came out that the princess had romantic feelings for a, no offense darling, an alien."   "None taken."   >"Mister Anonymous, if I may be so bold..." Rarity hesitates, averting her gaze as she speaks.   >You already know what she's going to say.   "You may," you continue.   >"Do you love her?" she asks in a mixed tone of curiosity and concern.   >You consider your response carefully before replying.   "Any feelings I may have for Twilight are between me and her. I will tell you this though, she means more to me than anything else in this world right now. Interpret that however you’d like to."   >"Not exactly the response I was looking for, but I suppose it shall suffice. If I may continue to be so bold?"   "Go on."   >"What have the two of you done together. I mean, how far have things gone?"   "Okay, now you're treading on thin ice, Rarity."   >"Oh, I do apologize. I’m just trying to make sure she's not being taken advantage of."   >You give an exhausted groan and sigh.   "We've slept in the same bed and cuddled. She nuzzles me and I hug her. I stroke her and rub her and scratch her all over to make her feel good. That's about as far as things have gone. Beyond that, we haven't even kissed yet, okay? Now, don't you dare tell her I told you any of this or she’ll be furious with me."   >Rarity forces a smile as she replies, "Well, just promise me that when the time comes, for… well, you know what, you'll be a gentleman with her okay? I'm guessing you already know she's never had a coltfriend before an-"   "Yes, I know, that's exactly why I'm deliberately taking things slow with her. She can have me whenever she wants me and feels ready, but I'm not going to pressure her to go any further than she feels comfortable with. I’m really not in any hurry to have sex myself, right now all I want is just to make her feel loved, in the same way she makes me feel loved. Now, if you're satisfied, please excuse me, as I have work to do."   >Rarity sighs.   >"Very well Mister Anonymous, I suppose I shall see you later."   >You just grunt and nod before Rarity makes her exit.