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/yandere/ My Little Yandere 2: Painful Magic Journal One

By BlondieAnon
Created: 2020-10-22 21:31:33
Updated: 2022-02-27 06:10:18
Expiry: Never
applejacktwilight sparklepinkie pie/yandere/anonymous

  1. >"Alright, do you have it now?"
  2. "I think so."
  3. >"Give it a try now."
  4. "Ok."
  5. >>Hello book. My name is Anon. I am writing to you with a quill Twilight provided me with. It isn't mine to keep but that's ok. I want one that compliments hers.
  6. >Your head goes foggy and you drop the quill
  7. >Twilight catches it in time, enveloping it with a gorgeous purple aura
  8. >You only managed to push the quill along while keeping it straight up
  9. >She really grasps it
  10. >"Well..."
  11. >My purple mentor appraises my work
  12. >"Oh geeze... I wrote better in magic kindergarten!"
  13. >That hurts
  14. >You hang your head with a sigh
  15. "Is it that bad... I'm sorry Twilight. I just can't... I wrap my head around it. And it feels like it's taking everything to focus. I don't know how you do it."
  16. >Twilight spins her quill around, letting it write what she speaks in the air
  17. >Trace amounts of purple form words that last for only a second but long enough to wow you
  18. >"Oh, don't you worry about me! I've been using magic since forever ago! And you're still really new to everything too..."
  19. >It's true
  20. >You really don't remember anything except that you've been Twilight's student for
  21. >For a while?
  22. >It can't have been that long
  23. >"By the way, Anon. Have you been having any dreams? Nightmares?"
  24. >Feeling your head start to clear up, you nod
  25. "A few. One where you bit me."
  26. >Twilight's quill stops in mid-air
  27. >"...b-bit you?"
  28. "Yeah. It was kinda weird."
  29. >Twilight gives you a funny sounding laugh
  30. >"Must've been those books you were reading!"
  31. >I nod
  32. >It sounds reasonable
  33. >You learned to read by reading books that Twilight, herself, wrote
  34. >Some of them are really wild but they're all great
  35. >You look down at yourself, idly scraping a hoof against the wooden floor
  36. "Hey Twilight... when you leave and go upstairs. Can I come with you this time?"
  37. >Twilight giggles, her quill again moving in the air to write her spoken words
  38. >It really has helped you to speak and read
  39. >"Why? Do you really miss me so?"
  40. >You feel a bit embarrassed but you don't hide it
  41. "W-well... of course I do... without you, I'm lonely. I can't speak to the books like I can with you."
  42. >You would know
  43. >You've tried speaking to a few
  44. >Twilight said they wouldn't answer but you felt like you had to at least try
  45. >She giggles and trots to you, leaning against your side
  46. >"Oh Anon... you can't just yet. But you know that I do love you. I would never let you be alone for too long."
  47. >Every time she said those words, you get a funny feeling in your chest
  48. >She said that those words are far more magical than any spell she could cast
  49. >You know for a fact that you couldn't cast such a spell so easily
  50. >Not when it has such a powerful effect on you
  51. "I know..."
  52. >"Listen.. how about I go upstairs, get us some food, and we can have a date dinner here?"
  53. >Your eyes widen
  54. >You can feel the tip of your horn spark with the faintest color of green
  55. "A... a date?"
  56. >Another strong word that you were told contained magic
  57. >She giggles and rubs her face against your neck
  58. >"That's right...! Just you and me..."
  59. >You couldn't say 'no' to her
  60. >Never
  61. >Especially not with something like this
  62. "In... in that case, I'll wait for as long as you need!"
  63. >After further nuzzling, she distances herself from you
  64. >"That sounds fantastic! Now practice reading some more and before you know it, I'll be back with the best dinner ever!"
  65. >Twilight explained cooking to you once
  66. >She's a master chef too
  67. "Alright! I'll get back to it!"
  68. >Twilight beams and trots away, up the staircase that quickly raises up and closes off the entrance to your room
  69. >With her gone, your room is dreadfully silent again
  70. >You have a nice bed, of course
  71. >And a lot of really nice candles set up that are bright enough to read by with no problem
  72. >The wood, walls, and ceiling are all really nice looking wood that smells pleasant
  73. >But no windows
  74. >You still don't really know what's outside of your room
  75. >You want to read, as she requested you do, but you want to wait for... at least another second
  76. >Just in case she forgets something
  77. >Eventually, she does come back down, a pair of large, shiny platters hovering above her
  78. >Held in place by her magic, of course
  79. >She smiles and looks a little surprised to see you
  80. >"Anon!"
  81. "Huh?"
  82. >"What's wrong?"
  83. "What? What do you mean, Twilight?"
  84. >She quickly sets the platters down on a wide table that forms from the wood that makes up the floor of your room
  85. >She rubs her face against yours
  86. >"You're crying. You didn't just sit there and wait for me again, did you?"
  87. "I... I was?"
  88. >You didn't even know you could cry
  89. >You read about what crying was, of course
  90. >In one of the books Twilight wrote
  91. >But you didn't know that you could do it
  92. >"Don't worry... I'll make it up to you. I just sometimes forget how much you need me."
  93. >She sounds like she's making fun of you
  94. >But you know she isn't
  95. "I'm sorry Twilight."
  96. >"Oh Anon... don't be. I'm here now. All you need is me. And all I need is you."
  97. >It takes a while before she stops soothing you but she does eventually finish
  98. >"Now then. Dinner date time, right?"
  99. "Yeah... yeah, it is!"
  100. >Eating was still a little difficult
  101. >But it's fun
  102. >And it tastes good too
  103. >The food, anyway
  104. >Eating is the process of... eating food
  105. >Twilight said it involves things like systems and multiple steps but it went over your head
  106. >She melts away the lids and reveals a wide array of colorful types of food
  107. >Some of it smells better than others
  108. >Some of it definitely tastes better than others
  109. >But it's all good
  110. "Oh wow... you really are amazing, Twilight."
  111. >"Anon, you're too much!"
  112. >Twilight covers her mouth with her hoof and giggles
  113. >"It's just... a little something I do. Cooking is one of my many talents, after all!"
  114. >Cooking, writing, reading, eating, and magic
  115. >Twilight has a lot of really great talents
  116. >"Now then... shall we?"
  117. "We shall!"
  118. >You watch her use her magic to eat like it's nothing
  119. >You kinda zone out for a second too
  120. >How does she manage to do everything at once?
  121. >After a few bites, she looks at you
  122. >With a funny smile she stops
  123. "S-sorry Twilight. I..."
  124. >"It's ok, Anon. I understand! Here, open up?"
  125. >Your jaw drops without second thought
  126. >A portion of food from your own platter slides into your mouth
  127. >Your mouth closes and you begin to eat
  128. >She sighs and looks at you
  129. >She looks happy
  130. >So you're happy
  131. >She focuses between eating, herself, and letting you eat
  132. >You're pretty sure you aren't using your own magic but you don't mind
  133. >Twilight laughed when you ate without using magic
  134. >It was a whole lot easier to eat that way but she said that it wasn't the right way
  135. >Before you know it, you're done
  136. >You haven't looked away from her for a moment
  137. >"There we are! Do you feel full?"
  138. >You open your mouth to speak but some food drops out
  139. >You feel frustration as you immediately focus on eating the rest of the food in your mouth and then speak
  140. "I do! It was great and hot too, so I feel warmer too."
  141. >"Good! That's my dear Anon!"
  142. >The platters poof into thin air, and the table itself seems to melt back into the floor
  143. >Twilight slides up to you and inhales hard
  144. >"Now then... do you know what comes after a dinner date?"
  145. >You do know
  146. >You want to shake your head
  147. >But you nod instead
  148. >She giggles, smiling wider
  149. >She glares at you
  150. >You feel afraid
  151. >"Want to... take me to bed, Anon?"
  152. >No
  153. >You kinda wanna go back to reading
  154. >You didn't read when you were supposed to
  155. >Legs shaking, you stand up and lead her to your bed
  156. >It's big enough for myself and Twilight
  157. >You stop at the edge of the bed
  158. >"My, what a big bed you have! What do you think we should do on it?"
  159. >Your lip trembles
  160. >You really want to say 'sleep'
  161. >The warmth of food in your stomach feels like it's being drained into an uncomfortable feeling of coldness
  162. >When you don't answer for long enough, Twilight climbs into it and lifts you up
  163. >Your vision goes hazy whenever her magic is around your head
  164. >When it clears up, Twilight is on her back
  165. >You're right above her
  166. >You can feel her magic...
  167. >Tugging
  168. >On part of you
  169. >By reflex or instinct, you snort and shake
  170. >"Come on, Anon... do you feel that? It's right where it's supposed to go... just push yourself forward. Don't be afraid to lose control, ok?"
  171. >You can't describe the feelings Twilight gives you
  172. >Especially now
  173. >You can't think
  174. >All you do is strain your body in accordance to Twilight's excited screams
  175.  
  176. >>Hello book. My name is Anon. I am writing to you again with my own quill. It does not look like Twilight's at all. But I am proud to own it. I am writing very carefully this time so she won't laugh at me again. I
  177. >The quill drops
  178. >You've been trying to write in the book for a while now
  179. >The only issue is that after a few words, your vision blurs
  180. >Red leaks from your nose too
  181. >You aren't sure what that means but you know that Twilight will know
  182. >You feel lonely
  183. >You must have read over half of your books now
  184. >But you still feel lonely
  185. >Worse, you feel lonely because you read so many books
  186. >They all have so many characters and settings and situations
  187. >You''re jealous
  188. >You look down and watch your hooves
  189. >For some reason it feels so awkward to walk around
  190. >Of course, you could never walk any other way
  191. >You miss Twilight
  192. >You leave your writing table and trot to the area that usually becomes stairs when Twilight comes and goes
  193. "Please, open."
  194. >Nothing happens
  195. >But then again, why would it?
  196. >Twilight never has to speak to make them appear
  197. >She uses magic, you're willing to bet
  198. >You take a steady stance and point your horn at the ceiling
  199. ...
  200. ...
  201. ...
  202. >Nothing is happening
  203. >You really weren't sure what you were expecting
  204. >You were using magic, weren't you?
  205. >You know how to grab a quill and write
  206. >A bit
  207. >But you don't know how to just... make magic happen
  208. >Defeated, you take a seat
  209. >You've examined your room more times than you can count
  210. >You really can't do much more in here
  211. >You watch the ceiling for now
  212. >You want it to open really badly
  213. >You want to see Twilight again
  214. >You can't focus on writing anymore but you want her to read it
  215. >Maybe it'll lead to another big, warm dinner
  216. >You wince
  217. >Something feels off
  218. >Something's dripping off of your chin
  219. >Your tongue flickers out and tastes something unusual
  220. >You don't pay it any mind
  221. >You want to see Twilight
  222. >And the only way you can see Twilight is to leave your room
  223. >Not even blinking at the exact same spot, you start to feel faint
  224. >You attempt to steady yourself and focus on the ceiling
  225. >You can almost see the wood warp, on the exact spot you're looking
  226. >Then you see it
  227. >A tiny bump that's like the wood sank down just a little
  228. >You smile
  229. >You're that much closer to Twwwwwwwwwwwwwiiiiiiiiiiiiiilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
  230. >The room goes dark and you feel your right side hit the floor
  231. >"Oh dear Celestia, Anon?!"
  232. >"Anon, don't you dare!"
  233. >You can hear Twilight
  234. >She sounds so pleasant
  235. >She sounds concerned too
  236. >What could be the reason?
  237. >You want to ask her but your mouth can't move
  238. >You can't really see either
  239. >Your eyelids just feel too heavy
  240. >"Your heart... Anon, what have you done?! It's beating too fast!"
  241. >You don't know what that means
  242. >But it does mean that Twilight has finally come to see you
  243. >You feel what could only be Twilight nuzzling the side of your neck
  244. >"Anon, please calm down!"
  245. >You aren't that excited, are you?
  246. >You feel rather tired
  247. >"Please... I'm right here, ok? Twilight's right here Anon. You're going to be ok... it's just... it's just a minor setback. But please try to relax, ok?"
  248. >You could relax from her voice even if she were condemning you to death
  249. >Some books involved death
  250. >Sometimes y o u w o n d e r w h a t i t m u s t f e e l l i k e t o d i e
  251. >"Anon... Anon? Anon?! ANON!? Wake up! Please, not again! I promise I did it right this time! Anonymous, don't leave me!"
  252. >W h y
  253. >S a d
  254. >S o u n d s ?
  255. >T w i l i g h t
  256.  
  257. >>Hello book, my name is Anonymous. Twilight calls me Anon. I don't really understand why my name sounds so funny but I trust that she knows best. I had another one of those bad dreams; I was dying. It was otherworldly to say the least. Twilight loaned me some of her books on words so I sound much smarter now. It still hurts to use magic but I'm dedicated to writing all of this in one go. I hope Twilight grades me well.
  258. >You finish and try to avert Twilight's eyes on you
  259. >She's been watching you write this entire time
  260. >She's been watching you a lot lately
  261. >Maybe she's starting to believe you when you say you've been having bad dreams
  262. "I... how did I do, Twilight?"
  263. >Her purple aura overcomes your green and she takes control of your quill that was patiently hovering over the page
  264. >She carefully reads it, glancing back at you
  265. >She looks worried about something
  266. >You're confident that you've been keeping your studies at a consistent pace so there hopefully aren't any spelling mistakes
  267. >She gives you a weary smile and hugs you
  268. >"Oh Anon... you've done brilliantly! You've kept concentration up and you look just fine!"
  269. >You smile at her words
  270. >Though she told you repeatedly that it wasn't a part of your dream, she did worry about nosebleeds you got
  271. >Evidently they're getting better now
  272. >After a lengthy hug, she dips her head down and presses it against your chest
  273. "I... Twilight...?"
  274. >"Shh Anon... just a second."
  275. >You pause and look around your room, as if expecting something to happen
  276. >After long enough, she raises her head up and beams
  277. >"Perfect! I knew you were alright!"
  278. >You're confused
  279. "I'm glad I am!"
  280. >You aren't sure you noticed before
  281. >Or if you even knew to notice it
  282. >But...
  283. "Twilight."
  284. >"Yes, Anon?"
  285. "You look... tired. Are you alright?"
  286. >That question makes her smile drop in an instant
  287. >"You... you noticed that, huh?"
  288. >You nod
  289. >"It's nothing, promise! I've just been studying a lot and... well, it's not important. What is important is that you're improving!"
  290. >You smile
  291. >But something tells you, in your chest, to ask again
  292. "Twilight?"
  293. >"Yes, my l... Anon?"
  294. "Are you ok?"
  295. >You ask more slowly
  296. >Deliberately
  297. >You believe that you aren't without empathy
  298. >You would be tired if you had to study a lot too
  299. >But something else demands that you do this
  300. >You can even hear a tinge of authority in your voice
  301. >You can tell it's authoritative because Twilight used to use the same tone to tell you it was time to sleep
  302. >Her lack of a smile worsens to a frown
  303. >A very sad frown
  304. >She nods
  305. >"I am, Anon. I... I'll be honest. You've been sick. I've tried a lot of medicines and not a lot of them have worked so far. I don't know what's helping you the most, and it scares me that I don't know. I don't want you to hurt."
  306. >You?
  307. >Hurt?
  308. >You laugh at her words
  309. >Laughing helps diffuse stressful situations, you've read
  310. "I haven't been hurting. I don't think I've ever felt pain when I'm around you."
  311. >As you say that, you feel
  312. >Or rather, hear
  313. >Twilight screaming
  314. >You furrow your brow at the instantaneous recollection
  315. >What was that supposed to mean?
  316. "Twilight. May I ask something?"
  317. >Twilight looks a little relieved
  318. >"Of course you may!"
  319. "Rather than..."
  320. >You feel a shiver go down your spine
  321. "Rather... than... playing..."
  322. >You don't know what else to describe it as
  323. >You've never played before so you can only guess that's what it was
  324. "...can you please sleep with me more often? I want to make sure that you're getting enough rest."
  325. >Twilight looks confused for a moment but she lets out a nervous laugh
  326. >She rubs one of her front hooves against the side of her neck
  327. >"W-well... I guess we have been b... playing... a lot... that could have had something to do with it, honestly..."
  328. >She looks you up and down, appraising you for something
  329. >"Maybe it's been too hard..."
  330. >You're not sure what she means by that
  331. "Would you like to sleep with me more often?"
  332. >You repeat yourself, smiling
  333. >She eagerly nods
  334. >"Yes, please! You're so considerate... honestly, it's why I love you. Helpful too... maybe..."
  335. >She trails off, mumbling to herself
  336. >She does that at times so you don't mind it
  337. >She trots to you, then sits down and leans against your side
  338. >"Anon?"
  339. "Yes, Twilight?"
  340. >"I'm going to close my eyes and listen to your heart. Can you stay like this until I'm done?"
  341. >You aren't particularly in any position to be against it
  342. >It feels nice that she's leaning against you too
  343. "Well, certainly, I don't mind it."
  344. >"Thank you. Please don't use magic for a while. I think there are still some issues."
  345. >You don't understand what she means by that
  346. >It's not like you know how to use magic outside of writing anyway
  347. "Of course, Twilight."
  348. >Some time passes
  349. >You look down at Twilight
  350. >She sounds like she's sleeping
  351. >She must not be that comfortable, having to duck her head down to keep it against your chest
  352. >Maybe...
  353. >You wrap a front leg around her and lean back until you're laying on your side
  354. >She follows, half-laying on your chest
  355. >This is much better
  356. >Though the wooden floor isn't comfortable, you close your eyes
  357. >With Twilight's breathing, the room feels so vibrant now
  358. >You don't know if you breath, since you've never had to try, but her breathing sounds beautiful
  359. >Maybe when she wakes up you can have a dinner
  360.  
  361. >>Hello book, my name is Anonymous. I do not remember writing in you but it seems like I have multiple times before. I am sad that I do not remember you. Twilight is very happy today, she said that she's made some "grand advances" in something. I hope that next time I write in you, that I will remember. You are my friend.
  362. >You finish writing with your quill, smiling to yourself
  363. >Twilight said that she had great news for you
  364. >You have been passing every test she has set up
  365. >Magical writing
  366. >Breathing exercises
  367. >Heart rate
  368. >And even durability
  369. >You do not know how she tested those things
  370. >But you are still proud of yourself
  371. >You sit at your table, letting the quill fly around in the air
  372. >You have been noticing new things too
  373. >No doubt thanks to Twilight
  374. >One thing that has bothered you, however
  375. >There is a very large red stain on the floor
  376. >You do not know where it came from
  377. >But every time you look at it, you feel terror
  378. >Maybe it was from a
  379. >"Anon! I'm back!"
  380. >Your attention snaps immediately to Twilight
  381. >She looks excited but exhausted
  382. >She trots down the stairs that always seem to come for her but never for you
  383. >You greet her with a nuzzling hug
  384. "How have you been? I have missed you."
  385. >Twilight giggles, smiling
  386. >"Oh and I've missed you so much, Anon... I saw y..."
  387. >She interrupts herself
  388. >She looks distraught over something
  389. >But only for a second
  390. >"y... saw what I thought was you! And that made me think of you! So I had to rush home to see you."
  391. >She does not sound ok
  392. >But she shows you that she is with another concerned smile
  393. >"Anon... if you ever remember only one thing, remember that I love you. And only you. Ok?"
  394. >You smile
  395. >You are not sure if you can say the same to her though
  396. "Of course, Twilight. May I ask something?"
  397. >"Of course!"
  398. "What is that red stain on the floor?"
  399. >"W-what?"
  400. "That red stain. Over near the stairs up."
  401. >You lean to the side to look at it
  402. >It really is big
  403. >"Anon... don't... don't pay attention to that."
  404. "Why not? I would like to know what it is."
  405. >"That can wait until later! Listen, I-"
  406. "I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THE STAIN IS THERE, TWILIGHT."
  407. >Your voice raises
  408. >It raises far louder than you realized you could speak
  409. >It does not sound like you
  410. >It sounds terrified
  411. >But you do not feel scared
  412. >Twilight looks just as surprised
  413. "Please. It scares me. It speaks to me, in my head."
  414. >You hear your voice crumble to a whisper
  415. "It tells me I died."
  416. >Twilight looks even worse than before
  417. >It concerns you
  418. >"Anon... I... you..."
  419. >Her mouth twitches into a facsimile of a smile
  420. >"You got hurt... and... I fixed you."
  421. "Why did I hurt?"
  422. >"I don't know... I don't know, Anon. I thought you were stable. I celebrated too early and... and it hurt you."
  423. >You look down at the floor
  424. >Tears hit it, from both your face and hers
  425. "Twilight... am I sick?"
  426. >"No! No, I love you, you can't be sick. I'm just... I'm doing my best! I can't tell Celestia, she'll take you away, I just know it!"
  427. >Who is Celestia?
  428. >So much of this registers with you but you still do not understand it
  429. "Twilight..."
  430. >You realize that you can control your tone
  431. >It changes from a sad whisper to a more controlled tone
  432. "Please... take me with you next time you leave."
  433. >Twilight looks like she could break into two
  434. >"I-I promise! I will, soon! And... and we'll show them! We'll show them all that you were made for me! And I was made for you! And I..."
  435. >She curls up against you
  436. >You are not sure how to process this
  437. >You sit there, and watch over her as she cries
  438. >You can tell that she needs help
  439. >But you do not know how to help
  440. >You wait until she calms down
  441. "Twilight... you told me that you had great news for me. Can I hear it?"
  442. >Twilight does not perk up immediately
  443. >"Oh... oh yes. I almost forgot... silly me."
  444. >Something poofs onto the table from a cloud of purple magic
  445. >It's a lump of wood with other things in it
  446. >It makes a tic
  447. >Tock
  448. >Tic
  449. >Tock
  450. >You shake your head, easily caught up in the rhythm
  451. >"It's a clock! Starting today... we're going to have a schedule now!"
  452. >A schedule?
  453. "What does that mean?"
  454. >She wipes her face with her hoof and sniffles
  455. >"Well. I like schedules. And schedules help..."
  456. >She gives a tired sigh
  457. >"Schedules help."
  458. "How does a clock work?"
  459. >"Well, let me show you!"
  460. >She sits in front of you, though her head leans back against your chest
  461. >"Do you see the longer stick in the circle?"
  462. "Yes."
  463. >"That shows the minute we're at."
  464. "What's a minute?"
  465. >"It's sixty seconds."
  466. "What's a second?"
  467. >"It's a really small measurement of time."
  468. >You blink a few times
  469. >You never kept track of time before
  470. "So... what is the shorter stick in the circle for?"
  471. >"That tells us what hour it is! And I know what you want to know: an hour is sixty minutes."
  472. "Which is sixty measurements of sixty seconds."
  473. >"Yup!"
  474. >You do not know why they have to go to sixty
  475. >You frown
  476. "There is a third stick that is moving fast."
  477. >"That counts the seconds."
  478. >You nod
  479. "I see..."
  480. >You watch minutes tick by
  481. "Twilight?"
  482. >"Yes, Anon?"
  483. "What will my schedule include?"
  484. >"Plenty! An appropriate sleep schedule... for both of us, honestly... an eating schedule too! I want us to spend more time together. The world outside is... it doesn't concern me anymore. "
  485. >She sounds like she's far more relaxed now
  486. >"You will be strong... with my help, you will beat any pony in anything. You will change the face of Equestria. When we have foals... they will be able to do anything in the world at all."
  487. >Why does it sound like you have heard these words before?
  488. "One thing at a time, please. I said that there's no rush."
  489. >Twilight's head twists in an instant
  490. >She looks at you with an unreadable expression
  491. >"W... what did you say?"
  492. >You look at her, a little unfocused
  493. "I-I'm sorry? I don't know what I just said, Twilight."
  494. >You frown
  495. "I feel like.. we have known each other for a long time now."
  496. >Her expression turns to a smile again
  497. >But not the one she normally has
  498. >"We've... we've known each other for a long time now, Anon. Maybe you've just heard me say it before."
  499. >You frown
  500. >You feel uncomfortable
  501. "How long have I been here, Twilight? How much time has passed?"
  502. >"Too long... I want to show you to everypony. To my..."
  503. >She hesitates
  504. >"M-my friends."
  505. >She sounds like saying those words have given her a revelation of some sort
  506. "Friends?"
  507. >"That's right! That's right, Anon! That's what we need!"
  508. "Friends?"
  509. >"Yes! Oh, Anon... you know exactly what to say sometimes."
  510. >You are not sure what she means
  511. >She cuddles up to you again, sighing like a weight had been taken off of her
  512. >"Soon... soon everything will be all better."
  513. >You hope so
  514. >You want to ask another question but the sound of Twilight breathing nearly hypnotizes you then and there
  515. >The ticking and tocking of the clock doesn't help either
  516. >You bring your face down and stroke her mane with your chin
  517. >Perfectly in tune with the clock
  518. >You feel content doing this, so there is no reason to stop it
  519. >You want to ask a lot of things
  520. >But you can ask them later
  521. >Twilight needs her sleep again
  522. >You know she sleeps if she stays with you, sooner or later
  523.  
  524. >>Hello book, this is Anonymous again. I have great news: I am going to a party! Twilight is hosting a party. I think I am invited. She said that she had a lot of really good friends and that it might be time to introduce me to them. I am starting to feel embarrassed again when Twilight reads this. I feel confident in my writing ability but I feel odd about her reading my thoughts like this.
  525. >You bring down your quill and sigh
  526. >You've gotten better about getting used to the clock
  527. >You've even tried matching some movements and gestures to the ticking and tocking
  528. >The stairs from above come down and Twilight trots down them as soon as they're formed
  529. >"Anon, it's almost time!"
  530. >She comes to a skidding halt, nearly bumping into your side
  531. >She looks so happy
  532. >Still tired
  533. >But happier
  534. >"I have so many friends to show you to! There's Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Spike, App..."
  535. >Her smile melts off
  536. >What replaces it is a more bitter frown
  537. >"Apples..."
  538. "Apples?"
  539. >"Anon, do you like apples?"
  540. >You're not sure how to respond
  541. "I don't know. Have I had apples before?"
  542. >Her frown reverts back to a more mellow smile
  543. >"Yes, you silly stallion! I've included a few with our dinners!"
  544. "Oh! Oh yes, I do love them then."
  545. >Your eyes widen and you nod, now that you think about it
  546. >You're really not sure what part of your dinners were an apple
  547. >But it all does taste good so you can only agree
  548. >As you nod, you look around your room
  549. >The red stain is finally gone
  550. >Twilight used magic to get rid of it
  551. >That really has helped you feel better
  552. "Is this room big enough for so many of us?"
  553. >Twilight looks at you
  554. >Kinda like how she used to look at you when you first tried writing
  555. >"We aren't gonna have a party here, Anon! It's... upstairs..."
  556. >She slows her words as she speaks, as if she's realizing something
  557. >"Upstairs... listen, Anon!"
  558. >You sit to attention
  559. "Yes, Twilight?"
  560. >"Let's go upstairs! That's where we'll have our party! And we gotta get you used to things because otherwise it'll be kinda silly and I want you to really feel at home!"
  561. "Feel at home..."
  562. >You've read about 'homes'
  563. >But you didn't think you had one
  564. >Maybe your room was your home
  565. >"Anon, hurry up!"
  566. >You snap out of your thoughts
  567. "Yes, coming Twilight!"
  568. >You quickly trot up behind her
  569. >Sometimes you forget how much larger than her you are
  570. >When you reach the stairs, you hesitate
  571. >You've never climbed them before
  572. >Halfway up the stairs Twilight stops and looks back at you
  573. >"It's ok, Anon. Just one hoof in front of the other, ok? Watch how I do."
  574. >You take your first steps
  575. >It's a weird feeling, to go higher than the floor
  576. >Seven steps in, you start to feel dizzy
  577. "Twilight, I..."
  578. >"Anon, look at me!"
  579. >Your focus pinpoints on her
  580. >She's already at the top of the stairs
  581. >"Keep your eyes on me and just walk, ok?"
  582. "Y... yeah. Ok, Twilight."
  583. >She's nice to look at
  584. >She has such a nice smile
  585. >She's growing too
  586. >No, she's just getting closer
  587. >"That's it! Just focus on me and it'll be ok."
  588. >She starts backing up
  589. >You pick up your pace to keep her in your sight
  590. >After more steps, you're on level ground again
  591. >"You did it! I'm so proud of you, Anon!"
  592. "...huh?"
  593. >You look around
  594. >You feel faint at the explosion of colors, light and items
  595. >The wood is almost pink now
  596. >There are so many books
  597. >More stairs on the right
  598. >And giant blue holes in the walls
  599. "Wh... where am I?!"
  600. >She beams at you
  601. >"This is my... our home!"
  602. "What? But what is all of this? How did this all get here?"
  603. >Your room had a bed, a table, dozens of books piled up, and even a clock
  604. >Obviously, Twilight made the table and the clock and the bed
  605. >And she wrote the books
  606. >How in the world did she make all of this?
  607. >"Oh, well... this also doubles as a library! All of the books down there don't hold a candle to everything here!"
  608. >The sensory overload is enough to make you need to sit down
  609. >So you do
  610. >Twilight picks up on this instantly and hugs up to your side
  611. >"Anon! What's wrong?"
  612. "I..."
  613. >You shake your head
  614. "This is... this is a big room."
  615. >She laughs but it doesn't sound like it was funny
  616. >"Well... yeah... it is. It's not the only room here too."
  617. >You close your eyes, steadying your breathing
  618. >Twilight taught you that if you were ever feeling too excited or scared, to close your eyes and focus on breathing
  619. >You can feel her head pressing against your chest
  620. >"That's ok, Anon... you're going to be ok. I'm right here. There's no need to shake."
  621. >It takes a lot of time, going off of the little ticking and tocking that you keep in the back of your mind to help keep track of time
  622. >But you do eventually open your eyes
  623. "Alright... thank you, Twilight."
  624. >"Anytime, for you Anon."
  625. >You stand up again, stamping down to test the floor
  626. >You can't even tell that your room is below
  627. "So what do you do in this room?"
  628. >"Well I read, study, research, explore, and hypothesize!"
  629. >She smiles at you with a squee
  630. >You can't help but nod
  631. "This looks like the right room to do those things in..."
  632. >Twilight trots over to the stairs leading ever upward
  633. >They have interesting little heart shapes carved into them
  634. >"And up here... is my room. With my bed."
  635. >The look she gives you and the inflection of her words create a now-familiar hunger in your gut
  636. >She sees your physical reaction and giggles
  637. >"Not right now, silly!"
  638. "Huh?"
  639. >You look below yourself and frown
  640. "Oh... s-"
  641. >"Anon, you never need to apologize for that! Just... we have to learn that sometimes it has to wait. But only until it can't any longer. Ok?"
  642. >She winks at you
  643. >You don't understand
  644. >You think
  645. "Of course, Twilight."
  646. >She spends a lot of time exploring the library with you, going over every shelf, every book, everywhere
  647. >She introduces you to the wooden pony head statue at the table in the center of the room
  648. >You were a little worried to bring it up but now that you've felt it, you're pleased to meet it
  649. >She mentions how awkward the ladder is, how the windows are nice to let natural reading light in, that the giant sun image on the ceiling actually produces light during the day, that scrolls are different than books
  650. >And the front door
  651. >When she gets to that, she hesitates
  652. >"And that... that leads outside of our home."
  653. >You watch the door as if it were some looming threat
  654. "...what's outside, Twilight? Is it like the books?"
  655. >"Sometimes, Anon. It can be dangerous outside. But a lot of good things are out there too. There's a whole lot of ponies out there like us. And worse things too."
  656. >You can feel a lump in your throat
  657. "I-I see..."
  658. >Twilight watches your face with a stoic expression
  659. >"Would you like to go outside, Anon? I can't promise it would be safe."
  660. >A growing fear bubbles in your stomach
  661. "N-no, Twilight. That's ok."
  662. >"Are you sure? There are mares out there, like me. But some of them are really dangerous too."
  663. >You take a step back
  664. >The tone of her voice is frightening
  665. "N-no, that's ok Twilight. I don't feel the need to go out there."
  666. >Twilight watches you more with the most expressionless mask you've ever seen
  667. >What happened to her?
  668. >In an instant, her cheerful demeanor comes back
  669. >"Alright! Would you like to see if we can find you a favorite book?"
  670. >You aren't able to pull your attention to a new topic so easily but you feel relief
  671. "Yes, please! Thank you, Twilight."
  672. >You check through dozens upon dozens of books, examining not just the contents of their pages but their spines and covers
  673. >Twilight seems to judge what you look at, going by how she'll smile or grumble something if you take a liking to it
  674. >A book on pony anatomy was one of those books that warranted a grumble
  675. >You eventually decide on a scroll that doubles as a map
  676. >Though her reaction wasn't overly positive, she helps spread the scroll out
  677. >You sit on the floor together and view it
  678. "Wow..."
  679. >You see a map had dozens of small colors and shapes on it, along with drawings of sigils, emblems and creatures
  680. "It's really like those adventures..."
  681. >"It is! We live in a really big world, Anon."
  682. >You nod and squint
  683. >You can't see where you are
  684. "Twilight... where are we?"
  685. >"Where?"
  686. "Yeah. I don't see our names anywhere."
  687. >Twilight giggles and produces a long purple aura that seems to double as a pointer
  688. >"We are right here, in a place called Ponyville. In Equestria."
  689. >You've never heard those names before
  690. "What's Ponyville like?"
  691. >"Well... that's where we are! And it's pretty comfy here, wouldn't you say?"
  692. >You feel a little dumb for asking that
  693. >You want to ask more things but you're not really sure if you want to sound dumb in front of her again
  694. >You randomly point to the map with a hoof
  695. "What is... here?"
  696. >"Oh, the Everfree Forest?"
  697. "Yeah! Forests are neat. They're full of trees like this one, right?"
  698. >"Actually..."
  699. >Twilight's tone changes to something far more wary
  700. >"Timberwolves live there... a zebra does too... they hate unicorns. Which is what you and I are. There are also a lot of creepy crawly things like spiders."
  701. >All of that does sound scary
  702. >But you have no clue what those could look like
  703. "I-I see..."
  704. >You shiver from your head down to your flank
  705. "So what about..."
  706. >You point to another spot on the map
  707. "Here?"
  708. >"Oh, that's Applewood!"
  709. "And here?"
  710. >"Las Pegasus!"
  711. "Here?"
  712. >"Neighagra Falls!"
  713. "This big thing here?"
  714. >"Mount Everhoof!"
  715. >You spurt out and laugh
  716. >You can't help yourself
  717. "All of these places sound so silly!"
  718. >"The world is a big place, Anon, that's for sure."
  719. "Is it really so dangerous everywhere? Is there really nowhere we can go?"
  720. >At the word 'we', Twilight cuddles up against you
  721. "Well... I think as long as we go, and stay, together, it'll be just fine!"
  722. >You smile, content with that
  723. "Twilight. Let's visit these places one day."
  724. >You speak confidently about it
  725. >"You aren't scared?"
  726. "Not if I'm with you. And wouldn't it be an adventure just like our books?"
  727. >"Yeah... it really would."
  728. "Then let's go!"
  729. >Twilight giggles
  730. >"Right now?"
  731. "Huh?"
  732. >You look at her, away from the map
  733. >"You want to go right now?"
  734. >You feel another shiver go down your spine
  735. "Well... no, not right now... but..."
  736. >You falter
  737. "But... eventually. Once it stops being dangerous outside."
  738. >"And... what if it doesn't?"
  739. >You frown at that idea
  740. >It means you would never get to see any of those silly-sounding places
  741. "Then... I'm still with you at least. So we can read about them."
  742. >She seems pleased about it and kisses the side of your neck
  743. >"That's right. No matter where we'll be, we'll be together."
  744.  
  745. >You spend the day with Twilight, in the massive room
  746. >There's no shortage of books to look at
  747. >No shortage of questions to ask
  748. >The only thing that genuinely worries you is when the windows start to dim
  749. >Even the sun on the ceiling starts to fade out
  750. >Twilight doesn't show any fear so you try your best to mirror her
  751. >From the way your tail flickers over, you don't think you're doing a good job
  752. "Twilight..."
  753. >"Yes, Anon?"
  754. "...is it weird that things are getting darker?"
  755. >You do your best to look unimpressed but she must be able to see some emotion in your eyes
  756. >It takes her a second before she smiles
  757. >"Oh! Oh, yes. Celestia raises the sun every morning. At night, Princess Luna raises the moon."
  758. >You stare at her
  759. >Is she serious?
  760. >You read that the sun was a giant ball of fire and light in the sky and that it just... is a thing
  761. >She giggles
  762. >"Don't worry about it. When it gets dark, that just means that a lot of ponies go to sleep. But some stay up and prefer the night too. Along with certain insects, animals and other things."
  763. >The 'other things' make a cold bolt go down your spine
  764. >You haven't yet forgotten about what's outside and out to get you
  765. "Right... a day is a full twenty four hour cycle, isn't it?"
  766. >"That's right! You must've learned that."
  767. >You smile at her but your realization concerns you
  768. "Twilight... I have a question I really want to ask."
  769. >Twilight crosses her front legs and watches you
  770. >You've been studying her face so much that you think she looks interested in you
  771. >She has such an expressive face
  772. >"Anon?"
  773. >You blink a few times and stutter
  774. "O-oh, sorry. I was... I got distracted."
  775. >You lick your lips and force yourself to speak
  776. "Twilight. How many days has it been?"
  777. >"Has it been since when?"
  778. >You shrug
  779. "I don't know. How many days has it been since... I've known you? Since you've known me?"
  780. >The smile she has starts to fade
  781. >"Well... I suppose I forgot."
  782. >Something about the way she said that rubs you the wrong way
  783. "Please tell me, Twilight. It's important to me."
  784. >She tries to smile but it's gone in a second
  785. >"It's been two hundred and thirty two days... two hundred and thirty three by tomorrow."
  786. >You don't even know how to quantify that
  787. >You don't have two hundred and thirty two journal entries
  788. >You have less than ten
  789. >But you've been writing in it nearly every day that you remember
  790. >How do you not remember all of those days?
  791. >Twilight says something to you but you can't hear her
  792. >You can see her mouth moving though
  793. >The look on her face is getting less and less happy
  794. >Wait
  795. >She's made that face before
  796. >"Anon?!"
  797. >Your attention snaps back to her hard enough to make you feel dizzy
  798. "Yes Twilight?"
  799. >She looks distraught by something
  800. >"A-are you alright? You look... I thought you were..."
  801. >You shake your head a few times
  802. "I'm... I'm ok. I just don't... how has it been so many days? I don't understand?"
  803. >Twilight watches you before speaking
  804. >"Well... I've... known you for much longer than that time. But... you haven't known me for as long a time. You were..."
  805. >She taps one of her front hooves on the wooden floor like she's trying to think of what to say
  806. >"Sick. For the longest time... you just couldn't walk. Or talk. Or... anything. So. For a lot of time, I just took care of you. I kept a close eye on you, I did everything that I could for you."
  807. >This doesn't give you any sense of clarity
  808. >It just confuses you more
  809. "What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I do any of those things?"
  810. >"You just couldn't. I promise you that I've done everything possible to help you. To see you grow into the fine stallion you are today."
  811. >If she didn't want to, surely she wouldn't have helped you so much
  812. "So... was you and I doing..."
  813. >Twilight giggles again, drawing a circle on the floor with her hoof
  814. >"Well... that was just because I love you, Anon. And I know you love me too. So there's nothing wrong with expressing that love."
  815. >She has a point
  816. >You do love her
  817.  
  818. >Without her, who knows where you would have been
  819. >If you were really in such a bad situation, or a bad condition, maybe you needed her far more than you realize
  820. "I... I understand."
  821. >You do understand
  822. >You think
  823. >You and her remain silent as the room dims
  824. >Soon you can barely see her
  825. >A number of purple candles poof into the air, giving the room a comfortably dark ambient light that matches your room below
  826. >"Anon?"
  827. >She finally speaks up
  828. >You don't answer
  829. >You've been trying to think but you don't know if you have the ability
  830. >"Anon?"
  831. >You blink a few times and nod
  832. "Yes, Twilight?"
  833. >"You know I love you."
  834. "I do know that."
  835. >"Tomorrow we have the party."
  836. "We do."
  837. >"You're gonna have fun, I just know it."
  838. "Twilight?"
  839. >"Yes, Anon?"
  840. "Can I go to my room?"
  841. >Twilight looks like you said something bad
  842. >"Oh... would you really like to? I could show you my bed and we could enjoy the night together?"
  843. >You shift uncomfortably
  844. >Obviously part of you likes the sound of that
  845. "I... I would like that."
  846. >Twilight smiles
  847. "But I would like to go to my room more, please."
  848. >Her smile fades
  849. >"Oh... ok."
  850. >She looks at a portion of the floor and it melts down in a purple glow
  851. >She must be very strong to be able to do that without trying
  852. >You drag yourself up and look down at her
  853. >She isn't moving
  854. "Will you come to see me in the morning? I would like to help prepare for the party."
  855. >She nods
  856. >"Oh, of course. I think it might be a little too late for dinner. So tomorrow morning we'll have a nice, big breakfast."
  857. >You can hear her voice wavering
  858. "I love you Twilight."
  859. >You hear something like a whimper
  860. >"I... I love you too Anon."
  861. >After waiting for a moment to see if anything else would happen, you trot down the stairs into your room
  862. >Your stomach turns as you step down but you focus hard on staring straight ahead
  863. >You step onto solid ground and immediately collapse
  864. >You didn't think your legs would be so shaky
  865. >How could you have possibly been here for so long?
  866. >What could have happened to you?
  867. >You notice that as you lay to recuperate, the stairs haven't melted back up into the ceiling, separating you from Twilight
  868. >Does this mean that it will stay open?
  869. >You stare at it until you don't feel nearly as sick
  870. >You half-crawl to the table, just to see if it's worth doing
  871. >It isn't
  872. >You hardly have anything to grip onto, the wood is so smooth
  873. >When you reach your table and your diary, you grab your quill with your own magic
  874. >It looks greener than it did before
  875. >You haven't yet forgotten anything but you really don't want to forget things now
  876. >Dragging yourself to a sitting position, you focus on your journal
  877. >Is it a diary more than a journal?
  878. >It's still a good book
  879. >>Hello book, this is Anonymous. It is day
  880. >You shake your head
  881. >How could it be such a number?
  882. >>It is day two hundred and thirty two, at night. Night means the moon came up. Twilight told me that I have been here for two hundred and thirty two days. How many times have I written inside of you? What if I had another book but didn't know about it? Maybe I should mark this. Let's call this Official Entry Number One. At day two hundred and thirty two, at night, which means the sun has gone down and that the moon has risen.
  883. >What do you write next?
  884. >What could you possibly write?
  885. >>Twilight is sad. We have a party tomorrow but I don't know how it will go. I've never had a party.
  886. >Your mind can't escape from Twilight's whimpering
  887. >Have you been making her sad?
  888. >Are you ungrateful?
  889. >>Ok, book. Let's think of what we can do. We need to find a way to make Twilight feel better tomorrow. I promise you that we will figure something out. Maybe something
  890. >Something with magic
  891. >You stare at the quill that's being held
  892. >It's held in place with magic
  893. >Your magic
  894. >Twilight can do anything with magic
  895. >Maybe you just need to figure out a way to use it for her
  896.  
  897. >Something feels wrong
  898. >This isn't your bed
  899. >You open your eyes and see that you aren't even near your bed
  900. >You're at the table
  901. >How did this happen?
  902. >Your eyes are slow to scan the table but lock onto your quill
  903. >Wait
  904. >The quill!
  905. >The magic trick!
  906. >Using your own magic!
  907. >You stumble into a standing position, stretching your back legs
  908. >Today is time for the party, too!
  909. >You see that the stairs haven't vanished and you want to see Twilight
  910. >But before you do, you sit back down at your table, quill in greenish aura
  911. >>Good morning book! This is day
  912. >The number still seems off to you, but you write it anyway
  913. >>This is day two hundred and thirty three, at
  914. >You look at your clock
  915. >>at eight hours and twenty three minutes. And twenty seconds. Twenty two. Twenty four.
  916. >You shake your head to refocus
  917. >>Enough about time, today is a party for Twilight! Parties, I've read, are meant to make ponies feel happier about their lives. She has many friends that will be here, and she will have me there, and I will impress her with my trick! I am afraid that I may worry her about something. But now, I will try to wake her because the stairs are here and have not gone away. I am going to do my best!
  918. >You close your book and slide your quill into your mane
  919. >You don't think the ink will really be enough to bother you, and you never know when you might need it
  920. >As excited as you are to see Twilight, you stop before your one true enemy
  921. >The stairs
  922. >If Twilight is up there and still sad, you may be her only hope
  923. >Many heroes in your books face tests of courage, wisdom, and strength
  924. >You need all three for this
  925. >Furrowing your brow, you stare straight ahead until you have tunnel vision
  926. >With a shaky hoof, you start to ascend
  927. >As long as you focus on Twilight, you're fine
  928. >You don't even notice that you're basically leaving the ground
  929. >You aren't even aware of how the walls are moving down as you move up, giving you a growing sense of vertigo
  930. >The sight of the floor above doesn't scare you about falling for a moment
  931. >After reaching the bright, brilliant library, you take a moment to sit down
  932. >You were almost worried that you might not make it, or that the stairs might crumble away
  933. >A quick look around the room and you feel like your achievement was for nothing
  934. >Twilight isn't in here
  935. >Where could she be?
  936. >There are the stairs that go even higher
  937. >Except those don't have a wooden ledge above them to help stop from falling over
  938. >And the heart patterns worry you for some reason
  939. >They could be a trap
  940. >You've read about heroes encountering traps
  941. >Or maybe Twilight is still sleeping and you're just afraid to ascend more stairs
  942. >Even for her, the challenge is too great
  943. "Twilight... wake up..."
  944. >Almost as if your voice reached her, the door to outside burst open!
  945. >"TWILIGHT, WAAAAAAKE UUUUUUUUUP!"
  946. >From the blinding brightness of outside, a shrill voice screeches loud enough to make you dizzy
  947. >What was that?!
  948. >A pink pony-shaped creature bounds in, holding a dazzling green and yellow thing between its hooves
  949. >"IT'S PARTY TIIIIIIIIIIIIIME!"
  950. >It squeezes it and it goes off with a disorienting BANG
  951. >As if the sensory overload wasn't enough, seeing a pink pony that didn't even have a horn terrified you beyond your capacity
  952. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH, TWILIGHT HELP ME!"
  953. >The pony sets its bright blue eyes on you and lets out a scream to match yours
  954. >The crazy look in it's eye makes you scream even harder
  955. >For some reason it matches your screams but with a smile
  956. >Your voice raises higher than you thought possible
  957. >This is it
  958. >This is death
  959. >This creature from outside is going to kill you, and then Twilight
  960. >Why did you leave the room, Anon?!
  961. >"Pinkie, shut up already! Do you know what time it is? For once, just come in like a normal po-"
  962. >You can hear Twilight, and even see her descend her stairs, but your eyes are trapped on the screaming monster who's face seems to extend longer and wider beyond what should be possible
  963. >In a fit of animal panic, your horn grows bright green
  964. >The quill in your mane twirls in the air twice and shoots out at the pink monster, tip first
  965. >To your sheer horror, it catches your quill in it's mouth?!
  966. >It spins on the floor and poses, poking her tongue out
  967. >The quill is balancing perfectly on it
  968. >"TAAAAAAAA-LAAAAAAAAAA!"
  969. >You screech again, your sorrow renewed
  970. >"Anon, shut up it's just Pinkie Pie!"
  971. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA--wait, who?"
  972. >Her words snap you back to sanity, but you can't stop your pulse from racing
  973. >That name is familiar
  974. >Wasn't that the name of one of her friends?
  975. >Was this... hornless thing a friend of Twilight?
  976. >"Twilight,today'sapartyday,youknowthatIcan'tjustholdoffonwaitingwhenthere'sanentiredaytoprepareandgetthingsjustrightespeciallysinceyou'vebeengoneforsolongwewereworriedaboutyou,allexceptApplejack,butstill!"
  977. >You switch your gaze between Pinkie Pie and Twilight
  978. >What did she just say?
  979. >She spoke far too quickly for you to keep up
  980. >She then sets her eyes on you again
  981. >You freeze on the spot, unable to help but get the urge to scream again
  982. >"OooooooooohhIknewyouweregettingbusybutthisis..."
  983. >Her eyelids droop down
  984. >She's leering at you
  985. >The smile she has changes into something that makes your stomach feel worse than empty
  986. >But it only lasts a second
  987. >"W h o i s t h i s . . . ?"
  988. >"Pinkie, this is Anon..."
  989. >Pinkie looks at Twilight
  990. >Then at you
  991. >Then at Twilight again
  992. >And back and forth until her head becomes a pink and blue blur
  993. >It stops on you again, causing you to uncomfortably tense up
  994. >"Well that's awesome!"
  995. >Pinkie squats down and somehow slides toward you from a considerable distance away making a long 'swooooooooce' noise
  996. >She stops a few inches from your face
  997. >That leer and that smile returns
  998. >"It's nice to meet you, Anon."
  999. >She speaks very slowly
  1000. >You get the idea that she's looking down at you
  1001. >For some reason you can't explain, you blurt out some words
  1002. "I... if I pull t-the mask off. Will you... die?"
  1003. >Those words don't mean anything to you but it makes her eyes light up
  1004. >The energy in those eyes sap your ability to breath
  1005. >She leans forward again, as if she's examining your face
  1006. >She whispers, eyes shining and trained on you to the point that she could see right through you
  1007. >"Do you like wrestling, Anon?"
  1008.  
  1009. >You stumble away from Pinkie Pie
  1010. >Something inside of you hurts just from that word alone
  1011. >But something else reacts to the word
  1012. >Positively
  1013. >Out of nowhere, Twilight comes between you two
  1014. >"Ok Pinkie, remember the personal bubble?"
  1015. >"Oh, I do! The better friends you are, the smaller the bubble becomes!"
  1016. >"That's right! And... well, he's a new friend so scoot back. Back!"
  1017. >The scent of a new pony is a curious thing
  1018. >It's completely not like Twilight
  1019. >It's not even like anything that you've smelled before
  1020. >Twilight turns back to you
  1021. >She looks like she's about to say something but she looks beyond shocked at something
  1022. >"A-anon?! Behave yourself!"
  1023. "W-what?"
  1024. >You can't imagine what's wrong
  1025. >Until you feel something hit the underside of your stomach
  1026. >It's...
  1027. >You
  1028. >You idly blink, trying to understand everything from the smell of Twilight's friend, to the weird looks she gives you while Twilight tries to shield you from her view
  1029. >"Wow, I bet you're really fun at parties!"
  1030. >"By Celestia, Pinkie, stop goofing around. Anon, please not now!"
  1031. >She sounds really mad
  1032. >Was getting mad at friends normal for her?
  1033. >You sit down and awkwardly try to... not make it obvious of how much you like Twilight's friend
  1034. >After watching the two bicker and wrestle, the excitement dies down
  1035. >"Ok Pinkie, STOP already!"
  1036. >Pinkie giggles again and sighs
  1037. >"Awww... ok... so what's the party plans? Is Anon a party favor?"
  1038. >"A party fa-no! Of course not! He's-"
  1039. >Twilight stops herself
  1040. >"He's a guest here. And I've been helping him from being sick."
  1041. >You don't know how to interact between the two so you sit there
  1042. >"Well that's neat! But why is his name Anon too?"
  1043. >She pokes her head back over Twilight's shoulder and looks at you
  1044. >"Is he his brother? Where's his cutie mark?"
  1045. >"I'll explain later. Can we please focus on the party at hoof?"
  1046. >"Well... alright. So, first, the games! What I got planned is..."
  1047. >You sit in silence as Pinkie Pie discusses all sorts of weird things
  1048. >Not surprisingly, Twilight not only understands it, but speaks in the colorful jargon
  1049. >For a moment, you wondered if it was even the same language
  1050. >It had to be
  1051. >You understood Twilight's words, and that they were indeed words
  1052. >But you had no clue what all of those things were
  1053. >After enough conversation, Twilight turns to look at you
  1054. >You can't help but flinch again
  1055. >At least you aren't as excited as you were before
  1056. >"Anon... can you come here and sit next to me for a moment?"
  1057. "Y-yes, Twilight!"
  1058. >You get up and immediately trot to her side before taking a seat again
  1059. >"Now Anon... this is Pinkie Pie."
  1060. >You blink at the pony pony
  1061. "Nice to meet you, Pinkie Pie."
  1062. >Pinkie Pie giggles and gives you an impressively wide smile
  1063. >It's still a little scary
  1064. >"And I am super duper happy to meet you too!"
  1065. >You expect her to try to attack you but she doesn't
  1066. >Without thinking, you say the first thing that comes to mind
  1067. "Where's your horn?"
  1068. >That comment takes Pinkie Pie by surprise for a second but she bursts out laughing
  1069. >"I don't have one, silly!"
  1070. >You glance at Twilight as if the pink pony is... wrong
  1071. >Twilight nods
  1072. >"Now Pinkie, please be nice to Anon. He's never seen an earth pony before... or a pegasus. His lack of cutie mark is... well, to be honest, it's a mystery to me too. But that's why I've been doing my very best to help him. And, in the process, he's become a really good friend."
  1073. >Pinkie giggles again
  1074. >"With how excited he got before, I bet he's a super special friend too!"
  1075. >Twilight's purple face starts to turn red
  1076. >You smile at the compliment
  1077. "I am proud to be Twilight's friend! And a friend of Twilight is a friend of mine."
  1078. >Twilight gave you a book on friends and how to make them, back when you were still learning how to read
  1079. >This is definitely one of the most important aspects of introducing yourself
  1080. >Pinkie Pie giggles even more
  1081. >"Oh, I would be too if I were you!"
  1082. >"Ok Pinkie, that's..."
  1083. >Twilight clears her throat
  1084. >"Y-yes, Anon and I are... closer than normal friends are."
  1085. >You push your chest out with pride and nod
  1086. "It's true. I love Twilight. And she loves me."
  1087. >You speak with purpose
  1088. >You're proud to say this to a friend of Twilight
  1089. >You look at Twilight, smiling as if she told you that for the first time again
  1090. >She looks...
  1091. >Well she looks a little more blue than purple now
  1092. >And she looks like something's really worrying her
  1093. >"Ohhhhh! Is that how that is! Well why didn't you say that you finally found a coltfriend! Yay Twilight!"
  1094. >Twilight mumbles something while avoiding direct eye contact
  1095. "W-what was that, Twilight?"
  1096. >She's never spoken so softly before
  1097. >Twilight speaks but it sounds like a mix of quiet whimpers
  1098. "T-Twilight... are you ok?"
  1099. >"I'm FiNe!"
  1100. >Her voice cracks as she tries to speak
  1101. >"Awwwwww Twilight's shy! No wonder you want to have a party for today, you've finally done it! Honestly, I thought that you'd never get over Anon! We sure had fun back then but now look at you! That's worthy of TWO parties, one for each of you!"
  1102. >She lets out the biggest gasp, as if her goal was to breath everything at once
  1103. >"WE SHOULD THROW TWO PARTIES AT THE SAME TIME!!!"
  1104. >Twilight sinks down, putting her hooves over her head
  1105. "Two parties... Twilight, does that sound good?"
  1106. >You look down at her and nudge her shoulder with your hoof
  1107. "Twi... Twilight?"
  1108. >"Anon, tell me! Do you reaaaaaaaaaaaaally love Twilight?"
  1109. >Pinkie Pie grins as she asks
  1110. >Twilight whimpers
  1111. "Well, of course I do. Without her, I wouldn't be here today. I love Twilight more each day."
  1112. >Twilight lets out a loud whinny and tries to slap at you with one of her hooves
  1113. >"Anon, don't just go saying that to anypony!"
  1114. "But it's true! I love you!"
  1115. >The more you say it, the more confident you feel in saying it
  1116. >Pinkie Pie bursts out laughing
  1117. >Twilight lets out another distressed noise
  1118. >"Say it again!"
  1119. "I love Twilight!"
  1120. >"Anon, stop it!"
  1121. >"One more time, with feeling!"
  1122. "I love you, Twilight!"
  1123.  
  1124. "So... a party is a gathering of friends to eat and drink sweet things and to have fun."
  1125. >"Exactly! I'm surprised you've never had one before!"
  1126. >You can't help but shrug
  1127. >If you did have a party before, you wouldn't have known it
  1128. >While Twilight was still curled up and trying to deny your declaration, Pinkie Pie pulled you aside and started asking you questions
  1129. >She seems really friendly
  1130. >If you look past that weird look in her eye
  1131. "So..."
  1132. >You look down at the wooden floor
  1133. "What can you tell me about Twilight?"
  1134. >"Twilight?! What CAN'T I tell you about her!"
  1135. >You look at her excited smile
  1136. "I... don't know?"
  1137. >You feel discomfort around her
  1138. >"Weeeeeeeeeell, did you know that her favorite party favor is streamers? And that she doesn't like hot sauce? I like hot sauce! She's also a big worry wort and when she likes someone she really likes to go all out! Don't think now but I think she likes you too, didyouknowthatshelikedsomeonealsonamedAnonIbetyoudidn'tknowthatIbetyouhaveasupercloseconnectionlikeyouguysarebrothersorsomethingbutheisn'taponyhowfunnywoulditbeifyoutwowererelatedyouknowwhatelseisfunnyis..."
  1139. >The more she speaks the faster she goes
  1140. >The faster she goes, the more difficult it is to focus
  1141. >Her mouth is moving so fast
  1142. >How is she moving so fast?
  1143. >Before you know it, her head lowers
  1144. >"And ooooooooooooooooOOOOooooohhh! Party favors!"
  1145. >She boops the tip of her nose against your crotch, making you jump back
  1146. "T-Twilight!?"
  1147. >Twilight, roused from her embarrassed, finally looks up at you
  1148. >Her face bright red, she lets out an uneasy laugh
  1149. >"Oh right! I forgot, Pinkie Pie, why don't you go upstairs real quick! I wrote a book on parties and I think that it might really help with today!"
  1150. >"Oh, okey dokey loki!"
  1151. >Pinkie Pie hops off without a second thought up the stairs without hesitation
  1152. >You sigh as she goes out of sight
  1153. >Only to feel a leg wrap around your neck
  1154. >It's Twilight's
  1155. >"Anon... you can't just say something like that and not expect consequences..."
  1156. >The look on her face is enough to make a chill go down your spine
  1157. >But not a bad chill
  1158. >You're not really sure on what you should say
  1159. >But you did mean it
  1160. "I-is it bad that I said that-"
  1161. >She stops you by pushing her face into yours
  1162. >Almost like she's trying to kiss you but her lips don't move
  1163. >She inhales hard and shakes
  1164. >"Tonight... dear Celestia, tonight..."
  1165. >She slithers her tongue between her lips before pulling away
  1166. >You really aren't sure what is going on but you've been reacting very positively to it
  1167. >"TWILIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT I FOUND IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT"
  1168. >Twilight creates distance and pats down her mane
  1169. >"Compose yourself, you can handle one day of normal friends, don't answer any questions, don't ask anything, be prepared to..."
  1170. >She's talking to herself like she's going down a checklist
  1171. >Pinkie Pie comes bouncing back down the stairs
  1172. >A massive book is bouncing off of her head yet, somehow, it doesn't fall onto the ground
  1173. >"Ok Pinkie Pie. Let's go read the fifth chapter, third paragraph. That's where I started with the idea of a dual party. But it was mostly for ponies sharing birthdays."
  1174. >"Oh, is it Anon's birthday too!?"
  1175. >You sit, like a statue, as they talk back and forth about utterly alien things
  1176. >Whenever either of them asks you something, you simply nod or shake your head
  1177. >Before your eyes, Pinkie Pie produces a truly extravagant amount of items from behind her back, or inside of her pink mane or tail
  1178. >It looks like magic to you
  1179. >Bowls, cups, plates, liquids, colorful solids that smell sweet, and more are set up astonishingly quick
  1180. >Whenever you feel concerned or scared, you give Twilight a look
  1181. >Every time, she smiles and nods, as if she's aware of what you're thinking
  1182. >When Pinkie Pie finishes, strands and papers and more decorate the books, the table, the pony head, the stairs, even the door!
  1183. >"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand boop!"
  1184. >You flinch but she puts something on your head
  1185. >"One for the party prince!"
  1186. >"Pinkie Pie, you really don't have to-"
  1187. >"AND ONE FOR PARTY PRINCESS YAAAAAAAY!"
  1188. >Pinkie flips into the air and bounces off of Twilight's head
  1189. >She put something on her head too
  1190. >A bright yellow thing
  1191. >It looks like her horn but it's in the wrong spot
  1192. >How silly would it be if Twilight had two horns?
  1193. "Pfft."
  1194. >You just find that funny
  1195. >Pinkie Pie lands on her tail of all things and cheers
  1196. >"Ta-DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Partified ponies a plenty!"
  1197. >Twilight looks at her
  1198. >Then at me
  1199. >"Pinkie... is this really necessary?"
  1200. >Her tail deflates until she's on her hooves again
  1201. >"Not really. I mean, when's the last time we've even seen each other? You've been away from us all for so long!"
  1202. >Pinkie Pie gives Twilight a smile
  1203. >It's not as happy as the other manic, crazed expressions she's given so far
  1204. >"We're still friends. Aren't we?"
  1205. >Twilight looks down
  1206. >"Well... of course we are... but I... had to help Anon. He needed me. He needs me still."
  1207. >"Then why not have us help too! If we did, we would all still-"
  1208. >"No, Pinkie. Only I can help him."
  1209. >The sudden sharp tone in Twilight's voice causes both you and Pinkie Pie to recoil
  1210. >"He's my friend. He needs me to help him... not any other pony. He wouldn't be ok with you, or Rarity, or Fluttershy, or Rainbow Dash, or..."
  1211. >Pinkie Pie glances at you
  1212. >Kinda like how you glance at Twilight
  1213. >She's looking for an answer
  1214. >Why is she asking you?
  1215. >You shrug
  1216. >All of this is new to you too
  1217. >"Alright... well... at least we're together again now, right?"
  1218. >She pats Twilight's shoulder
  1219. >"I'm gonna be right back, ok?"
  1220. >She waits for Twilight to answer but she doesn't
  1221. >Her smile fades more
  1222. >"I'm gonna go get our friends... and then we can have our party."
  1223. >Uncharacteristic for her, as little as you know her, Pinkie Pie walks back into the outside world
  1224. "...Twilight? Is everything ok?"
  1225. >Now that it's just you and her, you feel a weight lift off your shoulders
  1226. >"No... I mean, yeah. Yeah, it is, Anon. It will be."
  1227. >You don't understand
  1228. >You go to her side, sitting by
  1229. >You kinda feel like you should just stay at her side, no matter what's going on
  1230. >Things make more sense when she's there to help interpret it all
  1231. "Is it... bad that it's been two hundred and thirty three days?"
  1232. >"Well... no. Not at all, because it's been spent on you. But I guess I miss my friends too..."
  1233. >She looks at you
  1234. >"Anonymous, I need to tell you something important about my friends."
  1235. >Expecting good news, you perk up and smile
  1236. "Of course, Twilight! Your friends are my friends!"
  1237. >Twilight smiles at that
  1238. >But it looks bitter
  1239. >"Anon... no matter what. Remember that they don't love you. Only I love you."
  1240. >What?
  1241. "What?"
  1242. >"They... they aren't capable of loving you. Only I can. No matter how friendly they act, they will never love you. Do you understand? You need to understand."
  1243. >You don't really get it
  1244. >Why wouldn't they love you?
  1245. >From how Pinkie Pie was acting, wasn't that love right there?
  1246. >You love Twilight but you could never do what the pink pony did in a million days, even if you tried!
  1247. "I... I don't..."
  1248. >Twilight puts her hooves on the side of your face
  1249. >"THEY CAN'T LOVE YOU, ANON. ONLY I CAN. I UNDERSTAND YOU."
  1250. >What's going on?
  1251. >"I LOVE YOU. ONLY ME. ONLY TWILIGHT. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"
  1252. >Twilight, please stop being scary
  1253. >"YOU NEED TO TELL ME THAT YOU UNDERSTAND, I DON'T HAVE TIME TO EXPLAIN RIGHT NOW."
  1254. >You feel a painful fire burn in your chest
  1255. >And behind your eyes
  1256. "Y-yes, I understand! Twilight, I understand! Please stop!"
  1257. >The growing aggression in her voice is truly terrifying to you
  1258. >She can't possibly be so mad at you
  1259. >You didn't do anything wrong
  1260. >Right?
  1261. "Please stop, I understand now!"
  1262. >You feel hot droplets go down the side of your face
  1263. >Everything's been so confusing
  1264. >You thought everything was going well
  1265. >You thought that it was good to say that you loved Twilight, and that there was a dual-party set up, and that there were going to be friends of Twilight to meet and be friends with
  1266. >You thought that she was happy because Pinkie Pie was happy
  1267. >None of this makes any sense to you!
  1268. >You try to say that to Twilight but it comes out in heavy, deep sobs
  1269. >You don't know any of Twilight's friends beyond Pinkie Pie but it hurts so much to hear that they would never love you
  1270. >"Oh Anon... shh... it's ok..."
  1271. >Her hooves, which had been pressing into the sides of your head, slide down and wrap around your neck into a hug
  1272. >"It's ok Anon... I'll love you. I'll always love you. They'll still be your friends... our friends. I just need you to understand... I don't want them to hurt you..."
  1273. >For some reason that just makes your sobbing turn that much more aggressive
  1274. >How could friends of Twilight be so hateful toward you?
  1275. >They don't even know you!
  1276. >You don't even know them!
  1277.  
  1278. >After Twilight's warning, you ended up curled up against a wall
  1279. >You found your quill on the floor and reclaimed it
  1280. >Since your journal were down a set of stairs, you resigned yourself to writing your thoughts against the wood
  1281. >Of course, you didn't have ink available
  1282. >The wood is also pretty hard too so it's not like you can carve into it
  1283. >>Hello floor. This is Anonymous. I was prepared for a party with Twilight's friends. I thought that they would be my friends too. Twilight told me that they won't be my friends.
  1284. >You already ran out of the emotion to cry
  1285. >Now you just feel empty
  1286. >>I guess that's not right, floor. Twilight said that they could be my friends. But they would never love me. I guess it makes sense. But it still doesn't sound good. I want to be friends but I don't think being a friend means loving them. It's not the same thing, right?
  1287. >You hear Twilight talking to herself and trotting over all of the room
  1288. >It sounds like she's talking to someone
  1289. >Or more like she's talking to herself
  1290. >"Why yes, his name is Anon but it's completely not related to Anon... you know what I mean. Applejack? No... no no, of course we're still friends. BFFs forever, right?"
  1291. >She gulped down half of a large bowl of pink liquid already in the middle of her conversations
  1292. >You want to ask her what she's talking about but you can't really bring yourself to talk to her
  1293. >You can't bring yourself to talk at all
  1294. >You're unlovable
  1295. >Except to Twilight
  1296. >You tap the quill on the floor
  1297. >You don't know what else you want to say to the floor
  1298. >It isn't great for conversation
  1299. >You prefer your journal much more
  1300. >You would never write in one of Twilight's books, but maybe she wouldn't notice if one went missing
  1301. >Your musings are cut off with the opening of the door that separates you from the outside world
  1302. >"PARTY TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME!"
  1303. >The shrill screaming is easy to remember
  1304. >You only know of three voices anyway
  1305. >"Finally, party at Twilight's! I thought this place was empty or something!"
  1306. >You don't recognize that voice
  1307. >It sounds... scratchy
  1308. >"Nonsense, our Twilight Sparkle wouldn't leave Ponyville for anything. Not without letting us know, in any case."
  1309. >A new voice, kinda something you would imagine a princess having
  1310. >"I hope she would... but we would help even if you didn't! I'm just happy that you're ok!"
  1311. >A really soft voice
  1312. >It sounds soothing
  1313. >Quiet, too
  1314. >Almost like your voice
  1315. >From your seat, you look at a truly dizzying sight
  1316. >Pinkie is back
  1317. >Twilight is there
  1318. >But there's... a white Twilight?
  1319. >And two more that have wings but no horn!?
  1320. >They're all in such a dizzying array of colors
  1321. >They all huddle together and talk all at once to each other
  1322. >The new voices are hard to tell apart
  1323. >You even can't hear Twilight's voice through all of the noise
  1324. >But she looks so happy
  1325. >"OH I FORGOT OUR OTHER PARTY PONY!"
  1326. >Pinkie's screech makes your stomach feel terrible
  1327. >Your eyes widen at the five ponies that focus on you
  1328. >"Oh my..."
  1329. >"You can't exactly join a party way over there, darling..."
  1330. >"Woah... a guy in Twilight's place..."
  1331. >Watching them speak, you can connect the new voices to their bodies
  1332. >"Girls, this is..."
  1333. >"His name's Anon too!"
  1334. >Just like that, you feel like everything died then and there
  1335. >You watch all of them, stand there
  1336. >Studying you
  1337. >Studying Twilight too
  1338. >Say something
  1339. >Say something!
  1340. >You need to say something!
  1341. "H... hi... I'm."
  1342. >You need to say this right
  1343. "I'm Anon. This... this is my quill."
  1344. >Your green-coated quill floats up to your face and out toward them
  1345. >You can't help but think that something might be wrong
  1346. >"...Anon? As in Anonymous, by chance?"
  1347. >The white one speaks up and steps toward you
  1348. >You slowly nod
  1349. >"...have we met before, Anon?"
  1350. >How could you?
  1351. >You would recognize a white Twilight
  1352. >The purple of her hair is too different from Twilight
  1353. >It's too dark a purple
  1354. >"It's not kind to stare at a lady."
  1355. >You avert your eyes
  1356. "S-sorry. No... no, I don't think we have."
  1357. >The unicorn isn't impressed
  1358. >But she nods and gives you a warm smile
  1359. >"Then I'm pleased to meet you. Very fashionable quill, I like it."
  1360. >That makes you smile
  1361. >You casually twirl it in the air but the pointed tip pokes the side of your face
  1362. >The yellow winged party guest approaches from White's side
  1363. >"Oh... it is a really nice quill! That feather looks really rare, too... is it from a phoenix?"
  1364. >What's a phoenix?
  1365. >So she's the one with the calm voice
  1366. "I... I don't know."
  1367. >You go from looking at the quill, to Yellow, to the floor
  1368. >The nice look in her eyes makes you feel sad
  1369. >It's like she can understand your concern
  1370. >Your sadness
  1371. >"Girls now don't crowd. He's... he's not all that social. He's really timid sometimes."
  1372. >"I understand. Well, Anonymous, I am pleased to meet you. My name is Rarity and I am open if you would ever like to talk."
  1373. >The so called Rarity walks off, leaving you feeling a little more... confident?
  1374. >Yellow nods and smiles
  1375. >"And I'm Fluttershy! I'm very happy to meet you, Anon. I hope we get to be the best of friends!"
  1376. >You can't help but smile at her energy
  1377. >It's difficult to explain but you believe her words fully
  1378. >You watch her follow Rarity
  1379. >Twilight enters your view with a quizzical look
  1380. >Your smile immediately drops
  1381. >"Are you doing better now?"
  1382. "Y... yes, Twilight... I'm sorry for how I was acting."
  1383. >You can't help but apologize
  1384. >She smiles and nuzzles her face against yours
  1385. >"It's ok. It's our party today, right? Let's enjoy it!"
  1386. >She has a point
  1387. >She helps you up and you twirl the quill into your mane
  1388. >Rarity, Fluttershy and the blue one are talking to each other
  1389. >Pinkie is bouncing around, and stops in front of the stairs leading further up
  1390. >Out of nowhere she pulls out a large black box and pokes it
  1391. >It starts... singing?
  1392. >"Every pony needs music for a party!"
  1393. >She says that to... no one in particular
  1394. "Twilight...?"
  1395. >"Yes, Anon?"
  1396. "Is... is Pinkie magic?"
  1397. >Twilight giggles with a sigh at the end
  1398. >"No... at least, she isn't any sort of magic I'm familiar with. She's just... well, she's Pinkie Pie."
  1399. >That really doesn't bring you any comfort
  1400. >But it almost makes sense
  1401. >Almost
  1402. >With the so-claimed music playing, Twilight trots off to join the bigger conversations
  1403. >By the look of how they all react to her, they must really like her
  1404. >It's not shocking
  1405. >Anyone would like Twilight
  1406. >She looks so happy
  1407. >You haven't ever made her so happy
  1408. >Though you were smiling before
  1409. >Or trying to
  1410. >It's gone now
  1411. >"Are you alright, Anon?"
  1412. >You flinch at the voice
  1413. >Of course it's Pinkie's
  1414. >When did she end up at your side?
  1415. "I'm... yeah... yeah, I'm ok."
  1416. >She used to be scary before but she sounds kinda nicer now
  1417. >"Why no smile? Parties are really great for smiling!"
  1418. >You have no reason to hide anything from her
  1419. >You've always been open with Twilight
  1420. >You can be open to friends like Pinkie too
  1421. "I'm... I don't know. Twilight looks happy."
  1422. >Your eyes lose focus as you gleam everything going on at once
  1423. "I... I don't think I've ever made her that happy."
  1424. >Pinkie laughs but it sounds hollow
  1425. >From her other laughing, this time it doesn't sound nearly as good
  1426. >"She's happy to see her friends again! I don't think anyone except her friends could make her smile so much!"
  1427. "Yeah... I guess."
  1428. >"Twilight's a little busy. How about we talk for a little while?"
  1429. >That sounds good
  1430. >You know now that she's a good friend who brought more friends, so she is trustworthy
  1431. "Sure, yeah!"
  1432. >You nod to yourself for a few moments
  1433. >What is there to talk about?
  1434. >Your nodding stops
  1435. "Uh... I... I like writing?"
  1436. >In an instant, Pinkie bounces from your side to in front of you
  1437. >Her eyes are huge
  1438. >"That's awesome? What sort of things do you write? Are you an author? You know that would make since that Twilight would like you then, IonecreadabookwhenIwasalittlefillyanditputmetosleepfordaysanddaysandwhenIwasfinishedIthoughtIturnedintoabookbecauseIrememberedallthewordsbutwhenmysistersbroughtinarockandtrippedithitmeandI-"
  1439. >Her words become a noisy mess that makes you see double
  1440. >She giggles
  1441. >"No need to go cross-eyed, Anon! I'm just an author with words instead of words!"
  1442. >You have no clue what she just said but you think you understood it
  1443. >That passing thought confuses you too much
  1444. >You need to think of something more solid
  1445. "I... I have a journal. I write in that. I enjoy it."
  1446. >Her energy raises and lowers without rhyme or reason
  1447. >"Would you like me to read it? I'm always good for a good read!"
  1448. >She doesn't seem like the type who would read for fun
  1449. >You don't mean to be rude but she seems too hyper to sit down and read so much
  1450. "S-sure, I guess... but it's down stairs."
  1451. >"Twilight has a downstairs?"
  1452. >She looks around and spies the stairs that lead to your things
  1453. >"Let's go!"
  1454. >You want to ask Twilight if it's ok but she seems like she's having so much fun
  1455. >Even if the blue on is poking her with a really snide look
  1456. >You want to ask Pinkie about it but she's already bouncing down the stairs
  1457. >You trot to chase her and stop at the stairs
  1458. >The stairs...
  1459. >Pinkie's handling the stairs so gracefully
  1460. >Though there are a lot of steps, it looks like she's actually jumping from one step to the next
  1461. >"Last one down's a stale cupcake!"
  1462. >You don't know what that means but her gleeful tone is infectious!
  1463. >You hop in place as a test
  1464. >You don't hop nearly as high as Pinkie does
  1465. >Thinking it's still a good idea, you hop forward onto the first step
  1466. >You land
  1467. >But immediately slip
  1468. >You try to stop yourself but you end up losing your footing worse!
  1469. >"Tw-TWILI-"
  1470. >You start to cry out for Twilight but your chin meets one of the stair steps
  1471. >Everything becomes a blur as your body flails down
  1472. >Every part of you that you're aware of hurts
  1473. >Including even more parts of you that hurt that you didn't even know could hurt
  1474. >When the world comes to a stop, you whimper enough to know that you're still alive
  1475. >You open your mouth to croak out a cry for Twilight
  1476. >But something's blocking your mouth
  1477. >Or more like it's mashed up right against it
  1478. >"Anon... watch out for that first step. It's a doozy...! O-ouchie..."
  1479. >Pinkie?
  1480. >Your vision clears and you see that Pinkie is with you
  1481. >In fact, she's right in front of you
  1482. >On her back
  1483. >Her head lifts up and she smirks at you
  1484. >"Was this a trick just to get a taste of Pinkie's Pie?"
  1485. >What does that mean?
  1486. >You look down at where you are
  1487. >You're between her legs
  1488. >You're familiar with what's there
  1489. >You're very familiar with what's there with Twilight
  1490. >You blink at her a few times
  1491. >She giggles and watches you
  1492. >"Well don't just stare at me like you need permission!"
  1493. >You're suddenly reminded that you have legs
  1494. >And other things
  1495. >A particularly vigorous heartbeat leads to you scrambling up to your legs
  1496. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I, I saw you hopping and I'm not good with stairs and I, I wanted to have fun and you were having fun and I..."
  1497. >Your panicked explanation drops off when you see...
  1498. >Her
  1499. >A whole lot more of her than what you saw before
  1500. >"Oh no, you're looking at me like I'm a snack... are you going to eat me up?"
  1501. >Pinkie's tone almost sounds like Twilight's
  1502. >It's low
  1503. >Quiet
  1504. >In the far more quiet room, you can even hear her exhale
  1505. "I..."
  1506. >"Don't you worry, Anon... ol' Pinkie Pie is good at keeping secrets... you should know that by now though."
  1507.  
  1508. >She reminds you of Twilight
  1509. >Obviously it isn't her
  1510. >But so much of her looks the same
  1511. >So much of her looks inviting
  1512. >You've been taught what to do in this situation
  1513. >Before you show Pinkie Pie what you've been taught, you hear a scream that freezes your blood
  1514. >You recognize that shriek
  1515. >It's Twilight
  1516. >You freeze and look dead ahead, hoping that she won't see you
  1517. >"PINKIE PIE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
  1518. >Pinkie Pie looks at you with one last knowing grin before she explodes in a puff of purple
  1519. >"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU, WHAT DID YOU DO TO ANON?!"
  1520. >"I didn't do anything, Twilight! Sheesh, you're acting like I just broke into a hidden treasure room or something!"
  1521. >She's giggling
  1522. >"Twilight, darling, c-calm down."
  1523. >"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN! I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIENDS AND THE FIRST THING YOU DO IS TRY TO STEAL ANON!"
  1524. >"Excuse me? Twilight, I've hardly spoken to the boy."
  1525. >"Oh my... Twilight, please calm down. I'm sure Pinkie Pie-"
  1526. >"PINKIE PIE KNOWS BETTER!"
  1527. >Your energy depletes and you deflate in a matter of seconds
  1528. >She's been irritated at you maybe once or twice
  1529. >She's never once screamed like this before
  1530. >Even you can tell that she's really mad
  1531. >Really, seriously mad
  1532. >You drag yourself from your spot into the furthest corner from the stairs up, unable to stop yourself from listening to the anger upstairs
  1533. >You listen to Fluttershy being scared off
  1534. >Rarity getting upset and leaving after giving an apology that you don't think is genuine
  1535. >The winged pony you don't remember scoffing and calling Twilight a 'nerd'
  1536. >It's down to just Twilight and Pinkie Pie
  1537. >"I don't understand, why are you so angry? We both liked Anon, didn't we?"
  1538. >"That was DIFFERENT, Pinkie Pie!"
  1539. >"No it isn't! It's Anon, I can tell!"
  1540. >"No it isn't!"
  1541. >"Yes it is!"
  1542. >"Pinkie, get out!"
  1543. >"No! Twilight, you're acting silly, you've been cooped up in here for who knows how long-"
  1544. >"I said GET OUT!"
  1545. >"FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DO THIS!"
  1546. >"THEN YOU AREN'T MY FRIEND!"
  1547. >The conversation dies right there
  1548. >You huddle into yourself as hard as you can
  1549. >You caused this
  1550. >You just know it
  1551. >"T-Twilight..."
  1552. >"Don't make me repeat myself, Pinkie..."
  1553. >"You can't mean it... let's start over, ok? I can pretend like I never met him before! And, and we can keep going like normal!"
  1554. >The stone cold tone of Twilight mixed with the desperate pleading of Pinkie is enough to shred your heart
  1555. >You bury your head straight down, trying to think of any way to block out the arguing
  1556. >The crying
  1557. >Whether or not it was either of them up there crying or you, you couldn't tell
  1558. >You didn't mean to do any of this
  1559. >Why did you ruin the party like that?
  1560. >Why couldn't you have just been better?
  1561. >You feel something nudge against your shoulder
  1562. >It takes a moment for you to wake up
  1563. >You didn't know you were even sleeping
  1564. >It takes a minute for your eyes to focus, but you recognize the shape well, even in the barely lit room
  1565. "Twilight..."
  1566. >Your voice trembles
  1567. "I'm sorry... please don't be mad at your friends."
  1568. >Twilight sits down in front of you
  1569. >Staring down
  1570. >"Anon... don't apologize. It was Pinkie that was in the wrong. I know what you were going to do to her..."
  1571. >The stern, emotionless tone in her voice makes it impossible for you to speak
  1572. >"And... I know that she's a very attractive pony. I should have known that there would still be a connection between you and her. Maybe it's just your personality."
  1573. >She sighs
  1574. >It's a sigh like she's been holding it back
  1575. >"You know... even back then, I suspected things. She was too happy to watch over you. Far too eager to help you out."
  1576. >What does she even mean?
  1577. >She sighs again
  1578. >"Anon... can I do something? Do you trust me?"
  1579. >That question gives you the strength to speak of
  1580. "Of course I do."
  1581. >"Good... I love you, Anon"
  1582. "I love you too, Tw-"
  1583. >Purple fills your vision
  1584. >You aren't able to speak
  1585. >It feels like that one time when you tried to drink and speak at the same time
  1586. >You don't feel the need to be concerned but you realize you can't breath either
  1587. >Twilight doesn't let you loose
  1588. >She knows what she's doing
  1589. >She loves you
  1590. >You know this
  1591. >You know this for sure, which is why you aren't scared
  1592. >But you need to breath
  1593. >Twilight will let you breath, you know that for a fact
  1594. >Maybe this will make her feel better
  1595. >You would
  1596. >be ok with that
  1597. >You just need
  1598. >To
  1599. >Wait
  1600. >Patiently
  1601. >...
  1602. >You come to, bolting upright
  1603. >You're in bed
  1604. >Wait
  1605. >In bed?
  1606. >You hear humming
  1607. >Like it's a song or something
  1608. >You look around but don't see anyone
  1609. >"Oh, Anon! You're awake! Silly me, I forgot you were sleeping?"
  1610. "Twilight?! Where are you?"
  1611. >"Up here!"
  1612. >Up where?
  1613. >You look up, expecting it to be a joke
  1614. >Instead, you see Twilight
  1615. >Clinging to the ceiling with her legs
  1616. >All... hundred of them?
  1617. >Your body goes ice cold
  1618. >She doesn't have that many legs
  1619. >She makes her way down to you, her dozens of legs dancing wildly
  1620. >But she's not making any noise
  1621. >Before you can ask her what's going on, she grabs onto you with two long, jagged legs
  1622. >The hooves at the end are narrow, and angled
  1623. >They squeeze into you, to the point that they're inside of you
  1624. >Twilight looks at you with a smile
  1625. >The smile goes so wide that the edge of her lips go behind her head
  1626. >Her head silently opens into a gaping maw
  1627. >"Now we'MM ʙe toGetHeR ғoReveR."
  1628. >Her voice doesn't match the gnashing and the twitching of the top of her head
  1629. >You want to say something to her but it's Twilight
  1630. >You can't say 'no' to her
  1631. >She brings you close into a multi-legged embrace
  1632. >Her mouth extends and engulfs your head
  1633. "TWILIGHT NO!"
  1634. >You bolt upright
  1635. >You're in bed
  1636. >Twilight is nowhere to be seen
  1637. >Heart beating in your chest so hard you're uneven, you wrench your head upward
  1638. >No Twilight
  1639. >Of course
  1640. >Of course you wouldn't see Twilight on the roof
  1641. >Why would that ever happen?
  1642. "Twilight? Where are you?"
  1643. >You stumble to your hooves, half-asleep
  1644. >You stop at the base of the stairs, siting down
  1645. >There are no lights on though
  1646. >That's weird
  1647. >Wasn't there supposed to be a party today?
  1648. "Oh no..."
  1649. >The realization hits you
  1650. >Did you sleep through the entire party?!
  1651. >You hurry to your journal
  1652. >Your quill is resting right nearby, which is comforting
  1653. >You're not quite sure you left it there though
  1654. "Good morning, day two hundred thirty three..."
  1655. >You mumble your entry to yourself
  1656. >You do remember writing this
  1657. >But you don't remember much else
  1658. >It couldn't possibly be morning
  1659. >You check your clock
  1660. >It's past midnight!
  1661. >Or past noon?
  1662. "Oh no..."
  1663. >You let your head drop onto the table
  1664. "I slept through it..."
  1665. >You swoop up your quill in a glow of green
  1666. >Something about it stands out to you
  1667. "...what's a phoenix?"
  1668. >You really aren't sure
  1669. >But for some reason your quill says 'phoenix' to you
  1670.  
  1671.  
  1672. >>Good morning, journal. It's me, Anon. It is day two hundred and seventy one. I am happy to write in you again. My quill is as eager as I am, it moves like it is an extension of myself. Twilight has been taking good care of me. I was very sad to sleep through Twilight's party and wanted to make it up to her but instead, I got sick. Very sick. Twilight was very scared for me. I got better, though it took many days. I wasn't able to write in you during that time, or even use magic! I felt like I was leaving. I couldn't leave Twilight behind. She loves me. And I love her.
  1673. >You nod to yourself
  1674. >You are satisfied with writing this in your book
  1675. >Ever since you had gotten sick, you were moved from your room down below and into the library
  1676. >The sunlight had bothered you for many days, but you were too sick to care
  1677. >Your clock and your books are still downstairs
  1678. >But...
  1679. >You do not trust the stairs
  1680. >You lean away from the center table, admiring the horse head decoration that seems almost real enough to talk to
  1681. >Even if you did talk to it, it wouldn't talk back
  1682. >You may have tried to make sure
  1683. >Twilight usually stays outside the library
  1684. >She only really goes upstairs if she's going to sleep and wants to sleep alone
  1685. >Maybe it's just you but she looks worried about something
  1686. >Every time you try to ask, she smiles and tells you that everything is ok
  1687. >You really don't have any reason to doubt her
  1688. >As you've done more than enough reading over the last four days, you find yourself... bored
  1689. >Before, you could wait and sit in silence for days without concern
  1690. >Between the clock always ticking and tocking, and the books that have taught you so much about Equestria, you can't just sit there anymore
  1691. >You want to talk to Twilight
  1692. >Ask her things
  1693. >See places with her
  1694. >You want to leave the library!
  1695. >Maybe
  1696. >You aren't so sure you want to leave without her
  1697. >But she isn't here either
  1698. >Maybe she's outside
  1699. >You find yourself standing in front of the door leading to the outside world
  1700. >The lit candle image on the wood seems to glow
  1701. >It is bright outside, thanks to the sun
  1702. >But the glow from the candle's visage of a flame seems different
  1703. "Maybe... Twilight is outside."
  1704. >You expect an answer but you don't know how you could respond to yourself
  1705. >Maybe this is a test
  1706. >Maybe she's busy
  1707. >Maybe she needs help!
  1708. >Maybe she's having parties...
  1709. >You still feel guilty for having slept through the party
  1710. >With so little to focus on, it stings the back of your mind whenever you relax
  1711. >You hope that she has forgiven you
  1712. >You've been almost too afraid to ask her about it
  1713. "Twilight is outside... and she needs me. I can't help her if I'm stuck in here."
  1714. >You speak in a slow, calm tone
  1715. >You aren't trying to convince yourself at all
  1716. >You're merely stating what has to be the obvious
  1717. >Your front hoof rests on the door
  1718. "This is the only way you can make it up to her..."
  1719. >You have to do it
  1720. >Despite your urge to close your eyes, you squint and prepare yourself
  1721. >You push through the door and rush outside in three quick trots!
  1722. >You see
  1723. >Colors
  1724. >So many bright colors!
  1725. >Green on the ground
  1726. >Blue in the sky
  1727. >Bright yellow circle th-
  1728. "AH!"
  1729. >You quickly avert your eyes
  1730. >That yellow thing must be the sun
  1731. >Even for that quick instance, gazing upon it led to the most painful sensation
  1732. >You whirl around back to the entrance to your home and
  1733. >And...
  1734. >It's massive
  1735. >The tree you exited is massive!
  1736. >It's huge!
  1737. >It goes beyond your sight, straight up and over like some... big, blossoming thing
  1738. >"IIIIIIINCOMIIIIIIIIIING!"
  1739. >Incoming?
  1740. >Why does that voice not sound familiar?
  1741. >Before you can ponder such a thing, you collapse from something that slammed into you hard enough to leave you dazed
  1742. >Sore, you persevere and look at what collided into you
  1743. >A grey pony with yellow hair
  1744. >And wings!
  1745. "A pegasus!"
  1746. >The pony slides her head up and shakes it hard enough to make her face blur
  1747. >She stops and gives you the widest smile you've ever seen
  1748. >She's looking right at you
  1749. >Sorta
  1750. >One eye is, anyway
  1751. >The other one is... looking to your right?
  1752. >You glance over to the right, just in case
  1753. >Nothing
  1754. >"Thaaaaat's right! Mail delivery as quick as the wind blows!"
  1755. >You hold your hoof up
  1756. >You don't feel any breeze
  1757. "Wind's not blowing..."
  1758. >She rubs the back of her head with one of her hooves
  1759. >"Well it sure is windy while flying!"
  1760. >She probably has a point
  1761. >"Hey, you're new! What's your name, anyway? I take care of allllllllllll of the most important things around Ponyville and beyond!"
  1762. >Her voice is kinda funny
  1763. "I'm... uh. I'm Anon."
  1764. >That name makes the mare's eyes cross again
  1765. >So much so that they almost both look at you
  1766. >For some reason you feel uneasy
  1767. >As soon as the glare started, it gave way to another squee of a smile
  1768. >"So YOU'RE him! I got a letter for you that's been sitting around for days now!"
  1769. "A letter?"
  1770. >As in a personalized note?
  1771. >"That's right! Mr. Anon, you sure are hard to find sometimes!"
  1772. >She ruffles around in some sling carried over her shoulders
  1773. >She produces a pink rectangle length of paper that has been folded over a few times
  1774. >And some fluffy-looking brown thing
  1775. >"And for me delivering your first letter, a muffin to celebrate!"
  1776. >A muffin?
  1777. >She plops it down in front of you
  1778. >Smells fresh
  1779. >And you are hungry...
  1780. >"I'll be sure to find you again, Mr. Anon! Get ready for more letters soo, ok?!"
  1781. >Before you can ask more questions, she flaps off
  1782. >The muffin seems self-explanatory
  1783. >But why was there a letter addressed to you?
  1784. >Who would even write you a later?
  1785. >Twilight would just tell you, wouldn't she?
  1786. >You examine the letter as well as you can
  1787. >It's pink
  1788. >And it's really just a piece of paper that's been folded enough times to stay closed on it's own
  1789. >...
  1790. >You aren't too sure what else you could learn from it
  1791. >The pink is kinda weird, though
  1792. >Twilight wouldn't use that sort of paper
  1793. "Wait! Twilight wouldn't use that sort of paper!"
  1794. >A breakthrough!
  1795. >You float the letter up to your face and glare at it
  1796. >If it wasn't from Twilight... who else would know you?
  1797. >It's close enough to your face that you can tell that it has...
  1798. >A particular scent to it
  1799. >Flowery
  1800. >Strong enough to make you snort and crinkle your nose at it
  1801. "Alright... so..."
  1802. >Focusing singularly on the paper, you carefully unfold it
  1803. >The penmanship is actually really something
  1804. >>Applejack and Anonymous,
  1805. >>This is mostly for Anon, but I know you will read this before he will, dear.
  1806. >>I hope you are both doing well! I know that pregnancy can be tough on any pony.
  1807. >>Anon, your new clothing is coming along beautifully! Even you will look like quite the handsome beast in them.
  1808. >>I also appreciate your donations to my boutique. The clothing you brought from your homeland is quite unique.
  1809. >>To Applejack specifically, you-know-who had a party a little while back.
  1810. >>Please speak with Anon. I think she has been up to something and I am concerned.
  1811. >>Not just for you, and not just for Anon. But for her too. She is still our, your, friend.
  1812. >>Friends don't leave friends behind. Even if they sometimes... act out.
  1813. >>BFFs forever and always
  1814. >>Rarity
  1815. >Rarity...
  1816. >RARITY?!
  1817. >White Twilight!
  1818. "I knew it! I know who she is!"
  1819. >But didn't that happen during the party?
  1820. >You...
  1821. >You weren't awake during the party
  1822. >Were you?
  1823. >You reread the letter a number of times
  1824. >You don't know who Applejack is
  1825. >But you're with her?
  1826. >You have clothing?
  1827. >SHE'S PREGNANT?!
  1828. >A grave sinking feeling starts from your head and goes at least steps below the ground
  1829. >If Twilight reads this, she'll... who knows what!
  1830. >You don't know any Applejack!
  1831. >Out of reflex, you fold the letter as many times as you magically can and tuck it in your mane, behind your ear
  1832. >You can put your quill there and it stays so that should stay too
  1833. >You aren't even sure where to begin
  1834. >Who's you-know-who?
  1835. >Is it Twilight?
  1836. >Twilight had a party
  1837. >Do other people have parties too that you would know?
  1838. >You gravitate the muffin toward your mouth and take a bite
  1839. >It tastes good, actually
  1840. >Really good
  1841. >You finish it sooner than you realize, mind stuck on the letter
  1842. >Obviously you and Applejack are...
  1843. >It makes you deeply uncomfortable to even finish that thought
  1844. >You only love Twilight
  1845. >If you could...
  1846. >You shake your head and distract yourself from finishing that thought too
  1847. >Focus, Anon
  1848. >Applejack and Anon
  1849. >Not you, of course
  1850. >You're Anon
  1851. >But not the Anon in the letter
  1852. >Obviously
  1853. >The circular logic loop breaks free when a pony comes up to you
  1854. >"Well good afternoon, stranger! I haven't seen you in Ponyville before."
  1855. >You jump at the sudden social interaction, unable to contain your surprise
  1856. >"W-whoa now! Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you! Let me start over, I'm Flim, and let me tell you that I have quite th-"
  1857. "I'm sorry. Do you know where Applejack is?"
  1858. >The male pony stops his spiel and frowns
  1859. >"...oh. Are you a fan of Applejack's goods? Don't tell me you came here through word of mouth... or advertisement?!"
  1860. >You shake your head
  1861. >None of what he's saying makes sense
  1862. >It's distressing
  1863. "Applejack is pregnant but it wasn't me. I love Twilight! Twilight! I have to find her and figure out what's going on!"
  1864. >The pony's jaw drops
  1865. >In an instant, his demeanor shifts to something completely different
  1866. >"I... uh... wow, kid. That's kinda serious, isn't it."
  1867. >The distress is rising in your voice
  1868. >Twilight can't ever read that letter, or else she'll think that you don't love her
  1869. >It would kill you if she didn't love you anymore
  1870. "I need to find Applejack. Do you know where she is? Please help me."
  1871. >Flim looks visibly uncomfortable but he pats your shoulder with his front hoof
  1872. >"Hey, don't worry about it. Yeah, uh... listen. I kinda got stuff to do but let me head you over there real quick. Would you like that? My brother and I got a busy day but you look like you could use the help."
  1873. >You aren't sure of what his tone is supposed to mean, but you're distraught and unable to do anything about it
  1874. "Yes, please. I need to prove to Twilight that it wasn't me."
  1875. >"Sure it wasn't, kid... sure. Let's, uh, let's go."
  1876. >He starts walking off
  1877. >You quickly follow, nearly tripping over yourself
  1878. >You barely pay attention to your surroundings
  1879. "I don't get it... who's Applejack? Twilight never brought her up before... is Anon a common name? It's my name."
  1880. >You keep asking the same questions and bringing up the same details, like they're supposed to comfort you against the impossibility of it all
  1881. >Flim makes a few comments and asks at least one question but you can't bring yourself to pay attention
  1882. >You're surprised you've been able to walk so far, too
  1883. >You eventually stop on a dirt road
  1884. >In front of a big white arch that forms into a big white fence
  1885. >A sign is hanging from the arch with the image of an apple on it
  1886. "I've never been here before. Applejack is here?"
  1887. >Flim sighs and nods
  1888. >He seems to have accepted your unusual ways by now
  1889. >"Sure is... I'll be honest, she's pretty good competition. Keeps us on our tips."
  1890. >You don't respond and look forward, to the series of buildings and... what you could only guess were animals
  1891. >"Listen, kid. You said your name was Anon, right?"
  1892. >You nod
  1893. >"If... uh, if you gotta skip town. You come find me and my brother. We could use some help and maybe you could use an escape, see?"
  1894. >You nod again
  1895. "I need to prove to Twilight that it wasn't me."
  1896. >"Sure, kid... sure. Good luck to you."
  1897. >The clearly awkward pony gives you a nod and trots off
  1898. >With nothing left to do, you cross the arch into the new territory
  1899. >There are a lot of buildings, big and small
  1900. >You feel a little dizzy, it's all so open and massive
  1901. >The library is really small in comparison
  1902. >Your room is tiny in comparison
  1903. >You wish you brought your quill
  1904. >And your journal
  1905. >You should really write about this as soon as you can
  1906. >Except the letter part
  1907. >Twilight can't ever read that
  1908. >After enough wandering around, you see a red pony in the distance
  1909. >A really big one
  1910. >Not a unicorn either
  1911. "Hey! Excuse me!"
  1912. >You rush up to him as fast as your legs can carry you
  1913. >He looks a little surprised but doesn't budge
  1914. >"Eeyup?"
  1915. "Listen, Applejack is..."
  1916. >Maybe you really shouldn't say what she is
  1917. >You don't want Twilight to learn it
  1918. "I... uh... do you know where Anon is?"
  1919. >Obviously this will prove that the letter is a prank
  1920. >Because you're Anon
  1921. >The pony gives a warm smile
  1922. >"Eeeeeyup."
  1923. >He turns to the right and points toward a large red building
  1924. >"Over there."
  1925. >...what?
  1926. >How can you be over there?
  1927. >You feel a terrific rush of fear and excitement
  1928. >The mystery is soon to be solved!
  1929. "Thank you!"
  1930. >You gallop toward the red structure and charge in without thinking or knocking
  1931. >You stop as soon as you see a towering figure
  1932. >A tanned biped that's working on a big wheel
  1933. >The clothing it is wearing has a few apple symbols sewn in
  1934. >He looks at you with a look of dull surprise
  1935. >"...hey there, little fella."
  1936. "Are... are you Anon?"
  1937. >His expression doesn't change
  1938. >"Yeeeaah...? Who are you?"
  1939. "I'M Anon!"
  1940. >"...what?"
  1941.  
  1942. >You stare at the biped
  1943. >You can't help but think that he sounds kinda like you too
  1944. "I'm... I'm Anon. Not you."
  1945. >"Nnnnooo...? I'm pretty sure my name's Anon too. You're a... pony, right? Don't you guys always have goofy names? Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Big Mac..."
  1946. "Twilight Sparkle too!"
  1947. >The name makes his face go pale
  1948. >"Yeah... her... her too."
  1949. >Speaking of Twilight, you remember what you were doing here!
  1950. >The purple letter, enveloped in your green magic, flies up to his face
  1951. "Read this! If Twilight finds out about this and thinks I got Applejack pregnant, who knows how she'll react! I have to let her know that I wouldn't do that!"
  1952. >The other Anon plucks the letter out of the green ether and reads through it
  1953. >"Oh wow, new stuff is on the way. And... 'up to something', huh..."
  1954. >He glances at you for a moment before returning to the letter
  1955. >With a sigh, he moves to sit down on the dirt floor
  1956. >"Alright... Anon. So wanna tell me what's going on?"
  1957. >He puts the palm of his hand on his knee
  1958. >He looks like he's appraising you for something
  1959. >You return the gesture and sit down
  1960. >You can't imitate his motions though
  1961. "Well... my name is Anon. And... it has been two hundred and seventy one days since I first met Twilight. Or so she's told me. I used to be really sick. She taught me how to speak, how to read and write. And even how to use magic! I can't do nearly as much as her, but I have learned a whole lot. She loves me, and I love her."
  1962. >You speak with pride, unable to stop yourself from smiling
  1963. >The other Anon looks
  1964. >Confused?
  1965. >"...right. Where... where did you come from? What were you sick with?"
  1966. "I don't know."
  1967. >You shrug with your answer
  1968. >You've asked that at least once before, surely
  1969. "I don't have the, what is it, 'cutie mark' that she does. Or any other pony has I suppose. I don't know why."
  1970. >"Yeah, you kinda are a bit of an oddity there, aren't you..."
  1971. >It almost feels like you're talking to yourself
  1972. >"So. You said... Twilight? Who are you to her? Who is she to you?"
  1973. >You smile
  1974. "I'm her...!"
  1975. >You frown
  1976. "I'm her..."
  1977. >You're not sure you know what you are in relation to her
  1978. "I'm her... apprentice...?"
  1979. >"Are you saying or asking that?"
  1980. >The curtness cuts into your confidence
  1981. "Well, she has taught me how to use magic. I guess... she's my best friend. And I hope I'm still her best friend. Without her I probably wouldn't be alive today. She even gave me a-"
  1982. >You reach up... but you didn't bring your quill
  1983. "...ah... well, she gave me a quill. I really like it. I can write with it too."
  1984. >"Sure, writing is fun..."
  1985. "Yeah. And. I guess..."
  1986. >You look around the interior of the structure
  1987. >It looks a lot neater on the inside
  1988. >It looks almost like a bedroom
  1989. "I guess she's just... a really important pony to me. I don't know what else I can say. I'm sorry."
  1990. >He waves his hand and shakes his head as an answer
  1991. >"Nah, it's alright. I guess... well. I guess we'll just have to figure something out."
  1992. >He scratches the back of his head
  1993. >He clearly looks bothered
  1994. >It bothers you in turn
  1995. >"I guess... you hungry? Applejack's gotten a little temperamental due to how she's progressing, but she's really breaking out all the stops for family recipes. If our names are the same, then you'll love her stuff!"
  1996. >The mere mention of food makes your stomach growl
  1997. >The muffin was nice but you're only really able to eat when Twilight gives you food
  1998. "Would that be ok? I don't think I can return it. And I don't have anything to give."
  1999. >You did read how sharing dinners were also good for making friends
  2000. >But better to keep that a secret, just in case he soon tries to change his mind
  2001. >"Nah, don't worry about it. So... what brings you here, exactly? This letter?"
  2002. >He gives you a weary look
  2003. >"Is... Twilight around? Is she coming here?"
  2004. >You feel yourself deflate
  2005. "I wish.. I was at home and she's been out. So I started worrying. Because what if she needed help, right? So I left and couldn't see her outside, and then I got led here after a pony with wings gave me that letter and a muffin. So I ate the muffin, read the letter, and had to find you. Applejack knows that I didn't get her pregnant, right?"
  2006. >Anon laughs and nods
  2007. >"No... no, safe to say that wasn't you, it was me."
  2008. >He chuckles again, half-amused by some thought in his head
  2009. >"And boy, was she relentless... you know, I sometimes think that she would have gone berserk if that little whiskey trick didn't work on me."
  2010. "Whiskey trick?"
  2011. >"Yeah, where it invo...lves... you know what, nevermind. Not a big deal. So, that's a pretty unique name. Really cool too, trust me on that. Did Twilight name you?"
  2012. "I think so. The oldest memory I have is of her calling me Anon. It used to hurt but I've gotten better for most other things."
  2013. >He doesn't look happy with that information
  2014. >But he doesn't look sad or mad
  2015. "I really do love her, you know... have you seen her around here? Maybe I got the name from you?"
  2016. >He gives an awkward laugh
  2017. >"Twilight, coming here? I suppose anything is possible. But she and Applejack have really been kinda bitter at each other for a while. I think they'll get over it... maybe. But I just don't know. It's been a really long time since she was here. And it was only for what was effectively a few days. Christ, what a few days those were..."
  2018. >The sound of fatigue and weight in his voice tells you it was serious
  2019. "What happened?"
  2020. >"Ah... stuff. Anyway, you said you were at home? Do you live with her?"
  2021. "Yeah, in a library!"
  2022. >Anon looks nervous
  2023. "Everything's made of wood, I saw from outside and it's a huge tree!"
  2024. >"Cool... good place for reading, I take it. Listen, mind if I get up real quick? Let me grab some snacks and stuff."
  2025. >Between the promise of being fed and the pleasant conversation, it has done a lot to boost your morale
  2026. "Yeah, sure! I'll stay right here."
  2027. >The mammoth creature gets up in one motion and leaves
  2028. >Rather than watch him go, you sit there and just... look at everything
  2029. >None of it looks familiar to you
  2030. >Do all of these things belong to him?
  2031. >There were a ton of trees too
  2032. >Could any of them become big enough to live in?
  2033. >There were other animals that you saw too
  2034. >A stray thought comes to mind
  2035. >If Applejack and Twilight are friends, why haven't you heard that name before?
  2036. >If they're friends, then are Anon and Twilight friends?
  2037. >Obviously, you're Anon and you're friends with Twilight
  2038. >So he has to be, too
  2039. >But he kept looking... sad?
  2040. >Worried?
  2041. >Does he have any concerns?
  2042. >It's difficult to understand what he means by his expressions alone
  2043. >You hear a set of hooves and heavy steps and turn around with a slide
  2044. >It's Anon!
  2045. >And an orange pony with a really long mane and tail
  2046. >Your eyes nearly pop out of your head
  2047. "Y-you're huge?!"
  2048. >She's nearly two or three times the width of Twilight!
  2049. >At least around the center of her body
  2050. >Her first reaction is a burst of laughter
  2051. >"Well shucks, that's what a pregnant mare looks like! But I suppose I ain't just carryin' any ol' stallion's appleseed..."
  2052. >She rocks to the side, rubbing against Anon's leg
  2053. >The both of them make you feel so small
  2054. >"S-so... yeah."
  2055. >Anon clears his throat, adopting a pose that seems to ignore her rubbing her belly against his leg
  2056. >"Applejack. This is... uh, Anon."
  2057. >Applejack's affectionate rubbing freezes
  2058. >She looks at you suspiciously
  2059. >It makes you uncomfortable
  2060. >"...come again?"
  2061. >"Yeah."
  2062. "Y-yeah..."
  2063. >You try to speak up, as if it could help
  2064. >She shakes her head
  2065. >"Anon in stereo... did you know that you two fellers sound around the same or is it my imagination?"
  2066. >"Yeah..."
  2067. "We do?"
  2068. >He sounds so much deeper than you
  2069. >It's difficult to believe that she could think that, but you don't think she would lie
  2070. >She distances herself from Anon
  2071. >And has to re-adjust her steps to stop from falling over
  2072. >She really does look like she ate an entire tree
  2073. >Maybe you shouldn't say that
  2074. >She steps up to you
  2075. >Uncomfortably close
  2076. >She smells nice though
  2077. >Not as nice as Twilight, obviously
  2078. >But it's... comforting
  2079. >She gives you an indescribable leer
  2080. >You feel like she's examining you, as if you're some old, low-quality book cover
  2081. >"So... Anon's your name, huh?"
  2082. >Her voice is far more quiet now
  2083. >You nod
  2084. >There's no other name you could have
  2085. >"And... my man here told me that you live with Twilight? That sound right?"
  2086. >You nod again, unable to help a smile creeping up
  2087. >The eye contact from her stare makes it drop
  2088. >"...you telling me that you came here on account of her being gone and you wanted to look for her?"
  2089. "A-and... letter. I got-ANON got-letter. Rarity."
  2090. >You can hardly articulate yourself
  2091. >Her leer fades
  2092. >Before you can do anything, she wraps one of her front legs around your neck
  2093. >You're astonished that she can still move so fast or hold onto you so strongly!
  2094. >"Well it sure as chutes looks like we got a guest for dinner!"
  2095. >You try to cheer with approval but you can hardly speak
  2096. >"Oops, sorry there."
  2097. >She releases you and ruffles your mane
  2098. >"Well don't you worry none, we'll feed you until you pop and head you on back home!"
  2099. >"We will?"
  2100. >Anon sounds surprised
  2101. >Applejack leers at Anon
  2102. >Not you, but the giant
  2103. >"Yes we will... because we gotta talk with Twilight too. Don't we?"
  2104. >For being such a large creature, he looks less than happy
  2105. >"Do we have to? After t-"
  2106. >"WE sure do! Now enough of that, keep yourself occupied and I'll get an early start on our grub."
  2107. >She trots off just like that
  2108. >It leaves you with a sorta sore neck, a ruffled mane, and one nervous looking Anon
  2109. "Are you not looking forward to Twilight?"
  2110. >Anon scratches the side of his head and walks back past you to where he was sitting before
  2111. >He plops down again and you rotate to face him
  2112. >"She and I are... have..."
  2113. >He sighs and holds up his hands
  2114. >They slap down on his knees and grip
  2115. >"She's the reason why I'm here. She's ultimately the reason why I have the life I do. Which I like. I mean, I kinda miss the internet and stuff but with Applejack and with our first two on the way..."
  2116. >You gawk at him
  2117. "She's pregnant with two?!"
  2118. >He grins, nodding with a tilt in his head
  2119. >"Yeah... yeah. Guess our dreams came true there. And to be honest, we haven't even begun to get started. Not with the plans we have, anyhow."
  2120. >You start to feel awkward and flustered from that intimate detail
  2121. "So! What about Twilight...?"
  2122. >He shrugs
  2123. >"Yeah... her. Well... I... ah crap..."
  2124. >He looks like it physically makes him ill to speak of it
  2125. >"After I was here and Applejack and I decided to... well, I'll be completely honest with you, guy."
  2126. >He points to himself, then outside
  2127. >"We still haven't been... together... for much time at all. Chick freaking licked my neck when I slept for God's sake! And she still does!"
  2128. >That tidbit makes it feel like your eyes couldn't burst out of your head harder
  2129. "W-what?! Why?!"
  2130. >"You got me, bro. There's some other things that she does but..."
  2131. >The fingers on his right hand dances on his knee
  2132. >"I mean... I don't hate it. I don't dislike it at all. It kinda seems like if I take a stand on an issue, she falls in line immediately. Otherwise, she has a really strong idea on what things should be like and I kinda agree on it. It certainly ain't something that would ever realistically end well from where I came from. But I'm not there. And she isn't from there. So I think it'll actually turn out really well. You know?"
  2133. >If he isn't here, where is he from?
  2134. "I have no idea what you mean."
  2135. >"Yeah... fair point. I guess you wouldn't."
  2136. >You watch him in silence
  2137. >He fidgets in place for a while before speaking up
  2138. >"So... you said you loved Twilight, eh? Are you two a... couple?"
  2139. >The thought of it makes you smile and puff your chest out
  2140. "Well... I mean..."
  2141. >Your confidence shoots up
  2142. >Only to plummet
  2143. "I mean... I hope so? I think. She takes care of me a lot. And we've done other things. I used to be sick a lot. And when I couldn't do much, she would help me with everything. She would sleep with me, we would do other stuff... some of it actually kinda hurt, now that I think about it. Some of it felt really good too."
  2144. >Your boldness wavers every sentence
  2145. >You don't have the best memories
  2146. >So much of your time has been spent alone that all of your experiences with Twilight sort of muddle together
  2147. >You sure could go for a short nap with her
  2148. >That would be nice
  2149. >Anon looks concerned
  2150. >"Guess she kinda would be the sort who can get overzealous, huh... you sure you're ok with that?"
  2151. >That doesn't make sense to you
  2152. "Why wouldn't I be?"
  2153. >That seems to be the right answer because he doesn't press further
  2154. "Oh yeah! What does Applejack make for dinner?"
  2155. >"Finally, a topic we can both enjoy. Ah man, you're gonna love it. After my mom stopped freaking out, which took a... well, she got over it a little too quickly. But anyway, they got to talking and exchanging ideas and..."
  2156. >Between personal stories and staggeringly bold tales of what he and Applejack did, he lists off dozens of dishes, snacks, desserts, breakfasts, lunches and more
  2157. >You can start to see why they're a real couple
  2158. >It's so warm outside, too
  2159. >And bright
  2160. >But not too bright
  2161. >It feels better than the room you've been in for so long
  2162. >You're a little jealous
  2163.  
  2164. "So where are we going, anyway?"
  2165. >"Well... we usually eat dinner together. That is to say, Applejack, her siblings, Granny Smith, and myself. But sometimes we kinda just do our own thing. We have a little spot that we go to."
  2166. "Are we heading there now?"
  2167. >"Sure am, my guy."
  2168. >You've spent the entirety of the day with Anon
  2169. >For being a massive human, he's really nice
  2170. >None of your books have ever mentioned humans
  2171. >You pass by so many big trees, including one that looks like its held up by a complex array of ropes
  2172. "So... are you and Applejack honestly happy? You talk about her so much... you remind me of Twilight."
  2173. >"You tend to go on about Twilight a lot too."
  2174. "Well of course, I love her!"
  2175. >You go through the rows and layers of trees and over a hill
  2176. >And downward
  2177. >You follow Anon down a series of wood steps and logs laid into the ground until you reach the bottom
  2178. >You both stop at a really new-looking dock
  2179. >"Ah man... let me tell you, I'm so happy that it's all built up now. You know, this spot used to be just a little pond at the bottom of these hills."
  2180. >You step in place
  2181. >The dock really does feel sturdy
  2182. >It smells like fresh wood, too
  2183. >Sorta like the library
  2184. "This really is great...."
  2185. >You sit down and watch the pond
  2186. >It looks like you could get lost in it easily
  2187. >Anon sits down as well, shifting until he's sitting just right
  2188. >Maybe it's his assigned spot
  2189. >"It sure it... sun is still out, but it's setting just enough to there's a nice orange hue. And shade for days unless it's noon or so."
  2190. >He sounds really happy
  2191. >Content, even
  2192. "Can we talk about Twilight?"
  2193. >That's the only real thing on your mind
  2194. >You would want to share this view with her
  2195. >You want to have dinner with her
  2196. >You've never had that sort of thing
  2197. >"I... yeah, alright. What about her?"
  2198. "Do you think I'll be able to get her pregnant and start a family with her, too?"
  2199. >You don't at all try to hide how happy the thought makes you
  2200. >"Well... I suppose I don't see why not. You just gotta keep at it."
  2201. "Ha ha ha, yeah!"
  2202. >You feel lightheaded at the notion
  2203. "That would be awesome..."
  2204. >You wonder where she is now
  2205. "...do you think Twilight misses me?"
  2206. >"Sure. If she loves you, she does."
  2207. "Ah hah... I know she does..."
  2208. >You know she loves you
  2209. >You just know it
  2210. >Anon doesn't seem bothered by your fawning
  2211. >"Does Twilight... well, it's none of my business. But does she treat you alright?"
  2212. "Of course! She gave me a ton of books that are awesome stories. She gave me a book to write in, a quill. I think it's a... a... well I forget what type of quill it is. But I think it's a really good one. She takes care of me... she..."
  2213. >You feel like you can be honest
  2214. "She... sometimes she doesn't see me for days. I still get food, it kinda just appears on my table. But I miss her sometimes. Today, she was missing and I was lonely so I just had to find a way to find her. I've never been outside before so I just had to... try. She said I wouldn't ever, EVER find friends. But I met you. And Applejack! You two are my friends, you don't mind feeding me, and you're going to take me back to Twilight. I hope she won't be mad at me for leaving."
  2215. >"Are you telling me that she doesn't let you outside?"
  2216. >Anon sounds shocked
  2217. "Well... I didn't know if I would be safe outside. And Twilight said that it wasn't, and she wouldn't lie."
  2218. >You furrow your brow
  2219. >As if for the first time, you notice that your ears have been twitching to the ambient sounds all over the place
  2220. >Your tail has been swishing at the thought of meeting Twilight
  2221. >You're outside right now and you're fine
  2222. "She... she hasn't lied. But maybe she just didn't know how safe it could be?"
  2223. >You aren't sure what to do or say about this inconsistency
  2224. >She can't be wrong
  2225. >Maybe she just didn't know
  2226. >Maybe you could surprise her by showing her how great outside could be!
  2227. >"Well shucks, don't you two just look comfy as can be! Don't mind me none, it ain't like I'm eatin' for three!"
  2228. >Applejack is already halfway down the hill, carrying a pair of saddlebags on her
  2229. >Goodness is she large
  2230. >"Yeah, sorry AJ. Anon and I... gah, Anon and Anon..."
  2231. >The human mumbles something
  2232. >"We were discussing... well, you'll find out."
  2233. >Despite her size, the big orange mare moves faster than you
  2234. >Anon grabs the saddlebags and lays out the items while she huffs and sits down
  2235. >Very close to him
  2236. >They look like they're really stuck together
  2237. >Maybe that's why Anon sat exactly where he did
  2238. >You watch the saddlebags get emptied
  2239. >It's a ton of really colorful looking stuff
  2240. >It smells amazing
  2241. >"Now you go on and eat up, Anon. You had a mighty long trip from..."
  2242. >"Twilight's basement, it sounds like."
  2243. >"Sheesh... no kidding?"
  2244. >You recognize that they're saying words but food in front of you looks almost too good to eat
  2245. >"Do you think he's..."
  2246. >"Don't even mention that."
  2247. >"I'm just saying, yer Anon, he's Anon..."
  2248. >"Mother's intuition is all I'm saying..."
  2249. >"Oh sh'yeah, as if.
  2250. "E-excuse me... the food is hot. Can we eat now please?"
  2251. >Anon and Applejack look at you with more than a little surprise
  2252. >"...er, sure, sugarcube. I ain't gonna be crossed if you get started."
  2253. >"Go for it, guy. As long as they aren't especially made for..."
  2254. >Their voices go quiet
  2255. >"Now you shush, I ain't gonna give some buck that young any of that... where's it gonna go anyhow?"
  2256. >"Well with all of his talk with Twilight..."
  2257. >You choose to ignore their conversation and go for the closest thing: a fluffy, apple-scented triangle that looks slick and shiny with some sort of layer on top
  2258. >Your chosen snack glows green and hovers up to your face
  2259. >You take one solid chomp out of it
  2260. >It...
  2261. >It still feels hot
  2262. >But it tastes so...
  2263. >Sweet
  2264. >Flaky
  2265. >Solid but it practically melts in your mouth
  2266. >Applejack giggles when she sees your face
  2267. >"Y'alright, sugarcube? Caramel apple danish ain't part of your normal diet, is it?"
  2268. >You stare into the fading sunlight
  2269. >You feel as if you've tasted the prize that lies at the end of the world
  2270. >Like that one book went, this would be a megalixir
  2271. >"...Anon, you alright?"
  2272. >The deeper human voice causes you to snap out of it
  2273. >You didn't realize that your mouth was left open long enough to drool
  2274. >Before you can answer, you shove the rest of it into your face
  2275. >Half-struggling to choke it all down, you breath in as soon as you can
  2276. "This is AWESOME! I've NEVER had anything like this!"
  2277. >You can feel your pulse quickening, and your vision sharpening
  2278. >A second one flies off of the bright red cloth they were set out on and down your mouth
  2279. >And then a third one
  2280. >You feel tears going down your face
  2281. >You've never, ever, once tasted something so good
  2282. >On such a beautiful day
  2283. >In such a wonderful place
  2284. >All you're missing is Twilight
  2285. >Anon and Applejack watch you chew and swallow in between frantic heaves and... tears
  2286. >You're crying
  2287. >All of this feels far too good
  2288. >Too good to the point that you feel guilty
  2289. >What if Twilight never had one of these before?
  2290. >What do you tell her?
  2291. >You lean back, feeling suddenly drained from the whirlwind of emotions
  2292. "I... I wish Twilight made these..."
  2293. >You feel even more guilty
  2294. >Twilight doesn't cook
  2295. >The library doesn't even have a kitchen or spot to make caramel apple danishes
  2296. >But you love her
  2297. >You aren't criticizing her, you would never
  2298. >But these...
  2299. "Twilight..."
  2300. >As soon as you've tasted bliss, you feel yourself sink into despair
  2301. >Anon and Applejack watch you
  2302. >No doubt they must be judging you for being so emotional
  2303. >But they have each other
  2304. >And you're alone
  2305.  
  2306. >You eventually calm down
  2307. >It takes some kind words from both Anon and Applejack to help sooth you though
  2308. >Both of them seem so understanding, they haven't asked any questions at all
  2309. >Anon just patted your back and Applejack said that everything was going to be alright
  2310. >You feel so small compared to them
  2311. >They hardly even ate anything to begin with
  2312. >"Hey, bud... I don't know about you but I'm really stuffed. Do you want the rest of these?"
  2313. >For being a big human, he only ate one!
  2314. >Applejack only ate one too
  2315. >You ended up eating five
  2316. "Are you guys sure? Isn't this your dinner?"
  2317. >Applejack smirks
  2318. >"Well I thought that I might make some more stuff later too. But go on, sugarcube. You can take the rest with you. Don't worry none about carrying them, you can use the smaller saddlebag."
  2319. >Now that you're paying attention to them, one is significantly bigger than the other
  2320. "You mean it? Really?"
  2321. >"Sure do! In fact, let's get you all loaded up and then we can walk off those sweets by paying Twilight a visit. Sound good?"
  2322. >You can't help but smile
  2323. >Anon can't help but give an awkward smile
  2324. >"Yeah... that... that sounds like a plan, doesn't it."
  2325. "Alright! Yeah, thank you!"
  2326. >Applejack really makes you feel safe
  2327. >She doesn't talk down to you
  2328. >But she helps you understand things
  2329. >Apparently the saddlebag was her big brother's when he was a lot smaller
  2330. >You really get the vibe that she's able to stand up to anything
  2331. >And not because she's the size of a wagon
  2332. >Not that you would ever say that to her
  2333. >Anon also seems confident in his words
  2334. >Sorta
  2335. >Something is worrying him but he isn't saying what
  2336. >All the same, you're loaded up with a satchel absolutely full of the treats!
  2337. >You haven't said it but you really want to share some of these with Twilight
  2338. >You follow the pair, watching the outside world as it comes up
  2339. >"...are you sure we should be talking to her?"
  2340. >"We ain't gonna avoid her forever. Especially now with... him."
  2341. >"Well, what I told you is what I know."
  2342. >"I'm worried..."
  2343. >"For what?"
  2344. >"For him. For her too."
  2345. >"Seriously?"
  2346. >"She's still... I still see her as my friend."
  2347. >You can only hear a fraction of what they're talking about
  2348. >There are far too many distractions to pay keen attention to them
  2349. >There are other ponies of all sorts and sizes
  2350. >Birds
  2351. >Buildings
  2352. >A ton of things you've only ever read about
  2353. >Before you know it, you're back where you started
  2354. >Twilight's library
  2355. >You would recognize that door with the candle anywhere
  2356. >Anon keeps his distance from the door
  2357. >A good few steps away from either you and Applejack
  2358. >"...so do we know for sure that she's not in there?"
  2359. "Well... she wasn't in there when I left. She wasn't in my room, she wasn't in the main rooms."
  2360. >You sound sure of that
  2361. "...but I didn't check upstairs."
  2362. >"You didn't check upstairs?"
  2363. "...well the stairs are kinda..."
  2364. >"Seriously?"
  2365. >Applejack turns her head to look at Anon
  2366. >Whatever she did, it was enough for him to quiet himself
  2367. >"If the stairs are tough, the stairs are tough."
  2368. >She winks at you
  2369. >"I don't care for them none much these days either."
  2370. >That makes you feel a lot better
  2371. >"Now why don't you go and knock? If she is here, she'll hear ya."
  2372. >That makes sense
  2373. >You trot up to the door and knock your hoof against it a few times
  2374. >And wait
  2375. >...
  2376. >Nothing
  2377. >You look back at Applejack
  2378. >She squints at the upper windows
  2379. >"TWAH-LIGHT SPARKLE, GET YOUR BUNS DOWN HERE OR SO HELP ME I WILL BAKE YOU INTO A PIE AND FEED YOU TO THE NEAREST TIMBERWOLF SO THAT WHEN I USE IT FOR FIREWOOD I CAN SMELL YOU."
  2380. >You shrink back, your eyes wide
  2381. >Why in the world did she say that?!
  2382. >"Jesus, AJ..."
  2383. >You glance around
  2384. >What few ponies that are still around are watching
  2385. "A-Applejack, I promise, it's ok, you don't have to..."
  2386. >"WHAT MORE, I WILL PERSONALLY SEE TO IT THAT THOSE ASHES BE FORMED INTO A TINY VERSION OF YOU SO MY FOALS WILL HAVE A DOLL TO PLAY WITH SO THEY-"
  2387. >"Enough lady, Christ!"
  2388. >Even Anon is scared
  2389. >A worryingly long time passes with no one saying anything else
  2390. >You don't dare say anything
  2391. >You don't dare move an inch
  2392. >After some time, the door actually opens!
  2393. >A teary-eyed, wreck of a Twilight bursts out
  2394. >"Enough, Applejack! What?! What is it?! What could you possibly have that I would wa--ANON!"
  2395. >You almost expect her to mean the human
  2396. >You look back at him
  2397. >He looks outright terrified
  2398. >Before you can ask why he looks so scared, you feel a hard grip enclose around your neck
  2399. >Your eyes bug out from Twilight hugging you so hard you swore she was another pony entirely
  2400. >"Where were you?! I thought you were gone! You didn't even take your quill and your books, I was so worried, don't you EVER do that again, I swear I would turn Equestria inside out to find you! I tried to find you but I could only find-"
  2401. >"Ah-hem? Twilight, we're right here."
  2402. >She stops rubbing her face against yours, but the unicorn doesn't release you
  2403. >Applejack still sounds agitated
  2404. >Twilight pulls you away from them
  2405. >"You! What do you think you were doing, stealing Anon away from me?! Once isn't enough for you!? ONCE ISN'T ENOUGH?!"
  2406. >What does she mean?
  2407. >"I ain't stolen nothing that belonged to you to begin with! Now listen here, Lil' Anon there ended up on MY-"
  2408. >Applejack looks back at Anon
  2409. >You look back at Anon
  2410. >He looks at least four shades more pale than he did before
  2411. >"Er, OUR land and didn't know which way was up if he was falling!"
  2412. >"A LIKELY STORY YOU THIEF! YOU, I SHOULD HAVE CELESTIA SEND YOU TO THE MOON!"
  2413. >"YEAH WELL I WANNA SEE YOU TRY, I'LL BUCK YOU STRAIGHT TO CANTERLOT SO YOU CAN ASK HER YOURSELF!"
  2414. >The heated screaming is terrifying
  2415. >It's enough to make your eyes feel hot with confusion, irritation, and seeing your friends screaming with her
  2416. "Both of you, stop already!"
  2417. >In a quick blast of green, Twilight is knocked away from you
  2418. >Applejack shifts her attention and her footing
  2419. "I was the one who was missing you because you weren't here, I was the one who went outside even though I know I'm not supposed to, I got a letter saying that I impregnated Rarity and I knew I didn't but if you thought I did I knew that you would be mad so I asked someone to help me find Applejack and there I met Anon and then I met Applejack and then I saw that he made her pregnant and we just share the same name and they fed me and gave me a bag and they're my friends and friends don't fight and threaten and hate each other so stop!"
  2420. >You say all of that in one breath, audibly straining until your lungs are near their limit
  2421. >You stumbled backward, huffing and breathing as hard as you can
  2422. >You actually feel a little lightheaded
  2423. >But no one is screaming anymore
  2424. >They're just watching you speak
  2425. "Applejack's my friend, Twilight... Anon is too."
  2426. >You look at the pair
  2427. "...right? Aren't you guys my friends?"
  2428. >Applejack nods with a stern look on her face
  2429. >"Sure am."
  2430. >Anon keeps his distance but he's still easy to listen to
  2431. >"Darn straight we are! But... I'll be the first one to admit it. I'm confused here. I'm very confused. And to be honest, a little scared."
  2432. >He kinda has a good point
  2433. >You're confused too, but for different reasons
  2434. >No one says anything for another stretch of time
  2435. >You back away from the two mares, and toward Anon
  2436. >They look at each other, and toward you
  2437. >After a few seconds, Twilight wipes her face with her hoof
  2438. >"...do you two want to come inside to talk?"
  2439. >"Bet your bottom bit we do. Come on Anon, we're heading in."
  2440. >"Now wait just a second, I'm not-"
  2441. >"GO INSIDE, ANON."
  2442. >Twilight AND Applejack scream at the same time
  2443. >You and Anon jump
  2444. >He looks at you and you at him
  2445. "...I can show you some books. I have a lot."
  2446. >"...is one of them about a pair of ponies in a city full of monsters?"
  2447. "Yeah! You've read it?"
  2448. >"I know it pretty well... sorta. Well... shit, lead the way."
  2449.  
  2450. >"So... this is your room, huh?"
  2451. "Yeah! It's pretty awesome, isn't it?"
  2452. >"...that's one word for it, sure."
  2453. >You thought you would have trouble going down the stairs but Anon picked you up and went down them for you
  2454. >Only after sitting with him around your table area did you realize that your room wasn't built for him
  2455. >He can't actually stand up in the space
  2456. >You shook off your saddlebag and brought over a few of your favorite books
  2457. >After seeing how Applejack moved around, you feel more confident in your own movements
  2458. "Check these out! Twilight said that they were just for me. Resident Pony, Lord Ponetree, Kung Pao: Enter the Hoof and that one is all sorts of funny!"
  2459. >He takes one of them, the green aura fading from his choice
  2460. >"Enter the Hoof... right. Real subtle, Twilight..."
  2461. >He sounds amused
  2462. >You think?
  2463. "Have you read that one Anon?"
  2464. >"Well yeah, of course. Or I guess I saw it. This wasn't originally a book, you know. It was a movie."
  2465. "A what now?"
  2466. >Anon flaps the book back and forth
  2467. >"A... ah crap, are there even movies here? I'm sure there are. Well nevermind that, movies are things that are acted out. Kinda like a play."
  2468. >A play
  2469. >You think you read up on those
  2470. "So ponies acting out stuff in real time and speaking so there's no reading involved?"
  2471. >"Bingo. And there's also music to go with it, sound effects, and special effects like explosions and flying pyramids."
  2472. >Most of that sounds cool
  2473. >You have no idea what a flying pyramid is
  2474. >"Best of all? M'yeah! It has BET-TEA. M'yeah ha ha!"
  2475. >He voice raises up to some overly nasally accent
  2476. >You stare at him without reaction
  2477. >"M'yeah! M'yeah haha! Master Betty has evil plans!"
  2478. >Nothing
  2479. >You really don't know what he's referencing
  2480. >Anon goes from smiling to slowing down
  2481. >"M'yeah... ha..."
  2482. >He clears his throat
  2483. >"I uh... yeah. I guess you'd have to see it to get it. Can't imagine the book translates well."
  2484. >He nods, resuming a more neutral face
  2485. "That's... not how the book went, I don't think."
  2486. >"Yeah well Twilight was working off of half-accurate memories as is."
  2487. >What does that mean?
  2488. >"Listen, Anon... alright, I can't do that. I'm gonna call you something else."
  2489. >You feel a little defensive
  2490. "What, you don't like my name? It's your name too you know."
  2491. >"No, your name is fine. I like it. It's just that... I can't help but wonder if..."
  2492. >He keeps trying to start up a sentence, only to let it flounder
  2493. >"Do you remember anything like, say, parents? I know what you said before that it was just you and Twilight but. This creeps me out, man. I don't think this is all kosher."
  2494. >He looks concerned
  2495. >He hasn't stopped looking concerned since he entered Twilight's library
  2496. >Except for maybe during that Bet-Tea impression
  2497. "I don't... know what you're talking about. I love Twilight."
  2498. >"I get that. But where is your mom and dad?"
  2499. "I... I love Twilight though?"
  2500. >This question bothers you deeply
  2501. >You feel like you can only give one answer to that
  2502. >"Anonymous... where is your family?"
  2503. "I. I have family."
  2504.  
  2505. >"Twilight isn't your family though."
  2506. "Yes she is. I love her. And she loves me."
  2507. >"No, you aren't listening."
  2508. >His voice is turning stern
  2509. >"Where is your family? Your siblings? Your parents? Your friends? You showed me how happy you were to be outside. Why weren't you allowed outside before?"
  2510. >You can feel your eyes watering
  2511. >You try to return the stern tone but it isn't working
  2512. "Twi-Twilight IS my family! I love her and she loves me! She cares for me, ok?!"
  2513. >"Anon listen, I'm asking because I care."
  2514. "No! You don't! Twilight loves me and I love Twilight, that's all there is! There is no family, ok?! I'm her family, she's mine!"
  2515. >You can feel your heart start to pound in your ears
  2516. >You know for a fact that he's your friend
  2517. >You know for a fact that he's asking you a real question
  2518. >But you lack the capacity to think about it
  2519. >You can't
  2520. >You can't
  2521. >You can't
  2522. >You can't
  2523. >You CAN NOT
  2524. >Almost everything you learned and experienced outside drains from your head
  2525. >That ultimately didn't matter
  2526. >But Twilight did
  2527. >She's the only reason why you left the dim, safety of your room for the stupid outside anyway
  2528. >Her missing was the only reason why you had that delicious food and saw so many things and met other ponies
  2529. >"Hey... hey, I'm sorry if I struck a nerve. Alright? I'm sorry buddy. Don't worry, I believe you. I just wanna watch out for you. You know?"
  2530. >How did you end up in his arms?
  2531. >You feel some alien sensation that... tells you you're safe
  2532. >You keep repeating something but his words cut through them
  2533. >Maybe its due to how deep his voice is compared to yours
  2534. >"You're alright, buddy. It's ok. I promise that it's ok."
  2535. >What are you even saying?
  2536. >Is this really you?
  2537. >All at once, you feel like you've been slammed back into your own body
  2538. >Why does it feel like you were drifting away into some unknown space
  2539. >Anon keeps patting your shoulder, his hug tightening
  2540. >"It's alright. Trust me, I know how it can feel. You're ok. Calm down and breath."
  2541. >After a few moments of letting those words sink into your head, you do breath
  2542. >Were you not before?
  2543. >You feel so ashamed of yourself
  2544. >"It's alright, buddy. I'm here for you."
  2545. >Is he choking up?
  2546. >You look up at him through post-cry eyes
  2547. >He's crying too
  2548. >He looks like he's in pain
  2549. >"Nothing bad's gonna happen. You can trust me."
  2550. >You want to speak but the patting keeps you from doing anything but melting against his chest
  2551. >By the time you wake up, you can see that Anon is still holding you
  2552. >Applejack is there too
  2553. >And Twilight!
  2554. >It feels so nice to see her again
  2555. "Twilight..."
  2556. >This feels like a dream
  2557. >"See what I mean?"
  2558. >Applejack sounds distressed
  2559. >"You're being a monster. This isn't right."
  2560. >"You don't understand, Applejack..."
  2561. >Twilight sounds defeated
  2562. >What's going on?
  2563. >The mental fatigue is keeping you from focusing
  2564. >"Anon is... he's happy here. He's happy with me. I make him happy, I promise I do."
  2565. >"In this dingy little prison you call a room? The boy ain't even seen birds."
  2566.  
  2567. >"It's not... he just doesn't remember."
  2568. >Anon speaks up
  2569. >You can hear his voice so clearly against them
  2570. >It's quiet though
  2571. >Hushed
  2572. >"Twilight, this is fucking insane. You can't keep him down here. This name... what are you thinking?"
  2573. >"No, you both don't get it!"
  2574. >Twilight speaks with a whine
  2575. >"I... I found him! I found him like this and brought him back."
  2576. >"And you gave him my name?"
  2577. >"He... reminds me of you! Ok? I'm sorry, I had to."
  2578. >"And he just so happens to sound like a younger Anon too? Ain't that all the luck."
  2579. >"I can't just control what ponies sound like, Applejack...!"
  2580. >Are they arguing?
  2581. >Why would they argue?
  2582. >He's still patting your shoulder
  2583. >You feel so drained
  2584. >Your mind clings to every noise Twilight makes
  2585. >But Anon's words feel like they are more important
  2586. >You don't even know how that can be
  2587. >You don't love Anon
  2588. >You love Twilight
  2589. >"...we're gonna come by here and see him again."
  2590. >Anon
  2591. >He's gonna see you again?
  2592. >That's cool
  2593. >"If we find out you kidnapped some poor pony..."
  2594. >"Anon, please enough! I would never do that. I will admit, I... I've done some bad before. But I'm doing everything I can now for what's best for everyone!"
  2595. >"Who exactly is everyone? I ain't buyin' it. Especially once I lay out Anon's appleseeds, I ain't gonna let you-"
  2596. >"Applejack for Celestia's sake, stop! I would never foalnap anyone! I promise, I'll start looking for his family tomorrow."
  2597. >Twilight sounds nervous
  2598. >"I... I promise on the Elements of Harmony. I promise on Celestia's name. I would never do what you think I would. I'm not some monster."
  2599. >Everything goes silent
  2600. >The patting continues
  2601. >You find yourself in your bed
  2602. >It takes a minute but you will yourself to wake up more
  2603. >Where's Anon?
  2604. >Applejack?
  2605. "Twilight?"
  2606. >She's there
  2607. >She's at the table, her back turned to you
  2608. >Though you feel spongy and fatigued, you slip out of bed and carefully step over to her
  2609. >You sit beside her
  2610. >She's staring at the clock she gave you as a gift
  2611. >She looks...
  2612. >You don't know how she looks
  2613. >She's wearing a face you've never seen before
  2614. >"Anonymous..."
  2615. >You smile
  2616. >You love it when she says your name
  2617. >Something deep inside of you resonates like a bell being struck
  2618. "Twilight... I'm so happy to see you again."
  2619. >She turns her neck to face you
  2620. >Your smile drops
  2621. >You get an intense chill down your entire back, down to your tail
  2622. >Something deep inside of you tells you to run
  2623. >Why would you need to run?
  2624. >"Even after everything... you're still drawn to her."
  2625. "W-what...?"
  2626. >"We can't start over... not again. Not anymore. They know too much, they would get even more suspicious."
  2627. >The low tone of her voice is unlike anything you've ever heard before
  2628. >You feel like you want to throw up
  2629. "T... Twilight. I..."
  2630. >You say the only thing that comes to mind
  2631. "I... I love you...?"
  2632. >The corners of her mouth curl downward
  2633. >"Prove it."
  2634. >Those two words twist your heart so hard you feel like you might puke
  2635.  
  2636. >"Prove you love me, Anonymous. You left me. You brought them to our home... you R U I N E D my plan."
  2637. >You can't breath
  2638. >A soul-shaped lump catches in your throat
  2639. >She disdain she has in her eyes is almost enough to kill you
  2640. "I..."
  2641. >What do you do?
  2642. >What did you do?
  2643. >WHAT DID YOU DO?!
  2644. "I... I'm sorry... you were gone for... for days."
  2645. >"I was doing things that will change this world and you can't wait for days?! What is a day?"
  2646. "Twilight, I was hungry!"
  2647. >"I was PREPARING for our future and you put it in CRISIS!"
  2648. >You feel your body shutting down
  2649. >You can't even bring yourself to cry
  2650. >Her tone
  2651. >Her stare
  2652. >Her coldness
  2653. >It's killing you
  2654. "I... I was just so lonely..."
  2655. >Your vision starts to go purple
  2656. >"You? Lonely? What do Y O U know about loneliness?!"
  2657. >You feel like you're going to be torn apart
  2658. >This empathic wave of venom is enough to make you want to die
  2659. >You love Twilight
  2660. >But you hurt her
  2661. >You failed her
  2662. >You ruined what she was doing
  2663. >You got into the way
  2664. >You monster
  2665. >You abomination
  2666. >Are these your thoughts?
  2667. >Monsters don't have thoughts
  2668. >Purple fills your eyes until nothing remains
  2669. >You can't see anything
  2670. >But you can still feel Twilight's disdain
  2671. >You will never forget what you've done
  2672. >You will never deserve her love
  2673. >You will atone
  2674. >You will thank her
  2675. >When she is
  2676. >Done with you
  2677.  
  2678.  
  2679. >>Hello new book! My name is Anon. Twilight promised me that things would be better. She said that this would be a "new start". Because of me having a new start, she wants me to put side my old book and keep it but not write in it anymore. She said that we came to an agreement on it, and that I can keep my quill. I do not actually remember agreeing with her. The last thing I remember was talking to Anon about movies. The rest of it just feels like a blur. Twilight said that it was ok that I didn't remember. I trust her. I will call today Day One of New Start! Maybe I'll figure something out better to call it. Twilight said to stop writing the days but I like doing it. Maybe It's ok if I just do it some other way.
  2680. >"Anon! Breakfast time!"
  2681. "Alright, coming!"
  2682. >You blow on the ink a few times and close the book
  2683. >The cover of it isn't normal brown
  2684. >It's purple
  2685. >It reminds you of Twilight
  2686. >You actually really like it
  2687. >Twilight said to not bring your books all over the place since they're special
  2688. >This one is definitely special
  2689. >You get up and trot over to the... stairs...
  2690. >You gulp
  2691. >You saw Anon go down stairs while carrying you
  2692. >You can do that, easy, without even carrying yourself
  2693. >You just need to do it... the opposite way
  2694. >Focusing on the promise of breakfast, you take your first step on the stairs
  2695. >Then another
  2696. >Then another
  2697. >The jagged upward slope is solid
  2698. >Another
  2699. >Another
  2700. >Another
  2701. >Was it really this easy?
  2702. >You pick up the pace and immediately trip
  2703. >Oh crap
  2704. >You recover just in time for your head to poke up into the base floor
  2705. >Twilight is sitting on a big red and white blanket
  2706. >In front of her are a few pairs of big... triangles?
  2707. >They smell good
  2708. >They almost look familiar too
  2709. >"Good morning Anonymous! I hope you slept well. I went and made us some breakfast!"
  2710. >You give your biggest smile and quickly take your place opposite of her
  2711. >Without thinking, you cover one in green magic and devour it
  2712. >You sigh, nodding
  2713. "This is really great."
  2714. >"I'm glad you like them. I had a feeling you would love something like this."
  2715. >It's sweet, and still warm and fluffy too
  2716. >It looked slick and shiny
  2717. "It tastes just like I remember... when was the last time you made these, anyway?"
  2718. >"Oh... you know."
  2719. >She gives you a silly sounding laugh
  2720. >"I guess I just haven't been keeping track... but I promise to get back into the groove of making more!"
  2721. "New book, new cooking."
  2722. >You sigh and lean to the side
  2723. >You close your eyes
  2724. >You can almost smell something
  2725. >Like... dirt and wood
  2726. >Where have you been that had dirt?
  2727. "I feel like things are gonna get only better..."
  2728. >"I sure hope so. I love you Anon."
  2729. >You open your eyes
  2730. >For a moment you thought that she wasn't smiling
  2731. "I love you Twilight. I really do."
  2732. >"Well, let's eat! After that, we gotta go somewhere important that I think you would like."
  2733. >Going outside?
  2734. >Into the real outside world?
  2735. >Your everything perks up at the news
  2736. "Where are we going?!"
  2737. >"It's a seeeecret. But it's gonna be fun, don't you worry!"
  2738.  
  2739. "Awesome! I'll pack my saddlebag an-"
  2740. >"Where did you get a saddlebag from?"
  2741. "I..."
  2742. >You furrow your brow
  2743. >She's kidding, right?
  2744. >...didn't you have one?
  2745. "I... I had one. Didn't I? I was given one?"
  2746. >Twilight looks amused
  2747. >"Oh! Did you have a dream of it?"
  2748. >A dream?
  2749. >That couldn't have been a dream
  2750. >Whatever 'that' is
  2751. "I... huh? I'm confused."
  2752. >Twilight giggles and levitates up another breakfast triangle toward you
  2753. >"You need to lay off the books, Anon, you're starting to think funny things."
  2754. "I...no, I promise I'm not joking. I remember having a bag and..."
  2755. >Twilight rolls her eyes at you with a smirk
  2756. >"Oh boy... I guess I was caught."
  2757. "H-huh...? Caught?"
  2758. >A cloud of purple poofs out beside you
  2759. >You gawk at a really fancy, really well-made saddlebag
  2760. >It looks a whole lot better than the one you remember, it looks new even
  2761. >The front flap has Twilight's cutie mark
  2762. >Except its green
  2763. >"I think you may have overheard me about getting you something and... well, ta-da!"
  2764. >You're at a loss of words
  2765. "Whoa... are you serious? It's for me?"
  2766. >"Well of course it is you silly! It's a gift so you can carry stuff without worrying about it when we go out!"
  2767. >You aren't really sure what to think
  2768. >It looks really nice
  2769. >Your magic grabs hold of it
  2770. >You fit it on yourself while sitting
  2771. >It seems to go over your neck and fit itself well to your shoulders
  2772. >"It's something to have on your front rather than your back. It's easier to sort through and means that even when you're sitting or something, it is easy to look through and organize!"
  2773. >The one you were thinking of was a lot different
  2774. "That's handy... I can't even imagine what I can put in it!"
  2775. >Something keeps nagging at you
  2776. "...are you sure I was just having a dream? I promise, I remember having a saddlebag tha-"
  2777. >"It was a DREAM, Anon. You know that."
  2778. >She sounds agitated
  2779. "O-oh. Alright. I guess so... sorry for worrying you."
  2780. >You aren't sure how you were worrying her but you probably needed to apologize anyway
  2781. >"Don't even worry about it! Finish up, we have a tight schedule to keep and you're gonna help me out with it!"
  2782. >A schedule!
  2783. >Exactly what you need!
  2784. >You've read that you need a schedule, anyway
  2785. >Twilight's old self-authored study guides were full of rules on how to study and keep to schedules
  2786. >You never actually thought you would have to start abiding by them too
  2787. >Maybe you'll be able to impress her if you do the right things!
  2788.  
  2789. >"Alright Anon, are your eyes still closed?"
  2790. "Yes Twilight, of course."
  2791. >"Mmm... I hope so. I would hate to have to blindfold you."
  2792. >She doesn't sound like she would hate doing that
  2793. >The saddlebag she gave you feels really good, like it was custom-fitted for you
  2794. >Your new book is also in it
  2795. >Your quill is behind your ear, partially in your mane
  2796. >You feel prepared for anything
  2797. >In an instance, you inhale and smell...
  2798. >Fresh air?
  2799. >This smells different
  2800. >You fight the instinct to open your eyes
  2801. "Can I... see now?"
  2802. >"No, not yet."
  2803. >She sounds excited about something
  2804. >Is it something she's seeing but you aren't?
  2805. >You take a few steps around, sniffing more
  2806. >You think you can smell trees
  2807. >Grass
  2808. >You know that this has to be outside
  2809. "How about now?"
  2810. >"Nooooope. But almost."
  2811. "Oh come on!"
  2812. >You take more steps
  2813. >You bonk into something
  2814. >You inhale hard
  2815. >"Oh my! Even without seeing you can find me!"
  2816. >You can smell Twilight
  2817. >It sounded like she was... not in front of you not moments before
  2818. >Were you wrong?
  2819. "Twilight, I can't see anything... can I open my eyes now?"
  2820. >You feel something ruffle your mane
  2821. >"Oh alright. You can open your eyes.
  2822. "Thank you."
  2823. >You open your eyes
  2824. >What you see is...
  2825. >You can't adequately describe it
  2826. >You can see trees
  2827. >A mountain!
  2828. >Multiple mountains!
  2829. >A castle so far away that it looks like a toy to you
  2830. >A long, flowing river too
  2831. >Your legs lose all strength and lead to you plopping your butt down on the grass
  2832. >You don't even notice that Twilight is beaming at you
  2833. "Wha..."
  2834. >What happened?
  2835. >Where did you go?
  2836. >"Welcome to Canterlot! Our new home!"
  2837. >Canterlot?
  2838. >You've read about the place!
  2839. >It's where the most important ponies in the world live, and some of the richest too
  2840. >Along with the two princesses that rule and protect the world
  2841. >Honestly you thought it was all just another fantasy book
  2842. >But Twilight would never put fiction with history
  2843. "I..."
  2844. >You lack the wit to say anything
  2845. >How did you travel here so quickly?
  2846. "W..."
  2847. >She beams wider at you
  2848. >She's really happy
  2849. >Genuinely happy
  2850. "T.. Twilight?"
  2851. >She gives a squee
  2852. "How... did we get here?"
  2853. >"Oh, that. Teleportation! It's a really simple spell to be honest. But it takes a lot of concentration so I thought you shouldn't learn it to make sure you don't teleport yourself into a mountain or under the sea... not that it happens but it totally could if you aren't prepared!"
  2854. >There are so many complex concepts there that you can only stare at her
  2855. "...huh?"
  2856. >She shakes her head and giggles
  2857. >"Don't sweat the small stuff, I got us breakfast! Lunch! Brunch, even!"
  2858. >She trots to your side
  2859. >Sure enough, there is a massive red and white blanket laid out with a ton of food on it
  2860. >Far more food than she could have made on such short notice
  2861. >You follow her, eyes unable to decide if the food or unicorn rear is more appetizing
  2862. >How long did she spend preparing this?
  2863. >You sit opposite of her
  2864. >You don't exactly remember the last time she's been so happy
  2865.  
  2866. >You don't even know where to start
  2867. "What about our home? Isn't... home our home? What about all of your books? My books? And my clock?"
  2868. >She shrugs like none of those even matter
  2869. >"Oh don't worry, we'll move those over too. And we can have multiple copies of books too! Hayburger?"
  2870. >The hayburger looks...
  2871. >Familiar
  2872. >But the center looks like it is only flowers and dried grass
  2873. "I'm... good?"
  2874. >She shrugs and devours it with joy
  2875. "Why are we moving to Canterlot? What about Ponyville?"
  2876. >She stops in mid-chew
  2877. >She rolls her eyes
  2878. >A purple-coated muffin flies up to your face
  2879. >"Ponyville is just... too small. You aren't going to learn a lot there. There aren't good ponies in Ponyville. Not like Canterlot."
  2880. >This doesn't sound correct but the muffin is too tempting
  2881. >The purple magic aura blends into green
  2882. "But... what about your friends?"
  2883. >She finishes her burger before speaking up
  2884. >"They'll know where I am. Friends don't always need to be around each other all the time. A little distance can do us some good."
  2885. >Well that makes sense
  2886. >The muffin tastes good
  2887. >After a few more chews something starts to worry you
  2888. "Twilight?"
  2889. >"Yes, Anon?"
  2890. "Would distance do us some good?"
  2891. >She glares at you
  2892. >It's a glare so cold it freezes your core
  2893. >But it only lasts a second
  2894. >"Well of course not! I mean, we're far, FAR closer than merely friends. Right?"
  2895. "I-I hope so..."
  2896. >"Well we are. And that's why we don't need distance at all! With both of us moving here, I can continue my studies, you can learn more things, and we'll have a lot of new friends that won't get in the way of things."
  2897. >You like the idea of new friends
  2898. "What are you studying?"
  2899. >She stops in mid-chew of a long, flat floral thing
  2900. >She frowns... and chews extra hard a few times
  2901. >"Anonymous... I need to be honest."
  2902. "Ok. Can I still be Anon?"
  2903. >You smile
  2904. >You found out about that joke through one of your books
  2905. >After a few seconds she smiles back
  2906. >"This is a really good reason why I love you Anon."
  2907. >Compliments like that just make you melt
  2908. >"You see... you know how you like wings. Right?"
  2909. >You nearly choke on your food
  2910. "I-I never said that!"
  2911. >"Oh don't worry, I know you do. But don't worry about that, I..."
  2912. >She takes a massive chomp out of her food
  2913. >She gulps it down as quickly as she can
  2914. >"I am... studying. To do something. And it is going to... give me wings!"
  2915. "You can just do that!?"
  2916. >Magic can teleport and give wings?!
  2917. >What can't it do?
  2918. >Will you ever be able to do something like that?
  2919. >"N... no. You see, it's..."
  2920. >She sighs
  2921. >"It's just complicated. And it's going to really be hard on me. So I need someone to help me through it. I need you, Anon. But you can't tell anypony this."
  2922. "When did this start?"
  2923. >You want to ask her a thousand things, and at least a thousand more about this new development
  2924. >"Before we met."
  2925. >That was curt
  2926. "Oh... alright. What happens once you get wings? I mean, you can fly then, right? Without magic? And... uh... other things too. Probably."
  2927.  
  2928. >"Well..."
  2929. "You'll still be you. Just with... wings, I guess. How is that going to work, anyway?"
  2930. >"Now that you mention that, it shouldn't-"
  2931. "Can I get wings too? Or is this a thing that requires strong magic? Can you carry me while flying around like Super Mare or is this kinda... different?"
  2932. >"That story didn't come from here, it came from A-"
  2933. "Are those hayburgers any good?"
  2934. >Your quest for knowledge led to the final straw for her
  2935. >She bursts out laughing
  2936. >You're a little lost
  2937. >"Oh Anon... I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I guess I was just concerned."
  2938. "That I might not like hayburgers?"
  2939. >"No, silly. That you may leave me. I don't think I could handle losing you yet again. You're too valuable. I won't be able to do this without you."
  2940. >This isn't the first time she has said this
  2941. >You... think?
  2942. "I... d..."
  2943. >You feel so confused, like she's having a conversation you've only just now entered
  2944. "You mean... when I was sick before, right?"
  2945. >After an uncomfortable length of time she finally nods
  2946. >"Yes, Anon. You used to be very... sick. Very unstable. It took an awful lot of magic and medicine to help your body. I'll admit, I got... distracted at times. I'm very physically attracted to you, so of course sometimes I just... you know..."
  2947. >The mention of that makes you realize that you haven't actually had that much fun with Twilight
  2948. >Not lately
  2949. >Drawn by her words, you lift your journal out and start writing
  2950. >All you're writing is what she says
  2951. >She seems proud of your quill going to paper
  2952. "Can you tell me what I was sick with, Twilight?"
  2953. >"Yes. You had... a broken heart. It wasn't whole. I didn't understand it. I had no clue of what you could possibly need to stay alive, given the state you were in. All I could do was love you."
  2954. >Her smile falters
  2955. >At first
  2956. >But it rises with every word
  2957. >"And... thank Celestia, it was enough. I gave you as much as I could. And more, if I can be honest. Thankfully it was enough."
  2958. >Something pokes the back of your head
  2959. >Your own voice
  2960. >Where is your family?
  2961. "T... Twilight? Can I ask one more thing?"
  2962. >"Of course, Anon. Anything for you. Everything, for you."
  2963. >She looks at you like you're everything she could want
  2964. >Can you ask her this?
  2965. >She is your family
  2966. >Obviously
  2967. >But...
  2968. "I... uh..."
  2969. >You clear your throat
  2970. >Your quill doesn't bother to keep track of your own words
  2971. >You know what you say
  2972. >But you want to be able to re-read proof that she loves you
  2973. "W. Where..."
  2974. >"Where did I get those hayburgers? I know you're eying them... just one bite and I promise you'll be hooked."
  2975. >She smirks at you
  2976. >"In Canterlot, there is actually a really great place th-"
  2977. "Do I have a family? Where did you find me?"
  2978.  
  2979. >Twilight doesn't respond
  2980. "Where is my... uh. Mark thing? Cutie mark? The thing that says I'm good at something.
  2981. >She keeps smiling like it doesn't phase her
  2982. "Is Anon really that common a name?"
  2983. >No reaction
  2984. "...Twilight?"
  2985. >"You're thinking 'why me', right?"
  2986. >Her smile mellows
  2987. "I... I guess so."
  2988. >"I am too."
  2989. >She reseats herself, getting comfortable
  2990. >"I wish I knew. There's still so much I don't know about you. But with my studying, maybe I can make you perfect. I can make myself perfect for you, in turn."
  2991. "You are perfect for me, Twilight. I love you."
  2992. >She closes her eyes
  2993. >Her smile continues to mellow, to fade, until only the corner of her mouth is raised
  2994. "Thank you Anon. Our new home, we'll be able to start a new chapter of our lives together. I'll be able to... finally move forward. So much is ahead of us. It might not make sense at first. Others may try to tear you away from me. But I will win in the end. We will win. And everyone will be happier because of it..."
  2995. >She trails off
  2996. >You aren't sure
  2997. >You can almost hear her say 'I hope' after a moment of silence
  2998.  
  2999. "Hi there! I'm Anon!"
  3000. "Hi there! My name is Anon! Here's my quill!"
  3001. "Hi there! I'm Anon, Twilight's boyfriend! This quill looks cool, doesn't it?"
  3002. "Hi there! I'm Anon, I've never been to Canterlot before. Have you met Twilight?"
  3003. "Hi there! I'm An-wait, don't run! It's just my journal! I promise it isn't weird!"
  3004. >"Anon... maybe you should relax?"
  3005. >Ever since you walked into Canterlot proper you've introduced yourself to every pony that you could outpace
  3006. "Hi there! I'm Anon! Wanna see my quill?"
  3007. >You green magic-covered quill spins in the air in front of a stern looking stallion wearing armor so thick it could probably withstand a meteor
  3008. "It's pretty cool, isn't it? I write with it."
  3009. >The stallion stares straight ahead
  3010. "...are you stuck or are you just really focused? I forgot how to look once too."
  3011. >No response
  3012. "That stuff looks heavy... does it hurt to move around that all day?"
  3013. >Twilight scampers up to you, trying to tug you away with one of her front legs
  3014. >"Anon, this guy's on guard duty! You can't just-"
  3015. >"Eh, you get used to it kid. 'Course, when I was your size, I couldn't even buck a helmet an inch."
  3016. >The guard finally spoke up!
  3017. "Woah... awesome! I'm gonna train and get buff until I can buck a helme-"
  3018. >Twilight rips you away from your position, blurting out some rushed apology
  3019. >"Anon, calm down! You can't just bother guards all day long, they have important business!"
  3020. >You keep your pace with Twilight, trying to focus on her despite your senses straining to pick up every new sight, sound and smell all around
  3021. "That guy has something that smells spicy..."
  3022. >"Anon!"
  3023. >Her sudden bark makes you jump
  3024. >Eyes ahead, Anon
  3025. >Like the guard
  3026. >You puff out your chest and jut your jaw forward
  3027. "Aye, sir."
  3028. >Your performance causes a giggle
  3029. >"Please try to pay attention! We're walking instead of teleporting because I want you to get used to the streets. You remember our path so far right?"
  3030. "Right, it was a right, two lefts, another right and... we're heading straight. Right?"
  3031. >"Right."
  3032. "R... uh... r-right."
  3033. >You have no idea where you are going
  3034. >That spicy something the guy has is blue, too!
  3035. "When can I explore?"
  3036. >"Later. Presumably... once you stop chasing down ponies to tell them your name."
  3037. "But if they don't know me, wouldn't that be bad?"
  3038. >"Not exactly. I mean I used to live here before Ponyville and plenty of ponies never once met me!"
  3039. >A random walking mare stops and gasps
  3040. >She waves
  3041. >"Oh hey, it's you Twilight! Tell Princess Celestia I'm looking forward to next year's Gala!"
  3042. >You leer at Twilight
  3043. >She shrinks and smiles as wide as she can
  3044. >"I-I'm... don't worry about her, that was a random thing, she probably remembers everypony."
  3045. >"Hey Twilight Sparkle! Tell that apple mogul that she's late on her shipment!"
  3046. >Some tough sounding stallion calls out from some sort of big warehouse
  3047. >"Ugh, I'm not her correspondent, tell her yourself!"
  3048. >You leer at her harder
  3049. >She's just not being fair right now
  3050. >She tries to laugh it off again
  3051.  
  3052. >"I'm... well maybe I'm a little famous here...?"
  3053. "Man... not even letting me talk to anyone..."
  3054. >You sigh and give her the cold shoulder
  3055. >You can't walk in front of her because you have no clue where you're going
  3056. >"Oh, don't be that way... if you promise to forgive me, I'll let you talk to a guard at the palace!"
  3057. >You scrunch your face and refuse to answer her
  3058. >"I promise I'll find you one who wants to learn about your quill...?"
  3059. "...alright."
  3060. >You resume a more casual pace, focusing more on her than the environment
  3061. >You've had fantasies of going out on some sort of real date with her but it hasn't felt like a date at all
  3062. >After the picnic, she told you that your new room would be in the palace
  3063. >You still haven't been told why
  3064. >Palaces are usually where princes, princesses, kings and queens lived
  3065. >Or really important visitors
  3066. >You eventually find yourself at the entrance of Canterlot's...
  3067. >It is seriously big
  3068. >Massive
  3069. >You stop in your tracks, eyes going up as high as the highest tower
  3070. >By the time you reach the top you realize that you've been sitting and leaning back
  3071. >A sudden pat from Twilight nearly causes you to fall back
  3072. >"Are you ok?"
  3073. "Yeah. That's... that's a really big palace. Castle. Wait, which one is it?"
  3074. >"They're effectively the same thing."
  3075. "Seriously?"
  3076. >"Yes. Now come on, we don't have all day."
  3077. "We're not going to go all the way up, are we?!"
  3078. >"No, not today. Now let's go."
  3079. >She tries to tug you up but your legs just won't go
  3080. >You went up exactly one set of stairs and that took all of your willpower
  3081. >How many sets of stairs are there?
  3082. >If you fell, how long would you be falling?!
  3083. >You can feel yourself falling right now
  3084. >"ANON!?"
  3085. >Twilight shakes you long enough for you to feel ill
  3086. >"Focus! We're going to see Princess Celestia, you can't just space out like this with her."
  3087. >You want to tell her that you're alright but if you open your mouth to speak you might get sick
  3088. >"Are you ready?"
  3089. >It takes another shake before you can tear your eyes away from the sky scraping towers
  3090. >You nod and swallow hard
  3091. >"Good. Don't show her your quill, she's seen ones like it before. Same with your saddlebag and journal, just follow my lead and stay quiet."
  3092. >You follow her into the palace and through... far too many doors
  3093. >It really is all a blur to you
  3094. >So many pictures, so many ponies, so many new things and smells
  3095. >It's overwhelming
  3096. >Twilight leads you into a great, massive hall with...
  3097. >Your stomach turns itself into a knot
  3098. >You're hesitant to move forward but you keep pace with Twilight's hooves
  3099. >When she stops, you stop
  3100. >Before you is not just one, but two sets of stairs
  3101. >A long, white leg steps on the bottom step, causing you to flinch
  3102. >You follow the leg up and see a truly massive pony with a long horn and a strong... kind... smile?
  3103. >"Princess Celestia, I'm glad to be back. For good, this time."
  3104.  
  3105. >"You've made up your mind then?"
  3106. >The authority in the tall pony's voice is unmistakable
  3107. >"Yes I have. It is for the best that I remain here until after the transformation."
  3108. >"I'm glad that you are embracing your destiny... but do not forget that your responsibilities extend beyond yourself."
  3109. >The apparent Princess Celestia rests her gaze on you
  3110. >You can't help but freeze
  3111. >Don't say something stupid
  3112. >Don't mention the quill
  3113. >"How are your friends?"
  3114. >Twilight pauses
  3115. >"They... they are fine. I miss them already but they have their lives and I have mine."
  3116. >"Indeed they do... I will trust your judgement. It is important that a princess learn directly the consequences of her actions."
  3117. >Wait, what?
  3118. >Twilight nods
  3119. >Wait, she's bowing?
  3120. >When was she bowing?
  3121. >Do you bow?
  3122. >Do you show her your quill?
  3123. >No, Twilight said not to!
  3124. >What do you do?!
  3125. >"Of course. Thank you for allowing me the time to try to prepare better. I hope you understand why."
  3126. >"Of course I do. You can only prepare once in life."
  3127. >She's still looking at you, man
  3128. >DO SOMETHING
  3129. >You hesitantly jerk your head down repeatedly, testing variable angles that strain your neck
  3130. >"...speaking of, are you going to introduce me to this fine young gentlecolt?"
  3131. >"Of course, Princess Celestia. This is... this is Anonymous."
  3132. >Celestia is still looking at you
  3133. >The stare she's giving you is starting to hurt your chest
  3134. >She doesn't look angry but you can feel such an extreme amount of pressure
  3135. >"Well then. I am pleased to meet you, Anonymous. This is the first time we have met. Isn't it?"
  3136. >She stands proud, her wings expanding fully
  3137. >By all that is holy she is massive
  3138. >"I am Princess Celestia. Ruler of Equestria and riser of the sun."
  3139. >She's too massive for you
  3140. >Panic
  3141. >PANIC
  3142. "I... I'm... a.."
  3143. >You try to stammer out anything
  3144. >You weren't prepared for this
  3145. >You have no sense of calm or confidence
  3146. >A growing voice is now booming, telling you to stop jerking your head up and down and to actually bow!
  3147. >Except you have no clue how!
  3148. >In a feeble attempt to gather your wits, you do the only thing you possibly can
  3149. "I... quill...?"
  3150.  
  3151. >"Quill?"
  3152. >Celestia's eyebrow raises
  3153. >You can see Twilight's head turn toward you
  3154. >She has absolute horror in her eye
  3155. >She said not to bring it up!
  3156. >AND YOU JUST BROUGHT IT UP!
  3157. >The strain in your chest is enough to make you explode
  3158. >"May I see it?"
  3159. >...she wants to see it?
  3160. >You pluck the quill from your mane and hold it out to her
  3161. >"Oh my. I can tell it gets a lot of use. It's from a matured phoenix, isn't it?"
  3162. >You have no clue
  3163. "I... I think so? Twilight gave it to me. It's my favorite."
  3164. >Celestia takes a seat before you
  3165. >She doesn't look nearly as big now
  3166. >"Is that so?"
  3167. >Her eyes focus on Twilight
  3168. >Twilight retreats from her bow
  3169. >She doesn't say anything
  3170. >"Twilight Sparkle... if I recall. I gave you this quill, as a gift."
  3171. >Twilight perks up
  3172. >"Y-you did, Princess."
  3173. >Oh crap
  3174. >"And you gave it to Anonymous?"
  3175. >Do you say something?
  3176. >Celestia's magic envelopes the quill
  3177. >"Anonymous... would you like to know the history of this quill?"
  3178. >The quill has a history?
  3179. "Of course! I, uh, mean... yes, Princess."
  3180. >The Princess smiles
  3181. >"Three hundred years ago... or was it five? Philomena was molting. This one particular feather fell into one of my books. It was a journal. Though by now it may be better to say that it is a book on Equestria's history."
  3182. >Just how old is she?
  3183. >"For some reason, out of all of the feathers I had seen... I knew that this one would be a feather of love. It would be used to bind two souls together. When my little pony Twilight Sparkle became my student, it was what I gifted to her. And she treated it like the most holy of treasures!"
  3184. >Twilight looks as enraptured as you
  3185. >"Princess Celestia... is this true?"
  3186. "It has to be, she said it. Right?"
  3187. >Celestia looks between you and her
  3188. >And giggles
  3189. >"Well it is a feather of love now, isn't it? And it seems like the both of you are fated to be together. No matter the cost. I think it will serve you well, Anonymous. Twilight gave it to you, instead of giving you some common goose quill. Never forget that her love for you is what powers this quill."
  3190. >...isn't that what ink is used for?
  3191. "Yes Princess."
  3192. >"Carry this with you, wherever you go. I believe it will help you remember, at your lowest points, that Twilight does indeed love you. Even if she gets in a bit of a pouty mood and doesn't show it."
  3193. >She squishes her lips together, almost like she's making fun of Twilight
  3194. >"P-please! I do not get pouty!"
  3195. >You laugh at the two
  3196. "Well there was that one ti..."
  3197. >A quick glare from Twilight drains the color from your face
  3198. "N-nevermind."
  3199. >The quill finds itself back in your mane
  3200. >"Do not fear, Anonymous. Twilight does not yet know how to love you. A mare's heart is a complex thing. Be there for her, when you can, and I give you my word that they will write ballads of your still budding love."
  3201. >The Princess rises once more, reminding you just how physically imposing she is despite her kind words
  3202.  
  3203. >"My time here is up, sadly. Twilight will be able to show you to her room, and yours. While you are in Canterlot, you are safe and will be provided for. Twilight, remember our next appointment."
  3204. >"Of course, Princess!"
  3205. >Celestia looks down at you, who must be so insignificant to such a high figure
  3206. >She smiles again
  3207. >"Alone, this time. Private matters for only Princesses. I hope you understand."
  3208. "Ye-sure. Yes."
  3209. >You remain still until you can no longer hear her steps
  3210. >Only then do you finally relax and sigh
  3211. "I'm sorry Twilight. I panicked. I didn't know what to do."
  3212. >Twilight scoots until she's rubbing against your side
  3213. >She rubs her face against yours
  3214. >"When I am Princess... I will make you stronger. You will beat any pony in anything. You will change the face of Equestria with me. When we have foals, they will be able to do anything in the world at all."
  3215. >She sounds... serene
  3216. >She sounds beautiful
  3217. >She sounds like the Twilight that would speak to you when you were sick
  3218. >"I will not be the Princess of Love, but our love will be told for generations. Just as our discoveries."
  3219. >You lean against her, closing your eyes
  3220. >Her tone and her words make you feel like nothing could ever go wrong.
  3221. >"I will make sure my body is ready, for you. They will all see our family. Our advancements. Our achievements. Our discoveries."
  3222. >Twilight giggles
  3223. >"And she will see that our love is just."

/bootleg/ Jacky Part One

by BlondieAnon

/bootleg/ Jacky Part Two

by BlondieAnon

/bootleg/ Jacky Part Three

by BlondieAnon

/bootleg/ Jacky Part Four

by BlondieAnon

/bootleg/ Jacky Part Five

by BlondieAnon