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Generic Green Asshole Saves the World but Not Really

By PlaceholderIsTaken
Created: 2020-12-18 12:09:02
Expiry: Never

  1. My first story given a less shit name, everything else will be kept exactly as it was in the previous paste
  2.  
  3. >be anon
  4. >shitposting again tonight, because what else would you do
  5. >at least it gives you a break from work and college
  6. >this goes on for a few hours
  7. >nothing that new has happened in politics
  8. >NK is still playing chicken with the rest of the world
  9. >at least the syria situation's still going well
  10. >the writefags have delivered on more greentexts
  11. >you submit a few responses, but none roll over 50
  12. >dice are fucking rigged
  13. >you check the time, it’s about 3AM
  14. >it’s not like you wanted sleep anyway
  15. >sign off for the night, going straight to bed
  16. >didn’t even bother to take off your pants, you can do that later
  17. >you snuggle up to your plush of (favorite pony) and bid her goodnight
  18. >yes you do, you fucking autist
  19. >. . .
  20. >your dreams are... eventful, to say the least
  21. >you fall through a portal into a laboratory somewhere
  22. >it’s bright, and because of that you don’t get a good look at the being controlling it
  23. >they’re distressed by the sound of their voice, though
  24. >you feel yourself change, getting smaller and losing feeling in your hands and feet
  25. >weirdest dream you’ve ever had
  26. >. . .
  27. >you don’t want to get out of bed
  28. >your alarm hasn’t gone off yet
  29. >your bed’s all soft and warm
  30. >but you don’t feel tired
  31. >like you actually got enough sleep
  32. >why?
  33. >decide after some internal debate to get up and go about your business
  34. >the first thing you notice is how bright it is
  35. “Oh shit, I’m late!”
  36. >then it hits you
  37. >this isn’t your room
  38. >it’s all crystalline
  39. >the furniture’s weird
  40. >your computer is nowhere to be found
  41. >and there’s a purple horse sitting in a chair nearby
  42. “Where the hell am I?”
  43. >”Good, you’re awake. You’re currently inside my castle, and I’m sorry for accidentally bringing you here. I didn’t expect there to be someone on the other side of that portal when I opened it.”
  44. “Wait, so then-“
  45. >you look down at yourself
  46. >you’re much smaller
  47. >you have no hands
  48. >you’re green
  49. >you’re also a girl now
  50. “Oh god, that wasn’t a dream!”
  51. >”No, I’m afraid it wasn’t. You probably have quite a few questions, and I’m willing to answer them. You’ll find your stuff in the drawer next to your bed, and you can use this room for as long as you’re here. In the meantime, I’ll find you some food; you’re probably hungry.”
  52. >and purple walks out of the room with that last statement
  53. >you look around better, getting an idea of what’s in here
  54. >there’s a chair in the far right corner
  55. >your bed’s in the other right corner
  56. >the back wall’s a massive bookshelf covered in books
  57. >right next to your bed is a table with a drawer, probably where your stuff is
  58. >the door’s near the back left corner
  59. >what to do now?
  60. >wait, what is my stuff?
  61. >should probably check
  62. >it's your clothes and your plush
  63. >IdontknowwhatIexpected.png
  64. >something heavy is in one of your pockets
  65. >it's your phone
  66. >at least you have something to try to pass time with
  67. >but it's dead
  68. "Note to self, ask purple about a way to charge this."
  69. >not much else to do here, so you decide to go and explore a bit
  70. >eventually find purple in what looks to be a kitchen
  71. "Hey, Twilight, about those questions."
  72. >"Hm? Oh, ye- wait, how do you already know my name?"
  73. >Twilight looks fairly confused, but you decide to continue anyway
  74. "That's a long story. Anyway, what happened to me last night?"
  75. >she apparently decides to not press further into that question
  76. >"Follow me, spike can handle the rest of this when he gets back from running errands."
  77. >Twilight leads you further into the castle, and it's quite a walk
  78. >eventually you get to a room that looks like it was meant for interrogation
  79. >there's a table in the middle with two chairs opposite each other
  80. >"Please, sit. I hope you don't mind, but I'd also like to ask you a few questions for as long as you're here. Don't worry, I'll still answer everything you ask, it's just not often that you encounter an alien."
  81. >you find it weird to be called an alien, but you shrug it off
  82. >you take the seat on the left as she takes the one on the right
  83. "Alright, I guess. Ladies first?"
  84. >Twilight giggles slightly at this, which is when you remember that you've been turned into a girl
  85. >However, she becomes more serious as she teleports a clipboard and pen onto the table in front of her
  86. >"Please state your name and age for the record."
  87. "Anonymous, 22 years old."
  88. >she notes this information down quickly and continues
  89. >"Alright Anonymous, for every question I ask I'll be happy to answer one in return. First off, where did you come from?"
  90. "The United States of America. Now, why am I here?"
  91. >she notes down your response and you see her write nearby "What is an America? Inquire further."
  92. >"An experiment I was running involving improved teleportation spells ended up opening a rift directly underneath you, and the portal destabilized before you could be put back."
  93. >half of it goes completely over your head, but an answer's an answer
  94. >"What species do you belong to?"
  95. "I'm a human. Why did you turn me into this?"
  96. >she notes down the answer you gave and you again notice her penning a response reading "Possible relation to mirror, ask Shimmer."
  97. >"I turned you into a pony so as to not draw unneeded attention to your existence here."
  98. >who would be giving the unneeded attention? what makes it unneeded, more importantly?
  99. >"What is your species's greatest achievement?"
  100. "Probably landing people on the moon, but we did that a long time ago."
  101. >this answer seems to genuinely stun Twilight
  102. >she notes this down along with two secondary questions this time, "Possible spacefaring species? Is this even feasible, if so what would it take? Ask Luna."
  103. >she regains her composure and waits for your question
  104. "Why am I now about 10 years younger and a girl?"
  105. >"The transformation spell I used wasn't tuned towards your exact physical makeup, so this is what was generated. And before you ask, I will be able to undo it when it's time for you to go back."
  106. >this answer makes you a little less uneasy about your situation, but you still don't like it
  107. >"Does your species possess magic in any way, shape or form?"
  108. >this question's easy
  109. "No, not unless you count sleight of hand."
  110. >This again appears to puzzle her as she writes this down, adding "Lack of magic intriguing, inquire further. What is 'sleight of hand'?" to her notes.
  111. >you waste no time after she stops writing, immediately asking your most burning question
  112. "When will I be able to go home?"
  113. >Twilight puts her hoof to her chin and appears to be thinking fairly hard
  114. >She eventually comes up with an answer, but it's not one you like
  115. >"I'm not quite sure. The spells I used to open that portal required quite a few rare and valuable items to work properly, and they only had a one-time use."
  116. >This puts a severe dent in whatever hope you had
  117. >butwaitthere'smore.mp3
  118. >"I'm not even sure if the portal that's opened will lead back to where you came from, either. I didn't even expect the portal to open, much less probe into another universe. You could be here for a very long while, or you could be back home in a month."
  119. >At this you break into tears
  120. >Twilight seems at first unsure of what to do
  121. >after about a second, she moves to your side and gives you a hug
  122. >"Don't worry, I'll make sure that you get back and that you're as comfortable and happy as possible while you're here."
  123. >holy shit she's soft
  124. >like, memories of your favorite childhood blanket levels of soft
  125. >and warm too
  126. >unfortunately this doesn't stop your crying, but you at least manage to get enough control to reply
  127. "What about my family, what about everyone that cares?"
  128. >Twilight hesitates for a second as you turn to look at her
  129. >"Don't worry, it'll be fine. I'm going to make sure of it."
  130. >again, this doesn't help much, but she seems to be genuinely trying
  131. >after another few minutes you manage to get control of your emotions again
  132. >a few seconds later she breaks the silence
  133. >"I think that's enough questions for now, why don't we see how spike's handling your food?"
  134. >you instantly go from a look of infathomable sadness to one of surprise, apprehension, and general fear
  135. "Spike?"
  136. >"He's a dragon and my assistant, but don't worry. He's only a baby, he won't bite that hard!"
  137. >Twilight laughs to herself at that last comment as she opens the door for you
  138. >she doesn't know that you're not worried by the fact he's a dragon
  139. >she doesn't know that you're worried about the fact that he's a fuckup when left to his own devices
  140. >you walk out of the room, and follow Twilight back to the kitchen
  141. >back to whatever monstrosity Spike has in store for you
  142. >as it turns out Spike didn’t fuck it up
  143. >it would be pretty hard to fuck up peanut butter and jelly, after all
  144. >all he had to do was put it on the plate
  145. >you take your place in front of your sandwich and dig in
  146. >Spike takes notice of your presence almost immediately
  147. [o]>"Hey Twilight, I picked up what you wanted. Now do I get to meet the new filly?"[/o]
  148. >"Sure, I don’t think she’d mind."
  149. >Twilight shouldn’t assume
  150. >however, you don’t say anything because your mouth is full
  151. >Spike immediately goes over next to you, extending his right hand
  152. [o]>”Hi, my name’s Spike. I’m Twilight’s assistant. What’s your name?”[/o]
  153. >not wanting to seem like a complete dick, you swallow and accept the hand (or is it hoof now?) shake.
  154. “Anonymous.”
  155. [o]>”Nice to meet you, Anonymous!”[/o]
  156. “Y-you too”
  157. >at least it actually fit there
  158. >but now Spike might expect something competent out of you
  159. >you manage to resist the pull of the spaghetti
  160. >for now
  161. >you eat more of the sandwich
  162. [o]>”So... What do you do for fun?”[/o]
  163. >did he not just see me take a bite
  164. >finish chewing sandwich
  165. “Nothing that I can do now.”
  166. [o]>”Well, do you want to go hang out with me?”[/o]
  167. >not really
  168. >he’s looking at you expectantly
  169. >seems a bit desperate, actually
  170. >before you can answer, Twilight chimes in
  171. >”I think it would be a great idea. Spike, why don’t you show Anonymous around Ponyville, too?”
  172. >Ineveraskedforthis.mp4
  173. [o]>”Alright, I’ll meet you out front when you’re done!”[/o]
  174. >Spike leaves, looking quite excited to have a new “friend”
  175. >you look at Twilight with an expression somewhere between annoyance and confusion
  176. >”What? It’s not a bad idea for you to get to know the area. You’ll never know when that information could come in handy.”
  177. >huh, so ponies use that phrase too
  178. >”When you finish your sandwich, I’ll show you where the front door is.”
  179. >you finish the sandwich a few bites later, and Twilight shows you the door
  180. >”Be back before dark, you two. I don’t want you to get lost.”
  181. >it's noon
  182. >how big is this town for her to be worried about curfews
  183. [o]>”Don’t worry, I won’t lose sight of her.”[/o]
  184. >you’d put money on the opposite
  185. >well, if you had money
  186. >”Don’t forget to show Anonymous where the school is, she’ll need to know for tomorrow.”
  187. >school?
  188. >aren’t you past that?
  189. “Why do I need to know where the school is?”
  190. >”Wouldn’t it look odd for a filly to be running around when every other one’s at school?”
  191. >she’s got you there
  192. >guess you’re going to school tomorrow
  193. [o]>”Alright Anonymous, follow me!”[/o]
  194. >Twilight waves goodbye as Spike leads you into town
  195. >you two pass all the major points you’d expect
  196. >Sugarcube Corner is over there
  197. >Carousel Boutique is down the street
  198. >Town Hall’s that way
  199. >blah blah blah
  200. >you don’t really pay attention
  201. >you know where this stuff is
  202. >no you don’t
  203. >oh well, too late
  204. >you snap yourself back to the outside world after this realization
  205. [o]>"...And this is the school, it's run by Ms. Cheerilee. She's nice from what I've heard, so I think you'll have fun there."[/o]
  206. >Cheerilee
  207. >she's a substantial part of your porn folder
  208. >well, she was
  209. >you miss your computer already
  210. >guess you'll get to see whether you're a faggot in mind or body now
  211. >that'll be fun
  212. >wait, Spike's still talking
  213. [o]>"That's about all I have to say on this, so I think it's about time to head back."[/o]
  214. "Alright, lead the way."
  215. [o]>"Actually, I want YOU to lead the way to prove you've been paying attention."[/o]
  216. >shit
  217. >shit
  218. >SHIT
  219. >he's calling your bluff
  220. >to make it worse, you can't see the castle from here
  221. >why are these buildings this tall
  222. >youdungoofed.jpg
  223. >time to try and then fail miserably
  224. "A-alright, let's go."
  225. >choose a random direction
  226. >look back at Spike to gauge his reaction
  227. >he's not giving any clues to if you're right or not
  228. >this is gonna be hard
  229. >rolling for bluff check
  230. >critfail
  231. >you two end up wandering around for a couple of hours
  232. >Spike is not helping at all
  233. >you pass a few landmarks he showed you, but you don't remember anything about how to get back
  234. >eventually you manage to see the castle around a couple smaller buildings
  235. >immediately regain your sense of direction
  236. >you're back at the castle in about 20 minutes after that
  237. >and only three close calls with a mental breakdown
  238. >only a few minutes before sundown too
  239. >success
  240. >standing in the looming shadow of the crystal tree-thing purple calls a castle, Spike finally drops the poker face for one of frustration and disappointment
  241. [o]>"You weren't listening at all, were you?"[/o]
  242. >since he already knows the what, he might as well know the why
  243. "I wouldn't expect you to be able to concentrate well if I put you where I came from for the forseeable future, so lay off."
  244. >Spike loses the expression for a few seconds as he replies in a way you didn't expect
  245. [o]>"Yeah, Manehattan would be a pretty big and confusing place for a filly to live in."[/o]
  246. >Manehattan
  247. >Twilight must have come up with a backstory for you already
  248. >less work for you
  249. >should probably ask her about it though, so you don't fuck it up
  250. >also about a charger
  251. >can't forget the charger
  252. >you need your phone for... reasons
  253. >but back to more pressing matters
  254. >you might need a map of town
  255. "Hey, I've got an idea. I'll tell Twilight that you did a good job of leading me through town and telling me everything important, and you get me a map to cover this all up."
  256. >he's buying it
  257. >wait
  258. >wait no
  259. >he's not buying it
  260. [o]>"Why not just ask for a map yourself? If it's going to be a problem, then why not admit it?"[/o]
  261. >that spaghetti's pulling harder than before now
  262. >but not today
  263. >you're smart
  264. >you know how much Spike lives to please
  265. >you can win this
  266. "If I ask for a map, then that'll tell Twilight that you didn't do a good job telling me anything. Do you really want to deal with an angry Twilight?"
  267. >he looks like he's reconsidered
  268. >took him all of a half-second
  269. [o]>"Alright, I'll get you a map. I'm not losing my ice cream stash again."[/o]
  270. >an ice cream stash?
  271. >you might have to look for that
  272. >Spike goes and opens the front door, yelling to Twilight that you're both back
  273. >you go inside just as the sun disappears below the horizon
  274. >Twilight’s waiting by the door when you get in
  275. >she looks disappointed, but also like she expected this
  276. >”Did you two get lost?”
  277. >this question catches you and Spike off guard
  278. >silence
  279. >play this situation well and you might survive
  280. “Are you going to be mad if I say yes?”
  281. >she changes the disappointed look into a more relaxed one
  282. >”To be honest, I’m just glad you both made it back alright.”
  283. >you feel much more relieved
  284. >so does Spike, from his expression
  285. >Twilight looks back towards you with a stern face
  286. >”Of course, you’re still going to need to know your way around, so I’ll give you a map to use. As for you-“
  287. >she turns to Spike
  288. >”-I expect you to be able to handle these simple tasks. It’s not that hard to show somepony around!”
  289. >wow
  290. >he’s getting murdered
  291. >you should probably step in
  292. “Actually, it was my fault. I wasn’t paying attention so I didn’t know the way back when he tried to test me.”
  293. >Twilight looks surprised now
  294. >she must be used to Spike being the weak link
  295. >figures
  296. >”Spike, is this true?”
  297. >he casts you a glance and starts nodding
  298. >”Then I guess I owe you an apology.”
  299. >she’s turning back towards you
  300. >”Anonymous, because you couldn’t pay attention, you’re going to spend an hour after dinner studying a map of Ponyville.”
  301. >she sounds serious
  302. >who does she think she is
  303. >giving you orders
  304. >you answer to no one
  305. >you must’ve been wearing your contempt on your face, because she’s saying something about it
  306. >”If you want to have any degree of autonomy while you’re here, then I need to be able to trust that you can get around without getting lost.”
  307. >stupid purple, using facts and logic again
  308. >wait
  309. >rewind about 30 seconds
  310. >she said dinner
  311. >you’re actually pretty hungry
  312. >”Let’s get you two fed, I’d imagine that a walk that long would leave you pretty hungry!”
  313. >she read your mind
  314. “Sounds good!”
  315. >you and Spike both follow Twilight back to the kitchen to eat
  316. >you’re welcomed back to the kitchen with an all-too-familiar smell
  317. >is it
  318. >it is
  319. >”I hope you don’t mind having pasta for dinner, it’s pretty much the only stuff left in the pantry.”
  320. >Twilight looks a bit embarrassed at that last bit, but you couldn’t care less
  321. >it’s spaghetti
  322. >you can resist its pull no longer
  323. >wasting no time, you claim a plate of those alluring noodles
  324. >shoving what would be too much for an adult human in your face, you try to reply
  325. “Thff ff grfff!”
  326. >at least the extra spagoot gets back on your plate
  327. >They both shoot you glances somewhere between disgust and surprise, with maybe a dash of embarrassment by association
  328. >you will eat slower next time
  329. >you will not talk with your mouth full next time
  330. >your face is not a shovel
  331. >fucking spaghetti
  332. >oh well, can’t be un-sperged
  333. >you straighten yourself out as Spike finishes with his decision to eat elsewhere
  334. “Sorry, what I meant to say was that I like pasta quite a bit.”
  335. >understatement of the year
  336. >Twilight hasn’t dropped that face yet
  337. >you’re ded
  338. >wait she’s talking
  339. >”Well... I’m glad you like it.”
  340. >the rest of dinner goes uneventfully
  341. >you manage to keep your spaghetti levels to a minimum
  342. >contrary to popular belief, people AND ponies don’t like spaghetti with their spaghetti
  343. >Spike comes back in at some point to get a spoon for ice cream
  344. >which somehow reminds you of your phone
  345. >wtfbrain.mpeg
  346. >oh well, now’s as good a time as ever
  347. “Hey, I have a question.”
  348. >”Hm?”
  349. >how to best say this in a way she’ll understand
  350. >wing it
  351. “Well, when I came here, I had a device on me that I need for personal reasons. However, it’s dead and I have no way to charge it. Can you look at it and see if you can figure out a way?”
  352. >she’s thinking it over
  353. >”Sure, it would give me a bit more insight as to how your species developed naturally too.”
  354. >leave it to purple to turn an act of good will into a science experiment
  355. >oh well, at least you’ll get your phone back
  356. >damn son, all the reminders are coming back now
  357. “Thanks, that means a lot. Also, I heard about part of my backstory from Spike, can I hear the rest? You know, getting the story straight and all?”
  358. >Twilight seems to brighten up a bit at this
  359. >how long was she waiting to go into this?
  360. >”You’re a filly from Manehattan who has always been gifted in her studies, and as such you were easily able to win an essay contest that had you transfer to Ponyville to study with me as your teacher!”
  361. >no wonder she looks a bit excited about this
  362. >she gets an excuse to show off how smart and important she is
  363. >but it sounds plausible
  364. >and that’s all that matters
  365. >you know the story to hold to as well, so that’s good
  366. >Twilight magics the plates and leftover pasta back over onto a counter and gets up
  367. >”Now that we’re both done, you’ve got a map to study.”
  368. >oh
  369. >right
  370. >the map
  371. >Twilight leads you back through the castle to what looks like a military logistics center
  372. >these design choices
  373. >you probably wouldn’t pay the designers for shit like this
  374. >not unless you had your personal army
  375. >but they’re not your personal army
  376. >maps rolled up onto various shelves
  377. >a big table in the middle
  378. >even the bluish purple of the walls seems a bit dull here
  379. >but this isn’t the map room that you know about
  380. >no, this one doesn’t have six chairs and a tree hanging from the ceiling
  381. >it’s just a boring map room
  382. >at least the map of Ponyville has some pretty colors
  383. >you also manage to pay better attention this time
  384. >at the end of the studying, Twilight gives you a pop quiz
  385. >ace that shit
  386. >much better than high school geography
  387. >”And I think that’s about it for today, I’d suggest you go and rest up for tomorrow.”
  388. >what’s happening tomorrow?
  389. >oh right
  390. >school
  391. “Do I really have to if my cover story is that I’m learning from you?”
  392. >Twilight doesn’t miss a beat when responding
  393. >”Yes, you do. Ms. Cheerilee’s a much better teacher than I am when it comes to subjects like history, and the history of Equestria is what you need to learn most. I won’t care about your other grades as long as you’re passing, but I WILL be paying attention to history.”
  394. >rules and regulations of your school attendance all in one
  395. >guess not having to pay attention for the majority of subjects gives you plenty of time to catalog this shit for when you get back
  396. >that’ll be a green the other anons will like
  397. >the other anons
  398. >you’ve never met them IRL, so why do you miss them too?
  399. >probably because they’re your only friends
  400. >wow that’s sad
  401. >apparently Twilight’s hugging you again
  402. >she must’ve seen the look on your face
  403. >at least you’re not crying this time
  404. >”Don’t worry, I’m still going to make sure you get home safe. It’s going to be okay.”
  405. >she’s still really soft
  406. >like seriously, why are these ponies so soft
  407. >this time it actually helps
  408. “Thanks, Twilight.”
  409. > that’s all you can get out as you lean into the hug, wrapping your hooves around her in response
  410. >you can get used to this
  411. >too bad all it cost you was your life, your humanity, and your dick
  412. >you continue to embrace her for as long as you can before she moves you to her back
  413. >this isn’t a bad spot either
  414. >still warm
  415. >the rhythmic rocking caused by her movement only makes you more tired
  416. >and this is how you two stay until you get back to your room
  417. >why is she magicing you off
  418. >no
  419. >that was comfy
  420. >”Good night, I’ll see you in the morning.”
  421. >she’s leaving
  422. >stop her
  423. “Wait!”
  424. >she turns back
  425. >”Yes?”
  426. >Ididn’tthinkI’dgetthisfar.zip
  427. “C-can you tuck me in?”
  428. >nice execution, faggot
  429. >”I don’t see a reason why I couldn’t.”
  430. >she’s coming back
  431. >success
  432. >and you only dropped a little bit of spaghetti
  433. >she lifts you back up and carries you into the room
  434. >before you get into bed, you make sure to grab your plush
  435. >you also realize that it’s almost as big as you are now
  436. >hmm
  437. >this could be useful
  438. >not sure how, but it could
  439. >Twilight looks at it a bit odd but doesn’t say anything
  440. >you get as comfy as possible as she pulls the blanket over you
  441. >Twilight gives you another hug before leaving again
  442. >shit’s comfy
  443. >all those other anons would be so jealous if they knew you were getting this much attention from purple
  444. >all those other anons you won’t see tonight
  445. >your computer you may never see again
  446. >your family that thinks you could be dead
  447. >all that time you spent with them, potentially meaningless now
  448. >left alone to your own thoughts, the weight of the day’s events come crashing down upon you
  449. >you thought you were alone then
  450. >you were wrong
  451. >this is advanced loneliness
  452. >you break down and cry
  453. >you’re not sure for how long
  454. >eventually the tears stop falling
  455. >you don’t stop crying though
  456. >some time later you eventually fall into sleep
  457. >. . .
  458. >you're back in your room
  459. >your alarm goes off
  460. >was all that a dream?
  461. >relief floods you
  462. >get ready for college again
  463. >never gonna take life for granted again
  464. >1st class is easy
  465. >professor asks some brain dead question
  466. >raise your hand because you know this
  467. >nobody else does
  468. >heh, dumbfags
  469. >"Does anyone know the answer?"
  470. >yeah, you do
  471. >"Anyone at all?"
  472. >can he not see my hand
  473. >"I guess you'll all just have to review it later, it WILL be on the final."
  474. >that was weird
  475. >oh well
  476. >rest of your classes go similarly
  477. >what is going on
  478. >let's see if work is any different
  479. >go to your job
  480. >retail sucks, but it's a paycheck
  481. >go to work your shift
  482. >wait
  483. >why is there a new trainee
  484. >why is he working your shift
  485. >it's like you don't exist anymore
  486. >wait
  487. >WAIT
  488. >you whip out your phone as you become increasingly worried at this revelation
  489. >text your mother
  490. >no response
  491. >text your father
  492. >no response either
  493. >text your sister, she always replies fast
  494. >reply
  495. >there is hope
  496. >"who is this?"
  497. >you type out as fast as you can
  498. "it's anon, remember?"
  499. >"really funny, anon's been dead for days."
  500. >WHAT
  501. >THE
  502. >FUCK
  503. >your phone suddenly drops from your hands
  504. >why are your hands now transparent
  505. >WHY ARE THEY BECOMING MORE TRANSPARENT
  506. >full panic mode
  507. >the last thought you have is one of regret and repentance as you fade out of existence
  508. >you open your eyes and bolt upright
  509. "I'M SORRY, I DON'T WANT TO BE DEAD"
  510. >wait
  511. >you're not dead
  512. >everyone just thinks you are
  513. >you break back into tears
  514. >you haven't even been asleep for three hours
  515. >this is going to be a long night
  516.  
  517. >be Twilight
  518. >you just put Anonymous to bed
  519. >what a fascinating creature
  520. >it's amazing what a simple physical change can do to a subject's psychological state
  521. >but that's not your main focus
  522. >your main focus is to make sure that he (she?) can return back safely to his (her?) point of origin
  523. >this is gonna be hard
  524. >maybe Celestia could be convinced to help fund this in exchange for the information you've gathered already about Anon
  525. >Anon
  526. >that's an easier thing to say than Anonymous
  527. >Anon it is
  528. >quit getting sidetracked, you've got work to do
  529. >pulling out a scroll and pen, you begin to draft a letter
  530. "Dear Princess Celestia,
  531. I have some news. I've managed to make limited contact with another universe, through which a human has come through. The odd thing is, it seems to only superficially resemble the humans we know; but this isn't why I'm writing to you now. This human has been wrongfully affected by my actions, and I wish to correct that by sending him home. This is the part where you come in.
  532. In order to replicate the procedure that brought the human (Anonymous) here, I need access to some very specific and rare magic items. These items, as logic would dictate, would be hard to track down and would also cost quite a lot to collect, and is why I'm asking for your help. In return for this, I'll give you any information I can collect from him, and keep you informed about anything new he mentions.
  533. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."
  534. >seems convincing enough
  535. >let's hope Celestia will actually help with something for once
  536. >now to find Spike
  537. >you decide on the standard method
  538. "SPIKE!"
  539. >you hear running from a lower floor
  540. >he really shouldn't be getting more ice cream this late, and you're not going on another midnight run to refill his stash
  541. >that was only for his birthday
  542. >he shows up moments later, out of breath
  543. [o]>"What... What do you need?"[/o]
  544. "I need you to send this letter to Celestia."
  545. >his expression changes, now knowing that he ran up multiple flights of stairs for this
  546. [o]>"Why now? Couldn't you send it tomorrow when she isn't tired, and when I don't have a bowl of mint chip melting?"[/o]
  547. >of course he's worrying about his ice cream
  548. >dragons and their possessions
  549. "Unfortunately, no. This is an urgent letter, and Celestia of all ponies should know about its contents."
  550. >Spike grunts in frustration, but ultimately sends the letter
  551. [o]>"Can I go now?"[/o]
  552. >nope.avi
  553. >you expect this'll get a reply within minutes
  554. >but he might as well have more reason to stick around
  555. >so you teleport his ice cream up here
  556. "Why not stay up here for a while, you can watch me work on something interesting."
  557. >Spike remains skeptical of your offer
  558. [o]>"Interesting for you, or interesting for me?"[/o]
  559. >whatever your answer is, it won't matter
  560. >you've already grabbed his attention
  561. "Guess I'll just do it without you, if you don't want to stick around."
  562. >Spike dejectedly comes up to your side and looks on as you reveal the object of your interest
  563. >it's what you assume is the object Anon was talking about being "dead"
  564. >you're not quite sure why he chose that particular word though, it doesn't look like it was ever alive to begin with
  565. >it's a black rectangle set into a hard shell, protected by another shell which was softer and easier to remove
  566. >it also has a weird design on the back
  567. >almost looks like a partly eaten apple
  568. >upon closer inspection, there are a few buttons spaced around the shell as well as an opening on one of the smaller sides
  569. [o]>"Dude, what is that?"[/o]
  570. >you look to Spike with one of mild confusion
  571. "I'm not entirely sure myself, but Anon asked for me to look at it for her."
  572. >both of you return your attention to the object
  573. >this will need more than just superficial inspection to figure this thing out
  574. "Okay, we're going to my lab."
  575. >with that, both of you plus the item teleport into your laboratory
  576. >coincidentally, Spike spits up a letter upon arrival
  577. "Go put on a lab coat and a pair of goggles while I read this, Spike. This testing may need some powerful equipment."
  578. >he goes off to a rack holding the necessary gear while you open the scroll
  579. >"Dear Twilight,
  580. >While I appreciate you thinking of me in a time like this, I'm afraid that I must ask to meet this human in person before I agree to anything. Should this indeed be what you say it is, I'd be willing to cover all the expenses regardless of the information you've collected. I'm sorry that I can't tell you my reasoning behind this judgement now, but I'll be more than happy to tell you the next time we meet. All I will say now is that patrols near the badlands are reporting unusual activity.
  581. >As for when this visit should take place, I can adjust my schedules to fit your earliest convenience.
  582. >Kindest regards, Celestia."
  583. >what IS your earliest convenience?
  584. >normally tomorrow, but Anon has school then and this trip would likely be over multiple days
  585. >Saturday it is
  586. >good thing that's the day after tomorrow
  587. [o]>"Alright, I got the stuff on and got yours as well."[/o]
  588. >oh, right
  589. >there's science to do
  590. "Thanks, Spike. Now let's get back to the matter of this... thing."
  591. >you bring it over to a large magic device used to observe the insides of objects
  592. >this should help you figure this thing out
  593. >apply goggles to face, flip down a built in shade
  594. >this could get a bit bright
  595. >the machine activates, creating a bright flash of blue
  596. >perfect
  597. >you retrieve the object and wait for the machine to give you an image of its interior
  598. >it's taking longer than usual
  599. >what is this thing?
  600. >eventually Spike finishes his ice cream and leaves, presumably to go to sleep himself
  601. >you don't need sleep
  602. >that's for the weak
  603. >you're not like Applejack
  604. >you can pull all-nighters like Rainbow can pull off sonic rainbooms
  605. >after a few other minor tests, the machine finally gives you the interior imaging of Anon's mystery item
  606. >what is this
  607. >wait
  608. >you recognize some of this
  609. >it's mechanical, that's for sure
  610. >but how would it work without magic, especially with the apparent complexity of its components?
  611. >wait
  612. >one of the other tests showed something
  613. >the substance analyzer test
  614. >that weird slot has copper in it
  615. >this thing runs off of electricity
  616. >this sends a chill through you
  617. >not because of what electricity implies
  618. >it's simple enough to convert magical potential to electrical potential
  619. >it's what the complexity implies that scares you
  620. >even in the mirror's world, you've never seen anything this complex
  621. >how much power would this pocket-sized monster need to run
  622. >you're not sure, but a rough mental estimate puts this number fairly high
  623. >which leads you to another thought, one that confuses you
  624. >what you assume to be the battery isn't very large
  625. >how would this thing even be able to create the potential difference to work properly?
  626. >but Anon said it's worked before
  627. >at least he (she?) implied it by saying it's dead now
  628. >and your task was to fix it, not tear it apart to find out how it works
  629. >and you have an idea of how it's broken
  630. >this is gonna suck, but you know the necessary spells and have the necessary supplies
  631. >a few hours later and you have a Magic/Energy Converter and a matching cable for the slot
  632. >now to let it charge
  633. >this could take a while
  634. >no sleep for you, it's probably morning by now
  635. >you confirm your suspicion upon exit, as the sun's just starting to rise
  636.  
  637. >be Anonymous
  638. >your night was terrible
  639. >you got a grand total of 4 hours of sleep
  640. >your dreams were the cause
  641. >nightmares about your family
  642. >nightmares about Earth falling to war and ruin
  643. >that weird dream where Twilight and your mom switched places
  644. >stop it, phantom whyboner
  645. >not the time
  646. >now you’re just sitting awake and exhausted in your bed
  647. >your plush Aryanne is looking at you with the same expression she always has
  648. “I miss home.”
  649. >you don’t expect a reply
  650. >plushes aren’t exactly good at replying to statements
  651. >but that doesn’t matter now
  652. >you just need something to talk to
  653. “I wonder how everybody’s doing.”
  654. >you pull your Aryanne a bit closer, so now its head is resting on your chest
  655. >you sit in silence like this for as long as you can take
  656. >as the first rays of sun creep through your window, you decide that’s enough lying around
  657. >you crawl your way out of bed and into the hallway
  658. >the hallway is considerably darker than your room, even with the little light shining through the translucent walls
  659. >time to see if you can do this without sight
  660. >or without a reasonable amount of sleep
  661. >after some time wandering, you eventually find Twilight looking over some papers
  662. >you also notice that she’s managed to drink half a pot of coffee
  663. >she literally has a half-empty pot of coffee next to her
  664. >it’s still steaming too
  665. >guess she didn’t get much sleep either
  666. “Hey, Twilight.”
  667. >she jumps a bit, before seeing you and relaxing again
  668. >”Good morning Anon, what has you up so early?”
  669. >Anon
  670. >your family called you that
  671. >except your sister, she called you “jerk”
  672. >it was in a playful way though
  673. >”Anon?”
  674. >you snap back to the room you’re in
  675. “Huh?”
  676. >”I asked why you’re up at this hour. It’s 4:43, school starts at 7:30.”
  677. >you decide not to tell her about the nightmares
  678. “I couldn’t sleep. Mind sharing some of that coffee?”
  679. >”Coffee isn’t good for fillies, it could stunt your...”
  680. >she seems to have forgotten what you really are for a minute
  681. >”... Never mind. Are you fine with it black?”
  682. >you aren’t a bitch
  683. >you can handle the flavor
  684. “Sure, thanks.”
  685. >Twilight teleports a cup from somewhere and proceeds to fill it up
  686. >”Here, but be careful. It’s still pretty hot.”
  687. >Isthatachallenge.txt
  688. >you go over to get your cup
  689. >as soon as you grab it, you try to down it all in one go
  690. >fuck that’s hot
  691. >like it’s actually burning the inside of your mouth
  692. >you barely manage to keep the coffee contained in your mouth and the cup
  693. >Twilight looks at you with an expression similar to when you shoved that plate of spaghetti in your face
  694. >it burns as it goes down your throat
  695. >why did you do this
  696. >what is wrong with you
  697. >your face begins to flush and tears begin to form
  698. >but you can't stop now
  699. >you're halfway through
  700. >come on Anon
  701. >power through it
  702. >you're not a bitch
  703. >after what feels like minutes (but was probably seconds) you finish the cup of coffee
  704. >take that, purple
  705. >"Are you alright?"
  706. >you struggle to hold in your regret at pulling that stunt as you utter a shaky reply
  707. "Y... yea-ah, I'm f-fine."
  708. >she still looks concerned
  709. >"Are you sure? That looked like it was pretty painful."
  710. "I-I'm s-sure."
  711. >you can't let her know how painful that was
  712. >why must your autism damn you to doing dumb things regularly
  713. >as the burning fades and the caffeine hits you, you decide to look at the papers that Twilight has in front of her
  714. "What's all this?"
  715. >seeing that you're recovering from your stupidity, she adopts a more relaxed expression
  716. >"This is the data collected from the experiment that brought you here. I'm looking back through it to try to figure out what caused the portal to reach you, and hopefully figure out how to replicate that in the process."
  717. "Cool, anything I'd understand in all that?"
  718. >she cracks a smile
  719. >"Not unless you have a background in theoretical physics and applied magical theory."
  720. >she's got you there
  721. >you were a brainlet when it came to theoretical anything, and you have had no experience with magic before yesterday
  722. >but you weren't bad at everything STEM-related
  723. >you were a decent programmer and a better engineer
  724. >back when you had things to build and program, that is
  725. >at least you still have your phone, for whatever that's worth
  726. >your phone
  727. >did Twilight figure out a way to charge it yet?
  728. >only one way to find out
  729. "Hey Twilight, did you figure out a way to charge that thing I asked you about?"
  730. >"As a matter of fact, I did. I can show you where it is, but I doubt it's anywhere close to finished."
  731. >doesn't matter if it is or not, at least you'll be able to have something from Earth with you
  732. "Alright, where is it?"
  733. >Twilight stands up and collects her papers, teleporting them somewhere
  734. >"I'll show you if you can promise that you won't touch anything once we get to where it is."
  735. >where is it, her lab or something?
  736. "Yeah, sure. Can we go and check on it, now?"
  737. >she seems satisfied enough with your answer and turns towards the door you came in through
  738. >"Then follow me."
  739. >she takes you down several flights of stairs
  740. >eventually you two are down far enough that the dawn's rays no longer penetrate the castle's exterior
  741. >everything is cast in an eerie purple glow from the magic lights fixed to the walls of this stairwell
  742. >finally, Twilight comes to a stop in front of a large door of a material you don't recognize
  743. >she faces a small pad on the wall and applies one of her hooves to it
  744. >a few moments later, the large door slides open without a sound revealing an expansive looking area, colored a sterile shade of white
  745. >it actually is in her lab
  746. >well then
  747. >Twilight turns back towards you with a very serious look in her eyes
  748. >"Remember, don't touch ANYTHING."
  749. "Can I at least touch my phone?"
  750. >she considers this question for a second
  751. >"Yes, but you still shouldn't touch what it's connected to. At least not until you know how to use it."
  752. >what it's connected to?
  753. >how to use it?
  754. >are you getting a new toy?
  755. >Twilight enters the compound, and you follow close behind
  756. >you pass by a myriad of things
  757. >some machines that look surprisingly like some things you've seen on Earth
  758. >some chemicals that are in various states of solid, liquid and gas (contained appropriately, no chemistry for you)
  759. >even a couple biological specimens, like a few parasprites and some of those vines that Discord planted in the s4 opener
  760. >she must have unfinished business with those
  761. >eventually you two come to an area that looks more familiar to you
  762. >various machine parts are shelved in an organized fashion
  763. >some you recognize, some you don't
  764. >but that's not why you're here
  765. >"Your device is on that desk, you're welcome to see how the charging process is going."
  766. >there's your phone
  767. >retrieving it from the desk, you try to power it up
  768. >26% battery, not bad
  769. "Thanks, Twilight. You don't know how much this means to me."
  770. >you trot back over to her and give her as much of a hug as you can with your diminutive stature
  771. >at first she seems genuinely surprised by your reaction to this
  772. >she eventually hugs you back, pressing you into her warm chest fluff
  773. >"I'm glad it meant this much to you."
  774. >you two stay in this embrace for a couple more seconds before you break off towards your phone again
  775. >you notice that Twilight has followed you over, though
  776. >"Would you mind showing me what this is, now that I've gotten it working?"
  777. >sure, why not?
  778. "Sure, I might as well. This is a phone, it's used to make calls and send texts to other people, among other things."
  779. >she teleports another clipboard and pen to herself and begins writing
  780. "This is only one kind of phone, though. There are others that can only make calls, and some others can only make calls and send texts, but this is a smartphone."
  781. >you wait for her to catch up
  782. >about a second after you stop, she looks up at you signalling you to continue
  783. "What makes a smartphone so special is that it can access the internet, and this has allowed people to do many things that used to require a computer when and wherever they want to."
  784. >Twilight looks a bit confused when you mention the internet
  785. >perhaps you should explain that too
  786. "The internet is a massive, globe-spanning communications network utilizing many computers and satellites to allow people from anywhere to instantly communicate with, send information to, or receive information from anyone anywhere else."
  787. >she finishes writing down that last sentence and then poses you a question
  788. >"Can you explain to me what a satellite is?"
  789. >that's easy
  790. >space has always fascinated you, and technology is your specialty
  791. "The dictionary definition is any object in the orbit of a celestial body, but the ones I'm talking about are communications devices meant to relay signals meant to go to places that it wouldn't be able to reach normally, such as locations past the horizon or behind a large natural barrier, like a mountain range."
  792. >and so this continues for a while, you explaining related aspects of humanity's staggering communications networks and Twilight taking notes
  793. >after some time you run out of things to explain as she runs out of questions to ask
  794. >but you never told her about your sekrit klub
  795. >rules 1 and 2
  796. >you've been down here for a while, what time is it?
  797. >you walk over to your phone to check
  798. >7:22
  799. >shit, you're gonna be late!
  800. "Uhhh, Twilight? I don't want to alarm you, but there's 8 minutes until school starts."
  801. >why doesn't she look worried?
  802. >isn't she known for flipping out at moments like this?
  803. >"Don't worry, I planned for you putting up resistance so I pre-packed everything for you last night."
  804. >a green saddlebag materializes next to you, bearing your name.
  805. >you struggle to put it on, but Twilight decides to help you out after a few failed attempts.
  806. >after you've got it on, she gives you a smile
  807. >"Have fun at school!"
  808. "But how am I-"
  809. >a purple flash covers your vision for an instant, before fading to reveal the school house and a number of fillies and colts all filing inside it
  810. "-going to get there?"
  811. >that answers that
  812. >after collecting your thoughts, you enter the small red building to begin your first day of school
  813. >turns out that little red building looks a lot bigger from the inside
  814. >no wonder it can hold this many children
  815. >well, you're all ready according to Twilight, so it's all up to you now
  816. >you look around to find a seat
  817. >there's an open one near the CMC
  818. >nah, they're a bunch of nerds
  819. >one in the back is open, too
  820. >but you're not stupid either
  821. >there's one near the middle of the room that nobody's claimed
  822. >perfect, not too much attention and you don't have to associate with the undesirables
  823. >you go and claim that seat just as the bell rings
  824. >however, there's one thing missing
  825. >er, pony
  826. >Cheerilee isn't here for some odd reason
  827. >a few of the other students notice this
  828. >soon the classroom is buzzing with fillies and colts alike speculating on the location of their teacher
  829. >all this is cut short when Cheerilee finally makes her appearance from outside
  830. >"Good morning class, I apologize for being late. I was grading your tests from yesterday and lost track of time."
  831. >as she makes her way to the front of the room, you catch a glimpse of her flank
  832. >yep, you're a faggot in body
  833. >as long as you don't act on it though, you should be fine
  834. >that's how it works, right?
  835. >your thoughts are cut short by an announcement from the front of the room
  836. >"I see we also have a new student today. Would you like to come up and introduce yourself?"
  837. >as a matter of fact, you wouldn't
  838. >so much for not getting attention
  839. >as you get up and navigate the desks, you can feel the eyes of the entire class boring into you
  840. >why not take a fucking picture, it'll last longer
  841. >professors never pull this shit in college, why do it here?
  842. >because they're all actually 12
  843. >right
  844. >as you make it to the front of the room, the feeling is only magnified as now you can see that every pony in the room's looking at you
  845. >that spaghetti's seeming pretty comfy right now
  846. "M-my name's A-Anonymous."
  847. >you can feel the judgement
  848. >it feels crushing
  849. >you feel a hoof on your shoulder, it's Cheerilee
  850. >"Nice to meet you Anonymous, welcome to class!"
  851. >you notice she's smiling at you
  852. >this doesn't help at all
  853. >makes it a bit worse, actually
  854. "C-can I g-go b-back t-to m-my s-seat n-n-now?"
  855. >"Of course you can."
  856. >with this last sentence Cheerilee takes her spot in front of the blackboard
  857. >relief floods you when you get back to your desk
  858. >you decide to look around the room while Cheerilee goes through some morning announcements
  859. >eventually you find a schedule of the day's events in between a couple of posters for various subjects
  860. >Math: 7:30-9:00
  861. >Recess: 9:00-9:15
  862. >Science: 9:15-10:45
  863. >History: 10:45-12:15
  864. >Lunch: 12:15-1:00
  865. >Writing: 1:00-2:30
  866. >good, now you've got an idea of what you need to look for and when you need to do so
  867. >unfortunately, your body goes into a caffeine crash at this moment and you're unable to stop yourself from falling asleep within seconds
  868. >. . .
  869. >this dream seems a bit more normal
  870. >you're sitting on the couch with your mom
  871. >your dad's in the office nearby
  872. >your sister and little brother are sitting on the floor
  873. >apparently you're playing trivial pursuit
  874. >weird, you've never played this game in your life
  875. >oh well, it's your dream
  876. >it's not like the rules matter here
  877. >everyone starts looking at you
  878. >you take a closer look at the board and realize that it's probably your turn
  879. "I forgot, which piece am I?"
  880. >your sister points at a blue circle on the board
  881. [p]>"You're blue, how'd you forget already?"[/p]
  882. >your brother starts laughing
  883. [o]>"Come on Anon, pull your head out of your ass!"[/o]
  884. "You first, m8!"
  885. >your mom's starting to look a bit annoyed
  886. >"Both of you stop, or I might as well just put away the game."
  887. >your mom never did handle banter well
  888. >oh well, time to win this bitch
  889. >you roll the dice
  890. >nat 1
  891. >fuck
  892. >at least you can get a reroll if you answer this question right
  893. >you ace that shit
  894. >the rest of the game goes well, you're crushing everyone else
  895. >eventually you're back at the start, just have to answer this last question and you win
  896. >your sister's the one to ask the question
  897. >she always thought she was smarter, time to prove her wrong
  898. [p]"Alright Jerk, for the game and all the prizes we don't have, you need to answer this question."[/p]
  899. >bring it, bitch!
  900. [p]>"What is 16 times 24?"[/p]
  901. >fucking. easy.
  902. >after a bit of mental math, you reach your answer
  903. "384."
  904. [p]>"Anonymous, wake up and answer the question please."[/p]
  905. >wait what
  906. >you jerk yourself awake
  907. >and tip your chair over in the process
  908. >smooth move
  909. >as you recover from your mishap, Cheerilee repeats her question
  910. >"Anonymous, it's not a good idea to sleep in class. Now, can you please tell me what 16 times 24 is?"
  911. >good thing you didn't knock the answer out of your head when you fell over
  912. "384, and can I get some ice or something? This hurts pretty badly."
  913. >she looks surprised that you answered correctly, seeing as how you'd been asleep this whole time
  914. >"I'll go get you some ice, that fall did look pretty bad."
  915. >a few seconds later and Cheerilee's back with an ice pack
  916. >the rest of the lesson continues smoothly as you keep the ice applied to your head
  917. >so much for finishing that game
  918. >or that dream, for that matter
  919. >it was nice spending time with family again, if only in your mind
  920. >eventually the bell rings again, and you head outside for recess
  921. >all the colts and fillies go for different pieces of playground equipment as soon as they're outside
  922. >not you, you just go to a nice looking bench and sit
  923. >kind of reminds you of when you were home for the holidays not too long ago
  924. >you and your brother went to the park you two used to play at when you were younger
  925. >it was late december, so there was snow and ice everywhere
  926. >you bet him $20 that he couldn't climb up the big slide
  927. >he accepted the bet and then proceeded to get wedged halfway up it
  928. >it took the fire department to get him out
  929. >of course, you really got it from your parents when you two got back 5 hours after you said you would with a fire truck dropping you off
  930. >best $20 you ever lost
  931. >wait, some fillies are coming over
  932. >oh god, it's the CMC
  933. >quick, play dead or something!
  934. >too late, they're here
  935. >and Sweaty Balls is saying something too
  936. [p]>"Hey Anonymous, why are you sitting over here all alone?"[/p]
  937. "Because I wanted to."
  938. [p]>"Well, do you want to go do something with us?"[/p]
  939. >at least she doesn't look desperate for a friend, like Spike
  940. >also, there's no purple here to make your decisions for you
  941. >you're free to tell them to fuck off!
  942. >but you're not a complete dick, so you decide to use a bit of tact
  943. "Not particularly, I like this spot."
  944. [p]>"Then do you mind if we sit with you?"[/p]
  945. >she's persistent
  946. >to make matters worse, you can't find an excuse to turn them away
  947. >you sigh in defeat as they take the adjacent spots on your bench
  948. >you do your best to zone out, but you still end up catching bits and pieces of what they're saying
  949. >Scootaloo is the first to notice your lack of a cutie mark
  950. >they all go insane at this
  951. >eventually the bell rings again and you dart inside as fast as possible
  952. >you were kind of excited for science, but you quickly lose enthusiasm and gain sleep when you find out there's no experiments to do
  953. >luckily, you woke up again a few minutes before history started
  954. >it was a mildly interesting lesson, as it turns out Germaneigh exists and declared independence from Equestria a few hundred years ago
  955. >sadly, Aryanne was the one who started that revolution meaning she's been dead for a couple of centuries
  956. >at least you have an idea of what went through Twilight's head when she saw your plush
  957. >since then it's had relatively peaceful relations with its neighbors, who never challenged it because of technological superiority
  958. >at least they won the war here
  959. >lunch comes afterwards, and you finally see what Twilight packed for you
  960. >it's the leftover spaghetti
  961. >you might love this horse
  962. >everything's pretty alright until the CMC come back over
  963. >not this again
  964. >luckily something diverts them away from you
  965. >success
  966. >wait
  967. >two more ponies are coming over
  968. >it's Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon
  969. >the other two you'd hoped to avoid
  970. >fuck
  971. >Diamond Tiara speaks first
  972. [p]<"I couldn't help but notice you hanging out with those losers earlier, what's wrong with you?"[/p]
  973. >is she trying to mock you?
  974. >her banter is weak
  975. >might as well play along
  976. "It wasn't like I had much of a choice, they came over here."
  977. >her expression changes at this
  978. [p]<"Then why not hang out with us? I promise they'll never bother you again if you do."[/p]
  979. >nah m8
  980. >you don't need anyone's company
  981. >you like this bench anyway
  982. >it's comfy
  983. "Nah, I like this bench."
  984. >and now she looks angry
  985. >what did you even do?
  986. [p]<"You don't get asked by the most popular filly in the school to be her friend very often, I'd suggest you accept."[/p]
  987. >who does she think she is?
  988. >you bow to no one
  989. >except purple, but only because she does stuff for you
  990. >only because she does stuff for you
  991. >yeah
  992. >but this upstart filly isn't Twilight
  993. >so you hop off the bench and get right up in her face
  994. >you're even a couple of inches taller than her
  995. "What are you gonna do if I don't?"
  996. >roll to intimidate
  997. >motherfucking 20
  998. >DT and SS give no complaints as they walk away
  999. >once they're gone, you see a small puddle where DT was standing
  1000. >she'd pissed herself!
  1001. >you laugh a bit before sitting back down and enjoying the rest of your lunch in peace
  1002. >if only you could've pulled something like that off with Chad
  1003. >fucking Chad
  1004. >biggest dick in high school
  1005. >he got arrested in college though
  1006. >beat the tar out of somebody and got the cops called on him
  1007. >serves him right
  1008. >eventually the bell rings again and everyone goes inside for writing
  1009. >you see all the mudhorses using their mouthes for the assignment, but you're not some peasant
  1010. >you quickly work out a way to grip the pencil with your right hoof and write out everything you need to
  1011. >seeing that you have quite a bit of time left still, you decide to start writing down everything that's happened
  1012. >gotta get this green to those anons somehow
  1013. >you manage to get halfway through your first day here before the bell rings for class to be over
  1014. >about time, you're nearly out of paper
  1015. >you pack your things and go outside to find Twilight waiting for you
  1016. >and she's got suitcases with her
  1017. >"How was your first day of school, Anon?"
  1018. >no, no, no!
  1019. >she doesn't get to just show up with luggage and expect you to not care!
  1020. "What's with the bags?"
  1021. >an expression of remembrance and mild embarrassment crosses her face for a split second
  1022. >"Oh, my bad! I forgot to tell you, we're going to Canterlot for the weekend. I'll explain more once we're on the train."
  1023. >wait what
  1024. >"Don't worry, I packed everything you'll need as well as your... personal items."
  1025. >you walk up to the suitcase with your name on it and peek inside
  1026. >yep, that's everything
  1027. >even Aryanne and your phone
  1028. >at least you won't be missing anything
  1029. "Are we leaving now?"
  1030. >"Yes we are. I'll teleport us to the station, it would be too long of a walk."
  1031. >as the purple flash comes and goes from your eyes for the second time today, you begin to wonder what's so important for you two to be leaving for Canterlot now
  1032. >unfortunately for you, Twilight doesn't answer this question until you two are on the train and leaving
  1033. >"We're going to Canterlot because Princess Celestia wants to meet you."
  1034. >Princess Celestia herself?
  1035. >ayy lmao privileges are paying off, then
  1036. >you wish you had something more formal to wear
  1037. >you decide to ask Twilight about resizing your shirt for your new body
  1038. >it may just be a simple blue t-shirt, but it's better than showing up like an unclothed peasant
  1039. "Hey Twilight, would it be possible for you to resize my shirt? It may sound a bit weird to you, but I don't want to show up to meet the princesses naked.
  1040. >she smiles at your question, but nevertheless delivers a reply
  1041. >"If you insist, but I don't see the problem. You've already met one princess without it, you know."
  1042. >but she didn't meet you without you wearing it
  1043. >besides, it helps you feel more human
  1044. "I do insist."
  1045. >"Then I'll do that once we get to my parents' house."
  1046. >and now you know where you'll be staying
  1047. >purple's just a fountain of exposition, isn't she?
  1048. >"So, how was your first day of school here?"
  1049. "Not bad, caught up on my sleep and learned some stuff about Germaneigh."
  1050. >and that's how the train ride continued
  1051. >Twilight tries to keep a conversation going, but you've never been good at talking without purpose
  1052. >this leads to her pulling out a book and you staring at the scenery
  1053. >it's pretty nice out there
  1054. >plenty of green fields, a few scattered farmhouses and every once in a while a small town
  1055. >Equestria must be pretty important when it comes to agriculture
  1056. >as the sun starts setting, you notice that the scenery's changed to rolling green hills
  1057. >after the sun sets, your view is entirely dominated by the mountain Canterlot's built onto
  1058. >it's not as pretty as the farmland or hills
  1059. >kinda dreary, actually
  1060. >but the ride is nearly over
  1061. >not too long left
  1062. >soon enough, the train pulls up to the station and you and Twilight exit
  1063. >"Welcome to Canterlot!"
  1064. >you stare off into the city around you
  1065. >this is when you realize that the show never really did it justice
  1066. >this place is big
  1067. >that's an understatement
  1068. >it's huge
  1069. >you're not even sure if there are any materials or ways to build a platform that would be strong enough to hold a city this size
  1070. >without magic, at least
  1071. >no way humanity could pull this off, at least not for a long time
  1072. >Twilight shakes you out of your stupor after a few seconds
  1073. >"Come on Anon, it's already late."
  1074. >to your surprise, Velvet and Night Light's house isn't too far from the train station
  1075. >convenient
  1076. >Twilight knocks on the door, and it's answered a few seconds later by Velvet herself
  1077. [p]>"Oh, Twilight! Come in, we got your letter!"[/p]
  1078. >letter?
  1079. >if it got there this quickly, Spike must've sent it
  1080. >but then does that mean he can choose where he sends letters?
  1081. >you remember to ask him about that later
  1082. >Velvet soon notices you
  1083. [p]>"And you must be Anonymous! Twilight's told me a lot about you, she says you're very smart!"[/p]
  1084. >you follow the two mares as they walk inside, Velvet closing the door behind you three
  1085. >"Thanks again for having us on such short notice, mom."
  1086. [p]>"Well, your room is upstairs. Why don't you two go put your bags up there, and I will get dinner ready?"[/p]
  1087. >sounds like a plan to you
  1088. >you grab your stuff and head up the stairs with Twilight behind you
  1089. >when you two get to the top, she takes the lead to show you where the room is
  1090. >on the way, you both run into Night Light
  1091. >"Hi dad, how are you?"
  1092. [o]>"Not bad, and who's this?"[/o]
  1093. >fuck, he's looking at you
  1094. >come on Twilight, draw attention!
  1095. >"This is Anonymous, she's living with me in Ponyville while I give her advanced lessons."
  1096. >good job, Twilight!
  1097. >wait, he's turning back towards you
  1098. [o]>"Well then, it's nice to meet you! My name's Night Light."[/o]
  1099. >you hope he doesn't expect you to respond
  1100. >you never were good in situations like this
  1101. >meeting people is hard
  1102. >luckily for you, he turns back to Twilight
  1103. [o]>"I just finished cleaning up your old room, so feel free to put your things there. I'll see you two downstairs!"[/o]
  1104. >with that he heads off towards the stairs
  1105. >but which room is Twilight's old room?
  1106. >she must know, since she immediately goes towards a door near the end of the hall
  1107. >she opens the door as you catch up, showing you the room you two will be in
  1108. >"This used to be my room as a filly, but as you can imagine, it opened back up when I moved out."
  1109. >it's not a bad sized room
  1110. >there are bookshelves, a chair, and a bed in the corner
  1111. "I guess we're sharing a bed."
  1112. >Twilight looks at the bed and back to you
  1113. >"It looks like it, I don't have any problems with that if you don't.
  1114. >stop it, phantom boner
  1115. >you don't even exist right now
  1116. "No problems on my end. Now, about my shirt..."
  1117. >you open your suitcase up and pull out your blue shirt
  1118. >you receive another reminder of your size when you see that you could easily use it as a blanket
  1119. >"Alright, put it down and I'll shrink it down for you."
  1120. >you drop the shirt on the floor and Twilight charges up a spell
  1121. >a moment later, your shirt is once again a perfect fit
  1122. "Thanks!"
  1123. >as you put your shirt back, Velvet calls that dinner's ready
  1124. >Twilight turns to you as soon as you get up
  1125. >"Please use your manners this time, I don't want my parents thinking you were raised in a zoo."
  1126. "Don't worry, I only act like that with pasta."
  1127. >this answer seems to satisfy her, and you two go downstairs to eat
  1128. >much to Twilight's clear relief, dinner isn't spaghetti
  1129. >it's sandwiches
  1130. >you can live with this
  1131. >everyone takes a sandwich and you choose a seat between Twilight and Night Light
  1132. >they all have conversations as they're eating, catching up with what's been going on since they've last met, etc
  1133. >but you? you just stay quiet because of an old memory this had brought up
  1134. >it was the last christmas before you went off to college
  1135. >your grandfather had died only a few days before
  1136. >nobody in the family took it well, especially you
  1137. >sure, you put up a front and tried your best to move on, but it really shook you
  1138. >he was easily your favorite relative
  1139. >you two used to have so much fun when you were younger
  1140. >he always bent the rules for you and your siblings
  1141. >always took you three for car rides
  1142. >no, this is not the time or place for these feels!
  1143. >you bring yourself out of it only to realize that everybody's already finished eating
  1144. >well, everybody but you
  1145. >you'd only eaten half your sandwich and were just chewing the same bite for god knows how long
  1146. >good, it seems nobody's noticed that yet
  1147. >you eat the rest of your food as quickly as you can
  1148. >this is what attracts everybody's attention
  1149. [p]>"Did you enjoy your food?"[/p]
  1150. >Velvet's looking at you expectantly
  1151. "Y-yeah, it was good."
  1152. >damn autism's acting up again
  1153. >she smiles and replies
  1154. [p]>"I'm glad you enjoyed it, it's not often we have to cook for company."[/p]
  1155. >situation diffused
  1156. >you excuse yourself from the table to go to sleep
  1157. >you're actually pretty tired
  1158. >but you're going back up to the room because you don't want any more nervous stuttering to come out
  1159. >at least you can still talk normally to your Aryanne plush
  1160. >but that would make you weird
  1161. >weirder than a human in a world dominated by colorful miniature horses capable of magic and flight?
  1162. >meh, you'll take it over nothing
  1163. >you enter the room and pull Aryanne out of your suitcase
  1164. "Today's been kind of a ride."
  1165. >no response
  1166. "I'm trying to hold it together, but it's still only our second day here."
  1167. >no response
  1168. >"At least we have that going for us, it's not like every person pulled into another universe has a genius princess giving them free room and board while working on a way to get them home."
  1169. >no response
  1170. "I guess I'm feeling a bit better now, but I'm still more tired than anything. Let's get to sleep, tomorrow I get to meet Celestia!"
  1171. >you hop into bed and bring Aryanne up with you, snuggling in as you feel sleep beginning to take you
  1172. >but as you're laying there, you find yourself saying a silent prayer
  1173. God, I don't know if you can hear me from here, but please help me get home. I don't want my family to be too worried about me, and I still want to be there for them.
  1174. >this brings you some comfort, and you can almost hear an answer as you drift off to sleep
  1175. >. . .
  1176. >you’re roused from a dreamless sleep by Twilight getting out of bed next to you
  1177. >”It’s time to get up, Anon. It’s the middle of the morning, and more importantly, Celestia’s expecting us soon.”
  1178. >and that’s the way your first complete night of sleep in a month ends
  1179. >oh well, it’s not like you wanted more sleep anyway
  1180. >you force your eyes open to see Twilight getting a few things collected into a saddlebag she brought
  1181. >it’s probably all the information about you she has
  1182. >soon enough she’s got it put away and is waiting on you to get up
  1183. >you unceremoniously fall out of bed and crawl over to your bag
  1184. “Just let me get my shirt on, and then we can go.”
  1185. >Twilight takes a brush out of her suitcase nearby and brings it over to you
  1186. >“Hold on, we aren’t going anywhere with your mane looking like that!”
  1187. >your mane?
  1188. >what’s wrong with it?
  1189. >you would’ve checked to see, but she’s already brushing out the bad spots
  1190. >it hurts a bit when she comes to a stubborn part, but otherwise it’s not that bad
  1191. >you try to fidget as little as you can to make it easier
  1192. >soon enough, Twilight is satisfied with her work and puts the brush back
  1193. >”Doesn’t that look better?”
  1194. >you have no idea, you couldn’t see it to begin with
  1195. “Sure.”
  1196. >too bad putting on the shirt undid half of the brushing
  1197. >this makes Twilight pull the brush back out and fix it again
  1198. “Now can we go?”
  1199. >she puts the brush away again
  1200. >”Yes we can.”
  1201. >she leads the way downstairs, stopping only to grab a couple of fruits for you two and to say goodbye to her parents
  1202. >Twilight gives you one of them when you get outside
  1203. >it’s a banana
  1204. >do you want to eat it now?
  1205. >you are pretty hungry
  1206. >however, you could save it for the memes
  1207. >that’s probably not the best of ideas, though
  1208. >yeah, you probably shouldn’t just in case you end up making somepony mad
  1209. >you end up wondering how it would’ve went had you saved your banana as you two continue towards the castle
  1210. >it wasn’t a bad banana, though
  1211. >it definitely made you less hungry
  1212. >but it’s still just a banana
  1213. >your thoughts about what could have been are soon turned towards thoughts of what will be
  1214. >you have no idea what Celestia's going to do or how she's going to do it
  1215. >this scares you just a bit, seeing as how she's currently about 6 times your size and hundreds of times more powerful
  1216. >so you decide to do the best thing in this scenario
  1217. >no, not panic
  1218. "Is there anything I should expect when I meet the princess?"
  1219. >Twilight thinks for a few moments
  1220. >"That's a good question. I suppose a few good things to keep in mind is that she's going to be much bigger than you, but she's very kind and understanding. As long as you don't do anything too extreme, you should be fine."
  1221. >that doesn't help much, but it's a start
  1222. "About this visit in particular though, is there anything I should be ready for that I don't know about?"
  1223. >this has her thinking a bit harder for a bit longer
  1224. >"Now that you mention it, she WAS a bit skeptical of your legitimacy when I first contacted her about you. Just tell her the truth about what she wants to know, and let me handle what you can't answer."
  1225. >that's a better plan of action
  1226. >you keep this all in your mind, mentally rehearsing possible questions and answers as the castle serving as Equestria's capital grows ever closer
  1227.  
  1228. >be Celestia
  1229. >Twilight sent you a very peculiar letter earlier this week
  1230. >apparently there may be other universes, and ones inhabited by sentient life at that!
  1231. >it was an unsettling thought at first, but now it excites you more than anything
  1232. >it's certainly better than the constant paperwork you have to deal with
  1233. >royally declare this, pass that law
  1234. >it gets old really fast
  1235. >what happened to the days when you just had to move the sun and not manage an entire country?
  1236. >sure, Luna helps and Twilight is a godsend, but it all falls back to you whether you like it or not
  1237. >but at least it's worth it to make sure all your ponies are happy
  1238. >today, though, you've managed to put off the majority of the paperwork for something possibly much more important
  1239. >Twilight is bringing the alien she contacted to meet you
  1240. >you just wish that her earliest convenience had been a bit later, rescheduling things the day before they're set to happen is a nightmare
  1241. >on top of that, recent events in the badlands have convinced you that this might be an infiltration attempt, but it's still a good idea to establish positive relations with this alien should it prove to be what it says it is
  1242. >speaking of, you hear Twilight just outside your throne room now
  1243. >"... It'll be just fine, she's not that bad!"
  1244. [o]>"If you say so, just don't be surprised if I start stuttering again."[/o]
  1245. >you also hear something- actually, it sounds more like somepony- else with her
  1246. >you don't have to wonder about this alien's appearance for long though, as the throne room's massive doors soon open
  1247. >and you're greeted by Twilight and a green filly in a blue shirt
  1248. >you're not quite sure what you expected, but it definitely wasn't this
  1249. >Twilight's description certainly made it sound like something much different from the creature standing before you
  1250. >your surprise and confusion must have been clearly showing, since Twilight gives an explanation after closing the doors behind her
  1251. >"Don't worry, I used a spell to change Anonymous here into a pony to draw less suspicion during his stay here."
  1252. "Then this Anonymous is the alien you wrote about?"
  1253. >"Yes he is."
  1254. >you turn to the filly, Anonymous, and charge up a spell you haven't had to use often
  1255. >he develops a look of worry as he becomes shrouded in a yellow aura
  1256. >that's not good, it could give false results
  1257. "Anonymous, you have no need to be worried. If you are who Twilight says you are, then this spell will tell me. I promise that no harm will come to you through it."
  1258. >this seems to calm him down enough
  1259. >and soon enough, you have your results
  1260. >he checks out
  1261. >this absolutely floors you
  1262. >you've seen a great many things throughout your millennia of life, but an alien wasn't one of them
  1263. >the shock of this realization almost has you miss a question he asks
  1264. [o]>"I-if you d-don't mind me a-asking, what w-was that spell?"[/o]
  1265. >you try to figure out the best way to explain it to him, as magic is likely still a foreign concept to him
  1266. "It was a spell to determine your motives, I was making sure you are who you say you are, and you are."
  1267. >that was a terrible way to explain it
  1268. >at least you're not the only nervous one, judging by the sound of his voice
  1269. >but now that you know who he is, you'd like to know what
  1270. >and there's no better way to know what something is than by seeing it yourself
  1271. "Twilight, would it be possible for you to reverse this transformation?"
  1272. >she turns to Anonymous as if looking for approval
  1273. >Anonymous still looks a bit shaken from the previous spell, but ultimately fine, so she ignites her own horn for a spell
  1274. >"Anon, if you want to keep your shirt intact, I'd suggest you take it off."
  1275. >this seems to have brought Anonymous back from his thoughts
  1276. [o]>"What? Why do you say that?"[/o]
  1277. >had he seriously not been paying attention?
  1278. >nevertheless, he removes the shirt and Twilight fires off a single magic beam into him
  1279. [o]>"What was that? Wait, why am I getting bigger? WHAT IS GOING ON?"[/o]
  1280. >soon enough, Anonymous has changed from a filly not much taller than your leg into a beast that dwarfs even you in height
  1281. >this must be a human
  1282.  
  1283. >be Anonymous
  1284. >today is no longer going so great
  1285. >first, Celestia didn't believe you
  1286. >at least that was understandable, you'd be skeptical of possible aliens just randomly appearing from botched experiments too
  1287. >but this most recent development is what made it go from alright to bad
  1288. >you're now a human again, which would be alright
  1289. >however, you're a human who is completely naked and standing in front of two of the most powerful beings in this entire world
  1290. >so much for looking presentable
  1291. >instinctually, your hands shoot downwards to cover yourself and you face Twilight with a face somewhere between embarrassment and rage
  1292. "TWILIGHT, A LITTLE MORE WARNING WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT!"
  1293. >Twilight seems a bit insulted at this, but she still maintains a level temper
  1294. >"Anonymous, if you had paid better attention, you would've had adequate warning."
  1295. >she's got you there, again
  1296. >stupid purple using more logic
  1297. >as you're thinking of a way to counter her statement, your left arm suddenly shoots up
  1298. "What..."
  1299. >when you look to see why, you notice that Celestia's holding it there
  1300. >she's... inspecting it, too
  1301. >you try to pull your arm back, but her magic is a lot stronger than you
  1302. "People normally ask before doing something like this, you know."
  1303. >she snaps out of her trance at your comment, he face reddening as she looks up at you
  1304. [p]>"O-oh, I'm terribly sorry. I couldn't control myself there, and got carried away. Do you mind if I continue?"[/p]
  1305. "I suppose not, but-"
  1306. >apparently that was all the answer she needed as you feel the magic return around your arm
  1307. >her attention then moves to your hand, and she starts individually moving each of your fingers
  1308. [p]>"Fascinating!"[/p]
  1309. >soon enough, Twilight is right there next to her taking notes
  1310. >you would feel more annoyed, but the expressions on their faces is just too cute
  1311. >the closest thing you could think of is a dog meeting another dog for the first time
  1312. >it almost gives you diabeetus
  1313. >they continue on like this, Celestia picking some limb to mess with and Twilight writing down anything of relevance she can, for another while
  1314. >it's certainly making you feel like an alien
  1315. >your thoughts begin to drift as this is happening, back to your time in high school
  1316. >health class, to be particular
  1317. >the teacher would put up diagrams of various parts of the human body and what they were
  1318. >yes, even some of those diagrams, you perv
  1319. >luckily the situation was awkward enough then that nobody stayed on the topic for long
  1320. >now, though?
  1321. >not so much
  1322. >that fact becomes all the more clear when Celestia finally becomes curious of what you've hidden
  1323. >this immediately pulls you back to the throne room
  1324. >as your arms shoot to your sides, you can't help but yell
  1325. "HEY, NOT COOL!"
  1326. >Celestia must have figured out what you were covering the instant that your arms weren't covering that spot, because she immediately lets you go
  1327. >her entire face then turns a shade of bright red and gives you one of the most embarrassed apologies you've ever heard
  1328. [p]>"I'm incredibly sorry, I didn't realize what you were covering. I suppose this would be a good place to stop, I'm certain both of us would appreciate that."[/p]
  1329. >you realize that your own face has become flushed as well
  1330. >this might be a good time for Twilight to change you back, since you haven't had any boners yet
  1331. >wait, nope
  1332. >too late
  1333. >you still decide to cut your losses though
  1334. "Twilight, do you mind changing me back now?"
  1335. >you realize that even her face has turned a shade of red from that, and she's trying to hide it behind her writing
  1336. >she finishes up what she was writing (probably just waiting for the blushing to stop) and changes you back
  1337. >at least now you won't have any more erection problems
  1338. >you put back on your shirt and begin staring at the ground
  1339. >everypony must have had the same idea, because an awkward silence has fallen on the room
  1340. >Celestia is the one to break it first
  1341. [p]>"Again, I am very sorry."[/p]
  1342. >this seems like as good a time as ever to tell her a bit more about human culture
  1343. "It's fine, but in most situations like this between humans, it isn't brought back up. Ever."
  1344. >she seems to understand the implications of what you said, but you're not looking up yet
  1345. >judging by the sound of her next few words, Celestia isn't quite ready to look at you again either
  1346. [p]>"... Well then, if you don't mind, Anonymous, I'd like to speak with Twilight in private. If you talk to one of the guards outside, they'll be happy to show you around."[/p]
  1347. >not wanting to be in this room anymore anyway, you get up and walk out the door
  1348.  
  1349. >be Twilight
  1350. >that was... something
  1351. >on the bright side, you now have more data on Anon and his native species
  1352. >however, the price is that he, yourself, and Princess Celestia all now have some bad memories
  1353. >speaking of the princess, what does she want to talk about that Anonymous can't be here?
  1354. >you don't have to wonder for very long
  1355. >"I'm about to tell you something that is not to leave this room, under any circumstances. I had Anonymous leave since I'm still not sure he can be trusted with information this important."
  1356. >oh, is this going to be another thing where you save the world?
  1357. >"Every single scouting party I have sent to monitor the Badlands within the past month has returned with reports of things and events consistent with the creation of a changeling hive."
  1358. >changelings?
  1359. "Weren't the changelings reformed by Glimmer, though?"
  1360. >Celestia stands up and begins pacing
  1361. >"Yes, a large amount of changelings were pacified by her actions, and that has been a weight off of my back for a long time. However, the one changeling she failed to convert was Chrysalis, their queen."
  1362. >wellthere'syourproblem.tiff
  1363. >"Chrysalis is a powerful enough enemy on her own, we both remember what she did back when your brother got married. I fear how she'll handle this most recent blow to not only her but to her entire species, and I know she has some sort of revenge plan forming."
  1364. >you still remember that day, it was a hopelessly one-sided battle
  1365. >Chrysalis could have easily won, it's a miracle she didn't
  1366. "Do you have any plans for dealing with this?"
  1367. >Celestia stops and looks directly at you
  1368. >"Until now, I didn't. Your friend Anonymous has changed that. He may have some ideas we can use to our advantage, if his world is as advanced as the human world on the other side of the mirror."
  1369. >this reminds you about Anon's statements involving the moon
  1370. "Speaking of Anon's species, he ended up telling me that one of the greatest things they've accomplished is going to their planet's moon. This is especially curious due to their apparent lack of magic. Do you think this is possible?"
  1371. >this really catches Celestia's attention
  1372. >she thinks for a while, and eventually comes to an answer
  1373. >or rather, a lack of an answer
  1374. >"I don't know. That is an area that nopony I know of has ever really looked into, and certainly not to the degree that I assume going to the moon would require. I'd have to ask Luna, she's the only pony I've ever known to go to the moon at all."
  1375. >this appears to give Celestia an idea
  1376. >"If this is what they've managed to accomplish in terms of exploration, then it must be astounding how well they've perfected combat!"
  1377. >that was a leap of logic that would make a pegasus feel inferior
  1378. >not even you know where that came from
  1379. >is Celestia becoming senile?
  1380. >can alicorns even become senile?
  1381. "What brought you to that conclusion?"
  1382. >she's quick to answer and has a pretty convincing point, though
  1383. >"Twilight, you saw Anonymous too. You can't tell me his species hasn't evolved around combat, it's evident by the way he carried himself and the way he reacted to transforming back into a human. If that wasn't enough on its own, he even had some distinct features of a predatory creature."
  1384. >it's moments like this that remind you why you still consider Celestia your teacher
  1385. >how had you missed all of that?
  1386. >forward facing eyes
  1387. >sharp, pointed teeth near the front of his mouth
  1388. >an incredible reaction time
  1389. >and certainly a powerful build, seeing as how he towered even over Celestia as a human
  1390. >at the very least, Anon's species is predatory
  1391. >at most, they're built for war
  1392. >this sends a shiver down your back as you realize just what you've brought to Equestria
  1393. "Is violence really the only solution we have to this problem?"
  1394. >"If you have any better ideas, I'm all ears.
  1395. >you think for as long as you can
  1396. >the elements might work, but that didn't work back when they first invaded
  1397. >Cadance and Shining might be able to help, but they're probably still dealing with Flurry and the resulting property damage
  1398. >Glimmer would probably be murdered personally by Chrysalis
  1399. >huh, there really aren't many other solutions you can think of
  1400. >Anon might be Equestria's only hope of surviving a rage-fueled changeling attack
  1401. "Okay, but how do we get Anon to tell us how to do this?"
  1402. >"You're the one closest to him here, and you must have gotten that other information out of him somehow."
  1403. >it doesn't sit right with you to abuse your position to learn more
  1404. >but it may not matter
  1405. >you are a princess too, it's your job to put Equestria before all else
  1406. >even your promise to Anon
  1407. >but it's not like you could make good on your promise if Chrysalis takes over, anyway
  1408. >so it's still alright
  1409. >but then why does it still feel wrong?
  1410. "Alright. I'll keep questioning him and give you all the information I get."
  1411. >"Thank you, Twilight. I'm sure Anonymous won't mind after all's said and done."
  1412. >you hope he doesn't
  1413. >it is for the good of Equestria, after all
  1414.  
  1415. >be Anon
  1416. >staying with the guards and touring the castle was fun for only so long
  1417. >it also feels like you've been going in circles
  1418. >every hallway looks the same
  1419. >every stained glass window depicts the same stuff
  1420. >eventually you get restless enough to try to strike off on your own
  1421. >don't worry, if you get caught you can just say you got lost
  1422. >it isn't the most ideal thing to do, but you've been here for two days and haven't done anything interesting except make Diamond Tiara pee herself
  1423. >those other anons aren't going to be happy with this boring greentext
  1424. >maybe you can find some hints about getting home, too
  1425. >at the first point you could, you slipped away to wander the castle
  1426. >as soon as you do, you immediately realize this was probably a lot worse of an idea than you considered
  1427. >here you are, some unknown filly, wandering around inside the most heavily guarded building in Equestria
  1428. >it also doesn't help that security is a lot more tense than FiM lead you to believe
  1429. >eventually you find a room that looks good enough to hide in and wait for Twilight to find you
  1430. >as you look around your new hiding spot, you notice it's not exactly another room of this castle
  1431. >it actually kind of looks like a break room
  1432. >there's a couch, a refrigerator (you think), a few cabinets
  1433. >and something else
  1434. >but why would that be here?
  1435. >in one of the corners of the room, there's an arcade machine
  1436. >joystick, buttons, coin slot and all
  1437. >this could be fun!
  1438. >remembering everything about couch stereotypes you can, you reach in between the cushions and pull out a few bits
  1439. >time to see what this is
  1440. >you go over to the machine to see what game it is
  1441. >Pac-Mare
  1442. >if it's anything like Pac-Man, you should be pretty good at it
  1443. >you insert a coin, and the game starts up
  1444. >yep, this is pretty much Pac-Man
  1445. >this takes you back
  1446. >back to the days when you and your dad used to go out on Saturdays
  1447. >you two would go out and get lunch at this one burger joint
  1448. >both of you would always get the same thing every time
  1449. >after you'd finished your food, you'd go next door to the local arcade
  1450. >your dad was a complete nerd back when arcades were cool, so naturally he knew how to beat every game on every machine
  1451. >the only one he couldn't quite master was Pac-Man
  1452. >you, on the other hand, were only good at Pac-Man
  1453. >together, the two of you held every high score in that arcade
  1454. >those were some fun Saturdays
  1455. >you still went to the arcade near your college every once in a while, but it wasn't the same without your dad there
  1456. >and now it's even less so since you're in another universe and aren't even a human anymore
  1457. >damn, double nostalgia AND depression
  1458. >these levels of feels shouldn't be possible
  1459. >you're snapped out of your pity party when you finally lose your first life on stage 7
  1460. >come on Anon, this isn't how good you are!
  1461. >show these noobs what it's like to be good at games!
  1462. >you keep your concentration up through the first hundred levels, until you're pretty sure your score is so maxed that nopony should be able to beat it
  1463. >sure enough, when you check the score it's solidly frozen at 999,990
  1464. >works just like back home
  1465. >you then let yourself die another few times and go to the high score screen
  1466. >and there's your score, in top of the board
  1467. >time to choose how your score will be immortalized
  1468. >you still remember your first choice of name at the arcade of your youth
  1469. >A S S
  1470. >this makes you giggle to yourself, and after another couple less serious games you soon have all three top places on the board
  1471. >they're really gonna have to git gud to beat you
  1472. >all this ass kicking has made you a bit tired, so you decide to take a break on the couch and wait for somepony to find you
  1473.  
  1474. >be Twilight
  1475. >you've just agreed to manipulate Anonymous into giving up whatever he knows about humanity's weapons capabilities
  1476. >this is probably the best time then to give Celestia all the information you've gathered about him, then
  1477. "I suppose if this is what we're doing, I might as well give you all the data I've collected about him."
  1478. >you reach into your saddlebag and pull out a few papers, pictures, and other miscellaneous items pertaining to Anonymous's arrival
  1479. >Celestia is clearly impressed by the level of dedication you've put in to understanding him
  1480. >she isn't one to be put off by a stack of papers, though
  1481. >as she flips through each document you've put together, you can see her face change through a series of expressions
  1482. >surprise, doubt, confusion and interest are among them
  1483. >"Do you mind if I ask some questions about this information?"
  1484. >you don't mind being asked, you just don't have many answers
  1485. "Go ahead, but don't expect a solid answer."
  1486. >"How did he first react to coming here?"
  1487. >that one's easy
  1488. "He was half asleep, and so he didn't have much of one aside from being forced awake by hitting the floor."
  1489. >Celestia gives a laugh at the last bit, but resumes a more serious face
  1490. >"Alright, how did he first react to being in a different universe when he regained consciousness?"
  1491. >this one's also pretty easy to answer, but it's not as sure as the first one
  1492. "It appeared to take him a few seconds to realize that he wasn't in the same place or the same body as before, but he was taking it well up until I told him that there wasn't a guarantee of him being able to get home."
  1493. >"And how did he react to that?"
  1494. >this one still hurts for you to think about
  1495. "He... He didn't take it well, and started crying."
  1496. >Celestia shows a bit of pity, now knowing Anon's feelings toward his situation
  1497. >"Now I understand your promise to him a bit better. There's just two more things I'd like to ask, and then you're free to look for anything that might help you both, or simply go."
  1498. >only two more questions
  1499. >you must've been able to collect more data than you thought
  1500. >either that, or Celestia's managed to figure out some things that you haven't from it
  1501. >knowing both of your track records, it could be either
  1502. "Alright, shoot."
  1503. >"You mentioned Anonymous having a stuffed animal in his possession resembling Aryanne, as well as knowing your name before a formal introduction. Has he given any explanation for either?"
  1504. >this is one of the questions that still confuses you
  1505. >the worst part is, Anon hasn't given you an answer yet
  1506. >that may be partly your fault though, since you never brought it back up
  1507. >stupid purple, quit giving yourself problems!
  1508. "He hasn't, and I have no way to explain it. I can tell you that it's just as weird as you think it is, though. The stuffed animal doesn't just resemble Aryanne either, it's nearly identical. It even has the proper cutie mark!"
  1509. >This stuns Celestia, and judging by the length of her silence, she's also remembering something
  1510. >she soon regains her focus and gives you some insight to her thoughts just then
  1511. >"Aryanne. She was a proud mare with impressive ideas, and an impressive army to back them up. I remember the day Germaneigh first declared independence like it was yesterday, and I can remember every detail of Aryanne's face as she told me to go fuck myself in this very room."
  1512. >such strong language, no wonder it was one of the more violent wars Equestria's ever had
  1513. >but, that's politics
  1514. >no wonder Celestia's not a fan of it
  1515. >"Her ideas worked, though. Germaneigh is still standing and has become a strong nation in its own right. I may not like her, but I would be lying if I said I didn't respect her."
  1516. >again, politics
  1517. >all this is making you nervous about the day where the crown is passed to you
  1518. >you'd rather just keep doing science and going on adventures with your friends
  1519. >but this is all distracting from the point at hand
  1520. "What was your last question?"
  1521. >Celestia's jolted out of her memories by your statement
  1522. >"I'm sorry, did I get sidetracked? Anyway, I was just going to ask you about those magical items needed to repeat this procedure."
  1523. >you reach into your saddlebag again to pull out a list of materials and procedures for the experiment
  1524. "Here's a full explanation of the materials used, the spells cast, and how it was all done."
  1525. >Celestia begins to flip through this stack of papers as well
  1526. >it's not provoking the same reactions, though
  1527. >she just nods every so often
  1528. >she finishes looking through the document soon enough, and gives it back
  1529. >"Alright, I'll start looking for the items listed tomorrow. It may take some time, but I know that there should be no reason I can't get them."
  1530. >that's a load off
  1531. >you weren't sure how you managed to collect fire from an Elder Dragon anyway, and you sure didn't want to try it again
  1532. >that wasn't even the worst thing you had to find, though
  1533. >that title belongs to a shard of Mirror Crystal
  1534. >you're not sure how much of the Crystal Tundra you had to search before finding a single cherry pit sized piece
  1535. >you would've liked to find more to make the reaction more stable, but spending a month looking for that was long enough
  1536. "Thank you for helping me out with this, I'm sure Anon will be happy to hear about it!"
  1537. >you gather all your things back up and go to find anon
  1538.  
  1539. >be Anon
  1540. >you've been sitting here for a while
  1541. >does nopony even care?
  1542. >is anyone even gonna come in here?
  1543. >you're getting hungry again, too
  1544. >shit
  1545. >and there's no Twilight to get you food either
  1546. >guess you should check that thing that looks like a fridge
  1547. >you get up and walk over to it
  1548. >the handle's pretty high up, but you still manage to reach it
  1549. >at least you're not too vertically challenged
  1550. >after a solid pull, the door is open
  1551. >it actually is a fridge!
  1552. >but how do they keep it cold?
  1553. >probably more magic
  1554. >who supplies all the magic to run this stuff?
  1555. >you decide not to think about this since you probably wouldn't know anyways
  1556. >time to see if there's anything in here you could eat
  1557. >nope, that's claimed
  1558. >that is too
  1559. >heh, this guy's last name is "Thruster"!
  1560. >is all this food claimed?
  1561. >as a matter of fact, it is
  1562. >rip
  1563. >you'll just have to wait it out, since you're not a thief
  1564. >maybe you should check the cabinets too
  1565. >these aren't as tall as the fridge
  1566. >you open one of the cabinets with ease
  1567. >it's nothing you can eat
  1568. >mainly cleaning supplies
  1569. >and no, you're not drinking bleach
  1570. >yet
  1571. >no, not ever
  1572. >you're not enough of a bitch to off yourself
  1573. >a search of the other cabinets reveal more things that you can't eat
  1574. >one of them does have a deck of cards, though
  1575. >might as well play some solitaire
  1576. >you play a few rounds of solitaire (mostly losing) before you realize that you have another problem besides hunger
  1577. >you have to use the bathroom
  1578. >this may be more of a problem than the hunger
  1579. >what's worse is that you have no idea where the bathroom is
  1580. >you're going to have to venture back into the castle
  1581. >this is gonna suck
  1582. >you make your way back out, no longer caring if guards find you
  1583. >at least they'll know where the bathroom is
  1584. >you eventually make your way back to where you ditched the guards, but this doesn't help either
  1585. >wait
  1586. >you see Twilight!
  1587. "Twilight, over here!"
  1588. >she turns towards you and starts trotting over
  1589. >"There you are, I've been looking for you for a while!"
  1590. "I'm sorry about sneaking off and doing my own thing, but we've got more important issues. If I don't get to a bathroom in about a minute, I'm going to end up peeing on the floor."
  1591. >she understood your urgency, good
  1592. >"Hold on, I'll teleport us there."
  1593. >thank you!
  1594. >wait, us?
  1595. >doesn't matter, urge to pee is reaching critical levels
  1596. >as soon as the purple flash is gone from your eyes, you immediately run to the toilet
  1597. >doesn't matter that purple's in here with you
  1598. >wait, why is she here with you?
  1599. >at least she's not looking at you while you're here
  1600. >that would make her a pedo
  1601. >and weird
  1602. "Hey Twilight, why did you come in here with me?"
  1603. >"Because it's a big castle, and I'm not going to lose you again inside it."
  1604. >that's a valid point
  1605. >"Also, we're going to stop by the castle's library before we go, and I know you don't know the way there."
  1606. >another valid point
  1607. >you finish going to the bathroom and wash your hooves
  1608. >Twilight then teleports you two to the library
  1609. >the library is just as boring as you expected
  1610. >Nothing but big dusty books about things that don’t interest you
  1611. >except for a book about physics, that actually looks pretty interesting
  1612. >well, it did until you looked inside of it
  1613. >it’s not much that you haven’t already learned
  1614. >these ponies must not pay very much attention to the sciences that humans do
  1615. >after giving almost every book a cursory glance, you go find Twilight
  1616. >she’s over at a table with some particularly big and dusty book
  1617. >she doesn’t seem to be paying too much attention to you, this book must be pretty interesting
  1618. >luckily, it’s pretty easy for you to see the cover from the way she’s holding it
  1619. >Theoretical and Applied Magic at a Master Level
  1620. >Volume III
  1621. >how many of those are there?
  1622. >at least 3, apparently
  1623. >if only you had some paper, you could continue writing down what’s happened
  1624. >but where would you find blank paper in a library?
  1625. >if anypony would know, it’s Twilight
  1626. “Hey Twilight, do you know where I could find some paper?”
  1627. >she looks up from this book with a confused look
  1628. >”Why do you need paper?”
  1629. >you try to think of a valid excuse
  1630. >nope, none
  1631. >the truth it is!
  1632. “I’m writing down everything that happens to me here.”
  1633. >this makes her a bit suspicious
  1634. >”Who are you writing this down for?”
  1635. “Myself, mainly. I certainly don’t think anyone back home would believe I was here of all places.”
  1636. >she puts down the book and gives her full attention to you
  1637. >”What do you mean by ‘here of all places’?”
  1638. >oh boy
  1639. >you’ve gone too far
  1640. >Twilight’s probably not going to let it go this time, either
  1641. >but you have to try to avoid the question
  1642. “A-again, it’s a long story. The paper, please?”
  1643. >Twilight gets up, now with a different look on her face
  1644. “Good thing you’ll have plenty of time to tell me when we’re back at home.”
  1645. >rip
  1646. >your attempt didn’t work this time
  1647. >guess you now have to figure out the easiest way to tell her that her entire life’s a work of fiction
  1648. >this won’t end well
  1649. >at least she went to go look for paper
  1650. >shit, you don't have a pencil either
  1651. >and you're still hungry
  1652. >why are you so bad at managing priorities
  1653. >well, at least Twilight grabbed you a pencil while getting paper
  1654. >now, where were you?
  1655. >oh right, about where Spike and you got lost
  1656. >you go back to writing down what's been happening
  1657. >you get to the start of your first day of school when Twilight finishes checking the book she has
  1658. >"Well, I've found nothing in here that helps me at all. Are you hungry, too?"
  1659. >food?
  1660. >it seems you don't need to ask about food either!
  1661. "Yeah, I'm pretty hungry. Where are we going?"
  1662. >"There's a few good places nearby, anything you want in particular?"
  1663. >you don't really care what it is at this point, you just want food
  1664. "I'm not sure, what do you think?"
  1665. >she thinks for a second
  1666. >"You can never really go wrong with pizza, how does that sound?"
  1667. >pizza sounds great
  1668. "Sure, let's go get some pizza!"
  1669. >just under 20 minutes later, you two are seated in a pizza parlor
  1670. >you're looking at the menu, and having a hard time choosing toppings
  1671. >no matter how hard you look, there are still no options for pepperoni or bacon
  1672. >yet there's still pineapple
  1673. >stupid vegans have no taste
  1674. >you decide to vocalize your complaints to Twilight
  1675. "What does a filly have to do to get some meat around here?"
  1676. >"What did you expect? Ponies don't eat that stuff, we aren't built for it."
  1677. >that still doesn't answer your question
  1678. >oh well
  1679. >when the waiter comes, you decide on cheese pizza
  1680. >Twilight gets pineapple on hers
  1681. >why though?
  1682. "What is wrong with you?"
  1683. >"Says the filly who only got cheese on hers."
  1684. "Cheese pizza is a last resort for when there's nothing good to choose from. You WILLINGLY chose pineapple!"
  1685. >"Pineapple's not that bad, you know."
  1686. >you see through her lies
  1687. >you've tried it, it's pretty nasty
  1688. "Maybe to you, it isn't. All of us sane individuals will just keep our quality pizza to ourselves and away from you."
  1689. >Twilight's starting to look somewhat amused
  1690. >can she handle banter?
  1691. >"I can prove how it's better than what you would've chosen."
  1692. >bullshit
  1693. "Alright, prove it."
  1694. >she gets one of the smuggest grins you've ever seen and leans in close
  1695. >"Judging by your reaction, pineapple is also a topping where you come from. Given that you had to order cheese, that means what you like isn't available here. There is enough of a demand for pineapple that it's served in two universes, while yours is only in one."
  1696. >statistically backed banter
  1697. >there are so many things wrong with that argument, but it's obviously just shitposting
  1698. >so you respond the best way you know how in this situation
  1699. "Shut up..."
  1700. >she just leans back and laughs
  1701. >stupid purple, go eat a pineapple!
  1702. >while you're being butthurt, the pizza comes
  1703. >it's pretty decently sized too
  1704. >not forgetting your manners, you thank the waiter before digging in
  1705. >you may not be some filthy pedo, but this cheese pizza isn't bad
  1706. >maybe it's just your hunger, though
  1707. >either way, you manage to power down the whole thing in about 7 minutes
  1708. >Twilight certainly looks surprised
  1709. >she hasn't even finished half of hers
  1710. >"I guess you enjoyed your basic cheese pizza."
  1711. "More than you're enjoying your garbage pineapple one, if that's how we're judging it."
  1712. >that exchange makes you both laugh
  1713. >fuck, you could get used to this!
  1714. >you'd seen greentexts about Twilight being an absolute cunt
  1715. >about her being a manipulative psychopath
  1716. >even just an overprotective mother, sometimes
  1717. >never did you see one where she was just... friendly
  1718. >it's still not where you wanted to be less than a week ago, but still
  1719. >this isn't half bad
  1720. >Twilight finishes the rest of her pizza and pays the bill, freeing the two of you to go and do some sightseeing
  1721. >well, Twilight has already been to a lot of these locations, so she's mainly showing you around
  1722. >some cool sights
  1723. >some other cool monuments
  1724. >kinda reminds you of a family trip to Washington DC
  1725. >you all toured the entire city, seeing all the cool sights
  1726. >except when it came to going to museums, then everybody split up and looked at what they wanted to see
  1727. >you being the nerd that you are went to the natural history museum and the aerospace museum
  1728. >other members of your family went to the art museum, and still others went to the national history museum
  1729. >afterwards, you all met back up for dinner
  1730. >it was a nice trip, but it was also back when you were clueless to the corruption present in that city
  1731. >still though, you and your family had fun and that's all that mattered
  1732. >you two finish up this tour of Canterlot outside the castle, watching as Luna raised the moon
  1733. >that's a solid way to end any day
  1734.  
  1735. >be Luna
  1736. >you just finished raising the moon
  1737. >apparently Twilight had visited today
  1738. >friggin Tia, never tells you anything
  1739. >worse, she tries to push paperwork on to you
  1740. >it was this kind of shit that made you turn into Nightmare Moon
  1741. >you've got enough to look after yourself without her giving you her excess
  1742. >it's not easy keeping track of every pony on the national watch list
  1743. >no, not even when you're being paid to sleep
  1744. >that's a lot of ponies to make sure aren't getting into shit
  1745. >a couple hundred of them, if memory serves
  1746. >you still haven't found Starlight Glimmer yet though, that's beginning to worry you
  1747. >wasn't she supposed to be with Twilight?
  1748. >oh well, maybe she ran off and got herself killed in the Everfree or something
  1749. >you remember back when the royal castle was there
  1750. >it sucked, some wild animal got inside almost every other day
  1751. >at least you still had that massive system of secret passages and slides
  1752. >Tia didn't have any of that installed in this castle
  1753. >buzzkill
  1754. >speaking of Head Princess Sunbutt, here she comes
  1755. >"Luna, I have a question."
  1756. "We may have an answer."
  1757. >her face changes to very mild contempt
  1758. >you know she hates it when you use the royal we with her
  1759. >"Anyway, I was wondering what it would take to send a pony to the moon. Twilight brought that up during the meeting today, and you're the only one I can think of that might have an answer."
  1760. >how did this come up?
  1761. >in what conversation does a trip to the moon ever come up?
  1762. >well, besides that one time
  1763. >and that other time
  1764. >but no other times!
  1765. >this is actually a pretty good question though
  1766. >you think for as long as you can, remembering everything about your time spent on the moon that you can
  1767. >and you reach your answer
  1768. "Technically, it would be possible. It would take an absurd amount of time and energy to get there though, and that's not even considering what it would take to keep the pony alive once they got there."
  1769. >her face changes to surprise and confusion
  1770. >"Keeping the pony alive?"
  1771. "Space is a vacuum, and the moon is very far away. In fact, it's so far away that every other planet in this solar system could fit in between it and this planet. The pony would be dead in minutes with no protection from that environment, and the trip there would probably last for multiple days."
  1772. >Tia's trying to keep the horror off of her face at that description
  1773. >she's not doing a good job of it
  1774. >"That... That is good to know."
  1775. >luckily you didn't have to deal with any of that dying part
  1776. >immortality has its perks
  1777. >it was still pretty terrible though
  1778. >throwing rocks into orbit was fun until you ran out of rocks
  1779. >you did manage to make a pretty neat castle out of the dust, though
  1780. >of course, you had to turn it into glass before you could actually make a really big one though
  1781. >oh hey, Tia left!
  1782. >now you can get back to what you were doing before
  1783. >the question is, which one of the guards managed to max out the high score three times on the Pac-Mare machine?
  1784.  
  1785. >be Anon
  1786. >it's Sunday
  1787. >the rest of the previous night wasn't very interesting
  1788. >you mainly spent it continuing to write down your escapades
  1789. >you got through your day at school
  1790. >purple wasn't happy about you being a recluse, but whatever
  1791. >you went to sleep early again, because you were tired of losing games of Go Fish to Aryanne
  1792. >yeah, she's just a plush, but that didn't explain how she kept winning!
  1793. >no sense getting mad over it now
  1794. >you're already almost home
  1795. >the train's moving along well
  1796. >Twilight's reading another book
  1797. >you can see Ponyville on the horizon
  1798. >only because of the castle, but oh well
  1799. >not too long later, you two are back at the castle
  1800. >now let's hope Twilight forgot about the incident in the library
  1801. >"Alright, now would you mind telling me about how you seem to have so much knowledge about a universe you've never been to?"
  1802. >no such luck
  1803. >can you think of a way out of this?
  1804. >she's looking at you
  1805. >"Today, please?"
  1806. >shit, there really isn't going to be a way out
  1807. "We shouldn't discuss this here, other ponies might hear it. You should also have a chair, you'll need it."
  1808. >Twilight takes the hint and leads you back to the interrogation room you two had your first real conversation in
  1809. >you take the seat on the left again
  1810. >she goes back to the one on the right
  1811. "Alright, are you absolutely sure you want to hear this? Once I say it, there'll be no going back."
  1812. >she also teleported in her clipboard and pencil
  1813. >"Yes, I am."
  1814. "I cannot stress how much this matters. If you want to see how deep the rabbit hole goes, then I'll tell you just how far down it goes. If you want to keep your view of this world around you intact, then we can drop this subject and just go back to what we were doing before."
  1815. >"Anon, quit stalling. I doubt it could be any worse than some of the things I've learned."
  1816. >impatient, is she?
  1817. >well, she won't be for very long
  1818. "As far as my universe is concerned, your entire world- EVERYTHING HERE- is nothing but fiction."
  1819. >this really catches her off guard
  1820. >time to seal the deal
  1821. "This is the setting of a cartoon based on the lives of you and your 5 friends and how you all save the world but still deal with regular problems, the entire show being only the 4th in a series of generations of shows all about colored cartoon horses."
  1822. >Twilight remains stunned for a few more seconds before shrugging and writing stuff down
  1823. >wait
  1824. >wait
  1825. >WAIT
  1826. >she SHRUGGED OFF something that would've put any average person into a state of shock?
  1827. >anonymous.exe has crashed
  1828. >reboot? [y/n]
  1829. >y
  1830. >rebooting, please wait...
  1831. >Anonymous.exe has restarted
  1832. "A-aren't you surprised? Even a little concerned?"
  1833. >Twilight finishes writing
  1834. >"No, not really."
  1835. >uh
  1836. >what
  1837. "Why not? I'd be in a state of shock if you told me that my entire life's been nothing but a show for children!"
  1838. >"It's simple. The entire fact that you're here has made that effectively meaningless because your existence has proved the multiverse theory."
  1839. >Multiverse theory?
  1840. >doesn't that mean there's infinite universes with infinite possibilities for each one?
  1841. >either way, you're going to need to hear that again
  1842. "C-can you repeat that?"
  1843. >Twilight thinks for a second before replying in easier terms to understand
  1844. >"You came to this universe from another universe, proving that there are other universes out there."
  1845. >seems reasonable enough
  1846. >"The fact that there are other universes means that there's a potentially infinite number of universes, all with different levels of variation."
  1847. >you're understanding this so far
  1848. >"This level of variation combined with random chance ensures that there is at least one universe where this one is considered fiction, but there's more likely to be an infinite amount that considers this universe to be fiction because of how infinity works, but I'm getting away from the point."
  1849. >she lost you again when she started talking about infinity
  1850. >"My point is, since you coming here proved that it's possible for other universes to exist, it's guaranteed that at least one of them considers this universe to be fiction, assuming the sample size is as large as the theory states."
  1851. >now it's your turn to be floored
  1852. >this means there's a universe where your entire life is a TV show with a following of autistic neckbeards too
  1853. >but more importantly, you're chances of getting home are so small that they might as well not exist
  1854. >you feel the tears coming
  1855. >can you stop them?
  1856. >lol nope
  1857. >not even caring anymore, you fall out of the chair and begin to cry uncontrollably
  1858. >through the tears, you see Twilight get up
  1859. >you don't want comfort right now
  1860. "J-just l-l-eave m-me..."
  1861. >Twilight doesn't hesitate, completely ignoring what you said
  1862. >"No, I'm not going to leave you. That's the last thing you need in this situation."
  1863. >you feel yourself being pulled up by magic
  1864. >when you look up, you see her staring at you with a look of determination on her face
  1865. >"Anon, I promised to do everything in my power to get you home safe and sound. I'm not going to give up on that, and neither should you."
  1866. "W-what does i-it even matter?"
  1867. >"It matters because your family will miss you, and you'll never get to see them again. All those other universes out there all have their own yous who have done what their lives called for, now it's time for you to do what yours calls for."
  1868. >you feel the tears stop falling
  1869. >"Mark my words, you [i]will[/i] make it back okay, and your family will be much happier with your return. Besides, would you really want to put them through the stress of me having to go there myself and tell them you jumped off a building?"
  1870. >that last remark makes you crack a smile
  1871. >the thought of Twilight showing up at your parents' house and giving them a jar labeled "Anon" was just morbidly absurd enough to make you cheer up a bit
  1872. >she sees you smile and starts smiling herself
  1873. >"Did that make you feel better?"
  1874. >you no longer feel as insignificant
  1875. >you're actually less insignificant that normal
  1876. >there may be an infinite number of yous, but you're the only one that you need to be concerned about
  1877. >there's also quite a few people and a pony who care about your well-being
  1878. >nihilism be damned
  1879. "Yeah, I'm feeling a lot better."
  1880. >Twilight pulls you into another hug, which you gladly reciprocate
  1881. >there's no telling what you would've done if she hadn't ignored you
  1882. >but you don't want to think about that
  1883. >especially not when you've got Twilight's chest fluff to rub your face in
  1884. >as you're enjoying Twilight's embrace, you start sending another silent prayer
  1885. God, can you please tell my family that I'm alive and well, somehow? Just give them a sign, something to tell them that I'm coming home.
  1886. >with renewed conviction and a new perspective to your life, you and Twilight leave the room
  1887. >with this renewed conviction comes some new thoughts
  1888. >would it be better for you to even try to get home, at this point?
  1889. >there's still a basically 0% chance for you to actually get there
  1890. >and living with Twilight isn't all that bad, contrary to popular belief
  1891. >but would that be very fair to your real family?
  1892. >no, it wouldn't
  1893. >so you might as well keep trying
  1894. >staying with purple isn't that bad of a fallback option, though
  1895. >might want to bring this up with Twilight
  1896. "Twilight?"
  1897. >"Hm?"
  1898. "What happens if I can't get back home?"
  1899. >she's thinking again
  1900. >not for long
  1901. >"I guess you'll just have to stay with me until you appear of legal age to be on your own, and you lead a regular life here."
  1902. >this brings up thoughts of Anonmare in your mind
  1903. >will you really look like that?
  1904. >there are worse fates, you guess
  1905. >you could be Spike, doomed to look like a child forever
  1906. >or you could be stuck with some sicko Twilight that never lets you grow up
  1907. >yeah, all things considered, this isn't bad at all!
  1908. >eventually you two make it back to one of the more lived-in rooms of the castle
  1909. >and Spike's there with a comic book
  1910. >you never were into superheroes all that much, but seeing as you left your phone with all your other stuff near the door, you decide to read over his shoulder
  1911. >ehh, it's not that great
  1912. >it's just that one series with the Pony Avengers or whatever they're called, that episode was only okay to you
  1913. >at least this one doesn't seem to be magic
  1914. >you might have to go to that store with him sometime, though
  1915. >see if there's any quality material for sale there
  1916. >not that kind of material, you're not a faggot
  1917. >just some actually decent reading material
  1918. >after a few seconds, he notices you
  1919. [o]>"Oh, hey Anon! Do you want to read this after I'm done? It's a pretty good one."[/o]
  1920. >no, you really don't
  1921. "No thanks, I'm alright."
  1922. [o]>"Okay then, your loss."[/o]
  1923. >not really, it's not like you wanted to keep reading after you saw what it was
  1924. >instead, you decide to go find your phone
  1925. "Hey Twilight, can you tell me where I left my suitcase?"
  1926. >"No need to worry, I already teleported it to your room."
  1927. >and you know where your room is!
  1928. >well, you think you know where your room is!
  1929. >you may not know where your room is!
  1930. "Alright, thanks. I'm going to go unpack my stuff."
  1931. >time to see if you actually remember or not
  1932. >was it down this hallway?
  1933. >up or down the stairs?
  1934. >this is starting to look familiar
  1935. >was that picture always there?
  1936. >you may be lost
  1937. >no wait, you aren't
  1938. >just another left turn, and there it is!
  1939. >you open the door to your room
  1940. >only to find that it isn't
  1941. >it's definitely somepony's room, though
  1942. >there's a desk, plenty of loose scrolls and papers, a few books, and a bed that looks fairly used
  1943. >if that suitcase next to the desk is anything to go by, you've found Twilight's room
  1944. >but should you snoop around?
  1945. >realistically speaking, no
  1946. >but what would the [i]real[/i] Anonfilly do?
  1947. >probably search through everything trying to find a way into the liquor cabinet
  1948. >yeah, you're not going to do that
  1949. >does Twilight even have a liquor cabinet?
  1950. >she doesn't really strike you as that type, so your guess is no
  1951. >she's probably more of a social drinker anyway
  1952. >oh well, time to keep looking
  1953. >after another long wander through the halls of the Crystal Castle™, you make it back to your room
  1954. >your suitcase is put down in front of your bed
  1955. >time to put your stuff away
  1956. >your shirt and pants can just go back in that drawer you have
  1957. >Aryanne goes back on your bed
  1958. >all your writings on this journey can go on top of your bedside table
  1959. >and your phone?
  1960. >that stays with you
  1961. >but how are you going to carry it?
  1962. >probably in your mouth
  1963. >it's gonna be a bitch to clean the screen back off
  1964. >too bad, Twilight probably has some glass cleaner somewhere
  1965. >you try not to think of every time you ever brought this phone into the bathroom with you as you pick it up and leave
  1966. >it takes you another trek to get back, but eventually you do
  1967. >"Welcome back, need me to show you around the castle sometime?"
  1968. >Purple's smirking
  1969. >couldn't she see you're carrying something?
  1970. "Mmff."
  1971. >"I'll take that as a yes."
  1972. >oh well, at least now you can do all that cool stuff you couldn't before
  1973. >now, what games do you have on this thing?
  1974. >it's been so long since you've actually used your phone to play games that you can't remember
  1975. >you have to get into it first, though
  1976. >you hop onto the couch next to Spike in a pose you're no stranger to
  1977. >that being a pose where you're more sitting with your back and not your butt
  1978. >good posture is for those with weak backs!
  1979. >you use your left hoof to take your phone out of your mouth when you're good and comfortable and wipe all the spit on your chest
  1980. >it'll wash out, no worries
  1981. >you then set about unlocking it, which is surprisingly easy
  1982. >turns out the screen registers your hooves as well as it registers a human finger
  1983. >after a few misclicks and redos, you've got your phone unlocked
  1984. >battery's at 96%
  1985. >no signal, but that's to be expected here
  1986. >huh, it says you have a few unread texts
  1987. >you must've gotten them the night you came here
  1988. >might as well see what they are
  1989. >just your brother calling you a fag again
  1990. >he's going to get the biggest "no u" you can give him when you get back
  1991. >there's also a text from your mom
  1992. >she and your dad were going to be coming up to your area and wanted to visit
  1993. >that's rough
  1994. >you don't want to think about how they must've felt when they heard you were missing
  1995. >you can't stop yourself from thinking about it, though
  1996. >you start fighting back more tears
  1997. >it's okay Anonymous, you're going to make it back and everything's going to be alright
  1998. >stay strong and make it through, it's what they would want
  1999. >you take a deep breath to calm down and then check out your games
  2000. >there's not much of a selection
  2001. >you eventually choose one that you haven't played in a while
  2002. >it's Geometry Dash[s]inb4 mobilefag[/s]
  2003. >as soon as you get to the start menu, you remember that this game has some pretty kicking music
  2004. >also, no one here even knows what your phone is, so you can have the volume on without someone bitching about it!
  2005. >you take your phone off of mute and let the music hit you
  2006. >alright, time to see if you haven't lost any skill when you turned into a pony
  2007. >you're not doing bad, at least the game's fairly simple to control and doesn't need more than one point of contact
  2008. >about halfway through the level, you notice Spike looking over your shoulder
  2009. >you pause and face him
  2010. "Can I help you?"
  2011. [o]>"What's that?"[/o]
  2012. >he seems genuinely interested
  2013. >would Twilight want you to tell him what it is?
  2014. >you'd ask her, but she seems to have gone somewhere
  2015. >oh well
  2016. "Let me ask you a couple of questions first, and I'll tell you if the answers work out."
  2017. [o]>"Okay, ask me."[/o]
  2018. "Would Twilight want you to know what this is?"
  2019. [o]>"If she didn't want me to know, then she wouldn't have shown me it when she was looking at it for you."[/o]
  2020. >hm, can you trust that answer?
  2021. "Okay then, do you mind if I ask her about that myself?"
  2022. >this'll prove if he's lying or not
  2023. [o]>"Go ahead, I'll wait here."[/o]
  2024. >okay, maybe he isn't lying
  2025. "Alright, last question. Do you promise not to tell any other living being what this is?"
  2026. [o]>"Alright, but I don't see why that's necessary."[/o]
  2027. "Trust me, it's necessary. Now do you promise, or not?"
  2028. [o]>"Yes, I promise. Can you tell me now?"[/o]
  2029. >you can, his answers all seem reasonable given what you know about him
  2030. "This is my phone, it's a device I use to hold all my information because all those books would be heavy. I've also had some games added on to it, so I have something to do when I'm bored."
  2031. >does this mean you can get back to your game?
  2032. [o]>"Cool, what other kind of stuff can it do?"[/o]
  2033. >apparently not
  2034. "Almost anything I need it to, within a reasonable limit. It's pretty useful."
  2035. [o]>"Wow!"[/o]
  2036. >you take this as Spike being done asking you questions, so you go back to your game
  2037. >this level's pretty difficult, but it's not impossible
  2038. >you've gotten pretty close to the end a couple of times
  2039. >time to see if you can beat it and move on
  2040. >as you approach the final few parts of the level, you hit a spike and die
  2041. "FUCK!"
  2042. >coincidentally, you throw your right hoof in the air and hit a different Spike
  2043. >whoops
  2044. [o]>"Dude, what was that for?"[/o]
  2045. "Sorry, I didn't know you were still there."
  2046. >he's rubbing his nose, probably where you hit him
  2047. [o]>"I'm alright, just watch out next time."[/o]
  2048. >he turns back towards your phone as you restart the level again
  2049. >this time you manage to contain your anger as you lose yet again
  2050. >you keep trying, and your perseverance is rewarded on your 15th try
  2051. "And now I never have to play this level again! High five!"
  2052. >you extend your right hoof towards Spike, not hitting him this time
  2053. >he slaps it with about as much enthusiasm as someone who's excited and confused
  2054. >probably because he is, if his expression's anything to go by
  2055. [o]>"You did it! What did you do?"[/o]
  2056. >of course he wouldn't understand the significance of this achievement
  2057. >he doesn't know this game
  2058. "I'll give you the short version: This game is built to piss you off, and it does this by being unnecessarily hard in these later levels. This isn't helped by the fact that there are no checkpoints and there's pretty much no room for error past a certain point. You either do it perfectly, or you restart."
  2059. >he looks a bit more impressed
  2060. >he should be, he'd probably lose on the first level more than you'd lost on Clutterfunk
  2061. >and that's a lot of losing
  2062. [o]>"Can I try it?"[/o]
  2063. >you don't like handing your phone off to friends
  2064. >you don't like handing your phone off to family
  2065. >why should you hand it off to Spike, of all creatures?
  2066. "No, I don't exactly like others using this."
  2067. >he's thinking
  2068. [o]>"You're just worried that I'm better."[/o]
  2069. >now THIS is definitely a challenge
  2070. >but it's a challenge that you're confident you'll win
  2071. >so why not make this more interesting?
  2072. "Alright, I'll let you try the first level. If you pass it on your first try, I'll let you use my phone when I'm not using it. If you don't, then I get access to your ice cream stash."
  2073. >he suddenly looks like he's less willing to try
  2074. >did your ploy work?
  2075. >wait, no, he's still weighing the options
  2076. [o]>"You're on!"[/o]
  2077. >at least you get to see him fail miserably now
  2078. "The only thing I'm going to tell you is that you touch the screen to make the square jump. Have fun on Stereo Madness!"
  2079. >you pull up the level and give your phone to Spike and start watching him
  2080. >he made it past the first area alright
  2081. >he's actually not doing too terribly
  2082. >you start getting a bit worried when he makes it to the rocket part
  2083. >is he actually going to win?
  2084. >if he wins, he gets access to your phone
  2085. >that means he gets access to your pictures
  2086. >if he gets access to your pictures, he's going to see some shit that he really shouldn't
  2087. >did you fuck up?
  2088. >you may have fucked up
  2089. >you get increasingly nervous as Spike makes it further through the level
  2090. >shit, he's past halfway
  2091. >he's cleared 75%, is he going to make it?
  2092. >you fucked up
  2093. >as you accept your fate, a miracle happens and he dies to one of the last few spikes
  2094. >saved from Spike by a spike!
  2095. [o]>"Dang! At least I got pretty far."[/o]
  2096. >a wave of relief comes across you as you realize that the truth of your origins will continue to elude Spike
  2097. "Now, about that ice cream stash?"
  2098. >he gets a bit disappointed when he remembers what terms he agreed to
  2099. [o]>"I'll show you after dinner."[/o]
  2100. >speaking of dinner, what time is it?
  2101. >you exit the game when he gives you back your phone and check the time
  2102. >5:52
  2103. >alright, that must be where Twilight went
  2104. >either to get dinner or to make it
  2105. >speaking of Twilight, she comes back in from the door opposite you
  2106. >"I'm back, and I got din- Anonymous, if you're going to sit like that, then you need to close your legs and not let your tail go limp."
  2107. >wait, what?
  2108. >sure enough, when you look down you see something exposed that Twilight probably didn't want to see
  2109. >now completely embarrassed, you move into a better position with less exposed
  2110. "S-sorry!"
  2111. >what is this, the second time Twilight's seen your junk this week?
  2112. >this better not be a recurring theme
  2113. >you turn back towards Spike
  2114. "You could've said something."
  2115. [o]>"Sorry I wasn't paying attention to how you were sitting, it's not something I usually have to do."[/o]
  2116. >does everyone enjoy banter here?
  2117. >Fluttershy probably doesn't, but you haven't met her yet
  2118. >oh well, you have more important matters to attend to
  2119. "Did somepony say something about dinner?"
  2120. >"Yeah, I brought back hayburgers and did some grocery shopping as well."
  2121. >you get off the couch, not realizing you still had your phone on you
  2122. >luckily, it doesn't break when it lands
  2123. >after you finish inspecting your phone, you start off towards where you think the kitchen is
  2124. "Alright, I'm pretty hungry. Let's eat food!"
  2125. >"Anon, it's the other way."
  2126. >you turn back around, and you see Spike trying to hold back his laughter
  2127. >stupid dragon
  2128. "Okay then, the other way it is."
  2129. >Twilight stops you before you can get to the other door
  2130. >"I think I should lead the way this time, if that's alright."
  2131. >yeah, that's probably a better idea than you leading
  2132. >might be wandering around for another while before you find anything
  2133. "Fair enough."
  2134. >not forgetting your phone this time, you pick it back up and follow Twilight
  2135. >you three make the walk back to the kitchen in a little under a minute
  2136. >good thing Twilight actually knows how to get anywhere here
  2137. >you see what you've been waiting for already on the table when you get there
  2138. >hayburgers!
  2139. >but there's no cheese
  2140. >hardly a good burger if there isn't any cheese
  2141. >stupid vegan horses
  2142. >this is excusable enough as is, but when you take your spot at the table, you notice something
  2143. >this thing might as well be a salad on a bun!
  2144. >this isn't food, this is a garden!
  2145. >you find yourself unable to imagine yourself eating this mockery of a burger, much less actually eat it
  2146. >instead you just stare at it
  2147. >not Twilight though, she just starts eating
  2148. >even Spike doesn't seem to care all too much about the makeup of what's in front of him
  2149. >he might be able to eat pretty much anything, considering his favorite food is gemstones too
  2150. >no amount of hunger is worth disgracing the Great American Cheeseburger by eating this
  2151. >at least the hayfries are decent
  2152. >they taste like bread, if bread was shaped like fries
  2153. after you finish the hayfries, you turn your attention back towards your phone
  2154. >Twilight notices this and asks you a question
  2155. >"Do you not want the hayburger?"
  2156. >you don't
  2157. >you really and honestly don't
  2158. "You can have it if you want, I'm not actually that hungry."
  2159. >Twilight shrugs
  2160. >"Spike, do you want Anon's hayburger?"
  2161. [o]>"Nah, I'm saving room."[/o]
  2162. >of course he is, probably for more ice cream
  2163. >"Well, I hate letting good food go to waste, but-"
  2164. >at that moment, you hear vibrations
  2165. >excitedly you look back at your phone on the off-chance that you somehow got a message or a call
  2166. >nope, nothing
  2167. >then what's the vibrating?
  2168. >wait, don't the mane six's cutie marks vibrate when something important needs to happen?
  2169. >sure enough, you notice Twilight getting up and leaving the room
  2170. >this might be interesting!
  2171. >you get up and follow her
  2172. >Spike gets up too, since everyone else is leaving
  2173. >you three make it to the entryway, where Twilight opens the front door to let in none other than Pinkie
  2174. [p]>"Heya Twi! I started buzzing, so I came over as quickly as I could!"[/p]
  2175. >"Hi Pinkie, let's get up to the map so we can see what we're dealing with."
  2176. >as Twilight leads the way to the important map room, Pinkie takes notice of you
  2177. >before you could react, she's pretty much directly in front of you
  2178. >she's pretty intimidating when she's about 3 inches from your face with the grin of a serial killer on speed
  2179. >you won't admit it if you're asked, but that did kinda jumpscare you
  2180. [p]>"Oh, Twilight didn't tell me she had a new friend! What's your name?"[/p]
  2181. "..."
  2182. >for a second, all you can get out is silence
  2183. "...A-Anonymous."
  2184. >there's your voice!
  2185. [p]>"Hi there Anonymous, I'll call you Nonny for short! Sorry I can't throw you a Welcome-to-Ponyville party today, but I promise I'll throw you the biggest, best one that I've ever thrown when we get back!"[/p]
  2186. >"Pinkie, the map?"
  2187. >Twilight manages to recapture Pinkie's attention and leads her back off to the map room
  2188. >that was more terrifying than it should've been
  2189. >you notice at this point that you tried (and failed) to hide behind Spike as your first response
  2190. >he's just looking at you with a shit-eating grin now
  2191. [o]>"She scared you, didn't she?"[/o]
  2192. >not. a. word.
  2193. "No she didn't!"
  2194. [o]>"It's fine, I got a bit scared too with how fast Pinkie cleared the room to get to you."[/o]
  2195. >at least you don't feel as much like a wimp now
  2196. >but now that Twilight's left for the map room, what do you do?
  2197. >you could try to get back to your phone in the kitchen
  2198. >but you don't know where it is
  2199. >wait, Spike's here too!
  2200. >he can lead you there, probably
  2201. "Hey Spike, you mind leading me back to the kitchen so I can grab my phone?"
  2202. [o]>"Sure, it's back this way."[/o]
  2203. >Spike gets you back to the kitchen and your phone, but now what do you do?
  2204. >an idea forms
  2205. "Do you think Twilight will mind if we listen in on what's happening?"
  2206. >Spike starts thinking
  2207. >he comes to an answer after a little while
  2208. [o]>"I don't think she'd mind, but it was your idea if she does."[/o]
  2209. >he's not wrong on that last part
  2210. "Alright then, lead the way!"
  2211. >you grab your phone again and Spike leads you up to the map room
  2212. >it's up surprisingly far in the castle
  2213. >you had to climb up more than a couple of floors worth of stairs
  2214. >how many floors does this thing have?
  2215. >too many for you to bother counting right now
  2216. >after the last set of stairs, Spike brings you to a massive hallway
  2217. >this must be the length of one of this thing's branches, it's so big
  2218. >unfortunately, you two are too late to eavesdrop as Twilight and Pinkie are on their way back to the stairs
  2219. >so much for that plan
  2220. >Twilight notices you two first and trots up to you
  2221. >"Anon, Spike, I'm going to have to leave for a few days. Something's come up in Las Pegasus that Pinkie and I are needed to fix. Spike, you're in charge and I'll give you a list of everything you need to keep track of for me. Anon, I expect you to be able to handle yourself for the most part, but if you need anything, ask Spike. He'll know, and he'll ask me if he doesn't."
  2222. >she must be leaving now, by the mild urgency in her voice
  2223. >she teleports away, leaving you and Spike with Pinkie
  2224. >speaking of, she's over to you two now
  2225. [p]>"Heya Spike, sorry for not saying hi earlier!"[/p]
  2226. [o]>"Hi pinkie, it's fine. How are you?"[/o]
  2227. [p]>"As great as ever, my party cannon just got back from the shop!"[/p]
  2228. [o]>"Did you put cake in it instead of confetti again?"[/p]
  2229. [p]>"Yep, strawberry flavor this time! Tastiest misfire yet! It was pretty hard to clean up though, but club soda works amazing on stains and I have plenty of it!"[/p]
  2230. >Pinkie seems to get an idea and turns to you
  2231. [p]>"Hey, that means I get to use my party cannon at your party! But wait, it's supposed to be a surprise, so I won't say any more! Anyway, what's your favorite kind of cake?"[/p]
  2232. >she pulls a pencil and some paper out of her mane and looks eagerly at you
  2233. >you've never had to think about this before
  2234. "Uhhh... I guess chocolate?"
  2235. >she writes this down quickly and looks back up at you
  2236. [p]>"Favorite party game?"[/p]
  2237. >you've never played a party game in your life
  2238. >closest thing you've played to one is Smash Bros, but even then it was only with your brother and online
  2239. >not to mention that there probably isn't an N64, Gamecube, Wii (u), or even a 3DS here
  2240. >you have no idea what to say
  2241. >so you try to turn a free response question into a multiple choice one
  2242. "What are my options?"
  2243. [p]>"Anything you think of, I can get it for you!"[/p]
  2244. >that really didn't help
  2245. >wait, vidya games!
  2246. >there was a Pac-Man machine in the Canterlot Castle, so maybe they've got something like Smash Bros here after all!
  2247. "Are there any fighting games, like on arcade machines?"
  2248. [p]>"There are a couple, but usually only colts play those. Are you sure?"[/p]
  2249. >success
  2250. >let's see if your button mashing skills and dumb luck came with you to Equestria!
  2251. "Completely."
  2252. >she writes that down too
  2253. [p]>"That's about all I needed to ask, I'll get on it as soon as I can!"[/p]
  2254. >with that, Pinkie puts the paper and pencil back
  2255. >Twilight also teleports back up at about this time
  2256. >"Here's the list, Spike. I'll be back as soon as I can!"
  2257. >she gives Spike a fairly long scroll, and turns towards Pinkie
  2258. >"I'll teleport us to the station, it'll be faster than walking."
  2259. [p]>"Good thing I brought everything I need with me! Let's blow this popsicle stand! Oooh, can we get popsicles when we get there?"[/p]
  2260. >a purple flash hits you and Spike, and when it's gone, Twilight and Pinkie are too
  2261. >you turn towards Spike
  2262. "Do you have any idea where they're going for this?"
  2263. [o]>"Nope, and I guess you don't either."[/o]
  2264. "Any idea how long they'll be gone?"
  2265. [o]>"Twilight said a few days, but I'm pretty sure it'll be more like four or five."[/o]
  2266. >4-5 days without Twilight?
  2267. >this is gonna be a bit interesting
  2268. >let's hope Spike doesn't mess things up too badly while Twilight's gone
  2269. >he's not going to mess up on your watch
  2270. >you were probably going to have to help him on some stuff, anyway
  2271. >that doesn't matter though, you're an engineer!
  2272. >at least you were learning how to be one
  2273. >and that means you solve practical problems, like how to stop Spike from burning down a crystal castle before Twilight gets back!
  2274. >okay, maybe not that in particular, but you know you can help somehow
  2275. >but for now, you're going from confused to bored quickly
  2276. "So... What do we do now?"
  2277. >Spike looks at his list
  2278. [o]>"I don't have anything to do on this list tonight, so I'm not sure."[/o]
  2279. >that doesn't help
  2280. >does anything really help?
  2281. >probably not, you might just have to figure it all out yourself
  2282. "Well, what do you normally do when Twilight isn't around?"
  2283. >he thinks to himself for a couple of moments
  2284. [o]>"Nothing that you'd probably want to do, that's for sure."[/o]
  2285. >huh
  2286. >does that mean guy things, or genuinely boring shit?
  2287. >you'd be up for guy things
  2288. >might as well ask about it, then
  2289. "I don't know, I may enjoy some of it."
  2290. >he sighs
  2291. [o]>"Okay, sometimes I try cooking, other times I just read comic books, and if I can't do either, I hang out at Surgarcube Corner."[/o]
  2292. >cooking and Sugarcube Corner don't sound too bad
  2293. >Sugarcube Corner might not be open this late though
  2294. >cooking is just a form of applied chemistry, too
  2295. >you aren't that great at chemistry, but you do enjoy doing what you can with it
  2296. "Sure, cooking might be fun."
  2297. >Spike seems a bit surprised by this
  2298. [o]>"Alright, cooking it is!"[/o]
  2299. >you just got reminded about something, too
  2300. "While we're on the topic of food, you still have to show me where you keep the ice cream."
  2301. >he immediately goes from happy to mildly annoyed
  2302. [o]>"Yeah, yeah, I'll show you where it is..."[/o]
  2303. >you follow Spike back out of the hallway and back down to the kitchen
  2304. >the ice cream was here all along?
  2305. >wait, no
  2306. >he's just grabbing two bowls and some spoons
  2307. >how thoughtful, he grabbed one for you!
  2308. >this leads you to the realization that he might not be that terrible of a friend
  2309. >he then leads you down a set of stairs to the basement
  2310. >this looks like Spike's pretty much made it his room
  2311. >NEET life at its finest
  2312. >there's some furniture, a stack of comic books, even his cat basket
  2313. >which he has sitting on top of a perfectly good bed
  2314. >ytho.png
  2315. >do you see a Rarity plush in there, too?
  2316. >hah, what a fag!
  2317. >Spike walks over to a cabinet up against a wall
  2318. >this must be where it is
  2319. >you follow him up to the door of this cabinet and he opens it
  2320. >it is where it is, turns out this cabinet is a fully functioning freezer instead of a cabinet!
  2321. >wow, there's a lot of ice cream in here
  2322. >is this what he hoards as a dragon?
  2323. >at least it's not random crap, like that one episode
  2324. >that was a shitfest
  2325. >pretty much demonstrated how lackluster the Equestrian Armed Forces are
  2326. >if he was in 'Murica, he would've been airstriked into chunks
  2327. [o]>"What flavor do you want? I've got mint chip, rocky road, cookies and cream, coffee, chocolate, strawberry, vanilla... Pretty much anything you could ask for, actually."[/o]
  2328. >What flavor, that's indeed a hard question
  2329. >nothing wrong with vanilla, but it's a bit boring by itself
  2330. >would Spike mind if you made put some chocolate and strawberry in there, too?
  2331. >guess you'll have to ask
  2332. "You mind if I take some chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry?"
  2333. [o]>"I mind enough that I have to share my ice cream to begin with, at least Neapolitan's good taste."[/o]
  2334. >so they call it that here, too
  2335. >these ponies never cease to astound you
  2336. >Spike pulls out those three containers and one more, it's the rocky road
  2337. >after he finishes scooping out the ice cream, he puts the containers back and hands you your bowl
  2338. [o]>"Here you go, just don't get it anywhere. I try to keep this room pretty clean."[/o]
  2339. >he didn't skimp out on the ice cream, that's cool
  2340. >Spike walks over to the bed and sits down before eating
  2341. >you choose a nearby chair
  2342. >as you sit down, you choose not to sit with your back this time
  2343. >mainly because you're facing Spike
  2344. >you're not just going to sit like some regular pony, either
  2345. >you sit like any normal human would and get comfortable, only to realize that there is no spoon
  2346. >at least, not in your bowl
  2347. "Hey Spike, can you toss me a spoon?"
  2348. >he looks up at you with a confused expression
  2349. [o]>"Why do you need a spoon?"[/o]
  2350. >stupid mudhorse body!
  2351. >at least you think of an excuse
  2352. "I don't want to use my face, it'll just get all sticky and turn into a bigger mess than it needs to be."
  2353. [o]>"Do you even know how to use a spoon?"[/o]
  2354. >bitch, you've been using spoons since before he was even thought of by Lauren Herself!
  2355. "I'm pretty sure I can use a spoon.
  2356. [o]>"Alright, hold on."[/o]
  2357. >he gets up and walks over to you, handing you one of the spoons
  2358. >you grab the spoon with your right hoof in the same way you held those pencils
  2359. >sure enough, it works like you expected
  2360. >Thank god for analogous structures!
  2361. >you start eating your ice cream and Spike goes back to his
  2362. >you decide to look around a bit more
  2363. >this place is actually pretty clean
  2364. >no obvious dust or stains
  2365. >a lot cleaner than your dorm at college
  2366. >that place was almost never clean
  2367. >either way, it's not bad
  2368. "This is a pretty nice room."
  2369. >Spike swallows another bite and responds
  2370. [o]>"Yeah, it's alright. I didn't make the design choices, but it's better than having to share the second floor of a library with Twilight."[/o]
  2371. >you can agree to that, having to share a room with pretty much anyone isn't exactly the best of experiences
  2372. >you didn't mind sharing the room with Twilight at her parents' house, though
  2373. >that reminds you about how Spike sends letters
  2374. >again, wtf brain?
  2375. >now's a good time to ask
  2376. "Random thought, but how does you sending a letter work? I know about the fire bit, but I've only heard of you sending them to Celestia before the trip to Canterlot on Friday."
  2377. >he may not know how to respond to this
  2378. >no wait, he looks like he has an answer
  2379. [o]>"I think about who the letter's supposed to go to, at least I think that's how I do it."[/o]
  2380. >it's something
  2381. [o]>"How's life in Manehattan?"[/o]
  2382. >Manehattan?
  2383. >quick, think of everything you know about New York City!
  2384. >it's big
  2385. >a lot of people
  2386. >italians
  2387. >Trump Tower
  2388. "It's big, there are lots of ponies, and it's constantly busy. At least the pizza's pretty good. Oh, and there's also a few rich guys living around there."
  2389. >he nods and looks back at his now empty bowl
  2390. [o]>"Yeah, I wanted to go there and see some of the sights, but I hear it's even busier than Canterlot which sucked enough to live in."[/o]
  2391. >you finish the last bite of your ice cream and get up
  2392. "Want to come with me to put away these dishes?"
  2393. [o]>"Do you know where the kitchen is yet?"[/o]
  2394. >you do not
  2395. "No, so I guess you have to anyway."
  2396. >you two share a sensible chuckle over this and go put the dirty bowls and spoons in the kitchen
  2397. >you grab your phone back off of the table again and decide to go back to your room
  2398. >no reason not to
  2399. >you wander around again for a few minutes before getting there
  2400. >record time!
  2401. >you might be able to work your way around this castle someday!
  2402. >still, probably not for another week or so
  2403. >oh well, you won't have to be here for very long if RNGsus blesses you
  2404. >you go inside and put your phone down on the bedside table
  2405. >you see your Aryanne plush sitting on your bed giving you that same look when you get there
  2406. "And how was your day?"
  2407. >no response
  2408. >you get in the bed beside her and lay down
  2409. "Yeah, suitcases aren't known for being comfortable. We're back at the castle, though!"
  2410. >no response
  2411. "Things haven't been so bad in the other parts of the castle, but something pretty interesting did happen."
  2412. >no response
  2413. "there was a bit of commotion earlier and Twilight had to leave for somewhere, but she put Spike in charge."
  2414. >no response
  2415. "So far he's been pretty cool, I'm just not looking forward to the kind of stuff that may happen because he's Spike."
  2416. >no response
  2417. "He got this list handed to him by Twilight, and I'm pretty sure I'll have to help him with it at some point. At least he's letting me have some of his ice cream now."
  2418. >no response
  2419. "It's all in a cabinet in his room, in a freezer disguised as a cabinet."
  2420. >no response
  2421. "I didn't know he had a room either, but it's honestly not that bad. He keeps it clean and somewhat organized, the only thing I can criticize is that he still uses his basket instead of the bed he has. That, and the fact that he has a Rarity plush."
  2422. >no response
  2423. "It's just funny to me, he has a plush toy of his waifu who actually exists here!"
  2424. >no response
  2425. "Yes I see the irony in that, and the real you has been dead for a long time. Can you stop laughing now?"
  2426. [o]>"Who are you talking to, Anon?"[/o]
  2427. >you whip your head towards the door to see Spike standing there
  2428. >he looks pretty confused, too
  2429. >When did Spike get here?
  2430. >how much did he see?
  2431. "You heard nothing, got it?"
  2432. [o]>"I don't know what I heard, but I'll keep it secret if you want."[/o]
  2433. >time for you to be the confused one
  2434. "Mind if I ask why you're here?"
  2435. [o]>"I wanted to do one last sweep of the castle before going to bed myself, and decided to say goodnight while I was over here."[/o]
  2436. >probably one of his list items from Twilight
  2437. >is he going to be doing this until she gets back?
  2438. >you might have to stop talking to Aryanne then
  2439. >don't want to look like some nutcase
  2440. "Alrighty then, goodnight."
  2441. [o]>"'Night!"[/o]
  2442. >and with that he goes back out into the hall and closes your door
  2443. >you turn back to your Aryanne, now without further interruptions
  2444. "That was a bit odd, but oh well."
  2445. >no response
  2446. "You think that was bad? When Twilight and I were at the Canterlot Castle, she came into the bathroom with me when I had to go!"
  2447. >awkward no response
  2448. "At least she was turned around so she couldn't see me, but yeah, that was pretty gay looking back. That's not even the worst part about Saturday, though."
  2449. >no response
  2450. "Don't worry, I won't tell you if you don't want to hear it."
  2451. >less awkward no response
  2452. "Anyway, I have to go to school again tomorrow, so I better get to sleep."
  2453. >you turn back towards your phone and set an alarm for 6:15
  2454. >plenty of time to get ready and go there
  2455. >sleep doesn't come easily at first, but it comes quickly once the sugar is filtered out of your system
  2456. >a decent first day of the week, all things considered
  2457. >. . .
  2458. >your dreams are not too bad this time
  2459. >they mainly consist of you (human) and Twilight hopping around different universes and seeing what's there
  2460. >included are some other fictional universes that you know of
  2461. >star wars/trek, pokemon, even 40K
  2462. >you two stopped the Death Star from blowing up, crippled a borg cube, caught a legendary, and even fought with Space Marines against the forces of chaos
  2463. >the interesting part happened when you were about to press the "EXTERMINATUS" button to clear off a planet held by chaos
  2464. >you feel a tap on your shoulder
  2465. >you turn around to see Princess Luna standing behind you
  2466. >"Are you the creature known as Anonymous?"
  2467. >she's pretty short, too
  2468. >are humans just complete giants to all ponies?
  2469. >probably
  2470. "Yeah, and to what do I owe your visit, your majesty?"
  2471. >trying to be as polite as you can, you also kneel down
  2472. >"Please, save the formality for my sister. I've come to ask a few questions."
  2473. >okay, nothing new so far
  2474. >you stand back up as she asks her first question
  2475. >"Were you the one who maxed the score on the guardstaff's Pac-Mare machine three times?"
  2476. >you were, and you're not ashamed in the slightest
  2477. "Yes I am."
  2478. >she develops a small smirk for an instant but is replaced by her calm demeanor again
  2479. >"Then I would like to congratulate you on beating my score and putting those guards even further in their place. However, I regret to inform you that your scores were wiped. Too many of them were complaining about the top three scores being S U C, M A I, and A S S."
  2480. >this makes you laugh yourself, you had forgotten what you put down for the initials
  2481. "Then tell them that they don't actually have to suck my ass!"
  2482. >this takes her completely by surprise and she's just barely able to hold in her own laughter
  2483. >she regains her composure after a few seconds, but still keeps a smile on her face
  2484. >"I'll tell them tomorrow, I hope you don't mind if I quote you directly."
  2485. >now that the fun's over, only one question remains in your mind
  2486. >maybe two
  2487. >okay, maybe even three, but you're pretty sure she isn't DTF
  2488. >first things first, though
  2489. "I just have to ask, how'd you figure out it was me?"
  2490. >"I heard that Twilight visited on Saturday and brought a guest that Celestia asked for personally. After confronting Tia about this, she told me who you are."
  2491. >guess that also answers your second question
  2492. >she didn't flip out about you because she knew what to expect
  2493. "Anything else you want to ask while you're here?"
  2494. >"Yes, is it true that your species has successfully sent members of it to the moon and back?"
  2495. >back to the moon, but she might as well know about it
  2496. "Yeah, back in 1969 we sent three guys there on the first of several missions. Only Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin actually got to land on it, though. Michael Collins had to stay back in the orbital craft and make sure that they had a way back."
  2497. >she looks genuinely stunned for a solid minute
  2498. >"You're going to need to tell me more about this later, I need to get back to work for now. Besides, it's nearly morning and you'll wake up soon."
  2499. "Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"
  2500. >"You will, you've managed to catch my attention in multiple ways, and unlike my sister, you don't need to visit me personally."
  2501. >and with that, she walks away and fades out of your dream
  2502. >now, where were you?
  2503. >oh yes, the "EXTERMINATUS" button!
  2504. >you pull your arm back dramatically and shoot it forward to press that big, shiny red button that will end all those cultists' lives
  2505. >as you push the button, you get a piercing ringing instead of the fire and brimstone you expected
  2506. >that must be your phone alarm
  2507. >you open your eyes with great disappointment at not being able to massacre chaos followers from orbit before waking up
  2508. >you shut off your alarm and roll out of bed, looking about as good as you feel judging by your reflection in the walls
  2509. >time to go find a bathroom so you can at least clean yourself up
  2510. >you grab your phone and wander out into the hallway to look for one
  2511. >still dark, this isn't going to be very fun
  2512. >you wander for a few minutes going door to door, and you find a bathroom
  2513. >yep, all the necessary equipment is necessary
  2514. >a shower, a toilet, and a sink
  2515. >time to clean up
  2516. >setting your phone down next to the sink, you turn on the shower to what you think is a reasonable temperature
  2517. >you check to make sure all the other necessary stuff is present while it's warming up
  2518. >yep, there's soap and shampoo
  2519. >there's a towel already on the rack
  2520. >you don't need clothes because you're a pony
  2521. >yep, you're good to go
  2522. >now the water just needs to get warm
  2523. >you take a seat on the toilet and wait
  2524. >you're not risking using your phone here, it's a lot easier to drop it without fingers and you don't want to fish it out if you do
  2525. >when you see the shower producing a significant amount of steam, you decide to test the water
  2526. >it's pretty spot on, temperature wise
  2527. >you get in and just stand for a few moments before actually cleaning yourself
  2528. >it takes some brainpower and effort, but you manage to get just about everything
  2529. >now to let the shower thoughts take you!
  2530. >it's pretty interesting to see where your mind takes you
  2531. >it drifts back to the Pac-Man machine
  2532. >after some contemplation, you come to the conclusion that Pac-Man may have been the first undead survival game, depending on the formal definition of that genre
  2533. >that's enough shower time, the water's starting to get a bit colder
  2534. >you step out and turn the water off
  2535. >after grabbing the towel, you dry off as best you can and pick your phone back up to leave
  2536. >you should probably find Spike, he might know where everything is
  2537. >but first you have to find your way to somewhere you can start looking
  2538. >might as well try to get back to the kitchen
  2539. >as you work your way along, eventually you're greeted by a pleasant smell that makes it much easer to find out where it is
  2540. >mere moments later, you find Spike in the kitchen working with a frying pan
  2541. >he's also got that gay little apron on
  2542. "Can I ask what's in the pan?"
  2543. >he visibly jumps at this and turns around
  2544. [o]>"Hi Anon, I didn't expect you to be awake yet. I was just making myself breakfast, want some?"[/o]
  2545. >you are pretty hungry
  2546. "Sure, what are you making?"
  2547. [o]>"I'm trying to make pancakes, and it's going pretty well so far."[/o]
  2548. >he tries to flip one using only the pan
  2549. >he barely catches it
  2550. [o]>"Do you want one or two?"[/o]
  2551. >you've never really been that big of a fan of pancakes, but you're being offered food
  2552. >at any rate, you'll just have one since they look pretty big
  2553. "Just one, do you know where the syrup is?"
  2554. >he looks back to the pan before looking back to you
  2555. [o]>"I think it's in the cabinet to your left."[/o]
  2556. >sure enough, the syrup's in that cabinet
  2557. >problem is, it's up too high for you to reach
  2558. >you look around for a solution, but there are no stools and the chairs look pretty heavy
  2559. >however, there's some room on the shelves leading up and the cabinet's firmly stuck to the wall
  2560. >you look at Spike, he's still paying attention to the pancakes
  2561. >you put a hoof up on the lowest shelf to test it
  2562. >it holds firmly, this crystal stuff must be pretty strong
  2563. >using this as leverage, you put your other hoof up on the next highest shelf
  2564. >this one holds too
  2565. >after a bit more trial, you soon manage to climb up the shelves and get to the level with the syrup
  2566. >success
  2567. >after grabbing the syrup, you begin making your way back down at a slower pace
  2568. >you really don't want to fall and drop all this sticky stuff on you in the process
  2569. [o]>"While I'm impressed with your idea, you could've asked me where a stool was."[/o]
  2570. >you look over your shoulder to see spike staring up at you, looking mildly amused
  2571. >you finish making your way down and use this time to construct a reply
  2572. >you put down the syrup bottle, and speak your mind now that your mouth is clear
  2573. "It worked, didn't it?"
  2574. [o]>"Heh, it did. Yours is on the table, and I'm pretty sure you know where all your school supplies are?"[/o]
  2575. "Yeah, they're probably back in my room. Hope I didn't have any homework, I don't really know how Cheerilee deals with that."
  2576. >Spike shrugs and goes back to the pan, now holding more batter
  2577. [o]>"I'm pretty sure it'll be fine, just check if you have it or not next time."[/o]
  2578. >you go take your place at the table with the syrup in tow and eat your pancake
  2579. >it's actually one of the best pancakes you've ever had
  2580. "Damn Spike, this is good!"
  2581. [o]>"Glad you like it, I messed up the recipe a bit. I might have to write that down for the future."[/o]
  2582. >after you finish, you check the time
  2583. >it's only 6:45
  2584. >you're doing alright
  2585. >you wander back up to your room to grab your stuff and make it there in record time
  2586. >you're getting better at this for sure
  2587. >your saddlebag is a bit easier to put on this time, since it's still fastened from when Twilight put it on you
  2588. >after another wander around the castle, you make it back to the kitchen
  2589. >Spike's now sitting at the table with his own pancake
  2590. "See ya later!"
  2591. >he swallows a bite that he took
  2592. [o]>"Have fun, and say hi to Sweetie Belle for me!"[/o]
  2593. >you'd rather not, but it's not exactly that hard to do
  2594. >you pick your phone up off the table and put it in your bag, then head down to the front door
  2595. >it takes longer than getting to your room, but you still make it in a few minutes
  2596. >stepping out to a beautiful morning, you make your way to school
  2597. >as you now have the opportunity to walk to school as opposed to being teleported, you decide to look around a bit beforehand
  2598. >this town is really quite beautiful in its simplicity
  2599. >plenty of houses and small businesses around
  2600. >/pol/ really would like it here
  2601. >it's a comfy town
  2602. >as you make the walk, the sun rises higher above the horizon
  2603. >when you get to school, there's a few minutes left before the bell rings, so you go and sit on that bench
  2604. >you pass quite a few fillies and colts along the way, including the CMC
  2605. >might as well get it over with now
  2606. >if you do it now, you won't have to do it later
  2607. >just do it, you pansy!
  2608. "Hey, Sweetie Belle?"
  2609. >she stops talking to the other two and turns towards you
  2610. [p]>"Hey Anonymous, how are you?"[/p]
  2611. >you don't have to do very much more, just say it and be done
  2612. "Spike told me to say hi to you for him, that's about it."
  2613. >she looks a bit disappointed that that's all you wanted to say, but she almost instantly brightens back up
  2614. [p]>"Alright, tell him I said hi too!"[/p]
  2615. "I'll do that. See you around."
  2616. >and with that, you walk off back towards your bench
  2617. >you have a good view of everything happening when you get back there
  2618. >you also notice DT and SS walking around near you
  2619. >when they see you, DT immediately starts walking a different direction
  2620. >dat nat 20 keeping its effect
  2621. >feelsgoodman.jpg
  2622. >after some more time spent sitting, the bell rings and you go inside to your desk
  2623. >same schedule as before, so you're pretty much just free to fall asleep again
  2624. >so, you do
  2625. >. . .
  2626. >your dreams aren't as eventful as the last night's while you're asleep in class
  2627. >Luna's probably off doing more important things
  2628. >the "EXTERMINATUS" button is nowhere to be found
  2629. >and you're a human sitting at a bar
  2630. >so far not that weird
  2631. >butwaitthere'smore.png
  2632. >Celestia's the bartender
  2633. [p]>"What would you like to drink?"[/p]
  2634. >you're not really a fan of alcohol, but fuck it
  2635. >you're 22 and this is a dream
  2636. "Jack and coke, please."
  2637. >Celestia makes you the drink and hands it to you
  2638. >as you drink it, you don't feel any different
  2639. >that's to be expected, it's not real after all
  2640. >still tastes pretty good though
  2641. >you might have to actually try this when you get back home
  2642. >or your mind might just be messing with you again
  2643. >speaking of your mind, you let it wander while you're sitting in the dream bar
  2644. >and of course, it goes back to that moment in the Canterlot Castle
  2645. >that one which you were never going to bring up again, especially around Celestia
  2646. >this is why you wish you had a different brain sometimes
  2647. >but this gives you an idea
  2648. >she didn't get to see it and you're starting to feel hot and bothered again for the 9000th time here
  2649. >are you sure that dream booze isn't affecting you?
  2650. >this is still a dream though, so why the fuck not?
  2651. "Hey Tia, want to come to the bathroom with me? We can pick up where we left off in the throne room, and I might be able to show you something new, too."
  2652. >she blushes, but the look on her face doesn't say no
  2653. [p]>"My shift ends soon, why not?"[/p]
  2654. >you get up from the stool you're sitting at and you two head off to the bathroom
  2655. >when you two get there, you enter a stall and she comes in with you
  2656. >you turn around to face her and start undoing your pants, but she stops you
  2657. [p]>"Can I?"[/p]
  2658. >why not?
  2659. >you stop and let her take over
  2660. >she gets your pants down fine
  2661. >she's about to get to your underwear
  2662. >sudden ringing
  2663. >GODDAMNIT
  2664. >COCKBLOCKED AGAIN BY REAL LIFE
  2665. >you open your eyes, now even more frustrated that you were this morning, to see the other school children running outside for recess
  2666. you get up too, and when you do you see a puddle on your own chair
  2667. >it's not pee
  2668. >let's hope no one sees that
  2669. >you go outside to join the rest of the class and take your spot on your bench
  2670. >it's pretty comfy, and the sun's nice and warm
  2671. >but you're not going to be able to get that dream back, or the other one
  2672. >so you just sit in disappointment
  2673. >eventually everyone goes inside again, so you follow them in
  2674. >you stay awake through science class but don't pay attention
  2675. >instead you pull your phone out and play with it under the desk
  2676. >when history comes, you put it back away because Twilight wants you to pay attention here
  2677. >it's not as interesting as the lesson about Germaneigh, but it's still new information
  2678. >Apparently Celestia only formally accepted her role as Princess 1,215 years ago, and was supposed to be splitting her duties with Luna
  2679. >we all know how that went
  2680. >it's not too much of a problem though, everything's somewhat alright now
  2681. >when the lunch bell rings and you go outside, you realized that you never grabbed any food
  2682. >fug
  2683. >you sit and wait in hunger, your pancake from this morning having already been digested
  2684. >you're gonna have to ask Spike about food when you get back
  2685. >the other ponies are all eating their food, and you don't have any friends to ask about it
  2686. >at least you have food at the castle, there are other yous stuck with Twilights that don't feed them
  2687. >or worse, you could be stuck in Lone15's story
  2688. >that filly's gonna fucking die, but here you are bitching about forgetting your food
  2689. >that thought doesn't really make you feel better when you remember that there are also other yous that didn't forget their lunches
  2690. >oh well, only a couple more hours until you can bug Spike about it
  2691. >after a long, foodless wait, the lunch bell rings and you head back inside
  2692. >writing is pretty easy again
  2693. >you notice Ms. Cheerilee staring at you while writing
  2694. >probably miring your skills with a pencil
  2695. >either that, or she thinks you're weird for using your hoof to write
  2696. >fuck what she thinks, this works for you and it works well!
  2697. >you hand in the assignment and use the rest of your time to keep writing
  2698. >you write through your first day of school right as your second day of school ends
  2699. >time to go bother Spike about lunch!
  2700. >you pack up your stuff and leave, making it back to the castle in about 20 minutes
  2701. >you open the door
  2702. >get on the floor
  2703. >and yell at the "dinosaur" in the building with you
  2704. "Hey Spike, where are you?!"
  2705. >he yells back a couple of seconds later
  2706. [o]>"I'm in the library!"[/o]
  2707. >time to go to the library
  2708. >you go to your room and drop off your bag and then try to find the library
  2709. >no success
  2710. >have you even been to the library?
  2711. >how would human you deal with this?
  2712. >you got it
  2713. "MARCO!"
  2714. >silence
  2715. >is marco polo even a thing here?
  2716. [o]>"What!?"[/o]
  2717. >it must not be
  2718. >looks like you'll have to explain it
  2719. "Just yell back POLO when I yell MARCO, got it!?"
  2720. >silence for another second
  2721. [o]>"Sure, Whatever!"[/o]
  2722. >and so this continues for about 10 minutes until you find your way to the library
  2723. >you see spike standing on a ladder dusting a bunch of books
  2724. "Hey, what's up?"
  2725. >he looks down from his perch
  2726. [o]>"Doing list things. Speaking of which, I'm gonna need your help for some of this."[/o]
  2727. >your help?
  2728. >is it really that hard to do himself?
  2729. >did you really not expect this, though?
  2730. >you knew you were going to have to help him to not fuck up at some point, just not for him to ask you directly
  2731. "Alright, but other matters first. I forgot to grab a lunch for myself, what's in the fridge?"
  2732. >Spike slides down the ladder holding the duster
  2733. [o]>"There's some stuff there, and I haven't eaten lunch either. Let's go eat!"[/o]
  2734. >not too long later, you and Spike are digging through the refrigerator
  2735. >it's all just vegetables, kinda disappointing
  2736. >but what isn't, in this world of vegans
  2737. [o]>"See anything you want, or any ideas on what to make?"[/o]
  2738. "Nah, it's all just vegetables to me."
  2739. >you look a bit deeper in the fridge and find something that you can work with
  2740. >a carton of eggs
  2741. "Do you mind if I make lunch, since you made breakfast?"
  2742. >Spike looks over to you
  2743. [o]>"Do you know how to make what you're gonna make?"[/o]
  2744. >fuck yeah, you do!
  2745. >it's one of the few things you know how to do without microwave instructions!
  2746. "Yeah, I know."
  2747. [o]>"Alright, just don't set anything on fire."[/o]
  2748. >stupid dragon, he's the one who sets things on fire!
  2749. >you grab the rest of the materials you need
  2750. >butter, a pan, a bowl, a fork, and a spoon
  2751. >time to make some motherfucking eggs
  2752. >after some trial and error, you figure out a good way to crack the eggs into the bowl
  2753. >from there, it's all much easier
  2754. >in a few minutes, you've got two plates of scrambled eggs done
  2755. >finally, something with protein!
  2756. >you put away the unused eggs and butter and put the dirty dishes with the used ice cream bowls from yesterday
  2757. >you give a plate of eggs to Spike and sit down to eat your own plate
  2758. >you also grabbed forks for both of you, because you still don't like the idea of shoving your face into food after the spaghetti incident
  2759. >as you start eating, you notice Spike just staring at what's in front of him
  2760. [o]>"What is this?"[/o]
  2761. >he points to the plate with a confused look
  2762. "Dude, it's scrambled eggs. Just try it, I swear it's not that bad."
  2763. >he reluctantly tries a bit, and then starts eating it more normally
  2764. [o]>"Where'd you learn to make this, it tastes good!"[/o]
  2765. >you can't tell him exactly where, but you can generalize
  2766. "I learned to make it at home."
  2767. >not exactly the whole truth, but definitely not a lie
  2768. >you go back to eating as Spike decides to make another comment about your choice of food
  2769. [o]>"You might have to teach me how to make this, I've never even seen it before."[/o]
  2770. >all in due time, Spike
  2771. >you finish your food and take the plate to the dirty dish pile
  2772. >Spike finishes his food and does the same
  2773. "Alright, so what do you need my help with?"
  2774. [o]>"We have to go and pick up some things, and before you ask, it IS a two-pony job. She even wrote that down, funnily enough."[/o]
  2775. >as you follow Spike to the door, you can only help but think that what you're going to be helping with is either dangerous, important, or both
  2776. >you'll just have to wait and see
  2777. >as you and Spike are walking to where Spike needs the two of you to be, your thirst for knowledge grows unbearable
  2778. "What are we even getting?"
  2779. >Spike checks the list that he's carrying with him
  2780. [o]>"Uh... A few potions from Zecora."[/o]
  2781. >that's it?
  2782. >potions?
  2783. >there must be a lot of them that are pretty important for Twilight to need you to go with Spike
  2784. "Does it say what they're for?"
  2785. [o]>"No, it just says what they are and how much of them we should be getting."[/o]
  2786. >well that's boring
  2787. "Anything else we need to do while we're out, then?"
  2788. >Spike pulls the list even further open and starts reading it
  2789. [o]>"Nope, not that I can tell. Just these potions, and we need to bring them to her lab."[/o]
  2790. >her lab?
  2791. >that's more interesting!
  2792. >Maybe you could get into some of those machine parts you saw earlier and make something cool
  2793. >show purple that she's not the only smart one around here
  2794. >or you could fail miserably and hurt yourself or ruin some perfectly good parts
  2795. >probably not the best idea
  2796. >oh well, this time you might actually get to explore it a bit instead of just going straight to one place to look at one thing
  2797. >exploring it would be good enough for now
  2798. >as you imagine what untold wonders lie inside Twilight's laboratory, you two get closer and closer to the Everfree Forest
  2799. >eventually, the treeline looms directly in front of you and you have no choice but to acknowledge how imposing it all looks
  2800. "Zecora actually lives in here?"
  2801. >Spike looks up at the treetops and then into the forest
  2802. [o]>"Yeah, I don't get it either. It must be a personal choice for her, that's all I can think of."[/o]
  2803. >at least here the ziggers stay to themselves
  2804. >if only that translated over to Earth
  2805. >such wishful thinking won't help, though
  2806. >it'll just distract you from real solutions
  2807. >besides, don't you have something you're supposed to be doing?
  2808. >you pull yourself back to reality and follow Spike into the trees
  2809. >the Everfree Forest isn't as spooky as you thought, at least not near the edge
  2810. >it's just a regular forest, as far as you can tell here
  2811. >you see a deer not too far off
  2812. >pretty!
  2813. >there's also a small pond a bit farther in
  2814. >neat!
  2815. >not too bad of a walk so far, light is still filtering through the treetops in beautiful patterns
  2816. >as you get farther in, the canopy gets thicker and less light gets through
  2817. >now it's not as pretty
  2818. >the ponds you pass are now a bit more stagnant looking
  2819. >and no deer to be found
  2820. >it's also getting a lot spookier very quickly
  2821. >you notice yourself getting closer to Spike, who also seems to be noticing the change
  2822. >you two continue like this for another few minutes
  2823. >suddenly, he stops abruptly
  2824. >you do too, since he's still leading you around
  2825. >he's frozen for another few seconds, which gives you the chance to hear something
  2826. >wood cracking and shifting
  2827. >and a lot of it, judging by the sound
  2828. >it's also coming from all around you two
  2829. >finally Spike interrupts the sound with a whisper
  2830. [o]>"Oh no, we're dead out in the open like this!"[/o]
  2831. >why are we dead?
  2832. >what's going on?
  2833. >with questions buzzing through your head, you immediately whisper your own question
  2834. "Wait, what? Why are we whispering?"
  2835. >Spike turns to you with a look of terror on his face
  2836. [o]>"Timberwolves!"[/o]
  2837. >timberwolves?
  2838. >that's it?
  2839. >didn't Applejack make one explode with a few rocks?
  2840. >pffft, this isn't that bad!
  2841. >you stay standing, as calm as ever with Spike metaphorically shitting himself next to you
  2842. "Dude, it's not that bad, it's just a bunch of wood! What are they gonna do, give us splinters?"
  2843. >he turns towards you with an expression that tells you that you've gone full retard
  2844. [o]>"Timberwolves are one of the most dangerous animals in the forest on their own, and it sounds like an ENTIRE PACK found us!"[/o]
  2845. >you soon get an even better idea of just how wrong you are when you see one of them step out from behind a tree
  2846. >it's big
  2847. >it's ugly
  2848. >and judging by all those scars, it's one mean son of a birch
  2849. >and he's looking straight at you!
  2850. >you lose whatever confidence you had almost instantly and your survival instinct kicks into maximum overdrive to find a way out of this
  2851. >right now it's about 50 feet away
  2852. >can you run?
  2853. >even if you could, where?
  2854. >you look around, noticing a few other timberwolves starting to close in as well
  2855. >nope, can't do flight
  2856. >guess you'll just have to fight
  2857. >but how?
  2858. >the only things around you are trees, sticks, pebbles, and Spike
  2859. >wait
  2860. >Spike!
  2861. >that's it!
  2862. >you regain all of your former confidence as a plan forms in your head, and you whisper to Spike
  2863. "We're gonna be fine, I have a plan!"
  2864. >Spike stops being scared and turns to you
  2865. [o]>"Let me hear it, it's probably better than just letting them kill us."[/o]
  2866. >a grin spreads across your face as you put the finishing touches on your plan
  2867. "Okay, so timberwolves are wood, right?"
  2868. [o]>"Yeah, but I don't know how that helps us."[/o]
  2869. >wow, does he really not see it yet?
  2870. >guess you'll just have to tell him
  2871. "You're a dragon! You have fire! Breathe in their general direction, and they die instead of us!"
  2872. >he gets a more worried expression hearing this
  2873. [o]>"I don't know if I can, I've only used my fire to send letters!"[/o]
  2874. >you get mildly frustrated at this
  2875. >every second not putting this plan into action is a second closer to actually dying!
  2876. "Then try to send them to a volcano, or something! Just breathe fire at them!"
  2877. >the sound of heavy growling from close by tells you that Big Ugly has almost closed the gap
  2878. "It's now or never, Spike! Just breathe deep and thin hot thoughts!"
  2879. >Spike turns towards Big Ugly, now only about 15 feet away, grits his teeth, inhales, and closes his eyes
  2880. >Big Ugly takes this opportunity to jump straight at you two
  2881. >you crouch down and say another prayer as he rapidly closes this remaining gap
  2882. >right as he's about to tackle you two however, he gets blasted by a huge cloud of green fire
  2883. >direct hit!
  2884. >when the fire dissipates, you see that it did some pretty heavy damage to Big Ugly, and even managed to catch!
  2885. >success!
  2886. >as it tries to deal with the now spreading fire consuming it, Big Ugly gets increasingly erratic
  2887. >eventually it drops to the ground, and its green eyes fade as Spike's fire turns the rest of its body to ash
  2888. >that
  2889. >was
  2890. >cool!
  2891. >You look around, scouting the other timberwolves' reactions to this
  2892. >they all look pretty horrified
  2893. >guess that guy was their Alpha or something
  2894. >one of them eventually breaks rank and runs back off into the forest yelping
  2895. >the rest of them follow, doing the same
  2896. >heh, pussies!
  2897. >you then turn back to Spike, who has a look of awe on his face
  2898. [o]>"I actually did it... I actually did it!"[/o]
  2899. "Good job, you saved us!"
  2900. >he turns towards you
  2901. [o]>"No, YOU saved us! I was just ready to sit there and accept it, but you had a plan that worked!"[/o]
  2902. >you two turn into an adrenaline-fueled giddy mess about what just happened
  2903. >soon you two hear something else, but it's definitely not a timberwolf
  2904. >"What is all this commotion I hear, and why are there timberwolves running in fear?"
  2905. >it's Zecora
  2906. >if only she'd seen what just happened
  2907. >Spike is the first to greet her
  2908. [o]>"You missed it, Zecora! We were attacked by timberwolves, but Anonymous here had a brilliant plan and I completely torched one!"[/o]
  2909. >she looks down to the pile of ash in front of you two with a surprised look on her face
  2910. >"I'm glad you two had them beat, fighting even one timberwolf is no easy feat! Now please follow me back, I have what you seek safe at my shack."
  2911. >she said it, not you
  2912. >Zecora leads you two back to her hut without any more interruptions from the wildlife
  2913. >when you all get there, she goes inside and comes out with two baskets of bottles
  2914. >they're all full of brightly colored fluids and labeled accordingly
  2915. >you watch as Spike goes through them all, checking labels and sizes off of the list
  2916. >it's pretty boring to watch, but eventually he finishes checking off one basket and pushes it over to you
  2917. [o]>"Can you handle carrying this one, Anon?"[/o]
  2918. >you look at the basket a bit closer
  2919. >it's just a wicker basket, but it does have a sturdy enough handle
  2920. >you can carry this
  2921. >you grab the handle in your mouth, trying to not think about where it's been
  2922. "Mmhmm!"
  2923. >it's not a very heavy basket, either
  2924. >Spike finishes checking off the second basket and picks it up
  2925. [o]>"That's everything, thanks Zecora!"[/o]
  2926. >she turns back to go inside and looks back at you two
  2927. >"I hope your return trip goes alright, this forest is more dangerous in the dark and it's almost night."
  2928. [o]>"Don't worry, we'll be fine. I've got Anon with me!"[/o]
  2929. >"Just remember to follow the light of the moon, and you two will be back at your castle soon!"
  2930. >she waves over her shoulder and goes inside while Spike starts walking back out of the forest
  2931. >have you two really been in here for that long?
  2932. >time flies when you have something to do!
  2933. >with your goods in tow, you and Spike make your way back out of the forest without further incident
  2934. >soon enough, you look up and see the moon staring you straight in the face
  2935. >it really has been that long!
  2936. >you two make it back to the castle about 20 minutes after that
  2937. >as Spike holds open the door for you, you take one last look at the moon before going inside
  2938. >as you two make your way down to the lab, Spike takes the lead again
  2939. >the forced silence by you having to carry the basket in your mouth allows you to think about some things
  2940. >Spike seemed pretty unprepared to go into the forest before
  2941. >is this not the same universe as the show?
  2942. >if not, how many other differences are present?
  2943. >if it is, then what's his excuse?
  2944. >you might have to ask him
  2945. >after you can speak without dropping everything, that is
  2946. >after you two get back down to that huge set of doors, Spike puts his hand on the same spot Twilight did
  2947. >the doors open, but when you look inside you see that a lot of the cool stuff from earlier has been blocked off by magic barriers
  2948. >guess she doesn't want Spike touching her stuff
  2949. [o]>"I think we can just put these over here."[/o]
  2950. >Spike gestures to an area with a large cabinet containing loads of different colored vials and test tubes
  2951. >strangely, it's the only area not blocked off
  2952. >Twilight must have thought this is where we'd put them
  2953. >does that mean she programmed all this security before leaving?
  2954. >she must work fast, either that or she can do this while she's doing something else
  2955. >you two get over to the large cabinet and put down your baskets
  2956. >turns out it's not open, it just has clear doors
  2957. >not wanting to lose the chance to explore a bit more, you decide to look at its contents
  2958. >only with your eyes though
  2959. >for now
  2960. >"CONCENTRATED SPELLS"
  2961. >this could be pretty interesting
  2962. >you get closer to try to read some of the individual labels, but Spike chimes in
  2963. [o]>"Anon, I don't think you should touch any of that. It could turn out pretty bad, not even I know what half of them do."[/o]
  2964. >stupid dragon, didn't even prepare for every eventuality back in the forest!
  2965. >why should you listen?
  2966. >besides, you aren't actually going to touch any
  2967. "Relax Purple Junior, I wasn't going to touch any."
  2968. [o]>"Purple Junior?"[/o]
  2969. >you turn back towards Spike who is now confused by that comment
  2970. >did you really just say that out loud?
  2971. >shit, you did say that out loud
  2972. >what now?
  2973. >do you play it down and apologize, or just pretend like it never happened
  2974. >never happened it is
  2975. "What?"
  2976. [o]>"Did you just call me Purple Junior?"[/o]
  2977. "I think I would remember saying that."
  2978. [o]>"Whatever, I just wanted to know what that meant."[/o]
  2979. >success
  2980. >you're not sure how the other option would've gone, but it's too late to find out
  2981. >maybe some other you tried it
  2982. >let's hope he's okay
  2983. >oh well, enough thinking about what's already happened
  2984. >time to see what "concentrated spells" Twilight has!
  2985. [o]>"You better not touch any, seriously. There's probably a good reason they're locked down here in the lab."[/o]
  2986. >you ignore Spike and get your face nice and close to read labels
  2987. >Transformation, Time (forward), Time (reverse), Heat, Cold, Growth, Decay, Teleportation, Animation
  2988. >at least those spells seem fairly straightforward
  2989. >except Animation, that one's a bit more difficult to guess
  2990. >you wonder if you could get away with asking Twilight about it when she gets back
  2991. >maybe if you word it right you could get an answer
  2992. >nah, you'd just screw that up
  2993. "Alright, I've seen all I wanted."
  2994. [o]>"I'm just glad you didn't touch any, now let's go. I don't know if Twilight has this place monitored or not, and I don't want her getting suspicious."[/o]
  2995. >why would he get suspicious?
  2996. >does he think you're some kind of a midget super spy from a neighboring state?
  2997. >no, you're just a clueless alien with a sense of curiosity
  2998. >he'd probably act the same way on Earth, if he ever went there
  2999. >well, if he wasn't captured by some government and held there until they pulled all the information out of him that they could
  3000. >that wouldn't be pretty, at least you get to look at a nice color palette while you're stuck here
  3001. >Earth was pretty okay-tier when it came to aesthetics, and CIA-gray isn't the most popping of colors
  3002. >the US probably wouldn't be too keen on letting him go, either
  3003. >they'd probably run experiments on him and dissect him when he inevitably croaks
  3004. >dang, this got morbid fast!
  3005. >let's take a few steps back, shall we?
  3006. >wait, where'd Spike go?
  3007. [o]>"Anon? If you're done standing there, we could go back upstairs now."[/o]
  3008. >he's over by the door
  3009. >dangit, quit getting so lost in your thoughts!
  3010. "Hold on, I got really sidetracked."
  3011. >you trot over to the door as he opens it, and the two of you step out
  3012. >you lead the way back up the stairs this time, since Spike asked
  3013. >he must not want you going back for whatever reason
  3014. >it's not like you could get in even if you wanted to, those doors are too thick and you aren't him or Twilight
  3015. >on a completely unrelated note, you can ask those questions now
  3016. >thanks again, brain, for the weirdest timing on your reminders!
  3017. "You know, I've been thinking. We were pretty unprepared for what happened in the Everfree back there, were we just supposed to hope for the best?"
  3018. [o]>"I actually had an idea of how to deal with anything we might come across at that depth, I just didn't expect timberwolves."[/o]
  3019. >did he not remember that time when they went so far that they COMPLETELY LEFT THE FOREST?
  3020. "Don't they have some pretty big ranges, though? It seems like one of the things we should've expected the most."
  3021. [o]>"Part of the reason that I didn't bother is that they haven't come that close to the edge of the forest in a long time, and I didn't expect them to come back any time soon. Especially not after what happened to drive them that far in, at least."[/o]
  3022. >is he talking about when a bunch of them pulled a Voltron but still got BTFO?
  3023. >might as well ask
  3024. "What drove them in?"
  3025. >Spike pretty much confirms what you already knew
  3026. >you're not sure what you expected
  3027. [o]>"But yeah, that was entirely my fault. I had a plan for rockodiles, a manticore, and even a possible hydra but I didn't have a plan for timberwolves."[/o]
  3028. >a plan for a hydra?
  3029. >you really want to hear about that one!
  3030. "What was the plan for a hydra?"
  3031. >he shrugs and gets a small grin
  3032. [o]>"Hide before it sees us, and if it does, say a prayer to Celestia and run."[/o]
  3033. >yeah, that's about all you could do against a hydra
  3034. >you two reach the ground floor and you let Spike take the lead again
  3035. "What now?"
  3036. [o]>"It's pretty late, so I was thinking about eating. I'm pretty sure you're fine with that?"[/o]
  3037. >yes, you are
  3038. >side quests make you hungry
  3039. "Then let's get some food."
  3040. >Spike leads you back to the kitchen and opens a cabinet when you two get there
  3041. >he pulls out his gay apron and a less gay-looking spare, probably for you
  3042. [o]>"Wanna help?"[/o]
  3043. >he offers it to you, and you accept it
  3044. >this should be fun
  3045. "So, what are we making?"
  3046. >he opens the fridge and looks around
  3047. [o]>"Hmmm, I have some ideas, but I need to see what's in the pantry before I make any decisions."[/o]
  3048. >he takes a minute to look inside a cabinet containing even more food
  3049. >you attempt to tie the apron around yourself while he does this
  3050. >you're about as successful as when you first tried to put on your saddlebag
  3051. >you do manage to get it after trying to put it on like a cape first and laying on your back to tie it
  3052. >stupid mudhorse body, this used to be easy before you got stuck in here!
  3053. >you stand back up just as Spike finishes gathering ingredients and hardware
  3054. [o]>"I've figured out what we're gonna make!"[/o]
  3055. >you walk over and look at the ingredients
  3056. >you can't immediately tell, but there's still no meat anywhere near here
  3057. >fucking vegans
  3058. >Spike's a dragon, too!
  3059. >shouldn't he be all about meat?
  3060. "I have no idea what any of this is for. Can you explain?"
  3061. [o]>"I guess you've never had stir fry before, I hope you like it."[/o]
  3062. >oh, that's what it all makes!
  3063. >you just feel silly now
  3064. >you two get to work, with Spike mainly telling you what to do and handling all the more complex parts himself
  3065. >you're still kind of a brainlet when it comes to food preparation, but you remembered to wash your hooves before you started without him reminding you
  3066. >after a few more minutes, you two have completed the dish
  3067. >and you only burned yourself twice!
  3068. >that counts as a success, right?
  3069. >oh well, at least it was healed well enough with cold water
  3070. >you grab a bowl of the stir fry and a fork and go sit down at the table
  3071. >Spike joins you at the table shortly after having placed all the used dishes on the pile
  3072. >you start eating, and it's not bad
  3073. >could still use something of substance, but not bad at all
  3074. "Thanks for dinner, man. It's good!"
  3075. >Spike finishes chewing a bite he took and swallows it
  3076. [o]>"No problem, just remind me to not let you near the stove again."[/o]
  3077. >he laughs after saying that
  3078. >the rest of dinner goes well and you bring your dishes over to the now decently sized pile
  3079. >this is getting pretty big, should you do something about it?
  3080. "Hey Spike, think we should clean some of these?"
  3081. >he followed you over with his own dishes, so he's also surveying the damages
  3082. [o]>"I'll handle it, you should probably see if you have any homework today."[/o]
  3083. >homework?
  3084. >you weren't paying attention again, do you have any?
  3085. >it's definitely too late to ask anypony about it, you may just have to see what you got handed today for assignments and go from that
  3086. "I'll go check then. Good night, if I don't see you again today."
  3087. >Spike's already started pulling the pile apart and cleaning the pieces
  3088. [o]>"Alright, see you tomorrow!"[/o]
  3089. >you walk back up to your room, having finally figured out how to get there without getting lost
  3090. >time to see what you have to do before tomorrow
  3091. >as far as you can tell from searching through papers, nothing
  3092. >oh well
  3093. >looking over at your bed, you suddenly feel the weight of the day's events hit you and you're instantly wiped
  3094. >you decide to check your phone for the time
  3095. >10:30, that's pretty late for a school night!
  3096. >you can hear your mom yelling at you across dimensions to go to bed
  3097. >frig off mom, you're not here!
  3098. >I bet Twilight wouldn't care if I stayed up this late!
  3099. >now that you're done with your imaginary argument with your mom, you crawl in next to your Aryanne and go to sleep
  3100. >. . .
  3101. >your dreams are fairly similar to the daydream you had in school, except this time there's no bartender Celestia
  3102. >that's good, you could be expecting Luna any minute
  3103. >instead, you're back wandering around your college with a bunch of EqG abominations
  3104. >why are you even here?
  3105. >why are these here?
  3106. >fucking disgusting, no human is supposed to be these colors!
  3107. >you walk away from this mess as far as you can, at least until the render distance shifts to let you not see them anymore
  3108. >the rest of the town is deserted, though
  3109. >oh well, more room for activities
  3110. >now what do you do?
  3111. >well, you could try to recreate the Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny, but this isn't Tokyo
  3112. >or is it?
  3113. >you concentrate as hard as you can with everything you know about Japan's capital and try to project it on to the environment around you
  3114. >nope.jpg
  3115. >apparently just because it's your dream doesn't mean you can do anything you want
  3116. >dang
  3117. >can you at least summon in different beings to join you?
  3118. >you focus as hard as you can on Godzilla, trying to make your brain take the hint
  3119. >after a few seconds, you stop since Godzilla hasn't appeared
  3120. >when you look down at the street, however, there is a gecko in front of you!
  3121. >it's not the king of the kaiju, but it's sure better than nothing
  3122. >sadly, it probably can't handle a bat-grenade or eat Optimus Prime
  3123. >it could definitely sneak up on Indiana Jones, though
  3124. >you'll work on it
  3125. >one day, you shall dream the Ultimate Showdown
  3126. >and it will be amazing
  3127. >old memes are the best, most of them age like fine wine
  3128. >might as well take Godzilla Jr. over to the college and see how badly he can mess up the abominations there while you're waiting
  3129. >you pick up the gecko in your left hand and put it on your right shoulder
  3130. >it stays right there because it knows it's your dream lizard
  3131. >if it's this obedient here, imagine what'll happen when you get back!
  3132. >you make the walk back to your college to see that all those "humans" are still populating the area
  3133. >you set down Godzilla Jr. on the ground and concentrated on him a bit more
  3134. >when you open your eyes again, he's about the size of a horse
  3135. >success!
  3136. >you hop on its back and start your rampage through the school because fuck it, it's your dream and you can do whatever you want here
  3137.  
  3138. >be Princess Luna
  3139. >you've checked on everything else you need to for the night, time to see what Anonymous is up to
  3140. >you close your eyes and concentrate on him for a second as you teleport to his dreamscape
  3141. >when you open your eyes, you see that you're in a town
  3142. >it looks like Manehattan in style, but it's buildings are much smaller and still different in a way that you can't quite tell
  3143. >is this what an average human town looks like?
  3144. >so far you can't tell where he is, as the area seems deserted
  3145. >you're going to have to track him through his own mind if you don't want to be searching until the dream ends, and you don't want to be stuck in somepony else's dream when it ends
  3146. >then it's just a mess to get back out of later
  3147. >after searching through the layers of his subconscious, you eventually get a lock on his location here
  3148. >you wander this town for another few minutes until you find another complex of buildings that shows signs of life
  3149. >well, showed
  3150. >much to your horror, you see blood and viscera splattered all around this courtyard and a set of very large tracks going through it all
  3151. >this is bad, Anonymous might be in danger!
  3152. >the dream still isn't fading so he's still active here, but if he dies here it could give him some lasting brain damage!
  3153. >you run into the complex as fast as you can, keeping on as close a path to Anonymous as you can
  3154. >it's not easy to do so, this area's pretty enclosed and it won't help much trying to fly around these buildings
  3155. >you can only hope that you get to him before whatever monster is causing this does
  3156. >eventually you come to a dead-end blocked off by a large wall
  3157. >Anonymous should be right on the other side of it!
  3158. >but you also hear screaming
  3159. >the monster must have found him first!
  3160. >in a split-second decision, you decide to blow the wall with a magic bolt
  3161. >you charge up the spell as fast as you can and fire off a shot that sends the wall crumbling inwards in a cloud of dust
  3162.  
  3163. >be Anonymous
  3164. >your fuck-it fueled rampage atop Godzilla Jr. was cut short by an explosion caving in the wall to your right
  3165. >it sends up a massive cloud of dust that has you pull your shirt over your nose until you remember that it isn't real dust
  3166. >"CEASE YOUR AGGRESSION BEFORE I BANISH THEE, BEAST"
  3167. >that voice
  3168. >it's Luna!
  3169. >is she talking to you?
  3170. >guess you might have some explaining to do
  3171. "Hold on, don't shoot! I can explain!"
  3172. >you jump off of Godzilla Jr.'s back as the dust clears
  3173. >you walk up to Luna, who is at first thankful to see that you're alright
  3174. >this changes to a look of horror, disgust, and confusion when she sees what's going on in the room
  3175. >bloodstained walls and even more viscera, as well as Godzilla Jr. chewing on what's left of someone
  3176. >"I don't think an explanation's necessary, I have enough of an idea of what's happened now."
  3177. >her face has turned a slight shade of green, and she doesn't look so good
  3178. "Hold on, I'll get you to the bathroom. You don't look alright."
  3179. >she lets you lead her away from the scene in that room and over to a nearby bathroom
  3180. >as soon as she gets to a sink, she immediately hops up and pukes into it
  3181. >poor thing, you guess ponies' dreams aren't this violent or detailed
  3182. >she really shouldn't see any of your nightmares, then
  3183. >it's probably also a good idea that she didn't know what the "EXTERMINATUS" button did either
  3184. >you stand next to her, unsure of what to do for a few more seconds until she picks her head up and wipes off her mouth
  3185. "Are you alright?"
  3186. >"No, not after seeing that."
  3187. >she mumbles something under her breath, and you can barely make out some of what she said
  3188. >something about Tia being right and you being a savage
  3189. >you would feel offended, but now that you think about it, this was a pretty barbaric and disgusting dream
  3190. "Yeah, sorry about this. I guess earlier events put the seed of violence in my mind."
  3191. >Luna looks more blue than green again, at least
  3192. >she's also regained the composure she had from her last visit
  3193. >"Shall we pick up where we left off, or is there anything new you'd like to say?"
  3194. >shit, where did you two leave off?
  3195. >that's right, moon landings
  3196. "Well, we humans have been to the moon several times with probes and a few times with actual people. There were supposed to be 7 missions that went there from my home country, but only 6 actually made it. The 7th had to skip the landing because of technical difficulties."
  3197. >Luna seems to have pushed the recent happenings of your dream out of her head and is now focusing on what you're saying more than anything else
  3198. >so you continue to explain everything you know about the Apollo missions carried out by the US and include a few other things that you remember about Soviet probes and some planned Chinese and Indian probes
  3199. >by the time you've explained that, she seems to have forgotten all about the mess in the next room, still being guarded by Godzilla Jr.
  3200. >instead she's turned her focus entirely towards the subject of space and what humans have done with it
  3201. >"What else has your species done in terms of space travel?"
  3202. "Well, we've created multiple space stations, one of which is used by almost every developed country as a place to study space and how it affects things."
  3203. >"And you have been able to send other humans there?"
  3204. "Yes, we have. That space station is constantly occupied by people too, but the people rotate out every so often."
  3205. >she seems absolutely stunned by this
  3206. >while she's taking in that statement, you decide to try to clean up your dream a bit by removing every entity but you and Luna
  3207. >you close your eyes and concentrate
  3208. >you open them a few seconds later, not knowing whether you succeeded or not
  3209. >she's back to looking at you, so if you're going to check you're going to need to do it discreetly
  3210. >ah fuck it, the worst that can happen is that she sees what she's already seen
  3211. "Hold on, I'm gonna check something."
  3212. >you stick your head out of the bathroom, and to your relief, it worked
  3213. >no more blood and guts, but no Godzilla Jr. either
  3214. "Alright, I cleaned up the damages I caused. Would you like to take a walk around with me?"
  3215.  
  3216. >be Luna
  3217. >Anonymous went on a murderous rampage in his dream with the help of what you think is a giant gecko before you showed up
  3218. >he managed to distract you with more facts about humans and their adventures in space, but you're still pretty shaken
  3219. >he said he's fixed it, but do you really want to see?
  3220. >not wanting to be rude and incur the wrath of a human, you accept his offer
  3221. "I think some fresh air would help, Let's go."
  3222. >as you two step out, you see that he has actually fixed it
  3223. >maybe he's not as much of an uncaring monster as this dream suggests
  3224. >humanity must be an enigma if Anonymous is a good example of an average man
  3225. >it's hard to believe that Twilight convinced him to become a filly
  3226. >was he convinced?
  3227. >you're not entirely sure, you never got the chance to ask her about it
  3228. >something to write her a letter about, definitely
  3229. >but back to what's around you
  3230. >this dreamscape may look a bit odd, but it has its charm
  3231. "Would you mind terribly if I asked you where we are?"
  3232. >Anonymous looks around and shrugs
  3233. >"This is where I went to college before being brought to Equestria. It's a nice campus, but I never went outside that much. Want me to show you around?"
  3234. >this place is impressive enough from just walking around it, it must be 3 times the size of an average Equestrian college!
  3235. >would you two even be able to complete a tour before the dream changed?
  3236. "Why not show me where you spent the most time?"
  3237. >"Alright, I'll give you the top five, in no particular order."
  3238. >he leads you inside a large building and down a set of stairs
  3239. >"This is the computer science room where I had my programming classes."
  3240. >the room is full of dark-colored boxes, flat black panels, some other devices, and a bunch of things that look like typewriters, but flatter and with many more buttons
  3241. >are these computers?
  3242. >you look back to Anonymous after you've finished scanning the room
  3243. >"Ready to move on?"
  3244. >you nod, and he leads you back out and up the stairs
  3245. >instead of going back out though, he climbs further up
  3246. >you follow him up, and he turns into a hallway and into a different room
  3247. >this one's got a few of those computers from the other one, but it's also got more open space in the middle
  3248. >"This is the room where my engineering classes take place, it usually has more people and machines in it though."
  3249. >machines?
  3250. >those machines must run off of electricity if it's true that humans don't have magic
  3251. >that must be a nightmare to work with, magic is a lot easier to use in a circuit
  3252. >if only you could've looked at one of those machines he mentioned, then you'd be able to know for sure
  3253. >you turn back to him, signalling you're ready to move on
  3254. >"Alright, the next two places aren't going to be very interesting, so I'll just walk you past them."
  3255. "What makes them so uninteresting?"
  3256. >"I'm pretty sure that advanced mathematics and cafeterias exist in Equestria, but feel free to correct me if they don't."
  3257. >point taken
  3258. "Alright, you might as well just bring me back to the last spot you wanted to show me if the other spots are really that boring."
  3259. >"Cool, on to the best and last spot!"
  3260. >Anonymous starts walking off back towards the stairs, and you follow
  3261. >he leads you down to the ground floor and back out
  3262. >instead of taking you to any of the other buildings nearby, he completely leaves the complex and goes to a different looking building nearby
  3263. >you continue to follow him as he enters the building and climbs even more stairs, eventually stopping in front of a door
  3264. >"And this is where I lived, my apartment!
  3265. >he opens the door to reveal...
  3266. >a complete mess
  3267. >it looks very disorganized and the floor isn't very clean
  3268. >"Sorry it's kind of a mess, I usually clean on Saturdays and it was a Thursday when I got brought here. I also wasn't expecting company, but- Oh right, this is a dream! Hold on..."
  3269. >you look over to him, and he's got his eyes closed again
  3270. >when you turn back around, everything looks much cleaner and more organized
  3271. >the floor now looks freshly swept, too!
  3272. "Feel free to look around, and I'll get you a drink. Is water fine?"
  3273. >he must really be trying to make up for before by being this nice in a dream
  3274. >you are feeling pretty thirsty, though
  3275. "Water would be lovely, thank you."
  3276. >you wander around a bit, seeing the size of this apartment
  3277. >it's not very big, but Anonymous has made good use of the space he has
  3278. >everything has a place that it fits in, and it fits well
  3279. >he taps you on the shoulder and holds out a glass
  3280. "Here's the water, are you feeling better than before?"
  3281. >you are, at least you're feeling better about keeping in contact with him
  3282. "Yes, thank you for asking, but I'm going to have to ask that you don't do something like that again. It's going to take a long time and plenty of whiskey to forget that..."
  3283. >"I'm seriously sorry about that, I don't usually have dreams like this. I promise next time I won't be going on any rampages, and I'll do my best to make sure that it never happens again."
  3284. >you finish your glass of water as you begin to feel the dream fade
  3285. "It appears we're out of time again, same time tomorrow?"
  3286. >a small look of disappointment crosses his face
  3287. >"Is it almost morning again?"
  3288. "No, this dream is just ending. There's still a few hours before you wake up this time, so you won't be left disappointed by that button or that manifestation of my sister."
  3289. >yeah, you knew what was really going on in those dreams
  3290. >you may not have paid direct attention to him, but you weren't just going to let some good insights to his mind go by without even a cursory glance
  3291. >his face turns bright red and he gets very surprised
  3292. >"O-oh. I d-didn't know y-you saw that."
  3293. >you smile and relax a bit
  3294. "Goodbye for tonight, I'll see you again!"
  3295. >and with that you exit his dream to go back out to the waking world
  3296.  
  3297. >be Anonymous
  3298. >Luna just called you out on wanting to fuck her sister
  3299. >you could not feel more embarrassed unless she walked in on you during that dream personally
  3300. >but how?
  3301. >she wasn't there if you remember correctly
  3302. >can she just see what goes on in someone's dreams without needing to be there?
  3303. >spooky
  3304. >you may have to be a bit more careful in your dreams from now on
  3305. >. . .
  3306. >the rest of your sleep was restful, and you don't feel tired when your alarm goes off
  3307. >that's good, maybe you won't have to catch up on your sleep in math again
  3308. >you climb out of bed and go take your shower like yesterday
  3309. >this time no interesting thoughts are had, you just think about if you could make an "incognito mode" for your dreams
  3310. >either that, or get a dream proxy
  3311. >alternatively, you could try encrypting it
  3312. >or just go the inception route and try to create a dream inside of your dream by going to sleep twice
  3313. >will any of this even work?
  3314. >the first two might not and the third's a bit of a stretch, but the fourth?
  3315. >that has at least some potential
  3316. >but could Luna still get that far down?
  3317. >it's an interesting thought, at the very least
  3318. >eventually, when you're clean, you step out and dry off
  3319. >castle's a bit colder than usual, must be a cold day out
  3320. >you might want to bring your shirt just in case, since you don't have a scarf, jacket, or even socks
  3321. >well, you do have socks
  3322. >they're just your human socks though, so you've only got two and they probably don't fit
  3323. >you walk back to your room and pull your shirt out of the drawer
  3324. >it doesn't smell, you should be fine wearing it again
  3325. >you put on your shirt and go down to the kitchen looking for Spike
  3326. >he's not there
  3327. >where is that guy?
  3328. >oh well, you have a few guesses
  3329. >and the first is probably going to be the right one
  3330. >you make your way back to the central staircase and descend into the basement
  3331. >sure enough, he's asleep in his basket
  3332. >and he's holding his Rarity plush too
  3333. >it's moments like these that make you forget he's not much younger than Twilight
  3334. >what was she when she hatched him, seven or something?
  3335. >and yet he's stayed just about the same size
  3336. >rip
  3337. >not wanting to bother him, you go back up to the kitchen to see what you can do yourself
  3338. >you open the cabinets to check
  3339. >you found some cereal, but is there any milk?
  3340. >yes there is!
  3341. >you're having cereal, then
  3342. >what kind of cereal even is this?
  3343. >it's basically just cheerios
  3344. >you may need some sugar for this
  3345. >taking another look in the cabinets, you eventually find a jar full of it
  3346. >you grab the jar as best you can and walk back to the cereal and milk you have on the table
  3347. >you set the jar on the table and try to figure out the best way to get the sugar into a bowl
  3348. >you're an engineer, you can figure this out
  3349. >you could try to dump it, but you don't have nearly the amount of control in both hooves as you had in one hand and it would probably spill everywhere
  3350. >you could try a spoon, that would minimize spillage and still be fairly efficient
  3351. >problem is, it would be a slower process and you still don't have hands
  3352. >all of these problems seem to be stemming from the fact that you don't have hands
  3353. >you're gonna have to figure out how to deal with this eventually, so why not start now?
  3354. >you go and grab a bowl and a spoon and get to work
  3355. >after three successful spoons transferred out of five total, you decide that's enough sugar
  3356. >should you clean up this mess?
  3357. >you really should, but you don't know where a dustpan would be, much less how to use one in your current form
  3358. >it makes you feel bad, but you leave it for Spike to clean
  3359. >before you do that though, you at least do your best to group it all up
  3360. >one last touch before you finish making breakfast
  3361. >you flatten the pile out enough to trace the word "sorry" in it with the tip of your hoof
  3362. >you then put together your bowl of cereal and eat it
  3363. >it's something
  3364. >you finish your cereal and put away everything you used to make it, leaving your dishes where the pile used to be
  3365. >you go back upstairs to check the time and grab your stuff
  3366. >it's 7:01
  3367. >you're gonna make it on time, if only just
  3368. >you put your saddlebag back on and head outside to go off to school
  3369.  
  3370. >be Spike
  3371. >you just woke up not too long ago and you're pretty hungry
  3372. >you decide to head up to the kitchen because that's where the food always is
  3373. >you're greeted by a small mess when you get there
  3374. >Anonymous must have already had breakfast and left
  3375. >it's a pile of sugar with "sorry" written in it
  3376. >this filly is one of the weirdest you've ever met, but at least she's polite
  3377. >well, sometimes
  3378. >you're still not sure where the "purple jr." comment came from
  3379. >you go and pull the dustpan out of a nearby closet and sweep it into a trash can
  3380. >now you're free to have your own breakfast
  3381. >let's see, what haven't you had in a while?
  3382. >cereal seems like a decent idea, and there's less of a mess to clean up afterwards
  3383. >you grab the box, a bowl, and a spoon and put them all on the counter
  3384. >when you go to get the milk, you figure out that cereal's also what Anon had for breakfast
  3385. >the bottle's half empty already!
  3386. >you might have to go out and buy more today
  3387. >no, you'll definitely have to go out and buy more today
  3388. >add one more on to the list of things to do
  3389. >speaking of, what do you still have to do?
  3390. >you have to finish organizing the library
  3391. >you have to clean the halls
  3392. >you have to...
  3393. >is that really everything that's left for you to do?
  3394. >either you worked fast, or Twilight didn't put as much on that list as it seemed
  3395. >you can have all the halls cleaned in a couple of hours and the library's already almost organized
  3396. >you could finish this today!
  3397. >but then what do you do?
  3398. >there are a few options, but all of them would be more fun if Anon could come with you
  3399. >but first things first and second things second, you're hungry and you have work to do
  3400. >you make your own bowl of cereal with the last of the milk and enjoy it with thoughts of things to come
  3401. >time to finish organizing the library!
  3402. >you run off to the library to pick up where you left off
  3403. >you just have to finish putting the last few groups of books on the shelves, and you've already got them layed out
  3404. >let's see, these go here and those go there, and that stuff goes WAYYY over there...
  3405. >and in a few minutes, you're done!
  3406. >off to sweep the halls, and then you're done!
  3407. >it takes a bit longer than you expected, but soon enough, you've got them looking spotless
  3408. >you decide to check a nearby clock
  3409. >it's about 2:00
  3410. >you might as well go and meet Anon at school before you get the milk
  3411. >she might like the surprise
  3412. >yeah, you're gonna do that!
  3413. >you go outside, lock up the castle, and head off to the school
  3414.  
  3415. >be Anonymous
  3416. >you're in school
  3417. >it was exactly as cold as you thought it would be, and your shirt definitely helped out
  3418. >a few of the other fillies and colts looked at you funny, but it doesn't matter
  3419. >this shirt goes beautifully with your coat, and you're willing to fight any stuck up horse that says otherwise!
  3420. >but that was a while ago, and now it's time for writing
  3421. >you've managed to write through meeting Twilight's parents and walking to the castle before you came to a crossroads
  3422. >should you leave in the part about Celestia accidentally seeing your dick?
  3423. >the anons would definitely want to know about that, but Celestia wouldn't appreciate you telling anyone
  3424. >it all comes down to one question
  3425. >who are you going to see again, them or Celestia?
  3426. >you're not sure which you'd prefer
  3427. >on the one hand, your entire goal here is the implied result of option one
  3428. >but on the other, you might be seeing a lot more of Celestia if that doesn't happen
  3429. >eventually, you come to an answer
  3430. >Celestia doesn't even know you're writing this, and only Twilight will assuming you never get back
  3431. >you're pretty much free to put down whatever you want and Celestia wouldn't know
  3432. >but that still doesn't feel right to you
  3433. >so you make a compromise
  3434. >you won't add it now, but you will add it in when you type this all out if you get back home
  3435. >that way, nobody here will know anything about her seeing your dick and the anons won't suspect that any of this even happened because it's just another filly greentext!
  3436. >you're a genius!
  3437. >you go to keep writing, but the bell rings right as you put the pencil to your paper
  3438. >oh well, you'll keep writing tomorrow
  3439. >you put away your things and go outside
  3440. [o]>"Hey, Anon!"[/o]
  3441. >and Spike's here
  3442. >why is spike here?
  3443. "Hi Spike, what's up?"
  3444. >he looks pretty proud of himself, whatever has him here must be pretty cool
  3445. [o]>"I finished everything on the list Twilight gave me, so I decided to come over here to walk you home!"[/o]
  3446. >that is pretty cool
  3447. >wasn't that list a couple of feet long?
  3448. >and he finished it within two days of getting it
  3449. >he's a professional!
  3450. "Congrats, man! So, what are we gonna do now?"
  3451. [o]>"I'm going to buy milk because we're out first, but then we can do anything you like!"[/o]
  3452. >anything you like?
  3453. "Alright, I'll think of something. Let's drop off the milk before we do anything though, it'll spoil otherwise."
  3454. [o]>"Of course, that would just be a bad idea."[/o]
  3455. >and with that, you two went and bought milk and brought it back to the castle
  3456. [o]>"Have you thought of anything yet?"[/o]
  3457. >you saw quite a few stores along the way home
  3458. >there was even a plush store that looked fairly interesting to you, and it might give you an excuse to mess with Spike
  3459. >yeah, that could be a fun idea!
  3460. "I saw a plush store while we were out, and I couldn't help but notice the one you've got. Wanna get it a friend?"
  3461. >you say this with the most shit-eating grin that you can muster
  3462. >Spike blushes a bit and gets just a little bit mad
  3463. [o]>"At least I don't talk to mine."[/o]
  3464. >oh, so that's how this is gonna work?
  3465. >you insulted his waifu and he takes it personally
  3466. >you probably would've too, to be completely honest, but it's fun to bait
  3467. >but you can't see this going anywhere else since he has just as much on you about this, so you drop it
  3468. "I'll stop messing with you, but seriously. You want to check it out, or not?"
  3469. >now it's his turn to get the shit-eating grin
  3470. [o]>"It sounds like you just want an excuse to get your own plush a friend. Sure, I'll come with you."[/o]
  3471. >you give him a smirk and nudge him in the shoulder
  3472. "It seems like we both need an excuse, now let's go before any more spaghetti shows up."
  3473. [o]>"Spaghetti?"[/o]
  3474. > why did you say that, he doesn't get it at all
  3475. "Don't worry about it, it's a phrase where I come from. Also, are we actually going to buy anything, or just look?"
  3476. >he thinks about this
  3477. [o]>"Twilight's got enough money set out for us to get a few, but that also means that we probably won't be able to eat out for the rest of the time she's gone."[/o]
  3478. >now it's your turn to think
  3479. >what's left around here in terms of food?
  3480. "Is there still a good amount of food around here, just in case?"
  3481. [o]>"Did you forget that Twilight went and bought groceries before she left?"[/o]
  3482. >oh yeah, she did
  3483. "I can handle eating out of the fridge if you can."
  3484. [o]>"Then I guess we're blowing all the food money on plushes!"[/o]
  3485. >Spike goes into a drawer and pulls out a sack of bits and you two head off to the door
  3486. >it doesn't take you two long to walk back to the store and soon enough, you're inside surveying the merch
  3487. >you and Spike split up because neither of you really wants to be near the other in here
  3488. >too weird
  3489. >it's some good material, but it's not as autistic as some of the really good stuff that the artfags made back home
  3490. >there are some really nice looking generic ponies that you're looking at, though
  3491. >there aren't any features that would label them as being actual ponies that exist here, but they do have a couple superficial resemblances
  3492. >like, there's a mint green unicorn, a purple-ish earth pony, and a gray and blonde pegasus
  3493. >nothing else noteworthy, though
  3494. >eventually you decide to wander around and look elsewhere
  3495. >you find a section with a bunch of plushes that look like humans, oddly enough!
  3496. >let's see what gems are here, shall we?
  3497. >these aren't those EqG-style humans that were in those three movies, either
  3498. >these are humans like back home!
  3499. >real, honest-to-god human-looking humans!
  3500. >you're barely able to contain your excitement as you look over each one present
  3501. >you even recognize some of these
  3502. >there's Trump, Putin, Merkel, Trudeau, May, and...
  3503. >is that who you think it is?
  3504. >he's got the hair
  3505. >he's got the clothes
  3506. >and he's got the mustache!
  3507. >it's Hitler!
  3508. >literally the perfect companion for your Aryanne plush!
  3509. >you've figured out what you're getting
  3510. >you pick up Adolf and go off to find Spike, since he has all the dosh
  3511. >you're wandering around the aisles for all of about 3 seconds before you find him
  3512. >he's in the aisle with the ponies, looking at some of the ones that you didn't recognize
  3513. >too bad he doesn't have as good taste as you do
  3514. >you put down Der Führer for long enough to tell Spike that you've made your decision
  3515. "I found what I want, can you give me the bits to pay for it?"
  3516. >he turns to look at what you chose
  3517. >and is now very clearly stifling laughter
  3518. [o]>"Gee Anon, I didn't know you were into humans."[/o]
  3519. "Gee Spike, I didn't know you were into sucking penis."
  3520. >Spike seems a bit surprised at your quick defense and backs off a bit
  3521. >that may have been a bit harsh, but he doesn't seem too bothered
  3522. [o]>"I just didn't think that humans were something that you'd enjoy, after all it seems more geared towards colts."[/o]
  3523. >colts?
  3524. >why colts?
  3525. >is this like a mirrored version of MLP in your universe, or something?
  3526. "Look, I don't care about who it's for. I've made my decision, and I want this one. Can I have the bits, or not?"
  3527. >Spike gives you the bag and you take it and Hitler over to the counter to pay
  3528. >a nice looking unicorn is running the counter, she must be the owner
  3529. >she sees you approaching and stops doing whatever she was doing
  3530. [p]>"Can I help you?"[/p]
  3531. "Hi, I'd like to buy this please."
  3532. >you put the Hitler on the counter with the bits
  3533. >she seems a little surprised that you chose a human too, but she doesn't say anything
  3534. >oh well, your days of spaghetti-ing over buying merchandise has hardened you to events like this
  3535. [p]>"Alright, that'll be 20 bits..."[/p]
  3536. >she opens the bag and takes out 20 of them
  3537. [p]>"... And here you go! Enjoy the rest of your day."[/p]
  3538. "Thanks, you too."
  3539. >you pick the bag and now your Hitler back up and go back over to Spike
  3540. >he seems to have made a decision on the gray and blonde pegasus
  3541. >not terrible, but you've still got better taste
  3542. "Here's the bits back, I think we're gonna have some left over."
  3543. >you throw him the bag and he catches it
  3544. [o]>"Cool. I don't want to spend the rest right away though, just in case we need it for something."[/o]
  3545. >if we really needed to save that for something, then you probably shouldn't have blown it on toys
  3546. >oh well, that's a problem for later (if it even becomes a problem)
  3547. >Spike goes off and purchases his choice, and you two leave the store with still a decent amount of cash, much to your surprise
  3548. >you two at first walk in relative silence, but then Spike decides to break it
  3549. [o]>"Did you really have to choose Hitler? Out of all the humans, did it really have to be Hitler?"[/o]
  3550. >is this little shit doing what you think he's doing?
  3551. >he's not going to insult Humanity's Champion on your watch!
  3552. "I'll have you know that Hitler did nothing wrong!"
  3553. [o]>"Are you kidding? He was a complete meme built specifically to pander to ponies, and he didn't even survive the World War Two ark unless you believe that fan theory that he fled to Argentina."[/o]
  3554. >oh, he is gonna get it now!
  3555. >you call upon your vast reserves of autism and every waking moment you spent on /mlpol/ to channel your inner nazi
  3556. >you then try to stand up on both your hind legs and do as close to a proper roman salute as you can
  3557. >you don't fall over in the process, so that's good
  3558. >after you finish, he takes a couple seconds to process what you just did
  3559. [o]>"Woah, that's some dedication. If only you had put all that time and effort into liking a better character, I might actually be impressed."[/o]
  3560. >okay, now you're starting to feel a bit personally insulted
  3561. "Alright then, tell me who you think is better."
  3562. [o]>"Personally, I think Trump is better. Putin's a close second, though."[/o]
  3563. >Putin isn't bad, but Trump is meh tier at best!
  3564. "Trump? Why Trump? He isn't even as good of a leader as Hitler was. He constantly tried to compromise with the other side who just didn't let any of it happen, when he would've been much better off just doing what the people who liked him wanted. I can agree with Putin though, he's pretty cool."
  3565. >is this just going to turn into political shitposting?
  3566. >yes it is, judging by Spike's reply
  3567. [o]>"Hitler still managed to lose World War Two with everything he had, how is he a good leader?"[/o]
  3568. "Did you forget that he was fighting the rest of the developed world? I'd like to see Trump's America last even a year trying to do that."
  3569. [o]>"Wasn't he the entire reason that World War Two was even started?"[/o]
  3570. "Only because he turned Germany back into a functioning country after those bongs and frogs decided to run them into the ground."
  3571. >this is where the conversation shifts again
  3572. [o]>"So you don't like the Brits either?"[/o]
  3573. >you think about this
  3574. >they were handed Brexit on a silver platter
  3575. >they never got around to it, as far as you can remember
  3576. >Nigel should've ran for PM
  3577. >he never did
  3578. "They're okay, but they're certainly not my favorite country."
  3579. >Spike perks up a bit hearing this and starts to say something, but stops
  3580. [o]>"Have you seen the most recent season yet? I don't want to spoil anything for you by accident."[/o]
  3581. >you can't be spoiled about your own world's events, let's hear it!
  3582. "Yeah, shoot."
  3583. [o]>"Britain just sucks now, they still haven't used Brexit yet and they're pretty much giving in to all the muslims. It's almost like the writers don't remember all the stuff they wrote about pre-World War One and just decided to make them into a bunch of inbred islanders with nothing to show for it."[/o]
  3584. >if only he knew how right he was
  3585. "I completely agree! Something needs to happen soon with North Korea too, I'm getting tired of waiting for that ark to finish."
  3586. >and so you two continued like this, Spike talking about one of his favorite fictional universes and you discussing the happenings of home, all the way back to the castle
  3587. >when you get back, you go back up to your room and place your Hitler next to your Aryanne
  3588. >at least now you have someone else to play card games with, now
  3589. >as you're about to head back downstairs to find Spike again, you decide to check the time
  3590. >it's only 4:02
  3591. >you've still got time to kill
  3592. >time to see if there's anything else Spike wants to do
  3593. >as you go back down to look for him, you meet up with him in the hall
  3594. >lucky you!
  3595. [o]>"Hey Anon, I just got a letter from Twilight. I figured you'd want to see what's in it as well."[/o]
  3596. >a letter?
  3597. >for you?
  3598. >well, for both of you
  3599. >but still, it's a start!
  3600. "Sure, let's open it!"
  3601. >Spike leads you back to the library to open it
  3602. >when you get there, Spike chooses a comfy looking chair and you sit in the one next to it
  3603. "How much do you want to bet that she's worried about something?"
  3604. >Spike cracks a smile at this
  3605. [o]>"Twilight's always worried, it's just that it's not always something she can do anything about."[/o]
  3606. "She must do a pretty good job of hiding it, then."
  3607. >a look you don't immediately recognize crosses Spike's face long enough for it to register in your head
  3608. [o]>"Believe me, you don't want to be around when she can't hide it anymore."[/o]
  3609. >oh, that look was PTSD
  3610. >probably from the events of Lesson Zero
  3611. >the only early episode you didn't watch because you just couldn't handle the spaghetti
  3612. "Alright, let's open it. I don't think she'd like to be kept waiting."
  3613. >Spike peels open the letter and holds it between you two
  3614. >"Dear Spike and Anonymous,
  3615. >Pinkie and I are doing alright here in Las Pegasus, and we've done what we needed to do. I should be back by tomorrow evening, if nothing unexpected comes up. I hope you two are doing alright, and I bought a souvenir for you both! Spike, I hope you're going to have that list complete when I get back, and you better have done your homework, Anon. See you tomorrow!
  3616. >Miss you, Twilight"
  3617. >you haven't even had homework to do, and Spike already got his list done
  3618. >looks like you two are in the clear for more shenanigans!
  3619. "I figured she was going to remind us about something, but it's a reminder that neither of us needs."
  3620. [o]>"It's something she does, she just wants to make sure that we're not doing something stupid that could blow up the castle, or something."[/o]
  3621. >you laugh a bit at that
  3622. "How would we even blow up the castle, all the chemistry stuff is locked in her lab."
  3623. >Spike smirks a bit, which is when you remember that those concentrated spells are still just sitting there in that cabinet
  3624. >no way you're touching those though, Twilight probably has those under so much security in that cabinet if there's stuff that world-breaking just sitting there
  3625. >yeah, doing that would probably be the end of you staying here and getting a free ride home
  3626. >but back to the situation at hand!
  3627. "So, we've still got more time to kill before we should eat dinner. Anything you want to do?"
  3628. >Spike gets up and walks over to the door
  3629. [o]>"Now that I know you're a fan of Humans, wanna go and check out the latest one?"[/o]
  3630. >a free news update in the form of a nice story?
  3631. >that sounds pretty cool, you definitely want in on that!
  3632. >but wait, do TVs even exist here?
  3633. >oh well, you've probably missed a lot of important business back home
  3634. "Sure, lemme see it!"
  3635. >you two head down to Spike's room, which is when you realize that it's not a TV show
  3636. >it's one of those magical comic books
  3637. >even better, you get to see it in person!
  3638. >Spike pulls a new-looking book off of his stack and shows you the cover
  3639. >"Humanity, F*** Yeah!"
  3640. >Issue No. 316
  3641. >"Cold War at the Winter Olympics"
  3642. >the cover image is of the Pyongyang skyline, with Trump and Kim Jong Un staring each other down from opposite sides
  3643. >oh boy, this makes even the Olympics look interesting!
  3644. [o]>"This one's a bit of a filler issue since the writer likes drawing out these important arks and everything in them, but it's still pretty good for delivering more exposition."[/o]
  3645. >you still can't get over the cover art, it looks almost like some photoshop genius put this together
  3646. "Well, what are we waiting for? Open it up!"
  3647. [o]>"Just in case, you do know how these magic comic books work, right? We aren't getting back out until we finish the story."[/o]
  3648. >that's fine with you, it's probably as close to home as you're getting for a while
  3649. "Got it. Let's go!"
  3650. >Spike opens the book and places it on his bed as you two are brought into the story
  3651. >as soon as it's done, you find yourself standing outside a massive arena, with Spike nearby
  3652. >this must be North Korea!
  3653. >but neither of you have gotten any costumes or have turned into humans, so this must be more of a spectator story
  3654. >as you look around more, you see a huge amount of people filtering into the stadium
  3655. "Should we follow them?"
  3656. >Spike makes his way over to you through a gap in the crowd
  3657. [o]>"I'm pretty sure that's what we're supposed to do."[/o]
  3658. >you two get inside the building simple enough, it's kind of lax security for what you expected in NK
  3659. >then again, no one seems to notice you two
  3660. >when you both make it in, you get a good sense of just how many people are here
  3661. >the stands are already pretty filled up, and you notice that the tide from the entrance isn't slowing down
  3662. >you scan the stands for anything plot-relevant, and eventually manage to spot Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un seated fairly close together
  3663. "Spike, over there!"
  3664. >you point them out to him and start moving in their direction
  3665. [o]>"Nice job finding them, but wanna explore a bit? They love leaving easter eggs and teasers around."[/o]
  3666. >nah, somehow that cheapens the news aspect of it in your mind
  3667. "I like seeing the story as it happens, getting spoilers just doesn't seem right to me."
  3668. [o]>"Suit yourself, there's some pretty cool stuff that they've left. They even put an alien ship in New Mexico, once. We still haven't figured out when that'll come into play!"[/o]
  3669. >huh, guess Ayylmaos really are a thing
  3670. >you continue through the stands to where Trump and Kim are, and find two empty seats placed conveniently there
  3671. >you take the one closer to Trump while Spike takes the one closer to Kim
  3672. >as the event starts (it looks like it's ice skating), you immediately hear Trump's voice
  3673. >he's not moving though, so it must be his thoughts
  3674. >"I'm surprised South Korea put up with North Korea for long enough to organize all this, is a peaceful solution really possible?"
  3675. >"As long as Rocket Boy over there can be persuaded to step down, maybe I won't have to show him what a loser he is."
  3676. >Trump then goes silent and you hear a new voice, this time with an unmistakably Korean accent
  3677. >"[Stupid orange demon, he doesn't realize at all that this is just a ploy! As soon as the Olympics are over, you're one step closer to being safely under my boot!]"
  3678. >that's definitely Kim
  3679. >"[We've already done enough testing, and we're ready to launch enough missiles to cripple your closest allies. Seoul is rightfully mine, and Japan isn't going to stop me either!]"
  3680. >the internal monologues continue back and forth like this for some time, until the event ends
  3681. >Trump and Kim exchange a "friendly" goodbye and start heading out of the stadium
  3682. >you two probably need to choose one to follow right about now
  3683. "Alright Spike, who do we follow?"
  3684. [o]>"It usually doesn't matter in a situation like this, every other time this has happened it's shown both sides somehow. Either way, let's follow Trump."[/o]
  3685. >you two get up and follow Trump, who meets up with Mike Pence along the way
  3686. [p]>"Hey Donald, how did you enjoy the event?"[/p]
  3687. >"I didn't really pay attention, I had other things to think about."
  3688. [p]>"Still can't figure out why Kim allowed this to happen? I'm telling you, it's a media ploy. He wants to make himself look good."[/p]
  3689. >"No, it's not that. What if he's actually trying to de-escalate the situation? It's a long shot, believe me, but what if?"
  3690. [p]>"Don, come on. We both know that Kim's ego is too big for that, he's not going to stop until we stop him or the entire world does. Let's discuss this more at the hotel, I wouldn't put it past these people to tell the police about our conversation."[/p]
  3691. >they step into an obviously government car and you two have just enough time to get in yourselves
  3692. >it's an awkward fit with you two in the same seat, but it's bearable
  3693. >you just wish Spike's tail wasn't digging into your leg
  3694. >the car ride doesn't last very long, and you two are soon following Trump and Pence into a very nice looking hotel
  3695. >you all get into an elevator and head up to the top floor
  3696. >when you get there, Trump pulls out a key and opens a door nearby
  3697. >this must be his room
  3698. >all of you go inside and Pence takes a seat at a nearby table
  3699. >Meanwhile, Trump goes over to his suitcase and pulls out a bottle of expensive looking bourbon and two glasses
  3700. >"I just don't get it, Kim hates us. He hates everything we stand for! Why did he put all that down for this? It seems like he just wants his population to figure out how much of a loser he is!"
  3701. [p]>"I don't get it either, but it's up to us to prove that we aren't above this. We're representing all of America here, so we have to show that we can play nice whether he's up to something or not."[/p]
  3702. >Trump pours them both some booze and puts the bottle away, sitting down across from Pence
  3703. >he drinks all of his at once in one swift motion
  3704. >"I just hope we don't end up regretting this."
  3705. [p]>"We won't, that I can guarantee. God willing, everything's going to turn out just fine."[/p]
  3706. >Pence finishes his own drink and leaves for his own room, leaving you two with Trump
  3707. >"I hope you're right, Mike. I wouldn't hold anything back if that little bastard so much as touched my country."
  3708. >this isn't as much news as you expected, it's almost a drama
  3709. >it's entertaining though, that's for sure
  3710. >politics never seemed so much like a dramatic subject
  3711. >you look over to Spike, now that this scene seems to be over
  3712. "What now?"
  3713. [o]>"Hold on, it'll probably bring us to the next part."[/o]
  3714. >sure enough, the location changes to an imposing room full of North Korean military officials with Kim Jong Un sitting at the head of a long table
  3715. >"[Gentlemen, how are the preparations going?]"
  3716. >one of the older looking men speaks up first
  3717. [p]>"[Everything is going smoothly, we nearly have enough Uranium stockpiled to double our arsenal.]"[/p]
  3718. >Kim leans back, smiling
  3719. >"[Perfect, those filthy capitalists won't know what hit them until they see the mushroom cloud!]"
  3720. >he then goes into some stereotypical villain laugh, with every official around the room clapping or laughing with him
  3721. >the scene fades to black, and when you can see again, you're back in Spike's room
  3722. [o]>"How'd you like it?"[/p]
  3723. >you're more than a bit worried about that last bit, but he can't know about your connection to Earth
  3724. "It was pretty good, at least it held my attention better than other filler parts that I've seen."
  3725. >this is when your stomach lets out a massive growl
  3726. >you must be pretty hungry for it to be that loud, holy shit!
  3727. [o]>"Dude, I heard that from here! Let's go get dinner started, I'm pretty hungry too."[/o]
  3728. >and you follow Spike back up the stairs to get dinner
  3729. >as you follow Spike up the stairs, you run back through the events you saw in the comic
  3730. >those were some heavy implications about what's gonna happen after the olympics, you hope that it doesn't come true
  3731. >for your family's sake, more than anything
  3732. >you realize now just how important it is to get back, should something happen while you're gone
  3733. >suddenly you're not so hungry anymore
  3734. >you and Spike make it to the kitchen not too long after you come to this realization
  3735. >you just sit down at the table and start running facts and numbers through your head while Spike starts looking at the food available
  3736. >your family's not near any important locations in the US
  3737. >NK's nuclear capabilities probably have the range to get close, though
  3738. >how big will the blast be?
  3739. >if it's about the size of what was used in WWII, then they're fine
  3740. >any bigger and they might be caught in the fallout
  3741. [o]>"Anon? You alright?"[/o]
  3742. >you're jarred out of your thoughts by Spike now standing next to you
  3743. "Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. What's up?"
  3744. [o]>"I've asked what you want for the last minute, do you care?"[/o]
  3745. "Just make whatever, I'm not really hungry anymore."
  3746. >Spike pulls up a chair next to you
  3747. [o]>"Okay, now I'm really concerned. What's going on?"[/o]
  3748. >you really don't want to tell him
  3749. "Don't worry about it, it's nothing."
  3750. [o]>"I heard how hungry you were back in my room, and now you say you aren't. Ponies only stop being hungry when they've had food or something's happened, and you haven't had food yet."[/o]
  3751. >you really shouldn't tell him
  3752. "It's fine, I swear."
  3753. [o]>"Come on, Anon. It's not going to help you at all to keep it in, whatever it is. I promise I won't tell anypony."[/o]
  3754. >you can't tell him
  3755. "Pinkie swear it."
  3756. >you can't be serious
  3757. >you better fucking not
  3758. [o]>"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."[/o]
  3759. >IT'S TIME TO STOP
  3760. "You're not going to believe me, but..."
  3761. >this is your last chance to turn back
  3762. >you can make up some different excuse and keep your secret safe, or you can just not say anything
  3763. >just don't say what you're about to say
  3764. >make
  3765. >the right
  3766. >choice
  3767. "..."
  3768. [o]>"Anon?"[/o]
  3769. "... I'm sorry, I still can't tell you."
  3770. >Spike shifts in his chair a bit
  3771. [o]>"I'm sorry for asking, then. Is there anything I can do to help, at least?"[/o]
  3772. >is there anything he can do to help?
  3773. >well, he can keep you updated on those comics, at the very least
  3774. >it's your only line of information to what might be going on at home, and that's invaluable
  3775. >there isn't much else he can do to help, though
  3776. >wait, hold on
  3777. >there isn't much else Spike can do, but there's probably something that Twilight can do!
  3778. >you brighten up a bit and tell him your plan
  3779. "I'm going to need you to send Twilight a letter for me."
  3780. [o]>"Alright, I'll go get you some paper and a pen."[/o]
  3781. >Spike runs out of the room for a little bit and eventually comes back with a pen and paper, setting them in front of you
  3782. [o]>"And while you're writing that, I'll make dinner. I hope you like soup, because I'm pretty good at making it!"[/o]
  3783. >soup's not bad, this should be an alright dinner
  3784. >now, how do you tell Twilight exactly what's on your mind in a civil way that won't make her any more worried than necessary?
  3785. Dear Twilight,
  3786. I'm writing this to you now because I don't think it can wait until you get back. Spike showed me a comic book series that bears striking resemblance to my world, and I've become aware of possible events that may threaten the lives of my family.
  3787. Two world leaders with access to powerful weaponry are near a possible conflict, with one of them being willing to use nuclear weapons and the other being the ruler of my home country. If a war breaks out, my family may be threatened by the resulting fallout caused by those nuclear weapons.
  3788. At the very least, I'd like to get home as soon as possible to make sure they're alright.
  3789. Please help, Anonymous
  3790. >you take the paper and fold it up into a neat little square
  3791. "Alright, ready for you to send it."
  3792. >Spike turns away from the pot he's watching and walks over
  3793. [o]>"Did that help you feel better?"[/o]
  3794. >you look up at the ceiling and sigh as he sends the letter
  3795. "Not yet, but at least it's something."
  3796. >Spike finishes the soup a few minutes later and serves it to you
  3797. [o]>"It's cream of mushroom with some extras I added in for flavor, I hope you like it!"[/o]
  3798. >you pick up the spoon he gave you-
  3799. >hey, he gave you a spoon!
  3800. >guess you don't have to ask for silverware anymore
  3801. >anyway, you pick up the spoon he gave you and taste it
  3802. >it's pretty good
  3803. "Hey, what'd you put in this? It's good."
  3804. [o]>"Oh, you know, just the basics. Cream, mushrooms, some diced potatoes, some assorted herbs and spices... Soup stuff."[/o]
  3805. >he looks flattered that someone likes his cooking this much
  3806. >he's honestly good at this, though
  3807. >if he had a CM, it would probably have to do with food
  3808. >you finish the rest of your soup fairly quickly, having dug your appetite out from under your feelings
  3809. >after Spike finishes his own soup, he takes both of your dirty dishes over to the new pile
  3810. [o]>"I could go for some ice cream right now, how about you?"[/o]
  3811. >ice cream?
  3812. >drowning your worries in frozen sugar-milk sounds like a great idea!
  3813. "Sure, I've got room left."
  3814. >and so you both make the journey back down to Spike's basement for ice cream, equipped with new bowls and spoons
  3815. >when you get back down there, Spike opens the cabinet holding your reason for being here
  3816. "Can I have some cookie dough this time?"
  3817. [o]>"Yeah, want anything else to go with it?"[/o]
  3818. >does flavor mixing really work with cookie dough?
  3819. >Ben and Jerry made it work at home, but they don't exist here
  3820. "Nah, just cookie dough please."
  3821. >you give your bowl to him and he takes out the containers holding the strawberry and your flavor of choice
  3822. >when he gives you back your bowl, you take it back to the chair you sat in last time and start eating
  3823. >the chunks are hard to force the spoon through, but what did you expect?
  3824. >you feel like you might owe Spike an apology for earlier, now that you think about it
  3825. >he was just trying to help, after all
  3826. "Sorry about the mood earlier, just had some heavy stuff on my mind. I'm pretty sure Twilight can help, though."
  3827. >Spike looks up from his own bowl
  3828. [o]>"It's fine, I have things that I don't like telling others too. I'm sure even Twilight has things that she won't tell anypony about!"[/o]
  3829. >what would Twilight not want to tell anyone?
  3830. >probably has something to do with her lab
  3831. >maybe she tests on other ponies?
  3832. >nah, you're pretty sure that only happened in that one episode where she gave Rarity wings
  3833. "What would she need to hide to the point that she can't tell anypony? Isn't she the princess of friendship, or something?"
  3834. [o]>"Well, I'd be able to tell you if I knew what it was. However, I'm pretty sure the only way I'd be able to find out is by asking her, and that defeats the whole purpose of not telling anypony."[/o]
  3835. >he's got a stupid grin on his face
  3836. >he was probably being a bit sarcastic with all that
  3837. "I get it, no need to be a cheeky cunt about it."
  3838. >Spike seems genuinely surprised that you said cunt
  3839. [o]>"Did you just say what I think you said?"[/o]
  3840. >oh
  3841. >is that bad?
  3842. "Am... Am I not supposed to say that?"
  3843. >Spike thinks for a few seconds
  3844. [o]>"I won't stop you if you do say it, but I don't think Twilight will handle it the same way."[/o]
  3845. "So, I'm free to say cunt around you?"
  3846. >he sighs
  3847. [o]>"Yes, I'll allow you to say it when it's just us. I'm serious about Twilight though, don't say it or any other bad words around her. She's not a fan."[/o]
  3848. >he looks pretty serious about that last bit
  3849. "Alright, I won't say it around her or anypony else."
  3850. >you finish the rest of your ice cream soon after this conversation ends, and you spend some more time talking with Spike about other things
  3851. >as the conversation shifts away from what you two would do with a million bits and into an argument about how much the town of Ponyville costs, you let out a massive yawn
  3852. >shit, you must be pretty tired
  3853. "Sorry to cut the conversation short, but I think I'm gonna head off to sleep."
  3854. [o]>"Alright, I should probably get to sleep too. See you tomorrow!"[/o]
  3855. >you head back up the stairs and to your room, where Hitler and Aryanne are both waiting where you left them
  3856. >you then proceed to take your shirt back off and put it in the drawer with your other stuff
  3857. "Today's been pretty long, but at least things are still going alright for us."
  3858. >neither of them reply
  3859. "Yeah, looks like we've all got new friends now!"
  3860. >still no replies come as you climb into bed
  3861. "Don't worry, I'm not planning on leaving either of you behind when it's time to go home. Aryanne, I'm too attached to you, and Hitler? I'd be delusional if I thought I could find a quality plush of you back home!"
  3862. >no replies yet again
  3863. >why do you talk to your plushes?
  3864. >oh, right, you have no friends
  3865. >carry on
  3866. "Anyway, good night!"
  3867. >and so you drift off to sleep where you will try to test if you can lock Luna out somehow
  3868. >. . .
  3869. >your dreams start off like most other dreams you've had since you got here
  3870. >some location on Earth with some population of creatures from equestria
  3871. >but that's not what's important
  3872. >you're here for science, and nothing else
  3873. >okay, maybe also to keep trying to create the Ultimate Showdown
  3874. >baby steps, though
  3875. >you try your best to summon a second bed in this dream, not caring where it is as long as it's in front of you
  3876. >success!
  3877. >you're getting better at this, maybe you should try tomorrow night to summon Godzilla again
  3878. >but back to what's at hand, you've got a hypothesis to test
  3879. >can someone dream within a dream?
  3880. >you get into this bed and close your eyes, trying to force a second layer of sleep to manifest
  3881. >as you try to force things to happen, you lose all perception of the dream around you
  3882. >is it happening?
  3883. >time to open your eyes and see
  3884. >you open your eyes to see...
  3885. >a completely different area!
  3886. >it worked!
  3887. >at least, you think it worked!
  3888. >only time will tell you if it actually worked
  3889. >now, time to see where you are
  3890. >as you inspect your environment, you find that you're in a region of the pokemon world
  3891. >you're not sure what tells you this, but you feel it
  3892. >cool, time to see what trouble you can get into here
  3893. >you wander around a bit trying to find a settled area
  3894. >towns aren't usually far between routes, and this is a route that's pretty far out-of-the-way by the lack of trainers
  3895. >you do see a few pokemon when you step into a field, though
  3896. >there's a few pidgey and a couple of pidgeotto
  3897. >of course, they're just sitting on trees like regular birds though
  3898. >nothing interesting
  3899. >just being birds
  3900. >let's go somewhere else, shall we?
  3901. >you keep going, passing under the pidgeys
  3902. >as you move further in to the area you're in, you wonder how this dream will be populated
  3903. >with humans, ponies, or just you?
  3904. >you don't have to wait long to find out, as you see a town coming up
  3905. >this might give you an idea of where you are, too
  3906. >you walk into the town and see that it's indeed populated by ponies
  3907. >wow, what a surprise
  3908. >you still don't see Luna, though
  3909. >could this work?
  3910. >how do inception rules even work for dreams?
  3911. >you never actually saw that movie
  3912. >oh well, it's not like that's the fictional universe that you're in
  3913. >time to actually do something interesting until you find out!
  3914. >you go over to the poke mart and summon yourself some dosh to buy a few pokeballs
  3915. >the mare at the register gives you the balls and takes the money without a word
  3916. >huh, odd
  3917. >but you have some balls, let's catch some mons!
  3918. >you head back out into the forest to find some pokemon and start your journey
  3919. >you're not finding anything interesting out here
  3920. >maybe you can summon in a pokemon more interesting than a pidgey or rattata?
  3921. >you think as hard as you can about a charmander to try to summon one here
  3922. >does dream summoning work within a dream's dream?
  3923. >it worked for the money
  3924. >sure enough, when you open your eyes you see a charmander
  3925. "Fuck yeah!"
  3926. >you can't help but yell that out, seeing that this dream^2 is going to get a lot more fun
  3927. >you quickly toss a pokeball at it, and it just calmly accepts the capture
  3928. >you've got your starter!
  3929. >but wait, isn't this where the rival battle happens?
  3930. >luckily for you, there's no condescending Blue/Gary to make an ass of himself by choosing squirtle
  3931. >so, you just decide to head back out to the town
  3932. >"FACE MY CHALLENGE, FELLOW TRAINER!"
  3933. >wait
  3934. >WHAT
  3935. >you turn around, hoping to not see the exact pony you do see
  3936.  
  3937. >be Luna
  3938. >Anonymous tried to lock you out, but he only changed his dream by trying to create a second level
  3939. >it's like he doesn't even know dream physics
  3940. >oh well, at least this is a more interesting dreamscape than the last one
  3941. >it has some weird creatures in it that seem to have a special kind of magic
  3942. >you figured out even more about this dreamscape by looking inside some of Anonymous's memories
  3943. >it wasn't easy since memories are very different to dreams, but it was still within your range of abilities
  3944. >just barely, but still
  3945. >you ended up figuring out what exactly you're supposed to do here, which is catch and battle with these creatures
  3946. >after some searching around, you eventually found a discarded ball and a creature that looked suitable to befriend
  3947. >it was a small bluish turtle
  3948. >it was easy enough to make friends with, you just found some fruit on a local plant and offered it the fruit
  3949. >it accepted the capture, too
  3950. >now you have a friend!
  3951. "Well, fellow trainer? Will you accept this battle?"
  3952. >Anonymous stares at you, obviously surprised and confused
  3953. >"Wait, how did you even get here?"
  3954. >time to let him down easy
  3955. "When you tried to create a second dream level, you only changed your dreamscape. This is a definite improvement though! Now, I see that ball you're carrying. Battle me!"
  3956. >Anonymous sighs and throws out his own creature
  3957. >"Go, charmander..."
  3958. >it's a small red lizard with a plume of fire on its tail
  3959. >you don't know what your creature's called
  3960. >you did hear it say "squirtle" a few times, but that's about it
  3961. "Go, my blue friend!"
  3962. >the ball you're carrying opens up and your creature comes out
  3963. >Anonymous instantly snaps completely upright, and his eye gets a very obvious twitch
  3964. >that looks concerning
  3965. "Is something wrong?"
  3966. >his reply sounds labored and slightly sarcastic
  3967. >"No, I just wanted my first battle here to not be a flat-out loss to who I was trying to avoid, but I guess this is okay..."
  3968. >lucky for him, you have no idea how this system works since you weren't able to check that deep into his memories
  3969. "Then I feel like I should tell you that I don't know what I'm doing. You're probably still going to win."
  3970. >this makes him brighten up a bit, and his eye stops twitching
  3971. >"Alright, Charmander. Use scratch!"
  3972. >the "charmander" walks over to your creature and scratches it
  3973. >"Now it's your turn. You want me to explain squirtle's moves?"
  3974. >so it's called squirtle!
  3975. "Yes, please. Can you also give me a quick rundown on this system of battle, as well?"
  3976. >Anonymous thinks for a few seconds and then closes his eyes for another few before responding
  3977. >"Well, the battles are turn-based. Each turn is what you and your opponent chooses to do, and in your part of the turn, you can decide to use a move or an item. Right now, we both don't have any items, so all we can do is choose moves. This brings me to your squirtle, which should know tackle and growl right now."
  3978. >that's definitely a quick rundown, but it told you pretty much everything you needed to know
  3979. "Squirtle, tackle!"
  3980. >your "squirtle" now runs up to Anonymous's charmander and jumps on top of it
  3981. >this continues for another few turns, until Anonymous's charmander knocks out your Squirtle
  3982. "Well, I guess I lost. Good game!"
  3983. >Anonymous looks a bit more smug now, and he has a certain glint in his eyes that says that something else is needed besides a "GG"
  3984. >"Woah woah woah, hold on! In the rules of pokemon, whoever wins the battle gets some "financial compensation" for their victory. Since neither of us has any money though, what else can you offer me?"
  3985. >is that really how this works?
  3986. >that's pretty cruel, but judging by the fact that this is all fiction, you guess it's okay?
  3987. >and this is his dream, so he'd still be making the rules anyway making all this thought on the matter meaningless
  3988. >but you're not sure what exactly you can give him
  3989. >IRL money wouldn't be suitable for a dream interaction
  3990. >you're not that kind of mare, so you're not taking over where your sister left off either
  3991. >you do come to an idea, though
  3992. "You seem to not like the fact that I've been keeping tabs on you when you fall asleep, so how about I stop? Twilight's keeping a good enough eye on you, anyway."
  3993. >Anonymous nods in satisfaction
  3994. >"Yeah, I can agree to that. So, now that you're here, what do you want to know this time?"
  3995. >you were hoping to pick back up with learning more about the human world, but why not explore this dreamscape with him?
  3996. >it'll certainly be a nice change from observing criminals and saving foals from particularly stubborn nightmares
  3997. >yeah, this could be a fun thing to do for once!
  3998. "How about we just explore around here this time? We can go back to questions tomorrow."
  3999. >"Sounds fun! you're already a better rival than that asshat Blue, so let's go!"
  4000. >and so you and Anonymous traveled around, battling and exploring until you had to say goodbye for the night
  4001. >even though your relationship with him started out with a much different dynamic, you're starting to warm up to him
  4002. >you might even call him a friend
  4003. >. . .
  4004.  
  4005. >be Anonymous
  4006. >your dreams were fun, Luna decided to be your rival on a journey through pokemon
  4007. >and in a climax fit for the anime itself, you two ended up facing each other for the league title
  4008. >unfortunately, she's a fast learner and managed to beat you
  4009. >fucking crit hacks
  4010. >but it was still fun
  4011. >shortly after, you two had to say goodbye again since morning was coming
  4012. >you might be getting a new friend
  4013. >but for now, you have to go to school
  4014. >you turn off your alarm again and check your phone's battery since it's been a while
  4015. >fuck, 13%
  4016. >looks like you're not playing with it today
  4017. >you aren't really mad, though
  4018. >your phone's battery has lasted through multiple days here where it used to last for maybe 12 hours at home
  4019. >probably because you can't sit around on the internet here
  4020. >oh well
  4021. >Twilight should be coming home today, and she can show you how that thing she used to charge it works
  4022. >you wander out of your room again, feeling that it's a lot colder than yesterday
  4023. >what, did a load of snow fall last night?
  4024. >when you go back to your room's window, you see that guess was correct
  4025. >there's snow everywhere
  4026. >this is gonna suck
  4027. >you don't even have any cold-weather clothing
  4028. >your shirt may have worked yesterday, but it might not work today
  4029. >no, it definitely won't work
  4030. >not when the snow might be up to your chest
  4031. >maybe Spike can be convinced to let you stay home?
  4032. >it's worth a shot, at least
  4033. >just in case he can't be convinced, you might as well get ready for school anyway
  4034. >you go off to your bathroom of choice and get through your shower with greater ease than the last couple times
  4035. >you're starting to get used to this new body, aren't you?
  4036. >it's not like this wasn't expected, what with you having to spend the forseeable future here
  4037. >after you dry yourself off and wander down to find Spike, you start formulating your arguments
  4038. >it's too cold and you don't have anything to deal with it
  4039. >it's one day, it won't be that important
  4040. >...
  4041. >is that really it?
  4042. >well, let's hope it works
  4043. >a few minutes of searching later, you find Spike exiting the bathroom himself
  4044. [o]>"Hey Anon, what's up?"[/o]
  4045. "I have a question."
  4046. [o]>"What is it?"[/o]
  4047. >this is the moment of truth
  4048. >how you attack this is likely to set the mood for the entire argument
  4049. "Can I stay home for just today? I didn't bring any snow supplies and judging by the view from my window, it's up to my chest out there."
  4050. >Spike stares at you for a second with a look on his face that you don't immediately recognize
  4051. [o]>"That was some bad planning on your part, it's still winter and we get snow. I'm not sure how much I can help you, but I know how Twilight's gonna react if I let you stay."[/o]
  4052. >this is what you expected, you've rehearsed for this
  4053. >for all of about a minute, but still
  4054. "Is there a thermometer around here? I need to check some things."
  4055. >now you're not a biofag, but you know about hypothermia and what it does to an adult human
  4056. >it would probably be much worse to a small cartoon filly
  4057. [o]>"There's one outside, assuming that you want to check the temperature there."[/o]
  4058. >perfect, now you can give two of your major points at once!
  4059. "Would you mind coming outside with me to check it? I promise we can go back inside when you want to."
  4060. >you give him your best challenge-issuing face as you deliver that line
  4061. >and his expression changes to exactly what you wanted to see
  4062. [o]>"Alright, but [i]I[/i] promise it won't be that bad."[/o]
  4063. >so you lead the way back to the front door until you two get there
  4064. >you then open it up to a fairly strong gust and only slightly less snow than you expected
  4065. "After you, you know where it is after all."
  4066. >Spike seems initially startled by the temperature, but he grits his teeth and goes outside
  4067. >you follow behind him, trying to see his reaction to this
  4068. >the way he's holding himself says it all
  4069. >his arms are close in, his breath is visible, and his tail is even wrapped around one of his legs
  4070. >he's cold
  4071. >of course, you're feeling it too
  4072. >however, you're also warmed internally by just how right you are
  4073. >it's a much longer walk than it feels like to the thermometer, but it retrospect, it should've been only about 45 seconds
  4074. >regardless, you both are now shivering and even you're trying to hold on to whatever heat you have
  4075. >damn this lack of body mass!
  4076. >oh well, when you two check the temperature, it says all you need to know about that as well
  4077. >28 degrees, and with some heavy estimation on the windchill, you put the perceived temperature at about 15 degrees
  4078. >that's really cold
  4079. "You ready to go back in?"
  4080. [o]>"Yes, we've done what you wanted. Let's go."[/o]
  4081. >you hear him mumble something under his breath about hot chocolate as he turns around and walks back towards the door
  4082. >that sounds nice, you want some too
  4083. >but can you have any if he sends you to school anyway?
  4084. >probably not
  4085. >stupid dragon
  4086. >the trip back to the door is pretty much the same length, so you gather up the rest of your arguments while walking
  4087. >when you both get back inside, you realize that parts of you have gone completely numb from the cold
  4088. >mainly your legs, but that's not too much of a problem now that you're back inside
  4089. "So, how was it?"
  4090. [o]>"Cold."[/o]
  4091. >perfect, now to deal the finishing blow
  4092. "It's below freezing out there, not just cold. The walk to school is about 20 minutes and the warmest thing I have is a shirt. Assuming I can make it that far, I would probably be suffering from some form of hypothermia. I don't think there's much of a choice here."
  4093. >Spike tries to think of a reply to counter that, but he gives up and accepts defeat some time later
  4094. [o]>"Alright, you can stay home today. Only today though, and if Twilight asks about it you're taking full responsibility."[/o]
  4095. >more terms and conditions
  4096. "Fair enough, now how about we warm up again?"
  4097. >he straightens up a bit more and gets a more neutral look on his face
  4098. [o]>"That sounds like a great idea, I know where the firewood is and the fireplace is in the library."[/o]
  4099. >you wonder about where you're going to get a lighter for all of a second before remembering Spike exists
  4100. "Alright, I guess I'll meet you there and bring a blanket or two."
  4101. >you go off towards your room trying to find a place where a banket would be stored, while Spike heads somewhere else to grab firewood
  4102. >after searching through quite a few rooms, you eventually find a large and fairly fluffy blanket
  4103. >perfect!
  4104. >grabbing it as best you can, you drag it off in the direction of the library
  4105. >at least, you think you do
  4106. >after some wandering and a couple wrong turns, you make it there and find Spike lighting the fireplace
  4107. >alright, that's good
  4108. >you drag the blanket over to a couch and put it up on it
  4109. "I found a blanket, but only one. We might need to share, unless you know where more are."
  4110. >he shrugs
  4111. [o]>"I don't mind sharing if you don't, but I can grab another one if you do."[/o]
  4112. >as you think about it, you might not mind that much
  4113. >shit, are you even more of a faggot than you expected?
  4114. >nah, this doesn't feel like something gay to you
  4115. >it just feels like you two are siblings, or something
  4116. >he's gone from just some nerd to almost a bro to you
  4117. >wow, you really did need more friends
  4118. "I don't think I mind."
  4119. >you climb on to the couch and wrap yourself up in half the blanket, leaving the rest for Spike
  4120. "So, what are we going to do while we're in here?"
  4121. >Spike climbs under the blanket next to you, and you see that he brought a large book with him
  4122. [o]>"Isn't it obvious? We're in a library!"[/o]
  4123. >yeah, that shouldve been pretty obvious
  4124. >not wanting to get out of your warm spot, you instead try to read over Spike's shoulder
  4125. >it doesn't work as well as you'd like, but he soon gets the hint and places the book in a more neutral position
  4126. >the book isn't all that bad, it's some variety of fiction
  4127. >there are a few references to other things that you don't quite understand, but you still end up enjoying it
  4128. >after another couple of hours, the fire burns out and you realize that you never ate breakfast
  4129. >fug
  4130. >but you're all warm, do you really have to get up?
  4131. >yes, you do
  4132. >the hunger is overtaking you
  4133. "What time is it?"
  4134. >Spike looks up from the book and thinks for a second
  4135. [o]>"My guess is around 11:30, but I don't really know."[/o]
  4136. >one of you will have to get up and check a clock
  4137. "Rock paper scissors for who checks the clock?"
  4138. [o]>"Sure, loser goes and only one round?"[/o]
  4139. >of course, those are regulation rules
  4140. "Yeah, let's start."
  4141. >rock
  4142. >paper
  4143. >scissors
  4144. >you threw paper, knowing the general strategy of RPS
  4145. >however, he's a good tactician himself and threw scissors
  4146. >dang
  4147. >you get out from under the blanket and into the slightly colder library to try to find a clock
  4148. >you leave the room and go into the much colder hall and eventually find one
  4149. >Spike wasn't too far off, it's about 11:24
  4150. >no wonder you're this hungry
  4151. >you make it back to the library fairly quickly and tell him the time
  4152. "So, should we have lunch yet? I'm pretty hungry."
  4153. >Spike hops off the couch and walks over
  4154. [o]>"Sure, that sounds nice."[/o]
  4155. >you two venture out into the colder part of the castle to get some food
  4156. >you grab the blanket and try to wrap yourself in it as best you can beforehand, though
  4157. >you do a good job of keeping it on you, and it only slips a bit
  4158. >after you two get to the kitchen, you sit on a chair and wait while Spike starts making something
  4159. >you have an idea of what it is, and your suspicions are only confirmed as time goes on
  4160. >it's motherfucking pizza
  4161. [o]>"Anything you want me to put on this pizza?"[/o]
  4162. >you doubt that he has any pepperoni or bacon
  4163. "Nah, plain is fine."
  4164. [o]>"Alright, just cheese it is."[/o]
  4165. >Spike opens the oven as soon as it's hot enough and puts in the pizza
  4166. >now you two just have to wait
  4167. [o]>"The pizza will be ready in a half hour, I hope you don't mind."[/o]
  4168. "That's fine, I'm willing to wait. So, what do we do in the meantime?"
  4169. [o]>"Well, I'm probably going to stay here to make sure it doesn't burn. You can do whatever and I'll find you when it's done."[/o]
  4170. >time to do something that you always liked doing on cold days, then
  4171. >you make your way to your bathroom and turn on the shower to as hot as you can stand it
  4172. >soon enough, it's completely warm and you can see the steam floating out
  4173. >you turn it down just a bit to make sure you don't burn yourself, and you just sit in there
  4174. >it's just as comfortable as you remember
  4175. >how long has it been since you've been able to do this?
  4176. >probably a while, seeing as how college ate your time and your dad didn't like you wasting water
  4177. >after a while of sitting, you eventually hear a knock on the door
  4178. [o]>"Pizza's done, come down when you're ready!"[/o]
  4179. >you turn off the shower soon after and towel yourself off before reclaiming your blanket
  4180. >it's slightly damp now, but it's much warmer than before
  4181. >when you get to the table, you see a piece of pizza with your name on it sitting on the table
  4182. >you get a glass of water to go with it and sit down to eat
  4183. >you sit in silence savoring the warmth of the pizza, still fresh out of the oven
  4184. >as soon as you finish the pizza, you head off to your room since you're feeling a bit drowsy
  4185. >you drop the blanket for the second time, climb into your bed, and take a nap
  4186. >. . .
  4187. >your dream takes you back to that bar you were in during your first daydream at school
  4188. >unfortunately, no Celestia
  4189. >it must be after her shift ended
  4190. >that sucks
  4191. >there are plenty of other ponies around the bar this time, though
  4192. >can you pick any of them up?
  4193. >fuck yeah you can, it's your dream!
  4194. >but do you really want to right now?
  4195. >you know Luna promised to leave you alone aside from the usual meeting time, but can you really trust her?
  4196. >only one way to find out
  4197. >you call over the bartender (who's a stallion this time) and get another Jack and Coke before looking around for a pony to claim
  4198. >you settle on one with an off-white coat and a pink mane and tail who looks pretty enough
  4199. >she also doesn't seem to have any other ponies with her, so you won't have any interruptions to complicate the matter
  4200. >target locked, initiate phase 2
  4201. >you slam your drink and walk over, trying to think of your best pickup line
  4202. >gotta make this feel authentic, otherwise it's just another dream fantasy
  4203. >you make it to her table, with your chosen lines
  4204. "Hey, is this seat taken?"
  4205. >she looks up from her drink with a slightly surprised expression
  4206. [p]>"No, would you like it?"[/o]
  4207. >perfect
  4208. >you sit down at the table with her
  4209. "Not as much as I'd like to get to know you. My name's Anonymous, what's yours?"
  4210. >she blushes and smiles at you
  4211. [p]>"Candy Cream."[/p]
  4212. >after some more conversation, you manage to convince her to come to the bathroom with you
  4213. >she also wants to be the one to take off your pants
  4214. >and just like the Celestia dream, you wake up right before you're given your release
  4215. >it's almost like someone doesn't want you to have that kind of fun
  4216. >fuck that guy
  4217. >no, don't fuck that guy
  4218. >that's probably just what he wants you to do
  4219. >so instead, you decide to take yourself to the bathroom again
  4220. >this time, to give yourself the release that your dreams won't
  4221. >you brought your phone with you there, since you have a few images of that type saved on there
  4222. >not too many, though
  4223. >the less there are, the less likely it is for some snooper to find them
  4224. >point is, you're gonna rub one out since you're finally at your breaking point
  4225. >when you finally get to the bathroom, you lock the door and survey it to best figure out how to do this
  4226. >you're not going to risk the toilet since you can't get a replacement phone here
  4227. >the shower's also out of the question for that reason
  4228. >there isn't much else to choose from
  4229. >guess you're doing it on the floor
  4230. >you pull your towel off the rack and spread it out as best you can so you can clean up easier
  4231. >you put yourself in the most comfortable position you can on the floor and decide to open up your phone
  4232. >when you do, you see that it's now 6:53
  4233. >that was the longest nap you've ever taken
  4234. >also, Twilight's probably back by now
  4235. >you've gotta do this fast if you're gonna do it at all
  4236. >fuck it, you've gone to all this effort
  4237. >one of your hooves drifts between your legs, trying to figure out how this will work
  4238. >you feel just how warm and wet you are at your first pass
  4239. >it also sends a small shiver up your entire body
  4240. >is this really how it feels?
  4241. >this might not be too terrible
  4242. >of course, you can't help but feel a bit gay doing this for whatever reason
  4243. >is it because you're a girl who will be masturbating to pictures of other girls, or because you've still got the mind of a boy and will likely end up shoving something inside yourself?
  4244. >it doesn't matter to you now, your base instincts are taking over
  4245. >you put yourself into a good rhythm as you pull up the first image on your phone
  4246. >it's a good image for this under normal circumstances, but you find yourself focusing more on how you imagine your dreams would've played out
  4247. >as your pleasure builds, your mind strays further back to your meeting with Celestia
  4248. >this soon takes your entire attention, and you don't even notice as your phone finally dies
  4249. >you also start to feel some different urges come up that you...
  4250. >well, you actually expected something like this to happen as soon as you started
  4251. >god help you
  4252. >you stop briefly to search around the bathroom for something to help you
  4253. >you find a toothbrush soon enough, and this makes you realize that you haven't brushed your teeth since the day before you came here
  4254. >nasty
  4255. >but enough of that, you've got to finish!
  4256. >getting into a new position, you shove the toothbrush inside yourself as far as you can
  4257. >it's a bit small, but it'll work
  4258. >after some working and shifting of positions, you eventually find a way that works best
  4259. >it only takes you a few seconds from there to come
  4260. >that
  4261. >was
  4262. >even more gay than you expected
  4263. >good thing you put down the towel too, you made a mess
  4264. >as soon as you get over the conflicting euphoria and guilt of what you just did, you pick up the towel and put it in a corner
  4265. >Spike will find it eventually
  4266. >that'll be something for you to deal with later, but hopefully later enough that it won't matter
  4267. >you also notice that your phone died at some point
  4268. >rip, hopefully Twilight's back for you to ask her about the charger
  4269. >you pick it up and head back down to the main area of the castle to see if she's actually back yet
  4270. >as you enter the living area that you were in on the day Twilight left, you do see her sitting and reading a book with Spike nearby
  4271. >"Good evening, Anon. How was your day?"
  4272. "Not bad, sorry I wasn't here to welcome you in. I ended up taking a nap, and didn't wake up until a few minutes ago."
  4273. >"That's okay, you didn't miss much. Did you and Spike do anything interesting while I was gone?"
  4274. >you turn to Spike, who also noticed this question
  4275. "Anything you think is worth mentioning?"
  4276. [o]>"There was the part of the Everfree trip where we met those timberwolves, that was pretty interesting."[/o]
  4277. >"Timberwolves? What happened?"
  4278. >Twilight looks surprised and more than a little worried now
  4279. "We got attacked by timberwolves when going to pick up those potions. Long story short, Spike burned one to death scaring the rest of them off."
  4280. >Twilight now looks more shocked than anything else
  4281. >"That's something interesting."
  4282. "Enough about us though, how was your trip?"
  4283. >she drops this expression for one that's a bit more neutral
  4284. >"It was pretty fun, we had to plan a massive festival for the community. I handled a lot of the scheduling and organization, and Pinkie did all the planning and execution of the events. Also, I got your letter. We can discuss that after dinner."
  4285. >alright, you're going to get answers!
  4286. >but first, dinner
  4287. >that sounds good
  4288. "Alright, what's for dinner?"
  4289. >Twilight thinks for a moment
  4290. >"Any input, Spike?"
  4291. >Spike thinks for a little longer than Twilight did
  4292. [o]>"How about pasta, we haven't had that in a while."[/o]
  4293. >Twilight looks reluctant at first, but she eventually caves
  4294. >"Alright, I'll make some pasta."
  4295. >Twilight leaves for the kitchen and Spike and you follow her
  4296. >after you three get there, she pulls out a pot and fills it with water before noticing the dish pile
  4297. >"Did either of you think about cleaning up this mess?"
  4298. >you get up to take care of it since Spike did it last time
  4299. "Yeah, it would've been bigger if Spike hadn't taken care of the last pile."
  4300. >she smirks, but doesn't respond when she sees you cleaning the dishes as best you can
  4301. >it takes some elbow grease and even more thinking on how to do this, but you eventually make your way through all the dirty dishware
  4302. >after you're done, you sit back down at the table near Spike
  4303. >you're welcome, dragon
  4304. >seeing as how Twilight's now the preoccupied one, you strike up a conversation with Spike
  4305. "So, what did you end up doing when I ditched you for a nap?"
  4306. [o]>"Went back downstairs and revisited that HFY issue we looked at yesterday. I found some cool things there, and I'm pretty sure I have an idea of what's coming up for the climax of this ark!"[/o]
  4307. >as cool as that would be to know, you don't want to hear about the future of your world
  4308. >it'll probably be nothing but blackpills anyway
  4309. >those pills taste nasty
  4310. >well, unless those writers know who the good guys are and are planning on having them win
  4311. >that would be great, if that series does happen to be a pure representation of your world
  4312. >but you're getting distracted again, you're supposed to be in a conversation!
  4313. "Cool, anything else you found out? Like, something kinda funny?"
  4314. >he thinks for a moment
  4315. [o]>"No, not really. There was a guy eating two hotdogs at once, but that's it."[/o]
  4316. >his name must have been bill
  4317. >that's why he had two wieners
  4318. >you giggle to yourself at that stupid thought before Twilight comes back to the table with some fresh spagoot
  4319. "Thanks, Twilight!"
  4320. >when you get your plate, you remember your manners this time and not shovel your entire plate in your mouth
  4321. >everyone seems happier that way
  4322. >after you finish eating your spaghetti and not dropping it, you and Twilight head off to the interrogation room
  4323. >when you get there, you two end up taking the same places as the other times you were there
  4324. "Alright, where do we start?"
  4325. >Twilight teleports the letter you wrote from somewhere
  4326. >"Why not with a description of a nuclear weapon and what it does?"
  4327. >this is something you don't know too well
  4328. "Well, it's a type of explosive device using radioactive materials as the actual explosive. It's an incredibly powerful type of weapon capable of leveling cities at the lowest, and rendering a small country uninhabitable at its strongest."
  4329. >Twilight looks horrified at this description, but that doesn't seem to stop her from pulling another pen and paper from somewhere and writing this down
  4330. >"Is there anything else that I should know about your species' combat capabilities to get an idea of just how much of a threat this is?"
  4331. "No, that's about all you need to know. Now, do you have any idea on how long before I can make it back home?"
  4332. >she seems to look mildly frustrated at your answer to her question for some reason, but she still answers yours after dropping the frustration
  4333. >"I've asked Celestia for help on gathering the necessary materials, but I haven't heard anything from her yet. I'm sorry."
  4334. >you sigh in defeat, your fate now even less certain in your own mind
  4335.  
  4336. >be Twilight
  4337. >Anon has just proved Celestia's hypothesis correct, despite only giving you a basic overview of their strongest weapons
  4338. >humans are ruthless and brutal, having mastered the art of war
  4339. >this brings you no pleasant thoughts about how this would be used here, should Celestia actually allow something like this to be produced
  4340. >much less used
  4341. >that gives you much less pleasant thoughts
  4342. >images of a war-torn Equestria where this sort of thing was used flash through your mind, populated with nothing but corpses and savage ponies fighting over the scraps of society
  4343. >nevertheless, Celestia asked you about this
  4344. >all you can do is attach as grave a warning as you can, based on what little Anonymous has actually told you
  4345. >after you finish writing this down, you hear him ask a question
  4346. >"... do you have any idea on how long before I can make it back home?"
  4347. "I've asked Celestia for help on gathering the necessary materials, but I haven't heard anything from her yet. I'm sorry."
  4348. >that's a small lie, on your way back you did receive a letter
  4349. >however, it only said that she had managed to track down an Elder Dragon and has sent a party to collect the fire you need
  4350. >that's not really too much to care about
  4351. >he sighs looking quite defeated after this, and you can't help but still feel sorry for him
  4352. >you get up and walk over to Anon's side of the table and place your hoof around his shoulder
  4353. "It will be alright, Anon. Celestia's looking for everything I need to recreate what got you here, and I have everything written down to do it again. You're going to get home."
  4354. >he looks up at you, looking a bit less depressed
  4355. >"I hope it doesn't take too long."
  4356. >you don't have an answer for this, so instead you wrap him in a brief hug
  4357. >it doesn't last too long though, seeing as how you have some business to attend to
  4358. >you dismiss Anon and head down to your own room to draft a letter
  4359. >time to draft another letter
  4360. >now how do you put all the emphasis necessary into this letter?
  4361. >well, probably with the proper use of language
  4362. "Dear Princess Celestia,
  4363. Anonymous has given me some information involving Humanity's capacity for violence, and has confirmed your hypothesis. However, I am going to ask you to please reconsider your use of human weapons and tell you exactly why you should.
  4364. Anonymous expressed concern to me yesterday about a possible war coming in his homeworld, and particularly about the type of weapons that would be used. These weapons are, in his own words, strong enough to cripple a country with only a few. If you should try to make this weapon to use here, I can only see it bringing nothing but conflict, death, and possibly the extinction of us as a species.
  4365. However, if you remain adamant on using this information, I will tell you what Anonymous knows about them (though I sincerely hope you decide that defeating Chrysalis isn't worth the death of all life). He says that these weapons are explosives based off of radioactive materials that can level cities. He hasn't told me anything else, but this was enough of a description for me to find it necessary to draft this entire letter.
  4366. Sincerely, Twilight"
  4367. >this seems very redundant with how often you express your concern at this, but that should only emphasize just how important you think this is
  4368. >you decide that this is the letter you want to send after some more internal debate
  4369. >you roll it up and tie it before calling Spike to you
  4370. "Spike, I have a letter to Celestia that needs to be sent!"
  4371. >Spike comes up to your room with another bowl of ice cream, because of course he does
  4372. [o]>"Alright, where is it?"[/o]
  4373. >you put the letter in front of him, and he sends it
  4374. [o]>"Mind if I ask what it was for?"[/o]
  4375. >no, you don't really mind
  4376. >you'll just keep out the information about Anon being a human and those nuclear weapons
  4377. "It was part of how I'm going to help Anon deal with what she wrote to me about yesterday."
  4378. >not entirely untrue
  4379. >it would probably make him feel worse if he knew that these weapons had come here too
  4380. [o]>"Oh, alright. Are you expecting another reply soon?"[/o]
  4381. >you're not sure when a reply should be coming, since Celestia can take a long time on important decisions or just leave well enough alone if she's already made up her mind
  4382. >regardless, you don't want to leave Spike alone with the letter in case he gets curious
  4383. >he's done that a couple of times before, despite you saying for him not to
  4384. "I'm not sure when a reply should be coming, but I'd appreciate it if you would stick around anyway."
  4385. >he shrugs and sits down on your bed
  4386. >at least he's being more cooperative than last time you asked him to send a letter
  4387. >anyway, now all you have to do is wait for a response
  4388. >while you two are waiting, Anonymous happens to walk in
  4389. >"Hey Twilight, I just remembered something. My phone's dead again, and I never learned how to charge it. Can you show me?"
  4390. >oops
  4391. >that was definitely your fault for not remembering about that
  4392. "Sure, follow me back to the lab. Spike, you come with."
  4393. >you lead Anon and Spike back down to your laboratory without getting a response yet
  4394. >eventually you make it down to the engineering section where you left the Magic/Energy converter
  4395. >you bring the smallish device off the table you left it on and let Anon get close to it
  4396. "This is a Magic/Energy converter, it's how I charged your device. Inside it is a simple mana-focusing crystal capable of pulling magic out of the surrounding environment and the necessary circuitry to convert it into the electrical charge needed to give your phone power. It should work on its own, and all you need to do to activate it is to make sure it's got enough space around it to pull from."
  4397. >he reaches out with a single hoof
  4398. >"A-am I allowed to touch it now?"
  4399. "Yes you are. You're also free to bring it to your room, where you can use it when you need to."
  4400. >Anon reaches out with both hooves now and you drop it from your magic grasp
  4401. >"Alright, thanks! I'll go put this in my room!"
  4402. >he leaves and you two follow behind
  4403. >your reply still hasn't come yet, but you're not sure if that's a bad thing
  4404. >the longer it takes, the more likely it is that she's putting thought into her decision
  4405. >eventually, after Anonymous went back to his room for the night and even Spike has started his descent into sleep, you get the reply you were waiting for
  4406. >nervously, you undo the seal on it and open the letter up
  4407. [p]>"Dear Twilight,[/p]
  4408. [p]>I'd like to thank you for keeping the promise you made and delivering this information to me. I'll also tell you that your warnings haven't gone unnoticed.[/p]
  4409. [p]>I agree that using these "nuclear weapons" would be a terrible idea that could cause more bad than good, and thus I will not call for any development in that field. However, this has only made me more convinced that Anonymous holds the key to us fending off this new potential invasion.[/p]
  4410. [p]>I still entirely expect you to continue collecting information about what weapons humans have access to, and even how they work. I am willing to change my stance on anything that proves to be dangerous to not only our opponents but also to us, but only at that. We both remember what's at stake here, so I won't remind you.[/p]
  4411. [p]>Kindest regards, Princess Celestia"[/p]
  4412. >good, at least she's not willing to kill us all over this
  4413. >that relieves you quite a bit, but you still feel worried about what else Anon knows
  4414. >that's something for tomorrow, though
  4415. >you're feeling quite drained from all this worrying
  4416. >so, you let Spike go off back to his room, and you fall asleep yourself
  4417.  
  4418. >be Chrysalis
  4419. >a few spies you sent into Equestria are supposed to be coming back today, and messages from the ones you sent to Ponyville and Canterlot have both sent back... some interesting information
  4420. >soon enough, those same spies enter your throne room a few minutes later with the Canterlot spy holding a record of everything of note
  4421. >"Good evening, my queen. We return with news which may prove valuable for our retaliation."
  4422. "Welcome home, my children. Please tell me, you've already caught my interest."
  4423. >the one with the report flips through a few pages, eventually stopping about halfway through
  4424. >"We encountered a new pony which no other parties have identified previously, who seems to have showed up in Ponyville sometime last week. She also seems to spend the majority of her time in close proximity to Twilight Sparkle."
  4425. >Twilight Sparkle?
  4426. >you banged her brother a couple times, but neither of them knew it was you until you collected enough genetic material to continue your hive's existence
  4427. >but what is it that makes that pony so special?
  4428. "Would you mind telling me why she managed to grab your attention so quickly?"
  4429. >the drone shuffles through the report some more and speaks with the drone stationed in Ponyville
  4430. >"Well, she exhibits an age that doesn't line up with how long she's been there and she also has a mental capacity more fit for an adult stallion, as opposed to a filly in grade school. Furthermore, she ended up being called to Canterlot to be brought before Celestia herself."
  4431. >this filly is beginning to catch your attention, too
  4432. >she must be important in some way if Celestia took time out of her busy schedule to meet her
  4433. "That is indeed interesting. Thank you for giving me this important message as soon as you did, you're dismissed."
  4434. >this filly seems interesting enough to warrant her own spy, but an adult would be too obvious
  4435. >you'll need to send one of the younger drones to keep tabs on her
  4436. >it makes you sad to send off one of your young to work so early, but this is a matter of life and death at this point
  4437. >you're already running out of usable seed, and you won't be able to get any more for the forseeable future
  4438. >you laugh internally at this thought because of how absurd it is, but in your gut you feel that this filly may be the key to saving your species
  4439.  
  4440. >be Anonymous
  4441. >your dreams were cool
  4442. >the setting was just a coffee shop, but Luna still showed up
  4443. >instead of regular questioning, it felt more like an actual conversation too
  4444. >these pastel cartoon horses and their friendship magic!
  4445. >after a pleasant conversation with her and a few cups of nonexistent coffee, the dream unfortunately ends
  4446. >oh well, she'll be back tomorrow
  4447. >she always is
  4448. >a while and a few less entertaining dreams later, you wake up to your alarm
  4449. >you turn it off and go about your morning routine, noticing that this morning is much warmer than yesterday
  4450. >good, you won't have to deal with cold
  4451. >you get through your shower and go downstairs to eat breakfast
  4452. >cereal again, nothing special
  4453. >Twilight packed you lunch now that she's back
  4454. >you thank her for it and go get the rest of your stuff for school
  4455. >you make the walk, taking the scenic route, and make it to the school with a few minutes to spare
  4456. >you take your usual spot on your favorite bench to wait out the bell and when it rings, you take your spot
  4457. >when you do, you notice a new earth pony filly taking that spot near the front
  4458. >she's got a light gray coat and a bright green mane with blue eyes
  4459. >she also seems to be ignoring all the others around her, regardless of their conversations or attempts to be friendly
  4460. >odd, considering every other foal you've seen has been quite open to conversation
  4461. >well, besides you
  4462. >you don't really count, though
  4463. >you're still supposed to be a 22 year-old human male, after all
  4464. >she still catches your attention just a bit
  4465. >keeping an eye on her might be a good idea
  4466. >so you do exactly that
  4467. >Cheerilee ends up noticing her too, and does the whole procedure where she calls her up to the front of the room
  4468. >"Would you like to introduce yourself?"
  4469. >the filly scans the room before responding
  4470. [p]>"My name's Emerald Shine."[/p]
  4471. >she calmly walks back to her seat after that, but not before locking eyes with you
  4472. >huh
  4473. >this "Emerald Shine" may be an interesting pony
  4474. >you decide to not fall asleep during math today too, instead opting to think about some other issues
  4475. >like how realistic a war breaking out would be
  4476. >tensions are high, and the US has never been friendly to communists
  4477. >NK hasn't exactly let go of how "Great Satan" split their country in the Korean War
  4478. >but hopefully neither side is dumb enough to make the first strike
  4479. >however, depending on who does, that could mean many things
  4480. >US going first brings China in against them with Russia probably staying neutral, and NK going first pretty much brings everyone in against them except China who would stay neutral
  4481. >if it was just a war between US and NK though, US beats them in every way
  4482. >NK's only hope would be the nukes, so they would definitely come into play
  4483. >wait, doesn't the US have missile defense systems?
  4484. >wow, you're stupid for forgetting that
  4485. >however, if NK is that smart, they might try something worse
  4486. >a bioweapon would be terrible to deal with, but with quarantine procedures and medical science being what they are, it probably wouldn't be too damaging
  4487. >not to mention that NK might also be risking their own population depending on when where and how it's used
  4488. >no matter what, the Geneva Convention will probably be thrown out the window if this war happens
  4489. >but has the Geneva Convention ever really mattered?
  4490. >not that you can remember
  4491. >fug
  4492. >well, maybe you should try paying attention for once
  4493. >"... Now, the formula we use to find the sides of a right triangle is A squared plus B squared equals C squared..."
  4494. >nah, that's boring
  4495. >it's not even fun math
  4496. >physics is fun math
  4497. >and this isn't physics
  4498. >well, there's not much else to do so you pull out your phone again and play games under your desk
  4499. >when the bell rings, you head back outside to your favorite bench
  4500. >and figure out that you were followed there once you sit down
  4501. [p]>"Mind if I sit with you? You seem nice."[/o]
  4502. >Emerald is looking at you with a neutral expression, not breaking eye contact
  4503. >weird
  4504. >well, like Machiavelli said, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, and keep someone you don't know somewhere in between"
  4505. >okay, he didn't say that last part
  4506. >but it's not exactly the worst of ideas for figuring out Emerald here
  4507. "Sure, I don't mind."
  4508. >you scoot over a bit to give her some more space
  4509. [p]>"Thanks, uh..."[/p]
  4510. >she appears to think for a second
  4511. [p]>"I'm sorry, I don't think I know your name yet."[/p]
  4512. "Anonymous."
  4513. [p]>"Anonymous? That's a nice name. So, Anonymous, how are you?"[/p]
  4514. >how [i]are[/i] you?
  4515. >could be better, but certainly not bad
  4516. "I'm pretty okay right now. How about you?"
  4517. [p]>"I'm not too bad either."[/p]
  4518. >from there, you two sit in silence through the rest of recess
  4519. >when you get back inside, you begin to feel a bit bad for judging Emerald so quickly
  4520. >sure, she may act a bit weird, but you'd be lying if you said you didn't when you were this age
  4521. >other than that, she probably isn't that bad
  4522. >probably just a bit nervous about being at a new school
  4523. >it would probably be a good idea to help her get welcomed, and Twilight would probably give you a gold star for making a friend or something
  4524. >not that you aren't making friends now, though
  4525. >Luna and Spike are both pretty cool, but Twilight might not count them
  4526. >that's stupid, they're your best friends here!
  4527. >they're also your only friends here
  4528. >point taken
  4529. >yeah, making friends with Emerald might be a good idea
  4530. >alright, let's hope Machiavelli wasn't wrong
  4531. >the rest of science goes about as fast as math, but you start to pay attention in history because grades
  4532. >this is less interesting than other lessons, it's just about the whole situation with Nightmare Moon and the political/economic fallout that resulted
  4533. >still, the fact that Equestria nearly fell into a civil war over this was something interesting
  4534. >not sure when you'll get tested on this, but hopefully this information is interesting enough to remember until then
  4535. >oh well
  4536. >when the lesson's over, the bell rings for lunch
  4537. >this time, you wait for Emerald to get up and walk out with her
  4538. >both of you end up walking back to your bench, where you two sit back in your spots with your food
  4539. >you open your bag to find more leftover pasta
  4540. >Twilight is a godsend
  4541. >you look over to Emerald who has a sandwich
  4542. >she's definitely enjoying it with how fast she's eating it
  4543. >you dig in to your spaghetti with the same vigor, finishing it quickly
  4544. "So, how was your food?"
  4545. [p]>"Pretty good, my mom makes the best sandwiches. How about yours?"[/p]
  4546. "I enjoyed it, pasta's my favorite."
  4547. >you put the container that held the spaghetti back in your bag and she throws out her garbage
  4548. [p]>"So, how long have you been at this school?"[/p]
  4549. >odd question, but not too weird
  4550. "Since last week, why do you ask?"
  4551. [p]>"Well, I guess I'm just nervous about being new here and all."[/p]
  4552. "Don't worry, it's not that bad. There are a few foals that aren't the best to be near, but stick with me and they won't cause you any problems."
  4553. >she smiles brightly at you
  4554. [p]>"Thanks, Anonymous. Can you also show me around town? I haven't been here very long and I'm afraid I might get lost on the way home."[/p]
  4555. >you don't see why you can't, and it would also give you something to do after school
  4556. "Sure, I'll help you out. Maybe we can even hang out some more?"
  4557. [p]>"Yeah, that sounds fun."[/p]
  4558. >you two again sit in silence for the rest of lunch, only this time it's a bit less awkward
  4559. >when you go back inside for writing, you two again part ways
  4560. >the writing lesson is easy again, and you finish it in plenty of time to keep writing down your green
  4561. >where were you, again?
  4562. >right, Celestia saw your dick
  4563. >you write until you get to the trip home, leaving out the less interesting bits for the most part before the bell rings
  4564. >you pack up your stuff and wait outside for Emerald to show up
  4565. >after a few seconds, she joins you outside
  4566. "Ready to go?"
  4567. [p]>"Yep!"[/p]
  4568. "Alright, I'll show you all the important places."
  4569. >you two set about on your trip around town and you show her Town Hall, Sugarcube Corner, and a few other places that you considered important
  4570. >it wasn't as long or as gay of a tour as Spike gave you
  4571. >at least, you don't think it is
  4572. >when you finish showing her the last place on your list, you ask her a question
  4573. "Anywhere else you'd like to see before going home?"
  4574. >Emerald thinks for a second
  4575. [p]>"I heard that Princess Twilight lives here. Do you know where her castle is?"[/p]
  4576. >yes you do
  4577. "As a matter of fact, yes. Would you like to see it?"
  4578. >she gets very excited before forcing herself to calm down some
  4579. [p]>"I'd love to!"[/p]
  4580. >so you head back to the castle with Emerald following you
  4581. >when you two get there, she can't help but marvel at the size of it
  4582. [p]>"Whoahhh... It's so tall!"[/p]
  4583. >you never really looked at the castle very much before, but when you look up yourself you see that it's very tall
  4584. >it almost makes you light-headed to look that far up
  4585. >you both are interrupted by the door opening
  4586. [o]>"Hey Anon, who's that with you?[/o]
  4587. >it's Spike
  4588. "Hey Spike, this is Emerald Shine. She's new at the school and asked me to show her around, so I did."
  4589. [o]>"Cool, Twilight will be happy to hear you've made a friend."[/o]
  4590. >Spike goes back inside and you turn back to Emerald, who now has a stunned expression on her face
  4591. "Emerald? You alright?"
  4592. >she stares at you for a few more seconds before speaking
  4593. [p]>"Do you [i]live[/i] here?"[/p]
  4594. >she's intuitive
  4595. "Yeah, I'm staying here until I can go back home. Anywhere else you want to see before you have to go home?"
  4596. [p]>"Can you show me around the castle?"[/p]
  4597. >you think about this
  4598. >you should probably ask Twilight first, just in case
  4599. "I'm not sure if Twilight would be okay with it, but I'll ask her for you and tell you tomorrow."
  4600. >she looks a bit sad at this, but ultimately accepts it
  4601. [p]>"Okay then, my parents are expecting me home soon anyway. See you tomorrow!"[/p]
  4602. >you wave goodbye to Emerald as she heads off, and you go inside yourself once you can't see her anymore
  4603. >when you're inside, you're greeted by a smiling purple
  4604. >"So, how was your day?"
  4605. >she already knows judging by the look on her face
  4606. "Pretty alright, I didn't fall asleep in class for once."
  4607. >just because she knows doesn't mean you're just going to outright tell her
  4608. >"Did anything unusual happen? You know, like a new student showing up?"
  4609. >yep, she's going to pry it out of you if it kills you both
  4610. >it's still pretty amusing to be just a bit of a cunt about it though
  4611. >but not too much of a cunt, there's a fine line between banter and just being unpleasant
  4612. "Now that I think about it, there was a new filly."
  4613. >Twilight's starting to lose her smile
  4614. >"And how is she?"
  4615. "Hmm... She's alright, I guess."
  4616. >she drops the smile entirely
  4617. >"Anon, Spike already told me. You might as well just say it."
  4618. >bingo
  4619. "Well, if you already know, then I guess I don't have to keep messing with you. Yeah, I guess I made a friend at school for once."
  4620. >"That's great! I'm glad you're finally making friends, it shows that you're able to adapt to this situation!"
  4621. "But I'm already on good terms with Spike, and Luna's being cool too. What makes this one so special?"
  4622. >she looks surprised for a second before responding
  4623. >"Spike doesn't count because you live with him, and Luna? I didn't even know you were in contact with her! How long has this been happening?"
  4624. "For a few days, she visits me at night and we either have a conversation, explore my dreams, or both."
  4625. >now that you say that out loud, it sounds pretty creepy
  4626. >but Luna's pretty much a friend at this point and has seen everything you could do, so what does it matter?
  4627. >it probably matters for some ethical reason, but you can't be asked to think about that now
  4628. >"But still, this is your first school friend! This is a pretty big milestone!"
  4629. >looks like she forgot just how old you are again
  4630. "Are you implying I didn't have friends at home?"
  4631. >Twilight looks embarrassed again
  4632. >"Sorry, it's just easy to forget who you are while you're in that body."
  4633. >that's right, you had friends!
  4634. >no, you HAVE friends
  4635. >you're getting home even if it kills you!
  4636. >"Anyway, what's her name?"
  4637. >oh, right
  4638. >the Princess of Friendship™ is asking you about your new Friend™
  4639. "Her name's Emerald Shine. Apparently she just moved here, but I'm not sure where she came from. Also, is it okay if she comes over tomorrow? She asked about it, and I didn't know if you'd be okay with it."
  4640. >Twilight considers this for all of a second before replying
  4641. >"Of course she can come over, I'll even pull out some board games for you two. Just remember your cover story if you're asked about anything, and you'll be fine."
  4642. >alright, one less thing you need to worry about
  4643. >you're sure Emerald will be ecstatic tomorrow
  4644. "Cool. Now that that's out of the way, what's for dinner?"
  4645. >Twilight starts thinking again before speaking
  4646. >"Well, I'm not sure. However, this seems like a special occasion, so I know we're definitely going somewhere and wherever it is will be a surprise for you. Does that answer your question?"
  4647. >not really
  4648. "Yeah, I guess."
  4649. >you go off to your room to do something while Twilight goes off to do something else
  4650. >when you get there, you drop your bag off and pull out your phone
  4651. >not to play games, though
  4652. >instead you go to your saved images and scroll through
  4653. >looking at pictures of you and your family
  4654. >it gives you some major feels, but it also helps you remember what you're doing here
  4655. >you're trying to get home
  4656. >so then why does it feel like you're not going to?
  4657. >no, that isn't an option!
  4658. >Twilight is giving you the best opportunity out there to get back, and she's also enlisted the closest thing to pony God there is to help you
  4659. >you push away the bad feelings and turn them into all the determination you need to make it back as you put your phone back down
  4660. >looking around your room, you notice that you've never actually looked at any of the books on your shelf
  4661. >well then
  4662. >so you look at some of the books that you can reach, trying to find anything that catches your eye
  4663. >you really don't, it's mostly nonfiction and the few fiction books you see are historical fiction
  4664. >ew
  4665. >looks like you're not reading today
  4666. >so you go back to your phone and play more games since you can
  4667. >it's not like there's anything else to do
  4668.  
  4669. >be Twilight
  4670. >Anon made a friend and you got him to tell you without having to physically pull it out of him
  4671. >he also told you that Luna was paying him nightly visits
  4672. >from what you can tell though, Luna doesn't get out much either
  4673. >it might be good for both of them
  4674. >but he made a friend in school today, and that's what matters!
  4675. >you aren't a useless princess!
  4676. >suck it, self-doubt!
  4677. >not that you're completely useless, it's just your title
  4678. >"Princess of Friendship"
  4679. >sure, friendship got you to where you are now, but if your title's supposed to be based off of your skills then wouldn't "Princess of Magic" have worked better?
  4680. >that's just your two bits, though
  4681. >you didn't get any input in the creation of your title, you just got the wings and shiny things associated with it
  4682. >not that you're complaining, being able to fly helps out a lot in daily life
  4683. >but back to the matter at hand, your train of thought's derailed enough
  4684. >you've got to tell Pinkie something about Anon's surprise party today
  4685. >so you teleport off to Sugarcube Corner to tell her
  4686. >when you get there, you immediately find Pinkie standing behind the counter
  4687. [p]>"Heya, Twi! What brings you over? The party doesn't start for another few hours!"[/p]
  4688. "Hi Pinkie, I came over to tell you that Anonymous made a friend today at school with a new filly."
  4689. [p]>"Oh, you mean that filly who moved here with her older sister? The one with a green mane and blue eyes?"[/p]
  4690. >that matches the description Spike gave you, Pinkie must have already met her
  4691. "Actually, that sounds like her. Have you already met her?"
  4692. [p]>"Yeah, they showed up yesterday night from the southern train. It seemed like they were in a bit of a hurry, but they still had enough time for me to say hi!"[/p]
  4693. >from the southern train in a hurry?
  4694. >huh, kinda makes you think
  4695. "Well, since you know her, have you already given her an invitation to Anon's party?"
  4696. [p]>"Yep! I saw her walking from school after she was done touring with Nonny, and I gave her an invitation!"[/p]
  4697. >well alrighty then, that takes care of that
  4698. "I guess you already took care of it, then. Thanks!"
  4699. >Pinkie smiles at you and giggles
  4700. [p]>"No problem! You wanna stick around and see what I've set up so far?"[/p]
  4701. >you might as well, it probably won't take too long
  4702. "I don't see why I can't, go ahead!"
  4703.  
  4704. >be Anonymous
  4705. >you decided to play cards again with Aryanne and Hitler
  4706. >somehow, this only made you lose harder
  4707. >how are a pair of plush toys controlled by you still winning!?
  4708. >fucking card counting!
  4709. >eventually you get fed up with it and decide to check the time
  4710. >it's about 5:00
  4711. >you've managed to kill a couple of hours in a less-than-fun way
  4712. >maybe you should see what Spike's up to?
  4713. >you fold your hand, leaving the two of them to figure out who wins at texas hold'em
  4714. >you only had a pair anyways
  4715. >you head back down to Spike's room where you find him sitting with his Rarara plush
  4716. "Hey, what's up?"
  4717. >he jumps again at your voice, dropping the plush
  4718. [o]>"Dude, you gotta start giving me a warning before you show up."[/p]
  4719. >you smirk and laugh internally at this
  4720. "Sure thing, m8. I don't want to ruin your quality time with Rarity, after all..."
  4721. >he blushes and glares at you
  4722. >this only brings your laughter out
  4723. "I'm messing with you, don't blow a fuse. How are ya?"
  4724. >he calms down a bit
  4725. [o]>"Well, I [i]was[/i] fine."[/o]
  4726. >all this over some banter?
  4727. >rip, my dude
  4728. >well, in his defense, you did get pretty butthurt when he insulted Hitler
  4729. >that's not important, though
  4730. "Okay, I'm sorry. Now, you want to go do something? I'm tired of losing card games."
  4731. >he looks confused about the second part, but ultimately responds
  4732. [o]>"Sure, I suppose we could go do something. Anything you want to do in particular?"[/o]
  4733. >you think, and eventually come to an answer
  4734. "Wanna play cards?"
  4735. [o]>"Didn't you just say you were tired of losing at card games, though?"[/o]
  4736. "Yeah, I don't think I'll lose if I play against a real opponent though."
  4737. >this only makes him more confused
  4738. [o]>"Who were you playing with that you lost to and wasn't a real opponent!?"[/o]
  4739. "Not important. I'll go get the cards, be back in a second!"
  4740. >true to your words, you run back up to your room, grab the cards, and run back down
  4741. >you also didn't drop any of them!
  4742. >gold star!
  4743. >you put the cards on Spike's bed and climb up there with him
  4744. "Alright, what game do you want to play?"
  4745. [o]>"How about Go Fish?"[/p]
  4746. >sounds good
  4747. "Alright, do you play with five or seven cards?"
  4748. [o]>"Seven."[/p]
  4749. >at least he knows how to play the game right
  4750. >as you finish dealing out the cards, Twilight enters the room
  4751. >"Alright you two, I've figured out what's for dinner. Let's go!"
  4752. >so much for your card game
  4753. [o]>"Okay, I'm pretty hungry anyway."[/o]
  4754. >guess we're leaving
  4755. "Cool, what is it?"
  4756. >Twilight looks at you with an interesting glint in her eyes
  4757. >"I told you, it's a surprise. You'll just have to wait."
  4758. >and so you three leave for your surprise dinner somewhere, you fully expecting Twilight to have just picked some average restaurant around here
  4759. >as you three walk through the town though, you realize that Twilight's taking a very specific path
  4760. >recalling the map you had to study, you're able to start narrowing down possible options
  4761. >no, you're not going there
  4762. >not there, either
  4763. >this is one hell of a detour if we're going there
  4764. >if we're seriously going there, you're going to slap somepony
  4765. >there's pretty okay, but it's not the best
  4766. >eventually the trip goes on for long enough that you know exactly where you're headed
  4767. >Sugarcube Corner
  4768. >but why there?
  4769. >is Twilight willing to let you eat crap food for dinner just for making a friend?
  4770. >this must be more important to her than you thought
  4771. >oh well, at least you'll be able to spy on Pinkie and see how she's preparing for your party
  4772. >wait
  4773. >what if this IS your party?
  4774. >it's entirely possible that it is
  4775. >after all, Pinkie organized an entire party at Twilight's house on the day she first set hoof in Ponyville without even knowing who she was to begin with
  4776. >the more you think about it, the more it makes sense that this is probably for your welcome party
  4777. >it might just be a happy coincidence that you made a friend, giving Twilight an excuse to lure you here
  4778. >little does she know, you've seen your fair share of surprise party setups
  4779. >it's definitely a trap, all you have to do is spring it
  4780. >and you're gonna do it with style!
  4781. >but this is gonna require a bit of your own baiting
  4782. "Pssst! Spike!"
  4783. >you whisper in his general direction
  4784. [o]>"Yeah?"[/o]
  4785. >he drops back to where you are in relation to Purple
  4786. "I know exactly what's coming and I wanna mess with Pinkie. When we get to Sugarcube Corner, I'm gonna need you to go in first no matter what Twilight says."
  4787. >he looks shocked for a second
  4788. [o]>"I think you might be the first pony to ever guess when you're getting a surprise party from Pinkie correctly, so I'll help. I wanna see where this is going now."[/o]
  4789. >fantastic, your suspicions are confirmed and your plan is set in motion
  4790. >now all you need to do is carry out your half of the plan
  4791. >as Sugarcube Corner draws nearer, you prepare your opening line
  4792. >WASSUP BITCHES!
  4793. >no, Twilight would slap you
  4794. >HEY EVERYBODY
  4795. >nah, that sounds stupid
  4796. >GET READ, PONK
  4797. >that might work, but how would Pinkie take it?
  4798. >she might go crazy or she might laugh her ass off
  4799. >alternatively, she might go somewhere in between
  4800. >is it worth it?
  4801. >probably
  4802. >you didn't get to meme on Celestia, but you're not gonna miss this opportunity
  4803. >as you three arrive at the destination, you feign surprise
  4804. "Why are we here? Twilight, are you really willing to let me eat this much junk food for dinner?"
  4805. >Twilight shrugs and steps to the side of the door
  4806. >"Why not? You should be able to control yourself, you're smart. Anyways, after you!"
  4807. >not today, purple!
  4808. "You know, I'm feeling a bit generous. Spike, why don't you go first?"
  4809. >Twilight gets a bit nervous
  4810. >"No, it's your reward. I insist, go ahead."
  4811. >Spike still has your back though
  4812. [o]>"Why not? She doesn't mind and we're going to be out here all night if no one else wants to go."[/o]
  4813. >she starts glaring daggers at Spike
  4814. "Twilight, what's wrong? What's so bad about being generous? Isn't that one of the Elements of Harmony, or something?"
  4815. >it's at this point that she realizes she's not winning this without exposing the plan
  4816. >so, she gives up
  4817. >"Alright, fine. Spike, go ahead."
  4818. >she then proceeds to adopt a frustrated face as she sits down and stares into the distance, waiting for it all to go up in smoke
  4819. >when Spike opens the door, exactly what you planned for happens
  4820. >there's a loud yell of SURPRISE! and multiple party blowers sounding
  4821. >you also see some confetti drift out the door
  4822. >as the initial yell dies down into confused and disappointed mutters, you enact phase two
  4823. >you jump in past Spike and immediately see Pinkie standing in the center of the room, being the most confused
  4824. >without giving her a second to react, you scream your chosen line staring her dead in the eyes the whole time with as smug a grin as you can muster
  4825. "GET READ, PONK!"
  4826. >she recoils slightly in sheer surprise
  4827. >if she wasn't stunned into silence, she'd probably have a few words to say
  4828. >you start to get worried as the silence stretches on
  4829. >did you break her?
  4830. >no, wait
  4831. >she's doing something
  4832. >having finally processed exactly what just happened, she calmly starts nodding and clapping
  4833. [p]>"I don't know how you guessed it, but yep! This is your party!"[/p]
  4834. >she stands up and walks over to you, starting to giggle a bit
  4835. [p]>"You really got me there, you're the first pony to ever guess a party. Enjoy!"[/p]
  4836. >and this is when everybody else carries on as normal
  4837. >except Twilight, who is still a bit surprised at all this
  4838. >so, you decide to confront her on it
  4839. "What's up, Twi?"
  4840. >you know, while you're calling everypony by nicknames here
  4841. >"Did somepony tell you this was happening?"
  4842. >she's trying to piece this together
  4843. >of course she is
  4844. "No, I'm just pretty good at connecting dots. Unless you count Spike telling me after I had already figured it out on the way here, of course."
  4845. >"No wonder he was playing along, you probably asked him to help with this."
  4846. "Pretty much."
  4847. >"Well, I'm impressed. I guess it wasn't much of a surprise, though."
  4848. >after that, you two go back in and join the rest of the party
  4849. >when you do, you see Emerald standing over near a similar looking mare
  4850. >she looks pretty alone, so you decide to join her
  4851. "Hey Emerald, how are ya?"
  4852. >she sees you and immediately brightens up
  4853. [p]>"Hi, Anonymous! This party's pretty cool."[/p]
  4854. "I'm glad you're enjoying it, I'm sure Pinkie worked very hard on setting it all up. So, is this your mom?"
  4855. >you gesture to the mare standing next to her
  4856. [p]>"Actually, this is my sister. Mom sent me here to live with her for a while, so I'm staying here with her."[/p]
  4857. >the mare smiles at you before returning to her own conversation
  4858. "Cool, cool. Wanna go do something? There's probably an arcade machine around here, I remember Pinkie saying something about it."
  4859. [p]>"Sure, Let's go play it! What game even is it?"[/p]
  4860. "You know, I'm not actually sure. Whatever it is, I'm pretty sure it'll still be fun."
  4861. >you two walk around the area until you find the machine
  4862. >however, it's currently occupied by two colts
  4863. >this is an easily solved problem, though
  4864. "Hey nerds, this is your last round. We want the next play."
  4865. >they turn around, looking mildly offended at your comment
  4866. [o]>"You two are fillies, you wouldn't even like this game."[/o]
  4867. >bitch, please!
  4868. "Dude, it's my party and I requested this machine. Now, you have two options. Either you can give up the game nicely after you get destroyed by your friend, or I can destroy you myself and take it."
  4869. >he seems to take it personally
  4870. [o]>"You're on."[/o]
  4871. >let's hope your luck doesn't run out and you can out-play this punk
  4872. >his friend steps away from the controls as you step up
  4873. [p]>"Anonymous, it's okay. If they want to play the game, why not let them?"[/p]
  4874. >she may have a point, but you're gonna school this punk anyway
  4875. "At this point, I'm just doing this to prove I'm better. Besides, this guy's probably just a button masher."
  4876. >Emerald just moves up to your side to watch you play and the other colt moves to his own friend's side
  4877. >the game looks like it's just Mortal Kombat
  4878. >time to show this nerd how to play this game properly
  4879. >round one, fight
  4880. >yep, it's pretty much Mortal Kombat
  4881. >you get close to him and start putting in inputs about as fast as you can, managing to do a decent job of beating him up
  4882. >you continue this strategy until you manage to get him in a corner
  4883. >after that, it's pretty easy to cheese down his health bar
  4884. >round two, fight
  4885. >your strategy isn't doing so well this time, he got wise to it
  4886. >he manages to take this round, but you still have round three
  4887. >besides, you haven't even used your secret weapon
  4888. >round three, fight
  4889. >the round starts, and you have managed to get a proper idea of the controls
  4890. >using your newfound strategy, you manage to put up an even fight
  4891. >this is gonna be close
  4892. >wait, you're seeing a pattern in his movements
  4893. >you can abuse this
  4894. >sure enough, he falls right into your prediction and you manage to punish him dearly for it
  4895. >you're definitely going to win now
  4896. >but just to make sure, you trap him in the corner again and cheese down his health bar
  4897. >just for that extra disrespect you don't even go for a fatality
  4898. >you just teabag him
  4899. [o]>"Alright, you won. Play the stupid game."[/o]
  4900. >the colt and his friend walk off in shame
  4901. >you turn to Emerald
  4902. "So, you ready to play?"
  4903. [p]>"Well, I don't know if I can beat you but I'll try."[/p]
  4904. "Don't worry, all I did was just press buttons in the first round. It works surprisingly well!"
  4905. >she takes the other controls and you start another game
  4906. >she does well with the button mashing, and it's a pretty even first couple of rounds
  4907. >you just barely win on the third round though
  4908. >not wanting to be a bad sport to your friend, you do a fatality
  4909. >you both stare in awe as your character rips Emerald's character's spine out by their tail
  4910. >it's a bloody mess by the time it's over
  4911. [p]>"That was intense!"[/p]
  4912. >you've seen worse, but you're not going to tell her
  4913. "Yeah, I wouldn't want to be the janitor cleaning that up."
  4914. >she starts looking a bit more disinterested after this
  4915. [p]>"I'm kinda hungry, want to grab some cake?"[/p]
  4916. >yeah, you've wanted food for a while now
  4917. "Sure, I wonder what flavor it is!"
  4918. >you've completely forgotten what you told Pinkie to get
  4919. >that is, if you even told her to get something specific
  4920. >when you two get there, you find out it's chocolate
  4921. >oh yeah, you did say that!
  4922. >you grab a slice with a lot of frosting on it and Emerald grabs one with less frosting
  4923. >when you do, you also notice some pizzas nearby
  4924. >they're all cheese
  4925. >probably so ponies that wanted toppings don't get mad that their specific favorite wasn't there
  4926. >oh well, it works for you!
  4927. "Wanna take some pizza too?"
  4928. [p]>"Okay, I don't mind cheese."[/p]
  4929. >you two take your food over to an open table and eat it
  4930. >it's pretty good, Pinkie makes a mean cake
  4931. >after you two finish your food, you decide to think about what to do now
  4932. >you've got no ideas
  4933. "Anything you want to do?"
  4934. >Emerald thinks for a second
  4935. [p]>"I'm not sure either. Want to go somewhere less crowded?"[/p]
  4936. >sure, that sounds alright with you
  4937. "Lead the way, let's go."
  4938. >Emerald leads the way to a back room where you probably wouldn't have gotten to without the crowd for cover
  4939. >and it's just you two here
  4940. >is this going somewhere?
  4941. >nah, she's actually twelve as far as you can tell
  4942. >and you aren't about to do that and break some sort of law in the process
  4943. >she gets kind of close to you and sighs
  4944. [p]>"Anonymous, you're a great friend. I'm glad you're just as nice as I thought you'd be, because you're making it a lot better to be here without my mom. Even though it hasn't even been a full day since we met, I still appreciate it."[/p]
  4945. >oh
  4946. >that's some heavy feelings
  4947. "It's no problem, you're a nice pony to hang out with. I don't have many friends here either and even less family, so you're making it better for me too."
  4948. >she starts tearing up a bit
  4949. >and then out of nowhere, she wraps you in a tight hug
  4950. >you let this sink in for a moment before hugging her back
  4951. >you two stay embraced like this for another couple of seconds before Emerald breaks off
  4952. [p]>"Thanks, I needed to get that out of my system. Wanna stay here for a bit longer, or go back out to the party?"[/p]
  4953. >you kinda enjoy this
  4954. "I don't mind staying here for a bit longer."
  4955. >so you two sit in this back room for a while longer, simply enjoying the other's company
  4956. >eventually Twilight and Emerald's sister find you two when it's time to go home, and you two are forced to part ways again
  4957. >at least you'll get to see each other again tomorrow!
  4958. >when you three get back, Twilight asks you a question
  4959. >"So, what were you two doing in the back room?"
  4960. >pervert
  4961. "Simply having a conversation and enjoying each other's company, what were you expecting?"
  4962. >she smiles and responds smoothly
  4963. >"I'm not sure, why would two fillies need to sneak off to do that?"
  4964. "Well, in our defense, it was a bit of a personal conversation."
  4965. >"Then I won't pry any further. It's a good thing too, it's pretty late and you still have school tomorrow."
  4966. >oh, today wasn't Friday?
  4967. >nope, you counted wrong
  4968. >at least tomorrow's Friday!
  4969. >oh hey, it's also been exactly a week since you got here!
  4970. >and you're still no closer to home
  4971. >fug
  4972. >well, at least there's work being done on it
  4973. >supposedly
  4974. "Hey Twilight, before I go to bed, is there any more info from Celestia about getting me home?"
  4975. >Twilight starts concentrating, probably to remember the last letter she got
  4976. >"Actually, yes. The team sent to collect the first material I need has returned successfully with more than enough to perform the spell, and the second team was deployed to search for the next item."
  4977. >never mind
  4978. >there has been progress
  4979. >now you're one step closer to your first and hopefully only roll of the dice to get home
  4980. >that would be nice, have the astronomically, infinitesimally small chance of you making it on the first try actually happen
  4981. >yeah, and Twilight's actually a demon who wants to mindbreak you to be her sex slave
  4982. >although, statistically speaking, there's a universe where that's true
  4983. >but we're getting off topic again
  4984. >you need sleep and the weekend's coming
  4985. >you bid Twilight and Spike goodnight and head up to your room, only stopping to go to the bathroom
  4986. >too much punch
  4987. >after that detour, you make it back to your room fairly quickly and get under the covers
  4988. >snuggled up next to your Hitler and your Aryanne, you fall asleep in moments
  4989. >. . .
  4990. >your dreams take a different shape this time
  4991. >you're out in the middle of a forest and it's night-time
  4992. >it's not scary though, it's like you came out here on purpose
  4993. >when you look up, the light of the stars still filters down through the trees and the moon is clearly visible
  4994. >however, there's no signs of life anywhere nearby
  4995. >it's quiet
  4996. >so you decide to give yourself some company while waiting for the usual happenings of the night
  4997. >you decide to try something you've never tried in a dream before
  4998. >clone yourself
  4999. >you concentrate as hard as you can on yourself, trying to bring that form out into this world a second time
  5000. >when you open your eyes, you see that you succeeded
  5001. >kinda
  5002. >that's definitely you standing in front of you, but it's not really company
  5003. >all you managed to do was create a second model of your body, and it's stuck in a T-pose
  5004. >this physics engine, it might as well be Gmod
  5005. >well, at least in Gmod you could still spawn NPCs with your player model
  5006. >wait, maybe that's how you do it
  5007. >you get rid of the T-pose you and instead try to spawn an NPC that looks like you
  5008. >when you open your eyes, you see that it didn't work as well as you'd hoped
  5009. >it's only a basic rendering, and it's completely oblivious to you
  5010. >you sigh and sit down on a nearby stump, disappointed
  5011. "I'm not sure if I'll ever master dream physics but if this is all it's capable of at the most complex, then I'm not sure if I want to."
  5012. >"Don't worry, I assure you that being able to create manifestations to join you after the initial creation of a dreamscape is entirely possible. You'll need more experience than modifying the environment and creating lesser entities, though."
  5013. >hey, company!
  5014. >you turn to your right to see Luna staring at your crude attempt at cloning
  5015. >"Also, I wouldn't recommend trying to recreate yourself again. It can become quite confusing and lead to a multitude of problems. Trust me, I've tried it."
  5016. >oh
  5017. >well, you know what you aren't doing tomorrow
  5018. >that's cool
  5019. "Anyway, how are you?"
  5020. >she sits down on a downed tree near you
  5021. >"I'm alright, nothing eventful has happened. That's a blessing though, in my line of work. How about you?"
  5022. >you heard about what exactly she's supposed to do in the dreamworld yesterday, and you're not surprised that it sucks
  5023. "That's good, I ended up getting to go to a party today."
  5024. >"Oh, fun! How did that go?"
  5025. "It was alright. I got to spend more time with a friend I made today, and that's always a good thing."
  5026. >she seems a bit surprised at your last statement
  5027. >"I would imagine that making a friend would be higher on your list of noteworthy events than a simple party, who is this friend?"
  5028. "Another filly named Emerald Shine. She just moved to Ponyville to live with her sister, and she's pretty nice so far."
  5029. >Luna starts thinking for a few seconds
  5030. >"I can't say that name is familiar to me. I guess I haven't visited her yet, and I hope I don't have to."
  5031. >you don't need clarification for that statement, you know what visitation usually implies
  5032. >some kind of a recurring nightmare, or some hellish one-off
  5033. >this seems like a good spot to change the subject
  5034. "Wanna help me build a campfire?"
  5035. >Luna hops off the log and stands up
  5036. >"That sounds wonderful!"
  5037. >you two spend a while finding various sticks and fallen branches, and you even summon an axe to take down a small tree to make firewood
  5038. >after another while and a few different pieces of kindling wasted, the fire starts up
  5039. >alright, you two did something!
  5040. >but this brings something else to mind as you two return to your original seats
  5041. >campfires need a story
  5042. >you try to think of any yourself, but you were never good with scary stories
  5043. >you were even worse at telling them, though
  5044. >so, you go for the next best thing
  5045. >how about some education on human culture that really ought to scare her?
  5046. "Hey, this scene reminds me of something. Have you ever heard of a wendigo?"
  5047. >she considers this for all of a second before replying
  5048. >"I have. They were a problem back when Equestria was first founded, but they've been driven from the country since long before I was born."
  5049. "Those wendigos may share a similar name to the creature I'm talking about, but I assure you the human version is much, much more horrifying."
  5050. >you lean forward as you begin to think through everything you know about these creatures from nights spent on /x/ and the exact wrong part of youtube to be on at 3AM
  5051. "In human cultures, a wendigo arises from a person who, in the cold and desperate time of winter, is forced to cast aside their humanity and consume others for their own survival. This is only the myth of how they started, though."
  5052. >Luna starts to go wide-eyed and leans forward to listen
  5053. "In reality, we don't know much about the wendigos; even to the point of doubting their existence. However, there are people who say they have met these monsters, and their descriptions of them as well as the stories associated with them are truly terrifying."
  5054. >you pause for effect
  5055. >"You have my interest, do go on."
  5056. "Well, these things are described as being about the size of a deer and remarkably similar in look. That is, if you're far enough away. If you get close enough, you'll see that these monsters are in fact much larger and more resemble a deer carcass than a deer.
  5057. >as you give this description, you see a deer appear in the distance silhouetted against the dark
  5058. >huh
  5059. "On top of that, they also have dark, beady eyes and razor-sharp teeth along with long, abnormally large arms and legs tipped with long claws. This description is enough to put some horrid images in your head as is, but it's nothing compared to what they sound like."
  5060. >at that moment, you hear an eery screech from off in the forest, kind of like someone trying to use a lawnmower as a meat grinder while sending it through a wood chipper
  5061. >and that deer is gone
  5062. >now you're confused
  5063. "They actually sound kind of like that, from what I've heard."
  5064. >Luna looks pretty freaked out now, not that you aren't
  5065. >well, this is still your dream
  5066. >worst case scenario, you delete it or wake up
  5067. "Anyway, these creatures lurk in forests waiting for people to wander in so they can lure them in and tear them apart. They don't just choose humans, though. They'll rip apart and eat anything that moves and leave the leftovers strewn across the landscape, turning it red."
  5068. >you notice that the deer's back now, but it's different from before
  5069. >it also rears up and lets out the same hair-raising screech, only this time it's closer
  5070. >Luna looks like she's terrified
  5071. "Don't look now, but I may have accidentally spawned one here. If you want to see it, then turn around. Otherwise, I suggest you get behind me."
  5072. >keeping the same expression, she gets up and moves over to you
  5073. >only when she's behind you does she turn back and look at it
  5074. >knowing this is a dream, you decide to test the limits of what you can do
  5075. >staring at it and concentrating as hard as you can, you attempt to force it to walk over
  5076. >it responds after a couple of moments, turning towards you and stalking forward
  5077. >perfect
  5078. >you feel Luna press herself against you, either to get closer to it or to use you as a shield
  5079. >probably option two
  5080. >as it gets closer and closer, you realize just how big your mind made it
  5081. >if it was standing straight up, it would probably be about 10 feet tall
  5082. >even you're starting to get a bit spooked, despite being in complete control
  5083. >eventually the beast gets close enough that the light of the fire reaches it, letting you two see it in its disgusting splendor
  5084. >it really does look like Gollum from LoTR put on a rotted deer skin
  5085. >it's two small, pitch black eyes are also focused on you two, darting between you and Luna (who's just barely peeking over your shoulder, despite you still being seated)
  5086. >now's the final test
  5087. >the decision that turns this dream into a nightmare, or something worthy of "Most Awesome Image on the Internet" if you could take a picture of it
  5088. >it crawls closer, stopping mere inches from you
  5089. >you can smell it, and it smells just like how it looks
  5090. >it slowly opens its mouth, exposing every one if its needle-like teeth
  5091. >Luna started shivering a long time ago, but you only now notice since you started shivering too
  5092. >it lets out a final ear-splitting scream right in your face before sitting down and losing interest in you two
  5093. >perfect
  5094. >to confirm that you just did exactly what you think you did, you reach out and poke it
  5095. >it turns back to you, but only blinks before going back to looking around and sniffing the air
  5096. >you did it
  5097. "It's okay to come out from behind me now, the thing's not gonna kill us."
  5098. >you hear Luna's slightly muffled reply from behind you and below you
  5099. >"I'm fine where I am, you can get rid of it now."
  5100. "But I just did all this so you could see what one's like, are you sure?"
  5101. >"Completely. Is it gone yet?"
  5102. >you decide to pull a little joke
  5103. >you get up, leaving nothing between her and the now harmless abomination except the stump
  5104. >she didn't see it though, since she's crouched down behind it and covering her eyes
  5105. "Alright, it's gone."
  5106. >lol nope
  5107. >now it's just looking at her like a confused dog
  5108. >"Thank you, it was terrifying enough with it on the other side of the-"
  5109. >this is when she sees it, it's face now about 6 inches from the side of her head
  5110. >what starts off as a stunned and terrified squeak grows into a scream as Luna first freezes, then starts running away, then flies into the air, and finally fires off a spell turning everything within 5 feet of the poor creature into a crater
  5111. >it's not just a simple blast, either
  5112. >it's a full-blown beam
  5113. >she's killing it not just with fire, but with lasers
  5114. >when she stops and comes back down, you walk over to what is now a pretty deep hole in your dreamscape
  5115. "That was a bit of an overreaction."
  5116. >"Well I'm sorry that after you telling me all that, I didn't take it so well when you put one less than a foot away from me!"
  5117. "Okay, I guess that was a bit much of me to expect. I'm sorry for freaking you out so much."
  5118. >she calms down a bit more, before staring at you disappointed
  5119. >"You should be."
  5120. "I see that the fire's still intact, want to roast some marshmallows while you're still here?"
  5121. >"No, I think that's enough for tonight. I wouldn't be surprised if I have to change my sheets when I wake up, after this."
  5122. >Luna leaves after this closing statement, leaving you feeling like a complete ass
  5123. >you take the spot on the log and stare up at the now disapproving glare of the moon, waiting for the dream to end
  5124. >. . .
  5125. >you wake up to your alarm, still feeling a little bad
  5126. >you go about your morning routine in the same way you have since you got here, thinking about what went wrong and possible ways to fix it
  5127. >during your shower, you run through possible arguments as you try to figure out the best way to go about things
  5128. >however, it all relies on whether Luna comes back again at some point
  5129. >that's where it all falls apart
  5130. >there's no way for you to tell if she will or not, so you're pretty much in the dark on this
  5131. >after you're done, you head downstairs and get your breakfast
  5132. >when you get there, you're greeted by Twilight who's making coffee
  5133. >"Good morning, Anon. How was your sleep?"
  5134. >she's invested in your life here a fair amount, you might as well tell her
  5135. "Well, I may or may not have managed to scare Luna so badly she messed up her bed. Understandably, she wasn't too happy about it and I'm not sure what's going to happen now. Other than that, I slept fine."
  5136. >Twilight takes in everything you just told her with a look of mild concentration on her face
  5137. >"Do you mind if I give you some advice?"
  5138. "Go ahead, I'm not sure what to do at this point."
  5139. >"If you haven't already, apologize. After that, let her do what she feels is necessary. If it comes down to it, she'll see one way or another that you really care about this. Luna may not have many friends, but the ones she does have, she isn't willing to let go this easily."
  5140. >Twilight's reassurance makes you feel a bit better
  5141. >hopefully you'll be able to patch things up tonight, and if not, maybe sometime afterwards
  5142. "Thanks, Twi. Now, you mind giving me some of that coffee when it's done?"
  5143. >"Sure. I'm glad I could help."
  5144.  
  5145. TIMESKIP!
  5146.  
  5147. >as usual, math is boring as hell
  5148. >it's still not interesting in the slightest since you know all this shit
  5149. >you can't fall asleep either, because of the coffee
  5150. >so you just stare aimlessly at the ceiling
  5151. >"Alright, who can tell me what the answer is for problem C on the worksheet? How about you, Anonymous?"
  5152. >Cheerilee called on you for an answer
  5153. >you didn't even do the worksheet
  5154. >not one to be beaten by some childish math problem though, you look down at the problem and find the answer within moments
  5155. "24."
  5156. >it's a very unenthusiastic reply, but it's correct
  5157. >"Thank you. The answer to problem C is 24, and from that we can tell..."
  5158. >Cheerilee's voice fades back into the background as you resume staring at the ceiling
  5159. >you stay like this, just blankly staring upwards, until the recess bell rings
  5160. >as you get up, you hear Cheerilee from behind you
  5161. >"Anonymous, before you leave I'd like to talk with you."
  5162. >is this where she tells you that you're in danger of failing because you've done absolutely nothing but fall asleep and play on your phone?
  5163. >whatever, you've heard it all through high school and you still passed with good grades
  5164. >well, you didn't fail
  5165. >either way, she's the teacher
  5166. >so you get up and walk over to her
  5167. >after all the other students have left, she starts talking
  5168. >"Anonymous, I can't help but notice that you're acting extra bored today. Is something wrong?"
  5169. >oh
  5170. >child psychology time
  5171. "Well, My night wasn't too great and now I'm just a bit irritated that I can't fall back asleep."
  5172. >she doesn't seem too sure on how to respond to that
  5173. >"I'm sorry that your night wasn't restful, but you just reminded me of another question."
  5174. >oh boy
  5175. >here it comes
  5176. >"Why aren't you applying yourself? It's clear that you know the material, so why not just do the work that goes with it? From what I've seen, it wouldn't take you more than a few minutes."
  5177. >oh, it's this conversation
  5178. "It's been a problem I've had for most of my life. I don't see the point in redoing what I've already done, and it's caused me some problems. Despite that, I still have done nothing to fix it."
  5179. >she seems very confused at that answer
  5180. >like it's something she's never heard before
  5181. >probably because she's never had to teach a 22-year old basic algebra
  5182. "Can I go now?"
  5183. >"You can go."
  5184. >as you walk outside, you hear her sigh
  5185. >probably questioning your life choices
  5186. >when you get outside, you see Emerald sitting on the bench waiting
  5187. [p]>"Hi Anonymous, what was that about?"[/p]
  5188. >you hop up on the bench next to her before you reply
  5189. "She asked about me being more apathetic than usual, and I told her the reason."
  5190. [p]>"Oh. Well, I hope whatever it is isn't too much of a problem."[/p]
  5191. "It's not, Twilight already helped me out this morning. Of course, it didn't help that I ended up drinking coffee before I came here. It wouldn't have been as suspicious if I could've fallen asleep."
  5192. >and that's when you remember what you asked Twilight yesterday
  5193. "Oh, that reminds me! I asked her, and Twilight said it's okay for you to come over after school today."
  5194. >she smiles the biggest smile you've seen her have
  5195. [p]>"Thanks, Anonymous! I can't wait, it's going to be so cool to go over to a friend's house!"[/p]
  5196. >wait, what?
  5197. "Have you never been to a friend's house before?"
  5198. >she drops the smile for a slightly frustrated sadface
  5199. [p]>"No, I never even had any friends at home other than my siblings."[/p]
  5200. >wow, that must suck
  5201. "Then I suggest you prepare for shenanigans like you've never seen before!"
  5202. >you two spend the rest of recess just sitting and enjoying the scenery
  5203. >when the bell rings, you two head back inside to your seats
  5204. >science is a bit more interesting today since today's lesson involves magic
  5205. >Newton would probably be rolling in his grave if he existed here
  5206. >yeah, the laws of physics are very different here
  5207. >if that wasn't obvious enough from the fact that two gods are needed to change the time of day
  5208. >oh well, the lesson soon devolves into stuff that still holds true back home and you go right back to not paying attention
  5209. >when history comes, you go back to full alert
  5210. >it's not an interesting lesson, much to your disappointment
  5211. >it's just about the period in between Luna's exile and her return
  5212. >it's very boring and only briefly goes over the creation of Germaneigh
  5213. >you wouldn't be surprised if this was one of the more covered topics on the test because of that
  5214. >after you fight off caffeine-crash induced sleep for a while, you're brought back to the real world by the lunch bell
  5215. >you grab your food and meet up with Emerald on the way to the bench
  5216. "What did your sister pack for you today?"
  5217. [p]>"A sandwich. Hers aren't as good as mom's, though. What about you?"[/p]
  5218. >when you sit down, you look inside your brown paper bag
  5219. >it's a sandwich too
  5220. "You're not gonna believe this, but it's a sandwich!"
  5221. >your mild sarcasm gets a giggle out of her
  5222. [p]>"It's almost like sandwiches aren't uncommon!"[/p]
  5223. >you two both laugh at this as you pull out and eat your food
  5224. >it's a PB&J
  5225. >it's alright, but you wish it had a different kind of jelly
  5226. >other than that, your food is good
  5227. "So, what do you want to do first when we get to the castle?"
  5228. [p]>"Why not show me around? I'm sure it'll be confusing to get around at first, and I don't like getting lost."[/p]
  5229. >that makes sense, you spent the better part of three days just learning how to find your room
  5230. "Alright, I can do that. Anything else?"
  5231. [p]>"After that, I'm fine with anything you want to do."[/p]
  5232. >you two spend the rest of lunch talking about what you're going to get up to at the castle later today
  5233. >when you get back inside, you finish the writing assignment as soon as you're given it
  5234. >now, back to writing your green!
  5235. >why do you keep forgetting where you leave off?
  5236. >just remember, already!
  5237. >after thinking for about a minute, you finally remember where you left off
  5238. >right, you just got home on Sunday
  5239. >you better write fast, you're starting to lag behind on the events
  5240. >you manage to get all the way to Monday morning when the bell rings
  5241. >cool, now it's the weekend!
  5242. >you walk out with Emerald after grabbing your things, and go back to the castle
  5243. >when you walk in the door, you announce your return
  5244. "We're back!"
  5245. >Twilight comes in from another room as soon as she hears this
  5246. >"Welcome home, Anon! This must be Emerald?"
  5247. [p]>"That's me! Nice to meet you, Princess Twilight!"[/p]
  5248. >Twilight blushes at this
  5249. >"Just Twilight is fine, please."
  5250. [p]>"Oh, alright. Thanks for letting me come over to hang out with Anonymous!"[/p]
  5251. >"It's my pleasure, you're one of the first friends Anon's made here. Anyway, I'll get out of your manes and let you go. Have fun!"
  5252. >Twilight leaves the room, leaving you two to get down to business
  5253. "And now I'll show you the places I know by memory!"
  5254. >you lead her off in the direction of the first room
  5255. >when you get there, you give a brief description
  5256. "This is the kitchen, it's pretty much just a kitchen. Nothing too special."
  5257. >after that, you take her to the next room
  5258. "And this is the living room. I don't know if it's actually called that, but it's where we all spend the majority of our time when not doing something important."
  5259. [p]>"What kind of important things go on?"[/p]
  5260. "You know, eating, sleeping, Twilight getting called on some mission, the usual."
  5261. >one of those isn't usual for a filly to deal with, but with Twilight, nothing's ever completely normal
  5262. >at least not so far
  5263. [p]>"Oh, okay. Where next?"[/p]
  5264. >you move towards the next room with Emerald following happily
  5265. >when you get there, you stop right outside at first
  5266. "Now I want you to remember the location of this room, it will be invaluable to you while you're here."
  5267. >you open the door showing her what it is
  5268. "It's the bathroom. There are probably others, but this is the only one I can help you find."
  5269. >she concentrates on this room for a few seconds
  5270. [p]>"Alright, I think I've got it."[/p]
  5271. "On to the final location!"
  5272. >this walk is shorter than the rest, but it's also the most important room to show her
  5273. "And for the grand finale, this is my room!"
  5274. >you open the door in a flourish, being as flashy as possible for maximum dramatic effect
  5275. >it's not as messy as you remember, Twilight must have touched up this room a bit
  5276. >your bed's also made
  5277. >thanks, Twilight!
  5278. "So, how do you like it?"
  5279. >she walks in and looks around
  5280. [p]>"It's nice, you sure have a lot of books."[/p]
  5281. >oh, right
  5282. >your wall of uninteresting books
  5283. >you join her inside your room
  5284. "They're actually Twilight's, I wasn't able to bring much from home."
  5285. [p]>"Oh, then what did you get to bring from home?"[/p]
  5286. >you don't want to lie, but you can't tell the full truth
  5287. "Some clothes and a stuffed animal."
  5288. [p]>"Heh, at least you got to bring stuff from home! Mom pretty much just took me to the train station and told me where I was going."[/p]
  5289. "Alright, you win the pity contest... For now."
  5290. >you flash her a grin and she laughs before jumping on to your bed
  5291. [p]>"Anyway, what do you want to do now?"[/p]
  5292. >you've got a few ideas
  5293. "We could do a lot of things, like... 'The floor is lava', I could ask Twilight about a board game, I've got a deck of cards around here somewhere, or something else. Any input on any of these?"
  5294. [p]>"What's 'the floor is lava'?"[/p]
  5295. >does she really not know?
  5296. >dang, she must not have ever been around another foal for more than a few minutes
  5297. "It's a simple game where we try to make it to some specific place without touching the ground, and anything else is fair game. I've never played it myself because my mom would yell at me for climbing on the furniture, but it could be pretty fun."
  5298. >it's true, your mom never let you play it with other kids
  5299. >she was always just a bit overprotective
  5300. >it's not even like you would've gotten hurt!
  5301. >well, badly enough to care
  5302. >well, badly enough to warrant a trip to the hospital
  5303. >come to think of it, she may have been partly right
  5304. >but that was back when you didn't have an extra pair of legs to balance on
  5305. >you'll be fine!
  5306. [p]>"Do you think Twilight would mind?"[/p]
  5307. >Twilight can't mind if she doesn't even know it's happening
  5308. "Nah, she'll be fine with it as long as we don't get in her way."
  5309. >Emerald stands up on your bed
  5310. [p]>"Alright, I'm in!"[/p]
  5311. "Okay, so before we start, I'm going to say where the safe zone is."
  5312. >where should the safe zone be?
  5313. >well, where would be a nice place to cool off after spending some undefined amount of time above a massive lava lake?
  5314. >somewhere with refreshments, obviously
  5315. "The safe zone is the kitchen. If we make it there, we win. If not, we die."
  5316. >you hop up on to your own bed next to Emerald
  5317. "And the game starts now!"
  5318. >just like that, the crystal floor heats up unimaginably fast, nearly exploding into liquid glass
  5319. [p]>"How do we get to the kitchen from here? There's plenty of objects to get to the door with, but I didn't see much in the halls."[/p]
  5320. "Don't worry, I have an idea. All we need to do is successfully bring a blanket from this bed to the door, and we'll hopefully be able to make it there."
  5321. >together, you both quickly pull a sheet off your bed
  5322. [p]>"I have an idea on how we can move it, hold still."[/p]
  5323. >you hold as still as you can while Emerald wraps the blanket around you before tying it in a loose knot
  5324. "You're a genius! Now, all we have to do is make it to the bookshelf and I can make us a path to the door."
  5325. >you two start looking around to find a good way to get to the shelf without touching the now fluid floor of Twilight's castle
  5326. >eventually, you see it
  5327. "The window sill! It's just wide enough for us to cross, and it leads within jumping distance of the bookshelf!"
  5328. [p]>"Okay, I'll go first to test it out. Cover me if I fall, okay?"[/p]
  5329. >you grab a pillow and wait near the foot of your bed
  5330. >Emerald puts a hoof on to the sill to test it, and it holds
  5331. >soon, she's completely on it
  5332. >she makes it about halfway before starting to lose her balance
  5333. [p]>"Anon, I'm falling! Help!"[/p]
  5334. >you toss the pillow underneath her, giving her somewhere to land if she can't get back up
  5335. >however, she regains her balance shortly
  5336. [p]>"Never mind, I guess. I'm almost to the shelf, you can come across when I'm there."[/p]
  5337. >after a few more steps, she makes the jump to the shelf and catches it
  5338. >it looked like a less-than-comfortable landing, but it worked
  5339. "Alright, I'm coming across too. Let's hope I can make it."
  5340. >you step on to the ledge, the weight of the blanket tied around you making it much harder to balance
  5341. >you can hear the edge of it sizzle as it dips into the white-hot pool below
  5342. >it's a miracle that these things don't catch on fire
  5343. >Twilight must have heat-proofed everything after the Tree Library exploded that one time
  5344. >whatever it is, it's probably going to save both of your lives
  5345. >after a few cautious steps, you make it to the opposite edge of the sill
  5346. "Move over, I need to jump!"
  5347. >Emerald scoots over about a foot, giving you more than enough room
  5348. >you hope
  5349. >you jump as hard as you can...
  5350. >and slam face first into a book
  5351. >you manage to hold on to your purchase, though
  5352. >you're still alive
  5353. >this was a triumph!
  5354. >but you can't make any notes about success until you're in the kitchen
  5355. >and that's still a long way and multiple floors off
  5356. "Step one complete. Now we need to start pulling books off and putting them down, that'll give us a path. It might not be the most stable, but it's a path."
  5357. >Emerald nods and starts pulling books off the shelf, letting them fall to the floor
  5358. >not being a stranger to making a mess, you also begin throwing books to the floor
  5359. >after a few minutes and enough books to make a sizeable pile, you drop off the shelf
  5360. >the blanket coils up on top of the scorching fluid near you, but that's not your focus
  5361. >you start moving books carefully, eventually managing to make a square island
  5362. "Okay, it's safe for you to come down now."
  5363. >Emerald jumps down, landing safely on top of your improvised platform
  5364. [p]>"It looks like we have enough books, we should start making the path before any of these catch fire. I'm amazed that the blanket hasn't though, it should hold up well on the way to the kitchen."[/p]
  5365. >you two start moving the excess books into a stepping-stone like path, all the way to the door
  5366. >after it gets long enough, you cross the lake of not-exactly-lava to the door
  5367. "Cool, step 2 is complete. The hard part's over, now we just ride the blanket to freedom!"
  5368. >you open the door as Emerald crosses the path behind you
  5369. [p]>"Here, I'll take the blanket off of you and you put it down in front of us."[/p]
  5370. >she makes quick work of the knot, and you throw the blanket over the melted crystal in front of you
  5371. >after you two watch to make sure it doesn't catch on fire or sink, you both hop on
  5372. [p]>"Now how do we get to the kitchen?"[/p]
  5373. "It's simple. The blanket is flexible, so we can move it by pushing off the liquid underneath us since it seems to be more dense than us."
  5374. >after this explanation, you two quickly get into a rhythm of stretching and crumpling the blanket to move you two across the river of shining liquid crystal
  5375. >it's so smooth, it almost looks solid
  5376. >you both know better, though
  5377. >one wrong step, and you two are reduced to ash and vapor in seconds
  5378. >the progress isn't very fast, but it's manageable and you make it to the staircase faster than you thought
  5379. >now comes a more difficult part
  5380. "This is gonna be tougher, but I know we can do this. Scrunch up the blanket behind us, and I'll handle the rest."
  5381. >Emerald gathers up the blanket behind you both and gathers it up in between you two
  5382. [p]>"Be careful, Anon. I don't know how these lava stairs will react to you."[/p]
  5383. "Don't worry, I'll be fine!"
  5384. >you'll be fine, it's pulling a blanket down a flight of stairs
  5385. >how much could go wrong?
  5386. >you gather up the front of the blanket in your mouth, preparing to start your journey
  5387. >as you take the first step, the blanket goes taut underneath you
  5388. >this was not expected
  5389. >quickly, you're starting to fall!
  5390. >get some footing, or you're going to hit the fluid death below you!
  5391. >you flail wildly and manage to get yourself tangled in the blanket before ultimately falling out of it and down the stairs
  5392. >you're ded
  5393. >no success 4u
  5394. >but you've got more pressing matters
  5395. >now that the floor's returned, you're falling down the stairs
  5396. >this hurts
  5397. >you're also gaining speed, and haven't gotten your legs back under you
  5398. >oh hold on
  5399. >is that a wall coming up?
  5400. >as your head hits a very solid object at full speed, you realize that was, in fact, a wall
  5401. >Emerald appears to have given up on the game as well, since she's now standing next to you without the blanket
  5402. [p]>"Anon, are you alright? That looks like it hurt!"[/p]
  5403. >the sharp throbbing on top of your head says you aren't, but you don't want to worry her
  5404. "I'm pretty sure I'm fine, that gave me one massive headache though."
  5405. >she becomes relieved, dropping the worried look on her face
  5406. [p]>"That's good, but maybe we shouldn't keep going. I don't want you to fall again."[/p]
  5407. >that seems reasonable
  5408. "I'm still in the mood for a drink, though. I'll lead you to the kitchen."
  5409. >you keep going down the stairs, ignoring the pain
  5410. >you two get all the way to the bottom before Emerald yells out
  5411. [p]>"You're bleeding!"[/p]
  5412. >guess you're not fine
  5413. "Okay, this is probably manageable. Let's go get Twilight, she'll know what to do."
  5414. >what she says next scares you
  5415. [p]>"It's getting bigger, and it doesn't look like it's stopping!"[/p]
  5416. >okay, you're going to have to get help for this
  5417. "TWILIGHT!"
  5418. >a purple flash appears in front of you
  5419. >"What's wrong?"
  5420. [p]>"Anonymous fell down the stairs and hit her head, it looks like she's bleeding pretty badly!"[/p]
  5421. >"Let me see. Anon, turn around."
  5422. >Twilight's calm demeanor is helping you not freak out, but you're still kinda rattled
  5423. >"I see what you mean, but it doesn't look too bad. I'll go grab something to help, you two just go to the kitchen and wait for me."
  5424. >you two make your way down to the kitchen as Twilight teleports away again
  5425. >after you two get there, you sit down in a nearby chair and Emerald takes the one next to it
  5426. >you also start to feel the warm trickle of blood down the back of your neck
  5427. >let's hope Twilight gets here soon
  5428. >it's an apprehensive wait, but soon enough Twilight joins you both
  5429. >she's also got a vial of a pink fluid with her
  5430. >"This is going to sting a bit, but hold still and don't touch your head until it doesn't hurt anymore."
  5431. >without any more warning, she opens the vial and pours it right on top of your head wound
  5432. >this doesn't just sting
  5433. >it burns
  5434. >you must be visibly wincing, because Emerald pipes up
  5435. [p]>"What was that you put on her? It looks like it really hurts, considering she didn't even react to the fall."[/p]
  5436. >"It's an experimental healing agent I've been working on, but it's nearly out of final testing. I'm confident enough that it'll work on her, so I wouldn't worry too much."
  5437. >sure enough, the pain begins to dull
  5438. >after another few seconds, the pain's completely gone
  5439. >you reach up to where the pain had been mere moments before to find it completely smooth
  5440. >there's still some blood, though
  5441. >it'll wash out though, so it's not that big of a problem
  5442. >"All better?"
  5443. "Yeah, thanks Twilight."
  5444. >"Okay, now I want to know what you two were doing that Anon fell down the stairs."
  5445. "We were playing 'the floor is lava'."
  5446. [p]>"Yeah, and we were trying to take a blanket down the stairs, which is when Anonymous fell."[/p]
  5447. >Twilight becomes disappointed quickly after hearing this
  5448. >"Has nopony ever told either of you that this game isn't a good idea? You're likely to get hurt or break something, as shown by your head."
  5449. >that last part was directed at you, obviously
  5450. >"You two should really do something else. I'll even go grab the board games for you, just don't do that again."
  5451. >this is where you decide to be a smartass
  5452. "But then what happens if the floor does become lava?"
  5453. >Twilight replies almost instantly
  5454. >"Then your body will spontaneously combust due to the ambient heat, and you'll have about a minute and a half before you pass out from the pain and another two before you die completely. On the off-chance that it behaves similarly to the rules of that game, then wait for me and I'll cast a fire-resistance spell on you and you can probably just walk to safety."
  5455. >you and Emerald are both stunned into silence at the blunt description she gave
  5456. >"My point being, all you're doing is putting yourselves in an unnecessary position that isn't likely to help you but is very likely to hurt you."
  5457. >oh, so that was her point
  5458. "Point taken."
  5459. [p]>"I don't think I'm going to play 'the floor is lava' anytime soon, then."[/p]
  5460. >Twilight teleports away again, leaving you two to wait while she finds a board game
  5461. >after a while of waiting, Twilight comes back with a box
  5462. >"I found this game, and it should be fun enough for two players. No more messing around like that, okay?"
  5463. >she puts the box down on the table
  5464. >it's monopoly
  5465. >why is it always monopoly?
  5466. >you don't even really like it that much!
  5467. >too much kikery
  5468. "Alright, I'm okay with this..."
  5469. [p]>"I've never played this before, I hope it's not too hard."[/p]
  5470. >you look over at her with a solemn expression
  5471. "It's not hard, that I can tell you."
  5472. >she brightens up at this
  5473. >"If you two want, I can ask Spike if he wants to play with you."
  5474. >sure, might as well drag him down with you both
  5475. "Yeah, three players is better than two."
  5476. >"Then I'll go get him, you two can go and set up wherever you like."
  5477. >Twilight walks out of the room and you look back over at Emerald
  5478. "Back to my room?"
  5479. >she shrugs
  5480. [p]>"Sure."[/p]
  5481. >you pick up Judaism: The Game and you both head up to your room
  5482. >when you get there, you put the box up on your bed and open it
  5483. >with all the pieces and the board exposed, you just have to set it up
  5484. >you pull out the board and all the fake money, setting it up like you remember before grabbing out all the cards with it
  5485. >yep, this is pretty much monopoly from home
  5486. >there's even still a car and a boat piece!
  5487. >there aren't even cars here!
  5488. >what the fuck!
  5489. >Hasjew, have some consistency!
  5490. >still, you get the rest of the game set up with Emerald watching
  5491. >just after it's all there, Twilight comes back with Spike
  5492. [o]>"Hey, Twilight said you two wanted to play a game with me?"[/p]
  5493. [p]>"Yeah, Anonymous says that this game is more fun with more ponies."[/p]
  5494. >Spike hops up next to you both as Twilight leaves the room again
  5495. [o]>"Alright, I'll play too. Monopoly?"[/p]
  5496. "Monopoly. What piece?"
  5497. [o]>"I usually play with the thimble, but I can choose something else."[/o]
  5498. "And I usually take the dog, so what piece do you want?"
  5499. >you both turn towards Emerald
  5500. [p]>"What are the other options?"[/p]
  5501. "There's a car, a boat, an iron, a money bag, and a hat."
  5502. [p]>"I'll take the hat!"[/p]
  5503. >you and Spike both take your chosen pieces and set them up on the board
  5504. "Emerald, I'll walk you through the rules as we come to a new part that needs explaining. Okay?"
  5505. >she nods
  5506. [o]>"So, who's going first?"[/o]
  5507. "According to standard rules, it's oldest first and clockwise from there. Standard rules aren't interesting enough though, so I usually decide by rock-paper-scissors."
  5508. >they both agree, and you all play to decide the order
  5509. >Spike is first, Emerald is second, and you're third
  5510. >how did they both pick scissors in the first round?
  5511. >this game sucks already
  5512. >after a long and only mildly entertaining game, you end up winning
  5513. >it's a hollow victory, though
  5514. >it doesn't feel good to cheat a child and an idiot out of even fake money
  5515. [p]>"That took a while, what time is it?"[/p]
  5516. "Hold on, lemme check."
  5517. >you reach into your school bag nearby and pull out your phone
  5518. >it's 7:30, holy shit
  5519. "It's 7:30, why do you ask?"
  5520. [p]>"Oh, I had to be home an hour ago! My sister's going to be so worried, I guess this is goodbye for today."[/p]
  5521. >Emerald hops off your bed and walks over to the doorway
  5522. >you really don't want to see her leave, but if she has to go...
  5523. "You know, I could walk you home. It's dark out, and it's a lot less scary when you have a friend with you."
  5524. >good idea!
  5525. >she looks back at you, with a bittersweet smile on her face
  5526. [p]>"Thanks, I appreciate it."[/p]
  5527. >you jump off the bed and land behind her
  5528. >you two then go back to the front door to start the trip back
  5529. >before you can get through it, you're stopped by a voice from behind
  5530. >"You two really shouldn't be going out alone this late, I'll come with you to make sure nothing bad happens."
  5531. >you both turn around to see Twilight standing behind you a few feet
  5532. >you're probably not going to be able to convince her otherwise
  5533. >it's also an honestly sound decision
  5534. >you're not very big and you're much weaker than you were as a human, you'd get your ass kicked if something happened out there
  5535. >sure, that's unlikely, but do you really want to risk it?
  5536. >no, you don't
  5537. "I think that's a good idea. Emerald, any objections?"
  5538. [p]>"No, I agree. I'll get lost by myself and I don't want you to walk back alone."[/p]
  5539. >so Twilight joins you two on the walk to Emerald's house
  5540. >she doesn't really get in the way much though, she just walks behind you both and lets you do what you do
  5541. >and what you do is have a conversation
  5542. [p]>"That was fun, wanna come over to my house tomorrow?"[/p]
  5543. "Okay, sounds like a plan! Twilight, can I?"
  5544. >you look behind yourself to Twilight, who nods
  5545. "Cool, I can come over tomorrow! What time do you want me to be there?"
  5546. [p]>"How about around ten? That gives us plenty of time to do stuff. Oh, that just gave me an idea! Why not just stay the night with me?"[/p]
  5547. >you look back at Twilight
  5548. >"Just be back before three on Sunday."
  5549. >that's manageable, and it gives you both plenty of time for activities!
  5550. [p]>"Great! I'll see you tomorrow, and then we can have even more fun!"[/p]
  5551. >you three make it to Emerald's house very soon afterwards, and you say goodbye yet again before leaving with Twilight
  5552. >"I guess you have plans for tomorrow, then."
  5553. "What, were you hoping I'd do something with you?"
  5554. >"Maybe, I have a lot more free time than my other friends and so do you."
  5555. "Oh, are you getting jealous of Luna?"
  5556. >you give her one of those shit-eating grins you're so fond of
  5557. >Twilight just smirks and boops you with her wing
  5558. "Hey, that was uncalled for!"
  5559. >"Too late, you've already been booped. And I'm not jealous of Luna, her job is even worse than Celestia's!"
  5560. >you have a snappy comeback for that
  5561. "Yeah, I'd hate to have to deal with some alien asshole every night when I could be sleeping peacefully too."
  5562. >she looks over to you in a confused way
  5563. >that joke wasn't even good in your head
  5564. >nice one
  5565. "Let's just forget I said that, alright?"
  5566. >"Whatever you say, genius."
  5567. >after some more walking in more or less silence, you two get back to the castle
  5568. >when you two come in, you're both greeted by a pleasant aroma
  5569. >Spike must be making dinner!
  5570. >nice, you didn't realize just how hungry you were until now
  5571. >you and Twilight make your way up to the kitchen to find Spike doing exactly what you expected
  5572. [o]>"I hope you two don't mind, but I started making some food for us."[/o]
  5573. >you don't mind
  5574. >you don't mind at all
  5575. >"Thanks, Spike."
  5576. >and Twilight doesn't mind either
  5577. >a few minutes later, Spike sets it all down in front of you both and you all eat it happily
  5578. >feeling a food coma coming, you tell them both good night and head back up to your room
  5579. >you don't forget to grab the blanket back off the stairs
  5580. >can't forget your blanket, otherwise you'll get cold
  5581. >when you get back to your room, you walk around the mess to your bed
  5582. >you just manage to get the blanket on it before you hop on yourself and crash
  5583. >. . .
  5584. >your dreams take you to a canyon, once again at night
  5585. >it's a scenic view, and it reminds you pretty heavily of the grand canyon
  5586. >the only difference is that this canyon doesn't seem to have a bottom
  5587. >that, and there's no tourists anywhere nearby
  5588. >maybe they're all outside your render distance?
  5589. >that could also explain the lack of a bottom to the canyon
  5590. >that's still really deep, though
  5591. >you better not fall
  5592. >plus, you're not sure if Luna's gonna show up
  5593. >that means you really need to stay out of trouble
  5594. >not only because it could backfire horribly and turn into a nightmare, but you could also scare her back off with something stupid you decide to do
  5595. >so instead, you summon in a chair to sit and enjoy the scenery
  5596. >it's just a simple lawn chair, so it serves its purpose well enough
  5597. >you look around the landscape and into the sky, your eyes eventually settling on the moon above you
  5598. >it's not judging you as harshly as last night
  5599. >it almost seems forgiving in its glow
  5600. >that's when you notice that it's steadily getting brighter
  5601. >eventually it becomes blinding, and you have no choice but to close your eyes and shield your face
  5602. >who cares if it's a dream, it still hurts!
  5603. >the light fades quickly, and you drop your arm when it's returned to a reasonable amount of light
  5604. >"Greetings, Anonymous. I have a few things I'd like to say."
  5605. >It's Luna!
  5606. >you weren't completely expecting this, so you have no reply
  5607. >"I'm sorry. After thinking about last night myself, I'll admit that I overreacted. Also, since I could tell you were worried, I didn't need to change my sheets."
  5608. >oh
  5609. >you're getting an apology
  5610. >cool
  5611. "I accept your apology, and I'll make sure that I don't scare you so badly from now on. Are we friends again?"
  5612. >she laughs and walks over to you
  5613. >"We never stopped. Second, is that offer yesterday about the marshmallows still open? I think they would go great with another story like that one."
  5614. >so, she's into getting spooked now?
  5615. >fair enough, human mythology is sick and twisted enough to keep her entertained for a while
  5616. >you shrug and materialize some fire supplies, another chair, and a bag of marshmallows
  5617. "I suppose it is, if you don't mind hearing another chilling tale of humanity's monsters."
  5618. >she takes the second chair while you light the fire
  5619. >saving two of the longer and skinnier twigs for other purposes, you give one to Luna and tear open the marshmallow bag
  5620. "You may have known about what a wendigo is before last night, but did you know about skinwalkers?"
  5621. >your dream follows a similar pattern to yesterday's, only this time Luna doesn't mind the presence of the tamed Skinwalker
  5622. >she does mind the smell of it, though
  5623. >you do too, so you delete it after you both can't hold your breath any longer
  5624. >looks like things are back to normal here, too!
  5625. >what a way to end a day, with plans made for one friend and a mended relationship with another
  5626. >you can't wait for what tomorrow holds though, something tells you it'll be important
  5627. >. . .
  5628. >you're woken up by your alarm at 6:15 again
  5629. >you forgot to turn it off
  5630. >it's no fun to wake up on time on a Saturday
  5631. >but today's still going to be a cool day, you get to go over to a friend's house!
  5632. >you haven't done that in years!
  5633. >this is gonna be fun!
  5634. >you decide to sit in bed for a bit longer, waiting until you get bored to get out
  5635. >it's still comfortable, but you need something to do
  5636. >so you head to the bathroom to clean yourself
  5637. >just because it's a weekend doesn't mean you get to be a alob
  5638. >you're a horse, not a pig
  5639. >technically, you're not supposed to be either, but that's a problem that we'll deal with when we get to it
  5640. >oh well
  5641. >when you step out of your room, you notice that it's a bit cold again
  5642. >good, you get to show her your shirt!
  5643. >you go off to the bathroom just like on any other day
  5644. >when you get there, you still just go about your normal procedure
  5645. >you don't forget to brush your teeth though, now that you know there's a toothbrush
  5646. >don't want to be gross
  5647. >after your mouth is sufficiently clean, you head back and grab your shirt
  5648. >now to go downstairs for breakfast!
  5649. >when you get to the kitchen, you see Twilight with another half-empty pot of coffee
  5650. >wow, she must go through this stuff like toilet paper!
  5651. "Good morning, another all-nighter?"
  5652. >she looks up from another large stack of papers in front of her
  5653. >"Yeah, but it's not like you can see the beginning of a supernova every night. How are you?"
  5654. >you sit down near her, hoping she'd give you some coffee again
  5655. "Pretty good, Luna came back last night and we're still friends. Also, she didn't have any messes to clean up when she woke up."
  5656. >"That's good, I'm glad everything worked out. Here's some coffee too, just don't do what you did last time."
  5657. >yes, your mild begging worked!
  5658. >Twilight teleports a mug in front of you and pours in some of her coffee
  5659. >this time you'll drink it in reasonable gulps and not all at once
  5660. >"I didn't expect you to be up for another hour, much less ready to leave. What got you up?"
  5661. "My alarm, I forgot to turn it off and I didn't want to go back to sleep."
  5662. >"I remember that feeling, it sucks. That's why some nights I just don't go to sleep!"
  5663. >that's one solution
  5664. >it's not a good one, but it's a solution
  5665. >you nod and take a swig of your coffee
  5666. >it's hot, but manageable in small amounts
  5667. >Twilight just drinks another quarter of the pot in one go
  5668. "Dude, how do you do that and not die?"
  5669. >she looks over at you after she puts the pot back down
  5670. >"The wonders of magic. A simple endurance spell can help you do many things, including drink fresh coffee without discomfort."
  5671. >somehow that doesn't click with you
  5672. "But what if you actually burn yourself?"
  5673. >"That's what the regenerative spell is for!"
  5674. >she has mastered not caring
  5675. "And I'm stuck here drinking hot coffee like a scrub."
  5676. >Twilight looks at you in a confused way
  5677. >"What's a scrub?"
  5678. "A human slang term for a loser."
  5679. >she raises her eyebrows and goes back to looking at the papers in front of her
  5680. "What's on the paper?"
  5681. >"Data from the supernova I observed. It's pretty lengthy because I had many different instruments running at once that were affected, but I know where to look for the exact changes in each of these."
  5682. >cool, you would probably get lost if you even tried to look at it
  5683. >but, you've never seen a supernova before and you've heard that they can go on for a long time
  5684. "Am I able to go outside and see it now?"
  5685. >"No, silly! It's completely blocked by the planet by now, so even though it would still technically be visible you still can't look up and see it."
  5686. >wait, the planet here still spins?
  5687. >so then why do the sun and moon need to be moved?
  5688. >what!?
  5689. >"Why do you look so confused?"
  5690. >Twilight's looking at you in a concerned way
  5691. "If the planet rotates, then why do the sun and moon need to be moved?"
  5692. >she looks back at her papers and thinks for a long time
  5693. >eventually she comes to an answer
  5694. >"I... I'm actually not sure. I'll ask Celestia though, since you've made me realize this inconsistency. Thank you, Anon, that's a very interesting point."
  5695. >she materializes a paper and pen out of nowhere and starts writing a letter
  5696. >obviously to Celestia
  5697. >let's hope this doesn't get you both executed for heresy or something
  5698. >that would be a stupid way for this all to end
  5699. >rip whatever version of you both that does
  5700. >they're probably gonna get the guillotine or something
  5701. >Twilight finishes writing the letter and rolls it up for later
  5702. >"So, is there anything you wanted in here besides coffee?"
  5703. >you wanted food
  5704. "Yeah, I'm pretty hungry. I don't suppose you'd get me something to eat?"
  5705. >Twilight considers this for a second
  5706. >"I suppose I could, these papers aren't really showing anything new anyway."
  5707. >she gets up and starts looking around the room for things
  5708. >eventually she finds some pancake mix in the cabinet that Spike pre-made some time ago
  5709. >after checking the date he wrote on it, she decides to use it
  5710. >a few minutes later, you both are sitting in front of a stack of pancakes
  5711. >a good way to start the day!
  5712. "Thanks, Twi. I owe you one!"
  5713. >she looks over at you, swallowing a bite of pancake she took
  5714. >"Alright, I'll keep that in mind for the future."
  5715. >cool, now you might actually owe her something
  5716. >that's only a minor issue
  5717. >yeah, you're an alien with otherworldly knowledge who just gave a free favor to an incredibly powerful scientist
  5718. >that's totally not going to backfire
  5719. "No problem."
  5720. >you both finish your pancakes and you decide to check a nearby clock
  5721. >it's 8:30
  5722. >you've still got an hour and a half before you should go to Emerald's house
  5723. >you can probably go bother Twilight about doing something in the meantime
  5724. >so you go back to the kitchen
  5725. "Hey Twilight, you want to do something quickly before I have to go?"
  5726. >she looks up from the papers yet again
  5727. >"Sure, these papers can wait until tomorrow, why not?"
  5728. >she teleports away the pile in front of her and gets up
  5729. >"There's some stuff in my lab that I need organized and Spike's not awake yet, want to help me with that?"
  5730. >that's something to do, sure!
  5731. >and you do usually clean on Saturdays, anyway
  5732. "Alright, I can help with that."
  5733. >you two head down to the lab to move some stuff around
  5734. >it's not interesting at first, but it reminds you of those concentrated spells you saw
  5735. "What are those concentrated spells over there?"
  5736. >Twilight turns away from the biology section she's working in to look at you
  5737. >"Why do you ask?"
  5738. "After Spike and I picked up those potions, I ended up seeing that cabinet full of them and coming down here reminded me."
  5739. >"Well, that's pretty much all they are. Spells that I concentrated by casting them onto a magical ground connected into a condenser. I'd show you how they work, but it's a long process to get even a small amount. Luckily, a small amount is usually all I need for any given test. I hope that answered your question."
  5740. >it did, and told you all you need to know as well
  5741. >you really shouldn't touch them now that you know it takes forever to make even a little bit
  5742. "Alright, that's good to know. I'll be sure to stay away from these so I don't screw anything up."
  5743. >and you will, if you can help it
  5744. >"Don't worry, they're safely sealed inside that cabinet. You can still go near it, I'll just know if you open it or not."
  5745. >a few minutes later, and you're done with the organization
  5746. "Any idea what time it is now?"
  5747. >"9:45, you still have a few minutes."
  5748. >well, shit
  5749. >is there anything you can do that only takes 15 minutes?
  5750. "Anything else I can help with in that time?"
  5751. >Twilight thinks to herself
  5752. >"Not unless you want to help me test some things."
  5753. >science?
  5754. >you like science!
  5755. "Sure, what do you need me to do?"
  5756. >"First, I need you to sign this."
  5757. >she teleports a paper and pen in front of you
  5758. >it's a contract
  5759. >you glance over it, it basically just says something along the lines of "You agreed to this, I am not responsible for any ill effects of the experiment unless it doesn't go as planned, etc"
  5760. >it's basic legal shit making sure you can't sue Twilight for whatever happens
  5761. >you're actually a bit worried now
  5762. "Is this really going to be that bad?"
  5763. >Twilight walks over to you, holding another vial of pink stuff
  5764. >"No, it's just the law that I have to get your written consent for this. You [i]are[/i] okay with this, aren't you?"
  5765. "Can you tell me what's going to happen first?"
  5766. >"The experiment is basically going to be a formalized repeat of what happened yesterday, since I wasn't able to collect data about how you reacted to the healing agent. I'm going to give you a small cut and then use more of the agent on you and write down the results, and if I'm correct, it should go over in about the same way as your accident."
  5767. >oh
  5768. >you're not helping with an experiment
  5769. >you're part of the experiment
  5770. >being a guinea pig isn't that fun, but it's certainly better than what other yous are going through
  5771. >also, you've never been a guinea pig before
  5772. >this could be interesting
  5773. "Alright, I guess I'm in."
  5774. >you sign your name where you need to, noticing Twilight admiring the way you write
  5775. >or maybe she's confused
  5776. >after all, she's probably never seen an earth filly write with her hoof
  5777. >"Good, this will help with the last bit of testing quite a bit. Now, please hold out your right hoof."
  5778. >you do as she says and Twilight pulls a scalpel over from a nearby table, placing the signed papers in its spot
  5779. >"This will hurt a bit, so please hold still."
  5780. >she lightly drags the tip across your foreleg, drawing some blood
  5781. >it actually doesn't hurt
  5782. >it must be really sharp
  5783. >either that or she managed to hit a spot where your nerves don't respond as well
  5784. >you don't really know, you still aren't a biofag
  5785. >"Alright, keep holding still. I'm now applying the agent to your open cut."
  5786. >as she drips the pink fluid out of the vial, you brace yourself for the stinging
  5787. >it's not nearly as bad as yesterday, probably because it's a much smaller wound
  5788. >after a second, it's completely gone again
  5789. >"Thank you for your cooperation, Anon. Would you mind answering a few questions, now that the test is over?"
  5790. "Not at all."
  5791. >Twilight pulls over a nearby clipboard and takes the pen you used to sign the contract with, writing down the important info from what just happened
  5792. >"Would you mind telling me what the application of the agent was like, from your perspective?"
  5793. "It hurt more than the initial injury, but it also faded pretty quickly as it healed."
  5794. >she writes this down on a different paper before asking you another question
  5795. >"And on a scale of 1 to 10, how well would you say it worked for its specific purpose?"
  5796. "I'd say a solid 10. It's supposed to heal, and it does."
  5797. >Twilight writes this down and puts the clipboard back
  5798. >"Thanks again, Anon. I'm pretty sure that enough time's passed for you to go and get to Emerald's house on time."
  5799. >you wave goodbye to her and head back up and out of the castle, it's time for you to go and meet a friend again!
  5800. >the walk to Emerald's house is pretty uneventful, it's just some average Saturday morning stuff going on around you
  5801. >other ponies going for walks, doing some early shopping, just average stuff
  5802. >the sun's nice and bright, too
  5803. >that's nice
  5804. >it was cold earlier, but it's warming up fast
  5805. >it's still a bit breezy though, so you're glad you brought your shirt anyway
  5806. >after a nice walk at a decent pace, you make it to Emerald's house a bit early
  5807. >you walk up to the front door and knock
  5808. >after a second, the door opens and Emerald's there to greet you
  5809. [p]>"Hey Anonymous, how are you?"[/p]
  5810. >her green mane and gray coat look a bit wet, almost like she just got done with a shower herself
  5811. "I'm pretty good, how about you?"
  5812. >she moves out of the doorway to let you in
  5813. [p]>"Not bad, I also got some cool news from my sister yesterday!"[/p]
  5814. "Oh? What's that?"
  5815. [p]>"We're going to see mom tomorrow! Well, my sister and I are. I don't think Twilight would let you come with us."[/p]
  5816. "That's cool, I hope the trip goes well."
  5817. [p]>"I think it'll be fun, but I'm gonna miss you while I'm there."[/p]
  5818. "Dude, it'll be fine! I'm still going to be here when you get back, don't worry!"
  5819. >her face changes as the subject of conversation does too
  5820. [p]>"Is that your shirt? It looks nice."[/p]
  5821. >heck yeah it's your shirt, and damn straight does it look nice!
  5822. "Yes it is, thanks!"
  5823. >light blue always goes with green
  5824. >unless it's something like oversaturated neon green
  5825. >then nothing looks good with green
  5826. >unless it's just a very mild highlight that doesn't really mess with the overall aesthetic
  5827. "Anyway, this is a nice place your sister's got. Mind showing me around?"
  5828. [p]>"Oh, of course! Sorry, that actually slipped my mind."[/p]
  5829. >Emerald leads you around the house, showing you all the important places
  5830. >there's a kitchen, a living area, and a bathroom on the lower floor
  5831. >and there's both of their rooms and another bathroom on the upper floor
  5832. >after the tour, you both settle in Emerald's room
  5833. >it's a nice room, but it's also considerably smaller than your room in the castle
  5834. [p]>"So, what do you want to do? My sister's off running some errands right now, so she won't be home for a while."[/p]
  5835. >what do you want to do?
  5836. >you're fine just hanging out with a friend, you haven't been able to do something like this in a long time!
  5837. "To be honest, I'm fine with just about anything. Any options?"
  5838. [p]>"I don't know, I suppose we still have the same options as yesterday, but I guess we still shouldn't play 'the floor is lava'."[/p]
  5839. >yeah, Emerald's sister doesn't have access to an experimental medical treatment that puts the Medigun to shame in case one of you gets hurt
  5840. >wait, you can't play 'the floor is lava', but there's another childhood staple that you [i]can[/i] play!
  5841. "Wanna play 'hide and seek'?"
  5842. [p]>"How do you play it?"[/p]
  5843. >holy shit, has this filly ever been outside before a few days ago?
  5844. "One of us is a seeker, and it's their job to find the hiders, or hider in our case. The hider gets 30 seconds to hide, and after that the seeker gets to look for them. The boundary is the house, and we switch places whenever the hider's found."
  5845. >she's taking this all in surprisingly slowly
  5846. >either that, or she's already thinking of places to hide
  5847. [p]>"Alright, that sounds fun. Can I be the hider first?"[/p]
  5848. "Sure, let me get in position."
  5849. >looks like it was option 2
  5850. >you put your face up against her bed with your eyes closed and start counting
  5851. "1, 2, 3..."
  5852. >you immediately hear her bolt off to somewhere
  5853. >you're not sure where though
  5854. >wait, are those the stairs?
  5855. >okay, she's going downstairs
  5856. "7, 8, 9..."
  5857. >she's running around downstairs somewhere
  5858. >you try to bring up the layout of her house in your mind, since it's still fresh
  5859. "14, 15, 16..."
  5860. >is that the kitchen?
  5861. >yep, that's the kitchen
  5862. >she goes silent around this time
  5863. >okay, she's in the kitchen somewhere
  5864. "23, 24, 25..."
  5865. >if she's going to change her spot, she better do it quickly
  5866. "28, 29, 30. Ready or not, here I come!"
  5867. >you're off to the kitchen!
  5868. >when you get downstairs, you find that your estimation of the layout was pretty much spot on
  5869. >now you just need to find her in here
  5870. >you start checking cabinets, beginning with the ones on the floor
  5871. >nope, pots
  5872. >and that's pans
  5873. >some cutting boards...
  5874. >cleaning supplies
  5875. >you're still not drinking any, you're not going to go straight to the finals for the darwin award because you were curious how bleach tastes
  5876. >and that's all of the lower ones
  5877. >she's not in there
  5878. >you'd check the upper ones, but there's no way she'd get up there
  5879. >there's also a fridge and an oven, but she'd have to be a moron to hide there
  5880. >or a tactical genius!
  5881. >it's a brilliant move, the more you think about it
  5882. >nobody would be stupid enough to hide there for fear of death by extreme temperatures, so nobody would think to check there!
  5883. >nobody but you, that is!
  5884. >you check the oven first
  5885. >nope, not there
  5886. >but it does smell like fruit, for some reason
  5887. >either it was just cleaned or somebody burned juice
  5888. >heh
  5889. >now to check the fridge
  5890. >nope, she's not in there either
  5891. >dang
  5892. >at least you know where you're hiding next round
  5893. >gotta make sure your 'so stupid it's brilliant' strat works
  5894. >after some more looking around, you conclude that she isn't in the kitchen
  5895. >as you leave the room however, something makes you reconsider
  5896. >somepony giggled behind you
  5897. >immediately turning towards the location of the sound, you notice that one of the window curtains looks a bit weird
  5898. "You're behind the curtain, get out here."
  5899. [p]>"Aw, I didn't expect you to hear that!"[/p]
  5900. >Emerald walks out from behind it
  5901. [p]>"I guess it's my turn to seek?"[/p]
  5902. "Yeah, let's go back to your room and I'll show you the right way to count."
  5903. >so you both go back up there, and you show her the proper way to count
  5904. "You put your head down and close your eyes, and you count up to 30 out loud. Got it?"
  5905. [p]>"Yeah, I got it."[/p]
  5906. >Emerald assumes the position and starts counting
  5907. [p]>"1, 2, 3, 4..."[/p]
  5908. >you then exit the room, trying to be as quiet as possible so she can't find you through sound
  5909. >you go back down to the kitchen, and begin debating the choices
  5910. >fridge or oven?
  5911. >with the oven, you don't have to deal with temperature straight away
  5912. >however, you're going to die a lot faster if it gets turned on
  5913. >with the fridge, you'll have to deal with temperature straight away
  5914. >however, you'll have a bit longer to sit and wait before you die
  5915. >are you really willing to risk your life on the best hide and seek spot ever, though?
  5916. >this is going to take a while to decide
  5917. >you really need to weigh your options
  5918. >make sure you make the proper decision
  5919. [p]>"Did you even try to hide?"[/p]
  5920. >oh shit
  5921. >you never even hid, you were thinking so hard!
  5922. >you turn around feeling embarrassed
  5923. "I'm sorry, I was trying to choose between two spots and I wanted to make the best decision."
  5924. [p]>"What spot takes 30 seconds to think over?"[/p]
  5925. >do you really want to tell her?
  5926. "Either the fridge or the oven, I wanted to make sure I chose the right place."
  5927. >her expression immediately changes to one of disbelief
  5928. [p]>"Why would you want to hide in either of those places?"[/p]
  5929. "Because it's such a stupid place to hide that nopony would ever think to check there! Think about it, who in their right mind would ever choose to hide in either of those places?"
  5930. >she thinks it over, giving your idea a fair chance
  5931. [p]>"I still think it's a bad idea. Now come on, it's your turn to seek again!"[/p]
  5932. >okay, no more of that stupid stuff for you
  5933. >you two play hide and seek until Emerald's sister gets back some time later
  5934. >you never did try out either of those spots, but you aren't too bothered by that
  5935. >it's more important that you keep your life than you keep a victory
  5936. >when you both hear the door open, Emerald comes out of her hiding spot and runs over to her sister
  5937. [p]>"Hey sis, welcome back! Anonymous and I have been playing 'hide and seek', and it's pretty fun!"[/p]
  5938. >"That's nice! Where is Anonymous, anyway?"
  5939. >you walk into the room at this time
  5940. "Hi, Emerald's Sister. I'm right here!"
  5941. >a look of minor confusion crosses her face for a second before she returns to a more bright expression
  5942. >"I guess I never told you my name, I'm Sapphire shine."
  5943. >yep, they're definitely related
  5944. >the only difference is that Sapphire has swapped colors from Emerald, being a blue mane with green eyes
  5945. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Shine!"
  5946. >she giggles a bit, probably because you two actually met two days ago
  5947. >"Nice to meet you too, Anonymous!"
  5948. >Sapphire walks to the kitchen holding some bags, probably full of food
  5949. >"Sorry I took so long, I had to check that everything for tomorrow was in order before I got food. Did Emerald already tell you what was going on?"
  5950. >that was definitely directed with you
  5951. "Yeah, that's pretty cool. She said she was a bit disappointed that I couldn't come with, but I think she's fine with it now."
  5952. >"That's good, you were acting a bit more disappointed about it earlier."
  5953. >that was directed at Emerald
  5954. [p]>"I just thought it would be pretty cool to introduce my friend to the rest of the family."[/p]
  5955. >"But that can wait until Ms. Twilight lets Anonymous come with us, and I'm not sure if she'd be okay with it."
  5956. [p]>"Alright... It's just a shame, I think she would've liked mom."[/p]
  5957. >"Shame or not, it's not happening for the forseeable future. Now, I'm pretty hungry. You two want dinner?"
  5958. "That sounds good, what is it?"
  5959. >"Well, I had some ideas, but I think I'll just leave it as a surprise."
  5960. >sounds good to you
  5961. [p]>"Hey Anonymous, wanna come back to my room while Sis makes dinner?"[/p]
  5962. "Sure, let's go."
  5963. >you two go back to Emerald's room and have a conversation
  5964. "What's your mom like to make you think she'd like me?"
  5965. [p]>"Well, I don't know. She told me to look out for any friends I could make while I was here, and since you're my friend, I think she'll like you."[/p]
  5966. >seems reasonable enough
  5967. "Alright, what else is she like?"
  5968. [p]>"She's kind, caring, and always puts her family first. She's also strong, since she was able to take care of all of us even though it's just her. I guess the older siblings help out too, but mom still does as much of it as she can."[/p]
  5969. >wow, she sounds nice!
  5970. >the conversation continues in a similar way, eventually being ended by Sapphire calling from the kitchen
  5971. >"Fillies, dinner's ready!"
  5972. >it's mother fucking sandwiches
  5973. >it's some variety of sandwich that these ponies have but no human would even want to eat, but it's still good
  5974. >it's really good, actually
  5975. "What did you put in this, I think this is the best sandwich I've ever had!"
  5976. >"I made it with love, Emerald always says that makes it taste better."
  5977. [p]>"It does, I swear. Also, Anonymous, you'd love mom's sandwiches if you think these are great!"[/p]
  5978. "Wow, I think I might actually need to meet this mother of yours if she's all that you said AND a great cook!"
  5979. >they both laugh with you, and you all finish your food
  5980. >after it's all eaten, Sapphire takes the used plates over to the sink
  5981. >"Emerald, remember that we have an early morning tomorrow. The train leaves at 9, and I want us to be there at 8:30 just in case."
  5982. [p]>"Okay, I'll go get the rest of my stuff packed."[/p]
  5983. >they need to be there by 8:30?
  5984. >wow, you aren't going to have much time to hang out tomorrow
  5985. >that's gonna suck
  5986. "I'll come with you, I'll need you to show me where I'm sleeping anyway."
  5987. >Emerald looks over to you
  5988. [p]>"Alright, come on. We still have time to do some more stuff before we need to go to bed!"[/p]
  5989. >so you let Emerald lead you up to her room again, and you also help her load her stuff into a suitcase
  5990. >after that, you two start up another conversation
  5991. >Emerald decides that it's time to sleep after you two come to an impasse over how a hydra would react to a swarm of parasprites, though
  5992. "You never did tell me, where am I sleeping?"
  5993. >she thinks about this for a second
  5994. [p]>"I suppose the easiest option would just be for us to share the bed, but if you want I can get you some blankets and a pillow and you can choose where you want to sleep."[/p]
  5995. >fuck it, you're tired too
  5996. "I'm fine with sharing a bed, I guess."
  5997. >you've never had the opportunity to do this at home, so you're going to do this as much as you can here
  5998. >you both climb into the bed, and you give her a reasonable amount of space in case she's not into that
  5999. >but she does the exact opposite, getting right next to you
  6000. >damnit, phantom boner!
  6001. >go away or we're never getting sleep!
  6002. >these ponies and their extra-cuddly kind of friendship, they drive you sexually insane
  6003. >it only makes it worse when you realize that Emerald's pressing her back into yours
  6004. >fuck, this would be adorable if you weren't the faggot in bed with her
  6005. >eventually, you manage to calm down your thoughts to the point where you fall into a somewhat easy sleep
  6006. >. . .
  6007. >your dreams are uneventful but still there
  6008. >you're once again in an isolated location by yourself
  6009. >it's also very cold
  6010. >and pretty dark too
  6011. >where are you?
  6012. >probably at some pole, if your internal compass is correct for once
  6013. >point is, it's not comfy here at all
  6014. >so, you close your eyes to summon some stuff
  6015. >when you open your eyes again, you see exactly what you wanted to see
  6016. >a nice, cozy cabin!
  6017. >you walk inside the cabin and sit down on a chair, grabbing a particularly fluffy blanket along the way
  6018. >after you get comfortable enough, you summon up something else to help you pass the time
  6019. >a gameboy with a copy of Pokemon Red
  6020. >you start up a new save file only to find that this game isn't exactly pokemon red
  6021. >for one, it has graphics closer to Fire Red
  6022. >also, when you get to Oak's Lab, you find your starter choices to be Snivy, Popplio, and Torchic
  6023. >wow
  6024. >you have no idea what else will happen here, so you're not sure if you'll be facing Brock and Misty again
  6025. >fuck it, you take Snivy anyway
  6026. >the battle with Gary is pretty much the same, she chooses the fire starter and you win easily
  6027. >after that, you find that the routes are pretty much the same too
  6028. >only difference is what you find there
  6029. >it's almost like this is a romhack
  6030. >cool, you've never played one of those!
  6031. >you have fun playing this game, and you find that it's pretty much the same as the regular game aside from what's available to catch and battle
  6032. >that is, until you beat the champion and move on to the story of Pokemon Gold
  6033. >you get to keep your team, too!
  6034. >eventually, after beating Archie the first time in the story of Pokemon Sapphire, you notice Luna watching over your shoulder
  6035. "You having fun watching?"
  6036. >"Actually, I am. Can I try playing it, though?"
  6037. "Sure, this is a loose recreation of the thing we did where we went out and caught various creatures and battled with them. Of course, this is a game so the player doesn't look like us, and there's a set story, but other than that it's pretty much the same."
  6038. >you give her the gambeboy and she starts leaning over the arm of your chair so you can watch her
  6039. >you do this, watching as she finds new pokemon and adds them to your ever-shifting roster according to what needs to be done at that moment
  6040. >eventually she makes it to the final battle against Cyrus, where she finally asks you on advice
  6041. >"We don't have anything on the team to counter his Crobat, what do I do?"
  6042. "Let me see the team."
  6043. >she shows you what she's working with, and there's some room to work with
  6044. >a Ferrothorn
  6045. >a Serperior
  6046. >an Arcanine
  6047. >a Milotic
  6048. >a Noivern
  6049. >and a Garchomp
  6050. "Go into Ferrothorn; Crobat shouldn't be able to do much to it, and you can stall him out. You should be able to handle the rest of his team from there."
  6051. >she does this and it plays out pretty much how you expected it to
  6052. >after another 8 turns, Cyrus's Crobat goes down and he sends out his Weavile
  6053. >Luna easily destroys it with the Arcanine and then goes on to challenge Dialga
  6054. "Nice job, with a bit more learning and some proper ideas on what to do, you could be really good at this game."
  6055. >she smiles when she hears this
  6056. >she must like being good at things
  6057. >eventually, she makes it all the way to the champion battle in Ultra Sun
  6058. >she completely curbstomps Hau's team and claims the champion title, beating the game once and for all
  6059. "And now you beat the game! Good job!"
  6060. >"That wasn't too hard, I wonder what else is left to do with it."
  6061. "Well, you could complete the pokedex, you could complete all the post-game content, you could create your dream team and use it to continue to kick butts in things like the Battle Frontier, or you could do all of it."
  6062. >"That sounds like a lot, I'm definitely not going to be able to finish it in what time we have left."
  6063. >that sounds about right
  6064. >hell, it took you over 250 hours to complete the pokedex in Ultra Moon alone
  6065. "Yeah, I don't expect you to be able to finish it in the amount of time that any dream holds."
  6066. >"Anyway, I sense you waking up soon. I'll see you tomorrow, and then maybe we can pick this game back up where we left off?"
  6067. >Luna's's leaving already?
  6068. >feels like you just went to sleep still
  6069. "Really? I don't think I've been asleep for that long."
  6070. >"You haven't, but it seems that something either in your mind or in your environment is forcing you to wake up."
  6071. >shit, is something bad going to happen?
  6072. "Can you tell me what?"
  6073. >Luna closes her eyes, and her horn sparks bright blue for a few seconds
  6074. >"I can't find anything in your dream that would be causing this, so it could be an external stimulant. Alternatively, it could be something else like you having to use the bathroom and not being able to hold it."
  6075. >Well, if I fall back asleep afterwards, then I'll hopefully see you."
  6076. >"And I'll be sure to watch for if you do."
  6077. >you and Luna finish exchanging goodbyes and she leaves
  6078. >as soon as she does, you feel yourself coming out of the dream
  6079. >when you do, you find that you actually do have to use the bathroom
  6080. >you get out of bed, being careful not to wake up Emerald in the process
  6081. >after you do, you make your way to the upstairs bathroom
  6082. >you're just as quiet here as you were in Emerald's room though, you don't want to wake up Sapphire either
  6083. >after you make it to the bathroom, you quickly do your business and leave
  6084. >as you do, you hear something
  6085. >a very light scratching
  6086. >almost like an old pen on paper
  6087. >being as quiet as you can, you try to locate the source of the sound
  6088. >it's coming from Sapphire's room
  6089. >she must be writing something
  6090. >but it's pretty late, shouldn't she be asleep too?
  6091. >she may just be having a hard time getting to sleep, or just doing something she forgot to do earlier
  6092. >you're not going to disturb her, that's for sure
  6093. >that would just be rude
  6094. >so you continue back to Emerald's room to go back to sleep
  6095. >and go back to sleep is exactly what you do!
  6096. >and when you do, it's something that comes fairly quickly
  6097. >. . .
  6098. >your dreamscape is a nice-looking building
  6099. >as you walk around in it, you see a great many cool things
  6100. >one thing you don't find is an exit
  6101. >no front door, no back door, not even a window
  6102. >this house could be underground, in space, or just on the ground
  6103. >you can't tell at all
  6104. >eventually, a piece of paper flutters down in front of you in a puff of blue
  6105. >Luna's here!
  6106. >the paper has a map written on it, showing your location in relation to hers
  6107. >she has a map of this place?
  6108. >well, she can see inside your head
  6109. >it's not that much of a stretch to think she found your subconscious layout of this entire thing
  6110. >either way, the map holds truely to what you see and you eventually find her sitting on a rather large chair in a large room
  6111. >"Welcome, subject, to my throne room!"
  6112. >HER throne room?
  6113. "You say that, but it's my dream."
  6114. >tapping your temple with your index finger, you shift the dream around you to take the spot on the chair instead
  6115. "You have no power here, foolish princess."
  6116. >"Just because you're sitting in my chair doesn't mean that I can't sit in it too!"
  6117. >before you can react, she jumps up into your lap and forces you to the side so she can take half the chair
  6118. >you two are just messing around at this point
  6119. "Alright, I give you permission to share MY chair. I'm still keeping the fancy part, though."
  6120. >you close your eyes and concentrate, turning Luna's half into a wooden stool
  6121. >"That's rude, it was my chair to begin with!"
  6122. >her horn ignites, and your half of the chair changes into the other half of the stool
  6123. "And now neither of us have a chair! We solved the issue, now what?"
  6124. >Luna smirks, and begins thinking
  6125. >after a few seconds, her horn ignites again and the stool vanishes from underneath you both
  6126. >you don't react very quickly, but you don't have much to react to
  6127. >you both were sitting in such a way that you both land back-to-back sitting on the ground
  6128. >"[i]Now[/i] neither of us has a chair!"
  6129. >you laugh a bit at this, and she joins you
  6130. >after the laughing dies down, you both stand back up and face each other
  6131. "Seriously though, what now?"
  6132. >"Didn't you say we could pick up where we left off in that game?"
  6133. >oh yeah, you did say that
  6134. "Sure, just give me a second. Also, you might want to move a few feet to your right."
  6135. >she does that, and you use the opportunity to summon in a couch and that same gameboy and game
  6136. >after doing that, you two continue playing the game until you're forced to wake up
  6137. >. . .
  6138. >when you wake up, it's still dark in the room
  6139. >just dark enough that you can't tell the identity of the pony standing over you
  6140. >wait WHAT
  6141. >before you have time to react, the pony forces something over your face
  6142. >it's a wet rag
  6143. >probably chloroform or something
  6144. >you're definitely not going to inhale until it's completely unavoidable
  6145. >you aren't going to have much time, though
  6146. >you didn't start this off after you inhaled
  6147. >you give yourself about 20 seconds before you have to breathe, and about 10 if you struggle hard
  6148. >and that's exactly what you do
  6149. >however, whoever this is is still much stronger than you
  6150. >eventually, you run out of oxygen and are forced to inhale
  6151. >as soon as you do, you feel light-headed
  6152. >yep, it's chloroform
  6153. >as you drift from consciousness, your assailant shifts and you can almost swear that their leg has holes in it
  6154. >you're fucked
  6155. >. . .
  6156. >when you come to, you find yourself inside something
  6157. >you're not sure what
  6158. >it's also dark and a bit damp in here, wherever 'here' is
  6159. >it's only just a bit brighter than before you blacked out at the hooves of your attacker, and with an odd green glow
  6160. >well, now you're stuck here
  6161. >you can only wait and imagine what kind of thing is gonna happen
  6162. >if your knowledge of other fillyfictions is anything to go by, this could just be something entirely orchestrated by Twilight
  6163. >she's given you no reason to suspect that, though
  6164. >it could also just be nothing but random chance
  6165. >either way, it's not likely that she'll be able to deus-ex-machina her way to you to save the day
  6166. >she hasn't given you any reason to believe that she could do that
  6167. >your best option is to see what happens and wait for an opportunity to get out of there yourself
  6168. >worse comes to worst, you get raped
  6169. >you're still an adult internally, you can handle that
  6170. >right?
  6171. >well, like those other faggots always said, 'it's not rape if you consent'...
  6172. >...huh
  6173. >this is surprisingly boring so far
  6174. >the air in this confined space is a bit stale, but it's not exactly like there's no air flow
  6175. >good, you aren't going to suffocate in here
  6176. >that's something you haven't exactly checked, either
  6177. >how big is this thing?
  6178. >you try to stretch out, only to hit solid walls almost instantly
  6179. >oh, it's that small
  6180. >good thing you don't have to share this space with Emerald
  6181. >wait
  6182. >EMERALD
  6183. >what happened to her!?
  6184. >did the same jerkass that took you take her too?
  6185. >this is bad
  6186. >you're not the important one here anymore
  6187. >there's an actual filly who might be in very grave danger!
  6188. >that's it, once you get out of this thing you're finding Emerald
  6189. >you're not going to let her get raped on your watch
  6190. >now you just need to figure a way out of this thing
  6191. >it doesn't seem like there's a way out, though
  6192. >as you twist and turn inside your limited surroundings, you find that it's sealed
  6193. >at least, to you
  6194. >the fact that you haven't suffocated yet tells you that it's not completely sealed
  6195. >let's hope that Emerald isn't having to deal with this too
  6196. >now that you're really thinking about it, you may just have to wait this out
  6197. >fuck
  6198. >you yawn, your boredom combined with your lack of good rest finally coming back to you now that the adrenaline's going down
  6199. >that's it!
  6200. >sleep!
  6201. >if you can go back to sleep and get a message to Luna about this, you may be saved!
  6202. >you close your eyes, trying to force sleep to come
  6203. >...
  6204. >.....
  6205. >it's not working
  6206. >something about your situation isn't letting you sleep
  6207. >is it that you're not comfortable enough?
  6208. >that could be, this thing's pretty hard
  6209. >it could also be the weird glow
  6210. >it could be any number of things, actually
  6211. >there have even been times where you haven't been able to sleep despite being tired back home
  6212. >those were few and far between, though
  6213. >would that carry over, though?
  6214. >you're not even sure if it was something distinctly wrong with you that caused it
  6215. >you could've just been sitting at the computer for too long
  6216. >but this isn't helping you get to sleep!
  6217. >if you can't do that, then you're definitely on your own
  6218. >you sigh in frustration, and slump into the bottom of your tiny prison
  6219. >as you lie motionless at the bottom accepting your fate, you realize that you hear something
  6220. >you're moving
  6221. >you can hear that you're inside something that's moving
  6222. >either that, or it's just the echo of blood in your ears
  6223. >this could be a confined enough space to do that, and your hearing has improved since you became a filly
  6224. >point is, it gives you something to pay attention to
  6225. >it could also give you some valuable information
  6226. >let's see, what do you hear
  6227. >you press your ear to the bottom of this container as best you can
  6228. >there's not much that you can immediately tell
  6229. >at least it's slightly more defined now
  6230. >you can also tell it's not the blood in your ears
  6231. >the longer you wait, the more you're able to pick out
  6232. >there's a rhythmic clacking below you, and some jostling sounds around you
  6233. >what makes that noise?
  6234. >you don't know for sure until you hear a horn from somewhere nearby
  6235. >you're on a train
  6236. >that was definitely a train horn
  6237. >okay, something has been established
  6238. >this is a decent-ish start
  6239. >can you find anything else out?
  6240. >maybe about how long you've been here?
  6241. >you're hungry, but it's not unbearable
  6242. >it must still be that day
  6243. >you're also not too thirsty, adding more evidence to that theory
  6244. >can you find anything else out from your limited surroundings?
  6245. >there's no pony sounds nearby
  6246. >you must be in a luggage car
  6247. >that means you're inside something that's still small enough to be mobile
  6248. >well, shit
  6249. >nopony's going to come in here for a while, so you're just kinda stuck
  6250. >it's been a little while though, maybe you should try to sleep again
  6251. >you close your eyes and get as comfortable as you can, trying to reopen the line of communications you have to Luna
  6252. >after a few seconds, you feel your mind start to drift
  6253. >could this be it?
  6254. >not any more, you excited yourself out of sleep
  6255. >good going, faggot
  6256. >now let's try that again, without the fucking it all up part
  6257. >you calm yourself down and try again, this time with more success
  6258. >. . .
  6259. >your dreamscape much reflects the situation you're in
  6260. >it's a dark, cramped room without any interesting features
  6261. >actually, it looks an awful lot like a prison cell
  6262. >yep, there's a toilet, a sink, and a bed that you're currently sitting on
  6263. >is this your mind's way of coping, or finding a way out?
  6264. >either way, this is your only hope of getting in contact with somepony who can help
  6265. "Luna, if you're there, come and find me. I need help badly."
  6266. >there's no answer
  6267. "Luna, I'm serious. If you can hear me, I'm in a bad situation and you're the only one who can help."
  6268. >there's still no answer
  6269. >is she even here?
  6270. >wait, didn't she promise to not disturb you during the day?
  6271. >...
  6272. >.....
  6273. >.......
  6274. >FUCK!
  6275. >she's not paying attention because she thinks this is a normal nap!
  6276. >she's not going to pay attention until you go to sleep tonight either for that same reason!
  6277. >you're on your own until night falls
  6278. >this is quickly becoming the worst-case scenario for you
  6279. >you're stuck in a foreign environment on a train to god-knows-where, and it's only you and your attacker that knows you're here
  6280. >that's also completely overlooking the fact that your friend may have been snatched by the same creep, and now you're both off to some hellhole
  6281. >you can only imagine how Emerald might be taking it
  6282. >she's not even old enough to know what's going to happen
  6283. >she may be scarred for life, cursed to undergo years of therapy that will never truly fix the problem
  6284. >not to mention, you might be her only hope and you're also stuck in the same situation
  6285. >this truly isn't going to end well if she's been dragged into this
  6286. >this completely destroys whatever confidence you had, and you spend the rest of your dream crying
  6287. >you need an adult
  6288. >. . .
  6289. >you wake up to find that your tears weren't just in your dream
  6290. >there's a small puddle where your head was, and the side of your face is wet as a result
  6291. >enough of this, you need to spend every waking moment from now until you're stuck where you need to be
  6292. >first on the list, an assessment of your physical condition to see how much time's passed
  6293. >you're both a bit hungrier and thirstier, meaning that it's been a significant amount of time since you fell asleep
  6294. >shit, that's valuable information that you'll never get back
  6295. >you still need to see what's going on outside, though
  6296. >gotta make sure you know if you're still moving or not
  6297. >you press your ear to a drier spot and try to listen to your environment
  6298. >when you do, you notice that you no longer hear the sounds of a train
  6299. >instead, you hear a much different one
  6300. >hoofsteps and wheels on dirt
  6301. >wherever you are, it certainly doesn't sound like civilization
  6302. >this is gonna suck for sure
  6303. >maybe you could try and call for help anyway?
  6304. "HELP!"
  6305. >you yell it as loud as you can, but it doesn't seem to penetrate whatever's holding you
  6306. >maybe now would be the optimal time to struggle?
  6307. >you wiggle and shift as much as you can, trying to put the absolute maximum amount of force you can into your movement
  6308. >you even start to feel your container rock slightly with your movements!
  6309. >all your efforts are quickly silenced by the holder of your prison stopping in their tracks and forcing the container still
  6310. >well, at least whoever is out there knows you're awake
  6311. >but is that really a good thing?
  6312. >you're not entirely sure
  6313. >probably not
  6314. >the rest of your journey continues like this, with you trying to inconvenience your kidnapper at every opportunity
  6315. >eventually though, you feel a change in how you're moving
  6316. >it's almost entirely downhill
  6317. >this could mean any number of things, but you're not sure you like any of them
  6318. >eventually though, you come to a stop somewhere after a long time of going down
  6319. >this is when you think you're getting let out
  6320. >sure enough, you hear a zipper just outside your prison
  6321. >wait, a zipper?
  6322. >have you been inside a suitcase this whole time?
  6323. >you learn that you in fact have when you see a flap open just outside the wall of your now clearly illuminated shell
  6324. >what you see when the flap opens is not something you wanted
  6325. >a changeling is staring you in the face, with nothing around both of you but stone walls
  6326. >you can't exactly tell what it wants from the apparent blank expression it has, but by the way it's eyes are shifting, it's inspecting you
  6327. >when it opens its mouth, you get your biggest surprise yet
  6328. >"I apologize for the rudeness, Anonymous. Mother really wanted to meet you, and this was the only way I could think of to get you back to the hive without any problems."
  6329. >SAPPHIRE?
  6330. "Wait, Sapphire? You're a changeling?"
  6331. >"Yes, and so is Emerald. Mother sent us to watch you, more specifically, Emerald. I was sent along to make sure she was okay, and to report back to her with whatever she found out."
  6332. >your friend AND her sister have been changelings the entire time?
  6333. >this is going to take a while to process
  6334. >at least this seems to explain a lot
  6335. >Emerald never really leaving the house or meeting anypony besides her siblings
  6336. >the specific addition of love to food (you don't really care about that though, you WILL fight anyone who says that doesn't make it taste better)
  6337. >Emerald's odd behavior on her first day
  6338. >in the meantime, you leave your body on autopilot
  6339. "...So, what now?"
  6340. >Sapphire pulls your cocoon out of the suitcase and begins unsealing it
  6341. >"Now you get to meet Mother in person."
  6342. >holy shit
  6343. >first you meet Twilight, then Celestia, then Luna, and now Chrysalis?
  6344. >you didn't think it was possible, but now you're even more floored
  6345. >does everyone want to meet you?
  6346. >being an alien really does have its perks
  6347. >only problem is, this is probably going to drag you into some conflict that you honestly have no place in
  6348. >but you're already here and you're not getting back out without Chrysalis's help, so you should probably hear her out
  6349. "Alright, where is she?"
  6350. >"She's in her personal chamber now, but I can lead you to her."
  6351. >now completely unsealed from your cocoon, you step out and dust yourself off
  6352. "Thanks, it was starting to get stuffy in there. So, quick question, you all aren't going to kill me, or something?"
  6353. >Sapphire looks simultaneously amused and offended
  6354. >you didn't even know that was an expression
  6355. >"Is that what the other ponies have told you about us? We may not have what they have, but we aren't bloodthirsty savages without any higher thinking. We still have thoughts and emotions, regardless of what they say. But to answer your question, no. We aren't going to kill you or something."
  6356. >cool
  6357. "Okay, so I suppose we should get going. If Chrysalis wants to see me, I don't think we should keep her waiting for too long."
  6358. >Sapphire gives a curt nod and beckons for you to follow her through a nearby tunnel
  6359. >as you two navigate this labyrinth of a hive, you can't help but notice two very distinct things
  6360. >the first thing you notice is the architecture
  6361. >the architecture looks almost gothic in design, with large ornately carved rooms suspended by large pillars and hallways with high, arched ceilings
  6362. >it's impressive how much attention to detail was put into this hive, it puts human architecture to shame
  6363. >it almost puts Canterlot to shame, too
  6364. >and this is all completely underground!
  6365. >as you two move further through the massive complex, you notice the second major thing
  6366. >the apparent lack of other changelings
  6367. >for such an expansive layout, there's not that many other changelings occupying the space
  6368. >in fact, the most you've seen in a single room is about 6
  6369. >most of the rooms are completely empty, though
  6370. >it's kind of sad to see such an impressive work of art not being used to its full extent
  6371. >some of the changelings you see wave to Sapphire and she usually waves back, but far more take notice of you and whisper to whoever's near or just simply watch when it's only them in the room
  6372. >however, those events are few and far between
  6373. >so, you decide to try to make some small-talk with Sapphire instead
  6374. "So, is Sapphire actually your name, or is that just the name you used when under your disguise?"
  6375. >she thinks to herself for a second
  6376. >probably debating whether or not she should give you an answer
  6377. >"It's not my real name. That would be Spinneret."
  6378. >oh, bug themes
  6379. "That's not a bad name, does that mean Emerald's name isn't actually Emerald too?"
  6380. >Spinneret responds almost instantly to this
  6381. >"No, Emerald is actually named Emerald. The Shine part was just part of the disguise, though."
  6382. >oh
  6383. >these names and disguises are starting to get confusing
  6384. >well, isn't that their job?
  6385. >guess that means they're doing it well
  6386. "Now that I think about it, where [i]is[/i] Emerald?"
  6387. >"If she's where I left her, then she's in the upper levels helping with the newest batch of hatchlings. She doesn't usually stay in one place for long though so she could be anywhere by now."
  6388. >okay, so your friend, the changeling, is still around here somewhere
  6389. >"Did she know about you bringing me with you?"
  6390. >"No, she's too young to know about the sensitivity of information. If I had told her, she probably would have told you and caused some problems by doing so. Secrecy and all."
  6391. >she's being surprisingly open about things for a spy
  6392. "Should you be telling me all this? It seems almost counterintuitive to your job in Ponyville."
  6393. >Spinneret raises her eyebrows(?) for a second before responding
  6394. >"Under normal circumstances, yes. However, Mother has stated this enough to me before Emerald and I left: these are not normal circumstances anymore. She wants every one of her children and me to make this as hospitable an environment for you as possible."
  6395. >huh, is she going to try some mind games on you?
  6396. >you should be able to resist it, now that you have an idea of what to expect
  6397. >your thoughts are interrupted by a voice from behind you both
  6398. [p]>"Hey, Anonymous! Sis didn't tell me she brought you with us, what's going on?"[/p]
  6399. >you and Spinneret both stop in your tracks and turn around
  6400. >you both are greeted by the sight of a changeling filly with the brightest green eyes you've ever seen
  6401. >she gets the biggest grin you've ever seen a changeling have as she bounds over to you both
  6402. [p]>"It's Emerald! I bet you didn't recognize me without the disguise, didn't you?"[/p]
  6403. "Honestly, I didn't. I also don't exactly know why I'm here, but I heard Spinneret say that it's because your mother wants to meet me."
  6404. >Emerald goes wide-eyed before joining you two on your walk to Chrysalis
  6405. [p]>"I [i]knew[/i] Mom would like you! I think you're going to like her, too. And I guess now that you're here, wanna know a secret?"[/p]
  6406. >it's almost funny how nonchalantly Emerald's handling this
  6407. >it's almost like she's just a regular filly in a changeling suit
  6408. "Sure, go ahead."
  6409. >she looks down at the floor before responding
  6410. [p]>"I actually wasn't lying about anything I said back in Ponyville except that I was told to make friends. Mom told me to look for you, and to try to become your friend. I hope that doesn't change anything, because I still think you're my friend."[/p]
  6411. >brutal honesty?
  6412. >Spinneret wasn't kidding about the sensitive information part
  6413. >well, at least you know you can trust her
  6414. "You're still the same filly that became my friend out in that schoolyard, just with a different look. I think it's going to be fine. Twilight might not let you come over any more, though."
  6415. >you two both laugh at this, and Spinneret probably rolled her eyes
  6416. >you can just barely see her smirk at that remark, judging by what you can see of her face
  6417. >"Alright you two, we're almost to Mother's private chamber. Emerald, you stay outside with me. Anonymous, you go inside. Mother's waiting for you."
  6418. >eventually you three get to a door at the end of a long hallway guarded by two beefy looking guards
  6419. >the one on the left speaks to Spinneret
  6420. [o]>"Is this Anonymous?"[/o]
  6421. >that thing's got a girly voice for such a huge body and stance
  6422. >wait, are all of them mares?
  6423. >is this like ants and bees, or something?
  6424. >it wouldn't be the weirdest thing you've heard of
  6425. >"Yes, I assume Mother is waiting?"
  6426. [o]>"Yes, she has specified that this is to be a private conversation."[/o]
  6427. >"As I guessed. Don't worry, I've also informed Emerald about this, we will respect the privacy of our guest and our queen."
  6428. >Spinneret moves aside and pulls Emerald with her, beckoning you forward
  6429. >as she does this, the two guards move aside
  6430. >you step up to the door, and that's when you hesitate
  6431. "Am... Am I just supposed to open it?"
  6432. >you look back at the others, waiting for an answer
  6433. >one of the guards is facehoofing, the other sighs, Emerald's stifling a laugh, and Spinneret just looks disappointed
  6434. >"It's a door. Yes, you open it!"
  6435. >well, now you just look stupid
  6436. "Oh, r-right... Guess I'll j-just..."
  6437. >damnit, the stutter's back
  6438. >and you were doing so well!
  6439. >you open the door to the interior chamber of Chrysalis
  6440. >you're not sure what you expected, but it's not too far off
  6441. >the space is a bit smaller than the rest of the hive's rooms, and much less ornate
  6442. >almost like it wasn't a priority to have this room decorated, and it was just enough to have it to begin with
  6443. >there's also some furniture that looks like it was brought from outside the hive
  6444. >a couch, a chair, a table, and a small bookshelf overflowing with old-looking books
  6445. >the room you're in has a couple doorways to other rooms, too
  6446. >one leads to a bathroom and another to an apparent magical projection of the sky outside
  6447. >upon closer inspection, there's also a bed in that room
  6448. >the third room is the one you see Chrysalis waiting in
  6449. >she's standing alone, gazing at some pictures she has mounted on the wall
  6450. >as you move to the doorway, you see what's in the pictures
  6451. >it looks like a younger Chrysalis sitting with an older changeling queen
  6452. >probably her mom
  6453. >you don't want to interrupt her, but she has business with you
  6454. "You wanted to see me, your highness?"
  6455. >she turns around to face you, with a welcoming expression on her face
  6456. >"Good evening, Anonymous, my name is Chrysalis. I hope your trip here wasn't too off-putting, Spinneret told me about what measures she took to get you here. I would hate to start off on the wrong hoof with you, seeing as how I went to all this effort just to meet you."
  6457. >she's being more polite than you expected, could this actually be genuine?
  6458. >then again, changelings are born manipulators
  6459. >this could just be her natural choice of action to get somepony to do what she wants
  6460. "I suppose it wasn't too bad; I would've appreciated a bit of warning, though. So, what do you need?"
  6461. >"First off, I'd like you to take a seat."
  6462. >Chrysalis points over to the furniture, and you both take a seat
  6463. >trying to be polite, you take the chair and leave her the couch
  6464. >after you both are seated, she continues
  6465. >"Second, I'd like for you to tell me a bit about yourself."
  6466. >you shouldn't tell her the actual truth, you have no way of knowing what she'd do with this knowledge
  6467. "I'm a filly from Manehattan who's good enough at her studies to win a chance to study under Princess Twilight Sparkle."
  6468. >Chrysalis shakes her head at hearing this before responding
  6469. >"I have a suspicion that's not the truth. I apologize if I'm being blunt here, but I'd like to hear who you really are."
  6470. >shit
  6471. >she caught you
  6472. >you're not sure you have any other explanation that doesn't sound like complete shit
  6473. >you're probably going to have to tell her the truth
  6474. "Alright, you caught me. I'm not from here. At all. I'm from an entirely different universe, and I'm not actually a pony. Twilight changed me into this so I could blend in and not cause a panic. I'm actually a 22-year-old human male from a planet called Earth."
  6475. >Chrysalis's eyes slowly widen as you give her this explanation
  6476. >after you finish, she stands back up and bows in front of you
  6477. >"Then I welcome you to the Badlands."
  6478. >after she straightens back up and sits back down, she continues
  6479. >"That must explain the visit to Canterlot, Celestia was giving you a formal welcome to Equestria. I apologize heavily for any discomfort you've felt on the way here, I didn't know you were this important."
  6480. >she was completely in the dark about you being an alien, but she knew about your visit to Canterlot
  6481. "Can I ask a question?"
  6482. >As many as you like."
  6483. "How much did you know about me before today?"
  6484. >"I knew that you showed up out of nowhere and that you were in contact with two of the most powerful ponies on this planet, everything else was unknown."
  6485. >probably more spies told her this
  6486. "Okay, so then why did you want to see me?"
  6487. >Chrysalis sighs and looks up for a second
  6488. >"I had a gut feeling that you were more important than you looked, and I was right. I wanted to see you because..."
  6489. >she pauses, choosing her next words carefully
  6490. >she stares you right in the eyes with a somber and slightly desperate expression as she finishes her sentence
  6491. >"... Because I need your help."
  6492. >she needs your help?
  6493. >what can you even do?
  6494. >you're just some nobody at home and nothing more than a semi-competent alien here
  6495. >maybe you'd be able to do something if you were yourself again, but as you are now?
  6496. >you're pretty much dead weight
  6497. >you don't even have your phone, so you can't even try to bluff your way out of this with shitty memes and saved screencaps from games!
  6498. "Why do you think I'd be able to help you? I can't do much as I am now, and Twilight's the only pony who I know can change me back."
  6499. >Chrysalis begins thinking again, occasionally glancing at you
  6500. >after a while she gets up and moves over to you
  6501. >is she going to start inspecting you too?
  6502. >sure enough, she begins looking at you from as many angles as she can while pacing around the chair you're in
  6503. >eventually, she reaches a conclusion and moves back to the couch
  6504. >"The spell she used was definitely potent, it seems to have been more than a simple disguise. In fact, if I'm correct, you've been completely transformed. The spell is simple enough to reverse, but I'm not able to in my current state. However, you're not as useless as you think right now. Twilight allowed you to keep your mind, and the mind is often the most powerful part of a creature."
  6505. >is she saying you're smart?
  6506. >if she is, it's certainly making you feel smart
  6507. "I will admit that I know a considerable amount that Twilight doesn't, but I'm not sure how much of it is applicable here and I know that there are certain things that shouldn't leave Earth. I'll tell you what you want to know as long as it doesn't fall in the second category."
  6508. >"Then I will respect your wishes. All I will ask about what you won't tell me is just why you won't tell me."
  6509. >she wants to know why?
  6510. >that's a simple enough explanation, and Chrysalis seems to be sane enough to respect your advice
  6511. "The reason why I'm not going to tell you about certain things is because their mere existence on Earth has made the planet much more dangerous on a global scale, whether because it's caused a forced dependence on a certain limited material that the global economy might not be able to go without when it's finally used up or because it directly threatens life on a mass scale and can render environments unlivable for years."
  6512. >this vague warning seems to have taken hold in her mind easily, since she's now wearing a similar expression to the one that Twilight had when you first told her about nukes
  6513. >"I understand. I would hate for the same misfortune to come here that has already claimed your world."
  6514. >good, you have physical confirmation
  6515. >now you two can get down to business!
  6516. "Now that we got that out of the way, would you mind telling me exactly what you need help with? It would probably make both of our lives easier."
  6517. >Chrysalis sighs and bows her head as she mentally prepares herself to give you all of her worries about the future
  6518. >"I'm not sure if you noticed on the way in, but there weren't many changelings present. In fact, I am running dangerously low on useable seed and I fear every day that this next batch will be the last. The only hope I have is being able to coordinate a proper raid on Equestria, and I don't want to risk any more of my children. Not after what happened before..."
  6519. >she turns away and sheds a tear before trying to visibly calm herself down
  6520. >what happened before?
  6521. >is she talking about that time when Glimmer "redeemed" all those other changelings, turning them into brainwashed pussies?
  6522. >as you continue to ponder this, Chrysalis confirms it for you
  6523. >"That... That MONSTER and that ungrateful traitor, they took them all! Lured them in with false promises, and took away everything that made them who they were! Now they're nothing... Nothing but mindless slaves to that twisted view of the world..."
  6524. >a few more tears leak out, and she once again turns away to try to calm herself down
  6525. >wow, this must be really hard on her
  6526. >you can't help but feel awkward in this situation, though
  6527. >it's not exactly something that you have any experience in dealing with
  6528. >after all, you never had kids, much less lost them to communism
  6529. >but you feel like you have to do something here
  6530. >your mother would always give you a hug when you got sad as a kid, maybe that would help?
  6531. >and besides, if Twilight heard this from any other pony, she'd probably do something to try to comfort them
  6532. >so you get up off the chair and walk over to Chrysalis, who doesn't notice through her sadness
  6533. >when you get there, you reach up around her and give her a hug
  6534. >you initially feel her exoskeleton twitch under you in what you think is surprise, but she soon accepts your gesture
  6535. >after a few more seconds, she even tentatively wraps a hoof around you and rests her head on your small shoulder
  6536. >mind tricks be damned, you're not letting somepony feel that messed up without trying to help!
  6537. "I'm not going to pretend to know what you're going through, but it's obvious that you mean what you say. I hope I can help you in any way necessary to make sure that this doesn't happen again."
  6538. >"Thank you. It's nice to know that somepony cares."
  6539. >Chrysalis breaks off after a second more and wipes her eyes while you return to your chair
  6540. >"Back to business?"
  6541. "Back to business. So, what do you need to pull off that raid?"
  6542. >"I need a way to make sure that if casualties are unavoidable, they aren't changelings."
  6543. "Alright. I have some ideas of things that might help, but I don't have the tools or raw materials to make any of them, so I'm not sure how useful any of these ideas will be."
  6544. >"You may not have the means, but I do. The badlands are incredibly rich in ores, and I'm sure enough spies can be sent in to gather whatever we can't pull out of the ground."
  6545. >good, you have something to work with!
  6546. >now, let's see if your time spent with your /k/ommando buddies has actually taught you anything
  6547. "Then I'm going to need access to a forge, a drill, a mortar and pestle, and all the iron, carbon, sulfur, and saltpeter you can get."
  6548.  
  6549. >be Twilight
  6550. >it's been three hours since Anon was supposed to be home
  6551. >you were okay for the first 30 minutes, but you've been getting more and more worried with each passing second
  6552. >what could be taking him so long?
  6553. >it's been too long for him to have lost track of time
  6554. >should you go over to their house to check?
  6555. >that's probably the best idea
  6556. >you don't wait another second and leave the room you were pacing in
  6557. "Spike, I'm going out. Tell me if Anon came back when I get back, okay?"
  6558. >you yell this in what you think is his general direction
  6559. >from across the castle, you hear a faint reply
  6560. [o]>"She isn't back?"[/o]
  6561. >after that, you hear Spike running towards you
  6562. >a few seconds later, Spike is standing in front of you, completely out of breath
  6563. "I'm afraid so. I'm going out to check on her and make sure nothing bad's happened."
  6564. [o]>"Okay... I'll watch the door..."[/o]
  6565. >you both walk down to the front door, and you leave while Spike stays behind
  6566. >you walk outside, the evening air cold against you
  6567. >you try to remember the route that Emerald took the day before yesterday, and eventually it comes back to you
  6568. >you set off back towards the place where you hope Anonymous is still at, walking at a decent pace
  6569. >on your way, you can't help but imagine a number of scenarios that may have happened
  6570. >he could've been fillynapped on the way home
  6571. >he could've suffered another injury during some game and could be at the hospital
  6572. >he could've wandered off and gotten lost
  6573. >or he may have just lost all sense of time as you thought
  6574. >he didn't bring his phone with him and that's what he's been using to check the time
  6575. >it's entirely possible, but the pit in your stomach is telling you otherwise
  6576. >you keep a straight face and hold yourself together until you get to the house
  6577. >you walk up to the front door and knock
  6578. >you wait, but there's no response
  6579. >you look at one of the nearby windows
  6580. >there are no lights on
  6581. >nopony's home
  6582. >this isn't an ideal situation
  6583. >the only other place this could mean is the hospital then
  6584. >right?
  6585. >you teleport over to the hospital and go check in at the front desk
  6586. [p]>"Good evening, Princess. What do you need?"[/p]
  6587. "I'm here to see if there have been any green fillies that have passed through going by the name 'Anonymous'."
  6588. >the nurse checks the record of incoming patients and eventually comes to an answer that sends you into full panic mode
  6589. [p]>"No, I'm afraid there haven't been any fillies going by that name, green or otherwise."[/p]
  6590. >you thank the nurse for her help and leave, clinging desperately to your neutral expression
  6591. >after you're outside the hospital, you immediately teleport back to the castle
  6592. >as soon as you're there, you instantly lose whatever composure you were pretending to have
  6593. >in full view of Spike, too
  6594. >he rushes over to you, grabbing you by the shoulders
  6595. [o]>"What's wrong? Did something happen to her? What's going on?"[/o]
  6596. >you push your hurricane of thoughts away for just long enough to form a small coherent answer
  6597. "She's gone."
  6598.  
  6599. >be Anonymous
  6600. >you've left yourself on autopilot for a while, let's see what you come back to
  6601. >okay, Sapphire's real name is Spinneret but Emerald's still Emerald
  6602. >Chrysalis is here and needs your help
  6603. >she broke down in front of you and you gave her a hug
  6604. >you agreed to help her raid Equestria
  6605. >you went over the necessary materials to make guns
  6606. >...
  6607. >hold on, rewind
  6608. >you agreed to help, and you're planning on doing that with guns?
  6609. >you really shouldn't leave yourself on autopilot anymore
  6610. >well, genius, how are you getting out of this now?
  6611. >Chrysalis stands up from her couch, saying a few words before opening the door for you
  6612. >"I can get the iron carbon and sulfur easily, but the saltpeter will be more of an issue. In the meantime, it's been a while since you've eaten. Would you like me to show you where you can get some food?"
  6613. >this might be a good time to try and at least lessen the potential damage that your stupid autopilot caused
  6614. "Alright, but I just remembered one more condition that I have to help in the way that I plan to. You have to promise me that what I give you will not be used unless absolutely necessary. These tools will be dangerous and have the potential to end a life in an instant; they are not to be treated lightly."
  6615. >after you say this, you get up and move over next to Chrysalis
  6616. >she takes in what you say and then gives you a reply that makes you less worried
  6617. >"I promise. I'll tell any of my soldiers that use one about this, and make sure that they agree to it as well. Now, let's go. I'll show you around myself."
  6618. >good, let's hope those soldiers are as obedient as Emerald and Spinneret
  6619. >you follow Chrysalis out past the two guards and into the hall, passing through a lot of similar-looking rooms
  6620. >almost every single changeling you see along the way ends up saying hello or stopping to wave
  6621. >Chrysalis always ends up giving them a smile or returning the greeting, each time looking and sounding just as warm and inviting as the ones before
  6622. >she really must care a lot
  6623. >would it really be so bad to help her out, if only this once?
  6624. >Twilight would probably never forgive you, and that would suck
  6625. >but who needs Twilight when you've got bug horse?
  6626. >but Twilight is your friend!
  6627. >you can't just ditch her like that!
  6628. >but Chrysalis is also being just as nice as Twilight was, and even offered to let you become yourself again!
  6629. >but Twilight's the only pony who can get you home
  6630. >...
  6631. >shit, you're right
  6632. >unless Chrysalis can do it too
  6633. >you remember how powerful she was against Celestia that one time, maybe she could get you home if she had Twilight's notes
  6634. >why are you trying to find a way out of this?
  6635. >why are [i]you[/i] NOT trying to find a way out of this?
  6636. >both of you, shut up!
  6637. >we need to think!
  6638. >what would be the best option?
  6639. >Twilight
  6640. >+has connections to princesses
  6641. >+already knows everything necessary to get you back to normal and home safely
  6642. >+knows lots of cool shit, can probably teach you some science
  6643. >probably won't let you act on that knowledge, though
  6644. >-it's just her and Spike
  6645. >-won't let you be normal for fear of causing public panic
  6646. >Chrysalis
  6647. >-hated by princesses
  6648. >-knows how to make you normal, but not get you home
  6649. >-may not know cool shit and thus may not be able to teach you science
  6650. >+is willing to let you do whatever you want with the knowledge you currently have, though
  6651. >+lots of changelings, you'll never be lonely
  6652. >+pretty much implied that she'd change you back if she could
  6653. >well, it's pretty much an even split of opposites
  6654. >whou would've guessed
  6655. >this is going to take more thought
  6656. >in the meantime, let's see if we're there yet!
  6657. >no, but it seems like we're close
  6658. >you can smell food from here
  6659. >smells pretty good, actually
  6660. >wait, is that?
  6661. >is it?
  6662. >it smells like it
  6663. >you can barely hold in your thoughts as you two make it to the large room with the source of the smell
  6664. >yep, it is
  6665. >cooking meat!
  6666. >you see a couple open fires in pits on one side of the room as well as some other areas holding other types of food being prepared, and a few different changelings managing it all
  6667. >one of them comes up to the two of you and offers a greeting
  6668. [o]>"Good evening, my queen. I see that the guest is also with you, what may we do for you both?"[/o]
  6669. >"Hello, good evening to you as well. Anonymous here hasn't eaten or had anything to drink yet, and I was hoping you could give him something to fix that."
  6670. >the changeling then turns to you
  6671. [o]>"Alright, what would you like?"[/o]
  6672. >hm, what could you get away with asking for?
  6673. "Well, what's available?"
  6674. >the changeling turns around and surveys the room before her
  6675. [o]>"We have pretty much everything you could ask for in stock, since our food supplies are quite full right now."[/o]
  6676. >cool, let's see what 'everything' includes!
  6677. "Can you get me some of what's making that delicious smell?"
  6678. >the changeling looks a bit confused, and shoots a glance at Chrysalis
  6679. >Chrysalis nods at her, and she turns back towards you
  6680. [o]>"Alright, give me one second. I warn you, though; it may not be good for a pony."[/o]
  6681. >well then, good thing you're not a pony!
  6682. >well, at least you shouldn't be
  6683. >the changeling trots over to a table with plates on it and grabs one before going over to one of the pits
  6684. >she levitates out some meat with her stubby, curved horn before placing it on the plate
  6685. >she then comes back over at a slower speed to make sure the food doesn't fall off
  6686. >once she's back over to you two, she gives you the plate with the meat on it
  6687. [o]>"Be careful, it's fresh off the fire."[/o]
  6688. >you grab the edge of the plate in your teeth and move over to a flattened rock that looks like it was converted to a table
  6689. >on the way though, you end up finding a cup and getting some water for yourself too
  6690. >can't forget to drink your fluids
  6691. >after you set it down and sit near it Chrysalis gets some food of her own and joins you
  6692. >"You may be confused as to why we have animal products available to eat here since you're probably used to pony food by now, but I'll tell you. We changelings are actually capable of eating almost anything, since we often have to blend in to where we're located. However, love is still our main source of energy as a form of magic that we are capable of metabolizing."
  6693. >okay, you just got learned some science about changelings
  6694. >maybe Chrysalis can teach you some things too
  6695. >maybe, just maybe
  6696. >though, that is something interesting and a plus for Chrysalis
  6697. >you won't have to be a vegan
  6698. >you take this opportunity to try some of the meat placed before you, now that it's cooled a bit
  6699. >you bite a chunk out of one of the smaller pieces to find a unique flavor
  6700. >almost like pork, but cooked in duck fat
  6701. >also, is that spices you taste?
  6702. >it may be, but it seems to permeate the meat much more evenly than a rub and isn't as apparent as a brine or marinade
  6703. >you may just have to ask what this is
  6704. "What is this? It's good!"
  6705. >Chrysalis swallows a bite of her own food and turns back towards you
  6706. >"It's roasted desert krait, it has similar properties to the common dragon except they're much smaller and non-sentient."
  6707. >desert krait, huh?
  6708. >you might have to find some of them to bring home, it's pretty good!
  6709. >well, if you can get home
  6710. >also, Twilight might not let you
  6711. >stupid purple, ruining all the fun!
  6712. >Chrysalis would probably let you do it
  6713. >either way, you probably wouldn't get very far trying to pit them against each other to make both deals better
  6714. >you'd probably just make the tensions between ponies and changelings worse and make both of them hate you in some way
  6715. >oh well
  6716. >you and Chrysalis finish up your food and go back out to go see some more of the hive
  6717. >first, she takes you to the area where resources are stored and you see a lot of cool things
  6718. >massive stacks of ingots, fully assembled tools, and a great number of other items of varying size and importance
  6719. >next she takes you over to where changelings sleep and rest
  6720. >you see a few changelings come in and a few others leave while you two are there
  6721. >they must work in shifts
  6722. >after that, you two go back to where Spinneret first let you out of the pod in the suitcase
  6723. >turns out that that's the entryway
  6724. >well, one of several
  6725. >this hive must be massive!
  6726. >this is where Chrysalis says the tour needs to end, though
  6727. "Oh, alright. So, when am I able to go back?"
  6728. >she thinks to herself, eyes shifting around like she's running numbers
  6729. >"If it was entirely necessary, you could be back at Twilight's castle by tomorrow afternoon as long as the train is on time. However, since you agreed to help us here, I assume it would be a few days at least and a week at most."
  6730. >fug
  6731. >Twilight's probably shitting bricks right now and would probably shit out an entire wall if she knew where you were
  6732. >but you're not getting out of here without waiting until somepony comes to get you or until Chrysalis lets you, so here you'll stay
  6733. "Well then, I guess I'll be sleeping here. Is there any place in particular you'd like me to stay in?"
  6734. >Chrysalis weighs all the options in her head before telling you an answer
  6735. >"Well, the easiest place for you to stay in would be the resting room, since you could remain in close proximity to your friend Emerald. However, I'm open to sharing my quarters if that's more to your comforts as a guest and ambassador from another world."
  6736. >you have options, then
  6737. >as interesting as being able to say "I slept with Chrysalis" would be, you don't feel like intruding on her any more than necessary
  6738. >she's already being a hospitable host with what she's doing
  6739. >Twilight never even gave you a tour either, now that you think about it
  6740. >you just had to find everything yourself
  6741. >also, the only time you've been treated like a foreign guest around ponies was for that brief time in Celestia's throne room, and we all remember how that ended
  6742. >fuck it, staying with cheeselegs might not be all that bad!
  6743. "Okay then, I'll go to the resting room. I wouldn't want to overstay my welcome, after all."
  6744. >Chrysalis nods and smiles, turning back around in the process
  6745. >"Shall I lead you back there, then?"
  6746. >you accept her offer, and once there you find an open bed to claim
  6747. >it's a bit stiff, but at least the room is kept at the perfect temperature for the number of blankets on the bed
  6748. >you soon begin that familiar fall from consciousness as the void left by today's stresses quickly fills with fatigue, and you're asleep in moments
  6749. >. . .
  6750. >your dreams are once again a vivid representation of your situation in real life
  6751. >once everything's finished rendering, you see that you're inside a cavernous expanse underground that's studded with gems and laced with shining veins of metal
  6752. >what is this, Minecraft?
  6753. >well, you're not complaining if it is
  6754. >this looks pretty stunning, the light gray of the walls contrasting well with the bright yet subtle technicolor gems and shining metallic bands
  6755. >you don't have to wait very long for Luna to show up, though
  6756. >in fact, she appears in front of you in a flash of blue as soon as your environment is stable enough
  6757. >"Anonymous, where are you? Twilight said that you never made it back to the castle and asked me to find you."
  6758. >oh, business right off the bat
  6759. >you're going to need to put this as lightly as possible if you don't want any ponies to flip out over you
  6760. "I'll tell you, but you need to promise me something first."
  6761. >Luna sits down in front of you and holds up her right hoof
  6762. >"What is it?"
  6763. "You need to not flip out and come to get me, or send anyone to do so. I think I'm in a position here to actually do something, and it'll be ruined if any sort of hostility is shown."
  6764. >she looks confused, but she doesn't drop her right hoof as she accepts your promise
  6765. "I can't stress that promise enough, but I'll tell you. I'm in the badlands, more specifically inside a changeling hive."
  6766. >Luna's eyes widen and she looks like she's about to say something, but you cut her off
  6767. "Before you say anything, yes I was brought here against my will. However, after meeting Chrysalis, it's clear that I'm not in any sort of danger. She's actually being quite hospitable, if you can believe it."
  6768. >she raises an eyebrow and gives you a confused/disappointed look before stating her argument
  6769. >"How do you know that you're not in any danger? This is CHRYSALIS we're talking about, the changeling queen that nearly conquered Equestria in a day!"
  6770. "Yes, but that was back when she had a hive with numbers enough to pull that off. There were probably millions of changelings in Canterlot alone on that day, and in this entire hive I haven't seen more than about 100 and can't imagine that there are any more than about 60,000 in total. She's in no position to do anything like she's done before, and that's actually the entire reason why I'm here."
  6771. >"She called you to the middle of the badlands and had you delivered into her hive... to ask you for help?"
  6772. >you nod at her as she looks at you disbelievingly
  6773. "Yeah, as hard as that is to believe. Chrysalis went to all this effort to find me and she wants me to help her. At first I didn't have the best idea of what to do, but now that I can talk to you, I'm pretty sure that you can help me out with an actually good idea for a solution that benefits both Equestria and the badlands."
  6774. >"A peaceful solution would be beautiful, but I'm sure tartarus would freeze over before that's possible."
  6775. >now it's time for you to actually tell her what you have in mind!
  6776. "Trust me, it's entirely possible. These changelings are stacked with resources, and Chrysalis said that they can pull a metric shit-ton of raw material out of the ground. All you would need to do is just make sure that she's got the necessary supplies to maintain her hive and rebuild her species, and I'm pretty sure that she wouldn't be against sharing some of it."
  6777. >Luna starts thinking after you finish speaking your point
  6778. >could she be actually considering this?
  6779. >"Even if this isn't some plot to lower our defenses as you seem to think, how am I going to convince Tia? You seem to forget that Chrysalis nearly killed her during their first formal meeting, and that wasn't even the end of it. Once she's made up her mind, my sister is very hard to convince of the opposite."
  6780. >oh, then it wasn't that easy
  6781. >you may need to have some better arguments
  6782. >shit
  6783. "Then I'll work on what I can from here and you try to gauge Celestia's reaction. Also, tell Twilight that I'm going to be gone for about a week at most, but that I'm safe."
  6784. >Luna looks up at you with a slightly worried expression on her face
  6785. >"And I'll do what I can from Canterlot. I just want you to remember to stay safe; I'm always just a quick nap away if you need my help too."
  6786. >you kneel down in front of her and wrap your arms around her in as reassuring a hug as you can give
  6787. "I promise I'll be fine. At worst, I might decide to stay here for a bit longer, but I'm pretty sure that won't happen. After all, I don't want to hurt any of you that I'm already friends with!"
  6788. >Luna reaches around your neck with her hooves, giving you a hug in return
  6789. >"Good, I don't think Chrysalis would be nearly as good of a friend as I am."
  6790. >there it is
  6791. >that mocking, slightly smug tone
  6792. >everything's going to be fine
  6793. >now all you have to do is just not incur the wrath of Twilight long enough to make sure that everything goes smoothly
  6794. >also, you should probably try to gauge Chrysalis's reaction to a diplomatic solution
  6795. >that should be pretty easy, after all you're probably going to be spending a lot of time around her
  6796. >you both break out of the hug and you ask a question that should hopefully lighten the mood a bit
  6797. "So, you wanna explore around here? It looks pretty cool, and I think I see some branching paths up ahead."
  6798. >Luna agrees, and you two spend the rest of the dream spelunking in this huge cave system
  6799. >after you two end up seeing everything there is to see (and you stopping for about 30 seconds to laugh at a stalagmite shaped like a penis) , you wake up back inside the hive
  6800. >that was a pretty restful sleep
  6801. >and when you wake up, you see a young changeling hovering over you with a pair of bright green eyes
  6802. >it's Emerald
  6803. [p]>"Good morning, Anonymous! I hope you slept well, because Mom wanted me to show you what kind of stuff is out here in the badlands while she's getting everything ready, whatever that means."[/p]
  6804. >okay, a day in the life of a changeling
  6805. >sounds interesting enough, this never was really explained much in the show if you remember correctly
  6806. "Alright, what's first on the list?"
  6807. >you hop out of bed and Emerald joins you on the floor
  6808. [p]>"First we should probably eat something. I know that it's not fun to work on an empty stomach."[/p]
  6809. >so you follow Emerald down to the area where you ate dinner yesterday and eat a nice breakfast of more Desert Krait and also some roasted vegetables
  6810. >no offense to Spike's cooking, but you could get used to this
  6811. >it actually has some food that you enjoy besides nothing but vegetables and starch!
  6812. >after you two finish eating, you follow Emerald up to the surface with a few other changelings
  6813. "What are we doing up here?"
  6814. [p]>"We're going to collect water from a nearby source. The badlands are a very dry place, but we've figured out a way to get all the moisture necessary out of the environment."[/p]
  6815. >she then walks over to a changeling standing near a pile of what looks like backpacks and grabs two of them
  6816. >when she gets back over to you, she gives you one
  6817. [p]>"Here, put this on. It'll help you carry all the water. Also, when we're on the way to it, I can show you all the cool stuff around here!"[/p]
  6818. >you put on the bag, which is surprisingly light for its size
  6819. >this isn't how you imagined you'd be spending your first days here, though
  6820. >oh well, it's pretty obvious that they're short on labor anyway and it'll give you something to do while trying to find a good angle of attack for convincing Chrysalis
  6821. "One question, how far away is this source of water?"
  6822. >Emerald thinks to herself for a few seconds while the rest of the changelings gear up
  6823. [p]>"About an hour, but don't worry. The time will fly by, and we always go early enough in the morning to make sure no one gets dehydrated."[/p]
  6824. >okay, but how does a pony fit this model?
  6825. >Emerald must see this concern on your face, because she has an answer for it
  6826. [p]>"If things get too bad, you can always check one of the pockets on the pack. There's always an emergency set of rations in case you need it."[/p]
  6827. >sure enough, you reach around to check the bag and you pull out a canteen
  6828. >soon enough, the rest of the changelings start moving and you two follow close behind
  6829. >while the walk is happening, you two also manage to hold a conversation
  6830. >every once in a while, Emerald points out a rock formation and tells you what she knows about it too
  6831. >eventually though, you ask her a question
  6832. "So, do you do work like this every day?"
  6833. [p]>"Not every day, but I'm getting close to the point where I have to choose my job for the future. I'm trying out everything a few times just to make sure that I know what I'm good at, and I also want to make sure that what I'm good at is also fun."[/p]
  6834. >Emerald shifts her path to get a bit closer to you before going on
  6835. [p]>"Between you and me though I'm pretty sure I want to be a spy if only because I'd get to see you more often."[/p]
  6836. >wow
  6837. >you've had that much of an effect on her that she's willing to make a permanent choice just because of you
  6838. >that's commitment
  6839. >now if only some of the thots back home could learn from her
  6840. >but that's not going to happen
  6841. >thots are always thots, and there's nothing that's going to stop that
  6842. >maybe you can bring a nice pony home with you if you ask Twilight hard enough?
  6843. >probably not
  6844. >maybe Emerald would be willing to come home with you if you ask her nicely?
  6845. >more likely, but it's still a stretch
  6846. >either way, the party you're part of eventually makes it to a large river twisting through the terrain
  6847. >wow, this is one hell of a water source
  6848. >but what about pulling moisture out of the environment?
  6849. >Emerald has an answer for you, though, and you didn't even need to ask
  6850. [p]>"This is the water source, it's pulled out of the ground by some pumps placed about 10 miles upstream from a reservoir underground and it flows down to a nearby lake that another party usually hits before nightfall."[/p]
  6851. >you follow her up to the bank and copy what she's doing to collect water
  6852. >after the pack is full, you put it back on and find that it's still not that heavy
  6853. >what is this sorcery?
  6854. >you would've killed for a backpack like this at home
  6855. >you're pretty sure that hauling around all those books ended up permanently messing with your posture
  6856. >oh well, the walk back isn't anymore eventful than the walk there
  6857. >you do have to take a swig out of the canteen, but that's about it
  6858. >other than that, it's just another conversation
  6859. >well, can a debate about who would win in a fight between Celestia and 4 Hydras really be called 'another conversation'?
  6860. >you still think that those hydras would at least have a chance
  6861. >when you all get back, you see another team of changelings waiting just outside the entrance to the hive
  6862. >you do as the others in your group are doing and hand off your pack to one of those who are waiting, and after that everypony heads inside again to go their separate ways
  6863. >except for you and Emerald
  6864. >that's because you two still have more stuff to do today
  6865. >however, that can wait for a bit
  6866. >as soon as you two reach the entry room, you two are met by Chrysalis
  6867.  
  6868. >be Luna
  6869. >Anonymous just finished telling you about his plans for the time he's spending in a changeling hive
  6870. >he also managed to convince you to help him with it
  6871. >well, you aren't one to go back on your word, so you guess you have to
  6872. >you should also keep some tabs on him, now that you know where he is
  6873. >after all, you did say that you were only a nap away
  6874. >can't be disappointing him, or worse, letting him down when he needs you
  6875. >speaking of not letting him down, what do you need to do now that you're up?
  6876. >you need to notify Twilight of Anon's situation and plans, and you need to convince your sister to go along with those plans
  6877. >whew
  6878. >you better notify Twilight first, it's going to take all day to move the brick wall that is your sister
  6879. >you pull out a piece of paper and a pen and start thinking about what to write
  6880. >well, if you were in Twilight's position, you wouldn't want her to sugarcoat it
  6881. >time to write it, you guess
  6882. "Dear Twilight,
  6883. Thank you again for informing us about Anonymous's disappearance, we appreciate the concern; I managed to make contact with him through a dream, and while I was there, he informed me of his situation and what he wants us to do. Before I tell you where he is though, I need to tell you that he says he is in no danger and is planning on staying for however long it takes to ensure his end of his plans are complete.
  6884. Anonymous is currently somewhere in the badlands and inside a changeling hive. Chrysalis herself had him brought there so she could ask him for aid, and Anonymous said that he should be gone for a week at most and that you shouldn't go and get him since any show of hostility may ruin his idea.
  6885. I hope you can understand his reasoning, and in case you're worried, I will be making sure he is safe while he's there.
  6886. Kindest regards, Luna"
  6887. >let's hope that this doesn't send Twilight into one of her legendary freakouts
  6888. >you don't want to be responsible for her getting an aneurism and dying as a result
  6889. >other than that, there are probably 3 ways she could handle this
  6890. >option 1: she reads the letter and replies, doing what Anonymous wants her to do
  6891. >option 2: she reads the letter and replies, doing the opposite of what Anonymous wants her to do
  6892. >option 3: she reads it, doesn't reply, and does whatever
  6893. >in the event of options 2 or 3, you aren't responsible for what happens
  6894. >you've done all you can do aside from going there yourself and physically preventing Twilight from leaving her castle
  6895. >now all that's left to do is to convince Celestia that a peaceful solution is possible
  6896. >this is gonna suck
  6897. >you groan in disappointment as you slump down onto your desk, contemplating the monumental task ahead of you
  6898. >this is really gonna suck
  6899. >well, nothing is going to happen if you just sit here and complain to nopony about it
  6900. >you should get it over with now that you've done the only other thing Anonymous asked you to do
  6901. >you get up and walk out of your room to go to Celestia's room
  6902. >it's a long walk, probably longer than it should be
  6903. >stupid designer didn't think about a situation like this when putting together this disappointment of a castle
  6904. >there aren't even any slides or trapdoors
  6905. >and your pipe organ is still in the other castle
  6906. >you were pretty good at it, too
  6907. >if you had any input with the design of this castle, you would've made it so much cooler
  6908. >but complaining about the castle isn't what you're going to talk to your sister about
  6909. >no, you just need to make a treaty with Chrysalis sound like a good idea to her
  6910. >let's see what Anonymous gave you to work with
  6911. >changelings less than we think
  6912. >Chrysalis needs help
  6913. >they have resources we'd like
  6914. >we have what's needed to help them
  6915. >mutually beneficial
  6916. >anything you're missing?
  6917. >no?
  6918. >alright, you have your arguments organized
  6919. >now to just run through a few practice arguments in your head
  6920. >as you're walking through the halls, you pass a group of guards who salute
  6921. >you almost don't notice them as you're trying to cover every possible outcome in your head, but you still manage a hasty salute in return before continuing
  6922. >wow, you should probably relax a bit
  6923. >you aren't known for performing well under pressure
  6924. >yeah, that's not something you want to have weighing you down during this coming argument
  6925. >eventually you make it to Celestia's room after finishing a few mental arguments and taking some deep breaths
  6926. >you open the old wood door slowly to make sure it doesn't squeak too much
  6927. >it still whines a bit, but it's not too loud
  6928. >you see Celestia's ear shift towards you as you now stand in the doorway
  6929. >however, the rest of her stays firmly rooted to her own desk and the stack of papers currently occupying it
  6930. [p]>"Whatever it is, it's probably nothing. You're dismissed."[/p]
  6931. >she gave you an automatic reply?
  6932. >you do not stand for this
  6933. >she's only given you that sort of treatment once before, and you didn't take it at all
  6934. >however, you're here on business and not for fun this time
  6935. "Tia, I have some important news that's urgent. Would you mind giving me your attention for a few minutes?"
  6936. >she looks up for a second at you before returning her disinterested gaze to the pile of text in front of her
  6937. [p]>"Sure, go ahead."[/p]
  6938. >she's clearly not paying attention
  6939. >her pen hasn't even stopped moving
  6940. "Dear sister, I would really appreciate it if you gave me your [i]full[/i] attention, given how important this is."
  6941. >she doesn't respond for a full 5 seconds
  6942. >when she does, it just further confirms that she's not paying attention at all
  6943. [p]>"Hm."[/p]
  6944. >you have no choice but to stare in disbelief at this, mouth wide open
  6945. >you're getting ignored even when you have some ACTUALLY IMPORTANT things to say!
  6946. >you feel your eye start to twitch as your blood pressure rises
  6947. >this is the kind of shit that made you try to off this bitch to begin with!
  6948. >no, you're getting distracted again!
  6949. >calm down, Anonymous isn't getting any help if you go crazy.
  6950. >you take a few more deep breaths and get your anger back inside the bottle you use as gaming fuel before thinking about how to get Celestia's attention
  6951. >eventually it comes to you
  6952. >you use your magic to rip the pen away from your sister while she's distracted and throw it across the room
  6953. >she turns to you with an expression of disappointment, disgust and surprise while she throws her hooves in the air
  6954. [p]>"Luna, I needed that!"[/p]
  6955. >now that she's paying attention, you have your opening
  6956. "And I need you to listen. I have important news from Anonymous that demands your attention right now that he himself asked me to give you. If you don't want to listen, then I'll give you back your pen and wait for the coming war with the changelings off in my room."
  6957. >you had grabbed her attention by throwing her pen, but you held it fast with your passive-aggressive comment
  6958. "Are you ready to listen now?"
  6959. >Celestia nods slowly, now understanding the full gravity of your news
  6960. "Anonymous has been taken to a changeling hive in the badlands where he has been approached by Chrysalis for help. Not only has she figured out that he's an alien, but that he has the knowledge to give her exactly what you've asked Twilight to get him to tell you. However, he has a plan that could resolve all this peacefully, as long as none of us show any potential hostility towards Chrysalis and her hive while Anonymous plants the seeds in her head."
  6961. [p]>"When did this happen and why am I only hearing of this now?"[/p]
  6962. >did she not see the letter that Twilight sent?
  6963. >you distinctly remember giving it to her yesterday
  6964. "Anonymous was first found to be missing yesterday. I distinctly remember giving you the relevant letter, but you must not have looked at it."
  6965. >Celestia sighs and rubs her eyes before continuing
  6966. [p]>"I'm willing to hear his plan out, however I must say that I remain skeptical of possible peace considering all our past interactions with the changelings."[/p]
  6967. >she's willing to listen, good
  6968. >she seems a lot less difficult than you expected
  6969. >can you actually do this?
  6970. "Well, Anonymous mentioned that in their current state the changelings are in no position to invade or cause us any trouble. Also, he implied that it wouldn't be a complex matter for us to provide Chrysalis with an answer to her problems and that she may be willing to exchange valuable resources for this aid and protection."
  6971. >she seems to consider this
  6972. >at least she looks like she's thinking
  6973. >after a few more seconds, she replies
  6974. [p]>"That does seem like an interesting proposition, but I can see a major flaw in it. The population knows about the changelings' past deeds and may not support us putting aside our differences. It would be much easier to convince the public to fund a war to wipe them out now while they're weak as opposed to funding peace talks. If you can come up with a counter to that, I'll consider that. Otherwise, I'm continuing with my current plans."[/p]
  6975. >she returns her focus to her papers and pulls the pen back to her from across the room, giving you no more attention
  6976. >well, you tried
  6977. >hopefully Anonymous can help you on this
  6978. >if he can't, then that's it
  6979. >at least you can still find success with Twilight
  6980. >as you exit the room to start the journey back to your own, a letter appears
  6981. >it's from Twilight
  6982. >you got a reply!
  6983. >that means it's definitely option 1 or option 2!
  6984. >you take the letter and trot off to your room to open it
  6985. >when you get back a short while later, you sit back at your desk and unseal it carefully
  6986. >the wax is still a bit wet, you don't want to rip the paper accidentally
  6987. >when the letter is unsealed and untied, you set it in front of you to see what Twilight says
  6988. >"Dear Princess Luna,
  6989. >First, I'd like to thank you for telling me where Anonymous is and that he's currently okay. However, I'm not sure that it would be best to have him be in constant contact with Chrysalis for a full week no matter what he thinks he can do. We both know that she is manipulative and stops at nothing to get what she wants. As much as I want to believe Anonymous here, I don't trust Chrysalis farther than I can throw her (without magical aid)."
  6990. >is she serious?
  6991. >can't you pull rank here?
  6992. >can you do ANYTHING here?
  6993. >"I'm afraid that I'm not going to allow Anonymous to spend any more time there than necessary since I still need to make sure he is able to remain concealed among the masses until I can get him home. Because of this, I'm making plans to leave on the next southern train to go find him and bring him back.
  6994. >Respectfully yours, Twilight"
  6995. >...
  6996. >...fuck
  6997. >you're done
  6998. >you have not been able to do anything Anonymous asked
  6999. >that's it
  7000. >diplomacy may fail because nopony has any faith in any part of this
  7001. >you grab the letter between your hooves and throw it into the air and place your head back on your desk, not caring when it flutters back down on to your face
  7002. >today is not starting out great
  7003.  
  7004. >be Anon
  7005. >Chrysalis herself came up to welcome Emerald and you back from your trip
  7006. >she calmly walks over to you both with a warm smile
  7007. >"Good morning, how did the trip go?"
  7008. >Emerald is the first to speak up
  7009. [p]>"It was fun, I got to show Anonymous some cool stuff outside and we had a cool conversation! Also, can you settle something for us?"[/p]
  7010. >is she seriously bringing up the 'who would win' conversation to her mom?
  7011. >"Sure, what's your question?"
  7012. [p]>"Who would win in a fight, Celestia or 4 hydras?"[/p]
  7013. >she actually did
  7014. >Chrysalis puts a hoof to her chin as she thinks for all of a second
  7015. >"Celestia, no question. I could take out a hydra easily, and I actually had some trouble with Celestia the last two times I met her."
  7016. >dang
  7017. >even Chrysalis won't take your side
  7018. >fug
  7019. >"Anyway, can you give Anonymous and me some privacy, Emerald? We have important matters to discuss."
  7020. >Emerald looks a little bummed, but she still listens
  7021. [p]>"Okay."[/p]
  7022. >she turns to you before leaving, though
  7023. [p]>"As soon as you and Mom are done, come find me and we can do more stuff together!"[/p]
  7024. >Chrysalis and you wave to Emerald as she leaves and you two go deeper into the hive
  7025. >what's going on that you need to talk to Chrissy?
  7026. "What's up? What do you need?"
  7027. >Chrysalis looks down at you and replies
  7028. >"I'll tell you once we get back to my chamber."
  7029. >oh
  7030. >more private stuff, probably
  7031. >or more stuff about you being an ayylien
  7032. >well, it could be interesting
  7033. >once you two make it back down to Chrysalis's personal quarters and the door is closed, Chrysalis sits down on the chair
  7034. >she also drops her calm expression for one that's a bit more apprehensive and tells you what she needs to
  7035. >"I ran out."
  7036. >ran out?
  7037. >ran out of what?
  7038. >oh
  7039. >oh shit
  7040. "That's bad, isn't it?"
  7041. >of course it's bad, you retard!
  7042. >why did you ask an obvious question like that?
  7043. >oh right, you have no experience in a situation like this
  7044. >you had no idea what else to do
  7045. >oh wait, she's saying something!
  7046. >quick, pay attention!
  7047. >"Of course it's bad, I have no more material to rebuild my species with! This can be fixed, of course, but we're going to need to move quickly. Every second we don't prepare for that raid or are out on it is a second that this hive stagnates and potentially shrinks."
  7048. >now you're on a ticking clock, too
  7049. >fantastic
  7050. >let's hope you can actually convince her of your idea in this state
  7051. >this is probably the exact wrong time, but fuck it
  7052. >she still seems levelheaded enough, and she's treated you with respect so far
  7053. "I have another question, and I promise this one isn't quite as stupid."
  7054. >Chrysalis looks at you from her position on the chair, with a slightly hopeful look on her face
  7055. >"I'm listening."
  7056. >careful on the delivery here Anon, don't want to set her off by accident
  7057. "Hypothetically speaking, if Celestia was willing to help you with your problem in exchange for some of the resources you have, would you be willing to accept it?"
  7058. >she now looks at you like you've gone full retard
  7059. >"There are so many things that don't work about what you suggested. One, Celestia hates me. She always has, ever since I crashed her niece's wedding. Two, I don't think that she'd be willing to prostitute out one of her citizens for me even if I gave her every ounce of valuables we have for numerous ethical reasons. Three, I have no guarantee that she'll allow me to breed with a stallion with good seed for a growing population. Does that sum it up for you?"
  7060. >shot down
  7061. >shot down hard
  7062. >well, maybe Luna had more success?
  7063. >let's hope so, otherwise your plan could crash and burn even harder than it is now
  7064. >still, if you can at least hold off any potential hostilities you [i]may[/i] be able to shove that football through that needle hole
  7065. >John Elway willing, that is
  7066. >now think!
  7067. >you've got to find out a way to get her some useable genetic material so you don't have to bring guns here!
  7068. >...
  7069. >.....
  7070. >...wait
  7071. >could that actually work?
  7072. >you might need to run it past her and see if you're not stupid
  7073. "I have another question that may or may not be more or less stupid than the one I just asked."
  7074. >Chrysalis sighs and waves for you to go on
  7075. "Does it necessarily have to be pony... you know?"
  7076. >this gets her thinking again
  7077. >she looks around the room a few times, focusing on you for about a second for each pass
  7078. >eventually she answers
  7079. >"I do remember my mother telling me stories about other queens who, in desperate times, tried to procreate with non-ponies, but the success rate of the offspring was lower and they always carried traits of the father species. If you're implying what I think you're implying, though, it's certainly not going to happen as you are now."
  7080. >okay, she just jumped ahead a few more steps than you thought she would
  7081. >you feel just awkward enough right now to not immediately say anything, but Chrysalis starts thinking again anyway
  7082. >"This must truly be desperate times if I'm considering this, but..."
  7083. >she shakes her head and lets out a nervous laugh
  7084. >"... But I may just have to take you up on that offer if this raid doesn't happen soon, or worse, is unsuccessful."
  7085. >okay
  7086. >you may be losing your virginity to a bug horse
  7087. >that's cool
  7088. >totally what you planned on
  7089. >you totally didn't expect this to go a different direction
  7090. >but Chrysalis just keeps going
  7091. >"I suppose that if I dip into the love reserves I could get enough energy to reverse the spell, but I'd have to make sure that this could even work before we actually go through with this, so I would need to inspect you myself. Would you mind?"
  7092. "Now?"
  7093. >"Not now, more likely tomorrow. Also, if you're worried about the others finding out, then don't. It will all take place here.
  7094. >okay, you've got some time to prepare
  7095. >you may need to tell Luna about this and see if she can help you at all
  7096. "Okay, I guess; I just have one final question, though. If it's not too much to ask, why did you immediately jump to me as a candidate for... this?"
  7097. >Chrysalis stands up and walks over to you, stopping just a few feet away
  7098. >"Because despite what's happened here, you've always shown me the same respect I've given you. With the average pony, they just shy away, run in fear, or chase us out in disgust when we're found out. You, however, have done none of that. You didn't judge us by what we are to everypony else, instead you formed your own opinion based on what you saw here. If you as a human are compatible with me at all, I wish that the young that come from this would carry the same humanity that you do."
  7099. >holy shit, either she's opened herself up completely to you or she's trying to mess with your head
  7100. >the problem is, if she's messing with you, it's working
  7101. >fug
  7102. >your ego just swelled to twice the size your dick would've here
  7103. >don't let the bug cloud your thoughts, Anon!
  7104. >consider this carefully and think about everything that could happen, don't just think with your nonexistent boner!
  7105. "I'll do it."
  7106. >WHAT DID I LITERALLY JUST TELL YOU TO DO?
  7107. >*sigh*
  7108. >you're hopeless
  7109. >you know what, you can just deal with this yourself
  7110. >I'm not helping you anymore
  7111. >.
  7112. >..
  7113. >...
  7114. >damnit
  7115. >you win this round
  7116. >Chrysalis gets an optimistic smile and sits back down, which is when you realize that you've been standing this whole time
  7117. >you take the spot on the couch as she continues on with a plan of what'll happen
  7118. >"Alright then, tomorrow I'll have enough energy to reverse the spell and then we can go from there! Is that alright with you?"
  7119. >well, you've already gotten this far
  7120. >it's not like you can turn back, or anything
  7121. "Sure. Can you also get enough to change me back, just in case? I don't want to cause any sort of a panic because there's suddenly a 6-foot-tall alien running around the hive and getting stuck in small doorways."
  7122. >Chrysalis's expression goes from optimistic to confused
  7123. >"Just how tall will you be when you're back to normal? Also, how long is a foot?"
  7124. >you don't exactly have any measuring utensils around you to demonstrate your point
  7125. >is there anything around here that could help?
  7126. >well, you know that Chrysalis can change herself to fit a certain role and you have a reasonable guess to go off of with Luna's height
  7127. "In order to give you an idea, I'm going to need you to change into somepony for me."
  7128. >she stands up out of her chair, still looking confused
  7129. "Just as a clarifying point, you change your height too when you change your appearance?"
  7130. >"Of course, otherwise it wouldn't be as believable. Now, who do you need me to be?"
  7131. "Change into Princess Luna, please."
  7132. >Chrysalis is engulfed by a column of green magic, and when it clears, you see an exact replica of Luna
  7133. >"Now what? Is there anything else you need me to do?"
  7134. >she even sounds like her, this is pretty cool!
  7135. >Spy from Team Fortress suddenly comes into your head, and you manage to suppress the giggling from the thought of Chrysalis wearing a paper mask of Luna
  7136. "You just need to stand up straight."
  7137. >she looks down to check her posture before straightening up to almost a position of attention
  7138. "You know how tall you are now? Well, in my normal form you'd currently be about 2/3s of my height."
  7139. >Chrysalis looks up at the ceiling, probably trying to gauge just how tall that is
  7140. >after she's done, she summons up another green column and comes out of it as herself again
  7141. >"That is certainly tall, I understand your concern. I'll make sure that I get enough energy to change you back as well after everything's done."
  7142. >Chrysalis sits back down in the chair, one again starting to think
  7143. "So, is there anything else you needed while I was here?"
  7144. >"Not that I can think of, you're free to go back to Emerald. She's probably somewhere in the middle levels, given her tendency to wander."
  7145. >alright, so you know where to check as well
  7146. >you say goodbye to Chrysalis and make your way back up to try to find Emerald
  7147.  
  7148. >be Twilight
  7149. >Luna sent you a letter in response to the one you sent her yesterday, asking you to do something that you really don't want to do
  7150. >like tartarus you're going to sit here and wait while Anon goes off and does Celestia-knows-what with some insectoid that wants nothing more than full-blown revenge!
  7151. >no, you're going to go there yourself and bring him back
  7152. >and you'll squash any bug that gets in your way
  7153. >Anon holds too many dangerous secrets to let Chrysalis have, she'll be able to take over the entire planet even with the basic level of human weaponry!
  7154. >she's also enough of a manipulator to get that information out of him, Anon's pretty easily persuaded from what you've seen
  7155. >as such, you're going to the badlands as soon as you can
  7156. >unfortunately the train to the southern border has already left for today, so you'll have to go tomorrow
  7157. >on the bright side, this gives you some time to prepare
  7158. >you're not sure how strong Chrysalis will be, so you decide to research some other spells to help if you need it
  7159. >a few counter spells, a magical anti-magic field and even a spell of tectonic rage
  7160. >that should be enough to destroy the entire hive if you need to
  7161. >you hope it doesn't come down to dropping the equivalent of a small mountain on top of all of them, though
  7162. >you have no idea who else besides changelings are in there and you don't want to possibly hurt Anon in the process
  7163. >midway through your study though you feel your flank begin to vibrate
  7164. >not now
  7165. >any time but now!
  7166. >you try and block out the sensation, but everything in that area quickly goes numb
  7167. >somehow, the numbness is even more distracting than the vibrating
  7168. >guess you'll just have to check that damned map anyway
  7169. >you make your way up to the room, being careful to listen for the front door in case any of your friends need to be let in
  7170. >however, when you get there, you see something interesting on the map
  7171. >you see your own mark, of course
  7172. >that's not the weird part
  7173. >it's in the badlands
  7174. >at least you assume it is
  7175. >since it's just a map of Equestria, the badlands are off the side of the table
  7176. >your mark is sitting on the edge of the table with an indicator arrow pointing off in the direction of the badlands
  7177. >that's not the weirdest part, though
  7178. >right next to it with a similar arrow pointing in the same direction is a square with a pink and black checkerboard pattern on it
  7179. >what does this mean?
  7180. >this map hasn't shown anything that you haven't recognized as being either you or one of your friends, so what is this?
  7181. >you teleport up a piece of paper and a few different pens of different colors to try to mark down what the display's showing
  7182. >after a few seconds, you get a basic enough drawing and a description to go with it
  7183. >it's not often this thing gives you something unexpected, so you've taken to cataloguing when it does
  7184. >well, it looks like nothing that isn't new (besides that square, you don't think you've even met a pony with that for a cutie mark)
  7185. >plus, you were going that way anyway
  7186. >you're not sure if you need to wait for Mr. or Ms. Square to show up, but you're not waiting too long
  7187. >you have other important business there
  7188. >but what would be the issue happening there?
  7189. >you never really know until you get there though, so you shouldn't spend time wondering
  7190. >you just need to finish what you're doing and book a ticket for tomorrow
  7191.  
  7192. >be Chrysalis
  7193. >things are going interestingly, to say the least
  7194. >Anonymous has given you a plan B to the plan A he gave you yesterday, and that's pretty cool
  7195. >your tactic of manipulation is working well
  7196. >who knew that just being brutally honest could get you so far?
  7197. >of course, you're not exactly used to leaving yourself completely out there to be judged
  7198. >but Anonymous is being very polite about it, which is also cool
  7199. >maybe if more ponies were like him you wouldn't have to be like this
  7200. >either way, things are going alright considering your state
  7201. >the one thing that's making you think is Anonymous's question about Celestia
  7202. >you know that he's in contact with her, is it actually possible to solve this without needing to resort to more trickery?
  7203. >if it is, then you feel a little bit bad about shutting him down so fast
  7204. >maybe you should bring it up with him later?
  7205. >yeah, you'll give him some more time with Emerald before bringing him back again
  7206. >he's probably going to want a mental break to adjust to plan B
  7207. >so you'll give him a couple hours and ask him a few more questions when you need to
  7208.  
  7209. >be Anon
  7210. >you're going back up through the hive to find Emerald
  7211. >it shouldn't be too hard to find her, she's about half the size of every other changeling you've seen and has the only set of green eyes you've seen around here
  7212. >all the others are either some shade of blue or a light pinkish color
  7213. >eventually you find her in a room with a few other changelings, helping them move supplies from one place to another
  7214. "Hey Emerald, what's going on?"
  7215. >she waves you over into the group and you take some of her supplies to help
  7216. [p]>"I'm helping out the transporters since I had nothing else to do. How was your talk with Mom?"[/p]
  7217. >after you manage to balance the supplies you grabbed on your back, you reply
  7218. "It was interesting, to say the least. I don't think she'd like me telling you exactly what happened, though."
  7219. >she gives you a surprised look as you two continue just behind the rest of the group
  7220. [p]>"It must have been pretty important if she doesn't want anypony else knowing about it. Can you at least give me a hint?"[/p]
  7221. >can you give her a hint without revealing too much?
  7222. >it's going to require some seriously light treading, but you may be able to
  7223. "She had some interesting offers for me, and we came to an agreement after some extra conversation. I'm going to have to talk to her again for a little while tomorrow, but I suppose that isn't too unexpected."
  7224. >Emerald nods slowly with a thoughtful expression, probably trying to pull meaning out of what you just said
  7225. >whatever's going through her head probably isn't the act that you let Chrysalis pull you into
  7226. >it will be a bit amusing to be able to truthfully use the insult 'I fucked your mom' in the event of an argument, though
  7227. >however, that's a small upside to the possibility of fucking Chrissy
  7228. >but is that a downside?
  7229. >you're not too sure
  7230. >on the one hand, you're doing something that your parents would probably disown you for
  7231. >on the other hand, you'd be able to give them way more grandchildren than all of your siblings combined
  7232. >but would it matter if they're half-horsebugs from a different universe?
  7233. >eh, maybe
  7234. >alternatively, things could go another way that you don't yet know
  7235. >but you're usually pretty good at predicting things in advance, given enough information
  7236. >something tells you that you're either going to fug the bug or give her guns
  7237. >so that's what you're betting on happening
  7238. >about now you realize that you've been walking next to Emerald for a while and haven't said anything in the past few minutes
  7239. "Sorry about that, I got really distracted by my thoughts. Anything else cool going on with you?"
  7240. >she turns back towards you from looking around and replies
  7241. [p]>"I haven't really done anything else interesting since this morning, but I'm kinda hungry. Wanna get lunch after this?"[/p]
  7242. >lunch does sound pretty good, and this walk plus the one you went on this morning is really starting to take effect
  7243. "Sure, that sounds pretty good. I'm assuming we're going to the same place as before?"
  7244. >you add a bit of sarcasm to the last bit, hoping to get a laugh
  7245. >instead, Emerald gives you that one costanza face with her reply
  7246. [p]>"Would you rather go get a hayburger?"[/p]
  7247. >she has a point
  7248. >you shake your head with a giggle
  7249. "You got me there, this place has better food than any restaurant I've been to in Equestria."
  7250. >after you two finish with your job of delivering supplies with the rest of the group you're in, you two head down to the mess hall and get some food
  7251. >it's more krait for you and Emerald also gets some food
  7252. >you're starting to feel some discomfort in your gut, but fuck it
  7253. >you're a human at heart, you need your protein
  7254. >whatever digestive troubles you have are problems for future you
  7255. >after you finish, the digestive troubles hit you in spades
  7256. >this hurts
  7257. >bad
  7258. [p]>"Is everything alright, Anonymous?"[/p]
  7259. >shit, she sees your pain
  7260. >play it off
  7261. "I'm fine, where's the bathroom?"
  7262. >she immediately recognizes the look on your face and stands up
  7263. [p]>"Follow me, I'll try to hurry."[/p]
  7264. >you two make your way to the bathroom and you get there just in time
  7265. >Emerald waits outside while you go in to try and make yourself feel better
  7266. >after a shit worthy of its own separate greentext and a smell that melts the walls around you, you emerge a hollow shell of yourself
  7267. [p]>"So... do you still want to help me with stuff? I understand if you don't after... that, though."[/p]
  7268. >now you're tired as well as hollow
  7269. "I think I need a nap..."
  7270. [p]>"Alright, I'll lead you back there. I guess you're not going to eat that much krait now?"[/p]
  7271. >she gives you an awkward smile, probably trying to make the situation a bit less heavy
  7272. >all you do is nod in agreement with your dead expression
  7273. >you two navigate back up to the resting area and you climb back into bed to try and force a timeskip
  7274. >maybe some time out of the land of the waking will make you feel better?
  7275. >Emerald heads back out to do some more jobs, while you slowly drift into the void
  7276. >. . .
  7277. >your dream's setting is your apartment
  7278. >guess your mind's trying to make you as comfortable as possible after that
  7279. >so you set up yourself with some snacks in front of your computer, trying to find some of that magic you lost when coming to this world
  7280. >of course, now that there isn't an actual community to sit and shitpost with, it's pretty lackluster
  7281. >however, at least your brain remembers more porn than you do
  7282. >so you just sit in front of your dream computer looking at the porn you had saved and eating poptarts
  7283. >you don't have an insane amount saved, but still enough to warrant some organization to your storage
  7284. >you never had the biggest collection of anything but you had what you liked, and that's all that mattered
  7285. >after a few minutes of doing this, you see a blue reflection next to yours in the darker parts of your monitor
  7286. >shit
  7287. >"Anonymous, I assume you need my help?"
  7288. >you close out of everything as fast as you can before turning around, your mouth still half-full of poptart
  7289. >let's hope Luna wasn't paying enough attention to notice your memorized clop folder
  7290. >you swallow quickly, only choking on crumbs for a few seconds
  7291. "Actually, now that you mention it, I do have some more news."
  7292. >she looks more confused than usual with you after witnessing that display
  7293. >"Did I interrupt something?
  7294. "Nope."
  7295. >"Are you sure? I saw you looking at something that you closed pretty quickly, I c-"
  7296. "Nah, it's fine."
  7297. >"If it was something im-"
  7298. "It wasn't."
  7299. >"Then what were you-"
  7300. "Don't worry about it."
  7301. >Luna only looks more confused now, but your poker face eventually forces her to continue back on the original topic
  7302. >"... Then I guess I also have some news for you, too. Would you care to go first?"
  7303. "Sure. Poptart?"
  7304. >you grab the open box off your desk and hold it in front of her
  7305. >she looks inside and levitates out one
  7306. >it's strawberry flavor
  7307. >good taste
  7308. >after some inspection, she takes a small bite
  7309. >her reaction is... interesting
  7310. >at first, she seems to enjoy it
  7311. >then, she seems mildly disgusted
  7312. >finally, an air of disappointment as she swallows the bite
  7313. >"It's not terrible, but this isn't what I expected from a species of your apparent ability."
  7314. >regardless of her previous statement, she takes another bite as you start
  7315. "Well, I told Chrysalis about my plan. She almost immediately shot it down."
  7316. >Luna swallows another bite and responds with something that gives you no comfort
  7317. >"Then it's probably not the best of things that Celestia disagreed as well."
  7318. >rip your plan
  7319. >you sigh and slump farther into your computer chair before saying anything else
  7320. "Wow, that sucks. Got any other news that I might need to know about?"
  7321. >"Yes. Unfortunately, I think everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. Twilight isn't being cooperative and told me that she would be leaving for the badlands as soon as she can, so you should expect her tomorrow at the very earliest."
  7322. >Damnit, purple!
  7323. >you had one job!
  7324. >however, there's one other thing that you should probably ask Luna about
  7325. >especially since you're not sure why you're in this situation to begin with, despite you even asking for clarification
  7326. "You have no idea just how wrong it's gone. By the way, I have a question."
  7327. >Luna swallows her last bite of poptart before replying and pulling another out of the box
  7328. >"Ask and I'll give whatever guidance I can."
  7329. "Somehow that conversation with Chrysalis turned into her asking me to... procreate with her."
  7330. >she drops both the box and the poptart, as well as her jaw
  7331. >Luna starts blinking and stammering as she tries to figure out exactly what the fuck you just said
  7332. >"... wHAT"
  7333. "... and since my brain pretty much shut down there, I agreed."
  7334. >you try to keep the straightest face you can, but you can't help looking slightly nervous
  7335. >at least she doesn't seem to care that you never asked a question
  7336. >the implied meaning must have gotten through
  7337. >after a few more moments of silence, Luna picks her mouth up off the floor and starts trying to find a reply that would actually help
  7338. >A-? Hm, mayb-? No, if-?..."
  7339. >she sighs and looks at you with disappointment and pity
  7340. >"I've got nothing. All I can say is that you better hope Twilight gets there before you have to endure changeling sex. If not, prepare for changeling sex."
  7341. >changeling sex?
  7342. >is it somehow different from normal sex?
  7343. "What's wrong with changeling sex?"
  7344. >Luna gathers her thoughts again as she pulls the box of poptarts up off the floor, selecting a new one from it
  7345. >"I'm not speaking from any perspective besides one of study, and before you get any ideas, it was part of a class that had much more to offer than this. They tend to have much more stamina in this area than the average pony, being able to last for up to 6 minutes. This combined with the pheromones they release being able to force continued copulation means that they can often cause some low-level psychological trauma in their victim from the extended period of this interaction."
  7346. >6 minutes?
  7347. >humans can last a lot longer than that, you're fine!
  7348. "Alright, then I guess I'm physically prepared, at least."
  7349. >"Physically prepared?"
  7350. >oh, why did you say that...
  7351. >now how do you explain this?
  7352. >guess it just has to come out all at once, like ripping off a bandaid
  7353. "I guess it's time for an awkward biology lesson! Humans can actually last for over half an hour during sex. Of course, that's not my main problem with this, but at least it means that I won't be too disappointing."
  7354. >"Then what [i]is[/i] your problem?"
  7355. >Luna just keeps going further into the realm of 'nope', yet she's still asking to try to help you
  7356. >bless her
  7357. "This'll actually be the first time I ever do this. Not even with another human."
  7358. >pokerface.png
  7359. >she also poker faces
  7360. >TMI?
  7361. >TMI, probably
  7362. >"I don't think I can help you with that, either."
  7363. "I figured. Sorry about all this, I imagine you didn't want to learn half the things you did."
  7364. >"At least I'm not my sister."
  7365. >a few more awkward seconds follow
  7366. >this tension's not going away
  7367. >why
  7368. >wait, why is being her sister a bad thing?
  7369. >nope, not the time to think about it
  7370. >it may be an attempt to ease tensions or something, but let's not go further into this hole
  7371. >we've gone far enough past too far
  7372. >Luna's on her 4th poptart by now
  7373. "You enjoying those?"
  7374. >"Yes, they seemed to have grown on me."
  7375. "Yeah, back at home I usually have at least one box in the cabinet just for that reason."
  7376. >that successfully provided a small distraction
  7377. >shit, now what?
  7378. >not much, since Luna pulls out a small magic orb from thin air
  7379. >"Well, it seems you're about to wake up anyway, so I'll just leave now."
  7380. "Alright, see you later."
  7381. >and she teleports out as you feel your mind fall back into place
  7382. >when your eyes open, you see a changeling sitting next to you
  7383. >when she speaks, you immediately recognize her
  7384. >"Glad you're awake, Mother wants to talk to you again."
  7385. >it's Spinneret!
  7386. "Nice to see you too. Any word on what it's about?"
  7387. >"She said she wants to ask you about something from earlier today, she didn't tell me anything else."
  7388. >alright, you're going into this without much of an idea of what's happening
  7389. >if she's moved up the schedule and is DTF now, then you're not sure what to do
  7390. >guess you just have to lie down and accept it
  7391. >literally
  7392. >Spinneret leads you back through some more rooms and tunnels until you both get back down to Chrysalis's room
  7393. >the guards are more used to you passing through at this point, so they just step aside as you enter
  7394. >when you get inside and close the door, you see Chrysalis sitting on the couch and waiting for you
  7395. >"Welcome back, Anonymous. I have a few questions to ask you, if you don't mind answering them."
  7396. >you don't really have any other options, so you might as well
  7397. >you sit down in the chair and nod, waiting for the first question
  7398. >"You mentioned a hypothetical situation where a truce between me and Celestia happening. What brought that up?"
  7399. >okay, you don't have to tell her about Luna
  7400. >yet
  7401. >and let's hope it stays that way
  7402. "As you already know, I have connections to the princesses. I figured that if I could get you to agree, then they might be willing to put differences aside to remove a threat and gain an ally. Unfortunately, due to recent circumstance, I don't think it's going to happen anymore."
  7403. >she dives into thought again, and surfaces a few seconds later
  7404. >"What if I told you that should this hypothetically happen, I might be willing to agree?"
  7405. "It would be pretty cool, but I still don't think it would happen."
  7406. >"Why not?"
  7407. "Well... Call it a gut feeling."
  7408. >"Oh. Well, if you can make it happen, then I'll gladly accept."
  7409. >that's good, now you might want to let her in on some of your apprehensions to the possible fugging
  7410. >you know, because Luna couldn't give you help
  7411. "Also, while I'm here, can I let you in on a secret?"
  7412. >Chrysalis scoots over on the couch and motions for you to come up next to her
  7413. >you accept the offer, yet you still keep your distance just a bit by leaning against the arm
  7414. "Well, about the plan for if all else fails... That'll actually be my first time."
  7415. >you keep a straight face, but you still feel some blood flush your cheeks
  7416. >she looks down at you with a kind expression and tries to reassure you
  7417. >"Don't worry. If you need the help, I'll guide you. You have nothing to fear from this, just think of it as... A show of good will between our species."
  7418. >again with the diplomatic respect
  7419. >if she's trying to get inside your head, it's definitely working
  7420. >well, judging by your mental reaction, it's already worked
  7421. >this actually ends up reassuring you somehow, and it also awakens the phantom whyboner from its thousand-year slumber
  7422. >dangit
  7423. "That actually helped, thanks. So, see you tomorrow?"
  7424. >"See you tomorrow."
  7425. >you exit the room to go find Emerald again, now a bit less nervous about what's to come tomorrow
  7426. >that was interesting
  7427. >you got confirmation that your plan could work as long as Twilight and Celestia don't fuck it up
  7428. >this isn't as bad as you thought
  7429. >now you just need to find Emerald again
  7430. >that's much easier said than done
  7431. >you wander around the hive for the second time today and eventually find her taking a breather with some water
  7432. "Hey, sorry I couldn't find you immediately. Your mom wanted to talk to me again, and it seemed pretty important."
  7433. [p]>"It's fine, I wasn't really doing anything interesting anyway. I'm going to help out the caretakers after this, and unfortunately I don't think you can help with that, but I don't think you can't watch!"[/p]
  7434. >alright, cool
  7435. >at least you can stick around
  7436. "What do the caretakers do?"
  7437. >Emerald finishes her water, gets up and tells you
  7438. [p]>"They take care of all the hatchlings when Mom can't for whatever reason. Mom hasn't been able to lately because she says she's planning something, so the caretakers have been doing a lot of it and need all the help they can get."[/p]
  7439. >oh
  7440. >oh shit
  7441. >they might not need that extra help for very long, since Chrissy's out of babymaking supplies
  7442. >and now you feel bad, since that was kind of in bad taste
  7443. >wait, why is Emerald looking at you like that?
  7444. [p]>"Anonymous, are you alright?"[/p]
  7445. >shit, you were giving it away again!
  7446. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go, if you're ready."
  7447. >she shrugs and motions for you to follow her before heading down a hallway
  7448. >after a few more twists, turns, and inclines, you two reach a room that looks a bit more child-friendly than the ornate architecture of the rest of the hive
  7449. >edges are dulled, decorations are simpler, and there are a few colors other than slate gray and obsidian black
  7450. >they're also stone colors, however they're more interesting varieties like granite and marble
  7451. >must have had to pull these from elsewhere since the aesthetics don't really seem natural compared to everything else
  7452. >still, it's a change in scenery
  7453. >you don't see any changelings in here, though
  7454. >there are two hallways that branch off from the room which both seem to lead to more interesting places, at least judging by what you can hear
  7455. >on the right is the sound of babbies, and the left holds sounds more akin to a school
  7456. "Which way from here?"
  7457. [p]>"To the right is the nursery. All the eggs and hatchlings are raised there until they mature enough to learn, which is when they go to the place on the left. That's where we learn about the various jobs and what we can do. You can go down either, but just remember to not disturb anypony. I'm going to the right, though; I'm still tired of that room to the left."[/p]
  7458. >so she has similar opinions about school to any other filly, then
  7459. "I guess I'll follow you."
  7460. >you two head down the right hallway and see multiple rooms, each holding a couple of changelings and various younger ones of different age
  7461. >as you two go farther down the hall though, the young ones get younger and younger until you two get to the last room
  7462. >the last room has the most adult changelings in it, but the least in total
  7463. >that's because it's occupied by eggs
  7464. >there's nothing but shiny green and blue eggs
  7465. >almost like polished crystal
  7466. >but they're not, they're eggs
  7467. >still, you feel oddly compelled to touch one
  7468. >it looks like it would be really smooth
  7469. >when you focus on the rest of the room though, you find that it's a lot larger than the others
  7470. >there's also not as many eggs as it looks like there should be
  7471. >Emerald doesn't seem to care though, as she calmly walks over to one of the others in the room
  7472. [o]>"Welcome back, Em. I see you brought the guest with you, is she here to help too?"[/o]
  7473. [p]>"No, I just told her to watch for now since this is a delicate job. How many new arrivals today?"[/p]
  7474. >the older changeling seems a bit apprehensive about telling her
  7475. >you know the exact reason why, too
  7476. [o]>"The thing is... There are none."[/o]
  7477. [p]>"None? What's wrong?"[/p]
  7478. [o]>"Mother is having some problems, and as a result, there are no new arrivals."[/o]
  7479. >Emerald gets a nervous look on her face as she walks back to you
  7480. [p]>"Well, I guess I can still show you what happens around here. I hope Mom's alright..."[/p]
  7481. >she then shows you what a caretaker does and how they do it
  7482. >they make sure each egg is properly cared for by keeping them warm with heated sand as well as inspect them every day for any cracks or signs of development
  7483. >gotta make sure they're all developing properly
  7484. >as it turns out, they get shinier the further through development they are
  7485. >it must be a bad sign that they're all really shiny, then
  7486. >wait, no
  7487. >they're ordered in terms of shininess
  7488. >all the duller ones are at the back of the room getting the most attention
  7489. >you still manage to resist your urge to touch one, as smooth and shiny as they look
  7490. >as Emerald continues to demonstrate the procedures to taking care of them and explaining it along the way, you find your mind drifting again
  7491. >Twilight said she was coming here to get you, and knowing her, she'll be here as soon as possible
  7492. >that means that she'll probably be here tomorrow at some point, and that will throw a pretty big wrench into what's left of your plan
  7493. >you really don't want that to happen, but you're still not entirely on board with replicating your visit to Celestia with Chrysalis
  7494. >you remember that you're also wearing your shirt right now, too
  7495. >how long have you been wearing it?
  7496. >a couple days, probably
  7497. >ew
  7498. >you're definitely going to have to wash it when you get back
  7499. >you're also going to have to remember to take it off before Chrysalis changes you back tomorrow, if that even happens
  7500. >this is your favorite blue shirt and now your only blue shirt
  7501. >that's ignoring the fact that it's also just your only shirt, but still!
  7502. >you plan on getting home someday, and when you get there, you want to keep your shirt
  7503. >it's comfy and you've had it for years
  7504. >time to snap back to reality!
  7505. >Emerald's still explaining about stuff and you two have moved over to a different part of the room as she explains what different ways things need to be done for eggs of different stages of development
  7506. >wow, she knows a lot about this
  7507. >this was probably what she was going to do before she got to go out and meet you
  7508. >and then your friendship gave her a new perspective on life that made her immediately show preference to spying
  7509. >all because you showed her that friendship is magic
  7510. >title drop!
  7511. >she definitely seems more serious here than she was in Ponyville though, that's for sure
  7512. >after she finishes helping out some more, Emerald says goodbye to the other caretakers and you two leave
  7513. [p]>"Well, did you enjoy that?"[/p]
  7514. "It was a bit interesting. This entire trip's interesting, though, you've been showing me a lot of cool stuff!"
  7515. >she blushes and gives you a flattered smile
  7516. [p]>"T-thanks, I've never had a friend to show all this before. I'm glad you find it interesting!"[/p]
  7517. >her green eyes seem to get just a bit brighter after your comment, too
  7518. >did you just feed her?
  7519. >yeah, you probably did
  7520. >oh well, as Jesus once said, "love thy neighbor", and Emerald's pretty much a neighbor right now
  7521. >if not, she's a roommate
  7522. "So, anything else cool you want to show me? Also, what time is it?"
  7523. >Emerald thinks to herself before igniting her small horn with a column of teal magic
  7524. [p]>"The time's about sundown, and I really don't have anything else to do today. What do you want to do?"[/p]
  7525. >what do you want to do?
  7526. >a great many things you can't do, but now that you think about it, your trip to the bathroom today left a sizeable void in your body
  7527. >it may be time for food
  7528. "I guess I'm pretty hungry, how about you?"
  7529. [p]>"Yeah, I think I'm about ready for dinner too."[/p]
  7530. >so you two head back down to the mess hall to get some more food
  7531. >this time you don't overload your plate with krait
  7532. >you still take some though, moderation being a thing and all
  7533. >you also grab plenty of things that look like a pony should be able to eat and not suffer from
  7534. >some leafy vegetables, some fruit, stuff your mom would appreciate you eating instead of nothing but poptarts and frozen pizza
  7535. >after you get everything, you and Emerald sit at an unoccupied table and get into another conversation
  7536. >you both finish your food as the conversation shifts over to geopolitics and global happenings and you both also head back over to the resting room
  7537. >it's not too far of a walk, and the conversation doesn't have much time to go anywhere from there
  7538. >also, it doesn't come to blows or hurt feelings because neither of you know very much about this world's geopolitical climate
  7539. >it's mostly just speculation on both of your parts
  7540. >when you two get there, Emerald lets out a pretty big yawn
  7541. >she must be pretty tired
  7542. [p]>"Hey, do you mind if I turn in a bit early? I'm pretty tired after today."[/p]
  7543. "Not at all, you definitely worked harder than I did."
  7544. >well then, if she's going to sleep then what do you do?
  7545. >she hops into a nearby bed and motions for you to get in with her
  7546. [p]>"I'll still talk to you, just don't expect me to stay awake for too much longer."[/p]
  7547. >not wanting to disappoint her, you climb in next to Emerald
  7548. >she pulls the covers over both of your heads and shifts a bit so she's facing you
  7549. "Why'd you do that?"
  7550. [p]>"I thought it was a bit cold. Plus, I think it's a bit more comfortable. So, where did we leave off?"[/p]
  7551. "Uh... Oh yeah, the Equestrian Reserve."
  7552. >and so you two continue on for another while until Emerald closes her eyes
  7553. >you wait for a little bit longer until you think she's asleep before trying to get back out
  7554. >despite all your sneakiness though, she still responds
  7555. [p]>"Stay... Please..."[/p]
  7556. >you look back at her and she hasn't even opened her eyes
  7557. >that's fucking adorable
  7558. >so you decide to stay, partially because you have no idea what you would've done if you hadn't
  7559. >it's a big hive and you still have no idea where you are or where you're going when you go somewhere
  7560. >the only point you know how to get to is Chrysalis's room, and that's only because it's on the lowest level
  7561. >so you stay under the sheets with Emerald
  7562. >it goes quite similarly to the day before yesterday
  7563. >the only difference is that instead of feeling her fur against yours, you feel her exoskeleton
  7564. >it's an odd feeling, but not unpleasant
  7565. >it's still warm and a bit flexible, but it's also very smooth
  7566. >this is an interesting feeling to say the least
  7567. >your phantom boner doesn't make an encore appearance this time, though
  7568. >either you're starting to think of her as more of a friend than anything else, or you just subconsciously don't like this feeling
  7569. >she still falls right back to sleep though, and after a few more thoughts about the future and what's in store, you do too
  7570. >. . .
  7571. >when your surroundings come back into focus, you're in your apartment again
  7572. >and your brother's there
  7573. >and you two are playing vidya
  7574. >it would be pretty cool, but unfortunately, you're not really home
  7575. >you're also not with your real brother
  7576. >you also won't have either for a considerable amount of time
  7577. >so instead you wait for Luna to show up again
  7578. >you've got more news for her
  7579. >after a few minutes of waiting, Luna appears in your kitchen and walks over
  7580. >"Good evening, Anonymous. Has anything changed for the better?"
  7581. "Actually, yes. Chrysalis talked to me again and after some explanation, agreed to be cooperative if we could pull this off. Don't worry, she still doesn't know about you."
  7582. >"That's fantastic! I just spent the time checking various things and putting together an argument to use against my sister. Also, I did confirm that Twilight would be there by tomorrow evening. I hope she doesn't mess anything up, but if you can get through to her, then it might just be enough to tip Celestia in our favor!"
  7583. >is there a way your plan could still work?
  7584. >there just might be!
  7585. "Nice! Any advice?"
  7586. >Luna considers everything she knows about Twilight over the course of a few seconds
  7587. >"Unfortunately, no. I haven't spent nearly enough time around her to be able to help you convince her of something, but as a starting point, why not just tell her what you told me?"
  7588. >oh, duh
  7589. >the exact argument you already used to get one of the royals on your side to begin with
  7590. "I guess I should've remembered that. Alright, so what do you want to do while you're still here?"
  7591. >"Do you have any more poptarts? Oh, and is that computer still in use?"
  7592. >she points over to the one being held by your "brother", completely oblivious to the situation
  7593. "I don't think so, go ahead."
  7594. >you close your eyes and remove the dream entity from your room and replace it with a dream prop
  7595. >when you open your eyes, Luna has a box of poptarts and is sitting where your "brother" was
  7596. >you two spend the rest of this time sitting and playing games until you wake up
  7597. >. . .
  7598. >when you open your eyes, you realize that you woke up before Emerald
  7599. >you also notice that she's currently hugging you from behind
  7600. >as adorable as that is, you've got business to attend to
  7601. >you've gotta warn Chrissy about Purple
  7602. >you wiggle your wat out of bed as smoothly as you can so that you don't wake Emerald up
  7603. >once you're out, you look around to get your bearings
  7604. >there are a few doors nearby, and each one of them leads to somewhere where you can go further down
  7605. >cool, let's see if you can navigate your way to Chrysalis on your own
  7606. >you head out into a hallway and start walking, passing a few changelings along the way
  7607. >most give you a glance as you pass, but none try to stop you or get in your way
  7608. >it seems that they realize you have a purpose for walking around alone
  7609. >as you go farther and farther down, you try to figure out the best way to go about telling Chrysalis
  7610. >no way like the blunt way
  7611. >when you get down to the door leading into Chrysalis's room, the guards are the first to stop you
  7612. [o]>"Before we let you pass, what business do you have for the Queen?"[/o]
  7613. "I have news about something that will happen today that she needs to hear."
  7614. [o]>"What is your news?"[/o]
  7615. "Twilight Sparkle is on her way."
  7616. >both guards look at each other with a slightly nervous expression before one of them turns back to you
  7617. [o]>"You may pass."[/o]
  7618. >they step aside and one of them knocks on the door
  7619. >not too long after, Chrysalis opens it
  7620. >"Good morning Anonymous, I didn't expect you to be awake for another while. Come in, please."
  7621. >she stands to the side in the entry room, letting you pass and then closing the door
  7622. >"What brought you here so early? Are you eager for today?"
  7623. >you stand in front of her as she sits down on the couch again
  7624. "I'm here for a different reason. Twilight's on her way here."
  7625. >Chrysalis near instantly goes from a calm expression to one of complete shock
  7626. >"How did she already find you? Spinneret assured me that it would take at least 3 days for her to figure it out and a 4th to get here!"
  7627. >you may have to come clean about this
  7628. >she leans on an arm of the couch, holding her hoof against her forehead and running through details in her head as you gather the nerve necessary to finally tell her
  7629. "Before you hear what I have to say, I just want you to know that it was in the best of intentions and that it can still work if Twilight can be convinced."
  7630. >Chrysalis's eyes slowly drift to you as she absorbs what you just said
  7631. >"What did you do."
  7632. "To start off, I'll tell you that I've been getting visits from Princess Luna regularly in my sleep. Now, on the first night I was here is when I got the idea for the possible truce. I shared that idea with Luna, and after some time, I managed to convince her that it was a good idea and told her to send a letter to Twilight telling her that I was fine and that she needed to wait for me. Unfortunately, Twilight did the exact opposite of that and is now fully aware of both my plan and how she's going to mess it up."
  7633. >Chrysalis stands up and sighs, still facing away from you
  7634. >"I suppose I can't blame you for trying. I was once like that, so I can understand why you tried. Just remember this: no matter how much ponies talk of friendship and acceptance, it all stops as soon as you aren't one of them. I learned that the hard way."
  7635. >are we going to get a backstory?
  7636. >that would certainly be interesting!
  7637. >"Anyway, thank you for the warning. I suppose I should go prepare for this, in case things get as violent as I expect."
  7638. >oh
  7639. >Chrysalis leaves the room to talk to the guards, telling them to get everypony to one of the secondary exits and to wait for further instructions
  7640. >"Anonymous, I want you to follow them. This is probably going to get too dangerous for you to be in the main area of this hive."
  7641. >after this, she walks off to somewhere else in the hive and leaves you with the guards
  7642.  
  7643. >be Twilight
  7644. >there's still about an hour before you have to be at the train station, and you're doing everything you can to ensure that you can get Anonymous back
  7645. >you've memorized all the spells you need and have even packed a couple of magic batteries in case things go wrong
  7646. >you can't underestimate your opponent, Chrysalis has defeated your mentor and every other alicorn twice now
  7647. >you even researced a few healing spells in case you get injured
  7648. >now you just need to make sure that everything is all set here
  7649. "Spike, do you have everything you need?"
  7650. [o]>"Yeah, I still have the list and I packed the rest of your bag like you asked.[/o]
  7651. >good, looks like you've got an hour to kill
  7652. >might as well take the scenic route to the station
  7653.  
  7654. >be Chrysalis
  7655. >Twilight is coming to take Anonymous back, presumably by force
  7656. >you are nowhere near strong enough to stand a chance against her as you are now
  7657. >you need to get as powerful as you can before she gets here
  7658. >you're probably going to need to use up the rest of your supply of love
  7659. >desperate times...
  7660. >you make your way to a room that few of your changelings know about and open up a small box
  7661. >inside it is another small box, a key and a note
  7662. >"Only use this if it's absolutely necessary, you set this aside for a reason."
  7663. >you left yourself that note when you first built a hive out here, just in case you ever needed a boost to get you through a few extra days before you could get a sizeable population to help
  7664. >in all the years that you've been out here, you've never needed the contents of this box until yesterday
  7665. >now you're going to use the rest of it up in defense of all you care about
  7666. >if you die, so be it
  7667. >just as long as none of your children have to
  7668. >besides, one of them will rise to the task of taking over and become a new queen soon enough
  7669. >probably Emerald, she's still young enough to hold the position for a long time and she's shown to be able to do whatever task lies in front of her no matter what
  7670. >no, don't get all ready to die!
  7671. >you still have a chance!
  7672. >after all, you did manage to subdue the monster that corrupted your children and drain her of her life
  7673. >that cunt could beat Twilight whenever she wanted, somehow
  7674. >no wonder she was at the top of Equestria's watch list
  7675. >it brought you much satisfaction to remove her from existence
  7676. >and if you could do that, then you can easily stop Twilight!
  7677. >however, you were still much stronger when you did that
  7678. >you've been steadily declining until now
  7679. >you can barely even do a simple spell right now, much less take on a pony of Twilight's level
  7680. >not wasting any more time, you open the second box to expose a shining pink orb that shimmers like the surface of a lake
  7681. >it's a little smaller than a hoofball, but it's pure love
  7682. >you touch the tip of your horn to it and feel it begin to flow into you
  7683. >as you take in more and more of it, you feel your strength return to a level you deem acceptable
  7684. >when you look back inside the box though, all you see is a small pinkish marble with a dull glow
  7685. >you've taken all you can, any more and you'll have to rebind a whole new pearl to hold love for you
  7686. >is that all you're worried about right now?
  7687. >having to make a new orb should be the least of your worries, you're going to fight Twilight Sparkle!
  7688. >you sigh once again as you touch your horn to what remains of the once-full orb and drain the last of the love from it, leaving it as a small white bead
  7689. >you're as prepared as you can get for what's coming, now you just have to make sure everypony else is
  7690.  
  7691. >be Anonymous
  7692. >you were told to follow the guards
  7693. >you did, and they led you to a place that looks an awful lot like a barrack
  7694. >from there, they ordered every other guard present to begin sweeping for changelings and to inform any other guards not here of their orders
  7695. "Can I help in any way?"
  7696. [o]>"Sorry, but no. If something happened and you got injured, the Queen wouldn't be happy. We have everything under control, anyway."[/o]
  7697. >well, you offered
  7698. >after this, the guards split up and head in all different directions
  7699. >one of them leads you to an entrance room, though
  7700. >she tells you to wait here and heads back down into the rest of the hive
  7701. >over time, you see more and more changelings come in and wait with you
  7702. >eventually, Emerald joins you in the room
  7703. [p]>"Anonymous, what's going on? Why is everypony getting ready for an emergency evacuation?"[/p]
  7704. "Twilight found me."
  7705. >her face pretty much mimics Chrysalis's expression and even a few changelings turn and look at you when you say this
  7706. >needless to say, they get pretty surprised too
  7707. >none of them speak up, though
  7708. >cool
  7709. >after that, both of you stay silent
  7710. >you both pretty much know what Twilight's arrival means
  7711. >after a while and a lot more changelings piling into the room, Chrysalis and a few guards show up in the doorway
  7712. >"I'm sure many of you have heard by now, but Twilight Sparkle is on the way to our hive. Because of this, I've tasked the guards with evacuating all of you. I'm not willing to risk any of your lives over this, and as such, I'm ordering you all to go to the backup location and wait. I will find you when it's over, and if I don't, then assume the worst. I love you all, goodbye."
  7713. >Chrysalis turns around and walks back into the depths of the hive, but the guards stay and move to the exit
  7714. >they start moving Changelings outside, which is when you realize something
  7715. >if you're not here, then everything's definitely going to fall apart
  7716. >you force your way back through the crowd, and by some miracle, you aren't stopped
  7717. >probably because they all know you're the reason Twilight's on the warpath
  7718. >oh well, all the better!
  7719. >you're the reason this happened, and you're going to make sure it gets a happy ending!
  7720. >after you're sure nopony else is around, you try to find Chrysalis
  7721. >after some searching and many separate instances of going in circles, you eventually find her in a cavernous room that looks like a differently decorated version of Celestia's throne room
  7722. >there are two rows of massive stone columns going down the length of the room and the walls are decorated with suspended statues instead of stained glass windows
  7723. >the throne itself is also very different
  7724. >it's much simpler and without a small set of stairs leading up to it
  7725. >as soon as your reverberating hoofsteps reach Chrysalis's ears, she immediately looks up at you
  7726. >"Anonymous, what are you doing? I told you to follow the guards!"
  7727. "I'm the whole reason this started, so I'm not going to let you fix my mistake for me."
  7728.  
  7729. >be Chrysalis
  7730. >this human continues to baffle you
  7731. >after all the altruism he's already shown, he still thinks that he needs to help in some way
  7732. >even though he wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you, he's still willing to stand with you to make sure that everything goes okay
  7733. "Fine, I can't stop you from doing what you think is yours to do. However, I'm not going to let any harm come to you. If I tell you to run, you need to run no matter what Twilight says. This could get very dangerous, very quickly."
  7734. [o]>"Not if I can help it. I've got a plan, and if Twilight really cares about me enough to go all this way, then it's going to work regardless of how violent it gets. All you need to do is keep a transformation spell on standby in case things get bad."[/o]
  7735. >Anonymous has a plan?
  7736. >it also sounds better than 'fight Twilight and collapse the hive around you two if you start losing'
  7737. >and he's willing to do all this for somepony he met only a couple of days ago!
  7738. >if all goes well, you're definitely choosing him as a potential mate
  7739. "I'll follow your lead then, just tell me what you need me to do and when."
  7740. [o]>"All we need to do for now is just wait."[/o]
  7741.  
  7742. >be Twilight
  7743. >the train was on time and everything else went smoothly
  7744. >you've got all that you need packed
  7745. >Spike did everything else you needed him to before you left
  7746. >all the spells you know are ready for use
  7747. >you know where Anonymous is, to an extent
  7748. >Celestia told you where in a letter that gave you the outpost that detected the hive and the direction it's in
  7749. >you're prepared to fight Chrysalis
  7750. >all else that needs to happen is for you to get there, and you can't make the train go any faster
  7751. >all you can do then is wait
  7752.  
  7753. >be Anon
  7754. >you're running through everything in your mind
  7755. >when Twilight gets here, you start talking to her
  7756. >if she tries to make you leave, Chrysalis is definitely going to stop her
  7757. >if you can convince her, then you're done
  7758. >all that's left is to get Luna and bring this up with Celestia
  7759. >if not, then there's going to be a fight
  7760. >if the fight goes bad, then you're going to signal for Chrysalis to use the spell on you
  7761. >after that, then it's a dice roll if you can do what you need to
  7762. >it'll probably turn out fine, but if it doesn't, you're going to feel horrible
  7763. >let's just hope it doesn't get this far
  7764.  
  7765. >be Chrysalis
  7766. >you have no idea what Anonymous's plan is, but he looks nervous
  7767. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. From what I know about Twilight, we should be able to convince her. If not, I'm sure I can hold my own against her."
  7768. >he looks over at you and nods, a look of concentration embedded on his small, green face
  7769. >you don't know what creature lies underneath that facade, but it certainly cares more about you than any non-changeling you've met
  7770. >it's also putting a lot of thought into this situation
  7771. >while Anonymous is thinking, you decide to try to sense if Twilight's nearby yet
  7772. >nope, not yet
  7773. >it's getting pretty tense here all the same
  7774. >eventually Anonymous speaks up again
  7775. [o]>"I've got a few things I want to run past Luna, you mind if I take a quick nap?"[/o]
  7776. >it doesn't seem like Twilight's taking a route other than the train, so you two probably have a couple of hours before she gets here
  7777. "I think you have the time to do that; I'll wake you up if anything new happens."
  7778. [o]>"Thanks. I'll see you in about 2 hours."[/o]
  7779. >after he says this, Anonymous lays down on the floor and closes his eyes
  7780.  
  7781. >be Luna
  7782. >Anonymous requested your company just a few seconds ago
  7783. >of course you're going to give him an audience, you'd be a bad friend if you didn't
  7784. >when you get into his dream, you find him inside a large gothic-styled room
  7785. >not wasting any time, you trot over to him
  7786. "Hello Anonymous, what do you need?"
  7787. [o]>"Well, I just wanted to say that you've helped me out a lot with this, and I wanted to thank you for it. Also, can you make sure Celestia's ready for an appointment if everything goes alright?"[/o]
  7788. "Sure, I can do that easily. You're welcome, it's what friends do!"
  7789. [o]>"Alright, I'm going to wake myself up now. I'm not sure how much time has passed, and I don't want to leave Chrysalis alone in case Twilight gets here."[/o]
  7790. "Good luck!"
  7791. [o]>"Thanks, and if all goes well, I'll see you soon!"[/o]
  7792. >you wave goodbye to Anonymous and exit the dream as you feel it fall apart around you both
  7793.  
  7794. >be Anonymous
  7795. >everything's in order
  7796. >you have your arguments, you have Chrysalis to back you up, and Luna's making sure everything else is ready too
  7797. >all you have to do is just not mess up on your part
  7798. >you wake up from your dream to see Chrysalis staring upward with a stoic expression
  7799. "Alright, I'm back and Luna was cooperative. Anything new?"
  7800. >she looks towards you and answers with two short words
  7801. >"She's here."
  7802. >Twilight has reached the hive
  7803. >this is the moment where it all comes to a head
  7804. >this is the moment that decides a lot of things
  7805. >or does it?
  7806. >well, it's a moment where you have a very important single thing to decide
  7807. >you have to convince Twilight that your idea's good
  7808. "Alright Chrissy, should we stay here or go meet her?"
  7809. >"If I know she's here, then she knows we're here. We should wait to keep a tactical advantage. Also, did you call me 'Chrissy'?"
  7810. >Chrysalis looks at you with an odd face
  7811. "Yeah, sorry. It just slipped, I'll stop."
  7812. >"Actually, I kinda like it."
  7813. >well then
  7814. >anyway, back to waiting!
  7815.  
  7816. >be Twilight
  7817. >you've found Chrysalis's hive
  7818. >it's not as much of a stronghold as the last one
  7819. >there isn't even an anti-magic field
  7820. >well, looks like you won't need your anti-magic magic spells
  7821. >also, you only sense two presences
  7822. >there's one that seems just stronger than you and another that seems quite weak
  7823. >school filly levels of weak
  7824. >also kind of familiar
  7825. >one of them's definitely Chrysalis, and the other is at the very least a very good impersonator of Anon
  7826. >only one way to find out
  7827.  
  7828. >be Anonymous
  7829. >you begin to hear hoofsteps echo through the halls and passages of the hive around you
  7830. >Twilight's coming to the throne room
  7831. >after a few more apprehensive moments, she enters
  7832. "Twilight, I have some stuff to say to you that's very important. You need to listen."
  7833. [p]>"Anon, I don't doubt that it's important. However, it's going to need to wait for a bit. Now, go outside; I don't want you getting hurt."[/p]
  7834. >no, she is not just going to throw out everything you worked for like this!
  7835. "Twilight, I'm completely serious. This is something very important. Please listen."
  7836. [p]>"I will, just after I deal with this [i]problem[/i] and we're on the way home. Now, go outside and wait for me."[/p]
  7837. >amazing, the logical bookworm is going for the 'shoot first' approach
  7838. >"I'm still here, you know."
  7839. [p]>"So I noticed, and I'll deal with you as soon as she goes outside."[/p]
  7840. >"I can tell you myself that he isn't going to leave without you either leaving peacefully or accepting his idea. He's made that quite clear to me, at least."
  7841. [p]>"And what makes you think Anon's a 'he'? She's from Manehattan-"[/p]
  7842. >"Save the backstory. He told me himself, and since he's from another world, he deserves his own agency. Let him choose what he wants to do, I know I have."
  7843. [p]>"I don't know how you got that information from him, but don't think for a moment that I'll let you use it to spread your evil to another realm!"[/p]
  7844. >"Thank you for completely dodging my point, but if that's what you're worried about, then let me tell you that I'm not going to act upon that-"
  7845. [p]>"How am I supposed to trust you? Your entire existence is built on deceiving."[/p]
  7846. >"If you would listen to him, he would tell you himself; however, you seem to be blind to that."
  7847. >after that, they both go silent
  7848. >they're only a few inches apart now, and you find that you've retreated back to one of the pillars
  7849. >the tension is so thick that you could probably cut it
  7850. >well, if you had something sharper and a bit more durable than an average knife
  7851. >it seems that the tension's coming to an explosive release when Twilight charges up a spell
  7852. >better duck and cover, things are about to go the way you don't want!
  7853. >Twilight starts the fight off by firing a massive beam at point blank, which Chrysalis only just manages to block and send flying into a nearby pillar
  7854. >it all just escalates from there, getting progressively more powerful as time goes on
  7855. >eventually, as you peak your head out from behind your cover pillar, you see them flying around the room like something out of a DBZ fight
  7856. >seriously, you can't even tell where they are
  7857. >just where they were from massive green-and-purple explosions emanating from some point in the room
  7858. >these explosions shake the room each time they happen, bringing dust down from the ceiling and the pillars of the throne room
  7859. >the ones that happen farther away feel like a minor earthquake
  7860. >the ones that happen closer to you feel like a grenade going off with you a few feet outside kill range
  7861. >it's a nervewracking feeling with this all happening so close to you, yet you can't help but watch
  7862. >it's like watching Goku and Vegeta fight in person, except it's not Goku or Vegeta fighting here
  7863. >eventually they stop long enough for you to see them, but the fighting is still happening
  7864. >Twilight and Chrysalis both charge up a massive beam attack while standing at opposite ends of the room
  7865. >when they both fire, it collides in the exact middle
  7866. >a beam struggle
  7867. >you'd complain about fight cliches, but it's happening about 7 yards from you
  7868. >you're more concerned with not dying
  7869. >so then why are you still watching?
  7870. >as the beam struggle continues, you see it being pretty much evenly matched
  7871. >whenever one of them starts losing ground, they immediately push back with even more magic
  7872. >eventually it ends with another explosion, sending all three of you into a different wall
  7873. >Twiligt gets thrown into the wall with the door, Chrysalis gets thrown back into her own throne, and you fly backwards into the wall to Chrysalis's right
  7874. >ow
  7875. >that REALLY hurt
  7876. >you don't seem to be bleeding, though
  7877. >that's good
  7878. >however, upon closer inspection of your shirt, the back is now shredded
  7879. >fuck!
  7880. >that was your only shirt!
  7881. >your brooding over the loss of your shirt is interrupted as the fighting resumes, seemingly more frenzied than before
  7882. >Twilight's not holding anything back now, and it even seems like she recovered instantly from that
  7883. >Chrysalis however, is losing ground and fast
  7884. >she's still putting up a good fight, though
  7885. >somehow, it seems like she gets a second wind as she pushes back Twilight's assault and even starts putting her in a corner
  7886. >however, you can only tell this from the explosions happening and not much else
  7887. >eventually, Twilight stops on the ground for just long enough to charge a spell from behind a shield
  7888. >from your initial judgement, it looks like she's sustained a few injuries
  7889. >she's bleeding from a few places and has a few large bruises
  7890. >all that heals in an instant, though
  7891. >well, so much for that
  7892. >after that, Chrysalis only seems to push harder against Twilight
  7893. >the attacks are getting weaker, though
  7894. >even you can see that
  7895. >this is going to be over soon, and you're going to have to do your best to stop it from ending in a way that hurts everyone involved
  7896. >eventually, it's Chrysalis that stops and does something
  7897. >she's pretty damaged too, having even more cuts, scrapes and bruises than Twilight did
  7898. >however, the light of battle still hasn't left her as she charges up a massive spell
  7899. >even Twilight realizes this as she preps a shield spell, hoping to block as much of it as she can
  7900. >when Chrysalis finally fires off the spell, it rips through Twilight's shield almost instantly and tears into the roof of the room
  7901. >you can even see the rays of the setting sun penetrating through the thick cloud of dust that resulted
  7902. >however, a shadow in the dust remains hovering in the air
  7903. >just obscured by the cloud, the silhouette of Twilight remains firmly in its place, casting an ominous shadow over the whole room
  7904. >eventually, the dust clears completely
  7905. >Twilight's unharmed
  7906. >and she's coming back down
  7907. >and Chrysalis has fallen to the floor
  7908. >it's over
  7909. [p]>"You can't fight anymore, so I suggest you submit. Either go the way of the other changelings, or get sent to whatever afterlife you have, I don't care. You're a menace to pony society, and I will not allow you to threaten us any more."[/p]
  7910. >Chrysalis has just enough strength to get back up and insult Twilight before she lands
  7911. >"You may do what you like with me, but I'll never submit to somepony who recklessly abandons any thought of reason for settling old scores. What your contemptible companion did to me was enough, and I already made her pay. I wouldn't expect you to understand that though, I'm just another monster to you."
  7912. >as Twilight lands in front of Chrysalis, she replies
  7913. [p]>"I'm here for Anon alone and nothing else. If removing whatever taint you put on his mind can only be done by ending you, then so be it. Now, what do you choose?"[/p]
  7914. >this is it, this is the only chance you have to keep things from getting worse!
  7915. >you charge out from behind your pillar and start waving wildly at Chrysalis before running directly for Twilight
  7916. >Chrysalis understands immediately what you're going to do and fires off the transformation spell with every ounce of magic she has left
  7917. >you can feel the spell hit its mark, but you don't stop
  7918. >if anything, you get faster since your now-human form is what you're used to
  7919. >you also feel your shirt rip apart at your size change, but that doesn't matter
  7920. >Twilight notices the spell go off, but didn't see what it was
  7921. >as a result, she assumes it was a lethal strike in your direction and begins charging a lethal strike of her own
  7922. >you're within jumping distance now, all you have to do is grab Twilight and you win!
  7923. >don't fuck this up!
  7924. >with one final step, you jump for Twilight...