Justice's Epilogue (10/18/2015)


                                            >My name is Justice. I was once one among many, just one heart pushing forward a single individual. The human Anonymous is now a memory, but me and my 21 brothers, the other parts of his heart, have obtained new life.


                                            >It's amazing what suddenly being pulled from the collective changes in your perspective. When we all burst through the door in Twilight's castle after defeating Nyarlatothep and being granted this new dream by Philemon, it was a burst of joy the likes which we haven't had in a long time. Friends, loved ones, hugs and laughter among all the confusion. But as the days passed...


                                            "You sure you can't come for a visit too, bro?"


                                            >"I wish." Shining Armor shakes his head. "But there's still some work to do and I can't leave Cadance to hold it all. Maybe a little later in the year, send everypony my regards."


                                            >The Crystal Empire was slowly becoming more familiar to me, since I came and went so often. Shining Armor was one hell of a bro, but it bothered me that most of our old friends were around in Ponyville, so it had been a train-filled life for the past months.

                                            Speaking of trains, Shining Armor was accompanying me to the station before I left for Ponyville again


                                            "Leave it to me." I answer, absent mindedly.


                                            >"You alright, Justice?" Shining Armor asks. "You're kinda weird today."


                                            "Eh...I guess. Just been thinking a lot, lately." I say, slowly. "It's still a little weird being, er, 'myself'. Thanks for letting me stay around so long, it's nice having someplace quiet."


                                            >"No problem, bro. It's not exactly what I'd call quiet" Shining Armor smirks, amused. "But you're always welcome."


                                            "Compared to back in ponyville, it is. You can't sit down without getting slammed by Death and Discord, and Empress comes to me every time to ask about legal procedure. Do you know how much I know about it?"


                                            >"Would it by any chance be 'nothing'?"


                                            "I'm quite sure Cadance becomes a worse administrator when I'm around, too." I shake my head while Shining chuckles to himself.

                                            "I kinda wish I knew that stuff, though. I mean...it's in my name now, I guess."


                                            >I sigh, looking up and scratching the back of my head.


                                            "You know, when we were all together inside Anon, I always had this feeling that if I didn't know something, one of the other guys could take over and get us through."


                                            >"That hasn't changed, you know." Shining Armor looks at me. "You all still have each other's back. And you got us, bro."


                                            "I know, man. But still, you become aware of your own shortcomings, right? I'm gonna get over it, but it still gets me."


                                            >"Well, bro, you can always learn those things, no need to be down. It's a new life, right? Cheer up, once you're back we'll get you in shape." Shining Armor grins, hitting me in the leg with a hoof. "Besides, don't judge yourself too hard. I did the same to others, but it's important to keep it in mind for yourself, too."


                                            "Yeah, I guess you're right. You know why I picked the Justice key?"


                                            >It was funny. Almost every other heart picked the key representing the bond with the one they loved most, and in an ironic twist, I could have snatched the Sun key way faster than "shadow", for once. But I went for the balance. I stay silent for a few moments, to build up the anticipation until we finally get to the station and take a seat, while Shining Armor frowns.


                                            >"Come on, stop it, just tell me."


                                            "Haha, alright. Well, the truth is, I...I kinda want to be like you, and like what the Justice arcana stands for. When I learned that you wanted to be a hero, a true knight in shining armor, it really resonated with me. It has been a dream of mine for a long time, too." I admit. "I love them all, Pinkie, Derpy, Celestia, Sunset, but....It's not only love, right? I stayed for them, and for me, too. I want to be a seigi no mikat-"


                                            >"A what, now?"


                                            "Never mind. I said ally of justice." I quickly correct myself. "Sorry, something got in my tongue. Anyway, you get what I mean?"

                                            Shining Armor taps his chin with a hoof, thinking on it. He smiles after a moment.


                                            >"I'm actually glad to hear that, bro. You could've told me sooner!"


                                            "I would, but we always end up talking about O&O and it slips my mind." I laugh. "But...Anyway, that's why I've been thinking. I know who I want to become but then I remember that I don't know how to get there, and I'm not as strong as I was before. I want to become better."


                                            >"Well, then once you get back, why not enlist to the royal guard?" Shining Armor suggests, enthusiastically. "You'd fit right in. I can put up a good word for you, if you get to work on some skills."


                                            "You'd do that, bro?"


                                            >"Of course! Us heroes have to stick together." Shining Armor grins, holding up a hoof. With a smile, I bump into it, and I hear the train whistle.


                                            "Well, I should get going before I lose the train. I'll see you in a week, bro."


                                            >"Enjoy the trip."


                                            The train ride was much more enthusiastic than the others. The prospect of actually starting to work on moving forward with this new life got me excited in a way I haven't felt since we all came back from our meeting with Philemon. I had a spring in my step as I made my way to sugarcube corner to pay Pinkie a visit first. As I approached the door to the bakery, however, it opened before I could touch the doorknob.


                                            "Yo. Too slow, welcome back." Said Sun, giving me his best shit eating grin and going back inside.


                                            "Son of a bitch, how did you know?" I asked, entering the bakery


                                            "I told you, too slow. I'm always faster!" He said from the kitchen. "Pinkie's out for a delivery, but there's something for you on the counter."


                                            I look at the counter, seeing a cupcake and a letter. I pick up the treat, taking a bite out and enjoying the sweetness of the treat, before extending my hand to the letter. Before I can open it, though, I hear a crash coming from the kitchen.


                                            "Fuck!"


                                            "Last time, in My Little Fuckup, OH SHIT, SUN FUCKED UP!" I shout out to him.


                                            "Bite me."


                                            Chuckling, I open the letter, and am blown back by the power of the sound coming from it


                                            "LAST TIME IN MY LITTLE WEEB

                                            OH SHIT JUSTICE GOT REKT TWICE IN FIVE MINUTES

                                            OH SHIT THIS IS THE FIRST THING WITH HIS WAIFU'S FACE HE'S SEEN SINCE HE GOT BACK

                                            THE SLAMMENING NEVER ENDS, FRIEND

                                            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XYBy1vCRQg


                                            "Son of a BITCH, MARY!"


                                            -------------------------------------------------------------------


                                            >"GOOOOD MORNING SLEEPYHEAD!"

                                            The scream did not give me a heart attack, but you can be damn sure the sudden shock of a cotton candy pony on my chest could have. The bed creaked as I screamed, flailing my arms for a few minutes until I calmed down enough to see the laughing pony bouncing on my head.

                                            "Don't do that, Pinkie...."

                                            >"Sorry! But you told me you wanted to be up no matter what, and when I try to wake you up normally you just grumble and go back to bed, so then I have to come back or send Sun up to get you." Pinkie says with a smile, booping me in the nose. "The day is today, Jus! Breakfast is already done~"

                                            "Yeah..." I say with a yawn, rubbing my....Eyes? Well, where my eyes should be. "Thanks prettie."

                                            I boop Pinkie back with a smile and she bounces downstairs as I force myself off bed and sigh, getting ready for the day. I was never a morning person...


                                            —————————————————————————-


                                            >I stretch as I walk out of sgarcube corner about two hours later after having breakfast, and helping everyone with the morning chores. The house is already full and yet they let me sleep there whenever I'm in ponyville and don't want to stay in the castle, so of course I'll help.

                                            >In retrospect, maybe I should have stayed at the castle this time since it's where I need to go, but I missed Pinkie a lot, so I had to take the chance.

                                            >My pace quickens as I get near the brilliant castle, more nervous with each step

                                            >Damn, I almost wish Mary would show up and slam just to make my mind wander a bit. I stop by the door, saluting the guard on duty and the earth pony salutes back

                                            >"Good morning, sir. Can I help you?"

                                            "Yes, actually. You are..."

                                            >"Corporal Fingo, sir."

                                            "Right, it's good to meet you. I wanted to speak with Captain Domino, if I can?"

                                            >Fingo taps his chin with one hoof for a moment.

                                            >"The Captain should be currently inside reporting, she should be out here for duty in a little while. Sixth room on the third left, sir."

                                            "Sweet. Thanks a lot, Fingo."

                                            >I salute him again and then go inside, once again feeling my heart beat fast with nervousness and anticipation.

                                            >I pass by a few staff ponies on my way, greeting them as I go, half attempting to distract myself. It doesn't work and I soon find myself facing the door of Captain Domino's office. I take a deep breath and knock twice.

                                            >"Come in."

                                            >I open the door, entering the very neat and clean office, with Captain Domino sitting behind a desk levitating a pen as she finishes writing what I can only assume is the report Corporal Fingo mentioned. The silk pony raises her eyes at me, leaving the stacked paper on the table and standing up, saluting.

                                            >"Good morning, Sir."

                                            "Good morning, Captain. Hm, I'll keep it short so I won't bother you for long..." I clean my throat. "I was wondering, Captain, if I could please observe the guard training, or accompany some of the duties of the guards under your command."

                                            >Before I know it, I'm already going on and on with it.

                                            "See, it's just....I was interested in maybe becoming a royal guard, or at least training myself like one. When I was in the crystal empire, Shining Armor told me he could arrange for me a recruit position, but I'm not going back for a while. I....I want to get better and work for it already, and you are the best guard we've known since we got here." I say, sttutering here and there but getting it all out in one breath. I think about adding that she is also really pretty, but stop myself.

                                            >Captain Domino blinks twice. I take a deep breath to try and calm myself, and sigh in relief when she just nods professionaly.

                                            >"You don't have to explain yourself to me, sir. Actually, ever since the Battle of Shadows, we have been getting many new recruits...Guess people started seeing us as heroes." She smiles. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Captain Domino asks, eyeing me up and down. I nod.

                                            "Yes, captain. I want to do something worthwhile for this place....For my home. And make myself better."

                                            >"Very well, then let's see....I have to attend to my duties now, sir, but if you could attend the training barracks behind the castle in about...." She checks the sun through the window. "three hours, you can observe the training, get all the information you need, and later take care of the paperwork. Tomorrow morning you should be able to join us."

                                            >After every word, my grin grows until I'm smiling from ear to year. I stand up straigth, saluting once more.

                                            "Thank you, Captain!"


                                            —————————


                                            >I almost skip my way through ponyville after the succesful....Job interview? Well, whatever that was, it was succesful. I pump my fist in the air with a grin. This was the first step to becoming someone worthwhile, to stand with my own two feet....Own up to the legacy Anon left....

                                            >To become a hero.

                                            >I smirk at my own cheesy train of thought. Man, I love me some cheese. It's good quality cheese, if I say so myself.

                                            "Hell yeah. I'll be badass." I say to myself, and then laugh. Yeah, right - Maybe I'll get fit, but chances are "badass" is never going to be an adjective to me. Even so, I am happy. And got some time to kill.

                                            >It's about time I went and did something I've been wanting to do for a long time, now.

                                            >Whistling a tune, I quickly make my way towards the Everfree forest.

                                            >Jesus fuck what is even up with this place?

                                            >A moment ago everything was clear, and now there's some sort of mist snaking around the trees. I wasn't that damp a minute ago!

                                            >I had stopped my tune a while ago, worried about keeping my senses sharp. I could swear something snapped a twig behind me a few times, but I could see nothing when I turned.

                                            >God damn it, I can't see the sun either. I hope I won't be late.

                                            >Just then, I sigh in relief as I see a hut appear out of the mist. I walk towards it - Maybe a little quicker than necessary, because I could swear another fucking twig snapped - and knock twice.

                                            "Hello?"

                                            >I wait for a while, but nothing happens. I click my tongue in annoyance - Zecora must be in town and I must've missed her. I turn on my heels to make a break back to Ponyville, when...

                                            >"Boo."

                                            "AARGH!"

                                            >The Zebra smirks at me from the ground.

                                            "A good morning to you, masked visitor." She calls up "It was merely a prank to greet a bad listener."

                                            "Yeah, yeah," I say, hugging a tree branch, ten feet from the ground. It was one hell of a scare. "Can you help me down?"

                                            "Just a moment, my dear Justice." Zecore says, walking into her hut. "I have just the thing, no need for an adjustment."

                                            >The "thing" Zecora mentioend was surprisingly enough not some kind of ladder, but a small vial of potion. She let a few drops fall on the roots of the tree, and a thick vine grews from the branch where I was, and I used that to slide down to the ground.

                                            "So it was you snapping the twigs....Yeah, alright, I'm a bad listener."

                                            >"I am also partly to blame. Many ponies react the same." Zecora rhymes, still smiling. "You are a rare guest, so let me make it up. Come, let us talk over tea in my hut."

                                            >I follow the zebra inside, finding myself in her cozy home. Many herbs and weird things hanging from the ceiling and on the walls, and on the corner a big cauldron.

                                            "Wow...This is so cool..."

                                            >"Do you like the tools of my trade? Often visitors are taken aback, if not a little afraid."

                                            "No, I love this! I mean, I kept hearing about everything that you can make with all this thing, and how much you know...It's a type of magic too, isn't it?"

                                            >"My trade is mystical indeed. Would you by any chance like to see?"

                                            "Of course!" I answer maybe a little too excitedly. I was always a fan of this kind of thing, knowledge about nature and herbs. I clean my throat, attempting to look a little more dignified. "I mean....Whenever it's a good time, but I actually wanted to just talk for a while. I gotta get back to town in a while and if you start making something really cool I'm gonna have to choose."

                                            >Zecora laughs. "It will not take up time, you will see. I am merely making tea."

                                            "Need any help?"

                                            >"That is quite alright. You should rest and slow down your heart."

                                            >I chuckle to myself. She did get me pretty good.

                                            "You know, I never took you for a prankster."

                                            >"A little fun to partake now and then." Zecora looks away from the brew to glance at me. "Worry not, it won't happen again."

                                            "What is this?" I ask, eyeing a hanging leaf-y vine

                                            >"That vine I use for sickness in the heart and hoof. It is quite hard to brew, it is known to be heat and fireproof.."

                                            "All of these are medicine?" I ask, grinning from ear to ear. "This is so cool..."

                                            >"Many ponies forget that medicine has roots," Zecora says, looking around with a smile. "But where I come from, this is the knowledge that bears more fruit."

                                            "Could you tell me a little? And where do you come from, anyway?"

                                            >The conversation goes on a for long time

                                            >There are many things that I can only ask now that I am by myself, places I can go and ponies I can speak to with my own voice.

                                            >As Zecora sits on the other side of the table to tell me more, I think back on the adventure that ended, and how much more is there to do.

                                            >When we burst through that door, I really thought that was it. Happily ever after.

                                            >Turns out I was wrong in a way, but I'm glad.

                                            >Everyone fought to give us this chance, now it's time for me to fight and build the future they gave us.


                                            ———————————————————————————


                                            >I left Zecora's hut after a long chat, still thinking on everything she told me about alchemy and the land she came from

                                            >I am not nearly as intelligent or knowledge hunter as Hierophant, but I had always been curious about the far away lands and the other kinds of magic the world held.

                                            >If I'm going to be completely honest with myself, it's pretty much the potential for adventure and interesting developments.

                                            >However, I push the thoughts out of my mind as I make my way to the training barracks to observe what will probably be my routine starting tomorrow.

                                            >I jog towards the entrance, and notice that I've arrived early.

                                            >I pace back and forth in anticipation, my mind being consumed by the thoughts

                                            >Would I have to go through a drill sergeant routine?

                                            >Did I even keep the whole /fit/ thing anon had going on?

                                            >Oh shit, what if I suck?

                                            >Did they have like, military kindergarden?

                                            >Is the responsable incredibly badass?

                                            >What if....

                                            "Well, a familiar face!"

                                            >That voice....No way.

                                            >Could I be this lucky?

                                            >I turn around, and imediately break into a grin as I see the approaching earth pony grinning at me.

                                            >"Nice to see you here."

                                            "Biggs!"

                                            >I salute with a wide grin. Badass indeed.

                                            "Or...Sorry, should I call you Sir? Or Corporal?"

                                            >"Well, nowadays it's Sergeant."

                                            "So you did get that promotion, after all? You deserve it. How have you been since the battle?"

                                            >"Busy," Biggs looks around. "We've been getting a lot of new recruits, but I think Captain Domino filled you in on that, right?"

                                            "Yes, sir." I say. "Since I'll be entering training, I'll be refering to you like this, is that okay?"

                                            >"Quite alright. Now, the recruits should be here soon, so get in. We'll get started in five."

                                            >The same damn grin is still plastered on my face.

                                            >Making some links of my own, and starting like this....

                                            >This future looks damn good.