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Follow Me, Anon

By PonyAfloat
Created: 2023-01-06 04:37:15
Updated: 2023-08-07 07:50:32
Expiry: Never

  1. Updated: 07 AUG 2023
  2.  
  3. Anon found himself sitting upon a bench in Balboa Park at the arboretum mirror pool. For all he knew, he had been there since the beginning of time. In his palm was a silver coin, the shiniest he had ever seen, it glowed eerily, and a loaf of garlic bread. By all accounts, the loaf of bread was infinite. For he feed the ducks endlessly, much to their delight. Whoever knew that ducks loved garlic? Each time the loaf was used up, a new one materialized in a sparkly red mist. Sometimes he flipped the coin, but it always came up heads. Sometimes he hurled it into the pond, only for it to be found again in his hand. And why should this not be so? Who knew anything really. Anon looked up. A river of milk flowed through the Milky Way and the effulgent stars were dancing together to Shostakovich's Watz No. 2. The full moon, plump as ever, smiled happily and gave him a wink.
  4. >"You take care of those ducks now, Anon! After all, that loaf won't last forever!" grinned the moon.
  5. Anon saluted the moon. "Aye, aye Mr. Moon! By the way, can you spare a bit of cheese?"
  6. >"Oh sure!" The moon sprouts arms, takes a few specks off his shiny face and flings them at Anon back on Earth. This done, he carries on conducting the orchestra of the galaxies in a lovly rendition of The Blue Danube.
  7. Anon catches the cheese in a baseball mitt he happened to have suddenly, and passed them to the ducks, who where now walking musical instruments with webbed feet and a few feathers here and there. Happy quacks were now replaced by the confused noise of instruments tuning themselves. In a flash they became rare books, then woodworking tools, and finally ducks again but in a multitude of colors. "Those are ducks of a different color!" Anon laughed.
  8. >Suddenly a silvery light burst forth on the other side of the moon pool.
  9. >"Ooooo! Pretty!" said Mr. Moon, as he shuffled some musical sheets looking for a stately Polonaise.
  10. Anon squinted and peered through the glow as it died away. What remained was a glowing dark-blue figure with hair that flowed gracefully in the still air. The hair was iridescent and resplendent with silver flecks, as if they were stars. Anon saw that the figure stood on all fours and looked like a horse, a mare.
  11. >"Good evening, Mr. Moon!" she said, looking up with such a benevolent countenance and smile. Her voice, beautiful as silver bells, spoke tranquility to the audience of the heart. She had addressed Mr. Moon as though he was an old friend and confidant.
  12. >Mr. Moon laughed a jolly, rolling laugh, and replied with a beaming grin. "Oh, hello Princess Moon! Fancy seeing you here! Anon is here too. He's feeding the ducks for me! I would do it too, but my arms are too short. See?" Mr. Moon demonstrated by trying to reach down to the earth.
  13. Anon laughed at Mr. Moon's antics, noticing that Princess Moon was also laughing cheerfully. He addressed her. "Hello, my name is Anon. What's your name?"
  14. >"You may call me Luna. Actually, I have come to see you this evening." Luna began to walk toward Anon. She stepped upon the water and it carried her weight, raising auditory harmony to the heavens and sending ripples of light across the mirror pool with each hoof fall. The music-ducks lined up on the pool's edge to play the royal welcome music as she approached.
  15. "Well Luna, it seems you and Mr. Moon are good friends, and any friend of Mr. Moon is a friend of mine. Have you known each other long?". Anon had directed his question to Mr. Moon.
  16. >"Oh yeah! Princess Moon and I go back hundreds of years. Best of friends really!" boomed the moon happily as he turned cartwheels across the sky before diving gracefully into the milky sky river.
  17. >"Yes, you might say that we know each other so well that we are inherently linked!" Luna giggled as she stepped on to the firm ground next to Anon.
  18. >Mr. Moon nodded his shiny cue ball in agreement.
  19. >"Anon, I've come to take you somewhere very important. Will you follow?" she said with an imploring tone in her voice.
  20. "Sure. But who's gonna feed the ducks? They'll be terribly hungry if I leave." Anon was legitimately worried. After all, the moon had entrusted him to feed them the magical garlic bread.
  21. >Luna laughed, her beautiful eyes capturing Anon's fascinated gaze. "You can bring them with you, Anon! I'm sure they would be happy to follow." The ducks responded to this with happy toots, vibratos, drum flares, and whistles. The xylophone-duck ended the response with a consonant flourish.
  22. Anon picked up the bread and gave a graceful bow to Luna. "In that case, lead on friend!"
  23. >"Bye, bye now!" said Mr. Moon waving to them. As they walked away he pulled a cosmic piano out from behind himself and began to play more waltzes for the stars' ballroom dancing.
  24. Anon followed Luna through Balboa Park. They passed over the bridge that straddled the highway and turned north. The music-ducks followed, happy to feast on the trail of bread crumbs Anon left behind. They rendered whimsical background music in thanks.
  25. >"What do you do for a living, Anon?" Luna knew what his profession was, but wanted to have a pleasant conversation with him nevertheless.
  26. "Oh, I'm a musician; at least, I am when I am not feeding the ducks. I play piano for the city's symphony orchestra and in various chamber ensembles." While he thus spoke, he examined this interesting character he was now walking with. He suddenly found it peculiar that he was walking side-by-side with an ethereal talking pony. "Um, I haven't met very many magical talking ponies before; actually none. Where are you from? Certainly not Los Angeles I would think. You're too pretty for that. Maybe Budapest or Prague?"
  27. >"Luna chuckled. "No, neither of those. In fact I've never been to either. I'm from a place called Equestria. It is a wonderful place, you would truly love it. You'll find that most magical ponies come from there, in fact."
  28. Anon shrugged. "Makes sense I guess, but I'm almost certain there must be a few unicorns in Budapest and Prague."
  29. Luna smiled at the whimsy of this, but now she came back to the subject of music. "Do you love your work, Anon."
  30. "Yes, music has a power to move you. It has a sort of magic all its own, if you catch my drift." Anon's admiration of her beauty, and his fascination with the enigmatic mystery she represented, was now growing continually now that he had an opportunity to see Luna closely. Her mane and tail shimmered, her movements were as graceful as planetary motion, her eyes were of a soothing aqua, and her coat was sleek with a shine that seemed alive in itself. "Do you have interesting music in Equestria?"
  31. >"Quite marvelous music, yes. Very similar to your classical music. And we have concert halls, too, fabulous and elegant. The Great Concert Hall of Canterlot is one of the most gorgeous buildings you shall ever see. I dare say, you would enjoy playing in an Equestrian symphony orchestra."
  32. "Sounds wonderful. I'll need to take a vacation there someday to see it." As he spoke, and as they were still due north, their legs extended so that they stepped over hills and mountains with each hoof fall. Great strides, miles in length at a time, were now being made. Down below, vivid green marked the treetops. They swayed with the air currents that he and Luna were whipping up with their legs. They continued along the highway and then turned Northeast, and from thence deep into Palomar Mountains, whose blanket of forests appeared as jewel-studded gold.
  33. >"Have you been here before, Anon?"
  34. "Only once before as a child. My father wanted to show me the observatory up here in the mountains."
  35. >"What a coincidence! That is precisely where we are headed! We shall be there presently." She paused for a moment and then continued, with a whisper, as if she was conveying a secret. "You know, I sometimes come here and other mountains in this part of the world. The plants, trees, and flowers of your world in these mountains have such interesting smells and unique beauty. I really shouldn't visit so often, but I am curious by nature."
  36. Anon paused to tip his had to a few men passing by through the air on magic flying carpets before responding. "If you think that's wonderful, you should try the northern coastline!"
  37. >"I had not visited it. I would have liked to have the opportunity! I have a checklist, provided by a good friend of mine, of such places that I wanted to visit!" Luna and Anon had now arrived and they stepped up onto the richly ornate dome of the Mount Palomar Observatory; somebody had painted it in a flower motiff. By now it was a little past dawn, and in a flash of magical smoke their legs returned to normal. Such things as this normally happened at dawn, naturally. Luna then, by means that can only be considered supernatural, levitated grilled cheese sandwiches up to them from one of the sandwich trees below.
  38. >"Here we are, Anon." said Luna as she lay down facing southwest. She motioned for Anon to sit beside her and enjoy his sandwich. The music-ducks, who Luna had levitated the rest of the way, gathered around and laid down. For a time, they simply rested, ate their sandwiches, and spoke of this and that.
  39. Presently, Anon breathed in the fresh mountain air, felt its coolness, and listed to the cheerful birds chirping. It was serene and peaceful. Nevertheless, he wondered why Luna had brought him here. "So, you wanted to watch the sunrise?"
  40. >Luna grew somber and her countenance grew grave. "No, Anon. I have come to show you something. Look to the southwest." Her voice carried gravity itself. As though drawn by her voice, dark clouds arrived and enshrouded the sun. Deathly blue lightening flashed here and there.
  41. Anon looked in the direction of San Diego. At first nothing obtained, but then there was a great flash of light that caused Anon to squint and raise his arm to shield his eyes. When the flash had subsided, he felt his vision magnified and he saw San Diego. But, there was no city there, only a great column of smoke and fire billowing up toward the heavens. At the base, Anon saw it unfold in slow motion. Buildings were being torn apart, their debris and detritus moving outward as they were carried by the blast wave. All living matter was being reduced to ash. Great quantities of earth was being blown out of its place. Nothing remained, only a hole in the earth and burning rubble. Anon turned to Luna with concern and confusion.
  42. >Luna knew his concerns and spoke in comforting tones, the effective combination of which was a craft she had honed over centuries. "It has not actually happened, Anon. You are in a dream. Nevertheless, it will occur and tomorrow. When you awake, you must come here." She thought for a moment, thinking that might be too specific. "I don't mean that you must climb atop this observatory specifically, but come to this Mount Palomar, and not too far from here."
  43. Anon looked at Luna, horrified. "What about the others in the city, and those around? Can't they be saved also?" Anon looked again to the mushroom cloud. How did it happen and why?
  44. >Luna shook her head. "I can only warn others in dreams, Anon. More than this is too great an intervention in your world. There have been few indeed that have heard me and even fewer that have listened. At this point it is too late. You are the last one I have visited before this occurs. Within hours of this horror, your world will be dead. Devastating wars, famine, and the death of nature will follow."
  45. Anon felt himself go cold. "How could you possibly know that Luna? Surely I can warn others?" Anon now became aware of other flashes upon the horizon, from the northwest mostly. More mushroom clouds rose to be visible over the horizon.
  46. >"I have not foreseen this, Anon. My realm is dreams. Yet, my sister's realm is in seeing things, and events, before they arise. She has seen this, and when she did there was scarce little time to warn you and others. There is no time left, Anon. I have done all that I can." Her voice became more soothing still. "But, I can save you. Will you come here tomorrow? You must be on your way by an hour before dawn."
  47. Anon was overwhelmed. Gazing into Luna's face he saw loving concern, but also finality. Then everything faded into shadow and his vision transitioned to the familiar surroundings of his apartment. He looked at his clock. 4:00am. 'Just a dream' thought Anon, but a very powerful one. He could not let it go as he lay in bed. Luna's warning continually reverberated through his head. 'I must be crazy for doing this!' Anon arose, quickly showered, dressed, grabbed a quick breakfast, stuffed a few things in a back pack, got in his car and drove north to the mountains.
  48.  
  49. On the winding road up the mountain, Anon stopped at an overlook oriented to the west. From there, he could see in the direction of San Diego. A short drive up the road was the observatory. It was moments before dawn. There was nobody else there.
  50. >"Good morning, Anon. Or rather, it is a terrible morning. Though, I am overjoyed that you came."
  51. Anon turned in surprise to behold Luna, walking up behind him. It took him a moment to convince himself that she was real. It was the same ethereal being that appeared in his dream, and she was just as elegant and gorgeous. "I thought, that you could only appear in dreams, Luna?"
  52. >"I can physically come to your world outside of the dream world, but it is difficult and draining. I reserve it for those that have listened to me."
  53. Just then, Anon witnessed a flash on the horizon to the southwest. There followed many more, both in the southwest and northwest. He could only just see the tips of the mushroom clouds as they billowed into the stratosphere and became visible over the horizon. "I cannot believe this is happening, Luna."
  54. >"It is happening, Anon. It is not a dream." said Luna gravely.
  55. Anon walked to his car, and Luna followed. He turned on the radio.
  56. >"...Again, this is a announcement of the emergency broadcast system. This is not an exercise. Multiple nuclear strikes have taken place across the United States. All citizens are advised to immediately leave large cities. Take only essentials with you. Do not drink any tap water unless in the following designated areas. Take water and food with you only if it is unopened. The following are designated emergency safety areas, travel to whichever one is closest to you by whatever means you have available..."
  57. The broadcaster began listing areas in the Southern California region. Anon leaned back in the car seat and checked his cell phone. No service.
  58. >Luna, meanwhile had magically opened the passenger side door and sat down in the seat, as best a pony could in a human car seat. "You can try going there, Anon, but the catastrophe will only continue, as I said in your dream. It will not be long until your world is dead."
  59. With tears streaming down his face, Anon asked "How could this happen, Luna?"
  60. >"It is rather complex, to be certain. However, it can be summed up in that the leaders of your world created a scenario in which a slight destabilization would lead a cataclysmic chain of events." Then she continued more soothingly, "I know it is hard, Anon. But, there was nothing you or most others could have done."
  61. Anon reached out and hugged Luna, sobbing.
  62. >Once Anon had calmed down a bit, Luna spoke again. "Anon, won't you come with me to Equestria? There will be nothing for you here shortly."
  63. Anon nodded, not knowing what else to do, and glad to at least have a friend. Both got out of the car and Anon followed Luna through a sparkling blue mist into another world. It closed behind them and they were gone.

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