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Survival Anon (Parts 2-22)

By ImDoingMyPart
Created: 2023-01-29 05:30:11
Expiry: Never
anongildacelestiatwilightvintage

  1. This collection of stories is brought to you by a Pastebin from 2012 (Pikeman)
  2. https://pastebin.com/u/Pikeman
  3.  
  4. Part (2)
  5. > Darkness, nothing but darkness
  6. > you can’t move
  7. > your head pounds in your skull and your body is sore
  8. > are you dead?
  9. > if this this the afterlife then dying SUCKS
  10. > your other senses slowly begin come back into focus
  11. > you feel a blindfold tied tightly around your eyes, and a cloth gag tied to your mouth
  12. > your arms are bound behind your back again
  13. > your lying on a metallic surface, you can feel a constant breeze on the skin of your face
  14. > you’re outside? You’re moving?
  15. > you're alive?
  16. > why are you alive? Celestia made it pretty clear she wanted you dead
  17. > but now you’re going… somewhere
  18. > you’re getting tired of not knowing where you are
  19. > you want your bow back
  20. > you try to ask where you’re going, but all that comes out through the gag is a mumble
  21. > the only answer is a quick jab into your gut, making you gasp for air
  22. > “quiet you, we’re almost there”
  23. > it sounded like one of the guards from earlier
  24. > what did they want from you?
  25. > they probably wouldn’t answer any questions even if you could ask them, so you spend the rest of the journey in silence
  26. > eventually you feel your stomach shift as you begin to descend
  27. > you were flying? How is that possible?
  28. > oh right, these p0nies can do goddam MAGIC. they’re probably capable of anything.
  29. > you feel your descent come to a stop and hear the sound of wooden wheels on gravel
  30. > it seems you’ve arrived
  31. > “Get up” the guard barks, grabbing the back of your collar and hoisting you unsteadily to your feet
  32. > it’s hard to balance with the blindfold and your hands bound behind you, but you manage
  33. > the air is cool on your skin, it’s silent except for the sound of crickets in the distance and the movement of a few p0nies around you
  34. > you guess it must be night
  35. > “Move it” the guard orders, prodding you in the back
  36. > you take a step forward, but stumble as your leg is caught on something
  37. > unable to catch yourself with your hands behind you, you fall forward and land face first in the dirt
  38. > I seems you ankles are bound together by a short length of chain.
  39. > as awkwardly rise from the ground, you receive a kick to your side, sending you back into the dirt
  40. > “get up filth, we don’t have all day”
  41. > eventually you stagger back to your feet, and are prodded forward again
  42. > you have to shuffle forward with short steps to avoid tripping, and being blindfolded doesn’t help
  43. > your holders seem annoyed by your slow progress, they repeatedly jab you in the back, causing you to nearly fall again.
  44. > you feel the dirt under your feet change to something more solid as you move forward
  45. > It’s warmer here, and the cool breeze is gone
  46. > you must be inside
  47. > the air carries the faint smell of books and ink
  48. > you were in a library?
  49. > you desperately wish you could see where you were
  50. > a guard to your left speaks up
  51. > “where would you like me to put these ma’am?”
  52. > “over there is the closet is fine, sir” a feminine voice responds
  53. > wait, you recognize that voice
  54. > It was Twilight Sparkle, Celestia’s apprentice
  55. > oh man, what does she have planned for you?
  56. > whatever it is it can’t be good
  57. > you can hear one of the guards walk away to your left, and hear a small clatter as something is set down
  58. > you would know that sound anywhere, that’s your quiver
  59. > Dammit, your bow was right over there!
  60. > It was so close, yet it might as well be miles away…
  61. > “keep moving” the other guard orders, pushing you forward
  62. > you reach a flight of stairs, and begin slowly and carefully working your way down
  63. > without your sight it’s impossible to judge the height of each step
  64. > eventually you reach the bottom and are directed across the room
  65. > the guard orders you to stop and you feel him fiddling with the manacles binding your wrists
  66. > “There we go,” he says “It’s not going anywhere now.”
  67. > “Good, you’re dismissed.” Twilight responds
  68. > as you hear the guard ascend the stairs, you feel your blindfold begin to come loose
  69. > light fills your eyes as it comes off, making you squint and blink repeatedly
  70. > as your vision clears, you see Twilight standing in front of you
  71. > you appear to be in a bare basement, the walls and floor are made from smooth seamless wood
  72. > It looks like the room is nestled within the roots of some gigantic tree
  73. > Twilight looks at you, her lips curled in disgust
  74. > “I suppose you’re wondering why you’re still alive”
  75. > You’re still gagged, so you give a short grunt in response
  76. > “At first, we were fine with just executing you and being done with it”
  77. > the casual tone of her voice unsettles you, did your life really mean that little to her?
  78. > “But,” she continues, “I realized that if you could make it over into our world, unintentionally or not, other humans probably could as well.”
  79. > “I convinced Celestia that we needed to study you, learn your kind’s strengths and weaknesses, in case any other humans come here. So you were spared, for now”
  80. > Great, so you were her scientific prisoner. And as soon as they were finished learned what they needed to know.
  81. > you would be sent straight back to the chopping block
  82. > she walks away and climbs up the stairs, leaving you sitting on the floor
  83. > “We’ll start first thing in the morning”
  84. > as the door closes behind her, the lights go out, plunging you into complete darkness.
  85. > okay, you need to get out of here. NOW
  86. > the guard seems to have attached another chain to the manacles on your wrists
  87. > you feel your way along it until you reach the wall
  88. > the chain leads to a metal ring embedded in the wood
  89. > you turn your back, grabbing the ring with your hands, you pull with all your might
  90. > it’s no good, you can’t get a solid grip with your hands bound together, and the thing is in there tight
  91. > you doubt you could pull it out even if you were free
  92. > you explore as much of the basement as you can while leashed
  93. > it’s not much, the chain is only about 5 feet in length, you can’t even reach the center of the room
  94. > with a sigh, you slump down against the wall, near the ring
  95. > at least your last cell had a bed, here you’ll have to sleep on the floor
  96. > being knocked unconscious must not be very restful, you’re feeling tired again.
  97.  
  98. Part (3)
  99. > you were already awake when Twilight returned the next morning.
  100. > the lights flick on as she enters, blinding you momentarily as your eyes adjust from the darkness
  101. > that was probably the worst night of sleep in your life
  102. > sleeping on the floor is hard enough, sleeping with your hands shackled behind you as well? Near impossible
  103. > the fact you had no idea what Twilight planned to do to you certainly didn’t help
  104. > your back is completely stiff and your shoulders are cramped
  105. > your gag has grown a foul taste and absorbed all the moisture in your mouth, leaving it dry and leathery
  106. > as she reaches the bottom of the stairs, you see her levitating a plate, a glass of water, and a bucket behind her
  107. > she stops in the middle of the room and floats the three items over to you
  108. > the plate had a small loaf of bread on it, and the charred remains of a small fish. The bucket was empty
  109. > how were you supposed to eat with your hands bound and your mouth gagged?
  110. > you feel your manacles become weightless behind you, and your right hand pops free
  111. > your gag is undone, and floats away
  112. > you immediately snatch the glass and begin gulping down the water
  113. > it’s warm and not very refreshing, but it’s still water.
  114. > the glass is drained far more quickly than you would have liked, but you move on to the food
  115. > you pick up the small loaf of bread and bite into it
  116. > it’s stale and tasteless, you can also see a few patches of mold on the surface
  117. > the fish isn’t any better. It was never cleaned and the outside is burnt black
  118. > working around the bones you find a few edible patches, you wish you still had some water to wash away the taste
  119. > finishing your meager meal, you realize you have an immense need to alleviate yourself
  120. > you haven’t had the opportunity to go to the bathroom since you arrived here
  121. > the purpose of the empty bucket quickly becomes clear
  122. > you wish twilight would give you some privacy while you do your business but alas, she does not
  123. > after you finish, twilight levitates the bucket, plate and glass away
  124. > the gag floats back over, and is forced back into your mouth, filling with that foul taste
  125. > your right arm is pulled back behind you, and your wrist is snapped back into the manacles
  126. > “lets begin.” Twilight says, sitting herself down in the center of the room, well beyond the reach of your chain
  127. > the time you feared is upon you. what was she planning to do? Torture? Experiments? Dissection?
  128. > her horn becomes surrounded by a purple aura as she closes her eyes in concentration
  129. > you cringe and turn away, expecting some horrible fate
  130. > but after several seconds, nothing seems to happen
  131. > you turn back to Twilight, she still sitting there with her eyes closed, horn aglow
  132. > was she preparing something? Maybe it wasn’t working. You certainly don’t feel anyth-
  133. > wait
  134. > you feel something in the back of your mind, just on the border of your subconscious
  135. > you might just be imagining it…
  136. > No, it’s definitely there
  137. > It’s some sort of presence, slowly growing in the back of your head
  138. > Dammit, it was her! She’s in your mind!
  139. > You focus your will, trying to force her out of your thoughts
  140. > She lashes out with your own mind, and the two of you become locked in a battle of wills
  141. > you put up the best defense you can muster, but she’s slowly and inevitably working past it, forcing herself deeper into your brain
  142. > there’s nothing you can do as she begins to access the contents of your mind
  143. > your thoughts become filled with images and memories as she delves deeper into your consciousness
  144. > some of your earliest memories flash before you
  145. > your parents
  146. > your brother
  147. > your home
  148. > she doesn’t pay much attention to them, only giving each memory a quick glance before moving on to the next
  149. > your first birthday party
  150. > your first day of school
  151. > your first friend
  152. > your- no,
  153. > not that one
  154. > you don’t get that one
  155. > you clench your eyes shut and bite down hard on your gag, focusing all your will on shielding that one particular memory
  156. > for a moment you force her away, regaining control of your thoughts
  157. > she quickly recuperates and attacks again, her will colliding into yours with the strength of a freight train
  158. > your defense is smashed and brushed aside as she begins reading the memory you fought to protect
  159.  
  160. Part (4)
  161. > you draw the bow back to your chin, looking down the arrow shaft to your target
  162. > you focus on the bullseye, imagining the arrow striking the target in your mind
  163. > the taught bow string digs deep into your sore fingers, the muscles in your back protesting against the force of the bow
  164. > you picture the arrow flying over and over in your head, willing it to the center
  165. > the string suddenly slips from your fingers, sending the arrow sailing over the target and out of view
  166. > you yelp in pain as the string slaps against your arm, striking the bruises from similar incidents
  167. > with a frustrated yell you throw the bow to the ground
  168. > you’ve been at this for days now, and still no progress
  169. > you slump down onto the grass and begin nursing your red, swollen arm
  170. > eventually your hear familiar footsteps behind you
  171. > you know who it is without turning around
  172. > “What’s wrong, son?” asks deep, warm voice
  173. “I hate archery dad,” you sigh, “I can’t ever hit the target and I just keep hurting myself…”
  174. > your father crouches down beside you, placing his hand on your shoulder
  175. > “I know it’s hard, but keep at it, you’ll get better eventually”
  176. “But why?” you protest, “Why do I have to learn how to shoot a bow?”
  177. >“you did say you wanted to go hunting with me next year.”
  178. “I could just use a gun. You don’t have to learn how to shoot a gun.”
  179. > Your father shakes his head
  180. > “That’s exactly the point, guns make it too easy. They do the work for you, but you need to do this yourself”
  181. “Why?”
  182. >“If you let something or someone do your work for you, you will grow to depend on it. You need to rely on and have confidence in your own abilities and strengths.”
  183. > “If you don’t, you’ll be limited by who and what are around you. You’ll be a prisoner of the wills of others, and your future will be out of your hands.”
  184. > “But if you can rely on yourself, you’ll never be helpless no matter where you are, and you’ll be free to shape your own destiny.”
  185. > Your father turns you toward him, his expression serious but kind
  186. > “Listen to me anon, that is the most precious thing you have. Never let anyone take away your freedom to choose your own fate. Do you understand?”
  187. “Yeah, I think I understand.”
  188. >“good,” your father plants a small kiss on your forehead before rising to his feet, “Dinner will be ready in about an hour, do you want to come inside?”
  189. “No,” you reply, picking your bow back up from the ground, “I’ll stay out here for a while.”
  190. > heel to toe, heel to toe, heel to toe
  191. > you move at a crouch, placing each step carefully to avoid any twigs or leaves in your path
  192. > the slight sounds of your movement are masked by the chorus of birds, insects, and animals in the trees
  193. > the air is pure, filled with the scent of pine and recent rain
  194. > your jacket is damp form the new morning dew, the sun just breaking free from the horizon
  195. > you keep your attention focused on your steps, any snap or rustle would instantly give you away
  196. > heel to toe, heel to toe, heel to toe
  197. > you come across a small clearing in the woods
  198. > the rays of sunlight are just beginning to clear the treetops, illuminating the site in golden rays and dispelling the thin morning fog.
  199. > in the center is a whitetail deer, a doe to be precise
  200. > her head I bent down, sleepily eating small tufts of thick, green grass
  201. > you’ve been following her for hours, and now she’s finally within your grasp
  202. > you carefully creep around to her side to get a better shot
  203. > you slowly reach over your shoulder to your quiver, grabbing one of your broadhead arrows
  204. > you mentally run through all the things your father taught you
  205. > one finger above the arrow, two below
  206. > aim up, then draw
  207. > loose grip on the bow
  208. > pull back to the anchor point
  209. > thumb tucked under the cheekbone
  210. > smooth release
  211. > satisfied you remember everything, you nock the arrow to the string and bring the bow to full draw
  212. > you wince as the arrow slides across the bow, making a small slithering sound
  213. > The doe’s head shoots up, instantly on alert
  214. > you hold your breath as her ears swivel around, sensitive to the slightest noise
  215. > the muscles in your back begin to tighten from the strain of the bow, begging for release
  216. > you force down to urge to fire. if you shoot now, she’ll run out of the way as soon as you loose
  217. > her eyes scan the trees around her, stopping momentarily on your position
  218. > you fear you have been spotted, but her gaze moves on
  219. > satisfied that there is no danger, the doe warily lowers her head, resuming eating.
  220. > you wait a few moments to be sure of your aim
  221. > you fire, the bow making a soft *twang* as the arrow flies forth
  222. > before it even impacts, you know the shot was perfect
  223. > the arrow strikes the center of her heart
  224. > she tries to bolt, only making it to the end of her first bound before her legs give out and she tumbles to the ground
  225. > you emerge from the foliage, pride swelling in your chest.
  226. > You did it! Your first kill!
  227. > you enter the clearing and crouch down next to the deer
  228. > as you inspect the animal, you feel something inside you haven’t felt before
  229. > you realize that this is the first thing you’ve done completely yourself
  230. > you succeeded because of your own ability and determination
  231. > you have the power to shape your own fate, you can determine your own future
  232. > the thought solidifies into a feeling of pure confidence and joy, filling your body with strength
  233. > is this what your dad was talking about? Is this the freedom that he spoke of?
  234. > you hold the feeling tight in your heart, determined to never let it go
  235. > your destiny is in your own hands, and you promise to never let anyone take that from you
  236. > your vision slowly returns as the memory fades away
  237. > your thoughts come back under your control as Twilight’s presence recedes from your mind
  238. > the aura around her horn dissipates as she opens hers eyes
  239. > you glare at her, trying to convey all of your hate through your gaze
  240. > She forced herself into the most private part of a person, rifling through your memories like a photo album
  241. > that was your most precious memory, the day you seized control of your life
  242. > she had no right to see it
  243. > she returns your glare with a look of disgust, before rising and ascending the stairs
  244. > she stops at the top and turns toward you
  245. > “You’re revolting”
  246. > her words are lined with venom and malice, there is no sympathy
  247. > the door shuts behind her, again plunging you into darkness
  248.  
  249. Part (5)
  250. > how long have you been down here?
  251. > it’s impossible to tell the passage of time in the darkness
  252. > you never see sunlight, you can’t even use your hands to count heartbeats
  253. > the only reference you have are the meager meals twilight brings you
  254. > but even that is unreliable, your hunger and thirst grow between each meal, making each interval seem longer than the last
  255. > maybe they were getting longer? You don’t know
  256. > you can only guess you’ve been down here close to a week
  257. > your hair has become greasy and matted
  258. > your clothes reek, you’re in desperate need of a shower
  259. > the manacles have rubbed off the skin of your wrists and ankles, leaving them raw and bloodied
  260. > you’ve fallen into a routine
  261. > Twilight would enter the basement, the lights painfully blinding your eyes
  262. > she would give you the same meal of moldy bread, burnt fish, and a single glass of water
  263. > you would relieve yourself into the empty bucket, and she would rebind you
  264. > and then she would force herself into your mind
  265. > you still fought her, you resisted every time in the hope you could keep her out
  266. > but it was always in vain, she pushed your will aside with casual ease
  267. > she would begin poring through your memories, looking for anything useful on humans
  268. > memories of friends or family were only glanced, before being quickly discarded
  269. > to her they were useless, inconsequential, irrelevant
  270. > she didn’t want to learn about your feelings or thoughts, she only wanted information
  271. > she started with your earliest memories, moving up chronologically with each session
  272. > last time was only a few years from the present, it wouldn’t be long until she was finished
  273. > and then she would have no use for you
  274. > you hated being trapped here
  275. > you hated being left to go mad in the dark
  276. > you hated the constant cramps and pains of your bindings
  277. > you hated being fed the same horrible meal
  278. > you hated the indignity of using that bucket in front of her
  279. > you hated how she invaded your mind, how she disregarded your fondest memories as meaningless
  280. > but above all else, over all the indignities and pains you’ve suffered
  281. > you hate that you can do nothing about it
  282. > you hate that you are helpless
  283. > that is what she really took from you
  284. > she took away your freedom
  285. > she took away your future
  286. > she took away your ability to choose, your ability to steer your own fate
  287. > that was the most precious thing you had, you guarded it with all your heart
  288. > and she took it away, her and that damned Celestia took that simple yet elegant idea away from you
  289. > and left you sitting in the dark, waiting
  290. > the lights come back on, your eyes burning in pain as they adjust
  291. > you’re confused, it was too soon after the last meal for another.
  292. > your curiosity rises as you hear multiple sets of hooves on the stairs
  293. > this was new, Twilight never came down with anyone else
  294. > you get a better look at the new p0nies as the reach the bottom of the stairs
  295. > there were five of them, all mares. one was a unicorn like Twilight, except with a pristine white coat and a curled, dark purple mane
  296. > two of them were pegasi, one with a yellow coat and a long pink mane, the other was cyan blue with a short rainbow mane
  297. > the last two were normal p0nies. one had a light orange coat, her blonde mane tied in a p0nytail (go figure) and wore a stetson
  298. > the other was all bubblegum pink with an absurdly curly mane, she bounced around the group, humming a simple tune
  299. > “Well,” Twilight said, gesturing to where you were sitting, “you all wanted to see. Here it is.”
  300. > ‘It’, she always referred to you as ‘It’.
  301. >never ‘anon’, or ‘him’, or even ‘the human’
  302. > You were just an ‘It’ to her
  303. > the white unicorn scrunches her face, covering her snout with one hoof
  304. > “My word! That thing reeks!”
  305. > you give her an angry grunt
  306. > of course you smell! You haven’t bathed in over a week!
  307. > suddenly, the pink mare is inches from your face, inspecting your features
  308. > holy fuck she’s fast, you didn’t even see her move
  309. > she pulls away, giggling into her hoof
  310. > “It looks silly!”
  311. > Your anger swells. As if your regular imprisonment wasn’t enough, now you’re some freak show display.
  312. > “Pinkie!” Twilight shouts, grabbing the pink mare’s tail with a magical field and pulling her back into the group
  313. > “Stay away from it! It eats flesh!”
  314. > So the all pink p0ny is named Pinkie. This world has no originality
  315. > The yellow pegasus lets out a small “Eep!” at Twilight’s outburst and shies away fearfully behind the others
  316. >Pinkie’s bubbly demeanor seems to calm down a bit as well, her bouncing stops and her head droops slightly
  317. > The orange mare shakes her head and speaks up
  318. > “A feller who chooses to eat critters? That just ain’t right”
  319. > she glares at you with barely constrained hate, as if she would like nothing other than to reduce you to paste right there.
  320. > the other p0nies have similar expressions
  321. > the white unicorn looks at you like you’re some sort of mistake, like your very existence is an affront to the world
  322. > Pinkie keeps her distance, looking at you with a mixture of fear and mild curiosity
  323. > Twilight has the same look of disgust she’s worn since you arrived
  324. > the yellow pegasus huddles behind the others, shielding her face in her hooves
  325. > lastly your sight moves onto the cyan Pegasus
  326. > her expression is neutral and impassive, but her eyes…
  327. > oh sweet lord, her eyes…
  328. > her eyes are filled with… pity?
  329. > you see in her a great amount of sadness and grief, tentatively held back by the force of will
  330. > you realize that she’s the only one who doesn’t just look at you, but actually meets your gaze with hers
  331. > you realize she looks at you and she sees not a monster, but a person
  332. > she sees a man imprisoned and sentenced to death by those who don’t understand him.
  333. > and you see it’s breaking her heart
  334.  
  335. Part (6)
  336.  
  337. > you sit on the ground, grimacing as Twilight again forces herself back into your mind
  338. > It’s been nine sessions, roughly three days since Twilight brought the others to see you
  339. > you know this session will be the last
  340. > the memories brought forth are only a few months old now
  341. > soon you’ll be at the present
  342. > there’s a small comfort in knowing your trial is near an end
  343. > but it’s overshadowed by the dread of what’s to come
  344. > she moves through each memory quickly, most are useless to her
  345. > but to you, each brings another wave of pain and grief
  346. > this was your life flashing before you. your friends, your family, your home
  347. > your heart aches as you realize you will never see any of it again
  348. > there was so much you still wanted to do
  349. > there were things that were never said
  350. > things you never experienced
  351. > you wanted to be a dad…
  352.  
  353. > Just a few weeks left now
  354. > It was all just so unfair
  355. > you didn’t choose to come here
  356. > you never got a chance to explain yourself
  357. > you never got a chance to fight back
  358. > it was always out of your hands
  359. > you were condemned to this the moment you arrived
  360. > these p0nies, this WORLD, robbed your life and your future from you
  361.  
  362. >only a few days left
  363. > you didn’t want to die this way
  364. > you didn’t want to die caged and helpless
  365. > you wanted to die fighting, struggling
  366. > you wanted to die with that precious feeling in your heart
  367. > that thing your father taught you to cherish
  368. > that thing you protected and cherished all your life
  369. > you wanted to die with fire in your veins and strength in your limbs
  370. > you wanted to knowing it was your actions that brought you there
  371. > you wanted to die FREE
  372. > but you weren’t free
  373.  
  374. > that fateful day flashes before you again
  375. > your arrival into Equestria
  376. > fleeing from the guards
  377. > breakfast with Celestia
  378. > your sentence
  379. > your journey here
  380. > your imprisonment under Twilight
  381. > your days spent in the dark
  382. > and then your memories were over
  383. > Twilight’s presence leaves your mind
  384. > “I guess we’re done then” she says, standing up
  385. > you don’t respond
  386. > even if you could speak, there’s nothing you would say
  387. > she turns away and ascends the stairs, the lights going out as she leaves the basement
  388. > you sit there in the darkness, alone with your thoughts
  389. > you wonder if you’ll be remembered back home
  390. > you never did anything truly noteworthy
  391. > but you did make an impact on your world, you had friends and your family loved you
  392. > maybe they’ll tell stories
  393. > maybe your brother will marry that girl he’s been dating for so long
  394. > they made a good couple, they would definitely have plenty of kids
  395. > you wonder what they would look like, would they have your mother’s blue eyes?
  396. > maybe your brother would tell them stories about their long lost uncle anon
  397. > he could tell them about all the times you pranked your father together when you were little
  398. > or the time you both slept in the igloo you built yourselves one winter
  399. > you sit there in the dark, reminiscing on all that you’ve lost
  400. >imagining all that might be
  401. >and mourning all that you will never see
  402.  
  403. Part (7)
  404.  
  405. > Your thoughts are interrupted as you hear something upstairs
  406. > A faint, slow rhythmic thumping
  407. > It sounds familiar, but you can’t quite place it…
  408. > Music, there was music upstairs
  409. > Why were they playing music?
  410. > You strain your ears, focusing on the faint noise
  411. > Yup, definitely music
  412. > The music goes on for a couple hours, changing songs every couple of minutes
  413. > Occasionally you make out the sounds of laughter
  414. > So there was a party upstairs?
  415. > A party for what?
  416. > Were they celebrating your imminent demise?
  417. > No, that’s not right. You recognize the melody of this next song
  418. > It was “Happy Birthday”
  419. > So it was a birthday party upstairs
  420. > You find it a bit ironic, celebrating birth on the eve of your execution
  421. > You lean back against the wall, listening to the faint melodies come and go
  422. > You’re interrupted as the lights flash on, stinging your pupils
  423. > The music is loud and clear for a moment, before the closing basement door cuts it off again
  424. > Great, Twilight’s back. What could she possibly want?
  425. > You’re surprised to see it’s not Twilight descending the stairs
  426. > It’s that cyan pegasus with the rainbow mane from a few days ago
  427. > she keeps glancing behind her as she quietly works her way down, as if worried someone is following her
  428. > reaching the bottom, she turns to look at you, her eyes filled with the same grief as before
  429. > “Hey.” she says, taking a few tentative steps toward you
  430. > “You can understand me, right? You can speak? My name is Rainbow Dash”
  431. > Of course, the pink pony is named ‘Pinkie’, and the one with the rainbow mane is named ‘Rainbow’.
  432. > The names here are terrible
  433. > That white unicorn was probably named ‘Ivory’ or ‘Milk’
  434. > “Look,” she continues, “I know you probably don’t trust me, but believe me when I say I want to help you.”
  435. > She takes a few steps forward, now within the radius of your chain
  436. > “Do you trust me?” she asks, her eyes pleading
  437. > You grunt and nod in affirmation
  438. > “Okay,” she says, sounding relieved “Can I remove your gag?”
  439. > You nod and turn around, allowing her to reach the back of your head
  440. > You feel her grab it in her teeth, and shortly after the cloth is pulled away
  441. > You turn back to her, only a few feet away
  442. > It’s been so long since you spoke, the movements feel strange and foreign in your mouth
  443. “Why?”
  444. > “Because I don’t just know what you are, I also understand what you are” She explains
  445. > “I know the difference between a carnivore and a monster. An… old friend taught me the difference a long time ago.”
  446. > She becomes solemn and distant, lost in her own thoughts
  447. > Another burst of laughter from upstairs snaps her back to attention
  448. > “Listen, I can’t stay here long, I have to get back to the party before I’m missed. But I can get you out of here.”
  449. “What? How?”
  450. > “I spiked the punch bowl upstairs. Twilight’s a real lightweight, so she’ll be out like a candle all night”
  451. > “Also,” she continues, reaching behind her into the fold of her wing, “I was able to swipe this while everyp0ny was distracted”
  452. > She produces a small iron key, placing it on the floor between you
  453. > Your eyes go wide at the sight of it. That was the key to your freedom!
  454. “What are you waiting for then? Get these things of me!”
  455. > “Not yet” she says, her expression growing serious, “I need you to do something for me first”
  456. > What? What could she want from you while you’re imprisoned like this?
  457. > “I need you to promise you won’t come after any of my friends. Twilight included.”
  458. > “I let you go and you leave. You don’t seek revenge, you don’t ever come back. You just leave and go live your life”
  459. > You can’t help but feel outraged at her demand. Did she have any idea what you’ve been through down here?
  460. > You’ve been humiliated, violated, and starved. And now she’s asking you to just move on?
  461. > Reluctantly, you realize you have no choice but to agree
  462. “Alright, fine. I promise”
  463. > She narrows her eyes, searching your expression for any signs of deceit
  464. > “Alright then.” she says, apparently satisfied
  465. > She grabs the key in her mouth and moves behind you
  466. > You sigh in relief as the manacles drop away from your ankles and wrists
  467. > You painfully and slowly rise to your feet, working through days of constant cramps and discomfort
  468. “Thank you. What do we do now?”
  469. >”Now, I have to get back to the party, I’ve been down here far too long already.”
  470. > “You stay down here for now, wait for an hour or two after the music stops to make sure no p0ny is still around, then you’re free to go”
  471. “Alright, got it” you affirm as Rainbow moves to the stairs
  472. > She stops on the first step, looking back at you
  473. > “You know, I never did learn your name”
  474. “Anon”
  475. > “Well then, goodbye Anon, and good luck.”
  476. > The party continues upstairs for about another hour
  477. > you pass the time stretching, reveling in the ability to move your limbs freely again
  478. > Eventually the music upstairs ends.
  479. > It won’t be long now, you’ll finally get out of here
  480. > The next hour is the longest of your life as you wait until the coast is clear
  481. > When you think enough time has passed, you creep your way up the stairs
  482. > You wince as a few of the steps creak under your weight, but you seem to be undetected
  483. > At the top of the stairs, your press your ear against the door, listening for the slightest noise
  484. > Hearing nothing, you push open the door and step outside
  485. > You find yourself in a small, deserted library, the walls lined with bookshelves filled to the brim
  486. > In the center is a large circular table with a wooden equine statue in the middle
  487. > This room was definitely the site of a party, confetti covers the floor and several punch glasses rest on the table
  488. > A long banner hangs on the wall, with ‘Happy Birthday Twilight’ written in large bold letters
  489. > And on the floor lies the purple unicorn herself
  490. > She’s sprawled on her back, mouth hanging open and snoring slightly
  491. > First things first though, you want your bow back
  492. > Remember the instructions Twilight gave the guard on the day you arrived, you make your way over to the nearby closet
  493. > You open the doors and begin rummaging through multiple sets of dresses, saddles, and boots
  494. > Finally you find your bow, arrows, and knife tucked in the back
  495. > You give your belongings q quick glance over, checking for damage
  496. > Satisfied with their condition, you sling your bow and quiver over your shoulder and attach the knife sheath to your belt
  497. > With your weapons back in your possession, you turn your attention back to the sleeping Twilight
  498. > You hate her
  499. > You hate her and Celestia so much
  500. > They tried to take your life from you
  501. > They tried to take your future from you
  502. > And they didn’t even care
  503. > Look at her! She partied on the eve of your death!
  504. > Your rage builds as you watch her sleep
  505. > You meant nothing to her
  506. > You were just an ‘It’ to her
  507. > She felt no remorse
  508. > Why should you?
  509. > Your hand falls to your knife, sliding the blade from its sheath
  510. > You wanted to hurt them both, you wanted them to SUFFER for what they did to you
  511. > For what they were going to do to you
  512. > For what they tried to take from you
  513. > You remember when Celestia introduced Twilight to you
  514. > You saw the way she looked at her, loving, motherly
  515. > You knew Celestia loved Twilight dearly
  516. > Hurting Twilight would hurt her too
  517. > It would be easy
  518. > Oh, it would be so easy
  519. > You crouch down next to her sleeping form, raising the knife high in your hand
  520. >She deserved it
  521. >You know she deserved it
  522. >You could do it, it would be so easy!
  523. > You hold the knife over her chest, hand shaking with anger
  524. > come on, come on, DO IT
  525. > You try to bring it down, you try with all your might the plunge the blade into her
  526. > But you can’t. As much as you want to, as much as she deserved it, you couldn’t bring yourself to do it
  527. > You won’t betray Rainbow
  528. > You won’t become the monster they think you are
  529. > You’re better than this, you’re better than them
  530. > With a heavy sigh, you lower the knife, rising to your feet
  531. > You walk to the center of the room and stand over the wood table
  532. > With the knife, you strike the wooden surface over and over
  533. > You want them to know, you want them to know you had the chance and didn’t take it
  534. > You want them to know they were wrong
  535. > Satisfied with your work, you sheath the blade back to your belt
  536. > You open the front door and enter the cool night, leaving a message etched into the table
  537.  
  538. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TWILIGHT
  539. -ANON
  540.  
  541. Part (8)
  542.  
  543. > As you leave the Library behind you, you break into a run
  544. > You need to get as far away as possible before she discovers you’re gone
  545. > Despite the situation, you can’t keep your face from splitting into a wide grin
  546. > It felt good to run, to be able to move freely once again
  547. > You breathe in fresh, cool night air as it blows against your face
  548. > Inside your chest you feel that familiar warmth, that precious feeling of power of capability you lacked these past days returns
  549. > Free, free, FREE! You were finally free!
  550. > You plan and doing everything you can intend to keep it that way
  551. >And that started with getting out here
  552. > You took stock of your surroundings as you sprinted through the empty streets, lit only by the occasional lamppost
  553. > You were in a small town, or a village by the look of it
  554. > The buildings were quaint and cozy, with simple wooden exteriors and thatched roofs
  555. > Although some of the building’s you passed looked strange, almost comical
  556. > One resembled a massive merry- go-round, while another looked like a giant gingerbread house
  557. > Eventually the buildings come to an end, and you find yourself running along a dirt path
  558. > You realize you should get off the road. You were lucky you didn’t pass any p0nies while in town, but that wouldn’t last forever
  559. > Deciding this is as good a spot as any, you vault over a nearby rail wood fence, entering an apple orchard
  560. > The lights of the village have faded into the distance, the only illumination comes from the full moon, casting everything in a pale white light.
  561. > You continue running as you weave between the trees
  562. > At the other end of the orchard, you leap over another fence, entering a natural forest
  563. > You’re forced to slow down as you work your way through the foliage
  564. > Most would be uncomfortable running through a forest at night, but not you
  565. > The woods are like a second home to you. You’ve spent your entire life hunting and camping in the forests near your home
  566. > You feel safe hidden beneath the canopy of the branches, this is your element, your domain.
  567. > You begin to recognize the familiar sounds of wildlife, the small hooting of owls, mice scurrying in the grass, the distant chorus of frogs.
  568. > You continue your flight throughout the night, climbing hills and crossing ravines, working your way ever deeper into the forest
  569. > You inevitably have to rest. You come to a stop near a small stream as the first rays of dawn begin peeking over the horizon.
  570. > You kneel in the damp grass near the edge of the stream and bring your head down to the surface
  571. > You drink to your heart’s content, feeling the soothing water wash down your raspy throat
  572. > You sit back with a content sigh, bringing your legs up to your chest
  573. > You watch the sun rise into the sky, ushering in a new day
  574. > After a short rest, you feel ready to continue
  575. > You rise to your feet and set off at a leisurely pace
  576. > You must be miles from Twilight by now, no need to rush
  577. > You follow the river upstream, you don’t have anything to carry water in, so you’ll have to stay close
  578. > The forest around you comes to life as the sun rises, birds begin to sing in the trees and squirrels chatter noisily nearby
  579. > As the sun nears the height of its climb, you come across a low cliff face, about 20 feet in height
  580. > The stream you’ve been following is fed by a pond, formed under a waterfall from the top of the cliff
  581. > Investigating the cliff, you find a large, mostly dry alcove hidden behind the falling water
  582. > You think this would be a pretty good place to make camp, it’s well protected from the elements and hidden from any prying eyes
  583. > It’s high time you started getting set up
  584. > Keeping the cave’s location in mind, you head out along the cliff face
  585. > Eventually, you find what you’re looking for in the debris of a small landslide
  586. > Digging through the small rocks, you produce several pieces of dark flint
  587. > On the way back to the waterfall, you gather an armful of tinder and dry wood
  588. > Striking your steel knife against the flint, you sent sparks into a small pile of bark and wood shavings
  589. > As the sun begins to set, turning the sky into a various shades of red and gold, you sit across a cozy fire, roasting two squirrels over the flames
  590. > You weren’t a fan of squirrel, what little meat they had was stringy and nearly tasteless
  591. > But until you became more familiar with your surroundings, learning the locations of clearings and local game trails, it was the best you could do.
  592. > You stare into the fire, watching the gentle glow of the embers and the dance of the flames
  593. > You feel… good. About what you did
  594. > About what you didn’t do
  595. > It would probably come to bite you in the ass someday, but you’d deal with that later
  596. > It still made you proud though
  597. > You were treated like a monster for so long you nearly became one, but you didn’t give in to yourself
  598. > You were still in control, you still shaped your own fate
  599. > You were still free
  600. >The next morning you exit the cave, arching your back and stretching your arms above your head
  601. > Sleeping on stone wasn’t much of an improvement over wood, but at least you weren’t chained up
  602. > A thin mist weaves between the trees, the silence broken only by the nearby waterfall
  603. > You add some kindling to the smoking remnants of the fire, coaxing the flames back to life from the coals
  604. > After eating what’s left of the two squirrels from last night, you make your way down to the pond for a drink, but stop when you glimpse your reflection is the water
  605. > Holy crap, you looked terrible. Your hair was oily and tangled in a thick mat on your head
  606. > Your face still sported a large bruise from your capture, and your chin was covered in the thin beginnings of a patchy beard
  607. > A quick sniff reminds you that you haven’t bathed or changed clothes in over a week
  608. > You strip down to your boxers and dunk your clothes in the water, using your hands to wash out as much of the smell as possible
  609. > After that’s done, you hang your clothes on a tree to dry before swimming out into the center of the pond
  610. > It felt good to swim, the cool water massaged and loosened the stressed muscles on your back and shoulders
  611. > No matter how much you stretched or tried to relax, your back was still in pain from the cramped position of your imprisonment.
  612. > You hoped there wasn’t any permanent damage
  613. > After a short swim, you begin scrubbing your scalp with your fingers
  614. > Eventually your hair begins to untangle and come loose, flowing freely in the water
  615. > You wish you had some soap, but this will have to do.
  616. > After getting as clean as you reasonably can, you climb out of the water and retrieve your skinning knife
  617. > The large blade is awkward to shave with, and working without a mirror is only going to make things harder.
  618. > You manage to clean off your beard without slicing open your neck, but you still suffered several painful nicks in the process.
  619.  
  620. > Putting your clothes back on and stringing your bow, you head west into the forest in search of your next meal.
  621. >After a few hours of sneaking and lurking through the foliage, you find suitable prey
  622. > A small rabbit, munching on the thick green grass of a small clearing
  623. > You crouch down, slowly working your way close for an easier shot
  624. > Hunting rabbit was always a delicate operation, you need to put it down cleanly and quickly
  625. > Most people didn’t know it, but rabbits could really scream
  626. > A wounded rabbit would let out a piercing cry of anguish and pain audible for miles, sending every animal in range into hiding for hours, making any further hunting impossible
  627. > The shot had to be perfect
  628. > A twig snaps under your foot
  629. > Oh god dammit
  630. > The hare’s head shoots up, and it’s off running in a flash
  631. “Oh no you don’t you little bastard, I am NOT having squirrel again!”
  632. >You take off, running deeper into the woods after the rabbit
  633. > You chase your quarry for nearly thirty minutes, the scenery slowly changing around you
  634. > It’s almost as if you’ve transitioned from a forest to a jungle
  635. > The ground becomes soggy and muddy, ferns and vines grow more and more prevalent
  636. > The trees are gnarled and twisted, their trunks forming strange visages
  637. > Their branches intertwine into a thick canopy above you, blocking out the sun and producing a claustrophobic environment
  638. > A growing sense of unease forms in your stomach
  639. > This place doesn’t feel right, there’s something subtlety wrong about it.
  640. > But you can’t put your finger on why, the reason drifts on the edge of your subconscious, just barely out of reach
  641. > You push these thoughts out of your mind, you have a rabbit to catch and you’ll be damned if you let it get away.
  642. > You come to a stop as you spy your prey sitting atop mossy log. It doesn’t look like it sees you
  643. > You assume a shooting stance and draw your bow
  644. > You might not hit a vital organ from this distance, but you’ve had enough of this chase, to hell if it screams or not
  645. > You release the arrow, sending it streaking toward you target
  646. > It strikes the rabbit with a loud *CHINK*, the arrow bouncing off harmlessly
  647. “…What?”
  648. >The rabbit just continues sitting there, completely still
  649. > You take a few steps forward, but the rabbit still doesn’t react
  650. > As you get closer, you’re shocked at what you see
  651. > It’s not a rabbit at all, it’s an expertly carved statue, completely lifelike down to the fur
  652. > Perhaps too lifelike…
  653. > oh shit… could it be? No, those don’t exist. They’re just mythical!
  654. > The unease in your stomach solidifies into pure dread as you suddenly realize what’s wrong with these woods
  655. > It’s deathly silent. No bugs, no birds. No noise at all
  656. > Nothing but silence
  657. > You have to get out of here
  658. > You have to get out of here NOW
  659. > You take off at a sprint back to your camp
  660. > As the trees and bushes whizz by, you get the feeling you’re being watched
  661. > Occasionally you hear the rustle of leaves or the snap of a twig as something gives chase
  662. > You press on faster, desperate to get away
  663. > Out of the corner of your eye, you glimpse a patch of dark green scales
  664. > You slam your eyes shut, skidding to a halt
  665. > You can hear the… whatever it is lurking nearby
  666. > You reach over your shoulder, grabbing an arrow and nocking it on the string
  667. > You hear the creature circling you, slithering and hissing softly
  668. > Sweat drips from you brow as you clench your eyes shut, resisting the urge to look, to see what hunts you
  669. > You strain your ears to listen, trying to pinpoint exactly where the creature is
  670. > Your hands grow sweaty and your heart hammers in your chest
  671. > The beast continues to circle you, growing closer with every rotation
  672. > You recall everything your father taught you about blind shooting
  673. >“Relax son, stay calm and don’t try to force it. Trust your instincts and fire when it feels right.”
  674. > You force yourself to take a deep breath, exhaling slowly and willing your nerves to settle
  675. > You relax your muscles, taking a calm position
  676. > You stop straining your ears, trusting your subconscious to sort out the location when the time comes
  677. > You take a few more long, calming breathes, slowing your heartbeat, clearing your mind
  678. > You wait for the perfect moment…
  679. > Now
  680. > You pivot your body, drawing and firing the bow in one fluid motion, allowing years of practice and experience to guide your hands.
  681. > You’re rewarded with a loud *SQUAWK* and the sound of something large thrashing on the ground
  682. > You open your eyes
  683. >The creature is some sort of giant snake, it has small leathery wings and the head of a chicken
  684. > It rolls and writhes on the ground, hissing and squawking in anger, it’s left wing pinned to it’s side by your arrow
  685. > You drop your bow and quickly draw your knife, lunging towards the creature
  686. > You tackle it and try to pin it into the ground, driving the knife deep into it’s neck
  687. > Blood pours from the wound as the creature shrieks in pain
  688. > It’s body writhes and rolls under you, trying to shake you off
  689. > You hold tight, it’s movements becoming weak and sluggish as blood loss begins to kick in
  690. > Eventually it stops moving and you rise to your feet, your hands coated in blood
  691. > You’re going to need another bath after this
  692. >That night you sit at the fire, roasting a slab of scaly flesh over the flames as you dig into an already cooked piece
  693. > Kind of tastes like mix between chicken and snake. Not bad
  694. > You suppress as small shudder as you recall the day’s events
  695. > You got lucky today, you won’t last long here if you continue to fight things like that all the time
  696. > Lesson learned. Do not go west. West is bad. West is very bad
  697.  
  698. Part (9)
  699.  
  700. >You stare up at the night sky as the fire slowly recedes into the glowing coals
  701. > You search the stars for the familiar constellations your father taught you long ago
  702. > It was a forlorn endeavor, the stars changed position every night. There was no Big Dipper, Orion, or even a north star.
  703. > But you still looked for them, you still scanned the heavens for those familiar shapes, hoping for some small piece of the home you lost
  704. > And every night you were greeted by another alien sky, another reminder of where you were.
  705. > You’ve been living in the forest for two weeks now
  706. > For the first week, you would occasionally glimpse a pegasus flying through the air above you, sending you diving for cover
  707. > Even from the ground you could make out their white coats and the gleam of golden armor.
  708. > They never found your camp, and the sightings became less and less frequent as the days went by
  709. > Eventually they stopped altogether, either giving up the search or looking elsewhere
  710. > You should have been glad. You escaped. You were alive.
  711. > But that was it. You were just alive.
  712. > You knew you could survive out here indefinitely, and without a dedicated search effort you would never be found by those ponies
  713. > And while you were glad you avoided death, you now realized you have to face life here
  714. > You likely were never going to go back home, but you mourned that long ago while chained in the dark
  715. > What you dreaded was the future. You would live out the rest of your days here. Just hunting and surviving. Day after day. Alone with your thoughts.
  716. > With a heavy sigh you rise to your feet, heading inside for some sleep.
  717. >You wake up to the familiar sight of the stone ceiling
  718. > Sunlight spills through the cave opening, illuminating your surroundings
  719. > You groan and roll over, trying to get as comfortable as possible
  720. > Your built a makeshift bed after the first week by piling animal furs over a foundation of fresh cedar branches.
  721. > I wasn’t a proper mattress, but it was surprisingly comfy. Certainly better than stone
  722. > You bury your face in your arms. You don’t want to get up. What was the damn point anymore?
  723. > Yeah, you were free. But free to do what? To hunt and forage until your body grows weak with age and you no longer have the strength to feed yourself?
  724. > No, you weren’t free. This damn world was your prison. You escaped death only to be condemned to exile. There were no other options, no other paths, no other choices.
  725. > A loud growling from your stomach reminds you of your hunger
  726. > You force yourself to your feet. At least your back didn’t hurt anymore
  727. > You open a small rabbit-skin pouch near your bed, reaching inside and helping yourself to a small handful of raspberries you found yesterday
  728. > After your meager breakfast, you sling your quiver over your shoulder and grab your bow before heading outside
  729. >It doesn’t take long for you to find suitable prey.
  730. > You’ve learned the ins and outs of these woods, becoming familiar with the animal’s habits and preferences
  731. > You still avoid the western part of the forest. Who knows what other monstrosities lurk there.
  732. > A turkey meanders between the trees, oblivious to your presence a few meters away.
  733. > Hunting has been second nature to you for years. You could have done this in your sleep
  734. > You draw back the bow and release perfectly, the broadhead flying forth in a clean arc
  735. > The turkey is struck in the side of its head, falling to the ground with only a small *thump*
  736. > As you begin to rise to collect your kill, you hear a loud flapping noise above the trees,
  737. > You quickly draw another arrow, slipping back into the cover of the foliage
  738. > Something large and feathery lands near the downed turkey
  739. > It has the head of an eagle with the body of a lion, with large brown feathered wings on it’s back
  740. > It’s fur is the same dark brown, but it’s head is covered in white feathers. A small crown of larger feathers sits atop it’s head, the ends colored a faint lavender. You see a similar coloration surrounding it’s eyes
  741. > You recognize this creature. What were they called again? Oh yeah, griffons, that’s right.
  742. > The griffon walks over to the turkey and picks it up in one talon, turning it around and inspecting it
  743. > You hold your breath and remain still, trying to remain hidden. That thing looks dangerous. You do not want to tangle with it.
  744. > It looks away from the bird and begins scanning the forest in your direction
  745. > After only a short sweep, it’s eyes meet with yours
  746. > What? It found you already? Dang, it must have great eyesight.
  747. > The griffon crouches down, wings flaring up behind it
  748. > You quickly stand and draw your bow, anchoring your hand behind your cheekbone
  749. > The griffon glares at you, it’s talons digging into the soft dirt
  750. > “What the heck are you?”
  751. > The sudden question stuns you for a moment
  752. > Holy crap that thing talks?
  753. > The voice was harsh and abrasive, but definitely feminine. So it was a girl griffon?
  754. > You must have been silent for a while, because she repeats the question
  755. > “I said, what the heck are you?”
  756. > You clear your throat and answer
  757. “I’m a human”
  758. >”Human, huh? Never heard of them.”
  759. “I’m not exactly from here”
  760. > “Well then,” she responds, her voice laced with suspicion, “what do you want?”
  761. > You nod toward the turkey on the ground
  762. “That is my dinner. Give it back.”
  763. >She looks at the bird for a moment, and the returns her gaze to you
  764. > “It’s mine now, freak. And what makes you think I’ll just give it back?” She demands, taking one step forward
  765. > You shift your aim down and fire, embedding an arrow between the talons of her claw.
  766. > With a startled squawk she leaps back, landing several feet away
  767. > She flares her wings and crouches as she lands, preparing to pounce, but stops when she sees you already have another arrow drawn
  768. “The next one goes between your eyes. Back off.”
  769. > You could just end this right now, but killing another sentient could create problems. You don’t want to risk it.
  770. >She looks back at the arrow impaled in the turkey’s head, realizing that it’s no idle threat
  771. > She looks you in the eye, staring daggers at you
  772. > “Your name…” She sneers, “What is it?”
  773. “Anon”
  774. >”I’m Gilda. Remember that. This isn’t the last you’ve seen of me.”
  775. > With that she launches herself straight up into the air, quickly flying out of view.
  776. > You relax the tension of the bow, letting out a sigh
  777. > You retrieve your arrow from the ground and collect the shot turkey, mulling over what just happened
  778. > You think your stay here just got a little more interesting.
  779.  
  780. Part (10)
  781.  
  782. >Another day, another hunt
  783. > It seems rabbit is on the menu for today
  784. > The hare hops over to edge of a small creak, lowering its head to the surface.
  785. > You’re about 7 meters behind it, hidden in the bushes
  786. > You draw back and fire with precision honed by years of experience
  787. > As the arrow flies toward the target, a large feathery blur swoops down with blinding speed, snatching the rabbit
  788. > The arrow whizzes through the now empty air, splashing into the stream
  789. > Goddammit, not again!
  790. > You yell in frustration, shaking your fist at the rapidly diminishing avian form in the sky
  791. “GILDAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”
  792. > You hear her laughing as she flies away with your prey
  793. > “Better luck next time, dweeb!”
  794. > Your anger quickly subsides as you retrieve your arrow from the slowly moving water
  795. > In truth, you actually kind of enjoyed fighting with that griffon
  796. > A week had passed since your first encounter, and you’ve been trying to out-do each other ever since
  797. > You never actually fought, it was too risky for both of you. As predators, the slightest wound or injury could jeopardize your ability to hunt, leading to starvation
  798. > Since you couldn’t strike directly at each other, you developed a sort of competition, both of you trying to snatch or shoot each other’s prey out from under them.
  799. > The initial hostility of your first meeting slowly eroded as time went on. It wasn’t replaced by friendship by any means, but a kind of mutual respect as hunters.
  800. > Despite the inconvenience, you were grateful for this turn of events. As meager as the interaction was, you still looked forward to it every day.
  801. > The competition gave you something to strive for. It gave you that drive you were beginning to lack
  802. > Stowing the arrow back into your quiver, you head off in search of another meal.
  803. >You creep through the underbrush, eyes and hears tuned for the slightest sign of movement
  804. > You feel a slight nagging on the edge of your subconscious, signaling you that something isn’t right
  805. > You stop moving and focus, trying to make out the faint sound
  806. > It’s definitely not natural, and it’s getting closer. You hear… voices?
  807. > Shit, this can’t be good
  808. > You quickly climb a nearby tree, leaping from branch to branch
  809. > You settle onto a sturdy branch, nocking an arrow on the your bow
  810. > The voices increase in volume as they approach, and you begin to make out what they’re saying
  811. > “I don’t think this was such a good idea Scootaloo…”
  812. > The voice was high pitched and feminine, was it a child?
  813. > “Come on Sweetie Belle! If we catch that human we’ll get our human catching cutie marks for sure!”, a second voice replies
  814. > What the hell is a cutie mark? And why would catching you give them one?
  815. > “But we’ve walking for hours,” A third voice chimes in, thick with a southern accent, “Ah’m not sure we could even find our way back now”
  816. > Below your hiding spot, three figures come into view. They’re p0nies, but much smaller than the ones you saw earlier, probably fillies
  817. > One is an orange pegasus, with tiny wings and a short purple mane. Kind of looks like a chicken
  818. > Another is a unicorn, with a white coat and a curly, lavender and pink mane. For some reason you begin craving marshmallows
  819. > The third is a normal p0ny, with a yellow coat and a red mane. She wears a large pink bow atop her head. You have no particular feelings on her one way or the other
  820. >The trio stops at the base of the tree and begin bickering between themselves. Arguing over whose idea this was, who lost the map, and how angry their parents are going to be.
  821. > None of them ever look upward at your hiding spot in the branches
  822. > You’re not sure exactly what to do here.
  823. > On one hand, they’re p0nies, obviously looking for you and intent on capturing you. You can’t let that happen.
  824. > But you can’t just kill them, they’re children for Christ’s sake!
  825. > Children who are obviously completely lost. This forest is no place for children. They don’t look like they could fend for themselves.
  826. > With a heavy sigh, you realize what you have to do
  827. > You reposition yourself slightly before dropping from the tree
  828. > With a loud *THUMP*, you land in the dirt a few feet away from the fillies
  829. > They gasp at your sudden appearance, eyes wide with fear
  830. “OOGA BOOGA! I’M A BIG SCARY MONSTER!!!”
  831. >The three fillies unleash an ear shattering shriek and flee from your presence, tearing through the underbrush in a mad haste
  832. > You give a mock pursuit, herding them back in the direction of town.
  833. > These p0nies have a terrible sense of direction. Multiple times they’ve managed to turn completely around, heading back deeper into the woods
  834. > You make appearances when they slow down or lose direction, keeping them headed back toward town
  835. > They continue yelling and screaming the whole way
  836. > Most of it is incoherent, but you can make out the occasional “DON’T EAT US!”
  837. > The trees begin to thin as you approach civilization
  838. > Eventually, you arrive back at the apple orchard you ran through on the night you escaped
  839. > You stop on the border of the trees, allowing the three fillies to escape
  840. > The yellow and red filly cries out as you arrive, “BIG MAC! HELP US!”
  841. > Who the hell is Big Mac?
  842. > The ground trembles under your feet as a massive stallion thunders out from the orchard
  843. > Holy fuck he was massive. His coat was solid red with an orange mane, his green eyes ablaze with raw fury
  844. > Yeah, that’s probably Big Mac
  845. > You turn around and run back into the forest as fast as your legs can carry you.
  846. > Shorty after, you hear what sounds like an avalanche as the massive p0ny crashes through the brush behind you
  847. > You weave through the foliage, desperate to put as much distance as possible between you and this living avatar of destruction
  848. > The chase is punctuated by an occasional ear splitting crack behind you
  849. > It sounds like he’s tearing through whole trees rather than work around them
  850. > GOTTA GO FAST! GOTTA GO FAST!
  851. > Adrenaline and terror course through your veins, driving you on
  852. > The sounds of pursuit slowly begin to grow more distant as the forest becomes thicker, your greater agility giving more of an advantage over his massive form.
  853. > You keep running though
  854. > You don’t stop until you’ve arrived back at your cave, panting heavily and shaking
  855. > NEVER GO BACK. NEVER AGAIN. AVOID THE ORCHARD. NEVER GO BACK
  856.  
  857. Part (11)
  858.  
  859. > You wake up in a cold sweat, your dreams haunted by the horrific visage of the red destroyer
  860. > Piss. You need to piss
  861. > Groggily you rise to your feet, yawning as you rub the sleep from your eyes
  862. > You walk outside, the forest bathed in the dim twilight of predawn
  863. > You freeze mid-step, any remaining drowsiness instantly dispelled
  864. > Not twenty feet away stands the most glorious elk you’ve ever seen
  865. > His heads rises from the stream, locking eyes with you
  866. > Both of you stand perfectly still, staring at each other
  867. > He was old, probably at least 20 years, but still strong
  868. > His massive frame was covered in a thick dark coat, a massive rack of antlers atop his head
  869. > You stood there for what felt like hours, until the elk turned and ran, bounding into the forest
  870. > You stand there for a few minutes in silence, stunned.
  871. > That was no ordinary animal, that was a king among elk
  872. > For an elk to live that long, it must be exceptionally alert and strong
  873. > You knew hunters back home who would kill for a chance to hunt something like that
  874. > And you had that chance
  875. > It would be hard. It will take all day, maybe even more, to track that elk
  876. > And would take every ounce of your ability and cunning to take it down.
  877. > You grin grew on your face as you reveled in the challenge to come
  878. > There was just one thing needed to make this all perfect
  879. > You head back inside and retrieve your bow, a plan forming in your head
  880. >You lounge under a wild apple tree, feeling the warmth of the midday sun through your open jacket
  881. > You were surprised when you found this tree a few weeks ago, but the apples were pleasantly crisp. You had a few gathered back at camp.
  882. > You sat at the base of the trunk, hands folded behind your head and eyes closed
  883. > Despite your sleepy demeanor, you were wide awake and alert, waiting.
  884. > It wouldn’t be long now. You knew she couldn’t resist an opportunity like this.
  885. > As if on cue, you hear the soft flapping of wings, followed by a familiar voice
  886. > “Well, what do we have here?” Gilda asks sarcastically, “Sleeping on the job, anon?”
  887. “Oh, hello Gilda.” You lazily reply, keeping your eyes closed
  888. >“What’s wrong, dweeb? You finally realize that freaky-stick-thing of yours can’t compete with a good pair of talons?”
  889. “Oh please,” you retort, shifting slightly, “I could hunt better than you with my eyes closed.”
  890. >”Oh yeah?” she snaps back, “I bagged two rabbits this morning already, what have you got?”
  891. “Rabbits?” you scoff, opening your eyes, “I suppose that’s pretty good, but I prefer going after something a little more challenging than hares.”
  892. > Gilda’s eyes narrow, her self-assured smirk fading.
  893. > “Like what?” she asks
  894. > You lean forward, you know you have her attention now
  895. “There’s an elk in these woods. Old buck with a large rack. It would take a hunter with some REAL skill to bring him down.”
  896. >“I suppose you think that would be you.”
  897. “Well, I don’t mean to brag…”
  898. >”Stow it, freak.” Gilda cut in, “I’m going to bag that elk myself, and prove once and for all I’m the top predator around here.”
  899. “I’d like to see you try.”
  900. >With a loud huff, Gilda launched herself into the air, flying out of view
  901. > You couldn’t help but grin. You knew she wouldn’t be able to resist a challenge like this.
  902. > Hunting that elk was already going to be enjoyable, but beating her to the kill would make today that much more satisfying.
  903. > But if you were going to win, you needed to head out now.
  904. > You grabbed your bow and set of at a brisk pace
  905. > Before long, you arrived back at the tracks you scoped out this morning and began following them.
  906. > Your style of hunting was vastly different than Gilda’s
  907. > Gilda hunted by using her keen eyesight and greater speed. She would fly over vast swathes of land until she spotted prey.
  908. > Then she would swoop down at great speeds at snatch it before it could react
  909. > Your method, on the other hand, was much more direct
  910. > You tracked individual prey, relying on stealth to close the distance. It was slower than Gilda’s method, but it gave you an advantage here.
  911. > While she had to search throughout a wide area, you simply had to follow the tracks
  912. > But you still had to hurry, if she got lucky and spotted the elk before up caught up with it, she would win.
  913. > This elk was experienced at masking it’s tracks. It twisted and turned, wove through thick brush, and crossed streams at every opportunity.
  914. > You lost the trail several times as you hurried to catch up, forcing you to double back and retrace your steps, wasting precious time
  915. > You were still making progress though, the tracks and signs were becoming more and more fresh as the day went on.
  916. > You began to grow uneasy as you noticed a pattern in the direction of the tracks
  917. > They were heading west
  918. > A knot begins to form in your stomach as the scenery begins to change, growing more jungle-like
  919. > You hear the same unnatural silence you noticed the first time you were here
  920. > You still avoided this section of the woods after your encounter with the cockatrice, who knew what else lurked in here
  921. > You swallow your apprehension and push on through the vines and ferns
  922. > You weren’t going to back down now. You weren’t going to let her win
  923. > The prints in the mud are extremely fresh now, the elk can’t be far off
  924. > The eerie silence is broke by a loud avian screech above the canopy
  925. > A screech of victory and triumph
  926. > Dammit! She found the elk!
  927. > You sprint off into the foliage, desperate to get ahead of her
  928. > You are not going to lose!
  929. > You hear the sounds of struggle ahead of you
  930. > You burst into a small clearing, skidding to a halt at the sight of the scene before you
  931. > Gilda was in the center of the clearing, standing over the corpse of the fallen elk
  932. > Around her prowled five wolves, growling and snapping at the griffon
  933. > At least, they looked like wolves, but not any you’ve ever seen
  934. > They had coats as black as night, their eyes glowed like red coals in their sockets
  935. > Gilda swiped at the canines, trying keeping them at bay with her talons, but there too many
  936. > One of the wolves leaped through the air, mouth agape and talons outstretched
  937. > You quickly fire off a snap shot, impacting the wolf mid leap and sending it sprawling to the ground
  938. > Gilda’s gaze snaps toward you, her eyes wide with adrenaline
  939. > “What the hell are you doing here freak?”
  940. “Saving your ass! What’s it look like?” You shout back, drawing another arrow
  941. >”I don’t need your help!” she snaps back, swiping at another wolf that ventured too close
  942. “Oh yeah, sure. You really have things under control.” You sarcastically reply, drawing another arrow
  943. >You fire at another wolf, the arrow striking through the creature’s eye, killing it instantly
  944. > You’ve definitely got their attention now
  945. > One of wolves breaks off from the group, sprinting at you
  946. > You try to ready another arrow, but the hound closes the distance too quickly
  947. > The wolf leaps onto you, knocking you off your feet and sending your bow flying from your grasp
  948. > You painfully crash into the ground, the canine pinning your chest down with his paws
  949. > You slam your left forearm under his jaw as he lunges forward, jaw snapping shut inches from your face
  950. > You struggle to hold the creature’s maw away from you, trying to reach your knife
  951. > You can smell it’s foul breath as you fumble at your belt, drool dripping onto your face
  952. > Finally you free your knife, driving it into the wolf’s underside
  953. > The wolf yelps in pain as you work the blade upward, before it’s body goes completely limp
  954. > You push the body off you, scrambling to your feet
  955. > Gilda managed to dispatch one of the remaining wolves, but suffered some visible scratches in the process
  956. > The remaining hound pounces her, driving her back into a tree
  957. > Her head strikes the trunk with an audible crack, her body slumping to the ground
  958. > The wolf rears back, preparing to tear into her neck
  959. “Hey! Over here you mangy mutt!”
  960. >The wolf turns and looks at you, it’s eyes full of malice and cruelty
  961. > You hurl your knife with an overhand throw, sending it spinning through the air
  962. > The knife strikes the wolf between the eyes, the blade piercing through the skull
  963. > It takes a few groggy steps toward you, swaying with every movement, before collapsing to the ground in a heap.
  964. >Your arms hang limp at your sides, your breathing heavy and your body shaking as the adrenaline begins to wear off
  965. > Second time you’ve been here and you almost died again
  966. > It’s official, these woods suck
  967. > You move to check on Gilda, she’s lying unconscious at the base of the tree she struck
  968. > You can’t check her pulse through the feathers, but you can see the gentle rising and falling of her chest as she breathes
  969. > She’s got a few scratches here and there, but nothing that requires immediate attention
  970. > You make her a bit more comfortable, then go to retrieve your belongings
  971. > You retrieve your bow from the ground, checking it over for damage, but it seems unharmed
  972. > You pull your arrows and knife out from the corpses of the wolves. Even dead, they seem unnaturally evil.
  973. > Gilda’s still out cold, you feel a twang of guilt as you look at her
  974. > This whole hunt was your idea, she wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t challenged her earlier. It was your fault this happened.
  975. > And you certainly can’t just leave her here. More predators are bound to show up eventually, and no one deserves to be left to that
  976. > You give a sigh of resignation as you realize you really have no choice about what to do
  977. > You stow away your bow and move over to the griffon
  978. > You slump her unconscious form over your back, her arms and head hanging limply over your shoulders
  979. > She’s surprisingly light for her size. You figure it must be the feathers, or maybe she has hollow bones
  980. > You begin to hike through the forest, heading back toward camp.
  981. > It’s nearly nightfall when you arrive back at your hidden alcove
  982. > Gilda still hasn’t woken up, you lay her down to rest atop your makeshift bed
  983. > You practically collapse against the cavern wall and slide down to the floor
  984. > You’re completely exhausted from the day’s events
  985. > Sleep claims you quickly as the first stars begin to appear in the sky
  986.  
  987. Part (12)
  988.  
  989. > You awaken sitting on the floor, propped up against the wall of the cavern
  990. > It’s late in the morning, you slept in longer than you usually do
  991. > You stand up, working through the tension in your back from your awkward position
  992. > Gilda’s still unconscious on your bed, snoring slightly. It looks like she’s more asleep than knocked out by this point
  993. > You don’t know much about first aid or treating concussions, but rest would do her some good. Probably best not to wake her
  994. > You grab your bow and head outside, searching for breakfast
  995. > You didn’t want to be gone long in case she woke up, no time to look for something good
  996. > Squirrel it is then…joy
  997. > Within the hour you’ve acquired a trio of the large brown rodents
  998. > You sit near the fire at the mouth of the alcove, cleaning the squirrels with your knife and throwing the refuse into the nearby pond
  999. > As you finish skewering the meat over the fire to roast, you hear Gilda begin to stir behind you
  1000. > She sits up slowly, groaning and clutching her head
  1001. > “What…what happened?” she asks, her eyes bleary
  1002. “One of the wolves knocked you out,” You explain, turning the meat over the fire, “I brought you back here.”
  1003. > A simple, “Oh” is her only reply. You both stay silent while the food sizzles over the flames
  1004. > After you judge the meat has been cooked enough, you remove the two skewers, handing one to Gilda as you sit down opposite her
  1005. > “So,” you begin, not particularly looking forward to beginning your meal, “How are you feeling?”
  1006. > “Fine” she answers, digging voraciously into her food, “Other than this damn headache, and a few scratches, I’m fine”
  1007. “Good,” you reply, taking a few bites of the stringy tasteless meat, “Then you can go ahead and leave as soon as possible”
  1008. >“Nope, sorry. Can’t do that.” She says, casually tossing the now empty skewer over her shoulder
  1009. “What? Why?”
  1010. > “Because you saved my life.” She explains, rising to her feet and exploring your camp, “That means I owe you a life debt. My griffon honor demands I be in your service until my debt is cleared.”
  1011. > You choke on a mouthful of squirrel as you try to process what she just said. Life debt? No. No way. You are not dealing with this.
  1012. “Nope, not happening. I don’t want you here. I… absolve you, or whatever. No debt. Now get out.”
  1013. > “Sorry, doesn’t work that way.” she replies, a smug grin on her face as she grabs one of the apples you gathered the other day.
  1014. > God dammit, she’s enjoying this.
  1015. > “Besides,” she continues, polishing the apple against her chest, “You’ve got a pretty nice setup here, much better than the crappy old nest I have”
  1016. “So let me get this straight. Because I saved your life, you get to annoy me, sleep in my cave, and eat my food?”
  1017. > “Yeah, pretty much.” She answers, taking a large bite out of the apple, “Deal with it.”
  1018. > You sigh, burying your face in your palm. This shit is going to get old really fast.
  1019.  
  1020. Part (13)
  1021.  
  1022. > Stalking prey was a delicate process, requiring complete concentration. You would never catch your prey unless you made absolutely no noise
  1023. > Even the slightest noise, the smallest rustle, the tiniest snap of a twig…
  1024. *SNAP*
  1025. > Yeah, like that
  1026. > You throw your head back and groan in frustration
  1027. “Seriously, why can’t you just leave me alone?”
  1028. >“I told you,” Gilda replied from behind you, “I owe you a life debt. Griffon honor and all that.”
  1029. “And your griffon honor demands you follow me everywhere I go?” you ask, annoyed that she broke your cover again
  1030. > “No,” she replies, grinning, “It’s just funny.”
  1031. “We’ll see how funny it is when there’s nothing to eat tonight.” you snap back as you continue walking
  1032. > “Oh please, calm down dweeb. I could catch something to eat within an hour. I am the top hunter around here after all.” she bragged.
  1033. “Oh yeah? Since when?” you call back.
  1034. >“I did bag that elk before those wolves showed up. Or did you forget that little detail?” she taunted.
  1035. “Hmmm… I think I was too busy killing four of the five wolves and hauling your sorry ass all the way back to camp to notice.”
  1036. > Gilda stammers for a bit, struggling to find a decent retort
  1037. > “I distracted them.” She finally says
  1038. > You open your mouth, about to press the advantage in your verbal sparring, when you hear something on the edge of your subconscious
  1039. > You freeze in place, trying to pinpoint the faint noise
  1040. > Gilda’s notices you stop, sensing the sudden tension in your form
  1041. > “What is it?”
  1042. “Shh!” you hiss, “Do you hear that?”
  1043. >Gilda cocks her head to one side, listening intently
  1044. > “Yeah, I do. What is that?”
  1045. > The sounds are closer now, it sounded like footsteps.
  1046. > Or hoof beats
  1047. “Hide! Now!”
  1048. >You quickly climb a nearby tree, scurrying up into the branches
  1049. > If Gilda was surprised by your sudden outburst, she didn’t show it. She leaps up with a powerful flap from her wings, landing in the branches beside you.
  1050. > You find a good vantage point and silently wait, the hoof beats getting closer
  1051. > Your breath freezes in your chest as the p0nies come into view
  1052. > They’re royal guards, you would recognize those white coats and golden armor anywhere. There are three of them, two standard p0nies and a unicorn
  1053. > What where they doing here? The last time you saw any guards was weeks ago, and those were always pegasi.
  1054. > They never sent in search parties on foot, it would be too slow and there was too much land for them to cover. It was completely infeasible to try unless…
  1055. > Unless they narrowed down where to look.
  1056. > The fillies from earlier! Of course they would tell the other p0nies what they saw. Even if their direction were vague, the trail you tore running from Big Mac was so rough anyone could’ve followed it.
  1057. > You silently curse. Your camp was well hidden, but it wouldn’t be long before they found it if they were already this close.
  1058. > The guards pass without noticing you. You wait a few minutes to make sure the coast was clear before dropping to the ground
  1059. > “What was that all about? Scared of a few p0nies, anon?” Gilda teased, gliding down from the tree.
  1060. “Those guards were looking for me” you explain flatly, not in the mood for banter, “I’d rather not get caught.”
  1061. > Gilda seems genuinely shocked
  1062. > “Wait, hold on. You’ve got the Equestrian royal guard on your tail?” she asks, incredulous.
  1063. > “Well, you must be more badass than you look. So, what’d you do? Arson? Thievery? Piss in some noble’s cereal?”
  1064. “I ate meat in front of Princess Celestia”
  1065. > Gilda stares at you, stunned. Her mouth agape and jaw moving slowly up and down
  1066. > “Wow, are all humans that stupid? Or is it just you?”
  1067. “I don’t see how you’re being so passive about this.” you retort, “Won’t they execute you too?”
  1068. >“What for? I haven’t done anything. Well, they don’t have proof I’ve done anything” she clarifies
  1069. “What about the fact you eat meat? That’s all the reason they needed to try to kill me”
  1070. >“Most p0nies don’t even know griffons exist.” She explains “Even when they do meet one, it never occurs to them we might eat meat. They just assume we don’t.”
  1071. > That was news to you. You assumed she was living out here as a fugitive like you.
  1072. “So if the p0nies aren’t after you, what’re you doing out here?”
  1073. > “I just like it out here.” She shrugs, “What about you, how did you escape?”
  1074. > The memories of your imprisonment and Twilight’s mental invasions still haunted you. It wasn’t something you liked to think about, much less discuss.
  1075. > Besides, you don’t want to incriminate Rainbow Dash, you owe her that at least. The less people who know about what she did the better.
  1076. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
  1077. >“Alright jeez. No need to go all emo on me.” Gilda said, holding up her talons “So, what’re you going to do now?”
  1078. “I don’t know really,” you reply, “Probably just find another place to hide.”
  1079. >“Why not leave the country? You know, get out of Equestria?
  1080. “And go where exactly? I doubt the p0nies anywhere else would be more tolerant.”
  1081. > Gilda scratches the underside of her beak with her claw, thinking
  1082. > “You could go to Gryphonia.”
  1083. “Gryphonia?”
  1084. > “Yeah, Gryphonia. The land of the griffons. I was born there. It’s past the northern mountain border of Equestria”
  1085. > You start to warm up to the idea. A nation of griffons wouldn’t have a problem with another omnivore. And the more distance you put between you and Celestia the better.
  1086. “Alright, how far is it?”
  1087. >”Well…” Gilda replies, suddenly sounding unsure, “It’s about a solid three weeks flight from here…”
  1088. > You heart sinks. You could only hope to cover a fraction of the distance a flier could per day, even in the best of conditions.
  1089. > Plus, you would have to work through the terrain. Crossing rivers, working through forests, not to mention avoiding towns and roads…
  1090. > A three week flight would end up being a multi-month trek
  1091. > You sigh in resignation, it was still better than staying here
  1092. “Lead the way.”
  1093.  
  1094. Part (14)
  1095.  
  1096. “This sucks.” You complain, shivering from the rain and the cold
  1097. > The first week of the journey had gone well. After collecting your meager belongings from your camp, you and Gilda began your trek north to Gryphonia
  1098. > You were still in the forest, Gilda explained it took up most of the western half of Equestria. The plan was to follow it north, swinging west of Canterlot and other settlements.
  1099. > Then, we would cross the northern steppe, heading straight north for the mountain border of Gryphonia
  1100. > Things were going smoothly, until today
  1101. > Today just sucked
  1102. > It had been raining since this morning, a constant deluge of water that drenched everything within minutes
  1103. > Even with your coat closed and hood up, it wasn’t long before you were soaked to the bone
  1104. > Worse yet, the rain turned the ground into a thick quagmire of mud, slowing your process to a crawl.
  1105. > When it was time to set up camp for the day, you were muddy, wet, and thoroughly pissed off after covering only a fraction of the distance you wanted to.
  1106. > To make matters worse, the rain sent all the nearby animals into cover, making hunting impossible
  1107. > Not that you could have cooked the meat anyway, all the nearby timber was waterlogged. No fire tonight
  1108. > And to top it all off, the only shelter you could find was a under the branches of a large oak. The canopy doing little to divert the constant onrush of water
  1109. > Today really sucked
  1110. > You huddled under the tree, your legs pulled to your chest to preserve as much heat as possible
  1111. > Your clothes were soaked through, clinging to your skin and sapping precious warmth
  1112. > The thick clouds above blocked out the stars and the moon, plunging everything into total darkness
  1113. > The only illumination came from the occasional bolt of lightning that pierced the sky
  1114. > You remembered that being under a tree was not a good idea during a storm. But fuck it, you were in a forest, what’re the odds lighting would strike the one tree you were under?
  1115. > Your stomach growled, painfully empty from lack of food
  1116. > Between the rain, hunger, and cold, you knew there would be no sleep tonight. This was going to be an all-nighter.
  1117. > The storm still showed no sign of stopping, the thunder and rain creating a constant dull roar in your ears.
  1118. “This sucks…” You repeat for the hundredth time today.
  1119. > “Shut it…dweeb. I know it sucks.” Gilda replied from nearby
  1120. > She wasn’t spared the misery of the storm either
  1121. > Her feathers and fur were soaked and matted, giving her the appearance of a drowned rat or a wet cat
  1122. > You probably could have come up with some witty taunt or clever remark, but you really didn’t have the energy right now.
  1123. “No, I don’t think you comprehend the sheer magnitude of SUCK right now.”
  1124. > “I said... shut it” Gilda repeats, she clearly doesn’t have the energy for a decent retort either
  1125. “I mean, could this possibly get any worse?” you ask
  1126. > You should have known no one ever gets away with that comment.
  1127. > You hear a faint rumbling in the distance
  1128. > At first you think it’s just another roll of thunder, but it lasts too long, and it’s growing louder
  1129. > You rise to your feet, alert.
  1130. “Hey Gilda, do you hea-“
  1131. > You’re cut off as the rumble suddenly escalates into a deafening roar
  1132. > The clouds part as a massive flaming streak cuts across the sky, illuminating everything briefly in blinding light
  1133. > Shortly after, the ground buckles underneath beneath your feet as the sound of an explosion echoes through the forest
  1134. “WHAT THE FUCK WAS THA-“
  1135. > “Get down you idiot!” Gilda shouts, tackling you to the ground
  1136. > The shockwave hits moments later. A massive wall of compressed air tears through the trees, breaking of branches and sending large bits of flaming wood sailing overhead.
  1137. > You cover the back of your head with your hands as the debris falls around you, a small rain of dirt clods and small stones dropping from the sky.
  1138. > Slowly, the rain of debris comes to an end. You rise to your feet, brushing the dirt and mud from your chest
  1139. “Was that… was that a freaking meteor?!?” you ask
  1140. >“How should I know? I’m no scientist” Gilda replies, shaking the dirt and dust from her coat
  1141. > You survey the damage around you, the ground is littered with broken tree limbs and charred bits of wood.
  1142. > The meteor’s passage cleared the sky above you. The rain has been reduced to a faint drizzle, and you can see the bright stars and moon above you.
  1143. “Come on,” you say, “let’s go check out where that thing landed.”
  1144. >You head off in the direction of the explosion, Gilda falling in behind you.
  1145. > It isn’t hard to find where the meteor struck, the damage becoming more severs as you get closer
  1146. > Several trees have been uprooted by the force of the blast. Some even caught fire, illuminating the forest in a red glow.
  1147. > You eventually find a large crater in the earth, at least ten meters across and several meters deep, the ground inside charred black and steaming slightly in the rain.
  1148. > Curiosity overcame trepidation as you stepped over the rim of the crater, sliding down the sloped banks.
  1149. > “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Gilda called from the rim of the crater
  1150. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained!” You answer back, making your way to the center of the crater
  1151. > As you looked around, examining the crater, something near your feet caught your eye.
  1152. > You bend down, picking up a small black pebble
  1153. > It was about the size of a die, smooth with small angular edges.
  1154. > It’s surface was dark and glossy, like obsidian, but not reflective. The dim light of the stars and small fires around you seemed to spill into it.
  1155. > You expected it to be hot, or at least warm. But the pebble was cool to the touch.
  1156. > You had never seen a stone like this before. You decide to keep it, dropping it into one of your pockets as you head back out of the crater.
  1157. > “Find anything?” Gilda asks as you pull yourself over the edge of the crater
  1158. “Just this” you reply, showing her the curious black stone
  1159. > Gilda picked it up in her talon, holding the stone close to her eye and turning it slightly as she examined it
  1160. “Any idea what it is?”
  1161. > “Nope. I told you, I’m no scientist” she answers, handing the pebble back to you.
  1162. “Alright then,” you say, putting the stone back into your pocket and out of your thoughts, “Let’s see if we can get some sleep now that the damn rain has nearly stopped.”
  1163.  
  1164. Part (15)
  1165.  
  1166. > “Alright, do you see the big dipper?”
  1167. “Yeah, I see it”
  1168. > “Good, now follow the two stars that make up the far end…”
  1169. > You follow your father’s finger as it traces an imaginary line across the night sky
  1170. > “And you arrive at the little dipper, see it?”
  1171. “Yeah… I think so.” You reply, turning your head slightly, “It looks like it’s upside down.”
  1172. > He chuckles slightly, “Yeah, I suppose it is.”
  1173. > “Now, do you see that star on the end of the handle?”
  1174. > You nod in confirmation. The star on the end of the handle sticks out among the others, glowing more brightly than those around it
  1175. > “That’s the north star son. Every star in the sky rotates slowly except that one, which always points north.”
  1176. > “As long as you can find that star, you won’t be lost. You will always be able to find your way home if you can see that star.”
  1177. “Got it dad.”
  1178. > “Good,” he says, placing his hand on your shoulder, “You’re learning fast son, I’m very proud of you. I know you’ll do well.”
  1179. “Can you show me some of the other constellations?”
  1180. > “Yeah, I think we have some time before it gets too late. Let’s see… why don’t we start with Orion…”
  1181. > You bolt upright, your chest covered in a cold sweat
  1182. > You glance around, reminding yourself of your surroundings
  1183. > It’s the middle of the night, you were sleeping under a large overhang of rock you found yesterday.
  1184. > The remnants of a cooking fire smoke and softly crackle nearby
  1185. > You’re still in the woods. You’re still in Equestria
  1186. > You’re still not home
  1187. > Your bury your face in your hands, shuddering
  1188. > You can’t go home. You know you can’t go back. Why do you have to be reminded of that almost every night?
  1189. > You rise to your feet. You need a walk. You need to clear your head
  1190. > Gilda is curled up nearby, sound asleep. Her face tucked under her wing and her chest slowly rising and falling with each breathe.
  1191. > You slowly creep out of the alcove, careful not to wake her.
  1192. > There’s a full moon out tonight, bathing the forest in a pale white light
  1193. > You work your way through the trees. You have no idea where you’re going and honestly, you don’t really care
  1194. > You just needed to clear your head
  1195. > After a few minutes of walking, you find yourself in a clearing at the top of a small hill.
  1196. > It’s a near cloudless night, the stars of the sky in full display
  1197. > The last lights of day have long since faded, allowing even the meekest of stars to be visible.
  1198. > The tiny specks blend together into great streaks of cosmic dust, set against a backdrop of dark blues, blacks, and purples.
  1199. > It was beautiful really, like a gigantic painting, but it was bittersweet. You scanned the sea of lights, hoping to find that one unique star.
  1200. > You knew you wouldn’t find it
  1201. > You never found it
  1202. > Not since you arrived here
  1203. > You sat there for several minutes, just staring at the unfamiliar sky above you.
  1204. > Behind you, you hear the soft sound of claws and paws walking over the dew covered grass
  1205. > “Anon?” Gilda asked, sounding drowsy, “What’re you doing out here?”
  1206. “Nothing,” You reply, “Just…thinking.”
  1207. > “About what?”
  1208. > You’re silent for a few moments as you try to articulate your thoughts
  1209. “Gilda, how do you know which way is north?”
  1210. > Gilda looks at you, confused
  1211. > “This isn’t some bizarre philosophy crap is it? Like that tree in a forest thing?”
  1212. “No,” you shake your head, “I just mean, how do you direct yourself? With the stars and stuff.”
  1213. > Gilda moved forward, sitting beside you
  1214. > “Okay, do you see those three bright stars over there?” she asked, pointing with her talon.
  1215. > You follow her claw to a point a few inches above the horizon. You see three white stars, arranged in an isometric triangle
  1216. > “See how they form a triangle? The top always points north.” She explained
  1217. “But what good is that? The stars change every night.” You point out
  1218. > “Those three don’t. They’re always in the same spot.”
  1219. “Why?”
  1220. > “I don’t know,” she shrugged, “They just are.”
  1221. > You stare at the three stars for a while. It wasn’t much, being able to tell which way was north, but it was something you had missed.
  1222. > It was something that you could do back home, one of the many little things this world robbed from you
  1223. > But now you had it back.
  1224. > Gilda stood up, turning around and walking back toward camp
  1225. “Hey Gilda,” you call back, still sitting on the grass
  1226. > She stopped, looking back at you
  1227. “Thanks.”
  1228.  
  1229. Part (16)
  1230.  
  1231. >You curse as the sleeve of your jacket catches on yet another thorny vine
  1232. “Really Gilda, great job,” you call back as you try to free your arm from the clingy plant, “I think you found the densest concentration of thorns and brambles on the planet. Quite the accomplishment”
  1233. > “It’s your fault dweeb.” Gilda retorted from behind you as she struggled with her own vine, “Normally I can just fly over all this, but I have to guide your grounded ass.”
  1234. > Finally you free your arm and resume your slow pace forward, using your knife as a makeshift machete to clear through the thicket.
  1235. > The knife didn’t do much good. The plants were thick and flexible, simply stretching and moving under the strikes.
  1236. > The bushes rose to well above shoulder level, forming a near impenetrable barrier, forcing you to squeeze and worm your way through tiny openings.
  1237. > You had been working through this for the better part of a mile. Your clothes were covered with tiny spiked seeds and your hands stung from thousands of tiny pinpricks.
  1238. > Gilda fared no better, the barbs equally adept at working their way into feathers as cloth. Her coat was disheveled and you could see several feathers pinned to the bushes.
  1239. > Finally, you emerge from the thicket, tearing yourself free from the troublesome foliage
  1240. “At last!” you exclaim, plopping down onto the ground “Sweet, soft, non-prickly grass!”
  1241. > You yelp and jump back onto your feet as hundreds of tiny thorns embedded in your clothes simultaneously poke into your back.
  1242. > “Smooth move, dweeb.” Gilda remarks as she emerges from the brambles
  1243. “…shut up.” You reply, failing to devise a good retort. “Come on, we’ve got a lot of ground to make up.”
  1244. > You set off into the forest, Gilda following behind you with a triumphant smirk.
  1245. > As you make your way between the trees, a powerful odor hits your nostrils, causing you to stop in your tracks.
  1246. > The smell is recognized instantly, anyone would instinctively know that stench even if it was the first time they encountered it.
  1247. > The odor is base, simple, and foul. It sets off primal, deeply imbedded instincts and emotions, caution, wariness, and fear.
  1248. > It’s the smell of rotting flesh.
  1249. > The smell of death.
  1250. > Without a word, you unsling your bow and draw an arrow, looking behind you.
  1251. > Gilda’s eyes are wide and alert, her body tense. She recognizes it as well.
  1252. > You two of you creep forward, senses tuned to the slightest disturbance.
  1253. > The stench gets stronger as you move closer to the cause of the smell.
  1254. > You find the source at the bottom of a small gulley.
  1255. > It was a p0ny, with a dark blue coat and a black mane
  1256. > His neck was clearly broken, his head lying at an unnatural and awkward angle
  1257. > He had a gruesome gash wound on his chest and face, which was now infested with swarms of flies
  1258. > “Wow, sucks to be that guy,” Gilda remarked as she examined the body, “looks like a bear got to him.”
  1259. “Yeah, and not too long ago,” you reply, keeping your bow trained on the foliage around you, “I’d say about twelve hours, maybe more judging by the rot.”
  1260. > “Oh hey, I found his saddlebags”
  1261. > You look over your shoulder and see Gilda pull a pair of worn saddlebags out from a nearby bush
  1262. “Seriously? We’re robbing a dead guy?”
  1263. > “What? He doesn’t need them anymore.”
  1264. “Alright, fine.” You sigh, “Let’s just get out of here. That thing reeks and I’d rather not be around when the scavengers show up.”
  1265.  
  1266. > The sun was low in the sky as the two of you sat around your camp.
  1267. > Tonight’s meal was already taken care of, two hares roasted over the small cooking fire.
  1268. > “Alright, let’s see what we’ve got here.” Gilda said, tossing you one of the saddlebags and opening the other herself.
  1269. > You flip the clasp open and begin rummaging through the bag’s contents
  1270. > “First off, a pair of horseshoes…” Gilda listed, producing four small metal shoes
  1271. > “Useless.” She remarked, throwing them over her shoulder
  1272. “Trail rations,” you announce, pulling out five small wrapped bundles and placing them aside, “could be useful if we can’t hunt.”
  1273. > “Oh, score! Bits!” Gilda exclaimed, pulling out a small cloth pouch sealed off by a short cord
  1274. “Bits?” you ask, confused
  1275. > “Money.” She clarifies
  1276. “Ah.” You affirm, resuming your search.
  1277. > You grasp something smooth and heavy from the bottom of the bag. Pulling it out, you see it’s a large corked bottle, nearly full.
  1278. “Oh sweet! Wine!” you announce, presenting your find.
  1279. > “Seriously? Wine?” Gilda scoffs “I prefer something with a little more kick in it than that fruity frou-frou crap.”
  1280. “Same here, I hate wine actually.” You explain as you try to force the cork off with your thumb, “But alcohol is alcohol, and I haven’t had a drink in ages.”
  1281. > The cork comes off with a small *pop*. You wrap your lips around the opening and throw your head back in a large swig.
  1282. > You reflexively gag and sputter as the liquid hits your tongue. Good lord it was sour!
  1283. > You bury your face in your arm, coughing and trying to rid your mouth of the foul taste.
  1284. “Oh god! This stuff is spoiled!”
  1285. > Gilda laughs at your reaction, “Oh please, it can’t be that bad. You just can’t hold down your drink.”
  1286. “Oh yeah?” you challenge, holding out the bottle, “Let’s see you do any better.”
  1287. > “Alright then,” she agrees, grabbing the bottle from your hand, “let me show you how a griffon drinks.”
  1288. > She takes a massive swig from the bottle, pointing the bottom straight up into the sky
  1289. > You see her eyes go wide as the taste hits, her body shakes from barely suppressed gag.
  1290. > To your surprise, she still manages to take several gulps before lowering the bottle, breathing heavily
  1291. > “See?” she wheezes, “No problem.”
  1292. “Give me that bottle.” You demand. You’re not going to let yourself be shown up by her.
  1293.  
  1294. “Okay, okay, okay…” You laugh, trying to calm yourself down, “Give me another one.”
  1295. > “Alright, alright,” Gilda giggles, trying to stifle her own laughter with her claw, “Let’s see here…”
  1296. > “Trottingham”
  1297. “Nottingham”
  1298. > “Stalliongrad”
  1299. “Stalingrad”
  1300. > “Los Pegasus”
  1301. “Seriously? Los Pegasus? That’s not even trying anymore!” you exclaim, falling onto your back in another fit of laughter.
  1302. > “I know right?” Gilda agrees, sharing in your infectious laughter, “All p0ny names are like that. They’re ridiculous!”
  1303. > You take another swig from the bottle, watching the stars spin and twirl above you. This stuff wasn’t so bad, once you got used to it.
  1304. “I wonder, *hic*, I wonder what that blue p0ny’s name was.” you stammer, “It was probably Bluey, or Blues, or something…”
  1305. > “Bluey… Bluey sounds about right” Gilda agrees, her words heavily slurred.
  1306. > You sit up, raising the nearly empty bottle into the air.
  1307. “To Bluey,” you toast, “You unfortunate bear-mauled bastard.”
  1308. > Gilda raises an imaginary glass in the air. “To Bluey” she repeats, raising her claw to her beak and looking genuinely confused when she finds no drink inside.
  1309. > You snicker as Gilda’s display, leaning against a nearby tree.
  1310. > You notice Gilda running her beak repeatedly through her wings. She’s been doing that every few minutes throughout the whole day.
  1311. “Why do you keep doing that?” you ask
  1312. > “I’m preening. Those darn thorns from earlier just won’t come out.” She answers, sounding annoyed.
  1313. “Here, I bet I can get them out.” You offer, dropping the bottle and rising to your feet.
  1314. > “What? No, I can get them out myself.” Gilda protests
  1315. “No, no, no, no” You insist, stumbling across the camp, “You’ve been working at that all day. Let me help.”
  1316. > You position yourself behind Gilda, gently grabbing her wing in your hand
  1317. > “No, really, I don’t need you help An-“
  1318. > She’s cut off as you begin running your fingers through the feathers, working to the soft down beneath the surface.
  1319. > It doesn’t take long to find the troublesome thorns. As you pluck each one free, Gilda shudders under your hands, letting out a soft moan of pleasure.
  1320. > Dang, these things must have really been bothering her.
  1321. > After a few minutes, you’ve cleared the barbs from Gilda’s left wing
  1322. > Without a word, Gilda extends her right wing out from her body. You reposition yourself and begin clearing the thorns from that as well
  1323. > As you work, you feel your eyelids grow heavy and begin to droop lower and lower. You unceremoniously drop to the ground as sleep overtakes you.
  1324.  
  1325. > The morning sun breaks through the canopy of leaves above you, stinging your bloodshot eyes
  1326. > OH SWEET MERCIFULL LORD YOUR HEAD
  1327. > It feels like there’s a jackhammer pounding the inside of your skull
  1328. > You groan and clench your eyes shut from the painful light.
  1329. > You try to pull your blanket over your head, but it refuses to budge, it seems like it’s caught on something
  1330. > You pull harder, desperate for something to shield your eyes with
  1331. > Wait, something doesn’t seem right here.
  1332. > Your brain fights through the haze of your hangover, trying to put the pieces together
  1333. > Oh, that’s right. You don’t have a blanket.
  1334. > Then what are you pulling on?
  1335. “Grugh… stop pulling on my wing.” Gilda says lazily from behind you
  1336. > Your mind suddenly snaps into focus
  1337. > Gilda was spooning you from behind, her wing draped over your body
  1338. > WHAT THE SHIT
  1339. > Gilda must have reached the same realization as you, screaming and quickly kicking you away
  1340. > The two of you scramble away from each other, each backing up into the trunk of a tree
  1341. “OH GOD OH GOD WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT!?!” you shout
  1342. > “PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE TELL ME WE DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!” Gilda shouts back
  1343. “I DON’T KNOW! I DON’T REMEMBER!”
  1344. > “I DON’T REMEMBER EITHER! THEN HOW DO WE KNOW!?!”
  1345. “WAIT, MY PANTS ARE STILL ON! WE COULDN’T HAVE DONE ANYTHING!”
  1346. > “GOOD THINKING! SO THEN NOTHING HAPPENED!”
  1347. “RIGHT!”
  1348. > “RIGHT!”
  1349. “WHY ARE WE STILL SHOUTING?”
  1350. > “I DON’T KNOW!”
  1351. > You stare at each other, backs against the trunks and breathing heavily.
  1352. “Ok, so… um. I guess we should get moving?” you ask awkwardly
  1353. > “Yeah, moving. We should do that. Moving. Yes.” Gilda responded
  1354. > You were not looking forward to today.
  1355.  
  1356. Part (17)
  1357.  
  1358. > Finally, after weeks of hiking and walking, you reached the edge of the forest
  1359. > The trees slowly grew smaller and thinned out as you neared the edge
  1360. > Before you stretched an endless expanse of short golden grass and rolling hills, the northern steppe
  1361. > At the edge of the horizon, you could just make your destination. You could see the mountains of Gryphonia, just a thin jagged line on the horizon.
  1362. > You stopped under the last tree, finding it difficult to take another step
  1363. > You look back behind you at the thick forest
  1364. > That was your element, it had been your haven for a long time now.
  1365. > Out here, in the open with the vast sky above you, you felt… exposed, vulnerable.
  1366. > The gravity of your situation came rushing back. If you were spotted out here, there was nowhere to hide, nowhere to run.
  1367. > Gild notices you’ve stopped and turns back toward you
  1368. > “You ok, anon?”
  1369. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just…”
  1370. > “Don’t worry Anon, I’ve got your back.” Gilda reassures you, sensing your apprehension
  1371. “Thanks, G.”
  1372. > You step out into the prairie, feeling more confident. If something did happen, you knew you wouldn’t be facing it alone
  1373. > Something had grown between you and Gilda over these past few weeks. You both shared a feeling of comradery, you watched her back and she watched yours.
  1374. > You still competed, taunted and tried to outdo each other, but you were a team. You respected one another as rivals and equals.
  1375. > You wouldn’t rather have anyone else at your side.
  1376.  
  1377. > You trudge on through the endless sea of grass, devoid of even the tiniest landmark
  1378. > You didn’t head directly north. You zigzagged and cut across the landscape, jumping from one watering hole to the next.
  1379. > Water was scarce out here, and without a something to hold it in, you were bound by local sources
  1380. > Still, you were making progress with a simple system.
  1381. > Gilda would fly up into the air, using her keen eyesight to locate the next patch of water and plot a course north.
  1382. > Even so, there were many times you went nearly all day without a drink. This is one of those times.
  1383. > So it was with great relief that you spotted Gilda returning from her search
  1384. > She slowed her descent with a few flaps of her wings, landing softly in front of you with a pleased grin.
  1385. “So,” You ask, “Did you find the next watering hole?”
  1386. > “Yeah, it’s about a mile northwest of here.” She answers, “But I found something even better just beyond that.”
  1387. “Really? What is it? A river? A fountain of booze? Soap?”
  1388. > Gilda snickers at that last one, “Yeah I wish. But no, it’s a surprise.”
  1389. “All right fine, be all mysterious. Let’s just go, I’m thirsty as hell.”
  1390. > After about fifteen minutes of walking, you arrive at the watering hole Gilda spotted earlier
  1391. > It would hardly even qualify as a pond. It was more of a large puddle, only a few inches deep and surrounded by reeds.
  1392. > Still, water was water. You eagerly kneel down at the edge, gulping down the refreshing liquid.
  1393. > After a few moments rest, you resume your trek across the steppe
  1394.  
  1395. > Gilda led you forward towards whatever she had found while scouting earlier
  1396. > She stopped at the crest of a small hill, gesturing you forward
  1397. > As you reach the top of the hill, you’re astounded at the sight before you
  1398. > Below you lies hundreds of tents of various sizes and shapes, filling a large depression in the prairie.
  1399. > Countless figures milled between the tents. Many were unrecognizable to you, but you did make a majority of the forms.
  1400. > p0nies. There were p0nies down there
  1401. > You quickly dive to the ground, trying to hide yourself in the long grass.
  1402. “What were you thinking Gilda?” You hiss, “There are p0nies down there! Did you forget I was sentenced to death?”
  1403. > “Relax dweeb, It’s fine. That’s the Equestrian black market down there”
  1404. “Equestria has a black market?” you ask, incredulous
  1405. > “Sure, why not?” she shrugs, “Don’t worry, there’s no royal guards down there.”
  1406. “They’re still p0nies.” You reason, “What makes you think they’ll be any more receptive?”
  1407. > “Because there aren’t just p0nies down there. There’re griffons, zebras, diamond dogs, and a whole bunch of other species as well. Any p0nies down there have no problem with what you or I eat.”
  1408. “How do you know so much about this?” you inquire, cautiously rising your feet
  1409. > “I’ve been there a few times.” She explains, “Well, not there exactly, the market moves every couple of weeks to avoid getting caught, it’s like a big caravan.”
  1410. > “Besides,” she continues, “We can get some supplies down there, not to mention a decent meal and an actual bed to sleep on.”
  1411. > You still didn’t like the idea of strolling into plain view after spending so much time hiding, but the prospect of a good night’s rest and a proper meal was too good to pass up.
  1412. “Alright,” you concede, “Let’s go check it out.”
  1413.  
  1414. > This entire place was like one giant bazaar. Merchants peddled goods of questionable origin to the throngs of p0nies bustling through the makeshift streets between the massive tents.
  1415. > Gilda was right about there being more than just p0nies here. You’ve already passed a few other griffons, along with zebras, donkeys, and some sort of bipedal dogs.
  1416. > Some of them gave you an odd look, but most passed by without a reaction. After spending so long in near solitude, it was nice change of pace to be lost into the crowd.
  1417. > “Alright,” Gilda said, reaching into her saddlebags and pulling out a small cloth pouch, “Here’s half of the cash Bluey had on him, see what supplies you can get.”
  1418. > She emptied a small pile of golden coins onto her talon, handing them to you.
  1419. “Where are you going?” you ask, pocketing the bits.
  1420. > “I’m heading over to the Griffon quarter.” She answered, gesturing toward the west side of the compound, “I’m going to see if we can get a place to stay the night.”
  1421. “Alright, I’ll meet you there when I’m done.”
  1422. > As the two of you head your separate ways, you can’t help but feel a little concerned for Gilda’s safety.
  1423. > Wait, what were you thinking? You were the wanted man in a crowded market of outlaws, shouldn’t you be more focused on your own safety?
  1424. > Besides, Gilda’s a strong girl, she can handle herself. You’re sure she’ll be just fine.
  1425. > “PINCH MY FLANK AGAIN AND I’LL FLAY YOU ALIVE!”
  1426. > Yeah, she’ll be just fine.
  1427.  
  1428. Part (18)
  1429.  
  1430. > You make your way through the crowded streets. The air is filled with the mixed scent of various foods and mixed spices. Merchants shout slogans and boasts over the din of the moving crowd.
  1431. > You ignore the barrage of advertisements and ‘bargains’, you already spent most of the little money you had.
  1432. > You found a canteen for a reasonable price, a priority after a few days in the steppe, along with a small bedroll.
  1433. > You also bought a large bag of venison jerky from a Griffon vender. It was a bit tough, but well seasoned.
  1434. > You even managed to find a crude backpack, along with a map of Gryphonia. It was nice to finally be able to see where you were and where you were going.
  1435. > Unfortunately, that left you with only a couple of bits left, but still plenty of time before you were supposed to meet up with Gilda.
  1436. > So you decided to just explore a bit, taking in the sights and sounds of this massive market
  1437. > As you work your way through the crowd, you hear a peculiar voice call out.
  1438. > “Come one, come all, and learn your fate!”
  1439. > “Listen close before it’s too late!”
  1440. > The voice had a peculiar accent to it, and was almost lyrical in nature
  1441. > You see it’s coming from a hooded p0ny in front of one of the more ragged tents
  1442. > She must have noticed you looking, turning toward you she addresses you directly.
  1443. > “You there, friend, would you like a reading?”
  1444. > “I know it is just what you are needing.”
  1445. “I don’t believe in fate.” You answer, continuing on your way.
  1446. > She laughs at your response
  1447. > “Of course, on the strings of fate you do not play”
  1448. > “Your father would have it no other way”
  1449. > That stopped you in your tracks.
  1450. “How do you know about my father?” you demand.
  1451. > You could just make out a small smile under her hood
  1452. > “I know many things, o’ walker of woods”
  1453. > “Far more than one reasonably should”
  1454. > Ok, this was officially unsettling. How did she know about you?
  1455. > Was she a spy? An assassin sent by Celestia? She didn’t look threatening at least.
  1456. > You needed to find out who she was.
  1457. “Alright fine, I’ll take a reading. But I don’t have much money.”
  1458. > “Worry not,” she replies, “I will not charge you for my time”
  1459. > “To read your fate, the pleasure is mine”
  1460. > She opens the flap to her tent and steps inside, gesturing for you to follow
  1461. > You stoop under the opening, entering the dimly lit space
  1462. > The air was hazy and thick with strong incense. Various tribal masks and gourds hung from the ceiling and walls.
  1463. > The tent was lit by a few large candles places sporadically about, aided by the many tiny holes in the canvas ceiling.
  1464. > In the center was a large black cauldron, surrounded by various cushions and bubbling with a fluorescent green liquid.
  1465. > The p0ny took a seat on the far side of the cauldron and began muttering strange incantations under her breath
  1466. > As you sat down on the pile of cushions, the strange p0ny threw back her hood with one hoof
  1467. > Ok, so she wasn’t a pony at all, she was a zebra. Her coat was covered in a pattern of black and white stripes. Her mane had a similar pattern, arranged in individual locks that hung around her head.
  1468. > But her most striking feature was her eyes. Whatever color they had was lost beneath a thick silvery glaze.
  1469. > Finished with her incantations, she threw a small powder into the cauldron, which began to bubble and churn with greater intensity.
  1470. > She leaned forward, seeming pleased with her work.
  1471. > “The cauldron swirls shall tell us things”
  1472. > “And show us what your future brings”
  1473. “How are you supposed to read the cauldron? You’re blind.” You point out
  1474. > She turned toward you, looking you straight in the eye. Even blind, her gaze was powerful, she seemed to star straight into your soul.
  1475. > “I may be blind, unable to see”
  1476. > “But I know all things that will come to be”
  1477. > She turned her attention back to the bubbling concoction, staring at it intently.
  1478. > “Every life is a balanced scale”
  1479. > “That tips and turns throughout their tale”
  1480. > “One side holds joy and success”
  1481. > “The end that we all desire best”
  1482. > “The other hold pain and sorrow”
  1483. > “A truly misfortunate tomorrow”
  1484. > “And in every life, there is a crucial time”
  1485. > “When the scale falls forever to one side”
  1486. > “And no matter how you struggle or feel”
  1487. > “Your destiny is forever sealed”
  1488. > “But for you, it seems that time did pass”
  1489. > “It was when you spared that mare your wrath”
  1490. > Wait, did she mean Twilight? So the decision to spare her determined your entire future? No, you refused to believe that. Fate isn’t set in stone, you controlled your own destiny.
  1491. > And yet, as much as you didn’t believe in prophecy and fortunes, this zebra knew things she shouldn’t. Magic was very real in this world, was perceiving the future really so farfetched?
  1492. “So,” you ask, your curiosity bettering your skepticism, “Was that the right choice?”
  1493. > She peers deeper into the swirling mix, growing confused and flustered.
  1494. > “Your ultimate fate, I cannot see”
  1495. > “You struggle against the chains of destiny”
  1496. > “But I see many questions bounce around your head”
  1497. > “Enough to keep us here till bed”
  1498. > “And so I will answer none save one”
  1499. > “The one you’ve asked since your journey begun”
  1500. > She was right, you had a million questions about this world, many of which Gilda was unable to answer.
  1501. > Was this a different planet? A different time? Were there other humans somewhere? How did magic work? How did p0nies evolve?
  1502. > However, there was one question that overrode all others. A question you asked yourself every day and every night.
  1503. “How do I get home?”
  1504. > She smiled at you, as if she knew that was what you were going to ask
  1505. > “You’ve already come far, the end is near”
  1506. > “To me, this is perfectly clear”
  1507. > “But to make your way, you must hold the key”
  1508. > “It is the only thing that can protect thee”
  1509. > You couldn’t help but get excited at her response. This was the first clue you’ve gotten since you arrived.
  1510. “Then what is the key? Where do I find it?” You ask anxiously
  1511. > “My friend, you’ve already got it” she replies with a smirk,
  1512. > “It resides within your pocket”
  1513. > You were confused, you didn’t have anything in your pockets except for a few bits and...oh
  1514. > You reach into your coat pocket, retrieving the smooth black stone
  1515. > You had practically forgotten about it, it had been sitting in there untouched for weeks
  1516. “You mean this?” you ask, holding up the stone, “What’s so special about it?”
  1517. > “That stone is of no earthly vein”
  1518. > “It is known as goddess bane”
  1519. > “As long as your person it adorns”
  1520. > “You will be shielded from those with horns”
  1521. > Well what the hell did that all mean? You already guessed it was a meteorite, but what did she mean by shielded? Was it a good luck charm?
  1522. > Before you can ask her to clarify, she looks away and stares off into the distance, as if listening to something only she can hear.
  1523. > Abruptly she turns back toward you, her expression serious.
  1524. > “It seems our time has come to an end”
  1525. > “I wish you luck on your path my friend”
  1526. > “There come those who would wish you harm”
  1527. > “It would be best if you were gone”
  1528. > She rises to her feet and ushers you out of the tent, pushing you with her head
  1529. “Wait! Hold on! I don’t understand!” you protest
  1530. > You’re quickly shoved out of the tent and back into the sunlight, the canvas flap closing behind you
  1531. > You look around warily, her abrupt warning putting you on edge.
  1532. > Everything looks alright though, no one looks like they’re about to attack you.
  1533. > You do notice a group of those bipedal dogs pointing up into the sky, talking amongst themselves.
  1534. > You follow their gaze, shielding your eyes from the sun.
  1535. > What the hell was that? It looked like a massive flock of birds, passing under the shadow of a small cloud
  1536. > Couldn’t be birds though, they were too big. It looked like they were… oh no… oh god no…
  1537. > As the massive flock clears the shadow, the sunlight reflects off hundreds of sets of gleaming golden armor.
  1538.  
  1539. Part (19)
  1540.  
  1541. > You stare at the mass of approaching guards, immobilized by complete shock.
  1542. > It can’t be them. It couldn’t be them. How did they find you? You hadn’t even seen another p0ny since…
  1543. > A loud voice echoes throughout the tents, snapping you back to attention
  1544. > “RAID!!!”
  1545. > Instantly, pure chaos breaks out within the market.
  1546. > Venders and customers who were just a moment before chatting and bartering jumped each other, desperately snatching as many goods as possible
  1547. > No honor among thieves it seems.
  1548. > You need to get out of here, if those guards catch you and send you back, you won’t get another chance to escape.
  1549. > You take off at a mad sprint into an empty alley, unslinging your bow from your shoulder. It’s a good thing you thought to string it before coming down here.
  1550. > You search frantically for a way to escape, maybe hide in a cart, or sneak off into the steppe…
  1551. > Wait, what about Gilda? She’s on the other side of the market, you couldn’t possibly get to her before those pegasi arrive.
  1552. > You can’t just leave her though, you need her to get into Gryphonia. But if you stuck around, you risked getting caught, and being sent back to Celestia…
  1553. > You make your decision, turning west toward the griffon quarter
  1554. > Gilda promised to watch your back, you were sure as hell going to watch hers
  1555. > The sounds of fighting behind you grow closer as you weave between the tents
  1556. > Looking behind you, you see the sky full of pegasi, some of them pulling chariots. As the chariots pass over the tents, magical bolts rain down in a constant barrage.
  1557. > It was like some sort of magical carpet bombing!
  1558. > You run for cover, diving under an overturned wagon as the chariots pass overhead
  1559. > The ground shakes under the impact of the magical mortars, the shockwaves painful in your ears
  1560. > As the explosion grow more distant, you emerge from your improvised shelter, coughing through the thick smoke and dust
  1561. > The ground around you is littered with small smoking craters, many of the tents engulfed in flames or collapsed. It’s a small miracle you weren’t hit.
  1562. > The chariots in the distance break their formation, heading out in search of individual targets or descending to land.
  1563. > You continue your run, working through the blistering heat and flaming debris. You occasionally pass a charred body, felled by the aerial bombardment.
  1564. > In some the burning tents you hear the haunting wails of the poor souls trapped inside.
  1565. > This was just sick, and they called you the monster
  1566. > Your progress is slow, there seemed to be little planning in the placement of the tents, creating roads that twisted and turned repeatedly.
  1567. > Some paths were blocked by debris, forcing you to backtrack
  1568. > Finally, you enter one of the main boulevards, a much wider street than ran the length of the compound
  1569. > Unfortunately, that also meant you were exposed out of cover.
  1570. > You see one of the chariots in the distance bank, turning parallel to the road and heading towards you
  1571. > You could run, make it to the other side of the street far before it reached you. You could easily lose them in the winding alleys.
  1572. > But you were tired of that. Ever since you arrived here you have done nothing but run, hide and cower from these p0nies
  1573. > It was high time you fought back
  1574. > It was time to get dangerous
  1575. > The chariot begins a slow dive, heading straight at you. That crazy pegasus intended to ram you!
  1576. > You stand your ground, taking a shooting stance and drawing an arrow
  1577. > You draw back to your chin, leveling your bow at the pegasus pulling the chariot.
  1578. > You had to wait until your aim was sure, the broadhead couldn’t pierce that armor he wore.
  1579. > He kept coming at you, intent on playing this deadly game of chicken
  1580. > He was nearly level with you now, barreling down the street at incredible speed
  1581. > You waited for the perfect moment, the bowstring digging into your fingers
  1582. > He was less than ten meters away, you could see the fierce determination in his eyes
  1583. > You fire
  1584. > The arrow flew forth, striking the pegasus in the neck, just above the breastplate
  1585. > His expression turned to complete shock for a moment, before his body went limp in the harness
  1586. > You drop to one knee, the now driverless chariot sailing overhead by only a few inches
  1587. > The chariot crashed into the earth behind you, carving a small trough several meters long as it plowed to a halt.
  1588. > You rise back up, looking back at the mangled wreck behind you
  1589. > Your heart drops as two unicorns groggily pull themselves from the twisted remains
  1590. > You remember what happened back at Celestia’s castle, the way they effortlessly disarmed you. You needed to put them down fast.
  1591. > You quickly draw and fire, catching the first of the unicorns in the side of the head
  1592. > The second stares in shock as his comrade slumps unceremoniously to the ground
  1593. > You fire off another snap shot, desperate to end this before he can recover.
  1594. > Your hastily aimed arrow strikes the unicorn’s breastplate, deflecting harmlessly of to the side
  1595. > Your attack breaks him from his daze. He glares at you, his horn glowing in a faint blue aura
  1596. > With a crack of ionized air, a magical bolt of energy fires forth, aimed directly at our chest
  1597. > Well, you suppose death by lightening was a pretty badass way to go
  1598. > You cringe, bringing your arms up to shield yourself from the incoming blast
  1599. > Surprisingly, it fizzles half a foot away from you, the magical energy dissipating into the air
  1600. > You and the unicorn stare at each other, neither knowing exactly what just happened.
  1601. > You recover first, snatching another arrow from your quiver and quickly nocking it to the string
  1602. > The unicorn guard lowers his horn again, firing anther bolt straight at you
  1603. > Like the first, it dissipates into the air just before hitting you
  1604. > You don’t know why his attacks aren’t working, but you’re not going to look a gift horse in the mouth
  1605. > Your next shot is more aimed than your last, piercing through the guard’s eye
  1606. > The unicorns stumbles awkwardly for a bit, before falling sideways into the dirt
  1607. > You lower your bow, feeling the tension of the last few moments fade away
  1608. > You suppress a small shudder. You’ve never killed a sentient creature before. You knew what you did wasn’t wrong, they intended to kill you as well.
  1609. > You loathed these p0nies, you hated what they did to you, but it still left a foul taste in your mouth. You didn’t like it.
  1610. > No time to wallow though, you need to get to Gilda
  1611. > You reenter the alleys, resuming your sprint
  1612. > That fight with the unicorn puzzled you. Why didn’t his attacks work?
  1613. > Did he make a mistake? No, he looked genuinely confused when the spell dissipated, something caused it to fail.
  1614. > You felt like you knew the answer, what was it…
  1615. > Wait, what did that zebra say?
  1616. > “As long as your person it adorns”
  1617. > “You will be shielded from those with horns”
  1618. > It was the meteorite! ‘Those with horns’ meant unicorns! The stone must shield you from magic! So that’s why the unicorn’s attacks failed.
  1619. > This revelation filled you with newfound confidence. Magic was always the one thing you couldn’t fight against, your total weakness since arriving here, but now you had a way to resist it.
  1620. > As you enter the griffon quarter, you notice there are far less craters and burning tents around. In the streets, you notice several wrecked chariots, as well as many fallen pegasi guards.
  1621. > It seems the griffons were actually making a fight of it.
  1622. > You follow the sounds of fighting, leading you deeper into the network of tents.
  1623. > Finally you find the battle, a massive swarm of pegasi and griffons churned overhead in an intense dogfight.
  1624. > The griffons were outnumbered at least two to one, but they were bigger, and their claws were proving far more effective than hooves in the melee.
  1625. > Still, the weight of numbers was beginning to weigh on them. You see a griffon crash into a collapsed tent, two pegasi clinging to his back
  1626. > It was a close fight, the slightest nudge could mean victory for either side
  1627. > You skid to a halt and pick your targets. You rapidly loose three arrows into the sky, and three pegasi fall to the ground.
  1628. > Now the momentum was fully with the griffons. The battle quickly turned into a complete rout as the pegasi scattered in every direction.
  1629. > Some griffons chase the fleeing guards, while most land in the streets around you
  1630. > “Anon!” Gilda shouts, gliding to the ground in front of you. Her white coat and talons were stained with blood, her feathers slightly disheveled.
  1631. > “What are you doing here?” she asks, “When I saw the explosions I…”
  1632. “I’m fine,” you interrupt, “but we can’t stay here, we need to get moving”
  1633. > Gilda looks back at the group of griffons, shaking her head
  1634. > “No, I can’t.” she says, her voice firm, “Griffons don’t abandon each other in a fight, it isn’t honorable.”
  1635. > “You’ve already done more than enough today Gilda Swiftbeak.” A gruff voice replies.
  1636. > A large griffon steps toward the two of you. He was massive, almost as tall as you and heavily built. His coat was a dark charcoal grey , with a white head similar to Gilda’s
  1637. > The feather crown on his head was shorter though, the tips colored a faint crimson and splayed out at a wider angle
  1638. > “This is our home, it is our duty to fight for it.” He continues, “You’ve already represented the Swiftbeaks well, there is no shame in leaving now.”
  1639. “Swiftbeak?” you ask, confused
  1640. > “It’s my clan name.” Gilda explains
  1641. > The large griffon turns toward you, bowing his head slightly
  1642. > “My thanks to you as well. You are not a griffon, nor a member of any of our clans, yet you fought along side us.”
  1643. “It was no problem.” you reply, holding out your hand, “Name’s Anon, by the way.”
  1644. > He grasps it in a firm shake, smiling
  1645. > “I am Bengta, of the clan BloodEagle. You fight with great skill Anon, I hope we meet on the field of battle again in the future.”
  1646. “Uh, okay. Same to you.” You reply awkwardly, “But what are you going to do now?”
  1647. > “We’ll salvage what we can here.” He answers, “Then head out and rejoin whoever else made their escape.”
  1648. “Good luck to you then.” You say, bowing slightly
  1649. > You and Gilda turn and head out, leaving the scene of battle behind you.
  1650. > “By the way dweeb,” Gild began, “I got five.”
  1651. “Six.” You reply with a grin.
  1652.  
  1653. > Once you left the city of tents, the two of you broke off into a sprint, hoping to get away before you were spotted
  1654. > Luckily, the guards seemed too preoccupied within the camp to notice your escape. You could see the individual pegasi and chariots dart back and forth, dealing with what little resistance remained.
  1655. > You don’t stop running until the sun has begun to set, casting the prairie in an orange, golden light.
  1656. > Finally, exhaustion forces you to stop at a small watering hole.
  1657. > As you pant for breath, hands on your knees, you see Gilda walking toward you.
  1658. > Her expression is serious, almost angry
  1659. > “Alright Anon, I need an explanation.” She demands
  1660. “About what?” you ask
  1661. > “About you. You told me you’re not from here, and that Celestia wanted you dead, but I need the whole story.”
  1662. “I told you I don’t want to talk about it.” You answer sternly
  1663. > “Well that’s too bucking bad!” she snaps.
  1664. > “If we’re going to go through that,” she says, pointing back toward the market, now only a dark cloud of smoke in the distance, “I need to know why, I need to trust you.”
  1665. > You remain silent. You don’t know why, but that last part hurt.
  1666. > “I want to trust you.” Gild clarifies, her anger subsiding, “But you need to help me.”
  1667. > You sigh in defeat. She was right, she deserved to hear the story
  1668. “Alright, I’ll tell you. You better sit down, this will take a while.”
  1669.  
  1670. > By the time you finished recounting the events that transpired since you arrived in Equestria, the sun had long since set and the moon had risen high into the sky
  1671. > The steppe grows quiet as you finish your tale, only the faint chirping of crickets and the soft wind the grass breaking the silence
  1672. > Gilda didn’t say anything during your entire story, she simply listened as you spoke.
  1673. > Neither of you had started a fire, the only light came from the stars and moon above you
  1674. > You both sat there in silence as your words sank it
  1675. > “I had no idea.” Gilda finally said, sounding remorseful
  1676. > It hadn’t been easy to talk about what Twilight did, you had to stop several times to steady your breath.
  1677. “So you believe me then?”
  1678. > Gilda nods, her silhouette barely visible in the dim light
  1679. > “It sounds crazy, being from another world, but yes, I believe you. I know you weren’t lying about Rainbow Dash, that was just what she’d have done.”
  1680. “Did you know Rainbow Dash?” You ask.
  1681. > “Yeah, we were friends for a long time.” She answers, her voice heavy, “We went to flight camp together.”
  1682. > You had no idea what a flight camp was, but you let her continue her story
  1683. > “No one knew about my diet, I would only hunt on the weekends. But Dash got suspicious, one week she followed me out and discovered what I had been doing.”
  1684. > “I expected her to run, or scream, or tell the others. But she didn’t, she stayed. She didn’t understand, but she wanted to. She didn’t give up on me.”
  1685. > Gilda chuckled to herself, “She was always loyal like that.”
  1686. “I owe a lot to her. I wouldn’t have gotten out of there if she hadn’t helped.”
  1687. > You both sat there in silence, listening to the gentle noises of the night.
  1688. > “I think I’m going to call it a night anon,” Gilda said, standing up, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
  1689. “Yeah, me too. Goodnight Gilda.”
  1690.  
  1691. Part (20)
  1692.  
  1693. > You take a deep breath, trying to steady your nerves
  1694. > You clear your throat, hands clenched at your sides
  1695. “Dad,” you begin, your voice shaking, “I need your help.”
  1696. > His face remains passive, showing no reaction
  1697. “You taught me I needed to find my own path, that I need to control my own destiny”
  1698. > The words start to come tumbling out, faster and louder as you continued
  1699. “You showed me how to find my way no matter where I was, so I would never be lost.”
  1700. > Your voice is rising, starting to grow angry
  1701. > You want to stop, to just calm down. But you can’t, that’s not the way things happened.
  1702. “You showed me how to walk, but I don’t know where to go!” you shout
  1703. > He doesn’t say anything, you knew he wouldn’t
  1704. > You slam your hands on the edge of the coffin, years of frustration taking over
  1705. “Dammit dad! How could you go? I still need you! I need you to show me where to go!”
  1706. > The tears were flowing freely now, spilling onto your suit
  1707. > You could hear the hushed whispers behind you, you knew you were making a scene
  1708. > You knew that they were watching
  1709. > You didn’t care then, you didn’t care now
  1710. > But there was something else.
  1711. > She was here
  1712. > You could feel her watching.
  1713. > She shouldn’t be here. This was your memory. This was your life.
  1714. > She had no right to be here
  1715. > You didn’t want her here
  1716. “Get out…” you whisper
  1717. > The murmuring stops behind you, you were deviating from the memory
  1718. “Get out.” You command, your voice growing firm.
  1719. > Details begin to drop out of focus, the world growing blurry
  1720. “I SAID GET OUT!”
  1721.  
  1722. > You bolt upright, your body covered in sweat despite the cool night air
  1723. > You look around, checking your surroundings
  1724. > You were back on the steppe, the soft breeze rustling through the grass
  1725. > The mountains of Gryphonia were visible on the horizon as a great swathe of starless sky.
  1726. > You were close now, you would only be a couple weeks before you were out of Equestria.
  1727. > You shudder, trying to steady your heavy breathing
  1728. > How long was this going to go on? How long would these nightmares plague you?
  1729. > They weren’t even bad memories, many of them were of friends and family
  1730. > But you couldn’t recall any of them without being reminded of what Twilight did to you, without feeling like she was still watching.
  1731. > That was the greatest scar, she twisted even your fondest memories into nightmares.
  1732. > You wondered if you’d ever get them back
  1733. > You lay back down on the bedroll, trying to make up for lost sleep
  1734.  
  1735. > Finally, the long expanse of grassland was broken as you neared the mountain chain
  1736. > A thick conifer forest grew in the foothills, the ground covered in a soft layer of fallen pine needles and moss
  1737. > The smooth trunks of the pins towered above you, their branches casting a complex pattern of shadows over your surroundings.
  1738. > You felt relieved to be back under the canopy of trees, back in the environment you were experienced with
  1739. > The two of you followed glacier fed streams through valleys and canyons, the mountains dominating the skyline in front of you.
  1740. > You were eager for this journey to finally be over. Soon you wouldn’t have to worry everyday if you would be captured by those damn p0nies. You would finally be free.
  1741. > And not a moment too soon, the seasons were beginning to change. You noticed the days were growing progressively colder and shorter, fall was in full swing now.
  1742. > You weren’t prepared to survive a winter on your own, you would need a place to stay. How you were going to manage that, you weren’t sure, but one day at a time.
  1743. > At least the change in season brought new game. Migratory birds began making their way south over the mountains, and proved to be just a stupid as the ones from back home.
  1744. > And so you found yourself enjoying a fine roasted goose, sitting on a moss covered boulder
  1745. > “I’m just saying,” Gilda said between bites of her own meal, “I don’t see how hunting with that weird stick thing can be enjoyable.”
  1746. “For the last time, it’s called a bow.” You retort, “And it is enjoyable, I like the challenge.”
  1747. > “But there’s no thrill! No chase!” Gilda responds, gesturing with her talons, “You just sneak up and shoot it! There’s no fun in that.”
  1748. > You take a swig from the canteen, preparing your response
  1749. “Sneaking up on prey is fun. It takes skill” you answer back, “Not that you would know. You just divebomb the first thing you see, screeching for all the world to hear.”
  1750. > “The world needs to know how awesome I am.” Gilda brags, tossing a bone behind her, “Speaking of which, we need to work on your battle cry, it’s pretty pathetic.”
  1751. “I’ll get right on that.” You sarcastically reply
  1752. > You both return to your meals, content to let the verbal stalemate rest.
  1753. > However, you get that strange feeling again, when your subconscious notices something you haven’t.
  1754. > You straighten up, straining your ears to listen
  1755. > You can just make out the sounds of something moving through the brush
  1756. > It’s movements are purposeful and deliberate, not the random wanderings of some animal
  1757. > Someone is coming
  1758. > Your rise from your seat, grabbing your bow
  1759. > Gilda is on alert as well, her wings flared and back arched
  1760. > Whoever is out there is still coming toward you at a calm pace
  1761. > You drum your fingers anxiously on the taught bowstring, awaiting their arrival
  1762. > Finally, the figure comes into view, your breath seizing in your chest
  1763. > Surprise quickly turns to disbelief, before melting into pure unbridled hatred
  1764. > Your hands shake with barely controlled rage, tentatively held back by the force of will
  1765. > Somehow you knew this day would come.
  1766. > Of course it would be now, only when you were so close to being done.
  1767. > Finally you manage to speak, forcing the words through clenched teeth
  1768. “Hello Twilight.”
  1769. > “Hello Anon,” she answered, her voice dripping with contempt, “It’s been a long time.”
  1770.  
  1771. Part (21)
  1772.  
  1773. > Rage boiled inside you, it took every ounce of your willpower not to shoot Twilight immediately
  1774. > But first you needed answers
  1775. “How did you find me?” you demand, tightening the grip on your bow
  1776. > “The arrows at the market,” Twilight explains, her voice cold, “You’re the only one who uses a weapon like that.”
  1777. > “Being so far north, it only made sense you were heading to Gryphonia. After teleporting to the market, I simply had to follow the remains from your camps north.”
  1778. > “It was easy really, you left a lot of evidence.” she elaborates, “Pretty sloppy work Anon, your father taught you better than that.”
  1779. “You don’t get to talk about my father!” you snap, anger building
  1780. > “You’re going to pay for what you did Twilight.” Gilda threatened, claws digging into the dirt
  1781. > “Oh, hello Gilda.” Twilight said dismissively, as if noticing her for the first time, “It figures you would team up with it, you have so much in common.
  1782. > There it was again, that damn ‘it’
  1783. > “I can’t believe I actually welcomed you into P0nyville,” Twilight continues, sounding disgusted, “If I had known what a monster you really were…”
  1784. > “I’m going to flay you alive for that.” Gilda sneered
  1785. “No Gilda.”
  1786. > Gilda turns toward you, confused
  1787. “I need you to stand out on this one.”
  1788. > “What?” she exclaims, outraged, “Are you trying to showboat here Anon? I’m not going to stand aside and let her-“
  1789. “Gilda,” you cut her off, your voice stern, “I need to do this myself.”
  1790. > You look her in the eye, those golden irises full of determination and fury
  1791. “Please Gilda.”
  1792. > She meets your gaze, silent for a few moments
  1793. > “Alright, fine.” She consents
  1794. > “But if you kick the bucket on this,” she continues, jabbing your chest with one claw, “I’m never going to forgive you.”
  1795. “I got this.” You nod
  1796. > With a mighty flap from her wings, Gilda launches herself straight up into the air, disappearing above the branches
  1797. > “Aw, how touching.” Twilight taunts
  1798. “Shut up.” You answer, drawing your bow, “Get ready.”
  1799. > “I should have done this a long time ago.” Twilight sneers, leveling her horn, “Sparing you even for a moment was a mistake.”
  1800. “Funny. I was just thinking the same thing.” You reply, taking aim
  1801. > Twilight fired first, sending a blast of magical energy straight at your chest
  1802. > The guard unicorn’s attack paled in comparison to this. While his was a bolt, Twilight’s was a veritable lightning blast.
  1803. > The air burned and ionized as it arced toward you, but you held your ground, trusting the stone in your pocket to do it’s job
  1804. > Sure enough, mere inches before impact, the spell fizzled out into nothingness
  1805. > Twilight stared in shock, seeing her attack fail so completely
  1806. “Sorry! No magic!” you taunt, releasing the arrow
  1807. > The arrow flew forth, heading straight for her throat
  1808. > Twilight reacted quickly, forming a magical barrier around her, stopping the arrow and letting it fall harmlessly to the ground
  1809. > Damn, you should have expected her to have magical defenses. At least she can’t attack, you’ll break through eventually
  1810. > Twilight glared at you, her horn lighting up once again
  1811. > Instead of another magical bolt, multiple large stones and logs lifted themselves from the ground, hovering around her.
  1812. > Oh fuck, she may not be able to effect you, but she can still effect the things around you
  1813. > Twilight began launching the makeshift projectiles at you in a thick barrage
  1814. > You dodge desperately, fist sized rocks whizzing past your head at deadly speeds
  1815. > You roll for cover, diving into the thick foliage for protection
  1816. > The barrage stops as Twilight loses track of you, her eyes scanning the brush for the slightest sign of movement
  1817. > A direct approach isn’t going to work here, you need to surprise her, get past her defenses.
  1818. > You slowly draw another arrow, stealthily working your way around for a better shot
  1819. > “You can’t beat me Anon!” Twilight taunted, levitating more ammunition around her, “I know everything about you! I know you better than you know yourself!”
  1820. > “For example,” she continued, “That is a recurve bow, draw weight of fifty pounds. You built it when you were sixteen with wood from a tree in your back yard. You can shoot an aimed shot once every seven seconds.”
  1821. > Your gut wrenches. She was right, she had seen all of your memories. She knew everything about you
  1822. > “Right now you’re relying on stealth in favor of a direct attack. You’re stalking me like prey being hunted. But I’ve noticed something even you haven’t about the way you hunt.”
  1823. > She turned suddenly, looking straight at you
  1824. > “You always circle to the right!”
  1825. > She resumes the onslaught, sending rocks and debris tearing through the brush
  1826. > You duck and stumble awkwardly, caught off guard by the sudden attack
  1827. > The projectiles hammer into your body, knocking the breath out of you. It felt like your ribcage was being shattered.
  1828. > A rock smashes into your forehead. Your vision swims as blood begins running down your face
  1829. > You stumble backwards, desperately clinging to consciousness
  1830. > You barely make out Twilight levitate your fallen arrow into the air, sending it straight at your face
  1831. > You turn your head to dodge, the arrow missing your eye by mere centimeters
  1832. > But it was still several centimeters too little
  1833. > You howl in pain as the broadhead slices through your ear, shearing off cartilage and tearing flesh
  1834. > Another rock smashes into your wrist, sending your bow flying from your grasp
  1835. > No! You can’t lose your bow!
  1836. > You clumsily dive for your weapon, arm outstretched
  1837. > Just before your fingers brush against the smooth wood, the bow is snatched away in a faint purple aura
  1838. > You watch as the bow floats over to Twilight, stopping above her head
  1839. > Twilight grins as the bow begins to slowly flex, bending farther than it was ever intended to.
  1840. > It physically hurt to watch. You had that bow for years. Thousands of hours of shooting had made it an extension of your body. This was like watching your own arm being cut off.
  1841. > With a sickening *CRACK*, the bow snaps in half, the two limbs falling to the floor.
  1842. > Pure dread takes over. You lost your bow. Without it, what could you do?
  1843. > You could call for Gilda, but she would be at Twilight’s mercy without the meteorite’s protection.
  1844. > You dive behind a tree as Twilight resumes her bombardment, the projectiles thundering against the trunk
  1845. > You’re body was beaten and bruised. Hot blood ran down the side of your face, staining the shoulder of your coat
  1846. > You couldn’t run, you’d never get far in this condition.
  1847. > You slowly come to a cold realization
  1848. > Twilight had you completely at her mercy
  1849. > There was nothing you could do
  1850. > It was inevitable from the beginning
  1851. > You were going to die here
  1852. > No
  1853. > No, you refuse
  1854. > Fuck you, fate
  1855. > FUCK YOU, DESTINY
  1856. > You unsheathe your knife, clenching your teeth
  1857. > You’re not done, not yet
  1858. > You still have some fight left in you
  1859. > You grip the hilt tightly as Twilight continues to shoot debris against the trunk, the wood beginning to chip and splinter
  1860. > A crazy plan forms in your head, but you’ll take crazy at this point
  1861. > Twilight may know everything about you, but she’ll never understand you
  1862. > You turn around and begin climbing the tree, your beaten body groaning in protest
  1863. > You push through the pain, you need to be a just the right height for this to work
  1864. > Twilight sees your movement, halting her barrage
  1865. > “You won’t be able to hide up there Anon!” she calls out
  1866. > True, I normally only climb tree to hide, but I’m not hiding this time.
  1867. > You continue to work your way upward, the abused trunk creaking beneath you from the added weight
  1868. > Twilight closes her eyes in concentration, the large boulder you sat on earlier slowly rising into the air
  1869. > With visible strain, she hurls the boulder at the base of the tree
  1870. > The trunk shatters in a shower of wooden splinters
  1871. > The tree sways precariously as you cling to the branches.
  1872. > You lean forward, using your weight to direct the fall
  1873. > Your stomach shifts as the tree accelerates, falling to the ground
  1874. > Twilight’s eyes go wide as she realizes your plan, but it’s far too late now
  1875. > You leap from the falling tree, sailing through the air with your knife raised high, unleashing a mighty war cry
  1876. > Twilight raises her magical barrier as you plummet down on her
  1877. > You bring down the blade at the last moment, focusing all your strength and momentum into this one strike
  1878. > The metal clashes against the magical shield, sending arcs of energy in all directions
  1879. > The shield held for a moment, before shattering with a sound like breaking glass
  1880. > The released energies send you flying onto your back as the tree crashes into the ground, shaking the earth around you
  1881. > Twilight stumbles backwards, her eyes unfocused and her head rolling
  1882. > You leap back onto your feet, running forward and closing the distance
  1883. > Before Twilight regains her composure, you tackle her, smashing your left fist into her face
  1884. > You pin her under your arm as she falls onto her back.
  1885. > She struggles, trying the get off a spell, but she’s too close to you and the stone.
  1886. > You press the knife against her throat, stopping her protests
  1887. “Why…” you hiss, blood from your wounds dripping into her face
  1888. > She remains silent, her eyes full of hate and loathing
  1889. “Why?” you repeat, your voice growing firmer
  1890. > She refuses to speak, her gaze challenging you
  1891. > You life her up by the scruff of her neck, slamming her back into the earth
  1892. “Dammit, why?” you shout, your composure breaking, “Why can’t you and Celestia just leave me alone? I was leaving! I don’t want anything to do with you damn p0nies!
  1893. > “Celestia…called off the search... weeks ago.” Twilight wheezed out from under your choking grasp
  1894. “Then why are you here? What do you want?” you demand, loosening your grip so she can talk
  1895. > “I wanted you to pay for what you did,” Twilight sneers, “For what you caused.”
  1896. > You raise her into the air again and slam her down
  1897. “I have done nothing!” you scream into her face, “I never did anything to you!”
  1898. > “You took Rainbow from me!” Twilight shouts back
  1899. > Her response renders you speechless for a few moments
  1900. “Explain. Now.”
  1901. > “You couldn’t have escaped on your own. You must have had help.” Twilight elaborates, beginning to rant, “It didn’t take long to pin down Rainbow.”
  1902. > “She confessed too. At her trail she yelled at Celestia! She was charged with treason!”
  1903. > Tears begin forming in her eyes, from both grief and hatred
  1904. > “I watched her hang! I watched her die because of you! It’s your fault!”
  1905.  
  1906. > You were stunned. Rainbow Dash was executed? For helping you?
  1907. > And Twilight blamed you… was it really your fault?
  1908. > No, Rainbow knew the consequences of her actions, it was her choice
  1909. > It wasn’t your fault
  1910. > But it still filled you with rage. Rainbow was killed for doing the right thing. She was the first understanding p0ny you ever met.
  1911. > You owed your very life to her, and now she was dead
  1912. “You could have done something to stop it.” You growl at Twilight.
  1913. > “But she confessed!” Twilight shouts, “What could I have possibly done?”
  1914. “Something! Anything! You stood by and let it happen!”
  1915. > “I didn’t just stand by! I testified! I told everyone what you were! I told them what horrible monster she unleashed!”
  1916. > If you were angry before, it didn’t hold a candle to your seething fury now
  1917. > You tighten the grip on her neck, nearly squeezing the lie out of her
  1918. “You testified against your own friend, and you blame me for what happened!?!” you scream into her face, “You’re a sick bastard Twilight!”
  1919. > You raise your knife high into the air, the gleaming blade catching the sunlight
  1920. “I’m putting an end to this once and for all!”
  1921. > You couldn’t force yourself to bring down the knife all those months ago
  1922. > Now, it was so easy.
  1923. > Twilight howls in pain as you strike her with the knife
  1924. > You raise it into the air again, bringing it down in another savage strike
  1925. > Twilight squirms and struggles beneath your grip, but she can’t escape from under your weight
  1926. > You continue to strike again and again, letting your anger and fury take over
  1927. > You hated her, you hated her so much
  1928. > She tortured you
  1929. > She twisted your memoires into nightmares
  1930. > She tried to kill you
  1931. > She let your savior die
  1932. > You wanted to make sure she could never harm anyone again
  1933. > Tears of grief, pain, and anger stream down Twilight’s face
  1934. > It doesn’t move you. You were far beyond having any pity for her
  1935. > The knife became stuck, refusing to budge
  1936. > You work the blade back and forth, trying to free it
  1937. > The movements cause Twilight to enter another bout of painful wails
  1938. > Finally, with a loud *CRACK* the blade comes free, Twilight’s severed horn falling into the dirt.
  1939. > You stand up, pocketing the broken and cracked horn
  1940. > You don’t know if they could reattach it, better be sure they can’t
  1941. > Twilight looks at you with bloodshot and ragged eyes, her face streaked from tears
  1942. > “Why?” she asks, gingerly rising to her feet, her voice hoarse
  1943. “I’m not going to become the monster you think I am Twilight.” You answer, collecting the remnants of your bow from the ground
  1944. “Not matter what you do to me. No matter how much you torment and push me, I will never give in.”
  1945. > You point at her forehead, at the cracked stub that was once her horn.
  1946. “I want you to remember, every moment of every day, that I could have killed you. I want you to never forget that you were wrong about me.”
  1947. > Twilight glares at you with that same burning hatred, but there’s something else, resignation
  1948. > She knows the can’t do anything now, it’s over
  1949. > It’s finally over
  1950. > With a defeated sigh, she turns to walk away
  1951. > She only makes a few steps before you hear something above the canopy
  1952. > The soft flapping of wings, followed by an avian screech of fury and rage
  1953. > A brown blur pierces through the branches, pouncing upon Twilight.
  1954. > Gilda holds Twilight up by the base of her neck, her other talon closed around her throat
  1955. > “No!” Gilda shouts, “She doesn’t get to walk away from here!”
  1956. “Gilda! What are you doing?” you ask, running over to her
  1957. > Twilight kicks feebly in the air, gasping for breath
  1958. > “I’m not letting her get away!” Gild continues, raising her claw behind her, “She’s going to pay for what she let happen to Rainbow, and for what she did to you!”
  1959. “Gilda, no!” you command, grabbing her wrist
  1960. > Gilda turns toward you, murderous intent in her eyes, “Let go of me Anon! She deserves to die!”
  1961. “Don’t you think I know that?” You answer, holding her wrist firm, “Don’t you think I wanted to kill her?”
  1962. > You look into Gilda’s eyes, trying to reach her.
  1963. “But we’re better than this,” you continue, your voice growing soft, “You’re better than this Gilda.”
  1964. > Gilda’s struggles against your grip slowly grow weaker as you stare into each other
  1965. “Don’t prove them right. Please” you plead, “This isn’t what Rainbow would’ve wanted.”
  1966. > You could see the anger slowly melt away in Gilda’s eyes
  1967. > With a cry of frustration, she drops Twilight unto the ground
  1968. > Twilight coughs and sputters, trying to regain her breath
  1969. > “Leave” Gilda commands, her voice impassive
  1970. > Twilight slowly rises to her feet and begins awkwardly walking away
  1971. > “I said scram!” Gild shouts, sending Twilight running into the foliage
  1972.  
  1973. > You stand up, sheathing you knife and painfully cracking your back
  1974. > Your bout with Twilight seems to have opened old wounds, and well as give you some new ones
  1975. > You had accumulated countless black bruises all over your body, and almost all the cartilage of your left ear had been torn off.
  1976. > You take a few steps back and inspect your work
  1977. > You were in small grassy clearing at the crest of a hill. You had a sweeping view of the pine forest, the mountains of Gryphonia standing majestically behind you
  1978. > You and Gilda both agreed this was a good spot
  1979. > In the center of the clearing was a large boulder, a simple inscription etched into the surface
  1980. RAINBOW DASH
  1981. 981L.B. – 01A.B.
  1982. A TRUE AND LOYAL FRIEND
  1983. > Traitors in Equestria don’t get graves. Rainbow deserved to have this at least
  1984. > You shift your feet awkwardly, you were always bad at these sort of things
  1985. > Clearing your throat, you begin
  1986. “Hey Rainbow Dash, it’s Anon. I know we never got the chance to know each other… but I wish we did.”
  1987. > You take a deep breath. You can get through this.
  1988. “I never truly got to thank you either. I don’t think I could ever thank you enough for what you did, for what you gave up for me.”
  1989. > You reach behind you, taking out a small bundled of broken wood and string
  1990. “I wanted to give you this… it’s my old bow. I know it’s broken, but it got me through a lot. Maybe it will give you luck…wherever you are.”
  1991. > You kneel down, placing the bundle at the base of the boulder
  1992. “I promise you Rainbow, I won’t waste what you’ve given me. I promise.”
  1993. > You stand up, walking over to where Gilda stood a few feet away.
  1994. > She kept her gaze fixed on the horizon. She hadn’t spoken in for a long time.
  1995. “You going to be ok Gilda?” you ask
  1996. > “Griffons… Griffons don’t cry” she croaks, her voice breaking
  1997. > Her voice was like a stab to your heart. She was putting on a brave face, but you could hear the great pain and sadness in her voice
  1998. > You didn’t know Rainbow, her passing still hurt you, but that couldn’t compare to the grief that Gilda was facing right now.
  1999. > You wanted to help. You and Gilda watched out for each other, that’s just what you did. You needed to do something to ease the pain.
  2000. > You look upwards at the sunny, flawless blue sky
  2001. “Looks like rain.” You comment
  2002. > Gilda looks at you, confused
  2003. > “What…What are you talking about?”
  2004. “Yup, looks like it could rain any second now.” You repeat, keeping your eyes turned toward the sky
  2005. > Gilda turns away, divining your meaning
  2006. > You keep looking upward, listening to the rain begin to fall
  2007.  
  2008. Part (22)
  2009.  
  2010. > You grunt in exertion, pulling yourself higher up the stone face
  2011. > Your sore fingers search for another handhold, the wind whipping around you
  2012. > The air was colder up here, but the sun’s rays warmed your back as you climbed
  2013. > This was it, the final hurdle, once you got over this mountain you were in Gryphonia
  2014. > Your multi-month trek was nearly over
  2015. > Unfortunately, this was the only way into Gryphonia. Griffons didn’t build roads, or even make trails. When your entire race can fly, what’s the point?
  2016. > Your boot scrapes against the granite surface, searching for a stable support
  2017. > A little over a week had passed since your confrontation with Twilight
  2018. > You decided not to seek revenge for Rainbow’s passing. You promised her long ago you wouldn’t go after any p0nies, and you intended to honor that to the end.
  2019. > A gust of wind blows up the cliff face, threatening to dislodge you from your precarious perch
  2020. > You desperately cling to the rock, your hands cramping from the hours of climbing
  2021. > You hear a small chuckle from over your shoulder
  2022. > “Having some trouble there anon?” Gilda teased, hovering in the air behind you
  2023. “Shut up Gilda.” You retort, your voice shaking far too much for your liking, “You know I hate heights”
  2024. > “I still don’t get that,” Gilda says as you continue your slow progress up the mountain, “You climb trees all the time.”
  2025. > “Trees I’m fine with.” You explain, searching for another handhold, “Its two hundred foot falls of certain death I have a problem with.”
  2026. > “Well can you at least hurry up?” Gilda complains, “I could’ve flown up to the top hours ago.”
  2027. > You grumble in annoyance, refusing to respond
  2028. > Gilda can tell she’s getting to you, she prods further for a reaction
  2029. > “Come on dweeb, you can do it! Work those freaky fingers of yours.” She cheers, imitating a typical sports coach
  2030. “You’re enjoying this aren’t you?” you growl
  2031. > “Me? Enjoy watching you climb up a mountain?” She repeats with a tone of mock sincerity, “What kind of Griffon do you think I am?”
  2032. “I actually have quite the list, would you like to hear it?” you reply
  2033. > “What I would LIKE is for you to get moving.” She snaps back, dropping the act
  2034. “If you’re in such a rush, why don’t you just carry me?” You ask, pausing for breath, “I’ve seen you carry larger game before.”
  2035. > “Carry you? And miss out on this prime entertainment? Pass.” Gilda answers
  2036. “So you admit you are enjoying this.” You reply with a sly grin.
  2037. > Gilda stammers for a bit, trying to work out of the verbal dead-end she walked into
  2038. > With an annoyed huff, she crosses her arms over her chest and looks away
  2039. > You grin as you focus back on your climbing, you usually won these little verbal spats you two had.
  2040. > The cliff slowly begins to level out, becoming more of a steep slope than a cliff.
  2041. > You can actually move without handholds now, the friction of your boots keeping you from sliding
  2042. > Gilda flies forward, stopping at the level peak of the mountain
  2043. > You move forward quickly on all fours, trying to catch up
  2044. > As you near the top, a rock gives way under your foot, causing you to fall onto your stomach
  2045. > You scramble desperately for a handhold as you rapidly slide down the slope
  2046. “shitshitshitshtshitSHITSHITSHITSHIT!”
  2047. > “I gotcha! I gotcha!” Gilda cries, diving forward
  2048. > You pass over the cliff, feeling completely weightless for a moment, before Gilda grasps your wrist
  2049. > You dangle from the edge, legs flailing in the air
  2050. > Your stomach churns as you see at the ground hundreds of feet below you
  2051. > “Anon!” Gilda shouts from above you, “Don’t let go!”
  2052. “I wasn’t planning on it!” you shout back, grabbing her other talon
  2053. > Gilda begins slowly pulling you back over the edge, flapping her wings for extra lift
  2054. > “You need to go on a diet Anon” she jokes
  2055. “Less talking, more pulling.” You shoot back
  2056. > With Gilda’s help, you make it safely to the top, grateful for the mostly level surface
  2057. > You take a deep breath, trying not to imagine the grisly fate you narrowly avoided
  2058. “Thanks, G. That was close.”
  2059. > “Don’t mention it Anon, just being awesome like always.” Gilda brags, holding her head high
  2060. > You roll your eyes at her typical bravado, sitting down on a nearby boulder to rest your weary legs.
  2061. > You open your canteen, taking a swig of the metallic tasting water.
  2062. > “Hey Anon,” Gilda says, beginning to walk forward, “Follow me for a sec, you need to see this.”
  2063. > You rise to your feet, resenting leaving your seat, and follow Gilda
  2064. > You walk over the rocky surface, climbing over boulders and crunching thorough small patches of stubborn snow.
  2065. > Gilda stops at another cliff face, gesturing forward with her claw
  2066. > “Welcome,” she begins, her voice swelling with pride, “to Gryphonia”
  2067. > Your breath was taken away by the magnificent view before you
  2068. > Massive, snow tipped mountains towered into the sky. The clouds parted and swirled around their jagged peaks
  2069. > Waterfalls tumbled from the cliff faces, spilling into small streams below
  2070. > Between the mountains were sweeping valleys, filled with thick pine forests and dotted with ponds and lakes
  2071. > The air was pure, clean and crisp. It carried the faint scent of pine needles and wet stone
  2072. > The entire landscape seemed proud, strong, and indomitable.
  2073. “It’s…beautiful.” You comment, sitting down of the ground.
  2074. > “Yeah, it is.” Gilda agrees, sitting beside you, “I forgot how much I missed it here.”
  2075. > You both sit there in silence, content to drink in the majestic landscape
  2076. “Hey Gilda,” you say, breaking the silence, “I just thought of something.”
  2077. > “That’s a first.” She jokes
  2078. “You just saved my life back there.” You continue, ignoring the jibe
  2079. > “Yeah, so?”
  2080. “So, you’ll probably be taking off soon won’t you?”
  2081. > “Why would I do that?” she asks, confused
  2082. “Because now your life debt is fulfilled.” You point out, “I saved your life, now you’ve saved mine”
  2083. > Gilda chuckles, “Dude, that was paid off months ago.”
  2084. “What? When?”
  2085. > “Back when that meteor struck.” She explains, “If I didn’t tackle you, you would have been flattened.”
  2086. > You’re silent for a few moments, confused by this revelation
  2087. “Then, why did you stick around? Through all the running and fighting, why did you stay?”
  2088. > “Because,” she answers, looking away, “You saved my life.”
  2089. “But you just said the life debt was paid off.”
  2090. > “Forget the stupid debt. It’s not about that.” Gilda says, turning back toward you, “When those wolves had me surrounded, you could have just left, but you didn’t. You didn’t abandon me when things got tough.”
  2091. > She looks you straight in the eye, your chest tightening under her gaze
  2092. > “No one has ever done that before.” She finishes, her voice tender
  2093. > You weren’t sure how to respond. This was a side of Gilda you hadn’t seen before, a softer side.
  2094. > You stare at each other, neither willing to speak
  2095. > Abruptly, Gilda breaks away, standing up.
  2096. > “Come on, we should find a place to camp before it gets dark.” She says, beginning to work her way down the slope.
  2097. “Right behind you Gilda.” You answer, following her steps
  2098.  
  2099. > Finding your way down the mountain ended up being a lot easier than working your way up.
  2100. > You found a much gentler slope leading down into one of the many valleys
  2101. > You met up with a small rocky stream late in the afternoon, deciding to make camp along its banks.
  2102. > You refilled your canteen from the flowing water, taking a long drink.
  2103. > Compared to the stale, metallic taste of the canteen, this was delicious. It was pure, crisp melt water.
  2104. > Feeling refreshed, you busied yourself by starting the cooking fire while Gilda hunted.
  2105. > You still hadn’t gotten a replacement for your bow, so you couldn’t hunt yourself, something Gilda was keen on repeatedly pointing out.
  2106. > You lean back near the small fire, feeling content. After months of constant travel, it was a relief to be free of the constant sense of urgency that pushed you forward.
  2107. > You feel even better when you realize you could actually visit the towns and villages here. You no longer had to hide in the wilderness from the locals.
  2108. > You could probably find a place to stay the winter in one of them. Maybe find a short term job to put some money in your pockets
  2109. > With that in mind, you pull the map you purchased out from your pack, rolling it out on the ground in front of you
  2110. > It didn’t take long to orient yourself. If you were on the southern border, then there were only a few villages nearby
  2111. > One of them was only a few days away, a small village by the name ‘VhaleStead’. It seemed like a good idea to head there, you’d run it by Gilda when she came back.
  2112. > You stow away the map just as Gilda returns, two hares grasped in her talons
  2113. > You get to work cleaning them as Gilda walks over to the stream
  2114. > You expected her to just wash off her talons, but she walks straight in, splashing through the shallow water
  2115. > She dunked her head under, splashing water over her back and ruffling her feathers. She gave her wings a few flaps, running them through the flowing current.
  2116. > She reminded you of a bird in a birdbath, not a far off comparison when you think about it.
  2117. > She emerged from the water just as you finished skewering the meat, shaking droplets of water from her coat.
  2118. > “Hey Anon,” she said, sitting down on the soft grass, “Can you come over here and help me preen?”
  2119. “Why can’t you do it?” you ask
  2120. > “I can do it just fine.” She answers, “But you’re good at it with those fingers of yours.”
  2121. > “Besides, I saved your life, so now you owe me a life debt.” She continues, “So get over here.”
  2122. “What? But I never gave you any orders!” you protest
  2123. > “Too bad, you should have.” She grins
  2124. > You grumble in defeat, leaving the food to roast and heading over to Gilda
  2125. > You take up position behind her as she spreads out her left wing
  2126. > You begin running your fingers through her soft feathers, realigning them into position and removing the ones that have come loose.
  2127. > You could feel her powerful muscles under your touch, gently stretching and contracting as you worked
  2128. > As your fingers reached the soft down beneath the feathers, you felt a faint rumbling from Gilda’s body
  2129. > Intrigued, you begin gently scratching the soft fluff, and are rewarded with another rumble from deep within Gilda’s chest
  2130. “Gilda, are you purring?” you ask, surprised
  2131. > “What? No. Shut up.” She hastily replies
  2132. > You press down on her wing, scratching more forcefully. Gilda’s back arches down, a long throaty purr escaping her beak
  2133. “You are! Gilda the mighty huntress in purring!” you taunt
  2134. > “Easy there dweeb, I can kick your ass any time.” Gilda threatens
  2135. “Ha! I’d like to see you try.” You challenge
  2136. > Abruptly, the wing is pulled out from your hands as Gilda quickly turns on you
  2137. >She pounces, knocking you backward and tumbling through the grass
  2138. > She tries to pin you down, but your worm your way out from under her.
  2139. > You tackled into her side, trying to force her into the ground.
  2140. > The two of you tussled and wrestled for several minutes, each of you trying to escape from the other’s grasp
  2141. > You leap onto her back, wrapping your arm her neck
  2142. > She shakes back and forth, trying to shake you off, but you hold firm.
  2143. > Suddenly her wings flare open, propelling herself into the air
  2144. > You sky whips past your vision as she flips onto her back, slamming you into the ground
  2145. > You gasp for air as the breath is knocked out of your chest
  2146. > Gilda quickly flips over, pinning your shoulders down with her talons
  2147. > She smiles triumphantly as you struggle under her grip, unable to break free
  2148. “Alright, alright, you win.” you concede, “Now can you ge-“
  2149. > You’re cut off as Gilda’s head shoots forward, her beak clamping around your mouth
  2150. >Your eyes widen in shock as her tongue forces its way inside, exploring the inside of your mouth
  2151. > She breaks away after a few moments, looking down on you with a seductive grin
  2152. > “Yeah, I just did that.” She breathes, “Now what are you going to do about it?”
  2153. > That was a good question, what were you going to do?
  2154. > You never really thought about Gilda like that. She was a griffon and you were a human, the thought simply never crossed your mind.
  2155. > But when she kissed you, it felt right somehow. The two of you had been through a lot together, you couldn’t deny there was a bond between you.
  2156. > You supported each other, you watched out for each other, but did you love each other?
  2157. > Looking back on it all, through all the competing, taunting, and running, it was obvious. You really did care for each other, and on a subconscious level, you did love Gilda.
  2158. > You smile up at Gilda, finally finding your answer
  2159. > Gilda takes your smile as a sign to continue, bringing her head back down to yours
  2160. > You take a more active role this time, your tongue fighting hers in a twisting battle for control
  2161. > You could have stayed here for hours, but you weren’t going to allow her to dominate you forever
  2162. > You press your feet against her stomach, pushing her off of you
  2163. > She landed on her back with a surprised squawk as you pounced atop her
  2164. > You lock your lips around her beak, Gilda softly moaning in pleasure as you take up the dominant position
  2165. > She clutched you tightly and rolled over, retaking her position above you and maintaining the embrace
  2166. > The competitive wrestling from earlier resumed with a new purpose. Rather than try to escape, you both pulled each other closer while vying for position.
  2167. > Your bodies churned and writhed for what seemed like hours, rolling through the soft grass
  2168. > Gilda’s claws dug into your back as you bared down on her, the soft tearing of fabric could be heard
  2169. > You gently push yourself away, both of you sweating and gasping for breath
  2170. “Hey, watch the clothes,” you warn, “I can’t exactly get them replaced.”
  2171. > Gilda looks up at you, her eyes gleaming and hungry, like a predator stalking it’s prey
  2172. > “Then lose them” she purrs
  2173.  
  2174. > You stared up at the night sky, the cool air softly blowing against your bare skin
  2175. > Gilda gently slept beside you, her head resting on your shoulder and her wing draped over your body
  2176. > You could feel the heat radiate from her body, warming you against the chill of the night
  2177. > Your entire body was sore and aching, but it was a good ache, the kind that followed a long day of satisfying work
  2178. > You also acquired a few large scratches on your back. Gilda tended to get a bit… clingy
  2179. > You stare up at the night sky, watching the northern lights dance among the stars
  2180. > You couldn’t deny the stars were beautiful here, even if they changed position every night
  2181. > Maybe you could get used to that though…
  2182.  
  2183. Epilogue (1)
  2184.  
  2185. > You creep through the bare undergrowth, boots crunching softly on the thin layer of snow
  2186. > You keep your eyes on your prey, a small doe, while maneuvering for a clean shot
  2187. > The doe paws at the ground, digging for the first green grasses of spring
  2188. > You pull back on your bow, the muscles of your back stretching from the strain
  2189. > This bow was much larger than your old one. It was a massive longbow, nearly six feet long with a draw weight of roughly one hundred pounds
  2190. > It was overkill for prey like this, but with a few encounters with the wild boars, grizzly bears, and giant eagles that prowled Gryphonia taught you the need for such massive stopping power
  2191. > You prop up the arrow with one finger as you draw back, a simple trick you learned long ago to avoid the sound of the shaft sliding against the bow
  2192. > Locking your hand behind your jaw, you steady your aim on the deer
  2193. > You fire, the arrow shooting forth with blinding speed
  2194. > It strikes the doe in the center of the heart, passing straight through and exiting on the other side.
  2195. > The doe doesn’t even have time to react, simply falling forward into the snow
  2196. > You sling your bow over your shoulder, stepping forward to collect your kill
  2197. > You kneel down, unsheathing your knife and begin to clean the deer
  2198. > It’s dirty work, by the time you’re done, there’s large steaming pile of entrails lying on the ground and your hands are covered in blood
  2199. > You scrub your hands clean in the snow. Grabbing a cold handful from a nearby bank, you wash off the blood that spilled onto your clothes
  2200. >Your old jacket wore out years ago, along with the rest of your clothes from back on earth.
  2201. > Now you wore a simple rabbit skin vest, along with a pair of rough fur trousers. Around your waist was a short wolf skin kilt.
  2202. > You heave the carcass up onto your shoulders, beginning the long hike back uphill
  2203. > You admired the scenery as you hiked, enjoying this unique time of year
  2204. > It was that special time of early spring, the sun was strong and warm, but the last remnant s of winter stubbornly refused to leave.
  2205. > The air was filled with the scents of life returning to the world, wild flowers and grasses just beginning to push up through the thin layer of remaining snow
  2206. > The birds sing in the thick conifers, joined by the first migratory birds to return home from their southern voyage.
  2207. > You keep hiking uphill toward one the many mountains that surrounded the valley
  2208. > Signs of civilization slowly began to appear around you, the faint smell of smoke, the occasional tree stump
  2209. > You eventually started passing the few small Griffon farms. They were more like large gardens than proper farms.
  2210. > You were exceedingly grateful for their presence nonetheless. The griffon diet consisted mostly of meat, vegetables were considered an optional luxury.
  2211. > That wasn’t an option for you however, you needed greens. The farmers were always grateful for your continued patronage, waving as you passed by into town
  2212. > You soon arrive back at the village of Vhalestead, a small community nestled in the foothills of the mountain.
  2213. > The buildings seemed Scandinavian in design. The houses were built from sturdy timber, with cobblestone foundations and simple thatched roofs
  2214. > You made your way along the wide pathways between the buildings, the sharp clang of a smith’s hammer sounding in the distance
  2215. > A few griffons crossed the sky above you, heading about their daily business
  2216. > One of them dived toward you, letting out a short avian screech in greeting
  2217. > Each griffon’s call was unique. After a while, you could identify many of the griffons in town by sound alone
  2218. > You wave back as the griffon lands on the ground beside you, matching your stride
  2219. > His entire coat was a pale smoky grey. His crown feathers were tipped with a dark black, with a similar coloration around his eyes.
  2220. > His coat was covered in sawdust like always, contributing to his dusty appearances
  2221. “Hey Espen,” you greet, “You done at the sawmill for today?”
  2222. > “Yeah, just finished.” He confirms, hungrily eyeing the deer on your back, “Thought I’d drop by to…just chat a bit…”
  2223. “Really?” you ask, suspicious, “So you didn’t fly down here because you saw I had venison and were hoping to snag a ‘free sample’?”
  2224. > “Of course not.” He denies, “But if you’re offering…”
  2225. “Sorry Espen,” you interrupt, slapping away his reaching talon, “you’ll have to head to the market later if you want any.”
  2226. > “Who’s working the stall today?” he asks
  2227. “It’s Gilda’s turn.” You answer
  2228. > “Aw, but Gilda never gives me any samples!” he whines
  2229. “Exactly.” You reply, grinning
  2230. > He grumbles complaints under his breath as you continue on your way
  2231. > “Oh hey, did you hear there’s going to be a feast in the mead hall this Friday?” he asks, changing the subject
  2232. “No, what’s the occasion?”
  2233. > “Gjurd finally got accepted as a housecarl for the jarl of Hjaaldor” he explains
  2234. “About time, he’s been vying for that position for years.” You comment, “How did Gerda react?”
  2235. > “She took the opportunity to propose, he accepted of course.” He answers, pointing at the necklace resting against your chest, “First you and now Gjurd, at this rate I’ll be the last bachelor around here in no time.”
  2236. > Your necklace was pretty simple, a thin cord decorated with small beads and polished stones
  2237. > In the center was a large, lavender tipped feather from Gilda’s crown. It was the symbol you were a bonded pair, the closest thing Griffon’s had to marriage
  2238. > You fondly remember the night Gilda presented it, you’ll never forget what she said,
  2239. > “You’re mine dweeb, I see you with another Griffon and I’ll flay you alive.”
  2240. > Yeah, she was never much of the romantic
  2241. > “So, will you be there?” Espen asks
  2242. “Wouldn’t miss it. Just make sure someone keeps Ivan away from the mead, if he starts singing again I’ll probably go deaf.”
  2243. > You both chuckle at the memory of the last feast you attended, Ivan’s off key and bawdy singing fresh in your minds
  2244. > The two of you go your separate ways near your house, Espen taking off back into the sky
  2245. > Your house was fairly modest. The first floor had a kitchen and general lounging area, a stone fireplace built into the east wall. The large loft was converted into two bedrooms
  2246. > You walked around into the backyard, stringing the deer up on a horizontal wooden beam
  2247. > Gilda would be back soon to take today’s game to the market, which left you with a little spare time.
  2248. > You noticed the pile of firewood near the back door was a tad low. You might as well be productive while you waited.
  2249. > You gathered an armful of logs and carried them over to a nearby stump.
  2250. > Dropping them onto the ground, you picked up the nearby woodaxe
  2251. > You positioned a log atop the stump and took a step back.
  2252. > You heaved the axe over your head, bringing it down in a might chop
  2253. > The log is cut cleanly in down the center, the two halves falling to the side
  2254. > You place another log on the stump, preparing another swing when you hear a soft rustling behind you
  2255. > You look over your shoulder for the perpetrator, but see nothing.
  2256. > You smile to yourself. The game is afoot.
  2257. > You bring the axe down on the log. You faintly hear movement to your left over the sound of splitting wood.
  2258. > Good, she using the noise to cover her movements. She’s improving.
  2259. > You set up another log, raising the axe above your head. You slow your swing for just a moment, altering the timing of your strike.
  2260. > Her timing was off. You hear movement briefly behind the rain barrel near the wood pile. Of course she would be there, it was her favorite spot, but it was starting to get predictable.
  2261. > You whistle a simple tune while you gather up the kindling, feigning ignorance
  2262. > Perhaps you were hamming it up a bit, but you might as well play along
  2263. > You carry the wood over to the pile, preparing for the inevitable strike
  2264. > Sure enough, as you pass the rain barrel, something small and feathery collides with the back of your head
  2265. > You dramatically throw the wood forward, stumbling and twirling around as the miniature assailant grips your head
  2266. > You hear soft giggling behind you as you come to a stop in the center of the yard
  2267. > “I got you dad! I got you!” the tiny griffon proclaims from your shoulders, resting her head and arms atop you head
  2268. “Ha, yes you did Beata, good job.”
  2269. > You reach up and scratch the back of her head, causing her to purr contently
  2270. > Gilda glides down into the yard, chuckling at the scene and smiling at the two of you
  2271. > She wore a necklace identical to yours, a lock of your hair in place of a feather
  2272. “So, what did you and mom do today?” you ask as Beata leaps down from her perch
  2273. > “Mom showed me how to catch fish from the river” Beata answers, beaming up at you
  2274. > Beata showed many similarities to you had Gilda. She had Gilda’s white head, along with the lavender coloration on the tips of her crown feathers. However, she lack the coloration around Gilda’s eyes.
  2275. > Her coat was a light golden brown, similar to your hair. Her eyes were also yours, a deep clear blue.
  2276. “That sounds fun.” you answer, picking the wood back up from the ground and turning to Gilda, “How’d she do?”
  2277. > “Good. She caught a few small trout within a few hours.” Gilda replies, smiling down at Beata, “She’s becoming quite the hunter.”
  2278. “Of course she is.” You affirm, dumping the kindling onto the wood pile, “She’s daddy’s little chick.”
  2279. > “Dad!” Beata whines, embarrassed, “I’m not a little chick anymore.”
  2280. “I know that.” You say, kneeling down and tussling the feathers on her head, “But you’ll always be my little chick. You were so adorable back then.”
  2281. > “I was not adorable” Beata pouts, pushing your hand away.
  2282. > “Oh yes you were!” you taunt, rising to your feet, “I remember when you were just a little ball of ruffled brown feathers, you would nest in the hood of my coat whenever I went into town.”
  2283. > “Can I go play with my friends?” Beata asks, eager to change the topic
  2284. “Of course, just be back in time for dinner. We’re having venison.”
  2285. > “Thanks Dad!” she shouts, already eagerly running off
  2286. > As Beata rounds the corner of the house, Gilda drapes her arms over your shoulders, affectionately nibbling your good ear.
  2287. > “She really is doing good.” Gilda says as you reach behind you and scratch the back of her head, “I’m proud of her.”
  2288. “So am I” you agree, “She’s going to do just fine.”
  2289. > “Her friend Ingrid invited her to an overnight party tomorrow.” Gilda continues, “She asked me if she could go.”
  2290. “I’m fine with that.” You assent
  2291. > “Good.” Gilda purrs into your ear, running her talons across your chest, “Then that means it’s just the two of us that night.”
  2292. “Looking forward to it.” You grin
  2293.  
  2294. > That night you lay on a thick fur rug, watching the flames dance in the fireplace
  2295. > Gilda snuggled peacefully next to you, her head resting on your shoulder as you gently stroked her soft coat
  2296. > Beata laid down a few feet to your left, sleepily batting at a ball of yarn with her claw
  2297. > The soft crackling of the fire mixed with the faint chorus of crickets outside, creating a soothing serenade
  2298. > Your mind wandered as you stared into glowing logs, pondering questions you never found answers for
  2299. > You never did find out how you arrived in this world
  2300. > You never did find a way to go back
  2301. > But as you looked at the Griffon you love, and at the beautiful daughter born of that love…
  2302. > You knew it wouldn’t matter if you ever found a way back
  2303. > Because there was no place you would rather be
  2304. > You were finally home.
  2305. THE END
  2306.  
  2307. Epilogue (2)
  2308.  
  2309. > You rub your hands nervously as you stand outside the simple wooden door
  2310. > Your palms were sweaty, your heart beating rapidly in your chest
  2311. > A wild mixture of emotions ran through you, excitement, apprehension, joy, fear, hope…
  2312. > You took a deep breath, you knew this day would come
  2313. > You were looking forward to it, but now that it came, you were plagued by worry and doubt.
  2314. > Would you be able to do this? Were you capable of seeing this through?
  2315. > You realize it’s too late for those kinds of thoughts, you’ve already committed to this
  2316. > Steeling yourself, you slowly push open the door, stepping into the bedroom
  2317. > Gilda lay curled on the bed at the far end of the room, raising her head as you enter
  2318. > She gave you a deep, warm smile as you walked in, her eyes filled with joy
  2319. “Where… where is…” you stammer, trying to find your voice
  2320. > Gilda chuckles at your nervousness, lifting her left wing in response
  2321. > Underneath, a small ball of brown fluff nestled against her body, barely the size of a football
  2322. > All the doubt and worry inside you instantly melted away as you finally gazed upon the child… your child.
  2323. > You tentatively stepped over to the bed, your chest swelling with pride and unbridled joy
  2324. > “Is… a boy or a…” you stutter, your throat tightening
  2325. > “A girl,” Gilda answers, gently preening the chick with her beak, “Healthy and strong.”
  2326. > You crouch down at the edge of the bed, inspecting your daughter
  2327. > Her coat lacked true feathers, she was covered in a soft, thin down.
  2328. > Her wings were tucked tightly to her sides and her eyes were closed shut, blind to the world around her
  2329. > “She needs a name.” Gilda said, snapping you out of your inspection
  2330. “You’re right.” You agreed, scratching at your new beard
  2331. > You hadn’t given much thought on a name yet. To honest, you didn’t know that many Griffon names yet, you had barely been in Gryphonia for a year.
  2332. “What about Ingirun?” you propose
  2333. > Gilda chuckles, “Wow dweeb, you even suck at giving out names.”
  2334. “Well what did you have in mind?” you ask
  2335. > “I was thinking ‘Beata’” Gilda answers, looking down at her daughter
  2336. “Beata…” you repeat, testing the name, “Yeah, I like it.”
  2337. > You gently reach out to your daughter, running two fingers over her small head
  2338. > She flinches away from your touch, emitting a small ‘meep’
  2339. “Hey there Beata, I’m your Dad.” You softly coo, gently stroking her head, “My name is Anon.”
  2340. > She slowly grows used to your touch, giving her tiny wings a small flap in contentment
  2341. “I love you so much little Beata.” You choke out, tears of joy forming in your eyes
  2342. “I promise I’ll always protect you.”
  2343.  
  2344. > You slowly wake up, the morning sunlight streaming through your bedroom window
  2345. > You roll away from the light, smiling from the remnants of your dream
  2346. > Gilda was still sleeping soundly next to you. You drape one arm over her and bury your face in her soft coat
  2347. > Twilight may have tainted your old memories, but you could always make new ones here.
  2348. > You began to drift gently back to sleep, before being jolted awake by a small impact on your body
  2349. > “Get up Dad! It’s morning!” Beata exclaims, standing atop your shoulders
  2350. > You groan and roll over, hiding your face in the pillow
  2351. > Beata jumps off from your shoulder, standing beside your head
  2352. > “Come on Dad.” She pries, gently pulling on your ear with her beak, “You promised you’d make pancakes this morning.”
  2353. > You quickly shoot your arm forward, grabbing Beata and wrapping her in a tight hug against your chest.
  2354. > She giggles and squeals in protest, trying to free herself from your embrace
  2355. > She eventually gives in, snuggling into your arms
  2356. > You lay there for a couple minutes, enjoying the lazy morning and the affection from your daughter
  2357. > “Alright Dad, can you let me go now?” Beata asks
  2358. “Hmmm. Nope, don’t think so.” You tease, pulling her close
  2359. > “Daaaaaad.” Beata whines
  2360. > “Alright, alright.” You relent, releasing her from your grip, “Let me just get dressed and I’ll make you those pancakes.”
  2361. > Beata quickly leaps off the bed, excitedly running out the door and gliding down the stairs.
  2362. > You rise up out of bed, gathering a set of clothes from the nearby dresser.
  2363. > Gilda stirs as you get dressed, rubbing her eyes with her talons
  2364. “Good morning.” You say, donning your rabbit skin vest
  2365. > “What makes it a ‘good’ morning?” Gilda groans, plopping back down onto the pillow
  2366. “I’m making pancakes.” You offer as you slip on your boots
  2367. > “Then save me a few.” Gilda sleepily replies, “I’ll be down in an hour, maybe two…”
  2368. > You can’t help but smile at Gilda’s typical behavior, she never liked mornings. Unfortunately for her, your chipper morning spirit rubbed off your daughter.
  2369. > You head downstairs into the kitchen, Beata sitting expectantly at the table.
  2370. > You set a large pan on the wood stove, retrieving the batter from a cupboard
  2371. > You had to make the mix yourself from scratch, pancakes weren’t a typical Griffon dish
  2372. > You throw a few sausages alongside the bubbling cakes, the aroma of cooking meat filling the small kitchen
  2373. > After a few minutes, you set a large stack of steaming, golden flapjacks down on the table, flipping several onto your daughter’s plate
  2374. > She eagerly dives into the syrupy pastries as you grab a few for yourself.
  2375. > The homemade mix wasn’t as smooth and flawless as the pancakes back on earth, but they were still delicious
  2376. > Gilda joins you as you finish making the second batch, piling several of the sausages on her plate.
  2377. > After breakfast, you go your separate ways for the day.
  2378. > You grab your bow and quiver and head out into the forest to collect game for your market stall
  2379. > Beata went out with Gilda. Griffon’s didn’t have a school system, it was up to Gilda to teach your daughter the ways of a griffon.
  2380. > You felt bad you were unable to help teach your daughter how to fly, or how to hunt with her talons, but you could still love and protect her.
  2381. > It was midafternoon when you returned with your collected kills, a few rabbits and assorted game birds
  2382. > You were just finishing cleaning the meat and tossing away the refuge when Gilda and Beata returned
  2383. > “Hey anon, anything big today?” Gilda asked, dropping down into the yard
  2384. “Nope, just small game.” You answer, washing off your knife in a nearby bucket
  2385. > “What’s wrong, losing your touch?” Gilda teases, softly punching your shoulder
  2386. > Your grumble in response, preparing the meat to be taken to the market. It was your turn to run the stall today.
  2387. > “Hey Dad?” Beata asks, walking toward you, “Can I come with you to the market today?”
  2388. “You want to help me with the stall?” you ask, hefting the bad over your shoulder
  2389. > “Sure!” she affirms, looking up at you expectantly
  2390. “Alright fine, but I can’t promise it’ll be very exciting.”
  2391. > “This is boring…” Beata complains, sitting atop your shoulders
  2392. “I told you it wouldn’t be very fun.” You remind her, watching the various griffons make their way through the market square.
  2393. > Beata slumps her head down atop yours, letting out a bored groan.
  2394. > You would probably let her leave if she asked, but she said she would help with the stall and refused to leave. She definitely inherited her mother’s stubborn pride.
  2395. > You watched the sun grow close to the horizon, there was only about an hour of sunlight left.
  2396. > Some of your catch would probably not be purchased, but that was alright. You could always just eat it yourself.
  2397. > “Hey dad, what’s that?” Beata asks, pointing off into the distance
  2398. > You shield your eyes from the setting sun, squinting your eyes against the glare
  2399. > It looks like a large flock of birds, but that can’t be right, they’re too large
  2400. > Giant eagles perhaps? No, they’re too small, and the eagles never travel in groups larger than two.
  2401. > Something about this feels familiar, like you’ve seen this before…
  2402. > You suddenly remember, that day in the market, the pegasi aerial attack
  2403. > No, it couldn’t be… you were done with that. You put this behind you! Why couldn’t they just let you go?
  2404. > “Dad? Are you okay?” Beata asks, feeling your body shake beneath her
  2405. “Beata,” you answer, your voice firm and commanding, “Run home. Run home and hide until me or mom find you.”
  2406. > “Dad?” Beata’s voice quavers as she jumps from your shoulders, she’s never seen you like this before.
  2407. “Go! Now!” you shout, pointing towards your house
  2408. > She takes off in a flash, flying as fast as her small wings can carry her
  2409. > You dash over to the smith’s stall. You left your bow and home, and you’ll need a weapon soon
  2410. > You quickly snatch a woodaxe from the counter, gripping the sturdy handle in your hands
  2411. > “Hey! You’ve got to pay for that Anon!” the smith shouts, surprised by your sudden actions
  2412. “Sorry Ivan,” you reply, hefting the weapon, “That’s going to have to wait”
  2413. > You run into the center of the market, jumping atop a large wooden podium used for announcements by the local jarl.
  2414. > Several Griffons turn toward you, curious about your strange behavior
  2415. “Griffons of Vhalestead!” you shout, pointing at the approaching flock in the distance
  2416. “Prepare to defend the village!”
  2417. > Every eye turns toward the distance, spotting the approaching pegasi
  2418. > With a chorus of screeches and battle cries, the griffons leap into the sky, heading off to intercept the p0nies
  2419. > No griffon was a stranger to conflict. Between the natural predators of the mountains and conflicts between jarls, knowing how to fight was a necessity for everyone.
  2420. > You leap off the podium, dashing down the streets toward the fray
  2421. > The chariots begin to peel off from the main group, unloading p0nies into the streets or beginning to strafe the building with magical bolts.
  2422. > You pat the small pouch on your belt, feeling the small black stone still inside. You made a habit of always wearing it even after all these years. You would need it today
  2423. > The pegasi and griffons clash in the sky above you, swirling in a massive churning dogfight. The wounded and the dead crashing into the roofs
  2424. > You wish you had your bow instead of this bulky axe, you couldn’t help from down here.
  2425. > You hear hoofbeats coming from just up the street. You quickly dive out of the street and hide behind a nearby building.
  2426. > You hear the p0nies getting closer. Bracing your foot against a windowsill, you pull yourself up onto the thatched roof.
  2427. > Three guards come into view below, two earth p0nies armed with spears and a single unicorn
  2428. > “Alright boys, get those torches out and lit!” the unicorn orders, “Light up these houses and smoke ‘em out!”
  2429. > They’re planning to burn the village? Oh no they don’t, not if you can help it.
  2430. > As the two earth ponies fumble with their packs, you ready your weapon and leap from the rooftop
  2431. > You swing down the axe as you fall, striking one the earth p0nies in the back, severing his spine
  2432. > The unicorn and remaining guard stare in shock as their comrade slumps to the ground
  2433. > The unicorn recovers his wits as you pull your axe free, lowering his horn.
  2434. > “That’s the human you fool! Get him! Celestia wants his head!” he shouts, firing a bolt of magical energy
  2435. > The blast fizzles out harmlessly a few inches from your chest, it seems the stone’s protective properties still work
  2436. > You swing the axe in a horizontal cleave, splitting the unicorn’s helm and embedding the edge in his skull
  2437. > You struggle to free your weapon, but you’re interrupted as the final guard bucks you in the side
  2438. > The impact sends you sprawling into the street, landing on your face
  2439. > You push yourself up with your arms. You see the last guard charging at you with his spear, gritting his teeth in determination
  2440. > You roll out of the way, the spearhead impaling into the dirt mere moments after you move
  2441. > The guard rears back and thrusts the spear at you again as you lay on your back
  2442. > You grab the shaft in your hands, stopping the point inches from your face
  2443. > You push with all your might against him, but he’s using his weight to bear down on you, the gleaming spearhead slowly creeping closer
  2444. > You struggle to force the spear to the side, but that serves only to accelerate its movement toward you. The guard grins in triumph as the inevitable slowly draws near.
  2445. > Suddenly, the guard disappears from above you in a grey blur. You quickly rise to your feet as your savior slashes the guard’s neck with his talon
  2446. “Espen!” you exclaim, recognizing the dusty griffon, “Thanks for the save, but couldn’t you have gotten here a bit sooner?”
  2447. > “I was a little busy.” He replies, finishing off the guard you knocked unconscious, “Besides, this way was more dramatic.”
  2448. > You move over to the dead unicorn, bracing your foot against his body and pulling the axe free from his skull
  2449. “How bad is it up there?” you ask, checking the axe for damage
  2450. > “Not bad, we scattered most of the individual pegasi, but the chariots got in a lot of runs before we chased them down.” He answers, gesturing to the pillars of smoke in the distance.
  2451. > It looks like several of the buildings in town have caught flame. That would need to be put out before it begins to spread
  2452. “What’s left to deal with then?”
  2453. > “Just the earth p0nies and the unicorns, they’re scattered in small groups all over the place.”
  2454. “Let’s go then.”
  2455. > The two of you take off, running through the wide streets
  2456. > “This is insane…” Espen comments, passing a group of griffons fighting to put out a burning house, “Why would the p0nies attack now?”
  2457. “Have they done this sort of thing before?”
  2458. > “Not often, usually only after a stupid jarl thinks it would be a good idea to grab some land south of the mountains.”
  2459. > “But that hasn’t happened in years,” he continues, “there’s no reason for them to do this.”
  2460. “I think they came for me” you reply, “One of the p0nies recognized me.”
  2461. > “Really? I knew you were a fugitive, but all this is really for you?”
  2462. > A horrible realization came to mind. If this was because of you, how would the other griffons react?
  2463. “You’re not going to turn me over are you?” you ask, worried
  2464. > Espen shakes his head, “No way. Griffons don’t abandon their comrades.”
  2465. “Thanks, a lot.” You reply, grateful you wouldn’t be run out.
  2466. > The buildings were more densely concentrated here, forming alleys between their walls
  2467. > You come to a halt as you approach a corner, signaling for Espen to stop behind you
  2468. > You hear voices and hoofbeats nearby, slowly coming closer
  2469. > You raise the axe, waiting for the opportune moment to strike
  2470. > When you hear the p0nies only a few feet away, you round the corner, swinging the axe sideways
  2471. > The earth pony guard ducks on reflex, the axe edge embedding in the wood wall to your right. Behind him, a unicorn guard jumps in surprise
  2472. > You’re forced to abandon the troublesome weapon as the guard thrusts forward with his spear
  2473. > You leap backwards, barely escaping the reach of the deadly point
  2474. > Before he can attack again, Espen pounces on the guard, tearing into his neck
  2475. > The unicorn retaliates with a blast from his horn, impacting Espen in his side
  2476. “Epsen! No!” you shout as his body lands sprawled on the ground
  2477. >In a fit of rage, you tear the axe free form the wall, heaving it over your shoulders and hurling it at the unicorn
  2478. > It spins around once, before smashing into the unicorn’s shoulder
  2479. > He briefly walks forward, stumbling before collapsing into the dirt
  2480. > You rush over to Epsen’s side, inspecting his wound. A large patch of his coat was singed off, the skin underneath badly burned.
  2481. “Please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead,” you plead, turning over his body
  2482. > “Relax, I’m not dead yet.” Espen wheezes, giving you a weak smile, “It’ll take more than that to put me down.”
  2483. “You had me worried there you bastard.” You grin, “Who would I drink with if you kicked the bucket?”
  2484. > He chuckles shortly before grimacing in pain, “Ah! Jeez, don’t make me laugh. My skin feels like it’s made of birch bark.”
  2485. > You hear the soft flapping of wings above you. Looking up, you see three griffons glide down into the alley.
  2486. > “Hail Anon, staying busy I see.” Ivan greets you as the other two tend to Espen.
  2487. “Just stretching my arms.” You reply, holding out the axe to the smith, “You want this back? I think you’ll have to sell it as ‘used’ from now on.”
  2488. > “You go ahead and keep it.” He answers, pushing it away, “I think you’ve earned it after today.”
  2489. “Is there anything left?” you ask, leaning the weapon against your shoulder.
  2490. > “Just the fires, we’ve put most of them out, but there’s still a few left.”
  2491. “I’ll see if I can help out.” You suggest, leaving the alley as the two griffons hoist Espen onto their backs
  2492. > As you enter the main streets again, you’re greeted by a hustle of activity
  2493. > Griffons run back and forth, carrying buckets of water, tending to the wounded, or escorting prisoners.
  2494. > The horizon is hazy with smoke, dark rising pillars marking the locations of the building still aflame
  2495. > One column of smoke catches your eye, just on the edge of town. Judging by the distance and direction, it would be…
  2496. > No. Oh god please no…
  2497. > You drop the axe and sprint off, running as fast as your legs can carry you
  2498. > All rational thought left your mind, replaced by desperate denial
  2499. > Please, let me be wrong. Don’t let it be too late. Please, oh please no…
  2500. > You skid to a halt as you near your house, your worst fears confirmed before your eyes.
  2501. > The building was completely ablaze. The flames towered high into the sky, you could feel the searing heat even at this distance. No one could have survived in there.
  2502. > A cold realization washes over you. Your entire body suddenly feels heavy.
  2503. “Beata…”
  2504. > You fall to your knees as the roof collapses inward, sending a blizzard of embers up into the air
  2505. > It feels like your heart had been ripped out of your chest, leaving a cold empty void. You had never felt pain like this before, it was unimaginable.
  2506. > You promised Beata you would always look after her, that you would protect her, and you failed.
  2507. > She was gone, your little Beata was gone…
  2508. > Hot tears ran down your face as you threw your head toward the sky. You unleash a pained cry of anguish and grief, echoing throughout the hills.
  2509. > You knelt there in the dirt, doing nothing to halt the tears dropping from your face
  2510. > You were broken, utterly and completely.
  2511. > You feel completely helpless. If you were asked to save her from a dragon, or travel to the ends of the earth for her, you’d do it in a heartbeat
  2512. > But this… you couldn’t fight against this. This was final.
  2513. > You buried your face in your hands, your body racked by your sobs.
  2514. > What you wouldn’t give just to see her one more time, to tell her how much you loved her, to hear her sweet voice again…
  2515. > “Dad?...”
  2516. > You raise your head, not believing your ears
  2517. > You turn to your right, wiping your vision clear
  2518. > Beata stood a few feet to your right, her light brown coat stained with soot. She shifted, your bow and quiver sliding off her back
  2519. > You stared, dumbfounded, your brain refusing to accept what you saw
  2520. > “It’ll be okay Dad,” Beata said, giving you a weak smile, “We can always get a new house.”
  2521. > You snatch her up in your arms, hugging her tight as if she would disappear at any moment.
  2522. > The tears started up again, but not of sadness and grief, but of relief and joy.
  2523.  
  2524. > That night, you gathered in the town square along with all the other griffons
  2525. > Gilda stood by your side. You were grateful she wasn’t harmed, other than the occasion nick or scratch.
  2526. > Large funeral pyres were constructed in the streets, the bodies of the less fortunate griffons lay upon them
  2527. > One by one, the bases were lit by the deceased’s family, the smoke slowly curling into the starry sky
  2528. > The only sounds came from the crackling of the flames and the ambience of the night.
  2529. > Griffons grieved in silence. There were no speeches, no elaborate ceremonies, and no open displays of grief. Their souls were dedicated to Valhalla in a noble silence.
  2530. > You watched the flames slowly rise, consuming the bodies of the Griffons you once knew. They were your neighbors, your friends…
  2531. > You were an optimistic fool to think Celestia would just let your go, especially after what you did to her student.
  2532. > You were prepared to forget, you were willing to move on, but clearly she wasn’t
  2533. > Your hatred of Celestia had shrank into a smoldering ember after all these years, but as the flames of cremation rose, that ember grew into a raging inferno
  2534. > Your fists clench at your sides as realize this would never be over, not as long as one of you still lived
  2535. > You know what you have to do
  2536. > You turn around and walk away, leaving the funeral behind you
  2537. “Anon?” Gilda asks, seeing you leave, “Where are you going?”
  2538. “I’m going to kill Celestia.”
  2539.  
  2540. > You open the door and step inside the small smithy, looking around the dim room.
  2541. > You’re going to need weapons, lots of weapons.
  2542. > Various tools and equipment hung from the walls. A large section of the roof in one corner had collapsed during today’s fighting.
  2543. > As you searched for something suitable, you hear Gilda open the door behind you.
  2544. > “You know, you’ve had a lot of dumb ideas,” she said, “but this is by far the stupidest.”
  2545. “I have to put an end to this.” You reply, “She’s not going to stop unless I do.”
  2546. > “So? If they come again, we’ll kick their ass just like we did today.”
  2547. > You pick up a pair of hatchets that had fallen to the floor. You test their weight in your hands, making a few experimental swings. These will do.
  2548. “What about the others though?” you ask, slipping the axes onto your belt, “This isn’t their fight, can you honestly drag them into this?”
  2549. > Gilda opens her mouth to answer, but stops. Looking down, she answers slowly, “No. I can’t.”
  2550. > “But that doesn’t mean you need to do this.” She continues, “We can move. Find another village farther from the border…”
  2551. “And how long until they find us again?” you turn around, facing her, “How long until another day like today? And then what, we find another new home? We just keep running all our lives?”
  2552. > “But you’re plan is suicidal!” Gilda shouts, growing frustrated, “She’s surrounded by guards! She’s practically a god! What happens if you die?”
  2553. “Then they’ll have no reason to come back.”
  2554. > Gilda slaps you across the face, her talon cutting three bleeding lines across your cheek.
  2555. > “How could you possibly think like that?!?”
  2556. > She glares at you, seething with fury.
  2557. “Gilda,” you reply, your voice calm, “I thought I lost Beata today.”
  2558. > Gilda seems to calm down a bit. She waits for you to continue.
  2559. “It was horrible. It was…” you shudder, even the memory of the pain sent a spike through your heart, “Never again. I can’t let that happen ever again.”
  2560. “She deserves better. She deserves to live free from all this. I want to give her that life, even if I’m not going to be around to be a part of it.”
  2561. > You turn around, selecting a pair of knives and resuming your search through the rubble.
  2562. > After a few moments, Gilda moves next to you, beginning to shift through the debris
  2563. “What are you doing?” you ask
  2564. > “Helping.” She replies
  2565.  
  2566. > The first rays of the morning sun peek over the horizon as you load the last of the supplies onto one of the abandoned chariots
  2567. > You modified the harness to accommodate Gilda’s size. She agreed to fly you to Canterlot instead of walking.
  2568. > You also packed plenty of provisions so you wouldn’t have to hunt on your journey, so sense in taking longer than you have too.
  2569. > As you finish securing the supplies, you see Beata slowly walking up to you
  2570. > Gilda had arranged for her to stay with some friends for a while. She would be well cared for while you were gone.
  2571. > You step off the chariot, a sad smile on your face
  2572. “Hey there Beata, you doing okay?” you greet, crouching down
  2573. > “Where are you going dad?” she asks
  2574. > You smile a little more. Straight to the point, just like her mom.
  2575. “I’m going to Equestria. I have to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” You answer, trying to obscure the details.
  2576. > “You’re going to fight Celestia aren’t you.” She says, looking down at the ground.
  2577. > You should have known you could hide this from her, you raised her better than that.
  2578. > “But you’re going to win, right?” She looks up, her eyes full of hope, “You’re going to beat her and come back.”
  2579. > You pause, trying to formulate your response in your head.
  2580. > The hope in her eyes slowly turns to despair as you struggle to reply.
  2581. > “You’re going to come back, right Dad?” she repeats, her voice quavering.
  2582. “Beata…” you answer, pulling her into a tight hug, “I’ve never lied to you, I’m not going to start now.”
  2583. > That was it, she broke down. She starts crying into your shoulder, tears soaking through to your skin.
  2584. > You pet the back of her head, holding her close and offering what little comfort you could.
  2585. “Beata.” You say, holding her by the shoulders and looking into her eyes, “Before I go, I have to tell you something. This is important, you need to listen.”
  2586. > She nods her head, wiping her eyes clear with her talon.
  2587. “Always remember Beata, you are free. No one controls your destiny but you. Never let anyone take that away from you. Protect it. Fight for it. It is the most precious thing you have.”
  2588. > You lean forward and kiss her forehead, ruffling her coat with her hand like you always did.
  2589. “I love you Beata, and I’m so very proud of you. I know you’ll do alright.”
  2590. > You let her go. Standing up, you board the chariot.
  2591. > You look back, your eyes watering.
  2592. “Goodbye”
  2593.  
  2594. > You lean over the side of the chariot, watching the scenery pass by beneath you
  2595. > You remember the long journey you took years ago across Equestria. It was a novelty to see the same land you spent months trekking over literally fly by beneath you in a matter of weeks
  2596. > You definitely weren’t comfortable at first with being hundreds of feet above the ground in an open chariot, but you slowly got used to it.
  2597. > The chariot seemed to have some small magical properties. Even if Gilda hovered, it remained perfectly level behind her.
  2598. > Furthermore, there seemed to be a faint field holding you inside. Whenever you neared the edge or leaned over, you felt a small tug holding you back.
  2599. > It wasn’t very strong, you could probably break through if you wanted to, but at least you wouldn’t fall out accidentally.
  2600. > You made good progress as the days went by. Without having to stop and hunt for food, you were able to travel much longer per day.
  2601. > Slowly but surely, your destination begins to peek over the horizon. A single lonely mountain, a castle perched on it’s side.
  2602. > Your hands tighten over the railing, the wind blowing through your hair. You never thought you would ever go back there willingly.
  2603. > But that was then. You were going to make sure Celestia paid for what she did. For Beata, for Gilda, for Rainbow Dash and all the fallen.
  2604. > One way or another, this was the end.
  2605.  
  2606. > You worm your way through the scraggly brush, working your way to the cliff edge
  2607. > Far below you lies the city of Canterlot, looked over by Celestia’s castle
  2608. > You and Gilda had been camping on the mountain peak above the castle for a few days now, quietly observing the routines and patrols of the pegasi guards.
  2609. > There were hundreds of them. They swarmed around the castle like bees around a hive.
  2610. > But they were sloppy. The guards routinely arrived late at their posts, or wandered off at the slightest distraction.
  2611. > With so many guards, it’s no wonder they grew complacent. They were in the center of the p0ny nation, far away from the slightest threat.
  2612. > You and Gilda had found an opening you could exploit. As the guards changed shifts around noon, there was just enough time for a single fly-by.
  2613. > It was the only opportunity each day, there was no way to squeeze in a pickup later. You doubt you would need one anyway…
  2614. > You scan for any unusual movement, any discrepancies in their usual patrols. You needed to be sure you were still unnoticed, tomorrow was the day you made your move.
  2615. > Satisfied you’re plan would still work, you slide away from the cliff face, heading back towards camp.
  2616.  
  2617. > You sit by the small campfire, eating a small roasted rabbit.
  2618. > It wasn’t flavorful by any means, and was actually rather dry, but after weeks of dried meat it seemed positively succulent.
  2619. > Gild sat across from you, tearing into her own meal
  2620. > You smile to yourself. It was the moments like this, of quiet companionship, that reminded you how you fell in love with Gilda
  2621. > “What’re you grinning about?” Gilda asks, finishing her rabbit looking up.
  2622. “I was just thinking,” you answer, “This is just like old times isn’t it?”
  2623. > “I guess it is,” she agrees, tossing away the bone, “Your cooking is just as bad as before too.”
  2624. “A dish is only as good as it’s ingredients.” You retort, “You always seem keen of snatching the stringy and tasteless hares.”
  2625. > “That’s not a ‘dish’, dweeb.” Gilda snaps back, “You just turned them over a fire.”
  2626. > You wave your hand dismissively, returning your attention to your meal.
  2627. > A silence formed between you, slowly growing more tense and awkward.
  2628. > Gilda stares into the crackling flames. You could tell she was preparing to say something, and you knew better than to try and force it out of her.
  2629. > You busy yourself by working with your arrows, ensuring each one was in prime condition.
  2630. > You pay particular attention to one arrow in particular. For your plan to work, you needed this arrow to be flawless.
  2631. > After several minutes, Gilda breaks the silence
  2632. > “I’m going with you.” She announces.
  2633. “No.” you immediately reply, your voice stern.
  2634. > “But we’re a team Anon.” she pleads, looking up at you, “We always stuck together, through everything, I can’t just leave you to do this alone!”
  2635. “Gilda,” you say, moving next to her, “You can’t come with me, you have to go on.”
  2636. > “But I can’t lose you! I already lost Rainbow Dash, I don’t want to lose you too…”
  2637. “Gilda…” You drape an arm over her shoulder, looking into her eyes, “You have to head back. Beata needs to have a mother.”
  2638. > “But… maybe I can pick up you up later.” She desperately reasons, “I can get you out after you…”
  2639. You shake your head, “You know that’s not possible.”
  2640. > Slowly, she begins to accept the situation. She throws her arms around your shoulders, clamping her beak around your mouth.
  2641. > You return her embrace, feeling her warm tears spill onto your face. You both sit there, holding each other for what you knew would be the last time.
  2642. > As the sun sank below the horizon, you broke the embrace, gently pushing Gilda away.
  2643. “Alright, I think I should get some sleep. I’ll need it fo-“
  2644. > Gilda roughly pushes you onto your back, positioning herself above you.
  2645. > “No, not tonight.” She seductively grins down at you, “You don’t get to sleep tonight.”
  2646.  
  2647. > You step onto the chariot as the sun rises high into the sky, giving you weapons one last check over.
  2648. > Your bow was slung over you back, two hatchets hung from your belt. Two large knives were slid into slots on the front of your vest.
  2649. > Satisfied with your preparations, you signal Gilda. With a might flap of her wings, she leaps over the edge of the cliff, pulling the chariot behind her.
  2650. > Your stomach churns as she dives downward. The wind whips past you as she builds more and more speed
  2651. > You castle looms closer with every passing moment. Gilda heads straight for the throne room, an immensely large room at the top of the castle.
  2652. > Even over the howling wind, you can hear the surprised shouts of the guards and p0nies below you. Still, by the time they organized a chase, Gilda would be long gone.
  2653. > As you near your destination, you grab a long rope secured the front of the chariot, wrapping it around your hands.
  2654. > “Anon!” Gilda shouts above the wind, turning her head back toward you
  2655. > You meet her gaze, her eyes full of determination.
  2656. > “Kick her ass.”
  2657. > You smile, stepping backwards off the chariot
  2658. > You’re struck by the awkward feeling of weightlessness as you fall over the edge.
  2659. > The rope catches on the edge of the chariot, suddenly becoming taught
  2660. > Your free-fall turns into a massive swing, propelling you sideways towards a massive stained-glass window.
  2661. > You smash into the glass feet first, releasing the rope from your hands
  2662. > The ornate window shatters with a resounding crash as you fly into the throne room.
  2663. > You land rolling on the smooth stone floor, multicolored shards of glass raining around you.
  2664. > Well-dressed p0nies scream and run at your sudden entrance. It reminded you of the first time you arrived here unexpected. But this time, you weren’t going to run.
  2665. > As your rise to your feet, pulling your hatchets free from your belt. Numerous guards quickly surround you, leveling spears and charging spells in the horns
  2666. > You ignore them, your business was with the mare sitting on the throne before you.
  2667. > “Anon,” Celestia said, her voice showing neither surprise nor compassion, “You survived.”
  2668. “Celestia!” you shout, pointing one of your hatchets at her, “I’ve come to end this once and for all!”
  2669. > Celestia rises from her throne, looking down at you like you were some sort of offending insect.
  2670. > “Leave us.” She commands the guards surrounding you.
  2671. > “Your highness?” asks one of the guards, looking back at his sovereign, confused.
  2672. > “I will deal with him personally.” She continues, her spiteful gaze never leaving yours.
  2673. > Reluctantly, the guards pull away their spears, slowly exiting through the large wooden doors behind you.
  2674. > The doors close as the last guard departs, leaving you and Celestia in solitude.
  2675. > “I must say, you confuse me Anon.” Celestia begins, slowly descending the steps in front of her throne.
  2676. > “You were always so desperate to escape from me. You hid in the wilderness, you fled across my country, and you fought my guards.”
  2677. > “And now, after all these years, you come walking right back.” She continues, “Why did you fight then? Why struggle to escape your death only to come right back?”
  2678. “The difference, your highness,” You answer, spitting out the title with contempt, “is choice.”
  2679. “I’ve chosen to come here, I’ve chosen this fate. This isn’t something that you or anyone else has forced upon me. This path is mine, and I’m prepared to see it through to it’s end.”
  2680. > “So, you have come here prepared to die?” Celestia asks
  2681. “Yes,” you reply, hefting your hatchets, “But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to drag you down with me.”
  2682. > “Oh please,” Celestia laughs, “I’ve lived for thousands of years, there have been countless attempts on my life. What makes you think yours will be any different?”
  2683. “Because,” you answer, “I’m your greatest weakness Celestia.”
  2684. “I have destroyed countless kingdoms and dethroned kings.”
  2685. “I have brought empires to their knees and toppled regimes.”
  2686. “I am the ultimate bane of oppressors and slayer of sovereigns.”
  2687. > “Do not toy with me Anon.” Celestia sneers, her horn glowing, “You are no god.”
  2688. “No, I’m not a god.” You reply, readying your stance, “I’m a free man.”
  2689. “Let’s end this.”
  2690. > You both stand there, unmoving. You stare at one another, searching for the slightest weakness, waiting for the other to begin.
  2691. > Neither of you spoke, the only sounds came from the wind through the shattered window.
  2692. > You studied the room around you. Two sets of supportive pillars ran parallel to the walls on your left and right.
  2693. > Large Tapestries and flags hung between the intricate stain-glass window, each portraying a pivotal moment of Equestrian history.
  2694. > You return your attention to Celestia, making a small adjustment to your footing.
  2695. > Celestia moves first. With a barely imperceptible flick of her horn, a stone block is ripped from the floor, hurtling at you with blinding speed
  2696. > You swing forward with your right hand, intercepting the masonry with your hatchet. The stone bursts apart in a cloud of dust and debris, the impact shattering the axe head.
  2697. > You drop the useless handle and step forward, hurling your second axe over your shoulder and sending it spinning at Celestia.
  2698. > She throws up a shield without flinching, the weapon shattering against the magical barrier.
  2699. > You rush forward, sliding your knives free from your vest. You learned a lot from your fight against Twilight. Magic required concentration, you couldn’t give her time to focus
  2700. > You can see the field weaken as you get close, the stone’s nullifying properties clearly at work.
  2701. > With a quick thrust from your dagger, the shield shatters, allowing you to get within striking distance of Celestia
  2702. > She lowers her head, deflecting your attack with a quick movement of her horn.
  2703. > She stabs forward with the sharpened point, forcing you to awkwardly twist and dodge away.
  2704. > This is something you didn’t expect. Her horn was far larger than any other unicorn’s, making it a clearly deadly weapon.
  2705. > The two of you duel back and forth, exchanging blows and vying for position.
  2706. > You weren’t experienced in this sort of melee combat, if it wasn’t for the inherent awkwardness of Celestia’s weapon, you would have been eviscerated in seconds.
  2707. > “You will suffer for what you did to my student!” Celestia threatens, parrying your attacks and thrusting forward with her horn.
  2708. “You’ll pay for threatening my daughter!” you shout back, dodging her thrust and slashing forward.
  2709. > She rears back, escaping out of the reach of your weapon. She slams back down into the floor, a magical shockwave erupting from her hooves.
  2710. > The blast shatters the ornate windows around you and sends cracks running through the floor stone floors
  2711. > You’re sent flying across the room by the force, your daggers knocked free from your grasp.
  2712. > You land on your hands and knees, sliding across the smooth stone surface.
  2713. > Celestia slowly advances toward you, more bits of masonry tearing free from the floor and orbiting around her.
  2714. > The magnitude of your situation finally sinks in. Twilight had to visibly focus and strain to lift even a single large object, Celestia did it without even seeming to notice.
  2715. > “So, you have a daughter, how quaint.” She said, a twisted smile on her face, “Perhaps I’ll pay her a visit after I’m done with you. After all, you cut off my pupil’s horn, clipping her wings seems a fair don’t you think?”
  2716. > You glare at her, sliding your bow off of your shoulders
  2717. “I’ll die before I let you touch her.”
  2718. > Celestia scowls at you, the glow of her horn intensifying.
  2719. > “Terms accepted!”
  2720. > With a flick of her horn, she launches the masonry at you with enough force to shatter bones.
  2721. > You roll out of the way, seeking the cover behind the marble support pillars
  2722. > As Celestia gathers more ammunition, you quickly nock an arrow and fire at her neck
  2723. > Celestia simply looks at the arrow, reducing it to dust inches before impact.
  2724. > She resumes her bombardment as you duck behind the pillar. The stone above you shatters under her attack, sending debris over your head.
  2725. > You sprint to the next pillar as Celestia prepare her next attack, snatching another arrow from your quiver.
  2726. > You fire the arrow, diving behind the pillar as Celestia throws the massive projectiles at you. She effortless deflects the attack as your cover is reduced to rubble.
  2727. > You continue your sprint, firing as you race from pillar to pillar, each one reduced to rubble under Celestia’s onslaught.
  2728. > Finally, you run out of cover. You stand in the center of the room, panting for breath as Celestia grins triumphantly at you.
  2729. > “It seems you’ve run out of places to hide.” She sneers, “I think it’s time we ended this little game.”
  2730. “You know,” you reply, matching her grin, “You and Twilight really need to watch where you’re throwing stuff.”
  2731. > She raises an en eyebrow, waiting for an explanation. You point up at the ceiling, multiple large cracks expanding outward.
  2732. > She looks up, mouth agape, as the entire roof suddenly comes crashing down in a deafening avalanche of stone and masonry.
  2733.  
  2734. > You push with all your might, sliding the heavy stone off of your chest.
  2735. > You pull yourself free from the rubble, your entire body aching in protest.
  2736. > Flashes of pain pounded inside your skull as you surveyed the damage around you.
  2737. > The entire roof had fallen inward, leaving only the walls still standing. The blue sky was open above you, a cool breeze blowing around you.
  2738. > You retrieve your bow from where it fell, looking around for any sign of Celestia, but there appeared to be none.
  2739. > Could it be over? Did the collapse finish her off?
  2740. > You hear a section of the rubble begin to shift as something large moves underneath it.
  2741. > No, of course not. That would’ve been too easy.
  2742. > Celestia bursts free from the debris, sending wooden beam and chunks of stone flying/
  2743. > Her tiara was missing from her head, her jewelry hung from an awkward angle. Her pristine white coat was stained with dust and dirt.
  2744. > She glares at you, eyes burning with hatred and rage. Her bane billowed chaotically behind her like the flames of a wild inferno.
  2745. > “Enough!” she bellows, rising slowly into the air, “I will not be undone by some hairless ape!”
  2746. > Incandescent magical energies swirl her, slowly building heat and power
  2747. > It’s like a hurricane is forming within the throne room. The air whips around you, the damaged walls collapsing outward.
  2748. > The heat intensifies, the air around Celestia bursting into flame. Dark clouds form in the sky above you, churning violently and spewing lightening.
  2749. > You stood awestruck. This wasn’t the anger of an insulted ruler, or the rage of some powerful unicorn, this was the unchained fury of vengeful goddess.
  2750. > The fire spins around her body, forming a towering cyclone rising high into the sky.
  2751. > “I have lived for thousands of years! I have ruled since time immemorial!” Celestia shouts as she rises through the vortex of fire and fury, “I am immortal! I am a god among mortals!”
  2752. > The heat was unbearable, it was like the sun itself was surrounding her. Even with the stone’s protection, you could feel your skin blister and burn.
  2753. > “This world exists upon my whim!” Celestia voice booms forth, resonating around you, “You live only to serve my wishes, and you will die because I command it!”
  2754. “I am no one’s subject!” you shout over the howling wind and thunder, reaching over your shoulder for an arrow, your last arrow.
  2755. > You nock the arrow, gritting your teeth against the driving wind.
  2756. “I will not bow to you, or fate, or anyone else!”
  2757. > Your draw back, the muscles in your back straining against the bow.
  2758. > Your form was perfect, your hands moving without thought, only focus. All the practice and experience of your life come down to this one crucial shot.
  2759. > You steady your aim. The glossy, black stone arrowhead trained on Celestia’s chest
  2760. “I. AM. FREE!”
  2761. > You release the arrow, sending the sharpened black stone streaking at Celestia.
  2762. > It passes through the fiery vortex, punching a hole through the flames.
  2763. > The arrow strikes Celestia in the center of her chest. The fire dissipates immediately, Celestia’s falling down from the air.
  2764. > Celestia stumbles awkwardly to her feet, staring dumbfounded at the arrow shaft protruding from her coat.
  2765. > “What… what did you do?” she asks, growing hysterical, “What did you do!?!”
  2766. > You scream in defiance and rush forward, dropping your bow and tackling into Celestia
  2767. > She stumbles backward, unable to steady herself on the uneven debris. Your momentum carries the two of you forward, tumbling over the broken walls.
  2768. > You spin and turn as you plummet through the air. Celestia tries to shake you off her back as you pound your fist into her side.
  2769. > You smash into a roof with a tooth jarring impact, sliding down the slope with a small avalanche of broken shingles before resuming your free-fall.
  2770. > Celestia flaps her wings desperately, trying to slow down your rapid descent. You wrap your arm around her wing and begin to twist
  2771. “This is for Rainbow Dash you bitch!”
  2772. > With a sickening snap, the wing breaks free from her socket. Your grip is torn away as Celestia tightly spirals to the earth.
  2773. > The ground and sky spin wildly in your vision as you twirl and flip through the air.
  2774. > You smash into the unrelenting earth, the breath knocked out of your lungs before you immediately lose consciousness.
  2775. > Your eyes flutter open as you lay face down in the dirt and grass
  2776. > Everything about you hurt, it felt like your entire skeleton had been shattered. Your mind feels fuzzy, you found it hard to focus or think properly
  2777. > The darkness slowly crept back into the corners of your vision. It would so nice to just sleep, just let it all fade away… you were so tired too…
  2778. > No! You force your eyes open, groaning as you push yourself with on your arms. You’re not done, not yet!
  2779. > You slowly rise to your feet, you entire body stiff and screaming in protest. You hold a hand to your head, trying to ease your pounding head.
  2780. > You examine your surroundings, your vision blurry and swimming. It looks like you were in some sort of large garden.
  2781. > Large, impressively lifelike statues surrounded you. Large flowerbeds were scattered around the neatly trimmed trees and hedges.
  2782. > You wince in pain as you breathe, each breath sending a sharp blade of pain through your chest.
  2783. > Running you hand gingerly over your chest, you feel your ribs broken and misaligned inside you.
  2784. > You turn around, searching for where Celestia landed. You spot her behind you, rising awkwardly on her legs.
  2785. > Her right wing hung broken and limp at her side. Her white coat was soaked in blood around the broken arrow shaft embedded in her chest.
  2786. > She spits out mouthful of blood, glaring at you.
  2787. > You stumble toward each other, both limping heavily. You raise your arm in a weak guard as you near Celestia
  2788. > As you enter striking distance, you wind up and strike your fist across her face. It was a pathetic punch, your entire body working against you
  2789. > Even so, Celestia staggers under the blow before returning with a flail of her front hooves.
  2790. > You took the hit into your shoulder. You couldn’t dodge, you didn’t have enough strength left. At least the attack was weak, clearly she was injured as well.
  2791. > You repeatedly pound your fists into her face, your movements weak and slow as Celestia does nothing to evade or protect yourself
  2792. > Celestia returns to the offense as you tire out, pounding into you with her hooves
  2793. > The two of you were beyond strategy or tactics. You weakly brawled into each other like drunks, simply enduring each attack.
  2794. > As you swing another right hook, Celestia backs up out of your reach.
  2795. > You stumble forward, off balance as Celestia spins around on her front hooves.
  2796. > She bucks you in the chest, sending your body crashing against the castle wall behind you.
  2797. > You stagger, trying to move as you see Celestia charging toward you, her head lowered.
  2798. > She collides into you, her horn impaling your abdomen and pinning you to the wall behind you.
  2799. > You heave, expelling a mixture of blood and vomit into the earth
  2800. > Celestia grins triumphantly, driving her horn deeper into you
  2801. > “Enjoy Tartarus.” She sneers
  2802. > With one last burst off strength, you wrap your arms around her neck and chin, twisting her head to the side.
  2803. > “What… what are you doing?” Celestia demands, struggling against you.
  2804. “I told you,” you reply, blood dripping from your mouth, “I’m taking you down with me.”
  2805. > She fights against your grip, but you hold her tight, slowly twisting her neck further and further.
  2806. > She bites down on your fingers. You feel your bones begin to crack and grind between her teeth.
  2807. > You finally come to the breaking point, the final resistance of her vertebrae. With a cry of pain, anguish, and rage, you give Celestia’s neck one final pull.
  2808. > With a loud crack, her neck snaps. Her body goes limp, her horn sliding free from your body as she slumps down into the grass.
  2809. > You cup your hand over your wound, blood seeping around your fingers. You look down at Celestia, her eyes wide with shock and her neck hanging at an unnatural angle.
  2810. > It was over
  2811. > You did it
  2812. > You won
  2813. > You limp away from the body. You weren’t sure where you were going and honestly, you didn’t care. You simply walked on, leaving the scene of battle behind you.
  2814. > You walked slowly through the gardens, looking around you.
  2815. > The trees rose high above you, casting a cool shade over your path. The air was thick with the smell of wildflowers and freshly cut grass.
  2816. > Small birds fluttered and sang in the branches above you, their songs blending together into a harmonious melody.
  2817. > You always liked that about birds. Even on the darkest days, even after the fiercest storms, they always kept singing, always bringing some small amount of simple pleasure into the world.
  2818. > You had to admit, this world was beautiful. It had taken you song long to realize that when you first arrived here.
  2819. > Back then, you had been so focused on what you had lost in your old world. You never thought about what this new life could bring you.
  2820. > You suddenly gag, spewing another volume of thick blood into the dirt at your feet.
  2821. > That was it, you couldn’t go any further.
  2822. > You spot a statue not far from you and slowly work your way over. Your entire body felt heavy and sluggish, the pain of your wounds oddly absent.
  2823. > The statue looks like Celestia, but not quite. The frame was smaller and thinner, perhaps it depicted her in her younger years?
  2824. > You sit down at the base of the statue, propping your back against the stone surface
  2825. > Your thoughts drift over your life here since arriving in Equestria
  2826. > Your capture by Celestia, your imprisonment by Twilight, regaining your freedom thanks to Rainbow Dash…
  2827. > Rainbow Dash. If you had any regrets, that was it. She didn’t deserve her fate. You wished you could’ve done something, anything to help her.
  2828. > But you suppose she chose her own path, much like you chose yours. She knew the consequences of her actions, and was willing to risk that for you. No wonder she an Gilda were friends
  2829. > Gilda…damn you love that griffon. You love everything about her, her attitude, her pride, and her competitive nature. She was just so very much alive, so full of energy.
  2830. > Meeting her was probably the best thing that ever happened to you. She led you to a new life you shared with her, and with your daughter Beata.
  2831. > Beata… she was so precious to you. You loved her dearly as her father, and you were so proud of her. She was strong, independent, and spirited.
  2832. > You still cherished the years you spent together, watching her grow from the tiny chick she once was.
  2833. > You wish you could’ve seen what she would grow to become, but at least she would be able to do so in peace, you made sure of that.
  2834. > You wish you could’ve been around longer, but you enjoyed the time you had here
  2835. > You eyelids grow heavy, your arm sliding down to your side.
  2836. > You had a good life. You fell in love and got to be a father, what more could you want?
  2837. > Yeah, you could live with that.
  2838. > You sigh and close your eyes, letting the birds sing you softly to sleep.
  2839.  
  2840. > It was dark… so very dark...
  2841. > There was no noise, no smell, no touch. It was empty, so completely and totally empty
  2842. > But it was peaceful, serene.
  2843. > You float through the void, your mind blank and empty
  2844. > You simply drift along, resting.
  2845. > “…Anon…”
  2846. > What was that? A voice? It was so far off… so distant…
  2847. > You ignore it, returning to your slumber
  2848. > The darkness was comforting, it wrapped and enveloped around you you like a thick blanket.
  2849. > “…Anon…” the voice returns, louder and closer.
  2850. > You groan. Why could you just be left alone? You were so tired, you just wanted to sleep…
  2851. > “Anon!” The voice yelled in your ear, forcibly tearing you from your rest
  2852. > It sounded familiar, you could almost remember it... You fought through the fog, trying to reach your memories.
  2853. > The darkness slowly began to lift, light retuning to your world.
  2854. > That voice… who was it? You almost had it…
  2855. > “Anon, if you don’t wake up right now I’ll kick your ass!”
  2856. > Gilda?
  2857.  
  2858. > Your eyes slowly open, pupils burning from the bright sunlight
  2859. > Gilda’s head was in front of yours, a wide grin on her face
  2860. > “About time dweeb, you have a good nap?”
  2861. “Gilda?” you ask, confused
  2862. > You sit up, surveying you surroundings. You were in a wide grassy plain, the blue sky open above you. In the distance, you could see the city of Canterlot perched on the mountain.
  2863. > You run our hand over your stomach, checking your wound. The gaping hole Celestia tore was gone, replaced by smooth new skin.
  2864. “What the heck happened?”
  2865. > “You nearly died is what happened.” Gilda answers, poking you in the chest, “Luckily I was able to pull you out of there.”
  2866. “But how?” you ask, incredulous, “What about the guards, or my wounds?”
  2867. > “Well…” Gilda responds, looking behind you, “I may have had a little help.”
  2868. > You slowly turn around, not expecting what you see.
  2869. > A tall blue alicorn stood before you, her starry mane billowing in the breeze.
  2870. > “Hello Anon.” she greets you, “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
  2871. > SHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT
  2872. > You scramble away from the mare, desperately searching for a weapon
  2873. > “Calm yourself Anon.” the alicorn tries to reassure you, “My name is Luna, I am Celestia’ sister.”
  2874. > If that was supposed to help calm you down, it certainly didn’t work
  2875. > “Cool it dweeb.” Gilda places a claw on your shoulder, “She’s alright.”
  2876. “How can you be sure?” you ask, glaring at the mare.
  2877. > “Because she helped me get you out of there,” Gilda explains, “And she patched up that hole in your gut.”
  2878. > Luna nods in confirmation as you slowly begin to relax. You still were suspicious of her intentions however.
  2879. “Why though? Why would you suddenly help me? I did just kill you sister after all.”
  2880. > Luna looks down at the ground, a slight frown on her face.
  2881. > “Because I know what it’s like to best the monster, to be condemned.” She explains, “Do you remember the statue you fell against in the garden?”
  2882. “I sat against it as I recall.” You reply, folding your arms
  2883. > “Believe me, it wasn’t anything nearly as refined.” Luna smiles
  2884. > “Regardless, you’re lucky you chose that spot.” She continues, “That statue has been my prison for a thousand years, ever since my ill-fated coup long ago.”
  2885. > “After my sister…passed, the spell was broken, and I was freed.” She continues, “I had just finished healing you when Gilda returned.”
  2886. > You turn back toward Gilda
  2887. “I told you not to come back for me.” You scold.
  2888. > “Come on Anon,” Gilda shrugs, “When have I ever listened to anything you said?”
  2889. > Ok, yeah, she got you there. But there was still one question lingering on my mind.
  2890. “How do you know who I was?” you ask Luna
  2891. > “Even imprisoned, I still retained my awareness as well as some of my power.” She answers, “I saw you when you first arrived here, and watched you for some time afterwards.”
  2892. > Okay, that was a bit unnerving, as well as creepy. Just how closely was she watching you?
  2893. > “In fact,” she continues, “I sent you a little gift while you were in the Everfree.”
  2894. > A gift? You never received any gifts. The only things you ever found were a bottle of wine on a dead p0ny and that meteo-
  2895. “Wait, you mean the ‘Goddess Bane’? You sent that to me? Why?”
  2896. > Luna nods, “I did. I wanted to ensure you could escape Equestria, you needed the protection. I certainly didn’t expect you to turn into a weapon.”
  2897. > You turn to the west, watching the sun set below the horizon. Gilda walks to your side, gently leaning into you.
  2898. “I didn’t expect a lot of things.”
  2899. > “What will you do now?” Luna asks
  2900. > You turn to your right, the three northern stars just barely becoming visible.
  2901. “Me? I’m going home.”

The End of the Universe (Anon x Celestia)

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