Only the dead can know peace from this evil… Wait… You hold your hand to your chest certain that it just takes a few seconds, but it becomes apparently clear that you, no matter how much you would otherwise wish, are still dead weight. You look to the sky, a smile forming on your face. And you laugh.
Not a simple chuckle either, a full blown hearty laugh. Anonymous joins in nervously, forcing himself to go along with it. Tears accumulate as you take a soothing breathe between snippets of laughter. Oh this is just grand. How the stars have shined upon you this day. ”I guess it is kind of funny.”
You wipe the moisture from your eyes, a grin on your face. “I’m going to kill you.”
That seems to wake him up, “Wait a minute here-“ You lob a nearby lamp at his head, the fucker narrowly dodging it.
“You’re going to fix this, and you’re going to do it now.”
”It’s not that simple.”
His nightstand is the next object you toss at the lying bastard. “Oh you’ll be surprised how simple a matter of life and death can be.”
He straightens up, “Know your place. I owe you Nothing!”
“You owe me what you promised!”
”I could’ve let you rot back in that damned prison, but I rescued you.”
“Don’t make me remind you of exactly what happened in that tower.”
”You dare…”
“I saw the fear in your eyes! He hit you where it hurt and that scared you more than anything.”
”You will be silent.”
“The only reason you’re standing here is because I saved you.”
”Enough!” he roars as he slams his foot upon the stone, the tower trembling before his might.
“Hit a nerve? Good. Now you know how I feel.”
”I can give you what you desire, I just need more time.”
“Time? I have been waiting for longer than your mind can fathom. You may have taken me from that place, but all you’ve done is change the setting.”
”I made a promise to you and I plan to keep it. War has left me drained, and if you can wait just a little longer you shall have what you seek.” He’s walking on thin ice here.
“You’re incompetence is no concern of mine.”
”If you want to live again then you’ll wait. Think rationally here.” That means almost nothing coming from him, but he’s right. You’re not in your right mind. You’ve broken your one fundamental rule: Stay calm.
“How much?”
”Excuse me?”
“How much time do you need?”
Anonymous visibly relaxes, “It may take some time, so don’t hold me to a particular number.”
“I’ve spent a long while just waiting; it’s not too much to ask for some time I guess.” You lean on the edge and get your bearings, letting this setback sink in. Of course this wouldn’t be the first time your plans hit the shitter. “I think I might go away for a while. Take some time off… See the sights.”
”If you wish-“
“You’re not coming with me.”
”Just thought I’d ask.” You make your way to the door with Anonymous behind you. ”Just out of curiosity, where would you go?” How to respond to that. Now that’s a question.
“I figured I’d go north, roam around a bit.”
”Any place in particular?”
A smile works its way on your face as you visualize it. “Yeah…” You head back to your room, grabbing what you can and stuffing it into a makeshift duffel bag. Jotting down a quick note you post it on your door, far less humorous than the last one you made. Walking down the halls you quickly exit the castle and back through the courtyard. The breeze flows around you grasping at your limbs as if to slow you down, but you walk through them.
The moonlit streets of Canterlot glimmer as you walk between the towering buildings beside you. The night watch looks on at your departure, just another wanderer of the night. You pass through the gates of Canterlot and tread upon the dirt path before you. North, you follow the constellations in the sky, the white rider guiding you along. You’re not sure how she’ll react to your surprise visit. With any luck you won’t have to hurt anyone on the way there. But you’ll cross that bridge when you come to it. The lights of Canterlot fade as you move further and further away. The city was a nice little place. It had all the right things to make your day. But it was never really home. You’d never really had a real one since you first came to Equestria. Until you traveled north.
~~~
You gather some local plant life, though the tundra certainly makes it difficult for you. Picking a bowl out of your pack you dump your payload into the tub, gracing it with a handful of berries and shoots you’d found. It’s no breakfast of champions, but it gets the job done. A critter darts away in the corner of your eye, likely a rabbit from the fleeting glimpse. You’d considered trapping one, but you know all too well of the consequences. They just had to make the rules that way.
Doesn’t matter they type of meat, as all will bring you down in the end. What you wouldn’t give for a strip of nice juicy bacon. Don’t tease yourself like that Anon, it’s not good for you. You strip the bark and finish off the shoots, depositing any remains on the ground. The hunger is always present, but the occasional snack and meditation session is quick to subdue the desire. You can never be too careful, lest your urges take over.
You take a quick swim in the nearby river as well to clean off some of the grim that had accumulated during your trip. Taking a rag from your bag you dry yourself off, slipping back into your jeans. A sniff of your shirt shows just how long you’d been wearing it and you promptly stick it back in your bag. Slinging the bag over your shoulder you keep on along the mountain. You’d abandoned the safety of roads long ago, no being brave enough to settle this far out of Equestrian territory. Well, no one besides you.
You’d grown accustomed to these lands, though they’ve changed a bit since you last lived here. Not by much, it’s still the same rugged stretch of land you remember it to be. There are some things that even time has trouble changing. You only hope she was one of them.
Climbing down through the rocks you spot the tunnel up ahead. You stand in the entrance as you gaze down the tunnel’s depths. Could she even be here? She’d said how they migrate from place to place. She wouldn’t do that though. She’d wait, she said she would. You step back into the shadows of your home. You run your hand across the ancient walls of stone, allowing your mind to wander.
~~~
‘Anon wait up!’
You charge down the hallway, sword in hand and ponies at your back. ‘I’m not letting her get away again!’ Gillian’s hooves dwindle away as you move on ahead of the group. She made the mistake of sparing you the first time. Now it’s time to pay her back with interest.
~~~
So long ago that was, back when blood still flowed in your veins. You walk further, the cavern’s cool air pulling you in. You hold out your hand and conjure a small sphere of light, illuminating the world around you. You kneel next to the ground and look around.
~~~
Taking your sword you impale the nearest foe, his sage blood dirtying your blade. Another comes in from your flank and is met with a firm heel to the jaw. ‘Where is she?!’ Reinforcements arrive and you promptly cave in the cavern atop them, only cutting off one of the many routes through the hive. You move to the last conscious member of their forces as he cowers, his wings trembling. You pull out your trusty knife and press it against his neck. ‘Where?’
~~~
You stand back up and look to the various passageways. They finally cleared that cave in it would seem. Took them long enough to get around to it. That route should bring you to your location faster if memory serves. You slide down the steep incline followed by layers of dust and sediment. Slits in the wall serve as your map around the tunnels and a newfound humidity helps pinpoint your location. You find a head sized cutout in the rock and peer down into the chamber below.
~~~
‘It’ll be a few months before they’re ready to hatch so we keep them here.’
You run your hand through the bubbling water. ‘I’ve never been to a hot spring before, but it sounds reasonable enough, keeping them where it’s warm.’
She presses her hoof atop your shoulder only for you to shrug it off. ‘That’s enough for this side, shall we move on then?’
‘Fine.’
~~~
The pond lies dormant, mirroring the rest of this place, but you have to keep on, there’s still a chance. You turn away from the view and walk down the hallway. You come across the old cellblock, the previous owners appearing to have vacated.
~~~
‘Open it.’
‘As you wish,’ she responds as an eerie glow forms around her horn. The flickering gate dies down and you step within the holding cell.
‘Anon!’ The filly hollers before leaping into your arms, ‘I knew you’d come for us.’
“It’s good to see you too Star,” you reply hugging her.
‘You taught her real good now didn’t you?’
‘Of course’ you lie, ‘You get back home now, all of you head home.’
‘Are you coming with us?’
You look outside to see her shaking her head. ‘Not exactly.’
~~~
The evidence is piling up but… You’re not willing to believe it. You had fought down theses hollow passages before, you know them well. Many fell in this place, friend and foe alike. The war was devastating, but you had to end it at any cost. Even if it was at your own expense.
Kicking away at another cave in soon clears it of debris and allows you through. You find yourself in a sort of dining room of sorts, though the others tended to snack closer to their food source.
~~~
Her laughter brings a smile to your face and you take another spoon of stew. ‘And she really thought it was real?/
‘Well what do you expect? She’s only human, err- pony I guess.’ You swallow down your food, her cooking skills surprisingly good for someone who never does. Her emerald green eyes shimmer from the torch’s glow. She leans closer, bringing her face to yours. You close your eyes and drift away, meeting her lips for the first time.
~~~
Yeah, there were definitely some good memories mixed in there. You take a swig of your flask and run your hand over the table. You slap the dust off your hands and into a hovering cloud. There’s one last tunnel to explore, the path where your journey ends. It holds the answer that you seek. The answer that you don’t want. But you need to see it one last time. You walk closer and closer, her sobs coming from within.
~~~
‘I… I’m sorry. I- tried…’
‘Not your *cough* fault.’ You stand by the corner already knowing what lies ahead. ‘At least- at least you’re with me.’
‘I wouldn’t let you go through this alone.’ A tear escapes you as you watch your own life drain away.
You take hold of her hoof and hold tight. ‘I promise I’ll be back. *cough cough* I’ll find my way.’
‘Please relax Anon, you know what-’ You fall back onto your bed as your heart seizes up. ‘Anon?!’
You fight through it and look back to her. ‘Will you wait for me?’ You croak as your strength wanes.
She nuzzles your neck in hopes to hide her tears, but she cannot hide from what’s to come. ‘I’ll wait for you. I will.’ You hold her as another burst shoots through you, both locked together. You lock your amulet around her neck, the ruby but a lump of coal in comparison. ‘I love you Anon.’ Shadows creep inwards, your heart slowing.
‘Goodbye Chrysalis.’
~~~
The hive lies silent except for a single man, alone with his misery. You look to the pendant in your hand, your face mirrored within. That bastard… How could he do it? Why!? He deserved to die. That… that… “FUCKER!”
You plow your fist straight through the wall, a combination of primal rage and unchecked sorcery. You’ll kill him again, you’ll find him in whatever hole he’s crawled into and then… You slam your foot upon the floor, cracking the stone into pieces. You close your eyes and take a deep breathe, venting your emotions. He’s already dead, there’s nothing more you can do. But you’re glad that you were the one to end his miserable life. No regrets…
The amulet looks back at you as you open your eyes. All of this was his doing, the ripples of his actions. Anonymous isn’t the enemy, it was the hero. Always the hero. You slip the amulet around your neck, a welcome friend, your only friend. Life, death… What does it matter anymore? The only thing you strove for has once again been yanked from your reach. Setback, after setback, after setback… Why do you even try? All you meet is failure anyways. When you care for nothing, nothing can be taken away from you. The thought is… troubling, but yet it rings true. It’s always been true.
~~~
You keep your head down and head through, ponies looking over you. Their whispers are inaudible, not that it truly matters what they say. You snag a glance at a street vendor and buy a quick snack. ”No charge,” he said with a grin on his face.
“Appreciate it.” That’s the best you can do under the circumstances, a quick nod of thanks. You dig through your pockets and pull out a few silver bits, sliding them to the side of his cart when he’s not looking. Nothing’s free.
You spy a tavern sign at the end of the street. It’s been awhile since you drank. You sleek over to the door and slip through. The inside’s about as well as you’d expect with drunks and the like. Some things never change, regardless of location. You open the door for a passing drunk with the good sense to leave while he’s ahead. Their inebriation allows them to look past- well your looks. It’s probably made a few of them have some regretful nights.
You hit a corner booth, the bar full-up as it is. A waitress eventually makes her way over to you, “What can I get for you honey?”
“Whatcha got?”
”Depends on what you’re lookin’ for. We got most greens under the sun if you’ve got an appetite as well as an array of beverages, alcoholic and not.”
“An ice cold beer wouldn’t happen to be on that list now would it?”
”No such luck I’m afraid.”
“I figured. Still, couldn’t hurt to ask right?” Wrong.
”Won’t know until you do. So what else can I get for ya?”
“Eeh? Can I swipe a mug of cider?”
”One cider coming up Anon.” She jots your order down on a slip of paper and walks away, a crackling sound spurring up beside you. You don’t look, like a child hiding under his sheets, trying to believe its not there.
”Your names known all throughout Canterlot it would seem, no small part to me of course.”
“Yeah, sure.”
He pauses, “Yeah sure? My speech made your name famous, more than just some story in the side of a mountain.” This guy just doesn’t know when to stop running his trap.
“What do you want Anonymous?”
He leans over in your ear, “I was thinking about trying it out again.” Oh yeah, that. ”I’ve been minimizing my energy expenditure, you know, trying to get back to 100%.” Even tyrants who have every luxury available to them get tired sometimes. “I’m sure I can get you back on the horse this time. Let’s just go somewhere a bit more private.” He grabs onto your shoulder and readies his hand.
You snap onto his wrist before he can snap those agitating digits of his. “I don’t want to.”
”Not my typical sense of humor, but funny nonetheless. Let’s go.”
He tries to pull his wrist away, but your grip’s tighter than a virgin bum. “What’s the point of living when there’s nothing to live for?” You let go of his wrist as the waitress comes back over and sets down your mug.
”What’s the-“ He shoos her away, “You were so worked up over this shit, and now you’re all ‘What’s the point?’”
“Everything I knew is gone, just some ruins and graves.”
”You know, at this point, I don’t really care what you have to say anymore. Let’s go.” You make eye contact for the first time since he appeared, your glare a piercing strike through his armor. ”I need to do this. Do you know what’s going to happen if they found out I failed? I’m a miracle worker to them.”
“It’s not my problem.” You pull your head back and take a nice draft of the cooling liquid. “I won’t tell a soul, that you have my word. Just leave me alone.”
You stare down at your mug, his eyes still on you. ”You’re serious?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
He extends his hands towards you, “Shake on it.” You look at his hand and then back to him.
“If my word isn’t good enough than neither is a hand shake.”
He pulls back, “Alright, until next time then.”
“I can wait.”
He chuckles lightly, “I’m gonna miss this.” You nurse your beverage, not batting an eye even when he zaps away in a glorious spectacle.
You look to the hardy mug in your hands, absentmindedly twirling it about. ”First the party and now a private visit from Anonymous himself, you truly are a strange one Mr. Anon.”
You recognize that voice, his gentlemanly and soothing tone an obvious giveaway. “What’s an upstanding nobleman like you doing in a cesspool like this?”
”I happen to own this cesspool Mr. Anon,” he retorts humorously as he sits beside you.
“My apologies, I didn’t-“
”No need, this place has certainly seen better days, namely the day I opened it.”
“And it all went downhill from there.”
”It certainly filled my coffers though. A wise investment I would say.”
“I can drink to that,” you say holding your glass up before taking another gulp.
”But less about me, what is up with that Anonymous character and yourself. Besides the whole species thing.”
“I’m just an artifact of a past time; he was the man who dug me up.”
“So why the closeness if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I don’t willingly try to contemplate the mind of a madman, but if I had to take a guess, it’s that he’s lonely.”
”And just why is that?”
You look back to the amber droplets residing at the bottom of your cup. “Maybe he lost someone too…”
The unicorn takes a long contemplative pause before raising his hoof in the air. “Claire, bottle of Jack please, on the double.” You can’t hide the slight grin on your face as he cracks open the bottle and pours the two of you some shots.
“A bit early for someone such as yourself you think?”
”Hogwash, these aren’t for me.” He pushes the row of shots towards you, the waitress taking away your empty mug.
“I’m fine, besides, alcohol won’t help.”
”Just give it a shot.” There’s a joke in there somewhere, but he plays it straight.
“Fine,” you sling the liquor into your throat one after another, emptying the glasses.
“Feel better?”
“Still fine.” He starts filling up the shots again to your dismay. “I told you, alcohol doesn’t help. Something I learned back in Frostbite,” you say pushing away the glasses.
You still wonder how they managed to smuggle in that bottle of Captain Flank’s rum. ”So you just drink it for the taste?”
“That’s why I’m not a big fan of harder liquor, they taste like crap.” You check your watch. You’ve still got enough time to move along. You fish some bits out of your bag and set them on the table.
”Leaving so soon?”
“Sorry that I can’t stay but I’ve got to find a place to rest for the night.”
”Don’t you have a place arranged in the castle? I’m sure Anonymous would love to have you around.” That’s one guy you definitely don’t want to be around.
“The feeling isn’t exactly mutual.”
”You aren’t the only one who feels that way to be sure.” That… actually surprises you. You were fairly certain that he had everypony under his thumb. A gleam catches his eye as an idea seems to cross his mind, “Why don’t you stay here?”
“I’d rather not be sleeping at the bar. It’s bad for my back.”
”Your sarcasm has been noted.” His expression is plain, showcasing that he is in fact, very serious. ”It just so happens that the last keeper here found himself in debt to some rather unsavory characters, and has ‘disappeared.’”
“Have you checked the bottom of the river?”
”They’re probably pulling the poor colt out as we speak, but he had it coming. I shouldn’t have set him up with this job.”
“Let me take a guess, you did it as a favor to family or some such thing.”
”My cousin. He needed a job, and I, being the successful one, was pressured into setting him up here. Tragic. I need somepony who can hold their own and deal with some of the problems that spring up from time to time.”
“And by that you mean me.”
”This is a win-win situation Anon. You get a place to stay as well as honest work, and I can sleep well knowing that you aren’t going to gamble away my assets.”
“Who said that I didn’t gamble?”
He looks at you knowingly, “Some things don’t have to be said.” Opportunities like this only come up so often, and you’d be a fool not to take it. You pour a shot for the two of you, “So you accept? Stupendous news. A toast then.”
“To the future?”
”To the future,” he states as you both slam the drinks back. He makes a face of disgust before looking down to the empty glass, “Great Scott.”
“I know, this is heavy.”
”Well then, shall I give you a tour?”
“Of the tavern?”
”Inn, Anon. It’s called an inn.”
“Is there a difference?”
”Well a tavern…” He pauses, “You see an inn…” The answer evades him much to his displeasure, likely because there isn’t an answer. ”Do you want the tour or not?” he remarks in a flustered tone.
“Lead the way,” you manage to say without laughing to yourself. He leads you away from the booth and towards the bar. “I know what this is. This is an espresso machine.”
He facehoofs and shakes his head. “No, no wait. It’s a snow cone maker.” He’s approaching the point of tears. “A water heater?” Oh shit he thinks you’re serious. “I’m just fucking with you,” you reassure him and pat his back.
He moves his hoof away exposing his grin, “I know, it’s just nice to see you being joyful.”
You’ll admit, you do feel better now. Laughter really is the best medicine. “Alright so we got the bar, what else?”
He heads down into the cellar, “This is where we keep our inventory, we’ve got everything from produce to the golden elixirs down here.”
“So I’ll be spending a lot of my time taking inventory.”
”The last keeper didn’t do it so I don’t expect you to either.”
“Well the last guy also let this place go to hell. I’ll do it.”
”Alright, just don’t go in over your head.”
“So if I run low on supplies how do I contact you?”
”I’ll drop by every now and again to check up on you and make sure you haven’t opened a portal to Tartarus or anything.”
“There’s a real danger of that.”
”Look,” he says defensively, “I’m not ruling out the possibility.”
“Understandable, but I’m not intent on going back any time soon.”
”I wouldn’t be either after all you’ve been through.”
Don’t say it Anon, don’t do it. “So what else?”
He takes you back upstairs and into the upper floor. A single hallway runs across the second story with a row of rooms on either side. ”The residents reside here, and from what I’m told, they keep to themselves. So just make sure they pay the rent and don’t burn the place down.” A part of you pegs this activity as suspicious, but then again, why exactly did you come back here? To fool yourself into believing you’d be fine, locked away in your home, safe from the real world. ”Shall we continue on?” You snap out of the daze you found yourself in, “It’s the last room in the establishment, it sits on the third floor.”
You climb the stairwell as it curves from the hallway, soon coming to meet the final door. ”This floor is for your personal use,” he holds open the door for you. You step through, noting the surprisingly well furnished interior. The walls have been recently painted a tannish brown and are otherwise plain except for a single painting of Canterlot hanging next to a large desk. “I- This is a pleasant surprise. I figured it’d be-“
”A mess? Well he didn’t exactly leave it in the best shape so I had to make some last minute adjustments.” You slip off your socks and shoes and massage the carpet flooring, the first one you’ve seen in a long while. ”Like it?”
You run your hand over the smooth wooden desktop opposite of the queen-sized bed. This place reminds you of home, simple yet ornate. You open the curtains guarding the room from the light’s rays and peer outside as the ponies go about their daily business. “You could say that.”
”Glad to hear, so does that mean you’ll accept the offer?”
“Free lodging, free booze, a source of bits, and above all privacy? I’d be a fool to say no.”
”And…?”
“I ain’t no fool.” You shake his hoof firmly, finalizing the deal between the two of you. Maybe this won’t be so bad. Maybe you can start over, maybe…