//------------------------------// // Redemption // Story: I'm Not A Hero // by Watch The World Burn //------------------------------// There are some sentences that you thought you’d never say in a million years. Things you’d choose to do that you normally wouldn’t. I guess this is one of those moments. I mean, it’s still crazy to me. I don’t know why I’m here. Could it have been desperation? A sense of wanting to find something? To have meaning? To have purpose? “I wouldn’t want to alarm you but she’s getting closer!” I don’t know, maybe I made the wrong choice. Maybe I should have just waited and seen if the hive would forgive me. Who knows, I could have gotten rid of their new putrid colors. Sometimes I wonder if they were just pawns, and I was playing a game of chess that had to end one day. I want to play it again, but something tells me that I don’t need to pick the black one. I can change, I can be different. I am Chrysalis! I am immortal! I am--- Hot! Hot! Hot! I forgot I was being chased by Philomena. “Twilight, if you’ve got any ideas, now would be the time!” “Take a hard right into that opening!” So, I did as she said. You’re probably wondering where we are. Well, I’ll give you a hint. It rhymes with Neverfree Blorest. I veered to the right, going through thorns and shrubbery. I still hoped that Philomena wouldn’t set the whole forest on fire. The place is practically a labyrinth. “Hide!” I saw that Philomena had disappeared. I stopped running and hid behind one of the rocks. Twilight stopped flying and landed next to me, panting. “Well, you’re doing pretty good,” said Twilight. “Thanks. This is one workout, though. Why wasn’t I allowed to fly again?” “You have to learn to keep your stamina, and running is a lot more strenuous than flying.” “What do I need stamina for? In case my wings fall off?” “If you have good stamina, it’ll apply to your magic. Meaning you can cast more than five spells without passing out.” “Oh please, Twilight. You underestimate me.” “Underestimate? Remind me again, who beat you twice?” “…Sparghle…” “Hm? I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.” “…Twalight Sparghle…” “What?” “Twilight Sparkle! Enough! You heard me perfectly fine!” “Heh, I know. I’m just playing with you. You reminded me of something actually…” she reaches in a bag she had and hoofs me two steaming hot-chocolates, “Bon…appetit…” “Well, I didn’t know you spoke Prench.” “Please, you overestimate me.” “Ha, you wish!” We sip the steaming liquids and gulp it down our throats. I feel warm inside. We’ve been doing this for a while now, I’d say two months. She’s taught me so many things, but now this was a real test. Of course, my buttocks were darker than they normally were, due to her phoenix friend. Speaking of which, is still looking for us. “This is good, you make it?” “Yeah. In fact, I can sort of cook anything, especially considering I’ve read every cook book.” “Every cook book? Each one?” “Yes.” I smile in amusement and take another long sip. I look up at the night sky, where there are thousands of bright little sparkly stars. A part of me wants to strangle them all. Then there’s a new part that’s formed. One that sees the beauty and passion in which the sky was decorated. Words like ‘eloquent’ and ‘magnificent’ prop up in my mind. And I’m smiling in a non-devious way! Ugh. It’s like stepping in icky muck. I feel weird too. Oh, no. Could it be? The worst feeling of them all? Friendship. Get it out my mouth! It’s disgusting! (But it’s also beautiful.) No! I feel like I’m being corrupted by the malevolent forces of Twilight Sparkle the Horrid. I had to confront her. “Twilight, is this feeling that I’m feeling right now… friendship?” “Yes, how does it feel?” “Like somepony has stuck a sock in my throat.” “You’ll get used to it.” I hear Philomena’s screech, indicating that she’s given up. Twilight gets up and shines a bright purple beam in the sky. The phoenix starts to descend, with a look of slight disappointment. “Alright, we won little birdie. Go back to Celestia before she kills us. Please.” The phoenix nods and flies away, leaving a trail of fiery smoke. “Alright, now let’s get back before--- “Before what? What are you even staring--- Oh, we were in deep. “Ow! Seriously, by the ear? Does it have to be this--- Ow!” So maybe a giant flying phoenix wasn’t the most discreet thing in the world. Of course, how could I have been so stupid. She was always going to find us. And right now, she had my ear in her magical grasp. “Celestia! Wait, I can explain!” begged Twilight. The old goat wasn’t listening to her. “There’s nothing to explain Twilight. I can perfectly see what’s going on here.” “But, she’s redeemed herself!” “You think it’s just that? How should I act when my faithful student is lollygagging about, mingling with masters of deception?” I blushed. I then stopped when I looked at the cell that I was being dragged into. They lunged me inside, where I felt like I was being cast like trash. They closed the cell doors, where I saw Twilight’s apologetic expression. “Young lady, how long have you two been doing this?” “Two months, no more and no less.” Celestia looked at me every once in a while. I tried to smile but she gave me a murderous expression. “Well, I’m going to keep her locked in her. Don’t do anything stupid like trying to break her out, because I’ll be there.” Twilight gulped and nodded. She looked back at me and mouthed something. I couldn’t tell you the exact words, but I knew I wouldn’t be here for much longer. She started to pick up with Celestia’s pace, and looked at me one last time before she disappeared from my sight. I laid back on the cell’s grey bricks, watching the guards. I’m used to being locked up, usually by Celestia. The best part is that she leaves two guards for me. It’s almost like she did it on purpose. I creep up on one of them and lick his neck, through the cell bars. He dropped his spear and screamed like a foal. Maybe things weren’t so bad after all. Elsewhere “Wait! I’ll pay you back! I promise! I--- ARGHHHH!” Two changelings brutally pummel a stallion in a blue, tailored suit. Another one paces around the horrific sight, slightly grinning. He then motions to the two changelings to stop, where they courteously make way for him. They are on a barren cliffside, where the view is of a land that stretches forever. “What did I tell you, little fool? If our arrangement isn’t honored, then there is only one thing I can do. Rocko, Marvy, hold him down.” “What are you doing?” “The Mark.” “Ah… Argh… ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” The stallion’s eyes roll back into his head, a single drop of blood leaves his mouth. The three changelings have a ten seconds’ silence in respect. “Well, that was dramatic. Now, back to business. Rocko, what have the scouts said.” “Master, it is true. The Queen has been dethroned.” “Very good. I hope she remembers me, last time we had a lot of fun.” Marvy gets rid of the body by hoisting it on a chariot, where two other stallions’ corpses lay. He pushes it off the cliffside and watches it plummet to the ground. “Ah… It’s good to be back.”