//------------------------------// // The Return // Story: Paladin Anon // by The7thElement //------------------------------// "Ugh." Anon groaned out as he looked up from his position laying on the ground. As he looks around his immediate area he noticed he seemed to be in some sort of vacuum of space, where all around him all he can see is white. "Where the hell did Discord send me?" Anon wondered aloud to himself as he stood up. "Welcome Anon." A mysterious voice said from what Anon could only describe as all around him. "Who are you?" Anon spoke out trying to see if there was something in the white abyss he couldn't see from his previous place on the ground. "That I shall reveal to you in due time. But for now why don't you rest and tell me how you came to be in my realm." At this a chair appeared behind Anon. "And if I wish not to sit down?" Anon asked. "Then you may not be able return to Equestria." The voice said prompting Anon to sit on the chair. "Thank you for that." "Well when you say something like that I don't really have any other options." Anon said only to receive a quiet chuckle from the voice. "So who are you? I've sat down on this chair I think it fair if you answered my question." "As I said I shall reveal that too you in due time, but for now I wish for you to tell me how you've come to find yourself in my realm?" "Discord. He wished to send me back to my home world. But somehow I've ended up here." Anon said gesturing to space around him. "You can thank me for that." The voice said. "But if you wish to go back to your world I can make that happen." At this a swirling vortex appeared above Anon. "No thanks." Anon said looking up into the vortex. "I'd like to return to Equestria if you don't mind." "Alright then." The voice said as the vortex closed and disappeared. "Now then I believe it's time for proper introductions." At this a flash of light blue energy filled Anon's vision causing him to raise a hand to block the light. When he lowered his hind he found himself face to face with an alicorn. The alicorn's coat was as white as Celestia's, the alicorn's mane was of a velvet red. As Anon took more of the what he could guess to be a mare, he took notice of her cutie mark, a quill sitting inside of an ink pot. "Hello. Do you know who I am?" The mare asked as she made a luxurious chair appear in front of Anon. "Faust, Lauren Faust. Celestia's told me about you." Anon said as Lauren took root within the comfy chair. "Really what's she told you? All good things I hope." She said as her horn began to glow a light blue causing a small table with a tea set to appear between the two beings. "She told me you were the one who created Equestria. She also said you were her and Luna's mother." Anon explained as he looked down at the tea set. "Were?" Lauren asked with a quizzical look. "By the way it's Oolong tea." "Um I'll pass. Thanks though." "No problem. But why did my dear daughter say that I was her mother?" Lauren said before tapping her chin. "Oh wait now I remember. I never really did tell her or Luna where myself and their father went." "So I'm to assume that where you went is here." Anon said gesturing to the space around them. "That is correct." She said as she took a sip from her tea. "So where are we? And where's your husband?" "Well as for your second question my husband is currently out performing his duty." "And that duty would be? If you don't mind me asking." "Of course I don't mind. You're actually the first person that I've talked to in quite a while, well aside from my husband that is. But he can get quite boring." Lauren said giving a small chuckle at her own joke. "And as for your question I shall explain after I answer your question as to where we are. It'll make more sense that way." "Now then where we are is the space between realities." Lauren said before having her horn glow causing a multitude of mirrors to appear around them. "What you see before you are the gates to different realities of Equestria." "So these are all alternate versions of Equestria?" Anon said standing from his seat to inspect the mirrors. "Not all of them, just a few that I chose at random. There are an infinite number of Equestria's and the space that we are currently residing in is between all of them." Lauren explained. "Are any of these my Equestria?" Anon said moving from mirror to mirror. "No they are not." She said before having her horn glow again causing another mirror to appear. "This is your Equestria." "Great." Anon said making his way over to it. "So can I just go?" "I'm sorry to say it's not that simple." "What do you mean?" Anon asked worry consuming him. "Well I need something from you." Lauren said before gesturing to Anon's seat. "Please have a seat as I explain." Meanwhile in Equestria "COME OUT OF THAT DAMNED BUBBLE DISCORD, SO I CAN TEAR YOU LIMB FROM BLODDY LIMB!" Luna screamed at the Draconequus as he hid behind his protective barrier. "Now why would I do that Lulu if you've just threatened me?" Discord said a sly look on his face. "And before you think it don't bother going to the Elements for help. Just accept it Anon's gone. Hell I did the right thing by sending him back." "MAYBE YOU SHOULD'VE ASKED HIM BEFORE FORCING HIM TO GO! INSTEAD YOU JUST DECIDE IT'S FOR THE GREATER GOOD!" Luna screamed before firing yet another laser at Discord's barrier in an attempt to get to the smug chaos god. "Luna calm down!" Celestia exclaimed as she wrapped a hoof around her sister's neck. "This what he wants." Celestia said getting Luna to look at her. "Besides Anon wouldn't want you to lose yourself in your anger." "You're right Tia." Luna said before taking in a deep breath. "Discord what in damned Tartarus do you want from us in order for you to bring Anon back?" "Well when you put it like that." Discord said before pulling out a small list from behind his ear. "First item on the list I want you to renounce your title's as princesses. I then want you to say that I am to replace you two as the ruler of Equestria." "You know we would never do that!" Celestia yelled. "Oh then I guess you don't want Anon back then." Discord said with a sly grin. "Princesses the girls and I can't get the Elements to activate." Twilight said as she ran over to the princesses. "What are we going to do?" Twilight asked worry in her eyes. "Wait a sec where's Alpha?" "Right here." Alpha said appearing in a flash of cyan light. "Still here to serve even when Anon isn't." Alpha said his voice resounding through Luna, Celestia and Twilight's minds. "But how? Isn't Anon required to be here for you to stay together?" Luna asked. "No his presence isn't required. I have my own source of magic that keeps me powered when Anon isn't around." Alpha answered. "Hey Discord." Pinkie said stepping towards the bubble to talk to the Draconequus. "Yes what is it you wish you reality defying puffball?" Discord responded expecting some sort of ploy to be deployed by the pink pony. "Well if you've sent Anon back home why is the portal still there." At this everyone standing around the barrier including Discord looked up to the portal to see it still open. "WHAT THE HELL!" Discord yelled out. Meanwhile in the space between realities "So what is it you want me to do?" Anon asked Faust. "Simple in your future I will require you to join a special project that I am putting together." Lauren said getting Anon to give a small nod. "And what would this project entail?" Anon asked. "That unfortunately must only be known to myself for now." Lauren said as she finished off her tea. "Well how does it sound?" "Well seeing as how you've given me no information to go on how can I refuse?" Anon said with a chuckle. "But in all seriousness, is this the sort of job that would need me to resign from my current position?" "Not at all. Heck it wouldn't really affect you're current job to any major degree." Lauren said as she jumped out of her chair. "So then what do you say?" "Do I have to sign anything?" "No. Just need your word that you'll actually take part in this project when I come calling for you." "Then I agree." Anon said before feeling something settle around his neck. "Brilliant!" Faust exclaimed. "Now then let's get you back to your own world." "Um what's this?" Anon said showing Lauren the pendent he had found around his neck. "Oh that. That's something to keep Discord's magic from affecting you. Keeps you from being forcibly sent back to earth." Lauren explained before summoning the mirror that led to Anon's Equestria. "So I just have to walk through?" "Yep. Just like an open doorway." "Where am I going to end up?" Anon asked. "Well you're going to fall back through the portal that Discord sent you through." "Cool." Anon said as he stepped closer to the mirror. "Hey Lauren do you want me to tell Celestia and Luna that you and you're husband are alright?" "Of course. But it would probably help if you told them why I'm here." Lauren said getting Anon's full attention. "Why I'm here is simply to keep all of the infinite Equestria's apart." "What do you mean by that?" Anon asked. "Well basically I keep portals to random Equestria's from opening up between worlds. Because believe me when I say that not all Equestria's are filled with peaceful creatures such as yours." "Got it. And you never did tell me what your husband does as his duty." "Oh that. He simply collects the souls of the dead from each and every Equestria." Lauren said with a warm smile. "Now then let's get you back to your own world." "Good plan." Anon said before pushing a foot through the mirror. "See you soon." "See you soon Paladin. Oh and before you go. Take care of my daughters." "Of course." Anon said before stepping through the mirror completely. Equestria "Well then this wasn't meant to happen." Discord said whilst investigating the portal. "And what do you mean by that?" Luna said from behind him the barrier still separating Discord from the assembled group of ponies. "Well after Anon was sucked through it should've closed behind him." Discord explained. "Maybe he's hanging onto the edges?" Pinkie asked causing a lightbulb to appear above Discord's head. "That must be it!" He exclaimed before floating closer towards the portal. Before anyone could comment on how ridiculous it would be for someone to be hanging onto a portal from the inside a resounding crack split the air. After the crack lighting began to pour from the portal striking the ground within the protective bubble. As Discord made to float away from the thing that was spitting out bolts magical lighting he felt something collide with his face. He then found himself laying on his back on the ground with some weight pressing down on his midsection. "What the hell?" He asked only to have anything else he wished to say caught in his throat as he noticed what exactly was keeping him pressed down to the ground. "Hey Discord." Anon said an all too toothy grin on his face. "How's it going?" Before Discord could respond he found Anon's fist flying towards his face. "Don't you ever try that damned crap again. YOU HEAR ME!?" Anon yelled whilst delivering a series of blows to Discord's head. After a few seconds he stopped punching the Draconequus in the face. "Now drop this damned barrier." "Okay." Discord wheezed out before with a snap of his claw the barrier disappeared the portal along with it. "ANON!" Luna said before tackling the human to the best of her ability. "Thank Faust you're alright." She said squeezing Anon's sides in a tight hug. "Good to see you too Luna." Anon said running a hand through her mane. "It's good to be back." "Now that you're back we can let Twilight and her friends freeze Discord in stone again." Luna said before being shushed by Anon. "No." "What do you mean no?" Luna asked. "He tried to send you back to your home world without your consent." "I know but he doesn't deserve to be frozen because he had a lapse of judgement." Anon explained before looking to Celestia. "Ain't that right Tia?" "That it is Anon. Now if you don't mind me asking where exactly did you get that pendent?" Celestia asked. "I think that would be best saved for the trip back to Canterlot." Anon said getting a nod from Celestia. "C'mon Luna, let's go."