Anon II: The Second Part

by 23 KM To Nerdiness


Chapter 18: A Fruitful Reunion

Rock. Meet. Bottom.

In a forest an unknown distance from the kingdom, you float down a calmly flowing river, clothes damaged and organs barely functioning. You weakly open your eyes as a light shower of rain drips upon your face. Every muscle in your body is aching excruciatingly, leaving you unable to move in your state. Left staring at puffy, grey skies, you get lightheaded and pass out once more as you feel something snake-like tug you by the leg.

A little later, you're awoken by the sound of a small fire crackling beside you. Your shivering body feels completely numb unlike last time, finding yourself resting on a comfy pile of leaves shielded from the gentle storm by a rustic, handmade roof made of long twigs. Using the little energy you have, you look down to find DOZENS of short, skinny green needles in almost every inch of your body. Almost looks like the kind Wallflower uses.

What also catches your attention is a copper tea pot steadily boiling a fresh batch over the small flame where your player, shoes and socks lay nearby to dry off. Dangling over the low flame rests your dirtied up white shirt with a large row of expertly crafted stitches across the torso.

Suddenly, the faint sound of a twig snapping outside alerts you.

"W-Wallflower...." you cough. "I-Is that you?"

The crunching leaves abruptly stops for a brief moment, raising your concern. The noise continues to creep closer towards the hut until, out from the dim woods emerges a disgruntled mongrel who howls for reinforcements that pop up from every direction.

"Buck me."

You hastily try to flop to freedom, but the millions of needles in your body numb you to no end, making you easy pickin's.

In the blink of an eye, the big brute is pulled deep into the ground, leaving you stunned. The others were just as shocked as, one by one they are dragged down under by an unseen force before they could retreat until the only thing you're surrounded by is deafening silence.

"Who's out there?"

A smooth wooden cup of warm, unidentified tea randomly pops up in your hand, the hot, steamy aroma tempting your tastebuds.

[Okay, I got this........FIRMLY grasp it.]

A thin, leafy green vine holds up a single sugar cube and pops it into your drink. "Ah, thank you."

As you excruciatingly try to sip the cozy liquid in your hand, your brain finally clicks. You turn to face the small plant that's staring back at you.

"It.........no no ,it can't be. Okay, what's in this tea?"

The little vine flings a few juicy blueberries into your palm. "M-Mr. Jammers?"

The happy little plant grows a plethora of extra vines, yanks out all the thorns in your body and pulls you into a big snake hug.

"It's good to see you TOO." you wince. "You look ALIVE and..........smaller. Am I dead?"

The plant shakes his tip.

"Near death experience?"

He slinks into the tall grass and returns with a stick, which he uses to draw a circle in the dirt.

"Oh, wait, I'm good at this. GO."

As you sip your tea, Jammers proceeds to draw a sketch of what appeared to be a large peach pit-like object moving from under a tall vine covered head to stem with pointy arrows. Jammers X's off the tall vine, erases all but the pit and adds a smaller vine on top of it.

"You sacrificed your body to save your heart seed thingy and used the time to grow back?"

The impressed plant grows two vines and clap them together.

"YES! Conveniently correct guessing, STILL got it! Now that's impressive, you almost had me for a while."

[God, I'm giving props to a damn plant...]

You slip the rest of your dry clothes on, equip your player and prepare to venture off into the wilderness. Mr. Jammers yanks your arm before you could walk off, shaking his head frantically. Ignoring his concern, you wiggle free and march out further.

"Come on, we've gotta go find Wally. Don't worry, I know almost EXACTLY what I'm doing here."

The plant grabs you by the collar and pulls you back a split second before you could tumble down a steep, rocky hill. "Keyword: 'almost'."

"Oof, I think the coast is clear." a voice utters in the distance.

You two discreetly hurry back to the campsite and spot a light rustling in a group of bushes up ahead, followed by a low growl. Jammers quietly burrows his way towards the source while you wobble after through the muddy terrain. The stealthy vine pokes out of the ground and signals that the hidden creature is behind the bushes.

"Oh, we're READY for you this time..."

At precisely the right time, you charge in head first just as the furry creature simultaneously lunges at you, tackling you down. After a brief struggle, you eventually pin the beast down and slap it, making it smack you back with its robust.......paws?

You take a few more slaps at each other until a gleeful Spirit clings to your arm ecstatically.

"AH NAH!"

"Not now, squirt!" you and the creature grunt in unison.

Mr. Jammers cuts in and dangles the flailing 'beast' overhead. "Put 'em up, PUT 'EM UP! I'm not going down without a fight!"

Your vision becomes clear and you see a filthy Wallflower blindly punching the air.

"Uh........Wally?"

The pathetically flailing mare comes to her senses and finally sees your face. "A-Anon?" she stutters as Mr. Jammers lowers her down.

"In the badly beaten flesh."

"A-Are you a ghost?"

"I don't know, wanna make sure?"

The stunned pony slowly inches towards you and hesitantly pokes your belly, forcing a big belch out of you. You and Spirit snicker as she fans away your tea breath in disgust.

"Ugh, it's you, alright." she groans before taking in the scent. "We thought you were GONE and.......wait a second. I-Is that a ginger peach herbal tea I'm smelling?"

"Um........I guess, why?"

"The ingredients for that aren't around here for MILES, where did you get that?"

"I had a little help..."

Mr. Jammers leans in, places a small, pink orchid in Wally's mane and delicately rubs up against her forehooves. She appears breathless as the nimble plant plucks the leaves and much from her messy mane.

Tears begin flooding out of her sockets as she pulls her companion into a tight hug. "I-I thought I'd lost you......I-I've missed you so much and.....HOW?"

Her botanical friend quickly lays out the exact same explanation in the dirt, leaving her dumbfounded.

"A Vinea baca defense mechanism, of COURSE!"

You sit back and watch the little plant happily juggle the giggling mare around while trying to pry Spirit's gummy jaws from your wrist. "I missed you TOO, buddy, but that does NOT require tasting."

"You used thorn acupuncture too?! I'm so PROUD of you!"

"Ouch!" you yelp, rubbing your thigh. "Could've WARNED me, ya know."

"Sorry, he missed a thorn." Wallflower states, thorn in mouth.

"So, how'd you two make it out of there?"

"It all happened so fast. After seeing you fall, the guards were on our tails, so Spirit and I ran through that cave and made it out here. How'd you manage?"

"Convenient river is convenient." you state.

"I assume you and Mr. Jammers took care of them?"

"Yeah, it was a piece of cake. My one question is what was with the growling?"

Spirit's stomach grumbles as Mr. Jammers flips him in his grasp and warmly feeds him mushed up grapes.

"You got a fearsome gut there, bud."

"Nom nom!" he mumbles.

"Well, we're gonna need alot more than that to free Star. We need to find a perfect strategy to-"

"Uh, what we NEED to find a way out of here, Anon."

"But what about Starlight? W-We can't just LEAVE her back there with Furquaad!"

"We barely made it out of there alive! You honestly think we're crazy enough to go BACK in there?! Starlight's powerful enough to escape on her own, she can just poof outta there, right?"

"Wally, friends don't straight up bail on each other like that and just hope for the best. Plus, that shrimp's probably plucked the magic outta her by now."

"Come on, Anon. Why are you THIS willing to risk your life like-"

"BECAUSE I LOVE HER!!!"

Everyone flinches at your echoed outburst.

"She's my best friend and....I couldn't live with myself if I left her in a situation like this. Capable of escaping or not, I'm going back for her."

"I-It's your funeral, then."

"It's called LOYALTY.....something you're too shy to understand."

You watch as the speechless mare try and fail to utter a single word, not even attempting to look you in the eye. Soon, Spirit waddles towards you and tugs at your pant leg.

"Hunah?"

"No, li'l bit, you should stay with them."

The colt tilts his head in confusion as he continues to stand close to you.

"No, Spirit. I said STAY."

Your stern tone causes the little one to back away, frightened. You sigh and cuddle the baby up in your arms.

"Little buddy, I appreciate the bravery, but I don't want to see you get hurt because of me. You're safer with them, okay?"

Spirit clings to your chest and hugs you back. You lightly pat his back and put him over in Mr. Jammers' care.

"Well.....be seeing you."

"Y-Yeah.......see ya." Wallflower murmurs.

The baby colt gives a melancholic wave goodbye as the three awkwardly depart. Before you turn to leave, the puckered spot on the ground where a guard used to stand sparks an idea.

Back in the mines....

"I'm all in Ash." Timothy chortles.

"It would be alot easier if we had actual CARDS, you know?" the dragon sighs.

"This could be the next best thing, though."

"How?! You just drew a few cards in the dirt. We can LITERALLY see each other's 'cards' right now. This sucks."

"I would go ahead and fold, gentlemen..."

You step out of the shadows in oversized dog armor, cockily spinning a rusty chain of keys.

"With THIS card, things are gonna get WILD..."