//------------------------------// // Intermission: Equestrian Standoff Begins // Story: Wake up. See This. What do? (Comment driven story) // by RazortheAwesome //------------------------------// For Twilight: So, the track you're on currently gives you the feeling that the human is near. If he DID pass by here, isn't there some sort of spell that lets you see into the past (not completely, but just enough) and see past events in a localized/limited area? Maybe you can cast that and see what direction he went. and follow that path. there must be some sort of past-vision spell that will let you do this? You've been walking through this forest for what seems like forever now, you're tired, kind of hungry, and extremely sorry for doing what you did, but you have to go on. You know the human is near, you just know it. The thought crosses your mind to look into the past. If the human did pass through this trail, then you should be able to see which way he went that way. Unfortunately, the only spell that you know if that is even remotely similar to that is the time travel spell that you used to warn yourself about the future, and you're not about to do that now. Besides... Not sure how much PP you have left after that freeze attack, so eat a PSI Caramel to regenerate 20 Psychic Points. Doing that sort of spell requires a lot of magic to pull off, and you've exhausted most of yours during that last battle with Fluttershy. You have to admit, Fluttershy gave you a run for your money. You expected that from Rainbow Dash or Applejack, and you didn't really expect anything from Rarity until you fought her yourself, but Fluttershy... That pony is just full of surprises sometimes. At least now she's safe back in her own little house far from you and far from any of the monstrosities that roam this forest. You still have some magic left, but you'd prefer not to use it unless you really need to. Yet however, despite any of that, you don't feel as if you need a spell like that. Not at all... Think... if you were a human about to be raped by a psycho unicorn with extremely powerful magic, where would you go? Use the Swartz. You feel as if somehow, your hooves know where to go. You're not even thinking of where you are going, you're just walking. Despite this being the Everfree Forest, despite all of Equestria being at stake, you are for once, not thinking. You feel as if... that you're hooves know where to go. Maybe its fate... maybe destiny itself is guiding you. You know where to go. -Meanwhile, in a cave not to far away- For the human:.......ok, you're about to get training to defend yourself against magic (mostly hers) but think for a bit. Nearly every-pony that helped you has had (in one way or form) their asses handed to them by that crazy psycho bitch, so you piece together that her magic is stronger than the unicorn's that are currently in this room. you ask them if she is as powerful as she is, and say "what can you teach me that can actually work against her? if im right, then she's done far greater acts of magic than I've seen from either of you. What can you ponies do that can give me a one-up on her, an advantage that she can't fight against, what can you do that she CAN'T do, what, WHAT!!!!! she's a crazy bitch, and im out of options, if whatever you do to me doesn't work against HER, then I might as well just say "fuck it" and pull a stross (dead space 2 character) on myself. Im scared, im scared so much right now, I...I do- I don't know what to do anymore, im stuck, im out of ideas, im so scared, mom, dad, please........help." Its also at this point that all the grief caused by this pony just can't be contained anymore, all the fear, all the non-manly emotions you've been steadily bottling up can't be blocked anymore, so you decide to (if only this once) decide to not be a man, and just cry......go on, its ok, cry Every noise that filled the cave suddenly went quiet as the human's knife hit the ground. "What's wrong?" Lyra asked him, concerned. "All these things you've shown me," the human responded to her. "Yes," Lyra said back to him. Behind her, out by the tents, Bon Bon, Berry Punch, and Minuette were all sitting on a log that had been their bench for the time they had been here. The bong lay on the ground at Bon Bon's feet, and it was empty. "Will they actually work?" The human asked Lyra as he turned to face her. "Will what work?" Lyra asked back, a little confused. "Everything," the human said as he walked around for a little bit before he turned back to face her. "Every pony that has tried to help me, including you, has in some way had their asses handed to them by that crazy psycho bitch!" The human practically screamed at her as he threw his right arm out. "What can you teach me that will actually work against her!?" The human said as he pointed to her, Lyra just looked back at him. "If I'm right," the human continued as he began to pace around the room. "She's done far greater acts of magic than I've seen from either of you." The human threw his gaze to Lyra, and then to Minuette as he said that. Minuette just stayed in her seat. "Shit, her friends have even told me she's the best magician in this whole god damned world. What can you ponies do that can give me a one up on her, an advantage that she can't fight against, what can you do that she CAN'T do, what, WHAT!!!!!" At this point, Lyra was beyond words. All she could do was just stand there and watch the human go on. "She's a crazy bitch, and I'm out of options, if whatever you do to me doesn't work against HER, then I might as well just say 'fuck it' and pull a Stross on myself." At that point, the human stopped pacing around and fell to his knees. "I'm scared, I'm scared so much right now, I...I do- I don't know what to do anymore, I'm stuck, I'm out of ideas, I'm so scared, mom, dad, please........help." At this point, all the grief, fear, and non-manly emotions, that the human had been bottling up since he got here just couldn't be contained anymore. With no other outlet for his emotions, the human did the only thing he could do. He fell to the sandy floor of the cave, and began to cry. He threw his hands over his face, curled up in the fetal position and began to cry. There was nothing else for him to do, there was nothing left. Not now. Lyra, still unable to move, just stood there and watched the human cry for a few moments. Then she turned back to look at her three friends on the log bench. All of them had looks of confusion on their faces, none of them knew what to do. Lyra looked between them all for a moment before her eyes set on the one among them she cared the most about. Bon Bon, while usually the one that Lyra would turn to for answers, this time she had none. She looked just as concerned and just as confused as the others did, as Lyra herself did. She did not know what to do. The two of them held eye contact for several moments, which to them seemed like hours. While normally, this would have resulted in a battle for the ages, now there was only the same doubt and emptiness of ideas of what to do that she felt. After a few more moments between them, Lyra pulled away from her marefriend's gaze and looked back towards the human, who was still crying on the floor. Lyra then looked back at Bon Bon as if she would have thought of the answer in the short moment that she had looked away, but still there was nothing there. With nothing else to do, Lyra just let out a sigh and turned her attention back over to the human. She then started to walk towards him. She really had no idea what to do, but she knew she had to do something. The human didn't even move as she approached him. She stood over him watching him for several seconds before she knelt down next to him. "There there," she said to him. "It's okay, it's okay." She had no idea why she was speaking to him like a child, it just seemed right. The human didn't respond to her at all, he just kept on crying. In response, she inched close to him and put her hoof around his next, as if to comfort him. "It's okay..." she said to him as the human kept on crying. Still, he gave her no response, though he made no effort to push her away. Lyra thought about what she said for a moment as she held him 'I guess it really isn't okay, is it?' she let out another sigh as she finished that thought. "You're right you know," she said to the human. "I'm no magician really. I just a musician who plays a lyre." The human still didn't respond to her. "I'm no Twilight Sparkle. I couldn't do the things she's done or defeat the things she has. I'm just another unicorn. I just..." she looked back down at the human's crying face before she said anything else. "I just wanted to make you feel safe." Back on the log, Bon Bon sat there watching Lyra. She couldn't hear everything she was saying, but she could get the gist of it from where she was. "I just thought if..." Tears were beginning to flow from Lyra's eyes as she spoke. "I just thought that if I... If I helped you hide from her... if I showed you what I could... if I gave you that knife," she said as she motioned over back towards the knife, which still lay on the ground. "Then I could at least do something for you. Something for the first human I've ever met. Something to make you feel safe. Something... so that you wouldn't have to be afraid." At that point, Lyra couldn't take it anymore. She leaned her face in closer to the human's, and like him, broke down crying. "I just didn't want you to be afraid. I'm sorry. I just... I..." her words quickly became incoherent as she let out tears. At this point, Bon Bon couldn't take it anymore. She hopped off the log and made her way over to her marefriend, hopping right over the bong at her feet as she did. She walked on over to Lyra and threw her hooves around her marefriend. Lyra didn't look at her or acknowledge her embrace, she just kept on crying with the human. Bon Bon didn't care though, all she cared about was that she knew that right now they needed them, as she was there for them. Berry Punch and Minuette just looked at each other for a moment before their eyes moved back to the scene in front of them. -Meanwhile, back outside in the forest- You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. It's time to set some bait to draw him out. What do male humans like? Video games? Currency? Female humans? Aha! Time to disguise yourself as a very attractive female human carrying video games and a large amount of money. Your mind starts to wander as your hooves carry you through the forest. You get the idea to set some bait to draw him out once you find where the human is hiding. After all, you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Unfortunately, you really don't know much about what humans like, and even if you did you have nothing much on you right now. You get the idea to transform yourself into a human female to lure him out. You should have enough magic for that. However, you actually have no idea what a human female even looks like, much less what an attractive one would look like. Hell, you barely knew what a human male would look like until you brought this one here. Sure you had some rough diagrams, but none of them had any definite details. Plus, there is the chance that with your lack of knowledge you could transform into something completely hideous to him, which would cause him to run away again, something you absolutely don't want. somewhere in the forest, you hear the thumping footstep's of what can only be something monstrously huge coming towards you (take your pick on who this is for i don't really care) Your thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the sound of thumping footsteps. Judging by the sound, they can only belong to something that is monstrously huge, and it's coming right towards you. It doesn't take long at all for a manticore to burst through the trees and roar right at you. "RRR.... I don't have time for this!!!" You shout as you focus your magic and conjure up an immense amount of fire. Within moments, a flaming apparition of yourself stands before the manticore. With the apparition being twice the height of the manticore and completely made of fire, the manticore's primal and instinctual fear of fire causes it to turn its tail and run in the direction it came from. You let out a breath of air as you let the flaming apparition of yourself die down. As it does however, your gaze veers left a little, and you see something. With the little remaining light from the flames, you see it. You see the side of the mountain, but that's not all you see. You see a giant rock. -Meanwhile, at Fluttershy's cottage- "Fluttershy, have yo-!" Spike shouted as he, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rairty, and Pinkie Pie burst through the door of Fluttershy's cottage. The sight that beheld them in her living room kind of made them all freeze in place. An apt comparison since what they saw was Fluttershy frozen in a giant block of ice standing in the middle of her living room. "By Celestia's milky white coat," Rarity said as she walked closer to it, concerned for her friend. "What could have happened here?" "You're guess is as good as mine," Applejack said with just as much concern in her voice as Rarity as she walked around the frozen Fluttershy. Spike looked as well for a few moments before she shoved the box he was carrying towards Rainbow Dash, who happened to be standing next to him. Rainbow Dash just took it under her wing as Spike walked closer to Flutershy. "Rarity," Spike said without even looking at her. "Could you put a barrier around me and Fluttershy?" "What!?" Rarity said, somewhat shocked by the request. "But Spikey..." "Just do it," Spike said as he walked up to Fluttershy and put his hand on her, feeling the ice. Rarity just looked to all the others, who in turn all just looked back at her. With some hesitation, she filled her horn with magic, and created a protectional barrier around both Spike and the frozen Fluttershy. She even cast it on the floor, for if Spike was going to do what she thought he was, then she definitely did not want it damaged. With the barrier set up, Spike took in a deep breath, and then when he exhaled, a sudden burst of green flames filled up the inside of the barrier. The other ponies just stood there amazed. Had the barrier not been there, they all probably would have been incinerated as well. After a few seconds, the flames died down as quickly as they appeared, and a now not frozen Fluttershy stood there wobbling back and forth inside the barrier. everypony do the flop Right on cue as Rarity dispelled the barrier, Fluttershy dropped the knives she held in his wings and fell over in a daze. Spike and every pony there rushed to her aid and held her up before she hit the ground. "Woah woah woah..." Applejack said as she held Fluttershy up, Spike on the other side of her, Rainbow Dash with Applejack, and Rarity and Pinkie Pie just stood in front of her. "Ya'll okay sugarcube?" Applejack asked her after a few seconds. *Fluttershy thaws out* Twilight: Kneel before Zod! Fluttershy: I was frozen today! "I was frozen today," Fluttershy replied in a weak voice as her head kept spinning. A look of relief came across everypony's faces as well as Spike's as they heard her speak. "I'll get you some water," Rarity said as she dashed off towards the kitchen. Applejack, Spike and Rainbow Dash slowly stepped away from Fluttershy as she stopped spinning. She seemed to be okay enough to stand, though was still wobbly. Applejack walked around her, picked up the two knives she had and set them on her table. Spike just walked back over to Rainbow Dash, who gave him back the box before the two of them stood next to Pinkie. "How'd you get frozen today?" Pinkie asked Fluttershy in her usual bubblegummy voice. Even though her voice may not have shown it, she really was just as concerned for her friend as the others were. "Well... I..." Fluttershy began to say as she brought her right hoof to her head. "Fluttershy," Spike said as he stepped forward. "This is very important. Was Twilight here?" At that, Fluttershy seemed to stop wobbling and snapped back to attention. "Twilight..." Fluttershy suddenly said right as Rarity ran back into the room with a glass of water. Without saying anything, Fluttershy took it from her and began to chug it. "Fluttershy," Spike said. "Do you know where she is?" "Yeah, she's totally gone coocoo for chocobo-puffs right now," Rainbow Dash said. "We need to stop 'er before she-" Applejack began to say before Fluttershy cut her off. "It's okay," Fluttershy said as she finished her glass of water. She stood there for several moments before she looked back at all of them. The look in her eyes was one that was filled with all kinds of intent. "I know where she's going." -Meanwhile, back in the forest right in front of the giant rock- You just stand there in awe of the giant rock that's in front of you. You honest to Celestia can't believe what you're seeing. A giant rock. It's a rock and it's giant. It's so Celestia damn giant. It's so friggin damn giant, and a rock. It's a giant rock. You really just can't believe just how giant this rock- Celestia can't help you, but you can try summoning discord he allways loves chaos. Too many ideas in your head. it feels like you're going mad...er. Suddenly Sombra appears and yells "Get on with it". you look at him with frown, but he just smiles. suddenly I.Pinkie appears with couple of speakers with her. you look at them and suddenly almost 300 voices yell "GET ON WITH IT" (Some of them sound strangely familiar). You're in daze after this noise attack and won't notice how the clouds part. Giant alicorn appears and looks down at you. suddenly she says with sweet voice: "yes, Get on with it already" you search the sudden voice and turn to look up. your eyes widen and You just look at her with your mouth agape. words have left you, but at least all those voices have been silenced. "Get on with it," Ghost Sombra suddenly says as he appears to your left. "Yes, get on with it," your inner Rainbow Dash says to you as she appears to your right. "GET ON WITH IT!!!!!" You suddenly hear about 300 different voices yell, all of which sound very similar to each other. You look to your right to see your inner Pinkie Pie floating next to Ghost Sombra with what appear to be about 300 different sets of speakers floating behind her. You then look up to the sky as a sort of light starts shining on you from above. Suddenly, from out of nowhere in the night sky, two rather large clouds begin to part, revealing a giant, white coated, red maned alicorn sitting on another cloud behind them. "Yes, get on with it already," the giant alicorn says to you in a rather soothing voice that doesn't sound anything like Celestia's. The moment she finished saying that, the clouds close back up and the light disappears. At this point, words have left you. They've left you completely, but at least all the other voices in your head have been silenced. You take a moment to pick your jaw up off the floor and let your eyes return to their original size before you return your attention back to the giant rock. You guess you should probably get on with it. You should have enough magic left in you to move this giant rock. Simple levitation isn't that hard. You focus what magic you can into your horn, and within moments the giant rock starts to glow with a magenta aura. By Celestia it's heavy, heavier than you though. You feed more magic into your horn, still nothing. Still more. The human is behind this rock, you know he is. You can't explain why but you just know. Maybe its the swartz, whatever in tartarus that is. You cannot give up now. Suddenly, the rock begins to move to the left. -Meanwhile, in France- This is happening. (Not really) -Meanwhile, back inside the cave in Equestria- Suddenly, a loud rumbling noise began to fill the cave. The four ponies inside and the human's ears perked up as they heard it. They knew that it could only mean one of two things. Either there was a massive earthquake, or someone, or rather somepony, was moving the rock at the entrance. As this noise bombarded the human's ears, he quickly pushed Lyra away from him and stood back up on his feet. He then looked towards the entrance with a horrified look on his face. The tears were now gone, but the fear remained. Lyra and Bon Bon looked there with him for a moment before their gazes turned back to him. The look on his face was one of absolute horror. Berry Punch and Minuette just stayed where they were on the log couch and didn't move. "What are you going to do?" Bon Bon asked the human as she looked up at him. The human's attention snapped away from the entrance back down to her. He didn't say anything, he just looked at her. After a moment, he looked to Lyra, who just remained silent. He then loooked over to Berry Punch and Minuette, who stayed perfectly still where they were. He then looked back at the entrance to the cave, then all around the cave. He saw the tends, the few little trees, and the stream that ran through it. The stream ran through little crevices in the rocks, far to small for anything to fit through. That meant that there was only one way out of here. "There isn't anywhere left for me to run, is there?" he asked. At that, Lyra just shook her head, her eyes still had the beginnings of tears in them. Bon Bon remained still. At that, the human looked between them and back at the entrance to the cave for several more moments. After looking through every possible alternative again, there really only was one option left he could take. He didn't want to, but he had to. There was no other way out of this. (Seriously, listen to that song as you read the rest of this chapter, it will make the next few moments all the more epic) The Standoff begins The Trio by Ennio Morricone The more the human though it out, the more his mind only reached the one same conclusion. There was no other way. After a few moments, the human took in one last deep breath, and upon exhaling it all his grief, his fear, and any and all emotions he seemed to feel, left with it. He was calm. As calm as he had ever been. He walked past Lyra and Bon Bon, who parted away from each other for him as he walked past. He then reached down and picked up his knife. The knife made out of orichalcum that Lyra had given him. He picked it up and held it close to him. He saw his own reflection in it. His eyes were red, red from all the tears, red from his own fear. The longer he looked at it, the more he came to realize something. 'What am I running from?' he thought to himself as he looked at his reflection. Lyra and Bon Bon just watched him with a looks of grave concern as he stared at himself in the knife. After a few moments, the human pulled the knife away from his face, and the look on it changed. His face no longer held a look of sadness, grief, or fear. Instead, there was one of determination, and resolve. He then wiped all the remaining sand from the knife and, with it in his hand, he began to walk towards the entrance. He didn't look back, he didn't stop, he didn't even slow down, he just kept walking. Lyra, Bon Bon, Berry Punch, and Minuette all just watch him go. They knew the look on his face, it was the look of one who resigned themselves to their fate. While they all knew that it would come to this eventually, it was still hard for them to watch. Eventually it became too much for Lyra. "Wait!" Lyra shouted as she ran over towards him. At the sound of her voice, the human stopped and turned back around. Lyra ran right up to the human and stopped right in front of him. "I'm sorry," Lyra said to him, the tears in her eyes returning. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry I-" "Hey, hey," the human said in a gentle tone as he bent down on one knee so that he was eye level with her. "It's okay." The human said to her as he looked into her eyes. He seemed almost... happy. "You did what you could." The human was silent for a few moments before he spoke again. "You did what you could. You helped me. You helped me when no one else would. Even after Twilight found out I was with you, you still came back for me. So it's okay." The human put his right arm on her should as he said that. "Thank you. Thank you for what you did. I know we didn't really know each other long, but for what it's worth..." The human paused for a moment again. Lyra tried her best to hold back the tears in her eyes. "You've been a good friend Lyra." At that, the dam that held back Lyra's tears broke. She threw her hooves around the human's neck, pulled him close, buried her head into his shoulders, and started crying. The human returned her embraced as he threw his arms around her. Bon Bon trotted over and stopped right in front of them. "It's okay Lyra, it's okay," the human said to her. "I'm not afraid anymore." At that, Lyra pulled back from him, her eyes were still red with tears. "Promise..." Lyra tried to say before she sniffled a little bit due to the tears. "Just promise me you won't get hurt to bad." "I won't," the human said to her as he stood back up. "Don't you worry about me." At that, the human turned his attention over to Bon Bon. "Thank you Bon Bon," he said to her. "Thank you for everything." As the human said those last words, he turned back around and began to walk back towards the entrance to the cave again. Lyra was still trying to hold back more tears, but found that she couldn't. Bon Bon just walked over and put a hoof around her neck. It was the least she could do for her marefriend now. As she watched the human leave the cave, she quickly found tears coming to her eyes as well. "Do you think he'll be okay?" Minuette asked Berry Punch, who sat next to her on the log bench, "I hope so," Berry Punch replied. "He's really a good guy. I'd hate for anything bad to happen to him now." Berry Punch then let out a sigh. "I really do feel sorry for him. He's too much of a nice guy to go through all this." "Yeah," Minuette said as she threw a hoof over Berry Punch's neck. "Yeah he really is." From there, Lyra, Bon Bon, Berry Punch, and Minuette all watched the human as he walked away from them back towards the entrance to the cave. -Meanwhile, back outside- You've given it everything you can offer right now, but the rock is finally moving. You push the rock over to the left, away from what you know is behind it. Surely enough, you see the entrance of a cave behind it. Yes, you knew it. You don't know how, but you knew it. As you move the rock further, you see something else. Standing at the entrance to the cave, just behind the rock, as real as the day you brought him here, is the human. He's standing there at the entrance to the cave with a look on his face that you know is the epitome of "I have had enough of this bulls***!" He is wearing the farm clothes that you know he got from Apple family and he looks like hell. Also, in his right hand is a knife. A rather large bowie knife. He came prepared this time. You finish moving the rock after its far enough to the left and just stand there looking at him. You've imagined this moment, for so long... since you've started this, and now he is here in front of you. You have found the human. You can feel yourself begin to smile as you take in the sight of him. He's really put you through a lot of trouble, you can really feel your smile stretch the edges of your lips, but now he is yours, all yours, and there is nothing anything or anypony can do about it now. Nyarthlotep will be stopped now. -PERSPECTIVE SWITCH- You stand at the entrance of the cave you've been hiding in with Lyra, Bon Bon, and their friends Berry Punch and Minuette for the past few days now. In front of you, is the insane purple unicorn Twilight Sparkle. In your hand is the orichalcum knife that Lyra gave you. You watch as a wicked grin spreads itself across Twilight's face as she stands there looking at you. You just grip the knife tighter as you stand there across from her. You are done running. You are not afraid anymore. Fictional Characters channeling: -Solid Snake -Sherlock Holmes What do you do? END OF INTERMISSION PART 2 BEGINS NOW