//------------------------------// // Houdini // Story: Waking up as Rarity. // by TonydBrony //------------------------------// Ya know, when I look back at my life, I feel like I’m living in a mediocre fan fiction with crappy plot lines and horrible planning to begin with. Well, who ever is writing my script is getting fired because I’m sick of this shit. I’m rewriting this train wreck before I crash! Time to take action! Time to take back what’s mine! Viva la revolucion! Look, I’m not gonna lie to you guys... When the nanny told me to go outside, I didn’t. I turned a corner and tapped my hooves against the floor to make it sound like I was running away like a little wuss. I was mad and I really didn’t feel like running anymore. I wanted to make a stand. This whole running away thing isn’t me! Who are you? Anthonie Daniel King, or Fluttershy? Came the voice of opposition. My everlasting challenge... Boy have I missed you. I felt my jaw clench tightly as I listened around the corner. Annie’s nanny was really letting her have it. I haven’t heard a telling-to like that since I was a kid and my brother pushed me down the stairs. Man, my mom really wore into him. “MARCH!” Bellowed the pompous bitch of a nanny. The sad sound of soft footsteps against hardwood floor followed her words. Then, as I was about to peek around the corner, Nana turned down the corner I was on, stomping furiously. I ducked under a nearby end-table and watched her crack her long manicured fingers. “When I find that pony...” She grumbled, charging down the hall. She had somehow completely missed me. Talk about a lucky break. As soon as she passed by, I spared no time in galloping after Annie. She didn’t turn around to face me as she trudged onwards. Seeing her like this really broke my heart. Yeah, I know I’m her pet and all, but I think I’m coming down with a major case of Stockholm Syndrome. Seeing her as sad as she was made me want to make her smile in anyway possible. She’s just a kid... So, in a last ditch effort to bring some happiness into this seemingly endless sad story, I did the one thing I could think of... I glomped her and yelled, “Surprise!” With my hooves wrapped around her neck and Eleanor pressed against her face. The proceedings were actually quite entertaining; Annie whizzed around, trying to hug me back, but I was latched on her backside firmly. I felt like a backpack. So, in the end, I wound up being spun around in a few circles before she came to her senses. “Rarity!” She squealed elatedly and wriggled around to squeeze the ever-living hell out of me. It wasn’t a bad squeeze though. It was one of those “OMIGOSH I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!” kinda squeezes. “And a big hello to you too, dear!” I said with my hooves wrapped around her figure. The air was squeezed out of my lungs, but having being death-hugged before, I’ve gotten used to it. It made me smile to see her sudden change of mood. Moreover, it was even better to feel wanted. Yeah, I’ve gone over this a lot, but it’s nice to feel needed, even if you’re destined to save the world. Speaking of which... I smiled and stared into Annie’s gleaming eyes. I knew now that if I didn’t tell her what I needed to tell her, I’d never be able to. I had to tell her the truth... As if she knew I was going to say something, Annie set me down and sat down in front of me. As my hooves touched the floor, I raised my head to see Annie’s smile. It was empathetic. I couldn’t imagine why though. “Annie-dear, I need to tell you something. It’s very important.” I had tried to keep the quivering out of my voice, but to no avail. I even took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I’m not Rarity and I need to save the world! It was so easy to say it in my head, but, staring into her innocent eyes... Don’t you dare quit, soldier! This is for the greater good! “I’m all ears.” Annie said. At least, I think that’s what she said. The world around me went silent and I could only see the movement of her lips. I gulped, clenched my jaw and tried to think about my friends; the people I’m doing this for. “Rarity?” Came Annie’s voice, clear as crystal. “Are you alright?” Something must’ve been unjammed in the back of my mind, because I felt the sudden urge to let it all out. Everything. “No.” I said, gradually looking up at her. “I’m not alright and I’m not Rarity.” Annie wore a face of disbelief and confusion. “What are you talking about?” “My name is Anthonie Daniel King and I am not Rarity,” I repeated. “Miss Belle and I are sharing a body, but more importantly, I need to leave. The fate of the world depends on it.” Annie had scooted away just so slightly. Her happy facade had melted into one of fear. “We need to talk, Anastazia.” She was slow to accept what I told her, but she eventually got up and led me to a small room under a staircase. Once there, I told her everything. From my first seconds of waking up as a pony, to the painful moment of watching Ryan drive away in his pickup truck. I even told her about my plan to escape and showed her the ever growing news reports of people turning into ponies all over the world... Nice to know I’m definetly not alone. A few minutes passed and Annie sat on a small wooden stool in the dimly lit and musty room. Her chin rested on the palm of her hand. “So... Let me get this straight.” She pointed at me. “You’re Rarity, but not Rarity. You’re a teenage brony who goes by Tony and you need to get to New York in a few days or the world is as good as dead?” “Yeah, that about covers it.” “Oh... Why didn’t you just say that to begin with? I totally would’ve understood and probably wanted to go with you!” She says with a good-natured laugh. Why couldn’t I have know this when I first got here? This would’ve saved me so much time! “Oh! Can I come with you? It’d be so awesome to get out of here! No more butlers, no nanny, no more bullsh--...” She covered her mouth before she finished the sentence and gulped. “Can I come? Please?” For a moment, I actually considered letting her tag along... We could be a happy little trio again. Yet, she’s just a ki-- HEY! She’s about my age! Why should I be worried? It’d totally be easy to relate to her and I’m sure she’d make a great traveling buddy. Probably better for conversation than Eleanor or Rarity... Then again, my indecisive side slapped me around with a fish and I looked up to Annie. “It’d be too dangerous, Annie. I’d never forgive myself if you got hurt.” I spoke with sincerity and she saw it. She seemed to understand that I needed to do this. After hearing what I’ve been through already, I think she saw me as a capable unicorn who could get herself out of a situation when needed. Like I am now! The proceeding hour consisted of secretly gathering supplies for my departure. Annie helped me find a few granola bars, water bottles, and she even gave me her bear, Tibbers. “Take a picture of him sitting on The Empire State Building,” she told me, holding him out to me along with a cell phone number. As I stored the worn bear in my bag, right next to Ellie, I had to fight to hold back any tears. Although I’ve only known her for a short time, Annie has truly become a friend of mine and it hurt to be leaving. “Well... Only one thing to do now.” I muttered. “Yeah. I’ll call the tailor.” Annie said solemnly. She picked up her phone and dialed a number. As she spoke with the person on the phone, I took a moment to ready the camera on my phone. I wanted something else to remember her by. “The van will be here in a few minutes.” She said as she walked over to me. “Hey, what are you doing?” “Say cheese.” “What?” I pulled her down to my level and took the picture. The flash blinded me for a second, but the moment in time would be forever frozen and I could always have something to remember her by... I’m such a sad sap. The picture was saved right next to the one of me cosplaying as Jason Voorhees. Good times. Good, good times. Annie rubbed her eyes and smiled. “So... We wait for the van to get here, then I distract the delivery guy while you hitch a ride, right?” She looked over at my phone as I flipped through the different pictures I had forgotten about. Most of them were of me hanging out with my friends. I even found one of the aftermath of a hardcore paintball game. “Huh... You were cute.” “Emphasis on were, right?” I said, trying to prevent a potentially awkward situation. “Things change when you wake up as a pony.” v^v^v Twenty minutes passed by when I heard the grumbling of a engine rolling down a gravel road. I peeked out of a bush Annie suggested I hide in and sure enough, the white delivery van pulled up into the roundabout. Her cue hit and Annie skipped out the door, and waved to the delivery man; in his arms was a single brown cardboard box. Annie ordered some bogus sweatshirt to get the guy up here while I snuck by. The large iron gate then opened up and he parked nearby. He exited the van and walked down the pathway right up to Annie. “Good evening, Miss Drendel.” I heard him say right before I darted across the yard and quickly opened the back of the van. I jumped in, closed the door behind me and got down. My heart was racing and I could almost see myself getting caught. Surprisingly, I wasn’t caught. No barking dogs to give away my position, or any farsighted eagle-eye guards to catch me. I was home free! I could hear the delivery man hum as he came back to the van. The driver-side door popped open and the engine quickly came to life. The soft rumbling brought a great sense of accomplishment into my heart. The van shifted into gear and started to turn. I wore a smile similar to that of a crocodile's as I pulled up my phone and ran through my contacts. Near the bottom was Ryan’s number. I clicked the text message icon and wrote the following: I forgive you, you sunnuvabitch. Catch you later. I attached the picture of Annie and I to it and pressed send. “Freedom at last...” I whispered.