Hero Anon

by Bastinator

Chapter 7: Forgotten Temples

”And next time you pull a move like that again, getting snatched will be the least of your problems.” Vinyl gave you an ear full when you got back. Not unexpected. “I’m glad you’re alright,” she tacks on.

“Don’t worry. I’ll warn you the next time I’m abducted.”

She hugs you, “You better.” The newbies settled into your camp, albeit a little hesitantly. The sight of a griffon brigade and the muscled minotaurs is an intimidating one. You’ll give them a few days to adjust. Besides, they’ve worked beside those dogs so they’re shown adaptability. Big Macintosh, their previous leader, was relieved to see your own group take charge in this fight. You don’t dare ask how long he’s been down there.

Your group is massive at this point, and that’s not including the armies being prepared by your allies. Still, where you’ve got numbers, Anonymous has strength. The beasts he has at his disposal easily overpower your own. You need more aid, even with those already at your back. You plan on heading south west into more fertile grounds. It’ll be easier to survive with the abundance of food sources down there, and you’re starting to get tired of rabbit soup. They reason that you’ll find more ways to contract aid that way, but you’re just thinking with your stomach here. Leaving the wastes of the east and the rocky mountains of the north, you move south with its rich forests. And for the first time since you got here you slept in peace, the jewel your guardian angel of the night.

~~~

”Round two.” Iron Will twirls his axe masterfully as he strikes the dirt, yourself already escaping the impact. Rainbow Dash watches, Vinyl sitting on the other side.

”Don’t hesitate, Anonymous won’t,” Rainbow instructs.

Vinyl chimes in to spite her, “You’re doing great Anon. Keep it up.”

You look to Vinyl, having to move extra fast to evade another blow. “Keep your dick in your pants and fight,” Dash mocks.

“Go Anon go.”

He catches the palm of your hand with tip of his handle knocking the sword out of your hands. You slide to retrieve it, staring back up at his axe, inches away from your face, “And Iron Will wins again. Shocking,” Rainbow shoots out sarcastically.

“Next time Anon,” he helps you up. Vinyl says that you’re doing great, but you know better. Rainbow pulls you away from Vinyl, shooting a glare at her.

”Focus. Losing sight on the target will get you killed.” She looks back to Vinyl, “I know I’m harsh, but you won’t get better without knowing your flaws.”

“Vinyl’s good for me. So what if she disrupts my sessions a little. It’s worth having her around.”

”So what?! Do you even- Ugh!” She flies off for a cloud to rest on. You wonder what her deal is.

~~~

The next morning you’re walking with Big Mac. You learned he grew up in a farm near Ponyville. His accent tipped you off that he was a country colt. He talks about his farm and his family before everything turned to shit. The way he told stories made you feel like you were right there with him. But then he reached the part where your brother took control. His sister, Applejack was one of his right-hand mares, just like Rainbow Dash. He tried to get her back, but she was too far gone. Your brother had done something to them, corrupting their spirit and draining their will. He lost his sister forever, but that didn’t stop him. He fought back against your brother, until you found him.

As you enter the dense southern forests you can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of dread. The others react the same way, muttering amongst themselves sheepishly. “What’s going on?”

He keeps his eyes ahead, “The forest frightens them, as it should. The Everfree forest has never been a place of safety.” You look to your map, Macintosh helping you out. “We’re entering the rear section of the forest, a bit farther to the west.”

“I figured we’d be further east.”

”Well ya better hope we can get through this here place as quickly as possible. There’s no knowing what’s lying in wait.” The Everfree Forest. What madness drove us in here? You make sure to keep your hand on your weapon at all times, just in case.

~~~

The troops find it hard to sleep, keeping their eyes on the surrounding bushes in fear. This doesn’t stop your practice with Iron Will however. You duck as he cleaves into a tree. You land a few shots into his stomach before he kicks you away. “Good, take advantage of your position.” You plant your feet and charge at him, Iron Will grinning before knocking up a wall of dust with his axe.

”Focus Anon,” Rainbow mutters under her breath, “Focu-”

“BEHIND YOU!” Vinyl shouts.

You hear his breathe intensify as he strikes downward at you. Side-stepping his attack you pin your sword under your arm and press back against him, just enough so he feels the tip of your blade. “Game over.” Iron Will’s more than happy to congratulate you, but chalks your victory up to Vinyl’s help. Vinyl leaps into your arms in glee. You twirl her around as Dash heads up to her cloud.

You tuck Vinyl in for the night before heading back out. You need to see what was up with her. Dash sticks to her lonesome up there, favoring the sky to company. “Go to sleep Anon. You need your rest.” You pick up a small rock and throw it as hard as you can, breaching the tree tops and knocking against her head. “You mother bucker…” The next thing you know you’re lying flat on your back, Dash standing triumphantly on top. “You should really learn your limits. Dash is a bit much to handle.”

“You going to tell me why you left without a word?”

She steps off of you, “You going to let that harlot keep holding you back?”

“I told you that she’s not going anywhere.”

”You could do so much better, and she’s hurting your training.”

“It’s harmless really.”

”Harmless will get you killed. I don’t want to be there when that happens.”

“You worry too much, you’ll see. So, how about that answer?”

You sit next to her , “You looked so happy after you’d won. In that moment, you reminded me of your brother. He was thrilled to win as well. I’ll never forget the day it rained money.”

“I don’t want to know do I?”

”You wouldn’t believe me anyways, but that same night was the turning point in his life. I ruined him,” her eyes glisten, “and I won’t do the same again.”

“I’m not sure I understand.”

She looks back and smiles, “Just as naïve as he was.” She rests her head against your shoulder for a spell, watching the moon.

“I guess I should get some rest after all. Goodnight-“You see that she’s already passed out against you, her body rocking with each breathe. Maybe you can stay a while, keep her safe. Yeah, you’ll go with that…

~~~

Elsewhere in the forest… You crack another husk’s neck, falling limp to your feet, only for two more to fill his spot. A kick to the legs incapacitates both of them and you charge for the Knight, two Burers trying to hold you off. One pointblank party cannon is all it takes to send the big guy down and crushing the two midgets beneath him. More are coming. You don’t have the time to fight them all. You leap back to Twilight, crushing the approaching Xenomorph’s skull. “Pinkie… can’t-“You hush her.

“I’ll get us out of here.”

She smiles back, “Promise?”

”Cross my heart and hope to fly.” A screech cuts through the sky as an object blocks the moon.

”Look at what we have here? My two little runaways. Wuten, have some fun.” She dismounts the beast as it plunges to the earth, its noodly appendage outstretched. You mask the two of you in a cloud of confetti, the beast howling in anger. ”Don’t worry my dear, they can’t have gone far. We’ll find them soon enough…

~~~

“This way. It can’t be much further.”

”I don’t think investigating some screech in the night is such a good idea.”

“My reasons are my own. I just feel like we should be here.” You cut past a dense section of the forest and walk onto an open plain littered with the dead.

”Still want to look around?” You ignore her and let the rest of your team catch up. Their reaction is far from pleasant.

“Spread out and look for survivors.” It’s a long shot, but you need to know what happened here. You kick over the bodies of a few burers finding them coated with a fine dust, likely from a knight. They were formidable whoever they were. You figure with the damage they inflicted they were at least thirty strong. You spot a few ponies amongst the dead, but they’re clad in your brother’s armor.

Where the hell did they go? The odds of one side coming off with no casualties is almost nonexistent. ”Ambushed them most likely,” Rainbow Dash says, “but I don’t know why a force this size came out this way.”

“They must’ve been looking for something. I don’t understand how they knew we would be here though. Something’s off.”

”They might have been clearing out any pockets of resistance they could find. They underestimated them.” Maybe… You move along the battlefield, finding a red pool on the floor. You kneel before it, dipping two fingers into the thick solution. It smells… You taste the substance, rubbing it between your fingers.

“Marinara? The fuck?”

”We got survivors!” You’re ripped from your train of thought as a crowd begins to form. “You two okay?” Moving through the ranks you spot a couple minotaurs hauling off a pile of corpses, a pair of hooves wriggling out from beneath them.

Rainbow Dash is kneeling next to them, “Pinkie?”

A pink ball falls into Rainbow’s lap, “I’m so sorry Dashie. I-“

”Quiet down please. It’s alright you’re safe now. We’re here to help.”

Vinyl recognizes her, “I’m not even going to attempt to argue with you guys.”

Rainbow Dash looks to you with a smile, “Anon, I’d like you to meet Pinkie Pie. She’s a friend.”

“Charmed,” you reply not breaking eye contact, your mind recalling that night. You’re less concerned about this Pinkie Pie, and more about the purple unicorn she’s guarding. You draw your sword and take a step towards the helpless mare. “Remember me Twilight?”

Your sword arm stops mid-slash as Pinkie catches it and kicks you. You pivot around her attack, tripping her with your free leg. She hits you with her forehoof and pounces on you, to which you return with a few powerful body shots. Rainbow Dash pulls the two of you apart, the crowd stunned, “The hell has gotten into you Anon.” You point to the bitch on the ground.

“She did!” Pinkie cuts you off as you move in again.

”I won’t let you hurt her.”

“Then you leave me no choice.”

Rage boils over as you smack her away with your shield and pin Twilight down by the throat. You want to see her suffer for what she did to you, but she doesn’t resist. She accepts her fate. Not like this, she needs to suffer… You let go of Twilight and head out, the crowd clearing from your path.

~~~

You stay away from her from that point onward. Putting her close to you is a one way ticket to Tartarus. The group was far easier about accepting the two of them than you. They’d just gotten used to Dash’s company, so they weren’t much of a mix up. They had fled from your brother’s wrath, eluding your brother’s forces since before you found Big Mac and the others. Twilight questioned his rule and this was the consequence. She’s just lucky Pinkie’s protecting her. If not… she wouldn’t have made it through the night.

Vinyl listened to your troubles and offered a shoulder to lean on, but that’s not what you needed. You need something to take your mind off of her. You need a quest. You talk to the guys, trying to find anything that needs to be done, but come up short. You’re going to go on a killing spree if you don’t find something to relieve the tension. Where’s an Xbox when you need one?

”Excuse me, but are you Anon?” You turn around to find a pony, mare by the sound of her voice, cloaked. Where’d she come from?

“What do you want with me lady?” She fidgets nervously, muttering something under her breath.

”I nee- I need help. I need a hero.” Bing, quest found. She explains that she found a temple deep in the forest’s depths, and it’s said that only a hero can unlock the power hidden within. Farfetched, but you have a good feeling about this one. You like the cut of her jib. You instruct her to follow you and march directly into the command tent and lay things down on the table.

“This is what we’re doing and that’s that.”

”What about heading west?”

“West? Fuck the west. There are hidden powers in that temple and I want to exploit them.”

”So you’re just taking the word of a random stranger?”

“Yes.” They decide to give it a shot, it’s not like you’re doing anything useful at the present.

~~~

The next morning your group sets south east and into the heart of the forest. Your mysterious guide leads the way, leaving the rest of you in wonder, ”Who is she? What does she want? Why is she wearing that cloak?” You’ll admit that those questions crossed your mind, but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter. You’ve got something to take your mind off of that conniving bitch Twilight.

Rainbow Dash joins you behind the mare, “You’ve been quiet lately. What’s up?”

“Just keeping my eye on the ball. Trying not to think of a certain unicorn.”

”I’m glad to see you got over Vinyl finally.”

“I meant Twilight.” You clench your fist at her name. She played with you like you were nothing, and you can’t even return the favor.

”Twilight… she wasn’t in her right mind before. None of us were. Excuses or not, it’s the truth.” You take what she said into consideration, but you’ll sleep on it later.

You move up to the mare, catching a glimpse of her golden coat. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

”Go ahead.”

“How did you know where I was?”

”I didn’t. I’ve been looking for you since you got here.”

“That brings up how you even know me?”

”Your name is known to many, along with your exploits. With your power I’m sure you can help me.”

“Please, I’m blushing.” You keep down the jungle path, petering into swampier territory. “So what exactly do you do for a living miss…”

”I’m an adventurer first and foremost. I go to exotic locations and search for things.”

“Just ‘things?’ Sounds a bit convoluted.”

”I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t accept a little danger.”

“You know, I never did catch your name.” She goes silent afterwards which strikes you as odd. “You do have a name right?”

”Well yeah I have a name it’s just- nevermind. Forget about it.” You just shrug and move on, letting her take charge again.

That night you practice with Iron Will again. ”I don’t trust that girl.” He blocks and grapples you. “She rubs me the wrong way.”

“She’s not the most open girl I’ve talked to,” you get free of his grasp, “But I have a good feeling about her.”

”Shut up and fight. I have good money on this,” Soarin declares from the sidelines.

“You want to join in then be my guest,” you shoot back, forcing his silence. “That’s what I thought.”

You turn back to an axe on your neck, “That means I win right?”

“Fuck you Iron Will,” you chuckle knocking his weapons away.

”Can’t win everytime.” Like hell you can’t. Wait, no, dammit. Next quest, build a time machine.

“Catch you tomorrow Iron Will.” You leave them to fight over the winning, to which Iron Will always dispersed evenly. Vinyl’s already asleep, and you don’t want to disturb her. Instead you prowl around the camp some more, a last minute patrol. You find a small fire just outside the grounds and stealth over to it, the mysterious woman sitting by the fire.

Her compass rose cutie mark is exposed, the second uncovered part of her you’ve seen. She looks around unable to see you due to the fire’s glare, but covers up regardless. You’ve seen enough. She’s safe and that’s always a good thing. Reentering camp you pick up voices coming from on of the tents. ”Just apologize and he’ll forgive you. I guarantee it.”

”I can- *cough* barely look at myself, let alone face him.” Twilight…

You peer through a tear in her tent, Pinkie, Dash and Twilight inside. “He’s just a big meanie. He knows Twilight didn’t mean it.”

“Do you really think he cares? Just try and explain it to him?”

”I- I can’t…” You walk around to the front and enter the room. The three freeze at the sight of you.

“Try me.”

Pinkie stands up threateningly, “How long have you been eavesdropping?”

“Long enough to have second thoughts.” You look at Twilight who tries to avoid your gaze, “Everyone gets one chance. One.”

”I’m sor…”

“What was that? I couldn’t hear you.”

”Anon please don’t-“

“Let the lady speak. Go on Twilight, I’m waiting.”

She looks to the floor, “Forgive me…” You step in front of Twilight, Pinkie a hair away from striking you.

“Close enough,” you rub her head, telling yourself to forgive her, “Apology accepted.”

~~~

Elsewhere in the forest… “What is it? What do you smell?”

The ugly creature snorts and looks to you, “Man flesh.” So you found the missing hero… Anonymous will be most pleased.

“And what of the fugitives?”

”They’re with him.” You instruct the vile creature to lead the way, several of his kin close behind.

“Why are they heading deeper into the forest? What is he playing at?”

”Fluuuuttershyyy.” A voice calls to you on the winds.

“What is thy bidding my master?”

”How goes your patrol?”

“Swell my lord. I am tracking them both now, along with your missing brother.”

”Good, and when you do, keep him alive. I’m not done with him yet.”

“It shall be done my lord.” You call for your ride, the colossal mass settling beside you gently. “Let’s not keep them waiting dear.”

~~~

”Here we are. At long last.” Your guide steps on towards the overgrown temple, vines encroaching the pillars and walls.

Vinyl shudders at the sight, “Anyone else have a bad feeling about this?”

”Don’t worry, me and Anon will keep you safe,” Iron Will reassures her.

”Because that’ll make her feel better,” Dash chips in.

“We’ve been through worse Vinyl. We wouldn’t have made it this far if we weren’t ready.”

”Whatever happened to the skeptical Anon I used to know?”

You shrug your shoulders as you start through the ruined stonework. “I guess he grew up.”

Pinkie Pie helps Twilight over the unruly terrain with some difficulty, but they make good time when Dash heads back for them. Twilight hasn’t recovered much. Whatever Anonymous did to her stole most of her energy. If she faired that well… you don’t want to think about it.

The mare leads you up a set of stairs and into the recesses of the temple, the only light coming from the flickering torches along the walls. Your men are relieved that they’re no walking in the dark, but this only makes you more nervous. Who lit the torches? The mare said she hadn’t been there in months. You motion the group to hang back a ways, but not enough to draw attention. “What’s going on here, truthfully?”

”I don’t know what you’re talking about?” She leads you into another room within the temple, expansive and giving off a royal vibe. You force her to look at you, thrusting off her hood to reveal her grayscale mane.

“Who are you working for?” A deep chuckle bounces around the room as a gate slams shut to close you in, the others trapped outside.

”It’s good to finally meet you Anon.” You push the mare away and draw your sword, looking around for the perpetrator. “Eyes up here boy.” Following the voice leads your eyes up the steps and to the blackened roof.

“Whoever you are, you’re…” the room glows, a hideous smile meeting you, “in for, a…”

”What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” You stutter as you come face to face with the hideous creature.

“What in the hell are you?” He stands from his throne, his dog-like hind legs contrasting his apish forelimbs, his tail swishing about, a human-esque hand wriggling about at its tip.

”Your worst nightmare,” is all he says before he blows a whistle to make a series of meowing noises.

“I don’t know what you are, but don’t think I’ll lie down without a fight.”

”That’s exactly the answer I was hoping for.” You step back towards the gated entrance as an incessant growling grows in intensity. Dash pounds at the gate, but can’t get through. Not even Iron Will can make it budge.

”Anon! We’ll get you out of there, just hold on.” You press up against the gate as several felines emerge from the very earth and corner you, each wielding a weapon of some sort.

“Forget the gate. Find a way around and fucking help me!” You smash one of the felines into the floor with your shield, curb-stomping the cat with a soothing crack. You point to the mare… “Why? Tell me why!” You knee another attacker in the gut and cut out his throat, leaving him for dead. “All I wanted to do was help you, and you stab me in the back.”

She can’t look at you, but that doesn’t mean anything to you. You gut a third jaguar, the last of them fleeing before you. ”Impressive. I had heard of your strength, but deemed it to be little more than gossip.”

“I’ll ask you one last time,” you grip the mare’s throat and squeeze. “Why did you bring me here?”

”I asked Ms. Do of course.” You glare back up at the sickening creature, “I wanted to see the tyrant for myself.”

“Tyrant? No, but you’ll wish I was that fucker after I’m done with you.” You gasp and step forwards releasing the girl. A lump grows in your throat as you force a smile and place your hand on your back, a rush of liquid meeting it.

”You are not Anon?” he asks with a hint of irritation. You flip your sword and cut it back into tiger, grimacing painfully from your injury.

“I am Anon. You are looking for Anonymous.” You struggle to stay standing, lucky to be that well. A few more inches and that spike would’ve severed your spine.

The mare tries to help you, but you push her away, stumbling yourself. “Ahuitzotl, I’m sorry. I didn’t know-“

”Silence!” The fallen arise once more, their wounds sealing by some sort of sorcery. They come closer, teeth bared as you fall to your knees. ”One task you had been assigned and you failed. Another hundred years will suffice for your reckless abandon.”

”Please sir, it was an honest mistake.”

Ahuitzotl, your captor, descends from his throne and wraps his tail around her neck, “You will go out again and bring me Anonymous. Do not fail me again,” he releases her and looks down upon you. “As for you-“ A rumbling turns into a quake as the temple is rocked with tremors, “What in tartarus is going on. Check it out!”

His minions move to obey, the wall before them shattering and bursting from the outside-in, pieces of ground beef scattering across the temple. “Good boy Wuten.” A yellow Pegasus steps through the opening, “Care to let a mare in on the fun?”

Ahuitzotl blows on his whistle once more, a legion of forest denizens growing out of the very walls. ”So be it.”

The two hordes meet each other in a scene of blood, both sides taking hits and casualties. For a time it looks like Ahuitzotl has the advantage, his minions merely recovering from death while the others stay down for the count. It doesn’t matter how many orcs or husks or knights she has, because his army is invincible. At least that’s what you’d thought. Just as the tide is turned and her force seems to route, she pulls one last card from her deck, and it’s a trap card. The screech you heard weeks ago stabs your ears painfully. “Say hello to my little friend, Wuten.” That smell, oregano… You’d smelled it once before, but it couldn’t… It is. The bulbous mass of spaghetti consumes the entranceway, two beady eyes scanning the landscape.

“Pastafarians be damned…”

”Care to explain just what the hell that is?” You give a chuckle, your back tightening from the wound.

“You won’t last against that thing. Prepare to be assimilated.”

”Like hell I will.” He slaps your back with his tail, and can barely contain your scream as your wound engulfs in heat. Your injury closes at last, Ahuitzotl healing you back to full strength. “You will fight with me.” You slap his tail away and stand up, watching as the flying spaghetti monster decimates his forces.

“Only because you asked so nice.”

”Daring Do, make sure he doesn’t die.”

”Will do sir,” she strips off her cloak and flares her wings. You charge inwards, dodging two timberwolves as they’re tossed aside.

The Pegasus blocks your path, “Going somewhere Anon?”

”I’ll take her, you get the big guy.” You give her a knowing glance, but move around anyways. The two of them duking it out, out of sight. A manticore takes a hold of one of Wuten’s noodles and gnaws it off, another one breaking his spine with one slap. You slash the noodle in two, the manticore recovering and fleeing. You roll away from another strike and cut into the monster. Attacking does little to harm the creature as it simply grows another limb to replace the one you destroy. You go for broke and charge at the sword first.

The spaghetti pushes aside to reveal a toothy maw awaiting you, the scent of decay looming from within, but you’re moving to fast to stop yourself. Something tackles into your side just as you’re about to meet you demise, a cyan hoof stopping your immediate counter attack. ”I said hold on.”

“Dash?” She grins and inspects your body to make sure you’re safe. “It’s about time you got here.”

”Had a little door trouble,” she laughs as the battle rages on.

Iron Will cleaves into the monster out of the corner of your eye. ”A little help would be nice!”

Pinkie Pie rushes to your aid, whipping out her party cannon, “Don’t you worry Anon. We’ve faced this big meanie before.”

“How’d you win?”

”Fluttershy stared him…” She goes silent.

“That yellow Pegasus is Fluttershy isn’t she?”

”Yep,” Rainbow answers. You shake your head, but you have an idea. Your necklace…

“Keep Wuten distracted. I’ll handle Fluttershy.” Dash follows you. It’s a long-shot that this’ll work, but you don’t have a choice.

Fluttershy spins violently, cutting Daring Do with the bladed tips of her wings. You leap in front of her just as Fluttershy swipes again, this time meeting your steel shield. “What do you think you’re doing Fluttershy?”

She stares at you, but you’ll have none of that. You look away and kick her in the face, Fluttershy moving out of the way. She pounds into your right side while you’re off balance even managing to get in a few good shots. Daring Do attempts to pounce on her, meeting her dreaded tips again. She collapses to the floor, twitching slightly. Dash takes her chance and mounts her, struggling to get your necklace around her neck. You sheathe your blade in one sift movement and hold onto Fluttershy’s legs. The ruby hits her neck, pulsing rapidly before Fluttershy wavers and falls unconscious.

”Did it work?” *Screech* You pull the necklace back around your neck as the monster barrels towards her. You pull Dash away and avoid his noodly appendages. He gently rests beside Fluttershy, caressing her with his limbs.

Her eyes open slowly, her stern voice now quiet and unsure, “Wuten?” He almost purrs at her voice, nuzzling up against her. Pinkie jumps with joy as her friend recovers. With her out of the way you find Daring Do motionless on the floor. You turn her over, throat cut open. She may have caused this, but she tried to help you in the end.

”Is that…” Rainbow Dash comes to your side, “It can’t be.”

“You know her?”

”Who hasn’t heard of Daring Do? But… she’s just a character. She shouldn’t be real.”

”Some are truer than others,” Ahuitzotl speaks as he walks opposite of you.

”You…”

”A minor inconvenience for Ms. Do.” You watch in awe as her wound seals by itself. “Being my rival has its consequences, and they finally caught up to Ms. Do here. A small price for the trouble she’s caused me.” Daring Do springs up at the ready, “Calm yourself. The battle is over.” You grab your sword in retaliation.

“I don’t think so.”

Ahuitzotl is not the least bit concerned, “Don’t make me laugh. You are not going to fight me.”

“Try me.”

Daring Do looks over to him, “Sir, perhaps…”

Ahuitzotl interrupts her, “If Anon is so keen on combating me then I will let him try.”

”This could be a good time to work those charms of yours Anon,” Rainbow Dash whispers in your ear. He is strong, and he seems to have problems with your brother anyways…

“Maybe instead of fighting me, you’d like to fight Anonymous.”

…

”You have my attention human.”

“I don’t know what your beef is with him, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Join forces with me, and it would increase our chances immensely.”

”You wish to take control of my forces? Never, they are mine and mine alone.”

“I don’t wish to take them, merely employ them. I have more allies than you think, but with you I believe we could stand a chance.”

”If you think you can take him on then you’re stupider than you look. You are a skilled fighter, but he has one thing you don’t. Magic.”

“I can do without the tricks.” Your forces attend to the wounded, hesitantly regrouping by Ahuitzotl’s horde of creatures.

”Magic is what makes me formidable, and magic is what makes Anonymous invincible. You want my help? You will learn the art.”

“Bullshit. You can’t just learn magic,” you argue, “It’s not that simple.”

”He’ll do it,” Dash answers confidently.

“The hell are you talking about?! I can’t learn magic.”

Ahuitzotl rubs his head, “If Anonymous could learn, so can you.”

“Alright then, fine. How the hell did he learn to use magic?”

”He didn’t. He was… given it.” Given it?

“By whom?”

Dash doesn’t say anything.

“His teacher died almost four years ago.” Twilight limps over to you, safe from the fight.

“Okay… So I’m fucked.”

”If you want to find him, then you’ll need to venture into Tartarus to look for him.”

“And exactly who would I be looking for?”

Twilight holds a deep resentment in her tone, “The one who brought Anonymous here in the first place. Discord.”

~~~

Meanwhile in Canterlot… ”Been a while since ya let me meet with ya.”

“I don’t have many other places to turn. Everywhere I look all I see is failure. So now I turn to the one who has never failed me.”

”Well shucks…”

“Your friends have become something of a nuisance to me, even Fluttershy has turned against me now.”

”How do ya know that?”

“Sometimes you just know Applejack. I want you to round up all the ponies you can and bring them here.”

”You expecting trouble?”

“I can feel that we’re on the verge of battle, and I wish this to end in one grand spectacle.” You stand up and don your jacket. “I have one last thing to do before we set sail. In the meantime, you’re in charge.”

”Where you going?”

“It is none of your concern.” You snap your fingers, disappearing in a flash of green.