Chapter 37
On one particularly tranquil morning, you're woken up by a ticklish, wispy sensation on your nose. "Bah? Whassat?" you mumble groggily. You squint your eyes open and can see only pink. It takes a few moments to realise that Sweetheart had slowly woken you up by tickling her tail across your nose. You match gazes with the yellow pony's ocean-deep blue eyes.
"Good morning." Sweetheart cooes. One glance to the red-tinted window confirms that she's giving you a naughty half-lie.
"Good middle of the night, you mean..."
Sweetheart holds back a grin. "Oh, don't be like that. The sun is nearly up. I'd like you to see something."
Your interest is piqued now and you submit to the will of the horse. Standing up, you stick your feet into warm slippers and follow the pony at a lazy gait. Sweetheart hops up to a couch against the wall and taps the window behind it with her hoof. You peek outside. A haze of scarlet covers everything. Wait, what? You rub your eyes clean of dust and see that you were mistaken. Though the ground is red, it is merely a reflection of the rising sun from the white, pure...
"Snow!" You gasp. "It's...!" You struggle to get the words out. Sweetheart nods rapidly, her excitement matching yours. You touch hooves and hands together, getting the phrase out together: "It's snowing!"
Any notion of sleep is instantly forgotten as the two of you rush to the wardrobe. Sweetheart digs out your clothes from a basket whilst you hurriedly wrap a green scarf around her fuzzy neck. Not as easy as it sounds, given the mane and the moving and the occasionally flapping wing. The following five minutes are spent on grumbling as the pony insists on dressing you under so many layers that you feel almost like the Michelin Man. However, when you open the door, her instincts prove to be correct. An icy wind nearly blows you back inside the house. No matter, no matter. I've faced worse than this. Why, just the other week I fought a giant squid.
Another gust of wing.
Still, in the here and now, the cold seems worse.
You and Sweetheart stomp through the brightening snow. You hear quick swishing sounds up in the air and realise it must be the weather ponies high up, adding more and more snowdrift. You ask your companion.
"Yes." She grins. "It's very important to have a beautiful vista for Hearth's Warming Eve. It's the most precious day of the year, when all ponies and other animals get together to celebrate our... togetherness."
"Spoken like a true poet." You ruffle you ruffle the pony's mane and scratch her ear a little.
"Ooh! Heheh..."
You can't help feeling slightly unsettled, however, as the notion of such direct control over weather still astounds you. It had been one of the more prominent conversation pieces with Lavender a week ago, when you had one of your educational sessions with the perky unicorn. Equestria, you had been told, existed in something of a bubble where the normal, untamed course of nature had been bent to the citizens' will for the supposed benefit of all. But their power was negligible compared to that of the alicorns, who ruled the sun and the moon.
"That sort of power could corrupt anyone." you'd said, absent-mindedly rubbing against the Amulet underneath your shirt.
Lavender pointed a hoof at your fingers. "So can that. Princess Celestia has taught me that power doesn't really corrupt anyone. Corruption is a series of poor decisions. The trick is to know what decisions to make."
"No one is that perfect. The longer you stick around, the greater the chances of making the wrong decision. Not to be the bearer of bad news, but eventually, this perfect world has to go wrong. Murphy's law." You smirk victoriously. "Chaotic freedom is the answer. It's impartial. It's fair."
Lavender's eyes narrowed, and her ears flattened against her head as if sensing danger. "That's Discord's philosophy."
"... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you." You boop the pony to defuse the tension, making her go cross-eyed. "Ah!"
She rubbed her nose. "THAT is also Discord's philosophy!"
You groan. "I can't win here!"
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Although the chilly morning fog obscures your view slightly, you notice that the two of you have arrived in the park. You can see across the pond and over to the red schoolhouse in the distance, where the bell rings loud to invite all the little colts and fillies to learn the same things Lavender teaches you. Well, you are spared from calculus. She's not that cruel. You could just about see miss Cheerilee waving from the bell tower. Good old Cheerilee. You have fond memories of nearly murdering her with a kitchen knife at Sugarcube Corner, when you thought she was one of the Changelings. How time flies.
The adorable little mini-ponies crowd up in front of the building, and amongst them you spot your three favourites - Scooter, Snowy and Applebutt or -bee or whatever you called that one. With everything that's been going on, you haven't really had a chance to reintroduce yourself to them. As Scooter's round orange face perks up, looking across the pond, you realize you're about to have that opportunity whether you like it or not. Her tiny wings buzz with excitement, and the pony hurries to her, well, scooter, and dashes across the field with the other two balanced on her back, by Snowy's magic or sheer athletic talent.
Seeing the sheer unstoppable glee and tunnel vision in Scooter's eyes, you scream out loud: "FLUTTERSHY, DUCK!!"
Thankfully, the pegasus's survival instincts serve her well and she goes flat against the ground about 0.5 seconds before the mad trio fly through the space she was inhabiting and straight towards you.
"Oh no." is all you can say before you all fall into a pile of hooves, hands and heads. After about a minute, you manage to untangle yourself and confront three adoring faces staring up at you with eyes wide open.
"Skinny!"
"You're back!"
"You're talking!"
"Say something?"
"Yea, say something!"
After the quick succession of exclamations, you awkwardly wave a hand. "Hi?"
"Howdy!" Applebutt squeaks. "Ah'm Apple Bloom. And that there's... Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle! And together we are... errr... now hold that thought..." The trio quickly rummage through their backpacks. "just one sec... a-HA!"
All of them pull out reddish homemade capes branded with a logo of a pony wearing a cape. "THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!!!" they exclaim simultaneously and freeze mid-grin, clearly waiting for your reaction. You glance at Sweetheart, hoping for any clue as to what they're talking about. She pointedly ignores you, whistling to the skies.
"Well, it's as good as any religion, I suppose." You quip.
Sweetie Belle blinked. "Relivi-what now?"
"Aaaaanyway, why don't you tell me all about these... beauty marks, eh?"
Of course, you've already had the explanation from Twilight, but as it's so obviously a source of passion for the kids, you find it important to give them an outlet.
You sit down and the three fillies gather around, with Scootaloo perching herself up on your back(her small wings flapping for balance), Apple Bloom lying against your knee and Sweetie Belle claiming the most comfortable spot on your lap.
Scootaloo quickly turns out to be a talented storyteller, weaving together a tall tale of the trio's various adventures on their dramatic quest to make butt tattoos happen. Honest as the day is long, Apple Bloom deflates a few of the more fantastical stories by pointing out what actually happened in a slightly self-deprecating, embarrassed way. And Sweetie just enjoys your lap A.K.A, The Throne Of Belle(tm).
Eventually, Sweetheart saves your butt from freezing to death by reminding the little rascals that Cheerilee was expecting them.
"Awww, do we have to?" Apple Bloom whines. "Ah thought maybe we could get our cutie marks by being Equestria's first liable... liars... live... li...."
"Liaisons." The slightly more educated Sweetie fills in.
"Yeah! Li.... that thing to new alien life!"
Sweetheart pats Apple Bloom on the head. "I'll make sure you get a day with Anon. On the weekend." She boops the filly. "Off you trot. Liaisons have to keep time, you know."
"Okay... bye Skinny!" "Bye!" "See ya around, mr alien!"
You wave goodbye as the trio speeds back to school towards a slightly anxious-looking Cheerilee pointing at a clock mounted on the wall.
As you observe the spring in their step, a sense of strange melancholy comes over you. Until now, a part of you had attributed the ponies' kindness to your presence as a helpless stranger. But as you gained your ability to speak and function as an independent citizen, you found that you'd been wrong - practically everyone you meet welcomes you like family, or at the very least speak their mind without any hint of disingenuity. Every promise is honored, every need thought of ahead.
You'd loved their earnestness... at first. But now something feels off. Now you roll your eyes behind their back and accept their gifts with weary platitudes. Now you shrug off their questions over your wellbeing and put down any friendly recommendations with blatant egoism. And you know exactly why. Now that you wear the Alicorn Amulet that amplifies your mind, you can't possibly evade the truth.
Humans are predators - their natural instinct is to adapt their given environment to personal benefit, to turn the land into nests and other animals to food. That inherently demands a certain degree of moral callousness, because you're taking something away from others.
Ponies are herd animals - their understanding of survival is to support one another unconditionally, so the group can benefit as a whole. That's what makes them kinder... and weaker.
You feel as if you can never be as good as them because of what you are. And at the same time, you feel stronger and smarter than they are. On your worst days, you think that maybe they know it too. Maybe they like having you around because it reminds them of how much better they are. How they'll never be so disgustingly lax or uncaring. After all, you don't have meals cooked ready for every stranger who walks through the door. You don't surprise people with presents. You don't think ahead about everypony's feelings. No doubt they're all massively offended. No doubt you're a big joke...
"Hey, Anon?"
And then you look at Sweetheart beckoning you with a warm, safe look in her eyes and all is forgotten. For now...
You walk back to her. "Yeah?"
The pony's ear flicks around with uncertainty. "Can you feel that?"
"Feel what?"
She shakes her head. You wait a few moments, and then understand what she means. There's a very faint vibration coming from the ground.
"Over there!" Sweetheart points to the horizon, where you see a pink dot bounce up and down. "That is definitely a Triple Sundae."
"Is... that a pony?"
Sweetheart giggles. "No! A Triple Sundae is what Pinkie eats when it's a complicated emergency. It gets her, well, slightly more hyper than usual."
"... How much is slightly?"
"ANOOOOOOOOOOON!!!" Cutie Pie screams across the park.
"... a little?" The pegasus blushes.
Half a minute later, Cutie(dressed in a baby blue beanie and matching stripy scarf) finally bounces over, seemingly on the verge of a nervous breakdown. "You have to...!! But I can't!!! But you have to!!!!!! BUT I CAAAAAAN'T!!!!"
Defeated, she flops down to her backside and starts crying, two large rivulets flying out of her eyes. You hug her instantly, rubbing her scruffy wet back. Cutie hiccups on you. "Hey-hey! What the heck's going on?" You ask in as soothing a tone as you can manage.
"I-I can't say." Cutie mumbles. "Ohhh, but I have to. It's so hard."
"What's hard?"
"YOU!" she squeaks.
You pause for a second and frown. "Wait, what?"
Cutie jumps off of you. "There's a very-veeeery important secret and I have to keep it, but... ohh, I have to help and I can't think of another way. It's driving me BANANAAAAS!!"
You rattle that around your coconut for a second. "Well, if you have to help, you better say it."
"But it'll spoil the surprise!" She complains.
"Is it an emergency?"
She nods, her lower lip drooping in sadness. "Yeah..."
"Then it's probably worth it."
She sighs deeply. "I guess so... oh, alright! We're gonna have the 'Welcome-The-Hyooman-And-Celebrate-His-Birthday-And-Listen-To-Him-Explain-What's-Going-On Party tonight!! There! I said it! Surprise is OVER!!" The pink pony pulls a fully inflated balloon out of her beanie and steps on it. The loud bang frightens Sweetheart so much that she flies into a pile of snow. "Whoops."
"And what's the emergency?" You ask, dragging the semi-conscious mare out.
"Well, you remember Rainbow Dash, right?"
"The wacky blue one?"
"Yea-yeah! She's so sad! It's so sad!" She threatens to start crying again, so you boop her quickly. It's like an instant emotional reboot. You don't know how or why it works, but it works. Cutie shakes her head around, which seems to clear the depression a bit. "I thought maybe the party would cheer her up a little, but she won't even open the door to let me invite her! I thought maybe... if you talked to her..."
You raise an eyebrow. "Why me? I barely know her."
"Well, you're the reason she's so mopey. Ever since we all went to Cloudsdale to see the Wonderbolts and she dropped you through the clouds without even noticing, she's been cooped up in her house. I think the fact that she let you down really upset her. She is the Element of Loyalty, after all..."
Sweetheart, rubbing a slightly reddened nose, had a suggestion: "Anon, why don't you go see Derpy? I think she was going to go to Cloudsdale today. She could take you along. I think she'd like the company."
You agree. It was an innocent mistake and if she's beating herself up over it, it's definitely your duty to put things to right.
"GREAT!" Cutie exclaims, her characteristic cheerfulness immediately restored. "Then I can start baking cookies for tonight!"
Crimson Star was bored. With a vacant stare, he flipped the red and blue coins of the Connect Four game in front of him, one of the few sources of entertainment provided by the hospital's mess facilities. The first few thousand games had been quite fun. At least I know I can always retire and play the tournaments. Are there Connect Four tournaments? He made a mental note to check, knowing he'd forget the mental note for good in about five seconds.
Around him, the other patients shuffled about their own business, some bored like him, others dying, a few on a mystical journey of discovery. Crimson was beginning to feel as if he'd spent half of his life here. First it'd been the wings... he'd travelled to Ponyville as little more than a tourist, eager for a change of pace after several years of marching up and down the Canterlot castle walls. Ponyville had a reputation for being tranquil so he'd let down his guard, only to be bombarded by a veritable sonic punch from Pinkie Pie's oversized megaphone as the latter was sending her friend off to the Wonderbolts Academy. It completely deafened his sensitive hearing for a few days and threw him off-balance into a tree, severely spraining his wings. To be fair, she did agree to give him free cake for life now.
To be unfair, it began the most tedious, drawn-out period of his life, as he had to spend a month regaining his ability to fly. And now, a few blissful free weeks later, here he was again, this time with crushed hooves that took several potions just to save. Of course, the recovery time would be even longer and his mobility lesser. Crimson's jaw rested on the table and he began trying to reach the tip of his nose with his tongue.
On the other side of the mess hall, the ever-punctilious Nurse Redheart carried a tray of various medical tablets on her back for the different ailments endured by her patients. As she was sharing them around, her shining blue eyes caught the bat's scarlet ones. She only saw the despair for a fleeting moment as Crimson's mood visibly rose upon realising she was there. He waved a fluffy hoof. Redheart trotted over. "Don't you smile at me!" she chided. "I saw that gloomy look."
Crimson pouted. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Horse-apples. You had the face of an earthworm who survived being run over by a cart only to be billed for smearing the wheel with its innards." Red quipped. She shook her posterior, rattling the tray. "Pills."
"Oh! Right!" Crimson picked out his medicine and swallowed it under the Nurse's careful observation. "Thanks..."
She raised her eyebrow. "Am I gonna get an answer or will I just stand here til Celestia dies of old age? What's with the general droopiness? I told you that business with the blood's behind us now. I don't want you to beat yourself up over it."
Crimson shook his head. "No, no, I'm not beating myself up over it. Psst!"
He motioned for her to come closer and whispered: "Real talk - I'm just bored to tears! I mean, I appreciate that you fixed me up, but I think that if I don't get out of here soon, I'll go mad as a parasprite!"
Redheart blinked. "But... parasprites aren't mad. They're just-"
"You see!?" Crimson hissed dramatically. "I'm already losing my mental faculties!"
For a few moments, Redheart simply deadpanned at Crimson. Eventually, the bat cracked up and blushed.
"Well now..." she said slowly, as if savoring the moment. "There is... this." Redheart pulled a small pink card out from under her hat. "It was given to me by Pinkie Pie this morning. Read it."
Crimson took the card from her and read it. "As a member of the friendshippiest town of friendship this side of Equestria, you are hereby invited to a Hearth's Warming Eve party at the town hall tonight, in honor of Mr Skinny figuring out how to use his larynx properly. One guest allowed."
"As I understand, Pinkie's given the cards to just about everyone in town who isn't sick." Red explained.
"But you'll take me?" He asked, ears slowly perking up like a balloon filled with hope.
Redheart smirked. She set the tray down on the table beside them and sat down next to Crimson, resting her head against her hooves. "I might consider it. But, hmmmm... that depends..."
"On...?"
She poked his nose emphatically. "Good. Behaviour. No leaving the wheelchair, no exertion and most of all, no heroics."
"What if I have to rescue fillies from a burning house?"
"Second-degree burns give the hospital money." She laughed, only to halt as she realised an unamused doctor stood behind her. Crimson pretended to be invisible. "Errrrrrr... just a little joke, doctor!"
"Extremely little, nurse." The doctor mumbled, and moved on.
You and Sweetheart meet Bubbles at the town square, where she's ordered a carriage in much the same fashion as one orders a taxi, only with letters instead of phone calls. The blonde-maned mailmare is dressed in a figure-hugging blue uniform with matching leg warmers on each hoof and a brown satchel over her shoulder. She moves in to nuzzle your stomach. As the pony's snout gives you a friendly poke, you scratch her behind the cheek and notice the sheen of cold sweat that covers her cloudy grey fur.
"Are you sure you're not overdoing it?" Sweetheart asks her in a concerned tone. The other pegasus brushes it off.
"Mail's gotta come through... besides, this is the only time of the year when I get a cup of cocoa instead of an earful when I crash through someone's house!" she giggled, before shivering slightly. "But I am a bit tired, that's why I'm taking the carriage."
You shoo her inside the carriage. "You'll be a popsicle if we don't get going!"
"Anon..." Sweetheart mumbles. Her usage of your real name catches your attention and you look down. One blue eye peeks out from under a snow-covered pink mane. "Be careful up there. It's a long drop down. I know Twilight gave you the cloudwalking potion to drink, but... it's windy. I'm sorry, I think I worry too much..."
You snort. "Where would my ego be if you didn't?"
"Huh?"
Shaking your head, you pat hers. "Nothing, nothing. I promise I'll stay away from ledges, watch out for any unexpected gusts of air and come back down as soon as possible. So your darling head need not worry."
She sighs, the pointy ears wilting uncertainly. "Just... just make sure Rainbow Dash is alright... I shouldn't worry..."
You watch as she trots away. An inner conflict bubbles within you, an oil-and-water mixture of pride wanting you to get on the carriage and go, and self-disgust wanting you to stay. No, there was no excuse for treating her that way. Even if she is a simple pony with simple ideas. She's so much more. Why do I-? "Fluttershy!" You call out as loud as you can. In the distance, you see the blurry yellow outline pause.
"Wait a moment." You tell the driver and run through the snowy winds to her. The pegasus's expression is impassive, but you can tell she's upset. Her optimistic little smile is missing. "Skinny, you should-" she starts, but you cut her off, kneeling down to be on the same eye level. "I'm sorry. I didn't... I had no right to talk down to you like that. I'll be back as soon as possible and then... I'll, uh..." Make it up to you? Buy you something nice? Take you out for a hayburger? All the options popping into your head seem trite and unworthy.
Finally, you say: "I'll tell you something I haven't told anyone."
I think I'm going crazy.
"Ohh." Sweetheart cooes. "Okay. I'll see you at the party." She pats your arm comfortingly with her hoof, and you stroke her back, feeling your hand brush against her wings. "You shouldn't keep Derpy waiting!" The pegasus chides. Nodding, you stand up and get back to the vehicle. Sweetheart's smile is back, but you can't tell if she's just putting it on out of decency or not. Probably is. Probably loathes the sight of you now...
The door to the small pony carriage shuts, and the bridled professionals take off. You barely feel a thing as you're lifted up into the drift of snow from the skies.
"Are you ok?" Bubbles ask, her cute cross-eyed gaze suddenly piercing. "You seem... different. Is that Amulet getting to you?"
"Do I suddenly want to take over the world?" You chuckle mirthlessly. "Errrr... no. No, it's probably one of the other things driving me up a wall."
Bubbles frowns. "What other things?"
You start counting on your fingers. "Well, let's see now... where were we...? Uh, Princess Luna psychically impregnated me with a wackadoodle ghost daughter, I'm still recovering from the insect invasion, some crazy rich filly from the school has a crush on me, the royal government sent a giant bat to watch over my shoulder... and it's winter! I hate the cold." you grumble.
"Wow, that's a long list." Bubbles says after a short pause. "I never knew there could be so many problems. Have you considered collecting them?"
You rub your forehead.
"Well, I really hope you figure things out." The grey pegasus snuggles up to you, still cold from the mail run. "I know you didn't mean it, but you did sound a bit mean when you were talking to Fluttershy. Like you cared more about how she made you feel than how she does."
You smother a look of disgust. "That's not true."
"Good." Her voice is muffled by your coat. Well, at least she dropped the subject. But it soured your mood even further. By the time the carriage got to Cloudsdale, you felt irritated by the fact that you had to come here in the first place. What was Rainbow Dash's deal anyway? She dropped you by accident and then went off to whimper for months? Sometimes, you find yourself wondering how these ponies even function. Bubbles flies off to her own destination, after trying and failing to elicit more scritches out of you.
You take a deep breath of the winter air and try to clear your head. The view of the pegasi town is quite magical, actually. Whole streets built out of steam! Rainbow fountains here and there! The design of the buildings have a distinctly Roman feel to it that you hadn't seen anywhere in Equestria. It's quite wonderful, and the beauty of it blows away the petty haze of selfishness clouding your mind. I have to stop forgetting how blessed I am... I seem to do that a lot.
So what if there are problems? You know that with the Elements of Harmony with you, nothing is insurmountable. Shaking the irritating thoughts from your mind, you start to look for where you might find Rainbow Dash. As you might have predicted, your unusual appearance draws many slack-jawed onlookers just as it did the last time.
Fortunately, Cloudsdale is fairly small compared to Earth cities, and you quickly notice what you were looking for, a large building that you'd definitely been to before...
The designs in Cloudsdale stand apart from the fairly standard buildings in Ponyville and Canterlot. For one, they're of a fancy Roman design - presumably clouds make for easier construction material and more artistic extravagance - and for another, they have no glass windows. Instead, pegasi are supposed to fly in and out of specific portals high up on the sides of the house, which essentially function as both doors and windows. The actual door, which is what you're trying to use, is obviously intended for grounders only.
You press down on the doorbell button. Before you can even tell what's what, a golden hoof drags you in, shuts the door behind you.
Click!
Looking down, you see a pair of handcuffs on you, with fuzzy orange padding. And behind them, the adorably stern-looking yellow face of Spitfire, alias Flamethrower, leader of the Wonderbolt sports team and once again your host in Cloudsdale.
"You know, this thing with the handcuffs has to stop."
Hearing your voice stuns Flamethrower, and she takes several steps back, her well-groomed wings buzzing uncertainly. "Pets don't talk." she finally says, in a voice that's gone slightly hoarse from a decade of command.
You smirk. "The rumours of my domestication have been greatly exaggerated."
Flamethrower squints, not sure if she can trust you or not. She notices the Alicorn Amulet hanging from your neck and draws herself into a fighting stance. "Why are you wearing... that?!"
"What, this?" You hold up the Amulet. "You know what this is?"
The yellow sports pony rolls her eyes. "A circus pony cuts off the happiest town in Equestria and starts her own dictatorship, and you think we just turned a blind eye? Ponies in certain circles have been running theories on what that... thing ... is for months! So I gotta ask you... do you know what this is?"
"Well, of course I do." You reply, keeping an enigmatic smirk to infuriate the cute pegasus who thinks she's being so tough and intimidating. You really do love them sometimes.
"What is it then?"
You pout. "That would be telling. Suffice to say that unless there are any valid claimers... it's my property now. See, it's the only reason that I have the magic to be able to talk to other ponies. And since I have no natural magic of my own, it's incapable of corrupting me."
Flamethrower scoffs. "I wasn't born yesterday. What do you want from me? I won't help you do something evil! Like... burglary or whatever!"
"Oh no, no, of course not. We can start with simple wallet snatching." You snark back. "I'm here because you happen to be Rainbow Dash's current employer, correct?"
She fidgeted a little. "Perhaps. What's it to you?"
You get down on one knee to be on eye level. Hers are as fiery and dominant as any you've ever seen. The orange gleam in them is almost volcanic. They are the eyes of a born winner. It's fortunate then, that you enjoy a challenge. You stroke a finger against the velvety fur of her cheek, reaching up to her ear. Caught offguard, Flamethrower blinks rapidly, her body processing the gentle sensation. Not quite the ministrations of a lover, but more than the clumsy hoofpat of a friend.
"W-what are you doing?!" she demands. Was there a slight squeak in her voice? There soon would be.
"I want information." You drawl, running the edge of your nail up and down the sensitive ear of the pegasus and then wrapping your fingers around the top of it. Her breath hitched slightly. In your experience, a pony can never resist petting. It seems instinctual. As is yours... to dominate.
Showing some defiance, one of Flamethrower's hooves touches the blue Wonderbolt suit that she'd discarded on a nearby couch. It appears to remind her of her authority, as she shakes her head away from you. "Wha- who the hay do you think you are??"
"A friend. From far away." You say warmly. "I've been working with the Elements of Harmony down in Ponyville to habilitate myself to Equestria. So you see, I'm no trouble at all. No trouble. I'm a friend. Can we be friends?"
A distrustful frown remains on her fuzzy little face. "Err... I guess..."
"Anyway, as I was saying..." the hand returns to caress Flamethrower's head, your fingers running through the fine, wind whipped mane. "I'm looking for information, ya little cutie."
You can tell that the Wonderbolt leader, used to being in control, is struggling to maintain dignity and composure as your spidery appendage weaves and scratches across her neck and ears, leaving behind streaks of fillyish euphoria. Also, it tickles.
"Why-why a-a-a-a-re you do-doing t-t-that?" She stutters in-between bouts of pleasure. "What are those things??"
You move back a little. The sudden loss of stimuli causes a shudder to go through her entire body. "What, these? Hands. And fingers! You can call them little Wonderbolts, if you like." You grin wolfishly.
She blinks, totally disoriented. "M-Must I?..."
"Well, it's your choice. You're a free mare. As free as a mare can be. Tell me... free mare..." you emphasize the last two words as your fingers dig trenches through the fur directly on Flamethrower's back until your middle digit finds a particular dint, the rubbing of which seems to control her facial muscles as one might play an instrument. "... where can I find Rainbow Dash?"
"I... haven't... seen... her..." Flamethrower forces out, gritting her teeth.
You pet her head gently. "Come-come now, you can do better than that. You're her boss, you must've at least visited to check on her."
"Nooo... I..." Her resolve to withstand the massive quantum of solace you're inducing within her begins to falter, replaced by drooling submission to hugs and pets. You smirk.
"It's rather good that no bad guy around here has ever figured out how addicted you all are for friendship."
Flamethrower growls. One final attempt at defiance. "I am not-!"
"Shhhh." You cover her mouth with a fingertip. "Of course not. Which is why you'll tell me the location. If you do, I'll walk right out and you can start planning a defence for my abilities, right?"
"Umm..." She hums uncertainly.
"After all, you are so clever and independent, right? Leader of the Wonderbolts!"
The yellow pony nods proudly. "I am the leader! I'll find a way to stop you! Just you wait! ... As soon as we're done here, right?"
You grin maniacally and smush her cheeks. "Right."
After about another half-hour of cuddling, tickling and other such things that would've destroyed Flamethrower's reputation had anyone seen her, you are uncuffed and with the address to Daredevil's palace in the clouds. According to the Wonderbolts' captain, she moved the building behind a cloud hanging perpetually over a mountain near Ponyville, completely concealing it until now.
Fortunately, getting there from Cloudsdale turns out to be less hassle than expected, as some character called Daring Doo gleefully carries you there in exchange for an autograph and a button from your coat to keep as a souvenir. Well, no use being a celebrity if you can't get some perks from fanfillies.
And so, you find yourself standing in front of the door in front of Daredevil's home. You hide the Amulet under your jumper, just in case. Then, you reach for the door, ready to tap out of muscle memory, only to remember that it's not a solid surface. "Miss Rainbow!?"
It's barely audible, but there is a response, a muffled and inconsolable "go away!". It breaks your heart.
"Miss Rainbow, I'm not leaving until you open the door."
There is no answer this time. Sighing you sit down against the immensely comfortable wall of the house and wait. If it wasn't for the bitingly cold winter air, it would've been more than comfortable enough to take a long nap. But since it's not, you snap in about four minutes. "Rainbow, please? It's cold... and there's no other pegasus who can fly me down! I'm freezing!"
A few moments later, the door finally creaks open in an ominous fashion. Since it's made of cotton candy and love, you're not sure how it manages to do that, but it sure gives you the willies as you enter the dark living room, composed almost entirely of stormy rain clouds. It's a disaster zone. Deteriorated food packaging is littered across the floor alongside smelly cider bottles. Dozens of tattered books are peppered amongst them. The rain within the clouds gives off an unpleasant moistness to the room.
And then there's Daredevil, standing in the middle of all this.
If you hadn't known this is her home, you wouldn't have recognised her. The beautiful sky-blue coat is now bleached and dull, layered with dust and other crap. The mane is at least three times as long as usual and its previously segmented colors are now all mixed up in a disordered, eye straining mess of wiry strands. The once-cheeky magenta eyes, which used to dance around playfully, are now fixed on you with a tense gaze that could burn through your head.
"What are you doing here!?"
Well, at least the forceful, scratchy voice is still there.
"Who in the name of Equestria allowed you to come back up here??" Daredevil demands. "Was it Twilight? I bet it was Twilight!" Her front left hoof rams into the floor, poking a little hole into it. "She's got no sense of responsibility!"
You try to interject: "Actually..."
It doesn't work.
"-I mean, who does she think she is?! Just cause she has magic and can teleport herself anywhere she wants doesn't mean that everypony else can too!"
In a split second, Daredevil speeds to the door, peeks out and shuts it. "Just as I thought! Not even a guard! Is she begging for an accident to happen?!" She whirls back at you and you gulp, facing her furious magenta glare. The pegasus walks up to you and pokes you in the stomach aggressively. "One false step up here and you'll be back on your precious ground faster than a... faster than a sonic rainboom!"
"Rainbow Dash..."
"Stay right there!" She zips to the door again and pokes her nose out. "I'm gonna find somepony to take you down. Somepony strong. Uhh..." Daredevil looks back and forth, clearly unwilling to leave you alone.
"RAINBOW DASH!"
The blue pegasus whips her head back defiantly. "WHAT?!"
"Hi. I'm Anon. Nice to meet you."
She waves her hoof non-chalantly. "Yeah-yeah. I figured they'd find a way for you to talk eventually. Although those chimp sounds were pretty cute..."
Chimp sounds???
You shake your head loose of the thought. "Aren't you gonna ask why I'm in your... weird cloud palace?"
"The Cloudominium."
"Whateverum. Point is, I'm here to visit you."
Daredevil frowns. "You can't."
"Why not?"
"Because, errr..." she scratches her head with her hoof, trying to think of an excuse. "I just woke up! And, I... have an appointment with the Wonderbolts. So, um, gotta get going, heheh."
You indulge her by seeming impressed. "Wow, cool. You know, I just came from Spitfire's place. I'm sure she'd be happy to see you. We can go together."
Daredevil's jaw drops, and she starts chuckling guiltily. "Oh! Uh... um... we can't do that! I'm, err, I'm training right now and I can't carry you. It might mess with my muscles! Yeah..."
Her muscles have noticeably atrophied since your previous meeting, and she's clearly gained some weight. You raise an eyebrow.
"Pinkie sent me. She said you were having a hard time getting over the fact that you dropped me, and she wants you to come back to Ponyville."
The blue pony facehoofs to cover a pained expression. "I'm FINE! I'm sorry that I dropped you. And I'm too busy to go down to Ponyville, okay?! I don't need to hang out with my friends all the time! I don't follow them around everywhere they go, so you can tell them that they don't need to stick their snouts into my business either! I've never... been... better!!" She huffed.
You shrug. "Okay."
Daredevil's expression quickly changes from frustration to utter confusion, and her ears flick about uncertainly. "Huh??"
"You're okay. Got it. Sorry to bother you. If you could just take me down now...?"
"W-what? No! I've got to... I must..." She turns to the door again, vainly hoping that a pegasus would randomly fly by her hiding place. "Somepony had to bring you here! Who was it?!"
"Well, that would be Derpy. And I told her you'd be taking me back down, soooo... don't think she's coming back." You smile.
Daredevil starts to visibly sweat.
"But... somepony has to..." she whispers. Her ruffled wings flap against her body, throwing out a few feathers in the process. For a moment, you're afraid she actually will take off. However, the pony's paranoia for your wellbeing prevails and she relaxes again. "Why are you so dumb?!" Daredevil snaps, her voice cracking.
"I beg your pardon?"
"No pardon! You came up here knowing that..."
You play the idiot, knowing that she'll have no choice but to admit to the truth now. "Knowing what exactly?"
Even under the grime and fur, you can see Daredevil's face reddening, especially her nose. "That you'd have to... to..." she grits her teeth. "Go back down again!"
You fold your arms. "Yes. I was rather hoping that the fastest, bravest, toughest pony in Equestria would give me a helping hoof."
The blush spreads up to her ears now, and you're slightly worried that steam will start blowing out of them. Daredevil curls up into a catlike pose you've never seen her in before, hugging herself with her wings. When she speaks again, her voice is at Sweetheart decibels:
"No..."
You frown dramatically. "No? It'd only take a few minutes. And besides, without your help and with no one knowing we're here, I won't get down at all. You'd be keeping me prisoner. Now that wouldn't be very loyal... would it?"
Daredevil bites her lip, shaking. As you let her think, you sit down on the cloudy floor, pointedly near the hole she kicked into it. "Whoops! Nearly stuck my leg through there!"
A nerve pulsates on her forehead. The pegasus's mouth opens and closes several times, without a sound coming out from a choked-up throat.
Finally, she slouches, as if she'd simply run out of energy to fight herself. "I can't take you down." Daredevil says in a serious monotone. "I dropped you before and I didn't catch you. I didn't even notice you falling because I was too busy thinking about myself." Her breath hitches up, and the big doe eyes well up. "You could have missed every cloud..."
You kneel down and pull the sad pony into a hug just as she breaks down completely. "Hey-hey-hey..."
The unkempt fur is coarse and stringy under your hands, but you ignore it as Daredevil cries out her pent-up self-loathing directly into your side. "It's okay, it's fine-"
"Iss no' okay!" Her protesting voice is muffled underneath your jacket. "Ahm the El'm'nt of Lyalty!" She pulls her head out again. Glistening streams of liquid reveal the original bright blue on her face. She sniffs loudly. "I dropped a friend I promised to look after right out of the sky. That's not just uncool, it's like the most loser thing that anypony could ever do!"
She rests her weight against you, having given up on any pretense of dignity. "They should just give my element away."
"I don't think that's how it works." You say, idly stroking her head.
"But they should!" Daredevil insisted. "I can't let what happened to you happen again! I'll stay up here forever if I have to!"
Growing tired of her self-pity, you turn the pegasus around. "Are you even listening to yourself? You're so loyal you're beating yourself up for being unloyal! If you were, you wouldn't give a rat's ass! Comprende?"
Daredevil blinks. "Not really. You talk weird."
Give me patience...
"My point is... that nobody who is unloyal would care about other ponies."
"Yeah! And I-"
You cut her off. "You dropped me by accident, Rainbow! You were distracted. It happens. It doesn't mean you care more about yourself than you do us, and nobody thinks that you do either. If you were half as bad as you think you are, we wouldn't be having this conversation. And I think your glowy necklace thing might've... I dunno... given us a head's up about you not being loyal anymore? Clearly it still thinks you are!"
The rusty cogs turn in Daredevil's brain. "B-but... I shouldn't have dropped you."
"No, you shouldn't have. Are you sorry?"
She nodded slowly. "Yeah... I'm very sorry."
Finally!
You press your index finger against her nose for a good, long boop. "I forgive you. We're good."
"We're... good?" Daredevil slowly says, testing out the words in her mouth.
"Yeah, we're good."
The blue pegasus beams from ear to ear, her wings and ears slowly flaring out. Moving too fast for your eyes, she bursts out through a window, filling the sky with rainbow streaks as she dashes around the mountain, squealing in joy. "WE'RE GOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!" she bellows out to Equestria before flying back in at near supersonic speed.
Oh, not agai-
The pony crashes into you and the two of you roll across the floor uncontrollably, stopping with Daredevil standing above you. "Thanks. You're a peach." She says, and nuzzles her nose against yours.
Unfortunately, your nose picks right that moment to sneeze.
"Ugh! Way to ruin the moment, dude!" She snarks, climbing off so you can stand up.
You roll your eyes. "It's your fault, you need a shower."
"Oh. Yeah." Daredevil looks down, and giggles awkwardly as she realises the state she's in. "Be right back!"
With another spurt of faster-than-light speed, she completes a month's worth of housekeeping, restoring the dreary raincloudy room to a pleasant fluffy white, and disappears to what you presume is the shower room as it's shortly followed by tone deaf humming and the drizzling sounds of water.
Waiting for the hyperactive pegasus to finish, you wander around her living room for a bit, but frown uncomfortably as you feel a headache coming on. "Oh well, it's been a long day..."
You sit down and rest on her couch for a bit, but somehow, the pain seems to get worse and worse.
This isn't normal.
A white light blinds you, as a high pitched noise drones in your ears. You grab hold of your head just to feel something... anything... but somehow that hurts even more. You feel as if your head's about to split. And then you see her. You're not sure anymore if your eyes are open or closed, but you see Eris, clearer than anything you've ever seen as if she's burning herself onto your retinas.
She is absolutely still, her grey face scrunched up in fury and her red pupils trained directly on you. Her voice feels like someone stabbing a needle directly into your skull.
"NOT FAIR! NOT FAIR! IT'S NOT FAIR! WHAT DID THAT STUPID BLUE MOUNT DO TO DESERVE THAT?! IT'S NOT FAIR!
Although the petty, possessive screaming continues, it becomes almost inaudible to you as you begin to pass out. Only vaguely do you feel the tone shift to a more caring, concerned one right before you completely slip away...
"Anon, wait...!"
"Anon?"
You flail instinctively in a state of semiconsciousness, nearly whacking Daredevil with your wrist. "Hey! What gives?"
As the pounding in your head subsides, you open your eyes to see the concerned blue mare staring down at you. You're on the floor, having slipped off the couch during... whatever the fuck that was.
"Uh... I must have fallen asleep." you mutter, and rub your eyes.
Daredevil is not amused. "Really? I cry on your shoulder like a little filly and all I get is 'I decided to take a nap on the floor'? You'll have to do better than that, Skinny."
You nod bashfully. "Sorry. I'm just... used to hiding how I feel. This place... all of it, all of this crazy world... goes to my head sometimes. Look, the reason... the reason I fell down is this."
Daredevil gasps as you display the Alicorn Amulet.
"Now, don't panic!" You bark. "It's not like Trixie. I found this a few months after I went to Canterlot to see the Princesses. When Luna tried to read my mind, she changed me. All that I am. She forced so much magic into my body that I acclimatised, became a new being. Not quite pony, but not human anymore either. And not alone. Something else happened.
"And what's that, exactly?"
"It might be a little hard to believe, but it created a new person inside my head."
Daredevil thinks for a few seconds. "I've seen weirder. Go on."
"Well, this new person could detect magic and she pointed me towards the Amulet. It has enough magic in it for her to manifest, and for me to talk to ponies. But since I don't have any magic myself, it can't corrupt me."
"Can it corrupt her?"
You stare back at her with a deer-in-the-headlights expression.
"That... is a very good question..."
With her confidence restored, Daredevil agrees to carry you back to Ponyville. The sunset vista is mesmerising. Celestia has obviously put everything into her work - the sky dazzles with blood red and the most delightfully vibrant orange - but the effort is wasted on you, as your mood seems to plummet the closer you get back to town.
And it's her fault. That pony ruler. Ce-les-tia. You know that without her help, there's no way to control Eris. But if she's not contained, she will most likely split your head open the next time she pulls a stunt like this. There's no choice here: you must ask the Sun Princess for help. You must debase yourself in front of her - you, a human of greater intellectual superiority than any of these silly, affable creatures, have to ask the queen of the sheep for help in basic survival.
Which means risking the Amulet, and through that everything you've accomplished to create your own independent existence here.
You barely abstain yourself from tearing out some of poor Daredevil's fur. It's not her fault, of course. It's this place and its magic of friendship... like an invisible chain around your neck. Can't live with it, can't live without it. To be in Equestria, you have to follow terms, conditions. All helpfully dictated to you by creatures who would believe you if you told them that pants can grow wings and fly.
Ponies are charming. But you will not have them govern over you!
You see from afar that a crowd has gathered around the town hall - more than half of the Ponyville residents, including the Elements of Harmony. All of them cheer at the sight of their beloved weather pegasus, who basks in the glory and pulls off a few safe routines that don't include risking your position on her back but still elicit the customary "oohs" and "aahs".
She lands right in the middle of a circle formed by her five friends, all of whom rush to her to tell her how much they missed her, care for her and hope she feels better now.
"Don't worry!" Daredevil giggles. "I feel like I could take on the whole of Equestria, and it's all thanks to my big hunk of a friend over here!" She pats you on the back. All eyes turn on you, and you smile uncomfortably under their adoring gazes and accept the praise with curt nods.
What happened to that man that she's talking about, that smooth-talking bastard who made this pegasus all happy-go-lucky again? Doesn't sound like me at all.
You're distracted by Sweetheart tapping gently on your knee, and sit down to her level. There's a pensiveness to her gentle face, but a confidence also. Her voice is actually audible through the crowd's noise. "You were going to tell me something...?"
I was-? Ah yes, that I'm going crazy. Well, true as that may be, I won't tell her that.
"I'm moving out."
Sweetheart freezes, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks. The rest of the crowd, eager to push inside the hall to begin the feast, do not notice. You are pushed along and lose track of her, but you know you may have permanently severed your relationship with the yellow pony.
As you enter the hall, you find your gaze wandering over the multitude of happy ponies sitting down at various tables, chatting away over a variety of mundane subjects. You notice Shaggy waving at you. He's sitting in a wheelchair, with your favourite Nurse by his side.
I wonder what they'll all think when they find out. This might be the thing that finally makes them hate me for good. Maybe some part of me is trying to tell me something. Maybe I'm not supposed to be in Ponyville at all. Maybe-
"Skinny!" Daredevil pipes up next to you, her purple eyes filled with a mixture of concern and, you can tell, genuine loyalty to you. "Are you okay? You're looking kinda freaked out."
For a brief moment, you forget all of those thoughts, because the loyal eyes and the experience you two shared at the cloud house elicits something deeper and more instinctual out of you. "I'm... I'm... very tired. Confused."
"Yeah, it has been a crazy day." The blue pegasus chuckles. "Hey, listen, nobody's gonna blame you if you take a nap and let me and Twilight do the talking. I'm sure Fluttershy'll be happy to take you home. Hey, where is Fluttershy?" She tries peeking over the crowd, but fails to find her.
You bite down on your lip, feeling ready to burst into tears and confess everything there and then like a toddler. But what's there to confess? That you're just an awful person who likes burning bridges and warming your hands over the fire as they go?
But I'm not. I know I'm not.
"I think I'll go for some fresh air."
A set of snow clouds hangs over Ponyville, adding a proper festive snowdrift - probably ordered by Pinkie for your party. You brush some fresh snow off the bench outside of the hall and rest your rump on it, hoping the chill winter air will restore some clarity. As you idly observe the surroundings, your eyes fixate on a single set of hoofprints leading away from all the mess caused by the townsponies. The set of tracks leads to the road leading to your... no, Sweetheart's cottage. You don't live there anymore.
Your attention is drawn to a rustling sound in the nearby bushes. "Who's there?" You call out in a low voice. You're not really interested - it's just that you have no desire to be watched either. You groan mentally as you see a familiar tiara appear above the leaves. The pink filly trots out with a bashful look on her face. "Your name's Diamond Tiara, isn't it?"
"Yeah... I didn't want to go inside. Most ponies there don't really like me much." She slowly edges closer to you and sits down on the park bench, imitating your way of sitting. It looks amusingly lazy from a pony.
You snort. "Well, I imagine I'll know how you feel soon."
"What? Why?? Everybody loves you like... like money and chocolate cake!" Tiara exclaims, trying to think of the most popular things she can. "Even those stupid Cutie Mark Cwusaaaaaders..." she draws out the last word in mocking annoyance.
Oh, wonderful. I can't explain myself to myself, but now I have to explain myself to a child.
"I don't. I don't love me much at all. How could I? The deck is stacked against me. Everyone around here is perfect to a degree which I could never hope to come close to. Even when they're mean or silly or rotten to the core. Since the day I arrived, I've been looking for the zipper, for the catch! Perhaps the princesses are keeping you like this. Maybe it's some freak form of evolution, I don't know! It doesn't matter anyway. All that matters is that it's a perfect world and I have nothing to strive for in it. Why should I? Everyone's perfect, everyone accepts me for exactly the sort of person I am, flaws and all. I actually have to create horrible problems to fix so that I could feel alive! So that I could feel like they want me to become better!"
Diamond Tiara stares at your rambling blankly, and you can tell that none of this is reaching her. You sigh. "I'm sorry. I know you probably just wanted to hang out with me."
"It sounded really important. I wish I understood it." she said politely. You smile slightly, and caress the filly's cheek.
"Thanks. That means a lot to me."
Her blue eyes briefly glance at the door to the hall before returning. "Actually, I just wanted to ask one thing."
"Shoot."
"Shoot what?"
You roll your eyes. "Me. No, nevermind, just ask."
The pink filly chuckles nervously. "Can we go out on a-"
"No."
"Aw, come on!"
Well, that was embarrassing.
You sneak back inside just as Lavender Lady appears to be about halfway through boring the audience with a long lecture regurgitating facts you told her about humanity. "... and then Steve Jobs, a truly terrible villain, introduced a kompooh-ter that still strikes fear into the hearts of human foals everywhere, the MACINTOSH!! Thus beginning a conflict between the foul Macintosh and the noble PC that continues on to this day... OH! Skinny! Over here, over here!"
With little choice, you join her on a podium stage at the other end of the hall. Lavender motions for you to come down to her level, so she can whisper in your ear: "I was just about to explain about the Angry Birds app and lead into how Eris used your phone to make contact. Go!"
"... right."
You stand up again, facing the expectant crowd. "Umm..."
The doors leading outside are slammed open, immediately drawing everyone's attention in the opposite direction. "...phew." You mutter inaudibly.
Silhouetted by the moonlight is a female thestral guard, wearing an armor very similar to the kind that Shaggy donned. She was somewhat more rugged, however, with a noticeably chewed-up left ear and a series of red stripes marring the dark blue fur on her back. She also had a long blue mane, with a yellow streak going through it. The mare seemed to be completely undisturbed by everyone looking at her, and instead analysed the room.
"Lighthouse!"
Shaggy rolled his wheelchair over to the mare excitedly, with a somewhat grumpy-looking Nurse trotting behind him. "What the hay are you doing in Ponyville?"
"Corporal Star..." she drawled in a friendly tone. "Have you been falling off trees again?"
He giggled. "No, squids. But really, why are you here?"
Lighthouse nods in your direction. "Princesses want this... thing... in Canterlot yesterday. Something about the fate of Equestria, and doomsday... and I stopped listening there. Ooh, cider!" Ignoring protests, she grabs a half-filled cup from the table and downs it in one gulp. "Shut up... the drinks are free, aren't they? I'm in a hurry."
She turns back to Shaggy. "You better get him prepared. They'll want him on the first train that goes at dawn. And you."
You smile to yourself. And so the master summons the dog...
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By Lunas mercy! A update!!!
I f***ing hate snow. Bring on spring, baby.
Literary gold
Yay!
And update!!!!! 
Man I didn’t realised how much I missed this fic.
Any way, Anon is giving me some strong “House Vibes” (I’m been watching House M.D. clips for a month now, that’s why I made the comparison), meaning that he’s sort of trying to be mean, although he really cares. This approach of Anon feeling too flawed to be part of Equestria is incredibly original. I have to admit that I wouldn’t have been able to think of something like this, and yet, as original as this idea is (Anon felling too flawed to be part of Equestria), it sort of makes sense. For him it probably feels like a nobody was blessed with living in heaven (or at least something similar)...
Now the question is, what is Anon going to do? Burn to bridges he has created by being mute or try to adapt and stop being that mean. Well, that is if the amulet isn’t affecting him or most likely Eris, who knows maybe he will feel more comfortable with everything ones the negative effects of the amulet are dealt with (finding a new one, or creating it IDK).
Any way, I can already not wait for the next update (I’m really interested to see what’s with “the fate of Equestria” and how Anon is going to interact with Celestia and specially Luna).
Thank for bringing the fic back
Magnificent humor, brilliant plan to take the ponys by petting em into submission
Great chapter
Anons little head mate is suspiciously abcent from this chapter... Perhaps the false pride is her newest attempt to get her entertainment ? If Anon would go for a long adventure or he would read more books than Eris would have more entertainment to work with.
Luna & Celestia finaly can talk to Anon. Q&A is about to begin i guess...
Can we get Luna snoot booped, ears scraches and cuddles? That mare could need a snuggel partner.
How is Anon making his future money? He dont owns anything... I think a pony petting/cuddle service is in order. It helps relax ponys and makes our hyu-man more popular. Eventualy so famous they actualy learn to spell human the right way
10723368
Anon must snuggle Luna and Celestia to slay there huge lonelyness. He shall be hence forth be called Snuggle master Anon, hero of pony kind against lonelyness, stress and spread cuddles and friendship!
10723380
Ok, that’s an adorable proposal, now I can’t get the image of Anon taking over Equestria and defeating all the bad guys by the use of snuggles
I'm getting some seriously strong One Ring vibes happening to Anon.
He's definitely not immune to it's influence. Alas, part of it's influence it to not feel like you're being influenced.
10723482
There are storys that kinda follow the theme.
10723678
Can you please link one?
Interesting development
10723799
I check tomorrow. My favorit list is 200-400 plus so i need to check the storys so i dont give you the wrong one. But one story i remember how a Human won Chrysalis heart over with boops is that one:
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/344262/the-boopening
He literally became rich booping ponys by the way
10723872
Ok, thank you for sharing it
I only vaguely remember what's going on, but some of these sections sound pretty corrupted to me.
That's probably bad
Heh. The shoe- or horseshoe in this particular case- is on the other hoof.
10723368
Very astute
10723375
Eris and Luna get their own scene next chapter
10724390
Ahh, thank you :)
Was wondering what Eris was up to all this time. A bit more... Possessive, than we remember...
We wonder how much his dark musings are exaggerated by the amulet. It feels like he wasn't thinking so poorly about how situation before, and now he's zoning out in depression...
What White-out was especially concerning...
IT'S BACK!
The best Anon in Equestria story on this site!
Man, poor Eris though. That sweet child needs some love.
It's crazy watching the amulet slowly change him. Or well, maybe not so slowly. But still, it hurts ;-;
Just when I thought the story was dead. An update.
IT'S BACK BABY! Oh yeah!
Dude I'm gonna cry
I have loved this story since chapter 1. I am speculating, but I feel the minute magic of chaos in him is being slowly amplified by the amulet. I'm so looking forward to the next!
Love the corruption slowly seeping into Anon.
Btw, I wish the beginning would be different:
- Fluttershy, duck!
- Where?!
10730746
There was a major missed opportunity with Anon living at Fluttershy's cottage. Specifically, his reaction when he sees that a bear also lives there.
10738876
The story takes place towards the end of autumn and into the winter. So conceivably, Fluttershy's bear is in hibernation.
Everybody going on about the amulet corrupting Anon, and I'm looking at
and thinking, they better get her out of his brain meats now. Because being able to tell himself "the amulet did it" isn't likely to get rid of his guilt after the fact, but "I listened to a chaos spirit without magical compulsion" won't help at all.
10746073
I'm very busy at the moment with college(hence the previous delay), so I can't say.
The next chapter will heavily feature Applejack.
I need context for this!
10846089
There is always hope...
i.imgflip.com/5c5pi7.jpg
Thank you for introducing me to this song. PS HURRY AND POST THE NEXT CHAPTET!!!!!
10908917
Thanks, fixed it
10928759
i.gifer.com/Lz2B.gif
Is this still being written?
10934885
Yes, in fact I'm happy to say the next chapter is very nearly complete, I've only got two more scenes to work on
10952271
Nice !
Yeah that amulet is totally affecting him, dudes bouncing between self-hate and arrogant superiority.
Literally swing back and forth between "I'M A GOD!" and Marvin from Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy.
Definitely being controlled to an extent
The Amulet is like i hear people get while using drugs... Time for anon to get a cold flush to get it out of the system.
PREPARE THE ICECREAM!
What flavor?
The one tasting like Ice Cream instead of a failed smoothy
Rule the world with petting, cuddles, snuggels and booping of the Snoot ♡
that bit with spitfire gave heavy just on the verge of a hentai vibes XD.... probably something close to DxD id say, it was amusing but also like 'this is getting dangerously close'
Se esta volviendo salvaje...
yo que tu me doy cuenta de que eso... eso es muy posible y muy malo
Even the toughest mare will fall before the power of petting hands!
The better answer would be "I'll go to prison if I say anything besides no, so No."
I'm feeling for Eris now.
She was created and is trapped.
Watch it Anon... this is how creatures turn evil...
Don't be a dick, think of what else you can do.