2-7 My Life
What felt like an eternity since the day under Canterlot's crust W had been reunited with her team, and Forsaken was now nothing more than a pile of rocks and crystals. Sora helped W stand to lean against his side; Astra and Cinder soon stood by her feet to protect her from the many guards that now raised their weapons. Without their knowledge, many had circled in to corner them. With ire plastered on her wounded face, W groaned.
"Really? I just saved your asses, and we're still doing this shit?" With her words, one timid guard spoke up.
"Lord, Prince, don't make this difficult," From his shaky voice, he wasn't just uncertain of this, but he clearly never intended on fighting several strong adversaries.
"Okay then-" W grinned devilishly, raising her launcher. "-no one will really miss a few specks of sand in the long run, right?!" Some flinched at her fanged grin.
"Beast!" One spat, and that alone caused W to leer forward, nuzzling Sora's shoulder as he awkwardly stood there as her walking stick.
"Didn't I tell those other pervert guards, this ass is taken? Guess who by you walking glue factories?!" She giggled, enthralled by their paled faces and disgusted looks at her implications toward the Prince. "I'd love to give details but the kid's present so..."
"Please stop..." Sora whined into her ear, wishing he was Fallen Aasimar so he could conceal himself in darkness.
One brown pegasus, his higher-up, barked orders while Celestia was left in a stupor, processing things without a word. "That's enough! We have our orders, and that's to capture that freak and any that conspire with it, including those three." His jaded eyes scanned those surrounding W; Sora noted that W's tail slithered to wrap around his waist protectively.
"Do not make us have to leave here by force." Cinder mused, swishing his scimitar until the embers scattered, unveiling the greatsword beneath the flaking rust.
"That's... enough," Trotting between the standoff, Cliffheart shook his head, glaring daggers at the brown pegasus. "Rocklock, stand down."
"You're siding with that thi-" He was silent once Cliffheart poised his polearm toward the pony's face; that's when all saw the serious look given by their captain.
"You forget I outrank you, now stand down." Complying with his orders, the tension left the room awkwardly, spears and magic lowered or disrupted while Cliffheart twisted his head around to stare back at Sora with a weak smile. "I could hear you."
"...hehe, good." Sora nodded then saw that his Mom was approaching them; he held onto W tightly without realising it. He didn't know why he was afraid, but when your parental figure can move a celestial body, it can warrant uncertainty when their expression is unreadable.
W had felt many kinds of energy from people in all sorts of places. Their ideology and status were on display, and for the Princess, it was still the same as before, the sun radiating from her eyes. Adjusting her position against Sora's side, she maintained eye contact with the monarch again, never once looking away for the longest time. Then she saw it; guilt trickled into the mare's eyes. "Sora, would you mind seeing that W here receives medical treatment for her injuries?"
This astonished him, noticing how neither female took their eyes off the other. "U-um, right, yeah, I will." Nudging W, he helped her wrap one arm over his shoulders to keep her steady as Astra followed closely. "Cinder?" They stopped and looked toward the silent knight who waved a hoof.
"No need to wait; I shall handle the details personally. See to it W is tended to," With that, they left the old stallion with the most uncertain air to have ever accumulated in the throne room.
"Well, that was something - ow," W bit her cheek as the gauze was applied to her hands, binding up her cuts and fresh wounds. If there was one thing W could appreciate, it was the gentle softness of a real bed; her ass had never felt comfier. Aside from the stinging across her arms and face from the rubbing alcohol, she was feeling better, physically, that is. "You guys staged a whole big rescue for me; I'm touched."
"Of course we did," Astra pipped up beside W, the filly glued to W's side though the silverette was more than happy to oblige, missing the little silver warrior too. "Sora made all the plans and backup plans too."
Sensing the inquisitive eyes on his head, he blushed a little. "W-well yeah, knowing who we were rescuing, we were bound to go off the record eventually." He smirked while tieing up the last bandage, seeing her hold in a yelp.
"Smartass," W huffed, ruffling Astra's mane between her fingers. "Well, thanks, you guys really pulled through for me after... I couldn't." There wasn't any way of hiding that she certainly regretted staying behind the fight the Forsaken, but if she could beat him, which didn't work, and keep the Royal Guard off their tails, which did, then it was worth a few more scars. "If I had known that thing could survive having a mountain fall on top of it, I'd have coordinated a more... tactical approach."
"Idiot," Soon, a hand-chopped atop her head, making the Sarkaz flinch from Sora's hit and angry look. "You couldn't help but be reckless, almost killing yourself. Are you serious?"
"I-I was scared you would..." Astra looked down at her hooves, not wanting to finish her thoughts.
With an unreadable face, W leaned forward, tugging the pair into an embrace, one against her side and the other to her shoulder, eyes staring forward, her hands tensed against them. "I'm sorry," Patting their backs, she sat back against the bed with a huff, glaring between them. "I'd say more, but you're here; what now, Sun-Butt?"
The debilitating name caused Astra and Sora to sit up straight, the latter paling at W's mocking title for his mother, who stood in the doorway with a mixture of emotions plaguing her features. "W..." He nudged but saw she wasn't going to bite.
"It's alright, Sora; given the recent transgressions W has endured, I do not blame her for feeling animosity toward me and my subjects," Celestia placed a hoof on her chest, bow her head toward the displeased woman before her. "Allow me, as one of the ruling monarchs of Equestria, to apologize for everything that has happened to you, from your capture to the disgusting treatment you've endured under my nose, if there is anything I can do to make my apology reasonable, please tell me."
A new breed of tension hung around the woman present, face expressionless; Astra couldn't even sense what W was feeling in the slightest. Once Celestia raised her head, she saw W pointing at the bed, specifically the ground under it. "I want those Elements of Harmony on their knees apologizing to me, except for Fluttershy and Applejack, the former having never done anything to me, and the latter hasn't bothered me as much - aside from the bruises - that girl can kick."
"Seriously? W isn't that a bit-" She didn't stop for Sora, continuing without complaint or rest; her heart was beating with excitement though, a giddy, self-satisfactory feeling of relief. She had spent weeks dealing with their torment, how they twisted her image and spread it across Ponyville and beyond; it sickened the mercenary to her core. Kranon orchestrated the attacks, but it was their hooves that did the dirty work regardless; W couldn't just forget that!
"Twilight's brown-nosing. Rarity's side comments on my appearance and clothing. Rainbow Dash's insistence on beating me black and blue... Pinkie Pie threw a large toaster at me, which is unforgivable," W's face was strict on the matter.
"Wait, what?" Astra voiced the party's concern over that last one, seeing W pale considerably.
"I don't think there's a word for it, but I have an aphobia of toasters now." Shaking her head, she added. "And I want... say, Fly-Boy, how many Bits would I need to be set up for life?"
"W!" Sora gaped but saw her eyes; she wasn't playing around nor reciting any smart comments; she was dead serious.
"I have been humiliated and had my name run through the mud since day one, living in ruins and trees like a fucking monkey, and now I'm trying to save the very kingdom that I would love nothing more than to let burn someday - hell, I've been thinking, why not let it burn, fuck this world," Her voice was venomous for all the right reasons to her. "However-" She put a hand to her chest almost mockingly. "-Since I'm feeling generous, I'm willing to fix your problem," Her eyes narrowed. "And I'm not doing this for you, Princess; if Kranon wins, my world's gonna wrapped up in my mistakes... so, how much?"
Reluctantly, Sora let out a breath he was holding, ghosting his fingers through his hair. "About five-hundred-thousand Bits, give or take a few thousand if you factor in luxuries." It was a rough estimate, but W nodded regardless.
"I should also have the pleasure of killing those two perverts but rotting in cells is fine too - So yeah, both those things, do that after we stop the world from ending and I'll not blow this castle off the mountain, sound good to you, Princess?"
To their surprise, especially W's, Celestia didn't hesitate to answer. "Very well, if that will persuade you into helping my ponies survive this calamity, I'll accept your terms and see to them personally."
"You know I'll never trust your word," W warned sharply, eyes pinned to Celestia's. "I will never trust a single damn Guard ever again."
"I understand, despite the circumstances, the faces of my subjects won't fade from your mind," She agreed softly. "If you wish to exact any other punishments, allow me to bear them."
"Wait, Mom..." Sora tried to talk, but she put her hoof up with a smile.
"I know you felt the same she has, but you had me, and many more that were there from the moment you arrived in this world, but Miss W here had no one for quite some time," Reluctant, Sora sat down as W passed him a side glance before clearing her throat.
"Cut the Miss stuff, I feel old already - but, um... didn't think I'd get this far," W was honest, scratching her nape bashfully, so she waved a hand. "Eh, I was gonna do this whole bait-and-switch but fine, ruin my fun, send the Bits to a pony called Courier, lives in the less fortunate areas. He'll put all that coin toward fixing up lives better than me - if he asks, tell 'em the Renegade sends her regards or whatever - you know, since you clearly can't be bothered helping them yourself."
This came as a surprise to the lot; W never openly admitted her ulterior motives, whatever caused this change of heart both pleased and worried Sora. W was different; she seemed passive, almost emotionless; he half expected her to be cackling or demanding his Mom be on her own knees; instead, she was helping others less fortunate than the Nobles of Canterlot.
"And I'm not gonna kill 'em, plus you didn't know so... yeah, whatever - I just want this to end." W felt breathless, she had so much more to say, but she wasn't willing to press her luck right now.
Celestia smiled gently, complying with a nod. "I can see to that, for now, I must return to discuss more of this Kranon alongside Cinder," Then, her pink orbs widened slightly. "Oh, and he wished to pass along a key piece of information," The three listened intently before Celestia left, hoof to the doorframe. "His Center, that is Kranon's fatal flaw." And with that, the three were alone again.
"W, can you please not almost antagonize the scariest mare in Equestria?" Sora flopped against his seat, feeling a nervous cold sweat run down his spine.
"Where's the fun in not poking your Mom with a stick?" She snickered then stopped once she saw his worried state, flicking his nose with her tail. "I'll hold back if it'll make you feel better."
"Thank you." He grinned slightly while Astra looked between the two, their auras weaved together like fine cloth again; with a nervous face, she zipped closer to the door like a rusty machine.
"I'll um... go check on Cinder, maybe he can help me train or something um, get well W! Um... bye!" She was gone in the blink of an eye with a dust cloud in her wake, leaving the pair alone again without a soul to bother them.
Not a word was spoken before W sat back against her bed, looking up at the white ceiling with both hands on her lap. "A Catastrophe-" Her words drew up his eyes to her solemn ember orbs. "He'll create a Catastrophe and destroy Canterlot; that amount of disruption in the timeline will tear Equstraia apart; he'll have killed his body and freed himself."
"But if that's all it took, then why hasn't he killed himself?" Morbid as that sounds, W smiled and tapped her chest, then it dawned on the ravenette. "He can't... Robin's-"
"His 'Seal' is what's keeping Kranon trapped; killing him normally would drag Kranon with him, so, if he erases Robin from existence, he'd have never been trapped, to begin with, thereby freeing him without a scratch," W surmised when she mentioned Kranon's plan to Cliffheart. The more she narrowed down Kranon's logic, the more sadistically clear his intentions were. He craved release, literal release from the body that's his prison.
"Damn..." Sora wrapped his head around it, but it frightened him how far one person would go for freedom; strangely enough, he felt W knew that too well. Moving past what was to come, he nudged her side, seeing her antenna flick. "Aoi, are you... okay?"
Smiling back, she turned her head to him. "'Course; Sure, body stings a bit, and I could really use a drink, non-alcoholic, but I-"
"Aoi," He held her hand tightly. "Are you okay?"
Her smile wavered; that stupid look on his face never ceased to slip between the cracks in her armour. Her hand tensed in his before W shook her head, hiding her eyes by dipping her head down. "I didn't want to go... but I had to try something, I... it was all I could think of..." Her voice broke, and tears fell from under her bangs onto their hands. "I... I was so scared I'd die, a-and then they beat m-me and... and a-almost..." Her other arm wrapped around her form, shivering at the idea; she couldn't move much in her restraints, even now her raw wrists ached and itched.
*Thump*
Her head buried itself against his chest, breaking down in his arms after hiding all of her stress and fear behind W's mask. Her fists were curled up against his arms while Aoi balled her eyes out in fright, pushing against Sora's chest while he comforted her, rocking the frail girl behind all that confidence gently. "Shh, it's okay now," He rubbed her back in slow circles, feeling anger and relief flood his head. "I'm here, Aoi; you're okay."
Sora soon sat behind W, hugging her across her waist again while she sat between his legs with her back against his chest, head resting under his head while silence accompanied the partners. The last time W was held this way occurred when Sora helped her contain her sudden outbreaks of false memories, it was still annoying when they plagued her dreams, but once she grew accustomed to their invading presence, she grew to expect them. If she never met him, what might have happened to her mind? What about Astra?
Again she shifted her head against his chest, listening to that soothing sound of his heartbeat like the day after their little 'exercise'; it was strangely comforting to listen to. How? That was a word she often used to describe her problems, how she ended up here, how she was chosen above all others by Kranon, how she could fall for the first guy that didn't try to kill her in Equestria?
No, it was more than that; she was chained and stripped of her identity; even before her incarceration, she had nothing but her name and the foolish hope she could seek answers with nothing but explosives and a girl that could be a great therapist. Sora grounded her hopes realistically; he shared things with her, and in return, so did she. When her mind was a mess, he didn't just sit around waiting for W to answer and talked to her, comforted her like no one ever would back home, not in that way he executed.
Aoi's new body came with a sacrifice, a pact she had no say in, but this silly, timid, kind Aasimar kept her humanity from falling apart.
"Sora... tilt your head for a sec, will ya?" She muttered gently, feeling his chin adjust to her left. Once his head was level with her eyes, she turned her own head, pushing up to lightly peck him on the lips, savouring that buzzing sensation right down to the tip of her tail. The tingling in her chest caused her to smile again. "Much better."
"W-what was t-that for, n-not that I'm complaining." He stuttered out. How he wasn't used to something as simple as her kissing him after what he's seen still baffled her, but it was what made him cute, so she didn't mind.
"Can't a partner express her gratitude?" She winked, her face dusted a little red herself. "Seems that pretty head of yours is doing a lot more good than your realize," She flicked his forehead with her tail, enjoying his light chuckle. "I still dunno about us, but... I wouldn't mind trying to be..."
He was certain he heard her correctly but nudged her. "What was that?"
Her head was bowed, hiding her embarrassment. "I... wouldn't mind... trying to be." W's eyes crossed with aqua again while her free hand played with one of his braids again, the pair smiling lightly together.
*Rumble...*
The moment broke from the sound reverberating from the window to their left. The pair poked their heads around, the once blue skies slowly tainted by dark clouds creeping in from the horizon, flashes of purple surfacing at the rim of the front. "Guess we're out of time." W grimaced, hand tucked tightly with Sora's.
"Better save the world then, huh?" He never believed he'd have to repeat those words, silver lining; he wasn't alone.
"The Catastrophe is here."
Sunlight could be seen glaring from the edge of the world under the dark sheet of a swirling storm front, cracks of amethyst striking amongst the clouds and thunderous roars. Jagged blades of rock took root across the land, some impaling the walls of the kingdom. The wind was hot and heavy, large issues of molten rock snaking toward the kingdom's outskirts with dozens of Infected of various mutations. With both arms outstretched like playing the part of a conductor, Kranon's eyes glared with a dark brilliance.
"This will be my salvation," Ahead of him, a large form tore through the earth, hissing and growling beneath the surface, drenched in magma as fountains of the slag poured onto the glade, burning the lush fields to ash. "Go Pompeii, unleash... chaos." With his hands closed, his army marched on Canterlot. The Catastrophe roaring.
To Be Continued...
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Toasterphobia. No rly.
10907472
Huh, I mean... the more you know. Thank you for sharing.
10907477
I looked it up because I wanted to see what it was called. I feel, betrayed.
10907481
Sorry, I was just making a joke but then I remembered that anything can bring fear if it traumatized the person enough.
But seriously, I really didn't think that was a thing, duly noted.
Ok, I caught up. I've been following this story since the beginning, but it just wasn't making sense to me, so I took the last few days to re-listen to this story, from the beginning. This story is more complex than most, and needs to be really paid attention to. Walk away and miss any of it, and your lost.
Over all, this is a damn good story, and I'm looking forward to more.
Very well done and very well weaved.
Monk
“You’re right. Violence is never the answer.” “Violence is the question.” “And the Answer is YES.” -Illua
10910668
When I realized people wanted more I had to make a story from thin air, honestly, the more I developed it the more I felt inclined to try and withhold information for a longer period of time, giving pieces that the reader would fill in overtime. Something I learned from the Fallout: Equestria stories. And I'm glad my risk has paid off, even if it was a little confusing at times.
So thanks for sticking to W's tale for so long, I really appreciate it! Hopefully, the grand finale will be worth the expectations.
i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/013/974/clap.gif
Finally, A Author who applies consequences! YES! And a character who thinks like me.
I never understood why every writer insists on having the shunned, attacked, and alienated human just say, "Golly Gee Wiz, you're spitting on me is no reason to hold a grudge, and I'll be happy to help. Group hug!"
While, Me, I would be sitting on a roof, in a lawn chair, watching the town burn. Laughing, pointing, and eating nachos. 'Mmmm, nachos...'
Monk
“Not telling you too much about humanity's special power, but I can give you a big hint! It is pure, concentrated spite.” -Knight Breeze
10910764
Exactly, W sees Canterlot as a means to an end not her ally, though there are some exceptions later her spite remains as more of a tolerance for the ponies then genuine kindness.
While there is no term for the fear of toasters in general, these are pretty close:
Toasterphobia - the fear of sticking a utensil into a toaster, even when it is unplugged.
Moropanephobia - the fear of toast popping out of a toaster (not the toast or the toaster themselves, just the act of toast popping out of a toaster).
10917012
Huh... you don’t say, thanks for sharing!