Anon and the Holidays
Chapter 8
Snow gently falls over the mountainside city of Canterlot. The ponies go from shop to shop buying Hearth's Warming gifts. Carolers sing on what seems like every block in Canterlot. Some ponies attach the finishing touches to their holiday decorations on their houses, shops, and whatnot. With Hearth's Warming only a week away, the cheer that the holiday brings every year is at its peak. Everypony is feeling the effects. Everypony except Anon. If he hadn't had the holiday ruined for him as a child by his parent's favoritism, he would have had the same excitement. His parents bought his little brother some of the most expensive gifts. Most of them were over fifty dollars. As for Anon, he would get a little less than thirty dollars worth of stocking stuffers. His parents even prevented him from celebrating with his friends.
Today, Anon is tasked with supervising the setting up of the Canterlot Castle Hearth's Warming Tree. The cold weather and the overly cheery ponies don't make his job any easier.
The tree is a sixty-foot fur tree with the usual ornaments and lights. It's set up in front of the gates of the castle. Every year, a week before Hearth's Warming, there is a festival of the tree's lighting. Princess Celestia has the honor of giving a short speech and lighting the tree every year. She gives the speech on top of a small platform, which Anon and the ponies had put together the day before. Up to and after the lighting of the tree, there are games, cookies, hot cocoa, caroling, etc. The Canterlot elite, aside from Fancy Pants and a few others, seldom go to the event because they don't like being around the low- and middle-class ponies.
Seven workers, including Anon, toil around the tree, putting on ornaments. Two pegasi and two unicorns use their abilities to put decorations in hard-to-reach places. Two earth ponies put on ornaments within their reach. Like he had been tasked, Anon supervises the project.
Anon, for the most part, remains warm. Princesses Celestia and Luna had some winter clothes custom-made for him. The only thing that remains cold is his face, feet, and hands. What surprises him is Flash Sentry isn't even wearing a lot of winter gear underneath his armor. He is only wearing a blue and gold scarf. Flash stands there as if it were summertime.
"Flash, it amazes me that you can stand in this weather and not freeze your ass off," Anon says flatly.
"I have a fur coat, dude; you don't," Flash replies.
"But still. It's twenty-something degrees out here. I'm only warm because I wear three or four layers of clothes."
"I don't know what to tell you."
Anon grunts as he continues to monitor the ponies setting up the tree. Putting on the ornaments goes off without a hitch. The lights do not. The lights had to be wrapped around the tree a certain way. Anon tries showing them how to do it, but Anon finds the task more difficult than he thought. Eventually, with the help of Flash Sentry, the ponies get the first set of lights up. The second set of lights didn't take as long to set up and with less difficulty. With the tree finally set up. Anon dismisses the six ponies; he looks at his clipboard for his next assignment.
"Son of a bitch," Anon grumbles.
Flash looks up at Anon. "What's wrong?"
"We've got to go to the train station to pick up a package."
"Why would there be a package there?"
"No fucking clue, but since I'm on the clock, I'm not going to bitch about it."
Anon and Flash trudge their way through the snow toward the train station. The sidewalks and streets are primarily snow-covered, so they don't tire themselves completely. Although Anon's socks were wet from the deep snow, he walked in.
Soon, the pair arrive at the train station. When they get there, the platform is empty. Flash becomes suspicious and walks away to look around. Anon rechecks his clipboard to ensure he didn't misread his instructions. This time, he notices the word "package" is surrounded by quotation marks. Anon guesses that he isn't looking for a literal package. The only thing now is to assume what the "package" is. Considering Princess Celestia's vast wealth and power, it could be anything. Anything could be as random as the things that Pinkie Pie pulls out of her mane.
Just as Anon thinks of the hyperactive mare, a high-pitched squeal pierces the air. Anon barely has enough time to process what is happening before being tackled to the ground. The force knocks the wind out of Anon. He lands on his back and in the snow. He can only see a pink blob kissing every inch of his face. Anon's vision refocuses, seeing Pinkie kissing his face and awkwardly straddling him.
"Anon, Anon, Anon, Anon! It's good to see you!" Pinkie Pie says quickly.
"Pinkie, get off of me," Anon grunts.
"Okay!" Pinkie replied cheerfully.
She gets off of Anon before giving him one last kiss on the lips. Anon's temper flares like a raging fire. He stands up, knocks off the snow on his clothes, and scowls at Pinkie.
"What the fucking hell is wrong with you?! You don't just kiss people on the lips without asking first! That goes for tackling me, as well! Where I come from, that can be considered assault!" Anon shouts. "Holy fuck! I took you to be smarter than that!"
Pinkie's enormous smile collapses into a frown. Anon immediately knows he's screwed up. Chewing out Twilight for being nosy is one thing, but chewing out Pinkie Pie is a different ballgame. There was only one other time he yelled at Pinkie. It was when she threw him a "Welcome to Ponyville" party two days after he arrived at Twilight Sparkle's castle. Pinkie accidentally shot Anon with the party cannon, believing it was on purpose. He berated Pinkie for shooting him with confetti. A few insults were hurled that didn't need to be said. This resulted in Pinkie weeping and flooding the spot where she sat. Anon felt terrible, but it didn't help when everypony glared at him with death in their eyes. Twilight used magic to drag Anon outside her castle and chew him out. Both parties hurled insults at each other, and one returned to his makeshift campsite.
Anon shakes his head in embarrassment. His embarrassment grows even more when an invisibility spell disappears, revealing the rest of the Mane 6, Spike, and Starlight.
"Pinkie. I'm sorry I yelled at you, but my point still stands. I wouldn't have minded a hug, but tackling me and kissing me on the lips out of the blue is not appreciated. A peck on the cheek or the forehead is something I wouldn't mind, but on the lips is out of bounds," Anon says. "But I am happy to see you."
"You mean it?" Pinkie asks as she wipes her eyes.
Anon nods.
"I'm sorry for tackling and kissing you on the lips. Forgive me?"
"Yes, Pinkie."
Pinkie's wide grin reappears, and she wraps Anon in a warm hug. Although uncomfortable and denied a full breath, Anon lets Pinkie hug him. Eventually, she released Anon. He tried smiling, but it came off as a nervous grimace. The rest of the group isn't amused.
"So...hi, I guess," Anon says nervously.
"You're pathetic, Anon," Twilight states. "Yelling at Pinkie like that and acting as if nothing happened."
"Hey, at least I apologized to her, unlike last time," Anon says, raising his hands defensively.
"Fair point, but that doesn't change the fact that you were rude."
Anon snorts. Then, he hears the rapid clipping of hooves from behind him. He turns around and sees Flash Sentry running towards him.
"Anon! What's going on?" he shouts.
"What are you talking about?"
"I was looking around for suspicious activity when I heard yelling."
"Well, there's no trouble here, but A+ for effort."
Flash Sentry rolls his eyes, but he freezes as he notices Twilight. He snaps to attention and salutes her. Twilight blushes in a way that catches Anon's attention. The blush is a girlish one. One that he's seen in many teenage girls. Anon shakes his head.
"Hold on a second. Flash, are you with her? Like WITH HER with her?" Anon asks, almost sounding disappointed. Twilight blushes even harder.
Flash sets down his hoof. "No, we are not."
Anon notices Twilight's girlish blush has disappeared, and her face droops slightly. It's the look of disappointment. Being the person he is, Anon decides to have a little fun with this.
"Well, that's a good thing. You can do much better than a princess who is the ruler of a state between two people. The green-maned mare in your regiment is a good pick."
Starlight and Spike stifle a laugh while Rainbow Dash loses it. She rolls on the ground, cackling like a witch. Twilight narrows her eyes at Anon, but he doesn't feel threatened. A cocky grin appears on his face.
"C'mon, Twilight. I'm yanking your chain. Lighten up, will you?" Anon says.
"It wasn't funny, Anon," Twilight grumbles.
"Your compatriots did. The only reason why you got pissed is that you know I'm right."
Twilight rolls her eyes. "Nice to know you haven't changed."
Anon doesn't respond. He looks down at his clipboard and glances at the next set of instructions. In parentheses, underneath the location of the "package" is the education to bring said package to the throne room. Anon informs the group that they need to report to the throne room and motions for them to follow him. The group makes their way through the streets of Canterlot, but Anon doesn't speak. His mind is on the rest of the jobs on his list. After taking the Mane 6, Starlight, and Spike to the throne room, he has to help the owner of a candy shop string up lights around her business, shovel three different sidewalks, and do some other jobs around the castle. It is already one o'clock in the afternoon, and Anon doesn't work past five o'clock in the evening. Anon knows that he won't finish his list before then. When he doesn't spend a job, it rolls over to the next day's list of jobs.
Anon curses under his breath in Spanish. He tells the small group of ponies to walk faster because of his extensive list. For the most part, the ponies in tow understand his predicament. Rarity, on the other hand, is not. She complains that sweating makes her coat and hat "smelly and icky." Anon replies that there wouldn't be a problem if she weren't dressed like a Russian millionaire on a ski vacation in the Swiss Alps. Of course, nopony understood the insult, but it amused Anon because he thought it was somewhat clever.
Eventually, the small group reaches the castle grounds. They enter the castle after passing through bag checks and a new security measure. Many of the guards greet Anon in some form or fashion. It was primarily verbal greetings or a simple head nod. Anon returns the acknowledgment. Twilight isn't surprised that Anon has built a relationship with the guards, considering his former dream to be a soldier. She also takes into consideration his deep respect for them. Twilight remembers that Anon had told her that just joining was a sacrifice and death was the ultimate sacrifice.
Finally, the small group arrives at the throne room's front doors. The two Royal Guards at the door salute Twilight and open the doors. Princesses Celestia and Luna stand up from their thrones as the group approaches. The four Royal Guards stand at the platform's base, where the princesses' thrones sit, saluting Twilight: the Mane 6, Starlight, and Spike bow before the celestial demi goddesses. Flash merely stands at attention and salutes—Princess Celestia motions for her guards to remain at ease and for the small group to stand up. Celestia smiles at Anon.
"I see you found the package," Celestia says.
"You could've been more specific because I was about to spend valuable time looking for a box," Anon replies.
"I'll remember that in the future. It is a little gift from Luna and me. They'll be staying through Hearth's Warming."
"Really? That's great. Now, excuse me; I need to return to work."
Anon does a sloppy about-face.
"I might have fabricated the remaining jobs on your list. You have the rest of the day off until after Hearth's Warming. Just a little reward for your hard work around Canterlot and the castle."
"Oh fuck, yes. Thanks, Ti- I mean...Celestia," Anon says. "Well, I'm going to my room until six, then I'll go out drinking. I might come back drunk. I don't fucking know. Spike, please stop by my room before I leave if you'd like. Peace out!"
Anon turns around and throws up the peace sign. Then, Princess Celestia calls out his name again. He turns around again but with an annoyed expression on his face.
"I would appreciate it if you join us for dinner and the tree lighting this evening," Celestia announces.
"Seriously? I want some time to do something I'd like to do for once. Besides, I haven't had a decent drink in days," Anon complains.
Celestia's voice changes from friendly to formal. "Anonymous, that wasn't a request."
Anon shakes his head in disgust. He announces that he'll be in his room and return for dinner. He leaves the room, cursing under his breath.
"I thought he was becoming more social. When has he been relapsing?" Twilight says.
"I don't think he's relapsing; something is bothering him. From my observations, he goes off to be alone when something troubles him," Princess Luna announces.
"Do you know what's bothering him?" Spike asks.
"I don't. Do you, Sister?"
"Unfortunately not. Despite being more open than he was when he first arrived. Anon won't tell me about all his problems. He claims that some problems are his to bear and not anypony else's burden. That said, I believe that what is bothering Anon is related to Hearth's Warming."
"What about Hearth's Warmin' that is so bad that it bothers him?" Applejack asks.
"Maybe we can ask him to see what's going on. It could be something we could help him with," Fluttershy suggests.
"I agree that it's our responsibility as friends to help Anon; however, if he refuses to talk about what's going on with him, we shouldn't push the issue. As you may remember, the more he was denied personal space, the more hostile he became," Princess Celestia announces.
"Yep, I sure do," Twilight mumbles.
Anon's eyes flutter open as his new alarm starts to beep. He sits up and looks at the time. It's 5:15, forty-five minutes before dinner. Anon had decided to nap before dinner because he was tired from work. He believed it was a well-earned and deserved nap.
He stands up and stretches. Anon decides to take a quick shower before dinner. He was "voluntold" to attend. He doesn't contemplate his day since he doesn't have much time. After his shower, Anon puts on a clean set of clothes and walks toward the Royal Dining Hall.
The halls are dark and quiet. The ambient light from the moon and candles cast faint shadows on the walls. Anon notices that the Solar Guards are no longer on duty. Lunar Guards stand at their posts.
While Anon was in Canterlot, the princesses and the Generals of the Equestrian Armed Forces made many changes to the Equestrian Armed Forces. The guards change shifts before sundown instead of at sunset at 5:30 in the evening.
Anon barely knows any Lunar Guards because they are asleep during the day. However, he knew a decent amount of the officers. He met one of the generals when rebuilding some armor racks in the armory. General Evening Star is a thestral who is the number one general in the Lunar Guard. He was often referred to as Luna's Right Hoof.
Anon arrives at the Royal Dining Hall. The two Lunar Guards that are standing at the doors open them. Anon gives the guards a respectful nod before entering the room. As he enters, he notices that every pony surrounding the table is one of his friends. Well, most of them. Anon doesn't consider some of the Mane 6 as friends; they are relatively nothing more than acquaintances or even employers. Corporal Flash Sentry, Captain Midnight Blossom, and Captain Tempest Shadow were seated at the table. Anon's suspicions are raised. Why are the ponies that he has the most contact with here? He shrugs and takes the only available seat between Flash and Tempest. When Anon sits down, he gives Flash a hoof/knuckle bump—the ponies around the table talk amongst themselves. A few minutes later, three servers come from the kitchen. One of them announced what was on the menu. The server told a separate menu for the carnivores. Blossom orders medium-rare hydra steak. Anon orders tomato soup, a medium-well steak, and bourbon. After the servers took the orders, the conversations resumed.
"So, Tia, what's with the extra company? Not that I'm complaining, but out of curiosity," Anon asks.
"I figured you'd like to eat with all of your friends tonight," Princess Celestia responds.
"That's fine."
Everyone continues eating. Twilight takes notes on Anon while she eats. Everypony he talks to them. She makes a little note. From her information, she concluded that Anon has not improved since he left Ponyville. Since moving to Canterlot, Twilight figures that Anon should've made more than three friends. Was he resisting making new friends or working so much that he didn't have time for friends? She needed to find out.
"Hey, Anon," Twilight calls out.
"What's up," Anon replies.
"I was wondering why you haven't made very many friends."
Anon takes a bite of his steak. "Was there an unknown quota I had to meet?"
"No. I was curious because I expected you to have more than three."
"I have more friends than this. Most of which are out drinking right now."
"Oh. Why didn't you invite them?"
"They want some time to cut loose, which happens to be in a bar."
Anon takes a sip of his drink. He notices that Twilight is looking at the floor beside her chair. Her lips move as if she were praying silently. Twilight does this when she's writing something.
"Twilight, what are you doing?" Anon asks.
Twilight looks up with a shocked expression on her face. She gives Anon an uneasy grin.
"Uh...nothing?" she replies nervously.
"You know that's bullshit. You were writing something, weren't you?"
Twilight is silent. Princess Celestia is stunned at Anon's observation skills. She didn't even notice that her former student had been writing.
"Look, if you are going to take notes on my behavior, do it when it's not obvious."
"Woah. How in tarnation did you know what she was writin' about?" Applejack asks.
"I've got eyes and ears everywhere, AJ," Anon replies.
He gives Flash a hoof/knuckle bump. That goes unnoticed by almost everypony but Tempest. Being a highly-trained soldier, even the smallest detail doesn't go unnoticed. However, she finds intriguing that Flash has told Anon about it. Flash seems more loyal to his human friend than the Princess of Friendship. How he found out was pretty clever, too.
Anon had noticed Twilight was writing something earlier. He asked Flash to tell Twilight he wanted to share some hot cocoa with her so he could look at what she was writing. While Twilight blushed like an anime girl talking to her senpai, Flash got a look at the notes. When Flash returned, he reported to Anon.
It was a simple flank reconnaissance maneuver with a twist. The EAF uses a move since they receive some training in espionage and recon. Tempest assumes that Anon has been reading about the EAF in the many books about them.
Twilight didn't pick up her quill for the rest of the meal. She realized that she was being rude by taking notes during dinner. What surprised her was that Anon didn't even lose his temper for doing things behind his back. Twilight guesses he has mastered self-control. However, there was one thing that needed to be addressed. Twilight gives Rarity a slight nod.
"Anon, darling," Rarity says.
"I swear if this is one of your marefriend applications, I'm still uninterested," Anon replies. He gives Spike a wink.
"I'm not, dear. I noticed you were...acting strangely earlier today. You were opting to drink alone rather than be with your friends. Is everything okay?"
"Yep. Everything's good."
"That's not true. You become a meany or want to be lonely when you are upset. We're your friends. You can tell us anything. We can turn your frowny upside downy," Pinkie pipes up.
"Look, I'm an ambivert. Somedays, I want to be with people; I don't. It's just who I am," Anon replies.
Anon's statement is true, but it is a smokescreen to attract their attention to his personality traits rather than what was troubling him. He feels like burdening his friends with his problems isn't fair. They already have enough to deal with, so adding to their worries wouldn't be considerate. Anon might be an asshole, but he is smart enough to know it's wrong.
Soon, dessert is brought out—a marble cake with cream cheese frosting. Once dessert is over, everyone leaves to attend the tree-lighting festival. Anon tries to leave his room, but Celestia and Luna must use their magic to force him outside. "Mandatory fun" is what they call it. They forbid him from returning to the castle until the festival ends. When Anon complains about his lack of winter clothes, Celestia doesn't hesitate to teleport his three jackets to him. Both Flash and Tempest are assigned to be Anon's escorts. The two Royal Guards don't have a say in the matter, but Anon protests. He says they need the evening off and that a pair of Lunar Guards could be his escorts. Princess Celestia wouldn't budge. Anon saw no point in starting an argument; he walked into the crowd of ponies with his entourage.
The trio walks a small distance before Anon gets a hankering for some hot cocoa. He soon finds a stand that is giving out hot cocoa. The line isn't too long, so Anon gets in line.
"You guys want any?" Anon asks.
"I'll get something for the heck of it," Flash replies.
"I'm good," Tempest grumbles.
"C'mon, Tempest. At least try to make the best out of a shitty situation," Anon says. "You don't have to be happy and prance everywhere."
"Whatever. I prefer to be inside with a book or something."
"You read?" Flash asks.
"Watch it, Corporal. We are still technically on duty, and yes, I do read."
"Sorry, Captain. I didn't peg you as the reading type."
"You didn't peg Commander Shine as the 'closet pervert' type?"
Anon looks at Tempest. "What the fuck?"
"Yeah. Corporal Sentry caught Commander Shoe Shine, stroking it to a Playstallion magazine full of scantily dressed mares."
"That's hilarious," Anon laughs.
"Was not," Flash mumbles.
"Nothing like catching a CO pleasuring himself," Tempest chuckles.
"I'd fucking kill myself if I were caught. Not literally, of course, but-"
"We get your point," Tempest interrupts.
The trio makes it to the front of the line. Anon and Flash get their drinks. Then, the trio ends up looking at some of the other booths. Anon grabs some cookies, although he is still full from dinner. It isn't long before Anon and his armed companions are bored. They stand by themselves, watching the other ponies amuse themselves. Anon is tempted to ditch his escorts, using a bathroom break as an excuse, and sneak back to the castle. However, eluding two highly-trained Royal Guards would not be an easy task. Not to mention, deceiving the princesses would likely result in getting publicly scolded. I thought leaving to get a drink at Flasks and Mugs wasn't something Princesses said he couldn't do.
"Hey, you guys wanna get something to drink?" Anon asks.
"You just had hot cocoa," Flash says.
"I mean alcohol at Flasks and Mugs."
"I'm down," Tempest announces.
"Are you sure? If Princess Celestia and Princess Luna find out we left, it could be bad news for all of us," Flash asks.
"Yes, I am sure. The princesses said I couldn't leave back to the castle, not to get a drink. We should be fine if we return before the tree's lighting."
"If we get in trouble, I'll pin it on your butt," Flash says.
"Fair enough."
The trio makes their way toward Flasks and Mugs unnoticed. As Anon had guessed on the way, the bar is packed with off-duty Solar and Royal Guards. Every single table is occupied. Very few non-guards are in the bar. Anon stands there momentarily to see if there are any available seats. He sees four empty stools at the bar. Anon, Flash, and Tempest sit and wait for somepony to get them a drink. They wait for five minutes before Sweet Mimosa walks over to them.
"Hello, there. What can I get you?" she asks.
"Bourbon, for me. The whole bottle, please," Anon replies.
"I'll take a craft beer. Two bottles," Flash answers.
"Light beer," Tempest says.
"Okay. Coming right up."
Sweet Mimosa walks away to grab the drinks. Anon turns to ask Flash something that's been on his mind for a decent part of the day.
"Hey, Flash. What's this thing between you and Twilight?" he asks.
"It's a long story," Flash answers. He takes a swig of his beer.
"I've got time. What about you, Tempest?"
Tempest nods her head.
"Twilight and her friends went to a royal summit in the Crystal Empire two years ago. My squad and I were assigned to be Twilight's escort. A former student of Princess Celestia's managed to steal her crown, which had the Element of Magic, and took it to another dimension. The dimension she visited was similar to this one, except it had your species. I guess there was another version of me in that dimension because she showed signs of having a crush on me after she returned. There wasn't any connection beforehand other than me not paying attention and running into her."
"And you don't feel the same way?"
"Exactly."
"Have you told her that?"
"No, I haven't. Don't get me wrong, Anon. She's a lovely pony and admittedly attractive. She didn't fall in love with me; she fell in love with that other Flash. We might be the same pony...er...person, but simultaneously, we're different. Get what I'm saying, Anon?"
"I get it. What you need to do, Flash, is let her know you don't feel the same way," Anon says.
"He's right. Letting her believe something exists that doesn't is doing more harm than good. It will hurt like a bitch when you tell her, but you gotta rip off the band-aid," Tempest adds.
"I know. I'll tell her when I get some hot chocolate later."
Flash drinks the rest of his beer before excusing himself to use the bathroom. Anon pours the last bourbon into his glass and finishes it with one quick gulp. When Sweet Mimosa offers him another battle, Anon refuses. He needs to be somewhat coherent for the rest of the night, not for his own sake but for Flash's sake.
The lighting of the tree is about five minutes away. Anon stands on the small platform with Princess Celestia and Luna. Six Royal and Lunar Guards stand at the base of the platform. Anon had planned on standing nearby when Flash talked to Twilight. It's his way of being there for him. However, the princesses wanted Anon on the platform when the tree was lit. Anon attempted to protest, but he was immediately shut down.
Ponies begin to approach the platform with a cheerful glow in their eyes. Anon can see the excited expressions quickly appear on their faces. That doesn't matter to him since he wants to help Flash. Flash stands off behind the growing crowd with a nervous and frightened look. Anon can almost feel his nervousness.
A few minutes go by. Princess Celestia clears her throat before starting to speak in her Canterlot voice.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlecolts. Thank you for coming out tonight and attending the Light of the Canterlot Castle Tree Festival. Every year, I have-"
Anon stops paying attention. It isn't hard to do despite the fact Princess Celestia is using her ground-shaking Canterlot voice. He spots Twilight walking up to Flash Sentry. Flash looks over at Anon. Anon gives Flash a nod for the go-ahead.
"Déjala caer fácil, mi amigo," (Let her down easy, my friend) Anon whispers.
He sees Flash Sentry remove his helmet and begin to speak. Anon can't hear a thing he is saying, but body language is everything. Flash Sentry is stiff and rigid. However, as he continues to speak, his body relaxes a little. He isn't acting like a soldier but rather a regular pony. Twilight, on the other hoof, the body becomes slacker and slacker from sadness and disappointment. She uses her foot to wipe her eyes. It isn't long before she breaks down into tears and runs away. Anon shakes his head. He knew this would happen. Flash stomps his hoof in frustration, puts on his helmet, and walks away. Then, Anon decides to tune back into Princess Celestia's speech.
"Perhaps the most exciting event to occur this year was the arrival of a new creature in Equestria this past June. You may have seen him around Canterlot helping ponies with jobs around their homes and businesses. Perhaps you hired him for a job. For those who don't know him, I'm proud to introduce my friend, Anonymous," Princess Celestia announces.
The ponies clop their hooves politely. Anon gives a gentle wave to the crowd.
"Anonymous and several other ponies helped set up the tree this afternoon, braving the cold and wind. They put all of their efforts into it. Every one of them should have our respect and appreciation. And now, the moment you all have been waiting for."
Princess Celestia uses her magic to levitate two cords. She stops for a moment; then, she looks over at Anon. For over 1,000 years, Princess Celestia has lit the tree. Quite frankly, this "honor" has become monotonous. Maybe it is time for the honor to go somepony else. Instead, someone else.
She uses her magic to hand the two cords to Anon. Some whispers seep out of the crowd.
"What are you doing?" Anon asks.
"I want you to light the tree. You earned it," she replies.
He takes hold of the cords and connects them. The tree's lights light up in all of their glory. Cheers, the clopping of hooves, oohs, and ahhs fill the air. The foals in the crowd look up at the tree with a cheerful glow. Anon looks at the tree to admire his and the ponies' work they had put in. Now that the tree is lit and the ponies happy, he sets down the cords, walks over to some stairs, and off the platform. Both Flash and Tempest are standing at the base. Anon notices that Flash looks depressed. His ears are limp, and he hangs his head. Anon sighs.
"It had to be done, Flash," Anon says nonchalantly.
"I know, but I regret saying anything," he replies.
"What exactly did you tell her?
"I told her I knew she liked me, but I didn't feel the same way. I told her that she was a nice pony but not the one for me. I didn't finish my talking points before she started crying."
"I figured she at least would've tried to hold it in long enough to hear you out," Tempest says.
"Well, it's over now. Nothing we can do now," Anon adds.
"Yeah. Great," Flash sighs.
"Hey, amigo. You did the right thing. You let her down easy, and that's that. You gotta move on now."
Flash nods his head in agreement. Anon pats him on the helmet to give him some reassurance.
Anon, Tempest, and Flash hang around for about thirty minutes before Anon decides to leave. Princess Celestia lets them go. The two guards go to the barracks while Anon returns to his room.
Princess Celestia shakes her head in disappointment. Not that she's disappointed in Anon, but in herself. Since Anon had been isolating himself for the past few days, she thought being around his friends would cheer him up. However, Anon clams up, as usual, and says he's okay. She understands if he doesn't talk to Twilight, Flash, or any of his friends, but he never said anything to her about what had been bothering him. Anon had admitted a few weeks back that she was his most trusted friend. Now, she realizes the mistake she made. Celestia needed to be there for him. Anon didn't need to fill his time with activities or many people. He needs her. When Anon was with Celestia, Anon was more open than a book. Celestia curses herself for not seeing this before. However, this wasn't the time to dwell on it. Princess Celestia sighs and goes to be with her subjects.
Anon's walk back to his room is quiet. Lunar Guards stand at attention at their posts. As usual, Anon gave respectful nods to the guards and, with the gesture, returned to him. The same two Lunar Guards guard his room at night, Sergeant Lavender Petal and Moon Shadow, stand at his door. They give him a playful salute. Anon gives them the bird.
Lavender, Moon, and Anon had gotten close over the past few weeks. On nights when Anon couldn't sleep, he would invite them into his room to play cards, talk, and whatnot. Tonight, however, Anon is tired. He changes into a t-shirt and shorts and slips into bed.
He lies there for an hour. It ticks him off that just an hour before, he was yawning, and his eyelids were heavy. For some reason, he's wide awake. He tosses and turns for another hour. Still, sleep seems to elude him. Out of frustration, Anon gets up and walks toward the library. Since reading puts him to sleep quickly, it is his best option to fall asleep. Little does he realize that this decision will be a costly one.
Due to the Lunar Guard being EAF's 2nd most minor branch, not every bit of the castle is guarded. Only 40% of it is protected at night. The hallway Anon is walking down is a part of the other unguarded 60%. Only the moon's light fills it.
When Anon gets halfway down, he hears someone call out to him.
"ANON!! YOU'VE GOT SOME EXPLAINING TO DO!!" the voice yells.
The voice is raspy and sounds angry. Anon knows precisely who it is. He turns around, and, as he guessed, a mad Rainbow Dash is standing about twenty feet away.
"What are you talking about?"
"We found Twilight crying her eyes out, saying that Flash had told her he wasn't 'interested' in her. Then, we found out the YOU had a hoof in it!"
"Hold on a damn minute. Yes, I did have a hand in it, but-"
"There! You admit it. You are going to pay for hurting Twilight."
"It wasn't like that at all."
"Liar! I know you don't like Twilight, so you planned that to hurt her."
"Listen, dumbass. That's not what-"
Anon is cut off when Rainbow Dash tackles him. She moved so fast that Anon didn't even see her progress. Rainbow Dash begins to swing wildly at Anon's face. Anon uses his forearms to block each punch. He finds an opening and swings his fist at her muzzle. As Anon's fist strikes Rainbow Dash's muzzle, she yelps and falls back. Anon gets up and puts some distance between himself and Rainbow.
"Is that all you got?" Anon sneers.
Rainbow Dash wipes her nose with her hoof. It is dripping with blood.
"I'm just getting started," she snaps.
Anon slides his left foot back and pulls his fists into a fighting stance. He needs to be ready. Rainbow Dash is swift, so being prepared is a necessity. When she charges again, using her wings to propel herself, Anon dodges the attack. She tries this attack four times; Anon avoids the move each time.
This time, Rainbow Dash uses her wings to elevate herself. Her only option was to beat Anon hoof-to-hoof. She swings at Anon, but he either blocks or dodges them completely. Then, Anon sees another opening. He uppercuts Rainbow Dash in the stomach, swings his left fist for a left hook, and sidekicks her in the chest. The force sends Rainbow Dash flying to the ground.
"Seriously, if you're going to kick my ass, actually try to," Anon says.
Rainbow Dash spits up some blood. "As I said, I'm just getting started."
"Bring you A game, puta."
Rainbow Dash stands up. Her adrenaline is pumping through her veins like poison. She grits her teeth, screams, and takes flight. Rainbow flies circles around Anon. The only thing that he can see is a rainbow-colored blur. Then, a hoof strikes Anon across the face. A second later, another blow hits Anon in the diaphragm. All of the air leaves Anon's lungs. Then, Anon is knocked back with an uppercut. He is thrown a short distance before he falls on his back. Anon lands on his back, still gasping for air. Finally, he catches his breath and props himself up on one knee. He smells the scent of iron. He touches his nose with his index finger. Blood covers his finger. Anon stands up, albeit very slowly, because his chest still hurts.
Both Rainbow Dash and Anon breathe heavily. Rainbow Dash rears back on her haunches with her wings spread. Anon sinks his hips into a fighting stance. Then, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity run upon the pair. They are shocked to see both Anon and Rainbow bloodied and beaten.
"What in tarnation are y'all doin'?" Applejack asks.
"I'm teaching Anon a lesson!" Rainbow Dash snaps.
"I didn't even finish explaining myself before this psychopath attacked me!" Anon shouts.
"Dashy. You needed to let him finish. There might have been a good reason for what he did," Pinkie pleads.
"I heard enough, Pinkie," she growls.
Rainbow Dash flies toward Anon. He swings his right fist as hard as possible for a roundhouse punch. The punch hits her in the muzzle, and Rainbow is knocked off course. She manages to land on her feet. She shakes her head and then retakes flight. Anon jumps for a flying horse kick. The kick sends Rainbow Dash off course again, and she hits the ground with a thump. She groans as she struggles to get up.
"Are you done yet?" Anon asks.
"Nope. Just getting-" Rainbow Dash stands up, then flies at full speed. "-WARMED UP!!!"
Anon has no time to react. Rainbow Dash punches Anon in the chest as hard as her beaten body can allow her. Several of his ribs break. The punch is so powerful that Anon is knocked off his feet and back. However, he is hit farther than intended.
Anon's back breaks the window and falls through. Anon feels as if he is falling in slow motion. Fear and shock fill Anon's body as he uselessly grabs at the air. He can hear the screams of the mares inside the castle. He begins to scream but is cut short when something catches him. Lavender Petal and Moon Shadow have a hold of Anon's arms. Anon looks frantically between the two.
"You good, Anon?" Moon asks. His eyes are full of concern.
"Yeah," Anon replies. The shock of almost dying resonates in his voice.
"Let's get him inside," Lavender says. The two thestrals fly Anon through the broken window.
Anon first sees an entire squad of Lunar Guards surrounding Rainbow Dash. She looks more bruised and bloodied than before he fell out the window. Then, Captain Midnight Blossom appears from the darkness with two more Lunar Guards, both earth ponies.
"Corporal Cinder and Private Cinnamon, take the prisoner to Infirmary Room D. Keep her under armed guard until the princesses arrive," she orders.
"Yes, ma'am," the guards that are flanking her respond.
They lower their spears and herd Rainbow Dash away. Her friends follow them. Blossom and the rest of the guards walk over to Anon. She can see that Anon is still in a state of shock. His green skin is pale, and he has a blank stare. Blood is steadily pouring from his nose. Anon holds his chest as if trying to put pressure on a stab wound.
"Anonymous, are you okay?" Blossom asks.
There is no response.
"Anonymous!!" she shouts.
Anon jerks and blinks a little, like he was broken out of a trance.
"Are you okay?" Blossom asks.
"Not," Anon replied.
"I meant up here, numbnuts." Blossom taps her helmet with her hoof.
"Yeah, all good."
Blossom narrows her eyes. The Lunar Guard captain isn't buying it.
"You aren't an excellent liar, Anonymous," she deadpans. Then, she turns to the guards around her. "Everypony, make sure that Anonymous gets to Infirmary Room A. An entire squad is to stand guard outside the room. I'm more concerned about his safety than Rainbow Dash's. Sergeant Major Petal and Sergeant Shadow find Doc's Blood Pressure and get her here. Have her tend to Anon's wounds, perform a cranial nerve exam, and a psychology test. I'll fetch the princesses. They'll want to hear about this."
"Seriously, Blossom. I don't need a psychological test. I'm fine," Anon objects.
"That's bullshit, and you know it. You are in a state of shock. It's pretty obvious," Blossom snaps.
Blossom motions for the group of guards around her and Anon to get moving. She begins her trek toward the princesses' rooms as they walk away. She knows how much Anon means to the princesses, especially to Celestia. So, how they will react to hearing Anon being attacked by a pony, Rainbow Dash, no less, is unknown. That makes her nervous, and that is saying something. She has seen dozens of battlefields and killed hundreds of creatures in cold blood, but the untold anger of not one but two princesses rattles her. She prays to whatever god or gods are watching over her that this entire debacle will end quickly.
Anon sits quietly on the examination table. Dr. Blood Pressure, a maroon-maned and white-bodied unicorn, uses her magic to shine a penlight in Anon's face. A nurse sits close by with a clipboard in her lap. A pen sticks out of her mouth as she writes down everything Dr. Pressure says about Anon.
"Okay, Anonymous. If you can follow the light with your eyes for me, that'd be perfect," she says.
Her voice is tender and soft. It even relaxes Anon's nerves. His once-tense muscles had settled, and his breathing had become less complicated.
Dr. Pressure uses her magic to move the penlight to her left. Anon's eyes shift to her left. After testing Anon's ocular reflexes, she tests the nerves in Anon's face. Then, his sense of smell and touch. Once the cranial nerve exam is completed, Dr. Pressure reviews her notes. She worries that she might have missed something. She has performed exams on ponies, griffins, and even a minotaur, but never on a creature like this. To get an idea of conducting a cranial nerve exam on Anon, she took a 20-minute crash course on monkey biology and anatomy.
Then, she moves on to a psychological exam. Anon begrudgingly answers the questions. He decides to humor the doctor and answer honestly. Dr. Pressure writes down some notes while Anon speaks. The exam is finished after about 15 minutes of endless questions, sarcastic remarks, and brutally honest answers. As usual, Dr. Pressure reviews her notes.
"Well, from what I can tell, you will probably need counseling after your near-death experience," she says.
"I'm telling you, doc. I'm fine. Save therapy for people who need it," Anon scoffs.
"You need it, Anonymous. Do I have to remind you that Rainbow Dash almost killed you an hour ago?"
"No, you don't need to remind me. Granted, I was in a state of shock, but that nerve exam thing relaxed me. So, no therapy needed."
Dr. Pressure grunts in frustration. Why this creature was refusing mental help is beyond her. Never in her 12 years as a doctor has she seen that happen. Even her nurse gives a bewildered look. Both are at a loss for words.
Eyes are windows to the soul in Equestria, so Dr. Pressure looks into Anon's eyes to see if she can get an answer. She considers him a strong-willed, courageous, but damaged man. His eyes show defiance, like the eyes of a soldier. Based on his physique, she would've guessed he was a soldier before coming to Equestria.
"Fine, I won't force you to go to counseling, but I highly recom-"
Before she can finish her sentence, a bright yellow flash surrounds the room. Standing in the center are the princesses and a Lunar Guard captain. The princesses begin asking questions to see if Anon is alright. He brushes the questions off as if they annoy him to death. Both princesses wrap him in a big hug. However, Anon pushes them away. They look at him with concerned looks on their faces. Dr. Pressure decides to speak up.
"I would advise against hugging Anon for the time being," she says.
"Why not?" Princess Celestia asks.
"He's got four cracked ribs. A few of them are bruised. Aside from some cuts on his back and being punched out a window, he's fine. After his psychological exam, I suggested he go to counseling to deal with some of the shocks of nearly dying. Even though at my persistence, Anonymous has turned it down."
Both princesses look at Anon with concerned expressions. Blossom facehoofs and calls Anon an idiot under her breath. Anon shrugs his shoulders innocently. What surprises him is that the princesses don't try to convince him to go to therapy or force him. They sigh, are disappointed, and move on to a different topic.
"Anon, explain to me why Rainbow Dash attacked you. She wouldn't attack somepony unless she had a good reason to," Princess Luna asked.
"Well, think again. What happened was that Flash Sentry told Tempest and me that Twilight had a crush on him. He didn't feel the same way, but Flash didn't know how to tell Twilight. So Tempest and I helped him out. I was walking to the library when Rainbow Dash stopped me, accusing me of purposefully talking Flash into letting down Twilight to spite her. I'm an asshole sometimes, but I wouldn't stoop down to that level. I assume Blossom told you the rest," Anon explains.
Celestia sighs and shakes her head. "This is ridiculous. I'm just glad you're okay. You have almost died twice within three months."
"Don't worry, Celestia. I'm okay. Suppose it wasn't for Lavender Petal and Moon Shadow. I'd be...well, dead."
"Rainbow Dash mustn't go unpunished. Attempted murder is not acceptable," Luna snaps.
"Hold on a sec. Rainbow Dash may be a hothead, but I don't think she'd try to kill me. She probably didn't know her strength. My friend back home didn't realize how strong he was. He almost broke my arm after he punched me. Playfully, of course," Anon says.
"You had friends?" Blossom asks sarcastically. She has an enormous shit-eating grin growing on her face.
Anon raises his middle finger, "Go fuck yourself."
"Don't threaten me with a good time."
Anon's eyes raise, and he sputters out a laugh. Pain shoots through his rib cage. He grabbed his ribs and winced. Celestia moves closer to hold him close, but she stops herself. It's a pony's nature to have another creature close when they are emotionally or physically hurt. However, public displays of affection make Anon uncomfortable. Mainly because he doesn't want other ponies to get the wrong idea. So, Celestia takes a step back as Anon sits back up.
"About that punishing whole Rainbow Dash thing, I don't think you should. Considering it was merely an accident. Besides, I'm sure the Lunar Guards around gave her a good thrashing. I'd say that's punishment enough," Anon announces.
"Fair enough. And which of my guards saved you?" Luna asks.
"Sergeant Major Lavender Petal and Sergeant Moon Shadow."
"Interesting. I see some promotions coming their way or even a medal."
"Sounds great. I think they'd appreciate that. Now, can someone help me back to my bedroom? I don't think I will make it far before collapsing."
Celestia smiles and offers her help. Anon hobbles over to the princess. He puts an arm across her back. In a bright yellow flash, Anon and Princess Celestia disappear.
It's Hearth's Warming Day. The snow gently falls on Canterlot. The sun has already set, and Luna's night has spread across the sky. Anon lays on his bed, reading Daring Do and the Armies of the Quartz Skeletons. Most of his friends are in the throne room at a Hearth's Warming party. A party that everponies' favorite party pony threw. Due to Anon disliking the holiday, he opted to stay in his room the entire day.
He mainly spent his day reading. The entire day, nopony bothered him. Not even the princesses came by to check on him. Primarily because he requested to be left alone. Princess Celestia didn't plead for Anon to partake in any day's activities; she just left him alone.
Anon enjoys the peace he has. He can do what he wants without having Tempest, Flash, or the princesses watching over him. However, as the hours drag on and the day gets darker, Anon's reading patterns change. Instead of reading the page from top to bottom and retaining the information, Anon scans the page. He gets the gist of the page and moves on to the next one. It took a while before Anon noticed this pattern. Soon, he gets out of bed and walks around to get the blood in his legs going. Eventually, his mind wanders. A lot of things come to his mind. Work, money, and books are among those things. The thought of his friends crossed his mind, as well. He wonders about their well-being and what they are doing right now. Eventually, Anon decides to use the bathroom before going back to reading.
He uses the bathroom and then walks back into the bedroom. As he picks up his book, he hears voices outside his door. It's Princess Celestia, Lavender Petal, and Moon Shadow. Anon opens his door. All three ponies look at Anon with surprise.
"What the hell is going on out here?" Anon asks.
"I came to see how you were doing," Princess Celestia replies.
"Oh. It's kinda lonely, to be completely honest."
Celestia frowns a bit. "Would you like some company? For a little bit, at least."
Anon rubs his now fully-grown beard. He considered Celestia's offer for a moment. Then, he nods his head.
"Sure. Why not. Moon Shadow and Lavender Petal take a two-hour break. The princess and I will need some privacy," Anon says.
The two guards squint at Anon suspiciously. He knows exactly what they're thinking. He rolls his eyes and tells them it wasn't a "Hearth's Warming romantic rendezvous." He knew that Celestia just wanted to talk. Lavender and Moon shrug and walk away. However, Lavender turns around and tells Anon no "rough stuff and to use protection." Anon slams his door shut.
"Bastardos cachondos," (Horny bastards) Anon grumbles.
Princess Celestia is sitting at the edge of Anon's bed, facing the window. He sits down next to her. They sit silent and watch the stars twinkle—a shooting star darts across the sky. Anon is tempted to make a wish, like he did when he was a kid, for old times' sake. He decides against it. He thinks he is beyond childish activities such as wising on a comet passing by the Earth.
"Did you know that stars in my dimension don't twinkle?" Anon asks.
"I did not," Celestia replies.
"An electromagnetic field protects the planet. It's like a giant energy field. The field bends the light given off by the stars, giving the impression that they twinkle. It's just an optical illusion, like a mirage in a desert," Anon explains.
"Doesn't that take away the magic and fun out of the night sky?"
Anon shrugs. "What you call magic, we call science."
Once again, they sit in silence. However, sitting in silence in the dark, looking at the night sky, isn't what Celestia came here for.
"Anon, what's going on with you?" she asks as she looks at Anon.
"What do you mean?"
"You've been pushing everypony away, aside from your guards, since Hearth's Warming season started. When we ask you what's wrong, you blow us off. You say you're fine and that there isn't anything wrong. Even a Royal Guard cadet can tell that's not true. What's wrong with you, Anon?"
Anon looks at Celestia. Her eyes are full of concern and worry. He feels a twinge of pain in his heart, and his stomach feels like it's been twisted into a tight knot. He wants to tell Celestia everything but doesn't want to burden her with his problems. The problems are his to bear and his alone. However, Anon decides it is best to tell her."
"What's wrong with me is that I hate Christman, Hearth's Warming. My parents spoiled my little brother with expensive gifts while I was given bullshit stocking stuffers. Not only that, I was forced to clean up after opening the gifts and the meals. I wasn't even allowed to celebrate with my friends. After years of that senseless bullshit, I have hated the holiday. I tried everything in my power to avoid it."
"And why didn't you tell anypony how you felt?"
Anon hangs his head.
"Because my problems aren't yours to bear. They are mine and mine alone. You have to worry about running a fucking kingdom. I didn't want my mental health to add to your worries. It's not fair to me to do that to you. Besides, you had Hearth's Warming festivities to plan for."
"Anon, look at me."
Anon returns his gaze to Celestia.
"First off, I already worry about you. I've worried about you since you risked your life for Sweetie Belle and got stabbed by that griffin. You are my friend, Anonymous. I believe I'm allowed to care about your mental health and well-being. Seeing you shut yourself off from everypony concerned me. Lastly, Anon, it is fair for you to share your burdens with me because I asked you to. You don't need to be so stubborn. It's not healthy to conceal your pain at all. Take Luna, for example. She concealed her pain for so long that she turned into Nightmare Moon. I'm not saying that will happen to you, but the concept is the same."
"You're right, Tia. I've hidden my pain and emotions for so long that it has become a habit. I practically have to force myself to talk. It may be easy for most ponies to talk about their feelings, but for men back home, it's not. People expect men to be protectors, strong, and brave. We get ridiculed and told to man up to admit our weaknesses. Shit, that was my life every day."
"That's so wrong."
"It is. My world is so fucked up. Misogynists treat women like shit. The good guys get passed over for pieces of shit in relationships. Some women treat men like replaceable objects, and people hate others because of their ethnic backgrounds."
"Your world is awful."
"Equestria is no different. The Canterlot elite treats others as second-class citizens, especially the thestrals. They treat non-ponies with disrespect and are cruel to them."
Celestia is silent. She hates to admit it, but Anon is right. She likes to think the best of her ponies but sees what he is talking about. Most of the elite don't even recognize her sister as a legitimate ruler of Equestria.
"I guess both worlds aren't perfect," Princess Celestia says.
"We can either sit around and act like nothing's happening, or you can do something about it. That's just a part of life," Anon adds. "Tia, thank you for coming and talking to me. It was nice to get that get off my chest."
"You're welcome, Anon. I'm glad you told me."
"I turned down therapy because I wanted my friends to help me, not some mare or stallion I don't trust or to be forced into meaningless activities. I'm wired that way. Why? I couldn't tell you."
"All of us are different, so it doesn't bother me."
Anon stands up and stretches his arms and legs. He grabs his knife, straps it to his belt, and puts on his jacket. Princess Celestia stands up with a confused look on her face.
He turns around with a raised eyebrow. "You coming?"
"Where?"
"To the party. Where else? Besides, Flasks and Mugs are closed for Hearth's Warming."
Princess Celestia stands up with a smile on her face. Anon opens the door and lets Celestia through first. She stops and gently kisses Anon's forehead. He freezes and puts his hand on his head.
"Please, don't do that again," Anon says flatly.
"Okay, fair enough," she replies, still smiling.
Anon closes the door behind him and walks down the hall with Princess Celestia. They walk in silence for a while before Anon decides to speak again.
"I swear to everything good and holy, if mistletoe hangs above the throne room door, I'm walking my green ass back to my room."
Princess Celestia laughs. "I'm sure you will, Anonymous. I'm sure you will."
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Daaamn! Nice to see a update
Thanks a lot!
11165412
You are welcome.
This should be "Anon replied" not "Blossom asks"
11165482
Okay. I'll fix that. Thank you so much for pointing that out.
In a big what? Hug?
This was a really good chapter, there are some things I would like to point out however. Now I'm not sure if I missed something or if this is something from the last chapter, but when did Anon start calling Tempest Mugs?
Also, I recommend that you take some time and read through the chapter with the sole purpose of finding errors. There weren't many spelling errors, but there were some instances were words were missing. When Anon was saved by the guards, the same guard that asked Anon if he was okay answered the question instead of Anon.
Usually I would quote some of these, but this was a long chapter and it's currently 02:34 for me at the moment and I should really be sleeping now.
Can't wait to see more updates in the future, wonder what's going to happen next. This has become one of my favorite Anon-fics and I really like how you're developing the relationship between Anon and Celestia.
11165522
Yeah. Idk why I keep missing words. Thanks.
11165537
You'r welcome. Did Rainbowdash get anger managment therapy? She literally inflicted heavy internal damage and almost commited murder.
11165533
The Mugs part was the name of the bar. And I'll check on the guards saving Anon bit. Thanks for pointing it out. And I get the 2:34 part. Thanks for pointing that out.
(After checking it out)
Yeah, I took a look. It's correct. I read over it 4 times. Idk what to say. Maybe I'm just dumb.
111655
Anon asked that she not be punished. I thought that no punishment kind of implied that anger management wasn't need.
Um no. Punishment please, that's assault. Way to nice
Thanks I-W-A for another awesome chapter. Lots of good character development, heart to heart talks, and action this chapter. I'm curious to see what happens next chapter with the consequences of RD's assault and near homicide of Anon, as well as the progression of Celestia's and Anon's relationship. Good luck with your next chapter, and as always have fun writing.
11165982
true, if she "accidentally" beat someone to the point they bloodied
I would gladly put RD in jail for a month
This is why I loved Tempest as a character. She acts more human than pony 80% of the time.
OK, this was a fun chapter to read, even though personally Rainbow Dash should get some sort of punishment for the shit she pulled. Seeing the guards mess with Anon about having sex with Celestia was hilarious as well!
touches
blank
unpunished
wishing
Something like this?