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- >"-ust isn't getting through... We're cut off from the outside world; assuming that there still is one to be cut off from."
- >Pulling yourself back into the waking world is a difficult task.
- >You'd like nothing more than to continue sleeping until this whole awful nightmare blows over.
- >But what about A-
- "Anon!"
- >Shooting up from your prone position; you whip your head around in a frenzy, trying to take in all of the faces in the room with you.
- >His isn't one of them.
- >A hoof on your wither startles you before you look back into the concerned magenta eyes of Rainbow Dash.
- >"He's not here..."
- >Feeling new tears welling up, you stare at the ground in misery as your friends gather around you.
- >"Fluttershy, we need to know what happened here. Neither of us can remember anything beyond staring out the window and seeing... You."
- >Spike nods along with his mother figure in apprehension.
- >"I only got here in time to see you giving yourself the staredown. I tried to help, but that thing must have a dragons skin or something!"
- >Do you tell them?
- >Tell your friends that the monster that has taken your Anon is the result of his fear for you?
- "I-it's... Not me. It c-couldn't be me. Twilight, can't you get the other Princesses to come and help us?"
- >She shakes her head worriedly; of course they would have already done so if it were possible.
- >"Whatever that darkness hanging over the town may be, it's swallowing up every letter that spike tries to send."
- >Looking over to your oldest friend, you try to appeal to her for aid; as much as it pains you to put her in potential danger.
- "C-can't you just fly through it and go straight to Canterlot?"
- >A look passes over her face that is almost as foreign as the look of confidence you saw on your own before you blacked out.
- >The element of loyalty; the bravest pegasus you know is afraid.
- >"There's something up there, Shy... Can't you feel it? It's gotta be bigger that the whole mountain below Canterlot, and I..."
- >Putting a comforting hoof on her back, you nod in understanding.
- >It isn't something to be risked unless absolutely necessary, if whatever that's in the sky above is enough to frighten her this way.
- >"Fluttershy, please, we need to know."
- >Looking back at the ground, you try to piece together what to tell your friends.
- >To give them any information that may be useful without...
- "That monster came in and s-stole Anon away... She says that if we want him back, we have to go and take him from her..."
- >Without condemning you for your thoughtless actions.
- >You swear that you didn't know.
- >Even seeing the way he acted, how could you have known it was because of you?
- >That your love was driving him to be so afraid...?
- >"Well there's no way she's keeping him. Come on, I say we go and kick her flank!"
- >The thought of action seems to have risen your prismatic friends' spirits.
- >Being able to do something; anything, would work as a distraction to the fear she's feeling.
- >"And where would we begin to look? I don't know if you've noticed, Rainbow, but the entire town is blanketed by this stuff! We have to go and make sure our friends are alright!"
- >Oh... You do hope everypone is safe.
- >And your little animal friends are staying cozy and warm back at the cotta-
- >Oh no...
- >"There's no time for that, we have to save Anon!"
- "GIRLS!!"
- >The argument that was beginning to form halts at your alarmed outburst; all eyes in the room moving over to you.
- "I think she took Anon to my cottage..."
- >Please Celestia, let your critters be alright...
- >"There ya go, Twilight, now let's head out!"
- >The alicorn shoots a glare at her before beginning to formulate a plan.
- >"We'll get there eventually. First, I need you to go check on Applejack at Sweet Apple Acres; you're the only one who can get all the way across town quickly enough. Fluttershy, you head to the Carousal Boutique and get Rarity; it's the nearest location so you should be alright to go alone. Spike and I will make our way to Sugarcube Corner to get Pinkie. We'll meet up in by the fountain in center of town, and head to Fluttershys' cottage together."
- >As much as Rainbow wants to argue, her sense of loyalty to her friends forces her to concede to the solid sounding plan.
- >Solid aside from the part where you have to venture out alone...
- Recommended listening
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMfoRqbS-Ko&
- "T-Twilight, I c-can't...!"
- >This is your responsibility as much as it is Anons and Twilights'; you even swore that you would help Anon in his time of need, but this is just...
- >Nothing like this has ever happened before.
- >Even Nightmare Moons fabled eternal night still had her shining namesake hanging in the sky.
- >The taint of Sombras' dark magic was nothing compared to what you felt when you started into those dead eyes...
- >"I know, Fluttershy, and I'm sorry to have to ask this of you... But we need you to be brave, your friends are counting on you."
- >Backing into a wall, you shake your head and tremble at the very thought of stepping hoof into that miasma of evil.
- >"I'll go with her, Twilight! You're a Princess, I'm sure you can handle anything you find out there."
- >Looking over to the dragon, you can see him proudly sticking out his chest as he offers his assistance.
- >"Rarity must be super scared too!"
- >You don't have a choice in the matter; you certainly won't be staying here by yourself.
- >Though he's not coming for your sake, you feel just slightly better knowing you won't have to go alone.
- >Gathering every bit of courage you posses, you set your hooves and nod.
- "I'll g-go... For Anon..."
- >Holding your shaky hoof out, Twilight trots to your side and rests her own atop it.
- >Rainbow cracks a nervous grin as she does the same, and Spike's claw lays over all.
- >"Alright girls, remember. The fountain in the center of town; we'll all meet up there as soon as everypone is collected."
- >With a nod from each of you, you all start towards the front door.
- >Pulling it open, you notice the light patter of rain beginning to hit the ground outside in slanted needles.
- >You can barely make out the nearest houses from the small flames glowing from within.
- >Beyond is just a never ending sea of black.
- >Twilights' horn begins to glow, and from it comes several small balls of light; one for each group.
- >They act much as a lantern would; illuminating the area immediately around you, but shining no further than the size of the room you were just in.
- >"This is a Will o' The Wisp spell, it should be enough to light the way for you."
- >A deep groaning rumble comes from above you that shakes your very bones.
- >It almost sounds like thunder; if thunder were alive and capable of being in agonizing pain.
- >There's a feeling like heavy pressure bearing down on you from the sky, and you immediately recognize what Rainbow was earlier referring to.
- >It's as though a mountain were falling down, and there's nowhere that you could possibly gallop to fast enough to escape being crushed into dust by it's awesome weight.
- >"W-well... Here we go."
- >The pegasus in question takes off while being sure to stay as low to the ground as possible; her little ball of light following behind and growing dimmer the further she gets.
- >Twilight too begins to trot into the distance after a quick nod to you and Spike.
- >"Alright, let's get going. Rarity doesn't live all that far from here."
- >Looking down at the little dragon at your side, you shakily nod your head and begin to move out into the rain.
- "Oooooh, why does it have to be so dark...?"
- >Trotting down the path leading further into town, you see a few pones looking out through their windows at you in apprehension.
- >What you wouldn't give to be safe inside with them...
- >"Yeah, where did the sun go, anyway?"
- >Another thundering reverberation from above sends you panicking to the ground with your hooves over your head.
- >"...And what keeps making that noise?"
- >You could honestly care less what it is, as long as it stays up there where you can't see it.
- >Feeling a claw tapping your head, you look up to see Spike smiling down at you and chuckling in amusement; the rain bouncing harmlessly off his scales.
- "H-how can you l-laugh at a time like this...?"
- >Puffing out his chest once more, he pounds a fist to it smugly.
- >"I'm a big strong dragon, remember? I'm the scariest thing out here for sure."
- >He doesn't know, he didn't look into her eyes.
- >Rising to your hooves, you slowly continue on your way before a sudden chill calls you to a stop once more.
- >Looking behind you, you can make out what appears to be a pair of eyes on the very edge of your light source.
- >They aren't like hers in that they seem to be looking at you, instead of through you.
- >Where her gaze was a raw contempt drilling through you just for being alive; this is more like the lecherous stare of a peeping tom.
- >Your tail flicks about nervously trying to hide your more delicate parts, but this only seems to further intensify their scrutiny.
- >"What's wrong, Fluttershy?"
- >Beginning to canter once more next to a confused Spike, a little more quickly than before; you glance back repeatedly to see those terrible eyes are following you.
- "D-don't you see t-them...?"
- >Looking slightly apprehensive, the dragon scans the gloom behind you.
- >"I don't see anything... What's there, what do you see?
- >That's not possible; another look behind telling you that there are several more pairs of eyes alongside the first set.
- >How can he not see them?
- "Eyes, Spike! Can't you s-see them, they're right behind us...!"
- >Seeming a little calmer now, he continues to look into the rainy darkness behind as you speed up to a gallop.
- >"There's nothing there, Flu- Hey, wait for me!"
- >You can see them all around you now, balefully staring down at you through the cloudburst; even from above.
- >Piercing into the very center of your being from every angle, and wishing to reach out and touch; taste what they see there.
- >"FLUTTERSHY!"
- >Stopping at his sharp call; you wait for him to catch up to your light while whipping your head around in panic.
- >...To see nothing.
- >The eyes have vanished into the shadows, as though they never even existed in the first place.
- >"What the hay was that about!?"
- >As he leans over to catch his breath, you continue to stare out into the pitch black distance in shock.
- "T-they were there... Please b-believe me..."
- >Your quiet plea is drowned out by the heavy patter of water all around you.
- >The light rain has turned into a downpour over the course of your trek, but luckily you're very close to your destination.
- >Another deep rumbling; like thousands of raging voices from the sky prompts you to toss the baby drake onto your back and make haste to the doorstep of Carousal Boutique.
- >In the darkness and rain, it takes on a macabre light that would normally have you running in the opposite direction; if not for the knowledge that your friend waits within.
- >A streak of lightning blazes through the air for the first time; and for just an instant you catch a glimpse of what is hiding in the blackness above.
- >"Butterflies..."
- >An uncountable number of them, trailing through the sky in a massive undulating wave that goes on further in every direction than you would be able to see even with decent lighting; like an endless leviathan slithering forward in constant motion.
- >Having been outside for far longer than you find comfortable, you quickly slip into the building that serves as Rarity's shop and home.
- Recommended listening
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwNAwkulMF0&
- >"Rarity? It's us!"
- >The pale light of your wisp shines through the empty room, showing no trace of your friend.
- >Slowly trotting forward, you glance around in nervous expectancy while water drips down onto the pristine floor.
- >You've never been in here alone before, especially after dark.
- >The mareequins and mirrors reflect the glow of Twilights' spell in an ominous fashion; you don't see how anypony would want to live in a place like this.
- >"Where do you think she is, Fluttershy?"
- >Hopping off your back; Spike begins rifling through the racks of clothing, as if she'd be hiding behind them.
- "I don't know, m-maybe in her room upstairs...?"
- >Wishful thinking, but anything to get you out of this room...
- >Perhaps not as wishful as you had imagined; for no sooner than the words leave your mouth do you hear the sound of something clattering to the floor from up above.
- >"Rarity!"
- >Spike takes off waddling up the stairs as quickly as his legs can carry him.
- >Beginning to follow; you are stopped short by a quiet mumbling coming from behind you.
- >It sounds like Anon; but like he's standing on the other side of a wall or door...
- "...Anon, is that you?"
- >Turning around, you try to pinpoint where the hollow voice is coming from.
- >The only occupants you can make out in the room are the mareequins...
- >Stepping closer to them, you see the single human shaped... Mannequin that Rarity keeps for designing Anons' clothes.
- >It stands perfectly still and lifeless, as it should.
- >But the closer you get, the more sure you are that the sound is coming from within it.
- "Anon...?"
- >The ambient light of your wisp dies; giving way to the creeping veil of darkness.
- "W-wh-!!"
- >Alone with the constant; insane mumbling, you begin to back away slowly.
- >A flash of lighting rips through the inky blackness to reveal that the mannequin has taken the same pose that Anon was in; somehow sitting on the floor with its' face in its' hands.
- >The light fades away as sobbing begins to mix in with the mumbles, sounding more and more like Anon did just before she came for him.
- "A-anon, please...!"
- >Stepping away blindly, you try to find the stairs and escape this nightmare to the safety of your friends.
- >Another flash of light reveals the mareequines in the room have turned to face the sobbing mannequin.
- >It's sobbing intensifies slowly into a panicked crying as your vision fades once more.
- >Backpedaling quickly, you keep your front to the noise in an effort to remain ready to fend off an attacker in your unseeing state.
- >Once more the lightning returns to show that the mareequines have formed a tight circle around the thing with Anons' voice, and are leaning down to it; almost as if to nuzzle against it lovingly.
- >The sobs in the dark have turned into hysterical weeping; the sound of a creature in fear for it's very life and soul.
- "Please stop it!"
- >The feeling of something against your back causes you to scream with all the volume you can muster.
- >"Darling, please calm down!"
- >Blinking away the tears, you realize that the wisp is floating above you just as before, and the crying has given way to the thundering deluge of rain outside.
- >Looking around the room in terror, you find that the mareequines and mannequine are in their original positions.
- >You turn to your friend and break down into sobs of your own; crying fiercely into her neck.
- >"There there; whatever put you in such a state, dear...?"
- >She gently strokes your back as you try to regain your senses.
- >"She was acting like this outside too; said something was watching her."
- >You're tired of this, you just want to go home and cuddle up with Angel bunny with a nice cup of tea...
- >"There's nothing here, Fluttershy. Goodness; I nearly fainted when I saw you crawling about down here like you'd seen a ghost."
- >How could she have seen anything in that darkness?
- >Why didn't they hear the mannequin crying like you did?
- >"Come now, darling; Spike has told me all about what's been going on, and we really should be heading out to meet up with the other girls if you think you're able."
- >Sniffling to yourself and drying your eyes, you slowly nod.
- >You don't want to be here anymore.
- >"Let me just get some umbrellas to keep us out of this dreadful rain."
- >Accepting the small bit of protection that it will provide against the forces of nature, you once more step out into the pummeling rain as it beats a savage rhythm into the ground around you.
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