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- >Happy Halloween.
- >Well, Nightmare Night.
- >It works pretty much the same way.
- >But you consider yourself a more mature person, rather not partaking in all the candy begging festivities.
- >It has nothing to do with your custom made adventurer costume not arriving at all.
- >Nor that fact that you do the exactly same thing with Pinkie every day.
- >NEVERTHELESS.
- >You find yourself wandering around town with your equine friends, all of them clad in their own disguises.
- >Twilight, whom you met first, was in a home-made costume of Princess Celestia.
- >She even dyed her mane and got the crown and all.
- >The resemblance is uncanny.
- >On a closer inspection, it actually looks exactly like Celestia’s!
- >The crown is too big for her, acting more of a weighted headband.
- >If that made any sense.
- >Her straight, (and usually) slightly billowy mane is forced down, covering most of Twilight’s sight.
- >She tumbles into every ditch and curvature on the ground; without Spike, she’d be dead.
- >Speaking of that little prick, he’s in his old dragon costume; he probably had no time to prepare for himself.
- >It was a thorn on his side.
- >You push off the puns away for the moment, focusing on the on-goings.
- >Twilight blindly charges into some random street, and you see another pony jump in.
- >”Waaaait up, princess! Your star pupil comes!” The pony goes on her tip toes, before following Twilight.
- >Waaaait a minute.
- >To your surprise, it is Celestia, out of her normal attire and accessory.
- >She straightened her mane and added some new streaks, mostly purple.
- >And a bit of Magenta.
- >She also had her entire white coat painted purple, just like Twilight.
- >The cutie mark needs work, but you’d rather not stare at her flank for too long.
- >Celestia- who is now Twilight- prances in circles, obviously enjoying herself.
- >”Wheeee!” She goes, before heading her way.
- >Cadence follows her aunt’s suit, but moving in a rather odd pattern.
- >First of all, she’s on her hind legs, making gestures with her front.
- >She is also painted purple, her mane styled into a Mohawk in green.
- >You didn’t even know you could style those kinds of manes.
- >Cadence keeps muttering to herself, mostly petty complains about having to ‘ship’ things.
- >And something about having a name of a common pug.
- >You’d like to ask what is going on, but you’re afraid you’ll be sucked into the situation.
- >You decide the best thing to do now is to check what everyone else is doing.
- >Leaving the odd bunch to their… ‘things’, you turn towards Applejack, who is surprisingly not wearing a costume.
- >You approach her water boarding stand, surprisingly filled with apples.
- >”Heya sugarcube! No fancy-shmancy costume?”
- “I would say the same, didn’t get yours as well?”
- >Applejack seems confused for a second, before forcing a smile.
- >”But, ah AM in costume, Anon.”
- >Now it’s your turn to be confused.
- >After a while of staring, you finally get it.
- >Silly Anon, it’s a joke.
- “Ohoho, you got me there, Applejack.” You tap her hat once.
- >”Ah’m serious, Anon! I am in costume! I’m an orange farmer!”
- “But you look exactly the same!”
- >”Nope, I got this ‘ere orange leaf on mah hat! Can’t ‘tah see it?” She waggles her head in sheer excitement.
- >Of course, an orange farmer.
- >Everyone would’ve guessed that.
- >Before you could muster up some comeback to the statement, another pony jumps in.
- >”Hey, Anonymous!” another scratchy voice calls out to you.
- >Ah, this voice.
- >You know who this was.
- >You turn to the direction of the voice, expecting a very familiar color.
- >And yet, another pony stands before you, sporting a strange hat.
- >The odd lack of colors of her mane catches your eyes immediately, not some popular primary color, nor any saturated secondary color.
- >Just… Black and grey.
- >The same, familiar irises stared back at you, but everything else was… off.
- >She had tan coat, with a sage green shirt above it.
- >You also notice a cutiemark of… a compass?
- >”Gee Anon, should I style my mane like this every time? You seem to be –enjoying- this.”
- >You snap back into reality, blushing over the laugher of the two mares.
- >”Aw, you got ‘em good, Rainbow! See ‘em blushin; an’ all!”
- >Rainbow Dash laughed harder, just making it worse on your part.
- “Rainbow?” You ask.
- >”Well, who else?” Rainbow stops laughing.
- “What are you supposed to be?”
- >Now it is Dash’s turn to look completely shocked.
- >”Oh boy, here it comes.” Applejack sighs.
- >”How can you NOT know who Daring Do is?! She’s like- the BEST character EVER!” Dash shouts.
- >At this point, she’s practically spitting at your face.
- >You calmly wipe the moisture off your face, noticing Dash has calmed down considerably.
- >”You should TOTALLY read the books, they are amazing!” She adds.
- “Sure.” You respond flatly, more interested in moving onto the festivities.
- >”Anyway, let’s go around!” Dash exclaims.
- >Took the words right out of your mouth.
- “Indeed, let us be!” You begin to make your way towards the town centre, slowly filling up with ponies.
- >Dash follows after you right away, before turning to Applejack one last time.
- >”Oh, and AJ, nice Orange farmer costume.” Dash points at her hat.
- >GAH.
- >Of course, the event starts with Mayor Mare giving some pun-riddled speech about the ‘meaning’ of Nightmare Night and so on and so forth.
- >Dash, being her attention span drained pony, immediately moves away from the words, and skip right into the festivities.
- >She first gets you to play this pumpkin flinging game, with the objective of hitting some target a few meters away.
- >As you load the orange, plump fruit onto a miniature catapult.
- >Springing it back, you slowly take aim whilst accounting for the trajectory of the pumpkin and-
- >You have to admit, you are talking out of your ass right now.
- >And seeing how ponies around you seem to be enjoying watching pumpkins explode (and those ‘odd’ fillies on the work of tying up this anti-social and fat pony to the target structure), you just can’t but to think;
- >How macabre.
- >Placing that thought aside, you carefully aim the catapult again.
- >The object flies straight through the air, and lands with a satisfying splat on the target.
- >EXUBERANCE!
- >Screw the pumpkin rights, this is fun!
- >You unload the third shot and it is another hit.
- >You’re getting cocky; you bet Mrs. Cake’s ass you are the best as of now.
- >Alas, before you can call up other ponies to challenge their skills, you are dragged away by Rainbow.
- >The next game she takes you to is another lobbing game; you see ponies throwing some black doll to a net of spider web.
- “Are all kinds of games here involves throwing things at other things? That’s surprisingly boring.”
- >”You’re boring.”
- “I’ll ‘bore’ you.”
- >”What?”
- “Sorry, Freudian slip.”
- >Dash ignored it, due part in not knowing what a ‘Freudian slip’ is, and the fact that you didn’t let her to pursue on the subject.
- “Fine, I’ll bite.” You put your hand at Dash’s direction, asking for some throwing objects.
- >”That’s the spirit!” She exclaims, and throws a doll to your hand.
- >It lands with a squeak.
- >You clutch on it, and put it up and take your aim.
- >You hesitate; the web seems pretty far away.
- >Putting your hand down, you rethink on how you should send this item flying.
- >Trajectory and whatnot.
- >… Velocity.
- >… Gravitational pull.
- >Yeah.
- >All that physiological stuff like that.
- >IS THAT A ROCK? How interesting.
- >”What’s wrong, Anon? Can’t throw a doll straight?” Dash prods.
- “Buzz off Dash, I got this.” You squint your eyes, and grip on the doll harder.
- >Its many appendages rub on your skin.
- >Hold on a second…
- >You quickly peek down, seeing eight red beads of eyes staring at you.
- >Two fangs poked from the curve that was its mouth.
- >It was the Leviathan, the Behemoth, the Death itself.
- >’Tis the judge, the jury, the executioner.
- >The dreaded spider.
- >Your hands fly up, and fingers quickly spring away.
- >The jet black spider flies across the air, and lands unceremoniously on the ground.
- >You quickly grab the nearest unicorn (which was Twilight) and held her up with both of your arms.
- >”Anon! What are you doing?” Twilight protests.
- >You ignore it, and position the mare so that her horn pointed at the demon.
- “This means nothing between us, princess.” You whisper, before rubbing her horn quickly.
- >Twilight’s struggle dies down, and her gasps of shock are replaced with moans of unknown intent.
- >Purple glow begins to fill your hands, wrapped around her horn.
- >Every pony looks on with fear and… blushes?
- >After a few minutes, you finally stop, and let go.
- >All the magic gathered discharges at the doll.
- >All that is left is just the charred ground.
- >You drop Twilight on the spot, and look around.
- >Ponies circle around you, looking as if they witnessed a murder.
- >You look down to Twilight, who is curled into a fetal position, shivering like mad.
- >But she’s smiling.
- >You look up again, seeing a much different expression on all the mares.
- >Even some unicorn stallions.
- >Celestia, in her Twilight costume, look on is complete joy, pointing at her own horn.
- >You back away slowly, Dash already opening up a path for you.
- >Silence hangs in the air like death; only thing anyone can hear is Twilight’s ragged breaths.
- >You slowly take steps towards an opening, pushing through.
- >You take one last look at Twilight, until she jumps up, her eye in a crazed case of lazy eye.
- >”THAT WAS GREAT!” She shouts out. “I WANT MORE.”
- >And with that, the crowd erupts into a mud pile, all coming at YOU.
- >Dash rears up her gears, and bulldozes her way through the lesser athletic mares.
- >You are right behind her, not losing a beat.
- >You do not want to imagine what would happen if you did.
- >You turn around to watch out for any daring ponies.
- >You only see Celestia coming at you with the biggest shit-eating grin you ever saw.
- >The look on her eyes…
- >You will never sleep well again.
- >You and Dash run into the nearest building, hoping to find refuge there.
- >The ponies pile in anyway, and both Dash and you separate, running into a maze of mirrors.
- >So it’s a house of mirrors.
- >Brilliant.
- >You take several rights, because left is just too predictable.
- >You find a corner, and hide in there.
- >You watch the entry with a mirror, trying to minimize your own visibility.
- >You hear agitated shouts from mares from over the walls.
- >Then, the mirror you are watching cracks.
- >You jump back, and then you see it.
- >Lyra, her horn glowing minty green, slowly making her way towards you.
- >Luckily, the glow itself obscures most of the reflection, still keeping you hidden.
- >After running straight into a mirror wall, Lyra stumbles out, going off again into some direction.
- >Rainbow ran through the paths, searching for Anon.
- >She would dare not call for him, lest Anon be discovered.
- >Taking silent steps, she peeked through a corner.
- >Great, more mares.
- >They actually spotted her right away, but gave no attention to her.
- >They were more focused on finding Anon and his magical hands.
- >Dash still tried to keep up her stealth, ignoring the fact that she is already found.
- >Crawling on the ground, Dash was in her zone.
- >For now, she was Daring Do.
- >Daring Do rolled from a cover to her next, hiding from the guards.
- >They looked on as they heard a noise, but they saw nothing.
- >Soon forgetting it, the guards went on their patrols, chatting with themselves.
- >Daring smirked; idiots, she thought.
- >Peeking over, she made sure no other guards watched by.
- >The cursed adventures of the past, forever bound to serve the dark mother.
- >The Hollows.
- >Those poor unicorns, all under the spell of the artifact known as the ‘Hand of the Human’.
- >Every adventurer fell to it, but Daring was sure she wouldn’t be affected.
- >She deducted the most important fact.
- >They all had horns.
- >She didn’t.
- >Hoping her lack of magic would save her, Daring continued through the maze.
- >The walls of the looking glass often confused her in her path, having her run into many of the cold, hard walls.
- >Soldiering on, Daring passed the final turn she thought will contain the artifact.
- >But, as she turned, she was faced with thousands of herself staring back at her.
- >She backed away immediately, but she just realized it was the glass wall, cracked.
- >She studied the crack, seeing the charred mark of magic.
- >Daring turned over to see any other guards.
- >None are to be seen, the coast is clear.
- >Feeling safe, she relaxed.
- >Suddenly, something grabbed her from the darkness.
- >Covering her mouth and grabbing he stomach, it pulled her in, despite her struggles.
- >As Daring neared the centre, she struggled ore and more.
- >But a voice called out to her, which immediately soothed her.
- “Dash!” You whisper, shaking the surprised mare.
- >You can hear Dash saying a muffled ‘Anon?’ under your hand.
- >You let go, letting her talk.
- >”Oh thank Celestia, Anon, come on, let’s get outta here.”
- >That is completely sane plan.
- >You nod.
- “Alright.”
- >Placing the artifact inside her pack and securing it, Daring immediately took off, intending to escape as soon as possible.
- >But as soon as she is out of cover, she heard the ear-piercing shrieks of the guards.
- >Daring only sped up, not wanting to find out what will happen to captives.
- >She only caught glance of the dark mother, snarling with her fangs drawn.
- >Daring was now running through a single corridor.
- >Bolts of energy and magic shot past her, cracking the glass walls.
- >Daring could see some light coming from the end; she’s so close now…
- >A stinging sensation ran through the back of her head, and Daring was suddenly off her hooves.
- >She flew right into a wall, slamming into a mirror hard.
- >The mirror dislodged with the impact, falling over her.
- >Luckily, the secondary supports managed to keep it up- just barely.
- >Dash’s head spun, everything felt so numb.
- >She couldn’t feel her hooves for a while, and she couldn’t remember what is going on.
- >Where was she? How did she get there?
- >A ring was in her ears, blocking out any noise for the moment.
- >Shit.
- >You freeze, seeing your friend knocked right to the wall.
- >The mirror shakes and falls over her, only to be stopped by something.
- >It is now angled over her.
- >You immediately rush over, calling out her name.
- “Dash! Rainbow Dash! You alright?”
- >She grunts, slowly lifting her hooves around.
- >She finally looks to you, looking slightly pained.
- >Why isn’t she responding?
- >Oh wait.
- >She’s ‘in character’.
- >Explains her strange narration that pretty much attracted everyone’s attention.
- >You sigh, having to comply with her role-play.
- “Daring do.” You say, barely motivated.
- >”Oh dear, have I hit her too hard?” Celestia pokes out from behind you.
- “Daring Do?” You call out once more.
- >Her senses slowly recovered, the feeling was restored to her hooves.
- >The ringing stopped, but the questions remained.
- >Where was she? How did she get there?
- >WHO was she?
- >The mirror above her showed the tan mare in an odd hat and clothes, along with the grey-black mane.
- >She was…
- >I was…
- >”Daring Do!” A voice called out.
- >Looking over a strange creature, kept calling towards her.
- >Daring Do?
- >Is that my name?
- >Taking the knowledge, Daring Do fell unconscious.
- >”Oh my.” Celestia echoed.
- >You turn a scornful look towards everyone.
- “No need to take it that far, sheesh.” You say, while holding Dash up.
- >The mares shrug, each holding a playful smile.
- “Come on, we better take her to a hospital.”
- >Celestia suddenly hoists you on her back, and flies out of the building.
- >”Allow me.” She smiles.
- >You are barely holding on, even more so with Dash in your arms.
- >”You know, while you’re up here…”
- “No, I will not rub your horn.”
- >”Darn.”
- >The ponies in the hospital are quick to their work, doctors immediately rushing to Rainbow’s aid.
- >The doctor assures you it is just minor concussion; Rainbow took Celestia’s paralysis spell to the head.
- >You don’t worry too much, and return to the festivities of the night.
- >Well that, and being forced to give horn rubs for all mares.
- >Anon, you might have secured a new job.
- >And so the night passes just like that, the final note ending in a grand party for Luna.
- >Everyone got stuffed on candy and cake, drank too much cider.
- >You took some home, promising Pinkie you’ll give it to Rainbow.
- >Pinkie seemed ecstatic in her dinosaur costume, handing you a bottle of cider and a bag full of candy.
- >Pinkie then thought for a moment, and then added an extra bottle since Dash loved cider so much.
- >Taking note of Dash’s drink preference, you took every item in your arms and headed home.
- >Once at the door, you are faced with the next problem.
- >Opening it.
- >While you dug through your pockets for the key, your feet hit something.
- >You could barely make out what it was, due to the fact that you had enough food to feed a family for a week.
- >Oh, and the dark.
- >That too.
- >Barely lodging the key on the door, you begin to use your foot in trying to move the key.
- >WHY WOULD YOU EVEN LOCK DOORS IN MAGICAL PONYLAND?
- >THEIR SECRET WEAPON IS PEACE AND HUGGING.
- >WHY WOULD YOU FEAR PETTY THIEVERY?
- >The relieving click of the lock opening goes off.
- >Calling out to the heavens in pure joy, you do a downwards kick and open the door.
- >You walk in, remembering to not step on the box by your doorsteps.
- >Placing the food on the counter, you walk back out, both heart and arms lighter.
- >You pick up the box, medium sized, fitting right into your arms.
- >You have the chance to see the sticker on the side.
- >’Joe’s Costume Warehouse’
- >Oh, NOW they deliver it.
- >You see your name scribbled under it, along with ‘CUSTOM FIT’.
- >That made you feel fat.
- >You kick the door behind you, closing it.
- >You place the box next to the pile of candy.
- >You then place the cider in the fridge.
- >Better keep those cool for tomorrow.
- >You look over to the candy, and cringe.
- >You’re not picking through that.
- >Taking a lollipop on your mouth, you direct your attention to the box.
- >You jump to the sofa, holding the box with you.
- >You immediately begin to tear into the package, wanting to see your costume.
- >The first thing you see is an odd hat, a hat which is just too familiar.
- >Ah, it’s the one Rainbow wore today!
- >You put on the hat and pull out your shirt.
- >It is an olive green collared shirt, two buttoned breast pockets attached to the chest.
- >It feels like a sturdy material.
- >You also get that ‘new shirt’ smell, which you instantly hate.
- >But hey, what are you gonna do?
- >Placing that aside, you pull out the shorts.
- >You put it over your pants, checking its size.
- >Amazing how they got the measurements right.
- >Good thing Rarity was there to make sure every millimeter was clear.
- >It touches your knees, a decent length.
- >You see many of its baggy pockets here and there, all in the same olive green color.
- >You pull up a tag attached to the clothes, reading;
- >’Daring Do for colts!’
- >Well, fuck.
- >You drop the hat and the clothes back into the box, and go over to your bed.
- >Last thing you need today is a long sleep.
- >Wait; better brush your teeth first, because you are a responsible adult.
- >You prepare to visit Dash upon waking, hopping into the shower immediately.
- >Yes, they have visiting hours.
- >And yes, Anon is a naughty over-sleeper.
- >As you grab your usual set of clothing, you pass by the costume again.
- >For a moment, you weigh the pros and cons of wearing the costume today.
- >You look over your boring old clothes, and then the shiny new costume.
- >Without a doubt, you go with the costume.
- >Because that is just how humans work.
- >Besides, Dash will appreciate the fact that you have the same costume with her.
- >Placing the drinks and candy in the box, you leave your home, clad in your costume.
- >Have you ever wondered why the November wind is so cold?
- >Well, you do now.
- >You immediately have goosebumps over your legs, the cold taking you by surprise.
- >But you manage anyway, and continue your merry way with the box.
- >Why the box?
- >Well, you never expected the hospital staff letting you in there with an armful of sweets.
- >You quickly dash (heh) towards the Ponyville General, often smiling back at ponies who notice your costume.
- >Once you enter the hospital, you are greeted with a strange sight.
- >Five very familiar ponies are shouting like mad at the doctors.
- >All of them look very distressed.
- >The glass door slides open, and every noise just rushes at you.
- >Rarity and Twilight shouting gibberish at the petrified doctor; Applejack chatting with Fluttershy; and Pinkie just being a major discomfort.
- >You step inside, and see no other ponies in the area.
- >You clear your throat.
- “Ahem.”
- >The room just stops in its track, everyone going silent.
- >The entry of a human holding a box in a hat and shorts tend to do that.
- “Hi.” You say, casually making your way towards Dash’s room.
- >Their eyes follow you, all of them still frozen in the strange poses.
- >As you grab the doorknob, you hear Twilight (She still haven’t let go of the tiara) call out.
- >”No!”
- >As you open the door, you are immediately knocked to the ground.
- >”You cannot keep me here! I have to adventure!” the weight above you exclaims.
- >Your eyes immediately focus on Dash, still in her costume.
- ”Da-“
- >Another adventurer! We must get outta here!” Dash cuts you off.
- >You’d laugh, but the look on her eyes immediately silences you.
- >Dash jumps off, and begins to gnaw and pull on your shirt sleeve.
- >”We have to go!” She yells through her teeth.
- >You get to your feet, and blindly follow her.
- >Pushing through the double doors, Dash knocks down Redheart.
- “Sorry!” You call after her, as the pony wonders what happened.
- >Dash then runs into a supply closet, quickly shutting the door close as soon as you enter.
- >”Quick! We need to find a way out!” She shouts, holding back the door with her weight.
- >You take her order right away, and scan around the small room.
- >It’s a supply closet.
- >Other than a small window, you can only see a few cleaning supplies here and there.
- >Those things aside, you are horrified at the fact that you just left a nice supply of sweets and cider.
- >THINK OF THE CHILDREN IN AFRICA.
- >THE STARVING BABBIES.
- >Dash suddenly flies to the window, and opens it.
- “You don’t expect me to go through that, do you?” You point at the small window.
- >Dash looks at it, and then back to you.
- >”Is there a problem?”
- >You sigh and turn to get to the door.
- >Opening it, you gently step out and begin making your way towards the lobby.
- >”Idiot! What are you doing?!” Dash shouts, latching onto your back immediately.
- >”You’re leading us straight to them!”
- “… Idiot?”
- >”Well yes, I supposed you should be called such, being so stupid. Now, COME ON!”
- >She tries to pull you back with her wings, but alas, you are too heavy for her.
- >The very same scene happens, five of the elements simply freezing in place with the doctors.
- >Their heated argument stops immediately.
- >The eyes follow you once more, studying every movement you make.
- >You don’t forget to grab the box as you leave, the glass door sliding open.
- >The whole time Dash is on you like a spider, crawling all over just to hide herself from the sight.
- >You keep a straight face, heading home right away.
- >Once home, Dash jumps off and locks every lock you have, and looks over the peephole.
- >You put the box down, and take out a bottle of cider from it.
- >Dash is also scouting all around the house, closing blinds and windows.
- >When she feels safe, she finally rests on the couch.
- >By then, you have produced two glasses of cider for the two of you.
- “Cider?”
- >She slaps it out of your hands.
- >”No! Are you crazy? You could’ve gotten us killed!”
- “Oh please Dash, enough with the-“
- >”And who’s Dash?”
- >You look over her in confusion, your glass in hand.
- “You are.”
- >To this, Dash laughs heartily.
- >”Me? ‘Dash’? You see, my name is- is- Daring Do, the greatest archaeologist Equestria has ever seen!”
- >He words fall flat on your face.
- “Riiight. And I’m Victor Von Bourne, a local adventurer.”
- >”Really? A fellow adventurer? Nice to meet you, Victor.” She extends a hoof.
- >You don’t think she got your sarcasm.
- >You decide to play along, seeing how long this charade can last.
- >And you should know; you are the most sarcastic person in Ponyville.
- “So, what brings you to this small town, fellow adventurer?” You offer your other glass. “Cider?”
- >Dash finally accepts the drink, taking a small sip.
- >”I’m not sure, I just woke up, and bam, right in the hospital.”
- “Interesting.” You say, as you go grab the mop from the bathroom.
- >Better clean up the mess she made.
- >That’s thirteen bits Dash owed you.
- >”Say, would you mind to answer a question?”
- “Shoot.”
- >”What brings you here? And if I may, what are you?”
- “Well.” You clear your throat. “I’m a human, one of the last of my kind.”
- >That better not stain.
- “And I’m in this small town in search of a treasure.”
- >”Treasure? Dash perks up.
- “Why yes, have you heard of the lost castle at the very depths of the forest here?”
- >Okay Anon, stop pulling this shit out of your ass.
- “Well, I’ve heard rumors about it, I was about to consult the local librarian.”
- >No, stop it, it’s not funny.
- >”Is that so? Do you mind if I joined you in this adventure?”
- “Are you sure? It is full of peril! Danger! Destruction! D-D- … Did I say peril?”
- >”Danger? Destruction? Peril? I don’t think you know who you are speaking to, human! I am Daring Do! The most unstoppable pony in all of Equestria! I. Am. In!”
- >Damn.
- “Uhhh, very well then! It is your life, after all. Now, I must- Uhhh- arrange a meeting with the librarian! I need you to wait here.”
- >”Got it.” Dash immediately lies on the couch. “I believe I earned some rest.”
- >And with that, she is out like a light.
- >You rush to the door, not bothering to change your clothes.
- >As soon as you undo the lock and flip the door open, you are face with the five ponies.
- >”Ano-“
- “Shhh!” You silence them, pushing them back and closing the door behind you.
- >”Anon! What is going on?”
- “I have no idea. But I think Dash lost it. She thinks she’s Daring Do now!”
- >”Oh my.” Fluttershy squeaks.
- “And apparently, I’m Victor von Bourne now!”
- >”Say that again, pard’ner?” Applejack asks.
- >Rarity chimes in as well, a smile working up her face.
- >You sigh.
- “Victor von Bourne.”
- >All five bursts into laughter, for getting the situation for the moment.
- “Yeah yeah, laugh it up, girls.”
- >”Oh wow.” Twilight wipes a tear from her eye.
- >”Alright, *Victor*, what’s wrong with Rainbow?” Twilight asks.
- “I have no idea. She seems to be completely convinced that she is some character.”
- >”Have you tired telling her she is Rainbow?”
- “If that worked, we wouldn’t be in this position.”
- >”Hmmm, this is strange. I need to look it up in the library.” Twilight rubs a hoof to her chin.
- “Twi, wait.”
- >”What now, Anon? I need to check this quickly!”
- “I also sorta told her I’m on an adventure.”
- >”What?” The five ponies are about to crack up again.
- “I mentioned something about the abandoned castle in the Everfree and all…”
- >Twilight slaps her face.
- >”Alright… I’ll look for something for you to hunt in there.”
- “Wait, you want me to play along?”
- >Twilight is already making her way.
- >”Yeah! We don’t want her causing another episode, do you?”
- >You pause.
- “Wait, what if this is all a joke she’s pulling?” You ask.
- >”Then we’ll play along!” Twilight replies sharply. “Besides, I’m sure something else is a problem here.”
- “Sure, you go do that.”
- >Other ponies bid you luck and say their farewells.
- >Damn backstabbers.
- >They could’ve at least offered their futile help or something.
- >You sigh and return to your home.
- >You might as well try to SUBTLY convince she’s Dash.
- >You don’t even know why you bother, at this point; you might as well feed her aspirin and call it a day.
- >Or sleeping pills, but you don’t want to overdose.
- >On your entry, Rainbow- you mean Daring Do- is still fast asleep on the couch.
- >Eh, you won’t be surprised; Dash always took refuge on your couch every time she was over.
- >Your bottom tenderizing the couch for years have made it soft and squishy, which made it perfect to sleep in.
- >You sit next to her sleeping form, almost sinking into the sofa.
- >The shift in weight doesn’t seem to bother her a bit.
- >Could Rainbow really think she is Daring Do?
- >You’d like to believe she’s kidding with you the whole time, just a long practical joke.
- >And you would probably be right, last time she had a week-long act she had set up.
- >Just for you.
- >You would wonder, of all the ponies, she’d only do that to you.
- >You always took it lightly, knowing Dash is a bit… Playful.
- >So you’ll play with her for now.
- >No way you’re losing this time.
- >You are torn, one half is saying she’s playing, another argues she has a problem.
- >You keep balancing the odds, not noticing the mare standing upright.
- >A tap on your head brings you back.
- >”Victor. I’m hungry.”
- >”Is that all you got? Sweets?”
- “Only thing edible after the COSTUME party, remember?”
- >Daring looks at you as if you lost it.
- >”Say, do you have some form of a speech impediment? I could help you out with that.”
- >Just when you are about to ask if that was a joke, several knocks on your door grabs your attention.
- >It’s like the world is planning to cut you off at every turn.
- >You find Twilight by the door, holding a book to her side.
- >”May I come in?” She asks.
- >You look over to Daring Do, who even in her meal keeps on eye on you.
- “Yeah, please.”
- >Twilight calmly steps in, taking note of your home.
- >”You know, I never seen your home, Anon.” Twilight gives a small smile. “It’s quite cozy.”
- >Her attempts at small talk does not calm Daring down, it actually makes her more suspicious.
- “Thanks…” You mutter, going between the two mares. “Dare, this is Twilight.”
- >”… Dare?” Daring Do looks at you in disdain.
- “Yeah, Dare, short from Daring.”
- >”And who said we can give nicknames to each other?”
- “When you decided we were on first name basis.”
- >Twilight, seeing the fight, could not help but to smile.
- >The two bickered like an old couple.
- “And what are you smiling at, Twilight?” You snap at her.
- >”Oh, nothing.” She wipes the grin off her face. “Just thinking how the two of you would be a couple, costumes and all.”
- >You react first.
- “We are not a couple.”
- >”And this is not a costume!”
- >Twilight rolls her eyes, that smile stretching once more.
- >”Sure, whatever you say.”
- “Now, are you here to mock us, or point us to the right direction?”
- >”Okay, okay, fine.” Twilight opens the book, and hovers it over to you.
- >”You are searching for the lost tiara of Princess Luna, which is told to have been lost when she turned rogue.”
- “Ohhh, dark and edgy.” You comment.
- >Twilight ignores you and goes on.
- >”They say the very jewels on the tiara are just as expensive and well-crafted enough to rival the lost crown of Princess Platinum!”
- >”Or like Princess Celestia’s who is totally a better lea-“ You cut Twilight off, pushing her away on the face.
- “What she’s trying to say is, get in there, grab the tiara, and get out.”
- >Daring Do laughs at your blunt explanation, covering her mouth with a hoof.
- “Well then, shall we be off?”
- >”I suppose, do you have a map and supplies?”
- >Twilight tugs your shirt, and points to a room.
- “Excuse me while I go talk with Twilight.”
- >Excusing yourself, you follow Twilight to the bathroom.
- >”Okay, Anon, I got it all planned out.” Twilight whispers, pulling out a map.
- >”I consulted the doctors and looked through the spell the princess used. I think Rainbow has some sort of a temporal amnesia.”
- “Temporal?”
- >”Yeah, we can fix her by introducing elements that reminds her of her life most powerfully.”
- “Which is? Don’t tell me I have to collect smells and all.”
- >”Nope, got that figured out too. Remember that Rainbow is an Element of Harmony? Well, we can say this is a powerful indicator for her identity. All I need for you to do is to go through the same route we took long time ago, and give hints at specific locations.”
- “And how did you figure this out?”
- >”Books, and some bit of logic. You should try out sometimes.”
- “Bah, humbug.”
- >”Anyway,” Twilight brings out a map out of thin air. “This is the path you need to take. Hopefully we can get back Rainbow by the end of it.”
- “And what makes you so sure?”
- >”I don’t know, I’m just taking guesses here. But hey, isn’t that what you do best?” Twilight smiles.
- “Twilight, this is a terrible way of hitting on people.”
- >Twilight’s face scrunches up, with her looking frustrated.
- >You can’t help but to smile.
- “Just playing with ya, Twi.” You take the map, and roll it for your convenience.
- >As you turn to leave the room, Twilight stops you.
- >”Or.”
- “Or?”
- >”Or you can flat out tell her. Make her realize who she is. Maybe that could help her realize.”
- “Blunt and straight forward? I like it.”
- >You exit the bathroom, seeing more ponies converged in your house.
- >Daring is holding a sizable backpack, and what seems to be yours is resting against the couch.
- >”Thar’ you are sugarcube, we’re here with yer supplies!” Applejack points at the pack.
- >You look over Twilight, who simply shrugs.
- >”I thought you needed the help.”
- >With a smug look on your face, you put the backpack on.
- >The two of you leave immediately, making way towards the Everfree.
- >Alright, Anon.
- >You got yourself a mission.
- >A mission you never asked for.
- >Bring back Rainbow Dash, your friend.
- >You tighten the arms of the bag, and begin your journey.
- >Your first stop is the cliffs, where Applejack was being ‘Honest’.
- >You don’t even know who writes this shit.
- >You stand over the steep hill, which ends in the cliffs.
- >Right, you just need to figure out a way to get down there without breaking every bone in your body.
- >You walk around the hill, still thinking of a safe pathway.
- >”What’s the hold up?” Daring Do asks.
- >You show her the map.
- “We’re supposed to go down the cliffs, but I don’t-“ Your feet trips on the slippery mud.
- “KNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW” You scream, as you slide down the hill.
- >”Victor!” Daring calls after you, as you accelerate towards the bottom.
- >You turn yourself over and try to grab onto the grass under you.
- >Whatever good that did.
- >A small curve going upwards stops your descent, but you are still left hanging.
- >You try to pull yourself up, but your pack is just weighing you down too much.
- >Before you can mutter some one-liner, you find yourself losing your grip already.
- >Your heart beats against your chest; you are going to die here.
- >”Take my hoof!” You hear a voice above you.
- >You look up to see Daring, her bag off and right by you.
- >You grab her hoof immediately, and the two of you work to pull yourselves up.
- >She seems to be struggling the most, her smaller body trying to balance your weight.
- >You put your forearm on the ground and push yourself up, later enough to use your feet.
- >The two of you roll away from the ledge, landing in the small ditch right by the end.
- >For a while you can only hear ragged breaths in the air.
- >”Are- you- alright?” Daring asks, her speech cut off by her breathing.
- “Y-yeah, was just hanging around, you know?” You joke.
- >Daring punches you on the shoulder once, but laughs soon after.
- >Then the air is filled with two of your laughter; both happy and relieved.
- >”I honestly don’t wanna do that again.” Daring says.
- >Wait; did she just say the word?
- >As the thought races through your mind, Daring goes silent.
- >She then stares at the cliffs again, locked in her thoughts.
- “Dare?”
- >She blinks once and shakes her head.
- >”Oh, huh? I’m fine, dude.”
- “Dude?”
- >”Yes, the sight… just felt so familiar.”
- >Looks like Twilight’s plan is working!
- >For once.
- “Alright Dare, we still need to get down before dark.”
- >”I might have an idea…” Daring Do replies.
- >The rope slowly grinds against your palm.
- >You grunt once, audibly not enjoying this whole thing.
- >”Almost there!” You hear a call from down the valley.
- >You let the rope down a little more, careful not to drop it just like that.
- >”Okay, we’re good!” A call comes again.
- >You let go of the rope, and lay on the hill with a sigh.
- >You entire palm burned, but you did it.
- >You managed to lower the two backpacks to the bottom.
- “Okay, my turn!” You shout.
- >In an instant, Dare is up, hovering above you.
- >You stand upright, and hold your arms open.
- “Hold me.” You whisper, as Daring grabs you from the back.
- >Then gently, just so carefully, she lowers you down to the bottom.
- “Faaaster.” You whine, while Dare is barely keeping up.
- >After a few excruciating moments, your feet touch the ground.
- >Dare is completely exhausted, lying on the dirt floor right away.
- “Oh come on, I’m not that fat.” You say to her, as you begin to set up camp.
- >Lucky you, the ponies remembered to pack you some matches, thus making fire not much of a hustle.
- >Each of you have a blanket for each other, and the rest are food and medicines.
- >Apparently, Fluttershy packed you an entire arsenal to properly medicate an entire town.
- >From five kinds of epidemics.
- >Rarity remembered to pack some cooking equipment.
- >And she remembered to write her name and message under every pot she lent you.
- >While Dare went out to search for firewood, you fixed up camp.
- >Poured some water into the pot, threw in some vegetables, readying a stew.
- >When you live alone, you tend to pick up a few things.
- >Like how to mix water-and-vegetables-with-some-spice-until-you-get-something-edible-soup.
- >Scavenging what little sticks you could find around, you built a simple fire.
- >Soon enough, you can smell the stew cooking up.
- >Dare seems impressed, looking over a simple camp you’ve built.
- >”Starting without me?”
- “Eh, I’m not much of a patient type. Here, give me the firewood.”
- >You take the wood from under her wings, and feed them to the fire.
- >Taking a cup, you fill it up with the stew.
- “There we go, some outdoorsman stew.” You hand the cup to her.
- >She sniffs it a little, and takes a sip.
- >”I could do better.”
- “Bah humbug.”
- >Taking your own portion, you rest your back against a tree.
- “So.”
- >”So.”
- “What’s a mare like you doing in a place like this?” You joke, smiling.
- >She chuckles, eating more of your stew.
- >”Well, I’m here to hunt for treasure.”
- “Only treasure?”
- >She thinks for a moment, then nods.
- “Well then, what will you do with the treasure?”
- >”Hmmm, I suppose I could keep my family house going, and maybe I’ll give out the bits to the needy.”
- “The needy?” You ask.
- >”Well yes, I have no other place to give it.”
- “No family?” You ask.
- >The light on her face suddenly goes away, and she looks down to her cup.
- “Oh, I’m so sorry-“
- >”No, it’s quite alright. I just grew up without parents, and I never knew I had any other family. Just a filly, alone in the world.”
- >Looks like you stepped on the wrong mine, Anon.
- >You try to salvage the situation.
- “Well, I know how you feel.”
- >”Do you?”
- “Having the title ‘only human’ does factor in a lot.”
- >”Oh.”
- “I was just minding my business, but zap boom, right into Equestria.”
- >”Oh my, how was it?”
- “I was devastated. I lost everything. My friends, my job, my pet pug named spike.”
- >You smile a bit at the mention of your old dog.
- >But as you go on to your new life in Ponyville, you can’t just help to realize;
- >You never had what you’d call a close friend.
- >Rainbow was the closest thing you ever had as a friend, she constantly hung around you, but you’d never regard her as a close friend.
- >You were on a sea of acquaintances and nobodies.
- “So yeah, that’s my story.” You finish.
- >You feel a slight weight on your eyes, and your breathing feels much heavier now.
- >You quickly wipe your eyes, not wanting to show any of the sorts to Daring Do.
- >You feel a soft touch on your shoulder.
- >”Are you alright?” She asks.
- “Y-yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking, you know?”
- >”I understand. Being alone made me go exploring so much.”
- “How so?”
- >”Well, I expected the payout, but I also wanted to avoid society. I was just so bad at socializing; I prefer a solitary moment for myself.”
- >“I also love the thrill of the adventure.” Dare adds.
- “Heh.” You chuckle. “Alone in the midst of the jungle and around the ponies, huh?”
- >She chuckles as well.
- >”Yes, heh, I suppose we could say that.”
- “When it comes to knowing ponies, the two of us are complete loners- and I suppose we are equal in that.”
- >”We certainly are ‘supposing’ a lot tonight. But yes, I suppose we are.”
- “Supposedly.”
- >You sigh, and finish your stew.
- >You go to help yourself, and you notice the empty cup in front of Dare.
- “Would you care for some more, Dare?”
- >She smiles at the nickname.
- >”That calling would stick wouldn’t it?”
- “Wouldn’t say it if it wouldn’t stick, Dare.”
- >”Alright, Vicks, get me some more.”
- “Vicks?”
- >”Chop chop, Vicks.”
- “Yes ma’am.” You comply immediately.
- >Dinner ends with silence, the two of you finishing the stew fairly quickly.
- >As soon as your stomachs are full, it is straight to bed.
- >You rest yourself by the tree and drape the blanket over you.
- >You put the fire out and look up to the stars.
- >Sleep creeps slowly to you, but right before you slip asleep, you are called by Dare.
- >”Vicks, you still up?”
- “Huh? Yeah, I’m up.”
- >”I just wanted to let you know, you’re not alone now.”
- “I know.” You say swallowing a lump on your throat.
- >Morning comes to you quickly, and you wake to see the camp already cleaned out by Dare.
- >”You ready to go on?” She asks.
- >Still shaking yourself out of the sleep, you fix your hat.
- “Give me five; I need to pack up.”
- >You’d wish she wouldn’t wake you so early.
- >The two of you are delving deeper into the denser part of the forest.
- >After some amount of walking, you hand Dare a canteen of water.
- “Here, you might need this.” You offer the drink.
- >”How kind of you.” She says, taking the canteen.
- >She takes a few gulps, and wipes her mouth.
- >She suddenly freezes in place, her eyes in a thousand yard stare.
- >Her mouth is open agape, as if stuck in a word she’s trying to say.
- >“Kind…” She echoes.
- >Dare shakes her head, trying to focus.
- >”Oh my, I believe I phased out there.” She chuckles.
- >You let out a weak laugh.
- >You know exactly what is going on.
- >The journey continues, and now, you find yourself in a much darker area of the forest.
- >The leaf canopies blot out most of the sun here.
- >Both you and Dare can barely see what is in front of you.
- >A few rays of light that does come through are a godsend for you, becoming more of a check point as you watch your step.
- “They should really trim this place.” You whine again.
- >”Oh shut up.” Dare replies.
- “Shut up she says. Get to work she says. I shou-“ Your voiced anger is quickly silenced, as you land face first into the dank ground.
- >”Vicks? What’s going on?” Dare calls for you, going around.
- >She finds your tripped body soon enough, sadly by her hooves.
- >She steps on you a few times, before registering the thing under her is you.
- >You groan loudly, as Dare jumps off.
- >”Heh, sorry about that.”
- “It’s alright, Autumn is a season of fall after all.”
- >She giggles again.
- >”Oh, you just know how to make me laugh, don’t you?”
- >Dare suddenly goes silent, her laughs quickly gone.
- >”Laugh…” She whispers.
- “Dare, you alright?” You ask.
- >Only after a few minutes she begins to talk again, as if nothing happened.
- >The day is almost over by the time you are out of the forest, with you choosing to make camp by a river nearby.
- >It’s your turn to collect the firewood, while Dare readies the pot and everything.
- >You just hope she can cook.
- >Quickly starting the fire, you watch Dare prepare her own brand of stew.
- >You glance over the river, where a small silhouette of the broken castle shines.
- >Dinner goes by with small talk, but you can’t focus the whole time.
- >You know you’re slowly losing Dare.
- >But why does it bother you so much?
- >It didn’t when you first entered the forest.
- >Just spending the time with her all this time…
- >You didn’t feel so alone anymore.
- >You didn’t have to cover it up with a smile you had as you went to visit other ponies.
- >It just felt… Right.
- >But this is wrong, you know it’s wrong.
- >Dare is not real, she’s just Rainbow Dash with amnesia.
- >Don’t you want your friend back?
- >Or do you prefer the lie you have come to like?
- >…
- >”Hey, you alright, Vicks?” Dare asks, slightly worried.
- >You catch her tone slightly later, and crack a fake smile.
- “I’m fine, just thinking about the castle we’ll see tomorrow.” You point over to the castle, not so far away.
- >”Excited?”
- “I guess you could say that.”
- >”Mmhmm.” Dare nods, as she slowly gets up from her place.
- >She then makes her way to you, a strange smile on her face.
- >”Well… I’m a little ‘excited’ as well…” She is right in front of you now.
- >She suddenly turns away, flicking her tail to your face.
- >It hits you gently, more like soft fabric going over your face.
- >Before you know it, you see Dare running off to towards the castle.
- “Dare, where are you going?” You ask, bewildered.
- >”Adventure awaits no pony, Vicks!” She shouts, running into the mist.
- >You kick up and follow after her, a smile growing on your face.
- >You slow down at the bridge, that thing seemed like it would fall under its own weight.
- >To your surprise (and relief) you safely cross the bridge, and find yourself back into a full sprint.
- >You see Dare jumping on a fallen pillar, using it as a ramp to reach the fallen walls and going up from there.
- >Great, she wants more action.
- >You follow after her, using the pillar.
- >The walls are thicker than you expected, and you travel across it fairly easily.
- >From this angle, you can see that most of the ceiling has either fallen or is blown away.
- >Overgrowth cover the walls and the floor, grass peeking out of tiles, vines stretching up statues, and mosses growing between cracks.
- >And you are scaling through the building, blindly following where Dare is going.
- >She waits for you to follow up, as you climb the walls of the right side of the building.
- >She disappears over a pillar, which you pursue immediately.
- >Once reaching the top, you can’t find Dare anywhere.
- “Dare?” You call out.
- >Out of nowhere she jumps out, pinning you dangerously close to the ledge.
- >”So, you can keep up.”
- >She steps off so you can recover.
- >You sit to one side of the pillar, having the view over the forest in moonlight.
- “Lovely sight.” You remark.
- >”Indeed. They sure know how to pick locations.”
- “Hmm…” You go silent, looking over the sight.
- “Say Dare-“ You turn towards her.
- >She’s gone again.
- >”Hey, human! What’s the matter, can’t keep up?” She teases from the centre of the building.
- >How did she get there?
- >You grab a vine growing into the pillar and climb down, chasing after her.
- >She keeps teasing you, going around a strange statue at the centre of the room.
- >You finally manage to catch her, leaping to grab her in air.
- >The two of you roll on the floor a few times, laughing and yelling.
- >It ends with you on the bottom, Dare looking down on you.
- >The two of you stare at each other, smiles slowly fading.
- >Dare blinks once, and begins to come closer.
- >”This is so wrong…” She mutters under her breath.
- >But as you noses touch, you hear a tap on the stone tiles.
- >Tap.
- >Tap.
- >Tap tap tap.
- >You look over to see the patches of tiles slowly growing dark.
- >More tapping follow, and soon you are also hit by the tapping.
- >You blink once at the cold sensation on your face.
- >Droplets of cold, cold water begins to fall from the sky.
- >Before the two of you could do anything, the two of you are soaked.
- “Should we-“
- >”Nah, it’ll be fine.” Dare cuts you off, slowly coming closer again.
- >You smile and close your eyes, waiting for her to come.
- >Seconds feel like hours in the darkness, and you continuously await for the warm reprieve.
- >But it doesn’t come.
- >What comes is a shriek.
- >Your eyes immediately shoot open, and you can see why she is screaming.
- >The dye is washing off.
- >The grayscale mane slowly goes away, turning into its colorful state.
- >Dare puts up her hooves, and it melts into cobalt blue.
- >She falls off you, and watches in horror as the dye off her goes off.
- >”I- I-“ She shutters.
- >”What’s wrong with me?” She asks.
- >Her violet eyes beg for an answer.
- >But you can’t say it. You stay quiet.
- >You can only watch her in equal shock.
- >She looks at her own reflection made by the rainwater.
- >”I-I- Y-you…” She can barely speak. “I’m not me…”
- >She stares at her reflection once more.
- >”Then, who AM I?”
- >You crouch in front of her, and take off her hat.
- >The rain quickly washes the dye on her head as well.
- >You take off your hat as well, soaking yourself.
- “You see, Dare…”
- >You stop yourself.
- >No, you didn’t want this.
- >She can’t go away.
- >You need her.
- >You look down to your own reflection by the water.
- >Look at yourself.
- >You’re living a lie.
- >It is all a dream, you convince yourself.
- >And dreams cannot last.
- >All adventures must end.
- >Swallowing the pain in your throat, you slowly look up to her.
- “Your name is Rainbow Dash. You are a Pegasus working in Ponyville.”
- >”W-who?”
- “You are my friend, and you are an Element of Harmony.”
- >”Vicks, I’m not sure I get-“ She suddenly goes silent.
- “I’m not Vicks” You point at yourself. “My name is Anonymous, and I am your friend. Remember, Rainbow?”
- >”A-Anonymous?” She asks.
- >You nod.
- “Anon.”
- >She is silent, looking over you with her shaky irises.
- “There was a reason I brought you here.” You finally step out of the sight, revealing the statue and the pedestal far behind it.
- “Remember this place? Nightmare Moon?”
- >”N-nightmare Moon? Loyalty?” She asks.
- >You nod like a madman.
- >”I-I’m… and element… of loyalty?”
- >She suddenly tenses up, and her eyes go wide.
- >You take the moment to lean in, and give her frozen lips a kiss.
- >You step back, and let her recover.
- >After a few second, she begins to blink.
- >”A-anon?” She asks.
- “Dash?”
- >”Wai- What are we doing here?!” She asks, shaking already.
- >She immediately rushes over cover.
- >”Well, what are you waiting for? Come on, Anon!”
- >A painful smile slowly cracks its way across your face.
- >She’s back.
- >You close your eyes, and the rain beats on you.
- >Her calling you to come to her comes deaf.
- >The raindrops on your cheeks never felt so warm.
- >You hug Rainbow from the back, hands sliding over her chest.
- >”Anon…” She moans.
- >You give a kiss on the head, and join her on the couch.
- “Hey Rainbow, would you read for me?”
- >”Hmmm? Now?”
- “Yeah.”
- >”Fine, but only for you.” She coos, with that familiar warm smile.
- >She takes out a familiar book, and opens to the last page you left off.
- >She clears her throat, and begins to read.
- >”And Daring Do only stopped to look at her enemy, the Ahuizotl. ‘You are a lie, Ahuizotl, that;s why you can never best me.’ She then rushed against him, only to deliver a swift kick to his face…”
- >As Dash goes on, you begin to dream.
- >Dream about being with her again.
- http://youtu.be/BRWL7XKjFGk
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