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DisgruntledAnon

Tower's Epilogue

Oct 18th, 2015
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  1. Sunday, February 19th
  2. Night, Trixie and Gilda's Home
  3.  
  4. >The Tower is an interesting Arcana: one of destruction, chaos, and the pride before the fall.
  5. >It is the card that tells of a revelation that tears apart our preconceived notions and the foundation we build our lives on.
  6. >As such, it is usually perceived as the worst card of the Tarot, with little redeeming qualities to it.
  7. "So why..."
  8. >The candlelight gleams against the slightly cracked grey mask, as it's tower-shaped face stares back at me from my grasp.
  9. "Why did I choose it?"
  10. >Should be simple enough: as Philemon's Velvet Room was crumbling, I snatched the closest key and ran towards the back door.
  11. >I try not to think too much on what happened to the other 20-ish men who stared vacantly at our frantic efforts.
  12. >Maybe they never existed at all, and were gifts from other dreamers in other worlds.
  13. >I like to think that.
  14. >Regardless, I and 21 other hearts that grabbed the keys appeared in Twi's library where everyone we made a bond with was waiting.
  15. >But none of us were fully Anonymous, with our faces adorned with Masks of the Arcana.
  16. >Later on, we figured out that the Masks were removable, to everyone's relief, but the fact remained that the Anonymous we were was no more in the physical realm.
  17. >I am Tower, and I wonder why I am.
  18. >Something tells me that I subconsciously chose the key for another reason, and I've spent the last few nights contemplating it.
  19. >Doubtful that it was because of popularity, since the only one who seems intent on doing the Johnny Cage to me is Judgement.
  20. >Could it have been that I am the best representation of the Tower?
  21. >If so, a card of never-ending change and destruction doesn't look the best on the resume of life.
  22. >Then what about-
  23. >!
  24. >The door to the study I was in creaks open, freezing my muscles and train of thought.
  25. >"Anon- Tower? Is that you?"
  26. >I turn around as nonchalantly as possible to see a half-awake Trixie rubbing her eyes as she opens the door.
  27. "You sure you want to be up so late, dear? You've got a performance tomorrow."
  28. >I try to give my best smile.
  29. >"You're one to talk about being up so late. You remember you promised to help me out tomorrow, right?"
  30. >It's just a shame that I rolled a 2 on my bluff against the bluffmaster of Equestria.
  31. >I feel a warmth on my right side as Trixie leans up against me.
  32. >God, pony fur is so soft and warm.
  33. >"What's wrong, love? You've been out of bed for several days already. Are you having nightmares?
  34. >The mask stares blankly at me, and reflects Trixie's worried glance towards my tabula rasa face.
  35. "Not a nightmare. Merely a question..."
  36. >I sigh and close my eyes.
  37. >"...You wonder why you're the Tower, right?"
  38. >My eyes open to Trixie looking at my mask.
  39. >Or maybe her stare was back to me.
  40. "How did you-?"
  41. >Trixie gives her best grin.
  42. >"The Great and Powerful Trixie has been known to dabble in Tarot for a few shows. It wasn't the flashiest or most popular, but some ponies will pay handsome tips to see a pocket of a future."
  43. >Her smile softens.
  44. >"I've noticed how each 'Anonymous' tends to hang around with a particular friend of His. Hermit still helps around with Cranky, Death has fun with Discord, and Lovers helps Gilda out with the cooking now. Each Mask is a Major Arcana, and each one has bonded with a particular friend the most."
  45. >"As such, it doesn't take much to put together that I was a 'Tower' for Anonymous. A 'Tower' He loved very much and fought for, but a 'Tower' all the same."
  46. >Gravity finally wins as a frown falls on her face.
  47. >"Most ponies dread seeing cards like Death, Devil and Tower in their reading. Indeed, it's very difficult to see such dark imagery as anything but negative."
  48. "Trixie..."
  49. >In an instant, however, her smile returns as she turns me over to face her.
  50. >"However, all that's required is a little change in perspective. Death represents the end of one thing, but the beginning of another. The Devil tempts with indulgences, but it is up to us to decide how far we go. And the Tower,"
  51. >My gaze drifts over to the mask, then back to her.
  52. >"The Tower is sudden, but necessary change. Foundations can always be rebuilt, and when they do they become stronger than the one before. It is the epiphany of creativity: the destruction before we start creating again."
  53. >Trixie carefully presses her horn and forehead on mine.
  54. >"That destruction can make your path dark and unknown. But there’s still a path for you, Tower. Even if you can’t see it. And I’ll be happy to hold your hand if you’re scared."
  55. >I chuckled from that, as I dried my face a bit.
  56. >?
  57. >When did I start crying?
  58. "H-heh, trying to be c-cool by taking one of His lines. You kn-know I'm not Anonymous anymore, r-right?"
  59. >"Maybe not the exact human I fell in love with. But you're just as sweet, loving, and caring as He was. And I still love you all like I did Him."
  60. >Trixie goes in for a kiss, as do I.
  61. >I recall something that Igor once told us.
  62. >”There are no ‘bad’ cards in the tarot deck. Even reversed cards can help guide you.”
  63. >As much as I loathe to do so, I break the kiss off and get up.
  64. "Well then, dear, let's be off to bed then. The crowd waits for no sleepyheads."
  65. >Trixie giggles.
  66. >"Of course, love. But what about your mask?"
  67. >I look back to the desk I placed the Mask on.
  68. >Maybe it's a trick of the light, but the me I see in the Mask's reflection looks far more happy than I've ever felt.
  69. "I think... I'll leave it here for now. Mix things up a bit for tonight."
  70. >I take the candle back with us and blow it out as we go back to bed.
  71. >Maybe... Maybe I chose the Tower because I wanted to be the Change I saw Anonymous as.
  72. >The man who could move the world when it was stagnant and stuck in its ways.
  73. >Or maybe...
  74. >I feel Trixie's back pressed against my chest.
  75. >Maybe it was for her.
  76. >Sleep finally takes me.
  77.  
  78. Monday, February 20th
  79. Morning, Trixie and Gilda's Home
  80.  
  81. >I awake to the smell of breakfast.
  82. >Groggily, I shamble towards the kitchen where the people I love (no homo Lovers) are waiting for me.
  83. >Trixie looks up from her newspaper with a smile.
  84. >"Get a good night's rest, love?"
  85. >I share a smile back.
  86. "Thanks to you."
  87. >Lovers and Gilda finish up breakfast and we spend time talking about numerous things.
  88. >"By the way, Tower, Death came by and left a letter for you."
  89. "Really? What did it say?"
  90. >I'm not that much of a faggot to read other people's private messages. He just said he left it up in the study."
  91. >My skin goes cold as I stand up.
  92. "Excuse me for a minute."
  93. >I run back up the stairs and enter into the study.
  94. >As I suspected, my mask was nowhere to be seen as a letter was in its place.
  95. >I open up the letter and read it's contents.
  96.  
  97. ------------------------------------------
  98.  
  99. Dear Tower,
  100.  
  101. GEEETTTTTTT DUNKED ON!!!!!!!
  102.  
  103. Love, Discord and Death
  104.  
  105. P.S. https://youtu.be/_MCcKyyptuM?list=PL3tZU636q_oo67AfXJAv96LT_vyIqUbka :)
  106.  
  107.  
  108. ------------------------------------------
  109.  
  110. >My hands shake at the shock and anger of being so dankly memed.
  111. >I fall to my knees and yell out to the heavens.
  112. "MMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYY!"
  113. >Welp, I did leave it up there.
  114. >Tower is a very interesting Arcana.
  115.  
  116. ----------------------------------------------------------
  117.  
  118. >Dear Mom,
  119.  
  120. >It's been too long since I sent a message to you to know how we're doing.
  121. >Things have simmered down a bit since that disaster Death slammed on us.
  122. >As I noted earlier, I'm currently working on becoming a music teacher for Ponyville.
  123. >You guys might cheat with that magical organs system for singing, but I can still work my magic for instruments.
  124. >For now, though, I'm content with working at Vinyl's music store.
  125. >She's a great boss, and I even get first pick on new albums when they come out, so that's a bonus.
  126. >Involving Judgement, I went to have a talk with him.
  127. >We talked about Trixie, and I convinced him to try and date her as well.
  128. >That doesn't make me a cuck, right?
  129. >I just don't want him to give up on the mare he loves because I took her key first.
  130. >I know that several of us, myself included, won't stop trying to court our tsundere Gilda.
  131. >And the law agrees that we can share, so I've decided to make sure he doesn't give up because of something as asinine as keys or fate.
  132. >I suppose that's the one thing I got out of the Arcana, wasn't it?
  133. >I'm not particularly unruly.
  134. >I want to have a rather stable life.
  135. >I'm not wanting to spark a revolution or some shit.
  136. >But I refuse to accept things as they are without trying to change them.
  137. >I've noticed that Hanged Man and Hierophant have decided to marry.
  138. >The thought of proposing to Trixie is a tempting one, but I've decided to wait a while longer until I get that teaching job.
  139. >Until then, I'll keep doing what I want to do with the life Trixie's bond gave me.
  140. >Anonymous's story may very well be over, and all the effort I and many others have put into it...
  141. >...But this story is just beginning!
  142.  
  143. >With love,
  144.  
  145. >Tower
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