(AiE) Trapped - Part 2 [Ending 1 - Sacrifice]

prose: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/184111/2/trapped/ending-sacrifice

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>>Recommended Listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4JmN_UurA8
>You wake up with a warmth surrounding you.
>Opening your eyes, you look around what is easily identified as a hospital room.
"Where am I" you ask groggily.
>You try to sit up, but pain overwhelms you.
>The bed provides a soft pillow for your weak muscles.
>"You were in the cold for too long and your body was badly injured by the extreme temperatures. You need to take your time to rest."
>Looking around the room, you see a bed beside you, but it lies empty.
>You panic.
>Why is it empty?
>It shouldn't be empty!
>The clock on the wall ticks by slowly as Celestia stands by the side of your bed.
"Where's Anon!" you scream at your teacher.
~~~
>You have to let her live.
>She has so much to live for.
>You watch her closely and hold her in your arms until you are sure she has fallen into deep sleep.
>With tears in your eyes, you kiss her forehead and squeeze her tight.
>You carefully slip out of the sleeping bag and cover her in your blanket.
>Approaching the opening to the cave, you look outside which has became still.
>There isn't going to be a better time Anon.
>You set the last apple by the sleeping bag and begin to scoop the snow with the backpack.
>The pile behind you slowly gains size as you begin to create the exit from the cave.
>Snow on your hands melts and quickly you lose the feeling in your fingers.
>You push on as hard as you can in the middle of the night.
>Staying focused, you remember the feeling of her in your arms, pushing you to keep going.
>Her voice echoes in your mind.
>"I love you Anon."
>You ignore the pain in your muscles as you continue to scoop the snow from the entrance.
>After what feels like hours, The hole from the roof of the cave's mouth becomes larger and larger.
>The entirety of your body feels numb, but you force yourself to continue.
>For her.
>Stopping for a moment to catch your breath, you look down at your hands, which have turned dark purple.
>Almost there.
>You can't stop now.
>One more scoop.
>One more shovel.
>One more time.
>And it's done.
>The hole is just big enough for you to get out.
>Which means it's more than big enough for any pony to get in.
>You slip out of the hole, watching the sun rise over the horizon.
>Stumbling around the corner, you see the camp, which is being buried out by grey guards using magic.
>Opening your mouth to yell for help, your voice seizes up and you feel your knees begin to lock up.
>They have to find her.
>You take a weak step forward.
>And another.
>They have to find her.
>Your eyes feel heavier and heavier.
>Pain overwhelms the numbness, but you can't stop.
>You have to save her.
>Your Cadance.
>As you near the camp, a guard sees you and gallops to you.
>"You! The human! Where is the princess!"
>You collapse to your knees, your clothes soaked in sweat and body gasping for air.
>It takes everything in your power to point in the direction of the cave.
>"The tracks. Quick! There is no time!" he says, galloping along your prints in the snow.
>Your hearing gives out, replaced with a loud hum.
>As the rest of your body falls into the snow, you smile.
>You open your mouth and breathe your last.
~~~
>If you ask one of the guards at the scene that day, they would say if Anon didn't come from the cave, they never would have found the Princess.
~~~
>Pain surges through your whole body as you feel every part of you shake.
>Tears flow from your eyes and down your face, staining your hospital garb.
>You lay in bed, curled into a ball, remembering his warm body holding you like a delicate flower, but firmly so you couldn't get away.
>Which was silly.
>You weren't going to go anywhere
>However, you should have been scared of him letting you go.
>Celestia places a hoof on your back and gently massages, in support.
>Reaching a hoof back, you feel the blue ribbon, tying your hair into a ponytail.
>At least you still have those.
>Something.
>Something to prove that he was real.
>He had no home.
>No family.
>No friends.
>No pictures.
>He's just... gone.
>Except for these ribbons.
>And you will never forget your Anon.
>You will always wear his ribbons.
>The beautiful shade of blue, which matched your cutie mark.
>Anon, your crystal heart.

>After a few weeks of physical therapy, you were released from the hospital in prime condition.
>Except there was one thing they couldn't fix.
>Your heart burned in pain and he has been in your dreams every night.
>One night, Luna came to you, concerned.
>Advising you to let go.
>But you refused.
>Someone has to remember him.
>Your Anon.
>Ascending the mountain path on a much more beautiful day was a challenging task for you.
>You kept looking out at the landscape and remembering how it was something that he valued so much.
>Anon wasn't afraid to stop and appreciate the smaller things in life.
>You continue on to the cave after you found the area that everypony else camped out.
>The guards were able to find everypony in time to get them to the hospital, and the tents helped them stay warmer in the cave.
>It was simply lucky that the unicorns in the tents were able to reinforce the tents for the impact.
>They also had much more supplies than you and Anon.
>Shaking your head, you stop when you reach the entrance of the cave, accented by a newly carved stone headstone, just at the entrance of the cave.
>Tears come to your eyes as you look inside and remember the days and nights you spent with each other.
>The short time that he held you.
>You lay on the ground and sob.
"You should have let me help you..." you whisper to the ground. "Now what am I supposed to do?"
>The world stops for a moment, letting you simply weep over Anon's final resting place.
>In your mind, it would have been better if you went together.
>Those few days and nights in the cave, you may have been trapped in the snow, but for the first time... you finally felt free.
>Free to make your own choices and to be yourself.
>No longer held to somepony's expectations or have ponies only see you for the Princess exterior.
>You didn't just lose your lover, you lost the only person who really understood you.
>When the tears stop and you can to breath normally, you reach into your saddle bag and pull out the first thing you brought.
>A shiny, fresh apple.
>Setting it right beside the headstone, you sniffle and blink a tear out of your eye.
"A promise is a promise." you mutter as you reach for the last item.
>Carefully, you pull out a potted plant, which is just beginning to sprout.
>You learned about the plant from your books.
>It's a fairly rare plant, but Celestia obliged in getting one for you.
>You dig a small hole with a hand held spade and move the plant from the pot to the hole.
>With a smile, you press the dirt into the earth.
>The plant is called, The Lover's Bloom.
>It used to be frequently used in wedding ceremonies in early Equestria, but they quickly became hard to find, so the public stopped using them.
>The flower's petals were also a very strong ingredient used for Love Potions, which was how you discovered them.
>What made the flower of the Lover's Bloom stick out in your mind, was the color of it's petals.
>They were a vivid light blue.
>The same color as your cutie mark.
>The same color as your ribbons.
>Gently, in the mid-afternoon sun, you lay down next to the grave and watch the settling dirt.
>You will have to head back to the castle soon.
>But not now.
>Not until you are ready.
>Right now, on this mountain, outside of this cave, in this very moment.
>You feel free.
>No longer trapped by the life of a Princess.
>With your Anon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lo-I6JGdnA