Iron Anon: Sleeping in the Lion's Den

>http://youtu.be/qjP-jLdgwCA
>As you run, you switch your grip to holding the gun around the hammer and trigger guard to prevent a misfire
>Tonight was quite… eventful
>Shit, there goes your chance of getting home
>You had a bad feeling it was going to be a long time till that happened, now with these ponies out to get you having lost your only leverage over them
>The sound of hooves, pounding furiously against the earth draws closer behind you
>Speak of the devil…
>For a second you think back to the cave
>Rainbow would, not doubt, tell them where it is
>That made your hidey hole and the sled inside of it compromised
>Dammit.
>You trip on a rock
>Dammit, Dammit!
>Gus turns around and gets back to you, barking in your face
>He’s right, you have to move
>But to where?!
>With no plan, you run aimlessly through the woods hoping some helpfully scenario would present itself
>But you were getting tired, and those ponies weren’t slowing down
>Suddenly Gus reveres left and you, deciding to trust your faithfully canine friend, follow him
>Soon you see the rays of moonlight again as the canopy begins to break down and the forest becomes less dense
>You emerge with Gus out of the forest, facing… Ponyville
>The yellow cottage you saw before is about 50 yards to your left, the road father down
>Why did he-
>Applejack:”It went this way!”
>Gus stops and barks again, already 20 yards ahead of you
“Ok Gus... Guess I don’t have many options, do I?”
>You swear you see him nod
>He takes the lead, you lagging but still following behind
>You can’t help but hesitate when he takes you over the bridge into the town
>You were pretty sure there were no humans by now, so this place was going to be infested with ponies

>But it’s the dead of night and the streets are deserted
>Gus better not be screwing you both over…
>As you run through the streets, you finally able a close up look at some of the cottages
>The majority of the town is made up of them, being very traditional with hay roofs and sturdy wooden walls
>Even in the dark, you could spot the abundance of different colors
>As you move deeper into town, you notice some unique buildings such as an extravagant shop with carousal on top of it and… was that a gingerbread house?!
>You near what must be the Town Square
>Gus rounds a large, worn down tower-like structure before passing a fountain and heading straight through some huge, well-trimmed hedges
>You push through them too
>On the other side, you see that the hedges complete encompasses you
>Like an empty box with walls of green shrubbery
>Gus was sitting idly, tongue hanging out and staring at you
“You expect us to hide in a bush? In the middle of town?!”
>You silently shout at him
>He just sits there
“Gus, why the hell did you take us here? Hell, how did you even know about this place!”
>Suddenly, he turns and disappears out the back
>Puzzled, you decide to wait for him
>He comes back a few seconds later, an apple in his mouth
>Walking over, he drops it into your lap
>You pick it up
>It covered in saliva and has teeth marks all over it
>You look up to him, raising an eye brow
>All he does is wag his tail and licks his lips
>You sigh… this damn dog
>You toss him back his ‘gifted’ apple to you, which he carelessly enjoys as you think
>On second thought, where did he get that apple?
>…Doesn’t matter

>These hedges were tall enough to keep you out of sight of any passing ponies
>Still, you were hiding in the MIDDLE of town
>They’d never suspect it, but only because it was so risky
>You had to lay low for awhile till you figured out a new plan on how you could get those unicorns to send you home
>You let out a yawn
>But first, you're beat
>Without your sleeping bag, you’re forced to get close up to the hedge for shelter against the wind
>Gus, without command, comes up and lays besides you
>Better to share his body heat with you
“What are we going to do Gus?”
>You causally pet his white coat for a few minutes before falling asleep
>…
>You haven’t been asleep for even 10 minutes when your awaken by the sound of voices nearby
>Twilight:”What do you think it is?”
>Applejack:”I-*grunt* I don’t know, but it sh’ure is heavy”
>You hear the runner of your sled grind against the ground
>They found it; you had called that one
>Twilight:”Rainbow? Any ideas?”
>Rainbow:”I told you already, he never really mentioned it”
>Rarity:”What do you mean by ‘he’, darling?”
>Rainbow:”Well, I think that freaky thing was a dude… sure talked like one”
>There’s a bit of irritation in that last bit
>Applejack:”Ah’ still kan’t believe we let that MONSTER get away!”
>???:”Don’t worry, AJ. We won’t let that meanie pants take our little Dashie away again!”
>You hear something squeak, almost like a dog toy
>Rainbow[winded]:Pin-k-ie, you-re hu-rting m-e”
>Applejack:”Hehe… Come on everypony, GROUP HUG!”
>You kind of wanted to take a peak, but didn’t want to risk being spotted
>Eventually, the hug ends as you hear Rainbow take a huge gasp for air

>Fluttershy[quietly]:”We- um-... we were really worried about you, Rainbow…”
>Rainbow:”HA! Worry about Rainbow Dash? The most awesomeness, daring and fastest pegasus in all of Equestria!”
>You hear a little ‘meep’ come from Fluttershy, followed by the sound of a hoof resting on a shoulder
>Rainbow[sincerely]:”Thanks.”
>None of them talk for awhile so you assumed another hug was going on
>These ponies didn't seem like such bad peop- er animals
>Maybe if things had worked out differently...
>But you had long since blown your chance of redemption
>There was also the fact you were seen as a walking freak to them
>Rainbow:"Ouch!"
>Applejack:"Dat' reminds me, we got ta get you ta the hos'pital after what 'dat thing did ta you..."
>Twilight:"Where did you get those bandages Rainbow? They look... different"
>Rainbow:"Oh yeah, that thing put them on me as well as some kind of goo stuff..."
>Applejack:"And ya jus' let him?!"
>Twilight:"Rainbow, it could be poisoned!"
>Rainbow:"I don't thi -OW- Pinkie Pie?!"
>Pinkie Pie[innocently]:"Sorry..."
>Rainbow:"It’s a long story..."
>Twilight:"One that you can tell us all about AFTER you get your rest. Pinkie Pie, can you take Rainbow to Ponyville General?
>Pinkie Pie:"Okie Dokie Lokie"
>With that said, you hear Rainbow let out a "Woo!" as something runs away with her at incredible speed

>Twilight:"Applejack, I'll need you to bring that craft to the library so I can further study it. And Fluttershy, could you ask your animal friends if they've seen anything unusual like Rainbow's assailant in the Everfree forest as of late?"
>There's a moment of silence
>Twilight:"Also Fluttershy, I'm-….I'm sorry about the… you know"
>Fluttershy lets out an inaudible whimper before she trots away
>Applejack:"Shucks Twi, she's not taking it well"
>Twilight:"I know, but she'll get over in due time...  but right now, we got to be grateful we have Rainbow back"
>Applejack:"Yeah, yur' right... I really thought we lost her, Twi"
>Her voice trails off
>Twilight:"We all did Applejack, but that’s in the past... She's here now"
>The mare's voice turns to a more soothing and appreciated tone
>The orange pony instantly perks up
>Applejack[happy]:"Yeah, thank Celestia"
>Twilight:"Now come on, there's research to be done!"
>Soon the two more away, the sound of your sled being dragged behind them
>The stillness and silence of the night is restored once again, allowing you to close your eyes

>You awake up to your dismay in a familiar fashion, the Moon just barely disappearing over the horizon
>Damn, you thought you were over with this bullshit
>You curl up in a tight ball, trying to force yourself back to sleep
>It doesn’t work of course, but you couldn’t really do anything else hiding in a bush
>Eventually, you feel the Sun’s rays hit your form as well as hear the muffled sounds of doors opening and yawning
>But you are too tired from last’s night events to care about them
>Finally around midday, you give up trying to go back to sleep and get up for the day
>Peering through the bushes, you see the busy morning routine of a street market that had been set up while you rested
>And ponies…
>Ponies everywhere
>All with their own unique combination of mane and coat color
>Some were even wearing small articles of clothing, such as hats and things...
>As you stare out onto this alien world, you feel something touch your back
>You jump and turn to see- Oh it’s just Gus
>He was poking you with his snout, before using it to point to a pile of slobber and half bitten apples over to the left
>You sigh
>Have to use what your given, you suppose...
"Thanks bud"
>You pat him on the head before going over to retrieve some apples
>Finishing rest of your canteen while trying to force the grubby apples down, you listen in on the common street talk of the ponies
>You thought they'd be talking about stupid things like hay and oats
>You know, horse stuff
>But it seemed these pony folk were a lot like you, gossip spreading rampant
>Though you didn't really hear anything negative or degrading rumors about other ponies. For the most part, everyone was buzzing about Rainbow Dash
>Seems you had ran into a pretty important and popular pony
>She was (apparently) the leader of Ponyville's 'weather' team, champion of the Best Young Fliers Competition, had a fan club of foals solely dedicated to her and to top it all off was friends with the 'Princess'
>Needless to say, you were mentioned occasionally
>Oh ok, a lot
>Word had spread quickly that Rainbow had crash landed in the forest but had then been captured by some strange, menacing creature.

>Some versions said that you were going to eat her before she escaped, others said you were trying to extort 'bits' from the Princess
>Well, at least the ponies with conflicting stories all agreed to wait until "Mayor Mare and Twilight Sparkle" made their statement today at town hall
>The town hall must be that tower structure you saw earlier
>You'd probably be in earshot from the hedges when they released the statement...
>As you finish your last apple, you turned to see Gus had vanished
>Whatever, he seemed to know how to stay out of sight of the ponies
>Just then, you hear something crash out in the market place as well as distressed pony shout
>???:"My cabbage!"
>You peak over the hedge to see one of the stalls completely toppled, cabbage everywhere
>On top of the wreckage, you see three familiar fillies… Apple bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle
>The stall man er- pony stood idly by, mouth agape
>You can't help but smile at the odd scene
>The three fillies jump up instantly and then... looked their own butts?
>What the fuck?
>They all give sighs of disappointment in unison
>Applebloom:"No cutie marks... looks lik' overturin' cabbage stalls isn't our special talent"
>Cutie Marks?
>The one named Sweetie Belle goes over to the stall pony, who still looks like he could have a heart attack any second
>Sweetie:"Sorry about the mess Mister, we were just in a rush to go see Rainbow Dash. She's might be getting out of the hospital tomorrow!"

>For a moment, you're scared for the little fillies's fate
>However, the pony's face quickly changes into a subtle smile
>???:"Oh it’s ok, girls. Go on, don't let me hold you up... tell Rainbow Dash I said hi"
>Apple Bloom:"We will! Thanks mister!"
>Scootaloo:"Come one, guys!"
>You see Sweetie Belle toss over some coins to the stall pony (must be those 'bits') before running off with her friends
>The stallion waves a hoof goodbye and then gets to fixing his stall
>He had just let them go... Just like that
>Was it because they were just kids or were these ponies just as kind as they were colorful?
>Before you can finish the thought, a trumpet sounds from the village center
>The ponies begin to follow the call and filter in and around the Town Hall
>Soon the streets of the market are deserted as it seems the whole village gathers before a stage, where you can barely make out the outline of two ponies.
>Unlike you had previously thought, you can't seem to make out what they are saying
>Shit, you need to get closer
>Everyone’s attention is focused on the tan coated mare speaking as a purple unicorn stands by her side
>Must be the 'Mayor Mare'
>What a disgusting pun
>Slowly, you gather the courage and roll stealthily out of the hedges
>You land behind a stall that sells cherries and you can't help but snag a few
>Definitely better than your average cherry...
>You slowly make your way closer to the crowd, crouching behind the carts for cover
>Finally, you dive behind the sculpture of a fountain, only a few mere feet from the crowd
>Mayor Mare:"-which is why the Princess Celestia is advising everyp0ny to lock your doors at night and stay alert until this creature has been captured"

>The mayor takes a short pause from what must have been long speech, which you’d pretty much missed all of
>Dammit
>Mayor Mare:"I now give the floor to Twilight Sparkle, so that she may clarify the rumors you all have been hearing concerning the incident"
>The purple unicorn moves into position behind the podium as the mayor gracefully sidesteps
>Twilight:"As you all may have heard by now, the pegasus pony and good friend of mine, Rainbow Dash was captured and held against her will by the creature Mayor Mare just described to you."
>Soft mumbling pass through the crowd
>Twilight:"After talking to Rainbow Dash and consulting Princess Celestia, I can confirm that this creature has never been seen nor described before in any historical documentation since the founding of Equestria... Which has the Princess and I to believe this creature is of a whole new species"
>There is a peal of a few gasps
>Twilight:"Rainbow Dash said that the creature called himself 'Anon' and told her that it was... not from this world and had been seemingly transported here to Equestria by an unknown magical phenomenon."
>There is so much mumbling between the ponies Twilight has to wait before speaking again
>Twilight:"It seems that the creature was holding Rainbow Dash for ransom, so that in return, we, specifically Rarity and I, would send it back to its home world using our own magic."
>The crowd becomes quiet again
>Twilight:"Though I can try and understand the creature's desperation in its given situation, that does not excuse it from being held accountable for its actions."

>You see some nobs of agreement in the crowd
>Well, shit
>Twilight:"The creature is believed to be extremely dangerous and SHOULD NOT, under any circumstances be confronted alone. If spotted, immediately contact the nearest authority figure, along with me or any other wielder of the Elements of Harmony"
>The 'Elements of Harmony'?
>That sounded... regal
>Mayor Mare takes over again for closing statement, which is a sign for you that the little public announcement was coming to an end
>You make haste back to the hedges just as you hear the ponies behind you start to disperse
>A few minutes later and the market is alive again
>The place was buzzing about you even more this time, but you weren't really paying attention
>God, what had you gotten yourself into?
>Hell, even the high up royalty of this country was on your ass
>It was only a matter of time before somepony came to trim these bushes
>You were going to be found if you stayed in this place eventually
>And despite having totally destroyed that manticore thing, you didn't want to go back living in the forest knowing now what possible monsters lay within
>What to do...?
>Your finger traces the curves of the revolver in hand
>Maybe you could waltz into this hospital with this and take back Rainbow or just any other helpless pony as a hostage again

>You sigh
>No, you'd just make things worse...
>You slide the gun back into your pant’s waistband
>You soon get bored of sitting and decide to do pushups to past the time
>Escaping this place at night seemed like the most sane option
>But where would you got?
>Even if you did find some safe, non-pony infested place to hide, what then?
>Only these unicorns could get you home
>Without their help, you’d simply be stuck here for the rest of your life
>You were in a tight pinch and you didn’t like it
>They would find you eventually… and as bad as that sounds that was your only hope
>Maybe after you had proved yourself to them and made amends, they'd choose to help you
>Heck, they might send you back home right away just to get rid of you
>So if you were just sitting here, waiting for them to find you… why didn’t you just walk outside and reveal yourself?
>You can imagine yourself stepping through the hedge and out into the square in front of them all but you couldn’t actually do it
>A tiny tang of fear held you back
>Just like the sailor that refuses to abandon a sinking ship in open water. Not because he can’t swim but because of the uncertainty of the sea
>He does not know what the waves carry or what hides beneath the surface
>It terrifies him that he must jump out into something he does not know nor does he truly understand
>And it is that fear that glues him paralyzed to the ships’ deck, even as it sucks him down with it
>The anxiety of not knowing what will happen cripples a man into desperately latching onto whatever he DOES know, even if it inevitable brings his own death
>Right now, the secret corner in the hedges was your ship
>You're little safe place from the surrounding foreign world
>And you were going to sail on it for as long as you could…

>The market begins to die down as the Sun leisurely creeps down over the hills
>The baby blue sky also slowly begins to fade into its nighttime plum-colored haze
>Soon enough Gus returns, trotting through the back of the brush
>By then, the Moon had just started to ascend and the stall ponies had already left
"And where exactly have you been-"
>You cut yourself off as the bush continues to shake even after he had come through it
>Something else was coming through…
>You place your hands on the ground, ready to pounce on the thing when it emerges
>Walking slightly behind Gus, a memorable figure appears
>Despite its similar features to Gus, he dwarfs her considerably
>Its Winona
"...son of a bitch"
>Well, at least HE was making friends
>It doesn't take the little hound long to recognize you
>You try hard to put on a smile
"good… girl?"
>She stops in her tracks, eyes on you
>Maybe... maybe she had forgotten about your little kick?
>Her eyes quickly narrow as she bears her teeth
>Not a very threatening set of canines there, but nonetheless you slide back a little trying to look as non-threatening as possible
>Gus now sits promptly on his bum, looking to back between you and Winona, confused
>She starts to advance, a low growl escapes her maw
>You put up your hands defensively before Gus decides to jump in
>He walks over and softly nudges Winona with his long white snout
>She stops and turns to him, puzzled
>He then walks over to you, lowering his head so you’re able to catch his drift
>You reach out with your hand to meet and pet his head gently
>The stock dog stares blankly at the two of you, bewildered on what to do
>Slowly, you offer your other hand to her

http://youtu.be/6I0DkjcEfvI
>She flinches and begins to retreat
"I’m sorry about earlier Winona... I promise not to bite if you don't"
>Though the meaning of your words allude her, using her name combined with your soft tone causes her to stop backing up
>Gus gives a little whine of encouragement to her as you let your hand hang open in the air
>Slowly, she makes her way to your hand but hesitates when she's within a few inches
>You avert your gaze, looking off to the side to try and ease her worry
>…A warm grin crawls onto your face when you feel her soft fur against your palm
>You turn back to look at her, softly scratching at the base of her ears
>She smiles the only way a dog can smile, wholeheartedly
>That’s one atonement down...
>If only they’d all be this easy
>You continue to pet Winona and Gus for awhile, until she eventually pulls away
>She briefly goes over to Gus and passively nuzzles his face
>The white wolf returns the gesture, easily dominating the cuddle with his huge, furry maw
>After it ends, Winona heads back out the way she came
>You and Gus both turn to each other at her departure, you giving him a big shit eating grin
"Getting lucky with the locals, eh boy?"
>That was kind of doubtful, seeing their obvious difference in size
>But then again...
>Love will always find a way, right?
>You laugh as he manages to roughly push you over, playfully
>Caught in the moment, you wrestle with him like a pup before going to bed
>In light of what had just happened, you admitted you felt kind of... good
>Better than you had the days pass
>Despite the obvious bad, you couldn't help but look hopefully up at the beautiful night sky
>As Gus gets down and nestles himself beside you, you begin to curiously count the stars
>There seemed to be as many as the ones back home, but these stars seemed… different
>Like you could just reach out and pluck them from the sky
>Each one was equally as bright as the next but with its own unique shine
>Like someone had specially crafted them and arranged them like that
>Eventually, you give up counting and just stare openly at the breathtaking view
>You drift peacefully into sleep