Trowel (Garden Anon) Pt. 6

>You stand in a dark abyss.
>You feel on edge...like something isn’t right.
>There’s a faint beeping that echoes…barely audible.
>”Anon? Are you there?”
>You turn around to face the reverberating voice.
>It’s Twilight.
>You can barely make her out in the dense blackness.
>She’s the only salvation. You run up to her.
Twilight? Are you okay?
>She smiles happily at you.
>”Yes, Anon. Thanks for saving me…”
>Saving her? What does she mean?
>You can hear more beeping…a gentle pulse of sine waves.
>Twilight rubs her nose of your chest. She feels cold and stiff.
Twilight…are you okay?
>Her eyes look up at you…only now they are sunken in and black.
>”Why yes, Anon? Why wouldn’t I be? I’m with you.”
>She leans on you. She feels heavy and dense, like a tombstone.
>The beeping becomes louder.
Twilight…what’s going on?
>”Hold me…”
>You comply. Maybe it will make you feel better.
>Her body is cold and lifeless.
>What’s going on?
>”Oh, Anonymous…I’m so glad you saved me.”
>You release her.
What is going on, Twilight? I don’t understand.
>The beeping is so loud that all you see is the unicorn’s mouth moving.
>You hold your ears in pain; still the noise comes through.
>Suddenly, your ears feel wet.
>You remove them and experience the full force of the sound.
>”Oh, Anonymous…I love you.”
>You look at your hands and then to Twilight.
>Both of them are soaked in a thick coat of clotted blood.
>Your eyes shoot open in a mad panic.
>Just another dream.
>The beeping returns to normal, and so do your nerves.
>You peer to your right. It’s Twilight’s heart-rate monitor.
>It’s a normal pace according to the nurses, but she’s still very weak from all the blood loss.
>Through the thick hospital curtains and the amount of sun breaking through them, you can assume it’s nearly dusk.
>You look next to you. Twilight is still lying there in her bed…motionless.
>It’s been almost 4 days; she hasn’t woken up or even moved.
>You’ve been here for 3 of those days.
>You arise from your chair next to her. It makes you nervous leaving her out of your sight, but nature calls.
>You arch your back and stretch out your arms. You’ve been sitting for hours on end.
>You go to the bathroom and do your business.
>After a quick splash of warm water, you stare at your insomnia-stricken face.
>You recall the events of the last few days to yourself.
>After arriving at the hospital and having a small breakdown following the horrific event of finding your nearly-dead girlfriend in Fluttershy’s house, you were taken into custody by the police.
>At the time, you didn’t even know what was happening…you went without a fight.
>Looking back at it now, you can understand. A strange outside creature doesn’t just walk into the center of town with a half-dead, blood sautéed pony and not expect to get looks.
>Everyone around you was in a commotion when they saw the two of you, that much you remember.
>Getting to the hospital even, you remember that.
>After that…nothing.
>Other ponys have told you the events after the fact.
>The nurses said that you were crying hysterically, covered in thick spats of Twilight’s blood.
>Understandably, everyone thought you had done that to her. Looking back at it now, you wouldn’t have blamed them for thinking that.
>After a few moments of freaking everyone out, the police were finally called and you were escorted to the royal Canterlot Correctional Facility.
>All you remember was that you kept asking the officers if Twilight was still alive.
>They never answered you; you were the prime suspect in the surefire murder of the Princess’ star pupil.
>You do recall that terror though…the great unknown wrath of facing the ruler of Equestria.
>Up until that point, you had never met her, and to be honest, you never wanted to.
>If you could have it your way, you’d stay in Ponyville and live out your quiet life in seclusion.
>But to make a first appearance like this? It set you on edge.
>You eventually arrived at the castle.
>You were told you were to be judged in front of Celestia, and then your fate would be decided.
>In hindsight, you shouldn’t have been so hysterical.
>You recall murmuring to yourself out of nervousness and crying endlessly.
>That, on top of being covered in blood, didn’t make you look guilty or anything…
>Just completely insane.
>You were thrust onto the stone floor in front of the Princess and her royal court.
>You peered up to the titan before you, terror in your eyes.
>Her voice boomed in the stone halls.
>”Anonymous the human: you have been accused of murder; the most heinous crime in all of Equestria.”
>You knew there wasn’t going to be a trial. You were as good as dead as soon as she heard the news.
>You were at the mercy of Celestia now.
>Dozens of pony eyes stared at you, awaiting your fate.
>Of course you pleaded with her, trying to explain that it wasn’t your doing.
>To no avail.
>Celestia explained that murder has only occurred 3 times in the entire history of ponykind.
>Needless to say, they do not look favorably upon it; their thinking is that if someone murders, they aer incapable of compassion humanity (ponyanity?), and therefore must be executed.
>You heart dropped into your feet when that word exited her cold lips.
>Eye for an eye in Equestria is seems.
>The guards haul you off to a holding cell in the basement of the castle and shove you inside.
>With your hands in shackles, you trip and smack your face on the cold stone floors.
>The cell is lifeless; water dripping from the walls and the reek scent of an old basement.
>This isn’t where you belong. You need to be next to Twilight, so she knows you never wanted to leave her side.
>You look at the guards as they slam the cell door in your face.
>”Have a nice life while you still can, criminal scum.”
>They leave you in the filth of the dungeon.
>Alone. Scared. Moments from death.
>None of that matters to you now.
>You coil up in the corner.
>You just want Twilight to be okay.
>Hours pass as you huddle in the cold chamber.
>The constant dripping lulling you into a calm state.
>You’re still fearful for Twilight’s life though…you could even die happy just knowing that she will be alive.
>She’s all that matters to you now.
>Down the hall you hear echoing hoofsteps.
>”…He’s down here. You have 5 minutes...”
>The steps grow closer. This is it.
>You sigh and await death.
>You just wish it didn’t have to be this way.
>The sound draws nearer until you see a shadowy figure at the cell door.
>The guard is a bit scrawnier than the others.
>He stands there for a few moments.
Well…?
>You voice echoes; the reverberations are boxy in the small cell.
You only have five minutes. Might as well kill me and get it over with.
>The unicorn leans in.
>”Now why would I do that, Anonymous?”
>That voice…
>No. It can’t be.
>The pony unlocks the door and walks towards you as you try to back up into the corner more.
S-stay away from me…I’m warning you…
>The pony leans in, inches from your face, you can make her out clearly now.
>”Why, Anonymous? You can’t do anything to stop me with those big, strong hands behind your back now, can you?”
>She gives you seductive eyes.
>You try not to look at her.
What do you want with me, Lyra?
>She kneels down and looks into your eyes.
>She isn’t Fluttershy, but she’s still isn’t a welcomed sight.
>”Anonymous…I heard about what happened.”
>You look away.
>”…Y’know, I’ve wanted to see you in this position for a long time: you tied up, unable to fight back…while I’m in complete control…able to look at your hands whenever I want. But now that it’s actually happening, I don’t know what to do with myself.”
>Your gaze snaps to her face and you give a chilled look.
W-wha-
>”It was a joke, idiot. Jeeze.”
>You give a nervous laugh. You do hope if she was serious and you yelled for help, the guards would hear you…although they probably wouldn’t help you.
So…what are you doing here then…?
>Tears form in Lyra’s eyes. It’s definitely not something you expected to ever see.
>”Anonymous, you may or may not know, but I’ve spent a lot of time here in Canterlot, and as such, I have a little leeway with the Princess.”
Lyra…what are you talking about?
>”I’ve convinced the Princess to hear you out.”
>What’s this? She’s helping you?
>Lyra looks at you with giant eyes.
>”I know you didn’t do this to Twilight. I hardly know you at all, but everyone who knew you knows that you’re a kind, gentle-hearted person. The person who did this-“
Fluttershy. It was Fluttershy.
>Lyra is the first person to hear the truth.
>Needless to say she isn’t surprised, which in turn surprises you.
You mean…you knew?
>”Well, I wouldn’t say I knew, but when you first arrived in Ponyville, she was instantly infatuated with you. I mean, so was I, but Fluttershy…it was like on a completely different level. It was…obsession.”
So…she’s always been this way?
>Lyra furrows her brow in confusion.
>”Honestly, no. Not until you showed up. Seriously, Anon…don’t beat yourself up over this.”
>Is she serious?
That’s easy for you to say! You’re not the one with the girlfriend in the hospital!
>Your shouts echo against the dungeon walls. Better not do that again, lest the guards return.
>Lyra starts to become more like herself.
>”Hey! I’m just trying to help you, you jerk! You can rot here for all I care.”
>She gets up and starts to walk away.
>You fall for her bluff.
Lyra…I’m sorry. I’m just…I don’t know what to do…
>You rattle your chains.
Look at me…I’m helpless.
>She looks over her shoulder at you. You can faintly make out the glimmer of tears in her eyes.
>”Anonymous…I will help you. I believe you…you love Twilight, don’t you?”
Yes…more than myself.
>Lyra fetches the guards. They escort you to the Princess.
>This is your only chance to explain what happened.
>Luckily, Lyra backed you up just like she said she would.
>You pleaded with Celestia; just because you were from another world, didn’t mean that the ideas of love, compassion, and right and wrong were unknown to you.
>As lame as it sounded saying out loud to Twilight that one time, it was even more embarrassing telling the Princess that it felt like you were thrust into Equestria just to be with Twilight Sparkle.
>Lyra gave you the most heart-filled smile. You could tell it was an “I wish I could be that lucky” look.
>Lyra explained to the Princess that what you and Twilight had was real love…defying all odds and going against nature, and in a way, that was the most romantic thing ever.
>You were surprised that she fought that hard for you. Maybe she wasn’t so bad.
>When it came down to it, you told Celestia what had happened: you trimming Fluttershy’s hedges, her spying on your date with Twilight, drugging you, kissing you, breaking into your house, and attempting to murder Twilight.
>The last part was the hardest to talk about…
>You almost lost it and bawled, having to relive it over again.
>Celestia could see you were true in your words and in your heart. She gave you sympathy in your trying time.
>Not to mention she praised you for showing Fluttershy compassion amidst her mental imbalance. It was unexpected to hear, an even more difficult to endure.
>Celestia told you that her royal guards would be on the hunt for Fluttershy, and that you were free to go.
>As you stepped back outside and towards the train to Ponyville, Lyra ran after you.
>You massaged your wrists where the metal of the cuffs rubbed against you for hours.
>”Anon! Wait up!”
Oh, Lyra. Hey, I really owe you one…you really helped me out in there.
>She watches your hands ease their pain on each other…a little mesmerized.
>”It was…uh…nothing, Anon.”
>You slide them into your pockets.
Anyways…thanks again. I have to get to the hospital.
>You head toward the train, but she calls out to you again.
>”Anon, I think you should know…”
>She breaths.
>”They’re going to kill her when they find her.”
>You stare up at the sky. It’s starting to become gray once more.
Yeah. I know.
>You walk back towards your hospital chair.
>You stand over the unconscious Twilight and stroke her mane.
I hope you wake up soon, Twilight.
>The sun is going down. You’re going to try and sleep.