Anon's Corruption: Part 15 - Loyalty 5

http://www.infinitelooper.com/?v=VcXcBNwhC5k&p=n
>Time seems to stand still as you stare at Twilight’s downcast face.
>She’s got tears in her eyes from reading the scroll.
>Your brain struggles to process what it could mean.
>Your confusion is plain on your face.
>The scroll contains information from Celestia about how she’s going to help you, right?
>Why would Twilight be sad about that?
>Does the letter say something different?
>How could it? That would be stupid...
>That would mean that all your hopes have been dashed.
>That would mean you’d never see Applejack again.
>THAT CAN’T BE RIGHT.
>A wry smile tugs at the edge of your lips.
“Heh heh... What do you mean, Twilight? What do you have to be sorry about?”
>Your fists clench subconsciously.
>”I... I...”
>Spike interjects for you.
>”What does the letter say, Twi?”
>She looks away from both of you.
>She can’t bring herself to make eye contact over this information.
>”T-the letter... She says that she-“
“WHAT DOES THE LETTER SAY, TWILIGHT? TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT SHE SAID.”
>You scream at her.
>She flinches at your outburst.
>You don’t care.
>Twilight clears her throat.
>With hiccupping breaths she reads the letter.
>”My Faithful Student, Twilight,
It saddens me to learn that the human, Anon, and the element of kindness, Fluttershy, have had difficulties in the matter of friendship and love. What you have accused her of is a serious matter, and so I have taken the time to look into it fully. I apologise for this delay, but it was necessary. Anon alleges that the element of kindness raped him. Your truth spell and the testimonies from yourself and the element of honesty are enough to convince me of this. On the back of this, I summoned Fluttershy to meet me in Canterlot. There I questioned her on her actions.

As a result I have decided to pardon Fluttershy of her crimes.

I realise that this may seem cruel and unjust to you, but I have important things to take into account here. The most important is that I have seen into the nature of Fluttershy’s heart. To condemn her for her actions would breach all that she is and what she represents, and would crush her element. As you well know, it is imperative that the seal on Discord’s tomb be intact, lest chaos return to our world once more.

And so it is with great sadness that I must ask you to relay my decision to Anonymous. I expect he will not take it well, but I ask that you must stress that my decision is in the best interests of everyp0ny. Please give him my condolences.

Your Eternal Mentor,
Princess Celestia of Equestria”
>Your mouth is wide open in shock.
>Your brain was already running on pure adrenaline earlier.
>Now it struggles to take in what you just heard.
>It seems like it’s happening to someone else.
>Someone that deserves such injustice.
>Not you.
>You were raped.
>And now you just heard that your rapist is going to go scot free.
>”I’m so, so sorry, Anon...”
>That’s all Twilight can say as she cries tears for you.
>”I n-never thought... *sniff*”
>How do you even react to a situation like this?
>How can you react?
>It can’t be right.
>IT CAN’T BE RIGHT.
>THIS ISN’T FAIR.
>You stand up suddenly, filled with rage.
“It’s alright, Twilight. It’s not your fault.”
>”W-what are you doing, bro?” Spike asks hesitantly.
>You don’t answer him.
>You walk straight out of Twilight’s library into the cooling evening air.
>”Anon, wait!” Twilight calls after you.
>You ignore her.
>You don’t hear the clopping of hooves behind you, so you figure she’s not following.
>Good.
>You’d prefer to be alone for what happens next.
>You stride purposefully on the road towards Fluttershy’s cottage.
>Just a short time ago, you would have been filled with fear at even the slightest mention of going near her.
>But now you’re consumed with a burning anger deep in your chest.
>It tenses your muscles in anticipation.
>It strengthens your resolve.
>You will see justice.
>At all costs.
>You cross the bridge on the dirt path over a small stream, when you hear a whooshing noise next to you.
>You don’t even turn to look at it.
>You’re too focused on getting to Fluttershy.
>”Hmph. Anon. What are you doing out this evening?”
>You don’t have to turn to see the blue speaker out the corner of your eye.
>You recognise the voice instantly as well.
“None of your business, Rainbow Dash.”
>She swoops in front of you.
>You’re forced to stop and look at her hovering cyan face.
>”With a scowl like that it is my business. And anyway, is that how you greet a friend?”
>She’s right.
>The anger that smoulders in your chest fills every part of your body, even your face.
>But you don’t care to be civil.
>The way she uses the word friend...
>Would a friend root for your rapist when you were in need?
>Come to think of it, this is the first time you’ve talked to her in a week or so...
“I’m busy right now, Dash. Get out of my way.”
>”No way! I’ve been wanting to talk to you for ages now! You blanked me all those times when I tried to talk, so now I’m gonna make you talk!”
>She gets into a fighting stance.
>She snorts steam from her nostrils.
>Second time today that you’ve enraged one of the p0nies to violence.
>You’re starting to think you’ve got a knack for it.
>And that’s just fine with you.
>Because right now you’re in a fighting mood.
>All of the frustration that has built up over the last week’s events comes to a head.
>Getting raped by Fluttershy.
>Getting your name slandered all across town.
>The farm suffering because of it.
>Having to leave your special somep0ny.
>Being denied justice.
>And now your former bro blocking your way.
>Something inside you snaps.
>You can feel it eating at your insides and corroding your heart.
>Your rage builds from deep within you.
>Your fists clench, and you can feel your blood pumping furiously in your veins.
“Fine, Rainbow Dash.” You spit. “Make me talk. If you can.”
>Already your human mind has been analyzing your enemy.
>If there was one thing that you had that the p0nies didn’t, it was a sense of cunning and quick thinking.
>Those are what made humanity dangerous.
>Rainbow will most likely resort to airborne attacks, using her superior mobility to stay out of your reach and dive bomb you when she feels comfortable.
>She is, however reckless and headstrong, and you can use that to your advantage.
>You need to find a way to keep her on the ground.
>Your eyes scan the landscape.
>A wooded area lies about 100 metres off the road.
>You can easily run that far, but you can’t outrun Dash.
>You need to incapacitate or distract her before then.
>Rainbow Dash snorts one last time and gallops towards you.
>Unlike what you had anticipated, she plans to charge you on the ground first.
>That’s fine. It makes it easier for you to fight her.
>She’s most likely going to buck you, since she can’t trample you.
>Your adrenaline is pumping, making your senses sharper.
>You need all of it to make sure you time this right.
>She reaches you in short time and pivots on her forelegs.
>You guessed right. She’s going to buck.
>But you’re going to make her miss.
>From the height that she’s starting at, she was aiming for your stomach or chest.
>If she misses the first buck, she’s probably going to try and buck you again on her way back to the ground.
>You leap back before the first buck is launched.
>Her legs meet nothing but air, and her confusion is shown in her hesitation.
>She bucks once more as you anticipated, and you grab her legs.
>She’s stunned  - shocked that you managed to grapple her so easily.
>You take full advantage of this confusion to throw her around.
>This is where your height and dexterity come into play.
>You swing her overhead and bring her head crashing into the ground the other side of you.
>You know it won’t hurt her that much, though.
>She’s been through much worse and come out without a scratch.
>This is the mare that blew up a barn just by flying at it.
>But you don’t need to break any of her bones to win.
>You need to daze her.
>You bring her overhead again and slam her down once more.
>Her eyes roll around in their sockets and you know that you’ve achieved your goal.
>You let go of her legs and start running towards the trees.
>About halfway there you hear her get up and shout after you.
>”YOU CAN’T GET AWAY THAT EASY, ANON!”
>Rainbow Dash has recovered with a speed that does justice to her name.
>You hear a whooshing noise behind you.
>She’s finally taken to the air.
>It’s too late for her though.
>You sprint as fast as you can to the woods.
>Once you’re in there you dive onto your belly and roll into the underbrush.
>If you stay absolutely still she will most likely miss you.
>You hear her swoop in and land.
>She trots slowly and carefully.
>Her ears twitch and listen for any signs of your presence.
>You slow your breathing as much as you can.
>Your heart hammers in your chest from your recent exertion.
>It makes you worry that her sensitive ears might hear you.
>Her hooffalls come closer...
>Then a patch of blue comes into your vision.
>One of her hooves is right in front of you, but you don’t strike yet.
>She hasn’t noticed you at all.
>”COME OUT, ANON! I KNOW YOU’RE HERE!”
>Her ears twitch and swivel, searching for any sign of a response.
>She takes another step forward.
>”I JUST WANT TO TALK!”
>Another step.
>”DON’T BE A COWARD!”
>She turns around to project her voice in a new direction.
>Her rear is right in front of you now.
>And you know it’s the perfect time to launch your attack.
>You leap up from the floor and pounce on her.
>Landing with your full weight on her back, she yelps in surprise.
>You get your right arm around her neck.
>You force her throat into the crook of your elbow.
>”HURK... Anon... Stop...”
>You place your left arm behind her neck and push.
>You lock your right fist into the crook of your left elbow.
>Now you really apply the pressure.
>You are choking her quite effectively.
>She immediately wastes oxygen by trying to buck you off.
>Your grip is so tight that she stands no chance.
>She learns this very quickly as her body starts to scream for air.
>She is an athlete, however, and even though the lactic acid starts to build up in her system, she’s still got energy.
>She gives up on her rodeo tactic and instead spreads her wings.
>She flaps desperately, struggling to lift your weight.
>You maintain your choke hold.
>Just a few more seconds and...
>Your thought process is interrupted by your head colliding with something hard.
>Rainbow Dash has used her wings to propel herself backwards into a nearby tree.
>Seeing how you were on top of her, you took the impact.
>Your arms involuntarily release Rainbow Dash from your deadly embrace.
>She lands on the ground and pants heavily.
>You slump to the floor as your head rattles.
>She’s dazed you spectacularly.
>You lie on the floor in a crumpled ball, trying to nurse your aching head.
>Once Dash has her breath back she staggers over to you and pins you down on your back.
>Her forehooves pin your wrists up near your head.
>Her hind legs straddle your waist.
>Memories of Fluttershy flash through your mind.
>”I... Got you...”
“Hmph... You sure did. Good for you.”
>She breathes heavily and glares at you from her lofty position.
>”Tell me then.”
>You turn your head and spit.
>You don’t have to look at her.
>You don’t have to tell her anything either.
“I have no words to say to a traitor.”
>Her hoof comes off your wrist and slams itself next to your head.
>”Dammit, Anon!”
>You look up at her.
>Where once you saw anger, sorrow has made its way onto her face.
>She sobs with hiccupped breaths.
>”Why are we fighting...? Aren’t we friends? I thought I was your bro...”
>Her tears fall onto your chest.
>They touch your heart.
>The burning fire that rages in you is quenched by the falling droplets.
>What were you thinking?
>Your rage has quietened down to a smouldering ember by the sight of your friend in distress.
“I... You are my bro, Dash. I just... I thought you would think I was weak if I told you...”
>”What happened?”
“Fluttershy... She...”
>You take a deep breath to stop the welling emotions inside of you.
“She raped me.”
>Rainbow’s face is contorted in confusion and shock.
>”DAMMIT, ANON! I thought you were being serious!”
“I AM!” You roar back at her.
“I am! This is why I didn’t tell you! You reacted exactly like I thought you would! Of course you wouldn’t believe me. Some friend you are...”
>You turn your head away from her once more.
>She releases you and backs away.
>You sit up and rub your wrists.
>”It’s hard, you know...”
>Her tears have slowed, but still keep flowing.
>”It’s hard being loyal to your friends. I want to help you both.”
>She can’t face your gaze right now.
“I know. But she doesn’t deserve your help.”
>”I’m not convinced of that.”
>She spreads her wings and turns away from you.
>She looks back at you one last time.
>Her tears have stopped completely now.
>”Don’t try and hurt her again. I’ll stop you.”
>She says no more words and takes off to the skies silently.
>You watch her speed off, trailing her brilliant prismatic tail behind her.
>You wonder if she’s able to live up to her promise.
>Next time...
>Well, hopefully there won’t be a next time.
>Your anger has been sated for now.
>You start walking back to town.

>You reach the library exhausted.
>The evening air is cool against your skin.
>Through the windows of the library you can see welcoming firelight.
>You get to the door and hesitate to open it.
>You don’t particularly want to face anyp0ny now.
>You have been utterly defeated today.
>First by Celestia, then by Rainbow Dash.
>You feel worthless and useless.
>It’s just like when you escaped from Fluttershy the first time...
>You have no choice but to accept it now.
>All hopes of you being with Applejack are lost.
>She has escaped justice.
>She’s poisoned your friends against you.
>She has won.
>You have been defeated.
>Your failure occupies your mind completely.
>Your thoughts swirl around and around the fact that you have lost.
>She’s taken everything away from you.
>In this foreign land, what do you have left?
>The clothes on your back.
>That’s it.
>A single tear rolls down your face.
>You’ve cried all your tears already.
>You sigh the sigh of a broken man.
>You have no choice but to face your failure now.
>You open the door to the library.
>Twilight and Spike are standing next to the fireplace.
>You step inside silently, head hanging in shame, trying to avoid the prospect of their judging gazes.
>You try to walk unnoticed to the staircase to try and get to the relative safety of your bed.
>”Oh, hey Anon...”
>Twilight has noticed you.
>You force yourself to make eye contact with her.
“Hey, Twi... I’m sorry about earlier...”
>”I-it’s ok, Anon! Don’t worry about it! Did you do what you wanted to?”
>She seems to be nervous about something.
>She smiles an awkward forced grin at you.
>It makes you suspicious and you raise an eyebrow in confusion.
“No. I met Rainbow Dash.”
>”O-oh, really? W-well that sounds good! You haven’t seen her in ages!”
“Yeah...”
>Remembering the events of your encounter with Dash makes you break your eye contact with Twilight.
>It fills you with an infinite sadness.
>Twilight notices your reaction.
>”Anon? Is everything alright?”
>The expression on her face changes to one of concern, though you’re not sure if that is forced too.
>”Yeah, bro. What’s up?” Spike adds.
“It’s nothing. I’m just tired.”
>”O-okay...”
>”Bro, we should tell you; we just got a letter from Princess Celestia and-“
>Twilight hastily shoves a hoof in Spike’s mouth.
>”Haha! Yeah, the one we got earlier. That one. But you already know about that.”
>Spike pushes Twilight’s hoof out of his mouth and speaks again.
>”No, there was another-“
>Twilight reaffirms her hoof’s home next to Spike’s uvula.
>”I-ignore that, Anon! Spike’s just tired too, so he’s getting confused. Maybe you should just head on up to bed?”
>”Mmmpf!”
>”See? He just can’t wait to get settled down for the night. Off you go, Anon! I’ll send Spike up soon, too!”
>She smiles her forced grin again.
>She seems to think that it might be more convincing if she smiles wider.
>As you look at her, you notice her horn has been glowing this entire time.
>You crane your neck to peer around her, but she turns with you.
>She is hiding something.
>But honestly, you don’t really care.
>You don’t care about anything at the moment.
>Nothing other than getting into bed and hiding from the world can give you satisfaction right now.
>So you don’t probe any further and instead take Twilight’s suggestion to continue upstairs.
>You feel so lethargic now.
>Each step is a monumental effort for you.
>It’s just like when you were back on the farm...
>The farm...
>The farm you’ll never return to...
>And Applejack...
>You’ll never get to lie with your golden goddess again.
>You’ll never get to run your hands through her lovely blonde mane again.
>You’ll never experience her warm embrace or the way she kissed.
>Will you even ever see her again?
>What would you even say to her?
>Could you overcome your shame?
>Not right now.
>Your tears flow freely down your face by the time you reach the bedroom.
>Thankfully you’re alone now.
>Alone to wallow in your misery.
>You climb into bed.
>Here you’ll lie as the world passes by.
>A broken man, waiting to die.

>Dawn breaks once more on the horizon.
>The bright sunlight breaks through the curtains and tries its best to illuminate the room.
>It’s a testament to how the world moves on inexorably.
>But you can’t.
>You lie in bed, despite the sun’s rays trying to cajole you into waking up.
>You can’t seem to find the energy to care.
>All you can think of is how useless you are.
>How you failed and how that failure has ruined everything.
>Fluttershy is a free mare and you’re stuck here.
>It makes you sick to your stomach.
>The door to the bedroom opens.
>”Anoooooon~ I brought you breakfast!”
>Twilight enters the room with a tray hovering in her telekinetic grip.
>You pull the covers closer.
>”You’re not feeling hungry?”
>Your stomach answers for you by growling.
>You don’t move though.
>”Well... I’ll just leave this here for when you’re ready to eat.”
>You hear the clip clop of her hooves on the wooden floor then the closing of the door.
>You’re alone once more.
>You lie in your solitude.
>Your stomach growls.
>You don’t really think that you deserve to eat, but your body thinks otherwise.
>You savour the feeling of painful hunger for a while.
>It’s all a failure like you deserves.
>Eventually you relent to your body’s cravings for whatever delicious food that lies next to you.
>You roll over in bed.
>Lying in the space where Twilight slept before is a tray with a plate of waffles, a glass of orange juice, and a flower in a delicate vase sitting on top of it.
>Somewhere deep inside you, your heart lifts slightly.
>It feels good to be taken care of, in a way.
>It brightens up your day just a little.
>You sit up in bed and place the tray on your lap.
>You eat in silence.
>Your jaw chews mechanically, but your thoughts are somewhere else.
>You wonder what Applejack is doing right now...
>The waffles, which have been cooked to perfection with care and attention, should be delicious.
>But you don’t register it in your mind.
>Everything is flavourless now for you.
>Just as you’re finishing your meal, there’s a knock at the door.
>”Anon...? Can I come in?”
>It’s Spike, your new bro.
>Thinking of him makes you think of Rainbow Dash...
>And thinking of Rainbow Dash makes you even more depressed.
>You don’t answer him.
>The doorknob turns and Spike edges the door open just a crack.
>”I’m coming in, ok?”
>He very quietly opens the door and tiptoes in, as if being stealthy will somehow lessen his trespassing.
>He closes the door as silently as possible and turns around to face you.
>He jumps in shock when he sees you glare at him.
>”Aah! You’re awake! You didn’t answer, so...”
>You don’t really want to talk to him.
>He’ll only betray you like the rest.
>He wants to mock you for being so weak.
>”Are you ok, Anon? You don’t look so hot...”
>You look at yourself.
>You’re still muddy and dirty from your scuffle with Rainbow Dash last night.
>You haven’t shaved.
>You’re a mess.
>You look away from him to the curtains, which still remain closed.
>Anything but looking into his eyes while you’re like this.
>He misinterprets your gaze and walks over to the window.
>”O-oh! Let me get that for you!”
>He opens the curtain, letting the judging outside world into your life once more.
>”I... I want to talk to you about something, Anon...”
“What is it, Spike?”
>You said that with perhaps a little more vitriol than was necessary.
>You’re not particularly angry at him, just disillusioned with the world in general right now.
>He still flinches at your tone anyway.
>”W-well... It’s about last night... Twilight told me not to talk to you about it, but... I think you should know. Since we’re bros and all.”
>Knowing that your bro is looking out for you lifts your spirits a bit more.
>You motion for him to sit next to you on the bed.
>He climbs up next to you.
“I had my suspicions last night, too. Is Twilight hiding something from me?”
>”Y-yeah... We got another scroll from Celestia after you left. It was about you, but it said not to tell you about it.”
“Then you shouldn’t tell me. I’m not worth getting you in trouble.”
>Spike looks hurt at your words.
>”B-but that’s what bros do, don’t they? They get in trouble for each other.”
>You realise you have a lot to teach him about brodom, but his heart is in the right place.
>His concern for you brings you out of your stupor.
>You smile at him.
“Yeah. That’s right, Spike. What have you got for me, then?”
>”Well... I didn’t understand most of it. Twilight let me read it once, but then she snatched it away from me when she heard what Celestia had to say. Something about corruption.”
“Corruption...? What could she mean by that in reference to me?”
>”Celestia was writing about how she couldn’t side with a creature of chaos. I think she was talking about you? Something to do with harmony and preserving it... But she said that you corrupt things.”
>Corrupt things...?
>What on earth does she mean by that?
>What could you possibly corrupt?
“I don’t understand...”
>”Me neither. She said in the letter that you were harmless now, but that you’ll eventually become corrupted and that the girls should stay away from you.”
>Celestia wasn’t content to ruin your life.
>She wanted to take your friends away too.
>Come to think of it, you’d been doing a pretty good job of pushing them away yourself.
>You look down at your empty tray out of guilt.
>You had been acting quite anti-social recently.
>You had good reasons, but you should try to change it.
“So let me get this straight, Spike. Celestia says that I’m a chaotic being, but right now I’m harmless. She also says that she’s worried that I’ll corrupt things, possibly the elements of harmony.”
>”Uh... I think so. I think you actually remembered it better than me!”
>This bears some thought.
>Corruption... You had been acting odd, recently.
>That rage you felt when you fought Rainbow Dash...
>And her reaction to your provoking her...
>Could it be starting already?
>Why would she want to keep this information away from you?
>This is pretty important stuff!
>Could it be that you caused Fluttershy to act in the way she did, too?
>How might you even corrupt things, even?
>Just by being near somepony?
>That seems a bit unfair.
>This new information is a lot to absorb, but already you think you know what you need to do.
>If you corrupt ponies, you need to get away from Twilight.
>That’s the best thing you can do right now.
>You couldn’t bear to see someone, who has been so kind to you, suffer.
>You also need to apologise to the ponies that you shunned.
>You don’t want them to be sore like Rainbow Dash.
>That could turn into more corruption.
“Thank you, Spike. You’re a real bro, you know that?”
>Spike puffs out his chest with pride.
>”Definitely, bro! Us bros with digits have to stick together! Hoofbump!”
>Spike holds his fist out expectantly.
“It’s a brofist, Spike.”
>You bump him and smile.
>Today is going to be a good day.

>Getting up at midday is a late start for you, but you floundered in bed for too long.
>You thought up a plan to deal with your situation and now you’re ready to put it into effect.
>You get out of bed and start your routine.
>You have a duty to do.
>You can’t see your friends get hurt.
>You’re embarrassed to be seen in such a shambles, but you have no choice on your way to the bathroom.
>As you walk there, you bump into Twilight, who was levitating an open book in front of her.
>Dealing with Depression: A Stallion’s Guide.
>”O-oh! Anon! You’re up and about! How are you feeling?”
>You’re not great.
>A voice in the back of your head constantly screams at you about your failure.
>But you’ll live.
“I’m fine, Twilight.”
>”Oh! Oh, good! That’s really good! I’m proud of you!”
>Twilight has her awkward grin on her face again.
>You raise an eyebrow, but decide not to push her for what she means by that last statement.
>It was completely patronising.
“Thanks for bringing me breakfast, Twilight. I’m sorry I was such a grump.”
>”It’s no problem! I’m happy to do something to look after such a good friend!”
>She’s awfully enthusiastic about making you pleased, it seems.
“Well, thanks. Say, I’m planning on doing some job hunting later today. Do you know of any openings?”
>”Job hunting? In your condition...? I mean, uh... Yeah. Yeah, let me go find out while you get ready.”
“Thanks, Twilight. You’ve been so helpful to me. I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done.”
>Your sincerity shines through and touches Twilight’s heart.
>Her awkwardness melts away as she blushes from your kind words.
>”Aww... It’s nothing, Anon.”
“Well, gotta get ready to face the day! Time’s wasting!”
>”Y-yeah! Right!”
>Twilight lets you get into the bathroom so that you can start your routine.
>While getting ready you think about her.
>It seems that she started acting weird ever since you got back last night.
>And the only thing that has changed since then is...
>The letter.
>You have a feeling Spike missed out a couple of details.
>That book says it all.
>Celestia must be concerned about your state of mind and its effect on the ponies around you.
>She must think you’re depressed...
>Well, gee... You kinda were.
>Back on the farm when you ran away from Fluttershy, you couldn’t get out of bed.
>And even today, you felt like you hit rock bottom.
>Now that you think about it, you are probably quite susceptible to these bouts of depression.
>That’s a problem.
>You’ll have to try and catch yourself if you feel yourself slipping into one of them.
>For everyone’s sake.
>If Celestia is concerned about it, being in a bad mood is probably a dangerous thing.
>You sigh as you finish shaving.
>Things have just gotten a lot tougher in your life.
>But as you look into the mirror, the man that stares back at you is looking a lot better than he was earlier.
>It makes you feel a bit more confident.
>You look ready to take on the world once more!
“Alright, Anon. You can do this. Do it for everyone. Do it for yourself.”
>Your pep talk to your reflection psyches yourself up for today.
>It’s time to forge your own path in Equestria.

>You walk with Twilight and Spike to the town hall.
>Ponies on the street stare at you with a mixture of disapproval and disgust.
>It doesn’t feel good.
>It doesn’t feel good at all.
>But you can’t let it get to you.
>All that matters now is fixing everything.
>”Gee, seems like everybody’s grumpy today, huh, Anon?”
“Yeah, Spike. I have a feeling I might have something to do with that.”
>Or more technically, Fluttershy might.
>She’s poisoned the entire town against you.
“I’m sorry for dragging you through this, Twilight. At this rate they might think you’re dating me, too...”
>Twilight rears back in shock and blushes furiously.
>”Wearetotallynotdatingthatwouldbeasillyidea!” She blurts out, just a little too fast to be comfortable.
>She turns around to face the judging stares of the ponies in the street.
>Her horn glows and her voice is amplified magically.
>”ANON AND I ARE NOT DATING!”
>The force of her voice blows the nosy ponies back a couple of inches.
>Once they recover from the sonic attack, they turn to each other and mutter something.
>Then, instead of staring at you, they go back to their normal business.
>Are ponies here that easily swayed?
>You expect you’ll have a lot more trouble convincing them about you and Applejack...
>”T-there! That cleared that up!”
“Wow, good job, Twilight!”
>Twilight still sports a heavy pink blush that shows through her purple coat.
>”Y-yeah! How could they think we’re dating...? That would be s-stupid!”
>Twilight accelerates suddenly and you have to jog to keep up.
>”Hey, what’s gotten into you, Twi?” Spike asks, as he’s jostled up and down by Twilight’s canter.
>”NOTHING!” She protests.
>Eventually you catch up to the pair as you get to town hall.
>The grand structure looms imposingly over the surrounding houses and shops.
>It amazes you to think that a species without hands could produce such advanced buildings.
>Of course, it doesn’t compare to the skyscrapers back on Earth, but it’s still impressive.
>The three of you enter the reception and are surprisingly ushered straight through to the mayor’s office.
>It seems that Twilight has some powerful friends.
>Not surprising, seeing how she has a direct line to the ruler of the country.
>You enter Mayor Mare’s office.
>It’s a huge room lined either side with shelves upon shelves of books.
>A plush, red carpet extends all the way from the doorway where you entered to the grand windowed wall on the other side of the room.
>You can feel the luxuriousness through your feet.
>Mayor mare sits at a desk in front of the window, silhouetted by the bright sunlight that streams into the room.
>”Come in! Close the door! Take a seat.”
>She invites you into the room and you do exactly as she says.
>You don’t fuck around with someone who has 27 copies of the Encyclopaedia Equestria.
>”I got your letter, Twilight. How may I help you?”
>”Well, it’s not so much me. It’s about Anon, here.”
>”Ah, yes. Our own resident marekiller. I was confused when you were asking about job vacancies. I knew you already had your library to take care of.”
>The two girls laugh, but you don’t particularly see the funny side of things.
>You don’t like the reputation that you have so unjustly been given.
>”Yes, so do you think you could help him out?”
>”Well, yes. I think we have an opportunity here. It’s not particularly challenging work, but I can assure Anon it pays well.”
“I’ll take what I can get, Mayor Mare. I’m already imposing on Twilight’s hospitality enough as it is. I’d like to be able to get a place of my own and move out as soon as I can.”
>”Oh, you’re with Twilight now...?”
>Mayor Mare raises her eyebrow and gets a devious smile on her face.
>Seems like everypony loves to gossip.
>”I-it’s not like that! Anon just needed a place to stay and...”
>”Well. It’s none of my business who you share a bed with, Twilight. You’re a grown mare, now.”
>”I’M NOT DATING ANON!”
>Twilight’s social skills have once again killed the conversation.
>An awkward silence permeates every inch of the opulent room.
>Mayor Mare breaks the tension with a small cough.
>”Well, back to business. I believe I can help you out with both of your goals, Anon. It just so happens that there is an abandoned house for sale on the outskirts of town. I can give it to you if you work for me, and we can arrange some sort of deal on how you may pay me back. What do you say?”
>An abandoned house...?
>It’s probably dilapidated.
>”What state is the house in?”
>”Well, I’m afraid beggars can’t be choosers, Anon. But if you do wish to know, the house used to belong to a bear. It’s perfectly suited to a creature of your stature. Certainly moreso than any house in town.”
“A bear? Don’t bears live in caves?”
>”This bear was a very good homeowner. Harry, I believe his name was. Technically the house is classed as a cave, but he spruced it up enough so that it’s more like a house now. I assure you, you’d love it.”
>This sounds like a very dodgy deal.
>But it’s the best thing you’ve got at the moment.
“And what’s the work?”
>”I require a scribe.”
>”Ooh! Ooh! I’m a scribe! I’m a scribe! I could teach Anon!” Spike says, bouncing up and down on his tail.
>”Indeed, my little friend. As soon as I saw Anon’s nimble fingers, I thought he would be perfect for the job. And with your help, I’m sure he’ll make a fine assistant.”
>”Oh, Anon! Are you gonna take it? Please say yes! Then we can be job buddies! We can talk about paper and different kinds of ink and quills and...”
>Spike seems ecstatic to hear that you might be joining him in his noble profession.
“I’d love to be your scribe, Mrs. Mayor.”
>”Excellent! Well then, let me deal with the paperwork and we’ll get you moved into that house. You can start work next week.”
>”OHBOYOHBOYOHBOYOHBOYOHBOY!”
>Spike is dancing around the room.
>He seems even happier than Mayor Mare about this turn of events.
>It makes you smile to see him so happy.

>You leave the town hall and mosey on over to the estate agent that kept the key to your new house.
>After producing the proper documentation from the mayor, they simply gave you the deed and the keys.
>It seemed they were only too happy to get rid of the property; It had been on the market for a few years now.
>After a lengthy, but not tedious walk on the path that lead to the Everfree Forest, the house comes into sight.
>A simple, two storey property, its white painted walls were peeling from years of neglect.
>The shutters on the windows were crooked and falling off, but surprisingly the panes of glass were intact.
>The house itself lies inconspicuously on its own on the side of the road up a snaking garden path that leads through a neglected front lawn and patio area.
>From the patio area you look out in front of your house.
>There are no nearby houses, just more green scenery.
>The rolling meadows seem to stretch as far as you can see, the only interruption to the green curves being patches of trees that form mini-woods.
>Two of these small clusters flank your new house.
>It’s a nice situation. Almost picturesque.
>The house itself isn’t much to look at, but you’re certain you can fix it up.
>”Well, Anon? Aren’t you going to take a look inside?”
>Twilight interrupts your admiration of the scenery and brings you back to the task at hand.
“Y-yeah. Of course. Right.”
>You fish the key with the front door tag attached to it and place it in the lock.
>It turns slowly, the lock having gotten stubborn with years of inactivity.
>Eventually it unlocks, and you apply a modicum of force to the old, heavy door.
>The door creaks open to reveal a long forgotten scene.
>A layer of dust coats everything in sight.
>Yet more motes of dust float suspended in the sunlight that filters through the grimy windows.
>It eerily illuminates the time-locked room.
>The room itself seems to be a living room.
>It’s large, and has a desk in the far right hand corner.
>In the middle of the room sits a battered blue sofa.
>It’s obvious that it has faithfully served its old owner, having been broken in long ago.
>In front of the sofa is a beautiful wooden coffee table.
>In front of the coffee table is a knee-high set of shelves.
>You immediately start thinking of TV stands.
>As you stand in the doorway, directly in front of you is an archway that leads to what looks like a kitchen, if the tiled floor is to be trusted.
>To your left is a staircase that leads to the upper floor.
>Underneath the staircase is another door, that you assume leads to the basement.
>”Whoa... This is a nice place, Anon!” Spike says in amazement.
>Admittedly, it is.
>It’s looking quite Spartan right now, but you are sure you can rectify that, given time.
>The room you have to work with is plentiful and your mind is already working through different possibilities of what you might put in your new house.
>”And you got this for how much, again...?” Twilight asks.
“Uh... The mayor didn’t say. She only said I’d be working with her long enough to get to know her ‘very well.’”
>You gulp as you realise that a place like this probably didn’t come cheaply.
>But it’s still yours and that’s what matters.
>Even though this place looks uninhabited, you already feel like it’s home to you.
>Like you were meant to be here.
>If indeed there is any place here for you in multicoloured horse land.
>That is, away from Applejack...
>Your vision sinks downwards as your mind starts to slip into those depressing thoughts again...
>”Hey! There’s a fridge here! It still looks good!”
>Spike’s shrill voice snaps you out of your trance.
>You follow the circular hoofprints of Twilight into the kitchen, where she and Spike are inspecting the place.
>All in all, it looks pretty good.
>It has all the mod cons.
>An oven, a magical microwave.
>It’s nice and spacious, too.
“Oh, wow! This is awesome!”
>Spike’s voice draws your attention to the rear wall of your house.
>From the window over the sink you can see that you have a back garden.
>But even further than that, you can see a beautiful view of the Equestrian landscape.
>Yet more nature stretches itself before you and you feel like you own the entirety of the outdoors.
>Hell, there’s no one to tell you otherwise!
>”This... This is really nice, Anon. I’m happy for you.” Twilight says.
“I’m happy for me, too. Thanks, Twilight. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know what I’d have done.”
>”I-it’s alright... I would have done it for any of my friends... Especially one as good as you... I mean, uh...”
>”So, Anon! When’s the housewarming party?”
>Spike inadvertently saves Twilight from further embarrassment by changing the topic.
“Uh... I have no idea, but I should totally have one!”
>A housewarming party is exactly what you need to get your friends back together!
>”Y-yeah, Spike! That’s a great idea! Anon, would you like me to spread the word when I get back to town?”
“That would be great, Twilight. I’ve got some work to do if I want to make this place presentable.”
>”Cool! Then I’ll go see Pinkie Pie. She’ll definitely want to hear about this.”
>Twilight walks to the front door with Spike on her back.
>”I’ll tell them to come over tomorrow, okay? So you’d better get started soon!”
“Alright. Will do, Twilight. Thanks. For everything.”
>Twilight simply smiles.
>This time it’s not her awkward grin.
>It’s a genuine smile that you can tell comes from the heart.
>It makes her look pretty.
>She turns and leaves for Ponyville.
>You look at the dusty mess surrounding you.
>Looks like you’ve got your work cut out for you.

>After finding an old toolbox and supplies in the basement, you get to work fixing the shutters.
>That job surprisingly didn’t take that much time.
>Next you found a magical hoover in a closet upstairs.
>A quick spin with its hyper-vortex action™ leaves no speck of dust untouched.
>The house is already looking lived in.
>Finally, you scrub down the windows.
>The light finally pours into your house, unabated by the grime that had built up over the years.
>You’re pretty happy with how the place looks now.
>It’s not that interesting, but it’s yours.
>You continue your cleaning spree into the kitchen.
>Turns out the previous resident really was a bear, as evidenced by the disgusting salmon that remained in the fridge.
>You promptly threw that out and went about sterilising the fridge.
>A few hours later, and you were pooped from all of your cleaning.
>You sat down on the blue sofa and remarked how comfy it was.
>The best sofas are always the ones that have seen plenty of use.
>The sun was just starting to go down, and you were glad to be able to rest in peace.
>It was so quiet out in the countryside.
>It had such a different atmosphere to the bustling town of Ponyville.
>It was nice.
>Just what you needed to soothe your soul.
>As you reflect on your current situation, you end up drifting off into peaceful sleep on your new, old sofa.
>It cradled you perfectly the entire night.

>The next day you wake to the sound of your stomach rumbling.
>As unpleasant as it is, you don’t have anything to satisfy your hunger.
>You’ll just have to skip a day.
>It won’t be that bad.
>You pick yourself up off the couch and stretch to get out the kinks that arose from sleeping in an odd position.
>There’s surprisingly few of them.
>Good old Bluey.
>You can tell you’re going to get on swimmingly with this couch.
>This is the start of a beautiful friendship.
>You realise that you don’t actually have much to do in the house.
>You start to launder the bedding from the old bed upstairs.
>Despite the age of the sheets, it’s in good condition.
>As you poke around in the bedroom you come across some photos left by the previous resident.
>Floating either side of a shaggy, brown bear are two pegasi.
>One is blue with a distinct rainbow coloured mane.
>The other is a pink-maned, yellow mare who seems to be cringing from the flash on the camera.
>Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy...
>Seems they knew this bear quite well.
>A little more snooping around reveals plenty more photos of the three of them together.
>It only serves to remind you of the current state of your relationship with them.
>Did you wreck everything?
>Were they corrupted?
>Does it matter?
>You sigh and put down the photo.
>You’ll remember to get rid of it some time.
>Harry didn’t seem to deem it necessary to take it, wherever he went.
>In fact, the house is in a state that belies his fate.
>Food still in the fridge.
>Mementos still left in place.
>It seems that Harry didn’t have time to pack up before he left.
>You wonder if Fluttershy had something to do with that.
>That witch...
>Even as you think of her, your heart starts to beat faster.
>You catch your hands starting to shake in anticipatory fear.
>A sudden knocking at the door startles you and makes you jump.
>But it also knocks you out of your thoughts.
“Coming!”
>You head downstairs and open the door to see your first visitor.
>Well, you say see.
>It’s hard to keep your eyes focused on the pink blur that launches itself at your chest.
>”NONNYNONNYNONNYNONNYNONNY!”
>Suddenly, a hyperkinetic fuzzball has attached itself to your nipples!
>YOU KNEW THIS DAY WOULD COME!
>”Anon! I’m so glad you’re up and about and as soon as I heard that you had a new house I knew you’d be having a housewarming party and then Twilight told me and I was all, like, ‘I TOTALLY KNEW!’ and she was like, ‘That’s highly improbable!’ and I was like, ‘Well I’m Pinkie Pie!’ and then I had to get ready to make your housewarming party totally awesome and...”
>It’s a sonic attack!
>She must be trying to brainwash you in order to assimilate you into her herd!
>There’s only one solution for this!
>COUNTERSONG!
“6-6-6, THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST! SAAAAAAACRIFICE! IS GOING ON TONIGHT!”
>It works!
>Pinkie Pie detaches herself from your chest.
>”Oh, Anon... Don’t be silly! The girls don’t like that song! I’ve got a whole playlist picked out already that we can all enjoy!”
>Phew. She’s back to normal.
>Well, as normal as Pinkie Pie can be.
>You let her into your house and she marvels at how spacious it is.
>To the ponies, who are at best half your height, this place must seem like a palace.
>Still, once Pinkie Pie has finished admiring your living room, she wastes no time in getting the party set up.
>She moves with blinding speed, zipping from one corner to the next, putting up streamers and banners.
>You can do naught but stand in awe of her reality-bending abilities, lest you move and get in her way.
>It’s best to just let Pinkie be Pinkie most of the time.
>She finally starts to slow down when she starts laying snacks out on your TV stand.
>You’re prompted to finally move from your island of safety by another knock at the door.
>You open it to reveal a marshmallow posing as a pony.
>”Anon, darling! How wonderful to see you! How are you- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
>Rarity shrieks at the top of her lungs and recoils in horror as her eyes fall on your living room.
>”What in Celestia’s beard is THAT?”
>She points an accusatory hoof at your sofa.
“Well it’s good to see you too, Rarity...”
>”BURN IT! BURN IT!”
“Hey, whoa!”
>You leap in between the enraged fashion mare and Bluey.
“You stay away from Bluey!”
>”It’s dirty! It has stuffing leaking from it! It must be purged!”
>You swear that you just heard a creaking, crying noise coming from your sofa just now.
“Hold on, Rarity! Bluey is my pal! Yeah, he’s looking a bit worse for wear, but he’s a veteran! Show some respect!”
>You think you heard Bluey creak in approval.
>Rarity shoots blue sparks from the end of her horn menacingly.
>You make sure to block them all with your body.
>They don’t feel hot, but you don’t think Bluey even has a fire safety tag.
>Rarity eventually gives up trying to ignite your buddy- uh... sofa, and backs down.
>”Ooh...! Anon! Leave it to a stallion to have no sense in modern decor!”
“Hey, now. Bluey is just fine, thank you! He’s a little frayed around the edges, but who says you can’t teach an old sofa new tricks?”
>”It’s teach an old DOG new tricks, Anon. And if you’re so insistent on keeping it-“
“Him.”
>”If you’re so insistent on keeping it, then stand back.”
>You hesitantly move to the side, keeping tense, just in case you need to take a dive for your upholstered friend.
>Rarity seems to show no outward sign of aggression, though, and her horn glows with a warm blue light.
>The effects of her spell are immediate.
>The stuffing that had wormed its way out of the cushions starts to recede back into its proper place.
>Threads that had been broken long ago are once again made whole.
>Bluey’s sagging middle gets a tummy tuck and lifts itself off the floor.
>Rarity’s horn stops glowing as her miraculous restoration spell comes to a finish.
>”Phew! There. Much better.”
>You leap over to your newly renovated sofa and test him out.
>He groans in satisfaction.
>You do too.
>He’s kept his worn-in comfort.
“Oh my god, Rarity! This is amazing! Thank you so much!”
>”You’re welcome, darling. Consider it the start of my housewarming gift to you. Together we’ll have this place looking fabulous!”
>You’re not sure if you should be worried or not.
>You don’t know if you could sit on a gem encrusted couch.
>Another knock at the door announces the presence of more guests.
>Twilight and Spike have arrived with Applejack and Rainbow Dash.
>Your heart is twisted with a maelstrom of emotions.
>Gratitude and joy at seeing Twilight and Spike.
>Bitter resentment at seeing Rainbow Dash.
>And overwhelming love for Applejack.
>You clear the Pegasus and unicorn out of your way and throw your arms around Applejack.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry!” You sob.
>”It’s alright, sugarcube. You said you’d be back. I still believe ya.”
>Really?
>She still has faith in you even though you’ve moved away from her?
>”The way I see it, you need some space right now. Ah can still visit, can’t I?”
“Definitely. I love you Ap-“
>”Ahem.”
>Rainbow Dash interrupts your heartfelt reunion on purpose.
>You turn around to meet the confused stares of Pinkie and Rarity.
>You stand up and dust yourself off.
>You guess these mares don’t like public displays of affection.
“Well, now that we’re all here, we can get this party started, eh?”
>”Now that’s what I wanna hear!”
>Pinkie gallops over to the desk in the corner where she’s set up a boombox with her favourite tunes.
>To be honest, it seems like she only has one.
http://youtu.be/JOY69M6-f5I
>It’s like nails on a blackboard to you.
>Catchy nails on a blackboard.
>Pinkie starts cutting a rug immediately and Spike hops off Twilight’s back and joins her.
>Twilight, Applejack and you move over to the snacks table, where you start cramming as much food in your mouth as is physically possible.
>”Whoa, nelly! Slow down there, hun!”
>You can’t help yourself.
>You haven’t really eaten since yesterday.
>And this might be the last chance you’ll have to eat for a while until you can start your job.
>Fluttershy had all your money...
“Mmpf mppf mmphf mmm.”
>”Memo to self. Humans don’t know how to eat when overcome with excitement.”
>Twilight makes a mental note of your ludicrous state.
>You take a big gulp of the party food, and you’re good to take another stab at comprehensible speech.
“I’m starving. I don’t have any bits. Fluttershy had all my money...”
>”Aww horseapples, hun! I can feed ya! All ya had t’do was ask!”
>You stop ramming cheap party fare down your gullet for a second to thank Applejack for her assistance.
>It’s a relief to know that you’re not going to starve before you even start working for the mayor.
>You look around the living room at what is going on.
>Rarity is talking with Rainbow Dash in the corner near the door.
>Twilight and Applejack are still with you at the snack table.
>Pinkie and Spike are bouncing on Bluey.
>Bluey doesn’t seem to mind.
>Rainbow Dash finishes her conversation with Rarity and flaps her way over to you.
>”Anon. I need to talk to you.”
>She doesn’t ask to speak with you, so much as demand it.
>Her face is set into a scowl.
“Fine. But can’t this wait? You’re wrecking my party.”
>”No. It can’t.”
>She grabs a hold of your arm and starts pulling you into the kitchen.
>”Slow down there, Dash! Anon ain’t doin’ nothin’ he don’t want to.”
>Applejack grabs a hold of your other arm and stands her ground.
>”I’m trying to get him away from certain ape-stealing whorses around here!” Dash snipes.
>”Who are you calling a horse?” Applejack retorts, blowing steam from her nostrils.
>”Ooh! Are we having a tug of war with Anon? Let me in!”
>Pinkie hops over and grabs one of your legs.
>You’re pretty sure you saw this on an episode of Mighty Morphin Rapist Rangers when they were assembling the Ponyzord.
>”GIRLS!”
>Twilight magically projects her voice once more, silencing the arguing mares.
>”Anon, go with Rainbow Dash. After that, I think she had better leave.”
>Twilight is staring daggers at the blue Pegasus.
>Dash just glares back at her.
>”Fine. Come on, Anon.”
>Again, Dash manhandles you roughly and drags you into the kitchen.
>Now that you’re in relative privacy, you can have a real heart to heart with Rainbow Dash.
“What do you want, Dash? I didn’t think Twilight would invite you.”
>”And just what do you mean by that? I’m friends with all the mares here.”
>Ugh, of course. You didn’t tell Twilight about what happened that night...
“You don’t act like it.”
>”Pfeh.” She scoffs. “Whatever. I just dislike disloyal homewreckers who steal their friends coltfriends.”
“That’s not for you to decide, Dash. I was never dating Fluttershy.”
>”That’s not what she told me! I’m here to try and talk some sense into you! Why haven’t you gone back home to see her yet?”
“That’s not my home anymore. It never was. And I don’t want to go back there, especially after what she did to me.”
>”What, you’re still going with that sob story? ‘Oh, look at me! I had sex and now I’m sad!’ Get real! Any stallion would buck half of Sweet Apple Acres to bump horseshoes with Fluttershy. You should consider yourself lucky.”
>Your hands clench in pure unbridled rage.
>The fire in your chest ignites once more.
>It takes every fibre of your being to resist punching her smug blue face out of the sky right now.
“Get out of my house, Dash.”
>”No! You go back to Fluttershy!”
“Get. Out.”
>”Whatever. I’ll show you how to be loyal to your friends, and how much Fluttershy loves you!”
>Rainbow Dash leaves through the back door in the kitchen and takes off.
>You stand there alone in the kitchen, shaking in anger.
>How could she say that to you...?
>How could she side with that evil mare?
>It fills you with so much rage, you can feel it corroding at the very core of your being.
>It hurts inside so much.
>Your fists clench tighter on nothing, and you feel the slight bite of your nails piercing your skin.
>Blood runs down your hands in small rivulets, dripping to the floor and pooling in tiny puddles.
>You release your grip when you realise what you are doing.
>What have Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash done to you?
>You look at the marks on your palm.
>How has it come to this?
>You’re destroying yourself on the inside over this.
>This has to stop.
>”Hun? Y’alright?”
>Applejack’s voice startles you and knocks you out of your introspection.
>You turn to face her.
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.”
>”Your hand don’t look fine. Lemme see that.”
>You suddenly place your hands behind your back, embarrassed by the evidence of your momentary lapse in self control.
>Applejack simply sits in front of you and gently takes your wrist in her soft forehooves.
>”Gosh... What the hay did Dash do to ya, Anon?”
“I don’t even know, AJ. I just... She made me so mad...”
>”What did she do?”
>You recap with Applejack what Rainbow Dash said to you.
>You also fill her in about what Spike told you about the secret letter.
>”Corruption? What in tarnation is that supposed to mean? I ain’t corrupted! An’ you ain’t either.”
>Well, you’re not entirely sure about that last part.
>You felt something dark inside you again.
“I don’t quite know, Applejack. But I have a suspicion that it may have something to do with how Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are acting.”
>She puts a hoof to her chin in pensive thought.
>”Well, Dash has always been a bit hotheaded. That doesn’t seem too odd to me. But Fluttershy is kinda weird. I dunno, Anon. I think this is all a buncha hooey. Princess Celestia ain’t always right.”
>You’re shocked to hear Applejack speak ill of her ruler, but it makes sense in a way.
>You can always count on AJ to tell it like it is.
“Either way, I needed this house. I... Big Mac... I can’t live on the farm anymore.”
>”What?! What’s that big lug gone and told you now?”
“I need to stay away from everypony, Applejack. For their own good.”
>”That’s crazy talk, y’hear! You promised you’d come back, and I’m gonna hold you to it! I don’t care if it takes you the rest o’your life, I’ll bury your kiester on that farm and there ain’t nothin’ you can do about it.”
>It’s times like this that remind you why you love your little orange pony.
>She’s such a strong soul – your rock in shaky times.
“I will come back, AJ. I will.”
>”Good. Then it’s settled. Now let’s have a good party, alright, sugarcube? Let’s just getcha cleaned up.”
>After running some cold water over your cuts you return with Applejack to your living room.
>Spike has a lampshade on his head and is doing pelvic thrusts in front of Rarity, much to Pinkie Pie’s amusement.
>Rarity for her part is taking it quite well, simply blushing and trying her best to ignore it and talk to Twilight.
>Was there something in the punch?
>You walk over to the bowl and take a sniff.
>The immediate abrasive stench of alcohol burns your nostrils.
“Whoa!”
>Twilight notices you and stumbles over to the table.
>”Oh, hey Anon~!” She slurs. “I see you found my *hic* present!”
“Jesus, Twilight! What did you do?”
>”The book saysh to punch the Spike! *hic* I mean... Spike the spikey punch...”
>Aaaaand she’s out.
>Fuck.
>”Twilight? Twilight!”
>Rarity gallops over to Twilight’s prone purple form and her horn glows.
>”Oh, she’s just sleeping. What a lightweight...”
>Wat.
>Rarity’s horn glows once more and Twilight’s eyelids flutter open.
>”Huh? Wha? Oh my head...”
“What did you do, Rarity?”
>”Oh, just a simple sobriety spell... It comes in handy when I need a helping hoof.”
>Damn haxxy unicorns.
>”Uh, well... That was interesting. How about we do something a little more tame to wind things down?”
>”Ooh! Ooh! Let’s play Pin the Tail on the Pony!” Pinkie shouts.
>Twilight groans at the excessive noise.
“That sounds wonderful, Pinkie.”
>Honestly, the entertainment here kinda sucks.
>Pinkie only seems to want to play kids party games.
>Especially Pin the Tail on the Pony.
>It seems like when it comes to games...
>She’s a one trick pony.
>Bluey groans in protest at your internal joke.
>Everyone’s a critic.
>Or it could be because you just sat on him.
>Whatever.
>You all play a peaceful game of Pin the Tail.
>To be honest, it’s quite nice.
>It’s peaceful out here in your own little house.
>You’re here with friends.
>You only realise now how much you missed them.
>Yeah, Rainbow Dash soured things earlier, but being with your friends drives that clear out of your mind.
>Through their antics and characters, they create a nice atmosphere.
>This... Is where you want to be.
>Cuddled up next to Applejack.
>And surrounded by smiling faces.
>Then you hear a door slam.
>You sit up immediately in shock.
>Someone, or something has invaded your private sanctuary.
>Already, a sense of dread clutches at your heart.
>You turn to the source of the noise.
>The back door in your kitchen.
>The echoing sound of slow hooffalls on linoleum reverberates through your house.
>Everypony’s eyes are locked on the portal to your kitchen.
>Slowly, but surely a forelock of pink arrives from around the corner.
>It’s shortly followed by a patch of yellow fur.
>And that’s followed by two brilliant teal eyes.
>Your heart pounds in your chest as slow realisation permeates your brain.
>”Hello... Neighbour.”

>She’s here.
>She found you.
>She’s invaded your house.
>Your personal space.
>How did she find you?!
“N-no! GO AWAY!”
>She simply smiles her sickening, saccharine smile at you and walks forward.
>Your limbs flail and try to take you away from her.
>You end up falling on the floor and scrabbling away into the corner of the room.
>Your hands scratch at the varnish on the floorboards, looking for any kind of escape.
>Sheer terror fills every part of you.
>She’s going to do it again.
>She’s going to rape you.
>And there’s nothing you can do to stop it.
“GET BACK!”
>She marches forward inexorably, set on her goal.
>You.
>You just want it to stop.
>You don’t want to face her.
>You end up curled into a ball, hugging your knees.
>You don’t want to, but you start crying.
>Her very presence sends lances of freezing ice into your heart.
>She gets closer and closer.
>All you can do is tremble in fear.
>”Aww... There, there, sweetie... Momma’s here now. Did you miss me?”
“Please... leave...”
>Your neurons in your brain are all occupied with the sole thought of self preservation.
>Fluttershy fills you with complete and utter dread.
>”I missed you, you know... But I’m so glad you decided to move close to me. It shows just how much you really love me.”
>Her syrupy sweet voice belies her true nature.
>She’s a demon in the form of a pony.
>You can feel her presence ever so close to you now.
>You can feel the hot air that pours out of her nostrils in short bursts on your skin.
>You still sit, huddled, paralyzed with fear.
>”Fluttershy! What are you doin’ here?!”
>Fluttershy turns to see who is addressing her.
>”Applejack... I’ve come to give Anon a housewarming gift.”
>”T-that’s very kind of you, Fluttershy!” Rarity says.
>”Well I am the element of kindness...”
>Fluttershy reaches under a wing and pulls out a brown sack.
>She dumps it at your feet.
>It jingles with the sound of metal on metal.
>As it hits the floor, the drawstring on it bursts open to reveal its contents.
>Golden coins fill the sack.
>It’s full of bits – the bits you earned before.
>”There. Now I’ll be going.”
>She comes close to you once more to whisper to you.
>”I’m so excited, neighbour! I live just up the road, you know! I’ll be able to visit you every day! Isn’t that fun?”
>You say nothing.
>You just pull your legs tighter to your chest.
>She kisses you on your head.
>Reflexively one of your arms shoots out to give a backhand blow to her cheek.
>She recoils in shock.
>”Oh, Anon... I...”
>She gallops out of your living room and back through your kitchen.
>She’s out of your life once more.
>You stay huddled in your ball, though.
>”Anon! Whatever is the matter with you? You made poor Fluttershy cry!” Rarity cries.
>She moves over to approach you, but Twilight quickly stands in her way.
>”Just go, Rarity. The party is over.”
>”What? But...”
>”Please. Anon needs space right now.”
>Twilight opens the door and ushers Rarity and Pinkie out of your house.
>You look up from your corner to see their concerned faces looking at you as they exit.
>You don’t want to worry them.
>You honestly don’t.
>But your fight or flight instinct kicked in there.
>You were so scared.
>Literally terrified.
>Scared of those eyes that she stared at you with.
>Those piercing blue orbs that can hold you against your will.
>The memory of your rape echoes in your head.
>All you can see are those damn blue eyes!
>”...on, Anon! Stay with me, hun!”
“N-no!”
>You lash out at the fuzzy creature that has invaded your space.
>You clock Applejack right in the jaw with your flailing arms.
>”Oof! Whoa, nelly!”
“Please... Just leave... Just leave me alone!”
>Applejack staggers from your half-hearted blow, but she’s made of sterner stuff than that.
>She keeps her footing and stands just out of your arms’ reach.
>”Twilight, do somethin’!”
>They’re all out to get you.
>They all want to rape you.
>You can’t trust them.
>Get rid of them.
>Be safe.
>”I’m trying! I didn’t read this far ahead in the book!”
>You just want to be left alone.
>You don’t want to see Fluttershy ever again.
>You want to die.
>Suddenly your whole body goes slack.
>”Twilight, what did you do?!”
>”It’s a paralysis spell... I didn’t want him to hurt himself!”
>Your eyes roll around frantically in their sockets, darting to and fro.
>You can’t express your panic in any other way.
>”Well... Good call. Dangit! How did Flutters even find out about this place?”
>”I have an idea. Rainbow Dash.”
>”That no good, sneaky, two-faced...”
>”I’ll have to talk to her, Applejack.  Let’s get Anon more comfortable. Take him upstairs.”
>You feel weightless as Twilight levitates you onto Applejack’s back.
>Your heart races as you are once again completely out of control.
>Applejack gently takes you upstairs to your bedroom.
>She places you in bed and pulls the covers over you.
>”Anon... I’m here for you. It’s ok. Calm down.”
>As you lay in comfort in your bed, away from the location of your trauma, you finally find yourself calming down.
>Applejack’s soothing voice eases your fears.
>With her beside you, you feel safer.
>Twilight enters the room.
>”How long is this gonna last, Twi?”
>”Um... I don’t know. I kinda panicked...”
>”Landsakes... Haven’t ya learned to be careful with that horn yet?”
>”I’m sorry, Applejack...”
>”It’s alright, Twi...”
>Applejack leans over your bed and places her head under the covers.
>Her long, flat ear lies on your chest.
>”Well, his heart’s stopped beatin’ like a jackhammer. I’d say he’s calming down.”
>She’s right.
>You feel a lot more cognizant now.
>”Good. Do you think it’s safe to leave him here?”
>”With Fluttershy around? Heck no!”
>But Applejack needs to get back to the farm...
“Go...”
>It takes all your energy and concentration, but you manage to croak out one word in your paralyzed state.
>Applejack looks into your eyes.
>You try to convey your feelings to her through them.
>She stares at you.
>Then nods.
>She moves to the door, silently.
>”Applejack, where are you going?!”
>”We’re leavin’, Twi. Anon’s being brave for us. Let’s lock this place up.”
>Twilight is confused, but follows Applejack.
>You’re glad they’re not staying and fussing over you.
>You left the farm to save it.
>You can’t take Applejack away from it.
>It would defeat the purpose of you being here.
>You lie in bed, with nothing better to do than to run over your thoughts.
>Fluttershy knows where you live.
>Rainbow Dash is helping her.
>You panicked when confronted by Fluttershy...
>You can’t let that happen again.
>You won’t let that happen again!
>If necessary, you’ll have to just cut yourself off...
>Become hardened – dead to the world.
>Cynicism is a wonderful tool to distance yourself from emotions.
>You’ll use it if you have to.
>You fall asleep making plans for the next time you see Fluttershy.
>You won’t let her intimidate you again.

>You wake up the next morning to find that you have limited movement in your limbs again.
>You try and stretch, only to find that you are restrained.
“What...?”
>”Oh, good morning, sweetie...”
>You’d recognise that feminine voice anywhere.
>Fluttershy is in your room.
>You try to sit up in bed.
>Your wrists and ankles are chained to the bedposts on your bed.
>They hold you back from sitting up properly.
>”Now, now, Anon... Don’t struggle... Be a good boy for momma...”
>Fluttershy saunters up alongside your bed, allowing you to finally see your captor and tormentor.
>She’s wearing a black PVC corset along with a cap made out of the same material.
>In her wing she holds a riding crop.
>She is also wearing fishnet stockings on all four of her yellow legs.
>You notice now that you are naked.
>She came in during the night, stripped you and tied you up.
>All without you noticing.
>Your privacy has been invaded once more.
“Let me go, Fluttershy.”
>”That’s MISTRESS Fluttershy to you. And I don’t think you understand what position you’re in, worm.”
>So Fluttershy fancies herself a dominatrix.
>She is obviously putting on an act.
>Her stutter is notably absent right now.
>All this is making you feel angry again.
>You can feel your heart being given over to the fury once more.
“I said... Let. Me. Go.”
>Fluttershy stalks around your bed with a predatory grin on her face.
>”I think you need some proper discipline. I was willing to let the first comment slide, but you seem to be a slow learner.
>She arrives at the other side of your bed and hops onto your mattress.
>With her riding crop she starts tracing circles around your nipples.
“Stop this, Fluttershy. Now.”
>The response you get is a stinging pain on your chest.
>Fluttershy has struck you with the whip.
>You wince and draw breath through your teeth.
>You scowl at her even more intensely.
>”You will speak when you are spoken to, maggot.”
>She draws the tip of the riding crop down your chest, stroking your abs on its path down south.
>She reaches your crotch and starts to tease your member with her implement of torture.
>She leans down and takes a big sniff of your pubic hair.
>”Mmmm... You smell just like a good slut. Now get hard for me, baby.”
>Fluttershy starts stroking your limp dick with a netted hoof.
>The abrasive material of the stocking scratches you, bringing an odd sense of pain mixed in with pleasure.
>She’s defiling you.
>You said you wouldn’t let this happen again...
“Fluttershy. STOP.”
>Fluttershy brings the riding crop down viciously on your balls.
“ARRRRRRRRGH!”
>”Be quiet!”
>You can feel your rage building.
>The pain sets off a chain reaction that culminates in adrenaline being pumped into your body.
>On top of that your hatred for the mare in front of you builds, setting your heart aflame.
“LET ME GO!”
>Fluttershy brings down the crop again on your testes.
>You curl up in pain, but are held short by the chains that bind you to your bed.
>Fluttershy steps up her threats when she sees that you aren’t breaking.
>”I said to be quiet, and you will do as I say! If you do, you may find the experience more pleasurable...”
>She strokes your member with a hoof again and moves it so that it’s positioned right over your abused ballsack.
>She pushes down slightly on your sensitive parts, just a hair’s breadth away from crushing them with just a modicum of force.
>You’re reduced to a quivering, gasping mess.
>But your mind screams bloody murder.
>Fluttershy releases your balls and gets back to working your shaft.
>Despite your torture, your manhood has seen it fit to get erect.
>You hate yourself for it.
>”That’s a good slut... Be nice for momma, now.”
>Fluttershy leans down once more and sticks out her tongue.
>It’s happening again.
>She’s going to rape you.
>You said you wouldn’t let this happen.
>You said you wouldn’t let this happen!
>You want to get rid of her.
>You want to see her burn.
>You struggle and thrash in your restraints.
>The crop comes down on your legs with a flurry of blows.
>You don’t stop.
>You need to get out.
>You can’t let her win.
>”Stop moving!”
“LET! ME! GO!”
>Each syllable that leaves your mouth is punctuated with a violent jerk from your limbs.
>Your heart feels like it’s on fire.
>The darkness within it is spreading throughout your body.
>You can feel it reaching your extremities.
“Let. M̬̯̭̖e̝͑̾.̙͖͈̳̌ͥ͌̌ͪ͆̚ ̕G̟̦̣͓͓͋̚͟o̠̖͕̯̺ͨͤ̃̎́̚.̩͉̥ͤ̀̒̓ͩͮ̀”
>Your voice takes on a taint of something unnatural.
>And yet you know it comes from within yourself.
>Fluttershy backs away in fear.
>”A-anon? Y-you’re scaring me...”
>You’re too far gone to hear her now.
>Your muscles tense and flex against your bindings.
>With each exertion you feel stronger.
>You can feel the power flowing through you.
>”Anon? Anon!”
>With a mighty roar your left arm comes free in an explosion of splintered wood.
>You broke the bedpost, and took it with you.
>Your arm swings in a broad arc, using the wooden lump as a flail.
>It hits Fluttershy in the side of the head, sending her spiralling through the air to collapse in a heap beside your bed.
“RAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGH!”
>”Fluttershy! Get out of here! He’s gone mad!”
>Another voice has invaded your realm.
>You don’t care though.
>You scream and writhe and froth.
>You won’t let this happen!
>YOU WON’T BE BEATEN!
>And then you hear something that makes you stop dead in your tracks.
>Underneath the sound of your struggling.
>Underneath the sound of your rattling chains.
>Underneath the sound of your screams of rage.
>There is a quiet sound.
>The sound of a poor girl crying.
>She sounds completely like she’s in despair.
>She’s failed like you have in the past.
>You stop.
>She continues to sob.
>You feel your strength leave you as once again the tears of your friend quench the fire in your heart.
>Without your fuel your body stops working and shuts down.
>You sleep.
>Deeply.
>That is how the first fetish guess went.
>You woke up later to see the mess you had made.
>Dots of blood stained your floor, but they were not your own.
>You didn’t want to hurt your friends.
>You didn’t want to hurt anyone.
>So you retreated.
>You put up a defence to prevent yourself from ever doing that again.
>You became cynical, hardened and jaded.
>Day after day she came back.
>You turned her away.
>You became detached from her ever more elaborate fetish attempts.
>You found out later that the one pony who had suggested that she do this in the first place was none other than Rainbow Dash.
>The element of loyalty.
>Who had betrayed you and left you to deal with your rapist every day.
>Some friend she turned out to be.
#MEMORY COMPLETE
#SUBJECT CORRUPTION LEVELS: 60%
But, Anon.
#ERROR: CORR..TION INCOMPL..
#SEARCH... FOR MEM.RIES...
You haven’t told the whole story.

#CONNECTION TO HOST UNSTABLE
#SEARCHING FOR NEW HOST
#HOST LOCATED
#STREAMING MEMORIES TO NEW CLIENT
Loyalty’s Redemption
>You are now Rainbow Dash.
>You are currently perched in a tree outside Anon’s bedroom window.
>You came up with a brilliant plan yesterday after talking to Rarity at the party.
>She said that some stallions have things called fetishes, which are the ultimate turn-ons.
>If you could find Anon’s fetish, then Fluttershy could use it to rekindle their relationship!
>And then both of them would be happy!
>It’s the perfect way to be loyal to both of them!
>So you suggested something that turned you on.
>Domination.
>You’re watching all this unfold from the comfort of your tree, where you can’t help but use a hoof to help enhance your viewing pleasure.
>You see Fluttershy putting all the practice you did yesterday to work in breaking Anon.
>It was surprisingly easy to break into his house.
>For a couple of pegasi like you, it was as easy as finding an open window.
>You see Fluttershy climb onto the bed with Anon.
>Oh yeah... This is getting good...!
>You mash your twat furiously to the scene unfolding in front of you.
>Anon can’t possibly resist this!
>It’s just so hot!
>Fluttershy has to correct him with the whip.
>Yeah! Do it again!
>Anon doubles over in pain.
>You can feel yourself reaching your peak...!
>And then something goes horribly wrong.
>Anon starts thrashing about on the bed.
>That’s not supposed to happen.
>Fluttershy looks genuinely afraid for him.
>He’s not playing along at all.
>Does he really not like it...?
>Or...
>Maybe he was telling the truth?
>You start to think what it would be like to be restrained and trapped in a room with your rapist.
>If Anon was telling the truth, then he would be terrified right now.
>You watch Anon through the window still, hypnotised by his bulging muscles straining against his restraints.
>This...
>This isn’t right.
>This is clearly not his fetish.
>Just as you have that thought, Anon snaps the bedpost that his left arm was attached to.
>He swings the lump of wood at Fluttershy and sends her flying off the bed.
“Fluttershy!”
>You immediately spring into action.
>You fly in through Anon’s bedroom window and pick Fluttershy up off the ground.
“Fluttershy, get out of here! He’s gone mad!”
>But Fluttershy refuses to move.
>”No... I need him to love me...”
>She cries on the spot on the floor where she landed.
>Her quiet sobs are accompanied by tiny falling droplets that dazzle in the morning sunlight as they fall.
>Anon stops thrashing.
>All of a sudden his body goes slack.
>He’s fallen asleep.
“Wha? What happened?”
>You help Fluttershy to her hooves and approach Anon.
“He reacted really badly, huh...?”
>”Y-yes... I wasn’t expecting that...”
“Fluttershy... Did you rape Anon?”
>”W-what? No! I gave him my love...!”
“Did he consent?”
>”W-well he came...”
“Did he say yes?”
>”N-not exactly...”
>So Anon hadn’t been lying...
>You had just helped a rapist try to rape him again.
“Fluttershy... Leave.”
>”O-oh, okay...”
>She meekly flaps her way out of the window and heads back to her cottage.
>You trot slowly up to Anon’s face.
>He looks so peaceful right now; a far cry from the raging beast that he was just a scant few minutes ago.
>His face is blemished by tears.
“I’m sorry, Anon. I didn’t know. I should have believed you.”
>You sob into his chest.
>You were such a bad friend.
>You made a huge mistake.
>But...
>That doesn’t make you a bad pony.
>You can fix this.
>You can be loyal to Anon from now on.
>You want to be his bro again.
>So you’ll help stop what you started.
>From that day forward you stopped many attempts from Fluttershy.
>It was you and Anon versus the yellow menace.
>Anon and Rainbro Dash...
>But you were never sure if Anon forgave you for what you did.
>What you turned his life into.
>But you always wanted him to know.
>You were sorry.
#Memory complete.
#Releasing host and client.
#Host corruption: 0%

>You are Rainbow Dash.
>And with a flash of light you have returned to Canterlot Castle.
>You’re in the throne room, standing at the base of the steps that lead to Celestia’s throne.
>At the top of the steps lies Anon, kneeling down with a purple dragon beating the shit out of him.
>To your right stand the other girls in varying states of greyness.
>You recognise it from when Discord was last released.
>To your left stands Twilight, whose horn shines with a bright intensity, bathing the room in waves of purifying light.
>She notices you looking around and taking in the situation.
>”Rainbow Dash! Do something!”
>It’s time to spring into action and stop Discord!