Cy-Lyra - Day 4 (Early Morning)

>Your trip to the Everfree was unhindered. Everyone is asleep, or just doesn’t care.
>It takes you a good 20 to 30 minutes to arrive at the edge.
>You trace around its border until you find the entrance burned into your memory.
>After being left in Twilight’s care, you visited Zecora frequently with her. She was, after all, your first contact in this world.
>The path appears unchanged, and you stride in.
>...
>Time passes at a different rate in the forest, it seems.
>You feel as though you’ve been walking for hours, when it’s only been close to 20 minutes.
>Zecora’s hut is buried rather deep in the forest, but well-worn trails prove to be the safest route away from hungry predators or dangerous creatures.
>You encountered a timberwolf during one of your visits when you decided to go exploring.
>You’d rather not have that happen again.
>The trees get closer together the deeper you go.
>Small limbs have started sticking into the pathway and scratch at you.
>You avoid the most of them as best you can aided by the light of the moon, but the trees are relentless in their attempt to hide any trace of the sky.
>This is their domain.
>They ensure that the creatures of the forest are bound to it.
>They give no glimpses to the world outside of their boundaries by stifling them of the view.
>You identify different types of trees and plants on your way through as a method to keep your mind occupied.
>The forest certainly has a psychological effect on those not accustomed to it’s natural ways that draws you off of the beaten path in order to be absorbed into the ecosystem.
>You recognize a particular tree with a large stump that sprouts in three directions, all weaving in the same direction.
>This was the halfway point.
>A sigh of relief escapes your mouth.
“Glad to see the forest doesn’t change too much.”
>There’s a sudden rustle in the brush near you.
>Your senses feel as though they are heightened thanks to the quiet atmosphere of the forest and the barely manageable moonlight shining through the tree tops.
>You crouch low, ready to make a dash for the exit in case a wild beast has made its way to you.
>You sit and wait in silence, your only company being the chirps of insects and your own breath.
>Head twisting from one side to the next, you analyze the foliage for any movement.
>A good 5 or so minutes of this and you are back on your journey, treading much lighter than before lest you disturb the inhabitants of this nightmare-inducing place.
>The limbs sticking into the pathway have gotten considerably thicker causing you to maneuver around them, ducking under one here, climbing over another there.
>What worries you the most is how easily the path can be lost at this point.
>If it weren’t for the narrow, well-worn dirt path at your feet, you’d have strayed long ago.
>It’s not long though that your pace has nearly come to a stop, as you have to bend and break so many large pieces of trees or shrubbery just to continue down this path.
>It’s never been this crowded when you came through here.
>It’s almost as if the forest is blocking you.
>As you are tearing away another overgrown twig, something catches your eye off to your side.
>A very, very small clearing.
>And an unnatural one at that.
>You look down at your feet and confirm that the dirt path is still visible.
>The clearing intrigues you because of it’s lack of size.
>As you push your way through the natural wall that the Everfree has seemingly built, you appear next to the clearing.
>You glance back once more to make sure you can still see the dirt path.
>Barely, but you take note of the tree placement around you to mark your direction.
>As you shove your way through into the clearing you notice the first unsettling characteristics about it.
>Large trees, easily 3-5 feet in diameter have been cleaved off, or large chunks have been destroyed.
>It’s a space about the size of a port-o-pot, so only two or three trees have been damaged.
>Upon further inspection, it seems almost as if something had forced its way to sit in this very spot, something large and heavy enough to snap or break into trees, the grass and ground beneath you flattened perfectly.
>The breaks are clean, however. Nearly perfectly straight.
>You move forward to get a closer look at the breaks when you bump your head, making an unnatural sound.
>You glance up immediately, but don’t see anything in front of you.
>It isn’t long before the sound your bump has made finally clicks in your memory.
>Lyra’s words play in your head:
>’...I ran into this...wall thing, b-but it wasn’t really a wall.’
>’It was like it was invisible.’
>’I prodded at it a little, but it didn’t do anything.’
>’S-sounded a little hollow...’
>The sound of a large, hollow, metal door.
>It’s too late, however, as your ears are filled with what sounds like a decompression chamber bursting open.
>’...I heard a loud noise...’
>Your vision distorts slightly as the door moves outwards, whatever means it uses to make it invisible unable to cope with the perceived perspective difference of onlookers.
>You start to see an opening appear from the bottom, the door obviously rising up.
>’... nothing like I’ve ever heard before…’
>The narrow opening gives way to noises.
>Noises you have heard.
>Like a broken microwave.
>Hundreds of them.
>’...and I was dragged...’
>Inky black tendrils crawl out of the opening and wrap around your legs and feet quicker than you could react.
>They are cold, and have numerous hard edges that are digging into your pants and skin tightly.
>Their pressure builds quickly around your legs, shattering both of your feet.
>It had no intention of letting you escape.
>You cry out in immense pain as you are thrown down to the ground by a swift tug.
>’...into nothing.’
>Your vision fails you, the night in the Everfree proving too dark to see through during this swift trauma.
>You stared into your destination, the narrow opening, as the tendrils pulled you through the doorway.
>Lyra was right.
>It really was nothing.
>You beg for any kind of savior before you are completely encased in the darkness, the door sealing shut behind you.
>Nothing.
>You can’t see anything, and your ears are only picking up the various unsettling mechanical noises that seem to surround you now.
>You’re being moved quickly, that much you know, but you can’t tell in which direction.
>Things are grazing against your face, your arms, your chest, everywhere as you are pulled by your legs to an unknown destination.
>You suddenly feel your legs drop as you are pulled downwards in what you guess is a hole.
>You scream and flail what you can, but are stopped within a few seconds with a hard, unforgiving landing on a cold, hard floor, your head bouncing against it.
>You are all but certain that you are bleeding from the blow, but at least you’ve stopped moving now.
>The noises are quieter in this area, but there is a new one that gets louder, or closer. You can’t tell.
>It’s a deep thrumming that seems to shake you to your core.
>It surrounds you, deafening.
>Then, a deep, harsh voice cuts through it all, and laces itself around your neck.
>”Different.”
>The single word has stolen your own voice. You are unable to speak or scream, frozen by the sheer volume, clarity, and acidic nature of it.
>It was nearly impossible to comprehend, yet alarmingly clear.
>You imagined this is what it was like to hear God speak, lost forever in the raw power that resides behind his voice.
>With the one word spoken, the rumbling hum grows even louder.
>You feel something trickle out of your ears as you lose your sense of equilibrium and you promptly pass out.

>The tea is delicious and calming, as always.
>You’re not sure how she does it, but Zecora always makes a great brew.
>And it’s different every time, like every cup she pours is catered to your needs at that exact moment.
>Zebra magic.
>An area you’ve been meaning to dive into for quite some time now.
>You are Twilight Sparkle, and you have been taking refuge in the security of Zecora’s home since you heard the great reveal of Lyra’s story.
>Turns out that you are the reason she ended up like she is now.
>You are the reason she lives in constant agony.
>YOU are the reason she can’t even show herself in public.
>YOU are the reason you and your friends have to lie about her whereabouts to everyp0ny.
>YOU ARE THE REASON so many are worried over her.
>YOU ARE THE REAS-
>”Twilight…”
>You glance back up to Zecora, only to be drawn back down to your cup as you hear a droplet splash into it.
>You’re crying again.
>Princesses shouldn’t cry like this, although this has nothing on your state when you first suddenly teleported here.
>Zecora was quite surprised when you appeared on her bed, a yelling, wailing, hoof-slamming, wing flapping heap of a mare that was tearing her heart out.
>Needless to say, Zecora didn’t know what to think with you yelling “CELESTIA FORGIVE ME IT’S ALL MY FAULT I DID THIS TO HER”.
>You quickly drag a fetlock across your face to dry the waterworks.
>”Your are troubled, child. That much is clear. Have you still not forgiven yourself, my dear?”
“I’m sorry, Zecora. I think I finally have a handle on my emotions when something else reminds me of it all and I just lose it again. There’s no way I’m ready to go back to them.”
>You hang your head in defeat.
>You are repulsed by your behavior.
>You let some stupid silly crush twist you up this much, and because of it, you nearly committed two unforgivable acts.
>Well, one is still unforgivable, since it lead up to Lyra getting abducted and-
>NOPE.
>STOP IT, TWILIGHT.
>You’re doing it to yourself again.
>Using your breathing exercise Cadence taught you, you calm yourself down.
>It works.
>Sort of.
>Sometimes you think your sister-in-law is full of p0nyfeathers.
>You go for the tea.
>Much better.
>Having a flask of this stuff around would really come in handy for times like these.
>Zecora’s denied you that option, however.
>”You must learn to come to terms with this on your own. How else can you declare yourself fit for the throne?”
>Truth is, you’d been seeing Zecora (platonically) for a little over two months now.
>You’ve always told other p0nies it was for special training, which in a sense is correct.
>But really, it’s been practicing the art of meditation.
>You’ve spazzed out on p0nies your fair share, but you can’t afford to have that happen now that you’re royalty.
>P0nies look up to you.
>If they find out just how mentally unstable you really are, no one would support you.
>You would lose your crown.
>Which wouldn’t be too bad at times.
>After your freak out on Lyra in the market, you immediately went to Zecora for help.
>Her training techniques during the Trixie incident showed you just how far a little focus and meditation can go.
>Plus, you didn’t want to disappoint Celestia by making it seem like you can’t handle yourself.
>You were in a bad position also, and a place to hide wasn’t a bad idea.
>If Lyra had reported the incident, an investigation would surely turn up the evidence needed.
>Any trace of your magic left on Lyra would immediately incriminate you, and you used a lot of magic (in comparison) on her, not to mention you temporarily nullified her own magic, effectively disarming her.
>And yet you still went after her.
>Berated her.
>Called her awful things you never would have imagined crossing your lips.
>You’re not sure how far you were going to go with it all.
>Lyra’s reactions certainly projected the feeling that you were going to kill her.
>...
>A small part of you would have done it, no matter how much you try to convince yourself otherwise.
>You really are a monster.
>And in that moment, with your magic flaring wildly, you couldn’t tell if it was by accident or if Lyra was projecting her thoughts out in what could have been her final moments, but you knew what she was thinking.
>And it hurt.
>It hurt so much because it was true.
>You are weak.
>”Twilight, we’ve discussed your situation to great lengths, and it is true that your extreme affection for Anonymous seems to be the trigger for your breakdown. Why is that?”
>You’d given it some thought before, but you didn’t really have an answer.
“I’m not sure. I think I was just…lonely. When I’d met Anonymous, he was so kind and showed a genuine interest when we talked about a number of topics. He’d really paid attention to me when I talked about magic. I just...never got that kind of attention from males. We lived together for only a short time, roughly a month, but in that time, we bonded. Or at least I thought we did.”
>You go to take another sip of your tea, but the cup is empty, and you make a small noise of surprise.
>Zecora reaches out and takes the cup, filling it back up with steaming hot water in a kettle nearby. She then performs a few curls with her hoof over the top of the cup, and drags it back slowly towards her, the liquid inside darkening and gaining a pleasant green color.
>You take the cup back from her as she extends her foreleg to you.
>This magic had always fascinated you.
>You take a sip of your cup and smile at the wonderful taste and the calming qualities it had over your body.
>You gently set it back down and continue your self-reflection.
“I tried to get close to Anonymous and, dare I say, flirt a little towards the end of our stay together. He never took my advances seriously, though. Thinking back, he was actually rather put off by them. I was just too infatuated to notice.”
>Zecora nodded her head sagely.
>”Yes, love can be a powerful force. But I believe that it alone was not the only participant in your endeavor.”
>You hang your head in shame.
“You are absolutely right, Zecora. I could live with myself if it was something as pure as love, but it wasn’t. I was consumed by the attention he gave me. I drank it up like fine wine, and it intoxicated me into wanting him physically. I craved physical relations with Anonymous. Again, he seemed very uncomfortable with my advances, but I was too stubborn to notice.”
>You turn your gaze to the still mixture in the center of Zecora’s den.
“Eventually, he left. Not because of that or anything, but he was just ready to live on his own. He needed time to think about how his life will change from here on out. We’d talked about it at length, but I understand needing to be independant.”
>Your face tightens and your snarl.
“And it wasn’t but three weeks later I’d heard that he’d already dated, mated and dumped Blossomforth. I knew enough about her though. Her flexibility isn’t known only around her athletic career. There’s plenty of word going around about her more…’adult’ activities.”
>”Twilight, we are both adults. You can say-”
“I don’t like saying the words!”
>You snap suddenly, slamming your hooves on the table, making the cups and various items bounce slightly.
>You recoil at you reaction.
“Th-the words for that stuff…they’re bad.”
>Zecora had a very serious look about her.
>”What else did you hear about Anonymous after he left?”
“W-well, I heard that he got to know the ‘Flower Trio’, as they’re known around here, MUCH better. Except for Rose. She didn’t give in.”
>Zecora leaned in slightly.
>”And then?”
“Th-There was Cloud Kicker, Cloudchasser and Flitter-at the same time if I might add-, Golden Harvest, Sea Swirl, Minuette, and Berry Punch! All within a span of two years or so! And any chance I tried to come on to him, he just shunned me!”
>”You tried to go after him after he’d left?”
“W-Well, you see-, A-Actually, it wasn-er, N-No...No, I didn’t.”
>”And why not?”
“I...I guess I just felt like I’d already been rejected. He didn’t want anything to do with me.”
>”I see…”
>Zecora takes a slow sip from her tea, one eye open and fixed on you.
>You grab your cup and grab a quick sip yourself.
>”But that wasn’t end of it, was it?”
“Wha-? Of course that’s the end of it. Anon had physical relations with numerous mares in P0nyville and rejected me. So, I’m obviously bitter about that.”
>”No.”
“No?”
>”No, Twilight. There’s something more.”
“Well, what else could there be?”
>”You forgot somep0ny.”
>You feel a cold chill run down your spine, and your tail flicks erratically.
>Your left eye twitches slightly, and you take in a deep breath.
>Why are you so stressed?
“Zecora, I’m not sure wh-what you’re talking about! Heh heh! That was everyp0ny!”
>”Twilight, you kno-”
“Nope! Not at all! I don’t know WHO you could be talking about!”
>You’ve started talking quick. This little visit needs to be over with soon.
>You reach for your tea but you overshoot it and knock it sideways, spilling the contents over the table.
“O-Oops! Clumsy me! Let me get tha-”
>”The tea can rest. Who else is left?”
>You are starting to get angry.
>There isn’t anyp0ny left.
>You’ve named them all.
>Where does Zecora get off demanding information from you, anyway?
>Your tail is flailing about, and you have a slight headache coming on making your eye twitch harder to counter.
>This really wasn’t befitting of a princess.
“Z-Zecora, I’m not sure where you think you have the right to keep pressuring me abo-”
>Zecora suddenly stands up, one hoof slamming into the table.
>”Enough of this denial, Twilight! There is one more mare that rests on your mind! One more mare who has had the privilege of seeing a side of Anonymous you never knew! One more mare who-”
“FUCKED HIM SENSELESS LIKE THE WHORE SHE IS!”
>You’ve risen to your hooves as well, wings flared wide.
“I CALLED HER MY FRIEND! SHE KNEW I WAS INTERESTED IN HIM! AND SHE JUST FUCKS HIS FUCKING BRAINS OUT ANY CHANCE SHE FUCKING GETS!”
>You’ve become theatrical through your speech, hooves gesturing wildly.
“I’d go over to her place and hear them at it already! And it’d go on FOR HOURS! I’d stay right there, right next to the CUNT’S window and listen to them. Sometimes I’d even WATCH! I’d sit right outside their room and HOOF MYSELF RAW!”
>Your tail is practically whipping the air around you, vision blurring with fresh tears. A wing flats errantly from time to time, and you can feel your ears slapping against your head at random.
>The floor is starting to quake slightly, and you feel a great power swelling inside of your chest.
“I got desperate! I KNEW what she’d been doing with him! SHE EVEN ADMITTED IT TO MY FACE! BRAGGED ABOUT IT, WHEN SHE KNEW THAT I WANTED HIM FIRST!”
>Small items and trinkets are starting to fall off of their perch and crash into the floor, some shattering and spilling their contents throughout the hut.
“So I pieced together a spell that would induce estrus and made up the story of how alicorns had unstable seasons and BEGGED THAT CUM DUMPSTER TO FUCK ME UNTIL I CRIED. I KNEW that would be the closest I would ever get to him!”
>Your eyes have begun to glow, and your tears are evaporating before they can even reach your cheeks.
>A loud crack is heard as a huge split in the wall near you suddenly appears.
>Zecora’s face slowly forms a frown.
>Raw magic is arcing from your body, singeing anything nearby, filling the area with an intense smell of ozone.
>Without warning, Zecora charges across the room towards you.
>You reel back, prepared to defend yourself with lethal force.
>Then she hugs you.
>Zecora’s mane and coat are getting burnt away in random spots slowly, leaving behind angry, damaged skin showing through.
>She squeezes you tighter.
>And you get it.
>The ground stops shaking, your headache is gone, your tail is still, and the tears are relentless.
>The immense power you were releasing has gone dormant and you collapse.
>You wail out into the night while Zecora still holds onto you.
“Oh goddesses above, Zecora! I-I’m so...JEALOUS!”
>Your body trembles as the revelation pours over you.
>More uncontrollable sobs overtake you as you cling onto Zecora with every fiber of your being.
>Your throat is raw from screaming, your nose running non-stop, eyes already red and puffy from the magical exertion and the heavy crying.
>You never were a pretty crier.
“I-I’m so jealous that those other mares and Rainbow slept with Anonymous! But what hurts even more, is my jealousy about them sleeping around! There’s no way I can ever do that! I’m a princess for Celestia’s sake!”
>”Such a cruel fate you’ve been bestowed for a mare your age, Twilight.”
“Th-there’s s-so many things I’ll n-never get to t-try! I’m t-to afraid of disappointing Celestia! And n-now, I have to be a p-perfect P-PRINCESS!”
>The rest of your tirade is nothing but incoherent cries.

>Close to 30 minutes have passed since you opened up to Zecora.
>Both of you have been sitting side by side, tea cups refilled.
>And it is here you lay bare your concerns and insecurities before the most unexpected of p0nies.
>Even though she’s not technically a p0ny.
“-And it’s not like I’m not grateful for this gift. I am. It’s just...This isn’t what I dreamt about when I was a filly.”
>”Not much turns out the way we imagine it during our youth.”
“And I know that. But, part of me just feels that it’s unfair. I’ve never gotten to experience a lot of things mares my age have already done.”
>”That very same statement could be reversed, Twilight.”
“Yes, I know. it’s not everyday that you find out you’re the Element of Magic, or you get to study under the princess of all Equestria. But those are extraordinary things. I’m talking about ordinary things.”
>”Ordinary?”
“Well, yeah. Like, I don’t know, and this might sound silly, but I’ve never tried smoking before, and it always interested me as to what effects it produces and why p0nies keep going back to it. Both tobacco-based and ‘recreational’ substances. Of course, being the princess’s personal student, I’d never be caught doing anything like that, but that’s something I’ll never get to try now because I have such a fragile image to keep.”
>”The effects are far and different for each p0ny or creature that happens to partake in them.”
“I know that. I’ve done research into all of it just as something to keep me busy during my downtime in Canterlot, but I’ll never know what it’s like to experience it. But this is just one thing. There’s all kinds of things that I’ll never get to partake in.”
>”Like a sexual fantasy with a creature from another world?”
>You blush immediately.
“Y-yeah...exactly like that.”
>There is silence between you two for some time.
>”Twilight, do you think these feelings you have are foalish?”
“Maybe. But it’s been gnawing at me for over three years now. How can I just forget all of this pent up frustration?”
>”You bring a valid point, and for that I have a solution.”
“...Y-you do?
>”Yes.”
>Zecora turned to look squarely into your eyes, and with little fanfare, she leaned in and kissed you.
>You froze.
>It’s a light, sensual kiss, just barely brushing against your own lips, but you couldn’t help but sit still during the unexpected action.
>She finally released the kiss and still stared straight into your eyes, which were now as wide as the sea.
>”Experience more extraordinary things. If you find yourself missing an opportunity to join in an activity, do not dwell on what cannot be had, but focus on what you can obtain. You are Princess Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic, prized pupil of Princess Celestia. Hardly nothing is out of your reach.”
>Zecora stands and goes to a corner of her home, picking up a few odds and ends as she starts trying to piece together her house.
>You are left with your thoughts.
>”And besides…”
>Zecora speaks out again, her tail swishing lazily.
>”What Celestia does not know, shall not harm her.”
>You see Zecora turn her head just enough for you to catch a smirk on her face.
>You are officially confused.
>Is Zecora hitting on you?
>A blush starts to creep in.
>How long has she felt like this?
>”Please do not mistake my intentions, Twilight. You are a wonderful mare, but I am afraid that I only cater to my own kind.”
>Almost as if she read your mind, she responds.
>”But…”
>She saunters up to you and stops within inches of your face.
>”I’ve heard about this awful heats alicorns go through.”
>Her muzzle is nearly inside of your ear as she lowers her head.
>”I may have a few ‘remedies’ that can aid such an affliction.”
>The blush is back full force.
>Never once have you had anyp0ny suggest such a thing to you.
>And for Zecora, of all p0n-er zebras, to make that offer.
>She leans back, probably to look at your ridiculous face.
“Wh-”
>Before you can get a word out, your thought is interrupted by a loud blast coming from the distance followed a low hiss.
>You attention is immediately focused on the window, which Zecora opens in order to gain better hearing.
>There are a few more noises, but nothing that didn’t sound out of the ordi-
>A scream so desperate and terrified filled your ears.
>You feel the color drain from your face.
>You know that voice.
“Anonymous.”
>With that, you galloped out of Zecora’s house, not a single word spoken to each other.
>Anonymous was in trouble.
>And as Princess Twilight Sparkle, is was your duty to protect him.
>Besides.
>If something happened to him, Lyra would likely give up on ever returning back to normal.
>Plus, there are a few questions you’d like to ask him.

>Dark.
>So dark, you can’t tell if your eyes are open or not.
>Buzzing...and noises, like screaming.
>They surround you.
>You are Anonymous, and you are regaining your consciousness from your earlier blackout.
>At least, you think you are. You might be having a dream.
>I mean, this shit is pretty messed up anyway.
>You can hear a lot of muffled commotion, though.
>Every now and then, you see a flicker of light.
>Your eyes adjust every chance you see one.
>Flash.
>Another blast of light.
>More muffled screams and loud buzzing.
>Pain is shot through your feet as something rams into your body, knocking you out of the way.
>You remember your feet being crushed, and the pain that came with it.
>You scream, but you sound almost like you’re underwater.
>Your voice is much louder in your head than it usually is, and you can hardly make out your own words.
>Flash.
>You gain a little detail this time.
>Intricate designs of grey and black all around you.
>Some hints of a rust color here and there.
>More buzzing, more distant screams.
>Flash.
>The designs are moving. You can roughly guess that the ceiling is 20 feet above you, and you are in some sort of lowered area, but the movement interferes with your depth perception.
>Flash, flash, flash.
>You break into a cold sweat.
>More buzzing.
>More screaming.
>This time it’s you.
>You are able to see that the ceiling is in fact, NOT moving, but rather, is covered entirely by horror itself.
>Machine and flesh intertwined in ways that boggle the mind.
>There seems to be no purpose to these creations.
>A rabbit’s head, upside down, ears replaced with metal appendages that give it the ability to walk.
>A bird with metal arms instead of wings, clawing down the side of a wall.
>The front half of what could possibly be a p0ny or similar animal, head replaced with what appeared as a large tendril that flexed like a finger, it’s back permanently attached to the ceiling.
>All of them, stained and rusted with blood.
>A number of nearly pure machines running around as well.
>Some that look similar to a spider, but clearly being sustained by exposed internal organs, probably from some poor creature.
>Every contraption and able body is heading in a unified direction, just behind you, kicking around the discarded remains that littered the floor.
>Skins, things that used to be the faces of some animals, limbs, organs, hunks of muscle and bone.
>You rolled to your side the best you could and vomited violently.
>This is surely hell.
>Your coughing and heaving increase in intensity as more flashes bring the horror and gore of this place into focus.
>Mucus and tears trail down the side of your face.
>The pain in your stomach, throat and feet are only increasing.
>Each pass of bile burning your esophagus.
>Each heave and cough shaking your body, causing your feet to ram into each other.
>The situation only worsens as you are hauled up and out of the lower level you resided, your legs banging against the floor.
>You stress your abdomen forcing out the most pained cry you can muster.
>Flash.
>You can see large metal legs heading for your direction, their booming a clear indication of their proximity.
>Your apparently impaired hearing has failed you once again about just how close they were.
>You are launched through the air a few feet as one of the legs collided with you in its haste.
>The landing is the last straw.
>Your head took the entirety of the impact, shattering any perception of direction or distance.
>Another flash came, but everything is out of focus once again.
>You can hardly feel your feet anymore, but at the same time, the pain is unimaginable.
>More dry heaves shake your body to its core.
>And you beg for death.
>There is no way you are going to survive this.
>You beg for something large to step on you and end your misery.
>You beg for anything out there that could sever your head from your neck.
>You just want it all over with.
>Flash.
>The light was considerably darker this time.
>Flash.
>And darker still, almost like the flash has lost its potency.
>Flash.
>Not nearly noticeable.
>The buzzing sounds as though it is slurring into a hum.
>The screaming has become so distant, you can’t place it’s direction anymore.
>You are blacking out.
>And with only seconds left of your awareness, you hear a faint cry.
>A name.
>Your name.
>...
>...
>...
>”----ymous?”
>You try to open your eyes.
>”A-----ous?”
>Someone is trying to call your name.
>You feel a pressure on your chest.
>You can almost place the voice.
“...L-Lyra?”
>You finally crack your eyes open.
>Lyra has straddled your chest, forehooves tucked close to her own, muzzle within inches of your nose, gorgeous golden eyes fixed on you.
“...Lyra! You’re all better!”
>Lyra smiles, but it’s not a very happy smile.
>”I’m afraid not, Ano--mou-...but...I am a part of her.”
>You lose yourself in that golden stare.
“Part of her?”
>”Yes. I am her magic. I chose this form to represent myself to you.”
>Weird.
>You play along, though.
>You must be close to death if you’re seeing this shit.
>”You are close, and this is why I have shown myself.”
>Oh shit! She can read your mind?!
>”Yes, I can, as we are currently residing within your mind at this very moment.”
>Fucking magic.
“Alright then, miss Magic. Why are you here?”
>”I’m here to save you, --ony--us.”
“Save me? How can you save me?”
>”I can only do so much, but I have come to repair the damage that cannot be fixed by conventional methods.”
>WAT.
>”There is a great mare trying to rescue you as we speak, A---ym---. She has incredible talent, but she does not know of the full extent of the damage you suffer.”
“Who’s helping me?”
>”I do not know names, other than yours and my hosts’. However, they appear to be of the alicorn variety and there is a bewildering amount of magic tied to this mare.”
>Easy enough to guess.
“Okay, so what’s this damage?”
>”You are currently comatose.”
>Wow.
>You were not expecting that.
>”I would believe that no one ever would, -nonym---.”
“What’s up with not being able to say my name right?”
>”It is a conflict between the physical realm and the magical realm in which we are residing inside of your head. That is all I know.”
>Big load of help there.
>Shit, she can read your mind.
>...
>Fuck it.
>No regrets.
“So, you’re saying that you can get me out of my coma?”
>”I can get you back to the land of the waking, yes.
“...But…”
>”...but you must promise me one thing.”
>The faux-Lyra’s eyes overtake you again.
“Anyting.”
>”Stay with me. With Lyra, that is. She needs you, more than anything, and you are the only one who has been able to help her.”
“I have no intention of leaving her.”
>No hesitation. And it’s true. You have every intention to stick with Lyra even after she’s back to her old self again.
>”That is good to hear. Be wary, though. I can fix the damage in your brain, but I cannot fix the fickle nature of your heart. Stay with Lyra, and all shall be well.”
>That’s...an odd thing to say.
>”Perhaps it is, but it is true.”
>Lyra closes her eyes and sighs.
>She sits like this for a few minutes.
>”It is done, Ano--mous. This is where I take my leave. I’m afraid we shall never see each other again.”
“Wait, what?”
>”I am magic. And I have used myself to repair you. All that’s left, is for you to wake up, ----ymous.”
“But! I have questions!”
>Lyra only smiles, eyes still closed.
>There is a sudden burning in your throat, and you try to yell for Lyra again, but you are unable to speak.
>You grimace at the pain, closing your eyes as you go to lift Lyra from your body.
>But she is gone, and the pain only increases.
>There is a sudden shift in gravity as you are pulled back down to the ground on your back.
>The familiar pain of your crushed feet slowly building back up.
>You clench your eyes in agony.
>”----ymous!”
>Another voice.
>”Anonym-m-mous! P-Please!”
>The voice is sad.
>”Please wake up, Anon!”
>You slowly, so slowly open your eyes.
>A dim light, is your first observance.
>It seems to be shaking slightly.
>Ah, it’s coming from the point of a horn.
>Straight bangs, a wild off-center pink streak.
>It’s Twilight.
>Twilight Sparkle is lying her forelegs and head against your chest, her horn barely alight.
“Tw-”
>It’s all you can get out before your throat clenches, causing you to spasm and cough.
>Twilight is startled immediately.
>She looks horrible.
>Dark rings under her eyes, streaks of matted fur down her cheeks, small cuts and traces of blood on her face.
>After your coughing fit ceases, you try to talk again in barely a whisper.
“Wh-what happened?”
>”Oh, thank Celestia you’re alright, Anonymous!”
>Twilight shifts her forelegs around your neck and hugs you, her mane spilling onto your face.
>The smell is intoxicating.
>Lavender (of course) with some other feminine soap smells.
>P0nies hardly ever smell like real horses.
>Having an affinity for plants and whatnot, Twilight ranks pretty high on your ‘natural-scent’ list.
>She finally removes herself from you, whipping her head around to gather her mane back behind her neck.
>You go to say something else, but you are once again caught coughing and hacking up a lung.
>”Hold on, let me help you.”
>Twilight closes her eyes, as the light increases off of her horn.
>You feel your neck tighten a little, but it suddenly relaxes after a wave of warmth passes through it.
>A few second later, and your throat is perfectly fine.
“How-”
>”Healing magic.”
>Huh. Figured healing magic existed, but this is the first time it’s ever been used on you.
>Wait.
“Healing magic?”
>”Yes?”
“So, this whole time you could ha-”
>”No, Anonymous, I couldn’t have. I can mend, but I can’t make something materialize out of thin air! Don’t you think I would have already done that if I could?”
“...Yeah, I guess so.”
>”Wait, you have doubts about me helping Lyra?”
“N-no, I just-”
>”Then why did you hesitate?”
“Lyra, look, I”m in a lot of pain here, so if you-”
>”Twilight.”
“Huh?”
>Twilight’s expression darkened a bit.
>”I’m Twilight, Anon. You called me Lyra.”
“Ah, geeze, sorry. I’m still a little out of it. I saw her in my dream just before I woke up.”
>The mistake forgotten at this new information, Twilight has already perked back up.
>Record time for saving face.
>Also, it creeps you out a little that she can jump between emotions so abruptly.
>Whatever.
>”You saw her in your dream? What kind of dream was it?”
“Well, according to her, it wasn’t really a dream.”
>You start to try to lift yourself up into a sitting position but your feet are halting any progress.
>Twilight notices your pain.
>”O-oh! Sorry! Here, let me heal that too.
>Once again, she closes her eyes, and your feet are embraced in her signature purple glow.
>She forgot to mention how much it hurt when fusing bone and ligament together.
>The pain is broad and comes in waves. You ride the tide in, only to have it crash in your face as you grit your teeth in agony.
>Several minutes later, the waves have become nothing more that soft pulses of warmth.
>Your upper body is covered in sweat from the stress of the forced recovery.
>But your feet are perfect. You get the same feeling of awe and realization as you had when you saw Lyra’s handiwork.
>Oh shit! That’s why you’re here!
“Thanks a bunch. But listen, I came looking for you for a reason.”
>”Y-...You came looking for me?”
“Twilight, you disappeared after hearing what I can only imagine was a devastating realization for you. We were all very worried. We looked for you all day!”
>Twilight’s ears go flat as she bows her head.
>”I’m sorry.”
“That really won’t cut it right now, but that’s not important.”
>Straight to business.
>You start to test your feet out by standing up.
“Lyra’s getting worse, fast.”
>Her head snaps to you.
>”What do you mean?”
“Let me show you.”
>You reach into your pocket and pull the piece of tubing that has thankfully stayed along for this crazy ride.
>Twilight regards it curiously.
>”Wha-”
“This piece was from Lyra’s intestine, or whatever. It was inside of her.”
>Twilight stares at you, still awaiting an explanation.
“Her body rejected it, Twilight. Her body spit it out and replaced it with a fresh, new clean chunk of intestine.”
>She gasps.
>”Goddesss! That’s incredible! How long did it take? Were you there when it happened? What kind of emission did the repair give off? What was happening when it occurred? Was there a strong odor in the air? What color was th-”
“Lyra’s fine, in case you’re wondering.”
>She folds her ears back once again in shame.
>”Sorry, just got ahead of myself there. So, you say she’s fine?”
“Lyra claims she’s better than fine, actually. I put her to bed shortly after it happened.”
>”What happened, though? What was going on?”
>This was the question you wanted to avoid.
>But you have to answer her. It may prove to be a vital key to Lyra’s recovery.
>You take a deep breath and scratch the back of your head.
“About that… Let’s take a walk, alright? I’d like to get as far from here as possible.”
>Bought yourself some time to try and figure out how to word it.
>You didn’t lie, though. You couldn’t get out of the forest soon enough.
>Which reminds you of your situation just not that long ago.
>Twilight obviously saved you, that you can tell just by her looks.
>Multiple scratches across her face and legs, large cuts scream across her side, a wing is bent at an odd angle, the feathers out of place and frayed.
“Twilight, are you sure you’re okay? Should you be walking right now?”
>She looks to you like you have two heads.
>”Huh?”
“Um, no offence, but you look like shit.”
>She quickly gives herself a once over, wincing a little as she raises her injured wing.
>”Oh! That! No, I’m fine. I’m healing myself as we speak, just a lot slower. I’m sort of giving myself a pain reliever as well so I can keep functioning. A slow heal won’t drain me nearly as quickly as when I healed you earlier.”
>Makes sense.
>Hold on…
“Pain reliever? You could have given me a pain reliever when you healed my feet!”
>Twilight groans.
>”It wouldn’t have mattered! It takes time for it to take effect! I would have had the repair done before it even went into the first phases.”
“Well…I’m just gonna pretend that you’re making up excuses for why you didn’t do it.”
>You playfully stick out your tongue.
>She does as well, scrunching up her face.
>HHNNNNGGG.
>Dammit this mare is too cute, even when she’s all battered up.
>Even if she’s somewhat psychotic, has frequent breakdowns, nearly killed your, uh, ‘friend’ (we’ll go with that until we figure out what we are), and almost raped you.
>The mare is adorable. There’s no avoiding that.
>The walk continued towards the exit of the forest in slience.
>It wasn’t until Twilight tripped on a fallen branch and cracker head into a nearby tree when the conversation started back up.
>”Ffffffffffuck, that smarts!”
>Whoa.
>You’ve never heard Twilight use that language in person.
“Uh, Twilight? You okay there?”
>She rubs her head near her horn with a hoof as she walks.
>You don’t quite know how they do the three-leg-walk thing so well.
>MAGIC.
>”Yeah. Just yeah.”
“It’s just, I’ve never heard you use that word before.”
>”Oh my gosh! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to offend you!”
“Slow down! Haha! Trust me. I’m the LAST person to be offended by foul language.”
>She giggles slightly.
>”Heh, yeah. I guess you’re right.”
>A brief moment of silence as you try to delicately word your next question.
“So, Twilight?”
>”Yeah?”
“...How did you save me? What happened back there?”
>She immediately goes rigid.
>”O-oh, n-nothing much! Heh heh! Just some magic spells and all that stuff. You wouldn’t be interested.”
“Twilight, what happened? It’s not good to keep these thing bottled up.”
>”...W-well,”

>You are Twilight, and you are running like never before through the Everfree.
>You know how dangerous this place can be, and Anon’s scream can only mean danger.
>He knows not to stray from the path, so you immediately head down the well-worn trail.
>Within a few minutes, you notice that the trail has gotten increasingly narrow.
>A quick blast from your horn only shows that the forest has gotten even denser further on.
>You make it to the ‘wall’ the forest has constructed to block your path.
>Desperation rises as you charge another blast, but something catches your eye.
>There’s an odd clearing, but the clearing isn’t what stole your attention.
>The reality around the clearing almost looks distorted, almost as if the scene before had been painted, but you are viewing it from the incorrect angle.
>Nearing the abnormality, you bend and move the trees and vines with your magic until you bump your muzzle into what you believe to be the cause of the disruption.
>The same loud bang and hiss you heard earlier startles you, making you jump and hover in the air briefly.
>A section of reality appears to be rising slightly, a black emptiness taking it’s place at the bottom.
>Your ears twitch and swivel as you hear a faint buzzing.
>Before you can comprehend it, a cold, hard tendril strikes you before your curiosity does, dragging you to the forest floor.
>The horrible worm-like appendage tightens around your hind leg, nearly crushing the bone.
>Your magic makes quick work of it before it can do any serious damage, cutting it loose from your hind leg, a horrible shriek filling the air.
>The air grows still around you as you watch the worm writhe and twist, separated from its host.
>Your coat stands on end as you catch your breath.
>Something just tried to attack you and take you into this...void.
>It was impressively quick and took no chances, content with nearly destroying your leg just to ensure you wouldn’t have gotten away.
>You gather that the worm did not anticipate your magical prowess.
>If Anonymous ran into this oddity, there would have been no way he would have escaped…
>...
>After a little internal deliberation, you decide it’s best to check out what lies beyond the void.
>In the off chance Anonymous has been taken, you need to find him.
>Making sure you aren’t walking into a trap, you crouch down to peer into the darkness.
>No good.
>You can’t see inside.
>The opening is just being enough to squeeze through, so you start to enter, a plethora of defensive and offensive spells at the ready.
>You are half way through the opening when it starts to close on top of you.
>You quickly scramble and pull yourself inside, barely avoiding getting your tail pinned, a quick illumination spell lighting the tip of your horn.
>You are still engulfed in darkness, save for the floor, which you can make out.
>It’s a hard, unforgiving metal surface with splotches of rust and grime in places, but well polished and smooth in others.
>There is a constant ring of noises surrounding you.
>Hums, buzzes, mechanical clinks and clanks, and things that sound oddly like breathing.
>You increased the brightness of your spell, only to reduce it down to near nothing.
>Frozen.
>You can’t believe your eyes, and for a p0ny who prides herself on logic and reasoning, you just can’t fathom what you saw.
>Eyes.
>Some belonged to animals.
>Some were like Lyra’s.
>All staring at you, analyzing, calculating.
>Bodies, pieces of them rather, strewn about the floor.
>Flesh hanging from the walls, dripping.
>Never in your wildest imagination had you seen such an image of such grotesque malice and unrestrained horror.
>You hear something scraping against the floor.
>Coming closer.
>You dare to shine your light in the direction.
>A grey creature is shifting its way towards you, pain evident in its eyes.
>”P-p-p-pooooonyyyyy”
>The raspy, chalkboard scratch of a voice called out to you.
>You can recognize the shape, it’s so close.
>It’s a diamond dog.
>It continues dragging itself towards you with its front paws.
>The closer it gets, the more of its torture you take in.
>"P-p-pleeeeeassssse!"
>You can finally make out the extent of the damage.
>From the waist down, there is nothing but its spine dragging behind it along with entrails that are no longer kept in place.
>You can make out small lights on various oddly shaped boxes and trinkets trailing behind the unfortunate creature.
>Its paw is within inches of you.
>Immediately, you surround yourself with a shield, knocking the diamond dog back along with a host of other unimaginables that were gaining ground as well.
>Never one to consciously cause lethal harm, you push the shield outwards with a great surge of power, and plow the nightmares away.
>You glance around you and see the walls moving.
>A second glance, and they are not moving at all, but are lined with terrible contraptions beyond belief.
>They are heading for you.
>You prepare to take to the sky when you make eye contact with the diamond dog again.
>You simply mouth ‘sorry’ and launch yourself into the open, doubling your efforts on your shield.
>Within seconds, you strain to withstand against the assault of small flying creatures and machines ramming into your protective bubble.
>Another surge, and all of the pests are shoved aside.
>Your surges bathe your surroundings in light for brief seconds, letting you catch a glimpse of the sheer magnitude this facility.
>Machinations you never fathomed in your wildest dreams lined the floors, walls and ceilings.
>Anonymous was one thing, but this was truly alien.
>Speaking of, you focus your efforts on locating him.
>Judging by the time you heard his scream previously, you gather that he’s not very far.
>More bright pulses of light from your shield keep the flying horrors at bay.
“ANONYMOUS!”
>You start yelling for him, hoping he will answer you.
>There has been no sight of him.
>You pray to the goddesses that nothing has happened to him.
>You still haven’t apologized for the things you’ve done to him.
>Another blast of light.
>Another cry of his name.
>No sign.
>The search goes on for roughly ten minutes, but it’s hard to tell when you are in an adrenaline addled state.
>The floor below seems to give way to a lower level.
>For a brief second, you see his face.
“Anonymous.”
>You breathe his name.
>Just as you were about to hoist him in your protective bubble, a serpent-like machine slithers by his body, grabbing him by his shirt and roughly pulling him out onto the upper level.
>The creature is suddenly cut in two by a sharp blast, the rear half of it, stopping immediately.
>An ache forms at the base of your horn.
>You’re taxing yourself trying to keep the creatures away.
>The logical portion of your mind knows that offensive maneuvers are much more efficient in magic usage, but you know that you can’t start attacking everything around you.
>You can’t trust that you’ll settle for anything less than elimination, as the serpent just became an example of.
>You dive for Anonymous, but pull up quickly when a large bi-pedal machine stomps towards you.
>The large lumbering machine’s steps draw dangerously close to Anonymous’ body, and you scream out in horror.
>Magic pools into your horn as you prepare to blast the machine away, but you are too late.
>Luckily, the machine has only punted Anon’s body instead of crushing him.
>Seeing Anonymous writhe in pain lets you know that he’s at least still alive, and relief floods over you.
>But the build-up of magic is relentless, you have to discharge it.
>You try to focus on releasing it through your shield, but you falter on the spell, creating a devastating shock wave throughout the structure, cracking the floors, knocking all of the airborne creatures from the sky.
>Your vision darkens as the stress of the spell takes its toll on you physically.
>But you still hold on, pulling the last of your resolve as you fly down and scoop up Anonymous in your magic, crying out his name as a second shield covers him.
>You focus your personal shield into an angled plate and literally plow your way to the exit.
>A number of the bodies and machines you collide with offer no resistance or show any pain.
>You try not to think about what you may have done.
>You make it to the original entrance you came through and force it open with your magic with little effort.
>First, you place Anonymous outside of the veritable Tartarus, you following behind closely.
>You turn to the door and slam it shut, using some of your magic to seal the door and leave a mark upon it so it is identifiable, should another one turn up or this one change location.
>The buzzing has stopped, the eerie screams have gone, and you are only left with the sounds of the forest and your own labored breath.
>Anonymous is lying on the ground, unmoving.
“Anonymous?”
>You approach his body on tired hooves, lying down next to him.
“Anonymous? Come on, wake up!”
>You stare at his face, hoping for some kind of sign that he is able to hear you.
>Eventually, your gaze shifts to the rest of his body. You immediately get to work healing what you can.
>A blow to the head, a dislocated shoulder, a broken nose.
>Your observations are quick and only at appearance level.
>After nearly blacking out due to the immense amount of magic you have just in such a relatively short time, you start to shove Anonymous in the side, still wishing he would wake up.
>There has been no response from him since you picked him up.
>Worry sets in hard and fast.
>You hyperventilate.
>You place your forehooves on Anon’s chest, and put pressure on him in controlled time.
>Anon still doesn’t move.
>You are getting frantic now.
>This is supposed to do something!
>The one thing you never learn how to do, and you need it more than ever to make sure your friend doesn’t die right in front of you!
>You lean down, blushing a little for the situation, and press your lips to his.
>You exhale and fill his lungs with your own air while still pressing down on his chest.
>Anon lies still.
>Ears folded flat, defeat in your eyes, you rest your head in your hooves and weep, wishing for a miracle.

>”I sat there for a couple  hours. I started just randomly applying healing magic to your vital organs, just in case something internal had gone wrong. Eventually, I felt your chest moving, but I still couldn’t get any response out of you. Then, you started coughing. And now we’re here.”
>Here being the edge of the Everfree.
>You are Anonymous, and you have just heard how you now have a life debt to Twilight for saving your ass.
“Twilight...I...I can’t thank you enough. If you hadn’t have shown up, there’s no way I would have made it out of that...whatever that was.”
>You’ve both stopped to rest against a large fallen tree while Twilight finished her recount of the heroic deed.
>”No, no it was nothing.”
>She suddenly sounds very sullen.
>”Just another ‘extraordinary’ experience, I guess.”
>A half-hearted smile plays across her muzzle as she turns to look at you.
>What’s this all about?
>Why’d she get sad all of a sudden?
>Your eyes widen slightly when you see a single tear trail down her cheek.
>Dammit.
>You REALLY hate seeing mares cry.
>Gotta fix this quick, so you act on impulse.
>You reach behind her with both arms and pull her into a hard hug.
>She struggles a little at first, but you hug the shit out of this p0ny.
>”Wh-what are you doing?!”
“Hugging you.”
>”W-well, yeah, but...why?!”
“Because you need one.”
>She calms down and rests her head against your shoulder, exhaling deeply.
>Blegh.
>Horse breath.
>Not cool.
>But you stand your ground because you’re a good guy.
>”Thank you, Anonymous. You’re a...a great friend.”
>She sniffles a few times and you stroke her mane gently.
>”...and I don’t deserve you…”
>Hmmm…
>That sounds like trouble.
“Why do you say that?”
>You release some of your grip as she removes herself from the hug.
>The best hug ever, mind you.
>Her gaze falls to the ground.
>”I’ve done terrible, unforgivable things.”
“Well, like what?”
>”I lied to you.”
“That hardly seems like someth-”
>”I lied about the estrus.”
>It takes you a minute, given everything that’s just happened within the passed few hours, but it finally comes to you.
>At your house.
>With Twilight.
>Grinding against you.
>Seconds away from impaling herself on you.
>Seconds away from raping you.
>...
>”Alicorns don’t have odd estrus seasons. I created a spell that would induce estrus whenever I wanted.”
>You can’t even imagine why a mare would put themselves through that.
>Your silence is your response to her.
>”I-I did it, so I could be closer to you. I...I wanted you so bad, Anonymous, but you’d shunned me when we first met. Then I started hearing about all of the other mares you’d slept with, and I got jealous. But then…”
>You can feel the log beneath you shaking from her very own body quaking in fear of exposing her true intentions.
>”...y-you and R-Rainbow Dash started…seeing each other…”
>Well, you technically never started ‘seeing’ each other. It was a mutual agreement, sort of like friends with benef-
>”a-and she knew I was interested in you.”
>Oh.
>...
>Now that’s NOT cool.
>Rainbow has NEVER mentioned this to you until the night you introduced her to Lyra’s predicament.
>Goddamnit.
>This has become a MUCH more sticky situation.
>Twilight keeps talking though.
>”S-so, I made up the odd seasons rumor and would force myself into heat and...ask her to relieve me...because it was the closest I could ever get to you.”
>Alright, so Twilight has just gotten an express ticket to creepy town and unwillingly took you with her.
>This mare has definitely shown her side of crazy every now and then, but to orchestrate something like this, all because you lead her on three years ago?
>Bitch is nuts.
>Silence stretches between the two of you before Twilight takes the stage again.
>”And I can understand if you don’t want to be...friends anymore.”
>Twilight is a puddle of emotions, silently sobbing her heart out next to you.
>You’d just finished comforting this mare literally minutes ago.
>And now you are so torn between hugging her again and running as far away as possible while you rip your hair out.
>This…
>This is just too much right now.
>You need to get back on track.
>Lyra.
>Priority one.
>Your...possible...marefriend.
>Fuck that ‘special somep0ny’ bullshit.
>That’s for children.
>You are not a child.
>Alright. Time to salvage this somehow.
“Twilight, listen.”
>Your voice is slightly trembling at the rage, hurt and confusion threatening to break through over this bombshell of a revelation.
>She tries to stifle her sniveling to hear you.
“Right now, right at this very moment, I am beyond pissed and freaked out by what I just heard, okay?”
>She nods.
“But I don’t have a response right now, and that’s because I’ve got something else on my mind. Do you remember why I came to look for you in the first place?”
>Again, she nods.
“Good. Now, Lyra is priority one, got that? There will be no more crazy ass shit happening between friends, acquaintances or soon-to-not-be friends, got that? We have a mare’s life to save, and that takes precedence over everything. Do you understand?”
>She turns her head slightly to regard you, but keeps her focus downwards.
>Too ashamed to make eye contact.
“Good. Now, with that said, after, and ONLY AFTER Lyra has been restored or all options have been explored for her, will the four of us sit down and have a long, well deserved, talk.”
>”F-four of us?”
“I think you owe Lyra an apology.”
>Twilight goes quiet, the only sound being small hiccups that she caused from her crying.
>You both sit on the downed tree until you notice the sun starting to crest over the horizon.
>Jeeze. Just how long were you out?
>”Anonymous?”
“Mm?”
>She wipes a fetlock across her muzzle and sniffs loudly.
>”T-tell me more about the piece of tubing you got from Lyra.”
>Good.
>Back on topic.
>This can be the most hinged and unhinged mare you have ever seen.
>You pray that she can handle the pressure of the situation again.
>Regardless of her current mental state, you continue.
“As I said earlier, Lyra’s body rejected this piece.”
>You play with the trinket between your fingers and pass it over to Twilight.
>She grabs hold of it in her magic, carefully spinning it in mid-air.
>She takes a deep breath through her nostrils, holds it momentarily, and releases it slowly out of her mouth.
>Her trembling has slacked considerably.
>”You never told me what was happening when this occurred. Whatever it was, it could really provide us the key to getting Lyra back to normal.”
>Dammit.
>Back to this now.
>Might as well get it over with.
“Alright, look...The thing is, Lyra and I have...well, we’re-”
>”Dating?”
“Well, more or less. I-I’m just taking care of her right now, and we enjoy each other’s company.”
>Twilight nods and keeps her focus on the section of metal tubing.
>You are waiting for a huge breakdown or something.
>A few seconds of nothing, and she turns her head to see you staring at her.
>”What?”
“I just-”
>”-expected a reaction from me?”
>Guilt drips from your expression.
>”While I’m flattered that you’d think of my feelings, I’ve...accepted that you don’t want me.”
“That’s not true!”
>Twilight’s eyes are as wide as the moon.
>Yours are as well.
>Shit, you shouldn’t have said that.
>Your mouth just few off the handle.
“Twilight, that’s not...that’s not true.”
>You lay it out.
“This might be a bit much, but I am immensely, probably unhealthily, attracted to you.”
>Twilight is sputtering, not sure of what she’s hearing.
“Whenever I see you, there’s something that always catches me off guard. Some weird little face you make, some reaction you have, your posture, whatever. And your personality far surpasses charming. You are downright adorable at times, Twilight, and I swear that my heart is going to explode from prolonged exposure.”
>You chuckle slightly.
>Twilight is still in awe, mouth hanging open, eyes never blinking, ears at full attention.
>You stare at her, drinking in her reaction.
>You can tell she’s got a section of her mind already building a life around the two of you.
>And the crazy part is…
>...you are, too.
>There have always been moments where you’d thought of living the rest of your life with her.
>And not just for the sex, but because she’s a pretty awesome person in general.
>At least, until her crazy started showing more prominently.
>”What are you saying?”
>Twilight barely managed to whisper the words out on uneven breaths.
>What ARE you saying?
>This was not a talk you were planning on having.
>This could be it, though.
>The defining moment when you and Twilight start anew.
>Understanding her situation, you can see how she was driven a little mad.
>If you were asked to make a split second decision, you’d forgive her.
>She’s been dealt an unfair and confusing hand.
>You could make the move and rectify it all for her.
>With the words out in the open, the insinuation alone is enough to go on.
>...
>A golden light blurs your vision momentarily...
>...and you are reminded of the promise you made.
>You know what you are saying.
“I’m saying...that I’m sorry.”
>”...S-Sorry? For what?”
“I’m sorry that I didn’t notice sooner, Twilight. And I’m sorry that I mistakenly lead you on when we first lived together. It was just so sudden for me, being taken from my home. I latched on to the first creature to show me kindness and poured my all into our conversations.”
>You turn your gaze out to the horizon.
“But I was never really attracted to your kind until I finally got to live on my own and mull over everything. I did think about our time together briefly, but I took it as something more innocent. And I never thought I could have stood a chance with a princess. You were entirely out of my league. And honestly, after having gotten around town a bit, I disregarded the notion entirely. I’d never want to tarnish your image.”
>You turn back to her.
“You didn’t deserve that.”
>You reach and grab a hoof in both hands.
>She falters and drops the chunk of metal, it lightly clanging against the earth.
“If there is one thing that I can say, it’s that you should never have to worry about losing me as a friend. Although we still have a lot to talk about, I want to help you, like you helped me.”
>You give her hoof a gentle squeeze before releasing it.
>Your eyes dart around a bit, trying to find something else to focus on other than Twilight.
>You settle for the ground, specifically, the hunk of tubing that was just dropped.
>There’s no reason to pick it up yet..
>Your leg is bouncing fiercely over the stress of this conversation.
>”Th-...”
>Twilight chokes a syllable out and you quickly turn to her.
>Her face is flushed over entirely, and you can nearly make out some pink tinting the tips of her ears.
>It’s a very flattering hue against her coat in the sunrise.
>Her eyes are glistening like the dew building on the grass around you.
>”Thank you.”
>Twilight is now performing the slowest attempt at a hug you’ve ever witnessed.
>You close the distance and bring her into your arms, lifting her from the makeshift seat you both occupied.
>Her body quakes against you as her hiccups continue.
>You both stay like this for a while.
>”Thank you for liking me.”
“What’s there not to like?”
>Except for the bouts of insanity.
>She lets out a sad laugh and starts to release you.
>You set her back down on the tree log.
>She takes another deep inhale through her nose, holds it, releasing it through her mouth.
>No more hiccups, and the blush is nearly gone.
>She glances down and raises the discarded tubing to you, which you take and place back in your pocket as you stand from the log.
>Shes coughs, attempting to clear her throat while she climbs off as well, the two of you heading back towards town.
>”So, either this has been the most elaborate plan to avoid telling me what happened with Lyra, or pure coincidence.”
>A knowing smirk is smeared across her face when you turn back to regard her.
>Damn, she’s perceptive.
“Okay, so the walk through the woods was a ruse, but I was seriously going to tell you before we got off topic again.”
>”Alright. I’ll buy that. Now, all feelings and problems aside, what were you two doing, hmm?”
“She was...taking a shower.”
>”Risky, but okay. Anyth-”
“I was washing her.”
>”Ah…”
>...
>”Did it get weird?”
“Yes. Yes it did.”
>...
>”How weird d-”
“I was practically fingering her.”
>Twilight doesn’t say anything, so you look back.
>She has a confused expression on her face.
“It’s like hoofing, but I use my hands instead.”
>She makes an ‘oh’ with her mouth, blushing a little again.
“Her idea, by the way. Not mine. We didn’t get real far into it, though. Just about when I started, she started screaming like crazy.”
>Twilight gave you a dubius stare.
“In pain, Twilight. She was screaming in pain.”
>Her ears folded against her head.
>”Oh.”
>That’s right. Feel bad.
“Well, I didn’t know what else to do, so I just held her as close and hard as possible. I was scared to death that I was going to relive the episode in the hallway.”
>”What happened there, by the way?”
>You know you’d said that it wasn’t really for you to tell her, but you’ve already said worse.
“I, uh...I kissed her… and she said she loved me… then the line broke.”
>Dammit.
>Now you’re blushing.
>”Wow. So, uh, she totally came out and said it, huh?”
“Yup.”
>”And you...you feel the same way?”
“I mean, I think so. It’s...I don’t know. Things are too weird right now. My stomach flips every time I see her, and not in a good way. But when we talk and just generally spend any time together, it’s so natural. Like, there was no warm-up phase. We just...fit.”
>”Hmmm.”
>Twilight seems to fixate on this for a while.
>”So, what happened after she started screaming?”
“Oh, that was pretty crazy, actually. There was this bright light, nearly blinding, but it drew me in.”
>”Light? Where? Where did you see it?”
“It must have been coming from Lyra’s stomach or something, because I was looking at it reflecting off of the water in the bottom of the tub.”
>”Okay. Explain what you felt when you looked into this light.”
“I don’t know, just...happiness. That was the strongest feeling I had. Just, an overwhelming happiness. I didn’t even register that I was still in my bathroom. It didn’t matter. I was just so damn...happy.”
>”I see…”
>Twilight sounded very concerned.
“What’s wrong? Was that bad or something?”
>”No, not intentionally, anyway. And earlier, you said you’d seen Lyra in your ’dream that wasn’t a dream’?”
“Yeah.”
>”Anonymous...you are an extremely lucky human being.”
“Um, I don’t follow.”
>”What you witnessed in that bathroom? Pretty much pure myth.”
>Wait, what?
“I thought it was just magic.”
>”Yes, but we don’t know everything about magic. Legends tell of cases in times of great desperation, they could see another p0nies' existential makeup, the very pure, unfiltered, raw magic that is tethered to their very being...You saw a part of Lyra nop0ny will likely ever see..."
>...
>That certainly makes that event a little more significant to you.
>There's no way you'll forget it, though. The impression that ordeal left on you will stay with you forever.
>”To behold magic like that in person, it is a miracle that you are still sane. That much magical exposure could have driven you mad or turned you into a vegetable. The kind that sits in a hospital, not the actual food.”
>Twilight’s face takes a sudden look of surprise as she gasps out loud.
>"OMIGOSH! This has to explain the vision of Lyra you had earlier!”
>She’s practically jumping around in excitement.
>You’ve never seen her this excited about anything.
>Guess being this close to mythical magic is something pretty special.
>”Do you know the significance of this, Anonymous?”
“Uh, I’m not rea-”
>”Lyra’s ‘soul’ for a lack of better words, divided itself and planted a tiny part of her consciousness into you! That’s how you saw her!”
>Twilight is beaming.
>You can’t help but be a little confused about this new information.
>Lyra unknowingly ‘planted’ a part of herself into you?
>That’s…both heartwarming and disturbing.
>”Well, there’s no going back, now!”
“No going back to what?”
>Twilight has a fairly sinister grin.
>”You’d better reeeeealy make sure you love this mare, Anon. The two of you are practically bound to each other now. The connection you two have is sacred.”
>You’ve both reached the edge of town when Twilight drops this shit on you.
>Do you really have anything to worry about, though?
>Lyra has already professed her love to you.
>You...basically accepted without saying it out loud.
>You stop walking and turn to Twilight.
“So...what do you mean by ‘sacred’?”
>She stops beside you, but is focused out in the distance.
>”Can you feel her, Anon?”
>Feel her?
“What do you mean?”
>”Just think about her.”
>You scratch your head and close your eyes.
>Lyra.
>A teal-coated p0ny with a mint and white mane and tail.
>Is supposedly good at playing the lyre.
>Has a beautiful laugh.
>Can take your breath away with her golden eyes.
>Has had terrible things happen to her.
>Is probably the strongest mare you know.
>Has an amazing ass (first-hand experience with that)
>Is lying in your guest bed, having small seizures.
>Is kicking wildly, getting stuck in the covers.
>Is crying out your name.
>You gasp and open your eyes.
“Holy shit!”
>”I take it that it worked?”
“I have to go to her. She’s in trouble!”
>”What’s wrong?”
“She’s shaking real bad and kicking, getting her legs stuck in the covers. She’s...calling for me.”
>”Then go.”
“Wait, aren’t you coming?”
>Twilight turns to head in the opposite direction.
>”You can handle it. I know you can. Besides, I’ve been away from the castle for too long. I’m sure Spike and plenty of other p0nies are worried sick about me.”
>She has been gone for a while.
>You’re surprised Celestia herself hasn’t already shown up to look for Twilight.
“Alright. But I’m coming back to get you later on. We still have a lot to discuss. The four of us.”
>”...Yes, we do.”
>She turns and gives you a sad smile.
>“Go save her, Anonymous.”
>You nod firmly and run off back towards your house.