Two Sides of a Coin (Chapter 6)

“Hope itself is a species of happiness, and, perhaps, the chief happiness which this world affords; but, like all other pleasures immoderately enjoyed, the excesses of hope must be expiated by pain.”
-Samuel Johnson

>You sling a makeshift backpack over your shoulder and sigh.
>With only a few days to spare, you managed to help mend the broken bond between Fluttershy and her friends. At least to the best of your ability.
>There is still a lot more that has to be done.
>Now was the time for you and Hope to make your way through the dense forest of the north and confront Lyra.
>She says that if you keep up a good pace, you should make it in about three days.
>Although you had expressed concerns that Twilight was still missing a pony to become the sixth Element of Harmony, she was sure that they’d find one soon enough.
>Though it left you a bit worried, you had other things on your mind.
>It was early morning, the sun didn’t even have a chance to make its appearance when you and Hope said goodbye to Twilight and the others.
>”Remember, we packed you that special parchment in your bag to warn us and one to tell us when you’re on the way back. Burn it and Spike will receive the message, then we’ll come get you.” Twilight gestures to your knapsack.
“Just worry about finding that sixth element, we’ll take care of Lyra.”
>Hope stands close by with a small pack of her own and a newly fashioned cloak modelled after her old one. “C’mon Anon, we need to cover a lot of ground.”
>You look down at the group of ponies.
>It was hard to think that even this world could experience so much turbulence in spite of its seemingly innocent nature.
“In case we don’t see one another again, thank you… for everything.”
>Twilight smiles warmly. “Likewise. Be safe and look out for each other. And Hope...”
>The satyr looks down at Twilight. “If you ever need a place after this is said and done, you have a home here now.”
>Hope looks deeply moved by this kind gesture. “Really? Are you sure it’s okay?”
>Twilight nods. “Of course it is. That’s what friends do. You’ve made a real impression on everypony here.” Her gaze turns towards the other ponies.
>Now you won’t have to worry about Hope after this is over.
>With a simple nod, you turn and never looked back. You can hear them wishing you good luck and saying goodbye.
>Soon you and Hope are out of sight as you head north into the woods.
>You didn’t speak much for a while.
>Hope squeezes into your personal space and stares at you. “Whatchu thinking about?”
>You glance at Hope and quickly relax your appearance.
“A lot, actually. We need to think about what we’re actually going to do when we get there. I don’t want to do anything that you’re not comfortable with.”
>Hope understands what you mean.
>A troubled look fills her expression.
>It can’t be easy going against your own mother.
>Hope made it clear to you that she wants to hear for herself what Lyra’s planning before she makes her move.
“So you still plan to bring me in as you originally intended, yeah?”
>”Yes, that’ll probably be the best way to do it. I’ll think of something to say as well in case she asks why it took so long.”
>Good to know she was already thinking ahead.
“Did you see where she keeps the orb? Like a room or something? Does she keep it close to her?”
>Hope ponders for a brief moment. “I’ve never seen it myself, but when we came back to Equestria and made our home in this ancient building, mother set up a room that I was not allowed to enter. That would be the first place I’d check.”
“What stopped you before?”
>”I could never disobey my mother.” She replies rather frankly.
“And yet here we are plotting against her.”
>”This is different. My mother has taught me so much, but...” She stops walking.
>She places a hand over her chest, as if to stop her heart from bursting.
>You stop as well, waiting for her to finish, but you could see a troubled look on her face.
>It wasn’t hard to tell what needs to be done.
“Let’s not worry about that now. We’ll deal with it if it happens.”
>You start your way through the forest once more.
“Come on, we need to make it as far as possible before nightfall.”
>Hope stood still.
>Coming to a stop yet again, you groan quietly as you look back to her.
“Hope, we can worry about it when we get there. We need to keep moving.”
>Like anyone who has been struck deep, you could hear her pain as she speaks. “I don’t know if I’m ready to do that. I feel we’ll be safer if we just run away.”
>You approach her, placing your hands on her shoulders and speak softly to her.
“Hey, look at me.”
>Her crystalline amber eyes meet yours.
“Running away isn’t going to solve this. It took me a while to learn that lesson myself. You need to face this head on. I won’t be the one to make the call. But we need to secure that artifact from her. That’s the first task. Don’t worry about anything else.”
>She continues to look up at you. Slowly her arms wrap around your waist as she buries her face into your chest. “I’m worried about you...” She mutters.
>Your heart sinks.
>This is what you wanted to avoid.
>Hope was a great kid, but you couldn’t risk there being too much emotional investment.
>It might cloud her judgement.
“I know, just keep your wits about you.”
>You slowly pry yourself out of her grasp and pat her on the back.
“Let’s keep going.”
>As the sun continues to track across the sky, you and Hope go on your way through the forest of pines.
>Every so often, Hope would scan the trees nearby.
>”I left marks around here so I could make my way back home easier.” She explains as she walk amongst the trees.
>She spots one and points it out; a gash on the side of the tree where a dried-out trail of sticky sap lingers.
>Smart idea.
>But this raised a question that’s been on your mind.
“How did you find me exactly?”
>”My mother says that when the portal opens to pull you in, it will show her the direction it came from.”
>You could tell the way her eyes stare off into space how she was probably reliving that moment. “It was late when it happened. I had my tools, anger and motivation to track down the supposed killer of my father.”
>Her pupils shrink, as if she was anticipating something. “She told me to use my instinct and gave me the layout of the land. It was a matter of knowing that you would head towards a larger populace such as Ponyville.”
>You could still remember that uneasy feeling as you walked through the EverFree Forest that fateful night.
“How tough was it to find me in those woods?”
>”With all the noise you were making, hardly. I kept my distance for some time after dark hoping you would stop.”
“Why didn’t you wait until I was asleep before capturing me?”
>Her tone becomes more matter-of-fact. “When you’re close to catching someone who killed one of your parents, it’s hard not to.”
>Her eyes became focused dead ahead as if she was lost in a trance.
>”My mother said it wasn’t in a pony’s nature to hunt, but she saw my potential. My duality is a gift. The hope for a better world.” She adds.
“What does she mean by that?”
>There’s an awkward silence between you two.
>Finally she speaks up. “She never really explained, but she would sometimes tell me of the suffering that both our worlds had to endure.”
>For being a psychopath, Lyra sounds like a peace loving hippie.
>As the two of you travel deeper into the woods, the pines grew larger and more imposing.
>Hope would occasionally run ahead to check for any other marks she might’ve left.
>Pulling out a small bag from your backpack, you begin to munch on some homemade trail mix.
>Fluttershy helped to prepare some of these snacks herself.
>Then a thought came to mind.
“Hope, how did it go yesterday with Fluttershy?”
>The satyr ponders for a moment. “We had a talk.”
“I know it probably wasn’t easy, but it means a lot that you watched over her after she had that accident. What happened exactly?”
>Hope scratches the back of her head as she collects her thoughts. “It’s like this...”

>You are now Hope.
>And you couldn’t believe that Anon told you to watch after Fluttershy for the day.
>She slept for most of the morning while you sat downstairs bored out of your skull. You couldn’t fathom why Anon would do this to you.
>Every once in a while you check up on her by peeking through a cracked door.
>It didn’t help that there were animals constantly pestering you.
>A hummingbird buzzes around you like an annoying bug.
>Your tails swishes at it instinctively.
>You mutter harshly.
“Leave me alone!”
>Closing the door softly, you head back downstairs. Waiting for you was a particularly bossy rabbit and other animals chirping and chattering away.
“Fluttershy needs peace and quiet, so scram!”
>They make their sounds of disappointment and make their way out of the house while the others find their place in little make-shift homes that lay strewn about the living room.
>The little white rabbit taps his foot on the ground impatiently while glaring at you.
“What do you want?”
>He points to his mouth and rubs his belly.
“Well go and get something to eat, I’d rather not be here anyways.”
>The bunny hops over to your leg and proceeds to ‘stomp’ on your foot to try and get you to do what he wants.
“Fine...”
>You storm into the kitchen and browse through the pantry until you find a carrot.
>With the orange vegetable in hand you toss it in front of the impatient critter.
“There, now eat and be quiet.”
>You turn your back and something hits your head lightly.
>Turning around you see the carrot hitting the floor with the white bunny sticking its tongue out at you.
“Why you...”
>Taking one look at you, the rabbit gets the right idea and quickly runs out the door in a flash.
“That’s what I thought.”
>Now there is peace and quiet to be had.
>But Fluttershy is still upstairs resting. If Anon knew you left, he might get angry at you.
>It wasn’t your fault that she decided to fly into a thunderstorm.
>Who cares if she risked her life to try and make Rainbow Dash forgive her...
>You pause for a moment.
>She has done a lot for the others.
>No matter what she could do for you, it won’t bring your father back.
>Walking up the staircase, you approach the bedroom door and wait outside.
>Should you even do this?
>Slowly and carefully you push in the door and step into the dim room.
>Closing the door behind, you stand at the far end and watch Fluttershy sleeping away.
>You recall the first time you had a chance to finish her off.
>Gritting your teeth and clenching a fist, you feel the frustration building up inside.
>No doubt you would feel better if you finished the deed.
>And yet...
>Your body cannot hold onto that anger anymore.
>After all Anon has done to help this pony.
>In a way, it was easy to feel pity now.
>But more so, you just wanted to get rid of this feeling inside you.
>Hating her just made you hold on even more.
>Fluttershy has been making efforts to make amends for what she had done.
>The next thing you realize, you’re standing at the bedside staring down at her.
>As she turns around in her sleep, her drowsy eyes start to open.
>They swing wide open as she lets out a small yelp and shrinks back in fear. No doubt a reaction from your last attempt to end her life.
>You sit down at the edge of her bed and look down at the floor.
“Fluttershy, I wish I could understand why you did the things you have done. What compelled you to do them to my father and your best friend Pinkie...”
>She is caught off guard by your frankness but seems frozen still.
“Although you have done terrible things, I can’t blame you anymore for the death of my dad. I just want to stop feeling this anger.”
>You look over to Fluttershy who is now starting to look less fearful.
>There is an awkward moment of silence.
>She finally speaks up in a tiny voice. ”Hope, even after you uh... attacked me, it only made me feel worse. If ending my life would bring back Anon and Pinkie...” Her voice trails off as tears build up in her eyes.
“No, I don’t want that. I just want to know the real Fluttershy before this whole mess happened. I know they call you the Element of Kindness for a reason.”
>For a while after that, you and Fluttershy talked.
>The more you did, the more things felt.... friendly between the two of you.
>Although still weak and tired from her accident, she makes her way out of bed to go and feed the animals.
“Anon says you need to rest up.”
>”I know, but my little friends are expecting me.” Her legs wobble underneath her body.
>Downstairs, she pulls out bags of different feed for all the animals.
“Let me help.”
>As you go around filling out bowls of food, you catch Fluttershy doing things for each animal.
>This caring nature is contrary to what a monster would do.
>After you were done helping, the animals seem to be in a much better mood.
>You feel something give a tiny kick against your leg.
>It was that pesky white bunny again.
>Well, almost all of them....
>”Thank you so much for your help.” Fluttershy wanders over to a couch and collapses onto it.
>Despite being injured and not feeling well, she was still committed to taking care of her animals.
>Maybe this could be the start of something new between the two of you.
>Before you could say anything, a magic glow covers her body.
>She looks up to you in confusion and fright. “Wh-what’s happening?”
>A bright flash fills the room and she’s nowhere in sight.
>Oh no...

>You are now Anon.
>The late afternoon sun was finally starting to break through the canopy of the forest.
>As you watch your footing while you listen to Hope tell you what happened yesterday, you notice a small clearing up ahead.
>”And that’s when she disappeared.” No doubt indicating that Twilight teleported her to you yesterday.
>Stretching out before you from your left all the way to the right is a small river and beyond that, another cliff.
“Perfect...”
>Hope looks around and doesn’t see any other way around.
“Did you jump up from there?”
>She nods. “From up there I did a long jump into these pine trees. Let’s see what I can do here.”
>Hope skips ahead across the small river to get a better look at the face of the cliff.
>You carefully make your way across the river, stepping on some larger rocks to avoid your feet getting wet.
“How does it look?”
>”It looks like a cliff.” She grins.
>You had to pause for a moment to resist the urge to face-palm yourself. You couldn’t help but smirk a little.
“I mean, do you think you can get up there?”
>Rubbing her chin, she paces back and forth for a moment before grabbing ahold of a jagged piece of rock.
>It breaks off easily and crumbles into smaller pieces.
>”Maybe it’s sturdier up there. I might make it with a jump and climb up to the top.”
“We can just walk around. It can’t go on forever.”
>Hope places her hands on her hips. “Anon, we shouldn’t waste time walking around. We can’t delay any longer.”
>She crouches down and takes off her backpack. Checking the contents, she holds her hand up to you. “Give me your rope.”
>Reaching into your pack, you pull out a bundle of rope and hand it to her.
>She tucks the cord into her sack and fastens it back onto her. “Okay, just like last time. I’ll take a running jump and you hoist me up as hard as you can.”
>Taking your pack off to not hinder your movement, you wait near the cliff for Hope to make the jump.
>Taking a few steps back, Hope breaks into a powerful stride, jumps into your hand and you heave her up with all the strength you can muster.
>You quickly turn around to watch her fly into the air.
>Hope grabs onto the rocky face as pieces of dirt and other debris start to break off from under her grip.
>She lets out a yelp as she manages to grab onto a jagged piece. Her legs dangle below her as she holds on with one hand.
>With slow, deliberate movements she latches onto the side of the cliff and methodically ascends the cliff.
>She disappears over the edge.
>You grab your backpack and anxiously wait for her to throw the rope over the edge.
>Hope peeks out from over the top. “Here it comes.”
>A bundle is dropped over the edge as the tip dangles in front of you.
>Just like gym class.
>You grab the rope and begin to pull yourself up.
>Each step felt as though it was barely holding in places. Bits of dirt and rocks crunch and crumble under your feet as you climb higher.
>You dare not look down.
>Heights still made you uneasy.
>Looking up, you can see Hope watching over you. “Just keep going, it’ll be over soon.”
>That’s all you could ask for at this moment.
>Your foot slips out from under you as your heart feels like it’s about to explode.
>Clinging to the rope for dear life, your body tenses up. Moving would mean certain death.
>Cursing under your breath, you zone out. Fear grips your being.
>You hear a voice from above.
>”Anon, look at me!”
>Slowly you tilt your head up and sure enough, there was Hope laying over the edge holding the rope steady in her hands. “I’m here for you. I won’t let you fall.”
>Your mouth runs dry as you try to speak, but instead you focus on pulling yourself up.
>Every time you go up further you hear her voice encouraging you.
>”Don’t worry, I got you covered.”
>Grabbing you by the seat of your pants, she helps to hoist you over the edge. You quickly lie down on your back and grab a handful the soft grass as you try to catch your breath.
>Hope kneels by your side. “Anon, it’s okay. You don’t have to be afraid.”
>Your saliva was thick in your mouth as you lick your dry lips and gasp.
“I know.... I’m fine now. Just.... gimme a sec.”
>You wipe the sweat from your brow as you try to breathe normally, your heart rate starts to go down.
>Grabbing a bottle of water from your knapsack, you clumsily hold it to your lips and take several gulps.
>”We need to keep moving. Are you good to go?” She asks.
>Staring up at the blue sky, you nod seemingly without realizing what she said.
>You roll over onto your hands and knees and pick yourself up. Soon the dizzy sensation leaves your head.
>For the longest time you didn’t say anything to Hope.
>The forest continues to grow thicker as you both head north.
>Pine trees that stood like solemn green giants frozen in time. This place was eerily quiet, except for the sparse chirp of a bird in the distance.
>The day was growing old as the sun made its final descent towards the horizon.
>As the scarlet sky grew more prevalent, so did a sense of dread.
>Hope stops in her tracks.
“What’s wrong?”
>Her ears twitch slightly as she looks up to the sky. “We’ll stop to camp here. Can you make a fire for us?”
>Looking around you find a suitable place to set camp.
>Your temporary resting place is inside of a partly hollowed out base of a tree.
>Hope says it’s the best way to prevent yourself from being surrounded.
>As white specks fill the sky, you build a modest size fire with enough wood in stock to keep it going all night.
>As the two of you go through your backpacks to munch on your stash, you begin to hum a tune to yourself.
>It was a song from your favourite movie growing up. Your sister would watch it with you all the time.
>Hope catches this and listens for a moment. “What’s that?”
>Swallowing your food, you realize you’ve almost forgotten what it was called.
“Oh, I think it’s called Stand By Me.”
>”Does it have words to it?”
>You weren’t the best singer; there’s no way you could belt it out like the original.
>But your sister liked it the way you sung it to her.
>You begin to hum again to get a feel for the rhythm as you try to remember the words.
http://youtu.be/G1kfdkcyczk?t=17s
“When the night has come, and the land is dark. And the moon is the only light we'll see. Oh, I won't be afraid. No, I won't be afraid. Just as long as you stand, stand by me.”
>The fire crackles and snaps as you look into its bright core.
>You could see yourself sitting on the couch next to Annette as you both watched that Stephen King movie wishing you could be out on the road travelling far away.
“If the sky, that we look upon, should tumble and fall. All the mountains should crumble to the sea. I won't cry, I won't cry. No, I won't shed a tear. Just as long as you stand, stand by me.”
>You repeat the verse again. Although your voice cracks slightly, you keep going strong.
>For the longest time you avoid the thought of your sister, the fear of feeling the pain and misery haunted you.
>And yet, remembering the times you spent with your sister brought you back to that time when you felt happy; especially with Hope at your side listening to you.
“Whenever you're in trouble won't you stand by me? Oh stand by me, oh won't you stand now, stand... Stand by me...
Stand by me...”
>Your voice trails off on the last note.
>Hope sits there being enamored by your heartfelt song. “Anon, that was... so beautiful.”
>You could feel your face burning, but you brush it off with a chuckle.
“Do you know any songs?”
>She giggles at your attempt to change the subject. “Don’t be like that, Anon. You got a nice voice!”
“I wouldn’t say that but, thanks.”
>She continues to eat the rest of her portion.
“But I’m curious if you know any songs.”
>Hope pauses for a brief moment.
>”Well, there is one mother would sing to me. I find it to be soothing, but I’m not a very good singer.” She playfully sticks her tongue out at you.
“That’s not fair, I sang so now it’s your turn.”
>She grins before focusing her gaze into the fire.
>The forest becomes dead silent.
http://youtu.be/oYnkQOCmo1o
> “Home is behind the world ahead. And there are many paths to tread.” Her eyes become trained on the flickering flames of the fire.
> Hope’s voice was delicate and light, the melody itself sounds Celtic. “Through shadow, to the edge of night. Until the stars are all alight.”
>A chill runs down your spine. Even you couldn’t be sure if it was how she sang it or if it was the words.
>”Mist and shadow, cloud and shade.” You see her pupils shrink as she gazes into the fire.
>”All shall fade.”
>For a brief moment, a sense of dread comes over you.
>”All shall... “ She pauses on those words.
>”Fade...”
>
“That was... really beautiful.”
>Of course you wanted to add how creepy it was at the same time.
>Perhaps you’re just being a bit paranoid.
>She smiles nervously with a blush. “I never sang for anyone else, except my mother.”
>You grab a few extra pieces of timber and toss them into the fire.
>“Anon, can I ask you something?”
>The coals shimmer in a hypnotic fashion. It was hard to avert your eyes from them.
“What is it?”
>You manage to look away to see Hope grabbing onto the necklace that hangs around her neck. “What happened to her? I mean.... how did this all start?”
>She looks as though she was in pain from asking the question.
>You haven’t been upfront with her about the issue.
>All she knew is that your little sister is gone. But the drinking, anger and everything else wasn’t known to her.
>Grabbing a stick you stir the embers and ashes of the fire around.
“My sister and I ran away from home.”
>”Why?”
“My dad would...”
>Your mind is filled with screaming and crying. You could still hear his angry voice.
>It wasn’t so much the thought of him hitting you that made you upset. It was the fact that he would even do those things to her.
>A little girl. His own daughter no less.
“He was unstable. More often than not he would get angry for no reason and would throw things at us.”
>Hope was noticeably disturbed by this.
“Punching, kicking, grabbing her hair. When I stepped in, he would give me the same...”
>Your heart starts to beat faster.
“The night before we left, Annette told me that she wanted to die.”
>Hope is horrified at the notion. “Why would she ask for that?”
>The tears begin to well up in your eyes.
“She couldn’t understand why he did those things to her. But it was at that moment I knew I had to get us out of there. So we packed up.”
>You pull a suitcase out and begin to fill it with the bare necessities.
“We left in the middle of the night, just me and my little sister. I didn’t want to hear her ever utter those words again. She deserved better.”
>Hope looks down at her necklace again as if she was wrong to even be wearing it.
“So we’d been living together for a while. I got her into a new school and worked to make ends meet. For a while, things looked up. But then...”
>Hope edges in closer to sit right next to you.
“She was just... gone.”
>You open your empty palms as your voice cracks.
“I spent hours looking for her. The police searched as well, but nothing came up. For the longest time I felt as though my little sister was kidnapped by some sick fuck.”
>The fire continues to crackle as you stare into its center.
“I messed up. I couldn’t prevent the one thing from happening to her. So to deal with it, and to numb the pain, I drank.”
>”You drank?” Hope asks curiously.
>She’s probably not familiar with the terms.
“Alcohol. In small amounts it’s not a terrible thing, but I drank and drank until I passed out. That time when you thought Fluttershy did something to me; I was drunk and I would’ve died if Fluttershy didn’t bring me home.”
>Hope gently rubs the pendant on the necklace as she listens to your story.
“I recently came to... terms with my reckless drinking and my guilt.”
>You stretch out your legs and stand up.
“But now I’m just concerned about getting that orb away from Lyra.”
>”Is that what your world is like?” Hope asks softly.
>Turning around, you could see that she was visibly upset. Despite the notion of her father being dead and what she’s been through, it was probably hard for her to accept that a world like yours could exist.
“That’s part of life where I’m from. These things happen.”
>”Then why do you want to go back?” She stands up, her tone becomes distressing. “If it’s so terrible there, why not stay here with me? If mother doesn’t know where I am, she won’t do anything to harm this world. We can just run away as far as possible.”
“Hope, I have a life back home. This world isn’t meant for me.”
>”And you’re just going to leave me here all by myself?” She squeezes her eyes shut as tears streak down her cheeks.
>”You’re the closest thing I’ve had to a father; you were there for me. Does everything we’ve been through and what I feel mean nothing to you?”
>Hope gets up, latches her arms around your waist and buries her face in your chest. “Don’t do this to me. I’ll find a way to make this work, I promise.” She continues to weep.
>Your heart felt as though it was going to burst.
>She was so sweet and sincere.
>This is what you wanted to avoid, but you’re well past that point.
“Hope...”
>She only grips you tighter.
”Hope, come here.”
>You kneel down so you’re eye-to-eye with her. Her face was so racked with grief she couldn’t even look at you. She continues to sniffle as tears drip off her chin.
“Nothing will change the way I feel about you and what we’ve done. You have friends that will look after you now. I don’t belong here.”
>You gently press your forehead against hers. The crying begins to slow down.
“You’re something else, Hope. You really are. I can only trust that we’ll both see this through, but we need to focus on getting that orb.”
>She opens her eyes and looks at you but still sniffles like a lost child. “You just don’t get it...”
>Not exactly what you wanted to hear.
“We should rest. I’ll need my strength if we climb any more cliffs. I know I’ll need you for that.”
>You smirk, but Hope walks off to get ready for some sleep.
>You knew you should be more upfront with her. Why try to brush aside your feelings when she’s shown how much she cares for you?
>Grabbing some more firewood, you pile it on and watch it slowly burn. Hopefully it will be enough to last the night.
>By the time you crawl into your sleeping bag, Hope was already fast asleep.
>It took a while, but soon you begin to drift out of consciousness.
>Early morning light pierces your eyelids.
>The air is chilly as a light mist hangs to the forest floor.
>You groan as you pick yourself up and look over to find Hope wasn’t there by your side.
“Hope?”
>You glance around. Even her sleeping bag and knapsack were gone.
>Did she pack up and leave?
>Without a second thought, you jump out of your sleeping bag and walk out into the open.
>The bluish grey sky made it hard to tell what time of day it was.
>It didn’t feel like early morning.
>Aimless and without order, you run through the forest trying to find Hope.
>Again you call out for her.
“This isn’t funny!””
>The light mist starts to thicken all around, making it harder to see. In the distance, you catch a faint glimpse of her but she ducks behind a tree.
>You manage to catch up but she’s gone.
>In the back of your mind you feel a sense of dread.
>You couldn’t explain it but somehow, one way or another, Lyra knows.
>She knows you’re here. She is aware of what you and Hope are up to.
>You hear a rumble in the distance.
>The ground below begins to vibrate.
>You look all around when suddenly a violent gust of wind almost knocks you over.
>Through the trees, a blinding flash of green light ignites the forest into a blazing inferno.
>Visions of destruction and chaos fill your mind as you feel your flesh melt from your bones. You can hear Hope calling out your name.
>You scream in anguish as you’re violently forced back into oblivion.
>With a gasp, you open your eyes and sit straight up. Your heart was pounding intensely inside your chest, sweat poured down your forehead and chest.
>Hope stirs from her sleep and sees the state you’re in. “Anon, what’s wrong?” She puts a hand to your forehead.
>”Do you have a fever?”
>You try to catch your breath but realize your mouth feels sticky.
>Grabbing a bottle of water, you chug its content with haste to quench your thirst.
>”What happened?” Hope asks.
>It was hard to come up with the right words.
>That dream…
>It had to mean something.
“Just a bad dream. What time is it?”
>You peer outside and see that the morning sky and forest was quiet.
>The bluish grey sky and cool morning air made it all the more peaceful, yet unsettling.
>”I’d say a good time as any to pack up and move on.”
>During the short time you spent eating a little bit of food, Hope asks, “What did you dream about?”
>Your mind flashes back to a bright light followed by fire.
>Hard to believe you could forget so many details already.
“There was an explosion of light and fire. Probably nothing but it made my body jolt violently.”
>Packing all your gear together, Hope leads the way to the north.
>Beyond the forest, you could see the top of mountains looming in the distance.
>”If we make good time we should make it past the mountains by late afternoon.”
>The cool humid air clings to your skin, a chilling sensation that makes you break into goosebumps once in a while.
>Neither of you spoke for a while.
>Part of you was focusing on keeping up with Hope while the other was debating about how you feel about Hope.
>Instead of embracing your feelings, you’ve been trying to push her away.
>You begin to understand why.
>Thinking back, you could still remember hearing Hope cry in pain in your dream.
>It was all for her safety.
>The satyr leads you down a small path and takes her place by your side.
“Hope.”
>She looks up to you. “Hm?”
“About last night...”
>Hope turns her gaze away, as if to say she wasn’t interested in hearing what you had to say.
“I understand you feel that I’m pushing you away. But the truth is...”
>You pause for a moment.
>”What?”
“I’m scared.”
>Hope frowns at the empty space in front of her. “Scared? Of what?”
“Scared of losing you. Just like my little sister. When you hold onto something losing it makes it all the more difficult. I can’t help but feel that I’ve grown attached to you.”
>”So why do you want to leave? It’s not too late.”
“Hope, I need to move on. I’m coming to terms with my loss, and after a while I felt myself growing fonder of you. If something were to happen to you, I don’t think my heart could take it.”
>She glances back up to you, “What would you do if something did happen?”
“I don’t want to think about it. I just want you to know that you mean everything to me. Once we stop Lyra, hopefully we can both find closure.”
>Hope adjusts the knapsack on her shoulder, “What if... I came back with you?”
>In an instant your mind flashes with images of her being taken away if she was discovered.
“No. Out of the question.”
>”But Anon...” She whines.
“You have no idea what will happen to you if you’re found. Not all humans can be trusted.”
>Without realizing, you begin to pick up the pace even faster.
“Even after what I’ve said you still think it’s even a feasible question to ask.”
>”I just thought maybe we could go somewhere far away from everything.”
>A heavy sigh escapes your lips.
“Hope, there is no scenario where either of us can be with each other. The best bet we have is getting that orb away from your mother; and that’s assuming nothing bad happens.”
>Hope looks as though she was about to cry.
“I’m sorry. I really am. If I could stay with you, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Let’s just enjoy the time we have together.”
>That seemingly gets her spirits going again.
>For the next few hours, both you and Hope would talk about other things from your past.
>She learned more things about you and vice versa.
>Hope was interested to learn more about human culture.
>”My mother said humans came in different colours, like ponies.”
“Well, not like the colours you’ve seen. Humans of African descent have dark skin, and others have pale or tan skin.”
>It was nice to teach everything you knew about humans to Hope. She certainly got a kick out of some of the things you had to share.
>Before you even knew it, you’re already at the foot of the mountains.
>”There’s a valley with a small stream that I passed through. It’ll be easier than going over the snowy pass.”
>She points off to the eastern mountain range where the trees grew the thickest.
>”It’s just over there, and then we can stop for a break.”
>The forest around somehow becomes even more green.
>Everything from the forest floor to the canopy was covered in all manner of plant, as if it has been untouched by anything for centuries.
>You could hear the babbling of a stream nearby.
>The two of you head towards the sound and soon found yourselves standing at the open mouth of the valley where a stream spews forth its crystal clear, life-giving water.
>”Beyond this valley is a forest where my mother and I have been hiding. It might take another day to get there.”
>She removes her knapsack and rummages through it to find more food to snack on.
>Your stomach growls as you begin to do the same.
>In the stream you see something moving under the surface.
>Fish and lots of them.
“Hey, check it out.”
>Hope looks over to see the school of fish gathering in the stream. “What’re they all doing here not moving?”
“It’s probably mating season or something. Fish will travel upstream to lay eggs.”
>You look around and see a rocky shelf nearby. Grabbing hold of a piece, it breaks off and fractures into smooth sharp edges.
>Fairly dark coloured. It might be obsidian or flint.
>Grabbing a bigger piece, you bring it back to the edge of the stream and find another rock.
>With careful and deliberate strikes, you slowly chip away pieces of the sedimentary stone.
>Hope brings her food and sit close to you. “What are you doing?”
“Making a spear.”
>”Why?”
“I haven’t had any meat since I came here. Now I’m going to have myself a well deserved piece of barbequed fish.”
>Hopes eyes widen. “You humans really do eat meat.”
“I guess you’ve been on a vegetarian diet all your life?”
>She remains silent.
“I know ponies don’t, but we humans have endured because of our vast diet of both plant and animal matter.”
>The spearhead starts to finally form.
>A few more hits and you’re done. All you need is a shaft and some twine.
>You snap off a branch from a nearby tree and use the sharp edge of the spearhead to whittle it down.
>”So this is human ingenuity.” Hope mumbles as she watches you closely.
>It fits snug enough in the notch at the end of the stick, but some kind of string is needed to fasten it.
>You scrounge for anything in your backpack, but there was nothing suitable.
“Dammit...”
>Hope tilts her head curiously, “What’s wrong?”
“I just need some kind of twine to hold the spearhead in place.”
>You drop the stick and blade and begin to rub your temples in a circular motion.
>Hope gazes around the environment.
>Getting up from her seat, she heads towards a tree standing close by the river’s edge.
>With a single leap, she jumps onto a branch and collects a handful of a stringy green mass hanging from the treetop.
>She jumps back down to the ground and brings it closer for you to inspect.
“What kind of plant is that? Looks like some sort of moss.”
>”Sticky moss. My mother showed this to me and said it has many uses. Watch what happens.”
>She brings it over to the steam and submerges it in the water.
>Pulling it out she begins to work her fingers through the wet mass and begins to pull out a long thread. “This stuff becomes incredibly tacky when wet.”
>She produces a long piece of twine from the moss, “How’s this?”
>Hope pulls through yet again.
“That’s perfect. Let’s try it out.”
>You grab your equipment, wedge the spearhead in a gap at the end of the stick and begin to wrap the twine tightly.
>”Once it dries it’ll tighten even further.”
>The gooey string feels strong enough to use right away.
>You can’t wait for lunch any longer.
“Let’s give this a try.”
>Rolling up your pant legs and removing your shoes, you wade out into the shallow brook and watch the fish dash away.
>They keep their distance, but they don’t seem keen on leaving their breeding ground.
>”I think you’re just scaring them away.” Hope smiles mockingly.
“They’ll be back. Can you grab some wood and make a small fire?”
>Hope wanders off into the dense forest while you stand knee-deep in the cold water waiting for the fish to come in closer.
>You hold the spear close and try to keep still. The fish are still wary but slowly they move in again.
>None get in close enough for you to make a clean hit.
>By now Hope has made her trip and gets a small fire going for you.
>”We shouldn’t be wasting too much time.”
>She has a point, but you could almost taste that fish.
>They continue to keep their distance, but one strays in too close.
>You poise the spear and ready it.
>Adjusting your aim, you lick your lips as you feel your heart racing.
>You thrust as quickly and cleanly as you can, you already feel the spear moving about.
>Pulling the stick out of the water, you see a large fish twitching and slapping.
“Told you I’d get myself a fish.”
>You hurry to the edge of the stream and prep it for cooking.
>Once you had the fish set up perfectly next to the fire to cook, you dry yourself up.
>Already the smell was enticing.
>But more importantly you notice Hope was also entranced by the smell.
>Yet she seems intimidated.
“Not a pretty sight, is it?”
>There are trace amount of blood on the edge of the stream.
>”It’s not that, but it’s so strange to think that intelligent creatures still rely on the substance of other animals.”
“That’s part of being human, but some of us choose not to eat meat.”
>”Really? Why is that?”
>You shrug your shoulders.
“Usually ethic and health reasons I suppose. But I can’t argue with my stomach.”
>The skin of the fish begins to char and curl from the heat. Checking the meat, you can see it’s cooked all the way through.
>A large green leaf serves as your plate as you set the tasty morsel onto it and begin to pick at it.
>Even with a lack of seasoning, the taste was still better than almost anything you ate ever since you’ve been here.
>Hope sits hunched over on a nearby boulder watching you carefully.
>You could hear her sniffing at the air.
>Who could blame her?
“Want to try a piece?”
>Hopes eyes widen at the offer. “What?!”
>She looks around despite the fact you were the only two in the middle of nowhere. “Do you think I should?” She begins to fidget with her fingers.
“You’re part human, so it can’t do you any real harm I imagine.”
>She slinks off the rock and sits next to you. You take the other fillet of the fish and hand it to her.
>She holds the piece of meat in her hands and inspects it carefully. “So.... how do I eat this exactly?”
“Like this.”
>You pick pieces of flesh off the fine bones and stuff them into your mouth.
“That’s how I do it, just watch out for the tiny bones.”
>Hope licks her lips as she eyes the fillet and takes off a small chunk. Putting it in her mouth she chews at it gingerly.
>She pauses for a moment.
>Taking off another large piece she crams it into her mouth feverishly.
“I take it that you like it?”
>You take another bite of your fish as you watch Hope devour her portion.
>She picks the bones clean and licks her fingers like a child.
>You take off a small piece of your fish and hand it to her.
“I can teach you how to fish properly once we’re back.”
>Hope nods her head as she fills her face with fish.
>Quickly finishing up, you promptly put out the fire and put all your gear together. Now you have a handy spear as well.
>”I didn’t think it would taste like that.” Hope admits.
“What did you think it tastes like?”
>”Mother said I shouldn’t eat meat. It wouldn’t be proper of me.”
“This can be a onetime thing, if you really don’t want to then you shouldn’t have to.”
>She smiles softly, “But it did taste good.”
>Hoisting the backpack over your shoulder, you begin to walk towards the mountain, “If you think that was good, you should try some of the other stuff we have back home.”
>Hope blanks out for a moment, probably thinking how much more tasty meat could be.
>Snapping out of it, she makes her way next to you. “Don’t tease me like that.” She gives you a playful push.
>The rest of the afternoon was more relaxing now that you’re both well rested and ready to travel through the valley.
>The small babbling stream along with the lush green environment created an ambient atmosphere that was very relaxing.
>”We’re almost through the valley now, so the terrain is going to change here.” Hope mentions to you.
>She was right.
>The flora has begun to noticeably change from a pine and deciduous forest to a more exotic jungle.
>It was like stepping into a whole new world.
>The trees here are massive. Perhaps even bigger than the ones before.
>The twisted trunk and branches spiral from the forest floor upwards into the thick of the canopies.
>Not much light reached the ground.
>”I’ll stay a step ahead of you Anon. We need to be careful in here.”
>Strange sounds fill the air as you traverse the rugged jungle floor.
>As the sunlight filters through the tree tops, you feel more uneasy about this place.
>This jungle looks primordial in many ways.
>Hope concentrated on keeping you both out of harm’s way.
>You clung onto your spear tightly.
>Your foot catches on something and you almost trip.
“Jesus... How the hell can you even see where you’re going?”
>Hope glances back at you, “I don’t know, I can see just fine in front of me.”
>A mosquito buzzes its high pitch whine in your ear and you smack it away. You pull the bag off your shoulder and quickly sift through the contents, but you cannot find what you’re looking for.
“Of course they don’t pack us any bug spray...”
>You mutter under your breath.
>Hope’s tail swishes back and forth, keeping any would-be pests at bay. “What was that?”
“Nothing, just looking for some bug spray.”
>She chuckles, “Bet you wished you had one of these.” Hope gestures to her minty coloured tail.
“I wear pants for a reason; it’s my face I don’t want bugs to get near.”
>For the next while you had to contend with the bugs by continuously swatting them away, but soon they start to disperse.
>Even through the dense canopy you can tell by the colour of the sky and light that it was getting late in the day.
>Both of you find yourself in a large opening. A lone tree is situated almost right in the center.
>”I’ll take a look to make sure we’re on the right track.” She skips off towards the tree.
>Jabbing your makeshift spear into the ground, you wander a few steps away as you sort through the backpack and find a rolled up map.
>You unfurl the paper and look at it in disbelief.
>It was as poorly drawn as they were in the cartoons. It was literally a rough sketch of the area with a crayon coloured dotted line in a wave.
>From the tree top, you hear Hope call out to you. “I can see a river not too far from here. Just need to keep heading north.”
>You can see her pointing over in one direction.
“Alright, let’s keep moving. I’ll ge-“
>A loud roar followed by something tackling you slams you into the ground.
>Sharp claws rend your clothing to ribbons and sink into your flesh.
>Your first instinct is to cover your face and rightly so.
>Fangs sink into your arm and bite down, drawing blood. A claw strikes you across the head.
>You yell out as you struggle, your spear stuck in the ground far away.
>The animal tears at you, trying to go in for the final strike.
>It clamps down harder on your arm and you yell in pain.

>You are now Hope.
>As you made your way back down the tree, you heard something going on.
>Anon...
>You jump down to the next tree branch and see a large feline predator on top of Anon trying to eviscerate him.
>It’s dark green fur and flashing red eyes made it all the more menacing, but Anon was struggling.
>You had to act now.
>Grabbing onto a vine, you swing down.
>With a yell, you tuck in both legs and kick the large predator off Anon and send it tumbling.
>You stand in front of Anon but keep your eyes on the beast.
”Anon, get up!”
>You hear him cough and wheeze as he slowly gets up.
>The animal growls as it gets back up on its feet and begins to slowly circle both you and Anon.
>You keep staring it down.
”Head for the river.”
>”What about you?”
“I’ll distract it, but you need to get away before I can ditch it.”
>Instinctively, you reach for your dagger, but it was not anywhere on your person.
>It was lost when you had that encounter with those Diamond Dogs, and you have no bow to use either.
>For a moment your eyes glance over to the spear stuck in the ground.
>The beast glares at you, as if it knows your intentions.
>You mutter to Anon one last time.
“Go...”
>Like a bolt, you race towards the spear, the panther-like animal chasing after you.
>Snatching the spear out of the ground, you face your opponent who also stops.
>You see Anon disappear into the undergrowth of the forest.
>He can’t be left alone for too long, lest other predators come for him as well.
>The creature slowly paces, as if to size you up.
>You awkwardly hold the spear in place; you never had to use such a weapon before.
>It charges towards you in a zigzag pattern before swiping at you with its powerful claw.
>You step back and take a jab, but it flinches back to avoid your strike.
>Not letting up on its new prey, it tries to close the gap by forcing your back against the tree.
>Big mistake.
>Like second nature, you continue to trace backwards up the rounded slope of the ancient tree while keep your eye on the beast.
>It’s claws sink into the bark as it chases you up the side.
>Running up onto a branch, it would seem there was no where left for you to flee.
>A vine was waiting nearby.
>Grabbing onto it, you push yourself off and circumnavigate around the trunk of the giant tree.
>You plant your hooves firmly onto the bark as you circle around and grasp powerfully onto the spear, you’ll catch that beast off-guard for sure.
>Back at the same branch, you let go of the vine and land on the now empty tree limb.
>You look around, it was nowhere in sight.
>There’s a snap from above.
>You look up just in time to see it falling from high above.
>Using the spear, you stop it from latching onto you and push it off onto the jungle floor below.
>The tip of your spear glistens with blood.
>The animal looks down at its arm and notices a large cut. It instantly glares back at you with a hiss as it bares its fangs.
>You point your spear at it and snarl.
>Dropping from the tree branch, you both square off against one another, it’s red eyes scanning you with calculating precision.
>With a sudden burst, it darts towards you and manages to take a swipe at you.
>The claw scrapes against your skin, the burning sensation quickly subdued by your adrenaline rush.
>It darts away and comes back in for the kill.
>You guard against its strike, but its powerful claw snaps through the shaft of the spear.
>The spearhead tumbles away down the slope of a nearby ravine.
>Perfect...
>Ditching the useless stick, you jump into a nearby tree. The beast gives chase.
>The tall trees of the ravine were rather skinny, it didn’t stop this over sized cat from tracking you down.
>Your eyes constantly scan the ground for the spearhead.
>It was your only chance to end this.
>As the creature barrels down on you, your hoof slips and you fall down into a wire mesh network of tangled tree roots.
>Without hesitation, you slip between the tangled mess as the predator swipes and tries to break its way through to you.
>A dried up river bed formed a channel underneath, it’s top covered by the roots of the trees almost hiding it from view.
>Far below this mess of roots are vines, the spearhead.
>The blade was so close, yet this thing wasn’t about to let you go.
>You quickly squirm and wiggle your way as the creature smashes through the roots. Several times you feel its claw swiping at your tail.
>With a final push, you squeeze through the roots and tumble into the vines.
>You manage to slink through them, but there’s a snap.
>One of the vines wraps around your hind leg as you dangle just a few feet off the forest floor.
>You pull and struggle but it’s no use. The thick foliage holds tight.
>With a roar the predator leaps into the fray with claws extended.
>It falls through the vines and foliage. You pull as hard as you can but you’re stuck.
>Your mind races as it gets closer.
>It stops.
>You glance to see that it too was caught in the vines, as helpless as you are.
“Serves you right.”
>You stick a tongue out at it.
>It stares angrily at you.
>With its claws, it begins to scratch away at the vines that bind it.
>This wasn’t good...
>Its thrashing brings it closer to you, its sharp fangs glistening and gnashing.
>So close you can feel its breath on your skin.
>You feel something grab you as you’re freed from the plants that bind you.
>You’re brought face to face with Anon and his partially blood-covered face and the spearhead held in one hand.
“Anon!”
>”Let’s go!” He pushes you past him and follows you with a hobble.
>You look back to see the large predator still stuck in the vines. Hopefully you’ll make it far away before it can set itself free.
>Out of the ravine, you hurry and run north past the river.
>Neither of you stop.
>You help Anon and give him support as you both make your way through the forest.
>The sun has settled but you keep on going for hours.
>The thought of that beast slaughtering you in your sleep was horrifying enough.
“Anon, we should stop. You’re bleeding.”
>”Just a bit further...” He huffs through a scratchy voice.
>The jungle was dark and strangely quiet. The air has become much cooler now.
>In the gloomy outline of the forest, you see a tree with a hollowed out and exposed trunk. You lead Anon towards it and gently ease him onto the ground.
>You peek your head inside. It looks safe enough. The ground was covered with dried up plant matter.
>Gathering it in a small pile, you use the tools in the backpack to light it on fire.
>Keeping it at the entrance, you help Anon inside the tree and get him comfortable.
>He pulls out a bottle of water and drinks from it.
>The blood on his face was dried and cracked. But some of his other wounds were still open.
“Why did you come back for me? I told you to run.”
>He looks at you with an incredulous look, “Are you saying I shouldn’t have saved you?”
“That’s not what I mean. You were in danger and I had to protect you.”
>He groans a little from the pain and he shifts about. “Well, I had a feeling you might’ve need my help.”
>You scan his body, you’ve never seen anyone so beat up and still going.
>His wounds need to be treated.
>You add some more bits of wood to the fire and step outside of the entrance.
>”Where you heading?”
“I’ll be right back, yell for me if there’s trouble.”
>You vanish into the dark jungle.
>Quickly your eyes adjust to the pitch black forest as you scavenge for specific plant material; things you can use to mend Anon.
>That animal was probably the most frightening thing you’ve ever encountered.
>It wasn’t just powerful, but incredibly smart.
>A part of you felt it was merely toying with you and Anon.
>You spot some flowers with brilliant blue petals and a crimson interior. Those will do nicely.
>Finding other plants and flowers, you bring your gatherings back to the tree.
>You head inside to see that Anon was asleep.
“Come on, stay awake.”
>You gently pat him on the cheek.
>His eyes flutter open. “How long was I out?”
“I don’t know, but we’ve got to get these wounds healed.”
>He gives you his arm. The clothing was torn to bits.
“No, take off your clothes. We’re doing this properly.”
>Without his permission, you grab his shirt and tug it off his body. You hear him wincing in pain.
>Grabbing a bottle of water and a spare piece of cloth, you start to rinse out the lesions.
>Some of them start to bleed again.
>Not so rough.” He moans.
“I’m sorry, but these are deep wounds.”
>You sort through the plant material and organize them.
“First the anti-septic.”
>Grabbing a hand full of a deep green plant, you begin to chew on it. A little bitter, but you grind it in your teeth until it was a fine paste.
>You spit the gob into your hand and take on dab of it on your finger.
“This might sting.”
>”It’s okay, do what you need to do.” He groans.
>You begin to smear the mush onto his wounds. He instantly seizes and grunts in pain, but he does his best to hold still.
>Working quickly, you apply the rest of it to the other cuts.
>”Fuck, this burns...” He moans through clenched teeth.
>Now for the next set. You pluck the petals off the flowers and begin to chew on them feverishly.
>The green paste you applied on the cuts begins to absorb into his wounds and starts the healing process.
>This flower mix should stop the pain and promote quicker healing.
>Spitting the glob of mashed up petals into your hand, you repeat the same process.
>You see beads of sweat forming on his brow. The pain must be pretty bad.
>Gently you whisper to him.
“You’re doing well, just hold on.”
>Spreading the new mixture, you could see Anon was starting to relax.
“This should help reduce the pain.”
>Around his arms and back, you made sure to get every cut covered with the medicinal mix.
>”She really taught you a lot of things, huh?” He whispers.
“Yes, survival was paramount growing up. Mother was quick to teach me everything I would need to know about this world when we came back.”
>The final step, dressing the wounds.
>Reaching into the backpack, you find some rolls of gauze.
>”Don’t we have anything like a first-aid in there?” He asks.
>You scan the bag and find a small bundle of something. A measly container of medicine and small tacky things called ‘band-aids’.
“Yeah, I don’t think those will help at all.”
>With the roll of gauze, you apply a modest amount wherever you can.
>After that was done, you ease him down on his back.
“Try to sleep. We’ll leave when you’re ready.”
>You do your best to make sure he is comfortable.
>”Thank you, Hope. I’m glad that you’re here with me.” He smiles softly before closing his eyes.
>You sit close to his side and tend the small fire.
>Over and over you replay that scene in your mind.
>It felt as though you just stood there watching him getting mauled to death.
>If you were quicker, Anon would’ve been in better shape.
>Your skin crawls at the thought of what might’ve been.
>A part of you wants a weapon to hold.
>You scoot closer to Anon and face the entrance.
>No matter what, you will see that both you and Anon see this through.
>But you fear the worst is yet to come.

>You are now Anon.
>Bird chirps and whistles fill the air in the far distance as the early morning light disrupts your sleep.
>You lungs draw in the cool morning air.
>The sting of a minor pain hits every part of your body.
>If it wasn’t for Hope and her knowledge of plants, you might be in even worse shape now.
>There in front of you was the satyr, sleeping peacefully.
>You have grown so fond of one another, willing to do whatever it takes to protect the other.
>But the time for rest is over; you had to continue your journey.
>You gently nudge Hope on the shoulder.
“Hey, how are you feeling?”
>She rubs her eyes and looks up to you with a smile. “I’m fine, but how are you doing? Did the medicine work?”
>You flex your arm at her with a cheesy smile.
“Good as new, thanks to you.”
>She wraps her arms around you and buries her face in your chest. “I should never have left your side.”
“Hey, it’s not your fault. I’m just lucky you’re here. Let’s eat and get a move on.”
>After nibbling on your meager rations, you pack up and continue on your way.
>The nimble satyr stays just ahead of you, but for some reason she didn’t seem interested in talking.
>Hope finds another mark on a tree; you’re not far from your destination.
>All that running yesterday covered more ground than you thought, but even then your mind was concerned with getting as far away as possible.
>However, the closer you got to confronting Lyra, the more... distant Hope seemed to become.
>It’s understandable that she would be a bit distraught.
>”Let me carry that bag for you.” She holds her hand out.
“It’s okay, I got it.”
>”I said let me carry it.” Hope stares you down.
>Without another word, you hand it over.
>Why was she so serious all of a sudden?
>The morning drags on as you follow her through the dense jungle.
>Hope stops in her tracks.
“What’s up?”
>She turns around, her stare more focused at the ground.
>Pointing just beyond the trees you can make out an odd shape. “It’s right there.” Her voice was rather grim.
>This is it.
>You walk ahead of her and stare at the structure.
>In a weird way it almost looks like an Aztec temple of some sort.
>Now all that was left was to find a way to get in and-
>. . .
>You feel a small prick in the back of your next.
>Instinctively your hand reaches up as if to try and find the culprit. You turn around and see Hope standing there with something small in her hand, almost like a dart.
>You can see the tears in her eyes.
>Your mouth tries to utter words, but you cannot speak. You take a step closer to her.
>What did she just do to you?
>A cool sensation washes over your body as your legs buckle under you.
>You fall to the ground.
>Your arms and leg fail to respond as you look up to Hope, she takes a step back away from you.
>Although you couldn’t speak, you talk to her before your body goes limp.
>Your breathing lapses as your vision fades to black.
>Why did she do this?
>In your mind all you could think about was your sister.
>The world goes dark and quiet.
>. . .
>Nothingness.
>But your time here was not over.
>Your vision slowly comes back to you, albeit blurry.
>As much as you want to look up, your body still lacks the appropriate response.
>You hear a voice speaking to you. “It’s okay, just relax...”
>As if her words had command over your mind, you slip out of consciousness.
>That didn’t sound like Hope at all.
>Time loses all meaning, and you eventually wake up again.
>This time, you’re all alone.
>All around were brick and stone walls. Several torches dimly light the room.
>You’re propped up against the cold stone wall, your arms and legs chained in heavy shackles.
>The links of metal didn’t hold you down firmly, you had a little length to move around. Each chain would disappear down a hole through the stone floor.
>Directly across from you was a large wooden door.
>Your mouth is dry and your words come out as a harsh whisper.
“Hope...?”
>You pull on the chain, but it’s fastened into the brick. Underneath you are layers of linens and cloth to keep you comfy from the hard, cold floor.
>The door glows temporarily and it swings open.
>There, standing in the doorway, was a minty coloured pony. Her mane was ruffled and her fur dirty, but there was no mistaking it.
>It was Lyra...
>On her left eye she was even sporting an eye patch.
>No doubt a ‘parting gift’ from the last human she tangled with.
>She slowly makes her way across the floor with a gentle smile upon her face. “How are you feeling?”
>Next to her she levitated a small bucket and a cloth.
>She dips it into the bucket, wrings out the excess water and dabs it across your forehead.
>Your lack of response didn’t anger her in the slightest.
>”I suppose this must all be very strange for you. But I assure you that you’re in no danger.”
>You glance down at your arms and legs.
“Which is why you chained me up like an animal, I suppose.”
>Lyra only smiles at your remark, like an adult pretending they acknowledge a child.
>”Just a safety precaution for both of us. My name is Lyra, and I imagine you have a lot of questions.”
>It was one thing for her to be nice, but to you this felt insulting.
“I know who you are, Lyra.”
>Her smile slowly goes away as she stares at you. “Oh? Do we now?”
>You stare her back down.
“I’ve heard of the things you’ve done. In fact, why don’t you tell me about how you got that eye patch of yours?”
>Rather than reacting the way you expected, she closes her eye and sighs.
>”I suppose honesty is the best policy, so there’s no use beating around the bush.”
>She sets the bucket and cloth down by the door. “The rumors you’ve heard, all true.”
>You didn’t guess her to be forthright like this.
>If anything, as Lyra speaks she actually sounds... remorseful.
>”I’ve done horrible, horrible things. Unspeakable acts against your kind. It was all for my own greed and they paid the ultimate price.”
>She paces back and forth across the room. “It feels like a nightmare that has come to pass, so now I can look forward to a new beginning.”
>Lyra did sound as if she realized her mistakes, but why did she have Hope hunt you down?
>Something didn’t add up, but you can’t reveal that you and Hope are collaborating together.
>”Oh, listen to me ramble on. What is your name, human?” She asks curiously.
“Anon.”
>You can see it in her eye that she was taken back, but her shocked expression quickly softens. “That name brings so many memories... you have probably heard about that little encounter as well I presume?”
“Yeah, you captured him, brought him to a cabin and almost killed him. Am I missing anything else?”
>You want your words to sting.
>Nothing would please you more than seeing her get upset rather than play this false charade.
>”He was the one that gave me Hope. I’m sure you’re already familiar with her by now, she did an excellent job bringing you here.” She walks up to you, the bandages start to unravel and reveal your wounds which are nearly healed.
>”It’s important that you’re alive Anon. You’re no good to me dead.”
>You scoff at her.
“Your daughter is under the impression that I killed her father. How is that being honest?”
>She turns away from you. “It’s not that simple, Anon. She is too young to understand the importance of what I’m planning.”
“And what does that entail?”
>Lyra looks back to you, her eye glistening with tears. “A way to repent for my sins, Anon. I don’t expect you to believe me, but I want to make amends for what I’ve done.”
>You pull on your chain.
“I think releasing me would be a good start.”
>Lyra shakes her head. “You have a part to play in this as well, but you should rest for now.” She walks over to the door and brings in a tray with some food and water.
>”I’ll be back later.”
>You didn’t want food, you just want answers.
“Lyra.”
>She ignores you and closes the door behind her, leaving you alone once more.
“Lyra!”
>You pull harder on the chain, but it does not give.
>You glance at the crude wooden bowl filled with an assortment of berries and nuts, next to it a cup of water.
>Thankfully you had enough length on your chain to feed yourself.
>But a troubling question came to mind: Where was Hope?
>Was this a part of her plan?
>If it was, why did she not tell you about it?
>Something was troubling about this.
>Now you have no idea what you’re supposed to do, or if Hope would even be able to speak with you privately.
>Hours pass.
>You have no idea what time it is, and that was probably the most maddening part of it.
>You hear the door open and look up, Lyra walks in and behind her, Hope follows closely.
>In her hand, Hope is carrying what looks like rope and a bucket in the other.
“What’s going on now?”
>Something covers your mouth to prevent you from speaking. You see Lyra’s horn glowing with magic.
>Hope looks you directly in the eyes.
>You didn’t see the sweet sensitive satyr you knew, she looks bitter and resentful.
>”Remember Hope, he is not to die, just to know the pain and anguish you’ve felt.”
>”Yes mother.” She replies coldly.
>The chains around you glow and start to spool out from the stone ground. Like a puppet on a string they pull you up and make you face away from Hope.
>Your tattered shirt is ripped from your body, exposing your bare back to them.
>Turning your head, you see her unravel the rope in her hand. It was a whip.
>You hear Lyra speak, “Then let justice be done.”
>The crack of the whip makes you jump.
>Although you try to speak, the magic holds fast over your mouth.
>You can hear the whip slither along the ground and brace for it to strike.
>CRACK!
>A searing pain shoots across your back. You reel in pain, but Lyra pulls the chains even harder to stop you from struggling.
>Crack! Another lash across your back. A flood of pain and warmth spills through your body.
>You groan in pain but they can only escape through your nostrils.
>One after another, Hope delivers blows to your exposed back.
>The whip tears your flesh like paper. Through the burning pain you can feel the warm blood trickling down your back.
>Your mind screams to make it stop as your body wretches even harder, but you only exhaust yourself.
>Tears begin to stream from your eyes, both from pain and knowing it was Hope that was causing it.
>Finally she stops, but your body keeps on trembling.
>”Will you stop now?” You hear Lyra asking her daughter.
>”One more thing.” Hope adds.
>You hear her pick up a metal bucket off the floor and approach you from behind.
>Whatever was in it, Hope pours the content onto your back.
>Something spills onto your shoulders and all over your back and a new wave of burning pain floods your senses.
>”Salt in the wounds for the pain I’ve suffered.” Hope retorts and throws the bucket off to the side.
>Your heart pounds violently as the salt burns into your open wounds and flesh.
>Never could you imagine pain like this.
>”That’s enough, Hope. You can return to your room now.”
>You hear the sound of hooves as they leave the room, and the magic that prevents you from speaking is lifted.
>Your cries of anguish fill the room as you squirm, trying to shake the salt from your body and flesh wounds.
>Tears pour down your face as you scream and utter curse words.
>A liquid is poured over your back and the pain starts to recede.
>Lyra steps in front of you, her eye filled with remorse and sorrow. “I’m sorry, Anon. But to fulfill my daughter’s desire, she needs to believe that you’re the one who killed her father. ”
“You fucking bitch...”
>You pull as hard as you can to bring your fist to her face, but the magic holding the chain keeps you in place.
>No matter how angry you got at her, she always looks at you with pity.
>”Bear with me, Anon. Time heals all wounds.”
>As if she barely had to think about it, her magic pulls the chains back down and you’re laying down on your stomach.
“Why are you doing this? What are you going to do to me?”
>”Shhh.... it will all make sense. To feel peace and joy, we must first experience pain and suffering.” She softly coos in your ear.
>She leaves the room for a moment and comes back with supplies to tend to your wounds.
>As much as you hate what was happening, you were relieved that Lyra was making the pain go away.
>”Hope is the best thing that has happened to me.” She delicately cleans out your wounds.
>”When she was born, I knew she was a sign. A symbol to mark the beginning of better things to come.”
“What are you talking about?”
>”She finishes treating your injuries. “Just relax for now, you can ask more questions later.”
>Lyra takes her leave.
“Wait...”
>But again she was gone. The dim torches flicker and gently dance while you’re left to your own devices.
>The chains are pulled back into their original position and you’re left to sit up against the wall.
>The pain still echoes in your body.
>You know Hope had to make it seem that she was still on her mother’s side, but they way she looked at you.
>Those glaring amber eyes.
>Just like the first time she encountered you.
>With an aching body, you ease yourself down on the floor and curl into a ball.
>Sleep might do you some good.
>But what you want more than anything is reassurance.
>You fall asleep rather quickly.
>But after some time, you wake up and are stricken with hunger.
>Neither Lyra nor Hope has shown up.
>How long has it been now?
>More than a day at least just by how you felt.
>This passing of silence is frustrating as well.
>Not knowing when Hope or Lyra will show up puts you on the edge.
>. . .
>Your pet goldfish Doubloon is probably dead by now.
>You chuckle to yourself. Such an odd thought to have when your own life is hanging by a thread.
>As hours pass, you start to mumble to yourself.
>Words dribble from your mouth as your mind thinks of other matters.
>Once in a while, you lightly hum a tune.
>Your ears pick up a faint sound from the other side of the door.
>They’re talking to one another.
>Through the door comes Lyra and Hope once more.
>The satyr carries a rod of some kind with her, the tip of it glows a dull red.
>Your mind races as you fear what sinister purpose it will be used for.
>Before you can protest, your mouth is sealed tightly and your body is up against the stone wall.
>Lyra’s horn glows even more intensely, you never knew she was capable of such powerful magic.
>You could feel her squeeze the air out of your lungs.
>Hope walks up to you, her eyes staring into yours with contempt.
>She waves the metal rod close to your face. “You even tried to tell me I was the product of rape, but I know better than that. Mother would never lie to me!”
>Your eyes widen as she lowers the hot stick and presses the tip into your side.
>As the tip of the rod is sinks into your flesh, you hear an audible hiss..
>Your mind goes blank for a moment then screams, your body trembles from the excruciating pain.
>Hope pushes harder until the tip disappears into your body, the burning metal both cutting and cooking your flesh.
>Tears gush from your eyes as you scream.
>Oh God how you want to scream so loud till everything hears it.
>”Hope, that’s enough.” Lyra orders.
>The rod glows with magic and is withdrawn from your side.
>Without another word, Hope turns to the door and leaves rather quickly.
>You can’t even hold up your own head.
>All your nerves shooting messages about the pain that you cannot get rid of.
>Lyra loosens the chains and you fall to the floor, you instantly grab your side and sob quietly in misery.
>Lyra is right there next to you as she rubs your back. “I’m here for you...” She gently whispers.
>Just like before, she brings in medicine and tools and helps to mend your wounds.
>”The path to a brighter world requires humanity.” She gently applies various pastes to your injury.
>You lie there in silence as you listen to her talk.
>The only thought that crosses your mind is Hope.
>Your mind is coming to grips with what she has done.
>Was she only trying to protect both of you?
>Maybe she told Lyra everything.
>What if this was her plan all along? To lead you here into a trap to die at their hands?
>Then why go through all the trouble in the first place?
>Maybe Hope had a change of heart.
>It’s possible she has changed her ways and now you’re nothing to her.
>Perhaps... it was never meant to be.
>. . .
>”I wouldn’t want the death of your kind be in vain.” She sighs.
>The urge to even lift a finger to strike her feels meaningless at this point.
>She sounded so cruel by what others have said, but she was the one taking care of you.
>But there has to be more to this.
>Most importantly, you want to know more about the fate of your sister.
“Lyra...”
>”What is it, Anon?”
>You turn to her and look her dead in the eye.
“That necklace Hope wears around her neck. I know you got it from somewhere.”
>As if someone stuck a knife through her chest, she stops dead.
>”How do you know that for sure?”
“Look in my pant pocket.”
>You motion down to your right side.
>From out of your pocket slides your necklace, the other half of the pendant.
“There is no way you just happen to have the same one. You got it from a little girl I imagine.”
>As if you said the most insulting thing, Lyra gets up and turns away.
>You hear her sniffling. “I.... I’m so sorry...”
“What did you do to her?”
>You growl at her.
>She turns around, her eye squeezes shut as she shakes her head. “I’m sorry, it’s just...”
“No more hiding the truth. I want to know everything. My sister, the others and Anon before me.”
>Her lips tremble as she tries to regain her composure. Using her magic, she slips the necklace back in your pocket with a sigh.
>”Very well. Let me take you back.”
>You gradually sit up as her horn begins to glow brighter. Soon the entire room becomes white before fading to black once more.

>You are now Twilight Sparkle.
>It’s been about four days since you last saw Anon and Hope.
>There has nary been a moment that you haven’t been thinking about the two of them.
>Gnawing away at your confidence was the little worm of doubt.
>Anon was surely able to handle himself. Although that was how you felt about the last human before his untimely death.
>It was early morning, much sooner than you would normally wake up.
>Several scrolls of paper float in front of you and lay out on your desk.
>It’s been a while since you looked at these.
>Ever since the last human left, you didn’t have any reason to look at them.
>You hear a tap on a window nearby. It’s Rainbow Dash.
>Opening the door with your magic, the pegasus helps herself inside.
>“Whatcha doing, egghead?” She teases you.
>Although you would normally laugh off her attempts at humor, you just sigh and continue browsing over the paperwork.
“Not much I’m afraid, just being worried as usual.”
>Rainbow hovers over your shoulder and looks at the ancient parchment. “Still worried about Anon, huh?”
>You nod as you grab some other papers from a nearby shelf and reel them in.
“How can I not? Not only are we talking about another human not making it back to his world, but ours is in danger. We don’t even have a replacement for the Element of Laughter.”
>Rainbow puts a hoof to her chin. “Yeah, you gotta point there.”
>You can’t help but roll your eyes.
>She continues to look over your shoulder as you glance over your paperwork on Hope and the orb.
>“Is that the orb?”
>Pointing a hoof directly on the fragile paper, you almost jump out of your seat but you quickly calm down and remove her hoof gently with your magic.
“Yes. Yes it is. But these papers offer very little insight into the nature of how it works or who made it. Based on what the last human said, it coincides with the faint writings that the orb can offer teleportation.”
>Rainbow scoffs at the idea as if to sound like she’s not impressed. “Big deal. You got your fancy unicorn horn that can teleport you as well, what makes this little ball so special?”
>You roll up the old parchment and put it away for safekeeping.
“The ‘big deal’ is that it’s much more powerful than any unicorn spell for teleporting.”
>”Well how much more powerful?”
“That’s the problem, I don’t know. If Lyra finds a way to gain control, then it could potentially spell trouble for everypony.”
>”What makes you think she hasn’t done so by now?”
“I think we would know if she did.”
>Turning back to your desk, you look at the paperwork regarding Hope and her odd DNA profile.
“More egghead stuff?” Rainbow comments casually.
>This pony....
“Yeah, it’s about Hope and her DNA.”
>”Twilight, you should have seen the way that kid moves! If a unicorn and human could have made that, imagine what a pegasus and human could-“ She stops short with a rosy tint on her face.
>”Uh, I mean... Yes, do go on.” She brushes her hoof against her coat as though she was committed to the profession of science.
“From what I’ve seen, it’s really weird to explain but it’s like there’s another part to her. Something human, almost similar to Anon’s but different.”
>”Maybe your testing equipment did something wonky and the results came out wrong.” She shrugs.
>Although you knew it couldn’t be so, you had to accept that maybe more studies have to be done of this new satyr breed.
“Yeah. Maybe."
>As you store the research papers away, you look to Rainbow with a strong conviction.
“If we don’t hear from Anon in three days, I want you and Fluttershy to go find him, got it?”

>You are now Anon.
>A whirlwind batters you around before you find yourself sitting in a forest.
>The fresh pine smell fills your nose as birds chirp in the air.
>Did Lyra just let you go? What the hell happened?
>You hear a sound coming from behind the trees. Down a small dirt path you see Lyra walking next to a human woman.
>You call out to her.
“Lyra, what is this?”
>But Lyra and the lady don’t even acknowledge you.
>They just walk past you.
>In your mind you hear her speaking to you. “This is just a memory, Anon. This was the first human that I brought here.”
“How did this happen?”
>”I’ve found others, thanks to the orb.” The world around become white with light and you’re back in the forest, except it was dusk.
>You hear giggling not too far away. Looking down the path, you see her.
>It was your sister Annette walking with Lyra.
“Annette!”
>You walk up to her, but like before they ignore you and walk right through you.
>It didn’t matter if it was an illusion or a dream, you try to grab her anyways.
>You see Lyra nuzzle up to your sister like they’re the best of friends.
“Where did you take her?”
>Another flash of light and you’re outside of a log cabin.
>You open the door and down a long corridor you see Annette disappear. Running after her, you feel everything slow down.
>Through the dim cabin, you run down the hallways trying to catch her.
>They continuously extend, keeping you further away from her.
>You can still hear her laughing, unaware of the danger she’s in.
>This can’t be happening.
>At the end of the hall, you turn and find yourself in a large room filled with paintings.
>A small hallway lined with candles is at the other side.
>It was old and archaic, a musty smell lingering in the air.
>In the distance you hear chopping and hacking, men and women screaming; begging for their lives.
>Out of the walls, you see human hands start to grow.
>Beads of sweat form on your face as you hurry down the hall, the walls seemingly closing in on you.
>”I was blinded by my own ambition.” You hear Lyra speak in your mind.
>”So many I have killed to try and find my own humanity through them. But your sister...”
>You rush down a flight of long winding stairs that lead into the abyss.
>”She was the first and last to undergo my most atrocious act.”
>You jump off the last step and plunge into the darkness. “A dark magic that I should have never used, and yet... “
>Your fall slows down until you reach a cold stone floor. A door stands before you.
Recommended listening: http://youtu.be/DslGycQwgJA?t=21s
>As you open the door, you see Lyra standing in front of your sister.
>Everything slows down in front of your eyes.
>Her horn glows brightly as wind rushes around both her and your sister. Your body is frozen in place.
>You are helpless to watch as your sibling begins to dissolve from the feet up.
“Lyra!”
>She speaks to you once more in your mind. “I’m sorry, Anon.”
>Your sister cries in pain as the magic starts to break apart her very body into a soft glow and is absorbed into Lyra.
>Her screams pierce your ears and soul.
>Your mind fills with rage.
“YOU’RE FUCKING KILLING HER!”
>It was already done.
>You stare powerlessly into the eyes of your sister before she is reduced to nothing but a small pile of white ash.
>Her necklace and pendant hit the ground with a resounding clink.
>You fall to your knees and begin to cry.
“No...”
>You pound your fist into the ground.
>Everything fades away to black.
>”I thought that it was the only way to gain my own humanity. Yet it did not. To me the magic failed, therefore it was of no use to me anymore.”
>You find yourself in a dark room. The growl of thunder and rain hitting on the glass window fills the air. You turn to see a door and open it.
>When you peek in, lightning flashes throughout your vision, but you catch a glimpse of Lyra on top of a human in bed.
>You slam the door shut.
>”Anon was my first. If not for him, then I wouldn’t have had Hope.”
>The blackness shifts around you and you’re back in the log cabin, but everything is on fire.
>Although it looks real, there wasn’t even heat to be felt from the flames.
>Among the burning wreckage, you see Anon struggle with Lyra.
>You watch on as Lyra torments Anon. “We’ll be so happy together Anon!” she begins to yell over the roar of the flames, “You’ll be my little human, mine to own!”
>You hear her again speaking over the scene. “This would be my own undoing. I was too selfish to see the harm I was doing.”
>Staring in awe, you watch as Anon picks up a small human statue and strikes it through the left eye of Lyra.
>She falls to the ground as Anon makes his way out of the burning house.
>”It’s funny how in a moment you think you’re good as dead, but then purpose has a way of bringing you back.”
>You look down at Lyra who begins to slowly move on the ground. Her horn flashes and you see her disappear.
>Teleporting along with her, you watch as she vanishes again.
>This time she makes it to the basement.
>Her legs shake violently as she gets up and grabs a metallic sphere with glowing runes on it.
>It begins to shimmer with incredible light before consuming her and she disappears.
>”The orb is hard to command. It does not respond as often as I hope it would, but I was fortunate that it did when I was in my time of need.”
“So that’s how you survived. But where did you go?”
>Lyra appears by your side. “That part, I will try my best to explain.”
>Everything goes dark again; lights and colours rush past you and expand outwards.
>As if the entirety of the universe and everything was unfurled before your very eyes, you find yourself floating through space.
>”There are many dimensions, Anon. More than you or I can even begin to imagine. I’ve seen your world and others. Parallel worlds and alternate universes.”
>Galaxies and stars swirl around in the vast distance faster and faster until they all seem to be going down a single point into nothing.
>Darkness.
>”For a while I thought I was dead.”
>Like a spotlight in a theater, you see an injured Lyra lying before you. “But they saved me.”
>Things start to blur as static fills your vision. “I’m trying my best to remember, but I was saved by these... creatures. I do not recall what they looked like, but they took pity on me.”
>Images flash by. You spot one of Lyra in what looks like a large tube filled with liquid as she’s hooked up to life support.
>”After I was healed, I was made aware of the miracle I was carrying.”
>There you see her lying down on her side and tenderly rubbing her swollen belly.
>”I was made to sleep till I was ready to give to birth to my beautiful child.”
>The sound of a baby crying fills the air.
>Again, a light comes on and you see Lyra snuggling with her newborn; a baby satyr.
>”She was my ray of light, a glimmer of hope. I knew this was a sign. From then on my heart was filled with joy and love, and I promised to fulfill this miracle.”
>As the light fades, you hear the rumble of thunder as rain pours from the heavens above.
>”Once I was healed, they gave me back the orb....”
>She pauses.
>”But I couldn’t go back home. Not yet.” She adds.
>The scenery comes into view as a vast, lush jungle grows all around you.
>Nearby, in the dark undergrowth, you see Lyra and a young Hope underneath a large tree to stay dry from the rain. “Anon, I’m not sure how to explain what you’re about to see.”
>As you approach them, you hear crying.
>Lyra who is now wearing an eye patch nuzzles her little daughter. “Don’t be afraid of the thunder. It won’t hurt you.” She coos delicately.
>A flash of lightning illuminates the area.
>For a few brief moments you see the face of Hope as she clings to her mother.
>Shock overcomes your senses.
>It was impossible, but the resemblance was uncanny.
>She looked just like your sister.
>Young Hope cries louder as she buries her face into her mother’s side.
>You take a step back.
“How... ?”
>You look down to Lyra who hangs her head in shame.
“Tell me what is going on!”
>Lyra looks up to you and sighs. “I think what happened is... when I absorbed your sister’s essence, part of her somehow allowed me to bear this half-pony half-human hybrid. So in a small way, she is your sister.”
>Your mind harkens back to what Twilight said before about Hope and her DNA.
>“Well yes, but more importantly, there’s something odd about it.”
>Falling to your knees, you watch from the gloomy dark as Hope cries, bringing you back to the time when you had to listen to your sister cry in pain at the hands of your father.
>Your eyes scan the muddy ground as your mind goes somewhat blank.
>This whole time Hope was....
>Lyra comes up to your side. “We stayed here for years. I knew then that to fulfill this promise I would need a human. So I trained her to hunt and track.”
>The scenery changes to day as you watch a slightly older Hope in the tree tops high above.
“Why did you have a change of heart? It can’t be as simple as you make it seem.”
>She smiles softly. “The orb has done more for me than just open portals. It’s allowed me to see things; how I can change the world.” Lyra rubs you gently on the back. “And that’s why I need you.”
>You gaze upward and watch Hope as she stumbles and falls into a tree branch below.
>So this is what your sister would’ve looked like if she was still alive.
>”For years I had to live with that beautiful face; a painful reminder of what I’ve done.
>As you look onwards, everything fades again. You can feel your heart begin to tear.
>Your vision slowly comes back.
>The stone walls and floor feel cold against your skin and there, lying across your lap, is Lyra.
>You quickly reach for her, but your chains keep you from completing your task.
>This pony not only did the most unspeakable inhumane thing against your sister, but she thinks that she can redeem herself.
>It wouldn’t matter if she apologised a million times.
“You fucking psychotic fuck face!”
>Lyra gets up and shakes her head. “I know you’re angry at me, and I can’t blame you for feeling that way.”
“LET ME GO!”
>You thrash about violently as spit flies out of your mouth.
>But Lyra stands there in a calm manner, and looks as though she pities you.
>You want to stay mad.
>You HAD to.
>. . .
>But you can’t.
>The image of watching Annette die in front you was too much to bear.
>Your body grows weary and you hang your head.
>You feel the hot tears in your eyes as they flow down your cheeks. You can barely speak properly.
“Why?...”
>”Anon, please look at me.” Out of the corner of your eye you see her approaching you.
“Go away...”
>”Everything has been leading up to this, Anon. If what I want is to happen, then listen. Hope is the perfection both our species should want, and I will make that a reality.”
“You’re not making any sense.”
>She places a hoof on your cheek and strokes gently. “Humanity is the key. I will do my best to make sure that you stay alive.”
“What ar-“
>Her horn becomes incandescent with light as it burns your retinas.
>You want to look away but instead you’re drawn into it.
>A sharp, tingling sensation shoots through your body. It begins to hurt all over as you yell in pain.
>”Hold on, Anon! Just bear with me.” You hear Lyra as if she’s far away.
>You can’t see anything. Light fills your vision as your body is wracked with pain.
>Everything goes blank.
>Absolute silence.
>Then you hear voices.
>Whispering voices all around you accompanied by the faint beating of a heart.
>Each beat showing you an obscure image.
>”... the only way...”
>You see a column of light, just like the one in your dreams.
>Your body starts to shake violently, as if your life was being pulled from its mortal coil.
>”... a new world...”
>A portal is opened. A terrible dark energy radiates from within.
>The land of Equestria lies before you and in an instant it becomes shattered and broken as pieces of the land ascend.
>”. . .shall be the one. . . “
>In the center of it all, you see Lyra as light pours from her eyes.
>Screams rattle off as you see creatures that appear human praising a small orb that glows.
>” . . . the gateway is complete. . . “
>In Lyra’s vision, you see something akin to a satyr, but that image burns away.
>As if your mind was about to crash, a flurry of images burst through. And yet, you somehow catch the meaning of it all.
>The blue sky rips open, revealing another world beyond.
>A feeling of joy washes over you.
>But it comes to an end when everything turns blood red.
>Fire.
>Destruction.
>Death.
>All this followed by silence.
>Everything comes crashing down before you’re consumed by darkness.
>You open your eyes and gasp.
>Coughing violently, you look up to see Lyra standing in front of you.
>But floating between you and her was a tiny glowing orb of light. She seems both exasperated and excited.
>You try to catch your breath.
“What... did you do?”
>Lyra looks too happy for words. “Anon, this is it! This is a small part of your humanity that I need.” She looks as though she was about to jump for joy.
>But what you saw was no reason to celebrate.
>A hope for a new world.
>A magical item that opens up portals.
>It was beginning to make sense.
“Lyra, did you see what I did?”
>She looks to you puzzled. “No, I was too busy trying to keep you alive while I extracted this from you. I’m so glad that you’re alright.”
“Listen to me, if you’re hoping to somehow unite our worlds together, it won’t work.”
>Her happiness disappears quickly. “How did you...” She glances away for a moment and comes back more defensive. “What did you see? Tell me!”
“Everything and everyone will die, Lyra.”
>She turns around mumbling to herself, as if to reason out that nothing is wrong.
>”Anon, I’m sure you’ve been through a lot and it’s taking a toll on you. But I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long, and I will not go back on my promise.”
>This pony is going to doom everything for a stupid vision.
“I don’t know what delusions of grandeur you’ve had but magic doesn’t work that way in my world. If you’re planning on opening a goddamn portal between worlds, you’re going to have some serious shit on your hands.”
>Something tweaks in her facial expression.
>A large ethereal human hand forms over her head, grabs you by the throat and slams you hard against the wall.
>Your body tenses up, but you’ve lost so much strength it was impossible to fight back.
>”Anon. . . “
>Her voice was low and growly as if she was trying to suppress a deep seated anger.
>”It’s been my hope and dream to achieve this, and I’m NOT about to let anything stop me.” Her magic grips you tighter as you gasp for air.
>”And I WILL create the perfect world.” With a final shove, you’re smashed into the stone wall.
>Lyra storms over to the door and kicks in a tray of food and water. Half of which spills out over the floor. “I’ll be sending in Hope to deal with you later...”
>The door slams behind her and you’re left reeling from being choke slammed.
>You wait out of fear for a few minutes.
>As you finally begin to feel safe, you slowly reach out for your meager bit of food. Your whole body aches in pain as you grasp the tray and stuff the food messily into your mouth.
>You don’t know how it was possible but Lyra managed to extract this ‘humanity’ from you.
>And that orb was...
>You recall those images in your head, something about them points to a very human origin in relation to that artifact.
>Perhaps it is why Lyra was never able to have full control over it. Humans must have created it, meaning you’re the only one that can master it.
>So if humanity is the key, she now has access to the full power of that orb.
>You get a sinking feeling in your gut.
>You’re trapped here and Lyra will destroy both worlds believing she is doing a good deed.
>And you have no way to warn the others.
>You feel that even though your sister now exists in a small way, she has turned her back on you.
>Somewhere in that satyr, your sister lives on.
>The thought brings tears to your eyes.
>The thoughts become tragic knowing that she has willingly betrayed you, all for the sake of Lyra’s crazy dream.
>Weeping bitter tears, they seemingly cast a drowsy effect on your weary face and you fall asleep.
>For now there would be no dreams, not even hope.
>Just waiting in silence until she comes back to finish you off.
>. . .
>You don’t know how much time has gone by after you fall asleep. It’s hard to tell when you’re stuck in a dim room.
>It feels like it’s either early morning, or late at night.
>You continue to lie on the floor curled up in a fetal position with your back to the door.
>Every once in a while your body shivers, more out of nerves than actually being cold.
>You hear the door open and your body seizes on you for a moment.
>The clopping of two hooves moves across the floor.
>It was Hope. You’re so sure you, don’t bother to move.
>You just stay still, waiting for her to do whatever she intends to accomplish.
>More so than the anticipation, the silence was overwhelming.
>She’s practically standing over you right now.
>Out of the corner of your eyes, you see her.
>You dare not budge an inch.
>”Anon....” She whispers.
>Hope takes a step back. lowering herself to the floor.
>Then you hear the most upsetting yet relieving sound. She begins to cry.
>”I know you must despise me, but I am so sorry.”
>You stay still, waiting to see if there was more to this.
>”What I did, I’ve done to protect you.” She pleads.
>You stay perfectly still for the longest time.
>”Anon, please…”
>You hear her voice begin to crack from the sadness within her. “I am ashamed of what I’ve done, and I don’t know if you’ll ever forgive me bu-“
>In that moment, you turn around and grab her by the shoulder and pull her into your embrace and hold onto her.
>She responds in kind as you feel your tears flow freely down your cheeks.
>”How can you forgive me so easily, after all those things I’ve done? Aren’t you angry at me?”
>You sigh with relief as you stroke her back.
“Hope, I can never be mad at you. I was heartbroken, because I was afraid I lost you.”
>You look her in the eyes as tears flow down her cheeks and her lips tremble. “And I thought I was going to lose you as well.”
>With another small burst of a nervous laugh, you hug each other again.
>”I heard everything, Anon. What my mother said and what she took from you. I may not have a father, but having you as my brother is the greatest thing I could ask for.”
>She sniffles and wipes her tears away. There were more urgent matters at hand.
“Hope, do you know where the orb is being held?”
>”I’ve been looking into that. The one room I was never allowed access to is above us.” She reaches behind her cloak and reveals a single key.
“Why didn’t you go and retrieve it?”
>She fiddles the key in the locks around your limbs. “It won’t budge. The door has these weird inscriptions. I think it’s related to what mother said about the orb and your humanity.”
>Hope manages to unlock the cuffs from your ankles and wrists. You get to your feet and almost topple over.
>”How are you feeling?”
“Like I have bad hangover with hunger pain.”
>”A hang what now?”
“Never mind, I’ll explain later. Let’s get going.”
>You follow Hope to the door. She looks both ways and you stay close.
>The long hallway stretches on for quite a distance. The dimly lit passage had a slight mildew scent and humidity that slightly dampens the skin.
>You whisper to Hope.
”Where’s Lyra? What happened to her?”
>”Asleep. Believe me, I wanted to put her out of her misery, but she’s still my mother.” Hope quietly answers back.
>She turns around a corner and you follow her up a winding stone staircase.
“How did you hear about all that stuff when Lyra was taking my humanity?”
>”Mother doesn’t know about all the secret tunnels and passageways.” She giggles.
>Reaching the top, you follow her down the corridor until you reach a large stone doorway.
“You sure it’s in here?”
>She nods. “I’ve checked every other room. This has to be it.”
>Upon examination, you notice the marking on the doors to be very tribal looking. Hauntingly familiar texts of hieroglyphics that look like a mix of different ancient languages cover the door.
>Right in the middle of it was a depiction of a round object shining its light upon humanoid figures below.
>You place your hand on the door.
>An electrical surge flows through your body and makes your skin crawl. You instantly retreat your hand.
>From the spot where you had your hand, a soft glow emanates and begins to fill in the decorative lines and curves on the doorway.
>The stone door begins to slide open, grinding the floor beneath it.
>You cringe and feel anxious. What if Lyra hears this?
>Should the orb be in here, then it’s a simple matter of getting away before she realizes what happened.
>The room inside is pitch black as a musty smell invades your nose.
>You lean inside and almost jump as a light turns on.
>Around the interior of the room, torches along the wall catch on fire. A blue fire, to be exact.
>You and Hope slowly enter, the walls begin to illuminate soft colours of blue, green and yellow and begin to pulsate.
>You hear another sound, like stone grinding against stone.
>A small hole opens in the middle of the room and a pedestal slowly rises from within.
>This is it, the orb was all yours.
>Approaching the small platform, you examine the stone covering.
>You grab the sides and lift it off.
>Nothing.
>Your heart sinks to a new low.
>Turning around you see a dark figure standing in the doorway to the room.
>Oh shit...
>Before you could even say or do anything, you see something glow as a large ethereal hand is formed and grabs your upper body and forcibly slams you into the ground.
>You yell out loud in pain as the magic hand tightens its grip on you.
>From the corner of your eye you see Lyra standing there glaring at you with the utmost contempt.
>Hope stands there in shock, not sure what to do.
>”I would’ve expected better of you, Hope.” Lyra sighs.
>You feel her magic choking you. With nothing to grab onto, you begin to squirm as you gasp for air.
>”Mother let me explain, I heard a noise and when I came up here he jumped me.”
>Lyra cocks an eyebrow at her. “Oh? Then do tell how he escaped then.”
>She glares at you. “It’s like you said mother, he’s tricky and devious. I’m just glad you came around in time.”
>Lyra processes the thought for a moment, and then a twisted smile grows across her face.
>The magic holding you down releases you, but only for a moment before another ethereal hand appears from above her.
>One hand grabs you by the right leg while the other pins you to the ground.
>”Then we shall make sure he can never escape again... yes.” You can see her pupils shrink in size.
>She’s gone off the deep end for sure.
>”What do you propose, mother?” Hope asks with uncertainty.
>From the dark corner of the room floats a jagged looking knife.
>”Take this and cut his Achilles tendon. Do that and he will never walk again.” She hovers the tool in front of Hope, waiting for her to take it.
“Just like you did to last human?!”
>Her gazes falls back on you as she picks up and forcibly slams you into the ground.
>Hope looks at the knife and takes a hold of it.
>She stands next to her mother with a grimace on her face. “You’re right; it’s the only way to make sure. After all, you know best how to incapacitate humans, don’t you?”
>This catches Lyra’s interest who turns to look at her daughter.
>In that instant, you watch Hope deliver a powerful round house square to Lyra’s face, sending her flying across the room.
>The magic instantly dispels and Hope rushes to your side.
>Lyra is back up on her hooves with a gasp. “Hope, what are you doing?!” She yells.
>”I know everything, mother. About my father, all those humans and what you plan to do. It’s over!”
>Lyra becomes infuriated. “You will do as I say. I am your mother and you will obey me!” She begins to make her way closer to you.
>”Any closer and I’ll.... I’ll...”
>”You’ll do what? Kill your own mother?” Lyra scoffs at Hope. “It’s hesitations like this that will cost you dearly. I will not stop, not when I’m so close to making things better for all. Why are you against that?”
>Hope slams her hoof into the ground. “Because you’re crazy, and someone has to stop you!”
>Lyra stares at Hope in disbelief.
>For that brief moment, you could hear a pin drop.
>Seething rage consumes Lyra as her horn burns brightly with magic while tears form in her eyes.
>”If you do not want to help fulfill my dream, then you can DIE WITH THE HUMAN!”
>Like an explosion, a bright shot of magic bursts from her horn and hits the ceiling above you.
>Instantly the entire room starts to shake violently as if an earthquake was set off.
>In the confusion, you watch Lyra disappear in a flash.
“Goddammit! Come on, this place is going to collapse!”
>You get up and grab Hope by the arm and start to run to the door.
“Where’s the exit?”
>”Follow me!” Hope runs ahead of you and you follow as quickly as you can.
>The rumbling of the temple intensifies as you hurry along the shaking hallway.
>Through twists and turns you try to keep up but, in your state, you find yourself falling behind.
>Hope notices and slows down to grab you by the hand to pull you along. “We’re almost there, Anon. Just a bit further.”
>Chunks of stone and debris fall from above, wooden rafters and support columns fail and begin to creak under the weight.
>Turning a corner, you see light at the end of a large corridor.
>You’re on your last leg and begin to slow down even more. Your lungs scream for air which you cannot deliver, but Hope was in good shape.
“Go... get out and find help...”
>”No! I’m not leaving you!” She holds on even tighter and pulls harder.
>The light was so inviting, it begs you to come closer.
>You pick up the pace but it was too late.
>Large pieces of stone fall at the exit and block your path.
“No!”
>So close and yet so far.
>You look at Hope and make a final gambit.
>Without thinking, you tackle her to the ground as everything collapses around you.
>Between a mix of Hope yelling and the whole structure falling down, you do your best to stay rigid.
>You feel pieces of wood hit your back followed by more weight, but you don’t move an inch.
>Things become hazy for a while.
>And then dark.
>As the noise settles you feel all sorts of things jabbing into different parts of your body.
“Hope.... are you alright?”
>You feel her hands touching your face. “Anon...” She begins to cry.
“It’s okay, we just need to...”
>You start to push away, but nothing gives.
>Already the weight starts to become unbearable.
>Fear takes a hold of you. You feel that if you give an inch, something might shift and crush the both of you.
>”What are we going to do?”
“We wait. Twilight will know something is up and will come looking for us. We just need to hang tight.”
>You start to groan from the strain, but your command your body to hold.
>”Are you hurt? I can try to dig us out.”
“No, just save your strength. I had a feeling this would be a one way trip for me anyways.”
>Already you begin to feel faint.
>Undergoing torture and having little to no food is hard on one’s body.
>”What are you saying?”
“Hope, you need to survive and stop Lyra no matter what. And if I don’t make it, then I’ll die knowing that a part of my sister still lives on in someone that I truly care for.”
>You can hear the distress in her voice. “Don’t say that! Stay awake Anon, please don’t leave me...”
“Shhh... save your strength and I will try to do the same...”
>”You can’t do this to me, Anon.” She protests.
>As if you begin to fade away, her voice grows distant.
>So tired....
>Her voice still echoes on the edge of your mind.
>”Anon...?”
>. . .
>”ANON!”