Chapters Author's Note
PLEASE READ THIS FIRST!
First of all, I recommend reading this story in "High Contrast Dark" format. You can do so by clicking the "Formatting" button at the top-right corner of the page, right below the rating, total comments, and views counter.
These first few chapters will be to decide who the protagonist (you) is gender-wise. Each gender will get his/her own depictions of the story, with the first being the male, and the second being the female's.
This isn't a "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure" story, though there will be some optional parts that could be skipped/chosen via the lowest corner, such as relation(s) between Anonymous and (an)other character(s), but those actions will barely mark any significance with the main story itself... though they could lead to bonus chapters in the near future, of course.
As the tags may point out, there will be some chapters containing mild clop (skippable, of course), and the gender of your chosen character will affect how it plays out! (Male/Female, Male/Male, and/or Female/Female will be an option, with each character having their own "unique" preferences.)
There will also be blood and gore, though nothing too absurdly graphic. Think "Assassin's Creed" levels of violence, if you will.
Lastly, remember that the "Next Chapter" function will only lead you to the female's perspective of that chapter, or possibly skip to a bonus chapter. As such, it should be noted that, in order to reach the next actual chapter for your chosen character, there will be two links at the bottom of the page, taking you to the previous one you read, or the next one. Some chapters will be genderless (IE: When nobody acknowledges your presence.) Those chapters will sometimes have four links at the bottom, rather than two, color coded with blue arrows at the top and red arrows at the bottom. I'm pretty sure that alone is quite self-explanatory... but just to be clear:
And on that note, I hope you enjoy the ride... now, then... are you ready to take of that mask, and show us your true form?
{ Behind The Mask }
DATA LOADING. PLEASE STAND BY...
You slowly walk into the cave. The portal to the mirror behind you pulses like that of water after an object enters or exits it. Over your body is the pitch black cloak that conceals everything human about you... well, almost everything. Over your neck is a dark blue scarf that's been augmented with magic capable of keeping your body at a reasonable temperature, no matter the location.
What really hides who you are, however, is the gray mask over your head. The eyes have been enchanted to keep your eye color hidden, and the symbols on the forehead give you a magical enhancement with this world, emulating the abilities of a unicorn, while granting you far more flexibility to change your magic's natural element at will... a feat that only the best of unicorns could do, but through several years of training.
Inside your cloak is an arsenal of magically enhanced weaponry, ranging from your trusty daggers, your longsword, your miniature crossbows, your spiked grappling hooks, your vials filled with chemicals of variable qualities and colors, and your padded light body armor.
Directly in front of you stands two alicorn sisters. They both are standing on two hooves, but have arms and hands rather than forelegs and forehooves.
The one on the left is a pure white coated one with a colorful mane and tail, magenta eyes, and a golden crown on her head. She's wearing golden tipped, white platemail armor with a sun emblem on her tabard. Her tower shield bears the same sun emblem, and the blade of her sword glows pure yellow, with the handle shaped and colored like an angel's wings.
The one on the right is a head shorter than her sister. Her coat is dark blue, and her mane and tail appear to have starry patterns on them. Her eyes are also just as blue as the night sky, giving you the feeling that you're looking at outer space in Equestrian form. Her armor is similar in shape to her sister's, but colored blue on the tips, and black everywhere else. Her tabard's and shield's emblems are that of a crescent moon, and her sword's blade shines pure white, making it almost impossible to look at directly. Her handle is shaped like the full moon, but to the sides of it, bat-like wings protrude from the left and right corners.
The three of you press your right hands on your own chests, giving a formal salute to each other, before the eldest of the sisters speak to you.
"It is good to see that Faust hasn't turned her attention away from Equestria just yet."
You silently nod your head, but say nothing. This makes her smile and lightly chuckle.
"The silent type... that is exactly what we were in need of, actually. I have a feeling we are going to get along well." She turns to her sister. "Isn't that right, Luna?"
Luna nods her head before turning to her sister. "Indeed it is, Celestia. I feel like our guest here is going to do his job well!"
Celestia tilts her head confusedly. "His? I thought that Faust said she would be sending in a female, though!"
The two of them sigh before silently bickering to each other over not paying attention to the documents that your boss, Lauren Faust of the "HUB", sent to them earlier this morning.
You let out a long drawn-out sigh before gripping onto your mask with your right hand. This catches both of the princess's attention as their eyes lock onto you. Finally, you remove your mask, revealing the face of a...
... young male barely in his twenties. <... young female barely in her twenties. <
PROCESSING. PLEASE WAIT...
Their eyes open even wider as they get a good look at your face. Then Princess Luna smiles before turning to her sister and giving her a triumphant nod. Celestia, however, sighs before planting her right palm over her forehead, more than likely bracing herself for an upcoming headache.
"See, Tia?! We told you that We were paying extra attention to the letter!"
Celestia sighs again and deadpans at Luna. "Oh, ha-ha... so maybe you were right this time! It's not like I'm completely wrong! I mean, look at him! He's still very much the one that Faust sent us!"
You clear your throat again, regaining their attention. You then look between the two of them and decide that the silent treatment would only get you nowhere at this point.
"No offense, Princesses, but I believe there are more pressing matters we need to discuss, besides my gender."
They look away from each other sheepishly before Celestia nods her head. You then cover your face back up in the mask and nod your head in silent approval. Finally, you could get on with your briefing.
"He's right, Luna. We need to inform him on what his main objective is." Celestia tells her sister.
"Agreed." The two of them then motion for you to follow them. You do so without hesitation.
"Welcome to Dark Sanctuary by the way... um..."
"Just 'Anonymous' is all I need to be known as." you clarify for Celestia. "With all due respect, it would be an invasion of my privacy and a threat to our safety if my true name were to be revealed to those in this world... you both included."
They nod their heads in understanding. "Of course, Anonymous... though there's no need to worry about your safety in here, we will not press on that matter. After all, it's not like we will be here for very long, anyways."
"Duty calls... I understand." you tell them, much to their relief. You know the feeling all too well, after all. It's not like you weren't doing anything before they called you in for a mission in HUB City... or more specifically, a mission that would have you going to Equestria, a world where they still have yet to realize the existence of your world, let alone HUB City; a completely different district that connects all worlds into one universe. Only a very limited number of people and creatures have ever been lucky enough to enter it, let alone learn about it... and you just happened to be one, due to your unusually skillful capabilities in... certain questionable activities.
Luna motions towards an opening in the cave. Upon closer inspection, you notice two unicorn guards standing there, each wearing a cloak similar to your own, but without the mask. Their snouts are covered with their own blue scarves, and their eyes are glued directly onto you.
Once they notice you looking their way, they salute you with respect before bowing their heads down, much to your surprise. Luna clears her throat and begins explaining.
"These two are Keen Eye and Silent Walk... two of the best members of the Shadow Council. Their missions are to guard you, and obey every command that you have for them, so long as it isn't too far above the law. Rest assured, they are already aware that you are from HUB, and have been trained to not react to anything out of the ordinary, unless the things are life threatening or risk compromising our plans."
You nod your head and salute the two in response before turning back to Luna. "Are there more?"
She tilts her head confusedly. "Don't you know already?"
You lightly chuckle before nodding your head. "Yes. I was just seeing how much of the paperwork you've been researching." Then you look around and note the other shady figures who all nod their heads and salute you with respect. Your years training with the Shadow Council have certainly been noticed by the others in the Equestrian Branch, indeed... though this is more than likely the first time that some of these members have ever met you.
At least they know that you are a Master Nightshade... a title given to those who have aced every single trial with precision, and have been taught how to expand their vision to the point where darkness is their light... but the cost is that the magic used to expand their night vision deteriorates their vision during the day... but little do they know that the mask that you wear balances it all out, allowing you to see both day and night equally.
But what they don't know won't hurt them... especially since they are your brothers and sisters now.
Luna nods her head, clearly impressed. "Amazing... so you've already noticed the others?"
You nod your head again. "Indeed... and I must admit, I'm quite impressed with the numbers here. There seems to be few and far back in the other worlds."
She shrugs her shoulders. "With magic being very common in Equestria, I'm surprised we don't have more... though the modern day laws do tend to keep this organization hidden from the public, due to the... 'skills' that those within it specialize in."
You nod your head in understanding. "Understandable. With the lack of war, the need for bloodshed is far less common... and there hasn't been a single war in two thousand years, I believe... at least, that's what the books told me."
Luna crosses her arms and looks forward again. "Indeed... back in the Great Griffon War. Thousands of innocent lives were lost in each faction... but we held on, and in the end, it granted us victory, and new allies."
You cross your arms in thought. "True, but I doubt if the alliance was made in good terms."
She nods her head again. "A very loose thread, even. It took fifty years after the alliance was made when imports between Equestria and Griffonstone were allowed... and over a thousand years beyond that until colonists were allowed to settle on the others' lands... though that one, I wasn't here for." She looks around uncomfortably at the last statement.
You gently pat her on the back of her shoulders, causing her back to stiffen. "It's alright. What's passed is in the past. We can do nothing more than focus on the present, and let the future guide us."
She gives you a thankful smile before Celestia clears her throat. You both look ahead and you stop moving, while Luna continues forward, taking her place next to Celestia, who is now standing in front of a glowing map table with a magically projected hologram of Equestria on it. Inspecting it closer, you notice that it is even active, with several miniature projections of the inhabitants roaming out and about.
"This is the Map Table. It is here that you can see what goes on in the world, without having to even be there." Celestia explains to you.
You nod your head and notice a glowing red orb at the bottom of Canterlot Mountain. The orb, to your surprise, is a hologram of you and the others inside Dark Sanctuary.
You also notice that there's a transparent blue orb over Canterlot City. You motion your head towards it, causing the princesses to follow your eyes and nod their heads in understanding before looking at you.
"That is where your first assignment is. My student Twilight Sparkle, along with her friends, are currently preparing for the wedding of her older brother, Shining Armor, and her former foalsitter, Princess Cadence. All eight of them are vital to Equestria's survival, and not a single one of them should ever see harm. What's more, they must also remain unaware of our plans, lest they try getting involved as well... especially Twilight." Celestia debriefs you.
You nod your head in understanding. "So my mission is to ensure that nothing happens to them during the wedding... and if one steps out of line... improvise and disappear?"
"Precisely." she concludes with a nod. "Though I would also like to inform you of one other thing... it's vital that you know."
You cross your arms over your chest and motion for her to continue. "I'm listening."
She looks at the map uneasily before sighing. "Due to the secrecy of these missions, not even the Royal Guards know of this plan. Should you have to... dispose of someone... then I can't guarantee that the guards won't be alerted and try to pursue you as a criminal."
You smile at her and shake your head. "No need to explain further. The guards are innocents doing their duty, and are not to be killed."
She smiles at you again. "You catch on quickly... I like that." She then turns around and notices a tall, blue coated stallion cloaked in the Shadow Council Uniform with a large gaping scar over his left eye, sealing it shut. "Ah... it looks like our meeting time is up."
Luna nods her head to the stallion and the two start leaving the area. Celestia, however, stays behind.
"Thank you, by the way."
You tilt your head confusedly, causing her to clear her throat and explain further.
"Luna hasn't been able to speak to another individual casually... well, besides me ... in over a thousand years. I know she may not have seemed like it, but she seems to have taken an interest in you."
"Ah... I see." you nod your head and cross your arms again, eyeing her inquisitively. "By the way... you knew that I was a male already... why did the two of you bicker like that, anyways?"
She lightly chuckles. "With her being younger than me, I'm certain you're aware of the need for her to 'always be right'... well, she hasn't necessarily been correct about many things, due to the changes in the cultures, and it's been getting to her head that she may be too 'outdated ' in her side of our ruling."
"So you intentionally mistook me for a woman because you wanted her to be right about something?" you deduce. She nods her head in response, making you nod your head and smile at her once more. "That's quite noble of you... if only for a trivial matter, though."
"Trivial or not, Luna always takes things too seriously... but that's just how she was raised, I suppose. Our father, King Cosmos, influenced that on her... a perfectionist to the end."
You both hear someone clearing his throat near the entrance. Celestia sighs before saluting you again. "Well, I must be off. Good luck out there, Anon."
You salute her back but ask, "Anon?"
She winks at you. "With all due respect, I just think 'Anonymous' is quite a mouthful... I hope you don't mind."
You lightly chuckle and shake your head. "Not at all. If it makes you feel better, you could call me whatever you want to... so long as it isn't offensive, that is."
She nods her head again. "Then it's a deal. Good luck, and be careful out there, Anon."
You nod your head in response. "And to you as well... Celly."
After exchanging a small laugh, she turns and runs out the room, leaving you alone with the others, who silently await your orders.
Turning to face the map table, you slowly approach it with one of your daggers drawn reverse-bladed. Then you pierce the blade onto the table, directly onto the hologram of Canterlot Castle.
"Well, guys... looks like Canterlot is our first stop."
With silent nods, the stallions around you vanish into the shadows. Giving the bubble over the city one more curious look, you decide that there must be something else going on... something that the princesses want you to find out yourself, without the others involved. You just have to find out what it is... and to do that, you will need to head over to Canterlot Castle undetected.
With a confirming nod, you turn around and walk towards the wall, where you close your eyes and visualize a hidden area within Canterlot.
And before you take your first step towards the solid wall, you feel the world around you shifting. You fade into the darkness, and take your first step into the world as Anonymous... the Hero in the Dark.
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PROCESSING. PLEASE WAIT...
The princesses stare at you in disbelief, their eyes opened even wider. Then a clever grin forms on Celestia's muzzle while Luna groans and rolls her eyes, crossing her arms in the process... almost showing signs of disappointment.
"See, Lulu? I told you that Faust sent in a lady!"
Luna groans again before deadpanning at Celestia. "Okay! So maybe I was thrown off guard by the robe! Doesn't she look like she could be a male, though?! At least with the mask on!"
Celestia shakes her head and replies, "That's what the papers were for! You did read them all the way through, didn't you?"
Luna looks away nervously before muttering, "Um... I may have... just skimmed through them a bit?"
Celestia sighs and plants her face into her palms. Then she groans and shakes her head. "Oh, Luna... what are we going to do with you?"
"Excuse me, Princesses." you finally decide to say. Their attention is quickly drawn back to you as you cross your arms and look at them, slightly amused at their actions.
"As funny as it is to see the two of you debating over my gender, I'm sure the fact that I'm a woman wasn't the reason I was brought here."
The two of them look away sheepishly before Luna looks at you with a shy smile. "You're right... my apologies, Ma'am."
"No need to apologize, Princess... I just know that time is a major factor, considering the current situation." You cover your face with the mask again before looking between the two of them.
Then they nod their heads and motion for you to follow them further into the cave. You do so without hesitation.
"By the way, We couldn't find any documents about your name, Miss... uh..." Luna comments, turning towards you curiously.
You shake your head and reply, "Just 'Anonymous' is all you need to know. Sorry, but I just don't feel comfortable giving out my true identity in a new world... especially with an escaped prisoner from the pits of Tartarus, itself."
They nod their heads in understanding. "No need to apologize... We just needed a name to address you by... that's all."
Your attention is quickly brought to the two guards standing by the entrance of another room. The two of them are unicorns wearing cloaks similar to the one you wear, excluding the mask. The lower halves of their faces are covered with the blue scarves, making it difficult for the untrained eyes to identify them.
They salute you and bow their heads, much to your surprise. Looking towards Celestia, she clears her throat and motions towards them.
"Right. These two are Keen Eye and Silent Talk... members of the Shadow Council. They've been stationed here in Dark Sanctuary to keep you protected, and to serve under your command, so long as it doesn't interfere with the laws too much."
You nod your head before saluting the two of them with respect. "Are there any more?"
Celestia eyes you curiously. "Don't you already know the answer to th-"
"Besides the ten others surrounding us, or the two underground?" you interrupt, catching everyone's attention in the room. Surely they didn't expect you to pull their strings like that.
"Wow... she's good..." you hear a silent whisper from within the six stallions at your right. This makes you smile triumphantly... and silently thank the years of training in the Shadow Council that you've had. They know that you are, what they call, a "Master Nightshade"... a title given only to the best of the best in the Shadow Council... a title you easily gained for acing every single trial you were given without error.
Those who become Master Nightshades are taught a unique ability, allowing them to see through the darkness as clear as the daylight... but the cost is that their sight becomes far more poorer during the day. Luckily the mask that you wear balances it all out, making you see the day and the night equally.
But what the others don't know won't hurt them. Besides, maybe you could use their lack of knowledge to protect them... they are your brothers and sisters now, after all.
Celestia's smile only shines brighter. "I must admit, I'm impressed! You actually had me fooled... and I especially didn't notice the two underground!"
You nod your head and lightly chuckle. "It's nothing major... but I do have to say, it's quite a number of Shadow Council members you have here! In every other district, we usually have about two or three... four, if we're lucky."
Celestia nods her head. "I see your point. Please understand, though, that up here in Equestria, magic is far more common. It wouldn't surprise me if we had even more of the Shadow Council around, if it weren't for the fact that their... 'skill sets' aren't necessarily common anymore, what with the lack of wars and all."
You rub your chin in thought. "Come to think of it, wasn't the last major war two thousand years ago?"
Celestia sighs and closes her eyes, but nods nonetheless. "The Great Griffon War, yes... a little more than two thousand years, even... but I still remember it like yesterday. Countless lives were lost on both ends... and though it was won in our favor, the costs were almost too heavy to bear alone... thankfully Luna was there at that time."
You nod your head in understanding. "At least the Nightmare Curse didn't reach her at that time."
She sighs again and looks away. "I know... but the blood between Equestria and Griffonstone was very tainted... it took us both fifty years to even allow trade between both kingdoms... and a thousand more until we both agreed to allow cross-bordered settlements to be established... and unfortunately, Luna wasn't there at that time." She looks uneasily at her sister, who continues walking straight ahead with the two of you behind her. You don't doubt that she's listening in, though, because you notice her shoulders slump at Celestia's last comment.
Finally you decide to gently pat Celestia on the back of her shoulders, catching her by surprise. "Don't worry, Celestia... Luna's back now, right? So long as you don't let the past bother you, and focus on the present, the future will guide you both on the right path."
You could sense Luna smiling at that. Celestia, too, is touched by your words as she nods her head and lets a single stray tear fall from her eyes.
"You're right... we shouldn't let such dark thoughts get in our way."
"Um... Tia?" you hear Luna say. You both look her way, and you stop moving for a moment while Celestia approaches Luna and stands next to her.
In the center of the room, a map table rests, with a holographic image of Equestria on top of it. Inspecting it even closer, you notice that the map is very very active, with miniature figures roaming and flying around it. To the untrained eye, they would be smaller than fleas, and barely able to be noticed... but thanks to your skilled sight, you can clearly see the ponies and other creatures as if they were right there in front of you... even to the smallest of scratches on them.
You also notice a glowing red orb below Canterlot Mountains... and within it, red projections of yourself and those inside Dark Sanctuary can be seen.
"This is the Map Table. It is here that you will be able to see what's going on in the world without having to actually be there." Celestia explains to you.
You nod your head before eyeing the transparent blue orb surrounding Canterlot. Looking to the princesses for advice, Celestia explains.
"That is where your first assignment is. My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, and her friends from Ponyville are helping plan out a wedding for her older brother, Shining Armor, and her former foalsitter, Princess Cadence. All eight of them are vital to Equestria's survival, and must be protected at all costs."
You cross your arms and eye the table curiously. "So you want me to make sure that nothing happens during that wedding... and should something happen, take care of it and vanish like usual?"
Celestia nods her head but eyes the table uneasily. "Correct... though there's still one catch that you need to be aware of."
You look at Celestia and raise an eyebrow. "Go on."
She sighs before looking you in the eyes. "Due to the secrecy of our assignment, not even the Royal Guards are aware of the main plan. As such, should you have to dispose of someone, you may be pursued as a criminal... and Luna and I may not be there to explain anything to them."
You smile and shake your head. "No need to explain further, Celestia. I promise not to kill any guards, and will only act when necessary."
She smiles warmly at you and lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank you... I will trust in your judgement."
An abnormally tall stallion clears his throat behind her. You notice that he has a dark blue coat and a large, gaping scar over his left eye, which seals it shut as a result. Like everyone else inside here, he's wearing the Shadow Council Uniform.
Celestia lightly chuckles before nodding her head towards him. "It looks like our time here is up." She then walks over to him, and the two leave the area. Luna, however, stays behind. She walks up to you and clears her throat.
"Thank you, by the way."
You tilt your head confusedly, then motion for her to go on.
"Tia has been going through a lot of stress lately. She hasn't had any time to speak to another casually, despite her always being there."
"Ah, I see..." You then cross your arms and eye her inquisitively. "By the way, I could easily tell that you knew I was a woman... why did you address me as 'him ', though?"
She smiles slyly at you. "I knew Tia would want to take the 'Older Sister' role again, like she's always done when I'm wrong... and what better way than to intentionally make myself wrong?" She sighs and looks up at the ceiling in thought. "It's been too long since she was able to just let the kingdom wait while she deals with me... but it's something that she's always enjoyed doing. Nurturing those around her, being the loving role model... I just couldn't help bring that happy feeling to her again."
You slightly chuckle at that. "So you intentionally made yourself wrong, just so Celestia could do something she enjoys again?" She nods her head, confirming your deduction. "That's actually quite noble of you, Luna... even though it was just something trivial, like figuring out my gender."
She shakes her head and snickers. "I know, but that's just Celestia for you... always wanting to teach those in need of aid. I believe that's just the influence our mother, Mother Nature, had on her... a loving mother with no limits."
Another Council Member clears his throat, getting her attention again. She chuckles before shaking her head. "Right... time. I better get going before Celly starts worrying about me again... but I hope we meet again soon, Nona!"
You both salute each other, but you tilt your head confusedly at her once more. "Nona?"
She shrugs her shoulders. "I hope you don't mind. 'Anonymous' just sounds like a mouthful, and 'Anon' would be too, um... masculine sounding, if you know what I mean?"
You shrug and nod your head. "Of course. If it helps, you could call me whatever you'd like... so long as it doesn't make me look bad."
You both chuckle before she nods her head again. "Deal. Well, good luck out there, Nona."
"And to you as well... Lulu."
After sharing one more laugh, she turns and leaves to catch up with the others. You, however, turn towards the map table and draw a dagger reverse-handed. The other members of the Shadow Council focus on you, silently awaiting your command.
"Well, boys... looks like we've got our work handed out to us... you know what to do."
As soon as you stab the dagger into the projection of Canterlot, the others nod their heads and disappear within the darkness. You, however, eye the bubble surrounding Canterlot suspiciously. You may have not been told this, but you already have the feeling there's more to this than meets the eye... but they couldn't tell you because of the others listening in.
There's something that you alone need to find quickly... and you feel that the answer lies within Canterlot Castle.
With your goal in mind, you head towards the wall and close your eyes. Then you take a deep breath before stepping forward. Rather than bump into the wall, the world around you shifts, and you feel the presence of the air around you. Your foot reaches the cobblestone floor, as you take your first step into this world as Anonymous... the Hero in the Dark.
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