Anonymous in Nu-Questria 2

You and Sunny walk out of the shop and into the small atrium at the very end of the northwest wing. Light pours in from the pyramid-shaped skylights into the space below. The sun is almost directly overhead now, and it’s easy to see unaided. To your right, a collapsed multi-level department store sits sulking, its imposing facade marks the end of the wing, and its many floors are crumpled on top of each other like crumpled cardboard flaps.

Sunny sits down in the center of the atrium on a small patch of grass. She unstraps her saddlebags for now.

You sit down on an overturned acrylic-and-metal divider that once held advertisements from the old world. You lean forward towards her as she digs around in her bags.

Sunny then gives you a sandwich. You both sit and eat quietly.

You’re getting used to eating pony food again. At least she knows how to pepper the cucumbers. It’s not very filling and doesn’t have as much cream cheese as you like, but it’s alright.

As you chew on your sandwich, Sunny takes a swig from her canteen and wipes her lips. She screws on the cap and eyes you for a moment.

“Hey, Anon.” She says. ”How about we play a game?”

You look at her and swallow.

“I’ll name a mythical creature, and you tell me if it actually existed, alright?” She says with an astute grin.

“Uh... sure. Why not.” You say in a bored tone.

“Alright, hm... Manticores.”

“Yep.”

“Hydras.”

“Yeah.”

“Goblins?”

“Nope.”

“Zombies?”

“Nah. Not unless you count brainwashed ponies.”

“Oh, okay...uh, Centaurs?”

You scratch your chin for a moment.

“Well, I only saw one centaur back in the day. It was Tirek, and he was an asshole.”

“Hm? I thought centaurs were part human, though?”

“You might be thinking minotaurs. Tirek was some kind of weird baboon hybrid or something. He had red skin, clawed hands and a very hairy face.”

“Oh. I see.” Sunny says. She pushes around her canteen with her hoof a bit.

“Hey, uh, another weird question.” She says.

You lean up a bit and sigh.

“I know alicorns live for a very long time, but... what about temporary alicorns?”

The question makes you balk. You almost choke on your sandwich.

“What? Temporary alicorns?” You say.

Sunny looks away. “Um... yeah.” She says.

What the fuck?

“I’ve never... heard of that.” You say cautiously.

She reaches back into her bag without even looking and pulls out her phone.

She unlocks her phone and taps it a few times, glancing up at you with a shimmer of hesitation in them. She slowly turns the phone’s screen to you.

“See?”

There’s a photo of her standing with Izzy and Pipp in Maretime bay. Sunny has ethereal golden wings splayed out at her sides, and a shining golden horn on her head. Her mane has a rainbow streak running down it, and the sky around the bay is filled with a multi-colored aurora borealis.

You stare at the phone with a scrutinizing glare, refusing to believe it.

You quickly chomp the rest of your sandwich, stand up off your seat and dust your hands of crumbs.

You then take a step forward and lean down towards Sunny. She looks at you, seeming a bit confused. You pass your hand over her forehead. There’s no invisible horn there.

Sunny leans her head back with an unsure expression.

“Well, I’ll be.” You say.

You pat the side of her barrel, and she shifts away a bit. Nope, no wings either.

“Um... what are you doing?” She asks.

You lean back. “Just making sure.” You say.

“Oh.” She says. Her somewhat tense body language relaxes.

“So...” You say, putting your hands in your pockets. “How did that happen?”

Sunny’s eyes dart around. “Well, um. The first time it happened was right after we reunited the ponies of all different races. It’s linked to the crystals somehow. I’m not really sure how it works, but... when it happens it’s almost like the magic inside them flows into me. It lets me fly and use magic like... Well, an alicorn.”

“How long does it last?” You ask.

“Usually about a few hours. The first time it lasted almost a day, heh.” She says with a nervous laugh. She turns her neck to the side and runs a hoof along her braid. “For a while I thought the rainbow in my mane wouldn’t ever go away... But that faded too.”

“Hmph.” You say. You walk back to your plexiglass not-a-bench and sit down on it.

“Well, alright then.” You say. You lean forward. “You have magic alicorn powers, but you’re not an alicorn. That’s a pretty strange coincidence, isn’t it?”

You notice that Sunny’s enthusiasm from earlier in the day has now been replaced with a pensive, melancholic mood. She studies the ground at her hooves for a moment.

“Seems kinda like Twilight, is... in a way, passing on her power through-”

“Anon,” She says abruptly. “Do I remind you of Twilight too much?”

She looks up at you, almost wincing as if expecting a sudden attack.

The question is so sudden and direct, you’re not really sure how to take it. You slowly lean back on your hands and take a slow breath.

“I mean...” You say.

“That’s... probably why you don’t really like me very much, huh?” She says. She exhales through her nose and shakes her head.

Now that you know about her transformation, it does seem too... coincidental. She must be destined for some great ascension into being, well, another princess.

Yet at the same time, you believe her when she said she was pulling smoothie carts and working odd jobs just to get by. She’s a poor salt-of-the-earth mare with silly dreams. Now that she’s accepted those fantasies as reality, and the weight of all the responsibilities that came with it.

Who cares if she wants the same thing as Twilight? At least she had to earn it. Twilight had friendship thrust upon her, and she had to accept it. Sunny believed in friendship the entire time. She held onto that despite all the fear and paranoia of her home.

Yet even then she has her limit. Maybe she needs you to reassure her that she’s doing the right thing. After all, you’re the closest thing she has to an authority figure...

You take a silent breath. “I guess you’re like her in some ways, but...” You say haltingly. “No, Sunny. I don’t think that.”

Sunny’s entire body seems to relax.

You try to smile reassuringly.

Suddenly, she blinks and stares in between your legs.

This makes you quite uncomfortable for half a second. Then you realize you’re probably sitting on something about to break...

You look down. You don’t see any tension or cracks in the glass. “What?” You say.

“That thing you’re sitting on.” She says. “Let me see it.”

You stand up from the divider and step aside. Sunny quickly walks up and swipes off the dust with her leg.

She peers closely into the weathered acrylic glass, trying to make out something.

“I think there’s a map in here.” She says.

It’s hard to tell from the glare of the sun, but you notice a blue sheet of plastic inside the case that’s folded up with some symbols and writing on it.

“Huh.” You say. “Also, you just ruined my perfect butt print. I hope you know that.”

“Pff, shut up, Anon.” She says, but still smiles any way.

She turns around and quickly bucks it with a hoof. The metal sidebar dents inward and the convex glass pops out of its casing. She slides the glass off to the side and carefully reaches a hoof down into the space below.

She smooths out the folds and wrinkles of the plastic sheet with her hoof, and sure enough, it is revealed to be a mall directory.

Sunny doesn’t even look your way. She tilts her head and moves to the bottom side of the case to read the map from the right side up.

You step around and look over her shoulder as she scans a list of shops with her hoof.

She abruptly stops and leans her head down. “No... way.” She says. “Is that what I think it is?”

She’s looking at a listing for store that’s called “Inkwell’s Books.”

“A bookstore, huh?” You say. No wonder she’s excited.

She quickly scans through the sprawling floor plans of the mall’s multiple stories, trying to find the store number that matches.

“According to this it’s... there!” She says with an enthusiastic tap of her hoof.

She’s pointing towards a shop on the third floor of the northwest wing. It’s very close judging by the “you are here” symbol.

Before you can say anything, she steps away from the map and then quickly begins trotting back down the wing of the mall.

You follow her with a relaxed gait, watching her silently count out the shops in her head. She comes to a stop abruptly.

She takes her flashlight and turns it on. She then raises it up to try and illuminate the third floor.

She leans and strains. As you catch up to her, you see it too. A fading plastic sign on the third floor with black letters printed on it. The name of the store matches.

Sunny looks up at you with an eager grin, she then clips her flashlight back on and gallops towards the stairs leading up.

“Race you up there!” She says.

You grin and watch her she clamber up the nearby flight of steps, her mane and tail bouncing as she gallops.

You follow at a leisurely pace, choosing to plant your feet a bit more carefully.

She disappears out of sight as you reach the second story. You make it up to the top, only to see her standing in shock. Her mouth gapes open as she looks into the abandoned bookstore.

You move along the walkway, and you spot the reason for her stunned expression.

The bookstore’s ceiling is coated in thick, black soot. A few charred wooden shelves are stacked horizontally in the center, and a heap of waterlogged ashes sits in the middle. All the other shelves are pushed to the corners, completely devoid of all literature.

“Wha... what...?” Sunny says.

It was burned. Someone piled up all the books in the store and torched them. And from the looks of things, it didn’t happen hundreds of years ago.

This was recent.

You step forward. The store is relatively small compared to the ones on the lower floor, so it doesn’t take long to quickly scan over everything with your flashlight.

You don’t see anything besides bookshelves and a pile of dirty clothing piled in the far corner. It might have once been an improvised bed, but you’re not sure. The door to the back room is blocked with shelving, and the front counter sits vacant.

“Why?” Sunny says.

“I don’t know, Sunny.” You say. “Maybe some drifter came through, decided books were good for a campfire...?”

She walks forward and puts a hoof on the stacks of shelves, then leans up to look into the fire pit.

“Well,” You say, “It’s weird that they stacked it up so high. Seems too tall for a pony.”

Sunny stops examining the ashes and turns to you.

“Do you think it was a bipedal creature?” She asks.

“Hm... maybe.” You say. You put your hand to your chin and rub.

She carefully extends a hoof out and pushes around the pile of ashes. As she moves it around, she suddenly gasps.

There’s the bones of a large rodent in the ashes. The pearly white skull with its empty eye sockets is looking up at both of you.

“A carnivore.” You say.

Sunny quickly glances around.

“Hitch.” Sunny says. “We need to get Hitch over here right away!”

She grins at you, but then a new voice cuts through the muffled din of the distant waterfall.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

The voice is low, deep and masculine. It belongs to an imposing dark figure standing outside the bookstore. You notice feline ears atop his head and narrowed, yellow slits for eyes. His fur is all completely black. He looks like a buff panther on two legs. He’s wearing a filthy dark-gray trench coat with frayed ends.

Then you hear the distinctive metal click, and you see the revolver in his hand.

“Hooves down on the ground, pony.” He says with a tasteful sprinkle of disdain. He sneers at her with pointed canines in his cat-like snout. You notice the skin of his lips are a deep black.

Sunny’s mouth is open in shock. “Wh-what?” She stammers.

“I said hooves down.” He says cooly. He whips the revolver towards you. “And you: paws in the air.”

Your limbs are tense, and you sneer hatefully, but you raise your hands up.

“Now step back.” He commands.

You take a few steps back. You glance down at Sunny, who is wearing a terrified expression.

“W-wait.” She says. “We don’t mean you any harm.” She clears her throat.

The cat walks forward, keeping the gun pointed your way.

He leans down and snatches Sunny’s satchel, making her gasp and lean back.

He tugs it forcefully over her shoulder. The strap breaks and Sunny winces and folds her ear back.

“Be quiet.” He says. “Stupid mud pony...”

He steps back and holds up the bag in his cat claws. He looks it over for a second, then he casually tosses it back over his shoulder. It sails over the railing of the walkway. With a muffled thud, it hits the hard ground below.

He pauses for a bit, eyeing you both. “You’re both gonna come with me. No questions.” He says, waving the gun casually at you both.

Sunny’s ears lift up slowly and she lifts up a hoof.

“Listen. We only came here to research the old world. We are friendly to all creatures, so there’s no need-”

“Yeah, sure.” He says gruffly at Sunny. “You aren’t supposed to be here. Don’t you know that?”

Sunny’s eyes shoot open in surprise.

“Not supposed to be here? But, why?” She asks.

“Shut up, pony.” He says. He waves the gun at her face, getting agitated. “I know you mare types are really dumb, but come on. What part of no questions don’t you understand? I’m taking you to see the my boss, alright?”

You feel the weight of the bag on your shoulder. You can’t reach for your bat without him noticing, but maybe if you play along...

“Sunny... maybe we should do what he says.” You say.

Sunny stands firm. She glares daggers at the cat despite the thick barrel of the gun being leveled at her.

“We are willing to go with you. However, we will not leave our friends behind. Let me radio them, and they will come peacefully.” She says.

The creature flattens his mouth and shakes his head.

“Sorry, little girl. No can do.” He says.

Your skin burns with anxiety as you watch Sunny stare certain death in the face. You don’t want to go with this trash freak, but you also really want him to lower that gun.

“Sunny... let’s just go.” You say.

Sunny doesn’t respond.

“What, are you serious?” The cat asks jokingly.

He then quickly lunges forward and grabs Sunny by the braid. He yanks her over towards the front of the store.

“Ahh!” Sunny screams. She twists her head and her hind hooves drag on the floor. She’s shutting her eyes tightly from the pain.

You feel something inside you haven’t for a while. Cold, decisive anger.

“Let me go! Please!” Sunny says. Her front legs are lifted uselessly off the ground.

“Hey spine dick. What’s your fucking problem, man?” You say.

The cat flashes you a toothy grin. His canines are long and yellowed.

“Well I haven’t seen you around. Are you some kind of pig-minotaur hybrid?” He says, chuckling a bit.

“He’s a human! He’s with me!” Sunny yells. She flails her forehooves at his legs and grunts with exertion, but she can’t reach.

“Pff, what a stupid name. What are you doing with this pony, huh? Looking to get some sweet alone time with her, eh?” He says, glancing down at Sunny.

“What’s it to you, litter box?” You say coldly.

He cuts his eyes back to you.

“Hey, I don’t blame you or nothing.” He says with a sinister grin. “In this world, you keep what you find...”

He eyes Sunny for a moment, making you feel sick to your stomach. Then the creature motions with the gun to the floor. “Alright. Kick your bag over here.”

You glare at him, knowing there’s nothing you can really do. He obviously know how to use that thing, and you can see the rounded tips of bullets sitting in the cylinder. You lower one hand very slowly and touch it to the shoulder strap.

Sunny glances at you and stops struggling. She breathes heavily.

“Alright.” You say calmly. “You don’t have to hurt her.” You hook a thumb under the bag and slowly slide it off your shoulder.

Sunny glances up at the creature, her braid still held tightly in his grip, and her forehooves dangling a few inches above the ground.

You let the bag slide off your shoulder. It’s only partially zipped up. You could fit your hand in, but...

You slowly drag it forward with your feet. You look up at him slowly.

“Well? Kick it.” He says.

You wait a moment. You draw your foot back slowly.

Without a word, Sunny leaps backwards on her hind legs. She grabs her mane with one hoof and swings forward like she’s on a rope. The creature doesn’t notice as her body curls up in the air. In an instant, her back leg springs forward. Before the cat can do anything, she sends a powerful kick directly to the beast’s exposed crotch.

“Agh!” He cries out pain. He leans forward, lowing his gun arm. You look in amazement as Sunny lands and yanks her braid out from his loosened grip.

“Gh!!” She grunts between clenched teeth and then grabs onto his gun arm with her upper body wrapping around it.

The beast wheezes and clasps his hand protectively over his junk. He tries to shake Sunny off, but she holds firm.

Now’s your chance! You jab your hand into your bag and grab the end of the bat. You sprint forward as you slide it out all the way.

The cat’s pupils become as wide as saucers as he sees you bolting towards him, the bat’s handle clasped tightly in your grip.

He tugs and yanks Sunny around, but she wrestles him down again. He tries to raise his arm up with his other hand, and his clawed finger pulls back the trigger in a desperate, final effort.

The revolver goes off with a tremendous bang. The bullet ricochets off the floor and whizzes into the wall. You don’t flinch. You’re already in range.

Ping! You strike his jaw in an upward, diagonal arc, putting your shoulder into it as hard as you can. The vibration instantly sends ripples down your arm, and his jaw skews to the side.

His shoulders slump and his head wobbles. His eyes roll back, and you see the white scleras.

Sunny quickly jumps back. With a drowsy groan, his large frame crumples forward and his body splays out on the floor. The gun spins out of his hand and clatters on the ground.

You both stand and catch your breath, looking at the incapacitated body.

“God damn, Sunny.” You say. “Nice job with that kick!”

Sunny inhales deeply, and she glances up at you with a dead serious glare.

She huffs and turns to the knocked out feline. “Anon,” She says, “I don’t like having to resort to that.”

She leans forward and puts a hoof on the cat’s neck, feeling for a pulse.

“Well still, it worked.” You say.

Sunny leans back. She looks at you.

“What kind of creature is he?” She says.

“Looks like a bipedal cat. I’ve seen their type before. Stupid bastard...”

She leans her head down and places her ear over the creature’s back, listening carefully.

A moment later she states “He’s still breathing.”

“Yeah, he’ll be out for a bit. Good thing too, because he was probably going to kill us.” You say.

“That doesn’t make it right!” She says in a suddenly snappy tone. She raises her head to glare at you. “You don’t know what his intentions were. He could have just wanted to talk!”

You look at her like a naive little filly.

“And then what, Sunny? You think he was just going to let us go?” You say.

Sunny scoffs and turns away.

You look down and notice the revolver on the ground.

“See, take a look at this, Sunny.” You say, picking up the firearm from the floor.

The revolver is some bulky design with a widened, stylish trigger guard. It’s meant for stubby, clawed hands and has been spray-painted black. It has five chambers in the cylinder, and seems pretty solidly made. From the hand-carved marks, you can tell it was custom made and not manufactured.

Sunny looks at the gun with a puzzled expression.

You toss the bat aside. No need for it any more. You then hold it out to her with both hands, barrel pointing down.

“This is a firearm.” You say. “Do you know what this is?”

Sunny looks it up and down quickly. She then tilts her ears back. “I mean, seems like it’s some kind of weapon, and it made a really loud bang...”

You sigh and face-palm.

Come to think of it, you didn’t see any guns in the movies you watched. Even the one with the android unicorn, all it did was shoot laser beams. None of their goo-based deterrents slowed it down. In the end, they killed it by squishing it in a hydraulic press.

“Your community is pretty sheltered, huh?” You say. “Sunny, this isn’t just some weapon. It’s designed to kill things. Not incapacitate them or capture them. It shoots bits of metal very, very fast that makes holes in whatever it hits.” You say.

She looks at the gun, seemingly unimpressed.

“It’s a weapon designed for war.” You add.

“War, huh?” She says. She glances back to the collapsed creature.

“So you’re saying he’s part of some sort of army?” She says.

“Ugh, no.” You say with rising frustration. “He’s not part of an army. He’s just a thug. A bad guy.”

Sunny quirks an eyebrow at you.

“And you know that just because he has a firearm?” She says.

“And the fact that he was pointing it at us!” You say.

“So kind of like that bat you were carrying.” She says. “He wanted to feel protected.”

You sigh and tuck the barrel of the gun into the waistband of your pants. This is going nowhere.

“Look. I’m just glad you’re willing to use force when it’s needed, alright?” You say.

“Was it needed?” She asks.

“Yes! Obviously!” You say, gesturing to the passed-out thug.

Sunny skews her mouth to the side.

“I’m surprised you even knew what to do with all your pacifist talk, honestly!” You say in an accusatory tone. “How’d you even know to kick him in the nuts, huh?”

Sunny whips her head away from you and huffs. She moves around the creature towards the front of the store.

“Well, if you must know.” She says. “When I was a filly, I had a lot of ponies bully me.”

She shakes her head and smooths out her mane.

“Let’s just say I learned pretty quickly how to beat a stallion in a fight. Okay? I’m not proud of it, but now you know.” She says in a standoffish voice.

You guess she was ostracized for her beliefs.

Sunny puts hoof on her side where her bag usually hangs from. Finding nothing, she glances back to you. “Any way, it doesn’t matter. We need to contact the others. We have to tell everypony!”

You grimace, but she starts trotting out of the store and towards the staircase.