Anonymous in Nu-Questria 2

You watch him leave. Anonymous the human. The human who helped bring you across the world. The one who you trusted with your very life. The criminal who spread ideas of hatred, anger and war.

You try to whisper goodbye. He doesn’t hear it. He simply walks out of your life, and you let him.

Twilight is by your side. She feels so familiar to you, but at the same time so much grander than the stories described her. You feel in awe just to be in her presence.

Even though he was your friend... the things Twilight said made too much sense.

You remember him showing you the firearm. He recognized it instantly, and knew how to use it. When he was pointing it at those creatures, he really was prepared to kill.

A weapon for war.

You remember your first conversations with him. You remember how much he hated Twilight. But to see it right in front of you! Oh sun above, how he hated her!

He’s clearly unhinged. Why didn’t you see it from the beginning?

Gah!

His awful outlook on life, his reluctance to cooperate, his hatred of creatures... all the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place.

And yet... despite all that, you will remember his kind smile.

The door to the hall closes.

“Sunny.” Twilight says, and you snap out of your thoughts and look up at her.

You notice that you’re still sitting on the holographic display panel. You awkwardly shift off it and take a few steps back. You gaze up at the Princess. She clears her throat as she steps back to the center of the platform.

“You made the right decision, Sunny. Again, you have shown you are fit to stand where you are now.” She says with a warm smile.

You glance away for a moment. You get mixed feelings from her praise.

“Any way!” She says with a slightly awkward giggle. “I believe we were in the middle of something. I have something very important to give you, Sunny.”

You watch Twilight’s six foot tall body light up with a bright pink glow. Her horn shines with a dazzling star, and you have to stop your jaw from hanging open again.

“Sunny Starscout, by reaching this place, you have shown to be worthy of knowing the true history of Equestria. You have earned the right to know the truth that has been hidden from you. You will know how the world fell into despair, only for the spark of friendship to reignite the world once again.”

You have to shield your eyes. Her horn is too brilliant.

“Yes, I accept!” You say.

“Very well.” Twilight says. Her horn fades in intensity, and the glare disappears.

“But - can I please just ask - why are you in a hologram?” You say.

Twilight tilts her head curiously.

“Oh! Well, I suppose that is a bit off-putting. I apologize, Sunny. It’s been so long that I’ve simply grown accustomed to addressing my followers in this way.” Twilight says awkwardly.

She waves a hoof in the air and another cloud of smoke rises up around her. It forms a hologram of the three pony crystals.

“My power is innately tied to the harmony between the creatures of the world. When this disappeared, I became powerless. I managed to retain the longevity of an alicorn, but not the magic. It made me vulnerable. Weak. I could not risk being out in the open. Therefore, I was forced to go into hiding. To bide my time. To wait for the arrival of one who would inspire the spark of friendship once more.”

The crystal holograms then snap together and start to glow.

“Namely... you.” Twilight says. She gives you a knowing smile.

“It was only when magic returned that I was able to start using magic again. The years have left me weak, Sunny. I am slowly getting better, but it will take a while for me to recover my strength. I am sorry, but I cannot risk exposing myself just yet.”

“I... I understand.” You say. “I know you’re just doing what’s best... but, will I see you one day?”

“Yes.” Twilight says kindly. “And that day will be very soon, my dear student.”

Student? You’re her student now? You feel a sense of elation rise inside you.

The crystals fade into smoke. The smoke falls to the floor and covers the platform.

“For now, let me avail you of the truth of your world.” She says. “Sunny Starscout. This is the story of Equestria’s rise and fall.”

Her form evaporates into smoke. It all forms into one cloud that spreads out to cover the stage.

You lean back on your hooves as the ethereal hologram smoke washes over you. It sort of tickles, but you don’t feel anything solid.

“You call it the ‘ancient world,’ but this was my reality. Equestria, three hundred eight years ago. A time of prosperity that has never been surpassed. The height of the Golden Age of Magic!” Twilight says.

The smoke around you flickers into motes of light, and a virtual environment forms before your very eyes. As your eyes adjust to the light, you see something that you once could only visualize in your head: the soaring turrets of castle built on a hill.

The walls were alabaster white, and the roofs were violet and gold. You are at the center of a bustling market square. Ponies and creatures of all types ride on self-propelled chariots. They glitter in the sun and hum with arcane power as they zip along.

“W-woah.” You stammer. “Where are we?”

The Princess’ voice calls out to you from the air as you look around the hologram. “This was my home, Sunny. The city of Canterlot.” She says.

You hear the call of trumpets in the distance. You look over at the main castle, the one you had only seen rough sketches of, now presented in fully realistic detail.

You can faintly see the huge doors open, and a tall, purple alicorn step out from them.

You inhale. The most amazing feeling washes over you as you realize that Twilight is going to personally show you her own past.

You are Anon.

You heard Twilight’s voice partially through the great stone doors, but you couldn’t make out any words.

You are waiting with your hands in the pockets, looking out into the hall.

This section is dimly lit with torches as well. They burn with a gentle lavender hue. There’s a lot of doors in the hall. They all look identical and shut very tightly.

One at the far end of the hall, left side, suddenly opens up.

“This way, Anon.” You hear a voice call out.

You make your way slowly down the hallway. Your footsteps echo on the rough stone halls. No carpet to be had. It was either removed or has rotted away a long time ago.

You make it to the end of the hall and turn to the door.

It appears to be a decently-sized sitting room. There’s another glowing hologram of the Princess inside. She is standing near a stone bench with no cushions on it.

“Come in, Anon.” The hologram says.

You quirk an eyebrow as you step forward carefully.

“The hologram playing for Sunny is one I pre-recorded. I’m speaking to you through a live avatar right now.” Twilight says.

You walk up behind a stone bench opposite to her and lay your forearms on the backrest.

“Alright. I can see that.” You say. “But how the fuck do I know you’re the real Twilight, huh?”

Twilight scoffs. “Do I not sound like her? Do I not look like her? Who else could I be, Anon?”

“Someone pretending to be her.” You say.

“Really, Anon? Isn’t it obvious? Those crystals Sunny carries were made by me. They lead her here, to the center of where Ponyville used to be. Is that not enough of a hint?” She says.

You shrug. “Fine. Let’s just settle this already. Will you come out now?”

Twilight seems a bit bashful and looks away. You lean off the bench and put your hands in your pockets again.

“What? Are you scared?” You ask dismissively.

“No, Anon. I’m not.” Twilight says. She looks at you. “I just feel a bit of remorse, that’s all.”

“I wish you could have been there, Anon. I wish you could have seen Equestria at the height of its glory. We did so much good work after you left. I’m sorry you never got a chance to see it.” She says.

You fight the temptation to roll your eyes.

“I will reveal myself to you. But first, I must understand one thing. In order to trust you, I need to understand how you were set free.” She says.

You shrug and sigh.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Twiggy. Sunny and the other ponies all woke me up from my emerald casket using the magic of the crystals. It was in an abandoned ruin near the east coast of the continent. When I came to, they were all just standing around me.” You say.

“Yes. I see.” Twilight says. “Oddly convenient story. So you don’t remember anything before that? Nothing at all?”

You scratch the back of your head.

“Nothing but shit that happened on Earth. No one helped me, as far as I know, anyway.” You say.

Twilight studies you for a moment.

“Look, I didn’t mean to throw a wrench into your plans with Sunny. But you have to believe me. I don’t know why my casket was moved. Honest.” You say.

Twilight skews up her face for a moment and looks off to the side.

“Throw a wrench... provoke, disturb...” She says.

Her eyes light up with recognition. “That’s it! Hahah!” She says.

She walks up towards you and leans her neck over. “Were you visited by you-know-who? Tell me truthfully.”

You give her a tilted gaze.

“What are you talking about?”

Twilight narrows her eyes. “Don’t play coy with me.” She says.

She reads the bewilderment on your face, and sighs.

“Discord.” She says in a low tone.

“Oh. Him.” You say. You shake your head. “Nah, not really.” You say.

“Not really?” She asks pressingly.

You shrug. “Why do you ask...?” You say.

Twilight leans back and sighs. “Just a hunch.”

Twilight waves a hoof dismissively.

“It no longer matters.” She says. “Thank you for answering my questions, Anon. I appreciate your cooperation.”

She steps back and moves around one of the stone benches.

“You know, it sounds silly, but I’ve been down here for so long that I’m actually quite glad to see you in person. I don't suspect you share that feeling.” Twilight says.

“Sure. Whatever.” You say dryly. "You want to sit down and chat over some tea? Go ahead.”

Twilight smiles smugly. “I would like that, actually.” She says. “But I understand you’re bitter about me exiling you again. I never thought you would grow attached to ponies again so soon.”

You snort and curl your lip.

“But Anon, you have to understand: Equestria is just not ready for you right now. In a few decades we’ll be in a much better place, but for now you’re better off in your own world. Don’t you agree?”

“I don’t care.” You say.

Twilight quirks an eyebrow.

“I just think you shouldn’t be making the choices any more, Twilight. You're not a princess any more.” You say.

Twilight puts a hoof over her mouth and giggles. “Oh ho. Quite the reprimanding tone coming from one like you, my little human.”

You narrow your eyes. “I remember when you were the short one. So come on out. Explain yourself, and try your best to swing this so you’re the good guy.” You say.

Twilight nods with a patient smile.

“Very well. In that case, I will see you shortly.” She says.

Her large alicorn frame starts to turn away from you, but she glances back over her shoulder.

“Just know that you asked for this, Anon. You need to be careful what you wish for.” She says.

Before you can ask anything, the holographic image of Twilight dissolves. The light inside the orbs in the floor go dim, and only the magic torches lining the perimeter give off any light.

Somewhere from inside the castle’s depths, you hear the whirring of gears and the sound of an electric servo running. You hear some clanks and some shifting stone. Then, the door on the far side of the sitting room opens gradually.

A cloaked figure steps out. It’s alicorn sized, but you can’t make out anything under the hood in the dim torchlight.

“Here I am, Anon.” Twilight says. “Face to face once more.”

The figure lifts up her head. You then see two, bright burning coals of violet in empty eye sockets.

The lights in the room slowly burn brighter.

Before you, there is a huge pony skeleton. Twilight’s body is nothing but reanimated bones that move through unseen arcane machinations. Her long horn is the only thing adorning her head. There is no mane to speak of. Her hooves are fitted with tarnished royal horseshoes, but she wears no crown.

It is an image of something unworldly. A mockery of life itself.

“I believe the name in your world is ‘lich’, Anon.” Twilight says. Her voice seems to transmit from a realm beyond, breathy and ethereal.

“What... the fuck?” You say.

Twilight slowly pulls her hood back over her head, revealing the round skull underneath.

“Surprised? When the magic of ponies failed, I became weak, Anon. I was made mortal. With these desperate circumstances, I had no choice but to peruse other forms of magic. That is all.” She says matter-of-factly.

You tense up.

“You can’t be serious.” You say.

“I am. I spent my life giving everything I had to this world. To maintain harmony. And what did I get in return?”

She starts pacing over towards you. Towards the center of the room. You are frozen in place.

“Equestria betrayed me. The world betrayed me. They took my life.” She says as she stops right in front of you.

You eye her warily. You get a very eerie sense of something Izzy would call sparkle coming from her. Your hands are still jammed into your pockets. The gun is concealed.

“I was assassinated. Thrown away. Left to rot in a crypt deeper than the darkest pits of Tartarus.”

She leans her head back and slowly pulls her hood back over her skull.

“But you know me, Anon. I make plans for every eventuality.” She says. “Although my appearance may be terrifying to some... it allows me the one crucial thing I need.”

She turns her head to the side. “Time. Time, Anon. I had to ensure that the new age of harmony could begin. I had to see the dawn rise in Equestria once more.”

You snort and lean back a bit. Ugh. She smells very musty.

“I’ll admit, your interference in this world has been quite a challenge, but I have overcome it, have I not?” Twilight says.

“What the fuck are you talking about, Twilight?” You say.

“You, Anonymous.” Twilight says with her firelight eyes dancing in her skull. “You were the greatest test of my power. Or should I say, the greatest test of harmony. Equestria runs on it, Anon. The friendship and good nature of all creatures must be preserved, and you were in direct opposition to it.”

“It’s not my-”

“No, it’s not your fault, Anon! It never is! That’s what you keep saying.” Twilight says with anger sparking in her voice. “You could never own up to your actions and take responsibility. I always had to do it for you.”

You respond to her criticism with a detached glare. Your hand tenses for a moment on the pistol in your pocket.

“Do you know how long I have had to contemplate just how awful you truly are, Anon? How many times I have calculated the magnitude of your interference in this world? No matter the scope, no matter how many simulations I run, the most significant variable has always been you!”

Twilight starts to pace around you slowly. She stares at you the entire time, but you stand your ground and watch her.

“You have been the center of a great body of study, Anonymous! Ironically, if you had never come into this dimension, I would not have never discovered the secrets of the multiverse.”

“Multiverse theory, huh?” You say.

“No, not theory. Application.” Twilight says as she moves around your shoulder.

“There are many Twilight Sparkles, Anon. Many Equestrias. Just as there are many versions of your own world. All varying in slightly different ways, with slightly different outcomes.” She says.

“So how could I ignore all the possibilities that stretch out over the grand horizons of space and time? I had to know, Anon. I had to see what my life could have been like without a human interloper. I traveled across the dimensions. I found out for myself.”

“And?” You say, getting impatient.

“Well, I surveyed various Equestrias throughout the multiverse. I took notes on the social, economic and political climates. I noted all major events and changes, and tabulated the results.”

“In all the versions of Equestria I sampled, I found that there was a twenty-seven percent chance of increased violent crimes during a human’s visit to Equestria, a forty-eight percent chance of sexual misconduct increasing through the nation’s population, and a sixty-five percent chance of disharmony destabilization during the reign of the Princess of Friendship.”

Twilight seems a little too excited to quote all those statistics. So much for harmony between all creatures.

“Wait. Other humans? There are others out there?” You say.

“You didn’t think you were the only human to get pulled into a version of Equestria throughout the entire multiverse, did you?” Twilight says.

You scratch your chin. Honestly, you had never thought about it.

“Let me explain, Anon.” Twilight says as she stops in front of you. “Before Celestia passed on from this world, I spoke to her for one final time. She was on her deathbed, ready to pass on. It was then she gave me her final lesson. She revealed to me the prophecy of this world, known only to a very special few.”

Twilight waves a skeletal hoof dramatically as she continues.

“She told me that our world undergoes cycles. It takes thousands of years, but eventually every period of harmony is befallen by a period of disharmony. This is the way it has always been, since time immemorial. The nations of ponies and creatures rise and fall in endless cycles. A wheel turning forever.”

You nod slowly, but at the back of your mind you know she’s gone off the deep end.

“I... see.” You say.

“The prophecy stated that the rule of the two Princesses, the Sun and the Moon, will be followed by the rule of one. A unicorn named after dusk. Me. The last princess to preside over Equestria before disharmony returns.”

Twilight touches her hoof to her chest.

“Celestia knew I would be born. It was destiny. Even when I was a scared little filly, they knew who I was supposed to be. They raised me and empowered me, for they knew my fight would be the most difficult out of all the princesses that had come before.”

“They put their trust in me, Anon. They believed that I could break the cycle. That I could usher in an age of everlasting harmony. Can you see the magnitude of that task, and how it must take every conceivable effort to accomplish?”

You start to feel uneasy, and glance away.

Twilight sighs with breath that should not be there.

“But there is no use fighting the inevitable, Anonymous. I tried my best, and I failed. I’ll admit that. In all the multiverses I have seen, all the worlds I have explored, most end up the same way. There is always an event that happens when the period changes to an age of turmoil. It is called the Disharmony Event.”

“So what is this event?” You ask.

“Well, in my case, it was the destruction of Ponyville due to the collapse of Cloudsdale.” She says.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” You say.

“I’m afraid not, Anon. That really did happen.” Twilight says. “That is the true cause of the ever-present thunderstorm. Abyssinian rebels managed to collapse the magic resonance grid that powered the city. Without magic, there was nothing to stop the city from falling to the ground.”

Your mouth opens in shock.

“It was winter. Seven days after Hearth’s Warming.” Twilight says with a very distant tone.

No fucking way. An act of terrorism destroyed two cities at once? Could this really be true?

“You... you couldn’t stop it?” You say.

“I tried, Anon.” Twilight says sternly.

“What do you mean you tried?!” You say.

“Anon! This is much bigger than you could possibly comprehend! Do you think I did not pursue every option? Do you think I did not put in every measure of defense?!”

You bare your teeth at her. “It wasn’t enough, huh?” You say.

“I learned that there are some things you cannot avoid, Anon.” Twilight says in a bittersweet tone. “So I chose the next best option.”

You narrow your eyes. Twilight tilts her head slightly.

“To accelerate the age of harmony. To begin anew. With the rise of a new princess and a new nation, I may once more see an age of everlasting harmony.”

Her words ring true to the relentless devotion you knew her for. She would do anything to save her world. But the implications are staggering. Was she the one that set up everything?

“Just... wait. How much of this did you plan? Huh? How much have you been manipulating Sunny’s life?” You say.

Twilight stares at you for a moment. “You know me quite well, Anon. What do you think?” She says.

You involuntarily let out a short laugh. Your eyes well up. Your chest convulses in manic spasms.

“S-so it was all just you all along, huh? Sunny, the crystals, the airship? It was all you.” You say. "What, did you make her in a test tube? Did she even have a dad?!"

Twilight turns her head to the side, clearly disinterested in your emotions. “I do what must be done, Anonymous. Is it not my personal duty to bring the future ruler of Equestria under my tutelage?”

You start to laugh again. God, this is all just a fucking joke, isn’t it? Why can’t you stop laughing?

“Tell me.” You say between laughs. “Did you plan for her to fucking fall in love with me, too?”

Twilight’s gaze turns back to you. Her fire-like eyes burn with greater intensity.

You casually take the snub-nosed revolver out of your pocket and point it at her head.

“You did this, Twilight. Fuck you.” You say.

Twilight’s skeleton opens its mouth slowly.

BANG.

You don’t really remember pulling the trigger. It just happened. You felt your finger squeeze on its own, and just like that, there’s a gaping hole in Twilight’s right eye socket, and a spout of magic flame shooting from the back of her head.

She clutches her face with a hoof. You think she might be screaming, but you can’t hear anything. You turn the hammer of the revolver with your thumb.

BANG.

Again.

BANG.

The form of Twilight Sparkle, the former queen of Equestria, falls to the ground. Her skull is cracked from the three holes in it. Splinters of bone are scattered on her dingy robe. The flames in her eye sockets slowly fade and puff out into twin trails of smoke.

You lower the gun, staring at your work. You let out a shaky, long-held breath, and there is a winding release of tension deep in your core.

Slowly, you sit down on a stone bench and hang your hands off your knees.

Finally. It is done. A shudder runs through you.

As you take a deep breath and consider your options. Might be some chance of rescue. Maybe.

Just then, the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. You feel a pulse of something in the room.

“That was a bad idea, Anonymous.” Twilight says.

You whip your head around. Her skeletal form remains motionless on the floor. There’s no one in the room.

Then, all of the torches go out at the same time.

You hear the clacking of bones. The hum of some arcane ritual. There is a dull ember of magic burning inside a prison of pony ribs.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t use the gun.” Twilight says as her skeleton rises up off the ground. “My hopes for you once again end in disappointment.”

You look in horror as Twilight once again stands before you. The embers in her eyes are now blazing orbs of fire. Tendrils of flame creep out of the three holes in her skull.

Your body is suddenly encased in the grip of a magic field. Your arms are pressed to your sides, and you are lifted into the air. Twilight’s ivory-colored horn hums with magical power.

“Did it feel good at least? Finally doing what you dreamed of for so long? I bet it did. Assassins are so single-minded. It’s really quite boring...”

The revolver is forcibly removed from your hand. It hovers over to Twilight, who turns her head to it for a moment before levitating it far away.

“Y-you bitch!” You say, straining against the telekinesis.

“Well, you’ve had your fun. Now that Discord’s plan has failed, I wonder if he’ll finally show up again.” Twilight says as she slowly turns away.

“Gk!!” You choke as your chest is compressed tighter.

“Eh, well I suppose we’ll see! Come along, Anon. I have something I need to show you before you go...” She says.

You are dragged forward through the air. You unwillingly float by her side as she walks out into the far door.

She takes her time, walking in a slow, methodical rhythm. Your mind screams internally and your arms tremble and struggle, but you know there is no escape.

Suddenly, there is a chime that sounds in the room. Twilight lifts her head high and glances around.

“Shoot. I suppose that will have to wait for now.” She mutters.

Twilight steps through the hall and brings you into another room. It’s too dark to see anything inside, but it seems pretty big. She floats you in as she stands in the doorway.

“Stay here for now, Anonymous. I need to go and see Sunny off on her new quest. I won’t be long... I promise.” She says.

She drops you unceremoniously on the floor.

As you scramble to your feet, you see the doors close in front of Twilight. You are then encapsulated in complete darkness.

You stand up tall and whirl around, searching for any points of light at all, but it’s completely pitch black. You put your hands forward and step around, trying to search carefully around the room.

It was stupid to try and just shoot her. Of course she has some bullshit power to reform herself.

What did she call herself? A lich? Isn't that like some evil wizard skeleton or something? You think you remember that those have a weakness. Something like a physical object that's connected to their soul. You have to destroy it before you can kill her, and who the fuck knows where it could be?

Your fingers touch cool, smooth stone. You move up to the wall and rest your back on it.

Too late now. Game over. Twilight won. Again.

You slowly slide down the wall into a sitting position. You rest your forearms on your knees and your head hangs down.

You’re exhausted in many ways. Physically, emotionally and psychologically.

You suppose that it’s time for all this to be over.

As you take a resigned breath, your mind wanders over the events of your short stint in the new Equestria.

You think of the pony camp, the forest, Izzy’s treehouse, Zephyr Heights, the airship...

It wasn’t so bad, really.

You should have tried to appreciate it more.

You then think of the ruins of the mall. The party on the deck of the ship. That moment alone with Sunny.

Your heart wrenches in your chest, and you quietly wish you could somehow go back.