The Anti-Brony Chronicles 2: Aftermathby DubleTruble96ChaptersChapter 1: Epilouge ProlougeChapter 2: The DepartureChapter 3: Earth World ProblemsChapter 4: "Here is A Sketch Of The Culprit"Chapter 5: How To Train Your MagicChapter 6: Working BackwardsChapter 1: Epilouge Prolouge2 months have passed since the day I died. 2 long grueling months of bad memories, pain, and long nights of crying myself to sleep. Not even Pinkie can cheer me up. Why am I crying, you may ask? It's a long story. It all happened about 3 months ago. I had a long time hatred for the Princesses of Equestria and all of brony-kind, but it was what I had to endure. That is until they created a stable link to Equestria, my parents disappeared, and I lived for 16 long years in a foster home. They knew of my 'anti-brony'-ness. But they had accepted me as family. In many futile attempts to kill the Princesses and the mane 6, it ended in a strained allience. When all was said and done, and I had helped the ponies kill off the majority of the Brony-rebels, the general, somehow surviving the entire thing, shot me in the stomach, giving me a long, painful demise and a very sad ending for that chapter of my life. But not all was lost, and the Princesses were saved from the rest of the brony-rebellion. Upon hearing of the sacrifice the ponies endured, Celestia attempted to bring me back, but they couldn't do it as a human. They instead created a husk of a pony, a lifeless body that needed nothing more than a soul to fill it. Luckily for me, I was that soul. I awoke in Ponyville hospital about 2 weeks later, and was forced to relearn basic motor skills, like walking, using magic, and eating with hooves. The first few days were fine, then it spiraled downhill. I guess some ponies heard that this 'new pony' was really that fugitive who nearly killed the princesses and they tried to....do away with me. Twilight and her friends defended me and told them that I was changed. I was. But not for the better. Ever since that day, I've been depressed. I can never take back what I've done. It will forever be something burned into the books of Equestrian history. Nothing I can say or do will right what I've done. I get traumatic flashbacks to the battle. People screaming as bullets tear through them, explosions, falling rocks and debris crushing anyone unlucky enough to be under it. Twilight says it's just PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. But I know what it really is. It's guilt, slapping me in the face with everything it's got. Fate has got dirt on me, and it's going to use it to it's fullest. So whatever happened to the brony who gave me everything I needed? The sweater....the glasses...the keychain...I wanted to know if he was okay. He was, but even if I did see him, face to face, he wouldn't even recognize me. I'm only anonymous to the bronies. The ponies know me all too well. So here I lay, in Twilight's bed, tears staining the fur on my cheeks. Twilight has made many attempts to cheer me up, all in vain. She just wants to help me. But she can't. Not now. I can't even trust myself anymore, knowing what's really inside this pony's body. "Austin..." "My name isn't Austin...It's Sketch." "Oh right..." I changed my name in an attempt to seem more 'pony-like'. It didn't work. "Sketch, I know how you feel." "Do you Twilight? Do you really?" "Well....sort of..." "Twilight I just want to fit in. But I can't. I'm like a puzzle piece trying to fit into a puzzle that I don't even belong in. I'm from a different puzzle Twilight." "I know, but you'll get used to it! Ponies will forget eventually!" "Oh don't give me that. The last time I stepped outside I got an egg thrown at me." "But you were just outside 15 minutes ago..." "Exactly." "You don't have any egg on you." "Check the downstairs window. It wasn't so lucky." Twilight blinked, then walked over. "Sketch, just try to cheer up....I can see if Celestia can give you a royal pardon or something. Maybe she can tell everypony. They'll listen to her!" "Sometimes I think I'd be better off out of everypony's mane..." "Don't say that..." "Well it's true, Twi! Look at me! I'm not even supposed to be alive! I'm a empty husk filled with the soul of a human!" "But you're pony outside." "Yeah? And candy bars are plastic outside. That doesn't mean that there's plastic INSIDE..." Twilight bit her lip, then sighed. "Do you want anything while I'm out?" "How about a pony who doesn't hate me?" "Um....Well I'll be back soon..." "Whatever..." Twilight left without another word, and I laid there in the bed, hugging a pillow. To me, it was the only thing that wouldn't hurt me. "How is he?" Applejack asked Twilight, seeming worried. "Not any better. I think he's actually gotten worse..." "What should we do?" Fluttershy asked timidly. "I don't think we can do anything that'll do any good. Not even Pinkie can cheer him up." "Can we see him?" "If you really want to. But I need some supplies...Just don't mess with him. He's not in any shape to be toyed with." Twilight walked down the street, and Applejack walked into the library, with hopes of cheering him up. When she got there, she saw poor Sketch laying on his side, hugging a pillow and crying once again. She walked over and put a hoof on her shoulder, but he swatted it away and shimmied further away from her, out of her reach. Applejack sighed, then looked at Fluttershy, who came in with her. "Fluttershy, Ah think you'd better put him to sleep. We're not going to be able to reason with him until he's well rested..." Fluttershy nodded and sat near the bed, and started to sing her lullaby, 'Hush Now Quiet Now'. Sketch's quiet sobbing slowly ceased until he was asleep without a sound, other than his gentle breathing. Fluttershy tucked him in, and left with Applejack. Sleep's gentle blanket slowly overtook Sketch, and he felt himself transfer into Dreamworld... Chapter 2: The Departure2 days later, this letter arrived at Canterlot Castle. Upon reading it, Celestia sent out the Mane 6 to look for Sketch/Austin.... Dear Princess Celestia, This is the last you or anypony will ever hear of me. I am leaving Ponyville and am going to live in the Everfree Forest. Dangerous it may be, it's the only place I can feel safe from the all the abuse the other ponies have given me. I know you meant well in giving me this body, but sometimes I think I'd be better off dead. I'm sorry for everything I've done. Guilt has be tearing at me for days. Send Twilight and her friends my regards. I've left my belongings at her library. Please do NOT come after me. I'd rather be alone, even if it's for the rest of my days. Your loyal subject and burden, Sketch ==================================================================================================== "Why would he ever want to escape into the Everfree?! He knows the danger!" Twilight paced back and forth in her library, her friends all reading and re-reading the letter over and over. None of them could believe it. But Sketch had just left them, without a trace (no pun intended) other than his things, and that mysterious letter. Celestia told them immediately after reading it that they should try to find him. The ponies all lined up in front of Twilight. "Well, we've hunted him before...I think we can do it again...but this time, the circumstances are not in our favour. The Everfree is unpredictable, and Sketch may not be aware of the danger he could be in! We need to find him NOW. Girls, go get everything you think you may need for the trip. It's going to be a long one...We'll regroup at Fluttershy's cottage." Twilight ordered. The ponies nodded and split up, each going to their place of residence to prepare. Meanwhile, deep in the trees of the Everfree, a dark grey pony was slowly trotting through the brush. A machete surrounded by his gold aura was chopping a few plants out of the way so he could continue. "It was a mistake ever coming here..." Sketch murmured. "I should've just stayed in town, or at least nearby....But no...I needed seclusion, I needed alone-time. Now I'm lost somewhere in the Everfree Forest waiting to become manticore chow." The sun was slowly setting to make way for the moon. "It's getting late...I'd better set up a camp...." He chopped a large assortment of leaves down and assembled them over a branch to make a improvised tent, then gathered twigs and branches to make a fire. Twilight and her friends all stood in Fluttershy's cottage, carrying saddlebags full of gear: bug spray, a tinderbox (matches and flint), food, shelters, plenty of water and much more. Twilight did one final run over of everypony's gear. "Alright, that's it. And Pinkie, it was good thinking packing so many sweets. We may need the energy for the trip." Twilight smiled at her pink friend. Pinkie just grinned, making an adorable 'squee' noise. They then walked out and started off into the Everfree... Sketch just sat there, staring at his fire, watching the bright orange and yellow flames dance gracefully in place. The tiny embers and sparks skipped and leapt though the air. He sighed heavily and looked at what meager supplies he brought. His machete, flint, water and a few apples. That wasn't going to last long, but it may just be enough to keep him going until he found more food. He pawed the ground quietly, unsure of what to do. It was important to keep the fire going, because it keeps most creatures of the night away from his camp. He lazily tossed another stick into the fire, making a small cloud of sparks leap from the ashes. He finally started to quietly sing to himself. "I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known... Don't know where it goes, but it's home to me and I walk alone... I walk this empty street, on the Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Where the city sleeps, and I'm the only one and I walk alone... I walk alone, I walk alone... I walk alone, I walk a-... My shadow's the only one that walks beside me! My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating! Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me! 'Till then I walk alooooone! Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ahhh. Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh..." His voice slowly got a little louder without him realising it. "I'm walkin' down the line, that divides me somewhere in my mind... On the border line of the edge and where I walk alone. Read between the lines, what's f***ed up and everything's alright. Check my vital signs to know I'm still alive and I walk alone... I walk alone, I walk alone. I walk alone, I walk a-" His voice was now near shouting as he continued to the chorus. "My shadow's the only one that walks beside me! My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating! Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me! 'Till then I WALK ALOOOONE!" Twilight and her friends were camping only a few hundred yards away, and heard him singing. Rarity put a hoof to her mouth in shock. Twilight and the other slowly crept up on his camp. Sketch continued the singing. Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah...Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah- I walk alone, I walk a-" Suddenly his horn glowed and music started pouring from nowhere has Sketch started to mock playing a guitar. His horn glowed brighter and a magical aura slowly appeared in his hooves. The aura was in the shape of an electric guitar and an amp. The ponies all stared in awe as he finished the solo and continued the rest of the song. "I walk this empty street, on the Boulevard of Broken Dreams... Where the city sleeps, and I walk a- My shadow's the only one that walks beside me! My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating! Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me! 'Till then I WALK ALOOONE!" He then finished playing on the magical guitar he conjured up and finished the song. He sighed heavily and the magical aura faded, then he threw another branch into the flames, and turned around. He saw the ponies all staring at him with mouths agape. Sketch's muzzle immediately turned pinker than the party mare's and he picked up his machete. "B-b-b-back off! I said I didn't want people following me!" Sketch said nervously, his hoof shaking from fear. Twilight was first to ask the obvious. "How did you DO that?!" "Do what?" "That thing! You were playing some sort of instrument from nothing but magical energy!" Twilight's eyes lit up. "oh...I...um...I dunno. I just got into the song I guess." He stabbed the blade of the machete in the ground and sat down near the fire. He knew well enough by now not to bother resisting capture with THESE ponies...Might as well just let them take him back. He was miserable out here anyway. "But how? What was that thing you were playing?!" Twilight asked. She seemed determined to find out. "It was just a guitar. It's an instrument from Earth." Sketch looked at her with a nonchalant expression, obviously not as impressed as she was. "I suppose you girls came to take me back to Ponyville..." "Well....um..yes." Twilight looked at him quietly. Sketch just rolled his eyes and poked at the fire with a stick. "I thought as much. Might as well stop resisting the inevitable." "What do you mean?" Rarity looked puzzled. "You girls always beat me. I'm always captured, I can never out-smart you..." Sketch sighed once again. "It's impossible to escape with you on my tail." Pinkie stepped off Sketch's tail. "Whoopsie..." "Thank you." Sketch said. "Well, we only want what's best for you." Rainbow said, flying over and putting a hoof on his shoulder. "What IS best for me, Dashie? Going back to a town that hates me, or living here with things that hate me?" Rainbow didn't have an answer to that. She just hovered there trying to think of something. "Exactly." Twilight tapped her hoof to her chin in thought. Her eyes then lit up like a pinball machine. "Wait! You said the town hates you right? Because you nearly caused the destruction of Equestria?" "Yeah?" Sketch stared at her. "What if you did something so heroic, they'd HAVE to love you?" Sketch stared at her for a minute, then burst into laughter. They just stared at him for a while as he rolled around in the dirt. "Come on, Twi. I'm not you! I don't have super magical pony powers. I'm not an Element of Harmony." "You don't need to be." Twilight said. "Yeah I do." Sketch said with a smile. "Twi, I think I'd have to do something that SAVES all of Equestria to counteract what I did to nearly DESTROY Equestria. And the only thing that I can do would be beat Nightmare Moon, Discord, or The Changelings. All of which I need the Elements for." "But Sketch-" "Forget it Twi...Look, let's just spend the night here, then head back to Ponyville....I'd be better off there than here." Meanwhile, on Earth.... "So how many are left?" "Under 1000. Most are just up and confessing. I think we've finally beat them..." "Think again." *BANG BANG* "Austin may not of beaten you. But I sure as hell will...." Chapter 3: Earth World ProblemsThe stranger flipped a bit into the air, caught it, and flipped it again as he walked. He was a tall person, broad shouldered, heavily built. Certainly someone who would give the "Don't Mess With Me" look. He was bad to the bone, and damn proud of it. His black zip-up sweater hung loosely as he walked, his torn black jeans and worn sneakers showed that he clearly didn't care about his appearence. His long shaggy hair hung in front of his eyes like a dark brown curtain. Strapped to his belt was a leather holster, in it was a golden pistol, engraved with intials 'D.R.'. He chewed his toothpick before spitting it into a nearby trash bin. He walked through an abandoned alley. This was HIS turf. Some say even the neighborhood gangs were scared of him. He kicked in the doors to an old house, where a computer genius and inside source to the ponies sat. He briskly walked over and slammed his hand down on the counter, making a loud bang. This caught the genius' attention. "Hello..." he muttered nervously. "I heard you were once Austin's inside source for anything pony related." "That's right..." he replied as he pushed his glasses against his face. "I need this." The stranger tossed him a blueprint for some sort of a cloak, lined with pockets of all sorts. "I'm gonna need incentive first." The genius gave him a smug smile that quickly disappeared when the strange produced his golden pistol and held it to the genius' head. "There's your incentive." "You drive a hard bargain!" He grinned nervously and took the blueprint, then ran into the back room. "I'll be back in an hour!" Meanwhile, in a Top Secret Army Base... "Alpha team, do you read? Alpha team! Come in! Damn it!" "What do we do now, Sarge?" "We inform the Princesses and world leaders. They need to know. Johnson, get Bravo team and search his house! I need to get the bird to the LZ stat!" "Yes sir." Johnson quickly left the room. "You there, private." "Sir, yes sir?" "Go get my gun. I'm finding this Anti if it's the last thing I do..." And back with the stranger, one hour later... "Here's your cloak, as well as that ammo you wanted..." The genius passed a cloak and a box of .22 pistol rounds. "Thanks, goggle-boy...And next time...Don't keep me waiting..." He walked out the door with the cloak and ammo in his arms. He continued to his house, but stopped when he saw a military helicopter flying away from it. He then gritted his teeth and pulled out his pistol, put on the cloak and pocketing the bullets. He ran towards his house and kicked the door in, shooting the first few officers repeatedly, then reloaded. He saw another one shoot in his direction, but the stranger shot him before he could land a hit. He continued into his house, then picked up a large meat cleaver and waited, then threw it at one of the next officers, hitting him square in the forehead. He then walked over to the last officer, who dropped his gun and backed away. "Just please! Let me go!" "Can't risk it." The stranger shot him where he stood. He then picked up the dropped assault rifles and put them in his closet, then dumped the bodies outside. He sighed and looked in the mirror. He smiled at his reflection and combed his hair. "Gotta look my best. I got a date with the Princess tonight...." "Bravo team! BRAVO TEAM! COME IN!" "We've already lost 2 drop squads, Sarge! How many more do we have to lose?!" "We're not losing any more. We're going to wait until he comes to us." "But Sarge, he's probably already on his way to Canterlot!" "Damn it I know! But we can't risk it! We'll wait until he sets foot in Canterlot, then we'll have an assault team take him out." "Should we get Equestria involved?" "Yes. Tell Sierra Alpha to get his men on duty. They've got their magic, they can help too." "Yes sir!" "I'm going to be down there with them on the front line. I'm not letting this anti through our defence." ======================= Twilight and her friends ran into the throne room, Sketch close behind. "We came as soon as we heard!" Twilight said. "Who's trying now?" "Another Anti. He's ruthless. He's already killed a military drop squad." "What can we do?" Twilight asked, getting straight to the point. "I want you to go provide magic and air support for the military. Try to find this anti." "What's he look like?" "He's a tall, dark male. His skin is a pinkish white, and he has long dark hair that covers his eyes. Wears black a lot." "Wait...does he carry around a golden gun?" Sketch asked. "Yes...how did you know?" "I know that Anti...." They all looked at Sketch, who seemed to be anxious. "He's my brother." Chapter 4: "Here is A Sketch Of The Culprit"He sat in front of his allies, looking absolutely ashamed. "He's my brother." "Your brother?!" "Yes." The Princess walked over and put a reassuring hoof on his shoulder. "I understand how hard this must be for you. But you must understand that we're now facing our most powerful enemy since....well.....since you." "I do....but....I can't bring myself to hurt him. We grew up together for a few years, but then I disappeared...I abandoned him. Then he must of heard of what happened to me and now he's seeking revenge." "Perhaps it will be better if you did not take part in this war." Sketch shook his head. "No...this is my only chance to make things right since what I did...I WILL stop him. But I'm stopping him in my own way." He turned, then galloped out of the throne room. Twilight went to go after him, but Celestia put her wing in front of her. "Leave him, Twilight. We've more important matters to discuss." "But Princess-" "I said to leave him be, Twilight. He'll be fine. But we must discuss what we're going to do. He knows that we will have to protect ourselves should the anti manage to breach our defences. He will be upset, yes, but he'll get over it." Sketch continued to run for what seemed like hours. He didn't know what he was doing or where he was going, but whatever it was, he felt determined to complete this task. Meanwhile, back on Earth, the Anti was standing in a Portal Chamber. Portal Chambers dotted both Equestria and Earth, often in cities or towns. You can tell which building holds a portal due to the fact that the portal gives off a lot of radiation, so much of the building is coated with lead. "Listen fellas, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way...." He grinned, showing that his canines were sharpened into fangs like that of a dog. The burly guards stood in front of him, guarding the portal from the anti. "We already told you. You're not gettin' in without showing some bits." Portal Chambers, like most forms of transportation, require a small fee before usage. Depending on the location, the price could be anywhere from a measly 3 bits to a whopping 50 bits. The portal the Anti was trying to use, the one that led to Canterlot, cost around 35 bits. "I guess we're doing this the hard way." The Anti pulled out his pistol and shot both of the guards in the knee, then, when they were crippled and bleeding, he stepped over them. "Sorry fellas, but I got a date tonight!" He grinned, bowed, then stepped through the portal. The portal let out a loud WhhhoooooOOSH SNAP! And the Anti was gone. Shining Armor was ordering his stallions to build up a thick barrier of sandbags in front of the throne room's door, as well as armed stallion guards in the main entrance. The shield spell around the castle was strong and completely projectile proof. No pony or human was going in or out without the Princess' say so. Human guards lined the outdoors, similar sandbag bunkers dotting the entire courtyard. The Anti stepped into the Canterlot Portal Chamber and looked around. The guards that were supposed to be working this one were gone, helping protect the castle. He stepped out and looked around. The entire city was evacuated to safer areas. He just snorted a bit, then walked over to a barrel he had been to in the days previous. He reached in and pulled out a briefcase, then a set of leather knife-proof gloves. He put them on, then casually walked the empty streets until he got to the clock tower. Once inside, he climbed the stairs, then opened one of the maintenence hatches that led to the outside ledges. He pulled up a chair, opened the briefcase, and assembled the sniper rifle parts. He loaded the clip into the gun and set up the mount. Then he sat back and waited. Sketch came back to Canterlot hours later by train. His saddlebags were bulging with whatever it was that he had in them. He looked at the castle and gasped. "Oh no...." He stared at the castle's thick magic shield, and the military patrolling both inside and outside the courtyard. He shook his head and started to gallop there as fast as his hooves would take him. Unbeknownst to him, though, the Anti was just sitting and watching the unicorn run. He grinned, chewing on a toothpick. Everything was just falling into place..... Sketch kept running until he finally came to the base of the giant shield. The guards aimed their spears at him, and he put up a hoof. "Wait wait wait!" He said. "I'm not an assassin! I swear! I'm here on royal business!" "What's in the bags?" "Search them if you must! Just don't hurt me!" Twilight came down, and nodded to the guards. "Don't worry. I know him, he's clean." The guards looked at her, then stepped back, and raised their spears away from him. "As you wish, Captain Sparkle." The shield opened up and Sketch stepped through. He looked at her curiously. "CAPTAIN Sparkle?" "The Elements seem to give us military authority." "So you're a captain?" "I suppose so. Where were you? I was so worried...." "I....I know. But that's not important. What IS important is that I know how to protect the Princess without hurting my little brother." "Sketch, I really don't think that's a good id-" Suddenly.... A distant gunshot. The whizz of a bullet flying through the air. The splatter of blood sprayed Sketch's muzzle and chest, staining his fur. "NOOOO!" Twilight stared at him, frowning. She slowly looked down. A deep red stained her chest fur, and the stain just kept getting bigger. She dropped onto her side, eyes closed. Sketch watched in horror as the life in Twilight's eyes started to fade. He spun around angrily and stared off into the distance. It was something only he could see from so far away. The anti was standing on the clocktower's ledge, a smoking sniper rifle in his hands. He saluted to Sketch and grinned at him. The shield hadn't yet closed, and it made an open shot for him. Sketch screamed at him angrily, tears streaming down his face. "DRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE!!!" Even as Twilight was hauled away on a stretcher and Sketch had to be dragged away by the guards so that he wasn't shot also, he was still screaming and cursing his brother's name. "DRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKEEE!!" His mouth dripped with foam, his eyes almost burning through the walls. His voice seemed to reach the heavens above and the gates of Tartarus below. His voice never once cracked or shivered. His horn started to glow, then spark, then started to fire giant bolts of lightning across the room, shattering windows and breaking furniture. "DRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE I'M GOING TO MURDER YOU!!! I SWEAR IT!!" He only stopped screaming after the medical ponies had to administer a tranquilizer needle to get him to calm down. He slowly collapsed into a heap, his throat now sore from shouting, his eyes burning from the amount of tears he simply couldn't control. The Princesses stood over him, looked down at the little unicorn. Even they were scared by Sketch's rage. No one expected it to be so violent. Rainbow Dash came over to them. "The doctor's say Twilight is going to live. The bullet missed her heart, but it did strike a lung. She'll be fine, but they need to keep her in the infirmary indefinately." The pegasus looked down at Sketch. "Was.....was all that noise and all this wreckage from....him?" Celestia just slowly nodded and looked at Rainbow Dash. "He hasn't yet gotten used to his powers. It seems that his emotions really control how he uses his magic....Sadness is expressed by music or other creative forms. And anger....it seems it's expressed through violent magical storms. If Sketch is to be of any help to us, he needs to control his magic better. He can't let his emotions control his actions...." "But the only one who could teach him that is Twilight! And she's-" "I know. But I don't think even Twilight could possibly help him. He needs someone he trusts. Someone who will not judge him based solely on his actions." "But where are we going to find anypony like that?!" "I will teach him." "But Celestia, you're life is in danger!" "Of that, I am well aware. But I am also the only one who can possibly teach him in time....I'll accept him as my student. But first, we need to figure out what exactly he was trying to do...." They lifted his saddlebags off him, then flipped them open. "......The clever little...." Chapter 5: How To Train Your Magic"Again, Sketch." The glass of water hovered around the unicorn in a perfect circle, balanced upon a coin. The golden aura drifted magically off the edges of the glass. "Now....Drake shot Twilight." Suddenly the once tranquil golden aura turned into a violent red. It was spiked and shot off bolts of magical electricity, marking the walls and ground with scortch marks. The magic squeezed the glass so tightly it shattered, spilling water everywhere. "ENOUGH!" The magic stopped and Sketch looked at Celestia with a worried expression, ears flat against his head, as if he was being scolded. Celestia sighed and set out another glass on the table, and before she continued the lesson, she turned to him. "Sketch, you cannot let your emotions control your magic. If you do, the spells you cast will be out of pure spite, not out of careful consideration." "I'm sorry Princess! Drake....He just makes me so....angry! I-" "I understand your feelings, but right now, you must concentrate hard on your magical studies, NOT the war." "But Princess-" "Again!" Sketch started to hover the glass once more, putting all his concentration onto keeping the glass balanced and afloat. "Drake shot Twilight, Sketch. How does that make you feel?" "Ang....angry!" The glass stopped and started to tremble as the magic started to turn orange. "Sketch! You have to control the magic! Don't let the magic control you!" The magic ceased turning red, but stayed a vibrant orange for a few seconds. Then slowly turned back into gold. "Sketch, do you not remember what happened to your ally?" "I do..." "Doesn't that make you upset?" The glass started to slowly hover in a circle again. "Yes....But I'm not letting it overcome my concentration!" "Why not?" "Because I control the magic. The magic doesn't control me! I'm not a puppet!" "Good!" "I'm not a plaything for my emotions!" The glass started to speed up. "I can't let my emotions win!" The glass spun out of control and flew out of his grasp and into a wall. Sketch snapped out of whatever trance he was in and looked at the shattered glass. His ears dropped once again and he looked at his 'teacher'. Celestia said nothing and simply walked out of the room. Sketch sat down and sighed heavily. Celestia walked into the infirmary and approached Twilight, who was currently recovering and chatting with her friends, who were standing near her bedside. "Princess!" Rainbow said. "Hello, my little ponies. How is my protege?" "Feeling better than yesterday....what happened to me?" "You were shot by the Anti. Must've used a high-power long-ranged human weapon. The FBI say a 'sniper rifle'." "Sounds dangerous." Rarity commented. "Very." They all turned to Sketch who had entered the room. "It's extremely dangerous. The bullets fired from a sniper rifle can get as big as .50 caliber. You were lucky you only got shot by a .22 rifle shot." "Why?" ".44 caliber is big enough to leave an entry wound the size of a dinner plate. .50 caliber can make a watermelon explode." "Are you serious?!" Rainbow shouted.\ "I've never been more serious. He wasn't aiming to kill. He was trying to send a message. He's playing a 'catch-me-if-you-can' game with us. He's trying to psych us out!" "Sketch is right. We cannot let him get under our skin. He's not after you, Twilight. He's after me and my sister." Celestia said. Sketch pulled out his saddlebags and opened them up, then dumped out the contents. Among them was a pickaxe, a shovel, a map showing something somewhere in the Everfree and a book on Equestrian legends. They all knew what exactly he was trying to do. "Princess, if I may....I'd like to tell everypony my plan." She slowly nodded, a small smile creeping it's way onto her mouth. "Here's my idea..." "That's crazy, Sketch!" Pinkie said. "So crazy....it just might work!" Applejack smiled. "But what do we tell the citizens of Canterlot?" Twilight looked worried. "Nothing. If we tell anypony anything, the plan is ruined." "Are you sure you want to go through with this, Sketch?" "I'm sure.....If everything goes according to plan, I'll be able to redeem myself in the eyes of Equestria AND end this war." "Alright....inform the guards. They must know what's going on as well." Princess Celestia looked at the Royal Guards standing in the doorway. "That means you!" The guards looked startled, then ran off to tell the rest of the troops. "Alright....Princess, can you teleport us safely to the Everfree?" "Yes, but it's quite the distance. So the going will be rough." "That's fine....get your sister too. We're going to need her if this is to be perfect." "Of course." The anti sat in his secret HQ, polishing a gun. He grinned at his reflection, then spat out the toothpick and started to load a magazine with .50 caliber rounds. "The big day is only 2 days away! I gotta look my best when Equestria falls to it's knees in front of me." He chuckled and circled a date on a worn calander. "After all....they'll all be present when I break the princess' heart!" Chapter 6: Working BackwardsCelestia sat in her throne room, writing on one of many documents stacked before her. The weather around Canterlot was unusually stormy. A dark omen seemed to cover the empty city streets. Soon, gunshots broke the silence. A lone human had breached the shielding. He must've destroyed the generator that created the barrier. He scoffed as he walked in, the guards being shot where they stood. Their lack of firearms proved to be their weakness and their downfall. The Princesses, both of them, sat in the throne room together. They heard the gunshots. They knew he was coming for them. Drake continued his rampage through the palace. He knocked over furniture and broke decorations in his path, killing anyone who stood in his way. He was a one man army with a mission. And he was going to see it through. The princesses glanced up when they heard the lock being shot, then broken. The door was then booted open and Drake unleashed a flurry of rounds with an assault rifle. The guards in the room fell down one by one. Drake grinned and walked closer the Princesses. Celestia, however, much to his surprise....was slowly, yet loudly, clapping. Sarcastically applauding him for his effort. As if it was all for naught. Sketch and the Mane 6 sat nearby, not making any effort to protect their rulers. Drake smiled and nodded toward the injured Twilight, who just scowled at him as he walked past her. Drake soon stood before the two Princesses and brought his hands together and smiled at them. "Greetings ladies....Princesses." He nodded to Sketch. "Brother. I have come to you....with a proposal that will work out great for one of both of us!" When he got no response from the Princesses, he continued. "I don't really want to kill you....Wait, scratch that. I lied. I REALLY want to kill you. I wanna shoot you both in the f***ing head right now! Really! Okay....But seriously. I want my planet back, without the ponies...and preferably without the bronies. So I thought killing you two would be the best option. But no...." He shook his head with a grin as he paced the floor. "I decided, 'Why should I kill you two when I could have you work for me?'. So here's the deal! You get off my planet, get your asses back to YOUR planet, and take the bronies with ya, and I won't blow you f***ing heads off! Oh and you two will also answer to me now." "We will never bow to an Anti!" Luna hissed. "Shame...really....I really wanted to keep ya. Maybe saddle ya up and ride you around a farm. Oh well. I mean this works to!" He pulled out his gun and was about to pull the trigger, when suddenly Sketch got up. Sketch then pulled out a knife from nearby and stabbed both Princesses repeatedly in the neck. Drake watched in shock as Sketch slaughtered the two goddesses with a knife. Twilight and her friends grabbed him and pulled him away from their corpses. "I KNEW WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TRUSTED YOU!!" Twilight screamed through her tears. "I KNEW IT! WE SHOULD'VE KILLED YOU WHEN WE HAD THE CHANCE!!" Twilight turned to Drake. "AND AS FOR YOU...." Her horn flared and she took aim at him with a powerful bolt of pure energy. Drake only took two seconds to process that before aiming and firing his gun repeatedly at Twilight. The bullets melted in mid-flight when they got close to her. Twilight fired her beam, which Drake avoided. He continued to avoid beams until he managed to flee the palace. Twilight turned to Sketch and ordered her friends to lock him in the deepest, darkest, dingiest dungeon cell they can find. They dragged him into the dungeons and locked him up, and threw away the key. Sketch sat there in his cell, feeling guilty, but at the same time, accomplished. He finished what he had set out to do....: Throw off his brother and save the Princesses. Twilight soon came downstairs and approached his cell. "The princesses are still safe in lock down at our undisclosed location like you told us to. Are you sure he won't look for them there?" "Positive. He's going to be angry that I stole his....um...kills. So now he's going to be coming for me." "It was a good idea to use Mirror Pool clones. I never would've thought of that! But what happens now?" "Now we wait for him to come after me. This'll allow Celestia and Luna to figure out a way to stop him." "But what if they're too late and he gets you?" Sketch went silent after that...He didn't want to answer her. "Listen, he's gone into hiding again. I'll send away the clones bodies back to the Mirror Pool, which should clean up the blood." "Alright. You have to keep me locked up and you have to make like the leader now. Act like they're dead." "Right....Are you sure this will work though? It seems really....backwards." Sketch smiled at Twilight. "Sometimes you gotta work backwards to move forwards." Author's Note Hey guys, sorry about not updating this more. Also, sorry about this chapter feeling rushed. I'll try and edit it later to make it more lengthy. But I hope this'll hold you off for a while while I update my other stories. =P
Chapter 1: Epilouge Prolouge2 months have passed since the day I died. 2 long grueling months of bad memories, pain, and long nights of crying myself to sleep. Not even Pinkie can cheer me up. Why am I crying, you may ask? It's a long story. It all happened about 3 months ago. I had a long time hatred for the Princesses of Equestria and all of brony-kind, but it was what I had to endure. That is until they created a stable link to Equestria, my parents disappeared, and I lived for 16 long years in a foster home. They knew of my 'anti-brony'-ness. But they had accepted me as family. In many futile attempts to kill the Princesses and the mane 6, it ended in a strained allience. When all was said and done, and I had helped the ponies kill off the majority of the Brony-rebels, the general, somehow surviving the entire thing, shot me in the stomach, giving me a long, painful demise and a very sad ending for that chapter of my life. But not all was lost, and the Princesses were saved from the rest of the brony-rebellion. Upon hearing of the sacrifice the ponies endured, Celestia attempted to bring me back, but they couldn't do it as a human. They instead created a husk of a pony, a lifeless body that needed nothing more than a soul to fill it. Luckily for me, I was that soul. I awoke in Ponyville hospital about 2 weeks later, and was forced to relearn basic motor skills, like walking, using magic, and eating with hooves. The first few days were fine, then it spiraled downhill. I guess some ponies heard that this 'new pony' was really that fugitive who nearly killed the princesses and they tried to....do away with me. Twilight and her friends defended me and told them that I was changed. I was. But not for the better. Ever since that day, I've been depressed. I can never take back what I've done. It will forever be something burned into the books of Equestrian history. Nothing I can say or do will right what I've done. I get traumatic flashbacks to the battle. People screaming as bullets tear through them, explosions, falling rocks and debris crushing anyone unlucky enough to be under it. Twilight says it's just PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. But I know what it really is. It's guilt, slapping me in the face with everything it's got. Fate has got dirt on me, and it's going to use it to it's fullest. So whatever happened to the brony who gave me everything I needed? The sweater....the glasses...the keychain...I wanted to know if he was okay. He was, but even if I did see him, face to face, he wouldn't even recognize me. I'm only anonymous to the bronies. The ponies know me all too well. So here I lay, in Twilight's bed, tears staining the fur on my cheeks. Twilight has made many attempts to cheer me up, all in vain. She just wants to help me. But she can't. Not now. I can't even trust myself anymore, knowing what's really inside this pony's body. "Austin..." "My name isn't Austin...It's Sketch." "Oh right..." I changed my name in an attempt to seem more 'pony-like'. It didn't work. "Sketch, I know how you feel." "Do you Twilight? Do you really?" "Well....sort of..." "Twilight I just want to fit in. But I can't. I'm like a puzzle piece trying to fit into a puzzle that I don't even belong in. I'm from a different puzzle Twilight." "I know, but you'll get used to it! Ponies will forget eventually!" "Oh don't give me that. The last time I stepped outside I got an egg thrown at me." "But you were just outside 15 minutes ago..." "Exactly." "You don't have any egg on you." "Check the downstairs window. It wasn't so lucky." Twilight blinked, then walked over. "Sketch, just try to cheer up....I can see if Celestia can give you a royal pardon or something. Maybe she can tell everypony. They'll listen to her!" "Sometimes I think I'd be better off out of everypony's mane..." "Don't say that..." "Well it's true, Twi! Look at me! I'm not even supposed to be alive! I'm a empty husk filled with the soul of a human!" "But you're pony outside." "Yeah? And candy bars are plastic outside. That doesn't mean that there's plastic INSIDE..." Twilight bit her lip, then sighed. "Do you want anything while I'm out?" "How about a pony who doesn't hate me?" "Um....Well I'll be back soon..." "Whatever..." Twilight left without another word, and I laid there in the bed, hugging a pillow. To me, it was the only thing that wouldn't hurt me. "How is he?" Applejack asked Twilight, seeming worried. "Not any better. I think he's actually gotten worse..." "What should we do?" Fluttershy asked timidly. "I don't think we can do anything that'll do any good. Not even Pinkie can cheer him up." "Can we see him?" "If you really want to. But I need some supplies...Just don't mess with him. He's not in any shape to be toyed with." Twilight walked down the street, and Applejack walked into the library, with hopes of cheering him up. When she got there, she saw poor Sketch laying on his side, hugging a pillow and crying once again. She walked over and put a hoof on her shoulder, but he swatted it away and shimmied further away from her, out of her reach. Applejack sighed, then looked at Fluttershy, who came in with her. "Fluttershy, Ah think you'd better put him to sleep. We're not going to be able to reason with him until he's well rested..." Fluttershy nodded and sat near the bed, and started to sing her lullaby, 'Hush Now Quiet Now'. Sketch's quiet sobbing slowly ceased until he was asleep without a sound, other than his gentle breathing. Fluttershy tucked him in, and left with Applejack. Sleep's gentle blanket slowly overtook Sketch, and he felt himself transfer into Dreamworld...
Chapter 2: The Departure2 days later, this letter arrived at Canterlot Castle. Upon reading it, Celestia sent out the Mane 6 to look for Sketch/Austin.... Dear Princess Celestia, This is the last you or anypony will ever hear of me. I am leaving Ponyville and am going to live in the Everfree Forest. Dangerous it may be, it's the only place I can feel safe from the all the abuse the other ponies have given me. I know you meant well in giving me this body, but sometimes I think I'd be better off dead. I'm sorry for everything I've done. Guilt has be tearing at me for days. Send Twilight and her friends my regards. I've left my belongings at her library. Please do NOT come after me. I'd rather be alone, even if it's for the rest of my days. Your loyal subject and burden, Sketch ==================================================================================================== "Why would he ever want to escape into the Everfree?! He knows the danger!" Twilight paced back and forth in her library, her friends all reading and re-reading the letter over and over. None of them could believe it. But Sketch had just left them, without a trace (no pun intended) other than his things, and that mysterious letter. Celestia told them immediately after reading it that they should try to find him. The ponies all lined up in front of Twilight. "Well, we've hunted him before...I think we can do it again...but this time, the circumstances are not in our favour. The Everfree is unpredictable, and Sketch may not be aware of the danger he could be in! We need to find him NOW. Girls, go get everything you think you may need for the trip. It's going to be a long one...We'll regroup at Fluttershy's cottage." Twilight ordered. The ponies nodded and split up, each going to their place of residence to prepare. Meanwhile, deep in the trees of the Everfree, a dark grey pony was slowly trotting through the brush. A machete surrounded by his gold aura was chopping a few plants out of the way so he could continue. "It was a mistake ever coming here..." Sketch murmured. "I should've just stayed in town, or at least nearby....But no...I needed seclusion, I needed alone-time. Now I'm lost somewhere in the Everfree Forest waiting to become manticore chow." The sun was slowly setting to make way for the moon. "It's getting late...I'd better set up a camp...." He chopped a large assortment of leaves down and assembled them over a branch to make a improvised tent, then gathered twigs and branches to make a fire. Twilight and her friends all stood in Fluttershy's cottage, carrying saddlebags full of gear: bug spray, a tinderbox (matches and flint), food, shelters, plenty of water and much more. Twilight did one final run over of everypony's gear. "Alright, that's it. And Pinkie, it was good thinking packing so many sweets. We may need the energy for the trip." Twilight smiled at her pink friend. Pinkie just grinned, making an adorable 'squee' noise. They then walked out and started off into the Everfree... Sketch just sat there, staring at his fire, watching the bright orange and yellow flames dance gracefully in place. The tiny embers and sparks skipped and leapt though the air. He sighed heavily and looked at what meager supplies he brought. His machete, flint, water and a few apples. That wasn't going to last long, but it may just be enough to keep him going until he found more food. He pawed the ground quietly, unsure of what to do. It was important to keep the fire going, because it keeps most creatures of the night away from his camp. He lazily tossed another stick into the fire, making a small cloud of sparks leap from the ashes. He finally started to quietly sing to himself. "I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known... Don't know where it goes, but it's home to me and I walk alone... I walk this empty street, on the Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Where the city sleeps, and I'm the only one and I walk alone... I walk alone, I walk alone... I walk alone, I walk a-... My shadow's the only one that walks beside me! My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating! Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me! 'Till then I walk alooooone! Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ahhh. Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh..." His voice slowly got a little louder without him realising it. "I'm walkin' down the line, that divides me somewhere in my mind... On the border line of the edge and where I walk alone. Read between the lines, what's f***ed up and everything's alright. Check my vital signs to know I'm still alive and I walk alone... I walk alone, I walk alone. I walk alone, I walk a-" His voice was now near shouting as he continued to the chorus. "My shadow's the only one that walks beside me! My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating! Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me! 'Till then I WALK ALOOOONE!" Twilight and her friends were camping only a few hundred yards away, and heard him singing. Rarity put a hoof to her mouth in shock. Twilight and the other slowly crept up on his camp. Sketch continued the singing. Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah...Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah- I walk alone, I walk a-" Suddenly his horn glowed and music started pouring from nowhere has Sketch started to mock playing a guitar. His horn glowed brighter and a magical aura slowly appeared in his hooves. The aura was in the shape of an electric guitar and an amp. The ponies all stared in awe as he finished the solo and continued the rest of the song. "I walk this empty street, on the Boulevard of Broken Dreams... Where the city sleeps, and I walk a- My shadow's the only one that walks beside me! My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating! Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me! 'Till then I WALK ALOOONE!" He then finished playing on the magical guitar he conjured up and finished the song. He sighed heavily and the magical aura faded, then he threw another branch into the flames, and turned around. He saw the ponies all staring at him with mouths agape. Sketch's muzzle immediately turned pinker than the party mare's and he picked up his machete. "B-b-b-back off! I said I didn't want people following me!" Sketch said nervously, his hoof shaking from fear. Twilight was first to ask the obvious. "How did you DO that?!" "Do what?" "That thing! You were playing some sort of instrument from nothing but magical energy!" Twilight's eyes lit up. "oh...I...um...I dunno. I just got into the song I guess." He stabbed the blade of the machete in the ground and sat down near the fire. He knew well enough by now not to bother resisting capture with THESE ponies...Might as well just let them take him back. He was miserable out here anyway. "But how? What was that thing you were playing?!" Twilight asked. She seemed determined to find out. "It was just a guitar. It's an instrument from Earth." Sketch looked at her with a nonchalant expression, obviously not as impressed as she was. "I suppose you girls came to take me back to Ponyville..." "Well....um..yes." Twilight looked at him quietly. Sketch just rolled his eyes and poked at the fire with a stick. "I thought as much. Might as well stop resisting the inevitable." "What do you mean?" Rarity looked puzzled. "You girls always beat me. I'm always captured, I can never out-smart you..." Sketch sighed once again. "It's impossible to escape with you on my tail." Pinkie stepped off Sketch's tail. "Whoopsie..." "Thank you." Sketch said. "Well, we only want what's best for you." Rainbow said, flying over and putting a hoof on his shoulder. "What IS best for me, Dashie? Going back to a town that hates me, or living here with things that hate me?" Rainbow didn't have an answer to that. She just hovered there trying to think of something. "Exactly." Twilight tapped her hoof to her chin in thought. Her eyes then lit up like a pinball machine. "Wait! You said the town hates you right? Because you nearly caused the destruction of Equestria?" "Yeah?" Sketch stared at her. "What if you did something so heroic, they'd HAVE to love you?" Sketch stared at her for a minute, then burst into laughter. They just stared at him for a while as he rolled around in the dirt. "Come on, Twi. I'm not you! I don't have super magical pony powers. I'm not an Element of Harmony." "You don't need to be." Twilight said. "Yeah I do." Sketch said with a smile. "Twi, I think I'd have to do something that SAVES all of Equestria to counteract what I did to nearly DESTROY Equestria. And the only thing that I can do would be beat Nightmare Moon, Discord, or The Changelings. All of which I need the Elements for." "But Sketch-" "Forget it Twi...Look, let's just spend the night here, then head back to Ponyville....I'd be better off there than here." Meanwhile, on Earth.... "So how many are left?" "Under 1000. Most are just up and confessing. I think we've finally beat them..." "Think again." *BANG BANG* "Austin may not of beaten you. But I sure as hell will...."
Chapter 3: Earth World ProblemsThe stranger flipped a bit into the air, caught it, and flipped it again as he walked. He was a tall person, broad shouldered, heavily built. Certainly someone who would give the "Don't Mess With Me" look. He was bad to the bone, and damn proud of it. His black zip-up sweater hung loosely as he walked, his torn black jeans and worn sneakers showed that he clearly didn't care about his appearence. His long shaggy hair hung in front of his eyes like a dark brown curtain. Strapped to his belt was a leather holster, in it was a golden pistol, engraved with intials 'D.R.'. He chewed his toothpick before spitting it into a nearby trash bin. He walked through an abandoned alley. This was HIS turf. Some say even the neighborhood gangs were scared of him. He kicked in the doors to an old house, where a computer genius and inside source to the ponies sat. He briskly walked over and slammed his hand down on the counter, making a loud bang. This caught the genius' attention. "Hello..." he muttered nervously. "I heard you were once Austin's inside source for anything pony related." "That's right..." he replied as he pushed his glasses against his face. "I need this." The stranger tossed him a blueprint for some sort of a cloak, lined with pockets of all sorts. "I'm gonna need incentive first." The genius gave him a smug smile that quickly disappeared when the strange produced his golden pistol and held it to the genius' head. "There's your incentive." "You drive a hard bargain!" He grinned nervously and took the blueprint, then ran into the back room. "I'll be back in an hour!" Meanwhile, in a Top Secret Army Base... "Alpha team, do you read? Alpha team! Come in! Damn it!" "What do we do now, Sarge?" "We inform the Princesses and world leaders. They need to know. Johnson, get Bravo team and search his house! I need to get the bird to the LZ stat!" "Yes sir." Johnson quickly left the room. "You there, private." "Sir, yes sir?" "Go get my gun. I'm finding this Anti if it's the last thing I do..." And back with the stranger, one hour later... "Here's your cloak, as well as that ammo you wanted..." The genius passed a cloak and a box of .22 pistol rounds. "Thanks, goggle-boy...And next time...Don't keep me waiting..." He walked out the door with the cloak and ammo in his arms. He continued to his house, but stopped when he saw a military helicopter flying away from it. He then gritted his teeth and pulled out his pistol, put on the cloak and pocketing the bullets. He ran towards his house and kicked the door in, shooting the first few officers repeatedly, then reloaded. He saw another one shoot in his direction, but the stranger shot him before he could land a hit. He continued into his house, then picked up a large meat cleaver and waited, then threw it at one of the next officers, hitting him square in the forehead. He then walked over to the last officer, who dropped his gun and backed away. "Just please! Let me go!" "Can't risk it." The stranger shot him where he stood. He then picked up the dropped assault rifles and put them in his closet, then dumped the bodies outside. He sighed and looked in the mirror. He smiled at his reflection and combed his hair. "Gotta look my best. I got a date with the Princess tonight...." "Bravo team! BRAVO TEAM! COME IN!" "We've already lost 2 drop squads, Sarge! How many more do we have to lose?!" "We're not losing any more. We're going to wait until he comes to us." "But Sarge, he's probably already on his way to Canterlot!" "Damn it I know! But we can't risk it! We'll wait until he sets foot in Canterlot, then we'll have an assault team take him out." "Should we get Equestria involved?" "Yes. Tell Sierra Alpha to get his men on duty. They've got their magic, they can help too." "Yes sir!" "I'm going to be down there with them on the front line. I'm not letting this anti through our defence." ======================= Twilight and her friends ran into the throne room, Sketch close behind. "We came as soon as we heard!" Twilight said. "Who's trying now?" "Another Anti. He's ruthless. He's already killed a military drop squad." "What can we do?" Twilight asked, getting straight to the point. "I want you to go provide magic and air support for the military. Try to find this anti." "What's he look like?" "He's a tall, dark male. His skin is a pinkish white, and he has long dark hair that covers his eyes. Wears black a lot." "Wait...does he carry around a golden gun?" Sketch asked. "Yes...how did you know?" "I know that Anti...." They all looked at Sketch, who seemed to be anxious. "He's my brother."
Chapter 4: "Here is A Sketch Of The Culprit"He sat in front of his allies, looking absolutely ashamed. "He's my brother." "Your brother?!" "Yes." The Princess walked over and put a reassuring hoof on his shoulder. "I understand how hard this must be for you. But you must understand that we're now facing our most powerful enemy since....well.....since you." "I do....but....I can't bring myself to hurt him. We grew up together for a few years, but then I disappeared...I abandoned him. Then he must of heard of what happened to me and now he's seeking revenge." "Perhaps it will be better if you did not take part in this war." Sketch shook his head. "No...this is my only chance to make things right since what I did...I WILL stop him. But I'm stopping him in my own way." He turned, then galloped out of the throne room. Twilight went to go after him, but Celestia put her wing in front of her. "Leave him, Twilight. We've more important matters to discuss." "But Princess-" "I said to leave him be, Twilight. He'll be fine. But we must discuss what we're going to do. He knows that we will have to protect ourselves should the anti manage to breach our defences. He will be upset, yes, but he'll get over it." Sketch continued to run for what seemed like hours. He didn't know what he was doing or where he was going, but whatever it was, he felt determined to complete this task. Meanwhile, back on Earth, the Anti was standing in a Portal Chamber. Portal Chambers dotted both Equestria and Earth, often in cities or towns. You can tell which building holds a portal due to the fact that the portal gives off a lot of radiation, so much of the building is coated with lead. "Listen fellas, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way...." He grinned, showing that his canines were sharpened into fangs like that of a dog. The burly guards stood in front of him, guarding the portal from the anti. "We already told you. You're not gettin' in without showing some bits." Portal Chambers, like most forms of transportation, require a small fee before usage. Depending on the location, the price could be anywhere from a measly 3 bits to a whopping 50 bits. The portal the Anti was trying to use, the one that led to Canterlot, cost around 35 bits. "I guess we're doing this the hard way." The Anti pulled out his pistol and shot both of the guards in the knee, then, when they were crippled and bleeding, he stepped over them. "Sorry fellas, but I got a date tonight!" He grinned, bowed, then stepped through the portal. The portal let out a loud WhhhoooooOOSH SNAP! And the Anti was gone. Shining Armor was ordering his stallions to build up a thick barrier of sandbags in front of the throne room's door, as well as armed stallion guards in the main entrance. The shield spell around the castle was strong and completely projectile proof. No pony or human was going in or out without the Princess' say so. Human guards lined the outdoors, similar sandbag bunkers dotting the entire courtyard. The Anti stepped into the Canterlot Portal Chamber and looked around. The guards that were supposed to be working this one were gone, helping protect the castle. He stepped out and looked around. The entire city was evacuated to safer areas. He just snorted a bit, then walked over to a barrel he had been to in the days previous. He reached in and pulled out a briefcase, then a set of leather knife-proof gloves. He put them on, then casually walked the empty streets until he got to the clock tower. Once inside, he climbed the stairs, then opened one of the maintenence hatches that led to the outside ledges. He pulled up a chair, opened the briefcase, and assembled the sniper rifle parts. He loaded the clip into the gun and set up the mount. Then he sat back and waited. Sketch came back to Canterlot hours later by train. His saddlebags were bulging with whatever it was that he had in them. He looked at the castle and gasped. "Oh no...." He stared at the castle's thick magic shield, and the military patrolling both inside and outside the courtyard. He shook his head and started to gallop there as fast as his hooves would take him. Unbeknownst to him, though, the Anti was just sitting and watching the unicorn run. He grinned, chewing on a toothpick. Everything was just falling into place..... Sketch kept running until he finally came to the base of the giant shield. The guards aimed their spears at him, and he put up a hoof. "Wait wait wait!" He said. "I'm not an assassin! I swear! I'm here on royal business!" "What's in the bags?" "Search them if you must! Just don't hurt me!" Twilight came down, and nodded to the guards. "Don't worry. I know him, he's clean." The guards looked at her, then stepped back, and raised their spears away from him. "As you wish, Captain Sparkle." The shield opened up and Sketch stepped through. He looked at her curiously. "CAPTAIN Sparkle?" "The Elements seem to give us military authority." "So you're a captain?" "I suppose so. Where were you? I was so worried...." "I....I know. But that's not important. What IS important is that I know how to protect the Princess without hurting my little brother." "Sketch, I really don't think that's a good id-" Suddenly.... A distant gunshot. The whizz of a bullet flying through the air. The splatter of blood sprayed Sketch's muzzle and chest, staining his fur. "NOOOO!" Twilight stared at him, frowning. She slowly looked down. A deep red stained her chest fur, and the stain just kept getting bigger. She dropped onto her side, eyes closed. Sketch watched in horror as the life in Twilight's eyes started to fade. He spun around angrily and stared off into the distance. It was something only he could see from so far away. The anti was standing on the clocktower's ledge, a smoking sniper rifle in his hands. He saluted to Sketch and grinned at him. The shield hadn't yet closed, and it made an open shot for him. Sketch screamed at him angrily, tears streaming down his face. "DRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE!!!" Even as Twilight was hauled away on a stretcher and Sketch had to be dragged away by the guards so that he wasn't shot also, he was still screaming and cursing his brother's name. "DRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKEEE!!" His mouth dripped with foam, his eyes almost burning through the walls. His voice seemed to reach the heavens above and the gates of Tartarus below. His voice never once cracked or shivered. His horn started to glow, then spark, then started to fire giant bolts of lightning across the room, shattering windows and breaking furniture. "DRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE I'M GOING TO MURDER YOU!!! I SWEAR IT!!" He only stopped screaming after the medical ponies had to administer a tranquilizer needle to get him to calm down. He slowly collapsed into a heap, his throat now sore from shouting, his eyes burning from the amount of tears he simply couldn't control. The Princesses stood over him, looked down at the little unicorn. Even they were scared by Sketch's rage. No one expected it to be so violent. Rainbow Dash came over to them. "The doctor's say Twilight is going to live. The bullet missed her heart, but it did strike a lung. She'll be fine, but they need to keep her in the infirmary indefinately." The pegasus looked down at Sketch. "Was.....was all that noise and all this wreckage from....him?" Celestia just slowly nodded and looked at Rainbow Dash. "He hasn't yet gotten used to his powers. It seems that his emotions really control how he uses his magic....Sadness is expressed by music or other creative forms. And anger....it seems it's expressed through violent magical storms. If Sketch is to be of any help to us, he needs to control his magic better. He can't let his emotions control his actions...." "But the only one who could teach him that is Twilight! And she's-" "I know. But I don't think even Twilight could possibly help him. He needs someone he trusts. Someone who will not judge him based solely on his actions." "But where are we going to find anypony like that?!" "I will teach him." "But Celestia, you're life is in danger!" "Of that, I am well aware. But I am also the only one who can possibly teach him in time....I'll accept him as my student. But first, we need to figure out what exactly he was trying to do...." They lifted his saddlebags off him, then flipped them open. "......The clever little...."
Chapter 5: How To Train Your Magic"Again, Sketch." The glass of water hovered around the unicorn in a perfect circle, balanced upon a coin. The golden aura drifted magically off the edges of the glass. "Now....Drake shot Twilight." Suddenly the once tranquil golden aura turned into a violent red. It was spiked and shot off bolts of magical electricity, marking the walls and ground with scortch marks. The magic squeezed the glass so tightly it shattered, spilling water everywhere. "ENOUGH!" The magic stopped and Sketch looked at Celestia with a worried expression, ears flat against his head, as if he was being scolded. Celestia sighed and set out another glass on the table, and before she continued the lesson, she turned to him. "Sketch, you cannot let your emotions control your magic. If you do, the spells you cast will be out of pure spite, not out of careful consideration." "I'm sorry Princess! Drake....He just makes me so....angry! I-" "I understand your feelings, but right now, you must concentrate hard on your magical studies, NOT the war." "But Princess-" "Again!" Sketch started to hover the glass once more, putting all his concentration onto keeping the glass balanced and afloat. "Drake shot Twilight, Sketch. How does that make you feel?" "Ang....angry!" The glass stopped and started to tremble as the magic started to turn orange. "Sketch! You have to control the magic! Don't let the magic control you!" The magic ceased turning red, but stayed a vibrant orange for a few seconds. Then slowly turned back into gold. "Sketch, do you not remember what happened to your ally?" "I do..." "Doesn't that make you upset?" The glass started to slowly hover in a circle again. "Yes....But I'm not letting it overcome my concentration!" "Why not?" "Because I control the magic. The magic doesn't control me! I'm not a puppet!" "Good!" "I'm not a plaything for my emotions!" The glass started to speed up. "I can't let my emotions win!" The glass spun out of control and flew out of his grasp and into a wall. Sketch snapped out of whatever trance he was in and looked at the shattered glass. His ears dropped once again and he looked at his 'teacher'. Celestia said nothing and simply walked out of the room. Sketch sat down and sighed heavily. Celestia walked into the infirmary and approached Twilight, who was currently recovering and chatting with her friends, who were standing near her bedside. "Princess!" Rainbow said. "Hello, my little ponies. How is my protege?" "Feeling better than yesterday....what happened to me?" "You were shot by the Anti. Must've used a high-power long-ranged human weapon. The FBI say a 'sniper rifle'." "Sounds dangerous." Rarity commented. "Very." They all turned to Sketch who had entered the room. "It's extremely dangerous. The bullets fired from a sniper rifle can get as big as .50 caliber. You were lucky you only got shot by a .22 rifle shot." "Why?" ".44 caliber is big enough to leave an entry wound the size of a dinner plate. .50 caliber can make a watermelon explode." "Are you serious?!" Rainbow shouted.\ "I've never been more serious. He wasn't aiming to kill. He was trying to send a message. He's playing a 'catch-me-if-you-can' game with us. He's trying to psych us out!" "Sketch is right. We cannot let him get under our skin. He's not after you, Twilight. He's after me and my sister." Celestia said. Sketch pulled out his saddlebags and opened them up, then dumped out the contents. Among them was a pickaxe, a shovel, a map showing something somewhere in the Everfree and a book on Equestrian legends. They all knew what exactly he was trying to do. "Princess, if I may....I'd like to tell everypony my plan." She slowly nodded, a small smile creeping it's way onto her mouth. "Here's my idea..." "That's crazy, Sketch!" Pinkie said. "So crazy....it just might work!" Applejack smiled. "But what do we tell the citizens of Canterlot?" Twilight looked worried. "Nothing. If we tell anypony anything, the plan is ruined." "Are you sure you want to go through with this, Sketch?" "I'm sure.....If everything goes according to plan, I'll be able to redeem myself in the eyes of Equestria AND end this war." "Alright....inform the guards. They must know what's going on as well." Princess Celestia looked at the Royal Guards standing in the doorway. "That means you!" The guards looked startled, then ran off to tell the rest of the troops. "Alright....Princess, can you teleport us safely to the Everfree?" "Yes, but it's quite the distance. So the going will be rough." "That's fine....get your sister too. We're going to need her if this is to be perfect." "Of course." The anti sat in his secret HQ, polishing a gun. He grinned at his reflection, then spat out the toothpick and started to load a magazine with .50 caliber rounds. "The big day is only 2 days away! I gotta look my best when Equestria falls to it's knees in front of me." He chuckled and circled a date on a worn calander. "After all....they'll all be present when I break the princess' heart!"
Chapter 6: Working BackwardsCelestia sat in her throne room, writing on one of many documents stacked before her. The weather around Canterlot was unusually stormy. A dark omen seemed to cover the empty city streets. Soon, gunshots broke the silence. A lone human had breached the shielding. He must've destroyed the generator that created the barrier. He scoffed as he walked in, the guards being shot where they stood. Their lack of firearms proved to be their weakness and their downfall. The Princesses, both of them, sat in the throne room together. They heard the gunshots. They knew he was coming for them. Drake continued his rampage through the palace. He knocked over furniture and broke decorations in his path, killing anyone who stood in his way. He was a one man army with a mission. And he was going to see it through. The princesses glanced up when they heard the lock being shot, then broken. The door was then booted open and Drake unleashed a flurry of rounds with an assault rifle. The guards in the room fell down one by one. Drake grinned and walked closer the Princesses. Celestia, however, much to his surprise....was slowly, yet loudly, clapping. Sarcastically applauding him for his effort. As if it was all for naught. Sketch and the Mane 6 sat nearby, not making any effort to protect their rulers. Drake smiled and nodded toward the injured Twilight, who just scowled at him as he walked past her. Drake soon stood before the two Princesses and brought his hands together and smiled at them. "Greetings ladies....Princesses." He nodded to Sketch. "Brother. I have come to you....with a proposal that will work out great for one of both of us!" When he got no response from the Princesses, he continued. "I don't really want to kill you....Wait, scratch that. I lied. I REALLY want to kill you. I wanna shoot you both in the f***ing head right now! Really! Okay....But seriously. I want my planet back, without the ponies...and preferably without the bronies. So I thought killing you two would be the best option. But no...." He shook his head with a grin as he paced the floor. "I decided, 'Why should I kill you two when I could have you work for me?'. So here's the deal! You get off my planet, get your asses back to YOUR planet, and take the bronies with ya, and I won't blow you f***ing heads off! Oh and you two will also answer to me now." "We will never bow to an Anti!" Luna hissed. "Shame...really....I really wanted to keep ya. Maybe saddle ya up and ride you around a farm. Oh well. I mean this works to!" He pulled out his gun and was about to pull the trigger, when suddenly Sketch got up. Sketch then pulled out a knife from nearby and stabbed both Princesses repeatedly in the neck. Drake watched in shock as Sketch slaughtered the two goddesses with a knife. Twilight and her friends grabbed him and pulled him away from their corpses. "I KNEW WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TRUSTED YOU!!" Twilight screamed through her tears. "I KNEW IT! WE SHOULD'VE KILLED YOU WHEN WE HAD THE CHANCE!!" Twilight turned to Drake. "AND AS FOR YOU...." Her horn flared and she took aim at him with a powerful bolt of pure energy. Drake only took two seconds to process that before aiming and firing his gun repeatedly at Twilight. The bullets melted in mid-flight when they got close to her. Twilight fired her beam, which Drake avoided. He continued to avoid beams until he managed to flee the palace. Twilight turned to Sketch and ordered her friends to lock him in the deepest, darkest, dingiest dungeon cell they can find. They dragged him into the dungeons and locked him up, and threw away the key. Sketch sat there in his cell, feeling guilty, but at the same time, accomplished. He finished what he had set out to do....: Throw off his brother and save the Princesses. Twilight soon came downstairs and approached his cell. "The princesses are still safe in lock down at our undisclosed location like you told us to. Are you sure he won't look for them there?" "Positive. He's going to be angry that I stole his....um...kills. So now he's going to be coming for me." "It was a good idea to use Mirror Pool clones. I never would've thought of that! But what happens now?" "Now we wait for him to come after me. This'll allow Celestia and Luna to figure out a way to stop him." "But what if they're too late and he gets you?" Sketch went silent after that...He didn't want to answer her. "Listen, he's gone into hiding again. I'll send away the clones bodies back to the Mirror Pool, which should clean up the blood." "Alright. You have to keep me locked up and you have to make like the leader now. Act like they're dead." "Right....Are you sure this will work though? It seems really....backwards." Sketch smiled at Twilight. "Sometimes you gotta work backwards to move forwards." Author's Note Hey guys, sorry about not updating this more. Also, sorry about this chapter feeling rushed. I'll try and edit it later to make it more lengthy. But I hope this'll hold you off for a while while I update my other stories. =P
