The Anti-Brony Chronicles 2: Aftermath

"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!"