A Promise Not Forgotten

Aidan:

Dan and I were lying in bed for the sixth straight hour.

“There are exactly one hundred fourty two ceiling tiles in this room,” I said as I stared at the ceiling.

“God, this sucks,” Dan said.

“I hate hospitals; we don’t even need them anymore!” I said.

“Why the fuck are we even here?” Dan asked.

“Dunno,” I responded. “I think it was some legal issue or something.”

“Wana cuddle?” Dan asked as he turned in his bed.

“Heh heh heh,” I said as I sat up and walked out. “No thanks, tubby.”

“Oh come on!” Dan said as I walked out. “AIDAN DON’T BE LIKE THAT! I NEEED YOU!”

“Doctor, can we leave now?” I asked walking up to his desk.

“I PROMISE I WILL BE THE OUTSIDE SPOON!” I heard shouted from our room.

“Oh, God!” I said looking back. “Anyway, can we get out of here? We don’t really need your services anymore,” I said to the Doctor.

“Are you feeling any symptoms? Any dizziness or headache, nausea?” The doctor asked.

“Nope, fit as a fiddle. Just a little weak from bein’ under six months,” I said leaning against the wall. We were really lucky that ponies’ ceilings are outrageously high for them, being tall sucks.

“Then I recommend taking it slow, and get some exercise in the meantime,” The doctor responded.

“Thanks, Doc,” I said as I walked away.

“Come back if you need anything else,” He called after me.

I walked back into our room and looked at Dan, “What the fuck are you doing?” I asked.

Dan was wearing slamming two bedpans together and singing Sweet Home Alabama terribly off key. “Oh! Hey, buddy!” Dan said as he stumbled towards me.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I asked again.

“I FOUND THE DRUGS!” Dan said as he started singing again.

I looked at the two nurses in the room standing in the corner, “We tried to stop him, but he’s just too strong!” She said.

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll take him off your hands… Thanks Redheart.” I said walking up to Dan. “Come on stupid, we got shit to do.”

“Aww! I don wana go!” Dan whined like a child.

I pushed Dan out of the hospital one step at a time. “Come on! Why did you have to take away my drugs, man?” He said as he was sobering up.

“Cause, fuck you, that’s why. Now let’s go before you cause some more trouble?” I said pushing Dan out the door into the street.

“What the…” I trailed off as I looked at the now massive towers everywhere. “Six months, huh.”

“More like six years! How the hell did they make all this so fast?” Dan asked to no one in particular.

Canterlot had grown exponentially since Prophet’s defeat. While it appeared to be temporary it doesn’t seem like Celestia and her empire worried themselves over it.

“What should we-” I started to say as a number of guards started surrounding us. “What the fuck?” I said as I looked to the twenty or so guards that now circled us completely. More were behind them and more were running down the street towards us. All were armed for war.

“What the hell is going on here?” Dan said.

A pony that seemed familiar with Dan spoke, “Sorry, but we have to do this. Princesses’ orders.”

“Why would Celestia order this? Damn her,” Dan said as he looked away.

I received more than a few nasty looks from the guards, except the one who was talking. “What are your orders?” I asked, preparing myself for the worst.

“Aidan, I am here to put you under arrest,” He said starkly.

“Bullshit,” I said as one levitated a pair of handcuffs over to me. What did I even – Oh right, I murdered an entire nation. Damn.

“Dan you are free to go,” He said as the handcuffs clicked tight on my wrists.

I glared at him, “You knew about this,” I said “didn’t you.”

Before all this shit went down Dan was still around here, no doubt he talked to Celestia.

“I didn’t think she would actually do it,” Dan said avoiding my glare.

“This is just fucking perfect,” I said as the guards all glared at me.

“Come with us, Aidan,” The old guard said.

I reluctantly followed my escort to the Castle while Dan stormed off.

Dan:

That fucking bitch! After all we’ve done for her, she still doesn’t trust Aidan?

I entered the throne room as Aidan was being taken to the dungeon.

“What the fuck, Celestia?” I asked as I glared.

“What’s wrong, Dan?” She asked in response.

“You know damn well what’s wrong. Why the fuck is Aidan being taken prisoner?”

“We can’t risk Aidan being influenced by Prophet, not until we know its safe,” She said looking down to a stack of papers.

“Oh and a little jail cell is supposed to stop him?” I asked.

“He will be detained until further notice,” She responded.

“Fucking great. Just perfect!” I said as I sat down on the steps and brought my hands to my face. “You know he won’t forget this,” I said.

“And what makes you think that?” She asked from behind me.

“I’ve known Aidan all his life. I know how he acts, trust me,” I said.

“Ill just have to move past this,” Celestia said as she worked.

“Good luck,” I said sarcastically. “Hey, if Aidan is being detained, why aren’t Colin and I?”

“Well. You are different,” She said.

“Please explain.”

Celestia sighed, “Aidan has a, how should I put this, mental deficiency that makes it easier for Prophet to use him.”

“Great…” I said rubbing my eyes. “Any way to fix it?” I asked.

“We’ve never encountered this type of deficiency before, it’s like Prophet was made to get in his head. Whatever we tried Aidan blocked everything, but Prophet was able to get in just fine,” Celestia replied. “It just doesn’t make any sense.”

Even with my minute knowledge of magic I know that Celestia knows more than Prophet. Hell, she put him away once before. But for Prophet to just work his way in so easily, she is right, doesn’t make any sense.

I looked out the window at the rather intimidating towers that now stood outside. “So, six months, huh?”

“Yes, six months,” She said without looking up.

“How much has changed?” I asked.

“Aside from the six new spells Colin has made and his contribution to our industrialization, not much,” She answered.

“Anything in particular I should know about?” I asked.

“Well, the other kingdoms are angry and want Aidan dead for what Prophet had him do. In the meantime they have all set aside their differences to work toward finding and ending Prophet,” She said.

“What happened to the rest of the gryphons?” I asked.

Celestia sighed again, perhaps my questions were getting in the way of her ‘work’, “Their kingdom fell apart, other nations had to come in and pick up the pieces. What was left of the gryphons was annexed by different nations. The nation doesn’t exist anymore, instead gryphons reside everywhere.”

“Somehow I didn’t expect that,” I said as I got up from the steps. “I remember Colin wanting me for something, so I gotta get goin’. See ya later princess,” I said as I started walking.

“Dan, please don’t take Aidan’s imprisonment personally,” She said with pleading eyes.

I looked back, still a little pissed that my buddy was in jail, “We’ll see.”

Aidan:

My escort led me through the halls of the castle. “Where are you taking me?” I asked.

“To the dungeon,” The old pony said.

I groaned at the mention of prison. I didn’t deserve this, but I can understand why they thought I did. I’ll have to have a few words with Celestia later, maybe square a few things away.

The barracks was underneath the barracks. I had to walk the gauntlet of eyes as my escort took me to the small barred off room.

“So why is it that I am being detained?” I asked. If Equestria had the same rights then I should know.

“Do we really have to say?” The old pony said raising an eyebrow. “I thought you were the smart one.”

Wait, how the fuck did he know that?

“Who are you anyway?” I asked.

“I am General Iron Hoof. Dan talked to me a lot while you were on your rampage,” Iron Hoof said.

Iron Hoof sounds like Johnny Cash: noted.

As we me and my escort reached the door only I and a few guards filed into the small hallway to my cell. One by one I watched as the cells passed, where were they taking me? We rounded a few corners, must be solitary confinement cells. Again I watched the rooms pass my by. Now I’m a little worried, what could be worse than solitary confinement short of Death Row, and I don’t think Equestria’s idealistic ponies could murder like that.

I looked down to Iron Hoof who was staring straight ahead. We stopped at a lone door at the end of the hallway, looked like a proper blast door. Why would they ever need this? Iron Hoof knocked on the door and a slide opened. A few words were exchanged in another language and the slide shut before the door unlocked and creaked open.

Inside the room was nothing but a chair, the room itself was spherical. This must be some sort of either interrogation room, or a special kind of solitary confinement. I couldn’t help but notice that every guard past the second set of doors were either earth ponies or pegasi, no unicorns in sight save Iron Hoof. Maybe…

“This is where you will be kept in the meantime,” Iron Hoof said as we walked into the room. The other four guards stayed at the door. “How ‘bout we have a little chat?” Iron hoof said before the big door slammed shut.

I swung around looking at the door. Fuck, trapped in here with a General of the nation I pissed off. Not good. “So, Aidan, why don’t you take a seat?” He said waving a hoof over the chair.

I’m not falling for any tricks, just play it safe. “No thanks, I’d rather stand,” I said crossing my arms. “What did you want to talk about?” I asked bluntly, glaring at the General.

Iron Hoof chuckled quietly, “Have you talked to Vis yet?”

Shit, how does he know?

-Sigh- Don’t worry, he is a friend. You should trust him.

Thanks, but no thanks. Im not going to trust anypony until im out of this prison.

This is an anti-magic room. He can’t do anything in here.

Like I said, I won’t trust anypony until I’m out of here.

I forgot how stubborn you are…

“No,” I lied.

“Oh really? He begs to differ,” Iron Hoof said pointing a hoof behind me at a human-shaped ball of light.

“Oh fuck, come on!” I shouted at Vis.

“You really should have just trusted Iron Hoof,” Vis said as he walked over to Iron Hoof.

I glared at the old pony. “So, let’s talk Prophet,” He started.

Great, mood ruined. “What do you want to know,” I said avoiding his gaze.

“Is what -you- want to know,” Vis said now sitting on an arm of the chair.

I glared at Vis, “What I really care about is why I’m in this fucking prison!” I shouted.

“You are in here to please the public,” Iron Hoof said.

“AND WHAT ABOUT ME!” I yelled. My voice trembled, “I remember everything…”

“Aidan,” Vis started.

“WHY ME!” I shouted again. “I DIDN’T ASK FOR ANY OF THIS! I DIDN’T WANT TO KILL ALL THOSE PEOPLE! I DIDN’T WANT TO THROW MY LIFE AWAY!” I collapsed to my knees.

“Aidan, it had to be you, it always did,” Vis said as he walked up to me.

“I can still hear the screams…” I said ignoring what he said as tears welled up in my eyes. “They never stop,” I said looking up to Vis. “Please, make them stop!”

Vis stood over me, looking down, “Those voices aren’t the ones you killed. They are something much more,” He said as he laid a hand on my shoulder. His touch was warm, but I still shuddered because of it.

“Then what are they?” I asked. “Who are they?”

“They… are you, Aidan,” Iron Hoof said, still standing by the chair.

“Colin was able to do what the Princesses failed to do so many years ago,” Vis said.

Iron Hoof walked up to me, I was still at eye level with the pony. “But not without a cost.”

“Mind control is a complicated magic. Only the best can use it properly,” Vis said. “Even then, it’s still very unpredictable.”

“What do you mean?” I asked looking at Vis.

“When Colin forced Prophet out of your mind, he left it in pieces,” Iron Hoof said bluntly.

“What?” I asked, barely able to form the words.

“Aidan, all the voices will fight to gain control. You will be lost in the process. Everything you care about will be forgotten. Your only motivation is the people you care about here, without that, well…” Vis trailed off as he looked down.