AiE: Tex-Eques [Chapter 6]

>You’re in a good mood today.

>Better than you’ve been all week.

>Tomorrow’s the day you get out of here.

>Been crammed in here too long.

>You’re getting a bit restless.

>As you get dressed, something crosses your mind.

>All week you hadn’t gotten a visit from Luna.

>Did you piss her off so bad she’d decided not to talk to you?

>Well fuck.

>You sit on your bed and reflect.

>This isn’t the first time you’d done something stupid and pissed off a woman.

>Still, home you didn’t mind too much, and your friends would be more than willing to share a laugh at your drunken misadventures.

>Not here though.

>She was your ONLY friend.

>You didn’t really consider your Poker Buddies friends; hell, you didn’t even know their names.

>They were merely here to keep you entertained.

>…

>DAMN that sounded wrong.

>You were using them.

>Come to think of it, you’d done the same back home sometimes.

>In fact, you had a group of people similar back there.

>Wow, you were more of a douche than you thought.

>Don’t know what you got till’ it’s gone you guess.

>Once you got out of here, you knew you’d leave your “Poker Buddies” as well.

>You’d be the center of attention, just like you loved back home.

>Except for different reasons.

>Why had you done this shit back home?

>For the attention of course.

>It’s why you picked up the revolver you carry in the first place.

>Well, originally it was to impress the ladies, but eventually friends of friends and relatives started watching you.

>That was when you got into it even more seriously than before, when you started to crave the attention.

>Eventually you’d hit your best.

>It was time.

>You made the trip to Dallas for the Dallas Pistol Club’s Precision Bull’s-eye challenge.

>Nothing big, but it was competition.

>You were thirsty to win against someone else.

>And you did.

>You won and it felt great.

>The cheers of the crowds, that feeling of satisfaction that you’d been the best, all of it was amazing.

>Overwhelming almost.

>From there it was only upward.

>You joined up with the Cowboy Fast Draw Association.

>You competed in several competitions afterwards across the USA.

>You won most, but you did lose a few.

>Of course, you smiled and shook hands.

>Then you went home, got a drink, and usually broke something.

>Almost wrecked your car once driving drunk.

>You didn’t take losing well.

>Finally the day came.

>After taking several months to hone your skills to their peak, you went up against not just top shooters from the US, but from around the world.

>You were a participant in the World Championship of Cowboy Fast Draw.

>And you were a blur.

>When the finals came around, you almost lost.

>Almost.

>But you weren’t about to blow it now.

>At this point it had been a little over a year since you’d started.

>Some said you were some kind of prodigy.

>Some kind you a mutant.

>Some called bullshit.

>They were quickly silenced by those who were your fans.

>You won, but only by milliseconds.

>…Then you went out and partied, got drunk off your ass, and had to be carried back to the hotel.

>By your best and only true friend.

>You’d known him since you were both kids.

>Funny thing is, you grew up to be a quick drawing farmhand, but he grew up to get a Ph.D.

>He was a brainiac through and through, got straight A’s growing up.

>Of course like any geek or nerd he got bullied.

>That’s where you came in.

>After you gave the ringleader a solid beating, the message was clear:

>Leave him alone or you’ll get your ass handed too you as well.

>Course’ it helped having a brainy friend; sure he could be a bit hard to understand sometimes, but he was the reason you passed Geometry in High School.

>It was all fine.

>Then the two of you had a falling out.

>He didn’t like the way your pride and ego were getting out of control.

>He didn’t like the partying and the drinking, said it was bad for your health.

>Said you were going too far.

>That was the last straw.

>You stopped speaking after that.

>And it was happening all over again.

 

>You begin work early.

>Well, YOUR early.

>It was actually late evening.

>There goes the first gemstone of the night.

>Hold on.

>What if… what if…

>An idea!

>The gems weren’t strong enough to contain such power.

>You needed something stronger.

>Steel.

>You needed Steel.

>But you needed a design.

>Ah yes, a cross.

>A symbol of an old earth p0ny religion.

>Now it’s just worn for show or held by those who would cling to the past.

>Thankfully you had access to one, part of your private collection of p0ny history.

>That is, before you and your sister took charge of Equestria.

>Past that was not history, it was current events.

>You head into the collection room, remove the glass casing, take the cross on a chain and close the casing again.

>Getting back to work, you attempt to fuse the spell to the cross.

>Slowly….slowly…

>It worked.

>The item now shines with a bright white glow.

>Its finish is gleaming.

>You smile, proud of the work.

>You KNEW you could do it!

>Now about giving it to Anonymous.

>You couldn’t very well give it to him at the castle; it is likely your sister would find out.

>Well then, if you couldn’t bring it to him… You’d bring him here.

 

>You exit your room and stretch.

>You’d finally been freed.

>First thing you do is head back to the maze.

>In the light of day, you had a much easier time getting around.

>Your legs fully stretched, you exited the maze.

>All was not well however.

>Tonight you had to make amends with Luna.

>You HAD to.

>You head back to your room, in thought as to how you could.

>What you’d done was sexual harassment, even if you were straight drunk.

>You were LUCKY she’d spared you the chopping block.

>Weren’t too keen on getting yourself killed like that.

>You’d been avoiding Sunshine all day.

>Didn’t want to piss her off without Luna there to save your skin.

>You’d done good so far.

>You just have to hope and pray that you can avoid her until nightfall.

 

>Night is finally here.

>Thank god.

>However to your surprise, Luna returns with a serious expression on her face.

>”Gather thy belongings. Thou art being moved.”

 

“Moved? To where?”

 

>This can’t be good.

>”Tis’ not wise for Us to leave thee here with Our sister. Therefore We have decided to take you elsewhere”

>She’s whispering.

>Not good either.

 

“Where might that be?”

 

>”Thou art to be moved to our private retreat, away from Our sister. A room there has been prepared.”

>You decide not to argue and begin gathering your things.

>You consider grabbing that malformed piece of crap from your drawer so as not to have Sunshine find it, but you couldn’t care less at this point.

>You wouldn’t have to deal with her ever again.

>Good shit.

>You reach for your final possession, a deck of cards, but stop.

>A smirk reaches your lips.

 

“Can ah’ get a quill, ink an’ some parchment?”

 

>Luna is confused but allows you the items.

>They appear from thin air.

>Great, more magic.

>You take the items and write a short note.

 

“Fellas, I ain’t gonna be round’ here no more, but I don’t think that should stop ya’ll from havin’ some fun. Keep em’.”

 

>You finish the note and roll the scroll up, setting it by the deck on the table you’d grown used to.

>You walk over to Luna.

 

“Ahm’ good t’ go.”

 

>The two of you vanish.

 

>You reappear outside a massive stone structure.

>Not as big as the castle, but impressive in its own right.

>You feel the nausea hit your stomach and your head starts to spin.

>Luna catches you in her grip.

>”Apologies; thou art not used to teleportation; We forgot.”

>You manage to right yourself after the effects are gone.

 

“S’alright. Where am I gonna be stayin?”

 

>”Come with Us.”

>You’re led to a room that’s larger and more lavish than the one you previously inhabited.

>Wait, that’s possible?

>Well shit, this is nice.

>You place your clothes on the bed.

>”This line shall summon a maid should thou require anything.”

>She nods to a nearby rope that leads up to the ceiling and hugs the wall, going through a hole near the door.

>”We shall be in Our chambers.”

>She walks off and leaves you alone.

>You get to putting up your clothes in the drawers given.

>You set your hat on top of the ornate dresser.

>You slide your boots off and set them by the bed.

>You get a good look around.

>Hot damn this is fancy!

>A desk, a nightstand, even ACTUAL HARD WOOD paneling under your feet!

>You enter the bathroom next.

>This tub is about the size of a Jacuzzi.

>What the fuck.

>Then again, this IS the private retreat of a princess; guests that stay here would most likely be other royalty.

>You ain’t royalty, but hell if you’re complaining.

>This is IT.

>Only thing to make it better would be a giant TV, some beer and a Lay-Z-Boy.

>Maybe internet.

>Still, it was impressive as it was.

>A bit “ye olde”, but impressive.

 >Time to try out that rope…

 

>You pace back and forth.

>How would you give this to him?

>Well, as a friend!

>Yes, of course!

>That is all you are!

>You feel the blush creep over your face again.

>But… that isn’t what you want it to be.

>You have to accept it; your feelings for him are too strong to deny them any longer.

>Still, he’s an entirely different speicies.

>You doubt that he’d even give you a second glance.

>He even said himself that the species he had similar to yourself were mindless beasts used for transportation.

>He would never see you as attractive, let alone share the feelings you harbored for him.

>Your heart sinks and you felt your ears fall to the sides of your head.

>The same depression you’d felt when you realized your sister was the one that your subjects loved, not you.

>Except this hurt.

>It was a pain unlike any before.

>A single tear falls from your eye and hits the floor.

>Oh no.

>You’re crying.

>You… You mustn’t…

 

>Stupid ass bell.

>One of two things is going on.

>The bell wasn’t working or the workers were slacking off.

>You were guessing it was the latter.

>You were going to give them a piece of your mind.

>Well, that’s what you wanted to do anyway.

>As it stands, you’re lost.

>But when you found your way to where those workers were, oh THEN they’d get it.

>You find the room where they are and the maids were giggling amongst themselves.

>You notice one has wings AND a horn.

>Your intentionally heavy footsteps get their attention.

>However, complaining is the last thing on your mind.

 

“Hang on, I though th’ princess were th’ only ones with wings an’ horns at the same time.”

 

>”O-oh, they are sir.”

 

“Then why in tarnation does a maid have both?”

 

>”W-well sir, Her Highness asked… I mean…”

>She seemed reluctant to tell you.

 

“Fuck it, I’ll go ask her m’self. Ifin’ ya’ll ain’t keen on tellin’ me to my face.”

 

>Anger replaced by confusion, you march off to find her room.

>You pass a staircase and hear light sobbing.

>Curiosity turns to concern.

>You make your way up the steps and open the door, forgetting to knock.

>She’s startled by your appearance.

>”A-Anonymous! W-what dost thou need?”

 

“First’ I was plannin’ on askin’ bout that winged unicorn maid, but now I’m just checkin’ on ya. I heard cryin’.”

 

>”C-crying? For what reason would We be crying?”

>She’s flustered, and the stains from her tears on the rug beneath her are proof of her lies.

>You notice movement out of the corner of your eye.

>She’s trying to hide something under some parchment.

 

“What’s that?”

 

>”What art thou speaking of? Tis’ nothing there!”

>Bullshit.

>You walk over and remove the item, taking it in your hand.

>It’s a simple metal cross on a chain, but it has a bright shine to it.

 

“Mind answerin’ mah question now?”

 

>She bites her lip before turning away.

>”Twas’… Twas’ a gift. For you. We….I…”

>Hold on a second, did she just use the word “I”?

>”Tis’ because I am in love with thee!”