Prelude: A Break
Now, her story isn't a happy one. It is a sad and tragic one. A very tragic one. It is filled with Death, Romance, and Villains. This is a short warning. DO NOT READ IF EMOTIONAL.
The littered street was crowded, which was good in two ponies cases. Galloping and dodging vendors. Past a mare and stallion, who gave the pair odd looks. Up stairs, around pipes and columns with guards on there tails. Quite literally in fact. Until they sharply turned a corner. The alleyways were obscure with trash and scrap metal. Quickly jumping into the open sewer ducts and pulling the cover over them.
"We will get you next time, Ashella."
A guard called on the street above. She smiled. She took off down the tunnels below Manehattan, The biggest docking harbor in Gaia. The young mare had lived a life of adventure ever since she could remember. The long undergrounds were home to many. Mainly ponies who couldn't afford the posh lives of the Rich. There lives had different challenges each day for survival. She stopped and turned to the two colts behind her. She nodded to them as they nearly fell over, panting for breath, Thankful there leader stopped. She looked around.
"Have you two been in these parts before?" she questioned.
"No, Have you Tom?"
"No," Tom replied."Ashella is this a test?"
"Of course it is, when has it not been a test. How many times have I told you two to pay attention to were we were going? Tom? Patches?"
"At least a dozen, ma'am." Patches said.
"Now let's get you back before your mama worries."
"Agreed, these are tough times." Tom said bluntly. The others nodded solemnly in agreement.
Times were tough but it wasn't hard to be understanding in those times. But one mare was worried no matter what, her name was Vex. The gray mare usually worried over spilt milk. The thin mare had bright purple eye's, her coat was a light gray, and she had a mane short and black as coal. She was usally cooking because she trusted nopony else with the old stove that worked with wood, unlike the newer coal model. Even the oil seemed old.
Now, her daughter, Smore, was an excellent cook. Her chestnut coat complimented her curly milk chocolate main with a white swirl. Her eye's a beautiful, unseeing, light blue. She had usually worried like her mother but after a while she knew they would always come back. She usually hummed a happy tune as she cooked and cleaned and helped her ageing mother. She was only 10, but she was not a weakling.
Ashella was a 15 yr. old mare who had a taste for adventure. She liked to tease the guards. Though she couldn't remembered her past she had accepted Vex , Smore, Tom, and Patches as her family. She was also very curious about her past. She usually had dreams, they were very faint, but she began piecing them together. Her memories began to come back slowly. Her mane was a deep brown that faded to gray. Her coat the lightest tan. Goggles she had since she could remember and a locket she always had with her were her main possessions. A pair of boots were a gift for this mare from Vex.
Patches was the same age as Ashella, maybe slightly older. He and Tom had chosen Ashella as their leader. He had interest in Ashella as more than a friend, but she didn't see it. He didn't bother though. His real name was Kryten. His nickname was Patches because of his clothes, which had patches all over. His mane a dark green, His eyes a piercing, Light green. His coat a deep gray.
Tom was Smore's twin. They didn't look alike, with his gray-purple coat. His mane a deep red. His eye's were blue like his sister's. His eye's full of adventure. He described everything he could and as well as he could to Smore. They were the best of friends. Brother and sister, Twins and never forgotten. He protected her always. He as well could cook. He spent most of his time, though, hunting for things they needed. They got things for there Poor Community, they called home.
They arrived back at there tunnel home. The long dark tunnel was covered in candles making it easier to see. Pipes with dials ran every which way. Curtains hung to make separate rooms. They walk into the "Kitchen". Smore ran to greet them. Vex turned to see the trio.
"Welcome Back." She said running to pull the three into a hug. "How did it go?" They all smiled at her concerned tone. "Did anypony get hurt?" She looked over every inch of them. Patches stepped forward.
"Mama, you don't have to worry."
"I know but it's so dangerous, even for you Ashella. I wish you didn't go." Vex said.
"Aunt Vex you know were fine." she said calmly, she nodded to the two younger ones who stood patiectely near by waiting to be excused. As the two older began to pull things from there saddle bags, the twins turned and ran toward the "door".
"Be back soon and stay safe! Smore, coat!" Vex called.
"Mama, they'll be fine."
"I know but worry is what keeps us together sometimes." she said. The items on the table were mostly small food items. Mainly taken and stolen from vendors. A few spools of thread. Needles. Gears. The normal things they gathered. Ashella picked up a light bulb and turned. She walked from the room. Through the curtain was a small table and bench were Ashella sat most of the time. The thing on-top of the table was an old machine which Ashella had been repairing. She sat looking at the device. She had no idea what it did. She turned it and put the light bulb to it's slot.
"Come on, Come on, NO! No no no no!" She sighed as she looked at the holder. The bulb was one size to big. She groaned and hit her head on the table.
"Ashella?" questioned Vex coming into the room.
"I havve ffailedd, again." she replied.
"Ash, you work to hard." she worried.
"No, I don't Vex. I work more then someponies, but that's only because there the Rich. I work normal ponies hours. So, about nine hours."
"That's to much for everyday, you need a break, sweetie." she worriedly said.
Ashella's head flew off the desk. "No! You all need me i'll not let you all down."
"Take a break tomorrow. Think of it as a test for Tom and Patches." She said more worried for Ashella's sanitey then her sons safety. Though she regretted her words, Ashella agreed.
The pain in me is worse then what you can see on the outside of me. I look at my new home and sigh. My thoughts wirl in my head.
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"Don't be afraid of changes, Life still moves on.Promise me you'll be good no matter what happens."
"I Promise ,Mama. Where's Papa? I want him to read The Adventures of Nyx. "
"He should be here shortly." She looked out the door and turned to me. She went and sat in her chair. We were in the living room waiting for Papa to come home. It had been a long day. It was my birthday, I had turned 8. Papa had gone to work. After a while I heard a low whistle. Mama looked at me. Before I knew what happened she grasped me in her magic. I looked at her. She was scared. She ran across the wooden floor and up the steps. She turned a corner and opened a door at the end of the hall. I was confused. Why was she taking me into the storage closet? She ducked and swervd and jumped over a few things. She tripped on an unseen box ,still holding me up. She pulled a book on a bookshelf and the wall slid open. She sat me in there and leaned down. She pulled me close in a hug. When we pulled away I looked at her she was sad and scared she looked at me and took her necklace off and sat it around my neck while saying,
"Stay here until I come to get you. I love you,be good." She began to sob.
"Raven, come on," My Papa said coming into the room.
"Monroe, Please say something to your daughter first," He looked at me and came closer. He hugged me so tight.
"I love you, Here will you hold these for me." He his goggles off and put them on my head quickly and kissed my head. "Be quiet, we will come to get you." There was a loud beating coming from downstairs.
"Monroe!" Papa and I look around and see Mama at the window."There here." She cried harder. "Monroe, I can't leave her here alone."
Alone?, I think. "Mama, what's wrong?"
"I love you, sweetie, Be good." The wood cracked to the door downstairs.
"FIND THEM NOW!!!" A stallions voice calls through the house. Papa shuts the door to the wall. I see them moving. Mama was crying softly and Papa was holding her. There was a crack that I could see out of. I pulled back as the door to the storage room opened.
"Thought you could escape forever,No?" The stallion said in a Germaine accent.
Mama cried harder.
"You thieves. Where is the filly!"
"She's gone and even if we had her we wouldn't tell you were she is." My Mama said between sobs.
The pony defied the laws of physics and pulled Mama away from Papa Faster then anypony could blink.
"Seize him!" The Germaine stallion said to his henchman. He put a knife to Mama's throat.
"Raven! Do not hurt her ,she has nothing to do with this." Papa said strongly.
"She's your wife ,no? We have been everywhere, You're family and roots are dead."
Mama nearly passed out from crying,but the knife kept her alert. The stallion pushed the blade harder onto her neck, flat and still a thin strip of blood came onto her white fur. She wailed in agony. Papa pushed the stallions away who were holding him down.
I didn't see what happened next for I passed out.
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"Nooooo," Raven cried as her beloved husband hit the ground, a knife in his chest,"Monroe,"she sobbed.
Monroe looked at his wife. They had been married for Twenty yrs., He struggled to lift his head to look at her.
"Monroe." she uttered. He stood up and took three hoof steps and fell.
"Gah," he said falling to the ground.
"Stop, Monroe, Stop." Raven said worriedly.
He looked to her and as the world turned to white, his life flashed before his eye's. The day he got married to his Raven. When there daughter was born and the adventures he had when he was younger. Then, he began to see things that he would not be there for, His daughter's wedding, his grandchildren, and Being with Raven, sitting on the porch talking about there lives'.
"Raven," he muttered at this last thought. " I love you."
Raven stood there begging to see her husband.
"Please, Please, Please," She cried.
"Shut up," He said tired of lolly gagging. The sound of sirens began in the distance. "Your coming with us."
She looked at them and said "Of course," she began walking with them. There was no feeling in her anymore. She would never see her daughter or husband again. She smiled and began to crack. She began laughing madly as her pupils shrunk. She grinned more then anypony should after what happened.
The house was closer now as I begin to step off the grass onto the walk. The cement was cracked and the weeds were growing high through them and around the house. The house is falling apart and there are shutters on the ground. Mister Hemlock stands next to me as I stop.
"Is this were I'm going to live?" I say a little unhappily.
"Yes, I know it's not as nice as the past houses, but it is closer to Manehattan." Mister Hemlock says.
Mister Hemlock is a dear friend of my Mama's and Papa's, He was there for my Birthday celebration. He is also, the only pony doesn't call me orphan. He believes Mama is still alive. She was soft-spoken and gentle, He said once. I believed him because Mama never raised her voice or hurt anyone. He said once, Papa was an adventurer and saved my Mama from villains and they soon got married and had me. I sighed as these remembrances went through my head. I had accepted what happened to Papa but, I thought Mama alive. I looked up at the gray stallion with white hair. He smiles gently at me. I look ahead and begin to walk slowly towards my new home. As we approach the house further I can read the sign which reads Madame's home for girls and boys.
"She sounds nice," Mister Hemlock said uncertainly. We walk to the front door and he knocks gently. The door opens, onto my new life.
