Stallion in a Grave

The sun was hidden in the sky by clouds that rolled off the small nearby mountains that lie against Baltimare’s train station. It never gets easy to see loved ones die as you stay young forever. Sweet had died just months ago and the pain just never ends, so I packed up everything from our shop and decided to head up towards Manehatten. I left the aging spell on while I stood at the train station since a few ponies I knew were hanging around. The train pulled in as a few ponies disembarked as a few replaced them. I had opted to sit in the cargo compartment with my stuff as the conductor had sealed me in I let the age spell fade. My dull lifeless mane bounced back to its vibrant multicolor blue as my coat turned to a shiny grey as the light blue tail brought back to its dark blue hue as I adjusted my glasses on my muzzle a bit. Glancing over towards my wagon I pulled out a large grey sack that was tied off with twine as I pulled the knot out opening it to reveal bright pink, blue and green cotton candy. I pulled off some with my magic placing it on my tongue letting it melt as it tasted like a lemon with sugar sprinkled on top of it. Sweet had created this in a weird experiment one night that blew up the bottom basement.

I smiled at the memory as I moved over towards my wagon leaning against it as I listened to the sounds of the train wheels move against the iron train tracks.  Time seemed to fly by as the train had come to a rapid stop as the wheels were squealing against the track itself. The door was opened by the conductor.

“Sorry ma’am but the track to Manehatten has been closed due to Griffon attacked” he bowed leaving the door open to show a small platform outside the train car. I reattached myself to the wagon pulling it out on to the platform as the area was lit by lanterns on a string. The town was small and mostly made up of covered wagons. A few buildings were built but they were mostly stores.

“The tracks will be back up within a week” the conductor had left on the train as a few stallions pushed it back the way it came.

“Okay so where am I?” I spoke to myself as I walked off the platform and into the middle of the town where a nice elderly earth pony mare with a dull grayish brown coat with a light faded red mane that was tied up in a red silk scarf as her tail hung low. Her cutie mark was that of a crystal ball with a golden chain wrapped around the bottom of it.

“Hello my dear.” Her voice was so soft and quiet I leaned in a bit and smiled.

“Um hello, you happen to know where I am.” I asked as I placed my wagon down giving my back a short break.

“Oh you’re in Hollow Shades my dear.” She was smiling as well as giggling as I looked around the town. I have heard of Hollow Shades. It was a small town that was surrounded by forest and the famous Foal Mountain. It was founded by gypsy ponies not too long ago after a few of them were run out of the Everfree city by guards and nobles.

“Do you know any place where I could stay for the week?” I looked down at the mare as she nodded.

“Follow me.” She started walking towards the left as I placed my wagon back on my back following her as a few ponies had stopped what they were doing and looked over at me. I just looked down at my hooves as I kept walking along the dirt path.

“Here we are” she spoke making me look up. I was placed against the edge of the trees where the town seems top just simply stop. “You can make your wagon here and have a nice fire pit.” She pointed to the small hole in the ground as I parked my wagon as I used some of my magic to make the grass grip the wheels immobile.

“Thank you and by the way I’m Moon/Sun Lily” I held my hoof out as she took it in hers and gave it a soft shake.

“Why ponies call me Elder by I go by Crystal Chain.” She smiled as she started to walk towards town. I quickly followed her as I only had a few bits to my name and I needed a job.

“Ma’am can you tell me where I could find a job around here?” I made her stop in her tracks as she turned to look at me.

“There is only one place at the moment looking for a hired hoof.” She pointed towards the back of the town where the lights go from a bright yellow to a dark blue. “No pony likes going back there when the sun is setting, good luck.” She left me standing there as I walked towards the graveyard out of my mind. I stepped past the bright lights into the darken area as a cold chill ran down my spine as some fog rolled in from the forest. I walked towards the graveyard as I saw nothing but three floating lights around a hole with a tip of the shovel being seen every now and then. I walked over towards the hole as I saw a black stallion with a white mane and tail tied up as he was digging in the dirt. His cutie mark was that of a bright white skull. The lights were simply candles floating in the air probably by magic.

“Um hello?” I made him place the shovel down as he looked up at me with his UN breaking dark gray eyes.

“Can I help you?” his voice was something out of the darkness that would plague your nightmares.

“Miss Crystal Chain told me you were looking for some help” I tried to keep the bravest face up as he climbed out of the hole untying his mane and tail. His mane draped down to his shoulders and around his horn as his tail was long and elegant with the tip of it touching the ground.

“She would be correct.” The lights around the place went from a dark blue to a bright orange showing that the graveyard was no bigger than the town itself. The headstones were kept in pretty decent shape with different kinds of flowers growing in front of them. I followed him down a stone road to a small wooden house with a large stump in the front. He pushed the door open as he entered the house and came right back out carrying a small skull pin on work apron.

“Wear this tomorrow when you start work for the first time. We work from dawn to dusk okay?” he was standing in front of me with this mask of expressionless.

“Okay but what is your name?” I looked at him as he chuckled a bit.

“Sorry I forgot about that I’m Necro Skull.” He placed his hoof on his chest.

“I’m Moon/Sun Lily but you can call me Lily.” I placed the apron in my magic as I head down the road for the night. It was peaceful out here in the night. You could see the stars shining brightly as a few unicorns dressed in silk and gold switched the light over to a dull purple. I made my way to my wagon pulling the back off as I climbed in placing it back. I only had a small bed with a pillow and a large stack of books that filled up one wall. I fell down on my bed closing my eyes for the night. A large banging sound came from the back of my wagon as I poked my head out with my glasses hanging from my ear.

“It’s not even dawn yet so how can I help you?” I spoke without thinking as I rubbed my eyes noticing a black unicorn in front of me.

“It’s past dawn.” He spoke and my ears went up as I went into panic mode. I knocked over a wall of books that spilled out and over on the ground.  He stepped back as I popped out of the stack of books pushing my mane down which was full blow frizz. I heard him snickering at me as I looked at him through my mane. I floated a few books in his magic as he opened them before my eyes as I quickly closed them placing them all inside.

“Sorry sorry.” I rushed towards the graveyard leaving him behind me.  I made it to the graveyard as I used my magic to brush out the knots as I smoothed down my coat and tail along with my mane. Necro soon appeared at the main gate as I was sitting on the stump. He was carrying a couple of sandwiches along with a large sack from my wagon.

“You rushed off without me finishing what I was going to say.” He passed a sandwich off at me along with the bag. “I was going to say would you like breakfast since this morning will be slow.” He sat next to me as I gripped the sandwich taking a bite.  I could taste the lettuce and tomatoes mixed with onions and some vinegar.

“Well thank you. Would you like some cotton candy?” I opened the bag up holding it out in front of him.

“All you have is cotton candy?” he glared at me as I finished off the sandwich as I pulled a bit off taking a bite as I could taste the flavor of lime as it melted away. “Yes my friend made it. It changes flavor every bite you take from it.” I smiled as he took a small piece from me taking a bite. He gave me this weird look of what the heck. I laughed at him as he finished off his breakfast.

“Well let’s get to work.” He walked off into the other end of the graveyard as I followed him. We stopped in front of a large rock that looks like chunks of rock have already been cut off from it wildling it down to a small size.

“We need to cut a headstone out of this today” he picked up some chisels and some hammers as he gave a basic simple arch cut into the rock. “We got an order in today for a headstone for the mare who you talked to.” He continued to chip at the rock as I watched in awe.

“I need you today to pick weeds and to tend to the visiting ponies “he had turned to me as he stopped for a bit as I gave him a slight nod.

“Alright” I turned away from him as I walked around pulling a few weeds I saw here and there. Only one pony came to pay their respect to the lost one. I had placed the weeds I had collected next to me as I watched a few unicorns messing with the lights again. The sun wasn’t even setting it was still high noon and yet these ponies were messing with the lights.

“You watching them messing with the lights aren’t you?” Crystal Chain came up to me as I looked down at her.

“Yes I am” I kept my eyes locked on her as she looked towards the ponies.

“It’s an old magic their using. Different colors keep away different animals and evils. A normal yellow light keeps everypony happy and warm, red is to keep them Timberwolves away, blue is Manticores, the blanks, and the undead at bay, green is to keep flutterponies at bay, while purple keeps all the animals of the forest away. Oh and Orange keeps dragons at bay. You don’t need a special candle for them you just half to add magic to the flame. That’s it. So how is young Necro treating you my dear?” she had switched from a caring teacher to a caring mother type.

“He great!” my ears went up as I smiled. “He might seem a little tough or rough on the outside but I think there is something more there.” I looked as she smiled.

“You’re the first pony to say that.” She laughed as Necro came around from behind us.

“Oh Miss Chain I was just working on the headstone.” He walked over as she smiled at him.

“You’re just like your father Necro.” And with that I walked away leaving them to talk but I was able to hear her say “You better catch that young mare while you have the chance she a keeper” that made me blush as I took the bag of weeds and walked to another part of the graveyard. Sooner or later he came walking over as he tapped my shoulder.

“You okay?” he asked as I looked at him.

“Oh yeah I’m fine” I gave him a smile as he sat down next to me.