Chapters The Special One
It was late at night in the midst of the Everfree forest. No owls cried out, not a noise was heard for miles.
On the side of a lake lay a cabin that sat adjacent to a large farm. The entire farm stood still, as if in a trance. All was silent, when a single scream pierced the night, bringing to life what sat in wait.
Inside the cabin, an earth mare lay on the floor. Next to her lay a newborn filly.
The marewas light purple, with a mane of dark purple with streaks of pink. Her eyes were a light blue. On her flank was a single image of a butterfly. She was a rather small mare, who looked rather weak, tired, and sweaty.
The filly was a dark grey, with a tuft of black fur with stripes of dark blue, which would soon grow to be a mane. He opened his eyes, and they were a dark blue to match his mane. He was a rather small filly, yet seemed somewhat large next to his mother.
Overall, he was a normal filly. Except for two small stubs protruding from his back, upon closer look his mother noticed they were the start of wings.
His mother was excited, for there had only been one Pegasus in the family before, her own great grandmother.
She instantly knew that he was going to be special.
The Decision
It was a bright day on the farm. Birds were chirping, fish were splashing, and the crops were ready to harvest.
Skuggor lay on the side of his pond just staring into the mysterious cloudiness of the water, wondering what mysteries it held.
He was still a young colt, with a sleek yet muscular build. A little less than average height with his two wings folded to his sides. His flank was still blank, for he did not know his purpose.
"Hey!" His father yelled from the fields, "It’s harvesting time!"
Skuggor looked towards the fields and groaned. Reluctantly, he rose from his daydreaming and unfolded his wings. They spread out and cast a shadow underneath him, yet, much darker and harsher than would be expected.
He flapped his wings, smooth, and majestically. He rose to a full-grown colt’s height above the ground, and began to fly towards his father’s voice.
He reached the fields and approached his father. He was a large muscular colt, almost twice Skuggor’s ‘‘height. He was a light brown, with a short, dark brown mane. His brown eyes full of hope and strength. On his flank was the image of an ear of corn.
"Mornin' sport" he exclaimed to Skuggor, in his deep southern accent. "Ready to harvest?
"Sure dad, it’s gotta get done at some point." He replied, though really, inside he resented the idea of flying up to the corn, and dropping it into the trailer his father would pull.
"That’s the spirit son!" His father nodded, and together they went towards the field.
After almost all morning of tedious work, Skuggor’s mother cried out from the house, "Stark! Skuggor! Would anypony like a lunch break? "Why of course Liv! We would love some nice hay and corn!" His father, Stark, replied.
As his father ran towards the house, Skuggor thought to himself, "This work is so boring; we do the same thing every harvest season, and nopony else even lives around here."
It was then he realized that he was not meant for this life, and that he must find his own purpose in the land of Equestria.
The Leave
After lunch, Stark had decided to head out to the barn and get some eggs and milk.
Liv stayed inside to clean up the house, while Skuggor flew outside to the same old spot by the pond.
The patch of grass by the lake was completely pat down, in the shape of Skuggor’s sitting position.
He softly landed on the patch, and folded his wings to the side, then rested his head on his fore-hooves.
He began to stare into the cloudy waters, searching for an answer to his questions.
Who was he?
He stared into the water for what seemed like hours, and began to doze off.
"SKUGGOR!" At the sound of his mother’s voice, he startled awake, to see it was getting dark.
He sluggishly rose and shook his head. "How long was i sleeping?"
Looking around he assumed it was just getting dark, and he had been sleeping for a couple hours.
As he unfolded his wings, a reflection on the water caught his eye. Looking up, he saw what looked like a Pegasus in the sky.
The strange Pegasus began to pull the stars and move them.
Confused, Skuggor watched the Pegasus. Soon he began to recognize constellations.
"So that’s what happens."
Satisfied, yet still questioning, he slowly flew towards the cabin.
The old building was small, yet suited the family’s needs. It needed a new paint job, yet nopony felt like actually doing it. The paint that was there was a cracked and peeling dark bluish color. Skuggor’s father told him it was once a vibrant blue, but years of dirt and weathering turned it into what Skuggor now knew as a "home".
Approaching the front door, he landed and folded his wings against his back. His mother did not like him flying about inside.
Opening the front door a draft of sweet smelling corn cascaded over him.
He stepped into the four-room cabin, and saw his mother already setting up the food.
The dining room was a mostly empty room consisting of just a table and a candle. The walls had a flower print wallpaper that his mother had chosen a few years ago.
His mother stood by the table setting up food. "Look who decided to wake up." She chimed as she saw her son walk in the door. "Morning mom." He replied as he always greets others, even in the evening.
Skuggor walked to the door on the right and stepped into his room. It was a small room, with a bed and some books in it. The walls were painted a darker blue. A single window was on the wall with a view to the lake, as Skuggor had a strange attachment to the shadowy mysteries of the waters.
Skuggor jumped onto his straw bed and started thinking of where he would go and what he would do. He WAS still only a young colt after all.
Doubts started creeping into his thoughts, but he quickly pushed them aside, as he was a determined colt.
"Skuggor! Stark! Food!" Came a cry from the dining room.
Skuggor sighed; his thoughts interrupted, and sluggishly walked out to the table.
The family talked about how the harvest was going well so far this year. Throughout all of dinner, Skuggor tried not to show any shakiness or stress. After dinner, everypony went in a different way. Liv went to the kitchen to clean, Stark went to bed after a long day of work, and Skuggor went to his room to think.
In his room, Skuggor decided he would head west into the forest, in hope of finding some kind of place to go. He listened for when his parents went to bed. Soon later, he heard his parent’s room door close, and he began to slowly make his way around his room.
He waited a couple of minutes, and slowly opened the door. The candle had been put out, and the room was quiet. He slowly crept through the room to the door, and went outside.
He slowly unfolded his wings and flew towards the lake.
Giving the lake one last look, he turned west, and headed into the forest.
Into The Forest
The night air is thick and humid. Owls hoot, timberwolves howled, and crickets chirp.
The night came alive in the everfree forest.
A young pegasus colt waded through a swamp up to his underbelly. He was cold and needed a place to shelter.
Suddenly he thought to himself, "Duhh. Skuggor you're a pegasus. Use your wings."
So he unfolded his wings from his back, exposing two large feathery wings.Slowly he began to flap them, and rose from the mud.
He flew forward until he was out of the swamp. He then looked around for a place to bed down and rest. A tree was just up ahead thats lower branches hung down, forming a canopy.
Pleased, he flew over to the tree and landed in front of it. Folding his wings down, he moved forward under the canopy.
It was just a bit higher than he was, and he comfortably under.
Stomping down a patch of grass, he lay down, and started to rest, though in such an open place he dare not fall asleep.
It had been a few months since Skuggor had left behind his farm life, in search of his purpose. He was hungry, and tired, yet determined to find something in these woods.
Satisfied with his bed, he rested there for the night.
In the morning, the sun rose to warm the land, yet from under the canopy of the everfree forest, all Skuggor saw of the morning time was a few dots of light on the forest floor, that disappeared as quickly as they came.
Tired, yet somewhat rested, Skuggor rose from the floor, and continued the journey.
The Other One
After a long day of flying and walking through the woods, Skuggor needed a place to shelter. Looking around he spotted a cave.
He had been staying out in the open this whole journey, so he was relieved to see a safe place to stay.
Walking up to the cave, he slowly looked around for any animal that might follow him. Satisfied he was safe, he stepped inside the cave.
Inside the cave was warm, smaller than it looked, being about only 15" deep, yet a welcome place to stay.
Going to the back, Skuggor made a soft patch in the dirt and lie down.
Resting there most the night , Skuggor felt safe, and started to doze off.
Suddenly, he heard rustling outside of the cave, and a timberwolf howled, quite close to the cave.
Startled, he froze in place. Soon after, three timberwolves walked into the cave. Skuggor froze and tried hard not to breath too heavily.
The timberwolves looked right at him, but seemed not to notice him.
Puzzled, Skuggor looked around and notice the cave was very dark. On closer inspection, he noticed it seemed to be moving. Towards him.
Startled he looked back towards the wolves, and noticed their shadows to be gone. He looked around and noticed they were on the walls of the cave. Moving towards him.
Confused he looked at his hoof and didn't see it. Scared he started to freak out. The he realized that the shadows had covered him, and that was why the wolves didn't see him.
Confused, he realized the shadows moved around if he willed it in his mind.
Suddenly he had an idea. He stood up on his hind legs and spread out his wings to seem bigger. As he was still a young colt, he appeared somewhat small.
To compensate for the size, he bent the shadows around him.
The wolves looked up and whined in fear. Before them, Skuggor looked like a large pegasus the size of two stallions.
The wolves ran away, and Skuggor released the shadows back into the cave.
He started questioning what happened, and realized that his purpose in life must be to shape the shadows from the darkness of princess Luna's nighttime.
Suddenly he felt a tingling on both sides of his flank. Startled he slowly looked down to the sensation, and smiled.
On his flank was a picture of a moon, with a dark cloud shadowing over it. His cutie mark.
He then decided to leave the cave. Looking up at the sky saw the mysterious pegasus again arranging the stars. As it finished however, it began flying toward the clearing Skuggor was in. Slowly he backed up and pulled the shadows over him.
The pegasus landed and folded its wings. He was a young colt the same age as Skuggor. His coat was black, his mane purple with streaks of white. His flank depicted a picture of a dark moon with white stars.
The colt’s ears suddenly perked up and he looked around. Skuggor realized he sensed he was there.
Curious, Skuggor kept the shadows up to hide him.
The colt then flew back upwards. Still weary Skuggor kept the shadows and just watched.
He flew up to the stars and seemed to grab one. He then flew back towards Skuggors clearing.
Skuggor panicked. The light of that star would brighten everything around, except skuggor's shadows. He would look like just a ball of shadow in the brightness. Whats more, the darkness around would be shone away, rendering Skuggor incapable of producing more shadows to cast around, and he was not strong enough yet to make more roght then.
The colt landed, and as Skuggor expected, the area was lit up. The colt then looked over towards Skuggor and smiled. "Found ya. Whatever you are"
Facing defeat, Skuggor let go of his link between the shadows and revealed himself.
The colt seemed to look over Skuggor for a minute, then started to walk closer.
Timidly , Skuggor walked backwards and lowered his head slightly. The other colt seemed to notice his shyness and backed off.
The colt's smile seemed friendly as he asked " do you need anything? I have sone extra fruit if you want it."
Skuggor paused for a second and thought for a minute. He soon came to a realization. He hadn't gotten any food for the day.
With this fact he decided the offer would be helpfull. Wanting to accept, and about to agree, he remembered he was an independent pony. He had to honor himself and be strong.
According to this he made his decision. He looked toward the colt and tried to stand up proudly. He unfolded his wings to look stronger. "Thanks, but i don't need help from anypony i don't know." He tried his hardest to depict strength and pride, though he knew he looked hungry and weak.
Suddenly he gut moaned for food. Smirking at him, the other colt sarcasticlly said, " Well your stomach definetly doesn't need food. Right now it sounds lime you've eaten like a king for days." He then proceeded to take out some sort of blue green mango fruit, and take a bite.
"My names dark" he stated as he chewed the fruit, juices dripping from his mouth, " whats yours."
Embaressed Skuggor folded his wings and crouched to the ground. Sheepishly he replied, "Skuggor. I'm Skuggor."
Dark pulled out another strange fruit and rolled it to him while saying, " i could just see you wanted this Skoog, you haven't eaten in days."
Hastily Skuggor scooped up the fruit and took a bite. As he ate, dark asked "Might i asked why you're out here all alone?"
Puzzlingly, Skuggor looked up and replied through hasty bites of blue green deleciousness "i might ask the same of you."
Dark quickly shot back saying, "i asked first so you answer me first, then i'm an open book"
Skuggor sighed, wiped his mouth and said, "i'm from a farm a ways east of here. I lived with my mother and father for a while 'till i dun' realized that the farm life there wasn't what i wanted from life and i needed to leave. A couple of months ago i ran into the forest. I'm headin' west 'till i find a new place to stay. Now what 'bout you. Where you from?"
Dark nodded and replied, "Well i'm from a town thats name as long been since forgotten with my parents. The town was mostly deserted when my parents stumbled upon it. I would talk about my talent but you've already discovered that and i would ask you but thats been revealed as well."
Skuggor noticed dark was questioning something in his mind. But then heseemed to make up his mind, and asked, "Should we continue moving, or should we make camp and rest."
Skuggor thought about it and decided it would be a good idea to make camp. He looked up at Dark and said, "how about we make due with the cave i been stayin' in for the last few hours?"
dark nodded in agreement and said "sounds like a plan."
And so Skuggor turned around and walked into the cave.
That night Skuggor rested while Dark kept watch.
Not knowing then, these two had just began a long friendship, which would help them survive through the next few years on their travel through the forest, each on their own quest.
To be continued in
Part Three: A Home
Out of the Forest
It was a hot and muggy day in the everfree forest. Animals were searching for any kind of water or food.
It had been years since Skuggor had left home. He and Dark Stars were know full grown colts.
Skuggor was sluggishly flying through the forest, his wings now at full size. At a full wingspan of almost two times Skuggors own length, from below he looked majestic and powerful.
As he flew he yearned for conversation with his friend, as Dark Stars was searching for food.
They had been traveling together in the forest for most of their lives, and Skuggor saw Dark Stars as more of a brother than a friend.
Shrugging off the need for conversation, Skuggor heard a noise ahead of him.
Ears shooting up, he listened closely. He heard the rustling of animals around, and then slightly heard the sound of ponies. Talking. A lot of them.
Excited he picked up the pace. He already flew rather fast thanks to his wingspan, but know he shot through the trees like a racing horse. He'd never flown this fast in his life.
In the matter of seconds he shot out of the trees and slowly stopped and hovered.
Before him, lie a village.
Ponyville
Skuggors mouth fell open, and he slowly descended to the ground, landing and laying his wings out beside him, to excited to fold them down.
For years he had been searching. He had been hungry. Cold. Sick. And now; he finally found what he was looking for.
Excited, he looked back and yelled out "DARK!!!!"
Seconds later he heard a rustling, and his friend shot out of the trees. He turned toward Skuggor and landed sloppily in front of him.
"What happened?! I heard you yell!"
Skuggor just looked up from his daze and pointed a hoof forward.
He saw his friend turn, and his mouth seemed to drop to the ground. He fell into a heap beside him.
Sitting awestruck for minutes, Dark Stars voice seemed so distant when he stood and said "Well... We should go meet the other ponies."
Energized, Skuggor jumped up and nodded. " Yes!!" Realizing he was being silly, as he was not for he was a rather serious colt, he corrected himself. "Umm... I mean, agreed."
Smiling sarcastically he looked towards his friend. He just saw him smirk and nod his head. "Alright then... Ummm... Lets split up and meet everypony." Dark Stars suggested.
Agreeing Skuggor nodded and started walking off. Behind him he heard wings unfold. Ahead of him he saw his friend floating towards the village.
Sighing, he walked up to the center of the town. Not many ponies were out, but everypony that was just stared at him.
As he walked through town he noticed ponies walking away. Suddenly a pink mare with a puffy pink mane came out of nowhere and jumped up in front of him.
"Hi i'm Pinkie Pie! Who are you? I haven't seen you here before, where are you from"
The mare would not stop talking. Skuggor had to get her to stop, so he loudly replied "IM SKUGGOR! I'M FROM THE EVERfREE FOREST!!!"
Pinkie Pie suddenly stopped talking. She stared for a second then turned around running and screaming.
The other ponies around ran to their houses and closed the doors. "Hmmm..." Skuggor thought to himself, "They must not like the everfree forest"
Sighing he turned down an alleyway and walked into another mare. They fell backwards and he heard a high pitched squeal from the mare.
Quickly he jumped up and tried to help her up.
She lay on the ground with her hooves covering her head. She had a tannish yellow coat with a vibrant pink mane. On her back were two folded down wings.
Stepping forward, Skuggor said to the pony "Oh sorry i didn't see you! Are you ok?!"
The mare lifted her head slightly, just enough for her mouth to show.
"Oh oh..... Im sorry. I didn't mean it. I... I just didn't... See you th..the...there." The pony shuddered.
She had a quiet, smooth, sensitive voice. "Oh no big deal. It's my fault." Skuggor smiled, and reached out his hoof, "I'm Skuggor by the way, who are you?"
The mare slowly looked up. She looked towards Skuggor and picked up her head a bit. She had big light blue eyes, that shone with caring and shyness.
"Ummm.... I'm.... I'm Fluttershy" she responded.
"It's nice to meet you Fluttershy, say, what's wring with everypony around here? As soon as i mentioned i'm from the everfree forest th....."
But that was as far as he got, for as soon as he mentioned the forest she jumped up, screamed, and ran away, just as Pinkie had.
"Uhhh... I wonder how Dark Stars is doing with this insane place" he muttered to himself, and continued on.
He saw a pony just up ahead in an apple orchard, who seemed to be kicking the trees.
Curious he walked over to the strange mare. She was an orange mare with a yellow, braided mane. On her head was a tan cowpony hat, and on her flank were three apples.
Skuggor walked up to the strange mareand said hello. She looked over from her tree kicking, and replied "well hi there. You new around here?"
Her voice had a very southern accent that reminded him of his father, " Ya i'm from... Far away.... My names Skuggor."
Then He was curious again and asked " if i may, what were you doin' to them apple trees?"
She smiled and replied, "oh this here is sweet apple acres, my families orchard. I'm Applejack. I was just out here buckin' the trees and collectin' apples. In fact, if you don't mind, we have a large area to buck, and i should get back to work."
Skuggor understood, said goodbye, and moved on down the road.
By this time it was getting darker, and he needed a place to stay, yet he didn't know anything about the town, where to stay, or if there was even an inn here at all.
Walking down the path back to town, he saw a flash of rainbow colors ahead of him heading towards a cloud above. The blur stopped above the cloud and a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane appeared.
The mare slowly went down to the cloud, and to Skuggors amazement, actually landed and rest on it.
Amazed, Skuggor grew curious. He unfolded his wings, and slowly flew up to the nearest cloud. Hesitantly, he descended upon it. To his amazement, as his hooves touched the cloud, he felt some fluffy give, and then he stopped. He could walk on clouds.
Excited, he folded his wings, and layed back on the cloud. Is was soft, and comfortable. Wuickly he grew tired as he stared at the sky. As he began to sleep, he saw Dark in the sky arranging the stars.
He smiled, and yawned, "we did it friend, we have a home." And drifted off to sleep.
Author's Note
Hey everyone! This is only part of mu first ever fan fic. Be sure to leave comments telling me hiw i can improve! Thank you!
-Sh4d0ww01f98
