How life ended, then began
-------[Death of a Filly]-------
The sun began to rise over the mountains that surrounded Canterlot. The birds began their morning songs, and stars that just minutes ago were clearly visible began to fade as the sun's light brightened the skies. Ponies were stirring in their homes as a normal day began. A mare's scream pierced the tranquility.
The night before
Darkness spread its wings across the night skies. The shadow of a mare drifted around corners of buildings, then through window shutters as the flame of a lamp dances through its metal housing. Her cloak flutters gently in the cool breeze that flows around her as she trots hurriedly in search of a particular house. Finally arriving at the house she was searching for, she quietly unlocks the window with her magic and opens it, then stealthily hops through it, searching once more.
She walks throughout the house silently, eyeing every corner and room, then finally comes to a stop outside of the open door to the room she had been looking for. She slowly walked over to the bed and looked down at the filly who was sleeping peacefully under the covers. The filly was breathing deeply and had the covers pulled up to her neck, and the mare watched as they rose and fell above the filly's stomach as she breathed. The mare reached down into the bed and stroked her cheek lovingly, running her hoof over the soft fur along her face. The filly smiled and shifted, getting more comfortable. Her jet black mane was messy, and fell down to her back beneath the covers. The light purple coat that covered her small body was smooth and still smelled of vanilla from the bath she'd had before bed only an hour ago.
The mare pulled her hoof back and a tear ran down her face, trailing lightly down her nose, and then falling gently to the floor. She reached into her cloak and pulled out a rag and a small bottle. Tilting the bottle horizontally, she poured a small amount into the piece of cloth. She returned to the filly, as she fought back tears, and firmly pressed the cloth to the young child's nose.
The filly awoke, gasping and inhaling the aroma of the liquid, and then swiftly fell unconscious again, her brow still furrowed in confusion. The mare then lifted the filly up and out of the bed, and carried her back outside. Once there, she placed the small filly on her back with her magic and began a slow trot as she cried silently, knowing full well what would happen to the child once her part was done.
The Everfree Forest at night. Creatures lurked and stalked their food, though none were as evil as one of its current residents. A small mound in the ground shone bright as a pale blue aura cascaded over it, opening it to reveal a hall that entered into the ground. Another mare carried the young filly with her magic into a small room and set her down on a wooden table.
The new mare walked around to a candle and touched her horn to it, igniting it with a spark from her horn. The pale light flooded into the room, casting shadows around the room. The mare walked over to a chest, flicked it open, and pulled out a metal box. She then carried the box over to the wooden table next to the filly who remained unconscious. Opening the metal box she removed the contents. Six leather straps, each with a buckle that clamped onto the material and then locked into place were placed onto the table. Taking each one with her magic, she inserted one end through the slot on the left of the filly's stomach and wraps it across her smooth belly and inserts it into the other slot. She then takes the buckle and inserts both ends into it, tightening them, and then locks it with her magic. She repeats the process with the remaining straps until the filly's legs, and head are strapped into place.
Once the filly is completely restrained she strokes the young mare's mane, gently running her hoof through the soft, long hair. She knew what she was going to do. Though, she wasn't filled with sadness like the mare who took the filly did. She was happy. Giddy almost. Her head was filled with all the cruel things she would do. All the horrible ways she pictured the filly dead. She knew the filly would be awake soon. This wasn't her first. She had done this to many young fillies and colts in her lifetime, all of them cried and screamed for their parents. They begged for her to stop and let them go, and then they would fall silent as life fled their bodies. She was beginning to grow bored with it, however, and hoped this filly would change things up a bit.
Evefree Forest
Many years later
"Come on Serra! You have to leave the forest sometime!"
"Nightlight...You know how other ponies react when they see me. I'm not exactly...normal."
"But I didn't run away!"
"Well, no offense Nightlight, but you're a Changeling. You aren't exactly unaccustomed to strange things."
"I guess.", she said, her ears lowered slightly. I could tell I hurt her a little, but she knew I was right.
Nightlight was just a young Changeling of sixteen years old (Of course all ponies seem young to me. Show me a pony and I'll call them young.). I had stumbled across her a few months back. She was starving and running from guards that were pursuing her. She had been hiding in Ponyville, but she had been discovered when she had fallen asleep on a park bench one night and her appearance had slipped so to speak. I had taken her in and let her feed off of my emotions. It wasn't the first time I had cared for a Changeling, though most had left after they were sustained. In a sense we had grown attached, and she was, in some aspects, like a daughter to me.
We were having an argument as to when I would leave the Everfree and return to the normal world. Yet, I have never left the forest since I became who I am, and I honestly don't think I'd know how to act. Even if I was accepted back, ethereal as I am. All this is to say that I see her point. She doesn't care for the forest, and I don't much anymore either. Maybe it was time to move on.
"Okay, Nightlight. You win. I'll leave the forest."
At this her ears perked back up at full attention and a big smile lit up her face.
I couldn't help but laugh. "What's the matter, Nightlight?", I asked as I pointed to her ear. "Receiving a transmission?"
She quickly tried to act indifferent, but I could tell she was happy.
As we walked through a part of the forest en route to Ponyville I heard a noise off in one of the bushes. I had Nightlight stay behind as I went to see what it was.
Peering through the leaves I couldn't see anything there, except a small rock with some dirt stuck to it, and small bits of the dirt among the foliage. It looked like it had been thrown. As I turned to run back to Nightlight I could see her pinned to the ground by a member of the Royal Guard, and another standing three hooves away laughing.
"Well. Looks like we found that Changeling that was hiding in town a few months ago.", said the Guard pinning her down.
"I think we better get rid of it before it tries to get away.", said the one standing beside her.
The guard that was pinning her down grabbed his spear that was lying on the ground with his magic. He then positioned it over her chest.
"Any cries for help...Changeling?"
Nightlight just closed her eyes as tears flowed down her face, and her lip trembled.
