Alca Forte's Backstory

The mine was different today. No mining. No yelling. No shouting. We were all simply told to return to our living quarters at the next sounding of the gong to wait for further instructions.

The ring of the gong eventually sung out, and with it the confused but somewhat, I suppose content, ponies stepped back towards their rooms. It was a while before the door to the office swung open, and her voice called us in.

“Alright now everypony, today’s special! I managed to work something out between us and them! Come on in, and check this out!”

My room, being one of the most recently created ones, was closest to the door. As such, I was the first to look inside. As my gaze ran from left to right, I first noticed that there were also two mares and quite a number of foals looking inside. The office was connected with the other two tunnels. Huh. Next was that the pony who opened the doors was Celia. I do not remember her being the one in the office. Then again, I do not remember anything from that first visit at all. The yellow mare winked at me before she gestured towards the right. It was a large door, behind her desk. Nothing exceptional about it really.

The others that had peeked inside began to... speak their enthusiasm. That is to say, none at all. Celia quickly put out their flames though, as she pretended to pick somepony out of the crowd.

“No no, that’s not the real thing; it’s what behind it! Now let’s see... ah! You there! Why don’t you push the door open and show everypony the surprise!”

'Pretended' because I think she chose me on purpose.

As she pointed at me and pushed me forward, I could feel everypony’s stares piercing me. I rested my right forehoof on the door, still looking back at Celia with an uncertain look. Her face was speckled with sweat as I could see her forced façade beginning to crack. With a sigh, I turned back towards the door and pushed, making a tiny crack. When I peeked through the crack, I had to shield my eyes before I took in the sight. The other ponies began to murmur, trying to guess what I had seen when Celia chimed in as I stood there baffled, with a newly invigorated zeal. “Weeeelll, what do you see?!”

The murmuring ended as the ponies strained to hear what I had to say.

“Outside.”

Celia sighed, probably expecting a bigger reaction, and turned to the rest of the ponies. She explained to everypony that she had worked on this alone for a while, planning ever since...

Well, she was cut off by the stampede of mares, stallions, and foals alike as they pushed through the cramped office, into me, and out into the former dragon’s den. While yes, the cave was still mostly intact and left as its previous owner had left it, the opening was significantly bigger, giving a slight peek of the sky.

But of course, the opening was guarded. Six armor-clad pegasi stood steadfast at the cave’s mouth, their golden armor almost radiating its brilliant sheen.

Soon as I recovered from the shove, I looked up from the floor, surveying my surroundings.

The guards had their weapons brandished as several ponies were making towards the entrance behind them. Unsurprisingly, all of the charging ponies stopped in their rush, looking at the visible part of the sky wistfully. Celia was beside them, half apologizing and half scolding. In the middle of the cave, many foals and others began to stare hungrily at the food, although four guards were standing around the table. I assume that comes later. And over to the side, were some building materials.

I soon got up and wandered over to Celia, who had made her way to the table and began to explain to everypony what was going on.

“Okay, okay. So... uhm... yeah. Since today’s the Summer Sun Celebration and all, I asked them if we could... you know, spend the day outside. This is...”

Her voice trailed off, as her face grew sad and tired. ‘This is as outside as we get?’ is what I would say what was running through her mind.

The Summer Sun Celebration is set on the longest day of the year, not that I know when it exactly is, where ponies celebrate the gift of the sun and Celestia. Or rather, Pegasi celebrated.

There’s not much to write about until the incident occurred. Celia, clearly exhausted by everything already, managed a weak “Have fun everypony,” before retreating to the office. Most of the foals seemed disinterested in outside, being relatively new to the mine and all. As soon as the guards stepped away from the table and rejoined the ones standing near the entrance, the foals snatched what they wanted and went back inside, presumably to be with Celia. They always did like her.

The remaining group of mares and stallions split up into generally two groups. One group was dining quite peacefully and calmly, chatting and smiling. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, for that matter. From their appearance, I think they were the older ones. The ones who had been here longer; the ones who had learned how the mine worked; the ones.... who had given up. They had become accustomed to their lives as they were now.

The other group were eyeing the guards, periodically whispering to each other. They were visibly irritated, begrudgingly eating the pie on the table, instead of say, throwing it in the guards’ faces. These dissatisfied ponies were the more younger ones, probably still not willing to take what fate hooves to them, opting to retaliate with lemons and the such.

I... was with the former group. I’ve been told I give up too quickly. Whoever said that, was right.

Snatching up a bottle of who knows what and a piece of undefined pie, I backed up far away from the others. I didn’t have anything to say at the time; all the foals were inside, I was not much for conversation, and everypony standing there were adults.

I was alone as usual.

And then... everything just... became mush.

Now uh... even I’m not sure why this happened. I have two theories.
One is that I just snapped. I entered a form of bloodlust once more, just like when I had slain my first pegasus. I have my doubts of this theory though, since I would probably not snap for no real reason. I was a foal at the time though, and perhaps there is something I do not remember; I don’t know. The other is... the drink.

At the time, I had no clue what I picked up. But, if it was an alcoholic drink, that would explain much. I... am bad with alcohol. I’ve been told I’m... emotional. Very emotional. When I'm drunk. So, perhaps this caused it. Although I am a bit suspicious of this theory as well, as the foals would be drinking alcohol too. I doubt that Celia was as thoughtless to only bring these types of drinks. And I would still need some motive for my heinous act.

Er, on another tangent again. Sorry. Anyway...

Before I knew what happened, I was laying on the ground underneath the cover of the brush, near a steady brook. My hooves were painted the crimson red of blood; my bow and two arrows laid beside me with more scarlet stains; and nearby... was the corpse of one of the guards.

I looked down at the lifeless corpse. The crime was done recently, and I its culprit.

Who knows how many I had slain that day? Or rather, who knows who I had slain that day? With a few well-placed arrows, I could of easily ended one of the guard’s lives. With those same arrows, I could of killed one of my fellow miners, who had did naught to deserve the projectiles aiming for his neck. My victims may of been the guard or the miners.

I had become disgusted at myself, and for their death. What purpose did their death serve? Perhaps I could of made it outside by other means, yet, I have done it like this. Completely pointless.
To this day, I try to make the most of death. What life I have taken, will not be in vain. See what you must of me, whether as a poor thief, a murderer, or a taker of lives.

… sorry. Another tangent. Just... trying to... er, never mind. Continuing from before...

I was far away from the underground prison, and I was certainly not going to go back and check. What was to do from here? If I were caught, I was bound to be executed. Or tortured.

I wanted to live.

I cleaned myself within the nearby brook. The blood washed away within its cold but soothing waters. As for the corpse... I took what I thought I needed. Please don’t think badly of me, but I felt and still feel to this day that it was necessary.

This particular guard was quite the greedy pony, much to my fortune. His bag contained a modest amount of bits, but the food he had pilfered from the party? Wow. Some of it was preserved food to my luck. I suppose this is what the guards get often, seeing how the trade tables are only restocked every so often. I stashed it away, along with some other things.

I remember taking a knife, the bits, and several cans. The armor I had left alone, mainly because it did not fit with all of the food and it was far too large for me.

Now, if the pegasi for some reason did not manage to send a distress message, I would still have a chance in that town. I’m unknown there and the shipment to resupply the mine would not be arriving for a while; the food and newly arrived materials probably came from a shipment that had came today. The miners may have also used my... actions to seize control of the mine. Perhaps they are fighting back as I speak or also on the run just as I am.

Hrm... standing around here isn’t going to do anything. Onwards to the village.

My mind eventually wandered towards my future plans as I slowly maneuvered between the foliage. I eventually made up my made to see if anything could be useful from the Forte linage.

Oh, but not the main mansion.
No. My father’s Atelier.

I snuck onto a train back to Canterlot.

This next thing I am going to write about is somewhat... unbelievable.