The sun shimmered slightly as it began to set behind the mountains. It cast a beautiful glow across the castle. Unfortunately everypony was too busy dealing with their prisoner reluctantly, to see her majestic sunset. She had finally stopped the Stallion known as Crimson Armor, but something still troubled her. How on earth did such a normal pony become such a terrible monster? She had to know, for it was gnawing at her mind slowly, overwhelming her. She had to know, she decided as he was led to the courtyard to get his last glimpses of Equestria before his punishment was given.
An odd request, it seemed to her. Why would a stallion who had caused as much death and suffering, be sentimental about a sunset. Though it did flatter her, that to see something she put so much effort into was what he spent his last request upon. He gazed at the sunset, a look of happyness plastered upon his features. It seemed almost unbelievable that this was the pony thousands feared, and ran from. He looked calm and serene as he stood there staring at the landscape one last time. "You always were the best at sunsets." He sighed joyfully as he sat down, a small tear falling from his eye.
"You seem as if a great time of pain has ended in your life, as if you have gained inner peace after a great storm," she said as she watched the stallion breathe slowly all the hate and anger gone from his body. He watched as the sun finally receded behind the clouds and snickered a bit. He turned to the Alicorn and sighed.
"It took my entire life to find what I trully want, now I've lost everything. I have nothing to fear, but my own mind. The tinges of my curse, so to speak, still latch hold. Soon I will be punished for my crimes, as such I am at complete peace." He stood up, and watched as luna came forth from her chambers and joined the small gathering in the courtyard. "Ah, Luna, it's a shame our first meeting is on terms such as these," the stallion said as she walked over to the others.
Luna looked over uncomfortably at Celestia, "I thought he was off his rocker, and insane. He seems more like a gentlecolt, then a monster," she whispered softly into Celestias ear. Luna then reverted her gaze back on the red stallion, no wings, no horn, nothing special about him at all. Yet here they were about to punish him for high treason. Apparently the only thing he was exceptional at was speaking, so much so that he could rally entire armies to his aid, and stop riots just by saying several words. Of course she could here it in his voice, the years of practice and work he'd put into it. Learning the nuances of language, and the ways to be charismatic.
"Ah, Luna, dear sweet princess of the night. You see there is something special about me, from the time I was born, I've been gifted with the ability of rudimentary emotional manipulation through the psychic field that flows around everypony. And yes, I don't seem the same, I have conquered my demons, but now must pay for them," he said as he stood up looking into Luna, and Celestia's exasperated faces as they understood that to some extent he could read minds.
"You seem surprised, you didn't think I was ordinary did you?" he asked a look of puzzlement across his face, and surprise lacing his tone. "And to answer your question from early, I'll gladly tell you everything. This is my last day on Equestria, I have no need of secrets anymore." He stared up into the stars and allowed his mind to drift backwards into his life. Celestia and Luna quickly shooed away the gaurds to give him some level of privacy. He closed his eyes and began to speak again, this time his voice sounding majestic, yet lonely. "It all began in Phillydelphia, the maternity ward to be exact..." he said using his base psychic abilities to present the picture in their minds.
Chapter one: A foals beginning is his end.
"It's the thousandth and thirtieth of the summer sun celebration, several days before hearth warming eve..." The hospital staff rushed aroud the halls as a stallion sat outside one of the doors on a bench. He was a deep blue hue, with a frazzled lookin red mane, and blue eyes. His cutie mark was that of a bicycle.
His wife had just recently gone into labor, and he'd rushed her over here. Now he sat outside and waited until it was okay for him to come in. He was hoping for a mare, but would gladly appreciated a colt. The doctors came in and out of the doors to her room in the paternity ward constantly.
"Umm, Sir, could you tell me how much longer it should take," he asked a passing doctor. The doctor turned towards him and smiled at the soon to be father.
"It shouldn't be more then thirty minutes," he replied as he went back to his routine. The Stallion despretaly wanted to be near his mare, but was aware that the doctors needed their room, to do their job. He tapped his hoof gently on the ground as he waited. Suddenly one of the doctors opened the door.
"Mr. Armoris, you may come inside now, you have a beautiful little colt waiting to see his dad," the doctor said as the Stallion outside suddenly sprang to life and rushed inside the room, despretaly wanting to see his new foal. His wife was holding him in her arms gingerly, he wrapped in a plush red blanket. His light red coat showing a little, as well as his bright green eyes. His mane was showing slightly on his head, it was brown to be exact.
"He has his grandfather's hair," he said as he looked at his beautiful son. His wife reached the baby over to him and he quickly grasped it in his arms. "And your eyes," he added. As he looked on at his colt and smiled slightly. "Now, you just had to go and have the cutest, most handsome colt in all of Equestria didn't you?" he teased her as he rocked his foal gently in his arms. His wife looked up at him and smiled.
"He has your smile though," she added with a pleasant tone. "Now, what shall we name him?" she asked her husbend lovingly. "I was thinking Richard like his father." She said her voice happy, but showing signs of weakness. He looked at her lovingly and smiled, nuzzling up to her gently.
"I like it, Richard Armoris." he said as he cradled the foal. "How does that sound to you, darling?" he said as he tickled the foal softly. The foal laughed and giggled and looked absolutely happy. "Very well Richard it is," the stallion said as he gave the foal back to his mother. Afterwards one of the doctors came back in, a look of sorrow and worry strewn across her muzzle.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but it seems their were some complications during delivry. You seem to have internal bleeding, it is unlikely that you will live through the night," the doctor said sadly. The stallion's heart almost stopped, he had just been blessed with a beautiful colt, and now his wife, amd love of his life was about to die. Tears began to fall slowly down his face as he turned away and sat down in the corner. He couldn't handle this. He couldn't lose his wife already.
His wife looked on at him. She smiled, "I have one last request, darling, just make it Armor, like our faithful prince. I feel this foal, will save everypony one day," she said as her breaths sounded shallow against the noises coming from around the room. He looked at her gentle frame, and walked over to her. This was his wife, his mare. He couldn't bare to lose her, but he wouldn't dare deny her last request.
"I will, and I'll teach him the meaning of your love. I'll do everything I can to make him grow into a dashing stallion." He answered her as he wrapped his hoof around hers, with a small tear flowing down her cheek she kissed him, they shared that kiss for a long time before she broke it.
"I love you, darling." She said tears now streaming down her face. "Love our foal enough for both of us." She said as her eyes glazed over and she fell back slowly onto the bed. Her breaths became small and far apart until she wasn't breathing anymore.
"I love you, too," he cried as she began to fade from this world. "I will, I'll love him more then anypony ever loved a colt," he sobbed as he fell onto her weeping deeply. Aas she died his bitter tears covered the blanlets on the bed. He took the colt from his dead mothers embrace and held him gently, tears still streaming down his face. "Yes, you'll become the most important pony in Equestria one day. All of our lives will rest on your shoulders and you will save us," he said sorrowfully as he stared at the beautiful red foal.
He could contain it no longer. He handed the colt to a nurse, and collapsed in the floor crying from his sheer amount of grief. He stayed like that for over half an hour, and the nurses and doctors took the colt to feed it, and give him some time to grieve. He stood up, and walked over to his former wife. "Why, darling, why now when I need you the most," he asked her lifeless body.
He fought his own sadness and attempted to compose himself, stopping the tears at least, though great sorrow still showed on his face. He walked outside the room and asked one of the nurses where his colt was at. She quickly led him to his colt. He was sleeping soudly in a crib inside the newborn section of the paternity ward. He walked over to him and picked him up, smiling gently. He craddle him in his arms and knew he was holding the best decision he had ever made.
He gently began to walk around with his colt slowly, and affectionately. He sang to it, and tickled it, and whatever else he could think of to comfort his child. He soon placed it back in th crib, and just watched it. His grief being eased by his love for this small life he had helped create. Soon he left the room, and started for the cafeteria, the dull colors of the hospital dawning upon him. It was such a terrible sickly green and grey color.
He soon found his way to the cafeteria and ordered a rose petal sandwhich, and some hay fries. He sat at his table and ate quietly. Soon the task of funeral arrangements and a newborn colt lay ahead of him. He would try no matter what, as he felt it would best honor his now dead wife. He quickly ate while savoring the taste of the meal. He noticed that many people were talking in hushed whispers. Of course he knew they were talking about him, but he didn't care. His heart still grieved from the loss he had encountered.
He stood uo after he had finished and threw away his trash. Afterwards he walked outside of the cafeteria putting up his tray and heading back towards the newborn wing of the hospital, upon arriving he had a chair brought to the side of his colts crib and he sat down to get some rest. Soon he dozed off into a unpleasant sleep...
Outside of Canterlot Castle Celestia dabbed a handkerchief across her face as he continued. "The child was of course me, later that week on hearths warming eve, we were allowed to return home and live. The grief however ate at my father, and he soon became an alcholic." Crimson stooped after this several tears falling from his face. He quickly regained composure, and restarted.
"At the age of five months my father began his bout with severe alcholism..."