Prologue: On the Outskirts (Edited)
The night air was silent, except for only the softest of melodies conducted by an orchestra of crickets and owls. The entire world slept soundly under the protective comfort of the celestial blanket placed over it by the recently returned Goddess of the Night. The night was still, with almost nothing to disturb the peace and tranquility it brought.
All save for the movement of a solitary figure.
A male unicorn moved under the cover of the starlit sky, a sack slung over his shoulder. Above his head, the moon hung in the sky, full and bright, illuminating the path he was currently treading, although he paid no attention to it. He moved forward, his mind focused solely on reaching his destination, occasionally looking at the map in his possession to make sure he was still on track. It was only after he came to the to a cliff overlooking a small town that he finally stopped, as if to make sure that he was at the correct destination. The figure lifted his head up, breathing in the cool air and all the scents that accompanied it. He looked back down at the town, trying to make out any distinguishable landmarks.
Near the center of the quaint village was a building that had a various assortment of sweets decorating its exterior. The roof bore an uncanny resemblance to a gingerbread house. But, what really caught the figure's eye was the loft perched on top of the structure. It looked almost like a giant cupcake with candle-shaped lights atop it. If the stallion had to hazard a guess, if seemed to be some sort of bakery.
Further into town, was a sight that immediately caught his eye. At first glance, it looked like nothing more than an average oak tree. However, upon closer inspection, the figure could make out two balconies connect to the old oak, one on the side of the tree and one perched on the top, with the top one having what appeared to be a telescope attached to the railing. Near the front door, was a sign of an open book.
Must be the town's library, the unicorn pondered. He gave the tree another look over. Though I question the logic of filling a tree with such a large assortment of books. If a lighting bolt were strike it, everything would go up in flames.
As his eyes move across the landscape, the pony took notice of a peculiar looking building. The exterior of the establishment was colored periwinkle, with pink dotting the roof. A loft, similar to the one on the the roof of the bakery, was perched atop it, but it was flanked by what appeared to be carousel mannequins. A similar carousel figure decorated the sign that hung above the front door. It had a sort of royal appearance to it, but the stallion couldn't figure out the purpose of such a building or why anypony would design it in such a manner.
The stallion's gaze continued to move across the sleeping hamlet, taking in every detail he could. Smack dab in the center of town was building that could've only been the town hall given its location. There were also various shops, even one that seemed to specialize in materials used for practical jokes and another that sold only quills and sofas.
How strangely...specific, the figure thought, before returning to his observations. He took note of schoolhouse and what appeared to be a some sort of spa, although he was only guessing based on appearances.
The unicorn cast another glance towards the edges of the town, making sure that he didn't miss anything. Near one part of town lay a large expanse of land. An apple orchard seemed to dominated most of it, although the stallion could make out the outlines of a barn and farmhouse with a apple atop it. Next to it was another farmhouse only with a carrot on top instead of an apple.
As the stallion took in more and more of the hamlet, he glanced up. He could barely contain his surprise at the sight that graced his eyes. A cloud house hovered over the village, its rainbow streams and waterfalls looping around its columns before cascading off into the night sky.
Finally, he looked out to the very fringe of the town. Right on the edge of the infamous woodland known as the Everfree Forest was a cottage. The roof of the house was covered with grass and bushes and had a wooden bridge that was built over a small stream. But what really caught the male unicorn's attention was the variety of birdhouses and other animal habitats that seemed to decorate every part of the exterior.
This has to be Ponyville, then, the unicorn thought. It matches her descriptions perfectly.
The stallion turned away, confident that he had arrived at the right location. He was about to head down into the town when he heard the rustling of wings. He spun around, ready to attack anyone, be they pony or something else. However, as soon as the unicorn saw what had crept up on him, his posture relaxed.
"It's just you," the unicorn said, his deep voice piercing the silent night air. "You know better than to sneak up on me like that. If I hadn't paused to see what it was, you would've been killed."
The intruder, it turned out, was what appeared to be nothing more than a large raven that had perched itself on a nearby tree branch. The bird looked like an omen of death, with black shaggy feather, a sharp, wicked looking bleak, razor-edged talons, and purple eyes that seemed to have an unearthly glow to them. It looked at the pony, tilting it's head in a quizzical manner before letting out a caw, almost as if it was asking a question.
"Yes, Shade," the unicorn said, holding out his hoof so that Shade could perch on it. "I'm confident that this is correct town."
Shade cocked his head and cawed again.
The unicorn shook his head in response. "No, I'm not sure why Far Seer suggested that we come here." He looked back out over the cliff. His gaze never left the town; he wondered why she would have sent them to such a quaint and unassuming village. "But she's never led us astray before, and I can't imagine that she would start now."
The race squawked a reply, almost in a skeptical manner.
The stallion gave a small chuckle. Sometimes, his corvid companion could be so paranoid and difficult to work with. "I'll tell you what, Shade: If this isn't Ponyville, then you can peck my head all you want. Deal?"
Shade tilted his head upwards, as if considering the terms, before cawing in agreement. He left his perch and settled on his master's back. The unicorn simply rolled his eyes. Damn bird is lazier than a sloth. He could easily fly to the town and he opts for a free ride instead.
"Comfy?" A caw was the reply he received. "I thought so. Now let's go."
The male unicorn began to move towards the town. However, after he took a few steps, he paused. He looked back at the tree Shade had previously chosen as his roost, or more accurately the shadows under the tree. The raven looked at his master and let out a concerned squawk, as if asking what the hesitation was about.
"Just give me a minute, Shade," the unicorn said. He turned his attention back towards the shadows and squinted at them, as if trying to find something that was hidden from view. If he focused hard enough, he could make out a vague outline. "Ebony? Are you still there?"
For a moment, nothing happened. If anyone were to walk by, they would think that the pony had lost his mind and was just talking to an imaginary creature. Their minds would probably change, however, as soon as they saw the shadows under the tree start to ripple and shift. It looked as if the darkness itself was about to spring to life
Two glowing red eyes peered out from the shadows. They stared at the stallion, although there was no malice or hatred in their gaze. If anything, the eyes were looking at the unicorn with affecton. Then, they started to move. A body, the size of a large timber wolf and covered in black fur, emerged from the darkness. It stood atop four powerful legs, each foot tipped in razor-sharp claws. A shaggy tail wagged behind it, a sign of the beast's excitement and anticipation. But, the feature that would truly catch anypony's attention was the head. Situated atop a muscular neck, it held the qualities that any canine would have: A muzzle, a wet nose, two ears standing erect, so as to hear every possible sound, and, most importantly, a mouth with jaws strong enough to crunch through stone and teeth that were sharp enough to rend metal. It was a beast that should've been in the pits of Tartarus, chasing and tormenting the souls of the damned for all eternity.
It was a hellhound.
The demonic mutt started to move towards the pony, but stopped the minute he lifted his hoof.
"No, Ebony," the stallion said, his tone carrying a softness in it. "You need to stay in the Shadow Realm for now. We can't have you running around just yet."
The creature let out a small whimper. It wanted to go to the new place too. The dog looked at the stallion, confusion and hint of sadness in its eyes. They almost seemed to be asking Why do I have to stay in the dark place? Why can't I stay out here with you?
"I'm sorry, girl. I know how much you want to play with the other ponies, but I don't think they would take kindly to your appearance." The stallion looked at Ebony, the sorrow in her eyes bringing a small pain to his heart. "I promise, as soon as we get settled, I'll try to introduce to some of the townsponies, okay?"
Ebony looked at the male before letting out a short, happy bark, letting her owner know that she was okay with the terms of the arrangement. She turned around and walked back into the shadows, barely able to contain her excitement. They were going to a new place! That meant meeting new ponies, making new friends! Ebony turned around and let out a final bark before immersing herself in the shadows once more.
Shade shuffled around on the stallion's back before letting out an annoyed caw. They were wasting time! The stallion let out a small chuckle at the bird's impatience. He looked up and saw another reason for why the raven was getting so anxious. Clouds were starting to roll in, carrying the both the promise and the scent of rain on them. They had already started to cover the moon, hiding it's silvery sheen.
"All right, Shade, all right. We'll get moving."
The stallion gave Ponyville one last look before heading down. This is where I take control of my destiny, and learn the answers I've been seeking.
The desk clerk, a male earth pony with a light brown coat and a tan mane by the name of Check In, looked up from his newspaper to take a quick glance at the clock mounted on the wall. It was about fifteen minutes till midnight. He let out a relieved sigh. Soon, he could slip into bed, next to his loving wife. He just had to wait it out for a little while longer. He heard the patter of the rain that had started to come down not too long ago.
He mentally sighed. He didn't regret working at the Ponyville inn. If anything, it was downright cake walk at times.Some nights,it's just really slow, Check thought to himself, taking another peek at the clock. Fourteen minutes to go.
The stallion was considering calling it a night early, until he heard the door open. He debated what to do now. On one hoof, he was tempted to just tell whoever had walked in that the inn would be closed for the night and to go find somewhere else to stay for the night. On the other hoof, though, it couldn't hurt to have a few more bits in the ol' bank account.
The need for money overriding any other concerns, the earth pony turned to see who had walked into the inn at this hour. "Welcome to the Old Grey Mare, friend," the clerk said, putting on a friendly smile. It always helped to put the customers at ease, his grin. He paused, though, when he saw his latest guest, a bolt of fear shooting through his heart. "Wh-what can I do for you on this fine night?"
The pony in question was a male unicorn with a blood-red coat and a shaggy, sepulcher black mane and tail. His horn was a little sharper and a bit larger in length as opposed to a typical unicorn's slightly blunted horn, almost as if it had been made for the dual purpose of casting magic and goring someone. His size was also a tad bigger the average male's and his body seemed to be quite toned and fit. His legs were equally as toned and ended in jet-black hooves. Both ears were adorned with a small silver hoop, and the unicorn was wearing wearing a silver chain with a pendant made of the same silver in the shape of the of a snarling wolf's head, its eyes two gleaming rubies. Check In stared at it in awe; he had never seen so ferocious looking a pendant before. However, was really caught the clerk's attention was the features around each of the unicorn's eye.
The markings were as black as the mysterious stallion's mane and were shape liked tear drops turned on their side, with the ends curling upward, giving the stallion an angry look. Thin jagged lines seemed to come the corner of the tear ducts, moving in an upward direction, adding to the appearance of anger. Two thin lines, one coming from the tear ducts, the other from the center, extended from the bottom of the shapes, each one trailing down to the stallion's neck, branching off at the middle into three separate streaks. The inner lines connected just at the bottom of the neck, creating a sort of 'V' shape, while the middle and outer lines continued to the unicorn's forelegs, stopping at the knee. The lines then seemed to create an encircling design, wrapping around the remainder of the legs before seemingly connecting with the stallion's hooves.
Speaking of eyes, the receptionist just now noticed the stallion's. They shared the same scarlet hue as his body, seemed to a have a...spark in them, and were currently glaring at Check In with almost unrestrained fury. If looks could kill, Check thought. Yet, as he looked the strange unicorn in the eye, he thought could see something else. It was as if behind the anger was a great deal of...something Check In couldn't quite place. It was as if this pony had never know happiness, and was left with only anger. Check In couldn't help but feel a little sorry for this pony, whoever he was. At the same time, the earth pony also felt more than a little terrified about this newcomer. After all, this stallion looked like he could cause some major damage if he wanted to, and it didn't help that he seemed to give off a frightening aura.
The unicorn said something, snapping Check In out of his trance. "I-I'm sorry, sir. What did you say?"
The strange stallion let out an aggravated sigh; he apparently didn't like having to repeat himself. "I said, I would like to rent a room. Do you have any that are vacant?"
"Oh! Y-yes, we do have one room," Check In replied, still somewhat nervous about mysterious pony who had walked in. He pulled out the registration book that was kept under the desk. "How long were you thinking of staying?"
"Just put down 'Until further notice.' "
Check In jotted down the unicorn's statement. "Okay, sir, I just need your name and Cutie Mark and we'll get you all set up."
The enigmatic unicorn remained silent. Check In noticed that he was looking off to the side in an manner that almost resembled reluctance and shame. The earth pony wondered what would make a pony, even one as strange looking as this stallion, so hesitant about revealing their name.
"Dark Fire"
"Huh?" Check In looked back up into, his own blue eyes meeting crimson ones.
"My name," the red male said, annoyed that he had to repeat his previous statement once again. "It's Dark Fire."
The earth pony wrote down the information in his log book. "All right, Mr...Fire?" A nod was his reply. "Okay, now I just need to know what your Cutie Mark looks like and we'll be all set."
Dark Fire glared at the clerk, causing him to take a step back. "And why," Dark Fire said slowly, not taking his eyes off the earth pony, "must I show you my Mark?"
W-well, we use our guests' Cutie Marks as a way to identify them," Check In stammered, not wanting to anger the scarlet stallion. "It also allows to assist the authorities in the event that our guests aren't as....law abiding as they appear."
Dark Fire looked at the clerk, skepticism written all over his face. He pointed to his eye markings. "I'd like to think that nopony would have any trouble identifying me."
Check In shrugged. "Sorry, sir. I don't make the laws, I just follow them." He gave the red stallion a serious look. He couldn't help but feel some sympathy for the unicorn; he thought the laws were a little ridiculous, but rules were rules. "If you can't show me your Cutie Mark, then I'm afraid that I'll have to ask you to leave."
Dark Fire let out a low growl, but complied nonetheless; Check In could've sworn he saw fangs when the stallion snarled. He turned around so that the earth pony could see his flank, and more importantly, the purple and blue flame that adorned it. Check In took a quick glance at it and wrote down the Cutie Mark's shape in the registration book.
"All right, Mr. Fire," Check In said, putting away the book and picking up a key from the board behind him, "if you'll follow me, I'll show you to your room." He glanced at the sack the unicorn had slung over his shoulder. "Would you like me to take your bag for you?"
The crimson unicorn shook his head. "No, thank you. I'm fine carrying it, and besides, it contains some... personal effects that I'm attached too." He motioned to the hallway with his head. "If you could..?"
Check In gave a nod, understanding what Dark Fire was asking. He paused for a minute before looking back at the scarlet unicorn and tapping the desk. He had nearly forgotten to ask for payment! Dark Fire rolled his eyes, but understood the meaning of the gesture. He took out a pouch of bits and placed them on the counter, leaving the bag opened enough so the clerk could see the money. Check In had to fight to keep his eyes from bulging from his head. The earth pony had never seen so many bits before! Check In nodded his thanks and lead the unicorn down the hall, occasionally glancing back at his red guest, but remaining silent. There was something about this stallion that was both off-putting. It was as if he had some dark secret that he was trying to keep buried or some troubled past that he was running from. Check In shook his head. He had been reading too many mystery novels. Whatever happened was Dark Fire's business and his alone. As long as he didn't cause trouble, Check In felt no reason to pry.
"So," Check In said, hoping to lighten the mood and break the unbearable silence, "What brings you to Ponyville? Don't get me wrong, it's nice to see new faces around here, but, well...." Check In stumbled, trying to find the right words so that he didn't offend the unicorn, "you just don't look like some of the folks we usually see coming through here."
Dark Fire glance at the clerk out of the corner of his eye, causing Check In to shudder. Even his glances had a large amount of anger in them. Dark seemed to take notice of the shivers that went through the clerk's body. I'm not that terrifying, am I? "I'm here on the advice of a...friend, and I'm hoping to establish a more permanent residence. Set down some roots, if you will."
"W-well, your friend gave you some sound advice." Check In was trying his best to not sound like he was two seconds from shitting himself, but the unicorn was making it nearly impossible; he just radiated terror and fury. "What do you plan on doing here in Ponyville?"
"Didn't I just tell you?" The unicorn's response was short, and his tone suggested annoyance.
Check In threw up both hooves in front of him, a gesture that suggested peace. "Wh-what I meant was, what are you going to search for a job, and are you going to look for a house?" The earth pony was praying to Faust and any other deity that would listen that the red stallion wouldn't kill him. "You know, those types of things."
Dark Fire back off a bit. "I'm going to look for a job tomorrow, though I'm not exactly hurting for bits at the moment, and probably won't be needing them for a long while. As for housing, I'll look into that later. Right now, my primary concern is just establishing myself; I'm tired of wandering." He looked at the clerk, fear clearly etched across the poor pony's face. Dark Fire sighed. He wasn't used to apologizing, but he knew it was the right thing do. "I'm... sorry for snapping at you like that, Mr...?"
"Oh! Uh, my name's Check In, but you can just call me Check," Check In replied, a little relieved that he was still breathing. He decided to switch to a different topic of conversation. "If you don't mind me asking, what did you do before you came to Ponyville?"
Dark Fire looked down at the ground, trying to come up with the best answer. "I performed a variety of....odd jobs." It wasn't the whole story. A half truth at best; a white lie at worst. His previous occupations weren't what one would describe as fitting the definition of normal.
Check In notice the hesitation, but decided not to comment on it. He could tell this stallion was dangerous, but he was in no mood to find out just how dangerous. He decided to press on with the conversation. "If...if you don't mind me asking," the clerk began cautiously, "what's up with the face paint?"
"Face paint?"
The earth pony gestured towards Dark Fire's markings. "You know, around your eyes. What's the deal with it?"
Dark Fire turned to face the clerk for the first time since the desk. He looked Check In straight in the eyes, causing the concierge to gulp nervously and take a step back. "I'm not wearing any 'face paint'." The scarlet unicorn turned around and continued walking in the direction that they were heading. He just wanted to get to his room, and not have to deal with any more questions.
"Oh, so they're tattoos then?" Check In asked. "Kind of an odd place to get tattoos, don't ya think?"
Dark Fire grit his teeth as he fought down his anger and annoyance, both of which were directed at Check In. "They're not tattoos either," he said with a slight growl in his tone, hoping that the concierge would get the idea and stop asking. But of course, the earth pony couldn't take a hint.
"So are they–" Check in began, only to be cut off by a fierce glare from a rather irate unicorn. Dark Fire began to advance on the hapless clerk, who was trying to desperately find some means of escape or defending himself from the approaching unicorn. Unfortunately, there was no such respite, and Check In soon found himself between a wall and a very angry stallion. Dark Fire's crimson eyes seemed to bore past Check In's blue ones and burn in a hole into his soul.
"Listen, and listen well," the scarlet unicorn said through gritted teeth. Check In couldn't help but gasp in horror at the sight in front of him. Dark Fire's eyes were now glowing red, and his teeth had morphed into fangs; he looked less like a pony and more like a creature of Tartarus. "My markings, and how I received them, are none of your concern." Dark's tone was starting to lower to a whisper as his face moved closer until it was mere inches from Check's. "And I would appreciate it if you stop asking. Do we understand each other?" Check In barely managed a stiff nod, trying with all his will to not mess himself in front of this...pony. "Good." Dark Fire backed off, allowing the poor desk clerk some space and air before gesturing down the hall. "If we could...?"
Check In was barely able to manage a nod, still paralyzed by fear at what he had just seen. He had been right that this was no normal unicorn, but he felt too scared to go running into the streets. Besides, it not like he could do anything anyway. Dark Fire, despite the terrifying visage that Check In had just witnessed moments ago, had not made any sort of threat or attempted to attack, therefore Check In could not report him.Beside, the unicorn was probably using his magic to make himself more horrifying than he really was. After all, if ponies were arrested for just being scary, the dungeons would fill up very quickly. Just take him to his room,Check In thought to himself, desperately trying not to run screaming down the hallway. Then you can go back to your home, barricade the door, and hug your family. The two continued on their way in silence, Dark Fire having nothing to say apparently and Check In not wanting to provoke another outburst. It took them only a few more minutes to reach Dark's Room.
"All right, sir," Check In said, trying, and failing, to control the tremor in his voice. "This is where you'll be staying. You should find everything you need inside, but if not, please contact the desk and we'll try to accommodate you." And please don't kill me. Check In opened the door and gave Dark the key. He was just about to sprint down the hall, out of the building, back home, and not look back when...
"Check In"
Oh, dear Faust, here it comes. Honey Suckle, I love you and I'm sorry we couldn't spend more time together. Take care of the kids. Check In couldn't stop thinking these thoughts and similar ones as he turned to face the crimson stallion. "Y-yes, Mr. Fire?"
Dark Fire just kept glancing out of the corner of his eye, his gaze boring into Check In, which didn't help calm the anxiety that the clerk was already feeling. After what seemed like an eternity even though it was only a few seconds, Dark closed his eyes and sighed, running a hoof through his black mane. "I'm...sorry about earlier," Dark started, trying to not appear aggressive or ready to attack, "I'm not...used to dealing with ponies, and I'm still trying to not let my anger get the better of me." Dark turned fully to look Check In in the eye, who, to his credit, didn't run or cower. "I just want you to be assured that I would not have hurt you in any way. I don't believe in harming those who have done me no wrong."
Check In stood there, stunned by the apology itself and the words in it. Although he had no reason to believe anything that Dark Fire said, he knew that the red pony was being sincere. "W-well, thank you for the apology, Mr. Fire," Check In said, now slightly less afraid of his guest. "Please, have a good night." With that, Check In trotted, not ran or walked, away, wanting to simply get home and put this...eventful night behind him.
Dark Fire watched as the earth pony rounded the corner and disappeared from view. He stayed in the hallway for a few more seconds before opening the door to his room and entering it.
Dark Fire took a minute to look around his room. It was nothing special; it had a bed, a bathroom, was reasonably spacious, a closet, and some dressers. As he took in his surroundings, he noticed that his room had a balcony. That could be useful, Dark thought as he placed his bag on the bed. And dangerous. He sat down on the bed. I'm still not sure why Seer sent us here all of places. It's a nice town, but I fail to see how I'll find my destiny by staying in it. Dark looked at himself in a nearby mirror and scowled; he hated looking at his reflection. Every time he did, all he could see was his markings, forcing him to remember how he received them. And that's just the simplest reason for why I hate mirrors.
Dark was roused from his pondering by a persistent tapping at the balcony door. He glanced up and saw rain flowing down the window as well as the reason for the noise. Shade was frantically pecking at the window, practically demanding entry with his rapping. Dark got up and opened the door, allowing the wet raven to fly in to dry. Shade perched on the dresser, soaking wet and glaring at his master. "I apologize," Dark said with a bit of sarcasm in his voice, "I forgot that you don't like the rain as much as I do." Shade simply squawked in anger. "Get over yourself, Shade. A little water won't kill you." He made his way over to the balcony door, glancing at the shadows in the far corner. "Ebony, you can come out. The coast is clear."
The hellhound materialized out of the shadows, letting out a small happy woof. Dark shot a tiny smile in her direction as he stopped at the door, looking out at the rain as it fell down the window. Shade, having dried himself off, flew to the crimson unicorn's back, cawing in a curious tone. Dark looked at his corvid companion. "Patience, Shade. For now, let's get some rest." He returned to looking out the window, out at Ponyville.
"Tomorrow, we go out and see what this town has to offer."
Author's Note
Well, I finally got off my ass and wrote something. I'm not sure how good it is, but at least I feel as if I accomplished something.
This is my first story, so please be gentle. Helpful comments are appreciated. Also, if anyone wants to help edit this, feel free to say so; I could really use the assistance.
As a side note, I apologize in advance if this story seems to be ripping off someone else's.
By the way, the necklace piece is based off the wolf pendant from the Witcher series. As for the markings, I drew my inspiration for them from the graphic novel, The Crow: Death and Rebirth.
P.S. Please put any future questions in the comments and I'll try to answer them.
