Chapter 1 :Humble Beggings
Hello, my name is . . . not important, at least for now. I am here to tell you a story, a tale of Lions, of murderous trees, of the dark side of the moon, and the ones who inhabits it. So with out further attempts to spoil the adventure, lets begin.
It was a bright sunny day in the middle of spring. A glorious morning for the young Earth Pony Cobble Gen, he was a rock miner by trade. He moved to Ponyville two months ago and has made a little home for himself. He has even stumbled upon someone who could be the one. She's the magnificent Cabbage, of the Patch family. They have a farm out side of town and he tries to visit her any chance he can get. You see, working the rock farm has it toll on the poor stallion namely his coat. His cyan fur stained to that of a common blue. His almost pale yellow mane is constantly almost brown looking. Bathing is really low on his to do list every day except when he gets a chance to visit town.
He enjoys running around town for anyone who needs them. His favorites are (re)painting Mrs. Weatherly's home almost every Sunday, helping the Pots with their gardening, listening to Old Colt Jensen’s stories about his youth, but most of all he loves being the runner for the Patch's farm. Every Saturday he goes down to their farm with his cart and loads it with baskets of cabbages and Cabbage's dad passes the family runner a few bits and he makes his way into town. Cobble can't stand cabbage but he knows most of the critters enjoy it. So he runs to all of the pet shops and offers them some of his goods. Then continues over to the town's pet caretaker Fluttershy. She opened the door for him once but it quickly slammed closed as she squeaked. She was such a cute mare he thought to him self.
Without fail there were always a few bits by the front porch. He would place a sizable basket next to her door and picks up the bits. Then he knocks twice and walks away. He often chuckles to see her quickly open the door and grab the basket. His last stops where the animal farmers then back to the Patch's farm. The father would count the the bits and slip the stallion three extra bits. Cobble always slid them back and thanked him for letting him help.
The stroll afterward is always calming, with the busyness of the weekends buzzing along. He finds his favorite bench and watches the day go bye. Not much happens in town and he often daydreams until night fall. Occasionally he falls asleep and is woken up by Cabbage on her last run through town.
“Your going to catch a cold if you stay out here ya know.” shes would sass him. And he would just sit there and chuckle and rub his neck. They wold talk for a bit about the town, the farm and the mines. The few minutes they would spend were the highlight of his week.
He continues this routine for months and soon Hearts and Hooves day was coming. He made his mind that he would ask her to be his special some-pony. All week he would practice and feel his heart race every time he thought about it. When Saturday came around he decided to ask her by the bench so he did his normal routine and again he fell asleep dreaming of the right way to say it.
“I swear Cobble, you must be trying to get my attention from how many time I see you asleep on that bench.” the familiar voice gentle rocks him awake and again he just chuckles. They sat in silence for a few moments when Cobble finally got up the nerve to ask her.
“Hey Cabbage?” he mumbled staring at the ground.
“Yeah?” Cabbage said looking off at something in the distance.
“ya know Hearts and Hooves day is coming soon.” he said as he traced something in the bench
“Ye-ah?” she looked at him quizzically.
“and I was wondering . . .” still tracing
“Yes?”
“Would you . . .”
“Yes?” a few moments went bye and he chocked on his words finally in a fit of coughing,
“Would you spend Hearts and Hooves day with me!?” he blurted out. After a few seconds he looked up and saw her chuckling. He quickly realized how silly he must of looked and began to chuckle along side her. She gave him the smallest peck on his cheek,
“I would love to.” and started walking back to her farm. She turn around and shouted, “See you Saturday!”
He stumbled off his bench and could barley walk as he made his way back home. The next week went by quicker than any thing he could have imagined. Saturday came around and he quickly made his way to the farm. He gathered his baskets and bits then made his way into town. His rounds went quick as he made his way to Fluttershy's house but he didn't find any bits waiting out side. He knocked on the door and it opened slowly. Out peered a very sleepy Fluttershy, bedhead and all.
“sorry for coming bye so early I didn't mean to wake you.” Cobble chuckled as he placed down the basket. She wiped the sleepiness out of her eyes and yawned,
“Rainbow is that you?” she squinted at him. He chuckled again,
“Haha, no My name is Cobble Gen I am the runner for the Patches, your Cabbage Basket is here.” he said as she wiped here eyes again. She 'eeep'ed and bolted inside. He laughed under his breath as there was a ruckus inside. Soon the door opened again and out came a tiny bunny half asleep wearing pajamas and a night cap and holding a handful of bits. Cobble fell over laughing at the little grumbling rabbit. The bunny seemed not have the patience for the stallion and threw the bits at him. Still bursting with laughter Cobble reached out a hove,
“Sorry.” and went back to laughing as he tried to get back on his legs. He picked up the bits and before he walked away he noticed Fluttershy watching through a window.
“That has got to be THE CUTEST thing I have every thing!” he laughed as he made his way back to the farm. He hands the father the bits and after counting today’s take he looks at Cobble. He just sits there eyeing him. Soon he reaches in his pocket and takes out a scrap of paper and hands it to Cobble. Never has cobble been this confused. His mind runs ramped as he he reaches for the paper. Is it a death threat? Is it a pink slip? Do they not need my services any more? He opens it and reads out loud,
“My Blessing.” he stood there puzzled for a few seconds when a hove is placed in front of him. Poor Cobble's face almost explodes in excitement as he finally understands whats going on. With a strong exhale he grabs the Stallion's hove and they shake. The old stallion's face quickly goes red as giggles can be heard from out side.
“Get outa here!” he shouts at the door. Shadows from under the door scurry away along with more giggles. Cobble makes his way out to town. Daydreaming has never been this easy. Night comes quickly as he looks around with excitement, but Cabbage isn't here. Cobble asks the passing Berry Punch if she saw her.
“Yeah, there is some meeting in City hall today. I saw her go in there.” Berry says as she walks off. As cobble makes his way into strangely dark City hall. He closes the door quietly to not disturb anyone. The next sight he sees . . . well lets let him tell it.
Author's Note
I came up with the idea to turn this one shot into a full fledged story.
All criticism is welcomed.
My heart chilled, my blood frozen and my body shuck violently. What laid before me was pools of blood and fur. Nothing I have lived through could had prepared me for this. I stand terrified at the seen of utter chaos and I have no words. The first to strike me is the body of a young foal, quiet literally at that. It slams into my legs and I topple over landing hunched over its body. It takes but a few seconds to realize what I am laying on but it feels like an eternity between staring at this poor child and shoving my hoofs in my mouth to stifle the screams. Small tears run down my face as begin to consider this to be my end as well and I dare not move.
I dare not move for a beast is in city hall. Thrice as big as a average phony with hands massive enough to crush bone. My eyes dart ahead as I hear its feast commencing. The sounds of tearing muscle, splintering bone and blood dripping on the floor fill the room. My hoofs shoved deeper in my muzzle as I spot the cutie mark of the mare the beast is devouring. It was of a mare who I was sweet on for a few months now. The beautiful Cabbage Patch, a short but tough mare who worked the cabbage fields with her family. I was going to enjoy heart and hooves day with her. The very thought of the moments we had enjoyed and those lost to cruel fate break my spirit.
I lay upon that child's body, my hooves covered in blood, some from the child but most from the wounds I now have from my teeth I used to stifle any sound. I just lay there, in pitiful anguish, my eyes shut with the most force I can muster. I can do nothing to soften the blows the beast's sounds do to me. with every crunch i yearn to flee but my legs will not budge, compelled to survive. What feels like hours of tearing and sloppy eating is broken by the smallest of sounds.
“Uhh.” a groan is heard from with in the building. My eyes open but just by the slightest. Between my squinting eyes I see a stallion coming into consciousness and slowly shaking his head to make scene of it all. I don’t think he knew what hit him. I will never forget, his eyes were the calmest of blue. Just becoming of a young stallion if I had to guess. My eyes were as wide with terror when his own suddenly flew open.
“Uhhh!” The quietest grunt I had ever heard escaped his lips as the beast plunged its stinger into his back. The beast hadn’t fully consumed the mare when he turned to see his newest meal. The thickest of a crimson mane on the beast is barely visible in the shadowed corner. With a thud he drops whats left of the mare, he flank is all that’s left, the cute cabbage with large bloom that used to remind me of her simplicity. Now it tugs at my heart even more. The beast examines the stallion and picks him up. Gives him a good look about and sniffs the air around him.
My lungs can not contain these screams any longer. For dear life I hold and I strained at all that I could. When suddenly I feel and urge to take hold of my chest, it build to my lungs then to the front of my throat when,
“*Cough*.” the convulsion in my chest sets my heart to the chills of winter. i pray, Celestia, the beast not hear me, brush me away for some rat. The beast was about to gnaw the the head of the stallion when it stops and slowly closes it's maw. One eye, just one eye. No mater how much it turned I only saw one eye. It was the most devilish of green I had ever seen. The slant of its iris cut deep into me. There was a sound in the air, almost of a cat purring under-hoof.
“R-R-Right then, what do we have hear? A little pony lost his way? Well we cant be un neighborly can we, come here little morsel.” the beast spoke with such civility and grace I was stupefied at the situation. Slowly I crawled off the child and over to the beast. I begged my body to stop, to run, to escape this nightmare. When I was but a few hoofs away from it, a wing had surrounded my back and brought me into its waist.
“Tell me stallion,” it almost sounded like a chuckle, “would you care for a bite?” he placed the hand holding the young stallion in front of me. When he got no answer he spun me around,
“Well then, how about a head of cabbage!?” such a wicked laugh. I hear it in my dreams to this day, such force and elegance. It became imprinted with the memory of the body of Cabbage Patch. With only he flank and her . . . her soulless eyes abundant with fear darting in front of her muzzle. I sat there defeated. Nothing could tear me away, not the crash of the glass window or even the weight of the beast being pushed aside from me by a speck of blue with a rainbow trailing it. I sat there, bloody hoofs buried into my face as I just stared at my poor Cabbage. I barely noticed the explosion of confetti as it destroyed a section of wall. What seamed to be a battle behind me made no difference to what lied ahead. I walked over to her and doped, my back legs could hold me as I stared at her. With nothing left I cried. I cried to Celestia, to the mare who laid before me and with nothing else I cried to Luna to hold her safe.
Author's Note
Please let me know if you find any of those pesky grammar moles.
