The Story Of Unwanted Power

It has been 6 years since that day.

My mother died. She ingested 30 Advil. Even if I did get to the hospital, it would have been hopeless; she was deceased when she hit the sink. She left a message for me on the mirror, It didn't say much, just what it needed to:

Dear Dark Cloud,
I couldn't live on without your father. I’m so sorry. Please find it in your heart to forgive me. Go and stay with Auntie Rose Blossom. I have only one last request:
Don’t forget me.

It didn’t mean a thing to me. She left me here alone when I needed her most, and I could never respect her for that. As for that last request, that was something I could do. As much as I despised it, I would never be able to remove her from my mind. She had such a vast part in my life, supporting me when I was bullied about my “blank flank”, but I should have known that she was the one who needed supporting all along. I miss her, to be honest, her sad eyes and fake smile still haunt me.

As for staying with Auntie Rose, whatever kind of cruel joke that was, Auntie Rose said no (in between glugs of Mojito). Rose was a big time gambler and drinker. She practically lived in those cheap casinos. What would she even do with a kid? She’d probably pimp me for more black-jack money. With nopony to stay with, I was to be heaved into an orphanage.

They were taking me away from Manehatten, as there were no safe orphanages there. I can’t say I was going to miss the murky city, but it was still home, the only memory I could still cling on to.

“Uh, so,” I said softly as I was loaded into a colorful carriage with my far-too-cheery social worker, Helping Hoof, “ where exactly are we going?”

She glanced at me, hidden sorrow in her eyes. It made me feel scrawny, and that made me angry. I had to remind myself to calm down, as I had no idea what I was capable of after that incident.

“A lovely, quiet town called Ponyville. I work there a lot. The orphanage is large, and I’m sure that you’ll make heaps of friends.” She said with a smile as artificial as plastic.

Gloom surged through me. As much as I miss my parents, I don’t want to be stuck in an orphanage until age eighteen. She didn’t say anything about me getting adopted, she was probably hoping to dance around the subject, but I was curious and irritated, so I decided to pry.

“Do you think I’ll get adopted?” I said blatantly.

She hesitated. “Oh I’m abso-LUTLY sure!” She said finally
.
I grunted and slumped into the seat, pressing my face against the cool glass window. From what I’ve understood from maps, Ponyville is rather distant from here. I decided to take a nap. I couldn’t be sad in my dreams, could I?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/)~~~~~~~~~~~~(/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The world was obscure. There was no wall, sky, or floor, yet I was still standing on something. I stepped forward. I was alarmed by a small ding as my hoof connected with the ground. I faintly glowing ripple took form and spread out from underneath my hoof. I squinted into the darkness ahead. As my eyes adjusted, I saw what looked like a pony in the distance, and a rather hefty one.

“Hello?” I called. My voice echoed and carried out to the ponies ears. It turned its head at me and laughed a bottomless, throaty laugh. I gasped. I knew that laugh! That was the laugh that had haunted me for almost a year now. The harsh voice that I had heard before had been replaced by this laugh. I awakened me at night, and kept me awake. Anger and panic churned into a lethal mixture and gushed through me. I let out a roar and charged towards the pony. As I got closer, I began to notice some distinct features.
It was definitely a stallion. He stood extremely tall and bulked with muscle. He was patterned like a zebra, but looked just like a pony. His dark coat was adorned with even darker stripes, as well as a few pinkish scars along his eyes, hooves and flank. On his head was a lengthy and sharp horn, a small red glow slightly illuminating him. Two long and feathery wings lay relaxed at his side.

As I ran, I felt that familiar tickling feeling at the crooks of my eyes. I skidded to a halt and clenched my eyes closed.

No no no no no! He wants me to lose control, I can’t let him win. Calm down, think peaceful thoughts.

He spoke.

“You will give in. I am certain of that.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was nudged by a hoof, and jumped up.

“Honey, wake up. We’re here.”

I hurried out of the transport and looked at the building that I would be staying in. It was a morbid sight indeed. The large building looked like a prison in my eyes. A sign sat out of place in the flawlessly mowed grass. In dark, shadowy letters, it read:

PONYVILLE ORPANAGE

No sugar-coating it, I guess. I thought as I shook my achy legs out. I turned to Helping Hoof, who was still settled in the carriage. I waited. She didn’t get out. I watched her nervously.

“Um, are you coming with me, ma’am?” I politely spoke.

She forced another smile as fake as her facelift.

“Oh sweetheart, you’re a big pony. You can walk in, can’t you? You’re all registered and ready. Just go in.” She waved a hoof towards the door. I puffed angry breath through my nostrils.

“Fine.” I grumbled as I stomped towards the old brick building. I reached the concrete stairs leading up to the doorway. I turned again to Ms. Hoof, only to find that the carriage I had arrived in was out of sight. Before I had time to be irate again, I heard the door squeak open. I turned towards the building, anxious to see the pony that had opened the door to the prison. To my surprise, a small filly was peering through the creaked door.

She stepped out halfway. She was an earth pony with a charming freckled face. Her flat light pink mane covered most of her face, and made it hard to establish eye contact. Her coat resembled ripe lemons, with its strange bright color. She looked up to me and smiled. She looked to be about 9 or so years old.

“Are you the new pony?” She looked up at my horn. “You’re a unicorn? That’s so cool. Can you do magic?”

Blood rushed to my cheeks.

“Uh, I’m not very good, but I can do a little.”

My horn lit up, and a blob appeared in front of her face. It slowly took arrangement, and transformed into a lemon color rose, resembling the child’s coat. I levitated it and stuck it in her mane, atop her ear. She beamed.

“Wow, thank you! That’s so cool!” She repeated, then leapt near to me and hugged my leg.
“My name’s Candy Tarts. The lady inside said that you’re Dark Cloud. I thought that you’d be scary, but you’re really nice! Do you wanna be my friend?”

Despite myself, I giggled.

“Of course. I would love to be your friend.”

She grinned and looked up at me. I almost wept at the sight of her sweet and innocent smile.
Could this child really be the first pony that I could call my friend?