Author's Note

Added my character description.

The Weary Beginning

Prologue:

How long has it been? It seems as if mere seconds have passed by, but physically, it feels as if eons have come and went. My body is a mess, my mane a tangled messy pile, my tail no better. My coat matted and unkempt. My horn unresponsive, and wings simply refuse to obey. The constant migraine plaguing me makes matters only that much worse. I feel as if I have been tracked by an unknown mare, purple, I think she was. Her cutie mark resembled stars, though I have not a clue what that could possibly represent. I’m just glad that my other-self finally came through with the herbs. Hopefully I’ll be able to fix this jam we’re in.

Chapter One: Mind over Matter

“Hmm…” I thought to myself, “Where, oh where could these herbs be? This map isn’t worth the paper it’s marked on!” I sighed in frustration as I began to trot off to the next location on the map. “Well, looks like I’m off to the Everfree Forest,” I murmured to myself, cautious of any other creatures that could hear me. I gripped the map in my mouth as I conflicted with the pain in my stomach, hunger.

“What a pathetic body I have,” I thought as I looked down at my battered orange coat. My mane was a mix of light auburn and deep brown. I had big, emerald green eyes and dark freckles on my forehead. My voice was calm and soft. No fat, malnourished muscles, and bloodshot eyes from constant sleepless nights.

“If I don’t get this shit soon, I’ll be nothing more than fertilizer,” I thought. I was on the verge of entering the forest when I came across this farm filled with apple orchards.

“Sweet Celestia! Food!” I nearly shouted aloud as my stomach began to grumble. I was perplexed by the exquisite beauty of each apple, the vibrant reds, and the lushish greens, and the roundness of each one was just as perfect as the bright shine that reflected off them.

“I could thrive for the rest of my desolate life off of these precious gems of nature!” I thought to myself.

“Yeehaw!” came a shout. At this I quickly disappeared into the nearby brush and poked my muzzle out for a small peek. I saw a hardy-looking mare rounding up some cattle that were veering off from the main herd down in a small pasture.

“Get along little doggy!” she shouted to the disgruntled cattle. She was an orange mare with three bright red apples right on her flank, she had a blonde mane and a cowboy hat on.

“Well, looks like I’ll just have to eat elsewhere…” I said to myself disappointingly. I trudged off into the forest, tugging at what little sustenance the grass offered. “Ahhh...,” I moaned softly, “This is far too rubbery.” I pulled the map back out of my heavily-worn leather tote and set it across the fresh dirt patch I made in the grass.

“Hmm, if this is the entrance,” I wondered with a mouth full of grass, “Than the copse should only be a few minutes away.” I clopped my hooves together in conclusion as I again raveled up the map and stuffed it back in my tote. As I took my next step I felt the strains of my poorly maintained body start to encumber me.

“I suppose a brief rest is in order,” I sighed as I plopped down in the copse that I was already in. I was just on the verge of sleep when a voice called out,

“Hey there!” The sudden noise caused me to react with a very speedy dash deeper into the forest. The voice cried out again,

“Hey wait!” but I continued my frantic gallop further in to the dank, dark woods until my already fatigued body gave out. As I collapsed panting, I thought to myself,

“Whew! That was a close one!” I lay there rasping for breath for a minute or two and then mustered enough strength to bring myself to my hooves. After brushing off some of the underbrush, I realized that I made it to the groove with the plants I so desperately craved. It was a quite a sight, the oak and timber trees formed a circular formation, the tall summer grasses and flowers seemed to lead to the center where the herbs lie. They appeared as a thick-leaved plant with a single flower with a bright red hue that faded from the center. The breeze that came through was nice and cool. The ambience made me feel at peace with myself. I began to sheepishly tug at the stems of the herbs.

“Oh joy...” I mustered as I wearily tugged at the stems. It refused to give away to my efforts so I collapsed at the center in sorrowful frustration. I could barely keep consciousness as my stomach growled savagely at the flesh encasing it.

“Oh come off it, will you?” I faintly worded to my stomach.

“Oh why bother with it? My life’s been nothing but a depressing waste of existence on this plane!” I dragged myself into the center of the groove and curled into a tight ball.

“How disappointing, you’re simply going to give up because you can’t pull a plant on the first try? You truly are pathetic,” Silver Stride coldly said.

“Please, I don’t need your sass, you pathetic worm.” I spat back.

“Oh my, it seems you’ve finally have the nerve to talk down to me, but still, you lack the will to take action. You’re still a small babe, and you will also die as one, little Timid Dawn.”

“Why pester me? You are but a figment of my mind, you aren’t real,” Timid replied.

“Oh, but I am that and so much more, I am the more efficient entity, only with the catalyst, though, may I operate. A sad but relevant fact. Use it, and I can make this hollow shell you call a body into a true alicorn. But by refusing to allow it, you force yourself to be a weak, worthless being!” Silver hissed.

“You lie through your teeth, you damned, pretentious fuck!” Timid angrily replied.

“Just take the chance, you don’t have any other option except death!” he shouted.

I awoke in the same copse I began my search in. My bags were nowhere to be seen.

“Oh, I will.” I swore under my crisp breath. Night had fallen over the already shady forest, bringing a chill with it. The breeze had transformed into a gusting gale of wind. I began my trot back to the same groove that held the precious herbs I needed. Despite blindly rushing throughout the forest and finding it on a coincidence, the way seemed to have had burned itself into my mind, and so I began to gallop, effortlessly navigating back. I arrived back at the groove and made my way to the center. The herbs were simply lying there, yet appeared more sinister than before. The lush and allure had deserted the plant, and it had developed a dark purple hue, the stem had become sanguine. The smoothness of the waxy leaves became rigid and spiny, the flower looked as if it had become evil and decayed. My uncertainty was interrupted by Silver.

“Take it now!” he called out.

Regretfully, I took hold of the stem again and pulled. I was astonished at the fact that the roots had become loose.

“Ooph!” I sounded as I landed harshly on my back. I quickly regained my stance and galloped back to my home. I breathed a sigh of relieve as I stood outside it. My cottage was in horrid condition: The roof was filled with decayed, worn planks and straw, the walls were dilapidated and rotten, and the floor just as condemnable.

I swung what was left of my door open and made straight for the kitchen pantry. I dragged the doors back and entered the small, enclosed space. The pantry was barren and dusty, only inhabited by lone dust bunnies and cobwebs. Underneath my dingy rug ,on the pantry floor, lay a small opening to my true home. As I began my decent down I pulled the rug back in place, covering the opening. I stepped off the ladder and walked into my living area. It was messy, but well-kept compared to the monstrosity above. In a small, dimly-lit corner lay my bed, the other corner lay a disorganized desk with piles of random objects. The ‘kitchen’ was a fire pit and a bucket that caught water through a hole in the earth. The rest of the home consisted of an alchemy lab and a cabinet overflowing with unused ingredients.

“Okay, now for that elixir recipe.” I muttered to myself. I went through the small walkway that separated the entrance from my dwelling. I walked to the alchemy lab and threw the herbs onto the table and began to tear them into chunks and bits. When they were small enough, I grinded them into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle. I then boiled some water in a cauldron and added them. After I gathered some other ingredients and added them as well, I took a small, cracked clay cup and filled it with the concoction.

“Cheers,” I sarcastically called out and took it like a shot.