Genesis: The Skeleton Keys
I sat in Sugarcube Corner, and sighed to myself. I let a tear roll down my face, and remembered what had happened all those years ago.
I slept soundly, letting myself get engrossed in dream. However, right before I finally fell asleep, I smelled something odd. It smelled like smoke. When I got up, I could hear my mom and dad yelling my name.
“Star Blazer! Get up! There’s a fire! Go get Blazing Sun’s daughter!” I rushed up, and went to get her. I looked in the room, the little filly sleeping like a newborn. I smiled, before remembering the task at hand. I grabbed her, and ran out.
How could you let that happen? I thought to myself. You let that little filly’s parents die. It’s all your fault.
I let the thoughts run through my mind over and over. I couldn’t bring myself to thinking about that night. I sighed once more, and let my head fall to the table.
“Hey, stranger!”
I bounced up, startled. “What?”
“I’ve never seen you around here. Are you new?”
I turned to the pony who had called to me. It was a pink mare, who seemed very overjoyed. I wiped my face of the tears, and nodded slightly. I wasn’t really telling the truth. I’ve lived here for a while, I just never left my house.
“Wait! You’re new! That means that I can throw a party!”
“You don’t need to. I don’t want one.”
She put her hoof around my neck. “Don’t be silly! I throw a party for every new pony who comes to town!”
“No. Thanks though.” I threw my head back on the table, hoping she would go away. Boy, was I mistaken.
“I’m still throwing a party!” I watched as she hopped off, and I let out a sigh of relief. “Glad that’s over.”
I watched as a waiter brought me a small milkshake. I slowly pulled out my bits, and put them on the table. The mare immediately took the money, and walked away. I slowly sipped at the milkshake, savoring the flavor. I knew that I probably didn’t deserve it, but at that moment, I didn’t care.
Later on that day, I was walking around Ponyville, and noticed that everyone was whispering when I walked by them. It was strange, and got me thinking, until…
“Hey, stranger!”
I jumped, and cowered away. Then, I realized whom it was, and huffed. I got up, and started walking again.
“Didn’t you hear me? I said hi!”
“Hi…can you leave me alone now?”
I kept walking, maybe a little faster, just so I could get away. Unfortunately, that action became fruitless. She continued following me, hopping about, and unfortunately driving me almost to the point of insanity.
“Do you ever leave anypony alone?” I asked finally, now being sick of her following me.
She stopped, probably thinking about it. “Nope! Not really!”
I huffed, and continued walking. Eventually, I arrived at my house. I stepped up to the door, before I was interrupted, which made me realize that that pony was still following me.
“You live here?”
I sighed, and turned. “Yes. Can you go now? I’d like to enjoy the rest of my day in peace.”
It sounded like she started sniffing, and crying, because I could hear it from behind me. I turned, and looked at her sad face.
“Why are you crying?” I asked, in a monotone voice.
“Now you really need a party! No pony should have to live like this!”
“What do you mean? Live in a house like this?” I asked, now interested.
She laughed. “No, I mean live alone. You clearly don’t have anypony else with you. Now I know why you’re so grumpy!”
“That’s not why I’m-” I was interrupted by the pony again.
“I’m gonna go prepare a party for you right now!”
“Wait! I said I don’t need-” But she had already jumped off.
I sighed, and walked into my house. I looked around, seeing what remained of it. The splintered oak flooring, and the simple hay bedding. I saw that my food supply was running low. I knew I’d probably have to head into town, and get some more food. I grabbed some apples, and bit into one, savoring the sweet, tender flavor.
“Mmmm…” I loved the taste of fresh apples. I took another bite, becoming intoxicated at the flavor. I then finished my meal, and grabbed my saddlebags, getting ready to head into town.
“It’s getting late. Gotta hurry.” I said to myself.
I walked out, and slowly closed the door. I began walking, before I was stopped by none other than…her. The pony who apparently likes to nose her way into other ponies’ business. I sighed, again, and continued walking, before she started pushing me in another direction.
“Wait! Where are you taking me?!”
“Don’t worry! It’ll be fun!” She yelled joyously.
“No! Let me go!” But no avail. She continued pushing me towards Sugarcube Corner. I watched as she pushed me right into the doors, with pretty much everypony in Ponyville there.
“PINKIE!!!!” Everypony yelled. I guess that must be her name.
She laughed, and pointed her hoof at me. “Here’s the guest of honor! Um…” She paused, before leaning into my ear.
“What’s your name?” Pinkie asked.
“Um…Star Blazer. Why?”
“Our guest of honor! Star Blazer!”
I face-hoofed myself, and tried to get out. But Pinkie blocked the way.
“Oh, no. You’re not going anywhere. You are gonna stay, and enjoy yourself, whether you like it or not. You don’t have any choice.”
I didn’t see any way out of this, so I just went along with it. “Fine. I’ll try to enjoy it.” I walked off to grab some punch. I took a small sip, before I heard a crash of some window panes. I turned, and to my horror, there was the one pony I was hoping to not see at this party.
“Rainbow Dash is here!”
Everyone but me cheered. I dreaded the day that I’d see her again. I didn’t want to see her, ever again. It’s my fault that what happened to her and me all those years ago, when we were fillies, and nothing can change it. I just hope she doesn’t see me.
I started walking around, trying to get to the door, before Pinkie stopped me. “Hey! It’s the guest of honor! Get over here!”
I panicked, and started moving faster. Pinkie however was able to grab my tail, and pull me over to where she was.
“Star Blazer, meet Rainbow Dash!”
I cowered, and tried to get away. But some ponies blocked my way.
“Hey, Star Blazer.” She paused, staring at me with a strange expression. It was a short moment before she spoke. “Wait…don’t I know you from somewhere?”
"..." I was silent. I knew it. This was the end of me. She is going to find out who I really am, and what happened, why I avoided her at all costs.
Genesis: The Skeleton Keys
I cowered away, trying to shield my face. I couldn’t see it, but I knew that Rainbow Dash had a confused look upon her face.
I got up, and ran away from the party. As soon as I was out the door, I took off, heading towards my home. I could not bear telling her the truth, nor could I bear seeing her face ever again. Those thoughts were ones that I would regret thinking.
Back at the party…
Pinkie sat there, a look of surprise on her face. Everypony knew that nopony ever ran away from one of Pinkie’s parties before.
“Hey, Pinkie…you okay?”
She still sat there, appalled.
Rainbow Dash walked over. “Don’t worry…I’ll go get him.” She reassured, putting a hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder. Rainbow then took off, scoping Ponyville trying to find Star Blazer.
She eventually found him, walking towards the Everfree forest. As soon as she sighted him, Rainbow Dash began her descent, falling towards the ground. When she got towards him, she called for him.
“Star Blazer!”
No answer.
“Hey! Star Blazer, could you wait up?”
Rainbow Dash flew next to the Pegasus.
“Dude…you okay? You flew out of there real quick. Why?”
Star Blazer began walking a little faster, obviously trying to get away. Rainbow Dash just increased her speed as well.
“Hey…could you just stop!”
Star Blazer still didn’t stop, but still increased speed. Rainbow Dash was fed up, and tried pushing him to the ground.
“Could you just wait a moment?”
She pushed with so much force that it could stop an enraged Applejack. Their muzzles met inches away from each other, and Rainbow pulled away just a little.
“I asked for you to wait.”
“Why bother?” He responded, in a rather angry tone.
She hesitated. “Because I came to ask why you left Pinkie’s party!”
“I left…because…” Star Blazer didn’t know what to answer with. He couldn’t bear telling the truth. He settled on an uneasy answer. “I don’t know why.”
“I don’t know isn’t a good answer, and you know it! What’s the real answer?”
Pinkie had caught up, after calling the party off. Something she’d never done before. She was still upset, but pushed those feelings away.
“I said answer me! Why did you leave?”
Rainbow Dash was really mad now, almost letting her full rage out on Star Blazer. She could swear that she’d punch him.
“I…ugh…left because…you were there.”
The last thing he said was quiet and recessive, like Fluttershy when she talked. Neither Pinkie nor Rainbow Dash could hear what he said.
“What? You went quiet.” Pinkie said.
Star Blazer spoke a little more forcefully. “I said…I left…because…you were…there.”
“Who? Pinkie? She’s at every party! She hosts every one of them!” Rainbow Dash yelled.
“Not her.”
Rainbow Dash looked at him with a confused look. “Me?”
“Yes…” He responded shyly.
“But why? Rainbow Dash is one of the best Pegasus ponies I know! What’s the big deal with her being there?”
“…” Star Blazer was silent.
Rainbow rose off him, and backed up.
“Yeah. What do you have against me? I’ve never done anything to you!”
“That’s not the problem.” Star Blazer finally spoke, a little recessiveness in his tone.
Rainbow cocked her head to the side, before answering. “Then what is?”
Star Blazer paused, and then replied with a strain in his voice. “I…can’t tell you. Sorry.” He took off, speeding into the night.
Rainbow Dash opened her wings and prepared to follow, before she was stopped by Pinkie. She looked to Pinkie, who had a hoof on her flank.
“Let him go. There’ll be another time. It’s getting late.” She pointed to the sky. They both walked off, each going home.