Chapter 2:Happy Birthday to Me?...
I awoke blearily, glancing around. I noticed that the older colt had left with his inventions. I get up and left the room silently. It took a moment for me to remember what day it was, it took even longer for the realization to sink in.. It hurt to think of what today was, however, I pushed through the onslaught of depression. I walked through the halls with Mr. Snuggles dangling from my mouth.
I walked along the halls, the thought of the day hitting me again and again. Today was my "birthday". It was the day I had been dropped off at the orphanage. It The day I had been abandoned, left behind by the parents I'd never known. Tears filled my eyes, the mere concept saddening me beyond belief. I hated the thought of it being my birthday.. Was it even my birthday? Did I even HAVE a birthday? How could such a sad day be my birthday? I had never really wanted to think about it at all.. But of course, every year I was forced to. Reminders being in the air... In the very, essence of the halls I walked.
I sighed, my ears perking up towards the sound of talking,
"Happy birthday, Rose.... Rose?...." I zoned out her words, not catching the rest of what she had said, too busy rushing down the hallway. The words rang in my ears, serving as even more of a reminder. My full name was Compass Rose, but Rose just seemed... More fitting, I guess.
My messy, cobalt mane banged against my charcoal fur as I trotted down the hallway. I caught my reflection in a window, seeing the long maned unicorn, with sky blue eyes staring back at me... It was her birthday... It was MY birthday. I looked away, deciding to keep my eyes downcast on the carpet. I could hear the hoofsteps of the ponies downstairs as they talked. There were surprisingly few sets of hooves down there. My hearing was different from the other ponies. It was different because I could hear things from miles in every direction at any given time. I was bullied for it, the words never, however, stung. It was who I was. It was one of the features that defined me. Not something I should be ashamed of. It was actually rather amusing.
I took my time as I made my way down the stairs, needing to be careful in my half awake state, so as not to fall. I went left down another hallway, following it to the kitchen. The first thing I saw was the elderly mare that had always been so kind to me... I smirked as I recognized her pink fur.
"MORNING ARTEMIS!" I yelled, in an upbeat fashion.The mare jumped, looking briefly like a deer caught in the headlights! She relaxed, upon realizing it was me.
"Good Morning Rose," She smiled kindly, her gaze gentle. She went back to stirring the batter that was in the large mixing bowl on the steel counter before her.
"I'm baking a cake for you and the others" She explained. I noticed her cutiemark, remembering what her specialty was. As if she had read my mind, she stated,
"You should be getting your cutie mark soon, you know" She began to slowly the pour the batter into a large tray.
"I hope so.. All the other ponies have theirs." I frowned. I had never liked the school I had to go to... The teachers, seemed to love meting out the punishments just a little more than they should've and strove to find excuses to do so.
"Speaking of which. Shouldn't you be in school, Rose?" I suddenly realized what the mare from earlier had said, earlier! I turned and banked it down the hallway and out the front door! This was definitely gonna end in one of those punishments...
I leaned forward in my chair, briefly zoning out as my subconscious took over. The middle aged mare beside me barked out an order, returning me to a full state of awareness!
"Don't slouch, Miss Rose." She said, coldly. I sighed inwardly, doing as told, in fear of one of those ridiculously overplayed punishments. I was being forced to play the piano at the worst school ever.Ew. Piano. Guys... That's depressing, amirite? Drums all the way!
How could my 'birthday' get any worse? I must have slowed my playing as I thought, because the mare yelled loudly in one of my ears,
"MISS ROSE!" I gasped in pain and raised my hooves to my ears, releasing the keys. My amazing hearing had finally stabbed me in the back. And I had sacrificed my smell at birth to have it.Can't smell bacon. Now that, kids, is a curse! In fact, it was theorized that my enlightened hearing was a side effect of this loss.Loss? Y'know... I'm sorry.. I'm getting really frequent hear... It's just... No bacon smell, man.
The mare sighed in annoyance,
"Rose....you were supposed to practice. I thought you had it down." I removed my hooves from my sensitive earsOf betrayal and sigh. I hated how everypony expected me to be perfect at something I hated with so much passion.I feel that. The mare waited for my answer, with bated breath.
"I.. I did I just haven't been able to practice...." The thought of the heathenous colts taking the sheet music came to mind but I resisted saying anything, knowing the sea cow would not listen. I waved the thought away.
"TEN THOUSAND YEARS DUNGEON!"
The mare stared at me for a long while, waiting for me to elaborate.
"I'll practice tonight at the orphanage," I said to her, dodging elaborationOUTLAW COUNTRY! "Is that alright?" I asked. She sighed in irritation and just gave a nod,
"It'll do," She continued to stare, irritation evident in her voice. "But I expect you to know it by tomorrow, at the latest" I nodded despite my wanting to scream! At least she wasn't any of the other teachers.. Whom loved punishment and hated students.
I sighed as I walked toward the orphanage. The pages of sheet music for the piano were held in my mouth as I walked. Couldn't anypony see I didn't care for such nonsense?Nasty pianos. Drums ftw... Or guitar.. Or bass... Or Ukulele. Or Justin Bieber.. JUST NOT THE PIANO! Why was I treated this way? My thoughts drifted away as I heard the approach of numerous ponies. Quickly. I opened my eyes only to see a group of fat bastards colts running towards me. They all adorned various smiles that just seemed to wreak of unadulteratedTwat evil as they encircled me, I backed away... Into one of them, being pushed back into the center. The eldest colt who was standing in front of me smiled, baring his slightly yellow teeth as he seemed to smell my fearUnlike some
"Well if it isn't our good friend, Compass... Where's your 'brother'? He practicing with his little toys?" I tried to escape the circle again, only to be pushed back to the center.
The colt standing to the left of the greattwat leader took the papers with his magic, giving them to the leader. I was reminded that I had yet to master magic, "More gibberish?....How much of this shit do you have?." He began to crumple them up, tossing them one by one, to the ground. I reached down to save them, only to have my mane yanked back by one of the beefier colts! I screamed out, surprise and pain overwhelming me. A pony in the distance shouted, seeing the punishment being meted out... It was one of those days where the Equis teacher seemed appealing. The colts scattered like many legos after an accident. Worst of all.. Some of those legos will be missed and later stepped on.. That shit is the most painful thing ever. Seriously, man. What. The. Buck. I rushed off back to the orphanage, the sheet music all but forgotten about!
I stopped at the doors of the orphanage, panting. My breath coming in gasps. My ears perked up as I turned to see My pony waifu, Appollo.
"Happy B-" , he began only to be interrupted,
"IT'S NOT MY BIRTHDAY!" I yelled, My ears lowering as I comprehended who I had shouted at, "I'm sorry.... I... I..." The colt studied me,
"Maybe we should talk...." I gulped, nodding as we began to head off towards the bowels of Canterlot.
I jerk awake, the nightmare still fresh in my mind.. I glance to the clock on my bedside table, sighing as I see the positions of each point on the clock, that it was only 2 A.M. Was it really that early? I sighed, getting up slowly, trying not to make any noise so I wouldn't wake the others in the room of the orphanage. I snuck out of the room, trying not to make a sound. I stooped down to grab my doll off of the ground. The doll was a Rabbit with one button eye and a googly eye. I tiphooved(?) out of the room, moving toward a very specific room.
I pushed the door open, wincing at the creaking as I looked into the room. I blinked, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. I glanced around the room, spotting the bed in which the older colt was sleeping.. He was the only one in there since he was the oldest in the orphanage.
"...Appollo...Are you awake?...." I whispered, in an attempt to gain his attention. He responded by rolling over, completely oblivious to the waking world. I sighed under my breath, entering quietly and closing the door behind me. I took the chance to really look around the room, seeing the inventions that littered the desk by his bed. The lamp was still on, so he must of been awake before I came in. I walked towards the desk to see what he was building, faceplanting on the floor. I'd hit a tripwire. An alarm sounded next to the older colt's bed.
"WHAT THE B-," He rolled out of bed and faceplanted, making us even. He lifted his head,"Don't move or I'll atta-..... Rose.... What are you doing up this early?....Did you forget about the alarm?..." He pressed a button on a small device beside his bed.
"I-I'm sorry...I-I forgot and...and..." Tears filled my eyes, worrying that the older colt might be angry that I woke him.
"Calm Down Rose....It's alright, I have to get ready for the science fair later today anyway." He walked toward me,picked up Mr.Snuggles,and helped me up. He was only a little taller than me seeing we were just 3 years apart from being the same age. "Why are you up anyway?..." I sighed, the nightmare returning to the forefront of my mind.
"...I had the night mare again..." He nodded.
"Do you want to sleep with me then?..." A light blush adorned his face for reasons I could not for the life of me fathom. I nodded, feeling comforted already.
"Go on ahead and lay down. I'll go get you something to drink." He whispered softly, stepping over the alarm. I do as told, and get into the bed. The nightmare began anew. I was alone, consumed by the darkness! I ran trying to escape the darkness, but then the older colt returned. He stood tall, his mere existance fighting away the darkness. I smiled, everything finally back to normal.
