Chapters Chapter 1
"I do hope it's a pony. Raising a dragon is real hard work." Pyros frowned. He was a bit larger then a pony, only a few feet, though. His blood-red scales shone in the light and his yellow eyes glimmered.
"Yes, my Step-son." a pony said. She was a pegusas, her green coat blew softly in the brisk wind. That was when it started.
"Do you... hear that, Minty Skies?" Pyros asked.
"...Yes. The storm is coming." the green pegusas replied. Suddenly, the wind kicked up. Rain began to patter down, progressively getting harder, and thunder boomed like drums. The only time you could see anything was when lighting brightened the deep, dark skies.
"She is here!" a voice shouted from inside; it was Health Skies.
"Health! Is Storm okay?" Pyros stammered.
"Yes, and her foal is in perfect condition." Heath replied.
"No, it isn't." Stormy Skies growled from inside the tent.
"She ." Health corrected.
"No. Look closer." Stormy growled. Everyone peeked at the me. I was freely changing colors, mostly yellow and pink, but my eyes stayed the same emerald green. My mane changed from white to black, and it curled slightly over my coat. My coat of scales. I had a curled up tail with a whip-thin end, similar to Pryos', but longer then it should be.
"It's a monster." Pyros hissed, "And it's like a pathetic little Rain Wing."
"What will we do with the Bundle of Joy?" Minty asked, for that was what came to mind when she thought of babies.
Examining her daughter's small, down-curved ears, Stormy replied, "This, mother, is a Bundle of Evil."
"Pure evil." Pyros agreed.
"I hear Rain Wings are so lazy too. She wouldn't go anywhere in life." Health added.
"Throw her off the cliff. Stormy said, trotting outside. The Skies family, including Pyros, lived in the Foul Mountains.
"Yes, that will do." Minty agreed. Health took me out of Stormys' arms and trotted to the cliff. She looked down at me and thought, How could I kill this innocent creature? But she knew she had to, for her family.
"Melody. Melody Skies is your name, little one." she whispered to me before throwing me off of the cliff.
Voices is what I heard as I fell down to the raging river below. I instinctively opened up my feathered wings, which were larger then they should be. My fall was slowed, and I was un-injured as I hit the ground in front of the rapids. I rolled over and hit the sheer cliff wall. What I didn't know, was that those voices belonged to the family I could've had. But, they had disowned me. I can't really say I'm sure, but I think it is Healths' fault. For dropping me. But she... was my aunt, so I guess I've got to forgive her. Anyways, as I sat there whimpering, a great call was sounded from above. A griffon. He took me in his talons, tossed me around then flew back up. My Grandmother, Mother, Father, and Aunt watched as I was carried away until I was out of sight. I looked down, but quickly squirmed into the safety of the Griffon's talons. He looked back at me and smiled warmly. The feathers on his head were flat and the ones around his eyes were black. That's really the only ways you can tell Griffons apart, their hairstyles and the feathers around their eyes- the eyes themselves are always orange. Well, that's for females. A males' eyes are always cobalt blue. My favorite color. And as his eyes met mine, my emerald orbs slowly changed until they matched his perfectly. His smile became broader as he carried me to the top of the only mountain that wasn't populated by my biological family. Mt. Foul itself, where I grew up and where I would be loved for longer then I knew existed, at the time. And even though I was young, I knew I was going to be happy there.
Chapter 2
Ten years with Natsu, the best ten years of my life, to this very day. But everything comes to an end, and I learned that the hard way. Some one knocked on the door of our medium-sized mansion. We both turned our heads in shock, for we never had any guests. I looked pretty much the same as before, but tall for my age, as tall as an adult pony, and I had a uneven, long manestyle.
"Who's that?" Natsu called, approaching the door with caution. He signaled with his Lion Tail to me, warning me to stay still.
"HELP!" a scream replied. Natsu quickly pulled open the door, dragged a stranger unicorn inside, and slammed it shut.
"What! What's out there!" the griffon looked around.
"Y-you're one of them..." the unicorn whispered. She was light pink with a sea-green, flat mane.
"One of what? Did those griffons out there, try to eat you? You know, they would never really do it, sorry about tha-" Natsu began. But he didn't have time to finish before the unicorn, who's name turned out to be Seashell Calls, tackled him over and ran towards me, picking me up and bolting out the door.
"HEY! Let me go !" I wailed. She looked down at me.
"Another monster!" she dropped me to the hard rocks and gaped at me before running away. I stood up shakily and walked back into the house, as fast as I could. My whole life Natsu had been telling me how dangerous it was to be outside, how I could be hurt. And he had been right. I heard the vicious calls of other griffons, and my shoulder throbbed with pain.
"Is it broken? No, not broken... wrenched." I reminded myself, "But Natsu knows how to fix that."
"Who're you?" Natsu gasped, looking over me as I approached the Mansion.
"Uh... I'm your adopted daughter, Me-" I began.
"No, your a monster. A vicious MONSTER." Natsu replied loudly. What I would come to realize in the late future was that he had fallen on his head and suffered from temporary amnesia. If he still lives to this day, he probably remembers me. But I wasn't thinking that at the age of ten. I ran outside, flapping my wings until I lunged off of the cliff, into the air. I wasn't the greatest flier, for Natsu had only started teaching me the moon prior. He seemed to have forgotten how to fly, too, though, because he just stared up at me with hatred burning in his eyes. Little unknowing me thought, What did I do? Is he mad because I left with the stranger?
"Da'! She took me!" I called, turning to look at him.
"LEAVE! LEAVE, AND NEVER COME BACK!" he growled as a response. Just as he said those words, I got the hang of gliding on the thermals and flew away as fast as I could. The other griffons couldn't piece together what was going on, just darted their eyes around in shock.
It was cold that night. I was sleeping at one of the edge mountains, and had a good view of a nearby city. "Must be Appleoosa." I muttered. My wings wrapped around me, my feathers flapping in the chilly breeze, and I slowly went into a light sleep. But the light sleep was often interrupted by dreams. Well, nightmares. Nightmares and thoughts. Thoughts I knew were real. Thoughts, that told me I didn't have a home.
"Oh, a double whopper. Must be a Tuesday."
-Mrs. Cake, Time Crusade
Chapter 4
Nature and I lived for awhile in the cabin. He also found a great disguising potion, titled 'The Changeling', and I sometimes would become a made-up pony and do things around town. Life was great, and even though I hate to admit it, I as falling for my new friend. One day, it seemed like a normal Tuesday, but I was wrong. I was in disguise again, as my persona- Rainy Sand. My coat was tan and my mane was dusty brown, with bright blue eyes, and I was a bit shorter then Nature.
"Hey, Me- er, Rainy! What d'ya wanna do today?" Nature asked me.
"I don't know. I think it's going rain this afternoon." I looked into the skies, which were cloudy and gray. Foreboding... I thought, shivering.
"Well, we better go back. Did ya earn any money?" he asked another question. The colt asked lots of questions and never answered them, which was part of why I fell for him. It also made my head want to explode.
"Yeah, twenty bits. You?"
"I forget."
"Oh." I faked a shrug. You can't forget stuff like that!
"C'mon, let's go home!"
"Coming!" I replied, galloping after him. I didn't know a great 'surprise' was being planned right now.
"HEY! The monster and the orphan, you better open up!" the mayor shouted. He had taken off his black suite and his coat was ruffled.
"Oh, hi. Do you know, Mr. Mayor, why a mob is in my front yard?" Nature blinked. He turned to me and winked. I winked back, but thought, Oi. Well, better jump out the window.
"Don't hide it from me, boy! You led Rainy Sand to this very cabin and she was eaten alive by the Dragon!" the Mayor growled.
"Oh, so now I'm evil. Cool." I snorted. Looking around, I spotted an open window and jumped out, quickly flapping up onto a cloud. Nature glanced up, and luckily, only he noticed me.
"Where's Rainy!" a stallion howled. The whole crowed started mumbling a screeching. The noise seared pain through my ears, and I camouflaged until I wasn't visible. It didn't help though.
"I do not know who Rainy is." Nature replied firmly.
"He's lying!"
"Were we wrong?"
"Who cares about an orphan?"
"Where's the monster!?!"
"SHUT UP!" the Mayor screamed Silence fell upon the mob.
"I confess! The Dragon has been enslaving me and I rushed it out to hide in those woods before I opened the door!" Nature faked a cry, rubbing his eyes until there were tears.
"Oh, boy, boy. Come now, the monster won't hurt you anymore." the Mayor pouted. Then he looked up, "TO THE WOODS!"
"...I'll stay here." Nature said, but everyone was gone.
"C'mon, I'll carry you." I whispered, flapping down from the cloud. I had become a sickening shade of cream.
" 'Kay." Nature replied, jumping onto my back.
"Not like that!" I huffed, pulling him down with my tail and grabbing him with my hind-talons. I turned my camouflage back on and flew away, Nature in tow. No one noticed us make our narrow escape, although had the strangest feeling I was being watched.
Chapter 5
Nature Eyes and I found an abandoned shed in a bad part of S. L. C. Fixing up the house earned Nature his cutiemark, but that's the only good thing. And now we had nothing to do, nowhere to go, and everything to lose.
"I think I can go into town now. Will anyone really notice?" Nature commented one day.
"Yeah, I guess." I replied, looking around. Natures' cutiemark was a light green leaf with screws embedding the sides and an orange-handled hammer.
"Should I, or not?" the colt said defiantly. I nodded. " 'Kay, then, I'm off."
"Bye! Bring back some..." I almost screamed ham, but stopped myself. "...food!"
"Alright!" Nature called back. I waited for five days, but he didn't come back. Eventually, I gave up hope and decided to begin my own journey to Salt Lick city. I won't stay long. I promised myself, And maybe I can look for Nature...
"No." I said aloud, then flinched. Even though I never knew my real family, I had only been literally alone for a night. And it had been much longer then that. I remembered what Natsu had said about the busy, non-divided town. My eyes closed, as I began my flashback.
"What city are we learning about today?" I had asked excitedly. I had only been five, and the memory seemed to be covered with fog.
"Salt Lick," Natsu replied. His warm eyes had left my mind, and I couldn't remember his face- only the glare he gave me when he woke up that day.
"What is it like there?" I gasped.
"S. L. C. is a community of all kinds of species. Griffons, ponies, and so many more- new creatures pop up every day. Scientists hang around waiting to claim something new, for Celestias' sake!" my adoptive father chuckled.
"But, would I fit in there?" I had pouted. Natsu explained to me early on in life that I was different. Very different, and he had said (in detail) just how different I am.
"Of course, little one. Of course you would." he murmured. He had ruffled my mane, then I tackled him over. We both laughed, and I fell off of his sturdy chest. "...Of course you would ..."
Slowly, the memory faded away until I could no longer hear myself laughing.
"Well, a least I won't need to bring The Changeling." I tried going for the bright side. But my mood was anything but positive as I flew through the skies, towards the city.
"Hey! Melo!" said a voice. It was next to my ear. I had been a resident of S. L. C. for five years, and no one bothered me like in Appleoosa. I have to admit, it was very interesting watching all the strange creatures walking around, but I never thought I'd hear it again, yet I did. The nickname.
"Nature?" I raised a brow as I turned around. And that's who I saw. I stallion with a spiky haircut who looked hauntingly familiar. Very familiar. So familiar, in fact, I swore I knew him.
"You remember me! It's been forever!" he smiled. A toolbox was sitting on his back, balancing horribly, but the stallion didn't seem to notice- or he didn't care.
"Uh... yeah, it has been." I replied.
"So, you're still a blank flank? Can you even earn a cutiemark?"
"Yeah, the doctor said I have enough genes of a pony. I don't really care, though."
"What about I help you earn one?"
"...Well, okay..."
"Great! Remember where we used to live?"
"Uh, yeah?"
"Meet me there tomorrow, nine 'o clock!" he didn't even bother to say 'sharp' as he jumped into a nearby house and was gone. Us both being around fifteen, I really hoped this wasn't some kind of trick to make me get in the bed with him. He wouldn't do that. I thought, but secretly didn't even want to go to the old house. A promise is a promise. I scolded myself as I flew back to my home, relishing the cool wind on my scales as they merged to a brown. But the reason every one was staring at me was my mane and my tail, which were turning neon yellow. I never changed those colors again, except for when I became 'invisible'. And I still don't know how I did it that one time.
Chapter 3
The next morning was wonderful, with only a slight chill. Where to go? I thought, looking around the barren terrian. I finally made a decision after remembering seeing Appleoosa before going to sleep that night. A wind kicked up momentarily, pushing me away from the moutains as I flapped up into the air. My eyes dimmed as I thought about Natsu, but I quickly decided not to think about it and headed to the small town.
"Hello?" I asked, looking around.
"Hi." a small voice replied. I jumped back, all of my scales turning pale green. Then I saw the colt, the colt who had talked to me. He was about my age, I knew, but of course hhe was shorter then me. His coat was pale yellow and his eyes were deep green, with an orange, neatly brushed mane. "...They don't want you here." the colt looked to the ground.
"Why not?" I replied, my tail slashing the air.
"I dunno. 'Cause your a dragon?" the colt guessed.
"I'm not a dragon!" I replied hotly.
"Then what're you?" the colts' fear was ebbing away, replaced by great interest.
"Um... I'm a..." I wanted to say, 'Griffon', but I knew that wasn't right. "It's none of your buissness."
"Oh. Okay. You wanna come to my house?"
"I thought no one wanted me here."
"I don't mind."
"What about your family?"
"I don't have none."
"Oh. Alright?" I raised a brow. As we trotted through the town, and I watched ponies peek out of windows, I asked, "What's your name."
"I don't have none o' those, either." replied the colt.
"What ? Then how do I ask you questions!" I gasped.
"Gimme a name." the colt shrugged.
"Nat...Nature Eyes." I said. Good thing I remembered how ponies are named! Or else I would have named him... Natsu. Even my thoughts were becoming sorrowful.
"Well, you can call me Nature!"
"Alright."
We didn't talk for awhile, until my new friend shouted, "We're here!"
It was a neat cabin. Compared to my old home with Natsu, it wasn't much, but it made me wonder how this colt had managed to get himself this place.
"Who did you get it from?" I asked.
"My parents built it." Nature said sadly. His tone brightend as he looked to me, "What's your name, by the way?"
"..You can call me Melody." I replied.
"Mmm-kay!" the colt smiled. Then he ran towards the door and opened it, stepping inside. I followed him, perpously turning the same color of his eyes and changing my own to match his coat. He didn't seem to mind, though, as he called me. "C'mon! I know where you can sleep! Oh, and I can work for some bits and buy you cool stuff! Just tell me if you need something, 'kay?"
"Alright!" his tone brightened up my mood as I looked around the house. Maybe my luck was going for the better...