Monochrome Mystery and the Lost King

Monochrome remembered the journey being much shorter by train, as the lush grassland seemed to stretch over the horizon. He had set off the morning after Sleek Secrets had visited, at the crack of dawn. The plains were known to reach high temperatures in the day, and ponies spread the rumours that it would be desert if is weren't for a magic spell placed on the ground by unicorns that lived between there and Canterlot.

For the fifth time, Monochrome paused, opened his saddlebags, and went through his possessions he had brought along.

"Pop-up tent - check. Pen and paper - check," he murmured under his breath, although he was aware no-one would hear him out there anyway, "Deerstalker hat -" he put the hat on his head for a moment, and smiled to himself, before packing it back into the bag quickly "- check."

Night was coming fast, so after checking his belongings, he began to set up camp, starting with his trusty tent, and starting a campfire with his trusty lighter. He lowered himself until he was lying down half-in the tent, half-out, pulled out a marshmallow - tree-sap marshmallow of course - skewered it on a small nearby stick, and began to toast it over the warm fire. Before he knew it, he was stuffing his mouth with s'mores, and watching the moon hang in the sky. It seemed brighter tonight, more prominent. He found himself staring into the sky, almost hypnotized by the small stars that dotted the sky, and he suddenly realised how tired he was. His eyes began to droop, and he fell into a deep slumber...

~~~~~~~~~~

A young colt is stood under his mother's wing, looking at the stars above Ponyville with her. They are stood outside a small house on an isolated plot of land. The mare's cutie mark is a pen and paper, but her son does not have one yet.

"Mommy, one day I want to go to the stars."

She sighs as she speaks. "My dear, when you become a big stallion, you'll be able to go further above, and you'll be able to see all of Equestria."

"I love you Mommy."

"I love you too, Monochrome."

A middle-age stallion walks out from the house behind them, obviously extremely drunk. He walks up to the colt, and pulls him from under the mother's wing. The colt begins to shout and cry, and the mare begins to shout at the stallion. He kicks the young, terrified colt out of the way, which causes it to cry even more. The two adult ponies proceed to fight, and are both badly bruised when one runs into the house again, with the other in pursuit. The young colt, still shaking from a combination of the cold and fear, walk in a few seconds after, to be presented with the scene of the stallion edging towards the mare, holding a knife above his head with his magic...

~~~~~~~~~~

Monochrome jolted up, shaking and sweating. He blinked a few times, and quickly began to console himself.

"It was just a dream," he whispered, "you're a stallion now. You can't go on being scared by your past." The night had passed, and he quickly began to pack up. He was almost at the entrance now, and he wasn't going to give up. He cantered for the rest of the journey, and it didn't take long to arrive at the cave. He was here, and there was no turning back.