Drowning Dreams
Chapter I:Torrential rain
Rain.
Seemingly boundless sheets of rain. It just kept falling, unendingly. Every so often the rain would be tempered, a single sunbeam could be seen between the dark, ominous, clouds by the keenest of observers. But it would always be snuffed out. Its inexorable might too much even for pegasi to control.
This is what I woke up to. This is what I always wake up to. As long as I can remember it has always been like this in Equestria. I might have only just gotten my cutie mark when I started to figure it out, but even then I could tell this isn’t the way it’s supposed to be.
I have asked plenty of adults about it before, and they always deflect the question with a seemingly indoctrinated response.
“The rain is what brings life to the world. Are you questioning life?”
Unlike their answer, mine is organic. It changes, dependent on my mood, surroundings, or company. Sometimes, when I’m in a particularly good mood, I might just accept it and move on with nothing more than a “No ma’am.” or “No sir.” Sometimes, when I’m fed up with all of the secrets, I say yes, just to make them angry. That never goes over well. Many hours have been spent in my room or the 'timeout corner' contemplating the meaning of their answer.
The rain is what brings life to the world. Are you questioning life?
In a sense, I am. I question whether or not is absolutely necessary to have this much rain. When I ask them they always give me a look that borders on slightly frightened and slightly sad.
I never understood that look. I don’t understand a lot of things, even though everypony is always telling me that I have a gifted intellect. Heh...gifted. If I was gifted I wouldn't be unable to figure this out; if I was gifted I wouldn't have to worry about never figuring it out; if I was gifted I wouldn't be sitting here staring at the omnipresent rain while my mom is yelling at me to come to breakfast.
Oh crap.
“Coming, mom.”
Although I wasn’t actually going. For some reason I couldn't look away. There was something there. Some intangible object that seems to disappear as soon as you can cast your gaze upon it. Its form has eluded me my whole life, but not its presence. I have always felt its presence, but this day more than just its presence will become clear to me. I will not let it slip by my detection any longer. I will see it. I focused, harder than many would think physically possible. With a trained mind I focused on the one spot where I knew it would be. Where it always was. Then, through the sheer force of will and determination, I saw it. Only for a brief moment, but I saw it. Just what it was I don’t know. Maybe an eye, maybe an illusion crafted by the imagination of a hopeful kid. No. I know what I saw, I won't let them get to me. I saw an eye, an emerald green eye peering down upon us unwary ponies, watching as if it were looking for something. Perhaps it has always been watching; searching. Perhaps it has never found what it is searching for.
“Surefire, get down here this instant!” yells my mom from the bottom of the stairs.
“I said I was coming!” I yell back down at her, tearing my gaze away from the clouds.
“Well it wasn't fast enough. When I say I want you downstairs, I mean now, not at your convenience. I’ve been calling you for twenty minutes”
“ I seriously doubt you were calling me for twenty minutes, more like five” I say as I approach the top of the steps.
As I look down at her I notice that she looks a bit more ragged than usual today. Random hairs in her two-toned reddish-orange and yellow mane stick out in every direction, and her golden yellow coat is so matted that it looks like somepony had switched her shampoo with super-glue.
“You know what I mean, and don’t talk back” she said, looking at me with that now familiar expression of annoyance.
At least she is not any crankier than usual. Feeling satisfied that she handled the situation, she turns to go back to the kitchen. As she does I can’t help but loath my resemblance to her. Same mane colors, same eye color; blue. The only difference is where her coat is a brilliant yellow mine is an ocean of alabaster. I have always liked my colors, but keeping a white coat clean can be infuriating. Every last speck of dirt and dust on my coat can be seen by even the blindest of ponies. Of course with our lovely weather a shower is never more than a short trot away.
Coming out of my reverie, I decide to make my way down the stairs and to the kitchen before I incur the wrath of Ember. Our first floor is all hardwood, save the kitchen and bathroom, so my presence was known well before I entered the room. As I stepped into the doorway a chorus of various good mornings rang out. My dad, brother, and granny are all seated around the table. Spark, my little brother, had already finished his meal, eager to go and play with his friends. It is a Saturday after all.
Spark loves playing with his friends. If he could forego sustenance and sleep I don’t think he would ever stop messing around with them. They always are trying out new things to get their cutie marks. Which, I think, is ridiculous. A cutie mark is a special thing and should only be acquired by genuine means. Not this synthetic menagerie of random activities. At least he has fun.
“So Spark, what are your plans for today?” I say as I levitate a glass of juice over and take a sip.
“Me and Roots are go-”
“Celestia that's tart! I thought this was grape juice.” I exclaimed, cutting Spark off.
“It’s cranberry juice, and don’t use Celestia’s name like that,” My mom snapped at me with a huff and a flick of her tail. “Ungrateful.”
“Don’t worry about her, that stuff is tart as tartarus. I don’t know why she keeps on buying it. I’m going to have to convince Berry Punch to stop selling it to her, lest all of our lips stay in a puckered state forever. Although that might be hard considering shes senile. You just can’t trust ponies of her age to see reason.” My granny rambled, like she usually does.
“Ummm…aren't you her same age Granny?” I aksed.
“Are you trying to imply something Sure?” She said with a look in her eye that was as blood curdling as it was playful.
I learned two things that day. One, that I should never try to outwit my granny, and two, my coat can get much whiter.
“Um, no o- of cour- I just meant...no ma’am.” I stammered in my most dejected voice, trying to avoid any possible scorn from her. Even though I know she could never get mad at me.
“I’m just teasin’. You don’t have to act so defensive. You need to stand up for yourself sometimes, even to those you love and respect,” She told me in a loving voice, casting a sidelong glance at my mother. “Now if you don’t mind I believe Sparky here has a question to answer,” She looked over to the colt in question who was licking his plate. “So how about it Spark, what are your plans for today. I’m just dying to know.” She shot him a beaming smile.
“Well, like I tried saying earlier before somepony couldn't handle some tart-”
“Hey, that's some tart juice, and I can handle it. I just didn't like it,” I snapped, cutting him off again. “Do I need to remind you about your acc-”
“That's enough, let your brother tell you about his day. You were the one who asked after all.” My dad said, speaking up for the first time since I came into the kitchen.
“Yes, dad.” I said dejectedly.
“As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, twice,” I stuck my tongue out at him. “Me and Roots are going to meet up with Luck at the bakery. Then we were going to go the farm and try and get our cutie marks in farming.” Spark said, sounding more excited by the second.
“I don’t see why you want your cutie marks so badly. Why would you want to be tied down to one destiny for your whole life when you could be whoever you want to be whenever you want it. The freedom is a lot like flying. You’re not limited to only moving in two planes. Up, down, left, right, It doesn't matter because you are free to chose. At least you were free before all this Celestia damned rain!” Granny finished her rant with an angry look towards the sky.
“Mother! Your deluded ramblings don’t help, and neither does your language. Everypony knows that the rain has always been here. It’s a part of Equestria, same as the gem rich soil. It’s just how i-”
“Don’t you dare tell me that that’s just how it is,” She yelled, cutting off my mom. I glanced at the clock to check what time it is. More out of nervousness than genuine interest. “Because you know damned well that it’s not.” Granny near whispered, communicating much more than could be said in a single sentence alone.
The tension in the air was almost palpable. Any time Granny brings up what she calls the ‘Reign of the Sun’ mom gets upset. She says that all that beforetime talk is why most of the elderly are denounced as crazy.
However, it is about time for my parents to head off to work, so we caught a break there.
“Mom, shouldn’t you and Dad be getting to work?” I asked, almost pleadingly.
Glancing at the clock my dad spoke up while Mom and Granny just locked eyes. “It appears you are right bud,” He declared, knowing that a distraction was needed. “Hun, we really should get going. You don’t want to be late again, do you?”
“No,” She sighed and broke eye contact with her mother. “I suppose not. Let’s get going.” She grumbled while trotting towards the front door, motioning for my dad to follow.
As they exited, my grandmother decided that she would be the one to do the dishes. She never liked the idea of being dependent. I would tell her that I could do it instead, but there is no use in arguing with the legendary Spitfire. I find it much easier to just comply.
“Alright, time for me to go meet up with my friends.” Spark said suddenly, jumping out of his seat and cantering to the door, excitement clear on his face. In his head he knew that today would be the day that he got his cutie mark.
“Have fun and don’t have an accident this time.” I teased.
“Whatever.” That was the last word I could hear from him as he walked out.
My granny suddenly turned off the water, dried her hooves, and started walking out of the kitchen. Confused I decided to ignore it and finish the dishes, but as I started to turn the handle with my magic I heard my granny stop.
“It’ll be there later. I want you to follow me. I have something important to tell you.”
Without another word she left and started climbing the steps. Thoroughly intrigued I wasted no time in catching up.
What could it be? Did I do something wrong? It just doesn't make sense.
“Did...did I do something wrong?” I asked voicing my concerns.
“No,” Contemplating, she paused. “Quite the opposite actually”
More confused than ever, I looked up to see that we were approaching the door to her room.
“It has been 50 years since I was given this to protect. To give to somepony worthy. 50 long years of searching, waiting, and failing,” She opened the door and took a step in. “Every year I grow older and every year the fate of Equestria grows more grim, more hopeless, but I think that you have finally become the pony I have been looking for.”
“How do you know Granny?” The uncertainty in my voice showing.
“Would you do anything for Equestria, even if it meant going against everything that you have ever been taught if you knew what was right?” She asked with a knowing smile.
“Of course! How could you even ask such a thing?”
All she did was smile.
“That,” She looked at me with her loving eyes. “Is how I know.”
“Ok, so what is it that you wanted to tell me?”
She sat on her haunches and looked down at the ground. She seemed to be nervous, or hesitant. She stayed that way for a few seconds. Not moving, not making a sound.
Then she looked up and into my eyes, but it was not an ordinary look. This was more akin to a gaze that could move mountains if it wanted to. It was fierce but not scary; It commanded all of your respect and attention. It made you hang on every word they speak and accept it as truth. Which I’m sure was what she was going for because the next thing that she said was ineffable.
“Surefire... 50 years ago Equestria was taken over by changelings.”