Chapter 1: My Constantine
Author's Note
This is my second time giving this story a go. lets see how she does shall we?
Chapter 1: My Constantine
Chapter 1: My Constantine
He sat in a cold dark alley way in the run down section of Canterlot. His wings clung to the sides of his body trying to hold in the little bit of warmth that the greedy wind keep stealing away. A particularly strong gust ran threw his messy black mane sending shivers down his spine. Still the young colt pressed on in his search for food. He shouldn't have been living on the streets like this, he was only eight. Nopony wanted him, not even the orphanages would take him. They all did the same thing. Every last one of them just called him a monster... a nightmare. One after another they tossed him back on the street where they all claimed he belonged.
A broken mirror left leaning on the side of a dumpster caught his attention. Using his magic the lonely colt picked up a piece of the shattered glass and took a moment to study the reflection that stared back at him. Both of his eyes were a different color the right being blue while the left was sliver. His coat was a light shade of brown except for the ring around his right eye and the fur on his left ear which where both sliver as well. Although there was no horn atop his head he could still manage small bits of magic. “Just another reason nopony wants me. Who wants a freak that uses magic without a horn, or has wings but can't fly?" He let his magic fade as the section of broken mirror fell to the ground shattering into even smaller bits, falling apart, just like the poor boys life.
Not finding what he sought the young colt made his way back the main street. After another hour of searching he gave up hope of finding anything to eat. It looked like he would spend another night hungry. he began to wounder the streets, not paying attention to where he went. As the day stretched on the shadows grew longer and the sun began it's decent. Night would soon be here and it looked as if it would snow again tonight. Wondering into the more lived in section of town the streets became more crowded. Ponies rushed in and out of the local shops trying to get their last minute shopping done before daylights end. It had been a very long time since he had seen this many happy ponies. Small groups of them even stood upon the street corners singing merry carols. Not paying attention he had walked much farther than he thought. “Where am I? This part of the city is so... clean, and everypony seems happy." Street lights began to flicker to life just as the young colt came to realize he was standing at the main gates of Canterlot Castle. "Somepony in gold armor, he must be a guard!" His mind raced a mile a minute, "He is a guard! That means he can help me!" Mustering the little energy he had left the little colt pushed his way through the lively crowds and over to the guard. "Can you please help me?"
The guard looked down at the trembling form before him. "What can I do for ya? Shouldn't you be home with your family? It is Hearth's Warming Eve after all.
He took a step closer to the guard, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Please help me I’m just so cold and hungry. Can’t you feed m..."
"No! Get back you... you... MONSTER!!!" The market place burst into utter chaos as the crowds parted and ponies ran left and right trying to put as much distance between themselves and the child as they possibly could. Shouts of fear echoed across the market place.
The young colts eyes shout up to the sky, "Oh no it’s a full moon. NO NO NO NO!!! This can’t happen, not now!"
"I said get back!" The guard watched in pure terror as the boy standing before him began to change. Little bits of his brown coat burnt away leaving behind a shimmering sliver coat. His once black main and tail erupted into black translucent flames, and the same black fire trailed off from the now glowing sliver circle that surrounds his right eye. The guards training began to kick in as he defensively lowered the tip of his spear in an attempt to ward off the monster before him. The longer he looked at the flaming beast the more a single thought began to occupy the guards mind. "Your Nightmare Moon."
The little boy looked down the shaft of the guards spear. He was just as afraid as the guard was. Why did this always happen to him? It seemed like every time his life started to look up he had to turn into this thing. Still it's not as bad as it was. It used to be that he would transform every night. Over time he gained some control over his condition, but he had also learned the more full the moon the harder it was to control. On nights like this one when the moon was at its peak there was no hope for the boy to keep himself from turning. "Please stop this! I just want help!"
"Don't play stupid with me beast!!! You thought you could disguise yourself as some sweet and innocent child to get close to the princesses, didn't you?! I'll teach you to mess with the beloved rulers of this land!"
The little boy burst into tears, "Why are you doing this to me? Why does everypony hate me?
The guard turned to the castle tower and began shouting, "To arms brothers! The Nightmare is upon us! To arms!'
The young colt spun on a dime and booked it. He didn't bother looking over his back, he didn't have time to. He had to find cover and he had to find it now. Darting down random alley ways the child hoped to lose his pursuers. Despite his best efforts he could still hear the clinking of armor not far behind him. This is why he never went to this part of town. Something bad always happened, and then when he needed to run he didn't know where to go. Using a rusty fire escape the young colt managed to make it to the roof of an old boarded up apartment complex before the guards came into view. Not but a few seconds after making it to the roof he heard the guards run right past his hiding place. He was safe. The colt collapsed to the ground exhausted. He would have to wait till morning when he turned back to normal, and then he could make his way back to Old Canterlot.
In the sparkling night sky hung a beautiful full moon. Tonight its vast surface had a slight orange tint to it. It was a truly stunning sight. The young colt turned his face to the moon and smiled. There was no happiness, joy, or love in his life. None the less he still smiled. It didn't matter what all those mean ponies called him. No matter what happened the moon had always been there for him. The moon was something he had always been able to talk to. It never judged him, called him mean names, and it never turned its back to him. The Moon was all he had, and nopony was strong enough to take it away from him. Even if those guards had taken him off to prison the moon would still be hanging in the sky just how it was at that moment of time.
A soft angelic voice startled the young colt from his thoughts. "Art thou enjoy our moon?" His head snapped around to the source of the new sound. "We are Princess Luna, what is thy name?
He stared in awe at the graceful blue alicorn before him. He had never seen anypony so stunning. She truly was the living embodiment moon. Everything about her from her deep loving eyes to the very night sky that seemed to live in her mane was perfect. "L...Lu....Luna"
Luna approached him without the slightest hint of fear. He was shocked everypony was afraid of him. They all ran away. Yet here she was coming closer to him. She took his head in her hooves and slowly began to run her hooves threw his mane. She looked deep into his young eyes never wavering for a minute. Then she spoke and his very world began to crumble "That is right we are Luna. What might we call thou?"
He looked down in shame, refusing to meet the princesses’ eyes. "Monsters don't have names."
Luna slowly shook her head and tisked' "Eyes so young yet filled with so much pain and sorrow." She gently let go of his head and walked to the edge of the roof, but instead of flying away she sat down and began to hum. After a few minutes she removed her crystal slippers and patted the spot next to her. Slowly the colt drug his exhausted form next to her and sat down. Luna gently laid her wing over him and pulled his small trembling form into her side. He didn't know what to do, so he cried into her soft coat. "shhhhh, be still little one." He felt something different as warmth slowly seeped into his body. He felt safe. The safer he felt the tighter she held him, until eventually she pulled him into her lap and wrapped her fore hoofs and both her wings around him. As the night ticked on Luna continued to hum and sleep began to take him. In the last few moments before he lost consciousness Luna kissed his forehead and whispered into his ear. "You are not a monster. You are our star gazer. You are My Constantine