Sins of the Father

Bright Mind stacked his papers, another beautiful day he’d spent inside. Already it was nighttime, and he had to finish his work by candle. It was difficult distance learning to the Canterlot Community College.

His finished thesis to his associate’s degree in Theoretical Teleporation Spells sat on the desk.

His assignments were sent to and from his home by spell mail weekly. His family was unable to afford to send him to Canterlot, and he was needed to help in the fields everyday. But he was an ambitious colt. Even as isolated as he was in Appleloosa with little academic or magical resources, he practiced everyday. He was undeniably the strongest unicorn in Appleoosa now.

Bright excelled in his studies. So much so, that Canterlot had begun to take notice. If he were to achieve an associate’s degree, he would achieve a full scholarship to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. It was his life's goal.

Bright Mind put a hoof on top of the stack of papers and let out a fatigued breath. It wasn’t completely done, no, he still had to proof read and fix a few things here and there, but he was at the light at the end of the tunnel. His father would have been proud.

Suddenly, Bright mind heard a rattling. He turned around, and looked around the first floor of his home. It sounded almost like the door.

There it was again. The front door of his home rattled heavily. What was it, now? What could his neighbors possibly want? He made it very clear he just wanted to be left alone. Easy to do when you live somewhere as isolated as Appleloosa. And when everyone thinks you’re a freak.

The door rattled again, this time nearly bursting off the hinges.

“I’m coming, I’m coming! Hold it, will you?” Bright Mind yelled.
Before Bright Mind could make it to the door, it burst open in a bright light.

“Gah!” Bright Mind ducked to the floor as a hurtling object burst through his door way and into his home.

BRAAAAAAP

“Shiiiiiiit!” Eli yelled as he flew through the home, applying his brakes hard. The KTM 690 reared backwards and burned rubber on the hardwood floor.

It crashed into a desk, knocking it sideways and throwing the several-inch thick stack of papers into the air. The KTM clattered to the floor and threw the rider against the wall.

“My final paper! What have you done?!” Bright scrambled to try and pick all the papers up. “Do you know how hard I worked on this? I’ve been working on this paper the past five years!”

“Ugh, what?” Eli stood up and brushed himself off. “Where am I?”

Bright backed up. This thing was tall. It walked on two legs… It wore a helmet with goggles over its eyes, but it was easily twice as tall as Bright himself. It was just like the stories said. Down to the helmet and all.

No, it couldn’t be.

Eli turned and looked at the source of all the noise. A small, white horse-like creature cowered below him. There was something odd about it though; it had a horn on its head, and a black mane. It was small, only a few feet high, and it had clearly asked him a question.

“Did you… Just ask me something?” Eli asked.

“Of course I did!” Bright spat. “What are you doing in my house? You just destroyed my entire life’s work!”

Eli unbuckled the helmet off his head and held it to his side.

Bright Mind’s jaw dropped. There was no mistaking it now. It was a living, breathing human in his house.

“You’re a human,” Bright murmured. “A real, live human!”

Eli slapped himself in the face. First lightly, then hard, again, and again, and again.

“I’m not dreaming,” Eli looked at his gloved hands.

Eli pointed his finger right at Bright.

“You talked! Horses don’t talk!”

“You’re human! You don’t exist, but you’re here!” Bright shot back.

“I don’t exist? You don’t exist! You’re a talking freaking unicorn thing!”
“Yeah, what of it?”

Eli took a step back, picking up his bike and putting it on the kickstand.

“Where do you think you’re going? You just destroyed my door and ruined my paper!”

“Look, I have way bigger problems,” Eli put his helmet back on, remembering Marcella taken from him only minutes ago. “Like right now, I gotta go deal with the fact that you talk. And you were writing a paper that’s… On fire, by the way.”

“What?!” Bright Mind looked behind the human. After bursting through the door, the human must have sent the candle flying. It had set a huge stack of papers on fire and now had spread to the curtains.

“What have you done?” Bright cried. “My house! Do something!”

“Uh," Eli stopped. “Yeah, I’m not really a firefighter. Sorry. Good luck, though.”

Eli threw his leg back over his bike and started it up. Bright’s horn began to shine, ready to rush the human, but the bright light from the vehicle it rode broke his concentration and blinded him. A loud roar echoed through Bright’s house as the human rode through the destroyed doorway as a result of his own entry.

He rode out into a cool night, seeing lights about half a mile off into the distance. It was pitch dark, but judging by the cacti and the arid ground surrounding him, he seemed to be in the desert. Much like the California badlands he rode in growing up.

Eli kicked his bike in gear and rode off into the unknown.

The town was small, and looked exactly like a painting of the wild west. Several lines of shops, closed for the day, and a clock tower. Eli continued to think of that little horse that talked to him. Does that mean there’s more of them here?

Apparently, yes. It was night time, and as such there wasn’t a lot of activity in the town square, but clearly he could see towns people. More horses. And they looked right at him.

They kept their distance from him, he was probably just as unknown to them as they were to him.
Eli parked his bike outside of what was unmistakably a tavern, with a pair of saloon doors. He could hear light ragtime music and conversations drifting from inside.

“I could go for a drink. Just sit at the bar and try to ask someone where I am. And figure out my way to the princess of the sun.”

Eli hung his helmet on his handlebars and stuffed his gloves in his jacket pocket, and then stepped through the double doors.

Predictably, all activity stopped the moment he opened the door. Several horse girls in flowing dresses were dancing on stage and paused. The barkeep dropped the glass he was about to serve. Every head in the establishment spun around and stared hard at Eli.
It hit Eli and stopped him in his tracks. He looked all around at all the faces before him. No humans. All little horses. Okay, he was obviously the only human here. He had accepted that now.

“For Marcella,” Eli thought, and took a step forward.

He glanced from side to side as the bar watched his every move. He sat at a stool, and immediately several of the patrons scooted over a few spaces.

Eli pretended not to notice and waited patiently to be served.

The barkeep kept his distance, but then made his way forward.

“Git you anything?” his mustache so thick, Eli couldn’t even see his mouth move.

“Whiskey. On the rocks,” Eli said.

“Ain’t got no rocks, we ain’t no fancy Los Pegasus casino. We got sarsaparilla, cider, and cactus juice. Take your pick.”

“Um, sarsaparilla.”

The bartender filled a glass up fill and set it down his way. He took a sip, and wiped the foam from his mouth. Very sweet. A hint of alcohol near the end.

The bar began to carry on as usual after seeing Eli was just there for a drink. The dancers began prancing again while stallions hooted and hollered. A few fights broke out, but were quickly calmed by other bar staff.

Eli sipped his drink, thinking about the situation ahead of him. He looked for a friendly face, but honestly could not find one. Maybe going to a bar wasn’t the best place to search for hospitality.

Eli stood up, taking out his wallet and leaving a $20 bill on the counter. He began to exit the bar.

“Hold it!” The Barkeep shouted. “What in tarnation are you tryin’ ta' pay with?”
Eli blinked.

Of course. They probably don’t take human money here.

“Uh…” Eli was about to speak up.

“Now hold it there, stranger!” A bright, yellow mini-horse with a vest and Stetson hat jumped inbetween him and the bar keeper. He looked aged from blue-collar work, and definitely older than most of the younger patrons there. And had a lot more enthusiasm.

“I’ll get his drink. In fact, get us two more, please!” he tossed a dozen gold coins out on the counter.

“Well, that’s more like it than. You fellers enjoy,” the barkeep whipped up two sarsaparillas and slid them down the Eli and his companion.

“Name’s Braeburn, good to meet ya!” the yellow pony extended his hoof forward.

“Eli,” he shook his hoof. “Thanks for the save back there.”

“Don’t mention it. Y’all are lookin’ pretty lost for a… Human?”

“Yeah,” Eli nodded.

"Been many a year since any humans have come to Equestria. Y'all are okay by me, though. Never met one m'self, but mah' cousin did."

"So, what are you?"

Braeburn laughed heartily, and wiped a tear out of his eye.

“That’s a good one, stranger! Ah mean, Eli.”

“No, I’m serious. I've only been here for an hour. What are you, a horse?”

“You are serious,” Braeburn shot him a sympathetic look. “Bless your heart, y’all ain’t got no idea where you are, do ya’ poor fellar?”

“No,” Eli shook his head. “And I was hoping you could tell me that.”

Braeburn explained to Eli he was in a town called Appleloosa, in a country named Equestria, populated by ponies.

“Uh huh,” Eli thought it over. “I was told to look for somebody. Somebody called the Princess of the Sun. Know anything about that?"

“Darn tootin', that’s Princess Celestia. She rules over Equestria with her sister, Princess Luna. But they live far up north in Canterlot. It’s a three day train ride, or a week’s journey north. Why do you ask?”

“Well, Braeburn,” Eli said. “I’m looking for my sister.”

“Your sister? She here on vacation?"

“No,” Eli looked away. “She was kidnapped. I came here to try and bring her back. But I don't even know where to start."

“Oh,” Braeburn sunk his head a little bit. “Well look here, partner, Ah’m mighty sorry to hear that. Ah’m guessin’ you’re probably headed to Canterlot to ask Celestia to help you find her then.”

“Do you think she’d help me?’ Eli shrugged.

“She sure would! If anypony knows about sisters, its Celestia. She’ll help you out, partner.”

“That’s good to hear,” Eli finished the last of his drink. Suddenly, the bar doors opened, and a sheriff pony entered the bar, with an appropriate silver star on his vest and Stetson hat. A few deputies trailed behind him.

“Well howdy, Sheriff!” said Braeburn. “How's the misses?"

Sheriff Silverstar took one look at Eli and pointed.

“Got a report that some human had committed an act of arson. And Ah believe y’all might be the only human round these parts. Ah’m gonna need y’all to come with me, Ah got a few questions fer’ you.”

“Shit,” Eli said. “I forgot about that.”

“Y’all did what?” Braeburn asked.

“It’s a misunderstanding, I promise.”

Eli sat in the cell of the town jail, lying back on a hard mattress. He had managed to sleep for a while, but now morning had broken and he was just waiting for something to happen. Finally, the Sheriff came back and unlocked the cell.

“Rise and shine, yer' free to go, son,” Sheriff Silverstar rasped through his mustache.

Eli stretched and stood up.

“And I was just getting comfy,” Eli yawned. “Thanks, old timer. Why the change of heart?”

“Braeburn came by this morning and explained to me what happened. Ah know y’all didn’t mean to set that house on fire, but y'all need to head up to the Mind household and see what you can do to bury the hatchet. If it ain’t money, y’all gotta make it up to em’ some other way somehow.”

“Alright, I'll see what I can do, Sheriff," Eli nodded and began to walk away.

Eli was about to leave the sheriff’s office, when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“And good luck finding your sister, son. Before you leave, come let me know if there’s anything Ah can do to help ya get there.”

“Ah, much appreciated, I will.”

Eli walked out of the Sheriff’s office, and to his surprise, Braeburn and his KTM were waiting for him right outside.

“Sleep well?” Braeburn asked.

“Not bad, actually,” Eli replied. “Thanks for getting me out of that. Did you push that all the way over here?"

"Sure did, the thing is incredibly light. It's a fine machine you got there."

"Wow, thanks Braeburn. I really owe you one."

“You ain’t obligated to me for nothin', partner.”

“Well, I am obligated to the 'Mind' household. Apparently I set their house on fire when I knocked over a candle.”

“Eeyup, Ah heard. Volunteer fire brigade put it out last night. Not nearly as bad as it could have been. Ah’ve explained to the townsponies it was all a misunderstanding and it should have cleared your name.”

“I need to go talk to them, see if there’s something I can do.”

“It’s just the younger one, Bright Mind, who I assume is about your age. Then his mother, Merry.”

“Sounds like I should pay them a visit,” Eli began to step on his motorcycle.

“Now hold up partner,” Braeburn warned. “There’s something y’all should know about Bright Mind. He can be a little… Eccentric. Stopped coming into town so much in recent years, poor little foal got bullied a lot in school. Now he’s fully-grown, and he still don’t come out too much. It’s hard on him bein' in the only unicorn family in Appleloosa. This town was brought up by generations of Earth Ponies, and some folks are less than hospitable to those they don't know."

“I’ll let you know how it goes, appreciate all the help.”

Eli shook Braeburn’s hoof and then got on the enduro. With his helmet fastened, he headed up the road, retracing his tire track from last night.

The surroundings around him were vast. He could see plateaus off in the distance, and miles of cacti, hill, and sand dunes. A train track stretched off into the distance in two ways. Whichever way was north would be his guess.

Eli stopped at the house, taking off his helmet. He cringed, seeing the outside of the house was blackened. He could only imagine what the inside looked like.

The door was hastily nailed against two hinges on two by fours. Hesitantly, Eli knocked on the door. It slowly opened, and then the small white unicorn he’d first met last night answered.

“You!” Bright Mind hissed. “Get off my property!” the door slammed right in Eli’s face.

“Now hold on!” Eli pounded on the door. “I know why you're upset, I just wanted to come by and see if I could make this up to you somehow."

“You can make this up to me by going away and never coming back! All you humans do is cause trouble everywhere you go, and last night was proof of that!”

“I really didn’t mean for that to happen!” Eli shouted through the door. “Just come out and talk to me!"

“Bright mind, what’s all that yelling? Is someone at the door?” a female voice asked from the second floor.

“No, mom! It’s nothing! Just ignore it, it’ll go away!”

The door opened again swiftly, and this time there was another white pony, obviously female in a gown this time. Just like her son, she had a horn. Unicorns, like Braeburn said.

Eli immediately noticed the lack of country accent, noticing more city in her voice like he was used to in California.

“Well Celestia in heaven, Bright wasn't spinning yarn. You really are a human! Well, don’t stand out there in the heat, please come on in. Care for a lemonade?”

“Um, sure. Thank you, m’am,” Eli entered the house.

“Mooooom!” Bright Mind pouted. It was starting to really annoy Eli.

“You’re just gonna let him in?!”

Eli took a look around the house. The writing desk was cinders, and it looked like boards had been nailed up to replace part of the back wall that burned through. Thankfully, the damage didn’t look as bad as it could have been. But it had definitely ruined half of the first floor.
“There you are, hon,” Merry levitated a glass down and filled it with Ice, dumping lemonade from a pitcher inside.
Eli simply stared.

“Did you just- Move that with your mind?”

“Sweetie, I only used magic to move that glass."

Eli laughed.

“Wait, were you serious?”

“Of course. My son and I are unicorns, we possess the ability to summon magic through our horns.”

“Magic," Eli said, and took the glass from mid air, and the outline stopped glowing. “And thank you, kindly."

“Don’t mention it, hon. Now, my son, Bright Mind, seems a little upset with you. Seems like you burned up one of his school assignments along with the first floor.”

“Yeah,” Eli frowned. “That’s what I came here to talk to you about. I didn’t mean for that to happen. Let me explain.”

Eli explained to Merry about how his father’s key had somehow opened the door from his cabin to Merry and Bright’s house.

“And my sister needs to be rescued. Braeburn told me that Celestia could help me, but it’s a far journey north.”

“If there's anypony that could help you find your sister, it would be her. Listen, maybe we can help each other out here,” Merry said.
“Bright mind has been very troubled. He’s never had a lot of friends, since we’re some of the only unicorns out this way, and the other foals didn’t take to him too kindly. When his father died, it only got worse. He shut the whole world out. He wanted to go to magic school in Canterlot, but I couldn’t afford to send him. So he’s been distance learning to the Canterlot Community College.”

“I see,” Eli took a sip of the lemonade. “And where are you going with this?”

"How exactly do you plan on getting to Canterlot, Eli?

Eli was quiet for a moment.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I was just going to figure it out as I went. My sister's life is depending on it."

“You’ll need a guide to get you to Canterlot. Whether you go on foot, train, or that vehicle you have outside.”

“Yeah,” Eli said. “I do need a guide. But what does that have to do with Bright Mind?”

“He needs to get out more. It’s time he leaves the nest, and you look like you can take care of yourself. Take him with you. He needs a friend.”

Eli thought about this for a few moments. Someone who knew the land would be very useful right now. And it would get him to Marcella quicker.

“Okay, I’ll talk to him.”

Eli went upstairs, and knocked on Bright Mind’s bedroom door. No answer.

“Hey man,” Eli put his hands in his pockets. “My name is Eli. I know you’re in there. Come on, let’s talk.”

Bright mind opened the door, his eyes looking like he had been crying.

“Oh, god,” Eli thought.

“Hey, don’t... Cry, please. Come on, you and me. Let’s go take a walk.”

“I talked to your mom a little bit,” Eli walked along the desert sand. Bright Mind trotted along next to him, not looking at him.
“She told me you were going to school, a pretty prestigious one.”

“I was, until you showed up,” Bright grumbled. “That paper you burned took me five years to write. It would have only taken two had I been in actual school. That paper was going to get me a full scholarship and move me to Canterlot, where I could get a master’s degree.”

“Oh,” Eli sighed. “So, I ruined your dream.”

“I’ve been dreaming about studying under Celestia herself since I was a foal. Now, I have no chance. I may as well stay here and be a farmer."

“Wait,” Eli stopped. “Did you say Celestia?”

Bright nodded.

“I'm actually headed to Canterlot to go see her. Me and her go waaay back," Eli lied.

"You know the Princess?!" Bright raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Eli said. "She was... Um... A friend of my dad's! She came over for dinner once."

"Get real. I don't buy it," Bright rolled his eyes.

"Okay, so I was lying. I am going to see her, though. And you know what, you should totally come with me!"

"What? Me, go with the only human who's been here in the past 20 years? You guys are crazy as hell."

“Who was the last human? What happened when he was here?”

“Oh, you really don’t know,” Bright Mind sighed.

“No, I’ve only been here since last night. I came from the human world where nothing else talks but humans.”

“Okay, Eli,” Bright Mind started. “The last time a human was here, two major cities were destroyed."

“Oh,” Eli kicked a rock on the ground. “Was it… Was it us?”

“No,” Bright Mind said. “There was something called the Nightmare. Twenty years ago, it used a human to do bad things, and then used human technology to destroy two cities using incredible power. It was humans using the Elements of Harmony that stopped Nightmare and saved us all. It was the same Nightmare that overtook Celestia’s sister, Luna, and got her banished for a thousand years before that happened.”

“Sounds like Nightmare has a history of kidnapping sisters. Do you think that’s what took her?”

“I don’t know,” Bright replied. “I wish I could tell you, I really do. But Celestia would know.”

“And now you see why I have to get there.”

“I do,” Bright Mind sighed.

“And, I need you. I need your help to guide me there.”

“Eli, I can’t just leave here. This is my home. I have… A life here," Bright Mind said incredibly insincerely.

“No, you really don’t,” Eli crossed his arms. “And you’re not even fooling yourself talking like that. It’s time for you to get out of this town. That’s how I’m going to make it up to you, for ruining your chance at a future. I'm going to give you a new one."

Bright looked up at Eli, thinking intently.

“And,” Eli said. “When we get to Celestia, I’ll do whatever I can to make sure she makes you a scholar. You have my word.”

“You- You mean it?” Bright smiled.

“Let’s shake on it, partner,” Eli stuck out his hand. “Friends?”

Bright hesitated, thinking it over.

“Maybe not friends. Not at first. For now, partners,” Bright shook his hand, and sat back on his haunches.

“Partners,” Eli repeated. “I can live with that.”