Prologue
My name is Arielle. I live in the year 3205, Newcanter, in the country of Equus on the planet Evemore. This planet was colonized 962 years ago. Exactly. The only thing is... They don't tolerate difference. We live in the middle of nowhere, out in a desert, unlike the other colonies. Everyone is hornless, wingless. Nobody had ever seen a Unicorn or Pegasus, all stories, they say. All stories... Fake.. Worthless.............Bad.... It all started when I was born.. The year 3190. It was bad enough I was born blind, but what was that thing on top of my head? The strange thing that everyone heard in their grandparents stories.. But why should I tell you all this, when you can see for yourself?
Year 3202, Age: Thirteen... This is where the story begins..
"Ari, Ari, Ari! Poor Ari, blind Ari" My aunt tsked. "Cant you ever stay out of trouble? Stop using that hideous lump on your head, and listen!" She yelled, as she threw me into a cold basement. I shivered, feeling cobwebs and crawling creatures. Setting my head down, I cry. Cry for being different. Cry for being blind. Cry for having a horn. Cry for being... Bad..... Different... No one should be different..... But here I was... Different... Silently, I cry myself to sleep.
I awake, hair stiff, and slowly get up, brushing up against the walls. Every time.. It was different. The basement.. It changed. The odd sound it made, voices, wonderful cheerful voices... Always in a different spot.. Always... Perhaps.. If she followed the sound.. Before it moved again.. She could get there.. To the land of the voices.. I walk around curiously, slowly making my way to the sounds.. I feel the wall in the spot the voices came from.. My hoof goes through. Squeaking, but determined, I walk through. Silence... Nothing.. Where were the voices? The ponies, that sounded so kind from the basement...
"H-Hello? Is anyone there?" I called out, slightly frightened. Frantically, I run through the trees. "Hello?"
"Hello? Who's there?" A voice called out from the distance.
"Do.. Do you know where I am?" I replied, curiously. Was this one of the nice ponies? I wondered to myself. Yes.. It had to be..
"You're in the Everfree forest." The voice, now closer, and louder said, with a tinge of fright, but bold.
"Is that bad?..."
"It's dangerous, but don't worry, I'll get you out! You won't be in danger with me!" The voice replied, bravely. "Come on, lets go!" The voice replied, grabbing my hoof and dragging me along. A scent of apples filled my nose, and fresh clean air.. So much different, then the air back home, if I still was not there.. Perhaps I was dreaming, I hoped not. I sat down, taking in the beautiful noises. What were those.. Those peeps I heard? Such a sweet noise.. Wind ruffling leaves, but so musically. So... Perfect..
"Who-Who are you?" I asked, with a glimmer of hope on my face.
"My name is Gold Dust!"
"And.. You aren't afraid of me?.." I asked, scared of the answer, but curious. What a strange name..
"No. Why would I be?"
"Because.. Because of this..." I tapped my horn to my hoof silently.
"Why would I be afraid of your horn... I've got one too you know!"
"You do?" I asked hopefully. This was the land of nice ponies! It couldn't be anything other! Perhaps there were more out there! More with a horn like me!
"Are there.. Others out there with horns too?... I've never met another unicorn before.. Never met anyone not afraid of me... Where... Where are we?..." I asked, shyly.
"We are near the Everfree forest, on the outskirts of Ponyville. I'm from Canterlot though." Gold Dust said, cheerfully.
Gold Dust.. Ponyville.. Canterlot.. Such odd names.. It almost sounds like.. Equestria.. Could it be? Equestria.. Where all colonies of Evermore descended from..
"Are we... Are we in Equestria? Can we go to Ponyville?" Almost bouncing up from excitement.
"Yeah. I could show you around, if you'd like?"
"Of course!" I said getting up, and following the sound of his footsteps, wondering how the nice ponies would really be like. She hoped it was like she heard. The joyful voices, giggling.
(POV switch)
Wow. So much noise. So much happiness. Imperfections in the ground, not smooth like the cobblestone of her home. So much cheer. It was like heaven. This world.. The past.. Sounded so beautiful.. What had changed so much that her home, could be so different, so bad compared to this place? It was perfect. She would stay here. Forever. But where.. Where would she find somewhere to stay?.. She could sleep in bushes.. Yes.. That would be perfect. Better than a basement, and soft, depending on the bush. She wouldn't go back. Ever. She would live here, in the past, what a wonderful thing came from the basement today. She wondered how her aunt never knew that this beautiful place was here.
Slowly, she walked, feeling the bumpy cobblestone under her feet, the sun warming up her fur, enjoying every moment.
"So, Ari, would you like to come meet my family?" Asked Gold Dust, joyfully.
"Sure!" She replied with the most cheer in her voice she has ever had.
They trotted off, heading northwest, passing by wonderful smells of roses, and pastries. Smells she had never smelled before. Smells so pleasant, so many smells, surfaces, ponies......
She was finally where she dreamed to be. Finally in her perfect world.
Wonderfully, joyfully, cheerfully, differently, happily.
And most of all....
Finally... Free.
