Amity awoke with a trembling, frightened start. She did not recall when she had fallen asleep, but tearstains marked her cheeks and her eyes began to well up again as she recounted the horrible dream in her mind. Still shaking, and in a cold sweat, she warily stared around the room that had seemed so comforting before. Dawn had broken by the time she woke up; she knew this because the plants around the room were glowing especially bright. It stood as the mark of dawn in the sunless world, which, if her dream was anything to go by, was inadequate compared to the real thing above ground.

The vase on the table was still misplaced, and that just made her feel worse. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Amity climbed off of the couch, more eager to start the terrible day ahead than to drift back to sleep. She climbed the staircase in the corner and softly tread past her father’s doorway at the top and, ignoring the nagging heartache, she slipped through the door across the hall and into her own room. She hadn’t come up there much since her father disappeared. So everything there, though familiar, felt almost missed, like when one returns from a long trip.

Amity sat down gloomily on the stool in front of her vanity and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were surprisingly leery and alert, but also very tired. She looked absolutely awful. That would have to change if she expected to go anywhere that day, and considering the current lack of food in her home, that was an unfortunate must. With a sigh, she lifted her hair brush with her magic and began to freshen herself up. After brushing the tangles from her hair, she selected her usual dress from her closet, and made a trip to the washroom to clean the aftermath of three distraught days from her body.

Afterward, Amity found herself walking back down the stairs and into the kitchen. She looked at herself in the reflection of the mirror on the wall opposite the pictures. She briefly admired her white and blue plaid dress, assuring herself that she was presentable. If she showed any sign of mourning in public, she’d likely be outcast or worse, tied and left to the shadows in the forest for putting others in danger. With a sigh, she grabbed her shopping basket and blue wool overdress for warmth, and stepped out into the crisp autumn air. She put on as convincing a smile as she could muster and proceeded off of her front porch, meandering towards the town market.

Along her way, Amity tried not to think of her father and the financial predicament she found herself in now that he was gone. It was hard for mares to come about jobs in a small town like Elmsgate. It was deemed ‘improper’ for a mare to own actually work outside of a home. The town was run by greedy bigots. Bigots who also happened to have the support of the local government, which was also run by bigger bigots as it were. She hated them.

She found herself hoping that her false demeanor was convincing as multiple groups of ponies cheerily passed by, a few waving as they went. As though they hadn’t a care in the world. Some of them probably didn’t. Speak none, hear none, see none. But despite a warm smile and a returned wave, her insides felt cold. Pretending to be friendly with all these happy strangers was making her feel sick. Picking up her pace, she opted instead to focus on the scenery rather than the ponies around her.

Bright, flowery buildings passed by looking like ancient ruins; ruins that were methodically turned into makeshift homes for the many families now living there. Amity scowled at them as she trotted on. Once, these homes had been a comforting sight to her. They’d always reminded her that she was close to home. But now, the only place she’d rather be less than outside was in her own home, if she could really even call it her home anymore. With no job and the last of her money going towards buying food, she’d likely be evicted by the next month. Elmsgate was devastatingly quick about that kind of thing. It was ‘good economic flow,’ supposedly. The kind of thing that meant they were waiting for the poor to die off so they could upgrade land into residencies for the upper crust.

In the center of town was the bustle of the market. Amity froze at the edge of it, afraid to step into the crowded street. Numerable ponies walked about the market, bartering for produce and laughing with friends and families. Amity sighed under her breath and wondered where her own friends must be. Even if they couldn’t say or show it anymore, they must have been worried by her absence. With the slightest hint of the first real smile she’d had in days, Amity stepped forward, hoping she’d perhaps come across a friendly face.

A little more cheerful than when she’d set out to the market, she began her shopping with relative ease. Business went quickly and with only a few pitying looks, just as she’d hoped. After having visited a number of stalls, Amity heard a familiar voice and turned excitedly toward it. Just a few stalls over was her friend Charlotte. Charlotte was talking with Candy Apple and Wheat Field, all friends that she’d grown up with. Trying to look as though she wasn’t rushing, Amity trotted coolly over to the group.

“Hello, everyone.” Amity smiled. The ponies fell silent and suddenly the small group looked very uncomfortable. Amity’s smile faded. She felt like she’d just stepped into a thorny bramble.

“Uh…hi, Amity…” Charlotte said as she looked down at her own hooves, a hint of shame and sadness was in her voice. An awkward silence buzzed heavily in the air around the group. It was the kind of silence where a pony knows that they were just the topic of the conversation, and it was not a good one.

“Is everything okay?” Amity asked, her hopes sinking fast. Charlotte finally looked her in the eyes before quietly asking the others to leave. “We need to talk.” Charlotte said grimly to Amity as the others each gave a brief hug and left. Once the others were out of sight, Charlotte spoke again, “We can’t hang out anymore.” The unicorn’s voice cracked, telling more about her state than she seemed happy with. “In fact, we can’t ever speak or be near each other anymore… It’s my parents. They think that you’re a danger to our family now…”

“Wha- Charlotte, are you serious?” Amity’s jaw dropped. Charlotte looked very upset as she pulled Amity aside from the stall, lest they be heard.

“It’s ridiculous, I know.” she said, “But I could be rejected from my own family if I’m seen even talking to you.” With wide, serious eyes, Charlotte was on the verge of tears. “I don’t want to leave you on your own, especially right now, but my family is going crazy about their social standing. They don’t want to even associate with someone who could be marked.” Charlotte said with no small amount of disdain. “But I can’t just abandon them either! They’re family, and they do try to keep us safe...You understand, don’t you?” Charlotte stared pleadingly at Amity.

“N-no?” Amity paused briefly, blinking back tears of her own. Then, she said with a heavy sigh, “Yes… yes, actually I do. I just didn’t think that things would change this drastically… at least, not between us.”

“You should know that everyone is in the same boat as well…” Charlotte subtly wiped a tear from her face, “It’s not right, but my family says you’d put us in danger of being marked. I’m so sorry, but after this conversation, you’ll be completely on your own.” Charlotte frowned despairingly. “You’re my best friend. I hate that this is happening, now of all times. This is truly never something I wanted…”

Amity quietly listened to what Charlotte was telling her, letting it sink in. She wasn’t just losing her closest friend, but all of her friends. She felt her heart sink into her hooves. Amity had known Charlotte since they’d started school. Charlotte’s parents and siblings had been like a second family for years now. She’d believed that Charlotte’s parents loved her like another child. Or that they had, until now.

Her temper flared at this, could all their years together simply have been a publicity stunt to make them look kind and charitable? Could they really have viewed being kind to her as being merely a way to raise their social standing? Amity gave Charlotte a stern, angry nod and said, “You guys were all I had left, you know… where can I go from here? Where do any of you expect me to go from here?”

Charlotte gave her a hurt look and said, “I… I don’t know. Please Amity, I didn’t choose this. But if I don’t side with my family, I’ll be disowned. Then what would I have left?”

Amity huffed, “I won’t keep you then…seeing as your mind has clearly been made up for you. What happened to the Charlotte I knew? In three days she’s become a lapdog to her parents. My friend would never walk out when I needed her most, even if her parents forbade it.” She knew it wasn’t fair to be mad at her. Families like Charlotte’s had a lot of sway over ponies, especially those in their own family. Being disowned would be an eternal shame, in the eyes of all the upper class. Staring angrily at the ground, she let out a soft sigh, “I’m sorry. I know it’s not really your fault… please, stay well and… and be safe, okay?”

“I will.” Charlotte sniffed, “And the same to you, Amity. I’m going to really miss you.” Charlotte smiled briefly. “Deep down, we’ll always still be friends. Please remember that.” She placed her hoof on Amity’s shoulder and let her smile fade. Charlotte suddenly became focused on the ponies in the street, “I-I have to go now…” Charlotte said almost urgently and turned to leave. “Goodbye.” She added sadly as she trotted away.

Amity watched as her friend left for the final time, wishing the goodbye hadn’t been so abrupt. But turning to face the crowd, she soon saw Charlotte’s older brother walking toward her, and he didn’t look friendly. Amity suddenly understood the predicament her friend must have been in. Her family was probably watching her. She shrunk back a bit as he came close; he shoved her firmly to the side, forcing her basket from her grip and glowered down at her.

“Stay away from where you’re not wanted, and away from those you’re not welcome around.” He said through gritted teeth before snorting in disgust and moving on. With her ears flat back against her head, Amity nodded sadly and picked her basket of goods back up before slipping back into the crowd. She tried frantically to look as though nothing had happened, but she was failing terribly, so as quickly as she could she slipped to the far side of the market where it was currently less crowded.

As the crowd dissipated she finally slowed her pace and took a few deep breaths. Trying to focus on anything else, she trudged to a nearby fruit stand. It had a healthy supply of pears and apples, which she poked and prodded at in search of the healthiest. She nodded with a false smile to the nearby stand owner. If only while in public, she had to look as though she still cared about being there. So she bottled up her emotions and decided right there that if she could hold it in for now, she could let it all out once she was home again. For the first time in days, she felt that home was a better place to be than anywhere else.

As Amity reached out to put a few pears into her basket, she heard a small voice nearby, clearing its throat as to get attention. Amity jumped slightly at the suddenness of the sound being directed at her. She looked up to see a mare in the alley next to the stall urgently motioning to her. “Come here.” The mare mouthed. Amity walked with trepidation over to the light green mare, who was quick to speak to her.

“You don’t know me, but you must believe that I am a friend to you. So please listen, because there is something important that I need to tell you.” The mare nervously looked around before continuing. “Your father isn’t dead, and he’s left me with a message for you: Tree… I know it may sound crazy, but he said it is very important and that you’d understand it.” The mare shifted her weight between her front hooves, obviously not comfortable with the situation. Amity’s confused look seemed to make it worse. “A-at least, that’s what he said…” she whispered. Amity’s mind raced with this news. She wondered how it could be possible, how this mare could know anything about her or her father and frankly, who this mare even was.

“A-alive? My father? Who are you?” Amity stammered. “How do you know us?”

“I’m sorry, I can’t. We need to leave before we’re noticed. Please, just accept this as it is.” The green mare seemed genuinely sympathetic, but disappeared at a run down the alley before she could be questioned any further. Amity stood in shock for a moment, wondering if that had really happened. Could her father really be alive? After another moment of hesitation, Amity dropped her basket and took off running. She was going to the tree line at the northern edge of the town. She was going to a very specific tree…her mother’s tree.

Author's Note

This is part of Chapter 1 before it was edited, it needed to divided into smaller chapters, so this is now Chapter 2!

I may as well call this the surprise chapter! Somehow when I was editing and dividing Chapter 1 into a more reasonable size, this segment went completely forgotten about! So this was supposed to be chapter 2 all along! All the other works are still here, they just got scooted a chapter ahead!