//-------------------------------------------------------// Following Dreams -by New Dawn- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// Prologue //-------------------------------------------------------// Prologue "Hiya! Welcome to Ponyville!" The pink bubbly mare said to you. You didn't reply, but simply pushed past her. "Aw, Whats wrong?" The mare said, bouncing aside you. "Nothing..." You mutter, mind focused on the Ponyville Inn. "Let's turn that frown..." She said, trailing off. You look around for that mare, but only see different ponies all on the sides of you. "Upside down!" She yelled, cartwheeling in front of you. "Gaah!" You shout, seeing she had come out of nowhere. You end up falling on your flank, with a panicking heart trying to escape your chest. "Oh, did I surprise you?" She wondered. You nod and she helps you up. She giggles and points over to a tall building with a sign hanging from it. "There's the ponyville Inn. I'm Pinkie Pie, By the way! I hope I can throw you a super-duper-ultra-mega welcome to Ponyville party!" She said, conjuring confetti from under her. You look at her with a sense of surprise and watch as her smile turns to a frown. "I mean, not right now! I can see you're a little down in the dumps... Plus Twilight said I should let new ponies get settled before I throw them a party!" She cheered. "That... Would be a good idea." You mutter and walk into the Inn. The inn is just your average Inn. The front desk to the left and the main part of the lobby to the right. You turn and ring the bell and a grey pegasus with a blue and orange yellow mane and two very... crooked eyes popped up. "Yes, Welcome to Ponyville Inn! May I help you?" She said, perky as can be. "One room. Preferably near the ground..." You say, biting your lip. You remember what happened last time you had one of those dreams on a high floor... It didn't end well since you were a earth pony. "Ok!" The mare says, ducking down and returning with a room key. "Room 7, Down the hall and to the left." She said, pointing down the hall straight ahead. "Thank you Mrs..." You start to say. "Ditzy. Ditzy Doo. Most ponies call me Derpy Hooves..." She said. "Mrs Doo. I'm very grateful for this." You reply, bowing. The pegasus giggles a bit and says "Well, you're a bit of a charmer, Uh..." "Blank Slate." You reply. "Mr Slate." She says. "Mr Slate was my father, Blank or just Slate is fine." You say. She nods and goes back to whatever she was doing behind the desk. You smile to yourself as you walk down the hall towards your room. You insert the key and turn it with a click. The room was fairly plain, a single bed, a dresser and a door to a bathroom. There was a writing desk in the corner and a bookshelf with a fair amount of books for all ages. You place your single bag down and close the door. Your mind drifts to the reason you moved. The dreams. The dreams that have cursed you ever since you arrived in Trottingham. You originally lived in the lonely town of seaddle before you got your cutie mark. Your travels brought you to Trottingham where you found work with sculptures. It wasn't rare for an earth pony to have this type of talent, but it was more common among unicorns, who have better control over a hammer and chisel since they use magic. There was a faint knock on the door that snapped you out of your thoughts. 'Who could that be?' You wonder as you walk over. "SURPRISE!" The same pink pony shouts as you got pelted with confetti. She hands you a card and darts off. You look down the hall to find she's gone missing again. "Strange mare... That one." You mutter. She handed you a card, Might as well look inside. You open the envelope to find yourself covered, again, in confetti. You shake it off and read the card. Its an invitation to your 'surprise' party. "Must have taken the direct approach... Might as well join... Might get my mind off of that mare..." You say to yourself. You place the card back in the envelope and place it on the desk. You put on a black jacket and walk out, locking the door. You notice the streets of Ponyville have gotten a touch more festive. "SURPRISE! Again!" Numerous voice yell, while pinkie just yells 'again'. You stand there stunned until your senses come back. "Were ya surprised again!? Were ya!? Were ya?!" The pink party pony yells excitedly. "Well, I wasn't as surprised as the first time... But yes." You reply. She squeals in glee and races off. "That mare is crazy." You mutter, walking off to mingle. You walk around and meet several different ponies including the princess of friendship herself. When it was time to go, you wandered around town for a bit, looking to find a way to gain bits for yourself. There was nothing that was in your talent range. You sigh and walk back to the ponyville Inn. "Oh hello, Ditzy told me that you were staying here." Said a grey earth pony behind the counter. "So?" You ask. "I just wanted to say hi. That's all. I'm lucky. Lucky Clover." He said, waving. "Blank Slate." You reply, tired. "Geez, You must be really tired to be grouchy like that. Yeah, Pinkie's parties will do that to ya." He said. You don't reply but simply walk back to your room. You open the door with a click and close it behind you. You walk over to the window and look out. There were a few ponies still behind cleaning up after the party. You yawn as you draw the curtains closed. It's about time for you to go to sleep. You make the necessary precautions to prevent the dreams from getting to you. "Will she show up?" You mutter, drifting off to sleep. //-------------------------------------------------------// Dream One. //-------------------------------------------------------// Dream One. You slowly open your eyes. Yep the same old room with the hallway that turns to a dead end. "H-hello? Mysterious mare?" You call. Well, that's what you wanted to do. Your mouth seems to weigh the amount of canterlot and manehatten combined. You mind yourself confined, again, to the same spot where you stand every single time. Right smack dab in the middle of the room. The room is just your ordinary stone room with a single light at the end of the hall. You don't see the mare anywhere though. But instead, a piece of poetry rest in your hoof. Having no other choice, you start to read said poetry. In the back of your mind a small mare's voice starts to read. It's bubbly and bright as it reads on. Who am I? Who am I? I am a nobody. A piece of silt. Maybe I'm you? It's possible. I get pushed down by the winds of fate... yet, your ocean keeps me from falling. Am I an angel, or a demon... A ghost or a ghoul? I don't know what I am... I am dirt. No, I am a fool... Yet I can grow stronger. Limitless possibility... The same as your endless sea. Build me a raft... And I shall sail away. Sail away where no one but us could find ourselves. I am I. You are you. We are not the same, yet we are not different. You are the air that I, the eagle, soar upon. You are the candle that lights my way through the fog of lies. I am the butterfly that you follow, hoping to find excitement. I am the demon, who will stray you from your path I am all those and more... but really... I am a fool. A worthless, selfish old fool. A fool that has led the stars to the moon. But maybe... the real fool is you? Who could have written something like this. At the bottom of the paper is a stream of bubbles. 'A cutie mark...' You think. You find yourself able to move, Unlike every other time where a cloaked mare would stand at the end of the hall, taunting you. "But where is she?" You wonder aloud, finding yourself able to speak. "You've come." A voice says behind you. The speaker's voice is elegant, yet rough. You turn around to find yourself staring at the same mare who keeps taunting you. "Who are you?" You ask, utterly confused. "I... Cannot say." She says. You glare at her and sigh. You closed your eyes for a moment and when you opened them, the mare has disappeared. "Where did she go!?" You yell. Suddenly the room starts to close in. You panic a bit before losing conciseness.