Chapters Darkness... the one thing all Equestrians fear at some point in their life, whether it's a colt peaking under his bed for the monsters or the farmer who makes sure his family is indoors when the Timberwolves howl, I've lived 23 years of my life in darkness and it has been kind to me, like it was my eternal lover hiding me from those who bask in Celestia's light and now I'm going to be dragged away from her and into the light. The last thing I remember is crashing into a cottage on the outskirts of a town I've never been too, a mare with pale blue eyes treating me with a decency I was never given.
"Such pretty eyes" she says... a few seconds later the door swings open, another mare enters and darkness embraces me.
Cold air rushes over me and my eyes snap open bright blue lights pass over me like a metronome, my ears twitch to the squeaking of the gurneys wheels and a voice in the walls anounce "Nurse Redheart to ICU, Nurse Redheart to ICU"
A yellow white masked unicorn looks over me "He's awake! Get the morphine!" she shouts, I make no attempt to struggle until the fire erupts in my ribs and blood spews out of my mouth. Darkness embraces me again and as I return to the light, the fire has faded and the only sounds are the steady beeping of heart monitor. The sun rises turning the cracked pale walls into gold, the same yellow unicorn walks in but after taking one glance at me she walks back out "He's awake now" I hear her say.
Six mares walk in, two unicorns, two pegasi, and two earthers, five of them take a seat around the bead while the lavender unicorn sits at the end. The air is thick with fear and I break the silence.
"So... you you want to know where I'm from" I state.
The unicorn in front of me begins to rehearse an almost written introduction "My name is-"
"Twilight Sparkle" I interrupt eliciting a startled gasp from the white unicorn, I glare at her "Offended that I interrupted, or that I ruined your afternoon tea?" I prodded
"NOW SEE HERE-" she growls but I look back to Twilight
"If you're all going to introduce yourselves don't bother, there probably isn't a soul in Equestria that doesn't know who you are... Princess Sparkle element of magic and protege to princess Celestia herself" I slowly and quietly clap my hooves then continue "And lets not forget the other elements because what's Equestria's only defense if you don't have the whole set."
Now things get interesting as I run down the list and look at the cyan Pegasus "Rainbow Dash, element of Loyalty; fastest flier in Equestria next to the wonderbolts-" Dash begins to blush at the praise "-and a serious ego problem."
"WHAT?!" she growls the tries to rip me out of the bed but the orange earth mare with a cow wrangler hat keeps her at bay.
I turn to the unicorn with the same fir as me "Rarity element of Generosity; if I guess correctly your a clothing designer?" I can almost see smoke blowing out of her ears.
"Fashionista" she growls
"O-kay" I respond dropping the subject despite the ammo she gave me with that little pout, and her Canterlonian accent. I look to the cow wrangler "Applerjack; element of Honesty and owner of Sweet Apple Acres... Is this the same Sweet Apple Acres that produces the famous cider?"
She arches an eyebrow "Yes?" she questionably answers
"Are you also named after the whiskey?" I inquire.
She smirks and focus her soup green eyes on mine, "Ya almost seem familiar with it " she laughs with a thick southern equestrian accent.
"If 'familiar' means 'to be set on fire' with then yes" I retort causing Rainbow Dash to hold off her assault. All eyes are gripped with disbelief as I look at the trembling pink fluff "Pinkie Pie element of laughter; famous for your baked goods and wild parties?"
Her hair looks like it's deflating "Yes" she squeaks.
"Your element seems to be a common occurrence in my life" I say turning to the last mare.
"Is that good?" Pinkie asks now stiff as a board.
"I'll tell you later" I answer and look back to the butter Pegasus paying no attention to her catatonia and simply ask "Do you really think I have pretty eyes?" the air seems to calm as she steps forward with a hint of red on her cheeks.
"Oh...uum-" She begins but I cut her off.
"You'd be the first" I sigh, then rest my head on the pillow and stare at Twilight "You want to know how I got shot but I think it would be best to show you-" I take a deep breath and simply say "- If I haven't been asleep for too long, all you need to do is follow the smoke"
When it seems like I won't be saying any more the slowly begin to leave the room "There is one more thing" I explain 'Better get this fucker out of the way now' I thought "Should there be a stallion with an emerald coat and the same eyes as Rainbow's, he hill tell you that I threatened to kill his daughter... what he says is true" startled gasps fill the room as all heads snap back to me, eyes wide as platters and mouths almost dropping to the floor but I raise a hoof "What he didn't know was that I was lying, when you return I will tell you the rest." As I finish they leave the room.
No questions, no lynch mo, but I could hear the sound of galloping in the halls. A seaweed colored nurse walks in "It's time to change your bandages," she explains, I simply nod I'm going to be a sore motherfucker when this heals.
After two hours, the six mares return... Applejack and Rainbow Dash glare at me with murderous intentions while Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were horrified and sit as far away from the bed as they can. Twilight however keeps a neutral stare as she sit on the same chair at the end of the bed.
"Do you want the whole story or should I just get to the point?" I say, sarcasm is not the best weapon to use when delaying an execution.
Twilight's ears flatten to her skull as her horn begins to glow.
"Fine... fine" I begin "the bottom line is for the past three months I've been tracked down like a dumb animal, but judging the fact I'm not in a dungeon infirmary whoever is offering the bits is trying to keep the ponyhunt from public knowledge and it wasn't until yesterday that I found out I was worth more dead."
"So ya had no choice but to kill em?" Applejack asks not letting her gaze soften.
"Yes" I answer.
"Why strangle a guy with his guts?" Rainbow demands.
"He was going to use the stallion I told you about as bait shortly after breaking his legs."
"Why help him if he was part of the group sent to kill you?" Twilight asks with her magic still primed.
"He was only nineteen... and the fact that he would do it for his daughter seemed more than enough to give him a full pardon" I sighed.
"If hes legs were broken, why didn't we find him?" Twilight asks again.
"I used a special salve that heals any nefarious wound."
"Was it yellow like jell-o?" Pinkie rhymed as she bounces closer to the bed but stops as Twilight shoots her a death glare.
"And then some!!" Pinkie shouts pulling the vial out of her mane... along with my armor, crossbow throwing knives, shrapnel bombs, and butcher knife.
My mouth drops as I look at Rarity "Am I supposed to question this?" I whisper.
She suppresses a giggle "It helps if you don't, darling"
Twilight slams her hoof on the linoleum, snapping us all to attention and Pinkie puts the stuff back into her hair.
" Don't worry, I'll keep them safe." Pinkie giggles.
Twilight rolls her eyes and begins to ask another question when Fluttershy approaches.
"Why did you call me a monster?" she asks
I breathe a long growling sigh and say "I was referring to myself."
"Wh-why?" she stammers inching closer and placing her hooves on the sheets... I can almost see tears forming around her eyes.
This time Twilight does nothing but inch her head toward me, so do the rest waiting in anticipation for the inevitable confession so I give it to them, the only way to deal with these holier than thou types is to aim for their sense of sympathy.
"Because of these-" I begin pointing a hoof at my eyes; I can feel a tear slide down my cheek then continue "All my life I have been condemned just because my eyes are different from everyone else, Could I have lived as a Pegasus in an overly religious earth pony village? Maybe... could I have lived since my coat doesn't match my mother's? Maybe... but it's these FUCKING EYES killed any chance of finding any answers."
Everyone gasps, but I still speak with venom coating each word.
"I've spent the first thirteen years of my life being flogged, laughed at and ridiculed, when I earned my cutie mark I had to live ten years as a thief and a liar even when I tried to live a normal life-" I blink a few times holding back tears "All it took was these eyes to remind me that the only thing that matters in this PUTRID world is the opinion whoever has enough power to blind the masses in believing that whatever disrupts the natural balance is to be rooted out and torn apart."
Twilight tries to gain control "But Princess Celestia-"
"ENOUGH ABOUT CELESTIA !!!" I roar slamming a hoof on the nightstand causing a glass to topple over and spill water onto the floor. All forms of life back away... "ARE YOU GOING TO DEFEND THEIR ACTIONS BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T INTERVENE? THAT WITH ALL HER DIVINE POWER THAT SHE 'WANTED' TO HELP? KNOW THIS... I HAVE HEARD THAT SAME FUCKING EXCUSE OVER AND OVER TO THE POINT I'LL-" I gag, it's still difficult to cry at will but tears eventually fall onto the blanket.
When the heart monitor returned to its normal pace, Twilight ceases her magical aura. Everyone leaves the room... all except Fluttershy
"We'll be back tomorrow" she whispers; her voice quivers as she leaves with eyes rooted to the ground.
"Visiting hours are over" the P.A chimes.
I let out a long painful sigh sigh as a silver unicorn nurse enters the room, shuts the blinds and clean the mess; I shut my eyes when she looks at me but instead of an offensive scoff, I feel a gentle pat on my left shoulder. I open my eyes and see a reassuring smile from her. Although she doesn't say anything, her orange eyes can almost say that I was safe here but I know better and as long as I'm here whoever wants me dead will only find out faster... if only Pinkie left the vial.
Tea with the Dream Godess
It had only been four months since the Nightmare Moon and since I would be in close proximity with the mares that saved her life, I should have known I would be visited by the youngest. I sat in the chair which seemed to be carved from the forest floor and waited for her to conjure up her own chair. With the glow of her horn, the earth began to shift and formed into a throne made of trees, vines, and diamonds. As she sits down, the grass between us rose and morphed into a small table as the dew from the flowers flew onto the surface of the table and turned into a glass tea set.
"Never thought you were one for tea" I say as she begins to pour the warm liquid into the cups and levitates one to me.
"Do you claim to now everything about me like so many others have for you?" she retorts eliciting a growl from me.
"If this is a dream then why bother with the tea?" I question putting the cup back on the table.
" It got you talking didn't it?" she smirks.
"I thought that since this was your royal duty you'd be all... business-like" I laugh bracing for her rebuke.
"That's the enigma about you Frostbite" she answers calmly but her eyes are wide with fear.
Fear? From a princess? That's new.
"There must be some reason why you intervened-" I state "and don't tell me it's just so you can take a break from all the dream catching the other millions of equestrians need for their nightmares and if you've come to help me figure shit out, know that it's my talent to know every possible answer to any situation-"
"If you know the answer to everything, why did you get shot?" She interrupted "How about when you crashed into Fluttershy's cottage? What would happen if nopony was there? How long will it be until you finally decide to tell them everything about your past?"
"As long as it takes" I answer bluntly.
Her azure eyes stare into her cup then look into mine.
"I hope you have a better answer next time we meet" she says taking another sip of tea then says "You have a visitor"
"What?" I ask dumbly.
"Wake up, you you have a visitor" she says again as her face begins to melt exposing her skull.
The trees begin catch fire and the chair I sit in begins to come to life, the grass begins to constrict around my legs tightening until my bones break. Vines begin to wrap around my neck and tighten as the fire begins to eat at my scalp.
My eyes snap open and the sun burns the sweat into my hospital gown the pain from the wound and a hoof are all that keeps me from jumping out of the bed. A turquoise colored nurse with white hair and red eyes takes her hoof off my shoulder.
"You have a visitor" She says with a heavy prench accent.
"Who?" I gasp.
The door opens and in steps Fluttershy
"What do you want?" I growl causing her to flinch. The nurse rolls her eyes as she leaves the room.
Fluttershy walks toward the bed and takes a seat next to me.
"Princess Celestia will be joining us today" she whispers.
Princess Celestia, the alabaster matriarch... what could have brought you here to see little old sociopathic me? However it doesn't leave me any less dumbstruck.
"When did she decide I was worthy of her time?" I ask looking at the ceiling.
"Just after we left-" Fluttershy begins "Twilight sent a letter to the princess..." She clams up so I answer for her.
" Instead of getting the entire royal army, her faithful student gets me an invitation for tea..." she doesn't respond "When will she arrive?" I ask.
My question is answered when the door opens and eight royal guards march in and surround the length of the bed, all are armed with muskets and wearing the 'illustrious' royal armor while showing the same blank expression, followed by Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Apple Jack who usher Fluttershy as far away from me as they can until finally in comes the princess who's taller than the royal guards wearing a gold tiara with a purple diamond cut gem, her main consists of four different colors and flies on an visible wind as she sits down and opens her mouth.
"Hello Frost-" I interrupt her holding up a hoof causing the six to gasp (Twilight being more horrified) while the guards eyes widen and aim their guns at me.
"No need to introduce yourself princess, also do me a favor and drop the concerned mother bullshit." I say as calmly as I can.
The guards pull back on the hammer while Twilight uses her magic to hold me in place.
"You will show respect for the princess you ungrateful welp!" one of the guards shouts.
"Why?" I snort.
This time the magical aura around me begins to crush my chest, reopening my wound soaking the gown with blood.
"TWILIGHT SPARKLE!!!!" Celestia shouts filling the room with a bright light.
The pressure releases, Twilight backs away as Celestia shoots her a stern gaze while the guards lower their weapons she lets out a deep sigh and turns back to me.
"Very well-" she says, though the motherly tone still lingers in her voice "-What drives you to kill?" she asks
Instead of beating around the bush she sets it on fire...
"Why tell when I can show?" I answer. She raises an eyebrow but doesn't respond "I believe that in order to understand, you need to see everything that I've been through"
"Meaning?" she prods although it seems she already knows the answer.
"I want you to use whatever Alicorn mindfuck memory spell that you may have learned in your agonizingly long existence to prove that I mean no ill will to anyone you might hold close to you. It might also help know that whoever is after me won't stop or even care if innocents cross their path until they have my head on a pike and they live like royalty, all I ask is that you let me deal with this problem and you won't have to worry about the safety of your subjects."
My proposal causes the air to shift but I focus on the princess, she keeps her posture but her horn gives off a gold aura and moves closer to me.
"Are you sure?" She asks.
"Like riding a bike." I snort.
Without warning she touches the tip of her horn on my head, the magic surges and I feel like I've been struck by lightning! The room fades and I'm thrusted off the bed and into a cyclone, the amps becoming more and more intense as each memory passes through me until the feeling stops and the room melts back into view.
Princess Celestia collapses "Oh you poor... poor child " she whimpers.
A guard offers to assist but she shoots him a venomous glare making him signal to the other guards who lower their weapons an walk out of the room. The six move closer and Celestia stands her mane shifted to a dull pink and sags on her shoulders while her eyes have shrunk but it's her sadistic grin that puts me on edge.
"I accept" she says "However even if you succeed you will be painted as a condemned criminal I offer you a choice... if you can bring me back whoever is responsible ALIVE, your record will be expunged... you will live in Ponyville under constant surveillance and to see if you're good on your word, these six ponies will accompany you"
Before any of them can protest she slams a metal slippered hoof on the floor resulting in a concussive blast.
"Make sure he doesn't step out of line" she orders as she leaves the room leaving me to my leash handlers. A long tense silence fills the room.
"Pinkie, give me the vial" I order calmly
"Why should she?" AppleJack questions snatching the vial from Pinkie when she takes it out of her hair.
"Because the sooner I'm released, the sooner we can find whoever's looking for me." she tries to protest even further but I'm to fucking pissed to listen "Do you have a family?" I ask bluntly.
"Why do ya ask?" asks defensively.
Instead of answering, I roll my eyes and look to Rarity "Do you have a family?" I repeat.
"A little sister" she answers.
"Then I can guaranty as long as I'm here, her life is in danger as is everyone in this hospital... with bits comes greed and with greed any moral fiber gets thrown out the window. If you value the lives of those you love you will do exactly as I say."
"I don't think your in any position to negotiate." Twilight barks levitating the vial in front of me.
"Tick, Tock Twiley how many deaths do you want on your head? Will you tell you precious teacher that when I offered a way to get these fuckers as far away from the very ponies YOU are supposed to protect even if you killed me yourself could any of you keep that secret to yourselves? Could you look at yourselves in the mirror because if you did, then you would all find out what a real monster looks like."
The sun begins to set.
"Tick, Tock" I repeat
"Fine!" Twilight shouts tossing the vial into my hooves "But you don't kill anypony."
"No promises" I answer ripping off the stitches and pouring half of the salve onto the wound. I make no attempted to show pain until the wound clenches shut and Pinkie Pie tosses the rest my equipment onto the bed.
"Where to cap'n?" she asks receiving a collective groan from the others.
I look at the glasses that are now shattered beyond repair and toss them in my saddle pack.
"The train station we're heading north."
"Why north?" Twilight inquires as we leave the hospital.
"I have an old 'friend' who might be able to give you some supplies" I answer while pulling a brown, tattered cloak out of my saddle pack I place the vial back into its pouch when I notice that most of my weapons are missing: Crossbow but no bolts, no throwing knives and no shrapnel bombs.
"Pinkie-" I growl "-Were're the rest of my things?" I don't look at Pinkie but I hear her backing away when Twilight teleports in front of me, the usual glare of mistrust fill her eyes.
"You do realize that whoever has my weapons now is coming with us, right?" I grumble as I shove past her but she activates her magic and holds me in place.
"You are not going to kill anypony!" she yells.
I snort and slap her horn with my right wing... she yelps in pain and the magic pressure is released while Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rainbow, AppleJack, and Rarity rush to her side.
"WHAT"S YOUR PROBLEM?!" Rainbow shouts raising her wings to shield Twilight as AppleJack shoves me into the dirt.
"Problem?" I repeat, the corners of my lips tremble as I stand up and lift the hood of the cloak over my head. "If all those practice runs for keeping up with the Blunderbolts hasn't already fucked up your memory then you should know that IF we are going to survive this then I am going to need my weapons-" I look past her and at Twilight "-and if I guess correctly then they are with that draconian slave of yours."
"HE IS NOT A SLAVE!!!" Twilight roars trying to lunge at me but Pinkie, Rarity, and Fluttershy hold onto her like a rabid mantacore.
"Of course he isn't" I snort "How else could sunbutt find out about me and drop important shit when her loyal student could have figured out this little problem all by herself, after all there can only be so many gold stickers..."
She almost bursts into flames as she lets out a battle cry and goes limp in her friends' hooves. Enough of this I sigh, and put on the saddle pack.
"Do you at least have bits for tickets" I ask calmly circling past the group.
"Yes" she croaks regaining her footing.
"Then lets hurry-" I order "-After all... neither of us has a choice"
The walk to the station is a silent one as the streets begin filling with the local nightlife. I pay no attention to the propositions of the pleasure ponies or the drunken laughs of the barhops as we reach the train station, the brightly colored monstrosity conveniently arrives as I approach the ticket pony.
"Seven tickets" I tell the clerk while sliding a bag of bits and a paper stub with the name of the destination under the metal cage... the clerk looks paper and without asking slides the tickets under the grate.
We board the train and take seats in an empty cart, Rainbow whooshes into a booth and points at the empty space next to her I make no remarks and fill the space then AppleJack fills the space on my right while in front of me sits Fluttershy, Twilight, and Rarity leaving Pinkie to jump into the baggage rails above us. With a spark of her magic Rarity closes the shades on all the windows.
"I would have liked to see the moon" I whisper only to have AppleJack slam a hoof into my stomach I don't show pain but SHIIIIIIT!!!!! I finally get a taste of the fabled earth pony strength! I remove the hood and look at Twilight "Where do we begin?" I ask
Before Twilight opens her mouth Rainbow wraps her wings around my neck and slams my face into the baggage rails, my vision flashes bone breaks and the smell of copper fills my nose then throws me back into my seat.
"WHERE DO YOU GET OFF ON INSULTING US?!?!" She roars I reset my snout and let the blood drain into the floor I block out most of her vent until AppleJack swats my jaw at least she has the decency not to break anything "AND WHEN YOU GET TO FLUTTERSHY YOU JUST ASK ABOUT YOUR EYES?!?!? WHA-" I hold up a hoof and cut her off bad idea to start a fight now... Rainbow looks a Twilight who just nods Rainbow growls and sits back down.
"She does have a point" Twilight says "Why didn't you berate Fluttershy?"
"Because she scares me" I answer Twilight keeps a straight face but that doesn't stop the others from giggling while Fluttershy's turns vermilion. "You all laugh now but I can tell you now underneath that shy, kind exterior could be the very pony who would murder you and bathe in your blood." I growl but this only seems to make them laugh harder "You have the power to stop this." I beg but Twilight laughs.
"I think you deserve a little punishment" she retorts leaning back and letting the laughing storm continue.
It takes awhile for the laughter to die down, Rainbow, Rarity, AppleJack, Pinkie and Fluttershy walk to the sleeping cart leaving me alone with Twilight who still has a calm look on her face.
"So" she says.
"So" I say back.
"Why do you think that killing somepony will solve your problem?" she asks I can hear the concern in her voice.
"We have to bring him back alive" I answer.
"You know what I mean" she groans.
"I don't kill because I want to or to get some perverted high, I kill because I have no other choice anyone I meet always seems to stab me in the back, you may have been blessed with living in non-swearing ignorance (no offense) but you saw what happened to Celestia and once you know everything about me, who's to say that you won't do the same."
Her eyes widen but before she can ask any further the days events finally take their toll as she lets out a loud yawn.
"Bed time" I snort as the infectious action takes hold.
She tries to protest but I point to the door.
"I promise I won't ditch you, I'm a stallion of my word. After all... you six have to be present for the arrest."
"Your not coming?" She inquires when I lift the shade letting the moonlight shine through the window.
"I've slept in worse" I answer lying on the hardwood and placing my head on the pack.
She doesn't answer and when the door closes I let the vibrations take me to the void.
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A meeting in the Dreamscape
'Run' my thoughts scream, I can barely breathe but I keep running. Branches snap under my hooves while thorns scrape over my skin... blood begins to wash away the mud when I find a lake, I collapse at the bank and drink the crisp, cold liquid until my dry palate is sated... but it never happens, the more I drink the more thirsty I feel.
"Why?" I whimper.
My voice sounds like I'm eight again, and that's when I realize I've been here before... my heart beats like a Gatling gun when the silence is broken and I hear the branches snap further behind me along with the howls of search dogs the glow of torches give away their positions.
"Where is it?" a voice shouts
"Just follow the dogs." another voice replies.
Without thinking I hold my breath and dive into the pond... the pond is deeper than I thought as I sink into the grass as if there's an anchor strapped to my neck. Suddenly an orange glow looms over the riverbank and a dark figure looks into the water.
'They heard me' I think to myself as my lungs begin to shrink and involuntary gasps fill my throat but I try to keep my mouth shut. The figure looks back... after a few seconds, three more arrive, my heart beats faster and my limbs begin to twitch then one of the figure's eyes emit a green glow and he jumps into the water! I roll on my stomach and try to crawl to the other side of the lake but the grass begins to contort and ensnare my legs and throat pulling me back to the shore, turning me to face the pursuer. When the figure grabs me I feel a sharp pain in my stomach, a purple aura pries my mouth open and the entire lake begins to swirl down my gullet the magical aura of its owner turns brighter to show Twilight Sparkle, but instead of purple eyes she dons blood red slitted eyes with a purple mist surrounding the corners of them then she grins to show serrated teeth.
"What will you do now when you've finally met your death?" she giggles
Her horn glows brighter, then my flesh begins to strip away when she opens her mouth and snaps her teeth down onto my neck and the moon emits a bright flash forcing me to close my eyes.
"ENOUGH OF THIS MADNESS!!!" a new voice shouts.
I open my eyes and find myself at my normal age, no skin has been ripped away, but I'm still in the forest standing in the middle of a grove... a mare clears her throat behind me and as I turn around, standing before me is Princess Luna.
"Now then-" she begins pointing to a chair "-lets talk about your current... situation."