Chapter one- Aftermath

Dad gave me this diary to help with my emotions. I guess better late than never. He used to say that all the time. Before the fire. Its been days since. I think. I can't remember. It feels like yesterday, hurts like yesterday. I wonder if any pony is looking for me. Or, more likely, have given up. I guess now that my parents are gone, I have to take things into my own hooves, but what things? I have nothing, besides what is left of the hair in my mane, my diary, and my once-functional wings. Maybe the matter of responsibility isn't physical, but more of a decision, and a permanent one at that. After all, I miss them so much, and what's the point in wandering through this seemingly endless forest if there's probably no chance of surviving anyway. All I hope is I don't fall asleep. My nightmares have been getting worse.

It feels like two parts of my sanity are fighting to maintain control. I'm trying all I can to keep sane, but the voice in my head is telling me to find the nearest cliff and try again. Maybe it will work this time. Maybe this diary is helping. Maybe I can supress the thoughts I am having by writing in this. It would have come in handy when mum died. Or when Shadows died. After all, I made much more sense then than I do now. My eyes are heavy. I am starting to feel hungry, and its getting dark.

I must have passed out. I thought I was in the afterlife, but to my dismay, I was dreaming. I was dreaming about getting chased. I don't know what was chasing me, or why, but all I know is if I stop, I'm probably dead. The voices were also there, in my dream. Well, nightmare. I was trying to piece together what the voices were saying. I couldn't. Until the last word was uttered.

It said, in a strangely familiar voice

"It's ok, were here now."

I then gained clarity of the dream, and I somehow knew I was in my own head. I turned to see what was chasing me, but it had vanished. Then I saw two silhouettes. One mare, and one stallion. Who were they? Before I could find out, I hear another voice, this one unfamiliar. Then, darkness. I had awoke. The voice was from outside the dream and had intended to wake me up. My eyelids lifted, which was a task. I was so exhausted, I could barely see or talk, or do anything properly. So this voice was incomprehensible. I could, however, see that the pony who had found me was light blue in colour. Everything else besides the leaves on the trees and the pony was gray and too out-of-focus to recognise. I tried to get up, but I collapsed back to the floor. This pony gets me onto her back and shouts something. A name maybe? I couldn't have known.

After falling asleep once again, I woke up on a pile of hay. I had little strength, but I gained my vision and my surroundings came into focus. One mare stood in front of me. She said something to me, but I didn't catch what. I had no idea who she was, but I did know I was on a farm. I started to feel uneasy, my stomach started to rumble and I felt like throwing up. I did. I had no energy to even avoid throwing up on myself. I'm surprised I even had anything inside of me. Sound became clear.

"Oh my. Im so glad Rainbow found you. Celestia knows how long you could have been there.", the mare spoke. "Let me get you cleaned up."

The mare had took me into a barn and filled up a small bath of water, so I could clean myself up with. I cautiously stumbled into the pale. I then finally spoke up.

"Who are you?"

"I could ask the same thing. Names Applejack." She replies.

"I have never seen anypony like you round these parts."

"I have never been here before. By the way, where are we?" I asked.

"Why, your in Sweet Apple Acres! On the outside of-". She was interrupted by a plethora of voices coming from outside the barn.

"Ah, that must be the girls. Be right back." she stated.

Just as Applejack was walking outside the barn, I said

"my names Ember Sparks..and thank you for this."

She smiles an me, then proceeds to get the 'girls'. Applejack returns with 4 other mares. One of which looks distinctively familiar, but I don't know why.

"Here she is." says Applejack. "Says she is called Ember Sparks."

I was still sitting in the pool of water, silent and shy.

"So, this is who I found. Why in Equestria were you wandering through the Everfree Forest ALL alone and in the dark?!?" one of the girls said.

I started to tear up, knowing the answer to the question, and worrying about my situation.

"Rainbow! Calm your voice! That's not how we treat guests" Applejack affirmed, "she ain't in the best of ways at the moment. The last thing she needs is to be shouted at, even not to intentionally hurt her."

Applejack continued "Sorry about that Sparks."

Another one of the five spoke up.

"So your the pony Rainbow has been talking about? That's soooo cool! I LOVE meeting new ponys! It means I get to make new friends, and I LOVE making new friends! I'm Pinkie Pie!"

Baffled by the enthusiastic pony, I was stuck for words. But before I could say anything anyway, another pony spoke.

"Calm down Pinkie. Sorry about her, she is just exited as always. I'm Princess Twilight Sparkle. Pleased to meet you, Spark."

Trying to kneel to her royalty, I attempt to stand up in the water and bow, but my legs give in and I fall back into the water.

Panicking, I say  "I'm so sorry, my legs can't hol-"

"You don't have to bow, I don't mind. Plus the state that you are in, I can understand." Twilight interrupted.

"Thank you, Princess."

The next pony clears her throat, and introduced herself.

"My name is Rarity and I am the owner of the Carousel Boutique down in Ponyville."

"Does she really need to know that?" exclaimed Rainbow.

"Well, no, but..." Rarity struggled for words.

At this point, Applejack had gone to pick some apples for me to eat. I can't believe how much this pony is caring for me. For all she knows, I could be a criminal. Is everypony around here like this? My thoughts were cut short by Rainbow introducing herself.

"The name is RainbowDash. Probably the coolest flier in all of equestria."

Rarity was about to say what Rainbow said to her in a sarcastic manner, but I unintentionally stopped her.

"Heh, nice to meet..flier...my wings! They were in the forest you mentioned!" I shouted.

Everypony was confused, because how could I loose my wings? I stumbled out of the water, then with a thump I hit the ground on my chest. It was painful, and I was already out of breath. I couldn't move at all now. Rarity tried to help me up. Applejack came in with a few apples.

"How's Spark holding up everypony?"

"She is just talking nonsense Applejack." spouted RainbowDash.

Applejack ignored her and quickly trotted over to me. She dropped a few apples in front of my head. As quick as I could, I ate one after the other. It wasn't much, but it was enough for me to stand up somewhat straight.

"So, what exactly did you mean by you left your wings in the forest?" Asked Rainbow.

"I...I have...I can't explain..." I said.

"Don't trouble yourself, sugarcube. You can explain later."

Another mare came into the barn with some towels.

"I got those towels you asked for Appleja-" she stopped talking when she saw me.

"Thanks a bunch, sugar.". Applejack said, taking the towels from her.

"Oh yea, Sparks, this is Fluttershy."

"...um...he...hello..." spoke Fluttershy in a soft voice.

Applejack passed me the towels. It was embarrassing, because usually a pony can just shake off the water to get dry, but I was too weak even attempt this.

As I dry myself, Twilight says.

"so, do you have any where to stay at all? Like a house, or something?", to which I denied.

"So your like a mountain climber? A trader? How about a farmer? Oh oh oh, a gypsy pony?" Pinkie says enthusiastically.

"No, none of them. I don't have a job, and I don't have a home...any more."

Out of curiosity, RainbowDash says "Any more? What happened?"

"An accident." I bluntly replied.

"Well you can't stay in here. It'll get freezing during the night. And I have got no space for anypony in the house." Applejack stated.

Twilight looked as if she had found a solution.

"You could stay at the library with me! I have spare blankets you could borrow."

At this point, I became to feel like I am being treated too well. I have never been cared this well by anypony other than my parents.

"Are you sure I wont get in the way?"

"Of corse you won't! It will be fun to have a guest."

Twilight seems more exited than what I'm vaguely familiar with.

"Well, if you're ok with this. Oh, and thank you. All of you. I probably would be dead if you never had done this."

As this point, my emotions became too much to handle, and I cried. In a hushed whisper, Applejack told Twilight something.

Maybe my luck had changed.