He didn't ask for it... but we gave him Sapphire anyways.
Chapter 1:
“He didn’t ask for it… but we gave him a Sapphire anyways.”
The time of Twilight had reached the land of Equestria, ponies every where scurried off to their homes, bidding one another goodbye as they began to prepare for their slumber. In Canterlot, Princess Celestia nuzzled her sister Luna, sending the young mare off to do her every day responsibility. The beautiful midnight blue Alicorn spread her wings flapping them until she became airborne and took off to raise the moon.
Celestia sighed, looking down at Equestria from her balcony an irresistible smile was sketched onto the mare’s muzzle. Seeing her subjects at peace meant that she not only had nothing to worry about but she had achieved what she had always wanted; a land of complete harmony. Celestia entered her chambers; her dazzling golden hooves touched the red velvet rug beneath her. Celestia laid down and closed her eyes, as the glow from the hot embers of the fireplace warmed her pure white coat, she could feel herself slowly drifting away into a deep sleep. But did Celestia truly see all of Equestria’s happiness… or was it just ponies?
In the dark depths of Everfree forest, home of the most devious of creatures and the growing misery that was shared from one to another. This place was Discord’s glory, a place so unspeakable that Celestia dared not to battle with. It was the home of every pony’s worst nightmare… that is every pony except one; a mare, with a crimson mane so long that it dragged across the damp mossy ground. Her long lashes fluttered as she blinked, the soft lavender irises guided her pupils along the page as she wrote the words that made up the story she had vividly imagined. The mare paused fumbling the small pencil in her mouth watching a shadow slowly grow upon the pages. She looked into the sky; through thick vines and willow branches she could see the power of Luna as she raised the moon. In awe the young mare rose to her hooves the small pencil falling from her mouth as her jaw dropped. Living in Everfree forest for so long she had forgotten the beauty of the princess’ from Canterlot.
The mare’s pale blue coat shimmered like a rare sapphire under the moonlight. She shivered feeling the icy breeze that managed to even reach through the leather binding on her barrel. She sighed; folding the book she had been writing in until it was closed and shoving it into her worn out brown bag. The mare knelt down grabbing the pencil with her teeth and moving her head towards her bag. Her eyes widened and her irises shrunk as she realized her bag had suddenly disappeared. The mare panicked dropping the pencil and turning her head quickly in every direction searching for her missing valuables, as she finally spotted the furry thief; a small brown and white weasel dashing through the tall grass. The mare turned around, she thought of yelling to the animal though her heart pleaded; she did not wish to disturb the other creatures that would be more harmful than a thieving rodent. The mare began to run towards the weasel, swerving between the trees and avoiding tripping on the roots that stuck out of the ground. Finally catching up the mare leaned her head down about to snatch her bag back as the weasel darted through a thick bush.
She stopped immediately as she heard voices, her heart beginning to sound like a parade. She sat down using her fore hoofs to spread the bush apart just enough so she could see. It was just as she had feared, the bright colours were faded in the night sky but there was no mistaking it for the tranquil life that any pony had lived in Ponyville.
She spotted two stallion’s walking on the outskirts of town, either on their way home or to a local late night party. They were both Pegasi the one furthest away from her had a pure white coat and amethyst irises. His mane was a combination of black and red as well as his tail which was much longer than his mane.
The stallion closest to her had his grey wings spread out as if he were going to fly but he made no attempt. His mane was messy and red, but his tail matched the eerie grey colour of his coat. The red athletic suit hardly suited him but his eyes seemed to glow a florescent orange-yellow.
The mare gasped quietly as she saw the weasel dragging her bag towards the stallions. The grey stallion looked disgusted at the weasel stomping his hoof down onto the handle of the bag. A look of shear determination on his face and he inched closer to the weasel. “Seems you match your name little guy. Now which pony did you steal this off of?” The grey stallion said.
The weasel squeaked several times tugging at the bag in shear desperation hoping that the strap would slip from under the strong stallion’s hoof. The grey stallion lifted his left hoof swaying it towards the weasel, “Scram, fur ball. Get out of here.” He shouted. The weasel’s eyes narrowed as he protested, but the grey stallion was much too stubborn to let the rodent have his way. He gently pushed the animal over, “I SAID SCRAM!” The grey stallion shouted louder. The weasel looked up at him, terror in his eyes, as he began to scurry away.
The young mare in the distant bush watched, her ears sloping down with worry, she had only hoped that the two stallions would not take the bag with them. She stirred uncomfortably anxiety seeping in and a hushed whimper escaping. Her pearl hooves scratched the dirt beneath her as she began to pace. Her ears perked up as she heard the stallion’s beginning to speak once again.
“I wonder whose bag it is.” The grey stallion poked the bag with his hoof, acting as though it was a foreign object from another planet.
“Red Streak, let’s be realistic. That bag looks like it could be a hundred years old. Whoever it belonged to is probably dead.” The other stallion said, stepping over the bag as he started walking, confident that his friend would follow.
“It never hurts to look. Give me a chance; I might just prove you wrong.” Red Streak said as he grabbed the bottom of the bag, shaking it as several pencils, two books, and a jar of fresh strawberries fell out.
The white stallion turned around walking back over to his friend, who was seemingly grinning from ear to ear. Red Streak nudged the jar of fresh strawberries toward his white friend. “And I suppose that you’re going to tell me that some sort of magic kept these strawberries fresh.”
The white stallion narrowed his eyes and shook his head. He flipped through the first book, half the pages were blank and the rest was all writing. He looked at the writing strangely as he noticed how the author characterized their a’s and e’s, it was something that he had never seen before. Closing the book he opened the second one which was filled with a series of rough sketches of ponies. “Well, we know one thing, they certainly like strawberries.” The stallion smiled nudging the jar of strawberries back over to his friend.
“They also happen to be really talented you know.” Red Streak glared at his friend, an uncertain expression was returned.
Red Streak sighed as he nudged everything back into the bag then grabbing the handle with his teeth. “Well I don’t know about you, but I plan on meeting this pony and returning their bag back to them.” Red Streak said happily as he trotted past his friend.
“You can’t be serious. You’re really taking that bag?” The white stallion’s muzzle swerved in a questioning manner of disbelief.
“Yes I’m serious. Does it look like I’m not?” Red Streak said as he pointed his hoof towards his face.
The white stallion snarled at Red Streak’s remark. “Fine but if you get killed, I have full right to say I told you so.” The white stallion turned around walking away from Red Streak.
The sapphire mare slowly snuck out from the bushes into the wide open field feeling her vulnerability sky rocket. She had been in Ponyville once before and it had not been a fond memory to her. She stood for a moment trembling in fear as the tears raced to her cheeks soaking her fur. Reluctantly she moved her hooves, towards the town, feeling like they were as heavy as anvils.
Stalking the grey stallion was hardly a thrill for her, she was much too terrified. Worrying about getting caught by him or some other pony, but yet she could hardly risk losing her bag. She was hiding close against a nearby tree trunk watching the grey stallion happily trot across a wooden bridge and up to a small cottage that looked as thought it was once a hill but now dug out into a home. There were several window’s located around the house some were even oddly placed on the grass roof top. As the stallion entered his home the mare ran towards the house. Clunk! The mare gasped in a frightened tone backing up as she tripping on her long tail, falling over. She stood up dusting off her coat as her cutie mark was reveal; a small feather with black ink nearly ready to drip.
The mare inched forward keeping lower to the ground wondering where the sound had come from. Clunk! She stood up straight her eyes wide with surprise. She took another step; clunk! The mare looked towards the sound, it derived from her hoof. Her ear leaned back as she raised her hoof and brought it down once more. Clunk! The mare’s ears perked up, a subtle grin appearing on her soft lips.
Walking up to a window at the side of the house, the mare peaked in; her eyes could barely stand the brightness of the light but thankfully they had quickly adjusted to it. She was well hidden by the sill but she was not so certain when she had seen the condition of the stallion’s house; books, papers, pencils, pens, and even the odd pair of clothes was scattered all over the place. Though the mess to her felt homely, living in Everfree forest had made her comfortable with a natural state of mess. The forest grew as it liked and who was she to tell nature to not do as it pleases. Despite the mess it seem warm and cozy, much different to the damp, bone chilling life in the forest that she was used to. She could almost feel the warmth that emitted of the light fixtures.
The mare watched Red Streak walk up to a white cage as the furry creature inside began to make a scene. She quickly came forward placing her hooves on the sill of the window, ears perking up with excitement and wonder. The creature was several shades of brown with big ears, beady eyes, and tiny paws. The mare's nose cricked as her lips pursed; she had never before seen an animal that was so cute.
She darted quickly to hide as Red Streak turn around leaving the room turning the light off. She listened to the stallion walk up the stairs to the second floor as he began to get ready for bed. The mare looked up at the window shining above her. The mare placed her hooves on the window pushing it open as the hinges creaked loudly. The mare’s ear bent back her eyes closed tight, imagining that when she opened them the stallion would be standing in front of her and she would be caught. She eased one eye open, the space before her was pitch black and seemingly absent of life. She gazed her open eye up the surface of the house to check that the window above her had light coming from it. She sighed with relief, both eyes open now.
The mare jumped through the window, the papers making crinkling noises as her hooves stepped on them. She begin to feel she had made a bad choice and that her bag wasn’t worth it but it was all too late now there was no sense in leaving the bag behind now.
The mare took another step, her hoof tapping on a book. Suddenly the animal within the cage began to make a commotion. The mare, frightened by the animal, jumped to her hind legs stepping backwards as she tripped on what she thought to be clothes. The mare reached out hoping that there would be something that she could grab onto. Her hoof hit a surface; the sound of glass breaking, metal dinging, and fluttering papers echoed through out the room. The mare rolled over, her head hanging low. “Oh no…” She said in a worried tone. Her voice was quiet but not because she was trying to be, it was naturally that way.
The mare turned to the cage that contained the animal. Tripping over objects on the floor that she couldn't make out what they were since it were to dark, the odd crunch from broken glass under her hoof and ting as it hit what she thought to be metal. “Shhh…” she tried to calm the chattering animal, but it protested, becoming even louder. “Oh no, please mister be quiet. I’m not going to hurt you, I just want my bag.” The mare reached out as the room around her suddenly became bright. The mare’s ears leaned back; panicking, she saw a small lamp shade sitting next to her bag .She grabbed it placing it over her head and stood on her hind legs against the wall. Listening as hooves trotted quickly down the staircase behind her.
Red Streak was shocked as he saw the mess, he knew he was a lazy and messy pony but there was no way that he would make a mess like this. He looked around noticing the open window remembering that he hardly ever cared to open them. The stallion carefully stepped over the broken glass about to approach the cage of his pet to calm it down as he noticed the lamp shade from his table was missing. His eyes fell onto blue fur that seemed separate to the wall, drawing them up he had discovered just were the lamp shade had been moved. Red streak smirked, and turned his head to the window swaying his hoof dramatically. “Oh dear, I must have left the window open. Silly me now I have this mess to clean up and my poor pet is SO terrified from this minor experience!” Red Streak exclaimed sarcastically. He flapped his wings until he was airborne and flew over to his pet’s cage wrapping his fore hooves around it. “Don’t worry my pet, it will be quite fine. Hush, hush!” His hoof rattling the cage as he petted it.
The stallion opened his eyes, landing on the ground. “What is this? I don’t remember having a lamp here before!” He yelled, placing a hoof on the leather binding that was around the mare's barrel.
Not thinking clearly the mare waved her hooves in the stallion’s face; pieces of glass stuck in them. It had been forever since she had felt the warmth of another pony. “No… No… NO! Y-you don’t see me! Trust me! You’re imagining this all! In a second you’ll wake up!” She tried to convince him in a panicky voice.
Red Streak placed his other hoof on the binding, the mare losing balance and becoming pinned against the wall. His eyes narrowed, leaning forward as he tried to peer throw the fabric of the lamp shade. “Really a talking lamp?” He said, not questioningly but unbelievably.
The mare squirmed uncomfortably, hating the feeling that she could not escape. “I’m special ordered?” She suggested. Her unsure grin hidden by the shade.
The grey stallion smirked running his hoof along the mare’s blue coat. She bit her lip not sure of was to make of his action. She told herself that the feeling pulsing through was the sensation of being tickled but she knew that feeling and it was nothing in comparison.
“I think I would have remembered ordering something like you.” Red Streak said, taking a step closer to the mare.
She lifted her hoof pushing the lamp shade back. Red Streak smiled seeing the mare’s face. He wasn’t surprised that it was as strikingly gorgeous as her coat and mane. He looked away trying to deny the irresistible cute look of confusion that filled the mare’s face.
“Y-you’re not scared of me?” The mare sat in front of him pointing her hoof towards him, her voice mixed in with her confusion and nervousness.
“Scared of you? You’re too damn adorable for me to be even the slightest bit scared.” Red Streak said taking a step away.
“A-door-a-what?” The mare thought to herself not realizing that it was a compliment.
Red Streak began to pace thinking out loud, “I can’t imagine any pony being scared of you, I mean just look at you.” His nose crinkled as he began to list in his head the things he already found himself attracted to.
The mare looked at her self only becoming more confused as she could not see was the stallion was referring to.
“Wait a second, scared of you, why would you even think any pony would be?” Red Streak questioned. Taking flight, he flew over his face close to hers as he looked deeply into her eyes.
She stood on her hind legs feeling uncomfortable with his closeness. Finally, she realized what he had asked her, her eyes quickly become engulfed with the whites of her eyes. The sapphire mare ducked under the stallion dashing towards the window.
Red streak hovered for a moment wondering was had just happened. He dashed after her, biting onto her long tail as she had just jumped through the window.
Thud! Her body fell against the ground. The stallion pulling the mare back inside. It was surprisingly easier than he had thought. Coming to, the mare placed her hooves under the window sill pushing away as she tried to crawl, the stallion seemingly stronger.
“Where do you think your going?” He said through gritted teeth.
The mare looked back at him, a death glare that cut through him like a hot knife to butter. He suddenly let go not considering the mare's strength to get away. She tumbled away down the hill until he heard a hard, thunk.
Red streak flew through the window and down the hill as he saw the sapphire mare lying against a tree. Her body seeming lifeless and a cloud of guilt flourished within him. He landed beside her nudge her with his muzzle. “Tell me you’re alive!” He said in a hopeless tone. He noticed the faint collapsing and expansion of the mare’s chest, his faith immediately returning.
