Volume one: Foreigner from the light
Chapter 1: No Longer Alone
Cold... that was how it felt on the surface of the world on this dark, winter’s day with the landscape blanketed in a thick sheet of freshly fallen snow brought about from the Pegasi in the previous evening. In a frigid day such as today most ponies would be huddled up in their warm homes by their chimneys set a flame however, today was not the kind of day a pony should spend locked away.
For today is New Years and the equines of Belgiania made it clear that this frozen evening under the clear, moonlight sky was to be celebrated in glee. The roads of town were crowded with hundreds of happy ponies, deer and other assorted species of equines with the feeling of beaming joy warming the hearts and souls of those who participated, helping them to ignore the cold that hugged them in a harsh embrace. From town the happy giggles and festive cheers could be heard for miles around as the ponies celebrated with song, dance and warm drink such as apple cider for the older ponies and hot chocolate for the foals. Above them, the Vatonage Tree, or Vaton Tree for short, known to be the largest, oldest and most important tree of the entire region, sitting in more or less the center of the region, glowed with its magical flowers slowly transforming into fruit.
At the end of each year, the magical energy of the region of Ungula weakens as life uses up the land’s magic to thrive. This is why at the end of the year winter must come so that what little magic left in the land doesn’t go away while the equines of this land await the blooming of the Vaton Tree. Through the year when the moon takes center stage of the starlit sky the moonlight is absorbed by the mighty, mystical tree and is converted into magic within it. This magic then collects in flowers the tree blooms once winter arrives to the land and once the last evening of the year comes to pass the flowers fruit and burst into a ray of rainbow colors which coats the sky in a beautiful aurora region wide, raining down magic upon the land, renewing it for another year. Without the valued tree this beautiful region would be left a waste land so, of course, the equines of this land protect it as a national treasure.
Surely, among these hundreds of happy ponies beneath the brilliant radiance of the tree there are many tales to be told. However, our story does not take place here but instead leads us to venture our beyond the boundaries of town to a place called the Pegasus Paradise. Here, the greatest example of the land’s magical might can be seen as pieces of land form floating islands, suspended in midair above a large, dropping cliff where a valley of grass and rivers stretched for miles around with a constant breeze blowing. Here, there was not a soul, except for one.
High above, jumping and gliding from island to island you can see a lovely, young, pegasus mare with slight tannish brown fur, cobalt blue mane and tail and eyes the same shade of deep, red, rich rubies. Her cutie mark was of two, heart shaped cherries. The name of this lovely mare is Cherry Berry and many may wonder why on such a festive, wondrous day she would decide to venture far beyond the confines of town all alone. After all, she enjoyed a lively festival as much as the next pony and if it weren’t for a specific reason she would be in Belgiania right now chugging some nice hot cider with the townsfolk. But this was a mare on a mission for she wished to continue a tradition she used to do with her mother and twin brother. However, her mother had long since passed on from this world and her brother had no choice but to go visit their grandfather for family related reasons. So, today she found herself alone, without a single pony to climb to the highest island with her and to say she didn’t mind was a lie.
Cherry hated being alone, that was a much known fact. However, despite that fact she came here anyways to honor the memory of those who couldn’t join her. Here, she recalled all the joyous times she spent with her mother and brother together as one big happy family. Somehow, being here made her feel as if her mother was by her side, even if it was just by spirit, since this place meant so much to her. As for her brother, he was meant to be the next head of the family after grandfather retires since mother died. So, of course there are times he had to leave to learn the ins and outs of running to family farms and there were times he had to go. Even so Cherry knew as long as he was in Ungula he could see the light of the Vaton tree’s aurora so, like her he would stare at the same beautiful sky... in that sense Cherry felt that even if she was physically alone in spirit she would never be...
Even when her family is so far apart.
Finally, she made it to her place above the world upon the highest island. Being exhausted from climbing white puffs of her warm breath released from her mouth as she huffed and puffed.
Only seconds now remained, proven by the sounds of the countdown starting in town and by the glowing of the flowers as they began to mold into the Vaton Fruit. Ten.... nine... eight....
From where she was the view was absolutely brilliant, being one of the best places to see the entirety of the Belgiania and its tree. Cherry’s seen the tree from here every year for the last 18 years of her life so when she saw white, star like sparkles began to mysterious appear around the fruit she found it odd. Sure, the tree sparkled but usually it was more glitter like with several hues not in large white twinkles. Perhaps the tree had an exceptional amount of magic this year? That was what she assumed. Seven...Six....Five....
The flowers began to turn round as the tree absorbed the last bit of moonlight and feed magic into its fruit. Four... The fruits begin to swell, preparing to explode when suddenly, the fruit began to sparkle black and released a powerful wave of black light in a single pulse. Cherry could feel it’s sheer power and some sort of deep, paralyzing fear which it caused even the tips of her feathers the shiver from being bathed in that wave. It only lasted a second but she could feel her heart sink down to the deepest depths of her chest,” W-what in the...” oddly enough it appeared she was the only one who saw or felt it as cheers could still be heard in town as the countdown continued.
Three.... two... one...
The entire tree radiated in a mystical glow as its fruit began to burst, releasing rainbow tinted lights around the entire sky, slowly encasing the entire region in a sparkly aurora, raining down glitter of varying hues, bathing the land in magic. As the magical sparkles rain over Cherry she giggles in glee, using her oversized wings to make the sparkles swirl and twirl like millions of tiny ballerinas dancing gracefully as if they were at a ball. Her face, hair and body was covered in the sparkles, making her feel vibrant and full of life as she jumps from the island and takes to the sky, flying in the shower of magic.
“Ahh, this is so wonderful~ I feel so fuzzy inside Hehehe... Hey BB! Ca-......” As she turns to look at the rock, expecting her twin brother to be there watching his joyful sister act as her goofy self only to realize he wasn’t there...
“Oh... that’s right.... Silly me...”
She flies down back onto the island, folding her oversized wings as she sits on the soft grass growing upon the island wish a small, sad smile on her face as she looked down at her hooves.
“I guess.... sprit isn’t enough... “
A couple of moments of silence followed as she thinks to herself for a while only to be interrupted by the roaring happy crowds of the ponies back in town. Hearing them only furthered her sadness as she felt so lonely, walking slowing to the side of the island to get a better look. With a light sigh she speaks again.
“I.... wish I wasn’t all alone... but... I guess it isn’t so bad... not when I have such a beautiful view of the world here”
Suddenly, from behind her she heard a strange sound, similar to that of magic being cast but seemly more having more of an echoing sound to it. Swiftly she turns to face the sound, her mane flipping softly with magical glitter flying off as she sees that, slightly beyond the floating island which she sat on, there was a large orb of light, shimmering in bright warmth. Around it six stars of different colors spin around the orb, only to suddenly spring out in all directions. A star shining in gold light shoots straight for Cherry to which she raises her hooves up in order to block it only to have the star fly right pass them and phase into her chest, causing her chest to glow slightly in a soft gold color. Of course, she was utterly shocked and confused as she was just stabbed by a yellow star but she felt no pain. If anything she felt... oddly light. As the other stars vanish off in different directions Cherry realizes the white orb of light remained floating in air, remaining midair for a while before slowly drifting down to the meadow bellow where an icy cold river was.
She gallops to the other side of the island, watching the orb of light lower to the earth bellow, realizing the orb beginning to slowly get eaten away as it fell, revealing there was something within. Soon, the orb vanishes, and within it was shown to be a Unicorn stallion with cream colored fur and a mane and tail dark brown. As you can imagine Cherry was in deep shock but instantly reacted without a moment’s delay as she realized if he kept falling he would land right into the icy river and without his strange light orb to ensure a soft landing he risked serious injury from the free fall.
Cherry plummets, keeping her wings tucked in tight and tried to keep her legs as close as possible, resembling a pole as she shots down at the stallion at great speed. However, even at the great speed she fell she knew she wouldn’t reach the sleeping stallion before he hit the water so, she prepared to hit freezing water as she was unwilling to let him drown or freeze to death. The moment the stallion hit the water she went right after him, grabbing onto him tightly as the current fought to carry both Cherry and the mysterious stallion away. Through her skin Cherry felt like thousands of needles pricking at her and her lungs growing tense from the sheer cold she was in. “This water.... I’ll die of hyperthermia if I don’t out of here...hnn... can’t m-move... grrahh...” with her front hooves wrapped tightly around the stallion all she could do was kick her back legs and with the icy water it became harder and harder to do so as her muscles began to tense more and more making it difficult to just simply kick.
Suddenly, Cherry yells out as loud as her vocal cords could unleash, having it echo through the meadow as her wings fly open. She flaps her soaked wings harder than she’s ever had before, managing to pull herself out of the water but that left the stranger in danger and she was not about to have that. With a powerful, forceful flap of her wings she managed to drag the stallion and herself to the river bank and using what little power she had remaining in her legs she drags him onto shore and out of water, flopping down to her side once she knew he was out of the river’s reach. Heavily she pants, trying to get her body back to normal after all that happened but she could still feel a horrible, numbing pain all over from being submerged in that water for too long. She could barely twitch let alone stand. However, she knew her job of saving this stallion was not done as he had yet to awake and she feared he might not because of hyperthermia or of drowning. So, summoning the tiniest shred of energy she had left she drags herself over to the cold, motionless body next to her and shakes him slightly, trying to find some sort of life in there. “H-hey? W-wake up... I need to get you s-someplace warm...”
“.........”
There was no response, not even a twitch but Cherry refused to give up on him. Gently she places her right ear upon his chest, hoping with all her heart that she’ll hear something, anything to show he was alive. To her, seconds felt like hours as she waited and waited... then, she hears it, a faint heartbeat thumping in his chest. There was still a chance to save him. Quickly, she opened her wings and wrapped him in them to share what little warmth she had with him as she pressed her hooves against his chest. He had no breath likely because water was inside his lungs and she needed to get it out. Sadly, her attempts only failed as he still held his breath.
“Wake up! Please wake up! Please!” She presses harder, doing anything possible to get a breath out of him. Soon, she was left with no options and without a moment to waste she opens his mouth.
Pressing her mouth against his as she gave him her breath instead. Over and over she did this, awaiting when he could finally take his own. Suddenly, after the 10th or 11th breath she gave him he began to cough, water spouting out from his mouth as he finally breathed, taking in a long, deep one before returning his breath to semi normal, being more like pants than anything. “Oh... thank the stars...” Cherry, just relieved to see him breathing, attempted to lift her upper body off of him so he could rest properly but her body refused to move, only allowing her to push herself up slightly.
Slowly, the eyes of the stranger began to open, his vision blurry and fogged. For a moment, Cherry was swooned by his eyes as they had the shade of deep lapis lazuli and with those eyes he up at Cherry and says.
“What a..... Lovely angel.....”
Cherry, flustered, lost her balance and fell upon him again as the stranger closed his eyes once again, slipping into sleep. With no strength all Cherry could do was flop to her side next to him, covering him with her wings as she withers away into sleep. “I think... I agree... let’s take a.... little nap....”
*One month later*
The soft buzzing of a fan can be heard as the lapis eyes of a certain stallion opens, staring up at the ceiling of the room he was currently sleeping in. He laid on his back with his earthy brown hair in a jumbled mess and his hoof on his head as he sighs. Gently he sits up, causing the lavender covers he had to bungle at his stomach as he began to think to himself.
“That dream once again...? This is very odd...”
He says to himself as he shakes his head, trying to get his thoughts straight as he looks up at the clock on the nearby wall. The clock itself was just a standard clock with a nice design to frame its face. Taking a moment to read the clock as, unlike most other ponies, he had to think hard about what the clock said.
“According to this clock it is 9 in the morn.... Bless the stars how could I remain in slumber for such a prolonged time!?” Swiftly he jumps out from his bed, running out of the very empty room, galloping through the halls until he ends out outside, finding the sun high up in the sky.
“Alto, you’re finally awake!” Rang the familiar voice of Cherry Berry as she joyfully trots towards him pulling a cart full of jars full of jam made ofcherries, blue berries and other assorted berries and fruit as she giggles happily.
“Miss Cherry, why did thee not awaken me? I promised thee I would assist in the harvest of thy produce...”
Cherry lightly shoves him playfully, tugging the cart towards town with Alto behind her.
“Because you just looked so peaceful sleeping like that... so warm and snuggly in that bed... and besides, I’ve lived on this farm for years so I don’t really need help doing something like loading the jam.”
“Of course.... it is only that I own thou a debt of gratitude for saving me and for providing me with a place of which I can stay”
Cherry giggles a bit at what he said, finding what he said utterly ridiculous.
“Alto, I’ve told you before... I don’t expect anything in return for saving your life! I mean, I would be a pretty crappy pony if I just left you to freeze, drown or both! Seriously, just chill okay?”
Alto, a bit confused as to why she would want him to ‘chill’ as he wished to stay warm in the chilly but he disregarded it. Likely, it was just an expression but it still made him pause for a second.
“Yes, of course, I understand what thou speaks of. Thou art tremendously kind fair maiden to do so much for me and to not ask a single in return... but I cannot help but desire to assist thee...”
The two walk in silence for a while with the winter breeze replacing speech with soft, looming howls. Cherry, unsure on how to reply simply glanced at the stallion next to her as she walked down the road lightly powdered in snow, recalling what had occurred less than a month ago.
After saving his life a month ago both she and Alto had laid passed out in the meadow alone, side by side, until they were rescued by some ponies who had heard her loud, forceful screams when she had pulled him out of the water. About 8 hours later Cherry awoke, finding herself in the town clinic ran by a reindeer named Calendula Remedy, a cold but well-meaning equine, with Alto in the bed next to her. He would awaken two days later.
According to Calendula, he hadn’t suffered injury from river plunge aside from slight hyperthermia and a scrape on his right flank. However Cherry could clearly see his large bandages on his back which caused her confusion but before she could say anything Calendula spoke. “Lemme guess... you’re wondering why he has bandages on his back right? Well, those injuries weren’t caused by the river or the fall but existed beforehand... they looked like lacerations at first but... when I looked closer at them I noticed it looked more like a park of his skin had been ripped off...”
“R-ripped off?”
Cherry had spent the next two days with the stallion, awaiting for him to awaken. When he did it turned out that the poor guy had no memory of where he came from or of his life. In the end, all he could recall was his name which was...
“Alto Wings.....”
“Hmm? What is wrong?” asked Alto as Cherry just said his name out loud though it appeared to be on accident as she blushes out of embarrassment and replies, “O-oh no! I’m sorry... I was just thinking out loud I suppose...” Looking at his back Cherry could see that over the course of the month most of his wounds had healed but scars had remained on his back. Of course she was curious as to how he obtained them as the origin of his wounds were odd but every time she asked he would simply say he didn’t remember. Calendula says his memory loss was likely from some serious mental trauma from something as his head had not shown any sign of injury but she couldn’t be sure. After all, she wasn’t a psychiatrist but even she thought his behavior odd. For some reason he speaks like he’s from an older time period and has no knowledge of current events but he could function and learn normally so there seemed nothing mentally wrong with him. As she thought Cherry suddenly thought of something.
“Say... Alto... is your memory still...?”
He nods,” Yes... I cannot recall anything related to my origin... I have attempted to recall, focusing on deep thoughts but...nothing... why do you ask? “He looks at her as they trot down the road
“I see... then how about this... in return for saving your life you can just smile, creating new, wonderful memories with me here in Baltamare! After all, we are friends now right? ~ ...That would be the greatest gift you could ever give me...”
Her ruby red eyes glitter as she looks at him with a soft, delicate expression and a beautiful smile on her face. Witnessing the gorgeous smile Alto blushes and turns away as he recalls the CPR she had given him to save his life, though at the time he thought it to be an angel kissing him so it made his feel a bit odd staring at her smile.
“Y-yes.... of course!”
Again she playfully shoves him, pushing him into a pile of snow, and begins to gallop off in a giggle, the glass jars full of jam clinking as she ran off. Alto, using his magic, dug himself out of the snow with a determined smile on his face. “What a devil!” he says as he gallops after the giggling mare. Cherry, despite pulling a very heavy cart moved very quickly, running like a race horse but Alto had a ringer in the form of his magic which he used to teleport in front of the mare with a devilish smile. Cherry however, was not so easily fooled as she made a sharp right, throwing snow up with her cart and covering Alto in it. From the cart, two little black berries and a frozen strawberry hit him in the face, making him resemble a snow pony. She couldn’t help but burst into laughter as Cherry sees him, tearing up from how he looked. The snow slowly peels off Alto’s face, revealing an unamused expression as he stares at the mare, laughing away at him. In revenge he picks up a hunk of snow in his hoof and throws it at her, covering her face in the white snow. As it falls off the expression of shock she wore made him chuckle slightly, seemly trying to withhold the need to laugh until Cherry again bursts into laughter again.
“Oh Alto, you are such a riot!” Again he tilts his head.
“Riot...?”
“Hehehe, never mind... Here, let me help!”
She walks over to him, using her large wings to brush off some snow. As she did Alto looked at her with a curious look, a frown on his face.
“Miss Cherry.... I have been meaning to ask thou a question...”
Cherry tilts her head in confusion but nods, continuing to dust off the snow.
“Perhaps it is rude of me to ask you this... Why art thou so kind to me...? Thou allow me shelter in your home despite not knowing who I am or from where I come... Thou worry for me and help me smile... Tis just... makes me curious...”
With a sad smile Cherry looks down but keeps her head up so he could see her face as she spoke.
“Well... I wanted to help you... and I wish that was all but...” She rubs her leg with her hoof, “I would be lying if I said I didn’t have my own reason for it... my own selfish reason...” From her voice Alto could hear shame and sadness to which he instantly stands and walks over to her in order to offer comfort if needed.
“Selfish?”
“I... didn’t want to be alone...”
Alto’s eyes widen in surprise as she says this, seemly confused.
“Remember... I told you that my twin brother left to visit grandfather... well... there are times when he won’t come back for 3 months at a time.... Of course, I don’t blame him since Blue is going take over the as head of the family after grandfather retires and such a position needs training but... When he isn’t here I begin to feel really lonely without anypony to talk to... I know it’s dumb and really whiney but I can’t help it... So when you woke up I decided to let you stay with me since you didn’t seem to be a bad pony and you didn’t have anywhere else to go... but it was also so... I wouldn’t feel so lonely... I-I know it sounds horrible when I put it th-that way bu-“
Alto places his hoof on her mouth, silencing her as he smiled at her gently. In his mind he only saw admiration for this mare before him. After all, even when she claimed to be selfish she was generous and kind, how could any pony not admire someone with such a sweet heart of gold such as her. He had no idea such genuinely nice ponies existed in the world.
“...Miss Cherry.... thou art a quaint mare... If thou does not like loneliness then I shall ensure you do not feel it. It is like thou said, we are friends correct?”
She smiles, nodding at him as he smiles at her. Alto was a somewhat clueless and slightly clumsy stallion but he had this brilliance to him that made her smile whenever he tried to encourage her. There was just something about his polite, proper charm.
“Common Alto, let’s go... These jars aren’t going to sell themselves!”
“Y-yes...”
Again they trot down the road to town, leaving hoof prints in the snow as they walked. While it was true the two just meet it was clear they were close friends. Cherry glances at Alto as he walks, smiling gently as she thinks once more, speaking in her mind.
“Friends?... I like that... at least now I’m not alone...”
