The Kids Aren't All Right
Dear Princess Celestia,
I am Spectre Drops. I am a filly that lives in Ponyville. I live in a small cottage that sells sweets with my parents. I call them Mommy and Mama. They are the best parents ever. Mommy lets me eat icecream and sweets whenever I want, even when Mama gets mad and makes us brush our teeth. They don't think I can see them, but they're always kissing because they love eachother so much! Even when they fight, and shout at eachother they always kiss afterwards and say they're sorry. Then we all have hot choc-o-lat and marshmalows and cuddle together while Mama does her singing for work. When I'm at home I always feel happy.
You see, my Mommy and Mama said they couldn't have foals like other parents do. I said that's silly, but they just laughed. They say that they met me when I was just a foal, before I can even remember, and adopted me. That means they decided to take care of me and become my parents because my birth parents weren't able to. I think that's very sad, but I also think I'm lucky because I wasn't left alone. When I grow up, I want to adopt a foal of my own because everypony deserves to be with somepony that loves them. Even if that somepony isn't their birth parents.
But, there is something that's upsetting me and I don't think my parents can help me. I didn't ask them if I could write to you, Princess, but I've been feeling sad and I just don't feel like I belong in Equestria anymore. Mommy and Mama gave me school lessons at home for a long time and I loved it. I loved to learn all about famous ponies and all the beautiful things in Equestria and I learned all about music and baking and all sorts of things. It was the best. But they said I'm getting older now, and that I should start going to school with other ponies my age. I was frightened and excited and I couldn't sleep good for weeks waiting for the new term to start.
But nopony else at school likes me, Princess Celestia. I think they are afraid of me and they call me names. They say I'm a fake pony and that I should go back to my own country. I asked Twilight Sparkle, the lib-rar-ian pony if I could have a book with a map of Equestria but I could not find any country called Spectre Drops. I don't know where my country is, but even if I did I would not want to go there. I live in Equestria, I live in Ponyville with Mommy and Mama and I have lived here for ever. Why should I have to leave, Princess? I don't think that's fair at all and when they say things like that, I always cry. Then they call me a crybaby.
Today, after being teased at school, I met a pony called Pinkie Pie. She screamed in my ear and shot me with a cannon filled with colourful paper. It was pretty but I've got this big bruise on my flank now and it hurts to walk quickly. I'm lucky that my coat is black and so you can't see the mark very easily. It's why I decided to write this letter.
I thought I was going to ask you to send me away. But when I got home Mama and Mommy noticed that I had been crying. They knew I had been crying a lot since starting school and always told me that once the other ponies got to know me they'd realise how special I am. That maybe I was being a little over-sen-sit-ive to them. But this time Mommy was more angry that I have ever seen her, so angry that even Mama looked scared and Mama isn't afraid of anything. She tried to stop her from leaving, but she screamed so loudly at Mama that she burst into tears and ran into the living room. I don't think Mommy even cared. She said to follow her and I did.
She didn't say anything as we walked to the schoolhouse and she went in without even knocking. Cherilee, my teacher, was sat alone and nearly fell off her chair when we came in. I never thought I'd see so many ponies cry in one day. At first Cherilee cried, then Mommy cried and then I cried again. Cherilee said that she would not not tol-er-ate the other ponies anymore and that if anypony makes fun of me I should tell her. I promised I would.
The the funny thing is. It's been almost a week since then and I haven't had to. I didn't know this, but everypony in Equestria heard Mommy shouting at Cherilee. Did you hear her from your castle, Princess? Everypony is now scared of Mommy, which I think is odd because when we got back home the first thing Mommy did was give Mama a huge boo-kay of roses and lots and lots of kisses. I'm talking more kisses I can count and I can count to a hundred. She then made Mama a big bubbly bath and they bathed together for ages.
Today after school, I even saw Pinkie Pie again and this time she didn't scream! She said she was very sorry for what she did to me and then gave me a whole tray of cupcakes for me, Mama and Mommy to share. She said that anytime I wanted one, I should come and see her and she'd hook me up. I think that she's very nice and I believe she is sorry.
When I started writing this letter I was sad, Princess Celestia, but now I am happy. I am happy that nopony makes fun of me anymore and that the other foals at school are becoming my friends. I am glad I did not ask you to send me away because I would have missed all the wonderful things in Ponyville. The last weeks have been some of the worst in my entire life, but I learned that just because I am afraid, I don't think it's right to run away. Being afraid can make ponies do wierd things. It can make them not act like themselves, make it so they just want to hide or worse, make it so they hurt other ponies. My Mommy showed everypony in Ponyville that there were scarier things than a changeling filly like me.
She lives in Ponyville. And they should all be afraid of her. But not me and Mama of course, because we're the only ones she kisses and that makes us special.
Yours fay-th-fully,
Spectre Drops.
From the desk of ~~Twilight Sparkle~~ Spectre Drops.
Author's Note
Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for more.
Panting, he threw himself over the gutter and onto the roof, clutching his side as he tried to work through the stitch. His eyes darted from shadow to shadow and after a moment, he sighed with nervous ease. A swift punch greeted the side of his face and he grunted, staggering back. “Who are you?” He demanded, his horn glowing white as he lifted a gloss handled blade from pocket. He swiped at the air without purpose, unsure of whether he was connecting to anything beyond the murk. His assailant reappeared to his right, landing another blow to his chest before bringing both hooves down on his forehead. His knees buckled and the blade dropped as his legs curled in on themselves, with some effort he screamed, “What do you want?”
“I want you to talk,” She said, lifting him by the collar and dragging him over to the edge. “Or I'm going to drop you.” He looked over and shoulder with a laugh.
“From one professional to another, if you're trying to scare somebody, pick a better spot. From this height, the fall wouldn't kill me."
"I'm counting on it."
With a scream, he fell in haphazard fashion. In his panic, his leg had found itself twisted and pulled over a dumpster, exposing bone. She jumped to meet him, landing with a curt 'umph' as her hooves hit the earth. “W-what do you want?” He screamed, his eyes bubbling over as he clutched at his leg.
“The location,” She said, pressing a hoof to his chest. “Where are they?”
“W-who?” She pressed harder.
“That looks bad, you're losing a lot of blood.”
“You're the D-Devil aren't you?”
“I suggest you talk,” She said, bringing her nose to meet his. He hesitated, trying to break away from her grip.
“I can't.” He gave a half-choked whimper as She moved her hoof to his throat. “Oh, god. It's i-in the Everfree Forest. The E-Everfree Forest, okay?”
“How do I find it?”
“W-White rocks. Just follow the white rocks.” She released him. She tore a strip of material from her coat and spent a moment lashing a tourniquet.
“That'll stop the bleeding. The hospitals not too far away. I suggest you start crawling.” He cursed her as She turned away, but his voice rang hollow and ignored amongst the deserted buildings and unsympathetic owls. In a second She was gone and he lay there, breathing hard.
She passed into the Everfree forest at a trot, meeting the first signal rock after a few metres. The second was deeper in and the third led further still, through the densest growth and towards the farthermost reaches. Mist began to billow from her lips as the air grew colder and her gait became strained after losing her step on one too many buttress roots. Panting, She stopped for rest. “He called me the Devil,” She breathed, smirking to herself. She had heard it before, though more so now. The Devil of Ponyville might be a little unflattering, but, truth be told, She enjoyed it: it meant She was getting to them. It also meant, however, that She was not going unnoticed, and that She may well be expected. Additional caution on their part was not a concern, but She would be foolish to disregard the possibility of a trap. She needed backup.
After a moment, She pressed on. The taste of moss and brick dust caught her as She came to cross a dilapidated drawbridge, She paused to bow her head at the Castle of the Two Sisters. She had been led to understand that the spirits of the dead could be fickle and that it was best to be cautious. Though she doubted the scum that worked out of the forest would show the same courtesy.
Once passed three more stones, She came to a gradual incline before levelling off to a clearing. The edge of which sloped down to a shall ravine, and there at its bedrock stood a wooden structure. It looked similar, in size and shape, to the barns at Sweet Apple Acres though altogether less polished. Even in the low light of the moon, She could sense its odd dimensions and jutting edges. She closed her eyes and took a moment to mark its location in her mind, breathing in her surroundings before doubling back on herself. A detour wouldn't take long, and She was glad to know that crime was far from the only thing hidden in the Everfree Forest.
With a gentle rap at the door, she stood and admired her friend's home. It had grown a little since She had last visited, there were a few new branches and some burgeoning roots along the floor. It still smelled, but that wasn't too surprising. She knocked again and before long, a striped black and white face met her. “Mare in the Black Mask, why do you disturb my slumber this night?” She asked, “What is so important you could not wait for light?”
“I need your help, Sti-Zecora,” She said. “May I come in?”
“Of course you may, but please do not stay. I am weary from a long nights work and your presence would surely irk.”
.,
“Thank you, I promise I won't be long.” Zecora waved her in, offering her a cup of warm tea before sitting herself.
“How can I be of service, Mare in the Black Mask? What is it you have to ask?” She scowled.
“Can you cut that out?”
“But the foals love it when I rhyme,” Zecora said, with a smirk. “I hear them say it all the time.”
“This is serious. Ponies have been going missing all over Equestria.”
“I'm aware.” She was a little taken aback, but she continued.
“Foals were taken from Ponyville. Four of them, I was close.”
“All at once? Who'd they take?”
“I don't know,” She said.
“Do you know where they are?”
“I've found a warehouse here in the forest, about four miles away. But I can't go in without a plan, or equipment.”
“You were always too reckless before, what's changed?” Zecora asked, standing to examine her shelf of vials.
“This is too big. Too many lives...I can't afford to mess this up.”
“Glad to see you've matured,” the zebra said, though she looked over to her with soft eyes. “I'm sorry. Look, I haven't got much but there's some old smoke and flash bombs...these might work for you.” She opened a drawer by her hooves and offered over a pair of worn clubs.
“You kept them?” She asked.
“Of course. You never replaced them?”
“I never needed to. Things got...quiet, after.” They shared an uncomfortable moment, before She broke the silence with a cough and a thank you. Zecora responded with a thin smile, passing them over without a word. “Will you come with me?” She asked.
“Once more I will come with you to play. But then you must promise to stay away.”
