A Past to be Forgottenby Pyrefly_91ChaptersNightmares and ReunionsReminiscing and FarwellOld Memories and a New FriendTainted Sleep and Fresh ApplesStarting Over AgainNightmares and Reunions“Stop! What did I do now? Let go of me!” “Look at you. Flying around like you're better than the rest of your family. What did I tell you about doing that around here?” “What is your problem?” “The only problem I see here is what's resting at your back. Maybe I should break those damn things. Maybe then you'll learn.” “Learn what?” “THAT YOU AIN'T SPECIAL! Now stop squirming and give me those damn wings! I need to make it so that your like the rest of us!” “Hey, don't blame me for mom's genes, now let me go!” “To Hell with your mother's genes. If you were born of Earth Ponies then you should be a god damn Earth Pony!” “That's no fair! Do you even hear yourself? I'm your son!” “I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!” “LET ME GO!” “WHERE THE HELL IS MY HAMMER?” “STOP!” “JUST FUCKING HOLD STILL!” “NOOOO!” Pyrefly screamed as he sat up in his bed, a cold sweat coating his face. Fear began to engulf his senses as he looked around the dark room he was trapped in. However, he quickly realized where he was, in his new home in Ponyville. As he began to relax, he heard a steady knocking from downstairs. With an exhausted groan, he rolled out of bed and proceeded to the source of the sound. Reaching the stairs, he was reminded of the storm of party supplies that the pink pony from the day before had unleashed upon his living space. “Note to self. Never let that psycho pony in here again." Pyrefly said under his breath. Reaching the base of the stairs, a mare's voice could be heard from the other side of the front door. "I hope they're ok? That scream was really loud. I heard it from down the road. Maybe I should teleport in…" "No, no, no. No teleporting," Pyrefly shouted through the door. " Give me a sec." "Oh, sorry." The mare said as the Pegasus opened the door. Standing on stoop, is an orange unicorn with a red and orange mane. "I heard you shouting and I rushed over. By the way, I'm -" "Sunset Shimmer?!" "Yes, but how did you know that?" "I'm hurt." Pyrefly said with a smirk. " How could you forget your old friend?" "Old friend? I don't…" Suddenly, her eyes widened, jaw dropped and a look of shock spread across her face. "Oh my Celestia, Ja-" "Please. Pyrefly now." "Doesn't matter," Sunset squeed, lunging forward and wrapping her friend in a tight embrace, tears streaming down her face. "I've missed you so much!" "Oh, so you missed me did you? You didn't even remember who I was." "Yeah, well I never thought I'd see you again" "It's ok. Let it out." "Sorry." Sunset said, pulling herself away, wiping her face with a hoof. "Sorry. But I'm serious. I never thought I'd see you again. The last time we saw each other was-" "Just before you left home for Canterlot to study under the Princess. Speaking of which, how'd that go? Learn anything cool?" "Well, you see…" Sunset stammered nervously. "Sunset? What happened?" Pyrefly pressed, cocking an eyebrow in concern. "Promise you won't get mad?" "Only if you don't come in and sit down before you start. I'm tired and sore from standing in this doorway." With a mixed look of relief and terror, Sunset followed her friend inside to his living room, only to be stopped by the still present mess of balloons and confetti littering the floor. "Oh, sorry. Nevermind the mess." Pyrefly said as he flew over the floor of rubber and paper. "I'll get this cleaned up. I just need to go out and pick up some cleaning supplies." "Was this Pinkie's doing? She seriously needs to learn about personal space." "You know that psychotic pink pony?" "Yeah." Sunset said as she lit up her horn, and with a flash of bright orange light, the mess was gone. "She can be a handful sometimes but she always means well." "Handful?" Pyrefly repeated, eyebrow cocked once more. "Oh, my bad. Force of habit." "Force of habit? Where in Equestria did you pick up a habit like that? Griffonstone? The Dragonlands?" "No, no, no. But if you really want to know, then I should start from the beginning." "Always a good place to start." Pyrefly jeered with a smirk. "Quite you. I've forgotten how much of a smart ass you are." "Ouch! I'm hurt. Not only did you forget me, you forgot about one of my most endearing qualities." "Whatever." Sunset said with a smile and a roll of her eyes. "But enough with the pleasantries. What happened after you left home?" Surprised that the small talk didn't make her friend forget the reason he invited her into his home. Closing her eyes, as she sat on his couch, she took a deep breath. Letting it out, she looked her old friend in his eyes. "It's a long story." "So stop stalling and get on with it." "But what if you… I don't… I just got you…" "Sunset. I know it's been a long time, but no matter what you say, I never will think ill of you. I mean seriously, how often did you have my back back home?" "But, Jay…" "Sunset. Stop. Just spit it out. I'm not letting you leave until you do." "You know you can't follow through on that." Sunset said with a forced smile. "Shut up and spit it out!" Pyrefly shouted with a laugh. "Alright fine. But don't say I didn't warn you." Reminiscing and Farwell"After graduating from CHS, I decided to come back and study under Twilight and her other student. And that's how it's been for the last few years." Finished with her tale, Sunset looked at her friend, waiting for him to speak. Moments pass. Seconds felt like minutes. Minutes felt like hours. After what felt like forever, the anxious unicorn broke the mounting silence. "Hello? Earth to Pyrefly, come in Pyrefly." The Pegasus remained quiet. He wasn't even blinking. Sunset let out a deep sigh, shaking her head in disbelief. "Damn. I broke him." Frantically she looked around, trying to think of a way to snap her friend back into reality when she thought of the most genius idea… "Hey, ya know what? I think maybe I should call Pinkie over here for a - " "Oh sweet Celestia! No! Not her!" Pyrefly said with a start, shooting into the air as he snapped back to reality. Realizing what he just did, he returned all four hooves to solid ground with a sheepish smile. "Hehe, sorry Sunset. Didn't mean to zone out like that. I mean it's just…" "A lot to take in. Tell me about it. Looking back, it does seem impossible, and I lived through it." "One question." "Yeah?" "Did you meet another me in this other world?" "If there was, I didn't meet him. Sorry." "Oh well," Pyrefly said, stretching his wings. "Guess I really am one of a kind." "Geez. You are such a cocky ass." "Not cocky my dear Sunset. I'm confident. However, I won't argue the ass part. It's my most alluring asset." Pyrefly chuckled. Sunset laughed, shaking her head. "Anyway, it's past noon and thanks to this little diversion, I'm behind on my errands. I'll be lucky if I get done by nightfall." "Oh," Pyrefly said apologetically. "Didn't mean to hold you up." Sunset shook her head some more. "No. Don't be sorry. It was good to see you again. And now that I know you live here, we can meet up anytime we want." "Don't go getting my hopes up, Bacon Head." "Sweet Celestia! I haven't heard that name in ages." Sunset laughed aloud, a noticeable blush spreading across her face. "Whelp, enough screwing around here. You should get going. I'm gonna go familiarize myself with the town." "Alright then," Sunset replied as she regained her composure. "I'll see you again real soon. Please take care of yourself, alright Firebutt." Both ponies laughed at that, and exchanged one last hug. Upon pulling apart, Sunset lit up her horn, and teleported away, leaving the Pegasus alone once more. "Well, best get to flying before it gets too late." And with that, he sighed, stepping out of his house, and out into his new home. With a flap of his wings, he was off. Old Memories and a New FriendThe sun was high in the afternoon sky as Pyrefly casually flew through town. Even though it was getting late, Ponyville bustled with life. Everywhere he looked, Pegasi, Unicorns, and Earth Ponies lived and worked together. "This place is so much different than back home." Pyrefly said to himself. Thinking back, he began to recall life back then and just how segregated the races were. The only exception was at his school. And during this time, Pyrefly went by a different name. Back then, his name was Jay. At his school, everyone came together in the name of harmony. It was here where Pyrefly met his two best friends. First there was Bacon Hair herself, Sunset Shimmer. She was a star pupil, witty, and always ready with a snarky retort. And then, there was Bright Dawn. She was an Earth Pony, always quiet and reserved. But don't let her outward appearance mislead you. She was fiercely loyal, never letting her friends down. However, her private life was not bathed in sunshine and rainbows. She was always coming to school covered in cuts and bruises. But she never told her friends what the cause ever was. However, one day she came to school, tears covering her face and cuts all over her body. Seeing her like this was the last straw, sending Pyrefly into a rage. "That's it!" Pyrefly shouted, observing the slew of fresh scrape and scratches. "Once we graduate, we're leaving this trash heap of a town. All three of us." Sunset nodded in agreement, but Dawn objected. "Guys, please. This isn't what you think. I got these from doing yard work. I'm fine, really." "Bullshit." Sunset said sternly. "Look at you. These are not from yard work. One day after getting you from school, your father even went so far as to tell us to stop hanging out with you." "That was to our faces Dawn." Pyrefly raged on. "Your dad's a racist. Not to mention he abuses you just because you're our friend. And I bet this happens all the time, and I've personally seen him do it." At this, both mares looked at him, heads cocked in confusion and interest. "Well, you see…" Pyrefly stammered, trying to form his thoughts as quickly as possible. "Jay, have you been spying on me and my family?" Bright Dawn asked pensively. "Of course not!" Pyrefly answered quickly. "Then how?" "Look. I was flying around the other day. I happened to be in your area. I figured I'd swing by and say hi. As I got close, I saw you were reading by yourself in your yard. That's when I saw your father come stumbling out of the house. Not wanting to be seen, considering how he feels about me, I hid behind a cloud." Pyrefly paused. He suddenly started to fight not only his building rage, but something else. There was sorrow, and fear. As he tried to hold back his tears, he continued the explanation. "I heard him start to shout. He was complaining about how you weren't acing your classes. He blamed it on playing Buckball. On Sunset and me. I heard him call us inferior. How we rely on our magic and wings. How we're nothing like Earth Ponies. That we have no right to even share the same space as you. That's when I heard glass break, followed by you screaming and starting to cry." Now Pyrefly was openly crying. The tears freely streaming down his face. Even Sunset had started to weep, silently sobbing with her head hung low and Pyrefly carried on. "And like a coward, I flew off. I should have flown down there. I should have protected you. I should have -" "Jay." Bright Dawn quietly said as she walked up to her friend, pulling him into a tight embrace. "There was nothing you could do. Thank you, but I'll be ok. I am ok. So please, don't think about it. And don't go doing anything crazy." Pulling away, she looked Pyrefly square in the eyes, tears flowing from both ponies. With one leg still around the pegasus' neck, she turned towards Sunset, who was also letting the waterworks run. Delicately, Dawn reached out and pulled the unicorn into her hug. "I love you guys…" the Earth Pony said quietly, a woeful smile secretly resting on her face. When Pyrefly came back from memory lane, he found that he was reclining in a cloud high above Ponyville. As his senses returned to him, he began to hear a pony talking. Once his sight refocused, standing above him was a sky blue Pegasus mare. Her mane was a full rainbow and on her flank sat a rainbow lightning bolt as a Cutie Mark. "Hello? Anyone in there. Equestria to random pony. Hello?" "Yeah yeah yeah. I'm alive, I'm alive." "Oh good." She sighed in relief. "I thought I'd have to fly you to the hospital. And no offence, but you do not look light." "Gee, thanks for the concern." Pyrefly deadpanned, rolling his eyes. "And to do I owe thanks to for this noblest of rescues?" "Names Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in all of Equestria and resident Wonderbolt. What's your name?" "It's Pyrefly. I just moved here from…" Suddenly, Pyrefly stopped and took a closer look around him. The sun was just over the horizon, bathing the sky in a crimson red. "Sweet Celestia, just how long was I out for?" "How am I supposed to know? I was just out flying practicing a new routine before the sun went down when I heard crying. Concerned somepony was in trouble, I followed it and found you." "Damn it. Did it again." Pyrefly muttered under his breath, his face becoming flushed with embarrassment. "What was that?" "Nothing. Sorry. Didn't mean to be a bother." "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're ok. By the way, you said your name was Pyrefly right? You wouldn't happen to be the same Pyrefly that played Buckball up north would you be?" Pyrefly sighed, re-centering himself as he lazily began to stretch his limbs and wings. "Yup, that was me." "Was? What do you mean by was?" "I retired." "But why? You and your team were the coolest. And I was hoping to one day put my Sonic Rainboom against your Cosmic Comet!" "Sorry. But I'm so out of practice I couldn't possibly fly fast enough to keep up with you, let alone trigger the Comet. Besides, let's just say there are personal reasons for it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to head home before it gets any later. Thanks for making sure I was ok. It was a pleasure to meet you ma'am -" "Please, call me RD. All my friends do." "Alright then, RD. Whelp, it was a pleasure meeting you. It's time to call it a night. And if you're really curious about the team, seek out a pony in town named Sunset Shimmer. She was on the team. Maybe she'd be more willing to talk about it." As soon as he turned to leave,he heard Rainbow gasp and curse. "Damn it Sunset! Why haven't you told us how awesome you were!" 'Looks like she already knows Sunset. Well, have fun Bacon Head.' Pyrefly thought as he stepped off the cloud, and right into a free fall. With his eyes closed, he fell, the ground below getting ever closer. Then, at the last second, without opening his eyes and without missing a beat, he opened his wings and swung right into an effortless glide. Far above still in the cloud, Rainbow looked on in awe as she watched Pyrefly after his stunt. "So awesome!" she squeed, bringing an unknown smile to Pyrefly's face. "You still got it, Jay. You still got it." Tainted Sleep and Fresh ApplesPyrefly returned home shortly after moonrise. As he opened his front door, he braced himself for another explosion of balloons and confetti. But luckily the bombardment did not come, pulling a sigh of relief from the Pegasus. "Thank Celestia." He said aloud into the darkness of his home. Casually, he flew up the stairs and into his room. "Two! I had two blackouts! What the hell is going on with me?" Upon entering his room, he plopped down onto his bed and opened a box that sat unpacked on a side table. From inside, he produced a small bottle. Uncorking it, he took a long drink of the draught. Finishing the sip, he replaced the cork and tossed it back into the box and laid down on his back. Then, within moments of closing his eyes, he was asleep, and dead to the rest of the world. Bang bang bang 'What the hell?' Bang Bang Bang 'What's that noise?' BANG BANG BANG "PYREFLY, WAKE UP!" "I'm up! I'm up!" Pyrefly shouted at the top of his lungs. "Now stop banging on my damn door!" "Good cause we need to talk," a mare's voice said, followed by a flash of orange, and Sunset Shimmer was now standing at the foot of Pyrefly's bed. "Morning Bacon Head, and to what do I owe the pleasure of your presence this fine morn'?" "Don't you 'Morning Bacon Head' me! You're here one whole day and you're already causing me grief." "Wow," Pyrefly chuckled, sitting up in his bed."That rainbow chick got to you already? Damn, she moved fast." "Haha, hilarious. Let me tell you something. All Night Long RD asked me so many damn questions. Many I couldn't answer! I had to teleport her away the moment she started asking about Bright." At the mention of their friend, the both grew quiet. "What did happen?" Sunset asked, breaking the mounting silence. " I heard the news, but I never got the exact details…" "And I'm not gonna talk about it. A lot changed after you left. You just fucked off and left us to suffer. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm getting out of here. Close the door on your way out." Then, with a flash of speed, Pyrefly was out of bed and already down stairs and at the door. However, before he could leave, Sunset popped in between him and the outside. "Jay, stop. I'm sorry. I didn't know leaving would cause you two so much pain." "Yeah, well, hindsight is always 20/20. You did and it did. And from there everything that could go wrong did go wrong. You left and it fucked everything up!" Pyrefly shouted, now visibly shaking with a sudden flare of rage. "We had a plan. We were all gonna get away! But you just couldn't wait. You dropped us like unwanted baggage the first moment you could. Now get out of the way!" In the quiet, a tear hits the floor a flash of orange fills the room, and Sunset was gone. Still consumed by his rage, Pyrefly left his house, slamming his door before zooming off into the morning air. He didn't know where he was going. All he knew was he needed to get away. He needed to fly. Suddenly, with a burst of heat and a boom of sound, the world turned black, followed by silence. "What do you mean you're leaving?" "Jay, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity." "Can't it wait? School's almost over. Then all three of us can move to Canterlot." "I'm sorry, but this is time sensitive. They want an answer by the end of the week." "What about Buckball? We're a team!" "It's an academic scholarship. You know if it was an athletic one, I would have been sure to request one for each of you." "But since it's not, you're still gonna leave?" "This isn't goodbye. I'll write, I'll visit. This isn't the end. Even Bright told me to go." "You went to Dawn first? What the hell?!" "Because I knew you'd pull something like this! I knew you'd blow up for no reason!" " No reason?! My best friend is ditching me for the glitz and glam of Canterlot!" "So that's it? You're upset because YOU'RE losing me? This has nothing to do with Bright Dawn, it's all about you. How could you be so selfish?" "That's not what I meant. You know that. I love you two like sisters! You guys mean the world to me." "Then you should have chosen your words better. Goodbye Jay. I wish you the best, and hope I get to see you again soon." "Sunset, wait! Sunset! SUNSET!" "I'm sorry!" Pyrefly screamed, face soaked in tears and sweat, as he snapped out of another nightmare. After taking a few moments to gather himself, he served his surroundings. He was reclining on the limb of an apple tree. Off in the distance, he heard the thumping of hooves moving fast in his direction. "What in tarnation was that hollerin'? Who's up in ma trees?" Shouted the pony, now standing at the base of the tree Pyrefly found himself in. Down below was an orange Earth Pony, blond tail and mane, and three apples adorned on her flank. And most noticeable of all, a tan cowgirl hat sat upon her head. "You ok up there partner? Need any help?" "I'm fine." Pyrefly shouted, as he floated gently down from his perch. "What in Equestria were ya doin' up there sugarcube?" "Looked like a nice place to take a nap." Pyrefly lied. "If ya say so. Just be careful. This may be my orchard, but that there's my friend's favourite tree. Wouldn't want her catching you napping in her spot." "Is that so?" The Pegasus asked, his eyebrow arching with curiosity. "Names Rainbow Dash, and she sure is a feisty one. Don't want to cross her. That's for sure." "You know RD too? Damn, does everypony in this town know each other?" "Well I'll be damned. How do you know our resident Wonderbolt?" "Met her last night. Embarrassing to say, but it was in the same manner as you today. And before I forget, names Pyrefly." "Names Applejack. AJ to my friends. Pleasure to meet’cha. Now tell me, what you were really doing in my tree?" "Like I said, I was just - " "Taking a nap. I got that part, sugarcube. But most ponies don't go screamin' at the top of their lungs while they're napping." Knowing she had him pinned, Pyrefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Opening his eyes once me, he locked eyes with Applejack. "Look -" Once more he was cut off with another wave of the boot. "It's ok. I get it. It's none of my business. And clearly, whatever this is, it's a weight on yer shoulders. Just know that you're welcome here anytime, whether it be a nap or an ear ta chew. Just promise me to tell the truth. I kinda have a knack for pickin out lies. Deal?" "Deal." Pyrefly answered, face flushed red as he nodded in agreement. "Good ta hear. Now I've got to scadaddle. Lots of chores ta do. It is almost Zap Apple season. Come by after harvest, first jar of jam is on me." She turned around, tipped her setson, and took off back into the orchard. "Take care of ya self sugarcube, and don't be a stranger!" The pony shouted back, before disappearing into the trees. "Thanks AJ," Pyrefly said, mostly to himself. "Don't work too hard." The Pegasus remained there under the apple tree, collecting his thoughts. Once he was ready, he let out a drawn out sigh and turned his head towards the sky. High above, the sun was reaching its zenith. "Almost noon. I should go find Sunset. She didn't deserve what happened. Besides, maybe it's time she knew the whole story…" With one last sigh and nod of his head, Pyrefly flapped his wings and was off in a gust of wind to find his childhood friend. Starting Over AgainAuthor's Note Hey everyone. I truly hope you like this story. I've been stuck for awhile now on another project and I just needed to write something, so I really hope you like this and please expect a somewhat regular update for this, given work lets me actually let me. But nevertheless, enjoy and until next time, ttul. Later!/) Starting Over Again “Attention passengers, we will be arriving at Ponyville Station in ten minutes. I repeat, we will be arriving at Ponyville Station in ten minutes. Thank you.” ‘This is it. My new life starts at the next stop.’ Pyrefly thought as he gazed out the rain glazed window. It had been a long train ride from his old home in Coltston, but he would do anything to get away from that place. “Attention passengers, we are now arriving at Ponyville Station. If this is your stop, please make your way towards the nearest door and please exit the train in an orderly fashion. Have a good day and thank you for riding the Equestria Railway.” Pyrefly closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. “Finally, time to be free and live my own life.” He said, opening his eyes once more as the train screeched to a stop. Standing up, he grabbed his bags and made his way out the doors towards his new life. As he stepped off the train, the storm that was hanging over the land was starting to let up, and the sunlight had begun to break through the clouds. “Man, it feels great to be able to finally stretch after so long.” Pyrefly said as he casually flexed his limbs and wings. He finished and gave his brown and black mane a quick shake and took in his new surroundings. The train station was simple and rustic, open to the elements and overlooking what seemed to be the main road in town, what with it leading right up to the front door of what he guessed was town hall. Taking notice of a good sized tree off to the side of the platform, he took off from the ground and zoomed under the leafy shelter. As he landed, he reached into his saddlebags, and took out a piece of parchment. Quickly scanning over it, he let out another deep breath and sighed. “Why did it have to rain on today of all days. Jeez, what a downer. Anyways, where did the realtor say my house was again?” He glanced down at the paper once more, reading aloud to himself. “From the station, travel straight till you reach Town Hall. From there, turn to the left and head towards Sugarcube Corner. Before you reach the building, take a right. Your new house will be marked by balloons.” Done with reading the note, Pyrefly took off for his new home, hovering just off the ground as he surveyed the area. Ponyville seemed to be quiet the quiet little town, way different from what he was use to back in Coltston. Everywhere there were little 'Mom and Pop' shops and vending carts. Not to mention every house was built from natural materials, like wood and thatch, as opposed to the steel and brick he was use too. Moments passed before he touched down in front of where his life would officially start over. On either side of the front door floated a collection of balloons, as well as a hoof painted banner that read ‘Welcome to Ponyville!’ “Clearly subtlety is not a known practice here, now is it?” the brown pegasus said under his breath, shaking his head as he walked up to the door. Opening the front door lead into an almost, unnatural darkness. “Why on earth is it so dark in here?” “So I can yell out SURPRISE!” With that, the lights flashed on, followed by confetti and balloons rained down from the ceiling, and there, standing in the middle of the room was a pink pony with matching puffy mane and tail. After a few moments, Pyrefly was able to recover from his mild heart attack to give a appropriate response. “Who in Tartarus are you and what are you doing in my house?!” “My names Pinkie Pie and I threw this party just for you! So welcome to Ponyville!” Pyrefly scanned the room, taking a moment to notice a very particular detail. “Some party this is. I guess I’m so special only one pony wanted to show up.” He deadpanned, trudging through the sea of party supplies that flooded the floor. “Yeah,” Pinkie said, rubbing the back of her neck with a foreleg. “There were gonna be more but something came up at Twilight’s castle, so they got pulled away. Soooo sorry.” As the pony finish, Pyrefly and reached the base of a nearby staircase that the realtor had told him lead to the bedrooms. However, she had said something that made him turn back towards her. “Wait? Did you just say Twilight?” “Yes?” “As in Twilight Sparkle?” “Yes?” “As in Princess of Friendship Twilight Sparkle?” “Yes?” “Ok then.” Pyrefly said with a shrug, turning back around and he began to climb the stairs. About halfway up he sighed and turned back around to his guest. “Look, Pinkie? I appreciate the party, really, I do. But the train ride took a lot out of me and I would really like to get some sleep, ok?” Pinkie’s expression saddened for a moment before perking back up, and bouncing in place. “That’s ok! We’ll just have to have ‘Welcome to Ponyville Party later. And then all my friends can be there for sure. Sound good to you..um…” “Its Pyrefly. And sure. Sounds good to me.” Pyrefly said, a small smile growing on his face. “Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s nap time. And don’t worry about the mess. I’ll clean it up later, cool?” “Okie dokie loki! See you soon!” Pinkie said mid bounce as she turned around and bounced the door, grabbing the handle with her tail on her way out. “Well then.” the pegasus said, flapping his wings and flying to the top of the stairs. “Looks like life here is gonna be interesting.” Seconds later, he found his bedroom, dropped his saddlebags on the floor, climbed into the bed and allowed himself to fall into sleep's peaceful embrace.
Nightmares and Reunions“Stop! What did I do now? Let go of me!” “Look at you. Flying around like you're better than the rest of your family. What did I tell you about doing that around here?” “What is your problem?” “The only problem I see here is what's resting at your back. Maybe I should break those damn things. Maybe then you'll learn.” “Learn what?” “THAT YOU AIN'T SPECIAL! Now stop squirming and give me those damn wings! I need to make it so that your like the rest of us!” “Hey, don't blame me for mom's genes, now let me go!” “To Hell with your mother's genes. If you were born of Earth Ponies then you should be a god damn Earth Pony!” “That's no fair! Do you even hear yourself? I'm your son!” “I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!” “LET ME GO!” “WHERE THE HELL IS MY HAMMER?” “STOP!” “JUST FUCKING HOLD STILL!” “NOOOO!” Pyrefly screamed as he sat up in his bed, a cold sweat coating his face. Fear began to engulf his senses as he looked around the dark room he was trapped in. However, he quickly realized where he was, in his new home in Ponyville. As he began to relax, he heard a steady knocking from downstairs. With an exhausted groan, he rolled out of bed and proceeded to the source of the sound. Reaching the stairs, he was reminded of the storm of party supplies that the pink pony from the day before had unleashed upon his living space. “Note to self. Never let that psycho pony in here again." Pyrefly said under his breath. Reaching the base of the stairs, a mare's voice could be heard from the other side of the front door. "I hope they're ok? That scream was really loud. I heard it from down the road. Maybe I should teleport in…" "No, no, no. No teleporting," Pyrefly shouted through the door. " Give me a sec." "Oh, sorry." The mare said as the Pegasus opened the door. Standing on stoop, is an orange unicorn with a red and orange mane. "I heard you shouting and I rushed over. By the way, I'm -" "Sunset Shimmer?!" "Yes, but how did you know that?" "I'm hurt." Pyrefly said with a smirk. " How could you forget your old friend?" "Old friend? I don't…" Suddenly, her eyes widened, jaw dropped and a look of shock spread across her face. "Oh my Celestia, Ja-" "Please. Pyrefly now." "Doesn't matter," Sunset squeed, lunging forward and wrapping her friend in a tight embrace, tears streaming down her face. "I've missed you so much!" "Oh, so you missed me did you? You didn't even remember who I was." "Yeah, well I never thought I'd see you again" "It's ok. Let it out." "Sorry." Sunset said, pulling herself away, wiping her face with a hoof. "Sorry. But I'm serious. I never thought I'd see you again. The last time we saw each other was-" "Just before you left home for Canterlot to study under the Princess. Speaking of which, how'd that go? Learn anything cool?" "Well, you see…" Sunset stammered nervously. "Sunset? What happened?" Pyrefly pressed, cocking an eyebrow in concern. "Promise you won't get mad?" "Only if you don't come in and sit down before you start. I'm tired and sore from standing in this doorway." With a mixed look of relief and terror, Sunset followed her friend inside to his living room, only to be stopped by the still present mess of balloons and confetti littering the floor. "Oh, sorry. Nevermind the mess." Pyrefly said as he flew over the floor of rubber and paper. "I'll get this cleaned up. I just need to go out and pick up some cleaning supplies." "Was this Pinkie's doing? She seriously needs to learn about personal space." "You know that psychotic pink pony?" "Yeah." Sunset said as she lit up her horn, and with a flash of bright orange light, the mess was gone. "She can be a handful sometimes but she always means well." "Handful?" Pyrefly repeated, eyebrow cocked once more. "Oh, my bad. Force of habit." "Force of habit? Where in Equestria did you pick up a habit like that? Griffonstone? The Dragonlands?" "No, no, no. But if you really want to know, then I should start from the beginning." "Always a good place to start." Pyrefly jeered with a smirk. "Quite you. I've forgotten how much of a smart ass you are." "Ouch! I'm hurt. Not only did you forget me, you forgot about one of my most endearing qualities." "Whatever." Sunset said with a smile and a roll of her eyes. "But enough with the pleasantries. What happened after you left home?" Surprised that the small talk didn't make her friend forget the reason he invited her into his home. Closing her eyes, as she sat on his couch, she took a deep breath. Letting it out, she looked her old friend in his eyes. "It's a long story." "So stop stalling and get on with it." "But what if you… I don't… I just got you…" "Sunset. I know it's been a long time, but no matter what you say, I never will think ill of you. I mean seriously, how often did you have my back back home?" "But, Jay…" "Sunset. Stop. Just spit it out. I'm not letting you leave until you do." "You know you can't follow through on that." Sunset said with a forced smile. "Shut up and spit it out!" Pyrefly shouted with a laugh. "Alright fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."
Reminiscing and Farwell"After graduating from CHS, I decided to come back and study under Twilight and her other student. And that's how it's been for the last few years." Finished with her tale, Sunset looked at her friend, waiting for him to speak. Moments pass. Seconds felt like minutes. Minutes felt like hours. After what felt like forever, the anxious unicorn broke the mounting silence. "Hello? Earth to Pyrefly, come in Pyrefly." The Pegasus remained quiet. He wasn't even blinking. Sunset let out a deep sigh, shaking her head in disbelief. "Damn. I broke him." Frantically she looked around, trying to think of a way to snap her friend back into reality when she thought of the most genius idea… "Hey, ya know what? I think maybe I should call Pinkie over here for a - " "Oh sweet Celestia! No! Not her!" Pyrefly said with a start, shooting into the air as he snapped back to reality. Realizing what he just did, he returned all four hooves to solid ground with a sheepish smile. "Hehe, sorry Sunset. Didn't mean to zone out like that. I mean it's just…" "A lot to take in. Tell me about it. Looking back, it does seem impossible, and I lived through it." "One question." "Yeah?" "Did you meet another me in this other world?" "If there was, I didn't meet him. Sorry." "Oh well," Pyrefly said, stretching his wings. "Guess I really am one of a kind." "Geez. You are such a cocky ass." "Not cocky my dear Sunset. I'm confident. However, I won't argue the ass part. It's my most alluring asset." Pyrefly chuckled. Sunset laughed, shaking her head. "Anyway, it's past noon and thanks to this little diversion, I'm behind on my errands. I'll be lucky if I get done by nightfall." "Oh," Pyrefly said apologetically. "Didn't mean to hold you up." Sunset shook her head some more. "No. Don't be sorry. It was good to see you again. And now that I know you live here, we can meet up anytime we want." "Don't go getting my hopes up, Bacon Head." "Sweet Celestia! I haven't heard that name in ages." Sunset laughed aloud, a noticeable blush spreading across her face. "Whelp, enough screwing around here. You should get going. I'm gonna go familiarize myself with the town." "Alright then," Sunset replied as she regained her composure. "I'll see you again real soon. Please take care of yourself, alright Firebutt." Both ponies laughed at that, and exchanged one last hug. Upon pulling apart, Sunset lit up her horn, and teleported away, leaving the Pegasus alone once more. "Well, best get to flying before it gets too late." And with that, he sighed, stepping out of his house, and out into his new home. With a flap of his wings, he was off.
Old Memories and a New FriendThe sun was high in the afternoon sky as Pyrefly casually flew through town. Even though it was getting late, Ponyville bustled with life. Everywhere he looked, Pegasi, Unicorns, and Earth Ponies lived and worked together. "This place is so much different than back home." Pyrefly said to himself. Thinking back, he began to recall life back then and just how segregated the races were. The only exception was at his school. And during this time, Pyrefly went by a different name. Back then, his name was Jay. At his school, everyone came together in the name of harmony. It was here where Pyrefly met his two best friends. First there was Bacon Hair herself, Sunset Shimmer. She was a star pupil, witty, and always ready with a snarky retort. And then, there was Bright Dawn. She was an Earth Pony, always quiet and reserved. But don't let her outward appearance mislead you. She was fiercely loyal, never letting her friends down. However, her private life was not bathed in sunshine and rainbows. She was always coming to school covered in cuts and bruises. But she never told her friends what the cause ever was. However, one day she came to school, tears covering her face and cuts all over her body. Seeing her like this was the last straw, sending Pyrefly into a rage. "That's it!" Pyrefly shouted, observing the slew of fresh scrape and scratches. "Once we graduate, we're leaving this trash heap of a town. All three of us." Sunset nodded in agreement, but Dawn objected. "Guys, please. This isn't what you think. I got these from doing yard work. I'm fine, really." "Bullshit." Sunset said sternly. "Look at you. These are not from yard work. One day after getting you from school, your father even went so far as to tell us to stop hanging out with you." "That was to our faces Dawn." Pyrefly raged on. "Your dad's a racist. Not to mention he abuses you just because you're our friend. And I bet this happens all the time, and I've personally seen him do it." At this, both mares looked at him, heads cocked in confusion and interest. "Well, you see…" Pyrefly stammered, trying to form his thoughts as quickly as possible. "Jay, have you been spying on me and my family?" Bright Dawn asked pensively. "Of course not!" Pyrefly answered quickly. "Then how?" "Look. I was flying around the other day. I happened to be in your area. I figured I'd swing by and say hi. As I got close, I saw you were reading by yourself in your yard. That's when I saw your father come stumbling out of the house. Not wanting to be seen, considering how he feels about me, I hid behind a cloud." Pyrefly paused. He suddenly started to fight not only his building rage, but something else. There was sorrow, and fear. As he tried to hold back his tears, he continued the explanation. "I heard him start to shout. He was complaining about how you weren't acing your classes. He blamed it on playing Buckball. On Sunset and me. I heard him call us inferior. How we rely on our magic and wings. How we're nothing like Earth Ponies. That we have no right to even share the same space as you. That's when I heard glass break, followed by you screaming and starting to cry." Now Pyrefly was openly crying. The tears freely streaming down his face. Even Sunset had started to weep, silently sobbing with her head hung low and Pyrefly carried on. "And like a coward, I flew off. I should have flown down there. I should have protected you. I should have -" "Jay." Bright Dawn quietly said as she walked up to her friend, pulling him into a tight embrace. "There was nothing you could do. Thank you, but I'll be ok. I am ok. So please, don't think about it. And don't go doing anything crazy." Pulling away, she looked Pyrefly square in the eyes, tears flowing from both ponies. With one leg still around the pegasus' neck, she turned towards Sunset, who was also letting the waterworks run. Delicately, Dawn reached out and pulled the unicorn into her hug. "I love you guys…" the Earth Pony said quietly, a woeful smile secretly resting on her face. When Pyrefly came back from memory lane, he found that he was reclining in a cloud high above Ponyville. As his senses returned to him, he began to hear a pony talking. Once his sight refocused, standing above him was a sky blue Pegasus mare. Her mane was a full rainbow and on her flank sat a rainbow lightning bolt as a Cutie Mark. "Hello? Anyone in there. Equestria to random pony. Hello?" "Yeah yeah yeah. I'm alive, I'm alive." "Oh good." She sighed in relief. "I thought I'd have to fly you to the hospital. And no offence, but you do not look light." "Gee, thanks for the concern." Pyrefly deadpanned, rolling his eyes. "And to do I owe thanks to for this noblest of rescues?" "Names Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in all of Equestria and resident Wonderbolt. What's your name?" "It's Pyrefly. I just moved here from…" Suddenly, Pyrefly stopped and took a closer look around him. The sun was just over the horizon, bathing the sky in a crimson red. "Sweet Celestia, just how long was I out for?" "How am I supposed to know? I was just out flying practicing a new routine before the sun went down when I heard crying. Concerned somepony was in trouble, I followed it and found you." "Damn it. Did it again." Pyrefly muttered under his breath, his face becoming flushed with embarrassment. "What was that?" "Nothing. Sorry. Didn't mean to be a bother." "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're ok. By the way, you said your name was Pyrefly right? You wouldn't happen to be the same Pyrefly that played Buckball up north would you be?" Pyrefly sighed, re-centering himself as he lazily began to stretch his limbs and wings. "Yup, that was me." "Was? What do you mean by was?" "I retired." "But why? You and your team were the coolest. And I was hoping to one day put my Sonic Rainboom against your Cosmic Comet!" "Sorry. But I'm so out of practice I couldn't possibly fly fast enough to keep up with you, let alone trigger the Comet. Besides, let's just say there are personal reasons for it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to head home before it gets any later. Thanks for making sure I was ok. It was a pleasure to meet you ma'am -" "Please, call me RD. All my friends do." "Alright then, RD. Whelp, it was a pleasure meeting you. It's time to call it a night. And if you're really curious about the team, seek out a pony in town named Sunset Shimmer. She was on the team. Maybe she'd be more willing to talk about it." As soon as he turned to leave,he heard Rainbow gasp and curse. "Damn it Sunset! Why haven't you told us how awesome you were!" 'Looks like she already knows Sunset. Well, have fun Bacon Head.' Pyrefly thought as he stepped off the cloud, and right into a free fall. With his eyes closed, he fell, the ground below getting ever closer. Then, at the last second, without opening his eyes and without missing a beat, he opened his wings and swung right into an effortless glide. Far above still in the cloud, Rainbow looked on in awe as she watched Pyrefly after his stunt. "So awesome!" she squeed, bringing an unknown smile to Pyrefly's face. "You still got it, Jay. You still got it."
Tainted Sleep and Fresh ApplesPyrefly returned home shortly after moonrise. As he opened his front door, he braced himself for another explosion of balloons and confetti. But luckily the bombardment did not come, pulling a sigh of relief from the Pegasus. "Thank Celestia." He said aloud into the darkness of his home. Casually, he flew up the stairs and into his room. "Two! I had two blackouts! What the hell is going on with me?" Upon entering his room, he plopped down onto his bed and opened a box that sat unpacked on a side table. From inside, he produced a small bottle. Uncorking it, he took a long drink of the draught. Finishing the sip, he replaced the cork and tossed it back into the box and laid down on his back. Then, within moments of closing his eyes, he was asleep, and dead to the rest of the world. Bang bang bang 'What the hell?' Bang Bang Bang 'What's that noise?' BANG BANG BANG "PYREFLY, WAKE UP!" "I'm up! I'm up!" Pyrefly shouted at the top of his lungs. "Now stop banging on my damn door!" "Good cause we need to talk," a mare's voice said, followed by a flash of orange, and Sunset Shimmer was now standing at the foot of Pyrefly's bed. "Morning Bacon Head, and to what do I owe the pleasure of your presence this fine morn'?" "Don't you 'Morning Bacon Head' me! You're here one whole day and you're already causing me grief." "Wow," Pyrefly chuckled, sitting up in his bed."That rainbow chick got to you already? Damn, she moved fast." "Haha, hilarious. Let me tell you something. All Night Long RD asked me so many damn questions. Many I couldn't answer! I had to teleport her away the moment she started asking about Bright." At the mention of their friend, the both grew quiet. "What did happen?" Sunset asked, breaking the mounting silence. " I heard the news, but I never got the exact details…" "And I'm not gonna talk about it. A lot changed after you left. You just fucked off and left us to suffer. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm getting out of here. Close the door on your way out." Then, with a flash of speed, Pyrefly was out of bed and already down stairs and at the door. However, before he could leave, Sunset popped in between him and the outside. "Jay, stop. I'm sorry. I didn't know leaving would cause you two so much pain." "Yeah, well, hindsight is always 20/20. You did and it did. And from there everything that could go wrong did go wrong. You left and it fucked everything up!" Pyrefly shouted, now visibly shaking with a sudden flare of rage. "We had a plan. We were all gonna get away! But you just couldn't wait. You dropped us like unwanted baggage the first moment you could. Now get out of the way!" In the quiet, a tear hits the floor a flash of orange fills the room, and Sunset was gone. Still consumed by his rage, Pyrefly left his house, slamming his door before zooming off into the morning air. He didn't know where he was going. All he knew was he needed to get away. He needed to fly. Suddenly, with a burst of heat and a boom of sound, the world turned black, followed by silence. "What do you mean you're leaving?" "Jay, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity." "Can't it wait? School's almost over. Then all three of us can move to Canterlot." "I'm sorry, but this is time sensitive. They want an answer by the end of the week." "What about Buckball? We're a team!" "It's an academic scholarship. You know if it was an athletic one, I would have been sure to request one for each of you." "But since it's not, you're still gonna leave?" "This isn't goodbye. I'll write, I'll visit. This isn't the end. Even Bright told me to go." "You went to Dawn first? What the hell?!" "Because I knew you'd pull something like this! I knew you'd blow up for no reason!" " No reason?! My best friend is ditching me for the glitz and glam of Canterlot!" "So that's it? You're upset because YOU'RE losing me? This has nothing to do with Bright Dawn, it's all about you. How could you be so selfish?" "That's not what I meant. You know that. I love you two like sisters! You guys mean the world to me." "Then you should have chosen your words better. Goodbye Jay. I wish you the best, and hope I get to see you again soon." "Sunset, wait! Sunset! SUNSET!" "I'm sorry!" Pyrefly screamed, face soaked in tears and sweat, as he snapped out of another nightmare. After taking a few moments to gather himself, he served his surroundings. He was reclining on the limb of an apple tree. Off in the distance, he heard the thumping of hooves moving fast in his direction. "What in tarnation was that hollerin'? Who's up in ma trees?" Shouted the pony, now standing at the base of the tree Pyrefly found himself in. Down below was an orange Earth Pony, blond tail and mane, and three apples adorned on her flank. And most noticeable of all, a tan cowgirl hat sat upon her head. "You ok up there partner? Need any help?" "I'm fine." Pyrefly shouted, as he floated gently down from his perch. "What in Equestria were ya doin' up there sugarcube?" "Looked like a nice place to take a nap." Pyrefly lied. "If ya say so. Just be careful. This may be my orchard, but that there's my friend's favourite tree. Wouldn't want her catching you napping in her spot." "Is that so?" The Pegasus asked, his eyebrow arching with curiosity. "Names Rainbow Dash, and she sure is a feisty one. Don't want to cross her. That's for sure." "You know RD too? Damn, does everypony in this town know each other?" "Well I'll be damned. How do you know our resident Wonderbolt?" "Met her last night. Embarrassing to say, but it was in the same manner as you today. And before I forget, names Pyrefly." "Names Applejack. AJ to my friends. Pleasure to meet’cha. Now tell me, what you were really doing in my tree?" "Like I said, I was just - " "Taking a nap. I got that part, sugarcube. But most ponies don't go screamin' at the top of their lungs while they're napping." Knowing she had him pinned, Pyrefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Opening his eyes once me, he locked eyes with Applejack. "Look -" Once more he was cut off with another wave of the boot. "It's ok. I get it. It's none of my business. And clearly, whatever this is, it's a weight on yer shoulders. Just know that you're welcome here anytime, whether it be a nap or an ear ta chew. Just promise me to tell the truth. I kinda have a knack for pickin out lies. Deal?" "Deal." Pyrefly answered, face flushed red as he nodded in agreement. "Good ta hear. Now I've got to scadaddle. Lots of chores ta do. It is almost Zap Apple season. Come by after harvest, first jar of jam is on me." She turned around, tipped her setson, and took off back into the orchard. "Take care of ya self sugarcube, and don't be a stranger!" The pony shouted back, before disappearing into the trees. "Thanks AJ," Pyrefly said, mostly to himself. "Don't work too hard." The Pegasus remained there under the apple tree, collecting his thoughts. Once he was ready, he let out a drawn out sigh and turned his head towards the sky. High above, the sun was reaching its zenith. "Almost noon. I should go find Sunset. She didn't deserve what happened. Besides, maybe it's time she knew the whole story…" With one last sigh and nod of his head, Pyrefly flapped his wings and was off in a gust of wind to find his childhood friend.
Starting Over AgainAuthor's Note Hey everyone. I truly hope you like this story. I've been stuck for awhile now on another project and I just needed to write something, so I really hope you like this and please expect a somewhat regular update for this, given work lets me actually let me. But nevertheless, enjoy and until next time, ttul. Later!/) Starting Over Again “Attention passengers, we will be arriving at Ponyville Station in ten minutes. I repeat, we will be arriving at Ponyville Station in ten minutes. Thank you.” ‘This is it. My new life starts at the next stop.’ Pyrefly thought as he gazed out the rain glazed window. It had been a long train ride from his old home in Coltston, but he would do anything to get away from that place. “Attention passengers, we are now arriving at Ponyville Station. If this is your stop, please make your way towards the nearest door and please exit the train in an orderly fashion. Have a good day and thank you for riding the Equestria Railway.” Pyrefly closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. “Finally, time to be free and live my own life.” He said, opening his eyes once more as the train screeched to a stop. Standing up, he grabbed his bags and made his way out the doors towards his new life. As he stepped off the train, the storm that was hanging over the land was starting to let up, and the sunlight had begun to break through the clouds. “Man, it feels great to be able to finally stretch after so long.” Pyrefly said as he casually flexed his limbs and wings. He finished and gave his brown and black mane a quick shake and took in his new surroundings. The train station was simple and rustic, open to the elements and overlooking what seemed to be the main road in town, what with it leading right up to the front door of what he guessed was town hall. Taking notice of a good sized tree off to the side of the platform, he took off from the ground and zoomed under the leafy shelter. As he landed, he reached into his saddlebags, and took out a piece of parchment. Quickly scanning over it, he let out another deep breath and sighed. “Why did it have to rain on today of all days. Jeez, what a downer. Anyways, where did the realtor say my house was again?” He glanced down at the paper once more, reading aloud to himself. “From the station, travel straight till you reach Town Hall. From there, turn to the left and head towards Sugarcube Corner. Before you reach the building, take a right. Your new house will be marked by balloons.” Done with reading the note, Pyrefly took off for his new home, hovering just off the ground as he surveyed the area. Ponyville seemed to be quiet the quiet little town, way different from what he was use to back in Coltston. Everywhere there were little 'Mom and Pop' shops and vending carts. Not to mention every house was built from natural materials, like wood and thatch, as opposed to the steel and brick he was use too. Moments passed before he touched down in front of where his life would officially start over. On either side of the front door floated a collection of balloons, as well as a hoof painted banner that read ‘Welcome to Ponyville!’ “Clearly subtlety is not a known practice here, now is it?” the brown pegasus said under his breath, shaking his head as he walked up to the door. Opening the front door lead into an almost, unnatural darkness. “Why on earth is it so dark in here?” “So I can yell out SURPRISE!” With that, the lights flashed on, followed by confetti and balloons rained down from the ceiling, and there, standing in the middle of the room was a pink pony with matching puffy mane and tail. After a few moments, Pyrefly was able to recover from his mild heart attack to give a appropriate response. “Who in Tartarus are you and what are you doing in my house?!” “My names Pinkie Pie and I threw this party just for you! So welcome to Ponyville!” Pyrefly scanned the room, taking a moment to notice a very particular detail. “Some party this is. I guess I’m so special only one pony wanted to show up.” He deadpanned, trudging through the sea of party supplies that flooded the floor. “Yeah,” Pinkie said, rubbing the back of her neck with a foreleg. “There were gonna be more but something came up at Twilight’s castle, so they got pulled away. Soooo sorry.” As the pony finish, Pyrefly and reached the base of a nearby staircase that the realtor had told him lead to the bedrooms. However, she had said something that made him turn back towards her. “Wait? Did you just say Twilight?” “Yes?” “As in Twilight Sparkle?” “Yes?” “As in Princess of Friendship Twilight Sparkle?” “Yes?” “Ok then.” Pyrefly said with a shrug, turning back around and he began to climb the stairs. About halfway up he sighed and turned back around to his guest. “Look, Pinkie? I appreciate the party, really, I do. But the train ride took a lot out of me and I would really like to get some sleep, ok?” Pinkie’s expression saddened for a moment before perking back up, and bouncing in place. “That’s ok! We’ll just have to have ‘Welcome to Ponyville Party later. And then all my friends can be there for sure. Sound good to you..um…” “Its Pyrefly. And sure. Sounds good to me.” Pyrefly said, a small smile growing on his face. “Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s nap time. And don’t worry about the mess. I’ll clean it up later, cool?” “Okie dokie loki! See you soon!” Pinkie said mid bounce as she turned around and bounced the door, grabbing the handle with her tail on her way out. “Well then.” the pegasus said, flapping his wings and flying to the top of the stairs. “Looks like life here is gonna be interesting.” Seconds later, he found his bedroom, dropped his saddlebags on the floor, climbed into the bed and allowed himself to fall into sleep's peaceful embrace.
