"Hey. How I'm doing? It could go better. But... it is going better than when I arrived here. Before I came here... I would never thought that I would share my story, and maybe her's. Although, it would be better to let her tell her side of the story. Well... here it goes..."
"Rain... are you okay?" a voice asked with concern next to me.
I sighed as I looked up into the already darkened and star filled sky, Luna's full moon hanging beautifully above the mountains in the north. "You know that I'm not okay, Star," I said as I glanced over to my right, where a concerning looking red coated and golden maned pegasus stallion was standing, his blue eyes searching mine. "It has only been a week since I finally left them. And yet, it feels like It was only yesterday that their voices went on again about how I'm a disgrace to the family."
I sighed again as I broke eye contact with Star, and set off towards a big city near the mountains. My hooves softly tapping the grass, with Star following me closely. "I know it is hard for you to forget about them. But you really need to..."
I stopped him in the middle of his sentence with a harsh glare and a hard stomp in his direction, "You know?
What do YOU know about trying to forget those horrible parents!? How they have been to me my whole life!? How would you know how difficult it is!? Your life is better than mine in every way! How can you possibly know how hard this is!?" I fumed at the cast down pegasi. My nostrils flaring and my hearth beating faster when I even thought back at their faces.
Star's ears drooped to the side of his head as he turned his muzzle away from me with a saddened look. Regret filled me instantly when I saw him like that. "Star, I-I..." I stammered. looking down at my hooves, I sighed and tried to calm myself down. "I...I'm sorry, Star," I said as I glanced back at him. "You know that I don't truly mean that. You've been my friend for a very long time. You've been there for me in the toughest of days. It is stupid, no, ignorant of me, and above all, pathetic of me to get angry at you, when you are only concerned for my well being. If anything, you've been more family to me than they could ever be," I said in honesty.
I closed my eyes and turned my muzzle away as Star didn't react, fear filling me that I might have lost my closest friend. That was, until a hoof touched my shoulder gently. I opened my eyes with surprise by the sudden touch, I turned my muzzle back to Star, our eyes locking. Everything I feared, it was for nothing, for in front of me was not an angry nor a sad look, but one of compassion and understanding.
"Its okay, Rain. You don't have to apologize. I know how your parents and your brother treated you. It is my fault for asking about it every time."
I'm sure my smile went up by miles as he said this, for when I felt the corners of my mouth tugging, his smile grew as well. "Thats better. Now come on, we still need to get to Canterlot, and find whatever that figure told you to seek in the city that would help you," Star said as he put his hoof back on the ground and turned to his right.
I felt more relieved than I have ever been. Turning to my left, I went ahead of Star who waited patiently for me. Our hooves tapping the soft grass again as we approached the lightly illuminated city of Canterlot. From this distance away, I could see a large train track going towards what looked like a small town down in the valley below. As I glanced away from the town, I focused back on the city itself. Luckily, most houses seem to have already darkened for the... evening? Night? I don't know how late it was at the time.
Nearing the capital of Equestria, I glanced up at the giant castle at the other end of the city, noting that I saw a faint glimmer coming from one of the higher towers. I rubbed my eyes with my right hoof and looked once more, but it was gone by the time I found the tower with my eyes. Confused as to what it was, I didn't notice we reached the outskirts of the city, the train station was right in front of me, luckily, it seemed that the station was closed for the night. No ponies were on the platforms and no lights illuminated the station, making our virtue much easier.
I carefully climbed the platform, putting my front hooves on it and pulling myself onto it. Star flapped his wings silently and landed next to me. I gestured with my right hoof to what looked like a ticket booth. Star followed my hoof to where I pointed at and nodded to me. Making our way over to the booth, I glanced through the windows to see if anypony was in it, while Star did the same with the souvenir shop that was located right next to it.
Not spotting anypony, I sighed a breath of relief. Sliding down onto my haunches and unbuckling my saddle bag and laying it next to me, I gently leaned my back against the booth. I let the backside of my head hit the wooden boards with a soft 'bump' while letting out a yawn. "Tired?" Star asked me as he came sitting down next to me against the booth.
"A bit. I'll only take a quick bite, then we can go again." I said as another yawn escaped me.
Opening the flap of my saddle bag, I searched with my hoof for something to eat. After feeling for a while, I found an apple which didn't look as fresh anymore. "That one doesn't look that good, Rain. I don't recommend eating it," Star voiced with hesitation.
I sighed, "I know. But we don't have anything else left. And I don't want to steal from anypony." I broke the apple in half and offered Star the other.
Not much to my surprise however, he declined my offer with a shake off his head and eyes closed.
"You can have it, Rain. I'm not hungry." Star said with an apologetic smile.
I sighed again, "Star, you must eat as well. It surprises me everyday how you can go on like this without eating regularly."
Star chuckled, "Don't worry about me. I do appreciate your concern for me though," he finished with a wink and pushing my outstretched hoof which carried the other half of the apple back to me.
I smiled back at him with appreciation. Although, I never liked it when he did like that. It made me feel so... unsatisfied, like I am no use to him, like I am not able to help him in some way, it made feel a bit empty every time he did something similar.
I glanced at the half he pushed back to me, hesitation gripped me as I looked back to Star, who gave a nod at me. I didn't feel good about taking the complete apple for myself, but again, if Star wished me to have it... it would be for the better if I ate it. Taking my first bite out of the pushed back slice, a shiver ran down my spine as the not so fresh, but still good tasting piece of apple entered my mouth, quenching some of the hunger I had.
I finished the first half not much later, and began to nimble on the second half. Star in the mean time had stood up and moved to the souvenir shop that was next to the booth. I could have imagined it... but I think I saw something twinkle down his left cheek. I finished my last piece of apple and slowly got up, making my way over to Star, I noticed that he was glancing at photos from what looked like tourists that visited here. I silently joined him, searching where his eyes were looking at, I saw what gave the tear the reason to go down his cheek.
In the middle of all photos, was a family photo of 3 ponies, an earth pony stallion with a brown coat, golden mane and golden eyes. The second was a pegasus mare with a white mane, red coat and blue eyes. In the middle of them, was a little colt around the age of 8. He had a golden mane and red coat with blue eyes. The colt was laughing in his mothers outstretched hooves who held him while the stallion was tickling his tummy.
I put my hoof on his shoulder, "Star. You don't have to come with me you know. You can go back to Baltimare, back to your parents," I said as I glanced from the photo to him.
Star sniffed once, took a brief inhale, and letted it out again through his nostrils. "I know. But you're important to me as well. I'll first help you, and after that, I'll spend as much time with them as possible," he said as he turned back to me, his eyes fixed in determination. I let go of his shoulder and stretched my hoof towards him. Without saying anything, he hoof bumped my hoof with his left.
I brought my hoof back towards the ground and turned to my left, leaving Star to take a few seconds to look at the photo while I grabbed my saddle bag from next to the booth. I closed the flap of my saddle bag, and slowly brought it back over my head and onto my back, wincing lightly as it slides past my right wing.
Star came standing next to me, his eyes locked onto the city in front of us. My eyes joined in his observing, leaving us standing still on the darkened train station, with the mysterious, lightly illuminated city in front of us. A light wind passed us by, making our manes wave lightly as it went. Taking in a deep breath, I tried to calm my nerves and my uneasiness that was creeping inside of me. "Don't worry, Rain," Star said, getting my attention and I glanced towards him. "I'll be with you through this whole thing, until you're sure that your fine."
"Star... that colt is one of the best ponies I've ever known. Even though he has his own moments, he always manages to put his aside, and stand at mine. He always managed... to make everything seem okay... that the worst had passed, It's one of his traits that stood out from him... and still does..."
Once again, I found myself smiling in gratitude, my nerves calmed down a bit, and my mind becoming more clear. "Thanks, Star. I owe you one after this."
Star rolled his eyes, "More than one by now, but that is for in the future."
We chuckled lightly before brining our attention back towards the task at hoof. As if we were synced in movement, we both stepped forward with our left hoof, and began to make our way over the train tracks in front of us, and into the city of Canterlot. As we approached the first building, my heart began to beat faster the closer we got.
We moved against the side of the first darkened house, and I glanced into the street next to it, spying a few ponies going on about whatever they were doing. It seemed a few bars and clubs were open due to the multiple lights that seemed to flicker above the mentioned buildings down the road. My nerves went up again and I began to breath heavily at seeing the ponies on the street. Fear crept down my spine and I felt a cold sensation running down my tail.
I tiredly recollected my train of thought, and brought my head back around the corner of the house, regaining a bit of my breath as I slumped down to my haunches. "We can-cannot go through t-there, Star." I said, while I still tried to regain a steady breathing rhythm. "There are to many ponies that could spot us."
Star stood next to me, his eyes narrowed in thought, "Hhmm, I think it is best if we used the back alleys than. If we can find a less populated part of the city, we might be able to look carefully for whatever might help you."
I nodded at him, "Good idea, Star."
Getting back onto my hooves, I turned away from the the street I just peeked into, and moved to the more desolated part of Canterlot. The buildings became older and older till the point they looked abandoned. I glanced into the first street we came across within this part of the city, noticing that truly nopony will come here at night, since even I began to get a bit fearful, seeing the old houses and tiny shops falling into disrepair like this, it almost felt like a ghost town. Star though, didn't show a sign of fear or discouragement at seeing the eery silent and darkened street.
I carefully made my way into the street, my hooves feeling the grass between the old cobblestone road. Cold air washed over me in silence, it chilled me, but it was better than going through the ponies in the more populated part of the city.
We seemingly neared the middle of the street due to the amount of what seemed to be abandoned shops and cafe's coming after one another. The cafes still held a sense of what joy was shared between the costumers who would come and grab a thee together or the ponies that simply just met there. The shops had the same after-sense of business that could have been done inside. One such store, was a foal toy store. I left the middle of the street and went to the left side of it, noticing the faded inscription that was carved into the wood above the store's broken windows. The wood was dusty, but still readable, "Toys with you," I said silently. My eyes went from the dusty sign into the store, I glanced inside but couldn't see much due to the darkness that resided.
"I remember that we used to visit stores like this."
I jumped a bit at the sudden voice that came from my left, but nodded at Star as he was standing there, looking about the store himself, his left hoof on the window sill of the toy store. "Yeah, back in Baltimare," I said as I calmed myself down again, "I remember that you got me a Wonderbolt costume for Nightmare night."
"I also remember that you ruined the costume the same night... because you were scared by a Night Mare Moon costume," Star said as he looked over to me and carried a small smirk.
"You were equally terrified, Star," I retorted.
"I am not the one who jumped into a dumpster out of fear."
"Shut it."
"Okay, okay. I'll stop. For now at least."
"That is good enough for me," I said rolling my eyes and letting go of the window sill.
Brining my hooves back on the ground, I turned to my right and glanced back into the street. Noting that we were quite lost in a city we didn't know, in a street that felt like a ghost town, without a clue as to where we needed to go from here. "Star? any idea where we should go from here?" I asked my friend as he appeared to be standing at my side again.
"You go find us a place to rest for the night. I'll see if I can explore the neighborhood a bit. Maybe I come across something that can help you."
"I-I don't think we should split up..." I said with hesitation, the eery feeling of fear starting to creep on me already at the thought.
"Don't worry, Rain. I will not leave the block. I'll just get a quick lock around, after that I'm coming straight back here, okay?" Star said while he offered his left hoof. Slightly reassured by his words, I gave a weak smile and bumped his hoof with mine.
Star nodded to me and silently moved away from me, turning into a dark alley a few feet away from me, his red coat and golden tail disappearing into the shadows.
"..."
I stood there in the middle of the darkened street, cold air brushed past my hooves and fear creeped onto my neck. My breath began to accelerate again as my hearth rate went faster at the realization that I was completely alone, once more.
"Well, hello there little foal. Are you lost?"
My breath got stuck in my throat and my ears perked sharply towards the back of me. "T-that is not, Star..."
I trembled as I slowly turned my head to look behind me, sweat began to pour down my neck as I saw 3 ponies standing in the middle of the street, their muzzles covered with thugs masks.
My vision began to blur.
I felt my heart in my chest pounding with the intensity of a stomping dragon.
My eyes grew heavy and I closed them.
I opened my eyes again, my vision somewhat blurry and disorientated.
I seemed... smaller... like I was closer to the ground. I glanced to my hooves and found that I indeed was closer to the ground. Looking over where I was, I came to the conclusion that I looked to be in an all to familiar looking house. Everything seemed to be slightly grey colored, but I knew where I was, and I didn't want to be there...
I felt my heart beat slightly rising again as I glanced about and confirmed that I was indeed where I feared I was. The wooden floor boards slightly creaking as I tapped my hooves on them, a long hallway was stretching out in front of me. To my left was a white painted wall with a cabinet standing against it, with a picture on top of it. A picture of 4 ponies.
Them, and... me...
"There you are, son... You're just in time for practicccceee..."
My eyes shot open and a tear rolled down my cheek... this couldn't be happening... not again...
"Luna... help me..."
*****************************************
After serving the last bit of food to the last little filly in line, Night Blossom wiped away the small trickles of sweat that had built up on her head, smiling as she watched the filly run into the dining hall with her bowl of vegetables. It always did please her to see the children smile in a place like this...
"Tired?" Said a voice behind Night Blossom, making her turn to see a mare with red coat and a grey mane, smiling as she noticed Night Blossom putting a smile on her tired face. "I am. But it's all worth it when you know a child is going to bed with a filled tummy..." She said, looking back at the door way at the empty darkness which once had an abundance of life coming through it, hoping for a treat to fill their stomachs of the evils of hunger. "That's a way to keep up spirits Nighty..." Her Co-worker said, wiping a bit of sweat from Night Blossom's head, "But really... You look exhausted and your shift ended three hours ago."
"I just wanted to make sure they all were fed. I'd never be able to live with myself if I went home and found out the little Fillies and Colts went to bed hungry."
"I can assure you that that'll never happen. Not while I'm still working here!" Night's Co-Worker said, placing a hoof on her own chest while puffing it out in an exaggerated way, making Night Blossom giggle at her performance. "Bravo..." She said, Bowing before her friend with her right wing expanded from her body and her left placed on her chest. "I mean it though, Night... Get some rest. You've done good today and you need the rest. I'll be here in case anypony comes up asking for food, alright?" The pony said with a smile as she started looking through the fridge, making sure it's still filled with various fruits and vegetables.
With a sigh, Night Blossom succumbed to the overwhelming feeling of sleep taking her and her friends encouragement. "Fine... You win. But you better make sure that all of them are taken care of."
"I'll be certain. Goodnight, Nighty!"
*****************************************
Night was always the time that most ponies expecting ponies like Night Blossom to be working or something, but Night Blossom wasn't like her species. For the most part at least. Sure she ate fruit like her group and had wings similar to them as well, but she was never the type to wonder around at night. Living here in this small community changed her into a, to quote her species, "Day Walker".
Not that she was ever too fond of the darkness to begin with...
As though on cue, her fears were proven slightly correct as she heard the sound a trash can hitting the ground and a fairly large Stallion flying straight in front of her, bruises covering his body and a small trickle of blood going down his face. Her fear only grew more as she looked down the ally that the body came from as she noticed a large stallion figure standing halfway down the ally, seemingly panting as he stared at the body, making its way closer to Night Blossom. It's gaze striking fear into her.
"Please! I don't have anything on me I swear!" Night Blossom said as her fear got the better of her and she fell to the ground, her hooves brought in tight to her body and her leather wings covering her head, eyes shut tight. After a small amount of time, she could feel the Stallions presence before her, only making her fear the stallion more as he over looked her. Please go away, Please go away, Please go away...! She repeated in her mind over and over again before peaking out of her makeshift wing-shield and at the stallion above her, who had now been looking at her with a crazed animal look and near blood shot eyes, although, and even more confusing, he also had a strange tired look in his eye. Sure enough, the Stallion fell to the ground in front of Night Blossom, shocking her as she shot out of her fetal position and stared at the Stallion. His coat was a blue shade, but various bruises and rashes were spread around his body, his mane all over the place and matted down by sweat.
Her concerning nature taking over, Night Blossom quickly checked for any signs of life coming from the Stallion. His pulse was steady, but his breathing was slightly weak. With all of his pulses in check, Night Blossom quickly strapped the Stallion over her back, making her way quickly home in an attempt of getting him the aid he needed.
I ran.
I simply ran. I didn't know to where, neither did I care. I wanted to get away from them, all of them.
The sides of my vision were grey and slightly blurred, but I did not pay any attention to it.
My heart pounded.
My legs and hooves were hurt from the amount of distance I've had been running.
Even with how much I ran, I could still hear them behind me, "Come on, Rain! We have a present for you!"
"Yeah! Your brother gave us the idea!"
"Maybe you'll earn your cutie mark with it!"
The colts and fillies went on with trying to lure me towards them, but I knew that if I did that, it would be the end of me. So I kept running. Even with the burning sensation that was bound around my body and wings. A very old and worn out rope was tied around me, an attempt at catching me off guard before I could make a run for it. The rope was tied very roughly and strong around me, I could feel it burning with every motion my body made, my fur was being pulled away by it, hair by hair, as it was stuck between the rope that was spun around me 4 times. My skin was being scraped by it, I could feel the pain rising the more I ran with it, leaving burn spots hidden under the fur that I still had.
But that all was the least of my concerns.
I ran down an empty hallway with many doors on both sides of the corridor. All of them locked and dark.
The voices that chased me, they became worse. Now they were not trying to lure me.
"COME BACK HERE BLANK-FLANK!"
"STOP RUNNING, YOU BIG MUTATED BIRD!"
They were threatening me.
"IF YOU DON'T STOP NOW, WE'LL TEAR YOUR FEATHERS OFF!"
"YOU'LL NEVER FLY, DODO! BETTER LET US HELP YOU WITH TRYING!"
Tears were running down my cheeks as I tried, and failed, to stop the shoutings and cursing from entering my ears. I even felt a jolt of pain as something was thrown at my head. It almost felt like it was a rock.
I perked up as I saw a means of hiding and shelter, a door that lead towards the restrooms. I jolted towards it as fast as I could manage. Reaching the door, I barraged into it and instantly turned around and locked the door with the twist-lock that was below the door handle. I slowly backed away from the door as it was being assaulted by stomping hooves, threats, shouts about injuring or hurting me in varies ways.
I backed up into the far corner of the restroom and curled up into a tiny ball, my tears running freely as I sobbed onto the white tiles.
"Why are you crying, little bro?"
My tears stopped coming and my ears perked up at the familiar voice.
"Are those mean fillies and colts chasing you again?"
Fear filled me.
"You know it is not nice to keep your 'fans' waiting."
I heard the clip-clops of hooves coming towards me. Slowly, but surely, they were becoming louder.
My tears began to roll down my cheeks again as the sounds of hooves stopped just behind me. My heart
began pounding so hard, I could my chest expanding in fast rhythms.
I closed my eyes as I felt the rope that was still around me, was being grabbed. I could feel myself being
lifted off of the ground, before being thrown against the wall again.
"You're pathetic to say the least. It surprises me that you were able to outrun your 'friends' as long as you did."
I sobbed while holding my left hoof with my right, gritting my teeth as hard as I could, trying to keep myself from screaming in pain. I knew, that if I yelled when I was swung agains the tiled wall, he would only hurt me more. The pain in my left hoof was extreme, I was pretty sure it was broken by the throw.
Not that anypony would care anyway.
"V...V..."
The other colt in the restroom huffed annoyed, "V? V, what? You little pitiful excuse of a pegasus."
"V-Vortex... I... I think I b-broke my ankle..." I sniffed through my tears.
"
So? Why should I care? You're only a waste of space. If Princess Celestia would see you like this, I bet she would banish you to the moon, just for being in front of her like this. Or if she is merciful, end your misery for good..."
I didn't saw him, but I could feel his eyes burning a hole in me. His words drilling themselves deep into my mind. "P-Princess Celestia would never do that..."
My fore head was shoved harshly against the tiles. "Don't you even dare to utter her name. You would be in the dungeons if the guards heard you speak her name, they will put you by the low-lives and all other pitiful scum of Equestria."
I didn't say anything, I just brought my un-broken hoof towards my head, and felt something streaming down my muzzle. Everything Vortex said was true, the Princess would see me as just a waste of space... a pitiful example of a pegasus. A pony with no future, nothing.
Everything Vortex said, it always has been true.
****************************************
The sun's rays had hit the horizon of Night Blossom's home, filling her home with warmth and the promise of a new day, a faint scent of soup lingering around her home. Checking the pot of the concoction that would cure anypony with any disease, Night Blossom placed her wing on the dial of the stove and turned off the flame, making the bubbling of the soup die down and make way for a warm steam. Smiling, she took a bowl in her wing and placed on the tray next to her, already having a simple sunflower and plate of crackers on it. Taking the tray carefully, Night Blossom carefully began moving towards the living room, staying as quiet as possible to keep from waking up the stallion.
As she placed the tray on the coffee table in front of the couch, she was scared once she saw the Stallion beginning to twirl about violently in his sleep. Instincts taking effect immediately, Night Blossom placed her hooves on his body, attempting to stop the violent thrashing that had begun. "Wake up!" She began, tears beginning to roll down her eyes for fear of this Stallions life. "Wake up, Wake up, Wake up!!!!" She screamed, making the Stallion's eyes shoot open upon her third demand.
For a while, the two just sat there, the stallion's head in her lap, staring up at Night Blossom as he entered into a rhythm of inhaling and exhaling, tears wanting to be released from his eyes, but none coming forth, either by shear will power or something else entirely. Night Blossom, on the other hoof, had a small stream of tears falling from her eyes, although, just like the stallion, she took to his same pattern of inhaling and exhaling, slowly stroking the stallions mane in a vain attempt at comfort.
After the calming session was quickly stopped by the stallion, he quickly shook his head and focused his attention on Night Blossom. "W-who... W-where..?"
"It's okay..." She said soon after, looking down at the stallion and offering him a smile. "Your safe... I pro-"
"Where am I?" He said with a little more strength than before. "Who are you? Where am I? Where is my friend?!" He screamed, making Night Blossom jump back on to the carpet with some fear, as the stallion began to rise from her couch and stare her down, a mad look in his eyes. "I want answers... Now!" He said, letting out a grunt as he clutched his side, bandaged by the mare in front of him, and falling to the ground, eyes shut and teeth clenched to hold back his pain. "You need to stay calm..." Night Blossom said, making her way to the stallion and placing a hoof on his side and another on his head, "Your rib is broken. It'll heal, but you need to stay calm in order for it to heal."
"Get your hooves off of me..." He said before letting out another clenched grunt, "I have to go find him... He said... He said he would come back for me..." The stallion said, catching Night Blossom's attention. "Who?" She asked as she attempted to calm the stallion, "Who said they would come back for you?"
"A friend... And that's all you need to know..." He said, opening his eyes to reveal his very apparent anger at the mare. Why is he acting like this? Night kept asking herself as she continued to stroke his mane to help comfort him, even if her attempts were in vain. "Sir, your friend isn't here right now. I am. I can help you... Just let me try..." She said, hoping for some type of breakthrough with the stallion, only to get the same ugly look as before, but with a little less malice. "Every pony who has ever told me that has ALWAYS ended up being a liar or incredibly wrong. What makes you ANY different from them?" He said through clenched teeth.
The stallions response shocked Night Blossom. How could any pony ever have this much malice in him, especially when another pony is trying to help. "Because I know what I'm doing. Please... Let me help you..." She said, trying one last time to break through with this stallion to allow her to help him as she placed a warm smile on her face. The stallion just looked at her, breathing shakily but without his clenched face or malicious look. Instead, he looked at her with a look of debate as he weighed his options. After some time though... He nodded at the mare in defeat. "Thank you... I promise I won't-"
"You better not... Because if you are, I promise you that it will be the last mistake you EVER make..."
