Chapters When one opens her eyes for the first time, she becomes blinded. The colors, the shapes....everything she sees, she becomes so familiar with, she cannot define what is the truth, and what is false...until her sight is taken away, and she must open them again to see...to see the true colors of the night...and the true color of blood...
"Thunderstrike! Commander Thunderstrike!" A shrill, almost panicked voice sounded out over the cloudy city of the pegasi race, as a young pegasus stallion, cream in color, raced around, calling for the commanding officer, "Commander Thunderstrike! I have urgent news!"
"Speak lad." Came a low, booming voice, as a massive beast of a pegasus loomed over the cloud. He was a dark, almost deathly gray-black, with leering yellow eyes, that seemed to flash like lightning, and his mane was short cropped, a dark blue, and it was damp from when he took his helmet off, holding the armor piece under his pit. "What is so important?" He leaped down from the cloud he was perched on, and the young stallion almost cowered in fear.
"I-It's your wife sir...she went into labor...the foal is on the way!" The stallion stuttered, backing away before he managed to stand straight, "Lady Sundrop has been requesting you to be there for her!" he turned, bounding away, "I c-can take you to her sir!" He said, and in his excitement, he didn't realize where he was going, falling off of the cloud in his rush with a yelp. "Waah!"
"Well why didn't you say so son?" Thunderstrike bellowed, and with a massive flap of his wings, he was airborne, heading home in his own rush to see to his mate. He plucked the stallion up from his drop as he passed and set him right, before he whisked off, the young stallion in tow.
"I-I just did sir!" The young stallion stuttered. He was a young teen, barely hitting puberty. His voice did its natural crack, high pitched and shrill. His coat was creamy, his eyes green as the land below. He was grateful the massive brute of a pegasus was gentle..when he wasn't training his troops.
A single grunt was Thunderstrike's response to this. The massive pegasus was on his own mission now. One that was far more important than readying his latest recruits. His flight was generally silent, and when he approached his cloud home, he paused, hesitating as the wails of his beloved reached his ears. He knew she was getting the finest of medical attention, but something about hearing his mate, his love in such agony, it twisted his heart with grief, and guilt. He had done this to her...he had put their child in her..
A gentle hoof to his side wrenched the stallion from his thoughts, and he looked down at the young budding stallion, giving him a silent nod before he tucked his wings in, finally swooping down and landing outside of his home. He hesitated again, before he entered. Peeking his head in, Thunderstrike gazed around, slowly making his way to the bedroom, where his wife lay. He opened the door, and if his reflexes had not have been refined to near perfection, he would not have dodged the sudden vase that had flown at his head. But he did, only to hear a crash, and low groan of pain, and when Thunderstrike looked back, he saw that the young stallion who had fetched him had been unfortunate enough to take the hit.
"Work on those reflexes son. You are going to need them if you want to be a good husband and an officer." he grumbled, before he made his way inside. He gazed upon his wife, his beautiful wife, who was giving him a look of pain, loathing, and need. His heart twisted again, and he removed his armor, and without a word to the doctors, he slid into the bed with his laboring mate.
"Thunderstrike!" her word piercing his eardrums, "I swear...if I didn't love you..." Lanora Von Sundrop's words were cut off, as she let out another shriek of pain, before she sucked in a deep breath, her voice tight, "I...I would kill you for this! Son of Commander Hurricane or not!" she snarled, leaning her head back, as the stallion moved closer, holding her hooves, his torso supporting her, as she leaned against him, his chin resting between her ears.
"I know Nora...I am sorry...we both knew this would happen...and it was you who wanted a foal anyway." His booming rumbling voice sounded out, gentle and soft against Lanora's ears, "And we did agree that we would do this together..."
Lanora softened then, her groans quieting as she listened to the gentle reasoning of her husband, "Yes my love...I know..." her sunny yellow coat shone with sweat, her auburn mane plastered to her neck and face, as she held onto her husband. The doctors were gathered around her, muttering to themselves, as they worked to get the foal free from the mare's womb. Another wail, another contraction, Thunderstrike grunting as his wife clenched his hooves with her own. He thought furiously, thinking of some way to keep her mind at ease.
"Have you thought of any names?" he asked softly, kissing her ear, letting her know he still loved her. They had been putting it off for sometime, both rather unsure what they would call their foal. But now was a better time than never.
Lanora huffed, relaxing some as the contraction faded. She was pushing with all her might when they happened, but she rasped, her golden eyes flicking up to him, "I..I was thinking...um. Whirlwind...if...if it was a colt...to keep in your family name..." she gasped, another contraction, another clench, another massive push. It was speeding up, and looking to the relieved faces of the doctors, that seemed to be a good thing.
Thunderstrike was personally glad he had not offered his wings to his wife. They would have been broken and shattered by now. "Whirlwind....that sounds like a fine name...but what about if it were a filly? Hm?" he asked, kissing down her neck and face. He did not care if the doctors were near them, his main mission was to comfort and reassure his wife, and according to his mother, Private Pansy, the best way to do that, was to make sure her efforts weren't unappreciated. Even now, he could see some of the fear and tension leave his wife.
Lanora looked up at Thunderstrike, her eyes glowing softly, "I...I was...thinking..Sc-Scarletta? if...if it is a filly, I want..I want her to..keep my family name..if you don't mind...my love?" She groaned again, softer, and the doctors let out an excited murmured, as suddenly, she was washed over with a sense of almost mind numbing relief. She felt a small object slither from her, and her ears pricked, hearing a new voice cry out. She couldn't see it of course, her eyes clouded over with blissful relief. She rested her head back, shivering, as she held onto her mate.
"Congratulations Sir and Lady...it is a girl." The doctor announced with pride, as the rest worked to clean up Lanora. He held the small bundle tenderly, and with a long wing, Thunderstrike took his daughter from him, bringing her close to gaze down at her with his wife.
"Scarletta it is, it seems." he mumbled softly, his chest swelling with pride. His daughter, his foal, was a dark orange, caramel almost, with a crimson colored mane, "Scarletta Von Sundrop...after her mother." He beamed, and without hesitating, he leaned in, giving Lanora a long, passionate kiss, pouring all of his love and raw emotions into it, letting his love know how much he loved her, how much he meant to her. It was the same kiss they had shared when they first confessed to each other their feelings. When they had first confessed their love. It was enough to melt the hard stony exterior Thunderstrike wore daily. Lanora melted as well, a shaky hoof moving up to stroke her husband's cheek, before she pulled away, looking at her daughter.
"Oh darling...she is beautiful..." Lanora murmured, stroking her daughter's cheek softly, "We...we did so well...she will be strong..and beautiful...oh I can see it now..." and upon her mother's words, Scarletta opened her eyes, revealing deep golden orbs, hazy and unfocused, as she squirmed again in her father's hold, her cries echoing in the room.
Thunderstrike chuckled, and he nuzzled his daughter, "Look at her Nora...already a fighter. Already trying to speak her mind...she will make us both proud one day...I can assure you that." he grinned, a lopsided grin, one that Lanora adored, and it was the reason she had fallen in love with the massive brute, who wore a cold hardened expression most of the time she saw him at work.
"We can only wait and see my love..." she smiled, resting her head on Thunderstrike's shoulder, her eyes closing as she rested a gentle wing on her foal's chest, smiling even more when her daughter grabbed onto her primaries, and she felt a love burst inside of her, one she had never experienced before. She was at peace. She had everything she could want or need...now she could rest...tomorrow would be the beginning of a new chapter for her, and her family.
Several years went by, after her birth, and Scarletta was on her way to her first day of school, her broad wings flapping rapidly, her heart pitter-pattering in her small chest. She was excited. Almost frighteningly so. She couldn't wait to make new friends. On either side of her, her father and mother flew alongside her, her mother's under her, ready to catch her if she faltered.
"Come on dad! I wanna get there!" Scarletta crowed, giggling, "I can't wait! This is going to be exciting!" She wobbled some, her wings working a bit more, trying to readjust herself without her parents' intervening. "This is going to be fun!"
"Now don't forget to do what your teacher says Scarletta." Lanora murmured softly, her mane billowing in the wind in all its curly glory. Scarletta couldn't help but stare in awe at her mother. Lanora was a beauty, a true beauty, and Scarletta was letting her mane grow out as well. She tried to match her mother's graceful posture and elegant nature, but due to her more bulky size, it looked off. Lanora was a very slender mare, and Scarletta would have to accept that she would never flow like water through the sky.
On the other hoof, Thunderstrike was a bold, and muscular stallion, and Scarletta took after him in size and shape, and if anything attitude. He was authoritative, honest and loyal, and Scarletta admired him greatly. He took his duty seriously, something that pegasi were notorious for not doing. Scarletta could see the various battle scars he bore like badges, reminding him of everything he had done for his home, and letting others know what he did as well. Crime in her home was very low, and Thunderstrike liked it that way.
Scarletta was wrenched from her admirations when she was suddenly yanked back by her tail, just as a group of larger colts rushed by, tossing what appeared to see an oblong ball back and forth. Scarletta watched in silence, jaw slack, eyes wide. Then the gentle rumbling of her father's voice, "You must always watch your surroundings, Scarletta. We pegasi can take in and focus on many things, even when we are not looking. But, we must always be aware of what is going on around us."
Squeaking, Scarletta nodded, taking in her father's words. He was right. Pegasi were known for being able to focus on many things at once. But now her attention was on the schoolhouse. It was large, yet to her it seemed cozy, and Scarletta squealed. She fluttered forth, giggling as she landed on the soft cloud. She paused, and she kneaded the cloud, frowning some, "This cloud feels weird dad. It feels...thicker?"
"Very good!" A bright peppy voice chimed, and Scarletta turned her head to see a dark cream pegasus mare walking towards them. Her mane was a honey wheat, and she was smiling, "The clouds here at the School are thicker, and feel different, because it takes so much more to support all of our weight, unlike that of your own homes! Well done! I can see we are going to have a bright one!" She giggled, and she turned to Thunderstrike and Lanora, "Oh where are my manners! I am Ms. Poppy Cloud! Or Ms. Poppy for short! It is wonderful to see you Commander and Lady! I couldn't wait for little Scarletta to be ready for school!"
Scarletta blinked, and she was suddenly nervous; they had been expecting her? What if she didn't meet their expectations? What if she made a fool of herself? And so Scarlet did the natural thing; she ducked behind her mother, hiding her face in Lanora's leg. Lanora laughed, and she murmured, "Oh my dear, it will be fine." to Ms. Poppy she replied, "A pleasure to meet you Ms. Poppy. I know you will teach our little Scarletta well." she chuckled.
Sensing that Scarletta was having second thoughts, Poppy smiled gently, leaning her head down, "Come on Scarletta...aren't you excited to see your new classmates? To meet new ponies and make new friends?" she chuckled, her soft blue eyes shining warmly. Scarletta relaxed a bit, nodding shyly. She slowly, tentatively, inched her way from her mother, and Ms. Poppy extended a wing, letting the soft primaries rustle gently as the stretched out. Seeing the wing, Scarletta stretched her own wing out, a sign of trust, and tapped the feathers with her own wings. The feathers interlocked, and Ms. Poppy slowly began to guide Scarletta, "Say goodbye Scarletta. Your mother and father cant stay with you here, but I will make sure you will be just fine."
At that, Scarletta squeaked, and she let go of Ms. Poppy's wing, rushing over to her mother and hugging her. Lanora hugged back, wrapping a slender fetlock around her daughter's small barrel, "I hope you have fun Scarletta. Behave for Mama please?" And then she was passed over, and Thunderstrike, almost crushed his daughter to him, giving her a soft kiss on the nose and nuzzling her fiercely, "if you have any trouble with any pony, you tell Ms. Poppy, you understand?" His voice was husky, which was a strange sound for Scarletta.
"Yes daddy.." Scarletta squeaked, leaning into the nuzzles, and then she was set free, and Scarletta latched her wing back onto Ms. Poppy's using her other one to wave farewell to her mother and father. She noted that they looked tearful, and they held themselves close together. Smile faltering, Scarletta was a bit worried, but she allowed herself to be guided away. She looked back at Ms. Poppy, and she gave a nervous little laugh.
"You are going to love it here Scarlet. If I may call you that?" Ms. Poppy looked down at the little filly, "May I call you Scarlet?" Scarletta, who had never been called anything but Scarletta her whole life, pricked her ears at the new name, and she nodded vigorously, much to Ms. Poppy's delight. "Well Scarlet, here we are going to teach you all sorts of things! How to read and write, and even how to count your numbers!" she giggled, looking to the front entrance of the school. Scarletta looked at it as well, and she gulped.
They traveled inside, and Scarletta's little heart began to beat madly in her chest. She was scared. What if they didn't like her? What if she wasn't smart enough? She felt herself begin to panic, even more so when Ms. Poppy drew her wing away. She reached out for it desperately, voice caught in her throat.
"Now, now Scarlet, relax.." Ms. Poppy cooed, "I am right here." she said. She opened the door to a classroom, and she led Scarletta inside.
Standing before the class of her new fellow students, eyes trained on her, Scarletta swore it was the most terrifying moment of her life. Ears flattened, eyes downcast and tail tucked between her hind legs, and her wings folded to her small body, Scarletta waited, unspeaking.
"Good morning fillies and colts!" Ms. Poppy said cheerfully, "Today we have a new student!" she said, gesturing to Scarletta, "Scarlet, would you like to introduce yourself to your classmates?"
Scarletta shook her head, and whispers began, and she heard one from a very distinct filly voice. "So that's the granddaughter of Commander Hurricane? She doesn't look like she could blow a leaf over! Might be the other way around with all the shaking she is doing." There were a few snickers, and some were downright laughter. But where Scarletta would have started crying, she would not let another slander her family name. She stopped, her eyes hardening, and with a snap of her wings, the little filly stiffleggedly stalked forward, her voice clear as she addressed the classroom. All voices stopped and all eye focused on her.
"I am Scarletta Von Sundrop, firstborn of Lady Sundrop and Commander Thunderstrike, granddaughter of Commander Hurricane and Private Pansy, and heir to the Sundrop fortune. " she said proudly, albeit, her voice high and almost on the squeaky side. With a flick of her tail, she had recited it, learned it word by word from her mother, and she even gave the intimidating glare her father taught her. It was a well known glare, and the fillies and colts cowered, all but one. She was a pinkish, violet filly, green eyes, and a mane that was silvery. She was glaring back.
The other Alpha... Was all Scarletta thought, even in her foal-mind, and she continued to glare. One look and Scarletta knew that this filly was a beast. She said something, the whole class laughed. Not out of how funny it was, but out of fear. Scarletta's lip curled. She would not stoop so low, but she would not bow to the whims of this filly.
"I am not here to have a contest. I am here to learn. Like we all are. Say what you wish, but my father has taught me well, and to excel at all that I do." She said firmly, eyes still trained on the filly.
"Oh yeah, like what? Boasting about how amazing you are? If that is the case, and you are SO much better than us, you obviously don't belong here." the filly said, narrowing her eyes as she made her point.
"You think because I had a proper upbringing I am going to show off? I am not that vain." she said, rolling her eyes, "But I am not that stupid either. Go on play your games. Leave me out of it." Scarletta casually looked away, now scanning the seats for her spot. The whispers had started again, and Scarletta heard a few of them, mostly about her, some questioning the filly.
"Y-yeah well I-" the filly was cut off by Ms. Poppy, "That will be enough Violet." She said firmly, much to the displeasure of the filly, Violet. Huffing, she sat back in her seat, and she gave Scarletta a stinkeye.
Sighing some, Ms. Poppy smiled at Scarletta, "Very good Scarlet. It's nice to see that you are mature for your age. Now why don't you take a seat by...." she paused to look around, "Vincent? He is over on the far side of the room, next to the window." she pointed where a young colt sat, gazing absently out of the window. He was dark brown, with a sandy colored mane, and his eyes were a gentle blue, like the summer sky. At the sound of his name, he looked around, his eyes fixing on Scarletta, and they stared at each other.
To Scarletta he was the cutest thing she had seen. But she swallowed, walking over nervously, eyes boring into his. She scrambled up into the seat, look around once again. Ms. Poppy smiled. "Now class. Since we are all settled, let us go over the basics..." Scarletta paid attention, and she could only blink in confusion as she tried to make sense of what her new teacher was saying.
The day wore on. Scarletta found herself getting increasingly frustrated by this new ability Ms. Poppy was trying to teach her. Writing. No matter how hard she tried, the pencil only made silly little squiggles, rather than the pretty and intricate flourishes of her mother. She spat the pencil out, scowling down at her worksheet. "Aw....I will never get it right!"
"Try taking your time." a male voice to her left cause Scarletta to jump, and she looked over at Vincent, who was studying her. She gazed back, a bit befuddled that he has spoken to her, her golden orbs wide in surprise.
He seemed to be a bit amused, chuckling as he reached over and patted her shoulder, "Just relax and take your time. Its not a contest. Not everything needs to be perfect to be acceptable."
"But I don't want it to be just acceptable." Scarletta replied, her brow furrowing, "I want it to be perfect. If it's not, then I am not doing something right." She looked down at the squiggly 'letters' she had made, and she poked out her bottom lip in a pout, scowling.
"Well, taking your time will ensure better practice. I mean, look at mine!" Vincent laughed, holding up his own worksheet. Scarletta blinked as she saw the near horrific scribbles, and she would barely make out the letters, "V-I-N-C-E-N-T." she called out each letter individually, "Wow. I mean, it's not bad. At least your name doesn't have a bunch of noodles in it." she teased, looking at her own name. She found it a bit long and fancy for her taste, and she would think, before picking up her pencil and erasing the last two letters of her name.
"What are you doing?" The colt asked, looking over at her sheet. "Scar....let? Why not Scarletta? I mean that is your full name." He gave her a confused look.
"But Scarlet is shorter and easier to right. And I don't like my fancy name. Scarlet sounds better." She said. Scarlet...I like it. She thought to herself, smiling at Vincent. The colt smiled back, and Scarlet would beam, only to be wrenched from her new friend by the feeling of paper against the back of her head. She turned, seeing the crumpled ball on her desk, and she blinked. Looking up, she would scan the room, but all seemed to be doing their work. But a closer scan would show that not all were focused.
Violet's gaze would flick to Scarlet, but only so briefly, it could have been mistaken. But it wasn't. Narrowing her eyes, she looked down at the ball, scooping it closer with a wing. "What are you doing?" Vincent asked, his sky blue gaze filled with curiosity. "What is that?"
"A letter. From Violet I think." she replied, whispering, casting a gaze to Ms. Poppy, who was busy tending to one of the students. Sucking in a breath, Scarlet quickly unfurled the paper, her little heart racing. Each crinkle of the paper sounded so loud in her ears, like it was screaming. She could almost hear her mother's voice, see her father's disappointment. It was almost enough to make her forget it. She finally opened it, reading the contents.
"I'm watching you. ~V~"
The penmanship was well practiced, and Scarlet would suck in a breath. She flicked her gaze to Violet, who was giving her a sharp, dangerous look. One filled with anger and domination. Scarlet shivered; she was a bit scared by this new adversary she had crossed, but she would snort, her own gaze hardening, her ears pinning back to her skull. Signs to say she wasn't afraid of her. Aggression. Never show weakness to an enemy, as her father would say. Makes you an easier target.
And with another snort, Scarlet would pointedly turn back to Vince, who was back to his schoolwork, flicking his gaze out of the window every so often, but in general, avoiding Scarlet's gaze. Sighing, Scarlet went back to work, glancing at the sun, waiting for the day to be over with.
