Silence

We all come screaming into this world, no matter what our race. Be it Pony, or Griffin, or otherwise. I had no idea what an impact I would be on the world, and yet, it seemed that my parents named me very wisely in spite of everything.

I used to think that they were sick, mad ponies. Soon though, I was about to be known even by the two sisters! The great Alicorns that we all perceive as gods in pony form! But before that, it's best that I talk about where I originate. As I said, we all scream in this world, but it's where we first start screaming that we call forever our home. Most of us are born in great cities, among the suburbs, but not me. I was born on a farm. It wasn't very big back then, only a few orchards and livestock. When I asked my parents about that day, they said "You were born in the farmhouse, with all your family present." Both of them smiled. "Your grandmother was the happiest out of all of us, making sure that we should be happy too!" To say the least, our family was big. "But where were they now?" I would ask, from time to time. Curiosity killed the cat, after all...

They would grow melancholy, only saying tidbits of information, like the odd cousin or two. Their main excuse was "They were... in a better place." I think that's one of the main reasons behind my choice today. Maybe I'll finally be able to greet them in the flesh after everything is said and done. The strangest part of my birth was that I wasn't the same as they were. I could still help and work on the farm, but because of my oddity, I wasn't able to do much without potentially blowing up a tree on the orchard.

It wasn't but 3 years after my birth did I begin school. Being raised on a farm, the only logical conclusion to my parents were to teach me at home, being as there were no other places nearby they could send me to. On one of their trips to a nearby settlement, my mother brought back some reading material and volunteered as the "Teacher". She wouldn't be one forever, but for the time being, she taught me the basic fundamentals of pony life. She began with the 3 ponies found on Equestria: The Earth, Unicorn and Pegasus ponies. Like any young one would do in school, I raised my hoof, eager to fill my head with knowledge. I asked what type the princesses were. She chuckled and said "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are Alicorns!" She explained what Alicorns were after that, how they embodied attributes of all 3 types of ponies. My imagination got the better of me that day, and I made that childhood vow that I would be an Alicorn, just like them. That night, I pranced around in a silly costume, pretending to order around my parents as if they were my very own Royal Guard. I wasn't that wrong, for they guarded me just like any other parent would their young ones. My mother played along, though she needed to convince my father to participate. That whole day, I laughed with her, and went to bed happy and full of imagination.

She regarded life with such enthusiasm. Every day she would teach me, her smile shined like Celestia's sun, ever radiant and always showing the light.

...No matter how hard I try to picture her nowadays, I always just see a blur of her face. In this ripe old age of mine, I discovered that, given time, all memories eventually fuzz out of your mind. They die, just like I would. Emotion, however, never eluded me. Her warm smile and kind words were with me all my life, even when I began to get noticed by the two sisters.

Aside from the education and "book smarts" as my grandmother put it, I had a lot to learn from Father. He taught me "street smarts" that I would have to use, despite all the other knowledge I had gained through the textbooks and lessons taught from Mother. Sometimes when running to settlements to drop off crops from our farm, he would bring me along to "Show me how the world really works". I learned much from these small adventures, and when in a playful mood, I would pretend to battle dragons and rescue ponies in danger, all in the service of the Princesses on our way. He laughed and played along sometimes, but in general, he was a very serious stallion. "You can't always pretend things are different" he exclaimed one morning whilst I was "vaporizing evil parasprites" in the trees. In all honesty, I climbed those timber giants more than anything else he had me do on that day. Mostly I helped feed the animals and water the plants.

The family member I got along with the most was my grandmother. On those cherished Saturdays and Sundays away from the lessons and the work, I would be playing with her. I would play Hide-and-go-seek as well as other calm activities that wouldn't strain her body too much. She could hold her own when it came down to it, but she didn't have much energy left in her when I was born. It always gave about a sense of tranquility and peace to my young mind.

...I still remember the funeral for her.  Friends of the family, and of her showed up, but instead of greeting myself, I just stood next to my parents, constantly keeping my eye on the wooden box her dead corpse was in, hoping to the heavens above that some miracle would happen in order to bring her back. My gaze never left sight of the coffin, but the most unsettling part of it was the cold emptiness my eyes gave off at the end, when I realized that she would never wake in this world again. It felt like my entire body just turned to stone. My parents were in no better condition either. My mother couldn't stop weeping, and my father just stared at the ground, the brim of his hat covering most of his facial features in a dark abyss of a shadow. I was 8 years old on that fateful day...

That night, I had a revelation. I would protect all I call home, no matter how old or frail it was. Life should be preserved, all forms, and in order to do that, I would have to go to the Castle of the Two sisters, just on the edge of the Everfree forest. I needed to learn so much more to protect those I loved. So, that night I packed a rucksack with all I needed to make my journey there. It included the texts from Mother, the earned allowance(50 Bits) from Father, and most important of all, Grandmother's walking cane. It was in her will, entrusting me to it only. The will said that her cane held a secret that was to be passed down to the worthy of the family. Both my parents seemed upset at it, their muzzles adorning a look of surprise when it was read aloud. I was there, upon request of the will and testament. In its entirety, it read:

To the respective family members know that this last Will and Testament of Grandmother(I never remembered her, or any of my family's names) will serve as official and legal documentation of heirlooms and royalties to be passed to respective beneficiaries:

I, Grandmother, do hereby give the life insurance funds saved to the head of the household, Father, to use to whatever needs the farmland should require. For mother, she is granted the enchanted sewing kit I have recieved so many moons ago by the sisters themselves when in servitude as their Royal Dress Designer, as well as the secret recipes and various drafting techniques kept in my lock-box hidden behind the bookshelf. The key is located in the book titled "Fate, and its Irony", a personal favorite. Finally, to the youngest of the house, do I bestow my most cherished possession: My walking cane. It has many uses, and many more secrets hidden behind its wooden exterior. May it help you later in life, as it did me. Do not lose it, as it is an heirloom and one-of-a-kind. It is said that it can only be used by those who are worthy...

The cane was very odd in shape- It was made of a wooden variety, but not like any associated within Equestria. There were no knots or splits, and it all looked like it flowed up until the knuckle of the cane, which was the only spot where the wood swirled.

I tied all I wanted to carry in a bundle right under the cane's knuckle, and scurried quietly down the steps, that is until I overheard Mother and Father arguing amongst each other.

"You can't take it from the child! It is the only sole thing the poor little one has left of Grandmother!"

"You know how much luck it poured into this family, Mother! When we started to lose our yield, do you remember what Grandmother did with that piece of wood?! She raised the crop anew! With buds already forming on some of the branches! We can use that to our advantage!" It was clear who the selfish one was.

"We have money, and plenty of it! That...THING sucked the life dry of her when the child was born! It would've been another one of countless numbers of stillbirths we have encountered, but she saved the baby's life! It is only fitting that the cane goes to the little one!"

It pained me to tears at this new realization. I was too young to understand what "Stillbirth" meant, but the tone Mother used made the whole thing sound like I was more of a burden than anything in their lives. I ran away from home still crying...