Chapter One
"Parakeet! Time to wake up!" My mother's voice could be heard clearly despite being all the way downstairs. I forced my lazy hooves out of bed and got ready for a new day. Well, if any day around here could be described as new, that'd be a first. Every single day was the same. I'd wake up, eat a quick breakfast, and get to work plowing the fields, planting seeds, and feeding the animals. Of course, this was because I lived on a farm.
I brushed my mane and trotted down the stairs. My mother, an earth pony with a pink coat and a blue mane, was making breakfast. I could smell the scrambled eggs, and my stomach growled.
"How'd you sleep?" She asked me, although I knew she didn't really care. She asked this question every single morning, and her response was always the same.
"Not bad," I said. "Although I do wish I could've slept longer so I could find out how my dream ended."
"That's nice, dear." I rolled my eyes at her overused comment, and sat down at the table, next to my father.
"Morning, Perry!" My dad said gleefully. He was also an earth pony. He had light brown fur with a dark blue mane. He was always in a ridiculously good mood, despite what went on around him. I guess some ponies just knew how to stay positive.
I guess I should say something real quick: I'm a pegasus. Yeah, that's right. Despite my parents being earth ponies, I have wings. At first I thought this was due to genetics or something, and that maybe my grandparents were pegasi or something, but when I got older, I learned that nobody in my family ever had wings. Sometimes I get the feeling this isn't really my family, but I don't really have time to ponder on that kind of stuff. I have work to do, after all.
Without saying anything to my father, I speedily ate my toast and scrambled eggs. I raced out the door, ready for another day's work.
After an hour of harvesting the wheat, I took a little break in the shade of the large oak tree just outside of the farm. My mind immediately began to wander off into the unknown, and I must've spaced out for a while, because I suddenly jumped when I heard a voice next to me suddenly say, " Hey!"
A unicorn by the name of Dusty Bullet was standing next to me, smiling.
Dusty and I go way back. When I was just a little filly, I met him while I still went to school, and we became the best of friends. Then my brother died of unknown causes, and I had to leave school to work on the farm. After that, Dusty and I have hardly gotten to see each other.
"Working hard as always, huh?" Dusty asked.
"You have no idea," I laughed.
"Did you hear about the troops they just sent out to Baltimare?"
"No. When did that happen?"
"Last week. I'm surprised you haven't heard about it."
"Well, I'm too busy working to read the newspaper in the morning."
"Oh, right."
I sighed, wishing the war against the Changelings would just end already. Twelve years of ponies and Changelings fighting to the death was too much.
"So... how are things going for you?" I asked after a long silence. "Getting good grades?"
"As always," Dusty said. "Anyway, I should really get home. It's getting late."
I gasped, not realizing how late it was. I must've been thinking to myself for a lot longer than I though.
"Uh... yeah. I'll see you later." I walked towards the house with my head hanging low, knowing I'd go to bed without dinner. As I walked through the door, I expected to be yelled at. Instead, I was greeted with a different reaction.
My parents were sitting at the table, their faces grim. With them were two stallions that obviously worked for the military. I raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"
"Perry, we need to talk," my father said, his tone suddenly a lot darker than normal. I knew immediately something bad was going on.
"O-okay," I said, sitting down next to my mother.
"Parakeet Song, I'm sure you're aware of the war that's been going on," one of the stallions said.
"Of course," I said. "But what does that have to do with me?"
"Twelve years ago this war started," the second stallion continued. "You were born twelve years ago."
"...what does this have to do with me?" I asked again.
"I'm sure you're aware you have nothing in common with your family in terms of looks," the first stallion stated. I frowned, getting a bad feeling about what they were about to say.
"This isn't your family," he continued. "The year you were born, your parents were drafted. They were sent off to fight, and then they vanished."
Tears filled my eyes, and I wasn't sure if they were from the rage I felt inside, the sadness, or both.
"Parakeet, I'm sorry," my 'mother' said to me, but I didn't care about what she had to say. I quickly walked to my room silently, not wanting to speak to anyone. I slammed my door shut and paced around my room, thinking deeply.
No wonder they didn't look like me. No wonder I was always different from my family. I wasn't even related to them. They just adopted me and pretended I was theirs all along. My real parents were dead, and there was nothing I could do about it.
I curled up in my bed, grieving over two deaths that happened twelve years ago. I heard my 'parents' walk into their room, and I listened carefully. I waited until the door closed and the lights were turned off, and I snuck down the stairs.
I grabbed my saddlebags and put them on my back. I gathered some apples, my favorite food, and a canteen of water. I unlocked the door and tiptoed outside. I sighed, looking back into my warm, cozy farmhouse, and thought about how much I would miss it. I took off galloping, and I never saw my fake family again.
Author's Note
I hope this is good! I worked hard on this first chapter, and I'm hoping to continue this story for a good while. Please comment and let me know what you think of it, and thanks for reading!
I ran until my hooves couldn't carry me any further. I sat down under an oak tree, breathing heavily and wondering if my decision was even a good one. I mean, running away to learn about my dead parents? I sighed, beginning to take umbrage at myself for doubting my plan. Of course I needed to find out who killed them. I needed to get revenge... I quickly stopped myself. Revenge? Really? That seemed a bit too extreme... And necessary at the same time.
I stood up, and noticed the sun rising over the horizon. My mind immediately went to Princess Celestia, whose rein over Equestria ended when the war began. Luna was lost with her, and so were the other two princesses- Cadence and Twilight Sparkle. Ever since, unicorns took over the job of raising the sun and the moon. It wasn't easy, but they did it. They had to.
I began walking farther, and ponies soon came out of their small, feeble homes. I scowled, knowing if anyone saw me, they'd ask me what I was doing outside the farm on my own. Somepony might even tell my adoptive parents and I'd get sent back home.
I started running, my sore hooves hardly able to keep up with my racing mind. Running was the only option. I had to get out of this town.
I thought I was free of any danger when I slammed right into a patrol pony in front of the now closed down boutique. The stallion, an orange pegasus with a blue mane narrowed his eyes. I glanced at the badge on his black uniform.
His name was Flash Sentry.
"Parakeet Song, shouldn't you be back home?" His voice was strict. Everypony in Fillydelphia knew my parents were strict, and expected me to be on the farm at all times. Now that I was far from home, ponies were questioning what I was doing.
"Uh..." I stuttered, not knowing how to get myself out of this.
Flash Sentry lifted his hoof, and some into some sort of electronic device.
"Officers, I'm going to take this young filly home. I need someone to take spot until I get back."
It was that moment that I began running. My lungs ached, my muscles burned, and my hooves felt like they were going to shatter. But I ran anyway. I ran and ran till I noticed something I'd never seen before. A tall, brick wall was surrounding the city. I knew leaving the city was hard, but never was I expecting to feel trapped like this. Many patrol ponies were guarding the one exit in sight- A huge gate that allowed ponies to leave. I snuck around some buildings, getting closer to the gate. That's when I noticed just how much trouble I was in. Flash Sentry was there, holding up a photograph to the guards at the gate. I squinted at the photograph, hoping to get a clearer view.
It was a photograph of me. My palomino fur with white pinto markings, my clydesdale-like fluffy, white hooves, my half white, half palomino face, and my white wings were all the same.
"Great," I muttered to myself. "Now you're a fugitive."
I realized I did have a tool that could get me out of here- my wings. I was always told I was a good flyer. I smiled to myself, feeling brilliant. I took off into the sky and zoomed over the gate with glee. Piece of cake.
I just didn't realize that now I was in even more danger, and it had nothing to do with avoiding patrols.
The outside world was terrible.
Okay, I knew all along that anything beyond my home would probably be chaotic. I was never allowed to go far from home by myself, after all. But I never expected anything this bad.
The ground was a dark, mushy substance with green puddles spread around. And those puddles, they glowed. They had to be some sort of chemical disaster. I mean, there were factories nearby. This was probably the waste from making armor, weapons, and other stuff to aid in the war.
I noticed that there was a road with fences on either side. It started from the gates, and I couldn't see where it led, but I had a good idea it was leading towards another city. Baltimare, maybe.
Ponies were walking, some even running, along this road of gravel. Some were pulling carts of supplies, and some were in full armor. They all looked hungry and tired, and I was about to offer them one of my apples when I remembered I wasn't even supposed to be out here in the first place. No doubt they'd sent me back home where I didn't belong.
I sighed, forcing my sore hooves to carry my further. The fluff around them were matted with that nasty green goop, and they were starting to burn like crazy. I was positive this chemical was toxic at this point. But I kept going anyway. I needed answers. I needed my real life.
Author's Note
Sorry for not posting this chapter for a while! I'd been pretty sick, not to mention the back pains. I also just didn't have the motivation to write anything for a while, so I apologize in advance if I don't post anything soon. And I know this chapter is pretty short. I promise they'll get longer as the story advances. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
