Red Crimson

Somewhere in Equestria lays a small eerie town called Ebony Streets. It is in this town that the little filly, Red Crimson, has been born and raised like every other filly, but here in Ebony Streets, every other filly is taught that life has no meaning, no destiny, and there's no reason to be happy. The ground is dry with no sign of life other than a few worms inside the dirt here and there. The ponies of Ebony Streets do not speak, nor even ask for a measly cup of sugar, but that is understandable in a town like this one. There is no sugar to be asked for, and there is no real streets either. There are only cracks in the ground to signify any evidence of a street. It is sad enough, but in this town, under the gloomily clouded sky, Red Crimson awakes for the morning to the sound of pecking at her room's window.

Even though she is awake, Red does not uncover herself from her swampy-green blanket and hears the pecking, so she turns over to her right and covers her left ear to muffle out the sound with her pillow, which feels more like a white brick than a soft delicate pillow, but to no avail.

After a few more pecks at the window, Red grudgingly takes her pillow from her ear and looks to the window at the head of her dark wooden bed frame. Instead of seeming infuriated, Red's demeanor turns joyful as she recognizes the bird on the window's sill.

It's Jezebel, Red's pet crow she's raised from an egg, and Red slides the window open upwards and lets her in.

"Jezebel," Red says, holding out her right hoof as a perch, a smile gleaming under her snout, "I missed you."

Indeed she had, for Jezebel had been gone for almost a week now since Red last let her out. Red's happy again.

Red places Jezebel on the bed as she steps off to her closet and grabs a bag of bird seeds her mother had bought for Jezebel and sprinkles some on the bed in front of Jezebel.

Jezebel is Red's closest thing to a pet and a dear friend. As Jezebel begins eating the seeds one by one, Red hears hoof steps in the hallway outside her bedroom door. Red's smile quickly falls and turns to a frightened manner.

"Father," She whispers, anxiety in her voice. She grabs Jezebel before the door creaks open.

It certainly is her father. Bloody Crimson is his name and he walks in, seeing that Red has her crow perched on her back innocently. She looks up at him, forcing a smile only to get a hoof smack to the face sending her flailing to the floor.

"What do you have to smile for?" Her father asks sternly cold.

"N-Nothing, father," She stutters, softly rubbing her cheek as a tear falls from her eye to the cold floor leaving a darkened spot. She looks up to her father who scolds, showing no remorse.

"That's what I thought," He says, "Now, I want you to get ready for school."

"Y-Yes, father," Red gets back up on shaky hooves and waits for her father to leave. As he walks away, she sees his blood drop cutie mark, which she never was told how he got it, but doesn't wish to know based on his abusive behavior.

She realizes she had dropped Jezebel when she fell and sees her standing in the middle of the floor. Red picks her up and sets her in the open windowsill. Jezebel looks at Red confusedly.

"Go ahead," Red says, "Fly off."

Jezebel gives a chirp and does so, leaving Red behind to live her life. Once she's gone, Red opens her closet again and grabs a black and worn drape to wear over her. She heads out of her room and down the hall to the kitchen.

There, her mother stands by the stove cooking breakfast and wearing her pink rose cutie mark. This is Faint Crimson. She's the complete opposite of Red's father. She's caring, kind, and generous.

"Hey, mom," Red says with a smile.

Faint looks over to Red and takes notice of the hoof mark her father left on her cheek.

"Oh, dear," She says as she trots over to Red concernedly, "He's really rough with you, isn't he?"

"It's fine," Red insists.

"It's not fine," Her mother disagrees, "You know I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Now hurry for school," Mother says, "You shouldn't be late."

"I loathe school."

A caring smile grows across Faint's face, "I know, but you should be fine. Okay?"

Red does dislike school, but somehow her mom's persuasion always prevails.

She looks up to her mom with a hopeful smile and answers, "Okay."

____

Her mother had walked her to school, and now they were both looking at each other in the eyes. Red never enjoys school, especially since she's made fun of for her unseemly long tooth, and does not ever regret wishing she never knew the ponies here.

Red's mother eventually kisses her on the forehead and tells her goodbye, saying, "Love you," and leaving the school grounds afterward.

It is a school, but Red didn't think it could be called that properly. The school's a big building three floors high with iron-barred windows in every classroom, including the cafeteria. The red bricks that make up the structure have faded into a grayish pink and the white paste holding them together has been chipping.

As her mother leaves, Red hears a feminine, yet cocky, voice call for her, or rather her "nickname", "Hey, Toothy! What are you doing showing your muzzle around here?"

Red dares to not answer and continues to look away from the certain filly.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" The voice yells.

Still no answer.

"Hey!"

"I just want to go to class," Red finally answers.

"Fine," The pony says, "but you need to watch your hoof steps. I don't want you touching me," and trots off.

This particular filly is Hurled Coal. It's a strange name for a filly, but her family's a coal mining family and she's the only pony that teases Red, often pushing her into mud puddles chuckling at her, finding some sort of delight out of the situation.

Red does nothing, but simply turn around to the school and begin walking in.

____

Classes are grueling with their teachers. Red took the teachers' teachings as though she were being yelled at to do something. It's not a very good way to learn. She often told this to herself, but of course in her mind. The day brings Red a cascade of problems and names to be called from other foals, some not meaning a bit to her and others breaking her into tears, but soon it was recess.

Oh, Red loves recess. Not for fun, but the peaceful solitude she gets while the other foals are occupied by their fun times.

The only bench in the playground was a rickety, old, wooden one that was near the edge of a cliff looking away from it. As the recess bell rings, Red runs straight to her bench, glee twinkling in her eyes by the thought of finally having some time alone.

She begins to sit down, and as she does...

The bench breaks, sending her flying back. She falls down the cliff. Tumbling through the air, screaming and crying, until eventually there was silence.