I watched as my home burned to the ground. I watched as I enveloped myself with flame to ensure it stayed burning. I watched as all I knew was taken from me by my own hoof.
And I never, to this day, regretted it.
That day I got my cutie mark. And that day I tore the skin from my flank with my magic. It wasn’t what would define me. I would do that. I would do that with action, not a mark.
And as I left the burning building behind…I felt joy for the first time in a long while. I was reborn in fire much like a phoenix. I left the bodies of my murdered family behind and let the ashes scatter to the winds. I let the blood drip from my flank as I left.
My name is Green-Vur, and I am who I chose to be.
The trek through the valley from my home south was impressive. I never had seen any maps of the world so I knew not where I was really headed. All I knew was I would go south to Equestria. I had been told of Canterlot and the magic academy there by my uncle.
Being a unicorn I was gifted with magic. And being a unicorn I was cursed with it. My lack of training, being the only unicorn in my village, made me volatile. I could control my magic most days, but others when I was under stress or being abused by the neighboring twin colts I was unable to hold back my elemental fury.
The only certain thing in my life was that of uncertainty. The fact I could not control my magic made me a danger to myself and everyone around me. And considering no one really cared about me other than my uncle and mother made me an enigma to be avoided at the cost of common decency to your fellow pony.
And being a bastard colt of a mare deemed a ruffian, I made few attempts to make them do otherwise. I had no real idea of who my father was. Neither did my mother, though she never told me why.
My attention was drawn out of my musings of my past as I saw a flicker of water in the distance. My pace was slow and dreary even though I had strong legs. The moon was rising and I guessed the night had come to great my ashen home as well. Memories of the butchered friends and family crowded my mind. I shook off the visions of torment. I never wanted to think of them again.
I neared the stream and drank the water flowing past my lips. My dry tongue was happy to have some form of liquid. I lapped for a full minute before shoving my face into the stream. Wetting my mane and face, I swashed my long hair around my head as I surfaced. I felt rejuvenated and fresh. I noticed my stomach, while sated for the time being, ached for nourishment other than water and dry grass.
I looked around and saw no sign of like other than the trail of hoof prints I left. I decided to follow the stream down. It could not hurt to try and find a bridge as the stream was (while not raging) too fast and deep to cross.
As I made my way down the river I spotted a small bridge.
‘Lucky find’ I thought.
I crossed the river and found it to be kept up well. I took this as a notion that a town or at least other ponies must be nearby. I focus my mind and pictured the surrounding area. I saw flashes of places. An apple orchard, a small cottage fit with dens for many an animal, and a tree house in the middle of a town. I opened my eyes and began panting. The foresight spell I made for myself was useful for many things.
I decided to try the town with the tree house first. I looked to the sky as I heard a boom. I looked to the north to see a small storm rolling in over the valley I had crossed. I didn’t want to be caught in the storm.
I picked up my pace downriver the closer the storm got. And as I felt the first few drops of rain on my nose, I arrived at the town. I quickly sought protection at the one familiar thing I could mark. The only place with lights still on was the tree house I envisioned. I quickly knocked on the door as the rain picked up.
“Pinkie I swear if this is another party after the three today I will-“ I heard a feminine voice say as the door opened. There standing in the door way was a purple pony with dark hair with brilliant pink streaks in it. I took her rant as a mistaking me for someone else. We stood blankly at each other for a moment until the rain became too heavy to ignore any longer. I began to shield my head whit my left hoof.
“OH! I’m sorry, come in before you get sick”. She said moving and beckoning me in.
I fought the urge to shake myself dry. I decided to just wait on the doormat for my mane to drip dry.
“Oh dear, let me get you a towel”. The hint of concern in her voice made me uneasy. Her concern would die soon and she would want me gone. That was always the case with every pony I met.
“Spike! We have a visitor, get something to drink for us please”.
“If it’s Pinkie again I’m going to hurl. I’ve already eaten more sapphire cupcakes with hot sauce than a full grown dragon can handle and I-“ he too cut off when he saw me. I was a shivering green furred pony with a lack of any self-respect for myself in the situation. This made him raise an eyebrow.
I simple said hi as I saw him. Never seeing a real dragon before, even if a baby one, made me uneasy as well. The sight off him sparked many questions and curiosity.
“Here let me dry you” I turned back to the purple pony who, in the light, I noticed had a horn. She was a unicorn like me and while I couldn’t help but smile at this, my heart sank as I would no doubt have many questions thrown at me. Many of which I would not have either to nerve to answer or one at all. I let the mare dry me with the towel until I was pristine. My now mildly clean mane was hanging down my side. The brown hair with red endings hung sheepishly in the air.
“So, mind telling us what you’re doing out so late”? She asked.
“Canterlot” I said. “I’m trying to find Canterlot”.
“Oh ok, well I know where it is. But a few more questions. Who are you and why are you out in the rain”?
“I’m Vur, and I got a little lost. Well…I was lost to begin with actually”. I sat down on the floor as I spoke. “I just wanted to make it to Canterlot before I ran into trouble, then the storm hit”.
She looked at me with an odd look. “Well I haven’t seen you around Canterlot before, and you’re certainly not from Pony Ville. Why do you want to go to Canterlot”?
“I heard there was a magic academy there”. I said. I was glad she had yet to ask of my origins or my reasons for going to the academy.
“Looking for someone there”? She asked turning to through the towel away. The dragon quickly picked it up and went upstairs with it.
“I’m just trying to apply actually” I had not thought how to go about it until I said it out loud. “Thinking about it now, it’s stupid. I think I’ll just go back”. I said as I turned for the door. I was stopped by the appearance of a bubble in front of me. I burst and there stood a stern looking purple pony.
“Not in this weather you don’t”. I backed away slowly, and she returned to her friendly demeanor.
“Ok, but I don’t want to impose” I said softly.
“Nonsense, I have a couch in the book room”.
“Book room”? I asked.
“Well yeah, this is a library”. She turned to face a small archway to a huge room. I followed her into it. I was dumbstruck. I had never seen so many books. So many topics and so many of them for each; Magical Theory, Proper use and Care for Horns, The Making of Spells and their Applications. I never had been so happy to see a dead tree.
“What’s the matter” She asked. “You look like you never seen a book before”.
“I have just…so many”
“You think this is a lot and you’re applying to the academy”? She had a questioning look on her face.
“Well I… did say it was stupid of me to come here and apply anyway”. I shrugged my shoulders and sighed. I thought about
how dumb it was to venture here.
“Not really, anyone can apply”.
“But I have no money and no way there”.
“It’s free with a grant. Though you have to take a hard entrance exam”.
“…and I have no knowledge of magic”.
“Well you have a good teacher if you ask” She huffed and scorned at me as though I was ignoring the silver lining in a dark room.
“I couldn’t ask that”.
“Oh please. I went there myself. I’m a student of Princess Celestia”. My eyes widened at my luck and hers. She had studied under the ruler of this land and was speaking to me about tutoring.
“But I don’t even know your name”.
“It’s Twilight, and don’t get any funny ideas about staying. I’m the only guy she loves”. He said proudly. This made us both blush and Twilight to snap at the baby dragon.
“I just met him and you assume…jeez you’re a headache sometimes Spike”. He held her hoof to her face. I laughed at the sight. “So… do you want to learn Vur”?
“You really want to teach me”?
“Of course”! She said. “As an element of harmony I can’t let a pony down”.
“An ele-whowhaits”? This made both of them give me weird looks. “What”? I asked.
“Where are you even from”? Asked Spike.
“Um… the north”.
“The Kingdom of the Griffins”? Twilight asked tilting her head.
“Yeah” I said.
“Oh ok, well an element of harmony is a pony with a special gift who matches one of the harmonious elements. They are basically a force of friendship that is powerful beyond measure. I could explain all night, but we would be here until dawn”.
“That answers that”. I said. I turned my attention away from her to scan the shelves of books. I saw several ones I fancied and tried to pull them out.
“Oh let me get those”. Twilight then used her magic to levitate the shelf of books around me.
“Wow, I never have seen so many things at once”!
“Didn’t anyone ever teach you the basics”?
“I was the only unicorn in my town so…no”
“Well you have the best now, so don’t fret” she gave me a smile. I returned it with my own.
I took the books I wanted from her levitation with my own. The three I wanted I sat on the floor. I opened the first one titled “Levitation and its many uses in Life”.
“Oh that’s my first magic book! Good choice”. Twilight beamed at my pick. I sighed as I glanced at the small font and large pages. The index said about three hundred pages were in this book.
“I can’t read this tonight”. I said.
“Of course” she said picking up the other books and shelving them. “we can get started tomorrow”. She turned to the archway.
“Um wait”. I said as she turned to look me. “I was wondering…why are you being so nice to me? You don’t even know who I am”.
“I have a way of reading people as well as books”. She said with a smirk. She then turned to the stairs again. I watched her walk away with a smile on my face. If someone so caring could trust me…I may have a chance in this life after all. I looked around and say the couch she spoke of. I grabbed the book and brought it with me to the couch. I laid there battling sleep as I took in the information. I lifted an apple Spike had so graciously gifted me to my mouth and ate. I finally gave into my urge to rest and I blew out the candle by the nightstand.
Dear Princess Celestia.
Today…or rather tonight, I met a nice colt by the name of Vur. He was on his way to Canterlot when a storm cut him off. He is currently staying in the library with me. He is an eager one with a passion for learning. He is a trust worthy sort. That emotion reader charm spell you thought me made sure of that. He is from the Kingdom of Griffins. And while I’m not sure exactly where he lives, he seems to not want to think about it. He wishes to apply to the Magic Academy. The grant is out of his reach and he may not even be glanced over because of his age and current level of skill. But I believe with time and effort he can become a great a magic user. He has accepted to learn under me while he stays in Pony Ville.
In closing I wish to say I would like to bring him to meet you on the next scheduled meeting with you. The reassurance that you would back him entering the school would no doubt boost his confidence. I can’t tell you how happy I am to have a student of my own. This must be what a professor feels like.
With much enthusiasm…your Faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.
