Hello my name is Reva. I’m 25 years old, my fur is a dull yellow, my hair is dull purple.My cutie mark is five glowing dots, one glowing green, one glowing blue, one glowing yellow, one glowing purple, and one glowing red. I’m a trained flyer but not in the Wonderbolts….yet. Something very special happened to me. It was almost the death of me…
I was flying through the sky and I was coming from the Ponyville market. It was about evening and I needed to head home and make dinner. I saw my cloud house in the distance and hurried along.
At home I prepared dinner and ate it with my cat. My cat can walk around in my house because I put some wooden floors under the clouds. Anyway, I headed to bed. This is the weird part.
I had a nightmare, at first I was floating in crystal clear water. Then I felt myself slowly crept over the edge of a waterfall. This wasn’t a lucid dream so I couldn’t do anything. As I fell I hit the water, it didn’t hurt but it felt like I hit the ground because I did go under.
I began floating again, pretty flowers and green grass surrounded my peripheral vision. Then the water became murky and dirty suddenly, and a thick vine wrapped around my throat, dragging me under. Then I wake up…
I’ve had that dream so many times now. I can recall everything that happens, and I can tell if I’m dreaming that dream. But it’s just endless water under I get dragged under. I heard drowning dreams mean that something is happening that’s out of my control, but what?
***
I was eating dinner at some restaurant with my brother, Firefly. And I brought up my nightmares.
“So...have any dreams lately?” I asked, staring at my plate.
“No,” Firefly said. “I hadn’t been having many dreams, at least not that I can remember. Why?”
“Um. I have been having these...nightmares.”
“About what?”
“Well,” I started. “I’m swimming somewhere. And then, I get pulled under and I drown, but before I die, I wake up.”
Firefly was staring at me, “you should talk to someone about that. Do you have it every night?”
“Yeah. And when I wake up, I can’t breathe.”
“Maybe you should talk to Princess Luna about it,” Firefly suggested.
“No it’s fine. And anyway, Luna has too much stuff on her plate.”
“You're practically a Wonderbolt, of course she’ll make room for you!”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Just... Forget it.”
Firefly sighed and said “I’ll pay,” as the unicorn waiter walked over.
“Thanks,” I said, a weak smile playing my face.
We exited the restaurant and Firefly took off, just then I felt a wet drop of water hit the back of my head. The drops quickly grew in numbers and became a spotted shower. I let myself get soaked as I trudged along to where I knew my house was floating.
I looked up, rain falling into my face. Then I hovered above the ground until I was above a thin line of clouds. I saw my house floating in the distance and flew toward it.
I sighed entering my house, my cat greeting me as I entered. I filled her bowl with food and water and headed toward the bathroom. I flicked the light on and stared into my reflection’s eyes. After awhile, my reflection distorted. It was only a second but it was enough to make my heart skip a beat.
I calmed my breathing down and splashed water on my face. Too tired to even brush my teeth, I exited my bathroom and entered my bedroom. I tried to focus on the things that make me happy. That way, I hopefully wouldn’t have that nightmare again.
But, despite my best efforts, my subconscious had other ideas. I slipped into that nightmare again, but I was prepared. I struggled, but nothing happened. The cold water splashed against my face and it hurt all over, my hooves hitting what felt like rocks.
“AHH!” I screamed and woke up with a jolt, my head spinning. I looked around, and found I was on the floor, covered in sweat and bruises. I got up slowly and limped over to the light and flicked it on. I could see bruises up and down my forelegs, with some spots having tiny, yet deep, cuts. Moving into the bathroom again, I washed my forelegs and wings off in the shower. I sighed, dripping with water. I dried myself off and entered the kitchen.
Warm milk and cookies cheered me up as a filly, so I tend to have a lot on hoof nowadays. As I reminded myself of this fact, I swung the fridge door open and stared at the container of milk. As my vision swirled for a second, I took the handle in my mouth and shakily poured myself a glass.
With that out of the way, I tossed some cookies onto a plate, then put it into the microwave with the milk. I leaned onto the counter and listened to the hum of the mircowave, looking over some of the cuts that had started to scab over. However, I became so engrossed that I flinched at the loud Beep! coming from the microwave, signalling that my midnight snack was ready. I took the plate out and the cup of milk, flying through the door and finding a cloud to rest on.
***
I let the plate and glass fall as I turned onto my back, staring up at the twinkling sky. Small dots shined against the almost pitch black sky. I can’t imagine how anypony could see a bear, or an apple in this mess of stars.
But it was peaceful and I drifted off into the first dreamless sleep that I had in weeks…
***
“You okay, you seem a bit. Off,” Soaring Skies said to me. She was a member on my flying team.
“Yeah” I said, focusing my attention to the contents of my locker. I grabbed my things and closed the locker.
“Aren’t you hot? What’s with the jacket?”
“Nothing,” I muttered.
“Come on, you can tell me,” Soaring pleaded.
“Soar, if you ever cared a dime about me then listen to me when I say: don’t get involved.” I stated, placing my hooves on her shoulders.
“Okay, Fine.” She said.
The bell rung, signalling the start of class, I looked up at it. I felt someone push me aside and hurried along.
The was a line forming in front of Captain Spitfire, I stood next Soaring.
“Okay, you guys managed to pass the first course. Are you ready to be a Wonderbolt,” Spitfire asked.
“Yes Ma--”
“NO! If you had what it takes then you’d already be a Wonderbolt. Now, that doesn’t mean that with practice and hard work you can’t be a Wonderbolt. In this lesson we will work on you stamina,” Spitfire said, looking at the line of pegasi in front her. I started at my hooves.
“REVA,” she shouted, and I flinched, looking up. “Take that jacket off!”
“But--”
“Take it off or you're out the WONDERBOLTS,” Spitfire ordered.
I whimpered, slowly dragging the zipper down my jacket. I sighed, letting it fall to the ground.
Spitfire lowered her glasses, she stared at me. Before pushing them back into place, “500 laps, ALL OF YOU.”
The line took off at breakneck speed, I however slowly fluttered upward.
“Expect you,” Spitfire said pointing to me. “My office now!”
The End.
Sometimes, when I stare at my flank, I wonder what it means. What my talent is, and what I’m suppose to do with it. As I sat in Spitfire’s office, I stared at my flank.
Five glowing orbs in circle... I had convinced myself that I got while looking at the stars. And I even told my family that, but I just don’t know how I got it.
Spitfire walked in, shaking me from my reverie. She pulled out her chair and sat down. “Care to explain the cuts on your legs?” She asked of me.
“....no,” I said.
“No? You should really talk to someone, suicide is not the answer.”
“What!?” I replied, almost yelling.
“First, why are you cutting yourself?” Spitfire asked.
“I’m not cutting myself,” I retorted.
“Then why do you have cut on your forelegs?”
I paused to think. “I got into a flying accident.”
“Hmm. Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I said, exasperatedly.
“Get out.”
“What?”
“Out. Out of the Wonderbolts: you’re suspended.”
“Why?” I demanded.
“Just. Leave.” Spitfire supplied, her voice hard as steel. “And seek some help.”
“I don’t need help.” I stated.
“Get her out of here!” Spitfire said, and I felt myself being dragged away by the guards. I struggled but it was no use.
~☆~
“Reva” was walking down the street, the sky was dark as coal, and speckled with tiny stars. The only things giving off light were the street lamps. In the light, ponies could see that her eyes were crimson red. She was armed with a knife, and held it out.
A blue mare with a purple name stepped into the night, only to be quickly stabbed to the hilt by “Reva.” The mare screamed and struggled but “Reva” was pinning her down now. A few ponies rushed to her aid only to be quickly taken down themselves. After “Reva” was finished, she closed her eyes and disappeared in tendrils of dark smoke.
~☆~
I sighed, standing to my hooves, cracking sounds filling my ears as I stretched. I made my way to the kitchen, a pile of dirty pots, pans, and plates filling the sink. I swung the fridge door open, and the aroma of takeout assaulted my senses.
I searched the fridge for something that I wanted to eat. Finding nothing, I slammed the fridge shut and exited my house, wind whipping past my face. And it’s a good thing I did, 'cause when I came back, a large group of police ponies were waiting at my door.
The color drained from my face, as my mind went to the worst possible reasons why they were here.
Spitfire must have called the Mental Ward.
I killed one of the guards when I tried to stay in the Wonderbolts. The thought of me killing someone made me retch: I got sick at the sight of blood. Well… it did back then. My head ached and I almost lost balance.
“Hey!” A guard called, “There she is!”
“Uhh..” I groaned. The sudden sight of ponies running toward me woke me from my stupor. I took off into the air, a purple contrail whizzing behind me briefly. In mere minutes, I was flying past the mountains. I’d feel alive if it wasn’t for the police ponies chasing me.
I looked over my shoulder, whoever had followed me were gone...for now. I slowed down and then headed for the earth below…
~☆~
“She just disappeared! Into smoke,” Firefly said. He was at the police station in Canterlot. “I doubt Reva would murder to begin with.”
“Sir the evidence is clear. Want me to replay the video?” Flash Sentry asked.
Firefly’s face went pale and he retched the rest of his stomach contents in the bucket place near him, “I-I’m good.”
“So, where is she!?” Flash asked, slamming a hoof into the table.
“I don’t know! And even if I did, do you really think I’d sell my sister out like that,” Firefly asked, clearly annoyed.
“I can have you arrested for interfering with MY work,” Flash Sentry snarled.
“Yeah, your job is to sell out people with their loved ones. The Royal Guard in a nutshel-”
“SHUT UP!” Flash shouted, which made Firefly flinch. However, he couldn’t last a second.
“Hahahaha,” Firefly collapsed on the table, laughing, until it hurt.
Flash took his walkie-talkie out and spoke, “this is Flash Sentry...yeah….Mr. Firefly isn’t cooperating.”
“I am cooperating,” Firefly whined. After a few awkward seconds, the door slowly opened. A mare walked in, she would have seemed tough if it wasn’t for the sweat, dripping from her forehead and down her face. And the tremble running through her legs with each step.
“What,” Firefly said slamming his hooves on the ground. The mare flinched but kept walking.
“Do you know where your sister is,” the mare asked, locking her blue eyes on Firefly’s green ones.
“No!” He shouted.
“He’s not lying,” the mare said, and strutted out the room.
Firefly waited until after the mare left, “so my word isn’t enough?”
Flash Sentry ignored that comment. “We might not know where she is….”
“....but we know how to find her.”
~☆~
I started into the creepy looking woods, each branch seemingly reaching out for me. My hooves trembled over the dirt, which was a creepy grey, almost like I was in a painting. The sky was a sapphire blue, and the stars were large yellow orbs.
I came across an old shabby old, the planks creaking under me. It was dark, but I could make out a stallion within the shadows. He was cute; he had cream-colored fur and a deep, charcoal-black mane, and his flank was void of a cutie mark. He ushered me to the old couch.
I took a seat. My eyelids felt like they weighed 1,000 pounds, and I realized how tried I was. My eyes slowly closed. When I opened them again, I was in a room.
Firefly was lying there, tied down to a metal table. A blue pony in a surgical mask and gloves sauntered over to Firefly. I squeezed my eyes shut to avoid what was coming next. I could barely hear the buzzing of a circular saw over Firefly’s screams.
I clenched my teeth and jaw, warm liquid splashing at my face, and staining my fur. One droplet missed everything else and landed on my lower lips. Instantly, without any real thought, I licked my lip. The blood was strangely sweet. I retched, my vision blurring as I opened my eyes slightly. I collapsed; however, seconds before I hit the ground, my REAL eyes opened. I was in an completely empty room, with no stallion, no couch, nothing: I had dreamed everything. But what did it mean?
