Stepped in it big time. That's the best way the situation I am in can be described. An unpleasant gash on the shoulder that slowed me down, magic burned horn, blood loss from the gash effecting my ability to stay focused and moving. All around me the trees of the forest obscured the location of my pursuers. It was almost like one of dad's stories....
For as long as I could remember dad'd always tell his stories or play his music for mom and I. Said my name even contained a little bit of both. He'd compromised with mom that she'd get to choose my name if I was a boy and he'd get to choose if I'd been a girl. Either way it was going to be geologically related with the last name "Hero". Personally I prefer rock to gem as my name any day.
Mentally, I cursed my genetics for not allowing me to inherit dad's long alicorn legs. Born from a unicorn-Alicorn pairing and yet denied any alicorn dna. Instead, I'd inherited mom's unicorn genes.
That's not to say I didn't inherit anything genetic from dad. My brown coat and the brightness to my blue eyes is from dad. The purple mane and depth to my blues eyes came from mom.
Dad wasn't in my life for that long. Most say it was because his last noble act was his down fall. Others say power went to his head. Either way they're all right about some part of how it happened. They were there when it happened though, what would they know about it?
It happened when a day of family fun turned into another of his stories. Scary monsters attacking, him defending others from said monsters, typical day for dad. At least, it was until mom and I became too easy of targets. It was after taking an injury for his idiot son that dad was lost.
Black flames had covered every inch of his alicorn body. Marbled skin seemed to replace fur and thinning feathers. He had claws and some kind of scythe growing from his back hooves. His teeth had taken a similar form to some of the monsters he'd talked about. The worst part was that his eyes were glowing slits with wisp like tears flowing toward his back.
In a split second he'd disappeared. In his place was scorched ground that looked like a quake had occurred where he'd been standing. After that moment everything fell apart.
Mom had become depressed and after a few weeks took off with her friends to find dad's other family. I was left to stay with my aunt until mom came back. The only good news was that I didn't have to leave my home. Everything else was just pain, pity, and whispers of concern for the "so upset about his dad he went delusional" foal. The only reliable thing at that time was dad's old music stuff.
I was nothing like dad as far as I could see. I had natural skills in some of the more mundane things he'd taught me but none of his abilities. in fact, other than a love for mom the only thing I'd inherited from his was his size changing ability and the weird energy drain when I'd over done things. Dealing with the size thing was the first lessons dad had put me through.
Music was the subject I held dear, though. It was always hilarious watching dad and my aunt argue when it came to teaching me to sing. Dad was always picking on my when it came to guitar practice, fake arguing with me over the guitars until mom broke it up. When it came to music between those two it always seemed like some unspoken back and fourth battle. Dad'd always whispered that music had it's own kind of magic but he also said that about a lot of other things.....
I clear my thoughts with a shake of the head and a hissed "Running for your life isn't the time to be reviewing your life, idiot". Ironically it was more life flashing before eyes than anything. Putting a positive spin on my busy mind, I turned my thoughts from grim to strategizing.
I now find myself blocked in on three sides and barely any energy to move. In times like this dad would always face the enemy head on and fight to the end. I don't see how well I can do that since I've got no abilities to use and only one of dad's old music players to pass the time with. I'd be doomed if that got wrecked.
Without warning it just came snapping at me from in front. Luckily I barely dodged but dad's music player was ripped from me. To my despair the earbud cord is ripped from the socket, hanging from the creatures jaws as the device falls, seemingly in slow motion...
"Don't let your mom know I stole this back from her, this is her favorite player." Came dad's whispered secret about that very player. " The memory then swallowed me whole. "This one's most precious to her because she's been stealing this one since the first time I stayed over after a fight for her to tend my wounds" He'd laughed. "She'd always played so innocent but I knew she loved my tunes as much she loves me."......
The player hits the wet earth and with a sharp rapport begins playing a song. The sudden sound is distraction enough for my attacker to stare curiously at the noise maker while for me the world seems to shift with a blinding light, probably from blood loss induced hallucinations. As an attention getting call sounds from the machine I reopen my eyes and stare straight into the eyes of my would be killer. The moment of decision is now and it will forever be marked by a fall out......
A sweeping symphony seems to surround and emanate from everything around me. The hill I'm standing on is filled with long green grass. Below me stands a huge lake surrounded by fields and forests, ringed by mountains. The sky is almost as blue and white fluffy cloud filled as Equestria's. The scene around me leaves a feeling of homesickness, yet I don't remember ever seeing a place like this.
A thundering and several animal calls alert me to a group approaching the far side of the lake. Two of the creatures resemble earth ponies but with the measurements of alicorns. The other two I recognize as a wolf and a lioness. All three also seem to have an aura of familiarity.
I can feel curiosity and the strange magnetism, one of being around family or close friends, pull me in their direction. The attraction is both hypnotic yet it is by my will that I head for the creatures running below. Caution, drilled by everyone who knows me, slows my pace without stopping my progress.
A shadow from above takes my attention from my targets. It's creator is none other than an eagle wheeling through the sky and passing in front of the sun. It gives off a strange connection that makes me feel as though I'm flying with it. It cries out a few times while it circles over head.
I turn back to locate the earth ponies and their companions only to find myself the subject of study. A ways down the hill a breathtakingly coated earth pony has locked her tearful blue eyes on me. Beside her stands a more tan coated earth pony that fills me with the same awe one would hearing heroic stories from a relative.
The fame opens her muzzle and out comes my name in her musical voice. The tone greets me as if I was someone lost who'd finally returned home. Everything about this moment speaks as if she was there to serve as a parent or family member while mine were absent.
After a few beckons the male starts in. From him I get the sense of strength yet kindness. The light in his eyes is welcoming and fun loving. Something tells me he'd be a stern teacher but also willing to support when needed. He shared the same feeling of leadership that dad glowed with.
Upon approach their voices began changing. Both voices were now feminine and infinitely more familiar. Anger and desperation clouded their tones and expressions....
"YOU'RE LUCKY YOUR MOTHER'S NOT AROUND SHE'D HAVE MURDERED YOU FOR ALMOST WRECKING YOUR DAD'S MP3 PLAYER!" Aunt sweetie exploded from above. Her voice began squeaking as she continued barraging me with her words of concerned discipline. After a while it was hard to tell whether or slowing down was the result of her running out of breath or her voice being literally deafening.
It was at this moment that auntie Tiara quietly advised auntie Sweetie to go inform the rest of the search party of my having been found. By her gentle prodding she was able to get her chance to play disciplinarian without any of my other aunts interfering. She'd gently nabbed my barely visible frame off the ground before aunt Sweetie could take me hostage and feed me to the metaphorical mob. Taught the tactic by dad she knew that getting through to me meant a slow pace, gentle words, and a firm yet respectful discussion.
"Did I ever tell you the first time your dad let me and your aunt Silver hang out with him?" Vibrated aunt Tiara's voice through her soft back fur. "It was right after he'd returned after the crusaders got their cutie marks." Her tone turned reminiscent. There was a hint of laughter as she said "Scariest moment of both our lives."
She stopped here and laid flat on her belly. I was gently lifted from her back to a hugged position in her fore hooves. Most of our fond memories with each other started this way.
"He'd dropped off the crusaders, all three looking like they'd let him have it, and he looking like he'd been kissing as much flank as possible for an alicorn, for school and as soon as he'd spotted us, asked Cheerilee if he could borrow Silver and I for a small chat. He escorted the two of us to the town park before stopping. Both Silver and I were nervous awaiting whatever he had planned for us. Instead he chatted with us about what had led up to the crusaders' marks appearing. As he returned us to school he offered to hang out with us more whenever he could. We've been part of his circle ever since."
"It's kinda funny how your dad terrorized the two of us when we were bullies yet was completely the opposite when we stopped being such spoiled brats. He was so undeservably kind. I guess you could say between him and us we both had a surprising side."
The way she talked about my dad you could tell she'd gotten attached. There was a slight hint of sadness in her voice, as appeared every time she talked about my dad. That pain was one of the things we shared.
"You know you're just like him? Always getting into trouble, constantly needing to be kept an eye on, and always letting your heart of gold shine" she said dropping her chin in a comforting gesture. Classic passed down warm and fuzzy strategy. It was a sign things were about to get more "lecture-ey".
"I don't know what happened to you, and I'm gonna wait for you to be ready to tell me before I ask, but I know that it got way more dangerous than you are prepared for. It also almost cost everypony a link to our memories of your dad. Either way it's gonna add up to a ton of drama, all aimed your way, and none of it likely to be lessened by anything other than being honest and compliant."
Shortly after that seemingly half of Ponyville apeared being lead by all three of my crusader aunts. All of the crowd had traded their expressions of happiness for unhappy expectancy. They gave me a split second to gulp and sigh the acceptance of my fate.