The Beast & the Element of Kindness
Prologue
Once upon a time in the days of Equestria before the defeat of Nightmare Moon, there lived an Alicorn Prince and his beloved Princess. They’ve reign over the land of Everfree, and were well loved by their subjects and allies alike. Then as time has passed the Princess had become bear with a new foal, which pleased her and her husband both. Upon the day of the baby’s arrival however, a mysterious visitor came upon the castle. The Prince answers the door to be greeted by what appeared to be a deformed Earth Pony hag, with a crystal glassed heart trinket she said.
“Please do give me shelter for the night,” said the hag. “You do you can have my trinket if you do.”
Now the prince was startled by the mare’s appearance, and so simply tried to turn her away. However the hag went on to give the prince a warning.
“People are rarely who they good prince,” said the hag. “For appearance cannot count for true beauty…because true beauty comes from within.”
The prince once again turned her away, and then shut the palace door to attend with his wife in labor. However upon arriving to his wife, the hag suddenly reappeared much to the Prince’s dismay.
“Did I not tell you to leave our castle?!” said the frustrated prince. “If you do not leave I’ll make you…”
Before the prince could shun the haggish mare once more, the mare’s ugliness melted away to reveal herself to be in fact Princess Celestia disguise. Shocked by what he had done, the prince and his princess begged for forgiveness but it was too late. Princess Celestia could see that there seemed to be blindness to true beauty in the Alicorn Stallion’s heart.
“You have forgotten to true meaning of beauty my little ponies,” said Celestia in authority. “For that the cruelty you have laid must be place upon the unborn, to remind you not to judge one before trying to know them!”
So with might of her magic, Princess Celestia placed an irreversible enchantment just as the couple’s baby just as he was born. Instead of a cute little foal, the princess had given birth to a horrifying beast as punishment for the Prince’s misdeed before she departed. Shocked at their son’s monstrous appearance, the prince and princess kept the Beast a secret from the public but at the same time they’ve nurtured and loved their son dearly in spite of his looks. But both the Prince and his wife knew well that they will not be around to protect their son forever, and that one day all of Equestria will know of the Beast’s existence. When that day came on the Beast’s 18th year, his parents had vanished leaving him heir to the Alicorn Prince’s throne. However instead of accepting his position, the Beast sent all that lived in the castle and sealed him away from the outside world believing his appearance was the reason for the vanishing of his parents…the ones he thought were the only ones who could love him for the way he is. There to this day the Beast remained in seclusion, even as the Everfree forest sprouted from behind the castle. Now the crystal heart Princess Celestia had left became the one thing the Beast kept close to his heart as a way to remember his parents by.
“Oh mother and father,” thought the beast in cloak. “Oh if only there was someone who could love me, no matter how I look to them…but a last it is not to be.”
Yes it is quite a predicament the Beast is in, after all who could ever learn to truly love a Beast?
To be continued…
Chapter one: Fluttershy visits the forest.
The Beast & the Element of Kindness
Chapter one: Fluttershy visits the forest.
Location: Ponyville
Celestia raises the sun over her subjects on a beautiful day, within a cottage a young pony started humming a pleasant tune while walking out with an empty basket. It is in fact Fluttershy, the shy yet sweet, kind and caring Pegasus and the harmony barer of kindness.
“Oh I hope today would be a quiet one,” said Fluttershy looking out upon the sunny day. “The sooner I pick some berries, the sooner I and my animals can prepare the pies for the picnic with my friends.”
As Fluttershy prepared to walk out, a tiny white bunny hopped to say goodbye to its guardian.
“Goodbye to you too Angel,” replied Fluttershy. “Do please be a good bunny while I’m gone will you?”
Angel simply nodded yes as a reply, after that Fluttershy walk off to start her berry picking. The Pegasus walked pass Ponyville while under the shade of a tree, the Alicorn princess Twilight Sparkle was busy reading her latest book. She looked to notice her friend Fluttershy departing for the Everfree Forest; she waved to greet the shy pony.
“Well hello there Fluttershy,” said Twilight. “What are you doing with a basket.”
“Oh hello Twilight,” greeted Fluttershy. “I am just heading over to pick some berries today; oh I hope you’ll enjoy the wild berry pie we’ll be making for the picnic tomorrow.”
“I’m sure we’ll love it,” assured Twilight Sparkle. “Do take care.”
“Not to worry Twilight,” replied Fluttershy. “I will.”
Fluttershy giggled a bit, and then continued on her way to the Everfree Forest.
Location: Everfree Forest
Several hours have passed since Fluttershy had left Ponyville; right now she is in the Everfree forest still collecting berries. She generally enjoyed the peace and quiet, being quite a timid pony and such means she rarely does well around the company of other ponies….with the exception of her close friends and family of course. Fluttershy had just finished her harvest, when a slight chirping could be heard peeking the Pegasus’s interest. She walked up to where the chirping originated, spotting a nest with a baby bird had fallen off the tree.
“Oh my,” said Fluttershy with concern. “Have you fallen off our home little birdy?”
Now Fluttershy knew that mother birds rejecting chicks touched by ponies was a complete myth, being the caring kind of pony she is Fluttershy couldn’t help but tend to an animal in need. Gently she placed the little chick back into the nest.
“There you go little one,” Fluttershy said softly. “Now your mother will know that you’re safe.”
Fluttershy decided to head back to Ponyville, however while she did visit the forest very often its darkest areas still make her nervous. Cautiously she walked through the woods, always spinning her head around encase something dangerous was watching. But as Fluttershy continued walking home, she noticed how darker the sky was becoming which made her quite nervous.
“Oh dear,” said Fluttershy sheepishly. “I hope I don’t get lost on the way home.”
Fluttershy sped up her walking the best she could, hoping to get back home before it becomes night. She didn’t know however was she made a wrong turn, walking into an area she had never walked through before in her life. Oblivious to her location, Fluttershy kept walking the wrong direction from home when the snap of a twig startled her.
“YIPE!” shouted a startled Fluttershy.
She looked around to see who or what stepped on a twig, only to notice how more dreary the location was. Now the shy Pegasus knew well of how rarely visited the Everfree Forest was, yet she never knew it could become so spooky in certain regions of it. At first Fluttershy stood petrified, totally worried of what she might bumped into in this location until…SNAP!!! Another snap of a twig made Fluttershy’s heart race more than before, she actually begun to panic and hyperventilate.
“Oh no, no, no,” whispered a frighten Fluttershy. “Fluttershy where did you go into?!”
She continue to shiver, worried about her animals and her friends. What if she couldn’t make it back to them, and what if her animals starved without her being at the cottage? Fluttershy tried her best to pull herself together, trying to find the courage needed to find her way home.
“Come on Fluttershy,” the Pegasus told herself. “One way or another you’ll find your way out, you just need too…”
All of a sudden Fluttershy took notice of what appeared to be storm clouds arriving in the area, Fluttershy looked up fearfully over the upcoming storm brewing above her. When lighting struck and thunder clapped, the shy pony high tailed it out of here heading even further away from Ponyville than she could imagine. Fluttershy kept on running and running, without looking at the direction she was exactly heading until….BUMP!
The shy Pegasus had rammed into something, pushing her upon her back. At first Fluttershy lied there dizzy, but then stood back and shook what hit her off. As she did, the Pegasus pony soon took notice of what appeared to be a dark and dreary castle. It reminded Fluttershy of the original palace of Princess Celestia and Luna, but yet this palace was slightly smaller but still made the Pegasus stutter at the sight of it.
“Oh my goodness,” Fluttershy said while shaking. “Oh I do hope whoever lives here isn’t too wary of strange ponies.”
Fluttershy decided to turn around, only to see that the sun had finally set. This made Fluttershy quite worried, for she might be miles away from her cottage, and every pony knows its very danger to venture through the Everfree forest after dark. Now the shy Pegasus had no idea what to do, she’s miles from home and both her animals and her pony friends will be quite worried about her absence. But as Fluttershy remained in deep thought….
“What are you doing?” said a voice.
Fluttershy jumped in surprise and turned around, there standing there was a figure wearing a green cloak over most of his body with the exception of his front paws and the tip of goat-like horns sprouting from his cloak. He stood at a height that exceeded Big Macintosh (Applejack’s older brother) in height, and that alone shocked the shy Pegasus. Being her shy self, Fluttershy remained silent as the figure walked up to her.
“I’ll ask you again Madame,” said the figure. “What are you doing here? For never had any ponies have come here in years.”
The figure waited for a reply, only for Fluttershy to remain quiet as always. The figure soon saw how shy the Pegasus was, so he proceeded with a gentler approach.
“My apologies for startling you,” said the figure. “But generally No pony comes around here….uh might I know your name if it is alright please.”
“I’m Fluttershy,” the shy Pegasus
The figure remained silent for a moment, then he replied to the Pegasus once again.
“Fluttershy huh,” replied the figure. “I say it is quite a lovely name, even though it took my sharp hearing to pick it up with your quietness.”
Fluttershy was a bit surprised at this, normally most ponies would ask her names a couple of times… only for her to become quieter and quieter in the process.
“Oh well…” Fluttershy tried to respond. “Thank you for your comment; well who might you be exactly?”
“I am the owner of this castle,” replied the figure. “Now it seems to me that you are lost am I right otherwise how you could have discovered this place.”
“Yes,” replied Fluttershy so shyly. “But I am sorry about intruding but you see….”
“Do not fret,” assured the figure. “You are not in any trouble…”
The figure looked at the darkness, then right back to Fluttershy and soon knew how frightful the Everfree forest at night is to her. Fluttershy waited for the figure to speak again, when he finally spoke once more.
“It appears to be too dark to walk around the forest at this time,” said the figure. “If you would like…you can spend the night at my castle until tomorrow.”
“Spend the night?” Fluttershy asked in surprised. “Well thank you for the offer and such but ummm….”
“I insist Fluttershy,” assured the figure. “Do please come with me, I’ll show you to your quarters for tonight.
Fluttershy watched as the figure walked back into the castle, she looked at the forest and then back at the castle. After much consideration she decided…to follow the figure into his castle home, not knowing of the adventure she’ll have with her mysterious host.
To be continued…
