Author's Note

Hey guys! I got a second story up, so if I hit writer's block on "Trigger," I have this to come to, but I will mainly work on "Trigger."

This is another random idea I came up with on a whim and decided to write it in hopes you'll enjoy it.

Currently fixing errors

Prologue: Bittersweet Beginnings

So, my name is Jake Wolfe.....and I've been adopted by Nightmare Moon.

Take a moment to think that thirteen word sentence over a few times and put the pieces of the puzzle together. Sounds like a joke, doesn't it? Well, it's quite the opposite and it's the truth, in fact. Nightmare Moon is real. On earth. And adopted me. Also, unlike in the show, she's anthropomorphic.

Six years ago I had parents....real ones....until we were T-boned by a semi on the way home from a family outing for ice cream. I was heart broken when I woke in the hospital and one of the first things they told me is my parents didn't survive. How's that for a wake up call? Eight years old and you wake up in the hospital to find out your parents are no longer alive? R.I.P me.

I was also told they might have to take my right leg from how badly broken it was, or if they didn't, I'd never walk again. Luckily neither of those things happened and my leg is fully functioning, other than the random twitches it makes now and again. It doesn't bother me, though. I'd rather have a twitching leg over a missing one!

Words could never describe how scared I was. My leg on the line without a mother's hand to hold.

Moving on now.

I spent a good four months, healing in the hospital...alone. I've always been a cast out in school and thus I've got no friends. The ones I do call friends probably only pretended to like me. My grandparents live elsewhere so they can't come to see me....so....nobody came to see me other than doctors and nurses.

During this time, I'd watch the news all day to at least keep tabs on what was going on in the world I was missing out on. Damn, I just used 'on' three times in less than fifteen words. But, anyway, I was watching Fox Live when I found out Nightmare moon, who was going to be my mother six years later, was real.

Call me weird, call me dumb, call me gay, I liked that cute little show of pastel colored, sentient ponies. I especially liked Scootaloo.

But, apparently, what the news thought was an incoming meteorite, was Nightmare Moon in the flesh, who crashed down to earth in a corn field just north from here. Hell, I watched her fall! But then again I guess you knew that already.

As time went on, society began to accept having Nightmare Moon around, who luckily had no intention of enslaving us. As time went on, I finally found myself in an orphanage, without a loving family to come home to. My grades in school slipped, I became isolated, even picked up a few bullies along the way.

Each day was a living hell, watching over time as kids came and went. I felt unloved and unwanted. All the kids that were there when I came in had been adopted.

Six birthdays went by...

Six Thanksgivings went by...

Six Halloweens went by...

Six Christmases went by...

Six years I was still there.

Eight's usually the age when parents become uninterested in older kids and I just had to be that very age. Fourteen now and I was still waiting.

The orphanage felt like prison.

The food was awful, we couldn't leave, always being supervised. You misbehave they had a separate area for 'naughty' kids. We all slept in one long room with bunk beds, the windows small and up towards the ceiling with bars to prevent escape.

I felt like a criminal, convicted of some crime, and that I'd never be getting out.

Then Nightmare Moon....of all people came in. All the little kids were super hyped about her, the chance to be adopted, but in this case, their mommy would be a pony.

"You cannot deny me to see these children just because you don't like me! I have my rights as a citizen of this state!" Nightmare could be heard hollering to the receptionist through the glass security door which was the only way out. You'd need a card key to get through.

They argued for a short time, but finally she was allowed in and we, the kids, were gathered in the visiting area. There were old couches which smelled of old cheese, the lamp on the end table didn't work, there was water damage on the ceiling. The carpet was the only thing clean. I mean, there are standards and babies pee and puke all over this thing. To neglect to clean it would get this place shut down.

As soon as Moon walked in, the little ones, four to six were at her hooves, their little arms raised up to her as if she had a bag of cookies to give away. Ones from eight to ten seemed a little hesitant, but soon found themselves playing with her long, flowing tail. They're kids. Curious little buggers.

I was the only one not in the group. No, I gave up on my cute act which I thought was going to guarantee my escape from this place. Instead, I opted to sit alone on the other side of the room, hoping to not be noticed, making myself as small as possible. I grew tired of personally being told no. No that I wasn't what they were lookin for or I was just too old. I'm a kid, yet I'm old at the same time?

Makes sense, I guess. Not really.

Despite my efforts to become invisible man, the mare-on-the-moon noticed me.

"Child." she says firmly and a shiver runs down my spine. I hear hoof steps and look up and she's somehow standing in front of me, a giggling toddler was holding onto her hoof, having been dragged along. She crosses her arms and raises a brow. "What might you be doing all the way over here?"

"I...I," I muttered with no clue how to respond as if I'd forgotten English.

She kneels down in front of me. "Tell me, why you aren't with the others?"

There was sternness in her voice as if she were annoyed as opposed to sooth and comforting to see what's actually wrong with me.

I look back down, only for her hand to lift my chin as she moves closer, forcing me to gaze into her teal, slitted eyes

"Do not ignore me, young child. I asked a question."

At least she called me young?

"He doesn't like visitors," one of the kids says.

"He says they all hate him," another one adds.

"Is that so?" Moon raised a brow at me and she stood up again and takes my hand. "Come, child."

I gasped as she held my hand firmly and led me out into the lobby.

"I want this one." she glares at the elderly receptionist.

"W-well, we need a proof of residence...a...a proof of employment, phone number, name, a-an email address and to see if you're even legible to adopt." the lady says.

"Horse apples." Moon stopped a hoof. "Back in MY world you just had to tell them which child you wanted and that's that!"

"You see, honey....we-"

Nightmare Moon slams a fist onto the counter. "Don't call me honey!"

The old lady was shaking now. "M-my apologies...but things are different here. The adoption process can take months t-to years, even!"

Nightmare Moon deadpanned. "You've got to be KIDDING me! Just to adopt a child!? This is ridiculous!"

I winced a little from the height of her voice.

"I-it might also take as little as a few weeks...it depends on you, mostly..."

"Well, how can we make it happen that way?" Moon asks.

"First off, is it this child you want? We like to make sure the parent finds the right match..."

Moon groans. "Yes, this is the child I want!"

The old lady with her curly white hair nodded. "Then you'll need to fill out some paperwork and you'll need the information packet which comes with a fee.."

Nightmare Moon draws in a long breath and sighs, placing a hand over her muzzle.

"And we'll need and interview with you and your selected child..."

Moon groans again, obviously becoming annoyed as she throws her head back.

"You people make this impossible, don't you?" she snapped.

I couldn't help but laugh at my soon-to-be mother. At least I was finally getting out.