The Home where I was Born.
I open my eyes and throw off my covers. I am greeted with the sight of my dim room, the sun attempting to shine through the caramel colored blinds. I decide to not bother with folding my bed, since today I can do that. A delicious smell of baking invades my nose, as I exit my room. Walking downstairs, I see my mommy sitting near an oven. Her beautiful violet eyes move to me and a smile appears on her lips.
"Good morning sweetie, slept well?"
"Yes!" I shouted, as I ran towards her to give her a hug. "I had a funny dream, where you and daddy were squirrels and got this huge pile of nuts and sweets!" Mommy's laughter rang out as she looked down at me.
"I'm pretty sure it's unhealthy for squirrels to eat anything sweet." I shook my head.
"Nuh-uh. I was a squirrel too and I ate some of the candy and I was perfectly fine!" Mom can be so silly sometimes.
"Of course you did sweetie. Well: you are going to get some real treats soon, so take a swim in the bath." I pout.
"Aww. Do I have to?"
"Of course you do, it's your birthday after all."
"Exactly! So why should I take a bath if it's my birthday?"
"Because you're going to put on that pretty dress of yours?"
"But I'm already clean!" Mommy's smile turns more warm.
"Well, in that case you'll be downright shining like the little gem you are." I grumble in displeasure as she pinches my cheek, which for some reason makes Mommy giggle. "Go on then sweetie, the sooner you are done the so-" I scrunch up my nose.
"Mom, what's that smell?"
"What smell?" She takes a whiff of the air. "Oh no." Mom gets a panicked expression and opens the oven, black smoke rushes from inside. "Oh no, no, no, NO!"
She pulls out... something. It was black and seemingly had black skulls of smoke coming off from it. Mom looks at it with for a second, before releasing a pained sigh. She mumbles to herself along the lines of: "another one", as she turns it off.
"Don't worry about it mom! At least you got better." I feel happy, whenever I see mom smiling.
"Thanks. I guess you don't have to wash up at the moment, since I have to bake a new pie."
"Or you could buy one from Blind Shield's bakery." I suggest.
"I could, but I would like to make something myself. I want this birthday to be memorable." I look at the dark sludge. "Good, happy memories."
"Right. Oh! Is sis awake yet?"
"I don't know. Why don't you check up on her, while I try to make something edible for today?"
"Fine. Is dad going to be home today?" Mom is silent for a moment.
"Of course he'll be sweetie, what kind of question is that?" She furrows her brows.
"Well I just though, that with his job... and... nevermind." I release a sigh.
"Oh, Bright. Of course he'll make it home today, don't you worry about that." She smiles warmly.
"Okay, if you say so." I say, still a bit unsure.
I tighten myself around her and get a nuzzle in return. Jumping out of her embrace I skip to and up the stairs. I see my sister, quietly creeping out of the bathroom and closing the door behind herself. She jumps when she turns around and sees me.
"Oh um. Hey sis, I didn't expect you to be awake at this time. Could have saved me the effort of trying to sneak out." I cover my mouth and giggle at my little sisters antics.
"And why wouldn't I be awake, hm-m? What are you implying?" Her eyes get shifty and she begins stammering. "Oh relax. I'm just teasing you a little."
"Hmph. That's not funny. I woke up early today especially for you: I was going to help mom make a surprise."
"Yeah. She might need some help right now actually."
"Really?" She asks, walking past me.
"Yeah. Hey... sis?"
"Hm?" She turns around, while I chew on my lip.
"...Pay no nevermind. It's not important." She raises an eyebrow.
"Al-right?" A very uncomfortable silence falls. "Happy birthday sis." She says, coming back for a hug. She felt a bit cold.
Agate's form disappeared down the stairs probably a while back, yet I was still standing. Why her? I shake the thought away. I am not a jealous Pony, what is wrong with me? Having used the little fillies room, I walk back downstairs. I freeze on the last step.
"NO! Where did the fire come from!? This is a crystal powered oven!"
"Water!"
"Nah." A click rings out. "It has an extinguishing function."
"...Just for you? Ah, no! I'm sorry mom, wait!" "Got you, cheeky little filly!" "No ah! Hehestohohop!"
I slowly peek out of the doorway and see mom mercilessly tickling sis. Agate is laughing really hard and eventually: mom relents and lies down beside her, both out of breath, short giggles escaping them. I shake my head in amusement and walk up to stand over the two goofs.
"Oh h-hey sweetie. H-how are you doing?"
"I'm alright, how about you?"
"Well... if we don't consider the fact, that I had just nearly burned down the house: I'd say not too bad. Wanna join us?"
"Nah I'm good." Mom takes a deep breath and with a groan stands up, with Agate doing the same.
"We will definitely be at this for a while. Tell you what? You can go outside and play for a bit, with your friends, while me and Agate prepare everything, hm?"
"Oh, but I have just took a bath!"
"Well then: make sure to not get yourself messy." Mom smiled. I wanted to resorted to cuteness, but then an idea struck me.
"Well then: I will simply not wear the dress." I smirked victoriously. A lone eyebrow was raised.
"Do you really not want to take a second bath, that much?"
"What's the point?"
"The healers say: it's sanitary. Taking a bath also feels pleasant and leaves you refreshed."
"Not if you take it multiple times a day, it doesn't." "I have to agree with sis here, mom."
"Oh fine you two. If you don't want it so much, I won't press. Just make sure to not get yourself too dirty out there, alright? Oh, and be back by dinner!" She says as she pulls out another form for a pie.
"Alright mom." I walk over to the door.
"Have fun sis!"
"You too!" I reply and open the door.
I step onto the beautiful streets, where the Ponies are walking about their day, fillies and colts playing together some game, or another. I turn around, to look towards the castle, it's central tower rising high and proud, with the sunlight glaring off of it. A few Pegasi are flying around it, decorating it for the upcoming festival. Two banners of our 'mighty Empire', as dad called it, are hung up at the front of the castle, at each side of the balcony. I smile at the usual bright morning, suddenly: a massive shadow falls over me. I turn around.
"Good morning, Bright. Happy birthday!" The giant says in a deep, rumbling voice.
"Hello mr. Grey!"
"I have made you a gift." One of his folded claws reaches down to me and he opens it, to reveal a small white sculpture. "Here, take it."
I grab it and take a closer look. The sculpture was of me and our entire family, standing together, smiling.
"Mr. Grey... how did you manage to..."
"Years of practice miss Quarts. Years of practice." I look up at him, frowning.
"But... I am not a miss... missy - maybe, but..."
"You have turned the one hundred-forty-fourth moon cycle today, have you not? I would say: that counts as you being officially a miss." He said, showing of his fangs. ...I feel old.
"Thank you, what is the sculpture made of?"
"Why quartz of course. I thought, that it would fit." I look up at him, looking unamused. But eventually giggle anyway.
"Thank you, I appreciate it."
"You are out quite early. Have you already celebrated?"
"No, my mom is just having trouble with baking. Again. So she said: I could go out and play with my friends. Have you seen any of them?"
"Hmm. I think they were working on some kind of project, but I wouldn't be able to tell you. It is a secret, you see."
"Oh, I see." I drop my head.
"I can tell you, that they have not forgotten about your birthday however." I mumble out a response. "Hmm. This will simply not do. A child should be happy during the day of their birth. How about I give you a ride, like the old days?"
"Really!? I would like that very much!"
"Then hop on." The red dragon got down on all fours and allowed me, to climb up his tail. Once I was ready, he turned his neck, to look at me with one of his eyes. "Are you ready, Bright?"
"Yes." I say with a nod and get a grip on him.
"Then up we go." He spread the large grey wings and took off into the skies.
We flew up, just below the clouds, the few Pegasi shout in surprise at our sudden appearance. Mr. Greywing can be a really fast flyer, when he wants to be, despite that his size might say otherwise. I laughed at the surprised expressions on the Ponies muzzles, as they boggled at us. They quickly collected themselves and waved to us, something which I returned in kind. My friend decides to suddenly speed ahead, which caused the cool wind to whistle past my ears.
I had a huge smile on my muzzle and was laughing the entire way. We slowed down a little, as we reached the outside fields. I look down at the villages below and the Ponies working hard on their crops. I see a few glimpses of armored guards below, patrolling the pathways, some seem to look up at us passing over them. We keep flying for a while, peacefully travelling over the massive lands. Eventually: Greywing turns his head to me.
"Should we head back? I still have some business to take care of, but I am not in any particular rush."
"How long have we been flying for!?"
"Hmm. I would say about an hour and a half, why?"
"Oh yeah, let's head back! I actually need to be back by dinner!"
"Hmm, yes. Food sounds good right about now actually, sadly: I do not have time." Grey sighs, releasing a small cloud of smoke, which the wind carries away.
"Are you sure!? You could join us!" I suggest climbing closer to the neck. He releases a deep chuckle.
"I thank you for the invitation, but I doubt: I would fit in your abode." He says, grinning wide.
"Are you sure? I mean: we could like... build you a big dining room for eating with us. Or we could just eat outside, in the back?"
"Heh, heh. You never change, do you Bright?"
I just tilt my head and stick my tongue out at him, at which he just chuckles and shakes his head, speeding off to the main city. We approach my home and softly land. I tell him my goodbyes, step into the house then instantly jump in surprise at a loud noise.
"Happy Birthday Bright!" Multiple shouts ring out.
I take a look around the room and see, that it has changed. It is now decorated with various things: a banner, that has 'Happy Twelfth Birthday Bright Quarts' written on it, a game of pin the tail on the Pony was on one of the walls, a table stood in the middle, with a massive vanilla cake on it. But most importantly of all: my entire family is here.
"Dad!" I jump into his hug.
"He-ey sweetie! Happy birthday."
"You're back." Dad looks at mom in confusion, then back to me.
"Of course I am. I wouldn't miss my little gem's birthday for the world."
We all take our seats at the dinner table. There is everything: cake, pies and many other sweets. I look over to dad, while he is chewing on some of the food. Mom is sitting beside me and my sister is straight across. He stops chewing for a moment and looks at me. I give a poke at my potato salad.
"How's your day been? Anything interesting happened?"
"It's been alright. There was rookie, that decided it was a good idea to stand up to a drill sergeant. It wasn't." He chuckles, shaking his head. "Poor fool was running the entire day. The drill sergeant sent one of his best runners, with an order to teach the private a lesson if he caught him. Of course he wouldn't actually hurt him, but the colt didn't know that." Agate laughs at the story, while mom shakes her head. "What about yours?"
"Mister Greywing gave me a ride around the outskirts."
"What: that's it? What about your friends: you didn't meet them?"
"No. Mister Grey said, that they are busy with something. I don't know what though."
"Ah. Well... They're just probably making a surprise for you." I tilt my head. "Anyway: Agate Quarts! The next morrow, we are going to practice with a sword. Make sure to get some good rest today." I look up to him.
"Yay!" Agate exclaims and hugs dad.
"Dad? Uh... can you also teach me?"
"What? But I thought: you said, you didn't want to get training?"
"...Can I at least try?"
"Sure thing, Bright. I don't see why not. The next morning, at sunrise. We pack some food and head out! This is my off week: so I can spend time with you all."
"Aww." Mom leans over the table and nuzzles him first, then kisses.
"Ew." "Ew."
Dad let's out a laugh and says: "Alright: time to make a wish." He lights up the candles on the cake, I lean over to it.
I wish: that we would always be together. I blow out the candles.
A loud scream sounds out.
Author's Note
Uzognge.
Confusion erupts through me first, followed by fear, as more and more screams rise in the distance. My world twists as I become scared, clinging to dad's leg with all my might. My father has a grim look and after removing me: goes to the widow. His expression turns into a grimace of anger and fear. Rushing to a corner, he swiftly puts on his armor that was stashed there.
"Honey, keep Agate, Bright and yourself safe. Don't leave house, hide." He says to mom, while pulling out a sword.
"What's going on out there, Bilbo?!"
"Just keep yourselves safe and don't leave the house! Wait for a of guards to arrive!" Dad shouts as he runs out onto the street.
A throbbing pain runs through my head and I find myself suddenly standing outside, where guards in black, spiky armor are marching down the street to us. A lot of guards are lying on the ground pools of red liquid pooling beneath them. The sky itself is no longer a bright blue, but is tainted by a dark grey curtain of clouds rising from parts of the castle and behind a few houses. A single helmless warrior is standing shakily far in front of us. It's my dad.
"Surrender to the might of our King, or be indisposed for life." One of the green-eyed Ponies says coldly.
"I'd rather fucking die, than to ever surrender to a traitor!"
The tall figures move in on my dad, as he begins to spin his strange sword. I shout in fear, reaching toward him. He hears my call and quickly looks back, eyes widening. The stallion puts on a mask of determination and twists back to the very near soldiers. I hear a 'run' from somewhere, but I can't move my legs. I helplessly watch, frozen in shock as dad begins cutting an splicing
A stone suddenly flies past my head and hits a soldier, that was getting a bit too close to dad, staggering them in the process. Dad takes notice of this and swings his sword at the soldiers neck, making their helmet fall off. I spin around to see Agate glaring and scowling at what is behind me, while I gasp at what is behind her. I point at the soldiers marching down the other end of the street and take a step back.
"I said run!" A slashing noise, a sound of something being cut and a wet splash reverberate through the air, followed by metal colliding. "What is so difficult to understand?!"
"Dad, there are more coming!" I warn him.
Taking a few steps back, he turns around and mutters something at the sight of reinforcements. He bucks a soldier, that was creeping up on him, indenting the armor and making them fall onto the ground.
“Get to the South Gate and flee with the rest! I will cover you!”
“But what about you?!” Silence reigns on the street, except for the sound of metal against crystal and fire burning. “Dad?!” “Daddy?!”
“ Don’t worry, I will try to reach you, but you have to-!” Dad slips up. His hooves glide across the red liquid, making him fall onto one of the soldiers spears. No.
“...Noooo!” My voice trails off at a high pitch as my knees tremble and I fall down onto the crystal street.
“I’m- sorry… Get- to- safety-y…”
I watch as the black thing slides it’s spear out of my father. It’s bright green orbs meet my furious ones. I can feel someone pulling at my side as I am struggling to get to it, but I am too angry to care. I hear sis calling out my name as I stare, with emotions I never felt before, at the approaching soldier. Who suddenly erupts in flames.
A strange Unicorn comes out of an alleyway to the side, his horn set ablaze with a white light. He doesn’t look like any Pony I have seen before. For one: his horn is longer, that of any other Unicorn I’ve met and there are a few other oddities about him that I can’t quite place, but it is his eyes that intrigue me the most. The blue depths seem to first show anger, then surprise and finally - sorrow. He looks at us.
“Come with me if you desire to live.”
“How can we trust you?!” Agate exclaims by my side, while I silently look at the stallion, that hurt the one who hurt daddy.
“I have no reason to harm you. Besides: these are your only options at the moment - either them... or me. You will just have to trust me.”
Sis and I wordlessly look at each other, then I look at dad. Finally making a decision: I run over to the unicorn, with watery vision, Agate following close behind. When we reach him, his horn shines once more and a wall of a strange bluish-white material appears, closing off the entrance to the alleyway.
“Come on, we must hurry.”
“D-dad told us to get to the South Gate.” Agate said looking up at him.
“The South Gate?.. That is actually really smart. Very well: let’s not waste any time - the ice won’t hold them off for long.”
Buildings zip past us as we sprint across the Empire’s capital. We hear more screams and see more fire, before we arrive at a big open area I have never seen before, which is has chunks of crystal and fallen trees lying around. A familiar dark-red Dragon is standing over a broken fountain with widely spread wings, breathing blinding fire at the dark soldiers that are trying to get to him.
“Sir Grey, it’s us! Over here!” I shout when the flames subside. He swings his head to us, his golden eyes widening.
“Bright? What are you all doing here, why are you not with guards?”
“They have fallen.” I hear the unicorns voice echo. Greywings’ expression darkens even more.
“...I see. I shall aid you in escaping this place, there is not much left of our city to protect I am afraid.” The Dragon says somberly before launching more torrents of flames at a few sneaky meanies. “Climb on.” He turns his back to us and lowers the big tail, still breathing fire at troops, that are on the other side of the area.
I didn’t hesitate a moment, rushing to get up on him. However: Polaris and Agate were looking dubious and didn’t take off immediately, but when they saw me climb up onto Greywings’ spine: both of them leaped across the square and sat behind me, getting a solid grip on sir Grey’s back.
Spreading his ashen wings and roaring at the enemy below, Greywing launches up in the air with a mighty flap. We soar through the skies, above the destruction below, I can’t see a single Pony in the streets. A few of the familiar fields ahead are set ablaze and the ground is scorched… while some place are covered in ice. I hear a growling hum come from somewhere.
“The other two Dragons must have been here. But where has the ice come from? And in such an unnatural formation as well.” True to Grewings’ word, the spikes of ice look as if they were grown. Is ice a type of crystal?
“I am unsure, but I feel like- watch out!”
We get lurched to the side and I don’t even have time to ask what is going on, when a massive crystal obelisk comes flying past my right side. A deafening roar cuts through the air as we rapidly begin losing height at an angle. We are tumbling down at high speeds, but I manage to keep my head facing the rapidly approaching land below, flailing about all my limbs. I know the others are screaming as well, but I can only hear myself.
The white ground is only a few hooves away from my muzzle, when I hear a distant bone-chilling howl and everything goes black.
Author's Note
YzEgZmIgNzggZjYgZWEgZmM=
I open my eyes with a gasp, staring at my hooves with shaky breaths. After taking a moment I look up at Agate sitting by a fire that Greywing made in our cave, his maroon form curled around the back of the small cave where lots of moss grows, leaving his nose in the fires light, his lack of a wing in view. Polaris is sitting in a dark corner between stones by himself, his wizards hat over his eyes as distant quiet snores escape him. Everything seems bleaker.
"Good morning, sis. Was it the nightmare again?" I rub my eyes dry and look Agate into hers.
"Yeah. Yeah, it was." She stands up and walks over to me, carrying a bowl of steaming mushroom soup.
It has been five years. And I still have the same nightmare. Over and over. I lick my dry lips and thank my little sister when she passes me a wooden spoon as I have my breakfast. Thunder throws out a lightning outside as the rain pours for the second day in a row.
"It's quieting down." Agate says and I listen closely. So it is, "Listen, sis..." I hum in response, downing the rest of the soup in one go, "Why is it so hard to find anyone? Friendly, I mean... Why are we so lost?" I think back on how we ran as far as possible. Escaping the evil within the Empire and the spreading cold that surrounds it.
"I do not know. All I know is, this is the safest place we could be." And so it was true. Without Greywing's flight it has been hard traversing the lands. Not immeasurably so, but there were various complications. We managed to secure this cave, free of it's own dragon.
"But... Don't you think we have to keep looking? Should at least?" The area around the cave was our little haven from the world beyond. The true reason none of us met anyone was because Polaris - the wizard that saved us all those years ago, has led us down a safe path. All of us are too scared to travel outside. Maybe not Greywing, but it seems like he is quite comfortable in this cave of his. I personally was too focused on bringing up my little sister and keeping her safe.
"Listen, Agate... I... Can we talk about this later, please? I just woke up." She looks away before turning back to me and nodding, making her way across some of the stones forming a ridge before slipping up to my side on the cloth over leaves that is my bed. Grey has made each of us a little corner of our own to huddle into.
"...Ew."
"What?" I set the bowl down as I wrap my wing around her, evading her horn.
"You reek, sis." My brows fall and I give her dirty main a ruffle.
"Then I will drop you into the pool together with me." She squirms with wide eyes as she shakes her head.
"I'm clean, I'm clean, don't do that!" I giggle and nuzzle her nose with mine.
"Maybe~" I grin as she pouts and grumps, flopping her head sideways on my chest.
Time passes and the fire becomes much dimmer before a shiny yellow eye opens within the darkness and a burst of flame reignites the flames as a claw puts half of half a tree trunk onto the firepit.
"Hey, Grey, we're gonna go splash around for a bit, alright?"
"Very well, but please be careful. As usual, don't stray too far." The whisper of his voice echoes for a bit, the eye closes as Grey rests his head.
"Yeah-yeah, we are fillies and we need fillying all day and night long. We got you, don't worry, I'll keep Agate safe." The eye opens again.
"And yourself." The rumble goes through me.
"But why wouldn't I?" I give the narrowed eye a wave as my little sister and I trot down the caves only tunnel.
We step from rough stone onto soft, wet with rain grass, small pools of water here and there. There are white trees with black stripes marking an open area for us right outside the caves entrance. As for the cave itself, it connects to a mountain part of a long ridge, covered in moss-like grass, stone showing up more often the higher it goes. The clouds are clearing up and the sun is giving us its first rays behind the peak, raining them across our cold fur. It's not the worlds morning, but it is ours. I bristle and stretch my wings before leading Agate through the trees, keeping close to the ridge. Eventually we come up on a grove, multiple streams of water flowing from the side of the mountain, forming streams that connect into a larger one leading deeper into the forest. Birds sing, some even show themselves, colors of blue, red, green and yellow. Sometimes all at once,
Between all the streams flowing down a mountain is another 'leak', flowing into a large natural bath of stone - part of the mountain that was once cut out by all the water - our pool. A few tiny streams lead from the end of the oval pool into the forest river. I pick up my sister and flap my wings, flying over to the pool before gently lowering beside it as she takes off her sleeping rags - our restiched dresses we had on us, gets comfortable and flops on her rump into the water with a sigh. I follow her example and relax in the cool water. Occasionally it becomes warm and when it does I wriggle.
After a some time relaxing, my little sister decides to help my with my wings.
"Agate, I'll be fine, I can do this myseeeelf."
"Remember what happened last time, Bright? You just... Tore-" I wince, "-a ball of feathers out. Come on. Don't be a silly filly that we all know you are. Let your little sister take care of you." I slouch and let her do it, "Annnd... Done!" The sun is already shining almost above us, "Wasn't so bad, now was it?" I trot through the water to let the little waterfalls clean my wings of any stray feathers.
"Ahh, it's cold!" She giggles as I prance away from the water before motioning for her to come closer, "Come on, your turn." Her giggles stop.
"Wait, what?"
After an incredibly tough struggle, I manage to get her close to the waterfall, scrubbing her head while humming along with the birds. She doesn't look happy, but I keep on smiling, "Almost done. Just hold still for a little longer." She groans, "Now, now, let your older sister take care of you. Yeah?" I grin before giving her mane one final wash. She stares at me with it over her eyes.
"Why are you so mean to me?"
"Am not." I give her a light tap on the nose and she scrunches up her muzzle in response, wiggling it. We climb out of the now warm pool the sun drying our fur slowly, "Also, please don't make me as fluffy this-"
Her horn ignites and after a gust of winds hit us combined with the warmth from the sun both of us are left with incredibly puffed up fur. Mine more so than hers. She giggles as she puts her clothes on, "To be fair, it's not as fluffy as last time~" I sigh and look into the pond. I look like a monster.
I give my sister a slap on the back with a wing, "Let us go, don't want to make the old dragon worried."
"Sis, be nice." Agate chastises me as I rub my chin.
"Pretty sure he is old." She pokes my in the side with her horn gently.
"Ow." I fluff her main before I she giggles and pokes me again, galloping ahead across bright yellow flowers as I follow her, trying to catch up before taking to low ground flight.
She turns back and smirks at me before facing forwards again and speeding up, horn pointed forward as it glows white. She suddenly teleports to the Caves entrance but mid-charge and in the air.
"Wooah!" She begins to fall just as I reach her and catch her, "Thanks sis!"
"Yeah, wouldn't want to take a bath again, now would you?" I laugh, "That was impressive, Agate, has Polaris finally taught you that?" She sheepishly shakes her head.
"Nooo... Well, yeah, but I've been training on my own." I hover above grass, right by the entrance to our home, holding her.
"Is that why your hair is so dirty often?" She gives a little nod, "Huh." I set us both down, "I am proud you managed to accomplish that, but please don't do anything risky without Polaris. He knows what he's doing, or so it seems to me, I'm not an expert." I shrug.
"Yeah, okay. I'll be really careful, promise."
"Good. Want to go play in those flowers?"
"Yeah!" Agate bounces.
"Are you going out?" Grey's voice rumbles out of the cave just as Polaris shows up in the tunnel entrance, the fire forming his silhouette.
"Yeah! We are, Grey! Is Polaris coming with us!?" I ask Grey.
"I am." The unicorn stallion nods as he rubs the small beard growing all across his cheeks, chin and above his lips.
"Then stay safe, all of you." My old friend asks from his favorite nesting spot.
"We will!" Agate exclaims from my side.
"Do you wish to train, Agate?" My sister shakes her head in response to the wizards question.
"I wanted to take a break today, can I, pleeeease?"
"I do not see why not. We are not exactly in a rush. The dandelion field?" We both nod with excited grins, "Then let us head off."
We walk into the forest between the thin striped trees with green leaves.
Author's Note
The past is bleak. But the present is bright.
