Author's Note

Diamond Tiara's POV

Innocence, Lost: 1

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I wake up, to the sound of a shilling scream from my parents bed room.

There is tortured anguish, in the voice. As I continue towards the room; the sound is cutting of, with gurgling noises. The next moment; the silence is painful, deafening. Not a single sound.

”What happened?” I ponder; too scared to raise my voice, asking.

While I know they may argue, from time to time; I know my father has never raised a hoof against either me or my mother.

The voice had been too high-pitched, for me to recognize it; I had been ill prepared, for the moment facing me.

Normally, I would have been knocking on the door; prior to opening, and stepping into the room. Now I had thrown caution to the wind; as I open the door, stepping in.

There lies my mother; Spoiled Rich on the crimson bed linen, with a still gushing incision all the way along her belly. She is lying on her belly; gutted and empty. Lifeless.

By her side; I can see my father: Filthy rich, crushed under the weight of what had happened mere inches away from him. A filly, resting on his belly

The room, forever empty and devoid of life and joy.

My life, as I know it is over. I have no family, none to rely upon. I had been left alone; to fend for myself, as best I could.

Whoever could have done it? Whoever left her, like this; leaving my father alive? From what I can see; nothing is disturbed, and nothing is taken. There is no sign of entry.

Nothing does not cut up Mares, pulling their unborn out of their wombs; leaving them on the unsuspecting, sleeping Stallion. Even I do know this much.

The still scene had left my blood chill to the bone.

I say nothing, as I cast one last glance at what had once been my loving parents. There is but the one thing to do; saving what is left to save, I pick up the filly that is doubtlessly my sister.

I feel the warmth of her still body, as she is shivering in the unexpected cold. It is after all in the middle of the night, and she had been pulled out of the warmth she had been accustomed to.

With the still warm and breathing foal tightly pressed against my chest; I exit the room, not considering anything but to leave the ghastly scene. While I can not forget what I had seen; I can still attempt to escape it and put as much distance between it and me.

If it is cold outside, I have no time or care; I need to be scares, and leave as soon as possible. I can take precious little with me. Maybe, just maybe; I could return, to pick up some of my most dear possessions with me. Later.

I end up, sneaking out the back. Only affording the time to close the door; before I continue over the luscious lawn behind the home I had once loved so dearly.

”Where could I go?” I ponder, as I continue over the lawn.

The scene is haunting me, and what I had seen is bothering me. I can’t escape, what I had seen. Though the fact that the floor is bone dry and spotless is foreboding. What could it mean?

I had heard no hooves from the fleeing assailant, or murderer. There had been no sign of struggle; just as the only sound I had heard, is the final scream of my mother.

I could think of her, what I please; but she had never deserved this end. Celestia forbids.

All I have now, is the foal in my care. My sister. She has no pony, but me. Yet, who do I have?
No Pony.

It isn’t, as if I could knock on the door of any Pony in town I ever knew. Just as I could not take the train out of town, even if one would conveniently be waiting for me as I arrive. Assuming, I would even arrive?

I chose the quiet forest behind the house. A dark, quiet path I imagine I had once loved.

Now I am taking an escape-route, out of what had once been my home. My safety. The origin of so much love and joy. Now the place of the foreboding, ill-willed fortune of what had once been my family.

Quietly, stumbling along the path before me. Where am I going? I had no idea, I had never had the time to consider. There is after all nowhere to go.

Nowhere, but away from where I am now.

At first, I just follow the path; then I choose to slip onto a smaller and narrower side-path, to get further off of the beaten track.

Maybe I should have stepped into the light, but I can’t make myself.

Had I been asleep; Luna would have been here, by now. I know as much.

Yet, she is not.

My mind is stumbling, just as much as my now sore hooves are.

The night-sky is dark.

Stark, black; devoid of light, and hope.

Is this, how the Crystal Ponies had felt; under the rein of King Sombra?

Just as the sky is dark, the forest is tight, and tightening up. Am I feeling a pinch of claustrophobia?

I feel someone, or something watching me. It feels; as if there were eyes, following me, my every step. Following my every move. I am trapped.

Now I can even see the eyes, watching me. Yellow, glowing eyes.

I know where I am, now. The Ever-free forest.

Of all the places, I could have gone? I had to end up here, in the Ever-free forest.

Then again, after what I had already seen; what could this forest do to me, that had not already been done to me?

While I may still be alive, but is there no fate worse than death? In which case, I had to stay alive.

At least, this forest is not quiet; the Ever-free forest makes sounds, frightening and foreboding noises. Right now, these are better than the silence. At least, to me.

I continue, because I have nothing better to do. I could as well continue, to where-ever this path may take me.

Then I hear strange rhymes. A Zebra.

Several minutes later, I am stumbling into the clearing, surrounding her hut.

What am I to do now?

Do I wake her? Just that I had already heard her voice; she is up, and about. Doing Something. Something.

I step forth. Knocking on her door. Lightly.

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