Chapters Chapter 2: A day in the Life
Firebrand rolled over as the winter sun shown through her window. Throwing her pillow over her head and moaned..........it was her first day of school. Her brother Cold-steel nudged her gently and an occasional poke, "Hey sis, it's time to get up. Mother and father sent me."
She rolled out of the warm bed and trudged to wash her face and brush her teeth. Cold-steel thought himself the luckiest colt at school to have Firebrand as a sister; he was in the popular group but he ALWAYS wanted a sister and his parents had tried to to have another but that ended with his 'would-be' baby sister didn't make. Cold-steel saw as a gift of fate that the night that his unborn baby sister died that Firebrand showed up. On that night and whole day his mom had been depressed. Now eight years later, his mom would refer to his sister as her guardian angel, and refer to him as Firebrand's protector.
As they ate breakfast in the kitchen father was reading the morning paper reading the jokes from it to illicit laughs from the family. Cold-steel looked over at Firebrand and she was really distracted, "Am I a monster? Other fillies and colts have said so."
Her parents looked up from what they were doing, "You're not a monster don't listen to the others, they just believe what they're told and don't take time the time to know you. Quill help me out please?"
"Sure thing Aurora Dawn. Your mother is right Firebrand, they don't realize that your bat species is fruit bat...........not of the species that require blood; most blood feeding bat ponies tend to be clingy to a source and even then the host has to be willing to be fed upon. You're our special angel." With that said he presented a very bright red apples and and Firebrand eyes dilated and her ears twitched body tensed and as the apple went airborne she took off and caught it as it barely left her father's hoof. When breakfast was cleaned up Firebrand and Cold-steel walked to school. When they arrived to the two story school building Firebrand froze in her step as a shadow car into view and she tried to dodge the pegasus; bodies made contact and Firebrand hit the snow and she felt her wings crunch harmlessly in the snow.
"You finally made it! Damn I thought you'd never show!" The cream colored pegasus with a dark brown mane and tail with banana split for her cutie mark said in a speed almost matching Pinkie Pie.
"Split, you almost killed me! You crazy filly." Firebrand laughed, Banana Split laughed and retorted:
"Barely, I needed more speed to that. Anywho, I smell fresh apple on your breath."
Firebrand snapped her mouth shut and looked bashfully to the side. Cold-steel watched the interaction as he talked to his friends who intercepted him, of any Fillie at school were to intercept his sister it would be best if it was Banana Split. Banana Split even though she was in the cool popular group it didn't hinder her kind heart. The morning classes went well, it was during lunch when trouble hit.
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Author's Note
This charter explains a bit about Red Lightning's behavior toward Firebrand a tad bit.
Chapter 6: Making Amends
Firebrand walked down the hall to retrieve her books for class, Red Lightning had sheepishly made eye contact and hurried on his way.
When the trip day arrived the class met at the beginning of the cave system below Canterlot; when they entered the caves their guide explained all the usual rock facts.........in a very monotone voice. After a few hours as they began the trip out, as they neared the entrance there was a tremor, and the ground shook and rocks from the ceiling began to fall. As everypony booked it; Firebrand took to the rear as she hadn't fully recovered from her injuries and her wing hadn't gained its strength back completely.
Everypony was out except for her, she didn't know if she was gonna make it! There was a blur of red as she was pushed backward and the whole ceiling caved in. In a panic, she stood and banged her home on the stone wall in front of her screaming, "Can anypony hear me! We're trapped!"
"Firebrand listen! We're getting a rescue crew just sit tight." Cold-Steel's voice was reassuring but she knew that the wall would take a few days to remove from how thick it was. Her echolocation kicked in along with her night vision. Who was the red blur that saved her? They had three red-colored pegasi in the class, she was about to be shocked.
Red Lightning stepped to her side and stood awkwardly silent. Firebrand stared for a moment and stuttered, "T-T-Thank you Red, for saving me."
"Think nothing of it, I would've done the same thing for my younger sister......." The sentence fell silent and Red drew circles on the cave floor. He had a younger sister that he swore to protect but his carelessness had gotten her killed. The guilt he carried tore at him, upon seeing Firebrand brought back memories. His sister and Firebrand shared the same color scheme, Firebrand served as an awful reminder of his failure; and the bundled up self-rage came out as brutal violence toward Firebrand who appeared to him as a demon taunting him.
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Author's Note
This first chapter is a tad depressing.
Chapter 1: A New Home
It was a cold Winter's night, a blizzard was blowing in hard and you could barely see your hoof in front of your face; in addition, the temperature was cold enough to kill you in a very short time.
Along the streets of Canterlot a small family of three. The parents limped through with a small bundle wrapped under the mother's wing. The father was a unicorn, their child was a batpony filly. The filly was the product of a rape. They were now on the run, debt collectors were tracking them and the father led his family to safety. But in a few weeks it was apparent that they had to get their foal to a safe home and then they themselves would flee and hopefully one day see their daughter again.
They dropped her at the door step of a nice two story town house cottage and fled north to leave the city. It was about thirty minutes they found themselves in an alley and cornered by four unicorn stallions and a pegasus.
The husband fought the best he could and in the end as the cold claimed it's brave victim a small sputter was heard, "I've failed in being the protector........forgive me?"
"You saved our daughter, this is just the last chapter of our tale........" His wife spun around and charged; he couldn't watch what they did to her before they killed her.
Meanwhile, a family of unicorns were were about to start eating when their son suddenly perked up his ears and ran to the door; his parents had followed him and picked up the small bundle.when they realized it was a blanket the mother realized that she had to act fast. The little bundle barely breathe and almost dead. They got it heated up and when it started moving a pair of bat-like wings flopped out. The parents were shocked, who would abandon a foal at night in this weather? However, there had been a note left explaining everything about the the foal and her name, Firebrand.
Chapter 4: Recovery and a Mauling
Author's Note
This OC will go through more pain than any other pony can survive but one day she will get her revenge!
Chapter 4: Recovery and a Mauling
After a few months Firebrand's ribs were healed and her wing took longer to heal due to the severity of the break. When it did heal, she began therapy and that included re-learning how to fly. When she could operate at full power in her flight she was escatatic! The bullies steered clear of her not wanting to get in trouble after spending every bit they had earned in their jobs, however Red Lightning would occasionally shove her around and treat her like garbage.
The little group of bullies besides paying medical bills were forced to be basically her servants and had to do her bidding. They complied at first grudgingly but actually began to enjoy it some once they got to know her better. Red on the other hoof vowed that he'd one day make her life a nightmare.
It had been a year when Red Lightning made good on his vow; Firebrand was trotting to her locker to grab her books to go home when a red blur slammed into her at full speed sending flying into the lockers. Red stood over and began slamming his hoof into her face and kicking her. She had tried to run but he tackled her and struck her wind-pipe. As she tried to breathe, he went airborne and and sent his weight on her leg and there was a resounding crack. She dragged herself down the hallway and there was a jerk on her left wing with a the bone cracked. Unable to flee and unable to fight back she figured that Red Lightning was probably gonna kill her.
She froze in fear as he circled around. A blur of yellow and a blast of magic Red was sent hurdling back; Flint came in behind Cold-Steel and Banana Split and the three took a defensive stance Red laughed as he flew off, he had his fun. Firebrand was once again rushed to the ER. Her injuries had a high percentage of being fatal; several ribs if moved wrong during surgery would Pierce a lung or her heart. Her spine had taken a severe hit she could live her life walking with a limp. She also suffered a cunncussion and the optic nerve a in her left eye were badly damaged as well. Her family paced nervously in the waiting room, she had so many ponies in that waiting room worrying about her that if she knew she'd be embraced to be getting this much attention.
