The Markless Wonderer: Origin

Snow falling, albeit gently, could have been more bothersome. Which was typical. We’ve never seen heavy snow like Yakyakistan had up north. And it was night. Sunlight barren thanks to Princess Twilight Sparkle finishing her daily tasks.

With countless stars and a nebula stretching across, the actual night sky presented a grand opportunity that shouldn’t be missed. I say ‘opportunity’ but never mean it as a rare occurrence. Nopony usually saw it because of what nighttime signified. You are awake and outside during the day. You are asleep and inside during the night, preparing for the next day. That was the natural order of things. Everypony was aware of it. At least, everypony in Luna Bay.

Before my short-lived escapade outside, I rechecked if my parents were asleep. Tomorrow was a school day, and parents enforced strict bedtimes.

So, in a light dusting of snow, I gazed at the starry overhead reflecting upon the bay surface. At the same time, the cottages in the distance radiated a warm glow from within. “Errrrrghhhh!” I stretched my legs, the sheer bliss compelling me to elicit an involuntary sound of pleasure. Quietly stretching proved not to be as satisfying.

Other than that, the stillness of the air was almost eerie, with no sound or movement to break the silence. Except for the brisk air with snowflakes falling like spiritless whispers—the dark world evoking detachment and frostiness within. Even with the atmosphere’s barren beauty, I wasn’t disheartened. No, it brought an overwhelming sense of contentment, apart from the snow dampening my hair—a price worth paying.

In hindsight, that was a lie. The dampness, too, gave me a faint sense of jubilant childlike wonder. And how…remarkable it was.

So, I stood up and strode forward, coming here to visit the bay. “Sss… Haah…” After a reverse hiss, a visible breath emitted into the crisp ultramarine.

Near Luna Bay was a small town with a winter night sky—a town inheriting no name. And deep down, though I was trying to ignore it, it was a life that felt...

🌠

Splash!

Wrong.

In an instant, countless ripples formed, each acting as a punch to the soul, and dissipated. As I saw the scene, something within my chest plummeted. “…” Disbelief narrowed my eyes, and I staggered backward toward the shore.

Swsshh! Swsshh! Swsshh!

Even though the bay surface mirrored the stars high above, I couldn’t see the small figure gazing into it.

It’s a tale of a usual colt with an exceptional thought. One that doesn’t belong in the mind of a young pony. But that’s the dilemma. He’s a pony of Equestria, wistful of what lies beyond.

“Ugh, it’s not like I have anything better to do… Go ahead and tell me of this harebrained story.”

Okay… Sit back and relax. This will take a while.

“That’s not funny.”