Chapter I: Message from the Stars
Chapter I
~Message from the Stars~
Once upon a time, many centuries ago, there was an evil alicorn named Midnight Sparkle. Midnight was extremely powerful, but she did nothing but crave more. So, she created a crystal that sucked up all the magic in Equestria. The spells of unicorns, the flight of pegasi, the strength of earth ponies, all gone in only a few minutes. After gaining all this power, Midnight went on a cataclysmic rampage, destroying everything in her wake, hoping to put the ponies of Equestria in their place, and make them worship her. But the princess, Luster Dawn, wasn’t having any of it. Her magic wasn’t able to be taken by Midnight, so she was able to fight back against her. Eventually, she banished Midnight Sparkle to the night sky, where she became a constellation. The ponies never got their magic back, but they were ever so grateful that their magnificent leader was able to take down their tormentor, and life in Equestria has been peaceful ever since.
Fluffy Star’s big blue eyes stared at the page in wonderment. No matter how many times she’s heard this story, it never gets old. She didn’t know how to describe why. Interest? Nostalgia maybe? Whatever it was, the idea of a pony being banished into a constellation was fascinating to her. Possibly because of the telescope she looked into every night just to stare at the stars. Fluffy was very fond of these types of stories, even if they were just mythos. I mean, her, being a pegasus, being able to fly? Common ponies would never have that type of ability. Not to mention, the idea of being banished to the sky. How would that even be possible? But, that didn’t matter. What did matter was that everypony in her town was preparing for tomorrow, and she didn’t want to be left out! Fluffy quickly clipped on her satchel, and slipped her book inside one of the bags. Before stepping outside however, she checked her flank. Sighing with relief to see her bag covered it, she opened her door and started trotting through her hometown of Ponyville.
Tomorrow was going to be an important day. A day that comes over Equestria once every year. The eve of the Eclipse Festival is an exciting day, where ponies all over Ponyville come together and help put up decorations in preparation for the occasion. The Princess, Luster Dawn, would come to Ponyville, greet her loyal subjects, and form a solar eclipse in the sky, creating an absolutely beautiful sight. Unfortunately, the eclipse could only be seen from Ponyville. But, it would make Ponyville an extremely popular tourist attraction every five years. Ponies outside the area would travel miles just to tour the town and to capture this stunning moment in their memory. Of course, an occasion such as this would take setting up from the denizens of Ponyville. It was a good way to show how good the ponies are at working as a team. Princess Luster always preached about the values of friendship, after all.
Fluffy continued to walk through Ponyville, marveling at the decor that had already been put up. Everything looked great so far! Everypony is doing such a good job! But, how could she be surprised? The ponies here never miss when it comes to the festival. It really was one of their most important events for a reason, of course.
“Hey, Fluffy!” a voice called out, startling Fluffy. She turned to see a stallion perched on a ladder, struggling to put up a banner. The ladder was obviously very unstable, it looked like it could tip over any second, so it was no surprise when the stallion followed up with “You think you could gimme a hand here?
Fluffy smiled, trotting over to help the stallion. “Sure, I’d love too…um..” she hesitated, making sure her flank was still covered. “Don’t you think you should get another ladder?” she added as she grabbed onto the base of the ladder.
“Oh, no!” the stallion responded, patting the ladder like his own pet. “This baby’s sturdy as a rock. It’ll never-” Before he could finish his sentence, the ladder started losing balance as he leaned to the side. Fluffy desperately grabbed onto the ladder and straightened it out, making sure the stallion didn’t fall. Chuckling nervously, he descended the ladder. “Maybe it’d be better if you do it?”
Seeing how close the stallion was to falling, she hesitated, but regardless, took the banner in her teeth and began to ascend the ladder. Fluffy knew the stallion was stronger than her, so she figured it shouldn’t be too bad. The ladder wobbled a little, causing the pink pegasus to yelp, but the stallion took hold of the base, keeping it tightly in place. She looked down to the stallion, who gave her a knowing grin. She grinned back nervously, making sure to cover up her flank again. Fluffy continued up the ladder, finally making it to the post where the banner was meant to go. Carefully, making sure to not lean too much, hooked the banners string onto the post, keeping it in place. She sighed with relief as she started to descend, when suddenly, the ladder started to wobble. A lot. Fluffy hadn’t moved much, and the stallion’s grip was strong, but she suddenly found herself and the ladder tumbling to the ground.
“Oh my Dawn! Are you okay?!” the stallion asked with concern.
Fluffy sat up slowly, grabbing her head. “I think so..”
The two then started to hear giggling. Childish giggling.
“Hey!” the stallion exclaimed, pointing out two snickering foals hiding behind the wooden post. “What was that about? You can’t do that to somepony! She could’ve gotten hurt!”
The foals rolled their eyes. “Why do you care?” one of them sneered. “We’re younger than her, and we’ve already got our cutie marks!” they guffawed, pointing at Fluffy Star. She stared down at her empty flank, covering it up quickly.
“You kids get outta here!” the stallion snapped, ushering off the foals. He turned back to Fluffy who was looking down in shame. “Are you okay?” he asked, offering his hoof.
Immediately, Fluffy ran away from the stallion, fighting the urge to cry. Her purple mane got messed up in the wind, but she didn’t care. She had to get out of this place. Away from those foals. Away from the stallion. Away from everypony. She looked around, taking short glances at ponies who were staring at her in surprise and sympathy. They may have looked friendly, but she knew. She knew what they were really thinking. “What a freak! How could she not have a cutie mark at this age? Such a worthless blank flank!” This was the exact thing she was trying to get away from by moving here. But it followed her. It never stops. It won’t stop. It’ll follow her to the grave. Ponies will never stop looking at her as a stupid “blank flank.” That’s all she’ll ever be.
Fluffy Star jumped tearfully onto her bed, sobbing endlessly into her soft pillow, not even caring that she’d miss the opportunity to help more around Ponyville if she stayed in her bed. Maybe it was for the best. She just needed to let it out. She just wished that all this torment would just go away. She wished she never went to the doctor when she was younger, just to find out she would never be able to have a cutie mark thanks to her condition. She wishes she never even left this morning. She wished she could just fit in for once.
The moon rose over the horizon, signaling the start of the night. It was usually a great time for Fluffy, because she’d be able to observe space via her telescope, but tonight was different. She was absolutely miserable. It shouldn’t be this bad for her. It was just a bunch of foals not knowing better. Why is she so upset? She rolled over in bed to face the giant dome that she’d gaze out from with her signature telescope. It usually calmed her down to look at such a beautiful sky. But this time, it seemed to have lost its magic. She wasn’t feeling any better. As she stared into the endless black void, her eyes fell on a certain group of stars that glowed brightly, vaguely making out the shape of a six-pointed star. The same star that was associated with a certain fictional evil alicorn. She sat up, watching the constellation closely. It was cheesy, sure, but it felt like the constellation was… alive. Of course, that was impossible, even with that silly myth, it wasn’t real. But even so, she felt drawn to it. She stood up and walked over to her dome, her gaze locked on the constellation. She didn’t know what possessed her to do this, but she started talking to it.
“Midnight, I know you’re not real, nor can you hear me…but, why is it that you wanted more power?” Fluffy asked, not expecting an answer. “Did you feel…misunderstood? A want to finally be seen as a pony and not something to poke fun at? If so then… I just want you to know…you’re not alone. I may not have the same lust for power as you, but…” she paused to wipe away a tear. “I relate to you.” As she looked back at the constellation, she noticed something… strange. Were the stars in the constellation always that bright? They seemed to be emanating a pink glow. It’s never done that before. No stars are supposed to do that. She rubbed her eyes, expecting the effect to leave, but it remained. Fluffy shook her head, realizing her situation.
“Am I really talking to a bunch of stars right now? Gosh, I really need some sleep.” She headed back to her bed, brushing off the oddity. Today was a rough day. Surely she’ll feel better tomorrow after a good night’s rest.
Author's Note
Hello, and thank you for reading the first chapter of my story!! 
Let me know what you guys think. I would love to know your thoughts!
Chapter II: Striped Shock
Chapter II
~Striped Shock~
Ponyville was always quite lively, but today, it was a bustling metropolis. Ponies from all across Equestria were trotting around happily, chatting away with their good friends. But it was expected. Today was the day of the Eclipse Festival after all. No one was up to miss such a sight, so no wonder the town was so crowded. Even Fluffy Star was surprised by how many ponies were here. Now she knew for a fact she had to keep her empty flank covered. Having a few ponies tease you is better than all of Equestria pointing and laughing at you. Fortunately for her, both sides were almost perfectly covered by the bag she wore over her back.
Fluffy looked around. Snack parlors, carnival games, and even rides dawned the town. Foals were running around, begging their parents for a snack or to play a game. Ponies yelled in excitement as the rides swung them back and forth. But, of course, the rides were just there to pass the time. Everypony was more excited for the Eclipse happening that night. Even now, the moon was inching closer to the sun in preparation for the event.
Unsure of what to do first, Fluffy took a seat on a bench. Embarrassingly, she couldn’t get her mind off that incident from yesterday. It was just a few foals, and she was a grown adult. She shouldn’t be so upset about this, and yet she was. All she wants to do is fit in, but it never works. It never…
“Excuse me,” a voice exclaimed, making Fluffy jump. She turned to see who was talking to her, and came face-to-face with a mare wearing a black hood, covering her head and most of her face. From what Fluffy could see, she had a white coat with purple markings, the most prominent she could see being one covering her muzzle. The pony spoke again.
“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you! You see, I came to….um…” she paused for a moment to think. “Help me find… something to do…?”
“Huh…?” Fluffy murmured, tilting her head to the side in confusion. What did they mean?
“Um… you see, I’m not from here, and I’m not sure where to go, so I was hoping you could help me, and…” she paused again. “The town you…me…show…?
Fluffy looked at the pony like they were crazy. Were they…trying to rhyme? Who talks like this? What were they trying to say?
“Show me around,” the pony said bluntly, sighing in annoyance.
“Oh!” Fluffy exclaimed in understandment. “Well, why didn’t you just say so? You didn’t need to rhyme, or, whatever you were doing. Why were you doing that anyways?”
“Uh…” the pony muttered. “It’s a long story. Let’s just go around already. My name’s Zuri.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Zuri! Where are you from?”
“Erm…. There’s a lot of ponies around! What’s the occasion?” Zuri replied, trying to change the subject.
“You don’t know?” Fluffy questioned in surprise. “Everypony in Equestria knows about it! It’s the Eclipse Festival, y’know, when Princess Luster comes to Ponyville and makes an eclipse! Isn’t that why you’re here?”
Zuri stared at Fluffy, seemingly trying to think of something to say. “Uh- oh yeah! Of course! The Eclipse Festival! I was just kidding… I am… trivial…”
Fluffy Star glared at the purple-marked pony in confusion. She was rhyming again, what is with this?
“Ooh, look! A pastry stand!” Zuri exclaimed quickly. “Looks delicious! C'mon, let's go get a little something!” she hurriedly grabbed Fluffy's hoof and dragged her to the stand, not even giving her a chance to speak. What was going on with Zuri? She’s rhyming like a weirdo one moment and acting nervous the next. It’s almost like she’s hiding something. What could she possibly be hiding? She seemed normal, other than some strange lump seeming to be hiding under the dark cloak. Possibly just a bag. But, her thoughts were going off topic. Zuri was definitely trying to hide something. Should she ask…? No. She doesn’t have the right to trespass on her privacy. Fluffy decided to just go along with the purple pony. Maybe she could finally make a friend without her knowing about her lack of cutie mark.
“So, what are things like here?” Zuri questioned the pink pegasus, chowing down on a savory cupcake covered in sprinkles. They were sitting across from each other at a table, relishing in their pastries. Before sitting down, they had been all over. They went on rides, played games, even won some prizes. In fact, it was some of the most fun Fluffy ever had. It was a long time since she was able to do these things with someone else. But now, it was getting close to evening. It was almost time for the eclipse.
“Well, I'd think it'd be the same as it is for you,” Fluffy replied. “But it's pretty good. Not that interesting to be honest. The most interesting thing to happen this week was this festival.”
“Speaking of which, the princess is supposed to be coming tonight, right?”
“Oh, yes!” the pegasus exclaimed, her eyes glowing in joy. “I still cant wait for it!”
Zuri cocked her head. “Well, I gotta ask… who is the princess?”
Fluffy looked at the pony sitting across from her in disbelief. “How do you not know about Princess Luster?”
“Well, I do!” Zuri said in desperation. “I…just don't know much about her. You think you could…?”
Confused but willing to help, Fluffy smiled. “Well, I do know a thing or two about history. You see, Luster Dawn was the very first pony in Equestria, until she used her magic to create ponykind. Once she did, she became the princess and was worshiped by all!”
Zuri glared at Fluffy skeptically. “Is that true?”
“Of course! I mean, she is the only pony to ever have magic or flight. There must be a reason for that.”
“Wait… you can't fly?” asked Zuri in surprise.
“No…?” Fluffy stared at Zuri in confusion. “Why are you even asking? Of course I can't!”
“You literally have wings! What's the point if you can't fly?”
“Well…” Fluffy paused, looking down at her useless feathers in thought. “That’s a little weird… but have you ever seen a pegasus fly before?! Where did you get that idea from?
“To be honest, I've never even seen a pegasus walk. I… uh… live in an… earth pony community,” Zuri said, seemingly making up words as she went.
“I… guess that makes sense…” Fluffy murmured, rubbing the back of her neck as Zuri got back on topic.
“But all of this seems kinda… I dunno… not very believable? Where are you guys even getting all this stuff from?”
“The princess herself told us!” Fluffy replied. “And there’s no reason for her to lie so what’s the point in arguing? Though I will admit, there are several things we’ve discovered that didn’t really go with the princess’s story… that’s where we came up with mythology that ‘explains’ it. Speaking of which, there are a lot of myths that I really like. But some of them are pretty weird. I mean, one had this weird creature called a… zebra, I think? It’s supposed to be a pony that’s all white with stripes. Heh, such a weird concept!”
Zuri let out an awkward chuckle, sweating nervously. Fluffy couldn’t help but notice her behavior.
“Hey, are you okay?” she asked, reaching for Zuri’s hoof.
“YEAH!” Zuri shouted desperately. “Yes, of course I’m fine! I… like… doing… the conga line…?” her voice lowered to a high-pitched squeak as the sentence went on. Fluffy raised an eyebrow. Another one of these rhymes! This is getting really weird.
“What is up with you?” Fluffy asked. “You've been acting so strange this whole time! Is there something wrong? Why do you keep rhyming?”
Zuri started sweating profusely, thinking of what to say as Fluffy waited for another excuse. She didn't want to be rude by trespassing on her privacy, but she had to know. As the silence between the two persisted, Zuri finally spoke up, a look of sterness and annoyance on her face.
“It's a part of my people's culture… and if you can't handle that, then I don't see why I should continue talking to you!”
With a “hmph,” Zuri stomped away from the table. Fluffy stared at the white pony surprise and guilt. She didn't mean to offend her! She should've known not to ask such questions!
“Wait!” Fluffy yelled, following Zuri. “I didn't mean-”
Before she could persist, something hit her on the back of the head. Fluffy looked down to see a crumbled up wad of paper lying on the ground behind her. Confused, she picked it up. She looked around, not seeing anyone that could be the potential owner of the paper. Out of curiosity, she opened the paper, wondering if there was a message on it. The pink pegasus’ face turned from confusion to shock as she read the message.
“Blank flank!!!”
As Fluffy dropped the paper, the sound of guffaws filled the air. The pegasus whipped around to behold the sight of two foals pointing and laughing at her. The same two foals that had knocked her off the ladder yesterday. She stood paralyzed as the foals proceeded to belittle her.
“Blank flank, blank flank! Fluffy Star's a blank flank!”
Those words pierced her mind like needles. How pathetic could she be to be teased by a bunch of kids? Why can't she just be normal and escape this bullying for once? It never stops. It won't stop. It'll…
“Hey!” Fluffy perked up at the sound of a familiar voice. She turned her head to see Zuri, who was glaring at the foals in anger.
“Leave her alone!”
“Ha! What're you gonna do?!” one of the foals teased. “Tell our parents?”
Keeping her gaze locked on the foals, Zuri reaches into her cloak, taking out a small, round beaker full of green liquid. She tossed it in the air, a smug grin spreading across her face as she caught it again.
“Nah, I think they'd be mad at you for other things,” she remarked darkly, chucking the beaker to the ground, causing it to shatter in front of the foals. They watched it in confusion as the green liquid absorbed into the ground. Instantly, an ominous green mist erected from the ground, forming the faces of two ponies. As the foals quickly recognized the faces, they began to cower as the faces glared at them in anger.
“Cookie Dough, didn't I tell you to clean your room this morning? What are you doing out here with that messy room of yours?!”
“Fruitcake, I checked your grades, and I have to say… I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed.”
“AAAAHHHH!” The foals ran away in fear, forgetting the belittling that they had come there to do in the first place.
Satisfied, Zuri wafted away the smoke. Her work here was done. She turned to walk away, proud of herself knowing that the foals wouldn’t be coming back any time soon.
“Wh-what was that…?”
Zuri turned to face Fluffy Star, who was staring at her in confusion and horror.
“Oh… crud. She wasn’t supposed to see that!” Zuri murmured, stomping the ground in frustration. “Uh… you didn’t see anything…” she added in a ghost-like manner, waving her hooves mysteriously, as if casting a spell. Fluffy continued to stare at the white pony in disbelief, quivering in shock and fear. The two locked eyes for what seemed like forever, Zuri trying to come up with something, anything to explain what just happened. Finally, she sighed, breaking the deafening silence. She was tired of making up excuses.
“It’d probably be better if I told you in private.”
She grabbed a hold of Fluffy’s hoof, leading her somewhere far away from the large, neverending sea of ponies of all kinds. Fluffy tried to resist the pull, but it was clear that she couldn’t overpower Zuri’s grip. She didn’t want to be near her any longer, afraid of what she may do to her. Nevertheless, she was still curious as to what had just transpired.
Soon enough, the two found themselves behind a shop, secluded from the seemingly infinite crowd. Taking a deep breath Zuri locked eyes with the pink pegasus.
“Alright, I know you have like, a million questions, so ask away.”
Immediately, Fluffy blurted out: “How did you make that smoke?! What was in that bottle? Did you make that stuff? Was it magic? How were you able to make magic? Who even- no… what are you?”
Inhaling deeply once more, Zuri answered.
“Listen, I know that you probably won’t believe me, but you're gonna have to promise me not to tell anyone about this, got it?Anyone.”
Gulping out of fear, Fluffy performed the motion of zipping her mouth closed with her wing.
“So, for a while, I’ve been studying potion-making, which, surprisingly, is possible, seeing as how it seems there’s no magic,” Zuri pulls out another bottle from underneath her cloak. “I’ve made a lot of potions over the years. Invisibility, flying, super speed, anything you can think of, I’ve probably made a potion for it.” with a smirk, she tosses the potion bottle around, seemingly juggling it between her hooves. Fluffy continued to stare at Zuri, no longer fearful, but curious.
Putting the potion away, Zuri wears a more serious expression.
“And about the ‘what are you’ thing. Okay, so, basically…” Zuri exhaled deeply one last time before removing her cloak, revealing her body and the rest of her face. She was mostly white, with purple hair. Her eyes were two different colors, one being blue and the other pink. She wore golden jewelry, a necklace, bracelets and earrings. On her back, she had a bag filled to the brim with more potions. But one of her most prominent features of all, were the light purple markings all over her body. Stripes. Fluffy looked Zuri up and down before staring at her mismatched eyes in disbelief.
In three simple words, everything Fluffy Star thought she knew was turned on its head.
“I’m a zebra.”
