With a squeal of a newborn foal, their mother welcomed them to the world. The doctor was distracted, gazing out the window at the strangely dark pitch of the sky despite it having been so bright a moment before. He barely registered her words as she told him that the filly was gray and white, with a wispy mane that reminded her of the night.

The doctor staggered back. "Y-yes. They appear to be in good health. Let's make sure you remain that way as well."

The little filly squeaked and raised her head, opening her eyes for the first time. There was an instant of sapphire blue, but it was quickly replaced by a light violet. As her gaze focused, it changed again, settling on a pale pink. The doctor recoiled in surprise, but kept his cool enough to make sure the mother was properly treated. "Congratulations, ma'am."

And so began the life of the eclipse born, the foals that were just lucky, or not, to have been born in that moment the moon covered the sun and hid away the daytime shine. It had come and gone so quickly, but the mark it left on the foals born in that moment would remain. They could never forget the fact that they were an anomaly. That they were supposed to be cursed.

But alas, they were too young to know of such things. All they knew at that moment was joy at the feeling of being alive. They grew up as well as they could in the caring grasp of their parents, until the day they had to start heading outside, to be educated.

They swiftly discovered they weren't as welcome there, looking strangely as they were. They bore the scorn and scrutiny for some time, hoping the foals would one day accept them.

It was the early times of Equestria, just years after Luna's banishment. It was in that fraught time that these foals found one another. What began as an accident of meeting slowly grew into a tight-knit friendship.

"Night Glimmer!" called one of the fillies. "You give that back!" She chased the laughing colt around the classroom, until he finally relented and gave the book back. She plopped herself down to look at it and tried to put it on the table, but accidentally pulled the cover off in her hooves.

One of the other foals, not part of their little club, snickered. "The cursed filly broke her book."

"Figured." Another foal rolled her eyes. "They can't have nice things, I hear."

"What?" Night Glimmer's lip quivered, and she buried her face in her wispy mane.

One of the fillies from their group, Dawn Stardust, trotted over. "Ignore them. They're just trying to feel better about themselves." She flicked her tail at the detractors. "You got us."

Another filly came up on Night's other side. "Yeah. No matter what happens, we'll be here for you."

The colt approached. "And me! You're my friend, Night."

She shoved him. "You're the one that stole it in the first place." But there was no malice there, the two laughing about it a moment later.

That was how their friendship grew. From that time to another, and another, their group formed a tight-knit sort of harmony. Even when the pressure grow stronger, it only seemed to force them into a tighter circle.

Especially the worst time, when they had to flee a panicked crowd.

"Night!" shouted one of the fillies as the panic reached its peak. "I can't find her!"

Another looked around frantically, turning her gaze down one alleyway, then the other. "Where did—"

They never got to finished, vanishing through a wall. Night yanked each of them out of place one by one, securing them in a safe little abandoned room, away from the mob. She exhaled, leaning against the wall as she peeked outside. She quickly pressed herself against it again, eyes closed, trying not to think about the scared looks on their faces.

"Night?" The colt, Star Streak, approached on unsure hooves. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She pressed her hoof to her chest. "You?"

He smiled nervously. "Fine."

The others slowly came out of hiding, shivering with fear. The foals huddled together in a circle, embracing one another. Night settled her wispy mane over them like a blanket, letting them get out their fears and sadness.

Star Streak stood up first. "I don't care what they said. It's not our fault the crops were bad!"

"They're just angry," Night said softly.

"It's not fair." Dawn stood up. "They blame us for everything that goes wrong. And the most we can do is run and hide."

Star rubbed at his cheek. "Well, what if we ran, and we hid?"

Dawn sat up at that. "Isn't that what we're doing?"

"No." Star gestured to the building. "I mean, really hide. Go to another land and start fresh. With all of us together, we can get through it."

"Where would we go?" Dawn looked around at the others. "It's not like we can hop on a boat and find a new place."

Night took a slow and shaking breath. "We have hooves." She swallowed nervously. "We can walk."

Star looked to her, hopeful. "What do you think, Dawn? Please."

She blinked slowly. "I... I want to see what's out there. I'm tired of this place." She started pacing. "If we, uh, go, where they don't know about us. Maybe?"

Star flashed a smile. "Well, you have me! I'll protect all you fillies."

Dawn blinked. "But I'm a colt."

Star stared a moment. "You are not."

"I am so!" Dawn tackled Star, the two wrestling to prove their gender identities.

Night laughed and pulled them apart. "Come on. We should rest up, then start moving."

The group looked at one another, each of them slowly smiling. They met in the center, one hoof a piece. "We are the eclipse born," they said in unison. With a firm nod, they flopped in place and settled for the night.

It was still dark when they awoke, Dawn stretching and peering outside. "You know, the moon looks kinda nice."

"Wish it could just stay like that," Star muttered.

Night gently poked him with her hoof. "The moon hasn't done us a lot of favors." He peeked his head out of their hideout, looking left and right. "I think everypony's gone."

They stepped out, still huddled close together as they trotted down the street. Each was lost in their own thoughts. How far would they have to go? What would they do for food? Would they ever find a place that didn't care about them?

Star gently sighed. "I sorta hope to be left alone, but I don't want to be alone either!" She crashed sidelong into her friends. "At least I'm not all alone."

"Right." Dawn put on a determined face. "We're sticking together. No matter what happens, we stay together."

Night squeezed between them, hooking their necks with hers. "We're the eclipse born."

"Yeah!" they all cried in unison, marching away from that riotous town to find another.

They spent their first day of traveling looking over their shoulders. Every sound made them jump, wondering if the mob had found them. As the day turned to night, they began to relax, snuggling up to one another and telling stories about the adventures they would have once they were free.

"How did you get there?" Star looked at Dawn firmly. "You moved into town not that long ago, right?"

Dawn sank at the mention. "My parents moved after the last time I got chased out of town. They told me to hide in a hole, but I knew that wouldn't be safe." She tucked her hooves underneath herself. "They'll be so mad when they find out I'm gone. I know we need to leave, but..."

Star looked guilty quickly. "Sorry, um, I was wondering."

Others joined in the admissions, most of them also having moved to town, their parents also having heard that little village already had an eclipse born, and seemed to be getting along. Night settled down with a sigh. "I think I've always been here. I don't remember anything before."

"Really?" Dawn asked. "You must be the first one then. The one we all came to be with."

Timid smiles spread across the campfire. Star rubbed at her cheeks. "My mom said she saw me get up on my hooves and look up at the moon, the second it passed over the sun. She said it was like I knew I was different. Well, I know not, for sure."

Dawn spread his wings. "Well! Um, I can do a funny thing." He wiggled his flank, and a shimmering light appeared. The pegasus was gone, replaced with a bat pony with slit eyes. "Hello." He shrank back. "Please don't be scared of me."

Star stared at him. "That's... that's..."

"Amazing!" Night smiled brightly. "So, you can turn into anypony?"

Dawn shook his head. "Not anypony, just this." He waved over his bat-like form returning to his normal pegasus self. "Just that. Um, cool, right?"

Star pointed up at her horn. "I have a special trick too." That got all the others looking at her. "W-watch." She made her horn glow, but then turned down the light, and began going backwards, sucking up the light in the area and plunging it all into darkness. The others began to cry out in alarm, and she panicked, releasing it all in one big burst.

The other eclipse born gasped in surprise as it turned back to day again, staring at Star as she shrank back nervously. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that."

"No, no." Night stepped forward, putting her hoof on Star's shoulder. "That was incredible. It would be super useful!"

Star shuffled her hooves. "Yeah?"

Night pointed up at his horn. "I don't have any special night tricks, I just like magic. Um, that's... okay, right?"

Dawn bounced in place. "I'll protect us with my wings. I can fly really high!" He bounced around in a circle. "And catch bugs to eat."

They all looked to one another. Star burst into laughter. "I don't want to eat bugs! You can keep those. We can cook something else."

Dawn gagged at the idea. "Maybe not every day, but it's better than starving."

"We won't starve." Night stamped his hoof. "We'll work together, and figure it out."

With soft noises of timid agreement, they started their hike for the day.

The more time that passed, the easier it became to look over their shoulders less. The food ran low as they ate everything they brought, looking around at one another for signs of hunger.

Night finally suggested it. "We, um." He nudged some grass. "It's, you know, food, technically?"

"Anything is better than bugs," Star muttered. "Fine. But it better not make us sick!"

"I don't think I'll get sick." Dawn leaned down and bit off some of the tops of the grass. It came strangely natural after that. Civilized or not, ponies were horses. Graving quietly as they meandered, following their noses towards tall grass, came naturally enough.

They did manage to find a town. It was filled with friendly faces, the little group looking at one another and starting to feel safe for the first time.

A plump motherly figure marched up to them. "Who let these foals go wanderin' off like that?! Well, more fer us! Yer staying here, and I won't hear a word otherwise." She shook her hoof at the foals to make that clear. "Call me mom from now on."

That was only the start of how their adventures began.

Author's Note

The start of a new story. We have a town that didn't have any eclipse born within it, willing to take our plucky group in. Surely, from here, they will live a happy life with nothing wrong ever! Yay!

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