This Forest Prison
The sun hung low over the Everfree forest. Its final rays were being cast as it slipped below the horizon giving way to the night. In one of the forests few clearings, a pony watched the sun set, just as she always did. She sat in the twilight, hoping against hope that the moon wouldn’t rise.
She stared for at least an hour, waiting, watching. The moon never came, and the forest was pitch black. A light began to emanate from her horn as she left the clearing. She walked a path that was overgrown, for nopony ever entered the forest. She followed it for some time until the trees gave way to a open field.
The pony looked around and gingerly stepped out from the embrace of the trees, bracing herself for some unknown force to stop her. She opened her eyes to find herself outside of the forest, standing in the moonless twilight. She began to feel giddy, she ran and jumped and felt the freedom of the open land. Her running brought her to a cottage by a river, a place for a lover of nature to live. She quietly entered.
She looked around the small, cozy home. What a wonderful place, she thought. She saw a yellow pegasus curled up on a small bed, wrapped around a young white bunny, and smiled. She knew Fluttershy, the caring young pony that took care of all animals. Many a time had she watched her play with them on the edge of the forest, and every time the silent mare wished to call out and join them. But the trees always held her back. She placed a small kiss on the yellow pony’s cheek before backing out of the cottage.
The pony followed the road into the small hamlet of Ponyville. The streets were silent, for everypony had worked hard that day, and all deserved a fitful sleep. She walked on and came across a building made entirely of sweets. It was Sugarcube corner, the life of the town. All the best parties were held here. Parties that, however much she wished, the mare could not attend. She looked sadly at the confectionary for a time, thinking of the pink mare sleeping inside, and then moved on.
The next building to catch her eye was Carousel Boutique. Here lives Rarity, thought the mare, the creator of beautiful things. She had watched her once, readying all her friends to go to the Grand Galloping Gala. She could picture perfectly the exquisite dresses she had crafted by hoof. The mare knew she had no need of such things, but the desire to have something beautiful of her own still remained. Blinking away a tear she walked on.
There was a turn in the road ahead of her, she looked down the road and saw far to the south a seemingly endless apple orchard. She laughed to herself, this wasn’t a natural forest like the Everfree. But where it lacked nature, I more then made up for with honesty. It wasn’t trying to be anything more than a farm where ponies work their hardest to do a good day’s work. Sweet apple acres had stood the test of time, and the town had so much to thank for it. The trees weren’t natural there, but the orchard was full of heart.
She turned and looked at a very different tree, an enormous tree with a house built into it. Here slept Twilight Sparkle, the luckiest pony alive. She had the truest friends anypony could ask for, and she had the love of Princess Celestia. The pony wondered if Princess Celestia had ever loved her. A flower outside the library was withering, the pony touched it with her horn and it re-bloomed, and more sprouted and bloomed around it. Smiling sadly to herself the mare walked on.
She came to the edge of the town. There was only one landmark here, a floating house of clouds. Inside she knew lived a blue mare, a mare she envied more then any other. In here slept Rainbow Dash, the most free pony alive. The fastest flier in Equestria, she could soar higher than any other, she could be anywhere in a heartbeat. The reason she chose to stay in Ponyville was here lived her best friends. She was loyal, and outgoing, and most of all free. All of the things the pony knew she could never be. More tears welled up in her eyes.
The sun began to poke its head over the horizon. The mare turned and bolted for the forest. As the sun rose and light began to shine over Equestria the mare seemed to begin to fade. She opened her wings and picked up speed. Her horn glowed with magic, desperately trying to keep her in existence. She broke through the barrier of trees into her forest home, and her form stopped fading and re-solidified. She looked at the land outside of the forest, she knew she could not live there. Ever. Light from the sun or moon made her fade, she was part of a different world. She curled up on the forest floor, and cried herself to sleep whishing she had never been cursed this way.
Princess Celestia looked over Ponyville, she had watched all night, watched the mare explore the place she could never live. Luna trotted up to her,
“Sister, why didn’t you want me to raise the moon last night?” Celestia looked at her, she looked so similar to the mysterious mare from the forest.
“I had a promise to keep,” she responded. Luna looked confused for a moment and then shrugged and trotted off, Celestia always had secrets.
Celestia looked back over the forest, remembering a time when it did not exist and there were three princesses in Equestria, tears welled up in her eyes as mistakes long since passed were called to mind. The goddess whispered on the wind,
“I’m so sorry Everfree. Can you ever forgive your foolish sister?” the forest held no response.
