A Thought Among Others

by Running From Time

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Dark, Comedy
Length: 4629

Quite randomly, Rainbow Dash finds a journal of a mare and her brother, which she sees simply as a fictional story. However, on day, that mare comes to Ponyville. Not only that, but she and her sibling are not alone.

Insanity comes in many ways. Whether in terrible degree, or just enough so that one could remain average to the public. Insanity could be destructive, or silent. One thing is known of insanity, however. Insanity is horrifying.

Rainbow Dash found a journal of a mysterious mare named Painted Dream, and her brother. She begins to read the strange journal, and is curious of their travels. Painted Dream is a lazy artist with a sarcastic sense of humor, while her brother is a determined, logical, (and surprisingly easy to tease) lawyer who holds a passion for making epic mac and cheese. By the way, his name is Monterrey Jack. The two flee from an occult leader which has killed many before, in secrecy. Rainbow enjoys this odd fictional journal, until she finds that the fictional character actually does exist, when she comes to Ponyville. Only, the occult leader is not quite what they expected.

((Confusion is suggested. Why? Because I could not choose both sad and comedy, because they are conflicting. You see, there is mostly stupid sarcasm and little jokes, but some parts are sad. But only a few parts. So it's comedy. Also, it gets vaguely gory later, so that's being tagged as well. As always, constructive criticism is appreciated.))

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-05-22 20:49:35 UTC

Beginnings are boring

In a flash of blackness, a brown book spiraled down, towards the ground. It landed roughly, but unbroken. A certain rainbow-maned cyan pegasus sat on a cloud nearby, spotting the odd book that came from nowhere. The pegasus had a mane and tail of the rainbow, and cyan fur. Her eyes were magenta, showing curiosity and confusion. She had a cutie mark of a cloud with a rainbow lightning bolt descending from it, showing her need for speed. She flew towards the odd book and landed right in front.

"The Journal of Painted Dream," she read aloud. "Meh, seems normal enough. Probably some stupid filly's diary." She rolled her eyes, but then peered back at the journal. "Then again, maybe it's something interesting." She rolled her eyes again. "Nah, it probably is about dumb stuff like colt problems and filly drama." However, her curiosity got the better of her, and she could not help but flip open the front page. "Maybe it's something good, you never know."

Guess what? I just found out my dad disappeared and some psycho person might be out to kill me! Yaaaaay!

...Okay, maybe that isn't self-explanatory. But it's also why I decided I would start writing in this stupid thing. It would probably make more sense if I actually wrote about what the hay I was talking about.

So, my dad is, or was, in this weird cult thing, as they call it, "The Fillydelphia Gatherers of Power". They were kind of almost worshiping this weird insane guy who thinks himself higher than Princess Celestia. Whatever, dude, as long as you don't affect me. Except, he affected me through my father. You see, for some reason, my dad thinks, or used to think, that he was really almighty, and the Princess is nothing. I didn't really support their ideas, but whenever Mom, Monterrey, or I said something negative of it, Dad would get angry and leave for a day. He'd come the next day, and everyone would apologize and it would be all good. Dad never tried to recruit Mom or I, since the cult though as mares as the lower gender. Dad does not think this way, but the cult does not accept mares. So, when Monterrey became an adult, Dad tried to recruit him. Monterrey always told him that he'd think about it, but in all honesty, I think the only thing he thought about it was that it was ridiculous.

This morning, Monterrey burst through my front door (Yeah, thanks for knocking, Monterrey!) . After cleaning up the mess I made when he surprised me, (I was drinking my morning coffee, and he made me spit up on myself. Again, thanks for knocking!) I asked him what the buck was so important that he had to interrupt my early morning coffee. (In exactly those words.) Then, he broke the news to me. Let's see if I can directly quote our conversation.

"Remember that occult that Dad participates in? Well, Princess Celestia found they've been doing sacrifices."

"And why is this so important? Okay, I see that sacrifices are not good and stuff because they kill ponies and stuff. I also am kind of astounded that Dad would do stuff like that, but then again, he's in a creepy cult that's stupid. But why does this matter? Is Dad going to be locked up or something?"

"When the occult found out that Princess Celestia was sending guards to stop their meetings, they issued an emergency meeting. This was two days ago, and Dad hasn't returned yet. Oh, and remember that family down the street, where their son ended up being part of the occult? His parents were found dead, along with a couple other families who had immediate family that were in the occult."

"So... you think we're in danger?"

"Yeah."

"So... where's Mom?"

"She went to go buy some food. You know, since you usually don't have much of anything good to eat, since you never leave your house."

"I have plenty to eat!" (It was here when I showed him all of my awesome snacks, such as haysticks. He pointed out that I had no good foods, which I promptly disagree with, but whatever.) "Okay, so... you came here to tell me about Dad and that other family that was found dead, and claim that we might be potentially in danger, and, while coming here, you left Mom by herself? I mean, if your coming here to warn, might as well, you know, stay with Mom?" So, we left (After I finally got to finish my morning coffee, of course.) to go find Mom, and we did technically find her, but...

The cyan pegasus was getting almost interested in this journal, although she would not admit it. She was about to turn the page, when a pink earth pony appeared behind her.

"Whatcha reading?" she asked, causing the pegasus to almost jump out of her skin. The pink pony had light pink fur, and a puffy darker pink mane and tail. Her eyes were a brilliant blue, and a cutie mark of three balloons, exposing her bubbly, partying nature.

"Gyaaaaah!" Rainbow shouted, kicking the journal under a bench. "N-nothing," she lied, after regaining her composure. The bubbly pink pony cocked her head to the side.

"Are you sure? I swear I saw you reading something, Rainbow," the pink pony interrogated in a suspicious tone, slowly pacing around  the rainbow maned pegasus, supposedly Rainbow, in a circle. A sweat drop slipped down the side of the Rainbow's face. She shook her head.

"Nope, no, no book! I am absolutely sure, Pinkie!" The pink pony, most likely Pinkie, narrowed her eyes a little more, before returning to normal.

"Okey dokey lokey! See ya later, Rainbow!" Pinkie then hopped away, in her own bubbly and quirky way. After Rainbow was sure that the odd pony was gone she took out the journal from under the bench, and opened it to the right page.

HAH! I probably just tricked you just then. Yeah, we found her, alive and fine. She did get food, some delicious looking veggies and fruits. I will admit, it has been a while since I have had a good apple. I love those things.

We went to my home, and discussed everything. Mom was sure that it had nothing to do with the cult, but we should just be careful. I don't get it. How could Mom be so awesome, and be with a crazy dude like Dad? I never understood that. Maybe if she found a suitable guy, her kids wouldn't be so weird. But hey, you're too late now!

So, Monterrey and I had to go to work and stuff. That's not important, so I'll skip over it.

When I got home, I found that Monterrey and Mom were still there. I asked them if they were going back to their homes. Of, course, Monterrey decided without my consent that they were staying at my house for the night. I made sure that it was known that there was only one bed in the house and it was mine.

Of course, it ended up as Mom on the bed, Monterrey on the couch, and me on the floor. Thanks a lot, Monterrey.

Rainbow Dash was about to flip the page, before a thought appeared in her head.

"WHY THE HAY IS HIS NAME MONTERREY?!" Rainbow shouted, almost expecting a response. However, she simply gave up and flipped the page.

This morning was not particularly interesting. I'm really crabby this morning because stupid Monterrey got up early to make mac and cheese. Don't get me wrong, he makes the best damn mac and cheese I've ever tasted, but any loud noise at six in the morning is enough to make me curse and yell. Screw that "early to rise" crap. I need my sleep.

Anyway, today is also when I get the newspaper. So, Mom decided she would read it. What was the front headlines? *Entire Fillydelphian Sacrificial Cult Found Dead*. So, Mom looks if they have a list, and sure enough, they do. Unfortunately, we find the one stallion we had hoped to not find on that list. So, yeah... Dad is dead. Yep. So, we're all crying and stuff, and... yeah. He's officially dead. By unknown cases, they say, apparently there's no wound, or evidence of sickness. Magic, probably. I knew that sick, stupid thing Dad participates in would be the end of him. We all knew it.

The rainbow-maned pegasus stared at the book in confusion. After such a long chapter, how could this one be so short?

"Hey, Rainbow! Are you reading Daring Doo?" Rainbow yelped and turned around, to see a lavender unicorn. Her eyes were a deep violet, matching the color of her mane and tail, excluding the highlights of bright pink. Her cutie mark was of a five-pointed star, and several other five-pointed stars surrounding it, expressing her love and passion of magic.

"I'm not reading anything!" The pegasus quite obviously fibbed. The lavender unicorn raised her eyebrow.

"Rainbow Dash, are you lying about reading a book? I know you do like reading certain books. You have no reason to hide them," comforted the unicorn. Rainbow lowered her eyes, and then peered back at her friend. She stood up.

"You're right. Sorry for lying, Twilight. That wasn't very fair of me." Rainbow picked up the book and showed it to her friend, probably Twilight. "It's a journal of some mare named Sweet Dream. I haven't gotten really far, but so far I'm kinda interested." Twilight picked up the book and looked at the cover with her telekinesis and looked at it.

"Rainbow, how do you know it isn't an actual pony's journal?" Twilight asked, looking at Rainbow with a quizzical expression showing upon her lavender face, the corners of her mouth twisting downwards in a confused frown. Rainbow simply rolled her eyes.

"Nah, I'm pretty sure it's fake. It doesn't seem very realistic. Now, I wanna head home and read some more. I'm kinda curious as to what happened to her family, and if they're gonna get attacked, too. See ya, Twilight!" Rainbow grabbed the book and headed to her home in the clouds. The lavender mare simply rolled her eyes and continued towards her destination, Sugarcube Corner, to visit her friend, Pinkie.

When Rainbow was comfortably in her home, she laid down on her soft bed, and reopened the book, to read some more of the pony named Sweet Dream.

Another day, another bit. Well, I could do with another bit each day. I could have a bigger house, and wouldn't have to paint by a deadline. I paint when I want to, not whenever you want to.

Anyway, it has been a while since... well... Dad died. We're all steadily getting over it. Monterrey was the first to get over it; he just knew that Dad's bad decisions were to catch up to him, and his bad choices ended in death. There is nothing we could do about it, so why carry on. Mom... well, she moved on, but there will always be a hole in her heart, a place where something is missing, except the thing that was missing died, so it's never coming back. Boy, am I poetic. I suppose that;s why I'm a painter, not a poet. I don't have a way with words, I have a way with pictures. And paintbrushes, or pencil or chalk. Hey, I'm not picky when it comes to mediums. As long as I am satisfied with my result, I don't care, although I have to admit paint is my favorite. If I wanted, I could use my hooves to spread it across the canvas, to create a mixed and odd background. Of course, I'd have to clean my hooves first so that I don't go tracking paint around the house. Wait. I'm getting off topic.

So, Monterrey and I were looking for food one day, and then, all of the sudden, a mare came up to him. I'm going to try to record the conversation to the best of my memory.

"Hey, you look like a nice stallion. What's your name?" She was a very gorgeous mare, way too pretty for a moron like my brother. Getting her would be a miracle for him.

So, he responds by trying to act professional, making him actually look really stupid. "Um, it's Monterrey Jack..." She actually found him interesting, and then I realized he had a chance with this pretty-faced mare. Now, some siblings would be glad to see their sibling manage to score a really hot mare. Not me. I then come up with the best idea, and walk up to Monterrey.

"Monterrey! What are you doing? You know how jealous your coltfriend gets when you talk to mares!" The mare looks taken aback at my comment, in which she was too dumb to realize it was a lie.

"Um... I have to go. I hope I didn't upset your relationship?" quietly half stated, half asked the mare. Monterrey tried to explain that I was lying, but I had already made things too awkward. The mare then rushed away from the awkward atmosphere. After watching her leave, he turned at me, and glared at me with all of the hatred he could muster.

"You think you so clever, don't you?" Funny, that doesn't sound very menacing. I snickered and trotted past him, towards the store we wished to get food from. Dude, the only time I love my brother is when I get to make fun of his stupid face. I'm sure he absolutely adores me when I do that, too.

Um, What?

"Good morning, Rainbow!" yelled a mare at the top of her lungs. Rainbow turned to see the sound of the voice. She was currently at work, as today was supposed to be rain. Accumulating clouds is not as quickly done as destroying them. Rainbow looked at her own level, in the clouds, expecting the outburst to be coming from a coworker, but instead, she looked down to see a familiar pink earth pony.

"Uh.. Good morning, Pinkie," Rainbow shouted back to her peculiar friend. She kicked a cloud into place, filling one half of the sky. "Don't you want to go inside before we finish?" Pinkie simply hopped in place.

"Heh! Silly Rainbow! Rain won't affect me!" giggled Pinkie Pie. Rainbow rolled her eyes. After all this IS Pinkie Pie. She could pretty much do the impossible.

"Oookaaay..." mumbled Rainbow Dash as she kicked a cloud into place. "So, Pinkie, what's up?" Rainbow instantly regretted her words as Pinkie sported a growing grin.

"Why, you are, Dashie!" Rainbow rolled her eyes and continued her work. "But what's up with me is that there's going to be a party next week!" The rainbow-maned maned pegasus raised her eyebrow.

"Huh? What is it for? I don't remember anything going on next week..." Pinkie simply giggled to herself, excited to explain to her pegasus friend the method to her madness.

"It's for a new pony in Ponyville! Two, of them, actually!" Rainbow raised her other eyebrow and paused her work for a moment.

"Really? I haven't seen any new ponies around..." muttered Rainbow. Pinkie once again released one of her usual silly giggles.

"Of course you haven't SEEN them yet, they haven't come to Ponyville yet!" Pinkie Pie then went on her way, humming to herself, and leaving Rainbow confused. After Rainbow shrugged and dismissed as it being Pinkie just being Pinkie, she went on with her work and buck more clouds into their places.

Today was probably the most horrifying day of my life.

I haven't written in here very often, since it has been about two weeks. Mom and Monterrey decided to return to their homes, since Monterrey was just majorly overreacting. This has also resulted in him showing me every time another family has been killed. I will have to say, though, every time has been worse than the last. The first time they just were choked to death. The most recent one had their throats forcefully ripped out. Yeah, the newspaper didn't have a picture, but they described it as horrible as they could possibly describe. I spit out another cup of coffee that morning. I hate it when  Monterrey makes me lose good coffee(although he thinks it's crap. He has no taste whatsoever.). I'd much rather ramble on about things less frightening, but something like I have encountered really needs to be recorded. After all, Mom thinks no one would believe it(and she herself can hardly believe it) and Monterrey would over-dramatize it to the point where people would dismiss him as loony. Might as well be, but...

I really need to get to the point.

So, it was any normal day. I had to go out to get painting supplies, since I was running out. I only keep this diary for stupid stuff that I thought needed to be recorded. My true diary is my art. Countless picture I have painted of stuff I want to remember, like the happy times with Dad, or when I was little. I also paint things the world should see. For example, what happened today.

When I went out, I saw Monterrey and Mom out together as well. Upon noticing me, Monterrey rushed up to me with an urgent look upon his face, while Mom calmly trotted over. Monterrey was freaking out, because they apparently thought something had happened to me. Of course, I was confused as to why. Mom and Monterrey's apartment buildings were set on fire. The only reason I would worry is because they live two blocks apart from each other. Not any other buildings, just theirs.When they told me this, I shouted aloud, "MY ART!" and rushed home to all of my artwork and supplies. They were my life. I doubt I could survive without my artwork and supplies to paint with. Those were packed full with memories, and I wanted only to paint more. Also, I had some unfinished work in there that I was going to sell to customers!

Going home was the easy part. What was not simple was going inside. You see, everything was fine. After going inside my apartment, I went straight to my art room. Not a single thing in there was affected, everything was fine. the only thing different is when I went back into the living room and noticed I had a visitor, which Monterrey and Mom were staring at, frozen in fear.

This visitor was a stallion. Not just any stallion. There was a look in his eyes that made his already too-wide smile seem wider, his already sharp teeth sharper. The look in his eyes was horrendous. That look forced you to feel cold hard fear like you've never felt before. The look in his eyes almost told you, "I'm a psychopath. A really insane psychopath. I'm a really insane psychopath that is about to kill you. He had almost normal colors, a dark green mane, a navy coat, and deep violet eyes. What he wore was weird. He wore a huge cape that was a strangely odd yet yet familiar fabric, which was a salmon-like color. Under the cape, he was wearing pukish-yellow tights, which also seemed to be the same fabric as his cape. That, or he dyed his fur that disgusting color. Ew. Reflecting on this pony, I realize he had no fashion sense, Then again, opposed to I, who almost never wears any clothing, he at least is wearing something.

Joking around, hoping he was just a normal stallion, I said, "What kind of fabric is your cape? It almost looked like you skinned somepony..." He suddenly cackled to himself, and I saw something strange on the flank of his cape...

It was a cutie mark...

Before the stallion could stop laughing, Monterrey lifted up a chair with his magic and bashed him in the head. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention we're unicorns, didn't I? Well, being not really focused on magic, we're not too powerful. But anypony can lift simple stuff, and Monterrey has at one point tried to become magic based, but gave up after he found his passion for mac and cheese. He still could lift heavy things, so that was convenient for occasions like these.

We ran straight out of there. Well, Monterrey and Mom did. I, however, had things I needed to retrieve. I might sound stuck up and/or an elitist, but I need to have certain art and art supplies with me. Maybe little things I made for my family and Dad, and just others things to ease my tension and paint. No, without my art I am nothing.

Ever since I was a little filly, I would love painting with my hooves. As I developed magic and learned to use magic to paint, I would paint all day, every day. I would forget about everything else in the world, like no bullies, no troubles. I would feel important. When I first presented my art in front of an audience, I won my cutie mark. I still have that painting, and that one is among the paintings I want with me.

When I went into the room, I grabbed my huge bag I use to fill my paintings and art supplies in, and fill it with my favorite artwork and supplies. I packed as quickly as I could with my magic. Monterrey tried to force me out, telling me to forget about my artwork and supplies. But I needed so much. I needed my painting that gave me my cutie mark. I needed the portraits of everyone I've ever loved. I needed Dad's paintings of remembrance. There was just so much I couldn't leave behind. However, after just some supplies and a couple paintings, Monterrey finally succeeded in making me leave. I resisted until I realized it was hopeless, since Monterrey was much stronger than I was.

We left the apartment building, and just completely left Fillydelphia. We went to Manehattan, which was an hour's train ride away. We had a good amount of money, because I always keep my bits in my art bag, and Monterrey managed to grab his before he fled from his burning home. When on the train, I opened my art bag to see what I had brought. I had with me most of my art supplies, and three paintings.

The first one was the one I got my cutie mark presenting. I probably feel the most proud of this painting, which I painted it only eleven years old. It was simple, only a window and the sky through it, but I still loved that painting anyway. It showed a dark and gloomy inside, and light streaming in from the outside world, a bright blue sky, and buildings gleaming in Celestia's sun. It was based on how I felt, really, except the outside world was actually the dark and gloomy room, while the view out of the window was the beautiful world I loved to paint. Maybe I make the world seem better with these, so I can feel happier.

The second one I brought was from a year ago, a picture of when I and Monterrey were younger, and our family was much more peaceful and filled with joy. We were having a picnic on a grass, laughing and talking with each other. Mom was younger, looked less stressed and her mane and fur was more colored, like it should be, with a light red-orange mane and  light violet fur. Dad wasn't yet corrupted by the evils he had been part of, the green cheerfulness we loved as youths glowing brightly. Monterrey was more easygoing, and not so harsh as he usually is. I was much more young and innocent, living in my very own happy dream. Written across the top was Evening Glory, Grassy Hills, Monterrey Jack, and Painted Dream, the names of our family. It was based on a memory from before I earned my cutie mark, when we left Fillydelphia for a peaceful out-of-the-way town called Ponyville, where Dad was born. It was probably the happiest and most peaceful place I have ever been. Mom said that one day we should go back, maybe even move there, but we never did.

The third one was a recent and unfinished painting of Dad. I had started it and worked furiously on it after he had died. I put my feelings and tears into that, putting everything I loved about Dad in a single picture of a stallion, making him both that cheerful, easygoing, simple father that I loved as I child, before he was tainted and corrupted by madness. He stood atop a grassy hill, like his name, which he used to tell us storied about the time he spent dreaming on one of those hills. The right side of it was not done and completely blank. I didn't know what to put there, but I knew it had to be something important to him, as he stared straight at it with those cheerful yet loving eyes we all loved. This was most important to me because it reminds me of all of the things I loved about Dad. The other side I knew I would paint in when I knew what to put over there.

These paintings are so little of what I loved n life, but they are by far the most important. These paintings were my life. I could never let these paintings leave me, even for all of the bits in the world.

I honestly don't know how I ever escaped my apartment, especially after running to gather artwork. I think that the stallion purposely let us leave. He probably didn't want to get hit with a chair again. Or maybe he just didn't want to bother with us. Either way, I'm writing this in a motel in Manehattan, where we managed to get an apartment with one bed and a couch. Monterrey decided to take it easy on me and let me share the bed with Mom when he got the couch.

After a while, we managed to get an actual apartment. I also managed to find some nice buyers in Manehattan, so currently I'm the one earning money here. Monterrey needs to get himself "situated" before starting to work again. Mom doesn't really work, but she cooks and takes care of us both. We're all living happy here, but still a little shaken.

I've been reflecting on my past for a while now. Yeah, yeah, I know. Seems weird for a stupid, sarcastic idiot like me to "reflect upon things". But yeah, I was thinking. Thinking about everything. When not really thinking about it, it feels as if this was completely out of the blue. However, when I really think about it, we could have prevented this a while ago. If we stopped Dad from joining that dumb thing in the first place, none of this would have happened. He wouldn't have died. We would still be in Fillydelphia, or even in a better place. Our family would still be happy. If we had just payed more attention, none of this would have ever happened. Yet, it did.

Life has its ups and downs, I guess. You can't have all of the happiness without the sadness. But I just feel that now things are unbalanced. Perhaps... Perhaps in the future things will be bright and filled with joy to balance out this gloomy darkness. Yeah. Maybe if I stay positive, things will be positive. Yeah... I hope so.