Black Balloon isn't like you're normal pony. She's......different in her own way. Her life is relatively normal, so to speak, but that doesn't mean it had been easy for her.
She is always picked on for being a blank flank and for always looking dirty, due to her pink coat covered in black ash, as a reminder of what happened to her real parents. She currently lives with her brother Meltdown, a dark blue stallion with a blonde mane and black scar over one eye.
But that is only the start to her. I guess we better actually start the story now, not at the very start but at the start of the beginning of her adventure and descent into the cruel values of the world.....
It was a normal day for Black Balloon in the town of Hoofington, a not well known town but it was full of nice ponies at the least. Today for her was Chore day, the day she went into town square to buy groceries and sort out all of the other things that needed doing, like returning books to the local library. Meltdown however, would stay at home and do all the house chores.
It was midday currently and she had just finished buying the groceries from the local shop when she was stopped by a tall amber unicorn and a silver earth pony.
"So, what's that idiot of a brother making you slave away at today?!" snorted the unicorn. Black Balloon immediately recognised her as Sunset Shimmer, the local bully. She knew it was her for sure by the sleek amber coat, fiery mane and sun cutie mark.
"I'm not slaving away! I'm just doing some chores!" Black retaliated bravely.
"Oh really now? That's what that trickster would want you to believe!"
"Shut up! You're wrong!" Black Balloon snapped fiercely, to no avail, only managing to drop the bag of food she had been carrying. Silver Light, the silvery earth pony, laughed at this feat of foolishness.
"Oh well then. Hey, would you like to see a new trick I learned? I believe it'll appeal to you!" Sunset sneered, her horn suddenly glowing with a greenish aurora. Black Balloon ignored the cruel unicorn and started to pick up the fallen food.
Suddenly the groceries went up in flames and Black Balloon muffled a scream of fright, backing away from the fire with fear in her eyes.
"Still afraid of fire, I see. How pathetic! No wonder your talentless!" They both laughed, walking away from the pink pegasus. Black Balloon glared at them with disgust and anger burning in her eyes. She looked at the pile of ashes that had been her groceries and sighed. It would be time to head home in an hour, when it would be getting dark but Meltdown wouldn't be happy if she didn't finish her errands.
"I still have time before all the shops close, I hope he doesn't mind if I'm back late..." she muttered, standing back up and walking through town square to the shops again.
------------------------1 and a half hours later---------------------
It was now night time and Luna's moon hung over the town in all it's glory and beauty. Black Balloon trotted through town with a new bag of groceries and a few other things. The hanging lanterns outside every ponies houses lit up the streets just enough for her to find her way back to the main area of town. It was deathly silent and still, giving the area a unsettling atmosphere which made her feel as if something was watching her every move....
Soon she stood on the edge of Town Square, glad to be near home. Just as she was about to continue forth she heard a certain noise......one that she could easily distinguish without a moments hesitation. Fire In a nearby alleyway she could hear the faint flicker of fire and the snarling of a dog. She stopped dead in her tracks as she watched something walk steadily into Town Square.
"W-what is that? I must get some pony to get it! It could be dangerous! But....I'm the only one awake...." Black Balloon said quietly, watching in fear.
To her surprise, a huge dog came out the alley......however....it was rather strange. In place of fur it had a burning inferno of fire and in ebbed in its eyes were large magenta gems. Black Balloon muffled a small scream of surprise as the monster looked over in her direction. This.....thing. It was familiar to her but.....from where exactly? Ah, yes! She remembered now!
Sunset Shimmer had been looking at spells in the library and it had this dog creature on the front. But Sunset Shimmer wasn't powerful enough to conjure up this! Was she? But that wasn't currently important! This creature was preparing to burn the village down to the ground!
*Calm down, Black. All you need is water then it's done for! Yeah, then everypony is safe* She thought rather insanely as she caught sight of the creatures setting a small basket of flowers on fire that was attached to a door. Why wasn't any pony actually noticing this?! It was rather strange......if not sucpicious.
"Hey! Cut that out demon from the depths of hell!" Black Balloon shouted, almost immediately regretting that decision as the beast turned around to face her, it's blank expression filling out into a evil grin.
"Well, well, well. Who do we have here? Another pony?" The creature hissed in a low, single toned voice. The edge to its tone sent shivers down Black Balloons spine.
"W-why are you here" She whispered only loud enough for it to barely hear her. Grinning, the beast took a few steps towards her, it's flaming body leaving a huge shadow over the small pegasus.
"I was summoned by a brat like you! And I plan on burning down this town to find her! " it hissed, anger burning in its eyes.
*A brat? That must be....Sunset Shimmer!* Black thought, not noticing that "It" had turned away from her and started burning the flower arrangement in the middle of town. Foul, black smoke filled her nose as the fire grew steadily bigger, before she snapped back into reality.
"Hey! Stop that!" She shouted out of anger and fear, watching as the fire now spread to the houses.
" Why should I, stupid pony! This town is hopeless and it will suffer under my wrath!" The beast hissed as it spread the fire. Black now began to panic, and looked around quickly for something to fight with. She found a bucket and quickly picked it up, taking out some water she had bought from the shop and filling the bucket with it.
"Die you monster!"She shouted as she tipped the bucket over the creatures head, making it squirm in anger and pain.
" HOW DAAARE YOUU!!! "It barked furiously, jumping on top of Black Balloon and pinning her to the ground.
The heat from its body burned deep into her flesh, causing her to scream in pain as horrible burn marks started to appear on her body.
" GOOD NIGHT. "
Author's Note
Phew! This took me sooo long! I hope you are all satisfied for all the people that liked Team Awesome so far!
I am so proud at how this story turned out, almost as happy as how much great reviews Team Awesome got.
I'm going to leave this on a cliff-hanger for the meantime until I get a full time editor, which if you're interested in then you can mail me about being a editor, which could be a while.
Unless I get positive enough feed back to feel confident with the next chapter! :)
Or even just be like "Haters gonna Hate" and continue! So look out for much, much more!!!!
Desert Oasis ((Near completion))
Desert Oasis ((Near completion))
Black Balloon lay on the ground of what had been a bustling village full of ponies and life, but now just a blackened crater of a town, a huge blemish left on the land forever.
She slowly awakened and picked herself up off the ground, her body aching all over as it was covered in burns and scratches. She adjusted her eyes to the familiar rays of Celestia's sun and for a second, she thought that last night might have been all but a dream. But her thoughts deceived her again as she saw the blackened and charred building around the air, the smell of burning wood and smoke hung heavily in the air.
"But.....why am I still alive...? Did someone save me? Or did that beast spare me...?" Black Balloon asked herself wearily as she began to walk about the rubble, kicking aside the odd remains of furniture now and then.
It was a truly horrific sight, to see charred skeletons still soundly slumbering in their homes, seeming as if the live ponies they had once been had no idea they had just died. The idea of it sent chills down her spine as she trotted through the town which was more of a desert now, the environment becoming just like the one outside the town. Covered in sand, dreadfully hot and sunny, not life anywhere......
"I must be the only one left.....which means....Meltdown! I have to check back home, there's a slight chance he survived!" She told herself, soon finding that she was running across the scorched town to the place she once called home.
"It's.....gone....all of it...burnt down to the last ember..." Black Balloon muttered. She stood in front of a still burning pile of wood and ashes, tears slowly making they're way down her face. She hadn't found anything in full condition in her house, not even her beloved brothers remains. There was just......nothing. She didn't understand how her house was in worse condition that the rest of town, it seemed fake almost.....as if it was just a mirage. Maybe it was...maybe Sunset Shimmer had been right all these years with all the hurtful comments on her sanity. Maybe she was crazy...
"No! What happened was real! I know it is! But why can't I find the slightest trace of Meltdown....it's as if he wasn't even here. Maybe he escaped the village? I'll probably never know.....but I swear to find who is responsible for that creature burning the town, even if its the last thing I do!" She shouted, her voice echoing throughout the town, making it completely clear that she was going to keep her word. I was the least she could do.
*But I'm not equipped for that kind of journey, I at least need a weapon or some water to even moderately prepare me for the dangers ahead....* She thought. She was pretty sure that there was no water in town....but maybe she could make a weapon to defend herself with. She might even find supplies while she was at it.
She spent some time rummaging through ruin, after ruin of the old buildings but all she had done was make a small bracelet. The bracelet was made of black leather and had a small blade attached to it. It wasn't much but it would provide a bit of protection from strangers.
"There is nothing left here! I'm never going to survive!" Black Balloon said in frustration. All the food in town had either been devoured or burnt into ashes. Any water did no longer exist and pretty much everything was ashes. Unless she wanted to eat or use bones, which was definitely not an option she would choose. She trotted over to the edge of town, well....what was left of it anyway, and stared out into the boiling desert. It looked treacherous and full of unknown dangers, but her only option was to venture out into it and find some form of life, a town, where she could get supplies. And maybe even come back to when she settled the score.
She wouldn't stop till she found the one responsible for burning what little she had, and she would make sure the one behind it would suffer for the rest of what little life she'd leave them with.
In the distance however, she saw a small moving shape. And it was coming her way.
UNFINISHED
Author's Note
The chapter is currently unfinished but still published due to the fact I'd lose my progress as I can't save the story from what I'm typing this up on.
I'm also looking for possible "helper" characters, as in a side character that Black Balloon meets while she ventures through the desert.
Anyone who is interested in this has at least a weeks notice to me mail your character, including looks, personality and rough background story. ((I may or may not be good with them in the story personality wise but I do try at least >.< ))
So anyone can mail me a OC or just a pony you made that might get featured in the story! And I will obviously credit you in the Author's Notes because I'm a respectable person ;p
Ps:I don't want too much crit on this chapter as it has another part to be added on. So stay tuned guys!
