Scorched Earth
Prologue
I laid on the makeshift bed. The rain pouring outside with an extreme vigor as I closed my eyes. I would be dreaming for some time. The dreams of those past few weeks blasting into my head with the force of a hundred bullets. I could feel the pain twinge in my flank even after I took those pain killers.
The bullet had lodged deep into my flank. It left a hole in my cutie mark, an easel with a brush. My normally blue coat was crimson red from the combat that had ensued just minutes ago. In all the years I lived I hadn’t thought that the world would come to this. The war that surrounded us and I had been at the center of the whole thing.
My name was Celestial Darkness. All those years I never really understood what my name meant. I would ask my parents but my mother died while giving birth and my father gave me away when I was too young to remember anything.
All those years I was lied to and never learned what it was like to be loved. I think it had an impact on where I was now. Although I would be lying if I said that. This was my own fault. I could blame it on somepony who abused me as a young filly. Or those bullies in my school. I could even blame it on the dad who didn’t love me. Doing that would make me a liar though and I wasn’t about to make myself one of those too.
Goddesses, what have I done to my life?
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Chapter 1
The day was bright and the sun was well... Sunny. Nearly every day in Ponyville was like that from what I heard. Manehatten had nothing on the beauty of the country side. I stepped off the chariot that I had taken to get here. The big city still looming way off in the distance. I had only taken a few steps into the town when I got assaulted by almost everypony in the town.
“WELCOME!” Came the energetic voice of the pink pony leading the whole frenzy. “Be sure to enjoy your stay in Ponyville! I am Pinkie Pie and this is Berry Punch, and this is Lyra and Bonbon and...”
The voice trailed off as I began to look around the country side. This was going to be my new home. I would live here for quite some time. The home I would be moving into was not too far from here from what I was told. My new adopted parent was a Pegasus pony living on the outskirts of Everfree Forest.
“and this is Ditzy Doo and this is Vinyl Scratch!” Pinkie Pie inhaled a large gulp of air. I think it was the first one since she had started talking to me. Then she did something I didn’t expect as her hooves wrapped around my neck. “Welcome to Ponyville!” With those words balloons went everywhere and everypony cheered.
“Well thank you everypony!” I was happy to see all these people willing to be there to welcome someone they never met before. “I hope I fit in nicely around here. Anyway, I should be getting to my new home. Anypony around here know where that might be?”
A purple pony came out of the crowd. She, along with 4 other ponies, Pinkie Pie, a rainbow one, a cowboy looking orange one, and a stunning white one with purple hair. The five ponies introduced themselves.
“Hello, I am Twilight Sparkle.” The purple one extender her hoof to me. I put mine out to shake hers but before I had a chance the Rainbow one pushed her aside and took my hand.
“HI! I am Rainbow Dash, The greatest flier in all of Equestria!” She shook my hoof violently then walked away. I looked at the White one to get her name.
“Ah, right, my name is Rarity dear. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.” She was polite almost regale like.
The orange one looked at me and just tipped her cowboy hat. “Howdy do? I am Applejack and this is my brother Big Macintosh,” she pointed at a much larger red stallion next to her. He looked rather Menacing and kind of scared me.
I was slightly less scared of the big red stallion when he responded in a tone that just made her happy. “Eeyup!”
The purple pony was removing the dust with her magic after she had been pushed aside. “We can take you to Fluttershy if you like. Just follow us.”
She did so and followed the six ponies out of the town to a small cottage on the side of Everfree Forest. Outside was a beautiful garden and a very nice animal farm type place.
“So, what is your name?” The purple pony was asking.
“Oh, my name is Celestial Darkness. I don’t much like it and don’t really understand why I was given THAT name but I deal with it.” I looked at the purple unicorn expecting a response. No doubt she was trying to think of a reason that name would be given.
“Maybe it is after the princesses? Celestia and Luna. It makes sense if you think about it.” The response came from Pinkie Pie who managed to make even her questions sound fun.
We got to the door to hear a soft humming which was interupted by a squeal when we knocked on the door. Moments later a soft and obviously scared voice came from behind the door.
“Hello? Who is there?” The voice sounded like it belonged to a mouse. So tiny that it was threatened to be overpowered by the air.
“Fluttershy, it is us. We have that filly you ordered!” Replied Applejack making me sound like I was just some piece of cargo to be dropped off.
The door opened fast and the yellow Pegasus flew out and picked me up. I was tiny for my age so it seemed like I was much younger. I was actually 12 years old at the time but looked to be only 9 or 10.
“Oh she is so younger looking than I thought. You are just so cute aren’t you?” Speaking to me like a dog was quickly earning her points on the weirdness scale. She looked over at her friends. “Thanks for bringing her to me. I had completely forgotten that she was coming today!”
“No problem Fluttershy! You know we will always be here for ya!” Rainbow Dash had responded.
The six other ponies walked away with those words and Fluttershy walked me inside. “Oh I am so happy to finally get to meet you. My name is Fluttershy but you probably already noticed that. How are you today Celestial Darkness?”
The Yellow Pony with her pink mane was just throwing everything at me at once. “I am ok I guess...” I was really not in the mood. This was the third time I made this transition. It seemed like no one wanted me and most ended up just hitting me all the time.
Fluttershy looked over at my flank and I almost cringed before realizing she was just looking at my Cutie Mark. “Oh, an easel! You must be an artist! That is so sweet. I am sure you can find something to draw around here. We have so much for you here. I hope you like it.”
I almost wanted to say something to joke with her but something told me that this mare wouldn’t respond well to jokes. I didn’t really know what told me that though.
Fluttershy was staring at me as if looking for something to say. I started the conversation with “Where will I be sleeping?”
She jumped up and remembered the whole point of me being there was to live with her. She took me upstairs to a hallway with three rooms. “The door on the left is my bedroom so if you need anything at all just come over. The middle door is the bathroom and the one to the right is your room.” She paused and stood there expecting. “I will let you get settled.”
I walked into my room and put down the small bag I had been carrying. I didn’t own much. I had a picture of my mother and a Princess Luna plush toy and a few pairs of clothes. I ruffled out my wings in the room and found it to be large enough to spread them at full length. That made me feel a bit more comfortable I guess. I looked at the door to see Fluttershy just standing there.
“Oh, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to invade your privacy.” The mare had serious social issues. “I made supper though and figured my might like some.” She disappeared from the door quickly and I could hear her wings take her down the stairs.
I starting putting my things around my room. The picture of my mother went next to my bed. The plush went on the window sill. I looked out into the sky not thinking that what would happen in the future. I sighed and went down the stairs. Just another day with a new mom.