Arrow
*Note: This chapter takes place about 7 years before the events of the show.*
-----------------------------------------------------------------------*Light Arrow*---------------------------------------------------------------------
My name is Light Arrow, I’m an 18 year-old, dark blue, pegasus stallion with a light purple mane and green eyes. I’m not the best pony in the world. I’ll admit that. Why do I say this? Well...
“I swear I had my money here a second ago,” A lime green mare said as she went through her saddlebag.
Some distance away I was playing with a small sack of bits in my hoof.
Yeah, I’m a common thief. I know, not the best career choice, but when you can’t get a job and you really need money, you have to do what you have to.
Don’t get me wrong, I do feel bad about it sometimes, but at least I have a good reason for why I do all this.
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An hour later I walked into Canterlot Hospital. The light purple, unicorn mare at the front desk, who’s name if I recall is Violet Charm, recognized me and smiled.
“Ah, hello Mr. Arrow. I’m guessing you’re here to see your sister?” I nodded. “You know where it is.” With that, I trotted down the hall and stepped into a room at the end and to the right.
I walked up to the only occupied bed in the room as a small, light purple, pegasus filly with a straight white and pink mane turned her attention to me, showing me her blue eyes. This was my little sister, Songbird. She’s in here for treatment for a stomach condition, which is why I need the money.
“Oh, hi Light.” She greeted me with her smile beaming.
“Hey sis, how are you feeling?” I asked as I messed up her mane a little with my hoof. She just giggled in response.
“I’m fine,” she replied just before coughing a bit. I wasn’t sure why, but I felt a little concerned in the pit of my gut.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, don’t worry about it bro.” Part of me wasn’t completely sure if I believed her, but it didn’t sound that bad, so I just sighed and tried to relax.
“If you say so.”
“So how have you been at home?” She asked me.
“Same old, same old. The landmare is still complete bitch, yet still strangely kinda hot in an older mare kind of way.”
“Okay one, watch your language, and two, how am I related to you?” Songbird said in a completely monotone voice.
“Well, our mom somehow fell for our dad and...” I stopped when I saw her her head drop in sadness. I just wrapped my forelegs around her as she started to cry.
“I-I never got to meet her.”
“Shhh... It’s okay.” I said to her as I rubbed my hoof down her back.
“No it’s not. She died giving birth to me and our dad blamed me for her death.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” I said as I wiped the tears out from her eyes.
“I know, it just bothers me whenever I think about it.” She then started hugging me. “Thanks bro.”
“For what?”
“For taking care of me for all these years.” I noticed what sounded like an unsure tone in her voice as she said that.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked her. Now I wasn’t sure at all if I believed what she said a moment ago.
“Just that you’ve been there for me, and I know you’ve been working really hard to pay for my treatment.”
“Yeah...” I replied as I let out a nervous laugh. ‘I hope to Celestia she doesn’t know I’ve been stealing for ponies.’ The moment I finished that thought we let go of the hug. “So, I’ll see you again later this week, kay sis.”
“Okay,” She said smiling.
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Two days later I was relaxing in my apartment after a day of “work.” Celestia knew how long later there was a knock at the door. I used my wings to glide over to it and opened it up to see of all ponies, Violet Charm, the same purple unicorn from the hospital.
“Weeeellll, hello there Miss Charm.” I greeted her. “So, since you’re here, I take it that you’ve accepted my offer for a night out? So, what will it be? Dinner? A movie? Or maybe you just want to come in for some fun.” I wiggled my eyebrows at her as I said that. She only gave me a stern look in response.
“This isn’t the time to be hitting me you perv.”
“Is something wrong?” I asked, suddenly worried.
“It’s Songbird,” she replied to me. “She’s gotten worse.”
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Violet teleported us to the hospital where I immediately rushed to Songbird’s room. When I got there, I was stopped by one of the doctors. He was a brownish-grey unicorn with a slicked-back black mane, blue eyes that were behind a pair of round glasses, and had a red cross inside of a yellow circle for a cutie mark.
“I assume that you are Mr. Light Arrow, ya?” He asked me in a thick Germane accent.
“Yes.” I respond, “Is my sister okay?”
“Vell, she did seem to be getting better earlier zis week, but she’s unexpectedly gotten worse.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.” I respond harshly, to which he sighed and put a hoof on my shoulder.
“I am very sorry Mr. Arrow, but ve did all ve could.”
Upon hearing those words, I instantly start to tear up, “No... No, please don’t tell me she...”
“I’m sorry.” He said putting his head down and walking off.
“SORRY?! YOU’RE SORRY?! YOU DOCTORS SAID SHE’D GET BETTER! IT WAS YOUR JOB TO MAKE HER BETTER! DO YOU KNOW WHAT I’VE DONE TO PAY FOR HER HOSPITAL BILLS!”
The doctor stopped, but didn’t turn around to look at me, “I know, if it was up to me ve vouldn’t ever lose a patient. I truly am sorry for you loss, believe me I am, but please understand zat ve didn’t expect zis to happen, and vere not a fault.” He then continued to walk off.
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The next month is kind of hard for me to talk about. About three days after my sister passed away was her funeral. What else can I really say, it was my little sister’s bucking funeral?! How many of these have I been to? I mean first my mother’s when she died giving birth to Songbird when I was 6, then my father’s funeral 6 years later due to liver problems from heavy drinking. Our grandfather on our mother’s side took us in after that.
I remembered that he was the one that taught me everything I know about archery. I can still remember the day I got my cutie mark after I hit my first bullseye and how happy both he and Songbird were for me. Unfortunately, he passed away when I was 16, and now I’ve lost my little sister. I’m the only living member of my family left... So, what do I even have to live for?
That was a question that floated in my mind for sometime, and yes, I had some thoughts of suicide, but I couldn’t do that. I know that none of them would want that, especially Songbird. So, to my regret, I started drowning my sorrows in alcohol. I know, in the past I’ve judged my father for doing the same thing, but yeah, I went down the same path as he did. Ironic isn’t it?
Well, about three weeks after the funeral, I was in a bar (I know that I was too young to drink, but the owner never ID’d me for some reason). I barely remembered anything that happened, but I remember that I got into some argument with this blue unicorn. I don’t really remember what it was about, but ten minutes later I was outside in an alleyway, on the ground, bleeding from my nose, and starting to fade out of consciousness. The last thing I remember seeing before everything became a big blur was a grey figure rushing towards me.
To Be Continued...