Red Skies

by Grenazers

Red Skies

Now according to most historians, the pegasus ponies used to be a military like society. This is dating back way before the founding of Equestria, back when the three tribes were not united. Many artifacts and old documents from that era provide evidence to support their claim.

However, recent research has revealed that the pegasus ponies weren't always soldiers. Researchers have uncovered that they used to be a race of nomads, flying around the skies, and finding places to eat. This information dates back even further, before the formation of the pegasus society.

The pegasus of this era was divided into numerous groups or as they called it, the flocks. A flock can be any size or shape, they can have a lot of members or just a few, and they can also be consisted of mostly stallions or mares. It doesn't matter since each flock is unique.

Despite their differences they all have one thing in common, the rules. And while each flocks has their own unique rule, they all share one similar rule. That rule is to always stay with the flock.

As simple as it sounds this rule is heavily enforced by members of the flock, they constantly remind the younger members of their flock of this and they will in turn teach this to the next generation of pegasus. This rule has been drilled into their mind so much that it has survived to this day.

Pegasus nowadays are more easygoing and peaceful then their more uptight ancestors. And yet they still share the same mentality as their ancestors did, the need to stay with the flock. This drastically affected the pegasus ponies behavior, as most have formed groups or 'flocks' with other ponies.

It was obvious that this one rule was very important to the ancient pegasus, otherwise they would have never bothered enforcing this rule to their foals. But, now the big question is why? Why was this rule so important? Why was is it so heavily enforced? What purpose does it serve?

For years this mystery baffled many researchers, they couldn't find any clues to why the ancient pegasus created the rules. Hours of looking through archives and they found absolutely nothing relating to their research, anything relating to the era before the three tribes were vague and not very detailed.

With the Canterlot's archives not providing any answers the researchers decided to go on an archeology expedition to the Frozen North. It is said that the three tribes originated from the north, but migrated south when the climate got colder. They hoped to find any evidence of ancient pegasus and finally find the answers they are looking for.

While the group searched the Frozen North for clues, back in Canterlot many other researchers has given up the search and just created theories to why ancients pegasus created the rules. This led too many arguments over what is fact or what is fiction? It was not until Professor Azure and his team returned from the north that stopped their bickering.

After a month of searching the frozen wasteland, Professor Azure finally returned and he brought something with him. His team found the remains of a flock of ancient pegasus, Among the remains were scrolls written in an ancient dead language.

Taking the scrolls and bringing it in their research room, the ponies begun translating the old rotted papers. Using magic to restore the scrolls to its former glory, they then started translating each one of them. After going through a couple of scrolls, they finally found one relating to their search.

Carefully taking it away from the rest, they began restoring the scroll. The once old crumbled, dirtied, and ripped paper slowly become clear, flat, and whole. With that over the ponies then starts to translate the words and write them out on several separate piece of papers.

Once they were done, the researchers picked up the translated notes and read them. According to the scroll the reason for the rule being implemented, is because it was created for two purposes. The first was to protect the flock and second was to prevent any members from straying.

It then went on about how the flock must enforce this rule otherwise they will all die. So basically anypony breaking this rule, are usually punished. It varied between flocks, but the most common is exile. Due to these harsh punishments many pegasus follows the rules and never break them.

As the researchers continued to read the scroll mentioned a large black winged beast. Simply called the Black Beast, the picture featuring the creature closely resembles a bird. It was all black except for its eyes, which was red. The beast has two massive wings, two sharp talons, and a long spear like beak.

The scroll then went into detail about how the Beast hides down onto the Earth and watched the skies for any preys to catch. This is a reason why the Pegasus needs to stick together because from down below it looks like the flock is a large flying animal, therefore the Black Beast just let it pass in favor for easier prey to catch.

However, if a pegasus strays from the group the Beast will figure out that it is actually a flock of pegasus. He will then fly at high-speed and devour as many pegasus as it can. His main attack is piercing the target with his beak, then starts to tear the group apart with his sharp talons.

Now according to most historians, the pegasus ponies used to be a military like society. This is dating back way before the founding of Equestria, back when the three tribes were not united. Many artifacts and old documents from that era provide evidence to support their claim.

However, recent research has revealed that the pegasus ponies weren't always soldiers. Researchers have uncovered that they used to be a race of nomads, flying around the skies, and finding places to eat. This information dates back even further, before the formation of the pegasus society.

The pegasus of this era was divided into numerous groups or as they called it, the flocks. A flock can be any size or shape, they can have a lot of members or just a few, and they can also be consisted of mostly stallions or mares. It doesn't matter since each flock is unique.

Despite their differences they all have one thing in common, the rules. And while each flocks has their own unique rule, they all share one similar rule. That rule is to always stay with the flock.

As simple as it sounds this rule is heavily enforced by members of the flock, they constantly remind the younger members of their flock of this and they will in turn teach this to the next generation of pegasus. This rule has been drilled into their mind so much that it has survived to this day.

Pegasus nowadays are more easygoing and peaceful then their more uptight ancestors. And yet they still share the same mentality as their ancestors did, the need to stay with the flock. This drastically affected the pegasus ponies behavior, as most have formed groups or 'flocks' with other ponies.

It was obvious that this one rule was very important to the ancient pegasus, otherwise they would have never bothered enforcing this rule to their foals. But, now the big question is why? Why was this rule so important? Why was is it so heavily enforced? What purpose does it serve?

For years this mystery baffled many researchers, they couldn't find any clues to why the ancient pegasus created the rules. Hours of looking through archives and they found absolutely nothing relating to their research, anything relating to the era before the three tribes were vague and not very detailed.

With the Canterlot's archives not providing any answers the researchers decided to go on an archeology expedition to the Frozen North. It is said that the three tribes originated from the north, but migrated south when the climate got colder. They hoped to find any evidence of ancient pegasus and finally find the answers they are looking for.

While the group searched the Frozen North for clues, back in Canterlot many other researchers has given up the search and just created theories to why ancients pegasus created the rules. This led too many arguments over what is fact or what is fiction? It was not until Professor Azure and his team returned from the north that stopped their bickering.

After a month of searching the frozen wasteland, Professor Azure finally returned and he brought something with him. His team found the remains of a flock of ancient pegasus, Among the remains were scrolls written in an ancient dead language.

Taking the scrolls and bringing it in their research room, the ponies begun translating the old rotted papers. Using magic to restore the scrolls to its former glory, they then started translating each one of them. After going through a couple of scrolls, they finally found one relating to their search.

Carefully taking it away from the rest, they began restoring the scroll. The once old crumbled, dirtied, and ripped paper slowly become clear, flat, and whole. With that over the ponies then starts to translate the words and write them out on several separate piece of papers.

Once they were done, the researchers picked up the translated notes and read them. According to the scroll the reason for the rule being implemented, is because it was created for two purposes. The first was to protect the flock and second was to prevent any members from straying.

It then went on about how the flock must enforce this rule otherwise they will all die. So basically anypony breaking this rule, are usually punished. It varied between flocks, but the most common is exile. Due to these harsh punishments many pegasus follows the rules and never break them.

As the researchers continued to read the scroll mentioned a large black winged beast. Simply called the Black Beast, the picture featuring the creature closely resembles a bird. It was all black except for its eyes, which was red. The beast has two massive wings, two sharp talons, and a long spear like beak.

The scroll then went into detail about how the Beast hides down onto the Earth and watched the skies for any preys to catch. This is a reason why the Pegasus needs to stick together because from down below it looks like the flock is a large flying animal, therefore the Black Beast just let it pass in favor for easier prey to catch.

However, if a pegasus strays from the group the Beast will figure out that it is actually a flock of pegasus. He will then fly at high-speed and devour as many pegasus as it can. His main attack is piercing the target with his beak, then starts to tear the group apart with his sharp talons.

After reading the section with the Black Beast, the next section of the scroll talks about a tale of one pegasus mare that ignored the rules of the flock and for her arrogance was the first to be taken by the Black Beast.

This is her tale.

---

Once upon a time there was a beautiful mare named Aquarius. She was a sea blue pegasus with a long flowing gold mane. Her cutie mark is a pair of white feathered wings, shaped as a heart. This blue mare is quite well-known in her flock and it's not because of her beauty.

Instead Aquarius is known for her rebellious nature. When she was growing up, Aquarius was always different from the rest of the pegasus. She was both adventurous and brave, also more relax and easygoing than the other pegasus in her flock.

Because of her behavior it got her into conflict numerous times with other members of the flock. The most involved with the flock leader, Apollo, her father. The elderly pegasus stallion has a pure white coat with same golden mane like his daughter. His cutie mark was a simple Shepard's staff.

For many times Apollo asked his daughter to stop behaving this way and told to follow the rules. However, his daughter was strong-headed and refused to obey. She believes herself to be a smart pony, who isn't easily fooled like the rest of her flock.

She even stated that the Beast is not even real since none of members of the flock ever seen the creature for a long time. She believed that the Black Beast has been just a creation to scare little foal, so that they will be more obedient.

Finally having enough of his daughter's attitude he snapped at her and said some very harsh words. Realizing at what he has done he tried to apologize, but she quickly flew away leaving only tears behind. As she was flying away she heard the sound of her father calling out to her, she ignored it and pressed on.

The blue mare flew for hours, finally she stopped and rest herself on a large piece of cloud. As she lay down on the soft cloud, the anger within her subsided a bit, allowing to clear her mind. She really needed time like this, to be by herself and think. It wasn't the first time she did this, but they were always done while sneaking away during the night.

Aquarius decided to sleep it off and return later, she knows that her father won't move on until she is back. Closing her eyes, she shifted a bit to get more comfortable and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Time pass and the blue mare was starting to wake up, but she woke up in a very unfamiliar place. The once pleasant blue skies, replaced with an eerie blood red. No moon or sun, the red skies is completely clear. Even the cloud she is resting on lost its pure white color, in its place is a cloud with a dark shade of black.

Looking down from her cloud bed, she saw something that sent a feeling of dread over her body. Down below is an black abyss that stretches far as her eyes can see. Looking into the abyss, Aquarius can see nothing inside. It was an endless void that can go on to infinity.

Calming herself down Aquarius left the black cloud and explore this new world. The pony flapped her blue wings for miles, she found nothing but the same red skies and vast black abyss. No trees, no oceans, no mountains, no nothing. Just endless black.

She kept flying for a while until she spotted a black cloud. Making a beeline towards it, Aquarius rested her body on the soft cloud. As the mare was relaxing, she did not notice a pair of red eyes watching her from the abyss. Spreading his massive wings the creature thrust himself towards the little blue pegasus.

Hearing the sound of flapping wings Aquarius looked over the edge of her cloud. She then became alert when she saw the large black monster coming right at her. Instinct took over and she instantly jumped off the cloud. The moment she left the cloud, the beast passed right through it, destroying the black cloud.

The mare was able to get a clear view of her attacker and she was shocked. Hovering above her is a large black bird, his large wings, his two sharp talons, his sharp beak, and his two red eyes. It is Black Beast she shouted in her head, the creature she didn't believe exist is right in front of her.

Aquarius quickly turns around and flew away, only for the Black Beast to chase after her. Looking back the blue mare saw the Beast catching up to her. Thinking fast Aquarius suddenly halted in her flight, the Beast flying right pass her. The mare then flew in a different direction, away from the Beast. While she may have escaped the Beast, the little pegasus cannot escape this world.

She flew in a straight line, hoping to find anything besides the abyss. However, the more she flew the more she realized how futile this was. All she can see is red skies and black land.

With no food or water to be found Aquarius slowly starved and dehydrate. This also brought fatigue since she is overexerting herself for flying too long. It also doesn't help that the Beast would occasionally appear and tried to kill her.

She easily evaded the Beast each time, but she gets the feeling that the Beast is just toying with her. It could be true or it was all in her mind. Whatever it was all she knows that she'll need to escape from this hellish place.

She kept on flying, but her exploration show s zero progress in finding a way out. Aquarius was getting tired, she is lacking energy due to not eating and is being drained from escaping the Black Beast. This puts a strain on her as she is pushing her weak body beyond its limits.

Her movement was slow and sluggish, her mind started to deteriorate as she cannot think clearly. Gone was her rational thoughts, all she could think about was trying to escape this place.

As she was flying her broken mind thought of a way to escape. She thought of going into the abyss below, but feared that some horrifying beast is waiting for her. She thought of trying to go higher up, but she'll just freeze up when reaching the atmosphere.

Aquarius then stopped, in her mind the mare have found a way to escape from this place. She waited for a bit until she heard the sound of flapping wings. Turning in the direction of the sound, the blue mare spotted the Black Beast speeding towards her, his sharp beak pointed right at her.

Instead of moving the mare just smiled, she watched as the Beast got closer and closer to her. When he was almost to her, Aquarius closed her eyes. Then in a instance she was gone.

The Black Beast has impaled the little blue pegasus with his beak and quickly headed back-down into the black abyss. As the large black beast took her down to be eaten, her face still held the smile upon her death.

She is smiling because she has found a way out of this terrible place, and that is Death.

---

After reading the tale, the researchers were surprised that the ancient pegasus based their important rule on an old myth. This Black Beast is nothing but a boogie pony, used by parents to scare little foals. When they were about to close the case on this creature, another discovery was found in the Frozen North.

What the team in the north found shocked the researchers, standing across them is a big block of ice. Within the icy cube is creature. Large black body, massive wings, sharp spear like beak, the creature in front of them is the Back Beast.

Author's Note:

Yeah I rewritten this story again for two purposes.

1-I like this story and wanted to see if I can make it better.

2-This my entry to Equestria Daily's Nightmare Night's Fanfic Event

Comments

[drakesdrum]

There seems to be a... pretty large passage which is just straight-up repeated. Between "Now according to most historians..." and "tear the group apart with his sharp talons."