The Lost Pony Tales of Equestria Vol. 1 Meeting the Crowned Crew of Ponyville

by Starlight Dragon

Chapter 2 A New Me

Author's Note:

Inertia is creative property of Sarah C. used with her permission. All other characters are property of Anastasia N. aka Starlight Dragon

The Lost Pony Tales of Equestria
Vol. 1 Meeting the Crowned Crew of Ponyville
Chapter 2
A New Me

We return to Starlight’s home, last night she conducted a dangerous experiment on herself to cure herself of her dragon blood. It’s early morning yet she still lies just where she fell, almost motionless on the floor. The morning sunshine sneaks through her makeshift window slowly creeping its way towards her face. As it reached her face Starlight finally began to stir the sunlight on her face encouraging her to get up. Her movement was sluggish and clumsily she appeared to be in some sort of pain or soreness. She apparently got more then she barged for in that potion. As her vision finally clears and her movements more calculated she sees the damage done to her home. Late last night her coughing fit broke almost all her bottles containing the cure potion, their contents uselessly on the floor turning the dirt to mud. She was covered in this mud she wanted to clean herself up before cleaning up her home. As she took the short walk to the river and began to rinse the mud off her, she realized her scales weren’t shining as she looked closer she realized it was fur. She quickly finished cleaning herself up so she could see herself in her small mirror. Her tears freely fell down her face as she was greeted by a unicorn not a dragon in the mirror, but that feeling fell shortly after she realized it wasn’t all what she had hoped she begins to talk to herself.

“My scales, horns, spikes and wings may be gone but I wasn’t the Starlight I remember. My fur is a deep red just like her scales were; my hair has sliver streaks through the sky-blue hair with its white tips. My cutie mark still was a burning white star being eaten by the flames surrounding it. My eyes are back to normal, more or less. All my scars I got from all the time I been hiding from every pony, I can see them all much clearly now. The ones I got running and hiding from the mobs of angry ponies after me on my front knees. The gash that timber wolf gave me, on my left side almost perfectly centered between my shoulders where my left wing was nearly torn off.” “Sighs, and the one I got not paying attention to where I was going where I fell into thorns leaving a cut through, my right eye. At least I can cover it with my hair now, “my horn is back” she excitedly said, “I wonder if I can still use my magic!”

“My old painting set if the potion didn’t make me Starlight perhaps I could use this blessing to become a new pony. Leave my past in the past live a new life just like I always wanted. Make new friends be myself, enjoy the fun I’ve watched them all have. Finally getting out of this dark and gloomy forest and never come back.” Her levitation magic caused the brushes and oil paints to fly towards her she smiles,

“I still got it. Now what should my new talent and name be? My intelligence is my most admirable trait, but I fear it will create too much attention. Painting I could make everything I would ever need but I’m not very good at it I would make a horrible artist. Singing I have a great voice but, my personally and stage fright would make it hard to earn a living. Potion brewing great so I come across as being even crazier then I already am. Is there any hope for me now I thought of everything I’ve ever learned and they all seem so risky? Wait a moment I’ve never tried writing, I take detailed notes already how hard can it be to weave that into a story.”

She paints an average looking book on the right side with an open scroll and quill on its left, mirroring it onto the other side perfectly covering her real cutie mark.

“Now with that settled what am I gonna call myself now,” after a great deal of time thinking of names, “I’ll call myself Scarlet. Scarlet, it’s perfect I won’t need new bags or have that much trouble memorizing my name. Now, how will I make my first story so I can start earning some money to move out of this gloom forest and start my new life? I got my diary, and the ruined castle library mentioned a legend of Starlight Dragon being alive. That’s it write a book on the truth behind the Legend of Starlight Dragon using the book in the castle library, and my diary. I bet the castle still got some supplies I can use to make some copies of the book. It will be compelling, emotional and a mystery book it’s gonna at least be a good starting point for me. I’ll write it like an old pony tale the origins of Starlight’s Dragon Blood just like the Mare in the Moon.”

Moments later Starlight I mean Scarlet, left to collect what she could from the ruins of the castle. Returning laden with supplies and a dusty old book she got to work. Handwriting each page and drawing illustrations took time and a steady hoof. But Starlight or should I say Scarlet never backed down from the challenge driven by the possibility in her future she makes 13 copies of The Legend of Starlight Dragon. She eagerly and carefully packed them into her bags.

“I’ll be lucky if even a few of them sell right away, but maybe it’s the key to how I’m gonna fit in. I’m going to have to find a way to sell them faster though if I plan on getting anywhere as a writer. I just might make some friend tomorrow when I head into Ponyville for the first time in daylight. But I can’t shake this dark feeling in my chest it’s probably just my nerves. Its best I get some sleep tonight got a big day planned for tomorrow.”

Waking with the morning sun Scarlet prepared to head out of the Everfree Forest into Ponyville for the first time in sunlight putting on her tattered bags and torn cloak. She nervously left home and started making her way to Ponyville being careful not to bump into anything to avoid damaging the books. She was now on the forest edge after a long hike.

“I’ve watched these ponies run about their lives from this spot, now I’m gonna experience its wonders in the daylight leaving this spot behind.”
She was shy and quite nervous avoiding contact with ponies till she realized that she was hopelessly lost.
A desperate Scarlet asked a nearby pony,“Where is the bookstore?”

The pony she asks is a female pegasus with an eggshell white coat, her hair is dark green with yellow highlights, and her eyes are orange. Her black hooves stand out much like her cutie mark an atom with its electron’s spinning around its center. She replied to Scarlet while looking oddly at her covered in the cloak,
“Not from around here are you?”

Scarlet replies, ”No not really, it’s my first time being here.”
The pony asks, “Why don’t you take that cloak off and show your beautiful face.”
Scarlet slowly removes her cloak from her head. “There u go, can u see better now?”

Scarlet asks her, “How does that help me find the bookstore?”
The pony simply replied, “Makes you seem less out of place, and you want 3rd shop on the left side of the street.” The pony left Scarlet with a small smile after Scarlet realized what happens she thanked the pony for her help.

After entering the store and talking to the pony there she convinced him to display and attempt to sell 12 copies the last copy she would keep for herself. He would sell her books for her keeping 50% of the sale for himself and 50% for her at 6 bitts each copy. He set the price her work it was well constructed and beautifully illustrated in his words, “A perfect presentation of a story from unknown pony.” After he learned that she wasn’t living there and he would set up a delivery of payment to her in return for more copies if these ones would sell. He would be willing to pay 5 bitts for each additional copy of her book and wanted to see any of her future works. The upbeat Scarlet spent the morning wandering around Ponyville writing things down in her beaten up notebook. When the pony from this morning sat down beside her, Scarlet noticed her and bashfully looked back at her notes.

The pony introduced herself, “My name is Inertia and your name is?”
“It’s Scarlet” not even looking up from her notes.

“Your absorbed by that notebook of yours writing another story?” Inertia asked.
“How did you know I wrote a story?” Scarlet looked at her quite puzzled.

“I didn’t you just told me cheeky smile; I bet it’s good though you’re shy, probably not foolish.” Inertia asks Scarlet, “Where are you from you don’t seem to be from around here?”
Scarlet replied “I’m not sure I’ve spent my entire life moving from one place to another that why my stuff so tattered and torn. I can’t even remember how I even got my cutiemark let alone my parents. My childhood is a blank page but I’ve never let it bother me much. My adventures made me strong and wise and that’s the way I like it to remember my past.”

Inertia was speechless for a moment the replied, “You’re really good at telling stories and probably good at writing them too. You had me on the edge of my seat even though it started out sounding sad; you proved that you’re not bothered by your past in fact your strengthened by it.”
Scarlet said, “How very analyzing you are of my story must be a good scientist judging from your cutie mark.”

Inertia sadly looked at her hooves and said, “No not really no pony takes my ideas, or experiments seriously. But you should stay in Ponyville for a little while the Summer Sun Celebration is just a week away and being held here you could see the princess raise the sun, gotta go see you later Scarlet.”
“Um Bye?” Scarlet replies as Inertia walks away. “In a week there’s no way any of my books will sell by soon ok maybe one but that won’t pay for much. I’ve gotta come up with a way to make money here faster or else I won’t be able to stay in town. Instantly it hits her use a little showmanship and tell the stories in the book in a brief and visual way she might get collect some donations and promote my book. A little magic blended with my Alchemy skills hopefully creates a compelling and interesting visual story telling of The Legend of Starlight Dragon.”