> Loneliness and Friendship > by RustyKat > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > One Rough Meeting > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dubstep Melody was walking in her home town, Los Pegasus, during the night. Stars glittered coldly overhead, and the moonlight lit up the dark sky. She was happy living in this town, were she felt she belonged, with friendly folk here and there. As Melody stared at the stars, she could hear some shouts from a house nearby, followed by a pegasus mare running out of the house. Concerned, Melody flew over to a nearby bush, and could just hear some of the words of the shouting. "You are a unicorn! You'll never be a pegasus! Never!" Shouted the black pegasus father, as he ran outside, carrying a small, sniveling purple unicorn filly. He placed the filly on the ground, staring at her with anger. "You have disgraced my family, Granite Sands. You are no longer my daughter." With that cruel thing said, the mare cried,"No! you can't do this to my daughter, Onyx!" The stallion whipped around to face her. "I can do what i want, Ribbon!!" Gee, why doesn't she leave him? Thought Melody with melancholy. With that, Onyx threw the filly into the lake nearby, and thrust the filly into it, holding her under the water, intending to drown her. Granite sands struggled under her Onyx's grip on her throat underwater, fighting to reach the surface. But soon, her actions proved fruitless, as she lost consciousness, and went limp. "No! You monster!" Ribbon cried at him. "Heh, I don't need you Telling me what to do.. See you never." And with that, he flew off. Melody watched as Ribbon sobbed, her shoulders heaving for what seemed hours, before she slunk back in her house, and returned with a white candle. She lit it next to her house, setting a framed picture next to it. "Someday we'll meet again." Ribbon said softly, before heading into the house. Immediately, Melody rushed over to the water, and lifted the comatose filly out of it. Placing her on the ground, Melody then began to push the water out of Granite's lungs. After a few minutes, the filly coughed water out of her lungs. She was okay, but not out of the woods yet...She was still unconscious. I better take her away from here, in case Onyx comes back to finish her off. She spread her wings, and took off, the filly in her fore hooves. As she flew, she couldn't help but think about how grey the filly's father had looked. Gee, he really had no color.... She landed to where she had been gazing at the stars, and put Granite on the ground. Since Melody had been living here only a few months, she still had no home. Her stuff was stowed under the small hill, were no pony would see it, and she draped a wing over the filly, as she laid down. The sky, full of dark clouds, soon began to pour, and Melody quickly grabbed Granite, her things, and huddled under a poorly shaded tree. Nothing seems to be going right today... She thought as she yawned. Putting her stuff in the saddle bag, but having no place to stow it, she decided she had to wear it. She laid down on the ground, draped her wing over the filly to keep the rain at least off Granite, and fell asleep, the ice cold rain beginning to soak Melody's fur to the skin. > Rain > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Melody did not know how long she slept in the pouring icy rain, but when she awoke, the first rays of sunlight were peaking through the clouds. She felt cold, and she shivered as she got up. The unicorn was dry, but poor Melody was soaked. Well, a small price to pay, to keep her safe. The warm sunlight crept into the soaked fur of Melody, and she began to enjoy the warmness from the sunlight. Maybe the universe doesn't hate me after all... She got up, and surveyed her surroundings. The forest was quiet, save for the steady drumming of the rain all around her, and the patter of the rain dripping off the trees, which formed little puddles in the mud. She looked over her back at the sleeping little filly, at least glad that Granite was fast asleep. When she wakes, i have so much to explain... Melody grabbed Granite, and took to the air with her pegasus wings. But as she was lifting off the ground, her left wing so happened to hit a tree, causing her to crash on the ground. With a sigh of annoyance, she dusted herself off, as she stood up once more. But a sharp twinge of pain shot up her wing, and she gave a small sigh along with a grimace, as she realized she had landed on it. The wing was broken. Great. More bad luck. She placed Granite back on her back, despite the broken wing, and continued forward on hoof. It was not far into the trek, that little Granite started to wake. Melody stopped, and stared at the filly, as her eyes slowly opened. "Ugh.... w-what's going on?" Asked Granite weakly. The blurry shape of Melody found it's way into her field of slowly clearing vision. "Oh, i'm so glad y'all are okay! Chimed Melody happilly. "W-who are you?" "My name's Dubstep melody, but most ponies call me Melody. Are y'all okay, little one?" The filly's vision cleared, to reveal a concerned Melody. "Yeah... What's going on? Where's Onyx? Me and him were gonna go fishing." "Well, he did more than go fishing with you..." said Melody sadly. Granite's face expression turned to shock. "N-no! T-that wasn't him.... trying to drown me... in the river.. it was all a bad dream!" "Afraid not, sweetie. It looks like y'all have just me. Your father left, and your mother thinks you're dead. Ihd'd return you home, but i'm afraid your father would kill you." > Hardship > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Y-you mean... No, it possibly can't be true!" sputtered Granite with tears in her eyes. "Iah'm sorry, Granite... Ah just don't know what to say..." The little filly gave Melody a tight hug, as she began to sob. "Oh honey, y'all don't need to cry..." Reassured Melody, as she returned the hug. "At least you're safe, that's all that matters." They stayed like that for a few moments, before Granite looked up from her crying. "Thank you, Melody, for saving my life." Melody gave a small smile. "And thank you, for bein' my only friend." "I-I'm your only friend?" said Granite incredulously. Melody gave a small sigh, "Sadly, yes. I know no pony.. and I've lived in basically nowhere for most of my life. For the first time in a long while, i'm finally happy." Granite hugged the pegasus. "I'm glad to be finally some kind of importance to some pony." "Oh, you are worth more to me than y'all can ever imagine, sweetie." Replied Melody, with that same grin on her face. "Now that we've met, shall we go to a shaded place?" Granite saw Melody's wing. "Ooh, are you okay? That looks awful!" Melody sighed, "No, but ah'll will be fine." Granite asked uncertainly, "You sure? You don't look fine" "Well, you don't have wings, so y'all wouldn't know what it feels like." Melody replied, as she got to her hooves. "I'd like to know what it be like having a pair." said Granite thoughtfully. "Flying among those white fluffy clouds, full of dreams..." " Granite,Come on ........ if y'all so concerned about me, ih'll will go into a town, and have a doctor look at it. I don't want you to worry about me, it'll makes all sad, and ah don't like seeing y'all sad." Granite lit up like a candle, with a huge smile on her face. "Awesome! We're going somewhere! I really like being your friend. Thanks for letting me be yours." And with that, Granite hopped onto Melody's back, and they headed for Ponyville. > Danger > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- So, Melody and Granite Hiked through the Everfree. It wasn't a long trek, and Melody knew that she had to be keen for danger, because the forest was full of predators. As they hiked, Granite had a few questions. "So, Melody, what is it like? To live without a home in so long?" Melody gave a long sigh. "Granite, my dear, y'all should know that asking about that thing is bad. Exposed in the Elements......and other bad things like that." Granite hugged Melody once more. "I-I'm sorry for asking Melody." Melody gave her a smile. "That's okay honey." Suddenly, there was some rustilings of a bush a few feet away. Melody stopped cold. A foul stench filled the air, and Melody tried not to gag at the smell. "W-what's going on?" Asked Granite with fear in her voice. "Granite, don't move. Grab on to me and don't fall off. Do y'all hear me?" Granite shook her head in agreement as she did as she was told. Melody began to slowly back up, but whatever was stalking them, kept the distance between predator and prey. Iah can't take this anymore. Melody knew that the beast would pin them off if they tried to escape with this method, so she took off in a full gallop. The bush was obliterated by the predators, a pack of three Timberwolves. Their howls of hunger pierced the forest, as they sped off after the two, their wooded bodies careening toward their target, connected to a set of sharp vicious teeth, the dagger-like claws churning up the damp earth as they ran. "T-Timberwolves!" stammered the filly, as she clung to Melody's neck with fear. "Don't worry child, I'll protect you, even with mah last dyin' breath!" She said, as she ran through the forest, little Granite on her back. "That's not very reassuring." "Iah know, Granite. I'm trying to make our situation just a bit brighter." The Timberwolves kept up at a brisk pace. Melody was getting tired, as her breath came in gasps, to provide her legs with energy to avoid getting herself any closer to the wolves. But soon, the Timberwolves would be upon them, for Melody couldn't run forever....and they knew it. > T-Timberwolves! > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Melody ran and ran, avoiding rocks, holes and trees. Behind her, the Timberwolves continued their chase, as their clawed paws came closer and closer upon the two. Finally, Melody skidded to a stop. "I'am.... sorry... Granite..." she huffed, "but.. if Iah run... any more, I'll... pass out...." From the bushes, a Timberwolf emerged, and he howled when he caught sight of the two. Two more joined the first. Growling, they crept closer to the two. "G..granite.." huffed Melody, "i..iah'm sorry..... I couldn't protect.... You..." "No!" Cried Granite. "We won't die like this! W..we just can't!" Melody took a stare at Granite as she huffed. "No, iah suppose we... Can't... Get behind me... Now." The little filly complied, as the Timberwolves drew ever closer. Granite shot a serious glare at Melody. "You saved my life... I will save yours." The Timberwolves surrounded the two, teeth barred in a hungry snarl, and hunched in a pose ready to strike. "Granite... What are y'all doin' ? Ya gonna... get yourself.. killed!" Granite gave a small sigh, as she kept her eyes fixed on the slowly advancing Timberwolves. "I may not be a Pegasus, but I still got magic!" she lit her horn with a charge of magic. Well, she does have a point..... All i'm doing is distracting them. Melody quickly climbed into a high tree, and pulled Granite up with her, as ththe Timberwolves gave a howl of Fustration. "Iah don't know how.... to say this, but Iah think.... we'ere Bucked." > An Unlikely Friend > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- After what seemed like hours to both Melody and little Granite, a pony entered the Everfreee. Seeing their predicament, the unicorn said in his odd accent, "Come with me! I shall help you two!" Confused, but not wanting to die by timberwolves, Melody and Granite climed out of the tree. Almost imediantly, the wooden beasts were on their tail. The unicorn put Granite on his back. "Come with me! We mustn't let them catch us!" With that, the stallion, along with a tired Melody, took off in the opposite direction in a full gallop. As soon as their hooves met the bridge of ponyville, the beasts fell back with a howl of frustration. "Iah... think we're.... safe for now... " huffed Melody. "Are you okay, miss?" Asked the stallion, a bit of concern in his voice. Melody said between her panting," Nope.. iah won't be.... not fer a while..." The stallion chuckled. "I'm sorry, I'm so rude. My name is Ishodd." Granite added dryly," What a weird name." Ishood said with his weird accent, "Well, Granite is an odd name too. Come on ya two, let's get somewhere safe." It didn't take much walking to get to a safe spot away from the forest. > Akward > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was then that Melody and Granite could get a better look at their rescuer. He was a black stallion, with a pale grey mane. His horn had the tip broken off, and his cutie mark was a yellow moon with a star. He would occasionally give Melody a mischievous grin, and coupled with his dark blue eyes, made him a bit creepy. When he stopped to preen his wings, Melody stifled a gasp. A long ragged scar ran down one of the wings, and more than a couple primaries were missing. "Yes... quite a scar..." He replied in an amused tone. "Just like yours." He pointed out a scar on Melody's shoulder that she had tried to cover up. "You must of been quite brave to get that scar, no?" "I.. um.. yes." Melody responded awkwardly, as she tried to re-hide the scar. "Why a scar?" Asked Granite quietly. "A scar is a mark of bravery little one..." Replied Ishodd. "Usually won in a great battle for one's honor." "Oh.... like a giant dragon fight?" Ishodd chuckled. "Sort of like that. You've got one cute kid miss." Melody was about to say something, but cut off the thought before it almost made it out of her mouth. "Now, let me here take a look at there wing." He lit his horn and gingerly unfolded the wing. Melody cringed as he did so. "It's not too bad. About a week or so ya be doin much better." Melody stayed quiet. "I bet you're wonderin how I got this here scar eh?" He raised an eyebrow at Melody, who figited uncomfortably in his blue eyed gaze. Granite shivered. "No thanks Ishodd. It sounds like an awful story." As they walked through town, ponies couldn't help but gawk at how strange Ishodd looked. Ishodd flattened his ears as he felt their gaze. "Perhaps we should go somewhere less..... populated...." "Oh maybe no one has seen such a pony as you Ishodd. I bet they're thinking 'Hey, that guy looks like a load of fun!' , but they're too shy to say it." Granite gave a giggle. "Kinda funny..... you look kinda like my dad. And Melody kinda looks like my mom...." At that last comment, Ishodd was taken off guard as his wings flared for a second. "Um Granite, maybe you shouldn't say things like that...." said Melody akwardly.