Farewell Dear Daughter
"Move quickly!" One large well built stallion yelled out to the squad of 20, Royal Guards stationed inside the train car. Obediently they exited, quickly looking around all too aware of the possible dangers lurking in the poor town. Ponyville Once a beacon of peace to travelers now a burning fire of ash and smoke. Dinky Hooves looked out from around a large barrel in the cargo car of the train, waiting until all the Guards had exited. She had stowed away from Canterlot, to get here with the help of her friends. Slowly she eased over to the door of the train, Looking out she was shocked at what she beheld, a horrible scene burnt buildings and bodies all over.
But that didn't matter right now, her Mother Derpy Hooves had stayed behind in the town. She had to find her mom. Ignoring the scene and the calls of the few guards that spotted her she dashed out from the train car running through the chaos and horror. Glancing to her right while she ran she saw the town Library, although is looked more like a burnt out tree now. Books torn to shreds on the street and giant scratch marks of a large beast adorned the side of the library. Then she finally came to a stop, at her house. A burnt mess just like the rest of the town, her heart sunk with horror and sadness.
Her mother.
She ran into the house swinging the half intact door open glancing around worriedly, shes not here. Her eyes rested on a piece of paper untouched by the flames or mess that was all over the house. Slowly she walked over to it, her breathing becoming quicker for fear and hope of what was on the paper, maybe her mom escaped? That glimmer of hope ushered her to pick up the letter and read. She closed her eyes, herself full of hope but an equal portion of dread at what she would find. Could her mother have gotten out in time and left a note for her? Or maybe it was a goodbye.... No! Her mother must be alive. She looked down and read.
Dear Dinky my daughter,
I am writing to say I'm sorry. It has gotten a lot worse since the first trains left for Canterlot and took you with them. They have not returned, and the town has been quarantined and I fear I will not be meeting up with you in Canterlot. They came from the shadows and now scour the town, looking for us ponies. Carrot Top was one of the first to go, then the Cakes—it was horrible. I am glad you were not here to see it. I am sooo sorry. I love you dear, with my whole heart and my whole soul. I just wish I could see you again. I know I have not been the brightest mother, but I will miss the fun times we had in the park together and our days baking muffins. I now look over our pictures of us together, playing in the sunshine. It fills me with happiness in these last moments.
But sadly, by the time you get this, I fear I will no longer be here, but as long as I draw breath, I shall not stop until I am with you again, sweetie. I am living off my muffins; my dream, right? But I would rather be with you, for a thousand muffins would not replace you. You are my happiness and my life.
Oh, no! They are breaking down the door! I am so sorry, honey, but I shall not see you again; just know that I love you.
Goodbye, honey. I love you.
Your mom, Derpy
I'm so sorry. I just don't know what went wrong.
Dinky looked over the letter, straining not to cry, but it was a losing battle. The letter itself was covered in dried tear stains from her mother; she must have been in tears writing this.
And now... she was gone. Her mother was gone, forever.
Dinky could not hold back her pain and sorrow any longer, and so she wept. "Mother!" she cried out in agony, collapsing and weeping on the floor, the letter held tightly against her chest. Why? Why did it have to be her?
She continued crying her heart out until she could weep no more. Recovering, she sat up, looking down sadly. She read over the letter again.
"For a thousand muffins would not replace you," she whispered. Looking over that sentence, tears welled in her eyes once again.
She managed a smile. Her mother was obsessed with muffins, and still she was worth more to her mother than them! She was always by my side, when I was sad, and when I was angry, my mother stood by my side... she thought but now that she's gone. I miss her... I love my mother... more than the sunlight. I would give it all up to see you again mother.
Dinky looked around the house, not wanting to look at the letter again. The place was a mess. Shelves destroyed, tables turned to splinters, dishes shattered and a whole portion of the house smoldering. Unusual scratch mark that cut deep within even the stone was all around the house, leading to the kitchen. She didn't dare go into the kitchen, for that was where her mother was last, and she knew what she would find.
She walked over to the fireplace. There was only one picture still left standing on it. She just managed to reach up and grab the picture. It was a picture of her and her mother laughing and sitting on a grassy hill, with the picnic basket open filled to the brim with muffins. The smiles on their faces were as bright as Celestia's sun. Dinky grinned, but it pained her to look at it any longer.
She turned away; she couldn't look at it any longer. Walking out the door and into the streets, letter in hoof, the smell of soot and ash overwhelmed her. She looked around.
She had come home with the Elements of Harmony; they were in Canterlot when this horrible chain of events happened. There were several guards walking around the town, weapons at the ready. Over to her left was where Sugarcube Corner once was, but now it was just a pile of ash. Pinkie Pie was a mess, her mane deflated and literal streams of tears coming from her eyes. She was crying on the shoulder of Applejack, her friends looking equally as grim. Fluttershy was a shriveling mess, tears in her eyes on the ground crying over the destruction and intense moment.
Dinky sighed and sat down on a patch of grass—or what was left of the grass. She finally fully noticed most of the town was burnt to ashes. Houses still smoldering, poor ponies about covered in soot and ash. It took the Elements and the guards too long to get here, and they were too late to prevent or stop the tragedy.
A single guard walked up to her, putting his hoof on her shoulder for reassurance. She needed it bad. It was almost as if she was just plunged deep into a dark abyss.
"It's okay," he said, glancing around at the destruction that surrounded them. Obviously, he appeared distressed as well, but he managed to keep totally stoic, except for the small smile on his face glancing down at her.
It didn't help much, but it gave her some comfort. She shed another tear, clutching the letter tightly. Sadness wasn't the only thing she felt. There was also anger—anger for the monsters that did this horrible crime, they where creatures that in legend even made the Changelings fear them. And even the Dragons supposedly avoided them at all costs. But at this moment, it didn't matter. The letter was one of the few items she had left of her mother, and she would keep it with her always.
But what would she do now? She was only a filly, now an orphan. Where would she live? She clutched her eyes shut, the weight of the situation crushing down on her. "I just don't know what went wrong."
Thump!
"What was that sound?"
"I don't know, sir."
"Rrrraaaaawwwwwwrrrrr!"