Littlehorn

Greetings, everyone! It's time to share with you all what I've spent the last 3 or so weeks working on.

Link

This is a prequel to the main story. It's a one-shot about a filly who considers Nyx to be her hero, and wants to grow up to be just like her. She has some doubts about the nature of heroism and why Nyx isn't acting like what she considers heroic. During this point in my universe, it is six months prior to the main story. It is also 2 1/2 years after the Royal Guard ceremony incident where Nyx showed her first signs of the massive change she goes through during the main story. Quite by accident, she saved over two hundred lives in the Crystal Empire's botanical gardens when she killed twenty-three zebra assassins. Nyx was very shook up about it, because at this point, she is still very close to Pen Stroke's filly Nyx in her mental state. She hasn't yet come to terms with the fact that killing is sometimes necessary in order to save lives and "protect ponies" as she promised. I'm working on the prologue for the main story, and will post that when it's ready. The prologue will feature the Crystal Empire incident, so this isn't really spoilers by talking about it here.

So, when Littlehorn takes place, Nyx has already been barred from participating in the war, and is currently testing prototype equipment for StableTec. She's been fitted with a PipBuck to track her magical energy storage, lest she burn out, causing another incident. Public knowledge of what Nyx has done is sketchy and inconsistent. Misty, the protagonist of Littlehorn, is aware that Nyx saved all those lives, but she is confused as to why Nyx isn't participating in the war. This doubt causes an issue for Misty which she must resolve by the end of the story.

It's important to mention that Nyx herself is not actually a character in the Littlehorn story. But she's mentioned as Misty's hero. I do plan on making several one-shots like this which will depict various parts of the backstory of this universe.

Anyone who has read Fallout: Equestria knows what happened at Littlehorn, so this won't be a surprise for them. But for the rest of you, please be aware that this is a very tragic story. I wanted to do a tribute to what Kkat has created by making it a stand-alone story. I also wanted to write some meaningful thoughts on the meaning of heroism. It is inevitable that this is going to tug on the emotions more than a little for some people. At least it did for me when writing it.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy! It's my very first "completed" story. With this out of the way, I'll now be resuming work on the main story, Protector of Ponies.

Comments

[MixMassBasher]

I would definately say the tribute to Fallout Equestria was definately interesting.

Did Nyx find out about the incident.

[Recon777]

3533358
Yes, from chapter three of the main story, we have this:

Nyx knew that of the countless concerns which burdened the princess, one stood out above the rest. She nodded.

“It weighs heavily on my heart, even after all these months.”

Nyx recalled the horror of that day. “I… Yes, when we heard about what happened, I couldn’t sleep. I must have wept all night for the families and children.”

Luna sighed. “All the families are still grief stricken. I visited as many as I could. After only a few, I could not bear it.”

Luna paused as if wrestling with her thoughts. Her brow furrowed. The air felt charged and there was a faint whiff of ozone. Luna’s eyes were wet. “Those were my students!” she snapped. “Those were my teachers and staff! I personally chose them!” It was short lived; Luna was clearly spent. Her voice fell to a whimper. “Loving, dedicated, incredibly talented ponies doing what they could to raise up the next generation of…”

Luna paused, composing herself. Nyx’s ears fell. She shifted in her seat, her heart aching.

Nyx would have found out very soon after it happened. But this isn't depicted in the main story because it's six months later.

I suppose, after this vivid depiction in the short story, that it brings all the more potency to how Luna would be feeling in the above scene.

[Journeyman]

No more tears.

Well's run dry.

[Recon777]

3569225 Mmm. You read it? What did you think?

[Questionable]

Misty, the protagonist of Littlehorn, is aware that Nyx saved all those lives, but she is confused as to why Nyx isn't participating in the war. This doubt causes an issue for Misty which she must resolve by the end of the story.

[Recon777]

3623795
I'm afraid that information would not be available to her.