SWF? Possible Prologue · 3:59am Mar 10th, 2021
Hey all, I had this kicking around the back of my mind as far as a prologue over the last couple of days. I don't know if I'll use it, but I hope you enjoy it.
Standing along the shoreline, hiding under the forest canopy, stood a single alicorn. Her name was Lauren Faust. It was a name that meant both fortune and wisdom, yet the mare could say little about living up to either of those traits. As she finished a small cup of tea, the slender alicorn sat down, sighing as she traced the rim of the cup. Just how long had it been? Years? Centuries? Or perhaps even millenniums? Whatever it was, even if it had been millions of years, it would pale in comparison to how it felt. Since she became trapped on this world, each moment felt like years, and it only got worse the more she longed for her home.
Over the centuries, she had tried many times to return, to go back to her world, but each attempt was met with failure. Through the years, she grew disheartened, and her hopes slowly dwindled. For a while, the alicorn gave up her attempts, and she tried to live alongside humans, the inhabitants of this world. However, while many would accept her with curiosity and awe, others would soon follow, only seeking what they could get out of her. Often, when they would learn of her magical abilities, they would turn to pursue her. Some would seek to take her horn for themselves, claiming that they could then wield magic. Others tried to trap her, hoping to make the strongest glue the world had ever seen.
These experiences drew her to a life of solitude, but the mare never held it against the people. They were like her ponies, some good and others misguided with ignorance.
So she lived alone for many years, finding companionship with the creatures of the forest. The bear was a mistake, but other than that, she was fine. While she spent much of her time alone, the alicorn didn't sit idly by as the world moved on. Using her time, she returned to the passion of her youth and began creating. Canvases, pictures, sculptures, and paintings lined the walls of her small cabin. Next to that were all the paints, brushes, and pens that covered her tables.
As a youth, she started out as an artist and nothing more. Yet, through a series of unforeseeable events, she eventually found herself becoming the ruler over a domain. That was a time that was both the most stressful and the most enjoyable time of her life. Along with that power came a dream, a dream to build a world united in harmony, a place others would be proud to call home, and a place that she could raise her foals in peace. Even now, after all this time, the voices of her two daughters rang through her mind. They were her drive, her reason for living, and her reason for doing what she was about to do.
Turning around, the alicorn looked at the small cabin she had made all those years ago. It was old and weathered from age and it laid hidden under the canopy of the forest. The small structure could do little to keep out the cold anymore, but for all those years, it had been her home.
Stepping up to the porch, she glanced at a little bird that had made a nest in the window sill. It looked up at her tall form and hopped along the edge of its nest with happy chirps and flapping wings. With a melancholy-filled smile, Faust looked down at the little bird and said, "Yes, I'll miss you too." The bird didn't seem to understand her words though. Chirping, it tilted its head to the side, fluttered its wings, and shat on its nest. The alicorn shook her head, chuckling to herself. The creatures in this world just weren't the same.
Walking inside the small structure, the mare was met with the familiar sight of her home. It had a window on either side of the door. There was a small table for cooking and a little cobblestone fireplace in the back. The walls were lined with her artwork, and several dozen contained portraits of her long-lost family. They reminded the alicorn to keep the embers of hope burning.
She checked one last time to make sure all her things were put away, and while she hoped she wouldn't need them, the alicorn took out what she had gathered in the form of medical supplies. Setting them out in the open ready for use if need be. With one last check over her notes, the alicorn nodded to herself, her fears beginning to grow and fester. She only had one shot at this, and should she fail, her chances of finding a way back would drastically diminish.
She sighed and reached for a package of seeds that she had collected. Pouring them in a bowl, she put them on the table and smiled at the little bird. "Don't go eating too much, okay." It tilted its head, and Faust went back to her things.
With everything in order, she walked outside. Taking one last glance around at the forest and lake she had called home, she breathed deep. The fresh scent filling the mare's lungs, and she smiled. Despite her circumstances, she did have fond memories here, but that wasn't going to stop her from returning to her daughters.
Faust closed her eyes, taking slow, calm breaths; she listened to the sound of the shore and the light breeze that flowed against her coat. With a shaky breath, she whispered to herself, "I'll see you soon..." Then she spread her wings and took off. Flying up over the trees, she headed north to a clearing with lots of flat ground. It was the same place she had initially come to this world, and the mare hoped it would prove to work as a key to her mission.
She approached the clearing, landing gracefully on the soft soil. There engraved in the ground was her life's work, a large magical array. Setting her things down, the alicorn lifted a transcript she had made and added some necessary changes. Desperately hoping this would work, the mare tossed her supplies to the side and approached the center. With a shaky breath, she reared up on her back legs and ignited her horn.
Slamming her hooves down on the ground, it surged with her power, and the fiery orange glow of her horn lit up the fields around her. Flickering lights, looking like embers, began to flow upwards, and another surge of magic flowed over the land.
The wind began to pick up, spiraling around the mare. It grabbed leaves and pieces of grass, burning them up in the arcane magic surrounding her. She was afraid, one mistake and her life would end. Her breathing was shaky, and the mare closed her eyes as tears formed on the corners. Then she let go.
A surge of magical energy lit up the landscape like an explosion, and a shockwave of power shook the forest. A moment later there was a rising column of light that struck the sky. The surrounding clouds began to converge, spiraling around the column as the mare put everything she had into her spell. Flashes of lightning began to arc across the sky. Some landing close to where she stood, but she held true.
One hit the array, and her eyes shot open as she felt the strike pass through her hooves. The array was damaged, and it started to rebound. she grit her teeth continuing, she was determined to make this work. Her eyes strained, her shoulders tensed, and her head ached to the point that it felt like it was going to split in two. She was not giving up! As her vision began to blur, arcs began to fly out of the array.
They started small fires in the open field, and the air began to pressurize. Reality itself began to distort and waver around her, and Faust let out a scream as she tore a hole in space and time. In that instant, the mare was enveloped in a blinding flash of light. A thunderous boom shook the landscape, and then the forest was silent once more.
The only telltale signs of there being anyone present was a small bag on the ground beside a crater, lying in the bag was a drawing of three smiling mares entitled, home.
This looks interesting. Will she ever say anything about her husband? Somepony would ask that question sooner or later.
5471735 Yes, but he will most likely show up in the background of flashbacks or made reference to at this point in the story.
Small nitpick- plural of millennium is millennia.
Other than that, it works really well as a start and gives a good idea as to why things in the story happened the way they did.
5471765 👍
Interesting
Did you mean sat or did the bird poo while talking to Faust? Good story by the way
5472069 Thanks, I’m glad you liked it. As to your question, yeah it pooped on its nest.
If I do use this though, I may remove that small detail.
Yeah, I like this idea as a lead-in to a prologue. As I mentioned in the story's comment section, I think it's a cool idea that could be the start of a deeper prequel. Another cool idea would be to do a prologue to Alex (not need to be directly related to Faust's joureny)
5472076
Nyah! Keep it in! Birds do do the doo, after all.
"Pepper saved Equestria! After all the alicorns failed and all of the pony's devices failed them, Equestria was saved by the humblest thing of all: Pepper the sparrow shat in Tirek's eye."--From the account of Hoof Giant Wells, War of The Centaurs.
5516200 I’m honestly finding it hilarious seeing everyone’s reaction to pepper.