//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Abby // Story: What Lies Behind Green Eyes // by Sky Feather //------------------------------// Chapter 1: Abby                 It was a colorful evening in Ponyville, with the sunset’s radiant beams of light blending perfectly with the purple-tinted clouds. I was heading back home after another stop at the Canterlot Library. Recently I’ve been researching survival tips, just for the heck of it. The book seemed to be one of the very few I haven’t read in the library. Most of the books in the Canterlot Library are stories, remedies, or legends/myths that have occurred in the past. Every day I go to the same old library, looking for new books. This time, I decided to try something different.                 On my way home, I stopped by the Everfree Forest and gazed passionately, almost longingly, into the depths of the dangerous woods. I have always wanted to enter those woods. But a young filly like me should never enter them alone. So on I continue, to my house, not waiting to read my new book. I live in a small cottage off the side of the Everfree, on a cliff which provides a breathtaking view of the Dragon Mountains. If you haven’t already caught on, I tend to live dangerously. I reach my cottage with relief knowing I can read in peace since nopony (besides me) would live on a cliff OR live by the Everfree Forest. Unless you’re Fluttershy, but she can kick anything’s flank if she needed to.                 Okay, you’re probably wondering who I am. Who am I? The answer is simple: some idiot filly who is basically a recluse to society. What’s my name? My parents passed before I could recognize my name, but I call myself Emma, short for Emerald. I’ve always liked emeralds, they just have a mysterious feel to them, you know? Yeah, I figured you wouldn’t.                 Anyway, I live out away from every other pony because I don’t think I was ever taught social skills, and I suppose I have SPD. I’m not sure, but I am in no way going to socialize with a psychiatrist to find out. No way. But there is one other reason I don’t think I’d be ‘allowed’ to go out and talk to others. I’m dangerous. There’s something wrong with my horn that makes it go berserk sometimes, and nopony knows why. Unfortunately, I have killed ponies, or I’ve been told. For a while, I had an aunt who took care of me who had the same issue, and she would tell me anything I asked her. But then something took her away, and I’ve never seen her since.                 I sit down on my bed, using my hooves to flip pages instead of my horn. I try to make my horn use a minimum so if I had it removed, I wouldn’t be so dependent. Water filters are metal tubes used to get water out of a tree if you’re dehydrated, I read aloud. “Huh, didn’t know that,” I stated to absolutely nopony. Well, I guess Abby would count. Abby is the creature in my horn, the one infesting my brain with magnificent powers, but dark magic. I’ve never seen her true form, she just looks like a black mass with purple, beady eyes that has a string of mist attaching her to my horn.                 Sometimes I’ll read Abby bedtime stories, if she’s in the mood for it. She can sometimes be a little forceful, but if I say anything more than that, I’ll regret it later…                 You must think I’m crazy now. I live on a cliff by the most dangerous forest in the world, I talk to a parasite in my head, I’m a recluse, and I’m fatal to our world. Yeah, it sucks, but it’s not going to bring me down. Surely Princess Luna (my personal favorite princess) went through much worse when she became Nightmare Moon. Not to mention she was banished to the moon for approximately 1000 years. Wait… could Princess Luna help me overcome my dark magic problems? Could she get rid of Abby? Oh wow, I need to talk to her about --- oh, nevermind. I love Abby, she’s the best thing that ever happened to me. I love her sooo much! She’s always so kind to me and I love to read her bedtime stories! --- Oh no, not again. There she goes again with switching my mind around to make me brainwashed --- Abby would NEVER brainwash me! She loves me so much and she would never, EVER hurt me. We love each other so much, we’re practically sisters! --- I’m just gonna give up.