Author: Ennelly Von Swortts
Co-Author: ElectroPHX228 (Blitz)
Chapter Twenty-Two: Aurora
I was born different. Different then everypony else. So, my parents hid me away from the world. The outside world of sunlight. My world was a dark basement, with a single dirty window. My parents lived in a small section of an inn’s basement in exchange for kitchen work for the diner attached to the rather drab stone building.
My parents number one rule was never leave the basement for any reason. So, I never left the basement. Every night, they would kiss me and say they loved me. But I could see the fear in their eyes. Whether it was because they feared me, or losing me, I never got to find out. It was the day before I turned 11 when there was an explosion. I dove under my parents bed and waited.
For hours, I waited. Through the sound of ponies shouting, and a loud roaring sound, I waited. Finally I could stand it no longer. I slid out from under the bed. When I stood up, I smelled the distinct smell of smoke. And it was thick. Following what my parents had told me to do in a room filled with smoke, I dropped back to the floor as I tried to look around the dark room.
Suddenly, the shouting arose to a new level as a loud groan filled the air. With a sudden crash, I was pinned against the side of the bed which was now crushed to the floor. I couldn’t move. Panic was quick to settle upon my young mind, and I started screaming.
...0...
Gallon Bucket was trying to help the many Unicorns running around trying to put out the fire. It had been about three hours since the kitchen exploded. As of yet, Nopony in the kitchen seemed to have survived the explosion itself. The Inn had already been evacuated, and the fire was stopped from spreading far.
He glanced into an alley to make sure the fire wasn’t trying to jump the gap. What he saw instead was much more worrisome. About a third of the way down, the wall of the burning building was starting to cave in. “WHATCH OUT!! IT’S CAVING IN!!” Everypony ran from the building, shouting the same warning as slowly, the back wall fell in. The fire was almost put out by the sudden crash, before making a higher pitched... ‘Fires don’t make that sound...’ He thought to himself. His eyes widened in realization. “Somepony’s trapped in there!” He yelled, looking at the gathered ponies as they recognized the sound coming from the pit most of the building had fallen into.
Everypony rushed back to the pit and started digging, ignoring the heat from what remained of the fire as Pegasi covered the sky above the building with clouds they had been gathering. Soon, it began to rain. And still, they dug. Unicorns working to remove large chunks of stone, while the few Earth ponies pushed other rubble to the side. Gallon was leading the digging as he yelled at whoever was under the rubble that they were coming.
He turned to those close to him. “Stop. I need to hear where they are.” They turned to those beyond them, passing the message on. Within moments, there was almost perfect silence. He could hear the sound of the rain, the now faint crackle of the fire, and just faintly... Sobbing. It was coming from the side of the hole against the Inn. One hoof-step at a time, he approached the sound. He found a hole. The crying seemed to be coming from it.
“Hey, you okay?!” He called down the hole. He heard the other ponies gather around him and the hole. The crying had stopped.
Hesitantly, a small, shaky voice echoed up. “I... I think so...” There was a collective sigh of relief from the gathered ponies.
“Can you move?” Gallon called.
“N-No. I’m stuck.” This time, the voice was stronger. This time, he could hear the scratchiness in it.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get you out in a jiffy!” The ponies started to carefully clear the rubble around the hole, not wanting to upset it and get whoever it was crushed.
“O-okay...” Gallon continued to call encouragement down the hole as slowly, but surely, the rubble was moved to the side. The Pegasi had long since left the rain and started digging themselves, keeping the same coordination the Legion was known for.The sun was just setting as they continued to work. “I feel water!” Everypony froze.
“What? Did you say you feel water?” He called.
“Yes! Please help! I don’t want to drown!” The trapped pony called.
Gallon turned to the Pegasi. “We need to get these clouds out of here!” They took off and pushed the cloud a few blocks over as the rest of the ponies went back to moving rubble, their movements just a little faster.
They moved a large chunk of stone to reveal a black hole. “I see something!” Echoed out the hole. “I see light!” faint laughter followed a few moments later as a Unicorn stuck his head down the hole.
Standing back up, he turned to the other ponies. “It’s a small cavern. Big enough to fit two or three full-grown ponies.” Gallon stepped next to the hole.
“I’m going down.” The Unicorn next to him nodded as he stepped to the side, ready to help the Earth pony down the hole. Gallon took a deep breath, then nodded as he slowly slid into the darkness. A Unicorn stuck his head down, providing much needed light.
“I’m over here!” Gallon turned to a gap just big enough for him to fit. The Unicorn focused the light from his horn on the gap as Gallon stepped closer. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting.
He started to see movement in the back of the gap. “I see them!” He called over his shoulder, hearing it repeated above ground as ponies started cheering. He slid himself as far as he could into the gap, and grabbed the hoof of the stuck pony. “On three, breath out. Stay like that as long as you can. Can you do that?” He could only see the ruff shape of the pony nod in the darkness. “One... Two... Three!” He pulled as hard as he could, the pony moving painfully slow from their position under a large chunk of what used to be the ground floor of the Inn. He noted the crushed piece of furniture sticking barely into the light of the Unicorn.
With one last heave, he stumbled back as the other pony fell into the water in front of him. What he could see in the dim light was a black Unicorn, with something shiny at their sides. They gave him a faint smile before passing out. He caught them before their head could drop in to the water. He smiled up at the Unicorn above him. “All yours, pall.” The black Unicorn glowed a soft green with the other Unicorn’s horn as they floated up, and through the hole. The soft gasp, and complete lack of the Unicorn helping him showed something was probably very wrong.
It wasn’t hard for him to get out. Or to spot the circle of ponies close by. He quickly pushed to the center and... Froze. Before him was a pony the likes he’d never seen before. He shook his head. Gallon turned his gaze on the gathered ponies. “I understand why you’re gawking. But I’d rather not have them die on us. And please, keep this under wraps for now. The last thing they’ll need is being swarmed by ponies when they wake up. For now, we need to get them to a hospital.” His words broke the others from their trance, quickly getting ready to move. Three Unicorns carefully picked up the black pony and took off, followed closely by Gallon.
...0...
The door burst open as a Pegasus guard charged in. “Princess Solena! We just got a report of a collapsed building in Trotingham!” Solena looked up, slight irritation on her face.
“Please, Iron Brigade, just Solena. What does a collapsed building have to do with me anyways?” Her eyebrow slowly raised as Brigade took a couple deep breaths.Nopony normally informed the hundred year old Princess the moment they heard about it unless it was only moments after, in which case there were usually close to thirty Ponies in panic mode as they knocked her door down.
“There's an estimated thirteen dead from an explosion that lit the building afire. The sole survivor, however, is unique. She is unlike anything ever seen before, even more so then you and your sister. The medical staff at the Trotingham hospital sent for you specifically, and are awaiting you even now.” Brigade explained. Solena nodded slowly, then gestured for Brigade to lead.Outside her chambers, the other five Pegasus guards fell into step around her as she closed her eyes for a moment. She sighed as she opened them, and spread her wings for the hour flight to Trotingham.
...0...
Slowly, I opened my eyes. The light was too bright. Slowly, my eyes adjusted to the light and I was able to look around. The ceiling was clean and white, not the stony grey I was so used to. There were white sheets hanging from the ceiling, blocking my view of the rest of the room from the bed I was tucked into. Slowly, I became aware of a constant beeping to my right. Looking, I saw something I’d never seen before. It had a needle writing a line that bounced up and down with the beeping on a long roll of paper. I followed something on the thing down to where something was wrapped around my hoof.
I carefully sat up.I had no clue where I was. Last thing I remember was looking at a pony who had just saved my life. Suddenly, I heard voices. “-fine. She just fainted.” This voice sounded kind of like my Mother's. It was soft, gentle.
“That’s good to hear.Now... What can you tell me about what she is?” I knew this voice... I think it’s that pony who saved me.
“Well, she’s definitely not normal.” I heard a door close, right before the sheet was pulled aside. I quickly hid underneath the blanket, in a quivering bundle of warmth. “For one thing, she has no fur of any kind. Her mane, while looking rather ragged, is surprisingly soft. Beyond that, and a few other physical differences, she’s pretty much still a pony. An incredibly skinny pony, but a pony nonetheless.”
“What about family? Have you found anypony she’s related to?” They were standing next to me. I was starting to panic.
“Unfortunately no. The best we can assume is that both her guardians died in the fire.” My mind went blank. My parents were dead? Tears started to stream down my face before I began to shiver violently.Next, quiet sobs escaped my body.
Light suddenly flooded my vision, not the dark under the bedding. But I didn’t care to see as I thought of my mother and father. Something warm wrapped around me. I made no move to accept or deny the hug I found myself in as my tears soaked my face. Soft humming filled the air for several moments before my tears started to run dry.
Finally, I looked into theblue eyes of the chocolate Brown pony currently wrapping their hooves around me. They smiled softly. “What’s your name?”
I took a deep, shaky breath. “Aurora.” I said softly.
His, I think it was a him, smile widened. “Well, it’s nice to meet you Aurora. My name’s Gallon. How are you feeling?”
Now that I’d had a chance to calm down, and have something to focus on, I noticed the thick layer of grime all over my body. “Dirty.” I said as I looked at my black hoof.
Gallon turned to another pony standing by the bed. “There’s a shower in the bathroom right there.” They said, pointing to a door across the room. Before either of them could say anything else, I was making a mad dash for the promise of getting clean. Only a few moments after I turned the water on, it got hot. I had never had a hot shower before, and it took me a few moments to turn the temperature down so I didn’t scold myself. Then I almost melted from the heat. I swore then and there, I was never, ever taking a cold shower ever again.
...0...
Gallon turned to the door opening to reveal Princess Solina. “Princess! It is an honor!” He exclaimed as he bowed, causing him to miss her roll her eyes.
“Please, just Solina. I heard about the unique... Survivor of the explosion earlier today, and came to see what I can do.”
Gallon stood. “She is currently taking a shower, your Highness. The filly was in a room underneath the building next to a bed. I personally think that, and what makes her... Uniqueness,as you put it, are the only reasons she’s alive.”
Solina opened her mouth to reply when there was a screech from the bathroom. Fearing the worst, Gallon charged through the door. “Aurora! Are you... Okay...” He trailed off as he looked at the butterscotch filly with electric blue mane staring openmouthed at herself in the mirror. As he watched she started to shake.
Gallon hesitantly stepped next to her, putting his hoof on her shoulder. “Aurora, is that you?” He asked softly. Slowly, she turned to him with green, tear-filled eyes that told him exactly who he was looking at. “Wow, didn’t know you had such a coat. Must have been all that grime from the fire.” He noticed the look on her face. “Haven’t seen yourself in the mirror before?” he asked gently. She shook her head. Gallon gently led her out of the bathroom.
Solina raised an eyebrow as Aurora stepped out of the bathroom. Aurora froze upon spotting the Alicorn. For about three seconds. Then she promptly fainted. Solina turned to Gallon, who sighed. “I’ll explain what I know.” Solina followed him out of the room.
...0...
I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling.“You feeling better?” A voice said from my left. Glancing over showed a chocolate Brown pony with a matching mane and tail. They looked familiar, but I could not place them. Slowly, I nodded. They smiled at me. “Good to hear. Somepony wants to talk to you.” They looked to someone on my right.
“What are you looking at me like that for?!” The brown pony’s eyebrow raised slightly as I slowly looked to my right to see an all white pony with a pink-ish mane and tail. I quickly took note of the wings and horn, for they had both. I remembered what my parents told me about ponies with both, and how there were only two such ponies. And one of them was now watching me with curiosity. “What’s your name, little one?” The Princess of the Sun asked me.
“Aurora.” I managed to squeak out. She smiled at me.
“Aurora... I like it. Tell me, Aurora... Would you like me to teach you magic? I may not know that much yet, but I can certainly teach you what I know.” It took me several moments to process this offer of a lifetime.
Once I’d thought it over for a few minutes, I smiled at the Princess. “I would love to learn under you, Princess Solina.” Her smile widened slightly as she came closer to give me a hug. In that one moment, I decided I’d never leave her side no matter what happened. And years passed as I grew and learned under the century old Alicorn of the sun. Many years. She became my second mother as she raised me in the lap of royalty, and I’ll never forget that time. Not even after what happened all those years ago. The day what I really was, was found out by the one pony I cared for most. The day my time with her ended.