//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Scars to Win Them All: Redux // by jrock117 //------------------------------// "HEEEELP!!!" Oh Celestia, how could this have happened to me. "BOLT! CRIMSON! ROSE! ANYPONY!" This didn't happen, this didn't happen, this didn't happen. "HEEEELP!" I heard hoofsteps coming down the hall. Yes, my savior, the one who would get me out of this predicament, it was… "What is it, what happ..." A voice that showed some annoyance, obviously female, shouted beyond my door. It slammed open to reveal a young, flamingo colored, Pegasus mare with a short and disheveled pink mane. She had strikingly yellow eyes and short wings, her Cutie Mark is a stylized purple rose. Really, all you could see were the purple petals. She wore a pair of purple and blue anklets on her forelegs. This mare is, unfortunately, my big sis, Rose. She was pretty short for a fifteen year old, only being slightly taller than me.  She is somewhat athletic, kind of a… What was it again, tomcolt? "Stuck again, I see." She said, not even trying to hide the slurred annoyance in her voice. At the time, I didn't know why she talked like that after Sundays. She wasn't wrong, though, I did manage to get stuck in my sheets. Again. Being a small child tends to leave you with some unspent energy, and that energy can appear at the weirdest of times. Especially during a spider related nightmare. Sometimes, I still shudder when recalling that one. "Sis. Help. Please?” I pleaded. "I really hate it when you wake me up early, especially after Sunday." She rubbed the side of her head while letting out a slight groan, clenching her eyes. “Just because you can't deal with a stupid nightmare, doesn't mean you should wake up the whole freaking house.” She turned around and walked out my doorway. “Please! Today's a school day and I don't want to be late!” I called. Truth be told, I didn't really know what time it actually was, but I felt like it was pretty late in the morning. Back to the topic of school, I'm an Earth Pony. It's not fun being one of, like, three Earth Ponies at your school, bullies sure won't let you forget it. Especially if you live in Canterlot. "Hey bro, you need help?" I heard a tired voice call from my doorway as a ruby colored Unicorn walked in. He has a thick, wine colored mane, dip dyed black at the ends. His eyes are a deep blue. He is the oldest out of us, being eighteen at the time. He’s pretty tall and has a strong build, too. He would make an awesome dad. Oh, he also has a blue star inside a bubble for a Cutie Mark. "Hey, Crimson. Can you help me outta this?" My blanket and I are cloaked in a blue glow as I float up into the air. This happened to me on occasion, usually after a long night laden with nightmares. It only took me a few seconds to finally slip out of my comfortable prison, thanks to my brother. Too bad I landed on my face. I have the darkest mane out of my siblings, black. My mane was also a tad unkempt at the time, or as some colts would call it “spiky”, but my brother liked to keep it short so it didn’t get too out of hoof. I had a red coat. My eyes are, kinda like jade. I got really curious one day and tried comparing my eye color to those... things you find in home department stores that show off what color of paint you're gonna get. Jade was listed and it was the closest I could find to match my eye color. I didn't have a Cutie Mark. Where was I again? Oh, right. Slip! Smack! Success! I think Crimson cringed when I landed, but my memory is a little hazy here. “So glad I'm not a Unicorn.” I said as I rubbed my forehead. My room wasn’t the cleanest, but what do you expect from a nine year old? My bed was nice and sturdy. It had two mattresses and sat atop four metal legs. My room was unpainted and had vertical wood paneled walls, as did most of the house,  My green, wooden dresser was right next to the bed, five drawers. On top of the dresser was a comic book titled Dragoon, a black alarm clock with white bells, an old porcelain lamp, and a pair of sunglasses. The rest of my room was mostly empty, aside from the few clothes scattered on the floor, and the bookshelf. I'm not saying I had clothes on my bookshelf, I'm just saying I had a bookshelf. Though, it's more of a single plank of wood nailed into the wall than a bookshelf. "Yeah, I'd rather not imagine smashing my horn against the floor like that." He replied in a fatherly tone. “Since you're already awake, I guess you should get ready for school.” I can't remember if he yawned here or not, so let's just say a yawn was in here somewhere. “Yeah, sorry for waking you guys up.” I apologized after properly sitting up. I took a look at my clock to see what the time was. Six thirteen, about forty-seven minutes before my alarm was supposed to go off. “I'm really sorry for waking you up this early.” My brother chuckled a little. “Don't worry about it, you had a nightmare, it happens. Just don't go making a habit out of it, ok?” Just like Rose, he turned and left my room. "I'll be downstairs making some waffles, make sure to put that book in your bag before you come down. I don't want you to forget to return it again." My favorite books are ones that have to do with myths and legends, this one I've forgotten to return to the school’s library for a few days now. My late fee is three bits. "On it!” I stood up and walked over to my bookshelf. It's not that big, just a plank of wood nailed to the wall, but it can hold more than ten books. I took out the book titled Mare in The Moon and walked over to my custom saddle bags. Placing the book in my bag, I set the latter against my bed. I turned my vision to look out my window just in time to see the sun just rising behind the castle. Canterlot Castle, it always gives off this otherworldly feel of comfort and authority at the same time. I tried explaining this to a few other colts, but they always felt it was intimidating, which I just couldn't imagine. Since I woke up so early, I figured I may as well start my day with the usual morning ritual. Pointing my right hoof at the castle and placing that same hoof over my heart. I smiled, my usual merriment returning. Right then, I had a feeling that today was going to be a good day.