//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Memories From A Tormented Past // by cccvvvttt //------------------------------// This story takes place during Season 4 Zachary has been enjoying his new life in Equestria. Ever since they find out the truth about Zachary, they've started taking care of him. He lived with Twilight Sparkle, the pony who discovered him outside her LIbrary. He went to school and usually would hang out with the CMC'S. He would also talk with them after school. Diamond Tiara, along with her friend Silver Soon haven't been bothering them ever since he ran off into the Everfree forest. Though he didn't care that much, considering the way she had been acting before. He also has been hanging out with the Mane Six. They would often come over to the Library and Zachary learned more about them. He learned how much Rainbow Dash loved the Daring Do books, he learned that Pinkie Pie was raised on a rock farm, along with other commonly known facts about them. Him talking with them would always make happy. He did feel like he truly belonged, even if he wasn't a pony. They also felt like he belonged with them, though they still couldn't help but feel like something was still wrong with Zachary. It was subtle but still noticeable. Whenever they tried to ask him if anything was wrong, he would always say no. He was lying. They could tell, but they thought to wait for him to get comfortable talking about it. Hopefully, he would tell them soon, but they didn't know what was coming. What was about to happen would change Zachary forever. It was early in Luna's night, everypony was inside their homes. This includes Twilight Sparkle, along with Zachary Baker and Spike the Dragon. They were all having a reading time of sorts. Twilight was studying things that she wanted to study, her being Twilight and all. Spike was reading a Power Pony comic, one of the newer ones, and Zachary was reading a book he found, which was about a famous author getting into an accident, then a crazy fan starts taking care of him. It was interesting and sounded familiar to him, but he couldn't put his finger on it. The silence of reading was interrupted by the sound of someone's stomach growling. Twilight stopped for a second, realizing it came from her. "I guess that was from me." She said, looking at both of them. "Are you guys hungry?" Both Spike and Zachary nodded. "Yeah, I'm really hungry actually," Spike replied. Twilight let out a smile towards them. "Alright, let's gut dinner started then," She said, walking into the kitchen. Zachary put down the book he was reading to follow her and Spike through the kitchen when he felt something... off. He would get that feeling often, but it would only happen after he had a nightmare. He hoped the nightmares would go away after he was adopted, but they would always persist. They would usually have him back at his old home, with his father, and he would always do something horrible to him. He would always wake up in a cold sweat, but after realizing it was only a dream, he would just go back to bed, with that dark feeling in his chest. This time, a nightmare didn't cause it. He remembered what his father said in his dream the night before he got adopted. "I W I L L M A K E S U R E Y O U N E V E R F O R G E T!!" Zachary sighed as he rubbed the side of his head. He didn't want to remember him, but it's just like he said in the dream. He would never forget his father. Why does this have to happen to me...? He wondered. My father was horrible, but he's not around anymore, so then... He stopped for a second, looking down at his feet. Why can't I forget him? Zachary didn't want to think about it any longer, as he entered the kitchen. After a few moments, their dinner was finally completed. They were all having sandwiches, as they didn't have anything else they could really make at the moment. They sat at the table, already halfway through their meals, when Twilight decided to start a conversation. "So, Zachary..." She started, getting his and Spikes attention. "Are you absolutely sure that everything's alright? It seems like something is bothering you a lot." Zachary took a bit of his sandwich, trying to not make eye contact with her. "No, everything's fine..." He replied. The way he said it got both Twilight's and Spike's attention. When he said it, he sounded sorrowful. "Are you sure?" Spike said with concern. "I mean-" "No really, I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Zachary cut him off. However, they could tell that he was still lying. "Zachary, you know that you can tell us," Twilight said. "We won't judge you or anything, but we know that-" "I know I can tell you if I have a problem." Zachary interrupted her. "But I'm telling you, there's nothing wrong. Please believe me." Twilight just looked at him with unease, but let out a sigh. "Alright, if you say so..." She replied. "Just please tell me if there is anything wrong, alright?" Zachary nodded, as they all continued their meals. After they ate, they wet back to reading, before they all got tired, so they went to bed. Zachary was just plain tired from all that reading, so it didn't take long to fall asleep in the new bed he got from Twilight. It was hard to get the bed in their room, due to the lack of space, but they managed. Not surprisingly, Zachary was going to have another nightmare that night. Though, this one felt different to him. After he was adopted, all his nightmares were vivid and blurred. It didn't feel like he was actually there. This time, he could see everything in clear detail, his surroundings once again looked like his house, but more clear. He could smell a horrid smell, he could feel a slight breeze against his face. He wasn't alone in the room, as usual. His father was there, though this time he had something in his right hand. The large blade of a knife. "Look at that, you're back here again." His father said. He sounded like he was drunk, which is something Zachary would always fear. "Yeah..." Zachary replied. "What are you going to do with me this time? Beat me? Throw a beer bottle at me? Slash my face?" The smell was becoming worse and worse, as his father got closer to him. However, Zachary didn't move, because no matter how scary his father was, he knew that whatever he would do wouldn't hurt him physically. "Oh, I'm going to do something much worse." His father said, grabbing his shirt and pulling him off the ground. Zachary didn't have time to say anything as he felt pain in his side. Pain in a dream. There was nothing that hurt more than what he felt at that moment. How could he feel it? This was only just a dream, right? He looked down and saw the blade was halfway in the side of his torso "Ack..." Zachary said. He could feel some blood dripping out of his wound and some even coming out of his mouth. "Aw, does it hurt?" His father replied, driving the knife in deeper. "You deserve this. I'm having so much fun giving you this pain." Zachary yelped, tears forming in his eyes as he was chocking on his own blood. Then he realized that his father wasn't holding him anymore, but he was holding onto him. His father smiled at his work. "Welcome to town." Was the last thing he said, before shoving him off. He felt like he was falling, darkness was all around him. This had to be a dream, right? When would he wake up? As he fell, he was becoming more convinced that this wasn't just a dream This just felt too real.