//------------------------------// // A New Beginning // Story: Forgotten: Mists of Bridlewood // by milesprower06 //------------------------------// Misty silently followed Sunset Shimmer on the northeastern path into the depths of Bridlewood. Neither of them said anything after leaving the school, but Misty didn't dare look any of the unicorns they passed in the eyes, because she was afraid they would blame her for what happened. And that they would be absolutely right if they did. Misty wasn't really afraid of where Sunset was taking her, but the headmare was being quite mum on the details so far, as they got deeper into the forest, and she saw less and less unicorns on the road. Soon, there was absolutely nopony else around, and the unicorn saw Sunset was bringing her to a rather dilapidated tree house. The tree was certainly dead and rotting, and had sunk considerably into the ground as some of the surrounding swampland had begun to claim it, but what was left of the doorway was still visible, and looked passable as she and Sunset came up to it. "What is this place?" Misty asked, a deep recess of her mind inexplicably and insatiably curious about the long-abandoned structure. Sunset took a breath, her horn lit up, and then she offered Misty her left hoof. "Take my hoof, Misty, and take a deep breath," the alicorn told her. The unicorn did as she was told, and then placed her right hoof on top of Sunset's. Almost immediately, it was as if she had been pushed in on all sides, then just as if she thought she would be flattened, it was as if she was turned inward on herself. Squeezing her eyes shut as she was blinded by white light, she took several rapid breaths before she felt the pressure on her body lighten, and slowly, she opened her eyes. She was still in the forest, and no longer saw Sunset. She looked at her right hoof, which was now glowing faintly, before lowering it to the forest floor. She turned to the cabin, and her eyes widened when she saw that it was no longer dilapidated and in ruin, but considerably well-kept. Turning her whole body towards it, she saw a glowing butterfly float towards it from behind her. It passed through the open front door, and she slowly followed it. The interior of the house was small, cozy, if a bit... Faded, and dull. Almost like she was in an old photograph. Misty slowly glanced around the front living room that was just inside the front door. A short hallway on the right lead to two more smaller rooms, and a small kitchen area was in the back, before another door went out to the back yard, which was right where the small glowing butterfly was headed. It was as if something in the far recesses of her mind was pushing in her head, struggling to get out as she slowly stepped towards the back of the cabin. As she stepped through the kitchen, through the open back door, and into the yard, the faded, dull tone of her surroundings didn't change. The butterfly got to the center of the yard, and then stopped. It floated there, slowly flapping its wings to hover in place. A small part of her wanted to go no further, but again, that pushing feeling in the back of her head continued, and urged her forth towards the glowing flying insect. The closer she got, the stronger and more urgent the sense of dread grew within her. She reached the center of the small yard, and just as she was about to reach out for the butterfly, she saw a pair of menacing eyes from the dark treeline leer at her, barely a moment before the towering orchid figure lunged out at her, hooves ready to snatch her away. Misty screamed, bringing up her glowing right hoof to helplessly shield herself, before the glow intensified a hundredfold, and surrounded her in white light again. Once again, the pressure around her sharply increased, then slowly lessened, along with the blinding brightness. She lowered her hoof, almost hyperventilating, and saw her standing behind the abandoned structure now, with Sunset right next to her where she had been. Misty looked around, as tears quickly threatened her eyes as the distant memories came flooding back. "Sh... She found me here. This... This was my home... And she took me away...!" Misty said, as she began to cry, falling back on her haunches. Sunset stepped forward and put her foreleg around Misty's heaving shoulders. "M... My mom and d-dad... Do you know what happened to them?" Misty asked as she continued to weep. "I'm so sorry, Misty," was all Sunset needed to say, and Misty felt her heart continue to be squeezed as she buried her face in her front hooves. She had nothing and nopony now. Sunset leaned in farther, and wrapped her legs around the grieving unicorn. "I want to help you through this, Misty. I do. If I've become a staunch believer in anything, it's second chances. And I don't just mean a second chance at your magical education. I mean a second chance at life, at making friends... At a family." Misty looked up at the alicorn with wet, blurry vision. "What are you saying?" she asked. Sunset smiled softly at her. "I'm saying that it's been a long while since I've been a big sister, but I can be one to you, if you want me to be," Sunset told her. This brought a new torrent of emotions to the surface as Misty's lips trembled, moments before she buried her face in Sunset's chest as she burst into wailing cry, throwing her legs around her. She tried and failed to form words around her bursting emotions, but Sunset felt her nod into her chest, and she squeezed her in response. What came next finally brought pause to the overwhelmed pony, as she felt herself be pulled out of and away from Sunset's embrace. At first she was worried, but as she took a deep breath and her flanks began to tingle and tickle, she realized that whatever this force was, it was benevolent. It was as if she had never had a clearer picture of the kind of pony she wanted to be. She was gently set down on the forest floor again, and the tingling on her flank slowly faded, but it drew her attention to something that threatened to bring her churning emotions right back to the surface again, as she gazed down at the new cutie mark on her right flank. It was a blue, purple, and peach butterfly. Misty took several deep breaths to avoid exploding in another overwhelming wave of emotions, as Sunset stepped forward, and the two ponies embraced again. "Welcome home, Misty."