//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Past - Dishonor // Story: Purpose // by Admiral Producer //------------------------------// “You don’t know anything about my wife, Father!!” Star Collector stood defiantly in front of his father Alphabittle across the counter, refusing to back down. The grizzled unicorn stared back at his son with an intense glare. If looks could kill, then his expression would definitely be the one to do it. The two stallions were having a standoff inside the Crystal Tea Room over the horrific scandal that had made local headlines around Bridlewood. During one of the traditional festivals, Star’s wife Moon Watcher had been unmasked as an earth pony and the village had been up in arms over it ever since. He had tried to defend her on multiple occasions, but it didn’t seem to matter. The other unicorns wanted him formally exiled and Alphabittle had immediately taken the case up with his son upon it being sent to him. Star didn’t see why he needed to defend his marriage. He loved Moon for who she was and he disliked the notion that he had to only marry a unicorn among his tribe. They had met 6 years ago while he was taking a casual stroll in the forest and saved her from being eaten by a ferocious manticore. He had then personally disguised her and welcomed her into Bridlewood where he taught her all the traditions and customs of the town, the activities and rituals, and the dialect. During this time, they had fallen in love and eventually got married, where they conceived a filly who they named Izzy Moonbow. Together, they raised her in an ideal and safe environment and soon enough, Moon had gotten pregnant with another foal. Star was over the lunar moon about this and young Izzy celebrated the fact that she was soon to have a little sister. Star thought he could keep his family safe from persecution. He thought he could live a perfect life without anypony finding out what he had done. However, he was wrong. The other ponies were staring at them from all across the shop, momentarily putting aside what they were doing to watch the incoming spectacle. Nopony had ever been brave enough to challenge Alpabittle’s authority like this and win on top of it, so they were interested in seeing what would become of this familial scuffle. “I know enough to tell you that we do not welcome earth ponies here!!” Alphabittle yelled at his son. “They are dangerous and you have put us all in mortal danger! Who knows what she could’ve been planning for two years straight?!” “She’s not a monster!!” Star shot back. “I saved her life! I took care of her and nurtured her when she needed me! She told me that she doesn’t want to go back to Maretime Bay! She’s cut herself off from the other earth ponies! She’s one of us!!” Alphabittle rolled his eyes. “Oh well, that explains everything now, doesn’t it?! No thought to what she could be doing behind your back or anything like that! You just trust her implicitly like a small filly would to a stranger!!” “Father-“ “Star, no. Do you know how much you’ve jinxed us by inviting an earth pony into Bridlewood?! There’s a reason why we separated many moons ago! There is a reason why WE DON’T ASSOCIATE WITH THEM ANYMORE!!!!” Star resisted the urge to apologize. Normally, he would do so if Alphabittle got this angry, but he chose not to this time. He knew Moon, and he was angry at his father for slandering the pony he loved simply due to her race. He didn’t know her, he didn’t want to know her. What did he know about finding true love? “You don’t know her.” he stated angrily, stepping forward with his hoof in a defensive stance. Alphabittle walked around the counter until he was in the same area as his son. Then he reared his hoof back and struck Star across the face as hard as he could, knocking him down to the ground. The patrons gasped in horror as he did so. Never in their wildest imaginations did they ever think they would see their leader get physically violent. He was a grumpy stallion by nature, yes, but situations never escalated to the point where punches had to be thrown. Star groaned and picked himself up, gritting his teeth from the pain. He stood up and faced his enraged father again. Alphabittle’s eyes were full of pent-up fury that was barely concealed. “You’re a disgrace, son. You’ve brought dishonor onto the family!! You colluded with our enemies, made love with one of them, allowed her to give birth to a child with demon blood!!!!” The crowd gasped again. Star glared back at him. “It’s too late now. Both Moon and Izzy are members of this community. You’re really going to exile us and deny our child the future she deserves?! Deny our precious daughters lives due to situations beyond their control?! Let them grow up without parents to guide them, nurture them?! Love them?!!” Alphabittle appeared to see some reason as his anger simmered a little bit, yet the authority he carried remained. “If you cared about that, then you shouldn’t’ve brought them into this world. Why didn’t you see this coming? You knew that your life with her could never last forever. Unicorns and earth ponies cannot be together. You know this. It was ingrained in you since birth!” “I know,” Star replied. “But love can come from unexpected places. I love her, Father. She is my world. You cannot take her from me. If you want her, then you’re gonna have to kill me first.” Alphabittle paced back and forth, his expression one of deep concern. “Oh no no no…My son is a traitor to his own kind…I don’t know what-This will reflect badly on my leadership of Bridlewood. Revolts will be inevitable…” He turned towards him again. “You’ve jinxed our family name, son!! Do you even realize what you’ve done?!” “Do whatever you want with me,” Star told him firmly. “But please…leave my family out of this. They don’t deserve your wrath. Spare them and let them stay here.” His father sighed deeply. “You know I cannot do that. We can’t have an earth pony living among us. The risk is far too great, and I’m not losing anything by banishing the curse on our lineage.” “Then spare my daughters…please.” Alphabittle shook his head over and over, putting his hoof to his head in some sort of prayer ritual. “Great Mother…forgive my son…H-he knows not what he’s done…the dishonor he’s brought on you…” “Father…” Finally, Alphabittle looked up at him one final time, tears brimming at the corner of his eyes. “Your new foal will not stay. Yet Izzy has already proven herself as a valuable member of our community, so she will. It is with great sadness and with a heavy heart…that I order your official banishment from Bridlewood.” Star hung his head low, saying nothing. “You will no longer be accepted into our tribe. You and Moon shall be cast out into the wilderness, forced to fend for yourselves without any food, water, or any means of survival. You may no longer return to our village, and if you even step one hoof here again, we shall have your head upon immediate entry. Henceforth, you are hereby stripped of your title as the Chief’s Son, and all responsibilities shall be lifted from you. You have one hour to prepare before I set the village upon you. You are no longer my son.” Star nodded slowly, tears beginning to stream down his face as the reality of his situation became clear. “I understand…Alphabittle…” Moon Watcher looked up, startled upon hearing the sound of the door slam open. She had been cradling her new foal in her hooves that she had delivered a couple hours ago beforehand. The baby was girl, a navy blue color with a tuft of blue and green hair. She still hadn’t decided on a name, electing to figure that out with her husband should he be able to sort out the situation. She turned around and saw Star run inside as fast as he could, skidding to a halt upon seeing her with the foal. The two of them nuzzled each other for a solid minute before letting go. “So…what happened at the Tea Room?” Moon asked, concerned. “Judging by that bruise, it doesn’t look like it went down all that well with ‘ol Daddio.” Star shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. We’ve been exiled from Bridlewood and we have less than an hour to tell Izzy the news.” Moon put her hoof to her mouth in horror. “Oh my poor Izzy. She’ll have to grow up without us. Why didn’t you request that she be taken with us, Star?” “I asked Father to spare her and let her stay here,” Star replied. “I know it may seem harsh, but…a life here is better than one on the run. She deserves a future here. But first…” His expression changed from worry to a sad smile. “I wanna see the foal.” Moon smiled back, revealing the small unicorn in her hooves. “Isn’t she adorable, Star? She shares a lot of my features!!” Star chuckled. “So she’s momma’s girl then. Boy am I jealous. Have you decided on a name yet?” “Still workshopping,” Moon admitted. “But…I was thinking something starting with the letter M, like my name!! Let’s see, we got Marcy…Minty…I don’t know, still haven’t figured it out yet.” “Well you’ll have plenty of time to do that,” Star’s proud expression then changed back into a sad one as he stroked his new daughter’s head. “And she’ll have to grow up fast out there. It’s kill or be killed beyond Bridlewood.” “Daddy?” Both parents were interrupted from their conversation and turned to see an excited purple unicorn filly running down the stairs of the cottage with an excited smile on her face. “Oh hey there, sweetie pie.” Star greeted her. “Guess what your mother just got for you today?” Izzy looked confused, but then her eyes lit up with joy upon seeing the new foal. She gasped. “My little sister!!!! Eeeeeeeee!!!!” She ran over to her mother and snatched the foal away, holding and nuzzling it. “Ooooh!! I’m going to love you forever and ever!!!!” Star and Moon both laughed at their daughter’s exuberant antics. They were happy for her, but also sad that her life was about to be uprooted beyond repair. They looked at each other worriedly and shifted uncomfortably in place. Izzy looked at them, her expression changing to one of worry. “What’s wrong? Is she sick?” Moon let out a deep sigh. “Sweetie…Daddy and I have to leave. And…we’re not coming back.” And just like that, it was as if something had shattered within young Izzy that day, her entire life, worldview, and innocence gone with a snap. Her eyes filled with tears as she seemed to realize what was about to happen. “No…” Izzy shook her head. “You’re lying! You’re not leaving, you can’t…” She sniffled, tears streaming down her face. Moon walked towards her slowly. “Oh sweetie, it was not our choice. Alphabittle…he did this to us. You know we’d never intentionally abandon you.” “What did I do, momma?!!” Izzy shrieked, burying her face in Moon’s hooves and sobbing uncontrollably. She stroked her daughter gently on the head, silently mourning with her. Moon looked up at her husband again with tears of her own. “Somepony has to raise her. She’s too young to take care of herself. At least my baby will have me. Izzy will have nopony to be there for her…” “Elder Flower.” “What?” “I stopped by her place before I came back here,” Star replied. “and told her about the situation…she’ll take Izzy in ‘till she’s old enough…” “She agreed?” Star nodded. “She always wanted a filly of her own who could share her love of history…” Moon wiped her eyes, seemingly reassured by this news. She crouched down and looked the distraught Izzy in the eyes. “Sweetie, listen to me…I need you to be brave…you’re my brave filly. You need to be strong. This world is too cruel towards those who don’t fight back.” “B-but I can’t…not without you…” Izzy sobbed. “I don’t know how to be brave…” “I know, but you’ll have to learn fast,” Moon insisted. “You will have a hard time growing up as part earth pony. You will need to prove your loyalty to Bridlewood more than most…establish your place amongst the unicorn tribe.” “B-b-but I need you, momma…” “I’ll always be here with you, Izzy…No matter where you go, no matter where life takes you…I’ll always be with you. Right here.” She pointed towards the place where Izzy’s heart was. “You’ll never truly be without me…Your job now…is to bring honor to the family. Do you think you can do that, sweetie?” Izzy sniffled. “I will, momma…I promise…W-when I grow up, I’ll stop at nothing to prove that earth ponies aren’t evil…I’ll find you one day, momma…I’ll bring you and Daddy home…” Moon smiled sadly. “That’s my brave filly…no matter what happens to you in life…don’t ever lose that smile of yours…” “I won’t, momma…” Sensing her older sister’s distress, the foal began to cry as well and Moon had to sing her back to sleep. The two then embraced each other for what seemed like the last time. The hug lasted for about 3 minutes with both mother and daughter refusing to let go of one another. They both wanted to hold on to this moment for as long as they could, for they knew that they would never get this chance again. All the while, Star watched this all go down in deep regret. It was at this point that he began to think that perhaps him being exiled wasn’t such a bad thing after all. He had helped to prop up a status quo built on persecution of other races regardless of the content of their character. He had been bred to lead a society filled with paranoia and distrust, and he wanted no part of it now. At least once he was exiled, he would be freed from having to rule a village of deception and cruelty. The title of being the Chief’s Son meant nothing to him now, and he wasn’t sad to lose it. Alphabittle was a monster. He didn’t know what he was doing, yet he still acted like he knew everything. He knew nothing of the other races or who they were, yet he still managed to get between him and Moon. He walked towards the window and looked outside. He saw a mob of unicorns gathering by the Tea Room, armed with pitchforks and knives. Alphabittle was giving a speech and slandering his name to the masses. All the while, Star could do nothing but wait for the inevitable. He turned back towards his wife, who was still hugging Izzy and the foal. “They’re coming, Moon. We better get a head start if we’re to stay alive.” Moon sighed, reluctantly letting Izzy go. The poor filly was still crying and shrieking and neither parent could do anything to tell her it was okay. She walked over to her husband and shut her eyes tight, praying to the heavens to spare their child of further heartache. She opened her eyes again and looked at Izzy one last time, mouthing the words: I love you. Izzy looked up, her eyes still red from crying. I love you too… After saying their goodbye, Star and Moon headed outside of the cottage right in time to see a crowd of about fifty unicorns stampeding towards them with their weapons drawn. They wore angry expressions on their faces and some even began pelting stones and rocks at the couple as hard as they could. At that, Star took off running with Moon following very close behind, the savage mob chasing them and chanting over and over to a sickening degree: “TRAITORS!! TRAITORS!!! TRAITORS!!!! TRAITORS!!!” The townsponies were on their tails with pitchforks and knives in their hooves and soon enough, fire had engulfed the forest as a result of how many were dropped. They chased after the couple with all the ferocity and anger of a pack of wolves. After all, they didn’t belong. He didn’t belong. After all, he was a traitor to his own kind. No unicorn would ever dare harbor an earth pony in his house for years, let alone marry her. It was unheard of. Star and Moon ran through the forest as fast as they could, doing their best to evade the carnivorous townsfolk who only wanted their blood. It didn’t matter that they had already had a foal. Earth ponies were not allowed in Bridlewood and he knew this. Despite this, however, he had still chosen to betray his own kind by harboring one of their sworn enemies in his house. He had to suffer the consequences for his actions. It was either run or die. Everything he had built for himself had come crashing down in an instant. Alphabittle wouldn’t have it. There was no trial, no jury, no verdict, no nothing. Only death. Moon held her newborn foal in her hooves as she raced with Star through the falling trees and flaming bushes. The screaming was intense as the crowd stampeded after them, chanting and hollering for she and Star’s execution. Her eyes were filled with fear as she struggled to keep up with her husband, clutching the baby tighter and tighter so as to not accidentally drop her in the ensuing scuffle. Far behind the mob of ponies was none other than Izzy herself. She had run out of the house and chased desperately after her parents, begging them over and over not to leave her through sobs. She coughed and hacked as the fumes blew in her face, yet she still pressed forward. She couldn’t let the other unicorns do this. She had to be brave. She had to find them. “Come back!!!” Izzy begged through sniffles and tears, sprinting as fast as her small hooves could take her. “Come back!! COME BACK!!!!!” Eventually, the flames consumed the entire forest and the mob was gone, her parents along with them. She could no longer see them and they were lost to the fading sounds of screams and roaring fire. She collapsed to the ground, sobbing relentlessly once more as the fumes began to consume her entire being. It wasn’t long before she began to feel tired and she passed out on the charred ground, letting the remaining mist and smoke engulf her whole. The two forbidden lovers had been traveling for days. While they had successfully evaded the mob of unicorns, as they were too afraid of leaving Bridlewood to really put up a genuine effort, the stress of being on the run was beginning to take its toll on them. Their bodies ached all over and they longed for some rest. Moon was the first to fall on the ground. She and Star were near a seemingly abandoned castle that stood tall and grand. It was an imposing structure and one that commanded authority. She would’ve used it for shelter, but she was too exhausted to move, and the building scared her. “Is she safe?” was the first thing Star asked the moment he was sure that they were in the clear. He walked over to her, collapsing with exhaustion just as his wife had. Moon nodded quickly. “Yes, she’s with me.” She held the foal in her hooves, stroking the tiny tuft of hair softly. “Oh my poor girl. My precious Misty.” “That’s her name?” Star asked. Moon nodded again. “The breeze is soft like her. When I look at her, I see a fog of evening mist after a long period of rain. It’s cold, but also soothing. Enemies can’t find you in mist as it’s too thick. She will be the cloud that blocks out the rampant paranoia of our tribes.” Star felt tears come to his eyes. “That’s beautiful, honey. It fits perfectly. You know we have to leave her though. I can already sense Alphabittle and the townsponies coming to us. We have to leave her here.” “No!” Moon cried, realizing at once what he was asking of her. “You cannot ask this! She’s a unicorn like the rest of them, she can live in Bridlewood!!!” “They’ll never accept her,” Star countered. “They’ll call her worthless, they’ll call her a freak!! Do you really want this for her?! We can’t take her back to the village.” Moon sighed. “When I breathed life into Misty, it was a promise of protection! I promised her no harm would come to her! YOU’RE TELLING ME TO ORPHAN HER!!!!” “This will be better for her!!” Star yelled, “Alphabittle will never welcome us back and he won’t welcome her either!!” He looked her in the eyes. “Look, I got nothing. I got no plan. But I can protect our daughter, THAT I can do. We have to leave her. For her own protection.” Moon began to weep softly at the prospect of leaving her first and only child. Sensing her mother’s heartbreak, the young Misty began to cry too. Star held up his wife’s chin. “I know one thing. Wherever we go, this family is our fortress. She will be okay, Moon. She’ll grow up big and strong. She will…she will save Equestria and make us all proud. It won’t matter if she doesn’t know us. She’ll carry us within her wherever she goes. She’ll carry you inside her. We have to run.” Moon sniffled, wiping her tears. “You’re right…it is best. I will be strong for her.” As Star stood over her protectively, Moon got down and looked at her daughter one last time. “Now you listen to me, Misty. You’ve got your entire life to live. I need you with me, I need you to be strong. Strong heart, my little pony. Strong heart…Mommy loves you very much…” Misty whimpered in response, reaching out with her tiny hooves to touch her mother. It seemed like even she knew this was the end. After the small exchange, she stood up on all fours and took off with Star without looking back. Tears streamed down her face as she clutched Star’s right hoof. They didn’t know where they were going, but they would find a new place to live, far away from the persecution of their hometowns. As he and Moon disappeared into the night, Star looked up uttered one last phrase into the starry canvas they called the sky, and one last prayer into the heavens: “Goodbye, my daughter. Our hopes and dreams travel with you…”