//------------------------------// // 2 // Story: Youth's Hillside // by Bbot //------------------------------// Buttercup flew to her son’s side and pecked him on the check. She brushed the lint from his worn Equestrian uniform and buttoned the golden studs that lined his breast. His duffle bag packed and secured on his spine. With one last glance into her son’s eyes, the fear revealed itself under that pristine gaze he wore. She pecked him another time to distinguish his fear; he only gave her the same wary look. She left for the kitchen table, wiping the tears from her cheeks as she went. Supple as she was: always taking care of her young, making sure all their needs were met with subtle speed and skill. She had silver eyes, a light pink coat with a purple mane with and a lavishing grace and innocence. His father, at the helm of the house, viewed the yard in his cushioned reclinable chair, ever so often taking a glance away from his newspaper to admire the plants and grass he has taken care of for so many years. Strict, with an unbreakable position over his arguments, always vague and at times a stranger with around others of his own blood. Bags crescent under his eyes ‘complementing’ his bright yellow coat and scarlet colored mane and eyes. His brother, tossing his favorite Wonderbolt toy into the air -- mimicking the noise they would rupture the air with -- rolled uncontrollably on the oak floor, laughing jovially at his prized toy. An empty minded child with much to learn in life, ignorant, mostly for what's to come. As much as Sunlight loved his brother, he could not help but feel envious for him: his ignorance, his joy, his youth, but mostly -- his ignorance. A green maned filly with a bright blue coat and eyes resembling his fathers, that was all. “Dear, you should sit down and have brunch with us before you leave,” Buttercup said chokingly, “you can’t leave with an empty stomach.” “Leave the boy alone.” his father said over his newspapers, “He’ll be fine. The boy does not need you breathing down his neck.” She stiffened her lip and wiped her tears. “Doppler, I just want to feed my child like any other parent.” Bells sounded off in the distance with twelve mighty rings, signaling the mark of noon. The room surrounded itself with this hollowed ring. All eyes turned to Sunlight, the prominent son of Buttercup and Doppler. His lungs grew heavy, his head heavier as the rings persist throughout the room. The chilling fear finally arrived. Doppler folded his newspaper then trotted to the door, forcing it open with his massive hoof, causing the door’s frame to quake. He stood at the end of the street and called him over. Sunlight turned to face his mother, but she was gone along with his brother. He ignored their disappearance and counted to his father's call. Sunlight met his father at the end of the street with his jaw visible tense. Doppler gritted his teeth further, “Out of all the thing you could have done with your life, you do this. You through it all away by joining some war no one knows anything about. And for what, is it honor, is it adventure, is it for the adrenaline?” he turned to face his son with a fire in his eye. “And the army,out of all things, the bucking army? The blunt of the Equestrian forces -- the army. I’ve given you everything, and this is how to repay me and your mother? You’re already dead to me.” His eye sunk into his skull and arose a fairy blaze. His coat melted and revealed his skull with magma for veins. “DEAD!” he yelled, “DEAD!” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sunlight’s world solidified into icy walls and inclosed him. Feeling returned, words became clear, trumpets played, the world shook. Tiny prods pricked his back as a blue mass blocked his vision. “Sunlight... wake up... you’re going freeze out here.” said a voice. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dark clouds hooded the sky; snow fell contrivedly, strickening the land in a frosty layer of sunless trepidation. Fire burned the stone surrounding it; wood crackled from its ferocity. The intensity of the light brightened the faces of the soldiers seeking some warmth from the cold. Sunlight and Roadway watched attentively at the blaze, dancing, sending flame and ashes inadvertently into the breeze. The hill, where they were camped, was scattered with mounds of freshly dug dirt: it numbered the hillside with its accursed presence. Roadway clenched his teeth tightly from the cold. Not much could be done but to stare off into this flame and hope for a warmer tomorrow. Smoke accumulated over the hill and the next one over where others have camped. Petty conversations hummed over the fire, time passed slowly while the moon waned over the heads of the living. Another weird soldier approached the fire and placed himself along the others, they greeted him and then he spoke, “Do any of you know why we're out here... dying? Because I sure don’t know why. We have been on this road for one week, and I’ve seen my share of dead or dying things. I’m starting to think this cold is going to get me, too. And why are we standing here, shouldn’t we moving to fight those grifs, or something?” “Stagger,” said another, “what’s gotten you bothered?” He said plainly into the fire, “I just found my friend die. Just like that. He said he was feeling weak... he looked weak: skinny. He didn’t ask or tell me anything... I said I would get him something to eat before the line at the supply cart got long. When I got back he was against the tree: eyes shut, mouth gaped open. Just like that... worm food... he was such a nice kid... he had so much potential -- smart. He kept telling me that he was gonna be a poet, thought the army life was a good way to gain ‘experience’. Kept saying how much of a hot shot he was going to be.” he masked his face with his hoof. “Stupid kid. I’m gonna be the same... I’m going to get a arrow lodged into my throat... just like that -- worm food -- all of us. Just like that.”