The handle of the door clicked shut behind Moonless Night as he stepped out of the Hoofbeat Inn into the warm summer’s night. The air was still and the crickets sang in the grass. Night rubbed his suddenly aching head, the pain started at the base of his horn and led into the core of his brain. It wasn’t terrible, just annoying, but he knew it would go away in an hour or so.
He looked up at the near full moon, hiding behind a think blanket of clouds. It was a beautiful creation; the silvery disk sat ruling the night on its throne of darkness with its servants, the stars, being completely blackened out by the overwhelming clouds.
The stallion thought of Princess Luna, Queen of the Night, how amazing it must be to rule over such a beautiful event! He shook his head, he didn’t have time to dream about the night and such, he had to get to Everfree Forest and get out as soon as possible. He loathed the idea of being so close to...Ponyville
As he walked his mind flashed with the images he had tried, and failed, to forget for so many years. They exiled you, you foal! His mind whispered, they broke your horn and forced a terrible and dark life upon you with banishment! He scrunched up his face in frustration as he tried to quiet the voice and push back the memories.
He countered the voice, no! I asked for it! That was what they judged, and it fit the crime!
But the voice called back from deep within his mind, its words like a slippery snake sliding through his heart, you were curious, that is no sin. That pony got in the way of you becoming who you are…you were meant to carry power! All ponies should fear your name! Then it said it, your mother abandoned you, Moonless Night.
He had to escape the voice, be anywhere but there, so he broke into a gallop as fast as he could down the dirt road. He ran and ran and ran, forcing his body to the extreme. He heard a loud, evil cackle to his right; he turned to see a wave of dark mist swirling towards him at a terrific speed. The mist suddenly took shape of Moonless Night running beside him, still laughing. “You can’t escape the past, Moonless!”
The wind blew the stallion’s hood off to see his broken horn glowing again, his head ached even more and anger blazed in his eyes as he raised a baton and took a swing at the doppelganger, hoping that the vile image would dissolve. The weapon swished right through where the head of the pony should have been and instead whipped the wet mist which around which reformed after each swing. The copy roared with laughter, “I'm not going away that easily!”
He continued sprinting down the dirt road, loosing track of where he was and the time, but it didn't matter, all that did matter was getting away from the mist! He swung back and forth trying to injure the wretched, laughing pony who enjoyed himself by dispersing and reappearing on the other side of Night right before the baton hit. Night’s heart was filled with adrenaline, but more importantly, hatred.
His head felt like it was about to split open from the pain.
The doppelganger swirled and flew above him, laughing down at him as he fled. Moonless Night had enough. With all the strength he had left, ignoring the pain tearing about his skull, he screamed, jumped and flipped onto his back. He sailed through the air from his momentum as he swung as hard as he possibly could at the mist, putting the most of his magic into the baton while screaming as loud and as commanding as possible, "GO AWAY!!". But right before the weapon hit, his head smashed against something VERY hard, he crumpled to the ground and as everything faded to black, he saw the evil smile of the mist as it faded away…
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A scared grey colt looked up at the seven ponies in front of him, glaring. He turned to his right and saw five small ponies also glaring at him, tears swelled in his eyes, but he couldn’t let them show.
He looked to his left and saw a stallion holding a crying mare. The tiny colt had never seen such hate fill a pony’s eyes. They bored into his soul, seeking to rip out his heart.
He felt tears come to his eyes again, but he stared up at the seven ponies with defiance as he stood straighter. His fate was decided, he could only will his despise to show through his eyes.
One of the ponies took a step forward and spoke, the disgust easily heard, “You have been found guilty of all charges! You are hereby exiled.” A mare stepped forward; she grabbed his horn with her magic and tore it off. Pain filled the colts head as he screamed, his head was being ripped in two! The tears rushed down his face as what felt like white-hot, barbed spears tore through his very soul and mind!
Moonless Night bolted into a sitting position, gasping for air and covered in sweat. He slowly shook his head and looked around, where was he?
He was in a rather small room, on a bed in the corner covered in blankets. He removed the blankets and stood, he suddenly fell back down from a wave of nausea. He groaned as a sharp pain stung his head. He reached up and felt a bandage wrapped around his skull. He waited until the dizziness left him and he slowly tried standing up again.
When he got to his four hooves he looked around the small room which he realized was actually just a small hut. There was a small fire place that looked like it doubled as a stove, a few cupboards on the walls, and a table with three chairs sat in the middle of the room.
He walked over to the door and noticed sunlight coming through the crack under it. He gingerly prodded the door open to slowly let sunshine in so as not to blind himself. As he looked outside, the sunlight wasn’t as bright as he was expecting, he understood why. The hut was located in the woods and the cover of the trees blocked most of the sun, but still letting in enough to make the seen absolutely beautiful. The forest floor was covered with many different, brightly colored ferns and flowers, tall trees stretched to the sky in a desperate race for sunlight. It was painfully quiet through, it made Night uneasy, where are the birds? There was a porch attached to the hut and a dirt trail led away from the door and disappeared around a bend some yards away. He breathed in the cool air and cherished the sweet scent of moss.
He was suddenly made aware of the sound of water moving nearby; he turned towards another trail that led down a hill. He slowly walked, trying to be as quiet as possible but eventually giving up because his cloak dragged leaves with him.
The decline wasn’t steep and the trail was well worn so it made it easy for a stallion who still had a little problem with his dexterity because of his injury. He easily made it to the bottom and the sound of water grew louder as he followed the trail and stopped in some tall bushes, looking out at a small clearing. A bubbling stream made its way across the center of the clearing, maybe two feet wide; the water sounded like small ponies laughing...it made him smile and remember a day when he walked past a daycare and saw four ponies play a game of tag.
His ears perked up as a noise rose over the sound of the stream...humming. He turned to his left to see a silvery-blue earth mare with a white mane emerge from the trees. He drew back in the bushes, watching her intently. Is she the one that brought me here? She hummed a sweet and slow song as she walked along the stream. The mare was a little older than he was maybe by about two or three years. He took notice of a large white snowflake on her rump.
After a moment, he took a few steps out of the bushes; she turned and smiled, “Oh! You’re awake already! Good!” Her voice reminded Night of a wind chime, blowing in the breeze.
He took another step forward, rubbing his bandaged head, “How long was I knocked out?”
“Only about half a day.” she got close, their snouts centimeters apart, and stared into his eyes. Her eyes were gorgeous! They were a cold, icy-blue; yet they seemed to melt away all of his worries and fears. He blinked and smiled awkwardly. She finally stepped back, “you don’t have a concussion. Your pupils are dilating perfectly.” She turned back to the stream and once again began humming.
He stepped next to her, “Thank you for helping me, miss?”
Without looking up she says, “Snow Flake. And you are? Wait! Let me guess…um...Hazy Day?”
He smiled and bowed his head, “Moonless Night. Please, call me Night.”
She laughed, “Alright, call me Snow!”
Snow sat down and started to take a drink from the stream, the stallion felt parched so he lowered himself onto his belly and took a small drink of the water. It was cool and very refreshing; he started gulping it down until he felt satisfied. He looked over at the mare who had her eyes shut and still hummed her song. He looked around the clearing again then asked, "This place is amazing! What part of Equestria is this?"
"We are deep within the Everfree forest, just a couple miles from Ponyville."
Night's eyes went wide, "THIS is Everfree Forest?? I was always told it was dark and scary and filled with all sorts of foul creatures like hydras and stuff!"
Snow Flake stopped humming and stared at him.
"What?" he asked, her eyes making him feel like he said something stupid.
She immediately burst out laughing.