//------------------------------// // A History Lesson // Story: The Big Grim Happy Family // by roguesoul //------------------------------// We have always been outcasts. From every strong stallion to a young foal when they first learn to walk. Always since the begining of the first Grim: Grim. He was a night black stallion with a knack for knowing when somepony was going to die. For awhile ponies tolarated the idea, but it didn't last. It had been a late night for Grim; he worked as an undertaker and with the Griffen War going on deaths were more frequent and their were always more bodies to prepare for the final adventure into a grave in the ground. But even though he had had a long day and even after bathing twice he swore everywhere he went he could still smell death Grim still had time to play with his only child; a little dark blue filly named Astral and spend some time with his wife, Moonlight Dancer, Altogether they were sitting by a blazing fire, telling stories about Grim's grandmother, Queen Moon Pool. She had once been the queen of the land now called Equestria, but had to turn into a spirit to avoid the wrath of the dictator princesses Luna and Celestia. To survive she had to feed on Luna's hate for her sisters beautiful day until the two blended together to create a horrible creature of darkness, Nightmare Moon. Nightmare Moon, with both Luna and Moon Pool trapped inside together, were then banished by Celestia into the moon. It has been 75 years since then and ponies no longer remembered Queen Moon Pool or Luna. Just Nightmare Moon and when she tried to create night forever. But back to her grandson Grim. Grim was sitting by the fire as Astral's eyes widened as she heard about how on the longest day of the thousenth year the stars would aid in their escape releasing Moon Pool and Luna back into the world. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Not a soft, quiet, Fluttershy knock, no more like Applejack was trying to do the harvest all by herself again and thought the door was a tree. Grim trotted to the door and opened it ever so slightly, but then the door was forcefully widened to reveal a mob of ponies. All of the races were together and nopony looked happy. "Grim," shouted a unicorn that was now revealed to be the leader of the village, Star Spark. "We have had enough of your dark magic we want you and your dammed child and bitch of a wife out of this village before the sun rises." "How dare you insult my family," Grim retorted slamming his hoof on the ground as Moonlight Dancer put her foreleg around Astral and backed into the house. The crowd backed up a bit, but then a pegaus with a pitchwork in his mouth came up and after spitting it on the ground retorted, "Get out of here, Grim, no one wants you here. If you don't leave on your own we will make you leave." "Make me leave. Of, course me and my family will pack up and leave," he asked his voice almost dripping in sarcasm. No one truly believed he would leave on his own free will, that's why they brought the ropes. The Apples' ancestor's, Apple Seed and his brother lassoed ropes around his neck and hooves. Grim fought, but without the magic of a unicorn or the wings of a pegausi he had no hope of escaping the ropes. While Grim was dragged out of his home and towards the center of town the now forgotten Astral and Moonlight Dancer escaped out the back. They snuck out of the town and Moonlight Dancer told the little filly to hide in a bush while she snuck back to town. Meanwhile the townsponies were tying Grim up in town to a stake that was wedged into the ground. They had changed their minds and instead of just making him leave they were going to make sure he stayed their forever along with the bodies he buried. Grim's head shook and he tried to kick the ropes away, or at least pull the stake away, but neither way worked. Star Spark walked up to him, a pitchfork raised with a telekinetic yellow force. "Grim, for your use of the dark arts you are condemmed to death," and with that Star Spark raised his pitchfork and stapped it into Grim. His eyes shut and his breath was labored for the weapon mostly meant for hay was now piercing between his rips and in another spot was stabbing his lung, and in another his heart. Blood poured from the wounds and with a smile Star Spark removed the pitchfork and along with the others left the town's square. No that it was empty; besides the tied up and dying Grim, Moonlight Dancer ran into the clearing. She was sobbing and cut the ropes away with her teeth. She leaned down kissing Grim and telling through her sobs how much she loved him and how much Astral loved him and how he was not going to leave him. But there was no hope for the poor black stallion. On his last breath he whispered, "Never let them forget me." And with that he died. Moonlight Dancer wanted to bury Grim, but the townsponies would notice. So instead she left and brought back a rose and layed it on his body. Then with Astral in tow left the town and never forgot about how those townspeople had killed her love and Astral father. As time grew on her mane grayed and Astral grew up and had children and they had children, and so on. And all of them were Grims. Not that they were all named Grim, but they all had a talent much like his, that gene that related him to Nightmare Moon, and that they all hated what Celestia and her ponies did to them. And every Grim was an outcast, a rogue warrior that nopony felt anything for except for the occasional one that fell in love with their dark and mysterious ways. Every town had at least one Grim, just like every town had at least one Pie. And just like the Pies they always got the oddest of jobs. But unlike rock farmers and party throwers, their jobs are always dark and horrible. My father is a roadkill hunter and gathers the animals that are hit on the road by some stray cart that was going a bit to fast. It was a messy job, but his talent for finding the dead made it easy. Plus the only other jobs that would except his talent would be a forensic scientist or an FBI agent and the only reason he wasn't one of those is because of the goverment. Or at least that's what he always said. My mother on the other hand was not a Grim by blood and had a normal talent. She was a gardener, or at least she was when she was pregnant with me. And after I was born she left, she had always wanted to leave my dad, but i guess she just didn't want to raise a relative of Grim on her own. In a way, I looked a lot like Grim did. All black with a silver mane and tail. But my talent was different of course; no cutie mark is the same. I just don't know what my talent is yet. I hope its something cool; not like my borning cousin Vladimer. His talent was finding old books whose writers are dead, which is a lot of them so he always gets these splitting headaches. And in turn, makes him supremely annoying. But he is family and family is strong if the rest of the world hates you. Including the princesses. Yeah, Nightmare Moon came back from the moon. But the merged mare was defeated by some ponies called the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. But she wasn't re-banished into the moon. Nightmare Moon was ripped from the two of them, but only Luna remained. Moon Pool was gone, and every Grim was saddened from their coat to their soul. Their ancestor was dead and now those tyrant princesses would rule Equestria forever. Nothing could change that. Nothing. Well, their was a prophecy, but nopony really thought it was true. It was just a mumble of words that my Aunt Vouchie once said. She could predict the future through fire and on her deathbed said that one day a Grim would able to bring Moon Pool back through the blood of harmony. But nopony knew what it meant. At least it gave us hope.