//------------------------------// // My Pain // Story: Isn't it Great to be Different // by Ariel Hunter //------------------------------// Isn't it Great to be Different Inspired by Forest Rain's Great to be Different and SillyFillyStudio's Snowdrop ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ My Pain A thousand years ago, before The Nightmare devoured me, I was loved. I had friends, friends who truly cared for me and my night, but I lost them. I lost them all to my banishment, to my selfishness. I never got to say goodbye. I knew that one day, I would out live them, but I didn't want them to remember me as what I was before I left. A traitor. A tyrant. A monster. I had feared the day I would become this since the first twine of jealousy pulsed through my heart. There was no way to stop my transformation. I had been too far gone by the time Tia tried to help. I just wish... I wish I could've have said farewell, and that I would miss each and every pony who would not be there to see my return. Searing pain sliced through me like knives, stronger then my craved revenge. I let out a throaty scream, tears streaming down my face in dark streaks. Brilliant colors tore at my pitch black coat, shredding the darkness. It wrapped itself around me tight, burning every inch of my body as I desperately tried to fight back. I collapsed in the middle of its whirling form, wailing for mercy to the six mares who had done this to me. I regretted everything. The jealousy, the lies, and most of all, I regretted hurting all those ponies, past and present. Realization of all my mistakes crashed onto me like ocean waves, increasing my pain even greater. My heart throbbed, and I shrieked for the pony who I knew cared the most for me, "TIA!!!!!!!!!!" The Nightmare was wrenched away, pulled right out of my body. A blinding, white light exploded and threw me my against the crumbling, stone floor. I felt myself slip in and out of consciousness, and I would have let it taken me if I hadn't heard a familiar voice. "Princess Luna," the voice stated. I let out a small gasp, my turquoise eyes flying open. A tall, pristine alicorn trotted towards me with her multicolored mane waving in a false breeze. Her wings were spread wide with her head held high, yet a stern look was on her face. I feared for the worst. "It has been a thousand years since I've seen you like this," she murmured, crouching down to my level. I held my head in shame, yet she continued to speak. "It's time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister," she choked, the first signs of tears beginning to well around her eyes. "Sister?" came a chorus of voices from the six mares behind her, but I payed them little attention. "Will you accept my friendship?" Celestia queered, rising to her hooves regally. I couldn't meet her gaze. Turning my head, I held back a sob, unsure of what to say. She wanted me back. I didn't deserve her forgiveness at all. After all I had done, even after I had trapped her in the sun for the past day, she still loved me. I did not deserve this. I scrambled to my hooves, trying to hide the faint tears tumbling down my cheeks. I buried my face in snowy fur, "I'm so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister!" I sputtered, letting my tears run freely. "I've missed you, too," Tia murmured, love radiating from her like warmth from the sun. Ironic. The hours following my release were a blur. Next thing I knew, I was being towed in a golden carriage by four armor-clad pegasi guards with Celestia by my side. A celebration spread before us as we entered the home town of my saviors: Twilight Sparkle, AppleJack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. As Celestia and I cantered through Ponyville, ponies smiled and bowed in respect. At one point, two young pegasi foals bestowed me with a necklace of beautiful roses that were fully in bloom. I couldn't help but feel touched by this simple gesture. The celebration had continued all night. I even got the chance to raise the moon and stars, which I had missed doing all these years. Ponies had.... fun. Never before had I experienced such joy. To feel loved by mere strangers- Strangers. The sudden realization of how long I've been gone smacked me across the face. I quickly excused myself from the small group of mares I was talking to and struggled to break away from the party. Pushing past what seemed like hundreds of mares and stallions, tears began to fall yet again. The Nightmare had claimed so much more than I had known. Eventually, I was stumbling blind through the town. Ponies I didn't even know called my name, but I ignored them. I wanted to be alone, as I had been for a thousand years. I abruptly smashed into someone and came to a screeching halt. Wiping away my tears with my light blue hoof, I looked at the ground. "I..I'm sorry, I didn't see you th-," "Luna...," a sorrowful voice cracked. The emotion laced in its tone surprised me. My eyes shot up to the stranger. She was no stranger. 'Celebrating spring is good, but, winter can't be all bad if it gives us these. It may be cold and dark, but that doesn't mean there isn't any good to it. Maybe.... maybe winter is sad that everypony doesn't like it...,' "Snowdrop.....," I blubbered, knowing she couldn't be real. Not after this long. She was just a figment of my imagination, summoned by my misery. I had wandered out of town, not far from an apple orchard. The light blue pegasi stood weakly before me, her swirled white and cyan hair perched perfectly past her neck. A sincere smile rested on her muzzle, while her usual, sightless eyes looked right at me, as if she could see, with tears dripping down her cheeks. "You're not real....," I whimpered, turning my back on her. A felt a hoof gently graze my shoulder. It felt.. real, but I continued to shield myself from her. I heard a quiet sigh, "Oh Luna..... you're finally back. I always knew twinkles granted wishes.....," the hallucination whispered. "Snowdrop always did say that.... that's one of the reasons I admired her so much....," I muttered quietly. "You mean that's one of the reasons you admired me so much? Luna... I wished each night, since the day you were banished, that I could see you one last time. I knew you weren't a monster. We all knew that. We missed you every single minute, my friend. We loved you. We loved you're night, and we still do, but we can't stand seeing you like this," the fake Snowdrop urged in a quiet voice. "We..?" I murmured, turning towards her. I let out a startled gasp as I saw rows upon rows of starry ponies crowding behind her. Many were bat ponies, my faithful followers, but there were also earth ponies, pegasi, unicorns, and even crystal ponies mixed together. I was speechless. Snowdrop took a step towards me, resting her hoof on mine. "I did not let your good name die with the birth of Nightmare Moon. We are forever your friends....," her voice faded away. Her form whisked away in the wind, followed close by the other ponies. I raised my hoof to the breeze, "No! Snowdrop, please, don't go!" I called after the mist. 'Oh, Luna..... it's time to make new friends...,' And so my story begins. Over the next year, my attempts to make friends were... successful, but it wasn't that simple...