Embershade trotted quietly down the lane, making her way towards a small hovel nestled against the woods, alongside her a brook chitter-chattered down the road, pooling next to the house. The scene would be quite picturesque, if it weren't that, besides the sound of Ember's hooves and the creek, it was completely silent. No insects sounded their calls, no birds sang, there wasn't even the tiniest lick of wind. It was utterly, eerily silent. The silent seemed to become deafening as she reached the door of the humble cottage. She tapped at the door gently with one of her forehooves- a polite knock that sent the door toppling inward. A creepy, off-tone chuckle echoed through the hut, and Ember shivered, suddenly sickeningly aware of how mad the inside of the hut was. Shelves were upside down, the furniture was all two inches tall, and cups seemed to defy gravity, floating through the air aimlessly. In the corner, in the only normal-sized chair in the building, a familiar draconequus sat, his fingers steepled over his lap. His grin was wide and eerily fatherly.
"Why, if it isn't my favorite little pony." He said, grinning so widely that all of his ugly teeth glinted in the dim light from the windows. "It's been a long time, my darling little Embershade. The sight of you simply warms the cockles of my heart." The Lord of Disharmony crawled up the walls and stood upside down, mere inches away from the defiant face of the secretly quivering Embershade.
The reddish-orange colored pegasus pony ruffled her wings and snorted, looking anywhere but into Discord's face. "What do you want, Discord? Haven't you messed things up enough for me already?" She asked, her tone gruff. Her eyes, the color of sunset, were glistening with hurt.
The Draconequus laughed, suddenly upright, and put an arm around the pony's neck the same way he'd once put his arm around Twilight Sparkle. "Why, Ember my dear, I want you to help me again. You were so much fun last time, clearing the way for my awakening. If it hadn't been for Twilight Sparkle, you and I could've won." He said, whispering in that same coercive, almost seductive tone that he'd used when she'd first met him.
The pony shook her head violently, tossing a tear into his face without realizing it. "No! Stop it, Discord. Not again. Not after last time. You almost destroyed Equestria. You promised me nopony would get hurt, but it was a disaster!" She shouted at him, her voice full of hurt and accusation. "You lied to me!"
Discord shook his head angrily, grabbing the pony by one of her ears and jerking her head to the side the same way a mother would a disobedient child. "Now you listen here, Embershade. You needed Me to be your friend. You wanted Celestia to fall, because you thought she didn't care about her subjects. You wanted the job that Nightmare Moon started to be finished. I just played along. You owe me a favor, my silly little filly." He whispered into her ear, each word spat out of his mouth viciously, as if he thought he could hurt her with the ferocity of his words.
Ember felt her will weakening, and if she could look in a mirror, she'd see that her eyes were twinkling a color not at all their natural. "Fine, Discord... What do you want me to do?" She asked- all traces of her former anger gone, replaced by a sort of uncaring sleep tone.
Discord cackled and did a victorious arm pump, punching a hole in the ceiling of the hut in the process. "Well, My little master of deception, you're already on your way to Ponyville. Just make sure that the Elements of Harmony are out of commission... one way or another." He slowly faded away as he said this, leaving her with nothing but a dark, echoing chuckle.
--------
The train screeched to a stop at the Ponyville station, jolting Embershade awake. Grumbling to herself, she peeled her drooling face off the window and looked out at the dark, country night that engulfed the little town of Ponyville. She recognized the little town from stories, postcards, and the description her elder sister Red Feather, who'd been a writer as well, had given her. She shook her head as she stepped off the train, her miniscule amount of luggage in the saddlebag slung over her back. To think that this little town is the home of the Elements of Harmony... It doesn't seem possible. She mused, looking around as she trotted quietly into the town square. She looked around, suddenly realizing she had nowhere to stay the night, and stomped one of her hooves angrily. Why hadn't she thought of that before she left Canterlot? She kicked up some dust and plopped down in the road, looking around for a place that would serve well enough.
Suddenly, she was nearly run over by a wall of pink mane. Dodging out of the way with a startled yelp, Embershade caught her first sight of her... attacker? Was that the right word? Attacker or not, the bright pink pony didn't seem to be, in any way, hostile. If anything, she seemed ridiculously excited to see the bewildered pegasus pony. She bounced around Ember in a circle, talking so fast that the poor Flame-colored pony could hardly make out the words. "Ohmygosh, you must be new in town, 'cause I've never seen you before and I've met everypony in pony-"
At this point, the already-annoyed pegasus pony slapped a forbidding hoof over the frizzy-maned pink pony's mouth, effectively silencing her. Or, rather, making her attempts to talk sound like grunts. "Okay. Speak slowly, and get to the point, please." Ember said, eying the ,obviously crazy earth pony with a mixture of distaste and apprehension.
The pony nodded her understanding, and spoke much more understandably when Ember removed her hoof. "I'm Pinkie Pie, and I'm friends with everypony in Ponyville. When I saw you, all I could think about was how you looked lonely, and a little lost, and I just really, really wanted to help you, because I love making new friends and you look like you'd be a nice friend." The excitable pink mare said, all in a single breath. Ember just stared, an eyebrow arched high over a bright, burning eye.
"Uhm..." Ember began, not quite sure how to respond to the ridiculously over-the-top friendliness of the pink pony. Finally, she settled on inquiring after a place to sleep- she reasoned that, if the hyperactive pink pony knew everypony in Ponyville, surely she knew of a place that Ember could stay. "Look, Pinkie Pie, I'd just really like it if you could help me find a place to stay for the night. We'll see about all this friend-making stuff once I've had some rest, okay?" She asked, trying as hard as she could to be polite- she'd never been good with other ponies, so it was a true effort on her part.
The party pony stared blankly at Embershade for almost two full minutes, making the socially inept pegasus pony wonder if she'd accidentally broken her. Finally, Pinkie Pie breathed in deeply and spoke; "Oh my gosh, you can totally stay with me, like a sleepover! It'll be so much fun- We'll bake cupcakes, eat cupcakes, maybe even dress up like cupcakes! And you can meet my pet Gummy! and the Cakes! You'll already have three new friends all in one night! It'll be so much fun, I promise!" The excitable mare was literally bouncing with excitement as she outlined her plan to an instantly-dubious Embershade. But, before Ember could so much as raise a hoof in protest, Pinkie Pie had seized her and was dragging her down the street at top-speed toward Sugar Cube corner. The building was more than a stand out- decorated to the point that it looked like a giant gingerbread cookie; the sight of the building alone was enough to make Ember’s stomach rumble loudly.
After a moment, Ember simply gave up struggling and accompanied Pinkie peaceably, almost having to gallop to keep up with the hyperactive pink pony. They reached the front door of the sweet shop rather quickly, as a side effect of Pinkie’s excitable demeanor. The party pony in question hopped up the steps of the store and, if Ember hadn’t hurriedly pushed the door open, she probably would’ve crashed into it. The Pink Pony turned toward the stairs, peering up them as if checking on something. “MR AND MRS CAKE!!” She screamed, at what seemed to be the top of her lungs. Ember shook her head- this was not the way she’d intended to make the acquaintance of her shelter for the night. She heard muffled grumbling, and the sound of hoofsteps crossing the floor and the clip-clop of someone coming down the stairs.
A short, stout mare with the most ridiculous confectionary hat on her head sat at the bottom of the stairs, rubbing her hooves into her eyes and grumbling to herself. "What is it, Pinkie Pie?" She asked, hardly contained contempt dripping off of every syllable. She lowered her hooves and caught sight of Ember for the first time. "Oh, I'm sorry Dearie, I didn't see you there. How can I help you?" She asked, her voice becoming so sugary sweet that Embershade almost gagged in response. But, before Ember could so much as utter a greeting, Pinkie Pie cut her off again.
"Mrs. Cake, she needs a place to stay, and I offered to let her stay with me, but then I thought that I should ask you, because I'm staying with the Cakes, you you're Mrs. Cake, so you should have a say before I invite over somepony you don't know, so I yelled up the stairs and then down you came, and now I'm going to ask if-"
Mrs. Cake held up a hoof, somehow managing to silence Pinkie Pie. "If she can stay... Yes, I think I understand. Of course you can stay for the night, Dearie. Is there anything I can get you, miss?..." She asked, her face stretched with a polite, mothering smile. Her caring expression almost made the implied question about her name go right over Ember's head.
But, Ember caught it. "My name's Embershade, but just Ember's fine... and, beyond a place to stay the night, no ma'am. I've got everything I need." She said, smiling in spite of herself. She just couldn't help it, something about Mrs. Cake just made her want to smile like she was a little filly getting a gift.
Mrs. Cake nodded and walked back up the stairs, uttering a soft wish of a good night over her shoulder as she went. Pinkie Pie was, once again, bouncing with excitement. "This is gonna be soooo fun!" She cried, practically mashing a cupcake into Ember's face. Ember did her best to ensure that more of the cupcake was eaten than was smeared all over her face, and as a result, the mess was only have as large as it might have been.
Spluttering and wiping herself off, she cast the still-bouncing earth pony a glare. "Pinkie, as grateful to you as I am for getting me a place to stay, I'd really just like to go to sleep, if that's okay." She said, trying her best to keep from snapping on the silly pony. Ember was relieved to see that Pinkie seemed to get the message, and she nodded enthusiastically.
She bounced out the door and around to the entrance of her room, with Ember following a safe distance back. "Okie dokey lokey, new friend!" She called over her shoulder. Ember found herself blinded by the bright, overpowering... pinkness. The room was a maddeningly bright shade of pink, and the light from the lamps did nothing to ease it. Pinkie bounced from lamp to lamp, blowing them out one at a time until only the dim light of Luna's moon lit the room. Pinkie hopped up on the bed and gestured to the other side. "Go ahead! I promise I'll be quiet." She said, then made a range of complicated motions with her hooves that Ember didn't even bother questioning.
She simply laid down, pulled the blanket over herself, and wished Pinkie Pie good night- barely avoiding being sung a lullaby in the process. She closed her eyes, and was whisked away by sleep.
--------------
Embershade stood before Celestia, head raised defiantly, her flaming eyes scorching the Princess's. The Princess looked at her with a mixture of sadness, disappointment, and even traces of anger. "Embershade, do you know why I've called you here?" She asked, the conflicting emotions coming through in the deep, breathy sadness in her voice.
Ember snorted and glared at the Princess even more forcefully, eliciting an angry rustling from the platoon of Royal Guards surrounding her. "Because I fought you, and got closer to winning than you can bear." She spat, stomping a hoof in frustration. Celestia merely looked at her, her expression almost serene- her indifference only served to infuriate Ember.
The Princess shook her head in disappointment, and turned to convene quietly with her sister, Luna. After a moment, she turned back to Ember, who was ruffling her wings agitatedly. "Embershade, why don't you tell us about the part you played in Discord's return?" She asked- though it was more of a soft order than a question. Ember smiled proudly.
"He spoke to me in my dreams, o Mighty Princess. He promised me a better life... all I needed to do was sow enough disharmony for him to be free. So, I did. I lied, forged letters, incited violence between ponies. Then, there he was. Everything turned upside down. Chaos reigned, the entirety of Equestria went mad... and I loved it." she ranted, pure adoration laced into every word. She stopped to take a breath and examine the effect her words were having on the Princess. She remained apathetic. Gritting her teeth in frustration, she went on with her tale. "But Discord failed. You and your Elements of Harmony defeated him again, restoring Equestria to it's former... glory." She grimaced around the last word, as if it disgusted her to say it. Sighing, she sat down heavily. "and now I'm here. That's all there is to tell." She finished, pulling back her unfurled wings and settling down, waiting for the Princess to respond.
Princess Celestia merely shook her head, again disappointed. "It hurts me to know that I've failed you so, Embershade. It pains me to think that even a few of my subjects are unhappy with my rule... but I can't help you if you don't tell me the truth. There's more to the story. I can tell, my little pony. Please, let me help you. Tell the truth." She pleaded, a note of something Embershade mistook for pity in her voice.
The flame-colored pegasus pony snorted and shook her head. "There's nothing more to tell, Celestia. I'm sorry, but for once, you can't do anything to make things better. Just pass judgment on me and be done with it, Princess." She murmured wearily, her entire body now drooping with either sadness or genuine exhaustion.
The Princess merely shook her head, tears forming in her eyes, and left the room. Princess Luna stepped into the light, taking Celestia's place. Unlike her sister, her face was very readable... and it was furious. She looked at Ember with contempt, and stomped one of her forehooves. "Tell me, Embershade, if you can, You have destroyed so much. What exactly have you created? Can you name even one thing?" She asked, and, barely pausing for a response, continued; "I thought not. I've considered punishing you so many different ways, but it boils down to the fact that merely living with the pain of your defeat- or your guilt, if you are secretly repentant- is punishment enough. Your only punishment is that you shall leave Canterlot, and never return. Rest assured, the Ponyfolk of Equestria will not shun you.- We've told no one of your crimes, despite how much I wanted to. Now, be gone from here, Pony. Leave Canterlot by the end of the day, or else prison will be the least of your worries." Luna commanded, her loud, powerful voice echoed through the hall so much that Ember was sure that everyone knew now. She turned, head bowed, and left the building. She stepped out into the sun, and could swear she saw Celestia's face mocking her in the sun.
Then Embershade woke to Pinkie Pie's cheerful exclamations wishing her a good morning.
"Gooood morning sleepyhead!" Pinkie shouted, jumping up onto the bed and bouncing a bewildered Ember clean out into the floor. Pinkie rolled around on the, laughing so much it was almost maniacal. Ember found herself worried that her host may be quite insane. Making polite excuses, Ember managed to escape from Sugar Cube Corner without significant incident, thanking Mrs. Cake along the way and apologizing for Pinkie having woken her up the night before.
Before long, Embershade found herself looking upon Ponyville in the light of day- the town was slow. Relaxed. As she walked meanderingly down the city streets, she found herself quite at ease for the first time since she'd left Canterlot. It was nice, here... No loud city ponies, no shady characters stalking the alleys between the buildings... most of the ponies here seemed tranquil... even happy. Ember hadn't seen happiness much before- really, she'd never experienced it for herself. Her heart ached as she watched a couple of friends giggling and laughing together as they walked away from a Spa, looking quite refreshed. The ache was like a hole in the center of her being- but it was a familiar one. She and the ache were old friends, and they'd been together since she'd been just a little Filly whose parents didn't love her. It was a painful mixture of loneliness and jealousy, and Discord had used it to his advantage when he'd corrupted her.
Now, the same old wound ached as she saw just how at ease and happy the ponies of Ponyville were. She didn't want to be here- no, she didn't belong here. All she could feel was ANGUISH. Loneliness so great it encompassed her entire world, like a dark cloud blotting out the sun. She needed to leave, she had to be away from all these happy ponies. She just couldn't take it. Choking back sobs, she turned and started to gallop out of town, not bothering to look where she was going- she wouldn't have been able to see past the tears in her eyes, anyway.
WHAM. Pain, confusion, dirt in her eyes and the feeling of another, a warm body whose limbs were entangled hopelessly with hers. Stirring slowly, shaking off the shock of the sudden collision, she blinked until the spots vanished from her vision and looked around. She was lying in the dirt, tangled up with a lithe, pretty looking violet-colored Unicorn. The Unicorn stirred as Embershade extracted herself from the awkward tangle of limbs. She nudged the nearly-unconscious unicorn with her hoof, worried that she'd caused serious damage.
"Excuse me," She mumbled, keeping her tone quiet so that her voice wouldn't show how close to tears she was. "Are you okay? Excuse me, Miss?"
The violet pony still took a few moments to rouse, even with Ember's persistent prodding. When she did awake, she seemed very confused. "Wha? Where? Who?" She asked, looking around, her eyes bleary. Ember couldn't help but be struck by her voice- smooth, articulate, with a kind of lilting cadence that sung to her nerves- even when the poor unicorn was half-unconscious, her voice had a way of soothing Ember.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention and ran into you. Are you okay?" She asked again, examining the pony carefully for injury. She eyed the Unicorn's horn apprehensively- she was lucky she hadn't badly injured herself on that thing.
The Unicorn slowly roused herself and sat up, blinking herself into full awareness as Ember spoke. "Ugh.. Uhm.. ow." She said, rubbing the side of her head with a hoof. After a moment, she turned look at Ember- and the flame-colored pegasus pony was lost in her eyes. The Unicorn smiled, a sweet expression of concern mixed with embarassment. "Oh, I'm sorry.. I was caught up in a scroll, and wasn't really watching where I was going. Are you all right?" She asked, and Ember was amazed and touched to hear real concern in her voice.
Ember blushed lightly as the unicorn's question snapped her to attention. "Oh I'm fine," Ember began, already wanting to reassure and make happy the beautiful purple pony. "But are you okay? It's my fault, I was running with my eyes closed like a stupid filly.." She said, facehoofing herself.
The unicorn smiled and started to reassure Ember was all right, but then frowned. "Hold on a sec'." She said, then closed her eyes. Her horn glowed with a violet light for a minute, then it faded away. Suddenly, it was much easier for Ember to focus and think- the magical mare was still breathtakingly beautiful, but less intoxicating. "Sorry," She began, blushing slightly. "I was experimenting with a new spell. So, you knocked me over and I bewitched you... I'd say we're about even. I'm Twilight Sparkle." She stuck out a friendly hoof as she finished her sentence, and Ember took it and shook politely.
"Embershade of... Well, just Embershade." She said, cutting off before saying she was from Canterlot- because she wasn't. Not anymore. She smiled at Twilight- her first honest smile in some time.
Twilight nodded and started picking up her now-scattered things. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Embershade." She said, and nodded her thanks as Ember helped her gather together her books and scrolls. "So, you're new in town?" Twilight asked as Ember helped put her things back in the saddlebags.
Ember nodded, suddenly less cheerful. "Yeah. Spent a long time on the move... stopped here to take a break for a day or two." She said, trying her best to sound like she was just a cheerful wanderer, not an exile.
The magical mare didn't buy it. "You sound lonely." Twilight noted, eyeing Ember with friendly concern. "Maybe you should spend more than just a day or two here. Make some friends." She suggested as they walked back towards town together. "Hey, you might even decide to settle down." The Unicorn joked- yet, Ember felt at the same time that it wasn't entirely a joke.
"I don't know... I've never been the best at making friends." Ember said, ruffling her wings uncomfortably. She looked over at Twilight, sighing. "To be honest, I don't have any." She said, knowing that this response would either elicit pity or concern- either way, attention that upset her.
Much to Ember's surprise, Twilight's reaction was neither. "Well, then" The Unicorn began, stopping and turning to face the fiery pegasus, "You should come with me to a party later, and I'll introduce you to my friends. Trust me, there a good place to start." Ember wasn't quite sure she liked the idea, but it intrigued her nonetheless.
Maybe... Maybe she could have friends after all.