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// Prologue 
// Story: Silent Ponyville: Homecoming 
// by Pen Quill 
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A Brief History of Ponyville


This story is of its own style, it in no way has any connection to other stories of similar title. Do not confuse this for another story.

Long ago, when the now great town of Ponyville was founded, everything was of peace and harmony. For generations the town was happy, not a threat in the world, well besides the constant attacks by Discord or Chrysalis. In this town lived a simple violet mare, whose name was known to be Twilight Sparkle. She had ventured in this town with her five friends, teaching the town and quite possible the world of the magic of friendship. She loved her friends, but more adored her big brother Shining Armor, an enlisted stallion in Celestia’s royal guard. As long as they’ve grown up, she has always looked up to him. However, when he left to go on tour in Saddle Arabia, the town had changed.

It was thought to be of just an old pony’s tale, of a grim dark history of the town of Ponyville. The tale of how the town is cursed. When the town was first founded, there was a strange visitor, a young filly who wore a shroud over her head, blocking any view of her face. The town was weary of their mysterious visitor.

“She’s a witch!” shouted the townsponies, as they casted their glares and rotten vegetables at her. She paid them no mind and went on with her business. She was just looking through different stalls and shops, but each one she visited, yielded no results. The vendors ignored her, shop owners locked their doors and shunned her from their venues. The story goes, that the innocent filly had stayed no more than two days, living out in the Everfree forest. However, one night, a small colt had mysteriously vanished in to the woods. The mares and stallions quickly threw the witch to blame. “We must put her to death for her crime!” they screamed as they rustled up their torches and pitchforks.

“She must be condemned and burned at the stake!” shouted another, which caused another frenzy amongst the crowd, only fueling their anger even more. The mob marched in the forest until they had found a small hut, only fit for one resident. “Look, there she is.” Whispered a stallion in front.

“Possibly cooking that poor colt for her stew.” Whimpered another.

“We must make her pay.”

“And pay she will, with her life.”

The mob marched on, surrounding the house. “Come out now you foul heathen!” shouted the town sheriff. “Come out and face your fate with what little dignity you have left!”

The door slowly opened with a bone chilling creek. The light inside grew dim as a shadow appeared from the door. A cold wind whipped through the air, the torches blew out and the light from the house, no more.

“What is all fuss about, can’t a young mare just enjoy her meal without being casted out as some monster!” a voice bellowed from the door.

“Get her, get the witch!” said a charging stallion, but before his pitchfork could impale the being before him, a magic wall had formed around, repelling the stampeding stallion as he flew back. The lights to the house suddenly started to grow again, shining just enough for visible sight. The young mare before them had a mane like snow and eyes to match. Her body however, was pale and sickly. A cutiemark of a strange triangular mask or helmet that was splattered with blood and covered in rust. The mob was frightened to a perfect standstill, not a move was made.

“Are you all just going to stand there or can I return to my meal in peace?” she said.

“You will not feast on another pony beast! You shall pay for your crimes and burn in Hell where you belong!”

Several earth ponies had grabbed lassos and swung them around, throwing them out towards the witch. Before she could react, her hooves were tied and her horn repelled by the town’s strongest unicorn.

“Let go of me this instant, I never kidnapped anypony!” she screamed.

“You’re lies won’t affect us bitch! You know what you have done and you shall burn for it.” Said a guard.

“Search my hut then, you will find no evidence of such a crime!”

“You have no freedom in these parts witch, so accept you’re fate.”

The journey back was quiet and still. The cold air was thick and made it hard to breathe. Not a cloud in sight as the night sky loomed over the town, the only light now being that of the moon along with symbolic Mare in the Moon. The witch, casted into her cell, shackled with iron clads that blocked her magic. She did not weep or give any sign of sadness. She only looked at many bones of ponies who spent their last days in these cells. The damp stench of death filled her nostrils. Many of these remains were other accused witches who had passed through this town. The next morning she was released from her cell and escorted to the town square and bound to a stake.

“You have been found guilty by a unanimous decision of witchcraft, fillynapping, and murder and have been sentenced to death. Before we light you ablaze and cast you to the fiery pits of Hell, do you have any last words?” said the town priest.

“You’re descendants shall rue the day, for this town will be cursed for their sins. I did nothing wrong yet you condemn me when you all have committed the same acts of murder and debauchery. May the Goddesses have mercy on your families and kin, for when I die, this town will be forever cursed to a world of damnation.”

“Neigh, may the Goddesses have mercy on your soul, and those of your despicable kind.” The priest gave a nod to the executioner who brought the torch to the pit with a simple touch, she was in flames. The sounds of agony and pain filled the air, as the accused witch was burned. Her flesh turning to black and charred to the bone. Her flesh slowly melting away. The most peculiar cutiemark on her flank, had slowly vanished from sight and thus the screaming had stopped. The mare who was demonized, was dead, and the town moved into a state of grief, mourning the loss of a family’s colt, bringing an end to a tragic chapter for the town and ushering in a new one.

Months had passed and town was as it was, moving on with their lives, a smile on their face. Combustion had just been discovered and an increased need for coal was to follow. The town of Ponyville flourished with their coal mine. However, one day changed their lives forever. An explosion roared from beneath the ground, rattling every home in Ponyville. From the entrance of the mine, several miners had evacuated and a geyser of scorching fire erupted from within. The entrance had collapsed, making reentry impossible for anyone. Several dozen workers perished in the explosion, and one faithful doctor had no one to blame, but an old curse from a certain witch. No pony believed him. 

Days passed and there was a ruckus at the doctor’s house. He was found pinned to his wall, his barrel stripped from his body and a pool of blood on his floor. His eyes gouged from his eyed, but no leads to who could’ve committed such a gruesome murder. On his wall, written in his own blood was a message:


You shall pay for your sins with every drop of blood.


Authorities investigated the strange murder, but could not find any clues. The search was given up, and town was in a state of panic. Over the years, more strange deaths had occurred, each with the same message and the victim mutilated to almost no recognition. As the years went on, the deaths became less and less significant, leaving the town with one question, what did they ever do to deserve this? Some believe in the curse, some still pass it off some old tale to scare fillies and colts. One fact remains, the town, was no longer the happy destination it used to be.


Welcome to Silent Ponyville