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// 1 - Haven's Realization 
// Story: Haven 
// by Xplounder 
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Haven’s life had been full of drama. He was left on the doorstep of a dress mender/designer when he was very young. 

Haven had always had a very active imagination, often role-playing adventures with the few friends he had. He grew up making rather poor grades in most school subjects, however excelling in history, and he often had trouble making new friends. By the time he was 8, he was the only colt in the class not to have a cutie mark. And by the time he was 12, he was surpassed by all of the fillies as well.

He was now 17, still without a cutie mark, spending most of his days helping his mother gather materials for her dresses. 

Summer was coming; the time of year that every unicorn in the business would head off to The City to sell all of the clothing and accesories that had been produced for the past months. This was Haven’s favorite time year. He would often visit The City’s large libraries for hours and read of other pony's adventures and journeys; but for now, he was stuck loading up the wagons, getting ready for the four day trip that awaited him and his mother. 

“We've got to go, Haven. It's going to be crowded, and we need to get a good spot before they're gone,” his mother said. 

Haven jumped in the back as his mother started packing some food. He propped his hooves up on the wooden crates of clothing and laid a pillow at his head. His mom, highly skilled at magic, lit up her horn, and off the wagon went! 

After a day or two went by, Haven was growing very tired of the continuous, boring ride that was the trip to The City. 

“Can’t we just stop for a minute? My flank’s falling asleep,” Haven nagged. 

“We need the money, Haven. We can’t afford to get a bad spot. We went over this.” 

Haven sighed. 

After a few moments of silence, she started talking again. “You know, back when I was young, we had this pretty cool story that went around.” 

“What was it?” Haven replied, sounding interested. 

“Well, as the story goes, there’s a stone that exists that grants near limitless powers to whoever touches it. However, of course, there’s a catch: only one pony can possess the power at one time. As the story went, Joseph Everfree was a pony who once touched the stone, however, Joseph had a heart full of bad intentions, and his power radiated destruction wherever he went. Eventually, Joseph realised the destruction he had caused, but by then, it was already too late. To avoid any further destruction, he fled to the forest and died there, leaving the darkness of his spirit to roam through the woods.” 

Haven sat with his imagination running wild. “Where did he find it?”

“Well, it’s just an old pony’s tale, but it was said that he found it in the mountains up north.” 

The story seemed to distract Haven for the remainder of the trip and, before he knew it, they were approaching the walls of The City.
Haven’s mother slowly approached the gatekeeper, and showed him her Trader’s Card. He made a hoof sign the stallion manning the gate's opening/closing mechanism, and the gate slowly started to rise.

It was the same every year. There was a large, square park in the middle of the city, and lined up all around the park was cart after cart of merchandise being rapidly sold. Poor farmers were hitting it big with the new year’s crops, and famous designers were flaunting their newest designs down the wagon-torn streets. The wagons were parked block after block with no end in sight. The only area of The City with little to no activity was the north side, as Discord's castle had occupied that area for many years.

The castle was in clear view of anypony in the city. The most eerie thing about it, though, was the fact that it wasn’t doing anything. Nobody walking past the windows, and nobody walking through the gates. Just a couple of stationary guards. Everypony who gazed upon the seemingly lifeless castle had the same feeling: emptiness. It was as though the castle was a twisted picture of themselves; so many things that seemed as though they should be going on, yet nothing was happening. 

They searched for a good spot and eventually settled on one. They slowly pulled the wagon into an empty space between two families of beet and artichoke farmers. The two families were made up of rather rugged, southern Earth Ponies. 

Haven hopped out of the wagon and started unloading their products while his mother set up a sign. 

“Ma! Look a that! That stallion ain’t got no cutie mark!” Cried out one of the young farmers who was unpacking to the right of Haven and his mother.

“Well I’ll be! Son, yer right! Sweetie, look at that stallion! He don’t got a cutie mark!” Replied the boy’s father. 

“Well, now! I can’t believe your behavior! I don’t know what they teach you in the south, but in my village, and most certainly in The City, that kind of behavior is not and will not be tolerated!” Haven’s mother interjected. 

Within moments, people were gathering from other carts to see what all the commotion was about. As more people came, more people were shocked to see such an old pony that didn’t have a cutie mark. Ponies of different breeds started lampooning him with insults and swears of various degrees. For a second, he could take it. He knew that it was true that it was weird not to have a cutie mark, He wouldn’t let a bunch of low-lives hurt his self esteem!

Haven decided to just look away. “Out of sight, out of mind,” he thought.

He started to look away, and as he did, his eyes caught hold of Discord’s castle. Everything inside him that that was content with who he was was drained out of him. 

He immediately hopped on the wagon in front of everypony. “HOLD IT, EVERYPONY!” Haven said. 

Suddenly the mockery stopped; All was quiet. Everypony was waiting to hear what had possessed him to do what he was doing. “Laugh all you want now, everypony! I’m going to get my cutie mark! I don’t need your mockery! You want to know what I’m going to do? I’m going to find Joseph Everfree’s stone! I’m going to teach you not to mock me!” Yelled Haven at the top of his voice. 

All was quiet for a moment, then all broke into laughter. Even Haven’s mother couldn’t help but let out a little giggle. 

Haven, infuriated, got his share of the profit from what was already sold, picked up the rest of his lunch, and walked toward the northern end of The City, away from the crowd.





Next Chapter: Haven’s Departure