For the Ones we Love

by FlimFlamBros.

The Foal

First a quick word from me, the author: This is not my story. I did not come up with the idea for it. Rather, I was given the chance to continue on what I thought was a great idea for a story. Credit for creating the storyline goes to spikethed, for he was the orginal creator. Credit goes to me (Yay) for actually writing the story. spikethed was unable to continue it, so I decided to pick up where he left off, because to me nothing is as sad as watching such a potential story die. So lets review: I am writing the story, but the oringinal idea for it is not mine. So without any further pointless rambling, please read, rate and comment on For the Ones we Love.....

Don't feel like reading it? Check out the First chapter read for you by the amazing Phantom Brony

The scream could be heard throughout the forest as two young stallions paced outside the hidden shelter. A tall, brown earth pony paced left and his blue Pegasus companion paced right.

“How long have they been in there?” the pegasus asked, turning to his friend.

“Can’t be much longer now,” said the earth pony, trying to reassure compatriot. He knew how nervous his friend could get sometimes, and this was no exception.

Another scream echoed through the night and the two ponies quickly rushing to the small window, peeking through the filthy glass.

Inside were two white mares, one a pegasus and the other an earth pony. They were both dressed in blood stained aprons and they quickly rushed around the room, warming up water and grabbing clean towels. The pegasus lifted up a large bucket of steamy water as the earth pony tossed in rags to soak. The pegasus outside the window grew worried.

“Do you think that she’ll be okay? That’s a lot of blankets.”

“Night Sky, please,” his friend told him. “You have to let the nurses do what they can.”

A third scream came from the shack; one of pain and agony, as if a pony was being tortured.

Night Sky slammed his hoof against the wall of the shack, the thud of hoof on wood unable to shroud the cries of pain coming from inside. “She’s in there having my child, Quickdraw!” he turned angrily to the shocked earth pony. “So forgive me if I’m a little on edge!”

Night Sky looked back through the window, a young mare of unicorn descent lay exhausted from the bed. She was a deep purple with an identically colored mane, which was messy and frayed, her body drenched in sweat. She was breathing heavily as the two mares fussed around her, wiping her body down with the soaked rag and helping her get comfortable. She looked out the window to see the blue pony’s face staring back at her. She smiled weakly at him, right before her face grew ill and she let out another banshee-like scream.

“She’s in there, giving birth to my first child, and I’m out here doing nothing!” The pegasus flew up in the air. “It makes me want to…” he began, then cut himself off as he hurtled rapidly back towards the ground, landing with a thunderous stomp.

“Night Sky, please,” the earth pony said, putting a friendly hoof over his friend’s shoulder. “My wife and your sister will take good care of her.” Quickdraw smiled. “She’ll be fine, I promise,” he said, trying his best to calm his friend down.

Slowly, Night Sky’s disgruntled face melted away. He sighed heavily. “You’re right Quickdraw,” he smiled back at his friend. “You’re always right.”

Another scream came from within the shack, setting Night Sky back into a state of anxiety.

His smiled quickly faded. “You know, you didn’t have to help us. Most ponies would have just spit on us or shunned us for our actions.”

“These are dark times we live in, friend,” said Quickdraw, his voice growing quiet and angry. “Why are some ponies so foolish? Aren’t we all just ponies where it matters? Four hooves, bushy tails? Why does it matter if somepony can cast magic or if another can fly?” He started to tear up. He always got emotional when he thought of the stupid racial laws that haunted the three pony tribes. “Why can’t we just live in peace and harmony?” He turned to Night Sky. “Is that so much for a pony to ask?”

“Never, my friend,” he said, cringing as another scream was emitted from the shack. “But I worry for my wife.” He looked to the shack. “She can’t live with me in the clouds, and we have no home that is earth bound….” His voice trailed off. “We need to find a home soon, lest we be food for timber wolves.”

A howl echoed through the forest, a cold shiver crawling up both of their spines as the thought of those evil wooded demons entered their minds.

Quickdraw shook his head. “I won’t have that!” he said. “You and your wife are more than welcome to live with us!” He looked at the shack. “My home is small now, but we could make it bigger, and we would never let another pony find out about your marriage.”

Night Sky wasn’t quite sure. “No pony would find out about us?” he asked.

“Never,” reassured Quickdraw. “We live miles away from anypony. You’d be completely safe.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want to impose…”

“You will stay with us,” Quickdraw said rather seriously. “It’s not up for debate.”

Night Sky knew that this pony was famous for his stubbornness. “Very well, but I insist I work to pay you.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, my friend.” Quickdraw lifted up a hoof. Night Sky immediately tapped it, sealing their agreement. His voice lightened back up. “I already have a list a mile long for you to do after this.”

Suddenly the door of the shack creaked open, the white earth pony stood in the doorframe. Her front hooves were covered in blood and other nasty fluids, her yellow mane glued to her face with sweat. She was wiping her hair out of her eyes as she smiled at the blue pegasus.

“Would you like to meet your son?” she asked.

Night Sky didn’t respond. He immediately pushed her aside as he passed into the small shack. “Solar Rise.” He looked at the mare lying in the bed, a rolled up bundle of rags in her hooves.

The purple unicorn slowly shifted the roll of rags, revealing a small face of a foal. The foal’s coat was a cloud white with a deep red mane and gentle yellow eyes that glowed like the sun. Hidden under his messy red mane stuck out a little white horn. Night Sky couldn’t have been happier.

“It’s a boy!” said Night Sky proudly. “And a unicorn, just like his mother.”

“Actually…” Solar Rise smiled as she slowly began to un-wrap the little foal. Slowly, she slid the blanket down the sides of the little colt, revealing two little feathery buds on his back.

“He’s… He’s a pegasus too?” Night Sky wondered. “How is that even possible?”

Quickdraw entered the room. “Is everything okay in here?” he asked.

“Quickdraw! My friend!” Night Sky said excitedly. “You won’t believe what has happened. My son has-“

“Both a unicorn’s horn and pegasus wings” he finished. “My wife told me everything.”

The white earth pony walked to Quickdraw’s side. “It’s just incredible; I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Solar Rise wrapped up her newborn foal. “It does not matter what he is,” she said sweetly. “He’s perfect in every way imaginable.”

“Yes he is,” said Night Sky, looking at his recent addition to the world. “Absolutely perfect.”

Quickdraw let out a yawn. “It must be getting late.” He looked towards his wife. “Shall we leave these two alone? I’m sure that they would appreciate some alone time.” His wife nodded as she and Quickdraw walked into the other room, leaving Night Sky and Solar Rise alone.

Solar Rise shuffled sideways in the bed to make room for Night Sky, who climbed in next to her. The two of them laid in the silence, admiring their newborn child, gently humming him lullabies, and slowly rocking him to sleep. After what seemed like hours, Solar Rise slowly drifted off to sleep. Night Sky carefully took the foal from his wife so she could rest. After all, it had been an exhausting day.

Night Sky laid next to his wife, staring at his sleeping son. What was he? Never in history had a pony been born with both the wings of a pegasus and the horn of a unicorn. He wondered how he would fit into society. Would he be loved by all, a symbol to show that we are all ponies, regardless of what you look like? Or would he be hated, considered a freak of nature? Hated by unicorns for his wings, by pegasus for his horn, and earth ponies by both.

He looked at the child. It was a shame that something so beautiful would be forced to live in a world that lacked love and tolerance.

Night Sky felt his eyes beginning to grow heavy, as he stretched out his wings and wrapped them around Solar Rise, placing the baby foal between them. With a final yawn, he slowly drifted off to sleep.

*****

Sleep was short lived. There was a loud knock.

Night Sky shot up from the bed, his ears turning to the door. “Solar” he whispered. “Did you hear that?”

Solar Rise ignored her husband, turning away from him in her sleepy state. “It’s probably just the wind,” she mumbled. “Go back to sleep.”

There was another knock, Solar Rise heard it that time. Her eyes widened and dilated. She grabbed her baby son, who was still sound asleep, and pressed him protectively towards her chest. “Do you think…” She looked at her husband with fear. “Do you think they found us?”

Night Sky tried not to panic, but his worries were written all over his face. He slowly got out of bed and approached the door. He was stopped by Quickdraw.

“Are you crazy?” he whispered urgently. Quickdraw had quietly entered the room, giving Night Sky a motion to move away from the door. Night obeyed as Quickdraw slowly creaked the door open a little. “Hello?” he said tiredly. “Who is it?”

The earth pony was engulfed in a yellow aura, which lifted him in the air as he panicked, trying desperately to reunite with the ground. Night Sky and Solar Rise watched in horror as Quickdraw flailed helplessly in the air. The door started to glow yellow as it magically opened.

A dark figure moved into the shack, a playful jingle ringing every time he took a step. He wore a tall pointed hat and a long slender cape. Both were a dark blue and were rimmed with many golden bells. Under his hat stuck out a long and pointy horn, and an even longer silver beard. The stranger lifted up his head, showing his aged yellow eyes and a wrinkly smile. “Easy, my friends. I come in peace.”

Solar Rise instantly knew who this mysterious unicorn was. “Starswirl the Bearded!” she exclaimed loudly.

The elderly unicorn gave a little chuckle. “Yes my child, it is I.” His voice was old and frail, yet held wisdom with each word. “I am looking for the ones called Night Sky and Solar Rise.”

Slowly, all focus came to the two ponies by the bed. Starswirl’s horn began to glow as his hat and cape were levitated off his body, folded up neatly, and placed carefully on the ground.

“I see,” he said, slowly approaching the purple unicorn. “Is that the child?” She nodded quickly. He walked up right next to her, looking at the sleeping little foal. “The child…he was born with both a horn and wings, correct?”

Night Sky was shocked. “How… How did you know?” he asked.

The old unicorn’s smile began to drop. “Because it is the reason I’m here,” he said. “Your son is the first of three alicorns to be born this night.”

Quickdraw turned his head slightly. “An ali-what?”

“Alicorn,” Starswirl began, “are a special breed of pony. They possess the magic and intellect of unicorns, the speed and flight of a pegasus, and the strength and stamina of the earth ponies.” He looked back at the foal. “This child, along with the other two, will be rulers of the new world.”

The news hit the couple like a hurricane. “Ruler? Our child? But how?” they both stammered.

“Wait you said three,” pointed out Quickdraw. “They only have the one.”

“The others have yet to be born yet, earth-clan,” stated Starswirl.

Solar Rise let out a forceful cough. “Not to interrupt, but what’s this about my son being ruler of the new world?”

“Ah yes,” the wizard said, giving a small chuckle. “My mind wanders with age. Your son, along with two others of female sex shall rule a world where ponies are united in peace and harmony.”

Quickdraw eyes grew with delight. “All ponies untied! That’s wonderful!” He looked toward his friends. “Your son will rule a world of untied ponies.”

“Yes,” said Starswirl, his voice growing darker, “but at a terrible cost.”

“What?” asked the three ponies in unison.

Starswirl sighed. “They will unite the races…but one of them will suffer a great loss, and will succumb to darkness, threatening the peace of this future rule.”

There was a deafening silence in the room. The two new parents looked at their child. Could they be looking down at the future destroyer of the world? Surely it had to be one of the others. Night Sky broke the silence.

“Do… Do you know which one?” he asked, hoping he wouldn’t say it would be theirs.

The old pony shook his head. “I do not know which one will bring the end. I only know that it is necessary for all three to live. For you see, without these foals, we have no hope in ever bringing peace to this land.”

Solar Rise started to tear up. “My son could destroy the world!” she cried. “He’s going to destroy the world!”

Night Sky tried to calm her down. “Solar, please calm down!” He grabbed her by the shoulder. “We don’t know that! Right Starswirl?” He looked optimistically at the wizard.

Surprisingly, the aged pony smiled. “Actually, yes, there is hope.”

“There is?” asked Quickdraw.

“Yes…in my vision, I saw a champion rise from the downtrodden, a dragon will be our savior and vanquish the evil that th-”

“A DRAGON?!” the three yelled in unison.

“Whoa there wizard,” said Quickdraw. “A dragon will be our savior? Dragons are just a bunch of greedy monsters.”

“I agree,” mumbled Night Sky. “The only reason we haven’t gone to war with them is because of that stupid peace treaty.”

The wizard pony sighed. “Yes, I am aware of the treaty we have with the dragons, but is it real-“

“And, are you aware that they take our colts to be slaves and our mares to be whores?” screamed Quickdraw angrily.

“Yes I am awar-“

“And that they sometimes have a pony wed a dragon! The very idea is just revolting!” The brown pony spat on the floor. “Were you aware of that, old wizard!? Were you!?”

“SILENCE,” Starswirl bellowed, his voice hollow with anger. “I know what the treaty is. I was there, after all.” He looked down to the ground, remembering that fateful day. “But it is unimportant what it is now. Rather, what it is to be.” He looked to Quickdraw. “Why so much anger toward dragons?”

“What’s to not hate?” he asked. “They’re greedy, vile, violent, disgusting overgrown lizards!”

Starswirl stared deeply into the pony’s eyes. “Regardless, it has been seen, and so it will be.” He turned towards Night Sky and Solar Rise. “This evil, which may or may not be your son, will not happen for thousands of years.”

“Thousands?” asked Solar Rise. “But surely he won’t live that long. Nopony can.”

“Exactly,” stated the wizard. “Which is another reason I’m here.” He looked at the foal, still sleeping in Solar Rise’s hooves. “I am going to make your son immortal.”

Those last two words shot through Night Sky like an arrow. “W-what?”

“I will make each of the alicorns immortal, to ensure they will live to see peace.”

Quickdraw shook his head. “But you said that one of these foals would threaten the peace! Why allow them to live that long? You’re only dooming the future!”

“It is an unfortunate, but necessary sacrifice,” the wizard sighed. He looked into the eyes of each pony. They may not have liked the idea, but deep in their hearts they knew it was the only way to achieve peace among the ponies. Slowly, Night Sky nodded his head in approval, as Starswirl approached his child.

Starswirls’s magnificently long horn began to glow with a strong yellow aura, his eyes completely void of color. He started to mutter a strange chant, old and ancient words that were far beyond comprehension of the other ponies. Slowly, the little foal began to glow with yellow energy.

There was a binding flash of light, then abruptly, nothing.

“It is done,” said an exhausted Starswirl. “He will live to see, or to become, a great evil. I do not know when, but when he is or is faced with it, a dragon of peaceful nature will rise to defend our lands, to be our champion.”

Quickdraw looked to his hooves. “So that’s it then?” he asked.

“Yes,” said the wizard. “Our part in this play is nearly complete.” He turned towards the door of the shack. “I must go now. I have so much to do…and little time to do it.”

“Wait!” shouted Night Sky. “Is there nothing else we can do?”

Starswirl smiled, bringing with them a sense of warmth. “You’d be surprised in where one can find power,” he said. “One can find it in the smallest and strangest of places. Like in friendship.”

“What?” asked a confused Solar Rise.

Starswirl placed his hat back on his head and re-equipped his cape. “Now if you’ll excuse me I have seen a vision of my future student and I must prepare for her. After all, 45 years to prepare is not that much.” He looked back at the three ponies. “Goodbye ponies, and remember to always love and tolerate,” he said before disappearing in a flash of yellow energy.

Quickdraw walked up to his friend. “What do you think he meant by that?” he asked.

Nightsky just lifted his shoulders with no real answer. “Friendship is magic?”

“I don’t know what he meant,” said Solar rise softly. “All I know is that our son will be a bringer of peace among the ponies. If he is the bringer of doom, then I hope this dragon will help our child find that peace again.”

The three ponies all leaned in close to the foal, wondering if it could be him that would try to bring the end of the world, and who would this dragon be?

This dragon that would be the only hope in stopping the evil that is to come.