Winter Aurora sighed as she sat down. Maybe, someday, a pony could look at her and not see the slightly-rotten body, the mangled face, or the empty eyes, but could look past all that to her soul. See that she wasn't as evil as everypony assumed. A tear dripped down her face, falling to the dirt in front of her hooves.
"I didn't ask for this..." Winter sobbed, raising her head. "Why?" she howled at the rising moon. "I didn't want any of this!"
Her hooves struck at the dirt. "It... It was just an accident!" she complained, her memories drifting off to the events of a few months ago.
A white filly with a light blue mane smiled at their mother. A party hat rested upon her head, and a cake sat in front of her.
"Happy birthday!" her mother said, smiling almost as wide as the filly. She held out a beautiful gold necklace, with a pendant featuring a phoenix carved into a well-cut ruby. "Blow out the candles!"
Winter blew as hard as she could on the six candles. It took a couple tries, but she managed to blow them all out. She hugged her mother after trying a slice.
"My favorite flavor! Thank you so much, this is the best birthday ever!"
Winter winced. She couldn't have been more wrong. A moment later, she heard hoof steps nearby. She ducked behind a tombstone and turned her head away, knowing it was only delaying the inevitable. The maze of graves she was hiding in was only so large, and as soon as the pony saw her face...
"Why is a little filly like you hanging out in a graveyard?" the stallion asked gently as he came up behind her, easily spotting her white form in the dark. "That's my job, I'm the local gravedigger. Are you all right?"
Winter could only choke back a sob and shake her head. The stallion responded by walking closer, and Winter flinched away, hiding her face.
"What's wrong?" the pony asked quietly. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you."
"Y-you will." Winter's protest was slightly muffled as she attempted to talk through her mane.
"Please, I don't want to hurt you." the stallion's voice ached with sympathy.
"Maybe you don't want to yet," the filly replied. "But you will."
"Just turn your head toward me. I promise you, I would never hurt anypony."
Winter swallowed, and her wings shifted. She turned his head to meet the pony, a hopeful expression on what was left of her face. Maybe- just maybe- this one was different? That hope fell when the pony's face turned from sympathetic, to shocked, to angered as he saw her smashed face and the ruby pendant around her neck.
"You're no pony! You're a Lich!" the pony spat. "Be gone, before I call the guards on you!"
Winter turned her head away quickly, and got to her hooves. In her experience, it was time to get away, before the pony tried to hurt her or brought other ponies to hurt her. She stumbled off as fast as she could with her filly-sized legs, hoping that the pony didn't try to follow her.
"And don't come back!" the pony hollered, and Winter gave another sob. It was always the same. Ponies cared so much when they thought she was just a normal filly, but the moment they learned she was a Lich... They turned on her. They always did. Even her own mother... It was all that dumb stick's fault! Winter sobbed once more as another old memory surfaced in her mind. Another memory of that day.
Winter smiled. She was having such an amazing birthday! Her friends were all there, mother gave her that beautiful necklace, and there was even a cake! Winter hummed a pleasant tune while as she entered the forest. While it could be dangerous, especially to fillies like herself, she had been taught from a young age how to get around safely and avoid all of its dangers. All ponies in the settlement she lived at needed to enter the forest sometimes, to get berries. They were really tasty! Winter saw a bush of particularly good berries in the distance, and gasped. She sprinted towards them, flapping her wings to gain speed. She may not be able to fly yet, but she could certainly use her wings to speed up. A moment later she was sent head-over-hooves as she tripped over a medium-sized stick with some markings on it.
"I wonder who made you, and why?" the filly asked no pony in particular as she studied the stick. It was obviously hoof-made, from the smooth finish and strange markings. She felt the markings with a hoof, and shivered. Somehow, it just felt... right.
Winter jerked back to the present as she saw a light in the distance. She sighed, almost beyond hoping at this point, but it was all she had left. She started off towards it, slowly but surely. Her body wouldn't heal like it used to, so she was very careful to avoid damaging it whenever possible. The heavy snowfall made it difficult to move quickly, but it cushioned the impacts of her hooves on the ground. She didn't feel the cold anymore, either. Not since her 'death'. The houses drew nearer, and Winter couldn't help but let her old hope rise up inside herself.
What if these ones were different? What if they understood her? What if... What if they let her be their friend?
She walked slowly and carefully, seeking out the graveyard. They always made her feel better, somehow. She could see the Crystal Empire only a few miles away, close enough that she could go there next... if they weren't going to run her out or kill her. Before she even got close to the graveyard, a mare screamed.
"M-monster! Help! Somepony, anypony!"
Winter flinched and continued to the graveyard, her head falling as she plodded on. There was less snow now, due to the warmth from the houses, so she could go a little faster. Already, the mob was starting to assemble, ready to chase her out. Winter ran behind a tombstone and closed her eyes tightly, summoning up the power inside her. A medium-sized stick appeared, carved with various runes. Winter levitated it in front of her, and used its power to amplify her voice.
"Stay back! I don't want to hurt you!"
Somepony screamed, and the advances stopped. Winter closed her eyes and cast another spell, creating a wall of ice between her and the mob. They could get through it if they really wanted, they had torches after all, but the very display of power scared them.
Winter gritted her teeth. This is it. That's the last time I try. I have finally lost all hope. Another spell was cast, and a dead pony began to rise from its grave. The villagers were shocked, and ran in fear. Soon Winter was all alone. Again. She closed the gate, and began casting spells to raise more of the dead. Now I'll do what lichees are supposed to do. I'll raise the dead, populate this graveyard...
She growled. "This isn't what I wanted!"
A large collection of ponies in various decomposed states stood before her, silent and unintelligent. She controlled their every action through her staff. She flapped her wings and flew in the air, scouting out the surrounding area. It would be nice to know when guards would come try to oust her.
"I never should have touched that stick," Winter sighed. "It ruined everything!"