//------------------------------//
// Going Back 
// Story: Chained 
// by IwuvWoona 
//------------------------------//

"Ready to go to sleep, Curie?"

Curiosity curled herself into a ball in her little bed. "Yeah, mom. I'm fine."

The larger griffin's compassionate look faded into serious gaze. "Please, Curie. Promise we won't have a repeat of today. If you get into another fight, you'll be suspended."

The cub brushed the swelled purple flesh around her eye. It still hurt. "He was only a first grader, mom. That bully didn't have the right to take his money."

Her mother sighed. "I know, but it isn't right to provoke a fight. Especially when he was twice your size. You could have gotten real hurt. If you get into another situation like that, just get an adult. Okay?"

The cub looked away from her. "I could say okay, but I wouldn't be able to look you in the eye, mother. I'm sorry."

Curiosity had always said this about other things. Like choking down a proper dinner, or that she would fly "today, today". Like being a normal cub.

Her mother sighed and started towards the door. "Why can't you just act like a griffin?" the cub heard her mutter as the shut the door.

Curie grabbed her pillow from under her head, pressed into her beak, and screamed, hot tears spilling from her eyes. She slammed it back in place, careful not to tear it. "Why can't you just accept me?" she whispered to the empty room.




For the next hour, Curie waited silently. Not daring to move or make a noise. Barely blinking for fear that her eyes would shut. After an eternity, she heard another being walk up the stairs, followed by the 'click' of a door sliding into place. A few more moments, and Curie knew her mother had fallen asleep.

Carefully, she peeled the covers off of her tiny body, and slinked down to the floor. She crept towards her dresser, which was empty, all except for the bottom drawer. She opened it up, and glimmering in a lone sunbeam from her window, was an amulet. A round, faceted pyrope gem held into the frame with a gold chain and frame.

Removing the amulet from its place, Curie bolted to her closet and grabbed a small knapsack.

She quietly creaked her door open, her empty bag in her claw. She quietly slithered through the hallway and down the staircase. One step with a loose board underneath the carpeting creaked loudly beneath her. Curiosity froze, listening to her mother stir only slightly from behind her shut door. Sighing with relief, she continued on her way down.

She crawled into the house's kitchen. Acting quickly and soundless, she stole away three dragon-fruits, a persimmon, and a bottle of water. As well as a canteen for herself, a pomegranate, and a flashlight. All supplies were quickly stuffed into her bag. She fled back up into her room with the filled knapsack, and donned her amulet.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She was more than nervous, but at the same time, excited. Hungry for a new adventure.

She read the back of the amulet before clutching it to her chest. "From one to another..." Cold winds wrapped around her, and the bedroom scene began to fade.

"Another to one..."

She felt weightless, and to breathe was to struggle. She was in a void of blackness and silence.

"A mark of one's destiny-" 

She shuddered, tears spilling from her eyes. The winds tore and whipped at her, but the light of the sun began to shine.

"Singled out alone, fulfilled."

Just as suddenly as they arrived, the winds dispersed. For a split second, Curiosity swore she'd bake under the arid sun.

And then she fell. Again.

Well, what would you expect? There was a giant hole in the floor of the throne room, where Celestia said the amulet would take her. 

Anyway, Curiosity slammed into the ground of the dark, damp dungeon. Again.

Somehow, she managed to grab her bag of food just before it splattered onto the ground.

Flicking on her light, Curie realized that she'd landed just outside of Celestia's cell. She shone the light her way and squeezed through the gap between the bars. She aimed her light at the bedraggled mare, who'd renounced her shock for delight at the realization that her promise was kept. But glittering eyes switched swiftly into sadness.

The cub set her items down before running up and hugging Celestia's neck. "I'm so sorry, Curiosity. I didn't account the fall. I'm so sorry it hurt you."

"What?" No broken bones, no real bad bruising. Just her eye. "Oh, no. No, no, no. The eye thing...well. I'm not exactly the squeaky clean cub I know you want to believe I am." She guiltily turned her head away. "I...uh...I got into a fight at my school. But let me just say that it was in defense of another student!"

The filthy mare sighed, but smiled. "Lunch money issues?"

"Exactly. How would you know?"

"Equestria had a lot of little issues. A lot of them, your empire still has today. A fight..." Celestia shut her eyes, and a tear cut through the copious filth on her muzzle. "A fight was how the captain got his cutiemark. He was a remarkable thing. His sister was...remarkable."

Curiosity removed the water bottle. "Thirsty?"

Tia's dry tongue swept over her lips, "Very much so."

As she did the week before, she opened the bottle and held it for her friend to drink. The mare sighed and smiled as the cool liquid filled her. Her appetite awakened, and her stomach groaned loudly. Her gray face turned pink, and Curiosity giggled.

The cub nabbed the dragon fruit, and with strenuous effort, messily broke each one in half and presented the soft fruit to her friend. Who gratefully nibbled away at it.

"So long without food must build quite an appetite."

Celestia laughed with the cub, devouring the fruit like Twilight at a fast-food joint. Happy tears spilled from her eyes, and Curie watched her bony frame fill out just a slight bit. The fruits were gone within a span of four minutes, and Curiosity halved and gave the persimmon to her. This time, the trapped mare cherished every bite.

Curie also took her apple and munched on it.  "Who wash hish shishter?" she asked, mouth full of the fruit.

"Don't talk with your mouth open, it isn't the most polite," despite the motherly wording, her tone made it obvious she was teasing.

Swallowing her food, Curie pointed out just how sloppy the mare was eating, and they both snickered.

"I said, who was his sister?"

Celestia shrunk, which almost seemed impossible. "A beautiful, kind, and powerful unicorn. I consider, considered, her more of a daughter than a student. Is it story time again?"

Curie squeaked and plopped herself down in front of the mare, excitement welling up in her tiny body, eager for another tale. "YES! Sorry, yes...please?"

Celestia smiled, but mournful tears spilled from her eyes. Her horn glittered with light, but not the white glow that lit up the cell so many days ago. Instead, a pink, six-pointed star danced above her magical appendage. Curie stared at it in awe, her mind screaming for more, but her mouth unable to speak.

Then the illusion shone.