//------------------------------// // Familiar (Peewee) // Story: Aftermath of a Fallen Star // by Rated Ponystar //------------------------------// Aftermath of A Fallen Star By Rated Ponystar Edited by The Unnamed Pawn and Commander X5 Pre-Read by: Magic Man Familiar (Peewee’s POV) *** He was hurting. My bonder was hurting and I didn’t know why. Once again, I sung the Song of Sorrows while observing the sinking sun. The Song of Sorrows was among the songs we phoenixes never liked to sing, but had to when the situation called for it. Despite being seen as the creatures of hope and joy in the world, we are not immune to the opposites. We sing this song when we, or someone close to us, is hurting to the point where we can feel the pain in their souls. My bonder, Spike, was crying out of his soul and I didn’t know why. I can feel him miles and miles away from here, with each feather on my body urging me to go after him. But I cannot. My parents won’t let me. They say I’m too young to be with him yet, that I must learn more. They don’t understand. They are not bonded. They aren’t familiars. I know what I am, and I have known it ever since I first gazed eyes on Spike when I hatched. For many weeks, he was my father, my brother, my friend, and the one who I loved more than anypony else. His friends adored me. The elder phoenix I once had pleasure to meet, Philomena, was kind to me. But then I was brought back home. Although I was overjoyed to see my parents and siblings, I couldn’t help but feel this was wrong. I should be with my bonder, yet he told me to stay so I could learn to become a real phoenix. I obeyed. I learned songs, I learned about the rebirthing process, and I learned about the history of our kind. And yet everyday my thoughts turned back to my bonder. I could feel every moment he was happy, sad, angry, or in distress. I explained the situation to my parents, and they told me I was a familiar. I was Spike’s familiar. It brought me such joy and pride, but an even bigger desire to find him. Yet I was prevented again by my parents. They were proud that I was a familiar, but I had to learn to control our bond despite my young age. Our bond was young, but I learned to control it for the most part. To the point where it didn’t bother me. And then it came. A sadness so great that I couldn’t stop crying and soon I sung the Song of Mourning during the day and night because I knew, deep in my heart, someone had died. At first I thought my bonder was the one, but if that was true, I would have died as well. That was the curse part of being an animal familiar. Your life force is tied to your bonder. Thankfully, my bonder wasn’t dead, but he wished he was. He was in such pain that I couldn’t eat or sleep for days. All I could do was sing and cry. Time passed and I eventually stopped singing the Song of Mourning and instead sung the Song of Sorrow. I have sung it for days, and each time I felt my bonder needing me more than ever. I turn to the tree where my nest is, where my siblings are sleeping while our parents hunt for dinner. I knew that I couldn't stay here. I had to leave. And yet I felt no regret doing this. They were my family, but Spike was the most important one in my life. It was hard to explain, and maybe it cannot be explained. Our destinies were intertwined and he needed me. He was alone and he needed me. I quietly sung the Song of Farewells for my family before flying in the direction the bond was telling me to go. *** For days I flew, with very little rest and eating very little. It wasn’t good for my health, and I was too young to have my rebirthing abilities kick in. I did what I could to keep myself healthy, but my focus on the bond between me and Spike was always placed first. I soon found myself heading towards Ponyville, but then I reversed and made my way towards another town. And then another. My bonder was fleeing his nest and I don’t know why. Eventually, I grew closer to the point where he was only two hours away. But exhaustion that day came over me and I had to stop at a tree for sleep. I never felt more tired in all my life. My wings felt like they were ready to come off and I my stomach was killing me or I had skipped breakfast that day. I had to hunt, but I had no energy to do so. My father always did say I was always too narrow minded to think long term goals. I closed my eyes and did my best not to shed a tear. My family must have been worried for me, maybe even cursing my bonder for driving me to do this. While I felt guilty for leaving them, I knew I had to do this with no regrets. If I ever meet them again, hopefully they would understand. I love Spike. Ever since he first hatched me, I knew we were special. While I sat there, moping over my predicament, I heard a song. A phoenix song. One that I never heard of before. I looked up into the sky and saw the elder phoenix, Philomena, flying towards my tree. I thought at first she was going to scold me and send me home, but my eyes widen when I saw she was carrying a basket of fruits, bread, and worms. I should have bowed to her and exchanged a Song of Greetings, especially to an elder like her. But to my embarrassment, I dived for the food and began to dig in. If I could sing the Song of Celebration, I would have, but my cheeks were full. Philomena just stood there, watching me with a neutral expression. When I was halfway done with the basket, I finally stepped back and blushed upon realizing I was being rude to an elder, especially one who was the pet of a princess. Before I could greet her, she raised her wing. “Do not bother. I do not have much time, and neither do you.” “Why are you here, Elder One?” I asked, with a bit of timidness in my voice. I couldn’t help but feel she was staring into my very soul. “I sensed you as you crossed past Ponyville where I was waiting for you. I knew you would go find Spike sooner or later.” “Are you here to take me home?” “I am here to help you achieve your destiny,” she replied. I blinked before cocking my head to the side. “Destiny?” Philomena nodded and turned towards the fallen sun. “How much have your parents told you about the deer?” “The deer are one of the most ancient races in the world. They hide in the distant Great Sambur Forest across the seas and past the griffins mountains. It is said to be a holy land where they can see into the stars and read the future,” I receded from my many lessons. My eyes widen. “You have visited them? They never call for anyone unless they request it.” “I was friends with them a long time ago. I sensed I was needed to listen to something important, and they have told me what I must tell you.” “Have they... have they seen my destiny?” “Not yours, but Spike’s,” answered Philomena before sighing. “Princess Twilight, Spike’s mother, is dead. Murdered months ago. May her soul sing the Song of Eternity forevermore.” I couldn’t help but gasp. Now the pain made sense, and I soon shed tears for Twilight before singing the Song of Mourning. Philomena joined me as our song resonated throughout the area, where the little creatures all stopped and one by one shed tears. Twilight had been so kind to me, as was her pet Owlicious who took me as a student to teach me to fly. My soul wept for her death, for Spike, for Owlicious, for all who loved her. “May her soul sing the Song of Eternity forevermore.” I wipe the last of my tears before I turned towards the direction the bond was going to take me next. “I have to find him. I must find Spike. He needs me.” “I know. It is best that you do. He is in pain, troubled, lost and needs someone to take care of him. He has pushed away all his friends and remaining family because he cannot face the world without his mother, but you must be there to guide him down a path that will not result in his self destruction. He is too valuable for the future,” said Philomena. “What have the deer seen in the stars?” I asked with my fullest attention. “Twilight Sparkle was to bring a golden age of change for the world, but that destiny has been destroyed the moment her star fell. Now the future is once again clouded with uncertainty, but the deer feel a catastrophe is coming. They...” She gulped. “They found a black star.” “A black star? Is such a thing possible?” I asked for I had never heard of such a thing in the lessons I had with mother about astrology. How could a star be black?” “It is rare, but it is only ever seen for one who is born into this world brings with them a dark fate. All of the worlds greatest monsters were born from these stars, and it is growing larger with each passing day. The deer feel this soul born under this star will bring the Songs of Death and War, ruin shall come to the world if he or she is not stopped. We will be back in the Dark Ages.” I doubt any Song of Joy could cure me of the coldness I was feeling inside. Was such a thing possible? Such a soul could bring this much destruction. How was it tied to Spike and me? “Can... can this soul be stopped?” “Yes, this dark destiny can be avoided. There is hope for no destiny is ever set in stone,” answered Philomena. “There are stars that block the black star’s growth. Stars that will be instrumental to its defeat if they can unite. Spike’s star is one of them. He is one of the keys to defeating this evil that we face in the future.” She walked over to me and put her wings on my shoulder. “As his familiar, you must protect him. You must help him heal his soul. You must make him strong for when the time comes for him to face destiny, the choice will ultimately be his to face it or not. If he does not choose to face it, I fear hope is lost.” “Is he that important?” I asked. “He is not the most important one, but he is a key player in the fight against the dark years to come.” I closed my eyes, trying to process this all. All I wanted to do was to find Spike and help him, now it seems that I had to protect him and ready him for the destiny he was to play. Still, I would do this. I would help my friend. I will make him stronger and help carry his sorrow. I will be there for him until the day I died. “I swear it upon all the Songs our ancestors have sung since the Song of Creation was spoken and we were all given life into this world,” I vowed. Philomena looked at me and nodded. “Good, now I must be off. My owner asked me to help find Spike ever since he ran away, but I must now have to lie to her. A feat I am not looking forward to.” She started to spread her wings, but before she did, I cried out, “Wait! Does this soul under a black star have a name?” Philomena paused and was silent before turning around an answering. “The deer would not tell me. Only to beware of the one whose name goes with royalty.” And with that said, she took off. *** By the time night came, I had finally found him. My bonder. He was all alone by a fire he made, holding his knees close to his chest. Without a word I swooped in and nuzzled him. He jumped upon contact and gasped upon seeing me. Taking me into his claws, he looked at me and asked. “Peewee? Why are you here? How did you find me?” I didn’t reply, I just went back to nuzzling him. I needed to let him know I was here for him. That I would always be there for him. We were bonded by the threads of fate. His life was my life. His struggles were my struggles. His pain was my pain. Our destinies were tied to each other and I will be there for him until the end. I then started to sing. I didn’t know what song it was, but it made him hold me closer to his heart. He didn’t say anything, but I could feel his gratitude for me being there. Now that I was this close to him I could feel all the emptiness in his heart. I had a lot to do to heal him. But for now, being with him and singing to him was enough. *** The Guiding Flame stood by the Noble Dragon Wanderer as they left home Across the seas they traveled into dragon lands And there they would follow their own path together With destiny watching out for them as disaster slowly grew over the years