//------------------------------//
// 00: Prologue 
// Story: Every Rose has its Thorns 
// by InkyPhysco 
//------------------------------//

	"Mommy! Mommy!" squeaked a tiny white earth pony foal, who stood in a pitch black door way, "Can we hear a story?" On her back rested a fish like doll, almost like a koi fish doll. 

A winged mare shot upright from her pillow, her baggy eyes wide open. Her daughter clearly had scared her. "K, honey, why are you still up?" she yawned, scratching her head, which ratted up her mane even more that it was already, "It's late, go back to bed..." She clutched the blankets nervously, wondering if she was dreaming. The mare then realized the child was real and slumped a bit, loosening her muscles and slowing her heart; which had leapt with full force when 'K' scared her.

The filly eagerly begged, "But Mooooom, it's hard to sleep without you telling us a story!" She tried desperately to drag her mother out of the bed. 'K', as the filly was nicknamed, resorted to the infamous puppy eyes. She widened her sleepy eyes and tried to make them as big as possible, then, she pulled a pitiful pout. Unfortunately for her, it was too dark for her mother to see. 

Ithaca groaned at her daughter, knowing what she was doing with her 'Strange Mommy Magic' as her foals described it, then said, "Did An want a story too?" She smiled sleepily after seeing 'K' nodd ecstatically. "Alright then," Ithaca yawned, hopping off her bed and fixing the blankets and pillows, "Let's go back upstairs."

Both of the ponies made their way to the steps or the staircase, 'K' clearly faster than her mother. Ithaca switched off several lights ignited by 'K' before heading to her daughters' bedrooms. The filly clambered up the steps, one at a time, only for her mother to pick her up and carry her the rest of the way. When they made it to the top, Ithaca set her child down and walked down the hall, towards a sticker-decorated door. She drearily shoved dolls and action figures to the edge, and out of her walk way. She then followed 'K' to the girls' bedroom. The creaking of the door opening awoke a pale yellow longma inside, who then smiled at the shadow of her kin. 'K' raced to the edge of her bed, and leapt with full force on to the mattress, enticing a loud 'thump'. Ithaca trudged over to the corner, where an old looking rocking chair accumulated dusk. She dragged it over to the gap between her daughter's beds.

"K, don't do that again," Ithaca said, switching on the lamp, "You could wake your brother or your father."

"Alright Mommy," 'K' giggled.

"Now, let's see, both of you wanted a story?" Ithaca leaned back into the chair, stretching her back limbs.

The fillies looked at each other and nodded in unison.

"Anyx made me come ask you," 'K' giggled, only for her sister to give her an endearing glare.

"I did not!" Anyx blurted.

"Stop it you two, you wanted a story, so I'll give you one, you goof balls. Hmm, let me think," Ithaca teased, "How about one about Daring Doo?"

Anyx nodded quickly, and looked over to her sister, who clearly disagreed. "We always hear about her, from snake traps, to a boulder chasing her in a skinny hallway. Please can we hear something else tonight, Mommy?" 'K' stated. Anyx once again shot her sister a glare, only for it to be deflected by a funny face, making both fillies giggle once again.

"Alright how about..." Ithaca thought for a moment, "How about... Uh.. How about one about ice creatures and how they affected the ponies?"

"Yeah!" Both fillies blurted in unison. They both squeezed their blankets jubilantly, and squirmed into a comfy position. 'K' cuddled her koi fish doll, while Anyx held onto her purple dragon doll. Their lamp reflected onto their mother's face, giving both of them an atmosphere of comfort. 

"Don't you need a book Momma?" Anyx asked curiously.

"No, this one's from memory, stories can do that sometimes, honey," Ithaca answered endearingly.

"That's weird," 'K' stated, followed by Anyx's nodding, "At least we get to hear a story though!"

"Alright you two, let's just start," Ithaca slumped in her chair a bit, then continued, "Back when Ponyville, Manehattan, or Cloudsdale never were created, the ponies had three tribes to define themselves. The Earth Pony tribe had Chancellor PuddingHead, and Smart Cookie to lead them, the Unicorns has Princess Platinum and Clover the Clever, and lastly, the Pegasi had Commander Hurricane and Private Pansy to lead them. The Earth ponies made the food for everypony, in payment for weather from the pegasi, and the moon and sun to be raised by the unicorns. But both the Unicorn and the pegasi demanded food from the Earth ponies. A large blizzard shortens the food supply, causing the leaders to hold a meeting to discuss what to do. During their meeting, the leaders argue, practically the whole time, not knowing of a grim presence feeding off of their hate. The Wendigo, who were spirit-like beings, caused the storm, and fed off the hate it caused. The leaders agreed to find new lands, and split. Little did they know, they all claimed the same land, and argue more. Them, they realized the blizzard had followed them to the new lands. After a few weeks, the leaders hide in a cave, due to the blizzard. Once again, they argue, causing the Wendigos to freeze them solid. The advisors remained unfrozen, and befriended each other. They produced the 'Fire of Friendship,' which melted the ice around their leaders, sending the wendigos away. The tribes realize their mistakes, and settle their differences, and live in harmony. The End."

Both fillies had fallen asleep. Ithaca smiled and pulled the blankets over the sleeping children and gently kissed their cheeks. She quietly dragged the chair back, and made her way to their door. She slowly closed the vibrantly decorated door and tip-toed into the hall and down the stairs, smiling gently the whole way. Once she made it to her room, Ithaca flopped onto the bed and pulled over the embroidered blanket. Her heavy eyelids drooped to a close, and the mare drifted away to sleep.