//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: Making Ends Meet // by TheYetiNinja //------------------------------// Making Ends Meet By TheYetiNinja Prologue The warm and calm winds blew through the thick layer of leaves, the dense trees blocking all light that trespassed, leaving the ground as dark as a mares pupil. Summer had a late arrival but was finally here. Sounds of birds could be heard from above, chirping as if to mock all animals that were forced to stay at ground level, hidden from the tree's protective barrier. Beyond the deep array of trees lay an anomaly, a small patch uncovered by the leaves, light shone through the patch as bright as a clear summers day. Below this spot was a small garden. Thick wooden fences surrounded the garden to prevent any grounded, curious creatures from touching the purple and blue flowers that populated the garden with its natural colors. A small gate lay side by side with the fences, cooperating to stop all passers except those who could operate his latch. The flowered garden stood there, isolated from the mysterious forest. From the forest, footsteps started emanating from the darkness. A small yellow hoof could be seen slowly pacing its way towards the garden. Emerging from the gloomy forest was a yellow pegasus holding a light, wooden basket in her mouth. She approached the gate cautiously as the thick grass below her crunched under the weight of her hoof. Reaching out her hoof to open the gate, she glanced behind with the basket swinging in motion with her head, checking to make sure she hadn’t been followed. When all was clear, she entered the garden and closed the gate behind her, the sound of the closing gate echoed through the forest disrupting its peaceful and mysterious nature. Fluttershy diligently placed the basket onto the soft and moist garden floor, only to be shocked by the state of the flowers as she hoisted her head up in surprise. Their colors, although bright, were dull. The flowers were sagging and the petals were turning brown. Fluttershy hastily opened the basket; inside it was a small sleeping bunny. “Angel wake up!” Fluttershy whispered loudly, she was known for her tender voice and her talent for speaking with animals. The bunny started stretching its arms and legs, shortly after giving a huge yawn. He got up and hopped gracefully onto the cozy grass. The white bunny’s ears rose up alarmingly when he looked at the flowers noticing the rotten state they were in. “Oh Angel, this is terrible. The flowers, they’re not going to make it!” She gasped loudly “If they don-… if t-they…” Fluttershy found it difficult to string letters together at the realization of the danger she was in. Angel started into her eyes looking worried as well. “If I can’t pick them, then I won’t make any money. And if I don’t make any money, whose going to feed all my animals.” Fluttershy took a deep gulp “What will he do? Oh dear! He won’t be happy. What should I do Angel?” The bunny merely gave Fluttershy a disappointing shrug at the pony's immediate reaction to the situation. He hopped to where the dying flowers lay; the flowers were helplessly waiting for time to pass by until fate finally took their toll. He sniffed the flowers only to find the scent of decaying plants. Usually, the smell of a strong, sweet and natural scent would infiltrate his nose, making him feel slightly dizzy from the strength of the flowers petals. Angel looked at Fluttershy with despair, in hope that one of them could devise a plan to untangle her situation. “He wants to see me tonight. And the winter has made my flowers looking just awful. I don’t think I can go to him tonight. What if he never pays me again? What if I have to leave my animals, my home? Where would I go? I won’t be able to see all my friends, my pets, my -” Fluttershy was now petrified at the thought of what will happen when she meets this mysterious stallion. She gulped again; her hooves were trembling in fear, her body shaking from the shock and her furry coat standing on ends. Angel prudently approached Fluttershy in an attempt to comfort the yellow pegasus. Fluttershy stared down at the little pet and Angel gave her an approving nod. His level of communication was difficult for most ponies to understand, but for Fluttershy it was no problem. Fluttershy gave a quick sniff. “You're right Angel. I should go see him tonight. Even if it mean he'll be mad at me, I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave a poor pony alone in the darkness. It can be very scary.” Angel nodded again and promptly hopped back into his basket, indicating that he wanted to leave. Fluttershy stretched a smile at the bunny before closing the lid to the empty basket. Fluttershy crouched her head to pick up the basket and began walking towards the gate, opening the lock and closing it once exiting the garden. The yellow pegasus began her journey once more into the mysterious Everfree forest and back into the sweet comforts of her home. It was dark; all ponies had taken their toll for the day falling into their deep sleep. All ponies; except Fluttershy. Ponyville was usually such a busy place, even with their small community, but the night was different. All there was to see were empty market stands and dark houses. The moon was bright, weakly illuminating the path ahead of Fluttershy as she nervously trotted down the grassy tracks of Ponyville. All of Ponyville's houses were locked tight, no candles could be seen lit from within its houses. Sounds of crickets could be heard from all directions, the occasional owl sounds would also blend in with the harmony of the cricket’s chirping. The lonely pegasus continued walking down the dimly lit pathway, her eyes darting around Ponyville’s scenery, paranoid of her surroundings, anticipating the worst. Fluttershy stopped. Ahead of the pony, emerging from the darkness was a light brown stallion - an earth pony. His facial features could barely be seen from the blackness of the night, his eyes were completely camouflaged by the night shadows. Tall and well built with a seemingly dark colored, rough and shortly cut mane. Slowly and sturdily, he approached Fluttershy with a discomforting and sinister grin on his face. “Well, where is it?” The mysterious stallion questioned her hastily, wasting no moments. He clearly meant business and had no time for story telling. “Um…. Well I, um, couldn’t get any. I mean… the flowers. They were dying and I couldn't -” The yellow pegasus froze at the realization of the sudden angered expression in the brown pony’s face. “You said tonight and tonight is now! WHY HAVE MY -” He choked at the last word. Despite being somepony who doesn’t seem interested in listening to reason, he was still sensible enough not to raise his voice in the quiet night, in case he caught the attention of nearby neighbors. “Where are they then?” He demanded firmly, staring at Fluttershy with his blackened eyes. Fluttershy’s facial expression clearly displayed her fear. Her pink mane covering over one of her eyes while the other one gazed into his distressing expression. “They’re… they’re in the forest.” Fluttershy lowered her head hiding herself from the brown pony. “And? Are they gone?” He asked, bringing his head closer to the pegasus to better hear what she had to say. He was losing what little patience he initially had. “Yes… I mean, they are dying and um… I can’t cure them because, well, I don’t know how.” Fluttershy winced at the stallion's aggravated face. "I’m sorry.” She whispered, in a desperate attempt to lower his temper. “You pathetic pony! I can’t trust you with even the simplest of tasks!” The pony had eaten his last straw of patience. Fluttershy winced in fear again “oh… I’m so, so sorry. I could try cure the flowers… if you want me to, that is.” Her face melted in grief and suddenly stared at the brown pony whose anger was clearly about to be taken onto her. Lifting his leg, slowly, the brown pony gave an evil glare at Fluttershy one last time just before striking his hoof down onto Fluttershy’s tender cheeks. Fluttershy let out a quiet cry trying her very best to withstand the pain; but it was overwhelming, she cried in the intense throbbing pain, but tears wouldn’t arrive to comfort her face. She held a hoof to her face to tend to her fresh wound while kneeling down slightly on the other, showing mercy to the brown pony. “So? When will I get them?” Speaking loudly but intentionally avoiding unwanted attention. Ignoring her condition. Fluttershy’s mind raced as she began thinking of a rapid solution to the situation while trying to ignore the consuming pain. If only her friend Applejack could help her. Not only would she be able to stand up to the stallion, but also her excellent farming skills would have no problems curing the dying plants. That's when the idea hit her. “M-my friend Applejack could help m-me” The pain had caused her voice to distort from the sporadic breathing patterns. “If you just give us o-one week. P-please?” She begged the pony, her dignity completely out of the window. The brown pony huffed heavily still showing little care for his actions. “You have 3 days to save my plants! If you don’t come by Saturday at dusk, you can say goodbye to all your beloved friends - for good.” “Okay…” Fluttershy whispered, tears finally slowly dripping down her freshly bruised face. One of the tears reached her throbbing, and already swollen, bright red bruise. The tear reached the center of the wound, slowly turned red and then continued running down her face. Blood was seeping out of her left cheek. The brown pony turned around, showing no remorse of Fluttershy’s condition, and sturdily marched back into the darkness, disappearing from the scene. Fluttershy was left in the darkness, scared – hurt – her only way back home by hoof as it was too dark to fly safely. She fell to the floor tending to her ugly bruise, the pain still throbbing in her left cheek, blood still oozing out at a steady pace, tears still running down her face. She sniffed. Opening her mouth slowly and shakily she spoke in hopes that the mysterious pony would hear her. “I’m sorry…” Author's note: This is literally my third EVER creative story, I will be open to constructive criticisms, Also, if you find any grammar mistakes, tell me in the comments, or PM me and I will fix them. Thank you for taking your time to read my fic. I plan to finish this one, and make several more. Finally, this isn't really "dark", more of a light-dark.