Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
“Invictus”, William Ernest Henley
It was night, and the sky was a serene black, spotted with countless twinkling stars. Tonight was special, as all of Canterlot was awake in celebration over the Elements’ victory against Discord. Gatherings were held under neat pavilions, in the streets, in houses, and clubs and even the ivory white castle that towered over the rest of the city.
The news of their triumph spread like a wildfire. Bouts of sudden musical magic could be heard on every corner, along with cheering, singing and dancing. It was a drunk, patriotic euphoria, and the populace was in a cheerful mood. After all, they had once again defeated a great evil, hadn’t they? The one behind everything... The number one threat to their precious harmony, their boogeyman. Discord.
Anyway, with the god of chaos once more locked away in his prison of stone, one might hope for maybe another thousand years, a feeling I regret to say I was not entirely against at that time. Still, the crisis had been averted, and once again the masses felt safe, content that their maternal princesses would protect them from all that was to come, or so did these naive quadrupeds believe.
Oh, how wrong they were. If they only knew this was the beginning of my son’s deceitful scheming, not the end... But then again who am I to spoil this fun?
This time, it was up to them, for they were free. I suppose it was both ironic and beautiful in a way, that the greatest enemy to peace and harmony had given them true freedom through his misdeeds. For he had finally done the one thing that could make this world more than just simulation, one ruled by man with questionable sanity... In this, he had fulfilled his purpose.
Still, If they played their cards right, many could for once claim a destiny free of my meddling, or at least any future meddling, as still some of my plans were in motion. After all, my schemes would sometimes cover centuries. Either way, I certainly would not let this stand. That is if I had any say this debacle. But for now that surely was questionable, as... Well, see for yourself....
It must've been a few hours after sunset as a sole bright light began to shine dimly in the night sky. A falling star. But at that point few had noticed it.
Increasing in brightness it turned into more, splitting up and growing in size. No pony suspected the meaning behind this, not even the princess of the night herself, who was not partaking in the festivities anymore at this point, not being much of a mare of the common folks, but instead watched the stunning event from the heights of her study’s balcony, unsure what to make of this rogue child of hers. Still, she was awed by the sheer beauty of it. It was a spectrum of color, almost like a rainbow piercing the night sky.
Normally, it was the princess herself who would sacrifice one of her children to mark such an event of celebration. It was unheard of that one of them had a mind of its own. Where had it even come from? How did all of this relate to this day’s events? Everything, every tiny speckle of light in the sky, seemed to be in the right place. She would need to look into it when her sister’s sun once again graced the land with its rays, she decided. With Discord and the fallout of his wonky magic one couldn’t be too careful.
While this event may have confounded her, the ponies celebrating below had no knowledge of this and therefore they cheered when the falling star shattered and in its wake a dozen shiny pieces cascaded across the night sky. The fall of a star was a rare spectacle, and to the various people of the land it was always a sign of hope and good luck.
He must’ve had his hands in all of this. Of that she was sure. It had been far too easy to subdue Discord. It reminded her of the last time he had prepared them to face Discord, it all pointed to some kind of intervention. Her father wouldn’t allow that monster to roam free again, not after all he had done, after so many had suffered. Of course, her trust in him was shaken, but still she was his daughter and she loved him with all her heart.
Her father wouldn’t place the burden of overcoming it on the shoulders of his children alone, just as he hadn’t left her alone when it was her turn to be redeemed. That nopony had been hurt that night, while she as Nightmare Moon had roamed the realm, couldn’t be explained any other way. And only through this and the most curious intervention of the Elements had she been restored to what she once was without any major struggle. Had she gone on a killing spree... The princess of the night didn’t want to think of it and just shuddered.
His ways were mysterious, sometimes brutal, but never cruel. That Luna believed, but she was not entirely sure if her sister shared that view. If only she could talk to him, if only she could see him, thank him, scold him, and once again partake of his company. It had been far too long an absence…
She missed her dad.
I slowly returned to consciousness from what felt like a deep slumber. The faint echoes of a dream remained, as I felt the rough ground beneath me and a rock digging into my back, my body ached and my eyes were still closed. It must’ve been a wild night, I mused. I was disoriented and confused, slightly dizzy, groggy almost, as if I was recovering from a massive hangover. What had happened? The smell of burnt wood faintly drifted through the air. For a moment it was hard to even recall who I was... It took a couple of seconds until it all came back to me. Shuddering, I opened my eyes to face what had been forced upon me.
I heaved and picked myself up from the charred ground, one that distinctly looked like the crash site of a meteor. At this point I was quite aware of what must’ve caused this and I was stunned that I actually felt the consequences of my unwilling collision with the ground. In the process of analyzing my rather unfamiliar surroundings, the menacing darkness of a forest at night, I heard something... The implications were worrying.
I could hear a heartbeat loud and clearly... In confusion (or perhaps it was denial?) I slightly turned my head, trying to locate the sound’s source, but shortly after, glancing towards the darkness, I realized it was mine, my heart. Horrified, I wrapped my arms closely and protectively around my body, knowing full well it would offer no true respite, yet it still gave some comfort as asinine as that was. This once common sound, was one I didn’t want to be reminded of, that’s for sure. This signified one important fact...
I was no longer not of this world, a chessmaster, watcher, and a divine ruler. Now I was of flesh and blood once again. It felt real. Real, because for once I could feel the coldness of the night on my skin again, hear with my own ears the sounds of the animals — it was no longer a joke, a mere play unfolding before my eyes. I was not an all-encompassing concept anymore, rather, I was a physical being. And it felt as if these thousands of years never happened and I was once again just a young, afraid, very human adult, not an invincible god.
I was beyond terrified, and with this realization came panic. My breathing intensified, I felt sick and convoluted. It was as if I was drowning! I’m surprised that I never threw up, but I definitely came close to tarnishing my black sneakers on several occasions. I had been robbed of what I was!
I… am not sure of just how long I sat in the clearing, but it was still dark out, and the only other presence besides the sounds of the forest that greeted me was my daughter’s moonlight.
My eyes began to tear up. Unconsciously my hands gripped and pulled my smooth brown hair and I fell back to my knees. I didn’t want to believe it. It couldn’t be true! No! My fucking brat had broken me! I was overwhelmed, but with what? Hatred? Sadness? Fear? Betrayal? The lust for vengeance? Yes, all of them in fact, but among them surprisingly one other feeling emerged much more forceful in intensity: I was amused, as much as it scared me, a whispering voice in the back of my mind telling me I must’ve gone insane. And I smiled a wicked, crooked smile. A bitter expression. Defiance.
I had been dethroned, but I was not yet defeated. And I didn’t plan to allow it to happen. No. I felt exhilarated, challenged even. This had Discord’s signature all over it. What he pulled off here was brilliant, I had to give him that much. For it was through my own creations that he had me judged and sentenced to this punishment.
The Elements I created... most beautiful irony. I had been overconfident, arrogant even. I never would have believed what had come to pass to be possible. I suppose Discord and I we were more similar than I had thought; each with our own special brand of crazy. A crazy I could no longer afford to indulge.
I knew that it was not in his style to just kill me off. I couldn’t see him setting this up without giving me some kind of chance to win this gamble — and it was one huge gamble. He was predictable in his unpredictability. Controlled chaos, heh, how he would loathe hearing that... But I digress, as anything else would have been bad sportsmanship to him.
I was filled with grim determination for I knew that this senseless fretting would in no way improve my situation... to return to my plane I would have to face this world with all its trials and tribulations. Face my own fears and overcome them. I knew that I could succeed, this was nothing compared to the void in which I came to power.
At this point my panic had eased down to where my thoughts were more than just a haze. I took a couple of deep, slow breaths, and steadfastly I rose again. I had made a choice, the choice to reclaim what was mine and I would do so with every fiber of my being, even if it meant to risk my life... if that even was at risk. Something which I was curious about, and more than a little nervous of. Still, I felt oddly energized, giddy even.
Yet, it appeared this was just the calm before the storm, my euphoric state of mind was not meant to last, for in my peripheral vision I took notice of something so utterly trivial... it was nothing but a regular yellow flower, something akin to a poppy. Just looking at that plant, I was flooded with so many emotions.
I knew this flower could survive here so why did it bother me so? Was it how it stood there, mocking me with the life that shone out of its blossoms? No… well, maybe that was what made me feel emotionally and physically drained. That bright color... the form...
And then Furor.
Without any control I trampled that wicked thing until it was no longer there, until it was just some mush on the ground. Why..?
No, I’d rather not think about it, I decided. And looking back, it had to be due to my rather violated state that I reacted the way I did, didn’t it? Taking a deep breath I slowly exhaled, hoping I would remain calm this time around. Now….
Instead of brooding, I would focus on my physical health and the situation I was facing. Except the lingering tingling in my extremities, caused by my recent... tantrum, everything seemed to be in order. I was in no way injured and still looked not a day older than the twenty five year old self. At least judging by how much I could make out without a mirror in the moonlight — which honestly wasn’t all that much.
I was clad in my trademark Vest™ and a pair of plain blue jeans. A scarf clung tightly to my neck. Had it not been for the hot breath that left a foggy trail in the cold air, I couldn’t have made out a difference from my usual, godly appearance.
Which brought me to the first point on my agenda. What was I now? How much had my abilities suffered?
Was I still immortal?
Or better yet... had I ever been immortal if I was not now? If someone was capable of removing that trait from me, my immortality had been naught but an illusion. After all, if there is something that can kill you, even if it's under the most unlikely circumstances like your mismatched son, who happens to be the lord of chaos, turning your own weapons against you, then you are merely hard to kill but not truly immortal...
Besides, how would one know they are not immortal until something kills them off? By then it is far too late — obviously. In fact I didn’t know I wouldn’t die the last time I was close to death... Immortality is an absolute. In fact, that was a very calming thought in this moment.
But whatever. The point is I had to find out what exactly what I was capable of and what I wasn’t. I had to assess what I was given, so I could form a plan. That there were restrictions to my powers now, there was no question about it. How great these restrictions were, was a different thing altogether.
And so I did.
I figured I should begin with what I remembered as easy exercises in order not to put too much strain on me... Later I could increase the difficulty. Levitation was such a spell, which had no real complexity to it — even the densest of unicorns would eventually pick it up, as it only depended on the willpower of the caster and his magical prowess. Therefore, spells like these could be increased gradually in strength to estimate my remaining power, or at least that was what I thought. I got into a steady stance and drew a few deep breaths, focusing on the task at hand.
I concentrated solely on the steady swirl inside my chest and body. An ember of power, which to my surprise felt as if it resonated with something or several somethings in the far distance, as if my very core was the corpus of a guitar and these things were the swinging strings.
For a moment that made me stop and wonder where this sensation could stem from... but I couldn’t afford to spend time thinking of that in this place, it would have to be later. I had more important problems to face, I really had to focus. Over the years my mind had become a fragmented, distracted mess, and my constant rambling was surely a consequence of it.
I could only hope that I hadn’t turned senile. After all, when one is faced with thousands of lifespans worth of memories, it's easy to leave things by the wayside. Not to mention the deluge of information that I didn’t care about anymore, and the lack of companionship. I was out of mental practice, as silly as that sounded, therefore losing some edge, which while troubling, could be dealt with.
Anyway, I managed with practiced ease to shift my concentration and magical grasp to an immense, conveniently-placed boulder, more of a small hill to be honest, weighing at least a couple of tons. It stood proudly before the lines of shabby pine trees surrounding the clearing — a horrendous assortment of disfigured plants, a real pain to any creature born with a sense of aesthetics, practically reeking of chaotic magic.
While theatrically lifting my hand into the air making a Vader choke grip-like gesture, I imagined it to rise steadily. It was not a disturbing lack of faith in my own abilities, though, that stopped me from going through with my plan. Let’s just say that my expectations, as low as they were, were still too high. To imagine that once this whole plane bended to my whim...
The moment my power encompassed my target in a plain grey color, I felt as if the weight of the whole world rested on my shoulders. My magic spilled out of me at an alarmingly fast rate, like a bucket turned bottom up. It put an enormous strain on my body and instantly my heart rate increased, my breath became labored and my vision started to blur. This was anything but healthy and if it continued I was sure I would pass out. I immediately ceased my attempt, yet I had to struggle for a moment to cut the steady, strangling flow that still tried to flee my frail form. Dark spots appeared dancing in my field of vision and there was a slow building pressure on my head.
I was disillusioned, just how far had I truly fallen? I noted offhandedly…. Ugh… After catching my breath for the second time this day I realized in shock that my ability was simply not sufficient. What was once as natural to me as breathing had become an unconquerable challenge. Well, it wasn’t a complete disaster, at least. I wasn’t cut from my magic entirely, I definitely felt the telltale signs no, it was rather that I was a lot weaker now. A difference in scope not in kind. I had to start with something completely on the other side of the spectrum before gauging the limits of my magic. With unsteady steps I moved around the clearing collecting some small pebbles and few rocks each growing in size from the last.
I made little noise, and fortunately it seemed as if everything was in order. I didn’t want some random predator to stumble upon me for I didn’t feel the need to show off my power (or lack thereof) to whatever might be watching. Patience and cautiousness shall be my masters this time around, I decided.
Anyway, with the smallest pebble in my hand, it being almost the size of a marble, I would once again attempt to gauge my strength. Only this time I would do so more carefully. I sat down, cross-legged, and concentrated once again. I closed my eyes and slowly counted to ten, and then I began.
Even though I was blind to the outside I could make out the schemes of my magical grip. Much like a hand an appendage was glowing before my inner eye and extended its contour-less form towards the small stone in my hands. First thing I did was to poke it. And yes it did respond. I could feel that with my bare hands. I was not stripped of my magic entirely. And even though I had known that intellectually, it came as a relief.
After continued prodding, I felt confident enough to make it hover and this time I could handle the strain easily, feeling somewhat confident I could keep it up as long as I wanted. I gave the pebble some spin and moved it with increasing pace around my sitting form, even growing so bold to push it mere inches around my body. I watched its course, until it was too fast to follow it with bare eyes.
Once again I listened inside and noticed that while the smallest pebble would never tire me in this exercise, the same could not be said for its larger brethren. I found that the rock around the size of a tennis ball if left rotating could drain my reserves, for my core couldn’t keep up with the consumption of magical energy, resulting in a net loss of stored power. From this crude experiment I could conclude two things: First, my handle on my magic was extremely precise, I was still a master of my trade. But secondly, I was hardly stronger than your average Unicorn.
Well, that could have been worse I suppose.
I continued to prod at my magic for another couple of minutes until I was satisfied, went through a couple of general spells like basic transfiguration and lightning, even some offensive spells. I definitely could hold myself against the lesser evils this forest had to offer, or at least I could buy for enough time to escape if push came to shove.
But there was something left... A quite important something. Could I still shape-shift? Transformation was vital to my survival. To say I had powerful enemies was the understatement of the century, my existence wasn’t common knowledge, but there were a couple mighty beings out there — those who truly mattered — that could make my life a misery worse than hell. Simply, if I lacked the ability to blend in, all was lost, or at least it would be a lot more difficult to solve this dilemma.
After all, it would force me into hiding and therefore would slow down any attempts to find out what exactly this all was about, and how to go about reverting it. Well, perhaps there was a chance that this charade wouldn’t be necessary, that I would be spared by my daughters and they would offer me sanctuary. But to be honest it was an unknown and therefore I could not rely on it and neither was I ready to face them.... I wouldn’t let it come that far, I decided.
Yet, it seemed like my worries were unfounded as in my place came another human being. I had become my long deceased wife, then a common earth pony, an alicorn, Celestia, Luna, a gryphon, Discord, and even a changeling. I found that I could shift between these forms with great ease, for my body molded to my desires just like clay, no further strain or pain involved. Though, it left a curious sensation. Something akin to prickling, but not quite.
Unlike the changeling’s illusions, mine was a gradual change that took place at all parts of my body at once and was more than skin deep, but still not completely the real deal, either. I lacked their magic-given abilities and natural strength yet retained the powers and durability of my original form, as little as they were at this point. Don’t ask me how this process worked, especially now that I was more than a mere consciousness, but in possession of a real body. These changes were able to influence my inner physical workings a great deal as well.
But I took it as a hint that perhaps not everything was as different as I first believed. Still, I didn’t want to take chances. No one had been able to look past my disguises in the past and while I had no reason to believe it had changed, I would still err on the side of caution. Something that was quickly becoming a general theme of my existence nowadays, I mused. Speaking of caution, retaining this ability was probably more than just mere coincidence. This reeked of Discord, or more likely the Elements themselves as I would still have some of the tools of my trade left so as not to doom me.
Hmm, what is next, I pondered.
Ah, some exploration was needed. In fact it was long overdue, after all where exactly was I in the Everfree? The peace in this forest was deceptive, that much I knew, and the quicker I got out of it the better. For all I knew Discord could still be free, even if the chances were slim. I did not want to leave my fate to luck and mistakenly place trust in its temporal security. I kneeled down, preparing, focusing my will. And then, my contours began to glimmer, and morph. I shrunk down, my smooth skin sprouting feathers, black like coal. I became a bird. A simple raven, nothing special about it. I had no desire for grandeur.
With the natural ease of a practiced flier I took to the dark skies, leaving the site of my first defeat. For a few, short moments I circled over the clearing, taking inventory of my surroundings with my sharp avian eyes. Something caught my gaze in the distance. A familiar sight, a place often visited in disguise and watched from the heavens. And well, it seemed as if I was lucky, once again. At the horizon I could make out the glimmer of a city I instantly recognized. Canterlot, the seat of Equestrian power. I knew where to go, or rather fly from here. It was a quick decision.
Navigation was not my strong suit, but even I could find my way through this method. A small, some would call it cozy, nearby settlement, with much more significance than most would believe, was to be my destination. Ponyville was where I would be at the epicenter of the coming events, but still somewhat out of the reach of my daughters. Still, I would be near enough that I could enjoy the benefits of the protection granted to this town specifically and I suppose for good reason. Either way, that was perhaps a bit too optimistic in regards to my daughters, but the chance of actually stumbling upon them while just taking a stroll through the city was significantly smaller than that of Canterlot, or even some of the other larger cities.
Heh, it was after all the hometown of the element bearers. As good a place as any to start making sense of all this bullshit.
With strong flaps of my wings, my black form vanished in the dark, unseen.
The flight had been pretty eventless overall, almost akin to a therapeutic experience after the turbulent events of the past few hours. At the beginning I had been somewhat on edge, fearing that I might have to face one of the larger winged predators that roam the Everfree. Thankfully that was not the case as I took my time avoiding signs of their territory and hunting grounds (or was it hunting skies?).
I could see the beginnings of dawn approaching, the gentle light of the sun slowly beginning to overwhelm the dark, I was safe, or as safe as I could be at this time as I lay nestled in the crown of a tree. It was.. odd... yet not entirely surprising that I found myself needing rest. Fatigue… that was an almost alien feeling now, something that I had no wish to revisit, but there was no choice at this time. Still, not much more than a mile separated me from the outskirts of the town now that the end of this forest was near. It was time to make a decision. How should I or rather what should I travel as in these lands?
I had many options to choose from, and couldn’t help but picture some choices I would normally make when visiting my creations.
Heh, I'm sure many in my situation would love to take on the form of a mighty alicorn. If not only for the respect such a form garners, but the privileges that follow it. Hell, I could even have flames dancing on my mane and hooves to complement a deep black coat and a package that lustful mares and stallions alike would come to worship with a cult like fervor.
Ugh, such drivel reminds me of those trashy “romance” novels which came to be when Luna and Celestia first made their appearance on the stage. Hell I think that description actually matched one of the main characters in an early one. Why would I know this you ask? Well… loneliness can certainly make for some strange bedfellows and that was something I could never truly sate. Still, I am anything but touched in the head. At this time I lacked the abilities required of an alicorn, nor would the challenge of holding up the disguise let alone a backstory of such an abomination be very easy in my case. Either way, I have no desire to be held to the ridiculously high standards of an alicorn nor have I anything I need to overcompensate for. I believe that humility is a strength all its own. Strange, hearing that coming from me...
Next I considered some of the various races, and eventually came to the conclusion that I would have to restrict myself to one that can cast magic and fit in with this land. It was a tool I would not wish to be without, well even if I would still have it I would have to restrict its uses to keep up my disguise. Still this saddened me as I had a rather twisted idea.
I could become a zebra colt or filly, oh the fun I could have in such a form. I can still remember the twisted xenophobia that once gripped this town or more likely still does if their previous actions are anything to go by. Why would I believe they had changed after only one incident like this when the revulsion they held towards Zecora was anything but forced.
I can’t help but wonder... Would they try and take this zebra foal back to Zecora? I mean, it is a zebra after all, and therefore should remain with its own kind right? Ha, the arguments I could make, them banishing me from their pure society to the mercy of the wilds, that they could not stomach the sight of me. I could even abuse this xenophobia for my advantage, to make them constantly aim to please me lest I make them appear racist.
Now I suppose you wonder why I would delight in reminding others of their prejudice? I said before that I want my creations to grow, and face hardships. This would be exactly that, I would try them, I would test them, I would break them, there would be change, and best of all I could indulge in my own twisted sense of humor while furthering my goals. Hardly a charitable notion, but you wouldn't expect that from me, would you? Besides is treating one race better than another in order to placate them for past events not a form of prejudice that can rule both sides of the argument?
Either way, I think the best part of all would be that I could hide behind an air of innocence, a shield stronger than most to always lend power to my actions. But then again, most zebras didn’t live in Equestria and I guess they would try to find living family members of mine or at least bring me back to the so called place of my birth. And if I was somehow able to maneuver my way out of it, this role would no doubt place more scrutiny on me than is necessary.
In any event, being without my magic doomed that idea completely. As a result I would have to be a unicorn. Now I have little interest in approaching the society as a mere adult as I have nothing to my name, and would have to expend more effort towards my goals, let alone the responsibilities that come with it. No I would take advantage of their generosity and the laws that protect the feeble, maimed, or young.
Perhaps I could play the role of a senile old fart balancing precariously over the void. I would stumble into the town, clearly wounded and distraught. Demanding to know whose three headed lizard pet had saw fit to use my beloved dog as a chew toy, claiming that I had come out of the Everfree post haste. Wait… where is my coin purse!? Why the guards were never this inept back in my day, why when I fought in Veitnamib… eh if I felt generous enough I might I offer them some respite, ending my mindless rant after five minutes or so. Still, I’m sure they would see me off to a house of death, where I would be taken care of until the end of my days. While fun, and offering me some freedom, it would offer a challenge of its own and some scrutiny. No, I can do better, I could enjoy something as frivolous as that later.
Hrmm while I stated I wanted a form with magic… I suppose I could become an animal. With this choice I would have no need of a cover story, neither would it require much deceit. Yet, I would be unable to pull as many strings as a sapient being is offered. Not to mention the significant drop in my quality of life and that while animals are cherished, they are expendable when it comes to the heart of the matter. No that would not work, nor would I be able to truly make use of my magic, albeit few would consider an animal was the one doing it, still an undesirable choice.
Ah, but perhaps I was spot on with my earlier thought of becoming a zebra foal! Well, in the thought of playing a foal that is... As there are few that would not seek to help me prosper in this town, nor would the scrutiny be as harsh. I would have security, food, and shelter. True, I would lose some freedom, but I could get away with so much more as a result, even more than that of an old fart. Why was I doing something I wasn’t supposed to? Ignorance and purity will become my shield.
Yes, I think my role shall be that of an idiot savant, where all will know my lack of common sense, and therefore expect less of me. I will be able to both indulge my whimsy and my purpose. In doing this I can manipulate events from behind the scenes. I will gather what I can of my situation and play the fool. I will appear as a friendly foal, amicable but absent-minded. I will be an idiot, a bubbly one mind you, and as a result likeable and friendly. Even showing moments of childlike clarity or insights if necessary, as well as “unintentional” insults of course. Heh, this will work, I know it.
Now in regards to my backstory, I want something simple that will allow me to meld it how I see fit. Something that will require little effort to maintain, and will allow me to avoid most scrutiny, or at least scrutiny aimed at me. As such I would need to adopt the role of an orphan with no knowledge of my distant family, other than that my father and mother have passed on. While I know of my last name, like many other ponies it does not bind us together. Pity is yet another strength of this disguise, that will benefit me as a result.
Ah, now in regards to my sex, I believe a colt will be the superior choice. While playing the role of another gender doesn't bother me, there are some small gender inequalities I can take advantage of as a male. Even though Equestria was progressing and never had been a place to embrace strict norms for the genders, the fact that the ratio between males and females was more than 1:4. Which lead to colts and males being somewhat more sheltered by their families, in a way small kings of their own, once they formed a herd. But not quite, as many of them lead a somewhat domestic life.
Having a colt was considered a blessing, as that guaranteed the continuation of one's family name and in older times large support for the parents once they grew old. The urge the mares felt while being in estrus did its part, too, I guess, to make this the order of things. Never mind, that the existence of two respected immortal female rulers did much to shatter that view over the last thousand or so years.
All in all, these differences would increase my odds of being adopted.
Now... Due to the age of my disguise, I would have no brand, nor do I really have any interest in one, yet my role would require me to at least show some interest in it no matter how distasteful I find them. This coming from the one that forced the tramp stamps upon the ponies... I wonder… what colors this disguise of mine shall embrace... Not being colorful was an odd choice, as most ponies sported vibrant colors. But then that too could be a great way to leech further pity, and it was hardly outside the realm of possibility. So many choices... Heh... I think I know what I shall choose now.
I took to the air with a slight flutter of my wings, leaving behind the tree that housed me for a short time. It did not take me long to ensure I was alone, and it would take me even less time to reach the ground. With a quick glide I found myself hidden behind some bushes, offering more than enough privacy at this early hour.
My form began to shift, my black feathers slowly gave way to white fur. I grew in size for a time, and slowly a blond mane and tail sprouted forth. And at last my horn formed, completing my metamorphosis. I was a young colt once again, a disguise I would abuse from time to time if it fit my fancy, yet, I would be using it for more than entertainment this time around.
It was then that the former God of the World, Prometheus, now Sunny Delight, decided to exit the bushes and began to prance towards the town, with a bright and cheery smile. Still this colt looked rather distant, almost as if he was more than a few cans short of a six pack. He must have also forgotten to bathe as he was beyond filthy, covered in dirt, and even the occasional cockle burr. Not to mention how malnourished and tired he appeared.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen…