//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: The New Beginning // Story: The Mortal Sin // by Humanarian //------------------------------// "Could you help me out, please? I think I've got lost on this orchad," - the innocent child's voice came from my mouth, good enough to fool anyone. And considering how innocent and... cute the face of that adult pony looked, mine should have been absolutely angelic. At least that's what I hoped for. "Of course ah could, little fellah!" - the orange mare replied. She has such a strong country accent. How many other ponies do? - "Where are your parents? Ah know everypony in Ponnyville. Ya'll be home before ya know it!" Parents? This is bad... I didn't think it through. Having lived in the Bradley family for so long, I was used to being the part of that family. But my "parents" were not here, neither was my Father... What should I say? "So?" - the mare inquired. How long have I been silent? I shouldn't raise any suspicion now... "I... I don't remember. I only remember waking up in that forest a few hours earlier," - my reply was cheep and I don't think it was very convincing, but luckily for me, the orange pony seemed to buy it as a look of concern took over her features. "Oh..." - for a moment she looked like she was about to cry as she covered her mouth with a hoof, but a second later she was back to her previous self. She seems tough and has a good self-control... Good, gathering information should be my prior concern for now. - "Well, little fellah, how about ya'll come join our family dinner? It'll be the night soon, and tomorrow we'll try to figure out what happened to ya." That was a generous offer. Too generous, perhaps. What is she up to? However, I simply nodded and we trotted to what seemed to be a farmer's house. The world around me was, indeed, more colorful than the one I was used too. Even the house looked so... red. The color was so bright and fresh as if it had been built 5 minutes ago. "What is your name, little fellah?" - the question shook me out of my thoughts. The name... I am Pride. The first Homunculus. But I couldn't tell her that. Moreover, I had no idea what kind of names those ponies used... So, I had to be careful about that. Better get some information before... hoof. "That is rude, you know?" - my answer seemed to catch her by surprise, as she raised an eyebrow at me. She seems to have a perfect control over her facial muscles, - "If you want to know my name, you should offer me yours first." The look of realisation dawned on the mare's face as she had understood that she, indeed, didn't tell me her name. Some colors of surprise were still there, but I couldn't tell if it was the remnants of the previous surprise or if it meant that it was out of character for her not to introduce herself properly. Am I overthinking this? "Oh... Of course! Mah name is Applejack, and mah Apple Family runs this farm. Welcome to "Sweet Apple Acres"!" - she was a valuable source of information, it seemed... She was telling me things I didn't even ask about. Good... I just have to keep her talking. - "Now, will ya'll tell me your name?" Applejack, huh?... So, their names were just simple words. Is her name connected to her running an apple orchad? Or it could be just a coincidence. Wouldn't hurt to be careful and thorough about my further approach, anyway... "I... I am.... My name is..." - I stumbled on my words on purpose, I needed some act there, - "I... don't remember..." - I said, trying my best to express a surprise and sadness. It seemed to work perfectly on Applejack, as the expression of sadness and sorrow had once again appeared on her face, even if for just a second, until I turned my head back to her. She didn't want me to see that. But I don't need to look at her to see her. She placed a hoof on my shoulder. "Don't ya worry none, little fellah. One of mah closest friends is Twillight Sparkle - the Princess of Friendship herself!" - The Princess? It looked like those ponies had chosen a monarchy then... - "Ah promise... We'll find your parents." Find my parents, you say?... I do wish you a good luck with that. I had a nugging feeling... As if something was terribly wrong. That family... the Apple family, they accepted me so easily, they offered me their food, their home... their care. Why would someone do something like that for a complete stranger, even if that said stranger was a child? There had to be a gain... And then it hit me. Even though I had managed to gather some information during the last half an hour, I still knew next to nothing about their traditions or their religion. Could it be that they view me as a sign from the High Heavens? Or a perfect sacrifice to offer their god? However, those thoughts didn't shake me at all: I could tell that if things would come to the point where I have to defend myself, I would have no problem cutting them to pieces. "Applejack, Ah don't want to go to bed so early!" - a little pony, which seemed to be in my body's age, shook me out of my thoughts. Her name is... Apple Bloom. - "That's just not fair!" "Ah already told ya, Apple Bloom, that is what ya get for not doing your homework." "But it's so much, sis!" Homework? Hm... This might be a perfect moment for me to step in. "I love school and studying! Applejack, may I help Apple Bloom with her homework, please?" - my excited tone and angelic face had caught the orange mare off-guard. It was obvious she didn't expect that. "Well... Ah suppose you may. Actually, Ah think it's a great idea! But I have to worn ya, little fellah, my sister can be mighty stubborn when it comes to accepting help." I could hear a huff coming from the direction where the stairs in that house were. "You are the one to talk..." - the voice of the leaving filly reached the kitchen, to which her sister smiled sheepishly and scratched behind her head. These ponies seem to show more emotion than humans. They are easier to read. I knocked on the door of what I thought was Apple Bloom's room. Acting nice and polite won't hurt. "Apple Bloom, may I come in?" - I asked. The reply was a muffled "If you want to". She doesn't sound okay... What is she up to? I gently opened the door and stepped in. The picture I witnessed was the said filly laying on her bed. She looked unhappy and tired, though not physically, but mentally. Near the window I could see the cause of her current state: a few notebooks and a pile of books. "I asked your sister, Apple Bloom, but I didn't ask you. May I help you with your homework?" - I offered, putting a reassuring smile on my face. The answer was yet another huff. "Ya're welcome to try..." - she wasn't very optimistic about my offer. I trotted to her books and opened one to take a look at her assignment. Reading through it, however, had lead me to a very concerning discovery, the one I wasn't sure why I hadn't realised yet. A different world... should mean a different langauge. But why is it the same as the one I'm used to? "See? I told ya it's too much!" - the filly said from behind me. I haven't noticed her approach... I should avoid being so lost in my own thoughts. "It depends," - I said, turning to her with a smile on my face. "Huh? Depends on what?" "On the way you do it. There is a lot of text, it's easy to overlook what is important. But when you understand the important part, you'll ace that homework!" - I offered, using that way with words to figure out how intelligent the filly standing before me was. So far those ponies don't seem to be very different from humans in their behaviour. "Understand what's important?..." - the filly seemed to be taking my words rather seriously. She took a book and started reading through the task. It wasn't long before she had exclaimed: "Of course! How could Ah have missed it?" After that, she took a quill in her mouth and started to write something down in her notebook. They are writing with their mouth? I have no idea how to do that... I must admit, it was a rather productive hour for both me and Apple Bloom. She had managed to finish all of her homework with my help, and I had gathered some interesting information regarding my whereabouts. It appeared, the name of the town nearby the farm was Ponyville. How... creative of them. The town, however small it was, was the residence of the Princess of Friendship mentioned earlier by Applejack, which gave it a certain importance. At least, it was supposed to, but I couldn't be sure. I still knew too little about those ponies. Apple Bloom, however helpful her information was, prefered to stick to discussing what I understood was her circle of closest friends. She called them "The Cutiemark Crusaders". It seemed, my Ouroboros tattoo happened to be at the same place where the ponies had what they called "cutiemarks" - an image representing the pony's special talent. The filly had also told me that one of her friends - Sweetie Belle - was a unicorn, and the other one - Scootaloo - a pegasus. I had managed to ask her about those kinds of ponies, which lead me to some concerning discoveries. Appearantly, pegasi ponies had the power not to just fly, but also control the weather. But even more concerning was the fact that the unicorns could use "magic", even though I wasn't sure to what degree. I should be especially careful around them. Acting as an inocent lost child will be the best course of action for now... So, even though I hadn't managed to get a detailed information about the world, I still obtained a rather valuable one. But the sun had already hidden behind the horison, and the night had come. A yawn from Apple Bloom had caused me to turn my attention back to her. "It's about time we get some sleep, don't you agree?" - I asked her in a friendly manner. My answer was yet another yawn, to which I smiled. "Ah see ya'll are gettin' along just fine. Wait... Ya'll really have done all the homework so fast?" - Applejack entered the room, obviously to remind us about the bedtime. She seemed genuinely surprised to witness the homework done. What is she surprised by more: us actually doing the homework or me being that much of a help?... "We sure did!" - I beamed, trotting to her, - "But it's late and Apple Bloom is tired. I think, I'll leave her to her sleep." - I always acted as a nice and polite child on his best behaviour. She smiled at me. It was the same kind smile I often saw on the face of my "mother". "Ah'm mighty thankful to ya, you really helped out little Apple Bloom here," - she said, ruffling my ha... my mane, - "Since the two of ya have got alon' so well, ah think ya'll might as well share this here room just fine! At least, until we find anything better for ya, little fellah." I was prepared to hear the filly's protests, but insead her reply was a quiet snore. She was fast asleep. Applejack had given me a reasurring nudge. "Don't ya worry none. Mah sister is a kind and thankful filly, Ah'm sure she'll have no problem with that." Well... I suppose, taking this offer will be the best course of action in my current situation. "Thank you, Applejack. You're very kind to me," - I replied with my inncent child's voice. It seemed to work perfectly on that mare. "Goodnight, ya'll," - she half-whispered, leaving the room as I crawled on the bed. I am Pride, the first Homunculus. And thus, I don't need to sleep. In my previous family, I always faked sleeping. I had much more important assignments to do at night, while no one was looking. And usually, no one was. I had my own room, and I could be sure no one would come in until it's morning. However, faking my sleep while laying down next to someone... somepony else was much more of a trouble. If I wanted to do some exploring with my shadows, I had to be extremely careful. She could wake up at any moment, and if I'm not fast enough, my disguise will be broken. What do I do now?... It appeared, thinking the things over would be the best course of action for the time being. Obviously, my "parents" were nowhere to be found in that world. So, that kind and caring family might end up giving me a separate room. It would be safer to wait until that moment before starting any exploring... What is she doing? The sleeping filly started to move, then toss around. I heard some people who had bad dreams did such things, but never really witnessed it. Is she having a bad dream? One of her hooves reached out and touched me. She stopped, then turned entirely to me and moved closer. What is she up to? I laid still, accidentally waking her up wasn't in my interests. She moved closer and eventually... snuggled her body against mine and wrapped her hooves around me. Her body was warm and fuzzy, she was giving off a scent of apples. I think, I could hear her heartbeat from such a close distance. I must admit... It feels... nice.