//------------------------------//
// A new dawn. 
// Story: Those who see a different kind of Light 
// by Lazydrill 
//------------------------------//


A new dawn.


Silence. This was all Fog was met with as his conscience slowly started to return to him, rousing him gently from his dreamless, yet, fulfilling sleep. With his eyes still closed, he felt more rested than he had been for the past four years. While he felt rejuvenated, it seemed like he only slept for ten minutes to him. He stirred slightly as the wings at his side felt stiff, something he never felt before after a nights rest.


"It seems our newest edition is coming back to the land of Equestria. I wondered how long he would be sleeping..."



"He really needed his sleep and the rest. I've spoken with Onyx briefly about him... but he did not want to tell everything at that moment. He found it more fitting to wait, and let him tell about himself when he's ready. He did mention though, that he has to be the youngest we've ever seen here."



"Hhmm. He does look a bit young, indeed. Did Onyx mention anything else?"



"No. He did talk with the Princess recently. I believe it was about him. But when Onyx came back, he seemed to be... conflicted about something. I did not ask why, though. It felt unfitting to disturb him at the time."


Fog's ear twitched at the sound of the voices, one was clearly a mare while the other was a stallion. They sounded close to him, but somehow, it made Fog feel at ease. Their voices were not loud, they were slightly hushed and gentle sounding, almost caring. His mind slowly went over what, what sounded like the mare, said about the time he was resting. Did he really slept more than he assumed? It truly felt to him like he only slept for five to ten minutes. And what was it about Onyx not wanting to tell the others about him? And what about his talk with Princess Luna, did they really talk about him? And if so, what for?


"Should we fully wake him? Or let him wake up at his own pace?" 



"While I'm struggling against it, I'm afraid we will have to. You heard the Princess, we needed to wake him up if he showed signs of awakening from his slumber. Sleeping more in this state would do him no good."



"Aye. Lets wake him then."


Fog could hear a set of hooves landing onto the ground close to him on his right. An another set of hooves could be heard approaching from his left with gentle clip-clops of hooves. He felt a hoof touch the right side of his chest, gently rocking him from side to side to shake the sleep off of him. Fog, at first, tried to grab onto the sleep that was starting to fade away, but something else beside the hoof on his torso ushered him to open his eyes, the same thing that started to wake him form his slumber in the first place, but he could not say what that was. As he slowly opened his heavy feeling eyes, he was greeted by the pair that was likely talking before.


"There you go. I was afraid for a second that you were going to sleep again, you did resist a bit."



"Can we blame him, Sulfa? It is not like we had it easy ourselves the first time."



"I know. I didn't mean anything by it, really. I just wanted to make sure he would feel more at ease."


Fog looked straight at the pony who had their hoof on him, it was the mare he heard, a pegasus mare. She had a light brown mane with a dark yellow streak that was braided and hung gently next to her head. Her eyes were a deep violet that went well with her dark blue coat. She retracted her hoof and smiled gently at him and then she glanced to the other side of the bed. Fog followed her gaze and turned his head to his left, meeting a pair of brown eyes that belonged to a yellow coated stallion. His white spiked mane was standing upright into the air, but unlike the mare, this stallion had no wings, or a horn, so this had to be an Earth pony. Fog felt... warm inside... he felt warmed radiating off of them and it was aimed to him. It felt welcoming.


"Hey there Fog. My name is Rain. Welcome. And the nice mare to your right is Sulfa."



"Indeed. Welcome Fog. I know you have'll have many questions you would want to ask, but I'm afraid it will have to wait. First, we'll need to escort you to the throne room, the Princess wants to have a word with you."



"She... she wants to have a word with me...? Why?"



"We don't know. Nopony knows. Except maybe Onyx. What she wants to speak to you about, is purely meant between you, and her."


Fog couldn't help but feel doubt creeping into his mind; What will she say? Did he do something wrong already? Did she change her mind and wants to tell him he's no longer needed? However, he felt the reassuring touch from the mare again, but this time, he also felt the hoof of the stallion on his left side. He felt the doubt slip away from his mind, and being replaced by determination and ease. The mare offered her hoof while Rain took the blanket Fog lay under, and pulled it off of him, folding it at the end of the bed. Fog, hesitating at first, raised his right hoof and placed it on the mare's. She gently nodded and pulled Fog into a sitting position. Fog felt a bit sore, but thinking back at what the two ponies said about him sleeping, he chalked it down to sleeping longer than he thought. He stretched his wings wide, and arched his back a bit, feeling muscles all over his back come loose and relax. 

With his body no longer tied to the bed, and his back muscles easier to manage, he briefly looked around where he actually was. He sat on an average looking bed in a circular room. The room's walls and floors were made out of some kind of sand colored slabs. Around the room there were bunk beds placed every few meters away from the other. Doing a quick count of the beds, Fog quickly found that in this room, there was place for up to fourteen ponies to sleep. He noticed that each bunk had a nightstand next to it with at least one candle, while the nightstand next to him was empty, he saw that the others had different items on them; picture frames, papers, flowers, pencils, lockets. It seemed every nightstand had a pony's personal belongings on them.

He glanced shortly to the middle of the room, where it seemed the light was coming from. Fog's eyes went up towards the ceiling as he could not spot any torches or light bulbs in the room that were lit. As he looked up, he saw the room's roof was like a dome. The walls all went up and made a bulging-out round roof, with in the middle crystal clear windows with the moon shining directly down into the room, illuminating it completely with gentle and cooling rays. The rays touched down onto a circular dark blue carpet with a crescent moon on it that was laying perfectly under the dome.

After he looked around the circular structure, Fog realized that, while it was different than anything he had seen, it felt... like home. It felt like he could stay there and be safe from the ponies who would do harm to him, or anypony else. Why did this feeling come so easily to him? Why was he so quickly to feel safe here?


"It feels like home, doesn't it? We all have that... some felt it on the first glance, like you. Others, like Rain over there, it took about two days to accept the feeling of safety."



"You could say I was not a fast adjuster to new surroundings... It... felt alien to me. Being suddenly here... it paralyzed me for a long time. When I finally accepted the change of life, it was indeed some time later."



"You... you both feel the same towards this room?"



"We do, Fog. We do. All of us. Come, we'll bring you to the Princess. Knowing her, she'll have noticed that you've awoken and wonder why we haven't brought you to her yet."


Fog nodded his head to the mare, climbing out on the right side of his bed. They all feel the same way towards this room? Why is that? And why does he feel that as well? He had always been going around the streets... looking every night for a different place to call his bed. And now... now he has... a home? a place to stay? Questions flowed in like the tides of the sea through Fog's mind, question after question appeared. And when he thought he had the answer to one, it only spawned more questions out of the answer. Fog sighed inwardly, deciding that it would be best to save these questions to the only pony that would be out likely to answer them; Princess Luna. Without the sleep interfering his talk with her, he hoped that she would allow him to ask everything that was on his mind. And maybe, just maybe, something more.

Fog followed Sulfa in her steps as she made her way to the middle of the room where Rain was already waiting. Fog noticed Rain staring up at the moon as he and Sulfa closed the distance on him. Fog could have seen it wrong, but he was almost certain that there was a small tear going down his cheek. He could... feel Rain... his sadness... uneasiness... doubts. Fog couldn't help but feel sorry for the stallion, he wanted to help him, comfort him somehow, but he didn't know why he felt it, nor why he could feel the emotions of the Earth pony.


"Rain... Don't cry. We've been here before, don't take that path. We both know how it will end..."



"I... I know. Sorry that I went there again. It... it slowly came flowing back when I saw him. I c-couldn't stop it from appearing."



"I know... I had it for a moment too."



"It will never get easier... will it?"



"I'm afraid not. At least, it will take long to accept it, and even longer to forgive."


Fog looked with surprise, but also with compassion as Sulfar, out of nowhere threw her hoof around Rain and hugged him closely. Rain's tear left as quickly as it had appeared, and so did the doubts and uneasiness. Although, Fog could feel that the faintest bit of sadness still remained inside of Rain. As the two ponies let go of one another, Rain had a grateful smile on his muzzle. The two ponies nodded and turned their attention to Fog. The mare motioned with her hoof to come closer. Fog slowly stepped closer to the two older ponies until he was under the glassy dome, the moon spreading calmness over him as he felt the soothing rays washing over his coat.


"Can you fly, Fog? We can walk if you want to, but flying is much faster."



"Uhm... I can fly... it will be not as good though... I haven't used my wings in a long time for flying..."



"Oh... that is almost unheard of... have you heard anything like that before, Sulfar?"



"Well... no. I use my wings on a daily basis. I don't think I could even not use my wings for one single day."



"We'll just fly at a slower pace then for Fog. Shouldn't be a problem."


Sulfa's words stung Fog more than they realized. He indeed hadn't used his wings for flying in a very long time... but he had his reason for doing so... a reason he was uncomfortable with to this day. But maybe it was time to put it aside, and start using them again. Fog slowly unfurled his wings to their full span and gently flapped them a few times. Sulfar looked over Fog's wings, her expression shifting between confusion and sadness. Fog did not see her changing features, but he did feel her slightly shifting emotions that were coursing through her.

Fog's attention was caught, however, as Rain stepped on the middle of the carpet and deeply inhaled through his nostrils. Fog's eyes went wide as Rain's coat and mane became grey and his eyes became golden and slowly turned into slit, cat like, pupils. Black smoke seeped from different parts of his body and swirled around his chest, hooves, legs and his muzzle. The smoke became an even darker shade of black as the swirling stopped and the smoke was sucked into armor pieces that were now placed over his body. 

Fog couldn't believe what he witnessed. The golden coated Earth pony was completely replaced by a thestral pony with dark purple armor, fangs as white and glistering as the moon, his slit eyes putting the orbs of dragons into nothing with its gaze. But what shocked Fog the most, was that the pony now also had black leathery looking wings resting at his sides.


"A strange thing to see, isn't it?"


Fog faced his right side, towards the voice, expecting the pegasus mare, but was stunned to find her replaced by a Thestral pony, also adorned with dark purple armor. Her eyes were turned to gold and were slit like that of a cat. Her ones feathery wings transformed into leathery bat wings. She stood in front of him with pride radiating off of her. Rain came standing beside her, facing the young pegasus colt that had never seen this before in his life.

Fog took a step back in surprise, but found himself quickly brought at ease by the inner emotions the two thestrals in front of him were radiating towards him. How is that... every time Fog wanted to flee, turn around, or rethink his decisions, that these ponies were able to calm him down so fast and without actually doing anything?


"All your questions will be answered soon. Please, come with us."


Fog nodded reluctantly at the mare thestral. Sulfar spread her leather wings wide and black smoke started to seep out of the edges. She started to flap her wings as she looked up towards the dome window and flew upwards. Fog looked with shock and slight curiosity as Sulfar passed through the glass without it changing shape or breaking, the black smoke that trailed behind the mare dissipating over time into thin air. Fog glanced down with his mouth half open as he looked to Rain.


"Now it is your turn Fog. Follow after her, I'll be right behind you."



"B-but won't I break the glass...?"


Rain shook his head gently with his eyes closed. Fog gulped heavily as he stared at the glass, but moved to stand underneath it anyway. He slowly spread his wings wide and started to flap them, lifting him off of the ground. He approached the glass and his instincts were telling him to stop going up and glide down to the ground, but nevertheless, he went up. He closed in on the window and closed his eyes while bending his neck downwards, anticipating the moment of him hitting the glass or it breaking.

Fog opened his eyes after ascending for some time. He never hit something, nor did something sound as if it broke. He looked down and saw the window underneath him still intact. It did not break...? How? His questions were pushed aside as the remaining thestral faced through the window as well, a smoke trail marking his flight pad until Rain was next to him. The smoke dissipated into nothing and Fog focused on the thestral flying in front of him with more confusion than he had before.


"H...how did we faze through that?"



"Lets go, Fog. There will be time for questions later."


Fog turned his attention to Sulfar as she tapped his shoulder and flew off. He shook his head lightly and followed Sulfar as she flew towards the castle that was in the distance, Rain following Fog closely. Fog looked around as he kept flying onwards, seeing his shadow passing over a large field of grass. Glancing quickly over his shoulder to where they flew away from, he saw a tower that was attached to the mountain of Canterlot. The tower was not big, long, or large in any way. It seemed to be a simple design, and from what he saw on the inside, purely to house guards.

The tower was made of simple looking stone slabs, the top off the tower ending in the dome-like shape. At the bottom Fog saw two big double doors made of a dark colored wood, blue banners with a crescent moon adorned the sides. The tower seemed to be isolated from the rest of the castle, as no path on the ground went towards it, nor did the walls connect with the structure. Although, a bit away and to the left of the tower itself, was a smaller structure that stood out by its design. The building itself had a dome just like the tower, but unlike the larger structure, the smaller of the two structures was open and had a small path leading up towards the side of castle, the path was painted in a blue hue from torches that were placed every few meters, with the small structure having two lit torches hanging beside the entrance that had no doors for some reason.


"Rain, what is that building next to the tower?"



"My apologies Fog, but I'm not worthy to tell you about it. Princess Luna or Onyx will be most likely the ones to tell you."



"Not worthy? What do you mean by that?"



"None of us are worthy to speak about it yet. Only a few are found worthy to explain the others about it."



"Rain is right, Fog. It is best to let it be for now."


Fog glanced from Rain over to Sulfar as she suddenly flew only a small distance in front of him. She looked, in a way, sad... just like Rain when Fog asked about the smaller structure. Why were they unworthy to explain him about it? What was so important that they were not allowed to say anything regarding the building? Curiosity and questions once again filled his mind as he followed Sulfar towards the castle, his focus on his inner thoughts while is body kept following the thestral pony by its own accord.

He felt himself descent as air passed through his feathers differently than before. He glanced up, seeing Sulfar gliding to the right with Fog mimicking her movements. Fog looked around and below him, noting they were descending to one of the castle side entrances. Why didn't they take the entrance that was connected to the smaller structure? Was it too because they were unworthy? Or was there a different reason why they went to this entrance in particular?


"Don't wander, Fog. Keep close to us."


Fog shook his head from side to side at the words of Rain behind him, noting that he himself was indeed not close to Sulfar anymore. He adjusted his wings in order to get him behind Sulfar again. In short time, all three ponies landed quietly onto a cobblestone path leading up to a set of large wooden doors that would lead into the castle. What Fog noticed, was that the thestral ponies made no sound as their hooves landed on the path, not even with their armor on.

Fog felt something soft pushing him from behind. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Rain pushing him with his right wing. Fog started walking, tracing Sulfar as she approached the giant doors. While he followed after her, Fog's mind went back to when he saw Rain pushing him. He swore that he felt some kind of anger radiating off of him and that his eyes were narrowed severely, but it was not directed to him in any way, no. It was to something, or somepony else. But to who?


"Fog, listen closely."



"What is it?"



"When we enter the castle, it is of the uttermost importance that you stay between Rain and me. Understood?"


Fog felt a cold sweat trailing down his neck as Sulfar gave him instructions. He could feel the anger from Sulfar as well, but again, it was not aimed at him. Instead, he felt concern radiating off both of them. Concern about him. Sulfar turned herself to the door and pushed the right side door open. Sulfar walked inside with Fog following close behind her.

The inside of the castle was dimly lit by torches and the larger chandeliers that were hanging from the high ceilings, illuminating the solar guards that were standing at attention every few meters. Fog could hear the door shut closed behind him as his hooves stepped onto the red stretching-out carpet. He could feel the tension rise from Sulfar and Rain, almost to the point where Fog began to shiver in anticipation of what could happen any moment.


"Oh look, it are the fruit suckers."



"Watch your tongue, Copper! Your orders are to guard these halls, and not pester the Lunars!"



"What? You actually like these mutants? They'll slit your throat when you're sleeping if given the chance, Dust."


Fog felt Sulfar and Rain's anger even more apparent than before. But he himself felt... hurt? Angry? At the words of the first two guards that were stationed next to the support pillars on the side of the large hallway. Fog couldn't help but feel uneasy as he saw that the hallway was full of solar guards, expecting them to be the same as the first.

The trio of ponies walked with a firm pace onward, passing by more and more guards as they made their way through multiple corridors and rounding corners. All the while, Fog could feel that most of the guards stationed here were not happy to see him nor Sulfar and Rain, he could even feel some of them having murderous intend. As they went deeper into the castle, the amount of guards begin to lessen. After all they have walked through, Fog was happy to have Sulfar and Rain close to him. Who knows what the guards would do if he was alone?


"We're here."



"Finally."



"indeed."


Fog came out of his thoughts and brought his attention to the voices of Sulfar and Rain, both of them standing now in front of two massive wooden doors. Fog guessed that this would be the throne room, but if that was to be the case, where were the guards? At first they were everywhere. And now, there was none. Not next to the doors, not in corridors behind him. Where are they? Fog felt something touch his shoulder. Bringing his head back around, he saw Sulfar standing there in her armor, but looking like her original pony self. Her coat blue again and her eyes back to their deep violet.


"Fog, we are here. We cannot be with you beyond this point. What happens behind these doors is strictly between you and the Princess. Understood?"


Fog nodded in understanding and sighed. Sulfar patted him lightly on the shoulder to reassure him. Rain did the same, briefly putting his hoof onto Fog's shoulder, while also looking like his normal self again. They shared a look with Fog before lowering their hooves to the ground and walking to the sides of the hall. Fog watched after them as they walked towards the walls, only for his eye to expand and his ears to drop as Rain and Sulfar both disappeared into the darkness and left no trace behind them, leaving Fog alone in front of two giant doors.

Fog gulped lightly as he stared back at the doors. He had come this far, he would not turn away now. Fog inhaled through his nostrils and let it out through his mouth. He focused his eyes on the door and walked towards it. He raised his hoof up and pushed the right-hoof door slowly open, not knowing what would be waiting behind it.