Ours

by Deathscar

Prologue

“Honey! Come on, get up, it’s time for breakfast!”

Palette rose from her bed, rubbing her heavy eyes and stretching her hooves to the sky. She sat still for a moment, letting the chirping of the robins outside her window fill her ears. Her eyes were open, but her vision was pitch black. With a breath, she sniffed the surrounding air, getting hit immediately with the aroma of her favorite breakfast. Her mouth twisted to a smile, the image of the batter sizzling as it touched the hot skillet made her stomach growl.

Relax tummy. We’ll get there soon. Leaping off the bed, she carefully trotted a few steps at a time. She ran her hoof on the smooth wallpaper that covered her room. Her mother had told her that the wallpaper depicted trees of a bright sapphire shade, though her mind couldn’t imagine such an odd combination of colors and objects. All she could imagine was a dull grey that was plastered all over her room. Not that it would have made any difference, considering that she could neither see it, nor would anypony else besides her mother trot into her room.

She soon found her hoof extending forward effortlessly. “Finally,” Palette whispered under her breath, trotting through the doorway she had just found. Using her straightened hoof as her guide, she found one of the dining room chairs and sat down on the cushioned seat.

“Had a good sleep darling?” A cheerful tone rose Palette from her post-wake blues. The voice was practically singing to her and the sizzling of the skillet was her melody.

“Y-yeah. The usual.” Palette brushed a few strands of her yellow mane away from her face and tucked it to the side, sighing softly as she did so.

“Oh? No dreams again?”

“No,” she starkly replied, letting a beat of silence pass through the two mares before continuing. “It’s fine though.”

It wasn’t. Palette craved being able to dream once more. To see the colors of the world before her, stories interwoven with an array of visuals that, even though she would forget mere hours after she woke, her heart yearned for. Now, sleeping had just become another chore, like walking. She has and had only seen black in her mind, a color that had long overstayed its welcome but she knew it had no intention to leave for the rest of her life.

“Well, then these pancakes should cheer you right up!” Palette heard the sizzling stop as the clank of metal hitting porcelain rang out throughout the house. Before she had time to react, the scrumptious smell of breakfast intensified just under her muzzle. Her stomach growled, almost sounding feral as time went on. Grabbing her fork, she dived in, eating the meal hurriedly, ignoring the snickers that came across the table.

Only when she had devoured her meal did she hear the voice speak once more. “Well, I’ll be off soon. You’ll be alright?”

Palette’s ears twitched slightly as the sink turned on. “Always have been…”

“Good!” The sound of running water halted suddenly. Palette heard dampened hoofsteps approach her. As if she knew what was coming, she lifted her head upwards, feeling a kiss on the top of her forehead. “Now, I’m fine with you venturing out, but I don’t want you venturing—”

“— too far. I know, mom. I know,” she replied, folding her hooves.

“Well, just stay safe. Love you!” A high-pitched creak signaled to Palette that the main door was being shifted open.

“Love you too.” She threw her head back in the chair, rubbing her eyes once more.

Everyday the same routine. What will change? Palette rose from her seat, taking steps towards the direction where the main door stood. Nothing. That’s what. Go to the park. Nap. Come back. She scanned the door with her right hoof, finally feeling the wooden doorknob just in front of her. Twisting it slightly, she pulled the door open as it creaked like a bridge that had a thousand years of wear. Who knows? Maybe today’ll be different. She trotted out and lightly pulled the door close.

But I doubt it.