An Underground Mission!

by tmz112

Chapter 6: The Past

"I've never had an easy life" started Truestrike as she gazed at the candlelight in front of her, still feeling unsure if she wanted to tell her life story to Ravenheart. She didn't even know if Raven truly cared but with her wing draped over her and their bodies pressed together, her doubts began to subside.

"I grew up in Manehatten, not one of the friendliest places in Equestria. Not only that, I was abandoned by my parents as a filly and for a while, I had to fend for myself" Truestrike grimaced as she recalled the memories. "I was a scavenger and a criminal, digging out of trash cans and stealing from other ponies whenever I had the chance. Whenever I was caught thieving, I would put on the most adorable and convincing face that I was never reprimanded." Truestrike sighed, "Truly a bad lifestyle, especially for a young pony."

Truestrike looked at Raven out the corner of her eye to see if she was still listening. Ravenheart wore a sympathetic look, empathy glistening in her eyes. She nudged True to continue.

"Than one day, I eyed a mare who had the most beautiful necklace. It had a ruby encrusted in it and was surrounded by tiny emerald jewels. However, its beauty was not what really interested me. My thoughts were of all the bits I could get if a stole the necklace and sold it. So, I tried my usual method of stealing which was 'accidentally' galloping full speed into them, knocking them down and snatching the necklace during the confusion and running before they noticed." Truestrike smirked before she continued, "This one, however, didn't fall for it. She caught me mid grab of the necklace and lifted me up in the air with her magic. I tried my innocent face but she was the first not to fall for it and she threatened to alert the police. I panicked and quickly started to explain how I had no real home and how this was the only way I could get by. I mean, if this innocent little filly without home did this to you, wouldn't you just let her go?"

"I probably would of smacked you."

Truestrike chuckled, "Well, you and her are alike in that sense considering she did just that. I thought I was done for sure and that she was going to turn me in, but she did just the opposite. She invited me to live with her."

Ravenheart raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Really? Why would she just invite you to live with her?"

Truestrike rested her head on her front hooves. "To this day, I still don't understand it really. She said it was something about there being potential in me to do right and that I had just been going down the wrong path. Whatever the reason, I was incredibly thankful to be off the streets." A smile crept onto Truestrike's face, remembering the feeling, "After so long of being on my own and living everyday in fear of when my next meal was going to be or if maybe that next time, one of the to-be-robbed ponies would actually turn me in...or worse", shuddered at the thought of it, "I had a home to call my home."

Ravenheart smiled and nuzzled Truestrike, "You must of been so relieved and happy to be free of all the danger." Truestrike only slightly blushed as she was still caught up in thought of her life.

"I was relieved, but it didn't last long." A frown made an appearance on her face before quickly becoming replaced with a blank expression, "The danger was still there and it got worse. As I got older, roaming the city became more dangerous. Thugs and low-lives were quick to harass a young mare. After so many close encounters with these terrible ponies, I decided I needed to be able to defend myself. I began to study magic, learning as much as I could. One particular form of magic interested me the most however, and that was destruction magic. Mind you, I never liked hurting anypony and I still don't, but the power of it was so...alluring. There was one branch of it as well that interested me the most and that,"Truestrike's horn became engulfed with magic as she reignited the flames of the dimming candle," was fire. The flaming light was usually my only companion when I was younger as I would stand by a lit trash can for hours, feeling its warmth."

Truestrike gazed at the candle in front of her, intensely looking at the flames. "I wish I could be like fire sometimes, now and when I was younger. It's so...carefree." She blinked and continued her story, "Anyways, one day, I ran across a two thugs that were particularly...frisky you could say. They cornered me in an alleyway, no where to run and nowhere to hide. They slowly advanced towards me saying in their rough accents, 'This won't hurt one bit'. I was trembling in fear, unsure what to do. I sunk to the ground and shut my eyes, yelling for help. I tried to prepare for whatever horrible things that they were going to do to me, but luckily something happened. Without me controlling it, my horn began to glow. I opened my eyes to see the two thugs backing off, fear in their eyes. The magic emanating from my horn began to grow in size." Truestrike reeled as the memories came flooding into her mind, "The whole thing to be honest was a blur. All I remember is the two thugs running away and than a moment later, their bodies hit the ground, charred. After that, I fled the city. I returned to the mare's apartment for a minute, grabbed some essentials and left. It was a short while after leaving the city did I realize I had my cutie mark, flames. What a way to know what you're good for."

A tear rolled down Truestrike's cheek and she wiped it away quickly. She glanced at Ravenheart and found tears streaming down her face. She was about to start speaking again when she was pulled into a tight embrace by Ravenheart. She buried her face in True's mane and openly sobbed. Truestrike stroked the crying mare's mane and wondered why she was so crying so much. She shrugged it off and continued to comfort her.

Through muffled sobs, Ravenheart managed to say, "I'm so sorry, Truey..."

Truestrike didn't respond and continued to stroke Raven's mane.

After a few minutes of this, Ravenheart finally pulled herself together and untangled herself from Truestrike's mane. She gave a weak smile to Truestrike, "Sorry about that."

Truestrike returned the smile and wiped one final tear from Raven's cheek with a hoof. "It's alright."

Ravenheart leaned into Truestrike more as the latter continued, "Anyways, not much happened after Manehatten. I settled down in a tiny village called Ponyville and tried to live my life, happy. Of course, however, that wouldn't happen for me. I couldn't keep a job down for one reason or another and I never really made any friends there. I've always been a loner I guess. However, my entire time there, I never stopped practicing magic. Finally, when I was out of bits and a job, I turned to the military. They thought I was very good at what I did, which was hurting and destroying things, whoo. And, you know the rest of that part considering you've looked at my file."

As Truestrike finished her life's story, Ravenheart just merely blinked. "Wow...our lives are so different."

Curious, Truestrike prodded for answers. "How so?"

"Well, I've lived a comfortable life. Lived in Cloudsdale my entire life, nothing too exciting ever happened. Than, one day I just joined the military."

Truestrike blinked in confusion and wonder, "So one day, you just decided to join the military?"

"Pretty much. The pay is pretty good and I get to serve my country."

She giggled at the response. 'So carefree her entire life, joins the military, and still stays the same way.'

"How are you so carefree in this line of work?"

Ravenheart stared at the candle's flame as she pondered the question. Than she answered with a smile on her face. "Life is short, especially when it comes to us in the military. I look at everyday as my last, considering it could be, and I just enjoy myself. I don't want to waste my short existence worrying about things. I just..." Ravenheart began nuzzling True's neck, "Have fun."

Truestrike blushed furiously and said with a quaking voice, "I wish I could be more like you. So fearless and courageous and-" Truestrike was silenced as Ravenheart shoved a hoof in her mouth. Raven stared at Truestrike with eyes full of passion and desire. Truestrike stared back but with eyes of anticipation.

Ravenheart moved her nuzzle closer to Truestrike's and whispered seductively to her, "You talk too much, Truey." Ravenheart than lunged forward and locked lips with Truestrike.