Cursed Eclipse - Shorts

by AImostpure

New Name

It was five days since the burning of Mine Manor. It was the talk of all of Fillyton. The rich, the upper class, and the middle class citizens chatted, gossiped, and wondered what happened that fateful night. But, not far from Fillyton was the blight of the city. A black spot on Equestria's map. A small group of two story apartments that housed the whores, pushers, vagrants, and junkies could not care if something happened to one of the elite that lived nearby. This was a place where the wealthy came for their dirty secrets and joys. As long as the money continued to funnel in, these forgotten ponies could not care what happened to the cash machines in Fillyton.

Yet, in one apartment consisting of only one bedroom, one additional room, a bath, and kitchen. One of the last two people to see Diamond and Gold Mine the night of the fire sat in the kitchen. A knife was held firm in her mouth. Brunette hair stuck, matted to her face and neck from sweat and dirt. The tip of the blade dug against her pear green calf. It would only take one upward cut to slice into her flesh. She could leave this miserable life behind her. She was tired of the guilt and the disgusting feeling she felt every time some pony touched her.

Esstee Dee grew up in a world of sadness. Ever since she was a foal her father abused her sexually and physically. He saw her as burden he had to deal with for spending time with the wrong mare from the wrong family. Even when she told her mother of what he was doing to her, her mother only laughed and began to use her to pay for her addictions or debts. When she was thirteen she fled from home to escape this life style only to fall into a similar one. Before a pimp could take her, she met a young colt two years her senior. Together they would spend the next ten years licking each others wounds after they sold their souls for addictions and bits. That colt was...

Syphcoltis had arrived home from a quick encounter with a client. His mind was reeling over the previous day's meeting with lawyers from Gold Mine. They had spoke quickly and to the point. “Are are some bits. If you speak to anyone, you wont be speaking for much longer.” Esstee and Syph tucked the bits away someplace to decide what to do with them later. He stepped up the stairs nearing their shared apartment. In his mouth, a small black box was held firmly and possessively. To the junkies flopped down like boneless chicken, he glared if they even considered looking to steal it from him. He threw his head back to bring his dyed, blue hair away from his face when he came to the apartment door. His wing moved forward curling around the brass knob twisting it to let him inside.

“Esstee, comere!” He gave a shout pushing his head past the frame. He cast his yes to the kitchen seeing the mare with the knife. The box was tossed aside from his mouth. His wings beat downwards as he lept with a lightning burst right to her. Syph's head collided with Esstee's jaw knocking the blade away. His forelegs reached out grabbing onto her. He didn't ask her why she was doing what she was doing, all he did then was hold onto her. He rested back on his haunches drawing the mare against him.

The broken mare was caught off guard when Syph came home and disarmed her. She did not even realize what he had done until he held her in a caring embrace. Just as a baby wanting attention, she began to wail out her sorrow. “I can't live like this anymore. I'm tired of the drugs. I'm tired of nameless ponies touching me.” She dug her hooves into Syph's side when she clung tighter to him. He was the only pony she seemed to always be with.

Their stories were similar in many ways. Syphcoltis lived with an abusive uncle who did things to him that even made Esstee cringe. His coat covered up the cigarette burns and scars from rope burns. His uncle used him to satisfy him self then beat the boy for being “one of them coltcoralling freaks”. He was happy when his uncle owed the wrong ponies money and was killed when he didn't have it on time. The ponies left Syph alone when he gave up his uncles supplies to them. Several years he was alone learning the tricks of the street until he met another battered pony, Esstee Dee, and decided to watch out for her. No matter how many partners either of them had, they always ended up with each other taking care of wounds and broken hearts. “Then let's not live like this anymore.” He said tilting his head down to her. “We got those bits from the lawyers, right?”

Esstee tilted her tear stained face to look at Syph's. They had talked like this before but never acted on it. It was hard to forget where you came from and get away from it. “So? What's that got to do with anything?”

“Let's run away. Get all the bits we have. We don't owe anyone but that landlord money and what he finds in here would settle any of that. Let's grab the bits, get on a train, and leave.” The Pegasus colt shifted his weight while letting go of Esstee. He set her aside a moment, trotting over to the box he tossed away before. “We'll change our names too. Heck, our cutie marks can mean lots of things. We'll get real jobs.” The box was plucked up into his mouth and he returned back to her. “No more drugs, no more johns or janes.” He said once the box was dropped down in front of the Earth Filly. “We'll turn into respectable ponies.” His hooves were careful with the box. He sat back on his rump, shifting his tail out from beneath him as he did so. The box plucked open revealing two small engagement earrings. “They're not much. The rubies are flawed and the gold isn't pure... but I wanted to get you something nice.”

It wouldn't have mattered if they were made of plastic. The act alone broken away the barriers of depression that shackled her into this life style. Her hooves came to touch over her mouth staring at each precious piece of jewelry. “I want to be called Mending Heart. I want to be a nurse.” She croaked out. Syph set the box down and pulled out of the earrings with his teeth. He was careful coming to Esstee's ear and pushing it into the pin sized hole. He did the other ear next and returned in front of her. His hooves held onto her hooves.

“Then let's go. Right now. We'll get married somewhere down the line and we'll take care of each other. You'll be Mending Heart, and I'll be Castle Breaker. I bet I can do demolition just fine and all.” He grinned brightly coming over next to her, lowering his wing down to comfort her.

“But...” She said looking away. “I can't give you a foal.” It was two years after they met she had been given the news. The damage her father had done to her ruined any chance of conception of even being able to be with child. The gloom returned to her face but a hoof to her chin brought her lips to Syph's.

“Then we'll adopt. There are plenty of foals who have gone through what we have. We can give them what no one else can. Loving parents, a good home, and a place to feel safe when the world abandoned them. Come on. Leave everything but what we can put into our saddlebags.” With Syph leading Esstee, they packed very few possessions and the bits they acquired or saved up. Separate they would never be able to kick their addictions or leave the abuse they were so accustomed to. Together everything was going to be overcome and a bright future ahead of them.

They boarded the first train to the first town they never heard of. They gave their names as Mending Heart and Castle Breaker. Their past would not chain them to a life of destruction anymore. Their future would lead them into warmth and happiness. Sometimes all it takes is a little faith, and a little love to move mountains of despair.