Other Voices

by Jongoji245

Prologue

Two Years, 1 Week before Today

It was a blustery day at the city of Prance. A majority of the citizens were snuggled up in their beds, with no weakness from the cold.

Further down the suburbs, the Barn and Bailey Circus was beginning to pack up for their next city stop. Earth Ponies, Pegasi, Unicorns, Horses, even Merpony and Sleipnir were hard at work to get everything together.

One of the Horses stopped and turned towards what was the entrance. Two middle aged Earth Ponies, one a chartreuse mare with red hair and a hula hoop cutie mark and another a brown stallion with blue hair and a lion taming cutie mark, were walking towards him. Noticing the sad looks on their faces, the large stallion gave a deep hug to the mare.

After letting her go, the Horse lead the middle aged couple to a tent adorned with a cutie mark of two stars in a tango. When they entered the tent, they widened their eyes in shock. There was nopony there, the only evidence a pony was here was the hoofprints that scattered around the floor. One hoof print had a deeper mark than the others along with the imprint of a tummy.

“Dear Celestia…” - Loopty Hoop tried to hold back her tears- “Keep him safe…”

The Summer Before the Fall Formal

A more recent and much more warmer time, it is now a more civilized area with cars and trucks, buildings of brick, wood and iron. Among them is a school, one of the most respected of the town. Suddenly, the school bell rang, allowing the school students to leave. However, a group of them were grouped around one student.

“You better not spread your little disease, or I’ll be coming for you!” one shouted.

The name calling continued as a pair of black boots walked toward the group.

“Hey!”

The bullies turned around before jumping back a few feet. This was Sunset Shimmer, who was well known in these parts. The red and yellow haired girl obviously meant business.

“Every other hair you pick from him and you’ll be answering from me!”

The group ran as fast as they could, leaving behind a boy with yellow and purple hair. His body was bruised but in no way too badly wounded. The taller student walked up to him.

“You all right, kid?”

The boy strained himself into an upright position, “I, think so…” The boy stretched out his hand, revealing the source of the bullying; he had ectrodactyly, a condition commonly called “crab hands.” “Thank you…”

Sunset eyed the other way, then turned her back to him.

“Well, be careful next time.” She walked away, not aware that the boy gave her a “what-was-that-all-about” look.