Broken Angels

by Amega

New place, New Beginnings part 1

1st person pov, Volanti.

10 years later

"I'm sorry mum. I know how long it's been since I last visited. It's been nine years since I last saw you. Since you passed. I miss you. Everypony hates me. My old friends, everypony in town, Dad, even Dual. I tried to change, but nopony wants to know an earth pony who doesn't want to be an earth pony. It's all gone downhill since you died. You missed my fifteenth birthday last week. Nopony came, except Duel. Hard to think that just a week ago he was my best friend, my only friend. I just came to tell you that I'm not gonna be here much longer. No, I'm not going to kill myself, if I did that, you'd probably kill me. Again. I'm leaving town. Forever. Maybe I can find somepony who can accept me for being me, and maybe find what I'm meant to be. Goodbye, Mum."

I dropped the roses in front of her gravestone. They were always her favourite. I brushed my tears away with my ebony hoof and put on the saddle bags I had brought along for when I left. I turned to Mum's gravestone one last time. "Goodbye Mum, I'll really miss you." I then turned and ran out of the graveyard as fast as I could - the less time I spent here, the better.

As I turned into the last street before the town’s exit, I was filled with regret, sorrow and anxiety. Part of it was about leaving the town I had lived in my whole life, another was about whether or not I would be accepted in the world. But those weren't the things that were really getting me worked up, I knew I had to leave town, and I know that there's somepony out there who will accept me. No, the thing that really upset me, was the party that was going on down the street, with all the ponies my age. Now I know I might have been exaggerating a bit when I said everypony hates me, but nopony likes me either. Only about half of the adults, and all of the younger ponies hate me. I know, miss popularity right here. But right now, I have to focus on getting past the party. I can't get out any other way, as we are surrounded by forest everywhere except for the entrance of town, and everypony knows that you should never go into the forest at night, because of the timber wolves and other dangerous creatures.

So, I had one choice, and if this is my last time here, then why should I care about what they think, Celestia dammit! With my strengthened resolve, I pulled myself toward the exit, looking forwards, and avoiding looking at the party. Just because I don't care about them harassing me, it doesn't mean I want it to happen. I was so close to making it all the way past the party, when I suddenly heard the voice I dreaded most of all. "Well, I didn't think you would show up." Star Struck. Star Struck was one of the worst ponies I've ever had the displeasure of meeting, she idolises popular ponies, and she'll do anything to become popular, which, according to her, is being horrible to others. And the worst thing of all? It works.

"Yes, Star? I would love to talk, but I'm kind of in a hurry." I don't need this, especially not now.

"Why, Volanti. Why the hostile tone? We're all friends here." Friends? That's a laugh and a half. I noticed that this conversation was getting attention. Well, if I'm going out, I might as well go out with a bang. I've had enough of her.

"Don't give me that horseapples, you know we aren't friends, and I've had enough of you that if I ever see you again, it'll be too soon! Now goodbye." She looked taken aback, and extremely pissed. I don't usually act like this, I usually try to be nicer, but she's been asking for this for a long time, and it felt good to do this at least once. I turned around and started walking away, some ponies had shocked expressions on their faces, others fairly impressed and entertained, I wasn't the only one who wanted Star to get what

she deserved, and nopony really cared who did it. As I was walking away, feeling a bit proud, I heard Star start speaking. "Well, I can see that your just as much of a whore your mother was, maybe when you die, we’ll bury you next to her so we know how to avoid you, you ungrateful blank flank freak!" I stopped dead in my tracks. What did she say to me?! The onlookers were horrified, this was the worst thing said to me, and even they were taken aback by what she said. But I was beyond furious. Not about the blank flank part, I had heard that enough times that it was a routine. No, what really took it too far, was what she said about my mother. I turned to her and stomped towards her. As I was nearing her, I noticed that she looked pissed, regretful and taken aback about what she had said, and even a bit scared. But that didn't matter to me right now, she was going to get what she deserved. I got close enough that our muzzles were almost touching, and let it all out.

"How dare YOU talk that way about my mother! You're the absolutely the worst, bitchiest pony I've ever met!" She was backing away from me, but I didn't care, I just kept walking towards her, not stopping my yelling. "It's ponies like YOU that make my life as bad as it is! YOU are SELFISH, ARROGANT AND RUDE! You don't care about who you step on, who you pick on, WHO YOU HURT! It's ponies like you that are the reason I'm leaving this town! Forever!" I turned around and started walking away. "And I'm not coming back."

As I reached the entrance of the town, I turned around to look at the town I had lived my whole life in. Nopony had followed me from the party since I blew up. I sighed, sure it was what she deserved, but I couldn't help but feel a bit guilty about it. It was then that I heard the flapping of a pegasus pony landing. Well, one pony followed me apparently. And I knew who. "Hello Dual," I said, in the iciest tone I could muster as I turned around, not surprised to find that I was right.

"Volanti, I heard what you said, about leaving. Do you really plan on going?" He looked at me with a solemn expression, regret easy to place on his face. "I'm sorry about what I did, ok? But you don't have to run away, we can work things out, just come back with me."

"No! You may not want to admit it, but we both knew that this was going to happen sooner or later!" I was caught off guard when he wrapped his two chestnut brown forehooves around me.

"I'm not going to let you go Volanti, I know you want to go, but I won't let you." I can hear the regret in his voice, and my fur being dampened by his tears. I knew I couldn't overpower him, so I had to do something else. I hope he won't hate me. Jeez, why does it hurt so much to want to be the good guy?

"I'm sorry Dual, but the only way you'll keep me here" - I pulled his blond mane hard, causing him to yell and let go of me - "Is if you catch me!" I ran as fast as I could into the forest, him not being able to recover in time to grab me. As I ran into the forest, I jumped over a small tree, and I could hear Dual calling for me.

"Volanti!"

"Volanti!"

"VOLANTI!!!"

I've been running for about twenty minutes I think, and I still don't see the stream that cuts through the forest, and it will probably take longer as I ran left of the path out of the forest, which means I've been going north, as the exit goes east. I knew this forest was big, but this is ridiculous. If I'm where I think I am, that should take another couple hours of running, or a day if I take it slow. As I slowed down to a trot, I realised something - I'm in the forest. Alone. At night. Well that's just great, if I don't run out of supplies getting out of the forest, then I'm probably going to get eaten by Timberwolves. Wait a minute, if I've been going north and the exit’s to the east, then I'll just head to the right! I turned to the right and couldn't help but feel proud of myself for coming to the conclusion, or the big grin on my face. "Equestria, you better watch out, because here I come!"

A second later I stopped dead in my tracks. I can't believe it. I just yelled in the forest at night. I then heard a howl, not too far from me. Oh horseapples. Not a minute later I heard the rustling of nearby bushes and low growls surrounding me. I'm no expert, but it sounds like three or four. Welp, I'm bucked. I looked around and noticed three sets of glowing dark green eyes surrounding me. I felt fear push its way into my chest, and felt the adrenaline pumping into my body. I knew that this was a fight or flight situation, and I sure as Tartarus wasn't fighting. I turned and ran straight through the gap between two of the Timberwolves to the right of me, narrowly avoiding one of the Timberwolves leaping at me. As I ran through the bushes, another Timberwolf lunged at me. Yep, definitely four Timberwolves. I managed to dodge most of its attack, but it still managed to scratch my left hind leg. I ran further, not caring for the pain I was feeling in my leg. I dodged bushes as I dashed through the forest, extremely aware of the Timberwolves that were hot on my tail. I ran past dark trees, all of them a blur as I focused on dodging and getting far enough away that the Timberwolves would lose me. Unfortunately, this was not what was happening. They were fast, and one even jumped at me again, trying to scratch me with their claws. Luckily I was able to dodge to the side, narrowly avoiding him.

I broke through a bush, and found myself in a clearing, and what looked to be a crevasse up ahead, an old tree standing on the edge. If I turned to another direction I could keep going, but the Timberwolves would keep chasing, and there's no way I could out run them forever, so I had to try. But the crevasse is too big to jump. There's no way I'll make it by leaping over, I have to think of something else, but I'm running out of time, fast. Suddenly I felt a strange feeling come over me, it felt natural, and without any other options, I followed that feeling, that natural feeling. As I came to the chasm, I jumped up and found myself close to the other side of the old tree. Then I pushed with my hooves, bouncing me off the tree and sending me flying further. The top half of my body slammed into the other side of the chasm, winding me. I instinctively clawed at the ground with my hooves as my body slipped into the deep abyss below me. Luckily my hoof found purchase in a root of a tree sticking out of the dirt. I managed to pull myself up and looked back, only to see the tail of a Timberwolf disappear into the bush I had come from.

I sighed deeply, I had managed to escape, at least, for now. I looked to the scars that the Timberwolf had given me, now noticing the pain that was masked by adrenaline. It wasn’t very deep, which was good, but the scar underneath where my cutie mark should be was still noticeable, and sore. At least I had the foresight to bring bandages with me, I think you just have to wrap them around the wound or something. After I finished wrapping up my scratch, I looked at my surroundings. My heart sank. I felt fear rising in my body as I realised a horrible truth. I was lost. With all the twists and turns I took to get out away from the Timberwolves, I got myself so lost that I don't even know which way is north. Damnit, I knew I should have brought a map! Why didn’t I bring a map? Who goes into a forest to go exploring the outside world and doesn't bring a map!? ME, APPARENTLY! I don't even remember there being a gorge-chasm thing.

Great. If I don't get eaten by wolves or something equally as bad, I'm probably going to be lost for a long time, if not forever. Whatever, I might as well set off now to try and find my way out. I got up and walked into the trees of the forest. It would really help if everything here didn't look the same.

It’s been four days. Four days since I came into the forest. At least I've been lucky enough not to run into more Timberwolves or predators. I ran out of food yesterday, but at least I can eat the grass, but not the flowers. I've always been warned to stay away from flowers in the forest, no matter how innocent they look. Well, I'm glad I'm a herbivore at least, it really helps deal with the food problem. Still, I’m exhausted as buck! I feel like I could sleep in the middle of a pack of Timberwolves, I’m that tired. And water was hard to find. But that’s ok, ‘cause I've just found a small lake with a cave beside it. Happy to find water, I drank as much as I could before turning my attention towards the cave. I wasn't sure whether or not it was in use, so I stumbled in, trying to be careful and silent. Luckily it was rather completely empty of life. Wait, has it always been this hard to move? And why is my vision going getting blurry? I turned my attention back towards the entrance of the cave and froze. I couldn’t make out what it was at first, but it looks like… a human? But humans don't live around here. I thought I heard a noise but it didn't quite register in my mind, and I had to ask aloud, "how did you get here?"
And then, I fainted.