The Cost of a Sunrise

by No one is home

Quiet Nights - Things You Say, You Can't Take Back

Quiet Nights -

Why are you looking at me like that? You’ve got past the snakes, I don’t think the fact that I’m OLD would bother you this much?

“There’s no way… you gotta be lyin! You can’t be that old!” Ringmaster Baylie shook his head in disbielf as the beast scribbled rapidly.

50 years? Am I getting closer? Seriously, how long?

“I’ve heard of it,” Atlas said, shaking his massive, pale head, “You were an earth pony? Before I mean.”

Yeah, what’s that have to do with it? How long has it been? Just tell me.

“Yeah, I figured, it’s always the earth-bound.” The giant stallion sighed heavily. “You hear about it every now and again, clan matrons and great uncles who’ve been old since the oldest grandamme in a village was a little filly, and still fit as any mare or stallion you’d ever meet.”

“But that means he survived the Blaze,” Baylie reasoned out loud, “And he’s been wandering the Ash for the last 200 years…”

It can’t have been that long! GODS OF THE NINE HELLS! IT CAN’T!

The beast threw the notebook to the ground and rearer to his hind legs, the snakes in his mouth screamed a mindless, wordless curse into the night. The two bewildered circus ponies both moved to speak only to be cut off by a glare from the beast as he snatched the notebook and charcoal from the ground and wrote furiously.

Everyone I knew… I know some of them survived. There were public bunkers in Twiggs Depot. We weren’t on the front lines, but we were still in the war zone. They threw rocks as I left. They’re dead. Their foals are dead. And their grand foals are all dead. And it doesn’t even matter that there was a war, or that the sky caught fire. They just got old and died while I was wandering around sulking in the ashes.

The beast broke into fits of uncontrollable laughing and sobbing, articulated by a chorus of wailing serpents.

-=-=-=-=-

“We have given you everything you ever asked for, our pretty little Queen.” A painted children’s book sun smiled brightly on the tent wall before her. “You wanted to be the pretty white pony in the story book who raised the Sun. And you were willing to give up your whole entire self to raise the sun, and here I am. You wanted a foal you could raise like a son, but not too young, because who has time for babies, am I right?”

The bone-white mare looked away in shame, her prismatic mane falling over her dark eyes as the sun spoke again. “And I led you to an orphan and you led him to set his heritage to ash. And another star rose in the daylit sky.”

“And then you asked for a prince, because of course you would. Not a king to rule beside you but a prince to admire your brilliance.” The sun’s unchanging visage sneered. “But a ‘flawed prince’, you were very specific.”

“And I led that poor broken monster of a pony to fall down at your hooves.” The sun continued mercilessly. “There wasn’t even a price for that little favor… I just let you have just what you wanted. And he’s a big one too, I could count him as two ponies maybe three. And now you want a daughter too? I can tell you already that will not end well for you. A daughter? Another mare to divide your prince’s attention? But I can see the draw… somepony who you can shape, to be a little you… but the problem is that sooner or later she will outgrow you… she will outshine you.”

“She can never outgrow me.” The Queen spoke in hushed shameful tones. “She can never be the younger more beautiful queen… She should be… cute… yes… cute is nice…”

“I know just the filly your majesty.” The sun leered luridly. “You only need to convince your little circus of little creatures to take the littlest detour…”

-=-=-=-=-

“Mister!” An adorable two-headed filly in flowery yellow dress came running up to the circle of adults wearing two sharp scowls. “Have you seen Ziggy? The Wormers said he was working with you pitching the tents.”

Last I saw he was having a few drinks with the Calypsos.

The Beast shrugged as he turned the notebook to the filly, drawing a startled guffaw from Baylie. “The twins knew? Am I the only one in the circus know didn’t think the big guy could read and write?”

“You thought Mister was illiterate?” Both twins blinked as Daisy spoke. “Whyever would you think that?”

“What’ this about Ziggy’s gots my fillies all upset like this?” Deadlift scowled. “An I gonna have to talk to that boy again?”

“No, Daddy, we can handle this ourselves.” The stamped in unison as Magpie spoke. “We are going to discuss this with him with him with grace and tact like the young mares we are, and explain that whatever he thought there was between us, we were just friends. And we’re not sure if we can even be that anymore.”

The boy’s gonna have a bad time, I’d wager.

The beast shook is head as three odd snakes chuckled mirthfully.

“Well he better be glad I’m letting my little fillies handle this themselves, this time…” The pale horse scowled.

Oh, I’m pretty sure Ziggy would just rather you break his arm or something after this is over.

-=-=-=-=-

“Ziggy.” Daisy’s voice was toneless as she approached the clown-faced, ginger human, and Magpie continued the thought flawlessly. “We thought you were a really nice guy, and we’re sorry we were wrong.”

“Me and the C-calypso sisters w-were just w-working on… a n-new act…” Ziggy stuttered.

“Nine hells!” The twins screamed in unison. “What in Lashtada’s name did you THINK I was talking about?!?!”

The End?

"Of course not. I'm not sure why you would even think that," Discord proclaims as he looks you right between the crossed red eyes.