> Dex: Before the band
>  by xXNickthenameXx
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> Chapter 1
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        Dexterity Redheart was born October 30th 1996 under a full moon in a small town of pegasi and earth ponies a day outside of Manehattan. His mother was an earth pony named Patience Redheart, a mare of extreme patience, well... patience and love. She respected everypony. Her eyes gave off a brilliant glow telling anypony that they had nothing to fear as long as she was there to help. She and her sister trained in medical science, her sister moved to Ponyville and she remained in their home town. 

Dexterity’s father on the other hoof, is Dynamic, a part dragon/part pony half breed pegasus, he drinks every once in awhile, which has become increasingly more frequent. Dexterity was born a pegasus with dragon wings - his eye’s, obviously taken from his mother’s side, glowed a brilliant crimson that had the same feel as his mother’s yet had another feel along with the safety, his coat - like his father’s, was a dark red, his mane a midnight black with crimson bangs.  

When he was two, his mother gave him two things; a journal to write down his days as a child in, and a black hoodie, which he wore everyday since a tragedy that occurred many years later. He later joined a band and would go on many adventures with a variety of weird and crazy ponies, but that is a story for another time. This is the tale of Dexterity Redheart, before he became the

        -Let’s begin the story with the date Dexterity becomes 2 years old-

. Sitting up and yawning, he smiled. He knew what day it was. It was his birthday and the day before the nightmare night festival, a favorite night of his since he was able to remember. Dex yawned and unfolded his wings, giving them a little stretch. The alluring smell of pancakes filled the air as his senses, dulled from slumber, awoke once the aroma filled his nostrils. His eyes shot open from their closed state during the yawn.

“Mama’s making hay pancakes, yay!” He exclaimed in excitement, jumping up and hovering in mid air, flapping his tiny dragon wings; making them buzz, and landing on his bed only to jump back up and do it again. After jumping on his bed for a while, he sped to the door, opened it and proceeded to move down the hall to the kitchen where his mother sat cooking the birthday breakfast for her son.

“Hi Mama!” He yelled, sitting down at the dining room table.

“Oh, Dex, you scared me. I didn’t hear you come down the hall.”

“Sorry Mom, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He said apologetically. 

“Oh, it’s okay dear, even when you’re excited you're kind of quiet. Here’s your pancakes dear.”

She set a plate down in front of him, smiled, and walked back to the stove to cook up another batch for later. “Happy birthday Dex, after you're done eating, you can go out and play with your friends.  Your party isn’t until later, so we need a little time to get the house ready. Besides that, have a wonderful day dear,” Dex ate his pancakes happily while listening to his mother tell him what was

tears. “Good morning family.” He said, sitting across from his son.

“Hey Dad, how was work?” Dex asked, taking one final bite from his pancakes and stepping down from his seat to take the plate to the sink to clean it.

“Huh, long night again. Sorry Dex, I don’t know if I’ll be able to spend time with you and your mother if the days continue like this.” Dex shrugged it off.

“It’s alright Papa, I understand, I’ll see ya later.” He said, bouncing outside to play with his friends.

Dex had few friends in this town. This included an Earth pony named Octavia, who later became a cello player for the royal orchestra. She ran away from home in order for her musical talents to really be heard, but that was a year later. Octavia is four years older than Dex. As most ponies know, she is a brilliant classical music writer and loves to play the violin. Along with her, Dex has a friend named Kickstart. He is two years older than Dex and already has his cutie mark. His talent is fixing things, and his cutie mark resembled an old juke box. Other than these two, Dex has a few other friends around the ages of five and two.

“Hey, Tavi.” Dex said, running up to his friend who had sat down and began reading a large, fancy, red book, most likely about classical music.

“Oh, hello Dex, happy birthday.” Dex sat next to Octavia.

“Whatcha reading?” 

“Oh it’s a book on the history of classical music.”

“Sounds like a classic.” Octavia looked at her friend and shook her head.

“Your jokes never seem to amuse me.” 



“Hey guys, what’s up?” Kickstart said, approaching his friends. “Heard it was my best friend’s birthday, happy B-day bro!” 

, Kick.” Dex said, hopping off the bench to do a signature hoofshake with him, which Kick had created a year ago. 

, what’s up dude?” Kick asked. 

, my Mom wants me to stay away from the house while they get the party ready. So I came out to see if you two wanted to go hang out at the park?” 

Octavia looked up from her book “Well, I guess it could be fun.” She said, as she closed it and put it in her saddlebag joining her two friends on the ground. 

, looking from Dex to Octavia. The three rushed off to the park, where they played and laughed as the day went by, playing games like tag and hide and seek. At times, they’d go rolling down a hill nearby, giggling as they rolled. When the time came for Dex to head home, the three raced towards his house.

Now Dex’s mother plans parties unlike any other. They’re not the usual birthday cake, presents, and party games, no, she goes goes all out, she hires a Dj and puts out all kinds of food and then once everypony has left, Dex gets his presents and the family settles down on the couch for a family photo. Dex’s mother planned on keeping a picture for every year of Dex’s life before he left home. When Dex left home, she said that he needed to take a picture of himself every year on his birthday and send it to her.

When the party began, the music was loud, the food was set out for anypony that wanted something to eat, and the crowd was energized. As the music blared through the speakers Dex sat and talked with Kick. “Kick, what do you think you’ll do once you reach stallionhood?”

“Don’t know dude, probably just keep on fixing things for the town.  Why, what do you plan on doing?” Kick said, sipping some punch from a cup.

Dex rubbed his head with his forehoof, “I was thinking about making music my career, like start band.”

Kick looked at his friend and smiled, “What do you plan on calling your band once that day comes?” 

“I think I’m going to call us something like Midnight Riders or Dragonforce.” Dex said, still rubbing his head in thought.

“Those seem like good names, Dex.  If that does happen, promise me one thing.” Kick said, finishing his punch.

“Sure, what is it?” 


“I want you to promise you won’t forget this old town and that you’d come to play a few songs for us. Can you do that?” Kick asked, giving Dex one of those pleading stares.

“Of course Kick, I will be back someday and we’ll play a few songs for everypony.” Dex smiled and extended his hoof to Kick who immediately brohoofed it.  After a few hours, the party goers lost their energy and began to leave.

“Go on dear, open them.”

Dex grabbed the paper and ripped it away from the object on the inside. Once the paper had been torn off, there in his hooves sat a  journal with his name embroidered on the cover. Dex looked up at his mother and smiled. He gave her a big hug. Dex grabbed the second present and removed the contents from it, a black hoodie sat in his hooves. His smile got larger as he placed it over his small body and wings. Dex stared at himself in a mirror his mother had placed across from the couch.
 


“It’s supposed to be like that, it’s supposed to last you your entire life! Of course, you will grow into it.” Dex hugged his mother again and then realized finally...

“Where is...?”
 
“He had to work dear, I’m sorry.” Dex looked up to his mother and gave a small half hearted smile. He sat there for a while in his mother’s embrace, tears in his eyes, until he finally fell asleep in her hooves and she carried him to his room.
 
“You had a long day dear. Now sleep, mommy will be here for you in the morning.” Patience laid Dex down on his bed and kissed his forehead before walking out the door leaving it open just a tad.