> Maturity > by AppleGothic > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ):::::::::Chapter:::::::::( On a quiet morning, as the first shards of light break through the remaining night. As the bright red disk emerges from the horizon, the small Filly watched it rise up. The Pearl Pink Unicorn sat up, using her hooves to mimic Pushing the Sun farther up the sky. She smiled at the dawn, a blaze of Orange light floods the Deep blues. Her Mane shimmers with the sun's reflection, and the light made her look like she was made of stained glass. She was then pulled away from the Hill Top, her concentration failing her. Another young filly was pulling her around, the Blue Pegasus flaps her wings to support the weight of her sister. She sighed, "Skyla, our mother has been calling for you. She couldn't find you for breakfast." Skyla nods, cheerily replying, "Oh, sure. Thanks Nocturne!" She turns back to look at the bright orb as it fades to a dull yellow, "Isn't it beautiful." She shook her head, the amulet around her neck shook. The symbol of the sun on it reflected the light of it's surface. Nocturne sighs, "I guess..." she chuckled to herself, "It's a little too bright, though..." Her own pendant had a crescent moon on it. Skyla smiled and broke free from her sister, "Come on, let's go!" she pulled Nocturne towards the house on the ridge. Nocturne yelled back after her, "THAT'S WHAT I- oh, never mind..." she mumbled and followed her sister. )));;;(((:::)));;;((( The soft squish of mud under their hooves was utterly drown out by the crash of Thunder. Lightning striking nearby trees, the dry wood explodes with fire. The two small fillies were running as hard as they could possibly go. Nocturne trips and skids into the dirt and the grime, getting into her singed wings. Skyla pulled on Nocturne, trying to get her up before they get found, but she wasn't moving. Skyla turned her over and she had hit her head on a branch in the muck and was knocked out. She slings her younger sister over her back and kept running. The events of the day were moving through her mind; Blood...Cracking wood...Piercingly sharp eyes...and her parents laying on the ground under it. Skyla's years streamed down her face. She was too preoccupied to wipe them off. Her mind kept showing her. It floated to the surface no matter how much she pushed it down. A deafening noise could be heard, the bloodied dragon was still chasing after them. Skyla Panics, looking for a place to hide. She manages to spot a large foxhole, able to wedge both her and her sister into it with a tight squeeze. Only after she got in did she think this might be a bad idea. He could find them, smell them, taste the air for blood or something. She waits. Harsh thuds coming closer. Nocturne was still unconscious. Skyla looked out of the small hole. Her heart stopped as a large foot scrapes the ground next to the entrance. She buried her mouth into her forehoof. A few seconds pass as she stares at its scaled surface. Her small teeth biting into the flesh in a vain attempt to quell a scream. After what seemed like an eternity, the foot passed. she listens to it leave. No sounds. No movement. Skyla laid there, not wanting to move or alert attention. She sat in a hole with her sister all night, only listening to her own muffled cries. )));;;(((:::)));;;((( The bustle of the city was audible even in the dark of night. Ponies ran between places, getting thing before the night fell and the vagrants of the city come out. Few didn't know, and others didn't care about their safety, but they knew where they could go if anything happened. The Fallen Steed was a Tavern on the Northern side of the city; Hot Spot for Equestrians because of the standing ban on Dragon customers. In a town of above average amounts in the Equestrian populace, it is ripe with Percecution from their ruling race. A green Wyvern gets shot from the door by a burst of Pink light. The Pear Pink Mare stood between him and the entrance, her mane wrapped up in a bandana and her eyes did more damage than her magic ever could, "For the LAST TIME!" she picked him up with magic, throwing him farther away from the building, "LEAVE MY SISTER ALONE!!!" The Teenage dragon spat out blood and teeth and ran off. Her Dark Blue sister came up behind her, visibly Frustrated, "Why! WHY do you always have to run my boyfr-" Skyla turned to her sister, and gets up into her face, "So I'm guessing YOU were giving him your tips while shacking up with him?" Nocturne pouts, "Maybe...and I was NOT SHACKING UP WITH HIM!" she huffed, "We were just." "Sleeping with each other?" Skyla replied Bluntly. "JUST BECAUSE WE-" she takes. Deep breath in, and exhaled a groan, now more calm in her words, "Stop trying to tell me what's best for me...I know what I'm doing." Nocturne traveled back upstairs before she could get more angry. Skyla returned to her counter, and slamming her hoof on the wooden top. Everypony who was looking at nocturne wasn't anymore. Skyla sighed, knowing she doesn't know what she was doing. She had to help her...she has to keep her within reach. She looked down at her left foreleg, a small row of indents marked where she bit into it those many years ago. She blinked and held her head in pain. She opened her eyes and a figure in a cloak had walked in, and the patrons looked groggy. He walked up and placed a bag on the counter in front of Skyla; his hoof was that of a Zebra. Before She could say anything, he was gone and the patrons were back to normal. Their conversations and actions didn't indicate they even noticed. She contemplates on the bag he left, something coming back into the forefront of her mind, "Something that's fetch a great price..." She opened the bag and out fell four blood-encrusted pendants, touching the one with a Sun on it. Skyla tapped her hoof on the counter. Everypony in the bar stopped, and turned an ear to hear what she had to say. The Serious faced mare made them instantly become uneased, "I decided to close up Early today." She put the pendants in the tiny sink to let them soak. Before th water was even turned on, the bar was empty. She washed the blood off using magic, making them sparkle again, and put on her Sun Pendant. )));;;(((:::)));;;((( Nocturne was up in her room when Skyla came in. At first, she was going to ask why she came in. It turned into, "Why are you wearing Traveling Gear?" Skyla fixed the belt of her Leather Padded Gear, "We're heading North, get something comfortable on for a long journey." she put the Moon Pendant on her Sister's Neck, "Normally, I'd go alone. But I think you deserve to be there when we find the dragon that took these from us." Nocturne stood up, "Woah! Woah! Wait! Who's going to take care of this place?" "I asked a few friends to come over...I trust them." Nocturne then noticed that The Red Sun and Yellow Star sat around Skyla's neck. She looked down at her own and saw the Blue Cressent and Black Cloud on hers, "And I trust you." Skyla nodded, "Once they get here we head for the Markets in the East." They nod and start packing, unsure of what they'll find there, but that will not stop them. Skyla left Nocturne's room, "I'll make you Proud of us, Father." she touched the Star Pendant and mumbled again to herself.