Chapter 1: Ember's Exodus

Chapter 1:

Ember's Exodus

It's morning, already? She thought to herself as she awoke from her slumber.

She had lifted her head from her striped white pillow, and sat up. Her mane had gotten messed up from sleep, so she pushed back the stray strands of hair with her hoof. She had then yawned as she stretched her fore hooves. After some time she got herself out of bed, uncovering herself from her comforter. A first, it would seem like this is a normal routine for her. And it was, but today was going to be different. Today is the day everything changes for her. And why should she waste any time? She had to get herself ready!

All four hooves on the floor, she made a dash for a door on the left of her room--that of course being the bathroom. In her bathroom, was a bathtub with an old fashioned shower fixture. There were plain, beige colored shower curtains placed over the tub. There was also a mirror, but she didn't want to look at it. A white porcelain toilet was placed close to the tub, with a fluffy bath mat in front of it. A towel hung on a hanger, also close to the tub. Once she walked up to it, she gently pushed aside the curtains in a melancholic manner.

Using her magic from her horn, she turned the knobs to the appropriate temperature. The faucet blasted streams of hot water onto the tub. She felt the water with her hoof, to make sure it wasn't too cold, or too hot. Once she stuck her hoof in, she felt the hot water rush over it. It was warm enough to step in. She felt the sudden heat from the rushing water as she stepped in. The water felt hot on her light colored coat, sure, but she loved the heat. Using a levitation spell, she got herself some shampoo to wash her mane. She poured a little in her mane and rubbed it all in with her right hoof. She usually showers before going to bed rather than in the morning, but this was a different occasion entirely.

After cleaning every inch of her body with soap and shampoo, she rinsed herself off. She turned the knobs to shut the water off. Pushing the curtains back, she levitated a towel to dry herself off. Steam had clouded the whole bathroom. She rubbed the towel on her body vigorously, to make sure she was completely dry. All the while making sure her horn doesn't rip through it--again. She's always had the misfortune of ripping towels with her horn when she dries herself off, so she had to be really careful. Once she felt completely dry, she went up to the foggy mirror and wiped off the condensation.

It had been the same light orange colored face as before. Her red and orange mane was still a bit messy and damp, but it can be tamed. Her mane was not very long, but she preferred it that way. Her expression was the same as her reflection's: sad. Her dark amber eyes gazed unhappily into her reflection's. Many ponies proclaimed her eyes to be impure, or demonic. Her parents named her for her eyes; Ember Gaze was her name. She was a unicorn, living in a small province in the eastern parts of Equestria. Her cutie mark was a ball of fire, surrounded by six stars. The pain she felt inside was too much.

I can hardly look at myself! She thought as she opened up the mirror, doubling as a cabinet. regardless, I need to brush my teeth

She levitated her toothbrush and a tube of paste, and closed the cabinet. She rinsed off her toothbrush in the sink, and squeezed the tube's white substance onto the bristles. Even though she tried to avoid her own reflection's gaze, she had to make sure her teeth were at least clean. It had been hard to look at herself, for fear of her eyes tearing up. She really didn't want to see herself cry. But hopefully, this day will forever wipe away her tears and cleanse herself entirely.

Out of the bathroom and feeling as fresh as can be, she rushed over to her closet on the other side of the room. Upon opening her disorganized closet, she saw at least some of her personal belongings. Among those being a few suitcases, of which she levitated and placed on her mattress. Ember started levitating her stuff, and placing them in the suitcases. Most of the items included: clothes, rain boots, striped socks, etc. Once she gathered what she needed from her closet, she then went over to her black wooden bookshelf.

Her bookshelf had lots of very precious items that meant a lot to her. Most of what was on her shelf was of course books--lots of books. She has a love of reading all kinds of books, whether it be factual or fiction. She used to have more spell books than she does now; having to get rid of a few. Her reasons were because they were either damaged, or their information was outdated. There had also been a few knick knacks resting on the top shelf, most of them were old foalhood toys. She began removing and placing them in the suitcases. Hopefully she'll make good time getting packed and ready.

As she continued removing her stuff from the shelf, she heard a knock at her bedroom door. It was probably her mother. She hasn't eaten breakfast yet, which is what most likely triggered her to come upstairs. Ember hurried to remove her things from the shelf, practically stuffing them in her bags. She heard her mother knock impatiently once again. Her suitcases looked as if they were about to explode, but it didn't matter. Maybe she could find some tie wraps to keep them from opening?

"Honey!" She heard her mother call, "Is everything okay in there?"

As much as she wanted to groan, she didn't. "Yes, Mom!" Ember replied, "I'm alright. Really, I am." In truth, she wasn't.

She was startled when she heard the door open. It might have been clear her mother sensed something wasn't right. When she saw her enter her room, the look on her face showed deep concern. Her mother's coat was a lighter shade of orange, and her mane was a paler red. Her eyes were purple rather than amber. She wore a white apron.

"Are you sure, hon?" Her mother said, worried. "You haven't come down for breakfast yet. What have you been doing?"

"Packing." Ember answered simply. "I'm leaving this place for good."

She sighed before saying, "You're serious about moving, are you? Are you really certain you want to do this?"

"I'm positive, Mom. I can't stay in this town anymore!" She looked down at her hooves, "Everypony hates me! Ever since I did all those terrible things, everypony wants me to leave this place!"

"Ember." Her mother said calmly, "You can't keep beating yourself over the head about it."

"Try telling that to everypony else!" She argued despondently, "They will never forgive me, Mom! After that last incident, they never lived it down! It's best that I leave, Mom. Leave and never come back."

"That's not true." She tried to reassure her, "You will be forgiven in time, believe me. We all do things that we wished hadn't, it's normal."

"But what I've done is inexcusable! I'm not a good mare. I deserve to leave this province. And when I leave, everypony will rejoice. No pony's going to miss me, Mom... No pony."

Ever since she became a teen, Ember became a very troubled mare. Every time she used magic, it was almost always for something wicked. She had bullied many ponies in the town, and has always gotten into serious consequences. Every pony in town--except her parents--hated her. But the last act she committed, is something she and everypony else wished had never happened. For the past week, ponies still remember the incident. And ponies now, hate her more than ever. To her, it is one incident better left unsaid.

"I'll miss you." Her mother told her, still showing concern, "Your father will miss you. I know you've done horrible things in the past, but you cannot let it eat up inside you. You must remember, Ember, you are still loved by us."

She knew her mother meant well. Her father too. Her parents were the only ponies who still loved her. Regardless of what she had done and the punishments they gave, they still loved her. Even when everypony else could never forgive her, her parents still loved her unconditionally. When everypony thought her wicked and evil, her parents never thought the same. Despite it all, she could never forgive herself. No matter how many times her parents forgive her, Ember could never forgive herself.

"My mind has been made up." She told her, looking back up, "I'm leaving this place."

"But where will you go?"

"I've heard of a place in the west, called Ponyville." Ember explained, "I've heard a lot of good things about it, Mom. And I know that's where I want to be. No pony will ever know of what I've done, or who I used to be. And maybe at some point, you and Dad could come visit."

"Well," She sighed sadly, "I guess I can't stop you then."

Ember at least gave her a smile. "Thanks, Mom."

"But before you go, at least have some breakfast."

Ember had all her bags packed, and took one last look at her old home. She had eaten pancakes right before she left. And rather than use tie wraps, her mother just helped her pack. The process of it had taken a while, but it was worth it. She wasn't sure if that would be the last she would see of her home, but she can't linger on any longer. She had to get to Ponyville, and fast. It was still early in the day, thankfully, so she should be good. The well known town was at least twenty miles from the province, which at a walking speed of two miles per hour would probably take ten hours.

Ten hours is a long time, She thought, but at least I'll be far away from here.

There had been several ponies on their daily commute, and most of them glared at her with contempt. The province was rather small, so everypony knew each other. Unfortunately for her, everypony knew who she was, and despised her. There had even been ponies she's known since she was little. Every stallion, mare, and foal only glanced and turned their backs. In spite of it, she carried on. She carried all of her bags on her back, as well as on straps to her sides. It was a little weighty but she could still manage. She tried not to take notice of anypony who came close to her.

"Hey look, everypony!" She heard a young stallion jeer, "The wicked witch is leaving!"

"Good riddance!" She heard another.

Walk away, Ember, she ordered herself, just ignore them.

Soon enough, ponies started jeers of their own; pelting her with insults and curses. They all have good reasons to despise her. Some even threw small rocks at her, which she dodged. She knew some of these ponies well, which is always a bad sign. Anypony she knew personally, hated her most. She has had a track record of treachery, leading her to become hated by all who called her friend. She tried so hard not to shed a tear, but at least this would be last she'll see of them. Regardless of their taunting, she continued on walking, and never turned back.

"Hey, you!!" She heard a familiar voice.

"Oh no." Ember said to herself quietly, "Not now."

A ruddy brown mare walked up to her. Her steel colored eyes burned with fury. She had a white and dark gray mane, which was put in a ponytail. Her cutie mark was an orange and black stone. She barred her teeth in a seething rage that could not be quenched. The mare's name was Tephra, named after fragmental material produced by volcanic eruption. Her temper was much like that of a volcano, she knew.

"What do you want, Tephra?" Ember asked.

"So, you're leaving? For good?!" The mare snapped angrily, "After what you've done?!! I'm surprised they didn't imprison you!!!" Ember did her best to ignore her. "You're lucky the Mayor let you off easy! You should be put to death for what you did, you monster!!!"

Pay no mind to her. Ember tried not to feel guiltier than she was already feeling, She's not worth fighting.

"So that's it, huh? Not even gonna defend yourself?! Not gonna look me in the face?!!" Tephra ranted, still staying in one place, "You better go somewhere far!! Somewhere far away!!! 'Cause if I ever see you again... you will be sorry you ever crossed me!!!"

It wasn't long until she reached the edge of town. She was more than thankful to be away from the raging mare. Ahead of her was a brown dirt road, leading out into the lush green woods. This would be the ideal path she'll walk on. She had only stopped to look at her map, which she kept in her pack. On the map, she could see the town which she had recently left, close to the mountains. Ponyville seemed to be in the central area of Equestria. There had been a wide river ahead of the woods, so she may need to find a way around it somehow.

After some time thinking, she figured out her exact route. And so she continued her way down the dirt road. It had felt better now that she was away from her old home, and onward to a new place. Should she ever ever get too tired of walking, she'll rest by a tree or somewhere decent. Her mane had been brushed to the side before she left, so that way her mane won't bother her. She also of course took about three brushes with her. She's not a very girly pony, but she needed to have something to make sure her mane won't keep bothering her. Her tail was also brushed, but that never bothered her.

She used to have a longer mane, but it had always gotten in the way. Strands of hair would irritate her face, and sometimes get in her mouth. Before, she refused to have it cut. But after some time, she had to cut her mane. It wasn't too short, otherwise she'd be mistaken for a stallion--or so she was told. She was happy with her mane, even if she is prone to having a pretty bad bed-head. Her mother had always told her she looked very beautiful with a longer mane. Though she had always called her beautiful, regardless of what anypony else says. As much as it comforts her, it wasn't enough to make her less like a monster.

She eventually came across an old tree stump along the path. She only walked past it, however, not feeling the least bit tired. She just kept going. Tall oak trees were on her left and right sides, while golden sunlight through green leaves. It was like she was walking down an aisle. Green thorny bushes grew along the path. Ember could see the dark blue berries tempting her to try a taste. She just ignored them continued walking on the brown dirt path. Red and gold leaves littered her path, yet her eyes missed their beauty. She heard the chirps of multiple birds in the trees. The way the breeze felt on her body, and the way the branches swayed, was incredibly relaxing to her.

This is definitely better than being being made fun of! She thought gleefully. Twenty miles? Ha! I'll get there before the day ends!

Why didn't I stop by that stump?! Ember thought tiredly, My legs are killing me!

She had been walking for, what seemed like hours to her. It probably wasn't that long, but it sure felt that way to her. She had already cleared through the forest, and now the road lead out into the fields. She had to be close to the river by now. She had to be! The road kept twisting and turning like a grass snake. Already, she could feel her legs aching and burning from walking so much. Fortunately, she had brought refreshments. She had to pack food and water, otherwise she'd get too hungry or thirsty. But at the moment, she needs water--now!

"That's it!" She said aloud, her voice had grown hoarse from lack of water, "I'm drinking water!"

Using her levitation spell, she took out her thermos full of cool water. She took off the cap, and rather than sip she gulped large quantities down her throat. Once she was content, she let out a big Ahhh, feeling a lot less thirsty now. It sure felt good when the cool clear liquid went down her throat. If only her legs didn't hurt so much, else she would have moved faster. She had to rest. Ember couldn't continue on like this. The fields were wide open, and there wasn't a lot of shade. But she didn't care, she loved the heat. She may as well sit down for at least a few brief moments.

She found a decent spot to stop, close to the dirt road. When she got there, she took off her bags and plopped herself down onto the grass. It felt a whole lot better on her legs now. Perhaps she'll have a small morsel while she's at it. She remembered bringing quite a lot of food in one of her bags. Grabbing that said bag, she rummaged through it in hopes of finding a quick snack. She eventually felt what she was looking for: a thin paper wrapper. Inside the wrapper was a granola bar. Taking it out, she admired the oat covered treat. Ember sat up to enjoy her delicious comestible.

"Mm...mm...mm... Hello delicious!" She closed her eyes as she was about to take the first bite. As she opened her mouth, she heard a short burst of wind. The feeling of the bar was lost somehow.

Opening her eyes, she saw that her bar was gone. A bird probably snatched it from her grasp. She moaned in absolute disappointment. She really liked granola bars, but at least she still had more food. Feeling through her bag again, she found a plastic bag containing a bigger source of food. Pulling it out of its plastic bag, she grabbed herself a sandwich. Before she even thought about taking a bite, she scanned her surroundings both above and below her. Once the coast was clear, she took a large quick bite. She savored the juicy taste of bread, tomato and lettuce in her mouth. Once she swallowed the first bite, she went for another. Hopefully nothing else will come to steal her food, or anything else important.

As she was eating her sandwich, she felt a slight disturbance. It was as if somepony--or something --was watching her. It made her feel vulnerable, and made her question why she even lied down here of all places. She turned her head around, to make sure nothing was watching her from behind. The uncomfortable feeling of being watched, tingled along her spine. Was she being watched? She really didn't want the answer, and her intuition was telling her to get up and keep moving. She made sure to grab her bags, and fasten them to her body. At first things seemed to be going easy for her, but now it just became very unnerving.

Okay, I don't know how things just got creepy all of a sudden, She thought, frightened, but I should be going now.

To her horror, she heard a rather unsettling noise. Turning her head slowly behind her, her fears became reality. A being, shadowy and black, slithered and squirmed over to her direction. She wasted no time, and ran away from it. She could hear the noise again; dark voices and many whispers. She raced her way to the wide river ahead of her, hoping the creature wasn't still chasing her. Her legs still cramped, but she couldn't just rest when trying to run away from a monster, that would be foolish! Despite how fast she ran, she can still hear the creature; Its many voices, still rang in her ears.

"Witch!!!" She heard its voices screech, "Murderer!!! Monster!!! Murderer!!! Villain!!! Demon!!! Murderer!!! Murderer!!! Murderer!!!!"

The dark presence of the creature got closer, her fear rising as she ran. She tried not to scream, for fear of prompting the creature to come after her faster--plus, she could see the river ahead. The clear water glistened in the light of the sun. She hoped there was at least a boat or something that can take her across. She didn't dare look behind her. If she turned her head, she'd risk tripping over. She had to get away, even if it meant swimming across. She didn't like going in water that wasn't to her preferred temperature. But when push comes to shove, she had to take a risk.

As much as I hate the cold, anything's better than being killed by that thing!

As she got closer to the river, she could see a very promising miracle: a boat. She saw an elderly light brown stallion next to the boat, tending to a fishing rod. A fisherpony it would seem. She had to warn him of the creature, she didn't want him to suffer the same fate. Hopefully he won't ask for anything in return if she asked for a ride, like bits--which she needed for a home. As she got closer, the elder stallion took notice of her.

"Howdy there, missy!" He greeted in a friendly country accent. His mane was white as snow and receding, and he wore an orange vest.

Does he know I'm being chased?! How could he not know? There was a black shadowy creature right behind her!

The stallion seemed to realize something was amiss. "Are ya ah'right there, miss?"

"Sir," She told him quickly, "you have to let me cross the river! I'm being chased, and I have to get to Ponyville, asap!"

"Chased?" The fisherpony sounded confused, "Uh... chased by what?"

"There's a--"

When she turned back to see behind her, the black creature was gone. Not a trace of it was left. Her eyes widened in absolute shock. She could have sworn a black shadowy creature was chasing her. She felt even more unnerved than ever. Had she gone crazy or something? Was the creature even real, or was it all in her head? Either way it disturbed her. The fisherpony probably thought she was nuts too. Did she see something like it in a book she read? Was it a creature she knew very little about; overlooked in a page of her bestiary book? Then again, she probably would have remembered something like that.

"Wha--?"

"Ah sworn Ah been see'n things before. You ain't the only one." He laughed. "So, ya need t' get 'cross the river, eh?"

"Yes, sir." She had still been baffled by the creature, but pushed the thought aside--for now. "I need to get to Ponyville."

"Well, that's quite a long way to go from 'ere, y'know. If ya just wanna git to the other side, then sure, Ah'll help ya."

"Oh, uh... Thank you, sir. Thank you so much!"

The boat ride had been brief, but it was leisurely. The fisherpony didn't want anything in return--much to her relief. He told her he came just to simply fish. She had viewed lily pads and reeds close to shore. The flow of the current was fortunately slow, and not too fast. She noticed the fisherpony didn't cast his pole. It might have been because he wasn't planning to fish here. They eventually docked on the other side, right on shore. She stepped out of the boat, lifting one hoof after the other. Right before she decided to leave, the fisherpony stopped her for a moment.

"Y'know, ya could'a just swam across?" He told her. "It is summer after all."

"I just wanted my stuff to stay dry, is all." Ember replied. "Plus, I don't like cold water."

"Cold? The water ain't that cold."

It wasn't worth debating to her. "Thank you for helping me get across, sir." she thanked him.

"No problem, ma'am!" When he said that, he was already pushing his boat back in the water. "Been nice see'n ya!"

Well, that's good. She thought to herself, content, He was actually nice to me!

With that said, she left straight away. She followed the dirt road up, continuing her way to Ponyville. The thought of the creature came back to her. The way it looked, the voices she heard from it. What was it, and why was it chasing her. These were the questions Ember pondered about for some time. She couldn't forget its black, amorphous form. All those voices... how did it come from that thing? And why did it call her all those things? She couldn't forget what it said: "Witch. Murderer. Monster. Murderer. Villain. Demon. Murderer. Murderer. Murderer." And it had been in that exact sequence.

"What could it all mean?" She inquired aloud.

Chapter 2: New Ponies, New Town

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Chapter 2:

New Ponies, New Town

Witch!!! Murderer!!! Monster!!! Murderer!!! Villain!!! Demon!!! Murderer!!! Murderer!!! Murderer!!!! The hideous voices chanted in unison.

No! She cried, Please, stop! She couldn't see anything other than the pitch black darkness. She tried to move, but couldn't .

You killed him!!! You murdered him!!! It accused harshly.

Stop it!!! Please!!!

He died because of you!!! You murderous witch!!! Burn!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! She screamed in agony. She could feel her whole body burning.

Burn!!! Burn!!! BURN!!!! Rot in Tartarus, where you'll stay for all eteeerrrrnityyyyyyy!!!!! The voices cackled. As they did, she writhed in immense pain. She could now see their eyes glow in the darkness; red and harsh.

She couldn't see it, but she can feel the fire wreath around her. She could feel her eyes sting, and smell her mane scorch. She could not see herself. The odor of burning flesh filled her nostrils. The flames went inside her, and burned through her. Her internal organs were incinerating within her. As the pain intensified, so did her screams, and the voices cackling. Their cackles sounded like cawing crows, taunting her. Their eyes stared, and burned with deep hatred.

All the feeling she once had... has gone. The fire no longer hurt her. She could still smell the burning though. She heard something in the distance, but couldn't quite make out what it was. The cackling continued, still ringing in her ears. But after some time, she heard the same something she heard before. It almost sounded like a voice was calling her. The voices laughed and laughed, but their laughs fainted. She could almost make out what the voice was saying.

"Hey... wake..." The voice was really faint.

That voice... she thought, Who could it be?

"Wake... Up..." She heard the voice call again. It was much clearer than before, and distinctly female.

The darkness around her disappeared, instead she witnessed a bright flash of... light.

"Hey, you awake yet?" She heard a mare's voice. "Helloooo! Anypony in there?" The mare banged on her head.

Ember jolted up from the grass she lay upon, eyes wide open. She shook with fear from her nightmare. She had been sweating as well. Whether it be from fear or the heat, it didn't matter. The voice she heard, came from a mare who stood next to her. The mare was an Earth pony with a yellowish green coat, and a dark green mane. Her mane was long and straight, with bangs just above her face. She had very light green eyes as well. By the expression on her face, she was rather curious.

"Wh--where am I?" Ember asked, unsure of what the mare may answer.

"Well, you're laying in the grass next to the road." The mare put it frankly, "Not much I can say, other than that."

When she said that, Ember scanned around to realize she was in an open field, laying close to the dirt road. There were a few hills in the distance, covered in green grass. Not a tree to be seen.

She may as well ask the most important question: "Am I anywhere near Ponyville?"

The Earth pony mare raised a brow, "Why?"

"Because I have to get there soon, before it gets too dark. I plan on moving into one of the cottages there. That's why."

At first the yellowish green mare stared at her suspiciously. "Interesting... But, okay!" She then added jovially.

"Uuuhhh... what?"

"You don't have to worry," She pointed her left hoof in the direction of the road ahead, "Ponyville's juuuust over yonder! Not too far from where you are right now, whoever you are!"

"Really? It's that close?" She asked fervently.

"Uh huh!" The mare replied happily, nodding her head exuberantly. "Just keep following the road up, and you should be fine! Shouldn't take you more than two hours, I think."

"Phew..." she sighed in relief, "Thank goodness!"

"Oh! Where are my manners?!" the mare suddenly shouted, "My name is Kiwi Juice."

Ember was baffled by her sudden shift. "I'm Ember Gaze." she introduced herself. "Pardon me for asking but, why are you called 'Kiwi Juice'?"

"It's a family name. I hail from the Kiwi family! Isn't that great?!"

"Um... so, kiwis are your special talent?"

Kiwi started laughing hard, as if what she said was hilarious. "No no no. MY talent is actually pretty different!" She corrected, turning her flank towards Ember, showing her cutie mark, "I just so happen to be pretty good at chemistry--or alchemy, or whatever you call it! I can make just about any kind o' potion ya need!"

Her cutie mark depicted a flask with half a kiwi in it. The cutie mark also depicted green fumes spewing out of the top. Ponies with cutie marks like that, are usually potion makers. Earth ponies wouldn't normally have a talent like that, which in many ways makes this remarkable. She remembered reading in her bestiary, about zebras making potions and having mystical abilities. EARTH PONIES don't have the same mystical abilities as a zebra, though.

Of all the talents this pony could have... and it's potion making. Not what I expected.

"What do ya think?" the mare continued to show her, "Pretty cooool, huh?"

"That is pretty cool." She admitted. If she was to arrive at a decent time, she had to get going. "Well, I best be on my way. It was nice meeting you, Kiwi!"

"Aw, it was nice meeting you too, Ember Blaze!"

"Um... it's Ember Gaze." She corrected her.

"Oh... Darn, 'gotta remember that!" Kiwi said, cursing herself, but then waved goodbye. "Anyway, bye!"

The dark green maned mare trotted off into the fields, off the road. As she got closer to the hills she then started... bouncing? The mare kept hopping in midair in a very cheery sort of way, as she reached up the hill. To her, it seemed very nonsensical. Who would have thought a potion maker could act in such a strange, and jovial manner?

That pony... is weird. At least she was nice, though.

She thought about Kiwi for a time, as she continued to walk down the dark brown dirt road, carrying her bags. She spotted a few patches of pink and yellow flowers in a meadow. It was kind of hard to tell what type of flowers they were; since they were rather far off. The sun's rays beamed down on her coat, bringing absolute comfort and more importantly warmth. Thankfully it wasn't winter. Ember never liked snow, or ice (or just winter period), and the cold. She preferred the summer. She preferred the heat.

"Shouldn't take you more than two hours", she said.

It had been almost two hours, and she had not stopped for a break in while. If it really did take two hours to get there, she had to get there and fast. She was that eager to get to her new home. The trees were once sparse, but now they flourished. Trees with light green leaves, dotted the landscape. Smaller plants grew along the sides of the road, and flowers bloomed just as close. Such a pretty sight.

The thoughts of the creature came back to her, all of a sudden. She kept trying to push it aside, but it just kept coming back. Why was it in her nightmare? It blamed her for something, but she can't remember what. You killed him!!! it had said, You murdered him!!! The voice was shrill, and intense.

"What is it talking about?" She asked herself aloud. "What have I done to it? And how could I see it, but nopony else?"

She wouldn't have expected to have those questions answered right away. As for what it was, is the better question. It had to be some kind of undiscovered creature, not known by science. Or maybe an ancient beast from thousands of years ago. It had to be one of the two. As enigmatic as it was, she needed to focus on getting to her new home.

Somehow, it seemed as if the ground was elevating right before her. Was she going up a hill, or small mountain? She supposed it was a possibility. She was still surrounded by forest, so it was hard to tell how high she was going. However, she also noticed a sight she would never forget... the largest mountain she had ever witnessed. A tall, purple colored mountain that towered over any tree in sight. Along side it, she witnessed other, smaller formations, along side it. She also swore she could hear the faint sound of a great waterfall.

Canterlot must be up there! she thought exuberantly, I'm getting closer! I can feel it!

She tried her best to keep calm. But what the hay?! She was close, she had to get there fast! Ember sped up to a gallop with hopes to view her destination. She felt giddy, ready to burst from her excitement. Trees passed by quickly, a blur if you looked to your side. She could care less about anything she's passing by, Ponyville's not far off. She looked to her side again, to see a clear view of yet another breathtaking sight: Ponyville. The trees had parted, making it easy to see it. The cottages and town hall looked minuscule from this vantage. It is just beyond her-

"Ooff!"

Pain flooded her chest suddenly, collapsing on the dirt road. Her face was planted in bad tasting earth. She groaned a little, and heard another groan as well. Lifting her head up slightly and spitting dirt out of her mouth, she noticed a pink colored unicorn mare had also fallen to the ground. It was clear she collided with the other pony. Staggering, she managed to get herself up on her hooves. As Ember moved closer, she noticed the mare had a long lilac colored mane. It was rather dirty though.

"Ow!" The mare whined, "That really hurt!"

When she got to the fallen mare's side, she held out her hoof to offer her help. "Here, need some help?" Ember offered

The pink mare saw this, but only growled furiously. The mare then smacked her hoof. "I don't need your help, you idiot!" She hissed, reddish eyes glaring at her, "I am perfectly capable of getting up on my own!"

The mare did as such. Her long mane had been covered in bits of dirt, and tried to brush it all off furiously with her hooves. The tips of her long mane curled inward, and the same with her tail. She noticed her cutie mark was a bright pink jewel, encrusted with gold. This mare had quite an attitude, but she shouldn't judge. Ember used to be no different.

"Listen, I'm very sorry about that." She apologized. "I was j-"

"Oh, whatever!" The mare interrupted rudely, "It's not like I didn't have better things to be doing, than wasting my time with you!"

Sheesh, who crapped in your hay bale?!

"Gotta go. I'm supposed to be having a spa day with my closest friends. Probably something you don't have. Ta ta!" She giggled evilly, and trotted off.

Her horn started to ignite a fiery aura. But as much as she wanted to give this snooty mare a piece of her mind, she couldn't bring herself down to that level. Instead, she just continued on her way. A few of the ponies she encountered were rather nice, except for this mare. All she did was bump into her. She didn't do it on purpose, she was just excited to see Ponyville for the first time. Ember did her best to push it aside, even though she was walking beside her.

"Um, did I not make myself clear, or something?" The mare said snootily, "Go away!"

Don't say anything, Ember, she's just trying to get on your bad side. Just walk ahead of her, and ignore her.

She trotted ahead of her and picked up her pace. Ponyville is close, and she won't let some snob ruin it for her. She didn't know her name (she preferred not to ask anyway), and would rather forget her immediately. Hopefully she will make good friends there, since all of her former friends hate her. She should have enough bits to afford a cottage at least. If that pony she just met lives there, she'll just ignore her entirely.

"Oh. My. Gosh!" She exclaimed as she stared in awe at the town before her.

She could see it all: the town hall, the medieval inspired infrastructure of the houses, a windmill, and even a small bridge just over a stream. There were so many hills surrounding it, and much more. Just... glorious! Ember felt giddier than ever before, bouncing with utter excitement. She could not waste anymore time! She just had to rush herself towards her new home! She galloped over the pink bridge, and finally entered the town at last.

Ember was in absolute astonishment at the town, and everything in it. It's not just the timber framed houses with thatched roofs that excited her, but everything else entirely. From the small markets, to the distinct shops, and so on. Ponies swarmed left and right, all with warm smiles and friendly appearances; stallions, mares, and foals alike. Everypony made polite stares and went about their business. It was much better than the angry faces of the townsfolk back in her former home. It wasn't always like that, however. Her experience here so far, reminded her of the day she came to her old home when she was little. She remembered throwing a bit into the fountain, hoping her wish will come true.

That was a better time. A time when ponies didn't hate her so much, for all of her misdeeds. She couldn't remember what she wished, when she put her bit into the fountain. Whether or not it came true remains a mystery to her. She also remembered eating vanilla ice cream--which was her favorite--with her parents on that same day. Even with the newer comforts of this place, she still missed the ponies who loved her most. This is probably the only time she actually "missed" her old home. Something she thought would never happen.

She looked up at one of the houses, and noticed the thatched roof was torn in several pieces. Ember witnessed ten pegasi repairing it. Twenty to thirty ponies were watching the winged ponies work down below. The workers were carrying spare pieces of shingles, and placed them upon the rooftop. Something tore into the roof somehow, and she needed to know why. Ember went over to the gathered crowd, and decided to ask one of them.

"Excuse me, ma'am." She called out. A light brown colored mare turned to her. "What happened to that house?"

"Harpies." The mare answered.

"Harpies? You can't be serious!"

"I'm not lie'n!" The mare protested, "Everypony in Ponyville saw them. A whole flock of them started attacking us, and drove almost everypony to madness! They tore up our roofs, and injured dozens of ponies!"

Harpies were a race of half bird ponies. Like pegasi they have the ability to fly. Unlike pegasi their wings replace their front legs, and they had bird-like back legs and sharp talons. She remembered reading about them in her bestiary. They mostly live up on mountains, high above Equestria. Other than that, not much was known about them, not even their behavior. Even dragons and griffons are not as elusive. Ember had to ask a more important question:

"What would drive them to come to Ponyville of all places?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, at this point." The mare replied, as puzzled as she was.

It was definitely interesting, but she couldn't linger for much longer. She continued on her way, hoping to find a "For sale" sign next to one of the houses. As she kept on looking for a house, Ember pondered about the damaged rooftop. Harpies have been invading Ponyville, and terrorizing its citizens. She had not heard a word about harpies until now.

Why did they come here? Why are they attacking ponies? Somehow I don't think I'll have the answer straight away.

So many strange things are happening; from black amorphous monsters, to hearing about harpies. She wondered if things could get any stranger. As of yet, not a single house for sale. Ember was already getting exhausted from carrying around her bags. She had to set them down, before she faints. As she was doing so, she heard a whizzing noise. Turning her head over her shoulder, she saw a white pegasus mare flying towards her at a rather fast pace. Ember yelped, and quickly dashed to one side. The mare crashed onto the ground, luckily missing her belongings.

"Ouch!" The pegasus exclaimed, and got herself onto her hooves.

The pegasus mare shook her body from head to tail, dust flying off in clouds. Those cloud shrouded her and Ember, forcing them to cough and wheeze. Once the dusty air dispersed, she could finally breathe clean air. She could see clearly, now that all that dust was gone. The pegasus mare's mane and tail was spikier than her own hair, and it was blue in color; a moderate azure to be precise. Her eyes however, were lighter shade of blue. Her cutie mark was a thunder cloud, blasting a streak of blue lightning.

"Are you alright?" She said worriedly.

"Yep!" The mare replied nonchalantly. "I've had way worse falls, trust me. I once sprained my wing while dodging some quarray eels, down at Ghastly Gorge!"

"Quarray eels?! Are you serious?!"

"Uh huh. I crashed into the wall, hitting it wing first! I was in the hospital for a few days, but after that I was back to fly'n."

"That's just the most... awesome thing I've heard in a while!!!" Ember added with a sudden spring of enthusiasm.

"I know, right?!" The pegasus shared her same excitement.

Ember was to an extent, very interested in daring stunts. Her journey here was some parts exciting and mundane--minus the black monster. Aside from a few comedic tales, lot of the stories she reads have adventure and gratuitous action. She was never interested in smutty romance novels, like a lot of the mares in her old town. In her eyes they were just plain disgusting. So to meet a pony who has actually been through a dangerous event like that, was just simply awesome!

The pegasus mare inspected the pile of bags. "You're new here, are ya?"

Ember nodded. "Yeah, I was just trying to find a place to live. But so far all of the houses are already occupied."

"Well, you're not gonna find much on this block." The pegasus told her, "There are some houses over in the western area for sale."

"Oh, sweet!"

"Name's Tempest Blast." She introduced herself, holding out a hoof. "Yours?"

"I'm Ember Gaze." she shook her hoof, in reply.

Tempest raised a brow. "Ember Gaze? Why the hay are you named that?"

"My eyes." Ember leaned her head forward, opening her eyes wide. "They have the same color as an ember."

"Oooohhh, okay." Tempest then wrapped her hoof around her shoulder. "Well Ember, you got a lot to learn about this place. You're gonna love it!"

Chapter 3: "The ends justify the means" Part 1

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Chapter 3:

"The ends justify the means" Part 1

There was only one word I can think of when I think of her... hate!

The night was dark. Had it not been for the moonlight, it would have been too dark to see. The town had been dead silent at night, outside. In a house was another story. The light of the moon shone upon the cobblestone road, giving her enough light to see what was in front of her. Tephra trotted forward, towards a small building. It was a pub, she knew. She was told to meet there, with other ponies she's known. But from what she was told, they weren't there for the drinks.

As she opened the door, the aroma of alcohol wafted in the air. Ponies at their tables were chugging down hard cider, and perhaps a bit of jack too. Every patron was merry as lambs in a field. She made her way down the pub, in search of whom she plans to meet. Teprha looked down, and realized she had stepped in a spilled puddle of the fermented liquid. She shook it off from her hooves and continued forward.

She had a good feeling about what she was here for, even though she wasn't told. It had to be for Ember Gaze, the pony she hated most. There was no denying how much she despised her! She had caused her much grief in the past, she knew. Even though Ember left town, she still wanted something of her. She may have wanted her gone... but she wanted her DEAD even more. She has done unforgivable acts, and must pay for it--in death!

She eventually found the ponies she was looking for, all gathered around a table. She recognized everypony at this table; friends of hers. Sitting on the right was Delilah Blossom. She was a unicorn mare with a light yellowish coat, and very long pinkish mane and tail. Her cutie mark was three pink flowers. She was a good friend of Tephra's. On the left was Olivetail. He was a pegasus stallion with a dark brownish green coat, and a slightly spiky olive colored mane and tail--hence his name. His cutie mark was a square sandwich.

Opposite of Delilah, was Pale Glory. She was a white earth pony mare with a grayish, medium length mane. Her cutie mark was a regal looking mirror. Next to Olivetail, was Bluff. He was a huge stallion with a half burnt face. Even though she couldn't see it now, she knew what his cutie mark was: a giant dumbbell. Seated in front was the organizer of the arrangement. Grimwell, was his name. He was a blackish purple unicorn. His long mane was three different shades of purple. His eyes glowed a very luminescent purple. He sat with his two hooves together, as if he has been waiting for her for a while.

"Ah... miss Teprha." His voice was soothing and calm. "We have been awaiting for your arrival."

"Sorry I'm late." She apologized, "I would have been here earlier, had it not been for that shopkeeper."

"Well... at least we're all here." Delilah said shyly, looking over at everypony.

"Very good. Now that we are at this summit, we shall discuss the matter regarding the mare who departed from this town. Any additional thoughts before we begin?"

Everypony shook there heads in unison, reassuring the dark purple stallion. Grimwell made a wide grin, obviously pleased with their agreement.

"Good. Now, let us begin with Delilah." He turned his attention to the light yellow mare. "So Delilah, how long have you known Miss Ember?"

"Um... about a year, I think." The mare replied.

"Alright. What did she do to you, to make you despise her?"

"Well, um... I told her how I liked a stallion, and I told her not to tell anypony." The yellow mare paused, trying to fight back tears. "B-b-but she told him, in front of everypony! How could she do that to me?!"

Everypony only stared at her unimpressed. Tephra knew that Ember has done worse...Much worse. Delilah shrunk down into her chair awkwardly, aware of them staring.

"Seriously?" Olivetail snickered. "That's the worse thing she's done to you? She did worse to me!"

"Really?" Grimwell said, intrigued, "Care to tell us why?"

The olive maned pegasus slicked his mane back before he began. "She burnt up every sandwich I made in my shop! All because I got her order wrong! A HONEST mistake!!"

"I see."

"Nearly burned down the whole shop." He muttered to himself.

The dark stallion then turned his attention to the white mare. "Pale Glory. Tell us your tale. What exactly did she do to you?"

At first the mare seemed like she wasn't listening. But then answered, "Well, I was working on a particularly gorgeous gown... that was until she came along! I had been making it for an important client, but then she came and offered to help. Like the heathen she was, set the gown on fire! When my manager found out about this... he fired me!"

Everypony looked at one another looking rather furious. She knew the reason why. They all looked back at the dark stallion and waited for him to ask. His direction pointed over to Bluff, with the half burnt face.

"Now, I'm rather curious to hear about your tale."

"Do I need to say it?" The stallion said in a bass voice, his good eye glaring at Grimwell.

"Very well." There was a short pause. He then looked over to her. "Tephra. I have heard bits of your tale but I would like to hear it from you. Nopony seems to despise her as much as you do. Care to tell us why?"

She knew she had to tell them even though she hated to relive the pain. She tried to fight back tears from her eyes just thinking about it. Ember had caused her much pain, she must be stronger!

She sighed, and explained, "I was at the theater when it happened. My younger brother was with me at the time. We went to watch a movie, though I can't remember what it was. Ember was there too, she wouldn't talk to me or anything. She only stared. And then sometime after the movie was over, the entire building became covered in fl--flames." She started choking up, "When we tried to escape, a part of the roof was falling down! My brother couldn't move fast enough! It fell on top of him!!"

It was too much. Tephra was inconsolable at this point. She cried with her face on the table. She felt somepony pat her on the back as she cried. She looked up to realize it was Delilah who did so. Her smile was small, yet warm all the same. It made her feel a little better to see that somepony comforted her.

"I see." He observed. "Now that I have heard your stories, it has come to my conclusion that all of you have something against Ember Gaze. Am I correct?"

Everypony muttered in agreement. It was clear that this Grimwell is rather observant. His face was expressionless and his eyes looked from one side to another. His mouth then started to form a wry smile across his face. The muttering had stopped at some point.

"I trust that you are all aware of the phrase: 'The ends justify the means', right?" He asked them.

Everypony else nodded. "Well, yeah, I guess so." Pale Glory said.

"Good. Then you all know what must be done. We must make this mare pay for all that she has done to you." He announced, "And seeing how Teprha's brother's murder was the worst out of these crimes... then the answer is clear. We must do the same to her. And more."

The yellow mare was shocked. "Y-y-you mean we have to KILL somepony?!"

Grimwell's grin widened. "Yes. Specifically her, and the ponies she cares about."

Almost everypony was not expecting to hear that. Everypony except Bluff and Grimwell, had a shocked expression. It was a dark thing to think about for her. She wanted revenge on this pony but would go as far as to kill somepony, if it meant getting back at her? If it is true, if "the ends justify the means", then maybe she would...

I don't know. This sounds too low, even for me. Still... she killed my brother. What to decide?

"So," Grimwell stood up, "is anypony willing to do this endeavor?"

The group for a time remained quiet, possibly unsure of what decision to make. Bluff had raised a hoof high and made an ugly sneer. Olivetail grimaced yet raised his hoof high. Pale Glory seemed hesitant but raised her hoof as well. All that leaves is her and Delilah, who looked scared beyond belief.

"I-I-I... I don't think I can!" She cried. "She did terrible things, but I don't want to do the same to her!"

"Delilah!" Olivetail snapped, "Ember has committed all these terrible crimes, and yet you don't wanna make her pay?!"

Delilah teared up again, "But it just doesn't seem right! Tephra! Don't you see how wrong this sounds?!"

Tephra sighed. "She killed my brother. If killing her, and the ponies she cares about can avenge his death... then I'm willing to go through with it!"

She raised her hoof up with the rest of them. Delilah looked appalled. Everypony else cracked a smile at the thought of putting their foe in a grave. It seemed macabre that they were plotting murder... but who is she to complain? She along with these ponies want her dead as much as she did. Though Delilah disagrees, at least she's of the majority.

We'll make her pay! Even if I have to kill to do so!

***

Ahh... a brand new day! Ember's side ached as she lifted her body up, but that didn't kill her enthusiasm.

Yesterday, she made it to Ponyville, met a few ponies; friends hopefully, and--sort of--found vacancy in a cottage. She never thought to bring a mattress or anything, so she slept on a soft purple blanket. Unfortunately, a blanket was only going to do so much to make a pony comfortable. The pegasus mare, Tempest Blast, helped her find this place. She admired how kind some ponies have been to her. Much better than the treatment she got back home.

The room was mostly empty and kind of dusty. The wallpaper was ripped in several places, the floor had a few piles of dirt, and the window had a web shaped crack. Her bags were placed beside her purple blanket. The only light source came from the window and not much else. There were wall plugs in the room, so if she had a lamp she would be able to plug it in.

I feel like I should get a lamp.

She felt her own mane with her hoof and realized it was standing up. She frowned at this. She levitated the brush she left out to fix this problem.

She had been more than thankful she found this place; it would have been a nightmare to sleep outside again. She hoped to at some point, find her newly made friends, and chat up with them. When it came to starting a new life, this to her was the best way to do so. It made her feel more confident now then ever before.

Ember trotted to the door and opened it, leading her down a dirty hallway. It looked no better than her living area and it needs a bit of clean up, but she felt it would be best to worry about for another time. Probably after she buys a lamp. She kept her pace to a trot, eager to see her new friends.

The hallway had a distinct smell; not a bad smell, but not good either. She knew the place had to be cheap given its current state. Regardless of how dilapidated it seemed, it was her new home. She needed to get used to it. She went down the stairs at the end of the hall down to the "living room". It was just as much of a disaster--if not more--than upstairs. Sofas were covered in plastic, shelves looked dismantled, and dust was everywhere.

It just needs a bit of work. Sure it'll take a long time to get everything situated, but it will all be worth it.

As she was about to open the door--which was not in prime condition either--she heard a knock. And then three more knocks. Opening the door with her magic, she noticed it was Tempest who knocked. She seemed frazzled based on her expression. But what alarmed her more was the sound of distant screaming.

"What's going on?!" Ember asked.

"LET ME IN!! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!!" She begged.

She moved aside, letting the white pegasus in. Tempest immediately went under the couch, shivering fearfully. Ember needed to know what was going on so she came up to her.

"What's going on out there?" Ember asked again, "Why are ponies screaming?"

"Harpies! They're back!" She said, afraid.

"You've performed dangerous stunts, and you're afraid of harpies?"

The pegasus looked crossed. "I may have dodged quarray eels, but harpies are no joke! They're way worse!!"

"How can they be more dangerous than quarray eels?" She asked, unconvinced.

Tempest got closer to her this time. "At first there were few of them. But now there's over 50 of them! Maybe even a hundred!!"

Huh. You're not as brave as I thought.

Ember then thought of a crazy idea. "Why don't we try to fight them off? You know, keep 'em away from the citizens!"

"ARE YOU NUTS?!?!" She shouted. "I ca... I mean we can't fight them! They'll kill us both!"

"It's better than sitting here cowering! Come on! Let's go kick some harpy flank!"

The pegasus went from looking scared to looking a little bit confident. "O-O-Okay!"

"That's the spirit!!"

She herself thought it was a crazy idea. But it has to work! It must!

Outside of her home now, she witnessed the flying bird-ponies zooming across the sky. It was a frightening sight. Harpies of many colors were wreaking havoc on Ponyville. They attacked anypony in sight, and tore up the roofs of cottages. Ponies were screaming at the top of their lungs: "SOMEPONY HELP US!!

Tempest was still behind her, looking a little less than afraid. It was still plain that this pony was indeed scared of these creatures. From the sight of it she understood why. Regardless, she tried to be fearless. Ember sprinted towards a light blue harpy harassing a familiar pink pony.

"Aaah!!!" The pony shrieked, "Get off of me! Get off of me!!"

It was the same pony she met before she came here. The same prissy pink mare who was being mean to her. Her lilac mane was being messed up thanks to her assailant. She had scratches and a large gash across her side. She was screaming in agony from the harpy attacking her. She was mean to her, yes, but she didn't want to see this done to her.

"Hey! Bird-brain!" She shouted at the harpy.

The light blue harpy stopped, and looked at her with yellow, cat-like eyes. The harpy had the appearance of a pony, but with wings for their front legs, eagle-like back legs, and long feather shaped ears. There were also long feathers along its head. The harpy's claws were incredibly sharp and white in color. It stared at her as it got off of the writhing mare. It hissed at her and reared up, flaring up its wings.

Ember prepared for a special spell... Ignis. She lit her horn with burning, fiery magic. The warmer her horn got, the powerful the blast. She widened her stance as the creature got closer. She felt her head start to sweat from the heat... which was good.

The creature lunged forward, claws pointed at her. It was then she let loose the fire within her horn. A long beam of orange flame shot out from her horn, knocking the bird pony back. Ignis could also burn fur and feather, leaving singe marks or soot on an attacker. It did as such. The bird-like pony staggered to get up, she needed to assist the fallen pony.

She rushed over to her, looking over the torn mare.

"Here, let me help." She assured.

"Wh-wh-what?!" The mare said, confused.

Ember lifted the mare with her hooves, trying her best not to hurt her.

"But... why?" she asked, "Why would you help me? Even after what I said to you?"

"I'm won't leave somepony to die, even if they weren't nice to me. Not this time!"

When she looked back at the harpy, it was gone. This brought an uncomfortable feeling in her chest. The scratched-up mare was bleeding from her scars; the gash especially.

"You need to patch that up, now. Go! Go somewhere safe!" She commanded her.

The frightened mare didn't even question her, she bolted off towards one of the cottages. She glanced back at Tempest who was cowering under a food stand.

Ugh, seriously?

"Come on, Tempest! We gotta town to save!"

"A-a-alright!" Tempest quivered.

To be continued...

Chapter 4: Attack on Harpy

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Chapter 4:

Attack on Harpy

Ember and Tempest kept hearing explosions as they rushed to the center of town. Again and again the sound fills their ears. Ponies all around them were panicking worrying about their own lives. Tempest was looking a bit more confident now, no longer appearing like a scared filly. This would make things easier since Ember was the only one who fought that harpy.

"SOMEPONY HELP US!!!" Somepony screamed in terror.

Turning in the direction of the scream, they witnessed three harpies attacking two ponies; a stallion and mare. Ember immediately prepared the Ignis spell again, aiming a blast the assailing monsters. As the harpies harassed the innocent ponies, she fired the fiery blast at them. The beam of flame hit one of them, causing it to get knocked back. The other harpy stopped and took notice of its fallen comrade. Another chance to use Ignis. Her horn glowed a flame for the third time with the spell.

As she was about to fire, she saw what looked like a bright green flask flying through the air. When the flask hit the harpy--concerned for its comrade--a bright flash of green fire flooded her vision.

The creature made a bloodcurdling screech in pain. Green smoke clouded the area, not a sign of the harpy at all.

"What the hay?!" Tempest yelled.

As the smoke dispersed, she saw a familiar light green mare emerge. Her face looked serious for a moment, but then smiled as if she was satisfied. Ember's jaw dropped realizing who it was. Even more so when she noticed a pile of green goop where the harpy used to be.

"KIWI?!?!" Ember exclaimed in surprise.

"Ember! Hey! How's it going?" She said casually, "Glad to see you moved to Ponyville."

"Wait... Kiwi? As in: Kiwi Juice?" Tempest asked the green mare. "The Alco-what'cha-ma call it?"

"Alchemist?" Ember corrected.

"Yeah, whatever."

"What did you just do to the harpy, and what's that stuff?" She asked about the green stuff.

The green mare looked at the green stuff next to her. "Oh... that's the result of my latest brew! And it worked!" Kiwi replied cheerfully, "It reverts the molecules of any living creature, and transmogrifies them into a viscous substance."

"Uh..." The white pegasus was dumbfounded by Kiwi's vocabulary.

"In other words," Ember explained to her simply, "It turns creatures into goop."

"OOOOOOOHHHHHHH. So, it's dead right?"

"No, not really." Kiwi told her. "Buuuuut at least they won't hurt anypony now!"

Upon further inspection, it seemed as though the green substance boiled and bubbled. She never thought that an Earth pony of all things could create such a concoction.

I was never interested in making potions. Yet, now I see the merits!

Ember started to hear more screeching, left of her. Turning her head, she noticed a black colored harpy, very different looking from the others, attacking more civilians. She blew away a stray hair from her mane, and ran straight for the creature. The harpy's talons ripped through innocent pony hide, making them scream in pain as it pinned a pony down. The creature fluffed its wings as it prepared to make the final blow.

"HEY! BIRD-BRAIN!" She taunted.

The harpy looked up at her with piercing, red eyes. Its pupils were slit, making the creature look ten times as imposing. The harpy bared a wide, sharp toothed grin. It also had a large crest above its broad head.

"Is that a challenge?" It hissed.

They talk?!

The dark harpy hopped off of the innocent pony. The creature still held its piercing gaze on her, never looking away. Its black wings fluffed up wider than before, making appear more intimidating. The blue harpy used a similar method, but this one was slighter bigger.

She prepared for her Ignis spell. Upon glowing her horn, she heard her friends come up from behind her.

"Oh, crap!" Tempest exclaimed, "That one's bigger than the blue one!! It's gotta be the leader."

"Correct!" The harpy hissed. "Once I've dealt with you three, I and my brethren will repopulate this town!"

When it spoke again, she could make out that its voice was distinctly masculine. He must be a Harpy Monarch. While very little is known about harpy culture, she remembered rumors about them having some form of primitive hierarchy. This harpy is the leader, so it must be blatantly obvious that it's the Harpy Monarch.

The black harpy lunged forward as she blasted Ignis from her horn. Unfortunately her timing was off... and he dodged her blast. And just before he could slash at her with his talons, a white blur rammed into him. He shrieked in pain from the sudden impact as it toppled over. The white blur was thankfully Tempest.

"Ha!" She boasted. "Not so tough now, are ya?"

It managed to get itself up very quickly, as if he recovered from the attack. "How bold!" he said, frustrated.

Tempest's bravado shrunk upon seeing him get up. Ember looked to her side to see that Kiwi has rushed towards the harpy, throwing another flask of that green goop. While in mid-air, the harpy strafed and avoided the hurled object. The flask explodes, but the harpy evaded it.

"Is that the best you can do?!" He taunted. "Pathetic!"

The Harpy Monarch lifted itself in the air and flapped its wings vigorously. He flew higher into the air and lifted his talons up. He dove towards them, claws bared and sharp.

Ember tried to dodge, but she felt the sudden sting from the creature's talons scraping her side. She gritted her teeth. The painful stinging was just overwhelming, it was like she got scratched by an over-sized cat! She glanced at her scar; three long gashes on her side. The scars bled profusely, making her feel intense amounts of pain. Whatever energy she has to fight this thing, was ebbing slowly away.

"EMBER!!!" The three mares screamed in unison, rushing to her side.

"HAHAHAHAHA!!" The harpy cackled. "Such pitiful creatures. I will enjoy EVERY moment tearing you all apart!!"

"Not this time!" She heard a voice off in the distance.

The black harpy glanced back in surprise. From what Ember could see, a spear flown towards the harpy at an incredulous speed. The spear impaled the creature's left wing; the harpy screeched in agony. He tried to flap its wings but the pain must have been so great that it was too much for him.

To her surprise, she saw a thistle colored mare sprint towards the struggling harpy. As she got closer, Ember realized she was a unicorn. The mare's indigo mane was of medium length, wavy and magnificent. With the aura of her horn, she grasped the spear from the Harpy Monarch, and slid it out flawlessly. Her spear was unique as well. Its blade was double edged, and its shaft was long and wrapped in a black cloth. She stood in front of them, facing the black harpy. It was from here she could see her cutie mark; a spear with two glimmering streams wrapping it.

"I will give you this one chance to run away, Monarch." She demanded, "Go back to your nest and take your fellow harpies with you!"

He growled at her. "Fine, Lancer!" He then cawed.

Several harpies beckoned to his call as he turned his back, and staggered onward. A few other harpies of various colors seem to have been helping him walk. For monstrous creatures, they show great respect to their superior. There must be a lot more to these creatures which makes her even more curious.

The thistle colored mare turned around and came over to them, purple eyes showing great concern.

"Are you folks alright?" She asked them.

"Well, sorta..." Tempest told her, in regard to Ember.

The mare looked her over. "These wounds are fortunately treatable. It will take time for her to completely recover."

"Thanks for helping us, Moonlight Lancer." Kiwi thanked her.

"You need not address me by my full name, Kiwi." Moonlight told her. "Just 'Lancer' is alright."

Ember felt exhausted. Perhaps it was from the loss of blood that made her feel weak, she couldn't tell. At the very least the harpies were driven off. She could hear the faint sound of cheering off in the distance; the cheers of thankful ponies! She smiled, but then her vision started to fade to black.

"Ember?" She heard Tempest call faintly. "Ember?..."

Somehow, Ember had fallen asleep. For how long, she couldn't tell. Opening her eyes, she realized that she was on a soft bed in a large room. There was a closed green curtain on her left. She felt something on her side, something sticky. Turning over and lifting the covers, she found that she was wearing a large bandage across her body.

Scanning her surroundings, she noticed the floor had a checkered pattern and a green ceiling. The wallpaper was a blueish color. There was a lighting fixture just above her. There was also a small drawer with a lamp and a green tissue box on top.

She already knew she was in a hospital, there wasn't a doubt in her mind. Her mane was messy again, and attempted to fix it. As she did so, she started to recall the day's earlier events.

Those harpies were more vicious than I thought. Yet... why would they want to come here of all places? Why do they want to repopulate? It's strange and I want to know more!

She kept questioning herself for a good ten minutes or so, before the brown door in front of the room opened. It was her new friends, Kiwi, and Tempest.

"Ember!" Tempest exclaimed as she went over to her bedside. "How're ya feel'n?"

"Um... better, actually." She answered truthfully. Her side felt sore though.

"Lancer suggested to take you to the hospital after you fell unconscious." Kiwi explained, moving over to Tempest. "You were bleeding so profusely she was worried that you would die from exsanguination."

"Exsang--what?"

"It means severe blood loss."

"Why didn't you just say that instead?"

"Well, I just like to say the word. Exsanguination. Or, exsanguinate."

There was a slight pause from the white pegasus. "You are one strange pony, Kiwi. And you have my pity."

She heard more hoofsteps. It was that thistle colored mare, Lancer. She walked over to the three of them, smiling pleasantly.

"Thank goodness." She said relieved, "I assumed all that blood loss would have done you in. Thankfully, I was wrong."

"Why so much fuss about my blood?" Ember asked, still confused.

"From what the doctor diagnosed, you seem to have a bleeding disorder." Lancer began to explain. "Your blood doesn't clot normally, which explains the profuse bleeding. From the long gashes, he assumed that if we hadn't acted as fast as we did, you would have most likely bled to death."

A bleeding disorder? The only pony I know who has one is my mother.

Her mother had always told that if she got cut, she'd bleed like a stuck pig. It would take incredibly long periods of time for her mother to stop bleeding. It wouldn't have come to her that she inherited this disorder from her mother! Her father didn't have it, she knew, but then again he isn't always a healthy pony.

"But, you barely know me." She told them, "And yet... you're the kindest ponies I've ever known."

"Oh... why thank you." Lancer said.

"Hey, you may be new here," Tempest said, "but you're a pretty cool pony!"

"And braver too!" Kiwi pointed out, just before Tempest elbowed her shoulder. "Ow."

She was more than grateful for them. Even though she met these ponies within a very short period of time, they felt a lot more like real friends. Specifically Kiwi, and Tempest, since she knows almost nothing about Midnight Lancer. The most she knows about her is that she wields a spear... that's about it. Perhaps she'll get to know her more in the future? She hoped so.

A thought had now just came to her, "Um... did you by any chance come across a pink pony with a lavender mane?"

"Hmm..." Kiwi pondered. "Pink pony?... I remember there used to be a pink pony a long time ago, but from what I recall she didn't have a lavender mane. The only other pink pony I can think of is--"

"Ugh! You mean Precious Gem?!" Tempest said in disgust. "She's the prissiest, most stuck-up mare in town!"

"I dare say," Lancer admitted, "that mare is a rather uncouth individual. As rich as she may be, she's far from generous."

"Yep! Precious Gem is pretty abominable. Her, and her friends."

"Oh yeah, don't remind me." Tempest exclaimed. "Her friends are almost as obnoxious as she is! They're a bunch of dimwitted spoiled brats."

"Huh. Well, she was being rude to me just before I came here." She admitted truthfully.

Yet... there's probably more to her than I thought.

She thought about the harpy attacking this "Precious Gem". Even though she had said some pretty nasty things, she still saved her life. If anything, she hoped this would have some sort of effect on her. Either that or she's still the same pony regardless of her life being saved. Hopefully the former.

"But, who knows? Perhaps now that I've saved her life, maybe she'll become a better pony."

"Pfft! I doubt it!" Tempest spat. "That pony could care less about anypony, but herself!"

"You're right about that." Kiwi agreed. "Even if you save her life, she's still going to be the same pony she always is: VILE!"

Lancer scowled, "Perhaps it's best we do not speak of her anymore."

"AGREED!" The other two said in unison.

Wow, these ponies really don't like this pony. Not that I'd blame'em, but maybe there's some hidden depths somewhere beneath that mask of hers. I'm willing to find out!

It has been a few hours since she got out of the hospital. She had been having random conversations with her new friends on different topics, since they left. Things like: weather, Tempest's stunts... Kiwi's interest in volatile chemicals, but very little about Lancer. In fact, Lancer hardly said much at all since they left the building. The more she kept silent, the more she wanted to know.

As they walked side by side in streets of Ponyville, she figured now would be the best time to ask Lancer a few questions, that she might answer.

"So, Lancer... how long have you lived in Ponyville?" Ember asked curiously.

At first it seemed as though she wasn't paying attention, but she then answered, "A rather long time."

"Yep." Kiwi put in, "She's been in Ponyville since I came here."

"When was that?"

"When I was a little filly, of course! She was slightly older than I was when I first met her. And Tempest was also living in Ponyville at that time, too."

"That's right!" Tempest said proudly, "Born and raised in Ponyville!"

"Okay. Lancer, where did you learn to use that spear?"

The thistle mare raised a brow when she asked that. "My mentor."

She's straightforward, I'll give her that. She's probably a mare of few words. Even though she said more when intimidating that harpy.

"Walk faster." Kiwi leaned in close to her ear.

Ember jumped in surprise. "W-w-why?"

"She's here." She pointed her hoof forward.

Right before her, she saw that pink pony she saved, Precious Gem. She was wearing bandages across her abdomen. She was walking with two other ponies beside her, one was a very light blue, the other a light gray. They must have been the "friends" she told her about. Her and her friends seem to be enjoying a conversation--about what, she couldn't tell. It was probably something prissy, something she would have absolutely no interest in.

"Hey, look!" The light blue one laughed. "It's the loony pony and her lame friends."

"I am not loony!!" Kiwi exclaimed, offended.

"And we're not lame!" Tempest defended.

"Hehehe!" The gray one snickered, "Yeah! It's them alright!"

"Precious Gem!" Ember called out, "Hey!"

The pink pony raised a brow. "Uh... hi. What do you want?" She replied rudely.

She was taken aback, "I saved your life. You know, from that harpy? Don't you remember?"

"Eeeyah. I do. Thanks. Anyway, I got better things to do than waste my time with you." She started walking off, her friends still snickering.

Just like before. Ungrateful.

Her eyes felt moist and her face felt hot. She didn't want to cry over this. This wasn't something worth crying over. Still... it felt wrong. She saved her life, yet she wasn't grateful for it. It just didn't seem right! She fought back the tears as best she could, trying not to look weak in front of her new friends.

"See what I mean?! There not a--" Tempest cut herself off, noticing Ember's expression. "You alright?"

No. Not here.

"I-I'm fine." She lied. "I just... need to get some rest."