Hello there my name is Ori, I have done many things over the years, I have gone though highs and lows, Accomplished many things and failed numerous times, but before I tell you all of this, let's start from the beginning...
Hi there my name is Ori and I am a creature of light , a Lightkin or a Lucis propinquis if you want to go all sciency, I had been under pony care before I have been left wondering for a long time now or so to speak, though the term pet is more appropriate in my situation, I prefer not to label myself as such.
I have done many things in that time left wondering, climbed mountains discovered, long lost secrets and also made some friends and enemies, in time I will tell you all of that, but first let's start from the beginning...
I woke up to the cold touch of wind gently caressing my fur for the first time. I opened my eyes to take a first look upon the world and what I saw was breathtaking.
A multitude of tiny lights sprinkled across the otherwise jet black sky, some moving, some sat still, some shone brighter than others but the brightest of them all stood proudly to the right of the sky, showering the world around me in a faint light.
I looked left to see a much brighter source of light filling the sky with an orange glow and as it slowly went down into the horizon. The light faded ever so slowly leaving behind a purple tinted sky.
That was my first sight, my first memory.
I sat there staring for what seemed like hours when I decided to sit up and see what else there was to discover. What I saw was trees surrounding the small clearing that I currently occupied and I looked down to see a few faintly glowing flowers scattered around were I had woken up. Curious I touched one of them feeling the smooth surface of the pedal.
After a bit of inspecting my surroundings I tried to move. At first I fumbled around and when I finally got a feel for my limbs I struggled to keep my footing as I continuously stumbled and fell. When I finally managed to stand up I slowly started to walk into a random direction.
After a while of walking and stumbling I started to get the hang of it as it began to feel natural and easy for me to do. My mind began to wonder as I started thinking about the little dots in the sky, about the flowers and how beautiful they were and I wanted to make something just as beautiful.
I started to concentrate on how I could make something like that I started felt a tingling sensation in my right arm. I lifted it up to eye level to see it now had strings of light flowing around my hand and when I leaned my head a little closer to get a better look I accidentally walked into a rock near the edge of the clearing, I stumbled backwards but managed to regain my footing.
I looked back up at the rock and frowned, glaring daggers at it when I heard a giggle coming from behind a nearby bush followed by a hush.
Out of curiosity I started to walk towards the bush that the voices had come out of and soon after a excited sounding voice said something I couldn't understand in a hushed tone, then another snapped back more angrily but still hushed like the first one.
I continued to walk towards the bush when suddenly a dark blue figure jumped out at me.
Luna was trotting away from the courtyard of her and her sister Celestia's castle towards the everfree with a neatly folded net floating next to her.
Celestia had gotten a pet phoenix for her 11th birthday and Luna found it unfair that she didn't get a pet too on her birthday the day before, so after not so much thinking the now 5 year old alicorn filly decided that she was going to get her own pet, so she took a net from the Hunter's hut and headed out.
'But from where?' she had thought to herself. She couldn't just go into one of the nearby towns and take a pet from them, that would be stealing. She refused to come back empty hoofed, so she stopped trotting and sat down net still floating next to her and looked around trying to find a good place to find a pet. Then her eyes met with a forest not so far away from the castle. The Everfree Forest.
Luna smiled widely as she saw the forest. Of course she would find a pet in the Everfree, there were lots of animals there, and she was going to catch one, train it and make it her pet. She just had to make sure Celestia or Starswirl wouldn't follow her. Luna looked around to see if anyone was there and when the coast seemed clear she trotted off into the forest, net in tow.
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After about 3 hours later of searching Luna started to get impatient. All the animals she had found had all run away as soon as the saw her or were mean and growled at her.
It was getting dark and Luna was hungry so she started to head back. but just before she started to turn around to head back a softly glowing leaf flew past her, swiftly grabbing her attention and Luna's childish wonder took hold as she forgot about her grumbling tummy and followed the glowing leaf.
The leaf, after a rather short journey, had landed in a clearing, Luna had fallen behind, her little hooves only being able to move her so fast but when she entered the clearing the leaf started to glow brighter and brighter.
Luna reacted quickly by running to and hiding behind a nearby bush fearing what might happen.
The light only grew brighter and brighter, Lighting up the sky like a beacon and then... Nothing, the light disappeared leaving behind another glowing figure sitting in the same spot as the leaf had been and having faintly glowing flowers scattered around it.
When Luna was sure it was safe to come out a sound of somepony teleporting rang from behind her followed by a loud, "eh-hem".
At that moment the only word that Luna could think of was 'busted' as she slowly turned around to see her magic teacher and caretaker Starswirl standing behind her with a angry and disappointed frown on his face.
"Luna, what did I tell you about going into the forest unsupervised?" He asked Luna sternly.
Luna smiled sheepishly, "That it was okay if you were on a super duper important mission?"Luna answered as innocently as she could.
Starswirl shook his head and sighed "No, I told you not to, but you decided it was a better Idea to run in alone without permission." He put a hoof on Luna's shoulder. "The Everfree is not a safe place for a filly, Luna. What if a timberwolf had found you before I did?" he scolded.
Luna's head dropped in shame. She had been so excited to get a new pet that she didn't really think of that. 'But it was unfair, why did Tia get to have a pet I don't?' Luna thought to herself as Starswirl scolded her.
"Now come Luna we should get back. It's dark out, I'm hungry and I'm sure that you are too." Starswirl told her sternly.
For a little bit Luna was going to agree, she was hungry and the unicorns had raised the moon and the sun was almost completely set but then she realized something. She looked back to see the net almost completely out of sight.
He hadn't noticed it.
A smile threatened to creep itself upon Luna's face, her horn lit up momentarily to hide the net from Starswirl. Then she looked up and looked at him him her best puppy dog eyes she could muster, "Can we please stay a little longer? I just want to see the animals." Luna asked her eyes somehow getting even wider.
Starswirl put up a good fight mustering a solid, "no" but eventually caved and agreed on staying.
Luna practically beamed at the answer and turned back around to observe what had happened, Starswirl followed soon after and was confused and intrigued at what he saw as evident by his expression.
The glowing figure from before had turned out to be a small two legged animal with glowing white fur, black eyes with white pupils, a tail and what looked like four ears, two of them exceedingly larger than the other pair higher up on its scalp. The creature seemed to concentrating on its hand for some reason and didn't seem to notice a sizable rock in front of it and walked face first into the rock.
Luna couldn't help but chuckle at its mishaps, Starswirl shushed her telling her to be quiet but it was too late, the creature had noticed them and was now coming closer.
Luna was practically shaking with excitement and her horn glowed as she took the net from it's hiding spot, Starswirl quickly noticed what Luna was doing and tried to stop the little filly but was too late as she lunged at the creature, trapping it in the net.
Luna cheered in victory She had done it she'd gotten a pet! It was amazing, after three hours of searching she finally did it!
Luna clapped her hooves together in excitement, giggling and laughing, then she felt a hoof touch her shoulder.
"Luna, let it go." Starswirl said, his face not showing any distinct emotion.
Luna turned to face him with an annoyed expression, "Why?! I caught it myself and I want a pet!" she whined.
Starswirl pointed at the creature with a hoof, "Look at it" he told her.
Luna obliged and looked at the creature, her ears dropped and her smile turned into a frown.
"Does it look happy to you?" He asked her, "Does it look like it wants to be your pet?" he added.
The creature was terrified, gnawing and scratching the ropes trying to get out, breathing quickly and erratically, it was in a state of pure fright and panic.
Luna tried to reach for it but before she could even touch the creature it reared back and almost tangled itself inside the net, Luna quickly drew back her hoof, "I'm sorry Starswirl, I didn't mean to I just... just..." Luna started.
"Wanted a pet," Starswirl finished, "I know." He sighed and removed himself down to Luna's eye level. "I know that you're jealous of Celestia because she got a pet phoenix, but that is no reason to go out and get one yourself, not to mention in a dangerous place like the Everfree forest." he said.
"I'm sorry." she apologized, disheartened.
"I know you are." he said sympathetically as he took her in for a hug.
Luna said nothing and accepted the hug.
Starswirl gently stroked her mane, "Look, Luna, you can't go around and catch wild animals to be your pet, they don't want for somepony to pet them or take care of them. Most animals are scared of ponies so they avoid them." Starswirl said, but again he was met with silence.
Starswirl looked down at Luna who was now on the verge of tears, he smiled gently and broke the hug, "Luna, why don't you let it go now, so it can go its own way," he suggested as he pointed at the trapped animal.
Luna nodded and used her magic to lift the net off of the creature,"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you" her head dropped and she closed her eyes, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
'I have to get out! I have to get out!' Was all I could think of at the time, I was trapped in a net and instinct had taken over. I chewed and scratched but to no avail and then the creature tried to grab me and I reared back trying to get away from it so it quickly pulled it's hoof back and spoke. I couldn't understand anything it said but I could tell by its voice that it felt some guilt in it's actions.
I was still weary of the creatures in front of me, both being larger than me, so I continued to think of a way to get out and just then I remembered what I was doing just before being captured. I concentrated on the dots and flowers again and again I felt a tingly sensation in my arm I lifted it up too see a familiar glow around my hand and I concentrated even harder on the dots and then a glowing orb started to form just above my right hand.
When it finished forming I willed it to move to the robes and cut them but as much as I tried the orb did nothing, seemingly just passing right through them, I sighed and stopped trying, as soon as I did the orb dissipated.
I turned my attention back at the creatures in front of me and saw the larger gray coated one stretch its hooves in a gesture the smaller one seems to accept and hugged it, the gray coated one seemingly comforting the smaller dark blue coated one.
After a short period of time they broke the hug and the larger gray coated one pointed at me and said something which I still couldn't understand and the smaller one turned to me with a hung head and drooped ears, her horn lit up and the net was lifted, I was freed.
My first thought was to run and get out of there. I turned around and was ready to take off but then I looked back at the creature, it looked genuinely sorry for what it had done and this made me want to show it my gratitude so I turned back around and walked up to it, its head now hung low.
I poked its forehead, it being about twice as tall as I was and it looked up at me getting confused when it saw me. I only smiled and gave the same pose as the gray taller creature had just before, the creature's sad expression quickly turned from being sad to happy and it took me up and gave me a bone crushing hug.
'This was a bad Idea, wasn't it?' Was the only thought that came to mind at that moment as it crushed me under its hooves.
I started waking up from a nap that I didn't remember taking and I felt incredibly woozy, like I was going to faint. 'Ugh, what happened?' I thought to myself as a splitting headache decided to come out of nowhere. 'Gha! Ow ow ow ow! It hurts!” was the only thing I could think of as I let out a pained yelp clutching my head in the process. I squirmed and tried to get it to go away.
As the headache dulled and I regained my senses I started looking around and investigating my surroundings. I was in a large stone brick room decorated to the brim with dark blue carpets, curtains and furniture with slightly lighter blue hues and gold trimmings on some of the larger ones like the bed and sofa. I however was laying on a mattress that seemed very out of place, instead of dark blue it was bright pink.
This confused me, hadn't I woken up just a few moments earlier in a forest?
How did I end up here?
And what even is this place?
So many questions popped up one after another but before I could think of any more I heard an excited squee coming from right next to me, I jerked up in surprise and directed my attention on where the squee had come from and I found myself face to face with a familiar dark blue coated creature.
Then I remembered why I had been asleep, I remembered that I had offered this creature a hug and that it got a little too excited and I blacked out.
And now it was in front of me looking three times as excited than before.
I tensed up, ready to run if I needed, this thing had knocked me unconscious once, it was not going to happen again and to my relief it ran out of the room shouting something as it went slamming the dark oak door after it.
I slumped back down on the mattress and let go of a breath that I didn't know I was holding.
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After some time of me laying on the mattress deep in thought, my ears perked up as I heard the door the creature had left open. I took a deep breath and righted myself up readying myself for what was surely to come, but instead of just a hyperactive small creature there were 3 taller creatures and a hyperactive smaller creature, two of them looking at me with keen interest, while the gray one that I had met before was more interested in it's book than me.
The first one had a light green coat and a poofy darker green hair with purple eyes and a horn spiraling out of it's head, next to it was even taller white coated one that had a horn that was slightly longer than the other ones. It also had wings, long pink hair and pink eyes as well.
The taller white creature cautiously stepped closer until it was right in front of me. It slowly reached out with a foreleg until it was right in front of my face then it booped my nose.
I instinctively reeled back slightly, scrunched up my nose a little bit then sneezed, for some reason it made the two creatures laugh.
They laughed for a good while before the gray coated creature announced something which drew the attention of the others.
They both turned around to face the gray coated creature which revealed another creature sitting on the back of the white one. It was not like the others, this one stood on two legs, had wings on its sides instead of its back, a beak and orange and red feathers covering its body instead of fur.
The orange and red creature took notice of me and waved its wing and hopped of the back of the white creature and on to the table that the mattress I was on laid. I reluctantly waved back and gave a meek smile.
It smiled and pointed its wing towards me, "Hi there, my name is Philomena! What's yours?" it asked.
This came as a surprise to me as I actually understood this creature so I tried to answer, emphasis on tried, the only noise that came out was a squeak.
The creature tilted its head and drew back it's wing. "Ok... Squeak, let me introduce you to the others." It smiled and pulled me closer with it's wing. "The one I was sitting on before is Celestia, the mare next to her is Clover the Clever and that gray unicorn over there is Starswirl" it said, pointing at each of them with her wing as it introduced me to each of them. "Oh and let's not forget Luna, she's the filly that found you and well... knocked you out. You really should be more careful around fillies."
'Fillies? Mares? Unicorns? What?' I thought to myself, before Philomena dragged me towards the edge of the table.
"Now remember that there are three rules around here.” it said as it lifted its wing with one feather pointing upwards. "Rule number one! You are not allowed to poop or pee in the castle, I learned that the hard way." It lifted another feather. "Second rule, don't break anything." It lifted a third feather. "And the third and final rule, never EVER eat Celestia's cake, trust me she gets angrier than a raging minotaur. Any questions?"
I stood there for a moment not sure if I could even reply but as I opened my mouth to try to at least Philomena interrupted me.
"Good, I'm sure we will get along nicely." it said as it patted me on the back.
Unfortunately that pat on the back was enough to put me off balance and fall of the table, I slammed onto the ground with an audible 'oof', and out came my first word.
"Ah! Found it!" Starswirl proclaimed proudly as he set the book he was reading on the coffee table next to him. "It's a Lucis propinquis," he said as he pointed at a picture in said book.
"A Luci what now?" Luna asked from behind him.
"A Lucis propinquis or a Lightkin, it's a long presumed extinct animal that used to live in the Whitetail Woods." he explained.
Celestia walked over to Starswirl and to take a look at the picture he was pointing at and it indeed did look like the creature that currently resided in the room with them. "How come they're extinct?" she asked as she turned her head to face him.
"Pretty sure they didn't, I mean we do have living proof standing right there." Clover answered sarcastically while grinning.
Celestia rolled her eyes in response and and looked at Starswirl with an expectant look, waiting for an answer. Starswirl looked at clover for a moment contemplating what she just said before answering, "I don't know. The book doesn't really specify, but I do know that this book is 500 years old and if they were extinct long before that means that this Lightkin is a more than five centuries year old relic of time."
Luna only stared at Starswirl in aw then looked at the Lightkin with a smile. "And I found it!" she proclaimed bouncing around like if she were made of rubber. "Can we keep it? Please...!" Luna asked excitedly.
Celestia looked at the Lightkin then back at Luna, "I don't think that's a good idea since,--" Celestia started but was cut off by Starswirl.
"Sure, I think that's a great idea" he said with a smile, "But right now I'm going to try to find out exactly what these things are. This book doesn't go into any specifics so I'm going to try to figure out its diet and etcetera." he explained as he turned around and began heading towards the door. As he walked passed Celestia who was currently imitating a fish, he whispered, "Oh don't be surprised. She wants a pet and she won't stop fighting for one, it's better to just give up while you can." He gave her a small smile and left the room.
"Heh, well I'm going to get something to eat, the princess is going to wake up any moment now for our 'magnificent journey to our new land'. You coming Celestia?" Clover asked.
Celestia didn't answer for a bit she just opened and closed her mouth attempting to say something, "b-but she's too young" she finally blurted out.
Now it was Clover's turn to roll her eyes. "Jeez Celestia, you know that you aren't the only one that's allowed to have pets, right?" She asked sarcastically as she opened the door Starswirl had just left. "So are you coming or not?" she asked, seriously this time.
Celestia hung her head in defeat. "Yeah, sure." she looked back at her sister who was now playing with the Lightkin. "I guess..." and with that they both Left the room, leaving Luna behind giggling at the little Lightkin.
'Why is it laughing? Does it take pleasure from my pain!?' I thought to myself while rubbing my nose.
The little filly had been laughing at me for a while now, I looked up at Philomena for help, as it turns out Philomena was laughing too, I glared at her while she laughed like an Idiot.
When she finally managed to calm herself down she jumped down of the to my right as I continued my intense glare. "What's that look for? It's not my fault you have bad footing!" she said, grinning. "Besides, it made Luna laugh. I really don't see the problem here," she said with a shrug.
My glare intensified.
"Oh c'mon, don't be like that!" Philomena half whined.
Glare intensity rising.
Philomena sighed, "Fine... I'm sorry, you happy now?"
I smiled and turned my attention back to Luna, she seemed to be saying something but I couldn't understand what, I turned back at Philomena with a confused pleading look.
"Hide and seek, you know one of you goes and hides while the other one searches," Philomena explained, that only made me more confused "It's a game... She's asking if you want to play,"she added.
I nodded slowly, still wary of the dark creature before me and what it must be scheming.
'What am I going to name her? Oh, maybe something cool like Zue or Boo. Wait, no Glory, wait I have it... Fluffy Buns, yes, that's perfect!' Luna mentally patted herself on the back, "Genius!" she told herself.
I shuddered at the possible things she could be planning.
Luna said something then covered her eyes, I blinked in confusion before Philomena called out to me, "You’re supposed to hide now Squeaks!" She shouted as she flew behind a jar on top of a really high shelf.
'Oh that's cheating,' I complained inwardly as I ran towards the nearest hiding spot.
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After a few games of hide and seek I was exhausted, climbing up a bookcase is hard! Also as it turns out, it's really hard to hide when you glow as most of the hiding places in the room relied on darkness.
Luna cheered and I sighed, she had won over 20 games in a row even finding Philomena’s cheating spot after she realized Philomena could fly.
Currently me and Philomena riding on Luna's back as she giddily pranced down the corridors of the castle going... I actually didn't know where, Philomena hadn't mentioned. I poked Philomena on the shoulder when she turned around to face me I made some body movements to try to ask her where we were going.
"Not much of a talker huh?" She asked, I nodded my head. "Can't talk or won't talk? Because I can't understand you right now." she deadpanned.
I sat there for a moment thinking, I did speak before so I could but I didn't know how, I opened my mouth to atleast try at see how it goes.
"V-vere vee hoinh?"
Terrible, absolutely terrible.
Philomena laughed. "Guess that answers my question." she bellowed through the laughs, when she finally calmed down she put her wing on my shoulder. "I guess you're a youngling, like me." she said in a questioning tone, expecting me to answer. "So consider me as your bigger sister and that I will teach you the ways of speaking." she said in a mocking tone.
I didn't get it.
When I didn't laugh she coffed, "Heh... guess you had to be there, well anyway we're going to the dining room to get some lunch," she finally answered.
Luna turned her head to face, but a hoof in front of her lips us and shushed then resumed skipping through the corridors, confusing me and seemingly irritating Philomena.
"I was just about done anyway" Philomena pouted.
Luna snapped back and sushed again.
'This place is weird...' I thought to myself.
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After about ten minutes of skipping through hallways we finally arrived at our destination, an absolutely massive room with a huge table in the middle of it decorated with an assortment of food and silverware golden candle holders littering the room, and two massive gold chandeliers adorning the roof. On the far side of the room was another light purple-ish pink creature like the others except with no wings like Luna and Celestia. It adorned a purple crown and cape, the edges of the cape were covered in delicate fur. The crown, mostly silver. had a few purple gems imbedded in it and the bottom of it was covered in the same fur as the cape. Its mane and tail white as snow and its deep purple eyes filled with fury as they stared down a bored looking Clover.
They looked like they were arguing about something, or more like one the them is shouting about something and the other one is just standing there taking it all in.
I pulled my attention away from the argument and directed it at the table, specifically at the two other creatures sitting there with empty plates and a book hovering between them. Celestia and Starswirl seemed to be having a nice conversation about something... again, I hated not being able to understand them.
Just as I finished that thought Philomena took to the air and landed on Celestias head, Celestia smiled and said something before returning to the conversation with Starswirl, shortly after I was picked up via magic and put on the table as Luna sat down next to me. She levitated a bowl filled with food in front of me and sat it down. I looked at the bowl and realised something, 'I haven't eaten my entire life!' And with that though my face fell into the bowl as I began eating.
It.
was.
So good!
I ate ravenously I ripped apart whatever it was and put each piece rapidly into my mouth and after a short 10 seconds of eating I was done and handed my bowl back to Luna asking for more.
She was covered in food and leftovers.
I stood there unsure of what to do as Luna looked blankly back at me, was she going to be angry? Sad?
Then she began to laugh hysterically, shortly after everyone else began to laugh too, except for the other creature who had begun complaining about something again.
Luna said something through the laughter, I looked at Philomena and gave her a what did she just say look, Philomena stopped laughing for a moment and looked at me with a small smile. "Welcome to the family Ori."
'Ori... I like that name,' I thought to myself as I joined in on the laughter.
Alone. First time in a while I’d been alone, it felt like ages had passed. No noise, no movement, everything still and the only company was the sound of my own thoughts, aside from Starswirl’s constant humming.
I was in Starswirl’s lab, which at the time I knew it as the room with wooden contraptions everywhere. He had been examining me for quite some time, going about it quietly which was somehow unnerving and calming at the same time, he poked me with various rods and was looking at me with many odd contraptions, lifting me up with his magic and much more.
This gave me time to think about various things like, 'What are these wooden contraptions?' And 'How is it that they can lift me without touching me?' And finally the most important one, 'Why am I here? Why don't I just leave? Why did I turn around when they released me?' I never thought about this, I never had the time but now when I thought about it I did want to leave, I did want to be free but a part of also wanted to stay I didn't want to just abandon Philly, or I guess it was more I didn't want to be alone.
As I continued to think Starswirl seemed to stop examining me and started working on the wooden contraption next to me.
I continued thinking, ignoring Starswirl’s loud hammering. I thought about the first time I was alone, I didn't think much of it I didn't know better I guess but now, the thought of just being outside with no one? It scared me more than anything really. 'But what if the angry one throws me out? what if I make a mistake and they have to get rid of me?' all these things and more started flowing through my head like a tsunami of anxiety.
But just as I was about to panic, I heard a strange noise coming from Starswirl’s direction. I looked over to see him cranking up the contraption, a giant wheel with tiny pricks poking out of it at seemingly random spots began to turn and a bunch of small round marbles began to move upwards into a sort of dispenser. Shortly after that, Starswirl pressed a lever and a melody began to emit from the contraption a soothing melody which was soon contaminated with the sound of laughter from Starswirl as he began cheering.
My panicked thoughts were now replaced with curiosity for the machine before me. I looked it over and noticed that the marbles were falling down on some sort of metal plates at the bottom which created the melody. Starswirl seemed ecstatic and left the room in a hurry, leaving me in the room alone with the machine and it's calming melody, I closed my eyes and rocked my head back and forth while listening.
Some time later Starswirl returned with the company of everyone I had met except the angry one, I opened my eyes and looked over to them Philomena rushing over to my side, landed then gave me a nudge on the shoulder. "Enjoying yourself?"
I only nodded. 'Maybe it won't be so bad' I thought to myself before closing my eyes again listening to the music the machine created.
