Chapter 1
I awoke with a groan. Every party of my body was sore, especially my wings. I attempted to open my eyes only to close them immediately. The sun was pouring directly onto me. I opened my right eye just enough so I could get a look at my surroundings. I was in some sort of barn in front of the doors. The only source of light in the barn was the small window above the doors where the sun was pouring onto me. I exhaled deeply and winced at a sharp pain in my chest. It’s when I attempted to move when I realized what was causing the pain. I looked down and saw several ropes wrapped tightly across my chest and my wings were tied to my body, keeping me restrained to the post in the barn and preventing me from flying away. What struck me as odd was the fact that I wasn’t tied to the post. The rope was wrapped around me and the post and was being held by a magical blood red aura. I looked around the barn as best I could and from my position, I couldn’t spot a unicorn pony anywhere. So, where the hell is this magic coming from? I thought.
As odd as this situation may have seemed to others, I took this quite calmly. I cursed under my breath and began to wriggle my forelegs and hind legs in an attempt to break or loosen the ropes. The result was quite the opposite. The ropes slowly began to tighten the more I struggled. Eventually, the ropes constricted my hind legs to a point where I couldn’t feel them and they had dug deep enough into my chest, forcing me to stop any movement.
I opened my mouth to curse again when the unexpected happened. One of the ropes quickly snapped up and wrapped itself painfully around my neck. Breathing immediately became impossible. In response, I wriggled even more for air and bucked at the post behind me in a sad attempt to break the wood. All that did was cause the rope to tighten to the point where I felt blood seeping out of my fur.
In the midst of my choking and gagging spasms, I managed to get one eye slightly open and through the glare of the sun I saw the silhouette of a unicorn pony, its horn glowing blood red.
My eyes began to roll into the back of my head, my body started to become limp, and the struggle for air became futile. I felt unconsciousness begin to wash over me and I was sure death was imminent. Suddenly, the ropes loosened around my neck and fell to the floor. I let my head hang as I frantically gasped and wheezed air into my lungs. I was still coughing and wheezing when my head was engulfed by the red magic and was forced back up against the post painfully.
Despite my now throbbing headache, ringing ears, blurry vision, and the rope crushing my chest, I found the strength to squint one eye open to try and get a look at my… captor.
Because of the sun leaning on me and the blurry vision from that blow to the head and the strangulation, I couldn’t see any detail, but I could make out basic features. The pony had a mare-like figure so I only assumed she was a mare. Her mane was fairly long and had a slight flip at the end. The same went for her tail. Her horn was an average size for a unicorn, but it was a bit sharper than normal. It illuminated this menacing blood red aura. She stood at the average height as a full grown mare. Other than that, I couldn’t see anything. Not in this place.
The mare spoke to me, but the ringing in my ears toned it down to a muffle. I twitched my ears and muttered a throaty “what”.
“I said do you know who I am?” Her voice was that of an older mare. Soothing, seductive, and almost evil.
I coughed out a “no” in response.
“Do you know where you are?” She began to circle the post I was tied to.
In a barn, tied to a post. I settled for another no instead. Smart comments didn’t seem like the best thing to do at that moment.
“Do you know who you are?” She had hesitated before asking that one and honestly, I had to stop and think. I dug into the crevices of my mind only to find that I had no recollection of my past, my family, my friends… not even my name or appearance.
I lowered my eyes to the mare in front of me and did my best to simulate me shaking my head.
“Good,” the unicorn seemed to sigh in relief as she turned away from me and began walking toward the barn doors. “We’re going to have to keep it that way for now.” She released me from my bonds and I collapsed onto the floor. Every muscle in my body tensed. I buried my face into my hooves on the floor and squeezed my eyes shut, enduring the pain as best I could. I opened my eyes and looked at the floor underneath me. Several of the feathers from my wings had fallen off and blood had begun to drip and pool on the floor. I stood up slowly and squinted at the mare. She was looking outside between the barn doors. I looked above the barn doors at the window that was dumping sunlight into my eyes. It looked big enough for me to fly through, but I remembered my wings were tied to my body. Then again, I’m not restrained anymore, I thought to myself. I had regained some of my strength and twitched my wings. The rope was a lot looser than I thought. If I put enough pressure on it, it was sure to break. I crouched down on my forelegs, ready to fly out of here.
“Unless you want me to strangle you again,” the unicorn said as I began to unfold my wings. “I suggest you stay where you are.” Without looking at me, she proceeded to emphasize her point by having one of the ropes wrap around my right foreleg. I refolded my wings and stood up straight. I looked down at the floor and at my chest. The blood was seeping out of my fur at a steady pace and had created a somewhat large pool, mixing with the hay, dirt, and feathers. I noticed the color of my fur through the areas that weren’t covered in blood and dirt. A dark turquoise color. Interesting.
I looked back up at the mare. Her focus hadn’t changed a bit. Since moving wasn’t an option, I took the opportunity to ask some questions.
“Who are you?” I choked up. The mare’s ears flicked towards me.
“What makes you think I’d tell you?” She responded coldly.
“Well considering you’ve tied me up and strangled me half to death, I think I’m entitled to some sort of information.”
The mare winced at my rebuttal. I heard her sigh before responding.
“We are not enemies, but we are not friends either.” After the strangling, I find it hard to believe that we aren’t enemies. It wasn’t an answer I was looking for, but it’d have to do.
“You mind telling me where I am?” I insisted.
“Ponyville,” she said without hesitation. Ponyville, eh? At least THAT sounds familiar.
The mare pressed herself against the doors, looking closer outside. She cursed before taking about three steps away from the doors. Suddenly, something outside rammed itself against the door. Hadn’t the doors been reinforced with a chain, lock, and a few wooden planks (which I assume the unicorn had set up); it would’ve come down then and there. The ramming was followed by two voices; both female.
“C’mon out now,” said the first voice in a southern twang. “We juss wanna talk to ya’.”
“Right after we beat some sense into you!” The second voice was more tomboyish and filled with energy.
“An earth pony and a Pegasus will be coming for you very soon,” explained the unicorn that was still facing the doors.
“Wait, what do you mean coming for me?” I asked a bit nervously. My input was followed by another slam at the doors.
“You are to stay here and start a new life,” the unicorn continued, ignoring my comment. Another slam at the doors, breaking one of the boards keeping the door closed. “Make new friends and memories.” Another slam, breaking the remaining boards and loosening the chain and lock. The unicorn turned her head to me. “And please,” I heard her choke up. “Don’t follow me.” With that, she teleported out of the barn with a dark red flash and the barn doors burst open; an orange earth pony and a cyan Pegasus barging in.
“Nononono, wai-!” Was all I had time to say before the Pegasus slammed into me, pinning me against the post in a painful and somewhat embarrassing position.
“Who are you and what are you doing in Applejack’s barn?” The Pegasus nearly screamed into my ear. Pain surged through my body as she dug her hooves into my chest. I opened my eyes to the best of my ability. I was staring right into the ruby eyes of the Pegasus; filled with energy and spunk. If the pain wasn’t so overwhelming, I’d say it was pretty attractive.
“Easy Rainbow Dash,” the orange earth pony said. So, Rainbow Dash is this Pegasus’ name. I guess the rainbow mane and tail make sense. I only assumed that the orange pony with the blonde mane, southern twang, and cowboy hat was Applejack. “I think this stallion might be hurtin’.”
“What makes you say that?” I muttered through the pain. “The hooves digging into my chest, the fact you slammed me into this post, or could it possibly be the giant gashes in my chest that are seeping blood?” My wise comment got me a deeper jab in the chest with Rainbow’s hoof. I winced in response. She slowly got off me and hovered in front of me, keeping eye contact. I fell back on all fours and exhaled deeply.
“What’re ya’ doin’ here, sugarcube?” Applejack asked calmly. “What happened to ya’?”
“That’s just it,” My eyes flicked back and forth between the two ponies. “I don’t know.” Rainbow flew right into my face, backing me up into the post.
“Well, where are you from?” She questioned aggressively. “What’s your name?”
“I, uh…” My voice was shaky with nervous anxiety. “I… don’t know.” Rainbow must’ve heard the sincerity in my voice because her facial expression became serious. She looked back at Applejack and they each shared the same expression.
“Well, is there anything you do know?” Rainbow asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “I know English.”