> To walk in their Hooves > by Nightmare Darkness > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prolouge > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Looking down on the globe of a barren world that was once just floating debris of a combination of medals, elements, chemicals now given form, was a figure with four hooves six wings and two horns protruding from her forehead. The mare entity looked down on the unmolded world and with a small smile lifted her hoof to her mouth and blew a wind filled with glitter towards the planet. Wherever the flecks fell trees, shrubs, mountains, valleys, and all manner of geography and biodiversity budded into existence. She chuckled warmly causing the cosmos around her to rippled. Now she was going to try something she never tried herself. Create...intelligent life. She had a flood of creatures all materialize within her infinite mind. Bugs, beasts, fish, all matter of creatures and with a wave of her hoof they all floated towards the planet. She then arrived to all the intelligent creatures she thought about each one and gave them characteristics to make them distinct from one another. Griffins, earth ponies, unicorns, changelings, pegasi, yaks, ect. all were created with love and happiness in their hearts. She willed them to life but after a moment nothing happened, they remained lifeless. She tried again by putting more power into breathing life into the small lives. She felt a sense of failure as she looked distressed and then focused again pouring everything she was into them...her children. Everything she was, is, and will be was breathed into their little bodies. Then it happened, their eyes flittered open to take in the world around them. She was exhausted and drained like she had never felt before. She felt her legs buckle as she looked at her creation with wet eyes as she smiled and gave a happy sob. Suddenly the feeling of a cold engulfed her as another being made itself known. His features of a stallion were dark, jagged and matched his female counterpart as he now looked down on the new world that was breathed into the universe with hungry eyes. Her eyes became desperate as his hoof hovered over the world and she cried out as her horns both glowed as she roared in defiance. He backed away before giving a smirk and his horns glowed as well, then with a spark of dark energy it slammed into the world as she screamed in terror. She reached out and embraced the planet but the damage was done. She looked down at her children and now darkness, anger, greed, evil was implanted into the hearts of every inhabitant. She looked at the dark entity through tear stained eyes. She then took in a deep breath and gently blew onto the planet again but this time introducing something to combat the darkness, Magic, hope, good, and harmony. With this last sacrifice of power her body who only moments ago was full of power and radiated energy now greyed out as she looked at the darkness with a smile which conveyed that he had not won yet. He snarled in anger and frustration as a tear ran down his snarling face. Her tears slowed as she gave one shuddering death gasp as a small but powerful source of power enveloped the globe cocooning it in a protective power. The last of her essence as a guardian against the Darkness. > Choice and Birth > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It had been millennia as the guardian overwatched the life on the planet keeping the darkness at bay. The Guardian was a smaller representation of her mother. Two sets of wings and only one horn and bestowed the feelings that her mother had felt for those down on the planet she had taken charge of. In essence she was in fact the goddess of this world. But her power was waning after so long. The guardian looked to the cosmos again and saw her ever presence nemesis overlooking the world. Always looking for a way to get into the protective barrier. She herself did not maintain the barrier that was her mothers magic not hers. The world had grown, matured and developed. Three races had grouped together after realizing they were stronger together then apart. The changelings who once were white and pure had been corrupted wholly by the darkness. But she still help out hope that the spark of her mothers love would succeed in the end. The guardian looked over towards the dragons with a look of pity, greed had enveloped them almost completely but still she held out for hope. She looked back down at the three races of ponies. She had bestowed power over the celestial bodies to the two sisters. Her power was getting two weak to do that herself but dividing it between the two had been the right choice even though Luna the younger had jealousy worm into her heard and darkness overcame her. She had to give help to Celestia for that time even if she did not know it. Things were going to happen and truthfully she did not know what, but she knew that the small purple unicorn was going to be the center of a lot of happenings. As guardian she could give certain powers and skills to many. Because of that it was her fault now everypony has cutimarks. She didn't have a way to show ponies talents and resorted to a tattoo for a quick solution. That was a blunder she didn't meant to do but...eh, they like it so no harm no foul. She looked down at the charges she was entrusted to look after and found herself simply wondering what it was like to be one of her mother creations. Her power was diminishing and well...she couldn't do much from where she was now. Soul reincarnation was self sustaining as well as everything that seemed to run without her help or need for intervention. She was in all essence board. She looked down at the world and the looked forward and blinked twice and a menu appeared before her showing a simple pony figure. She played with the settings and then shook her head selecting only one standard thing she wanted unicorn. The rest she chose at random and looked down at the world again before dismissing the menu. She looked down at a few candidates and then saw a mare being artificially inseminated and smiled. Her. The Guardian looked around and back up at her mother nemesis one last time before bringing up the menu again and selecting the accept button. Her world went dark. The mare on the table was a well loved member of the staff of the hospital and well since this was her first time giving birth she knew what it entailed but all of her years of helping deliver fouls and colts did not prepare her for the agonizing pain and trauma that was childbirth. Nurse Redheart breath in a practiced rhythm as her friend and cohort Dr. Scope stood by her side. She had asked her to be there with her. "Redheart, hunny, I need you to count with me on three push. One, Two, three." her fellow nurse ordered. Redheart groaned in effort and then cried out as she shook her head. "I-I cant do it...I cant." she said in a pleading voice as her coat was drenched in sweat and her pink mane disheveled. "You are doing so amazing" Scope said and she looked at her with a glare. "Want to switch places?" Redheart asked harshly and Scope couldn't help but crack a smile. "You seem to have it under control." She said. "Push." the nurse ordered again and Redheart clenched her teeth and cried out again in pain. "Its a unicorn we can see the head!" one of the nurses said happily as Redheart smiled and then she clenched her teeth again. "Another contraction." Redheart informed as she bit her pillow as she groaned loudly in pain. "Ok, I have the head. One more push hunny." The nurse said as Redheart took in a few small breathes in rapid succession and then pushed with all of being as the foul was caught in the hooves of the nurse who was standing by with a warm towel. The blood spattered the white coat of Redheart as they placed the unicorn foul in her forehooves. The umbilical cord still attached and Redheart began to tap the back of the foal, suddenly the foul cried out as a new life was brought into the world. The small life in her embrace covered in blood and bodily fluids had a white coat much like her mothers and a baby blue mane and tail under all of the blood. Redheart looked down as her chest swelled with pride and then her eyes watered over. All previous pain forgotten and replaced by an overwhelming pride and unquenchable love. "Hello....Scriptheart." Redheart said as the name seemed to flow into her mind as it did for everypony born in the world. It was at that moment Scriptheart opened her eyes for the first time in the world revealing one crystal blue and one light red that looked around the room. Scope smiled down at her friend and not an eye in the room was dry at the news as one of the nurses went out into the hall and announced it to the other nurses who all cheered. Redheart chuckled softly as she wiped away some of the gunk on Scriptheart's face and kissed her head under her horn and that caused her to quiet and look up at her mother in wonder. "I love you so much." Redheart said almost a whisper and Scriptheart blinked. > Class and Party > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "ScriptHeart! time to get up for your first day at school!" Redheart called up a set of stairs and the bump under a blanket shifted and dropped away to reveal the pure white horn of a young unicorn filly who yawned. "Just one....more...minute..." she moaned as she laid her head back down on the pillow just wanting to surrender again to sleep. Her eyes grew heavy again as she began to drift back to sleep then the door to the room opened and Redheart walked in with her nurse cap on. "Oh no its time for school missy." she chided as she lifted the blanket with her teeth and tugged it away. Scriptheart coiled into a protective ball as she sucked in air. The morning was cool and she groaned in protest. "Mooooom..." She drawled. "Get up and brush your teeth." She ordered her. Scriptheart moved from her bed and walked across the hall to the bathroom, where she dragged the stepping stool for her to reach the sink and levitated both toothbrush and toothpaste and began her morning evolutions. Looking into the bathroom mirror her mane was dishevelled and every strand has a mind of its own. She then lifted her brush and began to brush her hair as she brushed her teeth. Scriptheart walked down the stairs after finishing her mane and tail and sat down at the table. Redheart placed three pancakes on a plate with steamed carrots arranged in an order to make a smiley face. This was an auspicious day of course being her first day to school. "So, how do you feel?" Redheart asked as she sat across from her taking a bite of her dish. "I don't know....scared...anxious...nervous." Scriptheart confided. "I swear, I never get use to you knowing such big words. Who taught you? Was it Scope?" Her mother interrogated. "N....yes.... Auntie Scope said it and I asked what they meant. It seemed to fit how I feel." She stated. In truth she did feel anxious and nervous. She had little to no contact with other filly's her age. Redheart sighed and took a drink from her glass on the table then set it down before looking at her daughter. "Its not good to lie you know." She said thoughtfully and Scriptheart tensed slightly, 'her mother was acutely aware of when she lied' she hated that. "But if you don't want to tell me how you know ill leave it be but know this..." She said as she leaned forward. "You can always talk to me if something is bothering you." Redheart surmised. Scriptheart relaxed and gave a nod as she began to eat her breakfast. It didn't take long till the dishes were in the sink and her saddlebags were placed on her back. Scriptheart opened the door with her magic and the two of them walked out of the pink two story home with a thatched roof. As they walked and drew nearer to the schoolhouse more and more filly's and colts could be seen walking with their parents. Scriptheart involuntarily walked closer to her mother. Redheart smiled simply at this but continued to walk. "You don't need to be afraid." Redheart said trying to comfort her. "I know I don't need to...but I am." She retorted and Redheart raised and eyebrow. "What is there to be afraid of?" Redheart asked with a sly smile, Scriptheart looked up at her mom and lowered her head giving a blow of air. "What if I don't make any friends? What if I'm just too...odd." she stated. "Anypony would be lucky to have you as a friend. As for your eyes...they are an amazing feature of an already amazing filly." her mother confided as she smiled sweetly. Scriptheart felt comforted if only a little. Many adults had made mention of her heterochromia* eyes saying they were strange and she even overheard the adults say they were unnerving. They turned down the next road that ended at the schoolhouse. Already there were many families saying their goodbyes to their kids as a light purple mare with cotton candy pink mane introduced herself to the parents. Scriptheart fell in behind her mother now as the knot of nervousness seem to tighten. When the mare saw Redheart they both greeted each other more openly then when she was with the other parents. "Redheart!" She said as she lifted her forehoof for a hug. "Cheerilee." Redheart said back warmly as she embraced her. "How have you been?" Cheerilee said backing up a step with a broad smile. As her mother made simple conversation. Scriptheart looked at Cheerilee's cutiemark of three sunflowers with happy faces. Information seeped into her mind, 'this mare tends to her students like a garden working with love and dedication so that her students will grow up to be strong independent ponies.' it said and Scriptheart smiled at that. "This is my daughter Scriptheart." Redheart said as she gave a gesture for Scriptheart to come forward. She did as implied and took four tentative steps forward. "Hello...I'm Scriptheart." She introduced and Cheerilee gave a warm smile. "So you are. You can run along inside, I'll only bee a few more minutes." She said gently. Scriptheart looked to her mom who nodded and then with a swift movement embraced her mother in a tight hug. She looked up at her and Redheart's eyes were filling with tears of joy and pride, Scriptheart couldn't help but do the same as she forced herself to let go and then trot towards the school. The classroom was noisy and filed with at lease fifteen colts and fillies who were broken up into several groups of friends that they grew up with and mingling to make new ones. Scriptheart lowered her head to not draw attention to her as she walked along the wall where a row of hooks were. Saddlebags were hung and so she found an unoccupied hook and placed her saddlebags onto it before taking a seat on one of the classroom desks. Not too long after taking her seat she got several looks from several of her new classmates. Cheerilee walked through the door raising her voice so everypony could hear her. "Now, now! Everypony take a seat!" she ordered gently and the voices of the class died down to a dull rumble as Cheerilee took her place at the head of the class. "Now for those of you who don't know I am Miss. Cheerilee and I will be your teacher. Today we will start with introductions." she explained and then pointed to her left at the first filly. "What is your name?" she inquired as the filly stood. Her coat a light cream yellow and a apple red mane with a bow accented to her mane. "Ma name is Applebloom." She said nervously then she took her seat again lowering her head slightly seeming not wanting to be the object of conversation unlike the next filly. "I am Diamond Tiara, and I just got my cutiemark yesterday!" She said with pride and a slightly smug expression. No one else saw it but Applebloom at this seemed to become more disheartened. As I looked around the class quickly most of the class had their cutiemarks. Out of the fifteen in the class five were blank, this included herself. "My name is Silver spoon." A grey coated filly with a light grey mane said then sat down. More names were said after this as the line of her class was introduced and It soon came to the filly infront of her. A mushy darker orange coat with a magenta mane and tail Pegasus stood up. "Im Scootaloo." She said simply and sat down then robotically Scriptheart stood up after her. "I-I am Scriptheart." She said and then sat down feeling like a large weight lifted from her shoulders that she didn't realize was there. The filly behind her stood up and introduced herself as Twist then the names were continued and ended at the front of the class with a unicorn filly who was white like her but had light pink and dark purple streaks in her mane named Sweetiebelle. Cheerilee smiled as she walked to the board. "Now let us begin." she informed as she began to lift a piece of chalk. The class was released for recess and the class stampeded out of the door onto the playground as Scriptheart was one of the last to leave. The filly Applebloom stood behind her and followed outside before breaking off and finding a seat under a tree. It was apparent that Diamond Tiara was the most popular because of who her father was. It was at this time that Diamond Tiara got up on the teeter totter to gain some height so she could address everypony. "Ok so I am having my Cutie Sentra in two days and I'm inviting all of you to it. Silverspoon." She indicated to her left and Silverspoon began to distribute invitations and one found its way into her possession. It looks like she was going to a party... The two days of school were not much to write home about. Simple studies about math, history, and matters pertaining to cutiemarks were all nothing new to her since she could pull the knowledge of when she was the guardian. The party was to take place at Sugar Cube Corner, a local bakery and café that everyone knew about. The fact it could be bought out to have a party showed the influence that Diamond Tiara's family had. Scriptheart walked into her home and was greeted by silence. Her mother was still working and they had discussed about the party and whether or not she would be going. Scriptheart didn't really feel the need to stroke Diamonds ego any more then it already was by going, but her mother had persuaded her to go in order to make friends. For the most part her class didn't pay much attention to her she as was just another filly and she was thankful for that. Of course some asked about her eyes and she simply told them it was a condition. Scriptheart sat down with a book that had piqued her interest. It was about advanced medical practices on non-equestrian peoples. She had read about pony anatomy and so she found that the intricacies that her goddess mother engineered into these intelligent creatures to be awe-inspiring. Now that she was one of them and everything she felt, smelled, heard, and sensed was a cacophony of amazing things. True the first several years had been slow going, being intelligent as well as an infant was for lack of a better word...boring but she managed with manipulating magic and reading when she could. Script looked up from the book at the clock and her heart sunk, she was late she was too engrossed with the book to have paid attention. She placed a bookmark and closed the book as she jumped up and made for the door. Scriptheart made it to Sugar Cube Corner just in time to hear the defiant voices of three fillies telling Diamond Tiara how being a blank flank was an opportunity that they had unlimited possibilities. Scriptheart pieced together that Diamond must have ganged up on one of them for being a blank flank. Scriptheart peaked around the corner into the door and saw Scootaloo, Sweetiebelle, and Applebloom standing side by side facing Diamond Tiara and Silverspoon as the rest of the class and some of the adults simply stood by watching the exchange. Of course the adults wouldn't interfere because of Diamonds connections. The three turned and walked out of the door and Scriptheart quickly moved to get out of the way. The three walked down the steps and looked at me. "Your kind of late and I don't think blank flanks are welcome." Sweetiebelle said as she cast a glance back at the bakery party. "No...it seems you stood up for yourselves and that is what you should do." Scriptheart said looking to her side. "Darn right. Rainbow dash wouldn't put up with being made fun of." Scootaloo said, Applebloom stopped with them and looked at them both. "Ah cant thank you enough...You...want to be friends?" Applebloom asked the two of them. Both Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle smiled at each other and looked back at her. "That would be great." they both said in unison. Applebloom looked at Scriptheart and then her flank who was just as bare as her own. "You want to be friends too....Scripttart?" She hazarded a guess at her name. "Its.. Scriptheart...and I wouldn't mind at all." She said with a sheepish smile. Applebloom smiled broadly as her demeanor changed. "Alright, we can all meet at my house this weekend." She said happily and then looked at all of them. Script felt a smile plaster itself on her face, she finally had some new friends.