> Awakened Lost > by Ahrazell > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > City of the Dead > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Death. The stench of it was everywhere. Flies buzzed and magots crawled, the only other sound being the wind, and the sound of a little girl crying. Streets once filled with people, the castle looming above as a ever beacon of Civilization, now lay silent. The thatch roofs of the market had no traders, no children playing in the street. Even the criminals and beggars were gone. Only Death remained. Death, and the little girl crying. "I didn't mean to... I just wanted him to stop. I didn't mean to..." The girl cried, curled up in a corner in a castle suite. On the bed was what once was a archduke, His chest torn open as organs spilled out of the cavity, bone bearly holding the dead meat on the body, his Clothes gone and missing, and what remained of the ten year old's clothes torn at the body's feet. This was not the first time the archduke had done this act. Everytime she wasn't being forced to use her talents, everytime someone else wasn't beating her because she couldn't do the spell they wanted done, he would come in. One time she had started to get sick, and her belly grew, before the archduke beat her stomach over and over again until she started to bleed. She just wanted it to end. But it would never end. She was Awakened. A human with magic beyond the norm. A human who could learn and master all types of magic in little time, and whose reserves were thought to be endless. She was a tool, and was told that from the moment they found she was one at the orphanage. She was only seven when that happened. For three years she was abused. The archduke was not the only one who made her feel violated, just the most common one. Others used her for her magic, used her to take out aggressions as they knew she could heal herself. And she knew that this was going to be her life until she died, looking no older than a woman in her thirties and really being well over five thousand. Such was the fate of the last Awakened until she consumed the black Lotus flower and died. But... She lever wanted those who were innocient to hurt because of her. As she laied there crying, lost and alone, a single string of rainbow light flowed into the world. Something was here, it felt it among the dead world, ignoring the corpses of human and animal alike. It came across the crying child, so full of magic, yet, so broken. Gently, the rainbow light touched her head, causing her to fall asleep before it wrapped around her, clothing her is a basic dress and cloak. It placed the only object of significance to the girl, a worn, old, small leather back journal in her arms before it wisked her away, and the world was left to rot. Celestia sighed. It was another one of those days. Some 'nobles' were bickering about some minor problem, waisting time she could be using to help folk who actually need it. She glanced to her side to see her sister Luna also in the same situation, but less able to hide her distaste. This brought a smile to the Solar Diarch's face. She spoke up. "I'm sure Count Vastata and Duchess Stultus we can continue this debate over which is the better ice cream flavor, but court is ajurning. Please return another day with your problem." Celestia spoke with practiced ease, her legs crossing as she rested on her hand. "Why, of course princess." They said, almost sounding rehearsed with how timed it was before the two left. "A thousand years and that is what nobles have been reduced to." Luna groaned. "Whatever happened to Nobles earning their title, to most having once been just a common pony with big dreams, one who achieved Nobility through Noble acts?" The lunar Alicorn huffed before blowing some of her mane out of her eyes. "I am afraid years of peace, and I being too dolting dear sister." Celestia sighed. "We could always purge the system...." Luna mentioned. "Luna!" "What, we've done it before. Remember that time we started our own revolution against ourselves? Or how about-" Whatever the Lunar princess was about to say was cut off by the sound of glass shattering. The two sat up straight as through a window, a string of rainbow light flowed in through a hole it had made. It hovered above before circling slowly to the floor, coming to rest at the base of the steps of the thrones. With a small flash, the whisp of magic was gone, and in it's place was a crying little girl wearing a cloak, one of a species niether princess reconised. The two stood up and rushed down to the child. It's hair was a raven black as her skin was a pale off white. Her face was not muzzled like that of most of inhabitants of Equis, and for a moment her (at least they assumed it was a her based off the dress) eyes flickered open, revealing a pair almost glowing purple eyes. With a cry the girl tried to back up. Get away, anything. Acting on instinct, Celestia and Luna began to sing. Their words, while not understood by the child, relaxed it enough to start to calm down. The girl slowly started to drift off. "What is she?" Luna asked once they had gotten the child to fall asleep. She cradled the child in her arms as she stood up, her sister standing with her and brushing off her dress. "I do not know Luna." She said before noticing something the child dropped. Picking it up, she opened to the first page. "But I think I know what to call her." "And what name is that?" The Night princess asked as Day handed the journal over, showing a beautifully sketched drawing of a lotus flower. "Black Lotus." > A Scattered Dream > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 'We all have a reason to be little flower. Mine is to fight so that I know you are safe. Please, be safe my little flower.' That was the only thing of my mother I remember. Not her face, her name, even why she had to leave me. All I know is one day she never came back. A bunch of shady men took everything she owned, only leaving me with a small, worn, leather back journal that never seemed to run out of pages, not like they would have known that. After they took everything I was dropped off at the orphanage. That is where the true hell began. The girl opened her eyes with a tired groan, the sunlight beaming in through the window. Something was off. This was not the room she was always left in. The bed was too soft. Beds were only this soft when she was taken from her room to please another. The ceiling was in a different pattern. Even the door was in a different style. The girl sat up right as the events from the previous day started to catch up with her. She remembered the death. The blood, the smell. She remembered being curled up in a ball, naked, alone, and afraid. Then there was a light... And next thing she knew she was waking up to these strange monsters... Only they didn't act like monsters from the stories... They sang to her... After that, The girl had no clue what happened. "Where... Am I?" The girl spoke to the air, not expecting a response. One of those monsters she saw was there, staring at her. It looked like of someone took a colorful horse or pony and crossed it with a human. They had hands, Breasts where they are located on human women, feet judging from the heels, human featured and impossibly big eyes. Yet they also had a tail and colorful hair, coated in a coat of fur, and dispite being a monster, there was also something comforting about the creature. It spoke in a unrecognizable tongue, a language as beautiful as it was strange. The mare left the room in a hurry, leaving the girl alone again. "Why... Am I here?" She asked herself, sitting up on the bed she was in. Looking herself over, she realized she was wearing a simple and sturdy, yet soft and comfortable white cloak of unknown material. Over her young body was a simple soft dark blue gown, like the type the nobles would where when visiting the doctor. Looking around, the room was simple, with strange candles in the ceiling illuminating the room. A steady beep to her side showed some type of strange instrument, likes bouncing in time with her heartbeat. Before she could mess with the strings connecting her to the Machine, the door opened, causing the girl to jump and look towards the door. Instead of the pink haired, white furred Woman (mare?), In came two taller monsters, these two having horns much like the unicorns she had seen pictures of, yet wings like the Pegasi. One had fur of the purest white, her pink, blue and green mane waving with a unknown wind with pink, caring eyes. The other, slightly shorter, had fur of the darkest blue, her mane seemingly containing the night sky and moving much like the other, her teal eyes showing the same level of caring, if a bit hardened, like those of ones who had seen battle. The white one spoke in the same beautiful, exsotic, but unknown language as the woman from earlier. "I... I can't understand you." The girl spoke fearfully, afraid of what they could do to her if she could speak to them. Both taken aback, they turned to each other before speaking more in their tongue. The girl grew more fearful when their horns began to glow, the feeling of magic in the air collecting around their horns before some sort of spell was cast. "You understand now?" The white one asked, her mouth still moving in her own language, yet the words, If broken, now clear to the girl. "Y-yes." The girl spoke, levels of fear still in her voice, but now with equal amounts of wonder. She had never heard of a spell that translates languages. "Who are you? Where am I? How are you alive?" The girl asked, remembering that her spell did not discriminate.the world should be dead, with her there to see it's last days. "Me name Celestia." The white one spoke. "Me name Luna. You in Equestria. Where you come?" The blue one, Luna asked. "I-I was the Awoken of Caed Nau." The girl admitted, fearful of how these creatures would use a Awoken. Would they be exactly like the others? Would they be worse? Or would they be merciful and just kill her, consider her just a threat to be ended. "What Awakened? Position similar to Ruler?" Celestia asked. They... Don't know what a Awoken is? "A human that can control magic. Magic to create, to destroy... Powerful magic.." the girl said, shivering from the memories of the corpses, their chests torn wide open from a single spell. "Slave to those with power, such is our destiny." She closed her eyes, afraid of what was to come, only to feel something soft around her. Opening her eyes, she saw the two holding her protectively, much like... "Slave no good. Not allowed in Equestria." Luna said strongly. "You free. No slave." The girl choked on her words, tears falling from her face. "I'm free? Pain... No more pain?" "No more. You safe." Celestia said softly. The girl broke, holding on two the two monsters, no, the two angels as she cried. All her fears on this new place gone, all her worries, disappeared. She cried until there was no more tears to shed as she held on to the two. "You name?" Luna asked. "Th-they never gave me one. They just called me girl." The girl said softly, her voice weak from the crying. "Then you name now. How Lotus? Black Lotus?" Celestia asked, her caring eyes looking at the girls almost glowing purple. "Strange... But I like it." Lotus said, her face holding a strange position for her. A smile graced her lips. "Thank you." "No thank." Luna said, her horn glowing before a slight pop, and a familiar book in the magical glow. "This yours?" The blue guardian asked, the book floating over to Lotus. With wide eyes realization, Lotus snatched her journal out of the air, holding the book tight. "Yes... This is mine. Thank you." "You welcome." Celestia said with a soft smile. "You rest. We be back." The two then stood up and started to make their way out. "Wait!" Lotus said, causing them to look back. "I.... Thank you." The two smiled. "Anytime." Celestia spoke before closing the door behind them. Lotus looked at her journal, caressing the leather bound cover before opening it to a free page, taking out the piece of charcoal she has hidden in the spine and writing a new entry. Is this a dream? I remember hearing a soft, calming sound then falling asleep. When I woke up, I was in this strange place. The beings here are not human, and speak in this beautiful language. Two came in, I think they are the rulers of this Equestria. They asked me some questions, and told me that slavery is not a thing here, that I am free. They even named me and hugged me much like I remember my mother doing. Wherever I am, I don't want to leave. I just hope this isn't a dream. ~Black Lotus > The Sun, The Moon, and a Flower > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The orphanage was not kind to me. Well, it wasn't kind to any of us. But it always seemed like I was treated worse. I think it was my eyes looking back. My near glowing purple eyes. It didn't help that when I got mad, my sclera turned black... It was then that I truly Awakened. Lotus backed up against the bed post, hyperventilating as one of the Tremiria, or ponies as they are called in her native language held a needle of some kind. She had seen those before, used to administer poisons. She was not about to let this mare try and kill her, it wasn't going to work! It was at that moment that Luna walked in and sighed. Casting the spell, she began to speak, abeit more clearly. "Doctor no try to poison you. Me felt same-to-you way when me had to get needle in arm. Needle for preventing bad sick." She said before coming over the the still terrified Lotus. "It okay. Me promise." Lotus looked up at the lunar sister before hugging her and holding out a arm for the nurse. "Quickly please, before I get too scared." Luna translated and felt Lotus flinch and hug tighter when the needle entered before relaxing once it was out. "There you are. You now not likely to get sick from bad sick." Luna told her through the translation spell. "Now, let us go from this place and to place of learning. You need learn speak in our tongue without bad know-what-said spell." Luna sighed as she lead Lotus through the castle. While she had no clue what the girl heard, she knows it was similar to cave mare speak. 'At least the message gets across.' She though before leading the girl into the classroom. "Professor Silver Tongue, we have arrived." She told the messy, brown haired stallion who looked up from his work with his emerald green eyes and smiled. "Ah princess Luna. Oh, I see you brought, what's her name... Ah right, Black Lotus with you? I assume you are hear to begin her lessons in Enquish?" Prof. Silver asked as the princess nodded. "Indeed. Her language has similar character's and sintax to that of the Griffin's native tounge, but is still completely different from any known languages on Equis. She shows signs of starting to learn, however, we all know you don't learn a language over night." Luna said with a slight sadness in her tone. "Now now Princess, under my study it didn't take you long before you were speaking fluently in our modern speach patterns. I'm sure the girl will be just fine." Silver said. "Verily." The two shared a pause before both began to laugh. Luna sighed "Alas, I must be off. I leave her in your care Professor." "Take care princess. And please, for the last time, just call me Silver." The stallion said as Luna walked towards the door, causing Lotus to look worried. "I will the day you start calling me just Luna." She smirked at him before turning to Lotus. "This Stallion is a kind one. Listen carefully, learn dutifully, and you will get treats after your dinner." Lotus nodded, giving Luna the confermation she needed before she left, leaving the two alone. "So, time to begin." Silver said after casting the translation spell. "First, I'm going to point to a object. I'm going to hear how you say it before telling you how I say it." He dropped the spell before going over to his desk and grabbing a apple. Celestia groaned internally as her favorite nephew droned on and on about some petty topic or other. It was a mercy when Luna walked in, a smile on her face that the solar sister couldn't help but mirror upon seeing it. "I'm sorry nephew, I'm sure what you were discussing was very important, but I must have a private talk with Luna." Celestia told the prince who proceeded to bow before glaring at Luna, leaving with a huff. "So sister, how goes Lotus?" "She is currently in lessons with the Professor." Luna said, walking up and siting in the throne beside her sister. "So... Which of us is the mother?" Luna asked causing Celestia to spit take the water she began to drink. "Luna!" Celestia explained while her lunar sister began to laugh her ass off, falling out of her throne. "Don't joke like that. We don't even know if she is staying in the castle after we teach her Enquish." Once Luna calmed down, she responded. "Celestia, you can't deny the way she appeared. Harmony it's self delivered her to us. Not your student, not some random family in this entire world, but us." "We don't know that Luna. For all we know, she could have casted a form of teleportation spell." Luna sighed. "Why are you denying yourself the truth? Is this because of Sunset Shimmer?" Luna asked, Celestia's silence telling. "Celestia, you have told me about the events revolving her, those were not your fault. You did what you thought was right." "I'm sorry Luna, but I can't be a mother, not again." Celestia sighed, finding Blueblood a better alternative to this conversation. "Fine then, she will be mine." Luna said with conviction. "Luna, she is damaged. We both were able to learn that from one broken conversation. Do you really think it wise to make her royalty? To make her deal with nobles constantly when it was nobles of her land that caused her pain? Think Luna, we can't keep her here." Celestia tried to plead. "She was ment to be with us. I still believe in Fate sister. It was Fate that lead Harmony to her, and then to us. We have to help her, or are you going to abandon her? We can't do that to her Celestia. She trusts us. And I will not betray that trust, not if I can help it." Luna said, her eyes hardened. Her voice softened "Death clings to her you know? Surely you sensed it as well. She has marks on her soul. She looks only around ten, yet she has seen as much death and you or I. I can't leave someone that broken." Celestia sighed. "There is no changing your mind. Just... Please wait until we can get her opinion. Promise me that Luna." Luna rolled her eyes. "Oh very well sister, I promise." "I understand where you come from sister. I want nothing more than to hold her close and promise the world to her broken soul. But would it really be best for it to be us? That is all I want you to think of." Celestia said before turning to the door. "Let court begin."