A young filly is tasked with the question we all face: Who am I? What is my destiny? Encountering things a young filly like herself should never have to face, she is dragged down into the depths of her mind in order to question her own fate.
[We're all bound to write about our original creations. If you don't like looking at original characters then I suggest that you hit the back button on your browser. <3]
A young filly is tasked with the question we all face: Who am I? What is my destiny? ——————————————————————————————————————— All of Roseheart's young life, she's dreamed of being the next best flier in all of Equestria, the next Rainbow Dash. However, when something unexpected happens, her dream is challenged. Encountering things a pony like herself should never have to face, she is dragged down into the depths of her mind in order to question the very core of her existence.
Roseheart was a simple pegasus from Cloudsdale. She had a lovely, you guessed it, two-tone rose-colored mane and tail, which complemented her white-as-snow coat marvelously. The mare also had gorgeous blue eyes that shined like two beautiful stars. She was a filly who dreamed of being the greatest, fastest, and best looking flier in all of Equestria, just like the long-famous Rainbow Dash who succeeded the fame of even the legendary Wonderbolts. She practiced, day after day, almost always until she was sore. Her mind was startled at the fact that her cutie mark had not appeared on her flank yet.
“I know what my destiny is, I know what I'm going to be! Why hasn't my cutie mark appeared yet!” Roseheart shouted angrily.
It was at that moment that she came face-to-face with a group of four ponies.
“We saw those stupid moves of yours that you call flying, Loseheart. What? Do you seriously think that you're the next Rainbow Dash or something?” said Solace, the obvious headstrong leader of the four equines. “Ha, you don't even have your cutie mark yet, you're nothing but a pathetic waste of valuable cloud-space.” The hateful pony continued.
“You're wrong Solace, I will be the mo—” Roseheart started her reply before Solace rudely interrupted her saying, “Oh but you're the sad filly who's wrong Roseheart. My Celestia, even your name is horrible. Girls, lets show pitiful little Roseheart how wrong she is.”
Roseheart then froze in horror as the four pegasi were charging straight for her.
The ponies continued their charge, flying straight toward Roseheart. To her the mere seconds felt like hours, and yet she was still unable to move from the spot she stood in. For all of her young life, even though she was a daring flier, she never had the courage —or maybe the stupidity— to fight with other ponies. Roseheart could not move a single muscle in her small equine body, and Solace and her gang were closing in fast. The poor filly could only close her eyes and wait for an impact. That's when she felt time catching up with her, and that's when it happened. Wait, no impact at all? Her senses caught back up with her thoughts and she opened her eyes to see Solace, a mere foot and a half away from her, stopped in front of her.
Solace's neutral expression turned quickly into a grin and said, “When I'm done with you, you won't even remember how ugly you were before I smashed your face in.”
Solace lifted her right hoof high in the air and brought it down hard on Roseheart's delicate face. She kept still, taking her peer's first blow without difficulty. Solace, however, wasn't satisfied with just one punch. She lifted her hooves up, her wings supporting her, and went into a frenzy more nasty than a hungry Ursa Major with a missing cub. Roseheart could only take the first few hits, collapsing after the fourth. It was at this time that the rest of Solace's friends entered the fray, kicking and scratching and biting the poor pegasus, even mocking her as they pulled her barely-conscious body into a small trash can. The four young bullies laughed as they left Roseheart bruised and battered body covered in filth and rotting food. She found that she wasn't able to move, and shortly afterwards, she passed out from exhaustion.
Roseheart awoke, still in the trash can. From the position of the sun, only an hour must've passed by. She climbed her way out of the trash can and limped her way home, tears slowly cascading down her beaten face.
“M-momm...” Roseheart said as she gracelessly fumbled her way through the door of her cloud home.
“Oh goodness look at you! What happened?” Her mother said.
Roseheart was having trouble remembering her mom's actual name. “I w-was pr-r-racting an-and...” Roseheart stuttered.
“Shh... it's alright, just tell me.” Roseheart's mother said, wrapping her front hooves around her, giving her a nice big hug.
“S-Solace, momm...” Roseheart replied. “Her? Oh she's a sweet girl, it couldn't have been Solace. She's the mayor's daughter after all, you must've gotten hurt pretty bad to be making something like that up.” Her mother responded.
“But mom! I'm telling you the truth! Solace and her gang — mom you've gotta believe me!” Roseheart yelled back, starting to regain her composure.
“There's no need to use your outside voice inside, my little pony. Are you completely sure that it was Solace and her gang?” Roseheart's mother replied.
“Yes mom, I'm sure of it.” Roseheart assured.
“I'll talk to her mother tomorrow, it's starting to get late. Lets fix you up, you poor thing.” Her mother mentioned, walking along with her daughter to their average-sized medicine cabinet, now treating her daughter's injuries. Time passed, the moon rose, and Roseheart was all bandaged up. She thanked her mother for taking care of her and walked to her room.
Mom didn't do too bad of a job. Roseheart thought, staring at herself in the mirror. She did however notice that she'd probably be stuck with a black left eye for a couple days, not to mention that her torso still scratched up a bit and that her wings felt horrible. Roseheart slowly made her way over to her window, and looked out upon the moon and the stars. A shooting star sprinted across the night sky, reflecting off of Roseheart's big blue majestic eyes. She looked down woefully, climbed into bed, and drifted off to sleep.
Roseheart awoke to her mother at noon, standing across from her bed. She had overslept, and it was most likely her weariness to blame.
“So, I spoke to the mayor, and she said that Solace couldn't have done that to you. She told me that Solace was at home all day.” Her mother said.
“She must've sneaked out mom, I swear her and her gang were bullying me, please believe me.” Roseheart replied.
What if mom isn't going to believe me? What's going to happen if she doesn't? she thought to herself as her heart began to race.
Suddenly, right in-front of her eyes, a shadow formed around her mother. When the darkness surrounding her mom dispersed, Roseheart was very disturbed by what she saw. It wasn't her mother. No, it was not her mother at all, it was Solace.
“Aww, did the pitiful filly feel too hurt to wake up in the morning? I think maybe you should go back to sleep, you aren't about to look so well.” Solace expressed, as she leaped from the end of Roseheart's bed right at the her.
“No!” Roseheart yelled, as she sprung up from her bed. Solace wasn't there anymore. The lights were off and outside the sky was completely dark, excluding the moon and a few stars. It was all a horrible nightmare. Sweat ran down Roseheart's already tear-saturated face, as she covered herself completely up with her blanket and laid still until the sun rose.
Roseheart awoke at noon. No.. not another nightmare.. Roseheart thought to herself. As she began to focus on reality, she recognized a familiar figure at her bedside. It was her mother.
“Darling, I talked to the Solace's mom and—” she said, stopping mid-sentence because of the horror-stricken look on her young daughter's face. “Did you sleep okay last night my pretty Rose?”
Roseheart could only gather up enough courage to look at her mother with her eyes closed and shake her head. Suddenly Roseheart had an idea. Her eyes opened quickly and she looked at her mother with a smile and said, “Mom, can I go outside and maybe practice or something?”
Her mother looked at her quizzically. “How are your wings feeling?” her mother asked.
“Uh..” Roseheart replied, as she got up on all fours and tried to flap her wings. She started to hover over her bed, but suddenly she felt excruciating pain in her right wing, and fell to her fluffy, soft bed.
“I think you should rest in bed today, little one.”
Roseheart frowned, and rolled over facing away from her mother, who ran her hoof through her daughter's mane, and started to walk away. It only took a minute for Roseheart to realize that she forgot to ask her mother something important.
She had forgotten to ask about Solace!
“Mom! Wait!” she quickly yelled, turning back around.
Her mother revolved back toward Roseheart, saying, “Yes dear? what's wrong?”
Yet, in all honesty, She had been baffled by Roseheart's strange behavior since yesterday. What wasn't wrong?
“Uh... Solace... mom?” Roseheart asked.
“Oh, of course. Her mom said that she was out playing yesterday with some of her friends near the school's playground. Is that where you were practicing yesterday?”
Roseheart nodded her head, “Yes! Mom I told you she did—OWW!” She had gotten too excited and her wings had shot up, unfortunately causing agonizing pain in the process. Roseheart laid back down in her bed.
“Her mother called Solace down from her room. Solace said that you had crashed pretty hard, but that when her and her friends had tried to help you, you told them that you were alright and that you didn't need their help, trotting off to somewhere else.” Roseheart's mother replied.
Roseheart could not believe her ears.
Solace lied to mom! she thought to herself as she quickly sat upright and her ears pointed upwards. “She lied mom! I know she hurt me, I know it!” Roseheart screamed. The frustration was beginning to eat away at her.
“Okay, okay, calm down. I think we should go over to Solace's house later and sort all of this out, but for now you need your rest.”
Roseheart sighed, “Okay mom. I'm sorry for yelling.. I..”
“It's alright, I know, now get some rest.” her mother replied, taking her daughter by the chin.
Roseheart listened to her mother and got herself comfortably into bed. Her mother looked at her and smiled as she left the room, giving her some peace and quiet. Roseheart looked out her window from her bed at the beautiful sunny day, daydreaming about soaring up in sky. She imagined Rainbow Dash making a visit to Cloudsdale, seeing her perform her awesome stunts, and asking her to be her flying sidekick. It was though, only a dream. A daydream that she wasn't too sure about anymore.
What's the point? Everypony's going to believe Solace, nopony will ever believe me. Nopony will ever accept me, Roseheart thought as she laid on her bed. Solace will just continue to bully me and it w—
“Roseheart, are you awake? Solace's mother said it was okay for you and I to go to their house to sort all of this.” her mother said from the bottom of the stairs leading up to Roseheart's room.
“Yes, Mom, I'll be right down.” she replied, getting out of bed, tidying it, and proceeding to head down the stairs outside her doorway.
“Are you feeling any better, Rosey?”
“Mommmm... I'm not a foal anymore, please don't call me that. I'm not sure about my wings, but the rest of me feels okay.” Roseheart replied, blushing.
“Oh? But you'll always be my little Rosey, no matter what. C'mon, lets go see Solace and her mom so we can get this all sorted out.”
The cool, early-spring air was soothing. If anything, mom was wrong about having me stay inside. I need to be outside... I need to fly, Roseheart thought as she walked beside her mother. Solace's house, although her mother being the mayor of Cloudsdale, was exactly like hers—and now they were right in front of it.
“Mom?” Roseheart said.
“Yes, darling?”
“I'm not—”
“You don't have anything to worry about it's going to be okay.”
Arriving at the front door, they rang the doorbell. The mayor appeared a few moments later and lead Roseheart and her mother inside to the small table in the dining area. They waited for two minutes and then Solace appeared, coming down the stairs and into the kitchen/dining room.
The mayor must've told Solace that we were coming. I bet she has another great excuse this time and I'll look like a fool, Roseheart thought.
Solace took the last seat at the table.
“So.. are you feeling any better since that nasty fall I saw you took?” she asked.
Roseheart clenched her teeth together and let not one word slip from between her lips.
“Girls, we are here to settle this dispute before any more blame is put on the wrong pony,” the mayor said.
Any more blame is put on the wrong pony?! What? Does she think I'm lying about all of this? I should have known that— Roseheart thought.
Solace said: “Yes, Mother, before any more blame is put on the wrong pony. How are we going to figure this out?”
The mayor put her hooves up on the table and said: “We're going to sit here until one of you confesses. So you're better off telling us the truth now rather than wasting our time.”
Why does she have to look at me so much? It's almost like she's going to side with Solace anyway. Ugh, why does the rest of my day have to be ruined because of her? I could've gotten in tons of flight practice if she and her stupid friends would've just left me alone. This isn't fair at all, Roseheart thought, resting her head in-between her hooves.
Minutes passed as she stared at Solace, and Solace back at her, neither budging nor blinking. Roseheart's mind wandered away from reality. I'm getting tired of her pushing me around all the time. Solace and everypony else are always walking over me like I'm some sort of doormat. Solace doesn't even realize how much pain she's caused me. She's the one who deserved what she did to me. I have every right to make her feel how I feel, she thought. Finally ending their eye-to-eye confrontation, she focusing her eyes down at the table.
Solace finally broke the silence: "C'mon Roseheart, you and I both know what really happened. Just admit that you're lying and we can forget about all of this."
Roseheart's breathing accelerated and her heart began to pound nearly out of her chest. What? Why is she so mean? Why does she hate me so much? Why did she even pick on me? Why can't she tell them the truth!? Why?!
"Why can't you you tell them the truth?!" Roseheart bellowed, planting her front hooves firmly on the table. "Why did you even have to hurt me? I never did anything to you!" She got up onto the table and leaned in towards Solace. "How would you have liked it if you were enjoying yourself an-and I just came along and ruined your day?!"
Her mother replied: "Roseheart, please, get off the table and calm down."
Roseheart quickly turned her head towards her mother and said: "Shut up! You don't even really believe me, do you?!"
"Excuse me youn—" her mother said.
"And you!" The white filly yelled, turning her head and pointing her hoof at Solace. "This is your fault, you don't even deserve what you have. You're the filth, not me!"
Roseheart leapt off the table at Solace, knocking her off her chair in the process. She held her down with one hoof and hit her hard across the face with the other. Their mothers quickly got up and separated the two of them, but not before she did enough damage to her face. Solace had a small cut protruding from the crevice of her lips, a few other minor scratches, and a few small bruises. Her mother looked from across the room at Roseheart with an obvious expression of disgust on her face, as she held her daughter up to closely inspect her injuries. Roseheart's mother said absolutely nothing as she took hold of her by the hoof and left her defeated enemy's house.
As they left, a sudden fear took hold of her. Roseheart said: "Mom, I-I-I d-don't know wh—"
"Shh," her mom whispered.
Roseheart looked behind herself, watching the sun dip below the horizon as she walked along with her mother. It was all so fast. I don't know why I couldn't control myself. I even yelled at Mom for no reason at all. What's going to happen now? Why am I so stupid? Mom is the only pony that cares about me and I made her look bad. She's gotta be so mad at me right now, she thought, as she continued walking silently alongside her mother towards their home. It was shrouded in darkness: a ghastly silhouette. Her expression sank further and further as they approached it.
"Mom—"
"Don't say another word Roseheart, I do not want to hear anything from you right now. As soon as we go inside, I want you to go straight up to your room. You're honestly better off going to sleep," Her mother replied, taking the house-key from her satchel. She unlocked the door and they headed inside.
The young filly listened to her mother and quietly headed up the stairs. She walked through her doorway and crawled into bed. Tears crept down her face as she closed her eyes. Anywhere, I wanna be anywhere but here. Somewhere where what just happened doesn't exist. Maybe they'd be better off if I didn't. N-no, I can't think that way. Mom still loves me and she's all that matters. I wish you could be more proud of me Mom... Roseheart then drifted off into sleep.
As her body slept, her mind awakened into her dream. She was sitting alone in a vast and empty white space. No, she wasn't alone. In the distance, she could barely see somepony. Her focus on the object intensified. Her eyes opened wide and a smile appeared on her face as she recognized who it was: It was her mother.
"Mom!" she yelled, starting to gallop towards her.
The gallop intensified until Roseheart launched herself into the air, now flying increasingly faster towards her mother. She started to seem farther and farther away. Roseheart flew faster toward her mother.
I'm not going fast enough, I need to go faster.
She accelerated even faster than she ever had before.
I have to reach you, Mom, I just have to.
Finally, it looked like her mom was no longer moving away. Roseheart leaned into a dive and stylishly landed just in front of her mother. She grinned and jumped into her mother's warm embrace.
"I love you, Mom," she said.
Her mother replied: "I love you too, Rosey,"
Roseheart suddenly awakened as the sunlight invaded her room through her window. She got off her bed and tidied it up as she always did in the morning. She walked down the stairs and into the kitchen where her mother was.
"Good morning, Mom," Roseheart said, before looking over at the table.
Where her mother usually was.
"Mom? Where are you?"
No answer.
Maybe she realized that we were out of food and decided to go to the store or something, she thought, walking over to the refrigerator.
"The refrigerator looks pretty full actually, that's weird."
Maybe she left me a note?
Roseheart searched around the kitchen for any type of note, however she wasn't able to find one.
Mom will probably be home soon anyway, I should just go sit on the cou—wait, today's Monday. Shouldn't I be at school already? Whatever, she must have a good reason for keeping me home. It's not like we're forced to go anyway.
As she was heading over to the couch, she noticed a folded sheet of paper on the end table.
Oh, this must be the note she left.
Roseheart opened the note and read it:
My Darling Rosey,
I'm afraid that I must be very blunt with you: I am leaving and I'm not coming back. You're too young to understand why, but that's okay, one day you will understand why I had to do this. I'm telling you, this isn't easy for me at all. I love you, I really do, but it's time for you to be on your own and be a big strong filly for me, okay? I know things have been tough since your father died. I just can't bare any of it anymore. None of this was your fault. You're such a lovely pony, your father told me that the day that we took you home. Please stay strong and stay the beautiful pony that you are on both the inside and outside. I never meant for it to be this way, I'm so sorry Rosey. I love you so very much.
With all the love in my heart,
Mom
Tears were streaming down Roseheart's smooth face as she dropped the note and collapsed onto the ground, taken over by the feelings that now enveloped her very being.
A few days had passed and no one had bothered to stop by. There was food in the refrigerator of course, but she couldn't bring herself to eat. Over the course of just a few days her joyful past life had become only a memory.
All I have left is memories, memories of your smiling face, Mom. In my darkest moment you abandoned me. Now I'm left here with no way to bring you back. Why? You said it wasn't my fault but how couldn't it be? You wouldn't have left if I hadn't punched Solace. Did Daddy really die or did he just leave us too? Roseheart thought, laying on the couch and staring up at the ceiling.
She got up and ascended to her room, all the while not bothering to comply with her mother's Don't fly in the house rule. She stopped at her window and rested on her hindquarters.
All of these stupid rules, she thought, looking out at the usual commotion of everypony else's lives. Now I'm all alone with them. It's just me and the restrictions Mom put on me. For what reason? She left me, her only daughter that she always had said that she loved so very much, so she could escape all of... what? Escape me? She never even gave me a reason. Am I not good enough to deserve that?
Just then her focus turned to a tiny filly who was walking along the edge of the main-cloud of Cloudsdale with her mother. The young pony slipped and began her descent from the cloud.
C'mon, can't she fly? Roseheart thought.
The filly continued to fall.
Her mother didn't even notice, am I the only pony who's seeing this? Why isn't she screaming out for her mother?
A few moments passed.
I'm the only one who can save her... she thought, opening her mouth a bit. But this is just like me and mom.. I should let the mother suffer the pain of her ignorance.
She knew she only had a few more seconds or there would be no hope for the filly. But what if she did save her? What if they figured out that her mother was gone? What would they do to her? She had heard many of the scary stories that floated around the city. She didn't want to think about it. She could only sit still and watch the young filly plummet to her fate.
It was only then that the mother realized the horrible tragedy that had befallen her and her daughter. She cried out for anypony to rescue her daughter. Roseheart already knew the outcome: It was too late for anypony to save the poor filly now, she was doomed. She hung her head, got up, and walked away from the window. She walked back down the stairs and laid once again on the couch, staring up at the ceiling.
I could've saved her. I could have. No one seems to love me though, so why should I show love to others? No one is deserving of it. No one.
She could still hear the filly's mother screaming. A few minutes passed, and then she heard loud sobbing.
They must've recovered the body, Roseheart thought, closing her eyes.
At the sound of an opening door they reopened. She twisted her head towards the doorway and her eyes widened in disbelief.
This is another dream, I need to wake up.
Her mother was back. She was truly back. This was not a dream. "Rosey..." She was smiling. As the moments passed, however, the smile sank into the form of a frown.
Roseheart got off the couch spoke up from amongst the silence: "What? Did you expect me to come running into your hooves? You abandoned me! You lied to me, Mom, and you were the only pony I could ever trust. How could you?!"
"I'm sorry darling I—"
"No! How can you expect me to just forgive you and forget the past few days?! You think you're my mother but you're nothing more to me now then some big mean monster that left me here to die! Why do y-you—" The filly broke down into tears.
Her mother came over to comfort her, but she swatted her away with her hoof. It took Roseheart only a few moments to realize where she had actually hit her mother:
Right across her face. Hard.
She looked up, eyes now reddened, left mortified by the sight she saw. The hard jab from her punch had left a huge scratch across her mothers face, starting a few centimeters from the right side of her mouth and curling up along the inner-underside of her right eye. The red cut was a stark contrast to her blue coat.
"Mom I—"
"Maybe I shouldn’t have left you, but you shouldn't have done what happened at the mayor's house. Now look at what you've done to me. You're the one who's turning into a monster now. You really need to think about how you're acting."
"Mom, did you even care about me or believe what I was saying that night?! What's wrong? Mommy please," Roseheart replied.
Her mother could now feel the harsh sting brought down upon her from her daughter's attack. Her visage quickly formed into one of disappointment and rage.
"You only care about yourself. You aren't the Rosey I knew and loved. You've become something disgusting!" She said.
I'm not the daughter that she knows and loves? She doesn't love me anymore...? Does anyone? Roseheart thought.
"You don't love me anymore?" Roseheart said, tears now easily flowing forth from her eyes.
"I didn—"
"But you did! You even said it! You don't love me and I don't think you ever really did love me! You just kept me around so you wouldn't feel bad! Who's selfish now?! Huh?! Who's really selfish?!"
Her mother replied: "I came back so we could be together baby, so we can maybe go somewhere else and have a new life together, away from Solace and those other ponies."
"Now you're just lying. Mom, how do you expect me to believe you now when you can't even show any faith in me? All I ever wanted to do was make you proud of me and now you're taking that away from me because some mean pony comes along and starts bullying me with her friends! How could you?! I don't even want to call you my mother anymore! You don't even act like one!"
"How dare you accuse me of such nonsense! You're asking for it my little filly. You better just go upstairs and get your things packed, because we're leaving tomorrow."
"I'm not going anywhere with you! You abandoned me and now you want me to go somewhere with you?! Who the fuck do you think you are?!" Roseheart bellowed.
"I've taught you to watch your tongue for a long time now. Do you want some soap in your mouth?!"
"Fine! I'll go up to my room and I'll pack!" she said, then speeding her way up the stairs.
"I've also told you not to fly in the house either!" her mother yelled, slowly walking over the couch, sat down and began to mope.
Up in her room, Roseheart began packing. She wasn't going with her mother of course, she was going now and she was going alone. Where am I going? I don't know, but where ever I go the other ponies better not give me any trouble, or they'll be getting some themselves, she thought, wiping the residue of her mother's blood off her left hoof on the cloud wall. She took her satchels full of everything she could possibly need and jumped onto the window sill. She cocked her head back and took one last look at her room before jumping.
She sent herself into a nosedive for a couple seconds and then opened her wings and curled upward. She flew roughly 500 meters before making her way back up to the main cloud.
If I walk on the main cloud with everyone else, no one will suspect that I'm leaving when I get to the other side of the city. If anyone tries to stop me I won't be stopped anyway, but I better just play it safe for now, she thought, landing back on the main cloud.
She walked until a group of fillies approached her. They seemed to be not much older than she was, but she knew she could handle them if things got out of hand.
"Hey, you don't look like you live around here, where are you from?" one of them said.
"I don't have time to talk, leave me the fuck alone," Roseheart replied.
"Well there's no reason to be rude like that, I was just aski—"
Roseheart interrupted her with a hoof to the face. "I told you to leave me alone, now go before I show you what happens if you bother me again you pathetic little shits."
The fillies, however, decided to fight her instead. They fought within the ghost-town of a street, punching and bucking and biting. The odds against her, Roseheart had won the confrontation. She spat at the injured fillies and flew away in a hurry in order to get away from the scene that had unfolded before her eyes.
Her eyes were now strained, veins replaced areas of white. She continued along the twisting and turning streets of the legendary city of clouds known to all as Cloudsdale until she reached the very outskirts of the city. Roseheart looked around and saw no-pony. She backed up a few meters and ran towards the edge of the cloud. At the very last possible second she vaulted into the air and, akin to her earlier experience back at home, forced herself into a nosedive. She slowed her descent and levelled her body parallel to the horizon, and moved onward towards her destination.
Night was now beginning to fall and the events of the past day had left her tired. She noticed an old abandoned cottage in the middle of a forest below and rushed towards it.
I hope no one lives here, I have nowhere else except this forest to get some rest, and I don't want to risk something bad happening while sleeping in a forest, she thought, as she entered through the front door.
"Does anypony live here? I don't mean to come on to your property if anypony does. I'm just looking for a place to sleep. I've had a horrible day and I just want to check to see if anypony is here so I can sleep here if there isn't." she said, her voice echoing inside the empty and dark cottage.
After a minute with no answer, Roseheart decided it was safe to sleep in the cottage for the night. Due to the moonlight coming in from a window, she was able to see a box of matches on a table. She took one with her mouth and lit it, however she fumbled the match and it fell to the floor, catching the rug she was standing on on fire. Roseheart tried to stomp it out with her hoof, but failed and slightly burned the underside of her hoof in the process. The fire then began to spread rapidly.
She leapt off the rug as it continued to become engulfed into a blaze. She could only watch it in horror. It didn't take that much more time for one of the torn curtains to catch fire and begin to disintegrate. It seemed like every minute she spent standing there that the fire had spread somewhere new.
I need to get out of here before this whole place burns down. So much for sleeping here tonight! Damn it! I'm such a failure! she thought, as smoke began to fill the room.
She ran as fast as she could out of the cottage, which was now engulfed in smoke. She let out a cough and continued to run. Roseheart was now heading straight into the forest. She was now heading straight into the night.
The crisp morning air passed through her mane. Roseheart opened her eyes and stared in awe at the magnificent sunrise.
Home... she thought, resting her head on it's side on top of her hooves. The anger... The fear... why did I leave her? This is all my fault...
Closing her eyes, she breathed in the smell of the damp grass—due to the fact that it had rained that night after she had passed out from exhaustion—beneath her. It was such a pleasant smell, and one that had always made this little white filly smile. That is, until now.
Now everything around her was a stark contrast of how she felt on the inside. Tears formed at the base of her eyes as she closed them tighter.
I had such a good life and I ruined it. Solace did a few stupid things, but its still all my fault. I could've done better. I should've done better, Roseheart's crying became audible. I bet everypony's glad I ran away. Nopony loves me, so why should they care if I get hurt?
She opened her eyes and grimaced, saying: "Why do I even bother existing? Even with everything good that I can remember, I can't ignore everything that's happened and all of the pain I feel inside!"
Abruptly, Roseheart got up and lifted her front hooves as high as she could into the air, only to smash them down into the soft grassy soil beneath her. She began digging, flinging mud up into the air. More noticeably, she was flinging mud onto her already damp coat. After a lengthy amount of time, the filly stopped her digging and just peered into the dark and muddy hole she had dug.
She shut her eyes and let herself fall into the pit of mud. Only her head remained above the surface.
"I can't—I just can't do it." she said, pulling herself out of the hole that she had quite literally dug herself into. She looked at the mud that enveloped her body, and let out a sigh. Roseheart walked forward aimlessly until she came to a shallow stream. She waded into it.
"Clean, clean, clean," Roseheart sang, starting to clean herself off, "Oh, little filly, you don't want to seem obscene, obscene, obscene. I'll give you a hug when you feel weak, and a bop on the nose..."
She stopped for a moment, her mouth left hinged open. A peculiar smile lit up her face.
"Just so you'll know, our love forever grows!" she said, clearing off the last bit of mud, "Mom was always so funny. She was always such a liar," Roseheart laughed, "That's what's really funny." she laughed again.
Duhdaludahhduda duhdaluhduhdeee hee heeee!
"It's all so funny. So funny, so funny, so funny."
An unsettling grin formed on her face.
Haha, an— she began to think, until she noticed a pair of fillies on the other side of the stream. These two earth ponies looked quite a bit younger than her. One pony had a tan coat and a turquoise mane, while the other, even younger looking, pony had an orange coat and light blue mane. She called out to them:
"Why hello there! Hiya! Why don't you two come over here and talk with me? I'm sure we could have some fun!"
Neither of them replied. They only looked at one another with concern and slowly started to trot away.
Roseheart called out to them again: "Oh c'mon now! Why won't you come over and have some fun with me!"
The two fillies heightened their pace.
What nerve! I only wanted to have some fun! I need to tell them this. I need to tell them this now, she thought, spreading her wings and taking off toward her fleeing witnesses.
The two young ponies stopped walking and started to run. Roseheart, however, was gaining on them, increasing her speed in an almost exponential fashion. She overtook them, swooped around and landed a few feet in front of them, forcing the scared fillies to a stop.
"W-w-what do you want w-with us?" said the pony with the tan coat.
Roseheart replied: "Oh I don't want to doooo anything with youuuu, I just wanna talk some... some... some..."
"Are you okay...?" the orange pony said.
"Me? Oh I'm completely fine! Never been better!"
"Sis, can we just go back home? She's scaring me..."
"Scaring you?! You're a funny little filly!" Roseheart said, chuckling under her breath. These two are such a funny, funny, funny bunch! she thought.
The older sister replied: "Leave us alone! You know we don't want to talk to you, so just leave us alone please!"
"Oh, you two are a bunch of meanie-beanies now, aren't you? All I was trying to do was be friends with you, but nooooooooooooo you aren't going to be nice when someone is nice to you?"
Roseheart raised her hooves and slammed down hard towards the two ponies. However, they moved out of the way just in time.
"C'mon, Sunny, let's get out of here!" said the pony with the orange coat.
The sisters quickly ran around Roseheart and continued past her in that direction.
Roseheart said: "Okay, okay, okay, fine, fine, fine! Look at me! I'm so nice, nice, nice! I'm letting you go!"
After a few minutes, the two ponies completely disappeared from view. She turned around and glanced at her reflection in the stream. The smirk on her face quickly faded.
"What have I done?" she said, sitting down at the edge of the stream. "What's wrong with me?!"
She started to hit at her reflection.
"Why did all of this have to happen to me?" she bellowed, "I never did anything to deserve all of this!"
Tears were building up in her eyes as she continued the assault on her reflection.
"No, no, no, I didn't," she said, "I am and have always been a good little filly. Yes, I've been good,"
Roseheart got up and stepped away from the stream. She focused downwards on the grass.
Who am I kidding? There's no one here but me, she thought, I'm the liar. I haven't been very good at all. Why have I hurt everyone I've cared about?
The sorrow-filled expression on her face grew worse.
I should probably eat something, but why bother? There's no reason to waste food someone else could have on me.
Hours passed and all she could do was look down at the grass beneath her. Her eyes were burning. The tears themselves felt hotter than the sun that hovered over Equestria every single day. Roseheart's stomach eventually growled, but she ignored it. She just sat there. Mind completely empty.
The night had finally come. She was not able to conjure up any tears. The filly sat there in silence and in darkness. However, the day was exhausted, and now she was also. Falling into the grass, she fell asleep.
She opened her eyes, expecting to see the sun once again in the sky. Something, however, was very different. She was up in the clouds.
Roseheart looked down and said: "Whoa, I can't see the ground from here. Where am I?"
From out of nowhere, she heard a faint, familiar sound.
"Wait a minute.. I think somepony's calling for—"
The familiar voice called out again: "Help!"
"I'm coming! Don't worry! I'll help you! Keep calling for me!" Roseheart replied, starting off toward the source of the voice.
She jumped from cloud to cloud as fast as she possibly could. The voice continued to guide her towards it's origin. After about thirty seconds she arrived at the spot where the voice was coming from. Roseheart was in shock at what she saw.
"Yea, but, I'm confused, how do you know my name?"
"Sorry, no time for small talk, I'm in a bit of a situation here."
"Wha—"
"I hurt my wings, okay? I tried climbing back up to the top of this cloud but I just can't."
"Ok wel—"
"What're you gonna do? Fail me like you did your mom and everyone else?"
"How—"
"Help me! I'm slipping!" said Rainbow Dash, as she slowly inched downward, away from Roseheart.
Roseheart reached down with both hooves.
"I need you to trust me on this, jump up and I'll catch you."
"I can't!" Rainbow Dash replied, "I'm—"
She lost her grip and started to hurtle down and away from Roseheart.
"Rainbow Dash! No!" she said, as she jumped down with haste after the cyan pony whom she idolized.
She opened her wings and sped straight ahead towards the helpless mare. There was just one problem: Rainbow Dash was falling way too fast, and Roseheart just couldn't catch up to her. The ground finally came into view. Roseheart needed to catch up to her, and fast. She flapped her wings with all of her might, hoping to catch up to her heroine in time. Then, suddenly:
Thud.
"No! No! No! No!" The filly cried out.
A few moments later she landed. Rainbow Dash's body was limp before her.
"I'm so sorry I—"
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes and stared at Roseheart.
"Y-you f-failed m-me.. y-you'll n-n-never.."
The mare fell silent, and closed her eyes once more.
"No!" Roseheart bellowed, however, something seemed different again.
Suddenly it was night again, and Rainbow Dash was gone. Roseheart was where she had exactly fallen asleep.
"It—It was just a dream." she said.
Her eyes focused on something in the distance. She could barely make it out.
It looks like a house made out of clouds...
She instantly remembered the fire she accidentally started at the abandoned cottage. It made her shiver.
Maybe I should go for it. Maybe somepony lives there? I've got to try...
With her grim nightmare behind her, she set her sights forward: toward the house made of clouds.
The white pegasus filly soared across the night sky, feeling drawn closer and closer to her destination.
I wonder who lives there? Maybe nopony lives there. Maybe I could live there? she thought.
A few moments later she arrived at the soft surface of the cloud. She peered at the immense structure. The lights were off.
What if somepony does live here though? I don't wanna be attacked by somepony thinking I'm a thief. That would be horrible...
Roseheart gulped and took a deep breath before slowly opening the door to the dwelling made of clouds. She closed the door behind her. The entire house was engulfed in darkness. At best, she could only see about thirty centimeters in front of her.
"H-h-hello..? Is anypony home? I don't mean to be rude or anything I just—I need somewhere to stay."
She waited for a moment. Suddenly she heard a loud series of noises:
zzzzZZZzzZZZZZzzZzzZZzzzZZzzZZz...zzzzzzZZZZ!
The filly turned around and made a run for the door, tripping over a leg of a table in the process. This also made a rather intense sound.
"Oww!" Roseheart said.
zZZZzzZZz— "Hmm? What? What was that?"" A voice called out from above.
"I'm really, really, really sorry. I just—I need a place to stay."
Roseheart heard some sort of a commotion that stopped at the very top of the stairs.
"It isn't too smart to just walk right into a stranger's house when they're sleeping."
The voice had a feminine sound to it. She most definitely sounded like a mare, not a filly.
"I know, and I'm sorry, but I just can't be alone anymore." Roseheart replied.
"What'd you do, run away from home? You sound too young to be off on your own, even for our kind's standards."
"I don't want to sound rude ma'am, but could you turn on a light or something... please?"
"Uh, no, sorry, can't do that. I'm... all out of matches," the unknown mare replied, "You still haven't answered me, why are you here?"
"Do you have the time to listen to the whole story?"
Sigh. "Well you woke me up from a pretty good dream, but sure, go for it. What more do I have to lose other than sleep?"
"Okay well, it all started when I was practicing my usual flying routine..."
Roseheart told the mysterious mare everything: From her unfortunate encounter with Solace, to her recent nightmare.
"Wow it sounds like you've been through more than most fillies your age. You mentioned at the end a dream about Rainbow Dash, huh?" The mare said, "She's a pony that everypony knows."
"Yeah, she's great. I used to dream about flying with her. Before all of this happened."
"I feel sorry for her, myself."
"Why?"
"The life of a star, kid. Being a Wonderbolt on top of all that she's done, it can't be a very easy one."
"Maybe, but..."
"But nothing, kid. Life has a way of making everything good turn bad. End of story."
"How would you know?"
"That's enough talking for now. You can sleep here tonight."
The mare flew over to Roseheart and picked her up, somehow managing to navigate her over to what seemed to be a chaise longue. She tried to get a good look at the mare who was letting her stay in her home, but she couldn't.
The mare spoke once more: "Sleep, you need your rest. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, thank you."
"Don't mention it."
The mare flew back up the stairs and went back to her bedroom. Roseheart, now even more exhausted from the day's events, took the mare's advice. She quickly fell asleep.
The morning sun poured in, at long last. The light coming in from the window slowly eating away at the shadows that filled the home. Centimeter by centimeter, it was also creeping up on Roseheart's face. As soon as it hit her eyes, she woke up. She got up and took a look around the room.
"Well, she definitely seems to like Rainbow Dash." she said, looking at a wall covered with various poses of the famous mare. "I wonder how much more she has in her house."
She traveled to the second floor via the stairs and entered the master bedroom.
"Wow... she's even got a giant version of Rainbow Dash's cutie mark on her sheets and everything! She's gotta be her biggest fan!"
She then noticed a picture frame on the nightstand. In the photo there was Rainbow Dash, and then 5 other mares.
Okay... maybe she's a... creepier kind of fan, she thought.
Just then, the fan entered the room. She said: "Excuse me, kid, but if I were your guest would you expect me to go snooping around your house and your bedroom, looking at things you didn't say I could look at?"
Roseheart, instilled with fear, couldn't even turn herself around to look at the mare. "I'm really sorry, I didn't know, I—" she said.
The mare replied: "You can't even turn around and apologize to my face. Why did I even let you stay here?"
Roseheart lowered her head and turned around.
"I'm really sorry I didn't mean any har—"
She stopped as she looked up and glanced at the mare for the first time.
"Wait. No. Huh? No, it couldn't possibly..."
This mare, she looked exactly like Rainbow Dash. She even had the same cutie mark.
"Yea, I'm Rainbow Dash. It's not a big deal." she said.
"What do you mea—"
Just then, something clicked in Roseheart's mind. There was a reason that Rainbow Dash didn't want her to know who she was. She now had a good idea of why, too.
"The fame... it got you everywhere and everything you wanted, but you lost something much, much more valuable. Something happened to you and your friends?"
"I'm not the type of pony to lie. You hit it right on the mark." Rainbow Dash replied.
"Um, what happened? If you wouldn't mind telling me..."
"That picture you were just looking at, we took that the day after I was accepted into the Wonderbolts. It was also one of the last times I could consider any of us friends. The thing is, I let it go to my head. I wasn't what my Element of Harmony stood for anymore. I started letting them down more and more. They got into more arguments because of me. And then there was this one night..."
Rainbow Dash looked down at the floor, paused, and then looked back up at Roseheart.
"This one night, we all got into a big argument. I don't even remember what it was about anymore. I just know that none of us spoke again after that night."
She sniffed.
"It's a night I've been trying to forget."
Then, There was an eerie silence in the room. Suddenly, Roseheart replied: "Why not try to apologize to them? Maybe they'd forgive you?
"Are you crazy? You don't know what it was like. Soon I'm going to announce that I'm retiring from the Wonderbolts."
"Would it hurt you to try...?"
"Who even knows where they are? I haven't been to Ponyville in what feels like forever. What would you expect, me to find them all at home?"
Again, something clicked into Roseheart's mind.
Home. Home! That's it!
"Yes." Roseheart said.
"You're funny, kid, good luck with that."
"If you try this, I'll go back home."
"How about I just kick you out now?"
"You'd lose another chance to fix your old friendships, and you'd lose another friend."
"Alright, fine, we'll do it your way, pipsqueak. But don't expect this to work out like those books you probably read."
Roseheart smiled, "You won't regret it."
With that being said, the two pegasi started on their journey to Ponyville. An hour or so into the trip
"Rainbow Dash, I have a question."
"Yea yea, what?"
"Why is your house so far from where you—never mind."
"Glad I could answer your question." She said with a smirk.
A short time later, they landed on the upper deck of a house carved out of a tree.
"Wher—" Roseheart said, before being interrupted by Rainbow Dash.
"Shh, I hear something. Let me take a peek inside."
She did just that.
"You won't believe this, but all five of my ex-friends are in there fighting with each other."
"Then we need them to stop." Roseheart replied, before jumping down into the center of the room on the floor below.
The five ponies stopped their bickering.
"Who are you?" Pinkie Pie said, "I've never seen you in Ponyville before, so that must mean you just got here!"
Rarity spoke up: "Oh Pinkie, as subtle as ever."
"Well howdy there young'n... whoever ya are." said Applejack, "Why did ya jus' drop on in all us here."
Roseheart said: "Rainbow Dash... could you come down here?"
The whole room gasped as Rainbow Dash entered the room.
"Rainbow Dash told me everything... and she's really, really sorry. Why are you all fighting now anyway?"
Everypony looked at each other quizzically.
"Well..." Twilight Sparkle said, "...I forgot why, but I know it must have been important or else we wouldn't be."
The other four nodded in agreement.
"If you can't remember what, then how do you really know?" Roseheart said.
Fluttershy replied: "We don't."
Rainbow Dash laughed, "You guys are telling me that you're all still fighting over this? Oh, this is just too good!"
Roseheart glared at Rainbow Dash.
"I mean... I'm sorry, for the way I acted... so many years ago."
Twilight said: "You mean, you're not mad with us either?"
"You guys thought I was still mad?"
"Well... yeah." Applejack replied.
Roseheart then said: "So you don't know why you all are even fighting, and you all aren't mad at anypony for anything?"
"That makes it sound so silly." Rainbow Dash said.
"That's because it really just is." Twilight Sparkle replied.
"Aww, C'mon, lets all give each other a hug!" Pinkie Pie said.
The six friends warmly embraced one another. However, something strange happened. A maroon-hued glow encompassed the six ponies, and lifted them up into the air. It pulsated three times and then a brilliant flash of white light occurred. They were back on the ground.
"What just happened?" Roseheart said.
"Roseheart, look at your flank!" Rainbow Dash said.
"M-m-m-my cutie mark?! But how?" Roseheart replied.
Her cutie mark was a red painted heart, with some strange shape behind it. It appeared to be some sort of creature, bird-like in appearance.
Just then Princess Celestia made an entrance into Twilight's library.
"I can explain everything." Celestia said.
"What does it mean, Princess?" Twilight Sparkle asked.
"I've been watching this little filly silently and in the same way I had watched you when you were a young filly, Twilight. However, that's not important. What's important is the lesson in friendship and love that you have all learned today. You see, Roseheart has discovered the magic behind what is truly love. Yes, she is not a unicorn, however she does possess her own unique magic in this gift that she possesses."
"What gift?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I think my gift is simply showing others what love is all about. It's for everyone, not just specific ponies."
"Indeed it is, Roseheart, indeed it is." Celestia replied.
"Is... my mom still in Cloudsdale?" Roseheart asked.
"Yes, and I talked with her after she learned of your escape. Would you like me to take you home now?"
"Can I say bye to Rainbow Dash and her friends first?"
"Of course."
Roseheart turned to the six ponies standing behind her.
"Thanks kid, I owe you one." Rainbow Dash said.
"You don't owe me anything Rainbow Dash. I did it for you, and that's it."
"Maybe you and I can fly sometime together, then."
"That would be great."
"I believe I speak for all of us when I say that we thank you, and that even though we just met you, we're going to miss you." Twilight Sparkle said, as the other ponies nodded in agreement.
"And next time I'll have to throw you the biggest party ever!" added Pinkie Pie.
Roseheart giggled, "Of course, Pinkie Pie, of course."
She left Twilight's house with Celestia, and they traveled all the way back to Cloudsdale, where Roseheart's mother was waiting. Solace and her mother were also there. As soon as the chariot touched the ground, Roseheart jumped out and flew toward her mother.
"Mom!"
"Rosey!"
The flew into her mothers hooves.
"I'm so sorry mom, I've missed you so much! I'll never leave again!"
"I'm sorry too, Rosey, I should have never said some of those things."
"That's okay, I forgive you."
The mother and daughter exchanged a heartwarming hug.
"Roseheart..." Solace said, "I felt really guilty after everything happened at my house, and so I ended up telling my mom the truth about everything. I'm really, really sorry and I hope you can forgive me. I'm sorry for being such a jerk."
"I forgive you. Do you forgive me for hitting you?"
"Of course. Uh, and maybe, if you wouldn't mind, I thought we could start over. You know, be friends instead of enemies."
"Okay, sounds good to me." Roseheart replied, with a smile.
Celestia watched from her chariot. She smiled and laughed, and took off back towards Canterlot Castle. The four ponies headed back to their homes, finally feeling a sense of relief.
"So, Roseheart," Her mother said, "how about you tell me about your cutie mark and how you got it?"
"Okay," Roseheart replied, "but it isn't a very short story."
