> Remember Me > by Agent Everfree > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prologue > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remember me "They say that our souls are split into two groups. Light and Dark, but this is not true - we all contain these feelings within us. It is just up to us to decide how we use them." Prologue Change... Change is always happening... Never resting... Never ending... But is that a good thing or bad?... When I was young I learned that change is an easy thing; as easy to me as breathing is to all others. After all it was what my kind was born to do; and because of that the ponies marked me as an enemy and attacked me. Driving me out of my home and world like that of a hunter looking for his big game, just because of what others of my kind have done to them and their rulers. Is it fair to judge somepony on that logic? For me, to attack a poor young mare trying to her best to feed herself and daughter, and only because a group of ponies attacked and killed my kind, and destroyed their homes, pushing them to the point of disappearing from this world forever. I do not see this as fair, maybe some of you think the same but it matters little, because I do not write these words down to talk of wars between others. I wanted to talk about memory. My memory, as from what a friend has told me, could be the most important memory in all of Equestria and beyond. But she always liked to give things a little more drama then needed, not like her unicorn friend but... I am getting off track again. So in order to explain the beginning, I will need to start with how it all ended. I fell, fell far, hitting the water below me with a large splash, there was pain from the water hitting the marks on my body. Burns and scars cover it like I was attacked by a pack of timberwolves, but they did not make them, ponies did. The pony guards of the two sisters who ruled this land. As I sank deeper into the water, the cold became pleasant to me as it cooled the burns and cleansed my scars. But I was still weak, too weak to try and swim back to the top, or to keep my eyes open and I can't hold my breath for much longer. I'd trained myself well to stay under the water for long periods of time to catch fish, or to hide from an enemy that even I could not beat. Confused how this is needed for the beginning? Well, that was how my life began the first time. I was young, too young to remember what was happening around me, and barely old enough to walk or even think for myself. I remember however, being tired, weak, just like now, but this time somepony was carrying me. I looked up to see the sky which was almost covered up by the tall trees - but I could see a few stars high in the sky, they looked so bright and powerful with everything around me being covered in darkness, but not the stars. Before I knew it we had come to a stop. I was then picked up by the one carrying me, I could not remember their face but they said two words to me, two words that I would remember for a long time, that would echo within my head as I sleep. And those words were... "I'm Sorry" Even the voice stays with me as I would soon come to hear it again later, the voice of a mare. She sounded young, but was shaky like she had been crying. Before I could understand those words - I was thrown into a river, I heard the loud splash like I did now, with me sinking and being sent down the river. I never knew how to swim, but I tried so very hard. A large stick rushed past with a sharp end making contact with my left eye - I felt a burn as it ripped through my skin, making me lose my breath. The water rushed into my body so fast it felt like being a balloon being filled up with helium, only I was not going to rise; I could not do anything to save myself. My limbs became still as my body slowed, and soon everything around me turned to black as I slipped from this world. But it was not the end. Life came back to me as I was rewarded with a filled feeling and pain - my eyes shot open as I turned over, choking up the water that had not left my body. I fell down and laid on my stomach, not caring how much time had passed. As I felt my strength return I pushed myself up into a sitting position. I looked around only finding trees with no sign of the one who had thrown me into the river, or any other creature that lived here. I looked over to my left to see the river, looking innocent - like it had done nothing wrong. I got up and walked over to the river's edge, careful not to fall in. I was greeted by a creature with black skin, two little fangs starting to poke out from it's upper jaw, a small horn on the forehead and two glowing eyes; the right a light blue, the other a bright pink with a large scar running down it. This face was my face. I looked around again, hoping to see somepony, anypony, but I was greeted with nothing. I closed my eyes. I felt something hot and wet running down my left cheek. A single tear drop. I didn't know what to do, I had no idea who I was, what I was or were I was. That when the teachings started. "Are you alive?" I looked around hearing the voice, but saw nopony. The voice was the same as the one who had thrown me into the river. I looked around again and again, then gave up and looked back to the river. "Please, are you alive?" There it was again. The same voice, but nowhere to be seen. That's when the crazy idea came to me - my first free thought. The voice was in my head. I did not understand words at this time, so I could not respond, but that did not seem to stop the voice. "If there is a chance you are alive, please listen to me, I will teach you, and help you so you may survive" And so I did. I listened and learned for many moons to come. This is how my story began. > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remember me "Some say that when you think you're going to die that you think of your mother. Mother is god in the eyes of a child, so they say" Chapter 1 I have remained in the forest for a long time now, it has become my home. It is all I have now with no clear memory of who I am at this time. The voice had taught me many things that would need to know to survive, talking, combat, magic. The teaching continued I am not sure how long, but I was no longer a small youngling - I had grown, my skin had hard like stone, my fangs large and sharp. I still had the scar over my left eye; it did not heal well. It gave me no real pain, but it still remained there. The magic the voice had taught me was strange at first... Some of it was simple to understand, making fires for warmth and light, to blasts of energy that have proven useful against the others who dwell in the forest. I did not know why the voice was still teaching me if she did not know I was living. Maybe she had a strong feeling? Like that of a mother never losing faith in their young when they are missing. Was the voice my mother? I do not know but it made me smile every time I heard the voice returning with another lesson. This lesson was of more magic, but this was strange. Shape-shifting? I listened to the voice as it told me I had a special magic that could mimic the look of another creature, making me look like them, sound like them, a perfect copy. It sounded strange- almost impossible but I listened. Then the teachings stopped... I waited from one moon cycle to the next and nothing. Had something happened to her? Was she attacked, hurt or... killed? Or had she simply lost hope in me and stopped teaching something that might be dead for all she knew. I still could not speak to her, for I did not know how, she taught me some words and how to speak but they seemed to have no way of reaching her. So I waited, hoping she would come back... but she never did. Even without the voice I still kept going, surviving. I was not sure why I was but I just had a feeling that my end should not have to come so soon, just because I was no longer being taught things. But using everything I had learnt, I created a home for myself, nothing more than a few leaves and moss put together within an old hollowed tree with some rocks covering the front to keep it hidden. Others of the forest had come close to look for any leftover food but a loud hiss from myself was enough to keep them away. I had taken the time to face the water again, to master it. Fear filled me as I tried to place my leg within the lake but I soon learnt to enjoy it. So I practiced moving through the water, coming to the point that swimming in it was as easy as blinking. I even practiced holding my breath so I could say under for a long time, which was useful when the bigger creatures began looking around. I took to hunting within the waters as they seemed to have never ending amount of fish which proved to be enjoyable to eat, even more when cooked within my magic made fire. Life was simple now, and soon I began to lose the feeling of loss from when the teachings stopped. But those two words never left me. "I'm sorry" Why? Why did she throw me to the river to die - and if there was the chance I did not die, then why start teaching me? More questions appeared each time I thought of those words. But it did not stop me from surviving, and everyday was simple - wake up, swim in the lake, hunt, eat, then return to my nest and rest. Remembering it now, it was not a perfect life, but it was my life and it felt right. But they were not all good times; there where bad ones too. Some wolves came looking around my home, smelling the fish. I watched from high up in the trees, my legs seemed to stick well to trees allowing me to climb them with ease like that of a spider. I tried hissing at them to leave but that only worked when it was one on their own and too hungry for a fight. These wolves were hungry too but it was more than just one, however this was my home, my life. I was not going to hide and wait. So I crawled down the tree until it was safe to fall down, I landed on the opening to my nest and hissed at them again. They seemed surprised, seeming to have never seen anything like me but that did not last long as they started glowing and moved closer. I took a step forward myself and hissed back. This continued until one of the wolves made a mistake. He tried to attack me . The wolf leaped into the air attempting to reach me but he never made his mark, as green fire hit him directly into the chest knocking him back and crashing into a rock with a sickening CRACK. I was not expecting to have put that much power into the blast, but he still lived, as the wolf got up and left through the bushes whining. But there was still three more wolves who were not happy. While I was still looking to the fleeing wolf, the largest of the group, the alpha I would guess, took his chance and jumped at me. This time he made it and pinned me to the ground. Before I could react, he took a bite at my shoulder, making me hiss in pain as his sharp teeth sank in. My skin could take a bit of a beating but it was still my flesh that I could feel and it hurt a lot. With rage I kicked him with my lower legs, making him let go. Before he could have another bite, I rammed my horn into his chest, breaking his wooden shell, then released a big fire spell within sending him flying into forest and sending me back from the blast. I got to my legs shaking, looking to the two remained wolves. I then let loose a loud hiss for the whole forest to hear and with the fall of their leader, the wolves ran away. I limped back to my nest to rest and heal my wounds. It was not the very best fighter, but I had won, and I knew others would arrive to challenge me. All I could think was... Let them come. > Chapter 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remember me "In fear we turn to the darkness to hide, but if we stay too long the creatures that dwell there will get you. So what do you do? Face your fears, or endure the monsters." Chapter 2 So they came, the monsters of the forest. Many had only come to see what had made the noise and left soon enough, but others came to challenge, wanting my home and food, but they were not going to have it. I met them head on; defending what was mine and mine alone - and one by one they fell, returning to the forest much worse than they had arrived to my nest, I had not come out all to good myself though. Everyday my body would be covered in more scars; the plants of the forest do well to heal them, but not enough to really heal them. In the time I had been fighting something was different in the forest. I was unclear as to who but the other creatures of the wood were talking about it, and the only thing I could make of it was... Something new had entered the forest. I would have checked to see what it was but I could not leave my home without the fear of others coming to take it. So I had to remain here and wait for my wounds to heal, just for another fight to come. Talk of this new being in forest had died down soon enough, to the point that it was like it had just gone. It was not dead, or else calls of victory would have traveled through the trees, it was just gone. I to had to move; my food was running low and nobody had come to challenge me. I would have guessed they had given up on that - trying to fight me was a suicidal mission, but it mattered little to me, as I was on my way to hunt. I had arrived at the lake glade to see it had not changed. I took a small sip from the lake; careful not to swallow any bugs. As I was ready to begin my hunt, I heard talking. TALKING!? I backed up into a bush as the voice came closer. No creature of the forest had ever used my words - we all speak the language we grew up with, mine coming from my teachings but what ever was coming was using it fine. So I waited, and was greeted with... Not what I expecting. Two new creatures had arrived at the edge of the lake. They were just shorter than me and one had a horn like me - but they were not like me. One was white with gray stripes, and the other was a light purple with a image on her flank of a star, but looking at the lashes on their eyes, they seemed to be female. Who were these creatures? Were they friends, or another enemy? I could not make out what they were saying, but they were collecting water from the lake. When they had collected all they seemed to need they turned and left. My hunt would have to wait - I needed answers. I climbed the trees and followed after them from high above. I followed the two for a while, until they had stopped at an old hollowed out tree which seemed to serve the striped one as a home. How long had this been here? They seemed to have said their goodbyes and the purple one took to leaving. I would have gone to the striped one with questions, but the other had my attention - she had a horn so maybe we were connected somehow. The sky was getting darker as did the forest. The purple one seemed to feel this too, as she picked up the pace. I was still following in the trees, I did not know how I was even going to start. How could I? For many moons I had remained in the woods alone, with only the voice, but with her gone I had nothing. Only my will to live. I crawled down the tree until I was on the ground. I waited in bush, planning my approach when I heard a growl from behind me. "Oh bother..." I turned around only to be met with a wooden paw to my face, sending me from my spot to the opposite tree. I looked up, to see a lone Timberwolf. It must have been stalking the purple one, looking for a meal. I stood up tall again, glaring at the wolf, who in turn began to charge towards me. "Will they ever learn?" I blasted the wolf with a fire spell - sending him into the forest yelling in pain like all the others. Before I could enjoy my small victory, I heard a female voice call to me. "Don't move!" In the attack I had forgotten I was only a short distance from her, so she clearly must have heard the fight. I looked over to my right and sure enough there she was, pointing her horn at me - ready to fight. This is what I get for getting too excited and not watching my flank. Well it's now or never. Got to put those words to use after all these moons. "Err... err." Smooth. The purple one did not seem to care, as she kept pointing her horn at me, but then she spoke. "What are you doing here Changeling?" She asked like I was a prisoner, who was only just freed and found doing wrong again. What mattered to me though, was not her tone, but what she called me. Changeling? What is that? Is that what I am? Does she know my kind? I had to know, but I must make sure she stopped pointing her horn at me. "Erm... Greetings... could you-" "Stop it - I asked what you're doing here, not if you wanted a chat." She spat at me. Rage had filled my body none like any other - here I was after being attacked, being questioned with nothing but hate, when all I wanted was some answers in my life for once. "HOW DARE YOU!" I roared at her, making her take a step back. I crouched low to the ground, ready to attack if I needed to. "I came to you with questions that you may have answers to. For many moons I had waited for a sign, and all I get is you ready to attack me? No!" She still seemed really confused and unsure what to do, but I couldn't stop - I was just so angry. "Get out.." I said "W-What?" I fired a blast just in front of her. "GET OUT OF MY FOREST!" I yelled and she did. She turned and ran as fast as she could. I took some deep breaths to calm myself. After my breathing became normal again, I looked down in sadness. I had lost the only chance I had of finding were I belonged. Something hot and wet when down my cheeks. I was crying - something I had not done since I was young. With nothing else here, I turned and went home. All alone. > Chapter 3 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remember me "Some think that if you are able to take the life of an evil creature you’re showing courage, but true courage is for not taking a life but when to spare one." Chapter 3 More moons had passed since I had yelled at the purple creature. I still did not know what she was, but she will most likely tell others like her that I lived within the forest but like those before; they can come. I will not hide in fear; but stand, like a true worrier. It would be welcome, as even the natives of the wood have stopped coming to challenge me, so it seems I have but one victory on this day - but it still bothers me that I had shouted at the only one who could tell me who I was. I would have gone to the stripey creature that was with the other one, but I feel that I would get the same response that I got from the purple one. I got up from my nest and left the tree to return to the lake. If I intended to live I still needed food. Stopping at the lake, I took a deep breath and jumped in. Being in the water was very pleasant; the cool feeling around me and being able to move around with ease, maybe not as well as a fish, but well enough - and speaking of fish. There was small school of fish just waiting to be mine. Using my tail to push me forward and reach the group; taking a bite out of one, then quickly swimming back to the surface. I dropped the fish on the edge of the lake, then returned to the water to keep up the hunt. I kept this up until I had about ten fish in total, which would last me a few days. I picked my catch up with my magic and walked back to the nest. As I walked back there was a different scent in the air; like a flower, and it was coming from my nest. I picked up the pace and stayed close to the shadows. When I arrived home I planned to crush anything stupid enough to come to my home, but what I found was not a local of the forest. It was the purple one. Why was she here? Did she plan to kill me? Or do something else with me? What? After the way I shouted at her, it came as no surprise that she wished to remove a threat -and if it's a fight she wanted that’s what she would get. I dropped my fish, walked out of the bushes, and crouched down ready for combat. "What are you doing here?" I asked. She jumped and turned to face me. "Oh! There you are! I've been looking for you for some time now." She said, with a small smile. To say I was confused was an understatement. Why would she come looking for me since she clearly had no wish to be anywhere near me. "Why were you looking for me?" I asked. I needed answers. "Well, after we met last time, I ran home, with many questions of why you seemed so confused as to why I called you a Changeling, or why you’re even in this forest." She said and then looked behind to see my nest. "But by the looks of it, you're not just in the forest. You’re staying here... Why?" She questioned. I stood back up, seeing as she seemed to be planning to attack, and walked past her to my nest. "This is my home - has been for many moons, ever since I was small." I told her. I couldn't place why I was telling her this, I barely knew her, but then again; how was I to get to know her if I pushed her away. "Your home? Have you been here since the invasion failed?" She asked. Invasion? What was she talking about? Were my kind involved in some kind of war? "I have an understanding of this invasion." I told her. Each time I ask something, more questions rise up - This was getting nowhere fast. "Wait... If you have no idea about the invasion and this is your home... How long have you been here?" She too seemed to be having the same problem as I did; getting more and more questions. "I've lived in these woods by myself for many moons now; ever since I was young and small" I told her, remembering my first breath after finding that I had not died in the river. "Many moons? I would guess you're talking about days - and if you were really young like a foal, then... Oh Celestia, you really don't know what you are. Come to think of it - You don't look like any other changeling I've seen before" She said. "Well, I would like to know more about myself... If you could tell me" I asked. A light seemed to twinkle in her eyes and a smile grew on her face at the idea. "That's an idea - You could come with me to Ponyville, and we could teach each other a few things! There is so much we can learn from you... and of course what you can learn to. Oh this going to be great!" She was getting very excited about all this, and I would be lying if I didn't say the idea of learning new things about my kind was exciting too, and what other things she could tell me. "Oh right - I need to introduce myself. My name is Twilight Sparkle. And your name is?" My name? I never had a name. Of all the things to happen in my life I never thought to name myself. "I...I don't have name..." I told her. The confusion was back on her face; but then melted away to a look of understanding. "You have been in the Everfree forest for a long time, huh?" So that was the name of this place. Well, I'm already learning. "Well, we can think about names later, but before that, lets get back to my house. This may feel a little weird." She then closed her eyes as her horn lit up. I was about to ask what she was doing, but before I knew it... There was a flash; and we were gone. > Chapter 4 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remember me "Why do we fight? Is it to protect the ones close to use? Or is it just to fight and go to war. It seems no matter where you go, there will always be fighting. " Chapter 4 The world returned soon after the flash of light. I felt like the world around me was spinning with me at the top, never stopping. If I had eaten that day I may have seen it again pretty soon. I crouched down to the ground waiting for the spinning to stop - Twilight was trying to say something to me, but her words were just noise in the spinning world. After a few moments and a few deep breaths the world returned to normal and I was able to get a good look around myself. To say I was confused was an understatement. We were no longer at my small home in the woods, we were somewhere new, yet also familiar. Yes we were in a large tree, but not like my home in the forest. That was dark, damp, and cold. This was bright, dry, and... comfortable. At first I could not make out the items around me, but I learnt that many of them were too made from trees. There was a center table with a carving of a horse on, too many shelves lined with thousands of books, all containing stories and waiting for somepony to pick then up and give them a read. "It isn't much... but it's home." Twilight said as she watched me looking around her house. I turned to her with a look of confusion. How could she consider this place not much? "This place is amazing." I spoke out. She gave me a smile and turned to head to a desk on the far end of the room, giving a gesture to follow her. She pointed to a cushion for me to sit on. I obeyed. It was very soft; nothing like the trees I sat on, or the leaves I used for my bed. Twilight took a seat as well, then used her magic to pick up some sheets of paper and a quill. "Okay, so I want you to tell me everything about yourself and what your life was like to the point you found me." She asked preparing her quill to take down notes. So I told her my story. From the memory of being thrown into a river, to the teaching I was getting from the unknown voice, to becoming the warrior, and the survivor I had become. Her face showed many emotions from my story, sometimes she had looks of great interest and others looks of pure sadness. As I reached the end of my tale, she looked over her notes for a while, then looked at me with that same sad expression. "You've been through a lot huh?..." It wasn't a question, much more of a statement. I could only nod my head, finding no words to reply... KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK We both jumped at the noise and turned our attention to the door. Somepony was knocking to come in. A look of panic went over Twilight's face. She quickly turned to me and whispered: "HIDE" She hid her notes in the desk and went to the door to answer it. I looked around the room for some place that I would be out of sight - but this is not my forest. There were no bushes to hide in or a tree to climb. Twilight opened the door slightly poking her head out to speak with whoever was there. "Oh.. err.. hello Rainbow, what can I do for you?" Twilight said, trying her best not to show that anything was wrong. "Hey Twi, I came to bring back this copy of Daring Do." The voice named Rainbow replied. "Oh.. Thanks. I'll just take it, and you can be on your way" Twilight replied. "No sweat Twi. I'll just put it back, I know where it goes." Rainbow said, beginning to push her way in without a thought. I had only a split second to react, I had no wings so I would not hover away so I did the only thing I could think of... Jump. I stuck onto the ceiling, pressing my body close to it to remain unseen. I watched the new creature enter the room. She was like Twilight but sporting a coat coloured like that of the sky and a mane and tail with many colours. She also had a set of wings slightly hidden by a set of bags on her back that got my attention. There was so much to learn from these creatures. Twilight followed after Rainbow looking slightly confused. My guess would be from my sudden disappearance. Rainbow took a book from her bag and placed in on a shelf with many more books. "You know Twilight, you should get out more. You've been in this library for most of the week." Rainbow said. "I know Dash, I've just been busy with some projects" Twilight told her. "Well, don't forget about us okay? Later Twi." Rainbow walked out the library, closing the door behind her. Twilight gave a sigh of relief, then looked around the room. "Err.. Hello? Changeling?" She called out. Guessing she meant me. "Up here" I replied. She looked up, and gave a look of surprise which soon turned happy. "You really are a good hunter" She said, as I let go of the ceiling, landing in front of her. "So we're going to need to give you a name... hmm" Twilight hummed as she looked around the room. I sat down, waiting for Twilight's suggestions. I looked around the room to see what caught my eye - it was my name after all. After looking around a little more my eyes landed on a mirror. As I saw myself, something did catch my eye, or more what was on my eye. "Scar..." I muttered still looking at the mirror "Huh?" Twilight looked over to me as I spoke. "What did you say?" she asked. "Scar... my name... I want to be called Scar" I told her. "Are you sure, you don't want to be called Zin or something?" She asked, tilting her head slightly. "No. It's short and has meaning. My name is Scar" I said, feeling slightly proud at finding a name for myself, that meant something to me, since the scar was the first damage done to me when my life began. Twilight didn't seem like she wished to argue, as she smiled and spoke. "Well, welcome to Ponyville Scar" She stretched out her hoof towards me. I was confused for a moment, and placed my hoof against hers making a Clop sound. "So can you teach me about this world and about who I am?" I asked, reaching the information that I had wanted to know for a long time. Twilight seemed to fall a little bit but she took a seat next to me and spoke. "Well, you may not like what you're going to hear. Are you sure?" she warned me. "I've been sure for a long time" So she told me a story A story of an invasion. > Chapter 5 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remember me "I am a warrior on the inside, and it can't be denied or I will end up turning this land into a battlefield tonight, so I look around through the warrior eyes and see nothing but fear inside." Chapter 5 From there Twilight told me so much... And it hurt... To learn that my kind were seen as monsters by many of the ponies, monsters who attacked this lands main city, that they had been outlawed by the princess, saying that any changeling spotted must be reported to the royal guards, and that no contact should be made. I couldn't understand why my kind would do that. Twilight talked about something on them needing to feed off of love. The voice talked about that, but I never knew what that meant. Many more of Twilight's friends came to visit the library, forcing me to hide, to avoid being seen, and after learning of what my kind had done it came as no surprise on how they would react if they saw me. Twilight talked about having an assistant named Spike, but he was in Canterlot, the main city of this world Equestria. But Twilight didn't just teach me about what she knew about my kind, she began to teach me more things, like reading and writing for a start, to more about magic and the world we live in. Some of this would seem boring to a child who grew up with this stuff, but I could not stop paying attention to every word Twilight said. These moments were important to me, as this is when I started to be normal and not a hunter. But this would not last forever, as this memory soon shows. It was another day in the town of Ponyville. I had not yet gone outside, seeing as the ponies would run and scream at the sight of me. I would then find myself a prisoner for just being a Changeling. I sat on my cushion by the desk, reading away, enjoying the peace around me, until Twilight called me. "Scar, could you come up here a moment?" I obeyed, and went up the set of stairs to where Twilight waited sitting on her bed. She was holding an old book. The edges were starting to crumble and the cover looked like it would rip with just the slightest pull. "Is there something wrong Twilight?" I asked her, she had taught me well with speech. "No Scar, I just got thinking that you've been in this library for some time now, and you always have to find the moment somepony shows up... So I think it's time you got to see Ponyville" She told me with a small smile forming on her face. "But you said I couldn't leave, or they would take me away." I was confused on why she would suggest such an idea. True I wanted to see the rest of the land but I can't. "I know that, but I got to thinking, you're a Changeling. You can shape-shift into other ponies, but I also know we don't want to run into the pony your copying, so I had an idea" She then placed the book she was holding down onto the bed and opened it up to a page, then gestured for me to come over. I walked over to the bed and looked at the page Twilight had turned to. On the left page it showed a picture of a gray unicorn with a white mane and tail. He was standing on what looked like a Timberwolf, but what I thought was interesting was that he was holding a bow and arrow with his magic. But other than showing a picture of an interesting pony, I didn't understand why Twilight was showing me this. "This is Everfree. He was a hunter who would go into the Everfree forest, looking for a good hunt" She told me, pointing to the right page with more information about him. "He named himself after the forest, to show he did not fear what lived there, and that he was the ultimate hunter." she explained. "So an idea came to me... That maybe you could change into Everfree, and you could walk around Ponyville with no problem." The idea sounded good, but there was still a problem. "Wouldn't somepony realize that I'm not Everfree?" I asked "Oh, they won't because Everfree isn’t real. He's a character I made when I was young and trying to see if I was a writer. Turns out that making stories is not my thing." She said with a small chuckle. It was worth a shot. I hadn’t really used this power so I wasn't sure how this would turn out. I took a good long look at the picture, imagining my body becoming just like Everfree's. I felt a warm feeling around my body like someone was covering me with a blanket. After a few minutes I gave up and looked back at Twilight. "Sorry Twilight. I guess it didn't work..." I said "Oh I wouldn't say that." she said with a face full of wonder. In a second I turned around and looked at the mirror on Twilight’s table. Staring back was not a changeling, but a gray unicorn with a white tail and mane. It worked... "I'm Everfree..." I muttered looking at my reflection, I saw that my eyes had the same colour as when I was a changeling, my left eye pink, the right blue, with my scar running down my left eye. "Well, since he was never real, I think Scar Everfree wouldn't be out of the question." Twilight said, standing next to me. Before I could say anything else... KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK Twilight gave a sigh as she walked back down the stars to see who it was. I followed after her seeing as I looked like pony now nopony would question me. Twilight opened the door revealing a pink pony, one of Twilight’s friends I remembered. "Hey Twilight I just came---*GASP* Who's that?!" The pink pony said, pointing toward me. "Oh, that’s Scar, he's a friend of mine Pinkie." Twilight said "You had a friend over, and you didn't TELL ME! HeneedsapartyrightnowgottagoBYE!" And with that she was gone. I would say she was better than me at disappearing. "What was that all about?" I asked her, very confused by Pinkie. "Oh, that’s Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie, she throws a party for everypony here, and I guess you're getting one" She said, then walked over to stand next to me. "Well Scar Everfree, time for you to meet Ponyville.” And we did. I got to see the bright sun, breathe the fresh air and feel the wind on my fur. It was odd. My body felt so real, like I had always been a pony, even if I knew it was fake. We went all around Ponyville. The ponies smiled and waved at us, and I waved back. I felt truly alive. Like I had been robbed of life for so long for somepony to give it to me, and that pony was Twilight. As the sun began to set over the horizon, Twilight told me we should head to a place called Sugar Cube Corner. As we arrived, something felt off. I hadn’t been hunting for long but it was still in my bones. I walked into the store and found darkness. I waited for a moment and then... SUPRISE! I almost ran for cover, thinking I was under attack, but I soon saw it was the ponies of Ponyville greeting me at the party, a party for me. I couldn't help but feel happy that these ponies I didn't know had welcomed me with open hooves, like I had known them for years. But it would not last... Twilight soon introduced me to all her friends. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy, who seemed to really live up to her name. Of course I had seen them all before, but they never saw me since I was hiding from them. The party went on for a a while, but soon ponies were leaving for home. Twilight too believed it was time for bed, and so we made our way to leave. I thanked Pinkie for throwing the party for me. We walked through the cool night with the moon as our only beacon of light. We walked into the library which had become a home to me too, as well as Twilight's. We walked in and sat down on the cushions, glad to be home. "Well, how was your first day in Ponyville?" Twilight asked me. "The best day ever, and I owe it to you Twilight Sparkle." I told her, and smiled. She returned the smile. And at that point, time seemed to slow down. I looked into her eyes that held a wonderful spark. I felt her hooves wrap around my neck as she pulled me into a hug, as I rested my head on her shoulder I held onto her with my own hooves and finally for the first time in my life I new what it was like to truly have a friend. I felt my eyes close, that warm feeling in my body melting away. And now you can think how could this end badly, what could ruin this day and moment? One word... Just one word. "Twilight?..." Spike. We broke the hug and looked at the door finding a small purple dragon staring shocked, but it quickly turned to angry at the sight of me. I looked at my body to see the another thing to ruin it all... My pony form... Had disappeared... > Chapter 6 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remember me "Run. That's what you do when you're out of options and something is after you. You run, run far away and never come back" Chapter 6 We were in trouble. Big trouble. Spike had returned, and found the pony he had known all his life, hugging somepony he didn't know. And not just that, but a changeling - an enemy. He said nothing when he saw us, only turned and run away, Twilight had tried to stop him; but it was far too late. Twilight was panicking. She paced around the room, trying to form a plan to help me - but she didn't seem to be able to think of anything. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK We both turned to the door at the load knocking. "This is the Royal Guard by the order of the Princess. Open this door!" A male voice yelled from the door, still banging on it. Fear went over Twilight's face as the guards continued to hammer at the door. Twilight looked toward me, with her features turning to sadness. "Run..." She simply said to me. "Wa... what?.." I didn’t understand what she meant. I could not leave her here with these stallions - I was still a hunter. I could fight them to protect her. But she was not seeing it that way; she saw it better than I did. "Run to the forest and hide, if you stay here they will kill you, and you can't kill them too... You're better than that. Just run, and get far away from here.” I stood on the spot just looking at her. I could not feel my legs. With fear for my survival I would do anything. But this was more than just me surviving, this was about protecting the one thing that had changed my life for the better, making me something more than just another monster to fear and hate. I didn't want to go... "RUN!" Twilight yelled at me, tears pouring from her eyes as the guards began to ram the door open. Something I knew well inside me awoke as I obeyed, turning around and running for the window. I jumped through it breaking the glass, with the shards cutting my body. "There it is! Get it!" I looked around to find not just guards surrounding me, but the rest of the town. The ponies who had welcomed me, who made me feel at home within a day... They all hated me... "You’re gonna pay for what you did to our friend changeling!" It was Rainbow Dash looking like she was ready to attack the second I moved. They were everywhere. Ponies who wanted nothing more than my termination. There was a loud BANG and a flash of light. I looked around to see the sparks from within the library. Within that moment, the ponies and guards looked away from me to the sound. I took my chance and ran as fast as I could. "Hey it's getting away!" I heard them yell. Thank you Twilight... No other pony could have made that distraction for me. I saw the forest reaching closer as I ran toward it. Looking around, I saw more guards following behind far too close for my liking. I blasted the ground with my magic, making dirt rise into the air giving me cover for a few precious seconds. I had no idea where to run to, the forest felt so different than when I was last here. Had being in Ponyville softened me to a point? Was the place I used to call home no longer welcoming to me either? Was I welcome anywhere? As I kept running I saw flashes of light zoom past me hitting the trees with a spark. They were firing at me, They must have really wanted me out of the picture. It made me think - how can this be fair? To judge me just on what others had done, and not one of my actions. I began to grow tired. I had never run so much in my life. I could feel my body slowing down, and looking behind, the guards were beginning to catch up with me. They must run like this a lot. I returned my sights to the front only for my eyes to widen. I came to a screeching stop with my legs digging into the ground. I had reached an edge of a cliff and looking down I could just make out, the long stream of a river moving slowly. I heard the sound of hooves coming closer. I closed my eyes and gave a sigh of defeat. I had lost... The sound of hooves stopped, and I turned around to see the guards pointing their horns at me. There was nowhere left to run and even if there was, I was just too tired to. The lead guard walked forward towards me, a grin forming on his face. The guard stopped in front of me. Before I could do anything he turned and kicked me in my gut. I felt whatever breath I’d gained being ripped out of me. I fell to the ground, gasping for air. I looked up to the stallion, only to be punched in the face with his hoof. He kicked me so I was laying on my back, then began to repeatedly hit me in the face. Again and again. I could make out the sounds of some ponies making gasps of shock as the stallion continued to beat me, and after a final punch, he picked up my head and slammed it into the ground. Blood poured from my mouth, my eye was swollen making it hard to see. My body burned from the beatings, combined with the scars from the glass. I tried my best to get up, wobbling badly. I looked around to see more ponies had come. This time they had no signs of hate, but sadness... pity... Some had looked to the guard that had beat me with disgust, but he did not seem to care as he turned around once more, and kicked me off the cliff... I heard the shouts of ponies but I could not make out there words. I fell... Hitting the water with a loud SLASH. And here we are again, sinking down to the bottom of a river. This is how it began and this is how it ended, me in a river... Looking back on what I said before, is it right to judge a race just because of the acts of one? In the time I spent with Twilight, I learnt that just because of the acts of that guard hurt me, does not mean that all ponies are like him. So no, it is not right. As I looked up under the water surface, I wondered if there is a safe place for me when death takes me. But I could not find out this day... After all, how would I write these words... I saw a hoof reach into the water towards me. With whatever strength I had left I grabbed it and felt my body being pulled from the water and to land. I took big breaths of air as I crouched down on the muddy earth. After I regained my breath, I looked up to the one who had saved me. It was a guard. But not like the ones I saw before with white coats and gold armor. This one had a dark gray coat with shining purple armor and a set of golden eyes with slits like that of a cat. Looking at her shape, it was a mare. "You okay?" she asked me with concern, with a voice that reminded me of something. "Yes... Thank you... Who are you?" I asked her, as it's nice to get to know the one who saves your life. She just gave me a small smile before saying - "Just a friend... with a message from another friend. She said run Scar, run away and stay safe" She told me. I looked at her for a moment and nodded. I got up and turned to keep running. But after a moment it came to me... Her voice... The voice... THE VOICE! I turned around again to find that the guard had disappeared. For some reason a smile formed on my face when I got to thinking. She was still watching over me, even after the teaching. And so with nothing more for me... I ran... and ran... and ran... > Epilogue > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remember me "Feels like being shot in the dark, but what where they aiming for if they missed my heart?" Epilogue To Twilight Sparkle Golden Oak Library Ponyville Equestria My Dearest Twilight It's been too long since we have spoken, time does seem to make fools of us all sometimes huh? I've been alright myself, been living in Fillydephia. It’s nice here. There's a beach and warm sun and a good cafe that's become a bit of a favorite of mine. Maybe you could come and visit sometime? Bring your friends too, they would love it. It's funny; I remember how I used to just live in a tree in a creepy forest, feeding on nothing but fish, and now it seems like whole other life. But I got my book finished. Thanks again for taking the time to edit and make it read-able. Even with your help on how to write, theirs still things that I missed out. Also heard about that guard... He was dishonorably discharged? Didn't think that they would go that far, and this is coming from the one who was beaten up by him. I still miss you, ya know. All that time reading together in the library, to being able to walk around Ponyville, then going to Pinkie's party... Guess it was just never meant to be. But I heard that the princesses were going to give me a pardon, I feel you may have had something to do with that. And if not you, then somepony else... I still wonder who she was, the pony who saved me that night. I was so sure that it was the voice that taught me everything I knew, but then it might have been just chance. I got a new look by the way. I'm still the same changeling, just with a new face... Well.. new everything. Tell Rarity again thanks for the clothes, I still find it odd considering ponies don't really wear clothes. I don't know how you made them see that I'm not like the other changelings, but you're a great leader so I guess it comes naturally to you, like breathing. Then again, change costs, and every time you pay a little more. I know this best of anypony. But I will have to end this letter here. Sorry it's short, but there a few problems here... Ponies are disappearing, and I'm gonna need to look into what's going on. It might be just nothing but you can never be to careful, I might be a good guy but I can't speak for every changeling out there. I hope to see you again soon Twi... Yours truly Scar P.S. Last time you asked me what I will call my book, since it talks about my memory of the things I've been through. So ponies can read it and hopefully begin to see that just because some of a species did something bad that not all should carry the blame. I've been thinking about it, and I know what it will be. Since they used to call me Scar Call it Remember me... > Just a few edits > --------------------------------------------------------------------------