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Chpt. 1(To live or not to li

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Chpt. 1

(To live or not to live)

It was the same, always the same. The door slowly opened on silent hinges revealing the same stone stairway, spiraling down into the nothingness. The stairs spiraled downward with stonewalls that had other ponies carved into it under a well-polished mirror like quality.

“Do you see that?”

“What’s wrong with him?”

The stallion cringed as his hoofs echoed off the cold stone as the ponies behind the polished surface began to whisper and snicker at him. Spell Squire hung his head down low, the navy blue and grey of his main obscured his vision as he continued down the stairs trying to shut out the voices of the stone ponies only make them talk louder. Soon the ponies started to jeer and yell at him about his… accident.

“Is that an earth pony?”

“Mommy, why does that pony have a broken horn?”

Mothers would push along their young whispering not to stare as he passed them by, ushering the child away as if the stallion’s broken horn was a deadly contagion. And for a unicorn, there really was nothing worse than when something was wrong with your horn. Soon Spell Squire would look up and see nothing of the stairs that he had come from, nor could he see where the stairs would lead down to, only that the stairs were still there to climb down, and down, and down. There was never a bottom, only ever more stairs, leading away into the dark. Further, down the stairs, he went and the further he went the more frail they became, the weaker they became until he could feel the give in the stone under him as the ponies yelled all around him.

“What good is a unicorn without a horn?”

“Why haven’t you crawled into a hole to die yet? What do you have to live for?”

He shuddered under the weight of their insults as each hit him like a shackle. He knew that without his horn he was crippled for life. He couldn’t perform magic that a colt learned on instinct without breaking a sweat.  While he was in good shape for a unicorn, he would never be able to perform the demanding work of an earth pony. Their stares added weight to his shackles, making each step harder, and each hoof print deeper in the frail stone until finally his hoof went through the stone causing the stairs to crumble under him falling into the oblivion of nothingness. All he could do was close his eyes and fall into the darkness as the other ponies carved into the stone of the walls laughed at him continuing to call him names as he fell away into nothing.

He screamed sitting up still feeling the vertigo of his fall. Spell Squire panted trying to catch his breath as his body was covered in sweat. Looking around his eyes adjusted to the moonlight came through his window letting him know it was still night, and letting him see he was safe in his room. Huddling up under the covers he shivered, it was the same dream again… always the same dream. Spell Squire lived in a small village out in the country that was more than a little old-fashioned being made up entirely of unicorns. His house was on the outskirts of town and he was only allowed to live there because his parents were on the council otherwise he would have faced a stoning, or exile from the village. Soon though, that would change.

Today was the last day he was spending in the small village, all around his room were boxes that were labeled and meant for shipping later this week to his new house. Looking on top of one of these boxes was his alarm clock that told him it was close to dawn. He sighed and brought the blankets closer around him, this was the time he hated most, the time before the dawn where his ghosts tormented his waking thoughts alone in the dark, fragments of his fading dream. Thinking back on his past, on his ghosts he shuddered but this time not with fear, but with hope, a hope that today he would be leaving his tormentors, that he would have a second chance. Today was the day he was risking it all and betting everything on his last hope.

Ponyville.

As the dawn rose, he finished packing his saddlebag that he had started the night before. Putting the bag over his back, he left his small home and locked it up avoiding the glares other ponies gave him while he walked through the village. The small village wasn’t on any map, and to his knowledge, he’d never heard the name of it, always just heard it called “the village” so of course there wasn’t a train station until the next town, which would take him until late morning to reach as he walked down the road.  Arriving at the station, he put up his bits paying for a ticket to Ponyville. He ignored the other ponies as he walked through the train carts looking for an empty compartment, or at least an empty booth. Finding one, he sighed softly to himself, removed his saddlebag putting it under his seat as he sat up on the seat, and brought his legs under him as he put his head on the armrest looking out the window as the steam from the train rolled by. Soon after he could hear the conductor’s all aboard call and the train gave a shuddering jerk before it started on its long trip. He made himself comfortable as he watched Equestria pass before him. Spell Squire hadn’t traveled before but he had read plenty of books about places far away. Everything from the travel magazines he could get from town, to one or two of the Daring Do novels he could find in the used bookstore, but slowly he drifted off letting sleep claim him and before long he again found himself at the door.

The conductor came by a few hours later and woke the sleeping stallion startling him to an alerted state causing him to fall from his seat and spill his saddlebag. The older conductor gave a small apologetic smile to the younger pony, “We have arrived in Ponyville sir.” Walking off Spell Squire gave a grumble as he started to stand up working feeling back into his hooves before he started to gather the things from his bag again. Reaching under the seat he blinked and sat down as he slowly pulled a small ring out from under the seat. it was a simple thing really, just a silver ring with a small stripe of ground diamond dust that sparkled in the light, for a moment all he could do was sit and stare as memories stirred deep within him. With a sigh, he shoved it into the bottom of the bag and got off the train leaving the station.

Leaving the station Spell Squire looked out over Ponyville and saw the clock tower, the top of city hall, and gave a small smile as he walked through the growing town looking on in wonder. many of the other ponies in the town didn't even notice him as he walked through, and he was alright with that, the few that did notice stared before they began to whisper softly or look on not fully noticing his broken horn, after all Ponyville had begun to attract lots of oddities. One such oddity barreled her way towards him at the moment.

Now, you must understand, Pinkie Pie is a pony not renowned for her for her patients. She much prefers movement and action. So when she first heard weeks ago that somepony new was moving to town she started party planning that moment. So waiting weeks for a party seemed silly. So when she heard the whispers of a new pony coming off the train she ran straight down to the station to surprise him and take him to the surprise party that she had planed weeks ago. So when the pink blur of pink that was Pinkie Pie raced through town, most ponies accepted it and move aside to let her run, but poor Spell Squire had never seen any pony run that fast and acting on instinct began to run away. Of course, Pinkie Pie had never had a pony react like that before, so for a moment she was confused before giving chase to the fleeing stallion calling after him, "Hey! Wait! I just wana take you to a PARTY!”

Spell Squire ran faster panting as the chase lead through all of Ponyville, though without time for him to enjoy the sights. The two ponies raced through the market place jumping through and around stalls before coming out in the town square as Spell Squire yelled over his shoulder "Just leave me ALONE! I don't want to be a part of your party!” hearing this caused Pinkie Pie to gasp and run faster after him. Now, as luck would have it, a certain cyan coated, rainbow mane mare happened to be on cloud patrol and had seen the start of what she thought was a race, but when she recognized Pinkie Pie and couldn't place who the odd grey coated stallion was, she remembered that Pinkie had been planning a party for some new pony coming to town.

With a few flaps of her powerful wings Rainbow Dash flew over the racing pair with a cloud in hoof and dropped it over Pinkie Pie's head shouting her apologies to her friend before turning her attention to the stallion "Quick, follow me!" Spell Squire looked up at the Pegasus with hesitation but for the moment she seemed to be interested in his well being as he followed her directions to a large oak tree in town the sign in front of it calling the 'Golden Oak's Library'. Barreling through the door Spell Squire was quickly followed by a speeding Rainbow Dash that shut the door behind them. laying down both ponies panted trying to catch their breath, after a short while Rainbow Dash sat up, being first to recover, and held out a hoof, "The name's Rainbow Dash, the awsomest pony in Equestria, no thanks required." she stated.

Spell Squire looked at her extended hoof for a moment before gently extending his own to shake hoofs, "Spell Squire." the stallion said softly. Rainbow Dash tilted her head being reminded of a certain butter colored pegasus mare as she looked the unicorn over slowly, "Yeah, well, sorry about Pinkie Pie she can be a little... excited at times." she said rubbing a hoof to the back of her neck a little embarrassed.

He nodded slightly as they looked around the library taking it with a small smile, after all books had been his only friends for more than a few years before he looked back at her, "So I noticed, Since you seem to know her... Any idea why she was chasing me?" at that Rainbow blinked and smiled, "She's been planning a party for you ever since she heard you were moving to Ponyville."

This took Spell Squire back, "I've never met her before, she doesn't know me... why would she throw me a party?"

Rainbow Dash blinked and smiled before she chuckled softly, "That's just who Pinkie Pie is, she wants to make everypony feel welcome in Ponyville." Spell Squire sat there dumbfounded as he stared off at the wall, nopony had ever wanted him around, or made him feel welcomed before. Yet here was a stranger, somepony he'd never met, throwing him a party, just for moving to town. And in front of him was a pegasus who could clearly see that his horn was broken, but she hadn't laughed, hadn't joked...

She was treating him like any other pony.

Rainbow Dash stood up and flexed her wings before nudging him, "come on, we should get to your party, after all, it's your party and Pinkie has been waiting for weeks not to mention everypony is probably already there."

Spell Squire had started to stand but froze, "Everypony? How many ponies are there going to be miss Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash tapped her hoof against her chin thoughtfully, "Well, Pinkie Pie of course, Twilight, and myself, Rarity will probably come 'fashionably late' or something, " she said using air quotes, "Apple and Big Mac are out working the farm, so they probably aren't coming out Sweetie Bell, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom probably won't be there, out crusading, Lyra, Bon Bon, and Ditzy will probably be there, it isn't like them to miss a party..." She went on for a while and all the while, the stallion could only feel fear as the list grew longer.

"All these ponies... are coming out to see me of all ponies." He thought to himself.

After a little while longer going on Rainbow Dash finally noticed that the stallion was looking nervous and a little jittery, reaching out she put a hoof on the stallion's shoulder "Hey, there's no reason to get worked up, no pony's gonna mess with you, or they'll mess with me!"

Spell Squire looked at her for a moment, a thousand thoughts running through his head as he looked at her before letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and nodded gently "Alright then... let’s go to this party then." he said, after all, wasn't this a chance to try and give life a second chance?

With a smile Rainbow Dash lead him through Ponyville at a less frantic rate, showing him around as they made their way towards his new house. It was late afternoon when they arrived at the small house that was soon to be his. There was already a deep bass playing, reverberating through their hoofs as they came closer. entering the house all the ponies gathered stopped and turned towards the door before yelling "SURPRISE!!!" as a party cannon went of shooting out multicolored streamers and confetti. Spell Squire flinched backwards towards Rainbow Dash whom laughed and pushed him into the room, "Come on, stop being such a pony, scardie it's just a party, have some fun!"

As the afternoon turned to evening and the evening to night the party went on. Slowly Spell Squire relaxed deciding  that these ponies really were genuine in their want to just have a good time, coming out of his shell showing his true colors again as they spent the party eating cake, drinking sweet apple cider, and playing whatever games Pinkie pulled out from.... well where ever Pinkie was hiding them. As the night went thought, the party dwindled, a pony here, a pony there leaving calling it a night, leaving in twos and threes till only a  hoof full were left, some asleep and too tired to make it back to their homes, Spell Squire, Pinkie, and Rainbow were the only ponies left still active, if lounging around or being Pinkie Pie counts.

The house was trashed, but as he laid out on the couch limbs spread he could care less. For the first time since he was a foal, before the accident, Spell Squire felt happy, content even. He heard the Pegasus' hoof steps as she approached and nudged him "You were quite the party animal Mr. Squire."

Laughing Spell Squire looked up at her and smiled "Just Spell, unless you'd rather I start calling you Ms. Dash."

They both laughed before suddenly Pinkie Pie bounced her way over, "Oh! Oh! I know, games! I'll go get the games!" she cried before trying to dash off for the pile of board games, however she didn't get far as Rainbow Dash stepped down on her tail holding her in place causing her to fall back and sit looking back at the other mare "Hey..."

Rainbow smiled as he got of her tail and nudged her friend up to a standing position again "Pinkie, it's late, I think that Spell wants to get some sleep now." for a moment Pinkie Pie looked deep in thought before she smiled and nodded

"Okie dokie lokie!" she said before bouncing towards the door before looking over her shoulder and waved "Bye!" she said leaving.

Spell Squire smiled some leaning back as he sighed closing his eyes "you were right." Rainbow blinked looking at him "hmm?" he looked at her again and smiled "She does get a little excited." at that they both laughed softly. Sitting up he pulled Rainbow into a hug, "Thank you Rainbow, you saved my life today."

Blinking Rainbow Dash tilted her head slightly and shook her head with a smile not knowing that the statement was entirely true, "It was nothing, but it's late, and I have weather patrol in the morning, I’ll be by after and help clean up." with a smile she turned to leave. Spell Squire wanted to say something as she walked to the door but sighed softly and softly wished her good night to which she nodded and returned the sentiment before leaving his house.

With a sigh, Spell Squire leaned back and ran a hoof over his forehead gently stroking his broken horn as he sighed rolling over onto his side. He was broken, ruined, damaged but here, in this new town, he had a fresh start. He had a second chance, a chance he was going to make the most out of as he drifted off into sleep, and for once in a long while, his dreams didn't take him to the door.

FIN.
To all the Bronies that have made it down here, or if you skipped down here, I want to ask forgiveness of you and mercy in the form of tough love. please look over my story and let me know what you think, and what i might do to help improve coming chapters of Spell Squire's tale.
© 2013 - 2024 Marcellocameo
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