Chapter 1: New pony in town
Ponyville. A peaceful town where most everypony knows each other. But today was different.
On the outskirts of town, a white alicorn mare sped through the Everfree forest only glancing behind her to make sure she wasn't being followed. Her mane and tail whipped behind her in the wind like they had a mind of their own. She groaned inwardly. It had taken hours to do her mane up perfectly and now it would be ruined. But she didn't care much about it if it meant getting what she had in her saddle bag safely to Canterlot.
Daybreak had been enjoying her day off in relaxing Phillydelphia when she had received word from her mentor and father in Canterlot. He had said there was something important in the Everfree forest that she had needed to get. Something that had been stolen from the palace. And she had stupidly accepted the challenge without proper directions or descriptions. All she knew was that it had belonged to Princess Luna, a princess long dead. Her father had let her figure out the rest.
Now she wished she had not taken the job so lightly. The ponies that had stolen it had been right in the middle of some kind of ritual. It had looked, to her, like they were trying to bring Luna back to life. So while they had been chanting in some ancient tongue, she had sneaked in and stolen back the diadem and taken to her wings like lightning. She hadn't gone far, though, when she was ultimately shot down by a blast of magic. The fall had either broken or sprained her left wing and at that point she had taken to running.
She burst out of the foliage and stopped to catch her breath for just a moment. Alert to any sounds of approaching hooves she glanced around taking in her surroundings. She spotted a small town nestled in the valley a not far ahead of her but the rest was clear open fields. Breathing hard, she tried to think of what town that could be. She couldn't remember ever having learned of a town so close to the Everfree forest.
Suddenly, behind her, she could here approaching ponies. In a last second decision, she took off for the town, thinking that if they had been secluded in the forest they wouldn't dare bring attention to themselves by entering the town.
She was close, so close, and she could hear the sounds of laughter and the squeals of tiny fillies. If she could only reach them. Desperately, she glanced behind her. There they were. Two black colts not far behind her. Within shouting distance in fact. But they were clearly not trying to communicate with her. She looked back towards the town and found herself just entering, buildings rising up on both sides. She turned a sharp corner-And slammed into another pony, there was a loud "Oof!", and both of them were suddenly sprawled on the ground, her saddle bag almost being knocked off.
"Owww." She said, standing up and trying not to step on the unicorn colt she had barreled over. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!"
Shaking his mane, he stood up and looked at her, smiling. The first thing she noticed about him was his eyes. A deep orange, like a setting sun. She could feel a blush spread across her snout. And she knew she was in love.
"That's okay. Hey you're new. Welcome to Ponyville!" He smiled bigger, and she swooned inwardly. He was the handsomest colt she'd ever seen! She was so distracted by him that she failed to notice the colts that had been chasing her had slinked off into the shadows.
"Thank you." She laughed nervously. "I actually didn't even know this town existed until today."
"Well you've been missing out! C'mon I'll show you around." He turned then and spread wings she hadn't noticed. She glanced at her own wings, instantly regretting the choice of flying away from the cult instead of running first. "What's wrong?"
She looked up at him, surprised by the genuine concern in his voice.
"I think I broke my wing." She admitted. It certainly felt broken to her. He landed again.
"Then we need to get you to a doctor. C'mon we can walk. I'm Solar Eclipse."
"I'm Daybreak." He motioned for her to follow him, and together they made their way through town, talking and laughing and generally getting to know each other. Daybreak had never felt so happy or comfortable with anypony else she had ever met. Especially not a colt.
Solar Eclipse had expected his day to be as normal as the previous day. It had at least started off normal. Arguing with his twin sister, Lunar Eclipse, had been normal. Doing his chores, normal. And even hanging out with his friends Northern Lights and Shadow Seeker had been part of his daily routine. What he hadn't counted on was being run down by a speeding mare. And then falling-Literally-head over hoofs for her.
He had noticed her eyes first, a deep blue like the winter sky, and then the way she had blushed. He didn't remember exactly what happened or what he had said, but he did remember offering to show her around and realizing she had hurt her wing. And now they were walking to the doctor's office.
She was curious about everything, even the little things, and he had to focus just to remember what she had asked or said. He was finding it extremely difficult, however, as he somehow found himself studying her cutie mark. Realizing this, he blushed furiously and looked away quickly, only to find out she had asked him something.
"I'm sorry, I'm a little distracted today, and would you mind repeating that?" He asked. What was wrong with him? He'd never acted this way around Northern Lights, nor any other mare he had met. What made this one so different? She giggled. She's so cute when she smiles, he thought.
"I asked how old the town was." She said. Her voice had a musical lilt to it that made his own heart sing.
"Oh, you know I'm not really sure. I know for a fact that it's over a thousand years old. I think even older than Princess Twilight." She glanced at her saddle bags at the mention of the princess, a movement that was not lost on him. She must have something important that's meant for the princess in there, he thought, inadvertently following her gaze before looking forward and blushing again.
They turned a corner and were about to cross the street when a bright blue blur crossed their paths, making both ponies stop. At least that part was normal, too, he thought before calling out, "Lights!" making the blue mare stop and turn around.
"Oh, hi Solar!" She said walking back towards him. She then noticed the mare beside him and smiled. "Hi, newcomer! I'm Northern Lights! What's your name?"
"Daybreak." She said, smiling.
"You know, Daybreak, a long time ago there was a pony who lived here. And every time a new pony came to town, she would throw them a party!"
Daybreak seemed to shrink on the spot.
"Please, no! I-I hate crowds. I'm not good with large amounts of people" She stated, her breath coming in quicker bursts.
"Whoa, hey there! I didn't mean to frighten you! I was only telling a story." Lights said, trying to calm her down. The blue unicorn turned her multicolored eyes on Solar, imploring. He shook his head and shrugged. Like he knew how to calm down a hyperventilating mare.
Tentatively, Lights touched Daybreak's shoulder with her hoof.
"Can I get you some water?" She asked.
Daybreak shook her mane.
"I'm fine. Sorry about that." Her voice sounded shaky, but under control, and her breath sounded even again.
"Don't apologize." Lights stated. "We all hate something in this life. I know I do." He face seemed to darken. "Anyway, where are you guys headed?"
"Nurse Red Cross's office, to see if she can fix Daybreaks wing." Solar told her.
"You hurt your wing? Well why are we standing around chatting? Let's go!" And with that the blue unicorn sped off, leading the way. The two alicorns looked at each other before following, a little hesitantly.