(A/N): You would not believe how much this chapter changed from the original. And some of the following chapters are gonna have even more drastic changes, probably to the point where hardly anything about them stays the same from the original to the revised version of this book. It's all for a better story, though, just trust me on that. Also, big (HUGE) thanks to impressionsguy for helping me with the dialogue between my OC Silver Stream and his OC Chuck! If you haven't read his ongoing series, Equestria's Newest Comedian, I HIGHLY suggest you take a look at it (though it doesn't get good until a handful of chapters through; just skip to after the opening of his tavern and you'll probably be good to go). He is one of the funniest guys I've ever had the pleasure to meet and become friends with, and his stories are amazing. Go check him out! And now, I present to you the revised Chapter 1.


~ Chapter 1 ~

Message from the Unknown

Where this whole mess starts? I guess I'd have to begin somewhere. I was sitting on a miniature cloud hanging low above the village of Ponyville. Who am I, you may ask yourself? My name, if you feel so inclined to ask, is Silver Stream, nopony all that special or interesting. Anyway, I faced the setting sun as I watched it sink closer to the horizon. It was a ritual to me, of sorts, which sounds a little insane, but let me explain. I never had much to do back in these days, so I would always watch the sunset after every day unless I had other plans, which I never usually did.

"There you are," a voice sounded to my side, catching me off guard. I turned to find an all too familiar face standing beside me on the small chunk of condensation I was situated upon. This pony in particular was a one Rainbow Dash, probably (definitely) the first pegasus I met when I first moved to Ponyville. Long story short, I was to begin training at the Wonderbolts Academy a few years back, and she kinda helped break me out of my shell a bit. We've been close friends since those days back at the Academy, and we were even inducted into the Wonderbolts together as a sort of infamous pair. If that isn't best friend material, I don't know what is. "I've been looking all over for you," Rainbow continued as she took a seat beside me.

"Why?" Of course, I didn't know Rainbow Dash represented one of the Elements of Harmony from the very beginning, but I found out eventually. This fact, even despite her commitment to being in the Wonderbolts, kept her extremely busy with what she called "friendship missions" and having to run off to the edges of Equestria every once in a while. Or more like five seconds with how often evil seemed to be jumping out from around corners, these days.

"Twilight's gonna be out of town for a few days," she explained. "She said something about an important meeting with the Royal Sisters in Canterlot, and there hasn't been much call for any friendship missions."

I gave her the old side-eye as a playful smirk spread across my face. "What are you saying?" I pressed.

"Well, basically," she started, dragging out these first two words as much as she possibly could, "I'm not as busy as I used to be."

"Yeah," I started, an eyebrow cocked in skepticism, "not with Spitfire breathing down your neck."

We shared a nice laugh after that, but even with my best friend by my side to lighten the mood, I couldn't help but feel the emptiness in my heart cave in at this moment. My laugh faded, my eyes lost their sparkle, and my smile faltered, all of which Rainbow seemed almost eager to point out. Could you tell I was being sarcastic? No? Okay, then.

"Come on, I can tell you haven't been acting like yourself lately," the cyan pegasus prodded. Her tone almost challenged me to meet her gaze, to face the truth and admit there was something wrong…

To be brave.

"I… I…" I couldn't bring myself to face her, to face the truth. Not for now, anyway, so I brandished an easy explanation that would be believable enough to suffice for the time being. "I just wish I could be like you and your friends. Go on adventures, have lots of fun, and… you know, not be bored all the time."

"Okay, one," Dash started, "most of the time these 'adventures' are more or less do or die situations where we really don't have a choice whether or not we wanna help out. The only fun part about any of it is finally getting to go home." Pausing momentarily, she studied my expression, the corners of her mouth lifting into a subtle smile. "But, of course, you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?"

Memories of a cold, damp, and dark chamber surrounded by a countless throng of helpless ponies rushed to my head, and I couldn't help but shiver at the chill that rushed down my spine. "If by that you mean the attempted invasion of the Storm King, you hit the nail right on the head," I admitted. "But I did end up meeting a very good friend, the one who gave us the motivation to stand up and fight back."

"Right, who was that again?" Rainbow asked, her eyebrows knit together in thought, but her goofy grin signifying she knew exactly who it was. "Charlie… Chazz… Chip?"

"Uh, Chuck Pie," I said matter-of-factly, "Pinkie's husband? Ring a bell, genius?"

"Doi, of course I'd remember a weirdo like Chuck."

"Hey, that weirdo basically lead an entire nation of ponies to victory," I told her. "A revolution, we liked to call it."

"Yes, Silver," the pegasus rolled her magenta eyes, but flashed a smile, "I was there."

"Yeah…" I breathed, my voice trailing off as my thoughts were filled with the vivid imagery of battle, adventure, and my eyes lit up in a shining glimmer once more. I could remember every rush of adrenaline, every gasp of breath as if it were my last, every pain and bruise that fighting brought with it.

I glanced down at my left wing with tips of shimmering silver, the one that had been badly damaged by Tempest Shadow. The surge of pain I felt when a blast from her broken horn struck my wing was nothing like I had ever experienced before, like a white-hot soccer ball sized brandishing iron stuck directly on my wing. Only the actual damage done was ten thousand times worse. The medics were able to patch it up well enough so that I would get most of my flying capabilities back, but if another serious injury were to occur to the same wing? Let's just say I wouldn't be so lucky, next time.

Anyway, my mind had drifted back to that fateful day, the day of our escape and Equestria's victory over the dreaded Storm King. A part of me wished my life could be more like then, epic journeys with purpose and meaning instead of wasting my time watching sunsets like some sort of philosopher… or in this case, a pony with nothing better to do. "My point is that my life isn't as exciting as yours is." I gave a huff of a sigh, my eyes returning to the dull I had become all too familiar with. "I'm nothing special; I don't do anything."

"That's nowhere near true," Rainbow tried to persuade. "You're a Wonderbolt, aren't you? That's pretty cool."

"Yeah…" I agreed, "but I've never been singled for an act. That's your thing."

"You've gotten some solo routines, haven't you?"

I shook my head silently. "Best I've gotten is a duet routine… with you."

"Silver-"

"Let's face it," I cut her off absentmindedly, too caught up in my own self-pity, "I only hold you back. And I don't nearly compare to you. I don't know why I even try, anymore."

"Okay, now you're just being stubborn," Rainbow said, her tone revealing that she was getting annoyed and running short on patience. "I know this isn't you, Silver. You're better than this." She paused to let the silence wash in on us, giving me time to let her words sink in. "I could sit here all night and tell you every great thing about you," she started again, lifting herself off of the small cloud with a few beats of her wings, "but I think what you really need is to realize them by yourself." Just as she was about to fly off, she stopped herself, turned to me one last time and murmured softly, "I'll see you at practice, Sil."

And with that, I was left alone. Not that I wasn't used to it, but usually I didn't have a stinging sensation in my heart that felt like I had just messed something up. "Damn it, Silver," I cursed under my breath, gritting my teeth. The last thing I needed at that moment was to be alone, but who else could I turn to at a time like this?

Unless…

As soon as the idea popped into my head, I wasted no time leaping from my lonely piece of vapor in the sky and taking a smooth course towards Ponyville, where I hoped that a certain tavern would still be open.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

By the time I reached my destination, the sun had pretty much disappeared beyond the horizon, leaving the town to bask in the soft twilight hues of the sky and the warm glow of street lamps. I glanced up at the familiar sign that read "Chuck's Tavern," then at the twin spruce doors before me. Promising myself it would only be one drink, I pushed the doors open to be greeted to the humble ambiance of your everyday pub.

Behind a counter lined with spinning bar stools and backed by a wall stocked with barrels of what one could only assume as the "hard stuff" was a cherry red-coated earth pony stallion with a wild mane of brown and a dapper black bowtie around his neck. This pony was the establishment's bartender known to most as Chuck. "I've looked at clouds from both sides now, from up and down, and still somehow…" he hummed to himself as he wiped the counter of his modest tavern.

I stood there for a moment or two just watching him scrub the same spot. Sticky and persistent stain, maybe? Not saying a word, I meandered over to the bar and took a seat on a stool. "Hey, Chuck," I greeted, unable to muster any form of cheer or happiness. What can I say? When I'm in a mopey mood, it stays that way... until I get a good enough buzz, of course.

"Silvy!" he exclaimed, looking up at me. "How ya doing? Well, you can't be doing that good, you're here after all." He laughed at his own joke. It would have made me laugh, too, if I wasn't in such a bad mood. "Can I get you anything?" he asked.

I opened my mouth to reply but stopped short of the first word. What did I want? "Something strong," I told him. "Something that says 'I've been a dick and need to forget about it.' Got anything for that?"

"Are you kidding? I've got plenty that get that point across." Good ol' reliable Chuck. "For you, I'd suggest the Pretty Fly for a Rye Guy to start, and if you're still hurting for more, I've got the Chuck special, which just a full bottle of whiskey," he elaborated. "Fun part about the special is that you get a complimentary shot glass with it." He showed off a shot glass with his tavern's logo. Tempting.

"You done good, Chuck," I praised him with a small smile. "I'll take you up on that offer."

He gave me a brief nod before starting his work. As I watched him craft the beverage, I got to thinking about the bartender's life. Married happily, adopted a kid with two more on the way (that'll give you bags under your eyes), and running a profitable establishment. Even with this lifestyle, he saw and lived plenty of adventures of his own, and I've gotten the chance to hear most of them directly from the source. This was why I liked him, why I admired him. He was a friend that lived a life of excitement and a life of modesty at the same time, and most of all, he'd always be there to whip me up some hard liquor when I needed it most. Now would be one of those times.

"Alrighty," he said, sliding me the Pretty Fly for a Rye Guy, a satisfied look about his face. "So, what, pray tell, has got you feeling so down in the dumps?" he then asked.

"The simple fact that I'm a nopony who doesn't do anything," I told him, pausing to take a sip of the drink. "If I got myself an eye patch and taught myself a few sea shanties, I guess I'd be a pirate who doesn't do anything, eh?" I knew it was a horrible joke, but I laughed at it (out of pity) anyway. Staring into the alcoholic remedy that I'd hope would soothe my aching heart, I let out a sigh. "I'm gonna be honest with you, Chuck." I looked the stallion dead in the eye as I continued, "My whole life I've always felt… empty. Some days more than others, and the past few have been some of the worst I've ever lived." I broke his gaze to stare down at my drink once more and finished wearily, "And I don't exactly know why."

"I relate to you Silver. Back before I moved to this town, I felt exactly the same way you did," he told me as he poured a drink for himself. "It gets better, I'll promise you that. When I met Pinkie, so much changed for me, and now I'm about as happy as I could be." He stopped and thought to himself. "Wow, I sound like a dick," he remarked, but I didn't blame him much. "Sil, let me tell you this: Life's an adventure, and it is what you make of it. If you feel something is lacking in your life, seek out what it is and fill it," he advised. "We each have a different adventure. My adventure is here, and yours..." he stopped for a moment, then continued with a clever wink, "well, that's for you to find out, but once you know what it is and set your course on it, I can guarantee that emptiness will go away," he concluded. "Get me?"

As I finished up my drink, I gave him a gentle nod. "It's always the bartenders who shed the insightful wisdom, isn't it?" I quipped, sliding him the glass so he could clean it.

"I wouldn't say that," he said and shrugged modestly as he cleaned my glass. "I understand what you're feeling, that's all. You're a very nice pony, Silver. I can see you doing great things." He looked at me, a small grin on his face. "I'll give to you a present of a secret, a little more bartender wisdom, if you will," he chuckled. "The essential is invisible to the eye; it is only with the heart that one sees rightly," he told me. "Get it?"

"If I was more sober, probably," I said with a slightly funny looking grin, "but you can write it down for me on a napkin or something so I can give it some thought later."

"Smart," he snickered a little bit. Brandishing a napkin and quill, he did exactly that and gave the napkin to me. "Don't worry about paying me, the drink's on the house," he told me.

"Aw, you're too kind," I thanked him as I hopped down from the bar stool, napkin in tote. "Thanks for the advice, Chuck," I called back to him from the front doors of the tavern. "You never disappoint."

"Just doin' what friends do." He flashed a modest grin. "G'night Sil, safe trip home."

"And you, as well." With that, I stepped out of the tavern and into the mild chill of night. The satisfying buzz in my head was enough to put a smile on my face as I took one last parting glance at the tavern before taking to the skies. My takeoff was a little rocky, I'll admit, but I was stable enough to fly myself safely home for a decent night's sleep. I did, as Rainbow had mentioned earlier, have practice with the Wonderbolts the following day, and Spitfire would pound me to dust if I showed up late or came in with a massive hangover. The only reason I know is because Rainbow's done it a few times before, but that's a little secret between you and me.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Silver Stream finds herself in an unfamiliar void. She floats freely without using her wings as if she is submerged in water or in a place where gravity is not an issue. The infinite cosmos of space, perhaps? The possibility grows larger as the pegasus realizes she is surrounded by a multitude of stars and galaxies. Everything looks calming and strikingly beautiful, yet Silver can't help but feel anxious about this rather peculiar setting.

Silver Stream, a voice calls out from the void, echoing from far off. The pegasus glances around the space in search of another being near her but finds herself to be alone. She hears her name called once more from the same fluid voice, though it sounds closer this time.

Silver calls out into the void in response, asking who the voice is. A sinking pain of dread sets in the pit of her stomach, realizing that something is definitely at fault.

What you ask is not important at this moment, the voice responds in the same smooth tone. There is something you must be informed of.

Silver closes her eyes, drawing in a slow and steady breath to calm her escalating nerves. It never registers in her mind, but she subliminally knows to trust in this voice. She keeps quiet.

Tomorrow, when the sun has reached its peak in the sky, the one known to many across the land as the Princess of Friendship will take the Destined Three to the capital city. These three will be informed of an important mission, a divine calling from beyond the mortal realm.

The silver pegasus ponders these words, but can't seem to understand one small detail. She asks the voice a question: What does this have to do with me?

Silver senses the true bearer of this message smile upon her despite the lack of a visible vessel. You, Silver Stream, are one of the Destined Three.

!

I jerked awake, my head swimming and heart pounding. Gasping for breath, I dart my eyes around to root myself into reality. I was… in my bedroom, looking the same as it always did. From the nearby window, light seeped in through the glass, shrouding the space in an easy glow.

…Space…

"What…" I murmured between breaths, "was that?"


Also, impressionsguy, I hope you don't mind that I took some continuity from your series. I thought it would be nice to fit something in for a bit of early character development for Silver. Thank you all for reading, there'll be more coming very soon!