Chapter 1

The sky of Equestria on this day opened up and poured down rain in a torrential downpour, the massive wall of rain falling upon the ground creating a powerful din against the stones of the earth. The world was closed up against the storm, everypony in the town closed up in their small, quaint homes to shield themselves from the rain. Everypony, except for one…

The hooded pony ran down the main street, the precipitation pattering heavily against the entirety of her cloak. As she dashed raggedly down the muddy road, her eyes darted quickly from house to house, searching for a very specific home. When she spotted the small townhouse on the edge of the town, she ran towards it. In her mouth, she held a basket, shielded with a wooden platform as to protect whatever was inside it. She made it to the door of the home, standing silently in the downpour with a somber look in her ruby red eyes.

She set the small wicker basket at the front step of the door, and sighed heavily. She then pulled a sealed scroll out from under her shroud, and placed it in the basket under the small shield. She took one last look at the contents of the basket, a single tear falling from her face. She stood away, and knocked harshly and quickly on the door before sprinting away, disappearing into the fog of the storm.

"Who could that be, in this kind of a storm?" A young stallion, simply known to everypony as Edgar, left from the brick fireplace at the center of his living room to open the door. His wife, Shoeshine, stood up as well, her magenta eyes conforming to a concerned expression. Edgar opened the door, looking out into the pouring maelstrom, scanning for anything. "Hello?" It was then, he heard a small, infantile yawn emit from near his front hooves. Edgar looked down to find a small basket, with a wooden shield covering it as to protect whatever was inside of it.

Edgar looked around, then carefully grabbed the handle of the basket with his mouth, turning back into his home, closing the door behind him with his back hoof.

"What is it, dear?" Shoeshine walked over to her husband, both eyeing the basket with curiosity and wariness. Edgar met her eyes with his own emerald green eyes, raising a hoof towards the mysterious parcel. "Let's find out…" He lifted the shield away to reveal a small baby colt, wrapped in swaddling clothes and many small blankets. The little colt laid in peaceful sleep, his ebony black head the only part of him visible among the mass of cloth. He had a small tuft of red hair on his head, pointing forward. The tiny pony shuffled a bit against his sheets, but stayed sleeping. Shoeshine smiled brightly, while Edgar remained wary.

"There's a scroll, right here." Shoeshine picked up a parchment, rolled up and sidled next to the sleeping infant. She picked it up, unrolling it with her hooves.

To the family whom I've entrusted with my son,

I cannot guarantee my young boy's safety in my current condition, and I must place him under your care. I already know that I have chosen the right place for him, two ponies whom are new to marriage. I only ask for you two to raise him as your own, despite his differences from you. He is a Pegasus, and also has my eyes, as we know. Please, do not tell him of me. He should not know, and he should not search for me. His name is Gladius, and he will not react to any other name.

-Ruby Ebonwing.

Edgar weighed his options, looking down at the baby before him. Shoeshine sat her haunches down, her hooves then stretching out to carefully pick up the pony into her baby blue hooves. She cradled the child, a smile growing brightly across her face. "Edgar, we are keeping him, aren't we?" Edgar looked down at the boy, his face reflecting his uncertainty. As he thought, the colt opened his eyes, revealing a pair of ruby red eyes. Edgar found himself transfixed by the sight of this stare, between the stallion, and the little colt.

"Gladius…" The little colt's ears perked at the speaking of his name, now a small smile on the infant's face. Edgar smiled, giving a short chuckle. Shoeshine handed the infant to him, the pair of blue hooves passing the mass of pony and cloth to the pair of beige hooves. Edgar held the infant, whom still stared at the stallion expectantly with a curious, innocent look. Edgar smiled, and looked to his wife. "Darling…he's perfect." Edgar and Shoeshine smiled, kissing gently before turning their eyes back to their newly adopted colt, Gladius.

Ruby Ebonwing continued to run from the town, not daring to fly in these conditions. As she ran cloaked by her shroud and by the massive amounts of water shining down like light onto the ground, she felt her body begin to fatigue and slow down. She breathed heavily as she stood in the rain, tears beginning to fall at a heavy rate. At this point, another shrouded pony appeared behind her. "We both know we couldn't raise him ourselves, you know." She nodded, and turned to the pony behind her. "I just wish…we could have stayed together…" The second cloaked figure embraced Ruby, as he charged a spell, and the two disappeared with a flash, only leaving behind a single, black feather.

For everyone who followed my old 'New Flame' story, this is the new storyline. I felt that my old story got really convoluted, and I needed to try again. As always, please leave suggestions and reviews for me! Have a great day!