If it wasn’t for Dash waking up early and coming back, I would of had to start over again. She took me to her parents and they asked the usual questions. “Who are you? Who are you parents? Where do you live?” The answers of which I gave were the nice ones, leaving the part where I killed out. They took me in and later had me officially adopted into the family. I was happy for the first real time since found out my mark, which happened to be a regular feather crossing over one of my metallic feathers.

School brightened up too. With Dash and I being siblings, no one dared mess with either one of us. Grades were even higher, had a few more friends, and I had a part time job. I flew mail to the natives of Cloudsdale and got a descent amount of bits in the process. I never bought anything, though. I was saving up for something I knew would make Dash crazy with joy. Wonderbolt tickets. All she went on about was how she wanted to join them and to see them, and our parents couldn’t exactly afford to take her. I told them about the idea, and they chipped in. When I took her and she saw those bolts flying through the air, it was the first time either one of us said “I love you.” in a family manner.

After we grew up, she got herself a home near a town called Ponyville, which I vaguely remember from when I was a colt. I stayed in Cloudsdale for a while before moving down with Dash. The reason I waited a while before moving in was because I needed to save up my bits again. Tickets don’t come cheap, and being a mailpony doesn’t pay much. A reason I moved in with her was to be with her, but the other was I got a new job as a bouncer for a nightclub in Canterlot. The wings came in handy there, and most ponies who knew me from school chose to be on my good side.

My life has a really bad way of catching up with me. I will be at my peak of joy, and then out of nowhere, my past comes at my face. I was always with Dash, so no pony messed with me, but at the club I was alone. And that is why they took advantage of my morals. They knew that I couldn’t stand another pony being in danger, so that’s exactly what they did.

I was standing outside the door, checking ponies for weapons and such. You could never be too careful. After I let about twenty ponies in, things quieted down for me and my partner, Blaze. I took a look over at him. “Think that’s all for tonight? I heard DJ-PON3 is on tonight.” Blaze shrugged at me and looked around. We could hear the music playing and were calmly sitting when suddenly, the music stopped.

He looked towards me this time. “I don’t remember this being when she stops playing.” I gave him an agreeing glance. He was a unicorn with a red coat, red eyes, black mane and tail, and had black markings. He was my exact opposite, in other words. There was a scream from the inside the entrance lobby. We exchanged nods as I switched my wings to their blade form.

He nudged the door open and I entered first, wings ready to slice some ponies. I looked to the left and next to the counter was a pony sprawled over it, blood coming down from her chest. “Blaze, this is bad. Lighter’s dead.” At this, he galloped into the room. Lighter was his sister’s best friend. I looked at his face and let me say this as nicely as possible. He was pissed to the point of no return. “Isn’t Ice here tonight?” Ice is his sister, and tonight was the night of her birthday. She came here to party with her friends, only you see how it’s going down.

He galloped through the next door into the main dance room with me on hot on his trail. When we entered, there were ponies lying around either wounded or dead. I couldn’t find Vinyl anywhere in the room, and was thanking Celestia. Joy was again short lived as a voice rang through the room.

“Stay away!” The voice was Ice, and it was coming from the V.I.P. lounge. I quickly flew up to the one-way window and broke through it. Ice was backed into a corner with Vinyl, but after seeing me, I saw a hint of joy in their eyes. Five earth ponies were in-front of them, each wearing a mask that differed from the others.

“Lay a hoof on either one of them, and I will cut you so bad, your grandfoals will feel it.” My voice was that deep, deranged voice. My wings were twitching from the thought of killing the five ponies. Two slowly crept towards me, laughing. One went to my left, the other to my right. “I see how it is. Hey you, think fast!”

I lunged right, having my wing stretched as far as it could go. It punctured his neck and blood flowed from the wound. The only sound he made was choking and the thud from hitting the floor. The other one was sneaking up behind me, so I did a 360 with both wings outstretched. Let’s just say his head was thin slices. The other three just stared at me, as well as Ice and Vinyl. I flapped my wings, letting the blood splatter all over the two dead bodies. “Who’s next to make an appearance at hells door?”

One of the three left bolted for the exit, only to run straight into one of my wings and be cut down immediately. The remaining two just stood in horror. I had the upper hoof, and I wanted them to know it. “Vinyl, Ice, get out of here. I am going to have a short ‘chat’ with them.” Vinyl and Ice galloped out of the room and shut the door behind them. I was alone with two of the members of the mob that killed my parents. “I will leave one of you alive, but to send a message. The one that lives, tell your boss that if he comes after me again, he or she is going to meet the same fate as their pathetic minions.”

I looked over the two earthponies quickly. The one on the left was little, almost as if it just hit stallion. The other one, however, was a full grown stallion. I lunged and turned sideways, stretching the wing out to meet with his forehead. As soon as it pierced his skull, I made sure it went all the way through before retracting my wings. I turned to the scared, yet relieved, stallion. “I don’t give mercy, so you better gallop out of here.” The stallion did exactly that, and never looked back once.

I flew back down to where Blaze and the others were, looks of horror and relief. He trotted over to me, and gave me a nod of gratitude. “We should get clear of here. Too many friends I used to have are laying around.” My turn to nod to him, and we collected everypony and made our way out.

In the middle of our silent trot home, we heard another voice call us to stop. When we turned to face it, it was a troop of three royal guardsponies. “We are looking for Skyward Flame.” I stepped forward, but would end up regretting it. “Come with us to the castle. Celestia wishes to speak with you.” I said goodbye to my friends and followed the ponies to the castle, unaware of what trouble the mob had gotten me in to.

My head hung low as I saw that Rainbow Dash was in the throne room with me. Celestia stood up from her throne and trotted to the area infront of me. “I have been approached by a pony who wishes to remain anonymous with startling news.” She found out about the killing, I just know it. She looked over to Dash, then back to me. “You have killed innocent ponies.” My jaw dropped, as did Dash’s.

I shook my head at her. “Princess, I will admit to killing, but in self defense. I have been a target ever since my parents died!” She shook her head at me in disbelief. I then knew that without proof, I would have to just face the facts.

“Skyward Flame, you are to be sent away for five years. Any last words or requests?” So this was it then. Five years in a prison while she looks in to whatever mess that I got myself trapped in.

There was only one thing I wanted to do. I turned to Dash, who had a few tears in her eyes. I gave her a smile, even though I was full of sorrow. “Keep that head up high, sis. I’ll see you at the summer sun festival.” I tried to be cheerful, but I could tell that my sadness was in my voice. Dash nodded, giving me a weak smile as well.

I turned to the princess and closed my eyes, bracing for whatever she had in store. I felt her horn touch my head and with a poof, I no longer heard Dash or the princess. Opening my eyes, I could see that I was on the moon. I sat on my haunches and took a deep breath.

“Somepony must have done something equal or worse than me to get sent here.” The sinister female voice called from behind. I turned around and nearly jumped out of my coat. Nightmare Moon, the old mares tale, right in front of me! “So what did you do?”

I got up and looked her straight in the eyes. “I killed ponies. About twelve of them to be exact, but it was my methods that likely sent me here.” The look on her face was a mix of confusion and understanding. I saw her scanning me over with her cold eyes. When I switched my wings to blades, she jumped backwards. Laughing, I switched them back.

“Strange. I have never seen a pony with your condition.” She sat and looked around. I actually felt a bit bad for her, being up here all this time alone. I knew how being alone felt, and it wasn’t good either.

I moved next to her and sat down, not afraid of the evil mare. She seemed a little startled at this, but accepted the company. “I know what being alone feels like. My parents were killed when I was little, and I just broke down. I don’t mean crying either. The murderers were dead within minutes...” I felt the smile from when I was little re-appear. I quickly shook it from my head. That was the past me.

She looked down at me, since she is a good foot or two taller than me. “Being alone for 995 years has made me realize something.” I looked up at her with a confused look. She gained an evil smile, more so than what the legends said. “My revenge will be even sweeter with each year passing.” So that was it. Revenge doesn’t solve anything. I just shrugged and sat there. We would keep this mutual friendship for the next five years, when she and I went our separate ways.

So now you’re caught up. That’s my life up to this point, which is the last day of my banishment. Can’t wait to see my sister again. Wonder if she will remember me...

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