Chapter 2- Mare

He sat alone on a beach, the fog getting ddenser with every passing second. Red was back in Stalliongrad, amongst the cold factories and angry revolutionaries. He looked out into the ocean, possibly the only thing of beauty in his world. Staring out to sea, he began to sing.

"Is there anypony going to listen to my story? All about the mare who came to stay? She's the kind of mare you want so much it makes you sorry, still you don't regret a single day. A ma-a-a-are, Ma-a-a-are." With that he began to stand up and trot to his cold, hard factory station.

What could be better? A coal processing plant, his flank on the cold, hard floor, the constant yelling of his bosses? Oh yes truly a perfect existance, feciciously speaking that is. He hated everything about the place, and not just the factory, all of Stalliongrad. The ponies there were cruel, the food sparse, the air polluted,and to top it all off, the constant threat of the griffin invasion from the east.

Sompony was in the square singing another song.

"As soon as your born they make you feel small, by giving you no time instead of it all.

T'ill the pain is so big you feel nothing at all."

The other stallion in his coal covered coat continued the song, it was clearly a protest against the company. Though it would never give way to any progress.

Another group marched behind the leader, as Red began his trek up the hill to the plant somepony yelled, "GET THE SCAB!" and a herd of angry ponies charged at him.

With that Red awoke from his dream, sweating at the cold remembrance of his old life, he looked down on his own coat to see that it was still the burgandy red he now knew.After  which he took a brief look out the window, the sun was rising on a beautiful day in Ponyville,  not  the dark , bitter day of Stalliongrad. As he began to calm down from the traumatic memory, he got off of his temporary bed. He trotted over to the window where he saw a few fillies and colts jumping rope and laughing, their sweet childhood laughter only made Red feel more bitter, remembering how his childhood was stolen from him. He then remembered that feeling of relief that he got from knowing they were the future, and they had a right to be happy. He gave a light chuckle and a smile grew across his face. He knew his bitterness had no place here.

With that he began his desent down to the main hall, where a beautiful breakfast was laid out for him, courtesy of Spike. Flapjacks, apple fritters, muffins, and a large bouquet of flowers.  As for the young dragon, perhaps five years old, there was a bowl of emeralds and saphires. Twilight was already seated at the table with a wide smile spread across her own face.

"How did you sleep Red?" she asked

"Very...well" which was true, considering that most of his dreams were nightmares nowadays.

"That's good, come, sit down and have some breakfast."

"Thank you very much for your hospitality Ms. Sparkle." he said as he sat down to this lovely spread. He took an apple fritter and a pancake.

When breakfast was over Red turned to his new job. However being theat nopony in Ponyville enjoyed reading all that much,  Red had time to spare. One subject that interested him was botony, especially when you consider the lack of plant life in Stalliongrad.

Twilight came into the room as Red had come across the halucenegenic appliances of plants section of the Equestrian guide to Botony. "Umm Red, do you know what halucenegenic means?" Red's face grew redder.

"Well, yes, but I've never partaken in such activities." he answered.

"Then we need to get you to a special friend of mine, she's an herbologist in the Everfree forest."