From the Ashes(Open)

[Uproar]

It was a raining day. The clouds dark and thundering. Echoes of anger bellowed throughout the city of Fillydelpha, causing many ponies to run and hide. After the events that happened in Canterlot, many ponies should be worried about the thundering sky. Slowly some brave ones with umbrellas come out to see that the rain wasn't so bad. A few pegasi in the weather team waved to the weary ones below. It simply shows you, so many ponies feared what couldn't be grasped. What couldn't be able to control.

Uproar was one of them. She grew up in this city, these were HER streets. Straight from the monuments that decorated the founding of Equestria, to that freaky statue of Star Swirl the Breaded which looks at you while you move. She had memories around the corner. they weren't good memories but still. Why was she here you ask? It was recently out of the grasp of those filthy mutts ponies called 'Diamond Dogs'. She wanted to see the damage done to her childhood home, and as well to see if any of the products inside could be sold. Ever since she lost her first show to that Sky Titan she's been out of luck. She needs money for food after all, food is good.

She looked up to see guards all around. She put up a smile meant for an actress and waved, the returned to her wondering eyes to the houses in front of her. Some were destroyed completely, some where just vandalized and a very small number were already rebuilt to it's former glory. She looked around for her house. Where was her home? Has she been gone so long to forget what it even looked like? No she couldn't have forgotten so quickly...

Oh. There it was.

Uproar looked upon a one story brick home. It seemed just as ruined as the rest, it is to be expected. She looked at the pink rose bushes in the front yawn. The rocks on the ground, and it's unbroken windows. The door was open, and it smells like wet dog. She knew they had been here. It didn't matter as much though, because she didn't have the courage to step in front of her childhood home. The home that was supposed to bring happy memories of when her father played games with her and when her mother fixing her mane so she would look pretty. Her grandmother teaching her how to dance for the first time, when she gave her Uproar's first violin. When her father taught her how to swim. When her mother taught her that she looked good in anything pink or purple. All of those memories flooded back. Back when she actually felt like she loved.

Now, she has nothing.

The lavender Pegasus fell to the ground in front of her. She cursed this war and all of the sorrow it brought her. She cursed her father for leaving them, she cursed those blasted diamond dogs for killing the only family she had left. Her tears ran down her cheeks as she threw rocks at the windows. She struggled to get up, she was only on her knees. She threw another one and she fell down on the ground. Her wings held her for protection. Uproar screamed in fury. Eventually throwing her violin case with her violin inside when she ran out of rocks that would make that therapeutic shattering noise. She just laid there and cried, seemingly given up on moving. Her wings covering her from the rain's wet fury.

[Stygg Whitefeather]

"Now don't fret - now, now, just walk around it. Oh, don't look at that, please. Just a little further and we can get out of the rain."

A few houses down came the soothing commands from a mellow and tranquil voice, one unfit for the destruction and chaos that inhabits the city. Like an angelic song, soothing as a mother's embrace, it filled the streets with a tiny semblance of life. One pony, a butter-yellow pegasus mare with a pink mane, donning some saddle bags represenative of the civilian corps of the Equestrian military, who in-tow had a gaggle of assorted animals, from dogs and cats, to reptiles, birds and various exotic species of all shape and size. She seemed to have been gathering them from around the city.

As the pegasus passed by the huddled, crying mare, on the path towards a looted brick home, she paused and turned. The other creatures stopping in-turn as they all turned their attention to the pony on the ground. The pegasus approached slowly from behind and paused as she examined the scene.

"Miss, you alright? You wouldn't want to catch a cold laying out in the rain.” She said softly as she leaned her head down close, eyes taking a peek towards the house, ”You know, it's really not so bad.” She went onto explain, ”A little paint, some new windows and-” She sniffed the air and curled her nose at the scent of Diamond Dog, ”And I hear bruning sage and sparying some lavander oil will get rid of the smell pretty quick.” She beamed with a little smile

[Spadille]

Now thoroughly lost along the crippled road of the civil center, seemingly no exit in sight, Ace gave a defeated sigh. He had long ago lost the will to pilfer the easily accessible valuables of the collapsed homes of the now returning ponies. Even his uncontrollable urges could be tamed in the face of so much devastation. All he sought now was just a meager hole where he could spend the night unmolested by the Equestrian military, and its civil corps that were constantly pestering him with questions regarding his health and well being.

He didn't even look like a refugee, those tired and downtrodden souls with empty and glazed over eyes that looked without really seeing. While he was a dusty and, with the sky now pouring its deluge onto his back, muddy, he was far from the dull and horror struck citizens of Phillydelphia. His eyes glimmered with an intelligent light, and shone through with a rebellious gleam that often made others weary to be near him. His head was held high, neck almost stiff as he scanned his surroundings constantly, ears swiveling to monitor his blind spots for unseen hazards, and--

"Oh...?" He scoffed in surprise as his hoof bumped into an unseen object. He halted in his trek, water pouring off of his soaked mane, the white wisps clinging to his face and neck, as he beheld the obstacle that had detracted his attention.

A turtle...

The small, green and olive, round-shelled reptile had been making its way along Ace's path, its slow pace not being noticed by himself, causing him to almost step on the little creature.

"Hello there, little one..." He smiled, bending down to face the encapsulated land dweller. "What are you doing wandering around a place like this? It's dangerous for you out here. I nearly stepped on you!" His eyes darted around as he stood back up to find a possible safer place to bring the shy turtle, which had darted into its shell upon bumping against Ace's leg.

Much to his surprise, Ace located what seemed to be a parade of animals of all shapes, sizes, and forms, all gathered around what he could tell was a pale yellow colored mare, the saddle bags slung over her sides denoting that she was a member of the Equestrian military corps. With a sigh, and a fruitless attempt to sweep his mane into some semblance of a style, Ace scooped up the turtle, whom he could only guess had fallen behind due to a much slower pace, or had just simply gotten lost, and weaved his way over to the mare in question.

While he had gotten quite fed up with the antics of the other ponies tending to the lost and confused members of the returning population of Fillydelphia, Ace had to admit that this mare was quite the curiosity. Never before had he considered that the civilian corps actually tended to animals as well. He should have seen that care of the creatures of this city would have been given to those whose talent lay in care of animals.

As he drew ever closer to the mare, he could see she had stopped, and was speaking to another pony, a darker colored pegasus mare. Immediately his frustration returned. Even the ponies they trusted to handle the birds and the bees would most likely question him as the others had, a prospect that caused him to bite back a hiss. Sighing, knowing that his frustration would be met with the gratification that came with returning the turtle now perched on his back to the volunteering mare, he stepped forward and cleared his throat loudly to gain the attention of both females.

"Umm, excuse me ma'am... I believe this turtle belongs with you?" He motioned to the inert creature on his back, carefully removing it and placing it on the ground in front of him as he sat back and awaited a response that he feared would only cause him more anger...

[Stygg Whitefeather]

((Skipping Uproar due to inactivity.))

The butter-yellow mare shuddered in startlement as the new pony had approached and spoke, she had been so caught up focusing on the whimpering mare on the ground, who continued to sob unconsoably that she seemed to failed to notice the soft voice which called out to her. The pegasus turned towards the pony who spoke and immedetially her face lit up.

”Oh, oh my! Now where did you wander off to? You know it's dangerous out here, who knows what kind of things you could have walked into.” She said motherly to the turtle, then glanced up to Spadille, as if she had failed to notice a pony connected to the voice. ”Thank you, these critters can be a hoof-full. And so many, I can barely keep track of all of them.” She explained, before she glanced back to the mare on the ground, to which she sighed as she figured she was helpless right now. Least she appeared in good health but, the yellow pegasus could only do so much, specially with a entourage of animals at her side.

”Excuse me, you don't know her, do you? She seems to be in a rough place and... well, gosh, I want to help but, I have to get all these animals to the center for check-ups and see if we can find their owners.”

By then, the animals had grown restless and began to meander about, some pestering Spadille, while others appeared to lose their concentration and wander off to find something they considered my stimulating than two ponies talking. The moment Fluttershy noticed this, she shot up into the air, glanced about and let out a rather ear piercing click-call. Immediatly all the animals in the vicinity suddenlt stopped what they were doing and zipped back around the mare. She smiled as she landed, content.

”Did you happen to lose a pet, perchance?” She asked as she slowly backed up, facing the critters and Spadille, ”There's more at the refugee center, if you want to follow. Oh, have you checked in with the Registrar; wait, you're not military are you?”

[Spadille]

Ace blinked in surprise, unable to suppress a smile as the lightly toned mare spoke with him.

"It was no trouble, miss. I'm happy to help in any way I can." He flashed a toothy grin. Fluttershy continued, indicating to the third pegasus, lying in tears on the ground, seeming unreachable to both himself and the butter coloured mare.

"Alas, I do not know her. If I could help in some way, I would." He sighed, before chuckling slightly as a porcupine nestled against his front leg.

"None of the animals here belong to me, but I wouldn't mind assisting you in some way with them." He was careful to avoid upsetting the mass of pointed quills resting against his side, watching as Fluttershy quickly corralled all of the wandering animals.

"That's a neat skill there..." Ace tilted his head, the animals snapping to attention at Fluttershy's call. Then came the last of her questions.

"No, I just came into town myself. I'm only passing through." He tried his best to keep his tone level, and not show his distaste.

"I'm not part of the military either." He sighed, relaxing under the rain. Hopefully he could bide his time, and keep himself composed.

[Stygg Whitefeather]

”And I'm very grateful for it.” The mare said with a smile, ”Oh, pardon me. I'm Fluttershy, by the way.” After her brief introduction, she continued along the road with Spadille and the animals in tow, occasionally she paused and made sure every critter still followed. ”Oh, and thank you. I always had a special talent with animals – big and small.” She explained.

”It's really tragic, what happened to this city. All these poor ponies and animals,” Fluttershy lamented as she recollected back to the mare sobbing on the ground before, what she gathered, was once her home. ”Wish I could help them all.”

She paused, took a long breath and continued, ”So, just 'passing through'? Where you heading too; if... you don't mind me asking?” She continued as she grew slightly curious about his green-pegasus. ”Not many places safe out there, you must be very strong to make it through to the city. You sure you're not with the military, oh or a mercenary?” She asked, almost teasing but still genuinely curious – maybe Spadille could even detect a hint of suspicion in her tone. ”You know about the show tonight, right? You should go, if- if you're still going to be around later. It should be really good.”

[Spadille]

Spadille was quick to hide his frustration at Fluttershy's question behind a charismatic smile.


"Why, yes. I am just wandering where it suits me best." He hummed slightly, catching the curiosity in the lightly toned mare's words.


"No, I am not military at all. I am just good at distractions and misdirection... That's kinda my talent..." He carefully paced himself to match the mare's strides.


"Hmm, a show you say? I might be interested... Will you be there?" He watched her carefully, eyes full of a devious curiosity that could not be missed.

[Stygg Whitefeather]

"Oh, that sounds exciting." Said Fluttershy with a pleasant smile. "I always wanted to travel more but... I'm, well, a -" She stumbled over her words, "It's just really scary out there, unless I am with my friends, I just don't have the fortitude to do it. Also, who would take care of all my little friends if I was traveling all the time? But, that said, it does sound nice. Sure you've seen some interesting things."

Fluttershy nodded, "Yes, I'll be there. A few of my friends are performing in one of the opening acts and then my friend, Rainbow Dash, has something big planned during the main-event. Starsong will be singing, if you're familiar with her. She's very famous - though, not really my type of music... but, if you like that, it's fine. Oh, I ramble, uh, yes, I'll be back-stage helping my friends. I... I don't like crowds." She whispered softly, seeming a little intimidated by the mere thought of a large group of ponies all staring at her.