1st Candlebraum [Visual]

[firstofthefallen]

[There's a very somber, very sour looking foal looking into the scroll, laying flat on the ground and just glowering at the scroll like it bit him. His light blue coat somehow seems jarring against the green of the grass he's laying on, and the blonde mane doesnt help. He looks very much like any pouty little boy, but there's almost something off. As if the wounded dignity he seems to have would never be worn by anyway boy. The mismatched red and blue eyes don't help either.

It's clear wherever he is from the scroll, it isn't Ponyville. The grass is too thick. The trees, to dense.]

I suppose there could be worse things to wake up as, or places, though I am havin a hard time discerning what they would be at the moment.

[The child's voice is bitter, suitably young but with a tone underneath it unbefittin a child. He turns his head away from the camera, one of his hooves scraping and dragging at something to the side of him. Something that's flat on the ground and has weird, scaly chicken feet.]

Being stolen away from home is scary, isn't it? Do you wonder if we can go back home? Do you wonder how we might appear once we go back? The world, the universe, both are frightening places. It makes you wonder: how long has something like this perhaps happened in other, perhaps darker, corners of the Earth?

You'll have to forgive me. My mind tends to wander, and I'll admit I find the town very boring.

This forest, however, is quite agreeable.

[The foil finally drags what he was poking with his hoof at in front of him. The thing he brings out is ugly as hell. It looks like a large, winged lizard about the size of a chicken, which is fitting considering it has the head of one. The cockatrice is lying flat. Still, face down to the ground, not making a move or sound. Not even, it appears, breathing.

The foal studies it, not with the wide-eyed curiousity common in boys, but genuine scrutiny.]

The wildlife is amusing, too.

Comments

[faunafriend]

Not all fights have to lead to bloodshed. Or death.

_{[She wants to appeal to his better nature- that's how she always deals with these things, though of course she has never been in such an extreme situation. Surely somewhere in his heart he can realize what he did.]}

[firstofthefallen]

[He's begin to slip from annoyance to anger, and it shows in his tone.]

And what would you have done?

Please. Continue to judge me for merely defending myself instead of elaborating on a different course of action.

[faunafriend]

_{[He wants an answer. Alright Fluttershy this is your chance! Don't get too upset while talking.]}

In the past when I came across a cockatrice I was able to convince him not to attack me or the other ponies with me by giving him a scolding for his bad behavior. Next time you could stand up for yourself with words i-instead of turning to violence so quickly. Using my words has helped in other situations as well.

[firstofthefallen]

Words are important. And they have there place.

Force, however, has it's place as well. With your words you set an example to one creature to leave you be. With force, I set an example to all.

You need a mixture of both. Words for expression of ideals, force of will or physicality to back them up.

[faunafriend]

Force of will has always been enough for me. Morning Star, please don't hurt any more animals in the forest like that again. It's true there are some of them who will be mean but responding by... killing. That...

_{[This conversation is draining her by the second. She swallows hard and pushes on.]}

That's much too extreme. Telling them off is enough. And killing is... worse than being a bully.

[firstofthefallen]

To not kill them while they would happily kill me.

Do you truly think there is wisdom in such a course of action?

Who are you to tell me what I should do?

[faunafriend]

They would not kill you. Especially not if you had stood up for yourself first.

I-I'm their friend! The animals of the forest are my friends.

_{[Her voice fades off. It can't be seen over the scroll but Fluttershy feels wobbly in the knees. She wasn't prepared for an argument. She was downright terrible at arguments really.]}

[firstofthefallen]

It would not kill me when it in fact just attempted to.

[The foal's voice is indignant, yet another sign of how it couldn't be a child.]

Animals need to feed. And to feed, some kill each other. I may not need to feed as they do, but I do intend to live.

If that is the case, I'd suggest you warn your friends to keep their distance from me.

[faunafriend]

Cockatrice have at the worst tried to turn ponies to stone. They don't eat us.

_{[She never thought she'd be trying to defend a cockatrice like this. Especially not to a foal who seemed less and less like an actual pony to begin with. Fluttershy's frown began to turn to one of anger.]}

If you keep hurting and killing my friends, I'll have no choice but to report you to the Princesses! I-I don't know who you are Morning Star, but unless you need to feed on these animals you have no right excuse to kill! Leave my friends alone!

[firstofthefallen]

Yes. Being turned to stone would be such a preferable state to death.

[He shakes his head, annoyed.]

I will defend myself. Why you think I should allow a creature to attack me without repercussion I cannot begin to understand.

[faunafriend]

You can be turned back from stone. And- and... Why you think killing is the right way to defend yourself I have no idea! Why don't you run away? Why don't you fight back and only knock them out? Why kill?!

<sub>[She can't take it any more. She stops the scroll communication there.

Trembling, she stands over the scroll for a moment in silence. Scared, she checks to make sure the scroll communication has really ended, and she is relieved to find it is really off. Tears in her eyes, she turns to her animal friends who have been staring ever since she started to get upset. "Please help me!" she says to them. They crowd around her as she cries.

Never in her life had she met someone like that.]</sub>