Certain parts outside of Canterlot were not something to be proud of, nor brag about. Neither were the towns, especially Machine Bump. It was a heated, almost inferno place unless winter came. Machine Bump was situated on a hill under the smothering embrace of Celestia's Sun. Materials were always lying about in the hardest to reach places, and there was no gym or school. It was actually all made just to insult anypony that came by and wasn't rich. The only shops in town were dull, and small. They made you feel like the room was closing in on you. The exception was mansions. Spread out across town, the apparently large houses made anypony who passed by feel bad. The types of ponies who lived there were rich people or poor people who accidentally came across it and decided to stay. Then, they would be forced to stay, or tricked by the rich saying if they stayed for 10 years, the ponies would be paid by thousands. "If you stay, you get paid by us rich, with a thousand of bits for each pony you are with." That was what everypony who was rich had promised, but the time wasn't over yet for anyone who came in the last few years.
Machine Bump never changed, neither did its residents. If, for some reason one such pony did ever find aspirations beyond the day-to-day drudge, they were quickly scorned by the rest. They were a bitter folk who's only enjoyment stemmed from others sharing in their ow inadequacy.
Ponies were either rich or out of the game. Their currency was dust, crushed bits, and it was very hard to get a job.
The architecture was nearly nothing but stores and mansions for until the town ended, not even a hospital. There were not many, but a handful of upside-down bowl shaped homes, made with metal and nails. The only thing they sold were what they called 'petty' gemstones, which gave them the money to keep the town. The gemstones came from somewhere underground, and almost nopony was told of it. The rich liked to keep secrets, and make the poor feel like garbage.
The town never had much of a history, as it was only built by the richest of ponies a few years ago. Machine Bump wasn't the kind of place that saw any outsiders. For all the residents knew, they were forgotten to the rest of ponykind. Barely anyone even had the money to escape on a train. It was inevitable that one day a pony would try to escape and be forced to work in the mines below, or be forced into exile.
The land around the hill of Machine Bump was shadowed and never saw the light, which made it bad for growing crop. The ponies had never eaten their own food, they ate and drank exported food and drinks. The highest point in Machine Bump was a mansion built by a snobby pony who rubbed his money in other's faces.
Brownie Hoof was just a colt when his father was banned from the town of Machine Bump by the Mayor. The Mayor had never treated kindly to anypony. The young colt and his mother, Bella Hoof had shed their tears together until there were no more. From that moment in life, Brownie Hoof knew that his loving mother would be the only one to support and help him.
Brownie Hoof would describe his fellow family as wonderful ponies who seemed to grant his wishes, and always cheer him up. They were like brownies, but much better.
"Brownie, my dear, someday, you will be the one to break free of this evil! I know your father had once been banned, too, but he died shortly after. Besides, it's easier if you're banned. Then we won't have to escape the ponies guarding this town. I know they're mean by rumours." Mrs. Hoof whispered, safe in their metal den. "One day, we will lose the money we have to keep this den, and then you will escape," she murmured, pawing Brownie Hoof's hair. Brownie Hoof eased into a fitful sleep, and so did Mrs. Hoof.
***
Five years later, the young Brownie Hoof was being lectured on how to escape. "I will act as if you tried to escape, and the Mayor will ban you. I will sneak out and hand you your things, and you will leave on a train, detouring the guard ponies." Mrs. Hoof explained, pausing to take a deep breath. "I will stay here, in the hopes my son will find a good home,"
Brownie Hoof was wide-eyed, and really wanted to say "Why ma?" but he couldn't. He hadn't learned how to talk yet, and had to suffer the torture of hearing those words. Brownie Hoof would have to leave the only person he loved in all of Equestria, and then move on, alone. He teared up, and his mother tried to comfort him, which made him cozy and warm, all factors to his sleep.
"Wake up, sleepyhead, it's time to go," Mrs. Hoof murmured, petting Brownie Hoof to wake him.
Brownie Hoof and his mother split up, and the mother quietly stepped to the Mayor's office. She tiptoed on the steps, and opened the door, which creaked.
The mayor turned around in her chair as Brownie Hoof approached her seat.
"Mayor, my son is trying to escape!" Mrs. Hoof exclaimed, bowing to the mayor. In her mind, she was beating out her heart. Letting her colt go was just as hard, maybe harder, than hearing that her husband was banned. It was horrid just to think about, and now it was happening by her own hoof.
"Oh really? Are you not just lying to me?" the Mayor asked, spinning his chair to face the vulnerable mother pony before him. The Mayor was grinning from ear to ear in her head, not knowing that Mrs. Hoof was lying, but yet trying to find the worst thing to do if she was lying. It had to be a masterpiece of torture. It had to be just brilliant.
"Yes, Mayor, I haven't seen him all night." Mrs. Hoof lied, gulping of fear.
"Alright, but if I catch you lying, you're toast," the Mayor spoke, writing Brownie Hoof on the town 'Blacklist'.
Mrs. Hoof, who was shaken up, went outside the Town Hall to breath. She then went back home and fetched her son's backpack, it was worn, but not showing. It was magical just because it was bought, from Canterlot.
Mrs. Hoof snuck outside of the town and gave the backpack to Brownie Hoof, who came to her for one last hug of warmth and comfort that only she could give. When it was shared and there was nothing to shed, Brownie Hoof galloped away, tear stained, onto the brown dirt trail to Canterlot, and it was just a small glint in the distance.
Mrs. Hoof went back inside the metal den, to inevitably be tortured the rest of her life.
Brownie Hoof, on the other hand, was finding ways to survive in the grand city of Canterlot. He went from every door to door, but nobody let him in. Brownie Hoof had to lay down on a broken mattress in an alley, with a stench of cat. Plus, Celestia's Sun still shone above him, making everything sticky.
One day, a poor couple took him in and let him go to school. Those people were Mr. Popsicle and Mrs. Popsicle. They were very sweet ponies who had always wanted a child. Mr. Popsicle was a tall, lean pony who loved children and had a mustache. He was a white pony and had orange hair. Mrs. Popsicle was a caring, chef pony who was white and had green hair.
Years later, Mr. Popsicle and Mrs. Popsicle made a decision that was just like Mrs. Hoof's, it made him shed everything he had in his tear glands a second time. He was very unhappy with the decision, but Brownie Hoof knew it was for a good cause. "Son, we have decided we can't take care of you anymore, because you still aren't old enough for a job." Mrs. Popsicle wept, and embraced Brownie Hoof in a last hug. "W-we just can't afford it anymore, and we're giving you some bits to travel and start a new life," Mrs. Popsicle spoke, bravely finishing her speech. She gave Brownie Hoof his backpack and gave him 10 bits.
"We're sorry," Mr. And Mrs. Popsicle muttered at the same time, and they remorsefully waved him out the door, sadly crying.
Brownie Hoof was waving and crying at the same time. His mixed emotions felt anger, sadness, torture, and confusion. Why did it have to happen again, to him? Why did it even have to happen to him? The main question was always why. Brownie Hoof wished he could do something about it, but it was the way of life. He kicked the dirt, and kicked a pebble, and dropped some tears on the ground that were left over. For a second, he laid on the ground, and looked up, trying to clear his mind to no avail. But he got up and slowly walked to the train station. He wasn't going to waste those bits to not start a third new life. He didn't know why, but at the time it had seemed like a good idea, because usually Brownie Hoof was able to spare at least five years in his new life until travelling again. If he had stayed in Canterlot, Brownie Hoof would be in an alley for a few days. He did not ever want to be in an alley again, no matter what. The countryside was a hard-working place to live, and he wasn't that kind of pony. Brownie Hoof decided to stick to the suburbs, and go to Ponyville.
At the Canterlot Train Station, Brownie Hoof was moping as he looked at the only train available. It cost seven bits, the most he could afford with ten bits.
"One ticket to Ponyville," Brownie Hoof moaned to the ticket vendor.
"Alright, here you go," The ticket vendor replied, passing a ticket to Brownie Hoof for 7 bits in return.