//------------------------------// // Across the Line // Story: Comfort Far Away // by Spic Ultimo //------------------------------// I awoke on my old, worn out cot with a familiar sense of a slight headache. "Five more minutes..." I mumbled to no one specifically as I was slowly lured back into sleep. ***** I woke up a couple of hours later finally feeling rested enough to take on the day. I went through my morning routine of brushing my teeth and straightening out my mane before heading back into the room the orphanage provided. I Headed to my bed and placed my scarf around my neck. I took a moment to look it over. I was told i was wearing it at the time i was found, and that i was very hesitant to take it off. Pulling my thoughts away from the scarf, i turned my attention to my pillow. I made sure no one was looking before reaching into the pillow case and pulling out the bright gold train ticket. Ponyville... a nice quiet town that can be seen from the mountains of Canterlot itself. The time of departure was at 9pm, which gave me plenty of time to prepare for my departure. I was finally leaving...the very thought of escape made me giddy on the inside. I could already imagine leaving this town on the horizon, and finally having a normal life with a job, a house, and if I'm lucky, a special somepony. I couldn't wait to finally leave. I began to tuck the ticket in my scarf for safe keeping. After all, i didn't want to lose- "WHAT'CHA GOT THERE SOLUS!?" "SWEET CELESTIA!" I yelled after hearing the outburst from that all to familiar voice. "What the heck Echo!? You scared me shitless!" I yelled at the earth pony. He has a blue coat and a white mane with a steak of gray going through it, and a cutie mark of a sound wave. He was mostly known for his.... explosive voice. "Which just happens to be the reason I yelled at you!" He said with a large grin. "So what's that your trying to hide from everyone?" He asks with a face of confusion. "You cant tell anyone, no matter the circumstance, alright?" "Ok, so what is it? Are you sneaking food again? Is it a con- mmphhh!" "Echo! Keep your voice down or else the whole orphanage will hear you!" I yelled at him after I shoved my hoof into his mouth. "So it IS a condom!" "NO! It's a train ticket...." "Why do you need a train ticket?" He asked with a slight hint of realization in his voice. "Echo...I'm.....I'm leaving....I got a ride for tonight. You've been a good friend, but I can't handle being such an outcast any longer.... I don't want to get hurt anymore..." I said with a very somber tone. "But...but we..." He stuttered, tears starting to glisten in his eyes. I felt bad leaving him here like this, but I barley had enough bits for one ticket. He was the only one who actually stuck to me, despite my.... special abilities. I remember that day clearly, even though i tried so hard to forget. But then again, How can one forget such a life changing experience? ***** I ran trying to escape them, but they were very persistent. "Stop running so we could get this over with!" I heard from behind me. I was in the orphanage for three months at the time, and I had no trouble having someone wanting to beat the crap out of me for no reason. Slowly I heard the hoofsteps slowly getting closer in my feeble attempt to outrun the other colts.I turned a corner and, to my dismay, I was face with a dead end. the hoofsteps stopped behind me, then started again, slower than last time. I turned to face the other three colts, and realized I had no escape. "You had to make this harder on yourself, huh? We were gunna go easy on you, but since you made us run, you get to have a broken face now." The leader said, as he slowly started approaching me. "Go away...please" I whimpered as my last attempt to be left alone. Slowly...oh so slowly he smiled. "Get him." he whispered as his lackeys jumped at me. I felt every blow against my side, neck and face, each blow harder than the next, and with each blow came another tear. "stop..." I managed to cough out as the beating continued. "Stop.: I managed a little louder, a feeling I've never felt before filling me up. Then suddenly.... "STOP!!!".... I yelled as a shockwave I released blew them all away from my body. "What the buck!?" the leader yelled as he saw my pupils disappear, and a black aura slowly engulf me as I stood up. My wounds began immediately healing in seconds. Slowly, I turned to one of the lackeys, and stared him down. He glared at me before he got up and charged straight at me. Suddenly, he stopped moving and was slowly lifted up into the air. I gave him a sick grin before I picked up the second lackey and threw them both against the wall with a sickening crack. I giggled a little, as I turned to the leader and slowly trotted over to him. That's when I realized, I wasn't in control of my body. I gave him a grin as I stood in front of him, and lifted him up as well. "Stop! Put me down, please!" He begged as I kept grinning. "Okay." I said as I slammed him on the ground with a loud crack. The black aura slowly dissipated, and my eyes returned back to normal, and I sat there, tacking in the monstrous deed i had done, and began to cry. I had possibly murdered three colts with something inside me I didn't know was there, something that was able to take control of my body... and I was afraid, more than when I was running. A month had passed after that, and by then the three colts were out of the hospitals on wheelchairs. By then, word had spread, turning me into more of an outcast than I already was. The only person who talked to me was Echo, who apparently found my power "cool". By then, I learned to summon it at will, but I could only levitate objects, and when the power was summoned, my eyes turned a deep crimson red. Of course, Echo helped me develop my levitation by making me do stupid, crazy things. And thus, my first friendship was started... ***** "But you can't leave! what about everything we've done!? Are you going to throw it all away?!" Echo yelled. He has been rambling on bout this for the better part of an hour. "Echo, I'm sorry... my mind's made up..." There was a couple of hours left until my departure. He was taking it harder than I thought. "You have a chance of finding a life here, I have nothing... I need a new start. You're the only one that even looks at me anymore, and I appreciate that, but I can't live this way anymore. "Alright... I give up... have fun in Ponyville." He said as he walked away with his head held low. I almost felt like crying again seeing as how i left him so heartbroken. But it's for the best... I hope. ***** It's eight o'clock now. I was just about getting all my stuff ready to go. I would pack more bags, but i want to make sure i leave everything behind... not that I had much to take anyways. With one suitcase of personal belongings, the scarf around my neck and the ticket tucked away inside it, I set off to find Echo for my final goodbye.I entered the bedroom al of us shared, and trotted over to the bed at the far corner. "Echo?" I asked getting no response from his lumpy form in bed. "I know you're probably mad right now, but I'm on my way to the train station." I still had no response from him, and I started feeling even more terrible. "So... I guess this is it... see you later." As I walked away, I couldn't help but feel sad as I left him, there. I towed my luggage out the door, it being heavier than I remember, almost like a dead weight. I put it off as small depression, and made my way to the train station. It was the mid-fall months, so there was a chilling breeze running through the air. As i walked through town, i couldn't help but think about the life i was going to make in Ponyville. I was starting my life all over, and , if I was lucky, no one would have to know of my abilities. I would have friends, a job, heck, I might even have a marefriend. I couldn't help but smile out the window as I Kept thinking of my new life in Ponyville. The only downside, besides leaving Echo, was that I've heard strange stuff about that town. Somehow, it was attracting danger from all around Equestria, and It rests right next to the Everfree Forest. Pullng my thoughts away from the town, I reached into m luggage for a bottle of water I had stored. I open the zipper without looking, and as I reached in, I felt something soft and squishy. Confused, I turn to look at the luggage and find...Echo! Just when I was about to yell, he put a hoof over my mouth. "Shhhh..." He said as he removed his hoof and slowly zipped up the luggage once again. Tired as I was, I decided not to question it further. Though I wanted to yell, and Celestia knows I did, i kept my mouth shut for fear of getting kicked out of the train. With my mind emptied of my thoughts, I got in a comfortable position on the seat before o started to slowly doze off.