//------------------------------// // Manehatten Stories - Chapter One // Story: Immortality // by ReubenHarvey //------------------------------// Manehatten Stories - Chapter One The stallion awoke to the cold chill of the wind and the icy cold sting of the snow beneath him. Slowly he opened his eyes, blinded momentarily by the bouncing gleam of the suns light ricocheting of the soft snow. Stumbling he rose to hooves. At a first glance he found himself surrounded by snow, trees and a small lake beside him, the light snowfall around him making the distance look hazy.Conveniently the stallion was nestled beneath a large oak tree, avoiding the major snowfall. He sat down and taking a second to gather his thoughts. Suddenly shuddering he cried out “I, I don’t remember a thing.” raising a hoof examining it slightly. “not one damn thing!” The stallion yelled punching the snow, cutting the base of his hoof on a rock hidden beneath the soft powdery snow. This caused the stallion to pause, watching as the snow around his hoof slowly turned red. Limping slightly he walked to the frozen edge of the lake, leaving little blooded hoof prints as he stepped. Gently he snapped a piece of the thin ice away, allowing him to wash his aching hoof in the icy lake. He winched a little at the cold, watching as the blood washed away from his snow white fur. He realised that his wound was not as deep as it first appeared. It had already stopped bleeding once taken out of the lake. “Pfft.. All that blood for a tiny scratch. Honestly” the stallion spoke sarcastically. A soft voice from behind took the young stallion by surprise “are you okay sir?” The kind voice spoke The stallion spun revealing to his surprise a young light green mare, with wings atop her back. He was taken back in silence, her green eyes penetrated his soul, hidden behind hair soft as the snow and blond and bright as the sun, that fell to one side of her face, matching her tail perfectly. The whole scene took him by surprise and he just stood staring at her in a daze. The mare noticed the look he was giving her and giggled a little repeating her question adding “I noticed the blood and followed, are you okay sir?” The stallion found his heart melting to the sound of her voice, shaking away the thoughts he quickly replied “I, I am fine, see, just a scratch.” he said as he rose his hoof to eye level showing off what was the tiniest scratch ever. “All that blood for a tiny scratch honestly.?” She snickered “That's what I said” He laughed, a smile coming over his face. “So where, are you from” he cleverly asked hoping to reveal some information about his surroundings. The sudden question took the green mare by surprise. she took a step back worried that perhaps the stallion was some kind of creep. Cautiously she replied. “I'm not from round here if that's what your asking. Who are you anyway, why you out here?” The mare knew that if he tried anything she could employ her flight to escape, considering the distance they have between them. She slightly unfurled her wings ready in case of anything. The stallion was taken back. Not only did he not get any information of where he was he now had the issue of not having an answer to her questions.. His mind was brought back to his first memory, the snow gleam blinding him. “I'm snow, gleam.” He stammered out. “And I'm just lost is all” He said lowering his head, realising that he truly was lost. The mare relaxed a little, laughing “Lost? I didn't think a pony our age could even get lost these days, I'm Sketch Pad. So where you tying to find, maybe I can help you.” Sketch smiled as she extended as hoof, there was a slight pause “This would be the part where we shake hooves?“ The reason snow paused was because he was asking himself where do I go? where is there even to go.. after he pondered it he decided to just wing it. “I'm headed nowhere, I don’t exactly have any-place to go, its hard to explain but.. I guess I don’t have any-place.” “You’re homeless?” She replied with a little jump in her voice. “I prefer the term drifter, no no.. vagabond!!” Snow says with a little laugh. almost instantly he gets a little knock on the head from Sketch.. “This is no laughing matter!!” She yells grabbing some or his hair and throwing him in front of her “Come on.. Walk” “Wait what, where are we going..” Snow questioned as he was being forced to walk down the snowy path. “There’s a shelter not far from here it should take you in, help you get back on your feet and what not” Before Snow could protest he was cut of by Sketch “And don’t try to protest, what else are you gonna do freeze in the snow all night?” Snow realised she held a good point, its not like he actually had a plan, maybe this random act of kindness is exactly what he needs to get thing going. even if he didn't know where he's going yet. Time moved on and the two walked through the snowfall silently, to an onlooker it would almost seem as if the two were newly-weds enjoying a midnight stroll. Sensing the tension Snow tried to break the silence with talk. “Why are you helping me?” He asked. Not looking towards her. “I couldn't just leave you once I found out you had nothing, could I?” She said sighing a little “It wouldn't be very pony like of me now would it” Snow laughed a little “now I guess it wouldn't be would it” The pair arrived at the shelter not long after and found to their surprise that the shelter was full. Even its affiliate shelters were full for the night. They were told that “They would be extremely lucky to get a bed in Manehattan at this time” and that “He would just have to find somewhere else. sad as it is.” The pair moved to a near by bench and sat thinking, now what? Finally Sketch spoke up “Do you have friends in Manehattan?” She said turning to face him “Anyone you could stay with?” “None” Snow quietly replied. Although Snow was glad he knew where he was now it meant nothing to him, he still didn't know where he was, how he got there and now it dawned on him he was alone too. “No-one at all” He said, sadness showing in his words. “Then I guess its up to me.” she said with a smile. This statement caused Snow to look straight up, confusion and concern on his face. “I'm glad you feel responsible but you don’t even know me.. nor do I know you. How can you be so trusting?” snow began to cry.. annoyed and saddened by the fact he was right. Sad because being right meant pushing away the kindness he’s being given so freely. “Its because you say that, how you look. That's what makes me trust you. I can honestly see how much you need help. And I can tell how genuine you are too.” Sketch placed a hoof on his shoulder. “You don't have to accept my offer but if you do, my apartment here has a sofa and I can even hook up with some old contacts in Ponyville and here, see about getting you a job.?” Snow was overwhelmed, pulling Sketch into a hug crying into her shoulder. “why you gotta be so nice huh?”