The snow drifted downward, gently settling on the ground, which glittered with the flakes which came before. A young mare watched from the manor window in awe, as each individual crystal floated down.
On the window panes, the frosted patterns represented the snowflakes in a larger scale. The light blue unicorn reached her hoof and touched the cool panes, but she felt nothing; her leg was one of brass and gears.
Crystal Frost, the sister of the Stalliongrad mayor, was quite different from the other ponies of the snowy city. Along with a missing leg, Crystal Frost had but one ear, and one eye. She was a sorrowful sight, and it seemed as if the only pony who beheld her and did not have pity was herself. Her differences were the memories of her mother's death, bearing her.
She felt that she was no different, that she could do everything that others could, but they did not think likewise.
"This window," she sighed, looking down at the street below, "is a lot lonelier from inside,"
"What did you say?" someone asked from the next room. "Who are you talking to?"
"Myself, brother," She responded. The voice was that of her overprotective brother, Flash Freeze, the mayor.
Crystal groaned with disdain as her brother looked into the room, verifying her statement.
"I am just making sure, sister!" He said, defensively, "It is for your own safety."
That is what you always say.
"Look, Crystal," the mayor said, "You are... different. You need protected from the cruel world outside. They are not as accepting as I am."
The mare turned her head away.
Flash Freeze let out an exasperated sigh; it seemed there was to be no reasoning with her. "You'll thank me, someday."
Crystal returned to the windowsill, wondering what it would be like, to be down among citizens of the rest of Stalliongrad.
I'll get down there, someday.
Crystal Frost awoke with a start; her alarm clock was under her pillow giving off a muffled ringing. She quickly disabled it, as not to wake the rest of the estate.
As she returned the clock to her nightstand, she noticed the time: it was midnight.
Oh, right! She thought. She remembered what she was doing so early. She pulled the covers off of her feather bed, and pulled a saddlebag from beneath it.
The bag was loaded with some food, clothes and bits. She slipped into her magic- enhancing cryomancer's cloak -- the only cloak she owned -- and donned the saddlebag with her telekinesis.
She looked around the room, seeing if she forgot anything.
She saw a glass of water and an apple on her nightstand, obviously from Flash Freeze.
Overbearing as he is, my brother sure takes care of me, she thought.
She felt a tinge of guilt, causing him this grief, by leaving.
She looked from the saddlebags to the nightstand, back and forth.
I guess it would be rude to leave without a note...
She picked up a quill and some parchment, and left a short "thank you" note on the nightstand.
After she was finished, she took a deep breath.
Here goes.
She opened the large bay window; the same one she had looked down at the street from for years. She was finally going down to join the ranks of ponies across Stalliongrad, and all of Equestria.
Her heart was racing as she descended from the window, into the streets. She was finally free of her brother's barrier. She felt a surge of excitement, as her hooves touched the cobblestone streets. It was the first time in a while she had been out, and the first time ever without her brother.
She paused, taking in the situation.
I'm free!
The streets are more lonely than the window.
As she walked the abandoned streets, Crystal Frost began to question the wisdom of her choice. The biting cold wind slipped through her scarf and cloak, causing her to shiver.
I had better find somewhere to sleep.
She wandered the streets for a few minutes, before she found an alleyway, closed on three sides. There was a small fire burning. She noticed a group of three homeless ponies, sleeping around the fire. She slipped past the three snoring bodies, and lay down toward the back of the alley. The warming light from the flames reflected back into the corners, taking some of the bite out of the morning air.
Running away is not as easy as I thought it would be... she thought, wrapping herself tighter with her cloak.
As she settled down into the alley, a gust of wind blew across the mouth of the indent, making an awful racket. One of the other ponies snorted, and started to stir.
"Wha... what?"
The stallion scanned the street, then turned and looked around the alley. He jumped when he saw Crystal Frost, wrapped in her pale blue cloak. In the dark of the alley, she resembled a wraith, waiting for a pony to walk by to prey upon.
"What in... who are you?" He asked, fearful.
The other ponies began to wake, as Crystal shrunk back into the wall.
"I'm... I'm Crystal Frost," she responded, meekly.
"What do you want with us?"
"I... I was just trying to find somewhere to sleep..." Crystal said, growing more fearful.
"Are you a spirit?"
"No!"
"Well, then... a homeless one, like ourselves," the tramp said, "I guess you're welcome here."
Crystal breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."
"Here, come closer to the fire, you'll catch a death of a cold in the snow."
Crystal rose and walked toward the orange fire, out of the bitter, wet snow. The rest of the hobos were awake, quietly observing the newcomer.
"There you go," said the stallion." Now, introductions. I'm Picker."
In the group, there we as another stallion, and a mare. They introduced themselves, the mare as Lemon Drop, and the stallion as Smokey.
"Now, that we are all properly introduced, I think it's time for some rest."
The clock tower tolled in approval, ringing but one clear note through the night air.
"Alright, then..." Crystal said, "Good night everyone."
From the street, not much could be seen, aside from four ponies, sleeping around a fire...
But only one was sleeping.
The three hobos were exploring the contents of their "new member's" bag. The standard search, looking for undercover police badges, weapons... bits, et cetera.
The found only one of those: Bits, lots of bits. They also found one other thing which was not on the list, but suspicious; a picture of Crystal and Flash Freeze, whom they knew simply as "the Mayor."
"Hey, Picks, I think this filly is a noble," said Lemon Drops.
"Yeah, me too," Picker responded. "But why is she out here?"
"I don't know, but she can probably get us in there," Smokey said.
"Probably. Lets ask her..." Picker got up, and moved toward the sleeping mare. She yelped as they grabbed her and held a knife to her throat.
"Alright, you. Why are you here?"
"I.. I just needed somewhere to sleep!"
"And why is that, huh?" Picker was mercilessly pounding Crystal with questions. "Was Noble life not good enough for you, huh?"
"I... I don't know what --"
Picker stomped his hoof, indicating to Smokey to show her the picture.
"That's my picture! Where'd you get that?"
"Look, Frosty, we know that you aren't some regular street pony..." Lemon Drops moved closer, and lifted up Crystal' s hood. "So --"
Someone in the group gasped, as they saw Crystal' s face, missing an eye and an ear.
There was a pause, before Picker continued Lemon' s sentence. "...So, my mangled friend, you are going to help us get in to your manor."
Crystal swallowed. There was no way out of this situation intact.
"Alright, Frosty. You're gonna help us get in there," Picker hissed, holding the blade tight against her neck. They had moved through the city, ending up at the manor. Two of them were waiting in the shrubbery behind the house, while Lemon Drops went to observe the guards.
"No... no!" Crystal responded. Picker pressed the knife into his prisoner's throat, almost to the point of cutting.
"Alright," she coincided. "Please, just dont do that..."
"Good," Picker said, basically breathing the words into Crystal' s ear.
"But if you rat us out to the guard..." Smokey chuckled, gesturing with his hoof across his throat.
"Hey, guys," Lemon Drop said, coming back from her scouting run, "I've figured out the patrols. The next one should pass about... now."
As if on cue, a guard passed by their bushy cover.
"Ok, move on my mark," Picker said. "Three... two... one... Now!"
They moved across the path, acting as one mass.
They approached the back door and knocked.
"Who's there?" The guard asked.
"It's me, Crystal Frost."
"Crystal? Wait... what's the password?"
"Snowstorm." Crystal was fearful as she gave the password; what would they do to the guard? To her?
"Alright," the guard said, opening the door. As soon as his face was visible, it was hit square in the middle by a large stick. His body hit the floor, with a thud.
"No!" Crystal ran to the limp form of the guard, making sure he was alright. "You are all monsters..."
"We do what we must, to get through life." Picker said.
"Besides," Lemon chimed in, "he's not even dead."
They stalked through the manor, avoiding or "dispatching" guards.
At last, the finally came to Flash Freeze' s room, where the stopped.
"Why are we here?" Crystal asked, worried.
"Well, this plan was better then just getting loot, we're also gonna get a house, and a city!"
"What? No!" Crystal said, a bit too loud.
Picker pressed the knife into her throat again, barely allowing her to breathe.
"Cystal?" A voice asked from the room.
The four ponies stood completely still, not marking a sound.
Smokey readied his stick, when it was pushed down, by Picker. They exchanged glances, as Picker motioned to the guard's sword he was holding.
The door opened, and Picker thrust his sword into the open room. There was a surprised gasp of pain, as their victim was fully in view.
Flash Freeze lay in the doorway, with a sword protruding from his shoulder. He winced in pain.
"Who in Tartarus are--" he paused as he saw his sister, one of the thugs holding a knife to her throat.
Picker withdrew the sword from the mayor's shoulder. There was a cry of pain, as he prepared to strike again. A hum of magic resonated from Flash' s horn, as a sword came off the wall, toward him. He grabbed it, and rose to his feet.
He raised the sword and blocked the oncoming blow from Picker.
His horn hummed once again, as an ice spike flew through the air, striking Smokey. It pierced his leg, and he dropped the knife. Crystal fled from the idle Lemon Drops.
She heard the clash of steel, and hoofsteps running behind her.
Wait-- I have ice magic too!
She turned to face her pursuer, and realised a wall of ice.
There was a loud Smack and a shocked groan, as the pursuing hobo hit the wall of ice.
She clambered over the wall; over her attacker, and galloped to her brother's aid.
When she returned, Flash was looking at his defeated opponent, holding him at the sword' s tip. Blood dripped endlessly from the mayor's shoulder. Smokey was attempting to crawl away, with an ice spike still through his leg.
"Brother, I'm--"
"What, Crystal? Why did you let these thugs in?"
"--sorry..."
"Sorry doesn't fix it. What were you doing, up at this time, finding, hobos, and inviting them in?"
"I was going to live out in the city for a while..."
"Why... Why? After all I've done for you, after all I've given you, why?"
Crystal whimpered something inaudible.
"I've had it! I can't stand you always getting yourself into trouble, from trusting people! Never listening, never being grateful for what you have! Get out!"
"What?" Crystal said, beginning to cry.
"Out! You wanna live in the city? Go!"
Crystal galloped full speed toward the door, tears streaming down her face.
Out the door, and toward the train station. Never slowing, not caring where she was headed.
She didn't remember what she had said to the ticket master, she just remembered getting on a train...
And never looking back.