The Bell of Bridlewood

by milesprower06

Prologue: The Storm

Alphabittle headed down the dirt path through the Bridlewood forest at a steady trot, as the light rain slowly and steadily became heavier. Carrying a tote bag containing ingredients needed for a few meals, he was hoping to get home before things got too wet, namely the groceries or the dirt road. Dinner wouldn't take too long to prepare, and it was a good thing, too; he had a grumbling two year-old stomach he had to satisfy before the owner got too cranky, and that of course would lead to her not settling down for bedtime in about an hour.

The Crystal Tearoom's assistant cook lived on the north side of the unicorn village of Bridlewood. He preferred his residence's solitude out all this way; after all, work every day gave him more than enough company and excitement during his shift, so it was nice to come home to some peace and quiet. Well, peace and quite aside from the aforementioned two year-old filly. Luckily, foalsitting rates during the day were perfectly reasonable while he cooked away in the kitchen of the Tearoom, and she was perfectly occupied during this super quick fifteen minute trip to the food pantry, so their cupboards wouldn't be completely bare for the next few days until Alphabittle's next payday.

Just off of the northernmost road in town, sat the isolated residence that had been built into one of the many large trees that dotted Bridlewood, just like almost every other 'building' in Bridlewood, keeping the town much more natural-looking with the surrounding forest. The bulky stallion trotted up the front walk, and opened the front door to his home, wiping his muddy hooves on the doormat before stepping inside. The rainfall could now be heard on the leaves and branches.

When he closed the door, the gathering storm outside became more muffled. He set the bag of groceries down, took a moment to shake himself off, as his mane and coat were somewhere between damp and dripping wet. Afterwards, he ran a hoof through his thick white mane, picked the grocery bag back up, and continued inside.

"Alright, I know somepony's got to be hungry by now. Not to worry, dad's on the job; it'll be ready before you know it!" He announced, going right for the kitchen that had been built into the front right area of the interior, setting the cloth bag on the wooden counter and he began to unpack the contents, but paused when he didn't hear any kind of reply from his young daughter. That would be just his luck; go out to get what he needed to make her favorite meal of broccoli and cheddar hash, and she fell asleep in the playpen before he got a chance to get home and cook it up.

"Did a certain somepony fall asleep without dinner, hmm?" Alphabittle asked, about halfway done unpacking the contents of his grocery bag before he stepped out of the kitchen and into the small living area, where his daughter's playpen was currently front and center. Inside the confines of the gating were the toys she had been playing with when he left, but alarmingly, no filly inside, which made the unicorn stallion's concern rise.

"Misty? Sweetheart?" Alphabittle called, looking around the room, before grabbing the lit lantern from the end table next to his chair. There weren't too many places to sneak away to in this modest dwelling, but she loved playing hide and seek almost every day. The unicorn stallion headed down to the opposite side of the interior of the tree to her bedroom, opening the door, and holding the lantern up. He felt his heart start to beat harder and faster as he found the crib and closet empty and just as they were this morning when she had gotten up from her nap after he had picked her up after work that evening, just before heading out to get what he needed for making dinner tonight.

"Misty Blossomforth, if you're playing hide and seek, this is not the time, sweetie. It's time for dinner, you hear me?" he said, raising his voice as he stepped back out into the main living area, trying his best to make his voice stern and authoritative and not filled with worry. He went into his bedroom and he felt his heart climb up into his throat as he saw his bed, neatly made, nothing underneath the bed frame, and the closet and bathroom just as he had left them.

His breath quickening along with his heart rate, he went to the kitchen and double checked the pantry and under the table cloth as thunder began to rumble overhead.

"Misty???" He called, as panic was surely beginning to take hold. Hearing the lantern handle rattle in his now quivering grasp, he went back to the front door and yanked it open, running around the tree to the back yard, where the garden was getting a downpour along with the rest of the forest.

"Misty!!!" He called out again, at a full scream, holding his lantern up, the light emanating from it not even reaching a meter into the thickening trees behind the backyard, and further dampened by the rain.

Alphabittle took as deep a breath as his pounding, panicking heart would let his lungs take, and turned around, walking around the tree again, keeping an eye out for any hoof prints in the dirt below the windows. It was no good; the dirt was now mud, and even the tracks his heavy form had left in the path coming up to the house were now washed away by barely two minutes of this downpour. He knew he was about to become very helpless in a self-induced panic if he tried to do this alone any longer. He put the lantern around his neck, and headed back towards town at a full, muddy gallop, as lightning flashed overhead.

"Help! Please, I need help! Somepony, anypony! Misty, where are you?! Misty!!!"

Author's Note:

Aaand we're off!

This story began as a seed of an idea last night after I binged Make Your Mark Chapter 4, and it exploded into an overwhelming creative fire all day today. It was all I could think about.

Please let me know what you think, and thank you very much for reading!

Comments

[Spade_McTrowel]

Tracking this.

So far; so good.

[Yoshifan30]

Okay this is a very interesting start not only that it's an interesting Theory anyway Alphabittle came home from shopping to make some dinner for his daughter Misty but when he called her there was no respond so he checked out her crib but she was in there and in a panic he tried to look for her but unfortunately and anybody's nightmare she's not in the house he went outside to ask anybody to help I wonder where could she be well let's find out next time

[TheKing2001]

I kinda wonder if he's related to Blossomforth at all. She's a pegasus who only appeared in like three episodes. Would be cool but unlikely

[Axolotl222]

Oh my gosh, yes! I love this theory so much, glad to see a story about it.

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

When he closed the door, the gathering storm outside became more muffled. He set the bag of groceries down, took a moment to shake himself off, as his mane and coat were somewhere between damp and dripping wet, Afterwards, he ran a hoof through his thick white mane, picked the grocery bag back up, and continued inside.

dripping wet. Afterwards*

"Did a certain somepony fall asleep without dinner, hmm?" Alphabittle asked, about halfway done unpacking the contents of his grocery bag before he stepped out of the kitchen and into the small living area, where his daughter's playpen was currently front and center. Inside the confines of the gating were the toys she had been playing with when he left, but alarmingly, no filly inside, which made the unicorn stallion's concern rise.

Uh oh!

"Misty? Sweetheart?" Alphabittle called, looking around the room, before grabbing the lit lantern from the end table next to his chair. There weren't too many places to sneak away to in this modest dwelling, but she loved playing hide and seek almost every day. The unicorn stallion headed down the to the opposite side of the interior of the tree to her bedroom, opening the door, and holding the lantern up. He felt his heart start to beat harder and faster as he found the crib and closet empty and just as they were this morning when she had gotten up from her nap after he had picked her up after work that evening, just before heading out to get what he needed for making dinner tonight.

head down to the opposite*

I'm liking where this story is going as I myself got curious as to what was going on with Alphabittle when he saw Misty in chapter 4 of MYM. This story kinda makes me feel like it's a hint of what might come next in Chapter 5 and if they're maybe related. Guess we'll have to wait for whatever comes next in both this story and MYM.

[littleman001]

Going off that new fan theory spawned by Manesqarade Ball? I didn't think someone would turn that into a story this soon. Nevertheless, I'm interested.

[StarzGecko]

I didn’t even noticed and love the idea… it makes sense because Misty does look a little like Alphabittle. Oh man, I feel so bad for him… I wonder who foalnap her because Opaline found her when she was lost nearby her castle when looking for a cutie mark.

[EvilTreerat]

A parent's absolute worst nightmare.

[milesprower06]

11604181
That could be one of the many lies Opaline told her.

[SuperPinkBrony12]

This looks interesting. I'll keep an eye on it.

[Blue Ocean Wave]

What happened to misty!!!

Also I’ll track it and give it a like.

[AgentKorpsman]

This, this is any parents and older siblings worse nightmare.

[Lulamoon-Crystal]

Dang. This is good! Poor Alphabittle

[Comickook]

Great job on the flashback start to this story. Yeah, I definitely feel for Alphabittle here (as well as Misty, but that's another story entirely) but the description of the situation before and after finding out Misty went missing was very good detail.

On to the next chapter.

[Draco Dei]

Let me check if I have the order of events correct:
So he came home, sent the foalsitter away, and then Misty went missing while he was on a 15 minute shopping trip?

[milesprower06]

11644510
Pretty much.