> the lone crusader > by Submariner > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > the accident > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Hey! Phlux! You wanna grab something to eat first!" Phlux looked over his shoulder to see his blue friend waving over the crowd trying to make his way over to him. "Yeah sure thing Tazz!" He yelled back. "Just let me finish setting up my glider! I'll meet you in the cafe!" "Sure thing phlux, I'll see ya in a few!" Tazz yelled then headed for the cafe Every fall since phlux met Tazz and skrater he has been coming up to the same mountainside overlooking part of the path for the running of the leaves. While most earth ponies are just fine and dandy on the ground, there was a fair number who prefer to feel the wind in their fur and to be able to see the beautiful scenery from that high in the sky point of veiw, its just amazing, plain and simple as that. At least that's what phlux thinks, while Tazz and skrater are more, as you would say, extreme? Phlux just thinks its nice enough to fly once a year to see the running of the leaves from above, it is after all amazing to see the sheer amount of earth ponies running in such numbers, its almost as if a random sea of multicolored water magicly shakes the leaves off the trees. Phlux finished making the adjustments to his glider and started making his way through the crowd over to the cafe. it was a fairly nice day out, a few scattered clouds and a light autumn breeze mixed with the warmth of the suns rays, perfect for gliding he thougt as he made his way over to the cafe enjoying the crisp mountain air. I wish every day could be like this he thought with a sigh. He entered the cafe area, it was more just a bunch of ponies setting up stands around a large number of tables but he liked to call it a cafe. He found his friends sitting at a table more towards the middle, they were hard to miss seeing as skrater seemed to be the only zebra here, and Tazz on the other hand being completely blue, his mane and tail slightly tinged white on the ends. That's kind of how they met in the first place, being as pretty much everypony else had a different colored mane from their fur color Tazz and phlux seemed to be the only ponies like this, although instead of being blue phlux was pitch black, save for the tinge of neon green at the tips of his mane and tail. Why green! Phlux used to think to himself, it was hard enough being the only pony that was pitch black, but neon green!? He used to hate it. 'At least I could kind of blend in if I were all black.' He used to think to himself. 'But green!?' Well, that's what he used to think at least, until he met Tazz. Tazz was exactly like him, except different colors and he was a bit taller, not to mention the fact that he was a lot more... how do I put this, well lets just say he was lacking that outer shell that told most ponies not to say certain things. He met skrater the same day he met Tazz. Skrater and Tazz had been freinds ever since they were little, as time went on and phlux hung out with them more and more he realized two things. One, skrater and Tazz came as a package deal, there was no skrater and there was no Tazz, there was only skrater and Tazz. (Not that he minded of course) Two, skrater is the only reason Tazz is still alive due to the fact of the problem stated earlier, in other words she was the only one who could keep his mouth shut, although a few things slip out here and there. "Hey, blank flank, get your ass over here!" As everypony within earshot turned to look at Tazz, phlux stuffed his face into his hooves. "Tazz!" Skrater scolded. "Watch what you say!" 'Damn, now everypony here knows' phlux thought to himself. Where Tazz has a glider as his cutie mare due to the fact that he was more into air sports, skydiving, hangliding, ect. skrater on the other hand was more into water sports, hence the wakeboard as her cutie mark. Phlux on the other hand had none, he has no idea why, he just guesses that he hasn't found what he is good at yet. Phlux sighed and shrugged it off, he honestly didn't care anymore. He sat down across from skrater and tazz. "Well...uh...sorry about that phlux, it just kinda..um...slipped out." Tazz said with a bit of a blush. "Its fine Tazz." Phlux replied. "I know what goes on in your head, there's no need to apologize." "You coulda used less vulger language though." He added with a smirk "Hey." Skrater cut in "I thought you were gonna go grab some grub." Phlux looked down in front of his freinds to see two plates with, well, he wasn't sure. They looked like red ooze wrapped in fried dough. "Uh...what is that" He asked, a slightly confused look on his face. "Um...I think their called chimmy cherry changas." Skrater said slowly, trying not to mess it up. "Their really good, you should try one". "Yeah, that pink pony over there is selling them." Tazz said pointing to a very energetic looking Pink pony in a...uh...well, yet again, he has no idea. It looked like she was in a stand made completely out of balloons. "Um...you see that to, right?" Phlux asked with perplexed look on his face. "Yeah, I thought it better not to ask why, seeing as my mouth likes to run itself sometimes" Tazz replied with an expression that mirrored phlux's "You should go ask!" Skrater chimed in happily. "It looks like she would be more than happy to answer." "Maybe a little to happy..." Tazz muttered trailing off towards the end looking lost in thought. Phlux chuckled a bit. "Well." Phlux said. "I guess I should go get me one of those, seeing as they look so good." With that he got up and trotted over to the balloon stand housing a pink pony that didn't seem be able to sit still. "Escuse me, miss." Phlux said getting her attention so fast it startled him. "Well hi there mister black pony, my names pinkie pie, what's your name!" She was grinning ear to ear staring at him intently, he didn't know whether to be scared or smile back. He decided to smile back, somehow making her smile bigger, which he didn't think was possible. "My names phlux." He said, deciding just to humor her. "Wow, phlux, that's a cool name, I don't think I've ever heard a name like that before, I've never seen a pony whose completely back before either, well except for your friend over there except he's not black, he's blue, but I guess your not completely black either, you do have some green in your mane, it's almost hard to tell where your mane begins but I guess it doesn't really matter, so what can I get for ya." Phlux was so startled he almost missed the question. "Um, well, can i get a cherry chimmy changa?" He asked. "Well of course not silly, we don't sell cherry chimmy changas!" She replied a little to enthusiastically. "Where did my friends get them then?" He asked politely "Ooh, those aren't cherry chimmy changas, those are chimmy cherry changas! Your friends got them mixed up to and I was like, their called chimmy cherry changas, and they were all like cherry chimey changas, but don't worry, I showed them how to say it. That'll be two bits please!" She said still grinning ear to ear. He better think fast he thought to himself, before she unleashes another storm of words explaining the difference between a cherry chimmy changa and a chimmy cherry changa. "Well, I guess I'll have to ask my friends how to say it then." He said drobbing two bits in the jar and grabbing his plate. "Ooooo, that's a good idea! Well have fun then!" She said Phlux quickly ducked into the crowd so she couldn't see he has no cutie mark, if she saw that she may never stop talking. He chuckled to himself. 'Well at least it left me In a good mood' he thought as he made his way over to skrater and Tazz. "So, why did she make her stand out of balloons?" Skrater asked "I have a feeling that even if I did ask, I probably still wouldn't understand." Just then they felt the distant rumble of thousands of hooves. "Quick, hurry!" Tazz yelled over all the commotion stirring around them as everypony rushed to their gliders. Shoot, he didn't even get to eat his chimmy cherry changa. He took a big bite of his lunch and galloped towards his glider, doing his best not to run anypony over, thank celestia he already got his ready, otherwise he'd be stuck behind a bunch of other ponies. He wanted to actually keep up with whoever was in front this time. He found his glider and grabbed it and made his way through the commotion with it in tow. it was so packed with ponies running around trying franticly to get to their glider he could barley see two feet in front of him. He finally could see the edge of the cliff. He got into takeoff position, grabbing the bar in front of him, he put all his weight onto the gliders wheels and ran towards the edge. Anypony still around got out of his way, he reached the edge and braced both of his hind hooves on the edge of the cliff and pushed off as hard as he could. As he as he tucked his back legs Into his harness he looked down and took in all the scenery, it was amazing! No matter how many times he does this it always takes his breath away. All the different colored trees swaying in the aurtumn breeze, just the sheer veiw from this high. He closed his eyes and took in the smells and the breeze whipping his mane and tail back behind him. "Hey man open your eyes, your missing the veiw!" Phlux snapped his eyes open and looked over to his left. "Tazz! What's up!" "Nuthin much man, Just hangliding! I thought I lost you, you were the first to shove off!" "Wow, really!?" Phlux shouted back over the wind. "I've. Never been the first!" "Well, there's a first for everything isn't there!" Tazz shouted "Hey, did you just forget about me or are you just ignoring me!" Phlux and Tazz looked down to see a zebra patterned glider. "Skrater!" Tazz shouted. "good to see ya made it!" Phlux and Tazz descended a little bit and spread apart so that skrater was in between them. "Hey guys, how you holden up!" Skrater yelled "Good so far!" Phlux replied. "I was the first one to shove off!" "I know, I saw you. You looked pretty determined!" "Yeah, well I wasn't gonna get caught up in that now was I!" Phlux shouted nodding behind him to a huge cluster of ponies behind them. "Wow! I think there's more this year than there was last year! Tazz shouted Just then phlux saw a large cluster of earth ponies running down the path below them. "Sorry guys, I told myself I'd keep up with the front runners this time!" Phlux shouted. "I hope you don't mind!" "Not at all fat ass!" Tazz clamped a hoof over his mouth. "Sorry." Phlux laughed so hard it hurt. He pitched the nose of his glider forward and descended gaining speed. He loved the feel of the wind ripping through his mane. When he got close enough to see each pony individually he evened out and looked for the front runners. "Well hi again mister black pony, I didn't know I'd see you up here!" Phlux yelped and almost ran into her. He looked over to see pinkie pie in a hot air balloon flying next to him. Phlux chuckled. "Why am I not surprised your here. Whose your friend?" He asked nodding in the direction of the little purple and green dragon sitting next to her. "Wuh...oh, my names spike." He replied "Well hi spike, nice to meet you, my names phlux." He said nodding at spike. "If you guys don't mind though I'm going to go see if I can catch up to those two ponies in the lead." Nodding in the direction of an orange pony wearing a cowboy hat and a cyan colored pony with a rainbow mane. "Oooo, those are my freinds, the rainbow one is rainbow dash and the cowboy hat one is applejack!" She said smiling. "Really?" He said raising an eyebrow. "Well, I guess ill say hi when I pass over then." "Can you tell them I said hi to!" Pinkie pie asked still wearing a huge grin. "Sure thing!" Phlux called back dipping down and accelerating . When he got close enough he dipped down underneath the tree branches and glided until he was right over the two ponies. He hung there for a moment or two enjoying the speed then called out. "What's up rainbow dash, applejack!" He shouted to them. "Pinkie pie says hi!" They looked up at him startled and almost crashed head over hooves. He laughed a bit at their reaction before pulling up right over the trees. A little while later, 20 min perhaps, he landed in a field a little ways from the finish line. As he slowed to a stop he unhooked himself and took off the harness. He started to break down his glider so that it fit in its bag. As he finished up Tazz and skrater landed a little ways from him. He picked up his glider in its bag and secured it to his back, then started trotting over to skrater and Tazz. Phlux sat at in a booth on the ponyville express staring out the window at the lights passing by in the dark. Tazz sat next to him with his head cocked back at an awkward angle snoring and drooling. "Man, I cant wait to get home. Its been a good weekend." "I know what you mean." Skrater said, sitting across from him, a cup of hot tea between her hooves. "I just want to get back and go to bed." Phlux's eyes had begun to droop about a half an hour ago, but he couldn't seem to fall asleep. "So how was your flight?" Skrater asked, her eyes also drooping from being up so late. "Pretty good, I actually met up with that pink pony again." "While you were hang gliding?" A hint of surprise on her face. "Yeah, it looked like she was anouncing with her friend spike in a hot air balloon." "Wow, I bet you weren't expecting that." "Well, I can honestly say I didn't expect it but for some reason I wasn't that surprised." He said with a smirk. "So how bout you, how was your flight?" "It was pretty good, me and Tazz stayed together the entire time..." she zoned off seeing that something else had caught phlux's attention. "What are you looking at?" "That light, its not moving, its just getting bigger." He said still in a droopy haze. Skrater looked in the same direction he was. "Your right, its almost as if it's coming towards us." Phlux's ears shot up and he was suddenly wide awake as he heard the distinct sound of another trains horn and metal screeching on metal. He got up and as fast as he could and shoved tazz onto the floor. "Hey! What was that for!" Skrater was now standing to. "Yeah, why did you do that." She asked confused. They obviously are still to tired to figure it out "We're almost to ponyville." He said his voice sounding frightened. "There are no other tracks around the one our train is riding on right now." Her eyes widened to the size of saucers as she figured it out. "Wait I don't get what you guys are talking about!" Tazz said a bit flustered. "That train is coming straight at us!" Skrater yelled with a horrified look on her face. "Oh no. Quick! Get everypony up as fast as you can!" Tazz yelled Everyone who heard started getting everypony up as fast as they could, including phlux and his friends. As more pony's were awakened more mayhem stirred up in their car. "Shit. Tazz, skrater! We're gonna have to jump!" He could tell they were scared but they made their way to the back as fast as they could. phlux threw open the door and stared at the track flying out behind them. he looked over his shoulder to see the oncoming train way to close, so he closed his eyes and jumped. That's when he heard it, the biggest explosion he'd ever heard in his life. When he finally stopped rolling, his body screaming in pain, he got up as fast as he could and looks for Tazz and skrater. His heart dropped into his stomach. 'Where were they! They shoulda been right behind him!' Just then something struck him in the back of the head and everything went black. > as life passes by > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Phlux's mind was fuzzy, he heard some talking and tried to make out the words. "One of the train's wheels flew a ways from the explosion and struck him in the head." He couldn't recognize the voice, but he definatly recognized the next one as his dad. "Well is he going to be okay? Is there something wrong with him?" He sounded frantic and scared. "Well... he's in a coma Mr.breezy." 'A what!!' Phlux panicked, he realized he couldn't move or even open his eyes. He could hear some sniffles, was his dad crying? "How long do you think it'll be until he wakes up?" "We don't know, he was hit pretty hard, it could be days, months, even years, its hard to tell. "Can he hear me?" Phlux wanted to shout out 'yes I can hear you! I'm fine!' But he couldn't even lift a hoof, not to mention he probably wasn't fine seeing as he was in a coma. "Yes, he should be able to hear you but he cant respond." "Nurse Redheart! Your needed in room 3." "I'm coming! I'll. Be back in about an hour." Phlux heard the door shut and all seemed to be quiet for the moment. Then he felt something on his legs, he could feel the silent sobs coming from his dad. "Well son, I'm not sure if you can hear me but nurse redheart said you could." Phlux heard his dad say between sniffles. "Why did this have to happen, out of all the trains, why did yours have to be the one that crashed." Phlux just stopped trying, he was in a coma and there was no getting out of it until his head said so. "Phlux, I know It hasn't exactly been easy since your mom died. I know this probably isn't what you want to hear right now but I know it's been taking a huge toll on you and me both. I have been trying to get a better job so we can move out of that cramped little shack and maybe even that nice house in ponyville. But life hasn't exactly been giving us a good hand. But as soon as you snap out of this coma we will move somewhere and start over completely new, maybe even start a new business, Breezy and son, how does that sound." There was a long silence, but Phlux could tell his dad had warmed up a bit. "Shit. I'm sorry Phlux, its just....its just me and you now, your all I have left, I don't want it to just be me." This was hard to listen to, but he couldn't do anything about it. After another long period of silence his dad spoke up again. "I thought I'd let you know too, you'll have to find out sooner or later and I'd rather it be sooner than later. Phlux....Tazz died in the crash." 'What! No! This couldn't be happening! Tazz was one of his closest friends. He cant be gone. No, this cant be happening.' it was killing him inside not to be able to say anything. "I'd rather not go into details, his funeral is tommorrow." 'No. No. No. No! NO! This cant be happening!' "I'm going to come by tommorrow evening to let you know how it went. I've gotta go now, sorry, but they wont let me stay in here with you tonight." He felt his dad get up and leave. 'No. What happened to Skrater. She's obviously still alive since his dad didn't say anything but he wanted to know what happened to her.' As soon as he heard the door shut the room was completely silent. The kind of silence that kills you inside. He felt completely and utterly alone. As time went on Phlux figured out that he was in a sleep like state, whenever something stimulated his brain, like sound or touch he was awake, kind of. But whenever it was completely silent, or nothing was going on, he went into a sleepllke state. So he had absoutly no concept of time. He heard the door open and close. "Phlux? Its me, I'm back, the funeral just ended. It was nice to know that Tazz can...sleep peacefully. I'm sorry I didn't get back sooner, but I had a long talk with Tazz's parents afterwords. Their really upset, it looked like they hadn't slept in a few days. But who can blame them, losing a son isn't easy. They wanted to know how you were doing. I told them about how you were in a coma." His dad sighed. "Sorry, I forgot to tell you about Skrater yesterday, shes alive." Phlux felt his heart lift a little bit. "She's in a coma too, she's just barley scraping by. Nurse Redheart said she probably wont survive." And just like that Phlux's heart dropped again. He didn't know how much more he could take. "I'm sorry" his dad barely whispered "I have to go now, its almost closing time, I might not be able to get hack here for a couple of days, I have to go do a job out of town." He heard the door slam shut. "Hey Phlux." He hadn't heard the door this time. His dad sounded tired. He had no idea how much time had passed. I just got back from the job so this might be a short visit." "Ive got a few job interveiws set up, I hope I don't mess them up. I want to be a little better off for when you wake up." "Well, ive gotta go, ive got a big day tommorrow." He heard his dad leave. "Guess what Phlux!" "I got a good job at a construction company. It definatly pays more than my last job. Man, maybe that nice house in ponyville isn't so far off after all. Sorry I haven't gotten in her much, my work usually works past visiting hours at the hospital. I gotta go now, I'm already here 10 minutes past closing. "Hey Phlux." His dad sounded really somber. "I'm sorry I haven't been here much, I wish I could be here on a better note but I'm not. Phlux...Skrater died yesterday. Ive been coming in and talking to her to, seeing as she doesn't have any parents. I'm sorry. I decided to pay for her funeral, it might set back getting the house for a bit, but its worth it." It hit phlux like a brick to the stomach. Just like that then, his freinds are gone, he felt like screaming. "Well I gotta go, its that time again, sorry I couldn't talk longer." He heard the door shut and all was silent. "Well Phlux, the funeral went better than expected, some pink pony got the entire town to come. I'm the only one who actually knew her though, I feel horrible. Well at least shes up there with Tazz, I was able to get her a grave next to Tazz's under the big willow tree in the cemetery. I don't want to end on a somber note though, it looks like that nice house in ponyville is going to happen. I'm going to be sent off to canterlot for about a month help put an addittion onto the castle. When I get back I might finally have enough to buy that house. Well, I'll see you in a month. Again he heard the door shut. He was really starting to hate that sound. "Well phlux, I'm back, I bought that house in ponyville, I'm going to be moving in this weekend." His dad sounded tired. "Shit, my head hurts really bad, I think I'm going to get some pain killers on my way out." Phlux heard the door slam shut again. "Well, I'm all moved in. I grabbed all your stuff and set up your room. Man, I just really wish you would wake up. I feel bad that life is looking up for us now and your stuck in a coma. Man my head hurts, its been hurting for almost a week now, I better set up an appointment with nurse redheart on my way out." "Well, I'll talk to you in a few days, gotta go out of town again." He heard the door shut. Phlux heard the door open and shut. No one said anything though. "Well phlux, I got my head checked out, I just got the results yesterday." There was a long silence. "Phlux...I have a brain tumor. I asked if there was any surgical proccedure or something, but they said it had grown to big for anything to work. I have a year at best." "I'm sorry, my head hurts really bad, I'm gonna go home and go to bed." The door slammed shut. Phlux didn't have time to think about what he just heard before the silence put him to sleep. "Hey, sorry I haven't come by much at all, my head just hurts so bad. That pink pony came by today, she was mad at me. She tried to throw me a party but my head hurt to bad to even leave the house. The construction company was nice enough to give me a week off with pay." "Well, my head hurts so I'm going to go home now, see ya." BAM! Phlux heard the door slam open. He heard somepony rolling something into the room. Then he heard some curtains being ruffled a bit then the door shut again and all was silent. "Hey Phlux." It sounded like his dad could barley talk. "Well look at this, after all this time getting every thing ready for when you wake up, I end up sitting in the same hospital room with you on my deathbed." His dad chuckled. "I guess life is funny that way." "Sorry I don't talk much phlux, it just hurts to do any thing really...well I'm gonna shut up and sleep now." "Shit, well I guess this is it then, its been a good run Phlux. I can feel it coming, it almost makes me feel calm. I only wish I would be able to see you wake up." A few seconds after his dad said that the machine that usually emits a steady beep went into a long drone. BAM! He heard the doors slam open along with a lot of shouting. "Charge them up! We're gonna shock him!" Phlux heard a high pitched electric sound. 'Please.' He thought. 'Don't let him die to.' "Clear!" Phlux heard a loud thud. "Shit, it didn't work, lets try one more time. C'mon charge em up!" He heard another high pitched electric sound. "Clear!" There was another thud, then silence except for the droning beep coming from the machine. "Sorry, it looks like we lost him." If it weren't for the fact of him being in a coma he'd probably be crying his eyes out. He heard them rolling something out of the room, then it was silent again. Phlux sat up sweating profusely, he ripped off the wires and looked around the room listening to the machine trying to tell him that his heart had stopped. It was dark out, he had no idea what time but he would guess past midnight. The room was slightly lit by the orange glow of an oil lamp burning by his bed. He heard hooves rushing down the hallway towards his room. Who he guessed was nurse redheart burst through the doors and stared at him "Your awake!" She said sounding really surprised. "How long have I been out." He asked looking down at the bed. "Almost 2 and a half years." She replied, she looked liked she was looking at a ghost. Her face softened up when she saw the tears running down his face. "Their all gone, aren't they." "I'm sorry." Was the only thing she said. > starting over > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Why.' That was all he could think about. He didn't know what to do, what are you supposed to do when you lose everything. He wasn't sure, if everypony he ever cared for is gone, who is he supposed to go to. Nurse redheart said he should sleep, but he couldn't, he had so many things in his mind he just couldn't figure out. 'Why, why me, I haven't done anything.' He hadn't done anything wrong, he was the kind of pony who tried to stay away from trouble. He just didn't know what to think. Eventually his thoughts drifted him off to sleep. He woke up sometime after noon, nurse redheart had said that just because he had been in a coma for two and a half years doesn't mean he wouldn't be tired. Apparently she was right. He sat up just as he heard hoofsteps coming towards his room. "Good, your awake." She came in with a tray of oatmeal. "You should eat, a feeding tube doesn't exactly taste as good as real food. Were gonna give you a full checkup and some tests and you should be out of here by this evening." "Where do I go." He asked looking down at the blankets. Her face softened a bit. "That's right, your dad bought a new house before he...." she trailed off not wanting to stir up emotions. "I'll get somepony from ponyville to show you where you live, I need to stay here since I have an appointment with a patient." "Nurse redheart! Your needed In room 5!" "Sorry I gotta run." She said running towards the door and calling back. "I'll have it all figured out by tonight!" Phlux sighed and stared at his oatmeal, he wasn't really hungry right now. The rest of the day was boring, he didn't mind though, it gave him some time to think. He wondered why there was a train on the same track as theirs, or maybe they were on the wrong track. Why didn't his friends jump with him, he couldn't stop feeling completely alone, even when nurse redheart was in there with him. He wasn't sure what he should do when he gets out either, he didn't really want to go back to his "home". When the tests were finally finished he sat in the hospital bed waiting for his results. Nurse redheart finally swung through the doors. "Well, from all the tests we ran, you should be fine to leave. Applejack should be here soon to show you to your house." She said, a smile on her face. "C'mon, lets go out to the waiting room and wait for her." Phlux swung his legs over the side of the bed and jumped down from the bed, collapsing almost as soon as he touched the floor. "Oops, sorry, let me help you up. I forgot you haven't walked for two and a half years." She said helping him up. His legs wobbled slightly as he made his way down the hall towards the waiting room, his legs gradually stopped wobbling. The waiting room was populated by only two ponies, the receptionist behind the counter and an orange pony wearing a fairly worn down stetson hat. "Well howdy nurse redheart." Applejack said tipping her hat in the nurses direction. "An I reckon this must be phlux." "Yes." Nurse redheart replied "Wait a minute..." applejack looked him over. "Do I know you." She was staring at him, looking him up and down. "You look very familiar..." Phlux was thinking the same thing, he just coouldnt put his hoof on it. "That's it!" Applejack said, a bit loud. "Yer the one that scared me during the running of the leaves a coupla years ago. Your the one who moved into that house?" "Uh...well, yeah?" Phlux said a bit surprised. "Huh, small world, ain't it. Well I guess we should go find that house a' yers." Phlux nodded and followed her out the double doors. It was nice and sunny outside, I light breeze ruffling the leaves in the trees on either side of them. Phlux was quiet, he hadn't realized how much he missed being outside. Apple jack seemed to notice. "Seems like yer enjoyin yerself a lot there." She said with a grin. Phlux blushed a bit and looked down at the dirt trail. There was a little bit of awkward silence before applejack broke it. "So, I gotta say, I'm a bit puzzled." She said looking at him. "Why do I hafta walk ya to yer house, ah mean, haven't ya been there before?" "Well, no I haven't actually." He said looking down at the dirt before looking back up. Applejack looked surprised. "How? Didn't you move in like, a year ago?" "Well...I guess you could say that, but if its all the same to you I'd. Rather not get into it right now. It's been a rather long day and its a rather long story." "Well a'right then." She said, a thoughtful look on her face. Probably trying to figure out what possible reason he could have for never being home for a year. The sun was starting to dip down over the horizen by the time they arrived at his house. He stared at it, it was nothing special just a two story house, maybe 6 or 7 rooms including the bathrooms. It looked just like all the other houses in ponyville. Applejack looked at him. "Well ain't ya gonna go in? Ya look mighty tired." Phlux looked up at the darkening sky, a faint breeze wafting through. He looked back at the house. "Nah, I think I'll stay here for a bit, its a nice night." Applejack looked at him funny. "Well a'right then, ah better be heading back, its getting late. But we gotta meet up again soon, I'd. Kinda like to know what you've been up to, its not every day a new neighbor shows up." Phlux thought about it, he didn't really know anyone, he could definatly use a friend right now. "Well g'night then." She said tipping her hat towards him before trotting away into the night. He looked up at the house again. He knew he should go inside and get some rest, but he couldn't, it just didn't feel right. He sat outside the small wooden fence that sat in the front yard. The house felt abandoned, like nopony had lived in it for a while. It felt lonely just sitting outside looking at it. He sat thee for a few more minutes before trotting off towards his old hut on the outskirts of ponyville hidden in the everfree forest. He made his way down the paths of ponyville, he wasn't quite sure where he was going, but if he could find the everfree forest then he could find his old hut. He stared ahead of him down the path illuminated with the soft glow of a few street lamps. He had no idea where he was heading, it was to late at night for him to ask directions from somepony. As he rounded another corner he saw a rather large tree house with a library sign above the door, he saw that there were a few lights on still, he decided to go ask directions. He made his way up to the door and knocked on the door a couple times. He heard some shuffling upstairs, after about a minute a fairly tired looking purple pony opened the door. She stared at him for a couple seconds looking completely out of it before shaking it off. "Ugh, sorry, ive been up reading, I wasn't expecting anypony, is there something you need?" She asked, slightly slurring her speech. She didn't sound irratated, just tired. "Um..yeah, sorry, I don't mean to bother you but I don't really know my way around here and I was wondering if you knew which way the everfree forest is..." he trailed off, she looked like she had completely zoned out. "Um...hello?" "Wah...oh, um, I'm sorry what was that, I uh, kinda zoned out." He chuckled slightly. "Yeah, I kinda noticed. Everfree forest? Do you know which way it is?" "Its uh.. that way." She pointed down one of the paths leading away from the library. "Wait wait, no, its that way." She said pointing down a different path shaking her head. "Sorry, I should probably go to bed, I'm gonna faint right here if I don't." He didn't get to say thank you before the door shut. He realized his spirits had lightened a little bit after talking to the rather out of it purple unicorn. He sighed as his world crashed down on him again and everything that had happened came right back into his head. He didn't know how long he would be able to take on life knowing everything was gone, his old life was now only existant in his head, but completely gone in the real world. He could feel it all, the pain was just to real, it was almost as if it was trapped inside him, he just couldn't get it out. The faint smile he had worn on his face was now gone, he lowered his head and made his way down the path the unicorn had pointed out. He trotted down the path trying not to think, as it started getting darker he realized thee were no more lamps. He looked up to see the everfree forest looming in front of him, then started trotting along the tree line in search of the path that lead to his hut. He stood there staring at his real home, a small thatch hut with three rooms, his, his dads and a kitchen/living area. He stared at his worn down home, it looked run down and forgotten, the steps leading up to the front door were leaning one way and not the roof was gone, probably torn off by a storm. It made him even more deppressed than he already was, this was his home, his life started here, all his foalhood memories, were here. Playing in the little creek that ran behind it, building forts out of all the sticks he could scrounge up, all those memories were here. He sighed and walked through the little stick fence he made when he was a foal. He realized he was really tired, he walked through the front door and up to the loft where he saw his cot sitting next to a small wooden table that served as a night stand. He layed down on his cot and stared at the stars. He sighed and rolled over to fall asleep, he felt better knowing he was in his real home. Sorry this chapter is a bit short, I decided to move some of it to the next chapter so I could get this one out a bit sooner. And just on a side note, I like criticism, good or bad. See a spelling error, go ahead and point it out. Think some parts just don't fit right, let me know, I will do better on the next chapter. Thanks