> Cold soup and warm bodies > by scooterdash > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Were we come in > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- One hundred and twenty three years, that's over one century, more than twelve decades, one thousand four hundred and seventy six months or forty four thousand nine hundred and twenty four days! thats! thats a long time… and still counting. I was barely a stallion when it happened, like literally, just before midnight on my birthday! Not that it was much of a birthday. I mean, getting drunk by myself and wandering the streets singing Happy Birthday to myself isn't much of a celebration as it is an attempt at mania. I have learnt a lot in this time though, experienced so much, seen so many sights and heard so many things. A new side of the world most don’t know while many don’t believe exists. Some consider it a curse, others a way of life. Me? Well it is a way of life, it is my life. Much better than my days of eating leftover dinner from two nights ago, getting walked over by my boss and his snotty nosed son and having to do ‘extra stuff’ for my landlord just to keep my crappy one room apartment with a busted sink, broken toilet, leaking shower, crap lighting, bucked up stove.. for bucks sake! How can a door cause so much trouble!? But all that's gone now, I live wherever I please, work for whomever I want and nopony walks over me, if they try to? I usually end up stepping over them. Oh! and friends.. well acquaintances, I take what I can get. Not too many ponies like to stay awake the hours I like or eat the food I eat or play the games I play. Thank Luna she has a soft spot for us, not all that evil is gone from her thank the moon. She has enough left in her to turn a blind eye on us and instruct her guards to ignore us. I can still remember the day th… “Oii feather brain you listening to me?” “Huh, what sorry?” Can’t a guy think without somepony always butting in? “You really got to stop doing that man, its one thing to get lost in your head, but really? During dinner?” Maria is one such acquaintance. We have known each other for a three years now. travelling around and getting by. “Meh, it's already cold, I'll just grab one later” I'm not a fan of cold soup. or anything cold or left over. “You can’t do that around here, its a much smaller town, the Elements are right around here as well. Only so many can ‘wander off’ into the Everfree forest before it starts to look bad.” “What are we even doing here? I mean, like you said, the Elements are here, why would we be hiding amongst the home of the Bearers of all places?” There's that look again, so disappointed yet concerned, I mean she has told me a hundred times but com..” “I have told you a hundred times by now! Fillydelphia is on alert and Luna doesn't like us to close to home, Ponyville is a nice pit stop ‘till we head to Las Pegasus.” “Gonna be a dry trip” I sigh, “It was bad enough when we got stuck outside of the Crystal Empire and had to make it back to hollow shades.” “Yeh that was a bucked up idea, who knew that the Empire’s shield thing worked on us anyway? I mean, I get the whole shadow magic defence thingy idea, but come on.” “Oh well, what are you gonna do? Just gotta keep moving, I hear the night life in Las Pegasus is really good though. Nice and busy.” “That's the whole point. Any way, I'm gonna find something to do, wanna join?” She always asks that, always punctuated with the same wink… yet every time I turn it down with the same… “Nah I'm good, just going to take a fly” or a walk, or just sit here and stare at the broken old table and rusted fire poker set. “Sure, ok. See ya later” And with that she's gone in a cloudy proof of her horn. Always been one for a quick exit. Never waiting or hesitating. I'm left alone in our little home for our stay here in Ponyville. The air is cool tonight, sweet with the smell of wet grass, mice run in and out of boxes and bags scattered against the wall is a game of love while the wind rustles leaves and carries the sound of laughter. I stare up at the soft silver moonlight which breaks through the tile roof. Reminding me to cover up the gaps. We have claimed this old shack as our home for our stay. crumbling brick walls keep us hidden from Ponyville residents. The old busted furniture acts as our decour as does the rubbish and graffiti. I have stayed in much nicer places, this is simply an unplanned safe house while we rest for the four night walk to Las Pegasus and Apple Wood. Trains would be much easier but they don’t run at night and we have a strict sleeping schedule. I start to think about my life again when a cold red liquid reaches my hoof, breaking me from my thoughts. “Guess I better take you out, no point leaving you here longer than needed.” I climb to my hoofs and grab the cold green hoof in my mouth while I swing the body on to my back in one well practised move, it falls limply against me is weigh unnoticed by me as I trot out side and am bathed in the silver light of the moon. As I make my way for the thick forest. The moisture on the grass scrubs at my bloody hoof leaving it clean and cold as my other three also dampen. “Now where's that timberwolves den?” I struggle to find the scent at first but finally pick up the smell of sap and leaves. Making my way through the dark forest I pass a few uninterested creatures. As I come to a cockatrice I bare my fangs and we respectively ignore each other as I continue my chore. “Here you go guys, another one. Sorry if its a bit cold.” Tossing the body at the trunk of a tree, I see some jaws assemble from sticks and twigs as they bare down on the soft flesh of the mostly drained mare. With nothing more to say, I depart, leaving them with their snack.