Chapters Aaargh… Celestia what did I fall on… I can’t move. The pain in my left front leg and my left wing is unbearable. Alright let’s assess the damage here. Broken left leg and wing as assumed. Not that I need my wing. I should put it in a sling anyways, along with my leg. Okay. Where am I. Trees growing wild and unknown animals. I’m in the Everfree forest. Well, it’s better than Cloudsdale. I will finally get my relief. You aren’t dead are you Frost. Okay then. Alright get up. You know that Ponyville is nearby. Let’s see if you can get there without bucking yourself up. The sun looks like its setting so that means Ponyville is north. The only question is how you ended up from Cloudsdale to the Everfree forest. Maybe somepony else in Cloudsdale will start telling the story and it will catch wind down in Ponyville. Cuz’ I don’t want to ever go back to that place. I’m ashamed to have ever lived there. Let’s focus. Maybe there are some vines and twigs you can put your wing and leg in a sling with. We will look for that on the way. It will be night soon so you should get going.
So as Frost slowly trotted through the dark Everfree forest he picked up a couple of things to make use of. He made up for all the time he had lost sleeping. Not knowing how long he had slept he assumed that it had been at least seven hours. So he trotted through the night for seven hours then stopped to rest.
I think it’s been seven hours. The moon can’t tell me anything. Hey is that Ponyville over there? Looks like it. I should be able to get there in the morning. I will see if anypony else can give me some proper bandages. Then I will just live here on the outskirts of Ponyville or in the Everfree forest. Sounds like a good plan. Alright. The wing looks a little bit better and so does the leg. You knew they would start swelling so this means nothing bad is happening. I hope.
There was some slight rustling in the shrubs and bushes nearby. Frost shouted, “Hey, what are you doing out there?”
There was some more rustling among the wildlife but this time closer. “Who’s out there?”
As Frost said this, a Timberwolf jumped from the bushes out at him. “Oh, hey there. Hope you don’t mind if I rest here for the night.”
The Timberwolf snarled and screeched in a shrill voice. “So you wanna dance?” Frost asked sarcastically. “Let’s dance.”
Autumn Frost lunged out at his opponent whose head fell completely off when he hit the creature. “Yeah that’s right. You can’t do anything can you?”
The Timberwolf then assembled its head back to its own body which had previously fallen to pieces. “We’re gonna play that game are we? Alright let’s do it.”
His adversary swiped wildly at Frost which he managed to just dodge, but was scratched slightly just across his right eye. Frost stumbled. The Timberwolf saw this as an opportunity and bit him on the back.
“Oww! You mother bucker.”
With that Frost’s eyes started becoming wet with blood from the cut. He turned and galloped as fast as his working legs would take him. The Timberwolf quickly gave chase after the wounded pony. Frost dodged trees, bushes, shrubs, vines, and all the other wildlife of the Everfree forest. The Timberwolf was just behind him nipping at his hind legs, hoping to have his prized midnight snack. Frost was always fast in his school. After galloping for at least thirty minutes Autumn finally found the opening leading to the outskirts of Ponyville. And to his luck there was a small cottage nearby. Frost ran up to the door and started banging furiously. Birds flew out of the chimney and rabbits and mice from beneath the cottage. The door opened slowly to find a yellow coated mare with a flowy mane that was a gentle pink and cyan eyes. Before the mare could even say hello Frost rushed past her and slammed the door behind her.
“Oh um, you can come in if you’d like.” the yellow mare said shyly.
“I am so sorry. I didn't mean to wake you or anything I just need to hide.” blurted Autumn.
“Oh goodness, you’re bleeding badly. What happened?”
“It’s a long story. I will tell you the whole thing later. The gist of it is there was a Timberwolf chasing after me.” With that the Timberwolf started to loudly claw at the door.
“Oh my. We should probably fly away from this house. We can go to my friend’s house to stay there until the Timberwolf goes away. Um if that’s okay with you though.”
Frost showed the mare her wing and her leg.
“Goodness what happened?”
“I’ll tell you later. You said something about a friend?”
“Yes. My friend the librarian is really good with magic. She might be able to defeat the Timberwolf or drive it back into the Everfree forest.”
“Yes please go get her. I would come with you but my wings hold me back.”
“Yeah I’ll do that. You can stay here if you would like. But before I go we should really patch up your back and your eye.” Not realizing it, Frost was bleeding badly and there was a small pool of blood where she was standing.
“Oh gosh I’m sorry about all this,” said Frost politely.
“No-no, none of this is any of your fault at all. I am glad to help a friend in need.” The mare trotted to her medical supply cabinet and took out some gauze for his back and some small bandages for his eye.
“Thanks I really do appreciate all you’re doing fo – wait. Y-you said f-friend?” stuttered Frost.
“Of course. I love making new friends and you’re one of them.” She started placing the bandages on the frozen pony.
“I've never had a friend before.”
“Oh don’t be silly Everypony has at least one friend. I am sure you have many. From what I know, you seem like a nice pony to be around.”
Frost grabbed the yellow pony with her hooves, looked her right in the eyes, and said, “I have never had a friend in my entire life. I usually keep to myself. I don’t like to be teased. Nopony likes to be teased.” Then Frost started sobbing deeply into the mare’s shoulders. The scratching at the door has stopped and nothing could be heard outside.
“It’s okay. You have a friend now. I will be here for you.”
The faint blue coated colt looked up with tears and blood dribbling down his cheeks. “Do you – do you promise me that you will always be my fre - friend?” Frost managed to spurt out between sobs.
The mare could tell that this was a hard time for this pony. “Yes. I promise I will always be your friend.”
“Oh thank you! Thank you so much!”
All was quiet save for Frost’s crying.
“I don’t think I hear the Timberwolf anymore. I will look out the window to check.” With her mane flowing so gently she pulled back the curtains and saw the Timberwolf look right back at her. The Timberwolf charged the figure in the window still feeling hungry, crashed through the window with glass flying everywhere, and pinned his prey to the ground. At this Frost became furious. At full speed he rushed the Timberwolf and pinned it to the ground releasing the grip of the Timberwolf from his new friend.
Frost started pounding her one good hoof into the wooden creature who had threatened her friend’s life while screaming, “YOU WILL NEVER HURT MY FRIEND! NOTHING WILL EVER HURT MY FRIEND!” Repeatedly beating the Timberwolves head with his eyes closed he shouted, “NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER!” The Timberwolves eyes slowly started to fade away and it became less and less frantic to escape the ponies grip. The Timberwolves head gave way and bashed in. “NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER!” he repeated.
The mare rushed over to the angry pony and shouted, “STOP! The Timberwolf is dead! I’m okay.”
Frost shuttered, opened his eyes and looked down at the remains of the Timberwolf he killed.
They both just stared at each other for a moment. Then the yellow coated mare with the gently flowing mane and cyan colored eyes said, “It’s gonna be okay. I am fine. Are you okay?”
With that Frost nervously said, “Never better.”
“I never was able to properly introduce myself. I’m Fluttershy.”
Frost stood silent keeping Fluttershy’s gaze.
“What is your name?” spoke Fluttershy.
“I – I’m Autumn Frost,” he stuttered.
“You have a beautiful name Autumn Frost.”
“T-Thank you, F-Fluttershy. You do as well.”
“Please come with me, you need some rest.” Fluttershy then took Frost upstairs to her bedroom.
“O-Okay Fluttershy.”
“You can sleep in my bed tonight. I don’t mind sleeping in the guest room.” She tucked in Autumn Frost and hugged her gingerly.
“Thank you Fluttershy.”
“Goodnight, friend.”
“Goodnight. Goodnight friend,” replied Frost. Then Fluttershy shut the door, quietly trotted downstairs, and went to bed leaving the mess for tomorrow.
When Frost awoke he was greeted with chirping birds and a smiling pink face at the edge of the bed.
“Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie! What’s your name?” said the pink face.
“Umm, I am Autumn Frost. Where is Fluttershy?”
“You know Fluttershy. Well you should know Fluttershy since you’re sleeping in her bed that’s in her room that’s in her attic that’s in her house. I mean duh. Next time use your head Pinkie.”
A voice from across the room called to the pink pony saying “Let the pony have a little bit of space Pinkie. She only just woke up and all.”
Frost sat up in bloody bed sheets and saw four ponies in the room all looking back at her curiously. “Who are you all?”
“Well Autumn Frost if you must know we are Fluttershy’s friends.” Pointing to the rest of the ponies in the room including herself she said, “You’ve already met Pinkie, I am Applejack, this is Rarity, and this here is Rainbow Dash.”
“Nice to meet you all.” Looking closer at the rainbow maned pony she noticed her from Cloudsdale and said, “Hey I know you. You’re the pony who did the Sonic Rainboom.”
“The one and only. I also did it when I was a filly too,” said Rainbow Dash.
“Now Rainbow, there is no need to boast,” said Rarity.
“Hey, she’s the one who asked me.”
“Actually, for clarification, I am a colt,” interrupted Autumn Frost.
“Oh,” said Rainbow Dash surprised.
“You’re a colt?” said Rarity. Frost gave her a nod. “I don’t mean to offend you dearie, but you just look sooooooo. How do I put this lightly? Feminine.”
“Don’t worry. I have been teased for that a lot with the whole long mane put back in a bandana and wearing my tail girly and the girly voice. I was built to look feminine. I don’t care if you think of me as a mare or not.”
“Phew. Goodness that is a relief. I’m sorry that you have been bullied for being feminine Autumn Frost,” said Rarity sympathetically.
“Oh don’t worry about it. And call me Frost from now on.”
“No problem Sugarcube,” said Applejack.
“So where is Fluttershy?” Frost asked.
“I’m downstairs making breakfast,” called Fluttershy.
“Okay,” confirmed Frost.
“So Frost, where you livin these days,” said Rainbow.
“Umm, no place,” replied Frost.
“You don’t have a home?” questioned Rarity.
“Dontcha have parents that look after you?” Applejack added.
“Pff. My parents don’t give two feathers about me. All I know about them is that my dad was a Pegasus and my mom was an Earth Pony. Nuttin else,” replied Frost grimly.
“Well I insist that you stay with one of us because I refuse to let you live on the streets,” affirmed Rarity.
“No I should be fine just living in some of the trees in the Everfree forest. But thank you for the offer,” said Frost.
“We do appreciate the manners and all but that wasn’t’ an offer Sugarcube,” said AJ.
“Yeah sorry but that is a no can do with me. Any friend of mine, especially one without a home, deserves all the love and care we can give you,” confirmed Pinkie.
“You girls are my friends too?” Frost asked shocked by the Pink pony.
“Well duh. Why do you think we are all here? Fluttershy told us all about what happened two nights ago,” said Pinkie Pie.
“I am so happy that the four of you can all be my friends. You see I have never had any friends before Fluttershy came along, and now you guys too. I am just so happy to have friends,” Frost said starting to get tears in her eyes.
“Hey Sugarcube there is no need to get all huss and fuss about it. We’re here now. That’s all that matters,” said Applejack comfortingly.
“Umm Applejack, I think you’re missing just one pony from this picture,” added Rainbow Dash. As if on cue, that pony knocked on the door.
“Coming.” Fluttershy called and she opened the door to let the purple coated pony inside.
“Sorry I’m late girls. Royal duty calls,” said the pony while trotting up the stairs.
“Oh that’s quite alright Twilight. Our new friend Frost was just telling us about her – Oh, I’m sorry, his experiences before he met us,” said Rarity casually.
“Your friends with the Princess?” asked Frost aloud.
“Well yeah. We’ve all been friends with her before she became the Princess. We’ve known each other for quite some time now,” replied Pinkie.
“And that doesn’t only mean that we are her friends. You are too,” said Rainbow Dash.
“I… I don’t know what to say. I would be honored to be your friend Princess Twilight Sparkle,” said Autumn Frost as eloquently as she could.
“No-No the pleasure is all mine Autumn Frost,” replied Twilight.
“Hey! Now that we are all friends why don’t we all have a slumber party tonight at Twilight’s?” suggested Pinkie. “That way we can get to know Frost better.”
“That sounds like a mighty fine idea Pinkie. Count me in,” said Applejack.
“Yeah I’m down for a sleepover at Twilight’s place,” added Rainbow Dash.
“Oh I don’t know girls, it might be tight for me to do this because I have to do a ton of dresses for Hoity Toity and I don’t know if I would have time to cram it all in,” said Rarity doubtfully.
“Oh come on now Rarity don’t be such a party pooper,” said Pinkie Pie.
“Yeah Rare, don’t let us gals down on this,” added Rainbow Dash.
“Oh. You know what. I am going to tell Hoity Toity that he might just have to find somepony else to make his dresses. Nothing is more important than my friends,” said Rarity triumphantly.
“Alright then. Good. Twi is this all gonna be alright with you?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“Yeah I have no problems with hosting a slumber party,” replied Twilight.
“I will definitely come to the sleepover too,” said Fluttershy while holding out a platter full of food for Everypony.
“So that only leaves one more pony,” said Pinkie taking a sunflower and spinach sandwich and two chocolate chip cookies while looking at Frost.
“Yeah sure. I have never been to a slumber party before though so don’t leave me in the dust on it,” replied Frost.
“Don’t worry; I have a book on slumber parties so we can go by that too,” said Twilight.
“Twilight, you have a book on just about everything don’t you?” joked Rainbow.
“Yeah I guess your right on that,” Twilight said. And they all ate their breakfast and laughed together with smiles on their faces.
At around dusk Fluttershy and Autumn Frost started walking to Twilight Sparkle’s house with sleeping bags, smores supplies, and Frost’s life story. When they arrived everypony welcomed them with a high hoof or a hug, and from Pinkie they got both. Frost set up his sleeping bag across from Fluttershy’s, next to Applejack’s and Rainbow Dash’s.
“Alright so let’s see what the book says,” said Twilight.
“Ugh, Twilight we didn’t mean literally use the book,” said Rainbow Dash.
“Well fine Dash, be that way. We will use it later,” Twilight replied.
“Alright. So Frost, tell us a little about yourself,” said Dash.
“What’s there to tell? I was born and left on a doorstep to be eaten up by the rest of Equestria,” replied Frost.
“Oh come on now darling I didn’t ditch Hoity Toity’s dresses for that. There has to be more,” Rarity said.
“Yeah we gals want to know what our other gal’s life was like,” added Pinkie.
“Okay fine. But I warn you, the story of my life so far is pretty sad. Are you sure you all want to hear it?” Frost asked.
They all nodded in unison at Frost, ready to hear the story.
“Alright then. So here goes… After being born in Cloudsdale I was left on the doorstep of somepony’s house screeching and crying. The pony that lived in the house could clearly hear me but didn’t bother coming to see what it was about. Not until the morning when I was covered in leaves in my carriage did he bother to even look outside. Picked up the carriage and took me to an orphanage where I was again being left on a doorstep. The orphanage took me in and I was raised there until about a year before I was able to attend the Cloudsdale Academy for Special Pegasus. That’s when I ran away. The way I was treated there wasn’t right. It felt like I wasn’t supposed to be there. They didn’t even bother looking for me. Not a single feather was lifted. I lived on the streets until I could attend school. I lied about registering there because I thought I could become something better than what I was. I got good grades, especially in my writing classes. I always had an A in there. I was more of the quiet type until you all came along. But word was getting around that I had no home. Rumors started spreading. Whether they were factual or not everypony believed them. I was never really picked on until the beginning of autumn, when one pony started to call me names and tease me for where I lived or for whom I was. For how I wore my hair or the way I talked. There was always something. Then everypony else chimed in and started to do it too. It lasted until the end of the season. I had just about had it with everypony making fun of me. So instead of asking them to stop or telling a teacher I took matters into my own hooves. I went to the pony that started it all and I broke his nose without saying anything to him or giving him a warning. That’s when all of the bullying stopped. Until next year when it started up again around fall. But whenever I would get close to anypony they would stop and leave me alone. They knew what was coming. Then the teasing would stop at the beginning of winter again. So the cycle repeated. I would be teased and mocked only during the season of autumn. That is why I prefer to be called Frost. Up until this year I haven’t found my place in the world because I haven’t my Cutie Mark yet. I am also the only Pegasus Pony in Cloudsdale who can’t fly. I know I am strong enough and my wings are big enough but I just don’t really know how. So up until two days ago I could walk on the clouds like a normal Pegasus can right. I started to sink through the clouds. I fell through them and not one pony around me dared to help. I could see them all staring down at me as I fell. I was calm and figured it was my time to leave Equestria anyways. So I waited to hit the ground, and die. I don’t know how I lived but at the time I wish I hadn’t. That is also how I broke my left front leg and my left wing. I got up and started trotting to where I thought Ponyville was to get help from a hospital, then move on. I trotted from about sunset to two thirty and saw Ponyville from where I thought I could rest. I heard something in the bushes and the Timberwolf I later killed chased me. At the time I thought I could take it on. So I ran to Ponyville as fast I could and ended up at Fluttershy’s cottage. You all know what comes next so that’s my story.”
Everypony was silent. The sun had fallen already and it was almost completely dark. Finally Twilight spoke up and said, “I didn’t think that your life was that grim. I mean I think that we are all at a loss for words except for I am sorry that this happened to you.”
“Hey don’t you girls worry about it. We should all get along fine and I feel better now that I am with you,” Frost said reassuring his friends. At that moment his stomach did a flip and he immediately felt sick. The girls all watched it hit him.
“Here I will show you to the bathroom.” Rainbow said. She quickly led him over to the bathroom, closed the door, and then Frost started to violently vomit into the toilet.
Comfortingly, Rainbow said, “Hey it’s gonna be okay now. Your friends are here to help you through this.” It went on for about five minutes before Applejack went to check on him.
“Sugarcube, listen. We all love you very much but you gotta calm down. Your scarin everypony out there makin us think that somethin’s wrong. Come on now. Clear up.” With Applejack having said that, Frost threw up three more times and then cleaned himself up. Frost was very pale when he left the bathroom with Applejack and Rainbow Dash helping him trot back to his sleeping bag. They all sat down and said nothing.
Then Fluttershy spoke up and said, “Maybe it’s about time we get some sleep.”
“Yeah I think your right about that Fluttershy,” Rarity confirmed. And with that said they all wished each other goodnight and fell asleep in there sleeping bags.
Frost shot up from his sleeping bag and immediately stumbled to the bathroom. Suddenly in the toilet he thought he saw his heart from the dream, still beating rapidly. He screamed and then vomited into it. The Alicorn was quickly by the young colt’s side. “We sent Fluttershy out to get some ponies to take you to the hospital. Are you okay?” Twilight asked.
Frost looked over at her and shouted, “STAY AWAY FROM ME!”
“It’s okay. I’m here to help you through this.”
“I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE! YOU-YOU-YOU-Y-Y!” Frost stammered and then vomited painfully.
“Whatever dream you had isn’t real. It’s okay. I am not going to hurt you. Just please calm down,” assured Twilight.
Frost felt the love and care that came from this pony in her words and in her heart. He then noticed everypony except Fluttershy at the door behind her. “Okay I believe you,” he managed to say.
“Oh Celestia thank you. Frost some people from the hospital will be here soon to help you. We will all come with you to make sure you’re okay,” said the relieved Alicorn.
“O-okay Twilight,” he said as he felt the urge to vomit again.
“It’s gonna be okay Frost. We’ve got your hindquarters covered,” said Applejack.
Frost let what was left on the inside of his stomach be relieved into the toilet he hung over and stuttered, “N-no that’s okay. I-I think I did that w-with my puke.”
They all chuckled nervously at the joke hoping that there new friend would be okay.
“Alright Frost the nurse said that what you have is just an allergy but she doesn’t know what from. Can you tell us what you ate for lunch yesterday?” asked Twilight.
“I um, I think Fluttershy and I went out to lunch and I had a thorn-less red rose sandwich with fresh lettuce leaves. I know I am not allergic to lettuce leaves but I have never had a rose with the stem still on it,” replied Frost nervously.
“Well then that’s it,” said the nurse. “A lot of ponies are allergic to rose stems. But this is a little different because very few ponies get that sick from it. Usually it is just the hives or inflation of the neck, or just a lot of sneezing. But at least you’re here now at the hospital.”
“Yeah. Heh-heh. I will be sure to stay away from those too. Am I still able to eat rose leaves though?” asked the sticky vomit covered colt, concerned if whether his favorite food will be a hazard to him.
“Yes-yes you should be fine on being able to eat the rose leaves. Most ponies can so it would not be a problem for you if you've had them before,” replied the nurse informatively.
“Oh thank you nurse Red Heart very much for all your help. I think we should be fine now,” said Twilight Sparkle.
“Well your most certainly welcome,” replied nurse Red Heart. She walked out of the single patient room and closed the door behind her.
“So Frost. Could you do us the favor of telling us why you were so scared to see Twilight earlier?” asked Rarity.
Frost sighed and explained, “I was scared of her because I had a dream about puking my heart out of my throat while Twilight soullessly watched me. She didn’t do anything to help. She just stared at me with a blank expression. Her eyes rolled back in her head. Smiling ear to ear. Like she would just be ready to kill me at any moment. I couldn’t tell if a couple hours ago, when you all saw me run to the bathroom, were real or not so I took the extra precaution of threatening her. Twilight you understand right? I don’t ever want to hurt my friends. My friends mean the most to me.”
“I understand Frost and its okay. As long as you’re okay I am okay,” assured Twilight.
“But it’s not okay Twilight. If you didn’t react the way you did and handled the situation with such care… I might have killed one of my first friends,” Frost said surprised with even himself.
“Wow… Frost… I-I didn’t know,” Twilight replied shocked.
“Is there something wrong with me? I don’t want my only friends to live in fear of me,” stated Frost.
“We don’t know if anything is wrong with you Frost, but we will find out what it is together. Right girls!?” shouted Rainbow Dash.
“Right!” they all shouted back in unison save Fluttershy and her quiet voice.
“Thanks girls. I really appreciate all your help. I guess this is what friends are like,” Frost said. And with that he got out of the hospital bed, limped to the bathroom, lifted the toilet lid with his casted leg, and vomited again.
Two ponies trotted down the halls of a hospital to the check-out desk. “With the medical expenses the total will be two hundred and fourteen bits,” spoke the older mare behind the check-in check-out desk.
“TWO HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN BITS?! I DON’T EVEN HAVE FOURTEEN BITS!” Frost repeated.
“Don’t worry about it Frost. I will pay for you,” Twilight said levitating her burlap sack and dumping out the right amount of bits. “Here you go ma’am.”
“Thank you and have a nice day,” said the mare.
“You too,” replied Twilight and Frost. The two friends opened the doors and began to trot to the library across town.
“You know that you didn’t have to do that right?” said Frost.
“Yes I did Frost. I don’t leave my friends behind. And that means you too,” Twilight replied.
“No you didn’t. I could have paid off the debt in no time.”
“Don’t lie Frost, you would have been paying off that debt for years and you know it.”
It was quiet for a short time.
Then Frost said, “Yeah. I guess your right Twilight. I am sorry I lied to you.”
“That’s alright Frost, just please tell the truth.”
“Alright Twilight.”
They arrived at Twilight’s house and Spike opened the door. “Who is this Twilight?” the baby dragon asked.
“I am Autumn Frost, but you can just call me Frost,” he replied.
“Wow that is a pretty cool name. I’m Spike. But you can just call me… um… well Spike,” he said. They all giggled at Spike’s joke. “So you’re going to be staying with us for a while?” asked Spike.
“Yeah I guess. Is that what Twi here told you?”
“Well yeah, she didn’t tell you that?”
Twilight looked down at her hooves smiling. “I thought it could be a surprise. Surprise.”
Then Pinkie jumped through the window and shouted, “DID SOMEPONY SAY SURPRISE?! THIS CALLS FOR A SURPRISE PARTY!” She started shooting her party cannon all over the place. “PAAAAARRRTTTTAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!”
“PINKIE!” Twilight screamed and the Pink Party Pony asked, “What is it Twilight?”
“Remember when we just got home FROM THE HOSPITAL?!” screeched Twilight.
“Oh yeah. Sorry Frost.” And with that she took her party cannon and left.
“Pinkie is always doing something crazy so don’t worry.” Twilight said to Frost.
“Heh. Yeah,” said Frost grimly.
“Hey what’s the matter Frost? It seems like there is something wrong.”
“It’s nothing. Heh, I just bet you I could top her on the crazy bar.”
There was a now odd silence that filled the room and the air within it.
Finally Twilight suggested, “Hey Spike you wanna see if you can go over to Pinkie’s place tonight? I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”
“Yeah sure. I have always wanted to make a gemstone cake and I have been saving up.”
“Oh good I will see if she can come and get you.”
Pinkie Pie popped her head up through the window and said, “Come on Spike let’s go.”
Confused but happy, Spike grabbed his sack of gems and went with Pinkie Pie to Sugarcube Corner.
After the door shut Twilight asked, “So don’t you want to see where you will be staying?”
“Sure.”
Twilight led Frost to her old office space where there was now a bed and a nightstand with a candle on top of it. “I know it isn’t much but at least it’s something.”
“No it is fine Twilight thank you,” Frost said in a dull tone.
Twilight sat down on the bed and said, “Frost sit down next to me.”
“What’s wrong Twilight,” said Frost in the same dull tone.
“You seem sad about something. What is the matter?”
Frost sighed and then explained, “I almost killed you this morning that is what the matter is. I was puking all over myself in my sleep. The dream I had. Dreaming about you getting ready to kill me. Your eyes rolled back in your head and your body partly decaying. Blood where holes were. The smile you had on your face. It didn’t speak but I knew that it was the smile of a psychopathic killer. That dream isn’t what I picture you as. You’re a loving friend.”
“Well it’s okay now because I would never kill anypony. Especially not you.”
“I don’t know how I am supposed to feel about this. I don’t know how to react to it.”
“Please don’t feel frightened by me. I am here to love and care for you.”
“Okay Twilight. I belie” Frost paused mid-sentence and felt something hit him hard in the back of his mind. It wanted to get to the front immediately. He collapsed on the ground in pain and knew that he had to get Twilight out of the area and get help.
“Oh my Frost are you alright?!” Twilight shouted.
“TWILIGHT, GO GET HELP FROM SOMEPONY! I DON’T KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT PLEASE I NEED HELP BEFORE I HURT YOU!” screeched Frost as he then vomited on the floor.
“Are you sure Frost I can help?” she replied frantic.
“GET THE HAY OUT NOW!”
Twilight rushed out of the room slamming all the doors and locking them behind her. When she was out of the house she looked up at the window of the room Frost was in and was surprised to see him smiling back at her. Beginning to feel relieved she started to trot back into the house. But staring at Frost she noticed something was off. She noticed Frost’s eyes were rolled back just how he had described it to her.
Twilight knocked on the door of Rarity’s boutique very frantic. Rarity opened the door and asked, “Oh hello Twilight, is there something I can help you with?”
Twilight hesitated then said, “It’s Frost, he needs help. You go get Fluttershy and I will get Applejack and Rainbow. Leave Pinkie alone because she is watching Spike for the night.”
“Okay Twilight. I will meet you back at your house with Fluttershy,” replied Rarity prepared to gallop instead of relax.
Twilight was already on her way to where she thought Rainbow Dash was around this time. The park taking a nap.
In less than a few minutes she was at Rainbow Dash’s side waking her from a tree branch. “Rainbow Dash get up. We need to help Frost.”
“Alright where is he?” she asked drearily.
“At my house but you need to go get Applejack and meet me there.”
“Got it,” said the multi-colored Pegasus Pony as she blasted off towards Sweet Apple Acres with a small rainbow following her tail.
Twilight flapped her wings a couple of times, rose into the air, and headed back to her house. I really hope he is okay. Is he psychopathic? Will I be able to help him out of this phase or is he permanently stuck like this if there is something wrong in the first place? I want answers. I made a promise to always be his friend and never let him go. By this time Twilight was at the doorstep of her house and nopony was waiting for her yet.
She unlocked the door and opened it slowly. “Hello? Frost are you okay?”
Frost was sitting across the room with his mane hanging over his head. He looked up slowly with a butcher’s knife held in his mouth, smiling ear to ear, and eyes rolled back in his head. “Oh Twilight, I could never be better since my friend is here.” He said happily under the knife.
“Well t-t-that’s good Frost, but what are you doing with a kn-knife?” Twilight said trying to match the tone of Frost.
“Oh this? I was waiting for you to get home so we could bake a cake together,” replied Frost. His eyes started to twitch and he began to trudge towards Twilight limping with his left front leg being in a cast.
Twilight panicked and started backing up towards the door not wanting to hurt her friend. The door opened and Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity where behind it. Rainbow Dash yelled, “FROST STAY AWAY FROM TWILIGHT! YOU NEED TO SNAP OUT OF THIS!”
“Snap out of what Rainbow Dash? I just wanted to bake a cake with my friend. Would you like to help us?” he replied maniacally, still holding the knife and the creepy smile.
At this Rainbow Dash charged Frost at full speed. Frost spun around just as Dash was about to ram him, and slightly cut into her flank in the process. Frost licked some of the blood from the knife and said, “Dash I didn’t know that your blood could taste this good. May I have some more please?”
Rainbow Dash growing tears in her eyes shouted across the room, “WE HAVE TO GET THIS UNDER CONTROL!”
“YOU THINK RAINBOW!” Rarity shouted back frightened.
Rainbow Dash flew over Frost and he called out to her, “Now that isn’t very fair Dash. You know I can’t fly.” Some of the blood trickled down her leg and onto the floor and Frost caught it on his tongue as if it were a snowflake.
Rainbow Dash landed next to the Princess and asked, “Has he been like this since you got here?”
“Yeah. I have to find a book to help us understand what is going on with him. Do you think you can distract him while I try to find one?” Twilight replied.
“It might be difficult, but ah think we can do that for ya,” said Applejack.
“Okay so how do you suggest we distract him?” asked Rarity.
“Maybe we can pin im’ to the ground,” suggested Applejack.
“That sounds like the plan we need. If Twilight can find a spell then it will be a lot easier to cast it,” said Rainbow Dash.
“Alright so we’re gonna pin Frost to the ground b’fore he can hurt anypony else,” confirmed Applejack.
“Hey girls, I have an idea. Why don’t we play tag? I’ll be the tagger,” said Frost. He dropped the knife from his mouth, charged Applejack, hit her hard in the ribs with his right hoof making her fall over in pain and shouted, “Tag your it AJ!” then ran upstairs to his room.
“Okay,” the farm pony grunted, “Now we have a way to charge him without getting angry with us.” The ponies went upstairs to where Frost was and saw him waiting for them patiently in the pool of his vomit from earlier. Applejack charged Frost but he jumped over her and ran for the door. Applejack skid to a halt and ran back for the white eyed pony. Frost was about to get out of the room when Rainbow Dash rammed him into the wall making him fall down. Then the both of them jumped on top of Frost and pinned him to the ground.
“Oh dear, Twilight hurry up with that book!” Rarity called downstairs.
“I am doing the best I can Rarity!” Twilight called back.
“Yeah well you better hurry it up cuz he’s a lot stronger than he looks,” added Dash.
“I don’t think this is how we are supposed to play the game,” suggested Frost.
“Don’t worry Frost. Twilight will find a way to get you out of this. Won’t you Twilight?” asked Rarity standing over the smiling pony.”
“I found the book. It’s called Unusual Behavior and How to Fix it,” replied Twilight rushing into the room. She levitated the book in front of her and looked for the page that told her how to sedate psychopathic behaviors with a spell. “Here it is. Okay this spell will tell me how long we have until we lose him in his psychopathic state.” She closed her eyes, her horn lit up, and so did Frosts head. When she opened her eyes she saw the words insanity filled from Frosts hooves to his neck and the words sanity from his neck to the top of his head. She looked back in the book. “In Frost’s mind it shows that the reason he has become insane is because he know has friends and something triggered in his brain but it won’t tell me what. The book says that once the insanity in a pony reaches its maximum it is impossible to reverse and they will stay insane. We don’t have much time because the bar is climbing fast.”
“Well um does it have a cure?” asked Fluttershy.
Twilight skimmed and scanned the page desperately but could find nothing. “No,” she replied blankly. “I can’t find anything.”
“SO WHAT ARE WE JUST GOING TO HOLD HIM DOWN UNTIL HE GO’S COMPLETELY INSANE, BREAKS FREE, AND KILLS US ALL?!” Rainbow Dash shouted already knowing the answer.
“I am afraid so girls.”
The room was silent except for Frost trying to break free of Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s grip. Everypony started to sniffle and sob excluding Frost still smiling.
Finally Fluttershy spoke up and said, “I promised I would never ever let you go as a friend Autumn Frost. I never had to break a promise until today. I am so sorry Autumn Frost.” She trotted over to her lost friend tears soaking in with his coat, leaned in to his face, and kissed him on the cheek. Then she turned away and began crying intensely.
Frost’s eyes closed and his smile went away. He then seemed to jerk awake from a nightmare and looked around at the current situation. Then he asked, “Is this a bad time to speak up?”
The six ponies all looked back at him shocked with tears on their faces.
“You know that this kinda hurts with your hooves pressing me down against the floor,” Frost added.
“But… I don’t understand. You were on the brink of insanity,” said Twilight Sparkle confused just as everypony else in the room was.
“I am glad I told you that I was in trouble Twilight. You saved my life.”
“We are just glad that you’re okay,” said Rarity stealing the words out of Twilight’s mouth. Then they all helped Frost to his feet and wept together.
“I have a feeling that this isn’t going to be the only time this happens. And I am not so sure that there will be a cure next time,” said Frost behind bloody tears.
“I refuse to lose a single one of my friends this way,” stated Fluttershy. “We need to find Zecora.”
Nightmare Night was close. Only about a week away. Frost, Twilight, and Fluttershy were all trotting through the Everfree forest with Rainbow Dash flying above them. They were trotting to Zecora’s home. Arriving at the odd house, Fluttershy knocked politely on the door knowing it was a late hour. Zecora opened the door a few minutes later, yawned and asked, “You know that this is an hour of sleep. Why do you keep me from counting sheep?”
Twilight stepped forth and said, “Sorry to wake you Zecora but we have a friend here with us that has… well recently had an insanity spike.”
“Oh what a terrible tragedy this be. But what I ask is what you need from me?”
“What we need from you is for your help make a cure for him.”
“This pony friend she has a beautiful mane. Would you mind telling me your name?” Zecora asked the blue-orange- eyed pony.
“Um my name is Autumn Frost, and I am a colt,” he said shyly.
“My apologies Mr. Frost. I promise you, my remedies do not cost.”
Rainbow Dash nudged into the conversation stating, “Frost almost lost his mind completely and killed us in Twilight’s house.”
“I will fix a potion to sedate you. To cure this I have no clue.”
“Thank you for all your help Zecora. Please try to find something to cure this for good,” Twilight called back to Zecora, now walking back the way she came with the others.
“I advise you keep Mr. Frost in a single room. We don’t want him to fly off his broom.”
The four winged ponies discussed how they would watch Frost to keep him from going off the deep edge. “Maybe I should be locked in my room with nopony else there when I lose it,” Frost suggested.
“I don’t think that would work out too well because when you go off you do go into that… mode… nopony will be able to help you out of it,” countered Twilight.
“I like the idea of keeping you in your room but I think that one pony should always be watching you,” added Rainbow Dash.
“Um I think that would be a good thing as well,” said Fluttershy.
“Ok then it’s settled. We will all make time in our day to watch Frost,” confirmed Twilight. “I will refurbish the room to make it out of one hoof thick steel walls.”
They were out of the forest and now at Fluttershy’s cottage. “I think that you and Frost should stay here for the night. Thank you for coming with us Rainbow Dash.”
“Hey no problem Fluttershy,” she replied between a yawn. “I am gonna go home and catch some Z’s. Seeyah guys tomorrow.”
They all waved their hooves at Rainbow Dash as she flew off into the clouds. “Wow I am tired. Thanks Fluttershy for letting us sleep here,” Frost said sleepily.
“Oh it’s my pleasure to have my friends stay here,” she replied.
Twilight wrote a filled out a form to have the construction done on her house. Then the friends all wrapped up in blankets and went to sleep together.
It was Applejack’s turn to watch Frost. She switched spots with Rainbow Dash in the chair they all had to sit in on the watch. “Feel anythin out ah place Frost?”
“Just a hollow feeling in my heart.”
“What does it feel like Sugarcube?”
“Like I have no way out of a curse I hold. It just stabs me.”
“Don’t worry Sugarcube; we’ll get you a cure.”
They both just sat there staring at each other for a while. Applejack sitting in the chair. Frost sitting on the bed. Then Frost went to his pillow, took something out from underneath it, and pulled the covers over his head. He was under the covers for a long time before Applejack spoke up.
“What are you doin under there Frost?” she asked. Frost was silent. “Come on now, you gotta tell me.”
“If I told you… you would take it away.”
Applejack got up from the chair and trotted over to Frost. She bit the covers over Frost and yanked them away. She saw Frost holding a small pocket knife in his mouth with blood at the blade. There was also a small gash in Frost’s wrists. “Gimme here,” said Applejack.
“Go away.” Applejack tried to take the knife from Frost but he pulled away.
“I’M JUST GOING TO HURT EVERYPONY ELSE!” Frost shouted at her.
“Come on now Frost. Don’t talk like that. You need to knock it off with this.”
“Get away Applejack.”
“I don’t wanna have to fight you now. Please Frost. You’re a great friend. I don’t like to see my friends get hurt let alone hurt themselves,” Applejack pleaded.
Frost dropped the knife from his mouth, got off of the bed, and punched Applejack hard in the mouth. She fell to the steel floor and felt the blood building up in her mouth. She got up and saw Frost putting the knife to his wrists again. He was wincing as he splattered his own blood across the already damp white bed sheets.
Applejack got up from the floor. “Ahm sorry if I want to help you get out of this,” she said, blood spurting from her mouth. She then bit Frost’s right leg and yanked him off the bed and onto the floor. The knife dropped from Frost’s mouth and Applejack slid it away with her hoof. “I don’t like doin this and ahm pretty sure you don’t like me doin this either,” said AJ looking down at Frost.
Frost bucked Applejack up off the ground with his hind legs and she spat out blood as she landed on the bed. “Maybe I want to do this AJ,” said Frost as he stood up from the floor next to Applejack’s hind legs. Applejack bucked her legs out at Frost’s chest but Frost moved out of the way. Applejack got off the bed at the opposite side of Frost and bucked it at him. The bed shot out at Frost and he jumped over it and lunged at Applejack with his right hoof. Applejack spun to the right and used her right hoof to punch Frost to the floor. Frost lay on the ground holding his jaw with his hoof. He felt the bruise that was building up quickly and then looked up at Applejack.
“Hit me again Applejack,” he demanded.
“Ah won’t Autumn Frost,” she replied.
“I said hit me.”
“No Frost.”
“HIT ME!”
“NO!”
“HIT ME! COME ON DO IT APPLEJACK!”
“NO FROST!”
“HIT ME APPLEJACK! HIT ME ALREADY!” Frost started to punch Applejack in the chest. “HIT ME APPLEJACK!”
Applejack broke down and punched Frost across his face as hard as she could. “ARE YA HAPPY NOW FROST?!” she screeched at him.
“Hit me again.” She hit him. “Hit me again.” She hit him. “Harder.” She hit him harder. “Harder.” She hit him harder. “Again.” She hit him again. “Again.” She hit him again. Frost had blood pouring from his mouth. “Again.” His right eye was black. “Again.” A gash in his forehead. “Again.” He started to cry. “Again.” He said sobbing. “Again.” She hit him again. “AGAIN!” She hit him again. Frost was silent. Applejack was now crying with Frost.
Frost vomited blood and other objects onto the floor. “I guess I am I-insane aren’t I A-Applejack?” He asked between sobs.
“Ya aren’t insane Sugarcube. You just…”
The steel door opened and Rarity gasped at the sight. “Frost Applejack, are you two okay?” she asked.
Frost coughed blood onto the floor and said, “Go get me a straight jacket.”
Frost paced around the steel room. He could only think about what would happen if he got out of this room. The smile. The eyes. Ponies would wonder, What’s wrong with her. I might seriously hurt somepony. Thinking about this makes me sick.
Frost went to the bathroom in his room and started to splash water over his face. Come on Frost, you need to get yourself together. He looked up in the mirror and saw his reflection. Then the second image started to move on its own. It moved to the back of the bathroom and was motioning for Frost to join him. He then walked out of the reversed bathroom.
Frost put his hoof through the mirror and then was jerked into it. On the other side was the same bathroom, but had blood and flesh strewn about it. Frost ran out of the bathroom and into the other room where the pony that looked like him was.
“Hey Frost,” the pony said happily. “I’m you after Nightmare Night.”
“What happened here?” Frost asked himself.
“Oh you went insane. On Nightmare Night you flew off the edge. Almost literally. Like off a cliff,” replied the pony happily.
“I went insane?”
“We sure did. And it was so much fun. We got to see Applejack’s little sister and her friends.”
“What happened to them?”
“We went out trick-or-treating and we pushed Scootaloo off the cliff. But then Rainbow Dash swooped in and saved her as she was falling and took her far away from you. Then Applejack pushed us off the cliff and we fell way down until we grabbed a ledge and climbed back up.” Now Frost’s opposite was dancing in a pool of blood and organs.
I went insane. I need to stop this from actually happening. I need to get out of this place. Frost went back to the mirror he entered this alternate world from.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Wait I am you. Ha-ha. Don’t do that me.” The pony picked up a mutilated heard from the floor and flung it at the mirror. Frost jumped through the mirror just before the heart hit. When he landed on the normal side of the bathroom the mirror broke.
“I need to warn somepony else,” said Frost talking to nopony.
But it was heard by his alternate self.
The air in Frost’s room was cold. Colder than a midnight in winter. Pinkie was freezing in the chair across from the bed. Shivers running down her spine. She couldn’t wait to go trick or treating. Fluttershy would be switching places with her any minute. The trick or treating would begin at seven o’clock. It was only six forty eight. Pinkie was already in costume. She was dressing as a Wonderbolt. She was gonna meet up with AJ, her little sister, and her sisters friends.
Frost began to struggle but Pinkie didn’t notice. She was too excited. Not taking the job of keeping her friend controlled seriously. Shouldn’t have been chosen for the job on Nightmare Night. The struggling was becoming louder. Pinkie heard her friend. “What’s the matter Frost? Are you alright?” she asked.
Frost kept his head in his pillow and said, “I was wondering if I could go with you and AJ tonight. It is Nightmare Night and I have never gone before.”
Pinkie had to think. Why wouldn’t Frost be able to go with me? If he hasn’t gone before then I couldn’t say no. But what if he goes all coo-coo on the streets. Oh I don’t know what to do.
“So can I go Pinkie?” asked Frost.
“Sure, why not,” said Pinkie.
Frost looked up with a fresh red liquid all over his body. “Yay. Don’t worry Pinkie, I already have my costume,” said the pony. He was smiling and had his eyes rolled back in his head. The liquid was starting to freeze to his coat.
“Wow Frost that is really spooky. You did a good job,” said Pinkie.
“Thank you Pinkie.”
The steel door began to unlatch and Fluttershy stepped into the room.
“Hi Fluttershy. Frost and I are gonna go trick or treating together,” stated the pink pony filled with excitement.
“Umm, I don’t really think that’s such a good idea. What happens if you, umm well, you know?”
“Don’t worry Fluttershy. We will be fine,” assured Frost.
“Oh, umm. Okay then. I guess I will just stay here and hand out candy. Have fun.”
Frost got out of the bed not wearing the straight jacket. He trotted along next to Pinkie out of the room and went downstairs. Frost and Pinkie side by side went out the front door with two pillow cases and down the street. Pinkie was going to meet Applejack at Sugarcube Corner. Then they would start trick or treating together.
1
“Ah can’t wait to see Pinkie Pie!” shouted Apple Bloom to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.
“Yeah, she is kinda funny!” replied Scootaloo.
“Alright girls settle down now. We are almost there. Just a few more blocks,” said Applejack.
Applejack led the girls down the dirt streets to Sugarcube Corner. She saw Pinkie Pie and another pony. The pony was Frost.
“Umm, uh, girls stay right here for me would ya?” said Applejack beginning to panic. She trotted quickly over to Frost and Pinkie.
“Hi Applejack! Are you ready to do some trick or treating?” asked the excited Pinkie Pie.
“Umm, Pinkie can I talk to you in private real quick?” said Applejack already going to a secluded place.
“What do you need to talk about AJ?” asked the anxious pony.
“Why is Frost with you? What happens if he goes off the edge?” whispered Applejack.
“Well I took him with me because he said that he had never been trick or treating on Nightmare Night,” Pinkie explained.
“Oh, Sugarcube it just don’t sound like such a dandy plan.”
“It will be fine AJ. Now come on. We need to get some candy.”
So three fillies, a Wonderbolt, a farm pony, and a psychopath walked down the dirt paths going up to houses and collected
sugary sweets for a night.
2
They were nearing the end of their night. Pillowcases full of candy and tired hooves. Too much trotting around. House to house to house.
The smile still held on Frost’s face.
“Wow Frost you are really good at keeping up with your character. Who are you trying to be anyways?” asked Pinkie.
“I was just being somepony I look up to,” said Frost.
“And who might that be now?” asked Applejack.
“I was being Twilight from the dream I had a couple nights ago,” he replied cheerfully.
Applejack panicked. She gathered the three fillies and began to take them away from Frost. “Okay girls, ah think it’s about time we be headin home. You three can stay with me for the night,” said the farm pony.
The three fillies cheered and began to go with Applejack. Pinkie sighed and started to take Frost back home, not quite understanding what Frost meant by the dream.
“Hey, how ‘bout you two come back to the barn with us,” said Applejack trying to create a distraction. She needed to get the sedation potion from Zecora.
“Okay Applejack. That sounds like a fun time,” said Frost.
They all trotted back to the barn together while Pinkie Pie was clueless and Applejack was thinking of a way to get to Zecora without having to leave the fillies with Frost.
They arrived at the barn and she couldn’t think of anything to do other than leave the fillies. She told Pinkie Pie, “Keep an eye on Frost for me would ya?”
“Okie dokie lokie,” replied the party pony.
Applejack took off for Zecora’s home. Then the fireworks started.
3
“We should get a closer look,” stated Frost.
“Ah agree,” added Apple Bloom. “It is kinda small from here isn’t it?”
“Then it’s settled,” shouted Pinkie Pie. “Ponies! March!”
So they set off for the cliff on the outer edge of Ponyville. Apple Bloom stopped for a moment and said, “Wait maybe we should put a note on the door to tell Applejack where we are.”
“Yeah that’s a good idea. We don’t want her to think we just left,” added Scootaloo.
Apple Bloom got a piece of paper, a pencil, and some tape, and left the note on the door of the barn. The three fillies all trotted together and watched the fireworks, getting closer and closer to their final destination and talking all the way.
The group made their way to the front of the show at the edge of the cliff. Lying down on the lush green grass they looked up at the sky exploding with color.
Scootaloo was looking up when she felt somepony begin to pick her up. She screamed and looked up at who it was. Surprised she saw the smiling face of Frost. “It’s okay Scootaloo, I just want you to have a better view,” Frost said placing the filly on his back.
“Oh, thank you Mr. Frost,” she said reassured. Then they both looked up to see the booms and bangs.
Scootaloo felt some red sticky stuff on Frost’s coat. It was very cold and she didn’t know what it was. She did a quick evaluation in her head. It can’t be blood because it’s too cold. Ketchup isn’t this sticky so that’s out. Maybe it’s strawberry jam. But what would Frost be doing with strawberry jam?
“Hey Frost, what’s on your back?” asked Scoot. “I was thinking it was strawberry jam.”
“It’s not strawberry jam silly. It’s blood for my costume,” Frost replied happily.
“Okay then…” Scootaloo said nervously.
The group watched the sky for a little while longer. Suddenly Rainbow Dash popped up from the ledge and shouted. All the ponies around shrieked except for Frost.
“That was a good one Rainbow Dash, but you can’t scare me,” said Frost. “I don’t get scared very easily.”
“Hey what are you doing here?” asked Rainbow Dash. “You need to get back to your room.”
“Aww but Rainbow Dash, I am having so much fun.”
Rainbow Dash looked closer at Frost and saw what she had dreaded.
“Alright that’s it. Party is over,” she declared. Off in the distance she saw Applejack and Zecora galloping towards them.
“Okay Rainbow Dash, but can I do something first?” asked Frost.
“What?”
Frost picked up Scootaloo off of his back and threw her over the ledge. “Go fetch!”
Everypony around her started shrieking and Rainbow Dash bolted down after the falling pony.
Just then Applejack punched Frost in the mouth and shoved a syringe into his neck. Then she shoved him off the cliff as well. As Frost was falling he saw Rainbow Dash flying back up with Scootaloo. Frost saw a rock jutting out and caught it as he was falling. Holding on with his one good hoof he held his smile and began to climb. While he was climbing he began to feel very woozy. The smile dropped and so did Frost as he let go of the rocks and tumbled down the mountain. His eyes shut. His smile gone. Just a limp body.
4
“Frost?!” Twilight called out. “Frost where are you?!”
“Frost come on out?!” Rainbow Dash shouted.
“We ain’t here to hurt ya!” added Applejack.
“Hey Frost, if you come out I will bake you a nice cake!” persuaded Pinkie Pie.
“Pinkie do you think we could put some gems in that cake?” whispered Spike.
“Spike! This is not the time for that!” scolded Twilight.
The six ponies heard some groaning behind a small pile of rocks.
“Frost is that you?!” called Rarity.
The ponies trotted over to the pile of rocks. It shook slightly and spoke in a hoarse tone. “Who?” it asked.
“Frost?” asked Fluttershy.
“Who did I kill?” the rocks repeated.
“Frost you didn’t kill anypony,” said Twilight.
The rocks coughed and wheezed, “Are you sure?”
Twilight moved the rocks off of Frost with her magical abilities and set them aside to Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Rarity backed away from the rocks in disgust and stood next to Applejack.
“You didn’t kill anypony. I promise you Frost.” Twilight assured looking her friend in his bloodshot eyes.
Twilight used her magic to pick up Frost and help him stand upright. He spat blood and stumbled slightly. Fluttershy and Applejack helped him stand up and get his balance.
“So what happens now?” he said.
“We go home,” said Twilight.
Autumn is on its way. And so is my torture. My name is Autumn Frost. My coat is a very faint light blue like the color of Frost on grass, my mane and tail are a vivid fall leaf orange-red, and my eyes are a pale blue-orange. I am fourteen years of age. At least I think I am. I don’t know when I was born. I have no Cutie Mark. I am also the only Pegasus Pony in Cloudsdale that can’t fly. That’s developed enough I mean. My wings are big enough and I am strong enough. Let me just… okay let me give you a background. I was born and then abandoned immediately. As far as I know that is. Left on a doorstep. The ponies who found me didn’t want me. I have no Idea where my parents are. They could be dead for all I know. Or for all I care. Left me to die. The only thing I know about them is that my mother was an Earth Pony and my father was a Pegasus Pony. That’s it. You could probably describe them in full and I would have no idea who you were talking about. And that is probably the reason I can’t fly, my mother being an Earth Pony. I attend Cloudsdale Flight Academy for Special Pegasi. How, you may ask, are you able to attend a school when you don’t have any parents let alone a home? Well the answer to that is simple. I lie. I lie to attend school. Fair enough. Nopony likes me. I keep to myself. Everypony else stays away from me when I walk through the halls. It makes sense. They all know me as the mare with no home. But I am no mare. I am a colt. I just come across as feminine. My voice sounds feminine and I look like a mare. I wear my long mane back in a bandana grown out long. It looks feminine doesn’t it? But I am no mare. Get the picture? The reason I say, “So is my torture” in the second sentence is because this is the only time the other ponies feel that they have a right to make fun of me. Teasing and calling names. Making rude gestures. But it would make sense, since my name takes a part of the season. I don’t have any friends and I don’t want any. After the way all these ponies have been treating me for the past eight years I would rather just keep to myself and stay alone. Get the picture?
I started sinking through the clouds one day. In case you didn’t know, only Pegasus Ponies can walk on clouds. I still had my wings. I guess I was just turning more into my mother. Great. I don’t know if this has happened to anypony else, but it was happening to me. I was sinking further and further into the clouds in the suburbs of Cloudsdale not knowing how to respond. So I just let it happen. I knew that there was open ground beneath Cloudsdale, but I had never seen it. I was never fortunate enough to know what the ground looked like. Have always been told since I can’t fly to stay away from the edge of the clouds. I was sinking and sinking further and further through those clouds. Then it just gave out from beneath me. I don’t know how high Cloudsdale is from Ponyville but it was pretty high up. I started falling but didn’t panic. I figured it was my time to leave the land of Equestria. Everypony else that was around me put their heads through the white floating puffs that they were standing on to see me fall. I looked back at them with a blank expression. They all just watched me fade away into a small dot. Not one Pegasus Pony even dared to fly off the edge and come after me. Either thought it was pointless or they were just heartless. I am gonna go with heartless. As I was falling I thought to myself that this was going to be the end of me, all because I couldn’t fly. I will die at fourteen having not found what my purpose in life is and not even having flown being a Pegasus. It’s a cruel world we live in isn’t it. I just hope that Celestia doesn’t try to save me. I look down to see that grass and dirt aren’t far away so I embrace the fall and let myself die before I hit the ground.
Frost felt that feeling earlier in his stomach like he was going to be sick. He quickly rushed to the bathroom and tried to be as quiet as possible as he again vomited. Though his vomit was different this time. Like it was deep within his stomach. As if his stomach didn’t want a single thing left in it. Not even the bile. It was horrifying. Frost started to become scared. He knew he had no bug. It was the disgust that came with his story from earlier. He continued to vomit for the next twenty minutes with nopony seeming to notice his distress. It went on for so long that it got to the point where he would just feel the pain of his acids rushing up his esophagus, but no fluids came out. Bile mixed with snot hung from his muzzle and his snout. Finally somepony opened the door. But it wasn’t a concerned or curious face that approached him. It was the face of a pony that had no soul. At this point Frost thought, Oh Celestia please don’t let my life end like this. Please! But Celestia could not save this young colt from the empty bodies of his friends getting closer and closer. I am going to die here, from either throwing up my intestines, or from my friends going to kill me. As the soulless figures got closer and closer he continued to hang over the toilet. Twilight Sparkle’s eyes were rolled back in her head and was smiling ear to ear. Frost vomited one last time and felt his heart go through his throat and watched it hang in the toilet. As this happened the empty soul of the once beautiful Alicorn said to him, “It’s okay we have help coming for you, just please you have to wake up.”
He shot up sweating and struggling. Sitting across the room was the sleeping Princess. He tried to get up but forgot that he requested a straight jacket and was unable to move very far. He rolled out of the bed and fell onto the floor loudly.
Twilight heard this and shot up from her slumber. “Frost are you okay?” she asked.
“Twilight I need to warn you,” he said. “I had a nightmare that told me I change again on Nightmare Night and kill many ponies. I met a permanently insane version of myself and there was gore everywhere. I don’t know when I am going to change, but I know it will happen.”
“Well what are we supposed to do about it?”
“Your friend Zecora, maybe she has found a cure,” said Frost with hope. “Or at least something to calm me.”
“I will have somepony else go and find her, but for now I have to wait here and watch you.”
Frost felt another urge to vomit. “Twilight, I need to use the bathroom.”
“Okay here,” she said as she began to use her magic to undo the pins and locks in Frost’s jacket. Frost blasted to the door of the bathroom. Swinging the door open he went to the toilet but stepped on something sharp. Crying out in pain he fell, hit his head on the toilet rim, and vomited on the floor.
Twilight rushed in to see that Frost had stepped in broken glass from a mirror. The glass was in small fractions spread out in a small pile. “Frost are you okay!?” shouted Twilight.
Frost moaned then said, “Yeah… I’m fine.” He looked down at his bloody hooves, covered in glass. “How did the glass break?” he asked hoping for a different answer than what he was expecting.
“It was broken when I came in here. Come to think of it, I don’t remember hearing anything break.”
Frost bent over to look at the glass. He saw a reflection of himself. The self from the nightmare. “Twilight. We need to get that cure.”