Destinyby Stale_CoffeeChaptersChapter OneChapter TwoChapter ThreeChapter FourChapter OneBeep! Beep! Beep! BEEP! "Ugh... start of another boring day. Where is the alarm?" I throw my hoof around groggily, feeling for the alarm. Finally, I slam the button to shut it off. I force my eyes open and look at the ceiling. My mother calls from downstairs. "Frost, get up! You're going to be late for school!" Rolling my eyes, I slide out of bed and fall onto the floor. I lay there, like a rag doll, and slowly practice levitating myself. It's fun, really, until Mother walks into the room and scolds me for goofing around when I should be getting ready. "Why should I go to school anyways? I mean, there's no point. I'm never going to get my cutie mark by going to school." "Oh Frost, don't be ridiculous. Nopony has ever had a cutie mark before. It's impossible to have one you know. I mean, look at me! I'm a fully functional mother and I never had a silly cutie mark. Now, hurry up and get ready. We don't want a repeat of yesterday." "But Mom!" "Nope, no buts. You know that. Now, like I said, get ready." "Fine... school never helped anypony you know!" But she didn't hear me. She had already teleported herself to work. Which just left me alone. I didn't have to do much to get ready anyways. Just had to fix my mane and brush my teeth. And that was a simple task. There was nothing special about it. In fact, nothing in Equestria was special. I had heard stories that everything was once so interesting, and ponies had things called cutie marks. Those must've been the best days. Except, what had happened to them? I fumbled around the kitchen for a while, looking for something to eat. "We have bread, carrots, muffins, and carrots. Nothing worth my time." I groaned and closed the pantry. There was never anything to eat, so I always starved myself. Mother said that it was unhealthy, but what did she know? Nothing, that's what. I trudged towards the front door and stepped outside. Mother said that I wasn't old enough to teleport myself to school yet. "Haha, what a pile of hay that was." I focused my energy on school and vanished. The sensation of teleportation was magnificent. It felt like somepony had injected me with a load of sugar. Which I didn't mind, it was a good feeling. I did, however, tend to vomit after teleporting. I looked around and saw the schoolyard empty. "I wonder where everypony is.." I looked around the entire school, inside and out, but found nothing. "What day is it" I asked myself. "Must be the weekend. Stupid Mother. Told me I had school. Or, I might just be super early. If that's the case, then I better find something else to do in the meantime." It had only been mere seconds when other young fillies and foals began popping into view. Looked like they were using teleportation as a mode of transportation too. Except for the earth ponies. They must've come with their unicorn pals. I had no friends. I was considered the crazy pony in the school. Not a good title to have. But it wasn't my fault that I was adventurous and asked bizarre questions about Equestria's past. And it saddened me to know that nopony liked me at all. I was always alone. At lunch, I was alone, at recess, I was alone. Everyday, the same story. Wake up, go to school, come home to find Mother and Father in an argument, and go to bed after my homework was done. And I never had anypony to play with or talk to. Except for Stacy. She was my imaginary friend. She was the only pony who seemed to understand me, but I assumed that was because I had made her up to fit the image of what I thought a friend was. She had a fairly short mane that was red in color. Her coat was a soft yellow, but it wasn't too harsh. She had a cutie mark, that was an apple. I loved apples, but Mother never bought them. She would talk to me occasionally, especially when I was bored. "Hey Frost! Stop yer daydreamin' and start walkin' ya weirdo!" Just great, the bullies. Why did it have to be the bullies? I slowly began walking toward the front doors. I had only made it up two steps when they appeared before me and shoved me off. "Weirdos last. Don't ya know the rules?" "I-I d--" "Don't answer that, because ya obviously don't." If I wanted to, I could smash your puny skulls in. But I'm not going to, because I'm a nice little foal. I was thinking my classical death threats. But I dared not speak them aloud. I would be expelled. Then what would Mother say? "Oy! You gonna start thinking about your mum, is that it?" "N-no. I-I'm not thinking about--" "Stop yer yappin'! C'mon guys. He isn't worth our time." They began to climb up the stairs to the school. Oh I'll show them. I teleported myself inside before they could get in. It felt good, until they opened the front door and saw me standing there. "Oh boy, you're in for a world of pain now." "Look, I don't want any trouble. Let's just let bygones be bygones okay?" "Shut up with you and your fancy words. We know you don't want any trouble, but we sure do." They began to walk towards me slowly, grins stretching across their faces. That was the highlight of my day, being pummeled by the school bullies. I walked into class with a bruised muzzle and a swollen eye. The teacher didn't even bother to ask what had happened. Nopony cared about me. None of them did. Then, Stacy spoke up. "Oh my gosh Frost. What happened?" Bullies, that's what. "Why did they do that?" Because apparently I'm a 'freak'. "Well that wasn't very nice of them. How can I help?" I don't know. It's best not to help me. "Well, whatever you say Frost. I'll talk to you after school. Try and have fun okay?" Alright. I enjoyed the conversations I had with her. During school, I had to speak with her through my mind, otherwise I'd be even weirder than I already was. "Frost Catcher!" "Huh? Oh! Uh.. Uh yes ma'am?" "How many times must I tell you to pay attention?" "You tell me all the time ma'am. I'm sorry." "Uh huh.. Anyways, as I was saying--" I droned her out, nodding at all the right moments and pretending to write notes. In reality, I was imagining what life would be like if I were in the old days. Back when Equestria was actually interesting. "Mr. Catcher!" "Sorry ma'am. Yes?" "What is our lesson about? Tell me that." "Uh.. Uh... I.. I don't know." "Just as I thought. Class, what you see here is a foal who daydreams. That is a dangerous thing to do in our society. It can lead to curiosity, questions, and even worse, adventure." The entire class gasped at the last word said. Murmurs of, 'that's horrible!' and, 'Why would anypony want to do something like that?' filled the room. As always, the teacher was using me as an example of what a BAD FOAL would be. It was embarrassing, really. Every time I was caught daydreaming, the teacher would say the same thing. Each time, the class would have the same reaction. It sucked to be honest. Always being an example of what NOT to do. And so, my day dragged on. When school was out, I began to walk home. Didn't want to pop in the house before Mother got there. That would've been a tragedy. "Hey Stacy. I'm back." She appeared alongside me and we walked in perfect sync. "Already? Wow. How was your day?" "It sucked. I was caught daydreaming, again." "Oh dear. Public embarrassment. Not a good thing." "Nope, not at all." "What do you have to do for tonight?" "I have to do some boring worksheet." "Okay, but you're going to do it, right?" "Yes, I am. I always do." "Oops, I forgot. Oh well. Hope your mom and dad aren't fighting again." "They're always fighting. It's nothing new." "Well hey, they may not fight today. You never know." "I guess your right. Anyways, I'm going to stop talking. Don't want to ram into a pole like I always do." "Right, right. Well, if you're going to go, so will I. Bye!" "Bye Stacy." She faded away and I walked in silence. As I came down my house's street, the smell of smoke wafted in the air. "What could that be?" I picked up my pace as pegasi flew overhead. Each was carrying a rain cloud with them. They stopped right above my house. "Oh no.." Everything switched instantly to a slow-motion speed. I managed to get to my house in time to see the fire blazing from the windows. My mother was being pinned to the floor by a bunch of officers. Father was nowhere to be seen. "Mom! What did you do?!" Chapter Two"Mom! What did you do?!" *** It's funny, how a little baking can turn the wrong way, isn't it? Well, that was the case. Like always, Mother and Father were fighting. Now, Mother was baking some cupcakes before I got home. Father arrived at home and started complaining. Mother never complained, nope. Well, she forgot about the cupcakes, and when she smelt the smoke, ran out of the house. Father tried to escape, but was encased in smoke. His vision was crap anyways. He ended up suffocating in the house, which eventually caught fire. He died along with all of my memories. Mother had taken the blame, and was arrested. *** "Oh Frost, I'm so sorry." "Mom, it wasn't your fault. You forgot about the cupcakes. That's all." "That's not all. You father... he... he was having an affair.. with somepony else. That's why we always fought. Because it annoyed and angered me. But he didn't care. He continued going to her house everyday after work and.. and.." Noticing that she was getting emotional, I pulled her close to me and held her in my forelegs. Trying to comfort her I said, "It's okay mom. Don't talk about it. I know that it was 2 months ago, but it's in the past. Let it stay there, okay?" She nodded, trying to hold back her sobs. "I didn't mean for your childhood to end up like this. I'm so sorry." She pulled away from me and walked towards the window. We were on the third floor of an apartment complex in Manehattan. She opened the window and stepped up onto a ledge just outside. My eyes widened, knowing what she was going to do. "Mom! No!" But before I could stop her, she jumped. I rushed to the window in time to see her lifeless body sprawled out on the sidewalk. A tear rolled down my cheek as I stared down upon her. Why had she jumped? Her life could've been so much... better. She just needed to start over. That's all. But no, she committed suicide. "Farewell, Mother." I turned away from the window and slammed it shut. The glass shattered instantly. Shards fell upon the floor, scattering around me. What was I to do? I had no parents, and I was in a world where it was either everypony for himself or the community works together. But here in Manehattan, it was the survival of the fittest. And I was in no way going to survive the harsh elements of Manehattan's bustling streets. It didn't take long before the sound of ambulances wailed through the streets. "You morons... there's no point in trying. She's already dead." I let out a heavy sob and put my head on her bed. I looked at the last remaining picture of her and I. I was so happy in that picture. So was she. And now, my world had been turned upside down. With nopony to turn to for help. Except Stacy, but she had been dormant for the past two months. Ever since Father died. And now, if I were to speak to her, she would be heartbroken to hear the news of both my parents. But I had to talk to her. "Stacy, I need to speak to you." Her image slowly faded into view, slightly flickering in and out of existence. "Hey-- ost-- Wha--- up?" "Hold on, let me think harder." I concentrated on the beautiful image I once had of her. She easily reappeared, this time full bodied. Like the old days. "Okay, now I can see you clearly." "Good. So what's up? We haven't spoken in a while now." "Well, my mom and dad are both.... both... dead." "I'm so sorry to hear that.. When did your dad die?" "Two months ago. Mom just committed suicide." Her mouth dropped in awe. "That's devastating! I'm terribly sorry about that! Can I help?" "If you were real, you could... But, you're just an imaginary friend." She lowered her head, hurt by what I had said. "I see. That's how you view me then.. not real." Had I seriously just said that she wasn't real? I had. "I'm sorry! You are the most real thing in my life right now! I don't know what reality is anymore! My mother and father are dead, I'm orphaned now, and the only pony I have to turn to now is you. I'm terribly sorry for saying you weren't real. I'm in a horrible mood right now. Please go easy on me." She looked me in the eyes and nodded slowly. "I know that I cannot physically help you, but I am still part of your mindscape. If you're real, then I'm real too. Know that, and don't forget. Right now, your best option is to go out there and speak to whoever is there. They may be able to guide you in the right direction. Now, I must go take care of... other business elsewhere." She faded away, leaving me alone and an imprint of her body on the bed. I stood up, walked towards the window, and looked at the scene below me. No sign of help.. must have still been on their way. Or, maybe nopony gave a care. I quickly rushed towards the phone and dialed the number Mother told me to call in an emergency. "9-1-1... It's ringing! Yes! Okay Frost, keep calm." It rang for a while, then a feminine voice came from the other line. "This is Pony Emergency Services, how can I help?" "Hi, my name is Frost Catcher. I called to report an incident." "And what would that be?" "My mom... she... she committed suicide.. She jumped out of our third story window." "Okay, what is your address?" Well that was just fantastic. I didn't know what my address was. I sat there, hesitating, before asking, "Could you trace this number?" "Yes, I can. Would you like me to?" "Y-yes please. Thank you." A click on the other line told me that she had hung up. I placed the phone down and ran outside. I stopped by my mother's lifeless body and rested my head on her chest. I was alone, as always. This time, I had no mother or father to help me get through this loneliness. I had Stacy, but what good was she at the moment. *** It wasn't long until an ambulance showed up. They swooped Mother away and took me to an orphanage. "You'll be safe here," they said. "Safe?! This place looks abandoned!" "Yeah? Well deal with it." What kind of ponies treated a foal like this? Dropping him off at an orphanage that looked rundown and rotting. I turned towards it and slowly walked inside. *** The smell was just putrid! It smelt of bodily waste along with vomit. Paint was peeling from the walls and the floorboards were splintering. Loose nails littered the main hall. I pricked myself with one and jumped back, landing on another. "Ow!!" A pony poked her head out of an open door and looked me up and down. "Welcome to the Sunshine Orphanage, where every filly and foal is treated like a gift from the princesses." Sunshine Orphanage? Gift? My eyes widened at this statement. The mare looked me in the eyes, her entire body coming out of the room now. There were three scars on her flank. Her mane was a light pink, and looked like it had been ages since it was groomed. Her coat was almost like Stacy's except it was more yellow. "Can I help you," she asked. "Um, I'm.. I'm orphaned." "Well I can see that. How did it happen? Wait, you probably don't want to talk about it, do you?" I shook my head. She rose an eyebrow, then relaxed it. "I'm terribly sorry. I'm being utterly rude. I was raised so much better than this, where are my manners? My name is Fluttershy, what's yours?" Fluttershy? I felt like I heard that name before. But where? "Um my name is Frost Catcher." "Well nice to meet you. I know the place is a mess, but I don't have the energy to clean up these days. I do apologize. Anyways, do make yourself comfortable. If you want, feel free to tidy up. I'm never available, since I'm always napping. Uh, there are no other fillies or foals here, so you're going to have to be alone. They all left... in search of some mythical thing. It's called a cutie mark. Silly things, but they did exist, once." Her face went blank, as of trying to remember something. Then, she shook her head, returning from her trance. My eyes had fallen upon her scars. She followed my gaze and met her flank. "Ah yes, the scars. Well, you see, I used to have a cutie mark. It was so wonderful to have one you know. It told you what your special talent was. But, in the beginning of Twilight's reign, she banished cutie marks. Removed any that were on ponies, and made sure that later generations of fillies and foals were taught to hate curiosity. But, every little one that came to me was something called a 'Seeker'. They wanted to know about cutie marks. When I told them about the banishment, they went out in search of their own Destiny's. But, they never did come back. I assumed the worse. Princess Twilight caught them, and had them executed. She was my friend once. I don't know what happened to her. What made her banish the cutie mark. Must've been the rise of the group called the Cutie Mark Crusaders. At first, they were just a trio, looking for their cutie marks. But as they aged, and still hadn't gotten their cutie marks, they demanded answers. Riots broke out all over Equestria. Any members of the CMC that had scattered were executed after the riots were taken care of. That was when everypony knew that Twilight was going insane." She began to cry slightly, then excused herself to her room. I could here her softly saying that she was sorry, but never saying for what. "I should try and help. I think I'll start cleaning up." Using my magic, what little I had, I began to tidy up the place. I got rid of the stench, and removed all the loose nails, repairing them with new, non-rusted ones. I reprinted the orphanage, making it seem friendlier than when I showed up. The whole project took me a few days, since with magic, I could do multiple things at once. Fluttershy was amazed at the way the place looked. She seemed happier, she fixed her mane, and groomed out her coat. She seemed to get younger slightly. Not entirely, but she didn't look as old as she did when I met her. "Frost, I would like to thank you." She was interrupted by a large amount of fillies and foals that ran around her legs. After the relaunch, more orphans showed up. They loved it there. I taught them slight magic, and Fluttershy told them stories about the past and old days. They loved it when she told them stories. "Anyways, like I was saying, I would like to thank you. Without you, this placed would have been closed down for good. And I would've had no place to go. So thank you." I smiled and nodded. I was busy trying to settle the fillies and foals down. It didn't take that much to get them all rowdy. "Frost, I think its time that you go and.. You know, search for your Destiny. Your time has come." "You think so?" She nodded and smiled. "Yes, I do believe so." She came up to me and gave me a hug. "You've done great so far Frost. You're future is bright, so don't let go of that sight. Now go." She let go of me and gave me a smile that said, "I can take care of them. I can't teach the unicorns magic, but they'll learn." "Okay, whatever you say. Farewell Fluttershy. Thank you for taking care of me these past few months." I returned the hug, noticing that she was silently crying. I wiped the tear away from her face and looked her in the eyes. "Don't worry, I'll be back one day, okay?" "I know you will Frost. I know you will." *** After a day of packing, and saying bye to the crying fillies and foals, I was ready to leave. I grabbed my belongings and walked out the door. Fluttershy told me to stay hidden, because anypony could be a spy. She said to not trust anypony outside of the of the orphanage, unless they were able to speak to a mare with an apple for a cutie mark. Not physically speak, but mentally. Though they could see her. Stacy. My mind cried out. I asked Fluttershy about Stacy. She said that she didn't know much, just that only a select few could se her and speak to her. Said her name was Applebloom or something like that. She was supposedly the last of the CMC, and the last pony to have a cutie mark. I had to find her. The REAL her. Not just Stacy, but an actual, living, breathing physical form. Had to find her. Had to get my a answers. But where to start? Chapter ThreeBut where to start? *** Amazing, how one can wander and wander forever, never stopping to talk. Only stopping to rest, eat, and relieve oneself. But, we all have a reason when we refuse to speak. A reason that we can never let out. And it eats at us, devours what little sanity we have left. But, we all go a little insane right? *** "Oh goodness Frost. You're alone, in the woods, with NOPONY to even bother watching you!! YOU ARE A MORON FROST!! A MORON!!" I figured that the safest route would be through the woods, despite the rumors of the legendary Slendermane hiding deep within. And night had just fallen. Not a single ounce of light from the moon penetrated through the dense trees. I felt like I was being followed, and would frequently look behind me. I was on the verge of insanity; I swore I was. I heard a rustling come from a bush, and jumped to face it. A small squirrel hopped out and looked at me with big, beady eyes. "Dumb animals," I mumbled under my breath. I turned around and kept walking. I would occasionally talk to myself. "You're just paranoid," I would say. Paranoia? HA! That wasn't the half of it! I was alone, the woods were dark, and every little movement would cause me to flinch. I was more than paranoid. I was freaking insane! *** I had walked for only a while longer before stopping to rest. I found a nice, slightly decent bed of leaves, and lay my head down. It wasn't as comfortable as the beds I had slept on earlier in my youth, but it was better than nothing. I began to mumble to myself, saying that everything was going to be fine in the morning. As my eyes grew heavy, and vision began to blacken, I let out a soft sigh. "Everything... is..... o....... k.........." *** I was awoken by a poking in my ribs. I jolted awake and jumped into the air. I was met by an unfamiliar face. "Um, h-hello?" I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to speak. "D-do.. do you know where I can find a pony by the name of Frost Catcher? I was sent to find him. By orders of Princess Twilight Sparkle." Searching for me already? Wow, word got around fast. I remained quiet not wanting to give anything away. "Sir? Do you know who Frost Catcher is?" I shook my head slowly, still refusing to speak. "Well, I was told that I would find him somewhere around here. But, if you ever see him, give me a shout. Or something... My name is... is... oh what was it again? Ah yes! My name is Sun Fire. If you ever need me, just.... find me? Yes, that seems good. Find me." I nodded in response, taking notice of the mark on her flank. She... once... had... a.. a cutie mark?! She met my gaze, and acknowledged it. "Ah yes, this thing. Princess Twilight removed the actual cutie mark from me, leaving this scar. She found me one day, wandering the streets. I was a Seeker back then, wanting to find my true self. When she found me, it was already too late to stop me from finding my Destiny. I had found it only days before my capture. She was going to have me executed, but then thought that I may be of use. So, she spared me. And gave me this job of hunting Seekers like me." My mouth was hanging open slightly. "What? Why are you staring at me like that?' "Uh.. no.. reason." Her eyes narrowed, then she nodded. "What is your name?" "I'm going to tell you, but do not, and I mean do NOT turn me in. My name.. is Frost Catcher. I too am a Seeker." "I knew you were Frost Catcher! But, tell me, why should I spare you?" "Because, I know why we are who we are. Did you ever find a mysterious mare named Applebloom?" "No, I didn't. Why?" "She can help us. Might help you get your cutie mark back." "And I should trust you why?" "Like I said, you're like me. Now, are you with me, or not?" Chapter Four"Like I said, you're like me. Now, are you with me, or not?" *** "Um... I don't know.." "Oh come on, you never know, it can be fun. Adventure is awaiting, are you really going to continue this sad, depressing life?" Sun Fire stared me in the eyes, her mind swarming with so many questions. She wanted to ask me so much, but how was she to do it? "Yes, I will. I don't care about adventure, or fun. I care about my survival. You rebellious scum, you don't know what you're getting yourselves into. All this adventure, and excitement, and asking questions about the past. You should all burn at the fiery gates of Pony Hell for all I care. In fact, I should just kill you now, and let Princess Twilight continue to bask in her glory. Yes, it sounds... perfect." What had happened to her?! A moment ago, she was all insecure, and now, she is murderous! What... the... heck? She glared at me, with burning eyes. Does she have Multiple Personality Disorder or something? She stamped her hoof upon the ground, preparing to charge. No no no no! You're better than this Sun Fire! Though I don't know you, I'm sure you are! She lowered her head, pointing her sharp horn in my direction. This is it Frost. This is the end! She charged my way, and I braced myself for impact. But, it never came.. I slowly opened my eyes to find her on the ground, motionless. An arrow jutted from her head, a small amount of blood slowly trickling from the entry hole. "Who the?" I heard rustling come from the tree to my left and saw a pegasus leap to the branch near it. "Hey! You!" They looked my way, bow slung around their back. Their face was hidden by a hood, and they were cloaked in some funky getup. What they were wearing covered up the majority of their body, hiding their flank, mane, and tail. They continued to stare at me, then jumped down in front of me, tumbling as they landed. Upon standing, they had their bow drawn and pointed at me. "Should I kill you?" "Kill me?!" "Why not, you seem like easy pickings. But, I will decide later. Now, tell me, what are you doing out here?" They removed their hood, revealing a beautiful mare with a long, flowing golden mane. I gazed at her in awe. "May I help you? You seem to be... broken." I shook my head, letting my mane fall in front of my eyes. "No, no help. Um, can you... Lower the weapon please?" "I suppose so. Again, tell me, what are you doing out here?" "Well, have you... ever heard of the... the... the Seekers?"
Chapter OneBeep! Beep! Beep! BEEP! "Ugh... start of another boring day. Where is the alarm?" I throw my hoof around groggily, feeling for the alarm. Finally, I slam the button to shut it off. I force my eyes open and look at the ceiling. My mother calls from downstairs. "Frost, get up! You're going to be late for school!" Rolling my eyes, I slide out of bed and fall onto the floor. I lay there, like a rag doll, and slowly practice levitating myself. It's fun, really, until Mother walks into the room and scolds me for goofing around when I should be getting ready. "Why should I go to school anyways? I mean, there's no point. I'm never going to get my cutie mark by going to school." "Oh Frost, don't be ridiculous. Nopony has ever had a cutie mark before. It's impossible to have one you know. I mean, look at me! I'm a fully functional mother and I never had a silly cutie mark. Now, hurry up and get ready. We don't want a repeat of yesterday." "But Mom!" "Nope, no buts. You know that. Now, like I said, get ready." "Fine... school never helped anypony you know!" But she didn't hear me. She had already teleported herself to work. Which just left me alone. I didn't have to do much to get ready anyways. Just had to fix my mane and brush my teeth. And that was a simple task. There was nothing special about it. In fact, nothing in Equestria was special. I had heard stories that everything was once so interesting, and ponies had things called cutie marks. Those must've been the best days. Except, what had happened to them? I fumbled around the kitchen for a while, looking for something to eat. "We have bread, carrots, muffins, and carrots. Nothing worth my time." I groaned and closed the pantry. There was never anything to eat, so I always starved myself. Mother said that it was unhealthy, but what did she know? Nothing, that's what. I trudged towards the front door and stepped outside. Mother said that I wasn't old enough to teleport myself to school yet. "Haha, what a pile of hay that was." I focused my energy on school and vanished. The sensation of teleportation was magnificent. It felt like somepony had injected me with a load of sugar. Which I didn't mind, it was a good feeling. I did, however, tend to vomit after teleporting. I looked around and saw the schoolyard empty. "I wonder where everypony is.." I looked around the entire school, inside and out, but found nothing. "What day is it" I asked myself. "Must be the weekend. Stupid Mother. Told me I had school. Or, I might just be super early. If that's the case, then I better find something else to do in the meantime." It had only been mere seconds when other young fillies and foals began popping into view. Looked like they were using teleportation as a mode of transportation too. Except for the earth ponies. They must've come with their unicorn pals. I had no friends. I was considered the crazy pony in the school. Not a good title to have. But it wasn't my fault that I was adventurous and asked bizarre questions about Equestria's past. And it saddened me to know that nopony liked me at all. I was always alone. At lunch, I was alone, at recess, I was alone. Everyday, the same story. Wake up, go to school, come home to find Mother and Father in an argument, and go to bed after my homework was done. And I never had anypony to play with or talk to. Except for Stacy. She was my imaginary friend. She was the only pony who seemed to understand me, but I assumed that was because I had made her up to fit the image of what I thought a friend was. She had a fairly short mane that was red in color. Her coat was a soft yellow, but it wasn't too harsh. She had a cutie mark, that was an apple. I loved apples, but Mother never bought them. She would talk to me occasionally, especially when I was bored. "Hey Frost! Stop yer daydreamin' and start walkin' ya weirdo!" Just great, the bullies. Why did it have to be the bullies? I slowly began walking toward the front doors. I had only made it up two steps when they appeared before me and shoved me off. "Weirdos last. Don't ya know the rules?" "I-I d--" "Don't answer that, because ya obviously don't." If I wanted to, I could smash your puny skulls in. But I'm not going to, because I'm a nice little foal. I was thinking my classical death threats. But I dared not speak them aloud. I would be expelled. Then what would Mother say? "Oy! You gonna start thinking about your mum, is that it?" "N-no. I-I'm not thinking about--" "Stop yer yappin'! C'mon guys. He isn't worth our time." They began to climb up the stairs to the school. Oh I'll show them. I teleported myself inside before they could get in. It felt good, until they opened the front door and saw me standing there. "Oh boy, you're in for a world of pain now." "Look, I don't want any trouble. Let's just let bygones be bygones okay?" "Shut up with you and your fancy words. We know you don't want any trouble, but we sure do." They began to walk towards me slowly, grins stretching across their faces. That was the highlight of my day, being pummeled by the school bullies. I walked into class with a bruised muzzle and a swollen eye. The teacher didn't even bother to ask what had happened. Nopony cared about me. None of them did. Then, Stacy spoke up. "Oh my gosh Frost. What happened?" Bullies, that's what. "Why did they do that?" Because apparently I'm a 'freak'. "Well that wasn't very nice of them. How can I help?" I don't know. It's best not to help me. "Well, whatever you say Frost. I'll talk to you after school. Try and have fun okay?" Alright. I enjoyed the conversations I had with her. During school, I had to speak with her through my mind, otherwise I'd be even weirder than I already was. "Frost Catcher!" "Huh? Oh! Uh.. Uh yes ma'am?" "How many times must I tell you to pay attention?" "You tell me all the time ma'am. I'm sorry." "Uh huh.. Anyways, as I was saying--" I droned her out, nodding at all the right moments and pretending to write notes. In reality, I was imagining what life would be like if I were in the old days. Back when Equestria was actually interesting. "Mr. Catcher!" "Sorry ma'am. Yes?" "What is our lesson about? Tell me that." "Uh.. Uh... I.. I don't know." "Just as I thought. Class, what you see here is a foal who daydreams. That is a dangerous thing to do in our society. It can lead to curiosity, questions, and even worse, adventure." The entire class gasped at the last word said. Murmurs of, 'that's horrible!' and, 'Why would anypony want to do something like that?' filled the room. As always, the teacher was using me as an example of what a BAD FOAL would be. It was embarrassing, really. Every time I was caught daydreaming, the teacher would say the same thing. Each time, the class would have the same reaction. It sucked to be honest. Always being an example of what NOT to do. And so, my day dragged on. When school was out, I began to walk home. Didn't want to pop in the house before Mother got there. That would've been a tragedy. "Hey Stacy. I'm back." She appeared alongside me and we walked in perfect sync. "Already? Wow. How was your day?" "It sucked. I was caught daydreaming, again." "Oh dear. Public embarrassment. Not a good thing." "Nope, not at all." "What do you have to do for tonight?" "I have to do some boring worksheet." "Okay, but you're going to do it, right?" "Yes, I am. I always do." "Oops, I forgot. Oh well. Hope your mom and dad aren't fighting again." "They're always fighting. It's nothing new." "Well hey, they may not fight today. You never know." "I guess your right. Anyways, I'm going to stop talking. Don't want to ram into a pole like I always do." "Right, right. Well, if you're going to go, so will I. Bye!" "Bye Stacy." She faded away and I walked in silence. As I came down my house's street, the smell of smoke wafted in the air. "What could that be?" I picked up my pace as pegasi flew overhead. Each was carrying a rain cloud with them. They stopped right above my house. "Oh no.." Everything switched instantly to a slow-motion speed. I managed to get to my house in time to see the fire blazing from the windows. My mother was being pinned to the floor by a bunch of officers. Father was nowhere to be seen. "Mom! What did you do?!"
Chapter Two"Mom! What did you do?!" *** It's funny, how a little baking can turn the wrong way, isn't it? Well, that was the case. Like always, Mother and Father were fighting. Now, Mother was baking some cupcakes before I got home. Father arrived at home and started complaining. Mother never complained, nope. Well, she forgot about the cupcakes, and when she smelt the smoke, ran out of the house. Father tried to escape, but was encased in smoke. His vision was crap anyways. He ended up suffocating in the house, which eventually caught fire. He died along with all of my memories. Mother had taken the blame, and was arrested. *** "Oh Frost, I'm so sorry." "Mom, it wasn't your fault. You forgot about the cupcakes. That's all." "That's not all. You father... he... he was having an affair.. with somepony else. That's why we always fought. Because it annoyed and angered me. But he didn't care. He continued going to her house everyday after work and.. and.." Noticing that she was getting emotional, I pulled her close to me and held her in my forelegs. Trying to comfort her I said, "It's okay mom. Don't talk about it. I know that it was 2 months ago, but it's in the past. Let it stay there, okay?" She nodded, trying to hold back her sobs. "I didn't mean for your childhood to end up like this. I'm so sorry." She pulled away from me and walked towards the window. We were on the third floor of an apartment complex in Manehattan. She opened the window and stepped up onto a ledge just outside. My eyes widened, knowing what she was going to do. "Mom! No!" But before I could stop her, she jumped. I rushed to the window in time to see her lifeless body sprawled out on the sidewalk. A tear rolled down my cheek as I stared down upon her. Why had she jumped? Her life could've been so much... better. She just needed to start over. That's all. But no, she committed suicide. "Farewell, Mother." I turned away from the window and slammed it shut. The glass shattered instantly. Shards fell upon the floor, scattering around me. What was I to do? I had no parents, and I was in a world where it was either everypony for himself or the community works together. But here in Manehattan, it was the survival of the fittest. And I was in no way going to survive the harsh elements of Manehattan's bustling streets. It didn't take long before the sound of ambulances wailed through the streets. "You morons... there's no point in trying. She's already dead." I let out a heavy sob and put my head on her bed. I looked at the last remaining picture of her and I. I was so happy in that picture. So was she. And now, my world had been turned upside down. With nopony to turn to for help. Except Stacy, but she had been dormant for the past two months. Ever since Father died. And now, if I were to speak to her, she would be heartbroken to hear the news of both my parents. But I had to talk to her. "Stacy, I need to speak to you." Her image slowly faded into view, slightly flickering in and out of existence. "Hey-- ost-- Wha--- up?" "Hold on, let me think harder." I concentrated on the beautiful image I once had of her. She easily reappeared, this time full bodied. Like the old days. "Okay, now I can see you clearly." "Good. So what's up? We haven't spoken in a while now." "Well, my mom and dad are both.... both... dead." "I'm so sorry to hear that.. When did your dad die?" "Two months ago. Mom just committed suicide." Her mouth dropped in awe. "That's devastating! I'm terribly sorry about that! Can I help?" "If you were real, you could... But, you're just an imaginary friend." She lowered her head, hurt by what I had said. "I see. That's how you view me then.. not real." Had I seriously just said that she wasn't real? I had. "I'm sorry! You are the most real thing in my life right now! I don't know what reality is anymore! My mother and father are dead, I'm orphaned now, and the only pony I have to turn to now is you. I'm terribly sorry for saying you weren't real. I'm in a horrible mood right now. Please go easy on me." She looked me in the eyes and nodded slowly. "I know that I cannot physically help you, but I am still part of your mindscape. If you're real, then I'm real too. Know that, and don't forget. Right now, your best option is to go out there and speak to whoever is there. They may be able to guide you in the right direction. Now, I must go take care of... other business elsewhere." She faded away, leaving me alone and an imprint of her body on the bed. I stood up, walked towards the window, and looked at the scene below me. No sign of help.. must have still been on their way. Or, maybe nopony gave a care. I quickly rushed towards the phone and dialed the number Mother told me to call in an emergency. "9-1-1... It's ringing! Yes! Okay Frost, keep calm." It rang for a while, then a feminine voice came from the other line. "This is Pony Emergency Services, how can I help?" "Hi, my name is Frost Catcher. I called to report an incident." "And what would that be?" "My mom... she... she committed suicide.. She jumped out of our third story window." "Okay, what is your address?" Well that was just fantastic. I didn't know what my address was. I sat there, hesitating, before asking, "Could you trace this number?" "Yes, I can. Would you like me to?" "Y-yes please. Thank you." A click on the other line told me that she had hung up. I placed the phone down and ran outside. I stopped by my mother's lifeless body and rested my head on her chest. I was alone, as always. This time, I had no mother or father to help me get through this loneliness. I had Stacy, but what good was she at the moment. *** It wasn't long until an ambulance showed up. They swooped Mother away and took me to an orphanage. "You'll be safe here," they said. "Safe?! This place looks abandoned!" "Yeah? Well deal with it." What kind of ponies treated a foal like this? Dropping him off at an orphanage that looked rundown and rotting. I turned towards it and slowly walked inside. *** The smell was just putrid! It smelt of bodily waste along with vomit. Paint was peeling from the walls and the floorboards were splintering. Loose nails littered the main hall. I pricked myself with one and jumped back, landing on another. "Ow!!" A pony poked her head out of an open door and looked me up and down. "Welcome to the Sunshine Orphanage, where every filly and foal is treated like a gift from the princesses." Sunshine Orphanage? Gift? My eyes widened at this statement. The mare looked me in the eyes, her entire body coming out of the room now. There were three scars on her flank. Her mane was a light pink, and looked like it had been ages since it was groomed. Her coat was almost like Stacy's except it was more yellow. "Can I help you," she asked. "Um, I'm.. I'm orphaned." "Well I can see that. How did it happen? Wait, you probably don't want to talk about it, do you?" I shook my head. She rose an eyebrow, then relaxed it. "I'm terribly sorry. I'm being utterly rude. I was raised so much better than this, where are my manners? My name is Fluttershy, what's yours?" Fluttershy? I felt like I heard that name before. But where? "Um my name is Frost Catcher." "Well nice to meet you. I know the place is a mess, but I don't have the energy to clean up these days. I do apologize. Anyways, do make yourself comfortable. If you want, feel free to tidy up. I'm never available, since I'm always napping. Uh, there are no other fillies or foals here, so you're going to have to be alone. They all left... in search of some mythical thing. It's called a cutie mark. Silly things, but they did exist, once." Her face went blank, as of trying to remember something. Then, she shook her head, returning from her trance. My eyes had fallen upon her scars. She followed my gaze and met her flank. "Ah yes, the scars. Well, you see, I used to have a cutie mark. It was so wonderful to have one you know. It told you what your special talent was. But, in the beginning of Twilight's reign, she banished cutie marks. Removed any that were on ponies, and made sure that later generations of fillies and foals were taught to hate curiosity. But, every little one that came to me was something called a 'Seeker'. They wanted to know about cutie marks. When I told them about the banishment, they went out in search of their own Destiny's. But, they never did come back. I assumed the worse. Princess Twilight caught them, and had them executed. She was my friend once. I don't know what happened to her. What made her banish the cutie mark. Must've been the rise of the group called the Cutie Mark Crusaders. At first, they were just a trio, looking for their cutie marks. But as they aged, and still hadn't gotten their cutie marks, they demanded answers. Riots broke out all over Equestria. Any members of the CMC that had scattered were executed after the riots were taken care of. That was when everypony knew that Twilight was going insane." She began to cry slightly, then excused herself to her room. I could here her softly saying that she was sorry, but never saying for what. "I should try and help. I think I'll start cleaning up." Using my magic, what little I had, I began to tidy up the place. I got rid of the stench, and removed all the loose nails, repairing them with new, non-rusted ones. I reprinted the orphanage, making it seem friendlier than when I showed up. The whole project took me a few days, since with magic, I could do multiple things at once. Fluttershy was amazed at the way the place looked. She seemed happier, she fixed her mane, and groomed out her coat. She seemed to get younger slightly. Not entirely, but she didn't look as old as she did when I met her. "Frost, I would like to thank you." She was interrupted by a large amount of fillies and foals that ran around her legs. After the relaunch, more orphans showed up. They loved it there. I taught them slight magic, and Fluttershy told them stories about the past and old days. They loved it when she told them stories. "Anyways, like I was saying, I would like to thank you. Without you, this placed would have been closed down for good. And I would've had no place to go. So thank you." I smiled and nodded. I was busy trying to settle the fillies and foals down. It didn't take that much to get them all rowdy. "Frost, I think its time that you go and.. You know, search for your Destiny. Your time has come." "You think so?" She nodded and smiled. "Yes, I do believe so." She came up to me and gave me a hug. "You've done great so far Frost. You're future is bright, so don't let go of that sight. Now go." She let go of me and gave me a smile that said, "I can take care of them. I can't teach the unicorns magic, but they'll learn." "Okay, whatever you say. Farewell Fluttershy. Thank you for taking care of me these past few months." I returned the hug, noticing that she was silently crying. I wiped the tear away from her face and looked her in the eyes. "Don't worry, I'll be back one day, okay?" "I know you will Frost. I know you will." *** After a day of packing, and saying bye to the crying fillies and foals, I was ready to leave. I grabbed my belongings and walked out the door. Fluttershy told me to stay hidden, because anypony could be a spy. She said to not trust anypony outside of the of the orphanage, unless they were able to speak to a mare with an apple for a cutie mark. Not physically speak, but mentally. Though they could see her. Stacy. My mind cried out. I asked Fluttershy about Stacy. She said that she didn't know much, just that only a select few could se her and speak to her. Said her name was Applebloom or something like that. She was supposedly the last of the CMC, and the last pony to have a cutie mark. I had to find her. The REAL her. Not just Stacy, but an actual, living, breathing physical form. Had to find her. Had to get my a answers. But where to start?
Chapter ThreeBut where to start? *** Amazing, how one can wander and wander forever, never stopping to talk. Only stopping to rest, eat, and relieve oneself. But, we all have a reason when we refuse to speak. A reason that we can never let out. And it eats at us, devours what little sanity we have left. But, we all go a little insane right? *** "Oh goodness Frost. You're alone, in the woods, with NOPONY to even bother watching you!! YOU ARE A MORON FROST!! A MORON!!" I figured that the safest route would be through the woods, despite the rumors of the legendary Slendermane hiding deep within. And night had just fallen. Not a single ounce of light from the moon penetrated through the dense trees. I felt like I was being followed, and would frequently look behind me. I was on the verge of insanity; I swore I was. I heard a rustling come from a bush, and jumped to face it. A small squirrel hopped out and looked at me with big, beady eyes. "Dumb animals," I mumbled under my breath. I turned around and kept walking. I would occasionally talk to myself. "You're just paranoid," I would say. Paranoia? HA! That wasn't the half of it! I was alone, the woods were dark, and every little movement would cause me to flinch. I was more than paranoid. I was freaking insane! *** I had walked for only a while longer before stopping to rest. I found a nice, slightly decent bed of leaves, and lay my head down. It wasn't as comfortable as the beds I had slept on earlier in my youth, but it was better than nothing. I began to mumble to myself, saying that everything was going to be fine in the morning. As my eyes grew heavy, and vision began to blacken, I let out a soft sigh. "Everything... is..... o....... k.........." *** I was awoken by a poking in my ribs. I jolted awake and jumped into the air. I was met by an unfamiliar face. "Um, h-hello?" I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to speak. "D-do.. do you know where I can find a pony by the name of Frost Catcher? I was sent to find him. By orders of Princess Twilight Sparkle." Searching for me already? Wow, word got around fast. I remained quiet not wanting to give anything away. "Sir? Do you know who Frost Catcher is?" I shook my head slowly, still refusing to speak. "Well, I was told that I would find him somewhere around here. But, if you ever see him, give me a shout. Or something... My name is... is... oh what was it again? Ah yes! My name is Sun Fire. If you ever need me, just.... find me? Yes, that seems good. Find me." I nodded in response, taking notice of the mark on her flank. She... once... had... a.. a cutie mark?! She met my gaze, and acknowledged it. "Ah yes, this thing. Princess Twilight removed the actual cutie mark from me, leaving this scar. She found me one day, wandering the streets. I was a Seeker back then, wanting to find my true self. When she found me, it was already too late to stop me from finding my Destiny. I had found it only days before my capture. She was going to have me executed, but then thought that I may be of use. So, she spared me. And gave me this job of hunting Seekers like me." My mouth was hanging open slightly. "What? Why are you staring at me like that?' "Uh.. no.. reason." Her eyes narrowed, then she nodded. "What is your name?" "I'm going to tell you, but do not, and I mean do NOT turn me in. My name.. is Frost Catcher. I too am a Seeker." "I knew you were Frost Catcher! But, tell me, why should I spare you?" "Because, I know why we are who we are. Did you ever find a mysterious mare named Applebloom?" "No, I didn't. Why?" "She can help us. Might help you get your cutie mark back." "And I should trust you why?" "Like I said, you're like me. Now, are you with me, or not?"
Chapter Four"Like I said, you're like me. Now, are you with me, or not?" *** "Um... I don't know.." "Oh come on, you never know, it can be fun. Adventure is awaiting, are you really going to continue this sad, depressing life?" Sun Fire stared me in the eyes, her mind swarming with so many questions. She wanted to ask me so much, but how was she to do it? "Yes, I will. I don't care about adventure, or fun. I care about my survival. You rebellious scum, you don't know what you're getting yourselves into. All this adventure, and excitement, and asking questions about the past. You should all burn at the fiery gates of Pony Hell for all I care. In fact, I should just kill you now, and let Princess Twilight continue to bask in her glory. Yes, it sounds... perfect." What had happened to her?! A moment ago, she was all insecure, and now, she is murderous! What... the... heck? She glared at me, with burning eyes. Does she have Multiple Personality Disorder or something? She stamped her hoof upon the ground, preparing to charge. No no no no! You're better than this Sun Fire! Though I don't know you, I'm sure you are! She lowered her head, pointing her sharp horn in my direction. This is it Frost. This is the end! She charged my way, and I braced myself for impact. But, it never came.. I slowly opened my eyes to find her on the ground, motionless. An arrow jutted from her head, a small amount of blood slowly trickling from the entry hole. "Who the?" I heard rustling come from the tree to my left and saw a pegasus leap to the branch near it. "Hey! You!" They looked my way, bow slung around their back. Their face was hidden by a hood, and they were cloaked in some funky getup. What they were wearing covered up the majority of their body, hiding their flank, mane, and tail. They continued to stare at me, then jumped down in front of me, tumbling as they landed. Upon standing, they had their bow drawn and pointed at me. "Should I kill you?" "Kill me?!" "Why not, you seem like easy pickings. But, I will decide later. Now, tell me, what are you doing out here?" They removed their hood, revealing a beautiful mare with a long, flowing golden mane. I gazed at her in awe. "May I help you? You seem to be... broken." I shook my head, letting my mane fall in front of my eyes. "No, no help. Um, can you... Lower the weapon please?" "I suppose so. Again, tell me, what are you doing out here?" "Well, have you... ever heard of the... the... the Seekers?"
