Friends in low Places

I walked down the dirt road, not knowing where it leaded.  All I knew was that Manehatten was behind me and that was enough.  I was sick of that town and more specifically, the ponies in it.  Everypony I had let close to me had betrayed me, I guess it was everypony for themselves back there.  Whatever, that was over, I was no longer in that wretched city.  I was going somewhere new.  Somewhere where the ponies were nice.  The only problem was, I had no idea where I was going.

The sun was setting for the second time since I had started my journey.  I walked until I found a suitable place to sleep.  I curled up into a ball on the ground and closed my eyes.  I tried to find sleep.  I was more tired than I was yesterday, I had been walking for two days now.  It took about five minutes for sleep to finally come and by that time the sun had just dipped below the horizon.  It left a dark purple tint in its wake.

I didn’t dream that night, I fell asleep and just like that, I was awake again.  I didn’t feel any more rested than when I had fallen asleep, but I got up anyway.  I started walking again.  After a while I arrived at a dark forest.  The trees were so close together I couldn’t see very far into the woods.  I decided to follow the faint trail that curved through it.  I walked for about twenty minutes before the trail became so faint that I couldn’t follow it anymore.

I wandered around for a few hours, the heat was getting to me.  I needed to get out of the sweltering jungle.  i made sure not to touch any of the plants, most looked menacing enough to make me walk five feet away.  Hour after hour passed and I still couldn’t find any path.  I walked in circles and hid from animals until it was almost dark.  I sat down and stared up at the sky.  I had completely given up all hope of escaping these woods.

That’s when I heard the sound of wings flapping in the air.  I didn’t pay much attention at first but then I saw a gray pegasus fly above the trees.  I spent a second just sitting there wishing I was a pegasus instead of a unicorn, but then I came to my senses and galloped after the pony.  I wove through trees but kept my course.  Maybe the pegasus was going to that place I had dreamed about.  I knew it was a long shot and that such a place probably didn’t exist, but i had hope.

I ran full speed for only a few minutes before I burst through the last of the trees.  I screeched to a halt.  In the distance I saw a small town.  By this time the sun had set and the only light came from the moon, the stars, and the town.  “Maybe somepony will let me stay with them for tonight” I said out loud.  I stood there looking at the town for a few more seconds before I trotted off towards the town.  The gray pegasus was nowhere to be seen.

When I arrived at the town it was empty and most of the lights were off.  I saw a giant crystal tree and immediately knew I should recognize the monument, but I didn’t.  I trotted over and knocked on the door.  It was so thick that my hoof barely made any noise at all.  I knocked again, harder this time.  the knock was much fuller this time.  I waited for a bit before a purple unicorn...no, alicorn, was at the door.  She had a messy mane and her fur was sticking up in random places.  She had a tired and angry look in her eyes.  I didn’t think she would let me stay the night, but I had to ask, so I did.  “I’m sorry to disturb you so late...but I don’t have anywhere to stay...could I sleep here tonight?”

The alicorn looked at me for a second then responded “Sorry, I don’t let stange ponies into my library.”  The door slammed in my face.  I turned around and walked away.  I had only gotten a few steps when it started raining.  “So much for that perfect town…” I thought to myself.  I was pretty sure that would be the reaction to every other house I tried, so I walked towards a small tree.  That’s where I would spend the night so I wouldn’t bother anypony else.  I had just curled into a ball when the grey pegasus landed in front of me.

I could see it...no...her.  I could see her a lot better now.  The mare walked forward tentatively, as if scared to approach me.  I stood up "You were that pegasus who flew over the forest today, weren't you?".  She blushed "Yeah...I kinda got lost...".  she said kind of quietly.  "I saw you didn't have a place to sleep and I asked Carrot Top and she said you could stay with us for the night."  "Thank you" I said as she started to walk off.  I started after her, after a few feet she began to fly, but only for a second, before she realized that I was walking behind her.  She gave a smile that said "sorry about that" and dropped to the ground.  I apologized for slowing her down and she responded with "Oh it's no problem" cheerfully.  We walked the rest of the way in relative silence, we talked about a few things here and there, but we never actually kept a conversation going.  When we finally arrived at the house I was exhausted, as was the mare.  That reminded me that I hadn't gotten her name yet.  I asked her and she paused and said "Ditzy Doo", as if she was unsure.  I shrugged it off and followed her inside.  The house was small, yet cozy.  The pegasus pointed to a couch and said "You can sleep there.   I thanked her and curled up into a ball on the sofa, it was a lot better than sleeping on the ground in the rain.