//-------------------------------------------------------// Home Away From Home -by Fluttrick- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// New Home //-------------------------------------------------------// New Home To some people, a home is just considered a place to stay, or a house. To me a home is much more than that. To me, a home is a place where I can make friends, spend time with them, and enjoy myself. Well, most of the time anyways. And the thing is, the one thing I find increasingly annoying and depressing, is how one way or another, I always have to leave that home. Be it a turn of events where I'm framed as a criminal of some sort, or if I can't afford it, I always have to leave it all behind. All my past friends. I can't even count anymore 'cause there are so many of them. It's like a curse, but even worse. I mean, it's just so damn unfair! It's so cruel in the end, and each experience is always different, new to me, so I never get over it. But, that's life as I know it, nothing I can do about it as my home changes with the seasons, an endless, meaningless, heart wrenching cycle. And even now, as I wander the streets of an unknown city, I continue to ponder the meaning of this life I'd been given. I haven't even bothered to check what the name of this new home might be, nor would I ever. All that mattered at the moment was finding shelter, as clouds began looming over head, blocking out any sign of the sun. Upon the first drip of water, I picked up my pace to a fast jog. My eyes wandering any form of shelter. A dumpster, a tree, anything would suffice at the moment, for I'd rather not get my last partially clean clothes soaked. After a minute of search, I began breathing heavily, each exhale of breath bringing about a cold mist, reminding me that Winter was right around the corner. Finally, I find one tree, among this entire city. More like a ghost town, I think to myself as I look around in search of anyone to no avail. I could still feel the constant patter of raindrops against my thick bushy black hair, which I would have expected by how skinny the branches were. With a sigh, I leaned against the tree and slowly slid down along the main stump until my bottom gently thudded against the soft moist soil beneath it. Nothing much had changed these past few years as I recollected the memories as long since I could remember. Memories of my first caretakers, I still remember their names. My so called mother and father. Rachel and Charlie. I still remember the powerful sense of betrayal I felt before I ran off, leaving the two horrid excuses for human beings alone. I grinned as the picture of their teary eyes met my imagination. I could never get over the fact I'd never met my real parents. That one fateful day, my first departure of a home. I shook my head with regret as I felt a rush of emotions flow through me. How could I have been so stupid? Why did I leave? My family, my friends, my home. Just then realization struck me as a new idea struck my mind. What...What if I never left? Maybe I wouldn't be stuck with this stupid curse! Maybe I wouldn't be a lonely old stupid! Clumsy! Idiot! There was nothing to do at that point as depression got the best of me and I lay at my side, muttering words of regret and apologies to all my past friends and families. That night I cried myself to sleep, too lost in thoughts to care if anyone in this freaking town would hear me. All I knew was that I had to find a new home soon, for I knew that Winter's wrath would be unleashed once more if nothing was done. Then...my mind went blank as I drifted to a peaceful slumber. The next morning I awoke to find not a cold, ruthless chilling wind, but instead, a warm cotton blanket with my head resting on a unbelievably soft pillow. Still drowsy from sleep, I blinked a few times then sat up slowly, shaking my head to try and jump start my senses. After a minute of awakening, my eyes were finally awake enough to wander the setting around me. The first thing I  noticed, books, lots and lots of books. Neatly organized into holes in the wooden walls that looked as if they were that of an uncut tree. The second thing I noticed was that everything looked a little bit more...cartoony? If that's even a word. "Well, um hello there!" I nearly jumped when I heard the voice. I turned my head quickly to see a...purple pony. Then I paused a moment, and looked to her forehead. There, smack in the middle was a horn. Correction: A unicorn. "Um, hi there..." I replied awkwardly as I shifted my body off the bed towards the purple unicorn. "Yay, you can speak! So um...where to start? I have so many questions I'm just dying to ask you!" Oh boy, this can't be good. Though, if I'm dreaming-which I probably am-then I might as well enjoy it. "Whatever you want." Just then, her face seemed to brighten up as I braced myself for 20Questions to begin. "What are you? Where did you come from? Why are you standing on to..er what are those exactly?"  She said pointing at my feet. "Those are feet." I explained. "And I come from this place called Earth, in America. And, I'm human." I said all in one breath. But I knew she wasn't done there, as I sat back down on the bed and went through the process of question and answer through the rest of whatever time it was. Day maybe? I had no idea. I didn't even know if this was a dream or not anymore. "Hey, are you even listening?" "Wait wha-? Oh, um sorry, just dozed off sort of. And hey, do you know where I am exactly?" I blushed as I asked, expecting some sort of sarcastic answer. "Oh, you're in Equestria!" "And how did I get here?" "Oh well, um..." The unicorn swallowed deeply. "I don't know how to explain this, but you kind of just, well, appeared out of nowhere. I was just cleaning my library then, BAM!, you appeared out of thin air, lying unconscious on the floor." I nodded my head, though still doubting the reality of this all. "Oh, sorry sir. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Twilight Sparkle. I run the library here in Ponyville while continuing my studies on the magic of friendshi-" But by then, she realized I was no longer sitting on the bed. Turning her head towards the open door at the front, she galloped frantically after me. Everything was a blur as I sprinted down the lane, flowing with ponies, left and right, colors from pink to blue, and all staring at me. Attention. That never got me anything but a...a...new home? Of course! It all made sense now as I halted and took a turn around a candy themed building. Shutting my eyes as I leaned over the back walls. This is crazy, just plain crazy! A land filled with talking ponies, and unicorns, and maybe even more! I gave a sigh as I turned on my side once more, feeling a rush of emotions overtake me. Just as the tears began to flow, I heard a voice. "Hey sir, are you okay?" It was high and energetic. I turned my head to come face to face(more like nose to nose) with a pink coated, pink maned, pony. No horn, no nothing, but I sensed something strange about her. "Yah, I'm fine." Rubbing my eyes for a moment as I stood back up. "Just, really confused." "Don't worry! Come on in here, it looks like you have no place to go. Oh and my name's Pinkie Pie!" With a wide grin she pulled me towards the ginger bread themed door. "Pinkie Pie," I muttered quietly to myself before I went through the door. "Thanks." With a smile plastered against my face I entered. Maybe this place wouldn't be so bad after all? Or maybe just like any home. The only way to find out was to explore my new home, and this time try not to make as many friends, because, I'd learned my lesson already. Fate would have it that I would have to leave, so I didn't want to hurt myself and others anymore than I already have. But, why do I have a feeling that this place in particular won't allow that? So many questions, and still only one way to find out.