Sweetie Belle entered the Carousel Boutique to the sound of muffled sobs emanating from Rarity's inspiration room. As she drew closer, she could hear a stallion's voice as well, from behind the door. Sweetie Belle knew she wouldn’t hear the end of it if she was caught eavesdropping, but her curiosity got the better of her.

Rarity was completely disheartened. Her voice was muffled and barely comprehendible. "I-I just don't understand, Braeburn... H-How could you?"

The sound of the stallion's voice was rather upset as well. "R-Rarity, that’s just the thing... I'm not sure how I feel. I-I'm completely torn."

"D-Do y-you even love me a-anymore?"

The stallion inhaled sharply. "Rarity, o' course I do! You were one of the only things keepin' me strong enough ta stay alive in those caves."

Rarity' sobbing paused for a moment. "O-One of the only things?"

Braeburn only sighed.

"T-This is about another mare, isn't it?" Rarity's tone began to grow aggressive.

"Now Rar', jus' here me out... I--" Braeburn was cut short before he could even begin.

"Braeburn, I may not have a single idea of what you had to go through while you were imprisoned, but the least you could have done was let me know that you had feelings for somepony else!"

"Rarity..."

Rarity began sobbing again, "I would've at least done that for you..."

Sweetie Belle had heard enough. She quietly trotted off and up to her room, letting herself collapse onto her bed. Rarity and Braeburn's argument continued well into the late hours of the evening, until the sound of the front door of the Boutique signaled Braeburn's leave.

Rapping gently on Sweetie's door, Rarity peeked in her head. "Sweetie Belle?"

"Hi Rarity." Sweetie Belle was lying flat onto the bed, her voice as barely audible as she had her face dug into a pillow.

Rarity trotted over to her sisters bed, and placed a hoof onto her shoulder. "Sorry if you had to hear all that, darling."

Sweetie Belle brought her face up out of the pillow. "I-It's ok Rarity. I just hope you're ok." The little white unicorn threw her hooves around her big sis.

Rarity couldn’t help but tear up a bit. "I-I'll be fine, Sweetie Belle. As long as you're here with me, I know I'll be fine."

"I'm not going anywhere, sis."

Rarity let out a long sigh as the two broke from the hug. "Well come now, Sweetie Belle. Let me fix you something to eat."

Alloy's Journal; June 15th, Year of Sol 998.

I think I've finally found a place to call my own. Thank Celestia. It's not much, but it meets my needs right now. I doubt anypony will ever find me here, this far up north. The last thing I want right now is for somepony to find me.

I doubt anypony is looking for me anyways. I have nothing and nopony in Equestria to go back to now.

Alloy's Journal; April 26, Year of Sol 999.

It's times like these when I feel like I have completely let my father down. All he wanted was for me to stay happily by his side, find what it was I was looking for, and to be there for anypony in need. I'll never forget the last words he said to me:

"The memories of your life are cherished by the ponies that hold you close. Remember that, Alloy. Your life is what you make of it. Be the best stallion you can be. Be happy, be helpful and caring. Make me proud, son."

The only things I knew after he said those very words was my anger, confusion, and fear. It felt as if the entire world I knew had just been stripped away, and I panicked. I galloped away from my old home as fast as I could. I was young. I was scared. I wasn't ready. It all fell apart so fast...

There's no way I could hope to be half the stallion he was. He did anything to help out anypony back home, even if they didn't ask for it. I can't even help myself. There's nothing I'm good for anymore... I have no real special talent.

Alloy's Journal; September 18th, Year of Sol 1008.

I can almost smell the fresh fruits and vegetables being sold in the town square back at home. I miss that place so incredibly much. I miss being around the company of everypony. I miss working in my father's blacksmith shop. Most of all, I miss my family...

10 years it's been now. 10 years since I've left home. I find it almost amazing how I've managed to keep track of the time this long, let alone even manage to survive. If I hadn't stumbled across this cave, odds are I would have probably been dead a long time ago. Nopony can survive in the blizzards that this place dishes out in the late months of Autumn and Winter.

I'm beginning to realize just how long I've been gone. I'm getting to be an old stallion now; 37 by my count. I sure hope my father would be proud of how I've managed to take care of myself. By Celestia, I miss my family. If I could go back and prevent everything from completely falling apart, I would. I'd do anything.

Why must it have to be too late to turn back?

Alloy's Journal; October 29, Year of Sol 1010.

Today has been, well, an interesting day I suppose. After an early morning stroll, I stumbled across a material in this cave that isn't like anything I've ever seen, or worked with before. It's definitely a metal of some sort, but it's unlike the heavy iron that I'm used to working with. The metal doesn't become brittle after being heated, formed and cooled, and it's lightweight; an ideal metal in any case. A few ideas have come to my mind since this morning; maybe, just maybe, I might be able to bring something useful back with me to Equestria.

That is, if I ever plan on leaving this place... I've grown accustomed to the peace and quiet, and I'd be lying to myself if I didn't say that I now consider this place my home. Keeping myself occupied with my work helps me forget what I left behind...

Alloy's Journal; January 4, Year of Sol 1012.

My attempts are all but successful. Everything I've tried is a failure. A complete, and utter failure. Chances of returning to my home town are diminishing by the days that pass. I'm an old stallion, and I know my days are limited. I'm beginning to lose all hope that I have, and my will to leave this place is also diminishing. This place has been my home for nearly 15 years; leaving here seems like such a waste. I have everything any one pony could need here, other than a friend or company.

However, I can't shake the desire to return. I know that the odds of me leaving here, alive or not, are next to none. I wonder how poor my social skills have gotten now that I haven't spoken with anypony other than myself in over a decade?

Alloy's Journal; November 7th, Year of Sol 1016

Today was going to be the day where I was finally going to accept my fate. I stepped out of the cave and into the blizzard outside, trekking for as long as my legs would carry me until I would collapse. If I couldn't bring anything back to Equestria, at least I'd try to see my home town just once more. It was an utterly futile gesture; there is no way I'd be able to make the trip back. Odds of even making it out of the frozen north this time of year are hopeless. I don’t know why I keep lying to myself.

"There's nothing I have to live for anymore. I have nothing to offer this world."

I couldn't have been more wrong. Seems I still have a purpose; even if it's likely only for a short time, it still counts.

What I came across outside, I hadn't seen in well almost 20 years. At first, I thought my mind was just toying with me. I was at a complete loss when I realized that what I found, was real. Almost too real...

Did I really just find somepony out in the snow? Is that really somepony lying by my fire?

A month after the Cider Season Celebration, construction on the late town hall was well underway, and very well nearing completion. The Apple Family had funded the build, but quite a few ponies had volunteered to lend a helping hoof in any way they could.

"That's it AJ! That's the last one!" Rainbow Dash hollered from the roof.

Applejack set down the hammer she was holding in her mouth. "Well Ah'll be..." she took a step back in admiration of everypony's hard work.

"Hey, Applejack." Lyra passively trotted by the orange mare peering up at the sturdy-looking structure.

"Well howdy there, Lyra! How's the paintin' goin' today?" AJ didn't catch on to Lyra's passiveness, and trotted up next to her.

Lyra halted herself, and set down the few paint buckets she was carrying with her magic. She forced a cheerful smile and took a deep breath before facing Applejack. "Well, the painting is coming along fine. We're nearly finished the main floor, but honestly I'm not all that certain how the second is coming along. I don't really trust going up there without--"

With a gust of air, Rainbow touched down onto the ground just next to the two. Lyra and Applejack shielded their eyes from the wave of dust that followed the cyan pegasus's decent.

"Without what?" Rainbow nonchalantly interjected.

"W-Without somepony I can trust, I guess." Lyra shrugged, quickly trying to come up with something to change the subject. "So..."

"Aren't you working with Bon Bon?" Rainbow raised a hoof and tilted her head inquisitively, "I thought she was, like, your best friend?"

"Well she is, b-but, I'd just feel a lot better if..." Lyra trailed off as she shyly brushed at the dirt ground with a hoof.

AJ's positive enthusiasm dropped almost immediately when she realized where this was leading. "Ah know what ya mean, sugarcube." She placed a comforting hoof on Lyra's shoulder. "Ah'm sure he'll turn up some time. Don’t ya worry none."

Lyra let out a long sigh. "I'm trying not to worry. It's just that, it's been a whole month since he's gone missing, and he disappeared without a trace..." Lyra looked up to the building standing tall, reminiscing the night she nearly lost her life.

"Davin has been gone a month already?" Rainbow raised her brow.

Lyra silently nodded her head.

Rainbow quickly caught on. "Oh..." She kicked at the ground, feeling a bit guilty. "Sorry..."

"I-It's ok, Rainbow Dash." Lyra fell to her flank.

"No, it ain't ok! You're really torn by all of this, ain't ya?" AJ comfortingly rested a hoof on Lyra's back.

"Well, I-I... I'm trying to keep my mind off it." Lyra gazed back up to the rebuilt Town hall. "Nothing good has come after the Changelings vanished, other than this..."

AJ bit her bottom lip, trying to muster up the right thing to say.

"Y-Yeah you're right; Davin going missing, Rarity torn up about Braeburn, Twilight being constantly busy preparing for a new assignment of Celestia's," Rainbow pointed her hooves at the building, "other than a few ponies coming together and lending a hoof for this, nothing really good has come."

"Rainbow! Ya ain't helpin'!"

Lyra silently shook her head and stared at the ground.

"Ah'd be lyin' if Ah said Ah wasn't worried 'bout him either." AJ patted the green unicorn on the back. "Shoot, everypony's worried bout 'im! Ah'm hopin'--no... Ah know he'll be back soon."

"Me too, Applejack... I-I just really miss him."

"Ah know ya do, hon." She patted Lyra on the back, seeming to lighten her mood just a bit. "Ah do too."

Warmth.

Through my nearly total complete numbness, I could feel a sense of warmth.

How the hell can I feel warmth? I'm out in a blizzard?! I must be dead already. Is this what death feels like? A near total numbness with a hint of warmth? Well... Isn't all that bad, I guess...

After a few minutes passed, the warmth I was feeling started to thaw my nerves. I wish it didn't; all I could feel was pain.

God, I hate this place. Just fucking kill me already. How many times must I go through this? Why can't fate just deal me the fucking easy card for once, and let me die?!

My hearing was the first to fully return to me; and yes, I could hear a fire burning close by.

Makes sense to where this warmth is coming from, but... how... Why?

A while after, my vision began to return. All I could really make out was the glowing embers illuminating a small, cluttered cave. I didn’t even have the energy to turn my head so I could look around the room. I was completely dazed, and the room spun.

Before the world faded out once more, I swear I could hear a voice.

"Now what in the hay is somepony doin' all the way out here..."

...

I awoke once again, to the fire-lit room of the small cave. I'm not even sure of how long I was out. My vision was still blurry, and I barely had the strength to move. I still couldn't feel anything. My whole body felt numb.

I took a deep breath and dazedly looked around the room. What I then noticed, almost gave me a heart-attack. At first it just looked like a dark shape, but then it moved. Standing in the midst, was a grayish, blurry figure.

"Where am I? Who are you?" I blinked a few times in attempt to clear up my vision some, but it didn't help. All I could make out in the light of the fire, was a blurry gray blob.

The voice seemed a bit taken back. "Uh, y-you're safe."

"Safe from what, exactly?" Honestly, I felt like shit. I couldn't move anything, and I barely had the strength to speak, let alone make demands. Just end it already...

"Rest. You've been out in the cold for a long time, your body needs time to thaw and heal."

"I-I don’t think so."

Fuck I'm stupid. What am I doing? I don't care. I just want to go home.

I blindly got up onto my front hooves, but my weight immediately collapsed from under me. I fell to the ground and the world faded out. Again.

...

"C'mon, just-- Ugh, another failure."

A loud clank of something hitting the ground broke me out of my slumber.

It took me a moment to realize it, but other than a bit of a headache and a bad taste in my mouth, I actually felt pretty good. I sprawled out and stretched out my limbs.

"Ahh, that felt good. Now only if I could remember where I was-- Oh right. Wait..."

I shot up as the realization sank in. I turned around to find myself face-to-face with a red-coated stallion. He appeared to be actually quite old, as his fur was graying and tattered a bit. He seemed a bit hesitant.

"W-Well, you're awake I see..."

"Uh, yeah." I'm getting mixed feelings from this guy already... Best get out of here while I still can. "Could, you know, tell me where exactly I am?"

"Well, the point is, that you're safe."

"Safe from what? Who are you?"

"Safe from out there." The old unicorn stallion pointed a hoof out towards the mouth of the small cave, where a blizzard was unleashing its fury.

"Right, ok. Who are you?"

The stallion's indirectness was becoming a bit frustrating. And honestly, I'm quickly being reminded of why I'd rather be dead, than stuck in this place.

What the fuck did that Changeling do to end up sending me here?

"You we're nearly frozen to death when I found you."

"Yeah well, y-you should have left me out there." I turned my head and glared out the opening to the cave.

The stallion took a step back. "You, I--What? You would've died out there!"

"I don't have time for this." I rolled my eyes and trotted towards the opening of the cave.

"Y-You're just going to leave? After I saved you?"

"Yeah, well, thanks for that, I guess." I turned my back towards the aging red unicorn and stepped to the mouth of the cave, facing the blizzard outside. The freezing wind chilled to the bone.

Who am I kidding? I won’t get back through this... I don't even know which way to fucking go!

"Fine. Go." The stallion let out a long sigh and turned back into the cave, kicking over a piece of home-made furniture that was designed to be more-or-less of a small table. The sound of several metallic objects hitting the ground filled the air.

I stood at the mouth of the cave; ready to give up, and willing to take the coward's way out. I pondered for a moment...

Death seems too easy lately; no matter what I end up doing, fate throws me another curve ball. I don’t know what to do...

I sat on my flank, and gazed blankly into the blizzard. I sighed and rubbed my face with a hoof, trying to come to terms with the choice laid before me. I let out a long sigh.

"The fuck am I doing?" I placed my hoof back at my side, but not before accidentally flipping open a pocket on my vest.

A small piece of parchment fluttered from the open pocket, to the cold, rocky ground just in front of me. I stared at it for a moment, wondering how the wind from the blizzard just outside of the cave didn't manage to steal it from my view. For a few moments I just stared at it, deciding whether or not I should pick it up or let the wind whisk it away. I finally gave in and snatched it up.

On the parchment, was an image that looked to be a poor excuse for a child's drawing of a tractor.

I don’t know how long I just sat at the mouth of that cave, just looking at the image. I would've just continued to look, if it weren't for the stallion's hoof resting on my shoulder.

"Come. If you're really planning to leave, you'll need something warm."

That’s when I just realized how much I was tearing up. I had been since I picked up the piece of parchment and looked upon the image scribbled onto it.

Death just seems like such a fucking waste. I've literally done nothing since I've come to this world, and I've done nothing to make a difference. Time to change that, Dav.

I folded the piece of parchment and placed it back into a pocket on my vest. With a heavy heart, I got back to my hooves and followed the stallion into the small cave. Everything feels hopeless, but I think I'll choose to live another day. I took a seat next to the old red stallion by the fire, and wiped my wet eyes with a hoof. We just sat there listening to the crackle of the small fire until the stallion finally broke the silence.

"My name's Alloy."

"..."

The stallion let out a sigh. "Honestly, I can't tell you where you are, because I'm not even sure where we are anymore; I've been stuck here for nearly 20 years."

"20 years? Alone?"

"You're the first pony I've seen since I left home."

"W-What happened? Why'd you leave?"

Alloy sighed and rose to his hooves. "That's... that's for another time." He trotted off near the back of the cave, and started handling metallic objects in a silvery-red aura of magic.

Author's Note

Again, sorry for the wait guys. I'm bloody awful at posting regularly. Curse being so damn busy with stuff all the time...
As always, I look forward to your thoughts and opinions!