Chapter One: New Beginnings

It was just another dark and rainy day as Nick Flash sat at his laptop, reading about the local news.  He didn't watch TV much so he read on his laptop. He was a grey Earth pony with black hair and tail. His eyes were a dark brown, almost black that blended in with his pupil. His cutie mark was that of a red lightning bolt, curved down to an edge with three drops of blood coming from it. He didn't quite remember how he got it all those years ago. All Nick could remember was that he just conquered a nightmare and waking up to see it on his flank.  Depression has taken over him ever since his parents died in a train wreck two months ago and hasn't gotten any better.

It was his mothers birthday and his dad wanted to take her to Canterlot for the day. On their way back, the train hit an intersection and collided with another train. The ponies on the other train survived, but the train his parents were on flipped and the bottom of the train collapsed on itself, killing everyone. Nicks parents weren't all that loving to him, but they weren't abusive or bad, they just ignored him. He was sent a letter to an orphanage, but didn't leave the apartment.  He hasn't paid any bills or anything of that matter, he was only 15 and didn't know how to do that stuff anyway.  Heck, he still has a stack of mail on the table he never cleans and he is counting down the days until his power goes out.  Nick was just scrolling through the news about some stallion that was recently put into a hospital for shooting two cops during his attempted suicide.

As Nick read on, he discovered that "Simon Hendriksson" suffered through the same kind of depression he is experiencing.  He thought if he could find him, he could help out in his current situation.  "Dammit!", Nick cursed as he slammed his hoof on the table, "He is in Ponyville Hospital for the Mental ill?!". 'Ponyville?! That is all the way across the state and the only way to reach it is by...train.' Nick thought to himself. He HATED trains, and not the fact it was the death of his parents, it was his ONLY way of travel."Well, Better get started", he sighed and went to retrieve his grey hoodie and his trusty switchblade, the one his uncle gave him for his 10th birthday.  He took his cellphone and charger along with his tan saddle bags.  He shut down his computer and quickly left for the train station.

As he left his apartment he hid the spare key in the artificial plant next to his window seil. He walked down the stairs and, felt as if he was being watched. He quickly turned around only to find a metal hammer on the ground. "Huh, that is strange", Nick whispered to himself. He thought nothing of it and continued on. As Nick walked through the streets, the other ponies looked at him like he was either lost or crazy, but soon lost interest and continued walking. Nick didn't like most of the ponies he lived around, found them to much of a up tight rich pony. Nicks parents were wealthy enough to go by, but didn't leave any to him when they died. Nicks school wasn't that great either. He didn't have many Friends and they ignored him most of the time. He dropped out because he had no one to pay for it. If he wasn't able to make it to Ponyville, he didn't have much to lose.

When Nick Arrived at the train station, he looked to find that it was mostly empty except for the ticket manager and someone else talking to him. When he was done talking, Nick approached the nearby ticket booth and asked the manager for a one way ride to Ponyville. "That will be thirty bits", the manager asked. Nick handed over the appropriate amount out of his bag which he didn't have a lot of.

The conductor walked up to Nick and said, "The trip to Ponyville will be here in 15 minuets". He but his wallet back in his saddle bag and walked to a vending machine, got a pop and cracked it open.  He found a nearby bench, sat down, and slowly downed the soda.  When his 15 minuets were up, the train stopped with a screeching sound as the breaks sparked up.  "Well, goodbye home, ill miss you...barely" Nick said as he walked onto the train. He looked for a seat but, he got that feeling again except it was, stronger.  He spins around to find that same hammer from before. "Stop following me hammer!" Nick said as he picked it up and dropped it out the door of the train. He pondered why it "followed" him but remembered that he was just standing there and decided to keep looking for his seat.  Once he found one near a window he rested his head against it and fell asleep without a seconds notice.

Nick awoken to find him in a strange room with flickering lights.  He looked around to find blood covered the walls and floor.  The smell was like rotten flesh, blended up with feces and urine.  He also smelled something....familiar. He knew it, it was Gasoline smoke?  He started to back up only to find his flank touch against a cold, stone wall. He heard a roar of a chainsaw starting up. Suddenly, one of the back lights turned on and revealed a tall, pale pony on its hind legs....holding a chainsaw. It's body was mangled and torn like it was run over by a train multiple times and then cut up. It's face didn't have any physical eyes just bloodied sockets where they should be. It's mouth was an expressionless mouth, but what really made it stand out was that it's head was COVERED in nails nailed into its face. It started to run forward into Nick, chainsaw held high ready to kill. "OH SHIIIIIIIIIT", screamed Nick as he was paralyzed in fear. But before the chainsaw could connect with Nicks head, He woke up in a cold sweat.

"Sir! Are you alright?!" Nick heard a feminine voice say to his right.

He couldn't make out who it was through all his panting.

"Yes....yes I'm alright....Just a bad dream," Nick exclaimed as he calmed

"Well that's good,you looked like you died! We will arrive in Ponyville a couple of minuets from now, you should get ready to depart", the voice replied.  Nick could see her now, she was a young brown unicorn with blue eyes and yellow mane. She wore a train server's outfit and he could tell that she worked on the train.  he sighed and fell back into his seat knowing that he was safe from whatever that was.

"Thank you, I'll get ready",Nick said in a sigh as he adjusted his posture.

"Your welcome sir, just call me if you need me" The girl said as she walked away.  Nick swore he saw her wink at him, but shrugged it off and did a check on all his items, making sure they were how he left them. He could see a small town up ahead as the train slowly stopped at the station. "Whelp, i guess this is where i get off" he said to himself as he got off the train.