Friday Morning

Chapter Nine – Frostburn

He woke up, but did not open his eyes. It was a habit of his to explore surroundings without his sight, mainly because he was used to waking up in dark gutters, and the occasional lightless dungeon. Just like he assumed he was in now.

His sense of touch sprang into action first. Restraints, cast iron chains to be exact, were clamped down on each hoof. His wings had been tied so he couldn't open them. That part he didn't mind. In fact if he could just walk around with his wings permanently tied down, without the slightest chance of them opening, that'd be great. But it drew too much attention.

What Frostburn found odd- no not odd, very weird- was that he seemed to be on a bed. A comfortable spring mattress, sheets included. Probably the most comfortable dungeon he'd ever been in. Maybe it wasn't so bad this time. He thought. Maybe no one got hurt. Though he very much doubted it.

When his sense of smell kicked in, he was sure that he was not in a prison cell. The air smelled clean, not quite so fresh, more like it was sterilized. Hospital, he deduced. It had to be. But why was he in a hospital?  Had he hurt himself when it happened? No part of him seemed in pain though.  Very curious.

His ears began functioning at this point. Muffled voices were coming from outside his room. Approximately five or six ponies, none of them too sounding too happy. Focusing his attention, he could just barely make out what they were saying.

"It's a mess out there!" An angry mare's voice shouted. "Half the town has been burned to the ground and you want to let him talk?"

So it had been fire last night. Fire was always the worst. Frostburn's memories of the previous night got very hazy after leaving the Everfree forest. He decided to listen some more, hoping the information would fill the gaps in his mind.  He wasn't sure he would like what he was about to hear.

"Ah hafta agree with Rainbow, Twi. The farm's southern fields are nothin but ash, and Big Mac still ain't awake yet."

A farm. Yes, he remembered a farm. That's where the Zecorah had pointed him too. He also remembered an encounter with two Earth ponies there. He assumed one of them was currently outside. That must have been when I went off.  Frostburn thought.  That's the last memory that isn't fuzzy.

"I know it's bad, but he deserves a chance to explain himself." That voice. It was the voice of the librarian who gave him the book of Equestrian oddities. What did she have to do with this? He thought back to last night again, trying to remember. There was something, a purple unicorn maybe. The librarian was a purple unicorn. In his memories he saw her using magic. He continued listening. "I've contacted Princess Celestia." The Librarian said. "She's on her way, but she wrote that Frostburn deserves a trial with due process."

His eyes snapped open when he heard that. The Princess is coming here? He thought. That wasn't good. He had already had a run in with the Princess a long time ago, and that had ended horribly… Well, there wouldn't be a trial or a dungeon if he was still here upon her arrival.

"I still think it's a bad idea, Twilight." A voice which he linked to the name Rainbow said. "He could go berserk again and do even more damage!"

It seemed to Frostburn that there would be two outcomes. The majority would convince the librarian to have him executed; or the princess would arrive, recognize him, and she would have him executed.

Time to go. He thought. Looking down at his chains, he could see they were old, and rarely used, which had caused lots of rust. From experience, he knew rusty chains were the easiest to break out of. With his front hooves, Frostburn gripped the chains and twisted them back and forth. The rusty links snapped open without too much difficulty. Wincing slightly at the noise it had made, he began prying off the cuffs as the conversation continued.

"Maybe he, umm, had a good reason for… well…" A timid voice said in his defense.

"Well I simply cannot fathom what reason gave him the right to lay waste to our town." Another voice said.

Frostburn moved on to the next set of chains. They were slightly tougher, and didn't succumb to his twisting technique.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure we'll find out when he wakes up." The Librarian said.

Biting down on the chains, Frostburn yanked and twisted them with great ferocity. They broke this time, and slid right off his hooves.

"Ah don't care what reason he had. He burnt down Sweet Apple Acres! Applebloom and Granny Smith weren't even sure we were still alive! They showed up this morning certain Big Mac and me were dead."

Biting through the ropes on his back, Frostburn freed his wings, but didn't dare open them despite their soreness. He moved off the hospital bed slowly, careful not to alert the ponies just outside.  The spring mattress creaked as his weight left it.

"Don't worry AJ. Big Mac will get better. And besides, I'm sure Frosty will want to make right what he's done." That cheery voice belonged to Pinkie Pie, Frostburn remembered. She had been at the train station when he arrived the other day. It didn't matter though, he had to get out of the town and quickly. Looking around, he saw a window at the back of the room.

"He better," The voice that belonged to Rainbow said. "And if not, I'm ready for round two!"

Round two? He thought. Had he fought Rainbow last night? His head hurt as he struggled to remember. There was something about flying through the air. Another pony was there too. A blue pegasus. In his memories they did appear to be fighting. He sighed. No round two. I never wanted a round one.

Frostburn made it to the window. He tried to open it, but it was locked.

"We should probably check on him anyway." The Librarian said. The icy blue pegasus fumbled with the lock, but it wouldn't budge. There was no hope to escape. The door knob turned, as Frostburn sat down and prepared for a lot of explaining.

As the door opened, the six ponies gasped as they saw Frostburn's empty bed and broken cuffs.

"The chains were a little unnecessary." He said, ad-libbing. Six shocked heads turned to him. "And really ineffective." Next Chapter: Background Check Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 46 Minutes