Waiting for Hope

Saphire was never a happy pony. She didn't have any friends or family. Saphire lived in the ponyville orphanage and was thought to have no future by everypony. Even the caregiver, Happy Life, thought she would stay in the orphanage for the rest of the fillies young life, though she would never tell her. Then one fateful day her entire world changed forever. She remembered it as if it were yesterday, but in reality It was roughly about one year ago. Saphire was a dark blue filly with a lighter blue mane and tail. She was a unicorn with a bare flank, and was roughly about ten years old. Not many ponies really came into the orphanage, but when somepony did come in she knew to stay away. She stayed away because a gang of colts and fillies would always threaten and hurt her if she ever got close to somepony coming into the orphanage.

“If you come anywhere near them, we’ll break your horn off!” they would shout.

Saphire would just stay quiet and accept this fact. She was scared and they knew it.

“They wouldn’t even want a foal who’s name isn’t spelled right! I mean honestly, what were your parents thinking!? Spelling your name “Saphire” instead of “Sapphire”, honestly!” one filly would yell at her.

This made Saphire start crying. It always did. She knew nothing of her parents, or why they named her “Saphire” but they did.

This went on her whole life even when she was much smaller. It was always the same. A stallion or mare would come in, the gang would make her hide or stay away then they’d look at some of the foals, then either decide to adopt or leave, but they never noticed her. The caregiver always tried to stop the foals from picking and bullying her, but they never listened, she tried whatever she could to stop them time-outs, no desserts, no recess, no leaving the room, no supper but they never listened. They just kept attacking the poor filly.

It wasn’t about one month after Happy Life had given up trying to stop the bullies that a lone stallion came in. The stallion who would change her life forever. It was a mild morning in Ponyville, the kind of day that made ponies wanna go outside and have a picnic. The sun was midway through the sky. There were many foals outside playing without a care in the world. The bell rang as a deep red pegasi walked in. His mane and tail were a much lighter shade of red than his coat and feathers, his cutie mark was a few bits stacked on top of each other. As foals slowly started to swarm around him she grabbed her best friend in the orphange, a small teddy bear named Mr. Snuggles, and headed down to the kitchen to grab a snack. Upon entering she noticed nopony else was there. Grabbing a small cup of fruits she sat down at a table and looked down at Mr. Snuggles.

“You’re my only friend here, Mr. Snuggles,” she said sadly as she ate some of her fruit, a few tear in her eyes.

The day slowly went on as she finished her fruit and trotted towards her room.

“Mr. Snuggles when do you think somepony is gonna adopt me?” she asked, holding Mr. Snuggles tightly.

“...” Mr. Snuggles said.

“I know, and I hope so too Mr. Snuggles,” she said, still holding him closely.

She was talking to Mr. Snuggles for a while about just random things that would make her happy.

“...”

“Yeah I know. I just wish I could afford some tail extensions,” Saphire giggled happily.

Soon knocking was heard at her door as she snapped her head towards the door she gasped as she saw the stallion from earlier standing there with a smile.

“Hi there,” he started. “What’s your name?”

At the sound of his voice she cowered away, afraid of what the bullies would do to her if she was caught.

“H-hello i-i’m Saphire,” she said, visibly frightened.

“Is something wrong?” he asked, sounding concerned.

“I…” she had to think swiftly, she couldnt tell the truth or the bullies would surely hurt her for “abolishing” their chances of being adopted. “It’s just… no pony really ever takes a second glance at me,” Saphire said, blushing. She turned away from the stallion.

“Thats just mean. You seem like such a nice young filly,” he said with a smile.

“Do you really think so?” Saphire said, with a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"I truly do.”

Saphire smiles at him before remembering Mr. Snuggles as she holds him up. “This is my friend Mr. Snuggles, he’s… kinda my only friend here,” she said, while holding the stuffed teddy bear close.

The stallions laughs a bit. “Hi there Mr. Snuggles. How are you?” he asked. A filly walked into the room behind them, but immediately walked back out as soon as she saw what was happening.

“...” said Mr. snuggles.

“Well it’s nice to meet you Mr. Snuggles,” he said with a smile, as he looked to a clock on the nightstand, that read 5:30. “I gotta go, its getting late. I’ll be back tomorrow though,” he replied, still smiling brightly.

“Aww, ok,” Saphire said, hugging Mr. Snuggles. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“For sure,” he said, smiling as he trotted out of the room and straight out the front door.

“You think he’s the one Mr. Snuggles?” she asked her stuffed teddy bear.

“...”

“I hope so too.” she replied. “C’mon, lets go have something to eat. I’m starving.”

“...” Mr. Snuggles said.

“I know dinner’s soon but I just want something to snack on.” She said, as she trotts into the kitchen. She grabs a cup of yogurt and a spoon, and sits down on a small stool. She eats her yogurt contentedly, until the sound of somepony opening the door to the kitchen makes her freeze in her tracks.. Looking over she found something that has forever terrified her to the bone.

“Well, well, well. Would you look at who we have here,” a gruff looking colt said.

“O-oh, h-hi there C-clean Wing,” Saphire said, holding Mr. Snuggles closer than ever.

“So Shiny Ray here tell’s me that she saw you sucking up to the stallion that came in today,” he sai,d gesturing to Shiny Ray, the filly next to him.

“N-no I wasn’t- Hey! give him back!” She yelled as her horn flared up, and her aura glows as she tries to reclaim her best friend. But the colt's magic was too strong, and he was pulled away.

“We told you not to go near him, now your “best friend” suffers for it,” he said, grabbing a knife off of the kitchen counter before cutting the head off of the stuffed bear, and throwing both ends of it at Saphire.

“M-Mr. Snuggles!” she said, grabbing him and running to her room. She desperately tries to reattach his head, but it fails each time with his head continuing to fall off. She spent the rest of the night crying and holding onto her beloved friend before locking the door, putting a chair to block entry and letting sleep fill the void.