Waiting for Hope

Saphire awoke to knocks at her door. Glancing at the nightstand she noticed that it was just after one in the evening. She had spent the entire night trying to get back to sleep after what had happened to Mr. Cuddles. She just wanted to sleep for hours, but found that she could sleep no longer, it had already been close to nineteen hours.

“Go away!” she yelled at the door.

“Saphire please come out,” she heard Happy Life say.

“No, I’m never coming out!” Saphire yelled back.

“Oh really? Not even to meet the stallion who will be giving you your new life?” Happy Life asked with a bit of a sarcastic tone, knowing inwardly the filly would open the door.

“What do you mean?” Saphire asked, leaving the door shut.

“Remember the stallion that was here yesterday?” she asked.

“Y-yeah.”

“Well. He put in an application to adopt you,” Happy Life said, still waiting for the door to open. After a few minutes of silence she heard a chair move from the front of the door and the door opened with a tired looking Saphire open the door.

“Really?” she asked in disbelief.

“It’s true, the foal adoption agency already sent an inspector to go make sure that he’s on the up and up,” Happy said, smiling brightly at her.

“D-dont tell anypony else!” Saphire blurted out.

“What? Why not?” Happy asked, taken aback by the outburst.

“The other foals… well, you know what they’d do,” Saphire said, pointing to her horn.

“Oh,” Happy started. “I’m sorry Saphire. I wish I could help but they simply won’t listen to me.”

“It’s ok, I’ll be out of here soon enough. I can’t wait until he comes back,” she said, her voice gaining enthusiasm with every second.

“We’ll the mare from the foal adoption agency said she could be there tomorrow so he should be coming today,” Happy said with a smile.

“Ok well I hope he’s soon. Can you send him over here when he does come, please?” She asked, turning around and heading back into her room.

“Of course, I'll be sure to let you know,” Happy said with a smile.

“Thanks,” she said, before closing the door and lying down holding the remains of Mr. Snuggles in her hooves. “I love you Mr. Snuggles.” She said. She releases a single tear.

Saphire waited for no more than thirty minutes before she heard a soft knock on her door.

“Hello?” She asked, disheartened.

“Saphire, Happy Life told me you wanted me to come here,” the stallion said through the door.

Silence came through the door as the chair was moved and the door unlocked.

“Saphire?” he asked, as he came through the door and looked at her with eyes filled with concern.

“...” Saphire replied.

“Saphire what’s wrong?” he asked, with genuine concern in his voice.

“Th-they hurt Mr. Snuggles,” she said, signalling towards Mr. Snuggles on the bed, decapitated.

“What? Who would do that?” he asked.

“Some mean bullies,” she said, beginning to tear up again.

“You mind if I have a look at him? Maybe I can fix him,” he said, while scooting a bit closer to Saphire.

“S-sure, just please, be careful,” she said, worried for her best friend.

“Of course,” he said while carefully picking him up and examining him. He nods several times to himself. “I think I can fix this, it should be an easy sew.”

“O-ok, I-I'll just be here,” she said, climbing back in bed and crying softly into her pillow.

“He’ll be ok, alright?. I’ll be back in a bit,” he said, flying out the window.

Saphire got up after he left and closed the door, locking it and putting the chair back in its place afterwards before returning to the bed and slowly letting sleep take its toll. It was only thirty minute before her sleep was interrupted by the sounds of somepony knocking on her door.

Yawning, she got up and stared at the door. “Who’s there?”

“Take a guess,” the voice said, chuckling a bit on the otherside.

Opening the door much faster this time, she looked at the stallion before giving him a small smile and inviting him inside.

“Guess who made a full recovery?” he asked, slowly holding Mr. Snuggles up for Saphire to see.

She gasped upon seeing him and immediately pounced on him. hugging tight and snuggling Mr. Snuggles over his shoulder. “Oh thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!” she burst out, fiercely nuzzling Mr. Snuggles and holding her soon-to-be father.

The stallion just smiled, while petting her mane with one hoof and hugging her back with the other. “I had to do it, it’s my job to make sure you’re happy.”

She stayed silent as she hugged him, pulling in Mr. Snuggles as well as she started nuzzling the stallions chest.

“Am I interrupting something?”

Both heads snapped to the door the moment the voice spoke out from it. There they saw Happy Life, tapping a hoof and raising her eyebrow.

“Well?” she asked.

Looking down at her he noticed how this might have looked out of context. An older stallion on his back with a filly on his chest, nuzzling his chest both front and back legs spread around his barrel holding him tightly.

“Uhhh…. It isn’t what it looks like?” he more asked than said.

“That’s what it looks like to me,” she said more sternly, giving him the stink eye.

“Look Happy he saved Mr. Snuggles!” she practically screamed, holding Mr. Snuggles up. She sits straight up on his stomach. “He saved him Happy, he really saved him!”

Smiling the stallion replied, “I did. She was so happy she jumped me, right Saphire?”

The filly in question blushed profusely, noting what she had done from pure happiness, excitement and gratitude.

“S-sorry I was just so happy…” she trailed off, blushing even more.

Upon, hearing the explanation, softened her glare, even smiling a bit.

“See I told you it wasn't as it seemed,” he said teasingly as Saphire hugged his chest again.

“Yeah, yeah... But it was an awkward position. That you have to admit,” Happy said gesturing to Saphire.

“Why is it an awkward position? It’s just a hug,” Saphire said staring curiously at Happy from her lying down and hugging position.

“Uhhh…. you’ll find out when you’re older,” Happy said nervously, and blushes..

“Yeah, what she said,” he said, blushing as well.

“Ok!” Saphire yipped happily holding onto him.

“I’m glad I was able to help Saphire but I’ve gotta go soon. It’s already sun down and supper should be any minute now,” he said, smiling as he stood up and set Saphire on the bed. She immediately returned to hugging him and nuzzling his cheek with the tip of her muzzle.

“Thanks again, I don’t know what I would have done if you haden't of saved him,” she said, as she let go of him and sat hugging Mr. Snuggles happily.

“Saphire? Do you wanna eat your dinner in here, or are you coming down with the rest of us?” Happy asked hopefully.

“I’ll go down with you,” Saphire said, genuinely happy for the first time in a while.

“Great, come along now,”

“I’ll just let myself out,” The stallion said as he turns away.

“A-Am I going to see you again, soon?” Saphire asked with wide eyes.

“Of course Saphire. I wouldn’t leave you hanging,” he said with a smile.

“Thanks… you know I never got your name,” she said with a faint blush.

“Lucky Bits, Saphire, my name is Lucky Bits,” he replied. “Anyways I gotta get home, I’ll see you soon.”

“Ok, Lucky, I’ll see you soon as well.” Saphire replied, waving at him.

It was finally happening for her, she would have a family, a home, no more bullies, and somepony that loved her, truly loved her.

“Let’s go to dinner Saphire.” Happy said, gently placing Saphire on her back.

“Ok, that’d be nice.” Saphire said hugging the back of Happy’s head, as they trotted into the mess hall.