Betrayal

Just another day of life. I wake up, prepare myself, collect my things, and go to work. Work, as in sitting behind a desk all day hoping somepony might notice me. Me, out of all the hundreds of thousands of ponies in this metropolis.

Some days do have some life, and I get a few curious costumers. That's it. They're costumers, nothing else, and I've never treated them as anything but. Neither have they with me, and that's life in the big city. I've learned that it is. I've gotten used to life here, unfortunately.

Then other days are just... empty. Not only that, but I always have to go through the same amount of careless ponies that gladly bump into me without a second thought. On the way to work, and from work. Sometimes ponies even bump into my stand, in an attempt to tilt over some of the breakable objects.

The days are never changing here, and I'm sick and tired of it. I have no friends here. Why would anypony even care to make friends here? They are plenty busy with their own lives, as me, but they at least have one or two ponies to chat with from time to time.

I have nopony but myself.

But soon, this will change. I will do something with my life! I'm still not sure, but I know that I will figure it out. I have confidence that I will. After all, I was thrown out at a young age, but still managed to get myself somewhere... even though this somewhere isn't the best of places, it's still something.

Today I decided to actually walk around mid-town for a bit. In all these years I've been renting that one spot to have my stand in town, I've never actually left my post to check out the area around. Why haven't I done this in my free-time? I've never had a reason to leave the apartment. Today was going surprisingly well. There was a little class of children passing through and noticed my stand, that was conveniently stacked with plenty of toy-like figures made out of wood. It's more than I've made in years in a full day, and for that, I needed to celebrate.

Trotting down town actually feeling good about myself was something different. It's an experience I haven't felt much of. I don't get many good moments where I can actually relax and feel proud that I've done a good job.

I look around me in the huge town I've had to call home for all these years, and I realize that maybe I've misjudged it. From my point of view right now, just having a good time and actually paying attention to the good side of it, makes the city sort of...magical.

I passed a stand, and something spotted my eye. I went back to look at the table and saw a little magazine reading "Tired of Work?" I studied the exterior of the magazine, finding it very attracting. Color-wise, that is. I mostly only see grey or white wherever I go in the parts of town I've been in. This thing was filled to the brim with purple, red, yellow... and a rainbow.

"Ya gonna buy that?" The mare behind the stand asked me, looking quite bored. I snapped my attention to her, not realizing I may have looked the slightest bit awkward just standing there, and i scratched the back of my head with my hoof.

"Sorry about that. And yes, I would. How much?" I asked her.

"2 bits." She said not moving a single muscle in her face except her mouth.

I guess I can afford that. Today is a good day after all. If this thing actually helps me feel better, It's totally worth it.

I opened my saddlebag and got out the bits she requested and placed them on the table. She engulfed them in her magic and put them somewhere behind her desk.

"Thank you." She said, again with the very bored look on her face.

I nodded to her, turning away. I put my new magazine in my saddlebag. Suddenly my little celebration tour had turned into wanting to go home. I had to check this out. If already having a good day could be turned in to something even better, I will not let that chance pass me by.

I went back to my stand, only to let my day get ruined. My stand was empty. Somepony has stolen everything... absolutely everything.

I stand there in complete silence with my jaw agape, trying to get a hold of myself. I slowly let my face turn itself into a saddened one, before going over to pack up the stand for tomorrow.

Then rain comes. Couldn't be timed better. I should have just stayed at my stand. I shouldn't have left at all. It's all my fault!

Going home was no different than any other day. It's just that today was a lot heavier. Never in all these years has this happened, and now, out of all days, it happens.

Walking home was the same. Getting bumped into ponies running between each others tails to get out of the rain, but I let my dark brown mane run down my tired body as I make my way to my home. It feels like forever before I reach my door.

Entering, I pay no mind to my wet body, and carelessly walk into my living room. I fall down on my back on the floor, and stare at the ceiling. Looking to my side, I see the tip of the magazine sticking out of my saddlebag. I stare at it for what feels like hours, before I slowly move my hoof towards it, and slide it out of the bag.

Getting back up, I pick myself up on the couch and place the slightly wet magazine on the table. Before turning a page, I once again admire the magical colors on the front of it, and loose myself once again.

Finally snapping back to reality, I slowly open a page. I see a bunch of text about how life can be stressful, how it can break you down... most things I'm used to on a daily basis. However I find what my heart is looking for when I turn another page.

"Try somewhere new!" It says. I look down at the page and see a beautiful picture of a pleasant little town, with a beautiful peaceful look to it. A smile finds it's way to my face, and slowly grows as I read the pleasant story of this little village, and it's inhabitants.

I jump back into reality, only realizing my vision is completely darkened. I panic, and flail around in an attempt to shake whatever has ruined my vision off me. I come to a conclusion that I let the magazine rest on my face when I unknowingly went into a slumber. I sit up and rub my eyes clean off what tiredness is left in them, and get to my hooves.

I stare back down at the magazine lying next to the spot I just got up from. I pick it up and slowly close it and put it gently on the table. I turn to walk to my window, looking out to the street I find my place in, and sigh.

"I think It's time I moved on." I say to myself as I look at the same boring windows I have for all these years. I recall my latest thought before moving on to dreamland.

I'm going to try life elsewhere. I'm done with the city. This city never welcomed me in any way, so maybe somewhere else will? Life doesn't end before I try to make it better.

I brush a hoof through my think mane, and recollect my thoughts.

"I don't have much to pack. I can manage to get out of here by tomorrow." I say to myself as I go to the bathroom to look myself in the mirror. I try to look as confident as possible, and practice my smiling. I haven't done this in a long time, but I need the practice for where I'm going.

I'm going to Ponyville. I'm going to change my life.