My hooves clipped softly on the cobble pathway, pacing steadily towards a small bridge.
The autumn season brought many ponies to move to the warmer cities like Canterlot, of which I had been born in. Most leaves by now were gone, which provided no more cover from the patter of rain drops that fell. Autumn brought near the harshest seasons, laying them to the unwary ponies, or the weak.
My coat was damp and chilled.
My stomach was empty, save for the tiny bread piece I had this morning.
My hair was a tattered mess.
But all I wanted more than anything was not food, or shelter, or the sun. No. I wanted non of that.
All I wanted was a hug. A nice, warm, even wet hug.
I didn`t care by who, or what. Just a hug.
But I hadn`t had a hug since I was a tiny foal. Since I ran away from that cruel orphanage.
From the warmth, and the food, and the shelter.
The rain only grew harder as I slowly came to the stone bridge. I didnt know where the sun was, but by the looks of the patterns of light, it was nearing sunset. Meaning I hadnt eaten for at least five hours. Across the bridge, I glanced at the tall buildings that lined shops and homes, and even bakeries or inns.
The rain poured down on me now, forcing my legs to tremble from the cold touch of chilled water. A small roofed area hung near me, and with my tiny legs, I galloped over it. It was currently occupied by two rich ponies, but I payed them no mind as scattered under the tiny ledge, before tripping over my stubby hind legs.
"Ow!" I whimpered.
I slowly got up, and checked myself.
A small bleeding scrape, it didn`t hurt much, until-
"Eek!" I squealed, as a sharp burning pain shot up my back leg where the scrape was. It oozed small inches of blood, which made me panic even more.
The two rich ponies took notice of my little tantrum.
The stallion, a blue unicorn, mumbled to his marefriend, and they suddenly shared sharp glares. Not at each other, though, but at me.
I stared at them too, causing a long period of silence as I kept my leg still.
They shared hushed whispers again.
The female stared at me like I was a cute toy. Her voice was sharp and royal.
"Dear, uh, foal. Don`t you have somewhere else to be?" she shoved a hoof signaling me to leave.
"N-no maam. I dont. The rain and-" I began, but was shut off by the stallion. His voice was more cunning and deep.
"Of course you do, now do leave us be. Hurry now" He closed his eyes and put his head high. I sighed, and got on my legs again.
No pony was ever nice enough to let me stay where they were.
Was it my hair?
Or my blank orange flank?
Was it my size?
"I dont know what to do" I mumbled as I limped painfully out onto the cold cobble streets. I really didnt know what to do.
I wasn`t social, so I never really got a grasp on communicating with ponies. Friendship, basically.
I never learned what it was like to have a friend.
Many ponies ignored my injured leg, and I was beginning to fear infection. The doctor`s office cost too much though.
And of course, I wasn`t a medic pony.
Day slowly turned to night, though it was still dusk.
My stomach churned on itself. My back leg began to hurt more than ever, forcing my to drag it on the road.
"Almost, there..." I mumbled.
I was stumbling towards a small alley way, dark and shunned from every pony. No one ever came down here, not with the grassy walls and rotten odor.
I made my way to a small cardboard box. It was painted with make up, saying 'Sunset`s Stuff'. It was crudely done, and was barely readable, but that came with minimal education.
I opened the flaps and peered inside.
Exactly as i left it.
I pulled out a small brown pony plush, tattered with cotton rips and one hanging button eye.
"Mr. StudyBuddy!" I squealed.
I held the plush to my chest, squeezing him tight. He became slightly damp, but heck with that. He was almost missing a hoof as it was, so I didn`t care.
The dark in the alley became pitch black, and so I made my way out back into the pouring streets, holding StudyBuddy in my tiny mouth.
My hooves made it across the road, and over near a bakery, but my back leg was just too bruised to go farther. I was forced to stop on a nearby side walk, right by a few occupied tables.
A soft waft of bread came towards me, invading my nostrils.
Italian bread, Garlic bread, cake...
I sniffed the warm smell, and involuntary movement took my legs in the direction of the tables. I knew I had no way to get inside, ponies wouldn`t let a wretched foal like me in.
The looks was the pony in Canterlot.
Two ponies were sitting at a table, sipping chicken noodle soup and eating toasty garlic bread, straight from the oven.
I crawled over to the couple, my eyes large. not only to beg, but they seemingly did that when I got too hopeful.
I noticed one female to be a very light pale purple. Her hair was curved yet straight, a mix of purple and white streaks.
The colt with her was blue, and had a darker shade mane.
"M-miss?" I squeaked.
The female unicorn perked up.
She suddenly noticed my presence, but luckily, didn`t retort. Her surprised face actually turned to that of sincere friendliness.
"Hello there, little one" she said softly.
"H-hello. M-may I have a t-tiny bite?" I ducked my head, in case of the last attempt at food. My cheek was still a bruised.
"Hm? Bite? Oh, of course! Here" The unicorn levitated a slice of bread to me, which I then took over in my magic.
"Thank you!" I yelled with half the piece in my mouth.
"You look rather starved little one..." The unicorn stated as she began to whisper to the stallion beside her. I perked up my ears, but I still couldn`t hear the conversation. My fur prickled.
"Of course" the stallion smiled.
"Wait here a second please" the mare told me as she began to walk inside the bakery.
I was greeted with many smells as the door opened, but mainly the warm air was what made me smile widely. After a bit of waiting in silence, the light mare came back out, carrying a bowl and a plate with her.
"Are you hungry?" She asked, her eyes closed contently.
"Y-yes ma`am!" I answered, and so the mare continued with her actions, placing the food on the table, and then levitating a chair over to the table they currently sat at.
"Here, filly" The mare levitated me up to the empty seat.
"Thank you!!!" I cried, right before stuffing my face full of steaming hot chicken bits and noodles. I swallowed with out chewing, trying to push back the heat.
More mouthfuls came, and also amused glances from the two ponies I sat with.
They had already finished.
Eventually I did too, but I kept a tiny sliver of bread out for StuddyBuddy.
"Thank you, miss" I hugged the mare as hard as I could.
"Oh, your welcome. Please, think nothing of it" The mare replied, her soft voice like silk compared to my cracked high-pitched one.
They parted ways with me after that, but being me, I sneaked along with them.
Over a few roads we came and went, turning this way and that.
Once I saw what was their house (they began to look at it and talk), I rushed ahead out of their view. This was gonna be the best day of my life!
When they saw me, they`d let me stay the night and-
I tripped over my hurt leg.
I stumbled into the middle of the road, scraping my flank a little. A lot of ponies were all around me, rushing in and out of traffic.
I jumped to my hooves.
Where was the couple?
I glanced around, but saw nothing.
Until I heard their voices coming.
"That poor filly, she and... would be great friends".
"Yeah... Too bad she was a home less one".
"..." They were maybe a few feet from me now. I jumped back over to the side walk I came from, but noticed something missing. Nothing hung from my teeth like it should have.
I stared back at the cobble.
In the middle of the road was my one and only friend.... "Mr.StudyBuddy!!!" I cried.
The couple from earlier stopped by my plush.
"No! Wai-" I fell on my chin, tripping yet again over my injured leg.
"Look, Cobalt!" The mare nudged her husband. He glanced where she pointed, and a smile grew on his face.
The mare dipped her head over the plush.
"This would be a perfect plush for Twilight "she stated calmly.
"A few stitches and shed be ready for her!" Cobalt agreed, "Lets get home then".
I watched the event unfold before my eyes. My only friend... He was just taken from me! before my eyes!
I limped up slowly from my position.
"Just a dream... Just a dream..." I shook my head. No, this wasn`t a dream.
I just lost my only possession. I was fed and robbed by that mare.
My head hung low as I dragged my body around Canterlot, aimlessly heading towards any direction.
I felt so alone.
Like I was missing a part of me.
That warmth that the mare gave me, their smiles filled me, but then emptied me when they left.
I slumped against a wall.
"I don`t know what to do..." I whimpered, my lip quivering, close to giving out tears.
Until I felt a soft feathery wing drape over my cold orange body.
"What do you mean, little filly?" A soft royal voice said to me. I lifted my head to see a white alicorn smiling down on me, her cocked to one side.
"I, I lost Mr.StuddyBuddy" I admitted, tears now freely falling from my eyes.
"Well, you look lost. And cold, it`s very cold out here. Would you like to come with me?" The pure white pony asked. her mane flowed continuously, even in the wet of the night.
"I would... If you dont mind, maam. but, um, who are you?" I asked. I had never met or heard of a pegasus and unicorn in one pony.
The mare laughed lightly.
"lets just say, im a pretty important pony" she kept a wing over me as we walked through the streets.
"So, filly, what`s your name?" the mare asked.
"I... I don`t have one" I sighed. We kept silent for a while later. I guess it was bad to not have a name. I was wrong though, of course.
"It`s been night time long enough" The white mare stated. She took her wing to her side.
In a flash of light magic, she pulled her horn down, revealing the empty sky. The mare in the moon came down towards the earth, and behind us, the sun rose like a blooming flower.
"Wow!!!" I stared in awe. My mouth hung widely open.
"Impressive?" the alicorn asked. No more clouds dotted the sky, it was just a nice, sunny morning.
I was blinded though for a second.
Near my flank, a bright white light appeared, until it grew slimmer and, eventually, disappeared.
I sated in confusion for a second at my flank. Why was there a sun on my butt?
That confusion turned to pure glee quickly.
"A cutie mark! A cutie mark! I got my cutie mark!" I yipped, bounding in circles. Celestia laughed softly.
"Looks like you`ve gotten your sunrise, my little Shimmer".
