Chapter One ~ The New Girl
Hello, my name is Rose Hearts, but you can call me Rose. So, the first thing you should know, is that I have no pony in my life. No friends, no family. Only my teacher, Ms. Cherilee. She's kind, and is the closest thing to a mother I have. Besides her, I stay at the local orphanage. The mare who runs the place goes by Miss. Bale. She is an old pony, and often very cranky. Although, I feel sympathy for her. Running an orphanage on her own, full of children, it can't be easy. The orphanage isn't so bad, despite not being spoken to. I have a comfy bed, I'm being fed, I have nothing to complain about. I don't think I need friends, anyway. I mean, I've made it this far on my own. Plus, I get good grades. Everything is looking good for me. Well, I'm on my way to school now...another lonely day. What could happen? It seems okay. Ponies are taking their seats, and guess where I sit. In the back left corner. I'm fine there, considering no-pony bothers me. Looks like the teacher is about to talk, I should listen now.
"Good morning, class! Ready for another day of learning?" Ms. Cherilee smiled, and many of the other fillies said nothing. She cleared her throat, "Well, today we have a new student joining us, all the way from Cloudsdale! Class, this is Firefly."
Firefly walked into the classroom. She grinned as she over-looked the class. "Teacher, where do I sit?" she asked.
"Hmm. Oh! You can sit by Rose Hearts, she's right back there." Ms. Cherilee told her.
Of course. What else would I expect? Not like she was going to speak to me anyways. I heard some of the other kids gossiping things about me. For instance, how I was on mute. How I was an outcast, and a loser. None of those things were true...well, maybe the loser part. I'm not really good at anything. I don't even have my cutiemark. Firefly? She had one, like everypony else in the room. It looked like a star, bursting out light. As she sat down by me, she gave me a smile.
"Hi! My name is Firefly, and you're Rose Hearts?" I looked up from my desk and observed her eyes. Yep. She was definitely talking to me. I didn't bother to reply, thinking she'd hate me like the rest of the class. Firefly eventually spoke a few moments later, "Oh, okay. I can see you don't wanna talk right now. Maybe we can at recess!" I just rolled my eyes and went back to finishing up the last bit of my homework. Firefly, on the other hoof, sat up and was paying attention to the teacher.
"Class, I have some very exciting news for you all! We're going on a field-trip to the Ponyville Art Museum tomorrow!" Ms. Cherilee exclaimed. As soon as she said museum, I'm sure that dropped everypony's mood. I was more glad about it than anypony, I don't get treated to go places like that at the orphanage. "Anyway, I will be collecting your homework now, so just set it on your desk." she said. A unicorn in the class by the name of Harvest Tricks, levitated the papers with her magic and set it gently on the teacher's desk. After listening to a boring lecture on the history of Equestria, doing some algebra, and reading a book, it was time for recess. I was the last one out the door, as usual. I went to my normal spot, back behind the school house, and I began reading a book on plants and flowers.
"Hiya!" Firefly jumped up and scared me. She giggled, "Sorry, didn't meant to startle you. I was wondering if you were okay to talk now?"
I looked at my book, then the ground, and then back up at Firefly. I sighed, "Hello, my name is Rose Hearts, but you can call me Rose."
Firefly gasped in delight, "You can talk! I knew it! Wait...why didn't you speak earlier?"
I replied to her, "Well, normally the other kids don't talk to me. So I never spoke to them."
"Haven't you ever tried? Are any of them your friends?" Firefly questioned.
"When I first started going here, I tried to speak to a lot of ponies by going up to them first. They either walked away or completely pretended they didn't hear me, and I know I'm not quiet...well, at least not when it comes to talking." I told her. "And no, none of them are my friends."
Firefly frowned, "That's so sad! Oh! I can be your friend, if you want."
I was surprised by what she just said. I never had a friend before, but I wasn't quite sure I could trust her. I just met this pony, after all. I decided to get up and walk away. Firefly was probably staring at me, wondering what was wrong. The bell had rang not long after, anyway. We both went inside for lunch, and she sat with me, again. "Do you have to follow me around everywhere I go?" I asked, getting a bit annoyed.
"Rose, I just wanted to let you know, I feel your pain." she said, taking an apple out of her lunch-bag.
I scoffed, "You don't know my pain. You aren't me. Why don't you just go sit with the popular fillies and colts? Or better, hangout with them?"
Firefly looked at me, a bit more strict than before, "I don't have any friends either. All of my friends are back up in Clousdale, miles from here up in the sky. I saw you, and you looked like you needed a friend, but if you don't want me around, I guess I'll just go." Firefly picked up her lunch-bag, and walked away. She didn't sit with the popular kids, but with some of the smarter, nerdy ones. I began to shed tears. Somepony finally noticed me. Somepony finally believed in me. I turned her away. Whatever, I don't need friendship. Like I said, I can handle myself. Tomorrow is Friday, and also the field-trip. I don't need her...right?
The next morning, all of us gathered in the school. Ms. Cherilee called out, "Alright, class! Today is the big day, our field-trip! I will be assigning you all travel-buddies! Harvest Tricks, you'll be paired with Blue Moon. Candy Sweets, you are with Pepper Twist. Swifter, you are being linked with Prance. And last, but not least, Firefly and Rose Hearts." Why am I not surprised? Today is going to be a long day...
After we arrived at the museum, I was forced to walk by Firefly, but she kept her distance from me. Something tells me I hurt her feelings yesterday. Maybe I can make it up to her in some way...I just wish I knew what. Ms. Cherliee showed us many pieces of art, and we, not just Firefly and I, all of the class, were dying of boredom. Thank Celestia, it was all over, thanks to a water-pipe breaking near by. We got sent home early. I began walking away, back to the orphanage. Night fell, and all of us sat down at the long table for dinner. I only had an apple and a glass of water. Soon after, we all went to bed. I slept on the top bunk on one of the beds. Then Princess Luna paid me a visit.
"Rose Hearts." her voice softly, but firmly blast through my dream. I started running away from the voice, thinking I was in trouble. She teleported in front of me, and caused me to stop.
Princess Luna looked down at me with an expressionless face, but I could tell from her eyes she wasn't happy with me. Firefly was standing next to her. "I told her everything, Rose. It was time."
"T-Told her what?" I asked worried.
"That you are an orphan. What happened to your parents. Why they left you. Why you are the way you are now, and why you have no-pony." Princess Luna explained.
Firefly looked at me, "It's true, she told me all of it. I promise I won't tell anypony else. I didn't know it was such a personal matter. I just had no idea you went through all that. Maybe I really don't understand your pain."
I began to cry, and sat down on the ground. "I-I'm sorry..."
Princess Luna smiled down at me, "It's alright, child. Do not weep." she wiped my tears, "Firefly forgives you, and wishes for your friendship."
"You really want to be friends with somepony like me? I'm a loser. I'm nothing. I'm even a blank-flank to top it all off..." I retorted.
"That doesn't matter to me. You're special no matter what your backstory is. No matter what you look like. If ponies don't want to be your friend because you seem socially-awkward, then that is there loss. You know, I have two friends back in Cloudsdale who don't have their cutiemarks. Maybe you can meet them some time!" Firefly grinned.
I felt weird. I actually cared about somepony other than myself. I trusted somepony other than me. Have I finally found a friend in Firefly? I guess I could accept her as a friend. I mean...no-pony else is going to. "Sure, let's be friends." I smiled wide and hugged her.
Princess Luna looked at us and was satisfied that we had made up. After that, she shut her eyes and left my dream, so did Firefly. At school the next day, I felt happy to actually be going. Once I got there, no-pony was inside, however. I forgot. It was Saturday. I frowned and went back home, but on the way, I ran into Firefly. "Oh, hi, Firefly!" I smiled, but all she did was give me a note, wave, and then flew off. I opened the letter, I started to cry, but this time, tears of joy. The letter read: Always believe. I never lost that letter. I kept it with me everywhere I went in my new saddle-bag my mom had bought me. Oh, that's right! I didn't tell you! A nice mare came by and adopted me when I returned to the orphanage. I didn't have a family, but I did have a mother, and that was a start for me. And I'll always remember what Firefly had told me. Never give up your dreams, and always believe.
Author's Note
I hope you all liked this short story! I know it isn't really happy like most of you might of thought, but I made this story because Rose relates to me in real life, and my own backstory. I wasn't an orphan, but I did grow up without a father for the first three years of my life, and my mom remarried. I am now living with my mom, step-dad, and little brother. I don't always get along with either of them, but they're family, and I'm glad they are there to look out for me, just like I am for them. There is more to my story, but some of it is so graphic and horrible, I'm not going to get into it. But both of those stories should remind you to never give up and always follow your dreams. No matter how bad things seem. Whether you are failing in school, a family-member died. You can always get through it with family and belief. 
