Give me a Sign

Kyle sat on a bench in the middle of Ponyville, the sounds of the world lost to him, and the joy it brought left untouched on his ears. His blasted, broken ears that are no better than a broken pencil that’s been overused.

He let out a sigh of discontent as he stared at the ground, at least he could see the colors and admire the beauty there. If one were to get a look at his face, it could have been described as a sad puppy which had been kicked by a gang of rowdy, mean teenagers.

I don’t belong here, I don’t belong in this place. These ponies don’t understand me, and who can blame them? I can’t make proper conversation, and I only end up making things more complicated, or making sad faces appear on good peo- ponies faces.

Kyle thought this to himself, yet it was unlike a normal inner voice. His words appeared as hand signs inside his own mind.

My life was better back on Earth, at least there were people like me -- people who could relate to my troubles, and people who I could actually communicate with. Here, it’s just ponies who try their hardest to understand me, yet are never able to get to know me as another member of their community. I don’t want to feel like an outcast, or someone that needs special help.

A couple of ponies walked by the gloomy human sitting on the bench, giving him looks of sorrow, and pity.

And as if on queue, there are the looks I was just thinking about. Just my luck.

Letting out another sigh, this one being stronger than the last, he looked around at his surroundings To his surprise, he saw a certain minty-coated pony trotting his way. A pony by the name of Lyra Heartstrings.

She gave him a smile and a wave of the hoof, in return, he waved back, if only slightly. Taking notice of the humans anguish, Lyra stroud up to Kyle, looking up into his strained eyes. Frowning herself, she took a seat next to him, tilting her head.

Picking up on her body language, Kyle began to move his hands about, forming words in the different postures they took. “Lyra… it’s just… I feel so lonely, I feel like an outcast from society. It’s like I’m not an actually breathing thinking creature. Everyone just gives me these looks of pity, and I can’t really blame them. If I was in their position, I’d probably do the same.”

Lyra gave him a look of symphony, but continued to pay attention to the words he spoke through his dexterous hands. “In my old world, it was much the same. The only difference was, was that there were more people like me, and more people who understood the language I speak. Well, speak wouldn’t exactly be the right word to use.”

He turned his head the other way, before turning back to Lyra. “Here, there is no one. Well, no one besides you, but that leaves the rest of the world oblivious to me, and it hurts. It hurts worse than any physical pain that could be inflicted.”

Lyra looked down, becoming sad herself over her friends story.

Lyra, you’re probably the kindest pony in this entire world. Even though others will look at me in pity, at least you give me the time of day. When I found out you knew sign language from an old book on human culture you read as a filly, I could almost not believe it. Almost, because being sent here was even stranger than that revelation.

Kyle went and poked Lyra on her side, getting her attention again so he could speak. “Lyra, I just wanted to let you know, that I’m thankful for everything you’ve done for me. I’m thankful for the time we spend together, and I’m even more thankful to have you has a friend. Probably the best friend I’ve ever had in my life.”

Lyra smiled at that, her beaming face bringing some comfort to the emotionally distraught human. Lyra then moved closer to him, taking his hands in her hooves. His warm, and soft hands that spoke many wonders to her about the human attached to them.

Kyle began to lightly laugh at this, taking on a feeling of serenity from her touch. After a moment, he departed from her grasp, and began to move his hands again. “Lyra, have I ever told you that you’re a great listener?. Every Time I ever talk to you, I can’t help but feel better about myself.”

Lyra, for the most part, tried to hold back on the hug that she now wrapped around the human. The key word being try, because it sent the human falling on his back, now lying on the bench. After a moment of shock, the human got over it, and returned her hug in full.

After the long, heart-felt moment, they slowly separated from each other. “How about we go to Sugarcube Corner? I don’t know about you, but I'm feeling rather hungry, myself.”

Lyra nodded her head in agreement, jumping off the bench they sat on. Looking up to him, until he began to depart from the area. She followed behind him.

For the first time that day, Kyle actually felt like he belonged somewhere in the world.

You know, I could probably get used to this place. As long as Lyra is here by my side, I have no doubt that she’ll be there to help me up whenever I fall down, however often that may be.

Kyle looked down to Lyra, smiling the brightest smile he ever put on his face in his entire time being here.

Yeah, I’m sure everything is going to be just fine.

That was the last thought he had, before he continued on with the rest of his day, a new found hope in his heart.