Chapters It was a happy day, or at least at the start. They had been waiting for this day for a while. It was doing to be their first child. The mare was breathing heavily and covered in a thin layer of sweat from labor. The male was near her side with his hoof around her. Both were unicorns and smiling. When a nurse walked in they turned to look at her. She was smiling so there smiles grew bigger. They had waited until now to know the gender, they had wanted to be surprised.
"It's a girl!" The nurse cried happily. She handed the little bundle over.
The new filly's parents looked at her for the first time, and tried to hide their shock and disbelief. Unlike them she had no horn, it confused them greatly. They both came from a long line of pedigree unicorns, and this filly was the first one born in a century not to be a unicorn from their families. The stallion disliked the filly instantly.
They must have hidden their confusion and dislike well because the nurse kept smiling.
"She's. . . adorable." The mother replied. Hugging the filly close, already not caring she wasn't a unicorn.
"I can tell she's not a unicorn, so is she a. . ." The Stallion started before being interrupted.
"She's a pegasus and a beautifully healthy one, too." The nurse finished him beaming.
"A pegasus?" Both parents asked, both surprised, but one was almost disgusted.
"Yes, she's such a sweet thing, I don't think you'll have much trouble. The nurse looked fondly at the little filly, who giggled as if she understood, then began sucking on a hoof.
"Can we take her home?" The mother asked, looking at her foal lovingly.
"Of course, after the paperwork and a few more tests, but it shouldn't be too long as she seems to be in perfect health." the nurse explained.
"Thanks, I'll be happy to do that for you." the father answered.
"Wonderful! Just follow me and we'll get that filly home."
The stallion followed the nurse out of the room, with a look at his wife and filly. He smiled at his mare, but when his eyes moved to his filly, his eyes took on an angrier look. His filly met his eyes and started to cry. The mother hadn't seen the look her husband had given the child, and instead continued to smile at her foal and calmed it down.
It was later when the stallion finally returned. He was smiling, but if his wife had looked at him closely she would have seem it wasn't a smile caused from happiness, but more like that of a pony who had figured out a plan.
The mare yawned as she greeted him. "Is the paperwork done?" she asked.
The stallion rubbed his head against hers and nodded. "Yes, but I think you should stay here for the night. I'm sure you're tired and the filly can be held in the nursery for safe keeping." he suggested.
The mare looked at their filly, who was already asleep and yawned. "That might be for the best." She yawned again, and laid her head down, quickly falling asleep.
Once she was asleep the stallion took the newborn filly and left the room. He brought her to the nursery and laid her down on a bed. Being careful he wasn't seen he used magic to make a duplicate of the filly, though this one was clearly not alive and would disappear once the sun rose. He then casted another spell that caused the real filly to become invisible. He then took the real one out of the crib and walked out of the hospital, telling the desk mare he was going to get everything ready for the filly at home and be back later. She bid him goodbye, never realizing he still had his filly. He confidently strode out of the hospital and made his way home.
Once there he unlocked the door and began getting things together. He also made the filly appear again. She had woken up and was now staring at him with bright blue eyes. She smiled at him and he glared at her.
"I'd don't know what you're so happy about because we are not going to keep you. I won't stand to be a laughing stalk of my family all because of you." he spoke, continuing to glare.
The little filly frowned, but was soon smiling again. The stallion shaking his head in disgust used his magic to get everything that they had bought in preparation for the baby. He wanted it took look like he had spent the time to prepare everything, like her had told the desk mare at the hospital. Once everything was satisfactory his looked through the house until he found a basket. He placed the filly inside.
"It might be best if you were dead, but even I am not that terrible." he remarked towards the filly, who had spent the whole time staring at him. "I happen to know an orphanage that's out of the way, so I'm going to send you there." he nodded, satisfied with himself.
He turned towards a towering bookshelf in the room and carefully, using his magic, chose a book on spells. When he found the one he was looking he reread it a few times before placing the book back on the shelf and turning toward the filly.
"Now, you be good, or who knows what might happen to you during this spell." He remarked. His horn glowed with his light blue magic and once the filly was enveloped in it she disappeared in a poof. The stallion smiled to himself and left the house, on his way back to the hospital to be there when the filly turned up missing.
Teardrop Glimmer was a pegasus with an almost white blue coat and white primary feathers on her wings. Her mane and tail were silver with two stripes, one pale pink and the other pale blue. Her eyes were a deep blue, like the darkest part of the sky during the day.
Glimmer quickly grew before Sunshine Lollipop's eyes, or at least that was how it seemed. Soon she was out of diapers and walking on her own. She took to reading quickly and when she wasn't with Lolli she was in the library looking at children's books and later books for young mares.
"Glimmer, so this was where you were." Lolli remarked walking into the library carrying a stack of books. She paused taking a good look and Glimmer. "Have you been crying?" she asked kindly.
Glimmer still had a tear in her eye and the book she had been reading was speckled with little puddles of tears. She only nodded her head, not trusting her voice. Lolli came over and gave her a hug.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
She gave Glimmer time to answer. "I-I try I really do, but . . . no one wants to," she paused to let a tear fall before continuing. "no one wants me near." she finished.
"I'm sure that's not true, I like you near me." Lolli replied, strengthening the hug. "Are you saying you don't like me?" she feigned hurt, letting go of Glimmer.
Glimmer smiled, but only a little. "No, I like you, but I want friends my own age." she answered, frowning again.
"Well, there's no one here who is exactly your age, so you might have to go out and find some one." Lolli remarked.
"You know what I mean." Glimmer replied, using a wing to try and wipe off her tears on the book's page.
"Well, what about Constellation, she's only a year older than you, and then there's Rain Cloud who is only a little younger."
"I've tried, Constellation thinks I'm annoying and Raincloud doesn't like the fact I like to read so much, he called me a bookworm." Glimmer slouched.
"Well, I see nothing wrong with you being a bookworm, do you?" Lolli asked.
"Yes and no, I'm not a worm, I am a pegasus, but I know what it means and I guess it's what I am. I like books because they're not going to leave me."
Lolli paused, knowing full well who Glimmer was talking about. She once had a friend here a little unicorn called Sunny Day. Sunny, like Glimmer loved to read and they spent the days outside with their favorite books, at least until the day Sunny was adopted. After that day it was like Glimmer had been forgotten. Sunny didn't call and she never sent mail.
"She was just excited to be in her new family." Lolli tried to explain.
"No, then she would have called later or sent mail, but it's been almost six months. She's forgotten me. Everyone will eventually forget me I guess." Glimmer sighed turning a page in her book.
Lolli was stunned, but only for a moment. "Stop that depressing talk, I could use some help in the kitchen, would you like to help me make lunch?"
Glimmer looked up from her book and looked at her. "Isn't Cookie Swirl better suited for that, or there's Special Sauce."
"Yes I know, but last I check they weren't having a bad day. Come on you can just read the directions if you want." Lolli nudged Glimmer.
Glimmer smiled, and nodded slightly. Lolli smiled, glad to get her smiling again.
Lolli had Gimmer read the directions as they made salad and hay burgers for lunch. She even let Glimmer toss the salad after Lolli prepared everything. Once it was done Glimmer set the table and Lolli set out the food. Lolli watched Glimmer as she straightened chairs and fixed plates. Lolli smiled, happy to see a smile on Glimmer's face.
Glimmer ran up to her.
"Miss. Lolli everything's ready. Is there anything else you want me to do?" Glimmer asked.
"You don't need to call me Miss, Glimmer, and no. I'll call everyone to eat, you just take a seat." Lolli smiled. Once Glimmer was sitting she called out. "Time to eat! Get it before it wilts!"
In less than a minute twelve sets of hooves came running, well more like eleven, one set of hooves came in trotting last. The owner was a pure white unicorn filly with a rose colored mane and tail.
"Hello Razzle, glad you could finally join us." Lolli remarked, smiling.
"I've told you to call me Dazzle." the filly replied.
Razzle Dazzle, the white filly's full name, was an orphan. She and her parents had been traveling on a mountain when there was an avalanche, her parents had covered her with their magic, but forgot about themselves. They were found too late and Dazzle was brought to Lolli. It had only happened the previous winter, so everyone tried their best not to bring it up.
Dazzle looked at Glimmer, then at Lolli, "What if I started calling her Teardrop? Hmm, I doubt she would like that, even if she's constantly crying." Dazzle smirked at her.
Lolli stared at Dazzle, "Dazzle I will not have you bullying Glimmer, or anyone for that matter. Not while you're here."
"Well, I'm sure I'll be leaving soon. My aunt and uncle will come for me, once their down with their business trip and vacation." She sat up straight, pleased with herself.
Lolli looked at her, she wanted to believe that Dazzle would be able to live with somepony she knew, but she never tried to raise anyone's hope too high. "We'll see." she replied.
"Hmph." Dazzle replied.
"Well, dramatics aside let's eat." Lolli exclaimed, passing the hay burgers around.
The foals with magic helped the other kids that were younger, or couldn't reach. This was how Lolli raised her foals, they were taught to help each other.
Glimmer stared at her plate, thanking the pony her placed a burger on it without looking up. Dazzle had always picked on her. Glimmer didn't know why, but she thought it had something to do with the fact Dazzle knew she had been left here.
Slowly Glimmer ate her burger and when she was done she drew and imaginary smile on the plate, one only she could see. It smiled at her and she smiled back.
"Thank you." the smile said.
"Why?" Glimmer asked. Her imaginary things always spoke to her, though not all thanked her.
"You smiled at me, no one smiles at me, you're very kind." it smiled back.
"I'm not that nice, but your welcome." she saw the smile fade, "are you leaving already?"
"Yep, but you can see me whenever you like, I like you."
"I like you too Smile." Glimmer smiled as if vanished, her imaginary friends always faded slowly after she talked to them.
Glimmer froze, she could feel everyone's eyes on her. Her ears picked up some not so quiet whispering. "She's talking to nothing again." Dazzle remarked.
Glimmer looked up at Lolli. "Can I be excused?" she asked.
"Of course, I'll have Dazzle help with dishes." Lolli replied.
"What?!?" came a startled yell.
"It's your turn." Lolli replied.
"No, it's Cookie's turn!"
"Which Cookie?" two fillies asked. They were identical twin earth ponies, but only one was named Cookie Swirl, the other was Sugar Gumdrop.
Dazzle stared at the twins she slowly pointed to the one on the left. "You, you're Cookie!" she cried triumphantly, looking smug.
"Nope!" the twins sang in sing song and left.
"Hey!" Dazzle cried, getting up, but she was stopped by Lolli getting in her way.
Every other pony had quickly vanished. "We have a table to clear." Lolli remarked, gently nudging Dazzle toward the table.
"Fine!" Dazzle sighed, using magic to stack the plates.
The filly appeared on the doorstep of a huge building. It was night so there was no one around and all the lights were off. The filly seeming to know it was all alone started to cry. It wasn't long before a light near the entrance turned on and footsteps could be heard coming to the door. The filly heard the footsteps above her cries and stopped looking at the door. A white mare with her rose colored mane in a bun opened the door and took one look at the filly before quickly picking her up.
"You poor little thing! Who would leave you hear?" The mare looked around scanning the street for anypony, but none were around, so she turned back to the filly who was smiling. "Well, whether it be accident or on purpose you are here now at my orphanage. I'll take good care of you until you can find a family of your own." The mare smiled and the filly smiled back an unshed tear glimmering in one of her eyes, and that became her name, Teardrop Glimmer.
The owner of the orphanage was called Sunshine Lollipop, but everypony who knew her well called her Lolli. She was a kind and friendly mare who knew right away she wanted to help unwanted fillies and colts find homes, just like she had when she had been found on an orphanage's doorstep. She was never adopted, but instead stayed to take over when the elderly mare who used to run it no longer could. Now the orphanage was blooming and many of her foals quickly got adopted.
At the moment Teardrop was found the orphanage held ten foals all of varying ages. They were an assortment of unicorns, pegasuses, and earth-ponies. The most being earth-ponies coming in at five, along with three pegasuses, and only two unicorns. Lolly herself was an earth-pony, but even without unicorn magic or pegasus wings she managed to do everything.
Since Teardrop was the youngest and newest addition to the orphanage she was kept close to Lolli at all times, so she could be watched. Everypony liked Teardrop as a baby because she was mostly quiet and seemed to like everypony, too, but eventually she wasn't new and other fillies and colts took up their time.