Family (A Hearth's Warming Story)

by MLPGal

Rating: everyone
Tags: Other, Fluttershy, Discord, Screwball, Alternate Universe, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 2012

An orphan wants to have a family to love and care for him.

I hung my head staring out the window, looking at all the ponies with their families, laughing, playing, talking. I had no family, my own didn't love me enough to even care for me. They just left me all alone in the cold all those years ago... I was just a foal, in the cold during Hearth's Warming Eve. That day is just a terrible reminder that my family didn't want me. For the past 12 years, I've wanted a family to care for me and love me. Is that too much to ask?

This is my first attempt for Fluttercord and Screwball story, so accept any errors that won't be fixed.
Thank you atronosthelast for helping me with this idea and editing it for me. I wanted to post something for Christmas since it's one of my fave holidays. (Along with my Birthday)

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Published 2016-12-31 02:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-12-25 05:03:08 UTC

(1) Friend?

I sat alone in my dark room, watching some of the other adult ponies picking out the other foals. The normal foals. When the adults look at me they look at me and turn away fast, pretending they don't see me. That is the way all ponies always look at me and I hate it. I know it's me they see, because of the look they have in their eyes when they turn away.

I wanted to know my real parents, but they didn't love me, so they threw me out. I can't even remember their faces, I mean, I was just a foal...

Somepony had found me and just dropped me off at the orphanage, leaving me in the care of the workers on Hearth's Warming Eve. That day is one of the most hated days in my life. It's just a painful reminder that my family didn't want me, that they didn't love me. I had lived at the orphanage for almost 12 years now. Every Hearth's Warming Eve, they open the orphanage for the whole day for ponies to come adopt foals, but I am the only one who is never chosen. No pony will ever want or love me. They close the orphanage for the whole day on Hearth's Warming Day so ponies can be with their families and friends.

All the other ponies in the orphanage share rooms, but I have one all to myself. I have other beds open, but I'm the only one in here. No pony wants to be in the same room with me or even be near me because of what I look like.

When I try to eat at the table, the others move to the very end of the table. When I try to walk up to somepony to play with them, they run away screaming, dropping anything in their hooves, leaving me staring at the floor, my ears flopped back tears streaming down my cheeks.

I'm different than other ponies. Very different. I mean, just look at me!

I have bat wings and three horns! (one that is crooked...) I'm a monster...

I just want to look... normal, be normal.....

I often sit in my room with the lights off or hide in the garden. The workers normally come and check on me but I always demand that they leave me alone.

And this is how my story begins.

I stared at my wall in my room when one of the workers came in and told me to come out of my room for once and come into the main room. I walked out of my room and when I reached the main room I looked up from the ground.

I saw multiple adult ponies ready to choose a lucky filly or colt and take home. After only a moment, I hid in a corner. It was obvious that no pony would choose me.

As usual, everypony was picked but me, but at that point I expected that to happen. I walked to my room and just laid on my bed. As I tried to drift off to sleep, unwanted thoughts came to my mind. Try as a may, I couldn't clear my mind of the thoughts and feelings of being unwanted and so I came to the decision to go outside to clear my head.

I opened my window and snuck out, hid myself in a bush and just cried. Usually, I don't cry like this unless it's Hearth's Warming Eve, but I guess that since I had felt so much pain for the almost 12 years, I felt like I had to cry. It's how I coped with this cruel world, along with my horrible life.

I heard something in the bushes sounding like a cry of pain. I turned my head to see what it was and foundma filly with a purple and white swirly mane, wearing a propeller hat, a few leaves and twigs in her mane. She opened her eyes. My jaw dropped open. Her eyes were... were...

Swirls...

An envelope magically poofed in front of her and she opened it.

"I thought he said the garden at the Orphanage!" she groaned.

The envelope poofed away, startling me slightly. When I jumped, a twig poked me in the side, causing me to let out a soft "ouch".

The filly turned her head, looking at me. She smiled before saying "Hey."

I just stood there in the bush like a dumb fool.

"What's your name?"

I tried to find the right words to say. This was my chance to actually make a friend. I gulped.

"Stripes," I said. "Astar Stripes."

The filly walked up to me, holding out her hoof.

"I'm Screwball."

I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should take her hoof or not. I decided to go ahead and shake.

She looked at my horns, then my crooked horn, and my bat like wings.

"You look weird." she told me.

"Uh..."

"I like you!" she smiled at me.

"Wait... what? Why?" I asked, dumbfounded that I had even heard those words.

"Because, I'm weird too!”

Out of nowhere, a glass of chocolate milk appeared. She slurped it down.

"You wanna be friends?"

"F-friends...?" I stuttered. Was this really happening?

"Yeah. Don't you have any friends?"

I hung my head. "No..." I muttered. "No pony wants to be my friend."

"Well, I want to."

A smile grew on my face as I looked back up at her.

Another envelope poofed in front of her. She let out another groan.

"Sorry, but I gotta go and meet up with my parents. I'll see you later?"

I nodded my head. "I'm always here."

"Meet me here tomorrow."

She poofed herself away. I decided to go ahead and go back to my room. It was getting late so I was going to try and get some sleep.

I laid myself onto my pillow, the memory giving me new thoughts, but no longer unwanted.

I have a friend...

Author's Note

Okay, so this still needs to be edited I just wanted to post it!!!! Super excited@@@@
New note: 12-31-16. This was posted Christmas eve, but submited Christmas eve, but accepted and posted to the page on 12-30-16. I have added the edit 12-31-16. There might be a few errors with the edits.

(2) Play?

Author's Note

For those who aren't aware, atronosthelast is no longer my editor for this story, and I'm okay with that, so forgive my editing on anything sloppy. And sorry if the chapter's a bit short, I just wanted to update it since I haven't in so long...

HAPPY HEARTH'S WARMING EVE EVERYPONY!!! One year ago today, I submitted this story, but I'm not sure if I'll have it be the official anniversary. Forgive me if it's short, wanted to post it, I also might add onto it as I think of other ideas, feel free to leave suggestions! Dang, almost 200 views... I feel like I don't deserve most of that, this isn't my best work, but I'm glad you enjoy it, everyone! Have a wonderful Holiday!

(2) Play?

I woke up the next day with excitement. I hurried out of my bed, and out into the garden, but made sure that none of the workers didn't see me so I could sneak out.

I walked out of my window and into the garden when I saw the cost was clear. I walked toward a bush to wait for my new friend in a bush, but before I got into the bush...

"Astar?" I heard one of the workers and cringed. "What are you doing out here?"

"Uhh......." I muttered.

I gotta think of something quick! I thought to myself.

"I was... wanting to get some air. Makes me feel a little better after adoption days, you know?" I fibbed, smiling at the worker with a nervous chuckle.

"Okay, well, come back inside soon, okay? It's kinda chilly, and it might snow today."

"I will."

The worker pony went back inside as I sighed in relief once she was out of sight.

A few minutes passed, and I saw Screwball poof a few feet away from me. She wasn't sure where I was at first since I was hiding, but she saw my horns sticking out of the bush, knowing it was me. She walked up to me with a smile and poked me on the mussel, letting out a "honk." I greeted her with a smile and soft chuckle coming out of the bush, brushing off any twigs in my mane.

"Hey, Screwball!" I said.

"Hey Astar." she smiled.

We finished our hello's and started deciding what we were wanting to do for the day.

She poofed up all types of toys and games with her magic. Things like balls, chess, frisbee, and all types of cool stuff. She let me try some chocolate milk since I had never tried it before. The look on her face was hilarious when I said that.

After trying chocolate milk, I decided to show her a little of what I could do with my magic.

We got up, walking around, looking for what to try out.

I activated my horn as I found a twig, struggling to lift it since I have more trouble lifting bigger things. I could lift them, but my magic can just go a little crazy from time to time, so I stuck with small stuff.

I grunted, struggling to lift it, even though anypony my age with magic could lift it with ease, but my magic is different. It's kinda crooked in a way, because of the way my horn is.

I finally lifted the twig a few inches from the ground, tired from the work, I let it plop onto the ground, dropping the stick. Screwball let out a giggle.

"You wanna see something cool?" Screwball asked me after I sat it down.

"Sure." I shrugged.

She took a giant boulder, lifting it off the ground turning it into a giant thing of cotton candy. I stood with my mouth wide open. She set it down, turning it back into a boulder with a smile on her face.
I smiled with amazement. My stomach growled with hunger. I realized that I was so excited this morning to play with my new friend, that I skipped breakfast.

Screwball poofed us on a picnic blanket without warning. A picnic basket poofed in front of us, also without warning. I opened it and found a daisy sandwich, a few fruits, and some candy. Along with two juice boxes of chocolate milk in them. I figured the candy was for her.

I shrugged, deciding not questioning her magic and took a bite of the daisy sandwich. I smiled as I watched Screwball take all the candy into her grasp. She looked at me with a look of realization, hoofing me some.

"Want some?" she asked.

I shook my head, not talking because my mouth was full.

"I'm good," I said after swallowing, then grabbing a sip of the chocolate milk box.

She took back the candy and shrugged, eating it, mumbling "Eh, suit yourself."

I didn't notice that one of the workers saw me through my window.

"Can you do anything like that with your magic?" Screwball asked after we ate.

I stared at the ground. "Not really... My horn is crooked, so my magic can go crazy sometimes."

Screwball put her hoof on my shoulder. "I could help you with your magic."

I looked at her with a smile on my face.

"Really?!" I asked.

"Sure!" she smiled.

"Just look at him, he's having fun for once." one of the workers said.

"Are you sure?" another asked.

"I think we should be fine. Who knows? Maybe her family is the one."

"How do you know if she's an orphan too?"

"I overheard them talking about her parents."

"We should let them have their fun."

The two worker ponies left the room.