It was a normal day, like any other. Anon was sitting at his desk, pushed up against the wall opposite of his bed, drafting up a letter to some of the friends he had made in Chanterlot. He still had friends there, enough to count on one hand, as Chaterlot wasn't as friendship inclined as the rest of Equestria.
You see, Anon had originally appeared in Chanterlot, and while the charms of the city itself were fascinating, the ponies there weren't really his type. Anon was a relaxed kind of guy, and the uptight air that most ponies in Chanterlot usually wafted around wherever they went, tended to ruin his day. Plus, being an alien and all, most of the nobility did not appreciate his presence. Luckily for him, the princess seemed to share his opinions on the nobility; and they became acquaintances, and eventually friends. It was nice living in the castle with the princess, and the few friends he had made, but he chose to move to ponyville with Twilight, recently turned princess, Sparkle. She had been one of the aforementioned friends he had made living in Chanterlot, and as much as he loved the sights, he valued his friendship with Twilight, and when she asked him if he might consider moving to ponyville, it didn't take much for Anon to convince himself that moving to ponyville would be good for him.
It was. The world it self seemed to be happening here in ponyville, and here had all the excitement and friendship Aaron wanted. He got to watch as Twilight became so much, and even enjoyed visiting the school from time to time. Anon's whole world had literally and figuratively changed. And so here he was: A pen in hand (he had described them to Twilight) scratching away at a simple piece of parchment. It was evening, about 6pm. The light from Celestia's sun setting throwing wild colors of orange and red into the room. It didn't matter much what he was writing, or who exactly he was in the first place. What mattered more was the visitor he he was about to receive.
Knock Knock Knock......
"Come in!"
With a quick glance to check, Anon confirmed who it was and went to finish up his letter. "Hey Starlight, I was just working on...." wait.
Anon looked back towards Starlight, and studied her current state. Her mane was a mess, her fur on her fetlocks was matted with tears and snot, and her face wore the most pained expressions a face could wear, complete with red puffy eyes, tears streaming, snot dripping, the whole nine yards. Her whole body was shaken with grief.
Starlight wiped at her eyes with her hoof and made to speak "I....... I...... I....... I......." she managed through choked back tears and gasps until the tears came rushing out, Starlight no longer able to hold them back. The room's mood dropping to the floor with the tears.
Anon stood from his desk and moved to Starlight quickly but gracefully, and scooped her up in one motion. Anon held Starlight in his arms for a moment, cradling the shaken pony has she pressed her hooves against his chest and her head into the crook of his neck. He stood there for a moment pondering what he should do with the sobbing pony as Starlight emptied her tears onto his shirt. Eventually he moved to sit on the edge of his bed, leaving Starlight in the same position but wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. Anon sat there, watching the colors from Celestia's sun slowly receding across the wall and making way for Luna's night while Starlight cried.
Starlight crying quieted, but the tears had not stopped, she looked up at Aaron "Am........ Am I a good pony?"
It took Anon a moment to register that the question had even been asked, much less the context of the question itself. He had been here before though, he knew that he had to be here for her as much as he could. Confusion and questions at a time like this were luxuries he couldn't afford, right now, the next words he said, the answer to her question would be critical. So he made a gamble, and he spoke:
"Well, why don't we think about that." He spoke gently "Well start with the cons... You took over a village once, took away everyponies' cutie marks, and you tried to change time when you were thwarted" Starlight's tear stained purple eyes stared deeply into his as he spoke "and you have a tendency to not think when confronted with a problem, sometimes mind controlling your friends in the process, and you're still learning about friendship for sure, but, that takes us into the pro's" A smile from Anon, Starlight returning her face to the Humans neck. "You are trying to learn and succeeding. You are a friend to many, and you even saved Equestria once with that friendship. You are a brilliant unicorn who has probably furthered scientific studies in more fields of magic than I could possible remember the names of, and you continue to grow and become a wonderful mare with each passing day, and most of all" Starlight looked up at him, tears still flowing "You have a very nice mane" The man said with a smirk. "So I would say no, you aren't a bad good pony. You are the best pony" Combined with a boop to the snout and it was sold.
"Shutup...." Starlight said giving the human a slight push with one of her hooves. She had stopped uncontrollably sobbing. Yet didn't seem to be calm yet.
"Now, would you like to tell me what all this is about?" Anon said as gently as he could, giving the unicorn another light squeeze in encouragement.
"It.... It's my dad." Starlight said, returning the favor by squeezing herself against Anon. "He.... he... got sick, aa.... and" Starlight pulled away from the embrace and looked up at Anon, renewed tears pouring down. "I.... g..got a letter, a..and...I wasn't...... I...... wasn't there..... He..... h...h ...he"
"Shh" Anon gave Starlight one last squeeze and set her to the side, placing her down on his bed before standing up and walking over to his desk. Anon understood what was at stake now, and this just jumped to something he couldn't handle. He needed backup. He furiously wrote something down and wrapped it up in his hands before moving back towards the bed and lifting up Starlight once again. Her renewed tears being soaked up by Anon's shirt. Making sure he had a good grip on her, he walked out his still open door and into the castle hallways.
Starlight didn't care much at this point where they were going, or why they were moving. She needed someone to hold her as she cried. She needed something, any sort of bastion she could hold on to. It was the only way for her to not think. And she certainly wasn't going to ruin it by talking. Right now, she was safe.
Anon's brisk walk through the hallway was halted on contact with a small purple dragon. "Hey Anon, is she oka.." Spike started only to be cut off by Anon tossing two rolled up letters at Spike, Spike of course catching the projectiles with ease after years of practice.
"Read those, and send them, go get Twilight, tell her to get the girls and meet me in the lounge." It was curt and commanding, but Spike glanced at Starlight, then back to Anon, made a salute unfurled the first letter as he sprinted off in the direction of the library, no doubt where Twilight would be right about now.
He continued for a a brief period, his brisk walk making echoing sounds that overshadowed the still crying Starlight. Before arriving at a pair of doors which were pushed open in short order. He walked into the lounge, and sat down in the center of the couch, Starlight still in arms.
She wasn't really sure of herself, but here curiosity got the better of her. "Anon, what did you d...do?" Starlight whispered in between crying, now looking at Aaron again.
"I sent for reinforcements."
Before Starlight could respond, Twilight came bursting into the room, Spike on her back and friends rushing in behind her. Rainbow of the lot was the first to speak up.
"Alright we're here, what's th......"
Crash!
A brick came sailing through the window and all eyes focused on a light blue pony clad in wizard robe and hat, clambering in through the broken window. Huffing and puffing from exertion "I'm here! ah.... I got the letter! hoo...... What's the emer...."
Pop!
A teleportation spell, and suddenly the room became much more crowded. Now occupying the room, adding to Twilight's friends and Trixie, included Celestia, Sunburst, and Thorax. Celestia locked eye's with Anon "What is going...."
"Starlight!" Cried Sunburst, rushing forwards to her and adding his collective fluff to the current hug. "I'm sorry, I heard from my mother, I'm so sorry."
Gamble number two, hopefully it works. "Starlight's father passed away." He said. Clear as day and bordering on loud. A beat. The room was silent. Everyone present waiting for a pin to drop, and all eyes looked to Starlight's shuddering form as she gripped Anon tighter at his proclamation.
She wanted it to be over, for the feelings to go away, she hated feeling..... a hoof on her shoulder? She turned her gaze and recognized the telltale purple of Twilight as she followed Sunburst's example and added herself to the hug. Then there came another, this one presumably Trixie judging by the now feeling of the cloth Trixie wore pressing against her fur. She could feel their furs, and Anon's shirt together, surrounding her in warmth in a literal and figurative sense. She was safe here, she was protected. More ponies piled into the hug. The clip-clopping of hooves as ponies moved to comfort their friend. She heard the flapping of wings as ponies who couldn't reach her came from above and placed a hoof on head and back of their friend. She could feel her body being enveloped in warm magic, soft and gentle, each and every creature in the room was reaching out to Starlight, to give her their comfort. They were her friends. They were here for her. She wasn't a bad pony. When she needed them, the were here. When she made the call. They answered.
Author's Note
My first attempt at writing. I'm not one for reading the heavy feels, but It seems to be something I at least have talent for. Of course I'm not perfect, I would greatly enjoy feedback.
Thanks for Reading
Noobblue.
