Starlight’s Life

It was the next day, sometime in the afternoon, and Starlight had been finishing her food from last night. She ate a fruit and a couple of pieces of bread. Starlight took a walk around the streets of Ponyville, looking at windows and buildings as she passed by them. Suddenly, she felt hungry, as it had been a few hours since she had last eaten. She then remembered that she had a couple bits left since last night. Starlight was going to save her two bits for more necessary supplies, as it was wiser, but she wanted to treat herself once in a while. So, she decided buy a small hayshake with the bits at the cafe. It had been a while since she had one! So she walked inside the cafe. She carried her bits with her mouth, as she had been saving her energy for a little over a year by not using much magic. Starlight chose a table to sit at, and she sighed in content.

When the waitress came and asked Starlight what she wanted, Starlight told her she just wanted a hayshake. She was actually wanting a meal, but two bits wouldn’t pay but for so much. The waitress nodded her head and walked away from the two-pony table. As Starlight was sitting patiently but yet bored, a young mare around her age came up to her table. She wasn’t a waitress. This pony was young with a lime-green coat of fur, light-yellow mane and tail, and a cutie mark that looked like a sun with rays coming down from it.

“Oh! I’m sorry, mamn, I didn’t see you there! I-I’ll move to another table,” the mare said as she pulled a book away from her face to look at Starlight. She had almost sat down with Starlight!

“You’re fine!” Replied Starlight, “You can sit here, if you want.”

“Oh, okay, thanks!” The mare by the name of Sunny Dae said a bit sheepishly.

“So, do you live here in Ponyville? I’ve never seen you around here before,” asked Sunny.

“Uh-uh, well, kinda. Yes, I live here. Hehe.”

“Uh, is everything okay? You seem a little uncomfortable.”

“Yeah! Everything’s fine. I-I’m totally fine!”

“Look, I’m not trying to overstep, but, you seem like you’re hiding something. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Just as Sunny asked that, the waitress came to their table.

“Alright, mamn, here’s your hayshake.”
Starlight hoofed her the two bits.

“Uh, miss, hayshakes here cost three bits, not two.

Starlight’s ears flopped. When did the price change?

“Oh, that’s all I have. Thanks for telling me,” Starlight replied with a sad scowl.

“Sorry, mamn. And you, are you with her?” The waitress asked as looked Sunny’s direction.

Sunny had a frown on her face. “Oh, no. Ok, I’ll have, uh,” she looked over Starlight’s direction as Starlight looked sad. “I’ll have two hayburgers and two hayshakes.”

The waitress wrote down the order in her notepad and walked away.

“I got that for you,” Sunny said to Starlight with a compassionate smile.

“W-what? Really? N-no, I can’t put you out like that. Please, take back the order. It’s okay. I-I’m used to it anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m used to being rejected when I try to buy stuff. The thing is, I, uh, I’m not exactly rich...” Starlight said shyly.

“So, wait, about that question when I asked if you live around here...I mean, I’m not trying to assume, but...”

Starlight finally found the courage to speak up. “Yeah, I’m, uh...........homeless.......”

Sunny Dae sat there, eyes wide for a few seconds, until she finally spoke.

“Really? You’re homeless? You know, you might not have guessed, but, uh, I am too.”

The two mares just looked at each other for a few moments in silence. Sunny finally broke the silence.

“Feel better now? You don’t need to be ashamed. You’re probably just down on your luck.”

“I’ve been homeless for about two years now. Are you really homeless?” Starlight asked.

“Yes, I am. It’s been about a year and a half since I lost my house.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” replied Starlight.

“No! Don’t be! I actually chose to be the way I am!”

“You did? Why? Where do you sleep?”

“I’ll usually find a grassy field and set up my sleeping bag there. However, sometimes, I do stay in hotels.”

Starlight was astounded. Could a pony really be crazy enough to choose to be homeless?

“Do you ever go hungry?” Starlight asked.

“No, I actually have a part time job working with plants, so I have plenty of bits to buy food with. Why?”

“Oh, I don’t know. *Sigh* I sometimes do. However, lately, I haven’t been as hungry as I usually am, so that’s good.”

“Hey, we never even introduced ourselves! I-I’m Sunny Dae. Nice to meet you!”

Starlight couldn’t believe she had met a pony like Sunny. Usually the ponies she had met would’ve been grossed out by the fact she was homeless, but Sunny was herself, even if she liked it that way.

“I-I-I’m Starlight. Starlight Glimmer. It’s nice to meet you too!”

Just then, the waitress came back with the food. Sunny gave the waitress the bits and then the waitress walked away.

“Sunny, you really didn’t have to do this. I-I mean, uh, well, the thing is, I guess I’ve just never had somepony show me this much kindness before,” said Starlight as she gave a sad smile. Then, she said quietly, “Well, my dad used to.” Then a tear she couldn’t control rolled down her cheek.

Sunny looked at Starlight with a confused look, which then turned into a sad one.

“D-did something happen to him?” She asked.

Starlight just looked down, her eyes sparkling more and more until she started crying uncontrollably.

“He fell into the pond when I was a foal! A-and after that, I had nopony else! I never had a mom because Dad adopted me, so I literally had NOPONY!” Then she slammed her head down on the table, her horn hurting with the impact.

Sunny had a surprised look on her face. Then, she went over to Starlight’s side of the table and hugged her, trying to calm her down.

“Starlight, please, listen to me. Please don’t cry. I-I-I didn’t mean to mess you up like this. I’m sorry about what happened. Please stop crying!” She pleaded.

Eventually, Starlight was reduced down to sniffling. She felt a little embarrassed about it. She had never let herself go like that, especially not in public.

“Sorry about all that. I-I don’t typically get emotional like that. It’s just, it really hurts. I miss my dad. He, he was something special. Like an angel in my eyes. I’m sorry you had to calm me down,” Starlight said with sorrow and embarrassment.

“It’s okay, Starlight. Look, I’ll be here for you. I promise. I’m just sorry all that happened. I, I don’t know what it feels like to lose a parent, but I hope I can still help,” Sunny said with a smile.

Starlight smiled too. “Thank you, Sunny.”

Sunny replied. “You’re welcome, Starlight. Now, let’s eat!”

The two young mares each ate their meals together and told each other funny stories for a few minutes, before they agreed to meet each other at the park later that day.