Have you ever found yourself crying and feeling down, wondering why life is so hard to deal with? Life is not easy, not for all of us at least. Starlight was probably at her lowest right now.
Life is tough for most everypony, and everyone (yes, everyone) these days. After the discovery of Earth and humans, Starlight decided to go abroad to Earth, and see what it was like. However, once you go in, you cannot go back to your original world for at least a year.
Starlight Glimmer was only about 3 months in, and felt like she was at a dead end. She couldn’t keep a job from her inability to adapt as quickly as others, her social life was a dud, and she just felt alone. Earth was a cruel place, that could either make your dreams, or crush them. It didn’t help that she was in New York City during the winter too. The clear sky didn’t help lift her spirits. The little money she made was nearly drowned in bills, and her so-called credit score was all but too young to help her on a startup loan if she needed one.
All of this was just adding to her stress. She’s always been a stressful pony, often overthinking her decisions. Her past was far from perfect, and luckily she’d found a better light. But the darkness still lurked. It was always there. It made her feel… depressed, which obviously did not help with any of her problems on Earth.
She wanted to cry. In fact, she did start crying, right in the middle of New York City. Not audibly, but silent tears stained the fur on her cheeks. Walking through Little Island, she decided she needed a break from all the walking, finding a near empty bench. She decided to take it, as all the other ones had people or ponies on them. The floating island was quite popular.
When sitting down in a dog-like position, it was just her, and a human on the bench. The human was a male, only about a few inches away from her. The bench was small. However, the human didn’t even seem to notice her. The only sound omitted was the sniffling from Starlight.
She just felt so tired about all of this. Not just emotionally, but physically. She felt weak, she felt hopeless. She felt all of this at once, that she felt like she needed to close her eyes, and just breathe.
When opening them, Starlight had realized that she was leaning to the right, against something. That something was actually someone, and that someone was the same human from earlier.
She jerked herself back and straightened up. “Oh Celestia! I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to-“
“It’s fine sweetheart. No harm done.”
The response at first seemed a bit rude, but after looking up to him, it seemed as if that response was just the way he talked. It wasn’t him hitting on her.
The man looked… well, like her. He looked tired and maybe even lost. He was hunched over, his arms propped on his legs, hands collapsed together. The clothing he wore was definitely high-end, a navy blue three piece suit, with a navy blue overcoat, along with tan shoes, and a white dress shirt. The leather gloves on his hands were also tan, and behind the left glove was one of those famous ‘Rolex’ luxury watches, the words ‘Yatch Master II’ engraved on the bezel. From the looks of it, this human had it all going for him. But why did he look so… invisible?
“How… how long was I?”
“About thirty minutes give or take?”
Starlight put a hoof to her face before realizing something about the human.
“Are you okay?” Starlight asked. Of all the things she could ask, that question should’ve really been for her. But again, this human seemed so… the same?
He glanced over at her. “No…” he then leaned his back onto the backrest of the bench. Smacking his left hand lightly on his leg. “Thank you for asking.”
“Do you… want to talk about it?”
Now the human turned his head to her. “You know, of all people around here, or, sorry, of all ponies around here, I feel that you shouldn’t be the one asking that.”
A look of confusion came from the mare. “What?”
“Look at you. You look like you’re on the verge of walking off the edge here and into the freezing water.”
“Well, maybe it’s a good thing that I’m in a similar situation as you.”
“Lady, you know nothing of what I feel.”
Starlight decided to use her school counseling tactics to try and get this human to open up. “Well, what do you feel? Do you… have, sadness, depression?”
Surprisingly an immediate response came from him. “Oh I’m always depressed all the time. Uhm, I have to constantly bring myself out of it. Like I wake up depressed, but like- I’m like, now I know my steps because you learn from it… like right now, now I have to go outside and be in the sun for a little bit, even if it’s like- what, 15 degrees out right now? It’s all just programming yourself to trick your brain.”
The last part felt like advice, which Starlight would remember.
“What’s wrong with you? For a pony, especially a unicorn, I think it’d be quite easy.”
“*sigh*, you’d be surprised how little progress in life that you can get here as a pony, even when you graduated at the top of your class in general business. I guess business on Earth is too different for a pony.”
“You’re in the business career?”
“Yeah. Why? You too?”
“Actually I own a business. It’s called All-Star Alliance.”
Starlight’s eyes widened. “All-Star, you mean the All-Star Alliance with a market capital of nine hundred and eighty million dollars?” The human nodded. “You mean, you’re Joseph Lewis, the Joseph Lewis?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, I mean, it just seems very strange that you’re feeling this way. You’re famous, rich, admired, all of it. You’re at the top.”
The human sighed, looking around, face slightly scrunched from the sunlight. “You’d be surprised how lonely it is at the top. The money, the spending, everything is just… never enough. Even if my friends are real and friends that don’t care for my money, I can’t talk to them about this. I guess I’m only talking to you because you’re a stranger.”
Starlight just had to ask. “Are… are you, suicidal, Joseph?”
“Yeah all the time. But I can’t because I got a mom and a sister and like a family and all of that. I mean, I’ve always been suicidal but, I’ve never had like the … courage(?) … to you know, do it. And I guess I’m thankful that I haven’t. I don’t wanna die, but I feel like I’m dying, you know?”
“Yeah…” Starlight looked down to the ground. “Yeah, I do. I just can’t seem to get a grip here on Earth. I’m usually pretty good at learning things and narrowing them down but, I guess here, that’s just not the case. Not to mention my social life is a disaster.” Starlight put a hoof to her face and dragged it down out of frustration. “I don’t go out and have drinks with friends or dinner or anything like that, not just because I have no friends, but because I can’t even afford it.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m… basically broke? I told you, I can’t even seem to keep a job and I just don’t understand why. And when I try to interact with people or even ponies, it just doesn’t work. Celestia I don’t even know if I am going to make this month’s rent…”
Joseph shifted towards her, looking curious for more information on her. He put a gloved-hand on her back gently so as to not let it seem like he was coming on to her. “Listen, miss… I’m sorry, I don’t think I remember your name.”
Starlight chuckled. “Actually I didn’t even tell you. The name’s Starlight. Starlight Glimmer.”
Joseph took his hand away from her, now the surprised one. “Wait, I know you, I’ve heard that name before.”
“You have?”
“Yeah, aren’t you affiliated with the princesses?”
She nodded yes.
“So- wait… then, why is it so tough for you here? Nobody knows who you are?”
She shook her head no this time.
“Well, why can’t they help you, or even get you home early?”
“Well, I would, but, I… *sigh*, I don’t want them to know.”
Joseph raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“I mean to know what’s been going on. I’m here to experience Earth and then go back to Equestria to then write an entire article on the experiences of Earth. If all I have is negative feedback, then they’d totally pull the plug on Earth.”
“Wait, pull the plug as in war? Or as in what?”
“Huh? No, not like that. They’d probably complain to the leaders of the countries, but obviously get nowhere. From my experience, it’s not their responsibility to make sure everything is perfect. It’s, well, everyone and everypony elses.”
“What about getting home earlier?”
“Same reasons, and also I just can’t. Don’t know why, and at this rate, I don’t care.”
There was a small point of silence between the two.
Joseph was currently thinking. He had all he wanted in life. He owned a near billion dollar company, could buy just about anything, go anywhere at a moment's notice, you name it, he could do it. He had it all. His miserable state was almost indescribable. There weren’t real reasons as to why. Being human, thinking about the ‘good ol’ days’, and just stopping for a minute can really depress someone. For Joseph, it can even happen when he gets home. He’s still single, so he’s alone, which makes it easier for those past memories to pop up.
But it seemed to him that Starlight had legitimate reasons as to why she was just about ready to walk off the highest building she could get onto. She really was at a dead end. From what she told him, she has no job, can’t keep one to begin with, no friends, no money, no family here, no purpose. He was surprised that she hadn’t turned to alcohol or drugs yet. But that was a human thing, so maybe ponies didn’t know about that… yet.
Joseph knew that what he had decided to do next wasn’t out of pity, it wasn’t to make him feel good or less depressed. The mare had a lot of potential. She’s basically famous, and from what has been told about her all over social media, is a very smart and cunning pony. He needed a new chief marketing officer for All-Star…
“Starlight, can I ask you something?” Joseph looked over to her to see silent tears running down her cheeks as she looked off into the distance.
“I don’t see why not.”
“I know this may sound like it, but trust me, I’m not doing this out of pity or for my benefit. You said you graduated top of your class. A business major?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, I want to see if you could possibly be my new CMO if you think you’d be comfortable doing something like that, in terms of doing a few conferences in front of millions to see every now and then.”
Her eyes became the size of dinner plates.The tears stopped flowing. “What?”
“Well, look, Starlight, I feel sad every now and then but you, no offense but, you are at rock bottom. But the thing here is that I would hate to see such a potential filled individual ruined by some bad luck. So, I am formally offering you a job at All-Star. The question is, will-”
“No no, Joseph, I heard you. Please excuse my language but where the fuck did that come from?”
The human smiled. “Wow, already used to those human bad words huh?”
“Joseph, I need this. You have no idea how much I need this. But you said it yourself. I’m a stranger. I could totally let you down.”
“Well, yes while that might be true, I do technically know you… erm, well, from a social media standpoint. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you are admired by many. To be honest I’m surprised that you aren’t noticed a lot more often.”
Starlight looked away, rubbing her hoof on her side. “I tend not to search myself up.”
Silence was again present for a few moments before the mare suddenly hugged the human. “Thanks Joseph, I would love to accept that position at your company.”
Surprised at first, Joseph returned the hug, understanding the Unicorn’s behavior. “Of course Starlight. Also, by the way, you can just call me Joey. I know we just met but, again, you have potential, and I want it at All-Star.”
Starlight retracted from Joey, now sitting back down on the bench. “So, what now?”
“Well, how about a few things. On Monday I’ll have you come in to fill out everything, give you a little test, and then introduce you to your employees. Your pay starts out at I think about three quarter million? But don’t worry, after two years it goes to a million one.”
“Wh… What?”
Joey saw Starlight’s face become pale. ‘Oh, right, the money part.’ “Oh, I mean, sorry Starlight, forgot about that. Yeah that’s what it starts at so hopefully it will help fit your lifestyle but if you need more I’m sure we can work something out down the line.”
Tears came to the mare, but this time she was smiling. “No, Joey, that’s plenty.”
“Whoah there Starlight, you aren’t about to combust now are you?” He said jokingly.
She chuckled, wiping the tears away. “No, well, maybe. It just feels like that this is all a dream. I don’t think I can even remotely express how good I feel right now.”
He smiled. “I’m glad.” Joseph then looked around the park, giving Starlight a few moments to process before asking his next question. “Now, where are you living?”
Starlight’s ears flattened. “At The Cottage.”
The human’s mouth fell.”Wait you mean that god awful place in the upper east side?”
She nodded her head.
“Oh uh uh. Not a chance. No way that’s continuing. Oh god that place is disgusting from last I remember when I was there.”
Starlight gave a faint laugh. “Wow, the Joseph Lewis, CEO of All-Star Alliance lived at The Cottage?”
He smiled once again, “Har har very funny. I had to start out somewhere. But anyways, okay, uhm… Here, you can stay at my apartment for the time being until your debt to income goes up and you can afford an apartment that’s nicer.”
“Wh.. are you sure Joey? I don’t want to intrude on you and- “
“Starlight, it’s all good. I actually live alone so don’t worry, you aren’t intruding.”
“Joey I… You have no idea how much this means to me. I can’t believe it.”
“Well Starlight, sometimes things happen for a reason. And for some reason, it has brought you here. The only question I have for you is this. Do you think you can cope with what it takes in order to be a CMO?”
Starlight looked up to him, but actually looked deep into his eyes for the first time, trying to give him a confident answer. “Yes Joey, I won’t let you down, I promise.”
He smiled. “I’m glad because we’re announcing our new microchip partnership with The BMW Group to the world, and we’ll need you to do the presentation for it.”
“I promise I will give it my all, so long as you catch me up to speed with what that might be.”
A laugh once again came from Joey as he then stood up, motioning her to follow him. “C’mon, let’s go to your apartment and get you outta there. I’ll call a moving company on the way.”
As Starlight followed the human, she realized a few things. She now had a secured job at a huge company, starting out at the top, she had a safe place to live, money coming in, and best of all, a friend.
She then heard Joey whistle, noticing he had gained some distance from her, “Hey! Taxi!” She then trotted back up to him, letting the situation sink in for good.
‘This is it Starlight. This is the real start of my trip to Earth.’