//------------------------------// // The Orphanage - Chapter 2 // Story: Chronicles: Sally // by Xfiles90210 //------------------------------// Chapter II Four years have passed since the incident happened, and the adopted newborns at that time were now at the filly stage of life. Although the orphanage didn’t look really different from the past, there have been subtle changes, like the building being bigger and more spacious, and even having a backyard for the fillies to play and explore. Also, the nurse lead, even though she had gotten older to the point of almost being an old mare, she was as energetic and active as she’s always been, never stopped taking care of the orphans. For her, the happiest moments of her life were when she saw the smiles of the foals and fillies when a caring couple adopted one; that was so meaningful to her that even the orphanage held its name to resemble such special moments. It was early afternoon when the foals and fillies were on the backyard as it was play and recreation time. Among the almost two dozen younglings, there were two peculiar fillies having lunch on one of the backyard’s benches, located against the building’s wall, beside the door, and spending time happy and cheerfully; they were Sally and a yellow earth filly, with orange-and-red mane, sky blue eyes, her muzzle and the tips of her hooves being slightly darkened, and having already the cutie mark of an opened fairytale book, depicting the pictures of the Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella; although the name given by her parents was never known, she’s known and named as Fairytale due to her cutie mark, and her love of fairytale books and adventures. “Hey, Fairy!” The navy blue unicorn spoke with enthusiasm after taking a bite from her favorite pastry: a piece of chocolate cake, covered with melted chocolate, filled with blueberry jelly, and having strawberry flavored sprinkles. “Did’cha hear? Our friend Streamy finally got adopted yesterday! Ain’t that neat?” She giggles briefly and took a sip on her glass of vanilla flavored milk, a cheerful smile always being on her face. “Oh, I didn’t know. I’m so glad for him”, the yellow filly answered also smiling. Although she seemed less expressive than her friend, she was very happy about him. “I’m sure he’ll have a real happy life, just like nanny tells us how it is like”. “Aaand I got a hunch I’ll be next, ‘n’ also you!” Sally spoke with enthusiasm and pointed at her alicorn. “I’ve got a plan that’s guaranteed one hundred... no, one thousand percent!” “Magic? But Sally,” her friend replied, showing friendly concern as she usually does, “you can’t control it. I mean, last time you tried to even levitate an apple, well...” “Dun’ be worried, Fairy. It’s gonna be fine”, she moves a hoof on her shoulder and patted it briefly before leaning back and taking another bite at her cake. Fairytale smiled and nodded. “I see. Well, I trust in you, Sally. I wish you the best. Oh, you could pay me a visit and tell me how it is”. “Just as promis’d!” She giggled and nodded quickly with a very childish glimpse. Then, she finished her cake, followed by emptying her glass. “Oh, careful, Sally. Tummyaches aren’t nice at all”. “’Kay, Fairy. Y’know, it may be ‘cause a really nice ‘n’ carin’ pair of ponies wanna meet me, and surely adopt me!” Both fillies giggled along. “You could also sing. Oh, we could sing. That’s what friends are for, right? To care and help each other” Sally smiled brightly, but shook her head, her short mane whipping side to side. “No thanks, Fairy! Buut we can sing when we’re both adopt’d. That’d be so neat, ‘n’ fun, ‘n’ really awesome!” “That sounds like a wonderful idea. Oh! Let’s make it a promise”, the yellow filly replied and reached her hoof to Sally. Her friend nodded, and both held hooves as they said at the same time: “As fillies, ‘n’ gals, a promise will be kept no matter what. Or else, our mind, ‘n’ heart, will shrink really small.” The unicorn filly giggled again as she let go off Fairytale’s hoof. Then, she looked over at the window into the orphanage and noticed the nurse was walking over the backyard’s door, along with a young couple of unicorn ponies. “Oh, Fairy, look!” She spoke with great enthusiasm and a bright smile, “nanny’s comin’ over here, ‘n’ with my soon-t’-be-parents!” The yellow filly looked back and smiled along with her friend. “They look so nice and caring, Sally. Lucky you,” she nudged her friend’s arm, “you will have a wonderful family”. “Thanks, so ya will!” She hopped down the bench, and trotted over the door, soon standing across it, and then sitting back, showing her best, most adorable, and cutest smile. “Good luck, gal”, Fairytale spoke as she looked over and sitting back, awaiting to see her friend being adopted. Soon after, they saw the door opening, and the three ponies walking out to the graveyard. The nurse lead smiled at Sally’s attempt to make a good first impression, and looked back at the couple of unicorns. “Mister and Miss Star, this is Sally; the filly you want to meet and know more about”. She looked back at the filly, stepped aside a bit so the couple could have a clearer view of the filly, and she looked back at her. “Sally, sweetheart; say hello”. “Hi, hi!” She spoke, showing great happiness and enthusiasm, and waved her hoof at them quickly. “Name’s Sally! Nice t’meet ya, Mister ‘n’ Miss Star!” “Oh, darling”, the mare said with a refined accent and a warm smile as she looked back at her husband, “she is so pretty and adorable”. “Indeed, she is, dear”, the stallion replied, and laid down to Sally’s height. “Sally, how old are you?” “Nanny says I’m four!” The filly replied, her cheerfulness never seeming to decrease. “So young and you already know proper manners? Tell me,” he stood up, keeping eye contact with Sally, “how much would you like to be educated to be a high class pony? How much would you like to be a member of the most exclusive elite?” “Very!” She giggled even though she didn’t know what his words meant. She just wanted to be adopted by caring parents. “See, darling?” The mare spoke after giggling delightfully and with elegancy. “She will be the daughter I sadly could never have”. The stallion nodded at her and then looked at Sally. “I see. Say, little Sally, what are your talents? I have noticed you are still a blank flank.” “Oh, my talents?” She rubbed her chin a bit, her face showing a glimpse of deep thought. Then, she smiled brightly and looked up at the couple. “Oh, I got a neat talent! Wanna see it, mister Star?” “Please, call me father or dad if you would like to.” He smiled politely to her and nodded. “Please show us, Sally”. “’kay, ‘kay!” She nodded quickly and shut her eyes tightly, focusing as much as she could to use her magic. Meanwhile, Fairytale was listening carefully to the couple and her friend. When she noticed her bright smile, she gulped a bit and stood up, hoping deeply Sally wasn’t talking about a talent that she was told to keep hidden, and only the nurse lead and she knew about. A few moments passed before the couple of ponies, the lead nurse, Fairytale and some other fillies, witnessed how a circle-shaped symbol, being big enough for a pony to step inside, began to glow beside the little navy blue unicorn filly. And then, the couple’s eyes widened as they saw a paw, rotten, dead and cold, came out from it. As the mare stepped back once, they saw how an undead timberwolf cub came out from the pentagram. “Ta-dah!” Sally said with great pride and happiness after opening her eyes and looking back at the adult unicorns. “Ain’t that neat?” she said and giggled as she walked beside the undead and patted its head, much like if it was a pet. And as for the zombie, it was seemingly calmed, its eyes being distant and barely responsive, and also glowing with a faint light blue glow. “I... that...” The mare just said, muttering, and then raised her hoof to her forehead, soon fainting dramatically on the colt’s arms. “Oh, what ‘appen’d?” Sally asked as she took a step closer, seemingly concerned even though she was always behaving very childish. “’S she okay?” She spoke as she looked back at the stallion. As a response, he took a step away from the filly while holding his marefriend. His fright had muted him, thus being impossible to him to say a single word. He was shaking in fear and was startled as the mere sight of an undead timberwolf right before him. Fairytale noticed the whole scene, and as she muttered “oh, no” more than once, she noticed the couple being afraid of the undead and even of her best friend. What is worse, she was thinking, is that it’s not the first time it happens. Meanwhile, the unicorn filly was still looking at the unicorn stallion, her tail swaying in happiness as she was thinking he would smile, say his wife just fainted because of joy, and finally tell her to come with them. However, the stallion looked at the lead nurse, who was being quiet and silent the whole time, and then he looked back at Sally. “Oh, are ya okay, mister Star?” she asked politely and walked over to feel his arm, following the lead nurse’s motions she tends to do with a sick or ill orphan. When she walked far enough from the undead, three yards, it began to fade away just like i it was made of pixie dust. “D... Don’t!” The stallion just stepped back from the filly again, and turned around. Then, he simply walked into the orphanage, his hooves still shaking in fear. “Oh?” She sat back and looks back at the nurse lead. She smiled a bit at Sally, and followed the stallion into the orphanage. After she did, Sally trotted over the window, and stood on her hind legs to see what was going on. She saw how the stallion and the nurse mare were talking as he was heading quickly towards the entrance room, walking non-stop until walking out. Oblivious to the real situation because of her innocence, the filly smiled, thinking he just headed out to come back a bit later with a package or something similar to take her, just as other couples have had done with the orphans she has seen and met. While she was smiling brightly, she turned around and trotted back to her friend. “Well, what did they say?” Fairytale asked, hiding her true opinions. “Will they come back?” “Yup!” she nodded quickly and giggled. “Just as plann’d, Fairy! Oh, t’was soo nice even my new mommy fainted!” The yellow filly smiled a bit, knowing the true reason. She never had the heart to tell her the truth, as she thought it would hurt her friend’s feelings that her talent was highly feared and disliked. “Indeedy. It was surely a show, Sally. You did a nice job”. “Oh, just nice?” Fairytale giggled. “okay, okay. The best I’ve seen”. “Neat!” She giggled along and nodded. Then, her ears perked up at the sound of the door opening. “Alright, little ponies”, the lead nurse said as other nurses walked out along her, “it’s almost 6 o’clock, and the board game night will begin. After she said so, the foals and fillies smiled and began to gather around. The nurses were present to help the youngest orphans, picking them up and walking back with the crowd of orphans. Fairytale and Sally didn’t lose time, and they also joined the rest. They walked back into the building, and the nurse lead locked the door to keep the foals safe from walking out; she knows well about the odd phenomena concerning the magic and flight skill outbursts toddlers have. After that, she and the other nurses led the crowd into a recreation room: a room upholstered with soft carpet, and with toys and safe furniture all over it. Although it wasn’t as big as the garden, it was certainly the biggest room in the building. “Come on, Sally!” Fairytale said with happiness as she walked over a table, being small enough for four foals to sit around and having a picture of the tale Pinocchio. However, unlike other times, her unicorn friend didn’t follow her. “Wait up, Fairy!” She smiled at her, her heart still being full with joy. “I’m gonna wait for my new parents! It’d be meanie of me if they walked in, and didn’t find me!” She giggled and then trotted over the only window that led to the outside. Then, she stood on her hind hooves, and placed her front hooves on the base of it, looking out and eyeing around actively. The other filly looked over at her and sighed softly and a bit sadly as she looked down at the table, focusing on the picture. She then looked back at a nurse who stood beside her, holding her favorite fairytale book, and placed it down on the table. “Something wrong, cutie?” the young nurse spoke with a friendly tone at the little filly and sat back across her. “You seem a bit saddened. Come on; tell auntie Tenny what’s troubling you.” “Well, it’s my friend Sally”, she answered and looked back at the young deep purple nurse, “she’s over there, waiting for the unicorns to come back”. “Oh... she used her talent again, right?” The filly nodded, and the nurse sighed a bit. “Well, they may not mind that. I’m sure there’s a couple out there who won’t mind such thing. Raising the dead surely can’t scare literally everypony in Equestria.” “I wanna think the same, but... what if the right parents never come here?” “Don’t worry, I’m sure they will”, she remarked with an assuring smile and stood up, “now, do you want to play with your friends, Fairytale? There’s still one free spot for the game snakes and ladders. “Thanks, auntie Tenny. I’ll be there in a minute”. The mare nodded at her words, ruffled her mane briefly, and then walked to check on the other foals and fillies. Meanwhile, the dark blue filly was looking out the window, her mind racing in thoughts and fantasies about being part of a loving daughter. She giggled briefly as she was talking to herself. “I’m sure they just went t’get me a present. Oh, could be a toy or a bowtie... but bowties seem a bit silly. Oh, it’d be a teddy bear, or maybe a doll, or maybe a board game, or maybe a...” she gasped as she suddenly saw two silhouettes walking close to the orphanage’s entrance. “Oh, here they come! Wait... Oh, ‘s not them”, she giggled, “silly me, just a false alarm.” Time passed by as the young ponies were playing, and Sally was waiting. Then, the Sun was starting to set and the nurses were about to take the foals to the dormitories. “Just aaany minute”, Sally was whispering, her hope never decreasing or fading away, as she was looking out the window. From time to time, she checked back on the wall clock. “Mmh, what could be takin’ ‘em so long?” She wondered as she looked back at the window. “They should be here by now, like other mommies ‘n’ daddies do. Maybe they had an inconvenience... or maybe... or maybe they’re still choosing the bowtie’s color”. The little dark blue filly was whispering, trying to be still cheered up as she was waiting. Her mind was never ready to accept the reality of the situation. “Sally”, she hears from behind her; it was the young nurse, “come on, you need to take dinner, brush your teeth and go to bed”. As usual, she was speaking with a soft tone to her, like she does for the young orphans. “Oh, but... What if they come back and I’m not here? What if they don’t adopt me when they don’ see me waitin’?” She spoke a bit quickly as she looked back at the nurse and then back at the window. The nurse walked closer, and placed her hoof on her shoulder. “You shouldn’t be up late, Sally. Come on, I’ll tell you a tale, what do you say?” The filly stayed silent for a minute or two, always looking at the same spot: the orphanage’s entrance gates. And then, suddenly, she spoke with a glimpse of sorrow. “They’re not comin’ back, are they?” She slowly looked back at the nurse, her eyes wetting quickly. “They’re not gonna adopt me, right?” The nurse stood silent for a moment, and then she picked up the small filly, holding her on her arms. “Sally, you know there will be another day, and other caring ponies.” “But... It’s been a hundred parents now”, the filly answered as she buried her head on the nurse’s chest, “it’s like... They don’t like me.” “That’s really silly to think, filly. Of course you’ll be adopted like your friends were”, the young mare spoke with a soft and calm tone, “you just need to be patient.” “...I’m afraid I’d never be adopted”, the filly spoke as she hugged the nurse’s chest while warm tears were being formed on her eyes, “I wanna be adopted. I wanna be happy. I wanna be a daughter... Somepony’s daughter... I wanna know how does it feel t’be one.” She clenched her little hooves a bit, staying silent for a moment as she felt a knot in her throat. “Shh, shh. It’s okay, Sally. Let it out,” the mare spoke and kissed the filly’s forehead tenderly, next to her alicorn, and cradled her a bit, “life isn’t always a bowl of cherries”. The filly looked up at her, her little face and eyes wet with her warm tears of true sorrow. She sniffed once, and tried her best to smile. “But can it be a bowl of choco drops?” “Of course, sweetie!” They both giggled briefly. “Life can be anything you wanna to. You just need patience and perseverance.” “But... what if it takes years?” “Well,” she smiled warmly at her, “you do like to be in here, filly, with your friends”. “I do”, the filly smiled a bit wider and nodded, “like Fairy, or nanny, or you, or every-non-meanie-pony”. “That’s the spirit, little filly,” the nurse spoke with enthusiasm and gently put the filly down and took her hoof tenderly, “now, it’s time to have dinner, take a bath and go to sleep, okay?” “’kay!” The filly held her hoof tenderly, still shaking a bit due to her emotional breakdown. Then, both ponies headed back to the dining hall, being spacious enough to hold all the orphans. The yellow filly looked over and, while smiling softly, she waved at the nurse and the small unicorn who just entered. “Over here!” “Fairy!” Sally spoke, being enthusiast again, and trotted over, soon wrapping her arms around her and pulling her close for a hug. “Sowwy for worryin’ ya. I promise I won’t do it ever, ever, ever again!” Fairytale giggles and nodded. “It’s okay, don’t worry. Oh, and look!” She pointed over at the table, where there was a slice of chocolate cake. “I made sure you’d get your favourite, Sally”. “Yum! Thanks, gal!” They both giggled and, after breaking the hug, they took a seat at the table, soon beginning to eat. The yellow earth filly smiled upon at her friend’s happiness as she has grown a great and unbreakable friendly bond with her. Soon after, they finished their meals and went to bed to sleep and get over the sorrow the little unicorn just went through, but was destined to go through it constantly.