//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 - First Friend // Story: Starlight's Dream Therapy // by Yosh-E-O //------------------------------// Starlight found herself standing across the road from a large, brightly colored building. “Greetings, Starlight,” greeted Princess Luna. “Are you ready to face yet another ghost from your past?” “Another?” asked the periwinkle-colored Unicorn. “Yes,” the princess replied. “You did quite well last night. I truly believe you are ready for this next step towards putting your past behind you.” “Step?” asked Starlight. “How long will I have to go through this?” “That depends on you,” replied Luna. “Only you can know when you’ve truly coped with your past and shall not be haunted by it.” Starlight looked towards the building. The sound of children playing could be heard coming from within. She then noticed the sign next to the front door that had a pair of ducks holding hands that read, ‘Happy Duck Daycare’ “I’m guessing I have to go in there?” she more said than asked. “Yes,” nodded Luna. “What happens next is up to you.” FWOO Everything went dark for a moment before the Unicorn suddenly found herself standing within a large playroom. Her eyes taking in all the foals carrying on and having a good time while a number of caretakers ensured everyone was properly attended to. “Okay,” she said as her anxiety began to rise. “Where am I?” *** Starlight’s heart thumped faster-and-faster as she carefully scoured around the room in search of her younger self. Each second that passed made her feel increasingly stressed. “Where am I?” she asked. “Am I even here?” *** Starlight’s stomach was beginning to feel upset after the fifth trip she made within the playroom. There was no sign of her younger self. However, she did notice a familiar looking Unicorn with golden hair curled up with a book next to one of the bookshelves. “Sunburst?” she wondered as the colt kept his face buried in a picture book. He was quite content just minding his own business while reading whatever story he had gotten his hooves on. “Mmf,” he groaned while shutting his book and getting up on all four hooves. “Gotta’ go potty.” Starlight watched as young Sunburst went to find a caretaker to help him to the bathroom. As weird as it felt, something told her she should follow along. “Okay,” she blushed. “Perhaps Sunburst will lead me to, uh, me?” *** The yellowish-orange Unicorn trotted eagerly alongside a powder-blue colored Earth Pony mare. Encouraging words were being exchanged between the two. “I’m not following them into the bathroom,” stated Starlight as her blush deepened. PANG! “Ouch!” the periwinkle Unicorn cried as she felt a sharp pain burst within her head. This was followed by a tightening in her chest that caused her to stop her forward motion and catch notice of a door that had been slightly left ajar. “Could this be…?” she wondered while making her way towards the door and pulling it open. Sure enough, foal Starlight was sitting all alone within a dark closet. Her eyes bloodshot from crying as a foul smell came from her. “How can this be?” gagged adult Starlight. “Why do I look so awful?” Foal Starlight trembled upon noticing her adult self. “I…,” she mumbled. “I didn’t, mean to…” “Didn’t mean to do what?” asked Starlight. However, the scent of manure gave away what was likely the cause of her younger self’s anguish, shame, and fear. Adult Starlight, as with the night before, felt the tightness in her chest build while a growing desire to vomit came over her. She knew she had to resist these feelings, though, if she were to not cause additional trauma to her younger self. It’s, okay,” she struggled while sitting down on her haunches to better face her terrified, younger self. “No,” whimpered foal Starlight. “Mom and dad will be mad. The older ponies will be mad. No pony wants to play with me.” Each sentence from her younger self felt like a knife was being stabbed through Starlight Glimmer’s heart. She felt very sick, very uncomfortable, and extremely anxious. It took everything in her to not want to run away from the foal she was facing. “I…,” she choked. “I’m not mad.” “You’re… not?” asked foal Starlight. Her bloodshot eyes opening wide with a look of hope in them. Adult Starlight felt her throat tighten as she realized her next words had to really count. “Everything’s okay,” she said while forcing a smile. “Come here and give me a hug.” Foal Starlight seemed to smile as she gathered herself enough to trot towards her adult self. “I got you,” said Starlight as she reached for the outstretched hooves of her younger self and brought her in for a tight hug. The scent from her unwashed body and manure loaded diaper was overwhelming. However, Starlight knew she had to be strong for the younger self that was desperate for love and affection. “There, there,” she said softly. “Everything is alright. You’re going to make friends and be a big filly every pony will want to play with.” CLICK-CLOP CLOP-CLICK From a short distance away, Starlight could hear ponies approaching her as they talked. “Good job, Sunburst!” a mare cheered with extreme enthusiasm. “Thanks, Ms. Cuddles,” he replied. “You haven’t had an accident all week!” cheered Ms. Cuddles. “You’re parents will be so proud of you!” CLIP-CLOP CLOP-CLICK Ms. Cuddles was the powder-blue Earth Pony that had walked Sunburst to the bathroom. She was now right beside the opened, closet door that foal Starlight was in. “Glim-Glim?” asked Ms. Cuddles upon spotting the foal in the arms of adult Starlight. “Is everything okay, lil’ filly?” Adult Starlight didn’t know if the caretaker could see her, but she thought she’d respond on behalf of your younger self just-in-case. “She had an accident,” she stated. “She’s worried she’s in trouble.” Foal Starlight saw Sunburst and cringed. Adult Starlight took this as panic upon being gawked at by a young colt who was acting more his age than she was. That he’d make fun of her. That he’d be just another pony in the daycare to make her feel as lonely and unwanted as she was at home. “Don’t worry,” assured adult Starlight. “Sunburst is a good pony. He’s your friend.” “Yeah,” agreed Ms. Cuddles. “Actually, I think you and Sunburst could become great friends.” “Me?” asked Sunburst. “Yes,” Ms. Cuddles said with a smile. “Glim-Glim here isn’t all rowdy like the other foals. I’m sure you two could have lots of fun reading books together.” “You like… books?” asked Sunburst. “Uh-huh,” answered foal Starlight. Her feelings of fear, shame, and doubt seemingly leaving her mind. “I also think you can help Glim-Glim with her potty training, too!” cooed Ms. Cuddles. “Glim-Glim needs a big colt to help her be a big filly!” “I…,” blushed Sunburst. “I can do that.” “Great!” cheered Ms. Cuddles. “Now how’s about I get you back into the playroom so I can help get Glim-Glim all cleaned up so she can read some books with you?” “Okay,” he said. “See you, Glim-Glim.” “I got this,” stated adult Starlight as she used her magic to place her younger self upon her back. The two then made their way to the changing room where Starlight took good care to properly clean her younger self. As she did she told foal Starlight about how Sunburst was going to be her best friend. This made the little one smile while her once bloodshot eyes returned to normal. “Friend?” asked foal Starlight. “Yes,” replied the adult Unicorn as she felt tears forming in her eyes. These ones were not of sadness, but of knowing how wonderful it felt to be assured of such a thing when you otherwise felt so alone and unwanted. *** Starlight couldn’t resist giving her foal self a kiss on the cheek before helping her back out to the playroom. Here, she found Ms. Cuddles waiting with young Sunburst. “Hi, Glim-Glim!” greeted Sunburst. “I got a great book!” Starlight gently placed her younger self upon the floor and watched as she gleefully joined Sunburst in reading over a picture book about using the potty. “You’re new, right?” asked Ms. Cuddles to Starlight. “Me…?” gasped the Unicorn. “I’m worried,” continued Ms. Cuddles. “I have the feeling Glim-Glim isn’t getting the love and care she needs at home.” “You do?” wondered Starlight. “I’m not the pony to judge,” whispered Ms. Cuddles as she got closer to Starlight. “However, her parents are always the first to drop off and last to pick up. They also seem to bring her in without cleaning her up and it doesn’t seem like they feed her before she comes here either.” Starlight felt the sickness in her stomach begin to return as the powder-blue, Earth Pony shared her thoughts. “I wish I could do more for her,” Ms. Cuddles continued. “However, I don’t know how I could without making her an orphan. There’s no other relatives listed on her intake paperwork.” Starlight felt the world around her grow cold. Her anxiety also started to rise as thoughts flew through her mind about the numerous possibilities of what these memories were foreshadowing. Ms. Cuddles sighed and smiled. “I’m glad she is making friends with Sunburst,” she said. “Sunburst isn’t like the other colts and fillies here. He is very hyper focused and really seems to like it when some pony pays attention to what he’s into.” The ill feelings Starlight was getting faded away upon seeing her foal self smiling alongside young Sunburst. “I think they’ll be great friends,” she said. “I’m glad you think so,” said Ms. Cuddles. “I really wanted to get a second opinion on an idea I had.” “What’s that?” asked Starlight. “Sunburst’s parents have found it hard to find their son a pladate friend,” she stated. “I’m thinking of recommending Glim-Glim to them. They’re a caring pair and the two could certainly help each other feel happy.” “Of course!” Starlight beamed. “You should definitely do it!” “Super!” cheered Ms. Cuddles. “Could you watch the darlings while I get some paperwork together? I want to make sure I catch both sets of parents so we can get these two spending as much time together as soon as possible.” “You can count on me!” cheered Starlight. She then happily watched as her foal self and Sunburst kept smiling and talking until she found herself suddenly awaking in her bed within The Castle of Friendship.