"Hey! Where did my apples go? Where is that thief?!"
The poorest of the poor live here, as do I now. The darkened slums of Manehatten doesn't even get enough recognition from the political head to fix the street lamps. Homeless ponies from all around the city aggregate here, huddled around trash fires for warmth and carrying the rags of broken their broken selves. I discreetly wandered off with my lunch, hoping to find a quiet place to eat my only meal. My body consists of scars from a more youthful past. Evidence that I could once feel something but the memories have all been lost. All I have anymore is the satisfaction that I'm who I want to be. I've succeeded in wiping my past clean and starting anew. It took a lot more running then I was ready for but I am a new pony now. I am Slate.
I've lived in these slums for as long as I could remember, everything before seems empty, like a blank fabric is draped over it. Trying to remember only gave me headaches. Besides, I don't even want to remember, how could my life been better than where I am now? I'm married to the most beautiful pony I have ever laid eyes upon, and needless to say, I believe Jade feels the same way. Her mane is so gorgeous, and long enough to just meet the floor she trots along. Her light mint green coat is complimented by the green of her mane, as dark as her namesake. I met her shortly after I settled in Manehatten and we instantly hit it off. I think she told me that she was an archeologist when we met, but we live in scraps of food so obviously neither of us has gotten any work in a while. Getting married was as much of a financial solution to our problems as it was a romantic interest.
Unfortunately the state of emergency Manehatten has alarmed is withholding a lot of privileged money that would be ours since we were wed. All of the city's surplus is going to help the citizens of Canterlot since a disastrous earthquake struck a year and a half ago. All of the money that Jade and I would have be privileged with is now in transit to rebuilding Equestria's capitol. I understand the cause is right, but the methods are flawed. The ponies of Manehatten, especially the ones in the same situation we are in are in desperate need of that welfare as well. I would do what I can to help our neighbors, but I need to be financially stable to even get out of the slums, find a place to work and then help them. It's hard to help others when you can't help yourself. Besides, they don't need to use all of the surplus, I heard a billionaire philanthropist has donated a lot of money to the rebuilding of that society.
"Slate honey? Come on inside you are going to catch something if you stay out in that cold." Oh right, I was so hungry I forgot that we couldn't even afford suitable jackets for the winter.
"Right away dear, I brought home some food from the market."
"How could you afford this many apples?" I never told her I was a thief, it seemed easier to just say the ponies of the market are nicer than you think.
"A friend of mine owed a favor and chipped in to help us out." I could tell by the look on her face that she wasn't satisfied. I think she caught on to me a long time ago.
"Oh, right, of course. We got some mail in today."
"Anything in the shape of a fatty marriage check?"
"No, sorry Slate, the local paper said the humanitarian efforts in Canterlot were to be extended another fiscal year." This news broke my heart.
"We can't live another year like this! Damn it damn it damn it damn it!" My hoof slammed into the concrete floor. It's frustrating knowing you have done everything in your power to help fix a problem but nothing seems to be sticking.
"Honey calm down you are going to get another one of your migraines." I took a deep sigh and firmly placed my flank on the floor.
"Jade, we can't do this for another year, the store keeps' are catching on the me. You know, it might be easier for us to live in prison then it is out here." At least in prison they get food.
"Don't' talk that way, we will find a way out of this. Even though we didn't get our welfare check, you did get a letter." A letter? No one sends me a letter, no one even knows I exist.
"From who?"
"Well, there is a letter from a pony named Pebble. Seems to live out in Baltimare, by the way he is writing it almost seems like you could be a relative."
"A relative? I thought I didn't have a family. You think he can send us some money?" Well hello Mr. Pebble, you just became my new best friend.
"... but there is another letter from a pony but the name is anonymous, it was shipped from Tromp Tower though. I haven't gotten around to reading this one yet."
"Let me see that." I snatch the letter from her hoof. I'm too desperate to find a way out of this situation than to be polite.
"Um, sorry." But it doesn't mean I still won't be polite. She is the mare of my dreams after all.
Dear Mr. Slate
It's been a long time since we last spoke, I have granted you an audience with Tromp Tower's prestigious owner Mr. Break. We are glad to see you are alive and well after last year's fiasco and are wishing to discuss a new proposal with you.
The audience will consist of a formal party hosted by Mr. Break himself. You will be provided transport as well as the proper attire and food for the entire event. You are allowed to bring a plus one as a guest of yours. A transport will be arriving shortly to take you and your plus one to the Tromp Tower's dining floor.
We hope you enjoy your trip and are pleased to have finally found you.
-Alfred.
A visit and meeting with a multi-billionaire? Why me though? and what was this about glad to see me alive and finally finding me? My memories from my past may be better than I thought.
"Slate what did it say? Why is there a limo parked on the street?"
"Were getting in it apparently. This letter is an invitation to a Tromp Tower formal dinner party."
"A... a... a dinner party? But why us? Oh who cares a DINNER PARTY?! Oh dear Celestia would do I wear."
"Calm down, our attire is being provided for us... it seems like Mr. Break wants to see me, something about last year being a disaster and finally finding me. I don't know what it means but maybe if Mr. Break sees the situation were in he may be inclined to help us out. It's worth a shot."
Jade was already half way out the door heading to the limousine parked across from them. I don't even think she is wondering about all of this nonsense that came with the letter. She's always been the one to snap me out of my deep thinking tendency. Can't believe I fell in love with the first mare I came across since I moved here. She is my only friend and now my wife. Huh, the letter from Pebble says to meet him later this week. If things with Mr. Break so as well as I hope, I won't need to see this guy at all. The only family I have now is Jade and that's all I need or want.
"I'll be right out!" I stumbled out of the door. My excitement knocked over a picture of Jade and I from a stool in our one room hut of a home. I heard the sound of glass cracking but I paid no attention to it. My mission now was to just get as much money from Mr. Break as I could, no matter the cost. The broken glass scattered across the floor as I hopped in the limousine with the mare I'm spending the rest of my life with. The picture of Jade and I from when we first met, now fractured, broken on the floor, our smiling faces separated by an endless sea of cracks and joints within the frame.