Prologue Part 2: The Road to Stardom
You know, you would think that ponies coming from Manehattan would be total Douchebags, lack basic manners, and even downright hurt a pony for no good reason. Sure this was partially true, but if you end up being lucky enough to have a great family to teach you good morals, you’ll learn that isn't the way to treat other ponies. Definitely not the way if you want to make it far in this world.
The city of Manehattan was always seen as rough and tough, and to chew up a pony and spit em right back out if they didn't fight back. Now of course there was ways to fight back this supposedly “harsh” city. Graduate school, get a good job, have a family, etc. Not everypony wanted that type of ending though, some ponies wanted to make it big and in order to do that, they had to leave their current residence, one of those ponies in particular were Starry Light.
Starry moved from Manehattan with his family to ponyville when he was just a young colt. His father, a pony named Mitch Night, got promoted and this forced them to move from their previous home. Now by all means Starry wasn't upset about leaving in the slightest. Why? Because not having any friends, or any family around, Could drive a pony to not care about their birthplace.
Now he can thank Manehattan for one thing, and that's his cutie mark. Through a good ol’ game of Hoofball! Now you may be asking yourself, just what the hay is this “Hoofball”? Well it’s a game essentially played with a orange ball with black stripes around it and two teams competing to score in the other teams basket. Normal games last to 30,40 or even 100 points. Anyway, lets drag this story on shall we?
It was a cool and windy morning in ponyville, hardly anypony was awake at the time. Everyone in the Light/Night household was asleep, all but one pony, Starry. Starry was on the roof of his house sitting on his haunches deep in thought about the new school year that just started. He had a grin plastered across his face and his emerald eyes seem to glitter from excitement. This was real right? He did get accepted into Canterlot University right? He was holding a piece of paper and an envelope that had the words “Canterlot University” spread across it.
His jet black hair blew in the wind and got in his face a lot throughout reading the letter, so he had to re-read it a few times to make sure he didn’t misread anything. The letter said the following:
“ Dear Mr. Light, we’re happy to inform you that your transcript and application have successfully made it to our offices and we looked over them several times. Congratulations on completing all 4 years of High School and making it into the top 20 grade rankings. We are definitely happy to let you know that we have accepted your application to our prestigious school and look forward to seeing you stay with us for the full 4 years. Welcome Aboard and see you soon.”
A slight chuckle could be heard coming from the young stallion as his grey hooves shook in complete excitement clenching the letter tightly against his chest. This was it, he was finally going to accomplish his childhood dream here at this school and nothing is going to stop him. Starry by all means was no stranger to hard work, seeing how he played Hoofball all his high school career and never missed a single day of practice.
He had already told his family about the good news about him being accepted, he was thrown a party, visited by some childhood friends and had a blast. Unlike his sister Scarlet, Starry had to go to school for what he wanted to do. That was obvious enough if you haven’t guessed it already. Scarlet is a florist and you could easily tell by her red rose cutie mark. Sure there were places you could go to get help with that, but somewhere as prestigious and upper crust like Canterlot University didn't have courses to help with that type of career, unfortunately.
The morning sun soon began to make it’s way over the horizon and into the windows of ponies bedrooms. The cool chill of morning Starry felt before was now replaced with the warmth of Celestia’s Sun. Starry began to tuck away the letter into it’s appropriate packaging sealing it off so it wouldn't become lost. Celestia knows Starry loses things real easily, but this he couldn't lose, it was his ticket in and today was the day of departure. Sticking the letter to his side, he floated down off of the roof of the house and went inside.
Entering the kitchen, he placed his letter down on the table and headed towards the staircase that lead to the bedrooms/bathroom. He headed to the back and saw a light coming from under his door, he lifted a brow and continued forward awfully curious. Starry approaching his door began to wrap his hoof around the door handle turning it as he heard hoofsteps coming from the inside as if they were in a frantic. NOW that’s definitely suspicious, and if his guess as to who it was in his room was correct… He opened the door fully with his eyes half lidded and his mouth somewhat drooping in disappointment. Yep, it was Fyla Light, Starry’s mother. There she was doing what exactly he didn't want her to do, she was packing away his stuff she felt he will need for college into his brown duffle bags.
Fyla is a rather short mare with emerald colored eyes, jet black hair put in a ponytail with a bang going across her left eye. Her grey coat somewhat covered by the robe she was wearing and her cutie mark half-exposed. Fyla’s cutie mark is a telescope with white stars surrounding it. She was a pretty sharp mare for her age, so she knew about Starry leaving the house to go off on the roof, that was her time to well.. “Attack”. Starry brought a hoof to his face slapping it hard as the disappointment thickened. Fyla turned her head slightly noticing her son’s presence but continuing to pack.
“Hey Starry” Fyla said whilst continuing packing “finished catching a cold on the roof have you” she said as a smirk pulled at her lips, Starry rolled his eyes and walked towards his mother “Mom, I told you to stop babying me!” cried Starry. He opened one of the half-zipped bags looking through it to see what exactly she was putting inside, there he found toothpaste, toothbrushes, and other grooming materials that he would need. Letting out a sigh, his eyes shifted to the other bag as he began to dig through it, finding school supplies such as; pencils, notepads,binders and even rulers and calculators. Though one thing he found in the bag caught him off guard completely. His eyes widened as he pulled out a strip packet of condoms. YES, freaking condoms. “M-mom..are these what I think they’re…?” asked Starry nervously. Fyla placed her hoof on his shoulder and suddenly grew a serious look. “Starry, I know you’re that age and eventually you’ll start doing it so I want you to be protected, okay?’’ she replied. “I-...I don’t even know where to begin with how to reply to what you just said” said Starry. His mother let out a small chuckle and rubbed his head gently. “Seriously though, you bring home any foals your flank is getting beaten!” she said with a small chuckle. Starry’s eye only twitched at the soft threat he received.
Fyla wrapped her hooves around her son and brought him in for a tight hug, Starry returned the hug and they just held each other tightly. Starry began to whisper, “Mom I’ll be fine, I promise. I won’t do anything that cost me my education or anything like that” whispered Starry. They broke off their hug and looked at each other to reassure everything was going to be okay. “Come home and visit from time to time, okay?” said Fyla. Starry nodded his head and gave her a warm smile. He zipped up his duffel bags and placed them over his neck so the straps would cross making an X over his chest. Doing this allowed him free movement with his wings and little to know resistance moving them. “I guess this is it Mom, I’m finally going to do it” stated Starry. She looked at him and could feel tears swelling in her eyes threatening to shed, for his sake of not making him late she began to push him out of his door.
“W-wait! Shouldn’t I say goodbye to everypony else? asked Starry. He turned around and stared at her with a worried expression biting down on his lip. “I’ll let them know that you said goodbye, now come on Starry, get going!” Fyla commanded. You could hear the struggle in her voice and the sound of soft sobs complemented by tears telling him to leave. He nodded his head trotting down the hallway and stairs. He made his way into the kitchen grabbing his letter and tucking it deeply in the side pocket of his left duffle bag.
Starry lightly kicked the front door behind him closed shut and looked across the lively town of ponyville. Colts and FIllies all coming from their homes preparing to go to the school, this gave Starry a feeling of nostalgia from way back when. He shook his head casting off the nostalgic daze and began to trot approaching a bridge waterway. He began hum a soft tune as he heard the sound of a train arriving, with that he came to a realization that he needed to hurry up or he’ll miss his ride. Sucks living on the complete opposite side of where you need to go. Starry quickly broke from trotting and went into a full blown sprint.
The duffel bags to his side were hitting against him but he ignored the annoyance and continued on. Starry came to an OBVIOUS realization and stopped dead in his tracks face hoofing. He began to flap his wings and took off at full speed soaring across the sky, the train station was coming into view and a giant grin on his face. All of his hopes and dreams began to play like a movie in his head and his grin got even wider, this was it, he REALLY is going to do it. So many possibilities. Landing at the train station he quickly trotted over to the ticket merchant. “One ticket to Canterlot, please.” asked Starry. “That will be 10 bits, sir.” replied the Merchant.
Starry unzipped his duffle bag and reached inside pulling out his bit-bag handing over 10 bits to the Merchant and then placing it back securely inside of his bag. He picked up his ticket in his mouth gesturing ‘Thank You’’ to the Merchant as he headed to the train. Giving his ticket to the pony in front of the entrance, the pony nodded and stepped inside and went to go find a vacant seat. He seated in the middle and placed his bags in the seat next to him, the train began to move and him staring out the window watching as his childhood town look farther and farther away. Off he went to Canterlot.