A Loving Bond

by GoodVibeWolf

Making A Friend

It was a cold night in Bridlewood, and soft rains came down on the village. Izzy Moonbow had no choice but to sleep outside in the cold, as she had not found a place to call home. She sighed to herself solemnly. Nopony would be out when it was this cold and rainy.

Izzy had just finished eating a couple of apples she knocked down from a nearby tree. But it wasn’t enough to satisfy her hunger of social interaction. Of talking to a friend. She had no friends in Bridlewood. It’s not that Izzy didn’t try to make friends, but her overly positive manner drove the sparkle-less ponies away from her. Her sparkle was too bright for what Bridlewood had to offer. Still, she couldn’t bare to leave just yet. Years ago, when Izzy was about eight, a glowing lantern had come down to the ground, right at her hooves. When she saw the message inside of it, it brightened her day. It had addressed unicorns and pegasi. It said to come visit Maretime Bay, wherever that was, and they would have friends there. Izzy had kept the letter with her for eight years, hoping, when the time was right, she would flee Bridlewood and meet new ponies. But for now, her main goal was to make a friend in her village. She couldn’t bare to leave without having any friends here.

Izzy Moonbow was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard hoof-steps. Who could be out here at this time of night? Izzy thought. When she got a better look at the shadowy figure through the trees, she could see that it was Alphabittle. Alphabittle? Why would he be out? He was always gambling with a group of unicorns, him winning most of the time? Izzy was surprised to see him out of the Crystal Tea Room.

As Alphabittle was walking out of Izzy’s view, she called out to him.

“Hey! Alphabittle!”

Alphabittle turned around, holding a black umbrella, and went closer to the sound that called his name. When he eventually saw a purple and blue figure waving a hoof, he rolled his eyes and sighed.

“If anypony were to call my name, it would be you. Ugh, do I even need to guess what you’re about to say?”

Izzy’s ears drooped in slight disappointment. She could see him looking around at her excuse of a home. There was a pile of leaves for a bed and a small fire to keep her warm on cold nights such as this. Lastly, there was a small pile of apples beside the fire. Izzy started to force a smile on her face and spoke with a happy tone.

“I just wanted to know what you were doing out here so late. I mean, it looks like it’s going go start pouring soon, and not to mention the falling temperatures! Here! Wanna get by the fire? It always helps me warm up in the cold!”

Izzy grinned for a few seconds until she saw the stallion’s ears droop as he had an annoyed look on his face.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? You’re the one out here with no umbrella,” Alphabittle said with slight sorrow as he rolled his eyes.

Even though he wasn’t completely friendly with her, Izzy could see that he was much less annoyed now. Maybe he knew her situation.

“Well, I have a blanket. And some leaves to lay on. It really helps me sleep more comfortably than laying on the hard ground!”

Alphabittle’s face went from annoyed to concerned when he heard what the young mare had said. He was surprised he hadn’t found out sooner.

“Izzy Moonbow? Are you saying…that you….live…out here?” Alphabittle said as he pointed his hoof to emphasize it. Izzy gave a small nod as she shrank back.

“But let’s not focus on that! Hehe! Honestly, I called you over here to, uh, just chat a little.”

Alphabittle contemplated whether to walk off in annoyance or to just give in to Izzy’s wishes. However, seeing her awful situation, he finally started to feel for the mare.

“Fine. But just this once.”

Izzy gave a real smile now. She didn’t remember the last time a pony had chosen to be with her. And, for some reason, she always felt a sort of close bond with Alphabittle. It was a strange feeling of closeness that she could not understand.

Alphabittle sat down on a smooth part of the ground. When he did, he felt a chill go through his body. The ground’s freezing! He huddled to the fire while trying to not seem weak. Alphabittle was supposed to be strong. A little bit of cold couldn’t hurt him. But Izzy, on the other hoof, was just a young mare, much weaker than him. How could she tolerate the cold so much?!

Izzy noticed that Alphabittle was slightly shivering. So she gave him the blanket. His body was too big for them to share. Alphabittle thanked her. Izzy was cold, but she didn’t care as long as she could help somepony.

A sudden thought came back to Izzy, a question she had tried to ask earlier.

“Sooo, what exactly are you doing out here? I hardly ever see you out of your tea place.”

Alphabittle dreaded the question. Which was partly why he had not answered it before. And partly because he was annoyed.

“Do, do you promise not to tell anypony? And I mean ANYPONY.” He said with discomfort. Izzy nodded. He sighed. “Every once in a while, I go out on my own and just, well, I need some time to think. I’m always so busy with the Crystal Tea Room, and I sometimes…” he paused.

“Sometimes what?” Izzy asked.

“I sometimes get lonely, I guess. Heh, you would think that playing games with ponies 12 hours a way would make you less lonely, but….it kind of does the opposite, for me anyway.”

Izzy looked at him and tilted her head in a confused manner. “Really? And how does coming out alone in the cold rain make you less lonely?” Izzy asked with slight humor.

Alphabittle chuckled. “When you put it that way, I really don’t know. I guess I just feel like ponies only come to me to try to win games and then brag to their friends. Which rarely happens.” He chuckled again with a cocky demeanor. “Well, my career IS in playing games and gambling.”I just said that out loud. “But I just feel like being alone with my own thoughts, for some reason, gives me a less lonely feeling.”

Izzy smiled. “Maybe when you’re alone, you realize that the ponies are at your place because they want company. Gives you time to really think about it. Without even realizing it! Ugh, I’m not making much sense, am I?” Izzy said.

Alphabittle looked in Izzy’s eyes and smiled.

“That…actually makes plenty of sense. Wow. A kid. Teaching me about my own feelings!”

Izzy looked slightly annoyed. “I’m 15! Not a kid.” Then, the two ponies started laughing in the drizzling rain.

They finally stopped, and Alphabittle spoke. “Well, from what I’ve noticed, you seem more mature than a teenager. You don’t complain about, uh,”

“Living on dirt paths and sleeping on scratchy leaves?” Izzy finished his sentence with a smile.

“Yes,” Alphabittle said with more sorrow in his voice. “A-And you’re good with talking to an old man like me. I’m 50 by the way.”

Izzy slightly laughed, “You’re not too old. You just think you are ‘cause of that mane!” She teased.

“Whatever,” Alphabittle chuckled back with a smile. For once, all he felt was joy. Thanks to Izzy Moonbow.

After a few minutes, it started pouring heavy with rain, and the temperatures felt like they gas dropped at least ten degrees.

Alphabittle saw Izzy shiver.

“Come on, let’s go back to my house. Nopony deserves to sleep out in this mess, no matter how annoying they can be,” he said with a wink. Izzy just nodded and followed him back to his house.