The Letter(s)

by starcoder

The First Letter

Dear Starlight Glimmer,

I'm not feeling well today. Well, I'm never feeling well, so I suppose this is just another ordinary day. Actually, I want to talk to you about that feeling. First, don't blame me if it feels strange to be talking and writing to you; you're a full-grown mare while I'm this weird pony with a social anxiety disorder who can't muster up enough courage to speak with you directly.

Sorry I didn't approach your office in person; I feel more comfortable talking through letters, otherwise known as being anonymous. I don't feel comfortable physically talking with ponies. It feels wrong, and that's one thing I wrote this letter about.

So anyways, if you could respond to this letter, that would be great! I still want to keep myself unknown to you, so just leave your response to my letter right outside your office door. Maybe even give it to Professor Sparkle and have her leave it on her desk in Period 3.

So anyways, I'll address the problem right now. Like I said, or wrote (whatever), earlier, I've got a social anxiety disorder and I find it incredibly hard to make any friends. And this is the School of Friendship, so not making any friends feels so... wrong.

In my opinion, it's really hard to make any friends, especially when they've all got friend groups of their own already. The worst part is, I feel like I'm basically invisible, so whatever I do goes unnoticed. And I honestly don't mind that, but it's a friendship school, and I still need to learn friendship. That's not going to happen if all I do is live life unnoticed.

I want to know if you have any advice on making friends that you could give me so that I feel more comfortable being here. Either way, I'd like some practice making friends, as well, just in case your tips don't work for me. I want you to assign some friend assignments that will help me to, possibly, bond with everyone. And maybe, just maybe, when I'm feeling more comfortable, I'll show myself to you. Expose myself. Talk to ponies. Basically the stuff that makes me feel uncomfortable now that I may be able to get over with your help.

I'll be waiting for your approval of "written therapy." If you are down with the idea, I appreciate it so much. If not, it's still greatly appreciated if you're reading this letter all the way anyways. Oh, and just know that if it's unapproved, I'll be trying my best to make friends. Try to let me know about it all. I just...

I don't know how to feel about this world I've been put in, and I'm hoping to feel normal about this all after talking for a little.

Thanks so much,

TAS (The Anonymous Sender)

P.S. Maybe talk to Professor Sparkle about this because some things I listed are class assignments, which only she or the other professors can give during their classes.

---

Starlight Glimmer set the piece of paper down and sighed. She had discovered it on her desk just as she was about to close up for the day. The School of Friendship had only been in business for about one and a half weeks or so, but ponies, and creatures, were already asking for friendship advice. And there were several of them, too. You can imagine how stressful that would be for the guidance counselor.

Starlight Glimmer folded the letter and tucked it into her bag, with intentions to bring it to Twilight, hoping they could together work on ways to help face uneasiness around others. Starlight was, as they had soon discovered, the last of the staff members to leave the school. Everypony always stayed afterschool for guidance and advice, so Starlight was often held up. Today, she was slowed down about twenty minutes more than usual, which was a bit past dinnertime. Luckily, it was only late summer, so the sun was still up a bit before bedtime. It was fairly nice out on this day specifically, so the girls decided to have a picnic together. With all the stress, Starlight had almost forgotten about it until now.

With a tired smile, she placed the bag on her back, closed the doors to the school, and teleported herself to the park. The girls were sitting on a big blanket, laughing, but not yet with food. As she approached them, she asked, "You didn't bring out the food yet?"

They all laughed as Twilight looked at her with a grin. "We couldn't start without you, Starlight. Now, sit down so we can start our dinner!"

Absent minded, she sat down and took everything out of the picnic basket. Spike had made it all, and he was here too, so he'd even packed a few extra diamonds and emeralds for himself. Starlight handed him the gemstones and the girls all took their desired snack. Starlight was left with apples, which was, luckily, one of her favorites.

The girls discussed several things as Starlight thought about the letter. She could bring it up now, but that would ruin the fun of the night. Maybe after dinner? She groaned in her mind as she realized that wouldn't work out either; they were all sleeping over at the Castle of Friendship, so they would obviously be talking then too. That eliminates discussing it at-

"Starlight?" Twilight asked with the familiar sparkle of Friendship and in her eyes. "You've been pretty quiet. Anything you want to say?"

Well, she asked, so you should just get it over with. Starlight took a deep breath. "Yeah, see, there's this letter that was on my desk. And, see, it's anonymous, so, yeah... You know what? Here, I'll just show you."

She took out the paper and held it out for everyone to see and read. Twilight was rather surprised. "The counseling office is always open during school hours; they could've just approached you then."

Starlight pointed to a specific spot of the letter. "But, see, they feel uncomfortable talking in person. Stress disorder, you know."

Twilight nodded. "Alright, we'll do our best to help them out. Whoever they are."

"Work on it once we get home?" Starlight asked.

"Deal," was Twilight's response. The others didn't respond, as they were trying to relax and peacefully take the day as it came, but she was sure they were fine with it. Starlight sighed and slipped the note back into her bag, taking a final bite of her apples and walking to an unpopulated area on her own. She took in a fresh breath and stared at the letter, which she just pulled out and held in front of herself.

With several things on her mind, the letter just added stress to her life in several ways. She walked slowly back to the castle at sunset, while the sky was glowing brilliantly. She saved the picture in her mind, wishing she could somehow share it with the pony she knew was desperate for help. It'd been so long, yet this feeling had been approached again. Indirectly, but they were true feelings written down by a true pony.

She sat down at the throne room, in Spike's chair, rereading the letter over and over again. She was waiting for Twilight's approval of some of the suggestions, such as the bonding activities. But as for the advice, she could think of one, and only one. When she'd first been reformed, Twilight suggested that she think of three compliments for herself every day and write them down. The worst part of the assignment was that she had to give the paper of compliments to Twilight.

After the first day, Twilight checked on the paper, which happened to be blank. Then, she decided it would be that Starlight wasn't limited to complimenting just herself. Besides, part of being a good friend was complimenting the other, not just yourself. She felt much more comfortable doing this, and although it was hard, she had found a way through it.

So Starlight jotted the exercise down on a sticky note, which would soon be transferred to a sheet of paper for letter-writing. Then, Twilight walked through the door, alone. "I expected you to walk in with all your friends," Starlight mumbled as she brought her attention back to the letter.

"I was going to," Twilight said with a sigh and shake of her head, "but then you were gone, so I came in to check on you on my own. Are you feeling fine? How's it going?"

"Fine, yea, thanks," she replied. "Just wound-up over this letter, I suppose. It's pretty similar to when I was first reformed."

Twilight smiled as she caught a glance of the sticky note on the table. "I see that now. I distinctly remember giving you that assignment; it eventually helped you be a better friend both to everypony around you and yourself."

"Mhm," Starlight smiled. So, do you think you'll be up for doing this tomorrow? A bonding assignment?"

Twilight grinned. "Okay, that's actually genius. I wouldn't have the idea to assign creatures to groups and help them bond with unfamiliar people. Of course I'm down for it!"

Starlight giggled and nodded. "It's done."

"Hey," Twilight alerted her friend. "I kind of want to learn who the sender is. TAS, or whatever they call themself."

Starlight looked nervously at Twilight. "But they said they wanted to be anonymous. TAS just needs to take the time to fully understand, apreciate, and be able to do friendship. Like I was. I'm sure that whoever it was will show themself in due time. I'll maybe add a note about that, if you'd like, though."

With a nod, Twilight started to head out of the room before looking behind her. "Just go to bed soon, alright? I'll leave the finished letter on my desk first thing in the morning." Starlight quickly scribbled down a few more things and then followed Twilight out of the room with a yawn.

In secret, Twilight sat up in her bed a few minutes after Starlight had gone to her room. She flew over her friends, who slept on the ground peacefully. Once she reached the throne room, she dimly lit her horn so she could see a bit. She squinted, but grabbed the paper and read it slowly but comprehensively. With a smile, she figured Starlight was the perfect guidance counselor. She could give advice like nopony's business. She even gave advice to Twilight herself! She sure had come a long way from the cult leader they had originally found her as.

Twilight sealed the letter, with overwhelmingly messy hornwriting, into an envelope and wrote with neater penmanship on it,

To: TAS
From: Starlight Glimmer

She took the envelope and went back into her room with it, leaving it on the dresser besides her bed. She then closed her eyes with ease and drifted off to sleep.

Comments

[Catpaw616]

The letter has SusHugging written all over it 🤔

Good beginning as always! Can't wait for the next chapter

[starcoder]

11493609
Lmao how is it SusHugging?

[Catpaw616]

11493614
It's anonymous

Usually anonymous letters are very SusHugging.

[starcoder]

11493617
I believe it's called "mystery"

[i_am_the_jam]

Or they could scan the letter for magic traces that would have the sender's unique magical signature...

[Reily]

What's SusHugging?

[starcoder]

11493763
An inside joke between me and Catpaw616. It just means suspicious.

11493755
That is smart, but it would require a lot of work.

[Catpaw616]

11493763
An inside joke between me and the author lmfao. So pretty much what they said

[SuperPinkBrony12]

Sorry I didn't approach your office in person

What's this "person" you speak of?

[starcoder]

11493940
Haha, no idea. That was the sender's message, not mine :3

[silverMEGAlicorn]

In my opinion, it's really hard to make any friends, especially when they've all got friend groups of their own already. The worst part is, I feel like I'm basically invisible, so whatever I do goes unnoticed. And I honestly don't mind that, but it's a friendship school, and I still need to learn friendship. That's not going to happen if all I do is live life unnoticed.

Taking a quick gander before I read further, this sounds a lot like Wallflower Blush

[starcoder]

11495563
Oh my gosh, I didn't think of that, but you're right