Beginnings
I never knew my family, nopony else did either. I was an orphan, a lonely filly with no family, no place to call a real home, nopony to love. They never even knew where I came from, I was just found in an alleyway in Canterlot. I actually woke up in a dark, smelly box thing that had a soft but stinky, cushion-like bottom. Then I realized it was a dumpster. It was dark, scary, and repulsive. Then I noticed a patch of sunlight shining through the dumpster lid. It was enough space to wriggle my little body out. I wanted to escape this foul-smelling prison, so using all the strength I had, I tried to climb up to the exit. It took a while, but eventually I made it out. Of course, being stuck in a dumpster for who knows how long, makes a pony smell disgusting. So, exiting the alleyway where the dumpster was, I began to search for a water source to bathe myself.
It was difficult. The streets were crowded with fancy looking ponies with their muzzles in the air. And when they saw me, they didn’t show a single sign of sympathy. They looked at me in disgust and said horrible things about me.
“I say, what is that unpleasant smell?”
“I believe it’s that little foal over there.”
“My word, she’s filthy! And look at her coat.”
“Yes, it’s a mess. And where are her parents?”
“Some parents she would have. I would be embarrassed if I was hers.”
“Me too.”
And with a “humph”, they trotted away. “Unpleasant smell? Filthy? Do they mean me?” I thought to myself. And when I turned to a store window, what stared back answered my question.
“They were talking about me. I do look filthy.” I thought as I looked at my reflection. My mane and purple-ish blue coat were filled with twigs and debris from the alley and dumpster. And there was a squishy pink substance stuck in my coat. When I tried to pull it off, it hurt. To make matters worse, I smelled like garbage. Tears started to fall down my cheeks and I galloped away, not looking where I was going. I think I heard a few shouts from other ponies but I didn’t care. I just wanted to go somewhere where I wouldn’t be seen with dirty looks. I kept galloping until my head hit something cold and hard. I rubbed my head with my hoof and looked up. Staring back was a polished stone-like circular wall. I peered inside and found water gushing down from the same polished stone but it looked like a tall tree. I looked around and oddly, the stone structure was surrounded by an area that almost looked like a forest, yet I was in some city. It was odd, but I did realize the structure had clean water. I could use it to clean myself off. Also, nopony was there, so I could clean myself up in peace. Double checking that I was alone, I hopped in. The cool rush of the falling clear liquid brought instant relief. I could feel the debris in my coat and mane washing away, and the smell of trash slowly began to disintegrate.
“Hey! What are you doing in there?” I turned to the direction of the voice and saw a white pegasus with golden armor-like garments, and a blue mane styled like a mohawk. I got scared and jumped out. He was coming near me so I sprinted to the nearest alley.
“That’s right, scram! I don’t want to see you near this park ever again!” The stallion shouted, shaking his hoof, before he flew off. I hid behind another dumpster and looked back. He was no longer there.
"I just wanted to clean myself up. What’s wrong with that?" I thought as more tears streaked my face. I wanted shrink away from this ridicule and disappear. I kept crying until I heard somepony from outside the alley. It was strange for me that out of all the conversations going on, my sub-conscious chose to listen to this particular conversation.
“Thanks for taking me to the Wonderbolts derby, Dad.” Thanked a white unicorn colt with a light navy blue mane.
“You’re welcome, son.” replied a blue unicorn stallion with a darker shade of navy blue than his son’s. “You going to eat that carrot dog?”
The colt looked at the half-eaten piece of food, which I think was called a carrot dog, floating in his magenta-colored magic and laughed sheepishly. “Yeah, I’m gonna eat it.” He was just about to take a bite when his eyes darted towards something. Then I realized he was staring at me. Scared, I ducked behind the dumpster, but I did peek to see the colt.
“Hey Dad, look over there. I think it’s a filly.” said the white unicorn, gesturing towards me. I shyly walked out to reveal myself.
But when the blue stallion saw me, he looked disgusted. “Another one of those Canterlot street rats. Disgusting. Come, son.”
“But she looks like she needs help.” The colt protested then glanced at his carrot dog.
The stallion saw what his son was thinking and quickly protested back. “No, son. You are not giving that street rat your carrot dog. I spent good bits on that.”
“But Dad----”
“I said ‘no’!” The unicorn stallion ordered firmly. He started walking away but his son galloped towards the alley I was occupying. I got scared again and hid behind the dumpster.
“No, no, don’t be afraid.” cooed the white colt. Feeling some trust in the colt, I reappeared form the dumpster but kept my head low. “My name is Shining. Do you have a name?” he asked but I didn’t answer. Then I heard something low and weird. I looked down and heard the lower part of my torso grumbling. The colt giggled. “You must be hungry. Here, have my carrot dog.” he offered and nudged the carrot dog towards me. I was surprised, nopony today offered to feed me. I slowly grabbed the carrot dog with my mouth and pulled it closer to me. I was about to whisper a small “thank you” but somepony spoke before me.
“SHINING JAMES ARMOUR, GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!” yelled Shining’s father. Before Shining left, he whispered a small “you’re welcome” and galloped off. I stared at the carrot dog in my hooves. That colt just gave me food, something I didn’t think I’ll receive. All day today, ponies looked at me in disgust and called me “street rat”, but this colt’s act of kindness made me realize that there are good ponies in this world. With a smile on my face, I took my first bite of the carrot dog. It tasted amazing, as if it was what I wanted all day. I finished it quickly, enjoying every mouth watering taste. Once I finished the delicious morsel down, I sighed happily and sank down against the dumpster wall, my coat going against the brush direction. I started to feel a little bit drowsy, and before I knew it, I dozed off.
When I woke up, the sun went down and it was raining. Hard. It felt uncomfortable. And since the moon wasn’t out to give its usual light, I barely could see anything. But through the loud sound of pouring rain I heard hoofsteps, and they were heading this way. “Maybe I could get some more help.” I thought and started to walk forward. However, with no moonlight, my hooves accidentally knocked over a metal container and its contents spilled out. I realized the container was a trash can. CLAANG! The impact of the can and the street was very loud, and I think the pony heard it. I heard the trotting turning into galloping towards the alley I was in, but I didn’t hide. The pony’s horn lit up, casting a light spell, and revealed a unicorn stallion, but not the same one from earlier, he was wearing a large trench coat and a fedora.
“Why hello, little filly. What are you doing out here in the rain?” asked the stallion, but I didn’t answer. But he saw my tiny body shivering as the raindrops fell, my ribs were standing out against my flesh, and he knew I was desperate for love. Not exactly love but for anyone, or anything to take care of me. He picked me up with one of his hooves and took a look at me. I didn’t resist. My brown eyes were puffy from crying earlier and I looked in the stallion’s eyes. He smiled.
“Come on, you’ll catch a cold out here.” And he carried me, keeping me warm in his trench coat. I was sure where he was taking me, but I knew it would be somewhere safe. On the way, he noticed the breed of pony I was. Poking up through my messy brown mane, was a tiny unicorn horn, on my back were small pegasus wings. The pony never saw a pony like me before, besides the princess of Equestria. He never even thought if I was a princess myself. When we made it to our destination, through the darkness, I saw a wooden sign that read: “Canterlot Orphanage”. The stallion knocked on the big doors and a mare answered. The unicorn explained to the mare that he found me in an alley and asked if they can take me in. She agreed and ushered him inside. The inside of the building felt warm, welcoming, and safe. After the stallion filled out some paperwork, he left and the mare took me into their nursery, since I was only a baby. She fed me warm milk, and sang me a lullaby. Pretty soon, I fell asleep. This felt like…..home.
In the morning, after the doctors checked up on me to make sure I was healthy, I was welcomed by the other orphans and caretakers, and nopony noticed I was an alicorn filly. All they fussed about was how adorable I was and what my name were. The caretakers said I will be called “Starlight Shine”, and they loved it. I didn’t mind the attention; it felt like I was home, and I liked it very much. I spent my early years at the orphanage until I was about 4-years-old. It was a pleasant life. I was fed, groomed, cared for, and possibly loved. I had the orphans to call “brothers and sisters”, and the caretakers as “parents”. But still, with all this so-called love, I felt…..empty. Those first four years, I felt like I didn’t have a real family. I wasn’t the only one, of course. All of the orphans didn’t have families. But the foals that were adopted were the lucky ones. I was the one the “adopters” look past, the one they thought was………unspecial. I thought I was. I thought I was going to be those normal ponies that have ordinary lives. Perhaps I would never be adopted, grow up to be a mare that had no family. Until she came.