A Pony...And Her Starbucks

Chapter 6: A New Best Friend

A few minutes had passed and me and Stella were back on the sidewalk just like last night. We both managed to catch our breaths from running away from those humans that seemed to be looking for me. Meanwhile, as we were trotting on the sidewalk, I couldn't help but say thanks. "I know it's a bit sudden and I've said it before but, thanks for doing all this...for me," I said in a lower-than-normal voice. "Well, it's not every day that you meet a creature that everyone else wants only their head," Stella said with a little chuckle in her voice. "It's what friends are all about," I said as I kept trotting but Stella stopped dead in her tracks. "You...you call me....a friend?" I couldn't forget the look on Stella's face as she froze with a mixture of confusion and a little happiness. "...Yeah. You won't just give a glow-up like this to anypony." I said, not knowing why Stella was acting like she had seen a ghost. Surely she had to have some friends...right? "Well...that's the only...makeover that I've done...that's not on a doll that is." Stella was starting to say in a much quieter voice. It was almost as if she was getting too afraid to talk. Instantly, I called back to when Applejack was trying to cover up the fact that she didn't win the Equestria Rodeo Competition. I remember just how much she didn't want to talk about her placement so clearly and I could feel the same emotions and vibes coming off of Stella, so, I did what I thought was best. "Is something wrong?" I asked as Stella looked at the ground. "Nothing's wrong Twilight. I'm...I'm fine." Stella said back in a very defensive voice. For a second, I didn't know what to do, but then I knew what to do. "Are you sure?" I asked while looking straight at her with a worried look on my face. "I...oh look where here," Stella said as I realized that we were standing in front of her house. I was going to ask her about what was wrong but I knew that I shouldn't. "It should be her story to tell." I thought to myself as we approached the door and Stella unlocked it with her key. We very quickly and quietly tip-toed up the stairs as we reached Stella's room. I went in first as Stella closed the door behind her...when something else happened. "Stella!" A voice that I never heard before said particularly loud. "That's my mother," Stella said with a hint of nervousness in her voice. "Can you stay here for a few moments?" "Of course I can," I said as Stella then opened the door back up as she went down the stairs. I then looked around Stella's room for a while, trying to find something to do. "Wait, there's books!" I said as I noticed in her dresser, there were books that I'd never seen before. "Hm, 'Keeper Of The Lost City', 'Guts'?" I asked myself as I didn't recognize a single book on the shelf witch with my track record, had never happened before. While I was looking at these new and fascinating books, I figured it would be better if I asked Stella directly to get some answers, so I headed back to her bed...when I heard something. "So how's business going? Down I'm presuming?" I heard what sounded like another human talking in a very condescending voice. "It's fine Mom. You wanted this for me so be happy for me." I then heard Stella's voice say in a somewhat angry voice. I tried to stay still on the bed and for about a few seconds, I was able to do just that but I didn't feel the same way. Before I knew it, I headed out of Stella's room, trotted down the stairs, and headed into the family room from last night, except it was a little different. To get a good look at the room, I ducked behind what appeared to be a counter and I was able to see what was going on more clearly. From what I saw, Stella and what I'm assuming was her mother in what looked like a disagreement or a full-on argument. "What do you mean you want to be something more than a Starbucks manager? That's all you'll ever do in life!" Stella's mom shouted in anger. "Why won't you let me do my own thing? This is my life!" Stella also shouted back but in a quieter voice compared to her mother's. "Please! I know what's best for you!" Stella's mom yelled back. "And what did that do? Turned me into a mini-you?" Stella asked back. "No, it made you different from everyone else...or it would have if you weren't so shy and friendless!" Stella's mother yelled as I just couldn't witness this any longer. I may not have known Stella's mother at all but I do know that Stella wasn't friendless...and I was the proof for that. Right after Stella's mom said that she was friendless, I revealed myself from my hiding place as I said in a very clear voice: "She's not friendless." "What the IT'S THAT UNICORN FROM THE NEWS!!" Stella's mother shouted as she pointed her fingers at me and her angry face shifted to a very panicked look before she proceeded to pass out on the floor. "Mom!" Stella exclaimed as she went over to check on her mother as I slowly approached her. "Twilight, what are you doing? Why didn't you stay in my room?" Stella asked me with a worried expression and a somewhat frustrated voice. "I heard you and your mom arguing and my curiosity got the better of me...I...I'm sorry that-" I said as Stella interrupted me. "I...I can't blame you, she tends to yell across town anyway." Stella then proceeded to move her hand across her mother's face. "What are you doing?" I asked. "I'm trying to get her to wake up...although she seems to be out cold." Stella said with a lower voice. "I'm...I'm sorry that I caused this." I then said as I took a seat next to Stella. Stella then took a sigh as she sat down next to me. "I'm...guessing you heard the friendless part." Stella then said as she also took a seat next to me. "I'm going off on a limb here but I'm guessing you don't want to talk about it?" I asked as Stella looked at the ground. "Normally, yes, but........ you are the closest thing I ever had to a...friend." Stella said in a low and quiet voice. "Throughout my life, my mother was a complete dictator as she controlled everything. From my school, classes, etc, it was always her decision, never mine. Because she always controlled me and made sure that I was focusing on my studies, I never held onto any friends for very long. Some of it was because she never let me have any friends in the house but it was mostly because I never had any social skills. I was always way too shy to ever speak a single word besides yes and no and I rarely ever talked to anyone but my mother. The second I was old enough to get a summer job, my mother along with everyone else like my teachers thought that I didn't have any special talent to offer, even though I thought I had the talent to be a stylist. She pushed me into working at Starbucks and...I already told you that part and you came along. I knew that if my mother saw me with you, I would be good as dead so I wanted to hide you for that reason...and I'm sure you know the rest." Stella then looked down at the ground and I could see tears forming from her eyes. I was just as, if not more speechless from hearing this as to what I heard from last night. From what Stella said, her mother was just as evil as some creatures like Chrysalis or Sombra. I didn't want to make this about me but It was hard to believe that something could be so cruel to their child. I was having some trouble figuring out what to say in response so I said what came to my mind. "I'm sorry." I said very quietly as Stella looked at me. "You have nothing to apologize for Twilight." Stella said in the same quiet voice. "It's not your fault that I was born with this wicked woman who never let me choose to do my own thing." Stella quietly said as more tears began to drip from her eyes. "Well...that's not entirely true." I said. "What do you mean?" Stella asked as some of her tears began to disappear. "You chose to be a good friend." I said. I don't know if the weather cooled down outside or what but the room seemed quieter after I said that Stella chose to be a good friend to be instead of turning me over to this government. "I never got the chance to make any friends or learn about friendship before. Mother always said it was a waste of time." Stella said as she then looked at the ground. "I always thought that as well before I was sent to Ponyville." I said as I then continued: "If there's one lesson that I've written about, it's that friends are no waste of time." Stella then looked at me again with a faint smile. "I always wanted to have a....best...friend ever since I was a little girl." Stella said in her quiet voice. "Well, it's never too late to make a friend is something I learned over the years." I said. "Then...you...you would be my friend?" Stella asked in a very quiet, yet scared voice. "Only if your mom controls everything we do." I said as I and Stella then let out a small chuckle. "I...I don't know how to thank you Twilight." Stella said as she then wrapped her arms around me which I'm assuming was trying to hug me, to which I gave one back as well. "It's what I learn from very special ponies to me." I said as we sat there for a very long time. I don't know what time it was or how long we sat there but after a while, we fell asleep after some time. I don't remember much after we fell asleep but I do remember that my tail moved during the night to which it moved right above Stella as it rested on her like a blanket. I kept it that way as we both fell asleep on the floor, waiting for the upcoming day and Stella's mother to arise.