It was an average fall day. The colorful leaves fell onto the ground ,and, when pegasi flew by, it would cause them to fly around and land again, making raking near impossible. So leaves just stayed wherever they landed on the ground, making Ponyville more colorful and magical. It was near eleven; that's usually when I go to the stage near the park and play my lyre for a few hours. I have a jar in the front of the stage for tips and such. It doesn't fill with as many bits as it used to. My little quotidian concerts used to attract more people and make much more of a profit. Now I can barely handle keeping three daily meals. I was playing for at least half an hour until somepony showed up. She was sand brown with a pink and dark blue curled mane, and a candy cutie mark. She always showed up and sat up front. I truly didn't know who she was, but, when she came she always gave me her undivided attention and, afterwards, left a few bits. Whenever I would open my eyes from the state of memorization playing gave me, I could see my reflection in her awestruck wide eyes. I could see my mint green body, my cyan and white mane, and my golden lyre, still like a statue except for the aura around my horn and lyre. My lyre and these diurnal concerts were all I had to live for now. I didn't have a job, house, steady pay, lunch, special somepony, nor any family. All I am is a unicorn who sits awkwardly on a bench until she goes on the stage to play until goes ''home'' to just a small basement room to sleep and repeat this process day in and day out. I am nopony special; if I never left my room, the only pony who would notice is the stallion who I barely pull off paying every month.
My concert ended and everypony left. I put my lyre in my makeshift case and grabbed my jar and trotted home. I arrived to the door and knocked…. and knocked again. Nopony was home, and I didn't have a pair of keys. I sat down in front of the door and looked ahead of me. It was dark and everypony was either at a restaurant or at home all warm and cozy. Not me, I was out here and nopony cared, nopony ever cared. For around two years I have suffered. Dilapidation was the least of my worries. I was outside next to a door freezing my flank off. I looked off into the stars and prayed to Celestia, prayed for a future, prayed for a better tomorrow, prayed for a small spark of hope to let me know everything was going to end up okay. Even if I got one, I wouldn't know what it would look like, aspiration was only a myth to me. I woke up the next morning on the ground, but, somehow, alive and actually warm. I got up to see a blanket on me and a pillow on the ground. It was early in the morning, and nopony was in sight. Today was Hearts and Hooves, day and I always look forward to today because most ponies find it romantic to sit with their special somepony and listen to my mystic lyre. I went to the stage and waited for a few other ponies to go. It's usually never busy just a few ponies singing songs for their somepony. First, was a grey earth pony playing her cello for her marefriend, who was a white unicorn wearing purple shades, even though it wasn't that bright out. After a few other ponies, I walked up on the stage and started playing.
Unfortunately, like yesterday, the only pony to show up was the tan earth pony, and my only tip was three bits. I stared at the jar for what was seconds, then minutes. Something had died inside of me. I couldn't tell what it was. I searched deep within myself for my desire to keep going, my optimism, my soul itself. Nothing was there. Only pain, sorrow, despair, and suffering filled the emotional cavity. I prayed to Celestia for something, for anything. Of all days on Hearts and Hooves day, the most remunerative day of every year. I was fed up with poverty, with my missing hope, with everything. I walked off stage and headed to the everfree forest. I didn't even grab my lyre or jar. There was no solution to the situation I was trapped in. Nopony ever went into the everfree forest so I knew that I would be completely alone. Suicide wasn't very common in Equestria, but I didn't care; not even Celestia cared about little ol' Lyra Heartstrings. I stood near the cliff and looked down. The wind rushed up the edges and swept and grabbed at my mane and caused my eyes to tear. I closed my eyes and stepped forward. I leaned forward slightly. Just in a few seconds, my shackles of poverty and misery were going to be broken. I was going to truly be free.
Suddenly, a pair of hooves grabbed me and tugged me back. I fell to the floor hard, blurring my vision and ringing my ears. After my sight was normal, I stood up and saw that sand brown mare staring at me teary eyed.
"Why?" That's all she said. She kept staring. I walked back to the cliff and stared down again.
"Why, what?" I asked but didn't get a response for a few moments.
"Why were you going to kill yourself?" I could hear the sorrow in her voice.
"I have no home, no family, no job, no hope. What do I have to live for?" I turned around, just to be suddenly embraced by a warming hug in the cold, desolate forest. She let go and backed up. She was looking down at the puddle of her own tears, emitting her distorted reflection.
"You have me." She looked up with a bright red face and mile wide grin.
"I don't even know you."
"But I know you. I come to your concerts every day. It's what I live for." I couldn't believe it. Somepony actually cared about me. It was a miracle.
"But why have you never come up to me and told me?" She turned around.
"I was afraid you wouldn't care." I could tell she was very shy. Admitting this wasn't easy for her. I walked up and put a hoof around her.
"But I do… what's your name by the way?" She looked at me. Her eyes were wide and teary. I could see myself in them.
"Bon-Bon." Bon bon, I liked that name, and I liked her. This is the very thing I prayed for the night before. We walked down the dirt path back to town. Though it was the same town it was a different life. A better one. One filled with hope; one that had a tomorrow.