Seeking a Home

Pillow yawned slightly as she stood on the streetcorner, a cardboard sign draped over her neck with rope. In bold, black letters, with a terrible handwriting it read:
"Gimme ah hoem."
It was early summer, most fillies and foals were just out of school, and Pillow Dew with her dark shimmery coat and Black wild mane, was roasting in the gentle heat. To her, standing at a random street corner in Ponyville or Cloudsdale was a normal occurrence for her. Every day she'd pick one, stand by it with her sign, and wait all day, hoping somepony would at the least, give her some food. Some days, folks were nice and gave her a sandwich. Others, she ended up falling asleep, and woke up with less than she had come with. Every evening, about 7 or 8, when the sun had set, and the sky was a shimmer with stars, she'd go and talk with a local stallion she was friends with, before doing the one thing that kept her narcolepsy at bay, Night Flying.
She sighed and watched a pack of school ponies run by. She blinked her eyes lazily, if somepony didn't come soon, she might just sleep.

Switchblade was trotting along the street with a cart full of different metals and ores, he was currently passing the schoolhouse as all the school ponies ran outside, obviously excited for time at home, he smiled at the novelty of it, as he watched them disperse in random directions like ants after a meal, he saw a filly standing on a street corner looking anything but happy.

Switchblade walked over to the filly, seeing a sign around her neck, with the tint on his goggles and the state of the writing, he couldn't work out what it said, but he could make an educated guess, just to be certain, he tapped her on the shoulder and said gently "Hey, are you OK?"

Pillow blinked awake, looking up at the stallion with her wide yellow eyes.
"Owh. Sowwy mista.." She stood lazily, yawning. "Ah dwindt mean ta faww asweep.. I pwamise."
It was obvious she was a bit confused, and didn't hear his question.
"Awl move... Ahm sure Wanwern is home bough now... ah can go tawk ta hwim."

Switchblade stood there for a second, slightly confused until he realised that the filly must not have heard him, he looked at the depressed looking filly and said gently "It's okay, I wasn't asking you to move, I was asking if you were alright, and judging by your response, I guess you are not alright." Switchblade adjusted the connection to his wagon while waiting for an answer.

Pillow looked at him. "Sowwy. Ah do dat awot. Ah jus get so sweepy." She yawns. "Ah guess ahm awight. Ah mean, ahm not dying, an somepony gabe me a bis-bis-biscuit eaweir. " Pillow smiled remember the kind jesture that had provided her dinner for the week.

Switchblade shook his head, it was obvious this filly had no home and was living off the rare generosity of others. He smiled at the filly "Well, looking at you I guess you don't have a home, is that right? Because if it is, I have a few rooms spare at my home, as long as you don't mind noise." he said to the filly.

Pillow's wings unfurled and her eyes grew wide with surprise. She had not words to describe her elation. "Wo... wo.. wo mean ah cawm hab a home? Wit you? Oh misder, awr ya pawsatwive?"
Pillow was truely exhuberent, yet then she remebered her narcolepsy, but smiled on, in case that trait would be a quick dagher to this singular hope, and retain her dreams as only dreams.

Switchblade nodded his head, he knew that he couldn't leave the filly out on the streets; he had seen what that does to a pony. "Yeah I'm serious, besides, where else would you go. If you want, I can cut my shopping trip short while I take you back to the house to get you settled in." he said kindly.

Pillow shuffled her hooves nervously. "Oh urm dawts mighy kwind o' you swer. buh you dun need ta ga oua ya way fa meh..." She looks at him, a surprised smile on her dark lips, and her big yellow eyes fellow eyes full of happiness. "Aw cawn wait!"

Switchblade smiled casually, the sun glinting off his goggles "Allright then, if you want, you can walk along with me while I get the last few items on my list, or you can take this money and buy yourself something proper to eat from that cafe over there." he gestured at a nearby cafe "I'll collect you from there if you want."

Pillow's stomach gurgled loudly as she looked at the cafe. And she shook her head gently. "I think I'll walk with you sir. If it isn't a bother, I dun wana impose." She said. shaking her black mane out of her eyes.

Switchblade smiled "All right then, if that's your choice." Switchblade stopped at a few stalls selling different types of metals and ores, then turns to Pillow "So what's your name, then?" He asked, deciding that he probably should have asked that first.

Pillow smiles and follows allong merilly and quietly. "F-p-pwi-Piwwow Dwew Sir.." she nodded and pushed her messy mane out of her eyes. "W-wub should ah call wo sir?"

Switchblade smiled, finishing the last of his shopping "Most just call me Switchblade." Switchblade looked at Pillow Dew and smiled "We should probably tell your friend where you are so he doesn't worry."

Pillow nods again. "Uh huh. Buh Wantern won wowy much he dowsent weawy." She mumbles, smiling back at him.

Switchblade nods "Alright, I have everything that I need. Time to head home, I think." Switchblade smiles cheerily.

Pillow nodded eagerly, her mane falling back in front of her eyes, a bright smile on her dark face. She could hardly believe this really was happening. Happily, she trotted alongside Switchblade, her wings drooping as they always did when she was the most happy. Home, Home, the only word she could think of, he had said it, and her heart was too bright a glow for her to reject the idea. Finally, she was truthfully heading to a home. A place where she wouldn't be rejected. A place where she might possibly be treated as family, and a place, she could for once call home.

The pair arrived at the front door to Switchblade's workshop, he disconnected his cart and unlocked the door, smiling "Home sweet home." He said to himself. "Let's get your room set up." he says to Pillow

Humble little Pillow Dew was practicaly frozen as she took in every aspect of the house, her mouth wide in shere awe. Craining her neck to memorize every detail, she stumbled sligtly, attempting to follow this fatherly stallion. "Hey mwista switbwade... can I caw wew Dad?" She asked as she stumbled along, hopeful, gleeful, and simply overjoyed that she may at last found a family, or at least part of one.

Switchblade turned around at Pillow's question, he thought for a moment, then nodded his head "I don't see why not; It'll certainly make explaining this to other ponies much easier." he said calmly, in truth he was a bit worried; he didn't know how to look after a child, he guessed that he probably should see Ink about this rather quickly.

Were Pillow's Vocabulary as profound as the mentioned Ink Stain, she might be able to begin to describe the elation rising within her. However being A: A younger filly, reaching the end of her childhood, and only having had her cutiemark a year or so. and B, not having received a proper education (because she truly is rather bright, if you can keep her awake long enough to know it.). Pillow Dew could only explain her pure delight in the giggle which escaped her dark colored lips and bubbled past her as she rushed to hug Switchblade.

Switchblade hugged Pillow back, smiling softly at the filly's affection for him. When she had finished hugging him, Switchblade turned to her "I need to see a friend; it would probably be best if you came with me; she only lives a few houses away so we won't be there for too long."

Pillow nodded gently in response, pushing her midnight mane back. "Awight."

Switchblade nodded "Alright then, let's get going." he said, leading the way to Ink's house, as he arrived, he knocked politely on the door.

Ink stain was even more ink covered than usual when she came to the door, having been dutifully working on a new book. "Switchblade, a pleasant surprise, how may I help you?"