Dusk Star could hear something in the distance.
 
He couldn’t place where it was coming from. Hay, he couldn’t even be sure what it was. It sounded like somepony was crying. But why?
 
Dusk was taking a midnight walk as he often did to clear his mind. He liked the peace and quiet of night. But it was far past anypony’s bedtime; he couldn’t believe anypony but him was still awake. But the crying didn’t stop. Something was clearly wrong, and naturally Dusk was concerned.
 
“Hello?”
 
He trotted through the streets of Ponyville, calling out to the voice turning his ears every which way to try to identify its source. Suddenly, he spotted a familiar figure in a dark, isolated alley. He approached it.
 
“Lightning Bolt? I…Is that you?”
 
“Leave me…” The stallion took a swig out of a bottle and whipped around towards Dusk with bloodshot eyes and a tear-stained face. “Leave me ALONE!”
 
Dusk reeled at the sudden outburst, but something inside of him drove him towards the pegasus. Lightning was an old friend who needed help. Dusk forgot about all of his other problems and reasons for being out at midnight as he set out to be that helping hoof.
 
“Lightning, what’s the matter?”
 
“None of your business,” Lightning backed away, kicking a few bottles aside in the process.
 
“You’ve been drinking…” Dusk looked around at the bottles scattered on the ground as he approached closer. “I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s wrong. Or at least let me take you home. It’s not safe out here. Where are your friends?”
 
Lightning crumpled to the ground at the mention of his friends, as if that word was a trigger.
 
”“They…they left me,” he choked out. “Up and bucking abandoned me like a dying dog. I had it coming, man. I deserved that.”
 
“Why?” Dusk asked as he sat down and gently patted Lightning’s back. “Why would they abandon you? Nopony deserves to lose their friends-“
 
He was interrupted as the pegasus suddenly sat up and grabbed him tight.
 
”The rumors, man, they told everypony,” Lightning whimpered and tightened his grip. “They said I knocked this mare up, got her pregnant.” His whimpers quickly turned into genuine sobs. “And it’s bucking true! I chickened out and left her! I’m such a bucking idiot!”
 
Dusk was almost at a loss for words hearing Lightning pour out his story. For once, he didn’t have any life-changing words of wisdom or anecdotal stories to help him. He could only hold onto him and let him cry it out on his shoulder.
 
“I can’t face her again. I can’t face any of ‘em. Her, the guys, Mom and Dad, they’re all gonna drag me through the mud. My life is bucking ruined! That’s why I came out here. I had to get away. I had to…to…” Lightning couldn’t say any more as the emotions overtook him and he sobbed uncontrollably into Dusk’s fur.
 
”Lightning-“
 
”I should’ve stayed with her! I should’ve stayed to raise the kid with her! None of this would’ve happened-”
 
”No, Lightning, you shouldn’t,” Dusk tilted Lightning’s head up to look him in the eye. “You don’t love her. It wouldn’t be any better if you stayed. Do you know what happens when two ponies who don’t love each other stay together to raise a child they didn’t plan? It doesn’t end well. I’ve seen it happen. You’re better off letting her be.”
 
“Man, I really bucked up…“
 
”And look around you. This isn’t healthy at all, drowning away your regrets. You can’t live your life like this, Lightning. You’d only be hurting yourself.”
 
”But-“
 
”You can choose to move on and better yourself. You can choose to grow from this. Who knows, perhaps someday you CAN make amends with this mare. But this-“ Dusk gestured around at the bottles, “This is not the answer. It won’t get you anywhere. Please, don’t do this to yourself.”
 
Dusk held onto his friend for a long, quiet moment before Lightning let out a sniffle.
 
”I’ll try, man. I’ll really try. I don’t wanna buck up like this again…”
 
”I’m sure you won’t. I know you can do this. I’ll be here to help you anytime,” Dusk helped Lightning up on four shaky hooves. “But I think I should start by taking you home. Your parents must be worried.”
 
Lightning dropped his gaze in shame. “C…Can I stay at your place? I don’t wanna face Mom and Dad. Not like this.”
 
“Of course,” Dusk smiled softly. “I always have room for a friend in need.”
 
After he cleaned up the bottles and helped Lightning dry his tear-stained face, Dusk lifted his stumbling friend onto his back as they made for home.