Invitation
Love and Tolerance
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic © Hasbro & Lauren Faust
By: TOO S0BER
--***::: Chapter 18 :::***--
Invitation
Serenity.
I yawned widely as another day dawned in my studio apartment. For once I did not wake up feeling groggy and like I had not had any sleep at all. It was a nice feeling from the norm.
With a little more of a spring in my step, I crawled out of the doggy bed that had become my new sleeping place. Oddly enough it was definitely a more comfortable option than my couch.
Dang dogs have it better than we do, I thought with an amused smile. Even moreso because of my bemused response to that very same thought that I had the other day.
Things seemed a good bit easier today than they had been all week. Showering and drying off only took me half the time as that first day, though I was still trying to figure out how to braid my mane without hands. I liked the way Shelby did it the other day, and come to think of it, I bet that she would not mind doing so again. Still, I would need to figure out how.
Breakfast was a fruit salad bowl and a glass of milk while I played some music on my iPod. ‘The Epilogue’ by Crosses was playing and somehow it seemed absolutely appropriate to the new reality.
Done with my meal, I made a more successful - and less messy - attempt at brushing my teeth. That changed as the phone rang and I made every attempt to hurry my orange flank along.
I booped the answer button just in time, which garnered a sneeze for my haste. I was in such a hurry that I didn’t bother to see who was calling.
“Ugh, hello?” I answered while wiping my snout.
“Hey Sam,” came Marcus’s familiar voice.
My smile grew. “Hey bud, what’s up?”
“Can’t quite hear you, Sam,” Marcus asked a little louder.
“Oh! Sorry!” I scrambled away to turn off ‘Chalk Outline’. “Sorry Marcus. I was listening to some music for breakfast.”
He laughed softly. “It’s no problem. Hey, I was wondering if you were still gonna go to the launch tonight?”
I blinked. That was a good question and I had to pause to really think about it. Truthfully I had completely forgotten about the game launch in the wake of everything that had happened.
“Um, I, well…” I rubbed the back of my neck as I tried to come to some decision.
“If you don’t want to, it’s fine, Sam,” Marcus answered kindly. “No pressure.” I could practically see the smile behind his words.
I smiled in kind and gave a nod that he could not see. “Sure, I’ll go. Though I think I’m going to cancel my pre-order.”
“Understandable,” Marcus replied, then perked up as another thought seemed to occur to him. “Did you want help re-stocking your fridge?”
I chuckled. “I think I’m good for now, thanks.”
“Okay, see you soon!” He hung up.
I hummed softly to myself and went to the closet, where my mother had hung up the re-worked clothes for me. I picked my outfit the day before; a sleeved white shirt that came down to my elbows, a purple vest, and some similar stretchy grey shorts. Likewise, of course, I wore some of the same underwear as before. The heat of a blush spread across my cheeks, despite the fact that it was just me. Somehow I felt like a crossdresser in my own privacy.
And at the same time I was annoyed that this was still bothering me. “Man,” I said aloud as I slipped on the hoof-wallet. “Why can’t I just get used to this already?”
Because it’s unnatural. Because it’s weird. Because it’s not me…
I groaned and rolled my eyes. “Damn it, brain…”
It was almost like I had another voice in my head; the male Sam and the female Sam...
I shook the thoughts from my head. “Nope. Not doing this again. My mood will not be ruined by abstract and semi-relevant thoughts.” I gave a light stomp of my forehoof with a forced smile.
I’m keeping this good mood, damnit. No more theatre breakdowns for me.
My old glasses caught my attention and I picked them up. These simple frames had been an invaluable necessity in my life. It felt so weird to not have them perched on my head. I sighed softly at the loss and set them back down.
“Maybe one day…” I murmured gently, then made stage-left exit from my apartment after making sure that I had everything.
Locking the door was a little troublesome and I had a feeling it always would be from now on. Our human world just was not built to be pony-friendly. Which prompted me to think about possibilities of returning back to who I was.
Predictably enough, I had none...
I garnered a stare from one of my neighbors as we passed and I averted my gaze. I didn’t really know the guy, so I figured it best to ignore the situation, lest it escalate. The theatre was still fresh in my mind, after all.
Once outside I had a proper chance to stretch my orange wings with a pleasured groan. The bright sun and the cool breeze that swayed my wings felt good. The crisp morning air felt fresh and rejuvenating. It was early enough in the morning that the heat felt good rather than stifling. Even the deserted tranquility of the empty apartment complex gave way to the gentle chirping of morning birds. I could not remember the last time I enjoyed the outdoors so much.
Maybe being a morning person isn’t such a bad thing.
I nodded to my own thought and --
“Hi Sam!”
“GYAHAH!” I jumped high enough in the air to reach the nearest tree branch and comically held onto it with all four limbs. The shrill voice below was none other than a familiar teal mare.
“Ohp! Sorry,” Chloe said with a sheepish smile.
Whelp, there goes my tranquil morning. She’s out at night and up in the morning, too? Does she ever freaking sleep?
“Jesus, Chloe!” I pouted softly, then let myself fall and land. “You just love scaring the crap out of me, don’t you.”
Chloe giggled at me with an impish grin. “Ee’yup. Especially if your reactions stay this entertaining.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re horrible…”
“That’s what they tell me,” she rebutted happily.
I chuckled softly. Even though I should be mad at her for scaring me, I simply couldn’t find it in me to be angry with Chloe. And for once it didn’t feel like a hormone thing! Yay?
Goddamnit, brain…
“So what are you up to, today?” she said as she walked with me.
I hummed. “Well, Marcus and I are going to a midnight launch.”
“Midnight launch?”
“It’s for a video game.” I shrugged. “Sometimes if a game is popular enough, it’ll have special events at retailers. People wait outside the doors until midnight to get the game right as it releases.”
Chloe smiled and gave a happy bounce. “Oh cool! That sounds interesting.” Though her tone dropped a little bit. “But why wait at the store so early?”
I chuckled. “It’s more of a social thing. Players with the same interests gather to chat and socialize about their favorite games.”
Though, now as I thought about it, how would that go for me? As a bonus, we would be going to the same mall as before. It was highly unlikely, but I thought about whether I would see the same jerks or not. I mentally checked to make sure that I had the phone number the mall cop gave me.
A poke to my shoulder told me I had zoned out again.
“Oh, sorry, what did you say?” I asked with a sheepish smile. I really needed to watch the zoning out thing.
“I asked if I could come, silly.”
I blinked, surprised by her request. “Really?”
“Really!” she happily replied. I was about to ask about her brother. “I’d like to go, I’m bored without him. Kevin is at our mother’s.”
I winced. “And…” I was not sure how to approach this. “How are they taking it?”
Chloe sighed deeply. “Better than I had hoped, but it’s hard on all of us.” Despite her answer, Chloe gave a happy smile.
I was befuddled. “Then, how can you smile like that?”
She chuckled and looked me in the eye. “There’s no reason why not, you know?”
I shook my head. I did not know.
“Things could always be worse, Sam,” she replied in kind, a hoof on my shoulder. “They can always be worse.”
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- Blue Spark · 33k words · 93 4 · 2.5k views
- Shortcourt · 201k words · 156 25 · 13k views
- StrawberryGamer · 72k words · 221 30 · 6.1k views
- The Psychopath · 20k words · 169 7 · 2.9k views
- appelpieman · 7.7k words · 49 6 · 2.3k views
- Harasha the Gryphon · 39k words · 169 6 · 3.9k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.16 seconds
Total duration
716 users online
1,187,203 hits today, 2,724,632 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
There is a direct correlation between how hard it is to accept bodily change and how much people care.
YAY! New chapter.
Oddly reminds me of
It's Alive!
7671616 Yeah... and I'm truly sorry about that. With so much going on, it's difficult to find time to write. Given how long it was since the last update, I felt that, maybe, it was better to get something out. If for nothing else than to make sure the story isn't dead, y'know?
The best of decisions? Probably not... but I felt I needed to make one. Still, I'm glad to see people still take an interest in my story. Thank you.
7671514 From the metaphorical grave.
Trying my hardest to keep it that way.
7671713 Good luck then.
Here is music for your rise from death...
Hoooly shiet; it lives.
Nice to see you and the story are still alive.
7671753
7671729
7671723
Thanks, you guys are the best and why I love this community.
FimFiction really needs a better "I'm crying, but I'm happy" emoticon...
Needs an editor :U
Not that I'm complaining.
7671868
comes close.
well
Great story, glad to see a new chapter. Curious how the rest of the world is dealing with the whole pony thing. any big changes? someone's bound to change the weather, at the very least. and what about unicorns?
7775799 Thanks~ And we'll definitely see some "changes" -- as well as issues -- with the ponies and their new abilities
Wait, in the first chapter it says he worked at an air force base but later on it says he works at a grocery store.
Does he work in a grocery store at the base or did you just accidentally put in 2 places without meaning too?
7785184 That was intentional~ The military have an exclusive grocery store chain that only serves active duty, retirees, and their direct family members.
the store is called the "Commissary" and it's a real federal agency in the Department of Defense.
7785227 Huh, I did not know that was a thing.
Good story except for one tiny problem ive noticed so far: Sams mentality and the way hes handling things. Sure theres been some blow ups/breakdowns and while he might get use the the pony body, he will never get use to the gender swap without a serious mental snap. Its literally( in this case in a literal sense ) the same as sending a transgender person to a therapist that does that "reforming" stuff or constantly forcing a gender they don't identify as on them and expecting them not to lash out in anyway they can when they're forced out of their comfort zone. The fact his own mother is enforcing the "Your a girl now, act like it!" mentality Sam will logically snap sooner or later unless its suddenly revealed he was a closet transgender before being changed which by this point obviously isn't the case.
In other words his reaction is so downplayed I honestly can't even remotely see them as beilevable sadly. Its only been a few days and hes suddenly even remotely ok with being treated as female and the whole package the gender swap brings without even trying to stay living as a dude? That's downright impossible in his position and any sane person will try, desperatly to the point of hurting themselves if need be, to try and hang onto whatever they can of their birth gender like a man dying of thirst in the middle of a ocean. The fics obviously going for a realistic approach if the dude trying to shave himself at the start was any indication but Sam.. just isn't right.
Take it from someone whos trangender... you'll never get used to being treated or refered to as the gender you don't identify as even if you give it your all to do so and eventually the small things add up one by one, even if your don't notice it until the moment the match gets lit next to the pile of TNT that got stocked up. Then again that might be interesting to see Sam do just that and the fallout from it when the explosion goes off in everyones faces.
Not saying the stories bad since its one of the better ones ive read, just hard to get immersed in due to Sam being so.. not beilevable so far from my personal perspective. Although since ive got personal experience with the gender dysphoria crap I might actually be a bit biased so don't take this personally
Awwww. Damn. Things were getting so interesting.
Sadly I know all too well myself how hard it can be to get out of a writing slump. Hope you can manage it.
I didn't.
You still working on this story, or is it dead?
9184693
Writer's block has been hitting me hard with this one, but no, it's not dead. 
I'm sorry it's been so long.
For now I simply don't have the time to work on two stories. Plus... I just don't know where to take it right now.
9184900
That's understandable; I'm looking forward to any potential future chapters regardless.
9531408
I believe the Internet is argumentation enough.
9531404
No, we're not all the same. We might have similar responses, yes, but that doesn't mean we're all the same.
And don't start throwing psychology mumbo-jumbo as your proof either; 90% of that field is a bunch of horseshit. I should know; I've done dealt with it for the majority of my life.
I just finished reading and I very much enjoyed it! I found all of the characters compelling and real feeling. Their flaws and quirks were never too glaring nor too subtle, and I feel very invested in how they develop. Sam is definitely taking the transition better than some might, but they certainly aren't handling it perfectly.
As for all the romantic elements, I'm quite eager to see how that all pans out. Given that Sam still loves Ash, yet there's something between Marcus and our new pegasus, it leaves a lot open and I don't feel one is clearly better than the other.
All in all a great example of writing, I hope to see more someday.
Just finished re-reading this story. Still as good as I remember reading it the first time. The character's the interactions, the premise. I'm just sad there isn't more. Oh well, what there is has bought me hours enough of joy that I cannot really complain. Thank you for the great story!