//------------------------------// // Home Sweet Home // Story: Quill // by Pinkieappleflutter //------------------------------// Dear: Lilac Shimmer, "In the light that falls at moon rise, in the rhythm of the rain. In the merical of ordinary days, in the hush of night, I will be in the whisper of lovers. Everywhere, you will find me there. In the rustle of a curtain, in the bustle of the world, in a thousand of unexpected ways! When you lift your gaze I will be the shimmer of one small star out there, shining everywhere! I will be there, beside you through the lonely nights that fall, so close your eyes, remember my embrace. I will be there, like mercy, I will find you through it all. This do I swear, I will be there!" Did that catch your attention, love? It should. I took you to that musical the last time we were in Manehattan together... before everything. And even though I chose to o this alone, I hope you still know that I love you and miss you. And I mean it when I say, "This do I swear, I will never love any pony as much as I love you," I hope you can write back soon! Love, forever yours, Quill. That was the first letter I sent to my Lilac the day after the wild rager in the Apple Barn. I was home sick, but I knew what I walked into and I also knew that there was no turning back. I rented a house owned by Noteworthy, who wasn't present at the party. He was also renting the house to Carrot Top, Red Heart, Bulk Biceps, and Thunderlane including Noteworthy. The house was big enough to fit every pony, the only problem was, we had to share rooms. I had to share with Carrot Top, which seemed fine at first, seemed fine. Though I felt a little left out because every pony seemed super close and I was just imposing on their space. So, as soon as I got unpacked and settled, I wrote to Honey Dew and Heather, suggesting that we hang out when we all had time to spare. When I was finished, Carrot Top walked in and asked me what I was doing. When I told her, she said, "You? Friends? Yeah, sure." "I have friends, Carrot Top. They live in Canterlot and Manehattan. I've known them since I was about thirteen," I explained. "Sure, if you guys are friends, then why didn't they come with you to Ponyville?" Carrot Top asked, smug. "Because they have lives, Heather works as a wedding designer in Canterlot, and Honey Dew is building a rapidly growing business in Manehattan. I can't expect them to drop everything and come live with me to live somewhere that wouldn't be beneficial for their futures," I explained, reasonably but with growing irritation. "Show me a picture of them," Carrot Top insisted. "I'll do you one better. I'll let you meet them when they come and visit," I said, sass in every word. "I bet they aren't real. I mean, you're not that good of an author anyway," Carrot Top snarled. "Watch what you say, Carrot Top, because I might use this conversation against you someday, and if you think I'll just forget, you're sadly mistaken. And I will be relentless," I warned. She just glared and left our room. That's when I decided to buy a house as soon as I could. And clearly, I kept my promise. The weeks that followed didn't get any better. Carrot Top was relentless. I'd sit quietly in our room, writing a poem, or reading, or something, and she'd walk in, blatantly insult me, and walk out like she said nothing. And she forced me onto the floor because she absolutely refused to sleep in the same bed as me, and the feelings were mutual on my end. I hadn't been this confused and this mad since Honey Dew's and Heather's parents were after me. And I haven't this kind of hurt and anger since. One morning, at breakfast Noteworthy, Thunderlane, Bulk Biceps, and me were sitting around the table eating oat cereal and Carrot Top walked in. "Morning, boys!" she said, sassy. "Uh, Quill is here too, why didn't you say 'hi' to her?" Thunderlane asked, confused. "I thought I did! Colts like Mares, right? At least that's what I was taught anyway," Carrot explained. "Quill is a mare, Carrot Top," Noteworthy explained hotly. "No, Quill is a stallion because she clearly never shuts up about her girl friend back in Canterlot," Carrot explained. The venom falling off her tongue now visible to every pony who was present. "Okay, Carrot Top, I'm going to explain this once. Quill has only mentioned Lilac a few times. Quill is a lesbian, not a colt. Nor does she have any body parts suggesting that she might be. So I politely ask you to back off or I am evicting you from this house and you'll have to go back to your parent's place," Noteworthy explained, getting dangerously close to yelling. "Wow. You are being really rude, Noteworthy. Maybe I was just telling a joke!" She explained, hotly. Bulk Biceps, who had been completely silent up until this point, practically ran to Carrot Top screaming, "If it were a joke then we would all be laughing! But we're not so back of Quill or I will not hesitate to force you out of this house myself!" "Me too! You are being really rude and just awful to Quill's sexuality. She is a pony and deserves to be treated with love and tolerance!" Thunderlane added, screaming too. "What is your problem?" He asked, genuinely curious. "I don't have a problem, Thunderlane! Quill deserves everything I say to her," Carrot Top stated. "Why?" Noteworthy asked, his face set in an unbelievably confused way. "Because she thinks she's better than me!" Carrot Top shouted. "Hang on!" I stepped in, walking towards her threateningly. "When have I ever said that I was better than you?! The first words I said to you were, 'I'm writing to my friends' and you said rude things to me!" I yelled. "So please, enlighten me on how you think I said that I'm better than you," I challenged. Silence. "Or is it because I'm a lesbian?! is that it? You don't like that I love mares, do you? Oh wait, you didn't know I was a lesbian until last week so that couldn't be it. So tell us, Carrot Top, why do you think I think I'm better than you," I challenged further. "Yeah! Tell us!" Bulk Biceps and Thunderlane said in unison. "Go ahead, tell us," Noteworthy said, challenging her as well. To this day, I still don't have an answer. Soon after that exchange, they all had to go to work. Noteworthy to the music store, Carrot Top to the market, and Bulk Biceps to the gym. Red Heart was already at the hospital by the time the rest of us woke up and ate breakfast. So, I was home alone. With only my thoughts as company, as I usually was when every pony was off to work. But that day, I chose to do something different. I walked out of the house, making sure to lock it, and headed left towards the castle. Twilight had promised me a tour of her large library, and I was going to take up her offer. On my way, I ran into Lyra Heartstrings! We had seen each other around town, but that was the first time we'd actually said 'hi'! "Hey, you're, Quill, right?" She asked, holding out her hoof. "Yeah, I'm Quill, and you're Lyra!" I said, holing out my hoof. We shook. "Where are you headed to?" I asked. "Oh, my girlfriend Bonbon is expecting me at her house, we're going to the park!" Lyra explained. "Bonbon? I think she's a fan of mine, we met at my 'Welcome to Ponyville Party'," I said. "Yeah, I know that she absolutely adores Love of an Undying Heart, you know the one about those two colts falling in love?" Lyra explained. "I'm well aware of it," I chuckled. "It's almost like I wrote the book," I said, laughing. She blushed, "Heh, yeah." "Any way, Bonbon is waiting for me," Lyra explained. "Okay, cool! Tell her i say 'hi!'," I said. "If I did that, she might faint, best to keep this exchange to ourselves," Lyra explained, blushing. "So, what you're saying is, 'I'll keep you my dirty little secret!'," I sang. "Why does that sound familiar to me?" Lyra asked, puzzled. "I don't know, it sounds familiar to me too, and it seemed right for the situation we're in, but I just can't place where I heard it from," I explained, confused. "Eh, it's probably a Neon Lights song," Lyra said, shrugging. "Couldn't be, I don't listen to techno," I explained. "We'll have to continue this conversation later then," Lyra commented, walking away. "Sure! See you!" I called back to her. I then continued my journey to Twilight's castle. I get there, and I realized, I didn't know how to knock on a palace. But I didn't want to be rude and walk in, it was my first time there. So, I kind of just lightly tapped my hoof on the door hoping that some pony could here me and I didn't ruin the paint or anything. A purple little dragon opened the door. "Hello! I'm Spike!" he greeted. I stared in confusion. I had never seen a dragon before, let alone a baby one, I didn't know how to react to this either. "And you are?" "Oh! I'm Quill, I'm actually looking for Princess Twilight! She promised me a look at her library!" I explained, cheerfully. "Oh yeah, Twilight told me about you, and it's just Twilight. She doesn't like to use her princess title other than royal affairs and meetings," Spike explained. "Come in!" he said, guiding me in the palace. "She's actually probably in the library right now, I'll take you to her!" he offered. "Wow, thanks! You are so helpful! I would have gotten lost trying to figure out this huge palace!" I said in relief. "It's really no problem, after all, I am Twilight's number one assistant! And I may have saved the Crystal Empire twice, but who's counting?" Spike boasted. I laughed, "Wow, Spike! You really are something!" We reached the library, and my heart almost stopped! It was a huge cylindrical bluey purple room made entirely of crystal and shelves filled to the roof of book after book of all different sizes, widths, and colors! The carpet was soft and a pretty purple. I was speechless. I could not believe what my eyes were taking in. I stood there, my jaw open, and just looked at all of those beautiful books! I thought I died and went to heaven I swear! Twilight was at one of the top shelves on the opposite side of the room reading a book as she hovered there. "Twilight!" Spike called. "Yeah, Spike? Oh! Quill! I wasn't expecting you today," Twilight said, putting the book back and flying down to me. I bowed. "I thought I'd come surprise you, Prince- I mean, Twilight," I explained, sheepishly standing up from my bow. "I was really eager to see this place!" I explained further. "It's amazing, isn't it? This is the one place I spend the most time in my home. I've read every book so many times, and reorganized it at least twice already," Twilight said, looking around proudly. "I can see why, it is beautiful!" I agree, looking around too, agast. "But, of course, you probably have a bigger collection than me, you being an author I'm sure you have thousands," Twilight said, brushing her collection off. "Actually, as a filly, I never read anything I didn't have to. I mostly got in trouble with Velvet Clearing and caused my teachers all sorts of traumas just doing something remotely dangerous," I explained, again a little sheepishly. "But I do have one bookshelf in my room at home, along with a bookshelf in the mane sitting area in the house that I live in," I said. "Wow, I just assumed that you have been reading since you were two because of how flawless your writing is," Twilight explained, stunned. "I have an editor, Twilight, and I've only been writing since I was ten," I said, a hint of obviousness in my tone. "Thank you though, I will admit that my editor, after reading the work I did, sometimes will hand it straight to the publisher because he could find nothing wrong. I guess you could say, I'm more of a natural than I give myself credit for," I added. "Would you like to take a closer look at my library?" Twilight asked. "Could I?" I asked, as if I were a filly meeting Santa Hooves for the first time. "Be my guest!" Twilight announced. I didn't need her to say it twice. Instantly I was at the shelves, reading cover after cover occasionally opening on up and scanning the insides if a title didn't sound familiar. I absolutely adored every moment of it, and totally brushed off what happened that morning. Twilight, meanwhile, was watching me from the ground probably giggling at how foal like I was acting. "I don't mean to be rude, Quill, but how did you get your cutie mark if you never wrote until you were ten?" she asked. I floated down from where I was and looked at my cutie sadly. "It's a long story," I said, walking towards her. "I didn't mean to oppose!" Twilight started. "No, it's alright. No pony has ever really asked about it before, and honestly, it should be said," I explained, taking a deep breath in, and releasing it as if I'd been holding my breath for my entire life. "I was three," I began. "I was brought to the orphanage a year before. Velvet, admittedly, didn't know what to do with a filly so young. So, she'd usually just give me Hayons and paper to draw on. Only, I didn't draw. Velvet told me that I told stories of my parents with those Hayons. And that I was good, really good. She told me that I got my cutie mark, not because I was writing, but because I was telling their story. I pride myself on being an honest and loyal pony. But in all reality, I've been lying to myself. I know that my parents were too poor to take care of me, but the part that I want desperately to forget is what Velvet told me about them. "She said I wrote about them as villains. In perfect sentences I described in detail what they did to survive and how they achieved it for so long. Is it any wonder to you why my poems and stories are so depressing and, at times, lonely? It's because my cutie mark isn't in creative writing. It's in writing about the brutality of ponykind and how to survive it. Velvet said that I spent days writing down about my parents; and that when I was done, that is when I got my cutie mark. She took it from me and hid it until I was six when I actually learned how to read because I was writing since at least three. I have no idea who my parents are, or if they are still alive, but I know what they went through. And I know what I've gone through to be the mare I am right now. And Twilight, that is everything that I am meant to be," I finished my story and looked directly into Twilight's stunned and, frankly, frightened face. "Quill," she said, barely above a whisper. "I had no idea a pony could be destined with something so cruel, and at three years of age! I mean, I recognised stuff like discrimination and segregation in your writing, but I simply thought it was just your emotions at that point in time, not that it was your destiny!" She explained, in shocked realisation. "That's why I don't tell my cutie mark story to anyone. I feel as though ponies would treat me differently than before. And yeah, it was partly because of my cutie mark, but it was partly the situation I was in at the time as well. I can't write if I don't have proper motivation. Hence not writing again until I was ten. When I came to terms with my only real friend leaving me," I explained, full on embarassed. "Well, do you want to know the story of my cutie mark?" Twilight asked, desperately trying to change the subject. "Well, I would, but I already know," I explained. "How?" Twilight asked, curious. "Rainbow Told me during one of our hoof ball games. We play frequently," I explained, casually. "It's weird how we never really talked until today though," I said. "Do you often talk to Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Apple Jack too?" she asked. "Pinkie? I'm still too nervous to talk to her. She is my role model, and it's way too awkward for me to talk to her. I sometimes tag along with Rarity and Fluttershy to the spa though, even though I grew up in an orphanage, it was still in Canterlot, and I am used to the finer things in life," I explained. "I get that, I was born and raised in Canterlot too, I know what it feels like to spend a weekend at a party where only the nobles are invited. Though, I preferred a good book over a social gathering back then, that's for sure. Though I still, on occasion, prefer a book over socialness. Bad habits die hard, I guess," Twilight explained. She offered me a glass of wine and I accepted. We drank as we talked about our favorite books and characters. "Daring Do," she explained. "I love the intensity and the problem solving. Rainbow likes the adventure," Twilight added. "I'm a casual fan of Daring Do, but honestly, I know this may sound weird, but I love plays and biographies. Back in Canterlot, I used to spend all hours of the night reading Shakespony's plays," I explained, taking another sip of wine. "I prefer spellbooks and history books. I read Daring Do when I need a break reading all those books," Twilight added, sipping wine too. It was red wine, and it was smooth and just the right amount of sweetness and bitterness. I finished my glass first, and Twilight asked if I wanted more, not wanting to be rude, I said yes. She poured mine and then topped her's off too. "Geez, Twilight, I didn't expect the Princess of Friendship to be a regular drinker," I teased. "I'm not, but I saw how much you drank at your party and me being the Princess of Friendship, I like to take notes on how ponies like to socialize. I kind of took a stab in the dark with you," Twilight explained. I blushed. "Yeah, both of my parents were regular drinkers. Not alcoholics, just having a few glasses of alcohol during lunches, suppers, and celebrations. They kind of got me into it when I was about fifteen," I said. "In fact, during last year's Summer Sun Celebration, when Nightmare Moon returned, I was so drunk that I didn't even know what was happening until the next day when I was hungover and dizzy," I explained. She giggled at what I said. "Honestly, the Summer Sun Celebration is a really big deal in Canterlot. Even though my family never drank during it, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that a lot of ponies do," Twilight grinned. "You know, Twilight, you have a pretty smile," I sighed, looking into her face. She had a face of mocked surprise, "Quill, are you flirting with me?" "Mayyyyyybeee, I mean, I am drunk enough that flirting is always my go to!" I explain, taking another sip of wine. Twilight finished her glass and filled it again. "Ha, I'm not surprised. But I have to warn you, I am into Stallions, not Mares, so all your flirting will be in vain," Twilight explained. "Doesn't matter to me! 'Cause you're really cute, and III'mm really gay!" I slurred. "Uh, Twilight, it's getting late and I think Quill should go," Spike said, walking in. I flirted with Twilight, and he was getting defensive of his caretaker. "Oh! Look at the time! Here, since you're drunk, I'll walk you home," Twilight offered. "No, no, it's fine," I objected, reading Spike's disapproving face. "I'm not that drunk that I can't find my way home. Finding a way out of this castle might be a problem though. I'm starting to see double!" I laughed. "Spike, would you be a dear and lead me back to the entrance?" I asked, as politely as I could, given the circumstance. "Sure thing!" He said, in fake politeness. Twilight couldn't tell, but I could. I left the castle and walked home as sober as I could. When I walked into the house, every pony was already home. "Where were you?" Thunderlane asked, smirking. "At Twilight's castle!" I said, trying not to slur. "And you had a few glasses of what kind of alcohol?" Red Heart asked, cheerfully. "Red wine. We had at least like five each. Maybe more," I giggled. "Where's Carrot Top? I wanna rub in the fact I got drunk today and she didn't," I say, walking towards the kitchen table. "I kicked her out as soon as we got home," Noteworthy explained. I went sleep and woke up, a bit dizzy but not hungover, in my own room and I loved it. Two days later I got a letter from Lilac. Dear, Quill Bird. "In a language never spoken. Live the promises we've made. In the endless love that owned me heart and soul, in the certainty I will always be true and as near as my next prayer, you will find me there. In the echo of the ocean. In the haunting of the wind, in mysterious extraordinary ways. Through the darkest skies. I'll be the shimmer of one small star out there, shining everywhere. I will be there beside you through the lonely nights that fall. So close your eyes remember my embrace. I will be there, like freedom I will find you through it all, this do I swear I will be there." Did you think I forgot, Love? Of course I didn't! And sorry you're just receiving this letter now. I have been really busy for so long and as soon as I read your letter I wanted to write back but I had soccer game after soccer game and those foals need all the refereeing I can give. But I finally made time and I'm writing back to you. It seems like forever since I've seen you, I miss you, how's Ponyville? Everypony treating you good? They better. No one messes with you unless they want to deal with mt wrath. Anyway, I love you and I miss you every day. Love, Lil.