//------------------------------// // The End? / Socks. // Story: Glitter Shell Volume.1. : Coming Out Of Her Shell. // by Undyne Devotion //------------------------------// I was shivering all over my body, hooves unable to stand straight as each step seemed more wobbly than the last. The eyes of the classroom burned wickedly into my soul, the fillies whispering to each other and the colts looking upon me in disgust. My usual mint green mane was always messy. Yet for today it was brushed neatly into a sort of bob style a cute flower headband holding it in place. My orange coat was brushed and cleaned to a bright shimmer. My tail was also a bit more bouncy than normal today, everypony was used to seeing me so lanky and messy. That seeing me so fixed up might have broken their minds. I stood in front of the class in silence. My heartbeat growing louder and louder , that I was sure it would explode out of my chest at any moment. “Class this is Glitter Shell.” Cheerilee smiled warmly down to me as she placed a calming hoof atop my shoulder. My heart started to slow down a bit, her warm and caring eyes slowly putting me at ease. I was glad I had such a wonderful teacher like her in my life. “Why is Snails acting like a filly?” Scootaloo asked in a curious manner as her slender hoof was raised high in the air. “You mean acting like a Freak!” Snips huffed aloud with a small snort, his eyes filled with slight anger. “Snips!” Cheerilee snapped in annoyance to the small colt. “That’s Snails!? I thought he was a new filly Glitter Shell!” Silver Spoon squinted towards me in close study, tilting her glasses cutely up her muzzle. “Class settle down!” “Wha? Who has a snail with a glittering shell?” Button Mash asked in confusion as his focus was finally pulled away from his Game Colt portable console. “I think she looks prettier than a golden apple before dawn.” Apple Bloom flashed a sweet and understanding smile towards me from the back. Soon the whole class was starting to yell aloud, each with a point of view. Some were positive as others were very mean. Cheerilee did her best to settle down the crowd on her hooves, but the yelling just got louder and louder. Eyes of the class burning into my heart. I could feel the world starting to tilt around me as my balance was shifting. I wanted to fall and close my eyes, praying to Celestia that when I woke this would all be over. It was a mistake to come here and do this… No. It wasn’t a mistake at all. I’ve never felt normal ever, my life has just been a series of odd mistakes. Each slowly dragging me deeper and deeper into my own personal prison. My hooves gained posture. I stood up straight and poised. My heart slowed down to a calm beat. I took a deep breath and allowed a smile to cross my lips. Eyes gazed to the class, making eye contact with those I would speak to. I would not fear. Not anymore. The chains that held me. Would never do so again. “Freak!” “Leave her alone!” “He is a ugly filly.” “What a loser.” “Why Snails?” “I think he should be what he was born as.” “I think we all have a choice.” “He is just a weirdo causing a scene.” The class was on the brink of breaking out into a riot, I knew what I had to do. I cleared my voice aloud, the class gazing to me in confusion. “I know you might think of me as nothing at all, my life has been the feeling of being so small.” My voice softly picked up into a calming melodic tune. “But please before you think to judge me, let me tell you a story.” The whole class slowly faded into silence, all eyes locked on me. “All about how I came upon this day…” Three Months Earlier. “Ever think about how your life could’ve been?” I sighed aloud in deep thought, my eyes locked on the purple colored sky above as the sun began to fade away in the distance. “Nah! I have wondered though if clouds taste like whip cream.” Snips my best friend for all my life spoke up. We both were rolled on our backs in the park. Star gazing and chatting about anything that really came to mind. From life and school to well clouds. “I think a cloud is an aerosol comprising a visible mass of minute liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or particles suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of a planetary body.” I slowly replied in a hushed tone. “I’d still eat one.” Snips simply shrugged off my reply. I couldn’t help but chuckle with my friend as we watched the stars slowly fill up the sky. Snips rolling onto his side with a small grunt, his eyes looking to me in curiosity. “So what do you mean “could’ve” been?” His eyes narrowing slightly. “Oh! Have you like ever felt out of place?” “All the time buddy!” “Really?” I rolled onto my side as well his words catching my attention. “Yeah. This one time I thought I was on the road to school, but ended up I was on the road towards The Everfree.” My heart slowly sank into my chest as my ears slowly began to droop. I allowed a small grunt to escape my lips as I returned to my backside. “Yeah! Bet you really felt out of place then…” I shrugged softly as my green bangs fell over my eyes a bit. “Yup! C’mon dude if we hurry I bet we can catch like an hour at the arcade!” Snips almost seemed to do a front flip to his hooves. Shaking off the grass from his coat swiftly. “Go on ahead. I think I’ll just stay here for a little longer.” “Whatever! I owe Button a flank kicking in Pony Kombat.” Snips started to walk off yelling out fighting phrases under his breath. I stayed there under the night sky with my own thoughts. At the time I knew I’d never tell Snips or anypony for that matter the truth. That I felt more than out of place in the world. Sure at school I wasn’t the best at numbers or anything else really. I was far from being popular, I was the pony in the background that never stood out. My hobbies of reading would just further shoot me down as a loser. I couldn’t even draw all that well, besides snails. But it wasn’t that I felt like an outsider. It was more than that, I felt like I was wearing mismatched socks. The world would smile and be happy if I wore orange socks, it was normal and accepted. But deep down inside I’d rather be wearing purple socks, sure they were more colorful and bright. But for a pony like me to be wearing them would be weird. They would stare at my socks and whisper. They would yell at me to strip them off, to NEVER wear them again. So I hide the socks in my closet away from prying eyes, wearing them only when I’m alone. Those rare times just alone with my socks, those would be the happiest times of my life. But I would later cry, knowing I’d have to wear orange once more tomorrow. To be normal. To fit in. As I said, I felt out of place in the world. I was just not ready for how quickly things would change. And my purple socks would make a statement. Louder than I ever could.