//------------------------------// // One Bright Morning. // Story: Glitter Shell Volume.1. : Coming Out Of Her Shell. // by Undyne Devotion //------------------------------// My days start like all the others. In odd silence. What do I mean by that? Well I just find that your mom never waking you up for school is odd. My eyes darted around the neat and tidy room slowly, I pounced off the bed and stretched as I trotted over to my small hazy mirror. My scrawny self gazed back to me in a confused manner, as if staring back to a stranger. I loved my mirror being smeared, for if I squinted long enough I sometimes would get a glimpse of somepony else. Snapping back into my reality though, I rushed out of my room and downstairs. The scent of wine hitting me like a train, a large half drunken bottle of Sparkle-Berry still upon the counter. If I closed my eyes, I swear I could still hear the laughing and clinging of glasses from the night before. Lime green eyes fell upon the side of the kitchen door as I walk in, no suitcase. Which meant dad never came back home last night, I can't blame him. I wanted a small bowl of oats before I took off, yet the sink was overflowing with dirty dishes at this point. Taking a slow breath, I silenced my grumbling belly and jolted out the back door. I was used to starting my day on a empty stomach, main reason I think I'm so lanky anyways. Up town I slowly passed by ponies going about their own day, being pushed to the side every so often by rude ponies with attitudes. I guess this is what life is after school, hay even before school it's all the same. We each just travel our own paths, never giving attention to those around us. It is our story and one we alone will write, nopony able to choose our choices for us. But if that is true? Then why do I allow others to make my choices? Should I just yank the quill back into my hooves? Re-write my character how I see fit? Before I could answer any of my questions, I found myself off track and deep into the town. Instead of towards the school. Great my belly is empty and I'm going to be late today. I sighed aloud this day was just getting better and better. I began to walk forward, to get back on track. Then I saw it! Through the open front door of a boutique. Sparkling in the bright sunlit room proudly, covered in lace and frills perfectly. The most beautiful dress I had ever seen in my life, it wasn't for a mare either, it was for fillies. My body trembled softly as my head did an odd cocking motion to see if anypony was inside. The place looked empty , the wind must've blown open the door. My mind told me to walk away, but my heart told me to go forward and check it out. Snapping my head side to side swiftly to make sure nopony was around, I pounced quickly through the open door of the boutique. It was like a whole new world in here, I allowed a soft gasp to escape my lips in awe. Cute dresses lined the wall, adorable hats placed perfectly upon shelves. Even lacy saddles were behind the counter, I’ve heard my mother tell her friends they were for bedroom fun. Everything here was so elegant and bright. My eyes falling to the center of the room to the white pony mannequin wearing my dress, I just had to give it one touch. I walked over on wobbly hooves to the small mannequin, pressing my hoof on the fabric softly and smiling happily. It was real, not just a dream. Then I heard loud snoring, my eyes growing wide in true horror. The pony mannequin was alive!? Looking closer it wasn't fake at all, it was a small white filly encased in the dress. A unicorn I knew well, Sweetie Belle! "Mmmmm. Can I go now?" She smacked her lips softly in a mild haze, her eyes quickly falling to me with my hoof on her backside. "Ahhhh!" "Ahhhhhh!" "What are you doing here Snails!?" She snapped in anger as her chest puffed out gently. "I...umm..whaa?" "Grrrr! Are you and Snips planning something!? You're shoplifting for fun!" "No!...I..." "Phst! I get it, you two were snapping photos of me in this get up to have a chuckle? Har-har-har-ha..." I quickly shot a hoof over her muzzle to silence her, my heart racing wildly in my chest. "I wasn't here." I spoke in a trembling voice before jolting out the door wildly. "If I wasn't afraid I'd become a Pony Pin-Cushion! I'd so chase after you weirdo!" I could hear Sweetie yell after me as I rushed off to school. My lungs were on fire as I collapsed into the cold dirt of the ground, only a few hundred feet away from school. My mind was in shock as my body was becoming numb. Sweetie was truly mad at him now, it was a matter of time before she came for him here. Spreading the news he was inside a boutique, once they find out there was no prank played. Then they would start to talk, they would ask questions. He would have no defense to hide behind. I did it now. I ruined myself over something dumb, I should’ve just put my feelings behind me like I always did. Better to feel numb, than attacked by those you love. I could hear the school bell ringing in the distance. My joints all locked up as I crawled through the dirt. Curling up slowly under a large oak tree, my whole frame shaking. The sun was out shining brightly, yet I could feel nothing but the cold chill of a unfair world. Why did I have to be born this way? I just want to be normal. To look in a mirror and not see a stranger. Curled up, I did all I could do. I cried.