//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1-Why Does Everypony Stare? 
// Story: Childsplay 
// by Creativa-Artly01 
//------------------------------//

It's a beautiful day in Ponyville, but Noel can't even notice it as she walks holding her head down to the ground for fear of being made fun of. She's a grown mare, age twenty-four, yet she still looks like and acts like a little filly. A few minutes later, she hears somepony sneer and chuckles as she walks by to his friend. "Hey look, it's the baby mare," he says.

"Yeah, who would've thunk it possible. She really is an abomination," chuckles the other stallion. 

"Why are you so mean?" cries Noel as she continues to look towards the ground and walks up to her house, opens the door, and goes inside and locks the door behind her. "Why are all of them so mean to me? Don't they know that I have a rare condition? Don't they know that I have brainus fillius and that it's incurable?" Another tear falls from her eye as she sits down on her bed. A few minutes later, she bursts into a full-on flood of tears. 

After several hours of crying, she finally cries herself to sleep. Tomorrow it's just going to be the same dance, the same nightmare over and over again. Tomorrow she has to put up the same bullies, the same laughs and chuckles at how she looks and acts and she absolutely hates it. She hates that she dreads going out the door every morning. It's not something that should be a thing in her mind. To her, it's incomprehensible. To her, it's nonsensical. As she sleeps, she can't help but think about how the CMC help ponies like her and maybe it would be a good idea to talk to them about her predicament. Tomorrow, she'll go and do just that and hopefully, after that, her life will change for the better and bullies will learn not to be too harsh on her. At least, she hopes it goes that way. 

The next morning, Noel wakes up and goes to the CMC Clubhouse and knocks on the door. She is soon greeted by Sweetie Belle, who gladly lets her in. She then comes over to a table where Sweetie takes her place next to Apple Bloom, Babs, and Scootaloo. "What can we help you with today?" asks Apple Bloom. 

"Well," responds Noel, "ponies bully me because I have a brain condition that makes me act like a filly and have the mental capacity of a filly. It's not something I can help. It's incurable and ponies don't seem to understand that. All they see is a mare that acts and looks like a five-year-old. What am I to do?" 

"Well, don't let it get to you," responds Babs, "be proud of your condition. Hold your head up high. It'll throw off the bullies and they won't know what to do." 

"Thanks," responds Noel with a small smile peeping across her face. "I'll definitely use that advice. It's very helpful. Thanks for building my confidence, Babs."

"Anytime," responds Babs with a smile. "Don't let your condition get you down, ever." 

"I won't. Never again," responds Noel. She then goes over and embraces Babs and the others in a hug. "From now on, I'll be proud of who I am. My disability makes me special and that's a good thing. Thanks for reminding me of that. Thank you oh so much." 

"You're welcome," responds the CMC and Babs in unison, "you're oh so welcome." 

A few minutes later, Noel goes with Babs, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo for ice cream. As they enjoy their ice cream cones, they share jokes and laughs and stories. All the while, Noel wears a smile on her face. Her disability isn't bogging her down anymore and she couldn't be more glad and to the CMC, that is clear as clear can be.