My eyes were closed so tightly as Sweetie made the finishing touches to my mane, her hooves primping my bangs gently as she did a small tease. Her hooves lifting away from my head, the warm gentle glow of her magic fading away.
“Done! Very cute, if I say so!” The filly gave a flaunt of the hoof towards me as my green hues shot wide open in shock.
The reflection gazing back to me was amazing, my once flat and tangled mane gone. Replaced by a cute bob style I never knew was possible, my bangs showered over my eyes in a bouncy way while my mane had now added volume.
“This is amazing! How?” I spoke in a trembling voice, my hoof lifting upward to my bob almost afraid to even touch it.
“It’s quite easy, I can show you how to do it yourself.” Sweetie gave a small giggle from behind me, lifting up a pair of butterfly earrings to my ears to see what they’d look like.
“That would be lovely…”
“Heehee! You would be amazed how a few simple feminine touches, could really just make your style pop!” Sweetie was having a great time as she placed the earrings down, using her magic to lift up some lime green eyeshadow.
“Me pop?” I gave a loud snort as my new friend giggled.
“Well yeah! You have what my sister calls a congenial style.” Sweetie gave a cute squee, just as her bedroom door swung open swiftly.
“Are my ears burning darling?” Miss Rarity cantered inside with an elegant smile across her muzzle, various fabrics floating within magic behind her.
I wanted to collapse in pure horror as her bright blue eyes locked onto me with interest, my body quivering in fear as I never broke eye contact to blink. My jaw left hanging in the air, as my heart drummed within my chest loudly.
“Oh! I thought Bloom or perhaps Scootaloo, was up here with you dear?” Rarity narrowed her eyes to me, I quickly gazed down shyly blushing a bright pink.
“Hehehe! No this is my new friend...Shell…”
“Glitter!” I gave a soft cough, trying to lift my voice as high as it could stretch.
“Glitter Shell!” Sweetie gave a nervous giggle, before pale blue magic plucked the eyeshadow from her grasp.
“Well! I’ve seen some dandys in my time, but this takes the cake!” Rarity gave a loud scoff that filled the room sternly, I could see myself being dragged down the street now shamed by the entire town.
“It’s my...” I began to speak up before Rarity floated a violet eyeshadow down from a nearby vanity, tossing it to Sweetie playfully.
“Green on green eyes is just asking for trouble dear, now violet will make those lovely hues just explode in color!” Rarity gave a soft giggle while placing the fabrics atop a large shelf in the corner.
“Well I am still learning!” Sweetie stuck her tongue out towards her sister, the mare just flashing a sly smirk in return.
“I’d love to stay and share my knowledge girls, but I fear I have work that needs to be done.” Rarity flashed a smile down to me in pleasant manner.
“Your mane is fabulous, by the by.” The mare soon cantered out of the room, leaving me in complete shock as I felt lighter than air.
“You passed!” Sweetie spoke far too smug for her own good.
“I think I’m going to be sick!” I could feel my color fade from my cheeks, the emptiness in my belly turning into knots as I slung to my feet in fear.
“What!? You will be fine.”
“No! That was too close, I need air...I can’t breathe!” I could feel my anxiety form a noose around my neck, the air quickly being sucked out of my lungs.
“Glitter, you need to calm down girl!” Sweetie tried to calm my nerves, yet I could just start to heave in place before pushing her aside and darting downstairs.
The world was spinning out of control as I exploded out the door and into the open world, the streets thankfully empty as storm clouds begun to form overhead. Droplets of rain hitting my mane as I darted down the street, Sweetie following close behind me as I did my best to lose her.
I cut through the park at top speeds, the rain showering down upon my mane and coat roughly. The once graceful beauty I felt, replaced by an ugly flat mane that draped close to my shoulders. I needed to fade away, I needed to start this day over.
Yet I could feel my hooves splash down into a muddy puddle in front of me, losing my grip on the world as I came crashing down across the mud before me. Feeling so dirty and out of place, I simply flopped onto my backside in defeat gazing up to the sky while rain poured upon me swiftly.
Sweetie skid to a stop at my side, a look of worry locked upon her face in a eerie silence. My green hues gazing high above the clouds, doing so made me feel as if I were floating perhaps out of this prison I called life. My heart slowing down to a calming beat, laying in the ice cold mud was quite relaxing, allowing my mind to drift to other thoughts.
“Is my happiness worth anything?”
“Hmm?” Sweetie spoke up with a raised brow.
“I mean if I came out, I would shame my family, my friends at school and even the town.”
“But you’d be happy…”
“Yeah, but I’m just me. One pony vs the many.”
“You want to just keep hiding away?”
“It would be for the best…”
“But you should at least try! If you merely hide away, you are wasting the joy that is missing in your life.”
“I can’t ok! The ponies…”
“Glitter! It’s not the town or your parents holding you back, it’s your fear!”
“Just leave me alone!” I slung out of the mud glaring to Sweetie who folded her ears back in a hurt fashion.
“Fine I’ll leave you alone, go on living your life in the shadows. I just thought we could be friends, that perhaps you had a soul bright enough to fly free…” Sweetie gave a soft sigh, turning her tail to me and walking off into the pouring rain.
Vanishing from view and from my life, I was alone again just as I wanted. The rain caressing my coat like an old friend, my world full of fear and the unknown replaced by a sense of sorrow.
“Why must I feel this way?” I gave a glance to the sky, eyes stinging as tears rolled down my cheeks.
“Why can’t I be normal! Why must I suffer!” I gave a loud scream out to the sky, thunder exploding around me as it drowned out my pleas.
“I don’t matter...I...just...don’t” I could feel my heart sink in my chest deeply, I dragged my hooves across the muddy ground heading home.
Back to the shadows I knew best.
Defeated I entered the abyss of my own home, everything was a pitch black inside as I made quick work to light some candles. The stench of wine wafting across the kitchen, the loud echo of fighting still heavy on the air.
Mom and Dad were gone as always, I had nopony to comfort or calm me. Not that either of them could do so, they were more broken than me, each hanging on by a thread that had began to shatter over the years.
No snacks set up upon the table, a quick glimpse of the shelves showed a barren wasteland high above. My world had slowed to a balance now, no longer spinning yet each step felt like a million pounds. I slowly guided myself through the darkness with ease, used to the warm embrace by now while making my way to my room.
Inside all was silent, the world was far away now. My hooves were still as a piece of wood, I wanted something to give me a sense of being alive. I trudged over to my window and flung it open, sticking my head outside towards my backyard.
Below was a decent drop down, nothing that would hurt me alone. But as if hearing my call, a few shattered wine bottles were scattered across the grass in a razor sharp glow. Dad must’ve tried to throw out Mother’s stash, the glass shards hanging upward in the dim light. If I could land just right, I could end this lonely facade once and for all.
I could feel my heart picking up pace once more, lifting up hooves gently off the ground. All would think it was an accident, none would have to blame anypony and I would not have to be al…
My gaze flashed to my side swiftly, my small mirror gleaming in the darkness. I slowly lowered myself down and trotted over, my eyes locking onto the pair of butterfly earrings hanging from my ears as they gleamed in the dim light softly.
“Clip ons…”
Sweetie had given these to me, without a second thought. She shared secrets and dreams with me, she opened up her heart with understanding and hope. She didn’t have a motive or a secret trick up her sleeve, she wanted to simply be my…
Friend.
I gave a loud groan aloud unclipping the butterflies and holding them tightly in my hooves, walking over to my bed I curled up into a small ball and began to sob. I was more frightened than ever now, not that I was alone, not that I had no friends or so I thought.
It was because I wanted to live now, I wanted to break out of my prison.
I knew I wanted to be…
Glitter Shell.