//------------------------------// // Secrets // Story: Escargot- Best in Show // by mch_89 //------------------------------// The two Colts stopped rolling and looked up at the Griffon at the doorway. He wore a red and blue plaid shirt that seemed a size or two too small. He wore a green knit cap, and a thick, black handle bar mustache. His chest, while feathered, was easily identified as a “barrel chest”. His arms' muscles bulged with muscles that came partly from regular heavy lifting, and body building. His name was Lumbre Jacques, and despite being a griffon, he was Snails' Father. “Mon fils, Lumbre exclaimed as he leaned in and flopped himself on the two colts, playfully pinning them under his weight. “Papa,” Snails giggled as he flailed his forelegs. “Hey Mr, J,” Snips laughed as he flailed his chubby legs. Snips managed to pull himself free, but pulled so hard, he sent himself tumbling towards Snails' Bed. It shook and jumped in recoil, giving Lumbre a flash of long, teal hairs, and makeshift pallet of colors that reminded him of his wife's lipstick and and eyeshadow. The two saw Lumbre squint his eyes in confusion, and knew what he must have seen. Thinking fast, Snips got back on his hooves, hopped on the bed and used it as a springboard to launch himself onto Snails' father. “FLYING SUPLEX,” he yelled as he plopped down on Lumbre's face, cling into to it. Not knowing what else to do, Snails pulled himself free from under his father. Dancing on his hooves, he frantically looked around looking for an inspiration on what to do. His eyes soon focused on Snips, who nodded towards the bed, and his saddlebags- five times before the message had finally gotten through. Snips nodded in understanding, and used his magic to gather everything and stuffed it into his friend's bag. Snips sighed in relief before he realized that that Lumbre was starting to pull him off. “Tag team,” he yelled. “Tag team!” “Yaaaah,” Snails yelled as he jumped on his father, his weight just enough to knock him flat. Snails gathered his father's wings and tried to hold them together in a lock. Surprisingly, Lumbre's back arched his back under his son, and started to slam his powerful talons on the floor. “Uncle, Uncle,” he shouted, muffled in Snip's belly. The two colts let go and got off of him. Before Lumbre could congratulate the boys, Snips made a quick excuse about how he couldn't stay long, and had to go, which he did- quickly. Father and son waved good bye, as he hurried off towards his home. Lumbre asked if if everything was okay, and Snails kept telling him it was. He knew from looking at his father, that he wasn't all convinced, but was relieved when he relented, and dropped the issue. Instead, he dropped himself onto his son, and started wrestling with him all over again. The next day, things were fine between the two colts. They ran here and there, from one part of the peaceful little village, getting into mischief, as all foals did. To look at them, you couldn't even tell anything had happened between the two. Drudging through the local bogs, to play with the baby frogs, chasing the glow of fireflies at night, knocking over the occasional stand, or cart. Sure they got flack for their misadventures, but everything worked in the end. Then, the Ponyville beauty contests popping up. They weren't the high end affairs one would hear about in Canterlot or Manehattan, but rather they were local. Only Ponyville residents registered with the mayor could enter. That's when the lulls in Snips' and Snails' activity started to happen. The two colts would rarely be seen running around in their usual vigor. Snails would stay in his room more and more often, with Snips coming over every other day or so. The town ponies didn't really seem to notice. If they did, they didn't pay it mind; they just enjoyed having that less of a hassle to worry about. Of course, Sweetheart was the first to know that something was wrong with her son; her husband wasn't that far behind. Snails' parents noticed around the same time as the Jacques family, but since this is Snails' story, we're gonna say his parents noticed first. The two colts were questioned and hounded, by their parents as to what the issue was. The two knew their parents were asking about it out of concern- they would go on about how concerned they were whenever they brought the subject up again. The concerned parents soon realized that the more forceful, and incessant they got, the more the two distanced themselves from them. It all came to a halt one early Autumn day as Lumbre caught his wife knocking on his son's door, calling out to him to open up and talk about what was bothering him. “Mon Cheri,” he said softly, his deep voice accentuated with a slight French accent. “I think we've pestered them enough.” “But,” Sweetheart started. “Non,” the griffon interrupted, shaking his head. If they have gone this long, I do not believe that they will be willing to open up to us any time soon.” His wife opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off again, as he held up a single talon. “Nor, do I believe that pestering them as we have is helping anything.” “But, I worry about them,” Sweetheart pleaded. “We always tell them that they can trust us. That they can come to us about anything.” “I know,” Sweetie, Lumbre nodded, pulling his wife in for a hug. “And so do they. If they're going to trust us, we're just going to have to trust them, too. They'll tells us when they're ready.” “But what if they're being teased again,” Sweetheart pleaded. “What if somepony's been hurting them? What if-” “Honey,” Lumbre soothed. “Shh...” Snails could hear the hoof steps of his parents as they they walked off, and the sound small, almost impossible to hear sobs. The two Colts, one in his “make up”, and the other levitating a brush and comb as he he settled a wig in place on his friend's head, sat there, and looked at each other. They hated making their parents worry so much. They even tried to work up the courage to talk to them about their secrets, but their mouths ran dry every time they tried to bring it up. Try as the two colts tried, they just couldn't tell them, and the reason for that was quite simple. They were afraid. They were afraid of how their parents might react. Sure they were cool (as far as parents go), and they gave them the whole “come to use about anything, and we'll still love you” speech- numerous times. They didn't know a single filly nor colt from school who didn't have that talk with their parents; even Mrs. Cherilee told them this. Their brains told them they had good and loving parents, but something cold, and heavy clung to their hearts, and they always found themselves having having different forms of the same conversation. “Snails,” Snips started. “Snips, no,” Snails emphasized. “Dude, we can't keep this up forever, you know,” Snips pointed out as he continued to groom the hairpiece he created. “I know,” Snails responded after a pause, in a small, scared voice. “If they don't figure it out,” Snips continued, staring into the mirror as he completed his work. “They're gonna catch us. They always do, and I don't think they're gonna like it.” “I know,” Snails repeated in the same voice. But what do we do? I dunno, Snips said, but we gotta think of something. We don't wanna end up like-” Snips caught himself, and paused before continuing. “Him.” Snails knew he was talking about. He only responded with a slight nod, and two words: “Touch Down” ******* Touch Down was a a typical brown fur and maned colt who foal sat for them- the same way Princess Cadence did with Princess Twilight. He was like an older brother to them. He took them out local games, took them out for ice cream, all typical cool big bro stuff. To them, he was the epitome of cool, but he had a secret- one that he was afraid to tell anypony. It happened a good while but they could still remember the parts they saw and heard. They only saw Touch Down's dad lead him into a room, and close the door. It had been barely a minute before the entire complex shook with a mighty bellow. They could only see a visibly shaken and upset Touch Down back out of the room, cowering in front of the older, larger stallion in front of him. He looked like Touch Down, except his coat and mane sere white and black respectively. “B-but, Dad,” Touch Down stammered. “You- you said, you wouldn't get mad. You said you'd under-” “Buck that, boy,” his father shouted. “And don't you EVER call me 'Dad' again!” “But, I'm you're son,” Touch Down countered. At this, his father lowered his head so that his warped scowl of a face was practically nose to nose with him. “No you're not,” he growled. “I HAVE no son! Especially not some- some”, he spit the last two out like he'd kissed a lemon, “Colt Cuddler! Now Get out.” “B-but-” “OOOOOUUUUUT!!!” With a confused, and scared whimper, Touch Down bolted. He ran out the door, with Snips and Snails right behind him, scared of the savage beast that had taken the place of Touch Down's father- just like he was. Unlike the two colts, however, Touch down never stopped running, and was never seen nor heard from again- at least not in Ponyville. While that incident scared them, what scared them most was how Touch Down's father just went back to his normal life- as if nothing happened, as if he never even had a son, let alone kick him out on his flank. He never even spoke about him again. What scared Snails in particular was how much he and his own father acted alike. ********** “I know, Snips,” Snails said. “I know. It's just... How do I even explain something like THIS,” he pointed a hoof at his reflection, “to my dad?”