//------------------------------// // Tears and Tiara // Story: Coming To Terms // by DerpyStarlet //------------------------------// I sit in class at the end of the week, fidgeting at the days plan. It was such a simple plan, yet we spent all week working on it. We being me and the rest of the crusaders. On Wednesday I had a real induction ceremony, but it had to be quick because Applebloom and Scootaloo had to go to Rarity and Twilight's respectively. And, when I say we spent all week working on that plan, I mean on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday me and the crusaders who weren't busy were trying to find a plan better than this simple one. It turns out there is none. It's such a simple plan, yet it's the best way to do it. All I have to do, is tell her. I just have to walk up to my mom and tell her I'm transgender. In the end it was Applebloom and her good old country simplicity that brought up this idea. So now I sit, waiting for school to get out. All the other crusaders are busy with their new apprenticeships, so I'm on my own. Which is fine, I feel much better about it now that I know I have friends that support me. I haven't told Snips yet, because I fear his judgement as well. Cheerilee has Mostly gotten over the shock of Stars revelation, but I can tell she's still torn by it. Diamond keeps on giving Star a look, but it turns haughty before I can properly read into it. Silver Spoon is growing curious of Diamonds behavior. I ignore them, I don't care about the school bullies right now. I'm having a hard enough time listening to cheerless lesson on "Bleat House". Wait, this doesn't look like... Oh, I was so lost in my thoughts I spaced out of the rest of her language lesson! She's already gone on to math! I scramble to take out the correct book for the lesson. ~~~~~~~ I leave the schoolhouse and trudge my way home. I don't get far before I'm joined by somepony I didn't really expect to want to talk to me. I'll let you guess, her name starts with a D, she's not a Pegasus, and can't use unicorn magic. There's no reason we shouldn't talk, I have nothing against her. We just... don't. Almost nopony talks to me to be honest, usually it's only if it's absolutely necessary. Like, if they need to partner with me for a group project. I look at this pony and I read a couple things. There's mirth in her eyes, but also curiosity. She shoots me a cheeky smile as she trots up before greeting me. "Hey, Snails!" She cheers. "Hey, Dinky." I answer slowly, making sure to enunciate properly. "How's it going?" Dinky asks. "Okay," I respond. I refrain from telling her all that's on my mind. "How's your magic training been going?" I ask her. "Not that Well... but, enough about that. I heard you joined the Crusaders. A little strange, because you already have your cutie mark..." Dinky says. "Their not the Cutie Mark Crusaders anymore. They're just the Crusaders, at least, until they think of something better. I don't think they will, I think they like the Crusaders a lot." I tell her. "Makes sense, they have a reputation as the Crusaders, you go and change that and ponies start to not realize what their name is. It'll just be one confusing mess." Dinky motions with her hooves. "Right." I reply. "So, what does that mean then, if They're not the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" Dinky asks. "It means... we're trying to find ourselves. And we support others as they search for the answers they need," I tell her. "Is that so...? Wait, what are you trying to find?" I freeze once I realize what she's asking. I look away as my cheeks turn red from embarrassment. "I'm Sorry, is that too personal?" She asks, I nod my head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." I sigh at her apology. "It's alright. It's just got me a little antsy is all." I tell her, I stop by my gate I just realized we'd arrived at. "This is it for me. I'll see you later Dinky." I tell her as I open the gate with my magic. "Oh, Yeah. See ya..." I can tell she's jealous of my magic, and she seems to be in thought about something. I don't even attempt to fathom what though. I've got my mind set on something else. I enter the door and I'm hit with the fragrant smell of broccoli casserole. It's my favorite dish, what's the occasion? The door slams quietly behind me. "Snails? Is that you?" I hear my mom call. "Yeah mom, it's me." I wander into the kitchen and look at the set table. Set for two, just like always. My stomach rumbles quietly against my will, she hears it. "Well, you're just in time for dinner!" She cheers, I smile back awkwardly. "Now go wash your hooves," she shoos me away. I stumble into the bathroom and try to steel my nerves. My stomach churns from hunger and nerves while my mouth goes dry. I hobble back to the table and fumble with my glass as I attempt to wet my parched throat. I serve myself a nice pile of casserole. Scooping up a fork full of the dish I place it into my mouth. It tastes terrible. It must be rotten, because this is my favorite dish. I glance over to my mother and she's chewing away happily. I swallow the bite, it takes my sheer power of will not to let it come back up. The taste burns in my mouth, leaving a dry and acidic aftertaste. Each bite is the same, and after three more bites I stop. The casserole hasn't gone bad, I have. I just nudge the casserole absently as I try to gather up the courage to speak up. My mother is telling me about her day. "... there is no occasion, I just thought you'd... like... is something wrong?" She finally asks, noticing my reserved demeanor. I try to think up a clever lie, but my mouth is faster than my brain for once. "I'm not a colt!" I exclaim. Time seems to slow as I spurt the words, I drop my fork. The few bites I'd taken burns in my stomach, making me the slightest bit thankful I hadn't eaten more. My mouth tastes like topsoil as all the moisture leaves my mouth and I'm left with a dry feeling. I gulp as my insides churn with anxiety. "What was that? I must've misheard you, because it sounded almost like you'd said you're not a colt." My mother laughs nervously, I stare back blankly. "I... I did." I stutter out, her nervous smile drops into a scowl. "So, then... what are you?" Her voice is steady, challenging almost. But it's her eyes that catch me, the normally caring eyes have been replaced with cold fury. Accusing, cold eyes. I shudder, but my mouth is moving on a mind of it's on. "A... a filly." I can tell it's the wrong answer before I say it. Her eyes drop out of my sight as I look down, cutting off my ability to see her emotions. She's making slow and concise breaths, dragging out the encounter. She doesn't look up as she mumbles something. "What?" I ask. "Get out." She almost whispers it, but the wind carries the cold demand. "What?" I asking again, this time in fear. She looks up and all that calm rage is back. She grits her teeth and rises to her hooves as her magic flares. "Get out." She commands. I get out of my seat and back away slowly, my brain spinning to understand this turn of events. This isn't how it's supposed to go. She's supposed to accept me, there's supposed to be a happy ending. And that's when I saw the silverware drawer fly through the air. ~~~~~~~ I wander through the streets with a sigh, I'm bored out of my mind. I don't know what I expected to find outside when my mansion obviously has anything better than what I would find out here. And yet, not a single one to entertain me. Something needs to happen. My prayer is answered as a spoon hits a gate next to me, followed by a colt and then a fork. I blink as the door to the house the colt came from shuts and the colt leans against a nearby wall, breathing heavily. He's got various cuts and bruises along his body, but that's not what catches my eye. He's crying. Now, normally I would just ignore him, but it's obvious this was spurred on by something much more personal. I recognize the colt, and his house. This is Snails, and he was just run out of his house. I look to the door in shock, and then disgust. I block a lock of hair out of my face and turn away from the house. Snails hasn't noticed me yet, so I make my presence known. "Hey, idiot!" He looks up at me and I stride towards him. "M-me?" He asks, trembling. "Yeah you. Who else? Honestly, everypony in this town is mentally challenged..." I mutter the last bit to myself. "The Buck did you do, get in a fight with a manticore? I thought you learned your lesson after the Ursa," I sneer. "N-no... I..." he stammers, before trailing off. "Well? You..." I ask impatiently. "I told my mom, and she ran me out?" He replies. "Told her what? The size of your brain? I'm impressed, I didn't think you could measure that small." I sneer, he recoils. "I told her that I'm like Star, I'm not a colt..." he breaks out into sobs, I just scoff at the display. I turn towards the house and narrow my eyes. "Is that so..." I say with gritted teeth. I turn back to the blubbering mass in front of me and sigh. "Get up you crybaby. This behavior is unbecoming of a filly, you wanna spoil our name?" I scowl at him, he stops crying and looks up at me. "You mean, you accept me as a filly?" He asks. "I don't decide who you are, you do. Now hurry up, it's getting dark." I tell him, tapping my hoof. He scrambles to his hooves and winces, favoring his right hoof. "Are we gonna have to get you to a nurse, wimp? Or can you stop being a weakling long enough to get to where we're going?" I ask him, irritation obvious. "H-hold up..." he stutters, before flaring his horn. The glow engulfs his hoof, and when it disappears his hoof is covered in shiny slime. "Eww... what is that gunk?" I ask in disgust. "I don't have a name for it," he says sheepishly. He starts to cover his wounds in it, slowly both the slime and the wound disappear. I cover my nose as the smell gets to me, it's not too terrible, but it's definitely unpleasant. I touch where one of the cuts used to be and my eyes open in shock. His coat is smooth and soft where the slime was, smoother and softer than anything I'd ever felt before. "This stuff is amazing, if only it didn't smell like swamp," I cringe at the smell, but I give an approving nod. Snails finishes up and double checks himself, he still has a limp, but he looks like he's in a lot less pain. "I'm good," he declares. "Finally, you really are slow. Come on, stickhead." He flinches at the clear slur and I smirk. He keeps up rather well, but I do have to give him some motivation if he starts to lag. Eventually, we arrive at my destination, home. My mansion is a place few ponies have the privilege of entering. Daddies business partners enter frequently, though it's usually when I'm at school. He thinks I don't know, but I do. I don't know why he distances me from the family business, I just want to help. Anyways, there's Also the staff. Various maids and Butler's to service our needs, and occasionally I'll invite Silver Spoon over. Of course I enter my own home, but point else really comes over. This, however is an exception. Snails must have noticed our direction, because he suddenly looks nervous. "Are we going in there?" He asks. "Duh," I answer simply. He stops and I sigh. "Don't be such a wuss. It's not like it's haunted... or is it?" I tap my hoof in thought. Now that I think about it, some of the servants mention odd happenings quite frequently. "Whatever, come on," I grumble. "H-haunted?" He follows very reluctantly. I snicker at the reaction, maybe I can have some fun later with this haunted thing. For right now though, no funny business. I've got a clear goal, and I need to take care of this lout first. I lead him down a couple halls and into one of the guest rooms. It might seem rather lavish to common folk, but it's easily the worst room in the house. Well, aside from a broom closet maybe. The servants quarters aren't any better, but they aren't any worse. "Here you go, don't wander, don't touch anything that looks expensive... actually, that's everything, Okay, don't touch anything outside of this room. Don't run, don't make a mess, don't break anything, and most importantly... don't bother me. Do these things and you'll do just fine." I tell him. Or rather, her, if she's like Star. "Wait, you're letting me stay here?" She asks in confusion. "You really are daft, aren't you? Duh, you nitwit." I tell her. "It's just... why?" She asks questioningly. "Do you want to sleep on the streets? I don't need to explain myself. Now are you done wasting my precious time?" I ask, tapping a hoof impatiently. She nods enthusiastically, I nod once to portray understanding. "Good, see you later loser. I've got better things to do than baby you. If you need anything, don't even try and bother me, go harass the staff instead." I shut the door on my way out and head back the way I came. I shiver as I notice it's getting cold out here, at least that idiots inside now. I trudge my way back to Snails house, I have some things to say to a certain unicorn mare. I approach Snails house and I knock on the door, dropping all pretense of politeness. The door opens and before the mare can say a word I step in. "Wha- what are you doing!?" She asks. "Coming in you simple minded numbskull. What does it look like?" I sit in the center of the room and fix her with a stare. "What's your problem lady?" I ask her. "Excuse me?! You're the one who comes barging in her-" I interrupt her. "Yeah, no, I was here for that. You don't have to explain that to me. Besides, this isn't about me, this is about you. So, you might want to rethink your answer." I tell her icily. "Am I being interrogated? This is my home! You can't just come in here and start harassing me!" She yells. "Strange, because it seems I already have... now, answer the bucking question." I spit. "You little brat! Get out!" She yells. "How about... no." she steps toward me and I hold up a hoof. "You lay a hoof on me and your life will be a living Tartarus." I warn her, she hesitates. "You're on my property." She hisses. I tap my chin and look out the window. "Hmm... I think not. You see, you rent. I recognize this as Rich property, meaning it's my father's property. Go ahead and touch me, I'd love to see my daddy break you." I smirk triumphantly, she pales at my words. "What do you want?" She growls. "I want you to answer my questions. What's your problem?" I ask her. "I don't even know what you're talking about!" She screams exasperated before turning away, she moves to another room and I follow. She doesn't even attempt to stop me. She's packing suitcases. "You're packing?" I ask her. "Yeah, your daddy will have his land back soon enough." She spits. "So that's how you deal with your problems? You run away? Your even more of a coward than your husband." She stops at this to shoot me a hate filled glare. "Shut up." She spits. "What? You think no one knows about what happened? About the father that killed himself? What was it again? Overdose?" I say inquisitively. "I said shut up!" She screams, slamming a hoof onto the wooden floor. "He gets rid of his problems, you're just running from it. Except, that won't really work. How can you run away from the problem when you are the problem? Maybe you should kill yourself too, do the whole world a favor. Just like your husband," I mock, she spins on me. "How dare you! What right do you have to come into my home and slander the name of a dead pony?!" She screeches. "How dare I? How dare you! What right do you have to chase your own colt out into the cold?" I seethe. "Colt, I don't have a colt. Not anymore." She spits acidly before turning back to her luggage. "So that's it then, you're just going to leave her for dead?" I ask in disgust. "I've only got to worry about me. There's nothing left for me here." She says, shooting me a hateful glare. "You're pathetic, you know that? I knew you must be pretty dumb with that magical tumor sticking out of your head, but cowardly too? I'll be sure to look for your obituary, it's sure to pop up in the next day or so. You think they'll process you at the same manure factory as your husband? That would be touching, wouldn't it?" I sneer, that must've been the last straw. She snaps her head to my direction and let's out a primal screech. She launches herself at me. I wait until the last second to step to the side, I lift my hoof out and catch her hoof as she lands. She tumbles and I giggle. "Oops, better watch your step. I know I have to be more careful, I already touched something unpleasant. Someone should really take care of this filth." I jeer, she groans. "You little-!" I cut her off. "Oh, daddy, there you are!" I fake, her head darts up in fear. I snicker. "Wow, you are so dumb. Whatever, go ahead and leave. I know I'll be glad I don't have to see that horrendous face again. Too bad that also means you won't be graced with my presence." I pose. "That would be a tragedy." She growls through grit teeth. "Wouldn't it? I'm sure you'll learn to cope. So long, stickhead." I make an act of knocking her suitcases onto the floor before I leave. I also make sure to slam the door on my way out. Scootaloo is staring at me, wide eyed from underneath a tree near the house. "What do you want, blank flank? An autograph?" After getting no answer I just turn away haughtily. I'm halfway home before I realize something, Scootaloo was inside the gate. What was Scootaloo doing at Snails house?