Don't Call me Cute!

by Viking Hoof

Scribble 1: Mom Has a Girlfriend Now (ver. 2.1)

"Scribble, you should of gotten these packed last night!" Mom chides. I tap my foot and sweep it along the ground. "Well, don't take too long."

I don't like packing up my bags for the school year. Not by a long shot. It's the symbolic end of Summer's last hour. The closing of schools jaws upon the neck of free time, the switch that turned off Summer's-

"Scribble!" Mom tells from the floor below. I tapped the floor twice in annoyance.

Today was my first day of the new school year. Some ponies were surprised I hated the start of school. I guess they think that ponies who skip grades have some weird obsession with school. I've skipped twice, and it's just as boring for me as it is for you. If mom hadn't made me stop, I would've tried to skip grades all the way out of high school. It would've taken a few tries, but I could've done it... eventually... probably.

On top of the new school year, I was also entering a new school while moving into a whole new town. There would be lots of unfamiliar faces everywhere I went, but that wasn't that much different from before I moved.

I know for a fact the reason we moved away from the last place is because I had failed to make any friends, which is why we moved to a small tight knit community, but I guessed that mom chose ponyville because of some mysterious 'special somepony' she had found. She never said there was a pony, much less a 'special somepony', but it was kinda obvious. She had been far too cheerful lately and far too nice. Classic signs of the syndrome known as "in a relationship."

There was also the strange increase in mail on top of her refusal to let me get it from the mailbox. This had been going on for a few months, and thus the special somepony in question had probably been mail dating her for a while. I also knew mom wouldn't move me and her to a new town based on letters, but there had been a period of interviews that never got published a while back, and I suspected that the interviewee was the new marefriend. Afterall, mom never messed up an interview.

My third piece of evidence was mom's long history of dating famous ponies she interviews. It had come to bite her in the flank before, but she wouldn't move us both for just any celebrity.

I finish with my bags and sling them onto my back. Normal Pegasi would wear them on the flanks or tie them around their barrel but- "Scribble, we're gonna be late!" Mom's voice cries out across the house. I trudge my way there silently and submit myself to her brush.

She starts brushing my hair using her hoof to guide the sof yak hair brush. Other unicorns would use their magic or a wrist strap, but my mom could use her hoof to guide the brush. My family is known for their dexterous hooves. It is how I draw. Now this isn't to say she is any good at brushing my hair. She's terrible.

A quarter of an hour later, and my scalp hurts. Mom never seemed to realize how bad she was, and after this long she was giving the Inquisition a run for their money with a naive smile on her face. Then again, that could just as easily be a trolling smile. You can never tell with mom.

The reason mom had to brush it for so long is because my my mane goes down to my hooves. I hate having a absurdly long mane. I find it a hassle, but mom says she loves it, so I keep my mane long. It would probably be faster if my dad could help, but he's dead. Mom never told me how it happened, and I never really cared. I wondered what he was like occasionally, but I only regret his death when mom is depressed. I used to dream that he could have helped her when she got depressed. Then I realized she would have much preferred a mare. Life is funny like that. My exquack worried at my lack of "no father angst," but then I told her about mom's new preferences. Needless to say that didn't help.

She has stopped brushing. My scalp throbs in relief.

"Ready dear?" She is smiling. I shake my head no. Mom said never to lie, and I'm honestly a bit nervous. "What if I got you some more sketch paper." That would be cool, but I would still be scared. I choose truth over paper and shake my head no. "What about a big hug?" I nod vigorously. That would help. Most teens would have faked throwing up, but this is the closest I could ever get to saying "I love you mom", and sometimes I just need to tell her that.

I never understood how ponies with voices took that for granted. Still, how had ponies like Snowdrop felt about seeing? At the end of the day I probably took as much for granted as the next pony.

She smiles down at me. I think she understood. She uses her magic to adjust the bags on my back. I feel a pang of jealousy, and again wish I had magic like my mom. My wings are too small to ever fly with, but I'm just a bad pegasus overall. Mom says my wings are "cute", but this is just one of the reasons I hate my first name. What pony names their child 'Cute'!? It sounds like I was bragging or being rude every time I introduced myself with my first name. That's why I go by Scribble.

"Mind if we take a small detour? There is someone I would like to introduce to you." I nod my head vigorously again. Not only would I get to meet her 'special somepony' I would get to be late to school. "Don't worry about school. I got us up early so we'll be on time." Dang it! She giggles as I stomp in frustration.

At least I won't have to get up so early tomorrow. Wait... Mom always makes breakfast, and we haven't had breakfast yet. That means we would still have to get up just as early to eat. I stomp again. My scalp hurts.

Mom shows me around the town. The streets are full of ponies of every type and color, but it still seems small. It was a sort of overgrown pseudo village/town. She talks to several of the ponies, introducing herself. They all seem fairly nice, and this makes her smile. I like it here a bit more.

We reach a big tree. There is a sign with a book hanging over the door. The tree appears to have been hollowed out into a home. Wouldn't that kill the tree? I looked up to the leaves, they appeared to be thriving and vibrant. I did not hear any musical binding, so this was unicorn magic, rather then earthpony gypsy binding. If it had been more squat I might have considered Zebrican shamanism. I am pretty certain, but magical sciences were my weakest subject.

The door is answered by a lavender unicorn, female. Her eyes were bright yet nervous, and she held a similar smile. It was just like the one mom had been wearing lately. She was probably the pony we were here to meet. Her face was unmarred by frown or glare lines, and it reinforced her friendly demeanor.

She was also the third to fourth best known mare in Equestria. A mare who would be recognized by even the most uninformed of ponies.

"Winter Radiance!" The mare exclaims.

"Twilight Sparkle!" My mom returns. They hug. Mom looks really ecstatic. It takes a second, but the purple maned mare notices me. Mom whispers something to her. She steps up to me slightly nervous.

"Hi, my name is Twilight Sparkle. Me and your mom are friends." She offers me a hoof, and I take it. She seems to be waiting for something. Ahh, she was waiting for me to talk. It looked like she knew my name, and that I couldn't speak, but perhaps didn't quite comprehend the fact I couldn't talk. The sad thing is most ponies can't. Mom looks about ready to talk for me, but I raise up a hoof to stop her.

I reach bag and bite up a card out of my bag. Sir Crisploven had suggested I prepare for situations like this. Hoofing the card over to Miss Sparkle, I let her read the card. She reads it out loud, habit probably.

"Hello, my name is Scribble. I am a mute. It is very nice to meet you." she looked startled. She looked startled at my mom as if seeking confirmation. My mom nods. I opened the pouch and showed her the set I had made. My mom seemed a bit peeved at Miss Sparkle, but the lavender unicorn smiled at me. She looked both happy and surprised. "I can see you are every bit as smart as your mom said you were." She takes a deep breath, and I smile knowing just about what she would say. "I like your mom very much and hope to get to know you as well." I called it! "Would you be okay with that?"

I nod my head without any doubts. I haven't ever seen mom so happy! Of course more of that would be okay. Even if the mare in question knew Princess Celestia personally. Mom smiles, nudges me out, whispers something to Twilight, and then we all head off to the High school.

Not every pony who skipped grades likes school, but we all love Twilight. I personally like Rainbow Dash more, but that was something else entirely. We all looked up to Twilight, the lonelier of us idolized her. She was the best of us. She was the happiest of us. Ponies like me would give up everything to be her. Though... that might be a bit awkward now that she was dating my mom.

Mom and Twilight start chatting over me. I think she is talking about her new job as we walk to the school. She works for a big national newspaper. Admittedly I thought her job was mind numbingly boring, so I kinda tuned it out. I know I shouldn't, but I do. I take the time to look around at Ponyville as we walk. It was so different from the last place we had lived. Espa had been chilly, remote, and isolated. Ponyville on the other hoof was warm, smack dab in the middle of Equestria, and connected to the national rail system. I actually preferred the cold, but I'd gladly given it up for mom. Luckily both towns were full of kind neighborly ponies, and a welcoming and thriving community.

Luckily both towns were better then Manehatten. I try not to think about life in Manehatten. I didn't like it there at all. Mom, being the wonderful mom that only she is, of course realized that quickly and we hadn't lived there long.

The high school was just over the hill. Me and mom were just on time. I could see the other students waiting at the entrance. It appeared to have three rooms and a bell tower. It was smaller then Espa's school, and that was saying something.

Ponies two years older then me, I already being rather small for my age, just lumbered over me. I hated that. Ravenhoof said hate was a bad word, and that I should love, lest some horrible twisted chaos spawn try to take me. I knew she was kidding. Maybe.

Mom nudged me past the crowd to what looked to be a teacher or another mom. She was tall, had flowers on her flank, and was a rather odd shade of pink. It was a very red shade.

"Why hello there! you must be Cute Scribble. I have heard so much about you." Ohh no! She knew my full name. She waited for a response from me, but seeing as how she already said my name so I couldn't use the card now. After looking at me for a while she looked back to my mom and asked. "So she really can't talk?"

Mom just frowned and pulled Miss Cheerilee off to the side. I only heard snippets of what was said, but my mom had had this talk with countless teachers. I had it almost memorized. Mom would say 'as I said in the application, no she really can't talk, and no it is physical not mental". Then the teacher would say 'Can't doctors fix this sort of thing easily?'. My mom would then say 'Doctors can't fix what isn't there, she was born without vocal cords. Then the teacher would say ' I'm sorry but our school just doesn't have a curriculum to deal with this, you would be wise to consider tutoring or-

Wait, Miss Cheerilee and Mom were walking back. That was quicker then usual. Short meant it was tutoring again. Mom was smiling? as was miss Cheerilee... That was new.

"Okay Miss Scribble, I think I understand your situation better now. Do you think you are ready to start?" Wait huh?! Where was the 'just deal with it' or the 'maybe you should do homeschooling'!? The teachers up to now had either had too large of classes to deal with a mute, or were unable to give a student two years younger then the rest any of the extra help.

Miss Cheerilee was just different I guess. She deserved a chance. I am ready. I nod yes.

"Great! follow me. let's go meet your new teacher." Wait... she wasn't my teacher?... Was she in charge? Why had my mother talked to her first?...

I sighed (gasp outwardly) inaudibly in frustration. Guess I will just have to find out.

Comments

[Xhoral1865]

This is really interesting. The only problems I see is lowercase letters where uppercase should be used.

Why hello there! you must be Cute Scribble.

Why hello there! You must be Cute Scribble.

[Pony of Passchendaele]

4149106
Well, that and a LOT of grammatical errors. (just noticed I am replying to a reply from like 115 days ago)
No offense to the author, but do you by any chance have an editor? Because "Should of" instead of "Should have" and "too" instead of "to" and vice versa in the first few lines kinda detracts from the story.
Need a hand?

Other than that, I like like it so far.

[Viking Hoof]

4731563 Don't know if I've replied to this before, so I shall now. If you are interested in editing this, I can dump it into a gdoc and let you go at it.