HYBRID

by TheHalf_and_TheHalfNot

Chapter Two: A New Family

Chapter Two
A New Family

My family is my strength
And my weakness _ Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Strawberry Bell couldn’t explain the nervous feeling that was roiling in her stomach. A thousand thoughts galloped through her head; what if they didn’t like her? What if she didn’t like them? What if they knew how thoroughly messed up she felt inside, and what if they hated her for it.

She gently raised her hoof to tap on the door, and it swung open almost immediately, revealing a cherry red earth mare with dancing brown eyes. Her butter colored mane was cut in a choppy fashion, but even so she carried an exotic beauty about her.

“M-Mrs. Sky?” Strawberry eyed the mare, who eyed her in turn, there was a certain degree of tension about her, but her eyes were kind.
“Are you Strawberry Bell?” she asked, her voice was low and muddy somehow, it was very natural sounding.

“Yes.” Strawberry nodded, a chunk of her pink mane falling in her eyes. The mare lowered her head in polite greeting.
“I’m Mythic Sparkle.” She said, smiling.
“Don’t bother with calling me Mrs. Sky.”

Mythic Sparkle backed into the house, leading Strawberry into a cozy parlor, stuffed with brightly colored baubles and plush furniture. It was all very pretty, but the colors hurt Strawberry’s eyes, and she squeezed them shut, shaking her mane in frustration.

“Come into the kitchen and meet the rest of my family.” Said Mythic Sparkle, turning around and leading her through a door with swinging hinges and into a small tiled room colored with warm browns and yellows.

An earth pony stallion sat at the table, flanked by two foals, both of them much younger than Strawberry. The stallion and the colt to the right of him (both similar shades of green) glanced up when they entered, but the other colt stayed focused on the small machine in front of him, brightening visibly when the machine began to play a song.

“Hello,” Said Strawberry, attempting to be friendly. Mythic Sparkle took her seat beside the colt with the machine, nuzzling him gently.
“Hi!” said the other colt, waving a fore-hoof, the stallion nodded. The colt with the machine didn’t pay any notice, but began giggling when the tempo picked up.

“I’m Little Star!” exclaimed the green colt, tapping his hoof on the ground beside him, encouraging Strawberry to sit down.
“I’m Strawberry Bell.” She sat down nervously beside him and her regarded her with barely concealed admiration.
“I’m Blue Harmony.” Said the stallion, then tossed his head towards the other colt, who was nestling into his mother, the machine cradled gently between his fore-hooves.
“That’s my other son, Steam Rhythm, he’s…he’s a little different.”

Strawberry watched him as he patiently tapped out a new beat on the machine, it was obvious that the colt had musical talent. The machine played the beat back to him, and he stomped his hooves with glee.

“You’ll sleep upstairs,” Said Mythic Sparkle, looking at Strawberry through her lashes.
“Your curfew is 10:00 that means lights out and eyes closed.” Strawberry swallowed thickly, and nodded.
“Dinner is at 5:00, in the meantime, why don’t you go exploring.”

Mythic Sparkle turned her head to the kitchen door, outside a lush, fenced garden grew, feeding tiny butterflies that shimmered pink and blue, beyond the fence the town nestled comfortably in the grass. Bustling with Earth ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi, all clustered in small groups amongst themselves.

Everyone knew one another.

Strawberry Bell was the outsider.

Author's Note:

I don't really know what to say about this one. It's kind of difficult to set the scene, but I hope I'm doing alright. o///o