It's OK to Be a Pony

by David Silver

47 - Did You Get My Tweet?

Lyra was peacefully taking notes at her desk when a soft knocking came from her door. "Come in!" She turned to face the guest as Darrell nudged his way inside.

"Hi Lyra. I had a question for you that I couldn't sit on. Is it OK to ask now?"

Lyra looked over his concerned face and nodded. "Of course. So long as I'm in my office, I'm ready to go." She turned completely to face him. "Now what's on your mind?"

Darrell nudged the door shut behind himself with a little kick before hopping up onto the sofa and settling. "I want to know, straight up, do you think I'm a bad pony for thinking of myself as a man?"

Lyra tilted her head a little. "Bad pony? Of course not. You're kind and gentle, and all-around good. You aren't a 'man' though, or a stallion, at least physically." She reached up and tapped her head. "Maybe up here, but that's not a crime last I checked."

Darrell squirmed a little. "I got the idea you really wanted me to put that aside, and accept being a mare."

Lyra lifted her shoulders. "I thought it would make you happier, but I'm not blind. You look pretty happy whenever you let yourself be. Steven seems to really make you happy. Are you happy with him?"

Darrell hung her head. "He does, but that just gets more confusing. I wasn't, you know, gay, before."

Lyra shook her head slowly. "You're over-thinking this. It's not about 'gay' or other titles, it's about what you like, and how you feel. If you're both enjoying this relationship, everypony else can just buck off. Not that I think most of the ponies in this town will say much other than smile. They're a nice bunch around here."

Darrell shuffled a little in place. "But, I don't know. We're not even all the way like that? I mean... he doesn't seem to care what parts I have or don't have, and if I let him..."

Lyra rolled a hoof. "He'll take you as a mare."

Darrell shuddered powerfully. "I don't know if I'm ready for that, but I think he really wants it."

Lyra pointed at Darrell. "I think he really wants you. Take charge, set the limits, and trust in him to obey them. If he can't, then he's not worth hanging around, and you let him go. On the other hoof, maybe he'll surprise you, and you'll really enjoy yourself, and him, and you're just missing out."

Darrell squirmed a moment, sinking to the couch entirely. "Am I being a coward for not trying it?"

Lyra stopped herself from blurting the instinctive response. She'd been around the block. One does not become a talented transmuter without trying a gender swap on oneself at least once somewhere along the way. Sure, Bon Bon said never again afterward, but Lyra had enjoyed the moment. She softly coughed into a hoof. "I will say that, at least with Steven, I trust that he would treat you with kindness and dignity, and would do everything in his power to make your time pleasant. If you want to give him that chance, I can't see him not doing his best, and if you don't like it, at least you'll know for sure, instead of wondering about it like you are right now."

Darrell nodded slowly before he sat up. "I've found a hobby."

Lyra smiled broadly. "Oh really? Please, do tell."

Darrell went quiet a moment before slipping to her hooves and approaching a window. She pushed it open and pointed out at something.

Lyra joined her and leaned out to see. She was pointing at a bird that was tweeting away musically. "You like to watch birds?"

Darrell nodded. "I've started a journal of them, and Steven takes pictures of the particularly rare ones I find. I'm not sure what it is, but I feel like they understand me a little. Watch." She leaned out the window and waved at the red robin. "Hey, come meet my friend!"

The bird flew up to Darrell and landed on her nose. It tilted its head at her, then hopped, turned mid-air to face Lyra and looked at her.

Lyra's expression brightened. "That's fantastic! It's like Fluttershy. Can you talk with any other animal?"

Darrell shook her head carefully, lest she disturbed the bird. "Just birds. He says hello."

Lyra waved a hoof lightly. "Hello there. Oh that's quite a gift!"

"Is it really?" Darrell trembled as her flank was suddenly adorned with a mark as she realized it was a special talent. "What happened?" She turned sharply to look at it, and the robin flew off.

Lyra pointed at the cutie mark of the same robin. "That is your cutie mark. Your special skill is talking to birds. That's a very earth-pony kind of talent. I'm so proud, and amazed. How do you feel?"

Darrell smiled a little. "Well that's... kind of cool, but how do you make a living talking to birds?"

Lyra tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well you could help ponies with their pets. The princess has a phoenix, did you know that? I bet she'd pay a few bits for somepony to play translator and to make sure she was being properly cared for, and she's hardly the only one. I've seen Fluttershy organize them into songs, uh, they could deliver messages too, or you can keep birds away from things ponies don't want them around, like crops. There are tons of options."

Darrell started to look more encouraged. "Yeah, I could do that... In fact, I have another idea. I need to talk to Steven." She turned for the door and trotted up to it before looking over her shoulder at Lyra. "Thanks, Doc!"

Lyra smiled gently. "I'm not a doctor, just a friend, and I'm glad to be that. You go on and have a great day. My door's always open."

Darrell bobbed her head. "Well thank you for being a friend then. I have someon—pony to talk to." She slipped out and shut the door behind herself.

Author's Note:

Wrote it while the site was down, typos intact for your pleasure!

Comments

[dawnavis]

[SolangeEggbert]

6131195 Thunk is ideal for weighty thoughts that have a lot of impact.

[TheFablequestria]

How many chapters are you going to make!?

[Mister E]

Going to try to sort through Darrell for a moment. Okay, he sees himself as male. Not a big problem, genderswap spell. He loves Steve. Also not a problem. But he sees himself as straight. Moderate problem due to preconceptions and terminology.
Steve doesn't care either way. As I mentioned before, you love the person, not the parts. Now since they were intimate with each other when they were both male, and Darrell didn't have any problem with it, then I would say that would be the way to go. His mindset is just uncomfortable being intimate as a female. Sure, he could force himself to try it, and maybe he would like it, but that shouldn't be something he should be talked into having to do.
I think he and Fluttershy should be introduced to each other. It would be great for both of them to have somepony to talk to about their special talents.
On a semi related note concerning Steve and Darrell. Much like back in '43', it seems to me that Lyra has a wee bit more than professional interest in the more 'intimate' aspects of Darrell's life. Perhaps I am mistaken... perhaps...

[David Silver]

6134354 Would you want me to stop?

[David Silver]

6134612 He is a little confused. What he thinks of as straight and or gay is not reconciling with reality.

[TheFablequestria]

6134620 No xD but you will stop eventually. It can't go on forever.

[Mister E]

6134624 Can you imagine waking up tomorrow morning on a different planet, as a different species, AND as a different sex?
Checking my coping mechanisms... file not found. All things considered, I think Darrell is holding on pretty well. At the very least he knows he has at least one friend, and someone that loves him. That's a pretty good safety net in case he needs to go a little crazy for awhile.

[David Silver]

6134703 I'm not harshing on the guy/gal. She's trying her best, and Steven is being a good friend. I like to think Lyra is also trying.

[Mister E]

6134723 No harshness intended. Just tried putting myself in his/her hooves. I think I would have a nice total systems failure... Lyra would be like "EEENOPE!"

In regards to Fable's comment on you stopping eventually...

"Ní gá aon aird a thabhairt ar a cuid David. Scríobh do bhealach go dtí go sroicheann tú na spéire!"

[Rocky Runner]

6135207 Liking?
More like, LOVING!!!!!

[Kage no Brony]

6134703

Checking my coping mechanisms... file not found.

Checking my coping mechanisms...
>> Run KeepCalm&CarryOn.exe_
>> Run sarcasm.exe_
>> If self.PanicLevel >= 50%_
>> Run AcceptableTarget.bat | Run KillSomething.jar_
>> Else_
>> Run WhatTheFuck.bat_

[harts fire]

love the play on words for the chapter title it just fits perfectly