> Choose another language. > by Solar Caesar > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > So, what did you do at school today? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "What's wrong?" Sweetie Belle looked into her mothers eyes as she took another bite of her spaghetti. "Nothing." She answered with a mouthful of sauce. "Come on pumpkin, I know something's bothering you." her mother told her "What happened at school today?" "I don't want to talk about it." she said again. "Why not sister?" asked her big sister Rarity. "I'm sorry for pestering you dear, but it must be important." "I just....I don't want to discuss it." "Sweetie Belle, I am your mother. You can tell me anything." Sweetie Belle remained silent. "Darling, please.." urged her mother. Sweetie Belle had to tell someone. She can't hold it in forever. "For school we have to learn a new language, and when I told Miss Cheerilee what language I wanted to learn, she told me to learn a different language." Sweetie Belle told her mother. "And when I complained, she pulled me from the the project completely." "WHAT?" yelled her mother "The nerve of that mare! Just because you stood up for yourself, doesn't mean she can separate you from the activity!" "No, she got-" "What if I told her I don't like her because of what she likes?" "Mom." "No child of MINE is going to be told off by her teacher!" "Mom." "She has no right to- "MOM!" Sweetie Belle screamed. It lifted Rarity an inch off of her seat. She wanted to stay out of the conversation. "Uh, yes?" her mother hesitantly asked. "She got mad because of the language I chose." "She... what? What language did you choose?" "Um...." "Why, why are you hiding it from me? A language isn't foreign once you learn it." asked her mother. She had to know. Here comes the hurricane- "I told her... I want to speak Changeling." ....... *thud* Sweetie Belle's mother fainted. *thud* And so did Rarity. Now she listened. They fainted again, Sweetie Belle thought. That seems to happen a lot during these family meetings. > Therapy? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Mom, are you okay?" Sweetie Belle asked as she tried to revive her mother. Her mothers eyes shot open. "Mom! Thank Celestia your'e awake!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. Hopefully her mother forgot what the conversation was about. "Yes," said her mother "I am glad to be awake." Phew! Sweetie Belle thought Dodged a bullet there. "So I can sign you up for Therapy sooner!!!" Bullet not dodged. Bullet taken right in the face. "Why on earth would you want to learn Changeling?!?!" her mother screamed. "Because-" Sweetie Belle started. "Of all the languages in the world, you chose Changeling?" her mother continued. "I just-" Sweetie tried to enter the conversation. "Do you even know how those Ruffians live?" "MOM!" now it was Sweetie Belle's turn to scream. And it shut her mother right up. "Someone told me... that we respect all species. No matter what their religion, coat colour, or history." "What?" asked her mother "Who put those ridiculous ideas in your head?" "You and Dad." "Oh." "It's not like I'm turning Changeling, right?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Listen, honey. I just don't want you to be associated with those Changeling's. They just have too much of a dark history. How about Japanese? Or Russian? Or how about French?" her mother persuaded. "Okay, Okay." Sweetie Belle agreed. "Good girl." said her mother. "Now what else happened at school today?" > Thinking is Hard. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sweetie Belle didn't care about what her mother thought. Even though she said she would choose another language, she still remained faithful with her choice to learn Changeling. It appalled her. It wasn't like she was hurting anyone. Was she? The Canterlot invasion left a lot of hate from Equestrians. They wanted to have no association with Changelings whatsoever. But what about free will? What about choosing what you want to do? I guess you don't get free will until your'e 18, Sweetie Belle thought to herself as she lay in bed. Now, she had to learn two languages- Changeling and French. Well, I guess I can pull it off, Sweetie Belle said as she closed her eyes. ... Wait. Yes. Yes I can! she thought as she swung her back hooves over the bed. She walked over to her desk and pulled her drawer open. Inside she pulled out a book. A book titled, The Webster's Guide of Languages. 8 Hours Later "Sweetie Belle..." Just a few more minutes ma. "Sweetie?" Please, mom. Wake me up in five minutes. "Sweetie Belle!" Sweetie's eyes shot open. "I see you were practicing your languages!" her mother said. "Y-yeah. Yeah mom. Yeah, I was practicing my languages." Sweetie covered up. "You seem very tired Sweetie. How late were you up last night?" asked her mother. "I-I don't remember." Sweetie groggily answered. "Hmm... go take a cold shower. That'll probably wake you up. Then get ready for school." her mother ordered. "Kay." 30 Minutes Later As she dried herself with the towel, Sweetie Belle thought about how Changelings live. They had to have some civilization, right? Right. Right? Sweetie Belle had no idea. Pretty much nopony did. If someone probably infiltrated the Changeling hive, they could know a lot more than already did. As she got dressed, she wondered how complex their language was. Is it difficult to learn? How about their number system? What about their technology? Are their researchers smart? Philosophy? There was one Philosopher from the Changeling Kingdoms. Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche. While he died over a century ago, Princess Twilight Sparkle mentioned him and many other Philosophers in her book, The Love Of Wisdom. Sweetie Belle read her book. And she enjoyed Friedrich's part the most. While John Locke, Alan Turing, and Julien Offray de la Mettrie were all interesting,she felt more interested in Friedrich's Philosophy. Why? One quote. "If you gaze long enough into the abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you." he had said. While she had no clue what the heck that meant, she still felt moved. She thought of that quote whenever she felt sad. Or just needed some wisdom. But hey, what can you do? People either change or they don't. Life sometimes just... just... sucks.