Don't Call Me Adorable!

Spike just kept chatting on and on. He was like a fountain of words without a off switch. If I could have asked him to shut up I would have, but aparently he had too much soda and burped my writing cards to a crisp. This was like a nightmare, but it just wasn't scary. It was just very very annoying.

His random prattle included such topics as magic, history, Twilight, Twilight, and more a Twilight. All topics I was interested in, all of which he butchered into boredom.

I let out a audible sigh of relief as Twilight entered the room. One glance at Spike, and the dragon immediately shut up. Silence was sweet.  Twilight took one look at the breakfast Spike was cooking and looked immediately regretful.

"Sorry Spike, but yesterday was kind of a rough ride." She gave his head a tussle and then made a beeline for me. I wasn't sure what she intended to do.

I realized that, at that moment, I hardly knew Twilight. I knew most of what was important, she was loving, caring, and in love with my mom. Twilight would be good for mom, good for our family, and best of all functional. Being a princess and an Element of Harmony was just a plus, but what was she like intimately... notlikethat!

What I meant to say is, what was she like on a daily basis? Did she hug or just smile? Was she touchy feely, or perhaps my experiences these last day had been a unique experience? I knew she loved mom, and was touchy feely with her, but they were now engaged so touching was a given.

Or was it? ...

Yeah, I could safely say that mom and Twilight were very touchy in public and in private... shut up brain. Whether Twilight would continue being platonically friendly with me or become more distant with time, who knew? I wouldn't mind if such was to come to pass. This marriage was mostly about them.

I would only be here for a few years anyway.

Twilight, to my joy, leaned over and hugged me. It cheered me right up, but my more paranoid thoughts reminded me that Twilight and mom weren't married yet. I shut that part up and just hugged her. That was when I caught sight of Spike glaring at me from across the kitchen. Was he... jealous? I admit I should have seen it coming, but it honestly caught me by surprise. Mingled in my surprise was disappointment that Twilight hadn't seen this coming. Then again, she was immortal not perfect.

This was bad, real bad. I needed to act now! This is defcon one! Spike, as Twilight's son/assistant had the potential to detail the entire thing! Making sure he wouldn't resent me or mom was objective one now.

I took a deep breath and made myself calm down. The best way to invalidate Spike's jealousy was to make sure he shared in the interactions he could potentially be jealous of. In that spirit, I offered out a foreleg to Spike giving him room to join in.

He looked confused, then he was embarrassed that I had seen how he looked at me, and finally acceptance as he came in and joined the hug. Twilight was confused by Spike's joining, but her smile eventually widened. Operation preemptively end Spike's jealous sabotage, an overwhelming success.

I heard her hooves, and smiled as mom joined in our hug. This was definetly an experience that would bring Twilight and mom closer. I didn't even have to set this up. In fact, this was probably a great sign for Twilight and mom. Their relationship wasn't based on me and Spike, but it wasn't suffering with our presence either.

It was just about now that Twilight's mention of me becoming a "Princess" hit. I'm not quite sure why. At first I tried to push the thought away and focus on the experience of a family group hug. Sadly, this thought was a strong one. What did Twilight mean when she said I was going to be a Princess? She probably didn't mean I was going to be an Alicorn... did she?

Nah. She obviously meant just the title. If she'd have alicornized anyone it would be mom.

So I was going to be enobled. Did that mean I could boss servants around? Have a retinue? Own a castle?... again, nah. It would probably end up just being a stupid scroll and ring or whatever they gave nobles now a days. I could deal with that.

The hugging was ending as my thoughts came back to the present. Twilight and mom had started nuzzling. It was sweet, and cute!

Mom and Twilight ushered me and spike out of the house with little further preparation. Twilight got us some salad tacos, but we were running late so I had to hobble along on three legs while eating. I put up with it in the knowledge that one day soon I'd be flying while eating that taco. Well probably not that taco, but you get the idea.

The taco was well worth it. Conversation didn't resume till everypony had finished eating, and even then it was subdued as we tasted our own mouths.

Right as conversation started back up, we reached the school. Unlike the first time, everypony was staring at me in some shape way or fashion. Needless to say it was creepy as all get out, but arriving just as your mom kissed am Element of Harmony had to be attention grabbing.

My brain was still recovering from taco induced bliss as we crested the hill, but the stares quickly broke my trance. Seriously, it's like they never saw two mares kiss before. It started to become worrying right after mom and Twilight left me and Spike at the school with a nuzzle. Because instead of continuing to follow Twilight and mom it stayed focused right on me.

I wasn't that pretty or ugly, so it had tone about mom and Twilight, but what could prompt such blatantly impolite behavior by otherwise busy parents? It didn't strike me until the staring broke into hushed whispers, but we were in a small town. This hadn't been a problem up till now, but up till now Twilight and mom hadn't macked in public in front of a yard full of adults and their kids.

Mom had just put me up horseapple creek without a paddle. I felt a immediate urge to panic and recluse myself away from the coming homophobic reactionaries, but the imagery of my own metaphor struck me. Twilight had fixed my wings, soon I'd be able to fly to shore. Why couldn't I just focus on being me and ignore what people would say?

As long as I didn't mention my coming princessization through marriage then I would be fine, and there was no way they'd find out.

My confident stride began to crack as the whispers of scandalized parents filtered through the crowd.

"Those harlots. Lyra and Bon Bon aren't so bad, but they never were forcing their perversion on kids."

"In front of my Snails, I can't believe they would do that!"

"This town has just fallen more and more into sin. Why hasn't mayor mare done anything about it?!"

"Filthy sinners shouldn't be allowed to be near kids much less raise them. Think of wear that filly's mother' slips have been!"

Seriously, what was wrong with this town?! The past few days had been nothing but sunshine, and now this?! All it took was mom and Twilight kissing in front of them and these parents just lost their marbles!

"May Celestia bring then from darkness and end their sinful ways!" Seriously, praying? My mom's weren't some demon to be exorcised. How had Twilight lived here for so long?

"We should turn them out before Celestia discovers Twilight perversion and punishes the whole town." Tha-that mare actually believed that? I'd met Celestia, she cuddled me, she gave her blessing!

"We should save that poor filly before they corrupt her too!" That was my cue. I beat a hasty retreat to class. Slamming the door behind me I was embarrassed to find myself sharing the class with just mister Iron Bottom.

"Is something wrong Scribble?" Was it? I looked the stallion over. What if he was like the parents outside? What if he discovered that... I might like fillies too?

I... I liked other fillies... The signs were there... The people out there would hate me just because of who I loved. Because of who my mom loved. That was stupid! Mom and Twilight made each other happy, what was wrong with that? Espa hadn't been like this. The ponies there were so accepting of mom. Their foals might not have liked me, but they didn't do this! Maybe... maybe I should recluse myself now. Once the stupid parents outside tried to drive my mom out of town we couldn't live here.

All it took was just a few nuts or jerks to make any large group capable of otherwise impossible hatred. History, school, just being so different had proven that to me. I-

"Scribble!" Mister Iron Bottom was right in my face now, he didn't look angry though. He looked sad. "Scribble, I just heard what those parents outside were saying. You don't have to worry about that in here, okay?" He-he couldn't guarantee that! "Scribble! Calm down, please. You don't need to worry about that here. This room is sacred." Sacred? Those mares were attacking my mom over that stupid Celestia worship junk! "Scribble... hail Fantasi." No.

This ... Fantasi always said, but... I really wasn't crazy. All these years of never being sure, now... "Scribble, you have friends here in Ponyville, friends who now the gifts she gave you. Here you are safe..." Safe... "I assume from the way you look at Derpy that you play on your mom's team?" I-I had never heard it put that way, but I guess so. "Scribble, we will protect you. We will work to inspire as Fantasi would want. We will work to inspire understanding. Do you understand what that means?"

My mind was in a million places now. I could hardly understand the words now, much less what they meant. "Scribble... follow me."

I stared as Iron Bottom went right out the door. I knew he was trustable, but what on Equiss could he be doing?!"

"HOW DARE YOU!" He couldn't be...

"A LITTLE FILLY IS CRYING BECAUSE OF YOU." That couldn't possible work.

"But Celestia-"

"CELESTIA NOTHING!" He just signed his own- "Celestia has repeatedly told us that hatred and prejudice is wrong, don't you dare use her name like that." He said that without even flinching. "Twilight is Celestia's student, how could she not know about her preferences. Her continued love and support of her adopted daughter is a clear sign of her acceptance. THINK PONIES!" That was...

I stepped outside, and was awed by what I saw. The whole crowd was crying. I could see their guilt worn like reading a book, and I could see... blackness leaving them. I could see their emotions turning back on themselves, the hatred and fear gone. How could he?

Iron Bottom was just sitting on the porch. Like the rest he wore his emotions freely, but his was disgust and shame for the ponies in front of him. It was like he was casting a spell with his voice, spreading his emotions with pure will.

He just turned back to me and smiled, now I saw relief.

I understood now. He hadn't lied or used a red herring. He projected his emotions honestly, and with the force of will far greater than I had seen in him the first day.

He trotted over to the door, and I followed him back inside. To my shock he collapsed as if the energy had been sucked out of him.

"I think I saw understanding in you Scribble. Did you see the guilt in them?" I nodded. "Good, then Fantasi has truly accepted you as she did me. My name might be Iron Bottom, but Fantasi taught me how to be Steel when other ponies needed me to be. It's what my cutie mark means." I nodded.

"I'm too old to do that often now, it takes way too much out of me, but I knew I could teach the understanding and love Fantasi taught me to my students." Wait he didn't mean? "He, no I'm not some priest here to convert them to our cause. I'm just teaching them the values I cherish." I could respect that.

"I think you'll find that this town has many friends for you Scribble, but know that not a single one of us was ordered here. Fantasi asked us to come, and she showed us what we could do to help you and the ponies here." The ponies here too? I pointed to the door to see if he meant the ponies outside. He nodded.

"Scribble, something is corrupting this town. A month ago those ponies wouldn't give a second thought to who you loved. Fantasi is worried that something is trying to hurt you. She doesn't want another Manehatten."

I shuddered at that thought.