Chapters Hi, i’m Platen Rhyme! Well, thats my original characters name anyway. My real name isnt of any significance to what goes on in life and all my friends online call me Platen, so it kinda stuck. I’m a junior at my local high school but unlike the other kids, i’m into something a little different than all the other males there. I’m a brony. I know, I know it’s a bit strange that a guy would be into My Little Pony, a show meant for young girls. But i don’t think any of the other kids gave it a chance. A lot of kids also ask why I watch such a girly show and I always tell them
“A show gave me a smile when I needed it the most, is it really so bad that for once I was happy?”
Most kids just laugh at me and leave, but I don’t need them. All they do is bring me down and I could care less of what they think of me. My friends online, my family, and the adorable techni-color ponies on tv are all I need to keep a smile sprouted across my face.
Each day after school I throw my back pack on my bed and hop onto my computer, after my homework of course. I had a twitter account under my original characters name. I used the account to meet other bronies around the world, a place full of people I could communicate with without being harassed or laughed at, almost like a second home. And to let you know, an original character, OC for short, is a custom pony I created myself and named. Your OC can be anything you want them to be. A DJ, a musician, a writer, or even a master in martial arts! The possibilities are endless.
But that wasn't the only part I played in the fandom. Just like my OC, I too am a writer. I write fanfics for others to read. I create stories that arent on tv. Stories that aren’t limited because of age restrictions like the real show. Once I would start typing I couldn’t stop. Some times I would even be up until I had to leave for school because of the amount of ideas that flow through your head as you open multiple paths with each paragraph.
I’m always experimenting with different scenarios and different ponies, seeing which fit and which don’t. It’s the feedback you get from the readers that improves your skills and the feedback that inspires you to do better.
I love the fandom. I really do. And just like every group of people there are some bad apples but no matter which group of people you are a part of you’ll encounter them. It’s just how some people are, don’t judge us all for a few of them. I only wish I could open other people eyes to who I really am, not as a brony but as a person. No matter how old I am i’ll still be a brony, but no matter what, people can’t change. I’ve come to accept that, as harsh and cruel as they may treat us, I will never change.
I woke up around 6 am. The sunlight was perched on my bed, just begging me to get up. I usually didn’t wake up until noon on Saturdays but I felt I should go to bed earlier the night prior, seeing how much i’ve been staying up. I crawled out of bed and stumbled tiredly out to the kitchen, poured myself a glass of milk and walked back to my room. I sat down at my desk and took a few drinks as I waited for my emails to load. I saw I had a few new emails, nothing special. Probably just some spam from my League of Legends newsletter. Well, I was 66 percent right. The bottom two were from LoL but the top one read FimFiction. Could this be it?
I took another drink from my glass as the window loaded. To my surprise it had passed moderation. I almost spit milk all over my laptop! I knew it wasn’t a big deal, but when you publish your first story written by YOU, you feel happy. The kind of happy that makes you wanna jump up and dance, not giving a hoot for anything in the world. I set my glass down and gave my self a small fist pump of success.Now all I had to do was enjoy the rest of my day. Periodically checking my story via my phone of course.
The day went by like any ordinary day. I went out to lunch with a few friends, came home and played some video games, checked my story every 30 minutes or so, and ate my supper. After supper I lied in my bed just exploring through the apps on my phone. I realized I hadn’t checked my story in about an hour now, so I gave it one last check before I passed out. My story had fifteen views and one like. Not to bad, for my first. I passed out, phone in my hand, story on my mind.
Sunday morning came, it was still early, and I was still asleep. My little brother came in my room and nudged me awake. He asked if I would like to watch My Little Pony with him, seeing how my brotherly influence kinda got him into the show. So I sat up, threw on a shirt and some shorts, lazily made my way to the living room. As we watched Rainbow Dash make the skies of Equestria erupt in a shock wave of colors, I got an email notification on my phone. Again, it was labeled FimFiction, so I took a look. It was another writer, and by the looks of it his stories were pretty successful.
“Dear Platen,
I read your newest story, and I couldn’t help but congratulate you on how well your first story is doing! I’m sure in the longrun you’ll have more followers of other ponies who love your stories, myself being one of them. Keep up the good work!”
I don’t know why that letter touched me like it did, but it made me happy. I felt more confident than I ever was before. Who knew a few simple words can make a persons day? So I decided to check my story once more. 156 views and five likes. I couldn’t help but get overly excited, I mean, over night my story grew many more readers, and not a single one didn’t like it. Somepony commented on it giving me a congratulations and a few spelling checks, but overall it was a positive note.
By now, I had a thought in my head. It was a weird thought, but it was a good thought. One that made me want to write more. More detailed and in depth stories for the enjoyment of everypony. My thought was, what if FanFic writing is my spot in the fandom? What if its where I fit in the world? I liked the thought of it. And I liked every feature that came with it. I get to meet new friends, also writers like me. But mainly, it’ll connect me with a hobby. One I love and one that I could continue for as long as I can type.
Who knew that even during an event where life stares you in the face, happiness can overwhelm you? I just wish it could’ve been a little less, painful.
The day started off just like any other day. Crawled out of bed, watched some ponies, ate some breakfast and got ready for work. I grabbed my car keys and headed out the door, shielding my eyes from the bright sun. I couldn’t just look down because the sidewalk was just reflecting the bright rays. I couldn’t help but complain because I knew the black leather in my car would burn my skin. But that's what you deal with living in a desert.
I was about a mile down the street from my work. I was sitting at a red light which seemed to last forever. With my luck, the light changed when I wasn’t paying attention, but ill tell you that I was at full attention when the semi behind me blew his horn. Don’t think i’ve ever hit the throttle that hard. I was so focused on getting out of the trucks way that I wasn’t paying attention to the traffic around me. A mistake i’ll never make again.
As my car pulled into the intersection another car horn went off, but this time it wasn’t behind me. It was coming towards me, towards my driver side door to be exact. There wasn’t even enough time to react, only to brace. Not even enough time to save my Rainbow Dash plushie I keep on my dash. Heh, ironic. Dash on the dash.
My vision went black, my body numbed, and I thought to myself that this was it. But I was wrong. I was close, but I was wrong. My hearing slowly came back and all I could hear were sirens and the sound of bending metal. I tried my hardest to move, but it was hopeless. My mind was running but something wasn’t right. I could think and hear, but nothing would function. Even if I didn’t die, I thought for sure i’d be a vegetable.
My mind started to black out again. The sirens and the bending metal slowly dissipated. All there was left was silence.
I wiped the crumbs from the corners of my mouth and smiled, I don’t recall ever having a cupcake that amazing. Pinkie Pie bounced over towards my table,
“Wowie Zowie! You ate that lickety split! Want another? I have a whole new batch!”
She pulled a whole tray of cupcakes out from behind her back, I had no clue as to how she hid them like that but I just giggled it off.
“No thank you Pinkie, I gotta get going. Those books aren’t gonna organize themselves.”
Yeah I said it, books. I’m not much of a book guy myself but Twilight needed someone to organize them while she was away at one of her important princessy meeting things. It wasn’t much of my business, so I didn’t ask. I grabbed the spare key she kept under the mat, not a place I would’ve put it, but it ain’t my house. I twisted the keys and pushed the door with my hoof. The place was spotless, and every book seemed to be in place, so I just wandered a bit to seem like I was doing something. I was wondering why Twilight asked me here in the first place.
A few hours went by and the front door creaked open, along with the sound of Spike complaining.
“Do I really have to Twilight?”
He said with a whinny tone.
“Yes, and you don’t get dessert until you do.”
Twilight replied. Spike sighed and went up the stairs. I peered over to Twilight and gave her a questioned look.
‘Don’t mind him, he’s just upset because we didn’t stop at Donut Joe’s on the way home.”
Twilight said as she approached me. She scanned the room and her bookshelves in particular.
‘Well it looks nice in here.”
She said with a smile. I just smiled, knowing I had done absolutely nothing. She looked back at me.
“Too bad you didn’t really do anything. Nothing needed to be done actually.”
I looked at her with an even more questioned look.
“Umm, then why did you ask me to organize them while you were away?”
She sat in front of me and looked into my eyes.
“Because I need to tell you that you need to wake up.”
Twilight said. I just looked at her confused.
“What do you mean?”
I said, thinking she was playing a joke on me.
“Platen, you need to wake up.”
My vision started to get hazy, I looked down at my hooves as the slowly particalized into the air. I looked back up at Twilight in fear of what was happening, but she was completely gone. All that remained, was darkness.
But, I wasn’t always a brony. Before I came across MLP I was like any other kid. I played video games, played outside, everything and nothing out of the usual. But unlike every other kid, my childhood wasn’t an easy one. Ever since kindergarten I was picked on and teased. My parents told me it would fade, but as the years progressed it all just became worse. Names turned into shoves and pokes turned into punches. No matter which school I went to, the bullying followed. I wasn’t shooting to be popular, I just wanted to be left alone, treated normally, like a human.
Year by year it kept happening. I’d switch schools but the kids wouldn’t change. My parents would inform the school of my problem and they assured my parents that they’d take care of it. Of course, could’ve guessed, nothing changed. Seeing as to how there were no more options I decided I had to deal with being a pin cushion for the sharp insults kids pushed into me. Hell, even the sharp objects kids pushed into me.
It wasn’t until mid-way through my eight grade year that I decide enough was enough. During my gym class one of my bullies pushed my down. I stood up and told him,
“If you want to fight me then lets go, i’m tired of your shit!”
The kid let out a small laugh as if he thought I was joking. I don’t think ive been any more serious in my life. He took of his watch and approached me. I stood my ground until he shoved me again. I didn’t react to it but kept my ground. I didn’t want to be the one who starts the fight. But if I have to finish it I will. He took a swing and hit my jaw. I stumbled a bit but shook it off. All the anger I had bottled up over the years finally broke through and needless to say, he wasn’t very victorious.
After that the bullying significantly dropped, I mean it didnt come to a stop but I could deal with it now. A huge weight had finally lifted off my shoulders.
About a year after that I discovered My Little Pony. I didn’t become attached to it then but it implanted itself in my mind. It wasn’t until later in my Sophomore year in high school that I decided to give MLP a shot, and boy did become a huge part of the life I live today.
My new life as a brony started slow. I didn’t really show myself as a pony lover during the first few months. But as I grew deeper into the fandom I met more and more people who were actually nice to me for a change! Actually meeting people that didn’t insult me for once put a smile on my face. A smile I hadn't seen in a decade.
“Outside the air is cold, the wind is howling through the sharp branches. The sky is dark and the roots of the tall trees cover the ground. Howls of an unknown beast can be heard echoing and weaving through the trees. There come a rustling in the brush, silence blankets the forest as all the animals and beasts fall silent. The silence is lifted when Zecora, a very unique zebra, comes walking through the brush. Slung over her body is a brown leather satchel, with only the top of a phile peeking out from the mouth of the bag.”
It was the start of my first fanfic, and boy was I excited. At the time, I was a HUGE Zecora fan. I loved how she spoke and how she was mysterious. This weird love for a fictional character helped me stride to finish the story, if I hadnt finished it, I would've never continued being the fanfic writer I was going to be.
I was typing until I couldn’t feel my fingers. Then I even typed some more. I couldn’t stop the flow of my thoughts onto the screen. The image in my head of the scenario was making me cry a bit. I never though authors could cry from their own writing. But it gave me a feeling that it would turn out better than my initial thought. I may have seemed confident on the outside, but on the inside I was a nervous wreck. How would they respond? Would they like it? What if they hate it? I was over thinking things, but in the end all that stress just evaporated into relief. All that time typing, worth it.
The time came, I sat there with my finger over the mouse button, cursor over the submit button. I was a bit nervous, but I knew that even negative feedback could effect me in a positive way. I took a deep breathe and clicked submit. Now all I had to do was wait for approval.
