A Tug at the Heartstrings
Please remember, this is not based on living people. Any resemblance to any situations are coincidental.
Flute looked at the letter in his hand. He still remembered the one he had sent to his pen pal far off in Ponyville. In it, he had asked if he should tell his parents about his feelings. The pony he wrote to, Bon Bon who lives in Ponyville, had replied as such.
Of course. They are your parents after all, so they should understand and love you none-the-less.
He hard a hard time believing that, all things considered.
Flute sighed, he had told Bon Bon very little about his parental situation, which was far from great. His parents, the mayor and a business pony, were very concerned with their political image and Flute did not fit well with it. He had acted out once and received a very painful punishment. His sister and younger brother however, fit the bill perfectly. Unlike Flute, they had perfect grades and were perfect children. Flute was not treated like they were. Anyone outside the family would see he seem to stand aside, like an outcast, when with his family. Anyone one who had visited their house knew the locked door at the end of the hall, Flute's room, the only bedroom in this part of the house.
Flute took a deep breath and made his way inside to his room. Lifting up his bed, he found his stash of female clothes and hormones, which had come from him visiting a doctor while his parents had been out of town. It had taken awhile, but the doctor had confirmed his gender dysphoria. He popped his dosage and stuffed all but his favorite outfit in a suitcase before getting dressed and fixing his hair to how he preferred it. Taking a another deep breath and making his way into the living room he walked in front of his family who were all doing assorted things. Clapping his hands, he grabbed their attention and watched the shocked looks they gave him.
"What the hell is this?" His father demanded, clearly meaning his attire. While normally, ponies didn't wear clothes, Flare had chosen to wear a dress for this.
"I'm transgender, Dad," he said.
"You're what?" His father demanded again.
"Transgender. It means I have a male body but a female mind," Flute explained.
"Flute," his mother started, "Are you sure this isn't just a phase?"
"No Mom, I've felt like this for a long time," Flute said, "And my chosen name isn't Flute. It's Lyra."
"He's gay?" His sister muttered, clearly confused.
The information finally seemed too much for his mother and father. Reacting as image-obsessed political figures, meaning totally emotionless self-servant jerks, they spoke in near perfect unison.
"No. You are a young healthy boy," they said, in denial of the situation.
"And you will behave as such," his mother said before his father continued, "and you can actually leave the house once you get over this ridiculous phase."
"Its not a phase!" Lyra yelled. "I am a girl. That's how I feel and you can accept it or you can leave me alone!"
"Get out!" His father yelled.
"Fine!" Lyra stormed to her room and grabbed the suitcase. When she turned around her brother was there. "Don't go. Please."
Lyra was taken aback. She had no idea he had been paying attention. When she saw the tears she smiled and wiped them fro his face, some on her own as she spoke. "I'll write, k' bud?"
He nodded, "Will I see you again, sister?"
Lyra looked away for a second, the letter from Bon Bon catching her eye. "Sure. I'll tell you when, okay?"
"Mhm!" The little boy bobbed his head wiping away the tears as she left.
"What do you mean the train won't be passing for a few days?" Lyra asked the ticket seller.
"The tracks are messed up down near Fillydelphia," she answered. "I'm sure if you wait-"
"I can't," she muttered.
"If you just-" the seller started, her eyes a little widened.
"No! The longer I'm here the more I hate it," Lyra turned around, "Thank you," she said as she went walking alongside the tracks. If only she had waited.
Several hours later, Lyra had been walking with no breaks, food, or water. Her body was telling her to stop but she wanted to get there as soon as possible. Finally, the black crept into her vision as a train grinded to a halt and a familiar face jumped out and started to shake her.
"Lyra! Lyra!" The mare yelled as her vision went black. After what seemed like a few seconds, she opened her eyes to a hospital room and the mare next to her.
"Bon Bon?" Lyra asked only to be shocked as the mare sprung to her hooves with tears in her eyes and hugged her.
"What were you DOING?" The mare sobbed.
Lyra teared up and hugged back, "I had to leave."
"Just send a letter next time, you had me scared to death!" Bon Bon said, the fear showing in her face.
"I'm sorry," she said, looking at her friend, who's face was still mottled with tears. As she looked she noticed something in the mirror. Not only did she look like a mare, but a picture was now on her flank. Lyra realized that she had gotten her cutie mark through this and remembered something that had come to her while she had been out.
Great evil comes from the mind but the greatest acts of love come from nothing more than a tug at the heartstrings.
