A Love Like No Other.
Foals… Often seem to be innocent, only interested in play and fun. But in reality they are quite evil, if you’re different that is.
Growing up I was never good at anything, whatever I tried to do, failed. And the other foals spared at nothing to remind me of it, everyday. My eyes did not make it any better, they gave me a hard time to focus on objects. Making me very clumsy in sports or anything requiring coordination. No one wanted me on their team, even though I was more than willing to join in. I spent a lot of my time alone, watching the other foals play with each other. Sometimes a little gang of foals would come over to me and tease me for being who I am, tease me for my lazy eyes. I never understood why they did it, maybe to feel better about themselves?
I eventually stopped trying to join sports, what was the point? No one wanted me there anyway. After many attempts at sports, I eventually just got the name of Derpy, as I was a klutz. I didn’t like it. Why would they not call me by the name my mother gave me? Was it so hard to remember? After a while I began to sit in solitude, away from the other foals. I thought by doing so, they would stop teasing me. But it only made them more aggressive, some even started to throw rocks at me. Could they not see how much it hurt? Or was it just that they didn’t care?
After a while, I stopped going to school at all, it was clear that I was not wanted there. After many concerning talks with my mother, I eventually told her what had been happening at my school. She became furious, storming out of the house at great speed. I didn’t understand why, she had done nothing wrong to me. Why would she then, leave me alone? I eventually understood why, she went to quit her job and to sign me out of the school, so she could become my teacher at home. It made me truly happy that I would not need to go back to that school again.
In my teen years, I eventually got my cutiemark. I didn’t really understand it though, what kind of talent are bubbles supposed to be? I paid no mind to it at the start, I was supposed to start at a pegasi high school. Not knowing what to expect from the mares and colts there, I was extremely nervous. But they seemed more accepting here, no one teased me, or threw rocks at me. I still sat alone, even though they didn't tease me. They wanted nothing to do with me, that much was clear. Some of the colts seemed to want to get in contact with me, but I was so afraid of getting hurt that I ended up shoving them away in a rude manner. Eventually I gave up, it seemed like I was not capable of starting a friendship with anyone.
I tried through my high school years to figure out what my cutie mark meant, but nothing I tried seemed to fit. If it was my talent, then I shouldn't be able to klutz it up. I eventually decided to leave it be, the mark on my flank was apparently useless, much like me. A few years after I graduated, my mother died, leaving me with a house in Ponyville. I knew she was getting old, but I hoped I would have her company for many more years. Instead she left me too early, and once again alone. My father didn't want anything to do with me, in his eyes I was a thing unworthy of life.
After many months of sitting alone in my mother's old house, I got a visit from an old “friend”. It was one of the foals who had teased me at my old school, of course I was naturally skeptical to his visit. But I decided to try to make friends with him, as it did turn out that he was here to apologize to me for the way he behaved when he was a foal. I eventually started to like this young colt, he had turned out quite handsome. With a long light brown mane, deep emerald green eyes, and a snow white coat of fur. It did feel sort of good that he had come to apologize to me, making me see him in a very different light.
We decided to go out to get something to eat, Sugarcube Corner did serve some delicious meals. Outside it smelled of spring, it had just rained. So there were small puddles of water lying on the ground everywhere. The sun shone bright in the sky, giving off a colorful mirage from the puddles and droplets that were hanging from the plants. The smell that laid in the air, did undeniably remind me of spring. It smelled fresh, and somehow clean. As we were nearing Sugarcube Corner, we talked more and more intensely. This young colt had truly changed since he was a foal. For some reason I felt like I could trust him, even though I just now saw the real him.
I managed to slip into a puddle on our way there, I quickly got up and looked around. Some ponies just smiled at me, others ignored it. I felt horrible, once again I managed to screw things up. But my newly gained friend didn’t seem to mind it at all, he let go of a little chuckle and smiled at me. It was something different though, his smile was of care, not of humor. It was the first time I had seen someone smile towards me, instead of at me due to something I had done. As we sat down at Sugarcube Corner, he started to tell me of his life. It turns out that he had been trying to find me for quite some time now, after he decided to make amends with the past. We chatted for a long time, until we realized the day was turning into night. I guess time flies by when you’re in company you enjoy.
He paid our bill, and we headed home to my place. The night was beautiful, crickets sang in the tall grass. The stars shined brightly, giving off a vague green glow on everything. Fireflies sprung up from around the ponds, dancing over the small layer of fog that had started to settle down. This day had been great, and the evening had become magical.
He stayed with me for about a week, although he asked me every night if it was okay that he stayed one more day. The week he stayed with me was one of the happiest times of my life, I felt appreciated again. And for the first time in many years, I smiled because I was happy, not because I had to. The week was confined to lazy days in bed, or just sitting around on my porch. We would take the occasional stroll down to Sugarcube Corner and grab a bite to eat. He had to leave eventually though, he said he had some more business to take care of further north. Standing in the hallway saying goodbye, he said he was sorry for not being able to stay longer. But maybe one day he would come back again, after everything had settled in his life.
I watched him leave into the gleaming orange sunset, I could not help but to feel a tear pressing. Once again I was alone, once again I felt helpless. The week with him helped me to get over the death of my mother, and start working again. Ponyville let me handle their mail, for some reason I was good at it. Even though I screwed up a lot on my route, I never delivered a letter wrong. But I could not really figure out what bubbles had to do with being a mailpony. It was not before a couple of weeks had passed that I realized that my visitor had left me with an extra gift. The realization turned my world around, how could this happen? And should I try to contact him? But my worst fear was how would somepony like me, one thats never done anything right in her whole life. How Could I become a good mother?
As some time passed, you came into this world. As healthy as any filly should be, I was glad...that you had not inherited my lazy eyes. So you, unlike me could have a good start at life. As time went by, I became more and more confident in my abilities as a mother. I messed up sometimes, but you didn’t seem to mind. Maybe you had gotten your fathers temper, kind and generous. Every time you smiled at me, I felt a warm sensation in my heart. Maybe I for once had done something right?
Years have gone by, and as I stand here watching you play in the spring grass. I know that I have finally done something right. You have gotten a fine start at your life, you’ve gotten friends. You do well at school, you're not clumsy like I am. You have become my blessing in life, a truly wonderful gift. The smile on your face is worth all the hardship in the world, I would do anything to see that smile every day. Even as I come to pick you up from school, you show no shame. Shame of having somepony like me as your mother, you show rather the opposite, pride.
I could not understand why one could be proud of me, but I’m happy you are. And after all these years, I have finally figured out what the mark on my flank means, or...what I think it means. The bubbles represent you, and it is my job to protect you. To make sure you get a good start at life, to make sure you have everything you need. Cause fragile things need protection, even when it comes from somepony like me. And you are the one thing in my life I have done right, one thing I can be proud of.
“Mom, are you crying?” My little daughter looked at me with great concern. “Did somepony do something mean to you?”
“No.” I shook my head and smiled towards her. “These are tears of joy.”
She smiled towards me, the smile I wanted to see all day.
“Mom, you’re weird!” She said while laughing, “Come on, let’s get home and make dinner.”
As we walked away from the school, she waved goodbye to her friends. This little filly of mine is truly happy, happy with me. With her, my life is perfect, as long as I can see her smile, my life will be perfect.
A mother’s love is truly a love like no other.
