Her Sentence as a Pony: Book One

“Will you go easy on the new player?” Shade inquires to Rainbow Dash on the opposing side of the circle of players.

“Ha!” Rainbow Dash exclaims with a singular laugh. “I won’t embarrass you too badly.”

Shade smiles behind her mask at the cyan teen’s confident smirk.

Coach blows the whistle and throws the ball high in the middle of the circle. The tallest player of each team vie for control of the ball as they jump to pass the ball to their team. Rainbow Dash receives the ball from her center and takes a step to start her domination. Suddenly, the ball slips from her hands as a white hand smacks the ball down between her legs.

“Huh?” She stands there dumbfound as she sees a blur go past her. When she turns around, she sees Shade’s butt in front of her as the pale teen is coming down from a jump.

Swish. The only sound in the gym comes from the ball bouncing on the floor. Cheers erupt from the girls.

“That was a half-court shot!”

“Amazing!”

“How did you do that?”

“Want to join the basketball team?”

“Does that mean we win?” Shade asks.

“No. It. Doesn’t.” A raspy, steely voice answers behind her.

“Back to circle then, yes?”

“Yes.” Rainbow Dash says between grit teeth. As the players take their positions, she glares at Shade across from her. “That will not happen again.”

“Only one way to know, yes?” Shade says, her tone carries a hint of playfulness.

“Hmph!” Rainbow Dash snorts.

Coach blows the whistle. Rainbow Dash takes control of the ball and sprints down the court making sure Shade is behind her. She jumps for a layup, wielding a smirk, hooks her arm, and feels a breeze brush over her palm now void of the ball.

She turns around in time to see Shade launch the ball from behind her. Everyone stares as the ball soars high through the air. Swish. She gapes at Shade who just nods and trots over to the other side of the court to play defense.

Shade watches the other team pass the ball between them. Before she can engage the ball carrier, a certain cyan teen steps in front of her.

“You aren’t getting by me!” Rainbow Dash wields a steely face full of determination.

Shade stands in front of the rainbow haired teen keeping her yellow eyes lock with the cerise eyes in front of her. Shade steps closer making Rainbow Dash flinch back. Rainbow Dash swallows the lump in her throat that had grown in the past twenty seconds from gazing into Shade’s mesmerizing yellow eyes.

Eyes that appear artificial, for some reason—maybe it is the way they softly glow? The only color in a field of snow? Her mask giving her the visage of an owl?

An unblinking, yellow gaze draws Rainbow Dash closer.

What does her face look like under the mask? Rainbow Dash wonders and as do her hands as they start to reach for Shade’s face mask.

“Are you prepared to pay the price of seeing my face?”

Rainbow Dash shakes her head. “‘Price’?”

“You two love birds done?” A girl jogs up to Rainbow Dash’s side. Her light lavender face bears a smirk. Rainbow Dash flushes red. Before she can defend herself, the girl continues, “It’s time to go. Just don’t do anything freaky in the showers.”

“What? Nothing like that is going on! We just met! Tell her, Shade!” Rainbow Dash looks to Shade for confirmation. Her ears match her face when Shade winks and saunters away.

Shade smiles as she leaves Rainbow Dash in a sputtering mess while Cloudy Kicks laughs.

Wallflower stands outside by the back gym doors trying to keep the last part of her name from showing on her face. How can Shade casually walk around the locker room naked? How can she offer to wash Rainbow Dash’s back? Her tone definitely had held sincerity. Even though Rainbow Dash had said ‘no’, how can Shade accept Cloudy Kicks’ offer? Obviously, sharing a shower with another student is against school rules so Shade is talking with the coach.

Is Shade a promiscuous lesbian? Wallflower has no problems with homosexuals, she just finds it odd how close she had experienced it today; only seeing it on television or reading about it books. Like the rest of the school, she hears the rumors about Cloudy Kicks and her “conquests” with multiple girls from the school and even from other schools.

The metal door opening flings away Wallflower’s thoughts. Shade walks out and turns to look at Wallflower. Wallflower gives an uncertain wave. Shade walks over to Wallflower. They stand in silence for a moment before Shade speaks.

“Want to know what happened?”

“Kinda.” Wallflower’s face splits into a sheepish smile.

“Let us walk and talk, yes?” Shade holds out her hand towards the garden.

“Sure.”

The two of them walk a couple of steps before Shade starts signing. “In short: nothing. Long version: I explained how my culture views bathing and nudity. How bathing together builds bonds of trust and friendship as well as its economical. Lewd behavior in public bathing facilities is frowned upon because of the discourtesy to others and the overuse of water is wasteful. Nudity is natural and a sign of comfort and trust.”

“So... you’re not a lesbian?” Wallflower asks after thinking over the question.

“Do you want me to be?” Shade says aloud, looking at Wallflower.

Wallflower nervously titters. “Wh-who you like is up to you. Shouldn’t judge someone because of that.”

Shade rubs her chin with her left hand deep in thought. “I believe in this language the closest translation to what I am is ‘pansexual’.” She signs.

“Oh.”

The two continue to walk down the dirt path ahead of them.

“I am attracted to confidence as well as intelligence. Altruism, compassion, empathy, integrity, and whimsy are traits I find equally endearing. Looks are secondary and superficial; one can always change their looks easily whereas their character is more difficult to change. My people are multiamorous; it is not unheard of one person having a relationship with another because they like how they cook and someone else because they are great conversationalist. To be honest, ‘heterosexuality’ and ‘monogamy’ are foreign and unnatural terms to me.”

“Where are you from?”

“Would you believe me if I told you I am an alien?”

Wallflower stops in her tracks at the edge of the garden. She eyes the ivory white teen with a black and red fauxhawk standing close by. Impassive yellow eyes watch her. “I don’t know what to believe.”

Shade points to her mouth then draws her finger up to her cheek. “As good an answer as any.”