Stallions Don't Cry

Stallions Don’t Cry

by Scarlet Blaze

Chapter 4

The next day I went into town searching for another job. It was obvious that if this was going to continue than I was going to need more money. Some to pay for the upcoming therapy sessions, and more for the future possibility of surgery for Sun. I explained to Marmalade that I was done being lazy during the week and laying around the house doing nothing. A reasonable excuse that had some truth to it.

I walked around town for most of the day looking for anypony willing to hire me. Most just said “no,” but they were very polite about it. Others were hiring but I lacked the necessary skills for the job. I eventually happened upon my future employer. There is a mail service in Ponyville. It is run by the local mail pony, Derpy Doo. I entered the room and it was hard to say if it was organized chaos or just chaos. Letters and packages lay everywhere and the pegasus was frantically sorting everything in her own way as she flew around the room. Her mane was golden and combed somewhat. It had pointed ends put still somewhat organized (much like the mail room). She had a beautiful grey coat with bubbles on her plot.

“Hello?” I finally was able to ask once I broke my fascination with her.

She immediately stopped and smiled at me.

“Hi!” she shouted with a bubbly voice.

“I can come back later if you are busy, ma’am.”

The pegasus landed in front of me with her smile still wide.

“Of course not silly! I’m Derpy Doo!”

The grey pony rose her hoof and I did too. Politely hoofshaking it. For some reason I could not stop looking at her eyes. They seemed fine when I first saw her, but they now appeared to be looking in two different directions. One at my hooves and the other at my mane.

“I...I’m Twilight Sky,” I finally replied

“How can I help you, sir?” she asked with a giggle.

“I’m looking for job. I was hoping you were hiring.”

Derpy’s jaw dropped. Shocked by my query.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“You... You want to work for me?”

I looked around, perplexed by her reaction.

“...Yes?”

Derpy’s smile returned, somehow wider then before. She suddenly hugged me and began jumping around the room. I was more surprised by her strength rather than the sudden burst of joy.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” she shouted over and over.

“W-What?” was all I managed to get out as I was lifted up and down.

She eventually set me down and I landed right on my rear. I reached back and rubbed at it with my hoof to ease the pain as Derpy explained.

“I’m sorry, sir! It’s just... I’ve never had someone help me before. With you this will make my job so much easier!”

She continued to jump up and down excitedly. I could not help but smile at her optimistic attitude.

“Can you start now!?” she asked me.

“I-I suppose I could. I just can’t work weekends is all,” I replied.

“No problem! I’ve never had an employee before. This is so exciting!”

Derpy finally calmed down enough to start me off on my first day of work at the mail room. For starters I had to make sure that she understood that I needed to be paid. I was pretty sure she understood after we talked for a bit. My job was to sort out the madness that was the mail room (with Derpy’s help of course). I was also in charge of picking up and delivering packages within Ponyville. Derpy was in charge of longer distances. At least it was a job to keep me busy and make some money. It was just luck that I had such a nice boss.

***

The weekend came around and it was time to work in Canterlot again. Yet again I had to lie to Marmalade.

“Sun wants to go to Canterlot again.”

“Really? Why?” she asked.

“He enjoyed it so much. He just wants to see more of it,” I said with a chuckle.

“Won’t you be too busy to do anything with him this weekend?”

I dismissively waved my hoof.

“Not at all! I only work a few hours a day. The rest of the time we are free to do whatever.”

Marmalade smiled.

“I think it’s great you are spending so much time with him. Should I go with you?”

Crap, I thought.

“Well. I mean... It’s a small bed. I think the two of us will have a hard enough time sharing it without you there.”

“What bed?”

“...The one in the hotel room.”

“Oh... So you will be back Sunday?”

“Late Sunday, so we can get to see all we can in Canterlot.”

Marmalade did not ask anymore. She seemed disappointed to not be coming along, but it was for the best I think. Sun and I left on Friday and we were lucky enough to get the same hotel I was in last time. The nice, decorative room with extra commodities. We were flipping through Hooflix when Sun saw “Stallions Don’t Cry.” He begged to watch it and even tried to wrestle the remote away from me with his magic. I really did not want him to see a movie like that.

After working the next couple of days I took Sun to the psychologist again. Paying 20 bits after each time. Every time he left he was quite happy. Happier than he was during average days. The psychologist talked with me afterwards and said that Sun is definitely a transpony. He explained how the next two sessions would be mostly talking with Sun about what to expect if he goes through with this. And to make final assessments on his conditions. Or something like that. He mostly used medical talk and I had a hard time understanding most of it. He recommend that Sun try “girl” things. Like spending time with a filly and participate in activities fillies normal do. In short, get his hooves painted and play with dolls. At least that is how I interpreted it.

We scheduled the next and last two sessions for the same time next weekend. We had the car to ourself on the train ride home, unusual considering weekend travelers. Sun told me how the psychologist had said the same thing to him. That he should try “filly” activities.

“What did you have in mind?” I asked.

“Well... I guess I could try clothes,” he replied with some hesitation.

“Clothes... you know ponies don’t usually wear clothes.”

“I know,” he replied as though I had made a joke. “But we do sometimes. I mean. Maybe a dress?”

“...A dress.”

It was in that moment that I thought to myself, How many fathers have this conversation with their son? My guess was few.

“I mean...well...yeah.” Sun said with the knowing he had hit a touchy subject.

“If you want to I can,” I reassured, not wanting him to be discouraged.

Sun looked up at me with hopeful eyes and a wide smile.

“Really?”

“Y-Yes.”

He jumped up from his seat and latched on to me. Hugging me around my neck. I let out a soft chuckle. I thought, How many fathers get hugged by their son after promising to get him a dress? My guess was few.

***

Early the next day I set out looking for a dress for Sun. A rather odd task to add to my day. I went to the local store that sold just about everything, but as I was approaching the filly clothing I came across Ms. Cheerlie, Sun’s school teacher. She had stopped in the store before school started to grab some things. She was very nice and talkative. I politely excused myself after a bit and practically galloped out of the store.

I was about to try another day when I remembered the day I carried Photo Finish on a platform. There was a boutique nearby where I dropped her off, maybe they had something. Moments later my hoof was knocking on the door to the lavished, purple tower that was a boutique. The door opened and I watched as a little pony rushed out. Running right in between my legs. She was white and had a brightly colored mane.

“See ya, sis! I’m late!” she called back.

I turned back to the opened door to see who she was talking to. Standing in the doorway was the beautiful white mare I had met about a week ago. Rarity.

It took her a bit to remember me, but behind her red-rimmed glasses I could see the look of recognition in her eyes.

“Oh! Why hello -” she began.

“Twilight,” I replied to help her out.

“I knew that darling,” she protested. “You have the same name as my friend.”

“Ms. Sparkle?”

“You know her?”

“...Sort of.”

She smiled and invited me in.

My eyes gazed around the circular show room. A mane and make up section in the corner and a large stage in the middle with mirrors surrounding it.

“This is quite a set up you have,” I commented.

“Why thank you!”

I watched as she trotted over to the stage.

“What can I help you with today, sir?” she asked.

“I’m uh...” I stammered as I felt my face turn red. “Am looking for a dress.”

I rubbed the back of my head with my hoof. My reflex of embarrassment. Rarity looked over me for a bit.

“Oh... Well. I think I might have something in your size.”

“Oh no no no!” I quickly replied waving my hoof. “It’s not for me.”

Rarity gave a breath of relief and a short giggle. “Sorry, sir. Is it for your wife?”

I paused before I answered. Considering how awkward it was when she thought it was for me I was not about to say it was for my son. Not that I wanted to give that information to a stranger in the first place.

“It’s for my niece,” was my response.

At least I thought I had a niece at the time.

“Oh! Well follow me, sir.”

“Please, call me Twilight.”

“Fair enough, Twilight.”

She led me to a room in which dresses hung from rows upon rows of racks. They even decorated ponyequins of various sizes.

“What’s her size?”

“I’m not sure, but she is seven.”

“All right.”

Rarity proceeded to lead me to where she kept the dresses for filly’s that age. Fortunately Sun was average size like most kids his age, not oversized or very thin. After sorting and sifting through several dress we came across a nice looking red one.

“That one,” I said.

“Excellent choice!”

A blue glow formed around the dress and Rarity’s unicorn horn. She lifted it from the rack and brought it back to the main room.

“That will be eight bits,” she said.

I was about to pay when I realized I had only brought six. Rarity waved her hoof and accepted the payment.

“You did me a favor a week ago. This is paying you back,” she explained.

I smiled as she put the dress in a nice paper bag. I thanked her and took the levitating bag in my mouth. I smiled as I trotted all the way home.