Author's Note

Trigger Warning: Eating disorders

Knowledge

Knowledge

It started when they turned 13. Silver was starting the beginning of his constant tracks up to the mines, leaving them alone. Clearwaters, Monotone’s husband, was learning the trade of carpentry. It was the start of all their lives, all at once. Yet Monotone found time for her. Many times the two have been in this stone house, only now Genesis Fae owned it. A wedding gift, from her father and mother. Both chose to have an early reunion into the cycle, leaving Genesis Fae to Silver. They had few children, only two, a rarity in the depths of the village.

Monotone closed the curtains. She made sure the door was snug, she locked every lock to be sure. Once the house was dark, she flicked on a light switch, letting the buzz of magical electricity flow into the house. Only then did Monotone take off her mask. Her gray face was kissed by the gentle heat. Her ghostly blue eyes rested on Genesis Fae. Expression melted into a smile. Her mane was straight, black, braided back, she laughed at the other frozen unicorn. Fae was as tense as ever. Gently patting her she watched the pony ease, her hooves moved to the shell on Genesis’s face. She brushed back the curls she worked hard on maintaining with carelessness.

“I won't say anything if you won't, Fae,” Monotone whispered,

“Promise.” Replied Fae, placing her hoof on top of the one on the side of her face.

…

Genesis awoke in her bed. Her hoof traced the side of her cheek, drawing circles in the spot. What a lovely dream she just had, even if it was more of an echo. She heard movement outside of her room this early night. A familiar sound, she would give time for it to subside. They never seemed to tire. Getting up, she pulled her mane back with a spell, tying it in satin ribbon. She pulled the sleeves of her night gown back so she would not trip. She was in the hall now, the shadows of the room near black, eating up the corners. That child’s room was cracked open. A single black cat’s yellow eyes glinted back at her, startling her, before she could see one of its ears flick back. The cat didn't run, it returned to her destination. Opening the door, she saw Pixie there, ripped sheet music surrounded him, torn from the walls. He curled in the corner of the room, coughing on his own snot, his breathing ugly. He held it when he saw her, trying to keep in more of those nasty tears from falling down.

“Pixie.” Genesis said,

Pixie wouldn't answer. His hooves covered his head, his weak body shivered with every hiccup. So Genesis moved closer, her voice raising, to be heard over his noise.

“Pixie.”

Pixie still refused to acknowledge her. Tensing slightly from the suddenness of her voice. Monotone used to find her like this, in the same room. Instead of paper it was glass from a shattered mirror that swarmed her like buzzards. Genesis let her body drop besides the cornered foal. Placing a hoof on his arm strangling his face, she watched the child drop them. He threw himself close, to wrap his arms around her waist. She entered a type of stasis. Her body only breathed, as her sight looked down at him, rubbing his face into the lilac fabric. She let that same hoof drop onto his mane, brushing the rats nest he had created for himself. His crying was loud, it took time for it to come to a rest. It waited for his throat to become scratchy and sore.

“Why am I ugly?” Pixie asked,

She continued stroking the colors of hair on his head, those blue eyes searching for more meaning behind hers. Genesis counted the flaws in skin. Most of them are a reflection of her own, especially at that age. Ugly… a word she had carved in her arm. The snickering of children, her sister’s face, her stupid perfect curls, her body was so… delicate. Frail, long legs, a true moon flower. Her eyes couldn't focus on anything, as her own tears blurred her vision. Both of her hooves encompassed the parts of Pixie's cheek’s, pivoting his mucus filled snout towards her.

“Oh, Pixie Dust,” Genesis’s voice was barely audible, “you want to be pretty?”

Pixie breathing got heavier, he was always a cowardly child. Sniffing, he nodded.

“I need you to say it Pixie.”

“I want to be pretty…Mama”

Genesis stood up, walking out of the room, she led Pixie with a hoof. A smile formed from the corners of her mouth, the same weight as a petal. The sound of their hooves clicked on the tile, as they made their way towards the toilet. The floor was cold, through her dress and they surrounded the bowl, the smell of the water was close to their face. She pulled out a stick from a drawer, floating it in front of the young boy. He took it, those pretty… ghost blue eyes staring at her.

“Push it to the back of your throat,”

He looked down at the stick, his puffy eyes trying to place the puzzle pieces together. The picture never cared to show, but he opened his mouth and shoved the stick down, coughing it hurt. Genesis placed her own hoof on top of his, to direct the stick to the back of his throat, about where his sinus would be. Throw up flooded out through the young boy's nose and he tried to keep it from coming out. His mother pressed his back so he'd get the rest in the toilet, as he coughed. Some of it rested on the lid of the toilet rim, and some fell on her pretty dress, less than half made it into the bowl. Genesis gently patted his back, keeping her voice gentle.

“Good, now again,”

He did so.

Quicker this time, surprisingly he was a fast learner. He didn't need help from his mother. What little of his meal was gone. All that was left was stomach acid that burned all the way up, causing him to weeze out in pain in his always hoarse throat. Tears welled up in his eyes again, but his mother was there now. Holding back his mane from getting in his way. Then he did it again, with her instructions, and again, until it looked to be mostly water he was hurling in the bowl. Pixie looked paler, he wobbled on his legs like he used to when he was younger. Only now did his mother pull her young child into a hug, squeezing him.

Pixie smiled.