Rhyolite

[Flamebird]

Mother Bear.

The girl stumbled down the road crying. Her tears slipped down her blue cheeks as her hands clenched her horns. Back heaving, the child walked discombobulated into the entryway of the inn if the town her family was in. They were on their first day staying in a town near New Brookshaven. It was nothing like her home, and today proved that.

The girl shuddered, scuffling towards a tree in a patch of vegetation and curling up under it. She was used to rejection, she was used to mistreatment. She had thought, however, that those days were behind her. She wanted her daddy to come, right now, and concile her. She wanted him to walk out of his cabin number and hold her.

"Kylie?"

That was not the voice of her daddy.

Kylie sniffled, looking up to see her father's significant other, Felicity Rhyolite, carrying a basket of herbs. She looked deeply concerned, running up to the teifling with wide eyes. "Kylie! What's the matter?"

Kylie huddled into a ball as the short, stout woman knelt down, placing her basket aside. Her pants were drenched in mud and soil, and her blue shirt was splotched with stains of gardening. The aroma of rich herbs and healthy soils were in the air as she leaned forward, reaching up with a grubby hand and wiping the tears from her eyes - and getting wet dirt on her face.

Kylie shivered, unable to respond for a moment. Foul memories of the morning rolled in her mind as she looked up to the redhead before her, "I... they..."

Felicity flopped into a more comfortable sitting position, waiting in nervous patience.

Kylie gulped, forcing her tight throat to emit noise, "I-I met some kids in to-own square."

Felicity nodded, still wiping her face.

"They-" Her tears doubled again. She struggled so hard not to burst out crying again, forcing it out, "-They said I looked stupid! Said my horns are weird and my skin looks too much like-"

Felicity gasped, reaching forward and placing her hand over her mouth. The girl squeaked, looking up to the woman who seemed to be processing ten million different emotions at once. Kylie reached out with her telepathy and tried to brush her mind. She was bombarded with feelings of shame, anger, injustice, sadness, bitterness, and a protective bonfire so hot Kylie had to yank her mind from the flames. As Kylie blinked herself back to the physical world, she saw the look of stress and confliction written on Felicity's face. Looking down, she saw her fist clenched tightly shut, red. Tears slipped down her face as she closed her eyes. Pulling her hand away from her mouth, she leaned back and practiced deep breathing.

Kylie waited, silent and anxious.

After long last, Felicity opened her eyes. Her face had a veiled calm as she slowly blinked, "They can take their words and throw them into the jaws of an angry drave."

Kylie gulped. Felicity reached forward and continued to wipe her face dry. "I told you, never be ashamed of who you are. Those immature bullies should not change that."

Gently, Felicity took Kylie's hand. She stood up, pulling her up with her. Standing under the tree, Felicity smiled, "Hey, I heard the bakery has a special on apple fritters today. Want one?"

~~~

Kylie shoved the last of her apple fritter into her mouth as she walked beside Felicity in the town square. Felicity held her hand, leading her downtown.

"Whewe we goin'?" Kylie mumbled as she loudly chewed.

Felicity turned with a fond smile, "Almost there." Felicity then demolished her own pastry as the walked up to the window of a clothing store. Gorgeous dresses, pretty hats, and laced slippers were organized in a brilliant display at the front window. Felicity took Kylie's shoulders and placed her at a certain place in the window. As Kylie swallowed the last of her treat, she noticed that through the reflection, it looked like she was wearing a lovely bright blue dress with darker blue lacing.

"Do you think you look beautiful?"

Kylie looked up to Felicity leaning against the wall of the building, "Looking through the reflection, do you look dazzling?"

Kylie slowly turned her gaze to the window. She still hated her horns poking out. She reached and used her hands to block the reflection, "Now I do."

"Oh?" Felicity's voice had an edge to it, "You think that if you wear this or change that, you'll look beautiful?"

Kylie gulped, choking up. "Yeah..."

"Well, you don't need it."

Kylie turned to see Felicity pushing herself off the wall. She took Kylie's hand and pulled her inside. As the bell rung, she heard the shopkeeper yelp then roar, "Hey! You're tracking dirt everyone!"

Felicity paid no mind as she whisked Kylie in front of a full view mirror. Kylie stood in front of her true reflection. Her blue skin, purple eyes, and ridiculous horns. She wore a simple white dress, muddied and stained. It looked awful. Felicity lowered herself to her knees. Both were in front of the mirror. Felicity took Kylie's shoulder.

"I tried hiding." Felicity spoke, "I would wear hoods to hide my hair. More recently, I wore headbands."

Kylie looked back to Felicity wearing headbands when they first met. It was so commonplace, Kylie was shocked when she stopped wearing them. Was this why?

"No matter how hard I tried, it was never enough." Felicity continued, "I was never happy. I was ashamed. Ashamed of how I looked, my neanderthal genes, and everything that came with it."

Felicity leaned closer to Kylie, "I was treated with hostility ever since I was born. I was taught shame growing up, and it got to my head. Kylie..."

Kylie held her breathe as Felicity demanded, "Do not dare let it get to your head."

Kylie shuddered, still looking at her reflection.

"I was a hypocrite when I told you to not be ashamed then," Felicity confessed, "But not now. Now, I can tell you with confidence that the only way to be happy is to accept what and who you truly are."

Tears started to blind Kylie's vision. Her reflection blurred. How...

"You don't need fancy dresses or pretty bows." Felicity pushed, "You have no need to change your appearance, or wish you were born different. It only leads to more doubt and misery. Accept it today, accept yourself for yourself. And be proud of it. Don't you listen to the degenerates who say otherwise, their opinions don't matter. Only the truth."

Felicity gave Kylie a tight yet gentle hug, "Child, never be ashamed of who you are."

Kylie turned to Felicity as she burst out crying. She wrapped her arms around her in a deep hug, Felicity returned it. As Kylie bawled, Felicity picked her up and carried her away. It felt like a mother, nursing and loving her daughter. Kylie closed her eyes in this unfamiliar comfort. Was Felicity right?

Eventually, Kylie had stopped crying. Felicity took a handkerchief and started wiping her tears. As Kylie loudly sniffled, Felicity was ever kind and supportive. Eventually, Kylie realized that they were on a bench in town square. Felicity's arm was wrapped around her as she leaned into her side. Kylie looked up to Felicity and smiled, "Thank you..."

Felicity smiled back, "Of course. I want you to be happy, Kylie."

Kylie smiled as they relaxed for a while, warm and comfy.

Eventually, Kylie noticed something in the square. Next to the tree in the center of the dirt walking circle, there they were.

"It's them." Kylie muttered.

"Hmm?"

Kylie pointed, "The boys and girl who mocked me."

...

"Ignore them for now."

Kylie looked up to Felicity, who was staring ahead, "Don't let them get to you. I'll have some talks with their parents and sort this out. Just don't act immaturely. Don't stoop to their level, okay?"

Kylie slowly nodded as Felicity reached into her pocket and pulled out some coin. She tossed it to Kylie, who struggled to catch them and keep them in her hands. "Go to the donut shop and get some hot chocolate. Get one for Leoric too - oh! And might as well get him an apple fritter too."

Kylie smirked at Felicity's bubbly thinking and got off the bench. She nodded and darted for the shop. Felicity had this situation all sorted out. And Felicity was right. Kylie could be proud of her differences, what she was. She felt the wind between her horns and through her hair as she darted for the shop, light and energetic again.

~~~

Please run. Run, and take a long time. I can't let you see this. You can't become me.

Felicity stood up from the bench, eyeing the children by the tree. Finally, she removed the mask and allowed her anger to boil to the surface. She scowled, face red in rage as she gritted her teeth. Tightening her fists, she stalked over to the children with dark intent.

I am rage. I am the worst nightmare. I am a monster. Especially when my loved ones are messed with. Kylie, I'm trying to teach you to be different than I am. This is my gut reaction. Revenge. You're better than that. I can't let you become that...

She approached the children. They looked up from playing to see this angry woman standing over them. They immediately looked nervous.

"You're the ones who mocked Kylie?"

"Kylie?" One of them asked, genuinely confused.

Felicity crossed her arms, "Teifling girl with horns."

One of the boys took a step back as the girl protested, "We were only kidding! Light teasing!"

"Not from what I've heard." Felicity spat, "Making fun of her appearance and calling her stupid not not okay."

Before they could protest, she took a step forward, "If you little brats cross her path again, I will inflict so much pain and suffering in your lives you will wish you were never born. I will make you forget the smell of flowers and softness of grass. I will torment you until you are unrecognizable and ruined. I don't care if I get arrested for beating up children, I will physically hurt you. This is my only warning."

The children shuddered, starting to cry.

Felicity raised her arm and threw it, "Now scat!"

The children darted away, bawling. A grim smirk of satisfaction grew on Felicity's face. This was everything she had wished on her own tormentors as a child. Revenge. Hopefully, this warning would work...