today i learned that i've misunderstood gonghura's name and i've been using the wrong half – kelpblossom is her family's name
i found this out when i happened across a conversation between her and shenaak and featherstep who had really turned up the charm
they gushed about how wonderful equestria is with having effectively zero crime and how nothing bad ever happens
gem appeared from out of nowhere like she does and reminded them that equestria isn't alone in the everglow
the "crystal compact" is a collection of cities in the northern mountains that declined regent iliana's offer of membership
medya's home of wind's rest is there and i can attest that while they're not nearly as bad as shaarat there's a reason they aren't part of equestria
they're a little less herd-oriented and not just because much of it was settled before the scattering and arrival of us ponies
feathers seemed flustered – "they could join us any time they wanted to!"
gem left seeming satisfied with having put our diplomat off balance even if only briefly
it's like she's an artist working in the medium of frustration
anyhow
on the topic of gonghura and shenaak
a bit later on medya asked if i found it weird that they had been following the ponies around and especially me
i hadn't even noticed but since it came up i had to ask them about it
actually i stayed quiet and medya asked very politely – and their answers were fascinating
gonghura grew up underwater and had heard of unicorns but never seen one and she also had never heard of the everglow so i am somewhat noteworthy
shenaak felt a little guilty because she grew up having to eat the meat of small horses and we look so similar
she asked if i was bothered by that
i told her i was more bothered that it wasn't my harmonized legs she was staring at
we laughed! then talked about the ways we express ourselves
which brings me to the subject of bell
bell hasn't just been working on wings
she also has a plan to install her own tear ducts
i completely respect her means of self-expression which is why i'm putting all my thoughts here instead of in her path
i feel that there's a difference between these two modifications and i want to pull that feeling apart and understand it
from my perspective of her true nature as a dragon the wings make total sense as embodiment of self
the tear ducts make me a little uncomfortable
when i try to think it out i come up with all sorts of little "reasons" to consider them unnecessary which mostly center around them having no practical physical function ... but function never has to enter the equation when it comes to personal expression
when i dig deeper i find vaguer notions ... like this is aesthetically unpleasant? emotionally manipulative? some form of mockery? trespass into a grown-only space?
all of that is stirred-up nonsense and i know it
it seems to come down to this:
the part of me that wants to be rid of all the messy fluids of grown life is confused by her desire to gain what is admittedly the least offensive of the lot
in the end it's her choice and i'm proud of her for taking this step
perhaps some discomfort will ease when i see her shed tears of happiness
perhaps some discomfort is in knowing i'll see other sorts of tears along the way