He didn't know when he started to do it or even why, shaving to stave off the hallmarks of his looming adulthood. He hated it, growing up. Limbs becoming longer and shoulders more broad, hair in places it wasn't before and more hair in places that he already possessed. He hated his voice how it cracked and how it was steadily becoming deeper. It didn't set right with him and he didn't know why. His therapist would just say that he was afraid to grow up and to take responsibility. It sounded like overpriced bull to him and that is just what he thought of that seventy dollar an hour wind bag.
His body shook in excitement. If the banging on the door was any indicator, his travel buddies were already read to head out. He had elected to go last. He adjusted his self careful not to untuck anything as he pulled up his solid black compression shorts.
The figure in the mirror looked smoother than what he was used to; it was almost unnerving to have his bulge all but disappear. At the same time it was kind of exciting: almost too exciting.
Next he picked up an article that made him blush. It jiggled in his hands and was the same color as his skin. Pressing it to his chest he looked up in the mirror and blushed even brighter. After a few moments he removed his hands to see a breast, although prosthetic, hanging gingerly from his chest.
He chewed on his lip for a moment before attaching the other. His eyes darted back to the mirror and he smiled. He was starting to look more female by the moment. Picking up the bra from the sink top he quickly tries to clasp it. A few attempts later he does a little victory dance before returning to the mirror.
For once he didn't feel bad about keeping his hair long. It wasn't his normal two toned red, it was now monochrome and looked kind of like Rainbow Dash's shading scheme. It was cool, wasn't as long as Daring Doo's hair, the person he was cosplaying as but it would be long enough.
He quickly pulled up his khaki shorts. He grimaced slightly at the snugness of them. They were way tighter than he usually wore, if he wore khakis at all, and mad his butt look huge. Not really huge, but more.
"Girl butt," he said while blushing and chuckling.
He finished out his look with a two pocket button up blouse.
Walking over to the mirror he layered on a light foundation, which required lots of practice which he got from years of awesome Halloween costumes, and then started on his eyes.
Taking a spooly brush to separate his lashes, he then took up the eye lash curler and started to curl them, careful not to pinch his eye lids. After that he ran the spooly brush through them again before applying mascara.
"Come on Button, don't get any in your eyes because that hurts...Ouch...," tilting his head up slightly he blinked a couple of times before having to stop and wipe his eyes, "Damn now I'm going to have to start over."
Scootaloo drummed her thumbs on the table. What the hell was taking him so long? She lazily gazed over at Sweetie Belle who looked to be casually flipping through some girly fashion magazine. If it wasn't for the mailing label she would have mistook it for one of Rarities.
"Gosh, I thought your sister took a long time to get ready!" Applebloom said while giving Sweetie the stink eye, "Why did you want him to come along anyways?"
Sweetie blushed lightly, "Because Button is kinda cool and uh..."
"What do you see in him that makes you want to go out with him?" asked Scoots as she propped her feet on the coffee table, "You could have picked a cooler guy to like, like Rumble."
"Hey!" shouted Sweetie as she tossed her magazine on the table and crossed her arms, "I don't like him like that."
"Sure," Applebloom smirked.
"I-" they all turned to the bathroom door as it slowly opened and a girl stepped out. She stood about as tall as Bloom, with monochrome hair and a khaki blouse. Her oiled legs and arms glinted from the light of the overhead fixture. She looked like a slightly younger version of Rainbow Dash's favorite character only her eyes weren't quite right nor was her nose.
"Button," croaked Scootaloo, a light blush running across her cheeks.
"Yeah," he said before striking a cocky pose, "Ready girls?"
The three of the huddled together and began to whisper between them. He couldn't make out what they were saying only that they were talking about him. He could tell by the way they would chatter and then look at him and then whisper again.
"Uh, don't you want to go as something more...." AB started to say.
"Manly!" spouted Scoots.
Button shook his head no, "Nu uh, I'm going as Daring Do!"
Scoots shrugged and picked up her Space Sergeant helmet and placed in on her head. The army green cardboard suit made her look more buff than she actually was and the glinty black of her plastic service weapon strapped to her back made her look like some kind of kick ass soldier, which was the look she was going for.
Sweetie costume was far simpler, and consisted of a one piece bathing suit dyed dark purple with a purple cape. He face was bleached out with powder and she had most of her face hidden under a hood. She was going as Crow, one of the Amazing Adolescents.
And lastly was Applebloom, she was dressed in the red and green dress of Princess Apple, one of the classic video game protagonist. The fact that she was and Apple didn't help her in the slightest with her decision about who she was cosplaying as, totally not relevant.
The four of them departed their hotel room and met up with Pinkie, Sunset Shimmer, and Rainbow Dash. Pinkie was as her Alligator fursona, Gummy, complete with tail. Sunset was dressed as normally only she was wearing her Wondercolt ears dyed to match her hair and a matching Tail. Dash was dressed to a T as Daring doo.
The two Daring Do's stared at each other.
"Um Button is that you," asked Sunset as she raised her eyebrow.
Pinky leapt forward and hugged Button, "Of course it's Button, just look at him or erm... her!" Button chuckled nervously as he looked at the other two girls hoping for some kind of approval or something along the lines of good job.
"But, I'm more the more daring Daring Do," concluded Dash as she poked him in the chest.
A half smile formed on his lips, "Uh yeah sure, Rainbow Dash."
Dash flashed a confidant grin before turning and walking down the hall, "Come on Guys we don't want to miss the Maretroid Prime panel.
Sunset gave him a soft smile before following after Dash. Pinkie stayed back and chatted with the others about their costumes and how they came up with ideas to make them. Button really wasn't interested it any of their talks. He was so nervous he wanted to run back to the hotel and shut himself up. It was his first "real" Con. Real meaning more than the small Con that was hosted in Canterlot. This was the Manehattan Manecon! This was one if not the biggest Con in Equestria. And he was going to enjoy every moment of it, even if it was a bit scary.
They had to catch two cabs to the Civic Center because there were too many of them for one cab. Bloom squealed in excitement when the older girls allowed them to get in their own cab. The gray bearded cabbie looked them over before saying, "Where to girls?"
Button smiled, a small smile meant only for him. Maybe old eyes couldn't see through him or maybe he was that transparent. His biggest worry was not fitting in as much as any cosplayer could. Clenching his fist he prayed that the rest of the trip would be like this, amongst friends who only wanted him to enjoy himself, be himself however strange or normal that was.
