One Dress: For the Love of Girly and Cute

Chapters

A Discussion Among Friends
Confessing to Rarity
The New Dress and the Dance

A Discussion Among Friends

“And then he was like, don’t be shellfish, sis! Get it? Haha!”

“Yep,” Smolder muttered, clearly uninterested in Silverstream’s clichéd aquatic puns and jokes. Ever since the wild adventure beneath the School of Friendship, her bizarre experience with two unnamed ponies at a tea party had been rather enjoyable, to say the least. However, Smolder had ensured that no evidence of it remained – and Gallus had kept his promise to keep it concealed from everypony else. Her tail twitched from a full half hour of sitting, and soon her mind was lost in a trance of imagination. Deep in the little dragon’s mind existed a girly world a million miles away from any tomboy reality.

Eyes closed and an imaginative mind soaring high, she pictured it: a grand round table with a beige and pink tablecloth over it, adorned with two little teacups atop small saucers, along with little teaspoons, in the middle of a room that was hers. Neatly in the center stood a crystal teapot full of warm tea with a teeny little ceramic bowl of glistening sugar cubes. It was the ultimate setup for a lovely tea party.

Pushing back a curtain, Smolder stepped out from her changing area, fully adorned in a frilly pink-and-blue princess gown. Her clawed dragon hands passed over the outer skirt, gingerly stroking the lace that ran in half-circles around the waist as she quietly giggled to herself, admiring the little purple bow at the waist’s center and the three white petticoats that billowed out and ruffled noisily as she pranced and danced in joyful circles around the table. Then a tap came on her shoulder, and she immediately whipped around in fright, crossing her arm across her chest in embarrassment.

“Smolder? Smooooooolllllder! Lunch is over, we need to attend Rarity’s generosity class next!” Gallus called out, tapping the table in a rhythmic beat.

Smolder shook her head vigorously, yanking her brain out of the dreamy, hypnotic trance she was in, causing her to realize she was spinning in circles on the cafeteria’s grand tiling, looking like a wannabe ballerina.

“Uh…nothing to see here, ponies!” Gallus announced sheepishly, blocking the view of Smolder from the rest of the school’s students in the cafeteria. “Just… someone who’s got a bit of a dancing fit and is… what’s that word? Dizzy. Yeah, that’s it! A dizzy dancing fit.”

Not wanting to make his friend endure any more awkwardness, Gallus quickly hustled Smolder out of the room and beckoned his fellow students to follow to avoid suspicion.

“Yona confused. What was dragon doing?” Yona inquired, peering over. Smolder just trudged in silence, her eyes still in a daze of imagination.

“Are you okay? There seems to be something bothering you,” Ocellus added. “Is there – ”

“Nothing. It’s nothing, honestly,” Smolder suddenly replied, waving her hand in dismissal. “Let’s get on with class.”

Yona, Ocellus, and the rest of the students filed into the classroom to begin a well-prepared lesson. Rather than delve into the next level of hem stitching, Rarity began with a brief demonstration of the mutual bonds created by sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings between one another on an individual basis, as well as the effects of delivering acts of generosity on a wider scale of one individual to a large group of various types. All of this made Smolder bored, bored, and more bored than ever. At times her interest did peak a little, given the dragons’ selfish, close-minded nature, but overall nothing felt interesting or fascinating.

“You should be taking notes,” Ocellus whispered, handing her a spare pen and paper. “We’ve got a fair amount of homework on this one.”

“What? But I…” Smolder’s voice died in her throat as she realized how far her mind had fallen in relation to the information in front of her. Quickly whispering a thank-you to Ocellus, she tapped the quill in an ink jar and frantically started writing down as much pointers as she could gather. Within minutes half the page was used up – mostly with short phrases and incomplete sentences, all close together, as if loosely stitched. Right as class ended, Smolder’s quill tip snapped. Ocellus, generous and caring as ever, handed her another, even lending her her ink jar. Eventually as the lesson was wrapped up and students headed out to the next set of classes, Rarity caught on to the little dragon, whose hand was practically shaking with frenzy trying to jot down everything her little dragon brain could recall during the ‘boring’ moments of class.

“Smolder?” Rarity asked, a little O of surprise forming on her lips. “What’s got you worked up? You look stressed… and my word, darling, that is a lot of notes! Did you have trouble understanding the lesson? You could’ve asked me.”

Smolder shook her head as she finally finished writing the last of whatever her brain could recall and set the quill pen down with a sigh of relief. “It’s just…I…there’s something troubling my mind, but I can’t get to grips with it.”

“Is there anyone from among your fellow students who you can talk to?” Rarity suggested, pulling up a chair next to her.

Smolder turned slightly, as if to shake her head no, but froze. Lying was never an option, Applejack always said.

But what if Rarity discovers the real truth of the matter… Smolder thought worriedly, a bead of sweat trickling on her head. No, wait, if I just tell her about it in a vague enough way, she won’t pick up the trail…

Enough, brain! Enough! Just spit it out!

“There are two,” Smolder simply stated in a low voice. “Gallus and Ocellus. Though, to be honest, Gallus knows the bigger half of it.”

“I believe then you should talk with him about this. Perhaps he might have better knowledge on how to deal with your mental troubles. If he truly is your friend, he’ll be kind and generous enough to help you out.”

“Point taken,” Smolder replied. “Don’t worry about the notes, I can fix them with Ocellus’s help later.”

Later that evening, Gallus, Sandbar, and the others gathered around a small table in the library to complete their homework. Ocellus covered her math and history questions one by one, going over the source material and trying her best to understand what was being explained and implied. Yona ate some snacks and read the same story over and over, trying to grasp the value of the story within to write her short essay on it. Smolder, on the other hand, couldn’t even think. Her mind was so cloudy she felt like giving up and turning in a D-.

“You alright, Smolder?” Ocellus inquired, looking over at her friend. “You’ve been… kinda out of line today. What exactly is bothering you?”

Not wanting to be left out of the conversation, Gallus chimed in. “Is it about your brother? Or is there a secret within that’s itching you?”

“It’s okay to tell us,” Sandbar added, sliding in his two cents. “We’re friends here, which means we don’t judge or mock. Not at all. We try to help, support, and understand.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Smolder replied slowly. “It’s just… hard. Hard to reveal that I still enjoy and miss something dear to me that no one should know about.”

Ocellus, Yona, and Silverstream pondered over it, realizing that Smolder had left them no option but to guess. Finally, Gallus figured it out, holding up a finger with a smile.

“Uh, could you give us a second?” he announced sheepishly, grabbing Smolder’s arm and rushing off to the far corner of the library, out of earshot of the others. Not wanting to beat around the bushes, Gallus cut straight to it.

“It’s that test from the Tree of Harmony, isn’t it? The tea party and…that dress."

Smolder gasped and whipped around, throttling Gallus and pinning him up against the back of a bookshelf. “Why did you tell-”

“I… haven’t,” Gallus croaked. “But I don’t need to. You need to.”

Relaxing her grip, Smolder’s eyes narrowed. “And why would I do that?”

“Because we’re your friends,” Gallus stated flatly. “Face it, Smolder, you miss being in that dress. And drinking tea, having those happy, free thoughts in your head. We can assist you in reliving that moment. Rarity can help too. What’s there to hide when those you are hiding from mean no harm or embarrassment?”

“But…” Smolder pouted, a little blush forming on her cheeks.

“You know dragons are known to be strong and brave, right?” Gallus asked, his tone stiffening. “Well, one way of being strong and brave is to own yourself. Meaning, be happy and proud for who you are and what you love, regardless of it being visible to others or not.”

With soft eyes and a trusting hand, Gallus put a finger under Smolder’s chin. “Tell you what, if you’re still too afraid, I’ll take your measurements and request Rarity to make a dress for you myself.”

“Really? Y-y-you serious?!” Smolder snapped to attention, smiling eagerly.

Gallus looked straight back into his friend’s eyes and smiled reassuringly, before opening his arms wide. “Yes, really, Smolder. Now, if you don’t mind?”

“Fine with me,” Smolder replied, leaning into Gallus’s arms in a loving, comforting hug.

“What was that about?” Sandbar interrogated, as Gallus and Smolder reappeared at the table.
Gallus turned and looked at him with a smirk. “Let’s just say I know of a vital piece of information that needed to be shared privately for a moment. Smolder here has something she needs to tell us, right?”

Smolder gulped and nodded. “Yes. It’s…”

Gallus looked over at her, beaming with a smile and a nod of encouragement and hope.

“I… miss what I experienced with the Tree of Harmony. It actually felt good to release a side of me that I enjoy. Sometimes, it’s nice to peel away from being so much like what the culture you’re brought up in expects you to be. And in that moment, that’s when you can be happy, and even fantasize about some things. For me, it was…”

Smolder bit her lip and let out a big sigh. This was it. The one moment of complete confession. “It was being invited to a tea party. Not just sitting and drinking, but stepping into a dress – one with a few lacy, billowing petticoats and puffy sleeves. Sitting down, feeling all that beneath my legs, and a pretty little tiara atop my head. And within, knowing that I both look and feel beautiful via such a visual transformation. I should also mention that that tea tasted good. It’s… okay if it seems all silly to you guys.”

“It does seem a little awkward imaging it now,” Sandbar confided, grinning to avoid chuckling. “But in that setting, in that scenario, it fits like two pairs of socks.”

Yona walked over to her friend, whose face was now red as a cherry. “Yona will say it now! Pretty and cute Smolder is still Smolder, and will always be our friend! We friends, support and love dragon, dress or no dress! Yak calls for group hug.”

Silverstream rushed forward and held Gallus and Smolder in her long arms, and Yona nuzzled Sandbar as they, together, embraced their dragon friend. Coming in front, Ocellus wrapped a leg around Smolder and gave her a kiss on the head. All together, they were happy that Smolder had fully accepted herself for who she was and what she loved doing.

“So… who’s ready for the next school dance event?” Sandbar suddenly asked.

Smolder’s eyes bulged, and the tight-knit hug broke up. Wait a minute…

Author's Note

Yona and Sandbar aside, shipping was not intended in this fic.

Confessing to Rarity

“And that makes three. Just one more, and then…”

Smolder shuddered as she stood in line to Guidance Counsellor Starlight’s office, her heart feeling a million miles away from where her mind currently stood. The thumping heart, wavy inner lips, the restless tail – all pointed to an undeniable fact: She was nervous and scared again.

Even after her heart-to-heart private talk with Gallus.

Even after her confession to all her friends, and their compassion and support for her secret enjoyment.

Even though she had told Gallus and the others that she would be brave enough to take on the task of meeting with Rarity and asking for a dress to be made for her.

“All you have to do is ask,” Gallus had stated the night before, shortly before every creature crawled into bed. “Rarity is the farthest pony from judgmental you can imagine, trust me.”

It so happened that the following day there was an incident at the Carousel Boutique, and so Rarity’s class was cut short. Thus, she’d joined Starlight in her office to assist students who were unable to fully grasp the topics discussed or had some homework issues. Smolder caught wind of this, and immediately jumped on the opportunity to speak with the fashionista teacher.

Before she knew it, the line had ended. The hallway lay empty, leaving no one but Smolder standing there, eyes low and nervously contemplative.

“Well, come in, dear!” Rarity said with a smile, jarring the little dragon out of her scared trance. All at once, Smolder froze up, her face as red as a rose from embarrassment as the underlying reason for her visit came shooting back – out of her anxious mind and into reality.

“Oh, h-hello Rarity,” Smolder stuttered, spitting rapid, short breaths in an attempt to try and relax. She jerked her head in the desk’s direction. “And to you, too, Ms. Glimmer.”

“Is there an issue with the classwork I assigned you earlier today?” Rarity guessed, putting a hoof to her chin. “Or is there still something else bothering you?”

Smolder felt her stomach drop, as if she’d just leapt off a cliff. An issue. It was obvious Rarity knew about the difficulties faced with the cut-short class, but it seemed she knew of something else. Maybe she overheard Gallus and I. I mean, she does frequent the library in the evening sometimes…

A gulp came from her throat – so prominent, it seemed to make Starlight’s head turn slightly in her direction. Maybe the class and homework could be a way to ease out the tension and calm the waters of conversation. So, she sat down on a stool. “Um… I… actually found the classwork easy to understand. The way you laid out the homework questions was great, too. It pushed me to use my thinking skills more and visualize certain situations in a conflict between friends.”

Smolder gazed up at the ceiling, wishing a monster could just crash through it, grab her, and yank her out of this trap. But she had to keep her self-promise – that she would stay committed to what she loved, no matter whether others saw or knew it or not.

“But homework isn’t the reason I came,” Smolder stated, trying to keep her voice as clear and free of trembling as possible. “I… I-I wanted to ask you a favor, Rarity. I’d have preferred to tell you in private, but my day got wound up with other things, and your time in Starlight’s office was my only chance.”

“It’s alright, I’ll step out for a bit,” Starlight replied quickly, disappearing in a poof of teleportation.

“So, what is it, dear?” Rarity asked, sitting down on the floor next to Smolder, peering over with her soulful, ever-so-pretty eyes. “I’m positive I have time for it.”

Just spit it! Smolder screamed in her head. Ten words is all it takes! Just ten!

Her lips parted rather quickly. “Well… it’s a rather… simple request, but also one that’s for someone I know… but…”

Smolder glanced at the floor, feeling nervous and defeated. Rarity wasn’t easily fooled, though, and gently pulled the conflicted dragon by the shoulder to face her. She eyed Smolder directly. “Please, darling. It isn’t healthy to keep fragmenting what you’re trying to say like this. Neither is it good manners to look away from me during a conversation, especially when you’re requesting something.”

A look of compelling came on Rarity’s face, and Smolder’s twitchy tail and shaky heart returned.

She’s blocked all roads, except the one I didn’t want to travel down, Smolder thought. I have to walk through the fire.

Swallowing hard and fighting to maintain eye contact, Smolder finally let it out. “I would like you, Rarity, to make me a dress, please.”

Right the moment she said it, Smolder’s eyes snapped shut in fear, and she curled up, feeling like she could just vanish from existence due to what she’d just revealed to a teacher.

For a moment, the air seemed so still and quiet, Smolder could’ve heard a leaf fall from a tree outside the window. Nothing could be heard. Not a mocking laugh. Not a gasp of shock. Not even a single word.

A few seconds later, Smolder blinked, taking note that she was now on a couch, curled up next to Rarity, her tough yet sensitive dragon scales brushed up against the pony’s soft, fuzzy, warm body.

Rarity had her hoof on the back of Smolder’s neck, gently caressing it. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. It seems there is another side to you, isn’t there? You enjoy wearing something that makes you feel cute and pretty?”

“Yes,” Smolder whispered.

“Then there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, dear. Name your colors, style, and details, and I’ll do it. But first, would you like to discuss how and why you feel this way?”

Smolder blinked and tilted her head in curiosity and shock. “You mean, now?”

Rarity raised her head slightly, as if to say yes – but shook her head instead. “Actually, yes but not here.” She crouched down, extending her shoulder out. “You can hold me for support, fi it makes you feel better. I know this is a rather unsettling environment, given whom it rightfully belongs to. Let’s head outside.”

Reaching out with a hand, Smolder gently clutched her professor’s shoulder, and the two walked out of the office and into the hallways, where they made their way to Smolder’s sleeping quarters. Upon entering, Rarity gently flicked the door shut, the latch sliding with a click. She fired off a notification spell to inform Starlight that the guidance counsellor was free to return to her office, and sat Smolder down on the dragon’s bed.

“Hopefully you’re feeling more comfortable now,” Rarity said soothingly. “Don’t worry, we’re alone here. Everypony and every other creature is asleep. Just you and I.”

Slowly, Smolder’s posture relaxed, and her mind began to process what her mouth needed to deliver. She sat upright and let her tail flop down at an angle behind her.

“When you’re in a world where everything’s one way, and you get exposed to a whole new world, it rubs off on you, and you begin to explore and accept a developing side of yourself you never even realized you had,” Smolder began, keeping it as smooth and detailed as possible, before switching up and shortening her descriptions. “Feels good to be beautiful and shed off the skin of being so rough and cocky sometimes. Um…”

Out of descriptive options, Smolder threw up her hands. “There’s no other words I can get. It just makes me feel joyful and happy.”

Rarity laid a hoof on the sad dragon’s shoulder. “While this is undoubtedly unexpected from my part, I can assure you there is no harm or wrong in it. There’s nothing to be ashamed of for wanting to relive a moment where you felt happy, joyful, and free. And I, frankly, would be delighted to assist in doing so. Is there anything you’d like, besides a dress? I can arrange for that, too.”

For the first time since class ended earlier that day, Smolder managed a little smile. Suddenly, sharing her internal feelings didn’t seem so bad. The pain of mockery and embarrassment seemed farther away than the Dragon Land itself.

“Maybe later,” she replied sheepishly. “I do have a few details that I’d like to have done to the dress, though. I… have been taking notes with some of your pony designs.”

“You’re welcome to explain them to me,” Rarity offered, her smile as bright as the moon itself. “How do you feel now? Better?”

Smolder glanced down, then up. “Yes, Miss Rarity. I feel better. I do apologize if I… made it difficult for you.”

Still holding her tender smile, Rarity shook her head, her mane’s soft curls bouncing in a dainty, almost alluring way that held Smolder’s attention. “Nonsense. Everyone has issues with coming out of what they enjoy and like, especially when they think it may not be well-received by others. I’m glad to see you held firm and didn’t just skirt around it with witty lies. A score for honesty, don’t you say?”

Smolder grinned and nodded. “Indeed. Now, I need some sleep.”

“You sure do, Smolder. But first, I think you deserve this.”

Rarity held her arms wide and gave Smolder a great big hug, nuzzling the little dragon the same way she did with her little sister. “And I wish you a good night sleep.”

Author's Note

LightningSword, my bro... sorry. I tried SO HARD not to rip off of ya... paraphrased and styled it the best I could... the scenes were just so similar. But thanks for your story "I Feel Beautiful". Gave me all I needed to write the details of this.

Final chapter coming soon.

The New Dress and the Dance

Smolder sat in class again, her mind preoccupied – but this time in a different way. Instead of worrying about being found about, she was joyful and excited about something, albeit still secretive. Rarity had willingly brought Smolder to Carousel Boutique the day prior and gathered all the nitty-gritty details on what she wanted in the dress.

For Smolder it seemed a rather intimidating task, but, given her experience, Rarity knew it would be a piece of cake. It would take time though. Rarity had sketched out the design and given the little dragon a copy – and she was thrilled. So thrilled, that Rarity had to usher her outside before she charred anything around her to ashes from a sudden breath.

“When is the school dance?” Smolder inquired, as she and Sandbar walked down the aisle to the gym.

“You’ve asked that question five times already,” Sandbar muttered annoyingly. “Is it really that important to you?”

Smolder nodded, with a slight smirk that said the other half of it.

“Yeah, I see what you’re hinting at,” Sandbar replied with a smile. “Remember, it’s on the evening of the last day of school next week. I’m sure Rarity can finish up your…”

Realizing the environment they were in, Sandbar lowered his voice and leaned in to Smolder’s ear. “…dress in that time.”

I sure hope so, Smolder thought, her eyes suddenly getting a little dreamy.

And so, at precisely ten minutes past six o’clock in the afternoon, just as homework was finished in the library, a note fell seemingly out of nowhere into Smolder’s lap.

All done. Meet me at the boutique. Be quick, it’s only an hour until the dance.

“Uh…gotta go, see you at the dance!” Smolder stuttered quickly, and dashed out of the library, leaving her friends with a quizzical expression. All, that is, except Gallus.

Standing in front of the boutique door, Smolder sighed, trying to erase the last bits of fear and worry from her mind. With a nod of determination, she raised a fist and gently rapped three times.

“Hello?” a soft voice came from inside. The door opened slightly, and the beautiful, curious face of Rarity peeked through.

“Oh, um, h-hi, Rarity,” Smolder said sheepishly. “I got this note, and – ”

“Yes, yes, dear,” Rarity interrupted, a sly smile on her face. “Who do you think sent it? Please, do come in! I have plenty of great things to show you.”

Smolder’s heart skipped a beat, and she eagerly entered, looking for anything relevant. However, it looked relatively dark inside. Stepping forward, she caught sight of something straight ahead.

“Ta-ta!” Rarity exclaimed, switching on all the lights to reveal a well-made dress on a hanger. Smolder’s jaw literally fell to the floor as her eyes gazed in shock at what lay before her. It was a princess-style dress with a white peter pan collar and satin puff sleeves, a smooth blue bodice with lace-edging and rhinestones on the sides, and a. A white rounded train of fabric that split at the front and curved around the back stood out from below the bodice; the main skirt had a rich, bold bluish-pink color with small folds, two thicker outer layers of beautiful bluish-pink, and four white petticoat underlayers. A built-in sash rounded it off, with a small zipper at the back.

“I…” Smolder began, unable to say or process anything.

“Do you like it?” Rarity asked with a concerning smile, like a proud mom who just bought their little filly a gift.

“It’s… it is absolutely amazing, Rarity,” Smolder replied, barely whispering as she peered over it from top to bottom. “And you’re my teacher… and you made it… for me…”

Unable to take it all in, tears started spilling out of Smolder’s eyes as she rushed into Rarity’s arms and gave her a big warm hug.

“I… don’t do this much, but this is reserved for you. Th-thank you Rarity. It’s not often that anyone does something like this for me.”

“You’re most welcome, darling,” Rarity replied, her eyes softening as she wrapped a hoof around the grateful, tearful dragon. “Now, let’s see it on the body of the one it was made for!”

Rarity gently slid the dress off the mannequin and dropped the garment into Smolder’s hands. The feel of the fabric on her dragon palms was incredible, smooth and inviting, like the cool breeze of a spring day.

“I can’t believe this was made for me…”

“Oh, you can!” Rarity exclaimed with pride, then pointed to the dressing room. “Now head in there and see how it fits! Don’t worry, I’ll close the curtain to give you all the privacy you need, okay?”

In the small room, Smolder’s heart sped up, and her mind struggled to contain itself inside her little skull. She was now going to put on a dress for the first time in months since her adventure under the school grounds. All what she’d done since that fateful evening of coming out to her friends had been leading up to this.
As her body froze, the words of Gallus rang in the back of her head, like a lost soul staring up into the heavens for guidance and motivation.

“What’s there to hide when those you are hiding from mean no harm or embarrassment? Be happy and proud for who you are and what you love, regardless of it being visible to others or not.”

A true dragon is brave and strong in all situations… she reminded herself. With a sigh of acceptance, she set the dress down and stepped into it, gripping the rear of the bodice and pulling it up over her body, letting the soft, sleek material caress her hard yet flexible scales. Folding her wings tightly, she slid her arms through the puffy sleeves, feeling their elastic ends gently hold her upper arms in a dainty manner. Reaching behind her, she felt for the zipper, but alas could not reach it.

“Um… a little help, Miss Rarity?” she asked softly, a hint of timidness still in her voice.

“What is it, dear?” Rarity inquired as she poked her head through the curtain, then noticed the rear of the dress’s bodice sticking out like flaps, and the untied sash. “Oh, you can’t reach those. It’s okay, I’ll handle it for you.”

With the precision of her dress-making magic, Rarity slid up the zipper and tied a neat little bow in the sash. “Wait here for a moment,” she ordered, before dashing off.

Smolder stood as still as a rock, unsure what to do next. Moments later, Rarity returned with a pair of long pink satin gloves, and a headband that had two pretty flowers and a small pink heart-shaped gem on it.

“To complete your look, dear,” Rarity explained, gently sliding them into place on her hands and head.

Out of nowhere, a mirror slid in front of her, taking Smolder aback with shock as her jaw dropped yet again. Standing before her wasn’t just an average dragon, it was a pretty, charming, and well-dressed dragon.

“Well… how do you look?” Rarity inquired, gently pushing the astonished dragon’s jaw back up, closing her mouth and thereby allowing her to think more constructively.

“Well…I can say I look amazing. A little funny, but great.”

“Funny?” Rarity giggled, as she stood off to the side with a concerned smile and a slightly tilted head. “Nonsense. You look stunning! The epitome of beauty and finesse that no other dragon can even dream of possessing! Yet inside, you’re still the same dragon as before, and always will be. Now, how do you feel?”

“I…” Smolder fiddled with her fingers, the crimson color spreading through her cheeks. “I feel different, that’s for sure. I mean, I’ve looked in mirrors before, but I don’t think I’ve managed to use them in such a way to view inside of me. For who I really am in relation to what I love and enjoy.”

Feeling more content, Smolder brushed her glove-covered hands over each other, before stepping back a little, then forwards, and even sideways a little. It wasn’t much movement overall, but it was enough to send a surge of confidence and joy within her heart – the same feeling that she had when in that room under the School of Friendship. And now being able to actually see what she looked like as she rekindled that feeling of feminine bliss only amplified it all.

“Different is great, but what else flows through you?” Rarity asked with an inquisitive smile.
“I feel empowered that I can express who I am and what I love, with much less worry about the perception of others,” Smolder replied, taking two big steps back and standing off to the side. “I believe if I concentrate on just myself and my internal will, then entering the school dance hall and rocking it out should be a flaming breeze.”

“Then let’s head there now before we miss it!” Rarity exclaimed excitedly, putting her own dress on and dashing out with a beckoning gesture.

Still glancing at the mirror, Smolder whirled around, feeling the soft white petticoats dance and brush against her scaly dragon legs like a summer breeze. Yes, she was definitely ready. With the thrill and excitement welling up in her fiery dragon heart, she walked out the door of the Carousel Boutique, shut it, and eagerly ran after Rarity.

Minutes later, they arrived at the school grounds, the sound of Spike and Vinyl Scratch’s tunes filling the air. A few ponies were lined up in their attire, ready to join the dance hall. Suddenly Smolder’s eager smile turned upside down, and her arms crossed nervously.

“I know,” Rarity whispered, as they joined the queue. “You were alone before, and now you’re in front of a lot of ponies. But remember, does their perspective really matter? It’s how you feel inside. You’re sure of yourself, but not so sure about what you display yourself as. It’s perfectly fine to have these doubts. From all the fiery determination you had before comes a sudden sense of reality. But that reality shouldn’t waiver from the original goal. Prove yourself! Show the world what you love and own yourself!”

“I can prove it…” Smolder whispered, trying to reignite the spark she had inside of her many hours before. The queue shortened until no one was left. Inside, the faint voice of Silverstream could be heard.

“Where’s Smolder? I haven’t seen her since…”

This was it. The one chance to be shameless about enjoying the feminine and cutesy side of life.

“Hi Silverstream!” Smolder called with a proud smile, stepping into the hall, strutting with a high air of confidence. “I have arrived, looking and feeling as I should be.”

“Woah, Smolder, I never thought I’d see you wearing a dress,” Rainbow Dash remarked with a surprised gasp. “But if it fits you, then awesome! Let’s dance!”

Spike started the next tune, and everyone began dancing in different styles. Gallus broke it down with a handplant and a twirl, and Yona shuffled happily. Feeling a little alone, Smolder just tapped her feet on the floor and hopped from left to right, before Ocellus suddenly flew down in front of her with a smile and an outstretched hoof.

“Um, together? I learned a new style I can teach you.”

Smolder held out her hand with a smile and a confirmative nod. “As you wish, Ocellus. After you.”

The two held hand and hoof together, shuffling their front foot backward and smoothly sliding sideways, then wiggling their front legs. Getting the flow of it, Smolder turned and crouched a little, spreading her arms out and shaking them a little, before jumping forward and sliding sideways again with shoulder shrugs and foot taps. Soon she was kicking her back foot out and pulling it in, suddenly extending her hand out, and pulling it close to her chest.

As the music got more exciting, Ocellus then spread her legs and jumped straight up and down, hard, her arms straight as a windowsill, before turning sideways again and doing a leg shuffle. Adapting it to her own body, Smolder took it up a notch, making one arm copy the other – left, right, turning her body at 45 degrees, reaching to the sky and the ground, all the while her petticoats billowing and flying like splashing water.

Then came the “breakdown”, with widely spread legs and reaching behind and in front, with smooth, fluid motions of her hips. Slowing it down, Smolder proceeded to calmly walk with in-out arm pumping movements, before jumping onto a table and back down onto the floor, repeating the movements from before as the chorus looped, not a care in the world for who was watching or talking about her or her dancing. Her energy was so contagious, Pinkie soon joined in as the song began to approach the ending with a brief reiteration of the chorus.

“I didn’t know you could dance so well!” Silverstream exclaimed. “And in a dress like that, too!”

“Power is not in my fiery breath, but in the fiery willpower of my heart and mind,” Smolder replied confidently under pants and a long sigh of exasperation, standing up straight to give a slight wink at Rarity, who was standing in a corner with Spike.

Then the most unexpected requests were asked – by the other pony students, of all creatures.

“Could you wear this dress more often?”
“I love how it looks!”
“And can you dance at each school event please! I love it!”

“We all love it!” Pinkie added.

Smolder took a few steps back until she was facing every creature, before giving a short speech.

“Thanks for accepting me into the dance hall, and I’m happy you enjoyed my dance. Everyone knows dragons as a certain way, but I’m here as a living, breathing example that that isn’t always the case, and that we all can be happy and unique in our own ways, even if it goes against what is typically perceived of us. It’s important to be happy and proud for who you are and what you love, regardless of it being visible to others or not. Regardless of their perception. Always assume the positive. If you’re comfortable with this, I’ll come and dance here in my dress every time the school holds a dance event. Maybe I’ll even hold a tea party as well. We can all come and chat together over some warm tea, eh? And to Rarity and Gallus, thank you.”

Twilight Sparkle’s smile beamed as everyone cheered. It looked like some special dragon was going to receive a friendship trophy.

Author's Note

Finally got this done. With more things happening in my life, I really don't have time to write stories anymore. And I have a serious lack of time, mental drive, and hardcore motivation. As any keen eye can detect, I rushed this a bit.

Quick shoutout to Nittany Discord for inspiring me to write this story, and LightningSword for his amazing story, I Feel Beautiful, which helped me a ton.

P.S.: Smolder and Ocellus's dance is from this video: