In all honesty, Diamond Tiara's offer for us tonight really is generous. I know she has a business agenda too. I know she's just trying to butter up a potential new business partner because that is how true professionals hoofle this. I even admire her for that.

My big sister, Rarity, had to do this plenty of times too. She doesn't just let her work speak for itself, although she does that too. She's always gave everything she had into her work but she's also a savvy self-promoter on top of that. She knew that, to make it in big business and the fashion industry, it's all about meeting the right ponies and setting a good impression with them. Meeting ponies like Hoity Toity, Photo Finish, Sapphire Shores, Prim Hemline, Fancy Pants, Countess Coloratura (now known as Rara), Trenderhoof, Fashion Plate, and many, many more were all part of a strategic plan on my sister's part to meet the right ponies and for those ponies to introduce her to other important ponies and for those ponies to spread the news to every pony else. This is the lifeblood to fashion success and Rarity has skillfully managed it as if she's done it before.

There is no doubt that the fact she is well known as the savior of Equestria several dozen times and also being known as a personal friend of Princess Twilight has opened some important doors for my sister, but it really does take more than that to be truly successful in a niche culture with really high standards.

Furthermore, some of these meetings she didn't seek out but instead took great advantage of during a lucky opportunity. Either they came to her, she sought them out, or she literally bumped into them as a happy accident. My sister tells me that often happens to those who are successful in big business. Some of it is what you do, some of it is whom you know, and the rest is just plain, good old fashioned luck which might tip in one's favor more often than not as long as a good attitude is maintained and the individual pony never gives up their vision of success. If they want it, work for it, and believe it enough, success will be attracted, even if it requires dumb luck to pull it off.

Diamond is just doing the same thing. She has a vision of success for her future and she wants us to be part of it because she honestly believes we provide an invaluable service which she also has a personal investment in. It's not just greed for her. That's only part of it. She also really cares for us and the success of our ventures too because we are also her friends.

I have no doubt that she plans to make this a much bigger operation just so that even more ponies can be helped at a time. Helping ponies with their problems and recognizing deep, inner potential is our gig as Crusaders, but the business side of things is not. I understand that and so does Diamond. We need her if we're going to take our operations to the next professional level.

But with all of that said, I cringe with humiliation and crushing guilt how all of these good intentions are crashing down hard on the head of my poor special somepony. We promised that this would just be a fun evening with the four of us and that we'd make sure he has a fair chance to be himself as much as possible. Diamond and Silver inadvertently threw a massive wrench into our plans. Once again, the little rich earth pony fillies ends up as the antagonists against us. The really sad part about that is, this time, they don't mean it or is even aware of the damage they are bringing. That makes me feel sorry for them, too.

All we wanted was a fun evening just being ourselves, so what do we do? We end up pressuring a disguised colt into a super fru-fru treatment at the Ponyville Spa. The things we subject him to there couldn't possibly get more feminine. Manicures, pedicures, mane and tail treatment, mud masks, mud baths, beautifying makeup . . . the works!

I actually consider myself lucky that I could sneak a couple of minutes alone with him just so that I could get an opportunity to redraw my cutie mark on my true body's flank. To do it, I had to improvise using the tools available too me at the Spa. Thank goodness the Spa happened to have the right color lipstick which I used to reapply the fake cutie mark after some other Spa activity washed it off. When finished, it actually didn't look quite as good as before so I ended up finding myself looking forward to resuming to my sister's shop to get my coltfriend in a dress just to help cover up this little flaw. Until then, I hope nopony else pays too close attention to it.

What makes this even more tragic is Diamond is inadvertently pushing this onto my coltfriend with the best of intentions because she knew, that out of all of us in the Crusaders, that I would normally enjoy this the most. I'm honestly not into this stuff as much as my big sister but the primary reason is I can't afford it so I can't get used to something I don't experience on a regular basis.

That said, Diamond has correctly assumed that Rarity has treated me out to the works or, as she likes to call it, “the usual” because my big sister thought it's important to embrace our femininity as much as possible and this was one of her primary ways to both express and enjoy it. While this seldom occurred for me personally, my big sister is the reason it's happened at all on special occasions and I have enjoyed most of it upon its conclusion.

By their own decision, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo got lighter treatments. Diamond was willing to pay for much greater standards and she even encouraged it, but she knew that those two fillies aren't into this stuff as much as me so she didn't put too much pressure on them. Diamond did say there is a minimum standard for beautification since they are going to a very fancy event later. She does have some standards but she's being lax with it a bit for their sake.

However, Button Mash she considered a fashion emergency and, after multiple oddball behaviors from him that is out of character for me, Diamond might even be growing concerned about my sanity. As a result, she's pushing him harder as if she feels it's required to remind him who I really am. She's acting like all of this is necessary to “fix” me while not ever realizing she's aiming at the wrong target all along.

Multiple times, both Diamond and Silver encourage Button to just relax and enjoy this process because they can both see that he is giving us such a sour face while he endures this mental anguish and massive blow to his male ego. He's giving an especially dark look to me as grim eyes silently keep promising me, “Oh! You owe me BIG time for this humiliation!”

All I can do is return an apologetic and sheepish grin to him because I know he's being wronged but I have lost control of this situation. Diamond can be very pushy and demanding even when she has the best of intentions which is further agitated by believable misunderstandings.

There are times, when our two new earth fillies aren't looking, that I secretly clap my hooves together and bow to Button as both an apology and to show gratitude that he's enduring this for this long for our sake. Mainly mine. By going along with this, he is pretending to be me as much as he can be and thereby protect my reputation.

After the Spa, we go to an outdoor restaurant where we eat on stylistic tables that are designed to look like giant mushrooms. This is the one event we do that night that I'm relatively certain that everypony in our group enjoyed, including Button Mash. Fortunately for him, neither Diamond nor Silver seemed intimately familiar with my diet enough to judge him so he is mostly free to order whatever he wants, though he did get a few offhoof comments about keeping my figure. When that comment is made his way, I privately hope that this teaches him more to understand the kinds of social pressures fillies and mares grow up with all the time. That understanding, in turn, might improve his relationships with members of the opposite sex later.

As the evening wears on and we head out to my sister's boutique next, dread sinks into my heart as I realize that there's a chance that Button is feeling so humiliated tonight that he won't ever forgive me for this. It might get so severe that he might dump me. If that happens then it will break my heart but I can at least understand why he'd do it.

Even if it doesn't go that far, I also fear what retribution I might suffer that is severe enough to even the score this badly off-kilter.

And, considering all the anguish and mental abuse that I suffered through in recent history, I'm also afraid that that revenge will break me.

Either way, I have to seriously question whether our relationship is strong enough to endure this abuse.

I hope it is. I really do. I want us to succeed but these are very unusual circumstances.

Because my sister knows the truth about Button, she feels torn between her sympathy for a tortured colt who already suffered some abuse earlier and the fact that we are going to a fancy theater event later. An event in which we'll have the chance to meet influential actors/actresses, backstage personnel, and other fancy clothing designers which she suspects will include a good friend of hers, Coco Pommel. When it comes to meeting important ponies like that, Rarity knows she has to make a good impression with the clothes she sells to us because she also knows who else is going to see it later.

But, at the same time, she doesn't want to push Button's sanity too much which is a factor Diamond is unaware of.

All of this snags my sister between a rock and a hard place because Diamond is pressuring for the fanciest and most feminine dress that money like hers can buy. And, of course, we're aware that the reason she's doing that is to make sure that her friends also make a good impression with other influential ponies. Everything bad or good we do at fancy events like this reflects back on her because she is the one introducing us and therefore she's sticking her neck out for us. I have no doubt that lesson was repeated to Diamond by both of her parents pretty much all of her life and for good reason. They're not wrong.

In addition, Diamond is confused why Button is trying to downplay this because I wouldn't in his place and she knows that. I've grown up with a pretty sophisticated fashion sense thanks to my sister so I'm inclined to get away with as much as I can, especially when somepony else fronts the bill.

Again, I don't embrace it as much as my sister does. In fact, I rarely wear clothes at all. But, on the rare occasion I do, I like to look my best and my sister agrees with that sentiment even more than I do. If I'm going to dress up, then I'm doing so to make an impression. I can't ignore how much my appearance might affect others. There's too much of my big sister in me for that.

But Button Mash is coming into this with a very different perspective and vision for his future. I know he's a little into fashion sense and he does like to dress up on occasion, especially during Nightmare Night, but he simply does it for fun. He delights how he can make a visually striking appearance and it is amped up by his ego and delusion of grandeur.

I don't feel like I have the right to take that away from him because I don't want to make him unhappy. Setting unrealistic goals for himself can be aggravating but also cute. Button is also into some theatrics so he can do this well if he's in the right mood.

However, right now, all of this is being shoved in his face by others who all think they know better than him because they are evaluating him by the standards of another pony.

For Rarity, this is a balancing act and, because of that, we spent more time fussing over his dress than any other pony. In the end, however, we came up with something that seems to be a reasonable compromise. In this case, it's a white blouse shirt with a darker skirt dress. Pretty plain and simple yet also sophisticated with a chic couture.

At the same time, my sister laments that she can't join us for that event. Upon hearing that, Diamond offers to take her, but Rarity tells us that she's too busy to go. Now that she knows that we are going, however, she secretly gives me a letter to hoof to some of her friends if I happen to spot them backstage.

After all of that fiasco and we all dress up, we finally head to the main event itself, the theater. As we roam the halls and are led to a special line for other VIP guests, I notice how other ponies whisper among themselves in order to quietly judge us from afar.

When I see that, it made me realize how somepony like Diamond or Silver, both members of the upper class, suffers even more social pressure than any average filly. Tonight, Button may well be learning how much pressure a normal filly goes through but now I'm learning a lesson as well. Something Rarity told me several times earlier in my life turns out to be quite true. Ponies may judge every detail about us sharply as if it's necessary to compare themselves to it.

I can't tell if the impressions they gain are good or bad. I can't smell their emotions either or, rather to say, I'm getting too much sensory feedback to distinguish how they feel. Besides, I have hardly any context clues to tell each emotion apart from each other based purely on the smell. If I had to guess based on their facial reactions, however, I suspect the opinion of the general public is mixed and leans towards approval.

That makes me think about how I would feel if I was raised with that kind of social influence all of my life. To be not only taught that I am separate and somehow “better” than average ponies by my peers, but also get that message reinforced by the different treatment from the average pony. They look upon us with envy because of how we dress and the way we're treated. Due to that envy, there's also a shade of resentment in their eyes that I'm definitely not used to seeing.

When I notice the reaction of the general public, that cold feeling returns inside my chest again but it isn't nearly as bad as it used to be. Ever since my transformation, normal changeling hunger seems to be giving me a much-needed break. It's a thin reminder that such a sensation is still there but not as important as it used to be.

When we climb into a private area near and above the stage to the right, I feel like I want to express to both Diamond and Silver my sympathy for what they must have gone through that all reinforced social distance with most other ponies but I can't figure out how to approach that conversation without sounding too awkward. Besides, neither filly seem to have much trouble connecting with others anymore. That's especially true for Diamond because Silver is still mostly the follower of the two.

For this show, we are also given complimentary tiny binoculars on a golden stem. It does not seem that necessary considering how close we are to the stage but they are still fun to play with.

The play itself is a drama about a bet between two gentleponies to transform a low-class mare into a fancy lady and the journey she makes throughout. While watching it, I can't help but consider it an uncanny allegory of the journey that both Button and I have made in recent history. Between our lives and the play, it both seems to suggest a strong change that introduces an intense culture shock.

I look at Button several times to see if he is amused to gather the same message as well, but all I see is him gradually falling more and more asleep only to jolt back awake whenever the performers sing a high note in their musical stage play.

Scootaloo also looks a little bored with the play but she's appreciating it from a different standpoint. To her, she's seeing a bunch of ponies go out on stage and doing what they love to do in life. That makes her happy to see. These ponies have found and fully embraced their cutie mark destiny so Scootaloo can at least appreciate the show on that level.

Apple Bloom looks confused. Several times she leans over and whispers to me a question that probably should be better directed at either Silver or Diamond because the questions generally involve the cultural differences between high and low society. The young earth pony filly is coming into this show very much from the perspective of a farm pony so this high society stuff is mostly going over her head. She grasps it just enough to realize how much might be going over her head. So many times she feels tempted to ask why the rich do what they do because, to her, it seems pointless.

For me, I am not struggling with this too much thanks to my sister. I think I would call her fairly wealthy now but that wasn't the case through the majority of my life. Nevertheless, my sister has always been heavily drawn to high society stuff, especially those in Canterlot. My association with her gives me a passing familiarity with a lifestyle like this but even I am learning some new things tonight both because of the play and the reaction of other ponies around us in real life. I've met a few celebrities, too, thanks to my sister. Some of them I have had a deep connection with. Princess Twilight is likely the best example of that.

I don't consider myself a country bumpkin but neither am I a high society debutante. All things considered, I think I skirt the middle of that road. My father makes pretty good money being the manager of a store which sells sports equipment but it's my sister that really secured our elevated status in society later on.

In any case, I've always accepted my place with a carefree attitude. I just think there are better things to occupy my time with than complex social platitudes. Wherever my place in society happens to be, I'm just happy being me. I tend to live my life from moment to moment.

Both Diamond and Silver, of course, are quite into the play. For them, it's amusing to watch a play about a mare of low social standing to “pretend” to be a member of their betters so much that it kind of eventually becomes the truth, but that truth is undercut by a deeper irony and message that says it's more important to love somepony for who they are rather than the way they are told they should be. I think that Diamond, in particular, can heavily embrace that message because, for her, it's another reminder that it's okay to be herself and stray from the norm sometimes no matter how much social pressure attempts to change her.

I smile at her warmly when I notice that because I definitely think it's important for ponies to be who they are and embrace their own individual and wholly unique destinies. To do otherwise drains us of our spirit, magic, and color.

If, on the other hoof, we embrace our destiny especially well, I have seen heavily encouraging signs like Rara's cutie mark brilliantly shining as she passionately performs her beloved music. I even noticed that from a distance.

As a Cutie Mark Crusader, I love it when I see others passionately embrace and fully realize who they are. Each of us has our own special light to offer in a rainbow or musical note to add to a symphony. It is beautiful to behold.

Author's Note

So this is a short little chapter told in "recap mode". I saw this style as necessary at this juncture because I don't think the story needed to elaborate on exactly what the dresses look like or the food they ordered at a restaurant. The focus is on the general events throughout the evening from Sweetie Belle's perspective which includes comparisons to similar events in the past. In the process, it reveals her actions, feelings, observations, relationships, and history. All of this is necessary to explain how and why she grows later on.