"Ayup!" Big Mac stood tall and proud in his stall, many apples lined ahead of him, all shiny and tasty, awaiting ponies to enjoy them.

"Big Mac." Bon Bon trotted up, slowing to a walk and a stop. "I could use some of those. Apples only last so long and I need some fresh ones for some candies."

"Ayup." He grabbed a bag with his... He did not have magic. Recovering from that moment of dysphoria, he grabbed with teeth and mouth instead, filling up the bag with some nice apples. He accepted the offered bits, a trade complete.

"Have a nice day." Bon Bon walked off with her bag slung over her back and a pleased smile on her face.

He had done his part, selling some apples to help the farm keep open and secure. Why did he not feel as proud of that as he usually did?

"Hey." Applejack was coming closer with a bright smile. "Why are you lookin' down? Business slow?"

Big Mac reached down and hefted up the box of bits, setting it down with a satisfying jingle. "Nope."

"That's soundin' awful full." Applejack thrust her snout under the box and bounced it onto her back. "I'll take this on back and get it to ya empty and ready to fill again." She trotted towards the farm with a soft whistle on the way.

Big Mac watched her go, thinking heavy thoughts. He knew what it was to be a mare, not a bad feeling. It was nice being a stallion too. Both sides had it good, come to think... But he was 'just' an earth pony. He was big and tough and strong, and... he was standing there, selling apples. He wasn't rescuing ponies. He wasn't saving any days, other than a candymaker having the apples she wanted for the day.

He was a pony that had two lives, and most only needed one. Maybe that was the problem. He had too many of 'em! Applejack returned to his thoughts. Sugar Belle would probably be alright with it, a full time Blossom Orchard, but Applejack? He was her brother! She relied on him... And he loved her, and she loved him, and the rest of his family.

Apple Bloom and Granny Apple? Shoot, even Spike. They'd all be powerful upset if he just... stopped bein' there, and he rather liked being there! "Ayup!" He was Big Macintosh, and... Was that so bad?

It wasn't nearly as exciting as his night life, but that was... That was a chance to recharge! If he was being all exciting all day and all night, it'd be overwhelming. Same reason he didn't want Sugar Belle to stay up any longer than she had. A right good mare, that'd hurt herself if her special somepony let her. "Nope..." Which he would not allow! She deserved to be healthy and happy, which meant getting some sleep. All ponies needed downtime, even new princesses. Maybe especially new princesses?

"Hey." He waved at a pony just passing by and got a newspaper from them. "Thanks." He sat down with some light reading about the current events of the day. No wars or famines, Princess Celestia did a good job keeping those away. Rent was raising off in Baltimare, causing some trouble. Gang activity in the heart of Van Hoover was concerning the citizens and police forces there...

He didn't normally pay much mind to the news of places very far away from Ponyville. What did it matter what was going on out there? It didn't affect a local apple farmer much. Not like they did much in the way of exports to cities, like some farms did. But he wasn't just an apple farmer. He was also a crime fighter... Maybe visiting Van Hoover that evening would be wise...

"Here ya go." Applejack had returned. She put down the empty box, ready for more bits. "Anythin' interestin' goin' on in there?" Her eyes were on the paper he had been reading a moment before.

"Huh? Oh, nothin' involving apples... Some trouble down in Van Hoover, but we ain't police officers none."

"Reckon we ain't." She inclined her head. "Huh... Still, good to know. That map may send me over there to look at it. Wouldn't put it past. It's sent us to all kinds of places for all kinds of reasons."

Big Mac nodded, but a thought arrived that made him stiffen. "Say... Does that map ever send ya anywhere durin' the night?"

Applejack considered that with a hmm. "Usually, it don't give a time, just kinda 'now', really. But I ain't never been called at night..." Big Mac relaxed. "'Course, when I get somewhere on a train or whatever, could be day or night, depends." She shrugged, but noticed Big Mac growing tense again. "You worried fer me? Ah can take care of myself." She swatted at his shoulder with a bright smile. "Don't you fret on me any."

"Ayup." He put out a leg and got a one armed hug with his sister. "Yer Applejack."

"Darn tootin'! Ya need anythin' else from the farm?" She inclined her head towards the orchard. "I can grab it fer ya." She glanced left and right. "I didn't forget about your... situation... How's that goin'?"

Big Mac had almost forgot about that! "Um!" How was that going? He considered the ups and downs and slowly nodded. "Ayup."

"More good than bad? Good!" She took a step back. "But I weren't jokin'. Ya want anythin'? I'll be gettin' lunch at least."

"Mmm." Ah, there was an idea. "Lunch."

"I just said that." Applejack raised a brow at her brother. "Yer sure actin' a bit spaced today. Why don't I take over, after I get some lunch? Something tasty for us both to chew on." Instead of waiting for a reply, she trotted off in a spirited jog towards the orchard.

Big Mac sighed, he was not on his A game, for sure. "Nope..." But there was a pony in need of help. He smiled and played the part of salespony.

"Big Mac!" There was Spike, hurrying towards the stand. "I was hoping you'd be here today. You or Applejack, right?" He hopped up, clinging to the edge of the stand. "The game's tonight. You ready?!"

"A..." He was going to say yup, but stopped. Hm. "Spike..."

Spike slid to the ground. "That sounds serious. What's up?"

He waved for Spike to come around the back to speak more quietly. "Spike, is it... Can I make a new character?"

Spike blinked owlishly at that. "Uh, sure! Why not? Got something in mind?" His scaled brows fell suddenly with a smarmy grin. "Did you get an O&O extra book and didn't tell me? I'll need to glance at it first."

"Nope." Those rulebooks got awful complicated at times. He trusted in Spike to decipher them. "No fancy rules, just a different character is all... Wanna try somethin' different..."

"No harm there." Spike shrugged. "Want to try a spellcaster like me? We'll be two wizards fixing the day!" He pumped a fist excitedly.

"Not all that... That ain't the obvious... part."

"Obvious part?" Spike inclined his head at his large friend. "What's the obvious part?"

"Um..." He felt blood rushing into his face. "Um..." Spike didn't know about any of that. Would he make fun for it? "Would... you think it's funny if... ah wanted to try adventurin' as a mare?"

Spike lifted his shoulders in a shrug even as confusion crossed his face. "Sure... I mean, I wouldn't think it's funny. People who play O&O play as themselves, or not themselves, or whatever they want really. That's half the fun!" His brows fell. "Just don't expect me to flirt with you. My heart belongs to Schmarity!"

"Ayup." Big Mac was smiling at Spike's fidelity to the thin stand in for the pony he wanted. "See ya tonight."

"You won't even guess what's coming!" Spike rushed off, giggling with the joy that only a game master could have, dreaming of how their players would deal with the situation ahead.

Big Mac felt that pressure abate. It wasn't all doom and gloom... and Spike seemed ready to accept. In fact... every creature he'd told had, in the end, accepted him just the way he was. Maybe he was making a big deal out of nothing and getting all stressed out over what wasn't even a problem! He just had to relax... "Ayup." He got to fetching fresh apples for the next pony that looked ready to have some.

Applejack waited her turn in the same line, but it wasn't a long one. "Here ya go." She dropped a basket, only to grab a smaller package out of it. "An' somethin' fer myself. Now git! Ya ain't good for nopony while your head's all comin' loose." She hopped over the bar of the counter and hugged her brother. "Love ya, which is why ya gotta go. I'll make you make up fer it later."

That was a promise. "Ayup." He took the basket in his teeth. "Thanks." And he walked away from the stand, dismissed. The food was good, prepared by Granny Smith, he guessed. It tasted of home cooking and love, and he wasn't against either.

He did not expect Twilight to sit at the same bench as him, across from him, and watching him. "Ayup?"

"Good afternoon." Twilight dipped hed hat at him. "I am to understand that you have gained a second... everything." Big Mac tensed. "I'm not here to judge, just to... greet a fellow princess."

That was part of the problem! "Big Mac." He pointed at himself, then offered that hoof. "Nice to meetcha."

She touched the hoof gently. "A pleasure, but we've met before, Big Mac. It's still me, Twilight. And I'm sure you're still you... Which is part of what had me so excited."

Big Mac glanced to see if any other pony was listening. "Ah told her not to bother me fer princess stuff. Ah'm Big Mac..."

"That you are." Twilight seemed ignorant to any discomfort she was causing. "I'm not here to bother you with any royal duties, promise. I just want to chat, about your condition. Please?"

Big Mac sagged in place. His odds of escaping the wizard that was Twilight felt quite small. "Jus' eatin' lunch."

"Looks good." She admired his food, but didn't reach for any. "I already had some. Now, I wanted to ask, are you experiencing any gender dysphoria? It would be entirely understandable for you to be doing so. Not many have their gender flipped on them, with or without warning."
s
He colored, looking about all the more desperately. At least nopony else seemed to be paying them much mind. "Ah'm... still a stallion."

"Currently, yes." A floating quill took a note of this. "But not always. Are you comfortable during those times? This isn't a judgment. I'd just like to know, for posterity sake."

Posterity... "Yer writin' about this?!"

"Of course." As if that was just obvious. "Your experiences could be quite helpful to other ponies who are experiencing similar situations. They may not all be exactly the same, of course, but the topic of body dysphoria is one ripe with the need to investigate." She made another scribble. "For the betterment of others. Will you lend me a hoof, and a few words?"

A few words... Well... Wait. "It could really help a pony?"

"Quite a bit." Twilight nodded firmly. "Even without magic involved, there are ponies who do not feel comfortable in their body, who would like to change it quite a bit. A different tribe. A different gender. Even just bigger or smaller or skinnier or larger... There are many ways to be dissatisfied with your body, almost as many as the ways to be satisfied with it."

Big Mac directed a hoof at Twilight. "How don't you like yer body."

Twilight's ears went up, then back. "Um... Fair question... I was always jealous of unicorns with long horns. Becoming a princess addressed that, to my delight, and confusion... Another reason I'm asking. Did becoming a princess also fix something for you?" She reached across the table, resting a hoof on Big Mac's hoof. "It's alright if it did, or did not."

Author's Note

Twilight just bursts into the scenes with questions. Did you think Big Mac wouldn't get turns? This is his story!

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