Sweetie Belle Learns Rarity Is Trans

by cookiefonster

Rating: everyone
Tags: Slice of Life, Sweetie Belle, Main 6, Applejack, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rarity, Other
Length: 21664

Upon discovering an old photo, Sweetie Belle learns a secret about her big sister.

While cleaning Cheerilee's house, Sweetie Belle discovers a photo with a colt who looks an awful lot like her big sister. This leads Rarity to tell the story of how she went from a confused colt whose life didn't feel right to the famed mare she is today.

Features Rarity's parents, who don't have their own tag.

Published 2022-09-28 22:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2022-11-25 04:06:56 UTC

1. A Discovery

“Ugh, why did we have to agree to clean Miss Cheerilee’s house today?” said Scootaloo, who had just helped Apple Bloom carry a huge couch outside. “It’s so hot and humid, and I think I feel a few bugs in my wings.”

Apple Bloom wiped some sweat off her forehead. “I don’t like it either, but we do owe our teacher something after somepony blasted a hole in our classroom’s wall with her scooter. You should be thankful me and Sweetie Belle offered to help.”

“But we could’ve agreed to do something easier, like write a sentence a hundred times on paper. Besides, it’s not like we’re going to get our cutie marks in house cleaning. We already have them, remember?”

“Oh yeah,” said Apple Bloom, glancing at the tricolored shield that adorned her flank. “Sometimes it’s easy to forget, isn’t it. But it’s still nice to help!”

“I guess so.” Scootaloo went back inside to grab the next piece of furniture, then crashed into a box that Sweetie Belle was lifting with her magic.

“Hey! Watch where you’re going!” said Sweetie Belle, annoyed her magic spell was interrupted. “You don’t want to make another hole in—hey, wait.” Sweetie Belle flipped through the papers that had spilled out of the box, and she saw a photo that made her eyes go wide. “What is THAT?” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo dropped what they were doing and walked to her.

“Uh... a picture with Miss Cheerilee as a filly, and some other random ponies, labeled Ponyville Foals’ Acting Club?” Apple Bloom said. “Not sure how you don’t recognize her. She looks pretty much the same today.”

“No, no, I didn’t mean that. I meant the pony on the right.” Sweetie Belle pointed her hoof to a white colt with bright blue eyes, a trim-cut purple mane, and no cutie mark. He was sitting on the right edge of the group picture, waving a hoof with a forced smile. “This was the same acting club where Rarity said she earned her cutie mark.”

“He looks kind of like... a boy version of Rarity,” said Scootaloo.

“Do you think, um...” Sweetie Belle darted her eyes around, making sure nopony else was within an ear’s shot. “Do you think Rarity might be... transgender?” she whispered.

“What? That’s ridiculous, Sweetie Belle. She’s obviously always been a mare,” said Apple Bloom. “The colt on the right was probably your long-lost cousin or something.”

“Oh, oh!” Scootaloo shouted. “Maybe he’s a changeling pretending to be a boy version of Rarity? Or a spy from an alternate timeline?”

“Or maybe Rarity played the role of a boy in the acting club?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Girls, don’t be ridiculous,” said Sweetie Belle. “I know my sister. She would never even think of purporting herself as a stallion, even for a simple act. And besides, think about it. Scootaloo, didn’t you meet Rainbow Dash’s parents a few weeks ago?”

“Yeah,” said Scootaloo. “They were awesome!”

“And when did you meet your long-lost grandpa, Apple Bloom?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“Three days ago. Why do you ask?”

“Maybe now, it’s my turn to learn something new about my family. You know how our big sisters have all these weird coincidences about their lives and always were fated to become friends?”

“Like when they earned their cutie marks all on the same day?” said Apple Bloom.

“Exactly! Maybe the three of us are fated for crazy coincidences too. And besides, I wouldn’t think any less of Rarity for being transgender. She’s still the coolest big sister I could ever ask for. There’s one problem, though... how would I get her to admit it?”

“Press her hard and threaten to take away everything she loves until she admits the truth?” suggested Scootaloo.

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. “You’ve been hanging around Rainbow Dash too much, haven’t you.”

Scootaloo scratched her mane with her hoof. “I learn from the best.”

“I’m sure she has some pictures of her as a filly that would clear everything up, like we do at Sweet Apple Acres,” said Apple Bloom. “You could just ask her for one of those!”

“I appreciate your ideas, but...” Sweetie Belle rubbed her chin with her hoof, thinking of what to say. “This is Rarity we’re talking about. She never told me much about her childhood, other than how she got her cutie mark. And she probably doesn’t think I’m old enough to know! I think I will have to present the evidence directly.”

“What evidence?” asked Apple Bloom.

Sweetie Belle pointed to the acting club picture.

“Well, I still don’t think Rarity is...” Before Apple Bloom could argue further, she saw Sweetie Belle running out the door, disappearing into the shadows.

“So, are we supposed to do the rest ourselves?” asked Scootaloo.

Apple Bloom sighed. “I guess so. But look on the bright side! At least this beats washing a hundred pigs at the barn. Besides, I’m sure Sweetie Belle will be back soon enough.”

“Hi, Rarity!”

Rarity gasped and nearly dropped her needles, recovering them with magic at the last second. “Sweetie Belle! What are you doing here?!”

“Well, you didn’t hear me knocking on the door or asking you to let me in, and since you’re my sister, I figured it’d be OK if I walked right in to show you something.”

Rarity adjusted the glasses she liked to wear while sewing. “Oh, yes, yes, of course. I’m very sorry. I was just so concentrated on stitching together the perfect dress for Sapphire Shores’ next concert in Ponyville, and I... well, I suppose I didn’t hear any noises around me.”

“Oh... I’m sorry, Rarity.” Sweetie Belle took a few steps back and hung her head low with a droopy frown. “I wanted to show you something, but I guess I can wait until after the concert.”

“No, no, it’s fine! The concert isn’t for another week anyway. I just wanted to get a head start. Now what is it you wanted to show me, darling?”

Sweetie Belle gulped. She lifted a folded picture out of her saddlebag and slowly unfolded it, then presented it to Rarity’s face. “It’s... this picture I found.”

Rarity ran her eyes across the image, mumbling a few names to herself, then shrieked. “SWEETIE BELLE! Where did you find THIS?!”

“I was cleaning Miss Cheerilee’s house with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, and I found a picture from that club you used to go to. I was just wondering if you knew who the colt on the right was?”

“Oh, him? That was... um... that’s our cousin named... Emerald Gleam! I think you met him once, but you must have been too young to remember him. He, uh... he moved to Manehattan when you were four years old.” Rarity chuckled awkwardly and bit her hoof.

Sweetie Belle sighed. “You aren’t fooling anypony more than ‘Cousin Orchard Blossom’ did.”

“Alright, alright, you got me. I was just... I happened to have my mane cut, so I could play the role of a dashing stallion on stage, when the picture was taken. There weren’t any colts willing to take the part, so I, uh... filled in?” Rarity grinned sheepishly and blinked her eyes.

“Are you sure, Rarity? That doesn’t seem like something you would do.”

“Well, you see, I...” Rarity stammered a little more, then held a hoof up to her head while closing her eyes. “Alright, FINE! I’m a transgender mare, Sweetie Belle! I was born as a colt, but I changed myself. Because I didn’t LIKE the body I was born into! Because I wanted to be a DASHING and FANCIFUL girl for as long as I could remember, so I had to do everything by MYSELF. And look where this led me! I thought at least my youngest family member could know me as a true mare, but even you had to learn otherwise. Please don’t hate me for this. Please!!!” Rarity pulled a huge couch out of thin air, then plopped her body on it and started crying.

Sweetie Belle felt a loud THUMP in her chest. As supportive as she was of ponies being their true selves, she couldn’t deny this was a lot to take in. “Why would I hate you for that, Rarity? Also... why did you never tell me?”

“Well... I always thought you...” Rarity took a long, deep breath, then sighed. “Sweetie Belle, it feels so delightful to be simply seen as a mare, without any caveats or complications. I don’t normally tell others I’m transgender, unless I truly trust them not to deride me for it.”

“Are you saying... you don’t trust me?”

Rarity winced. “No, no! It’s not that! I just, well, um... I thought you were too young to understand all this,” she said, tapping her hooves together. “But now that you learned it, I suppose there’s no turning back. You are my dearest sister after all.”

“Well, since we’re both here... could you tell me the story of how this—” Sweetie Belle pointed at the colt on Cheerilee’s photo “—became this?” Sweetie Belle pointed at her big sister, whose mane was looking especially smooth today.

“You... you want to hear the full story?”

Sweetie Belle nodded and smiled. “Yes!”

“Well... alright, then. I trust you’re old enough by now. Here’s the story of how I realized I was a mare.”

2. A Dissatisfied Colt

The five-year-old son of a hoofball coach and a quality inspector at a cookie factory, Rarity had taken an interest in the design of things since he learned to talk. The colors of the walls at school, the mane styles of his teachers, the decor in his bedroom... his mind would brim with ideas to make them look more appealing, but he never quite knew how.

One thing he did catch onto was how ponies styled their manes. He would watch each morning as his mother gelled her hair, pulled most of it up in a bun, and meticulously combed it till she looked satisfied. It was a good thing Mom always left the door wide open, even if Rarity found it strange to have such little concern for privacy. It meant that Rarity could take a shot at styling his own mane, which he was doing right now. Shouldn’t a pony like him get to have something other than a short buzz cut each day? His hair was starting to get a little longer, and maybe with the right amount of gel, he could make it stand out.

Rarity took his mother’s bottle of hair gel, popped off the lid, and poured the whole thing on his face. With that, he was ready to experiment.

As a first attempt, he combed his hair perfectly flat and smooth, then looked in the mirror and smiled. Hmm... looks a little boring, he thought.

He moved a small portion of his emerging bangs to the left side of his forehead, and the rest of the bangs to the right. Still not that great. Swapping the left and right sides didn’t do much better.

Then he played with the top of his hair and used the gel to shape it into spikes. Would this look avant-garde? he thought. “Avant-garde” was a phrase he heard a few grown-ups use and was moderately sure he knew what it meant. With this new style, he looked in the mirror and stuck out his tongue. Why was this so hard to get right? Why did every mane style look wrong to him? Maybe he just had to try a few more—

Rarity’s dad knocked on the door. “You done in there, son? You better hurry up, or you’ll be late for school!”

Oh, right! School! Rarity scampered out of the bathroom only to bump into both his parents.

“Hey, Rarity. Did you just use up your mom’s expensive hair gel? Your mane looks as shiny as a fish from Canterlot on a warm spring day!” Dad chuckled, ever so eager to discuss his odd side hobbies.

Rarity gulped. “I... well...”

“It’s okay, dearie,” said Mom. “Rarity, you did a splendid job styling your hair to look sharp and spiky. We’re both so proud of you!”

“Uh... thanks, Mom?” To be honest, Rarity thought his hair style looked hideous, but he couldn’t help feeling joyed inside that others enjoy it.

“And we’re really pleased that you learned how to open a bottle of hair gel,” said Dad. “Some ponies never learn that skill in their entire lives!” He turned to face Mom. “Now tell me, honey. How do you screw the lid off one of those things again?”

Mom laughed. “Don’t mind him, son. He’s just being silly. Now off you go to school!”

Rarity walked out the door and rubbed his hooves on his face, trying to get as much excess gel off as he could. Someday, he’d find a hairstyle that would impress his class. Maybe a bowl cut could be next? Or an undercut might be fun to try. Ooh, now a crop top wouldn’t be too bad.

“Uh, Rarity?” said Sweetie Belle. “I think you’ve listed plenty of hair styles by now.”

“Oh, oh! Now a mohawk would look oh so marvelous on a stallion!” Rarity giggled and squished her cheeks between her hooves.

“Rarity, you can stop now!”

“Buh... uh... what?” Rarity looked around her and remembered her surroundings. “Oh, I’m sorry, Sweetie Belle. Do you want me to quit telling my story? If you’re bored of it, then I understand. I probably prattle on about my troubles too much for your liking anyway.”

Sweetie Belle smiled. “No, this is really interesting! I just didn’t want you to get too distracted, that’s all.”

“Oh, that’s such a relief. Now, hm... where was I?” Rarity cleared her throat, then continued.

Art class was always Rarity’s favorite part of school. It was his opportunity to express himself, to bask in the spotlight as he showed the world what he was made of. By “the world”, he really meant “his class”, but a boy could dream big, right? One day, everypony else would surely recognize his creative genius.

Today’s lesson in art class was on character design, and an idea burst into Rarity’s head. Entering full concentration with his eyes glued onto the paper, he pulled out a set of crayons and drew a beautiful alicorn princess with a smooth white coat, a flowing purple mane with a few curls on each side, a tail coiled up in a spiral, and a coy, confident smile that could charm even the stuffiest stallion. Hailing from Canterlot, a magnificent city Rarity could only dream of setting hoof in, this lady would be a masterful dress designer, but also a capable fighter who blasts bad guys with her alicorn magic. Rarity finished his drawing after five minutes, while all the other foals were still hard at work, and he couldn’t take his eyes off it. The artwork looked so perfect and gorgeous... wait, did he forget to shade those eyes? He fixed that quickly, then spent the next half hour scanning the art over and over in search of any other issues.

After half the class presented their designs, now came Rarity’s turn to showcase his art. He held his drawing high above his head and grinned widely. “Fillies and colts, I present to you, um...” WAIT! Rarity never came up with a name for this character. “Uh... her name is... The... Magic Mare!” He resumed the confident tone he had rehearsed in his head. “She’s a beautiful princess straight from the beautiful buildings of Canterlot and will make a beautiful outfit for anypony brave enough to say a single word to this beauty. Also, she blasts beautiful magic out of her sharp horn.”

The other classmates stared blankly. Hmm... did I say “beautiful” too many times? Rarity thought.

He paused for a few moments, looking around the room. His front legs were starting to strain from holding up the artwork. Oh, if only he could figure out how to lift things with his horn.

“So... do you guys like it?”

One of his classmates finally spoke up. “Well... since you’re a boy, I thought you’d wow us with a cool superhero dude who smashes things with his muscles. I didn’t think you’d make something so girly.” The other colts in the class muttered in agreement.

Rarity’s eye twitched. “So what? Just because I’m a boy, it means I can’t draw a lady once in a while? Is that it?”

“No, your art is great!” said a filly in the class. Rarity grinned. “I really like the, um... colors on his horn?” Rarity set his art down and switched to a droopy frown. He could tell when a compliment was sincere, and this wasn’t it. “Look, you’re still my favorite artist in the class! I just thought you would’ve made something cooler for this project, since your art is always so cool.”

Rarity sighed and plopped his face onto the desk, barely listening through the rest of the art class. After class, all he could think about was how this cool idea for a character wasn’t so great after all. He was the last to walk out the room and crumbled the paper, throwing it in the trash can once nopony else could see him.

Wait. As embarrassed as he was today, it never felt right to discard a work of art entirely. He took the crumbled paper out of the trash and hid it in the bottom of his saddlebag. When he arrived home, he left the crumbled paper on the desk by his bed, letting it remain there as a reminder of what not to do in class.

Something felt off about how others saw Rarity, but he couldn’t place what.

3. The Acting Club

In the kitchen of Carousel Boutique, Rarity and Sweetie Belle were taking a break from their deep sisterly conversation to cook some pancakes together. Rarity had prepared the batter for their latest batch; after some persuasion, she allowed Sweetie Belle to flip the pancakes herself. While Sweetie Belle never had the best track record as a chef, Rarity knew that the only way to improve a skill was through regular practice.

Sweetie Belle walked towards her sister with a steaming plate. “Here you go, Rarity! A blueberry pancake, just the way you wanted.”

Rarity lifted the pancake with her magic, examining it for any burnt spots. She had left her sewing glasses upstairs, so squinting was the next best option. “Wait a minute, Sweetie Belle. How many blueberries did you put inside this pancake?!”

“Six! One for each of the best friends you went on all those adventures with.”

“Sweetie Belle, I clearly told you that a crêpe is to have no more than five blueberries inside it. Now, with that said—” Rarity neatly cut a square corner off her pancake, chewed it for a few seconds, and swallowed “—oh, mmm. Your blueberry crêpes are quite delicious.”

“Thanks! I really tried to make something edible for once. I know Mom and Dad always say I’m a good cook, but then I try some of it myself and it’s like... OK, how can they even pretend this burnt mess qualifies as lemonade?”

Rarity laughed. “Ah, yes. Mom and Dad have always been weird like that.”

“Have they really?”

“Oh, complimenting inedible cuisine is hardly the beginning.”

School had gotten increasingly lonely for Rarity. Since the incident in art class a few years ago, he felt more and more out of place among his classmates. All the boys were rowdy and hectic, and they surrounded him in most of his classes. Whenever some girls walked by, they would exchange gossip he couldn’t understand a word of. He had increasingly long moments where he spaced out, thinking about how cool it would be if he could be a filly even for one day. He knew that could only ever be in his imagination, but the thought bubbled in his head for so long that he needed to let it out to somepony. And for better or for worse, the best options were his parents.

“Mom, Dad,” Rarity said, “is it strange that I sometimes, um... wish I was a lady?”

“A lady, you say. Is this about your interest in knitting?” Mom asked. “We have no problem if you prefer arts and fashion over sports. You’ll always be our dear son either way.”

“She’s right,” said Dad. “My best friend is a grown stallion, and he designs dolls for a living! Your interests are nothing to be ashamed of.”

Rarity didn’t know how to respond to this. He knew he should have felt reassured, but he didn’t. Having interests like a mare wasn’t the same as wanting to be a mare, but how would his parents know the difference? A white stallion and a pink mare—two ponies clearly complacent with the lives they chose, like all adult ponies seemed to be.

Oh, if only Rarity could have a little sister. A sister who he could teach everything he knew and laugh with and sew with, and she could tell him all about what it’s like to be a girl. He had asked his parents again and again, and they would always say the same thing no matter how hard he pleaded. But maybe they’ve changed their minds now! Holding out hope, he chose to ask again.

“So, um... could you remind me again, why exactly don’t you want me to have a little sister?”

“Oh, Rarity,” said Mom. “Even if we wanted to have another kid, we can’t choose if it’s a filly or a colt. We got lucky when we had you, because your dad would always tell me how much he wanted a son.”

Dad put a hoof on his wife’s shoulder and laughed. “Oh, you know I would have loved a daughter just as much. But yes, even if we wanted another kid, one son is already a boatload to take care of.”

“Well,” Rarity asked, “if your first kid turned out to be a filly, then would you have tried again?”

Mom and Dad tried to hide it, but a jolt ran through both their faces. They exchanged glances for a few seconds, then Dad spoke up. “Son, why don’t you go upstairs and get ready to sleep? Your mother and I are going to have an adult conversation.”

Getting sent upstairs was just as well, because Rarity had only two weeks left to practice his audition for the lead female role in his school play, and it needed to be perfect. Earlier this year, his parents had wanted him to join an after-school club, suggesting badminton, buckball, hoofball, and even Fillydelphian hoofball, whatever that was. They were surprised when he went for the Ponyville Foals’ Acting Club, but something about theater performance just spoke to him. It felt like the dream of a lifetime to get on a stage and show himself to a crowd of hundreds while putting on a dramatic role, presenting himself as whichever kind of pony he wanted to be. And as a nice bonus, he never had to get his hooves dirty!

Rarity looked in the mirror and combed his shaggy, overgrown hair in two swift motions, a routine that he had done every evening for the past week. Then he put a gentle dab of gel in, just enough that his mother wouldn’t notice somepony else was using it. He cleared his throat and put on the best dramatic ladylike voice with a fanciful accent he could.

“STOP, my love! Would a stallion as kind as you EVER consider to settle things peaful—peaceabal... peacefulufufYYY... COUGH COUGH COUGH”

Ouch. Putting his voice this high for more than ten seconds really strained Rarity’s throat. Let’s try a different approach, he thought.

“STOP, my love!” Rarity narrowed his eyes and turned his head to the side. “Now, now, would a stallion as kind as you ever consider to settle things PEACEfu... Blech.” Oh, how he hated when his voice cracked. “I was doing so well for a moment there,” he muttered.

“Stop, my love! Oh, would a stallion as kind as you ever consider to settle things... settle things? With... peace?”

This was going to be a long few hours. But Rarity knew it would be worth it when he finally got the part.

“We’re sorry, Rarity. You didn’t get the part.”

“WHAT?! But... how can this be? This must be a huge mistake.” Rarity paced in circles, trying to process the news that hit him. “This can’t be possible! I put all my energy for the past three weeks into practicing for the role, and I even rehearsed a ladylike voice for it, and styled my mane appropriately, and put on some convincing fake eyelashes. Are you sure Cheerilee is a better fit than me?”

The club’s lead judge put a hoof on Rarity’s shoulder. “Look,” she said, “we were all very impressed with your performance. But we discussed this extensively, and we decided it wouldn’t make sense to give the lead female part to a colt.”

“I can recall at least three instances where you assigned male parts to fillies in the club, and nopony complained about that. How is this any different?”

“I understand where you’re coming from, but keep in mind that our club has never had enough colts to play all the minor male parts, so we’ve had to take liberties there. The same simply doesn’t hold for the part you auditioned for.”

Tears welled up in Rarity’s eyes. “Oh, I was so foolish,” he said, holding a hoof over his head. “I should have known I couldn’t do anything to even pretend to be a beautiful lady! Why must this happen to me?”

“Hmm...” The judge held a hoof under her chin, thinking of what could cheer their star performer up. “Would it make you feel better if we put you in charge of the costumes for the play?”

Rarity’s eyes went wide, and his mouth wider still. “REALLY???”

“Yes, really. Your clubmates have told us you’ve got quite a way with sewing!”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!” Rarity said, jumping around in circles. As much as he would have loved to snag the leading role for himself, designing dresses to let others shine was a far better consolation prize.

“Oh! Also, if you want to keep dressing as and acting like a mare in our club meetings, you’re totally welcome to. We’ve noticed you’re a lot more lively and energetic that way!”

Tears filled Rarity’s eyes again, this time tears of joy. “This is the best day of my life! And to think I had almost thought it would be the worst day of my life.”

“Now don’t get too carried away, dear. You still will need to make the dresses as good as you can get them!”

“Yes, yes, of course. But this is still the most splendid news E-VER!!!” He said the last word in a singsong tone.

“I had to make the dresses for the play as good as can be, and I needed a fresh new environment to sew them in,” Rarity said as she cleaned her pans in the sink. “I found an abandoned dusty boutique, and since nopony else was using it, I refurbished it into the building we’re sitting in today! And then, well... you know what came next.”

“You mean the story of how you got your cutie mark?” asked Sweetie Belle, wiping some blueberry sauce off her cheeks.

“Indeed so.”

“Well... hmm. I remember everypony would always tell me that getting your cutie mark matches with finding out who you’re meant to be. When you earned your mark, did you realize you were meant to be a mare?”

Rarity chuckled. “Oh, Sweetie Belle. You know my special talent isn’t being a mare! Half of all ponies could do that. But... when I first joined the acting club, I did think my special talent was acting. Then I realized I merely wanted to present as a mare, regardless of whether it was on stage. One thing led to another, and before you know it, I fell headfirst into the delight of dressmaking.”

“Maybe you were drawn to the acting club because you knew deep down you wanted to make some nice outfits for it? That’s how it often goes for foals who aren’t sure what they’re meant to do.”

“It could well be! You and your Crusader friends are always brimming with the wildest theories about how cutie marks work.”

Sweetie Belle grinned. “It’s what we do best!”

“In any case,” Rarity continued, “to answer your prior question... it took me a few more years to learn that presenting as a mare day-to-day was an option, let alone the strenuous steps I’d need to take to do so. But by the time I earned my cutie mark, I knew in my heart that was who I was meant to be.”

4. Encounter with Applejack

Author's Note

In this fic, Apple Bloom was born after Applejack got her cutie mark. I know a brief flashback in Going to Seed shows Apple Bloom was born before Applejack got her cutie mark, but Where the Apple Lies, which is a full-out flashback episode, strongly implies the opposite. In that episode, we see Filthy and Spoiled Rich engaged, and their daughter (presumably not born yet) is clearly about the same age as Apple Bloom; meanwhile, Applejack looks significantly older than on the day she got her cutie mark.

The show is inconsistent with the ages (and aliveness) of the Apple family in flashbacks, so there's a lot of interpretations you could go for. And I don't know about you, but I think it gets boring to pull out the "they were on vacation and took Apple Bloom with them!" excuse every time Applejack's parents and baby Apple Bloom were absent from flashbacks.

4. Encounter with Applejack

It was another ordinary day at Carousel Boutique—the makeshift fashion store where Rarity spent most of her time outside of school, and all of her time when her parents were on vacation, like right now. Calling it a “fashion store” was an admitted stretch, since she had never sold a single garment there yet. She had, however, crafted tons of dresses for her own usage. which she would spend hours on end trying on while making cute girly poses in front of the mirror. While putting on makeup to accentuate her dazzling eyelashes, she reflected on her revelations since earning her cutie mark five years ago.

Rarity learned the word “transgender” shortly after the play where she earned her cutie mark. One of the stage performers said Rarity reminded her of her favorite cousin, who was born as a colt but never felt right as one, and instead took it into her own hooves to present as a mare. Throughout the explanation, Rarity’s brain kept screaming “this is exactly like me!”—she was so relieved that there was a word for how she felt about her body. Although she never did meet that cousin, partly because she soon quit the acting club to focus more on dressmaking, that tale stuck with her since and inspired her to do the same... but with quite a few hurdles.

In the last few years, Rarity’s relationship with her parents had gotten uneasy. She frequently told them that she wanted to be called a filly or a mare, not a colt, but her parents would always forget the next day and go back to calling her “son”. On the bright side, her parents now let her stay on her own whenever they went on vacation, which was typically for three weeks at a time. During those trips, Rarity would bring her bed and all her favorite possessions over to the boutique—the perfect place where she could be she. And although she would bring everything back home the day before her parents arrived, this place was starting to feel like her true home.

Having finished with her makeup, Rarity tilted her head in the mirror and smirked, looking quite ladylike if she said so her—

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Could that be a customer? Before Rarity had time to think, she scrambled downstairs and rushed into her chair at the boutique’s entrance. “Come in!” she said in that melodious tone she had been trying to work into her everyday speech.

An orange earth pony about Rarity’s age slammed the door against the wall and walked in. She had uncombed yellow hair in pigtails and some patches of dirt and sweat on her face—perhaps she was in a hurry? “Scuse me. Are you by any chance the owner of this here boutique?” the earth pony asked.

“Why yes, darling!” Rarity smiled and flipped her mane back, the first part of a greeting that she had rehearsed countless times to make a good first impression. “My name is Rarity, and I am the owner of Carousel Boutique. How my I assist you today?”

“Well, me and my brother and granny need some black suits for tomorrow. My brother’s this big—” the earth pony spread her front hooves about as far as she could “—and my granny’s ‘bout the same size as me.” She paused for a second. “Name’s Applejack, by the way.”

“Hmm. Black suits, you say. What sort of occasion would you three need those for?”

“I, uh...” Applejack darted her eyes around and smiled nervously. “It’s for a... a family gathering, and we wanna make a good first impression to some relatives we’ll be meetin’ for the first time.”

Rarity’s eyes perked up. This was her chance to show off her fashion knowledge! “Oh, I know everything about making a good first impression. And I don’t think a black suit would be the most fashionable outfit for an event as simple as a family gathering. Perhaps an emerald green suit would be more to your liking? It would certainly complement your color better. Or I could use some of that extra chartreuse fabric I have lying around to design you an apple-themed dress!”

“That’s mighty kind a’ you to offer, but, um... you see... we’re meetin’ relatives in Manehattan, and they got a strict dress code over there. When visitin’ family there for the first time, you gotta wear a black suit! Else they’ll think you’re a clown or somethin’.”

“You have family in Manehattan???” Rarity’s eyes glittered as she put her hooves on her cheeks. “Why, that is only the most delightful megalopolis in all of Equestria! I will design the three of you the most fashionable ensembles I can, so that you can leave the best first impression for your elite Manehattanite relatives. Though... photos of your brother and grandmother would help.”

“Oh, right! Can’t believe I forgot to show you.” Applejack pulled three small photos out of her saddlebag and laid them on Rarity’s desk. She pointed to them one by one. “That’s Big Mac, that’s Granny Smith, and that’s me of course. I dunno much about fashion, but I trust you can make us some mighty fine suits for our f... family gathering.”

“I promise you I won’t let you down!” Rarity said, flipping her mane back again. “Now, um... if you don’t mind me asking, are your parents not coming with you?”

Applejack gulped. “Oh, them? They’re, um... they’ve just been takin’ a long vacation.”

“Well... alright then. I’d love to talk with you further, but I’ll need all the concentration I can get to design you the best possible black suits! I promise I will have them ready tomorrow before sundown.”

Applejack nervously waved her hoof, and Rarity eagerly waved hers in response. “See ya tomorrow, Rarity,” Applejack said as she walked out the door and slammed it once again.

Rarity fiddled with a hair brush at her desk, unsure what to do for the past three hours now that she finished crafting three black suits and checked and double-checked their designs. Perhaps she would be less bored if she could have a little sister already, who she could teach how to sew and draw and style her mane... but it was clear her parents would never give her one. She sighed loudly, waiting for somepony to—

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Wait, this sequence of knocks sounded familiar! Before her wall could get damaged further, Rarity walked up and gently opened the door.

“Howdy, Rarity! Did ya finish makin’ those suits?” Applejack asked.

“Why, yes I did!” Rarity tapped her hooves on the floor in excitement as she used magic to pull a rack with three suits out of her closet. “I hope these three suits serve you well on your voyage to the glamour and delight that is Manehattan!”

Applejack looked at the suits for a few seconds. Each was carefully stitched to match the body proportions of its wearer, and each had gems encrusted in an apple shape around the neck—one with red gems, one with orange, and one with green. “They’re... they’re beautiful,” Applejack said, tears welling up in her eyes. “These are gonna be perfect for what we’re doin’. Now how many bits do I owe you for these?” She rummaged around in her saddlebag and pulled out a sack of coins.

“You can get these suits for free, darling! They are my gift to you.”

Applejack chuckled. “Oh, Rarity, that’s so sweet of you to offer. But if you’re runnin’ a business, you’ll wanna charge some money for your products. That way, you can save up enough bits to make more products that you can sell later! It’ll also help if you wanna fix up your place or try some of our famous apple cider.”

“I insist that you take these suits for free, Applejack. I wouldn’t dare force anypony to give me money just to look like the fine and fashionable pony they so badly want to be.”

“Well, I insist that I pay you at least twenty bits for these suits! I reckon these are worth at least as much as one of Granny’s apple pies.”

“But wouldn’t you want some extra money on hoof for your trip to Manehattan? Calling a cab there costs at least ten bits per pony, not even to speak of whatever hotel you’ll be staying in.”

“Yeah... um...” Applejack scratched the back of her head. “Don’t you worry, sugarcube. Big Mac’s got plenty of extra bits for our trip! And when these suits look this good...” Applejack sniffed and got teary again. “It feels wrong not to repay you some.” Applejack dumped out all the contents of her bag—exactly twenty coins.

“Applejack, I’ll accept no more than eighteen bits. Believe me, when you want to try one of Manehattan’s famous back massages, you’ll be thankful to have some extra bits to spare.”

Applejack put two coins back in her bag. “Heh, if you say so. Eighteen bits it is!”

“Wow, I had no idea you and Applejack were friends before I was born,” said Sweetie Belle. “Kind of surprising, considering how different you two are.”

“Oh, darling, Applejack and I go way back,” said Rarity. “We are the only ones in our friend group from Ponyville after all. Twilight and Spike are from Canterlot, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash grew up in Cloudsdale, and... wait. Where was Pinkie Pie from again?”

“A rock farm!”

“Oh, of course. How could I have forgotten? Wait... how did you know that?”

“Oh! I memorized all the stories you and your friends told us about how you got your cutie marks, back when we were searching for ours. I actually tried out rock farming once, and... let’s just say, I still don’t understand what that even is.” Sweetie Belle blushed, recalling some of the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ most embarrassing mishaps. “This story makes me wonder, though... why did it take so long for me to meet Apple Bloom? We could’ve been friends far sooner!”

“You two are quite lucky, actually! You met her years before you got your cutie marks. I didn’t meet Applejack until after we got ours.”

“I guess you’re right. It probably isn’t right to complain much about the life I have anyway. Especially considering, um, you know...” Sweetie Belle twiddled her hooves together. “That I was born as a girl, and you weren’t. And that makes me feel kind of guilty.”

Rarity chuckled. “Oh, Sweetie Belle, there’s no reason to feel guilty about that. That is exactly the reason I wanted a sister so badly! So I could feel less lost and lonely in my foalhood and see first-hoof what the life of an ordinary filly is like.”

“So... did Mom and Dad eventually give in to your requests and have a second kid?”

“Erm... not exactly. I could continue the story upstairs if you’re willing to lend a hoof and help me finish Sapphire Shores’ dress.”

Sweetie Belle’s face lit up in joy. “REALLY??? This is the most exciting news EVER!” A burst of excitement popped from Sweetie Belle’s horn, and she teleported to the top of the stairs. She touched herself, surprised she just did that. “Well, second most exciting after getting my cutie mark.”

“I’ll give you some supervision, of course,” Rarity said with a gentle smile. “But if you’re old enough to learn I wasn’t born as a mare, then you’re certainly old enough to operate a sewing machine.”

Sweetie Belle grinned broadly and jumped around in circles. “I’m sewing with my sister! I’m sewing with my sister! I’m sewing with my sister!” she chanted.

“Sweetie Belle, you don’t have to... oh, never mind. I’ll let you have this moment.”

5. Double Confessions

After a long day of tedious school assignments, an exhausting argument with her parents about sleeping at her boutique, and a horrific step into a puddle of mud, Rarity spent what little remained of the day at one of the few restaurants that was open this late: Sugarcube Corner, a quaint little bakery run by a newly married couple that happened to sell some of Ponyville’s finest coffee.

“Now would you like any extra sugar or cream with your coffee, miss?” Mr. Cake asked.

An unconscious burst of joy ran through Rarity. Oh, it felt so good to be called “miss”. To be thought of as a mare without having to specify anything else. She wasn’t sure whether strangers didn’t notice how often her voice cracked, or if they were just being polite, but it still felt wonderful to be treated as a lady. So wonderful...

“Uh, Rarity? I asked you if you wanted anything extra on your coffee. If you’re having trouble deciding, we could offer you a plate with ten different—”

Rarity shook her head out of her stupor. “Oh, yes, yes, sorry.” She cleared her throat. “I would like no cream in my coffee, but just the most miniscule dash of sugar would suit my fancy quite well, n’est-ce pas?”

Mr. Cake gave Rarity a curious look, then chuckled. “I’ll have your coffee with a dash of sugar ready in five minutes!”

Rarity found a table far in the corner to sit at, then pondered what she just said. Was she laying things too thick there? She said “miniscule” in a tone so squeaky it nearly strained her throat, but such were the lengths she would take to sound more like a lady. With nopony else in the bakery so late at night, perhaps she could get some peace and quiet to decompress.

“Hey, Rarity!” said a voice in front of her.

Rarity jumped back in a panic, then smacked herself in the face, realizing she had spaced out yet again when somepony was trying to address her. Not just that, but it was the friendly orange pony who she had crafted suits for. “Applejack? What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Oh, I’m just here to unwind after a long, hard day of farm work. I like gettin’ some donuts here sometimes, ‘cause nopony else is ever ‘round here late at night.” Applejack leaned in closer to Rarity and lowered her voice. “But don’t ya go tellin’ Big Mac I do this, ‘cause then he’d talk my ear off about how he ‘wasn’t invited’.” She let out a hearty chuckle.

Mr. Cake came over to the table. “Here’s your coffee with a small splash of sugar, dear, just the way you wanted.”

“Thank youuuu!” sang Rarity, waving her hoof.

“And here’s your order of sugar-glazed apple donuts, Applejack. Enjoy!” said Mr. Cake.

“’Scuse me, Mr. Cake,” said Applejack. “Normally, your wife’s here with you at this time a’ day. I was just wonderin’, where’s she at now?”

“She’s not feeling too well,” Mr. Cake replied. “She learned something terrible happened to one of her best friends and... actually, I should go check on her. Ask if she needs any soup, or some vitamins.”

“Aw, I hope she feels better soon,” said Applejack. Mr. Cake went upstairs, leaving only two young ponies in the room. “Say, Rarity. You look awful excited today. Did ya make a bunch of money from a new line of dresses or somethin’?”

Rarity looked at Applejack with bright, dazzled eyes. “No, Applejack. I want you to tell me all about the glamorous times you had in Manehattan!” She leaned forward and put her elbows on the table, nearly spilling her coffee until her magic rescued it. “Did you gaze upon any gorgeous architecture? Did you amaze your family with my fashion design skills? Did you try out one of the city’s famous spas? Tell me, tell me, tell me! Well... after you finish chewing of course.”

Applejack gulped down the last bite from her first donut, then wiped some crumbs off her cheeks. “Well... uh... you see... Rarity, I gotta admit somethin’ to ya.”

Rarity’s smile dissipated. “Oh... did your family not like the suits I made? I’m so sorry, darling, I really thought I—”

“No, no, it’s not that.” Applejack paused and took a deep breath. “The suits weren’t for a family visit in Manehattan. They were for... my parents’ funeral. I didn’t mention it earlier ‘cause I didn’t want somepony I barely knew feelin’ all sad for me.”

Rarity’s heart dropped like a stone as she processed the news. She lowered her voice to a strained whisper. “Oh... I’m so sorry, Applejack. This must be... incredibly difficult for you.”

“Aw, thanks, Rarity. I really shoulda told you sooner, ‘cause I’ve been startin’ to learn lies don’t get you anywhere good. But you don’t gotta worry. It was a good funeral, and I think we’ll recover soon enough. The Apple family’s got a long history of getting back on their hooves after disasters... no matter how unfortunate.” Though Applejack’s eyes remained dry, she did let out a sniff. “The toughest part is that we gotta spend more time now takin’ care of baby Apple Bloom. She didn’t even get to know her parents... but maybe I’ll tell her all about ‘em when the time’s right. That’s gotta be years from now, though.”

“And you... aren’t too broken up about losing your parents?” Rarity asked, then took a tiny sip of coffee. She had no idea how to respond this heavy news.

“Oh, we’re all devastated. Big Mac’s been cryin’ for over a week now, and Granny Smith has barely said a word except when she gave that long funeral speech. This ain’t easy for me either. I guess I’m just good at keepin’ my tears on the inside.” Applejack lowered her eyelids and smiled gently. “That’s why I chose to step up and ask somepony for outfits for the funeral. But since I dunno the first thing about fashion, I guess I sorta stumbled into your place. And boy howdy, am I glad I did. You shoulda seen how excited Big Mac was when he put on his suit!”

“Applejack, this... this changes everything I thought I knew about you,” said Rarity, a tear running down her face. “I thought you were a travel pony who soared across the most high-strung cities in Equestria, but it turns out you simply wanted to honor your loved ones. And that’s... sniff... that’s true beauty to me.”

“Aw, it’s nothin’, Rarity. Somepony had to go get us funeral outfits, ‘cause the only clothes we got lyin’ around are a hundred of Dad’s spare hats, and we won’t be needin’ those no more.”

“Perhaps you could start wearing them in his honor? I always thought you would look fabulous with a garment upon your head! Plus, it may improve your vision when delicately harvesting apples from apple bushes.”

Applejack laughed. “Apples don’t grow on bushes, ya goof. They grow on trees!”

“Wait... do they? How do you harvest them from trees then? It must be a real ordeal without unicorn magic or wings that could take you to the top. Or do you use ladders to provide some vertical assistance?”

“No, silly. You buck a tree with your hooves, and then all the apples come fallin’ out.”

Rarity grimaced. “But then, um...” She delved into some incoherent stuttering, unsure how she got basic knowledge of farming this wrong. She knew she should have paid more attention in biology class! “Don’t your hooves get a little, um... dirty while doing that?”

“Yeah. So?”

“But... that... HOW COULD YOU EVER POSSIBLY TOLERATE THAT? Hooves are the most important parts of a mare’s body, and they should be kept pristine at all times!”

“Oh, Rarity, you’re so funny. Maybe someday, you could learn to buck apples with us! You might even find it fun.”

“I’ll pass, thank you very much. I wouldn’t want to subject you to dressmaking either, lest you smash all my delicate sewing machines apart. Because that is obviously the true function of hooves, is it not?”

“Sure, Rarity. If you say so.”

“Anyway... Well... Um.” Rarity stammered and started sweating, her eyes darting around the room to make sure it was empty.

“You doin’ okay there, sugarcube?”

“Yes! I just...” Rarity sighed. “Applejack, I also have something to confess. Or at least, something I would like to confess, but it is so difficult to admit.”

“Go on and say it. I promise I won’t tell anypony.”

“You... you do?”

Rarity held a hoof up to Applejack, who shook her hoof in return and nodded.

“Applejack... I’m not really a mare,” Rarity said slowly, barely audible even against a nearly silent backdrop.

Applejack’s pupils went tiny, then her face froze for a second. “Wait, WHAT?! You mean... you were a stallion this whole time? I was wonderin’ why your voice sounded a lil’ scratchy, but I woulda never thought you weren’t a mare. ‘Cause ya sure look and act like one. But what I don’t get is why a stallion would wanna pass off as a mare. If this is just an act, then you’re puttin’ an awful lot of energy into it.”

With every word Applejack said, Rarity’s face alternated between despair and glee. “This is difficult to explain, but...” Rarity sighed again. “I really would not call myself a stallion. Since I was a foal, I always wished I could be a mare, even though I knew that was impossible. But a few years ago, not long after I earned my cutie mark, I learned I could do the next best thing, which was making myself look and talk and act like a mare. It’s been a tedious process, and I’m far from finished with it, as I’m sure you can tell. But it’s all worth the sensation when somepony calls me a girl or tells me I look pretty. Oh, it just feels so magical!”

“I won’t lie... all this is way over my head. I ain’t never heard of anypony wantin’ to swap their gender before today.” Rarity raised an eyebrow to Applejack. “But since you’re my friend, Rarity... I’m happy to take your word for it and keep callin’ you a mare, ‘cause that seems to make you happy.”

Rarity’s face lit up, and she smiled broadly. “Are you saying that even after everything I told you, you still think of me as a mare?”

“Sure I do! It’s not hard when you already look like it.”

Rarity jumped out of her seat and attacked Applejack with a tight hug. “Applejack, you are the coolest pony EVER!” She shook Applejack, bumping her into the table and spilling her coffee. “But, if I may ask... you don’t actually have any family in Manehattan, do you?”

“Oh, that part’s actually true. We got members of the Apple family in just about every corner of Equestria!”

Rarity hugged Applejack even tighter, and Applejack returned it. “You really ARE the coolest pony ever!”

6. A Baby Sister

“Rarity, we’ve got some exciting news for you!”

It was her father’s voice, all the way downstairs. He would put on this exact tone every time he announced he was going on vacation. Rarity was deep in concentration organizing her spools of fabric into a layout that would give her optimal levels of inspiration. Surely the news could wait another time.

“You won’t want to miss this!” Mom shouted from a floor below.

“Hmmm... would the teal thread go better with the blues or the greens?” Rarity mumbled to herself. “Or maybe it would be better off in its own category with the aquamarine. Now where did I put that spool again?” She opened a drawer and looked through all the threads inside one by one, hoping to find a good color to complement teal.

“Come downstairs, Rarity!” Dad shouted. “There’s something we’ve been waiting for months to tell you.”

“Two things!” added Mom.

Rarity sighed, closed all her sewing drawers, and walked downstairs. This had better be important, she thought. When she met with her parents in the living room, they were both brightly smiling.

“Did you call me down here just to announce you’re going on another vacation?” Rarity asked. “You don’t need to tell me each time. I can deduce from the hundreds of suitcases behind you that you’re going on a trip, without needing to be pulled away from my very important activities.”

“Wait, Rarity,” said Mom. “Don’t go yet! We wanted to tell you that soon, there will be a new addition to this household.”

“A new addition, you say... hm.” Rarity pondered for a few seconds. “Are you going to install a new restroom, perhaps? Or an extra room to store all your piles of luggage? I’m not sure why that would be necessary, but you did say a new addition to this household.”

“No, silly. We’re not adding another room to this house,” said Mom. “We’re getting a new addition to the family!”

“Oh... oh, dear. Is Grandpa going to move in with us? I’m not so sure I can handle that.”

“No, Grandpa is not going to live here. The new addition to the family is a baby,” Mom said in the tone a teacher would use with a five-year-old student.

“Oh! Did you find a baby pony who didn’t have a home and was up for adoption? Or a baby griffon? Or perhaps even a baby dragon?”

Mom chuckled. “Rarity, there’s no such thing as dragons. They only exist in old fairy tales. But you are getting close!”

“Let me handle this, honey. I don’t think Rarity’s getting the hint,” said Dad. He cleared his throat and spoke slowly and clearly. “Rarity, in four months, you are going to have a little sister.”

Wait, a little sister?! Did Rarity hear her father right? No... this couldn’t be. She must have misheard something.

“It’s true, dear!” Mom said with a cheerful laugh. “I talked about it with your dad, and since we both knew you wanted a sister so badly, we decided to take a go at it!”

Rarity’s brain was still catching up to the news. This was an odd reversal coming from her parents—how many times did they tell her they didn’t want to have another kid? And didn’t Mom tell her once that Dad always wanted a son? Wait a minute...

“I know, you’re probably a little surprised,” said Dad. “We held off telling you until we knew whether you’d have a brother or a sister, because we didn’t want to give you false expectations.”

“And I don’t suppose I gave you any false expectations by turning out to be a girl?” Rarity blurted out.

Without saying a word, Mom and Dad stepped back and exchanged some knowing glances.

“Just admit it,” Rarity continued. “You’ve accepted that I won’t blossom into the stallion you envisioned me as, so you decided to try again. Even though you knew you might give birth to another filly! All you ever care about is having a son, and I am SO. TIRED. OF. IT!”

“Rarity...” Mom muttered. “We really thought you would be more excited about this. I’m looking forward to having another daughter, and I know your dad is too.”

“Mhm,” said Dad with a few tears in his eyes. “I did hope our second kid would be a boy at first, but... when we found out she’d be a girl, I thought of how thrilled you would be.”

“Wait... Mom. Did you say you were going to have... another daughter?” Rarity asked. “Does that mean... you think of me as...”

Mom nodded. “Rarity, dear, that was the other thing we wanted to tell you. You’ve made it clear to both of us what sort of pony you want to be, and if you want to live your life as a mare, then... it wouldn’t be right to stop you from doing so. Even if it’s not what we expected at first.”

“So what do you say, Rarity?” said Dad. “Are you ready to say hello to Sweetie Belle?”

“Sweetie... who?” Rarity asked. “I’m afraid I don’t know who that is, but... the name does sound a little familiar.”

“That’s the name we decided on for your little sister, of course!” said Mom. “But I’m curious... why does the name sound familiar to you?”

A memory resurfaced in Rarity’s mind. Two days ago, she overheard her mom mentioning the name “Sweetie Belle”, and something about that being the most obviously feminine name they could think of. She now knew where this was going: her parents thought that if they named their daughter something girly enough, she wouldn’t ever start wanting to be a stallion. She was quite certain that wasn’t how things worked, but it was unlikely for her parents to have two transgender children anyway. But of course, she couldn’t tell any of this to her parents... so she had to come up with a fake reason.

“Is something the matter, dearie?” Mom asked. “We know having a baby sister is a lot to take in.”

“Oh, no, no, no,” Rarity said. “When I said the name sounded familiar, I simply meant... um... that it would be a perfect name to give our new family member! I didn’t mean anything more than that.” She smiled awkwardly, hoping her parents didn’t notice her sweating.

“Well, I’m glad you agree!” said Dad. “Though... we thought you would get a little more bouncy and excited about becoming a big sister. Isn’t that something you wanted for a long time!”

“Indeed so,” said Rarity. “Although I am quite pleased with this familial development, a proper lady like myself expresses excitement through subtlety, like so.” She smiled gently and tapped each front hoof on the floor twice, barely making a sound. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I must return to organizing all my fabric.”

Rarity walked upstairs, entered her bedroom, closed her door, and took a deep breath in.

Then her face lit up and she jumped up and down while shouting to herself. “I’m going to have a sister, I’m going to have a sister, I’m going to have a sister!” She didn’t care how many drawers and spools of fabric she knocked over—now that she was alone, she had to let out all her excitement. “And I’m going to be a sister, and she’s going to know me as her big sister, and I’m going to teach her everything I know! Oh, this is the most delightful news EVER!”

Sweetie Belle hummed to herself as she ran a sheet of chartreuse fabric through her sister’s sewing machine, stitching a blue patch shaped like a dolphin onto it. Though she hardly ever had been allowed to touch Rarity’s devices before, she felt at ease helping out with this dressmaking gig. She had been taking turns with her sister for half an hour now, as Rarity provided some tips and shared stories of her youth. It felt like this was something the two of them were always meant to do.

“You’re doing excellent, Sweetie Belle!” said Rarity, causing her sister to blush. “Now, would you mind staying in this room for a few minutes?”

“Sure. Why?” said Sweetie Belle.

“I need to go buy us a few extra sewing supplies. Just be sure to stay right where you are! I promise we’ll resume sewing together soon enough.”

“Um... alright.”

After Rarity walked the door, Sweetie Belle took a deep breath in and a deep breath out. She stared at her hooves and began to ponder on her existence.

“I only exist because Rarity is transgender,” Sweetie Belle muttered to herself. “And that is just so incredibly rare! Um, no pun intended.” She ran her eyes across the room she was in—a huge assortment of sewing machines, blinds carefully arranged to let in optimal degrees of sunlight, intricately organized drawers, and a mess of assorted scraps that Rarity once got angry at Sweetie Belle for cleaning up.

Sweetie Belle touched her face, feeling a living, breathing pony who would have never existed if not for unlikely circumstances. “It’s kind of weird... no matter how hard I try, I can’t ever imagine myself being a boy instead of a girl. It just sounds so absurd to me!” She looked into a window and saw a faint reflection of a filly with soft round cheeks, bright green eyes, and a flowing purple and pink mane—unmistakably feminine all around. “I really like being a girl... and I can tell that Rarity does too. But for her, it didn’t come easy at all.”

The filly laid on the floor with her back down and sighed. “For my whole life, I always thought Rarity was way luckier than me. She goes on cool adventures with her friends where she saves Equestria, she’s traveled around Canterlot and Manehattan and the Crystal Empire, she makes outfits and designs for all sorts of fancy events, and she gets tons of attention and praise for everything she does. But now I’m sure she feels jealous of me, because I got to be born with the body of a girl, while she was stuck in a boy’s body and had to figure everything out herself! Ugh, and it’s not like I can just stop being a filly or anything.” She closed her eyes and sighed again.

“Rarity has always been a hero to me. Now that I know she had to transition on her own, she’s even more of one. She’s smart, she’s observant, she’s generous, she’s got a creative mind, and she’s really pretty. I’ve always wanted to be all those things, and I like to think I am, but... am I really?” Sweetie Belle got back up and walked around the room in a circle. “I wonder if I mean anywhere near as much to her? Did I live up to her old foalhood ideas of a good little sister? Maybe I’ll never know.” She hopped back into the chair where her sister graciously let her sew, and she let out one last sigh.

Rarity opened the door, and Sweetie Belle leaped out of her chair. “Sweetie Belle! I have a surprise for you!” Rarity said. She was carrying a shopping bag.

“A surprise?” Sweetie Belle asked. “But you’ve already given me so many good surprises today! How could you top any of them?”

Rarity giggled. “Oh, you’ll see.” She pulled two sharp sticks out of the bag... wait. They weren’t just any sticks. They were little pieces of metal colored green at the tips, labeled with the letters S and B.

“Rarity... are those... did you get me...?”

“I bought you your very own pair of sewing needles! That way, we can sew dresses at the same time, and you’ll always know which needles are yours. That’s why I told you to stay put, because I didn’t want to spoil the surprise. Do you like them?”

Sweetie Belle looked at the needles and a huge smile grew on her face. They were colored olive green at the tips, engraved with the letters S and B. “Rarity... I LOVE them! This is the coolest surprise EVER! You really didn’t need to do this for me. You could’ve just passed me your old needles and bought new fancy ones for yourself, since I know you like to have everything perfect.”

“Oh, but Sweetie Belle, I just know how much you adore the color green. I persuaded the owner of the sewing shop to make custom designed needles, which they had stopped offering five years ago.”

“How... did you do that?” Sweetie Belle asked, her eyes transfixed on her new needles.

“Oh, it was easy,” Rarity said with a smile. “I simply told him it was a gift for a very special somepony.”

7. Admitting to Other Friends

Sweetie Belle finished gluing a pattern of green gems onto a piece of fabric that would go on the front of Sapphire Shores’ dress. She squinted while holding the fabric up to the sunlight coming through the window, rotated the cloth to see the front and back, and swapped out a blue gem with a much shinier teal gem. Then she set her piece of the dress on the counter and huffed. As much as she was enjoying sewing with her sister, it wasn’t easy to concentrate when a nosy question was bubbling inside her head.

“So, Rarity... can I ask you a question about all this?” said Sweetie Belle. “There’s something I’m really curious about, but, um... I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, dear,” Rarity responded as she cut a piece from a roll of blue fabric with a swift precision that Sweetie Belle could only dream of attaining. “You are free to ask me anything about my transition!”

“Anything at all?”

Rarity smiled. “Yes, anything.”

Sweetie Belle gulped. “Did you ever feel, uh... you know, after I was born... since I was, and you weren’t...”

“What are you trying to say, Sweetie Belle?”

“Sorry... never mind.” Sweetie Belle hung her head low. “I was going to ask if you ever felt jealous of me, but—”

Rarity jumped back for a second, then laughed. “Jealous?! Why, that very notion is ridiculous! I was never the slightest bit envious of your upbringing as a perfectly ordinary filly, because you were raised by the same bizarre parents I was, and I’m sure you faced tons of challenges of your own with not having your cutie mark, and...” She let out a deep sigh. “On second thought, Sweetie Belle... you deserve to know the truth. I was always jealous of you when you were little.”

Sweetie Belle’s jaw dropped. “Wait, what? You were jealous of me?! But... that’s... I was always jealous of you! For practically as long as I can remember! Because you’re smart, and you’re good at sewing, and you have so many cool friends, and you’re the prettiest mare I know, and you know everything about everything!” She panted, then looked up to find an expression she had never once seen on Rarity before. “Wait. Rarity. Are you... blushing?”

“Oh, Sweetie Belle... when you said I am the prettiest mare you know, you could never possibly understand how much that meant to me. Especially from somepony who’s so naturally adorable, and doesn’t need to try at all to look like a lady.”

“Hey, that’s not true! I comb my mane twice a week.”

Rarity raised her eyebrows. “Really? I thought you would comb it at least twice a day, considering it looks so soft and poofy, but... I suppose you did just prove my point.”

“Sorry, Rarity,” Sweetie Belle said with a frown. “I didn’t mean to make you feel... well, I know I can’t really... ugh. I’m sorry I made you feel jealous all those years.”

“Oh, it’s not at all your fault! And besides, I did have some friends along the way who helped alleviate those feelings.”

“Ooh! Who were they?”

“I think you already know... but I will tell you anyway.”

It was another ordinary day at Sweet Apple Acres where Applejack invited her best friend over for lunch, and the two of them sat together in the second floor of the barn to have private conversations away from the rest of Applejack’s family. Today, Granny Smith had baked an apple pie, plus a bowl of apple-flavored pudding for toddler Apple Bloom.

“Urgh, it’s no fair, Applejack!” said Rarity, who had left her slice of pie untouched while Applejack was eagerly digging in.

“What ain’t fair, Rarity? I know you like to wait a lil’ longer for your pie to cool down than I do, but Granny Smith always told me that there’s nothin’ more rewarding than patience.”

“Oh, no, not the pie. I’m perfectly content with waiting before I start consuming it. I was talking about Sweetie Belle.”

“Yeah. What about her?”

Rarity leaned forward and put her elbows on the table, resting her head between her hooves. “She’s just so infuriatingly perfect!”

Applejack laughed. “She’s only three years old, sugarcube. She’s still got plenty to learn in life, just like little Apple Bloom does.” From the floor below, Applejack heard her sister laughing to the sound of one of Big Macintosh’s favorite old spinning toys. “And you don’t gotta feel jealous that your baby sister gets to play around all day. Someday, she’ll have to face troubles and challenges too!”

“Yes, but that’s the problem! Sweetie Belle gets to be my little sister. She gets to be a sweet little girl, with the softest roundest cheeks and the fluffiest mane, but while I was her age, I had to be a boy! Do you have even the faintest clue how painful that was for me? Or how long it took me to learn that transitioning was a possibility?”

“Uh, Rarity?”

“Ugh, and she’s not going to have to spend years convincing Mom and Dad she’s a girl, because she so obviously is one. And everypony will incessantly talk about how cute Sweetie Belle is, because she is cute, and I can only have any semblance of cuteness by rehearsing in the mirror for hours on end until I have it perfected.”

“Rarity?”

“And once she’s a full-grown mare, she will look much prettier without makeup than I ever could with it! She’ll probably land a glamorous career as a fashion model, and I’ll be stuck designing dresses for her without any recognition to my name. And it’ll be horrible. Just HORRIBLE!” Rarity started crying, her tears seeping through the cracks of the wooden table.

Applejack banged her hooves on the table and shouted. “RARITY!”

“Huh? Wha—” Rarity perked her head back up and wiped her eyes. “Did I say something wrong?”

Applejack put a hoof on Rarity’s shoulder. “Listen, sugarcube. I’m all for helpin’ out other ponies with their problems, and I’m always glad to hear how my best friend’s doing in life, but I’ve already told you plenty a’ times that you pass as a girl. if you’re still feelin’ unsure about it, then maybe you could get some extra opinions from your other friends.”

“But... um... who else would I confide in about my identity? It was already very difficult to admit it to you.”

“Well... hm. How ‘bout that quiet yellow pony who lent you that little kitten? She seems like an understanding one. And didn’t ya say there was a pink one who you had throw Sweetie Belle’s last birthday party? It sounds to me like you got a few options.”

Rarity rubbed her chin. “Hm... Applejack, you may well be on to something.”

Fluttershy finished her last sip of tea, and she gently set her tiny cup on the table in the middle of her newly renovated cottage. Though she was always nervous to invite other ponies over, Rarity proved a hospitable house guest.

“Fluttershy, darling, may I perhaps, um... tell you a secret?” Rarity said in the same singsongy tone she seemed to put in every sentence, whether needed or not. It reminded Fluttershy of a bird doing an especially melodious mating call.

“Oh, um... well... I’d have to promise my animals not to tell anypony, and I know Harry loves to spread rumors about other bears. I think that maybe you’d be better off telling somepony else your secret.”

“Oh, but Fluttershy, this is a secret of utmost importance to me, and I would love to have a second pony’s opinion on it! And plus... you seem like the type who wouldn’t judge me for it.”

Fluttershy turned her head to face the young bear in her room. “Did you hear that, Harry? Do you promise to keep this a secret?” Harry let out a deep grunt and gave a thumbs up. Fluttershy could hardly believe she adopted Harry two years ago, or that he was now bigger than a pony. She still remembered the day Harry was a lost baby bear in need of a home... but that wasn’t what Rarity came here for. “Harry promises to keep this a secret,” Fluttershy said.

“Okay. Um...” Rarity paused for a second to collect her breath. “You can do this, Rarity. You already told Applejack, and she supported you for it,” she muttered to herself, leading Fluttershy to raise an eyebrow. “I’m... a... I’m a transgender mare,” Rarity blurted out as quickly as she could.

“I knew it!” Fluttershy spat out, then gasped. Oh, no. Oh no, oh no, oh no. She covered her mouth with her hooves and tried her hardest not to look at Rarity, but her eyes diverted to her friend’s face regardless. She saw an expression of despair mixed with shock. “I’m sorry, Rarity. I didn’t mean to say you were—”

Rarity sighed. “No, I completely understand,” she said like a spider whose intricately crafted web just got stomped on. “I don’t pass for a mare as well as I thought I did, and I know Applejack was just being polite anyway.” Fluttershy noticed that Rarity’s right eye was twitching, and she was quite sure that wasn’t because a fly was getting in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Rarity. I just... your voice... well...” Fluttershy rubbed her hooves together, trying to get the right words out. “Your voice could be a little more... you see, um... this is just one pony’s personal opinion, and others may feel differently, but...”

“But what?”

“... but your voice could sound just a teensy-weensy bit more natural.” Fluttershy held her hooves so close that they almost touched.

Rarity gasped. “What ever could you mean by that, Fluttershy? I have the most splendid and realistic ladylike voice that I could ever conceive of!” Beneath Rarity’s theatrical shock at this criticism, Fluttershy could sense a tingle of curiosity in her eyes.

“Well, if you spoke just a little more gently... oh, I’m not saying you have to, it’s your choice and all, but... I think you should express yourself in whatever way makes you feel happy!”

Rarity lowered her voice to a near whisper. “But I don’t feel happy when somepony can tell something is off about me. So... if I need to whisper all the time to be seen as a mare, then so be it.”

“I didn’t mean you had to speak quieter,” Fluttershy said with a slight chuckle. “It’s about the pitch of your voice! You don’t need to make it rise and fall so much to sound like a girl,” she explained as she raised her right hoof up and down. “That’s the sort of thing you’re supposed to do when singing.”

Rarity’s face lit up with a bright smile. “Why, darling, I had no idea you liked to sing! You should have told me this far sooner, and we could—” Rarity delved into a fit of coughing, her throat clearly strained from the way of talking she practiced. “You’re right, Fluttershy. My tone of voice could indeed be a lot smoother,” she said while catching her breath. “But still, I’d love to hear you sing!”

Fluttershy squeaked and hid her face behind her tail. “M... maybe... some other time. W... would that be OK?” she stuttered while shaking.

“Oh, of course, dear.”

“Phew, thank you.” Fluttershy sat back up and resumed her placid smile. “Now, Rarity... could you try saying something without moving your pitch so much?”

“Oh, gladly!” Rarity cleared her throat. “My name is Rarity, and I am the owner of Carousel Boutique. How may I assist you today?”

“It’s better!”

Rarity grinned.

“Buuuuut... maybe you don’t have to emphasize your name and the name of your store this much.”

Rarity scratched the floor with her hoof. “Oh... well... I thought it was perfect, but... I suppose I could take a second attempt.” She cleared her throat again. “My name is Rarity, and I am the owner of Carousel Boutique. How may I assist you today?” she said in a smooth, natural tone. It was the least dramatic Fluttershy ever heard her friend sound.

“That was perfect!” Fluttershy said. She jumped out of her seat with a grin and flew for a few seconds.

“It... it was? But... I sounded so plain and drab.”

“Exactly! You sounded like an ordinary mare.” A trio of squirrels resting under Fluttershy’s chair chirped in agreement.

“If you say so, then, well... you probably do know better than I.” Rarity paused for a few moments. “Say, Fluttershy... could we continue doing this?”

“Doing what?”

“Practicing so I can sound more like a mare, of course!”

“Oh, um. That sounds nice, but... are you sure you don’t have anything more important to do today? I’d feel just awful interrupting your plans.”

“I do, but trust me. My plans can wait,” Rarity said with a grin.

“Well... if you’re sure this won’t get in the way of anything else today, then I’d be happy to continue.”

Rarity continued practicing her voice with Fluttershy for the next hour, hoping that someday, nopony would be able to tell she wasn’t born a mare.

8. Vanilla Extract

“Now, are you absolutely certain Pinkie Pie won’t judge me for this?” Rarity asked, walking with a friend on the way to Sugarcube Corner to prepare for a difficult conversation.

“You ain’t got nothin’ to worry about,” Applejack responded. “I promise you, Pinkie’s the most understandin’ pony in all of Ponyville. She never judges anypony for anything.”

“Not even if they wear an aubergine-colored scarf with a beige buckball cap?” Rarity shuddered at the thought of such a horrendous combination of colors and fashion accessories.

Applejack chuckled. “Not even for that. Now go on in there and tell Pinkie Pie what you wanted to tell ‘er.”

“Aren’t you going to come with me? Er... you know, for some emotional support?”

“Sorry, Rarity. You promised me you’d do this alone. I’m just comin’ along so I can grab a snack when you’re done. And besides—” Applejack pointed to the building in front of her, decorated with its iconic wooden cupcake “—we’re already here.”

Rarity gulped. “Are you sure I should enter the building today? I mean, for all I know, Pinkie Pie may be preparing a surprise party that she doesn’t want me to know about, or she’s busy concentrating on baking the perfect gâteau for...”

As Rarity blabbered on, Applejack dragged her towards Sugarcube Corner, carrying her friend up each of the stairs until she reached the door. “Come on now, Rarity. You know how important it is for a pony to stick to her promises, right?”

“Y... yes.” Rarity entered Sugarcube Corner, triggering a bell and—

“Hi, Rarity! Aren’t you just so excited right now?” Pinkie Pie said as she hopped from shelf to shelf, squeezing raspberry frosting on each cupcake in sight.

Rarity laughed. “Pinkie Pie, darling, in the two years I’ve known you, I struggle to recall a single occasion when you weren’t excited about something.”

“Oh, Rarity, everypony knows I get excited a lot. But today, I’m extra super duper extremely ultra excited because in three days I’ll be celebrating your parents’ Welcome Back to Ponyville party! And I’m glad you came here right now, because when I listed out all the recipes for their cakes, I realized I had no idea whether they liked strawberry frosting or blueberry frosting better. And I thought you might know that, since they’re your parents and all, and Sweetie Belle probably isn’t old enough to know which cake frosting tastes the most spectacularly scrumptious.” Pinkie Pie narrowed her eyes and put a hoof to her mouth. “Though... now that I think of it, when Limestone Pie was three years old, she did say once that granite was her number one favorite flavor of rock soup. So who knows? Maybe your adorable little sister already knows her mom and dad’s favorite kind of cake frosting!”

“Wait, Pinkie Pie. I don’t think you had ever met my parents before. Why did you decide to throw a party for them? I mean, I do appreciate the gesture, but...”

Pinkie Pie laughed. “Don’t you remember Sweetie Belle’s third birthday party two weeks ago? I invited all the guests I could, but I couldn’t get a hold of your mom and dad! Then you mentioned that they were on another one of their long vacations, and that made me wonder, did Rarity’s parents ever get welcomed back home with a fancy fantabulous fiesta? I asked all around Ponyville, and it turns out nopony ever threw them such a party. So now, I’m setting up a celebration with some help from Mr. and Mrs. Cake, and it will be your parents’ most wonderful Welcome Back to Ponyville Party ever! Also their first Welcome Back to Ponyville Party ever.”

“Oh, you don’t need to do all that for them.”

Pinkie Pie narrowed her eyes, and her mouth turned to a stern straight line. “Oh, but I do.” Then she resumed her jovial smile while molding a lump of dough into the shape of a hoofball. “And that’s why it’s so important for you to tell me which flavor of frosting your parents prefer!”

“Which flavor of frosting, you say? Well... my parents have always been lenient with frosting flavors, and with food tastes in general, but... I do recall my mother mentioning an allergic reaction to lemon frosting. Perhaps if you had put it in any cakes, you could label them with—”

“Ooh, good idea!” Pinkie Pie pulled a deck of index cards out of her hair and put a card by each cake with lemon frosting, then drew a lemon on each one. Rarity watched in a mix of confusion and awe.

“Anyway, Pinkie Pie... is now a bad time for me to perhaps tell you a little secret?”

Pinkie Pie turned her head back to face Rarity. “Not at all. I love secrets! What kind of secret is it?”

Rarity scratched the back of her head, careful not to touch her combed mane. “It’s... well... a secret about me. And it is quite difficult to admit.”

“Wait...” Pinkie Pie narrowed her eyes. “That’s it! I KNEW somepony stole half of my vanilla extract. I remember I had thirty bottles of it lying in my cabinet last night, but then I looked today and there were only fifteen! If you wanted vanilla extract so badly, you could’ve just asked me, silly.”

“No, I did not steal your vanilla extract. Are you sure you didn’t use it for your own cuisine?”

“Ohhhhhhh, right! Silly me,” Pinkie Pie said with a giggle. “What’s your secret then? Are you a spy from Canterlot who wants to collect secret information about cake recipes so you can bake better desserts for the Grand Galloping Gala?” Pinkie Pie put on a fake mustache and wiggled her eyebrows up and down.

“Actually, the secret has nothing to do with cake. Or any other confections, for that matter. It’s... much more personal than that.”

“Oh. What is it then?”

Rarity quietly sighed. “I’m a transgender mare,” she slowly said under her breath, hanging her head down.

Pinkie Pie stopped squeezing blueberry frosting on the last cake and paused. “Wait... that’s it?”

“Yes,” Rarity said, raising her head back up and smiling. “That was my entire secret.”

“Well, it might just be me, but it kind of sounded like you were going to tell me a really big and important super-special secret that would forever change the way I thought about you. But I guess I was wrong!” Pinkie Pie hummed to herself, resuming her cake decorating operations.

“Oh, it is such a relief to hear that, Pinkie Pie.”

Rarity muttered a happy tune to herself as she walked outside of Carousel Boutique, having finished three productive hours of sewing... wait. Was that the sound of somepony snoring? In the middle of the day? She investigated her surroundings for this strange sound, and yep, there it was: a blue pegasus snoring all the way up on a cloud. She knew exactly who this was.

Rainbow Dash yawned and woke up. “Now that’s what I call a good nap,” she muttered from above.

“Who... are you talking to?” Rarity asked.

“Uh... nopony. I was just, you know... practicing a greeting for the Wonderbolts!” Rainbow Dash said with a nervous chuckle.

“Well, then, would you mind coming down, darling? I’ve been meaning to tell you something for weeks.”

“No, thanks. I can hear you fine from up here.”

Rarity sighed. “But this is something very important and private, and I’d greatly prefer to discuss it in the confines of my own home.”

“Look around you, Rarity. Can you see one pony who would eavesdrop on us?”

Rarity darted her eyes around, looking for other ponies in her vicinity. “I suppose I don’t.”

“Hah, of course you wouldn’t. I know nopony else ever sits around here so early in the afternoon. That’s why I chose it as my perfect spot to take naps! You’d know that if you were as cool as I am.”

“But... are you sure this is the most appropriate setting for a private conversation? I don’t seem to be with you one on one quite as much as with Applejack, or with Pinkie Pie, and—”

“Relax, Rarity. I promise you, whatever you tell me, it’ll be safe with me.” Rainbow Dash confidently crossed her arms, which was hard to say no to.

“Very well, Rainbow Dash. The thing I’ve been waiting to tell you for weeks is... that...” Rarity took a deep breath. “I’m transgender.”

Rainbow Dash’s head perked up. “Wait... what?”

“Yes, you heard me correctly. I’m transgender.”

“Uh... so... you’re... sorry. If I’m getting this right... you are...”

“Now, now, be honest with me. How surprised are you by this revelation?”

“Extremely surprised! I mean, it’s totally cool if you don’t identify with what you were born as. You were just the last pony I ever expected to be that way.”

“Really?! You... you really think that?” Rarity’s eyes widened and glittered in the sun.

“Uh, yeah? I mean, I never thought you of all ponies would identify as a stallion.”

Rarity screeched and smacked her face with her hoof, then took a few breaths. Don’t get mad at her, she had to remind herself. This was an honest mistake. “That’s not quite what I meant, Rainbow Dash. I very much identify as a mare.”

“Wait... so... if you said you’re transgender... and you identify as a mare, then...” Rarity could sense a few gears turn in Rainbow Dash’s mind, until her friend made the most amazingly flabbergasted expression she had ever seen. “Wait, WHAT?! Are you telling me you were born as a STALLION?”

Rarity tipped her head and narrowed her eyes with a smile. “It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?”

Rainbow Dash hopped off her cloud and eyed her friend up and down in shock. “But... you... you look exactly like a mare, and you sound exactly like a mare, and you do everything a mare likes to do. You’re, like, the mare-iest mare in Equestria!” Rainbow Dash leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. “Wait... are you sure you aren’t playing a prank on me?”

“Could you wait here for one moment, dear? I’ll gather some evidence for you.”

“Fine, but this better be good,” Rainbow Dash said as Rarity walked back into her boutique.

Ten minutes later, Rarity came outside carrying two photos, while Rainbow Dash was using sticks to draw circles in a patch of mud.

“Finally! What took you so long, Rarity?” asked Rainbow Dash, hastily throwing her sticks aside.

Without speaking, Rarity levitated a photo of herself on the first day of the acting club to the left of her, and a picture with her parents three days after earning her cutie mark to the right. Rainbow Dash darted her eyes between her friend and the two pictures until reality sank into her, and her jaw dropped. “Do you believe me now?” Rarity asked.

“I... um...” Rainbow Dash scratched a hoof behind her head and sheepishly smiled. “Yeah, I believe you. I have to admit, I think it is pretty awesome that you transitioned all on your own.”

Rarity smirked, staring at Rainbow Dash with coy eyes. “Say that again, darling?”

“Oh. Uh... n... nothing.” Rainbow Dash looked around to make sure nopony saw her say that. “Hey... can I admit something else to you?”

“Of course you can.”

“Uh... Alright. So... last week, I may have stolen half of Pinkie Pie’s vanilla extract,” said an unusually sweaty Rainbow Dash.

“What? Why?”

“Look, I know stealing is wrong, but I had a good reason! Early in the morning, the pegasi at Cloudsdale told me we had to set up an emergency thunderstorm, but I was barely even awake. I really needed an energy drink, but I was all out, so I figured, why not get some of the stuff that makes Pinkie Pie so hyperactive all the time? But I didn’t want to wake her up, so I went into her cabinet and took some of that vanilla extract. And when I drank it, I started to feel really dizzy.”

Rarity laughed. “Rainbow Dash, everypony knows you aren’t supposed to consume vanilla extract on its own. It’s a crucial baking ingredient used in Ponyville’s finest pastries!”

“I mean, I know that now, but come on. You can’t blame it all on me. Energy drinks are sweet, vanilla is sweet, they’re practically the same thing! Unless you’re like, a total baking nerd or something.”

“Says the pony who obsessively memorizes every flight move the Wonderbolts make at their performances.”

“Heh... point taken. Anyway, can you please not tell anypony I did this? If the other pegasi find out I stole a cake ingredient and drank it, my reputation would be ruined forever and I’ll never make it into the Wonderbolts!”

Rarity couldn’t help but sympathize with this statement. Perhaps she had more in common with this clumsy pegasus than she has thought. “Only if you promise not to tell anypony my secret. I don’t want to know what sorts of invasive questions the fashion industry would hound me with if they knew.”

“You are so awesome!” Rainbow Dash said as she pulled Rarity into a tight, almost suffocating hug. “Also, I won’t tell anypony.”

9. Family Dinner

“Hey, Rarity... is it OK if we take a break from dressmaking for a little bit?” Sweetie Belle asked. She examined the waistline she had assembled for the dress, whose shape she had gone back and forth on as she listened to Rarity explain how she told her friends she wasn’t born as a mare.

Rarity gasped. “A break from dressmaking? Have you lost your mind, Sweetie Belle? We only have five days before Sapphire Shores’ dress is due! If we take a break, we’ll never finish it within the deadline!”

“No, no, I didn’t mean a break for multiple days. I just meant, like... a break for an hour or two! To refresh my mind, because right now I’m a little stuck on what to do next.”

“Oh, now that is understandable,” Rarity said with a sigh of relief. “When I design outfits, breaks are of utmost importance! If I work too long at my desk surrounded by dresses and sewing machines, I run out of inspiration and can’t come up with new ideas until I step away and let my mind wander.”

“Wait, you do that too?”

“Of course, dear. That’s a natural part of being an artist!”

Sweetie Belle’s jaw dropped. “But... I thought I was the only one who ever had to take breaks. I always thought you could pump out the most amazing dresses in one sitting!”

“Well, I could design a dress in one sitting, if I was willing to sacrifice at least one of my Rules of Rarity, which I would not do under any circumstances. And besides, think of it this way, dear. Apple Bloom normally takes a break after a long day of harvesting apples, correct?”

“Of course she does.”

“And Scootaloo doesn’t spend all day nonstop practicing her scooter tricks, does she?”

“She couldn’t. She would burn herself out after only a few hours!”

“As you can see, there is no shame whatsoever in taking a break! Now, how would you like to go get a massage with me at the Ponyville Spa?” Rarity asked with a bright smile.

“Wow. Rarity, that’s a nice offer and all, but... I kind of just wanted us to chill out in your room so I can hear more stories from you.”

“Oh... well... if that’s what you truly prefer, we can do that instead,” Rarity said, trying her best not to look disappointed.

“YES!” Sweetie Belle shouted. “Now... where is your bedroom?”

“Come, follow me!” Rarity walked out the door from her design room and entered her bedroom. She hopped onto her bed, and Sweetie Belle followed suit, sitting next to her big sister.

Rarity wrapped her arm around Sweetie Belle and pulled her in closer. Sweetie Belle started laughing, much to Rarity’s surprise.

“Sweetie Belle? You aren’t contemplating something mischievous, are you?”

“No! No, of course not,” said Sweetie Belle between laughs. “It’s just... you never felt this close to me before today, and now you’re telling me all these amazing stories about your life. And it...” Sweetie Belle snickered a little more. “It barely even feels real to me!”

“Oh, I can assure you it’s very much real,” Rarity said with a smile. “But during this break, I think it would serve us well to be qui—”

“No, no, no, Rarity. Can you please tell me another story? Pleeeeeease?” Sweetie Belle looked Rarity right in the eyes and made her best pleading face.

“If you’d like me to tell another story, then... hm.” Rarity rubbed her hoof on her chin, thinking of what experience she could recount next. “Aha! Here’s one that I think you’ll enjoy.”

Rarity was seated for the first dinner with her parents and sister in what must have been months. She sat across from Dad at the table, Sweetie Belle across from Mom. Even though she now looked nothing like a stallion, and though Sweetie Belle was born only because she turned out not to be one, she felt there was a balance meant to be had in this seating arrangement—a balance that she had no choice but to disrupt by being she.

“Now, are you sure you don’t want any of our broccoli stew?” Dad asked, pointing to the bowl of murky green slop at the center of the table. Sweetie Belle was happily digging in to her bowl, and Mom and Dad each had a sizeable amount placed on theirs.

“Oh, I’m... not very hungry tonight,” Rarity said as her stomach growled. “I only have enough room in my stomach for a few cookies at the end.” After sampling enough five-star restaurants and gourmet bakeries in Ponyville and Canterlot, plus some homegrown cooking from the Apple family, Rarity couldn’t bear to go back to her parents’ expansive definition of cuisine. The only exception was her mother’s cookies, which remained quite the pleasure to her taste buds.

Rarity’s parents exchanged a knowing look. Some things would just never change, like their elder child’s excitement over cookies, no matter how much Rarity would try to dilute it with a posh attitude.

“So, Sweetie Belle, tell us how things have been going at your new school!” said Mom.

Sweetie Belle’s head perked up. “Oh! Art class has been so much more fun than at my old school, and I’ve made lots of new friends here, like this one girl named Twist who likes to...”

As her sister excitedly blabbered about her experiences at school, Rarity’s brain replayed the memory that made her convince her parents to transfer Sweetie Belle to a new school. Who needs a birthday girl when you’ve got the birthday girl’s amazing big sister? This line had echoed in her head since the day it happened two years ago. Though Rarity always loved to shine in the spotlight, it never felt right to snatch the attention from her dearest little sister—the sibling lucky enough to be born into a feminine body that so obviously suited her perfectly. For the next few weeks after her fateful party, Sweetie Belle was convinced that all her classmates hated her. When Rarity told her parents that Sweetie Belle deserved a school that would treat her kindly, not one whose students would shun her at her own birthday party, they happily complied and sent their daughter to Cheerilee’s school, and she resumed being upbeat and cheerful ever since.

“... and once that’s done, I’m going to do a project where I have to draw an animal. I’m thinking of drawing a butterfly!” said Sweetie Belle.

“Ooh, exciting! Now, do you have a best friend who you’ve met at school?” Mom asked.

“Yes, I do! Her name’s Scootaloo, and she likes a lot of the same things I do. She likes to draw, she loves our school plays, and she always comes into school riding on a cool scooter. And just like I still don’t know how to use my magic, she doesn’t know how to fly, but I’m sure she can do it one day. Oh, wanna know the coolest thing she has in common with me?”

“What is it, dear?” said Dad.

“We both don’t have our cutie marks!!!” said Sweetie Belle, with a cheerful grin.

Rarity was surprised to hear such enthusiasm about her sister not knowing who she was meant to be. But... maybe this made sense to her. Since Sweetie Belle was so unmistakably a girl, one day destined to blossom into a gorgeous mare, surely she could afford not to know everything else about herself.

“That’s wonderful, Sweetie Belle!” said Mom. “Now Rarity, what have you been doing lately?”

Rarity’s face tensed, and she started sweating. She always felt nervous to explain her interests to her parents. With all the little hoofball jerseys that her parents kept scattered in their living room, she could tell that her dad had strongly envisioned her—or rather, him—as a manly superstar athlete. But her mom asked her an honest question, and she could provide a vague answer. “I... um... have been designing a few dresses lately.”

Sweetie Belle looked to her right, facing Rarity, and broke into a smile of sisterly adoration. “Ooh, what kinds of dresses?” she said, leaning her head forward.

“Well... a green dress, as well as two blue dresses.” Rarity felt awkward going into detail about her niche hobby, one that so few other ponies in Ponyville seemed interested in. Oh, how she would fit perfectly with the citizens of Canterlot, with their upscale eateries and impeccable fashion sense... but she had nowhere near enough money to go there for more than a week. “Why... why do you ask?” she continued.

“Because Scootaloo’s birthday party is coming up, and I’d love it if you could make me a dress too!”

“A filly as young as you, wanting to wear a dress to a party? Oh, that is so adorable,” Rarity said with a chuckle. “But there’s no need to dress so fancy for an occasion as simple as a birthday party!” Especially when you already look completely feminine, she thought.

“But you always wear dresses when you go to parties, so I think I should too!” Beneath Sweetie Belle’s grin, Rarity could sense a hint of pleading in her expression.

“Well... I suppose I could make some time in my schedule tonight, after I’m finished making outfits for, um... a certain event. In Canterlot.”

“Ooh, are you talking about the Grand Galloping Gala?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Now, now, girls,” said Dad. “Your mom and I went to the Grand Galloping Gala one year, and it’s really nothing that special. Just a bunch of high-strung ponies being all quiet and serious, in a building that’s way too fancy for our tastes.”

How could you SAY that?! Rarity almost blurted. Her parents had some baffling takes over the years, but none as ridiculous as this. But she didn’t come here to argue about whether the Grand Galloping Gala, which she already had the coveted privilege of designing outfits for, was as glamorous as everypony made it sound.

“So, erm... Sweetie Belle, could you tell us more about your school play?” Rarity asked, trying to change the subject.

“Well... it’s a play about a princess pony looking for her lost love, and Scootaloo said I would be perfect for the lead part. She also keeps telling me I would make a great singer, and...” Sweetie Belle scratched the back of her naturally wavy, girly mane and awkwardly smiled. “It’s really nice of her to say that, but I promise you I’m not that good at it.”

“Oh, Sweetie Belle, you should absolutely audition!” said Rarity. “This is your chance to show Equestria what you’re made of, and demonstrate to the world what a dazzling lady you are.”

Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow in confusion. “But... I already am a girl.”

“Yes, but you see, um... oh, never mind. I’m sure your performance will be splendid!” Rarity said, thinking about how ridiculously easy everything was for her sister. “Please do let me know how it goes down. And if you need any help with singing...”

“Wait, you can help me learn to sing?!” Sweetie Belle said excitedly.

“I suppose I could, but... your singing voice probably sounds lovely and melodious already. I don’t think you would need much of my guidance.”

“Oh yeah... I think I remember that dinner,” said Sweetie Belle. “I convinced you to help me sing when you had the time, you got super excited when it was finally time for cookies...”

“Sweetie Belle, darling, I was not excited. I was merely pleased to acquire some cuisine more suited to my palate.”

“But I saw the look in your eyes. I could tell you were only interested in eating cookies, but you didn’t want to hurt Mom and Dad’s feelings. And I didn’t tell them, because, well... I didn’t want to hurt their feelings either.”

“Perhaps you and I are not nearly as different as we had thought,” Rarity said with a smile.

The sisters shared a long, hearty laugh—the kind of laugh they’d normally only have after reconciling from their most disastrous mishaps. It felt natural and refreshing to clear the air at long last... but Sweetie Belle had one more question.

“Say, Rarity... aren’t you forgetting about one of your friends?”

“Don’t you mean two of my friends? You know Spike is a dear friend of mine as well.”

“Uh... yeah,” said Sweetie Belle with a nervous chuckle. “How did you know I was going to ask you about Twilight?”

“Because I was just about to tell you about the time I told her and Spike my... secret.” Rarity said the last word with an unnecessary whisper.

“And I was just about to ask you whether they knew!”

“Be warned, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said, putting on a storytelling voice as though she was at a campfire. “This is going to be the strangest tale of all.”

11. Conclusion

“Aww, that was such a sweet story,” said Sweetie Belle, still sitting next to Rarity on the latter’s bed. “But... it also made me realize something about grown-up ponies.”

“What would that be, dear?” Rarity asked.

“I’m sure this is going to sound silly, but... when I was younger, I always thought you and your friends knew everything. Like, you’d always go around fighting villains who wanted to take over Equestria, or get sent off somewhere to solve a friendship problem, and you always seemed to know exactly how to handle it. But now I know that Twilight didn’t know something as simple as what transgender means until last year!”

“Oh, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said with a chuckle, “it’s not a simple concept at all.”

“I don’t know, Miss Cheerilee explained it pretty clearly when we learned about it in school. And now that I think of it... she did have an example to go off of.” Sweetie Belle poked Rarity in the side.

Rarity shrieked and jumped out of her bed. “Sweetie Belle, why in Equestria would you poke me?! You should at least have the courtesy to warn me before doing that.”

“Oh, I poked you because I wanted to say in a cute way that you are the example of a transgender pony that Cheerilee went off of.”

“Ah, heh heh... right. Of course.” Rarity sat back down next to Sweetie Belle and laid her head on her hooves. “It would appear... that’s one of the things I am most useful for.” She sniffled a little, tears starting to come out of her eyes.

“Wait, Rarity. Are you... crying?”

Rarity wiped some tears off her face with a tissue. “You could never understand it, Sweetie Belle! After all those years of looking and sounding and behaving like a mare, I still have moments where I dearly wish I was a real mare, like you are. But I am not one, and even my dearest, sweetest, most lovely little sister had to find it out eventually.”

Sweetie Belle smiled gently and put a hoof on her sister’s back. “Rarity, you are a real mare.”

“Oh, that is so sweet of you to say, but I just told you I am not—”

“I know that! But look at yourself.” Sweetie Belle used magic to pick up a mirror from Rarity’s nightstand, and levitated the mirror in front of her sister’s face. “Isn’t this the girl you dreamed of being when you were younger?”

Her horn glowing blue, Rarity pulled out a crumbled piece of paper from under her bed. She unfolded it, gently blew the dust off, and hovered it next to the mirror. On the left was her childhood drawing of a clumsily named character named “The Magic Mare”. On the right was a mirror reflection of a mare named Rarity. Her eyes moved left and right, alternating between the reflection and the drawing.

“Aside from the wings, and a slightly inaccurate mane color... it’s not too far off,” said Rarity.

“So, now do you see why you’re a real mare?” Sweetie Belle said as she turned to face her sister.

Rarity set her drawing and mirror aside. “While I am certainly glad that I can now look at a mirror without squirming in discomfort... that doesn’t change that I wasn’t born as a mare.”

“Well... think of it like this, Rarity. Rainbow Dash didn’t become a Wonderbolt on the day she was born. She had to work her way up to it to achieve her dreams! And me and Apple Bloom and Scootaloo... it took us years for us to realize who we were supposed to be, and now we’re helping out ponies and other creatures all around Equestria! You’re exactly the same way, except your dream was to be a girl.”

Rarity paused and put a hoof under her chin. “I’m not sure these situations are fully comparable. Nopony is born knowing their special talent, whereas most mares are already born into feminine bodies.”

“That’s the key word! Most mares. You’re a little different from them, but if you weren’t different from other ponies, then you wouldn’t be Rarity! Seriously, I don’t know anypony else who knows the names of this many colors and gems and types of fabric. Or anypony else who would soak themselves in mud just to make up with their little sister.”

“Hm... you do raise a good point,” said Rarity, slowly entering a smile.

“You should be proud of who you are! And that doesn’t mean you have to explain every detail of your life story to anypony who wants to know. It just means you don’t have to feel uncomfortable telling others about it. It might inspire somepony else to become the pony they want to be!”

“Part of me would still much rather keep it on the downlow, but... another part of me remembers how wonderful it feels to know I’ve inspired somepony. So, perhaps I would start by telling a few other ponies who I trust.”

“That’s the spirit! Also... I can’t imagine how good it must have felt to finally tell your little sister.”

“It feels more relieving than you could ever imagine. As though a massive rock was just lifted from my back, and now I can have an honest conversation with you without perpetually worrying that I’d let some silly old secret slip.” Rarity smiled warmly and wrapped her arms around her sister’s back, pulling her in for a hug. “I love you, Sweetie Belle. You’re exactly the wonderful sister I always wanted, and I don’t want you to ever forget that.”

Sweetie Belle looked surprised for a second, then hugged her sister back with a strong blush. “I love you too, Rarity. You’re the most amazing pony I know, and I’m glad you were able to share all this with me.”

“Do you... truly mean that?” Rarity asked.

“Of course I do.”

The two sisters held each other tight, saying no words for a minute until Sweetie Belle spoke up again.

“Wait a minute... I totally forgot I was supposed to help Apple Bloom and Scootaloo clean Cheerilee’s house!” said Sweetie Belle, still clinging tightly to her big sister.

“But... the dress! For Sapphire Shoes! I still need your help to finish it!”

“We have a few more days, remember?”

“Oh... yes, of course,” said Rarity as she awkwardly grinned.

Sweetie Belle let go of her sister’s hug and hopped off the bed. “We can continue tomorrow. Then you can tell me more stories about your life, and you can teach me more about how to sew!”

Rarity scratched her head. “Well... I hadn’t really planned for this week to involve spending so much time with you, but I could easily adjust my schedule to accommodate that.”

“I’d love that so much!” said Sweetie Belle with a broad grin. “See you tomorrow at the same time I came today?”

Rarity waved a hoof at her sister. “Tomorrow it is!”

10. Twilight Sparkle Learns Rarity Is Trans

Rarity had been putting this off for years now. She knew she had to tell Twilight Sparkle the truth eventually. She had told the other four ponies in her main group long ago, so why should Twilight be kept out of the loop? Aside from the fact that it felt so affirming for Twilight to go off about how ladylike Rarity was, or that she had long put her childhood as a colt behind her... no, it couldn’t be that bad. Surely the Princess of Friendship would understand if her friend was transgender.

A much bigger problem was that if Rarity told Twilight Sparkle she was transgender, she would also have to tell Spike, who could never understand how deeply flattering Rarity found his crush on her. She really did not want to take all that away from Spike... and yet, here she stood, right outside the entrance to the meeting room in Twilight’s castle.

Rarity gulped and knocked on the door. “May I come in?” she asked.

“Of course you can!” said Twilight Sparkle from inside. “There’s no need to sound nervous. Spike and I just finished organizing all of our books on potions, and we’re taking a fifteen minute break before we organize our books on magic spells.” Rarity internally laughed, knowing that some things about her friends never changed.

As Rarity opened the door and walked in, she saw Twilight Sparkle squint as her eyes fixated directly on Rarity’s flank. Meanwhile, Spike was snoring in an empty spot in the topmost row of books, taking a well-deserved rest from book classification.

“Twilight, darling,” Rarity said as she stepped into the ornate white chair with her cutie mark, “it’s a delight to see you as always. But... may I ask why exactly you were staring at my flank so intently?”

Twilight Sparkle awkwardly smiled and darted her eyes around. “You see, if one of us arrives here between nine and nine-thirty in the morning, my calculations have shown there is a ninety percent chance they have come here for a cutie map mission. A ninety-five percent chance if it’s on a Tuesday, like today. So I thought for sure your cutie mark would be glowing, but like... really faintly?”

From almost anypony else, Rarity would think that excuse was nonsense. However, she knew how obsessed her friend was with analyzing details and finding answers, so she chose to believe this. “No, Twilight, I’m afraid my cutie mark isn’t glowing today. I merely came here to, um... to tell you something. About myself.”

“What is it?” Twilight asked, looking concerned.

Rarity rubbed her hooves together, trying to find the right way to phrase it. “This is something I should have told you far sooner, and I really have no excuse for withholding it from one of my dearest friends, but...” Come on, Rarity, she thought. You only have to say four words. How difficult can it be? “I can’t deny this any longer,” Rarity said with a loud sigh. “The truth about me that I’ve avoided telling you for the longest time is... that...” She gulped, her heart pounding more intensely than when she told any of her other friends. She closed her eyes and said the four words: “I’m a transgender mare.” Then she exhaled deeply, opened her eyes, and found Twilight looking... confused?

“What exactly is a... transgender?” Twilight Sparkle asked.

“You... don’t know what it means?”

“Nope. You’re going to have to explain it to me!” Twilight pulled a notebook and quill out of her highest bookshelf and set them at the table like an eager student.

“It means that I... ugh, this is so difficult to explain. I was born as a colt, but I never felt right as one, and really wanted to grow up to be a mare. It just felt so magical to try on makeup, or wear a dress, or even be addressed as ‘she’. So I changed the way I—”

“Wait, wait, you don’t have to explain further,” Twilight said as she finished writing her notes. “I think I know what this means.”

“Really?” Rarity said with a smile.

“It means that somepony finally cracked the code to Star Swirl the Bearded’s gender swap spell! It was long thought impossible to complete, so much that I used it as a fake spell to trick a certain unicorn who thinks she’s sooo much better at magic than me into giving up her amulet and saving Ponyville from eternal doom! But now that it turns out the spell was real all along, it opens up so many possibilities for us to spy on—”

“Twilight!” Rarity shouted, banging her hooves onto the table. “I know being transgender isn’t easy to understand, but I frankly expected much better from you. It’s not some sort of instantaneous magic spell I used for impersonation purposes. It was a gradual process that I went through because I so badly wanted to be a girl! Do you have any idea how difficult that was for me? No, of course you don’t, because you’re so busy perfecting all your magic spells to solve your big and important problems.” Rarity stepped out of her chair and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

“What... did I just... do?” Twilight said in shock.

“Um, you totally hurt Rarity’s feelings and now she doesn’t want to talk to you?” Spike said as he climbed down the ladder from the bookshelf.

“Spike, what would you know about hurting Rarity’s feelings?”

Spike made it to the floor and took a seat next to Twilight. “Well, I know she can tell when somepony’s being insincere to her, or not treating her with respect. And I know that if she thinks somepony is doing that, she’ll blame it all on herself and lock herself in a room while eating ice cream. You should really go apologize to her before it’s too late. She might still be outside the castle!”

“Wait, Spike. Are you sure we should still be calling Rarity ‘she’? Maybe Rarity is really a stallion who uses magic spells to disguise as a mare,” Twilight said as she looked through bookmarked pages in a tome on transformation spells. “And maybe Rarity simply trusts us not to tell anypony her, or his, or their secret identity.”

“Yeah, that’s totally something Rarity would do,” said Spike.

“Let’s see, mane color changes on page 122, eye color swaps on page 129... ooh, griffon impersonation spells on page 138...” Twilight muttered to herself. Then she flipped back a page and showed the book to Spike. “Aha! Check out page 137 of this book. It tells the story of a stallion from centuries ago who pretended to be a mare so that he could marry another stallion! And I shouldn’t have to tell you which legendary wizard helped him perform that spell.”

Spike smacked his face with his claw. “Are you even hearing yourself, Twilight?”

“Say what now, Spike?”

“I heard what you and Rarity said to each other. When you pulled that notebook out of your bookshelf, I woke up from a great dream about Rarity. And then I heard the real Rarity explain something about herself that she obviously was waiting for years to tell you. But then you just had to interrupt her and completely misunderstand what she meant, so she snapped at you and left.”

“Yes, I know all that happened,” said Twilight, holding her head in her hooves. “What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying that you should respect Rarity for who she is, just like you always have! That’s all she ever wants from anypony who she tells her secret.”

“Wait, Spike... how would you know that? Did she already tell you?”

“No, but I have some experience. You remember the griffon named Gabby, right?”

“Yes, what about her?”

“Well, I’ve been writing to her a lot, and, um... I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but... she was born as a boy griffon too.”

Twilight Sparkle’s face lit up, and she put her hooves on the table. “Wait, are you telling me this magic spell works on griffons too? Oh, this is so exciting! I can’t wait to tell Starlight about—”

“Twilight, you’re missing the point!” Spike shouted.

“... I am?”

“The point isn’t about which magic spells work the best at turning a mare into a stallion or whatever. It’s about respecting others for who they really are, and understanding that Rarity told you this because she trusted you not to judge her for it! Try to imagine how you made her feel.”

“Um... upset?”

“I don’t think you’re getting it. Let’s try another example. Think of how I felt when I set off to meet my fellow dragons, and they all were jerks to me and kept saying I was more like a pony than a dragon. How do you think that made me feel?”

“It made you feel heartbroken, like no one of your own kind would ever take you seriously,” said Twilight. “Am I accurate?”

“Yeah, that was spot on. I didn’t want to see any other dragons ever again, until I was forced to a few months ago. And even then, making friends with other dragons was tough, since I’m still so small and weak and don’t even have wings yet!”

“Spike... you’re not weak. You have a lot of heart, and you—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, but this isn’t about me. It’s about Rarity. I can guarantee you she also felt like she didn’t belong as a kid! Obviously I don’t know the full story, but when I learned that she had to become a mare on her own, well... it made me respect her even more than I already do.”

“You really do like her, huh, Spike?” said Twilight, some tears welling up in her eyes.

“Well, yeah. She isn’t just super attractive... well, she is, but even aside from that, she’s one of the coolest ponies I know. Think of all the nice things she’s done for you without even being asked to! Like all those times she made dresses for you and your friends, or the time she took us on an incredibly fun trip to Manehattan, or all the nice gifts she’s given us... wait, Twilight. Where are you going?”

“I need to apologize to Rarity!” Twilight Sparkle said as she ran out the door, leaving a trail of tears behind her. Spike followed her, carefully tiptoeing around the newly formed salty river.

“Rarity? What are you doing behind my castle?” Twilight Sparkle asked. “Normally, nopony ever explores this part of the building.”

“Leave me alone, Twilight!” said Rarity while crying. “I’m an awful friend, and I should have never told you and Spike something that I knew would irreversibly tarnish your image of me.”

“But, Rarity....”

“I used to be somepony special to you. But now that you know the truth, I am just a nefarious spy to you, and rightly so! I’m not a real mare, I was never a real mare, and I never will be a real mare. All I am is a faker, who pretends to be somepony I’m not, all because it would make my friends happy.”

“Rarity, you have to listen to me,” said Twilight Sparkle, putting a hoof on Rarity’s shoulder. She expected her hoof to be swatted away, but instead Rarity let her keep it on.

“Y... yes, Twilight?”

“You did nothing wrong, Rarity. I’m the one who was being a bad friend. I cared more about what your secret meant about some random old magic spells than how difficult it must have been for you to admit it, and for that, I sincerely apologize.”

“Oh, but it’s not your fault you didn’t know what it meant to be... you know,” said Rarity as she wiped her eyes with a tissue she apparently had on her. “You grew up in a magic school where you never socialized much with other ponies, and I can hardly blame you for misunderstanding what I was saying.”

“You’re wrong. It was completely my fault, and you should really stop blaming this on yourself!” Twilight sat down and scooted a little closer to Rarity. “I know you didn’t transition to a mare just to make your friends happy. You did it because you knew that was who you were meant to be, and for that, I am very proud.”

“Wow, I... thank you, Twilight. You have no idea how much I needed to hear that from you. But... how were you able to change your mind so quickly?”

Twilight Sparkle pulled Rarity in, getting ready to hug her. “Well, I have to thank Spike for helping me get my head out of my—”

“Hi, Twilight. Hi, Rarity. Are... you two doing alright?”

The two mares looked behind them and saw Spike, then they jumped apart with startled expressions. Rarity spoke first: “Spike, dear, we were just having a... an intimate moment! Among mares. It’s not of much concern to you, being a dragon boy and all.”

“But you’re my two best friends,” said Spike. “And I just wanted to make sure you weren’t still mad at each other.”

“Oh, Spike, that is so sweet of you,” said Rarity, “but this conversation was meant to be only between me and—”

“Here, come sit between us,” Twilight said, making some space between herself and Rarity. Spike sat down between them, with Twilight looking calm and placid on the right, and Rarity with her head buried in her hooves on the left.

“So, Spike...” Rarity said amidst some stammering. “I gather Twilight had told you... that I... wasn’t born as a mare.” The last few words were barely audible and followed by a squeak.

Spike scooted back a little, closer to the wall of the castle. “Well... not quite. Twilight accidentally woke me up from my nap, so I heard most of your conversation before you stormed out of the room. I told her how ridiculous she was being, and then when it got through to her, she ran out to apologize to you.”

“It’s true,” Twilight muttered with a sigh. “I don’t understand how you can be born in the body of a colt but decide you would rather be a mare... but this wouldn’t be my first time learning that some things in life, you don’t have to understand. Remember how stubborn I was that there was no such thing as Pinkie Sense?”

Spike and Rarity broke into laughter, recalling this memory from years ago. Twilight Sparkle joined in with a few awkward chuckles.

“You’re a wonderful friend, Twilight,” Rarity said amidst a few more tears. “And I forgive you for not understanding what I was talking about at first. It’s a complex topic that takes years for anypony to internalize. Though I do wonder... Spike, do you have any thoughts on this revelation?”

“Well, I mean... it’s not really a big deal to me. You’re still the cool and inspiring pony I’ve always known. Just that now I respect you even more!”

“You really mean it, Spike? You aren’t just... saying that?” Rarity asked.

“Of course I mean it! And it’s not even that hard for me to understand. There are, um... times where... how do I put this?” Spike twiddled his thumbs and lowered his head. “Sometimes, I wonder if I should even call myself a dragon. Because I was raised by ponies, I do everything with ponies, and I like to do the same things ponies like to do. Like, I have cool scales, I can breathe fire, I can swim in lava if I wanted to, and someday I might be taller and more muscular than any of you! But I’m not sure if that matters more than my upbringing.”

Twilight turned her head to face Spike. “Wait, Spike... are you saying you want us to call you a pony?”

“No! It’s not that. I’m still a dragon, and I like being called a dragon. It’s just that, um... I can see why a dragon who grew up the same way I did might prefer to be thought of as, like... an honorary pony. And Rarity’s still a pony! Just a different type of pony from the one she was born into, and that doesn’t seem far-fetched at all to me.”

“Well, then... I’m glad you think so, Spike,” said Rarity. “That... truly means a lot to me.”

“I’m proud of you too, Spike. Both of you, actually,” said Twilight Sparkle. The two ponies and Spike started a group hug and laughed together, and they didn’t let go for quite a while. They held each other tight, careful to still give Spike some breathing room.

Two unicorns who had just returned from a leisure trip to the Crystal Empire noticed the scene, paused their walk, and watched from a distance.

“Uh... should we check in on them?” said Starlight Glimmer.

“Don’t mind these three. They’re having another one of their snuggly heartfelt moments,” Trixie said as she waved her hoof dismissively.

“You’re kind of staring at Twilight right now. With a weird smirk on your face.”

Trixie leaped back and gasped, then turned to face sideways. “What?! N... no, I wasn’t. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Starlight Glimmer rolled her eyes. “Sure, if you say so. After all, when is the great and powerful Trixie ever known to be wrong?”

Trixie turned back to face her friend and smirked. “See? You get it.”