After having fillified myself, the princesses thankfully allowed me some space. I respected that they allowed me to retreat to the sanctuary of my room almost immediately. Aside from Cadance’s tentative offer of a hug, they made no unwelcome attempt to comfort me. Upon closing the door behind me, I immediately hopped up on my bed and sank my muzzle into a pillow. I spent the rest of the day in a haze of lament and disbelief. For the first time in my life I wanted to cry. Even so, the tears wouldn’t come, and I could only sigh to myself. My mind was fogged with ruminations of what I had lost, yet my emotions were a cocktail of dissident feelings, the net result of which was lethargy.
When a couple of hours had passed, it started feeling like I had put myself in time-out. Although, there was no real choice as every other option was unpalatable. Still, that didn’t mean that I had to do nothing. In fact, every minute I spent idle caused guilt to pile up higher.
Stretching, I jumped off the bed. I then imitated my exercise routine the best I could in my foal body. Squats and pushups were now impractical, but fortunately Star had acquired a small pair of dumbbells for me, along with some weighted horseshoes. I grabbed the latter items from under my bed and started to run laps. It was extremely noisy, but I wasn’t in the mood to care.
I focused solely on the mechanics of running in order to clear my mind. Nonetheless, I stopped long before I was winded. It so happened that not focusing on my new gender status allowed a quiet feeling of contentment to spread through me. Normally such satisfaction was the best part of exercise, but this time, I turned it away like I would an old friend, ashamed to be in its company. The last thing I wanted right now was to start feeling better.
Determined to be miserable, I slumped onto the floor, figuring the bed would be too comfortable. I probably would have fallen asleep like that if not for a knock on the door. For a second my heart fluttered in relief, but after the third knock the door opened just enough to admit a dinner plate and a glass of water before closing again.
Does she really think I’m in the mood to eat right now? I thought, though my belly repeatedly contradicted me on that point. I let the plate sit for at least twenty minutes. When I finally justified feeding myself, I noticed a small note next to the celery.
Aron, I know you probably don’t want to eat right now, but please do. If so, I promise not to bother you. Luna will patrol your dreams to ensure the stallion does not enter them. If you want to talk, touch your horn to the note. If not, pleasant dreams.
Celestia
I was going to eat anyway, I thought to myself.
Taking a shiny red apple in my mouth, I twisted the stem off by putting in between my hooves. As I bit down on the fruit, a sweet taste filled my mouth. I let the bite sit on my tongue for a moment as I soaked in the flavor. It was truly the perfect apple. Looking down on my plate, I noticed it was almost entirely fruits and vegetables save for a single slice of wheat bread. Not only were there no sweets, but it was also devoid of hay or other pony foods. It was a subtle gesture that didn’t go unappreciated.
Unfortunately, the surprisingly good apple proved only a temporary distraction, and for the rest of the meal I partook in mindless eating. That left only the note…
I probably stared at it for the better part of an hour. Emotionally, I really didn’t want to be around anyone at the moment. Yet given my depressed state and my already frayed patience, I was especially vulnerable to boredom. I knew almost immediately that I would eventually cave, but I didn’t want to come off as needy.
The second the clock struck six, I touched my horn to the note.
To my surprise nothing happened. Nervously I sat up on my haunches and tried to put a blank expression on my face as I stared at the door.
Still nothing.
Eventually, I began to have reservations.
Did she trick me? I wondered. It would make sense if the note wasn’t magical; she was simply planning on seeing me all along. Just as I started to become perturbed, I finally heard a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I said faintly.
After trying to decipher my expression, the first thing she did was to check the plate.
“Thank you for eating.”
I nodded.
Silence draped over the room. Part of me wanted her gone, but simultaneously that possibility worried me. Yet, still no words came to me.
What could I say that wasn’t trite or obvious? Celestia didn’t volunteer anything but instead she curled her body around mine, just distant enough to avoid fur contact.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” she said after five minutes. “You caught me right at sunset.”
In my state, I didn’t bother trying to make sense of that.
Ten more minutes passed, and I figured the onus was now on me to speak.
“Sorry to trouble you,” I said. “I didn’t know what I was expecting or what I wanted.”
She was the ruler of a nation. It wasn’t like she had time she could waste just waiting around for me.
“It’s all right,” she said simply. “It’s perfectly understandable to want company, even if you don’t want to talk.”
Without realizing it, I started to lean into her.
“It’s not like women are inferior,” I mumbled.
“Hmm?”
“We were always told that on the battlefield males and females were equal.”
“That’s good…” she said hesitantly. “I thought otherwise.”
Since their females were the privileged gender, I almost wanted her to ask exactly what the problem was, but she was hardly that tactless.
“You’re not entirely wrong,” I said softly, now that I was obliged to finish the thought. “It comes with a condition.”
“What condition is that?” she asked obligingly.
“To be truly equal, women have to suppress their nature. Males are better suited to life on Rhod—they’re hardier, more emotionally stable and, all things equal, better soldiers. Women, however, are born more nurturing, more fragile. Because of this, being female is seen as a burden. However, since no one can choose how they are born, the stigma isn’t in being female; rather, it’s being feminine that’s frowned upon.”
Celestia said nothing, opting to stroke my back with a wing. I flinched her touch though, and she immediately stopped.
After another long pause she finally spoke: “Nopony is going to require you act feminine.”
“How can you be sure!?” I shouted, voice cracking. “This accursed world has already made me act more like a child. What’s stopping it from changing my brain into a filly’s?” It was a question I had asked many ways before, but I was still looking for a solid answer.
I looked up at Celestia. She had a contemplative look on her face. “Aron, I won’t pretend that it’s not a possibility. Psychologically and physiologically fillies are different from colts. To start, fillies tend to be more hyperactive, more social and more attentive to detail.” I sighed. “But there’s equally a case to be made that the individual’s core personality remains the same. Do you know of Camicaze the Conqueror?”
I nodded.
“He was already a pugnacious individual upon arriving in Equestria—and cunning too. His culture was even more warlike than yours. Since we had no way of returning him to his dimension, Luna and I… it wasn’t our proudest moment, but we accelerated his transformation.”
“You did what!?”
“You have every right to find this objectionable. It’s no excuse, but we were younger and less wary back then.”
I stood up and looked her straight in the eye. “Of course it’s no excuse! What were you thinking!?”
Celestia looked down. “He was twice my size back then and had venomous fangs. We were afraid he would harm our ponies, but we still couldn’t conscience preemptively locking him up. So we were hoping that helping him integrate with Breezy society would be the happiest outcome for him and for us.”
I stared at her, incredulous.
“It was naïve, to say the least. Breezies are peaceful creatures, so we thought that because he was outwardly less aggressive this had changed him. In reality, he was merely afraid of us, being now on the wrong side of the size disparity. We tried integrating him with a tribe of migrating breezies, but he realized very quickly that these were creatures he could bully. And the rest is history…”
I hadn’t stopped staring at her. “Is this supposed to make me feel better? Because all I got out of it was that you and Luna were really irresponsible.”
They let me forget they’re royalty at times. When did I become so casual with them?
“We don’t dispute this. A string of happy outcomes had impaired our objectivity. But, no, what I’m trying to say is that who you really are won’t change. Your personality and ultimately your choices will define who you become.”
“Camicaze didn’t get turned into a little girl,” I said, exasperated.
“And had that been the case I can only imagine how cruel he would have become to compensate. Aron, no matter what somepony’s magical signature says, ponies change over time. I’m not suggesting you dive headlong into being a filly, but you can’t close yourself off completely to change. You may not realize it, but you are growing as an individual.”
I waved her off with a hoof. “How much of that growth is because of my magical signature? Even without it, I think this world’s rubbing off on me.”
“I like to think of it as you growing in order to adapt to your environment.”
I broke eye contact. The conversation had turned into her preaching to me.
“I’m going to bed,” I abruptly announced, taking a running start to leap onto the bed. I grabbed a corner of the sheets with my mouth and navigated my way under the covers. Being so small, I liked to pin myself between the pillows. Otherwise, I felt somewhat exposed.
Without asking, Celestia straightened the sheets with magic and tucked me in. “Sweet dreams, my little pony.”
The next morning, I awoke feeling very refreshed.
Then I remembered I was a filly.
My mood didn’t immediately sour, but I felt shell-shocked over what had happened. Tentatively, I took a look at myself in the mirror. Aside from what the princesses had pointed out yesterday, I didn’t look that different. Other than the obvious, the only thing I noticed were slightly wider hips. Tossing my bangs to the side, I was briefly amused by how my long mane flipped up as I moved my head from side to side. A slightly longer mane didn’t really bother me, but the eyelashes really stood out. They were like the cherries on top that confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt what I now was. Blinking them, I sighed.
I heard a rapping.
“Come in,” I said, unenthused.
I had been expecting Celestia herself, but to my slight relief it was Star Chart. If she was shocked by my altered appearance, she didn’t show it.
“Good morning, Aron.”
“Hello, Star,” I said casually. “How was the zoo?”
“Oh, Trusty told you about that? Yeah, it was my mom’s first time in Canterlot and she really loves animals, so it was a good bonding experience. I was surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did. If you want, I could take you sometime.”
I nodded. “That would be interesting actually,” I said. “Rhod doesn’t have many animals.”
Star stepped closer to examine me. I suppose it was the elephant in the room, so I shouldn’t have been too surprised.
“Really?” Star said. “You got a hooficure as part of your transformation?”
That’s what she asks about?
“Apparently,” I said in my colt voice. “Do you know why?”
Star nodded. “Most mares tend to take better care of their hooves, while stallions usually like a more rugged look. Between that and the longer mane, I’d guess it’s trying to catch you up with other fillies.”
Other fillies… those words stung.
“So shiny hooves are a girl thing here?”
“It’s not unheard of for stallions to partake as well, but yes.”
“Oh…” I had actually kind of liked how they looked, but now I couldn’t admit it.
“Anyway, the princesses wanted me to invite you to breakfast with them. If you want to that is.”
“All right,” I said only a little reluctantly, allowing Star to lead me to the kitchen and through the hidden passage.
When we arrived, I was greeted by the smiles of the two sisters.
“Thank you, Star,” Luna said as the pegasus bowed out.
I took my seat, and we sat in silence waiting for the food to arrive.
“Did you sleep well?” Luna asked.
“Yes, thank you.’
As quiescence fell over the room, I took relief in the princesses having just as much trouble as I was figuring out how to comport themselves.
“Where’s Cadance?” I finally asked.
“She was only here for the day,” Celestia explained. “Wallflower, however, opted to extend her stay. Twilight is here but she’s with her friends in another wing of the castle. That’s actually what I wanted to talk about.” A server entered carrying milk, jam and bread. “Thank you, Plum.” The earth pony bowed.
I took a bite of toast and motioned for her to continue.
“Rainbow Dash was already here to help us locate you, but the four others arrived by train yesterday evening. “We told them that the crisis had been averted, but they wanted to try and comfort you.”
“Why?” I asked sharply. “I don’t need ponies feeling bad for me.”
“It’s not that,” Luna said. “Neither is it a matter of trying to make you accept how you now are.”
Celestia levitated a glass of milk to her mouth and took a big gulp. I imitated her action through more conventional means and sighed in satisfaction. Milk was truly one of the greatest delicacies of this world.
“Of course, you don’t have to meet with them, but it would mean a lot to them if you would. In any case, I won’t allow you to spend another day alone in your room.”
I polished off my milk. “What exactly do they want to do with me?”
“I believe it involves fun,” Luna said.
I stared at my toast. I didn’t really have any plans. Besides, I felt obligated by the fact that they had stayed for my sake.
“I’ll do it,” I finally said, spreading jam on the bread. “It may be this foal body, but I could really go for a diversion right now.”
“Come on! This way! Hurry!” Rainbow urged.
Even had she walked, I would have struggled to keep up with a bigger pony’s strides. With her flying ahead, I was completely winded in a vain pursuit. Apparently, Twilight’s group wanted to take turns with me, so they had drawn straws.
As she alighted next to me, I panted and sat on my haunches. “So… you still… haven’t told me… where we’re… going.”
“You’ll see in a minute,’ Dash said, excited.
“You’re sure it’s nothing girly?”
“Pffft. That’s more of Rarity’s thing. Trust me: it will be awesome!”
After a few more blocks of walking, we came to a strange area mostly devoid of buildings. What was in front of us was a fenced-in green space that was several times the area of the guards’ practice field. Looking for clues, I noticed there was a break in the fence for a clubhouse and that there were flags scattered along the grass.
“Really? Golf?” I asked, trying to hide my disdain. On Rhod golf was an indulgence that had long been banned as a needless waste of resources.
“As if!” Dash said. “Golf’s barely even a sport. I have something more challenging in mind. Follow me!”
I let her lead me around the perimeter of the enclosed space until we came to an alternative entrance. I tried to get a glimpse of what was in store beyond the fence, but some tall trees obscured the view. We went inside, and the first thing I noticed were half-dozen trophy cases filled to the brim. Posted at regular intervals on the walls were handwritten lists detailing ponies’ names and times. I held back my questions for the moment and walked alongside Dash to the counter. Sitting behind it was a brown earth pony mare, her short red mane in a ponytail atop her head.
“Welcome,” she said cordially. However, upon looking down at me, a big smile came to her face.
“Why hello there, little one. Are you running the course today with your mom?”
“What do you mean ‘mom?’” Dash said, offended. “I’m only fifty-seven!”
The mare looked away, bashful. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Miss. I just thought that your coat colors were similar, and well—you’re sisters then?”
“No,” I said weakly, waving my hooves in front of me.
“She’s an exchange student,” Dash explained. “I volunteered to show her my favorite spot in the city.” She put some bits on the counter. “One adult and one child for an hour please.”
“Of course, Miss. Here you are.” Dash held her hoof up to the counter and the mare tied a green strap around it. Dash then grabbed me by the neck and hoisted up to eye level with the mare, letting her do the same with my hoof. “That’s all you need. Enjoy!” The clerk then pushed a button to unlock the turnstile and I followed Dash outside.
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but my eyes went wide upon catching sight of the facilities. It was a winding obstacle course with six different lanes. Immediately in front of me was a net slanted upwards at a forty-five degree angle, going to the top of a wooden wall. Next was a rolling log above a small moat, and beyond that were some elevated pegs.
Dash nudged me in the ribs. “Pretty cool, huh? You think you’re up to it?”
My eyes glimmered at the challenge. “I can’t wait.”
A black and white stallion blew his whistle and after finishing their current lap, the six ponies running the course exited the grounds. Excited, I crouched down at the starting line as a few other ponies with green wristbands joined us. Upon hearing the second whistle, I broke into a gallop. I was halfway to the net before I realized how challenging a running up a net would be with my tiny hooves. I smiled and accelerated towards the net anyway.
Hopping on the net, I had to carefully aim all four hooves onto the solid part. Confidently, I stepped in between the holes and ascended gradually towards the top.
“Wow! You’re doing great!” Dash praised, effortlessly climbing alongside me. “I thought you would climb the net using the hoofholds.
I smirked. The idea hadn’t even occurred to me. I was one step away from the top when my left rear hoof fell straight through the net. I nearly tumbled over backwards but reflexively reversed my momentum by grabbing the roping and pulling myself up on the platform.
“Good save!” Dash cheered, but neither of us took a breather.
Balancing myself precisely, I sprinted across the log. It shifted slightly under me with each step, but I directed every hooffall to counteract its rolling. I made it across surprisingly smoothly, Dash beating me by a nose. Next we jumped down some steps and faced a field of elevated wooden pegs. For this obstacle, my small size was to my advantage, as I could balance my whole body on a single peg. Rainbow had to put each hoof a different peg as she hobbled across them. As such, I was able to jump across in a fairly straight line. Next came a rock wall which I navigated with ease. We then had to swing across another moat on a rope, which required a galloping start. I barely made it and shocked by my success, I forgot to jump off when above the other platform, requiring me swing back and forth an extra time.
To return us to ground level, we sped down a series of slides. There were then some stepping stones, which proved to be just an easier version of the pegs. For the home stretch we had to race across a dirt track and clear five hurdles, each taller than the last. Fortunately, my lane had been adjusted to a smaller height, but they were still the most difficult part of the course. From there, all that was left was galloping across the finish line.
Brain and body soaring on a runner’s high, I looked to Dash. “So, what now?”
She looked to me with a determined expression. “Same thing, only faster!”
“Now that I’ve been through it once, do you want to race?”
She flashed me a cocky grin. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, now.”
Her grin grew. You’re on!”
As we reentered the castle through a side staircase, I briefly remembered how I had staggered awkwardly down those same stairs. It was strange: quadrupedal motion had become so natural to me that such difficulties seemed like ancient history. Out of the corner of my eye, I admired the purple ribbon stuck to the front of my barrel. Despite everything I had been through in the last twenty-four hours, for a moment, I had been happy. It was a fleeting, guilty happiness, but undeniably happiness.
“So what did you think? Pretty cool, right?”
“Yeah, I liked it,” I said—a striking understatement.
As she turned her head towards me, her gaze demanded more. “Pretty good idea, right?”
“Yes, that’s what I just said.”
“I know, but say it like you mean it!” She pointed at the ribbon. “Still, I know you trained to fight on your homeworld, but I didn’t expect you to be such an athlete!”
“It’s nothing much,” I said. “I only got seventh place for my age group.”
“But that’s all time! And you’re the only unicorn in the top ten! In a unicorn city!”
“I guess…”
Reaching our destination floor, Rainbow stood above me on the last step and put a hoof on my withers. “You don’t have to guess anything—that was awesome!”
I was quiet, not used to getting so much praise. For most my life I had just kept my head down and done what was expected of me; if I did everything right, I wouldn’t hear from anyone.
“So who’s next, anyway?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Fluttershy,” Dash replied, leading me to a lounge area of the fifth floor. Twilight and her four friends were sitting around, chatting.
“Welcome back,” Twilight said, the four others greeting us in succession.
“Oh my, dear your mane is a mess,” Rarity said, magicking a brush from somewhere to comb my mane. I wanted to object, but it was strangely soothing so I let it slide. “Rainbow Dash, you aren’t trying to turn her into a rough and tumble tomcolt, are you?”
Rainbow snorted. “Aron already liked getting physical. I’m just giving her what she wants.”
Rarity looked at me, and I made a point of smiling fondly at Rainbow.
“I’ll guess I’ll just have to wait my turn, then,” Rarity said with a sigh.
I don’t like the sound of that.
Fluttershy nervously ambled towards me. “Umm… I just wanted to say… thank you. I know you didn’t mean to use love magic, but Wallflower—she’s really happy, so umm thank you.”
I nodded. In truth, her gratitude only served to remind me of the trauma of yesterday. “You’re welcome, I suppose. I’m just glad that some good came out of it. Trusty’s probably over the moon as well.”
She started to walk down the hall. “Umm… I know my turn won’t be as exciting as Rainbow’s, but follow me… please.”
I did so, and she led me towards the center of the castle and down some more stairs. I found it amusing that Rainbow had brought me all the way up to the fifth floor only to go back down, but this whole day didn’t strike me as particularly well-planned. To further my amusement at the situation, the pegasus brought me all the way back down to the ground floor. We cut across the main hall, and at first I thought we were headed to the throne room. However, we missed that turn and made our way towards the back of the castle, soon exhausting my familiarity with the topology.
‘“Here we are,” Fluttershy said abruptly, opening a pair of French doors to reveal a luscious garden. Stepping outside, I admired my surroundings in the late morning sun. There was such a pleasing variety of plant life that I found myself drawn in by the color. Despite having never eaten a flower before, I found myself slightly tempted by this vegetation.
The mare slowly came to my side and inhaled deeply. I mimicked her and found myself bombarded by a cornucopia of smells, far beyond that which my human nose would have been able to pick up. After a few minutes of standing around, my limited attention span expired.
“So, what did you bring me here for?” I asked bluntly.
Fluttershy flinched. “Umm… wait please. And umm… stay quiet… if you don’t mind.”
“Okay…” I whispered.
I looked around some more, got bored and resorted to shuffling my hooves. Just when I was about to question the point of this exercise, Fluttershy nudged me with wing.
“Look.”
Three bluebirds landed on a bush close to us.
“Why hello, little birdies. It’s so nice to see you again,” Fluttershy said, scattering some bread crumbs from inside her saddlebags.
The birds fluttered to the ground and pecked greedily at the offering. Once they were finished eating, Fluttershy held out a hoof, and one of the birds landed on it.
“I’d like to you to meet Aron. Say hi.”
The birds turned to me, and each tweeted exactly once before focusing once more on Fluttershy.
“Don’t be shy. Come on out everybody.”
I heard a rustling and a few rabbits came out from under a nearby hedge. A small garden snake slithered over it as well. From a nearby tree, a squirrel and a raccoon joined us. Finally, a dozen multicolored birds flew down to round out the group.
“Don’t worry there’s some for everyone,” Fluttershy said lovingly, distributing more breadcrumbs.
“So what should I be doing?” I finally asked.
“Oh, um…. You can try feeding them too.”
Having nothing else to do, I reached into her bags, pulled out some breadcrumbs and scattered them.
The animals just stared.
“Now, now. Don’t be shy,” Fluttershy coaxed.
Warily, the animals approached me. The squirrel in particular glared at me before beginning to eat.
I awkwardly stood over them, watching. Every couple seconds they would look up to see if I had moved.
“They don’t seem to like me, Fluttershy, so don’t force it.”
Fluttershy looked taken aback. “I’m sure that’s not the reason. Why wouldn’t they like you? They probably just haven’t warmed up to you yet. Here, Mr. Snake why don’t you let Aron hold you?”
“Fluttershy, I don’t think this is a good idea…”
“Just be gentle and you’ll be fine,” Fluttershy assured me, picking up the snake.
Reluctantly I held out a hoof and let her transfer it to me. The first thing it did was coil around my fetlock, slowly slithering up.
“This isn’t so ba—“
HISS!!!
The snake lunged at me, mouth open. He attacked with such ferocity that I forgot momentarily that he was completely harmless. I staggered backwards and shook the snake off before my momentary panic finally dissipated.
“Now, Mr. Snake, that wasn’t very nice. And, Aron, you could have put him down more gently.”
“Sorry,” I said, feeling like a complete idiot for talking to a snake. It seemed to understand I was talking to it, though, and hissed in response.
Fluttershy stroked the hostile reptile with a wing, and it stretched out in contentment. “There. Aron said she was sorry, so do you have anything to say?”
The snake actually shook its head.
Fluttershy took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide, glaring at the snake. She continued this exercise for several seconds. I didn’t even know if the snake had eyelids, but somehow the mare came out on top in the staring contest. The snake meekly looked at me and flapped its tongue once before retreating behind the other animals.
“I’m sorry that didn’t go well, but there are lots of animal friends here for you to meet.” She gestured towards the mishmash group, but the moment she did, they all scattered. “No, don’t run away. Oh… I’m sorry, Aron, I don’t know why they’re like this.”
I shrugged. “Interacting with animals is your special talent, not mine. It’s only natural that I can’t replicate what you can do with such ease.”
Fluttershy hid behind her bangs. “I guess I thought that because you’re going to be an alicorn that they would trust you… That was a really dumb thing to think."
“I’m actually relieved that’s not the case. I already get too much attention for what I’m slated to become.”
Chirping, one of the bluebirds showed itself again. Fluttershy held out her hoof for it to land on. The bird sang a soft song, and the pegasus pony listened attentively. “Oh, I see… thank you for telling me.”
The bird tweeted one last time and flew off.
“What was that about?” I asked, curious.
“Oh… umm… she said that something about you just feels wrong—unnatural was the word she used.”
Could it be that they sense my magical signature is wrong? But then why can’t ponies detect it?
“Thanks for trying, Fluttershy, but caring for animals just isn’t my thing.”
As if to challenge that notion, Philomena then flew out of a high window and perched herself on my back.
Fluttershy beamed. “Philomena seems to like you. She never got that comfortable with me when I was taking care of her.”
“Yeah, I wonder why.” Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that I had bailed out her feathery rear two times in three days.
“Here,” Fluttershy said, handing me a soft-bristled red brush from her saddlebags. “This is a fireproof brush made especially for phoenixes. Why don’t you try brushing her?”
Hesitantly, I took the brush. “Do birds even need to be brushed? Wouldn’t that mess up their feathers?”
Fluttershy shook her head. “Actually, birds can enjoy it just like anypony else. You’ll do great; just use small strokes.”
My excuse gone, I started to brush the phoenix, who actually made a sort of cooing noise in response. For the next half-hour Fluttershy guided me through how to take care of Philomena—feeding her, preening her, even teaching her to fly through hoops. Much smarter than anypony else knew, I’m sure Philomena she was giggling internally at this charade. All in all, the experience felt like I was spoiling the phoenix.
It was a slow half-hour.
Sitting on a picnic blanket by the practice fields, I drummed my hooves on the ground.
“Well, ah don’t reckon I have anything excitin’ prepared like Rainbow or Fluttershy and her animals, but ah figured ah could still treat you to some good ol’ fashioned Apple family hospitality. An’ what better way to do that than some homemade apple pie?”
I stared down at the steaming pie and swallowed. It would be hard to turn her down.
“I really appreciate the effort, but I don’t really like sweets.”
Applejack chuckled in a homely manner. “Now, Sugarcube, Princess Celestia told me you were a mite stubborn about eating your sugar. But then again, you’ve never had Apple family cooking before! Why this here recipe has been passed down the Apple line for generations!”
I sat perfectly still.
She wafted the fumes towards me. “At least smell it.”
It did smell heavenly. I could almost taste the heightened apple flavor already. I suppose, it was either this or be forced to have my sugar with dinner.
“Maybe just a slice…”
“That’s the spirit!” Applejack cheered, slicing a thin piece for me.
I brought it to my muzzle, opened my mouth and bit down. It tasted even better than it had smelled—the perfect mix of apple juiciness with a subtle touch of tartness. It almost felt like a shame to swallow, so I just let it sit on my tongue for a while. When the first perfect bite had finished winning me over, a contented look came to my face. I still had a whole pie left!
With zero hesitation I crammed the remainder of the first slice into my mouth. The second bite was even better than the first.
“Thank you, Applejack,” I said with sincerity upon finishing it. “That may have been the best thing I’ve tasted here so far, and that’s really saying something!”
“Aww shucks, Sugarcube. Ah just did how Granny taught me. Why she’s even better at makin’ it than ah am!”
“Really?” I asked. “In that case maybe I’ll have to accept your offer to visit you in Ponyville sometime.”
“We’d love ta have you.”
After Applejack helped me finish the remainder of the pie, she had to improvise something for the rest of our time. She borrowed some supplies from Pinkie Pie and showed off some of her rodeo tricks. Even though most of my conditioning had transferred to my pony body, I was still amazed at what Applejack was able to do. Most notably, she managed to balance on the ball while juggling beanbags, all the while keeping the bowling pin from teetering off her muzzle. Then there were the rope tricks, which were amazing in their own way. They pushed the limits of what I thought possible for ponies to do with their mouth dexterity.
She then attempted to teach me some of the basics of the lasso, but I only managed to tie myself up several times in succession. She tried coaching me, insisting that the trick was to adjust the rope’s spin with my tongue. I attempted it as so, and all I got for my trouble was a taste of rope. My frustration with the task was strangely apparent. Applejack picked up on it, so she suggested a game instead: she would toss a loop of rope at my hooves and I would jump over it in time. At first the lasso cycled fairly slowly, but after a minute she upped the speed significantly, and I had to hop constantly to avoid being tripped.
“You sure enjoyed that, Sugarcube. Now that ah think about it, invitin’ you to skip rope coulda been a mite insensitive.”
I cocked my head in confusion. “Why? What’s wrong with jumping over a rope? It’s a test of agility and coordination.”
“Oh, nuthin’. I think it’s about Pinkie’s turn now.”
My vision suddenly went black and I reflexively jerked away.
“Guess who!”
“Pinkie. What’s the point of asking? You revealed your identity just by asking.”
Pinkie removed her hooves. “I guess you’re right! It is kind of silly. I guess it’s the same as shouting SURPRISE!” She stood on her back hooves and gesticulated with her front hooves. Upon saying it, confetti burst from nowhere.
“Pinkie Pie, you’re so random,” Applejack said fondly. “All right, I’m gonna head back on upstairs. Try not to have too much fun, you two.”
“How could we have too much fun?” Pinkie asked, excitedly. “Ooh I suppose if we have too much fun today, then in the future when we want to have fun, fun won’t be as fun! And that would be no fun! But how much fun is too much fun?
Pinkie Pie picked up a stick in her mouth and found some soft dirt nearby. She drew a parabola and wrote dF/dt=0 and started to quickly do some calculations as Applejack trotted away.
“Aha! I’ve got it.” Pinkie bounced on her hooves. “Too much fun is approximately 3,625 milliparties, which corresponds to an 11.2 on the Pinkie Scale.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You’ve actually quantified fun?”
Pinkie smiled broadly. “Of course! How else am I supposed to calibrate my parties to be the funnest around?”
I had a couple of answers to that, but I knew better than to challenge a pony in her area cutie mark expertise, so I let it go.
“So I assume you have a party planned?” I asked, stifling a groan.
“Of course not, Silly Filly.”
I glared.
“Hehe. Sorry. Just an expression. Anyhow, I know you’re not in the mood for a party, so I have something else planned.”
That’s actually pretty considerate of her, I thought to myself, impressed.
“Follow me back inside,” she prompted. Rainbow had been difficult to follow, but keeping pace with Pinkie was an entirely different challenge. The pink mare bounded along quickly, her hooves making a bouncing sound every time she landed. I found myself strangely energetic as I followed her. Even though I had to gallop to keep up, I somehow only felt more energetic as I continued to chase her. My heart was hammering in my barrel and my mind was racing.
Before I knew what had happened, temptation possessed my hooves. I happily bounced along behind her, my brain rattling in my skull with each little hop. Just as quickly I had synced my bouncing with hers and our sproinging sounds joined in harmony. Restless sensations pulsed through me, and I wanted to stop. Yet, my craving for sheer stimulation made it far too fulfilling to do so. After clearing several flights of stairs together, we reached a narrow hallway decorated only with the occasional flowerpot.
“Here we are!” Pinkie announced abruptly, and I quickly put on the brakes. I wasn’t fast enough, though, and I collided with her hind legs.
“Here?” I asked, coming to my senses. “What’s there to do here?”
Pinkie giggled. “We’re going to play a prank!” she announced with glee.
“A prank? What’s that?” I asked, voice jittery.
Pinkie’s smile grew. “You’ll see. Here!” Pinkie thrust a couple of fake plastic flowers into my hooves. “Empty one of those vases and replace the flowers with these.”
“Why?” I asked, completely confused.
“We’re going to play a prank on the maids.”
I shrugged, figuring it would make the most sense just to wait and see. Complying with her instructions, I emptied the nearest vase of its five flowers and replaced it with four plastic ones. Pinkie then waved me behind a corner and we peered around it together.
“What now?”
Pinkie giggled. “You’ll see.” She took a bite out of one of the flowers. “Want to try one?”
“No thanks. I just ate,” I said, grateful for a valid excuse.
Together we clung to the corner for about ten minutes, occasionally looking around it. While we waited, Pinkie devoured the remaining flowers. I briefly thought to try one if they were really that good, but then I remembered that I was already giving into my inner pony a bit too much. As we waited, my hooves tapped on the carpet on their own accord. I was able to will them to a stop momentarily, but they started tapping again as soon as I let my attention drift. Finally, the cream-coated maid with the three flowers cutie mark appeared at the end of the hallway. Pinkie shushed me as she spied on the mare, anticipation building.
As she walked by each flower pot I could faintly hear her counting the flowers as she nodded her head in time. Pinkie’s grin grew as the maid approached our tampered flowerpot. The earth pony counted to four, and she subtly frowned. She readied five replacement flowers from her saddlebags and then turned her attention back onto the fake flowers. Unsuspecting she leaned in and took a bite.
Pinkie burst into laughter as a look of disgust and surprise appeared on our victim’s face. She spat out the flowers and the party pony started rolling on the floor as she giggled widely.
“Surprise!” Pinkie cried out once her laughter had subsided. She stepped out from our hiding place, and I followed.
Once she had taken a moment to recover, the maid chuckled. Regarding me gently, she smiled even more broadly than Pinkie.
“You got me!” She declared. “Was this your idea, Dear?”
“No, it was hers,” I said flatly. “I have no idea what just happened.
“It was a prank,” Pinkie explained.
“You keep saying that, but I don’t know what that means. I get that you deceived her, but what’s the point?”
Pinkie hugged me. “It’s not about deceiving her; it’s about sharing a funny moment together.”
“But I like Flower Power,” I said. “Why would I want to laugh at her?”
“Dear, I understand you’re not laughing at me. It was a funny idea that we can laugh at together!”
I cocked my head, still confused.
“You’ll get it soon enough,” Pinkie said, nudging me. “Come on! Let’s move on to the next prank.”
I followed reluctantly. For the next “prank,” we snuck into the kitchens. The chefs were singing while they chopped up strawberries to use in a muffin mix. Snickering, Pinkie replaced their crate of strawberries with one of red peppers. Oblivious, the ponies continued to chop up the peppers, none the wiser. Meanwhile, I was completely perplexed as to why nopony asked us what we were doing there. When we were spotted, the ponies just waved and went along with their business.
As we were waiting in the cafeteria for the tainted muffins to arrive, I spotted Trusty and Wallflower entering together. They were entranced by one another’s eyes and publicly exchanged kisses.
“Should I warn them?”
“No, Silly. That would ruin the prank.”
“Huh…”
Uncertain, I watched as Trusty’s nostrils started fuming and he desperately flailed around for a glass of water. Many ponies, including Pinkie, laughed at him, but some of their number quickly joined him in his routine as they gullibly sampled their muffins.
It was then that I finally understood the point of this exercise. This is just like what Pestle had done to Annuity and me. Although I was on the other side of the prank this time, I couldn’t see the appeal. After all, I hadn’t liked it when it was done to me. I told Pinkie as much, but she—and even the victims—assured me that it was all good fun.
I still didn’t get it.
It was only when the crash came that it occurred to me that my experience bouncing along with Pinkie Pie was a symptom of a sugar rush. Needless to say, I felt terrible. I wanted nothing more than to just go to bed, but even I thought it would be unfair to Rarity and Twilight. After all, they had probably put just as much effort into their parts.
As I followed Twilight through the secret passageway in the wall, I rubbed my aching head with a hoof, groaning. “You know, I don’t exactly have the best memories of this place.”
“Yes, it was disappointing that I couldn’t unravel the mystery of why Equish exists in your dimension. Although you didn’t strike me as being too invested in the answer…”
I shook my head at her obliviousness. She was incredibly smart, but ponies as a group seemed to have a perplexing tendency to miss the obvious.
“It wasn’t exactly fun having my brain scanned in the name of linguistic research.”
Twilight’s ears drooped. “Maybe I did get a little carried away,” she admitted. “But think of the implications of this fact! Imagine what learning the answer could teach us.”
That doesn’t sound like an apology to me.
I shook my head. “So what are we here for if I’m not the victim?” I asked.
Twilight suddenly stopped at a strange looking metal coil, announcing, “Here we are!”
“It looks like an electrical coil. It’s a—I forget what they’re called. You’re not going to zap me with it, are you?”
“Of course not!” Twilight insisted, taken aback at my accusation. “This is actually a magic jammer.”
“A magic jammer? I can guess what it does, but why do we need one?”
Twilight smiled and extended her wings outward. “Since my goal is for you to have a good time, I thought I would share with you that which I enjoy the most—magic!”
“Why would you want to cast another spell on me? I’ve already had enough bad experiences with magic.”
Twilight took a few steps closer to me and rested a wing of my withers. “I’m not going to do the magic. You are!”
A mixture of fear, joy and anticipation rushed through my head. “How is that any better? Won’t I just surge again if you remove the seal?”
“Aron, the idea may still make you uncomfortable, but you are a pony now. Magic is part of who you are. So far, you have rightfully feared magic because of what it meant for your transformation. However, magic is so much more. It can be a wonderful thing. And as you are currently a unicorn, it is your birthright. Besides, if you know something about magic, you can better control your surges in the future.”
“I understand the principle of knowledge of something allowing me to overcome fear,” I said, wary. “However, I’d rather not take the risk.”
“That’s what this is for,” Twilight said, tapping the device. “If you start to surge I can turn the magic jammer on before it can get out of hoof.”
“Are you sure it will work, though?” In this case, my skepticism wasn’t too strong, but after being told that magic was off-limits for so long, I was somewhat resistant to the idea.
Twilight nodded, appreciating my caution. “I can scan you while you attempt the exercise. If anything is out of the normal, I’ll know immediately.”
“Okay,” I said flatly. It was hard to deny I was a little bit excited. After all, magic was the biggest perk of being a unicorn, and it tempted me like a forbidden fruit. This whole time—especially at the Junior Royal Guards—I had to compensate for my lack of magic. But now., I would finally be able to experience my full potential.
“I’ll start by weakening the seal,” Twilight said, horn glowing. I felt a bit lightheaded as she did, but it soon passed.
The first couple of seconds went by, and I was half-expecting an immediate surge. Once the brief spell of dizziness had passed, I didn’t feel too much different.
“Okay, then. Are you ready to get started?” Twilight asked, enthusiastic.
I nodded.
Twilight’s horn glowed and a stuffed unicorn doll drifted through the air and landed in front of her. “Levitation has been the fundamental proving ground of magical study for thousands of years. Out of all magic, you will use levitation more than any other. While different unicorns have different types of magic proficiency, levitation is universally accessible. It will take years of practice, but someday you will be able to manipulate multiple objects without having to think about it.”
With every word, the idea of using my own magic grew more enticing. I suddenly felt energized, like I had bouncing along with Pinkie. “Where do I start?”
“Try to lift this stuffed pony,” Twilight said simply.
I sighed. “This isn’t going to be one of those things I have to learn that you can’t explain, is it?” I had already had enough of that from Mrs. Fizzle’s critical thinking feedback.
“No, there are several tips I could give you to start out, but we have a unique opportunity here. You have never had any formal magic instruction, so your instinct is completely pure in a sense. So first, I’d like to see how you will attempt to move the doll on your own.
I grinned, wanting nothing more than to fire up my horn. However, caution overruled me for the moment. “What if I destroy the doll on accident?”
“I’ve got dozens of these,” Twilight explained. “They’re practically made to be destroyed.”
Permission granted, I removed my focus crystal from my horn and announced, “Here I go!” I turned my entire focus to the task at hoof, tensing the muscles in my forehead. I tried to think back to how I had managed to fire a magic arrow at Maniacal Laughter in order to mimic the process. The removal of the seal made a world of difference, and I felt a gentle flow course through my horn. I aimed and let the magic loose. To my delight, instead of fraying, the doll jumped several feet in the air before landing gently on its feet.
“I did it!” I cheered.
“That’s very good for your first attempt,” Twilight acknowledged. “However, it’s a habit I’ll have to break you of.”
“What do you mean? I got it to move, right?”
“You did get it to move,” Twilight admitted. “Though how you did it is a flawed method. For one, some objects won’t be able to handle being bombarded directly by your magic and will break. Secondly, it’s a more limited approach since you need to aim directly at your target, meaning it won’t work if there is anything in between.”
“But how else am I supposed to do it?” I asked defensively.
“Don’t feel bad,” Twilight said, picking up on my distress. “Studies show that more than half of unicorn foals use this method before graduating to the resonance method. If you want, you can keep practicing with the emitting method for now.”
I shook my head. “No, I want to do it right. What do I have to do for the resonance method?”
Twilight got a sheepish look on her face. “I’m sorry, but the resonance method is one of those things that can’t be explained too well. As a basic outline, what you have to do is magically sense the object you want to manipulate. You then have to attune your magic to the object. Once your horn and the object are in resonance you will be able to move the object with your mind.”
I paused to think.
“Is it like what I did with magical induction?”
“That’s a good thought, but resonance isn’t quite like induction. For one, induction is about forcing a magical field into another object. Resonance is the opposite in a way—it’s about syncing your own magic to that of the object.”
Mustering my patience, I took a deep breath and asked, “What do I need to do then?”
“What I’m about to teach you takes time and dedication, but if you’re ready I can lead you through a meditation exercise. If you practice it each day, eventually you should start to be able to sense ambient magic. I’m sorry this isn’t more interesting.”
“No, that’s hardly the case,” I said. “If anything, the intensive effort required only makes me want to learn it all the more. Out of curiosity, though, how long did it take you to sense ambient magic?”
“Oh…” Twilight’s expression sunk. “I was kind of a natural. I never had to unlearn the emitting method. I actually figured out resonance when I was five years old.”
My smile grew at the prospect of a challenge. I never was one to shy away from areas I wasn’t good at. To me, it only make mastery all the more satisfying.
Following Twilight’s lead, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. She instructed me to open my mind to my surroundings—start on my body and then expand outward. Unfortunately, focusing on my body only served to remind me of my new gender, but I tried not to be deterred by this. She slowly described our surroundings to me while I kept my eyes closed. Even with my attention to detail, I still found it difficult to reconstruct the room in my mind’s eye. What should have been a slow hour passed relatively quickly. The longer I was able to keep my shortened attention span on task, the more my satisfaction grew, even if I was having relatively little success.
Before I knew it, Twilight announced our time was done.
“But I didn’t even sense anything,” I complained.
Twilight stroked me with a wing. “You did great nonetheless. Most ponies take at least a dozen sessions before they even start to experience imagined magical sensations. Once you reach that point, success is all but inevitable.”
“I didn’t expect magical study to be built on mindfulness,” I commented.
“Other tribes can make fun of unicorns for this. Learning to fly is a very visceral experience for pegasi, and earth magic, while hardly easy, tends to be more methodical in its application.”
“Thank you for teaching me,” I said. “I didn’t realize how much I wanted to learn magic.”
Twilight giggled. “Just as I’ve never met a pegasus that didn’t like flying, most unicorns can’t imagine getting by without their magic. It’s why Celestia and I felt so bad about having to seal you.”
I suddenly felt energized. “While we’re here let’s keep practicing! I want to see if it will really take me a dozen times to start feeling something.”
“Actually, it’s Rarity’s turn now.”
First I frowned then I recoiled upon grasping the implications of this.
“Yoohoo, Darling!” came the voice I dreaded.
“If you want I can have one of the castle mages give you nightly lessons.”
Some of my smile returned as Rarity trotted up to us. I swallowed hard.
“You’re not going to try to put me in a dress, are you?”
Rarity laughed nervously. “Aron dear, I’m hardly that tactless. It’s not like I had the perfect dress picked out, only to come to my senses when Twilight talked me out of it.”
I exhaled in relief.
“Instead I’m going to tell you everything a mare simply must know—secrets known to no stallion passed down from mother to daughter.”
That doesn’t sound so bad, I thought to myself. Unfortunately, it then hit me.
“Wait a minute, by ‘known to no stallion’ do you mean certain details that males would rather not think about?”
Rarity beamed. “Especially the things you didn’t know you wanted to know! Come along now,” Rarity said gripping me by the neck.
Bracing all four hooves on the polished floor, I only succeeded in making a squeaking noise as the fashionista dragged me away.
I pouted.
“You’ve done very well so far, Darling. Now it’s time for a little review quiz. To start, what’s the standard tipping rate?”
“Twenty percent for a hooficure. Fifteen percent for a manecut, with an extra five percent to the stylist for any particularly juicy gossip,” I recited.
“Very good. Now what of dance etiquette?”
“Mares go to the left side of the dance floor, while stallions go to the right side. Customarily the stallions ask the mares to dance, while mares can initiate only for the last song. Curtsy when accepting. It’s impolite to refuse, but don’t tell the stallions that because they’re cute when they’re nervous.”
“Excellent! Now do you recall how to get into the girly part of Canterlot?”
“Go to the third register from the left at Chocolate Nut Emporium in western Canterlot. Mention hoofball to the cashier and receive a voucher for 27% off a perm. Take that voucher to any Mega Mane Extensions location. You will have twenty minutes to take a written test, and if you get at least 70%, you’ll be given a map.
Rarity patted me on the head. “I couldn’t have said it better myself. Question four: how do you invite another mare to be one’s herdmate?”
I sighed. “Order a large cherry sundae with pecans on top and take the first bite. Offer the other mare the spoon. If she uses it, the two of you are now an item for dating purposes and any interested stallion has to commit to both of you.”
“Very good. I have nothing more to teach you.”
I raised an eyebrow at my good fortune. “That’s it? Those are the secrets that no stallion knows?”
“Yes, of course. What were you expecting, Darling?”
I blushed. “Nothing… I guess—I mean, aren’t you going to teach me anything practical? Anything that I’d be able to use?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Let’s say, how to avoid long lines at the bathroom during public events?”
She waved a hoof dismissively. “Oh that. There’s no secret there. You simply have to get there early.”
I took a deep breath. Although bored out of my mind I was no worse for wear. I thanked Rarity insincerely before leaving her company to meet with Celestia and Luna for dinner. The two princesses eyed me expectantly when I entered, and I tried to put the most neutral expression on my face I could manage. Clearly they were expecting something from me, but I honestly didn’t know what to think of the day I had just experienced.
Celestia took a bite of salad, swallowed and started to speak while attending to her face with a magically-held napkin. “We interrogated the Miser today.”
Luna nodded as her sister spoke, wearing an uncertain look.
“How did that go?” I asked, happy to have something else to talk about other than my day.
“It didn’t go anywhere,” Luna said, annoyed. “He said his evil plan was to become rich off his pyramid scheme, but we find it hard to believe that he could develop such an insidious potion and only think to use it for a get-rich-quick scheme. He’s almost certainly lying.”
After taking a bite of salad myself, I considered making a certain suggestion of how to make the pony talk; however, I knew the princesses wouldn’t like it. Still, an equivalent came to mind.
“This may sound dumb since I’m mostly ignorant of magic, but isn’t there a spell to make him tell the truth?”
Celestia shook her head. “No such spell exists. Truth can actually be subjective, so there’s no way to magically compel a pony to tell the truth. The closest we can get is with mind magic. However, while it is possible to weaken a pony’s inhibitions, much as with hypnosis, one cannot get a pony to say anything he or she wouldn’t otherwise volunteer. And even if this method were more reliable, we still would consider it only in truly the most urgent of cases. In the present scenario, the Miser’s threat has passed.”
“I guess magic can’t do everything after all.”
Luna smiled. “That’s one of the most important lessons to learn. I see Twilight has taught you well.”
I rubbed the back of my head with a hoof. “I suppose you want to hear about my day now…”
“Please share,” Celestia prompted. “We’re eager to hear about it.”
The sisters listened thoughtfully as I recounted my day. In short, I had a high opinion of Rainbow, Twilight and Applejack’s sections, while Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rarity’s parts had been disappointments.
“I see. At least you seemed to have some fun. I imagine you thought you wouldn’t have enjoyed any of their activities?”
“I suppose…”
“At the risk of falling into my old habits, did you learn anything from today?” Celestia asked.
I wanted to dismiss her out of hoof, but then I thought back to my time at Squirt’s house. There, I had realized that ponies could come in all types. In a way, Twilight’s friends were illustrative of a similar principle. Though all were mares, in some ways they were more different than alike.
“Not that I believe this,” I began, “but seeing the six of them reinforced the obvious: now that I’m a filly, I will grow up to be a mare like them. The thought occurred to me that since all of them are unique, I won’t have to be a mare in a prescribed way. Although, I can never be a stallion, I can at least choose what kind of mare I’m going to be. For instance, I don’t have to be nurturing like Fluttershy, or a lady like Rarity. I can emulate Rainbow or Twilight and stay truer to myself.”
The sisters’ eyes sparkled.
“Well said,” Luna commented.
“Indeed,” Celestia agreed, “it is a valuable lesson to learn. Though I admit it wasn’t what I had in mind.”
“Really?” I asked, embarrassed. Had I really come up with that sappy lesson all on my own?
“All I wanted was for you to take your mind off being a filly for a little bit. And maybe have you realize that life will go on, and that things don’t have to be different now that you’re a filly.” She gave a knowing smile. “Of course, I like your lesson better, and you are still free to learn it if you want.”
I pouted again.
Stupid motherly white horse thing...