//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Her Life, In a Pan // by ThatGirl2147 //------------------------------// Precisely at Midday, a train arrived at the Fillydelphia Central Station, emanating its whistle throughout the station, alerting everypony nearby of its presence. Three ponies in particular stood just outside of the station, waiting for their friend. “I think the train’s here,” remarked Midnight Blue sarcastically. Pan Sear let out a chuckle. “Yeah,” agreed he, “and that looks like the 9:30 to Fillydelphia to me. Berry should be here any minute.” He then looked to Daisy Dreamer and asked, “by the way, what did you tell Java?” The lavender unicorn thought for a few seconds. “All I told him,” answered she, “was that you were Transgender and Blue was into mares.” She then lowered her head. “I’m sorry; he wouldn’t stop pressing the issue.” Pan and Midnight shrugged. “I don’t mind that,” said Pan. He then stepped closer to Daisy and clarified, “what I meant was how did he know about what was in my closet?” Daisy cocked her head. “What?” She then nodded and remembered, “oh, the dresses?” When Pan nodded with a blush, The mare added, “I didn’t even know you owned any dresses.” “Well then how did Java?” asked Pan in confusion. Daisy shrugged. “No idea,” answered she nonchalantly. “Maybe he didn’t, and was just trying to insult you; I wouldn’t put that past him.” Midnight Blue, who had been absent from the discussion, decided to contribute. “Wait,” said she, cocking her head, “Pan has dresses?” As he heard the words uttered once again, the green stallion groaned, his face a deep scarlet. “Yeah,” muttered he, “I’ve got one dress, from a thrift store. What’s the big deal?” He began to sound defensive as he spoke. “Nothing at all, Sweetie,” replied Midnight, sounding as though the answer was obvious. “In fact, I think it’s cute.” She then gasped and suggested, “you should show us when we get back; I want to see it!” Before Pan could reply, a mare’s voice greeted them. “Hey, Pan!” said the voice, belonging to the mulberry Earth Mare for whom the trio were waiting. Relieved, Pan Sear quickly turned to face his old friend. “Hello, Berry,” greeted he joyously. “How was the trip?” Berry Punch shrugged. “I can’t complain,” replied she honestly. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?” Pan nodded. “This is Midnight Blue, and Daisy Dreamer.” He motioned to each mare as he named them. He then turned to the pair and said, “Midnight and Daisy, this is Berry Punch.” The three mares exchanged greetings. “Say, Pan,” began the mulberry mare nervously, “you’re not still mad at me, are you?” Pan looked as though he was offended by the question. “Not at all, Berry,” assured he, genuineness in his tone. “I was stupid to say those things to you, and I’m glad you did what you did.” Smiling brightly, Berry kissed Pan on his cheek and giddily remarked, “I knew you couldn’t stay mad at me; you’re too sweet.” Midnight’s blue face shifted to crimson as she turned her head away from the scene. Nopony seemed to notice, and Daisy suggested, “so, what say everypony that we get back to Pan’s?” Everypony nodded in agreement, and the group slowly trotted towards Pan’s apartment. After a few minutes of walking, they passed by Citrus Sweet’s Citrus Sweets, and Daisy began to speak. “Umm, Girls,” said she slowly. Once she had everypony’s attention, she continued, “I forgot that I have to see Citrus; I’ll see you later.” Berry Punch nodded. “I see. Well, it was nice meeting you, Daisy Dreamer.” With a quick hug from all three ponies, Daisy entered the confectionery, and the trio remaining began to move again. After another half hour of idle conversation, the three ponies arrived at Pan Sear’s apartment, where they sat down and relaxed. “So, Berry,” began Midnight, “did you find anything else out about Transgenderism?” Berry shook her head. “Other than the little definition in that book, nothing.” She then looked to Pan and said, “sorry, Pan.” “Oh, it’s fine,” replied Pan dismissively. “I’m honestly surprised you found that much.” “And we’re bound to find a lot more,” added Berry factually. Midnight Blue cocked her head. “What do you mean?” Pan agreed with Midnight and asked the same thing. “Well,” explained the mulberry mare, “the librarian back in Ponyville’s kind of obsessive. You see, when I was reading that psychology book, she asked what I was reading about, and I told her; I didn’t give any names. However, she was shocked that there was so little in her library about the subject. She even noted how no other book she had even mentioned it.” Pan listened intently to his friend. “So, what does that mean?” “It means,” answered Berry with a smile, “that she’s going to find what she can on the subject, and then tell me what she finds.” The green stallion nodded, smiling. “That’s great news,” remarked he. “Thanks, Berry.” “Yeah,” agreed Midnight. Pan then stood up and looked to a clock in the room. “Well,” said he to both mares, “it’s about time I get to work. Feel free to hang out here as long as you like.” As he trotted back to his room, he said as an afterthought, “and, Midnight, could you gather up some of your friends and have them meet at Captain Salt’s around my lunch hour?” “For what?” asked Midnight, as if by reflex. Pan then turned to face her, and an intuitive expression told the mare everything she needed to know. “Okay,” complied she, nodding, “you got it.” With that, the stallion left the apartment with his saddlebags. “See you then, Girls.” When Pan arrived at Captain Salt’s, the restaurant was calm, and he was one of the first there to work the shift. He greeted the captain and readied up in the locker room. The Dinner Rush was tough, but Pan and the rest of the kitchen crew got the job done. When the last dinner customer payed their bill and left, Captain Salt dismissed everypony for their break. Most left to other places to eat, but Pan brought something from home and went to a booth to eat. “Ahoy, Pan!” greeted Captain Salt as he trotted over to his employee. Pan returned the greeting, to which the aged stallion rested his hooves on the table. “So, Pan,” began he, “you did a proper good job on the Dinner Rush, as usual.” Pan smiled at the compliment. “Thank you, Sir; after all, I did learn from the best.” The captain nodded in agreement. “That you did, Pan; that you did. Breakneck Shred was a great cook, and an exceptional pony.” “Rest in Peace, Old Friend.” The pair then shared a moment of silence. After the moment ended, several ponies came in through the front doors: Midnight Blue, Daisy Dreamer, Citrus Sweet, Berry Punch, and three other ponies. The group took their places at Pan’s booth, and the next booth over. “Oi,” began Captain Salt, looking about at everypony, especially Midnight Blue, who stood next to him, “what be all this?” Pan let out a light chuckle. “It’s not a mutiny, if that’s what you’re thinking, Captain,” assured he, playful lightness in his voice. “If you’ll excuse me, Strobe.” The red Earth Mare beside Pan allowed him to exit the booth and stand before everypony, which he did. “Fillies and Gentlecolts,” announced Daisy Dreamer, “most of you have heard this before, but our dear friend Pan has something to say. Pan?” Remembering his last attempt photographically, Pan tried to maintain his composure and go through with the confession. “Thank you,” said he politely, precisely following his proverbial hoofsteps. To avoid the accusing stares, he looked to the ground as he spoke. “Well, ummm,” stuttered he. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a dark azure hoof reach for his own. he took the hoof and visually trailed it to its owner, Midnight Blue. The mare beamed to him a warm, loving smile that lifted his spirits. Still holding his friend’s hoof, Pan looked to each and every pony in the small diner and said boldly, “I’m what is termed a ‘Transgender.’” Without needing a prod on, he continued with gusto, “that’s defined as: ‘a psychological condition in which a Pony physically identifies as one sex, but mentally identifies as the opposite.’” When everypony save Midnight, Berry, and Daisy gave confused stares, Pan simplified the definition. “Basically,” said he, “I’m a mare with the body of a stallion.” Everypony who didn’t comprehend before nodded as he simplified the explanation. For a minute or two, there was silence, until Citrus Sweet was the first to speak up. “So,” began he cautiously, “does that mean you, you know, act like a girl?” “I’ve been told I have a feminine personality, yes,” answered Pan, nothing less than honesty in his tone. “And so,” asked Strobe Light, scratching her neon-coloured mane with a hoof, “do you, umm, like, dress the part, too?” Pan nodded, blushing slightly. “Sometimes, but only in private.” He glanced across the entire group and assured them, “please, ask whatever you like; don’t be shy. I will answer any and all questions to the best of my ability.” “Then I’ve got a question,” stated Captain Salt. Pan bade him continue, and he did. “Can I have a word with you, in private?” The green stallion shrugged. “I don’t see why not.” With that, the grey stallion trotted to the back of the restaurant, and Pan followed, ignoring whispers he heard coming from everypony else. Once the steel door to the locker room closed, Pan asked the inevitable. “What is it you wanted to tell me, Captain?” The captain’s face bore little expression as he spoke to his friend and employee. “This whole issue of yours isn’t going to get in the way of your work, is it?” Pan Sear drew a heavy sigh, relieved from his suspicions. “Is that it, Sir?” When his boss nodded, he chuckled and said, “if it was going to get in the way, it would have started years ago.” Captain Salt nodded. “Okay, good.” His aged face then bore a look of friendly concern, and he continued, “look, Pan: I care about you, not only as a worker, but as a friend. I know you may be thinking I’m heartless for not being too concerned about tran-whatever of yours, but I’ve got a business to run, and I can’t have my best chef’s performance stunted by anything.” The green stallion nodded to show that he understood the captain’s concerns. “Look,” said he assuringly, “like I said out there, I only do anything with it in private, on my own time. You have absolutely nothing to worry about, Captain.” “Okay,” replied Captain Salt, convinced. “I just had to be sure.” He then opened the door and held it for Pan to exit. Smiling brightly, he insisted, “ladies first.” Pan chuckled at his boss’ gesture. “Thank you, Sir,” thanked he, mocking a curtesy as he trotted out of the locker room. “Now get these ponies out of here unless they want to order something!” ordered the captain as the pair returned to the front of the diner. Pan turned to him, and was met by a wink from the stallion. Pan nodded, and then complied. “You heard the captain,” said the stallion loudly enough for everypony to hear. “Break’s almost over, and hungry customers will be waiting. Buy something or we’ll have to ask you to leave.” The ponies stood up almost simultaneously and walked out of the diner in a single-file line, save Berry Punch, who stayed where she was. As the group left, as if by cue, the rest of the diner’s crew came trotting through the doors, stomachs full and ready to finish their shifts. A kind-looking old Unicorn Mare held a notepad and pencil in her phantasmal emerald grip as she happily walked up to Berry. “What can we get for you, Dearie?” asked she with a server’s smile. “One Pan Sear Slushy Special, please,” answered the mulberry mare without missing a beat. The waitress then gave the order to Pan, who already knew what his friend was going to order. Within two minutes, the waitress returned with the glass of blue liquid and crushed ice Berry had ordered. Berry Punch thanked her server and Pan as she payed for her drink, drank it, and trotted joyfully out the door. Amongst a few ponies loitering outside the diner, two in particular stood isolated, looking through the restaurant windows, unnoticed by everypony nearby. “That’s him, Switch,” said the first, his aviator glasses hiding his expression. “The green one with the blue hair.” The other stallion nodded, the moonlight reflecting off of his teeth revealing a devious grin on his muzzle. “Got it; consider it done. I do owe something after that thing Sophomore Year.” The first stallion chuckled at the memory. “That’s more than paid for if you do this.”