//------------------------------// // Part 3 // Story: Coming Out // by NightCoreMoon //------------------------------// Later that night, events had wound down. Sunset had returned Princess Twilight home to Equestria before coming back to take Fluttershy and go back to their apartment. Her motorcycle only sat two, after all. Applejack and Pinkie had gone home in the truck. Rainbow and Spitfire had retired to the bedroom and put a sock on the doorknob. All that was left was for Rarity, Twilight, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo to gear up and head to Twilight’s house. The party was set for the next weekend, as their schedules wouldn't allow everyone to come before then, and Pinkie never threw a party if everyone couldn't come. Bow and Windy hadn't returned since they had left earlier in the day, so there wasn't any particular reason for the four to stay. They'd mutually agreed to all go ahead and leave for Twilight’s house while the sun was still out. Upon arrival, Night Light had made good on his promise to help move the luggage. There weren't as many bags as there would be in total, as most of the nonessentials were still at Rarity’s. There wasn't much faith that those were anywhere but a dumpster by now. Still, what was present was enough for the time being, and by the time nightfall came, the guest bedroom was perfectly situated for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Exhausted by the emotionally draining day, the two went directly to bed, and almost directly to sleep. Night had also retired to his room, leaving Twilight and Rarity alone in Twilight’s bedroom. The robot was quickly fixed after a few minutes of attention with a soldering iron, satisfying Spike immensely. Rarity’s bags were piled neatly at the foot of the bedframe, and the two girls sat in companionable silence alongside each other on top of the covers. “I didn't think waking up this morning that it could be the last time I woke up in my bedroom,” Rarity eventually confessed. “The same ceiling that has greeted my vision every single day I’ve woken for almost my entire life, I may never see again. But if I were given a paintbrush, I doubt I could replicate it...” Twilight pat her shoulder. “I don't know what I should say, if you want me to say anything, what I would say if you did... but I can listen as long as you want to talk.” Rarity sighed and gave her friend a melancholic smile. “I know, darling... but I doubt that now is the time for me to talk. You said earlier you needed to say something to me when we were alone. Well, now we’re alone.” Twilight retracted her hand and leaned back, head hitting the pillows as she pressed her palms into her forehead. “Yeahhh...” she sighed. “I really gotta tell you something before we go to sleep because it... kiiiiinda determines where I’m gonna sleep.” Rarity raised her eyebrows before taking a supine position herself. “And why is that?” She asked, sincere curiosity coloring her voice. “I told you a long time ago, it's perfectly normal to share a bed with a friend.” Twilight crossed her fingers and set them on her stomach. “Didn't you say that in context about your sister and the person she’s now currently probably having sex with?” Rarity chuckled to herself. “To be fair, yes, but I also listed myself and Fluttershy, and Applejack and Rainbow Dash as examples. And I don't think Sunset and Fluttershy are dating. And how many times have you and Pinkie Pie spent an evening in each other’s embrace?” Twilight snorted. “With Pinkie Pie it’s different... but I guess you're right.” “Of course I’m right, dear. You and Pinkie don't have any romantic attachments to each other, and... neither do we.” Twilight slowly turned her head. “Yeah... about that...” she leaned forward. “That's, uh. Part of the reason I needed to talk to you. And honestly it's the easier part. The other part is the one I’m really not looking forward to.” Rarity turned and rested her head on her elbow. “I'm intrigued. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, and the time you need to explain.” Twilight frowned in thought, contemplating how she would go about discussing the situation. On one hand, it would be incredibly easy to just lie. The only hard part would be what to lie about. On the other hand, it would also be easy to tell the truth, physically speaking. The anxiety bubbling up from the possible negative reactions to either of the incoming confessions was definitely a lot to handle, if Twilight’s rapid pulse could attest to anything. But actually pushing the words out of her mouth wouldn't require much effort if she merely turned her brain off. Which she did. “I have a crush on you,” she said. “Before today I never accepted it. I always knew in the back of my mind that it was true, ever since the first couple of months I knew you girls. But back then, it was so vague that I couldn't tell it apart from my physical attractions to all of you. I thought it was just regular old schoolgirl infatuation. As time went on, and my understanding of my own feelings sharpened, and my relationships with all of you, I came to realize that the only one I really had true romantic feelings was Sunset. Or, so I thought.” Rarity nodded as Twilight continued, letting her finish. “It was through tutoring Rainbow Dash that I grew to see her as more than a friend. And that's why we started dating. That day when you were with me to pick out a dress for our first, I decided that I would ignore those romantic feelings for anyone but Rainbow. It was an incredibly easy decision to make. So when we broke up, it was easy to stay with it... Until the swimsuit shopping trip. That kind of brought back my thing with Sunset. To a lesser extent it did as well to the rest of you, but at the time there was an evident truth. The only ones of us who liked girls in a romantic sense were Dash, Sunset, Pinkie, and Fluttershy. So it was easy for me to pretend that my feelings for the rest of you were just friendship. I figured, romantic feelings weren't worth having on straight girls.” “Ah...” Rarity turned back to look at the ceiling again. “And then when I started having the hallucinations of Midnight, and my mind just... fucking melted down, all my hormones were just spinning wildly out of control. My sexual thoughts were all just, so exacerbated, it really muddied the waters. They stayed like that even after the... incident... for a while, until my meds balanced out. And until today everything was fine again, and it seemed like it would all be okay. But then you tell us all that you've liked girls the whole time, well... now I’ve admitted to myself that I like you, and now I’m admitting it to you too. I owe you that, at least, if you'll be sleeping in my bed for the next while. Now, I don't wanna follow through on those feelings because I’m sure that you don't, and I don't want it to be awkward or anything. I just want you to know the truth... but I am happy to have your friendship, and I never want that to go away.” Rarity reached out and squeezed Twilight's hand. “I know it may come as a shock to you, Twilight, but I’m friends with many people who have crushes on me.” Twilight barked a laugh and nudged her with an elbow. “Fuck off, I’m pouring my heart out here.” “I know, dear,” Rarity assuaged, sitting up and scooting over, wrapping her other arm around Twilight’s shoulders. “I'm only teasing. I don't mind if you like me. I'm actually flattered, especially considering the girls you don't like in that manner.” Twilight rested her head in the crook of Rarity’s neck. “I'm glad to hear that... there’s one hurdle gone. Buuut, this second one is a little tougher.” “I'm sure I won't mind the second one either. You're one of my best friends, and nothing will ever change that.” Twilight gently sighed, nestling in closer for what could conceivably be the last time. “You don't believe me when I say that,” Rarity speculated, holding her tighter. “Is this the ‘you wouldn't understand, I can't explain, it would ruin everything’ thing?” “Yes.” Rarity nodded. “Unless you're secretly the zodiac killer I don't think anything will change.” “Did you think what happened today would have happened when your dad found out you were bi?” Rarity tensed up slightly. “... I knew that it was a possibility. I hoped it would be okay though...” “I don't wanna bring up bad memories, Rarity, but... I need to set the precedent. The only people who know what I’m about to say are my parents and Spitfire.” Rarity sighed. “If you can tell Spitfire, I don't see why you can't tell me. You know I’ll never judge you for-” “I'm transgender.” Rarity sat in silence for a full minute. Twilight dared not move for the entire length of time. Even her breathing felt locked down. “So...” Rarity began. “You were born identified as male, and are now female, or... you're considering becoming a man? Or, nonbinary, or something like that?” Twilight blinked and furrowed her brow, turning to look at Rarity, whose face was full of genuine curiosity yet again rather than judgment. Which was, of course, a huge relief and a weight off of Twilight’s shoulders, but it still left her reeling with confusion. “That's not at all what I thought you were going to say.” “It must be the first one, that would explain an incredible amount. Oh goodness...” Rarity hugged Twilight close to her chest. “Oh, that explains- oh Twilight...” “Yeah... what does this explain?” Rarity merely nodded, and as Twilight felt wet in dots on her scalp, she realized that Rarity was crying yet again. It was amazing how many tears she had inside of her, really. “Your insecurities about things that come normally to girls, mainly,” she whispered. “About changing clothes around us, or us changing clothes around you, why you were so isolated at the beach house, your reaction to the photographs debacle, things Rainbow said about your relationship... Twilight, I have several transgender clients. I have lived with a transgender person for years. I, more than any one of us, should have been the first- oh Creator, I am the first... Twilight. I have no qualms with sharing a bed with you in any way, shape, or form, so long as you are comfortable as well. No matter what body parts you have, had, or will have in the future.” Twilight held Rarity back. “Thank you...” Rarity bit her lip. “Forgive me for prying, but you mentioned you told Spitfire. Does that mean...?” Twilight sighed. “Shit.” “I won't tell anyone if you won't.” Twilight nodded. “But yeah, she is. Rainbow sent her to talk to me because... well, Rainbow knew already, apparently.” “Aaahhh... well, she did find you collapsed on the ground in a pool of blood wearing only a bathrobe.” Twilight blinked. “Ooohhh... shit, I never thought of that.” She leaned back and screwed her eyes shut. “Fuuuck, that explains why she treats me different.” “She treats you different?” Twilight shrugged. “Before that day she was, you know, rough and teasing like she is with Applejack and Pinkie and Sunset, and ever since then she treats me the way she treats you and Fluttershy. I thought it was because she thought I was, I don't know, weaker or something because I cut so bad. Now I know it's because- well, I guess now I’m a third of the way through you girls. “Ah yes, that reminds me. If you plan to tell the others, I’ll be there with you if you want me to.” Twilight leaned back in and rested her head against Rarity’s collarbones. “I would really like that, actually... I should tell Rainbow to her face anyway, out of courtesy. She’d appreciate that. And, well, I’ve come out twice today. Sorry to steal your spotlight like that.” This time it was Rarity’s turn to snort. “Apology accepted, dear. Now come on, we’ve both had a taxing day. Let's go to bed.” Twilight nodded. “Yeah, let's... did you pack pajamas or do you want to borrow some of mine?” “I have some,” Rarity answered, rising and leaving the bed. She strode over to her luggage bag and grabbed one, before turning and placing it at the foot of Twilight’s bed. “I believe it's in this one... yes, here.” She pulled out two pieces of fabric before looking back up. “Would you be more comfortable if I changed in the bathroom?” Twilight bit her lip, crossed her legs, and looked to the side. “Uuuhhh... heh. Would you be?” Rarity shrugged. “I don't care either way.” Twilight rubbed the back of her neck. “I mean... you get dressed wherever you want. I don't mind at all.” Rarity rolled her eyes and chuckled. “You’ve changed so much in such a short time. Just a few short months ago you almost had a panic attack when you saw me in a tank top.” “Eh, anxiety attack. The panic attack was when I thought the other me was gonna kill me with magic. But yeah, I guess going schizo, almost dying, going into a coma, getting therapy, and coming out to your friends change a few things.” “Point taken,” Rarity said, unbuttoning her blouse. “But it's nice to see you’re much more comfortable with things like this than you used to be.” She pulled the top off, nearly folding it and placing it back into the bag. Twilight politely refrained from staring at Rarity’s black silk bra for the few seconds it was exposed before it was covered by a powder blue tank top. Surprisingly, it was much less of a big deal than it would have been earlier in the summer. The progression of time distracted her as Rarity took off her skirt and replaced it with forest green plaid flannel pajama pants. Twilight raised an eyebrow at the fashion choice. “This was just the first one I grabbed,” Rarity, confessed, slipping off the bra from underneath the tank. “Matching my clothes wasn't exactly high on my priority list at the time.” “I know, I know, I just didn't think you owned any flannel anything, let alone plaid.” “Ah... Applejack gifted me some when she heard through a grapevine named Sweetie Belle and Applebloom that the only pajama bottoms I had were short shorts.” Twilight jokingly snapped her finger. “Darn it, to think I could have seen you in booty shorts tonight.” Rarity responded with a lewd hand gesture and an innocent smile. “You really are more and more like Rainbow Dash every single day.” Twilight smiled as she ambled her way over to her own dresser, pulling out a white tank top before returning to the bed. “Being jokingly flirtatious is a lot of fun... I understand why she does it all the time. Although I'm not sure how much of her is joking.” “True,” Rarity ceded, taking her bag back to the pile. She turned around to a scene she never thought she'd see before. “Twilight, were you not wearing a bra at all today?” Twilight, who had taken off her pants to reveal her omnipresent pair of white-striped black gym shorts, and her shirt to reveal nothing but lavender skin, simply tossed her old shirt across the room to the laundry hamper. “I didn't think I’d be doing anything besides hang out with Applejack and Pinkie today, so no.” “You really are just Rainbow Dash two point oh!” Twilight chuckled at this as she pulled her top on. “Yeah, probably. You mind hitting the light while you're over there?” Rarity did so, and the room was bathed in darkness. “How will I make it back?” Two loud clapping noises filled the darkness, and pale lamplight flooded the room. “Oh.”